4. Restaurants

Doraku Sushi

1009 Kapiolani Blvd, Honolulu, HI, 96814
  • (808) 591-0101
  • Store is closed

Doraku Sushi Menu

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Sorry, We are updating this restaurant cholesterol menu details.

  • Kelsey T.

    My favorites here are the edamame, lomi lomi roll, & the garlic steak with a s/o rice. Those alone, fill me up. Prices are lower during HH & the wait to be seated is not long at all!! They even have beer specials! Service at this particular time was AWESOME. Jana helped us & was always very attentive, checking on us to make sure we were doing okay. The only downfall with this particular experience was that when I got home I saw that my credit card was overcharged $65! My bill was $49 & I got charged $115. The manager I called was very helpful and I got it settled quickly. I'm still giving this Doraku 5 stars because their service & food is awesome!

    (5)

  • Manmeet R.

    The sake made my tummy feel warm and happy and the food was good ... Don't remember what I ate but the sake ... Forget about it

    (4)

  • Shanley R.

    Happy hour is so great here! For three of us eating our fill, the bill came out to be around $30. What a deal! And the food is so delicious. One of my favorites is the agedashi tofu and the teriyaki edamame. There are also a wide variety of other dishes on the menu (in addition to the Happy Hour Menu). When I'm not in happy hour mode, some dishes I'm a fan of are the red dragon roll and the king oyster mushroom. I work nearby so many times, I will walk over to Doraku from work for happy hour. The decor and atmosphere is great and the staff is always so helpful and friendly.

    (4)

  • Angela M.

    HAPPY HOUR BEEF TATAKI! And that is all you need to know. You're welcome. Fine, I'll say bit more. Ahem. Dear Doraku, I have experienced your happy hour three times. Thrice. And I mostly love it. Here's what I don't love: Please refrain from seating me upstairs as everything takes longer, and the pleasure I'm experiencing from your food is deeply affected by the pity I feel for the poor little server struggling up and down, up and down, up and down. Your music can also be a touch loud though I suppose it is actually a sound veil of privacy as the tables next to me can't hear the terribly scandalous things I'm practically yelling to my dining companion. "AND THEN THEY TOLD ME MY LABIA WAS LITERALLY BEING STRETCHED BEYOND IT'S ELASTICITY! SO NOW HE'S LOOKING INTO REDUCTION OPTIONS, WHICH IS JUST CRAZY BECAUSE-". Though I wouldn't be yelling if the music weren't so loud. But then maybe they'd hear me even at normal level because the music would be soft. What came first, the chicken or the egg? Also, I only experienced the extremely loud music one out of three times, so perhaps it was a doozy. I didn't love paying the valet $3, watching him park my car exactly three stalls down, then have him return my keys to me because they were closing up shop soon. Being told "Just go ahead and park as we're leaving soon" would have made me significantly happier than paying $3 to save myself an entire nine walking steps. I also thought your fried green tea ice cream tasted like play-doh. My companion thought it was edible, so maybe it's good and I just don't like it. Things I do love: BEEF TATAKI IN ALL OF ITS VINEGARY-ONIONY-UMAMI MAJESTY! But you already know that. Your other happy hour foods. Specifically the eggplant thing, the agedashi tofu, and the largeness of the $6 dynamite bowl. I really love that you're open relatively late and that your happy hour begins at 9 and not 10:30 like many other places. Um, yes. Alright, it seems like I have far more complaints than likes. But the likes more than make up for the gripes. And though the "things I don't love" list seems really long, when I think of your restaurant I feel bubbling feelings of fondness and an intense desire to eat your beef tataki. So I will be back! Sincerely, Angela

    (4)

  • Legend M.

    If you are looking for a good place to eat Japanese food with a good atmosphere, this is the place. Sushi is super delicious, salmon and hamachi kama... Phenomenal, and even the steak is great. Service there is super good too. Very quick, very friendly. I recommend this place 10 times out of 10!

    (5)

  • Alli C.

    Doraku is another restaurant that I have only been to during happy hour. I really enjoy their happy hour menu. The sake and sushi are good! If you like martinis the lychee martini is delicious!! The restaurant is very clean and has sushi bar, table, outside and a community table seating. It can be pretty crowded and hard to find a seat if you walk in because people do make reservations. The parking is valet if you park in the building. I think it is $5. It makes parking easy and safe if you don't mind paying for valet. I have great things to say about the restaurant itself, but the reason Doraku only got 3 stars from me is my friend's tab was altered after we left the restaurant. After leaving a cash tip, she had a tip added onto her credit card. She was compensated by the manager, which made her satisfied but the one waiter is still rude and inattentive to certain tables. Honestly, this situation was unfortunate and bothersome, however it won't stop me from going to Doraku. I just might go to the Waikiki location or make sure that my tab is accurate on my credit card statement.

    (3)

  • Heather C.

    Went to Duraku Sushi to celebrate some friends' birthdays. They don't take reservations before six (we got there a little after five), but they put us at a great table that was reserved for later that night rather than make us wait for a big enough table to open up. I ordered the Green Dragon Roll and it was amazing. Could have eaten a second one. Shrimp tempura with avocado on top and a great sauce with the perfect amount of spice. The chicken lettuce wraps were tasty as well. We split a couple of tempura brownies with green tea ice cream. Yummy. They were busy but they did a great job checking on us often and our food was ready quickly. Will go back again. A fun side note. Your bill comes on this cool wooden block with their logo branded into it.

    (5)

  • G D.

    Love the ambiance, service and food. Good variety of sushi. Parking is somewhat complicated.

    (5)

  • Dan W.

    We had white dragon roll (shrimp tempura and avocado with hamachi). It was OK. We also had the emperor roll (tuna, crab, shrimp, avocado). The combination was awesome. I would definitely recommend it. Bathroom is shared with another restaurant. We did not have a changing station for our baby, so we had to use a little 1 foot wide cabinet/stand that was in the restroom. Wish it was more family friendly.

    (3)

  • Jan L.

    A friend of mine recommended this place so we had to give it a try, right? Our waiter was very attentive and friendly. I was glad when the hostess sat us outside as it was freezing cold and loud inside the restaurant. We ordered the appetizer special that they had that evening -- the poke and oysters were heavenly! We also ordered the braised pork yakisoba (YUM!) and the salmon as entrees. BEWARE that the portion is on the "small" side (thus the 4 stars and NOT 5)... I guess I should have read the reviews about the Happy Hour Specials earlier ... I guess we just missed it by 15 minutes! DOH! Oh well,... Next time we'll definitely have to check out the Happy Hour Specials to get our bank for our buck! LOL. :-)

    (4)

  • Krizia Faith M.

    Doraku will always be one of my fave sushi spots! I've been here many times but never got to write a review until now. It's never really busy when we do walk-ins but sometimes I like considering reservations just incase, especially on weekends. I'm pretty much familiar with the menu now. I practically love all their sushi rolls (esp the emperor roll), lobster tempura, garlic steak, pan seared salmon, and hamachi. I've tried all their desserts as well but I would say that I love the brownie tempura and banana flambé the best. I don't think I've ever had any bad experiences here with the waiters, food, or service. I've always had a pleasant experience, whether it was coming with family, bf, or friends. Most of the waiters here are always so jolly and I love that because who the hell would want a grumpy waiter? This place never fails :) Btw, it's better to have vallet parking. It's only $3 so it shouldn't be too bad.

    (5)

  • Vi T.

    I had dinner here a couple of weeks ago with my family. The fish was very fresh and delicious. My favorite was the hamachi carpaccio. So light and flavorful! The eggplant app (I think miso eggplant) was lovely as well. Even my grandma liked it and she doesn't love eggplant. The agedashi tofu was okay; I would have preferred it to be more crisp and have more flavor. While the fish is tasty, the rolls were a little lackluster for the price. Most of the rolls are fairly standard; they're not bad, just not very exciting. We also tried the butterfish and the pork yakisoba. I really liked the yakisoba because it was served with a gooey egg and a good portion of delicious pork belly!

    (4)

  • Cassie B.

    F O O D: The food here is a pretty good mix of Japanese sushi, some classy dishes, and bar food. I think they make some great appetizers, and the drinks were amazing. I did notice that the food was considerably lower in price during HH, and I did feel that some of the sushi rolls/don bowls were overpriced. Still, I left feeling satisfied, and I am excited to come back. RECOMMENDED - Oyster Shooter: This was my first time getting an oyster shooter. Yes, there is raw egg and an oyster in there, but it was so delicious. I was tempted to just eat these all night; they were that good! Plus they come in a shot glass so you can down them with your friends!! I also appreciated that the amount of food was just right; it was the perfect mouthful of delicious seafood. - White Dragon Roll: I loved this roll! It was so tasty, and the crunchy tempura paired well with the hamachi (at least for me)! It wasn't too overpowering, and I could've ALSO eaten this all night. The price was a little high for what I was getting, IMO, but I still enjoyed it enough to consider getting another roll so close to HH. - Chicken Karaage: I ordered this during HH, and OMG YOU GET SO MUCH DELICIOUSNESS FOR SO CHEAP! I loved the chicken. It was so flavorful and cooked just right. I could barely finish the dish and had to actually ask my BF to polish it off for me. The HH dishes seem to be the same size as the normal dishes during regular hours, which is a bonus. MEH - Dynamite Donburi: This was actually really underwhelming. The fish was very dry and there was very little mayonnaise and actual seasoning. When I think of dynamite, I think of mayo with delicious seafood and good sushi rice. The dish just tasted like canned salmon with some spice thrown on and a dash of mayo. Not good enough to justify the price to me, but it was good filler during the meal. It didn't tasted bad; it just was less than what I expected. GRADE = B+ A M B I A N C E: The place is dimly lit at night, and there is a bar along with many group tables. The place looks like it was structured primarily for groups of friends. The sound level is LOUD, so be prepared for that. There is also club music playing a little loudly in the background. For those looking for a quiet evening out, this is probably not the place. Those who are looking for a lively dinner (esp before an evening out on the town), this is a great place to dine! The atmosphere gets you ready for a party or at least makes your dinner feel like one! GRADE = A- (for what it is) S E R V I C E: I was pleasantly surprised with the service on the busy evenings I went there! There was always a line, but the servers were always so sweet and gave great recommendations. It was clear that they were very busy, but they didn't let that stress affect their service level! I was given great recommendations, and they even cracked some jokes with us! The greeter at the door was also friendly. Yay for good service! GRADE = A RECOMMENDED? YES!

    (5)

  • Stefanie D.

    I had a great experience at Doraku Sushi. I came just in time during Happy Hour on a Friday night. Parking is only $3 for valet and the restaurant seated us immediately. Talk about an awesome start. Our service was really nice and helpful with us, being it all our first time there and one member of our party is unfortunate enough to be afflicted with a shellfish allergy. We ordered lots of stuff to try, a lot that I've seen recommended on Yelp! For drinks, we got Kirins on Happy Hour special and I got a delicious plantation tea. Also from the HH menu, we ordered the miso eggplant, edamame, salmon kama, and firecracker shrimp (for the two non-allergic who can't resist). We also had seaweed salad, miso soup, agedashi tofu, ahi poke, and God of Fire rolls. I think that's everything...Highlights for me were the miso eggplant and firecracker shrimp. The agedashi tofu was so good as well. We ended our meal with the brownie tempura, which as expected did NOT DISAPPOINT! My brother who didn't want dessert ended up grabbing an extra spoon and indulging because it was just too damn good not to! The prices were great for Happy Hour. We were able to try so much for our first visit. For three people, it ended up only costing around $70. I will definitely be back here for a dinner date in the near future. It's perfect for couples, families, and friends. Very laid back but at the same time, the service and restaurant is wonderful. I will definitely be back now that I've finally tried it. I have a lot more fish to try since I started eating it again after years of strict vegetarianism. This was a great place for me to try some new things and to bring an allergic to shellfish out of towner!

    (5)

  • Karlene R.

    Wasn't too bad. We just ordered a few pupus from the Happy hour menu and ordered one roll the waitress said was the special of the evening. I highly recommend the shoe. It was tempura shrimp with Avacado, pickel, wrapped in seaweed and rice with grilled Ahi and Wasabi on top (we were able to pinpoint the seaweed wrap taste like a new shoestore). Also had Happy hour Hibiscus which was similar to a Moscato with ice- ask for no or light ice or you will have water with a splash of wine). :o)

    (3)

  • Michelle And Bernard S.

    Happy hour is GREAT! Very reasonably priced! If you dine otherwise be ready to dish out! However, the food is really good. I'm a fan of their sushi, soy beans, and steak! They have two happy hours so check the times as to which is best for you! The parking fills quickly because the valet structure is shared with chai's! If there's no valet parking there's limited street parking! Enjoy!

    (4)

  • Spencer X.

    This is an excellent restaurant ... IF you're a munchkin who wants overpriced, poor-quality, pseudo-Japanese food! Not only are the portion sizes SMALL, but the quality and freshness of the seafood stink. The other dishes, such as the overpriced chicken teriyaki, tofu stir-fry, or edamame would be appealing, except I don't have the palate of a five-year kid. It's not a bad place but -- considering how many better places there are in Hawaii -- I just can't say it's good. It's just underwhelming. YOU WILL leave this restaurant HUNGRY and head up the street for a sour dough Jack with curly fries!

    (2)

  • Julie F.

    Try the red dragon roll. Trust me on this one.

    (4)

  • Helen N.

    The place itself has very nice ambiance. $3 valet parking. There is outside, inside, bar, and upstairs seating available. Our server was Dave B. who was very nice and recommend the best items with pure honesty. We came after 9pm which was during happy hour. Ordered Locus cocktail which was a great blend of passion fruit like liquor. Started with Salmon Carpaccio and the Streak and Sheshito Peppers which were great, I absolutely enjoyed "no-rice" Double Happiness roll, "God of Fire", and Asari Clam Sakamushi soup was one of the best I've had in my life, worth every penny and came with 12 clams! Dave even brought my hubby birthday desert even through it was 2 days ago. Thanks will definitely be coming back soon!

    (5)

  • B. K.

    I really love this place and frequent it often. Yesterday a friend and I decided on Doraku for lunch before a movie. i have been for lunch before and knew that they had a good lunch menu. The food was great as usual and atmosphere was lovely. My only complaint is that service was a little slow and one of our sushi rolls was ordered wrong. To compensate us they removed some other items from our bill. kinda odd, but whatever. I'll be back for sure in the future. It's one of my favorite places to dine.

    (4)

  • Aziz S.

    Horrible service ;((((( I would rate it zero stars if I could,I mean I didn't even get to eat! The so called "hosts"at 6:39 pm on August 8th,2015 were horrible, impolite, tried to force us to take a dirtyyyyyy table that they did not clean after customer left. The floor had food on it?Glad I Left because I am now enjoying my sushi and service at Sansei Seafood restaurant and Sushi Bar in Marriott,Waikiki. I am thankful for the bad service

    (1)

  • Gray G.

    I went here for my 21st birthday just recently and it was a fun experience. The waitstaff is very polite and lively. They check up on you frequently and make you feel welcomed into the environment. The decor is also very inviting and original. This Doraku has more of a younger vibe to it than the one in Waikiki. Both are very good but the one in Waikiki feels more touristy. Prices are reasonable and also cheaper than the one in Waikiki. I personally loved the choice of music but I can imagine that it would be only for a certain type of crowd because it can get kind of loud at times. All in all the food was delicious but if you're a heavy eater, expect to be buying more than one dish because portions are kind of light. I would go here again in the future!

    (5)

  • Kurt N.

    Date night with bae after a long week of work. The choice was easy to choose Doraku because I've seen many great food pics on IG as well as great reviews on Yelp so it was a must try for my wife and I. What did we order? 1. Firecracker Shrimp: great appetizer and the dipping sauce is just to die for. They also give a good amount of shrimp. 2. Spicy Lobster Roll: I was a bit hesitant because of the cream cheese that's on the roll but it went well with this roll. 3. White Dragon Roll: a must have, enough said :) 4. Brownie Tempura with Vanilla Ice Cream: what a way to end our dinner with a yummy dessert. It was either this or tempura ice cream. Glad we choose the brownies because it was something we haven't tried before. Just amazing how tempura batter always makes everything better. Will I come back? Yes!!! The service was great. Art was our bartender and he was great. Also, the food came out fast...faster than Mcdonald's! Haha!

    (5)

  • Valaine V.

    Hosted some visitors to the island at Doraku this evening.... Experience: Five Stars!!! Pleasant, clean, great service, good food, great ambiance for all. Service: Five Stars!!! Provided by Darrell. He took care of our needs without being over-attentive. I like this. If i needed something, he was there, he didn't linger, he did not impose. Pleasant in appearance, clean, and accurate with his order-taking style. I would hire him. I tipped him 20%. Food: It was good. Nothing more, nothing less. Great presentation of food (visually satisfying). Personally, I believe I've tasted better sushi, but keep in mind, that flavor is variable. Overall, I was pleased. Family and guests loved the tempura brownies with ice cream. Would I return. Yes. Thanks Doraku!!

    (4)

  • Rae Ann S.

    Tonight I have a friend visiting from Kauai who wanted to have dinner in a lively place. I thought late night happy hour would be perfect! We were told there was a 45 min wait for 4, so we grabbed 2 seats at the bar and waited for our other friends. This is my 3rd time here this month and I was not pleased with the service tonight. The bartender was RUDE. I asked her for a napkin for our pupus and she handed me bar napkins, when the people next to us has real napkins to wipe their food on. She never offered a refill on our drinks or offered us water. THEN, they gave away our table without knowing. I've now been waiting over an hour and the best they can give me is, "we have you on pretty soon, this doesn't happen often. Can we sit you at the community table??" Good thing the happy hour is good or I would've left already...still waiting... They seated us 10 minutes after my post at the community table. Our server's name was Dave and he put a rush on our order after he heard our table was given away. We got our food ao fast we didn't know what hit us! Way to save the night Dave. We appreciate you!

    (4)

  • Mary D.

    Tip: Go during happy hour to save some money. Unless money is no object for you. Then go whenever! I had a quick dinner with my daughter before the Madam Butterfly show at the Blaisdell. We were seated, full of food, and out of there in 45 minutes. That was amazing. We had the california roll, spicy ahi roll, chicken karaage, salted edamame, and steak skewers (I can't remember the actual name). Bill total about $35 with tip. Everything we got was delicious and came out very quickly. Service was excellent from entry to departure. I swear they boil their edamame in butter or something. It's not greasy but was the most tasty "boiled" and salted edamame ever. We were seating in a tucked away corner and my daughter loved our "box" booth. She was blown away by the interesting water bottle that they left on our table and just the decor and ambiance of the entire place. I thought it was pretty cool too. If I'm ever in the area and there for a show, I'll definitely hit this place up between 4 pm and 6 pm or after 9 pm for the happy hour menu. :)

    (5)

  • David C.

    The last time I came here the sushi didn't taste very fresh. The happy hour menu here is a bargain. If anything, go here for the happy hour menu.

    (2)

  • Garret U.

    We arrived just before 6pm on a Tuesday and the valet was already full. We had to self park just around the corner in a small private lot. Not a big deal but somewhat inconvenient. We didn't have reservations but were seated right away (2 of us) which was a pleasant surprise given the parking situation. Despite the crowd we were attended to very promptly. The server, a lively and happy fellow, informed us that we had made it just in time for happy hour which was ending in a few minutes (6pm), another pleasant surprise. We ordered the beef tataki, spicy tuna roll, salmon carpaccio, and the steak yakitori off the fairly large happy hour menu. Each item was delivered a lot faster than expected. Out of the four, my favorite was the beef tataki; I've always had a weakness for extremely rare beef and I was not let down. For our main dishes I ordered the sushi nigiri deluxe and my friend had the surf and turf roll. We also got two orders of chu toro nigiri. I am very picky when it comes to sushi as it's one of my favorite foods. That being said, while Doraku's sushi nigiri deluxe was very good, it was not the best I've had, not even close. But still good enough that I'd rate it 5 stars. The extra order of chu toro nigiri on the other hand was a big disappointment. The quality just wasn't there; 1 star out of 5 for the chu toro (sad face). I tried some of my friend's surf and turf and I must say that out of everything I ate tonight, the surf and turf was my favorite. I honestly have no idea what was in it as I kinda dozed off when the server was explaining it to us, but it was very oishii! I rate the service, nigiri deluxe, surf and turf, and the HH items we ordered 5 strong stars. I deduct 1 star for the subpar chutoro and another half star for the parking. 3.5 stars total rounded up to 4. Recommendations? Get the surf and turf roll.

    (4)

  • Ada F.

    My husband's dive friend recommended this place. From the reviews I could tell this would be a very westernized Japanese place but reviews were positive so why not give it a try. I was happy to see they had a few "no rice" rolls. My husband and I ordered: Emperor roll - tuna, salmon, crab, shrimp and avocado roll crusted with panko then flash fried, served over spring mix with sweet onions, special aioli sauce and masago Double happiness - tuna, salmon, scallop, squid, shrimp, crabmeat, shiso leaf, kaiware sprouts, wrapped with Nori and thinly sliced cucumber and topped with garlic aioli, tobiko and ponzu sauce Japanese style garlic steak - 8oz grilled ribeye served with garlic ginger ponzu sauce with mushroom, sprouts and onions Spicy crunchy trio - 6 crispy sushi rice pieces topped with big eye spicy tuna, salmon and Hamachi Many people raved about the Emperor Roll so we had to try it. Super disappointed. Of the two rolls the Double Happiness roll was better but it did not impress me. The 8oz of ribeye had good flavor but a few pieces were full fat. Yuck! The spicy crunchy trio was fishy. The crispy sushi rice was to thick and lacked crispiness. Overall I was disappointed with the meal. First night was Sushi Sasabune, next night Sushi Izakaya Gaku and tonight Doraku Sushi. I would not recommend this place. It has a good vibe in terms of people drinking and laughing; reminds me of a want to be Katsuya. Maybe the drinks are good but I don't drink so my review is strictly on their food. The hot green tea was good. That was the only memorable thing about dinner. Service is so so here. We were seated at a small two people table but we ordered four items. The food kept coming out so quickly. At one point I was holding an empty plate for a few minutes and no one came to pick it up from me.

    (2)

  • Kevin C.

    One of my favorite happy hour spots now! Doraku has really grown on me and I am seeing myself come more and more. They have daily happy hour from 4-6 AND after 9pm. Uhhh, how you can NOT be all over that? I've been here both during non-HH and HH times and I enjoyed both. But being the Chinese-y person that I am, I obviously prefer the HH! It does get a bit crazy during late night HH, especially on Friday/Saturday so I either recommend hitting up a little earlier and waiting for HH to start or going a little later if you have the time. The restaurant is nicely decorated and has nice dim lighting to 'set the mood.' What that mood is depends on you and your party. There is seating available on the main floor, at the bar, at the big communal table in the middle and even some tables on the patio. I've tried a lot of the dishes here but my personal recommendations would be the miso eggplant, tuna tataki, the fried chicken on HH and the white dragon roll. But trust me, there are TONS of options of the menu that also will not disappoint you. The drinks are also your standard fare at a Japanese restaurant. I'm a simple man and I usually stick to my Kirin drafts heh you can't go wrong with that. My friends have ordered their house specialty lemonade cocktail and that proved to be pretty tasty as well! Parking can be a challenge especially on the weekends. There is a $3 valet right next to the restaurant. Other than that, there is lots of street parking along Kapiolani and on the surrounding side streets that are free after 6pm and on Sundays.

    (4)

  • Julia G.

    The ambiance of this place is so fun. I can't wait to come back- primarily tried different dragon rolls but my favorite item was their sake tasters 3 for only $10. Will definitely come back. Located on Kapiolani Blvd, near Blaisedell. Staff is super friendly and the restaurant is a fun "hip" environment, fun for catching up w friends. Parking is $3 valet and I think you can self park and they validate.

    (4)

  • Rhemielyn U.

    I love coming to this place during happy hour. The service and ambiance is top notch. Their food is amazing. I always get their hibiscus sparkler or lychee martini with everything in their happy hour because everything is under $6. I love their red and white dragon roll along with beef tataki and chicken karaage. Their brownie tempura is a must to end the night.

    (5)

  • K G.

    Delicious fresh food, interesting rolls, nice atmosphere, clean, beautiful sitting, good prices-my new go to sushi place.

    (5)

  • Laurabeth M.

    Pricey, but I can see why! This place is a total treat for lunch, and so far of the 5 employees I've met, I've liked every one of them. I recommended this place to my brother, who is very picky and elite about where he goes. He asked for "the best sushi on the island" when he was visiting from Hong Kong and was not disappointed. I'd give it 5/5 but the strangest thing was I enjoyed the trio appetizer so much more than the riceless roll. In fact, the riceless roll was rather underwhelming.

    (4)

  • Nat N.

    Came here three times - first for a private party and two times for lunch. My friend rented the entire restaurant for a birthday party for her husband. It was buffet style and the food was delicious. They were a little slow in refilling a few of the dishes but good food does take time to prepare and is rather eat it hot off the stove than premade food that had been sitting. I'm not sure how much it costs to rent out the whole restaurant, but if you can afford it, it's a pretty cool venue to consider. Now onto the lunchtime service. They have pretty good lunch specials that come with salad and soup. The cheapest is the chicken teriyaki at $10.95. Good portion of chicken. I also like the negi toro donburi which is negi toro served on a bed of sushi rice with nori flakes. So delicious. I wanted to try something on the dessert menu but my dining mate was too full and I did not want to eat a whole dessert by myself. Next time! I've got my eye on the tempura ice cream. I still don't get how they can deep fry ice cream without the ice cream melting!

    (4)

  • Tyler D.

    Really enjoyed the food and the atmosphere. The food was comparable to Sansei but a but was priced better. I definitely wanna come here again.

    (4)

  • Jessika G.

    My boyfriend and I tried Doraku Sushi for the first time this weekend and we are both looking forward to our next visit. We made it to the Kapiolani Boulevard location at about 5:30 p.m. for the 4-6p.m. Happy Hour. We chose to sit at the bar (ask for Art, he's awesome!) and started with drinks; a Lotus for me and a Kirin for him. We ended up ordering two orders of chicken kara'age, two orders of the Deluxe Spicy Tuna Roll, one order of "steak on a stick", and because I just HAD to try a roll outside of the Happy Hour menu, I ordered a Black Dragon Roll. We were told that the Deluxy Spicy Tuna Roll was the one item to choose if we liked spicy, however, it wasn't spicy at all, but the fish was fresh and buttery and that made up for it. If I hadn't gotten the special roll, our bill would've have come out to $40+; which isn't bad and is pretty normal for us. Although there were lots of people, the area in which we were sitting in seemed empty. The ambiance is perfect for date night. We look forward to coming again, hopefully with friends and family. $3 valet parking in garage next to Doraku.

    (5)

  • Dillon S.

    Nice and trendy spot. Well decorated. Sushi is decent and affordable, especially during happy hour. Everyone I saw seemed to be having fun and our waiter was attentive. They forgot one of our orders, but we were so full we were thankful.

    (4)

  • Julie D.

    Been here multiple times with my family or friends especially during happy hour because duh everything is cheaper. The food here is so tasty! I love getting the firecracker shrimp but too bad it's off the happy hour menu...boo! All is well though cuz it seems they added more on the happy hour menu. They now have beef yakitori and beef tataki which were both so tender and tasty! I usually get the lychee martini. I can get buzzed from one drink so it's worth the price of $6 under the happy hour menu. They also have a seating area upstairs for a more intimate setting. Ambiance is pretty. Parking is valet.

    (5)

  • Maria Shea A.

    WOW WOW WOW I am so impressed with this place. We were invited to a birthday party there so when we arrived, several of our friends were waiting at the bar, to be seated. Their drink and wine selection was vast enough to satisfy most. After about 30 min, we were lead to the area up the stairs, to the right of the bar. We walked up a stairway and were led to the left corner. There was a U shaped booth along with some very close tables where one side had cozy bench style seats and the other some comfortable chairs. All 10 of us ordered and shared items from "Dinner Happy Hour" menu. These items are offered every day from 4 to 6pm and 9pm to closing. WIN!!! The menu has a wide variety of items for those who are more health conscious as well as others. Prices on the items range from to 3. to 6., yess really! Each and every item I'd tasted was just wonderful... except for the chicken lettuce wraps. The chicken was overdone. No matter though; the flavor, freshness, presentation, ambiance, service, value, quality of the food/drinks were ON POINT. Based on tasting about 90% of the items on this menu and the opinion of my friends, here are my recommendations: Tuna Tatake - My FAVORITE Salmon Carppacio - My Second favorite Eggplant Miso Chicken Kara'age Dynamite Donburi Any of the rolls. I also want to mention that they have my absolute favorite type of Sake on the Happy Hour Menu; Sho Chiku Bai, Nigori (cold, unfiltered sake). That is a really good sake for beginners or those who can't take the strong alcohol taste of most sake. We WILL be returning. I absolutely love this place.

    (5)

  • Robert G.

    Over rated. Customer service was not where it needed to be. I would not return but its a good place to get a sushi fix.

    (3)

  • Chad M.

    Not 5 out of 5 for the best restaurant I've ever had, but in its class category, it deserves a 5. Besides the 10 minutes of a crying baby in the back corner booth at the end of the sushi bar, this dining experience was fantastic! My girlfriend and I came out tonight on a Tuesday night and had made reservations for 7:30pm. We called 5 mins prior to let them know we were running 5 mins behind, but when we got there there wasn't a problem seating us & we chose to sit at the sushi bar anyways. Our server's name was Soo, which we have had several times before and it was great every time! We started off with the king salmon sashimi, which was really fresh as usual and nothing short of amazing. After that, the manager Aaron brought us a complimentary white dragon roll. All of the rolls are so delicious here and I've never had a bad one! After we obliterated that one, Soo came back and we ordered one cocktail each... A Moscow Mule, which goes perfect with sushi because it has ginger in it and they even have the copper mugs to compliment! Then we ordered some vegetable tempura, oyster shooter which had a quail egg/daikon/ponzu/green onion, oh toro (the best ever!!), and main entree seared sesame citrus ahi. The ahi was fantastic and had a nice spice/twist on it! The vegetable tempura was great too! All n all, it was a great experience and I will definitely continue to dine here as i have since they first opened. I always like to sit at the sushi bar because u can see all of the fresh fish up close and personal, as well as watch the pros prep everything like edible pieces of art! Worth the money & excellent quality for the cost basis.

    (5)

  • Matt G.

    As I've matured (gotten old), weekly outings to the bar or club have turned into happy hour visits and after work drinks. What's not to love about that when Doraku is an option? Very generally speaking, happy hour prices range from $5-10 for anything on that menu. And compared to a lot of other places, it's fairly extensive. The tuna takaki is my favorite. Seared ahi tuna on a bed of julienned daikon and sweet onions with mixed wakame, kaiware, and ponzu topped with fried garlic chips and a garlic aioli. Sooooooo good. The only drawback is that I personally prefer my sear to be a little more substantial. A few more seconds on a hotter pan could've achieved a great crust. But in terms of flavor, on point. Also at $6 was the beef takaki, and it was very similar. Rare beef in the same ponzu sauce topped with green onions, red onions, and the fried garlic chips. Having been here before for dinner and again, recently, during happy hour, I think it's safe to say Doraku is a great option for either. The main appeal of happy hour are the prices. $6 for tuna or beef tataki? What's not to like about that? Oh and don't forget the drinks. Cheap drinks are always a plus.

    (4)

  • Zaneth Y.

    I usually come here every so often. Each time I went are always different experiences Overall the waitresses are always friendly and attractive. Food is great and decent pricing for any occasion. It's funny how the songs the play don't match their theme Japanese setting. I probably would recommend coming for happy hour. Every time I come here they're always out of some of their items. They need work on getting a new dish washer person because their glasses are never clean and have water and good stains! Which is pretty gross. But over all I do like the food and servers

    (4)

  • Savannah P.

    Yikes! I came here once but the wait time was too long to bare so left and decided to come give this place a second shot. On our second time around, the wait for 2 was over 30 minutes to be seated but it felt more like 45 minutes and the hostess told us 20 minutes would be the wait time to be seated. Once seated we were greeted by our waitress who was super friendly and nice. She brought us our waters and checked up on us pretty frequently and answered any questions for anything we were unfamiliar with. We went with the happy hour menu (9pm-Close) & ordered 1 Kirin Draft ($4), 1 Garlic Teri Edamame (not on menu, ask for it upon request) ($3), 1 Dynamite Donburi (I assume only listed in some menus because it wasn't listed in my menu) ($6), and 1 Deluxe Spicy Tuna Roll ($6). ($19.90 with tax). The food was left with much to impress. The only things that were edible food wise was my cold Kirin draft and garlic teri edamame. The Dynamite Donburi (listed in the Hot Dishes section) was cold, the rice was stale and overly vinegary and the fish tasted like it was left over reminents which could not be used in other sushi dishes and was thrown into our Dynamite Donburi bowl. The Deluxe "Spicy" Tuna Roll looked pre-packaged like I could pick it up at any convinience store. There was hardly any tuna in it and it certainly was not spicy. I understand it's on the happy hour menu but don't bother serving it if it's going to served less than mediocre and all I get is rolls of rice wrapped in nori. I'm on the fringe of trying Doraku again. If I do, it certainly won't be for food off their Happy Hour menu.

    (2)

  • Dwayne Y.

    We went around 4pm for Happy Hour at the Kapiolani Blvd location. It was quite empty when we first arrived. The Happy Hour Menu is quite extensive and a great deal in our opinions. We ordered about 11 different dishes. The waitress was friendly but she was not confident with her knowledge of the menu when we asked for suggestions. The Ahi Tataki was really flavorful. It was fresh and very tasty. This was a great deal for only $6. We ordered 4 of these. The Miso Eggplant was a great dish. The exterior of the eggplant was firm and has good texture, yet the inside was soft and pillowy. The miso complimented the flavors of the eggplant nicely. We didn't really care for the rolls that much. The Beef Tataki was another really good dish. The beef was raw and tasted very fresh. This is a great place if you want good food and a great deal. I woudl suggest going early since it got very crowded.

    (4)

  • Kristen K.

    Came here for happy hour. It wasn't bad at all. It was fine. Just not memorable by any means. They offer valet. The hostesses were cheery and seated us right away, and our server was friendly and attentive. However, the best thing on the entire happy hour menu (in my opinion) is the garlic edamame. Ya, that's right. The edamame. Try it. It's delicious. The chicken karaage was surprisingly good too. Everything else we got was alright but nothing to rave about. They are definitely overpriced for the regular menu. Reminds me of Sansei. Both these places have super good happy hour, but it's shocking how much a normal menu item costs at both establishments (for what you end up with). This restaurant has nice decor though. For what it's worth.

    (3)

  • Cliff B.

    First off: I don't eat sushi. So why in the blue blazing heck am I writing a review for a high-class sushi joint? Well, I ate there - I had some sushi offered by my fiancee - again, I don't eat it - not regularly, but I am trying to expand my palate for the sake of love. And the sushi I sampled wasn't too bad. The food I ate - of course I can't remember, dadgummit (I need to start doing these more closely to the times I actually visit these places) - was delicious. I want to say there was some beef and chicken involved...and rice. The sake was good, too. And the beer and wine. It's a wee bit pricey, but you get what you pay for. The atmosphere's kinda hip, but neither pretentious nor snooty. I felt like I was at a lounge-type place in Japan but everyone spoke fluent English.

    (4)

  • Ciera G.

    Perfect happy hour spot. Went there 4 pm on a Wednesday. Ordered a couple rolls, chicken ka'rage and the sashimi deluxe. Drinks were delicious and came quick. I do not know if I would come back for dinner but definitely a great happy hour.

    (4)

  • Jamie C.

    Awesome, Awesome, Awesome This was our first time here and Evette our server was excellent. We went during happy hour (which is the best time to go) as our bill came our to only 150.00 for four of us and we ate A LOT!!! Definitely will go back again. The service is great, the food is ono and the prices are reasonable.

    (5)

  • Maka K.

    Woohoo! New favorite sushi place! Why? Only place I know that makes sushi without rice!! No need to worry about those useless rice carbs! YAY! Parking: You can valet, but if you're like me and hate to pay to park, then you'll have to circle the area for some street parking. Be careful, though, different street parking areas have different "Tow Away Zone" times. Yeah....I kind of hate the parking for this place. Venue: You'd never guess from the outside that the decor on the inside of the restaurant is so cool! The lighting is a bit dim, but there are hanging Japanese lanterns, tables made from wood that still hold it's natural shape (i.e not the normal rectangular, clear cut corner sort), and cool looking bar! This location has a small lanai/patio seating area, but you're subject to the sounds of the main roadway (Kapiolani Blvd) that the restaurant is on. Happy Hour (HH): Everyday 4-6p and again for late night at 9p-closing. $3 beer, $4 house wine, $6 cocktails, and hot, cold & sushi roll dishes that are all $6 or under. It's an excellent HH! I've never gone for the earlier HH, so I'm not sure if it's only at the bar or anywhere in the restaurant, but the late night HH is fine no matter where you sit. Sadly, none of the "no-rice" rolls are on the HH menu. :( Food: Normally, the thing that turns me off from going to a sushi place is that I just don't really want to eat all that rice! I'm there for the seafood! The SEAFOOD! Why waste money & calories on rice, right? That's why finding the "No-Rice" Rolls section totally made my night when I found it! There are only 3 rolls in the section, but I had the Double Happiness! Tuna, salmon, kaiware sprouts & shiso leaf surrounded by a mix of scallop, squid, shrimp & crabmeat (instead of rice) and wrapped in nori & thinly sliced cucumber THEN topped w/ garlic aioli, tobiko & ponzu sauce! Doesn't that sound AMAZEBALLS! SO MUCH SEAFOOD! And it tasted amazing, too! Also had the Salmon Carpaccio (a.k.a. really thinly sliced/pounded sashimi). It's not sushi, but there's no rice either. (^_^") Doraku makes theirs with red onions & garnish it wish a creamy ginger sauce and black tobiko. It looks like really fancy sashimi, but it tastes 10 times better than sashimi! Desserts: 2 words: BROWNIE. TEMPURA! They have 3 or so desserts on the menu, but this is the one that stands out! housemade brownie sticks that are tempura battered, fried, then stacked on a plate with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream plopped on top. Then they sprinkle on the mac nuts and drizzle chocolate syrup and a fruit puree! It's rich, but it's a winner! Conclusion: Like I said, new favorite sushi restaurant! Even though I hate the parking situation and I prefer eating w/ HH prices, the fact that I now have a place to go where I don't have to worry about the rice content makes me a super happy girl!

    (5)

  • Nikki S.

    I love Sushi and this place it good... It's best to go during Happy Hour the prices are much lower.... BUT you tend to order more hahaha.. Had Happy Hour with our family and everything was delicious. I can't wait to go back again!!

    (4)

  • Divine D.

    I came in, was not greeted right away because server & greeter were busy with some paperwork. I asked to be seated by window & greeter suggested the sushi bar in middle restaurant. Greeter knocked the menu over podium on me by accident. Greeter was nice to get me water but I didn't like all the personal questions about me and where I'm from, etc. I would've given bad rating but Giro from the sushi bar gave me great service which makes up the stars.

    (5)

  • Samantha T.

    First time here. I would like to start off by saying I've heard alot about this place. About the happy hour, about how good everything is. So me and my boyfriend decided we would try it out. We walk in the host was very nice and attentive. We were seated right away. Our waiter was very nice. Answered our questions on the menu.. But as soon as we started eating our waiter didn't come check up on us. We quickly realize that our food was way over priced for the portion size. Happy Hour prices are great! But for half sized sushi.... The spicy firecrackers shrimp were good. Also tasted like it was frozen not fresh like the menu had describe. The lobster tempura nigiri is almost the same thing as the lobster roll from shokudo. The spicy&sweet soybeans were the best thing we ordered lol. We finished up our food and waited a good 20mins before our waiter came back to our table before to check up on us. He asked us if we wanted to try the tempura bromine. And I specifically asked to put the ice cream on the side. Because my boyfriend had given up ice cream for lent and he can't eat it. Not more then 5 mins later he brings it out with the ice cream right on top. I had asked him nicely to take it back and fix it. He comes back with the ice cream on the side and he just flipped the brownies over and left it with all the ice cream on them.. I am very disappointed after my experience today. I was expecting so much more. I probably won't be back anytime soon. For these prices you could go to other places and get twice as much food for less then $60..

    (2)

  • Lanette B.

    We arrived for lunch at opening time so the place was empty. We were seated right away and server brought water but took a while to come back for our order. Ordered hot dishes-the butterfish and the hamachi. And the habanero sushi. The sushi arrived first. Fish melts in your mouth. We waited quite a while for the hot dishes. Then all at once toss salad, miso soup and fish arrive. Butterfish cold. We eventually catch the servers eye and she apologizes and brings another butterfish. Table cleared and check dropped off with no offer of dessert. I paid the bill with cash. Server brought back my change. Currency only...no coins. Is it a practice for Doraku to "round" up the bill and keep the coins? I expected a far better experience.

    (3)

  • Scott H.

    Very friendly staff that always makes you feel at home. Food and ambiance is the perfect combination of balance, price and taste. Best place to eat with friends due to the location and liveliness. Always busy during dinner time so get there early or try and make reservations

    (5)

  • Zar A.

    I love the outdoor seating here!! This place is definitely more accessible than its first location on Oahu, in Waikiki where traffic and parking are horrendous. Doraku, like its other locations, is a chain-American style-sushi (Japanese)-higher-end- fancy restaurant. As far is succeeding in Hawaii, this restaurant definitely has high competition. However, after having been here twice, this place has grown on me. - Their happy hour menu and prices are very affordable. - Brownie Tempura dessert. A must, must get!!!!

    (4)

  • C.T. K.

    Food poisoning last week. Hate to write this because in the past (esp. at the Waikiki one we have had great meals,) however the Kapiolani restaurant just does not seem to be at the same level. It was good enough though for me and easier to get to so we started going there. So to celebrate on my birthday my wife and I went to happy hour. I ordered only a red dragon roll and chicken karaage. My wife who is pregnant ordered the steak. The unagi on the roll tasted not very good but I don't like to complain so just ate it. It didn't taste rotten just not like how good unagi tastes. Anyway a few hours later in a movie, I started to feel achy in my muscles. Then I started to feel extremely cold. When we left I was shaking and my hands were going numb. I thought I was just cold but I was hoping the recent humidity would warm it up. When we got home I started feeling nauseous and tired at the same time. That's when I realized I had food poisoning. I spent the rest of my birthday in the bathroom and on the couch. Throwing up, using TP, showering all night. I slept for about 15 to 20 minutes at a time. For 2 days I called in sick and only ate 2 crackers, 3 spoons of porridge and a few bites of fruit. My joints and stomach cramps were SO painful. I was upset because I was in so much pain, had to miss work & had a pregnant wife that could have gotten sick (luckily we know not for her to eat seafood). It's been 4 days now and I'm feeling ok but my stomach still hasn't recovered fully (I will spare you the details of how I can tell.) I don't know if the heat and humidity last week had anything to do with it but tomorrow I am calling the Department of Health. I truly am not a fan of yelp and also really hate writing such a bad review but I felt like what happened is really not right. We PAID them to make me sick and miss out on work. Also in their defense I know you can't blame the whole company on possibly one person's mistake but if I don't speak up then there is the chance it will happen to another person and I wouldn't want that.

    (1)

  • Joshua K.

    I made an account just so I could write a review for this restaurant. The food was cold, the portions were tiny, the prices were outrageous, and the service was terrible. Here's a recap of my night: 1. I ordered the most expensive sushi platter to I can get the uni along with maguro. I get my platter, and I realize that the uni is missing. The restaurant served me the platter without the uni, and they didn't even tell me. I talked to the waiter (who was very nice) and she told me the chef substituted the uni with another sushi...I didn't get any reimbursement. 2. The food (garlic steak and steamed fish) were both cold. They were not even warm, but cold. Conclusion: For such an expensive restaurant, the service and management is terrible and not acceptable. I will never be back, and I'm hungry.

    (1)

  • Jackie K.

    I have found a new love in life and it is the tempura brownie at doraku. It is so delicious that I don't ever want to share with my partner ever again.

    (5)

  • Odille C.

    Amazing food, service, and decor. We got the dragon rolls, white and red, and they were fantastic. I thoroughly enjoyed them. The decor is very Japanese, but that is to be expected. It is family style, so bring friends! It's a cozy and cool place to eat dinner.

    (5)

  • Lexy N.

    Sadly I was extremely disappointed with the service and some of the quality of the sushi from my last visit. I was really excited to eat here because in Ewa we don't have higher end restaurants like this and very rarely am I in town. I came in on a Wednesday afternoon it was pretty slow considering the fact that I've been here before on more crowded days. But the waiters and waitresses were cluttered around the hostess stand and from what I assume were gossiping they took at least 5 mins to acknowledge me so basically I was just standing there looking like a dumb garden gnome until they all glanced up at me and rushed away as if I ruined their conversation. When the hostess finally decided to greet us and take us to our seats she stuck us away upstairs which is pretty cramped and I was pretty sad because I really love the way the restaurant is decorated and designed and upstairs I could see none of that. Which again I didn't understand because again the place was pretty empty. But because I really like Doraku I decided to shake it off. When our waitress came she was nice and informative. She recommended some of her favorites and even the restaurant favorites and I even showed her pictures of the sushi I wanted but forgot the name to and she knew right away. So that made me feel a little bit better. The food took a little long to come out two plates came out first then it took at least 20 mins for the rest to come out but I don't mind waiting. Especially because I figured climbing up and downstairs is sorta a hassle. I got the Salmon carpaccio my favorite and a must have because its delicious and the sauce is to die for sometimes I find myself craving it randomly:-)! Spicy lobster roll was more mild, I couldn't really distinguish the difference between lobster and cream cheese it was more of a cream cheese roll. The godess of Fire another one of my favorites if you love spicy food! The emperor roll was the first time I ordered and was amazing it was deep fried crunchy on the outside and lastly The deep fried trio. (I think I would enjoyed the sushi more if it was still hot when I got to eat it.) Last but not least I needed to get dessert to finish my stay I got the deep fried tempura brownie and although I was a little bit hesitant and I know some of you are as well ! Don't be it was very rich and hit the spot. All together the bill was only around $66 dollars which was relatively cheap meal. I really wish I could of write a better review I just hope the service improves. Maybe it was just a bad day. All and all I would come here again for the sushi.

    (3)

  • Cin T.

    2.5 stars We arrived 15 minutes too early for their 4pm-6pm happy hour. I thought our waitress would be a more lenient, given that we were only ones in the dining area (there was a couple that had just paid their bill and left as we were being seated). I was wrong, she did not budge one bit. We decided to stay anyways since we were on limited time and wanted to grab a quick bite before running some errands. OYSTER SHOOTERS ($6 per serving, we got 4 orders for the 2 of us): yelp.com/biz_photos/dora… - Fresh New Zealand oysters, ikura, uni and quail eggs topped off with ponzu, chili oil and spicy grated daikon. I even tasted a hint of sesame oil. - Although there was a lot going on here, I could still taste the brininess of the oysters. Refreshing and delicious, no doubt the best part of our rushed lunch. CALAMARI TEMPURA ($9.50): yelp.com/biz_photos/dora… Japanese Surume Squid was lightly battered and fried to a crisp. The tempura batter was light enough that it didn't overpower and take away from the already thin rings of ika. - Served with a traditional Tentsuyu/tempura dipping sauce. - It seemed more like their happy hour portion size for the hefty $9.50 pricetag. SPICY LOBSTER ROLL ($14.95, $5 happy hour): yelp.com/biz_photos/dora… The lobster-crab meat-cream cheese mixture is tempura-battered and fried. It's topped off with a spicy garlic aioli, then garnished with both red and black tobiko (flying fish roe). - The tempura crust was undercooked and soggy, so the thick amount of dough was a bit much to swallow. - We didn't get any black tobiko in ours. When I asked our waitress, she said "it's only supposed to have red tobiko in it." I showed her the menu that clearly states that both the red and black roe are in the dish. She apologized and that was it. No attempt was made to correct the dish in any way. ***The couple that left as we were seated had also left half of their spicy lobster roll untouched. Guess they weren't really impressed with it either. GINGER CHICKEN KARAAGE ($8, $4 happy hour): yelp.com/biz_photos/dora… Marinated in a ginger-soy sauce and deep-fried. - Would've been perfect had it not been tossed in a sweet garlicky glaze, which turned it a bit soggy. Would've been nice to have the sauce served on the side as a dipping sauce. - The flavors reminds me a lot of the sweet Korean-style garlic chicken found at the local okazuya places. GARLIC TERIYAKI EDAMAME ($5, $3 happy hour): yelp.com/biz_photos/dora… My friend and I both agreed that it was the same sweet garlicky sauce used in the their ginger chicken karaage. - The soy beans were undercooked and hard.

    (2)

  • Lori M.

    By far the best food we had our whole two weeks in Honolulu. We went back several times for consistency.

    (5)

  • ChrisandBecky W.

    Great atmosphere. Friendly service. No reservations for happy hour but the prices make it worth the risk! The food is delicious and they give you pretty large portions!! The fried brownie is delish!!!!! Definitely recommend saving room for dessert! I don't think it's good for kids.. The booths are small and close together and the music is loud. Definitely an adult restaurant! I don't even eat seafood but their teriyaki chicken was awesome!

    (4)

  • Anna-Stasha M.

    OMG, YUM!!! Doraku has phenomenal sushi. Be prepared to crave it all the time once you have it. This place is so addicting, never enough!!! The customer service is great. If you order to do they are very fast! One of the best places to go for sushi in Honolulu. Enjoy!!

    (5)

  • Jennifer S.

    Had a late lunch here after discovering that Blue Tree next door doesn't serve too much in the way of food. We came here with some vegetarians who were able to easily find something to eat - they shared veggie rolls, some noodles, and a couple other dishes. I do partake of the fish, however, and I thoroughly enjoyed my Red Dragon Roll: avocado, spicy tuna, and shrimp tempura with rice, topped with unagi and red caviar (I have forgotten the name of this) - all my favorite things in ONE roll?? Sold! One of these rolls, cut into about 8 pieces, runs $13.50. For the quality, that seemed reasonable. Salad comes with a typical ginger dressing, but I appreciate that the lettuces were NOT iceberg. Red leaf, romaine, and some other typical Spring-Mix greens. Others in my party had the Geisha Roll, God of Fire roll, and the Teri Chicken dish, and all thought they were delicious. The lunch menu offered nothing different from (and same prices as) the main menu. Happy hour from 4-6p. Large variety of sake. Virtually no wait for a weekday lunch at just after 1pm - and we had a group of 10. Free parking during the day doesn't hurt, either.

    (4)

  • Janet K.

    The food is absolutely delicious! My absolute FAVORITE dish is the Double Happiness Roll. There's no rice in it so I don't feel guilty eating it. The miso eggplant, hamachi, tuna avocado salad, agedashi tofu and tuna tataki are all wonderful. The drinks are trendy and the desserts are fried! Can't get better than that! Limited parking assigned to Doraku is in the Pacifica building. The service is usually good. Tip - They have a Doraku rewards card called D-Club so don't forget to sign up. It's a pretty cool looking black card that gives you points when you dine and you can redeem it for credit/discount ranging from $25 - $100.

    (4)

  • Shaina M.

    My first time at Doraku was awesome! I love the ambience there!! Dimmed lighting, with a rustic, yet modern feel. Very trendy. My husband and I brought our uncle from Canada, and we were excited to experience the sushi here! We ordered quite a bit, as we were in luck to make happy hour! The ahi poke there was incredible: fresh, and perfectly seasoned! We ordered three of those! It was actually the best I've tasted on the island! I also really enjoyed the tofu poke for the same reasons! In fact almost everything we ordered was amazing. The steak yakitori was a little rubbery, however, it still had a good flavor. The Chicken Karaage was on point! Perfect flavor and cooked to perfection! This was one of my husband's favorites! The Emperor Roll, and Dragon Roll were yummy, and you can't go wrong with the spicy tuna and avocado! I really love the fact that they use avocado in a lot of their sushi dishes, it just adds that extra smooth texture and complimenting taste element, love it!! The service was good. Our server was pleasant, and answered all of our questions that we had. He forgot my husband and uncle's rice, and my husband's drink at the bar, but he was quick to recover himself! They seemed kind of busy, so it was understandable. Overall, we had a great time, and the food was excellent!

    (4)

  • Ephraim B.

    I have been here a few times, mostly out with friends on a whim. Nice & trendy atmosphere, and the food & sushi are great. Staff & service is nice, and contrary to other reviews, the wait is pretty reasonable. I don't come frequently, but each time I've gone, it's been good. It's a nice place for a pau hana, but do bear in mind parking might be an issue on busy nights.

    (4)

  • Charnelle Y.

    Yelp 100 Challenge #7/100 I'm giving this place 5 stars because I absolutely love their food and the restaurant ambiance gives off a classy, yet comfortable, definitely hipster vibe. But we love hipsters right? Expect to spend quite a bit because the rolls can cost you anywhere from $9-$12. I don't say this to scare you from purchasing a roll because the one thing on the menu that I would, without a doubt, recommend is the White Dragon Roll. Once you try it, you'll have to order it every time you return. Their happy hour menu prices are reasonable. Of course you're only receiving half the portions than if you were to order from the regular menu, but you're able to try various popular menu items at half, if not more than, the cost. Lunch specials are a good deal ranging between $10-$15. We always order donburis (rice bowls) and because these are lunch sets, it includes miso soup and salad. Last, but not least, if you still have room for dessert, order the brownie tempura that comes with either vanilla or green tea ice cream. Parking is convenient and can be entered from either side of the restaurant. During lunch parking is free with validation. At dinner hours, there is a $3 valet service. Make sure to tip your valet drivers and... HAPPY EATING!

    (5)

  • Mendel M.

    If you go, make sure to we the lomi lomi roll on the happy hour menu! Only $5 and it's awesome. But other than the happy hours, it's a bit pricey. And the waitress seemed miserable... That's the reason for taking away a star. Still great food and value (especially on the happy hour menu!)

    (4)

  • Emily K.

    Love love love their sushi and HH specials! The black dragon roll is my favorite. Their sashimi is always fresh and on point. Plus, their drinks are poured strong and worth the $7-8! Check them out for their happy hour! Hands down one of the best happy hours on the island.

    (5)

  • Andrea S.

    My friends as I had the absolute best time here!!! We had to have been sitting in our booth overlooking Kapiolani blvd. for almost 3 hours. The place is so fun and the staff made our visit even better. Our waiter CT was pleasant, outgoing, and extremely knowledgable. He even came over and had sake shots with our table and then the owner came over and bought us some top shelf sake as well! The food was fabulous as well, we ordered 6 different rolls and all were exceptional! Can't say enough good things about this place was one of the best dinners I've ever had in my life!

    (5)

  • Paul H.

    First time here. Great experience. Asked the waitress for her recommendations on the food and sake and she was on point. Love when that happens. Everything was perfect. Ordered red dragon roll, lobster tempura, lobster roll and steak and mushrooms. Delicious. I had the house wine which tasted epic. Also it's only valet and cost $3 which is no big deal. All in all great place to hang with friends or just you and your girl with great music and atmosphere.

    (5)

  • Johanna M.

    I seriously cannot believe that I have gone so long without reviewing Doraku. I frequent Doraku quite a bit and I keep coming back because it's awesome. They have a great happy hour that I think rivals most places' happy hours. They have food and drink specials which they change from time to time and I appreciate that because it adds variety to my happy hour routine. Muy importante! If you have a well-behaved pooch, you can bring them to dine with you on the outdoor lanai! Yay! The view is of Kapiolani...not great, but there is some good people watching from time to time and it is in the shadow of the building, so it never really gets hot there. The inside of the restaurant is really nice. It is trendy, cozy and cool. They actually have really cool furniture and art throughout the restaurant...it's nice to look at. Is that weird to say? I don't care. It's a beautiful restaurant. It's good for dates or casual occasions, but it can get pretty loud between the music, the bar and the sushi station...but I love it. They even have a couple of secluded areas available if you have a larger party and what a form of privacy. It's really cool. The sushi is really good here. I would say that their specialty is the creative rolls that they offer. The white dragon and dragon rolls are a couple of my favorites, but in all seriousness, everything is good here. The service is usually pretty good here, but I will say that we have received better service when we come for dinner or happy hour, when they are usually slammed. Go figure. I only had lunch here once, but it took forever, and there was no one in the restaurant, so I think it was just the server we had. So the moral of the story is, you should definitely hit up Doraku if you are looking for a fun dining experience with good food. Happy hour is a must, but it's a nice place to visit even outside of the happy hour hours. Oh! And if they are distributing the Doraku Club card, you should get one. We haven't used ours yet, but my understanding is that I will someday be able to cash my accumulated points for free food....what?! Loyalty pays off. I will update my review when I finally learn how the Doraku Club card works.

    (5)

  • Avian M.

    I love Doraku! This place is pricey in my opinion but it's really good for going out on dates or just catching up with some lost time with others. It's such a great environment that you wouldn't see everyday. Their so fancy with their waters too :P The sushi is great and of course their most popular dessert ice cream like Green tea is always going to be my favorite. I highly recommend that you go to Doraku during Happy Hours. I know this review is short, but you have GOT to see this place yourself, it's hipster in a way with moderate.

    (5)

  • Mike H.

    Stopped in last night before heading to the airport and great food and the Lobster Rolls were top notch!! The Salmon Carpaccio was great after seeing another review on here figured try it out and was good!

    (5)

  • Stace S.

    Food was good, but service was terrible. We were surprisingly able to get a table quickly on a Sunday night around 830pm. We were seated at a table on the left side of the restaurant which faced the service bar. The tables on that side are packed so closely together that we were able to hear the entire conversation our neighbors had. We felt as if having our own conversation would disrupt them. Eventually, our server came. We waited for a while before this little petite girl came by. I can't remember our server's name. I wish I did because she was terrible. She was friendly enough, but she lacked attentiveness and efficiency. I observed that she was the only server who didn't bring dishes to her own table. Every single food dish we ordered was brought to us by a different person. What was most appalling was how long it took for me to get my drink. Remember, we sat in front of the service bar. I ordered a draft beer and saw it sit on the service bar for a good 10 minutes. I saw the exact moment the bartender placed it on the counter, make 4 other drink orders. Move the beer to the side to make room for other drink orders. Saw the other drinks get picked up by servers. Our server asked how our food was and told me "oh, your beer will be right out." as if she was expecting someone else to have dropped it off. So by the time i got my beer, the glass was wet with condensation. At the end of our dinner, she disappeared. She never came to clear our dessert dishes or ask us if we'd like anything else. Then we spotted her, talking to the hostesses. We didn't want to interrupt her conversation, so we waited for another 10 minutes. She walked to another section to pick up the check from that table. Then walked past us, twice. Finally, we couldn't stand it, so we asked for our check. At this point, I was thinking that maybe we were just being very impatient. So we timed it, to see if it really was as long as we thought she was taking. It took her another 10 minutes to pick up the check.

    (2)

  • Faye M.

    I came here twice already for happy hour and although the food was good, service wasn't the best. The first time I came here, I was with my sister and we sat at the large communal high top. Our waitress was nice, but we could hear another waitress in the kitchen yelling and causing a big commotion that it really irritated me that someone could be so unprofessional. The house red wine was really good, and although my sister asked our waitress a couple of times what wine it was...we can't remember! The one roll we ordered off the happy hour menu was messy, like "I made it myself" messy. But we ordered one of their riceless rolls and it came out nice. I didn't understand the difference, but thought it was a one off. Anyway, came a second time for late night happy hour with my BF and it was super busy, but we got a table quickly. Our waitress was a little slow in coming around, but it was busy - so I hope that was the reason. I had the house red again, and my BF had a beer, then the lychee martini, and finally found a drink he liked - I think it was called momotaro (peach). Anyway, our happy hour roll was again - messy ... booo. But I love the food! The salmon carpaccio is so yummy!! The rolls are messy, but also tasty - I just like to look at something pretty before I eat it! Service depends on who you get and how busy it is, but I'll probably choose the Waikiki location over the Kapiolani one.

    (3)

  • Misty P.

    I dunno about all the hype about this place. I mean, it's just okay food, SMALL portions and INFLATED prices. Me and the hubby went here for our date night, mind you the setting was romantic, but we were seated next to a party of 10 women that were drunk and loud and sounded like a bunch of squabbling hens. Annoying. Besides that, we ordered an oyster shooter with uni, the nigiri sushi sampler, rock shrimp tempura, and the misoyaki butterfish. All dishes came out in ample time and our waitress was very nice and prompt. The food was ok. I've had better tempura and butterfish elsewhere for less of a price and more portions. Hell, I can make a better misoyaki butterfish. (Come on down to my kitchen, I'll show ya!) The sushi was just like any other good sushi restaurant. We ordered two of the special drinks...a strawberry one which was nice and a blueberry drink which was kinda strong. The bill came out to more than $100 and we weren't all that full but I guess we were content. If you want more portions and pay $60 for the same items but better quality try Chiba-Ken in Waikiki...

    (3)

  • Danah A.

    Saturday night 8:40 pm din din Parking: plenty street parking at this time Wait time: none surprisingly Service: ehh okay. She wasn't the best server but she did her job right. Food: -eggplant miso was good but serving size was a joke (8 manini pieces) -sake bomb and volcano roll were super good!! -HH steak yakittori was yummy -HH chicken lettuce wrap was okay -brownie tempura gotta to have! I would go back to this place, especially when it's Happy Hour. Ever since Genki Sushi got a little more pricey, Doraku became my go to sushi spot.

    (4)

  • Amanda T.

    One word: Happy Hour. Ok two words but one thought. This is where Carrie, Lindsay and I come for happy hour and stuff our faces. The cocktails are fab and the food is good. It's not a hard core sushi place. There are better places for that. I really like to go their during lunch and sit in a little hide away table. This is a great place to connect. Get the donburi bowl. The atmosphere is chill and relaxed. The service is hit or miss. I wish I could give it 5 stars but it's just not. Just not.

    (4)

  • Renee S.

    HH!! First time to this location. The only bad part, we had to sit upstairs because downstairs was crowded. Wanted to be where all the action was :). Great HH food, salmon & beef carpaccio, lettuce wraps (different w cole slaw), & miso eggplant. Not teeny tiny portions, but just right; enough to try several dishes. Loved the double happiness roll, no rice crabmeat, & other delectable fish inside this sushi roll. Great service, Jessica is the best! Thanks for grabbing the coffee from Blue tree cafe, & getting us out in time for the Opera. Might be a great place for a UYE ? Santi ;)

    (5)

  • Michelle J. C.

    Doraku... to be simply put is like a "high-end Genki Sushi." Service and food really depends on who you get, so of course, the dining experience will change. My bf and I went to the Waikiki and Kapiolani locations. I like the Waikiki one better because the Kapiolani seemed really busy and backed up. Lunch at Waikiki location is pretty good. The music at Kapiolani is like Genki Sushi: whatever is playing on the radio. I might as well go to Genki Sushi LOL (basically the same thing but cheaper and less fancy stuff).

    (2)

  • Angel R.

    My first time experience here wasn't the greatest. I went during dinner and wanted to order chu toro nigiri, pan seared tuna, tamago nigiri, and the brownie tempura. Also wanted Sapporo to compliment the fish (this beer is great with sushi). However, they ran out of Sapporo and tamago... :( yes sad face for me. Sapporo is one of the best Japanese beer ever and they ran out?! Also running out of tamago?! So they ran out of eggs? What the heck I say... I got Kirin ichiban and tako nigiri instead. The chu toro is okay, I'm not sure if they put a small application of wasabi on the rice under the fish, which is what normal sushi chefs do, because I couldn't taste it. Same with the tako nigiri. The pan seared tuna was pretty damn good. Nice crust, good amount of avocado and tomatoes, the wasabi sauce that came with was great with onions as well. I recommend! They told us that they ran out of tempura brownie but then the waitress went I ask the chef and they said they had enough to make one more so that was cool. As for how it taste, I like that the tempura crust was not oily. The brownie was not soggy too. So the mix of sweet and salty was great. The ice cream was a good addition so it was a great dessert! For overall experience, the service was really good. The waitresses were really nice and the wait time was not long either. I called to ask if walk-ins are okay and the guy who answered was nice! Doraku would've gotten a 5 star in my book if they didn't run out of Sapporo and tamago. I know it can't be helped but it would make my experience a lot better :)

    (4)

  • Jessica-Nicole U.

    I can't say enough how much I love this place. The prices are reasonable and the ambience is one of the best. Never had a bad time or even an "okay" time. The service is great. The food is ... omg... the food. I can't comment on only one dish... I love them all. Not to mention a bad ass manager!

    (5)

  • Jessica Y.

    Ate here for the first time the other day as a get together with a bunch of friends. The food was wonderful but their service could use a lot of work. There was a bit of miscommunication at the door and the lady at the door had a major attitude problem (maybe she was just having a bad day...) I would suggest going at either 4-6 or after 9 to catch their happy hour menu because the bill can get pretty high. My friends and I ended up just missing their earlier happy hour. ): After being seated we ended up eating their firecracker shrimp, rice-less double happiness, garlic steak, butterfish and ahi poke. Really delicious! Overall it was a pretty cool place.

    (3)

  • Kanya G.

    My first experience here was excellent: awesome food paired with excellent service. Service: in general, very fast. They are so accommodating to my shellfish allergy and during my first visit, I could tell that the waiter was so passionate about Doraku. He was very enthusiastic, hospitable and knowledgeable, and recommended dishes that became some of my favorites. Food: Amazing. Really fresh. Some of my favorites are the Doraku Tuna Tataki (must try!) and Dragon roll without shrimp. I tried the brownie tempura with green tea ice cream, which was really interesting. Bad if you're on a diet though lol. My family and friends love the Red Dragon Roll, White Dragon Roll and the garlic steak. Atmosphere: slightly romantic, bar-like, very hip/modern/naturalistic Japanese. A downside is the parking, which is a $3 valet, unless you can find street parking. Definitely want to come back for happy hour!

    (4)

  • Reid K.

    I used to live at the Pacifica Honolulu, so I've been to Doraku at every time of day possible: lunch, happy hour, dinner, late-night and take-out, weekends and weekdays, sitting inside or outside. Happy Hour: If you can't make the regular happy hour from 4-6PM, it's definitely not too hard to wait for late-night happy hour at 9. Fridays and Saturdays are the busiest. If worst comes to worst, try to find a seat at the bar or sushi bar and watch the chefs work--they produce some of the most attractive sushi presentations I've seen in Hawaii. HH food and drinks are a pretty good deal. It's definitely possible to get full on appetizers and sushi, but the HH drinks are kind of limited, in my opinion. Location/Ambiance: Despite the $3 valet parking sitch, I'd much rather pay that nominal fee than try to hit up the Waikiki location. Kaka'ako is so much easier to get to/from than Waiks. If you're pinching pennies and can't afford the $3 parking, you might not want to eat at Doraku at all. The look and feel of the restaurant is very modern-Asian, they did a very good job of varying the "landscape," and create an atmosphere that works for young crowds or families. Food: My favorites are Panko Crusted Hamachi, White Dragon Roll, Ginger Kara'age Chicken, Rock Shrimp Tempura, Tuna Avocado Salad and Japanese Steak. The Brownie Tempura desert is as sinfully delicious as it sounds. I think the food comes after a pretty reasonable wait, and they do a good job of staggering the appetizers and entrees. Employees: I've never had a bad employee, and most of them are exceptionally nice and attentive. I guess I gave Doraku 4 stars because I can't say it's the best food I've ever had. It's certainly not traditional Japanese, but it's not all-out Pacific-Rim/Fusion, either. Bottom line is it's a great place to chill out at, and they do what they do very well.

    (4)

  • A C.

    Food & Service: Excellent! I love sushi/sashimi, hubby doesn't eat raw fish.. we both LOVED this place. If you're from norcal, this place is comparable to Sushi Sam's in San Mateo in terms of quality. Parking: hard to find if valet is full (it was full at 8:30pm on Friday) so we had to find street parking 2 blocks away Called at 8pm (wait was around 20-30 min for 2 ppl). Came in a little after 8:30pm and we didn't have to wait AND we were seated at a super cute private booth! Score! High quality fish, good portions, big selection, decent prices for quality, fast service (except the tempura brownie dessert took 30 min.. maybe baking the brownie?), nice decor/ambiance for a group setting or a date night. Highly recommend the Chirashi bowl and miso butterfish!! Asari clam miso soup (yum) is big enough for 2 people. Love that japanese restaurants in HI are open till 1am! need more of this in CA...

    (5)

  • M K.

    The food and drinks are great...but the music and scene in general are way way too loud. Don't plan on having any conversation over dinner with family or friends. You have to shout in order to be heard and your partner will spend the majority of time saying, "huh?" Just too much effort and frustration. The parking is all valet now too.

    (3)

  • Joe M.

    We were seated right away outside on the deck underneath an umbrella. Great seating arrangements. Waitress was very helpful and quick. California rolls and other specials for only $4? What a great deal, especially for the quality and quantity of the food. Only downside is that my $20 steak entree barely had any steak in it, although it was delicious.

    (4)

  • Liesyl M.

    We will definitely come here again!! We didn't come for happy hour but will the next time! Must order the white dragon roll, spicy crunchy trio, and double happiness roll. All three of these were delicious! We also tried the pork belly yakisoba which was good but very fulfilling. Tried the geisha roll but didn't enjoy it like the rest. Lastly we tried the ice cream tempura for dessert. We thought it was good but not the greatest. The atmosphere and decoration was good. The service wasn't the best for our first time. We were sitting in between two huge parties on the top. One was a VIP party so they were very well taken care of by our server which sometimes neglected us so we got our orders taken and food given after the VIP's were taken care of. The other huge party was coworkers celebrating someone leaving and were very loud and drinking sake bombs. So they had their own server that had to cater to their party. So in all, the food and atmosphere was great!

    (4)

  • Lauren K.

    This is only for service from hostess. Since we did not get past that point. Arrived there at 730 on a weekday night. I asked how long the wait would be for 3 people. They said 30 min, which was fine.they also offered us community seating or outside. I then told her we would be okay with waiting. She then puts her hand up to my face and says "OK you just need to hold on." Then started talking to her Co worker. Okay... then 5 min later they sat us in a tiny hut table which fit 2 people comfortably. We asked to go to a different table and that we were fine with waiting. They kept pressuring us to sit at the community table.. and we said, "can we have a regular table?" Another hostess rolls her eyes at us and then says, "well what is a regular table?" And then says again, "well you need to wait". Yes I understand that, I told her that from the beginning. It seems like they are just in a bad mood and in a rush to seat people. Even though they aren't comfortable. But, We then decided to eat dinner elsewear. The valet was the only good thing about this experience. I don't mind tipping them. Get rid of the hostess and maybe this place will be more inviting.

    (1)

  • Jay Y.

    Best sushi I've ever had! Beats my favorite spot in CA by far! I've never had sushi in japan, but I'm sure sushi in Hawaii is comparable. Fish is extremely fresh. Both sashimi and rolls... AMAZING. I believe it was the White dragon roll that we got, SO GOOD. everything off the happy hour was tasty. A little pricey compared to CA sushi places, but worth it. We went twice in the 5 days we were there. Wasn't too busy. They accommodated a party of 7 pretty quickly after 5pm. plenty of seating. located on the 3rd level. Service was pretty good. Overall, very good.

    (5)

  • Nicole F.

    my first time here was for my birthday and it was a great experience. we came during happy hour and it was worth it. I loved the chocolate dessert!! yummy food and tasty drinks!

    (5)

  • Patrick I.

    Went here pre Bob Dylan concert with a good friend during the famous happy hour. Crowded of course, but we were swiftly seated at the bar and waited on by stellar bar manager David Bass.:-) The seared ahi, veggie tempura, California roll and chicken karaage were on point. And to boot, we had a great bottle of Piper Sonoma. This is a definite must - to go back at any hour of the day. Ask for David Bass, he will treat you like a best friend. A hui hou, Patrick :-)

    (4)

  • Gayle N.

    Absolutely, the best Japanese restaurant in Honolulu. I was so lucky today that my Pastor, Max Fowler had a free day for lunch. Took him to Doraku and he was absolutely blown away. Pastor Max (as I like to call him) had the Misoyaki Butterfish which he enjoyed very much. He also got to sample a sashimi/seafood plate and said it was great. (I was thoroughly pleased as Doraku was my suggestion), I hesitated eating more than I could handle but had the chicken karaage for lunch. (My absolute favorite dish). Of course, nothing can compare to the award winning, brownie tempura and ice cream served at the end of the meal. Brittany was a great server and very attentive, so was Courtney who always comes to check up on me as I am a regular at Doraku. It was nice to see John too. Thanks Rich for an awesome job today.

    (5)

  • Ela M.

    I came here on a Wednesday night for Happy Hour with my Bro-In-Law and the BF. This place is mad dope for their Happy Hour!!! $100 well spent for: 5 Alcoholic Beverages Carpaccio Salmon; Tuna Tataki Spicy Tuna Roll, Cal Roll, Lomi Roll Salmon Kama, Hamachi Kama Banana dessert with Green Tea IC And some kind of eggplant (I can't recall the name of the dish, but it took eggplant to another level) As often as I travel to HNL, I'm not sure why I have been sleeping on this place. A definite place to be at for Happy Hour! I'm giving this joint 5 Stars not only for their food, but service also goes a long way too (given in most cases, I'm very hard to please). We were delighted with a nice waiter who was right on point with attentiveness. He was funny and gave us a brief background of how the Happy Hour menu was created. He said the owners wanted to ensure they had the best Happy Hour Menu on the island... boy was he right. I'm definitely putting this place on my "Current Places to Dine when in HNL"list.

    (5)

  • Angela R.

    I've been to Doraku 4 times. Each time was for Happy Hour and each time it was GREAT!! A favorite HH spot for sure! My strategy is to show up just at 4:00pm to get a guaranteed seat. On a Friday it can get quite crowded. The crowd seems young and fun. But I did see some older folks like me. It's classy and well decorated. The HH food menu well-rounded! The winners in my opinion: Tuna Tataki, Miso Eggplant, Fire Cracker Shrimp, & Agedashi Tofu! My #1 favorite is the Tuna Tataki- I ordered 4 orders once. I can't get enough of the daikon and onion topped with ponzu, ahi, and garlic. I am an agedashi tofu freak so Doraku's got my stamp of approval! Fire Cracker Shrimp had a good batter and dipping sauce. Miso eggplant was presented so pretty and was misolicious. HH basics- The sushi rolls on the HH menu were standard issue but the price is right. Karaage chicken wasn't very battered and was on the sweeter side. The teriyaki soy beans complemented the menu but wasn't a star. I also had the Tempura Brownie and Lobster Tempura off the regular menu. The brownie tempura was a warm delight! The lobster tempura on the other hand reminded me of the shrimp dynamite- same sauce, same batter, just had lobster inside. Dranks!! Wells and draft beers for $3, $5 sake and Kirin, and $6 lychee martini. ART the bartender is super cool-top notch!! In the end this place always gets me jonesing for more- I need to try the oyster shooter, Hamachi Carpaccio, the God of fire, ooooh just so many to name!

    (5)

  • Tiffany O.

    This new location is definitely a good one. With validated/ valet parking in the Pacifica building, there's no reason not to come here (versus the busy busy Waikiki location). I believe that the happy hour starts at 9pm until closing at 12am? And I think the last call for the kitchen is at 11pm. It is always, always crowded when happy hour starts, so go early. The happy hour menu also changed a few months ago, and it isn't as great as it used to be. One thing I noticed, during my happy hour visits is that the servers are never around when needed lol. I understand when it is busy, but sometimes it is empty and I can't find any servers. Regardless, all the servers are nice and I love the interior design and atmosphere of the restaurant! This is definitely a good place for late night snacking and their Brownie Tempura is bomb!!

    (4)

  • Wyland L.

    Ok Doraku. Let's get this straight. I really like you. Your sushi was tasty and your edamame was well flavored. But I don't know if things will work out between us. Your price is so high, and I was still wanting more food when I finished my meal. But maybe it can work out some how. Your service is really great, and I like how you leave the water at the table for me. I just wish you could go one step further. Maybe it's best if we just friend zone each other...

    (4)

  • Daniel W.

    Great for Happy Hour - amazing food and good prizes. The Chicken Kara'age is amazing - so is the poke.

    (5)

  • Eliza I.

    Our waiter Dave did an excellent job of taking care of us last night before the Jason Mraz concert. He kept us well hydrated with the hibiscus wine (which we tweeked by omitting the soda water). The red and white dragon rolls did not disappoint. And next time I need soup for comfort, I will order to go the miso clam soup. Sufficient amount of clams balanced in a savory miso broth. This location is perfect for events at the Blaisdell. Happy hour from 4-6...makes it even better.

    (4)

  • Ricky H.

    Very impressed by the space - clean and spacious. Wait was only about 15min. Came in for happy hour (9pm to close). I really liked the variety of what they had to offer, but I wish there were more rolls on the HH menu. Shout out to the girl who kept on staring at me while having dinner with her man. I'll be back.

    (4)

  • Roland H.

    My favorite sushi place on Oahu. I have been to morimoto, sansei, and all the other awesome sushi restaurants in between, but this is by far my fav. I order take out from here all the time too. Get the geisha roll and the spicy tuna and you will be forever changed. Then wash it down with a momotaro lemonade! The doraku in ala moana is also much better than the one in waikiki. They have an early and late night happy hour, with awesome drink prices and reduced prices on their basic rolls!

    (5)

  • Tracy K.

    Doraku takes your average conventional sushi and gives it one tasty makeover! The new Kaka'ako location is the newest and coolest hot spot for izakaya flair, and they do it with such creative edge it's hard not to love it. Living in Hawaii, we are fortunate to have a superabundance of outstanding Japanese restaurants. There's a mom-and-pop noodle shop, teppanyaki, yakiniku, or izakaya eatery in almost every district on Oahu. In the last year, a crop of new Japanese restaurants popped up filling an already saturated industry. Doraku is different. Tired of the boring spicy tuna roll? Try the God of Fire that kicks the heat up a notch with crunchy, fresh jalapenos and spicy garlic aioli. Love your Dragon Rolls? Bite into the White Dragon Roll (my personal favorite); made with traditional shrimp tempura and unagi, but with a morsel of hamachi, avocado, and the savory garlic aioli with kabayaki sauce. Trying to cut down on your rice intake? The Double Happiness Roll is the only non-rice sushi dish composed of crab meat, salmon, tuna, and shiso bundled in nori and cucumber membrane topped with garlic aioli, tobiko eggs and ponzu. There's something for everyone. If you're not crazy about sushi to begin with, they have main dishes like the panko crusted hamachi and Japanese garlic steak. I love trying a little bit of everything: the Geisha Roll (another spicy tuna alternative), the Chilean Sea Bass, and the firecracker shrimp were all delectable, too! Our server Jamie was fantastic! She observed that we were celebrating two big events without us even mentioning it to her (our friend's deployment and our recent engagement). The manager gave us complimentary Double Happiness roll and Hamachi Salad, and Jamie finished off the meal with complimentary dessert. Oooh, that warm brownie tempura with vanilla ice cream sure was amazing... Their happy hour is a good deal with way decent selections including their famous lychee martini! I will come back again just for that!

    (5)

  • Mark M.

    Doraku. Home of one of the best happy hour menus I've seen. Their site says that happy hour is only available at the bar or outside on the lanai, but the last time we went, we sat upstairs and they honored the happy hour menu. Good on you, Doraku. We tried many dishes over the several visits for happy hour. The garlic teri edamae, spicy ahi roll, deluxe spicy ahi roll, popcorn shrimp, ahi poke, the ahi rolled up in the shiso leaf and many, many more. Everything on the happy hour menu has been nothing short of amazing... except for one dish: the dynamite bowl. It was pretty dry and hard to eat. However having a 95% success rate is pretty amazing. Non happy hour items we tried: the peruvian seafood ceviche, emperor roll, red dragon roll, hamachi kama, and last but not least.... THE TEMPURA BROWNIE. Holy hell this thing is legit! When it comes to you warm it is absolutely an orgasm for the mouth. The food is only one facet of three that I believe ensures this restaurant is always in winning mode. The decor and ambiance would be the second. Whoever designed the layout and picked out the furnishings should be given an award. The restaurant feels upbeat, chic, and there's lots of fun stuff to look at giving you an opportunity to make interesting conversation. The service is the third and final positive aspect to Doraku's trifecta of awesome. The hostesses are always friendly, smiling, and happy to seat you. The servers that we encountered are all knowledgeable, nice, and prompt in every way. I will be returning to Doraku for many years to come, and so should you.

    (4)

  • M. B.

    I ate here twice. First time was okay, nothing bad, so when friends wanted to meet up for dinner I said sure. How I wish I had said no. Sat down, 5 minutes, 10 minutes, 15 minutes pass... no server. Its not busy, its a week day. Finally she arrives and takes our drink order. I then realize I had watched her talk to the hostess for the past 15 minutes. Lychee martini is good, its the only thing I would recommend. My butterfish came. Cold. Dry. She didn't bring my rice. I need my rice. She didn't bring rice for my 2 friends either. We are from Hawaii, no one can eat anything with out rice. Rice arrives after asking her twice. Now everyone is in a stink mood. We need way more drinks. Where is our waitress? She's outside talking story to the rest of the Hot Import Nights looking waitresses. More drinks please. We decided to try the brownies... they were really gross. Cold tempura and what tasted like boxed brownies. Oh and the dub step they were playing really, really loud didn't help our moods. When it was over, I was thankful for the 5 Lychee martinis I drank and that's it.

    (1)

  • Greg S.

    I would go back again. on the pricey fancy side but good. I've been looking for a good place for oyster shooters. Shoots.

    (4)

  • Ruby C.

    I've going to this Doraku for a really long time. But recently I started going to the Doraku down in Waikiki is because I've noticed the food here isn't as fresh and the amount of food seem to be less! I'm very disappointed and I'm hoping the manager here will change his or her procedure.

    (4)

  • Brian L.

    Was recommended by locals to come here and I am glad that I did. The quality of the fish was excellent and their happy hour menu good, too. I will definitely come here when I visit Oahu again because it was BOMB!

    (5)

  • Trung V.

    So I was seated but no one came back for another 20 minites And another waitor saw us and helped us out well.. So I wasn't frustrated until service came. I guess the rumor about dumb locals are real. They treat tourist like sh|t. I came and ate here with my friends which are locals.. One waitress came 35 minutes before closing and asking "ohh you're not done yet"? Eager to go home. And my bill was 165 so I put 200 dollars. They didn't bring me the bill with my change and I sat there for 20 minutes. These waitors and waitresses attitude were horrible and act like that dont want to serve us.. Anyways pathetic.. Treat people how you want to be treated. Come to main island and you guys will be treated like shit like how you guys act... Addressed towards waitress and waitors here

    (1)

  • Ray S.

    Great central town location . Very friendly wait staff. Clean consistent food quality make this a great spot to drop in on for food and refreshment . The is a metro type restaurant with nice fresh fish and great music. Small booths create a nice environment to talk about the day We will be back. Thanks Doraku !

    (4)

  • Elizabeth N.

    I admit, I only come here for Happy Hour, but then I get so inebriated from all the affordable goodness that my stomach starts ordering off the regular menu at some point! This is by far one of my favorite Happy Hours on the island. I really enjoy Doraku Sushi as you know you're going to get a quality food experience. From the ambiance, the quality and presentation of the food, you cannot go wrong with this place. These points are even more so during happy hour! That being said, this place is popular (especially for happy hour) so plan ahead and make a reservation or come early. Pros: -HAPPY HOUR -Food is always consistently fresh and tasty -service is good, if not a bit "business like". no warm fuzzy feelings when I come here, but they are too the point and quick -Valet Parking, street parking opens up M-F after 6pm, open on weekends Cons: -I feel the parking situation/valet was a bit chaotic last time I went so hopefully they figured out a better system. Basically it was one dude trying to run around and do things on his own...could of have been a funky night.

    (4)

  • Camille A.

    The food here is very good!!! Good price, and great quality. I had the best service ever, thanks to Marissa! She is one of the best waitresses I ever had. She was very nice and always checked up on us. I will totally eat here again.

    (5)

  • Julie B.

    Everything was delicious! Really fresh and great service. Wish I lived on Oahu so I could enjoy their wonderful sushi again.

    (5)

  • Jordana F.

    **happy hour review** We got seated around 930. Ordered from the happy hour menu...everything is pretty cheap. It ranges from 3-8 dollars for each item. We ordered: 1. Lomi lomi roll -- it was very unique for sure, but just ok in taste. The salmon was a bit bland and nothing except a cucumber in the sushi 2. Spicy ahi roll -- I wasn't really a fan. You couldn't really taste the ahi or the spice. 3. Steak yakitori -- this was really delicious...until I hit all the fat. I don't think I've ever come across a slab of steak with that much fat like I did tonight. I ended up spitting it out because it was too chewy and gross. 4. Chicken wraps -- the wraps weren't bad but definitely not good either. The lettuce wraps at PF Chang's are way better in my opinion. 5. Chicken karaage -- this was actually really good. It wasn't burnt or too crispy and the outside was a little bit sweet, which added a nice after-taste. The last time we came here for happy hour we had a dynamite roll and ahi poke and those were both really delicious. It seems like it might be best to just order from the regular menu. The happy hour menu is cheaper, but the portions are smaller and the food is hit-or-miss. I had a really bad experience with lychee martini at the Waikiki doraku so I will probably never order another lychee martini in my life, but we did have hot sake. I don't know much about high-quality sake (or what type of sake that would even be) but the sake at doraku was decent especially for the price.

    (3)

  • Jason D.

    After four visits, I've decided that I really don't like this place. It saddens me because it's in a good location, but the service and food quality just ain't cutting it for me. The hostesses need to be trained on how to provide good customer service. Incident 1: On one visit I was told that a table was readily available outside and they were going to get the table ready - I told her I would sit either inside or outside. They then sat four customers right after me at tables inside. 15 minutes later (I'm patient) I asked the hostess if I seat myself since it's outside and she said they were getting it ready still. 5 minutes later I asked her again (because they kept seating more people inside) if my table is ready and that's when she shared that there are no tables ready outside and they were going to squeeze me and my party in at the bar. The bar is L shaped and they were going to squeeze the chairs at the corner, clearly where it's designed not to have any chairs. The hostess could see that I was getting frustrated and that's when she finally said that a table was ready (weird). Incident 2: On another visit (on a Friday night around 10pm) I was told that there was a two-hour wait for a table. Ok, they're pretty busy, but seriously, 2-hours? I figured it would've been less so I put my name down. What shocked me was the hostess told me that I needed to call them if I was going to cancel. Umm, excuse me, but why do I have to notify you - I'm the customer - you should be calling me to see if you still want my business. Anyway, I called my friend up to see if we should go somewhere else and five-minutes later, my phone rings saying that a table was ready. What happened to the two-hour wait? Incident 3: Kind of minor, but details go a long way. When they changed their happy hour to what it is now (5 - 6pm and 9pm - close), the hostess didn't tell me that they changed the happy hour. I got there a little after 6 and she said that happy hour is done. Maybe if she told me that they have a later happy hour, my party would've stayed for dinner and maybe a few more drinks after, or maybe just returned later in the night. On to the servers: In the four visits, service has always been pretty slow. Fine, they're busy, but c'mon - 20 minutes for a beer. Then the server forgets and we need to remind him for beer and green tea. I think the kitchen is pretty fast because my hot food's always come out cold. I'm saddened to really downgrade this place, but I think I gave them enough tries. Just about any other Japanese restaurant will provide you with better service and food at the same or even less prices. You're really paying to be at a good location that's close to all the action.

    (1)

  • Chris K.

    When it gets crowded their system of tracking and getting people seated sucs. They should invest in the electronic devices/pagers vice taking a phone number and calling you when you're literally less than five feet from the hostess. Additionally I observed than when they are swamped at the front door and have multiple people working the reception, their efforts are not coordinated and they let people just sit at the bar that came in after I checked myself in with the hostess.

    (2)

  • Lai T.

    INTERESTING FACTS: Kevin Aoki (the owner of Doraku) is the son of the founder of the Benihana chain. Doraku means, "the road to happiness." We were in the area and wanted to try the infamous happy hour. Doraku did not disappoint :) SERVICE: Our server, Tai, was both friendly and knowledgeable. Between the two of us, we left quite full. FIRECRACKER SHRIMP: I love fried things but normally you feel so weighed down once you bite into something that is battered. These shrimps were done nicely in that they were light and crispy. The aioli dipping sauce that came with the dish added a nice kick to the overall flavor. Surprisingly the HH portion was pretty generous. CLAMS SAKAMUSHI: This was my favorite dish of the night. The broth is so flavorful!! I was tempted to order a side of rice so that I could soak it and eat it with the broth. Be careful not to slurp the broth too quickly as it is little spicy and will make you cough if it downs the wrong tube. SEAFOOD POKE: This was my least favorite dish because it was honestly subpar to the poke at Foodland. There was something off about a few of the bites I took. Some parts of the fish had this cooked texture... TERIYAKI GARLIC EDAMAME: The garlic flavor did not disappoint, although these would have been messy to eat without chop sticks. Surprisingly the HH portion was pretty generous. TUNA TATAKI: My theory is that the fried garlic makes this dish. The bed of onions and daikon help too :P DELUXE SPICY TUNA ROLL: I'd skip this roll. The only thing I liked about it was the shiso leaf. OYSTER SHOOTER: This took a while for them to make, but I enjoyed the shooter. BROWNIE TEMPURA: We really should have stopped eating but were convinced to cross over into the darkside of gluttony, after the couple next to us ordered this dish. It looked amazing and worthy of some investigation. The brownie tempura came in about 4 sticks the length of a Kit-Kat bar. The ice cream brownie combo was a win. DRINKS: I was hungry and focused on food. The bf had a $3 Kirin. I must say, we left pretty happy :) P.S. Our HH was about $50 pre-tip. Reasonable considering the awesome service. The menu offered a good variety. The ambiance was nice. For the most part, the food was pretty good ;) HH is a great bargain! P.S.S. Once you leave your car with the valet, you walk through Blue Tree Cafe to get to Doraku. Then you need to walk over towards the middle of the restaurant to the host/hostess stand to request a table and be seated.

    (4)

  • Jennifer C.

    I HEART this Doraku! The staff is super friendly and the food is amazing! I prefer this Doraku over the one in Waikiki. The happy hour is such a sweet deal! They have double happy hour from 4-6pm (I think 6) and one from 9pm-close. I definitely recommend this place for a girls night out or a relaxed date spot.

    (4)

  • Daryl M.

    This place is a joke. We didn't even get a chance to taste the food. We arrived at 8 pm and wanted to sit at the bar. We were told, "There is a 45 min wait." 50% of the seats were empty to include the tables. A little perplexed, I asked if I could use the restroom. As I was coming out I saw three waitresses standing around laughing and chating. When I got back to the front I asked why such the long wait as there were plenty of open seats at the bar and many tables open. We were told, "Our waitresses are over stressed and you'll have to wait." Really? Freaking ridiculous! We left and will never return! I have seen better service at a Denny's.

    (1)

  • Kama A.

    Came here as a last minute date night with the wifey. Yanagi was booked so figured we would try Doraku based in the yelp reviews. Location is right across from the blaisdell arena and I happened to scoop street parking so it was free. Parking next door is $3. No reservations and we walked in asking for a table for 2. They said they had a table available which was outside...inside was so loud I didn't mind. When we went to the outside patio there were 3 seperate small tables. You are literally a small makeshift fence away from being outside entirely. The weirdest thing to me was the crazy blaring dub step music that was blasting. Totally offset the ambience and definitely didn't make it seem like a Japanese restaurant. Scooped up happy hour but it was nothing to "knock my socks off". Chicken karrage and tuna tataki was good. Lychee martini was a bit too strong and the best part was dessert. At the end of the night when it was time to pay the bill it took the server over 20 mins to come and get the credit card for payment. At one point I thought there was a cash register or something. Again..wierd. Oh well...at least we can say we tried it.

    (3)

  • Rick L.

    Food is mediocre here, it's like an upgrade from eating Genki's sushi with terrific customer service and awesome ambiance. I've been here about six times now and nothing really wow me about the food. However, it's a great place to have pau hana with your coworkers. Definitely a beautiful place to talk stories but lacking the word "yummy" for the food.

    (3)

  • Ognjen Z.

    I'm not sure why anybody would give less then 5 stars.I guess you can't make everybody happy.This place is a 10+ all around.We tried 8 different things and they were perfect.Happy hour is best if you want to save some money.

    (5)

  • Dan P.

    This is a nice place and can be a great for groups if you make a reservation. I don't necessarily think the sushi here is that great but they have a good combination of dishes, rolls, and sushi. We had a large group of around 10 people and they were able to accommodate. They also have a nice wine/beer/cocktail/sake list. Happy hour menu is also nice.

    (4)

  • Yvonne M.

    HAPPY HOUR!! 4pm-6pm or 9pm-closing. 'Nuff said. Convenient location in the heart of Honolulu. This hip sushi place has locations also in Miami, Florida & Malaysia. FOOD & DRINKS Doraku Tuna Tataki!!! This is the best thing on the happy hour menu! The sear is perfect & the sauce if refreshing! Dynamite Donburi - Sweet & Filling!! Edamame - The usual Ginger Chicken Karaage - quite tasty! California Roll - Meh Spicy Tuna Roll - Meh Lychee Martini $6 Kirin Draft $3 SERVICE Excellent, friendly, & quick service! They were very accommodating to us, even when we brought our kids! ENVIRONMENT Located on Kapiolani Blvd across the street from the Blaisdell Arena in the Pacifica Condo. Large lighted lanterns, wooden furniture, an ample sake bar, and Japanese decor inhabit this chic & trendy space. Lanai, bar seating & community table for Happy Hour. Valet parking for $3. Street parking is free after 6pm and all day Sunday. TIPS Great for parties. Private room available for up to 16 people. Large tables that can fit up to 14 people. And Chef tasting table. CONCLUSION Good for happy hour. A little too pricey for sub par food. 3 stars for Food. 5 Stars for service & environment.

    (4)

  • Malia H.

    The butterfly ooh thats old. Let me see that tootsie roll... ooh wrong roll. Roll out. Dragon roll. Buddha roll. Emperor roll. This is craziness. I've decided to check this place out. I have heard they have an awesome happy hour so I decided to meet a friend early (happy hour starts at 4pm for us old folks who like to eat early). Ok so first of all this place is in the Pacifica building. Boo, it's valet only ($3). Good thing I had some spare cash. The valet told me walk through Blue Tree Cafe and Doraku will be on my right. Strange. When I got to Doraku, the hostess was very nice and friendly when she greeted me. She said happy hour is only at the bar or lanai. I chose the lanai which surprisingly wasn't too noisy even though it's fronting Kapiolani Blvd. Happy Hour didn't have many specialty drinks like I hoped so I settled on a lychee infused martini $5 (regularly $9). It was absolutely delicious. It was a lychee libation that went down smooth, almost too smooth. I had 3. They have a couple beers on draft, house wines and sake as well. The prices range from $3-$6. The happy hour menu had hot dishes (9), cold dishes (4) and rolls (3) ranging from $2-$6. yelp.com/user_local_phot… We decided to order 3 Doraku favorites (marked with a D by item on menu). I used the menu item descriptions from the menu. Doraku tuna tataki $5 Julienne Daikon Radish and Sweet Onions with Seasoned Wakame, Kaiware, Ponzu Sauce, Crispy Garlic Chips, and Garlic Aioli yelp.com/user_local_phot… - 4 pieces of tuna with a not too overpowering ponzu sauce. I can see why this is a favorite. I could have ordered ore than one of these babies, but I don't want to look like a pig in front of my dinner companion, Ginger chicken karaage $4 Tender Dark Meat Chicken, marinated in Ginger Soy Sauce and fried to a crisp yelp.com/user_local_phot… -the chicken was a bit dry but it had good flavor. I'm not a huge chicken fan but this one was ok. Firecracker shrimp $5 - no description yelp.com/user_local_phot… - this was tempura style rock shrimp with a dipping sauce. I wasn't too impressed with this dish. It wasn't bad but it wasn't anything memorable either. At the recommendation of our server, who was fantastic btw, ordered the Asari clam sakamushi $5 Fresh Asari Clams steamed with Sake, Garlic Butter and a hint of Ginger yelp.com/user_local_phot… - omg someone make me a huge pot of this broth. The clams were clams but the broth was to die for. I slurped up as much broth as I could as I ate the clams. This is a definite must try for clam lovers. I was secretly happy, my fiend didn't eat clams so I could devour the whole bowl. Even if it wasn't part of happy hour, we wanted to order a roll. The menu is full of all these innovative and complicated rolls that after awhile all start sounding the same. So we went with the White dragon roll $12.95 Shrimp Tempura and Avocado topped with Hamachi, Unagi Sauce, Ao Nori, Garlic Aioli and Garlic Chips yelp.com/user_local_phot… - beautifully presented and yummy. I love garlic so this roll was great with the garlic chips. The roll didn't go overboard with too many ingredients. It was a good choice with a myriad of flavors that mixed well. The clams and the tuna tatami are definitely on my happy hour list for my next visit. The ambiance is modern and the service was really great. The waitress was on it and even had some great suggestions. The regular menu is a bit pricey and overwhelmingly huge. But I can't wait to come back to try more items when my pocketbook allows... If not I can definitely afford happy hour and I am certainly not complaining. Happy hour here is definitely worth it for quality food. I'm so glad they opened up this location. Highly recommend this place!

    (5)

  • Helen C.

    HEADS UP! Looks like their happy hours are now 4-6pm and then again after 9pm. When they first started, I believe it was 4-7 then again after 10... I went at 6:15 expecting half priced sushi and cocktails but womp womp, too late. Let me just start off by shoving this down your throat: ORDER THE MISOYAKI BUTTERFISH!!! It was the smoothest and tastiest I've ever had. I had dreams about it that night. Second favorite was the Red Dragon Roll (shrimp tempura, avocado, etc. with unagi on top). I'd also recommend the Hawaiian Nanbanzuke and Hamachi Kama. Then to go down the pecking order...Decent, but overall forgettable: Hawaiian Nanbanzuke, Chirashi Don, and Dynamite Don. The Dynamite Don was on special for $5 each (normally $10). We ordered two and one dramatically tasted better than the other. Hm. Price was nice, but I'd pass on this next time. As for dessert, I was really excited for the Brownie Tempura with Green Tea Ice Cream, but it was a flop for me. The brownie was undercooked. Another pass. DRINKS! The Lychee Martinis were awesome! Tasted like juice, so uh oh. A few hits and misses, but I'll certainly be back. Happy hour next time.

    (4)

  • Lynvi S.

    Doraku's Happy Hour is from 4:00 to 6:00, and seating is limited to the bar, sushi counter, communal table, or outdoors. I can live with that. Honestly, I didn't find the HH drink specials particularly exciting, probably because I don't drink beer and I don't enjoy sweet frou-frou cocktails. I asked the bartender for a not-too-sweet Lychee Martini and it was nice, but I didn't order another one. Maybe if it were $4 I would have had a few more, but for $6, I'd rather spend a little more and order cocktail I enjoy. On the other hand, the HH food is pretty good and surprisingly reasonable. Most of the items are $5 or less, and there's a nice variety of items so there's something for everyone. Like others have mentioned, the Ahi Tataki is great for the price, it's tasty, and definitely recommended. The Firecracker Shrimp at $5 is nothing to complain about either. I also tried some items of the regular menu. The Lobster Tempura was a little spendy as it was prepared and served like the Firecracker Shrimp, but the lobster was WAY BETTER. I'm not a fan of over-seasoned and over-processed sushi rolls, but the White Dragon Roll was pretty good, considering there was a lot of shit going on with that roll. It's best consumed while intoxicated. Service was EXCELLENT. My friends and I were seated at the bar, and the two amazing bartenders took really good care of us. I hear that the validated valet parking is reasonable, but I found some street parking around the block.

    (4)

  • Mo G.

    Been here once before and I really enjoyed it. We came back a few nights ago and it was so so. We arrived on the late side 845'ish so there wasn't a crowd. They did however seat us near some really obnoxious guys who had been drinking. One of them kept dropping the "F" bomb every other word and nobody would politely tell him to shut his mouth or leave. They eventfully calmed down. We did notice that they had a ton of workers on shift that night. We ordered various items from the Happy hour menu. Beef tataki Ahi tataki - my fav Chicken yakitori Beef yakitori Donburi- I was expecting egg in this dish. It had a lot of rice and salmon, no egg that I could find. Spicy tuna roll Chicken kaarage - my 2nd fav Deep fried brownie - say what? We were satisfied, but I recall the food tasting better? I'm not sure if it was an off night. The service was good though.

    (3)

  • Saki K.

    First time dining at Doraku and it was happy hour (4-6pm and after 9 pm). Came in with no reservation for two and we were seated right away. food and service was also excellent. Our server, Ashley, was attentive and very friendly. She always came to check up on us Ashley also helped describe all the dishes we were confused about and when the food came out, she told us what fish is what. Beef tataki: The beef tataki was really good. I recommend ordering it for happy hour. It is sort of like raw beef w/ onions and garlic chips. Loved the ponzu sauce. Salmon carpaccio: This dish was thin slices of salmon along with a yuzu mayo sauce. This dish was alright. Hamachi Kama: the hamachi Kama was fatty, juicy, and the meat just melts in your mouth. You can either just eat it with the sea salt or there is a ponzu sauce that comes with it. I recommend this dish! :) Asari sakamushi: this dish consist of clams with white wine sauce. I love clams! So I enjoyed this dish a lot. Ashley, our waiter, also gave us a bowl of rice so we can eat it together with the sauce. Red dragon roll: this sushi was really good. It was my boyfriend's favorite dish of the night. Lot of flavors and it comes with a lot. Sushi + sashimi deluxe: had a variety of different nigiri and sashimi. You can really tell that they use fresh fish. The sashimi just melts in your mouth. Only thing is that there is only one of each type of nigiri so you have to fight for the one you want haha. Overall, it was a great experience. I loved how they served the water in the sake looking bottle and the whole ambience of the restaurant.

    (5)

  • Vanesa J.

    Do not order any chef special that the server recommend to you. Why? Because it's the price is not matching the portion. When they tell you what come in it. It's sound like a big dishes. 3 small pieces of fish sashimi and a piece of crab leg and the shrimp head for $22. It's ridiculous! But anyway food is ok. Hamachi Kama so yummy. Service good, server alway check back.

    (3)

  • Justin T.

    Doraku is my new favorite place to have great food and great drinks!!! Free parking on the street after a certain hour, amazing service! Been here half a dozen times so far and nobody has ever been rude or obnoxious. The workers really want to be there, which makes me really want to be there as well. Very modern look to the joint. Will go back hundreds of times! I always refer my clients there as well.

    (5)

  • Erik A.

    Best sushi I have had. I've been to Nobu and several other nice reputable sushi joint throughout the US. This place tops them all!! Dragon rolls and no rice rolls are beyond exceptional. I also highly recommend the happy hour menu.

    (5)

  • Thuy N.

    Wow, the volcano roll is party for the palate. Must order! The fish was fresh and the specialty rolls were good. Service was great and this place has outdoor seating. The breezy night with outside seating is just lovely. Excuse the low quality photos.

    (4)

  • Lei N.

    With everyone's schedule being so busy, it was surprising we even got together! I had made reservations the week before. I didn't know the day of about Happy Hour, I am so disappointed in myself. Though one person wasn't there yet, we got seated in a somewhat private area inside the restaurant. ( yelp.com/biz_photos/dora… ) We had made it in time for happy hour BUT where we were seated we couldn't be served that. For the happy hour menu, you had to be seated at the sushi bar or outside. Why didn't you say so? There was no indication on the menu! We were all hyped up for nothing. We waited until our final person arrived and we started ordering our dishes. As we looked at our menu, we thought that we could have our own dishes but it seemed family-style, so we all picked off the dishes we ordered. What we ordered: Sweet and Spicy Miso Seared(?) Edamame I know it was covered with something but I don't remember which one we got. I usually don't eat this, but after that night... I want more! Red Dragon Roll ( yelp.com/biz_photos/dora… ) I won't lie, there was some ingredients on this roll that made me go, ew gross! Just don't look at it, because after eating one piece, I came back with my chopsticks for more! I don't know what it is, but it's definitely a favor... so far! Volcano Roll ( yelp.com/biz_photos/dora… ) This one, I didn't enjoy. It could've been the scallop or the crab but whatever it is, ain't ordering this one again! I tried two pieces. Once to see if I'd like it or not, the second time to make sure I still felt the same. Steak - cube style So, one of the workers accidentally placed it at the wrong table. The other party across of us and of course she made the mistake of telling us that it was over there. Not good! Of course it looked like they hadn't touched it so we dug in... Yes it's steak... No it wasn't yummy as it had sounded. It didn't look appetizing either. Just a mountain of all the ingredients piled together. Teriyaki chicken Idk, it's chicken? Looked and tasted good. Nothing unusual. Hamachi I didn't know what this was. It's fish? We asked for forks and a knife for this one. Luckily we also shared a bowl of rice with one another. There was a lot of flavors to take in but the fish itself tasted dry. No picture because... It was another mountain of food. It was interesting to try I'll admit that, maybe some shoyu next time. Of course it wasn't over yet! I guess it was also in celebration of some graduates myself and another. If I remember correctly the brownie was complementary. I asked to order the Banana Flambe. Dessert: Brownie Tempura ( yelp.com/biz_photos/dora… ) Hearing brownie and tempura together, I was like 'what?!' I just remembered the brownie and ice cream. I didn't know it was macadamia nuts on top! Banana Flambe ( yelp.com/biz_photos/dora… ) The bananas reminded me of banana lumpia. Same concept as the Brownie Tempura, just not something I would order again. Overall, I'd come back... DURING HAPPY HOUR, now that I know where we have to sit.

    (3)

  • Salvecho T.

    It was my first time dining in with my friends for a Farewell Dinner. The food was super delicious, however the wait was kinda long. Our waitress was very friendly, she kept us in check & made sure we received what we wanted. Despite of the long food wait, our waitress ensured that our food would be there in a short moment. They're poke is REALLY good, it's the best one I've tasted so far. The Volcano Roll is very good also, but it took a while for them to make it. The price wasn't that bad, it was worth it. The place is quite loud at night, specially when they're having the happy hour, but fortunately we were able to get their outdoor tables. It was overall an amazing dining, & I'd recommend for everyone to experience it.

    (4)

  • Mateo C.

    Parking was a nightmare. We went in at 630 and the garage which is located in a mixed use commercial / residential high rise building was all full, even valet was full. we were directed to an uncovered lot around the corner. Upon arriving at the overflow lot it was also full, we looked for street parking and found a spot about 3 blocks away. We made our way over to the restaurant and were greeted by 2 very nice young women who let us know that the only table coming up that could accommodate us was 20 or 30 mins from being ready and while they had another booth open it was reserved an hour later. It escapes me why they had an empty booth while they make 6 people wait when they very well could have seated us and then just given the next booth that was clearly going to be ready before 730 to the group at 730. My fault for not making a reservation (even tho it clearly says on yelp, no reservations). 6 of us ordered 2 items each, ranging from $6 to $16 per item. We were told that the items are all family style and would not be brought out at the same time. I could imagine it would be a nightmare to try and get 12 items ready at the same time. Nonetheless I never expected that they would bring 2 items to one person, and then 2 to the next and then 2 to the next leaving a gap of neary 45 mins between when the 1st person received all their food and when the last person received their 1st dish, especially when that last dish was boiled soy beans. It was frustrating for the last member of our group to get his food when the rest of us where done eating even after we kept inquiring about it the wait staff repeatedly came to check on us to see if all was well never having brought anything in between it was more like salt in a wound. A table that was seated 20 mins after us received the same dish that we had ordered and received it much earlier than we did. It was nice that they provide a birthday dessert complementary but overall I can't recommend this place unless you come for happy hour.

    (2)

  • Leilani S.

    Food was very good, great service, beautiful restaurant, indoor and outdoor seating. Would come back again.

    (5)

  • Tracy N.

    Yummy drinks. Awesome Happy hour :) My favorite pupus were the ahi takaki and the salmon carpaccio. The sushi rolls were delicious as well. A great place/lounge to hang out and have a few drinks with your friends. I will be back!

    (4)

  • Isa R.

    After reading all of the hype over Doraku and scrolling through all of the food pics here on Yelp, I knew I had to come and give it a try. It is valet only (pretty reasonable at $3), but there is street parking after 6 if you can find a space. You have to go through Blue Tree Cafe to get to Doraku, which is kind of awkward as you walk through one business to get to another. I loved the ambiance of the restaurant. Not too fancy, but lively and fun. Definitely a place to come after work or with some friends. Family style eating, so be prepared to share. The happy hour specials are from 4-6 and 9 to closing. We came for the earlier happy hour. They do NOT take reservations for happy hour. They only take reservations if you are not ordering from the happy hour menu. Thankfully, at 5:30 there were ample spaces available. If you want happy hour, you either sit at the sushi bar, on the "communal" table (a long table where you sit with other diners), or on the outside tables. The weather was nice, so we sat on the outside tables. It took us a while to have our drink orders taken (15 minutes or so), but after that, the service was great. I like that they give a giant glass water bottle and leave it on the table, and the water glasses are really fancy looking. Soda refills are free. :D You should be forewarned, the menu is extensive. Not as extensive as Cheesecake Factory, but still, overwhelming. You have to keep yourself from ordering half the menu and it takes a while to really narrow down what you want to get. I would suggest that if you're sitting on a two-seater table, to order your food in "stages" and not all at once--particularly if you're ordering several dishes. The table fills up with food really quickly, and I was surprised with how quickly all of the food came out. I'm not sure if it's because it wasn't super busy, but I liked not having to wait around for ages for the food to come. HAPPY HOUR: - **Tuna Tataki $5: MUST ORDER. It's ahi (I believe it's seared on the edges) covered with a garlic aioli sauce, on a bed of daikon with ponzu and crispy garlic chips. So good that we had to get another. Oddly enough, when we ordered the second order it came with 3 additional pieces of tuna. Our first order came with 4 pieces of tuna. We're not sure if we got jipped the first time or if we got extra the second time, but the more the better. - Firecracker shrimp: $5: I was surprised at how much shrimp they gave for the price. The portion was a really good size, and the shrimp came on a bed of greens with a side of some kind of spicy mayo sauce. I would probably order this again one day, but for me it wasn't an absolute must have. - Salmon kama $5: SOLD OUT. Apparently this is really popular and sells out really quickly. I thought they'd still have it early in the week (Tuesday), but they had run out. :( - *Spicy tuna roll: $4: This is a full-sized, 7 pc roll! I would definitely order this again. For the price, you can't beat it. Cheaper than Genki for the amount of pieces you get, and much fresher tasting. REGULAR MENU: -**Emperor roll: Tuna, salmon, crab, shrimp, scallop, and avocado, deep fried with greens and aioli sauce. I thought I wouldn't like it, because I'm honestly not a fan of deep fried sushi, but it was actually delicious. I'd order this again. -**Miso butterfish: I'd definitely order this again. It really melts in your mouth and has a strong flavor, but in a good way. I kind of wish this came with a bowl of rice, but you have to order the rice ala carte. -Spicy lobster roll: Sorry, but I was not a fan of this roll. I prefer Shokudo's lobster dynamite roll over this by a mile. This was probably the only thing I ordered that I was disappointed with. It wasn't spicy at all (not that I enjoy really spicy food), but the flavor was just so mild tasting. I think it was just the cream cheese. I don't know, something about it was just off-putting to me. -**Brownie tempura: This is such a brilliant dish, I don't know how I've never seen this on a menu before. The brownies are rectangular in shape, almost like Kilani Bakery brownies, but without the macadamia nuts inside. I actually don't like shrimp tempura, so I thought I might not like the tempura style breading of this dessert, but it really worked. All in all, Doraku lived up to the hype. I have yet to try the Waikiki location, but I know for sure that I'll be back to this one! There are so many other things on the menu that I need to try. PS: Steve Aoki's brother owns this restaurant, and the owner's father created Benihana. ;)

    (5)

  • Lala E.

    Went back to Doraku last Saturday for late night happy hour, again with a large party. The waitress who helped us was great. We were seated upstairs in the corner. Even though it was busy, she accommodated us when we had more friends who arrived by making room for both groups downstairs. We had already settled in by that time and was content to stay where were at, instead of taking everything downstairs, but I sincerely appreciated the effort she made. She also offered to have our check split, which I know can be annoying when it's busy and you have a large party to wait on. She remained patient and pleasant throughout. I wish I knew her name, but just want to say that she was appreciated. Mahalo nui!

    (5)

  • Maria S.

    The food was excellent but my Banana Ice Cream Flambe, while delicious, tasted like the bitter disappointment of not being on fire.

    (4)

  • Shandis C.

    I'm already a fan of the Waikiki Doraku, especially for the happy hour, so I was happy to see that they opened a second location on Kapiolani, across the Neil Blaisdell Center. There were never any great places to eat before a concert, musical or event happening at the concert hall or arena, but now this will definitely be the spot for me. The HH menu seems to be basically the same as Waikiki, however the one thing that Kapiolani has on Waikiki is that in addition to sitting at the bar or on the large communal table, you can also sit anywhere on the patio, which has tables for 2-4 people. This is definitely a big plus, especially if you are on a hot date or meeting a girlfriend for girl chat! So much better for conversation and much more intimate. I'm a huge fan! HH food menu items range from $3-$7 and include a variety of seasoned edamame, california roll, spicy ahi and deluxe spicy ahi (has shiso and takuan), ginger chicken karaage, rock shrimp tempura, miso eggplant, ahi poke, tuna tataki and a couple other items that I can't remember. Salmon Kama is my FAVORITE, which is also on the HH menu however, I was informed that it usually runs out before the weekend, so if you go on a Sat, or Sun, or late on Friday, you may be out of luck :o( We ordered the hamachi kama off of the regular menu which was just as good, if not better than the salmon kama, but more than twice the price. If you are on the cheap, the regular menu also offers agedashi tofu for $4.50. Basically, if you are a fan of Doraku Waikiki, you'll also like this location. This location has a more "upbeat" feel compared to the dark and sultry feel of Waikiki. If you avoid Waikiki and have never been to the Doraku there, then here's your chance to try a great restaurant in a more convenient location. Valet parking, $3, quick and easy, flat rate. It's pretty much the same you would pay at the Waikiki location for parking so don't let the word "valet" turn you off. Also, be sure to check out the great coffee house right next door, Blue Tree Cafe for an after dinner coffee!

    (4)

  • Krysten I.

    I love happy hours and Doraku is my new favorite. First, their happy hour (5-7pm) is available everyday. EVERYDAY! Second, there are GREAT food options included during happy hour. Eggplant, chicken, dynamite bowl, sushi....the list goes on! Third, they take reservations! FOR HAPPY HOUR! Ahhhhmazing! I'd compare Doraku to shokudo in terms of ambiance and food, but this happy hour at Doraku completely impressed me and I will be opting for Doraku over shokudo from now on. The servers here were great--attentive, friendly and hospitable. We had a small issue with a dish coming to our table that we didn't order, informing the server, him telling us that we could have it anyways even though we didn't order it and then charging us for it even though we didn't really want it....but overall, I had a great time! p.s. parking is valet only. I think it's $3, but I wouldn't know. I'm a good Chinese girl and found free street parking. And even though it felt like walking a mile in my high heels, the whole saving $3 thing was worth (or so I tell myself).

    (4)

  • Grace L.

    1. Food=5 stars -The sashimi/nigiri sushi here is the BOMB. It's so fresh, I literally thought I was going to cry when I ate my hamachi. It felt like it would melt in my mouth. The amaebi and uni were also super delicious. -I also had the uni and ikura don, which at lunch is a steal since it's the same size portion for like $16. However, the spicy ahi was a miss for me. I don't like whatever spicy sauce they use on it. -Oyster shooter was to DIEEE for. (Even though its $6 and they only give you one...) Unlike the one at yanagi, this one comes with uni inside, which probably explains why its so expensive. 2. Parking=1 star. -Street parking OR valet (which is like $3? I think...) During lunch, you can't park on the main street so you have to park closer to ward OR pay for parking. Luckily we found parking on a back street, but there aren't many stalls. I think after 6:30 you can park on the main street, which I assume gets filled up very quickly. 3. Service=3 stars. -Our waiter was very friendly and informative. He was prompt on refilling our water and clearing our plates. However, the food took FOREVER to come out to our table. I kept thinking..."how long does it take to cut some raw fish..?" Maybe it was because we ate around 2pm, which is not a busy period and they could have been short staffed...but still. I was hungry. Overall, the food was good. The other stuff...not so much. But the food was good enough that I would definitely go again to try the other nigiri/sushi. Possibly even some of the hot dishes. (:

    (4)

  • Anna D.

    Super cute decor! I came the first night of their soft opening and it wasn't a disappointment at all. I would say that it was less delicious than waikiki's location but given the convenience away from the busy hustle and bustle of that touristy area, i'm okay with that! The second time I came was for new years with a large party of friends and the food defintely got a lot better! Service has always been very good and presentation of the food (and taste) was pleasing. Prices are reasonable but sizes aren't big so you can end up spending a good amount of money-especially if you're drinking. I usually like to order the red dragon roll, butter fish, spicy tuna, and a beer here

    (4)

  • Shari T.

    Excellent Asian cuisine. The teri-garlic Edamame presents a rich sauce that is much thicker than most. The Seafood Salad is a poke-style dish mixed with a light sweet ginger dressing, and the Ume Chiso Chicken is unique and great for ume-lovers. Top it all off with the Brownie Tempura for desert! The ambiance is modern-Asian, and rather busy and noisy, but less than Shokudo.

    (4)

  • Pataya X.

    Happy hour starts at 9pm and everything on the happy hour menu is delish! My happy hour consumption always starts off with either a lychee martini or warmed sake. When the server comes back with drinks, I immediately order pretty much one of every food dish on the menu (usually there are 3+ of us to consume it all). Some nights when I am feeling daring, I'll do sake bombs which always livens up the mood and makes me eat more. I just have to dock a star because sometimes they are so busy that the service is slower than usual. Other than that, great food, drinks, atmosphere, decor and don't forget to order dessert.

    (4)

  • Jamieee D.

    Great atmosphere and nicely decored. Great for date nights or a place to hang out. Food here is always amazing. I think the one dish that stood out the most was their miso butterfish. It was so creamy and soft and it had the right amount of sweetness. Try this and trust me you will want to order more. Their sushis are pretty bomb. I think it might be called "god of fire" but that sushi was pretty good. It had a slice of jalapeño on it. Their poke was good and it tasted pretty fresh. I wish I took pictures and remembered what they were called but it is definitely worth trying. My only complaint is their staff at the waikiki location. The hostesses were completely rude. We were waiting for over an hour and the other couples that arrived after us were being seated before us. They could see how irritated we looked and they didn't say anything until I got up and the hostess says "oh you guys should be next." I know they forgot about us because the couple that arrived after us said they didn't have any reservations. So how is it that they got a table before us? Dummies couldn't just admit they made a mistake.Well, left no tip because even our waitress was ride. Wasn't even there half of the time.

    (4)

  • Bryan W.

    To start off, the water glasses were dirty with water spots and lipstick marks. The soup spoons were also dirty. One had soy sauce on it even though there was no soy sauce with the side dishes that were on the same server tray. One of the spoons was chipped. The steaks were warm, not hot. They were not made to order as well. One in our party ordered medium well and got a rare. In fact there were all rare. Probably why the steaks were warm. My crusted hamachi had a very thick crust which was very hard to break apart. Especially with only chop sticks. Sushi appetizers we ordered were not bad.

    (2)

  • Trisha G.

    Happy hour from 4-6 and again later in the evening. We stopped by at around 430 on a weekday. Not a big crowd, which meant quality and speedy service. Drinks: $3 Heinekens for the boys and $6 Lychee Martini for the girls (worth the price for the martinis -- it was a strong drink!) The entire happy hour menu was delicious (we almost ordered every item). But the must-order highlights were: ahi tataki, ahi poke, karaage, garlic teriyaki edamame. Other decent picks: eggplant miso, spicy ahi roll, firecracker shrimp. Supplemented our order with items off the regular menu, including a tender steak with a yummy sauce. Add a bowl of rice with a small miso soup for the baby. The whole experience was great. There were multiple families there and the staff was very friendly. The regular menu is a bit pricey, but I would return for the happy hour pupus and lychee martinis.

    (4)

  • Lyn L.

    Dinner with friends tonight....all in all...I thought it was ok...service was very good, but as far as the menu, nothing was outstanding....don't really think I'll go back again... Music too loud, food, ok...not sure what the "theme" is...not really Japanese...sorry...

    (3)

  • Emi H.

    Welcome to my new favorite happy hour destination!!! If you're a fan of Doraku Waikiki, then you'll hopefully be as pleasantly surprised as I was by their new location's layout and ambiance. What's the difference you ask? SEXY & SULTRY vs. LIVELY & CASUAL Doraku Waikiki has sex appeal with it's dark lighting and ootz ootz ootz South Beach music tracks. (Oh and Todd the GM is awesome I might add!) While it's newest incarnation Doraku Kaka'ako is a brightly lit cousin which greets you with lively alternative, beat driven tunes! There are giant sake barrels which adorn the walls and that might sound super weird, but somehow it all works! We walked in on a rainy Friday night for a quick bite before my singing gig in Waikiki and it was PACKED to the brim. Every seat at the bar was taken and my heart half sank because I knew we wouldn't be able to get a table for at least 45 minutes. Well, thankfully we ran into the owner who helped us grab a temporary seat to eat our food before a big party. Okay, okay, so we know people but I would just like to say that this does not affect my rating. You can take this whatever way you'd like but my real friends on Yelp know I'll only write glowing reviews about businesses I really adore! We sat at the communal table, ordered faster than you can say "ahi nigiri" and nom nom nom'd our way through a myriad of Doraku favorites. +Miso Butterfish: It's my favorite of ALL TIME and I can never leave without getting this. (Photo: yelp.com/biz_photos/dora… ) +King Oyster Mushrooms: Even if you don't like mushrooms I think you're going to enjoy this! (Photo: yelp.com/biz_photos/dora… ) +Hamachi Carpaccio: A must order and my boyfriend's favorite! (Photo: yelp.com/biz_photos/dora… ) +Emperor Roll: Probably my least favorite because the texture was very funky but I've never been much for fancy sushi rolls. I like to keep it simple and have the fresh seafood flavor shine through. (Photo: yelp.com/biz_photos/dora… ) As far as I can tell, the Kaka'ako and Waikiki locations have a similar menu but as I mentioned before, they've kicked it up a notch with a much more lively feel. I'd have to say that the one hole in our experience was the miso soup which was basically a bowl of water. I let the waitress know and she promptly returned with the corrected miso soup and apologized profusely. I think maybe they just didn't stir it? Service though was great and I though she dealt with the situation perfectly. I will reserve my 5th star for my next visit and an updated review! If you come to Doraku in the next few weeks please be forgiving as they are still a brand new restaurant and with that comes the growing pains of getting an operation up and running. Have you ever opened a restaurant from scratch? It's basically like having a baby except it probably hurts more and you really don't stop giving birth for a good year. Ouch. Although it's pretty much valet parking only on the weekends, I think locals are still going to love it and this place is going to be EPIC during happy hour! There are few places I get excited about in Honolulu and this is definitely one of them. I will be at the bar stuffing my face with butterfish and lots of sake so please be sure to come by and say hello!!!

    (4)

  • Juliene C.

    I came to Doraku on a friday afternoon and had no trouble parking in the structure. The decor was quite impressive. Very trendy. However, i wondered why there was a wait to be seated when there was nobody there. The waiter was ok, but i felt like he totally con me into getting the more expensive dishes. Now that i think of it, that was kind of annoying. I ordered the firecracker shrimp & he said get the lobster one instead for a few dollars more. I ordered the dynamite don & he said it was horrible & i should get the chirashi don which was the most expensive one. Anyway, the firecracker lobster was ok. It was just lobster meat in a tempura batter with some sort of sweet chili dipping sauce. It was really nothing special. The chirashi don was a bowl full of fresh sashimi over sushi rice. Although i love the fact that the sashimi was fresh, i just wasn't enthused by it. I tried the blueberry blossom cocktail which i believe had no alcohol in it since it tasted like cranberry juice. I'm not opposed to coming here again. It's pretty darn expensive! But i guess the best time to come here is during happy hour.

    (3)

  • Danielle N.

    good sushi, totally recommended. heard about this place from the local good sushi, totally recommended. heard about this place from the local

    (3)

  • Ariana M.

    Decided to come here after work. We wanted to check out the new location that opened on Kapiolani. Unfortunately they only have valet parking, so we just found parking on the street! Lucky for us Happy Hour just started at 10pm! Doraku has happy hour everyday form 4-7pm and again from 10pm - closing. I really like the variety they have for happy hour. They have hot dishes, cold dishes, and even sushi rolls! This place is pretty bomb in my opinion. We also decided to get lychee martinis since they were on special for $6. It tasted amazing!! The staff here was great. The Grub. EDAMAME ($2) - Good as anywhere else - Decent amount, very satisfying CLAM SAKAMUSHI ($5) - Oishi! - I love clams ;] FIRECRACKER SHRIMP ($5) - MUST ORDER!! - They give a lot of shrimp for the price. I would recommend this dish the most. SPICY TUNA ROLL ($4) - Good - I like how they give a full roll unlike some places who do happy hour sushi who give you super small portions. Finally for dessert we decided to try the TEMPURA BROWNIE. OMG! Talk about an orgasm in my mouth. That was so bomb! Overall, I feel my experience here was excellent. The service was good and so was the food. Very impressed with their happy hour. I would definitely like to come back here again and try some of the regular menu as well =]

    (5)

  • Mae B.

    I love this place! I've been here 3x already & I have nothing to complain about. Every time I come here, the service is always amazing! I can't have raw food but that doesn't mean I can't enjoy sushi anymore. I have to get sushi where there's no raw food and there's quite a variety to choose from. My favorite is the spicy lobster (although it is not spicy...at all) but I still like it. Very tasty! It comes with salad & it's good. Love the dressing. I can't have alcohol either (bummers right. Coming to a nice restaurant with a bar). Anywho, the first time I ordered their ling hi mui margarita. Their blender wasn't working at the time so I had to get it on the rocks. Which was freakn amazing! I loved it. A very tasty drink. Of course I got the virgin one. Overall, I love this place. I highly recommend!

    (5)

  • Jhoren C.

    It's been months since I've been telling my husband that I wanted to eat at Doraku, well last night for Valentines day he suprised me and took me here for dinner! the plus: +food was on point! Taste would be given 4 stars and portion were good enough to feed 2! +great ambience, we were seated upstairs and they had a live band playing (idk if it was just for the occasion) + Service was great, our server WARREN was a great help and did a good job. He was very helpful and letting us know what was good on the menu. and everything we ordered did not dissapoint. bottomline, I will be coming here again. The brownie tempura is a must try even if you're full from eating, just try it!

    (5)

  • Richard K.

    My first time at Doraku was for a UYE a few weeks ago. It was a shaky start, the Valet Only parking is never a favorite of mine (like most guys, I'm very particular with my car) and I left the keys to my M3 with some young kid who almost rolled it back into the car behind him. After he figured out how to work the transmission, he parked it in front of the valet podium. Confident that's where it was going to stay for the rest of the night, I went inside. What a pleasant surprise it was walking through the doors. Despite the near-miss earlier, I was very impressed with the decor of the new location. It has a very modern feel, but still very comfortable. I LOVE the sake barrels that are stacked behind the bar as a feature wall (or do I just love sake...LUSH!) and the large table right in front of the bar is awesome for larger parties. The only thing about that table is, although aesthetically pleasing, the piece that slopes downward isn't a very usable space and should be covered with a piece of glass or something to keep the look, but attain functionality. Just a small nitpick and I'm sure Grant S. would agree. But yes, I love the decor! Lighting is also great...not so dark like the Waikiki location. I like to be able to see my food and the people I'm eating with. The UYE was for happy hour and they have a happy hour specific menu. Prices hover around the $5-7 area for food...Kirin is $3 on tap, so it's very reasonable. The food is great...I ordered the special spicy tuna roll and the dynamite donburi. I had no cause for complaint and my belly was very content. Their green tea dessert is ONO and I definitely recommend it if you like fresh fruits, azuki beans and of course, green tea ice cream. I'm not typically a dessert person, but this one was worth it! I will definitely return for future happy hours. I'll probably have to look for other parking nearby though, or else give lessons on how my car works each time, lol.

    (4)

  • Charlie G.

    Classy sushi place. Prices are a little high, but so far it's my favorite sushi place in honolulu. Come for lunch and they have pretty killer lunch specials though! Plus I love the wooden tables here.

    (4)

  • Angel P.

    Vinny was amazing, the spicy lobster, amazing. The quality and price is amazing. All around amazing and I'll be back!

    (5)

  • Clarissa M.

    Love the interior decor in this joint. Server was friendly not overly pushy and made the best food and drink recommendations. There was a group of five of us (we could only be seated once three from our group were present). We took advantage of Happy Hour - this place is packed both inside and outside seating so come early or make reservations. They also have upstairs seating. Valet is offered for $3 and super easy to find (as garage is in the same building as the condo tenants use). We took advantage of the happy hour menu. Everything was super tasty. Our faves were the lomi lomi roll, steak pepper yakitori, chicken kaarage, salmon, and tuna. Who am I kidding - we loved our apps and dessert was yums! We tried the banana flambé and tempura green tea ice cream. There portions are on the smaller side but with different dishes we got full fast. The drinks are strong and tasty. Asian Mojito and a drink with peach vodka were delicious. Make time to rub the Buddha belly for good luck before you leave. Ambiance and food in a cozy dining area with pillows - way to enjoy the finer things in life.

    (4)

  • Coleen F.

    I came here with a few of my girl friends to have a catch-up dinner. It's on the main road on Kapiolani right next to the Geisha House. I REALLY wanted to like it because of all the great reviews, but it was just eh. See, I can't even find a word to describe it. Anyway, my party of three was seated fairly quickly. We went there around 4pm which is when Happy Hour starts and we were lucky because for a Sunday it was pretty slow. Just a side note, if you're here be careful of the floors because they were quite slippery when I went. Trying to be poised wearing high heels on a slippery floor is not cute (haha). Let me break down my last visit starting off with the food. The food is delicious and really fresh. It took a while for some of our food to come out, but the taste made up for it. I had the spicy ahi don, which was just simply amazing. I love spicy ahi and the spicy ahi at Doraku definitely delivered the taste I wanted and great for the price I paid. Secondly, alcohol. Their alcohol is simply amazing! During Happy Hour is when they have the best prices, but if you can't wait (like me) I'd just go ahead and order their specialty drinks because it just tastes SO good. When I ordered my first drink, it was actually a few minutes before 4pm, when Happy Hour, starts, but because I couldn't wait I still ordered the drink. I don't regret it because the taste was so amazing I didn't mind the $2 difference. Despite the food and alcohol being an A+ in my book, their service was horrible. I'm usually very easy to please as far as serving goes. If you smile, check up on me every so often, and have a great attitude then you pass. However, our server wasn't even there. The only time he was there was to take our first round of orders (alcohol and a few appetizers). I felt bad because our table kept having to ask another server (who wasn't even supposed to be in our section). She was great, though. She was also a really good sport and we kept apologizing to her about having to order from her because our original server did a bad job. I understand if this was the case if the restaurant were busy, but it wasn't. It's a Sunday afternoon at 4pm how can you possibly forget one table out of the four you probably had to take care of? Maybe I'd give it another try because of the food, but I hope we never get that server again. I thought he was very professional in the beginning, but I was totally wrong. Props again to the server who picked up his slack! We're really sorry we had to inconvenience you!

    (3)

  • Kanoe I.

    I'm a big fan of this restaurant...Hands Down. So I was beyond excited when they opened its Kaka'ako location recently. Driving into Waikiki, parking, and walking to its other location seemed like such a chore to me. Doraku/Kapiolani....5 min walk. Yes! I dined here last Fri and was glad I made reservations. Without it, I would've had to wait 45 mins. Wow, good to see it busy here! Service was great: fast and efficient. We were seated inside, near the sushi bar. The tables seemed quite close, too close for me. I could hear the conversations of neighboring tables...not good. Must have order for me: *Hamachi Carpaccio*. Thinly sliced pieces of Hamachi with a sauce to-die-for. Light and Divine. Recommend Highly. We also ordered the *Red Dragon Roll*.....Spicy Tuna, Shrimp Tempura, & Avocado topped with Unagi and Red Tobiko. Loved it. Presentation was beautiful. Two orders of Uni Nigiri Sushi were also on our menu....Beyond words! Another fave dish: *Doraku Seafood Salad* w/ diced Tuna, Salmon, Yellowtail, Snapper over mix greens. Love the dressing! Happy Hour: 4-7, 10-close. Haven't gone to it but am curious about the specials. Valet parking is $3. Happy that this service is available bc searching for parking can be annoying, especially at this location. Welcome to Kaka'ako, Doraku. I'm gonna be a regular customer for sure...

    (5)

  • Jeff Z.

    The best part of this was the dessert absolutely delicious. The sushi was ok nothing special, you can go somewhere else and eat just as well (if not better) for less. The service was also ok, waitress seem to disappear for long time, but the food was made rather quickly. The music can be a distraction, specially if you wish to have normal conversations that don't entail you yelling across the table.

    (3)

  • Christina Y.

    I LOVE this place for happy hour! The prices are very reasonable/cheap and the food is good. My favorite thing to order is the spicy ahi roll and geisha sake sampler. Always satisfies my cravings at the right price.

    (5)

  • Ariana L.

    Good service and good food. We went for lunch on a Tuesday and it was pretty quiet. Had a few rolls (Doraku, White Dragon, Eel & Avo) and a salad, and everything was fresh and pretty quick to come out.

    (4)

  • Ben F.

    So this is not the downtown location, this is on Kapiolani. WAY BETTER than the downtown tourist trap version. Really liked the ambiance and the food and service were AWESOME! Will be back on next trip for sure!

    (4)

  • Alina H.

    Was planning on going to another sushi place but the wait was 2 hrs long. By chance we found this place. Never been here before. Why?? Parking was easy, wait was 10 min.... Maybe and were seated in a super cozy both. The service was great, fast and super friendly. The food and drinks were awesome and the desert was even better. The brownie tempura is amazing. I had a lychee martini and it was great as well. We didn't make happy hour but they actually have 2. The second starts at 9 which is great! This was a great experience and it just may be our new go-to sushi spot. Will def return.

    (5)

  • Taryn L.

    I have been meaning to try Doraku for years, but I didn't want to deal with Waikiki parking. When the Kapiolani Doraku opened up, I was excited and knew it was the sign I was waiting for to try it. I cannot believe it took me this long to try this restaurant. The ambiance is similar to a bar; it can get very loud and crowded. When I went to Doraku, it was at 6 pm on a Saturday night. It was an hour wait to get a table since I had a party of 4 with no reservations, but I felt that the wait was well worth it. The hostess was very accommodating and tried her best to get us a table as soon as possible, even when they were booked. Our server was great - while there were times we had to follow up with him for some items, he was very charismatic and enthusiastic about the food. He made great recommendations on what to order, which was helpful since it was my first time there. You could tell he really enjoyed talking to people and loved the food. Speaking of food, it was delicious. At first, my main concern was that the food portions would be small, but I felt that the portions were just right, if not larger than I expected. I ordered: Miso soup - good, authentic taste/flavor Sauteed vegetables - it was cooked in butter & garlic; it can't get any better :) Japanese garlic steak - very tender and flavorful. It tasted great with the ponzu sauce brownie tempura - not too heavy. Only thing to make it better would be more ice cream. Overall, I felt that it was a great experience and cannot wait to go back again!

    (5)

  • Jay K.

    If sushi was a woman, she'd be my wife! That's how much I love sushi & this place got great fusion sushi!

    (5)

  • Jenny J.

    This place was not what I expected, at all. My boyfriend and I found this place via yelp and expected amazing sushi while vacationing in hawaii. Boy did yelp let us down this time. We went to Doraku Sunday night before Memorial Day. We walked in and the two girls at the hostess desk didn't even greet us, they just kept their conversation and looked over at us when they were done talking and said "for two?" (yeah we know you saw us but you kept gossiping instead of doing your job). We got seated and it was happy hour so we ordered the eggplant miso and dynamite donburi. The eggplant miso was tolerable, I love eggplant. But their dynamite was disgusting :( it was dry and tasted really fishy. At this point we wanted to leave but we had our orders in. Our two rolls came on one plate. We ordered the Doraku roll (because the yelp reviews) and the "God of Fire" roll. They overdid it with those garlic chip garnishes, it made me nauseous. The God of Fire roll was better than the Doraku but the food was nothing compared to the sushi in California. Service was slow. The only thing I liked was the ambiance. Maybe I came on a bad night but I wouldn't return for a second chance.

    (1)

  • Lauren H.

    Happy hour is the best time to go! Great pupus and drink specials. I love the lychee cocktail. Go!

    (4)

  • Julie O.

    Great place to have happy hour, cool ambiance, great sushi and authentic Japanese food options. Great selection of of sake and Japanese beers. Also, an amazing green tea ice cream tempura! A must try for Japanese food lovers :0)

    (4)

  • Wesley R.

    Let's see. I will have to say, I enjoyed this place immensely. Multiple reasons, but let's start with the reservation part. Our buddy was unable to get a reservation 5 days prior for Saturday evening at 6 for 4. The lady told him not to come during happy hour (4-6 and 9-close daily) for walk in. But we tried anyway. We are notoriously late for everything, so surprised our friend and was there at 530, asked to be put on the wait list. Amazingly, they accommodated us with in 5 minutes. We ordered at Red Dragon roll, geisha roll, lobster tempura, chicken kara'age, deluxe spicy tuna roll, sweet and spicy edamame, tuna tataki, some cold tofu thingy (I am no where near a tofu fan. .... Sorry). Everything was excellent (I assume on the tofu). Service was really quick. Oh, we didn't get the geisha roll. Apparently they were out. So good a surf and turf roll instead. This place is family style serving. Everything came out to us really quick. Large portions. Kinda wanted a geisha roll, but oh well. Reason I gave it 4 stars, how can you be out of something so early in the evening? Also music was a little kid, the people next to us had a really annoying laugh (not just one lady, but both). And was really loud. Would definitely go back though. Reminded us of dC sushi spots.

    (4)

  • Lauren S.

    I disliked sushi before my experience here. The food was amazing, even the raw stuff ;) I was very fast service. Our bartender was hilarious. And even tho we went for happy hour, we ordered most off the regular menu and prices were still completely reasonable. One of my favorite experiences on vacation. I would highly recommend going here.

    (5)

  • Tim D.

    Trendy atmosphere, friendly staff, and awesome sushi! We ate at the sushi bar, Pono was very helpful and gave us some suggestions on the menu. I highly recommend Doraku to anyone looking for great sushi and experience!

    (5)

  • Adrianne K.

    Love the late night happy hour!

    (5)

  • Jody S.

    OMG! I luv this place!! The vibe, the cuisine, the staff, the restaurant's history...I mean honestly, what's NOT to love?! Let's talk about the ambience first. The decor is hip and modern with a zen vibe. Oversized tables made from natural tree stumps, funky Asian masks and positive kanji characters encouraging a happy meal with great friends gives this place an A-plus in my book. Now the staff. Ãœber friendly, decked in simple tshirts that boast a location that the restaurant is located at-kakaako, kalakaua, --totally rad idea! The bartenders were super friendly, knowledgeable about the cuisine offering suggestions and recommending a variety of great selections. The sushi is affordable, delish and offers unique flavors. The drinks perfect, hitting the spot after a long day at work, offering the perfect way to unwind. Lots of ample space even though it's busy. Easy access from the street and parking via valet. All bonus points in my book. Looking forward to coming back over and over to this place!

    (5)

  • Michael John R.

    The place looked amazing. The workers were great and the food was awesome. I really like the white dragon and dynamite don. The brownie tempura was crazy! The flavor and the presentation was excellent But the one thing I didn't like was the Asari clam miso soup. It was weird looking and when I dove into it it tasted really funny. Like sour almost and salty. Out of that dish I only ate the clams. But overall the place and the food was bomb! And oh yeah! They had a little Buddha when you walk up the stairs to the second level lol I just wanted to had that part

    (4)

  • Susan B.

    Everything was yummy, service was quick and friendly and the decor was pretty interesting. An added bonus was their music playlist. My 16 year old and 20 year old sang along all through dinner. It's a fun, hip place with great food. Hamachi Kama, White Dragon Roll were our favorites. You can also order sushi rice as an alternative to regular white rice.

    (5)

  • Alisha W.

    Amazing Service. Amazing Food. Amazing Valentine's Day music . . . Brought us back to High school where we first met!! (Unintentionally they played "our song" Brian McKnight--back at one) making it the best experience we have had on island! Our son was with us and the server even made sure to get him rice and miso soup out asap. Which surprisingly he loved! Thank you Duraku!!

    (5)

  • Taylor E.

    Gotta say, I love this place! Definitely one of, if not my favorite sushi place I've been to. The atmosphere is casual, modern and young. Everyone has tattoos and piercings as mentioned before and they play modern music. Sometimes they're playing Steve Aoki, I guess his brother owns doraku?? The good: - friendly service - great food! - cool atmosphere The bad: - gets busy!!!!!

    (5)

  • Scooter W.

    Get rid of the chicks who cant handle the bar and get some who can. You're loosing business. We (6 of us) wouldve spent alot more money if the bartenders could handle!

    (2)

  • Kristine B.

    Always a pleasure. Go to joint on my "CHEAT DAYS". Emperor Roll, Hamachi Carpaccio, and Brownie Tempura. Splendid. and that Dim lighting ;) So ROMANTICAL (no typo) haha. K-Bye.

    (5)

  • James C.

    Pau hana specials is da bomb! Thats the way to go. Great service staff with awesome dishes.

    (5)

  • Liberty L.

    Why does it always feel like the hostesses at this location could care less about their customers? Nevertheless, our server was the sweetest very attentive. I wish I could remember her name. We came here to fulfill our oyster shooter cravings and since we were around the area why not at Doraku. But guess what? No oyster shooters! And so I continued to order and included in my order was uni. And guess what? No uni! My boyfriend then ordered some Kirin and guess what? The Kirin was still frozen! It if wasn't for my server I'd dock a few more stars. My favorite from their menu is the seafood salad.

    (3)

  • Siri J.

    Best place to eat sushi during happy hour in Waikiki beach, great prices for delicious food. Try the spicy edamame! If you get seatings outside, you can also enjoy Hawaiian dance and music downstairs. Good atmosphere.

    (5)

  • Tiffinie K.

    Had lunch and Doraku on a weekday. It was empty. I can't imagine why. The food and service was good. Bathrooms were also clean. I ordered a ikura salmon don, which comes with miso soup, tsukemoto, and salad for $13. Yummy! Just the right amount of food (I'm a smaller person). The Japanese ice cream was not what was expected, but very good. It had vanilla bean ice cream with fruit and jello. :) Would go there again, if I have time to go out for lunch.

    (4)

  • Jackie Q.

    Server Marissa is the best! Loved our first time here at Doraku because of her! We had a wonderful time! Thank you Marissa! Love, Jackie, Traci, and Baby Kayden (9 months old)

    (5)

  • Kim W.

    We just happened to walk by this place for lunch on our adventures in Oahu. The decor of this place was awesome! A really cool little bar with masks all over the place. It was a really hot day so the air conditioning was great! But then it started to get really cold once we adjusted. So bring a sweater if you remember! Our server was really cool and she helped us pick out a bottle of sake. The food was awesome but on the pricy side. They have a great menu with lots of things to choose from! Have to go back for the happy hour everyones talking about!

    (4)

  • Latrice H.

    I love Doraku Sushi! Although there are two in Hawaii I prefer the one on Kapiolani Blvd! So I came in alone and was greeted by amazing staff! I ordered the lychee martini and was amazed! The flavors are bold and the alcohol is a perfect mix! I ordered the house salad and the clam miso soup! Can you say amazing! The soup had about six clams inside and the broth was very flavorful! Next I had the Surf and Turf roll! Whoever invented putting steak on top of sushi is genius! I love this dish 5 stars! Afterwards, I had another lychee martini and desert! I forgot the name but it had bananas and creame and it was the perfect way to end my night! You must valet your car so bring cash but the valet is in the same building as the restaurant!

    (5)

  • Juliet M.

    Jana...Jana...Jana! Ain't nothing more to say ! I have eaten all over the world. Eaten at walk ups and five stars! What she presents to the consumer is quality, patience, and thoughtfulness. My "date" was over an hour late!!! I was taking up one of her tables...just me waiting. She was so swweet ...perfect. Not tooo overwhelming and yet hands on and attentive. So the date ended over this interaction...I am so glad it did. Jana is the shizzz, and just up'd my dating karma! Haha! Much love Jana...rock on!

    (5)

  • Jane M.

    I'm not going to lie.... The food to me was amazing. I enjoyed ever bite.. But the service was so horrible, I don't think I would go back... 1. Parking was a bit of a nightmare.. Valet only... But there's a secret parking in the back, which cost a little bit more.. But when you have a friends birthday and running a bit late. You gotta do whata gotta do.... 2. The server looked as though she had a stick up her ass. I would think, if you want a good tip, be pleasant. It's the industry you went into, if you hate it leave and find something else, don't make another persons evening worse because of your sour attitude. This would be a fault of any business, the employees.. Fake it if you must... 3. Food is super yummy. The double happiness roll is a MUST HAVE. A bit pricey, but to eat sushi without the guilt is worth ever penny. Oyster shooters were pretty good. And tempura brownie was alright. 4. Our waitress not only dropped my boyfriends glass cup and broke it on the table, she had too replace my boyfriends meal because he asked for it to be replaced. Don't get me wrong, she said she was sorry, but to not even try to fix the problem, nor to look at the safety of the customer. That was annoying. It was her fault. And no manager came by to apologize. I don't even think the manager was on the floor. If my boyfriend ate his food and found a piece of CLEAR GLASS in his mouth, I would have made a huge scene. 5. By the end when we got our bill, after that out waitress was no where to be found. It's as if she went on a break and didn't bother to come back and check if we needed any change, which we did. I was so annoyed I asked another waiter for change and they just said I'll grab the waitress. No one came. Went to the bartenders to grab change. I was not only ignored for 5-10 minutes, they took forever. Finally after 15-20 minutes she came back. 6. (And here's the topper to my story).... When the waitress finally came by to grab change... She then went on flirting and flashing a smile to my boyfriend. Wtf? That was the only time I ever saw her smile during the whole damn time we were there and it just infuriated me... How dare you. Just because I wasn't sitting next to him, doesn't mean he went to a dinner party alone. I was so mad I told my boyfriend just to leave a $1 tip. Don't get me wrong, she was probably trying to be nice, but seriously? To be sarcastic and to than show a smile in the end to a guy, that you don't even know is there with his significant other is down right disrespectful. All in all? Rude and disrespectful The staff isn't a team and they don't help another out. Makes me think the tip is earned per table, not pooled. Food was good, but not worth coming back. Don't care for your health and well being and want some BROKEN GLASS in your food, this is the place to be! Ambiance really nice Servers, WANT YOUR SIGNIFICANT OTHER FLIRTED WITH??? THIS IS THE PLACE TO BE In the end it just seemed like the workers are in it for the money and not for the customer experience or even the safety. I will NOT be going back, and unless a friend wanted to go with a dinner party, I won't be suggesting this place anytime soon. Which is sad because this will probably be my one and only experience here.

    (1)

  • Joelle L.

    This isn't the first time I've eaten here and I must say that everything is amazing. I know that sounds quite vague but it really is great. From service to food to drinks, all around 5 stars ! First when you enter you are greeted cheerfully by cute hostess girls who you often see going the extra mile in helping the servers buss tables or even fill waters if it's busy. Even though it can become crazy busy they still manage to greet everyone with a smile. I used to be a hostess myself so I know how difficult it is sometimes to deal with so much incoming hungry customers but they handle it with ease. Now on to the servers, no matter what sever I had I was always asked if I had eaten at doraku before and if not they could explain the concept of the menu. After reading many reviews I can see where people can be confused as to why the portions are small and why different dishes come out at different times. After speaking to a server about it the reason this is is because since it is not a coursed menu meaning appetizers then main entree, that since the dishes are coming from both the sushi bar and kitchen that orders are made to order by when the order is placed by the server. Whichever dish is made first will appear at your table first. I'm glad that they offer this explanation to make it easier for me cuz I'm not used to that kind of menu but it is quite interesting. Anyway the servers always are knowledgeable about the menu and have great suggestions !!! The interior of the restaurant is beautiful, wood furniture and cute booths. Happy hours are everyday and it's a pretty extensive menu. Food and drinks under $8 !! If you get a D or A club card then you can get off up to $50 which is great you just need 500 points on your card or 250 for $25. I must say ill always return back to this great find (:

    (5)

  • Joanna Y.

    First things first, the service is excellent at the new Doraku. I've only gone twice, but each time our servers were really exceptional. The first time we went around 8:45/50, unknowing about happy hour starting at 9. Our server offers to take our orders in anyway, but serve them after 9. Great! One of our orders was the shrimp, I can't remember the name but it was pretty much tiny shrimp tempuras. Our order came out, and after he gave it to us, he said that the cook didn't think it came out up to his "standards," so another order was being prepared at that moment for us to eat or take home. What? A 2nd order for free?? Sweet!!! The first batch was ok, but the 2nd batch was phenomenal. Maybe because of that thoughtful consideration it tasted so good, idk. But how often does a cook admit he did something wrong, before we can even taste what's "wrong," and automatically start cooking up a 2nd batch??? Thumbs up, Doraku. The 2nd time we came, our server was extremely pleasant. I don't even know how to describe how wonderful she was. Again, wish I got her name, but she always smiled a bright, happy smile, must have checked up on us every moment she could (mind you this was at peak dinner time on a Saturday with a packed restaurant), and she didn't seem flustered at all. I'm not saying the first guy didn't do that on our first visit, but yea. Two great experiences. Food is also awesome here. I am already a fan of the Waikiki location, and the Kapiolani one has food just as amazing. I really enjoy the god of fire roll, white dragon roll, tofu salad, clam miso soup, garlic steak, the nigiri and sashimi. The pieces of sushi are excellent, nice fatty pieces that I love. I had to dock a star because the parking sucks. Valet only, at $3. There's street parking too but it's always filled, so don't really have a choice. Idk about you but I don't like people driving my cars lol. Other than parking, everything is great. See you soon, Doraku! :)

    (4)

  • Monthakan B.

    We started coming here for Happy hour but now we just kept coming back at any hour for their affordable & quality sushi, superb service (I love sitting at the bar.....the Bartender was super awesome! Very friendly and attentive!) and nice atmosphere! LOVED their sashimi deluxe..... Very fresh and super thick cut for only $28! And for uni lovers...... You can get a quality uni nigiri for only $8!!!! Most places are $10-$12 for the same quality!!! Love, love, love this place! :)

    (5)

  • J D.

    Dropped by for happy hour (a couple months ago). Everything was fantastic. Sashimi, sushi rolls, edamame, and some of their beef dishes. Great atmosphere too. Good for friends or date night.

    (4)

  • Ivy Lou H.

    The ambience is so nice, especially the outdoor seating even though it's on Kapiolani Blvd. The sushi is excellent and I love their chicken Karagi. The service is top notch and you'll be made to feel right at home. This is as trendy as a sushi restaurant can be in Honolulu.

    (4)

  • Harry T.

    Quite simply the best Japanese sushi bar in Waikiki. This is the place where I took my wife to eat on our honeymoon. We experienced great service and the sushi was the bomb dot com.

    (5)

  • Ash K.

    Came here during non-happy hour time, so it was pretty slow. We we're seated as soon as we arrived, which was also the time of our RSVP. While seating us, the waitress asked where the rest of our party was. We made a reservation for four...the four of us are here...shouldn't you know that? Anyways.. Here's what I remember about the food: Sushi: we asked the waitress which she recommended, she said all of them. Thanks for the help. We ordered the one with cream cheese (eh), the lobster one (thumbs up) and the surf and turf (oishii!). It better be good for the prices. Dang. We also ordered nigiri and sashimi platter (called "Sashimi") and that was good. I was EXTREMELY disappointed in the miso yaki butterfish...it was expensive, but sometimes we like to splurge...it was so sweet and was not marinaded into the fish. Instead, it was just poured on. Bleh. Service is always pretty bad here. Usually I don't mind since we usually come happy hour and it's packed...I've worked restaurants before, I understand how that can get. Oh. And we could see into the kitchen. While waiting about 15 minutes to flag someone down for the check, we saw a girl taking a picture of food in the kitchen. All I could do was shake my head and laugh...for a $200 dinner, I expected either better food, better service, or both.

    (2)

  • Tiffany P.

    Our server was the BEST. She introduced us to the specials and the best sushi rolls. They are all ONO!!! We came out not only full but happy. A+ for quality and service. Their happy hours are very reasonable, prices ranges from $3.75 to $6.00. Beers for $4(Kirin & Heineken). Well drinks are $6. NOT BAD AT ALL! Our favorite is the the White Dragon Roll and the Surf and Turf Roll. HR from 4pm to 6pm. #happyhoursushi

    (5)

  • Steve M.

    We are Sushi people. Perhaps we went on a bad night. We ordered about 4 items they didn't have or ran out of. No Asahi??? Really? The ONLY thing that was decent was my sons Salmon Roe. The octopus rice dish my wife got was horrible. It smelled bad and we left it uneaten. The rolls (surf and turf) was ordered because they were out of our first choice. Not great. The service WAS decent, and the only reason they didn't get a 1. Be careful.

    (2)

  • Celine N.

    Love the vibe, decor and food!! Edamame is delicious & chicken karaage. Go during happy hour fast service and cheap sushi! Staff was friendly, going here is a must

    (5)

  • Leilani R.

    I really do not know how someone can put this restaurant in the same category as Genki Sushi--first off, Genki Sushi is generic. All of their fish taste sour and not fresh. A few times there I came across unexpected surprises in my spicy ahi... Doraku is the polar opposite of Genki Sushi! The atmosphere is enticing and sexy. The service there is warm and welcoming. The first time I heard of the place was when I went to visit in Miami, Florida (December 2013) I ate there with my mom and I and we enjoyed ourselves very much. We actually met the owner there, Kevin Aoki. He was very polite and down to Earth. He told us about his restaurants that are located in Hawaii and we were both SO excited! It is my boyfriend and I's favorite spot for sushi in the Honolulu area. I recommend The Doraku Roll, The Emperor Roll, The White Dragon Rolland The Spicy Lobster Roll. My favorite desert there is the Brownie Tempura Roll. It is AMAZING! Yay for Lychee Martinis!

    (5)

  • Shaila C.

    We had- -Hamachi Carpaccio (favorite) -Ahi Tataki (favorite) -Emperor Roll (no rice!, good) -Red Dragon Roll (good) -Eggplant w/ garlic chips (pretty good) -Garlic Steak w/ Ponzu (take it or leave it) -Tempura Brownies--a little weird, honestly Fun place to eat! Street Level of Pacifica. Is it just me or is the entrance a little weird from the parking lot--though the cafe, pass the bathrooms, and into the restaurant? Did I miss something?! Hamachi Carpaccio was my favorite, would eat that for breakfast every day if I could. I'm thinking Happy Hour is where it's at--will be back!

    (4)

  • Greg L.

    We went for the Happy Hour 4-6pm and enjoyed the Double Spicy Tuna roll $6, california roll $4 (x2), edamame $4, and chicken karaage $5. We also ordered the red dragon roll (shrimp tempura, unagi, avocado, spicy tuna, and more) $13.50. The service is solid and the food is good. Parking is either valet $3 + tip, or you can try the lot further down on the corner with the blue paint (shared with Bluetree).

    (4)

  • Jane L.

    I LOVE Doraku!!!!! This is my second time at this location and I enjoyed myself! The staff was really nice. The food is fantastic! You must get the tempura brownie. No if's and's or butt's. Our server's name is Ashley she was very fun, outgoing and knew the menu very well. We asked for recommendations and she knew the answers right off the bat. Parking is located in the PACIFICA!

    (5)

  • Debbie R.

    Can't beat this place for happy hour. We arrived a little too early to take advantage of it. So we ordered a few things while we waited: Edamame, Dancing Eel, God of Fire, and Hamachi. Once happy hour time arrived, we tried the ahi tataki, firecracker shrimp, garlic chicken (I think it was garlic and ginger, it was awesome!), beer & lychee martinis. We finished with the Brownie Tempura. Prices were reasonable, 5-6 each. 1) ATMOSPHERE - 5 stars. Very "ultra-lounge" 2) FOOD - 5 stars - cannot beat the Happy Hour prices. 3) SERVICE - 4 stars. Waiter seemed overwhelmed, but perhaps that was because it was happy hour. 4) PARKING - 4 stars. If you can't find street parking (which is next to impossible) they have valet only. 5) OVERALL VALUE - plenty of bang for your buck. Even regular menu prices are fair. Will return again!

    (5)

  • Denalee C.

    I came here on Friday for happy hour. I mean, come on, who has a happy hour on Friday nights? Possibly just Doraku. You know they are doing something right when people line up at 9pm at the door when happy hour starts. Everything we got was delicious (and an incredible deal). In what restaurant can you get a california roll for $3? $3!! I can't remember precisely but I'd say there were about 8 pieces. Oh, the garlic teri edamame was amazing too...it's bursting with flavor. My advice: go with the items that have the special doraku logo next to it- you know, the food they are known for. My friend said I should have gotten the miso eggplant. Shucks...next time, I guess. Don't worry, that will probably be next week.

    (5)

  • Randy L.

    Sat at the bar, was served by Daryl and he was great. Great recommendations for food. White Dragon Roll, Salmon, Surf and Turf were very delicious! I'll most definitely back.

    (5)

  • Noli C.

    So I rate this restaurant 2 stars because the waiter, I believe his name Andrew (aka 'employee of the month'), had the audacity to pull me to the side and confront me "why I didn't tip him?" (Note: I paid with card and signed with no tip). Idk if they have the right to do that, but I was going to tip him with cash before he pulled me to the side.

    (2)

  • Loryn G.

    I love the Doraku on Kapiolani! Much less crowded than Waikiki-- and one of my favorite places for happy hour. The decor is awesome and the space is good for both groups and romantic date nights. I love the booths - cozy and intimate. I really love the volcano roll, the fresh uni nigiri, the agedashi tofu, and the hamachi carpaccio-- to name a few. The house sake also rocks socks. Service at the Waikiki one can be slow, but the Kapiolani Doraku is always super fast and friendly. Highly recommend!

    (5)

  • Lynn R.

    Japanese/Local Fusion type of food. Happy Hour is best here. The Happy Hour menu has a pretty good variety of foods that would appeal to most and the drink specials are decent. Regular menu prices run steep, but food is prepared with pride and presented well. Has a nice ambiance and staff are friendly and attentive. It can get pretty busy and wait can be as long as an hour. Overall a very nice, clean and somewhat classy place to hang out with friends and/or family. There's private seating throughout the restaurant which makes it nice and intimate for those who want their own little area. One slight downfall is there's only limited street parking or valet.

    (5)

  • Alyson Y.

    Not good for groups (larger than 4). Came here with a group of 9, last night. When we called ahead, they said they were booked for reservations and we would just have to come in and put our names down, if we wanted a table. Granted, this was a Friday so we expected some wait. [6:30 pm] We arrive and put our names down. The hostess says, "It will be about 45 minutes to an hour." [7:00 pm] We check our wait time. The hostess says, "It will be another half hour." [7:30 pm] We check our wait time. The hostess says, "You are next on the list." [8:00 pm] We check out wait time. The hostess says, "I meant you're next for the list of people who didn't have a reservation. But, we have a long list of people who did make reservations to get through. I can say how much longer it will be." [8:30 pm] We check on the wait time. The hostess says, "I have no way to estimate how much longer the wait will be." [9:00 pm] We tell the hostess that after TWO AND A HALF HOURS of waiting, we're going elsewhere. She says the table will be opening up any minute and within a couple of minutes - they are able to seat us. As she shows us to our table she says, "I apologize for the wait, I would be angry, too. But, next time maybe avoid coming here on Fridays and Saturdays because weekends are busy for us." Having both worked in the service industry and having seen a calendar before - I was familiar with the concept she was sharing, but it was maybe not the best time for her to have bestowed that nugget of wisdom with us. I give the hostess points for apologizing and trying to empathize with the customer, though. It's hard to accept the customer's anger when you have only a poorly run seating system to work with - it may not have been her fault. Still, there is no reason a restaurant of this size or seating capacity should leave a table of 9 people waiting for TWO AN A HALF HOURS. And giving false time estimate isn't helpful to either the customer or the establishment. Had they been upfront about the 2+ hour wait time, we would have left and not been unhappy. But, as it stands it's left a bad taste in my mouth about how they're run. The waiter for our table was friendly, helpful and fast. The food came out quickly, though the drinks were a little slower. At one point the bartender said he ran out of martini glasses and had to switch to different cups - but as long as it's getting me drunk, I don't care what it comes to the table in. The decor is nice. It'd be great for a date or small girls night. But, take your birthday dinner elsewhere unless you can reserve ahead of time - because you'll be too hungry to celebrate after that kind of wait.

    (3)

  • Michelle T.

    My boyfriend and I went to Oahu on vacation and was told to try the sushi on the island. We decided to use Yelp to find their highest rated sushi restaurants and after looking at several places we felt that this was one of the better sushi places around Waikiki. When we first arrived we saw two girls chatting at the hostess booth. I went up to one of the girls expecting to be welcomed and wasnt. The girl gave me a blank stare and raised her eyebrow at me and said Ya? Didnt know Ya was the way to welcome someone. My boyfriend and I were seated and our waiter came and greeted us. We ordered a couple drinks and oyster shooters to start. DELICIOUS! I wish the oyster shooter came with more than just one because they were soo good. We also ordered the Red Dragon Roll, the two piece Chu Toro and the Sashimi Deluxe. All were amazing! Besides the terrible first impression we will definitely return next time we're in Hawaii :)

    (4)

  • Sara H.

    We ordered a wide variety of sushi and entrees with a party of 5, and every single plate was completely clean at the end. The sushi, seared salmon, and banana flambé were our favorites. Sooo so good and friendly wait staff!

    (5)

  • Debbie H.

    Came here on a Thursday night for dinner and was seated quickly, in the front seating room which was perfect as one of kids was sleeping and could lay on the bench. Waiter was friendly and nice, gave us recommendations and answered our questions. We ordered the ahi poke, double happiness, miso butterfish, and a few rolls. We also tried a sake sampler, the geisha one. Poke was small but flavorful. Butterfish was excellent and we wanted more. Surprised the double happiness was in 6 pieces but it was different to have a non-rice type of roll. Two avocado eel rolls for the kids were enough for them but one wanted a crunchy type roll which was not on the menu, I liked that we were in a quieter seating area and the lighting was good. I had read that the location in Waikiki can be dark in certain spots. It was a good first time but definitely not a regular kind of place since items are pricier. I may return the next time we are visiting but will opt to try different menu items.

    (3)

  • Maricor C.

    Doraku definitely left a lasting first impression. My cousin and I decided to grab dinner here on a whim. We heard some great things about this place and wanted to check it out after running some errands in town. We arrived to a full restaurant and several parties were already waiting to be seated. We were lucky that our wait was relatively short (~15 min). Some people were told 45+ minutes. PROS: 1) ATMOSPHERE - VERY NICE. The decor/lighting was really nice! Very modern meets traditional Japanese. 2) HAPPY HOUR - GREAT DEALS. The happy hour deals were surprisingly reasonable! $6 lychee martinis? Yes! The Eggplant Miso was for the most part, delicious (I thought the garlic chip garnish was a bit too hard). 3) FOOD - YUM. The agedashi tofu had a delicate balance of flavors. And the amaebi was sweet and fresh! 4) DOUBLE HAPPINESS ROLL - LOVE! (Yes, this roll gets its own bullet point...It's THAT good) It wasn't too overpowering or "heavy." (The Emperor Roll, on the other hand...left much to be desired, in my opinion. The panko breading was wayyy too much and to top with a heavy sauce...too rich for me). 4) SERVICE - GOOD. Our waitress was really good! She did a good job in making sure the water jug was filled and that our food came out on time. CONS: 1) AT THE DOOR - MEH. The hostess was a bit rude when greeting customers. She seemed flustered and frustrated. 2) PARKING - LAME. I ended up doing Valet for $3...If you have the time, I'd suggest finding street parking and walking. 3) EMPEROR ROLL (see above) - It's good but not amazing. Will not order again. Overall, I plan on visiting Doraku again. Gotta try some of the other dishes! Anyone care to join me for Happy Hour, any one?

    (4)

  • Justina B.

    I have been to this restaurant a few times and have loved everything I tried. Sushi rolls are spot on (especially the white dragon) and the butterfish is out of this world! The one thing I was disappointed about was the banana flambé. It was not presented the way I thought it would and the taste did not leave me wanting more.

    (4)

  • Sage T.

    Great vibe, needs to stock up on oysters. Sushi is on point.

    (4)

  • Linda H.

    This place is AMAZING! Our friend Aaron brought us here on our last night. So wished he would've brought us here on our first night. Awesome happy hour menu. We tried 5 dishes and loved it all! Lychee martini was delish. Love the atmosphere too.

    (5)

  • Chantelle T.

    This is one of my favorite spots for happy hour. Some of my faves off the HH menu are: ahi tataki, beef tataki, spicy tuna roll, miso eggplant, karaage chicken, and lomi lomi roll. The chicken lettuce wraps are alright, but nothing special. From the regular menu, the garlic steak is pretty good and any of the dragon rolls will put a smile on your face. I usually get the white dragon roll. The brownie cheesecake is a delicious choice for dessert. Definitely save room for this! I haven't been very impressed with their cocktails...the last time I got this sake cocktail with the li hing rim (I forget the name) and it was just meh. Super weak so not worth the price. Happy hour drinks are pretty limited. Service can be hit or miss. Sometimes the food comes out really fast, other days the food can take forever. They also don't take reservations for HH so be ready for a wait unless you get there pretty early!

    (4)

  • Riana S.

    It's 930PM and I'm starving and I'm craving sushi. Luckily Doraku has a dope late night happy hour from 9PM-close. YESSSSS!!!!!! No reservations during happy hour. NOOOO!!!!!! We had a very important business meeting (ahem) with our homie so we decided to chance Doraku and see if we could get some seats. There were three of us and the hostess said it'd be an hour wait. At this point we were pretty desperate and just tired of trying to find a place to eat at the time so we waited. It really only took like 20 minutes for us to get seated. We were seated on the sushi bar where there were platters of salmon, ahi, avocado and all kine goodies waving to me, TEASING me practically. Checked out the happy hour and the most expensive thing on there was $6. My kind of menu. When the waitress came, we ordered tree tree dolla Kirins (gotumk) and I told her I wanted pretty much everything with the D on it (teehee). I got the Spicy Tuna Roll, Ahi Poke, the Tataki, Firecracker Shrimp, and the Garlic Teriyaki Edamame. Beer makes me particularly hungry so I ended up ordering off the happy hour menu and getting the Emperor Roll. Everything was really good and flavorful. The only thing I didn't care for was the ume (correct me if I'm wrong) in the spicy tuna roll. It threw off the whole thing for me. I ordered the Emperor Roll pretty blindly, mostly cause I was just following whatever everyone was recommending on Yelp (no, just cause people jump off the bridge I will too). First thing I noticed was, NO RICE. No rice. There's no rice in this roll. Is this possible? Oh it is. As soon as I put a piece in my mouth, I was asking "what the fuck is rice?!" It practically melted in my mouth. The crab mayo was on point, and I was so happy with how it tasted and I even ended up eating the shredded carrots and shit on the plate if it was garnish I probably looked stupid but whatevs. I have to mention this but damn their bathroom is super nice. They even have those super high-tech hand dryers where you thrust your hand up and down (dirty dirty). Most definitely coming back to get drunk off my ass.

    (5)

  • Bo-Bae K.

    So the food here is awesome. Whether you like sushi or not, they have something for everybody -- it's almost overwhelming how much food + drink they have (and tonight it was apparently too overwhelming for our server). So we sat, party of six, and I don't feel like we ordered that much because we were pretty staggered (2 here, then 2 or 3 when he got back), but a lot of our food was late (waited about 20 minutes for some hot tea and miso soup and some of our apps didn't even get ordered until the server came to drop off our food). Service is always just a-ok and food is always kind of a wait, but at least everything I order makes it to the table! Worked in a restaurant and tonight was NOT that busy--especially for a Saturday night-- so I don't know what the excuse was. Still left a 20% tip on a pricey bill (930 HH?! No way, I need my beauty sleep...) and left pretty happy and full of super ono brownie tempura!

    (4)

  • Gina B.

    One Saturday it was around 1pm and my BF and I were looking stupidly at each other trying to figure out were the hell we were gonna find food. It was one of those beautiful days where it would've been a shame to choose to be indoors. Nico's was a suggestion but is it just me or has the food there been kinda crappy lately?? Anyway, we figured we just get ready to leave and take it from there. The BF slips on his sushi shirt (yup) and my lightbulb went off...DUH! lets hit up Doraku!! We gathered a couple of other friends and got there around 1:30 p.m. Lots of outdoor seating - and perhaps due to timing, it was sunny with just enough shade not to melt. With the crowd I hang with it's always drinks first, of course. The guys ordered beers and the girls ordered Sake Sangrias. Gotta do it if you come here. I think they're about $6 a pop and be prepared to drink at least 4 of them. Food was God of Fire roll, spicy edamame, dragon roll, salmon nigiri, other nigiri, and I feel like there was a "surf and turf" roll but I can't find it on the menu (was all those darn yummy sake sangrias!). By the time we were done with lunch, happy hour was just getting started at 4pm and we would've stayed eating and drinking but I had to leave to go baby shower shopping. Buzz kill. Came back the following week and I can't get enough of their happy hour menu which includes tuna tataki, clams, spicy tuna roll, chicken karaage and $3 Kirin. One last important point: parking! At lunch we were able to self-park in the lot and the restaurant validates so no fee. At night, try to street park to save the $3+ tip valet only fee.

    (4)

  • Charlotte V.

    Doraku used to be really good...I don't know what happened. I do enjoy happy hour, but the last time I came, I knew that was the last. I didn't come back since. All the fish wasn't fresh and the portions and plating was not acceptable. Even the drink portions and mix such as the momotaro lemonade went from being awesome to okay. When I had a party here a year ago, things were still really good but it just seemed to have gone down hill. Plus around dinner time, the place is just WAY too loud to hear the person youre with.

    (3)

  • Renee Y.

    Great atmosphere, customer service and food! It our favorite place to go for days night. Sushi is amazing. Happy hour is also great! We highly recommend this place!

    (5)

  • Bobby R.

    Great food, but the worst service I've ever had. Don't get Dave as your server. Only delivered half our order after almost an hour wait. Comped our sushi but still would rather have not dealt with this guy. If you're already there, get the California and firecracker role, they are deliciousness.

    (2)

  • Coreen L.

    I can't wait to go back to Doraku because I need to explore more items on their menu! And I need to plan better and make it to happy hour! We were in a rush trying to make a movie, tsk, tsk!! Our server definitely took care of our need and was very enthusiastic when I asked about her recommendations. Do yourself a favor and start with the Ahi Tataki, just try not to lick the plate! Yum! And of course the sushi was fantastic too! We shared the sushi sampler with lovely cuts of a variety of fresh fish. Melt in your mouth...ah, a moment for dramatic pause. Oh....yum! I will definitely be back!! Yay!!

    (4)

  • Sheetal R.

    We decided to drop by here for a quick bite to eat after hearing so much about it. We walked in about 7:30 p.m. on a Friday night and decided to sit at the bar instead of the tables since there was a 45 min wait; we found seats at the bar right away and we still enjoyed our dinner. I really wanted to come for their happy hour, because if you know me, you know that I love to be frugal. I love a good bubbly and it was Friday night so I had to ditch my old ways and go for some Prosecco. Mamma loves some champs. We ordered some garlic teriyaki seared edamame, which is delicious in its own special way. I ate all of it, don't get me wrong, but there was something about it that I just didn't like. I don't know if it's the sweetness of it all, but I just don't know if I'll have it again. We also had some Yamakake Agedashi Tofu, which was bathed in miso soup. I think after having this dish, I learned something very valuable about myself: I just dont like soft tofu. I think the texture of it just does not sit well with me and I immediately gag. The soup that the tofu was in was extremely delicious; and I really do think the tofu was good too, but the texture was throwing me off. I also had the vegetable sushi roll, which comes in 5 pieces. Sushi was delicious and can't complain; the only thing I wish was that they gave the spicy mayo on the side (so I can lather it up), rather than just drizzled on top. Finally, we finished the night with some tempura brownie. My expectations when I read brownie and tempura in the same sentence was that it's going to be disgusting, but alas I was proven wrong. I couldn't stop myself from licking the plate. The combination of ice cream and tempura battered brownie was simply the best thing ever! It's a good thing I don't know how to make this at home, because I might be unrecognizable after a week because I've become an oompa loompa. Even if you're full from all the amazingness you had, you simply must try this! You will be haunted by all the yelp ya di das abou the dessert if you don't try it. Overall, great service, great food, great everything. *food coma*

    (3)

  • Bridget G.

    This review was for when we went on their soft opening VIP night. We live in the Pacifica so they gave us 50% off our bill. We ordered dragon roll and white roll, both were amazing!! Also had the tempura brownie and it was so yummy.. great service, can't wait to go back.

    (5)

  • Eric S.

    Park on the street , save your $5 parking fee. After 6:30pm its free on the street. Oyster shooters good , steak was supposed to be medium but seemed over cooked but that's normal. The garlic dipping sauce made up for it. Got the sashimi and sushi deluxe , double happiness , clam miso , and ahi poke . all in all was a very good meal. I would go back.

    (5)

  • D A.

    This is one of my favorite all time places to eat and enjoy a few drinks with my friends. The food is always fresh and spot on with unique and delicious flavors and you cannot beat the prices. I have dabbled around on the menu and tried almost everything. My favorites are the salmon cheek (oh man, to die for) and honestly anything off the happy hour is ono and filling. Customer service is top notch, parking is easy once you figure out you are supposed to park in the parking garage or valet there. We have had small groups of 2 to four and larger parties of 15 plus and everytime the service and quality of food and beverages excel my expectations. This spot most definitely trumps its Waikiki location with ambiance, service and food and I am grateful for that because Waikiki is a nightmare to get in and out of!! See you guys soon!

    (5)

  • Juliann C.

    I love this place :) The GOOD * location * available $3 valet parking * happy hour whoop whoop * ahi tataki mmmm (on happy hour) * chef's salmon special -- Cheeeeyeah! * great attentive staff * love the interior architecture at this location The BAD * I don't want to say because it may be too personal! The WEIRD * although i love Doraku.. I loved Doraku when it first opened up in Waikiki. However, the staff at this location look like they all came from the same hood! I can't believe I just used that word lol. I feel like you can only work here if you have either 2 or more of the following: 1) piercings other than on your ear, 2) gauges, 3) tattoos, 4) very visible tattoos, 5) able to wear your work shirt showing your mid-drift without looking chunky, 6) almost hipster and hipster hair cuts Don't get me wrong, the staff is friendly, attentive, and seem like a family as a whole, but I, personally, still have to get used to a restaurant setting with these characteristics in their staff. I not used to it! XD! Atleast they have all the other good qualities you want in your restaurant staff :)

    (4)

  • Z Z.

    I really really like Doraku. The atmosphere alone is worth experiencing. Doraku's sushi doesn't disappoint either. I usually go there for happy hour, but whenever you go, you can't go wrong.

    (4)

  • Suzanne T.

    Went to Doraku on Kapiolani a couple of times recently for happy hour and both were really nice experiences. Once was with a large group and the other was a party of two. Hostesses were friendly, servers were attentive, and the food was good - we ordered off the happy hour menu both times, so I'll have to go back again to try the regular menu. Loved their garlic teriyaki edamame. The karaage chicken was really good, as well as the ahi poke and whatever rolls we ordered. The sake sampler came with a little info sheet to explain what each was, which was really cool. My only 'sorta' complaint was that I didn't really like any of the drinks on the happy hour menu (I usually enjoy lychee martinis, but I didn't care for theirs). I ended up ordering a well drink (vodka/cran - $6 happy hour price) and it was good, as well the next few. ;-)

    (4)

  • Katrina K.

    This place is delicious! Our server Karla was excellent and recommended some dishes to us. We started out with lycheetinis and spicy edamame, then moved on to sushi. White dragon roll, spicy lobster roll, and salmon carpaccio were great! Then we had the Brownie tempura for dessert and were impressed! The happy hour is good also! I highly recommend this place!!!

    (5)

  • Atiyyah S.

    So I usually went to this Doraku pretty often, but lately they're quality has been going down badly. The last 3 times I've been there ( over the past 3 weeks) I had to ask them to take back my steak. It was always cold or to under cooked with no care) tonight me and my boyfriend decided to order take out because I was lazy( im pregnant so my craving for Doraku shot up) we ordered tie garlic Japanese steak,Green Dragon Roll, Golden Buddha roll,firecracker shrimp and the Red Dragon roll. First off they messed the order and instead of the firecracker shrimp we got the firecracker roll. The steak was raw and cold, so raw that white parts were still around the meat, not to mention half of the whole steak was fat pieces. I tried one bite, inedible. The red dragon roll, green dragon were ok. The golden Buddha roll was awful and the raw(basil?) topping just not good and overpowering. By now im slightly nauseous but of course that should be normal for me right? I finally took a bite of the firecracker roll and instantly a gush of some type of liquid filled my mouth, I thought at first it was the sauce for it. No, it was some type of water in the fish,SINK water. I immediately ran to the bathroom and vomited. It was the most nastiest thing I've ever bitten into. 10 minutes later my boyfriend vomited as well. We will never come back here. Such a shame cause it was one of our favorite places to go. I dont know why this place has gotten so bad but im not risking it anymore.

    (1)

  • Taylor N.

    The happy hour is completely worth it if you want to do "pupu" style with people. The poke has large cuts of ahi with macadamia nuts and the chicken karaage is always cooked perfectly and comes out hot. These are probably two of the best dishes I've had. Also if you aren't big on eating a lot of rice, the Emperor Roll is excellent since it's riceless sushi! I keep on coming back and they don't disappoint, you may have to wait and the parking can be tricky but it's worth it!

    (5)

  • Letty B.

    Great service and the place is really cute. Food was great, lunch specials are awesome!

    (4)

  • Karla L.

    Parking is tricky to find. There's a driveway along kapiolani blvd. that you need the enter in before the chai tea house. Valet is within the parking structure. But it's really good food and service! Definitely coming again :)

    (4)

  • Jordyn O.

    So my best friend and I came back to this place the following Monday to do happy hour again. Oddly enough we got the same seats at the bar and even had the same exact waiter (I believe his name was Andrew). He was SO AMAZING! He remembered our entire order from last time and even made a funny joke about two boys who were harassing us from the bar seats right next to us. I have never ever had that level service of before and I know that I will keep coming back to this location, probably more than the Waikiki location ;)

    (5)

  • Jessica L.

    I'm pretty easy to please when it comes to restaurants' service but let me rage about this one. For a very formal looking place, the service here was pretty unprofessional. The ladies at the front were chattin' with each other in a very gossip-like manner and when we approached they seemed to really care less that customers were here. They just continued their little gossip. When we got seated after waiting, my dad wanted a lower table instead of the bar-height table and the waitress said "Umm I think that table's reserved.. Yeah, sorryy." I can understand if the table is reserved but the way she said it seemed very uncertain, like she was just making it up on the spot to avoid hassle. Then I asked her how large were the happy hour rolls and she stared blankly at me. Then she said, "sorry but happy hour ended at 7pm." The menu clearly said happy hour 4-6pm and then 9 to closing. I told her that and she said, "Ooh huh, sorry that's wrong. Must be our other location.." Then I got my sushi roll, the Doraku roll, the name of the damn restaurant, and I hated it. It tasted like gasoline. Maybe I'm just not enough of a sushi connoisseur to appreciate the flavor.. But regardless, I don't like the waitresses here, how aloof and unaware they seem. If you're gonna have a fancy-lookin' restaurant, your service better hold up to the same standards.

    (1)

  • Johnny H.

    The food there was on point, the drinks however... were not. I had the rising sun(drink), scallop nigiri, the ahi poke, and the marlin sashimi. The drinks were weak and they ran out of certain items that I wanted to order on the menu. It could be because I went in about and hour and a half before they were about to close but then again, they should never run out of food. Did I mention the drinks were really weak? I swear I'm not an alcoholic. BUT again. The food. was. so. good. The customer service was fairly good. My waiter kept checking on us to make sure we were enjoying ourselves and let us know when it was time for the last call for any orders. At the end they took a while to come get the check to the point where I brought it up myself but I'm not gonna hold that against them. Sometimes things get a little busy and overwhelming. Even though it wasn't THAT busy..

    (3)

  • A A.

    Great happy hour, sushi was delicious the dragon rolls were amazing had the red dragon and a white dragon. Good family style izakaya eating. Very good and attentive staff and service.

    (5)

  • Wendy C.

    I love this place. I wish I could afford to go more often, but the happy hour menu definitly makes it more of an option wiht my budget. Their white dragon roll is my favorite. Happy Hour Menu is amazing for the quality of food. I have yet to be dissapointed and I always lok forward to going back .

    (5)

  • Ai L.

    review for Happy Hour! a must :) we had 2 people, got seated right at the bar as we walked in, and let the feast begin. the bartender was super attentive. we tried the mushroom, carpaccio, and some rolls on the happy hour menu. very filling and delicious. the place gets pretty crowded on a week night as we chatted through the night. next time when I'm back in Honolulu, will def stop by again. after learning more about the restaurant, it's owned by the son of Benihana. they do do their Japanese food right!

    (4)

  • Elim N.

    Happy hour everyday 4-6 PM & 9-close. We missed it :( but stayed for dinner anyway. Parking: Valet parking is underneath the Pacifica and its $3 but theres a lot of street parking on Kapiolani if you park after 6 pm. Restaurant has a really nice interior along with the new building. Service was great as we were instantly greeted once we walked in the door. We ordered: Hamachi Carpaccio [$12.95]: Green pepper on top added some spice to the sashimi. White Dragon Roll [$12.95]: Highly recommended. Garlic chips on top the roll added some extra kick! Chirashi Donburi [$16.95]: Chirashi bowl was small and there was nothing special about any of the sashimi. Uni Nigiri [$8.25]: Two pieces of uni that was alright. Hot Yamahai Sake 5 oz. [$12]: Actually somehow came cold but we didn't want to bother exchanging it. We ended of staying long enough for happy hour again :) Ordered the sweet & spicy miso edamame for $3. We didn't like the flavor and tried to wipe off all the sauce hahaha Maybe come back here with friends for some sake and pupus, wouldn't recommend it for those of you who are looking for good quality food.

    (3)

  • Bob S.

    In my opinion this place is very good. It's not cheap, but it is very good sushi. Even comparing this to sushi in Japan it's pretty good. The sake's not bad either. The restaurants (both of them) always have a pretty good atmosphere, and I usually come here each time I visit Hawaii. Haven't had a problem yet.

    (5)

  • Kawika V.

    It's raining... I'm stoned... We had the sashimi, firecracker shrimp, spicy ahi roll and much more. Everything was delicious and the service was on point. Great atmosphere for a date night ;)

    (4)

  • Jaron T.

    Been here a few times during regular and happy hours. On this occasion I met my parents to have some drinks and apps before going to karaoke. It was my Dad's choice to come here for happy hour. Prices are great but I wish I could say the same about the food. Maybe I have become a sushi snob but every time I eat here I am disappointed. You get what you pay for.

    (3)

  • Wayne S.

    My number one place for ahi poke. I start my vacation on day one with ahi poke and end it on the last day the same way. Kevin always stops by when he is there; I went to his first restaurant in South Beach, and he remembered my face. The staff is super friendly and do not care if you order a lot or a little. Sometimes, it is just the two of us, and sometimes, it is 8 of us. They always accommodate us. I love this place!!

    (5)

  • Diane K.

    This is my favorite spot for Happy Hour (4-6pm & 9pm till closing). I've never tried their cocktails, because the food spread is just too amazing to be altered by alcohol. I was so impressed by the prices--quality selections at take-away sushi prices. The decor is spectacular. Snagging a booth will offer a more private setting, much like a poolside cabana.

    (5)

  • Kim D.

    Doraku is one of my faves!!! We usually order the spread which consists of The white dragon roll, ahi tataki, hamachi kama, salmon carpaccio, lobster tempura or firecracker shrimp and assorted sashimi/nigiris!

    (4)

  • Jonathan L.

    I was craving sushi but didn't want to go somewhere that did not have long wait so I choose Doraku. Street parking is fairly easy to find at night and if anything you can unofficially park at the self storage. We got there around 8pm and there were no tables inside so we had to sit outside. It was pretty windy that night and I didn't want dust blowing into my food. I asked the server if there was anyone leaving and he tried his best to find us an open table but we ended up staying outside. For the food we order the following: White Dragon Roll - This one was excellent each roll has a garlic chip on top and very creamy. It was laced with mayo which made it extra tasty. There was a piece of hamachi on it to and it went down my throat like butter. Geisha Roll - This roll is spicy it may not look spicy but it has a kick in the end. It was really delicious even though it kicked my ass. Dancing Eel Roll - This was my least favorite roll because I thought the eel did not go down to my stomach smoothly. It was tasty Tofu Spinach Salad - This is a normal tofu spinach salad. Noting much to say about it. It was a good experience. I felt like the server was very attentive even though he had tables inside and outside. Doraku seems like a good place for big parties. They even have an upstairs incase you want to hold a large gathering.

    (4)

  • A W.

    Great food and fun ambiance. If you love sushi and would like to be close to "the strip" this is the place to be! I had the ahi natto don, which was pretty good!! I have had better toro,overall I thought this place was great! I'll be back!!

    (4)

  • S A.

    Great happy hour! Lychee Martini, Momotaro Lemonade, soju...all for $6 and under. You can also get appetizers for that same price while sitting in the bar area. Can't beat that!

    (4)

  • Ele G.

    I had high hopes for this place and I made sure I went here on a special day... Our 19th wedding anniversary. .. We are from the west side so trekking to town and it was a holiday (labor day) had to be a good reason why... Anyway, we ordered from their HH menu and the food was just blahhhhhhh. ... from their spicey tuna roll.to their chicken karrage. .it just was not worth it... We so wanted to try their brownie tempura but my teenager son was already turned off by their food that he just wasn't in the mood. Out server was nice so that's why we ended up giving her 20% plus my husband's in the food industry so we know... anyway, sad to say won't be coming back anytime soon.. we'll just stick to sushi bay.....

    (2)

  • Rupert L.

    Went here for happy hour. Good selection for happy hour. Never knew their was an upstairs section for this place. It's just too hyped up if you're going last minute, the wait can take too long. Parking, well good luck with that if you're going the street parking way.

    (4)

  • Kyle H.

    I'm really glad they have finally opened this location - I avoid Waikiki like the plague so it's nice to have an alternative in a much more accessible area. As you would expect with a brand-spankin' new location, everything is nice, clean, chic and truly a pleasant place to dine. We hosted our girls' night here just in time to catch the last 30 minutes or so of their happy hour specials. What a steal! We ordered a bunch off of the HH menu : Asari Clam Sakamushi - broth was great, a bit on the sweet side Spicy tuna roll - we got seconds of this, simple crowd-pleaser, good portion Tuna Tataki - IMHO, the BEST item, It was so flavorful and delicious, I loved the fried garlic chips on top! Ahi Poke - standard stuff, they didn't complicate this, which was nice. Eggplant Miso - elegant bites, worth a try Tragically, they were out of the salmon kama (also on the HH specials menu) and shockingly, no green tea?!!? Other than those two faux pas, we enjoyed our cheap night out ($10 each for 5 people - wow!) and loved our cozy little booth, a wrap-around couch with lots of pillows to set the mood! I'll be back for happy hour for sure!

    (4)

  • Julia O.

    I've been here twice already, once for the regular menu and the most recent for happy hour. And i must say, their HAPPY HOUR is a WIN! $3 draft Kirin!!! That was one of the highlights :). They also had a good lychee martini which was still a little pricey...I think it was $9 for Happy Hour? Also good on the menu, as far as food, was the ahi tataki, the special donburi and the deluxe spicy ahi roll. Everything was reasonably priced and with $3 Kirin draft, everyone was feeling extra happy ;D. Their parking is $3 valet but we were there pretty late so they actually waived the fee since the valet was leaving already, score! The ambiance is great, sometimes gets super noisy but overall it was a great experience with friendly staff and great food and drinks!

    (4)

  • Erika H.

    I go here usually for the happy hour. :) they changed their happy hour menu maybe, 2 months ago? It's almost the same, but they took out some of my favorites, such as the spicy ahi roll (not the deluxe) and firecracker shrimp, but oh hey. there's still the california roll, so it's not bad. I also get the maki rolls, such as the red eye roll and white dragon roll.(pretty sure i tried more, they were all good ) i really like their fish, it's fresh and yummy! it's around 11~14 dollars for the maki rolls, and plus i get some happy hour specials, so i usually i spent about 20 here. i also tried an oyster shooter before, but it wasn't as great as i thought, i think it's just probably not my cup of tea, but it was fun to try it with friends! the service here, i would say it's on and off. on days its very good, or either it will be mediocre, but it was never horrible. :) doraku is a place to hit up whenever it's a bit late and my friends and i get that sushi craving. totally satisfies it!

    (4)

  • Estelle T.

    I'm in heaven when I come here! Pros: - Really good fancy sushi. - Contemporary look. - Unique flavors (not the typical) - Great ambiance - Hamachi Carpaccio - Chu Torro - Red Dragon Roll (I think that the name) - TEMPURA FRIED BROWNIE!!!!!!!!!!!!! - Topnotch customer service! Cons: - Really pricey. - Food takes pretty long to come out. - Spicy Ahi Bowl was kind of bleh.. I've had better. - The ginger chicken (?) had this weird sour plum sauce that was very bleh.. I couldn't even swallow. Sour could be understatement when describing this sauce. Overall, I'd come here again only in hopes of my food reaching the table before the bill does. I'd stay away from that chicken and maybe skip the spicy ahi don, but I'd order everything else again. My mouth definitely enjoyed this sushi experience.

    (4)

  • Raul A.

    Fantastic poke!

    (5)

  • Sean G.

    Loved the new place! Sushi are amazing I loved the variety of different food here too. Got a dorky salad ouster mushrooms and a few rolls everything tasted very very good! Feel happy and full:)

    (5)

  • Ruka S.

    Great discovery just walking distance to our condo, loved the different flavors we tasted in each dishes, when I say different is different from every other japanese place I have tried so far in Honolulu. Friendly staff and awesome music. Must go!

    (5)

  • Russel M.

    This review really pertains to Happy Hour. It was fabulous and lot's of fun. Definitely check it out. Valet Parking only $3-

    (5)

  • Summer N.

    Still torn about this place. Came during lunch with co-workers a few months ago, and the service was just weird. Not sure if the server was new and nervous or if she was slammed with tables, but orders were wrong and dishes came out super late. The server asked if we wanted dessert before some people even got their dishes. However, my salmon bowl was really good. It came with rice, salty salmon, salmon sashimi, and ikura. I love salmon in all its iterations, so I was pretty happy once the dish arrived. It also came with shiso leaves, which is now my new favorite garnish. Someone ordered a roll, but I can't remember what it was--pretty forgettable. I haven't gone back since, but maybe I'd try it again. Just for the salmon bowl. But maybe I'd sit at the bar.

    (3)

  • Janelle L.

    Pretty high falutin' swanky place to hang out. Met a couple of friends here for some drinks and some sushi on a Sunday evening. The place is very well decorated and the menu is quite creative. Drinks and sushi delish, tried the li hing mojito and white dragon sushi and red flame thrower or something....I forget. Whatever sushi the server recommends...EAT IT, it's probably pretty good! Our server started off great....and then he disappeared. Parking is valet in the garage, but they close at 9:30, so then you have to get your own car. They basically collect your money and then let you do the work. Meh.

    (3)

  • Colleen T.

    Discretion: The parking is solely Valet only. And it is $3 without tip. They don't take credit cards and there is no ATM nearby. This was our first time and we decided to try this place out since there were awesome reviews on Yelp. We got in just in time for happy hour (which ends at 6pm.) Got seated right away at a table with comfy pillows, and the hostess handed over the menus. Decor is nice, cozy, clean. Soon after our server Marissa came by with water, no smile, placed the glasses down somewhat violently and asked us if we wanted any drinks. I ordered an Iced tea, and my partner a glass of wine. She got the wine right away, no ice tea yet. We ordered some of the happy hour items (tuna tataki- great! Agendashi tofu- meh steak yakitori- meh) by the time second item came and she brought my boyfriends 2nd glass of wine, I told my him she forgot my iced tea... He finally told her that I ordered iced tea and she said sorry non-chalantly and it still took her a while to bring it! It really wasn't that crazy busy from observing the room throughout the night. I wouldn't say it was an off night for her, but she definitely had an attitude that wasn't welcoming, no personality, and some what arrogant. Which made the experience slightly unpleasant. We took our time ordering things here and there and realized it was almost 6!! I wanted to order another app from the happy hour menu but she was no where to be found. BUT what she did do was couple minutes before 6, she asked the table next to us that it was last call and if they wanted anything else. I was hoping she would turn around and ask us the same however she just walked back to the POS. How disappointing! Yeah I could've flagged her down, but I mean come on! You don't want us to stay here any longer? Or not boost your check average!? Did we seem cheap? I don't know what her deal was, but I just told my bf lets order a couple more things (red dragon-yum! I don't remember the other sushi rolls we ordered but they were delicious!) and let's go. Marissa brought one of the dishes over, and instead of moving our menus or making space to place the dish she had in hand, she kind of shoved the plate infront of us and pushed over the menu with it... Anyway, she did check up on us a couple times during our meal but it was always "how's everything, GUYS?" That was it. I hate the guys and folks... I guess my boss taught me well about how we speak to our guests. Wanna take a look at the dessert menus? Sure, my bf goes. I told him I was pretty full and I didnt want dessert. But the table next to us received their desserts and it looked so good! I was definitely tempted. Ladidadidaaaa. Where are the menus? What a joke. I swear, my threshold for waiting is quite up there, but, I've been in the F&B industry for a long time, and if I'm spending $90-100 for dinner for two on average sushi, I would expect at least a little personality. You can be slow, but if you screw up, you should acknowledge and apologize sincerely. Food can be mediocre, but service is what will get me coming back. Lack of being observant, efficient and personable. Finally dessert menus came. Check please! I may want to go back. Seems like the experience may have been enjoyable if Marissa stepped it up. You can't let the food and reputation do the work! The overall experience was better than the Waikiki location, but I would probably request to get a different server next time. Oh, I don't know his name but the Busser that was working in our section had a smile on his face the whole time and worked very hard anticipating for the next table.

    (2)

  • Lisa S.

    If you only come here once, just try their Brownie Tempura - MUST ORDER First, PARKING - gotta park in the building for $3 charge. No, I did not tip the valet ppl as when I got my car back my AC was on full blast! Fail! Getting to the restaurant, you either gotta walk through that coffee/tea shop or walk all the way around passing Chai's restaurant. The happy hour everyone seems to be raving about is a joke to me. I arrived at 5:30, but obviously that's too late to take advantage of the happy hour, which I believe only goes 'til 7. The hostess, who wasn't friendly at all told me that they were full at the time and can't seat me and my friend until a party is done - which means we could easily be waiting for an hour to be seated for happy hr, but she couldn't even tell me how long the wait would be. So after almost 15 minutes of waiting we scrapped that idea and just decided to sit and their "regular" menu tables. Their Clam Sakamushi was really good, however I was disappointed with the so-called "Doraku" Sushi Roll - wasn't anything special to me. I must admit though, their Hamachi roll was quite delicious. DO NOT ORDER - their Cube Style Steak. I ordered it medium well, but tasted like it was cooked well done. Our waiter was good, but his service wasn't anything out of the ordinary. I wouldn't waste my time here again unless a friend wants to try their food again. I want to like this place, but the hostess's attitude and some of the food killed it for me.

    (3)

  • Elizabeth D.

    Hip atmosphere and cozy. I didn't have reservations, was told the wait to be 30-45 minutes but was seated way earlier. The waiter was friendly and accommodating but took a long time to get my beer. But was happy cuz server made a mistake and gave us an extra sushi roll!! Waiter gave us suggestions on what to order and what wasn't good. The pan seared salmon wasn't the greatest. Dry and bland. Other than that, sushi was excellent!!! Will go there again but next time will ask to be seated on the outside instead of upstairs.

    (4)

  • Adam L.

    One of my go to restaurants. The butter fish is amazing and the rolls are delicious! I will be coming back again!

    (5)

  • Courtney P.

    We had a great time! Ty was our server and he was very friendly and helpful in our food choices. He even made sure to let us know they just received a shipment of salmon Kama! We will be back again once we save some money cause this place can get pricey.

    (4)

  • Jocelyn C.

    I have been looking for a fusion sushi place with quality fish in Hawaii and finally I found it! This place has great atmosphere for groups or date night. Love the wooden wall and masks decoration. The food is absolutely satisfaction. My bf and I went there for happy hour and we ordered beef spicy tuna roll and beef tataki from their menu. Great deal and delicious! I tried the oyster shooter and the flavors were layered so well. We also ordered the sake bomb roll and red eye roll. My bf can't eat shrimp so the waitress suggested to substitute spicy tuna for ebi(tiger shrimp). It was a great idea! Definitely will make this our usual sushi place in Oahu!

    (5)

  • John C.

    I've only been here 2 times and seems like a place for us working professionals in our late 20s and older to come here and order pupus and wine. Never been disappointed. I like everything on their happy hour menu. I usually try to sit outside. Staff is friendly and professional. Came here for my birthday and they deep fried my brownies and put candles in them. Never looked at their regular menu so I'll have to try that some day.

    (5)

  • Mahina C.

    DOraku, you DO it again! Now everyone knows, making a trip out to waikiki is a huge hassle. you pay for parking, you drive behind people who don't know where they're going, the list goes on! So you can think of my excitement when they opened this place OUTSIDE of waikiki and on the strip of kapiolani. At first i was a little skeptic. Parking, traffic, & if the menu was the same but worry no more! I've only been to the early happy hour and i left every time feeling happy! They have the whole package, outside seating, food & drink happy hour, and you don't have to sit only at the bar for happy hour. I highly recommend this place for girls night. As you turn in, it's valet service so remember to have a few extra bucks for service & tip. Now the menu isn't the same happy hour menu as waikiki, such as the grilled mushrooms, so don't panic. You should try EVERYTHING on the happy hour menu. i do recommend the rock shrimp, miso eggplant, chicken karage & all the sushi rolls such as california & deluxe spicy ahi. Last time they had an apple li hing martini on special so i suggest just asking what they have that day. Lastly, toast, sip & enjoy!

    (4)

  • Raych D.

    I've been to the Waikiki location and I prefer that location after what happened last night. Came here last night with the bf after receiving a $75 gift card from a friend of his. Parking sucks because you can't park on the street so only other parking is valet for $3...if it wasn't raining we would have walked it from his apartment at Imperial Plaza. The set up and ambiance is nice...very clean and sexy. I love that we were seated upstairs, away from the crowd and were it was more quiet and intimate. The menu selection is huge! We had the hardest time ordering. We ended up getting draft beer, ume shio chicken, toro, 2 sets or unagi and hamachi nigiri and the infamous emperor roll. This was my first time trying the emperor roll after hearing so much great things about it and yes it is what everyone has been saying! I love that it has no rice and its full of flavor that you didn't need to add any wasabi and soy to it. The hamachi and uanagi was a nice thick cut and it was very fresh! Unfortunately when it came to the toro...I being that I don't eat rice, I took the rice out and as I was doing that I saw a piece of black hair stuck in the sushi and my boyfriend also found a piece of brown hair in the side of salad dressing. We immediately complained to our waiter and the manager came by and asked if we wanted another new sushi made...my boyfriend and I was so disgusted that we opted for no more sushi but instead got a miso butterfish. And we also ordered the brownie tempura just because I was craving for something sweet. I was kind of annoyed at the fact that they just comped us for the toro when they should have also given us something else for free like the dessert or butterfish because we found not 1 hair strand but 2 HAIR STRAND! How gross is that especially since they just opened the place and it wasn't that busy! Our bill came out to be $77 which wasn't bad at all for all the food we got...I was so annoyed about the hair strand that I told all my friends not to eat here anymore.

    (2)

  • Milly C.

    This review is solely for their happy hour menu. I don't think I can afford their regular menu but their happy hour menu is more than satisfactory. They have select items for happy hour daily from 5-7pm, including draft beers, sushi rolls, different flavors of edamame, chicken karaage, and more. If you are stuck deciding between the regular spicy ahi roll and the deluxe spicy ahi roll, choose the regular one. You receive more pieces (but they're smaller) and you only miss out on a few ingredients that don't really mesh with spicy ahi. So really, you're paying $1 more for something that tastes the same or slightly worse if you go with the deluxe version. I haven't been to their Waikiki location but I like this location here. Parking is valet only ($3) unless you decide to park on the street. The chairs are pretty comfy and you can choose to sit outside for happy hour instead of being restricted at the bar area. The atmosphere is very relaxed even though the decor suggests that it's a modern, upscale cafe. When you walk by the restrooms, there's an area sectioned off that looks like a room for a private party but don't be fooled. I think it's just the next door cafe and I think they share restroom facilities. Doraku hasn't disappointed and I'll most likely be back for happy hour.

    (5)

  • Brandon L.

    Went to the VIP opening for dinner. The restaurant was nicely furnished with plenty of seating. There's a small upstairs area as well as outdoor seating. Our group of 4 was seated in a cool nook with pillows. We tried the emperor roll, doraku roll, white dragon roll, spicy lobster roll, soft shell crab, ume shiso chicken and miso eggplant. I liked the doraku roll most out of the four rolls. For dessert we tried the banana flambe and brownie tempura. The flambe was delicious, but I thought the brownie had a little too much batter around it. The best part of the meal was that Pacifica residents received 50% off the entire check! Score! There were tons of waiters working that night so service was top notch. I remember having my water refilled after taking one sip! I'm not sure how good the parking situation will be in the future. I'm guessing there will be valet service since many of the parking stalls reserved for Doraku are tandem. I would come back to try a few more rolls and check out their happy hour. The happy hour menu wasn't available that night, but our waiter said it was going to be 4-6pm and 9pm to closing.

    (4)

  • Kalamo K.

    Used yelp to find this place and am i ever happy. The only reason i didn't check five stars is because on the menu they up-charge for real crab on their rolls but when asking the server they " never have it in stock". Make an easy effort and walk from the Hale Koa to eat some great sushi, even local fish! Sashimi was even better the Marlin fab. Great service and even an awesome atmosphere. The music was a little confusing. But still enjoy the place.

    (4)

  • Heather M.

    Wow! Awful and awkward experience here a few nights ago! It was my girlfriend's bday so there were seven of us girls all out to dinner around 8. Place was kinda dead but we didn't mind because we figured we'd get better service. We were wrong. Aaron was our server. He seemed nice at first but as the night progressed he started making really inappropriate comments to us. My friend told him she heard good things about one sushi roll "the red dragon." She asked him if he liked it, he replied, (no joke) "it's pretty good but it's not as good as my dragon." Next. So, at the end of our dinner I mentioned to him it was my friends bday and if they did anything special to celebrate? He seemed kind of begrudging but he answered yes, they offer complimentary dessert. We thanked him and he went to the computer screen to punch it in. I forgot to tell him one of us was allergic to nuts so I hurried over to tell him before anything was ordered. As I walked up to him I overheard him tell another male server "yeah, the birthday girl wants dessert so I'm gonna hit that up after my shift." How professional...I know the servers there are young but I felt like there were just too many instances that crossed the line that night. My group of friends and I felt completely uncomfortable all night and we were only too happy to get the check and dig ASAP. Don't think ill choose Doraku next time I'm feeling like sushi and sake.

    (1)

  • Ghia D.

    The food was really good but I guess we went at the wrong time because we had to wait about 30 minutes to get a table and it was really loud in the restaurant. Next time we will get a table outdoors. Other than the wait and the loud atmosphere, I would definitely go back again.

    (4)

  • Jenn T.

    They had a little preview opening for the residents of the pacifica last night and I got to check out this new place. The restaurant itself was very well decorated, nice bar and seating areas with lots of staff around to ensure that the opening goes well! The service was very on top of things here, always checking in and helping us with the menu and water. We ordered a few rolls, the emperor roll, white dragon roll, spicy lobster roll. The white dragon and the emperor roll were pretty good. The spicy lobster roll had a little too much tempura batter and cream cheese to my liking. We also tried the soft shell crab dish, ume shiso chicken and then miso eggplant, all with pretty good flavor too. Hopefully the opening goes well for this place. The food here is unique japanese style and they do a good job of trying to come up with different dishes than your traditional menu. I wish they had more beers on tap than just the 2. The waiter mentioned there would be happy hour, which would be cool to take advantage of later!

    (3)

  • Rebecca M.

    This place is amazing. The sushi is the freshest you can get. The sashimi is cut to slightly above average thickness. So you get a healthy portion. The wasabi is also above average and a bit on the spicer side. The drinks were strong and well poured and there was an ample variety of sake to choose from. Beyond anything the atmosphere and music was what took you away and put you in that special happy place. No real Bad comments other then the hostesses seemed lost and confused at all times.

    (5)

  • Leslie B.

    Love their spicy lobster roll. And their late night happy hour makes it an easy go to place.

    (5)

  • Jeffrey Ryan C.

    This was the first time I've eaten at this Doraku location, it was a good experience for me. The location was perfect and parking wasn't really a hassle. As soon as I walked in, the ambiance was great. The Asian flare was nice and the seating arrangements as well as the decor was appealing. I was greeted by the waitress as soon as I sat down and she asked if I wanted anything else to drink besides the water that was already there for me. The continuous service from the waitress was great and the food did not take long at all to receive. I had the spicy tuna rolls, the garlic chicken karaage, and California rolls for happy hour and I was very satisfied. Happy hour here is great with great prices. I highly recommend :)

    (5)

  • Kelly M.

    Happy hour (4-6 PM) is a good deal and seating is plentiful. But they run our of things, so don't wait to put your order in. The decor is really nice and the service is wonderful (even during happy hour!). Food was good, but not memorable.

    (3)

  • Hannah Q.

    This is probably my all-around favorite sushi restaurant in Hawaii. Great ambiance, decor, music, lighting, food, price, drinks, service, etc. seems like this place attracts a younger crowd. I didn't want to admit it at first because it seems a bit mainstream but I give in--its wonderful. We like to stick to the plain rolls-simple, cheap and they put a good chunk of raw fish. We always order the salad--ginger vinegar dressing is superb. Miso soups aren't overly salty which is always a plus for me. The salmon avocado roll and hamachi roll are simple yet so flavorful. When we want to get something a little fancier we love the tuna tataki. Huge slabs of raw tuna over a bed of radish and flavored with some kind of soy sauce. Really really good. We also ALWAYS get the uni nigiri. So good.

    (5)

  • J P.

    Love their happy hour! Doraku tuna tataki is delicious (about 4 pieces for $5). I'm such a fatty & love the combination of fresh fish with mayo. That can explain why I am madly in love with the White Dragon roll! Their sushi rolls are delicious! Service was good considering how busy they were. On one occasion, we sat at the bar and the bartender was pretty cool & personable. Their decor is nice. It's good for dates and nights out with friends. If you're on a date, ask to be seated outside. Pretty romantic after the traffic dies down. But it can get cold, so bring a jacket. Parking is valet only... so another perk about coming later in the night is finding free street parking in front of the restaurant! ;)

    (4)

  • Christopher W.

    This restaurant is in a great location. Love the vibe. Me and my friend ordered the ahi poke, the red dragon roll, the emperor roll, and the chicken teriyaki. They were all so delicious. The teriyaki was a tad salty for my taste. For dessert, I indulged my sweet tooth and we had the brownie tempura, another good choice. It is a tad pricy but worth it. Glad I went here.

    (4)

  • Liana F.

    Took my siblings and cousins out to dinner. This place is my FAVORITE place to eat at. Service was great! I would recommend everyone to try it ONCE. The quality of the sashimi is 12/10. Price is very reasonable. Also, check out their happy hour specials. Def. coming back!

    (5)

  • Kelly G.

    Doraku sushi was excellently modern in their decor and provided a great ambiance to dine in. My hubby and I sat at the bar where Tony mixed up delicious lychee martinis for us. We couldn't help ourselves and ended up ordering the following happy hour foods: *Clams - in the sake broth. Spicy kick at the end, salty briney broth. Wasn't my favorite of the night but definitely a decent dish. *California roll - standard roll, but they definitely pack in the imitation crab! *Doraku tuna tataki - slighty seared tuna with mayo dressing on some kind of slaw. Delcious! I could have eaten 3 or 4 more plates of this by myself! *Deluxe spicy tuna roll - sprouts and tuna in a roll. yum. *Poke - Good tuna. Could definitely tell the freshness of the fish. Kind of small portions, but I feel its standard for happy hour poke anywhere. *Eggplant miso - Tony suggested this, but definitely wasn't my favorite. Nice plating though? *Sweet and spicy miso edemame - sirracha miso coated edemame. delicious. Couldn't stop licking my fingers Definitely a new favorite place to hit up happy hour sushi.

    (4)

  • Alex T.

    Seated promptly even though I was 15 minutes late for my dinner res for 2. CHELSEA was our server, very sweet and made excellent recommendations and frequently checked on our table to let us know when our orders were coming. Ordered the red dragon and Doraku rolls, garlic steak with garlic ponzu, misoyaki butterfish and the lettuce chicken wrap off the HH menu. Got brownie tempura for dessert which is a great way to finish your meal. Also recommend the momotaro lemonade off of HH which went well with the heavier food. Ended up paying 100, 120 with the good service. Will be back for sure

    (5)

  • Tom M.

    Great place for a modern take on sushi dishes, and it's becoming popular for it. The interior was a nice mix of old school and contemporary--both comfortable and cool. I had a good Chirashi bowl, and added a side of miso eggplant that was really presented with style. Looks like a great place for happy hour, so I'll have to come back soon.

    (4)

  • Alexa R.

    Seriously have never had a bad experience at Doraku...love this place! If you time it right you can beat the crowds too-but sitting at the bar/sushi bar isn't a bad thing either. Great happy hour, great sushi. White Dragon and Doraku Roll is the way to go for sure, but EVERYTHING is delish.

    (5)

  • Sheryl G.

    what: sushi restaurant with fusion flavors. the doraku experience is based on their motto, "the road to happiness." something good: i have to say that i'm a fan of this doraku restaurant. i wasn't a huge fan of the waikiki location, for some reason in my memory i didn't think the food was great and it's in waikiki!!! so when i arrived here for a party it's no surprise that my expectations were very low... it was to my surprise that i loved the interior and the food was really, really good! i really enjoyed each and every item we ordered! the happy hour menu is so awesome! we had a whole lot of items and we really didn't break our wallets! the service was awesome and the ambiance is perfect for both a girls night out or a date-night! but i can already tell, that for me this place is going to be one of my favorite happy hour spots : ) something not so good: can't think of anything!! something to try: everything on happy hour menu!

    (5)

  • Ina T.

    We came on a busy Monday night. Loved the ambiance/vibe in this place. Very chill and trendy. Our waiter Andrew was awesome and his suggestions on the menu were on point! Everything he suggested we ordered times 2 hahaha We were celebrating 2 birthdays and they were so kind to give us 2 free complimentary desserts. Service here should be awarded for the fastest delivery. We ordered and literally 5mins it arrived. I was impressed because it was so busy and we were serviced like we were the only ones in the restaurant. I haven't had service like this in a long time. We had a little bit of a plate left over and they packaged it so cute bento style. we had a couple of workers checking on us to make sure we were ok at all times and I appreciated that. I would recommend the miso eggplant, all dragon rolls, emperor roll, miso butterfish and OMG the desserts that'll keep you wanting more Tempura brownie and this amazing salted pumpkin ice cream cake holy yumminess!!!! we thought we were full... NOT! lol This was a great experience we'll be coming back for sure!! thank you Doraku this was epic!! A great way to celebrate a special occasion or just because :)

    (5)

  • Adrian D.

    Great ambiance! We were greeted with warm Aloha spirit. We completely enjoyed Happy Hour...oh my! The value completely balanced with the quality of the food, likewise, the service we received from Dave. We look forward to enjoying another casual visit at any of your locations.

    (4)

  • Aaron H.

    When the table consensus is that the tempura brownie is the best dish followed by the (not at all teppanyaki) steak and you're a sushi bar, you've got problems. And for one of the "largest sake selections in the United States" I'd expect to be able to find a taruzake. I suppose if you include every restaurant that has a sake on the menu they're probably in the upper half. And apparently the fish in the dragon roll my friend ordered tasted off?

    (2)

  • Chelsea U.

    I've been here two times so far, and only after my second visit am I a fan. First time was when they had just opened and we went for a birthday dinner. Service was ok, but I think they got our order wrong or there was some type of confusion. Second time was for late night happy hour (9pm - close) on a Friday night. I must say, it was one of the best happy hours I have been to. The happy hour menu is relatively extensive compared to other Japanese restaurants. The menu included ahi tataki, teri chicken karaage, dynamite shrimp, California roll, natto poke, and spicy ahi roll just to name a few. The happy hour drinks included beer, wine, and my all-time favorite lychee martini! The two negative comments are have are the inexperienced servers and the parking. Parking is strictly valet ($3), but at least you know your car is in a safe area. The server we had for happy hour seemed pretty new and overwhelmed by our party of 15. She kept giving a friend his bill every time he made an order and made swipe his card each time. It seemed she was more concerned about making her money than offering good service. All the negative aside, I would definitely go back for happy hour. Such a good deal! Just make sure to make a reservation!

    (4)

  • Shinanagins O.

    Meh. Lots of hype, but it's really just fancy small portions of mid quality overpriced food. There are a few good things on the menu, but overall not at all impressed.

    (2)

  • Bill T.

    Plan and simple. Food was average nothing impressive. We spent $300 and did not find a gem. I could have spent $300 in Dallas and got much better sushi. Decor is nice and staff were attentive. $3 for parking is awesome in Hawaii at least. Try a hole in the wall sushi rather than a hi end establishment.

    (3)

  • Angela K.

    Two Words - Pau Hana! They have 2 pau hana a day! 4-6pm and then again at 9pm - closing. A hip and trendy spot with good eats. I always op for the ahi and the chicken - each running $5! wash that down with a yummy lychee martini for another $5! Definitely my go to spot for pau hana!

    (5)

  • Julie C.

    Came here for happy hour (everyday from 4 - 6 p.m.) and it was a great deal! The portions are large enough for 2 - 4 people to share and everything was $4 - $6. Two of us shared the eggplant miso, chicken kara'age, lomi lomi roll, and the california roll. The chicken and california roll were both good, but pretty standard. The eggplant miso had a really good consistency (not too mushy) and we really liked the miso sauce. The lomi lomi roll was also different, it was basically a spicy tuna roll topped with lomi lomi salmon. They also had several drinks on special for about $5 each. Definitely a great happy hour spot!

    (4)

  • Cindy N.

    My favorite happy hour restaurant. 4-6pm and 9pm to close. It is always delicious and one time we ordered one of everything on the HH menu. Nothing was wasted besides a few edamame. The tuna and salmon appetizer is to die for. Desserts are also mean! Brownie tempura and the fried ice cream! Make sure to get the green tea ice cream:)

    (5)

  • Dave P.

    Extremely fresh fish with a nice Hawaiian flare. I really enjoyed the "god of fire" roll and yellowtail "firecracker" roll. I also recommend the Yamaimo Hamachi Salad" ... It has a truly unique taste and the yellowtail was super fresh. While I'm in town I intend to stop in again and sample a few more dishes. Thumbs up!

    (4)

  • Amanda D.

    Happy hour = after 9pm! $6 chicken wraps and $4 California rolls! Great food and atmosphere. Staff was very knowledgeable about menu and very helpful when answering my questions.

    (4)

  • Thanh N.

    They used to have Soft Shelf Crab which actually was my favorite but the menu changed and they dont have it any more (disappointed). These are my favorite dish: Tuna Tataki: the taste of it can "wow" you as it did to me and my boyfriend. You can taste the freshness of the fish and vegetable. Emperor Roll: is a must have if you havent tried it yet. Its a bomb dish! Most of my friend who have tried this roll fall in love with it. That crispiness wrapped around the roll with their sauce really balance and blend out the taste together. Also, the edamame, Peruvian Seafood Ceciche, Seafood Salad...is worth to try.

    (4)

  • Mac J.

    Parking is extremely limited. Carpool if you can. For large groups, I strongly recommend making reservations. Their sushi menu looks limited but you can order anything you see at the sushi bar. As long as they have the ingredients, they'll make it for you. My friends to me the Happy hour menu changed slightly but it still works for me. Service was very good. Sam came by enough times to make sure we were good. Overall 3 stars. I wasn't significantly impressed to award a 4th star.

    (3)

  • Ro M.

    Had to take away 1 star. Arrived about 15 min before the start of happy hour, which starts @ 4pm. Besides the 2 people seated at the bar, this place was empty. ALL the tables were vacant inside & outside. We tell the hostess "for 2 people." She looks @ her little table/seating chart on her hostess table & takes some time to figure out where she wants to seat us. LOL. Meanwhile, I'm trying hard not to laugh as I skim the restaurant, looking at all the empty seats jumping, "Pick Me pick me!" LOL. Finally, we are seated & the fun begins:) Ordered the 1) Panko Hamachi: crisp perfection & bursting with flavor. A must try! 2) Emperor's roll: 5 pieces of sushi for $12.95. Worth each bite. Highly recommended. 3) Red caterpillar roll: Tasty with a little crunch to it. 4) White Dragon roll: A little too garlicy for me. Probably wouldn't order it again. Validated parking was $3. I will definitely be back.

    (4)

  • Chansis C.

    Came here for a date night with the hubby! The waitress was great, she seen my husband on his phone looking at football scores and offered him the TV to watch the actual game!!! The food here was delish, and the lychee martini hit the spot!! Don't think I'm going to dress up as much as I did, but a definite must!!

    (5)

  • George K.

    Came here for my birthday looking for some contemporary Japanese cuisine. Food was pretty good but they were out of so many things. We had a 6:15 reservation so we came in quite early. Out of the oyster shooters, salmon kama, salmon ochazuke, u me ochazuke, Japanese pudding. Never coming back here again. So would rather go to Gaku, Imanas Tei, Gazen, Akinono, Izakaya Nombei.

    (1)

  • Ridge N.

    I went last night for happy hour and I was bummed that they took off the firecracker shrimp off the happy hour menu! $5 during happy hour seemed perfect for the amount they give. Full price at $10 for the portion given is pretty steep! Put the firecracker shrimp back on the happy hour menu pls!! Oh, and the salmon cheek :) other than that I have no complaints! Service was good! Red dragon roll is always bomb!

    (4)

  • Jana T.

    Food was good. Music was a little loud for a family dinner, can't hear each other without talking loud above the music. Hard to see the menu with the dim lighting.

    (4)

  • Ling W.

    "Completely underwhelmed" We've been wanting to try this place for 2+ years, so when the opportunity presented itself, we went in for dinner. Pros: We were seated quickly (albeit at the sushi bar) without a reservation Some of our food arrived quickly Nice atmosphere Cons: Some food did not arrive quickly Our waitress was completely casual and commented TWICE about how quickly we ate our food and "you TANKED that!"--so much for tact The waif-ish girls working the front stare down everyone for...their fashion sense? Who knows... The food was completely underwhelming--bland tastes despite planful and well-thought presentations Expensive for what we got (we did not go during happy hour) Bottom line? Inexperienced services, high prices for bland sushi and apps.

    (2)

  • S T.

    Very chic and upbeat.

    (4)

  • Eduard G.

    A group of us went in without reservations for taco Tuesdays. You get 3 sushi-like tacos for 5 dollars. They were some of the best tacos we've had and we got to many a taco Tuesdays. We also had a drink special where proceeds went to a charity. The drinks were delicious and we had a few rounds. A friend bought a round of oyster shooters. Those are delicious with an explosive of immediate flavor. The place got busier later in the evening but the 6 of us were promptly seated. Our service was solid and our waiter was very knowledgeable. I recommend this place for groups, dates, or just a quick lunch.

    (4)

  • Sandy N.

    Pretty good happy hour! We loved the lychee martini, and you can't beat the $5 menu. Our favorites were the eggplant miso and asari sakamushi. The sushi is not top quality, but hey would do you expect for that cheap price. IT's better than Genki!

    (3)

  • Kimo S.

    This place gets a lot of attention because of their amazing Happy Hour deals, they definitely should too because it is a fantastic deal. I've been here during and after their Happy Hour specials and have picked through the menu over the course of a few visits. While I tend to stick to their sushi rolls I have to give a big shout out to their Agedashi Tofu dish. This is one of core dishes I order at almost every Japanese restaurant and I must say that Doraku really nails this one down. If you're a fan of tofu and/or Agedashi Tofu you really need to order that here, I usually end up with 2 orders because it is so yummy. I wish they had a more improved wine list but I do enjoy their beers and the fact that they stock Kirin Light is pretty awesome. Service has always been top notch for me, whether sitting at a table downstairs, upstairs or even at the bar I have never felt I needed to wait or pester the servers to get my next food or drink order.

    (5)

  • Laura G.

    I reviewed this place when they were more recent. Now they do not care about customer service. I seriously only go there for the good happy hour & food. Besides that, I would not go there... AT ALL!

    (2)

  • Terry L.

    I have been going here on a regular basis for some time now. First, the Waikiki location and now here. What was really upsetting is that at first, the happy hour menu was valid anywhere in the restaurant. Then, they changed it to only the community seating areas, the bar and the outside. Also, they shortened the cut off from 7PM to 6PM. Because of these issues, I find myself thinking twice about going here, especially since they don't take reservations for the happy hour seats. Finally, they took off some beer selections from the original happy hour and the normal prices are very steep! The food was always consistent and the service, for the most part was pretty good. Although, there always seems to be a lot of wait staff milling about and none when you need help to order. Overall, I am glad to have this closer to downtown alternative versus Waikiki. Valet parking required for a nominal fee. This restaurant has better food (more authentic tasting) than Shokudo. However, Shokudo's service is a lot better. I only wish they didn't change their happy hour policy! Food=3 Service=2.5 Ambience=3 Value=2.5 (non happy hour) Value=4 (happy hour)

    (3)

  • Andie H.

    Hello bitches, I'm baaaaack! No really though, since my move off island, I haven't had the pleasure of writing another yelp review. It's been making me crazy!! Hahaha, anyways, since I was on island a few days ago, I've decided to get back and write a review on the fairly recent location of one of my favorite restaurants (Doraku Waikiki rocks!). Just FYI, this is a comparison to Doraku Waikiki because they are pretty much the same thing, just a new location. Food: The food is pretty much on par as the Waikiki restaurant. Japanese fusion, yum yum. Whenever I'm craving some sushi rolls along with seafood stuff, I pop in. I didn't notice any significant deviations from the way the food is prepared, plus its the same menu. Location: Hi, got $3 on you? They only valet your parking, unless you like street parking on Kapiolani, ugh. The restaurant is under one of those new condos, in a row of spaces that have yet to be occupied. Not much to do here other than visit the restaurant. Staff: Friendly! Our waitress was very good, knowledgable, and made it easy. Waikiki service takes FOREVER. Could be because they are way busier, but who knows? Ambiance: We sat outside. Winter nights?? Cold. Summer nights? Unknown but may be hot. Rain?? Hahaha good luck. No music out there, if you go for late night dinners like the boyfriend and I, then all you get to hear is your date and the cars :p The deco is more lighted than Waikiki, which I like. I like to see what I eat. Summary: Not as crowded as Waikiki, therefore better/faster service. Happy hour from 4p-7p and after 10pm. Good for sunday nights when Yanagis are closed early!! Hahaha. Pricey menu, some items don't give as much as others, but I still enjoy the rolls!! I would definitely come back here to get my Doraku fix (if I didn't want to walk around waikiki afterwards...)

    (4)

  • Melissa T.

    I used to love coming here until some of their employees came to the restaurant i work at. They were openly laughing about how they spit in and mess with the customers food if they come in late or don't tip well. Um....WHAT?! As a waitress I find this to be SO alarming. I called the GM Richard today and was immediately brushed off as if this wasn't a concern and wasn't happening to which i replied "It's just hard to believe when the things that I heard came straight from your employees mouths." I will personally never go there again. I don't appreciate my food being messed with.

    (1)

  • Joanne P.

    The white dragon roll, hamachi nigiri and tempura brownie is what we go to Doraku for. That, and the fact that we can get a seat at the sushi bar without a reservation. Service is fast and you order sushi from the waitress, even when sitting at the sushi bar. They also have a community table that is often available for spontaneous diners like us. It's only a little bit strange that you have to walk through another restaurant in order to enter Doraku. The only downside is the parking. It's valet and costs $3. Make sure the valet parkers give you an exit ticket. If they don't, you won't be able to get out of the garage!

    (4)

  • Margaret L.

    My new favorite sushi spot! Arriving here, I thought I'd be dropping $30 on my dinner. Valet parking, super nice exterior and interior, and excellent service. Turns out I only spent $10 and left feeling full! My all time favorite roll is salmon and avocado and that combination seems to be SO HARD TO FIND but Doraku had it! and for only $5.50! Another one of my favorite dishes is agedashi tofu, and I've had this in plenty of places all over the world. Doraku's agedashi tofus is top notch.

    (5)

  • Bill T.

    Nice fun place. The food is good as well. My only hesitation in giving them a perfect review is that when we went with three kids under 10 years old, they sat us at a high top table where the cushions and pillows that were on the high bench moved and made it difficult for them to sit still.

    (4)

  • Chantel B.

    Ate dinner here with a couple of friends on Saturday 03/21/15. Food is a bit pricey and portions are kind of small. We waited more than 30 minutes to be seated and the waitress took a while to serve us. We ate the red eye dragon roll, white dragon roll which were good. The misoyaki butterfish was good but was a small portion. Also had the brownie tempura, and that was alright. My boyfriend and friend had the teriyaki opah and they didn't really care that much for it. Her boyfriend had the Hamachi, which he really enjoyed, he just said it was really "fishy". They also had the geisha roll and another roll which they really liked and the tempura ice cream, that was alright. I would definitely recommend their rolls, but as for the other things, not so much. The music is very loud in there, so wouldn't recommend to people with children. My friends son was having a melt down because of it. Other than that, this place is decent.

    (3)

  • Debbie G.

    Food was good, though waitress did forget a few items.

    (4)

  • Chaulcey C.

    Service here is very unprofessional. The hostesses didn't look like they gave a crap about customers. No welcome just "for how many ?". It dosent hurt to smile especially if your working in customer service. Most of the time we were there our waiter was no were to be found. Just when he was delivering our food. Littetally had to flag him down to order more. Food took super long ! And it wasn't even busy. Workers were basically standing around gossiping. The food was alright. You get what you pay for.

    (1)

  • Ken C.

    Service was appalling and nonexistent. It was a total waste of time! There were a lot of chairs at the bar so we sat there. We sat for about 10 minutes and the first bartender at the corner of the bar failed to acknowledge our existence. Finally a second bartender emerged from the kitchen. We sat and watched her for the next 5 minutes attempt to service the couple next to us without even a "hi", "hello", or "I'll be right with you." The restaurant wasn't that busy so there shouldn't be an excuse for a lack of service.

    (1)

  • Sash T.

    This location is definitely a better place for locals to go to than the Waikiki location. We usually stay long enough to order food n drinks off their happy hour menu and their regular menu. I don't know how their valet is now since Chai's also opened recently 2 shops down. I know they park one car in a stall n double it in with another car, so be prepared to wait if they get backed up. It happened to me the other nite.

    (4)

  • Rhianna L.

    Ok so I've eaten here with my husband too many times to count. No seriously, it was so bad that we went at least 2x a week. Some of the servers know me as "the girl who orders A LOT of california rolls with no sesame" lol. But really, what can you expect of someone who truly appreciates a lovely ambiance, quality food, outstanding customer service from the waiters/waitresses, and even better - unbelievably cool prices. Now I'll be honest and say that I have ONLY come here during happy hour and I truly believe that Doraku is one of a very select few that offers a FANTASTIC happy hour menu with BEYOND GREAT prices. My all-time favorites and MUST-HAVES are california rolls (no sesame), ginger chicken kara'age, and eggplant miso. Yea, I don't eat fish... But my husband loves their ahi poke and tuna tataki. So to put it simply, Doraku is one of the BEST places to eat/hangout/have a good time. The one thing that I will say that sucks is the wait time when it's packed. Other than that, Doraku is a fave.

    (5)

  • Jasmine N.

    Doraku is an amazing restaurant overall. The setting is Asian aspired, their selection of sushi is amazing, and the food is delicious. I suggest the brownie tempura for your choice of desert, it's to die for :) My two complaints is that service is slow because the number of customers they are juggling, but they are still exceptional servers. Second, the hostess' in front of the restaurant aren't too friendly and they tend to stand around getting into servers ways.

    (4)

  • Hope B.

    I can tell you, this place is probably the only place I get sushi from on island. I'm addicted to the white and red dragon sushi roll. Along with the ginger chicken. Anytime I go out I get either of those rolls and add the ginger chicken. There plum wine is really good and will compliment the meal of someone's choice. For dessert I always get the tempura brownie and ice cream. This place can be either be somewhere you go with a friend or you can go on a date here as well. I never had to wait to be seated and if so, I probably wait no long then 8-10 mins.

    (5)

  • Ken A.

    So glad Doraku no longer requires a trip into Waikiki! We're not fans of valet parking in general, but found street parking around the corner in Kakaako. The Kapiolani location is louder, especially in the loft, but food and service meet the same high standards as the Waikiki site. The waitress asked detailed questions about our reactions to the dishes, not just the perfunctory 'How was everything?' Only caveat: Couldn't find them on OpenTable

    (5)

  • Kasandra M.

    I went here a couple months ago with my boyfriend during happy hour. We haven't tried either location yet so we figured why not go during happy hour right?! So we get there... valet parking..whatevss. We get seated at the bar because that's where it is for happy hour customers? Okay. It wasn't really crowded or anything so the experience started off good. I was hoping for a really good experience because everyone's been raving about it. So I was really excited. We ordered off the happy hour menu. I remember getting that lychee martini thing, which I didn't like. It was bitter and strong so our waiter was willing to take it back and not charge us. Ok cool. So the rest of our food came except our firecracker shrimp. I asked our waiter about it and he said the time he placed the order, the kitchen was right in the middle of changing the oil, and it would just be a little while more. 10 minutes later--The party next to us that came and ordered AFTER us, had gotten their firecracker shrimp! I complained to our waiter and he went back to the kitchen and checked on it, came out and said that it's coming out. By this time, we were already ready to get our check and pay; I had somewhere to be. Another 10 minutes, he came out with our shrimp packed in a box and ready for take out. While I appreciate the gesture, I was just really irritated already. I think our waiter didn't do very much for us in general (aside from not charging us for the martini). He DIDN'T check on us after we got our food; I had to flag him down to ask about our shrimp. No efforts were made to refill our water vase/jug whatever. He wasn't welcoming or open to giving recommendations. It was just not a good experience. It's too bad because I was really looking forward to tasting the tempura brownie. After getting our bill, all I wanted to do was leave. I don't know about trying this location out again. I considered maybe going to the Waikiki location, but idk yet. i honestly don't even remember how the rest of the food tasted. ughh, just really disappointed.

    (1)

  • LeaDan Y.

    I've been to the Waikiki location, which just felt like your typical tourist spot mostly because of it's location, but this location should appeal a tad more to the locals and the business folk. There's enough room both inside and out to enjoy a meeting with coworkers or a evening out with friends. The booths are the perfect size to give a group privacy. The prices match the quality and quantity but I would recommend going with a group so that you can enjoy the variety of choices without having to take on too much of the cost. The desserts are small enough to enjoy after dinner.

    (3)

  • Veronica L.

    If I had made a review before my last visit, I would have rated this restaurant a complete five stars. Unfortunately, my last visit pretty much changed my view of Doraku completely. Doraku has great food, a great atmosphere and usually great service. On my last visit, my boyfriend, our friend and I came to Doraku on a Tuesday night around 10 pm. The restaurant was pretty empty because it was pretty late on a weekday night. The hostess at the stand greeted as soon as we walked in, and I told her we'd like a table for three. She then told us that the only tables available were either seats at the bar or a giant community table, which already had two people seated. We agreed to the community table and took a seat. We then realized that the restaurant was completely empty and there were at least two or three empty tables in our section of the restaurant. When our server arrived I had kindly asked if it were possible to sit at a table. He went to speak with the host (who was right in back of us) and when he asked her, she became very irritable and spoke very loudly and obnoxiously and said "sorrrrrrry" very sarcastically. When he came back to us, he told us we could sit at the next table next to us, with a very irritable tone. I absolutely did not feel welcomed at all, and even thought about walking out. But since we had already sat down, we decided to stay. We then waited about 20 minutes for our server to come back, which is when we placed our order. After we ordered and then received our food everything was fine, except for the fact that our server did not come even once to check up on us or refill our waters, and we had to flag him down to finally receive our checks. While walking out, none of the staff had even given us a simple "thank you". Although my personal experience was not as bad as some others, I was left with a very negative image of this restaurant and possibly will not be back at this location again. Customer service plays a giant roll in any business, and Doraku definitely needs to work on that.

    (1)

  • Andrew D.

    Been here twice since they opened, usually I'm kind of hard on Shokudo...Doraku...types of restaurants, but I actually enjoyed my time here. Biggest thing for me is service, both times I came here, service was great. Once with a girl, the other time with a guy server. I think his name was Sam or Tom, my girlfriend thought he was nice...better watch yourself Sam...or Tom...or whatever your name is... The food here was good, I think the best time to come in to eat is during their happy hour. Last I was here, my girlfriend wanted to try the happy hour. That being said, we pretty much ordered everything on the happy hour menu. My favorite was by far the salmon kama. Generous portion of the collar, loaded with succulent, tender salmon flesh. I think it was ~$7 or was it ~$10 something like that, the sake was flowing that day, forgive my memory. If you get the chance though, order the kama, good dish to pair with a nice, dry sake. Overall, good experience, good service. I will definitely be back to pay them a visit.

    (4)

  • Judy L.

    First time I went, we were suggested to sit outside because they had a lot of parties coming that night. Oddly, when we left, the restaurant was still pretty empty. I don't mind the outdoors, but if you can get a seat indoors, do so because there isn't any cover in case it rains. Also, you can genuinely appreciate the decor that Doraku has to offer inside. It is modern, urban, and stylish. Only thing they should fix is the music. I don't think they should be blasting pop music like Rihanna's Diamonds. It just doesn't fit the atmosphere. Service is top notch. They are attentive, informative, and very smiley. At times a little too attentive and take away plates that we haven't finished 100%. They should slow it down a little... I have tried a wide assortment of their food: emperor roll, buddha roll, miso eggplant, miso butterfish, garlic steak, seabass, jumbo calamari, spicy tuna deluxe roll, panko hamachi, something tataki (I can't remember their specific names)...Best ones were the panko hamachi and miso butterfish. So good! The panko hamachi had a tangy topping on it and the hamachi was nice and flaky. The miso butterfish was so rich and buttery but so tiny! About 4" x 3" piece... Their specialty sushi rolls were all pretty good too. Very fresh and creamy. Others weren't as memorable. Happy hour: Everyday from 4-7 PM! Parking: There is valet parking for $3. Not sure if that is only for nights. There is always street parking after 6:30 PM everyday, and Sundays is free anytime. Not bad.. I recommend trying it out at least once!

    (3)

  • Kiichi R.

    This is just for the Ward location. I have always seen friends post pictures of their food on instagram and it has been a go-to place for a while. Well I finally had the chance. First, make reservations. I cannot imagine what the wait is like because it was crowded when I got there (around 7:30PM on Thursday). The interior is nicely decorated. Nicely lit - not bright, but not dark. On to the menu - quite the selection! And decently priced! I was expecting $20-30 entrees, but they were reasonably priced at around $15 max for majority of the items, with those exceeding that price being the sashimi. Although I must say, for any ume-shu lovers out there, Doraku is like anywhere else... only offering Choya. It's a cheap, and alright umeshu, but I wish there were restaurants around this price range with an actual selection. Aside from that, I must say... the food was GREAT! Both me and my girlfriend got one order of the Emperor Roll (which we ordered SECONDS because it was so good) to share together. I got the Salmon and Ikura Donburi (at around $13). I have to say, it was tasty but extremely small. I guess if the menu were to reflect my price expectations, I would have been filled as normal. My girlfriend got the Panko Hamachi, which was great as well. The outer "shell" was quite thick and hard (but yummy), and the fish was soft and juicy. For dessert, I got the Brownie Tenpura, which for the price was a great way to end the awesome night of food. Our server, whose name I cannot recall, was... "friendly". He may have had a "brownie" but it wasn't a deterrent to good service. I've been told that we need to definitely go back for the Happy Hour, and perhaps then, they may get my personal 5-star approval. For my first time, it was GREAT and I'm definitely a fan and want to go back again. 4.5 stars - DEFINITELY a fan!

    (4)

  • Julie N.

    Came here with a co-worker and enjoyed the happy hour! The furniture is very fashionable and to my liking! The hostess seemed pretty stuck up though :/ I decided to come to this location, since I often go to the Waikiki location. The cocktails are great and the sushi rolls are delish! Doraku is a better, mature version of Shokudo. My boyfriend always comments how all these high schoolers hang out at Shokudo, which makes him not want to go there. However, we like Doraku!

    (4)

  • Todd T.

    First, I love the fact I don't need to drive all the way into Waikiki to eat at one of my favorite restaurants. Second, the ambience is amazing! My gang and I loved our seating area (especially with all of the pillows). Third, the service was impeccable. Our server was Kamalei and she was incredibly attentive. She made sure all of our tea/water cups were filled. She made sure the food kept coming out. Dishes were taken away at the appropriate times. Fourth, the food! If you have never been to Doraku before, you are totally missing out!! It is worth going to definitely. The serving sizes could be increased a tad bit more, however, the quality and taste were wonderful. The miso eggplant and the chicken karaage were winners definitely! HINT: Happy Hour is from 5-7. Definitely worth going to during those hours. Lots of food items on the list. Don't miss it!!

    (5)

  • Cindy L.

    White & red dragon rolls delishh !!! HAVE TO TRY THE OSYTER SHOTS !!! Hour menu was great ! Our helpful waiter was very helpful lols The vibe in there is different from alot of other restaurants. They play really good music and thats what I really love about this place & its not bright as hell ! Parkings easyy, valet just for 3$

    (5)

  • goodgirlglam Q.

    Nice and reasonable lunch menu. Had the Pablo crusted hamachi with a mango salsa and lemon butter ponzu on top of asparagus and mushrooms. Came with side salad and miso soup for $14.50. Nice business lunch for under twenty bucks. They were slammed for lunch so thin on service but not bad enough to be a deal breaker. Great variety of Asian fusion.

    (4)

  • Melissa K.

    Love! Went there recently for the first time for Mother's Day and loved it! Everything we ordered was delish! The decor was fabulous and the staff was on it. Can't wait go back!

    (5)

  • Melissa O.

    Two happy hours - normal and late night! The wait staff is extremely knowledgeable about the food and drink. They even are very good about 'notifying' you when it is last call for happy hour. Each time my friends and I come here, we order almost everything on the happy hour menu. We definitely leave full and a way lot happier then when we arrived. The cold unfiltered sake is the absolute best, a must try, if you have never had it before. Parking is valet at $3, but they do run out of space. There is a supplemental lot on the corner, but it's really small. You can try to find street parking, but even that is a little limited. That said, you can try to park by Office Depot, but if you get towed, don't blame me. Only once did we get turned away by the valet, but you should not have a problem once Blue Tree closes at 5pmish as they share valet services. If anyone mentions Doraku, I'll be there, even if I've just eaten.

    (5)

  • Bryan A.

    Quick lunch here was just what I needed. Great rice bowls on the lunch menu, had the fatty tuna bowl. Perfect amount of food and everything tasted fantastic.

    (4)

  • Bella N.

    Been here 3 times...to be honest, we like it-the wait staff is excellent, nice music, and comfortable seating. HOWEVER, we ordered 11 dishes and they had run out of 6 of them. The manager came over and apologized, but he repeatedly told us how busy they were the previous 2 nights (while leaning on the wall). I don't care how busy you were...not having almost half of the dishes we ordered is completely inexcusable and unprofessional. This isn't a rinky dink mom and pop kinda place. Come on now. On top of that, we were not compensated in any way. Usually a professional manager would offer something like that. Their manager should have been fired yesterday. Thankfully, our waitress was very polite and apologized for his lack of sincerity.

    (2)

  • Paul R.

    Originally, this place was forced on me.. "another sushi place :/"... But I'm glad I finally gave it a try. Service is ok, decor is nice, and the food is GREAT!! Only two complaints. I have a truck and the parking structure is tight. Second, its always pretty busy, so they are a little slow. All in all a good place. I really enjoy going here.

    (4)

  • Jacob L.

    Food was amazing! Head Chef personally made our dish for that evening. What i love the most is the decor of the restaurant! Owner said everything was imported from Indonesia .. It is a must see restaurant!!

    (5)

  • DeanAnthony R.

    The first time I went to Doraku was for a United Way Fundraiser. I got to try a bunch of different rolls and they were pretty good. This first experience got me to check out the place a few times for happy hour and I enjoy the atmosphere. So far most of the bartenders and waitresses are pretty cool. I recommend going to happy hour with your homies.

    (4)

  • Amanda H.

    Food is always amazing! Love the atmosphere! But the service I had during my last visit was surprisingly bad. my boyfriend and i were sat at the bar. Usually they are quick to at least get water to the table. Nobody approached us for at least 10 minutes and even the other couple that was sat after us were acknowledged before us. It was almost like we were invisible and it was somewhat awkward. Maybe there was some confusion on who had us? Other than that it was enjoyable and I love this place!

    (4)

  • Kahula G.

    I gave this location 3 stars because of the terrible customer service. My credit card was overcharged and when I spoke to the manager he was incredibly rude and seemed irritated he had to correct something that was his staff's mistake. He asked what my card # was and that's it! Not even an apology and when asked what happened he could offer no explanation...just I don't know. Be sure to check your credit card statement and if you're overcharged don't expect an apology or explanation. The food was okay. nothing special.

    (3)

  • Leizl C.

    Love coming here for happy hour from 4-6pm daily! The food and drinks are reasonable prices during happy hour and tastes pretty good. This is my go-to place with my husband whenever we are in town.

    (5)

  • Ellen S.

    Nothing made me more happy than when Doraku Kapiolani opened right downstairs from where I live. They have a great happy hour, great food, and fun atmosphere. I am giving them 1-star based on my last experience. I came in last week and sat at the bar like usual. My server/bartender was a new and wearing a hat (wish I remembered his name), being that I frequent Doraku I usually recognize the workers. We came in for the late happy hour and ordered the Doraku Tataki, Clams, and the some specialty rolls. After over 20 minutes of waiting for the Tataki we inquired if it would be coming out soon. He proceeded to say yes but after checking our tab he realized it was never inputed. I understand mistakes are made, no big deal. After coming back from the kitchen he poured us two shots which we did not order. My husband has to work early so he said no to the shot. The bartender then openly took it himself which was surprising because I have never seen any bartenders at this establishment drink openly. After we finished our food we stayed so I could finish my drink. This is where the irritation came in. The bartender throughout our dinner seemed to be getting more and more intoxicated which lead to him getting louder and more obnoxious, constantly interrupting us with crude comments. I ended up not finishing my wine and requested for the check. When the check came, it was wrong because by this time the bartender reeked of liquor. It had some items on it that we did not order and it did not have my two happy hour red wines. After a long period of waiting the tab was fixed and he said he would take care of our wine for the mix up. I am disappointed but this review however does not reflect my overall view of Doraku. The owner, Kevin has always been very personable, management and staff before this incident has always been professional and friendly and the food is great but this experience has made me and my family think twice about returning.

    (1)

  • Karly L.

    im really torn! the food was delicious and our waitress was excellent. BUT there was no diaper changing table in the bathroom. i asked one of the waitresses who was texting on her phone if there were anywhere i could change my son. then she asked the hostess who then asked another waitresd who finally grabbed the manager. they were having a conversation and the manager kept looking at me and going back into the conversation. then the manager finally said we dont have a changing table! DUH!!! thats my concern dumbass! so i told him that i will change my son on the waiting bench but he said "thats unacceptable." we changed him on the ground!!!! so thats why im giving then 2 stars

    (2)

  • Jasmine B.

    I'm on the fence about doraku. We went with a party of 3, with a reservation for Friday late night happy hour. Service was mediocre-- server gave great drink suggestions but was horrible about refilling drinks (only 2 of the 3 of us were served our refills -- forget about a 3rd drink!); bus staff was quick to clean the dishes off our table, bus staff refused to take orders or to assist in even a water refill, server was constantly rushing. Everything was delicious; just the service left us disappointed. If service is something you value, skip late night happy hour.

    (3)

  • Marnelli Joy B.

    Food, OK. Service, OK. Came here for dinner with a group of friends to celebrate some recent accomplishments. We sat in the upstairs loft. From what we were told, it was their first week of opening, which is probably an important factor in our experience. Since we had such a large group, it took a while for everyone to get there. There was a server and a "server assistant." While waiting, of course they asked if we wanted drinks, etc. After looking at the menu, I asked what was in the Sangria. The assistant said he didn't know and was going to ask. He came back, saw me and remembered. So he walked to the server to ask him, came back to me, and said, "The server will let you know." It took about 15 to 20 minutes for them to finally let me know. I decided I didn't want it anymore. When I was looking at other drinks, I asked how another drink was and the server just repeated what was on the menu. (I was hoping he'd give me his opinion, or if it was sweet or sour, something...) Anyway, we ordered our food, and everyone's food came at odd times. We understand it was a large party, but my and my bf and the people sitting next to us ordered the same dishes. Except theirs came about 10 minutes after ours. Some people on our table never got a Red Dragon Roll that they ordered, even after both the server and the assistant went to check and said, "5 more minutes." The Panko Crusted Hamachi was great! Something I would definitely order again. The White Dragon Roll was good too. Dessert though, was another story. The tempura brownie didn't appeal to us, so we got the banana flambee... Our bananas were BURNT. Not crispy or slightly charred, but burnt. I had to scrape off what I could eat. It totally did not seem flambeed. NOT ordering this again. Overall, we felt it probably was because it was their first week. Food overall was okay. Will we go here again, maybe in a couple months. Glad to see others have had better experiences though. I gives me hope!

    (3)

  • Laynie P.

    Love this place! The panko encrusted hamachi was my fav dish! Also loved the white dragon roll and the God of Fire. They are all "must-haves". This is a cute little spot with cool ambiance and bomb food.

    (5)

  • J H.

    Nice environment. & good happy hour price. actually pretty good for lunch too.

    (4)

  • AsianRunningDiva S.

    Happy hour changed hours and now from 4-6pm. Still good food at really good prices! 4 of us ate and drank for $50/couple (tip included!). Not bad!!:)

    (4)

  • Erik P.

    I have now dined here several times and never a bad experience. In fact, I've had nothing but outstanding service, match but equally outstanding meals. I'm in love with the lobster roll and the Chu torro! The Sake menu is great, but a bit pricey. That said, don't let that deter you. Go! Enjoy! I did and I'll be back soon.

    (4)

  • John W.

    The food is great quality and happy hour is a must. I suggest the geisha roll, white dragon, and the chirashi don. My wife also enjoyed the lychee martini. For large groups they have upstairs and one semi-private room. The ambience is interesting and they play great music. The last time we went our friends were excited to hear so much indie and alternative music. There is only valet parking, but not bad at $3 and its conviently located on kapiolani. Enjoy

    (4)

  • Chris F.

    It was the worst service we have had in our six months in Honolulu. The three of us were very excited to eat at Doraku Sushi last night. Figuring it was a Monday and would not be too busy we never thought service would be an issue. We are moving into the neighborhood and were excited to try a local sushi place. To start with I ordered us the Edamame and some hot tea. Both came promptly. We all placed an order for remaining 3 rolls and Sushi Samishi platter miso soup. And WE WAITED, the California Rolls came about 30 minutes later, and the final sashimi and rolls came in another 30 minutes. The miso soup never arrived, which suprised me because I have seen small lunch places get it to me inside of 2 minutes. Once she dropped down the final sushi dishes I told her I didnt want the Miso Soup, she never apologized for the wait on it. Our water was unfilled for several minutes on numerous occasions and we rarely saw the waitress except for when whe brought our food. It was the worst service we have had in our six months in Honolulu. When I told the waitress this she said she was sorry and walked away. She did not get a manager or try to explain, just walked away. And then she told us that the manager took off the miso soup for us, as if we had ACTUALLY gooten it and then sent it back to the kitchen! The proper address would have been to apologize for someone never getting us the soup inside of an 1.5 hour dinner in a slow restaurant. The food was ok, but we will never go back there again. If it was such bad service on a Monday, I cannot imagine a Friday...

    (2)

  • T T.

    Food is out of this world. Service and ambiance is not. Although it is decorated in a more trendy fashion, it is super loud, so loud that it is impossible to have a conversation. Service was super super slow when we dined there. I think the staff need to be more attentive and atleast "pretend" to enjoy their job. Our food took forever to come out, we had to ask the status quite a few times. And when we did, the bartender had the most irritated look on his face. And the bartender is another story. It was a male who had tattoo sleeves and gages in his ear. He was so rude..maybe trying to be funny but came across cocky and offensive. I would def give the food 2 thumbs up but then again, not worth it if you cant be comfortable and enjoy it. They should do a workshop to staff on how to provide excellent customer service to their patrons as that would make this restaurant a 5 and vastly improve their business.

    (3)

  • Clay K.

    Newly opened with a chic decor and indoor/outdoor seating. Upscale atmosphere but definitely a local lounge feel with good music. Extensive menu with creative specialty items. Emperor roll and "God of Fire" roll is a must try! The Hamachi carpaccio was a winner as was the Japanese style garlic steak. The grilled jumbo calamari was a pleasant surprise and so delicious. To finish off a wonderful meal you must have the green tea ice cream and you might not want to share this one! Our server Chelsea was just amazing and knowledgeable with her menu suggestions that made us wanting more. I will definitely be back and bringing more friends.

    (5)

  • Michelle K.

    Ive ate here twice and I really love this place! The decor is japanese fusion like. There is a happy hour menu and the food on it is awesome, you would think it would be crappy food on it, but completely opposite..yummy! Don't forget to order the brownie tempura its to die for!!

    (4)

  • Glenn D.

    Food is as awesome as the Waikiki location, but this location is bigger and better only because of the outdoor seating and the bigger bar. Plus there's ample street parking and the late night happy hour at 9pm is awesome. Just like the Waikiki location, Happy Hour is the best on the island.

    (5)

  • Brent K.

    This place is really nice ! Good anbeance, Our wateriest was very nice ! BUT the food was only ok. We had, ahi tataki, fire cracker shrimp, Kara age chicken, Doraku roll, garlic steak, Miso butter fish, banana flambé, deep fried brownies, sweet tea, warm water. Ahi tataki was good, but the mayo killed it, shrimp was to plain, chicken chuy ! And the doraku roll had imitation crab ! Garlic steak kinda plain, miso yaki butter fish wasn't cooked all the way through, Banana flambé was good, fried brownies, well the batter tasted like tempura, That was way wrong ! And our bottle of water was warm. second bottle was chilled. Don't get me wrong ! The prices are great ! It was $81.00 for all of that.Everything seemed fresh... I just wish the food was better quality. I'm just saying. I would love to bring my friends here, Because it's a nice place. But There standards are higher than mine. :( ...well I still like this place we can come for happy hour.

    (3)

  • Keala K.

    We went her last week for a belated birthday, I was skeptic because of some of the reviews on the service but we had an awesome time. We arrived @ 5pm but we did have to make reservations. Since it was happy hour...we ordered only from the Happy Hour Menu...good was awesome, the garlic teri edamame-top notch, the tuna tataki-top notch-karaage chicken-top notch.....prices were so reasonable. It did get crowded and rightfully so. I would def be returning here!

    (4)

  • E P.

    Everything is awesome! Recommend the salmon kama, geisha roll and the white dragon roll. Definitely on the list to go again!

    (5)

  • Jon C.

    A satisfactory dinner with terrible service Food- delicious poke and rolls, the garlic steak was also a nice surprise. Ambiance- a very young and vibrant feel to the restaurant and I don't recall a single server that looked over 30. Service- this is the sticking point for me. We waited 45 minutes for a table, which is fine because we did not have a reservation, but after being seated, we were put into a corner next to the door. We sat without a server passing by to take our drink orders or food orders. I gave them the benefit of the doubt because it was a busy night but after 25 minutes I had to speak to the hostess to finally get some attention. I noticed some other couples near the entrance that had similar trouble getting their orders in. The restaurant is close to a good formula, but they must fix this particular part of their experience.

    (3)

  • HighStandard S.

    the good: excellent service very reasonable price for the quality and quantity of food open on sundays for lunch a lot of effort put into the decor bottles of water and pots of tea brought to the table the ungood: the food here is american with a japanese theme. what i mean by that is portions are large, tastes are unsubtle, and there's a "too-muchness" to the dishes. for example, the miso soup has a ton of seaweed floating in it, so many chopped chives that it goes beyond garnish, and too much gritty miso in it. it totally misses the point of the purity and simplicity of a good miso broth. the rolls are ridiculously complicated, resulting in the inability to taste any one ingredient. beware the spicy aioli sauce. it will burn your taste buds numb and overwhelm whatever food it is served with. the salad dressing had the same effect on me. i really want to like this place, but something about it is off for me.

    (2)

  • lisa l.

    We live in So Cal and decided to try out sushi in Hawaii. After reading multiple Yelp reviews we decided to try this place out. The atmosphere is very 'bar' like=loud. Not kid friendly. But the sushi is the best I've had in a looong time. I had the 5 course chef's special, my dad tried the sashimi deluxe and my hubby had a couple of rolls. I recommend the chef's special, it had everything you really need. The slices were very large and fresh. I tried two of their cocktails and they were amazing. Make sure you make reservations, it gets packed!

    (4)

  • Pamela S.

    I came here with 2 friends and was super pleased. All of the food was delicious and the presentation was beautiful. The service was amazing. I have a serious allergy and my server was wonderful about checking on all items. The hot Hamachi dish was probably our favorite, but all of the sushi rolls were really awesome.

    (5)

  • Guava G.

    Happy Hour is a must here. Hawaii has a ton of amazing authentic Japanese and sushi restaurants...but when I feel like indulging in the non-traditional in a festive setting...Doraku is my restaurant of choice. This is the best place to take mainlanders who want to try sushi for the first time. Favorites are the Double Happiness Roll, the Emporer Roll, and don't forget to order ice cream or the fried brownie! P.S. This location is much more local friendly than the craziness of Waikiki!

    (4)

  • JD L.

    This is a place my girlfriends and i usually go to when we just want to chill and drink. Love the tuna takaki (happy hour item: whoot whoot!) and the white dragon roll. In my experience, service has always been awesome, whether its slow or busy. I actually cAme here for my 25th birthday this past May. Aaron was our server and he was amazing!! He brought out two orders of the brownie tempura with candles in them for our party of 6. He's super friendly and awesome!! Overall, love this place and I definitely would come back again! :) Heads up, for parking, you can valet in the next door parking structure ($3) or find street parking!

    (4)

  • Ramandeep K.

    Great food, located in the mall. Had the emperor roll, butter fish and thought were great. Cocktails were good too. Good location to go, and good service.

    (4)

  • Fita N.

    Great food and great services!!

    (5)

  • Shari S.

    Updated Review- I went to Doraku last night for a casual business dinner with my dad and one of his friend/customer from the mainland. Well I picked here because I had such a great experience a couple months ago... I really love the food here and our server (I don't remember his name) was tentative and friendly. Me, my dad, and his friend had the Omakase (very good deal!!) We had 5 courses. The fish was fresh and everything tasted great. The only down side to the Omakase is that they didn't time it good. We had long waits in between some of the courses and other came out before we were finished so there were too many plates... It takes a lot to time perfectly (La Mer does this perfectly and Nobu's). But because we had waits in between courses I was really full by the time the last course (the sushi) came out. I didn't even eat the rice... We all just ate the fish! Anyway despite the length between the courses the food was great. My sister got the yuzu butterfish was very light and refreshing. She also got a california roll and the Salmon Chazuke. All very tasty. The one thing I really disliked and a big reason I gave a 3/5 instead a 5/5 this time was because of the ambiance. I know that this is a big happy hour place and everything (we went after happy hour...) but the music was way too loud. I felt like I was shouting across the table. When I came here in March it was more low key almost like a loungy feel... but this time the music was loud so the people were loud (so they can hear each other). I felt like I was in a bar not a restaurant. Another thing is that there were some customers that were blocking the way to the bathroom... they were just standing in the aisle and when my sister and I were trying to go to the restroom and trying to say excuse me without shouting because the music was so loud. The hostesses just watched us and didn't say anything to try to move the customers.... Another thing was that there were a couple of waitress/hostesses that I felt weren't dressed appropriately. I am all for "if you got it flaunt it" but there is a time and place for it. A couple waitresses had their shirts tied up in the back to show their midrift up to their belly buttons. I thought that Doraku was a classier sushi restaurant but I guess not. There is a time and place for it and I think that working in a food establishment is not one of them. It was inappropriate.... another reason I felt like I had brought my dad's client to a bar (Silly me next time I will take them to Hiroshi's). I also felt that the hostess's skirt (or it could have been a dress) was too short... it was practically showing her butt... I am not taking away stars because of the bad dress code but I just feel that there is a time and place to dress certain ways and being at work in a nice restaurant shouldn't be one of them. Now I am not sure if I will return. I really like the food so I may try go back to the Waikiki location and hopefully it isn't as loud... I hate having to shout across the table to people and hearing the conversations of people next to me because they are shouting too. Maybe for happy hour with my girlfriends and I am gonna be drinking... but not for a date night with my husband or casual business dinners.

    (3)

  • Gspot H.

    The HAmachi Diced Chili is a must try. Everything else was so good don't even know where to start. Service was great

    (5)

  • Shane C.

    I love the food at this place. Ika natto don and maguro natto don are my favorites. This place has a variety of ala carte items that you can choose from. Haven't tried many of them, but the ones that I have are delicious. Ginger karaage chicken, ahi tataki, and seafood sashimi are some of my favorites on the happy hour menu. At $4-6 an item, it's a pretty good deal. As for the dessert, the brownie tempura is a must. Might give you diabetes, but use it for one of your cheat meals. As for the service, I have to say that it is hit or miss. The times that I've been here so far, the service has been good for the most part. There was this time when I waitress forgot multiple items and that irritated me a little. Other than that, I love this place. Definitely recommend.

    (4)

  • Marissa G.

    Such a fun place to eat and have cocktails! Food was delish an the Tempura brownies are to die for! Service was fast and friendly. I will be back on my next visit!

    (5)

  • Eduardo P.

    Great sushi. Excellent happy hour! I've been here three times in the past two weeks and never leave disappointed.

    (4)

  • Wendy Y.

    5 stars for happy hour! $6 lychee martins are yummy!

    (5)

  • Sam M.

    I seem to be coming to this venue in Kaka'ako often. The manager is excellent and the food excellent quality. Ambiance is top notch and not as squeezed in seating like the Waikiki. I will continue to come back. Not super traditional Japanese but still very very good.

    (5)

  • Melinda Q.

    Good Happy Hour. Popcorn Shrimp!

    (4)

  • Danielle J.

    Love the food & this new location! The miso butterfish never disappoints me! It's soo flavorful & melts in your mouth. There's many good stuff on the menu, can't remember names for all of them. & I have to add that the fried tempura brownie dessert is Delish!!

    (4)

  • Amanda D.

    Not bad. Not particularly memorable. I hear they have a great happy hour so I'd love to go back and try it then. Portions are small for the price. Order plenty or you'll leave unsatisfied. Valet is $3 in the Pacifica. I generally tend to avoid places in HI where I need to pay for parking...

    (3)

  • Traveling Gir L.

    FYI if you come in and want to take advantage of their happy hour you are not allowed to sit in regular seating. (Unless you pay full price). Wow what a way to make a new guest feel valued! No restaurant is that great. I think the owner needs to know what yelp is about and actually read the reviews!

    (1)

  • Shan S.

    My second time coming here was not impressed as much as the first time. I order the ahi poke which tasted like it had been frozen from the day prior. This would have been fine with me If they had told me that, being that I only like fresh poke not the frozen kine. Next thing was the tuna tataki didn't have as much mayo dressing on it like the last time. One thing I really do NOT like is when restaraunts aren't consistent with portions/amounts given. You should be able to come any time on any day and the food should be presented and served pretty much the same. The waitress was super sweet though and was nice enough to put our small cake in the fridge for us. I just think this visit was a little off, I know it was better the first time i went, but I'll still keep coming. The White dragon roll is super dee-lish by the way! The firecracker shrimp we ordered was awesome as well.

    (3)

  • Al D.

    Great pau Hana. Pricey otherwise. Still a good place to hangout with friends. Great decor. Parking sucks though. Make reservations or arrive at off peak times to avoid ridiculous waits.

    (4)

  • James P.

    Had the Red Dragon and the Kagu-Tsuchi Roll - both were Outstanding!! I'll be back! The atmosphere was authentic!

    (5)

  • Jonathen L.

    Aloha everyone. I went to Doraku last night for pupus and drinks. I started off at the bar, which was very busy, but the staff was very attentive and was still able to take my drink order (Jameson and a beer). The manager, Kai, that evening stopped to make sure that everything was ok and let me know that I was next in line for a bar seat. Within 15 minutes, I was seated and within another 15 minutes my buddy arrived. I stopped Kai a second time as he was walking by, and he was able to suggest several items from the menu, which were great suggestions. Must try the Salmon Kama, if it's available, and the Salmon Carpaccio. We also had the Dragon Roll, which came out very quickly. For Desert we tried the tempura brownie with vanilla ice cream. . . winning. For Drinks we had a bottle of Ichiko. . . Sake Time. The coolest thing about the entire experience, was that a local gentleman proposed to his girl, via Brownie Desert. I was able to witness the pre-set up from the manager Kai. Totally awesome. Thanks to the staff and Management for the awesome service. I'm definitely going back again to try other dishes.

    (5)

  • Justin R.

    Doraku is a really nice restaurant overall. Since I am always around Ward from 4-6 I always go by for their happy hour. Their menu for happy hour is about $5 per item and the food you get for the price is reasonable for being upscale. It is also great for those underage because unlike Shokudo, you can still enjoy the happy hour menu! The setting is very hip and modern and the service is top notch. They are friendly and always willing to serve. I had a good experience and I am sure you will too. I only give this a four star because I came out spending 20 bucks on happy hour after tips and tax. I can't imagine how much I would be spending when NOT happy hour!

    (4)

  • B K.

    Doraku sushi? So... Where's the "sushi"?

    (1)

  • Rylan C.

    id come back here again and again. love the happy hour. great service! Good food!!!

    (5)

  • Geoff Y.

    Went 12/26/2012. Service was excellent. Our waitress was knowledgeable and kept our waters/drinks filled. Music selection was different for an Asian restaurant, but definitely fits the younger patrons, which appear to be the target market. Food was the best part. Everything we ordered came out elegantly plated. The sushi rice is superb, which indicates the quality of sushi and the chef's skill. The fish was fresh and the portions were honest. The Lana'i ama-ebi with the head fried is a must have. The shrimp is huge and tastes sweet and clean. The head is fried crispy with the innards being buttery. My favorite was the grilled king oyster mushroom from Waimanalo. It was grilled perfectly, so that the mushroom had the grilled flavor while still having texture. The sauce that came with it was a perfect match. A little sweet and salty to match the grilled earthy flavor of the mushroom. We ordered the green tea ice cream for dessert, even though we were stuffed. The ice cream surprised me because it wasn't the generic green tea ice cream most Asian places serve. It was very rich, creamy, and very refreshing. I'm glad we ordered it. Bottom line is we'll be going back. Not only is the food and service worth it, I appreciate that they support the local farms and fishermen.

    (5)

  • Stephany L.

    Worse management ever... I called the restaurant and was told I could use an expired gift card as an exception to my situation by Vera. With this information, I said I would have to call back to ensure everyone in my party could make the reservation. I called back and Julie answered the phone. I made the reservation and wanted to let her know my situation since I spoke with Vera and this would be my first time here. Julie said she was the manager and denied Vera's decision and said I could not use the expired gift card. I asked, "Would n't this be free money to your company w/out services rendered?" Julie said, "Yes, but that doesn't matter because we don't honor expired gift cards." I have never set foot in this restaurant before and never will. What a great first impression they gave me; it sure was a great way to encourage me to try their food. Thanks Doraku!

    (1)

  • Stephen H.

    I can't speak to the wait for a table, or ambiance, or happy hour, or the service of this place. Only to its "Kagu-tsuchi Roll" (aka "God of Fire") that I ordered to go for lunch. For $12.50 + tax you get a "spicy tuna roll with cucumber and jalapeno topped with tuna sashimi, habanero tobiko, and spicy garlic aioli." Artfully presented, and tasty/spicy enough. But the roll was so thin. To name it after a deity is blasphemous at most, disrespectful at least. I think Kagu-tsuchi would have been embarrassed to know that a mere mortal subject, me, was still awfully hungry after eating his namesake sushi.

    (3)

  • Deandra P.

    Did not plan on eating here tonight. First time ever. Inferior was gorgeous!! A little too dark but really set a nice mood. Ordered the sashimi deluxe and misoyaki butteefish. Oh my goodness the butterfish melts in your mouth. I really suggest getting this dish! The sashimi was wonderful of course! Our server was great! Always checking up on us and pouring us water :)

    (5)

  • Michael C.

    Truly, a HAPPY Hour! I've had Doraku Sushi bookmarked for what seems like an eternity. For a while my enthusiasm to try this place was quite high, and then (sadly) it eventually morphed into procrastination as other social commitments (Yelp events, family events) took precedence in recent months. Thankfully, the happy hour gods took pity and I was able to try out their late night happy hour recently with fellow Yelpers in tow. NOTE: Happy Hour daily 400-600pm and 900pm to closing. PARKING: Valet or street. SETTING: This location is comprised of outdoor and indoor seating, with the restaurant having seating at tables, at the sushi bar, or on a cozy/small mezzanine level. The restaurant is lively and energetic, with the patrons engaged in conversation whilst enjoying food and drink. A terrific social environment surely. FOOD: The happy hour menu is very extensive featuring food and drink specials. Altogether our group shared the salmon carpaccio, spicy tuna roll, tuna tataki, beef tataki, chicken karaage, and steak skewers. I must admit I liked every item we tried on the happy hour menu. Though the portions are not large, they're just right to allow sharing of several dishes to satisfy one's appetite. My favorite dishes were the chicken karaage, the salmon carpaccio, and the tuna tataki. The slices of salmon were expertly cut and plated artfully, the chicken karrage was served hot and fresh, while the tuna tataki is sinfully delicious in its own right. I wouldn't hesitate to order those three items on future visits. Lastly, my drink of choice for the meal: Kirin on draft. SERVICE: Terrific. The servers are friendly, knowledgeable, and attentive. Our group appreciated their food recommendations for HH, as well as their knowledge about the menu. The food was delivered in a timely manner, the water and beer glasses never emptied, and we were well looked after throughout our meal. BOTTOM LINE: Late night happy hour is awesome! Great food and drink specials!

    (4)

  • Rhea Cherie B.

    PROS +Awesome lunch specials +Happy Hour +Fresh fish +Tasty dishes +Speedy service CONS -Pricey -Long waits during weekends, especially during dinner FAVORITES +Brownie tempura...BEST. THING. EVER! +Spicy crispy trio...yum! +Japanese style rib eye garlic steak...double yum! I love Doraku and I'm not sure what else I can say that everyone else who gave a 5-star review hasn't said already. The restaurant is nice and clean, the decor and ambiance are on point. I love the sake barrels behind the bar and the fact that all of their wooden chairs have "Doraku" carved into their sides. I've never had to wait very long for food, even when they're busy. This is one of the best places to get sushi on the island. The fish is always fresh and prepared perfectly and they have a lot of creative dishes. The hostess service is alright, sometimes I get the feeling they hate their job but the service I've received from the bartenders and servers has always been fantastic. Overall, Doraku is one of my favorite sushi spots on Oahu. Just be prepared to spend a little extra money-you will want to order just about everything on the menu and prices are a bit steep if you're not going during happy hour.

    (5)

  • Jerry X.

    I rarely give a restaurant a five star. Especially for a new one. But this one deserve it. With warm greeting to the excellent recommendation. Excellent happy hour menu and regular dinner menu, I didn't find anything fail. Excellent food and ingredients. The one critic is only my medium rare garlic rib eye is a bit overcooked.

    (5)

  • Kiara Q.

    I ate here for the first time with a couple of girlfriends that I haven't seen in a while. They said this place was great and so we arrived at around 830 pm without a reservation and waited about 5-10 minutes to be seated, which was not bad at all being as they looked pretty busy. We got seated in the upper left portion of the upstairs section, which was really nice, with an intimate ambiance. Perfect for a nice girls night out, catching up with old friends. Our waitress (I forget her name) was very sweet and extremely helpful with making suggestions. Her service was prompt, without being intrusive, and she was very personable. We ordered a bunch of food to share (which were so freaking delicious), and we had a round of cocktails which were tasty. As far as drinks go- the white sangria (peach?) was amazing. Soo good, and they serve it in pitchers which is great for sharing! Overall, we had a great time here. I read the other reviews and it's kind of a bummer that others didn't have as great of a time, because I love it here. Maybe I got lucky with a great server, but either way I definitely recommend this place.

    (5)

  • Joanne V.

    For a moment, I was all about Doraku! The ambiance, service (most times), & food was always top notch. In fact, there hasn't been a dish I didn't like. We like to come for happy hour after work or late at night and always order the ahi tataki & lychee martinis. Aside from these two menu items, I am a big fan of the white and red dragon rolls. Seriously, you can't go wrong with those rolls. You just can't. Anyway, sushi has always tasted fresh & the variety of rolls are great. There is surely a roll that would satisfy everyone & anyone. Four stars out of five cause sometimes the booths reek & one of my rolls was lost in oblivion & was almost charged for it. Uh uh honey :P. Our server quickly fixed this issue & all was well again :)

    (4)

  • India R.

    - Great for Happy Hour!!! -The Kapiolani location is very convenient, with valet parking and just as nicely designed as the Waikiki location. But again, way more convenient! :) -Just across from the Blaisdell, you can stop here before a concert too!

    (5)

  • Jordann M.

    I've been here a couple of times and always had a good dining experience. But I'm writing this review solely based on the service. Came here tonight with a bunch of girlfriends for their birthdays, and I know my friends can be really demanding so I always pray for our server to be on it. He was though! He was attentive, friendly and quick. And at the end of our dinner we brought out our own birthday cake and it was pretty big so we couldn't eat it all. I'm guessing it was the manager but he told us he would pack it up for us, even though it wasn't their desert. I was thankful they did, they saved us the trouble! Anyways even though it's busy, I'm glad our waiter/manager helped us out! Thank you!

    (5)

  • Amanda K.

    Love this place and they're also open late on weekends. I can't eat seafood so I get the vegetable roll, which is a hand roll here. Just delicious. Loved the drinks and the great service too. The decor is very nice and provides for a comfortable yet hip atmosphere. I tried the tempura brownie and it wasn't my cup of tea, but a cool concept. Would love to go back.

    (5)

  • Kayla C.

    The white dragon roll is delicious. It's a little pricey and I went when it was really busy on a weekend so had to wait a while to order and then to actually get my food but overall it was a great place. I plan on coming back for sure.

    (4)

  • Seanne A.

    Food is super good! Love the atmosphere. Service was awesome both times that I have gone. I recommend going to happy hour if you haven't gone and want to try a variety of the menu items. Enjoy!

    (5)

  • Nomake L.

    Service was great, first time there, ordered the following: - Strawberry carbonated alcoholic drink (forgot name of beverage) - Hubby: Kona Longboard - Food: Oyster Shooters (tangy and spicy - no alcohol - incredible), Clams, Ponzu Hamachi with king mushrooms (a must try), garlic ribeye steak (served with baby greens, sautéed mushrooms, garlic chips, bean sprouts, and onions), Dragon Roll, and Dynamite Don (spicy chicken rice bowl topped with mini caviar, nori and sweet pickled ginger). Total = $104 + Tip (22%) = awesome experience and worth the price. Less than 20min to be seated on a Friday night! Friendly service, awesome menu selection, and food tasted great! Gonna go again.

    (5)

  • rachel m.

    We chose Doraku Kakaako for our 1st dinner of 2013. And it was an EPIC FAIL. I have never walked out of a restaurant as LIVID as I did tonight. We were SO excited Doraku Kakaako opened in the neighborhood and to make it our go to spot! We ordered sapporo, hot tea, miso soup, sweet&spicy edemame, agedashi tofu, spicy tuna handroll, butterfish and a side of rice, and nigiri: toro, ika, ikura, NO WASABI. Anyone who works in the food industry knows when a customer makes a specific request when they order, it could mean a food allergy. As soon as my boyfriend bit into his ikura nigiri, he immediately knew there was wasabi in it. We sent it back. When it came back the waitress said, "they fixed the ika, but can't fix the ikura" I'm sorry... WHAT? I immediately said, "You didn't make a new one? You 'fixed them' and came back with the same ikura that they 'couldn't fix' and wanted to serve it to us AGAIN? She said she would check again. Apparently the restaurant manager heard this exchange and pulled the waitress aside. I watched as they had a discussion about what the problem was. Meanwhile all this other food is sitting on the table. My BF didn't wanna eat until the rice was on the table. How long does it take for a scoop of rice? Apparently 10 minutes. As well as a glass of ice: 10 minutes. We then pulled the restaurant manager aside and my BF tried to clarify why we would be served the same dish. He was completely defensive and said, "we're fixing it." Not, "I'm so sorry". No apology or acknowledgement of the mistake and then RE-SERVING us the same dish. We stood up and left 95% of the food on the table and asked for our check. Restaurant Manager tried to tell us he would take care of the bill. We asked for it anyways. It's not about the bill, we would have happily paid the full bill and came back over and over again if our experience was different. We didn't get the bill but, my BF left money on the table, which he shouldn't have, as we hardly ate any food and we still had to make dinner when we got home!!!!! ugh. We get outside to the valet and there is 1 guy working with 6 different people waiting for their cars and cars he's trying to park as people are pulling in. IN THE POURING RAIN! we ended up taking our keys and walking to find our car ourselves and paying $5 to do that!!! ugh. IDIOTIC. Awful experience. I'm so disappointed.

    (2)

  • Jo A.

    Lovely restaurant. I was pleased to find that their portions and prices were the same whether you ordered the lunch special or the a la carte, so of course, we chose the special which came with miso soup, salad and pickles. I ordered the spicy ahi and while it was very flavorrul, it was so very spicy! I eat spicy ahi all the time, and often add more wasabi or Sriracha sauce, but the Doraku spicy ahi was a bit too hot even for me. It was just on the edge of being uncomfortable. My friend ordered a chicken dish, and it was average. The service was good, but not outstanding. We were there on a Tuesday for lunch and the restaurant was about half empty. It seemed to fill up later. I have plans to return in a few weeks, and am looking forward to trying something else. The entrance from the parking garage is confusing.

    (3)

  • Tyrone I.

    We had tickets for the Blaisdell last night and thought Doraku would make a great pre-concert dinner venue. A lot of concert goers must have felt the same and though we had reservations, I started to worry if the hostess had forgotten us. Their waiting area was packed and people were willing to wait an hour to be seated. I checked back with the hostess and she found us seats at the sushi bar. A little iffy...... Happy Hour is now 4:00-6:00. We missed it by 15 minutes. I wish the hostess who took our reservations had known about it when I asked her. Their regular menu is a little pricey, but the food was good. I like when a chef puts a little twist into his or her offerings. We had the Clams Sakamushi served in a flavorful broth with a surprising chili kick. Small, but the taste was perfect for the chill of the evening. We also had the Garlic Steak. Instead of being minced, the garlic was pickled and sliced into thin chips. I ate 'em. Doraku has a nice selection of sushi and we had a roll that was well made and fresh, but I didn't feel the twist. So I got me some uni! That's what I get for letting the wife choose..... Bottom line? Doraku is in a convenient location with an inviting ambiance and decor. The wait staff is personable, but drink service was a little slow for us. It's a little loud, but not unbearable. The food is tasty and tastefully plated. For the evening with 2 Sapporos between us, a little over $80.00 with tip. We were satisfied and will be back, but if you like quantity......

    (4)

  • Darci N.

    Loved it. 3 of us decided to dine at this new location. Highly recommended to make reservations. When we arrived they were packed! We waited no more than 5 minutes to be seated upstairs at our table, they even offered the bf the remote to change the channels. The service was quick and friendly. The food was delicious. The decor was beautiful, inside and out. Now to have one more on the West side.

    (4)

  • Michael K.

    Seated outside and after 15 minutes no waitress/no service, waved bye to the hostess as we were leaving...she smiled and waved back. Will never go back.

    (1)

  • Moana M.

    This was my first time coming here and absolutely loved it! The food, service, and atmosphere are wonderful! Best of all was the check - extremely reasonable!

    (4)

  • Zee A.

    ABC Hawaii held their 2013 Membership Appreciation Dinner here and it went amazingly! Great food, ambiance and staff! Dave was great, Warren kept the bar line moving and Chelsee was super knowledgeable on the restaurants menu and sakes. We look forward to eating here again!!

    (5)

  • Billy K.

    The quality of the food is really good, nice and fresh. Service was excellent. I feel the the people that is making the rolls and sushi is not very experiance. They have great ingredients to make great food but they should taste what they put out and make the menu simpler instead of having 101 things in a hand roll.

    (3)

  • Colleen Z.

    Absolutely the worst experience. Reservations for 6:30pm were met with a wait after two other parties without reservations seated, then we were offered to sit outside which we went ahead and were seated at a table with a lovely view of the valet entrance. After 17 minutes a waiter came to our table to take our drink order, yes, by the way, we were just getting ready to leave. An order for Kirin was not possible as they were out. Really? Yes. We decided to go ahead and order while waiter was there because we had already decided what we wanted. Daughter-in-law ordered, I ordered then waiter said thanks and started to walk away but all three of us protested as my son had not given his order. After taking our order the waiter left and was not to appear for another 10 minutes. Our drink order was one beer, one coke and one water. Yes, we didn't even have water after 27 minutes. We gave the waiter ten minutes because we were suspecting the service to be less than stellar, at the ten minute mark, we got up and went to valet, asked for our car and even with the wait to get e car, load up and drive out, our waiter still had not appeared. We understand the site has just opened but wow, did they hire no experienced manager to run the place? My kids said they will not visit this site of Doraku again.

    (1)

  • Lehcar S.

    I would give this a zero but our server was excellent, once we finally got seated. I do not recommend showing up here with a reservation and expecting to be seated. The management and hostesses obviously had no idea how to deal with reservations and large crowds waiting to be seated. We (party of 4) had a reservation for 6:00pm on a Friday night, followed by tickets for Wicked at 8pm. We showed up at 6:05 and it took us at least 5 minutes just to reach the podium with the hostess. She told us there was a wait. I walked through the restaurant and immediately saw that there were no empty tables, no one looking like they would be leaving soon, and a huge pile of people in the lobby waiting. It was clear that they had seated diners regardless of upcoming reservations. At 6:20 at party of three shows up with a reservation for 6pm as well. They are told there is a wait. They throw a tantrum and suddenly they are about to be seated. At this point we decided to protest as we had shown up 15 min earlier also with a reservation for 6pm. At this point the manager was called in as I think there were others in the lobby with reservations not be honored. They sat the party of 3, at a table for 4, before us. Soon after we were given an outside table that turns out to be part of the coffee shop and not the sushi restaurant. From this point out our experience was fine as we had an excellent server and Doraku comped us our bottle of wine.

    (1)

  • Brittney W.

    The sushi itself is nothing special if anything it's a bit pricy. I ate with two other friends so three people in total and our bill came out to $100. I wasn't even full after. However they have some good dishes but this isn't someplace I would want to go to especially or will crave in the future. But I mean it is a good place to at least try once for yourself.

    (3)

  • Patrick G.

    After hearing so many good things about this new location of Doraku Sushi, I just had to experience this restaurant for myself. After my first experience here, I would say that all of the hype is definitely warranted. I walked in on a Sunday night and took a seat at the empty bar. I expected the restaurant to be a lot more crowded, but I was happy to be able to get a seat so fast. The lack of crowd could have been due to my timing - it was happy hour, so a little early. The decor of the restaurant was new and trendy. The place was extremely clean and the staff were very friendly. Art the bartender took good care of me and was full of recommendations and conversation. I had the firecracker shrimp and the spicy tuna roll from the happy hour menu. They were both very good and came in very generous portions, especially for happy hour. After eating these two items, I was surprisingly stuffed. I can't wait to come back and experience more of the excitement and deliciousness that Doraku has to offer.

    (5)

  • K M.

    I can't say enough good things about this location. My husband and I decided to come here on a Friday, and got seated right away. Ambiance is fabulous here; our table was tucked upstairs, away from the hustle & bustle from the clientele downstairs who were enjoying happy hour. Food is top knotch; very well displayed and taste is up to par to other high end Japanese restaurants. Service from the staff deserves recognition as well. They were all extremely accommodating and awesome at that. Finally found an alternate dinner spot for delicious Japanese cuisine that meets my expectations, but is not as inconvenient as going out to Waikiki.

    (5)

  • Kyle Q.

    I love the service and the food looked as good as it tasted.

    (5)

  • Shane T.

    It's not your traditional Japanese food, but it was okay. I understand how some people love this place. It's just not my style. It is a little like Shokudo. The service and ambiance made the experience better. Definitely worth a try, but probably won't become a regular.

    (3)

  • BubbaluArare G.

    i only give this place one star because our waiter was cute. otherwise, this place sucks. don't bother-- go to the waiks location instead. the lychee martini in the pacifica is on the happy hour menu but it's lychee juice. as for the food-- super mediocre and horrible. the grilled oyster mushrooms i so love at the waiks location is not to be found (at least i did not see it). my favorite squid tempura was like chewing the bottom of my rubbah slippah. the other entrees were equally horrible. as for that hostess who answered the phone then seated us-- ummm please consider hiring someone who can speak full sentences and not just squeak. she wasn't exactly "all there" either. finally-- the valet parking is a nightmare. don't plan on showing up until perhaps 1/2 hr after they've opened because there will be no one there to greet you. HORRIBLENESS

    (1)

  • Maria S.

    I love their Sashimi - so fresh, not too cold and not too room-temperature--JUST RIGHT; I also LOVE their Emperor, Rainbow and Red Dragon Rolls. Before I forget--for starters, go with the Doraku Seafood--IT IS OFF THE CHAIN. The cocktails were awesome and on-point. I loved this place so much I went there twice for dinner and I was only in Hawaii for 4 nights/5 days!

    (5)

  • Anastasia R.

    I love Doraku! I am sushi newb so I can't wax poetic about the sushi in much detail. All I know is I love this place. I dream of their spicy lobster roll and driving past this location is literally torture. I wish I could stop and eat here every time I am in the neighborhood. My groups go to rolls have been the spicy lobster, red dragon, and god of fire. I had their sweet and spicy edamame once, not a fan. It was too sweet and not spicy. The drinks left a little to be desired because they were out of anything that contained juice the last time I went. Not sure about that. Minus one star. Make reservations so you won't have to wait. I love that they have two happy hours. Amazing! I can't wait to come back!

    (4)

  • Larry C.

    Doraku on Kapiolani is fantastic. Set in a central location with classy decor, it's dinner menu has a large selection of seafood and sushi items, as well as some non seafood items as well. I would highly recommend the Dragon Roll. If you're looking for a happy hour Doraku has an early 8 PM start. Good selection, great price, quality fish. Coupled with $3 Kirin, it's hard to go wrong.

    (5)

  • Kurt I.

    food was great, service was great. Was kind of on the expensive side. I don't like the fact you only have valet parking (in the pacifica, $3). The one dish that stuck out was the white dragon roll...ummmm i'll be back again.

    (4)

  • Kalalea M.

    Happy hour is great. The prices and quality of the menu will keep us going back. Drinks were good and the service is very attentive. We enjoyed watching the chefs get prepared for the evening service and this place is like a sushi restaurant on steroids. A lot going on but very organized. We really enjoyed this place and will return soon.

    (4)

  • A W.

    Came here during happy hour and they had some pretty good stuff. Would recommend the Asari Clams & Hamachi Carpaccio. The sushi was fresh service was good. Had the Brownie Tempura with Green Tea Ice Cream - yum!

    (4)

  • Karyn M.

    Happy hour is quite reasonable. Regular pricing might be a bit much. Parking is right after the restaurant off of Kapiolani Boulevard. They offer valet for $3. Weird part is....you need to walk through the coffee shop to get to the entrance of Doraku from the parking lot. Strange, but they don't seem to mind cause they have a sign with an arrow directing you where to go. Seems to be a trendy hip place for young adults to hang out. Waitress was very helpful and made sure we took full advantage of the happy hours pricing by letting us know to order now before it ends. It was a very pleasant experience, although might not be the place for me. Food was tasty and very well presented. Would go again if friends wanted to meet there.

    (3)

  • Aya T.

    Oh Doraku, you did me right! Came here with the fam and caught the tail end of the happy hour :). Got the lychee martini special for $6. It was super tasty with quite a punch. Definitely try to hit the 5-7pm or late night HH here. We ordered the Deluxe Spicy Tuna roll and Eggplant Miso from the happy hour menu. Both dishes were nice portions, loved the spicy tuna with shiso and veggies and the eggplant miso melted in my mouth. My brother and I went to town on a couple things. We got the New Style Doraku sushi roll with crab and avocado, topped with tuna, tobiko, daikon radish, shiso leaves, crispy garlic chips and a wasabi yuzu sauce. This roll was GORGEOUS and I was overjoyed with this selection. We also got the Ume/Shiso chicken which was a super tender grilled chicken. My Dad got the sushi/sashimi deluxe platter with 8 pieces of nigiri sushi + 8 pieces of sashimi. I was drooling over his plate. Big pieces of beautiful fish and sushi, he was so happy :). Before we finished off our plates, I wanted to try some of their sake from their extensive menu. I got the emperor sampler which came with 3 tastings. I thought they were all pretty good but loved the aged Daiginjo Akitabare Suirakuten. The space here is great and they also have a nice outdoor patio. So jealous that I can't get the Doraku experience back home.

    (5)

  • T W.

    The service here was horrible! My gf n I didn't mind waiting 20 minutes since we didn't have a reservation but once we were seated, it was as if we didn't exist. The only thing we got there was the menu. We sat for almost another 20 minutes without even getting any water! I went to say something to the hostess and all she n another person there could do was look confused and didn't know what to say. Needless to say we just walked out. It was a bummer cuz our friend said food was good there and we really wanted to try it. Maybe they were just having a bad night, idk but it was a bad experience

    (1)

  • Jennifer H.

    Went here for the first time for my sister's birthday. Service was excellent and food came out quickly considering it was busy and we were ordering as we went along our meal. I just went again for happy hour. Same great service! Menu is great for happy hour. Got full of of 5 dishes. And with those 5 dishes and 3 drinks our bill was only $37! Will visit again!

    (5)

  • Magnum P.

    Just had a really nice lunch here. Miso sea bass was awesome.

    (5)

  • Michele W.

    Ok, short and sweet. If you are looking for a new happy hour place check this place out! The price is right and the sushi pretty good for the price! $4.00 a roll? Wow! Eggplant nice and tasty not overcooked. Try it! What have you got to lose at the price? Music volume could be a notch lower in order to hear the people in your group or how about some nice jazz, relaxing music in the early hours....just a suggestion.....

    (4)

  • Erica F.

    Very disappointed in this place yesterday. I have been there a hand full of times. I usually like the drinks, service and food. Yesterday's happy hour was awful: 1. The fish was extra fatty and bland. I felt sick before even leaving the restaurant. (Took me 3 hours to feel better after leaving.) 2. The server messed up the bill and took forever to come back with the correction. 3. I found out today my card was double charged. 4. When I called the restaurant today, there was no manager on site to help. Im thoroughly not impressed and I won't be recommending others to go here anymore. Plenty of other great sushi spots to go.

    (1)

  • Daniel H.

    Food was pretty good and prices affordable during happy hour. Even the amount of food was all right for a happy hour. The happy hour menu was kinda small but I think it's something on it for everybody. Hot sake was ok. Fish tacos were ok - I've had better at mac24/7 in waiks. Service was good, everybody was very friendly. Parking kinda sucks but we found street parking one block over in the commercial zone. I recommend this place for a good happy hour snack with friends.

    (4)

  • Devyn K.

    I have always heard about the amazing happy hour specials here and finally got to experience it for myself. A friend and I ordered a bunch of different things and not only were they quick about getting the food out but everything tasted amazing. I really enjoyed the atmosphere of the place as well. Definitely a great spot when you're in the mood for some sushi at 11:30 at night! Also the parking garage makes the restaurant very accessible.

    (5)

  • Shuji K.

    Love the White Dragon roll. I wish they didn't sit us in an Emergency exit. I'm pretty sure that's not fire safe. And I will try happy hour next time.

    (3)

  • G M.

    Bestest happy hour! Great prices , comfortable setting and friendly service Happy hour pupu is good Limited on drink choices

    (4)

  • Tanya S.

    Really good for happy hour! What I liked: -hamachi kama (so good) -lychee martini ($6 for happy hour) -red dragon roll -$3 Kirin draft for happy hour -tempura brownie -dynamite shrimp Not the best: -need to valet park ($3) -happy hour deluxe spicy tuna (I didn't like it with the shiso leaf) -dancing geisha and other specialty drinks It's a neat atmosphere here and the food is good. It can be a little pricy if you order from the regular menu. Happy hour stuff is reasonable. I will be back!

    (4)

  • Kamalani S.

    Andrew was our server he's the best server !... I love their food and drinks... White Dragon and Momotoro Lemonade, the BEST!... All around good restaurant...

    (5)

  • Mei Y.

    Food was excellent - recommend the white dragon roll. The eggplant miso was also delicious. Great service, great food!!

    (5)

  • Janda D.

    My overall FAVORITE place for sushi and sake. Try the God of Fire, White Emperor, the steak sticks (Only available at happy hour) and do an oyster shot. I don't eat it, but it's a favorite for my husband. Prices are not bad for quality sushi.

    (5)

  • Tim M.

    This place is a must! Great happy hour and Tony the barkeep is the bomb. Super hot female staff adds to the enjoyment. Wish the parking situation was better but that won't stop my return.

    (5)

  • Michelle L.

    Best late night happy hour on appetizer menu starting at 9pm (order a few and you have a meal for under 10 bucks)! Cheap, yummy, and variety.

    (4)

  • Andy K.

    A place where I like to go for good sushi and a chill environment. The tataki and white dragon roll are awesome.

    (4)

  • Julie H.

    Man... what to say about this place. Came here w/ my bf's parents and everything was great! There may have been an awkward moment here or there but overall we all enjoyed the dining experience. Good food = good memories = extra points for me! Food = 4.5 stars Ambiance = 5 stars Service = 4 stars Parking = 5 stars Prices = 4 stars Location = 5 stars Can't wait to come back and try other items on the menu. I can't remember what we ordered but my bf claims one of the sushi chefs looks like me -_-" . How flattering.

    (4)

  • Jessie O.

    Love everything about this place, staff, food, and drinks are all awesome! Fun place to try new sushi and to bring visitors!

    (5)

  • Maimiti H.

    We came in for the first time towards the end of happy hour but were willing to sit outside and were sat right away. Our server Ty was awesome! He was prompt, friendly and very helpful regarding the menu. The main issue with our visit was the timing of the food. Our appetizer came 20 minutes after we had finished our entrees. The family of four next to us each ate their meal individually bc of how long it took. However, Ty repeatedly apologized for the wait and even brought out 2 complimentary apps to make up for our original taking so long. His great service is what made the dinner and I would definitely go back for their happy hour deals!

    (4)

  • Deborah C.

    This is going to be a bit tricky to write, but here goes. Earlier last evening (Friday night) I met a few of my girl friends here for dinner and drinks, and we had a fabulous evening. Our server was attentive and very efficient. We loved him! The food was crazy amazing, and we absolutely loved every dish we ordered. One member of our party arrived later, and that's where the "fun" begins. She told the hostess she was coming to meet a group of girls, to which the response was: "There's no group of girls here." Then my friend gave the name she thought the reservation had been placed under and was told "No". There was absolutely NO effort on the part of the hostess to assist my friend, let alone be courteous or helpful. This is a bit disturbing, because when you have great food and an awesome wait staff, why wouldn't your first point of contact be someone who is gracious and personable? Especially with this type of business! Luckily my friend has a great personality and brushed it off. However, we do feel management should demand that individuals working the initial point of contact show a little more respect and courtesy towards customers. You never know when one of them will (or already has) dropped a huge sum of money while entertaining in your establishment... and I imagine repeat business of that type is highly desired?

    (4)

  • Erica S.

    This review is only for the happy hour. 4-6pm and 9pm-close every day. $5 tuna tataki....hands down the best I've ever had, good looking bartenders with a relatively strong pour. Would highly recommend this place.

    (5)

  • Robbie M.

    The grillled fish cheek was awesome. The skin was nice and crisp and the fish moist. The green dragon roll had a good crunch and spicy. The hamachi carpaccio was our least fave. The sauce overwhelmed the delicate fish. The happy hour lomi lomi roll was very tasty with a nice punch.

    (4)

  • Nicole C.

    Service was impeccable. I don't remember her name, but our server was friendly, attentive, and intuitive. She was the best server I've had in months! A+ for you, Doraku. However, the food was not up to par. We had the karaage, lomi lomi roll, deluxe spicy ahi roll, tuna tataki, agedashi, and beef tataki. Where to begin... The decent: tuna tataki The mediocre: lomi lomi roll (rather bland), deluxe spicy ahi roll (nice balance of flavors but nothing special), agedashi (for some reason, this wasn't done quite right) The bad: beef tataki - tasted like moist beef jerky; I MUCH prefer the Shokudo version I'm not coming back. It's not authentic, and it's not particularly good. Shokudo is an easy choice over this.

    (2)

  • James M.

    FAST AND FURIOUS!!!! We came here for good Hawaii sushi. The restaurant is very loud with blaring rave music (to make you eat faster?) and the sound competed with the Elvis impersonator playing in the courtyard outside. The staff was friendly but rushed and hyper vigilant and we were in and out of the front door in 40 minutes!!! A meal at Taco Bell takes longer. I guess the name of the game is turning over the tables. The tuna avocado salad was excellent as was the calamari but the local sushi was rather insipid and disappointing---and such small portions. I have had much better sushi in Honolulu and on the mainland. Your HI dollars would be better spent at one of the many local noodle bars.

    (2)

  • Miss P.

    The hostess service is superbly disgusting. The hostesses are snooty and they attempt to make you feel very small. My party was about 15 minutes late for our reservation and she felt the need to tell me that she gave our table away because we were late and that we have to sit outside. Like sitting outside was a bad thing! And she had to make it a point to say that she gave our table away. It was not necessary as we want to move on. It was the same as our first time here. They didn't disappoint with their bad first impression. My tip for them: Smiling goes a long way! Despite the hostesses, the waiter/waitress service was excellent. The restaurant is very busy so service can be slow but it's not because they want to neglect you. The food is excellent and above average. The food makes us come back for more and makes us endure hostesses attitudes.

    (3)

  • Cullen K.

    Let me just clarify that im giving 4 stars for SERVICE. Went here last Friday for our friends going away dinner. We were a large party so we had the upper private section which I LOVED. The decor is just top notch here! Everything is so beautiful and well thought out. Our server, I never caught her name, was so polite and welcoming. She was very busy dealing with my group and other tables but always approached with a smile. I work in restaurant so I know how hard this is sometimes lol. FIVE stars for service. I deff have to minus a star because of the food however. Ok so what happened was we sat a bit before 830 and put in a first order that time because it wasn't happy hour. I ordered the golden buddha (my servers reccomendation) Then 9 came around and we ordered happy hour stuff. Though still no sign of my roll. I did however recieve the tea and drinks we ordered. Then around 915 everyone is receiving their happy hour food as did we. Still no golden Buddha roll. It wasn't until 930 that i received MY roll which was the LAST item to come out amongst all 13 other people getting ALL their food. Now correct me if I'm wrong but if I order something an hour ago and order something 30 minutes ago, should I not get my item I ordered first FIRST? Ridiculous. I thought maybe it was cuz the uni but my friend got his uni nigiri at the 915 mark so right then I got pissed. And then we found out a tuna roll we ordered got dropped at a different table. So you can imagine how angry I was because I was starving. Our server definitely picked up on it because she was very apologetic after which I appreciate in any waitress because even though it was clearly not her fault in either case, she still managed to make me have a good time and order dessert lol!! Btw that fried ice cream hooommmgggggggg! Though I've been told the brownie is the best. I know stuff happens in restaurants and all that but the trouble with the food just made me feel like last priority especially since evetyone else got their complicated rolls way ahead of me. Good thing our server helped the situation because I'm not sure the food was worth the trouble of coming back. I did however try peoples food and found EVERYTHING was better than what I ordered *sad face* so for now on its oyster shooters and spicy volcano roll(with the jalepeno)!!!!

    (4)

  • Charlie M.

    great Toro

    (4)

  • Kathleen A.

    The service was really great. Excellent cocktail special. The food wasn't special, but there were some good items. They were accommodating of an allergy and everything came out quickly. A bit heavy handed with sauces, and the calamari was chewy, but everything else was high quality and nice.

    (3)

  • Gloria M.

    Awesome place great sushi and other stuff, emperor roll killt it!!!!!! Great staff and ambience like RA gone island in hawaii, skip yanagi, its such a has been, this is it!!!! will definitely be back!!!!

    (5)

  • yvonneandscott j.

    The happy hour is the best deal there....it gets busy so get there early. The food presentation makes it appealing eat. The sake samplers are okay..and the price is reasonable. If you are going to a concert at the blasdell then its a great place to stop in and eat before the event.

    (4)

  • Greg H.

    Have only been during Happy Hour but it is the best out there! I would come here every day if I could! :-)

    (5)

  • Fil L.

    white dragon roll - must order. garlic edamame - really tasty too. it comes in a huge bowl so be aware.

    (5)

  • Kazuo O.

    Doraku on Kapi'olani has quickly become one of my go to staples. It's large enough to dine with big groups, the bar gives you the option of dropping in late night with your date for a late night snack, and the food quality is certainly up to par with the stylistically nouveau Japanese cuisine found in Honolulu. The late night happy hour, although limited, offers some affordable and delicious basics that can fill you up while you splurge on some of the more exciting regular menu items. If you're a sake aficionado (I'm not) you'll find the beverage list more than adequate (per my sake obsessed friend). Although the space is quite large, the modular design lends to a more intimate feel than you would expect. Likes: atmosphere and design, well-executed dishes, long and varied menu, good for large groups (but get a reservation), chance to meet Steve Aoki. Dislikes: parking can be troublesome if you're allergic to walking, hard to get a table on the busy nights, might feel a little pricey vs dining experience... There's a bit of a scenester thing going on sometimes. Bottom line: solid four star. I'd like it if fewer people went so that I could show up without a reservation... Ha

    (4)

  • Erica K.

    Very, very, very good!!!! Love the sushi here! Had the doraku roll, surf and turf, god of fire roll, ahi tataki and the hamachi Kama. Everything was absolutely amazing!!! We ordered the brownie tempura for dessert. Didn't care for that much. Definitely returning for round 2!!!!

    (5)

  • Tiani B.

    Got there late, met up with friends....they had dinner there and then stayed for happy hour. Since they are NOT yelpers I will share their experience. They found a live caterpillar on their shrimp! They were not charged for the meal. Why they stayed, I will never know. But we met up for drinks so I figured I was safe. They were seated in the outdoor area and it was nice because we could conversate without so much loud music n stuff. I one star this place based on the service we recieved. It was terrible. I felt like our waitress forgot about us being out there. She took a while to return with drinks or to check on us. We even had to hunt HER down to get and pay our tab!! I will stick to the Waikiki location for sure...sorry Doraku Kapolani, you will not be seeing this foodie ever again.

    (1)

  • Dean V.

    There food is good and service I'll be back for sure

    (4)

  • Corrinne L.

    Stopped in at Doraku for a quick bite while waiting for my hotel room to be ready. I was a little late for lunch and so the restaurant was quiet and the servers had time to just chat about the food. That was nice. The decor was classy and I remember thinking to bookmark this place for when I come back next time with hubby and kids. I wasn't overly hungry, so I ordered the negi toro with scallions (nigiri) and the grilled hamachi kama. The sushi was wonderful. Fish was scraped finely and very fresh. The hamachi kama was far too salty. For such a good cut of fish, it didn't need that much salt. I felt that killed the experience for me. I might return to give it a second try - but my suspicion is that I'll stick with the sushi, rather than the cooked food.

    (3)

  • Boki C.

    I love the happy hour prices, for a relatively nice place! The food was really yummy. The music was my cup of tea. I enjoyed their uni, my thing to order. Their oyster shooters were delicious, as was their hamachi carpaccio. I wasn't a fan of their special spicy tuna roll (happy hour menu), cuz it had that shiso, which I didn't enjoy. We had their house sake which was good too. Ambiance and decor was great. A big spot. We stayed for last call drinks, all serving staff were awesome. Will definitely return.

    (4)

  • Gabe A.

    This is as good of a sushi spot you'll find in Hawaii. This is not your typical Aloha Sushi or Genki Sushi establishment. This is the type of place you visit if you are looking swanky spot with premium fresh sushi and a young, energetic (good looking) crowd. Right off the bat, I'd go with the Tuna Tataki. This dish is drizzled with some ponzo sauce, garlic chips and coupled with some green and white sweet onions to add a little crunch to the fresh Ahi. I'd recommend at least two orders of this. Can't go wrong with the Poke either. This was beautifully presented to us with a mix of Nalo greens and included some macadamia nut sprinkles, marinated in some special sauce that went down nicely with my Kirin. Finally, you gotta try the Red Dragon Roll. The mix of shrimp tempura with spicy tuna is a personal favorite of mine. Throw in the avocado and a drizzle of the spicy aioli sauce, and this is one UNREAL treat to feast on. Last of all - the ambiance at this place is top notch. You can tell that the owners spared no expense to provide a high quality atmosphere to the Hawaii crowd. Reminds me of a few top sushi spots I'd previously visited in places like LA or Miami....something you don't usually see in Hawaii. If you're looking to impress your date, or maybe a friend from out of town, Doraku is the spot to go.

    (5)

  • Eunice K.

    This place is such a sweet spot for little dates or hang outs, especially during happy hour. The poke was pretty delicious. The ambience definitely reminds me of Asia.

    (5)

  • Rachel r.

    been here several times with big groups and sometimes we would just sit at the bar... this place is our go to restaurant when we don't know what we want to eat. service is always good, but this last visit our server was spacey and forgot to ring in additional orders of drinks and food.

    (3)

  • Michelle F.

    Doraku happy hour is pretty damn amazing! Plan ahead and hit up their early happy hour (4-6p) or their late happy hour (after 9p). Score fantastic deals on their happy hour menu on both food and drinks. Their salmon kama at $5, when available, is a great deal. My bf will order at least 2 orders of their ahi tataki. Small portion size, but great flavor and a good price during happy hour. Atmosphere is welcoming, contemporary and comfortable. Service is consistently good. Parking is either valet or street parking during late night. Great spot for groups or couples.

    (5)

  • Felicia D.

    First review on Yelp! Yayyy! It's a 1-star! Boooo... For starters, let me note that this was on my birthday... yea. My birthday. I ate here once before when it opened and me and my boyfriend decided to check it out because we love anything that boasts great sushi. We stumbled in on happy hour, but ended up ordering mostly from the regular menu because the HH menu didn't really spark our tastebuds and the portions wouldn't fill us up. Luckily, we had a great bartender who filled us in on dishes that were worth the buck. We left saying we'd only come back for drinks before a movie date because it does have a good bar and fun ambiance to it (hipster alert! Especially during HH), but I much prefer Kunio's or even Kona Kai, etc. for better sushi at those prices. However, my friends decided to plan a surprise birthday dinner here after my boyfriend took me to the Lion King show at the Blaisdell, which was conveniently across the street. We ordered what we knew we would like (can't go wrong with hamachi and the Double Happiness roll is healthy AND yummy), friends took advantage of the HH items, and the beau and I tried some new things that were a little disappointing, but I was in great company, I had liquor in front of me, and it was my birthday, so I didn't care. Our waitress, Ashley (?), was super nice and tried her best despite "computer system glitches" - and that's not her fault so we understood, but it made the food and drinks come out A LOT slower and some items never even made it to the table. But like I said, no one's fault, so we're cool. But then I start to notice waitresses, managers, etc. in a conversation with my friend at the other end of the table that seemed to be of concern and two older management-type fellas circling our table (like literally, watching us eat over our shoulders) and whispering to each other as they checked their watches, then going to Ashley, sternly asking, "Are they going to be done by 7?" Mind you, we're still waiting on food to come out because of THEIR technical difficulties and definitely in ear shot of this and he wasn't trying to be quiet about it. I find out that the owner is coming to eat dinner and they want to give him our table. My friends knew and were originally told 8:30 so we had ample time (we got there at 4:30ish), even with the slow service problems. I guess the owner bumped up his reservation and management freaked out. Works well under pressure? Noooope. Circling and watch-checking continued. More conversation about when we were going to leave went down at the hostess stand (which was right next to us). By then, we just asked Ashley for a manager and straight up said, "This is hella (yes, hella) rude. We don't even feel comfortable here anymore." The manager (disclaimer: not one of the two aforementioned managers) was younger and definitely did what he could to apologize and explain the situation to us, which was difficult on his end because it was still inexcusable. He comp'd us about 1/3 of our bill for our party of 10, wished me a happy birthday, and we went on our way. And yes, I dragged my feet getting up from the table. This would've been a 3-star review for a decent happy hour spot and our sweet waitress and her accommodating manager, but I'm sure the owner would much rather prefer to know his customers are enjoying his establishment than to see a 1-star review on the performance of his senior management trying to fake that they were prepared for his arrival. Boom.

    (1)

  • Mel M.

    I LOVE the food, the location, the drinks, service, and ambiance! perfect for lunch and dinner. and you can never be Unhappy for HAPPY HOUR!

    (5)

  • Maria K.

    Had dinner there last night. While the ambience and decor were nice, the service and presentation of food were lousy. We had to remind our waitress to bring an ordered beverage, twice, while our bland miso soup arrived after our main sushi order. The maguro and amber jack sashimi presentation was not in proportion and it was sloppily sliced. Our three rolls, which were tiny, took at least 30 minutes to arrive. We had to flag down our waitress for water refills (and she grabbed the top of the bottle, covering it with her fingers-yikes!). My empty cocktail glass remained on the table all night. She brought my dessert first, then brought my husband's dessert ten minutes later. Where's the training? Doraku's servers lack basic training, which is the fault of management. Based on our experience, we won't return to Doraku's - it makes absolutely no sense to spend our hard-earned money for sub-par service and mediocre sushi. Back to Yanagi Sushi!

    (1)

  • Krissy K.

    I came here for happy hour last week with some girlfriends. We really enjoyed it. To park, you have to turn into the garage and valet there. You then go through Blue Tree Cafe to get to either the side entrance or out to the street to the main entrance. I'm not explaining it too well, but I promise it makes more sense once you're there. It looks like Alyssa K. and I disagreed on the menu items. I preferred the miso eggplant and shrimp to the chicken. I must like things she deems too sweet! :) No comment from me on the sushi, since I don't eat it. We also had the poke, which I liked a lot, but that could just be because I've been quite the poke fiend lately. Maybe next time (which we have already scheduled), we'll be wild and order things not on the happy hour menu. We also tried 2 desserts - the tempura brownie and some sort of bananas flambe. The bananas were fine. I give the brownie points (CWIDT?) for being a little more creative. I wouldn't necessarily order either again, but Thi L. often likes to have a little dessert, and I think those were the best options on the menu. The happy hour crowd is lively without being too loud. We were definitely still able to have some interesting conversations. Service was a little slow but quite accommodating and friendly. Recommended.

    (4)

  • Sydney L.

    Nice place - it was hopping on a Sat around 5:30 pm so we sat at the bar. Nice decor and vibe. HH specials 4-6 pm - some were really good - others so so. Standouts: the ahi poke and miso eggplant....so-so were the chicken yakitori and california roll. The nigiri sushi assortment was also very good - fish was fresh! Parking is very odd.... you drive into the parking garage, and then they valet park it for you.

    (4)

  • Alyssa K.

    Came here for happy hour GNO. Loved it! Happy hour drinks are $3 - $6, and pupus are $2 - $6. Really reasonable prices. The bill for four of us came out to $93 total and we had 6 drinks and a bunch of pupus plus dessert. Yaye~! Here is what we ordered: Ginger chicken karaage = winner eggplant miso = not that great. The miso was too sweet. Deluxe spicy Ahi roll = winner. Loved the shiso. Fried shrimp = not that great. Sauce was too sweet. Tempura brownie = pretty good. Brownie was nice and hot. Banana with ice cream = not that great. Banana was mushy. Lychee martini = winner!! Service = great! We all loved this place and will be back in a couple weeks for another GNO!

    (4)

  • Kanako L.

    My 3 friends and I came here to eat 2 months ago and only now I got to review this place. We walk in and there is a podium/desk in the front but there was no one there. That's alright, maybe the hostess was seating someone at the time we came in. Maybe theres only one host working? idk. but anyways, when she came back I came up to her and she asked "how many?" and I said "a table for 4 please". She said ok and walked away for something.. I wasn't sure if I should have stayed standing at the podium to wait for her return or sit and wait? So I felt awkward standing there so I sat at a bench near the entrance. She did come back to the podium/desk to help other guests who just came in but she did not give us a waiting time or any information about our table. We waited for about 10 min and then she sat us at our table. I'm not to sure how to feel about there hosting.. it wasn't a good impression of the restaurant.. So we sat in a room on the left side of the restaurant ( facing the bar) which had a bunch of artsy Japanese stuff hanging. I like the décor, it was nice. I just didn't think that the loud music matched the look of the restaurant. It was hard to conversate with my friends due to the music but we dealt with it. Our server was Ty. He was real nice. He answered all our question about the menu and gave us some recommendations. I liked that he would check up on us and made sure we had water and he'd talk story with us. The food was great. I enjoyed the food and the service from Ty. Overall it was a good experience despite the hosting .. didn't feel welcomed that's for sure. But the food and our server made it good.

    (3)

  • Tai M.

    A good, solid place for sushi. Good for dinner with friends. The atmosphere and food makes it fun. This doesn't compare to the quality and variety that Morio's or Sushi ii offer.

    (3)

  • M L.

    The service and ambiance here is good, so that's a plus. But the food is so very disappointing, thus the three stars. You know how sometimes food sort of looks like what you're expecting - in this case Japanese - but doesn't taste right? Well, that's the best way I can describe the quality of the food here. The menu looks fine, but the execution is lacking. I ate here today, hoping my first mediocre meal a few months back was an aberration, but unfortunately it was eerily similar. Perhaps it's not surprising considering the founder's father founded the Benihana chain. Because Doraku is to Japanese and sushi as Benihana is to teppanyaki - best suited for an average meal if you can't make it to your favorite places, but not up to the level of the better restaurants in its category. More style than substance.

    (3)

  • Nicholas B.

    The food was really good. We came after the happy hour so I guess we missed the majority of the rush but all in all really good food. We will definitely be coming back.

    (4)

  • Andrew D.

    This place was really solid. Cool bar area, and although we just missed happy hour, the HH menu looked promising. We sat at the bar and had good service. My husband and I split a roll, he had the sampler and I had the miso glazed butterfish. Simply yummy! In a city filled with good sushi places, I would recommend Doraku to everyone!

    (4)

  • Jennifer F.

    Great happy hour. Love their Salmon Carpaccio. Also tried their Misoyaki Butterfish... not quite as good as Roy's, but for 1/2 the price, it was still good. Had a few bones in it though, which is a big turn off. Great atmosphere. We sat at the bar and our bartender was attentive. We will definitely visit again.

    (4)

  • Judy S.

    Hmmm... I just reviewed this.. wants me to do it again?! lol it was good ;)

    (4)

  • Nathan N.

    Where do I begin . . . . . . Okay. We went on 4/27/2013 with a party of 12. They placed us on two separate tables of 6 persons on each table. You know how people are, some people were running late and one couple went to the wrong Doraku. My girlfriend and I were late because the valet parking was completely full and there is no self-parking. It took us a while to find street parking. So we walked in 20 minutes late. We join our party and sit down. Doraku is an Izakaya style restaurant - small plates made to order and meant to be shared. I've been to Doraku Waikiki, which is just wonderful and cozy with dark lighting and dark woods. The Kapiolani location is the opposite. It is loud and bright. This Doraku location was built to be seen and grab your attention. The restaurant has this really fancy interior decor that tries to combine the look of a-hole-in-the-wall Japanese back alley yakitori bar with the modern feel of Iron Chef. Chai's is right next door. And wow, their gas torches outside are spectacular at night. So back to this disaster called Doraku Kapiolani. We order something really simple: cold tofu, garlic karaage chicken, shrimp tempura and misoyaki butterfish. The only dishes I had a problem with were the shrimp tempura and the misoyaki butterfish. The shrimp tempura wasn't completely cooked. The batter was still soft and mushy. And the misoyaki butterfish hardly had any miso flavor. I've had a better misoyaki butterfish from a Korean hostess bar. Oh and another thing - $2 for every tiny bowl of rice???? Shouldn't a bowl of rice be offered if you're ordering dishes?? Is it because most of the customers in there are White and you know they don't normally eat rice? And finally to top it all off, we were told we had a two hour time limit. Whoa....I was never told that at the Waikiki location. This isn't a buffet! And besides the servers kept getting the dishes all confused or sent them to the wrong table. We would order things and not get them at all or ended up spending a lot of time just sitting there and not eating anything. So how do you give us a two hour time limit and expect us to rush our eating when the restaurant is screwing up? I would like to say this was the worst dining disaster I've had in a long, long time.

    (1)

  • Alina Noelani C.

    Doraku is one of the best places to go for happy hour. Not so much for drinks but for food! They have so many good food items, my favorites are the firecracker shrimp, the ahi poke, karage chicken, and this other raw fish dish that sits on top of chopped cabbage. It's always best to go with someone and order as much as you want and share it. I love the fact that they have regular and a late night happy hour! Every time I go out in town, I always end up going to Doraku after for their late night happy hour. It's always busy though so the wait is junk. The hostesses aren't too friendlybut their servers are pretty nice. Overall, Doraku will always be one of my fav happy hour places to go.

    (4)

  • Kristi C.

    Doraku is now one of my favorite places to eat. This was only my second time there and it was better than my first. Our server Andrew was awesome. When my boyfriend asked him what was good, he recommended we try the butterfish, which was delicious. After trying the unagi nigiri that I ordered, my boyfriend wanted an order for himself. Our server recommended that he try the anago instead and my boyfriend really liked it. Of course, our favorite dish was a tempura brownie. Even though we were both really full, we had to order it since it was so delicious the first time. Although you have to valet if there isn't street parking, it's totally worth it. The food is delicious and the service was great.

    (4)

  • Sanoe D.

    My Must Have...Happy Hour!!! I absolutely love Doraku on Kapiolani Blvd. I've been to the Waikiki location as well and have to admit that I like the ambiance and decor of the Kapiolani location very much!!! It's fun, it's cool, and the music is really upbeat, that by the end of your visit you're wondering where else to go!! The food in both places are GREAT, but there's something about Kapiolani, WAIT, I know exactly why I love the Kapiolani location better...... Happy Hour EVERDAY from 4-6PM AND 9-12AM!!!!!! The happy hour menu is not just a few items here and there. They have a great variety to choose from. From clams, kama, spicy tuna, firecracker shrimp, ahi poke, seafood poke, chicken karaage and my favorite AHI TATAKI!!!! I always automatically order 3 for the table even if there are only 2 people in the party!! And let's not forget about the $5 Sake and $5 Kirin!!!! Which I also automatically order as many sake bottles as I can!! Parking is easy! You can either valet or if you go for the late happy hour, don't forget to keep an eye out for street parking right on Kapiolani Blvd. All around amazing is all I have to say and will continue to say!!! Love Love Love this place!!

    (5)

  • Foodie C.

    I would NOT go back. We were appalled and disgusted with the treatment from a staff member as she literally held out her hand for more gratuity. Who does that?

    (1)

  • Mad D.

    3 stars is for overall inconsistency in food. The first two times I've come here with friends, the food tasted great, and I mean everything that was ordered. Until my bf and I went for HH last night... where to start. The disappointments.. HH Firecracker shrimp - tasted like frozen shrimp that were battered and deep fried. I've had better from California Beach Rock n' Sushi HH Edamame - how do you mess this up especially if it's plain... overcooking that 's how. HH Ahi poke - ahi flavor was lost in the mixture. Can taste the onions tho. Salmon nigiri - salmon was warm like it had been sitting out a bit. Why did I still eat it? Trust me I shouldn't have. Ebi nigiri - One shrimp wasn't cleaned because you could still see the poop chute. So we start investigating, turned one over and walaaa not cleaned. Japanese cube steak- the steak was tender, and good. But they hide the skimpy amount in a full plate of stir fried veggies. Order the garlic steak instead!! I had it the last time and you get more meat. The brighter side.. HH Lychee martini - love the drink, not too sweet and not super strong in alcohol, and the best part is the soaked lychee you get if you can wait till the end of your drink. Hamachi carpaccio - good, but a bit drowned in the sauce HH Tuna tataki - the best dish we ate last night. At least this has never been inconsistent

    (3)

  • Chris Z.

    Still amazing flavors but the price increases along with smaller portion of spicy tuna on the donburi was disappointing. I understand food costs are rising but to raise prices and cut portions sizes by half is irritating. Management addressed my concerns in a positive manner

    (3)

  • Toni P.

    The only reason I'm giving two stars instead of one is because I'd eaten here once before and the sushi was quite good. However, after last night's meal with my family, I will never go back again. The food was just so-so, and the service was terrible. We waited at our table forever and didn't even get any water. In the meantime, the group next to us that sat down after us got their food and drinks way before us. That just pisses me off. I think the management of the place just needs more organization because it has potential. The ambiance is nice, but like I said the food is just so-so and the service awful (the service was bad the first time I was there, too). One dish we had was downright disgusting and should be removed from the menu. In fact, I think it made me sick. My stomach isn't quite right this morning. All in all, a very disappointing experience. I usually don't like to write bad reviews but it was such a bad experience that I had to this time.

    (2)

  • Lauren S.

    I'm so glad my best friend suggested we have dinner here tonight! I was a little skeptical at first, thinking that the portions would be small and the plates overpriced....but I'm so glad I was wrong! It was a last minute dinner selection, so we didn't have reservations. My friend and her husband arrived there first and the hostesses told them the wait would be about an hour. My friend left her number, and they told her they would call when a table was ready. Parking for this location is either by valet ($3.00) or if you can find street parking right in front of the restaurant, it's free after 6:00pm. The food was absolutely amazing! *Traditional Miso Soup (extremely flavorful) *Hamachi Carpaccio (The sauce definitely complimented and enhanced the flavor of the Hamachi) *Spicy Tuna Don (It looks like a tiny portion...but I loved how fresh and light it tasted...dare I say, one of the best Spicy Tuna Dons I've had in a long time) *Panko Crusted Hamachi (Extremely flavorful and balanced flavors...loved the mango salsa on top and the oyster mushrooms!) *White Dragon Roll (with hamachi and a garlic chip on top...it was a small roll, but really satisfying) *Miso Butterfish (We got this dish because our waiter raved that it was his favorite item on the menu...but after the first couple of bites we weren't impressed. Definitely squeeze the lemon over it---it completely changed the flavor profile...much better!) The Brownie Tempura deserves its own paragraph because it was simply amazing!!! Let me just say that I'm not a brownie ala mode dessert girl...but this dish completely blew me away! The tempura batter added a much needed crunchy texture to this classic dessert! (this dish definitely needs two scoops of ice cream). Make sure to save room for this!!! Our waiter was awesome and really made our first dining experience here an amazing one! Definitely looking forward to our next visit!

    (5)

  • Andie P.

    THe food was very good, not the best sushi restaurant i've been to, but it was ok. One thing that threw me off is that this is supposed to be a japanese sushi restaurant no?? so why the gross cream cheese in the sushi rolls??!?!? i would rather say this is American sushi. For me it kinda sucked too since i am lactose intolerant so I ordered something else. Also, real japanese sushi have about 3-4times thinner sashimi and sushi slices on the rice, so the slices where too thick which leaves you with too much too chew- The tempura was perfect and all of the food was packed with flavour but there was always something missing. Also, the service was kind of inconsistent. The waitress was hard to get a hold of and different guys jumped in all the time to clear our table even if we weren't quite finished, so they seemed rushed. - a bit disappointed that this was American styles sushi (cream cheese and all) - WAY too thick slices of fish for sushi and sashimi - for the guys who were in a rush to clear + The taste and quality of the food was consistent and + The waitress was very nice :) and the lychee martini was delicious!!! would definitely come back here, but not for the sushi

    (4)

  • Michelle L.

    Ate here for happy hour. The prices were pretty good considering you get really fresh ahi. I'd say the ahi poke and beef were my favorites. The salmon was also fresh. The lomi sushi roll was also pretty tasty. I didn't care for the fried chicken. I'd stick with what they do best. Good service. A little noisy though.

    (4)

  • Dennis A.

    Although they have valet parking, good luck during happy hour. Limited valet parking available for Doraku. If its full you need to find street parking and hike on over to Doraku

    (3)

  • Michelle D.

    I LOVE coming to Doraku for their happy hour! I always order the Tuna Tataki and a bowl of garlic edamame :) The price for the quality of the sashimi is a deal, and the edamame is just amazing for only $3! I love the decor of the place; getting a seat in one of the booths that has that Japanese atmosphere makes dining so much more intimate. The servers are also always so friendly and they're great with their customer service!

    (5)

  • AJ D.

    Came here for my cousin's going away dinner and I had a good time! First of all, the parking is valet. What I found weird was that we had to go through a different store to get to the restaurant. We had a sort-of private room, which was nice. The seats were comfortable and the lighting wasn't too dim. The waiter was good on taking our orders. The food is reasonably priced and delicious. The only thing I didn't like was that the waiter was actually socializing with (practically hitting on) some of my cousin's friends instead of paying attention to what else we needed. The women's restroom is clean and well maintained. If you feel like taking a mirror-pic selfie, they have a full-body mirror with great lighting in the restroom.

    (4)

  • Janette F.

    It is my sister's birthday and I want us to try someplace new so I did some research and decided on Doraku Sushi, which I had passed by driving along Kapiolani Blvd. Their Happy Hour is from 4:00pm-6:00pm and then again from 9:30pm-Closing. My sisters loves HH so we decided to go at 5p to have enough time to enjoy the HH menu. We opted to sit outside because it was kind of chilly inside with the AC. The table we sat at was right below a speaker blasting loud music so we asked if we could move. This is what happens when you get old! :( The second table was better though we could still enjoy the music albeit a bit less loud. The noise from Kapiolani Blvd. is quite extensive (especially when the Harleys drove by and parked at the next building revving their engines), but after a while, it is not so bad. Again, it was the weekend so the traffic is not so bad. Cannot say the same between 4 and 6 on a weekday, I suppose. But it was nice to be able to sit outside comfortably. The HH menu was generous. Our server was Isaac and he was very attentive and didn't rush us through anything. So, we started with draft beers for $3 a glass, which was reasonable. Then we ordered miso eggplant and edamame (plain). The presentation of the miso eggplant was superb but it was extremely salty. I would recommend they drizzle the miso rather than place a blob on each eggplant. But, the eggplant was steamed to perfection and it was good (after I scraped off some of the miso). The edamame was edamame and we enjoyed it. My sister then ordered the ginger karaage chicken for her and my mother, and they both said it was delish! We then decided on the yamakake agedashi tofu, which was absolutely delicious The flavor was just right and the portion was perfecto. My sister loves raw oysters and they have an oyster shooter on the menu for $6. She asked Isaac if that was for one and he said yes, but it comes with a quail egg, ponzu sauce and something else. I told her to get it since it is her birthday. She did and she was not disappointed. She said the ponzu sauce was really good and the oyster was nice a small (not lick them American oyster shooters which can choke you they are so big!), and she thoroughly enjoyed it. I even took a video of her shooting it! Next was oyster mushrooms (eringi) in a ponzu sauce (sorry, I cannot remember the name on the menu). The mushrooms were grilled perfectly and the ponzu sauce was excellent. I could have had many more plates of this but I had to refrain. Finally, my mother wanted to finish off with the California roll. She said it was very good though it could have been rolled a bit tighter. As we were enjoying our meal, a gentleman came around to ask us how our dinner was. We told him it was excellent and chatted for a while. He said he was one of the managers. We talked about quite a few things and I mentioned we decided to come here for my sisters birthday and we were not disappointed. To our surprise, he sent over a dessert to celebrate her birthday. How nice! It was the tempura brownie with ice cream. Waaaay to sweet for me and I do not eat chocolate but my sister said, coupled with the ice cream, it was good. What a great birthday dinner it was. Great food, exceptional service by Isaac, great conversation with the manager (I should have gotten his name), and a reasonable bill. I will definitely return and try some other dishes. Please make more vegetarian options for HH menu!

    (4)

  • Chanel P.

    As much as I like Doraku, the waikiki location is better. Our waitress straight up asked why she didnt get her tip when we were gonna leave it on the table. She gave us this long talk about tipping which my party thought was really rude.

    (2)

  • Don D.

    I think the parking situation is the most you will dislike about this place. Everything else is awesome. Its such a busy place during happy hour, you may even have to wait just to get in or even sit at the bar. Its filled with business types that just finished work which is why it seems like it takes longer for people to leave. They hang out and talk story, etc etc. I dont blame them. But anyway, Doraku food is always great quality. I have never ordered something and didnt like it. If you sit at the bar, you may be seated in front of the sushi chefs, and you can see how they make their creations. In this case, there is a server that serves you which is a little awkward because its from behind. Happy hour is a great deal. But even when its not happy hour, always a great time.

    (4)

  • John C.

    Wow! Great place. Ambience is nice and upscale but not snooty. Food came out really quick. Our roll came out in less than 5 minutes and the sushi came out in less than 10! And man oh man was it tasty. Some of the best sushi I've ever had in the states. Hubby got the miso butterfish (not a fan of sushi) and he was blown away too. The price was not that high considering it's Hawaii and it's sushi. Will definitely be returning!

    (5)

  • Ryan Y.

    First off the eye candy rating is off the hook! Many beautiful girls eat here and the waitresses are nice and cute too.! Lol okay enough of that! The food was good we went for happy hour and got the salmon poke which was nice, had chicken karaage, eggplant ( this wasn't that great, too bad my fren liked it and ordered two), we also had various sushi and of course beer! The tempura brownie was mean also! This place gets packed and they do not take phone reservations, so be prepared especially Friday and Saturday night! Also another tip on a Saturday night sitting outside could be irritating, a lot of dumbass drunks walk around drunk either going through Pacifica or waiting for a table.

    (4)

  • John G.

    Absolutely FANTASTIC!!! I went here with 2 friends on 10-01-13 for the first time and during their "Sushi Happy Hour". What fantastic food at very, very reasonable prices; as well as, great service from Samantha. 3 of us ate sushi, 1 salad, 2 red wines and all for only $65. We even sat on the "other" patio/lanai near the parking garage but it was peaceful (and no kids, lol). One note, if I had to choose, I would pick this location over the other location, which is at the Royal Hawaiian Center.

    (5)

  • Chelsea G.

    Came here for lunch with a couple of friends to take advantage of their lunch specials! Very surprised with the amount of food given and especially the price! Ordered the teri chicken complete with oshinko, miso soup, salad with oriental dressing, full bowl of rice and main entree of 2 large pieces of chicken on bed of cabbage and veggies for only $13! Not to mention, super yummy! Ambience was great! I was impressed by the atmosphere, the decor and yet the how casual it felt it there. But downside was how hot it was for lunch, I don't know if it was because we sat by the window? Or maybe just a really hot day? Or maybe the AC wasnt' working to its fullest potential?? Parking was free, just park at Pacifica and get validated, and feed the parking ticket back in. Also a major PLUS for me, as we all know that parking for free isn't always a given when eating in town... I shall come again!

    (4)

  • Jesse C.

    I prefer the setup on this location better than their sister. Better lighting and I feel better service. Happy hour is good. Just expect for a little wait on the weekends or peak hours. But there's always the bar!

    (4)

  • Steph J.

    I loved Doraku since their location opened in Waikiki and was always a fan. So when this location opened up, I was a happy camper! They have great happy hour and you can do shared plates with a bunch of your friends and walk away stuffed and pay less than $20 per person with drinks! I heard that they no longer let you sit in the restaurant and have to sit on the patio area during happy hour but it's still be so very worth it! Parking is valet only so if you have a bunch of people, try and carpool down to the location.

    (4)

  • Tia S.

    My favorite happy hour spot! Good staff, vibrant ambiance, but casual and chic at the same time. I almost always sit at the bar when I dine here, mostly 'cause it's always busy and 'cause I like sitting with Ikaika the bartender (lots of tattoos). He makes it fun and knows my order right away when I walk in. "Ahi tataki one or two orders?", says Ikaika, and I've barely even sat down. LOL I like it and def think you should swing by for a mellow crowd and lunch specials during the day. Valet parking is tight, so don't bring your SUV. Street parking available when permitted.

    (4)

  • Michelle M.

    I dont like when I have to downgrade my reviews...really! It sucks to have to do this but I just must aire my dislike for the recent changes that Doraku has made to their happy hour. Change 1: Used to be able to sit anywhere and get happy hour menu pricing. NOT ANYMORE! Now, only offered at the actual bar, outdoors, or at the sushi bar. Change 2: HOURS used to be 4-7PM. Now they run from 4-6PM. The pricing is still awesome. The service is still outstanding. just dont care too much for some of the minor changes that they have instituted. Wish they would open the Happy Hour to cover the entire house since almost everyone I know comes there just for that! The hours are no biggie but PLEASE let me have my cute little corner booth so I can get crazy with my girlies like we used to last month! Jaime is a great server! :)

    (3)

  • Kim S.

    When I got my credit card bill, the amount on my statement was $9 HIGHER than the amount I signed for. That was a 48% tip for my portion of the bill. Hopefully the credit card company will refund the overage.

    (1)

  • Candice P.

    This is an awesome place to go especially for happy hour!! Got there around 10pm for dinner and beers were only $3 a glass. Service was quick and the food came in less than 7 minutes. I talked to the waiter about what she would recommend on the menu and she said the Doraku Roll and Spicy Lobster Roll. We got both rolls and ordered regular edimame and firecracker shrimp as our appetizer. Then for dessert we had the brownie tempura. We loved every last bit of each dish! Great food and prices! Our total bill was only $46 with 2 beers!! I recommend everything we just had tonight for dinner to anyone one of you that decide to eat here for the first time.

    (5)

  • Ha'Ane T.

    Dorakus Sushi is one of my favorite places to have sushi, and it is open pretty late from 12-1 AM! It is located on the second floor of the Royal Hawaiian Hotel. We had made reservations on the weekend, good thing we did because there was a waiting line in front of the restaurant when we got there! Service Great service! The servers weren't too pushy and didn't bother you as much which I like as well, just perfect service in my opinion. Although the waitress could have suggested a few things from the menu that are popular, since that was our first time eating there, she still served us with a smile. Ambience Dim lighted restaurant. There are bathrooms for both sexes, although they are only single person bathrooms. Lots of seating, but I still would suggest reserving a table if you are deciding to eat there on the weekends (especially dinner times), they will hold your table for only 5 extra minutes, so if you are running late let them know and they will try their best to hold your table! Food Okay, so their specialty sushi rolls are to die for. We had three different types of sushi; white dragon roll, emperor roll, and the spicy tuna roll. I also had the misoyaki butterfish as my main dish and my boyfriend had the garlic steak as his. Both main dishes were served with rice and vegetables. This was my first time having their rolls, and their specialty rolls are just amazing; the white dragon roll was my favorite, it was a shrimp tempura roll with garlic chips on top of it drizzled with unagi sauce, the chips gave it the oomph and it comes with about 8-9 pieces I believe. The emperor roll was my boyfriends favorite it was filled with salmon, tuna, crab, and shrimp and the outside of the roll was fried with a homemade aioli sauce that my boyfriend adored, I did not really like the sauce- for it was just a little bit too much sauce on the sushi. The spicy tuna roll was not apart of the specialty roll menu so it did not look as pretty as our specialty rolls, pretty plain and sloppily presented on the plate. It was my first time trying anything misoyaki and I personally did not like the sauce on my fish, the fish was good but the sauce was waaay too sweet, it came with a scoop of (if I remember correctly) rice and salad. BUT my boyfriends steak was cooked to perfection with a scoop of right and perfectly sautéed mushrooms and onions on the side. I didn't really get to check out their drinks menu for I was only 20 at the time, so I just had water. This sushi joint is one of my favorites!

    (5)

  • Chauntel B.

    You cant lose coming here.. lol yumerz! great atmosphere and good service! Calamari yes! hamachi? yes!crunchy rolls? yesss!!!

    (4)

  • Jake M.

    The Kapiolani location offers the same great food and service minus the headaches of Waikiki. Our large party sat upstairs and really enjoyed the coziness of the corner we were in. LATE NIGHT HAPPY HOUR is awesome! The happy hour menus has lots of tasty, cheap food, like $4 plates of tuna rolls. They had pretty inexpensive sake and beer, too. Our servers were very tolerant of tipsy table and they even offered valet service for the DDs. I'll be back soon!

    (5)

  • Sheila S.

    My husband and I went to Doraku last night, and were utterly disappointed. We are big-time sushi lovers (have it about 3x a week) and Doraku left us feeling like we wasted $100, and should've just ate at home. The tuna in the negi toro roll was so cold, I had to let it sit in my mouth, before I chewed. The sake nigiri was also a big let down. The salmon was cut thin, and it was chewy, instead of melt in your mouth. We kept trying... we had two more rolls, both with super small cuts of fish on the top, and just way too many sauces that really took away from the flavor in the fish. One roll had raw jalapeno on top, with spiny tuna inside, and spicy sauce on the plate... it was just way too much, and lacked any contrast in flavors, or inventiveness that actually worked. The one thing I'll say was the oyster shooter was delicious. We made a promise to each other that we would never go back! And still, this morning, we both woke up talking about how bad our experience was. Too bad because the decor is awesome.

    (1)

  • Mari Y.

    One of my favorite restaurants by far! I come here all the time with family and friends! Not only is their food to die for, but their customer service is amazing! All the waiters and waitresses are very friendly and attentive. They remembered my family and I when we came here just after the third time! Their happy hour is what I really come here for! Every time I come I can never decide what I want to eat off the happy hour menu so I always get one of everything. You can never go wrong with anything on the happy hour menu honestly. My favorite has to be the Dynamite Donburi with the Chicken Karaage! Seating for happy hour changes from time to time, but it is usually outside seating for happy hour. The outside seating has a nice ora to it and is a little more quiet/intimate. However, once when it was about to storm the waitress kindly moved us for happy hour inside (although it was only happy hour seating outside at that time).

    (5)

  • Carmen M.

    Food was excellent. The wait was long, otherwise I will give it five stars. It is on the pricier side but definitely worth it. The happy hour menu has a lot of good selections and is definitely worth it.

    (4)

  • Jenny L.

    For a Saturday night, wait was not bad for not having reservations. Happy hour menu was great! Prices and food were both awesome. Main dish that is a must have here..... BUTTER FISH. The end.

    (5)

  • Adam M.

    If you are looking for a modern average price place for happy hour look no further. Ive been to doraku multiple times but had decided to come here specially for their happy hour and was honestly impressed. From their deluxe spicy tuna roll which included takuan "pickled radish" and shiso which is my favorite complement to sushi to my all time favorite natto poke seafood mix. If you aren't a big fan of slimy texture then this might be too adventurous for you but it's a it's a great mix of hamachi and salmon with crunchy wonton chips and tobiko. Also, another great perk is the $4 kirins and $5 sake bottles which includes about 10-12 sake sized shots inside.

    (4)

  • Melody M.

    Getting in from the parking was a bit weird. U had to go through another store to get to Doraku. When we got there, service sucked. Our drinks took forever when there were so many waitresses n 2 bar people standing around. The waitress that helped us didn't even seem like she knew what she was doing. Food was a little overpriced, especially for the oyster shooter. U only get one for $6. Ridiculous. I wanted to try it out for my birthday and will never go there again.

    (2)

  • Erin Y.

    I've been to the Waikiki location, so I knew what to expect. It's a restaurant with trendy decor and a very young crowd. We went early on a Sunday night to sample their happy hour menu. This is a great time to go! From 4-7, you can indulge in rock shrimp for $5, spicy ahi roll for $4, California roll for $3, Edamame for $2, and house wine for $4. Crazy deals, I'd say. The hostess shows us to our table, and its upstairs. UPSTAIRS??? I wasn't even aware that this place has a second floor. UH,... it doesn't. It's sort of a loft area with a few tables, which are extremely close together. For a few couples, it would be ok. For a party of 10 and a few other tables, it WAS NOT OK. This restaurant gets extremely loud. The table on the other end of the "loft" was VERY disruptive, VERY loud, and VERY drunk. Goodness, it was only 6pm, can't this wait for the midnight crowd? "Alcoholics know no time" she says to me. Sitting in the loft, everything takes a little while longer. Drinks. Food. Service. I would think that when the manager came up to see how we were doing, he would have noticed how many F-bombs were dropped in the - I don't know - 2 minutes he was up there. All in all, the food was good. The spicy ahi roll had a very strange taste to it. Wasn't fishy or anything ... just strange. Frozen maybe? Or freezerburn? Looking forward to trying more things - maybe at the Waikiki location. Otherwise, I hear Chai's is opening up next door!

    (3)

  • Jon R.

    Try the lunch specials!

    (5)

  • Es L.

    Came with a friend and just made happy hour. They should train their servers on liquor laws because we got a lot of liquor placed in front of us in the ten minutes we had left. No complaints here, but wow we were drunk in half an hour. The happy hour food is ok, however I prefer the food on the main menu, if its about the same as the menu at their other Waikiki location. Much more imaginative. Happy hour menu items we ordered were spicy tuna rolls (not bad), clams (kind of slimy), special (or were they called deluxe?) spicy tuna rolls (eh) and miso eggplant. The eggplants were good as a snack. Want to come back to this location for regular dinner items. Service was good though, even if they should review with the servers what is ok to bring a guest at a time liquor wise, if they don't want to get in trouble. (Um.. the Liquor Commission is in a building about a block away..)

    (4)

  • Alice C.

    I was so stoked that they had open a location on Kapiolani because I hate driving into Waikiki for anything! I feel that their new location is almost perfect because that complex is now more developed and draws more people to the area. I love the ambiance of the restaurant. I do want to suggest that the menu should be displayed through a CLEAR plastic covering rather than a hazy covering because its difficult to read depending on where you're seated. I love the big barrels of sake it just fit in snugly with the decor of the restaurant. Our server Isaac was super friendly and he came by to check on us often so we have no complaints with service. Basically its Izakaya style, our party of five shared everything we ordered. I felt like we ate 1/3 of the menu for we were one hungry party. We literally got there between the two happy hours so we completely missed that. Some items we had: ahi poke (perfect, even my friend who isn't into poke tried it and loved it) eggplant miso (it mentioned that it was deep fried in the description but it didn't taste too deep fried to me, it was still very egg-planty to me. If you like eggplant you might enjoy it, I didn't care for it but thats my preference over eggplant) japanese style garlic steak (tender and delicious!) Churrasco steak (ribeye, it was so tender also. yummm) spicy lobster roll (very creamy) maguro - (very fresh) negitoro temaki ( for $8.95, they sure do pack a lot of negitoro in it which I like) misoyaki butterfish (lets just say its better than vegas's California hotel and thats saying a lot because I felt that California had one of the best miso butterfish, and Doraku might be replacing that now!) Calamari tempura Rock shrimp tempura- pretty much popcorn shrimp. (I wouldn't find it special but it was good) Vegetable Tempura Geisha Roll - (it was pretty exotic, with spicy tuna, cucumber, and cream cheese stuffed in the roll and topped with Ahi. I love anything with cream cheese!) *the rolls come with 8 pieces If i was rich and my belly could handle, I would've continue to order but I'll have to save the rest of the menu next time. However, we did also order "happy ending desserts" which I cannot really say gave me a happy ending. I really didn't find the desserts all that great tasting.. the tempura icecream (Yukidama) didn't please me as I was hoping it would. We also had the Banana Ice cream flambe, which I wished the banana bread was hot or warm atleast but it was room temp and kind of stale tasting to me. but I did love the bananas with the sauce drizzled over the mac nuts and icecream. It just would've been perfect for a hot bananabread* Sorry Doraku, I would give the last star when the dessert menu is perfected but I do incredibly love everything else I had so I will be back for happy hour next time!

    (4)

  • Jennifer T.

    I cannot wait to come back AFTER work!!! Came here for our monthly work meeting for lunch. YUMMMM I loved it! Had some peruvian mixed seafood ceviche, and soft shell crab and all at a reasonable price! I work walking distance from this place so I cannot wait to go back when I can pair it up with some imbibe-ables! This may be my new fave!

    (5)

  • Justine R.

    I must say I'm super happy they opened one in town because the one in Waikiki always seems packed. I finally had a chance to try it and it was exceptional. First let me talk about the happy hour menu. Good select choices and pretty cheap. They don't have as much options as I would like there to be but hey, I can live with what they have. Sweet and Spicy Edamame ($3): This was definitely worth it. The sauce was so good. It had a sweet tangy bbq sauce drowning the decent-sized bowl of edamame. Definitely try it out. You will never want to eat edamame the same way again. My only complaint is edamame beans are usually served cold so it was definitely kind of weird to be served hot. I burned my lips a bit because I wasn't expecting the heat. Just let it cool a bit and it's just perfect. Ginger Chicken Karaage ($5): This was good, don't get me wrong, but it's nothing worth dying for. Great amount for the price. Spicy Ahi Roll ($5): This was kind of disappointing. Nothing amazing and the spicy ahi was kind of mushy. I can definitely get a better roll for the price somewhere else. Dynamite Donburi ($7): If you're really hungry during Happy Hour, this is something really worth getting on the whole menu. Not because it is especially yummy, but because it is filling. It's topped with various seafood bits and covered in dynamite sauce on a bed of cold rice. Lychee Martini ($5): This is ok. Martini's are usually pretty small but the glass they give you causes the illusion of it being smaller. It has a really strong liquor taste which makes it really hard to drink. I don't really recommend this. Now on to the regular menu. I don't remember the prices too clearly but it is the same as any average Izakaya Japanese restaurant. Unagi Doburi: Don't get this. The unagi is like any unagi you would find at any conveyor belt sushi, if anything worst. It was cold and kind of tough on a bed of cold sushi rice. Basically unagi sushi in a bowl. Not really worth it. Emperor Roll: This was amazing! I have never had anything like this. So good! It's a ahi roll wrapped in a deep fried nori making it crunchy and warm. Definitely the best combination is the sauce which was a sort of teriyaki-like glaze. It was like eating tempura with sashimi inside. Fried Hamachi: This was really interesting. The hamachi was deep fried with a mango salsa glaze. It was really fresh. Only complaint is since it's family style, it's really hard to share. Everyone had to take turns poking their chopsticks into it but it was good. Sashimi: This was probably the best part of the course. The sashimi was so fresh! It's decent slices placed on a bed of chi-so leaves and radish. It was melt-in -your-mouth goodness. Would definitely go back for this again! Miso Butterfish: The butterfish was really "butter"-y. It was super soft and warm drenched in a miso-yaki glaze. This is definitely a must try as well although the portion is pretty small so don't expect to share. Drinks. Majority of them are $9 each. I don't really recommend them at all because they are inconsistent, small-portion, and heavy on the liquor. Momo lemonade: This is a good-sized drink but it was heavy on the liquor. Dancing Geisha: Nice fruity drink but super inconsistent. Doesn't taste the same every time. Mojito: Really disappointing. It has a yummy chiso-leaf taste but there was no leaves in my drink. Again, very heavy on the liquor. Not good for enjoyment but great for other reasons (if ya know what I'm sayin') Service The food here is hit and miss but I really like the atmosphere so I give it a 5 stars. However, I'm taking off a star for service. I'm not quite sure why it takes so long to get food. The dishes come in intervals of 10 minutes. This would be understandable if I was eating a three-course meal. However, they are small portions and I am usually really hungry (and impatient). It doesn't matter what time I'm there and how busy it is, it's always the same. I'm sure there's not enough people working in the back. The waiters/waitress there are very friendly and attentive (when it's not busy). I will definitely be back!

    (4)

  • Linda D.

    This past Friday, I took a friend to Doraku Kaka'ako for his birthday. I had told them that it was a birthday. I made the reservations for 6:30pm. There was no parking in the building, so we got out and decided to valet instead; making us 5 minutes late. We were asked to sit and wait. After 10 minutes I asked how long more did we have to wait. One of the 3 hostess told me that they were waiting for a table to open. When I told her that I called in this reservation for 6:30pm, she replied that they had to clean the table. Ok....there were 3 girls/hostess and they all looked flustered. There were several walk-ins who were told that it would be a 45 minute wait. We must of looked angry, for we were then offered cold tea while we waited. It was now 6:50pm. Finally we were taken to an odd table facing the window and outside, with 2 chairs side by side. I noticed a nice cozy booth next to us. That would have been my choice of seating, especially since we were celebrating a birthday and I was carrying the birthday present. I was about to ask the waiter for that booth, but they gave it to someone else who came after us. Reluctantly, we sat down. I noticed my friend was already not pleased with this restaurant. When the wait helper asked how we were doing, I told him "not great". I noticed that we still had 5 minutes till the Happy Hour was over, so I immediately asked the wait help if we could order a few appetizers and 2 drinks for the Happy Hour and without looking at the time, he told us it was over. I frowned and told him it was still before 7pm. Meanwhile, our waiter approached the other couple in the booth, got water for them and was taking their order.....and they arrived after us....Hellooooo.... I got my Happy Hour drink, but, my friend didn't. So, we waited and waited till we flagged down the waiter. He didn't have an order for my friend's drink. Then when he brought the Sapporo beer, he said they ran out of the smaller size (it's only 7:15pm and they ran out of that beer?) so he brought the larger size at no extra charge. That was the first nice thing done for the evening. After the appetizers and 2 drinks, we ordered dinner and a sake sampler. Maybe by then, they realized that we weren't there for just the Happy Hour. Then we felt that we got better service. We declined the birthday dessert (coconut brulee...not a favorite) and paid for banana flambe. We both have been to the Doraku in Waikiki and enjoyed it. We are not too sure about this location. Maybe it was because of the Happy Hour crowd that the hostess were all flustered and the waiters/wait help looked overwhelmed; but it ruined our dinner experience. We weren't there for the 1/2 price appetizers and drinks; we just wanted to have a nice birthday dinner. Maybe they need to hire more help during the Happy Hour, or maybe we have to delay our dinner reservation to a later time like 7:30pm. Maybe we will wait 6 months before we return to this restaurant.

    (2)

  • Hayley K.

    After all the hype, of course I had to try their food! My boyfriend and I went during happy hour(of course, gotta save money when we can) and we waited about 45 minutes give or take. The staff is friendly and our waitress was helpful. We ordered the ahi poke, red dragon roll, misoyaki butterfish, spicy tuna roll, doraku roll, brownie tempura & I forget what my boyfriend ordered for his main dish, but I know he said it was good. I enjoyed all of it. Nom nom nom. I wouldn't mind coming here again, but only during happy hour. Our bill came out to around $60. I think I like Kunio's better, but this is still a place that has bomb food.

    (4)

  • Pam H.

    So we decided to try this place since it look amazing from driving by on Kapiolani Blvd. Located in the Pacifica Bldg it's spacious and well staffed. But just because their well staffed doesn't mean they're stellar workers. Of course I had to "wait" for my sake sampler and I am a believer that no one should have to wait for their first drink. Our waitress was friendly, but we quickly realized that the dishes our sushi and poke was served on was wayyyyy to big for our SMALLLLL table. The food was tasty, but the rice from the sushi could use a little bit more of their attention to detail. Of course the maguro I had was a little too smooth to the tongue and so I was fishy (no pun intended) about the quality of raw seafood I was eating. I may give them another try in a month to see if the staff is a bit more professional (not yelling across the room to each other) and if the rice for the sushi is more authentic. It's good enough, but when you've had good quality stuff you really notice the small stuff.

    (3)

  • Megan M.

    Love this place for late night happy hour! The location is convenient and you can always find street parking. I am a huge fan of rolls and I love the white dragon roll! Pair this with a drink called the Dancing Geisha and it is heaven. Also, got the tempura brownie for kicks and that was delicious as well. A definite must! :)

    (4)

  • Anna F.

    I love this location because it's close to where I work. I came here for the happy hour which was from 5pm-7pm. They had a lot of items on the happy hour menu. The prices range from $2 to $7. The portions are small but if you order 3-5 items, you could get full. I got the ahi poke, ahi tataki, egg plant miso, asari clam sakamushi, and the rock shrimp tempura. The ahi tataki, egg plant miso, and rock shrimp tempura were my favorite items. I thought the ahi poke needed more shoyu because it tasted really bland. I was disappointed with the asari clam sakamushi because the clams were slimy and fishy. Just to be sure that I didn't get a bad clam, I went and tried a second one and I also had my friend try it too. Those clams weren't fresh! There were people across from us and we warned them about it and so they ended up returning theirs to the kitchen after trying it. I told the waiter to take away the clams too and I also told him it was very fishy but I don't know if that message was passed into the kitchen. I think if your seafood isn't fresh, you shouldn't serve it to your customers. I wasn't going to let 2 clams ruin my night so I went on and ate the remaining dishes. The atmosphere of the place is cool and hip. The lights are dimmed and the music playing is not super loud. It's a good place to come and hang out after work with friends. You'll actually be able to hear each other talk without shouting. They also have outside seating which is pretty nice. The waiters are very attentive but because I was sitting on the "community table" the waiters kept bring my dishes to the people across from us. There were a few times where the people across us was like "We just put in our order so I think it's theirs." As for parking, the only option is valet. They park in a private lot and I'm sure it's secure. If you're eating at Doraku it's $3 but if you're parking in there for other stuff, it's $20. How will they find out if you didn't eat at Doraku, I don't know because I didn't get my parking ticket validated and I gave the valet person $3.

    (3)

  • Joyce F.

    For: decor, food, $3 beer Against: limited happy hour Other essentials: More: What was the big hullabaloo with Doraku happy hour? After all the crazy reviews, I was stoked to find an excuse to go. The result - I built it up too much and was disappointed. $4 spicy tuna roll and $3 beer. Go in expecting that and you'll be happy. Beautiful décor. The service is awesome. Wish I could say more but we were there for happy hour and only ordered off that menu. There is a spicy tuna roll that has takuan in it but I don't like that in my sushi. That's cool, I'll save a buck and get the regular. We parked in front of Sports Authority only to walk to Doraku and find a ton of parking out front on Kapiolani. The good news is the regular menu has a ton of carpaccios and sake! Haven't broken into that yet but looking forward to it. No sake flights that I've seen yet.

    (3)

  • Aaron A.

    Valet took change from my ash tray in my car. I won't be coming back here again. If you eat here, thoroughly check your vehicle's contents before leaving. Can't believe I tipped those thieves on top of it. It's not the amount of money taken, it's the principle.

    (1)

  • Derek W.

    Great restaurant with an awesome atmosphere and a very friendly wait staff. Happy hour has some very good deals on drinks, and not just your standard happy hour draft beers. They offer quite a few less-than-cliche happy hour choices. Pretty great. We were with a large group and ordered quite a few appetizers and of course main dishes. I thought all of the good was great. My favorite though, was the tuna tataki. I definitely recommend this restaurant!

    (4)

  • Jeremy M.

    This was my first time at Doraku and well, their first impression was on key. When first walking in I got very relaxed yet nice vibe from the Japanese style decorations. It definitely has a very calm and elegant atmosphere. One thing I took advantage of was their happy hour menu. I believe it is after 9pm. I ordered fire cracker shrimp and a California Roll. The portion of said dishes were very satisfying. The taste was very delicious, and it was all 8 dollars total. This is a very good place. It has the looks and environment of a high class restaurant, but has very good food at a very decent price. I suggest taking advantage of their happy hour menu as well! I WILL BE BACK!

    (5)

  • Brett S.

    Its been awhile since I've been here, which is surprising since I live in the building next door. The atmosphere in here is young and fun. It was my favorite place to go for awhile and I stopped in probably twice a week. Music is good and the service is awesome. I used to go here a lot for the happy hour specials. Delicious $4 spicy tuna rolls can't beat it! I heard they changed the happy hour menu (making it a bit more expensive) since I have been there so I'll have to try it again and update my review

    (5)

  • Samoa M.

    The food was very good. The hostess was very good. Our waiter was very good. But our dining experience was ruined by the complete lack of respect shown to us by the manager (by way of one of his wait staff). In essence, we were driven out of the place by the loudness of the piped pop music, and our inability to hear each other speak. Even our waiter admitted that he could not hear our questions or orders because of the volume of the music. And this was not gentle Japanese shakuhachi or soothing jazz, it was grating American pop. Despite three requests to turn down the volume, the first two of which were relayed by our waiter to the keeper of the volume knob and momentarily honored, the music invariably was cranked back up within minutes. The final request to a different wait staffer was met with the following: "Our manager likes the music loud, so I can't turn down the volume - Sorry". So much for customer service, and forget about Japanese modesty and service standards (none of the staff we dealt with were Japanese anyway). Ironically, the blurb on the back of the menu explaining the philosophy of the owner/founder of the chain gushed about his reverence for the Japanese customs of his ancestors - I guess he forgot to educate his staff on those virtues and qualities. Maybe 22-year-olds like this kind of ambiance in which it is perfectly wonderful to yell at your companions to be heard, but for this family it sucked. We paid our bill as quickly as we could and fled. Too bad. The food tasted good, and although it was my wife's birthday, it was ruined by the rudeness and utter lack of respect from the staff.

    (1)

  • Juan C.

    Amazing super fast service. Food on point. About 4 bus boys to one table and it was busy happy hour. All food came in ten minutes, nothing empty sat on my table, I finished eating within 25 minutes of seating. Music is not too loud I'm recommend 100% thanks

    (5)

  • Nina J.

    I just got home from eating there tonight for happy hour and dinner. I thought the food was good, but the service was awful. First, I got there around 4pm with another friend... the place was pretty dead and I still couldn't get our waiter to come to our table. Over the course of a few hours, I had to ask the other wait staff 4 times to please get our server. I probably won't go again... there are plenty of other sushi/Japanese places on this island that has the same prices but great service. This isn't fine dining, so I don't expect top-notch service, but I do expect more than constantly wondering where our server is and asking for him to come over. I want to end on a positive note... the valets were very polite and quick bringing my car around.

    (2)

  • Muriel F.

    I made reservations based on the recommendations of two friends. I was taking out two visitors, one of whom I later found out has a Japanese national mother. I had high hopes but was greatly disappointed. The atmosphere was great; we had one of the tables in a front nook, beautifully decorated. The service was also great. Our server Jen was attentive and very helpful. However, the food was a great disappointment. One of the visitors and I have lived in Japan before on several occasions and the food was definitely not up to par. We ordered miso eggplant, an assortment of nigiri, yakitori, and tempura, and garlic steak. Except for the steak, the rest were all below average at best. None tasted authentically Japanese. The steak, of course, was great since the owners have a connection with Benihana.

    (3)

  • Richard H.

    One of the best Happy Hour locations in Kaakako! Get there early to avoid the crowds and to get a great spot at the bar. They also have outdoor seating, which is perfect for Happy hour (as noted by Michelle M, also qualifies you for the happy hour prices). You can't beat the special pricing: $5 for poke, ahi tataki, California, and spicy ahi sushi rolls, Asari clams, and chicken karaage. Other $5 items that I highly recommend: Garlic Teriyaki Edamamae, Rock shrimp tempura. Drinks lychee martini, Kirin, sake, Sapporo, and Heineken! The ahi poke is a small cup of fresh ahi, well seasoned with Hawaiian salt, limu, and sesame oil. Their clams are steamed in a garlic butter with green onions. I think that I had 3 orders of this delicious creation! Happy Hour tuna/ahi tataki - slices of sashimi grade ahi, blackened, garnished with green onions, garlic chips, and a mayo-wasabi sauce. Garlic Teriyaki Edamamae- I would compare this to eating St. Louis barbecue ribs, sweet and tangy. Very sticky, so get lots of napkins! The only sad part is that last call approaches very quickly, so order everything when you arrive!

    (4)

  • Ellison U.

    If you're a fan of the Waikiki location, you're going to love this place. The Japanese influenced decor is exceptional! Love the nighttime vibe. My group normally orders off of the happy hour menu. Everything's good on there. In comparison, Doraku has a better quality of sushi than Shokudo. For all the times I've been to Doraku the tuna is fresh (very red), no discoloration.

    (4)

  • Angie S.

    I really enjoyed Doraku. The upstairs loft-like seating area is perfect for a low-key and private dinner. I was here for a company party so I tried a bit of everything including; edamame, emperor roll, red dragon roll, teriyaki chicken and the garlic steak. definitely loved the garlic steak! The lychee martini was also excellent!

    (5)

  • Jasen D.

    This is my first time at this location. The service was fast and more efficient than the Waikiki location. I went with my girlfriend's family on a Friday night right when happy hour started. We ordered about 12 different dishes and all were excellent. The lobster tempura and garlic steak were delicious. The prices for happy hour are very reasonable, even regular priced items for their taste. It is ala carte style so you can eat as little or as much as you want. Grab a group of friends and head down to try several different dishes.

    (5)

  • Jessica A.

    I love this place for reasonable sushi and happy hour. They have lots of different rolls and all are very tasty. I esp love their happy hour menu, both food and drinks. Everything is so cheap, tasty and a good portion. Some places' happy hour portions are super tiny and they dont have anything really good on the menu but this place has a lot of great dishes. They also have happy hour on Saturdays! Not many places have hh on weekends. This is definitely my late night go to sushi place :)

    (4)

  • Sandra C.

    Street parking is especially hard to find when there's an event at the blaisdell center. And after driving around the block a couple times, I see that valet parking is only $3 which isn't bad if you don't want to walk far (I'm lazy so this is perfect). The wait was ~30 minutes. Unfortunately I missed happy hour but that's fine since I was happy with my selection. When I asked my waitress about the portion size, she looked at me and automatically said that I would only be able to finish 1 entree. I love sushi!! And would eat it all day if I could. I ended up getting a spicy don because I'm the biggest sucker for spicy ahi bowls. The spicy don was alright. The spicy ahi was tasty and as red as it looked, I expected it to be drowning in siracha sauce. However, it was just a little bit spicy. But compared to the bowl of rice it sat on, the scoop of spicy ahi was small. After finishing half of my don, I knew I wanted to order again. Thinking that my eyes were bigger than my stomach, I waited until I was almost done with my don. After looking through some other pictures here, I decided to order the emperor roll. It sounded and looked really delicious and it was!! Sushi rolls with no rice are either a hit or miss. This was definitely a hit. All of my favorite non-rice parts of a sushi put together and lightly fried was perfect!! I didn't miss the rice when eating this and it was so good. My experience here was pleasant. The waitress kept returning to check up on us and was delighted to give recommendations. After ordering, our food came out quickly considering how many other people were dining there. The food was neat and tasty. It was a bit pricy but sushi is never cheap. Overall I would come back here again!

    (4)

  • Kimo K.

    Great sushi bar, good happy hour, sexy staff, trance music, Balinese bar, $3 valet, view, outdoor dining, great presentation.. good looking clientele.

    (5)

  • Lora H.

    Love Doraku at the Royal Hawaiian so was happy that one opened outside of the chaos of Waikiki!! Great vibe, good food, good location. But I had to minus one star for the parking situation. Valet parking only - $3, plus tip of course. And then it's so strange... you have to walk through Blue Tree Cafe from the parking lot to get into Doraku. But the at the end of the night, Blue Tree was closed for a private party so we had to walk outside and around and through the parking garage driveway to get our cars. So aside from the parking situation (which is a problem in Hawaii anywhere you go...), the place is so great for Happy Hour! The food is good, the Happy Hour food selection was great, and good drink options too! I had the hot sake... seriously, it was only $6 for a bottle and I swear that bottle was endless!!! Can you say awesome.

    (4)

  • Koodie B.

    Used to come here so often that now I have to take a break!! Everyone is generally professional, food is always decent, sometimes there's a wait but that's due to high volume of patrons sometimes, and if you don't live in the building parking can be a bummer. Overall I would recommend this to anyone looking for good food at modest prices. Usually pretty clean too!

    (4)

  • Mildred R.

    Doraku is by far THE best place on the island for sushi! Ambiance is nice, service is great and the sushi chefs are THE BEST! ** Shout out to Peter! ** The majority of the food that I ate there was sushi, didn't have too much of the hot food. But you should definitely have their sashimi! Soo fresh! They have another location in Ala Moana, but I prefer this location because it is less touristy. Fun Fact - the owner of Doraku is Kevin Aoki (Steve Aoki's brother)!

    (5)

  • Taryn P.

    I'd say this is my favorite restaurant. Try the: - Hamachi Carpaccio - Tuna tataki - God of Fire Roll - Sohomare sake Service is friendly, restaurant is busy, clean bathrooms, and good vibe!

    (5)

  • Branden N.

    Slow service from stuck up staff... Food was ok but presentation is very nice. All in all, the food is not worth the price

    (1)

  • Mandy A.

    absolutely loved dining at doraku! it's hip, trendy, off the strip and open late. the sushi we had here was definitely high quality and fresh. i highly recommend doraku for a late night swanky dinner while in waikiki.

    (5)

  • Cindy P.

    Located across mckinley high school's baseball/track field. Customer service is amazing! Although I personally think for the quality/portion, the sushi is overpriced. However the plating is nicely done. I tried both the fried ice cream (it's always vanilla) and the fried brownie. It tasted like boxed brownie that's been fried with tempura batter. I recall I think for both the fried desserts it was about $16? If you want to go to a place that will serve you food that's visually appealing, this is the place! You may ask, where did all of the flavor go? I wonder too. The food was bland in my taste.

    (3)

  • Wes N.

    Awesome energetic service. We were recommended a very nice bottle of sake...my company and I polished off a bottle and a half. Chutoro was great... And we enjoyed the braised ribs special. Valet is weird...literally parked the car 10 feet from where we gave them the keys and toward the end of our dinner they came around to give us our key to self serve ourselves...not quite the valet service that I enjoy tipping for...by oh well. Other than that... A+

    (5)

  • Sirinat M.

    After a long day at work, my husband and I love to come here because they have such good food and comfortable seats. When they are busy, we don't mind sitting at the bar as either Art or Moriah are so friendly in helping you decide what to eat or drink. Their Happy Hour specials are very-well priced, which causes us to keep ordering. Doraku is truly one of the best quality sushi/Japanese restaurants vs dollar value in town. I'm sure you will love it, too!

    (5)

  • Brian P.

    Fun spot to meet up for some great food and drinks. Happy hour is a great time to sample some of the menu at great prices.

    (5)

  • Jhay B.

    LOVE their sushi, atmosphere is a mix of modern and American. Had the oyster shooter with UNI was bomb. Also had ikura and salmon don buri. Service was friendly got seated quickly, only confusing part was valet since I didn't know where to go in line. Will be coming back here real soon!

    (5)

  • Delilah A.

    Group dinner with my friends last night. I really like this location rather than the Royal Hawaiian Center. The décor is casual yet, chic, and the large, open dining room offers a comfortable dining experience. I ordered the garlic steak and it was perfect. The ponzu sauce was killer. My dinner was the last to arrive and everyone in my party had multiple courses come before mine even arrived, which was kind of a drag. Dessert is always a must for me, so I ordered the Brownie Tempura. It was decent, but didn't fulfill my sweet tooth. I went home and got my fix with powdered donuts. Overall, fun, not crazy expensive and, most importantly, delicious.

    (4)

  • Kelehua K.

    I wish I could tell you what we ordered when we went for Happy Hour on a weeknight several months ago, but my friend ordered because it was my first time. WOW!! Delicious food and drinks. So fun after work. We sat in the loft upstairs and our waiter was great. We tried a variety of items, mostly on the happy hour menu, followed by an incredible TEMPURA BROWNIE dessert. Best dessert I'd had in a long time. Parking is valet in the building.

    (4)

  • Rae W.

    My colleagues and I went for Happy Hour 4-6. We didn't check our watches until 7:30. Whoops! The food and drinks were amazingly good. I especially loved the miso eggplant, the dragon roll, and the lychee martini with a REAL lychee in it! Later, we ordered some desserts and were similarly impressed. I love bread pudding, but theirs is very different yet tasty. I can't wait to go back!

    (5)

  • I M.

    We are Asian food lovers! The ambiance to this Japanese restaurant was really contemporary Asian. The staff were friendly and helpful with ordering. Even when busy they were quick to serve you and kept your water and tea full. All their fish we had was fresh. Prices are reasonable for sushi. It is loud, but a great place for any occasion. They even have happy hour. Make a reservation in advance as they seem to book up, especially on weekends.

    (5)

  • Misha T.

    Solid place, especially for large groups. Their rolls are quite tasty, although their sashimi probably isn't worth it. Stick with the rolls. Protip: Come eat at 8pm, get/eat your rolls, and wait till 9pm for happy hour to fill in any gaps in your belly.

    (4)

  • Phil V.

    The service and food is really really good, from the hamachi to tiger roll to the shrimp n lobster tempura. Also u have to have to leave room for the brownie tempura sundae!!! You won't regret it!! Also for drinks get the lychee martini!! I think the bartender started to make the drinks stronger by each round lol well we didn't complain at all bout that.

    (5)

  • Peter T.

    Been a couple times. Good place to sit at the bar and drink with a friend, pick up chicks with princess syndrome. Pupu's mediocre and sushi, while not bad, overpriced. Wouldn't avoid but wouldn't go out of my way to go again.

    (3)

  • Kalia G.

    Such a good atmosphere and I really enjoyed my waiter... Their happy hour sushi was so satisfying. As was their lychee martini! Really recommend if you're dining with a group. May want to make reservations.

    (5)

  • Little D.

    DORAKU SUSHI @1009 KAPIOLANI BLVD. Happy Hour 1600-1800. Take reservation only after 1800. HH review: You can get pretty full with only Happy Hour menu. We loved Ahi Poke $4.00 and Deluxe roll with shiso. Chicken lettuce wrap was different but tasty. Lychee Martini $6.00 was also tasty. We did not care for Eggplant Miso, Chicken Karaage, Beef Tataki much. Edamame $2.00 and spiced Edamame $3.00 were good. Next time I will try Deep Fried Brownie. Take out does not apply Happy Hour price. Although we loved their Hamachi! Parking: $3.00 for valet. If you don't like a stranger driving your car, and don't mind walking 5 minutes, you can park at Ward center.

    (5)

  • Kelli S.

    I recently met a friend for an early dinner at Doraku on a Friday around 5 p.m. Parking was definitely hard to find - you can't bank on street parking until after 6 p.m., and the tiny lot across the street (allowed for Doraku parking) was completely full. At 5 p.m., though, the eatery wasn't too busy, which was nice. My friend and I just sat at the bar because it was just two of us meeting. I would have preferred not to sit at the very front of the restaurant, but what can you do. This was my first time going to Doraku for Happy Hour, and some of the featured items were definitely worth trying. Our food came out really quickly and dinner didn't take as long as I expected. I've only been to this location twice, but I've had a good experience both times. Here's what we got: "Chicken Karaage": Let's get one thing straight - I like my karaage crunchy, and this version from Doraku definitely didn't disappoint. I forget how many pieces of chicken were included on the plate, but it was a good amount that my friend and I could share comfortably. I liked this karaage because it wasn't super crunchy, but it still had enough crispiness to it. The chicken meat itself was tender and flavorful; I would order this off the HH menu again anytime. "Agedashi Tofu": I do love tofu, but I tend to love it even more when it's fried. This tofu dish was great because the exterior was fried just enough (not soggy), but it also wasn't overdone. I also really liked the sauce that the tofu was in. This HH dish came with three pieces of tofu, I believe. "Tuna Tataki": I think this was the name of the last HH dish we ordered. The tuna tasted fresh, and I was glad for the chance to try this one. I let my friend have two of the three pieces included, though, because I wanted to eat more of the chicken. "Doraku Roll": Because this roll was named after the restaurant, I figured it had to be one of the more popular items. I really liked this roll because it had lobster, but my friend wasn't as keen about it. It featured lobster, shredded crab and cream cheese, and it was tempura fried and served with red and black tobiko and spicy garlic aioli. I liked the blend of the lobster and the shredded crab; the cream cheese also gave the roll a slightly sweet taste. My friend's main issue with this roll was that the entire thing was fried, but I didn't mind. I rather enjoyed the contrasting textures - the softness of the crab meat and the delectable crunch of the tempura batter. "Red Dragon Roll": This was one of the sushi rolls that I got during my first visit to this Doraku. It features spicy tuna, shrimp tempura and avocado topped with unagi, red tobiko, unagi sauce, ao nori and spicy aioli. It's one of the restaurant's best sellers and definitely one of my personal favroites. I love the contrasting flavors from the spicy tuna and shrimp tempura, along with the savory, fresh unagi. My friend liked this roll more than the "Doraku Roll." "Spicy Tuna Don": This rice bowl features spicy tuna served over sushi rice. I recently developed a liking for spicy tuna, so I definitely want to try this entrée from Doraku one day and see how it compares to other spicy tuna bowls that I've had in the past. I know Doraku is known for their sushi rolls--I normally get sushi whenever I come here--but if I'm in the mood for something different, I wouldn't mind trying one of their donburi options.

    (4)

  • Molly B.

    Love this place! Happy hour 4-6 and 9-close, there's a lot to choose from. Everything I've had here has been great - tuna tataki, beef tataki, south beach roll, lomi lomi roll, spicy tuna, chicken lettuce wraps, and don't forget that tempura brownie with ice cream - prefect to share with someone because it comes with two pieces. Service is excellent, the servers come check on you frequently (but not in an annoying way, in like a "I know you're here for happy hour and will need to order frequently" way). We sat outside because the inside had AC blasting (a good thing, I was just cold that night) and the music is pretty loud. The outdoor patios are quiet, comfortable, and relaxing. Indoor is modern and great for groups and hot dates. I can't wait to power through this entire menu, I'll be back a lot.

    (5)

  • Erica A.

    I've been to both Doraku locations several times (once was my first date with my hubby!) And each time, they deliver. The flavours are so complex and unique, a blend of western and Japanese cuisine. Tonight was made especially phenomenal by our server, Ty! He was so friendly, funny, helpful and awesome. Made a mental note to give him a shout out! If you have a question about a dish, ask him- his description of the surf and turf special sold us for sure. Whether you come for their specialty rolls or more traditional sushi, Doraku is delicious. Tonight we had the Maguro Zuke sashimi and it melted in your mouth... so good! If you're wanting to order sake and find the selection intimidating, try a sake sampler! They will show you a range of sake flavors to guide you in the right direction, and the price is very reasonable. Tonight we sampled 5 high quality sakes for $22. Save room for dessert! The tempura brownie is amazing. My personal fave is the green tea icecream- unassuming, yes, but packed with matcha flavor and served in anmitsu style with azuki, jelly, lychee and mikan. Divine! it's fun to order a bunch of things and share with friends. Though the foods look small, you will NOT leave hungry, lol. Kapiolani location has free customer parking on the corner of Kapiolani and Kamakee!

    (5)

  • Pabs G.

    Dragon roll, misoyaki butterfish, and garlic stead good. Ambiance and decor good. Black chopsticks and water bottle was nice. Being placed next to a noisy table with iPad blasting and kid having a tantrum was not good. It seems tech toys at the table keep us from having thought-provoking and mindful conversations during a meal with family and friends. Service staff may think twice about where they seat people. First impression of the food was good, but based on first experience, we are not likely to return.

    (3)

  • Sungjin S.

    Solid rolls! I've been here several times and love their happy hour. Atmosphere: I really like the feel of Doraku in kakaako. They really made it accessible for locals to avoid the chaos in waikiki and still enjoy Doraku dining. Service: the place is huge with plenty of seating and usually pretty busy. Good and attentive servers. Make sure you valet park inside only $3. Accepts all credit cards. Food: the rolls are so tasty. Today I tried the black dragon roll, doraku roll and lobster roll. Lots of rolls. It was so good, especially the black dragon roll. I also tried the karaage chicken which was well flavored. For dessert tried the green tea ice cream and the banana bread pudding a la mode. The contrast of warm bread pudding and ice cream topped with caramel and chocolate sauce and whipped cream made it heavenly. Intangibles: solid rolls if thats what you like for sushi. Must try the banana bread pudding with ice cream for dessert.

    (4)

  • Roxanne Lynn T.

    I love doraku but this is based upon a customer service experience that left us feeling pretty upset that evening. Although happy hour prices and menu has changed and increased overtime, we still enjoy coming here for a late night dinner. But it was like one of those unpleasant service that could make you rethink about coming here for a while after the wait and runarounds we've had to endure during our recent visit. We had reservations around 9pm for 5 people and were seated promptly by 2 of our friends who were there prior to me and my other 2 friends who came shortly after. We were seated at the trunk middle table for the restaurant. This table is the worst table to be seated at! I was unfortunately stuck at the end of the trunk which gave me no leg room at all, giving me leg markings throughout the night because I was sitting so uncomfortably on my chair and the table. I wanted to sit on the other side of my friend but it was already reserve for upcoming people walking in. But that wouldn't have made a difference either since my friend was sitting on the edge of part of the tree trunk design that gave her leg problems as well. But I let it slide and figured not to let that ruin my night. We ordered off of the Happy Hour Menu: Tuna Tataki ($6), Ahi Poke ($6), Chicken Karaage ($5), and Sweet & Spicy Edamame ($3). That came fairly quickly so some of were able to enjoy it as it was freshly made. I should of gotten the regular edamame as the one I ordered was a little to heavy on the seasoning sauce. My friends ordered the following: -White dragon roll ($13.95): Spicy tuna, shrimp tempura and avocado topped with unagi, red tobiko, unagi sauce, ao nori and spicy aioli. -Chirashi don ($18.95): Assorted Sashimi over rice. -Spicy Tuna Don ($11.95): Spicy tuna served over sushi rice. -Happy Hour Deluxe Spicy Tuna Roll ($6) The white dragon roll came shortly after my happy hour items then the chirashi don came a little longer than expected but we figured since its all fresh fish it would have taken a while. As the 3 of us were enjoying dishes and we noticed that 2 of my friends dishes didn't come out yet after 20 minutes. You would think that the Happy Hour Deluxe Spicy Tuna Roll would come out the same time as our happy hour but it didn't. We waved down our server and asked for those two items, the spicy tuna don and spicy tuna roll that we didn't have and 10 minutes pass and still nothing. Again, we asked and he said he'll check in the back. Another 10 minutes pass, no dishes nor no update. Then the server passes by and says "you didn't get it yet?!" Nope, we didn't. At this point, the rest of us were already done with our dishes and we were at the verge of just canceling the rest of the orders. We ordered another ahi tataki to eat in the meantime while we still waited and that came out within 5 minutes. So we're thinking he must of forgotten those orders because he was well over 45 minutes since we were dining in there. After 3 times of inquiring about it, of course our appetites are not there anymore and we just wanted to cancel them already but it came just when we were about to ask for the bill. So of course, even when my friends were already so fed up waiting, they just ate it and didn't enjoy it as they would have because of all that waiting. Even the water service sucked, we waited so long that we drank so much water and didn't even get our water bottle filled up quick enough that we had to ask other servers to serve us. So as compensation for the super long wait, the server said they would give us a complimentary dessert. He suggested the ice cream tempura and so we agreed that's what we would get or so we thought we had placed the order. The server was distracted by someone else who had saw him and slowly walked away and didn't even acknowledge our order. After almost 10 minutes of waiting he comes back and says "So have we decided what dessert you'll get?" Like seriously?!! All that waiting again, we already had chosen. We were feeling it at the last string of our nerves, we were all irritated as we were rushing to catch a movie that night. The dessert finally came shortly after as I have to agree was pretty good but that irate feeling you have when you're so pissed off that even a dessert wont be satisfying as it should be. At first I really wanted to give 1 star but since some of the happy hour items came in a reasonable time and we got compensated with a dessert, I'll give this place that one extra star of service. Other than that, our experience here was just unacceptable. It'll probably be a while till I'll be back here but I hope when I do come back, it'll be a much better experience of service and a better choice of seating.

    (2)

  • Victoria A.

    Always a great meal with pretty fantastic service here! Free parking with validation, $3:00 for valet parking or street parking available. Beautifully decorated with "intimate" (see below disclosure) seating areas as well as a beautiful "community table,"bar and outdoor seating! I just love this place! From the many reviews before mine - daily specials are abundant as well as one of the best happy hours on the island. But my favorite thing about coming here is that I really don't have to think too hard about what to have on the menu. Everything is good!! There are carb-less (no rice) sushi rolls as well as some of the tastiest and lightest Miso Teriyaki Chilean Sea Bass I've ever had - it really doesn't get any better than this! So delicate and light, flavored gently with the sweetness and saltiness of miso teriyaki sauce. Tied with the Chilean Sea Bass is the Misoyaki Butterfish. Flavor profile is very similar to that of the Miso Teriyaki Sea Bass but the sauce is glazed and the vegetables are grilled. Happy hour (4-6pm & 9pm - closing) prices here make it one of the best places to chill after a hard day's work. Discounted drink and food prices can't be beat here. Service was absolutely perfect!! Attentive and courteous wait staff made our experience a 5 star experience however, circumstances beyond their control dropped this review to a 4 star experience. Call me old or old fashioned, but the music volume was horrendously LOUD (yup...like caps on LOUD)! I had asked if there was anything they could do to lower the volume and I was politely told that they had no control over that since they share the music from the business beside them. This made it really difficult to hear what my friends were saying although we were sitting right beside each other. I'd gladly come back here to dine and perhaps opt for outdoor seating and crossing fingers that the street traffic noises are not as intrusive as the indoor dining volume. Not having tried their much boasted about brownie tempura also warrants another visit sans the pounding headache from the loud music.

    (4)

  • Tina L.

    Oh Doraku, how your service has plummeted. I originally called the Waikiki Doraku on accident at first, but went right back to trusty Yelp and called Doraku Kaka'ako instead. I called on Tuesday night, May 12th, and spoke with the hostess about making a reservation at 9:00 p.m. for a party of 14 people. Sounding shocked about such a large party (I've made and been a part of larger parties here, so she must have been new), the hostess put me on hold for a while. After she got back, the hostess told me that the restaurant does not take reservations after 9pm because that is Happy Hour. No worries, I asked for the latest time possible. At first she told me that they could put us down for 8pm, but I asked her if that really is the absolute latest time we could make the reservation, because we have people who don't even get off work until 8:30. She said, "As long as MOST of you guys are here, that's fine." So I agreed to make the reservation at 8:30 pm for 14 people on the next night, which was Wednesday, May 13th. She asked for my name; I gave it to her. She asked for my phone number "starting with the area code first please"; I gave it to her. Finally, she responded, "Alright Tina, we have you down for tomorrow night at 8:30 pm for 14 people. Thank you!" Fantastic! May 13th, 2015 (8:00 pm) I get a phone call from a friend asking if the reservation was under my name. I told him that it was, but apparently the hostess was giving him a hard time saying that they "don't do reservations after 8pm". A little annoyed, but knowing that Doraku and its hostesses wouldn't be so: 1.) Careless, and 2.) Rude to my friends (or anyone for that matter) I told him to just ask again and let them know I for sure made a reservation for 14 people at 8:30 pm, and I know for SURE it was Doraku Kaka'ako that I called, because that's the greeting that they answer the phone with. The hostess apparently continued to give my friend a hard time. I showed up at 8:30 and they managed to get a table anyway because it was slow, so I decided to not let it ruin my night. Unfortunately, the hostess is for sure new since I've been there, and the servers have all been replaced as well. The waitresses that my friends and I used to love talking to are all gone. Anyway, I walk in with my friend, and the hostess looked like she just really didn't want to be there. She did not say a single word to me. I smiled at her and sort of walked up to her, but she just CONTINUED TO STARE AT ME. Maybe she was having the WORST day of her life. Go home then. Call out sick. But don't stand there and roll your eyes around at me as I walk past you. Also, I have a picture of her playing on her phone and not looking up at another person who walked in and had to stand there for a hit before being greeted. TWO hostesses worked that night on May 13th, and one point BOTH of them had their heads down playing on their smart phones not caring about the people who were walking in! Also, the busser guy seemed to be harassing/flirting with one of the hostesses. I do feel bad for her despite her attitude, because I think she felt uncomfortable around him after he sort of placed a cold water bottle on her leg, so she backed into her podium away from him a little bit. Don't behave like that in front of us. We can see all of it, we were sitting right in the MIDDLE of the restaurant, and that behavior from MULTIPLE employees that night was just unbelievably unprofessional. Very very VERY disappointing. I started the update for this review last night, but I decided against it, because I don't like to be negative. After hearing multiple complaints, however, from multiple people in my party about how terrible the service was, I guess the sour feeling just stuck with me. I'm not even angry. I'm incredibly sad. I used to love Doraku, and now this place seems to be run by teenagers who take their job for granted. Mind you, we were there for my friend's birthday, but it was also the birthday of one of the bartenders and they all made a big giant scene about that. Maybe they were just too distracted that night to serve us despite it being a slow night? I mean, apparently the birthday of an employee trumps the birthday of a paying customer. The service was friendly. As in our waiter was nice. Actually I think two guys waited on us, and they were both nice, but the service was way too slow. I waited over ten minutes just for some lemon wedges while my uni don remained untouched. The waiter liked to take his time with everything including getting our checks for us when we asked for it. Nice, but too slow. Are they all new? Where did all the good ones go? Perhaps they need to do some serious re-training. Until then, I'm on the prowl for a new sushi joint, because I think I'm gonna have to break it off with Doraku. Seriously I'm not even angry about the service. Just seriously incredibly sad that such a great restaurant has gone to complete crap.

    (2)

  • Seb H.

    Since I'm not too far from this place I always visited this place for happy hour exclusively, so this review is pretty much an exclusive review on their happy hour service. When we dine out we try to find a good deal most of the time. You splurge here and there trying to eat the best of something once in a while but when it comes to frequent restaurant dining value is what I think most of us looks for. And if you're in Hawaii, Doraku's happy hour would pretty much be the best value you'll find in the entire state. They have a pretty extensive menu even for happy hour, offering a wide range of appetizers and some smaller portioned main dishes such as the rolls. Regardless of how picky or large your group is there will likely be a happy hour option that the person will like. If you are so picky that nothing on the happy hour menu piques your interest they do seems to have a rotating happy hour special as well these days. Last time I visited it was grilled ribs which were so meaty and smoky and amazing for something like $10. I think it would have costed me more money to buy the ingredients and cook it myself. The booze options are pretty nice too (I'm boring so I always get beer on draft). While it is possible to find cheaper booze at other places when you consider the cheap food you can pair with your booze, and considering that the restaurant is pretty classy and not a dive bar, it is a pretty damn good deal which I can easily recommend. While I never had to worry about parking they do seem to have the valet option for those willing to spend a little or a satellite parking lot for those who are more frugal by the corner of Kapiolani and Kamakee. And of course the street parking on Kapiolani would be an option too if you are going for the late night happy hour instead of the 4-6 PM.

    (5)

  • John G.

    Good place to grab sushi in Waikiki. Good fish, cool location - sit on the lanai and enjoy the view of the strip - we watched some b-boys busking while we waited for our food. The sushi is good and, atypical for most sushi places, their desserts are really good! Fun place, easy location, and usually not too long of a wait to get in (the crowd builds outside the Cheesecake Factory - seriously?) Fun story - The first time we went, in 2010, we were entertained by the two worst behaved children we've ever seen in a restaurant - they were in one of the u-shaped booths just to the right of the entrance, and they were running and jumping on the bench between mom and dad the whole time we ate - when we left, we saw them totally wipe out the display at a store on the second floor of the mall. We were cracking up, and I told my nearly adult kids how good they'd always been in restaurants. :-)

    (4)

  • Andy F.

    Wow, the last time I was here was in November of 2013? That's....a little disappointing. I came here with a bunch of friends for the late afternoon Happy Hour. Everything looks exactly the same as I remembered from almost a year and a half ago. It still has the rows of sake barrels behind the bar, and the mix of modern and classic Japanese décor. The food, for the most part, looks the same. We had the Salmon Carpaccio. There are seven slices of salmon sashimi with a yuzu mayo in a creamy ginger sauce with tobiko, red onion and scallions. The salmon was very fresh and was the star of the dish. The sauce was more on the bland side, and there wasn't enough of the tobiko and yuzu mayo to add any salty and sour element to this dish. But the freshness of the salmon was enough to make me enjoy this dish. The Tuna Tataki over a bed of shredded daikon radish and onions with ponzu sauce, garlic aioli, and chopped green onions and fried garlic chips wasn't as good I remembered. This time, the radish salad underneath was overdressed with ponzu sauce and made the dish more sour than anything. Also, the tuna didn't taste that high quality. The Ginger Chicken Kara'age was okay. There were pieces that were tasty and juicy, and fried very well, but there were pieces that were dry and tough. For the ones that were good, the ginger soy sauce was really good and had a nice balance between salty and sweet. Do NOT order the Steak Yakitori. This was absolutely awful. Whoever cooked this, killed the beef. The meat was super tough due to some major overcooking, and the edges were burnt. Not a nice char, but just straight burnt. There wasn't much of sauce and more so oil and greasy. This was accompanied with a strange cabbage slaw that appeared misplaced and unpleasing to the eye. The Deluxe Spicy Tuna Roll was not very good. The tuna wasn't spicy what-so-ever, and the roll itself looked and ate as if it was from a fast food or buffet restaurant. The roll wasn't rolled tight so the rice was loose and the nori was soft. I remembered the Eggplant Miso was my favorite from my last visit. This time, even though it was still very good, the toppings were extremely scant. It only had chopped up radish sprouts and a sprinkle of sesame seeds. The eggplant itself didn't seem like it was fried, but boiled. But they were cooked very well to a nice softness. The saving grace is the Yuzu Miso sauce, which was super tasty and went very well with the eggplant. After eating all these dishes, we didn't feel full or satisfied, so we ordered the Steak Tataki, and I am glad we did. The raw beef is was sliced razor thing and soaked in a sweet soy yuzu sauce with raw red onions and scallions on top. The beef was very fresh and the sauce was tasty with nice flavors, and the yuzu element really cut into the rawness of the beef. Overall, the food was so-so this time around. Just still with the good ones. The service was good. Attentive servers and the food came out at the right amount of time. This is still a top place for Happy Hour, which includes Hot Sake!

    (3)

  • Angela R.

    Was a nice atmosphere. Thought the prices were reasonable. I had the garlic steak. It was good but not the best. Think next time I'll have sushi.

    (3)

  • Stan G.

    Chef Jarrin is Fantastic at his craft. The food was outstanding, not to mention the excellent staff. Thank you for making my Wife's lunch a memory.

    (5)

  • Kenson K.

    Yay for sushi! We went bonkers here and ordered so much stuff. If you have any of the sashimi or sushi, everything is very fresh and you will not be disappointed. The ootoro is so good. Clam miso soup - I didn't care for it so much. it was a little to ocean-y oyster shooters - I think they had too much ponzu in it. it was a bit too sour Firecracker Jumbo shrimp - I thought this was just ok. I liked the prawns better. Spicy garlic prawn - excellent. Very large pieces of shrimp with just the right amount of spice. Ahi poke - this was really good. I don't know what they put in it but there is something in there that makes it taste different from normal poke. It's so delicious. Seafood poke - good but I like the ahi poke better Kampachi carpaccio - I thought this was good. but I wished there was more acid and sour in it Misoyaki butterfish - one of my favorites. Deelish Garlic steak - it was ok. I liked the other seafood dishes better though

    (4)

  • Lindsey S.

    I miss this place! AMAZING SUHI!! One of the best places to get fresh sushi with sweet, spicy, tangy, fresh flavors all in a small piece wrapped up in rice. Picture is worth a million words so check it out! You wont be disappointed. If you are looking to try a no rice roll... THEY HAVE THEM!! I loved it. I would ask for a roll each time i went. Always with the sauce on the side. =)

    (5)

  • Amabel L.

    One of their drivers hit my boyfriend's car, and they are now refusing to pay to fix it. Telling lies like they were behind him. But the site of the accident is obviously on the left side near the drivers seat. I also ate there with a few friends and was served spoiled lychee in my drink along with not so special sushi and side dishes. A lot is to be said about a company when they don't own up to their mistakes.

    (1)

  • Tracy T.

    Called two days in advance to make a reservation at 5:00for a party of 9 was told I couldn't make a reservation at that time would have to just walk in. We got there a little before 5:00 went to check in they told me it would be a hour to 11/2 hour wait or longer cause than it would be after happy hour and we would be behind the people that had reservations @6:00 WTH they told me I couldn't make reservations we had a friend from mainland just wanted to have a good time out! They ruined that! So we went next door to Chai's they accommodated us and had their happy hour menu that was really good they did everything they could do to accommodate us thanks Chai's for saving our nite out Doraku you missed out on a $500.00 sale cause you told me I couldn't make a reservation than said I would be behind the people that did!

    (1)

  • Noelani C.

    Service could be better here... Was sat but never served. Waited 15 minutes before the server approached our table. I watched the servers walk by a few times and no "hello" or any eye contact. Ordering and the server was really nice! She apologized that she didn't know we were in her section and thought we were helped by another server. Apology accepted. As we order she was thorough and everything I ordered came out accordingly. The sashimi is not the freshest but it was good! The appetizers were great and the ambiance is amazing! Just a little too crowded so therefore understandable when needing an extra napkin or refill of water is a task to flag someone down. It's a great social atmosphere and gathering spot. Just remember to order when you have the chance! I will maybe dine here again. Not sure but maybe in 6 months.

    (4)

  • Nyla K.

    This place is very trendy and is a cool spot to catch drinks and food, especially on their late happy hour. We got there a bit early and ordered a regular priced dish but at the stroke of 8 we piled in all the HH items our bellies would allow! The poke was great, the sushi was great, the beer was great! After awhile I lost count of how many beers and how many rolls I had but the night ended up with us bar hopping. An excellent place to go... Even for tourists.

    (5)

  • Liz M.

    this place never fails me, especially when it comes to quality sushi and sake! love this place and it is always a must when I'm in Oahu! I haven't been to any other location, though there is another one. the specially sushi selection has a variety!

    (5)

  • Kelsi C.

    I've heard great things about Doraku and decided to check it out. Plus, we had family visiting from the mainland, who wanted to see too. The ambience in here is very nice, very chic. It's an upscale, modern twist on Japanese decor. We were seated at our table, which was about 10 feet off the ground. I wondered why that was, especially since it wasn't a bar seat, and it made it hard to climb on and off from the seat. We ordered the ahi bone, the Black Dragon sushi, the hamachi and salmon carpaccio, the lobster tempura, the garlic steak (which was DELICIOUS), and the panko-crusted hamachi. OHHHH, that food was excellent! They also give a lot, because it's meant to share pupus-style. Our service lacked. I didn't get a name of our waiter, but he knew my boyfriend. I didn't appreciate that he almost...encouraged my boyfriend to drink. THAT really is why I'm giving 3 stars instead of 4 or 5. The waiter was friendly and all, but that was not cool. I don't care if you two know each other personally, show some professionalism. Overall, this is a good place to come to have a drink and kick back. I don't think you'll be disappointed with the food. At least I wasn't, and nobody in my party was. I was disappointed with the lack of professionalism though.

    (3)

  • Alec F.

    AHH THE HAPPIEST OF HOURS. This is one of my favorite happy hour spots, and honestly, I've only actually be here FOR happy hour as I'm pretty sure the regular menu is fairly pricey. But this happy hour man. It's great. Offering two happy hours from the earlier from 4 to 6 or from 9 to close, Doraku has an insert in its menu for all your happy hour needs (I posted a picture if you wanna check it out). They have everything from rolls, to edamame, to hot dishes, to poke. My favorite's are the lomi lomi roll, the chicken karaage, and the California roll - okay, I'm sorry, I can't handle spicy so I stay away from a lot of the menu. But everything I've ever tried here has been tasty! Also, they have a selection of drinks under $6 - that's always appreciated. You can get your glass of wine and sushi on like all the cools kids are doing these days. On top of this awesome happy hour - which by the way, I recommend going to for your classy pregame before hitting up Chinatown or Waikiki - you get this classy/upscale ambiance because... well, Doraku is a little more classy, haha. But that means you get classy for an affordable price. Dim lighting, close tables, and beautiful flatware makes a good way to start or end any evening. The waiters are always super friendly and on top of things, and for some reason the music is always playing all my jams. The only downside may be parking. Not that it's really a downside, because they do have a validated lot, but it's still a few bucks. However there's also street parking and it's located pretty centrally so hey - Uber it! This location in particular is great as it's a little less touristy and casual than the Waikiki location in the Royal Hawaiian shopping center. You're doing all the right things Doraku, keep it up.

    (5)

  • Alizabeth H.

    Heard of this place from one of my massage clients. He said it is great and prices are good for Japanese food. So we tried it out. It was a great experience. We got in during happy hour. It was very busy but the servers didn't look rushed or stressed. The restaurant looked really nice. Pictures would have been better for this review because I'm not great at explaining. We enjoyed our food and the restaurant so much that we didn't take much pictures. We just eat and enjoyed. Happy hour is the best time. I think it was 6pm-9pm the happy hour and we got our drinks and food. For the two of us it was $80 with tip. Not cheep but cheep for great Japanese food. We will come back. Valet is $3

    (5)

  • Courtney T.

    I'm not a fan of raw fish or fish in general, so going to sushi restaurants can be a challenge. However, Doraku's expansive menu gave me lots of interesting options. So I opted for the eggplant miso and stir fry veggies. The stir fry had a lot of bell peppers and onions that were barely cooked, but the mushrooms and zucchini and fried onions were good. Overall, a so-so dish. On the other hand, the eggplant miso was AMAZING! The eggplant was juicy, tender and tasty. The miso and yuzu combined with the garlic chips on top of the eggplant was heavenly. I would go back just for the eggplant. We went during lunch and it wasn't too crowded. The service was great and I want to go back during happy hour because guess what's on the happy hour menu. The eggplant! Yum.

    (4)

  • Latifa S.

    Same sushi, different location!! Doraku can do no wrong. No really. They can do NO wrong! Open, pretty décor, check!! Pretty kick ass food: check check check! I can eat at their waikiki location almost every day. Naturally, I have to check this one out too.So this one is in town. Not waikiki. But still quite nice. Much more laid back. They had shared tables and bar seats. We were seated in this massive table! We chose the corner since it was too big. Seems prices are cheaper here too. Drinks~ definitely didn't have the same menu as the waikiki one. I sticked with hot sake. Quite strong actually!! Food Seafood poke - yummm! You can never have enough poke! This one has at least 3-4 different kinds of fish in it. Kampachi - didn't have it!!!!!! surf and turf - a ok! I'm not big on eating steak on my sushi. But my friend liked this. Tofu salad with miso dressing - good Miso edmame - pretty good God of fire- this was wayyyy less spicy than their Royal Hawaiian one! If you like spice, this is the roll for you! Jalapenos, habaneros and then some. Yummm! Spicy shrimp - not so delish. It was good but I had this as an appetizer. Basically fried shrimps on a bed of greens with spicy mayo. Could've gone with something else ( not fried) Eel roll was also pretty tasty! I did get to try their happy hour drink in the end. It was something sake, pink and sweet. For a not so busy spot, they were busy!! Too busy to get the staffs attention. I don't mind it because I love the food but waikiki one is definitely my goto location!!

    (3)

  • Cyndy K.

    Cyndy's Bottom Line: Great for sushi lovers! Excellent selection of sushi. Interesting, creative rolls and flavorful combinations. Wide ranging menu from cold dishes, donburi -rice bowls, salads, soups, hot dishes, Doraku speciality rolls, dragon rolls, speciality no rice rolls, hand rolls, nigiri and assortment of sashimi and toro. Great selection of cocktails and sake. Delicious tantalizing happy endings desserts. Great service from Vinny! This is what we ate/drank: *Bloody Mary lined with black salt on the rim. Garnished with a stuffed olive and lime slice and celery stick. Yummy! *Prosecco - so glad they serve bubbly! Yay! *Kirin draft by the glass *Traditional miso soup The most delicious miso soup with konbu and tofu. Yummy! *House salad with Doraku ginger dressing. Delicious dressing with a nutty, savory flavor. *Negi toro don Yummy decadent fatty tuna sprinkled with green onions over delicious sushi rice. The rice is premium grade and perfectly cooked. *Hawaiian Opah Miso Teriyaki The opah is moist and perfectly cooked and served with a flavorful sweet miso teriyaki sauce over sautéed spinach. *Ume Shiso Chicken - grilled tender chicken thigh served with julienned shiso leaves and plum paste. The chicken was a bit dry and the plum paste was sparse. *Sake Bomb roll - spicy salmon, cucumber, jalapeño & avocado topped with salmon, garlic aioli and ikura. If you love salmon you will love this roll. It's all about the salmon. A YUMMY combination! *Red Dragon roll - spicy tuna, shrimp tempura, avocado topped with unagi, red tobiko, unagi sauce, nori and spicy aioli. *God of Fire Roll - spicy tuna roll with cucumber, jalapeño, topped with tuna sushi habernero masago and spicy garlic aioli. *Banana flambé in Gran Marnier served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, honey, chocolate syrup and macadamia nuts. YUMMY! *Brownie Tempura - home made brownie tempura served with vanilla ice cream and fruit purée, chocolate syrup and topped with macadamia nuts. The brownie is nicely fried and everything together is very yummy! Lovely decor and ambiance. There is validated parking. There is Happy Hour everyday from 4pm to 6pm. Late Night Happy Hour everyday from 9pm to close

    (4)

  • Nicholas L.

    Both Doraku locations are great! I prefer the Kapiolani location just to avoid the tourist rush. Things I love about Doraku Kapiolani: -cheap and easy valet parking ($3) -open all day so early dinners are easy -outstanding happy hour menu -courteous servers, all well-trained Menu items I recommend: -chutoro (often hard to find at other places) -white and black dragon roll -double happiness roll -karaage (happy hour menu) -ahi and avocado salad (huge ahi portions perectly matched with house ponzu dressing) The bar seating is large and the outdoor dinning section is a nice change up to the traditional indoor dinning experience. Last tip: If there is a crowd, the wait is worth it! Don't fall into the trap of thinking of going next door to Chef Chai's. You'll thank me later.

    (4)

  • Butterfly P.

    OMG! The Doraku seafood salad was awesome! It's like ordering a side of a variety of poke with greens. There's alot of poke in the salad. Everything else we ordered we had before so I won't comment except it's still delicious! All topped off with a House Cabernet. Ahhh.... Service was great too! Ayame was our waitress.

    (5)

  • John F.

    I absolutely love the Doraku Sushi early bird happy hour menu! I'm a huge fan of the salmon carpaccio and tuna carpaccio. They also make a wonderful spicy tuna roll and Lomi salmon tuna roll. Their chicken karaage is no slouch either. And for only 2 bucks you get a huge overflowing bowl of edamame lightly sprinkled with rock salt. No reservation is required and you can be seat and you can seat yourself at the bar without any waiting. 6 dishes ran me a tab of a only about $30. The only drawback to this location is the parking. It is valid only for 3 dollars plus tip. It's not expensive but I prefer to park myself. It's definitely 5 star food for any super low price with one star off only for the parking situation. Highly recommended! See my pictures!

    (4)

  • Sonia S.

    If you appreciate a good Happy Hour, Doraku is the place to be. Daily from 4 - 6pm, they have a nice selection of menu items with prices less than $10. You'll see wood decor carved with the saying "road to Happi ness"...Doraku is the road to happiness indeed. We love their Salmon Carpaccio ~ thinly sliced salmon sashimi swimming in an addicting orange ginger sauce, topped with negi, sliced red onions and black tobiko. Chicken Karaage is a go to item as well ~ tender chicken pieces seasoned just right, not too sweet, not too salty with shredded beets and daikon. Sushi is decent, service is pretty good, cool ambience. Great place for a date night.

    (4)

  • Pamela S.

    Came here with a friend for dinner on Christmas day and sat at the bar. Shared the geisha roll and the white dragon roll. I can definitely eat more than that but this wasn't the time. Most of the rolls here sounded pretty similar to each other. Hard to judge a place based on just a couple of specialty rolls but I really liked both of the options we went with. Sometimes sauces get to be too much for me, but it wasn't overwhelming on either. If I ever go back, I'd definitely need to try the sashimi - must be fresh! Dimmed lighting and trendy atmosphere, would be great for a date.

    (4)

  • Rachel K.

    Really great food! My friend and I went for dinner and got the Sake bomb roll and the tuna tataki. Both amazing!! And for dessert we got the brownie tempura with vanilla ice cream! Gotta have that for dessert, seriously! The three stars is only because of service, which wasn't entirely the waiters fault but I think is just poor management in general. We came at about 6pm for our reservation and the hostess looked way to preoccupied and we were kind of in limbo after requesting our reservation. The place was extremely crowded and the entire restaurant was grossly understaffed. I don't think we even got to order until maybe a half an hour after we got our menu. To add to that our food came pretty slowly as well. We had to flag waiters down to get orders in. I don't think we even knew our waiters name until the check came and his name was on the reciept. Maybe we should've come at an earlier or later time but either way, management should be aware of the traffic increase during dinner hours and accommodate accordingly. Food was great! Staffing needs help!

    (3)

  • Kyla W.

    Service and food are so so. I would only come for their happy hour. I am very disappoint on how long it took for the spicy dragon roll to come out!!! Our server told us two times that the roll should be coming, but don't see it. Until 10-20 minutes after? I don't know why it took that long to make a dragon roll = = We wanted to order dessert, but afraid we have to wait again so decide not to. I am not sure if is like other Yelpers saying, this place had new staff. But they are lucky, we tip almost 18% for them. I don't think I am coming back to this restaurant unless I want to eat their happy hour menu again.

    (2)

  • Cecily C.

    One of the best misoyaki butterfish preparations in Hawaii can be relished at Doraku on Kapiolani. It's one of the lunch specials ($14.95) available from 11:00-4:00. Perfectly cooked with a marriage of sweet mirin and salty miso, I like the broiled crispness on the skin of the fish. The hearty fillet was not without bones, but there were just a few of them. I opted for extra salad instead of rice, and I'm glad I did. The salad dressing is a mixture of ginger and miso and it's very flavorful. Dessert was a Japanese custard I liken to a creme brûlée, or you can indulge on their specialty dessert, the tempura brownie served ala mode. They also have more traditional fare such as chicken yakitori, and a plethora of specialty sushi rolls, including some "no-rice" options, on which to experiment and feast. An enjoyable alternative to the downtown lunch scene. We had a spacious booth with lots of cushions and pillows, Doraku provides a conducive atmosphere for friends and business alike. Easy validated parking.

    (4)

  • Joy Celeste P.

    Might have to work on training your hostess about seating customers. We arrived at 520 and she kept insisting that everything was reserved at 7:00. Okay and then what? She asked if we had reservations. So you saying you can't seat us even if it's only 5:20? I come here often because I live upstairs and it's nice to talk to the sweet bartenders as they give excellent service. Maybe it's time I stopped coming since the 7:00 customers are expecting their seats to be empty at 5:20.

    (1)

  • Amelia C.

    Quality of the food is the same as the Waikiki location but the service is EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTING. I have been here a few times, always hoping that my next dining experience will be better than the last. Unfortunately, I have yet to see an improvement in their service. First, the hostess told us our table was ready but then realized we were the wrong party, so we had to wait even longer. Our 20-30 minute wait became a 30-45 minute wait. Second, I see a party of 3 come in and immediately get seated. He seemed to know the host because they shook hands. Not a big deal, but it upset me that the host did it so openly while there was a line of parties who were waiting longer. It just seemed like a smack to our face. Third, Fourth and Fifth, it took them 10 minutes to get us a menu and water. Our orders came at two separate times- four were received 30-45 minutes, and the other three came after an hour. When I asked our server what was going on with our second portion, he just said the sushi orders have been way backed up for a while now. Why couldn't he tell us earlier during our dinner instead of waiting for us to be tired, hungry and irritable? Had we known the sushi bar was backed up, we would have ordered something else. We stayed at the restaurant for 3 hours because of the excessive waiting time. My advice: don't come here expecting great service.

    (1)

  • Reid A.

    A trendy place with good food. The first thing was how trendy it was inside and the gorgeous people that eat here. People eat here to been seen it seems. It was how Shokudo was when it first opened. Some guys were wearing blazers and girls were dolled up for the club. I felt under dressed, but ainokea. The restaurant has a mezzanine level and we sat up there. The food was really good. It is izakaya style, so order a bunch of dishes a little at a time. The Hamachi Carpaccio and buddha roll was great. The ginger garlic chicken is good and the toro is really good. The chu toro (medium fatty tuna) is fairly inexpensive too. The tempura brownie was a nice finish to the meal. The service was good. We were checked on constantly, so it made ordering more food easier. The parking is limited. Making reservations at 6:00pm on a Friday and the lot is full. Doraku also has a parking lot at the corner of Kapiolani and Kamakee. So when the valet tells you the lots full, just turn right out of the lot on Kapiolani and make the first right at the traffic light and you'll see a blue wall, which is the lot. That was full too, so I found some street parking nearby. Crossing the street here is very dangerous, so be careful. Drivers are just not looking for pedestrians.

    (4)

  • Krista J.

    Great sushi place! Red dragon roll is my favorite. No parking so u gotta walk but still worth it. It's one of my top places for sushi

    (4)

  • Karen G.

    I am giving 4 stars solely based on my food experience... Customer service on the other hand is EXTREMELY slow.. I wouldn't mind, but since I had a flight to catch in an hour, I had to rush to eat my sushi .. Nice interior, not too crowded, pretty chill for lunch dates and business gatherings.. To sum it up.. If you are not in a rush and want to enjoy some fresh sushi.. This is the place to go. (You might be pouring your own water too -just heads up)

    (4)

  • Evan M.

    I have been always meaning to try here, and finally got a chance! We came for lunch, which is a perk because structure parking is free when validated. The con about lunch is I think the kitchen gets backed up a bit due to the smaller staff size, but we weren't kept waiting too long at least. We started off with two rolls- the White Dragon Roll and the Red Dragon roll. Both were excellent, but I preferred the Red more because it had more kick to it given the spicy sauce on top. I got the Misoyaki Butterfish, which was recommended by our server. It was flavorful and tender, but did have a decent amount of bones (as most butterfish has, unfortunately). Since I got the dish as a lunch special (15 bucks) it came with miso soup and salad, which made it a great deal. For dessert we got the Chocolate Brownie Tempura, which was great. It was surprisingly not too "heavy" given the "fried tempura" coating. It reminded me of a lighter "fried Oreo". I would definitely recommend getting this if you haven't!! Overall I hope to come back again and try more of their menu. Also heard their happy hour is a great deal so will try to come back then. Till next time!

    (4)

  • Ally G.

    Made it to Doraku on a Monday for their happy hour specials. We been here before about a year ago and wanted to try it again since we were close by and looking for a happy hour in the early afternoon. It's located in the Pacifica building, parking is kinda tight but they usually have valet after a certain time. Ordered off the happy hour menu, Cali roll, delux spicy ahi roll, chicken karaage and ordered a special they had on butterfish bones. Also had a couple of Heineken lights each. Total was $37. Overall, the food and service was ok. The restaurant is nice, but I don't really care for the bench seating. Not sure if I would come back again.

    (2)

  • Cat P.

    This place is one of my faves for happy hour. They have a large variety of pupus, all of which are very good. My favorites include the chicken kara'age, tofu agedashi, beef tataki, salmon carpaccio, and tuna tataki. These items are all on the happy hour menu but I believe the tofu agedashi is like a secret item on their list. My all time fave drink here is the lychee martini...it has the perfect amount of sweetness from the lychee, and just enough alcohol to get me feeling buzzzzed. I really love the ambience of this place too...we always take our visitors from the mainland here (as it's walking distance from our place), and it's a cool place to go to for happy hour. The happy hour prices are super reasonable and the price you pay for what you get is soo worth it! One con about this place is that it can get pretty packed so the wait time can be pretty long, especially if you have a large group. So we try to come here on weekdays, or if there is a really long wait, then we'll put our names down, walk back to our place and have a few more drinks, and then head back over for some ono grindz. Food on the regular menu is really good as well but it is pretty pricy so I highly recommend coming here for happy hour, as the prices are wayyy more reasonable! I believe they have an afternoon happy hour from 4-6pm, and then a late night happy hour, which goes from 9pm to close.

    (5)

  • Kaitlyn M.

    The sushi was amazing and creative. The restaurant is just beautiful. A variety of places to sit, high ceilings, nice materials used for the furniture/bar. The service was very good. And they leave a glass bottle of water at the table which I always love!

    (5)

  • kristine f.

    Let me preface this review by saying that this review is solely based upon my opinions of Doraku's Happy Hour. The good: + Location is conveniently located to Ala Moana and Ward Shops. + Happy hour Sake was huge and all for $5. + Poke is the only consistent thing on the menu that has been tried and true. + Ambiance has such a hip (cool) vibe and would be a good time with either a big group of friends or just you and your bestie. The Ugly - The food lacks consistency. I've been to Doraku a handful of times and I will say that my palate's experience every time. - Service was okay but not the best. The sushi chefs were nice but the servers weren't the most cordial bunch. - Happy hour menu items are just "okay." Compared to other happy hours like Sansei and Gyukaku I'd much rather prefer that, unless you prefer a more sexy atmosphere with mediocre food.

    (2)

  • Karen T.

    I just got home from having lunch at Doraku! As expected, this experience was even better than the first time I was there. I had the Miso Halibut served on some greens and it was great. Not sure if I like this or the Butterfish better. My cousin had the Hamachi which she said was really good too and our friend had Chicken Karaage-her usual since she's a regular. We also got the Brownie Tempura Ala Mode to share! Fried Brownie Sticks with Ice Cream! Yay! LoL Our waitress was really nice and patient, I wish I caught her name. We were talking so much when she came to take our orders we hadn't even opened our menus yet. Even Richard the manager came and checked on us a few times to see how things were going. Even the hot tea was good... We had a nice leisurely lunch(3hrs) and they never tried to rush us out or anything. Oh, and it's a little chilly in there towards the back-just how I like it. Would I go back? Yes... with this summer heat, same time tomorrow would be great Do I recommend to others? Yes I do!

    (5)

  • Ryan T.

    What?! How have I never been here?! 2 happy hours everyday!!! Just had my 1st experience and it was awesome, maybe it was all the sake? or all the delicious pupus on the happy hour menu, either way, definitely going back. I hear the parking situation is a little tough, but I didn't drive and this Honolulu, is there any good parking here? Walk, Uber, Lyft, bus, cab or have a friend drop you off because you shouldn't be driving when you leave this place anyhow. We got the beef tataki, so tender and just melts in your mouth, more please :-) I destroyed some chicken kara'age by myself. Ahi poke was also great. And, then the eggplant. If I could cook eggplant like that I would be a vegetarian. It tasted so good I refused to believe it was eggplant. If I gave it to you and you didn't like eggplant guarantee you would eat and ask for more. Basically everything was good, not sure if you can go wrong ordering anything here. Anyhow, service was also good. Our waitress was very kind and helpful in trying some new types of sake. Planned on only going for an hour or 2 and it turned into 4. If you haven't been definitely go check it out. Good stuff. Maybe next time I'll try those oyster shooters :-)

    (5)

  • Nikki S.

    I enjoy the food here & usually enjoy the servers but the hostesses... not so much. Every single time that I've been here they don't greet you & they don't smile, they simply look at you & that's it. The last time I came in, which was just a few days ago, there were two men standing at the front so I told them how many & they just said "ok" & continued to carry on with their own little side convo. Hm ok so I awkwardly had to stand there until I realized he wouldn't ask for my name or tell me how long. As soon as I figured that out I sat down next to my friend & one of the guys said "k I can take you" I knew their convo had nothing to do with our seating assignment because my friends & I could hear what they were talking about. Moral of this story: just because I look to be the same age as you, do not be so rude where you can't even do your job correctly. I'm only giving this place 3 stars because I REALLY enjoy the food. If I had to give a rating based on service? I'd only give it 1 star.

    (3)

  • Reina L.

    This is one of our favorite places to go, good food, great atmosphere. We love the oyster mushrooms! The hamachi carpaccio, steak, and tried the pork belly yaki-soba tonigt. Excellent! Sons favorites are the hamachi, sashimi platter (large one), and even the mushrooms (only time he eats them). Wait staff are great! Remember to make reservation! Valet parking is a flat $3.00.

    (5)

  • Aim H.

    My friends and I came here to try the happy hour today. We were seated right away in the upstairs seating area. Our server greeted us and went over the specials. We ended up ordering all of the specials along with more than half of the items on the happy hour menu. Some of the specials were ribs and roast pork. Both were excellent. Some of the happy hour items we ordered was poke, all of the sushi, sweet and spicy edamame, yakitori , etc. we also ordered items from the regular menu like oyster mushrooms and spicy lobster roll. Everything we had was good. We ordered the brownie tempura (2x lol) and the ice cream tempura (2x lol). Desserts is a must before leaving!! I will definitely be back!

    (4)

  • Sarah G.

    The happy hour here is great. The first one ends at 6pm and the second one starts at 9pm. The hibiscus drinks are amazing at only $6. Lots of good food on happy hour too, like the karage chicken. The brownie tempura dessert is just as amazing as it sounds!

    (4)

  • Rhesa S.

    Service was impeccable: our waiter seemed to check on us at the right time to offer more drinks and/or other menu items. Happy Hour specials are delish! Must try the beef skewers (I wish I ordered my own--not sharing next time, ha ha...seriously though...). Pair it with their beer on tap special (Kirin) or their yummy Lychee Martini !

    (5)

  • Leigh A.

    Service was atrocious! The waiter forgot drinks, we had several duplicate menu items delivered to the table that were not ordered. One sushi roll was delivered to the wrong table and it was not figured out until the roll brought to our table was not claimed. We had lobster delivered to the table and the server said that it was firecracker shrimp, so the wrong person started eating it. The overall service was poor and the food was mediocre!

    (2)

  • Joyce L.

    I went to Doraku Sushi for ending of happy hour/dinner. I made a reservation and they gave us a cozy place to sit and hangout with my friend. The hostesses were welcoming and energetic. Doraku Sushi isn't your traditional Japanese restaurant where you can get Teishoku meals. It's more of a hangout place for drinks. Therefore, I wouldn't recommend for family dinner with young children. I did see one child at the center counter. And yes, some yelpers did say it's good for children but for me it's a no. I was happy with the server and the food. We ordered vegetable tempuras, chicken wrap and California rolls. However, when I paid for my bill in cash, the server didn't give coin change back. I've been to places where servers take the coins out and give you even change back. So my server short me 80 cents in change. I thought that was weird. But maybe she forgot no big deal. Parking is valet for dinner. I'm one of those people who don't like to valet my car. But I hear lunch is self park. So maybe I'll be back for lunch. If you want to grab a drink especially for happy hour this is one of the up beat kind of place to hangout. Price is right too!

    (4)

  • Elizabeth O.

    We sat at the bar during happy hour. Great happy hour choices in both drinks and food. It's super yummy! Can't wait to go again

    (5)

  • Kim M.

    Excellent service and good food. Happy hour is definintely the time to go. CHICKEN KARAAGE The menu used to read, "Ginger Chicken Karaage," but I found that nothing about it changed aside from the name. (Thank gawwwd.) I am a hardcore fan of this ginger chicken karaage. Mmm.. #thatsaucedoe OYSTER SHOOTERS Always fun and delicious. CHIRASHI Better than I had expected! Tons of different BROWNIE TEMPURA I can't get enough of this. It's sinful, but freakin' delish. I order this every time I dine here. yelp.com/biz_photos/dora… VERDICT When you can't decide on where to go, think Doraku. Great for dinner, lunch, happy hour, or whatevs! I've been here with both friends and family, so it's really a great restaurant for everyone. Definitely a good place for happy hour. And they have a late night happy hour from about 9PM until close.

    (4)

  • Christopher B.

    Expected service to much better. Came here about a week ago and received better service. Ordered a drink and couple pupus. My chicken and California roll came before my kirin. I finished the sushi and chicken and still no drink. Furthermore, we asked if they could split our check; however, he just suggested to figure out the amt on our own and just split the payment. So here we are, passing around one check....to figure how much each party owe. My opinions, as a customer stand point, waiter should have split the check. Save the customer doing everything manually. Save the customer time calculating how much they owe. Some waiters and waitresses nowadays think Tip is an "entitlement"... They need to change their mindframe. :)

    (2)

  • Sarah T.

    I love their Royal Hawaiian Center location so my hubby and I popped into this one the other day thinking it couldn't be that much more different. Service was good. He was prompt at refilling our waters and attentive in asking if we needed another beer when we were running low. Our friends ordered off the lunch menu, as did I. The portions were a good size to have ordered an appetizer and rolls on the side. So a bit small, but good if you want to order several other things off their menu. My main qualm is with my spicy tuna bowl order. The fish had the consistency and texture of poi. (For those unfamiliar with poi it has the consistency of a thick glue-y paste.) It tasted very bland and had almost no heat. I took a few bites and left it alone. The others tried as well and were confused about the texture and lack of taste. Needless to say, won't be ordering that again. The rest of our meal went without a hitch for me. I know the others didn't enjoy their bowls as much either but they got full on beer. Will it stop me from coming again? No. I probably won't ever order the spicy tuna bowl ever again though. Yikes.

    (3)

  • Geoff P.

    If you are hungry for sushi and other good Japanese food then check out Doraku Sushi Kapiolani. Good sushi without the traffic and tourist crowd of their Waikiki location. Prices are reasonable but it can get pricey. They have a wide selection of creative sushi and traditional Japanese menu items for non sushi lovers to dine on. Everything on their menu is 4 stars. You really cannot go wrong. Make reservations but do confirm with them. Made a reservation 2 weeks before our scheduled dinner. Luckily I called a day before to confirm and found out they had the reservations on the wrong date. They were very accommodating and secured us our table and time on the correct date. Overall restaurant rating 4 Food quality 4.0 Food selection 4.0 Value for the price 3.5 Friendly staff 3.5 Don't let the prices scare you. Eat family style and budget $40 per person and you can get plenty of food without breaking the bank. A restaurant I will return to again and again.

    (4)

  • Amy Y.

    Unexpected dinner when we failed to go to Bubbies for mochi ice cream. My friend told me about this awesome ice cream puff dessert here. So what the hey..let's do it! It was around 7 at night...it was busy but 3 of us got seated right away. Love the interior decor...dislike the loud music. Then realize it was a bar?! Oh boy.. We got seated outside, much much more quiet. There was definitely a lot of options on the menu for sushi. Finally, we decided to order the sake bomb sushi roll, firecracker yellow tail roll. oyster shooter, and chirashi. The oyster shooter looks like a shot glass with marinated raw oyster. My friend loved it. The chirashi had variety of sashimi fish on top of rice..she ate it all. I ate the sake bomb sushi roll which has salmon, ikura, avocado and spicy salmon. It was good. Salmon in one bite. The firecracker roll was spicy because there was jalapeno on top. Inside was yellow tail fish, sriracha, and avocado. It was yammy too. The most important part of our dinner...the dessert. We ordered the ice cream tempura with matcha ice cream. It is fried on the outside with caramel sauce drizzled on top. There were also tiny bits of pineapple pieces on the plate. The dessert was the most delicious thing I ever tasted for a while. I can taste the strong match in the ice cream. The tempura batter was fried perfectly. Soft and chewy...because it was fried with pound cake and tempura batter. The service was ok. The portions were kinda tiny for the sushi, 8 pieces per roll. I'll return if I'm desperate for the dessert.

    (4)

  • Derek W.

    I really don't like fusion sushi restaurants but Doraku came highly recommended by a friend so we ended up here for dinner one night. Walked in and expected the place to be full only to find it partially filled. I guess their daily happy hour ends at 6 so by 7 the place clears out. This place reminded us of Katsuya. Browsed the menu and also a few yelp reviews and ended up ordering a few dishes to share with the wife. Double happiness roll yelp.com/biz_photos/dora… . Ordered this one as the wife isn't a big rice eater and it wasn't bad but definitely not something I'd normally order. Emperor roll yelp.com/biz_photos/dora… . This roll came recommended by other yelp reviewers so figured we'd give it a try. Again not bad but thought the sauce they used made the roll too sweet for my liking. Spicy trio yelp.com/biz_photos/dora… . Don't get me wrong this dish could've been better if they had used better quality fish. Yes I know .... most sushi restaurants use old cuts of fish which is masked by the sriracha hot sauce but boy was the fish still fishy. Definitely would not recommend this dish at all. The table next to us even asked what it was since it looked good...I didn't have the heart to tell them it really sucked. Garlic ponzu ribeye yelp.com/biz_photos/dora… . Probably the best dish that we had that night. The ribeye was tender and loved the flavor of the garlic ponzu sauce they used. Would I go back? Most likely not unless it was just for happy hour and to grab drinks. I'd definitely skip dining here if you were craving sushi.

    (2)

  • Ray A.

    In a restaurant that open for some time now...I am displeased with the service...unacceptable for a Tuesday night...the hostess was very unpleasant...we were presented a table after a wait of 45 min...we were made aware that the wait would take 15-20 min...as we sat on our table, it took sometime just to get water as well as menus...the food took longer than it should be making the conversation easy to continue to bad mouth what I thought was my favorite go to dine in :( unfortunately this wasn't the first time and feel awful that it had to succumb to this

    (1)

  • Jorge G.

    Always great to come back to Doraku, they have the best prices, friendly staff and a great menu. I have been going to Doraku since the first one opend in Miami Beach, FL. If you are looking for a nice happy hour Doraku has a great one.

    (5)

  • El L.

    Great place for gathering n yummy food. I love their starter the Signature Ahi dish, it open up my appetite. Also their uni bowl n other food quality also good. I will try the Waikiki one next time:)

    (4)

  • Eva C.

    I am visiting Hawaii and my fiancée and I were looking for a great sushi restaurant. Unfortunately I chose Doraku- I was fooled by the overall rating of this restaurant. The sushi was OKAY. The customer service was not good at all- we had to ask for our waiter and he when he arrived- he was not attentive at all. I even saw a miso soup machine in the back- odd. It was really disappointing. I do not recommend coming here. Pro- the sushi chefs were awesome- very friendly and they looked like they enjoyed their jobs!

    (1)

  • Randy D.

    I recommend the red dragon roll and they got one of the best chicken karaage I've tasted on the island.

    (4)

  • Mary G.

    I've never been here usually go to the one Waikiki Doraku just because. Actually first impression when walking in what really caught me was the patio. Nice garden atmosphere romantic setting in the evening. We we're seated upstairs nice and secluded. The server asked for our drinks and of course for Happy Hour I had to get the usual, " Lychee Martini" smooth, nice pretty elegant drank my fave so far but still gotta try the other drinks. I loveee coming here because of HAPPY HOURS! I mean the sushi, the drinks, the awesome musics, & good company just to name a few things. Our usual order: I'm soo in love with the Chicken Karaage. Soo Ono crispy similar to. Fatboys garlic chiq. In loveee with the Tuna Takaki usually eat the whole thing Daicon and seaweed with lemon squeeze and shoyu. Tried the salmon carpaccio and I'm speechless. If you like salmon you gotta try em! Pretty nice fancy salmon. The sauce was unique and yummy! Also got the special deluxe sushi. All of the above at like $5-$6 which is affordable if you have nice decent job you can afford ya know lol. I always enjoy coming here with good company I mean the night can't get any better with having dinner with friends. Good stories, good laugh and good food why not! On to the Desserts. Our intention was to come for The brownie tempura cuz the mermaid was craving for it soo bad! Anyway so we tried the Brownie Tempura w/ green tea ice cream. Okay I like Green tea and all but I think I prefer it with vanilla ice cream better. It was yummy dou not gonna like. Service was good again! Music was awesome and yeah I love Doraku Haply hour! If you're around in town you must stop by cuz the mermaid said so!

    (5)

  • Kevin T.

    One of the best happy hour sushi spot on Oahu. Used to go sansei sushi for late night happy hour, but their service got worse everytime I went so I found a new late night sushi spot. Thank you Doraku. Good service and good food. Never failed me yet.

    (5)

  • Karissa S.

    I love doraku! The happy hour is great, my friend and I feasted for only $35! The highlights for me were the spicy tuna roll and the miso eggplant! I love the convenient location and the royal hawaiian center and the new ward location. This is definitely my go to for sushi happy hour in waikiki!

    (5)

  • Heather S.

    I wanted to start off and say that the service is ok here. Last time I ate here (which is last month actually), we were told that they accidentally over-booked and that we only have an hour and a half to eat. I was like... Over-booked?! This should never happen anywhere. Luckily though, everything was resolved and we were not rushed to finish our meal. With that said, there is no doubt how good the sushi is here. They have so many creative sushi rolls to choose from, but my favorite would have to be the WHITE DRAGON roll. It has hamachi, which is btw my favorite fish to eat raw. My only complaint would be the portions of the dishes, and they're not cheap either. At first glance, it may look like the portion is large. But after eating a whole roll of sushi to yourself and wondering why you're not full, you soon realize that the individual pieces of the roll (though large in number) are actually small in size, in comparison to most places. The rolls are so good though that sometimes you'll find yourself eating another sushi roll. Well, it has happened to me once... Or maybe twice ^_^ Alcohol isn't cheap here, too. But I sure do like their hot sake!!

    (4)

  • Tia C.

    The reason I am giving this place 2 stars is not because the food was bad, it's actually fairly good, as you would expect in Hawaii: fresh fish, Asian fusion, lots of flavor, etc. However, the service and the organization of the kitchen was horrendous. My family and I attended dinner. There were six of us. We made a reservation earlier that day for 7:30pm and got there about 10 minutes early. We had to wait an extra 15 minutes until 7:45 for our table (if this had been the only complaint it wouldn't have even been notable.) We were seated upstairs and made our orders in a reasonable amount of time. This is when everything went to hell. Not only did they bring our entrees out one by one so we couldn't even eat at the same time, they were very lengthy gaps in between each plate. My mom then ordered sake (before her entree came) and the waitress brought it back without a sake glass and then said she would bring one which took her long enough for my dad to walk downstairs to the bar (where there was only one bar tender) and brought back a sake cup before our waitress came back with one. Then as our food kept coming one by one, our waitress comes with what she thinks is the last plate and asks if there is anything else we'd like to which we reply that she has forgotten our doraku roll. She then replies that she will go down and get it and 20 minutes after not receiving it she comes back up saying that is was picked up by another server and it's on it's way. We wait another 10 minutes before my dad, having been the only who hadn't eaten cancels the order for the roll and asks for the bill. This restaurant's only redeeming quality is the food is decent. The service was unbearable, and that is not just our waitresses fault. The timing of the food, the missing roll, etc is a reflection of the restaurant as a whole and turned our evening rather sour. Not to mention that parking isn't free and the restaurant made no attempts at redeeming themselves from a terribly served and delivered meal.

    (2)

  • Katy E.

    Love the white dragon roll! I don't know if it's the garlic chips or hamachi that make this roll so great but I'm never disappointed! The shrimp tempura is a different story... I couldn't even finish one shrimp because you just got this fishy taste left in your mouth after one bite. I'm pretty sure they used the same oil to fry everything on their menu :/ Next time I'll know better and order something else.

    (3)

  • Rissa K.

    Their happy hour is pretty impressive! Love their tofu avacado tomato salad and their poke is pretty good! Love the decor here too. Service is good. Parking is $3 valet.

    (4)

  • Ray M.

    One of our favorite happy hour places to go when on the town side of the island. Great food, great drinks, and a very friendly/attentive staff. Highly recommend coming here for either happy hour or just dinner.

    (5)

  • DJ Nocturna R.

    I love their late happy hour after 9pm and the choices in the Happy hour menu. More restaurants need to do this and stay open late like Doraku. Doraku has good food in the happy hour menu. Only request - please turn down the music. Music playing in the restaurant is a little too loud.

    (4)

  • Jasmine W.

    I've been to Doraku a few times now, mostly for their regular menu and only once for late night happy hour. Most recently, I was there with a group of friends (6 of us total) on a Wednesday night around 7:30pm. I called around 3:20pm the same day to get a reservation, and I was surprised they were able to accommodate me on such a short notice! Beware though...I heard through another friend that they don't take reservations after 8pm. Not sure if this is true or not, but just be warned that this might be the situation. When I got there a couple minutes after 7:30, our table was already set for us. We waited around 15/20 minutes for the rest of our party to arrive before ordering. I was the only one out of the 6 of us that ordered a roll...and I have no idea why it took so long! 4 of us got a variety of don (rice bowls), and one got beef tataki, and these dishes were all out relatively quickly and around the same time as each other. My red dragon roll, however, took at least 10-15 minutes longer to be served! I felt really bad because my friends were waiting for me, but they refused to start before everyone had been served. I'm not sure what took so long for the roll...but it was pretty irritating to have to wait so long after everyone else had their food. Our service in general was sort of slow...and I'm not sure why since the restaurant wasn't completely packed when we were there. We had to ask for our own water at least two times over 2 hours. Doraku's menu is VERY extensive. I think the first time I came, I was so overwhelmed with how many choices they have! Everything from appetizers to nigiri and roll sushi and desserts, they've got everything covered! The red dragon roll is my go-to at Doraku, with spicy ahi, shrimp tempura, tobiko, and unagi. How could you possibly go wrong! The roll comes with 8 pieces, and is satisfying if you are a light eater. I also enjoy the rice-less rolls, but I wasn't hungry enough to order 2 things this time around. We were too full for dessert, but brownie tempura sounded very appealing! I'll have to try it on my next visit. There is street parking and valet service in the evenings. Street parking seems hard to come by, so if you want a spot go earlier! TL;DR - slow service, extensive menu, and reservations suggested!

    (3)

  • Trav K.

    The food is always excellent and the happy hour menu has a good variety of options. I would recommend coming early if you plan to come during happy hour since it always is crowded. As crowded as they get, they are well staffed and the service of food is almost always quick.

    (4)

  • Kelly L.

    Doraku is a great California-style sushi option. Both locations have validated parking and great ambiance/decor. I've never had bad service. Pretty darn good sake selection too! Some of my favorites: sake, lychee martini, seaweed salad, doraku roll, green and red dragon rolls, lobster tempura, butterfish, brownie tempura with green tea ice cream.

    (4)

  • Eddy N.

    Waited almost an hour to get in on a Saturday nite. Looks like da happening place in town. Nice selection for Happy hour specials. Not too impress with their nigiri. Our server was great, kudos to that. Not your typical sushi place, more like a meeting place for young single people. Atmosphere was young and vibrant.

    (4)

  • Corrie W.

    I went there for the first time tonight with a party of 9 and I was not impressed at all. We had reservations from awhile ago, and we were seated at a table at the back of the restaurant. The table was NOT big enough to fit 9 people. It was more suited for 6 people and there we were, 9 adults crammed onto one booth style table. We asked the server if we could be seated anywhere else, as we were uncomfortable at that table and she said she wasn't sure and that she would check. She brought the manager over who told us at it was the largest table and that they're were full and wouldn't be able to move us. We were upset because they should know how many people should fit on that table (hint: not 9). He came back a few minutes later and said he would be able to move us to another area but another party had made reservations and specifically requested that area and would be upset that he gave it away. He made it like it was such an arduous task to move us to a table where we fit comfortably like it was such an unreasonable request. His attitude made it seem like we should be so grateful that he was willing to move us when they shouldn't have made a reservation for a party that big unless they could accommodate them in the first place. We were moved to a weird partitioned area at the front of the restaurant that was split into two tables that could sit 6 each. This wouldn't have been a problem, except that the space between the tables was so large that we couldn't talk to each other so it was basically like we weren't dining together. The service besides that was okay; the waitress seemed nice enough and the food was good (but really pricey for the portion size) but I won't be going back there. It wasn't worth the hassle, and there were no apologizes for trying to squeeze us onto a too small table.

    (1)

  • Susan N.

    Andrew is the best waiter. He was employee of the month

    (5)

  • Wendy G.

    I love this place! Loved the lobster tempura, miso butterfish, and brownie tempura. The red dragon tempura and vanilla yukidama was alright.

    (4)

  • Chynnagirl C.

    So after hearing so much about their famous happy hour eats I decided it needed a closer look, after all somebody has to do the dirty work right? First of all, you need to get there early because seating is limited AND they run out of one of my favorite dishes in the world (Salmon Kama)...which true to their reputation was missing off their available menu that day. (Sad pouty face here). You definitely have to try their Asari Clams Sakamushi in butter AND Sake. It was so good (even after we finished off the clams) that my friend decided to order a bowl of rice and poured the remaining sauce over it. The ahi tataki was also a winner with just the right amount of tart with succulent pieces of fish atop a bed of daikon. I also enjoyed the shrimp dynamite (two orders please). The funny thing is that I didn't really care for the spicy ahi maki which took forever to show up at our table. It's taste didn't really do anything for me, and I was surprised because I had eaten at the restaurant prior to my happy hour experience and did enjoy the variety of sushi I had then. Still for the price, Doraku Happy Hour is worth your visit. PS- its valet parking only unless its after hours and you find something streetside...so remember to clean your car!

    (4)

  • Jayna P.

    Food is amazing. That is the only reason I'm giving this place 2 stars. Unfortunately, the place of business itself is terrible. I ordered 1 specialty roll and 1 simple role with a side salad for pickup on a Tuesday night. They quoted me 15-20 minutes on time and was excited to pick it up and have a night in with takeout. I left my house 15 minutes later and drove 5 minutes to get there. Should be about ready right? Nope. I waited on the bench for an additional 20 minutes before asking about my order. The hostess apologized, (not really her fault but keep up with the orders since you are taking them) and went to check on it. She came back saying they were working on it and that it would be ready in just a minute. Waited 10 more minutes before becoming completely heated and annoyed. I went up to the stand and told her this was ridiculous and wanted a refund. She went to get the manager and he refunded me the amount. No apology, no explanation, nothing. Seriously? Wasted an hour of my time and left with no dinner. Sorry excuse of a manager.

    (2)

  • Ravi M.

    Went here for happy hour. Layout is cool. Service was better than average. Food was okay but definitely overpriced for the quality and quantity. The hotate was pretty good. The sweet and spicy edamame was a big disappointment but the manager took it off the tab. The California, lomi lomi, and avocado and eel rolls were average. Two stars due to low ratio of taste and quantity to price.

    (2)

  • Brian V.

    Why do the restaurant not turn down their A/C when the temperature is so nice outside in Hawaii? The hamachi cheek was divine. A little less so on the ends but overall a great value. It's actually the collar and not the cheek actually. The waitperson was a bit indifferent...we tipped way too much anyway. Great food and value!

    (4)

  • Kelley N.

    I had my birthday dinner here. They were very accommodating considering my party kept growing. The servers were always friendly and patient. I will definitely go back again and again!

    (5)

  • Mark Y.

    Salmon Kama - My wife's favorite and they did not disappoint! I was able to get a bite and it was soft and flavorful. Grilled King Oyster Mushrooms - The flavor and texture from the mushrooms were outstanding. If you don't try this, you are missing out. Green Tea Ice Cream - The BEST green tea ice cream I have eaten. I was stuffed from dinner and figured I would just try the ice cream. Bad move for my stomach but great on the palate. Valet parking is only $3. Overall, it was a pleasant experience and we will definitely be returning.

    (5)

  • Kristie C.

    I was very impressed with the service and quality of the food. Happy hour makes it especially affordable. Had a wonderful meal and time here.

    (5)

  • Mabel W.

    I've been her twice since they opened, once with family and with my boyfriend. They place is nice and clean and has comfortable seating for a family with an infant and small booth type tables upstairs. Twice the service was not very good. First time, the waitress did not know the menu, which I can understand since they just opened, but she was not friendly about finding out what was in their Chirashi. Then she brought out all appetizers and then everyone's entree, except my mom's. We had to flag down the busser which found her and she came to say everything was brought out. I verified with her and she did input her order, so I pointed at the table in front of my mom to show her she didn't have a plate or food in front of her. They also did not fill up our two teapots and we always had to flag her down to get something. I do like their jasmine tea though. Overall, the food was good, except for the chicken appetizer, which was too salty. For appetizers we had spicy tuna rolls, some miso ginger chicken thing, and California rolls, which were good sized portions even for happy hour. We had the miso butterfish, garlic steak, Chilean sea bass, Chirashi, and the cooked Hamachi dish as entrees. Portions and prices are good even without happy hour. I liked that they sat us in a large wrap around booth so that we could place baby carrier on the seat facing all of us and felt it was safe. It was also roomy for all of us. So other than the service, we had a good time and enjoyed our dinner. The second time there with my boyfriend, we had a late dinner around 10:00pm. We were sat upstairs in a booth where you can watch TV which is in a glass partitioned wall. Be careful when sitting down in the inside of the booth because they have a lamp thing that hits your head and they did not warn us, so I hit my head on it... We were greeted by a waitress and brought water shortly, but another waiter took our order later. This time we tried the tuna tatami, which was so delicious, we order two more. We also had the stir fried steak, which I don't recommend because it don't taste good and had very small bits and pieces of steak with a lot of bean sprouts and and veggies. The spicy tuna deluxe is good because the put shiso so in it. The ume shiso chicken was ok, ume sauce is too over powering. The waiter and waitress was talking story a lot and was not too attentive during our meal, we had to waved them down to add to our original order and ask for more tea. Although they were not too attentive, they were friendly and knew the menu better this time. The table next to use was sitting there for awhile before they took their order. Overall, most of the food and prices were good and we liked the new and comfortable interior, so we will return. Hopefully the service will be better next time!

    (4)

  • Sheila O.

    Best sushi poki etc in the west pacific Adorable staff

    (5)

  • Russell M.

    Food was very good, had a huge platter of Sashimi and all of it was fresh. The interior is nice.

    (3)

  • Ryan B.

    service is terrible during the day....and the place isn't very welcoming....the sushi is mediocre too! try nobu....soo worth the money!

    (2)

  • Dean M.

    Service, service, service. I was most impressed with the service. Great friendly staff that had a lot of info. I had the oyster shooter (6 bucks) & thought I was gonna get 2 or 3, but was only one. Totally worth it! Had uni & other things but was out of this world. Not like monterey bay canners shooters, lol. I also had the scallop nigiri, OMG was the best I have ever had. Crisp, fresh & very ono. The garlic sesame chicken was okay but nothing memorable. Shrimp tempura was less than great due to the soft batter but am sure it is usually better. The ahi poke was great & a great deal during happy hour (only on the bar, community table or outside). The tempura brownie was okay, more of a novelty. Overall, I would go there any time. Value is great if you were looking for a medium high price.

    (4)

  • Char T.

    All you foodies out there must visit Doraku. Went there twice already - food is great, service is wonderful and the wait times - there hardly is any. They even have a semi private room upstairs for small intimate gatherings. The decor is wonderful and matches the food - must try the Double Happiness - it will make your tummy double happy for sure! Their use of local products is evident is most of the dishes and that is definitely a must for me! You won't be disappointed!

    (5)

  • Allan S.

    We stopped by after their soft opening and found wonderful food and great decor. However the inexperience of the staff marred the service a bit, eager and trying but certainly not a veteran crew. But that's the point behind a 'soft' opening. I wasn't personally fond of the type of music (clubby) and found it a bit too loud downstairs. The upstairs area was quieter but marred with a TV, showing a football game.

    (3)

  • Isa V.

    What a nice place with a great atmosphere. It's modern, it has very nice decor and it plays fairly good music loud enough to hear and sing along but not so loud as to disrrupt your dinner. The service is efficient, the food comes out quick too. They have a very cheap happy hour. I had the dragon roll and the happy hour deluxe spicy tuna. My eggplant appetizer with miso glsce was also deliciously healthy. I like this sushi place because it offers very diverse and delicious rolls. The serve you water and leave you a bottle on the table so you can serve yourself, I thought that was very nice and convenient.

    (5)

  • eshwar k.

    the food is good, but this is one instance where i would rather hang out with the tourists...at the quieter, more stylish sister restaurant in waikiki. sorry my local brothers and sisters, i can do without the noise/chaos/relentless meat marketing/long waits because of ditzy hostesses when i am looking for quality sushi. the rolls are excellent, the fish is fresh. it's somewhat formulaic and feels chain-y rather than authentic classic japanese, but i guess times are changing.

    (4)

  • Kat M.

    loved the happy hour! great prices and great food!

    (5)

  • A. H.

    If you want fresh sushi of the highest quality for a reasonable price, dine at Doraku! You can get the same quality (even fresher and better) as Yanagi sushi or anything really expensive sushi place at Doraku. The prices are really reasonable! All of the specialty rolls are under $15 as well as the hot and cold dishes. I love the the ambiance of this restaurant. The staff is very welcoming, hostesses as well as workers walking past the entrance yell "irashaimase" to greet you :) It's a comfortable environment, with pillows and soft seats to sit on making you feel at home. They've been open for less than a month, a brand new restaurant so I went not expecting excellent service. I was wrong, the service was great! The servers really take care of you. They actually checked up on how my party was doing and even made small talk and telling us about the experience of opening the new restaurant, which was really interesting! I love it when servers actually talk to you instead of just taking orders, refilling waters, and dropping your check. The servers here are excellent and they make sure you leave happy. I went in my happy hour, the deals are great! There are two happy hours, 4-7pm and 10-close. It's rare that a restaurant could have 2 happy hours, and lots of selection too on the menu. The best deal is the house sake! $5 for a 10 oz sake, unbelievable! I've dined at the Waikiki location many times before and I really love it there too. The new location located on Kapiolani is very convenient for me, since Waikiki is such a hassle to get to. I will be coming to Doraku Kakaako very often because of the great food and great service! I really recommend this place to anyone who LOVES sushi. I can guarantee no disappointments.

    (5)

  • Wylma R.

    Doraku is an experience not to be missed. Food great. Servers friendly. Location, for us anyway, simply swell. And desserts are splendid, especially the Japanese custard (just needs to be larger, PLEASE!). Lunch specials are a bargain. And, if all of that is not "enuf"....management follows protocol customers expect. For example, on our last visit, the chef (and I say chef coz there surely can't be mere cooks in a kitchen that turns out such fine food!) admitted that the salmon was overdone so offered to grill a fresh piece rather than just send the overdone fish to our table. And, then, Manager Julie not only brings it to the table herself, but generously removes the charges from our check because of the slight delay in the service we received. Now, if that isn't the Customer Comes First kindda service, what is. I guess it could be called the Doraku kindda service. We, for sure, will be in and out of Doraku every chance we get!

    (4)

  • V K.

    Attended their soft opening. The Japanese cuisine has a unique by Kevin Aoki, owner and the son of Benihana's founder. The atmosphere was lively but not too loud so you couldn't carry on a conversation. The food was excellent, tasty and fresh. Service was outstanding. Prices were very reasonable for what you get. Overall a fabulous evening. Parking should improve once valet service is in place. Highly recommended.

    (5)

  • Elliot P.

    There are a lot of reasons to like Doraku, but, oddly enough, the sushi isn't one of them. It is really a bit of a restaurant of contradictions. And that works. Walked in to a very nouveau hip environment, but got a very warm welcome and the sweet young women who was hostessing was flexible in setting me up with a table for six, despite happy hour and no reservations. When my cousins showed up and we had 10 people, they moved us and accommodated us right away. The service was excellent like that all night. And I do mean all night. We stayed from 4:30 to 9:30. We had several bottles of sake and it was one of those can't-stop-laughing kind of reunions, and the service team at Doraku couldn't have been better. The food kept coming, the plates kept going, the sake was poured and the beers and martinis were kept properly chilled and topped up. As I said, the sushi was pretty average - but wow, the garlic chicken, kal bi ribs, chicken karage, sizzling teri steak, ahi poke, tempura and other dishes too numerous to mention were insanely good - including a tempura battered and fried brownie with ice cream. After a five-hour marathon family reunion for 10 adults (with three kids joining in the late hours), I expected the bill was going to top $800 or $900 - but worked out to just $490 - which we rounded to $55 per person including tip. That's a terrific value for so much fun and food. I like beer with my sushi so I'd argue for a better draft beer selection - only Heineken and Asahi on tap, which is a shame given all the great local brews in the islands. Oh, and the parking is a bit of a nightmare. These two things prevented me awarding a fifth star. That being said, wow. On my hit parade and will definitely go again.

    (4)

  • Dan D.

    The 3 hostesses were rude, obnoxious, snobby and inexperienced. Real Nazi's, like Hitler was their father. Biatches!!!

    (1)

  • At O.

    This is a mixed review for me. I love Doraku for the food, but lately the Doraku at Pacifica (on Kapi'olani Blvd) location has disappointed me in its availability. I had my first barely eating experience there in about 6 months. This is not because I have not tried to go, as I have multiple times. The issue is they always have full reservations. Today, we waited for an hour an a half noting that there were empty tables that were "reserved" for about the first 45 minutes of this time with some tables without their full part for over an hour into the table being open. In addition, they have multiple "special events" that always limit seating. This is not a large seating place. So basically after yet another unhappy "happy hour" I've decided that this location is just not worth it to go. I suggest making a reservation if you feel inclined to do so but the principal of a fully booked place like this is preposterous for me for an after work venture when the time for leaving work is not definite. I say, "Why bother." Go to the Waikiki location or someplace else for after work fun. The same quality food can be found other places.

    (2)

  • Tina T.

    Came here to check it out on a Sat night since I live in the area. We arrived around 8pm and I guess we just missed the crowd. The place has nice modern style decor with a Japanese accent, a welcoming bar area and some shared tables. We were waited by a great bartender Paul, who was very nice, patient, and gave us just the right amount of attention. The food however was rather disappointing. Perhaps I'm a bit of a sushi snob. We ordered the sashimi and sushi platter. The sashimi was OK, one of the tuna pieces were stringy. The sushi was not appetizing at all, the rice was not cooked properly (hard on the inside). It was not worth the price (around $40 with tax). We would have left if it weren't for Paul. Nevertheless we had no interest in ordering anymore food. Total bill came to $60 excluding tip for just that mix plate, 2 house wine, and a cocktail. I may return for happy hour to give it another try but this visit was very unsatisfactory.

    (2)

  • Robert C.

    Food was very good. Service was terrible. Waited at the bar more than 20 minutes and the bar tender nwver even asked me if I wanted a drink or to order food. Had to flag down a waitress to take my order. Hostesses were a bit snobbish. Would not return.

    (3)

  • Leslie T.

    Tried Doraku Sushi Kapiolani for the first time and Loved it!! Definitely need to go back as there are so many more dishes that need to be tasted. Our favorite for this evening was the Spicy garlic prawns, Adari clam Sakamushi, Emperor Roll, and the Bananas flambé. I was a bit disappointed in the oyster shooter. Although the presentation was outstanding, and adding a quail egg is very cool, the sauce overpowered the oyster and quail egg. Also, the Hamachi nigiri was too small of a cut for the price. I've had fresher and larger pieces for the same price elsewhere. The "New Style" Doraku Roll didn't seem "new" and the flavor was a bit bland. But we will try the Red Dragon and Golden Buddha Rolls next time. The $3 valet parking was convenient and I would recommend making reservations as it was pretty crowded for a Wednesday evening. We opted to eat on the sushi bar instead of waiting and ended up having a blast! Our server, Chelsee, was right there to explain the menu and was extremely friendly and attentive all evening. The place is on the small side but the atmosphere is fun, the staff are young and vibrant, and the food is flavorful and inventive. We will be back very soon to try some older favorites of ours, the Miso Butterfish and the Hamachi Kama and some newer items, Eggplant Miso and Hamachi Carpaccio. We also want to try their happy hours 4-6 and 9-11. And finally, the beers and sake were delicious!!! What a great evening!!

    (4)

  • G T.

    Good food but handicapped by poor service and atmosphere. Menu choices are good but a bit on the high side outside of happy hour. Loud environment and atmosphere makes conversation difficult which is not helped by the loud music.

    (3)

  • Eunice F.

    what a cute/trendy little place. music's a little loud but the food was tasty! we had the poke, spicy edamame, panko crusted hamachi... and all of it was full of flavor and really yummy! dessert was a little disappointing with the fried ice cream and some green tea cake thing... but the pupus were delicious! definitely going back there to try out their happy hour specials! valet parking in the building was only $3! and the staff here was great! they were all super friendly and very attentive! :)

    (4)

  • Nina B.

    I want this review especially for the management to review as I think it is very pertinent. I was skeptical at first when typically we travel from TBI for Morimotos where the consistency is always perfectly. It was a risk trying Doraku instead and I had some skepticism. I was thrilled when the first dish came out perfect and my trust built and we ordered tons of items. Every single one was perfect! Our waitress was good and I loved the decor and music. However, at one point there were 2 girls that kept gathering in one spot to talk (it was like 3pm and not peak hours). Anyway, it was the only thing i noticed that seemed out of place. I know how tight a good restaurant must be run to turn out every dish perfect and the hard work behind the scenes aka owners/management. So, I was put off that these 2 girls were disrespecting their employer and taking away from the high level of integrity the owner has worked his entire life for. Then after about the 3rd time the manager came and told them to cut it out. Moved them off. It just reaffirmed my belief and trust in the place once again. I felt bad that the restaurant was "nailing it" and these two twits were making them look bad. The manger that caught the problem and fixed it made my respect for Doraku sky high. We will definitely come back as I like to trust my favorite restaurants to take the best care of me. Morimotos and Nobu have stiff competition.

    (5)

  • Eliot T.

    Really enjoyed a company dinner with 20 people in the loft, complete with the omakase meal and wonderful sake/drinks. Compliments to the chef, manager Yu Ming and the wonderful staff for making it a wonderful evening. Would highly recommend it to all.

    (5)

  • Yvonne G.

    Loved the whole vibe of this place. Our server was superb! Didn't get her name, short blond colored hair, gave us excellent service! Our favorite was the white dragon roll. Minus a star for desert, we ordered the banana famble...expected more from it. Overall I will definitely return.

    (4)

  • Stephen H.

    Excellent, friendly service, great environment, convinent location and awesome food. What more can one ask for?

    (5)

  • Anonymous J.

    ABSOLUTELY AMAZING. I would highly recommend this place to anyone looking for a place to meet up with friends, go on a date, or to simply have a meal. The happy hour is awesome with a variety of food and drink options to choose from. Even if you don't like sushi, there are many other items on the menu that are delicious.

    (5)

  • Meagan K.

    While in Waikiki, my friend & I were looking for a sushi place, nothing too expensive, just somewhere with really great, fresh sushi. I can say we definitely found it at Doraku. It was not expensive at all (specialty rolls were $13-$17, regular were $6-$9ish) and the sushi was very good. We had the Doraku roll and a Spicy Tuna specialty roll. The tuna was by far my favorite. We had gone to a different place a few nights prior, and compared to Doraku it was overpriced and the portions were very tiny (Kaiwa). Doraku is a must try while in Waikiki if you want reasonably priced, fresh sushi!

    (4)

  • S. D.

    My boyfriend and I came here for dinner the other day. It was my first time. When we stepped through the door, the hostess wasn't very friendly. She looked like she hated her job or she just wanted to go home. Shame, shame. The restaurant itself was pretty stylish and I liked the whole asian theme going on. As we were seated, our waiter arrived and we could barely hear him introducing himself. I noticed the people working there and I didn't really like what I saw. I understand that some restaurants try to have young, hip employees, but they looked unprofessional. The only people who I thought looked appropriate were the employees behind the sushi bar, those poor things. My boyfriend took the initiative of ordering for us since he's been to Doraku before (Waikiki location) only once for his birthday this past year. To start us off, he ordered the Double Happiness and Emperor Roll. I thought they were both very good, but the portions were so small. So not worth the price for 5 little pieces on each plate. Afterward, he ordered the Rock Shrimp Tempura and Ginger Chicken Kara'age. If it wasn't for the side rice we asked for, I would have not been satisfied. For desert, we got the Brownie Tempura. My favorite part of the whole meal, but again, so little. Basically, it's like you pay the price of a combo meal and only get the drink. Overall, the waiter was a cool guy and made sure we were good throughout our time there. Although, we thought it was rude that the waiter asked us if we wanted our change back from the bill. You don't ask, you just automatically do so and not expect to keep the change. My boyfriend told me that his experience at the other location was by far better than this one. That being said, we will not be coming here again.

    (3)

  • Karlene R.

    Wasn't too bad. We just ordered a few pupus from the Happy hour menu and ordered one roll the waitress said was the special of the evening. I highly recommend the shoe. It was tempura shrimp with Avacado, pickel, wrapped in seaweed and rice with grilled Ahi and Wasabi on top (we were able to pinpoint the seaweed wrap taste like a new shoestore). Also had Happy hour Hibiscus which was similar to a Moscato with ice- ask for no or light ice or you will have water with a splash of wine). :o)

    (3)

  • Karissa S.

    I love doraku! The happy hour is great, my friend and I feasted for only $35! The highlights for me were the spicy tuna roll and the miso eggplant! I love the convenient location and the royal hawaiian center and the new ward location. This is definitely my go to for sushi happy hour in waikiki!

    (5)

  • Michelle And Bernard S.

    Happy hour is GREAT! Very reasonably priced! If you dine otherwise be ready to dish out! However, the food is really good. I'm a fan of their sushi, soy beans, and steak! They have two happy hours so check the times as to which is best for you! The parking fills quickly because the valet structure is shared with chai's! If there's no valet parking there's limited street parking! Enjoy!

    (4)

  • Shanley R.

    Happy hour is so great here! For three of us eating our fill, the bill came out to be around $30. What a deal! And the food is so delicious. One of my favorites is the agedashi tofu and the teriyaki edamame. There are also a wide variety of other dishes on the menu (in addition to the Happy Hour Menu). When I'm not in happy hour mode, some dishes I'm a fan of are the red dragon roll and the king oyster mushroom. I work nearby so many times, I will walk over to Doraku from work for happy hour. The decor and atmosphere is great and the staff is always so helpful and friendly.

    (4)

  • Brent K.

    This place is really nice ! Good anbeance, Our wateriest was very nice ! BUT the food was only ok. We had, ahi tataki, fire cracker shrimp, Kara age chicken, Doraku roll, garlic steak, Miso butter fish, banana flambé, deep fried brownies, sweet tea, warm water. Ahi tataki was good, but the mayo killed it, shrimp was to plain, chicken chuy ! And the doraku roll had imitation crab ! Garlic steak kinda plain, miso yaki butter fish wasn't cooked all the way through, Banana flambé was good, fried brownies, well the batter tasted like tempura, That was way wrong ! And our bottle of water was warm. second bottle was chilled. Don't get me wrong ! The prices are great ! It was $81.00 for all of that.Everything seemed fresh... I just wish the food was better quality. I'm just saying. I would love to bring my friends here, Because it's a nice place. But There standards are higher than mine. :( ...well I still like this place we can come for happy hour.

    (3)

  • Keala K.

    We went her last week for a belated birthday, I was skeptic because of some of the reviews on the service but we had an awesome time. We arrived @ 5pm but we did have to make reservations. Since it was happy hour...we ordered only from the Happy Hour Menu...good was awesome, the garlic teri edamame-top notch, the tuna tataki-top notch-karaage chicken-top notch.....prices were so reasonable. It did get crowded and rightfully so. I would def be returning here!

    (4)

  • E P.

    Everything is awesome! Recommend the salmon kama, geisha roll and the white dragon roll. Definitely on the list to go again!

    (5)

  • Jon C.

    A satisfactory dinner with terrible service Food- delicious poke and rolls, the garlic steak was also a nice surprise. Ambiance- a very young and vibrant feel to the restaurant and I don't recall a single server that looked over 30. Service- this is the sticking point for me. We waited 45 minutes for a table, which is fine because we did not have a reservation, but after being seated, we were put into a corner next to the door. We sat without a server passing by to take our drink orders or food orders. I gave them the benefit of the doubt because it was a busy night but after 25 minutes I had to speak to the hostess to finally get some attention. I noticed some other couples near the entrance that had similar trouble getting their orders in. The restaurant is close to a good formula, but they must fix this particular part of their experience.

    (3)

  • HighStandard S.

    the good: excellent service very reasonable price for the quality and quantity of food open on sundays for lunch a lot of effort put into the decor bottles of water and pots of tea brought to the table the ungood: the food here is american with a japanese theme. what i mean by that is portions are large, tastes are unsubtle, and there's a "too-muchness" to the dishes. for example, the miso soup has a ton of seaweed floating in it, so many chopped chives that it goes beyond garnish, and too much gritty miso in it. it totally misses the point of the purity and simplicity of a good miso broth. the rolls are ridiculously complicated, resulting in the inability to taste any one ingredient. beware the spicy aioli sauce. it will burn your taste buds numb and overwhelm whatever food it is served with. the salad dressing had the same effect on me. i really want to like this place, but something about it is off for me.

    (2)

  • Pamela S.

    I came here with 2 friends and was super pleased. All of the food was delicious and the presentation was beautiful. The service was amazing. I have a serious allergy and my server was wonderful about checking on all items. The hot Hamachi dish was probably our favorite, but all of the sushi rolls were really awesome.

    (5)

  • Guava G.

    Happy Hour is a must here. Hawaii has a ton of amazing authentic Japanese and sushi restaurants...but when I feel like indulging in the non-traditional in a festive setting...Doraku is my restaurant of choice. This is the best place to take mainlanders who want to try sushi for the first time. Favorites are the Double Happiness Roll, the Emporer Roll, and don't forget to order ice cream or the fried brownie! P.S. This location is much more local friendly than the craziness of Waikiki!

    (4)

  • Shane C.

    I love the food at this place. Ika natto don and maguro natto don are my favorites. This place has a variety of ala carte items that you can choose from. Haven't tried many of them, but the ones that I have are delicious. Ginger karaage chicken, ahi tataki, and seafood sashimi are some of my favorites on the happy hour menu. At $4-6 an item, it's a pretty good deal. As for the dessert, the brownie tempura is a must. Might give you diabetes, but use it for one of your cheat meals. As for the service, I have to say that it is hit or miss. The times that I've been here so far, the service has been good for the most part. There was this time when I waitress forgot multiple items and that irritated me a little. Other than that, I love this place. Definitely recommend.

    (4)

  • Marissa G.

    Such a fun place to eat and have cocktails! Food was delish an the Tempura brownies are to die for! Service was fast and friendly. I will be back on my next visit!

    (5)

  • Eduardo P.

    Great sushi. Excellent happy hour! I've been here three times in the past two weeks and never leave disappointed.

    (4)

  • Wendy Y.

    5 stars for happy hour! $6 lychee martins are yummy!

    (5)

  • Sam M.

    I seem to be coming to this venue in Kaka'ako often. The manager is excellent and the food excellent quality. Ambiance is top notch and not as squeezed in seating like the Waikiki. I will continue to come back. Not super traditional Japanese but still very very good.

    (5)

  • Melinda Q.

    Good Happy Hour. Popcorn Shrimp!

    (4)

  • Danielle J.

    Love the food & this new location! The miso butterfish never disappoints me! It's soo flavorful & melts in your mouth. There's many good stuff on the menu, can't remember names for all of them. & I have to add that the fried tempura brownie dessert is Delish!!

    (4)

  • Shari S.

    Updated Review- I went to Doraku last night for a casual business dinner with my dad and one of his friend/customer from the mainland. Well I picked here because I had such a great experience a couple months ago... I really love the food here and our server (I don't remember his name) was tentative and friendly. Me, my dad, and his friend had the Omakase (very good deal!!) We had 5 courses. The fish was fresh and everything tasted great. The only down side to the Omakase is that they didn't time it good. We had long waits in between some of the courses and other came out before we were finished so there were too many plates... It takes a lot to time perfectly (La Mer does this perfectly and Nobu's). But because we had waits in between courses I was really full by the time the last course (the sushi) came out. I didn't even eat the rice... We all just ate the fish! Anyway despite the length between the courses the food was great. My sister got the yuzu butterfish was very light and refreshing. She also got a california roll and the Salmon Chazuke. All very tasty. The one thing I really disliked and a big reason I gave a 3/5 instead a 5/5 this time was because of the ambiance. I know that this is a big happy hour place and everything (we went after happy hour...) but the music was way too loud. I felt like I was shouting across the table. When I came here in March it was more low key almost like a loungy feel... but this time the music was loud so the people were loud (so they can hear each other). I felt like I was in a bar not a restaurant. Another thing is that there were some customers that were blocking the way to the bathroom... they were just standing in the aisle and when my sister and I were trying to go to the restroom and trying to say excuse me without shouting because the music was so loud. The hostesses just watched us and didn't say anything to try to move the customers.... Another thing was that there were a couple of waitress/hostesses that I felt weren't dressed appropriately. I am all for "if you got it flaunt it" but there is a time and place for it. A couple waitresses had their shirts tied up in the back to show their midrift up to their belly buttons. I thought that Doraku was a classier sushi restaurant but I guess not. There is a time and place for it and I think that working in a food establishment is not one of them. It was inappropriate.... another reason I felt like I had brought my dad's client to a bar (Silly me next time I will take them to Hiroshi's). I also felt that the hostess's skirt (or it could have been a dress) was too short... it was practically showing her butt... I am not taking away stars because of the bad dress code but I just feel that there is a time and place to dress certain ways and being at work in a nice restaurant shouldn't be one of them. Now I am not sure if I will return. I really like the food so I may try go back to the Waikiki location and hopefully it isn't as loud... I hate having to shout across the table to people and hearing the conversations of people next to me because they are shouting too. Maybe for happy hour with my girlfriends and I am gonna be drinking... but not for a date night with my husband or casual business dinners.

    (3)

  • Gspot H.

    The HAmachi Diced Chili is a must try. Everything else was so good don't even know where to start. Service was great

    (5)

  • Amanda D.

    Not bad. Not particularly memorable. I hear they have a great happy hour so I'd love to go back and try it then. Portions are small for the price. Order plenty or you'll leave unsatisfied. Valet is $3 in the Pacifica. I generally tend to avoid places in HI where I need to pay for parking...

    (3)

  • Traveling Gir L.

    FYI if you come in and want to take advantage of their happy hour you are not allowed to sit in regular seating. (Unless you pay full price). Wow what a way to make a new guest feel valued! No restaurant is that great. I think the owner needs to know what yelp is about and actually read the reviews!

    (1)

  • Shan S.

    My second time coming here was not impressed as much as the first time. I order the ahi poke which tasted like it had been frozen from the day prior. This would have been fine with me If they had told me that, being that I only like fresh poke not the frozen kine. Next thing was the tuna tataki didn't have as much mayo dressing on it like the last time. One thing I really do NOT like is when restaraunts aren't consistent with portions/amounts given. You should be able to come any time on any day and the food should be presented and served pretty much the same. The waitress was super sweet though and was nice enough to put our small cake in the fridge for us. I just think this visit was a little off, I know it was better the first time i went, but I'll still keep coming. The White dragon roll is super dee-lish by the way! The firecracker shrimp we ordered was awesome as well.

    (3)

  • Al D.

    Great pau Hana. Pricey otherwise. Still a good place to hangout with friends. Great decor. Parking sucks though. Make reservations or arrive at off peak times to avoid ridiculous waits.

    (4)

  • James P.

    Had the Red Dragon and the Kagu-Tsuchi Roll - both were Outstanding!! I'll be back! The atmosphere was authentic!

    (5)

  • Jonathen L.

    Aloha everyone. I went to Doraku last night for pupus and drinks. I started off at the bar, which was very busy, but the staff was very attentive and was still able to take my drink order (Jameson and a beer). The manager, Kai, that evening stopped to make sure that everything was ok and let me know that I was next in line for a bar seat. Within 15 minutes, I was seated and within another 15 minutes my buddy arrived. I stopped Kai a second time as he was walking by, and he was able to suggest several items from the menu, which were great suggestions. Must try the Salmon Kama, if it's available, and the Salmon Carpaccio. We also had the Dragon Roll, which came out very quickly. For Desert we tried the tempura brownie with vanilla ice cream. . . winning. For Drinks we had a bottle of Ichiko. . . Sake Time. The coolest thing about the entire experience, was that a local gentleman proposed to his girl, via Brownie Desert. I was able to witness the pre-set up from the manager Kai. Totally awesome. Thanks to the staff and Management for the awesome service. I'm definitely going back again to try other dishes.

    (5)

  • Geoff Y.

    Went 12/26/2012. Service was excellent. Our waitress was knowledgeable and kept our waters/drinks filled. Music selection was different for an Asian restaurant, but definitely fits the younger patrons, which appear to be the target market. Food was the best part. Everything we ordered came out elegantly plated. The sushi rice is superb, which indicates the quality of sushi and the chef's skill. The fish was fresh and the portions were honest. The Lana'i ama-ebi with the head fried is a must have. The shrimp is huge and tastes sweet and clean. The head is fried crispy with the innards being buttery. My favorite was the grilled king oyster mushroom from Waimanalo. It was grilled perfectly, so that the mushroom had the grilled flavor while still having texture. The sauce that came with it was a perfect match. A little sweet and salty to match the grilled earthy flavor of the mushroom. We ordered the green tea ice cream for dessert, even though we were stuffed. The ice cream surprised me because it wasn't the generic green tea ice cream most Asian places serve. It was very rich, creamy, and very refreshing. I'm glad we ordered it. Bottom line is we'll be going back. Not only is the food and service worth it, I appreciate that they support the local farms and fishermen.

    (5)

  • Stephany L.

    Worse management ever... I called the restaurant and was told I could use an expired gift card as an exception to my situation by Vera. With this information, I said I would have to call back to ensure everyone in my party could make the reservation. I called back and Julie answered the phone. I made the reservation and wanted to let her know my situation since I spoke with Vera and this would be my first time here. Julie said she was the manager and denied Vera's decision and said I could not use the expired gift card. I asked, "Would n't this be free money to your company w/out services rendered?" Julie said, "Yes, but that doesn't matter because we don't honor expired gift cards." I have never set foot in this restaurant before and never will. What a great first impression they gave me; it sure was a great way to encourage me to try their food. Thanks Doraku!

    (1)

  • Kayla C.

    The white dragon roll is delicious. It's a little pricey and I went when it was really busy on a weekend so had to wait a while to order and then to actually get my food but overall it was a great place. I plan on coming back for sure.

    (4)

  • Seanne A.

    Food is super good! Love the atmosphere. Service was awesome both times that I have gone. I recommend going to happy hour if you haven't gone and want to try a variety of the menu items. Enjoy!

    (5)

  • Nomake L.

    Service was great, first time there, ordered the following: - Strawberry carbonated alcoholic drink (forgot name of beverage) - Hubby: Kona Longboard - Food: Oyster Shooters (tangy and spicy - no alcohol - incredible), Clams, Ponzu Hamachi with king mushrooms (a must try), garlic ribeye steak (served with baby greens, sautéed mushrooms, garlic chips, bean sprouts, and onions), Dragon Roll, and Dynamite Don (spicy chicken rice bowl topped with mini caviar, nori and sweet pickled ginger). Total = $104 + Tip (22%) = awesome experience and worth the price. Less than 20min to be seated on a Friday night! Friendly service, awesome menu selection, and food tasted great! Gonna go again.

    (5)

  • Justin R.

    Doraku is a really nice restaurant overall. Since I am always around Ward from 4-6 I always go by for their happy hour. Their menu for happy hour is about $5 per item and the food you get for the price is reasonable for being upscale. It is also great for those underage because unlike Shokudo, you can still enjoy the happy hour menu! The setting is very hip and modern and the service is top notch. They are friendly and always willing to serve. I had a good experience and I am sure you will too. I only give this a four star because I came out spending 20 bucks on happy hour after tips and tax. I can't imagine how much I would be spending when NOT happy hour!

    (4)

  • B K.

    Doraku sushi? So... Where's the "sushi"?

    (1)

  • Rylan C.

    id come back here again and again. love the happy hour. great service! Good food!!!

    (5)

  • rachel m.

    We chose Doraku Kakaako for our 1st dinner of 2013. And it was an EPIC FAIL. I have never walked out of a restaurant as LIVID as I did tonight. We were SO excited Doraku Kakaako opened in the neighborhood and to make it our go to spot! We ordered sapporo, hot tea, miso soup, sweet&spicy edemame, agedashi tofu, spicy tuna handroll, butterfish and a side of rice, and nigiri: toro, ika, ikura, NO WASABI. Anyone who works in the food industry knows when a customer makes a specific request when they order, it could mean a food allergy. As soon as my boyfriend bit into his ikura nigiri, he immediately knew there was wasabi in it. We sent it back. When it came back the waitress said, "they fixed the ika, but can't fix the ikura" I'm sorry... WHAT? I immediately said, "You didn't make a new one? You 'fixed them' and came back with the same ikura that they 'couldn't fix' and wanted to serve it to us AGAIN? She said she would check again. Apparently the restaurant manager heard this exchange and pulled the waitress aside. I watched as they had a discussion about what the problem was. Meanwhile all this other food is sitting on the table. My BF didn't wanna eat until the rice was on the table. How long does it take for a scoop of rice? Apparently 10 minutes. As well as a glass of ice: 10 minutes. We then pulled the restaurant manager aside and my BF tried to clarify why we would be served the same dish. He was completely defensive and said, "we're fixing it." Not, "I'm so sorry". No apology or acknowledgement of the mistake and then RE-SERVING us the same dish. We stood up and left 95% of the food on the table and asked for our check. Restaurant Manager tried to tell us he would take care of the bill. We asked for it anyways. It's not about the bill, we would have happily paid the full bill and came back over and over again if our experience was different. We didn't get the bill but, my BF left money on the table, which he shouldn't have, as we hardly ate any food and we still had to make dinner when we got home!!!!! ugh. We get outside to the valet and there is 1 guy working with 6 different people waiting for their cars and cars he's trying to park as people are pulling in. IN THE POURING RAIN! we ended up taking our keys and walking to find our car ourselves and paying $5 to do that!!! ugh. IDIOTIC. Awful experience. I'm so disappointed.

    (2)

  • Jo A.

    Lovely restaurant. I was pleased to find that their portions and prices were the same whether you ordered the lunch special or the a la carte, so of course, we chose the special which came with miso soup, salad and pickles. I ordered the spicy ahi and while it was very flavorrul, it was so very spicy! I eat spicy ahi all the time, and often add more wasabi or Sriracha sauce, but the Doraku spicy ahi was a bit too hot even for me. It was just on the edge of being uncomfortable. My friend ordered a chicken dish, and it was average. The service was good, but not outstanding. We were there on a Tuesday for lunch and the restaurant was about half empty. It seemed to fill up later. I have plans to return in a few weeks, and am looking forward to trying something else. The entrance from the parking garage is confusing.

    (3)

  • Tyrone I.

    We had tickets for the Blaisdell last night and thought Doraku would make a great pre-concert dinner venue. A lot of concert goers must have felt the same and though we had reservations, I started to worry if the hostess had forgotten us. Their waiting area was packed and people were willing to wait an hour to be seated. I checked back with the hostess and she found us seats at the sushi bar. A little iffy...... Happy Hour is now 4:00-6:00. We missed it by 15 minutes. I wish the hostess who took our reservations had known about it when I asked her. Their regular menu is a little pricey, but the food was good. I like when a chef puts a little twist into his or her offerings. We had the Clams Sakamushi served in a flavorful broth with a surprising chili kick. Small, but the taste was perfect for the chill of the evening. We also had the Garlic Steak. Instead of being minced, the garlic was pickled and sliced into thin chips. I ate 'em. Doraku has a nice selection of sushi and we had a roll that was well made and fresh, but I didn't feel the twist. So I got me some uni! That's what I get for letting the wife choose..... Bottom line? Doraku is in a convenient location with an inviting ambiance and decor. The wait staff is personable, but drink service was a little slow for us. It's a little loud, but not unbearable. The food is tasty and tastefully plated. For the evening with 2 Sapporos between us, a little over $80.00 with tip. We were satisfied and will be back, but if you like quantity......

    (4)

  • Darci N.

    Loved it. 3 of us decided to dine at this new location. Highly recommended to make reservations. When we arrived they were packed! We waited no more than 5 minutes to be seated upstairs at our table, they even offered the bf the remote to change the channels. The service was quick and friendly. The food was delicious. The decor was beautiful, inside and out. Now to have one more on the West side.

    (4)

  • Michael K.

    Seated outside and after 15 minutes no waitress/no service, waved bye to the hostess as we were leaving...she smiled and waved back. Will never go back.

    (1)

  • Moana M.

    This was my first time coming here and absolutely loved it! The food, service, and atmosphere are wonderful! Best of all was the check - extremely reasonable!

    (4)

  • Zee A.

    ABC Hawaii held their 2013 Membership Appreciation Dinner here and it went amazingly! Great food, ambiance and staff! Dave was great, Warren kept the bar line moving and Chelsee was super knowledgeable on the restaurants menu and sakes. We look forward to eating here again!!

    (5)

  • Colleen Z.

    Absolutely the worst experience. Reservations for 6:30pm were met with a wait after two other parties without reservations seated, then we were offered to sit outside which we went ahead and were seated at a table with a lovely view of the valet entrance. After 17 minutes a waiter came to our table to take our drink order, yes, by the way, we were just getting ready to leave. An order for Kirin was not possible as they were out. Really? Yes. We decided to go ahead and order while waiter was there because we had already decided what we wanted. Daughter-in-law ordered, I ordered then waiter said thanks and started to walk away but all three of us protested as my son had not given his order. After taking our order the waiter left and was not to appear for another 10 minutes. Our drink order was one beer, one coke and one water. Yes, we didn't even have water after 27 minutes. We gave the waiter ten minutes because we were suspecting the service to be less than stellar, at the ten minute mark, we got up and went to valet, asked for our car and even with the wait to get e car, load up and drive out, our waiter still had not appeared. We understand the site has just opened but wow, did they hire no experienced manager to run the place? My kids said they will not visit this site of Doraku again.

    (1)

  • Lehcar S.

    I would give this a zero but our server was excellent, once we finally got seated. I do not recommend showing up here with a reservation and expecting to be seated. The management and hostesses obviously had no idea how to deal with reservations and large crowds waiting to be seated. We (party of 4) had a reservation for 6:00pm on a Friday night, followed by tickets for Wicked at 8pm. We showed up at 6:05 and it took us at least 5 minutes just to reach the podium with the hostess. She told us there was a wait. I walked through the restaurant and immediately saw that there were no empty tables, no one looking like they would be leaving soon, and a huge pile of people in the lobby waiting. It was clear that they had seated diners regardless of upcoming reservations. At 6:20 at party of three shows up with a reservation for 6pm as well. They are told there is a wait. They throw a tantrum and suddenly they are about to be seated. At this point we decided to protest as we had shown up 15 min earlier also with a reservation for 6pm. At this point the manager was called in as I think there were others in the lobby with reservations not be honored. They sat the party of 3, at a table for 4, before us. Soon after we were given an outside table that turns out to be part of the coffee shop and not the sushi restaurant. From this point out our experience was fine as we had an excellent server and Doraku comped us our bottle of wine.

    (1)

  • Brittney W.

    The sushi itself is nothing special if anything it's a bit pricy. I ate with two other friends so three people in total and our bill came out to $100. I wasn't even full after. However they have some good dishes but this isn't someplace I would want to go to especially or will crave in the future. But I mean it is a good place to at least try once for yourself.

    (3)

  • Mabel W.

    I've been her twice since they opened, once with family and with my boyfriend. They place is nice and clean and has comfortable seating for a family with an infant and small booth type tables upstairs. Twice the service was not very good. First time, the waitress did not know the menu, which I can understand since they just opened, but she was not friendly about finding out what was in their Chirashi. Then she brought out all appetizers and then everyone's entree, except my mom's. We had to flag down the busser which found her and she came to say everything was brought out. I verified with her and she did input her order, so I pointed at the table in front of my mom to show her she didn't have a plate or food in front of her. They also did not fill up our two teapots and we always had to flag her down to get something. I do like their jasmine tea though. Overall, the food was good, except for the chicken appetizer, which was too salty. For appetizers we had spicy tuna rolls, some miso ginger chicken thing, and California rolls, which were good sized portions even for happy hour. We had the miso butterfish, garlic steak, Chilean sea bass, Chirashi, and the cooked Hamachi dish as entrees. Portions and prices are good even without happy hour. I liked that they sat us in a large wrap around booth so that we could place baby carrier on the seat facing all of us and felt it was safe. It was also roomy for all of us. So other than the service, we had a good time and enjoyed our dinner. The second time there with my boyfriend, we had a late dinner around 10:00pm. We were sat upstairs in a booth where you can watch TV which is in a glass partitioned wall. Be careful when sitting down in the inside of the booth because they have a lamp thing that hits your head and they did not warn us, so I hit my head on it... We were greeted by a waitress and brought water shortly, but another waiter took our order later. This time we tried the tuna tatami, which was so delicious, we order two more. We also had the stir fried steak, which I don't recommend because it don't taste good and had very small bits and pieces of steak with a lot of bean sprouts and and veggies. The spicy tuna deluxe is good because the put shiso so in it. The ume shiso chicken was ok, ume sauce is too over powering. The waiter and waitress was talking story a lot and was not too attentive during our meal, we had to waved them down to add to our original order and ask for more tea. Although they were not too attentive, they were friendly and knew the menu better this time. The table next to use was sitting there for awhile before they took their order. Overall, most of the food and prices were good and we liked the new and comfortable interior, so we will return. Hopefully the service will be better next time!

    (4)

  • Sheila O.

    Best sushi poki etc in the west pacific Adorable staff

    (5)

  • Russell M.

    Food was very good, had a huge platter of Sashimi and all of it was fresh. The interior is nice.

    (3)

  • Ryan B.

    service is terrible during the day....and the place isn't very welcoming....the sushi is mediocre too! try nobu....soo worth the money!

    (2)

  • Kat M.

    loved the happy hour! great prices and great food!

    (5)

  • Kelsey T.

    My favorites here are the edamame, lomi lomi roll, & the garlic steak with a s/o rice. Those alone, fill me up. Prices are lower during HH & the wait to be seated is not long at all!! They even have beer specials! Service at this particular time was AWESOME. Jana helped us & was always very attentive, checking on us to make sure we were doing okay. The only downfall with this particular experience was that when I got home I saw that my credit card was overcharged $65! My bill was $49 & I got charged $115. The manager I called was very helpful and I got it settled quickly. I'm still giving this Doraku 5 stars because their service & food is awesome!

    (5)

  • Phil V.

    The service and food is really really good, from the hamachi to tiger roll to the shrimp n lobster tempura. Also u have to have to leave room for the brownie tempura sundae!!! You won't regret it!! Also for drinks get the lychee martini!! I think the bartender started to make the drinks stronger by each round lol well we didn't complain at all bout that.

    (5)

  • Misty P.

    I dunno about all the hype about this place. I mean, it's just okay food, SMALL portions and INFLATED prices. Me and the hubby went here for our date night, mind you the setting was romantic, but we were seated next to a party of 10 women that were drunk and loud and sounded like a bunch of squabbling hens. Annoying. Besides that, we ordered an oyster shooter with uni, the nigiri sushi sampler, rock shrimp tempura, and the misoyaki butterfish. All dishes came out in ample time and our waitress was very nice and prompt. The food was ok. I've had better tempura and butterfish elsewhere for less of a price and more portions. Hell, I can make a better misoyaki butterfish. (Come on down to my kitchen, I'll show ya!) The sushi was just like any other good sushi restaurant. We ordered two of the special drinks...a strawberry one which was nice and a blueberry drink which was kinda strong. The bill came out to more than $100 and we weren't all that full but I guess we were content. If you want more portions and pay $60 for the same items but better quality try Chiba-Ken in Waikiki...

    (3)

  • Danah A.

    Saturday night 8:40 pm din din Parking: plenty street parking at this time Wait time: none surprisingly Service: ehh okay. She wasn't the best server but she did her job right. Food: -eggplant miso was good but serving size was a joke (8 manini pieces) -sake bomb and volcano roll were super good!! -HH steak yakittori was yummy -HH chicken lettuce wrap was okay -brownie tempura gotta to have! I would go back to this place, especially when it's Happy Hour. Ever since Genki Sushi got a little more pricey, Doraku became my go to sushi spot.

    (4)

  • Amanda T.

    One word: Happy Hour. Ok two words but one thought. This is where Carrie, Lindsay and I come for happy hour and stuff our faces. The cocktails are fab and the food is good. It's not a hard core sushi place. There are better places for that. I really like to go their during lunch and sit in a little hide away table. This is a great place to connect. Get the donburi bowl. The atmosphere is chill and relaxed. The service is hit or miss. I wish I could give it 5 stars but it's just not. Just not.

    (4)

  • Renee S.

    HH!! First time to this location. The only bad part, we had to sit upstairs because downstairs was crowded. Wanted to be where all the action was :). Great HH food, salmon & beef carpaccio, lettuce wraps (different w cole slaw), & miso eggplant. Not teeny tiny portions, but just right; enough to try several dishes. Loved the double happiness roll, no rice crabmeat, & other delectable fish inside this sushi roll. Great service, Jessica is the best! Thanks for grabbing the coffee from Blue tree cafe, & getting us out in time for the Opera. Might be a great place for a UYE ? Santi ;)

    (5)

  • Avian M.

    I love Doraku! This place is pricey in my opinion but it's really good for going out on dates or just catching up with some lost time with others. It's such a great environment that you wouldn't see everyday. Their so fancy with their waters too :P The sushi is great and of course their most popular dessert ice cream like Green tea is always going to be my favorite. I highly recommend that you go to Doraku during Happy Hours. I know this review is short, but you have GOT to see this place yourself, it's hipster in a way with moderate.

    (5)

  • Angel R.

    My first time experience here wasn't the greatest. I went during dinner and wanted to order chu toro nigiri, pan seared tuna, tamago nigiri, and the brownie tempura. Also wanted Sapporo to compliment the fish (this beer is great with sushi). However, they ran out of Sapporo and tamago... :( yes sad face for me. Sapporo is one of the best Japanese beer ever and they ran out?! Also running out of tamago?! So they ran out of eggs? What the heck I say... I got Kirin ichiban and tako nigiri instead. The chu toro is okay, I'm not sure if they put a small application of wasabi on the rice under the fish, which is what normal sushi chefs do, because I couldn't taste it. Same with the tako nigiri. The pan seared tuna was pretty damn good. Nice crust, good amount of avocado and tomatoes, the wasabi sauce that came with was great with onions as well. I recommend! They told us that they ran out of tempura brownie but then the waitress went I ask the chef and they said they had enough to make one more so that was cool. As for how it taste, I like that the tempura crust was not oily. The brownie was not soggy too. So the mix of sweet and salty was great. The ice cream was a good addition so it was a great dessert! For overall experience, the service was really good. The waitresses were really nice and the wait time was not long either. I called to ask if walk-ins are okay and the guy who answered was nice! Doraku would've gotten a 5 star in my book if they didn't run out of Sapporo and tamago. I know it can't be helped but it would make my experience a lot better :)

    (4)

  • Jessica-Nicole U.

    I can't say enough how much I love this place. The prices are reasonable and the ambience is one of the best. Never had a bad time or even an "okay" time. The service is great. The food is ... omg... the food. I can't comment on only one dish... I love them all. Not to mention a bad ass manager!

    (5)

  • Mendel M.

    If you go, make sure to we the lomi lomi roll on the happy hour menu! Only $5 and it's awesome. But other than the happy hours, it's a bit pricey. And the waitress seemed miserable... That's the reason for taking away a star. Still great food and value (especially on the happy hour menu!)

    (4)

  • Emily K.

    Love love love their sushi and HH specials! The black dragon roll is my favorite. Their sashimi is always fresh and on point. Plus, their drinks are poured strong and worth the $7-8! Check them out for their happy hour! Hands down one of the best happy hours on the island.

    (5)

  • Andrea S.

    My friends as I had the absolute best time here!!! We had to have been sitting in our booth overlooking Kapiolani blvd. for almost 3 hours. The place is so fun and the staff made our visit even better. Our waiter CT was pleasant, outgoing, and extremely knowledgable. He even came over and had sake shots with our table and then the owner came over and bought us some top shelf sake as well! The food was fabulous as well, we ordered 6 different rolls and all were exceptional! Can't say enough good things about this place was one of the best dinners I've ever had in my life!

    (5)

  • Reid K.

    I used to live at the Pacifica Honolulu, so I've been to Doraku at every time of day possible: lunch, happy hour, dinner, late-night and take-out, weekends and weekdays, sitting inside or outside. Happy Hour: If you can't make the regular happy hour from 4-6PM, it's definitely not too hard to wait for late-night happy hour at 9. Fridays and Saturdays are the busiest. If worst comes to worst, try to find a seat at the bar or sushi bar and watch the chefs work--they produce some of the most attractive sushi presentations I've seen in Hawaii. HH food and drinks are a pretty good deal. It's definitely possible to get full on appetizers and sushi, but the HH drinks are kind of limited, in my opinion. Location/Ambiance: Despite the $3 valet parking sitch, I'd much rather pay that nominal fee than try to hit up the Waikiki location. Kaka'ako is so much easier to get to/from than Waiks. If you're pinching pennies and can't afford the $3 parking, you might not want to eat at Doraku at all. The look and feel of the restaurant is very modern-Asian, they did a very good job of varying the "landscape," and create an atmosphere that works for young crowds or families. Food: My favorites are Panko Crusted Hamachi, White Dragon Roll, Ginger Kara'age Chicken, Rock Shrimp Tempura, Tuna Avocado Salad and Japanese Steak. The Brownie Tempura desert is as sinfully delicious as it sounds. I think the food comes after a pretty reasonable wait, and they do a good job of staggering the appetizers and entrees. Employees: I've never had a bad employee, and most of them are exceptionally nice and attentive. I guess I gave Doraku 4 stars because I can't say it's the best food I've ever had. It's certainly not traditional Japanese, but it's not all-out Pacific-Rim/Fusion, either. Bottom line is it's a great place to chill out at, and they do what they do very well.

    (4)

  • A C.

    Food & Service: Excellent! I love sushi/sashimi, hubby doesn't eat raw fish.. we both LOVED this place. If you're from norcal, this place is comparable to Sushi Sam's in San Mateo in terms of quality. Parking: hard to find if valet is full (it was full at 8:30pm on Friday) so we had to find street parking 2 blocks away Called at 8pm (wait was around 20-30 min for 2 ppl). Came in a little after 8:30pm and we didn't have to wait AND we were seated at a super cute private booth! Score! High quality fish, good portions, big selection, decent prices for quality, fast service (except the tempura brownie dessert took 30 min.. maybe baking the brownie?), nice decor/ambiance for a group setting or a date night. Highly recommend the Chirashi bowl and miso butterfish!! Asari clam miso soup (yum) is big enough for 2 people. Love that japanese restaurants in HI are open till 1am! need more of this in CA...

    (5)

  • M K.

    The food and drinks are great...but the music and scene in general are way way too loud. Don't plan on having any conversation over dinner with family or friends. You have to shout in order to be heard and your partner will spend the majority of time saying, "huh?" Just too much effort and frustration. The parking is all valet now too.

    (3)

  • Joe M.

    We were seated right away outside on the deck underneath an umbrella. Great seating arrangements. Waitress was very helpful and quick. California rolls and other specials for only $4? What a great deal, especially for the quality and quantity of the food. Only downside is that my $20 steak entree barely had any steak in it, although it was delicious.

    (4)

  • Liesyl M.

    We will definitely come here again!! We didn't come for happy hour but will the next time! Must order the white dragon roll, spicy crunchy trio, and double happiness roll. All three of these were delicious! We also tried the pork belly yakisoba which was good but very fulfilling. Tried the geisha roll but didn't enjoy it like the rest. Lastly we tried the ice cream tempura for dessert. We thought it was good but not the greatest. The atmosphere and decoration was good. The service wasn't the best for our first time. We were sitting in between two huge parties on the top. One was a VIP party so they were very well taken care of by our server which sometimes neglected us so we got our orders taken and food given after the VIP's were taken care of. The other huge party was coworkers celebrating someone leaving and were very loud and drinking sake bombs. So they had their own server that had to cater to their party. So in all, the food and atmosphere was great!

    (4)

  • Lauren K.

    This is only for service from hostess. Since we did not get past that point. Arrived there at 730 on a weekday night. I asked how long the wait would be for 3 people. They said 30 min, which was fine.they also offered us community seating or outside. I then told her we would be okay with waiting. She then puts her hand up to my face and says "OK you just need to hold on." Then started talking to her Co worker. Okay... then 5 min later they sat us in a tiny hut table which fit 2 people comfortably. We asked to go to a different table and that we were fine with waiting. They kept pressuring us to sit at the community table.. and we said, "can we have a regular table?" Another hostess rolls her eyes at us and then says, "well what is a regular table?" And then says again, "well you need to wait". Yes I understand that, I told her that from the beginning. It seems like they are just in a bad mood and in a rush to seat people. Even though they aren't comfortable. But, We then decided to eat dinner elsewear. The valet was the only good thing about this experience. I don't mind tipping them. Get rid of the hostess and maybe this place will be more inviting.

    (1)

  • Jay Y.

    Best sushi I've ever had! Beats my favorite spot in CA by far! I've never had sushi in japan, but I'm sure sushi in Hawaii is comparable. Fish is extremely fresh. Both sashimi and rolls... AMAZING. I believe it was the White dragon roll that we got, SO GOOD. everything off the happy hour was tasty. A little pricey compared to CA sushi places, but worth it. We went twice in the 5 days we were there. Wasn't too busy. They accommodated a party of 7 pretty quickly after 5pm. plenty of seating. located on the 3rd level. Service was pretty good. Overall, very good.

    (5)

  • Nicole F.

    my first time here was for my birthday and it was a great experience. we came during happy hour and it was worth it. I loved the chocolate dessert!! yummy food and tasty drinks!

    (5)

  • Patrick I.

    Went here pre Bob Dylan concert with a good friend during the famous happy hour. Crowded of course, but we were swiftly seated at the bar and waited on by stellar bar manager David Bass.:-) The seared ahi, veggie tempura, California roll and chicken karaage were on point. And to boot, we had a great bottle of Piper Sonoma. This is a definite must - to go back at any hour of the day. Ask for David Bass, he will treat you like a best friend. A hui hou, Patrick :-)

    (4)

  • Gayle N.

    Absolutely, the best Japanese restaurant in Honolulu. I was so lucky today that my Pastor, Max Fowler had a free day for lunch. Took him to Doraku and he was absolutely blown away. Pastor Max (as I like to call him) had the Misoyaki Butterfish which he enjoyed very much. He also got to sample a sashimi/seafood plate and said it was great. (I was thoroughly pleased as Doraku was my suggestion), I hesitated eating more than I could handle but had the chicken karaage for lunch. (My absolute favorite dish). Of course, nothing can compare to the award winning, brownie tempura and ice cream served at the end of the meal. Brittany was a great server and very attentive, so was Courtney who always comes to check up on me as I am a regular at Doraku. It was nice to see John too. Thanks Rich for an awesome job today.

    (5)

  • Ela M.

    I came here on a Wednesday night for Happy Hour with my Bro-In-Law and the BF. This place is mad dope for their Happy Hour!!! $100 well spent for: 5 Alcoholic Beverages Carpaccio Salmon; Tuna Tataki Spicy Tuna Roll, Cal Roll, Lomi Roll Salmon Kama, Hamachi Kama Banana dessert with Green Tea IC And some kind of eggplant (I can't recall the name of the dish, but it took eggplant to another level) As often as I travel to HNL, I'm not sure why I have been sleeping on this place. A definite place to be at for Happy Hour! I'm giving this joint 5 Stars not only for their food, but service also goes a long way too (given in most cases, I'm very hard to please). We were delighted with a nice waiter who was right on point with attentiveness. He was funny and gave us a brief background of how the Happy Hour menu was created. He said the owners wanted to ensure they had the best Happy Hour Menu on the island... boy was he right. I'm definitely putting this place on my "Current Places to Dine when in HNL"list.

    (5)

  • Angela R.

    I've been to Doraku 4 times. Each time was for Happy Hour and each time it was GREAT!! A favorite HH spot for sure! My strategy is to show up just at 4:00pm to get a guaranteed seat. On a Friday it can get quite crowded. The crowd seems young and fun. But I did see some older folks like me. It's classy and well decorated. The HH food menu well-rounded! The winners in my opinion: Tuna Tataki, Miso Eggplant, Fire Cracker Shrimp, & Agedashi Tofu! My #1 favorite is the Tuna Tataki- I ordered 4 orders once. I can't get enough of the daikon and onion topped with ponzu, ahi, and garlic. I am an agedashi tofu freak so Doraku's got my stamp of approval! Fire Cracker Shrimp had a good batter and dipping sauce. Miso eggplant was presented so pretty and was misolicious. HH basics- The sushi rolls on the HH menu were standard issue but the price is right. Karaage chicken wasn't very battered and was on the sweeter side. The teriyaki soy beans complemented the menu but wasn't a star. I also had the Tempura Brownie and Lobster Tempura off the regular menu. The brownie tempura was a warm delight! The lobster tempura on the other hand reminded me of the shrimp dynamite- same sauce, same batter, just had lobster inside. Dranks!! Wells and draft beers for $3, $5 sake and Kirin, and $6 lychee martini. ART the bartender is super cool-top notch!! In the end this place always gets me jonesing for more- I need to try the oyster shooter, Hamachi Carpaccio, the God of fire, ooooh just so many to name!

    (5)

  • Tiffany O.

    This new location is definitely a good one. With validated/ valet parking in the Pacifica building, there's no reason not to come here (versus the busy busy Waikiki location). I believe that the happy hour starts at 9pm until closing at 12am? And I think the last call for the kitchen is at 11pm. It is always, always crowded when happy hour starts, so go early. The happy hour menu also changed a few months ago, and it isn't as great as it used to be. One thing I noticed, during my happy hour visits is that the servers are never around when needed lol. I understand when it is busy, but sometimes it is empty and I can't find any servers. Regardless, all the servers are nice and I love the interior design and atmosphere of the restaurant! This is definitely a good place for late night snacking and their Brownie Tempura is bomb!!

    (4)

  • Wyland L.

    Ok Doraku. Let's get this straight. I really like you. Your sushi was tasty and your edamame was well flavored. But I don't know if things will work out between us. Your price is so high, and I was still wanting more food when I finished my meal. But maybe it can work out some how. Your service is really great, and I like how you leave the water at the table for me. I just wish you could go one step further. Maybe it's best if we just friend zone each other...

    (4)

  • Daniel W.

    Great for Happy Hour - amazing food and good prizes. The Chicken Kara'age is amazing - so is the poke.

    (5)

  • Eliza I.

    Our waiter Dave did an excellent job of taking care of us last night before the Jason Mraz concert. He kept us well hydrated with the hibiscus wine (which we tweeked by omitting the soda water). The red and white dragon rolls did not disappoint. And next time I need soup for comfort, I will order to go the miso clam soup. Sufficient amount of clams balanced in a savory miso broth. This location is perfect for events at the Blaisdell. Happy hour from 4-6...makes it even better.

    (4)

  • Ricky H.

    Very impressed by the space - clean and spacious. Wait was only about 15min. Came in for happy hour (9pm to close). I really liked the variety of what they had to offer, but I wish there were more rolls on the HH menu. Shout out to the girl who kept on staring at me while having dinner with her man. I'll be back.

    (4)

  • Roland H.

    My favorite sushi place on Oahu. I have been to morimoto, sansei, and all the other awesome sushi restaurants in between, but this is by far my fav. I order take out from here all the time too. Get the geisha roll and the spicy tuna and you will be forever changed. Then wash it down with a momotaro lemonade! The doraku in ala moana is also much better than the one in waikiki. They have an early and late night happy hour, with awesome drink prices and reduced prices on their basic rolls!

    (5)

  • Tracy K.

    Doraku takes your average conventional sushi and gives it one tasty makeover! The new Kaka'ako location is the newest and coolest hot spot for izakaya flair, and they do it with such creative edge it's hard not to love it. Living in Hawaii, we are fortunate to have a superabundance of outstanding Japanese restaurants. There's a mom-and-pop noodle shop, teppanyaki, yakiniku, or izakaya eatery in almost every district on Oahu. In the last year, a crop of new Japanese restaurants popped up filling an already saturated industry. Doraku is different. Tired of the boring spicy tuna roll? Try the God of Fire that kicks the heat up a notch with crunchy, fresh jalapenos and spicy garlic aioli. Love your Dragon Rolls? Bite into the White Dragon Roll (my personal favorite); made with traditional shrimp tempura and unagi, but with a morsel of hamachi, avocado, and the savory garlic aioli with kabayaki sauce. Trying to cut down on your rice intake? The Double Happiness Roll is the only non-rice sushi dish composed of crab meat, salmon, tuna, and shiso bundled in nori and cucumber membrane topped with garlic aioli, tobiko eggs and ponzu. There's something for everyone. If you're not crazy about sushi to begin with, they have main dishes like the panko crusted hamachi and Japanese garlic steak. I love trying a little bit of everything: the Geisha Roll (another spicy tuna alternative), the Chilean Sea Bass, and the firecracker shrimp were all delectable, too! Our server Jamie was fantastic! She observed that we were celebrating two big events without us even mentioning it to her (our friend's deployment and our recent engagement). The manager gave us complimentary Double Happiness roll and Hamachi Salad, and Jamie finished off the meal with complimentary dessert. Oooh, that warm brownie tempura with vanilla ice cream sure was amazing... Their happy hour is a good deal with way decent selections including their famous lychee martini! I will come back again just for that!

    (5)

  • Mark M.

    Doraku. Home of one of the best happy hour menus I've seen. Their site says that happy hour is only available at the bar or outside on the lanai, but the last time we went, we sat upstairs and they honored the happy hour menu. Good on you, Doraku. We tried many dishes over the several visits for happy hour. The garlic teri edamae, spicy ahi roll, deluxe spicy ahi roll, popcorn shrimp, ahi poke, the ahi rolled up in the shiso leaf and many, many more. Everything on the happy hour menu has been nothing short of amazing... except for one dish: the dynamite bowl. It was pretty dry and hard to eat. However having a 95% success rate is pretty amazing. Non happy hour items we tried: the peruvian seafood ceviche, emperor roll, red dragon roll, hamachi kama, and last but not least.... THE TEMPURA BROWNIE. Holy hell this thing is legit! When it comes to you warm it is absolutely an orgasm for the mouth. The food is only one facet of three that I believe ensures this restaurant is always in winning mode. The decor and ambiance would be the second. Whoever designed the layout and picked out the furnishings should be given an award. The restaurant feels upbeat, chic, and there's lots of fun stuff to look at giving you an opportunity to make interesting conversation. The service is the third and final positive aspect to Doraku's trifecta of awesome. The hostesses are always friendly, smiling, and happy to seat you. The servers that we encountered are all knowledgeable, nice, and prompt in every way. I will be returning to Doraku for many years to come, and so should you.

    (4)

  • M. B.

    I ate here twice. First time was okay, nothing bad, so when friends wanted to meet up for dinner I said sure. How I wish I had said no. Sat down, 5 minutes, 10 minutes, 15 minutes pass... no server. Its not busy, its a week day. Finally she arrives and takes our drink order. I then realize I had watched her talk to the hostess for the past 15 minutes. Lychee martini is good, its the only thing I would recommend. My butterfish came. Cold. Dry. She didn't bring my rice. I need my rice. She didn't bring rice for my 2 friends either. We are from Hawaii, no one can eat anything with out rice. Rice arrives after asking her twice. Now everyone is in a stink mood. We need way more drinks. Where is our waitress? She's outside talking story to the rest of the Hot Import Nights looking waitresses. More drinks please. We decided to try the brownies... they were really gross. Cold tempura and what tasted like boxed brownies. Oh and the dub step they were playing really, really loud didn't help our moods. When it was over, I was thankful for the 5 Lychee martinis I drank and that's it.

    (1)

  • Greg S.

    I would go back again. on the pricey fancy side but good. I've been looking for a good place for oyster shooters. Shoots.

    (4)

  • Ruby C.

    I've going to this Doraku for a really long time. But recently I started going to the Doraku down in Waikiki is because I've noticed the food here isn't as fresh and the amount of food seem to be less! I'm very disappointed and I'm hoping the manager here will change his or her procedure.

    (4)

  • Brian L.

    Was recommended by locals to come here and I am glad that I did. The quality of the fish was excellent and their happy hour menu good, too. I will definitely come here when I visit Oahu again because it was BOMB!

    (5)

  • Trung V.

    So I was seated but no one came back for another 20 minites And another waitor saw us and helped us out well.. So I wasn't frustrated until service came. I guess the rumor about dumb locals are real. They treat tourist like sh|t. I came and ate here with my friends which are locals.. One waitress came 35 minutes before closing and asking "ohh you're not done yet"? Eager to go home. And my bill was 165 so I put 200 dollars. They didn't bring me the bill with my change and I sat there for 20 minutes. These waitors and waitresses attitude were horrible and act like that dont want to serve us.. Anyways pathetic.. Treat people how you want to be treated. Come to main island and you guys will be treated like shit like how you guys act... Addressed towards waitress and waitors here

    (1)

  • Ray S.

    Great central town location . Very friendly wait staff. Clean consistent food quality make this a great spot to drop in on for food and refreshment . The is a metro type restaurant with nice fresh fish and great music. Small booths create a nice environment to talk about the day We will be back. Thanks Doraku !

    (4)

  • Elizabeth N.

    I admit, I only come here for Happy Hour, but then I get so inebriated from all the affordable goodness that my stomach starts ordering off the regular menu at some point! This is by far one of my favorite Happy Hours on the island. I really enjoy Doraku Sushi as you know you're going to get a quality food experience. From the ambiance, the quality and presentation of the food, you cannot go wrong with this place. These points are even more so during happy hour! That being said, this place is popular (especially for happy hour) so plan ahead and make a reservation or come early. Pros: -HAPPY HOUR -Food is always consistently fresh and tasty -service is good, if not a bit "business like". no warm fuzzy feelings when I come here, but they are too the point and quick -Valet Parking, street parking opens up M-F after 6pm, open on weekends Cons: -I feel the parking situation/valet was a bit chaotic last time I went so hopefully they figured out a better system. Basically it was one dude trying to run around and do things on his own...could of have been a funky night.

    (4)

  • Camille A.

    The food here is very good!!! Good price, and great quality. I had the best service ever, thanks to Marissa! She is one of the best waitresses I ever had. She was very nice and always checked up on us. I will totally eat here again.

    (5)

  • Julie B.

    Everything was delicious! Really fresh and great service. Wish I lived on Oahu so I could enjoy their wonderful sushi again.

    (5)

  • Jordana F.

    **happy hour review** We got seated around 930. Ordered from the happy hour menu...everything is pretty cheap. It ranges from 3-8 dollars for each item. We ordered: 1. Lomi lomi roll -- it was very unique for sure, but just ok in taste. The salmon was a bit bland and nothing except a cucumber in the sushi 2. Spicy ahi roll -- I wasn't really a fan. You couldn't really taste the ahi or the spice. 3. Steak yakitori -- this was really delicious...until I hit all the fat. I don't think I've ever come across a slab of steak with that much fat like I did tonight. I ended up spitting it out because it was too chewy and gross. 4. Chicken wraps -- the wraps weren't bad but definitely not good either. The lettuce wraps at PF Chang's are way better in my opinion. 5. Chicken karaage -- this was actually really good. It wasn't burnt or too crispy and the outside was a little bit sweet, which added a nice after-taste. The last time we came here for happy hour we had a dynamite roll and ahi poke and those were both really delicious. It seems like it might be best to just order from the regular menu. The happy hour menu is cheaper, but the portions are smaller and the food is hit-or-miss. I had a really bad experience with lychee martini at the Waikiki doraku so I will probably never order another lychee martini in my life, but we did have hot sake. I don't know much about high-quality sake (or what type of sake that would even be) but the sake at doraku was decent especially for the price.

    (3)

  • Jason D.

    After four visits, I've decided that I really don't like this place. It saddens me because it's in a good location, but the service and food quality just ain't cutting it for me. The hostesses need to be trained on how to provide good customer service. Incident 1: On one visit I was told that a table was readily available outside and they were going to get the table ready - I told her I would sit either inside or outside. They then sat four customers right after me at tables inside. 15 minutes later (I'm patient) I asked the hostess if I seat myself since it's outside and she said they were getting it ready still. 5 minutes later I asked her again (because they kept seating more people inside) if my table is ready and that's when she shared that there are no tables ready outside and they were going to squeeze me and my party in at the bar. The bar is L shaped and they were going to squeeze the chairs at the corner, clearly where it's designed not to have any chairs. The hostess could see that I was getting frustrated and that's when she finally said that a table was ready (weird). Incident 2: On another visit (on a Friday night around 10pm) I was told that there was a two-hour wait for a table. Ok, they're pretty busy, but seriously, 2-hours? I figured it would've been less so I put my name down. What shocked me was the hostess told me that I needed to call them if I was going to cancel. Umm, excuse me, but why do I have to notify you - I'm the customer - you should be calling me to see if you still want my business. Anyway, I called my friend up to see if we should go somewhere else and five-minutes later, my phone rings saying that a table was ready. What happened to the two-hour wait? Incident 3: Kind of minor, but details go a long way. When they changed their happy hour to what it is now (5 - 6pm and 9pm - close), the hostess didn't tell me that they changed the happy hour. I got there a little after 6 and she said that happy hour is done. Maybe if she told me that they have a later happy hour, my party would've stayed for dinner and maybe a few more drinks after, or maybe just returned later in the night. On to the servers: In the four visits, service has always been pretty slow. Fine, they're busy, but c'mon - 20 minutes for a beer. Then the server forgets and we need to remind him for beer and green tea. I think the kitchen is pretty fast because my hot food's always come out cold. I'm saddened to really downgrade this place, but I think I gave them enough tries. Just about any other Japanese restaurant will provide you with better service and food at the same or even less prices. You're really paying to be at a good location that's close to all the action.

    (1)

  • Chris K.

    When it gets crowded their system of tracking and getting people seated sucs. They should invest in the electronic devices/pagers vice taking a phone number and calling you when you're literally less than five feet from the hostess. Additionally I observed than when they are swamped at the front door and have multiple people working the reception, their efforts are not coordinated and they let people just sit at the bar that came in after I checked myself in with the hostess.

    (2)

  • Lai T.

    INTERESTING FACTS: Kevin Aoki (the owner of Doraku) is the son of the founder of the Benihana chain. Doraku means, "the road to happiness." We were in the area and wanted to try the infamous happy hour. Doraku did not disappoint :) SERVICE: Our server, Tai, was both friendly and knowledgeable. Between the two of us, we left quite full. FIRECRACKER SHRIMP: I love fried things but normally you feel so weighed down once you bite into something that is battered. These shrimps were done nicely in that they were light and crispy. The aioli dipping sauce that came with the dish added a nice kick to the overall flavor. Surprisingly the HH portion was pretty generous. CLAMS SAKAMUSHI: This was my favorite dish of the night. The broth is so flavorful!! I was tempted to order a side of rice so that I could soak it and eat it with the broth. Be careful not to slurp the broth too quickly as it is little spicy and will make you cough if it downs the wrong tube. SEAFOOD POKE: This was my least favorite dish because it was honestly subpar to the poke at Foodland. There was something off about a few of the bites I took. Some parts of the fish had this cooked texture... TERIYAKI GARLIC EDAMAME: The garlic flavor did not disappoint, although these would have been messy to eat without chop sticks. Surprisingly the HH portion was pretty generous. TUNA TATAKI: My theory is that the fried garlic makes this dish. The bed of onions and daikon help too :P DELUXE SPICY TUNA ROLL: I'd skip this roll. The only thing I liked about it was the shiso leaf. OYSTER SHOOTER: This took a while for them to make, but I enjoyed the shooter. BROWNIE TEMPURA: We really should have stopped eating but were convinced to cross over into the darkside of gluttony, after the couple next to us ordered this dish. It looked amazing and worthy of some investigation. The brownie tempura came in about 4 sticks the length of a Kit-Kat bar. The ice cream brownie combo was a win. DRINKS: I was hungry and focused on food. The bf had a $3 Kirin. I must say, we left pretty happy :) P.S. Our HH was about $50 pre-tip. Reasonable considering the awesome service. The menu offered a good variety. The ambiance was nice. For the most part, the food was pretty good ;) HH is a great bargain! P.S.S. Once you leave your car with the valet, you walk through Blue Tree Cafe to get to Doraku. Then you need to walk over towards the middle of the restaurant to the host/hostess stand to request a table and be seated.

    (4)

  • Jennifer C.

    I HEART this Doraku! The staff is super friendly and the food is amazing! I prefer this Doraku over the one in Waikiki. The happy hour is such a sweet deal! They have double happy hour from 4-6pm (I think 6) and one from 9pm-close. I definitely recommend this place for a girls night out or a relaxed date spot.

    (4)

  • Daryl M.

    This place is a joke. We didn't even get a chance to taste the food. We arrived at 8 pm and wanted to sit at the bar. We were told, "There is a 45 min wait." 50% of the seats were empty to include the tables. A little perplexed, I asked if I could use the restroom. As I was coming out I saw three waitresses standing around laughing and chating. When I got back to the front I asked why such the long wait as there were plenty of open seats at the bar and many tables open. We were told, "Our waitresses are over stressed and you'll have to wait." Really? Freaking ridiculous! We left and will never return! I have seen better service at a Denny's.

    (1)

  • Kama A.

    Came here as a last minute date night with the wifey. Yanagi was booked so figured we would try Doraku based in the yelp reviews. Location is right across from the blaisdell arena and I happened to scoop street parking so it was free. Parking next door is $3. No reservations and we walked in asking for a table for 2. They said they had a table available which was outside...inside was so loud I didn't mind. When we went to the outside patio there were 3 seperate small tables. You are literally a small makeshift fence away from being outside entirely. The weirdest thing to me was the crazy blaring dub step music that was blasting. Totally offset the ambience and definitely didn't make it seem like a Japanese restaurant. Scooped up happy hour but it was nothing to "knock my socks off". Chicken karrage and tuna tataki was good. Lychee martini was a bit too strong and the best part was dessert. At the end of the night when it was time to pay the bill it took the server over 20 mins to come and get the credit card for payment. At one point I thought there was a cash register or something. Again..wierd. Oh well...at least we can say we tried it.

    (3)

  • Rick L.

    Food is mediocre here, it's like an upgrade from eating Genki's sushi with terrific customer service and awesome ambiance. I've been here about six times now and nothing really wow me about the food. However, it's a great place to have pau hana with your coworkers. Definitely a beautiful place to talk stories but lacking the word "yummy" for the food.

    (3)

  • Ognjen Z.

    I'm not sure why anybody would give less then 5 stars.I guess you can't make everybody happy.This place is a 10+ all around.We tried 8 different things and they were perfect.Happy hour is best if you want to save some money.

    (5)

  • Dan P.

    This is a nice place and can be a great for groups if you make a reservation. I don't necessarily think the sushi here is that great but they have a good combination of dishes, rolls, and sushi. We had a large group of around 10 people and they were able to accommodate. They also have a nice wine/beer/cocktail/sake list. Happy hour menu is also nice.

    (4)

  • Yvonne M.

    HAPPY HOUR!! 4pm-6pm or 9pm-closing. 'Nuff said. Convenient location in the heart of Honolulu. This hip sushi place has locations also in Miami, Florida & Malaysia. FOOD & DRINKS Doraku Tuna Tataki!!! This is the best thing on the happy hour menu! The sear is perfect & the sauce if refreshing! Dynamite Donburi - Sweet & Filling!! Edamame - The usual Ginger Chicken Karaage - quite tasty! California Roll - Meh Spicy Tuna Roll - Meh Lychee Martini $6 Kirin Draft $3 SERVICE Excellent, friendly, & quick service! They were very accommodating to us, even when we brought our kids! ENVIRONMENT Located on Kapiolani Blvd across the street from the Blaisdell Arena in the Pacifica Condo. Large lighted lanterns, wooden furniture, an ample sake bar, and Japanese decor inhabit this chic & trendy space. Lanai, bar seating & community table for Happy Hour. Valet parking for $3. Street parking is free after 6pm and all day Sunday. TIPS Great for parties. Private room available for up to 16 people. Large tables that can fit up to 14 people. And Chef tasting table. CONCLUSION Good for happy hour. A little too pricey for sub par food. 3 stars for Food. 5 Stars for service & environment.

    (4)

  • Malia H.

    The butterfly ooh thats old. Let me see that tootsie roll... ooh wrong roll. Roll out. Dragon roll. Buddha roll. Emperor roll. This is craziness. I've decided to check this place out. I have heard they have an awesome happy hour so I decided to meet a friend early (happy hour starts at 4pm for us old folks who like to eat early). Ok so first of all this place is in the Pacifica building. Boo, it's valet only ($3). Good thing I had some spare cash. The valet told me walk through Blue Tree Cafe and Doraku will be on my right. Strange. When I got to Doraku, the hostess was very nice and friendly when she greeted me. She said happy hour is only at the bar or lanai. I chose the lanai which surprisingly wasn't too noisy even though it's fronting Kapiolani Blvd. Happy Hour didn't have many specialty drinks like I hoped so I settled on a lychee infused martini $5 (regularly $9). It was absolutely delicious. It was a lychee libation that went down smooth, almost too smooth. I had 3. They have a couple beers on draft, house wines and sake as well. The prices range from $3-$6. The happy hour menu had hot dishes (9), cold dishes (4) and rolls (3) ranging from $2-$6. yelp.com/user_local_phot… We decided to order 3 Doraku favorites (marked with a D by item on menu). I used the menu item descriptions from the menu. Doraku tuna tataki $5 Julienne Daikon Radish and Sweet Onions with Seasoned Wakame, Kaiware, Ponzu Sauce, Crispy Garlic Chips, and Garlic Aioli yelp.com/user_local_phot… - 4 pieces of tuna with a not too overpowering ponzu sauce. I can see why this is a favorite. I could have ordered ore than one of these babies, but I don't want to look like a pig in front of my dinner companion, Ginger chicken karaage $4 Tender Dark Meat Chicken, marinated in Ginger Soy Sauce and fried to a crisp yelp.com/user_local_phot… -the chicken was a bit dry but it had good flavor. I'm not a huge chicken fan but this one was ok. Firecracker shrimp $5 - no description yelp.com/user_local_phot… - this was tempura style rock shrimp with a dipping sauce. I wasn't too impressed with this dish. It wasn't bad but it wasn't anything memorable either. At the recommendation of our server, who was fantastic btw, ordered the Asari clam sakamushi $5 Fresh Asari Clams steamed with Sake, Garlic Butter and a hint of Ginger yelp.com/user_local_phot… - omg someone make me a huge pot of this broth. The clams were clams but the broth was to die for. I slurped up as much broth as I could as I ate the clams. This is a definite must try for clam lovers. I was secretly happy, my fiend didn't eat clams so I could devour the whole bowl. Even if it wasn't part of happy hour, we wanted to order a roll. The menu is full of all these innovative and complicated rolls that after awhile all start sounding the same. So we went with the White dragon roll $12.95 Shrimp Tempura and Avocado topped with Hamachi, Unagi Sauce, Ao Nori, Garlic Aioli and Garlic Chips yelp.com/user_local_phot… - beautifully presented and yummy. I love garlic so this roll was great with the garlic chips. The roll didn't go overboard with too many ingredients. It was a good choice with a myriad of flavors that mixed well. The clams and the tuna tatami are definitely on my happy hour list for my next visit. The ambiance is modern and the service was really great. The waitress was on it and even had some great suggestions. The regular menu is a bit pricey and overwhelmingly huge. But I can't wait to come back to try more items when my pocketbook allows... If not I can definitely afford happy hour and I am certainly not complaining. Happy hour here is definitely worth it for quality food. I'm so glad they opened up this location. Highly recommend this place!

    (5)

  • Shaina M.

    My first time at Doraku was awesome! I love the ambience there!! Dimmed lighting, with a rustic, yet modern feel. Very trendy. My husband and I brought our uncle from Canada, and we were excited to experience the sushi here! We ordered quite a bit, as we were in luck to make happy hour! The ahi poke there was incredible: fresh, and perfectly seasoned! We ordered three of those! It was actually the best I've tasted on the island! I also really enjoyed the tofu poke for the same reasons! In fact almost everything we ordered was amazing. The steak yakitori was a little rubbery, however, it still had a good flavor. The Chicken Karaage was on point! Perfect flavor and cooked to perfection! This was one of my husband's favorites! The Emperor Roll, and Dragon Roll were yummy, and you can't go wrong with the spicy tuna and avocado! I really love the fact that they use avocado in a lot of their sushi dishes, it just adds that extra smooth texture and complimenting taste element, love it!! The service was good. Our server was pleasant, and answered all of our questions that we had. He forgot my husband and uncle's rice, and my husband's drink at the bar, but he was quick to recover himself! They seemed kind of busy, so it was understandable. Overall, we had a great time, and the food was excellent!

    (4)

  • Ephraim B.

    I have been here a few times, mostly out with friends on a whim. Nice & trendy atmosphere, and the food & sushi are great. Staff & service is nice, and contrary to other reviews, the wait is pretty reasonable. I don't come frequently, but each time I've gone, it's been good. It's a nice place for a pau hana, but do bear in mind parking might be an issue on busy nights.

    (4)

  • Mandy A.

    absolutely loved dining at doraku! it's hip, trendy, off the strip and open late. the sushi we had here was definitely high quality and fresh. i highly recommend doraku for a late night swanky dinner while in waikiki.

    (5)

  • Charnelle Y.

    Yelp 100 Challenge #7/100 I'm giving this place 5 stars because I absolutely love their food and the restaurant ambiance gives off a classy, yet comfortable, definitely hipster vibe. But we love hipsters right? Expect to spend quite a bit because the rolls can cost you anywhere from $9-$12. I don't say this to scare you from purchasing a roll because the one thing on the menu that I would, without a doubt, recommend is the White Dragon Roll. Once you try it, you'll have to order it every time you return. Their happy hour menu prices are reasonable. Of course you're only receiving half the portions than if you were to order from the regular menu, but you're able to try various popular menu items at half, if not more than, the cost. Lunch specials are a good deal ranging between $10-$15. We always order donburis (rice bowls) and because these are lunch sets, it includes miso soup and salad. Last, but not least, if you still have room for dessert, order the brownie tempura that comes with either vanilla or green tea ice cream. Parking is convenient and can be entered from either side of the restaurant. During lunch parking is free with validation. At dinner hours, there is a $3 valet service. Make sure to tip your valet drivers and... HAPPY EATING!

    (5)

  • Johanna M.

    I seriously cannot believe that I have gone so long without reviewing Doraku. I frequent Doraku quite a bit and I keep coming back because it's awesome. They have a great happy hour that I think rivals most places' happy hours. They have food and drink specials which they change from time to time and I appreciate that because it adds variety to my happy hour routine. Muy importante! If you have a well-behaved pooch, you can bring them to dine with you on the outdoor lanai! Yay! The view is of Kapiolani...not great, but there is some good people watching from time to time and it is in the shadow of the building, so it never really gets hot there. The inside of the restaurant is really nice. It is trendy, cozy and cool. They actually have really cool furniture and art throughout the restaurant...it's nice to look at. Is that weird to say? I don't care. It's a beautiful restaurant. It's good for dates or casual occasions, but it can get pretty loud between the music, the bar and the sushi station...but I love it. They even have a couple of secluded areas available if you have a larger party and what a form of privacy. It's really cool. The sushi is really good here. I would say that their specialty is the creative rolls that they offer. The white dragon and dragon rolls are a couple of my favorites, but in all seriousness, everything is good here. The service is usually pretty good here, but I will say that we have received better service when we come for dinner or happy hour, when they are usually slammed. Go figure. I only had lunch here once, but it took forever, and there was no one in the restaurant, so I think it was just the server we had. So the moral of the story is, you should definitely hit up Doraku if you are looking for a fun dining experience with good food. Happy hour is a must, but it's a nice place to visit even outside of the happy hour hours. Oh! And if they are distributing the Doraku Club card, you should get one. We haven't used ours yet, but my understanding is that I will someday be able to cash my accumulated points for free food....what?! Loyalty pays off. I will update my review when I finally learn how the Doraku Club card works.

    (5)

  • Tracy N.

    Yummy drinks. Awesome Happy hour :) My favorite pupus were the ahi takaki and the salmon carpaccio. The sushi rolls were delicious as well. A great place/lounge to hang out and have a few drinks with your friends. I will be back!

    (4)

  • Isa R.

    After reading all of the hype over Doraku and scrolling through all of the food pics here on Yelp, I knew I had to come and give it a try. It is valet only (pretty reasonable at $3), but there is street parking after 6 if you can find a space. You have to go through Blue Tree Cafe to get to Doraku, which is kind of awkward as you walk through one business to get to another. I loved the ambiance of the restaurant. Not too fancy, but lively and fun. Definitely a place to come after work or with some friends. Family style eating, so be prepared to share. The happy hour specials are from 4-6 and 9 to closing. We came for the earlier happy hour. They do NOT take reservations for happy hour. They only take reservations if you are not ordering from the happy hour menu. Thankfully, at 5:30 there were ample spaces available. If you want happy hour, you either sit at the sushi bar, on the "communal" table (a long table where you sit with other diners), or on the outside tables. The weather was nice, so we sat on the outside tables. It took us a while to have our drink orders taken (15 minutes or so), but after that, the service was great. I like that they give a giant glass water bottle and leave it on the table, and the water glasses are really fancy looking. Soda refills are free. :D You should be forewarned, the menu is extensive. Not as extensive as Cheesecake Factory, but still, overwhelming. You have to keep yourself from ordering half the menu and it takes a while to really narrow down what you want to get. I would suggest that if you're sitting on a two-seater table, to order your food in "stages" and not all at once--particularly if you're ordering several dishes. The table fills up with food really quickly, and I was surprised with how quickly all of the food came out. I'm not sure if it's because it wasn't super busy, but I liked not having to wait around for ages for the food to come. HAPPY HOUR: - **Tuna Tataki $5: MUST ORDER. It's ahi (I believe it's seared on the edges) covered with a garlic aioli sauce, on a bed of daikon with ponzu and crispy garlic chips. So good that we had to get another. Oddly enough, when we ordered the second order it came with 3 additional pieces of tuna. Our first order came with 4 pieces of tuna. We're not sure if we got jipped the first time or if we got extra the second time, but the more the better. - Firecracker shrimp: $5: I was surprised at how much shrimp they gave for the price. The portion was a really good size, and the shrimp came on a bed of greens with a side of some kind of spicy mayo sauce. I would probably order this again one day, but for me it wasn't an absolute must have. - Salmon kama $5: SOLD OUT. Apparently this is really popular and sells out really quickly. I thought they'd still have it early in the week (Tuesday), but they had run out. :( - *Spicy tuna roll: $4: This is a full-sized, 7 pc roll! I would definitely order this again. For the price, you can't beat it. Cheaper than Genki for the amount of pieces you get, and much fresher tasting. REGULAR MENU: -**Emperor roll: Tuna, salmon, crab, shrimp, scallop, and avocado, deep fried with greens and aioli sauce. I thought I wouldn't like it, because I'm honestly not a fan of deep fried sushi, but it was actually delicious. I'd order this again. -**Miso butterfish: I'd definitely order this again. It really melts in your mouth and has a strong flavor, but in a good way. I kind of wish this came with a bowl of rice, but you have to order the rice ala carte. -Spicy lobster roll: Sorry, but I was not a fan of this roll. I prefer Shokudo's lobster dynamite roll over this by a mile. This was probably the only thing I ordered that I was disappointed with. It wasn't spicy at all (not that I enjoy really spicy food), but the flavor was just so mild tasting. I think it was just the cream cheese. I don't know, something about it was just off-putting to me. -**Brownie tempura: This is such a brilliant dish, I don't know how I've never seen this on a menu before. The brownies are rectangular in shape, almost like Kilani Bakery brownies, but without the macadamia nuts inside. I actually don't like shrimp tempura, so I thought I might not like the tempura style breading of this dessert, but it really worked. All in all, Doraku lived up to the hype. I have yet to try the Waikiki location, but I know for sure that I'll be back to this one! There are so many other things on the menu that I need to try. PS: Steve Aoki's brother owns this restaurant, and the owner's father created Benihana. ;)

    (5)

  • Lala E.

    Went back to Doraku last Saturday for late night happy hour, again with a large party. The waitress who helped us was great. We were seated upstairs in the corner. Even though it was busy, she accommodated us when we had more friends who arrived by making room for both groups downstairs. We had already settled in by that time and was content to stay where were at, instead of taking everything downstairs, but I sincerely appreciated the effort she made. She also offered to have our check split, which I know can be annoying when it's busy and you have a large party to wait on. She remained patient and pleasant throughout. I wish I knew her name, but just want to say that she was appreciated. Mahalo nui!

    (5)

  • Stace S.

    Food was good, but service was terrible. We were surprisingly able to get a table quickly on a Sunday night around 830pm. We were seated at a table on the left side of the restaurant which faced the service bar. The tables on that side are packed so closely together that we were able to hear the entire conversation our neighbors had. We felt as if having our own conversation would disrupt them. Eventually, our server came. We waited for a while before this little petite girl came by. I can't remember our server's name. I wish I did because she was terrible. She was friendly enough, but she lacked attentiveness and efficiency. I observed that she was the only server who didn't bring dishes to her own table. Every single food dish we ordered was brought to us by a different person. What was most appalling was how long it took for me to get my drink. Remember, we sat in front of the service bar. I ordered a draft beer and saw it sit on the service bar for a good 10 minutes. I saw the exact moment the bartender placed it on the counter, make 4 other drink orders. Move the beer to the side to make room for other drink orders. Saw the other drinks get picked up by servers. Our server asked how our food was and told me "oh, your beer will be right out." as if she was expecting someone else to have dropped it off. So by the time i got my beer, the glass was wet with condensation. At the end of our dinner, she disappeared. She never came to clear our dessert dishes or ask us if we'd like anything else. Then we spotted her, talking to the hostesses. We didn't want to interrupt her conversation, so we waited for another 10 minutes. She walked to another section to pick up the check from that table. Then walked past us, twice. Finally, we couldn't stand it, so we asked for our check. At this point, I was thinking that maybe we were just being very impatient. So we timed it, to see if it really was as long as we thought she was taking. It took her another 10 minutes to pick up the check.

    (2)

  • Faye M.

    I came here twice already for happy hour and although the food was good, service wasn't the best. The first time I came here, I was with my sister and we sat at the large communal high top. Our waitress was nice, but we could hear another waitress in the kitchen yelling and causing a big commotion that it really irritated me that someone could be so unprofessional. The house red wine was really good, and although my sister asked our waitress a couple of times what wine it was...we can't remember! The one roll we ordered off the happy hour menu was messy, like "I made it myself" messy. But we ordered one of their riceless rolls and it came out nice. I didn't understand the difference, but thought it was a one off. Anyway, came a second time for late night happy hour with my BF and it was super busy, but we got a table quickly. Our waitress was a little slow in coming around, but it was busy - so I hope that was the reason. I had the house red again, and my BF had a beer, then the lychee martini, and finally found a drink he liked - I think it was called momotaro (peach). Anyway, our happy hour roll was again - messy ... booo. But I love the food! The salmon carpaccio is so yummy!! The rolls are messy, but also tasty - I just like to look at something pretty before I eat it! Service depends on who you get and how busy it is, but I'll probably choose the Waikiki location over the Kapiolani one.

    (3)

  • Salvecho T.

    It was my first time dining in with my friends for a Farewell Dinner. The food was super delicious, however the wait was kinda long. Our waitress was very friendly, she kept us in check & made sure we received what we wanted. Despite of the long food wait, our waitress ensured that our food would be there in a short moment. They're poke is REALLY good, it's the best one I've tasted so far. The Volcano Roll is very good also, but it took a while for them to make it. The price wasn't that bad, it was worth it. The place is quite loud at night, specially when they're having the happy hour, but fortunately we were able to get their outdoor tables. It was overall an amazing dining, & I'd recommend for everyone to experience it.

    (4)

  • Vanesa J.

    Do not order any chef special that the server recommend to you. Why? Because it's the price is not matching the portion. When they tell you what come in it. It's sound like a big dishes. 3 small pieces of fish sashimi and a piece of crab leg and the shrimp head for $22. It's ridiculous! But anyway food is ok. Hamachi Kama so yummy. Service good, server alway check back.

    (3)

  • Mateo C.

    Parking was a nightmare. We went in at 630 and the garage which is located in a mixed use commercial / residential high rise building was all full, even valet was full. we were directed to an uncovered lot around the corner. Upon arriving at the overflow lot it was also full, we looked for street parking and found a spot about 3 blocks away. We made our way over to the restaurant and were greeted by 2 very nice young women who let us know that the only table coming up that could accommodate us was 20 or 30 mins from being ready and while they had another booth open it was reserved an hour later. It escapes me why they had an empty booth while they make 6 people wait when they very well could have seated us and then just given the next booth that was clearly going to be ready before 730 to the group at 730. My fault for not making a reservation (even tho it clearly says on yelp, no reservations). 6 of us ordered 2 items each, ranging from $6 to $16 per item. We were told that the items are all family style and would not be brought out at the same time. I could imagine it would be a nightmare to try and get 12 items ready at the same time. Nonetheless I never expected that they would bring 2 items to one person, and then 2 to the next and then 2 to the next leaving a gap of neary 45 mins between when the 1st person received all their food and when the last person received their 1st dish, especially when that last dish was boiled soy beans. It was frustrating for the last member of our group to get his food when the rest of us where done eating even after we kept inquiring about it the wait staff repeatedly came to check on us to see if all was well never having brought anything in between it was more like salt in a wound. A table that was seated 20 mins after us received the same dish that we had ordered and received it much earlier than we did. It was nice that they provide a birthday dessert complementary but overall I can't recommend this place unless you come for happy hour.

    (2)

  • Leilani S.

    Food was very good, great service, beautiful restaurant, indoor and outdoor seating. Would come back again.

    (5)

  • Justin T.

    Doraku is my new favorite place to have great food and great drinks!!! Free parking on the street after a certain hour, amazing service! Been here half a dozen times so far and nobody has ever been rude or obnoxious. The workers really want to be there, which makes me really want to be there as well. Very modern look to the joint. Will go back hundreds of times! I always refer my clients there as well.

    (5)

  • Erik A.

    Best sushi I have had. I've been to Nobu and several other nice reputable sushi joint throughout the US. This place tops them all!! Dragon rolls and no rice rolls are beyond exceptional. I also highly recommend the happy hour menu.

    (5)

  • Thuy N.

    Wow, the volcano roll is party for the palate. Must order! The fish was fresh and the specialty rolls were good. Service was great and this place has outdoor seating. The breezy night with outside seating is just lovely. Excuse the low quality photos.

    (4)

  • Michelle J. C.

    Doraku... to be simply put is like a "high-end Genki Sushi." Service and food really depends on who you get, so of course, the dining experience will change. My bf and I went to the Waikiki and Kapiolani locations. I like the Waikiki one better because the Kapiolani seemed really busy and backed up. Lunch at Waikiki location is pretty good. The music at Kapiolani is like Genki Sushi: whatever is playing on the radio. I might as well go to Genki Sushi LOL (basically the same thing but cheaper and less fancy stuff).

    (2)

  • Maria S.

    The food was excellent but my Banana Ice Cream Flambe, while delicious, tasted like the bitter disappointment of not being on fire.

    (4)

  • Susan B.

    Everything was yummy, service was quick and friendly and the decor was pretty interesting. An added bonus was their music playlist. My 16 year old and 20 year old sang along all through dinner. It's a fun, hip place with great food. Hamachi Kama, White Dragon Roll were our favorites. You can also order sushi rice as an alternative to regular white rice.

    (5)

  • Alisha W.

    Amazing Service. Amazing Food. Amazing Valentine's Day music . . . Brought us back to High school where we first met!! (Unintentionally they played "our song" Brian McKnight--back at one) making it the best experience we have had on island! Our son was with us and the server even made sure to get him rice and miso soup out asap. Which surprisingly he loved! Thank you Duraku!!

    (5)

  • Taylor E.

    Gotta say, I love this place! Definitely one of, if not my favorite sushi place I've been to. The atmosphere is casual, modern and young. Everyone has tattoos and piercings as mentioned before and they play modern music. Sometimes they're playing Steve Aoki, I guess his brother owns doraku?? The good: - friendly service - great food! - cool atmosphere The bad: - gets busy!!!!!

    (5)

  • Scooter W.

    Get rid of the chicks who cant handle the bar and get some who can. You're loosing business. We (6 of us) wouldve spent alot more money if the bartenders could handle!

    (2)

  • Shandis C.

    I'm already a fan of the Waikiki Doraku, especially for the happy hour, so I was happy to see that they opened a second location on Kapiolani, across the Neil Blaisdell Center. There were never any great places to eat before a concert, musical or event happening at the concert hall or arena, but now this will definitely be the spot for me. The HH menu seems to be basically the same as Waikiki, however the one thing that Kapiolani has on Waikiki is that in addition to sitting at the bar or on the large communal table, you can also sit anywhere on the patio, which has tables for 2-4 people. This is definitely a big plus, especially if you are on a hot date or meeting a girlfriend for girl chat! So much better for conversation and much more intimate. I'm a huge fan! HH food menu items range from $3-$7 and include a variety of seasoned edamame, california roll, spicy ahi and deluxe spicy ahi (has shiso and takuan), ginger chicken karaage, rock shrimp tempura, miso eggplant, ahi poke, tuna tataki and a couple other items that I can't remember. Salmon Kama is my FAVORITE, which is also on the HH menu however, I was informed that it usually runs out before the weekend, so if you go on a Sat, or Sun, or late on Friday, you may be out of luck :o( We ordered the hamachi kama off of the regular menu which was just as good, if not better than the salmon kama, but more than twice the price. If you are on the cheap, the regular menu also offers agedashi tofu for $4.50. Basically, if you are a fan of Doraku Waikiki, you'll also like this location. This location has a more "upbeat" feel compared to the dark and sultry feel of Waikiki. If you avoid Waikiki and have never been to the Doraku there, then here's your chance to try a great restaurant in a more convenient location. Valet parking, $3, quick and easy, flat rate. It's pretty much the same you would pay at the Waikiki location for parking so don't let the word "valet" turn you off. Also, be sure to check out the great coffee house right next door, Blue Tree Cafe for an after dinner coffee!

    (4)

  • Krysten I.

    I love happy hours and Doraku is my new favorite. First, their happy hour (5-7pm) is available everyday. EVERYDAY! Second, there are GREAT food options included during happy hour. Eggplant, chicken, dynamite bowl, sushi....the list goes on! Third, they take reservations! FOR HAPPY HOUR! Ahhhhmazing! I'd compare Doraku to shokudo in terms of ambiance and food, but this happy hour at Doraku completely impressed me and I will be opting for Doraku over shokudo from now on. The servers here were great--attentive, friendly and hospitable. We had a small issue with a dish coming to our table that we didn't order, informing the server, him telling us that we could have it anyways even though we didn't order it and then charging us for it even though we didn't really want it....but overall, I had a great time! p.s. parking is valet only. I think it's $3, but I wouldn't know. I'm a good Chinese girl and found free street parking. And even though it felt like walking a mile in my high heels, the whole saving $3 thing was worth (or so I tell myself).

    (4)

  • Grace L.

    1. Food=5 stars -The sashimi/nigiri sushi here is the BOMB. It's so fresh, I literally thought I was going to cry when I ate my hamachi. It felt like it would melt in my mouth. The amaebi and uni were also super delicious. -I also had the uni and ikura don, which at lunch is a steal since it's the same size portion for like $16. However, the spicy ahi was a miss for me. I don't like whatever spicy sauce they use on it. -Oyster shooter was to DIEEE for. (Even though its $6 and they only give you one...) Unlike the one at yanagi, this one comes with uni inside, which probably explains why its so expensive. 2. Parking=1 star. -Street parking OR valet (which is like $3? I think...) During lunch, you can't park on the main street so you have to park closer to ward OR pay for parking. Luckily we found parking on a back street, but there aren't many stalls. I think after 6:30 you can park on the main street, which I assume gets filled up very quickly. 3. Service=3 stars. -Our waiter was very friendly and informative. He was prompt on refilling our water and clearing our plates. However, the food took FOREVER to come out to our table. I kept thinking..."how long does it take to cut some raw fish..?" Maybe it was because we ate around 2pm, which is not a busy period and they could have been short staffed...but still. I was hungry. Overall, the food was good. The other stuff...not so much. But the food was good enough that I would definitely go again to try the other nigiri/sushi. Possibly even some of the hot dishes. (:

    (4)

  • Anna D.

    Super cute decor! I came the first night of their soft opening and it wasn't a disappointment at all. I would say that it was less delicious than waikiki's location but given the convenience away from the busy hustle and bustle of that touristy area, i'm okay with that! The second time I came was for new years with a large party of friends and the food defintely got a lot better! Service has always been very good and presentation of the food (and taste) was pleasing. Prices are reasonable but sizes aren't big so you can end up spending a good amount of money-especially if you're drinking. I usually like to order the red dragon roll, butter fish, spicy tuna, and a beer here

    (4)

  • Shari T.

    Excellent Asian cuisine. The teri-garlic Edamame presents a rich sauce that is much thicker than most. The Seafood Salad is a poke-style dish mixed with a light sweet ginger dressing, and the Ume Chiso Chicken is unique and great for ume-lovers. Top it all off with the Brownie Tempura for desert! The ambiance is modern-Asian, and rather busy and noisy, but less than Shokudo.

    (4)

  • Pataya X.

    Happy hour starts at 9pm and everything on the happy hour menu is delish! My happy hour consumption always starts off with either a lychee martini or warmed sake. When the server comes back with drinks, I immediately order pretty much one of every food dish on the menu (usually there are 3+ of us to consume it all). Some nights when I am feeling daring, I'll do sake bombs which always livens up the mood and makes me eat more. I just have to dock a star because sometimes they are so busy that the service is slower than usual. Other than that, great food, drinks, atmosphere, decor and don't forget to order dessert.

    (4)

  • Jamieee D.

    Great atmosphere and nicely decored. Great for date nights or a place to hang out. Food here is always amazing. I think the one dish that stood out the most was their miso butterfish. It was so creamy and soft and it had the right amount of sweetness. Try this and trust me you will want to order more. Their sushis are pretty bomb. I think it might be called "god of fire" but that sushi was pretty good. It had a slice of jalapeño on it. Their poke was good and it tasted pretty fresh. I wish I took pictures and remembered what they were called but it is definitely worth trying. My only complaint is their staff at the waikiki location. The hostesses were completely rude. We were waiting for over an hour and the other couples that arrived after us were being seated before us. They could see how irritated we looked and they didn't say anything until I got up and the hostess says "oh you guys should be next." I know they forgot about us because the couple that arrived after us said they didn't have any reservations. So how is it that they got a table before us? Dummies couldn't just admit they made a mistake.Well, left no tip because even our waitress was ride. Wasn't even there half of the time.

    (4)

  • Bryan W.

    To start off, the water glasses were dirty with water spots and lipstick marks. The soup spoons were also dirty. One had soy sauce on it even though there was no soy sauce with the side dishes that were on the same server tray. One of the spoons was chipped. The steaks were warm, not hot. They were not made to order as well. One in our party ordered medium well and got a rare. In fact there were all rare. Probably why the steaks were warm. My crusted hamachi had a very thick crust which was very hard to break apart. Especially with only chop sticks. Sushi appetizers we ordered were not bad.

    (2)

  • Trisha G.

    Happy hour from 4-6 and again later in the evening. We stopped by at around 430 on a weekday. Not a big crowd, which meant quality and speedy service. Drinks: $3 Heinekens for the boys and $6 Lychee Martini for the girls (worth the price for the martinis -- it was a strong drink!) The entire happy hour menu was delicious (we almost ordered every item). But the must-order highlights were: ahi tataki, ahi poke, karaage, garlic teriyaki edamame. Other decent picks: eggplant miso, spicy ahi roll, firecracker shrimp. Supplemented our order with items off the regular menu, including a tender steak with a yummy sauce. Add a bowl of rice with a small miso soup for the baby. The whole experience was great. There were multiple families there and the staff was very friendly. The regular menu is a bit pricey, but I would return for the happy hour pupus and lychee martinis.

    (4)

  • Lyn L.

    Dinner with friends tonight....all in all...I thought it was ok...service was very good, but as far as the menu, nothing was outstanding....don't really think I'll go back again... Music too loud, food, ok...not sure what the "theme" is...not really Japanese...sorry...

    (3)

  • Emi H.

    Welcome to my new favorite happy hour destination!!! If you're a fan of Doraku Waikiki, then you'll hopefully be as pleasantly surprised as I was by their new location's layout and ambiance. What's the difference you ask? SEXY & SULTRY vs. LIVELY & CASUAL Doraku Waikiki has sex appeal with it's dark lighting and ootz ootz ootz South Beach music tracks. (Oh and Todd the GM is awesome I might add!) While it's newest incarnation Doraku Kaka'ako is a brightly lit cousin which greets you with lively alternative, beat driven tunes! There are giant sake barrels which adorn the walls and that might sound super weird, but somehow it all works! We walked in on a rainy Friday night for a quick bite before my singing gig in Waikiki and it was PACKED to the brim. Every seat at the bar was taken and my heart half sank because I knew we wouldn't be able to get a table for at least 45 minutes. Well, thankfully we ran into the owner who helped us grab a temporary seat to eat our food before a big party. Okay, okay, so we know people but I would just like to say that this does not affect my rating. You can take this whatever way you'd like but my real friends on Yelp know I'll only write glowing reviews about businesses I really adore! We sat at the communal table, ordered faster than you can say "ahi nigiri" and nom nom nom'd our way through a myriad of Doraku favorites. +Miso Butterfish: It's my favorite of ALL TIME and I can never leave without getting this. (Photo: yelp.com/biz_photos/dora… ) +King Oyster Mushrooms: Even if you don't like mushrooms I think you're going to enjoy this! (Photo: yelp.com/biz_photos/dora… ) +Hamachi Carpaccio: A must order and my boyfriend's favorite! (Photo: yelp.com/biz_photos/dora… ) +Emperor Roll: Probably my least favorite because the texture was very funky but I've never been much for fancy sushi rolls. I like to keep it simple and have the fresh seafood flavor shine through. (Photo: yelp.com/biz_photos/dora… ) As far as I can tell, the Kaka'ako and Waikiki locations have a similar menu but as I mentioned before, they've kicked it up a notch with a much more lively feel. I'd have to say that the one hole in our experience was the miso soup which was basically a bowl of water. I let the waitress know and she promptly returned with the corrected miso soup and apologized profusely. I think maybe they just didn't stir it? Service though was great and I though she dealt with the situation perfectly. I will reserve my 5th star for my next visit and an updated review! If you come to Doraku in the next few weeks please be forgiving as they are still a brand new restaurant and with that comes the growing pains of getting an operation up and running. Have you ever opened a restaurant from scratch? It's basically like having a baby except it probably hurts more and you really don't stop giving birth for a good year. Ouch. Although it's pretty much valet parking only on the weekends, I think locals are still going to love it and this place is going to be EPIC during happy hour! There are few places I get excited about in Honolulu and this is definitely one of them. I will be at the bar stuffing my face with butterfish and lots of sake so please be sure to come by and say hello!!!

    (4)

  • Juliene C.

    I came to Doraku on a friday afternoon and had no trouble parking in the structure. The decor was quite impressive. Very trendy. However, i wondered why there was a wait to be seated when there was nobody there. The waiter was ok, but i felt like he totally con me into getting the more expensive dishes. Now that i think of it, that was kind of annoying. I ordered the firecracker shrimp & he said get the lobster one instead for a few dollars more. I ordered the dynamite don & he said it was horrible & i should get the chirashi don which was the most expensive one. Anyway, the firecracker lobster was ok. It was just lobster meat in a tempura batter with some sort of sweet chili dipping sauce. It was really nothing special. The chirashi don was a bowl full of fresh sashimi over sushi rice. Although i love the fact that the sashimi was fresh, i just wasn't enthused by it. I tried the blueberry blossom cocktail which i believe had no alcohol in it since it tasted like cranberry juice. I'm not opposed to coming here again. It's pretty darn expensive! But i guess the best time to come here is during happy hour.

    (3)

  • Danielle N.

    good sushi, totally recommended. heard about this place from the local good sushi, totally recommended. heard about this place from the local

    (3)

  • Ariana M.

    Decided to come here after work. We wanted to check out the new location that opened on Kapiolani. Unfortunately they only have valet parking, so we just found parking on the street! Lucky for us Happy Hour just started at 10pm! Doraku has happy hour everyday form 4-7pm and again from 10pm - closing. I really like the variety they have for happy hour. They have hot dishes, cold dishes, and even sushi rolls! This place is pretty bomb in my opinion. We also decided to get lychee martinis since they were on special for $6. It tasted amazing!! The staff here was great. The Grub. EDAMAME ($2) - Good as anywhere else - Decent amount, very satisfying CLAM SAKAMUSHI ($5) - Oishi! - I love clams ;] FIRECRACKER SHRIMP ($5) - MUST ORDER!! - They give a lot of shrimp for the price. I would recommend this dish the most. SPICY TUNA ROLL ($4) - Good - I like how they give a full roll unlike some places who do happy hour sushi who give you super small portions. Finally for dessert we decided to try the TEMPURA BROWNIE. OMG! Talk about an orgasm in my mouth. That was so bomb! Overall, I feel my experience here was excellent. The service was good and so was the food. Very impressed with their happy hour. I would definitely like to come back here again and try some of the regular menu as well =]

    (5)

  • Mae B.

    I love this place! I've been here 3x already & I have nothing to complain about. Every time I come here, the service is always amazing! I can't have raw food but that doesn't mean I can't enjoy sushi anymore. I have to get sushi where there's no raw food and there's quite a variety to choose from. My favorite is the spicy lobster (although it is not spicy...at all) but I still like it. Very tasty! It comes with salad & it's good. Love the dressing. I can't have alcohol either (bummers right. Coming to a nice restaurant with a bar). Anywho, the first time I ordered their ling hi mui margarita. Their blender wasn't working at the time so I had to get it on the rocks. Which was freakn amazing! I loved it. A very tasty drink. Of course I got the virgin one. Overall, I love this place. I highly recommend!

    (5)

  • Jhoren C.

    It's been months since I've been telling my husband that I wanted to eat at Doraku, well last night for Valentines day he suprised me and took me here for dinner! the plus: +food was on point! Taste would be given 4 stars and portion were good enough to feed 2! +great ambience, we were seated upstairs and they had a live band playing (idk if it was just for the occasion) + Service was great, our server WARREN was a great help and did a good job. He was very helpful and letting us know what was good on the menu. and everything we ordered did not dissapoint. bottomline, I will be coming here again. The brownie tempura is a must try even if you're full from eating, just try it!

    (5)

  • Richard K.

    My first time at Doraku was for a UYE a few weeks ago. It was a shaky start, the Valet Only parking is never a favorite of mine (like most guys, I'm very particular with my car) and I left the keys to my M3 with some young kid who almost rolled it back into the car behind him. After he figured out how to work the transmission, he parked it in front of the valet podium. Confident that's where it was going to stay for the rest of the night, I went inside. What a pleasant surprise it was walking through the doors. Despite the near-miss earlier, I was very impressed with the decor of the new location. It has a very modern feel, but still very comfortable. I LOVE the sake barrels that are stacked behind the bar as a feature wall (or do I just love sake...LUSH!) and the large table right in front of the bar is awesome for larger parties. The only thing about that table is, although aesthetically pleasing, the piece that slopes downward isn't a very usable space and should be covered with a piece of glass or something to keep the look, but attain functionality. Just a small nitpick and I'm sure Grant S. would agree. But yes, I love the decor! Lighting is also great...not so dark like the Waikiki location. I like to be able to see my food and the people I'm eating with. The UYE was for happy hour and they have a happy hour specific menu. Prices hover around the $5-7 area for food...Kirin is $3 on tap, so it's very reasonable. The food is great...I ordered the special spicy tuna roll and the dynamite donburi. I had no cause for complaint and my belly was very content. Their green tea dessert is ONO and I definitely recommend it if you like fresh fruits, azuki beans and of course, green tea ice cream. I'm not typically a dessert person, but this one was worth it! I will definitely return for future happy hours. I'll probably have to look for other parking nearby though, or else give lessons on how my car works each time, lol.

    (4)

  • Charlie G.

    Classy sushi place. Prices are a little high, but so far it's my favorite sushi place in honolulu. Come for lunch and they have pretty killer lunch specials though! Plus I love the wooden tables here.

    (4)

  • Angel P.

    Vinny was amazing, the spicy lobster, amazing. The quality and price is amazing. All around amazing and I'll be back!

    (5)

  • Clarissa M.

    Love the interior decor in this joint. Server was friendly not overly pushy and made the best food and drink recommendations. There was a group of five of us (we could only be seated once three from our group were present). We took advantage of Happy Hour - this place is packed both inside and outside seating so come early or make reservations. They also have upstairs seating. Valet is offered for $3 and super easy to find (as garage is in the same building as the condo tenants use). We took advantage of the happy hour menu. Everything was super tasty. Our faves were the lomi lomi roll, steak pepper yakitori, chicken kaarage, salmon, and tuna. Who am I kidding - we loved our apps and dessert was yums! We tried the banana flambé and tempura green tea ice cream. There portions are on the smaller side but with different dishes we got full fast. The drinks are strong and tasty. Asian Mojito and a drink with peach vodka were delicious. Make time to rub the Buddha belly for good luck before you leave. Ambiance and food in a cozy dining area with pillows - way to enjoy the finer things in life.

    (4)

  • Coleen F.

    I came here with a few of my girl friends to have a catch-up dinner. It's on the main road on Kapiolani right next to the Geisha House. I REALLY wanted to like it because of all the great reviews, but it was just eh. See, I can't even find a word to describe it. Anyway, my party of three was seated fairly quickly. We went there around 4pm which is when Happy Hour starts and we were lucky because for a Sunday it was pretty slow. Just a side note, if you're here be careful of the floors because they were quite slippery when I went. Trying to be poised wearing high heels on a slippery floor is not cute (haha). Let me break down my last visit starting off with the food. The food is delicious and really fresh. It took a while for some of our food to come out, but the taste made up for it. I had the spicy ahi don, which was just simply amazing. I love spicy ahi and the spicy ahi at Doraku definitely delivered the taste I wanted and great for the price I paid. Secondly, alcohol. Their alcohol is simply amazing! During Happy Hour is when they have the best prices, but if you can't wait (like me) I'd just go ahead and order their specialty drinks because it just tastes SO good. When I ordered my first drink, it was actually a few minutes before 4pm, when Happy Hour, starts, but because I couldn't wait I still ordered the drink. I don't regret it because the taste was so amazing I didn't mind the $2 difference. Despite the food and alcohol being an A+ in my book, their service was horrible. I'm usually very easy to please as far as serving goes. If you smile, check up on me every so often, and have a great attitude then you pass. However, our server wasn't even there. The only time he was there was to take our first round of orders (alcohol and a few appetizers). I felt bad because our table kept having to ask another server (who wasn't even supposed to be in our section). She was great, though. She was also a really good sport and we kept apologizing to her about having to order from her because our original server did a bad job. I understand if this was the case if the restaurant were busy, but it wasn't. It's a Sunday afternoon at 4pm how can you possibly forget one table out of the four you probably had to take care of? Maybe I'd give it another try because of the food, but I hope we never get that server again. I thought he was very professional in the beginning, but I was totally wrong. Props again to the server who picked up his slack! We're really sorry we had to inconvenience you!

    (3)

  • Kanoe I.

    I'm a big fan of this restaurant...Hands Down. So I was beyond excited when they opened its Kaka'ako location recently. Driving into Waikiki, parking, and walking to its other location seemed like such a chore to me. Doraku/Kapiolani....5 min walk. Yes! I dined here last Fri and was glad I made reservations. Without it, I would've had to wait 45 mins. Wow, good to see it busy here! Service was great: fast and efficient. We were seated inside, near the sushi bar. The tables seemed quite close, too close for me. I could hear the conversations of neighboring tables...not good. Must have order for me: *Hamachi Carpaccio*. Thinly sliced pieces of Hamachi with a sauce to-die-for. Light and Divine. Recommend Highly. We also ordered the *Red Dragon Roll*.....Spicy Tuna, Shrimp Tempura, & Avocado topped with Unagi and Red Tobiko. Loved it. Presentation was beautiful. Two orders of Uni Nigiri Sushi were also on our menu....Beyond words! Another fave dish: *Doraku Seafood Salad* w/ diced Tuna, Salmon, Yellowtail, Snapper over mix greens. Love the dressing! Happy Hour: 4-7, 10-close. Haven't gone to it but am curious about the specials. Valet parking is $3. Happy that this service is available bc searching for parking can be annoying, especially at this location. Welcome to Kaka'ako, Doraku. I'm gonna be a regular customer for sure...

    (5)

  • Jeff Z.

    The best part of this was the dessert absolutely delicious. The sushi was ok nothing special, you can go somewhere else and eat just as well (if not better) for less. The service was also ok, waitress seem to disappear for long time, but the food was made rather quickly. The music can be a distraction, specially if you wish to have normal conversations that don't entail you yelling across the table.

    (3)

  • Christina Y.

    I LOVE this place for happy hour! The prices are very reasonable/cheap and the food is good. My favorite thing to order is the spicy ahi roll and geisha sake sampler. Always satisfies my cravings at the right price.

    (5)

  • Ariana L.

    Good service and good food. We went for lunch on a Tuesday and it was pretty quiet. Had a few rolls (Doraku, White Dragon, Eel & Avo) and a salad, and everything was fresh and pretty quick to come out.

    (4)

  • Ben F.

    So this is not the downtown location, this is on Kapiolani. WAY BETTER than the downtown tourist trap version. Really liked the ambiance and the food and service were AWESOME! Will be back on next trip for sure!

    (4)

  • Michael John R.

    The place looked amazing. The workers were great and the food was awesome. I really like the white dragon and dynamite don. The brownie tempura was crazy! The flavor and the presentation was excellent But the one thing I didn't like was the Asari clam miso soup. It was weird looking and when I dove into it it tasted really funny. Like sour almost and salty. Out of that dish I only ate the clams. But overall the place and the food was bomb! And oh yeah! They had a little Buddha when you walk up the stairs to the second level lol I just wanted to had that part

    (4)

  • Taryn L.

    I have been meaning to try Doraku for years, but I didn't want to deal with Waikiki parking. When the Kapiolani Doraku opened up, I was excited and knew it was the sign I was waiting for to try it. I cannot believe it took me this long to try this restaurant. The ambiance is similar to a bar; it can get very loud and crowded. When I went to Doraku, it was at 6 pm on a Saturday night. It was an hour wait to get a table since I had a party of 4 with no reservations, but I felt that the wait was well worth it. The hostess was very accommodating and tried her best to get us a table as soon as possible, even when they were booked. Our server was great - while there were times we had to follow up with him for some items, he was very charismatic and enthusiastic about the food. He made great recommendations on what to order, which was helpful since it was my first time there. You could tell he really enjoyed talking to people and loved the food. Speaking of food, it was delicious. At first, my main concern was that the food portions would be small, but I felt that the portions were just right, if not larger than I expected. I ordered: Miso soup - good, authentic taste/flavor Sauteed vegetables - it was cooked in butter & garlic; it can't get any better :) Japanese garlic steak - very tender and flavorful. It tasted great with the ponzu sauce brownie tempura - not too heavy. Only thing to make it better would be more ice cream. Overall, I felt that it was a great experience and cannot wait to go back again!

    (5)

  • Jay K.

    If sushi was a woman, she'd be my wife! That's how much I love sushi & this place got great fusion sushi!

    (5)

  • Jenny J.

    This place was not what I expected, at all. My boyfriend and I found this place via yelp and expected amazing sushi while vacationing in hawaii. Boy did yelp let us down this time. We went to Doraku Sunday night before Memorial Day. We walked in and the two girls at the hostess desk didn't even greet us, they just kept their conversation and looked over at us when they were done talking and said "for two?" (yeah we know you saw us but you kept gossiping instead of doing your job). We got seated and it was happy hour so we ordered the eggplant miso and dynamite donburi. The eggplant miso was tolerable, I love eggplant. But their dynamite was disgusting :( it was dry and tasted really fishy. At this point we wanted to leave but we had our orders in. Our two rolls came on one plate. We ordered the Doraku roll (because the yelp reviews) and the "God of Fire" roll. They overdid it with those garlic chip garnishes, it made me nauseous. The God of Fire roll was better than the Doraku but the food was nothing compared to the sushi in California. Service was slow. The only thing I liked was the ambiance. Maybe I came on a bad night but I wouldn't return for a second chance.

    (1)

  • Jessica Y.

    Ate here for the first time the other day as a get together with a bunch of friends. The food was wonderful but their service could use a lot of work. There was a bit of miscommunication at the door and the lady at the door had a major attitude problem (maybe she was just having a bad day...) I would suggest going at either 4-6 or after 9 to catch their happy hour menu because the bill can get pretty high. My friends and I ended up just missing their earlier happy hour. ): After being seated we ended up eating their firecracker shrimp, rice-less double happiness, garlic steak, butterfish and ahi poke. Really delicious! Overall it was a pretty cool place.

    (3)

  • Helen C.

    HEADS UP! Looks like their happy hours are now 4-6pm and then again after 9pm. When they first started, I believe it was 4-7 then again after 10... I went at 6:15 expecting half priced sushi and cocktails but womp womp, too late. Let me just start off by shoving this down your throat: ORDER THE MISOYAKI BUTTERFISH!!! It was the smoothest and tastiest I've ever had. I had dreams about it that night. Second favorite was the Red Dragon Roll (shrimp tempura, avocado, etc. with unagi on top). I'd also recommend the Hawaiian Nanbanzuke and Hamachi Kama. Then to go down the pecking order...Decent, but overall forgettable: Hawaiian Nanbanzuke, Chirashi Don, and Dynamite Don. The Dynamite Don was on special for $5 each (normally $10). We ordered two and one dramatically tasted better than the other. Hm. Price was nice, but I'd pass on this next time. As for dessert, I was really excited for the Brownie Tempura with Green Tea Ice Cream, but it was a flop for me. The brownie was undercooked. Another pass. DRINKS! The Lychee Martinis were awesome! Tasted like juice, so uh oh. A few hits and misses, but I'll certainly be back. Happy hour next time.

    (4)

  • Lynvi S.

    Doraku's Happy Hour is from 4:00 to 6:00, and seating is limited to the bar, sushi counter, communal table, or outdoors. I can live with that. Honestly, I didn't find the HH drink specials particularly exciting, probably because I don't drink beer and I don't enjoy sweet frou-frou cocktails. I asked the bartender for a not-too-sweet Lychee Martini and it was nice, but I didn't order another one. Maybe if it were $4 I would have had a few more, but for $6, I'd rather spend a little more and order cocktail I enjoy. On the other hand, the HH food is pretty good and surprisingly reasonable. Most of the items are $5 or less, and there's a nice variety of items so there's something for everyone. Like others have mentioned, the Ahi Tataki is great for the price, it's tasty, and definitely recommended. The Firecracker Shrimp at $5 is nothing to complain about either. I also tried some items of the regular menu. The Lobster Tempura was a little spendy as it was prepared and served like the Firecracker Shrimp, but the lobster was WAY BETTER. I'm not a fan of over-seasoned and over-processed sushi rolls, but the White Dragon Roll was pretty good, considering there was a lot of shit going on with that roll. It's best consumed while intoxicated. Service was EXCELLENT. My friends and I were seated at the bar, and the two amazing bartenders took really good care of us. I hear that the validated valet parking is reasonable, but I found some street parking around the block.

    (4)

  • Mo G.

    Been here once before and I really enjoyed it. We came back a few nights ago and it was so so. We arrived on the late side 845'ish so there wasn't a crowd. They did however seat us near some really obnoxious guys who had been drinking. One of them kept dropping the "F" bomb every other word and nobody would politely tell him to shut his mouth or leave. They eventfully calmed down. We did notice that they had a ton of workers on shift that night. We ordered various items from the Happy hour menu. Beef tataki Ahi tataki - my fav Chicken yakitori Beef yakitori Donburi- I was expecting egg in this dish. It had a lot of rice and salmon, no egg that I could find. Spicy tuna roll Chicken kaarage - my 2nd fav Deep fried brownie - say what? We were satisfied, but I recall the food tasting better? I'm not sure if it was an off night. The service was good though.

    (3)

  • Kanya G.

    My first experience here was excellent: awesome food paired with excellent service. Service: in general, very fast. They are so accommodating to my shellfish allergy and during my first visit, I could tell that the waiter was so passionate about Doraku. He was very enthusiastic, hospitable and knowledgeable, and recommended dishes that became some of my favorites. Food: Amazing. Really fresh. Some of my favorites are the Doraku Tuna Tataki (must try!) and Dragon roll without shrimp. I tried the brownie tempura with green tea ice cream, which was really interesting. Bad if you're on a diet though lol. My family and friends love the Red Dragon Roll, White Dragon Roll and the garlic steak. Atmosphere: slightly romantic, bar-like, very hip/modern/naturalistic Japanese. A downside is the parking, which is a $3 valet, unless you can find street parking. Definitely want to come back for happy hour!

    (4)

  • Saki K.

    First time dining at Doraku and it was happy hour (4-6pm and after 9 pm). Came in with no reservation for two and we were seated right away. food and service was also excellent. Our server, Ashley, was attentive and very friendly. She always came to check up on us Ashley also helped describe all the dishes we were confused about and when the food came out, she told us what fish is what. Beef tataki: The beef tataki was really good. I recommend ordering it for happy hour. It is sort of like raw beef w/ onions and garlic chips. Loved the ponzu sauce. Salmon carpaccio: This dish was thin slices of salmon along with a yuzu mayo sauce. This dish was alright. Hamachi Kama: the hamachi Kama was fatty, juicy, and the meat just melts in your mouth. You can either just eat it with the sea salt or there is a ponzu sauce that comes with it. I recommend this dish! :) Asari sakamushi: this dish consist of clams with white wine sauce. I love clams! So I enjoyed this dish a lot. Ashley, our waiter, also gave us a bowl of rice so we can eat it together with the sauce. Red dragon roll: this sushi was really good. It was my boyfriend's favorite dish of the night. Lot of flavors and it comes with a lot. Sushi + sashimi deluxe: had a variety of different nigiri and sashimi. You can really tell that they use fresh fish. The sashimi just melts in your mouth. Only thing is that there is only one of each type of nigiri so you have to fight for the one you want haha. Overall, it was a great experience. I loved how they served the water in the sake looking bottle and the whole ambience of the restaurant.

    (5)

  • Alina H.

    Was planning on going to another sushi place but the wait was 2 hrs long. By chance we found this place. Never been here before. Why?? Parking was easy, wait was 10 min.... Maybe and were seated in a super cozy both. The service was great, fast and super friendly. The food and drinks were awesome and the desert was even better. The brownie tempura is amazing. I had a lychee martini and it was great as well. We didn't make happy hour but they actually have 2. The second starts at 9 which is great! This was a great experience and it just may be our new go-to sushi spot. Will def return.

    (5)

  • Lei N.

    With everyone's schedule being so busy, it was surprising we even got together! I had made reservations the week before. I didn't know the day of about Happy Hour, I am so disappointed in myself. Though one person wasn't there yet, we got seated in a somewhat private area inside the restaurant. ( yelp.com/biz_photos/dora… ) We had made it in time for happy hour BUT where we were seated we couldn't be served that. For the happy hour menu, you had to be seated at the sushi bar or outside. Why didn't you say so? There was no indication on the menu! We were all hyped up for nothing. We waited until our final person arrived and we started ordering our dishes. As we looked at our menu, we thought that we could have our own dishes but it seemed family-style, so we all picked off the dishes we ordered. What we ordered: Sweet and Spicy Miso Seared(?) Edamame I know it was covered with something but I don't remember which one we got. I usually don't eat this, but after that night... I want more! Red Dragon Roll ( yelp.com/biz_photos/dora… ) I won't lie, there was some ingredients on this roll that made me go, ew gross! Just don't look at it, because after eating one piece, I came back with my chopsticks for more! I don't know what it is, but it's definitely a favor... so far! Volcano Roll ( yelp.com/biz_photos/dora… ) This one, I didn't enjoy. It could've been the scallop or the crab but whatever it is, ain't ordering this one again! I tried two pieces. Once to see if I'd like it or not, the second time to make sure I still felt the same. Steak - cube style So, one of the workers accidentally placed it at the wrong table. The other party across of us and of course she made the mistake of telling us that it was over there. Not good! Of course it looked like they hadn't touched it so we dug in... Yes it's steak... No it wasn't yummy as it had sounded. It didn't look appetizing either. Just a mountain of all the ingredients piled together. Teriyaki chicken Idk, it's chicken? Looked and tasted good. Nothing unusual. Hamachi I didn't know what this was. It's fish? We asked for forks and a knife for this one. Luckily we also shared a bowl of rice with one another. There was a lot of flavors to take in but the fish itself tasted dry. No picture because... It was another mountain of food. It was interesting to try I'll admit that, maybe some shoyu next time. Of course it wasn't over yet! I guess it was also in celebration of some graduates myself and another. If I remember correctly the brownie was complementary. I asked to order the Banana Flambe. Dessert: Brownie Tempura ( yelp.com/biz_photos/dora… ) Hearing brownie and tempura together, I was like 'what?!' I just remembered the brownie and ice cream. I didn't know it was macadamia nuts on top! Banana Flambe ( yelp.com/biz_photos/dora… ) The bananas reminded me of banana lumpia. Same concept as the Brownie Tempura, just not something I would order again. Overall, I'd come back... DURING HAPPY HOUR, now that I know where we have to sit.

    (3)

  • Lauren H.

    Happy hour is the best time to go! Great pupus and drink specials. I love the lychee cocktail. Go!

    (4)

  • Julie O.

    Great place to have happy hour, cool ambiance, great sushi and authentic Japanese food options. Great selection of of sake and Japanese beers. Also, an amazing green tea ice cream tempura! A must try for Japanese food lovers :0)

    (4)

  • Wesley R.

    Let's see. I will have to say, I enjoyed this place immensely. Multiple reasons, but let's start with the reservation part. Our buddy was unable to get a reservation 5 days prior for Saturday evening at 6 for 4. The lady told him not to come during happy hour (4-6 and 9-close daily) for walk in. But we tried anyway. We are notoriously late for everything, so surprised our friend and was there at 530, asked to be put on the wait list. Amazingly, they accommodated us with in 5 minutes. We ordered at Red Dragon roll, geisha roll, lobster tempura, chicken kara'age, deluxe spicy tuna roll, sweet and spicy edamame, tuna tataki, some cold tofu thingy (I am no where near a tofu fan. .... Sorry). Everything was excellent (I assume on the tofu). Service was really quick. Oh, we didn't get the geisha roll. Apparently they were out. So good a surf and turf roll instead. This place is family style serving. Everything came out to us really quick. Large portions. Kinda wanted a geisha roll, but oh well. Reason I gave it 4 stars, how can you be out of something so early in the evening? Also music was a little kid, the people next to us had a really annoying laugh (not just one lady, but both). And was really loud. Would definitely go back though. Reminded us of dC sushi spots.

    (4)

  • Lauren S.

    I disliked sushi before my experience here. The food was amazing, even the raw stuff ;) I was very fast service. Our bartender was hilarious. And even tho we went for happy hour, we ordered most off the regular menu and prices were still completely reasonable. One of my favorite experiences on vacation. I would highly recommend going here.

    (5)

  • Tim D.

    Trendy atmosphere, friendly staff, and awesome sushi! We ate at the sushi bar, Pono was very helpful and gave us some suggestions on the menu. I highly recommend Doraku to anyone looking for great sushi and experience!

    (5)

  • Adrianne K.

    Love the late night happy hour!

    (5)

  • Jody S.

    OMG! I luv this place!! The vibe, the cuisine, the staff, the restaurant's history...I mean honestly, what's NOT to love?! Let's talk about the ambience first. The decor is hip and modern with a zen vibe. Oversized tables made from natural tree stumps, funky Asian masks and positive kanji characters encouraging a happy meal with great friends gives this place an A-plus in my book. Now the staff. Ãœber friendly, decked in simple tshirts that boast a location that the restaurant is located at-kakaako, kalakaua, --totally rad idea! The bartenders were super friendly, knowledgeable about the cuisine offering suggestions and recommending a variety of great selections. The sushi is affordable, delish and offers unique flavors. The drinks perfect, hitting the spot after a long day at work, offering the perfect way to unwind. Lots of ample space even though it's busy. Easy access from the street and parking via valet. All bonus points in my book. Looking forward to coming back over and over to this place!

    (5)

  • Kristine B.

    Always a pleasure. Go to joint on my "CHEAT DAYS". Emperor Roll, Hamachi Carpaccio, and Brownie Tempura. Splendid. and that Dim lighting ;) So ROMANTICAL (no typo) haha. K-Bye.

    (5)

  • James C.

    Pau hana specials is da bomb! Thats the way to go. Great service staff with awesome dishes.

    (5)

  • Liberty L.

    Why does it always feel like the hostesses at this location could care less about their customers? Nevertheless, our server was the sweetest very attentive. I wish I could remember her name. We came here to fulfill our oyster shooter cravings and since we were around the area why not at Doraku. But guess what? No oyster shooters! And so I continued to order and included in my order was uni. And guess what? No uni! My boyfriend then ordered some Kirin and guess what? The Kirin was still frozen! It if wasn't for my server I'd dock a few more stars. My favorite from their menu is the seafood salad.

    (3)

  • Siri J.

    Best place to eat sushi during happy hour in Waikiki beach, great prices for delicious food. Try the spicy edamame! If you get seatings outside, you can also enjoy Hawaiian dance and music downstairs. Good atmosphere.

    (5)

  • Tiffinie K.

    Had lunch and Doraku on a weekday. It was empty. I can't imagine why. The food and service was good. Bathrooms were also clean. I ordered a ikura salmon don, which comes with miso soup, tsukemoto, and salad for $13. Yummy! Just the right amount of food (I'm a smaller person). The Japanese ice cream was not what was expected, but very good. It had vanilla bean ice cream with fruit and jello. :) Would go there again, if I have time to go out for lunch.

    (4)

  • Jackie Q.

    Server Marissa is the best! Loved our first time here at Doraku because of her! We had a wonderful time! Thank you Marissa! Love, Jackie, Traci, and Baby Kayden (9 months old)

    (5)

  • Kim W.

    We just happened to walk by this place for lunch on our adventures in Oahu. The decor of this place was awesome! A really cool little bar with masks all over the place. It was a really hot day so the air conditioning was great! But then it started to get really cold once we adjusted. So bring a sweater if you remember! Our server was really cool and she helped us pick out a bottle of sake. The food was awesome but on the pricy side. They have a great menu with lots of things to choose from! Have to go back for the happy hour everyones talking about!

    (4)

  • Shaila C.

    We had- -Hamachi Carpaccio (favorite) -Ahi Tataki (favorite) -Emperor Roll (no rice!, good) -Red Dragon Roll (good) -Eggplant w/ garlic chips (pretty good) -Garlic Steak w/ Ponzu (take it or leave it) -Tempura Brownies--a little weird, honestly Fun place to eat! Street Level of Pacifica. Is it just me or is the entrance a little weird from the parking lot--though the cafe, pass the bathrooms, and into the restaurant? Did I miss something?! Hamachi Carpaccio was my favorite, would eat that for breakfast every day if I could. I'm thinking Happy Hour is where it's at--will be back!

    (4)

  • Jane M.

    I'm not going to lie.... The food to me was amazing. I enjoyed ever bite.. But the service was so horrible, I don't think I would go back... 1. Parking was a bit of a nightmare.. Valet only... But there's a secret parking in the back, which cost a little bit more.. But when you have a friends birthday and running a bit late. You gotta do whata gotta do.... 2. The server looked as though she had a stick up her ass. I would think, if you want a good tip, be pleasant. It's the industry you went into, if you hate it leave and find something else, don't make another persons evening worse because of your sour attitude. This would be a fault of any business, the employees.. Fake it if you must... 3. Food is super yummy. The double happiness roll is a MUST HAVE. A bit pricey, but to eat sushi without the guilt is worth ever penny. Oyster shooters were pretty good. And tempura brownie was alright. 4. Our waitress not only dropped my boyfriends glass cup and broke it on the table, she had too replace my boyfriends meal because he asked for it to be replaced. Don't get me wrong, she said she was sorry, but to not even try to fix the problem, nor to look at the safety of the customer. That was annoying. It was her fault. And no manager came by to apologize. I don't even think the manager was on the floor. If my boyfriend ate his food and found a piece of CLEAR GLASS in his mouth, I would have made a huge scene. 5. By the end when we got our bill, after that out waitress was no where to be found. It's as if she went on a break and didn't bother to come back and check if we needed any change, which we did. I was so annoyed I asked another waiter for change and they just said I'll grab the waitress. No one came. Went to the bartenders to grab change. I was not only ignored for 5-10 minutes, they took forever. Finally after 15-20 minutes she came back. 6. (And here's the topper to my story).... When the waitress finally came by to grab change... She then went on flirting and flashing a smile to my boyfriend. Wtf? That was the only time I ever saw her smile during the whole damn time we were there and it just infuriated me... How dare you. Just because I wasn't sitting next to him, doesn't mean he went to a dinner party alone. I was so mad I told my boyfriend just to leave a $1 tip. Don't get me wrong, she was probably trying to be nice, but seriously? To be sarcastic and to than show a smile in the end to a guy, that you don't even know is there with his significant other is down right disrespectful. All in all? Rude and disrespectful The staff isn't a team and they don't help another out. Makes me think the tip is earned per table, not pooled. Food was good, but not worth coming back. Don't care for your health and well being and want some BROKEN GLASS in your food, this is the place to be! Ambiance really nice Servers, WANT YOUR SIGNIFICANT OTHER FLIRTED WITH??? THIS IS THE PLACE TO BE In the end it just seemed like the workers are in it for the money and not for the customer experience or even the safety. I will NOT be going back, and unless a friend wanted to go with a dinner party, I won't be suggesting this place anytime soon. Which is sad because this will probably be my one and only experience here.

    (1)

  • Latrice H.

    I love Doraku Sushi! Although there are two in Hawaii I prefer the one on Kapiolani Blvd! So I came in alone and was greeted by amazing staff! I ordered the lychee martini and was amazed! The flavors are bold and the alcohol is a perfect mix! I ordered the house salad and the clam miso soup! Can you say amazing! The soup had about six clams inside and the broth was very flavorful! Next I had the Surf and Turf roll! Whoever invented putting steak on top of sushi is genius! I love this dish 5 stars! Afterwards, I had another lychee martini and desert! I forgot the name but it had bananas and creame and it was the perfect way to end my night! You must valet your car so bring cash but the valet is in the same building as the restaurant!

    (5)

  • Juliet M.

    Jana...Jana...Jana! Ain't nothing more to say ! I have eaten all over the world. Eaten at walk ups and five stars! What she presents to the consumer is quality, patience, and thoughtfulness. My "date" was over an hour late!!! I was taking up one of her tables...just me waiting. She was so swweet ...perfect. Not tooo overwhelming and yet hands on and attentive. So the date ended over this interaction...I am so glad it did. Jana is the shizzz, and just up'd my dating karma! Haha! Much love Jana...rock on!

    (5)

  • Joelle L.

    This isn't the first time I've eaten here and I must say that everything is amazing. I know that sounds quite vague but it really is great. From service to food to drinks, all around 5 stars ! First when you enter you are greeted cheerfully by cute hostess girls who you often see going the extra mile in helping the servers buss tables or even fill waters if it's busy. Even though it can become crazy busy they still manage to greet everyone with a smile. I used to be a hostess myself so I know how difficult it is sometimes to deal with so much incoming hungry customers but they handle it with ease. Now on to the servers, no matter what sever I had I was always asked if I had eaten at doraku before and if not they could explain the concept of the menu. After reading many reviews I can see where people can be confused as to why the portions are small and why different dishes come out at different times. After speaking to a server about it the reason this is is because since it is not a coursed menu meaning appetizers then main entree, that since the dishes are coming from both the sushi bar and kitchen that orders are made to order by when the order is placed by the server. Whichever dish is made first will appear at your table first. I'm glad that they offer this explanation to make it easier for me cuz I'm not used to that kind of menu but it is quite interesting. Anyway the servers always are knowledgeable about the menu and have great suggestions !!! The interior of the restaurant is beautiful, wood furniture and cute booths. Happy hours are everyday and it's a pretty extensive menu. Food and drinks under $8 !! If you get a D or A club card then you can get off up to $50 which is great you just need 500 points on your card or 250 for $25. I must say ill always return back to this great find (:

    (5)

  • Joanna Y.

    First things first, the service is excellent at the new Doraku. I've only gone twice, but each time our servers were really exceptional. The first time we went around 8:45/50, unknowing about happy hour starting at 9. Our server offers to take our orders in anyway, but serve them after 9. Great! One of our orders was the shrimp, I can't remember the name but it was pretty much tiny shrimp tempuras. Our order came out, and after he gave it to us, he said that the cook didn't think it came out up to his "standards," so another order was being prepared at that moment for us to eat or take home. What? A 2nd order for free?? Sweet!!! The first batch was ok, but the 2nd batch was phenomenal. Maybe because of that thoughtful consideration it tasted so good, idk. But how often does a cook admit he did something wrong, before we can even taste what's "wrong," and automatically start cooking up a 2nd batch??? Thumbs up, Doraku. The 2nd time we came, our server was extremely pleasant. I don't even know how to describe how wonderful she was. Again, wish I got her name, but she always smiled a bright, happy smile, must have checked up on us every moment she could (mind you this was at peak dinner time on a Saturday with a packed restaurant), and she didn't seem flustered at all. I'm not saying the first guy didn't do that on our first visit, but yea. Two great experiences. Food is also awesome here. I am already a fan of the Waikiki location, and the Kapiolani one has food just as amazing. I really enjoy the god of fire roll, white dragon roll, tofu salad, clam miso soup, garlic steak, the nigiri and sashimi. The pieces of sushi are excellent, nice fatty pieces that I love. I had to dock a star because the parking sucks. Valet only, at $3. There's street parking too but it's always filled, so don't really have a choice. Idk about you but I don't like people driving my cars lol. Other than parking, everything is great. See you soon, Doraku! :)

    (4)

  • Monthakan B.

    We started coming here for Happy hour but now we just kept coming back at any hour for their affordable & quality sushi, superb service (I love sitting at the bar.....the Bartender was super awesome! Very friendly and attentive!) and nice atmosphere! LOVED their sashimi deluxe..... Very fresh and super thick cut for only $28! And for uni lovers...... You can get a quality uni nigiri for only $8!!!! Most places are $10-$12 for the same quality!!! Love, love, love this place! :)

    (5)

  • J D.

    Dropped by for happy hour (a couple months ago). Everything was fantastic. Sashimi, sushi rolls, edamame, and some of their beef dishes. Great atmosphere too. Good for friends or date night.

    (4)

  • Ivy Lou H.

    The ambience is so nice, especially the outdoor seating even though it's on Kapiolani Blvd. The sushi is excellent and I love their chicken Karagi. The service is top notch and you'll be made to feel right at home. This is as trendy as a sushi restaurant can be in Honolulu.

    (4)

  • Harry T.

    Quite simply the best Japanese sushi bar in Waikiki. This is the place where I took my wife to eat on our honeymoon. We experienced great service and the sushi was the bomb dot com.

    (5)

  • Ash K.

    Came here during non-happy hour time, so it was pretty slow. We we're seated as soon as we arrived, which was also the time of our RSVP. While seating us, the waitress asked where the rest of our party was. We made a reservation for four...the four of us are here...shouldn't you know that? Anyways.. Here's what I remember about the food: Sushi: we asked the waitress which she recommended, she said all of them. Thanks for the help. We ordered the one with cream cheese (eh), the lobster one (thumbs up) and the surf and turf (oishii!). It better be good for the prices. Dang. We also ordered nigiri and sashimi platter (called "Sashimi") and that was good. I was EXTREMELY disappointed in the miso yaki butterfish...it was expensive, but sometimes we like to splurge...it was so sweet and was not marinaded into the fish. Instead, it was just poured on. Bleh. Service is always pretty bad here. Usually I don't mind since we usually come happy hour and it's packed...I've worked restaurants before, I understand how that can get. Oh. And we could see into the kitchen. While waiting about 15 minutes to flag someone down for the check, we saw a girl taking a picture of food in the kitchen. All I could do was shake my head and laugh...for a $200 dinner, I expected either better food, better service, or both.

    (2)

  • Tiffany P.

    Our server was the BEST. She introduced us to the specials and the best sushi rolls. They are all ONO!!! We came out not only full but happy. A+ for quality and service. Their happy hours are very reasonable, prices ranges from $3.75 to $6.00. Beers for $4(Kirin & Heineken). Well drinks are $6. NOT BAD AT ALL! Our favorite is the the White Dragon Roll and the Surf and Turf Roll. HR from 4pm to 6pm. #happyhoursushi

    (5)

  • Steve M.

    We are Sushi people. Perhaps we went on a bad night. We ordered about 4 items they didn't have or ran out of. No Asahi??? Really? The ONLY thing that was decent was my sons Salmon Roe. The octopus rice dish my wife got was horrible. It smelled bad and we left it uneaten. The rolls (surf and turf) was ordered because they were out of our first choice. Not great. The service WAS decent, and the only reason they didn't get a 1. Be careful.

    (2)

  • Celine N.

    Love the vibe, decor and food!! Edamame is delicious & chicken karaage. Go during happy hour fast service and cheap sushi! Staff was friendly, going here is a must

    (5)

  • Leilani R.

    I really do not know how someone can put this restaurant in the same category as Genki Sushi--first off, Genki Sushi is generic. All of their fish taste sour and not fresh. A few times there I came across unexpected surprises in my spicy ahi... Doraku is the polar opposite of Genki Sushi! The atmosphere is enticing and sexy. The service there is warm and welcoming. The first time I heard of the place was when I went to visit in Miami, Florida (December 2013) I ate there with my mom and I and we enjoyed ourselves very much. We actually met the owner there, Kevin Aoki. He was very polite and down to Earth. He told us about his restaurants that are located in Hawaii and we were both SO excited! It is my boyfriend and I's favorite spot for sushi in the Honolulu area. I recommend The Doraku Roll, The Emperor Roll, The White Dragon Rolland The Spicy Lobster Roll. My favorite desert there is the Brownie Tempura Roll. It is AMAZING! Yay for Lychee Martinis!

    (5)

  • Greg L.

    We went for the Happy Hour 4-6pm and enjoyed the Double Spicy Tuna roll $6, california roll $4 (x2), edamame $4, and chicken karaage $5. We also ordered the red dragon roll (shrimp tempura, unagi, avocado, spicy tuna, and more) $13.50. The service is solid and the food is good. Parking is either valet $3 + tip, or you can try the lot further down on the corner with the blue paint (shared with Bluetree).

    (4)

  • Jane L.

    I LOVE Doraku!!!!! This is my second time at this location and I enjoyed myself! The staff was really nice. The food is fantastic! You must get the tempura brownie. No if's and's or butt's. Our server's name is Ashley she was very fun, outgoing and knew the menu very well. We asked for recommendations and she knew the answers right off the bat. Parking is located in the PACIFICA!

    (5)

  • Debbie R.

    Can't beat this place for happy hour. We arrived a little too early to take advantage of it. So we ordered a few things while we waited: Edamame, Dancing Eel, God of Fire, and Hamachi. Once happy hour time arrived, we tried the ahi tataki, firecracker shrimp, garlic chicken (I think it was garlic and ginger, it was awesome!), beer & lychee martinis. We finished with the Brownie Tempura. Prices were reasonable, 5-6 each. 1) ATMOSPHERE - 5 stars. Very "ultra-lounge" 2) FOOD - 5 stars - cannot beat the Happy Hour prices. 3) SERVICE - 4 stars. Waiter seemed overwhelmed, but perhaps that was because it was happy hour. 4) PARKING - 4 stars. If you can't find street parking (which is next to impossible) they have valet only. 5) OVERALL VALUE - plenty of bang for your buck. Even regular menu prices are fair. Will return again!

    (5)

  • Denalee C.

    I came here on Friday for happy hour. I mean, come on, who has a happy hour on Friday nights? Possibly just Doraku. You know they are doing something right when people line up at 9pm at the door when happy hour starts. Everything we got was delicious (and an incredible deal). In what restaurant can you get a california roll for $3? $3!! I can't remember precisely but I'd say there were about 8 pieces. Oh, the garlic teri edamame was amazing too...it's bursting with flavor. My advice: go with the items that have the special doraku logo next to it- you know, the food they are known for. My friend said I should have gotten the miso eggplant. Shucks...next time, I guess. Don't worry, that will probably be next week.

    (5)

  • Lynn R.

    Japanese/Local Fusion type of food. Happy Hour is best here. The Happy Hour menu has a pretty good variety of foods that would appeal to most and the drink specials are decent. Regular menu prices run steep, but food is prepared with pride and presented well. Has a nice ambiance and staff are friendly and attentive. It can get pretty busy and wait can be as long as an hour. Overall a very nice, clean and somewhat classy place to hang out with friends and/or family. There's private seating throughout the restaurant which makes it nice and intimate for those who want their own little area. One slight downfall is there's only limited street parking or valet.

    (5)

  • Sara H.

    We ordered a wide variety of sushi and entrees with a party of 5, and every single plate was completely clean at the end. The sushi, seared salmon, and banana flambé were our favorites. Sooo so good and friendly wait staff!

    (5)

  • Alyson Y.

    Not good for groups (larger than 4). Came here with a group of 9, last night. When we called ahead, they said they were booked for reservations and we would just have to come in and put our names down, if we wanted a table. Granted, this was a Friday so we expected some wait. [6:30 pm] We arrive and put our names down. The hostess says, "It will be about 45 minutes to an hour." [7:00 pm] We check our wait time. The hostess says, "It will be another half hour." [7:30 pm] We check our wait time. The hostess says, "You are next on the list." [8:00 pm] We check out wait time. The hostess says, "I meant you're next for the list of people who didn't have a reservation. But, we have a long list of people who did make reservations to get through. I can say how much longer it will be." [8:30 pm] We check on the wait time. The hostess says, "I have no way to estimate how much longer the wait will be." [9:00 pm] We tell the hostess that after TWO AND A HALF HOURS of waiting, we're going elsewhere. She says the table will be opening up any minute and within a couple of minutes - they are able to seat us. As she shows us to our table she says, "I apologize for the wait, I would be angry, too. But, next time maybe avoid coming here on Fridays and Saturdays because weekends are busy for us." Having both worked in the service industry and having seen a calendar before - I was familiar with the concept she was sharing, but it was maybe not the best time for her to have bestowed that nugget of wisdom with us. I give the hostess points for apologizing and trying to empathize with the customer, though. It's hard to accept the customer's anger when you have only a poorly run seating system to work with - it may not have been her fault. Still, there is no reason a restaurant of this size or seating capacity should leave a table of 9 people waiting for TWO AN A HALF HOURS. And giving false time estimate isn't helpful to either the customer or the establishment. Had they been upfront about the 2+ hour wait time, we would have left and not been unhappy. But, as it stands it's left a bad taste in my mouth about how they're run. The waiter for our table was friendly, helpful and fast. The food came out quickly, though the drinks were a little slower. At one point the bartender said he ran out of martini glasses and had to switch to different cups - but as long as it's getting me drunk, I don't care what it comes to the table in. The decor is nice. It'd be great for a date or small girls night. But, take your birthday dinner elsewhere unless you can reserve ahead of time - because you'll be too hungry to celebrate after that kind of wait.

    (3)

  • Michelle T.

    My boyfriend and I went to Oahu on vacation and was told to try the sushi on the island. We decided to use Yelp to find their highest rated sushi restaurants and after looking at several places we felt that this was one of the better sushi places around Waikiki. When we first arrived we saw two girls chatting at the hostess booth. I went up to one of the girls expecting to be welcomed and wasnt. The girl gave me a blank stare and raised her eyebrow at me and said Ya? Didnt know Ya was the way to welcome someone. My boyfriend and I were seated and our waiter came and greeted us. We ordered a couple drinks and oyster shooters to start. DELICIOUS! I wish the oyster shooter came with more than just one because they were soo good. We also ordered the Red Dragon Roll, the two piece Chu Toro and the Sashimi Deluxe. All were amazing! Besides the terrible first impression we will definitely return next time we're in Hawaii :)

    (4)

  • Debbie H.

    Came here on a Thursday night for dinner and was seated quickly, in the front seating room which was perfect as one of kids was sleeping and could lay on the bench. Waiter was friendly and nice, gave us recommendations and answered our questions. We ordered the ahi poke, double happiness, miso butterfish, and a few rolls. We also tried a sake sampler, the geisha one. Poke was small but flavorful. Butterfish was excellent and we wanted more. Surprised the double happiness was in 6 pieces but it was different to have a non-rice type of roll. Two avocado eel rolls for the kids were enough for them but one wanted a crunchy type roll which was not on the menu, I liked that we were in a quieter seating area and the lighting was good. I had read that the location in Waikiki can be dark in certain spots. It was a good first time but definitely not a regular kind of place since items are pricier. I may return the next time we are visiting but will opt to try different menu items.

    (3)

  • Maricor C.

    Doraku definitely left a lasting first impression. My cousin and I decided to grab dinner here on a whim. We heard some great things about this place and wanted to check it out after running some errands in town. We arrived to a full restaurant and several parties were already waiting to be seated. We were lucky that our wait was relatively short (~15 min). Some people were told 45+ minutes. PROS: 1) ATMOSPHERE - VERY NICE. The decor/lighting was really nice! Very modern meets traditional Japanese. 2) HAPPY HOUR - GREAT DEALS. The happy hour deals were surprisingly reasonable! $6 lychee martinis? Yes! The Eggplant Miso was for the most part, delicious (I thought the garlic chip garnish was a bit too hard). 3) FOOD - YUM. The agedashi tofu had a delicate balance of flavors. And the amaebi was sweet and fresh! 4) DOUBLE HAPPINESS ROLL - LOVE! (Yes, this roll gets its own bullet point...It's THAT good) It wasn't too overpowering or "heavy." (The Emperor Roll, on the other hand...left much to be desired, in my opinion. The panko breading was wayyy too much and to top with a heavy sauce...too rich for me). 4) SERVICE - GOOD. Our waitress was really good! She did a good job in making sure the water jug was filled and that our food came out on time. CONS: 1) AT THE DOOR - MEH. The hostess was a bit rude when greeting customers. She seemed flustered and frustrated. 2) PARKING - LAME. I ended up doing Valet for $3...If you have the time, I'd suggest finding street parking and walking. 3) EMPEROR ROLL (see above) - It's good but not amazing. Will not order again. Overall, I plan on visiting Doraku again. Gotta try some of the other dishes! Anyone care to join me for Happy Hour, any one?

    (4)

  • Justina B.

    I have been to this restaurant a few times and have loved everything I tried. Sushi rolls are spot on (especially the white dragon) and the butterfish is out of this world! The one thing I was disappointed about was the banana flambé. It was not presented the way I thought it would and the taste did not leave me wanting more.

    (4)

  • Sage T.

    Great vibe, needs to stock up on oysters. Sushi is on point.

    (4)

  • Linda H.

    This place is AMAZING! Our friend Aaron brought us here on our last night. So wished he would've brought us here on our first night. Awesome happy hour menu. We tried 5 dishes and loved it all! Lychee martini was delish. Love the atmosphere too.

    (5)

  • Chantelle T.

    This is one of my favorite spots for happy hour. Some of my faves off the HH menu are: ahi tataki, beef tataki, spicy tuna roll, miso eggplant, karaage chicken, and lomi lomi roll. The chicken lettuce wraps are alright, but nothing special. From the regular menu, the garlic steak is pretty good and any of the dragon rolls will put a smile on your face. I usually get the white dragon roll. The brownie cheesecake is a delicious choice for dessert. Definitely save room for this! I haven't been very impressed with their cocktails...the last time I got this sake cocktail with the li hing rim (I forget the name) and it was just meh. Super weak so not worth the price. Happy hour drinks are pretty limited. Service can be hit or miss. Sometimes the food comes out really fast, other days the food can take forever. They also don't take reservations for HH so be ready for a wait unless you get there pretty early!

    (4)

  • Riana S.

    It's 930PM and I'm starving and I'm craving sushi. Luckily Doraku has a dope late night happy hour from 9PM-close. YESSSSS!!!!!! No reservations during happy hour. NOOOO!!!!!! We had a very important business meeting (ahem) with our homie so we decided to chance Doraku and see if we could get some seats. There were three of us and the hostess said it'd be an hour wait. At this point we were pretty desperate and just tired of trying to find a place to eat at the time so we waited. It really only took like 20 minutes for us to get seated. We were seated on the sushi bar where there were platters of salmon, ahi, avocado and all kine goodies waving to me, TEASING me practically. Checked out the happy hour and the most expensive thing on there was $6. My kind of menu. When the waitress came, we ordered tree tree dolla Kirins (gotumk) and I told her I wanted pretty much everything with the D on it (teehee). I got the Spicy Tuna Roll, Ahi Poke, the Tataki, Firecracker Shrimp, and the Garlic Teriyaki Edamame. Beer makes me particularly hungry so I ended up ordering off the happy hour menu and getting the Emperor Roll. Everything was really good and flavorful. The only thing I didn't care for was the ume (correct me if I'm wrong) in the spicy tuna roll. It threw off the whole thing for me. I ordered the Emperor Roll pretty blindly, mostly cause I was just following whatever everyone was recommending on Yelp (no, just cause people jump off the bridge I will too). First thing I noticed was, NO RICE. No rice. There's no rice in this roll. Is this possible? Oh it is. As soon as I put a piece in my mouth, I was asking "what the fuck is rice?!" It practically melted in my mouth. The crab mayo was on point, and I was so happy with how it tasted and I even ended up eating the shredded carrots and shit on the plate if it was garnish I probably looked stupid but whatevs. I have to mention this but damn their bathroom is super nice. They even have those super high-tech hand dryers where you thrust your hand up and down (dirty dirty). Most definitely coming back to get drunk off my ass.

    (5)

  • Patrick G.

    After hearing so many good things about this new location of Doraku Sushi, I just had to experience this restaurant for myself. After my first experience here, I would say that all of the hype is definitely warranted. I walked in on a Sunday night and took a seat at the empty bar. I expected the restaurant to be a lot more crowded, but I was happy to be able to get a seat so fast. The lack of crowd could have been due to my timing - it was happy hour, so a little early. The decor of the restaurant was new and trendy. The place was extremely clean and the staff were very friendly. Art the bartender took good care of me and was full of recommendations and conversation. I had the firecracker shrimp and the spicy tuna roll from the happy hour menu. They were both very good and came in very generous portions, especially for happy hour. After eating these two items, I was surprisingly stuffed. I can't wait to come back and experience more of the excitement and deliciousness that Doraku has to offer.

    (5)

  • K M.

    I can't say enough good things about this location. My husband and I decided to come here on a Friday, and got seated right away. Ambiance is fabulous here; our table was tucked upstairs, away from the hustle & bustle from the clientele downstairs who were enjoying happy hour. Food is top knotch; very well displayed and taste is up to par to other high end Japanese restaurants. Service from the staff deserves recognition as well. They were all extremely accommodating and awesome at that. Finally found an alternate dinner spot for delicious Japanese cuisine that meets my expectations, but is not as inconvenient as going out to Waikiki.

    (5)

  • Melissa K.

    Love! Went there recently for the first time for Mother's Day and loved it! Everything we ordered was delish! The decor was fabulous and the staff was on it. Can't wait go back!

    (5)

  • Melissa O.

    Two happy hours - normal and late night! The wait staff is extremely knowledgeable about the food and drink. They even are very good about 'notifying' you when it is last call for happy hour. Each time my friends and I come here, we order almost everything on the happy hour menu. We definitely leave full and a way lot happier then when we arrived. The cold unfiltered sake is the absolute best, a must try, if you have never had it before. Parking is valet at $3, but they do run out of space. There is a supplemental lot on the corner, but it's really small. You can try to find street parking, but even that is a little limited. That said, you can try to park by Office Depot, but if you get towed, don't blame me. Only once did we get turned away by the valet, but you should not have a problem once Blue Tree closes at 5pmish as they share valet services. If anyone mentions Doraku, I'll be there, even if I've just eaten.

    (5)

  • Bryan A.

    Quick lunch here was just what I needed. Great rice bowls on the lunch menu, had the fatty tuna bowl. Perfect amount of food and everything tasted fantastic.

    (4)

  • Bella N.

    Been here 3 times...to be honest, we like it-the wait staff is excellent, nice music, and comfortable seating. HOWEVER, we ordered 11 dishes and they had run out of 6 of them. The manager came over and apologized, but he repeatedly told us how busy they were the previous 2 nights (while leaning on the wall). I don't care how busy you were...not having almost half of the dishes we ordered is completely inexcusable and unprofessional. This isn't a rinky dink mom and pop kinda place. Come on now. On top of that, we were not compensated in any way. Usually a professional manager would offer something like that. Their manager should have been fired yesterday. Thankfully, our waitress was very polite and apologized for his lack of sincerity.

    (2)

  • Paul R.

    Originally, this place was forced on me.. "another sushi place :/"... But I'm glad I finally gave it a try. Service is ok, decor is nice, and the food is GREAT!! Only two complaints. I have a truck and the parking structure is tight. Second, its always pretty busy, so they are a little slow. All in all a good place. I really enjoy going here.

    (4)

  • Jacob L.

    Food was amazing! Head Chef personally made our dish for that evening. What i love the most is the decor of the restaurant! Owner said everything was imported from Indonesia .. It is a must see restaurant!!

    (5)

  • DeanAnthony R.

    The first time I went to Doraku was for a United Way Fundraiser. I got to try a bunch of different rolls and they were pretty good. This first experience got me to check out the place a few times for happy hour and I enjoy the atmosphere. So far most of the bartenders and waitresses are pretty cool. I recommend going to happy hour with your homies.

    (4)

  • Amanda H.

    Food is always amazing! Love the atmosphere! But the service I had during my last visit was surprisingly bad. my boyfriend and i were sat at the bar. Usually they are quick to at least get water to the table. Nobody approached us for at least 10 minutes and even the other couple that was sat after us were acknowledged before us. It was almost like we were invisible and it was somewhat awkward. Maybe there was some confusion on who had us? Other than that it was enjoyable and I love this place!

    (4)

  • Kahula G.

    I gave this location 3 stars because of the terrible customer service. My credit card was overcharged and when I spoke to the manager he was incredibly rude and seemed irritated he had to correct something that was his staff's mistake. He asked what my card # was and that's it! Not even an apology and when asked what happened he could offer no explanation...just I don't know. Be sure to check your credit card statement and if you're overcharged don't expect an apology or explanation. The food was okay. nothing special.

    (3)

  • Leizl C.

    Love coming here for happy hour from 4-6pm daily! The food and drinks are reasonable prices during happy hour and tastes pretty good. This is my go-to place with my husband whenever we are in town.

    (5)

  • Kyle Q.

    I love the service and the food looked as good as it tasted.

    (5)

  • Shane T.

    It's not your traditional Japanese food, but it was okay. I understand how some people love this place. It's just not my style. It is a little like Shokudo. The service and ambiance made the experience better. Definitely worth a try, but probably won't become a regular.

    (3)

  • BubbaluArare G.

    i only give this place one star because our waiter was cute. otherwise, this place sucks. don't bother-- go to the waiks location instead. the lychee martini in the pacifica is on the happy hour menu but it's lychee juice. as for the food-- super mediocre and horrible. the grilled oyster mushrooms i so love at the waiks location is not to be found (at least i did not see it). my favorite squid tempura was like chewing the bottom of my rubbah slippah. the other entrees were equally horrible. as for that hostess who answered the phone then seated us-- ummm please consider hiring someone who can speak full sentences and not just squeak. she wasn't exactly "all there" either. finally-- the valet parking is a nightmare. don't plan on showing up until perhaps 1/2 hr after they've opened because there will be no one there to greet you. HORRIBLENESS

    (1)

  • Maria S.

    I love their Sashimi - so fresh, not too cold and not too room-temperature--JUST RIGHT; I also LOVE their Emperor, Rainbow and Red Dragon Rolls. Before I forget--for starters, go with the Doraku Seafood--IT IS OFF THE CHAIN. The cocktails were awesome and on-point. I loved this place so much I went there twice for dinner and I was only in Hawaii for 4 nights/5 days!

    (5)

  • Billy K.

    The quality of the food is really good, nice and fresh. Service was excellent. I feel the the people that is making the rolls and sushi is not very experiance. They have great ingredients to make great food but they should taste what they put out and make the menu simpler instead of having 101 things in a hand roll.

    (3)

  • Anastasia R.

    I love Doraku! I am sushi newb so I can't wax poetic about the sushi in much detail. All I know is I love this place. I dream of their spicy lobster roll and driving past this location is literally torture. I wish I could stop and eat here every time I am in the neighborhood. My groups go to rolls have been the spicy lobster, red dragon, and god of fire. I had their sweet and spicy edamame once, not a fan. It was too sweet and not spicy. The drinks left a little to be desired because they were out of anything that contained juice the last time I went. Not sure about that. Minus one star. Make reservations so you won't have to wait. I love that they have two happy hours. Amazing! I can't wait to come back!

    (4)

  • Larry C.

    Doraku on Kapiolani is fantastic. Set in a central location with classy decor, it's dinner menu has a large selection of seafood and sushi items, as well as some non seafood items as well. I would highly recommend the Dragon Roll. If you're looking for a happy hour Doraku has an early 8 PM start. Good selection, great price, quality fish. Coupled with $3 Kirin, it's hard to go wrong.

    (5)

  • Kurt I.

    food was great, service was great. Was kind of on the expensive side. I don't like the fact you only have valet parking (in the pacifica, $3). The one dish that stuck out was the white dragon roll...ummmm i'll be back again.

    (4)

  • Kalalea M.

    Happy hour is great. The prices and quality of the menu will keep us going back. Drinks were good and the service is very attentive. We enjoyed watching the chefs get prepared for the evening service and this place is like a sushi restaurant on steroids. A lot going on but very organized. We really enjoyed this place and will return soon.

    (4)

  • A W.

    Came here during happy hour and they had some pretty good stuff. Would recommend the Asari Clams & Hamachi Carpaccio. The sushi was fresh service was good. Had the Brownie Tempura with Green Tea Ice Cream - yum!

    (4)

  • Karyn M.

    Happy hour is quite reasonable. Regular pricing might be a bit much. Parking is right after the restaurant off of Kapiolani Boulevard. They offer valet for $3. Weird part is....you need to walk through the coffee shop to get to the entrance of Doraku from the parking lot. Strange, but they don't seem to mind cause they have a sign with an arrow directing you where to go. Seems to be a trendy hip place for young adults to hang out. Waitress was very helpful and made sure we took full advantage of the happy hours pricing by letting us know to order now before it ends. It was a very pleasant experience, although might not be the place for me. Food was tasty and very well presented. Would go again if friends wanted to meet there.

    (3)

  • JD L.

    This is a place my girlfriends and i usually go to when we just want to chill and drink. Love the tuna takaki (happy hour item: whoot whoot!) and the white dragon roll. In my experience, service has always been awesome, whether its slow or busy. I actually cAme here for my 25th birthday this past May. Aaron was our server and he was amazing!! He brought out two orders of the brownie tempura with candles in them for our party of 6. He's super friendly and awesome!! Overall, love this place and I definitely would come back again! :) Heads up, for parking, you can valet in the next door parking structure ($3) or find street parking!

    (4)

  • Ramandeep K.

    Great food, located in the mall. Had the emperor roll, butter fish and thought were great. Cocktails were good too. Good location to go, and good service.

    (4)

  • Fita N.

    Great food and great services!!

    (5)

  • Aya T.

    Oh Doraku, you did me right! Came here with the fam and caught the tail end of the happy hour :). Got the lychee martini special for $6. It was super tasty with quite a punch. Definitely try to hit the 5-7pm or late night HH here. We ordered the Deluxe Spicy Tuna roll and Eggplant Miso from the happy hour menu. Both dishes were nice portions, loved the spicy tuna with shiso and veggies and the eggplant miso melted in my mouth. My brother and I went to town on a couple things. We got the New Style Doraku sushi roll with crab and avocado, topped with tuna, tobiko, daikon radish, shiso leaves, crispy garlic chips and a wasabi yuzu sauce. This roll was GORGEOUS and I was overjoyed with this selection. We also got the Ume/Shiso chicken which was a super tender grilled chicken. My Dad got the sushi/sashimi deluxe platter with 8 pieces of nigiri sushi + 8 pieces of sashimi. I was drooling over his plate. Big pieces of beautiful fish and sushi, he was so happy :). Before we finished off our plates, I wanted to try some of their sake from their extensive menu. I got the emperor sampler which came with 3 tastings. I thought they were all pretty good but loved the aged Daiginjo Akitabare Suirakuten. The space here is great and they also have a nice outdoor patio. So jealous that I can't get the Doraku experience back home.

    (5)

  • T W.

    The service here was horrible! My gf n I didn't mind waiting 20 minutes since we didn't have a reservation but once we were seated, it was as if we didn't exist. The only thing we got there was the menu. We sat for almost another 20 minutes without even getting any water! I went to say something to the hostess and all she n another person there could do was look confused and didn't know what to say. Needless to say we just walked out. It was a bummer cuz our friend said food was good there and we really wanted to try it. Maybe they were just having a bad night, idk but it was a bad experience

    (1)

  • Jennifer H.

    Went here for the first time for my sister's birthday. Service was excellent and food came out quickly considering it was busy and we were ordering as we went along our meal. I just went again for happy hour. Same great service! Menu is great for happy hour. Got full of of 5 dishes. And with those 5 dishes and 3 drinks our bill was only $37! Will visit again!

    (5)

  • Magnum P.

    Just had a really nice lunch here. Miso sea bass was awesome.

    (5)

  • Corrie W.

    I went there for the first time tonight with a party of 9 and I was not impressed at all. We had reservations from awhile ago, and we were seated at a table at the back of the restaurant. The table was NOT big enough to fit 9 people. It was more suited for 6 people and there we were, 9 adults crammed onto one booth style table. We asked the server if we could be seated anywhere else, as we were uncomfortable at that table and she said she wasn't sure and that she would check. She brought the manager over who told us at it was the largest table and that they're were full and wouldn't be able to move us. We were upset because they should know how many people should fit on that table (hint: not 9). He came back a few minutes later and said he would be able to move us to another area but another party had made reservations and specifically requested that area and would be upset that he gave it away. He made it like it was such an arduous task to move us to a table where we fit comfortably like it was such an unreasonable request. His attitude made it seem like we should be so grateful that he was willing to move us when they shouldn't have made a reservation for a party that big unless they could accommodate them in the first place. We were moved to a weird partitioned area at the front of the restaurant that was split into two tables that could sit 6 each. This wouldn't have been a problem, except that the space between the tables was so large that we couldn't talk to each other so it was basically like we weren't dining together. The service besides that was okay; the waitress seemed nice enough and the food was good (but really pricey for the portion size) but I won't be going back there. It wasn't worth the hassle, and there were no apologizes for trying to squeeze us onto a too small table.

    (1)

  • Susan N.

    Andrew is the best waiter. He was employee of the month

    (5)

  • Wendy G.

    I love this place! Loved the lobster tempura, miso butterfish, and brownie tempura. The red dragon tempura and vanilla yukidama was alright.

    (4)

  • Chynnagirl C.

    So after hearing so much about their famous happy hour eats I decided it needed a closer look, after all somebody has to do the dirty work right? First of all, you need to get there early because seating is limited AND they run out of one of my favorite dishes in the world (Salmon Kama)...which true to their reputation was missing off their available menu that day. (Sad pouty face here). You definitely have to try their Asari Clams Sakamushi in butter AND Sake. It was so good (even after we finished off the clams) that my friend decided to order a bowl of rice and poured the remaining sauce over it. The ahi tataki was also a winner with just the right amount of tart with succulent pieces of fish atop a bed of daikon. I also enjoyed the shrimp dynamite (two orders please). The funny thing is that I didn't really care for the spicy ahi maki which took forever to show up at our table. It's taste didn't really do anything for me, and I was surprised because I had eaten at the restaurant prior to my happy hour experience and did enjoy the variety of sushi I had then. Still for the price, Doraku Happy Hour is worth your visit. PS- its valet parking only unless its after hours and you find something streetside...so remember to clean your car!

    (4)

  • Jayna P.

    Food is amazing. That is the only reason I'm giving this place 2 stars. Unfortunately, the place of business itself is terrible. I ordered 1 specialty roll and 1 simple role with a side salad for pickup on a Tuesday night. They quoted me 15-20 minutes on time and was excited to pick it up and have a night in with takeout. I left my house 15 minutes later and drove 5 minutes to get there. Should be about ready right? Nope. I waited on the bench for an additional 20 minutes before asking about my order. The hostess apologized, (not really her fault but keep up with the orders since you are taking them) and went to check on it. She came back saying they were working on it and that it would be ready in just a minute. Waited 10 more minutes before becoming completely heated and annoyed. I went up to the stand and told her this was ridiculous and wanted a refund. She went to get the manager and he refunded me the amount. No apology, no explanation, nothing. Seriously? Wasted an hour of my time and left with no dinner. Sorry excuse of a manager.

    (2)

  • Ravi M.

    Went here for happy hour. Layout is cool. Service was better than average. Food was okay but definitely overpriced for the quality and quantity. The hotate was pretty good. The sweet and spicy edamame was a big disappointment but the manager took it off the tab. The California, lomi lomi, and avocado and eel rolls were average. Two stars due to low ratio of taste and quantity to price.

    (2)

  • Brian V.

    Why do the restaurant not turn down their A/C when the temperature is so nice outside in Hawaii? The hamachi cheek was divine. A little less so on the ends but overall a great value. It's actually the collar and not the cheek actually. The waitperson was a bit indifferent...we tipped way too much anyway. Great food and value!

    (4)

  • Kelley N.

    I had my birthday dinner here. They were very accommodating considering my party kept growing. The servers were always friendly and patient. I will definitely go back again and again!

    (5)

  • Michele W.

    Ok, short and sweet. If you are looking for a new happy hour place check this place out! The price is right and the sushi pretty good for the price! $4.00 a roll? Wow! Eggplant nice and tasty not overcooked. Try it! What have you got to lose at the price? Music volume could be a notch lower in order to hear the people in your group or how about some nice jazz, relaxing music in the early hours....just a suggestion.....

    (4)

  • Mark Y.

    Salmon Kama - My wife's favorite and they did not disappoint! I was able to get a bite and it was soft and flavorful. Grilled King Oyster Mushrooms - The flavor and texture from the mushrooms were outstanding. If you don't try this, you are missing out. Green Tea Ice Cream - The BEST green tea ice cream I have eaten. I was stuffed from dinner and figured I would just try the ice cream. Bad move for my stomach but great on the palate. Valet parking is only $3. Overall, it was a pleasant experience and we will definitely be returning.

    (5)

  • Kristie C.

    I was very impressed with the service and quality of the food. Happy hour makes it especially affordable. Had a wonderful meal and time here.

    (5)

  • Dean M.

    Service, service, service. I was most impressed with the service. Great friendly staff that had a lot of info. I had the oyster shooter (6 bucks) & thought I was gonna get 2 or 3, but was only one. Totally worth it! Had uni & other things but was out of this world. Not like monterey bay canners shooters, lol. I also had the scallop nigiri, OMG was the best I have ever had. Crisp, fresh & very ono. The garlic sesame chicken was okay but nothing memorable. Shrimp tempura was less than great due to the soft batter but am sure it is usually better. The ahi poke was great & a great deal during happy hour (only on the bar, community table or outside). The tempura brownie was okay, more of a novelty. Overall, I would go there any time. Value is great if you were looking for a medium high price.

    (4)

  • Char T.

    All you foodies out there must visit Doraku. Went there twice already - food is great, service is wonderful and the wait times - there hardly is any. They even have a semi private room upstairs for small intimate gatherings. The decor is wonderful and matches the food - must try the Double Happiness - it will make your tummy double happy for sure! Their use of local products is evident is most of the dishes and that is definitely a must for me! You won't be disappointed!

    (5)

  • Allan S.

    We stopped by after their soft opening and found wonderful food and great decor. However the inexperience of the staff marred the service a bit, eager and trying but certainly not a veteran crew. But that's the point behind a 'soft' opening. I wasn't personally fond of the type of music (clubby) and found it a bit too loud downstairs. The upstairs area was quieter but marred with a TV, showing a football game.

    (3)

  • Isa V.

    What a nice place with a great atmosphere. It's modern, it has very nice decor and it plays fairly good music loud enough to hear and sing along but not so loud as to disrrupt your dinner. The service is efficient, the food comes out quick too. They have a very cheap happy hour. I had the dragon roll and the happy hour deluxe spicy tuna. My eggplant appetizer with miso glsce was also deliciously healthy. I like this sushi place because it offers very diverse and delicious rolls. The serve you water and leave you a bottle on the table so you can serve yourself, I thought that was very nice and convenient.

    (5)

  • V K.

    Attended their soft opening. The Japanese cuisine has a unique by Kevin Aoki, owner and the son of Benihana's founder. The atmosphere was lively but not too loud so you couldn't carry on a conversation. The food was excellent, tasty and fresh. Service was outstanding. Prices were very reasonable for what you get. Overall a fabulous evening. Parking should improve once valet service is in place. Highly recommended.

    (5)

  • eshwar k.

    the food is good, but this is one instance where i would rather hang out with the tourists...at the quieter, more stylish sister restaurant in waikiki. sorry my local brothers and sisters, i can do without the noise/chaos/relentless meat marketing/long waits because of ditzy hostesses when i am looking for quality sushi. the rolls are excellent, the fish is fresh. it's somewhat formulaic and feels chain-y rather than authentic classic japanese, but i guess times are changing.

    (4)

  • A. H.

    If you want fresh sushi of the highest quality for a reasonable price, dine at Doraku! You can get the same quality (even fresher and better) as Yanagi sushi or anything really expensive sushi place at Doraku. The prices are really reasonable! All of the specialty rolls are under $15 as well as the hot and cold dishes. I love the the ambiance of this restaurant. The staff is very welcoming, hostesses as well as workers walking past the entrance yell "irashaimase" to greet you :) It's a comfortable environment, with pillows and soft seats to sit on making you feel at home. They've been open for less than a month, a brand new restaurant so I went not expecting excellent service. I was wrong, the service was great! The servers really take care of you. They actually checked up on how my party was doing and even made small talk and telling us about the experience of opening the new restaurant, which was really interesting! I love it when servers actually talk to you instead of just taking orders, refilling waters, and dropping your check. The servers here are excellent and they make sure you leave happy. I went in my happy hour, the deals are great! There are two happy hours, 4-7pm and 10-close. It's rare that a restaurant could have 2 happy hours, and lots of selection too on the menu. The best deal is the house sake! $5 for a 10 oz sake, unbelievable! I've dined at the Waikiki location many times before and I really love it there too. The new location located on Kapiolani is very convenient for me, since Waikiki is such a hassle to get to. I will be coming to Doraku Kakaako very often because of the great food and great service! I really recommend this place to anyone who LOVES sushi. I can guarantee no disappointments.

    (5)

  • Wylma R.

    Doraku is an experience not to be missed. Food great. Servers friendly. Location, for us anyway, simply swell. And desserts are splendid, especially the Japanese custard (just needs to be larger, PLEASE!). Lunch specials are a bargain. And, if all of that is not "enuf"....management follows protocol customers expect. For example, on our last visit, the chef (and I say chef coz there surely can't be mere cooks in a kitchen that turns out such fine food!) admitted that the salmon was overdone so offered to grill a fresh piece rather than just send the overdone fish to our table. And, then, Manager Julie not only brings it to the table herself, but generously removes the charges from our check because of the slight delay in the service we received. Now, if that isn't the Customer Comes First kindda service, what is. I guess it could be called the Doraku kindda service. We, for sure, will be in and out of Doraku every chance we get!

    (4)

  • Elliot P.

    There are a lot of reasons to like Doraku, but, oddly enough, the sushi isn't one of them. It is really a bit of a restaurant of contradictions. And that works. Walked in to a very nouveau hip environment, but got a very warm welcome and the sweet young women who was hostessing was flexible in setting me up with a table for six, despite happy hour and no reservations. When my cousins showed up and we had 10 people, they moved us and accommodated us right away. The service was excellent like that all night. And I do mean all night. We stayed from 4:30 to 9:30. We had several bottles of sake and it was one of those can't-stop-laughing kind of reunions, and the service team at Doraku couldn't have been better. The food kept coming, the plates kept going, the sake was poured and the beers and martinis were kept properly chilled and topped up. As I said, the sushi was pretty average - but wow, the garlic chicken, kal bi ribs, chicken karage, sizzling teri steak, ahi poke, tempura and other dishes too numerous to mention were insanely good - including a tempura battered and fried brownie with ice cream. After a five-hour marathon family reunion for 10 adults (with three kids joining in the late hours), I expected the bill was going to top $800 or $900 - but worked out to just $490 - which we rounded to $55 per person including tip. That's a terrific value for so much fun and food. I like beer with my sushi so I'd argue for a better draft beer selection - only Heineken and Asahi on tap, which is a shame given all the great local brews in the islands. Oh, and the parking is a bit of a nightmare. These two things prevented me awarding a fifth star. That being said, wow. On my hit parade and will definitely go again.

    (4)

  • Dan D.

    The 3 hostesses were rude, obnoxious, snobby and inexperienced. Real Nazi's, like Hitler was their father. Biatches!!!

    (1)

  • At O.

    This is a mixed review for me. I love Doraku for the food, but lately the Doraku at Pacifica (on Kapi'olani Blvd) location has disappointed me in its availability. I had my first barely eating experience there in about 6 months. This is not because I have not tried to go, as I have multiple times. The issue is they always have full reservations. Today, we waited for an hour an a half noting that there were empty tables that were "reserved" for about the first 45 minutes of this time with some tables without their full part for over an hour into the table being open. In addition, they have multiple "special events" that always limit seating. This is not a large seating place. So basically after yet another unhappy "happy hour" I've decided that this location is just not worth it to go. I suggest making a reservation if you feel inclined to do so but the principal of a fully booked place like this is preposterous for me for an after work venture when the time for leaving work is not definite. I say, "Why bother." Go to the Waikiki location or someplace else for after work fun. The same quality food can be found other places.

    (2)

  • Tina T.

    Came here to check it out on a Sat night since I live in the area. We arrived around 8pm and I guess we just missed the crowd. The place has nice modern style decor with a Japanese accent, a welcoming bar area and some shared tables. We were waited by a great bartender Paul, who was very nice, patient, and gave us just the right amount of attention. The food however was rather disappointing. Perhaps I'm a bit of a sushi snob. We ordered the sashimi and sushi platter. The sashimi was OK, one of the tuna pieces were stringy. The sushi was not appetizing at all, the rice was not cooked properly (hard on the inside). It was not worth the price (around $40 with tax). We would have left if it weren't for Paul. Nevertheless we had no interest in ordering anymore food. Total bill came to $60 excluding tip for just that mix plate, 2 house wine, and a cocktail. I may return for happy hour to give it another try but this visit was very unsatisfactory.

    (2)

  • Robert C.

    Food was very good. Service was terrible. Waited at the bar more than 20 minutes and the bar tender nwver even asked me if I wanted a drink or to order food. Had to flag down a waitress to take my order. Hostesses were a bit snobbish. Would not return.

    (3)

  • Leslie T.

    Tried Doraku Sushi Kapiolani for the first time and Loved it!! Definitely need to go back as there are so many more dishes that need to be tasted. Our favorite for this evening was the Spicy garlic prawns, Adari clam Sakamushi, Emperor Roll, and the Bananas flambé. I was a bit disappointed in the oyster shooter. Although the presentation was outstanding, and adding a quail egg is very cool, the sauce overpowered the oyster and quail egg. Also, the Hamachi nigiri was too small of a cut for the price. I've had fresher and larger pieces for the same price elsewhere. The "New Style" Doraku Roll didn't seem "new" and the flavor was a bit bland. But we will try the Red Dragon and Golden Buddha Rolls next time. The $3 valet parking was convenient and I would recommend making reservations as it was pretty crowded for a Wednesday evening. We opted to eat on the sushi bar instead of waiting and ended up having a blast! Our server, Chelsee, was right there to explain the menu and was extremely friendly and attentive all evening. The place is on the small side but the atmosphere is fun, the staff are young and vibrant, and the food is flavorful and inventive. We will be back very soon to try some older favorites of ours, the Miso Butterfish and the Hamachi Kama and some newer items, Eggplant Miso and Hamachi Carpaccio. We also want to try their happy hours 4-6 and 9-11. And finally, the beers and sake were delicious!!! What a great evening!!

    (4)

  • G T.

    Good food but handicapped by poor service and atmosphere. Menu choices are good but a bit on the high side outside of happy hour. Loud environment and atmosphere makes conversation difficult which is not helped by the loud music.

    (3)

  • Eunice F.

    what a cute/trendy little place. music's a little loud but the food was tasty! we had the poke, spicy edamame, panko crusted hamachi... and all of it was full of flavor and really yummy! dessert was a little disappointing with the fried ice cream and some green tea cake thing... but the pupus were delicious! definitely going back there to try out their happy hour specials! valet parking in the building was only $3! and the staff here was great! they were all super friendly and very attentive! :)

    (4)

  • Nina B.

    I want this review especially for the management to review as I think it is very pertinent. I was skeptical at first when typically we travel from TBI for Morimotos where the consistency is always perfectly. It was a risk trying Doraku instead and I had some skepticism. I was thrilled when the first dish came out perfect and my trust built and we ordered tons of items. Every single one was perfect! Our waitress was good and I loved the decor and music. However, at one point there were 2 girls that kept gathering in one spot to talk (it was like 3pm and not peak hours). Anyway, it was the only thing i noticed that seemed out of place. I know how tight a good restaurant must be run to turn out every dish perfect and the hard work behind the scenes aka owners/management. So, I was put off that these 2 girls were disrespecting their employer and taking away from the high level of integrity the owner has worked his entire life for. Then after about the 3rd time the manager came and told them to cut it out. Moved them off. It just reaffirmed my belief and trust in the place once again. I felt bad that the restaurant was "nailing it" and these two twits were making them look bad. The manger that caught the problem and fixed it made my respect for Doraku sky high. We will definitely come back as I like to trust my favorite restaurants to take the best care of me. Morimotos and Nobu have stiff competition.

    (5)

  • Eliot T.

    Really enjoyed a company dinner with 20 people in the loft, complete with the omakase meal and wonderful sake/drinks. Compliments to the chef, manager Yu Ming and the wonderful staff for making it a wonderful evening. Would highly recommend it to all.

    (5)

  • Yvonne G.

    Loved the whole vibe of this place. Our server was superb! Didn't get her name, short blond colored hair, gave us excellent service! Our favorite was the white dragon roll. Minus a star for desert, we ordered the banana famble...expected more from it. Overall I will definitely return.

    (4)

  • Stephen H.

    Excellent, friendly service, great environment, convinent location and awesome food. What more can one ask for?

    (5)

  • Anonymous J.

    ABSOLUTELY AMAZING. I would highly recommend this place to anyone looking for a place to meet up with friends, go on a date, or to simply have a meal. The happy hour is awesome with a variety of food and drink options to choose from. Even if you don't like sushi, there are many other items on the menu that are delicious.

    (5)

  • Meagan K.

    While in Waikiki, my friend & I were looking for a sushi place, nothing too expensive, just somewhere with really great, fresh sushi. I can say we definitely found it at Doraku. It was not expensive at all (specialty rolls were $13-$17, regular were $6-$9ish) and the sushi was very good. We had the Doraku roll and a Spicy Tuna specialty roll. The tuna was by far my favorite. We had gone to a different place a few nights prior, and compared to Doraku it was overpriced and the portions were very tiny (Kaiwa). Doraku is a must try while in Waikiki if you want reasonably priced, fresh sushi!

    (4)

  • S. D.

    My boyfriend and I came here for dinner the other day. It was my first time. When we stepped through the door, the hostess wasn't very friendly. She looked like she hated her job or she just wanted to go home. Shame, shame. The restaurant itself was pretty stylish and I liked the whole asian theme going on. As we were seated, our waiter arrived and we could barely hear him introducing himself. I noticed the people working there and I didn't really like what I saw. I understand that some restaurants try to have young, hip employees, but they looked unprofessional. The only people who I thought looked appropriate were the employees behind the sushi bar, those poor things. My boyfriend took the initiative of ordering for us since he's been to Doraku before (Waikiki location) only once for his birthday this past year. To start us off, he ordered the Double Happiness and Emperor Roll. I thought they were both very good, but the portions were so small. So not worth the price for 5 little pieces on each plate. Afterward, he ordered the Rock Shrimp Tempura and Ginger Chicken Kara'age. If it wasn't for the side rice we asked for, I would have not been satisfied. For desert, we got the Brownie Tempura. My favorite part of the whole meal, but again, so little. Basically, it's like you pay the price of a combo meal and only get the drink. Overall, the waiter was a cool guy and made sure we were good throughout our time there. Although, we thought it was rude that the waiter asked us if we wanted our change back from the bill. You don't ask, you just automatically do so and not expect to keep the change. My boyfriend told me that his experience at the other location was by far better than this one. That being said, we will not be coming here again.

    (3)

  • Kimo K.

    Great sushi bar, good happy hour, sexy staff, trance music, Balinese bar, $3 valet, view, outdoor dining, great presentation.. good looking clientele.

    (5)

  • Lora H.

    Love Doraku at the Royal Hawaiian so was happy that one opened outside of the chaos of Waikiki!! Great vibe, good food, good location. But I had to minus one star for the parking situation. Valet parking only - $3, plus tip of course. And then it's so strange... you have to walk through Blue Tree Cafe from the parking lot to get into Doraku. But the at the end of the night, Blue Tree was closed for a private party so we had to walk outside and around and through the parking garage driveway to get our cars. So aside from the parking situation (which is a problem in Hawaii anywhere you go...), the place is so great for Happy Hour! The food is good, the Happy Hour food selection was great, and good drink options too! I had the hot sake... seriously, it was only $6 for a bottle and I swear that bottle was endless!!! Can you say awesome.

    (4)

  • Bo-Bae K.

    So the food here is awesome. Whether you like sushi or not, they have something for everybody -- it's almost overwhelming how much food + drink they have (and tonight it was apparently too overwhelming for our server). So we sat, party of six, and I don't feel like we ordered that much because we were pretty staggered (2 here, then 2 or 3 when he got back), but a lot of our food was late (waited about 20 minutes for some hot tea and miso soup and some of our apps didn't even get ordered until the server came to drop off our food). Service is always just a-ok and food is always kind of a wait, but at least everything I order makes it to the table! Worked in a restaurant and tonight was NOT that busy--especially for a Saturday night-- so I don't know what the excuse was. Still left a 20% tip on a pricey bill (930 HH?! No way, I need my beauty sleep...) and left pretty happy and full of super ono brownie tempura!

    (4)

  • Gina B.

    One Saturday it was around 1pm and my BF and I were looking stupidly at each other trying to figure out were the hell we were gonna find food. It was one of those beautiful days where it would've been a shame to choose to be indoors. Nico's was a suggestion but is it just me or has the food there been kinda crappy lately?? Anyway, we figured we just get ready to leave and take it from there. The BF slips on his sushi shirt (yup) and my lightbulb went off...DUH! lets hit up Doraku!! We gathered a couple of other friends and got there around 1:30 p.m. Lots of outdoor seating - and perhaps due to timing, it was sunny with just enough shade not to melt. With the crowd I hang with it's always drinks first, of course. The guys ordered beers and the girls ordered Sake Sangrias. Gotta do it if you come here. I think they're about $6 a pop and be prepared to drink at least 4 of them. Food was God of Fire roll, spicy edamame, dragon roll, salmon nigiri, other nigiri, and I feel like there was a "surf and turf" roll but I can't find it on the menu (was all those darn yummy sake sangrias!). By the time we were done with lunch, happy hour was just getting started at 4pm and we would've stayed eating and drinking but I had to leave to go baby shower shopping. Buzz kill. Came back the following week and I can't get enough of their happy hour menu which includes tuna tataki, clams, spicy tuna roll, chicken karaage and $3 Kirin. One last important point: parking! At lunch we were able to self-park in the lot and the restaurant validates so no fee. At night, try to street park to save the $3+ tip valet only fee.

    (4)

  • Charlotte V.

    Doraku used to be really good...I don't know what happened. I do enjoy happy hour, but the last time I came, I knew that was the last. I didn't come back since. All the fish wasn't fresh and the portions and plating was not acceptable. Even the drink portions and mix such as the momotaro lemonade went from being awesome to okay. When I had a party here a year ago, things were still really good but it just seemed to have gone down hill. Plus around dinner time, the place is just WAY too loud to hear the person youre with.

    (3)

  • Renee Y.

    Great atmosphere, customer service and food! It our favorite place to go for days night. Sushi is amazing. Happy hour is also great! We highly recommend this place!

    (5)

  • Bobby R.

    Great food, but the worst service I've ever had. Don't get Dave as your server. Only delivered half our order after almost an hour wait. Comped our sushi but still would rather have not dealt with this guy. If you're already there, get the California and firecracker role, they are deliciousness.

    (2)

  • Coreen L.

    I can't wait to go back to Doraku because I need to explore more items on their menu! And I need to plan better and make it to happy hour! We were in a rush trying to make a movie, tsk, tsk!! Our server definitely took care of our need and was very enthusiastic when I asked about her recommendations. Do yourself a favor and start with the Ahi Tataki, just try not to lick the plate! Yum! And of course the sushi was fantastic too! We shared the sushi sampler with lovely cuts of a variety of fresh fish. Melt in your mouth...ah, a moment for dramatic pause. Oh....yum! I will definitely be back!! Yay!!

    (4)

  • Sheetal R.

    We decided to drop by here for a quick bite to eat after hearing so much about it. We walked in about 7:30 p.m. on a Friday night and decided to sit at the bar instead of the tables since there was a 45 min wait; we found seats at the bar right away and we still enjoyed our dinner. I really wanted to come for their happy hour, because if you know me, you know that I love to be frugal. I love a good bubbly and it was Friday night so I had to ditch my old ways and go for some Prosecco. Mamma loves some champs. We ordered some garlic teriyaki seared edamame, which is delicious in its own special way. I ate all of it, don't get me wrong, but there was something about it that I just didn't like. I don't know if it's the sweetness of it all, but I just don't know if I'll have it again. We also had some Yamakake Agedashi Tofu, which was bathed in miso soup. I think after having this dish, I learned something very valuable about myself: I just dont like soft tofu. I think the texture of it just does not sit well with me and I immediately gag. The soup that the tofu was in was extremely delicious; and I really do think the tofu was good too, but the texture was throwing me off. I also had the vegetable sushi roll, which comes in 5 pieces. Sushi was delicious and can't complain; the only thing I wish was that they gave the spicy mayo on the side (so I can lather it up), rather than just drizzled on top. Finally, we finished the night with some tempura brownie. My expectations when I read brownie and tempura in the same sentence was that it's going to be disgusting, but alas I was proven wrong. I couldn't stop myself from licking the plate. The combination of ice cream and tempura battered brownie was simply the best thing ever! It's a good thing I don't know how to make this at home, because I might be unrecognizable after a week because I've become an oompa loompa. Even if you're full from all the amazingness you had, you simply must try this! You will be haunted by all the yelp ya di das abou the dessert if you don't try it. Overall, great service, great food, great everything. *food coma*

    (3)

  • Bridget G.

    This review was for when we went on their soft opening VIP night. We live in the Pacifica so they gave us 50% off our bill. We ordered dragon roll and white roll, both were amazing!! Also had the tempura brownie and it was so yummy.. great service, can't wait to go back.

    (5)

  • Eric S.

    Park on the street , save your $5 parking fee. After 6:30pm its free on the street. Oyster shooters good , steak was supposed to be medium but seemed over cooked but that's normal. The garlic dipping sauce made up for it. Got the sashimi and sushi deluxe , double happiness , clam miso , and ahi poke . all in all was a very good meal. I would go back.

    (5)

  • D A.

    This is one of my favorite all time places to eat and enjoy a few drinks with my friends. The food is always fresh and spot on with unique and delicious flavors and you cannot beat the prices. I have dabbled around on the menu and tried almost everything. My favorites are the salmon cheek (oh man, to die for) and honestly anything off the happy hour is ono and filling. Customer service is top notch, parking is easy once you figure out you are supposed to park in the parking garage or valet there. We have had small groups of 2 to four and larger parties of 15 plus and everytime the service and quality of food and beverages excel my expectations. This spot most definitely trumps its Waikiki location with ambiance, service and food and I am grateful for that because Waikiki is a nightmare to get in and out of!! See you guys soon!

    (5)

  • Juliann C.

    I love this place :) The GOOD * location * available $3 valet parking * happy hour whoop whoop * ahi tataki mmmm (on happy hour) * chef's salmon special -- Cheeeeyeah! * great attentive staff * love the interior architecture at this location The BAD * I don't want to say because it may be too personal! The WEIRD * although i love Doraku.. I loved Doraku when it first opened up in Waikiki. However, the staff at this location look like they all came from the same hood! I can't believe I just used that word lol. I feel like you can only work here if you have either 2 or more of the following: 1) piercings other than on your ear, 2) gauges, 3) tattoos, 4) very visible tattoos, 5) able to wear your work shirt showing your mid-drift without looking chunky, 6) almost hipster and hipster hair cuts Don't get me wrong, the staff is friendly, attentive, and seem like a family as a whole, but I, personally, still have to get used to a restaurant setting with these characteristics in their staff. I not used to it! XD! Atleast they have all the other good qualities you want in your restaurant staff :)

    (4)

  • Z Z.

    I really really like Doraku. The atmosphere alone is worth experiencing. Doraku's sushi doesn't disappoint either. I usually go there for happy hour, but whenever you go, you can't go wrong.

    (4)

  • Suzanne T.

    Went to Doraku on Kapiolani a couple of times recently for happy hour and both were really nice experiences. Once was with a large group and the other was a party of two. Hostesses were friendly, servers were attentive, and the food was good - we ordered off the happy hour menu both times, so I'll have to go back again to try the regular menu. Loved their garlic teriyaki edamame. The karaage chicken was really good, as well as the ahi poke and whatever rolls we ordered. The sake sampler came with a little info sheet to explain what each was, which was really cool. My only 'sorta' complaint was that I didn't really like any of the drinks on the happy hour menu (I usually enjoy lychee martinis, but I didn't care for theirs). I ended up ordering a well drink (vodka/cran - $6 happy hour price) and it was good, as well the next few. ;-)

    (4)

  • Katrina K.

    This place is delicious! Our server Karla was excellent and recommended some dishes to us. We started out with lycheetinis and spicy edamame, then moved on to sushi. White dragon roll, spicy lobster roll, and salmon carpaccio were great! Then we had the Brownie tempura for dessert and were impressed! The happy hour is good also! I highly recommend this place!!!

    (5)

  • Atiyyah S.

    So I usually went to this Doraku pretty often, but lately they're quality has been going down badly. The last 3 times I've been there ( over the past 3 weeks) I had to ask them to take back my steak. It was always cold or to under cooked with no care) tonight me and my boyfriend decided to order take out because I was lazy( im pregnant so my craving for Doraku shot up) we ordered tie garlic Japanese steak,Green Dragon Roll, Golden Buddha roll,firecracker shrimp and the Red Dragon roll. First off they messed the order and instead of the firecracker shrimp we got the firecracker roll. The steak was raw and cold, so raw that white parts were still around the meat, not to mention half of the whole steak was fat pieces. I tried one bite, inedible. The red dragon roll, green dragon were ok. The golden Buddha roll was awful and the raw(basil?) topping just not good and overpowering. By now im slightly nauseous but of course that should be normal for me right? I finally took a bite of the firecracker roll and instantly a gush of some type of liquid filled my mouth, I thought at first it was the sauce for it. No, it was some type of water in the fish,SINK water. I immediately ran to the bathroom and vomited. It was the most nastiest thing I've ever bitten into. 10 minutes later my boyfriend vomited as well. We will never come back here. Such a shame cause it was one of our favorite places to go. I dont know why this place has gotten so bad but im not risking it anymore.

    (1)

  • Taylor N.

    The happy hour is completely worth it if you want to do "pupu" style with people. The poke has large cuts of ahi with macadamia nuts and the chicken karaage is always cooked perfectly and comes out hot. These are probably two of the best dishes I've had. Also if you aren't big on eating a lot of rice, the Emperor Roll is excellent since it's riceless sushi! I keep on coming back and they don't disappoint, you may have to wait and the parking can be tricky but it's worth it!

    (5)

  • Wendy C.

    I love this place. I wish I could afford to go more often, but the happy hour menu definitly makes it more of an option wiht my budget. Their white dragon roll is my favorite. Happy Hour Menu is amazing for the quality of food. I have yet to be dissapointed and I always lok forward to going back .

    (5)

  • Ai L.

    review for Happy Hour! a must :) we had 2 people, got seated right at the bar as we walked in, and let the feast begin. the bartender was super attentive. we tried the mushroom, carpaccio, and some rolls on the happy hour menu. very filling and delicious. the place gets pretty crowded on a week night as we chatted through the night. next time when I'm back in Honolulu, will def stop by again. after learning more about the restaurant, it's owned by the son of Benihana. they do do their Japanese food right!

    (4)

  • Letty B.

    Great service and the place is really cute. Food was great, lunch specials are awesome!

    (4)

  • Jessica L.

    I'm pretty easy to please when it comes to restaurants' service but let me rage about this one. For a very formal looking place, the service here was pretty unprofessional. The ladies at the front were chattin' with each other in a very gossip-like manner and when we approached they seemed to really care less that customers were here. They just continued their little gossip. When we got seated after waiting, my dad wanted a lower table instead of the bar-height table and the waitress said "Umm I think that table's reserved.. Yeah, sorryy." I can understand if the table is reserved but the way she said it seemed very uncertain, like she was just making it up on the spot to avoid hassle. Then I asked her how large were the happy hour rolls and she stared blankly at me. Then she said, "sorry but happy hour ended at 7pm." The menu clearly said happy hour 4-6pm and then 9 to closing. I told her that and she said, "Ooh huh, sorry that's wrong. Must be our other location.." Then I got my sushi roll, the Doraku roll, the name of the damn restaurant, and I hated it. It tasted like gasoline. Maybe I'm just not enough of a sushi connoisseur to appreciate the flavor.. But regardless, I don't like the waitresses here, how aloof and unaware they seem. If you're gonna have a fancy-lookin' restaurant, your service better hold up to the same standards.

    (1)

  • Johnny H.

    The food there was on point, the drinks however... were not. I had the rising sun(drink), scallop nigiri, the ahi poke, and the marlin sashimi. The drinks were weak and they ran out of certain items that I wanted to order on the menu. It could be because I went in about and hour and a half before they were about to close but then again, they should never run out of food. Did I mention the drinks were really weak? I swear I'm not an alcoholic. BUT again. The food. was. so. good. The customer service was fairly good. My waiter kept checking on us to make sure we were enjoying ourselves and let us know when it was time for the last call for any orders. At the end they took a while to come get the check to the point where I brought it up myself but I'm not gonna hold that against them. Sometimes things get a little busy and overwhelming. Even though it wasn't THAT busy..

    (3)

  • A A.

    Great happy hour, sushi was delicious the dragon rolls were amazing had the red dragon and a white dragon. Good family style izakaya eating. Very good and attentive staff and service.

    (5)

  • Karla L.

    Parking is tricky to find. There's a driveway along kapiolani blvd. that you need the enter in before the chai tea house. Valet is within the parking structure. But it's really good food and service! Definitely coming again :)

    (4)

  • Jordyn O.

    So my best friend and I came back to this place the following Monday to do happy hour again. Oddly enough we got the same seats at the bar and even had the same exact waiter (I believe his name was Andrew). He was SO AMAZING! He remembered our entire order from last time and even made a funny joke about two boys who were harassing us from the bar seats right next to us. I have never ever had that level service of before and I know that I will keep coming back to this location, probably more than the Waikiki location ;)

    (5)

  • Elim N.

    Happy hour everyday 4-6 PM & 9-close. We missed it :( but stayed for dinner anyway. Parking: Valet parking is underneath the Pacifica and its $3 but theres a lot of street parking on Kapiolani if you park after 6 pm. Restaurant has a really nice interior along with the new building. Service was great as we were instantly greeted once we walked in the door. We ordered: Hamachi Carpaccio [$12.95]: Green pepper on top added some spice to the sashimi. White Dragon Roll [$12.95]: Highly recommended. Garlic chips on top the roll added some extra kick! Chirashi Donburi [$16.95]: Chirashi bowl was small and there was nothing special about any of the sashimi. Uni Nigiri [$8.25]: Two pieces of uni that was alright. Hot Yamahai Sake 5 oz. [$12]: Actually somehow came cold but we didn't want to bother exchanging it. We ended of staying long enough for happy hour again :) Ordered the sweet & spicy miso edamame for $3. We didn't like the flavor and tried to wipe off all the sauce hahaha Maybe come back here with friends for some sake and pupus, wouldn't recommend it for those of you who are looking for good quality food.

    (3)

  • Bob S.

    In my opinion this place is very good. It's not cheap, but it is very good sushi. Even comparing this to sushi in Japan it's pretty good. The sake's not bad either. The restaurants (both of them) always have a pretty good atmosphere, and I usually come here each time I visit Hawaii. Haven't had a problem yet.

    (5)

  • Kawika V.

    It's raining... I'm stoned... We had the sashimi, firecracker shrimp, spicy ahi roll and much more. Everything was delicious and the service was on point. Great atmosphere for a date night ;)

    (4)

  • Jaron T.

    Been here a few times during regular and happy hours. On this occasion I met my parents to have some drinks and apps before going to karaoke. It was my Dad's choice to come here for happy hour. Prices are great but I wish I could say the same about the food. Maybe I have become a sushi snob but every time I eat here I am disappointed. You get what you pay for.

    (3)

  • Wayne S.

    My number one place for ahi poke. I start my vacation on day one with ahi poke and end it on the last day the same way. Kevin always stops by when he is there; I went to his first restaurant in South Beach, and he remembered my face. The staff is super friendly and do not care if you order a lot or a little. Sometimes, it is just the two of us, and sometimes, it is 8 of us. They always accommodate us. I love this place!!

    (5)

  • Diane K.

    This is my favorite spot for Happy Hour (4-6pm & 9pm till closing). I've never tried their cocktails, because the food spread is just too amazing to be altered by alcohol. I was so impressed by the prices--quality selections at take-away sushi prices. The decor is spectacular. Snagging a booth will offer a more private setting, much like a poolside cabana.

    (5)

  • Kim D.

    Doraku is one of my faves!!! We usually order the spread which consists of The white dragon roll, ahi tataki, hamachi kama, salmon carpaccio, lobster tempura or firecracker shrimp and assorted sashimi/nigiris!

    (4)

  • Samoa M.

    The food was very good. The hostess was very good. Our waiter was very good. But our dining experience was ruined by the complete lack of respect shown to us by the manager (by way of one of his wait staff). In essence, we were driven out of the place by the loudness of the piped pop music, and our inability to hear each other speak. Even our waiter admitted that he could not hear our questions or orders because of the volume of the music. And this was not gentle Japanese shakuhachi or soothing jazz, it was grating American pop. Despite three requests to turn down the volume, the first two of which were relayed by our waiter to the keeper of the volume knob and momentarily honored, the music invariably was cranked back up within minutes. The final request to a different wait staffer was met with the following: "Our manager likes the music loud, so I can't turn down the volume - Sorry". So much for customer service, and forget about Japanese modesty and service standards (none of the staff we dealt with were Japanese anyway). Ironically, the blurb on the back of the menu explaining the philosophy of the owner/founder of the chain gushed about his reverence for the Japanese customs of his ancestors - I guess he forgot to educate his staff on those virtues and qualities. Maybe 22-year-olds like this kind of ambiance in which it is perfectly wonderful to yell at your companions to be heard, but for this family it sucked. We paid our bill as quickly as we could and fled. Too bad. The food tasted good, and although it was my wife's birthday, it was ruined by the rudeness and utter lack of respect from the staff.

    (1)

  • Juan C.

    Amazing super fast service. Food on point. About 4 bus boys to one table and it was busy happy hour. All food came in ten minutes, nothing empty sat on my table, I finished eating within 25 minutes of seating. Music is not too loud I'm recommend 100% thanks

    (5)

  • Nina J.

    I just got home from eating there tonight for happy hour and dinner. I thought the food was good, but the service was awful. First, I got there around 4pm with another friend... the place was pretty dead and I still couldn't get our waiter to come to our table. Over the course of a few hours, I had to ask the other wait staff 4 times to please get our server. I probably won't go again... there are plenty of other sushi/Japanese places on this island that has the same prices but great service. This isn't fine dining, so I don't expect top-notch service, but I do expect more than constantly wondering where our server is and asking for him to come over. I want to end on a positive note... the valets were very polite and quick bringing my car around.

    (2)

  • Muriel F.

    I made reservations based on the recommendations of two friends. I was taking out two visitors, one of whom I later found out has a Japanese national mother. I had high hopes but was greatly disappointed. The atmosphere was great; we had one of the tables in a front nook, beautifully decorated. The service was also great. Our server Jen was attentive and very helpful. However, the food was a great disappointment. One of the visitors and I have lived in Japan before on several occasions and the food was definitely not up to par. We ordered miso eggplant, an assortment of nigiri, yakitori, and tempura, and garlic steak. Except for the steak, the rest were all below average at best. None tasted authentically Japanese. The steak, of course, was great since the owners have a connection with Benihana.

    (3)

  • Richard H.

    One of the best Happy Hour locations in Kaakako! Get there early to avoid the crowds and to get a great spot at the bar. They also have outdoor seating, which is perfect for Happy hour (as noted by Michelle M, also qualifies you for the happy hour prices). You can't beat the special pricing: $5 for poke, ahi tataki, California, and spicy ahi sushi rolls, Asari clams, and chicken karaage. Other $5 items that I highly recommend: Garlic Teriyaki Edamamae, Rock shrimp tempura. Drinks lychee martini, Kirin, sake, Sapporo, and Heineken! The ahi poke is a small cup of fresh ahi, well seasoned with Hawaiian salt, limu, and sesame oil. Their clams are steamed in a garlic butter with green onions. I think that I had 3 orders of this delicious creation! Happy Hour tuna/ahi tataki - slices of sashimi grade ahi, blackened, garnished with green onions, garlic chips, and a mayo-wasabi sauce. Garlic Teriyaki Edamamae- I would compare this to eating St. Louis barbecue ribs, sweet and tangy. Very sticky, so get lots of napkins! The only sad part is that last call approaches very quickly, so order everything when you arrive!

    (4)

  • Ellison U.

    If you're a fan of the Waikiki location, you're going to love this place. The Japanese influenced decor is exceptional! Love the nighttime vibe. My group normally orders off of the happy hour menu. Everything's good on there. In comparison, Doraku has a better quality of sushi than Shokudo. For all the times I've been to Doraku the tuna is fresh (very red), no discoloration.

    (4)

  • Angie S.

    I really enjoyed Doraku. The upstairs loft-like seating area is perfect for a low-key and private dinner. I was here for a company party so I tried a bit of everything including; edamame, emperor roll, red dragon roll, teriyaki chicken and the garlic steak. definitely loved the garlic steak! The lychee martini was also excellent!

    (5)

  • Jessica A.

    I love this place for reasonable sushi and happy hour. They have lots of different rolls and all are very tasty. I esp love their happy hour menu, both food and drinks. Everything is so cheap, tasty and a good portion. Some places' happy hour portions are super tiny and they dont have anything really good on the menu but this place has a lot of great dishes. They also have happy hour on Saturdays! Not many places have hh on weekends. This is definitely my late night go to sushi place :)

    (4)

  • Janelle L.

    Pretty high falutin' swanky place to hang out. Met a couple of friends here for some drinks and some sushi on a Sunday evening. The place is very well decorated and the menu is quite creative. Drinks and sushi delish, tried the li hing mojito and white dragon sushi and red flame thrower or something....I forget. Whatever sushi the server recommends...EAT IT, it's probably pretty good! Our server started off great....and then he disappeared. Parking is valet in the garage, but they close at 9:30, so then you have to get your own car. They basically collect your money and then let you do the work. Meh.

    (3)

  • Sandra C.

    Street parking is especially hard to find when there's an event at the blaisdell center. And after driving around the block a couple times, I see that valet parking is only $3 which isn't bad if you don't want to walk far (I'm lazy so this is perfect). The wait was ~30 minutes. Unfortunately I missed happy hour but that's fine since I was happy with my selection. When I asked my waitress about the portion size, she looked at me and automatically said that I would only be able to finish 1 entree. I love sushi!! And would eat it all day if I could. I ended up getting a spicy don because I'm the biggest sucker for spicy ahi bowls. The spicy don was alright. The spicy ahi was tasty and as red as it looked, I expected it to be drowning in siracha sauce. However, it was just a little bit spicy. But compared to the bowl of rice it sat on, the scoop of spicy ahi was small. After finishing half of my don, I knew I wanted to order again. Thinking that my eyes were bigger than my stomach, I waited until I was almost done with my don. After looking through some other pictures here, I decided to order the emperor roll. It sounded and looked really delicious and it was!! Sushi rolls with no rice are either a hit or miss. This was definitely a hit. All of my favorite non-rice parts of a sushi put together and lightly fried was perfect!! I didn't miss the rice when eating this and it was so good. My experience here was pleasant. The waitress kept returning to check up on us and was delighted to give recommendations. After ordering, our food came out quickly considering how many other people were dining there. The food was neat and tasty. It was a bit pricy but sushi is never cheap. Overall I would come back here again!

    (4)

  • Randy L.

    Sat at the bar, was served by Daryl and he was great. Great recommendations for food. White Dragon Roll, Salmon, Surf and Turf were very delicious! I'll most definitely back.

    (5)

  • Noli C.

    So I rate this restaurant 2 stars because the waiter, I believe his name Andrew (aka 'employee of the month'), had the audacity to pull me to the side and confront me "why I didn't tip him?" (Note: I paid with card and signed with no tip). Idk if they have the right to do that, but I was going to tip him with cash before he pulled me to the side.

    (2)

  • Loryn G.

    I love the Doraku on Kapiolani! Much less crowded than Waikiki-- and one of my favorite places for happy hour. The decor is awesome and the space is good for both groups and romantic date nights. I love the booths - cozy and intimate. I really love the volcano roll, the fresh uni nigiri, the agedashi tofu, and the hamachi carpaccio-- to name a few. The house sake also rocks socks. Service at the Waikiki one can be slow, but the Kapiolani Doraku is always super fast and friendly. Highly recommend!

    (5)

  • Estelle T.

    I'm in heaven when I come here! Pros: - Really good fancy sushi. - Contemporary look. - Unique flavors (not the typical) - Great ambiance - Hamachi Carpaccio - Chu Torro - Red Dragon Roll (I think that the name) - TEMPURA FRIED BROWNIE!!!!!!!!!!!!! - Topnotch customer service! Cons: - Really pricey. - Food takes pretty long to come out. - Spicy Ahi Bowl was kind of bleh.. I've had better. - The ginger chicken (?) had this weird sour plum sauce that was very bleh.. I couldn't even swallow. Sour could be understatement when describing this sauce. Overall, I'd come here again only in hopes of my food reaching the table before the bill does. I'd stay away from that chicken and maybe skip the spicy ahi don, but I'd order everything else again. My mouth definitely enjoyed this sushi experience.

    (4)

  • Raul A.

    Fantastic poke!

    (5)

  • Sean G.

    Loved the new place! Sushi are amazing I loved the variety of different food here too. Got a dorky salad ouster mushrooms and a few rolls everything tasted very very good! Feel happy and full:)

    (5)

  • Ruka S.

    Great discovery just walking distance to our condo, loved the different flavors we tasted in each dishes, when I say different is different from every other japanese place I have tried so far in Honolulu. Friendly staff and awesome music. Must go!

    (5)

  • Russel M.

    This review really pertains to Happy Hour. It was fabulous and lot's of fun. Definitely check it out. Valet Parking only $3-

    (5)

  • Summer N.

    Still torn about this place. Came during lunch with co-workers a few months ago, and the service was just weird. Not sure if the server was new and nervous or if she was slammed with tables, but orders were wrong and dishes came out super late. The server asked if we wanted dessert before some people even got their dishes. However, my salmon bowl was really good. It came with rice, salty salmon, salmon sashimi, and ikura. I love salmon in all its iterations, so I was pretty happy once the dish arrived. It also came with shiso leaves, which is now my new favorite garnish. Someone ordered a roll, but I can't remember what it was--pretty forgettable. I haven't gone back since, but maybe I'd try it again. Just for the salmon bowl. But maybe I'd sit at the bar.

    (3)

  • Jasen D.

    This is my first time at this location. The service was fast and more efficient than the Waikiki location. I went with my girlfriend's family on a Friday night right when happy hour started. We ordered about 12 different dishes and all were excellent. The lobster tempura and garlic steak were delicious. The prices for happy hour are very reasonable, even regular priced items for their taste. It is ala carte style so you can eat as little or as much as you want. Grab a group of friends and head down to try several different dishes.

    (5)

  • Colleen T.

    Discretion: The parking is solely Valet only. And it is $3 without tip. They don't take credit cards and there is no ATM nearby. This was our first time and we decided to try this place out since there were awesome reviews on Yelp. We got in just in time for happy hour (which ends at 6pm.) Got seated right away at a table with comfy pillows, and the hostess handed over the menus. Decor is nice, cozy, clean. Soon after our server Marissa came by with water, no smile, placed the glasses down somewhat violently and asked us if we wanted any drinks. I ordered an Iced tea, and my partner a glass of wine. She got the wine right away, no ice tea yet. We ordered some of the happy hour items (tuna tataki- great! Agendashi tofu- meh steak yakitori- meh) by the time second item came and she brought my boyfriends 2nd glass of wine, I told my him she forgot my iced tea... He finally told her that I ordered iced tea and she said sorry non-chalantly and it still took her a while to bring it! It really wasn't that crazy busy from observing the room throughout the night. I wouldn't say it was an off night for her, but she definitely had an attitude that wasn't welcoming, no personality, and some what arrogant. Which made the experience slightly unpleasant. We took our time ordering things here and there and realized it was almost 6!! I wanted to order another app from the happy hour menu but she was no where to be found. BUT what she did do was couple minutes before 6, she asked the table next to us that it was last call and if they wanted anything else. I was hoping she would turn around and ask us the same however she just walked back to the POS. How disappointing! Yeah I could've flagged her down, but I mean come on! You don't want us to stay here any longer? Or not boost your check average!? Did we seem cheap? I don't know what her deal was, but I just told my bf lets order a couple more things (red dragon-yum! I don't remember the other sushi rolls we ordered but they were delicious!) and let's go. Marissa brought one of the dishes over, and instead of moving our menus or making space to place the dish she had in hand, she kind of shoved the plate infront of us and pushed over the menu with it... Anyway, she did check up on us a couple times during our meal but it was always "how's everything, GUYS?" That was it. I hate the guys and folks... I guess my boss taught me well about how we speak to our guests. Wanna take a look at the dessert menus? Sure, my bf goes. I told him I was pretty full and I didnt want dessert. But the table next to us received their desserts and it looked so good! I was definitely tempted. Ladidadidaaaa. Where are the menus? What a joke. I swear, my threshold for waiting is quite up there, but, I've been in the F&B industry for a long time, and if I'm spending $90-100 for dinner for two on average sushi, I would expect at least a little personality. You can be slow, but if you screw up, you should acknowledge and apologize sincerely. Food can be mediocre, but service is what will get me coming back. Lack of being observant, efficient and personable. Finally dessert menus came. Check please! I may want to go back. Seems like the experience may have been enjoyable if Marissa stepped it up. You can't let the food and reputation do the work! The overall experience was better than the Waikiki location, but I would probably request to get a different server next time. Oh, I don't know his name but the Busser that was working in our section had a smile on his face the whole time and worked very hard anticipating for the next table.

    (2)

  • Lisa S.

    If you only come here once, just try their Brownie Tempura - MUST ORDER First, PARKING - gotta park in the building for $3 charge. No, I did not tip the valet ppl as when I got my car back my AC was on full blast! Fail! Getting to the restaurant, you either gotta walk through that coffee/tea shop or walk all the way around passing Chai's restaurant. The happy hour everyone seems to be raving about is a joke to me. I arrived at 5:30, but obviously that's too late to take advantage of the happy hour, which I believe only goes 'til 7. The hostess, who wasn't friendly at all told me that they were full at the time and can't seat me and my friend until a party is done - which means we could easily be waiting for an hour to be seated for happy hr, but she couldn't even tell me how long the wait would be. So after almost 15 minutes of waiting we scrapped that idea and just decided to sit and their "regular" menu tables. Their Clam Sakamushi was really good, however I was disappointed with the so-called "Doraku" Sushi Roll - wasn't anything special to me. I must admit though, their Hamachi roll was quite delicious. DO NOT ORDER - their Cube Style Steak. I ordered it medium well, but tasted like it was cooked well done. Our waiter was good, but his service wasn't anything out of the ordinary. I wouldn't waste my time here again unless a friend wants to try their food again. I want to like this place, but the hostess's attitude and some of the food killed it for me.

    (3)

  • Elizabeth D.

    Hip atmosphere and cozy. I didn't have reservations, was told the wait to be 30-45 minutes but was seated way earlier. The waiter was friendly and accommodating but took a long time to get my beer. But was happy cuz server made a mistake and gave us an extra sushi roll!! Waiter gave us suggestions on what to order and what wasn't good. The pan seared salmon wasn't the greatest. Dry and bland. Other than that, sushi was excellent!!! Will go there again but next time will ask to be seated on the outside instead of upstairs.

    (4)

  • Adam L.

    One of my go to restaurants. The butter fish is amazing and the rolls are delicious! I will be coming back again!

    (5)

  • Courtney P.

    We had a great time! Ty was our server and he was very friendly and helpful in our food choices. He even made sure to let us know they just received a shipment of salmon Kama! We will be back again once we save some money cause this place can get pricey.

    (4)

  • Jocelyn C.

    I have been looking for a fusion sushi place with quality fish in Hawaii and finally I found it! This place has great atmosphere for groups or date night. Love the wooden wall and masks decoration. The food is absolutely satisfaction. My bf and I went there for happy hour and we ordered beef spicy tuna roll and beef tataki from their menu. Great deal and delicious! I tried the oyster shooter and the flavors were layered so well. We also ordered the sake bomb roll and red eye roll. My bf can't eat shrimp so the waitress suggested to substitute spicy tuna for ebi(tiger shrimp). It was a great idea! Definitely will make this our usual sushi place in Oahu!

    (5)

  • Koodie B.

    Used to come here so often that now I have to take a break!! Everyone is generally professional, food is always decent, sometimes there's a wait but that's due to high volume of patrons sometimes, and if you don't live in the building parking can be a bummer. Overall I would recommend this to anyone looking for good food at modest prices. Usually pretty clean too!

    (4)

  • John C.

    I've only been here 2 times and seems like a place for us working professionals in our late 20s and older to come here and order pupus and wine. Never been disappointed. I like everything on their happy hour menu. I usually try to sit outside. Staff is friendly and professional. Came here for my birthday and they deep fried my brownies and put candles in them. Never looked at their regular menu so I'll have to try that some day.

    (5)

  • Mahina C.

    DOraku, you DO it again! Now everyone knows, making a trip out to waikiki is a huge hassle. you pay for parking, you drive behind people who don't know where they're going, the list goes on! So you can think of my excitement when they opened this place OUTSIDE of waikiki and on the strip of kapiolani. At first i was a little skeptic. Parking, traffic, & if the menu was the same but worry no more! I've only been to the early happy hour and i left every time feeling happy! They have the whole package, outside seating, food & drink happy hour, and you don't have to sit only at the bar for happy hour. I highly recommend this place for girls night. As you turn in, it's valet service so remember to have a few extra bucks for service & tip. Now the menu isn't the same happy hour menu as waikiki, such as the grilled mushrooms, so don't panic. You should try EVERYTHING on the happy hour menu. i do recommend the rock shrimp, miso eggplant, chicken karage & all the sushi rolls such as california & deluxe spicy ahi. Last time they had an apple li hing martini on special so i suggest just asking what they have that day. Lastly, toast, sip & enjoy!

    (4)

  • Alexa R.

    Seriously have never had a bad experience at Doraku...love this place! If you time it right you can beat the crowds too-but sitting at the bar/sushi bar isn't a bad thing either. Great happy hour, great sushi. White Dragon and Doraku Roll is the way to go for sure, but EVERYTHING is delish.

    (5)

  • Sheryl G.

    what: sushi restaurant with fusion flavors. the doraku experience is based on their motto, "the road to happiness." something good: i have to say that i'm a fan of this doraku restaurant. i wasn't a huge fan of the waikiki location, for some reason in my memory i didn't think the food was great and it's in waikiki!!! so when i arrived here for a party it's no surprise that my expectations were very low... it was to my surprise that i loved the interior and the food was really, really good! i really enjoyed each and every item we ordered! the happy hour menu is so awesome! we had a whole lot of items and we really didn't break our wallets! the service was awesome and the ambiance is perfect for both a girls night out or a date-night! but i can already tell, that for me this place is going to be one of my favorite happy hour spots : ) something not so good: can't think of anything!! something to try: everything on happy hour menu!

    (5)

  • Raych D.

    I've been to the Waikiki location and I prefer that location after what happened last night. Came here last night with the bf after receiving a $75 gift card from a friend of his. Parking sucks because you can't park on the street so only other parking is valet for $3...if it wasn't raining we would have walked it from his apartment at Imperial Plaza. The set up and ambiance is nice...very clean and sexy. I love that we were seated upstairs, away from the crowd and were it was more quiet and intimate. The menu selection is huge! We had the hardest time ordering. We ended up getting draft beer, ume shio chicken, toro, 2 sets or unagi and hamachi nigiri and the infamous emperor roll. This was my first time trying the emperor roll after hearing so much great things about it and yes it is what everyone has been saying! I love that it has no rice and its full of flavor that you didn't need to add any wasabi and soy to it. The hamachi and uanagi was a nice thick cut and it was very fresh! Unfortunately when it came to the toro...I being that I don't eat rice, I took the rice out and as I was doing that I saw a piece of black hair stuck in the sushi and my boyfriend also found a piece of brown hair in the side of salad dressing. We immediately complained to our waiter and the manager came by and asked if we wanted another new sushi made...my boyfriend and I was so disgusted that we opted for no more sushi but instead got a miso butterfish. And we also ordered the brownie tempura just because I was craving for something sweet. I was kind of annoyed at the fact that they just comped us for the toro when they should have also given us something else for free like the dessert or butterfish because we found not 1 hair strand but 2 HAIR STRAND! How gross is that especially since they just opened the place and it wasn't that busy! Our bill came out to be $77 which wasn't bad at all for all the food we got...I was so annoyed about the hair strand that I told all my friends not to eat here anymore.

    (2)

  • Milly C.

    This review is solely for their happy hour menu. I don't think I can afford their regular menu but their happy hour menu is more than satisfactory. They have select items for happy hour daily from 5-7pm, including draft beers, sushi rolls, different flavors of edamame, chicken karaage, and more. If you are stuck deciding between the regular spicy ahi roll and the deluxe spicy ahi roll, choose the regular one. You receive more pieces (but they're smaller) and you only miss out on a few ingredients that don't really mesh with spicy ahi. So really, you're paying $1 more for something that tastes the same or slightly worse if you go with the deluxe version. I haven't been to their Waikiki location but I like this location here. Parking is valet only ($3) unless you decide to park on the street. The chairs are pretty comfy and you can choose to sit outside for happy hour instead of being restricted at the bar area. The atmosphere is very relaxed even though the decor suggests that it's a modern, upscale cafe. When you walk by the restrooms, there's an area sectioned off that looks like a room for a private party but don't be fooled. I think it's just the next door cafe and I think they share restroom facilities. Doraku hasn't disappointed and I'll most likely be back for happy hour.

    (5)

  • Brandon L.

    Went to the VIP opening for dinner. The restaurant was nicely furnished with plenty of seating. There's a small upstairs area as well as outdoor seating. Our group of 4 was seated in a cool nook with pillows. We tried the emperor roll, doraku roll, white dragon roll, spicy lobster roll, soft shell crab, ume shiso chicken and miso eggplant. I liked the doraku roll most out of the four rolls. For dessert we tried the banana flambe and brownie tempura. The flambe was delicious, but I thought the brownie had a little too much batter around it. The best part of the meal was that Pacifica residents received 50% off the entire check! Score! There were tons of waiters working that night so service was top notch. I remember having my water refilled after taking one sip! I'm not sure how good the parking situation will be in the future. I'm guessing there will be valet service since many of the parking stalls reserved for Doraku are tandem. I would come back to try a few more rolls and check out their happy hour. The happy hour menu wasn't available that night, but our waiter said it was going to be 4-6pm and 9pm to closing.

    (4)

  • Heather M.

    Wow! Awful and awkward experience here a few nights ago! It was my girlfriend's bday so there were seven of us girls all out to dinner around 8. Place was kinda dead but we didn't mind because we figured we'd get better service. We were wrong. Aaron was our server. He seemed nice at first but as the night progressed he started making really inappropriate comments to us. My friend told him she heard good things about one sushi roll "the red dragon." She asked him if he liked it, he replied, (no joke) "it's pretty good but it's not as good as my dragon." Next. So, at the end of our dinner I mentioned to him it was my friends bday and if they did anything special to celebrate? He seemed kind of begrudging but he answered yes, they offer complimentary dessert. We thanked him and he went to the computer screen to punch it in. I forgot to tell him one of us was allergic to nuts so I hurried over to tell him before anything was ordered. As I walked up to him I overheard him tell another male server "yeah, the birthday girl wants dessert so I'm gonna hit that up after my shift." How professional...I know the servers there are young but I felt like there were just too many instances that crossed the line that night. My group of friends and I felt completely uncomfortable all night and we were only too happy to get the check and dig ASAP. Don't think ill choose Doraku next time I'm feeling like sushi and sake.

    (1)

  • Ghia D.

    The food was really good but I guess we went at the wrong time because we had to wait about 30 minutes to get a table and it was really loud in the restaurant. Next time we will get a table outdoors. Other than the wait and the loud atmosphere, I would definitely go back again.

    (4)

  • Tom M.

    Great place for a modern take on sushi dishes, and it's becoming popular for it. The interior was a nice mix of old school and contemporary--both comfortable and cool. I had a good Chirashi bowl, and added a side of miso eggplant that was really presented with style. Looks like a great place for happy hour, so I'll have to come back soon.

    (4)

  • Jenn T.

    They had a little preview opening for the residents of the pacifica last night and I got to check out this new place. The restaurant itself was very well decorated, nice bar and seating areas with lots of staff around to ensure that the opening goes well! The service was very on top of things here, always checking in and helping us with the menu and water. We ordered a few rolls, the emperor roll, white dragon roll, spicy lobster roll. The white dragon and the emperor roll were pretty good. The spicy lobster roll had a little too much tempura batter and cream cheese to my liking. We also tried the soft shell crab dish, ume shiso chicken and then miso eggplant, all with pretty good flavor too. Hopefully the opening goes well for this place. The food here is unique japanese style and they do a good job of trying to come up with different dishes than your traditional menu. I wish they had more beers on tap than just the 2. The waiter mentioned there would be happy hour, which would be cool to take advantage of later!

    (3)

  • Rebecca M.

    This place is amazing. The sushi is the freshest you can get. The sashimi is cut to slightly above average thickness. So you get a healthy portion. The wasabi is also above average and a bit on the spicer side. The drinks were strong and well poured and there was an ample variety of sake to choose from. Beyond anything the atmosphere and music was what took you away and put you in that special happy place. No real Bad comments other then the hostesses seemed lost and confused at all times.

    (5)

  • Leslie B.

    Love their spicy lobster roll. And their late night happy hour makes it an easy go to place.

    (5)

  • Kalamo K.

    Used yelp to find this place and am i ever happy. The only reason i didn't check five stars is because on the menu they up-charge for real crab on their rolls but when asking the server they " never have it in stock". Make an easy effort and walk from the Hale Koa to eat some great sushi, even local fish! Sashimi was even better the Marlin fab. Great service and even an awesome atmosphere. The music was a little confusing. But still enjoy the place.

    (4)

  • Jeffrey Ryan C.

    This was the first time I've eaten at this Doraku location, it was a good experience for me. The location was perfect and parking wasn't really a hassle. As soon as I walked in, the ambiance was great. The Asian flare was nice and the seating arrangements as well as the decor was appealing. I was greeted by the waitress as soon as I sat down and she asked if I wanted anything else to drink besides the water that was already there for me. The continuous service from the waitress was great and the food did not take long at all to receive. I had the spicy tuna rolls, the garlic chicken karaage, and California rolls for happy hour and I was very satisfied. Happy hour here is great with great prices. I highly recommend :)

    (5)

  • Kelly M.

    Happy hour (4-6 PM) is a good deal and seating is plentiful. But they run our of things, so don't wait to put your order in. The decor is really nice and the service is wonderful (even during happy hour!). Food was good, but not memorable.

    (3)

  • Hannah Q.

    This is probably my all-around favorite sushi restaurant in Hawaii. Great ambiance, decor, music, lighting, food, price, drinks, service, etc. seems like this place attracts a younger crowd. I didn't want to admit it at first because it seems a bit mainstream but I give in--its wonderful. We like to stick to the plain rolls-simple, cheap and they put a good chunk of raw fish. We always order the salad--ginger vinegar dressing is superb. Miso soups aren't overly salty which is always a plus for me. The salmon avocado roll and hamachi roll are simple yet so flavorful. When we want to get something a little fancier we love the tuna tataki. Huge slabs of raw tuna over a bed of radish and flavored with some kind of soy sauce. Really really good. We also ALWAYS get the uni nigiri. So good.

    (5)

  • J P.

    Love their happy hour! Doraku tuna tataki is delicious (about 4 pieces for $5). I'm such a fatty & love the combination of fresh fish with mayo. That can explain why I am madly in love with the White Dragon roll! Their sushi rolls are delicious! Service was good considering how busy they were. On one occasion, we sat at the bar and the bartender was pretty cool & personable. Their decor is nice. It's good for dates and nights out with friends. If you're on a date, ask to be seated outside. Pretty romantic after the traffic dies down. But it can get cold, so bring a jacket. Parking is valet only... so another perk about coming later in the night is finding free street parking in front of the restaurant! ;)

    (4)

  • Kelly G.

    Doraku sushi was excellently modern in their decor and provided a great ambiance to dine in. My hubby and I sat at the bar where Tony mixed up delicious lychee martinis for us. We couldn't help ourselves and ended up ordering the following happy hour foods: *Clams - in the sake broth. Spicy kick at the end, salty briney broth. Wasn't my favorite of the night but definitely a decent dish. *California roll - standard roll, but they definitely pack in the imitation crab! *Doraku tuna tataki - slighty seared tuna with mayo dressing on some kind of slaw. Delcious! I could have eaten 3 or 4 more plates of this by myself! *Deluxe spicy tuna roll - sprouts and tuna in a roll. yum. *Poke - Good tuna. Could definitely tell the freshness of the fish. Kind of small portions, but I feel its standard for happy hour poke anywhere. *Eggplant miso - Tony suggested this, but definitely wasn't my favorite. Nice plating though? *Sweet and spicy miso edemame - sirracha miso coated edemame. delicious. Couldn't stop licking my fingers Definitely a new favorite place to hit up happy hour sushi.

    (4)

  • Alex T.

    Seated promptly even though I was 15 minutes late for my dinner res for 2. CHELSEA was our server, very sweet and made excellent recommendations and frequently checked on our table to let us know when our orders were coming. Ordered the red dragon and Doraku rolls, garlic steak with garlic ponzu, misoyaki butterfish and the lettuce chicken wrap off the HH menu. Got brownie tempura for dessert which is a great way to finish your meal. Also recommend the momotaro lemonade off of HH which went well with the heavier food. Ended up paying 100, 120 with the good service. Will be back for sure

    (5)

  • Ina T.

    We came on a busy Monday night. Loved the ambiance/vibe in this place. Very chill and trendy. Our waiter Andrew was awesome and his suggestions on the menu were on point! Everything he suggested we ordered times 2 hahaha We were celebrating 2 birthdays and they were so kind to give us 2 free complimentary desserts. Service here should be awarded for the fastest delivery. We ordered and literally 5mins it arrived. I was impressed because it was so busy and we were serviced like we were the only ones in the restaurant. I haven't had service like this in a long time. We had a little bit of a plate left over and they packaged it so cute bento style. we had a couple of workers checking on us to make sure we were ok at all times and I appreciated that. I would recommend the miso eggplant, all dragon rolls, emperor roll, miso butterfish and OMG the desserts that'll keep you wanting more Tempura brownie and this amazing salted pumpkin ice cream cake holy yumminess!!!! we thought we were full... NOT! lol This was a great experience we'll be coming back for sure!! thank you Doraku this was epic!! A great way to celebrate a special occasion or just because :)

    (5)

  • Adrian D.

    Great ambiance! We were greeted with warm Aloha spirit. We completely enjoyed Happy Hour...oh my! The value completely balanced with the quality of the food, likewise, the service we received from Dave. We look forward to enjoying another casual visit at any of your locations.

    (4)

  • Aaron H.

    When the table consensus is that the tempura brownie is the best dish followed by the (not at all teppanyaki) steak and you're a sushi bar, you've got problems. And for one of the "largest sake selections in the United States" I'd expect to be able to find a taruzake. I suppose if you include every restaurant that has a sake on the menu they're probably in the upper half. And apparently the fish in the dragon roll my friend ordered tasted off?

    (2)

  • Chelsea U.

    I've been here two times so far, and only after my second visit am I a fan. First time was when they had just opened and we went for a birthday dinner. Service was ok, but I think they got our order wrong or there was some type of confusion. Second time was for late night happy hour (9pm - close) on a Friday night. I must say, it was one of the best happy hours I have been to. The happy hour menu is relatively extensive compared to other Japanese restaurants. The menu included ahi tataki, teri chicken karaage, dynamite shrimp, California roll, natto poke, and spicy ahi roll just to name a few. The happy hour drinks included beer, wine, and my all-time favorite lychee martini! The two negative comments are have are the inexperienced servers and the parking. Parking is strictly valet ($3), but at least you know your car is in a safe area. The server we had for happy hour seemed pretty new and overwhelmed by our party of 15. She kept giving a friend his bill every time he made an order and made swipe his card each time. It seemed she was more concerned about making her money than offering good service. All the negative aside, I would definitely go back for happy hour. Such a good deal! Just make sure to make a reservation!

    (4)

  • Christopher W.

    This restaurant is in a great location. Love the vibe. Me and my friend ordered the ahi poke, the red dragon roll, the emperor roll, and the chicken teriyaki. They were all so delicious. The teriyaki was a tad salty for my taste. For dessert, I indulged my sweet tooth and we had the brownie tempura, another good choice. It is a tad pricy but worth it. Glad I went here.

    (4)

  • Liana F.

    Took my siblings and cousins out to dinner. This place is my FAVORITE place to eat at. Service was great! I would recommend everyone to try it ONCE. The quality of the sashimi is 12/10. Price is very reasonable. Also, check out their happy hour specials. Def. coming back!

    (5)

  • Shinanagins O.

    Meh. Lots of hype, but it's really just fancy small portions of mid quality overpriced food. There are a few good things on the menu, but overall not at all impressed.

    (2)

  • Bill T.

    Plan and simple. Food was average nothing impressive. We spent $300 and did not find a gem. I could have spent $300 in Dallas and got much better sushi. Decor is nice and staff were attentive. $3 for parking is awesome in Hawaii at least. Try a hole in the wall sushi rather than a hi end establishment.

    (3)

  • Angela K.

    Two Words - Pau Hana! They have 2 pau hana a day! 4-6pm and then again at 9pm - closing. A hip and trendy spot with good eats. I always op for the ahi and the chicken - each running $5! wash that down with a yummy lychee martini for another $5! Definitely my go to spot for pau hana!

    (5)

  • Julie C.

    Came here for happy hour (everyday from 4 - 6 p.m.) and it was a great deal! The portions are large enough for 2 - 4 people to share and everything was $4 - $6. Two of us shared the eggplant miso, chicken kara'age, lomi lomi roll, and the california roll. The chicken and california roll were both good, but pretty standard. The eggplant miso had a really good consistency (not too mushy) and we really liked the miso sauce. The lomi lomi roll was also different, it was basically a spicy tuna roll topped with lomi lomi salmon. They also had several drinks on special for about $5 each. Definitely a great happy hour spot!

    (4)

  • Cindy N.

    My favorite happy hour restaurant. 4-6pm and 9pm to close. It is always delicious and one time we ordered one of everything on the HH menu. Nothing was wasted besides a few edamame. The tuna and salmon appetizer is to die for. Desserts are also mean! Brownie tempura and the fried ice cream! Make sure to get the green tea ice cream:)

    (5)

  • Dave P.

    Extremely fresh fish with a nice Hawaiian flare. I really enjoyed the "god of fire" roll and yellowtail "firecracker" roll. I also recommend the Yamaimo Hamachi Salad" ... It has a truly unique taste and the yellowtail was super fresh. While I'm in town I intend to stop in again and sample a few more dishes. Thumbs up!

    (4)

  • Amanda D.

    Happy hour = after 9pm! $6 chicken wraps and $4 California rolls! Great food and atmosphere. Staff was very knowledgeable about menu and very helpful when answering my questions.

    (4)

  • Thanh N.

    They used to have Soft Shelf Crab which actually was my favorite but the menu changed and they dont have it any more (disappointed). These are my favorite dish: Tuna Tataki: the taste of it can "wow" you as it did to me and my boyfriend. You can taste the freshness of the fish and vegetable. Emperor Roll: is a must have if you havent tried it yet. Its a bomb dish! Most of my friend who have tried this roll fall in love with it. That crispiness wrapped around the roll with their sauce really balance and blend out the taste together. Also, the edamame, Peruvian Seafood Ceciche, Seafood Salad...is worth to try.

    (4)

  • S T.

    Very chic and upbeat.

    (4)

  • Eduard G.

    A group of us went in without reservations for taco Tuesdays. You get 3 sushi-like tacos for 5 dollars. They were some of the best tacos we've had and we got to many a taco Tuesdays. We also had a drink special where proceeds went to a charity. The drinks were delicious and we had a few rounds. A friend bought a round of oyster shooters. Those are delicious with an explosive of immediate flavor. The place got busier later in the evening but the 6 of us were promptly seated. Our service was solid and our waiter was very knowledgeable. I recommend this place for groups, dates, or just a quick lunch.

    (4)

  • Sandy N.

    Pretty good happy hour! We loved the lychee martini, and you can't beat the $5 menu. Our favorites were the eggplant miso and asari sakamushi. The sushi is not top quality, but hey would do you expect for that cheap price. IT's better than Genki!

    (3)

  • Kimo S.

    This place gets a lot of attention because of their amazing Happy Hour deals, they definitely should too because it is a fantastic deal. I've been here during and after their Happy Hour specials and have picked through the menu over the course of a few visits. While I tend to stick to their sushi rolls I have to give a big shout out to their Agedashi Tofu dish. This is one of core dishes I order at almost every Japanese restaurant and I must say that Doraku really nails this one down. If you're a fan of tofu and/or Agedashi Tofu you really need to order that here, I usually end up with 2 orders because it is so yummy. I wish they had a more improved wine list but I do enjoy their beers and the fact that they stock Kirin Light is pretty awesome. Service has always been top notch for me, whether sitting at a table downstairs, upstairs or even at the bar I have never felt I needed to wait or pester the servers to get my next food or drink order.

    (5)

  • Laura G.

    I reviewed this place when they were more recent. Now they do not care about customer service. I seriously only go there for the good happy hour & food. Besides that, I would not go there... AT ALL!

    (2)

  • Erica F.

    Very disappointed in this place yesterday. I have been there a hand full of times. I usually like the drinks, service and food. Yesterday's happy hour was awful: 1. The fish was extra fatty and bland. I felt sick before even leaving the restaurant. (Took me 3 hours to feel better after leaving.) 2. The server messed up the bill and took forever to come back with the correction. 3. I found out today my card was double charged. 4. When I called the restaurant today, there was no manager on site to help. Im thoroughly not impressed and I won't be recommending others to go here anymore. Plenty of other great sushi spots to go.

    (1)

  • Daniel H.

    Food was pretty good and prices affordable during happy hour. Even the amount of food was all right for a happy hour. The happy hour menu was kinda small but I think it's something on it for everybody. Hot sake was ok. Fish tacos were ok - I've had better at mac24/7 in waiks. Service was good, everybody was very friendly. Parking kinda sucks but we found street parking one block over in the commercial zone. I recommend this place for a good happy hour snack with friends.

    (4)

  • Devyn K.

    I have always heard about the amazing happy hour specials here and finally got to experience it for myself. A friend and I ordered a bunch of different things and not only were they quick about getting the food out but everything tasted amazing. I really enjoyed the atmosphere of the place as well. Definitely a great spot when you're in the mood for some sushi at 11:30 at night! Also the parking garage makes the restaurant very accessible.

    (5)

  • Shuji K.

    Love the White Dragon roll. I wish they didn't sit us in an Emergency exit. I'm pretty sure that's not fire safe. And I will try happy hour next time.

    (3)

  • G M.

    Bestest happy hour! Great prices , comfortable setting and friendly service Happy hour pupu is good Limited on drink choices

    (4)

  • Tanya S.

    Really good for happy hour! What I liked: -hamachi kama (so good) -lychee martini ($6 for happy hour) -red dragon roll -$3 Kirin draft for happy hour -tempura brownie -dynamite shrimp Not the best: -need to valet park ($3) -happy hour deluxe spicy tuna (I didn't like it with the shiso leaf) -dancing geisha and other specialty drinks It's a neat atmosphere here and the food is good. It can be a little pricy if you order from the regular menu. Happy hour stuff is reasonable. I will be back!

    (4)

  • Kamalani S.

    Andrew was our server he's the best server !... I love their food and drinks... White Dragon and Momotoro Lemonade, the BEST!... All around good restaurant...

    (5)

  • Mei Y.

    Food was excellent - recommend the white dragon roll. The eggplant miso was also delicious. Great service, great food!!

    (5)

  • Janda D.

    My overall FAVORITE place for sushi and sake. Try the God of Fire, White Emperor, the steak sticks (Only available at happy hour) and do an oyster shot. I don't eat it, but it's a favorite for my husband. Prices are not bad for quality sushi.

    (5)

  • Tim M.

    This place is a must! Great happy hour and Tony the barkeep is the bomb. Super hot female staff adds to the enjoyment. Wish the parking situation was better but that won't stop my return.

    (5)

  • Michelle L.

    Best late night happy hour on appetizer menu starting at 9pm (order a few and you have a meal for under 10 bucks)! Cheap, yummy, and variety.

    (4)

  • Andy K.

    A place where I like to go for good sushi and a chill environment. The tataki and white dragon roll are awesome.

    (4)

  • Julie H.

    Man... what to say about this place. Came here w/ my bf's parents and everything was great! There may have been an awkward moment here or there but overall we all enjoyed the dining experience. Good food = good memories = extra points for me! Food = 4.5 stars Ambiance = 5 stars Service = 4 stars Parking = 5 stars Prices = 4 stars Location = 5 stars Can't wait to come back and try other items on the menu. I can't remember what we ordered but my bf claims one of the sushi chefs looks like me -_-" . How flattering.

    (4)

  • Jessie O.

    Love everything about this place, staff, food, and drinks are all awesome! Fun place to try new sushi and to bring visitors!

    (5)

  • Maimiti H.

    We came in for the first time towards the end of happy hour but were willing to sit outside and were sat right away. Our server Ty was awesome! He was prompt, friendly and very helpful regarding the menu. The main issue with our visit was the timing of the food. Our appetizer came 20 minutes after we had finished our entrees. The family of four next to us each ate their meal individually bc of how long it took. However, Ty repeatedly apologized for the wait and even brought out 2 complimentary apps to make up for our original taking so long. His great service is what made the dinner and I would definitely go back for their happy hour deals!

    (4)

  • Kanako L.

    My 3 friends and I came here to eat 2 months ago and only now I got to review this place. We walk in and there is a podium/desk in the front but there was no one there. That's alright, maybe the hostess was seating someone at the time we came in. Maybe theres only one host working? idk. but anyways, when she came back I came up to her and she asked "how many?" and I said "a table for 4 please". She said ok and walked away for something.. I wasn't sure if I should have stayed standing at the podium to wait for her return or sit and wait? So I felt awkward standing there so I sat at a bench near the entrance. She did come back to the podium/desk to help other guests who just came in but she did not give us a waiting time or any information about our table. We waited for about 10 min and then she sat us at our table. I'm not to sure how to feel about there hosting.. it wasn't a good impression of the restaurant.. So we sat in a room on the left side of the restaurant ( facing the bar) which had a bunch of artsy Japanese stuff hanging. I like the décor, it was nice. I just didn't think that the loud music matched the look of the restaurant. It was hard to conversate with my friends due to the music but we dealt with it. Our server was Ty. He was real nice. He answered all our question about the menu and gave us some recommendations. I liked that he would check up on us and made sure we had water and he'd talk story with us. The food was great. I enjoyed the food and the service from Ty. Overall it was a good experience despite the hosting .. didn't feel welcomed that's for sure. But the food and our server made it good.

    (3)

  • Tai M.

    A good, solid place for sushi. Good for dinner with friends. The atmosphere and food makes it fun. This doesn't compare to the quality and variety that Morio's or Sushi ii offer.

    (3)

  • M L.

    The service and ambiance here is good, so that's a plus. But the food is so very disappointing, thus the three stars. You know how sometimes food sort of looks like what you're expecting - in this case Japanese - but doesn't taste right? Well, that's the best way I can describe the quality of the food here. The menu looks fine, but the execution is lacking. I ate here today, hoping my first mediocre meal a few months back was an aberration, but unfortunately it was eerily similar. Perhaps it's not surprising considering the founder's father founded the Benihana chain. Because Doraku is to Japanese and sushi as Benihana is to teppanyaki - best suited for an average meal if you can't make it to your favorite places, but not up to the level of the better restaurants in its category. More style than substance.

    (3)

  • Nicholas B.

    The food was really good. We came after the happy hour so I guess we missed the majority of the rush but all in all really good food. We will definitely be coming back.

    (4)

  • Andrew D.

    This place was really solid. Cool bar area, and although we just missed happy hour, the HH menu looked promising. We sat at the bar and had good service. My husband and I split a roll, he had the sampler and I had the miso glazed butterfish. Simply yummy! In a city filled with good sushi places, I would recommend Doraku to everyone!

    (4)

  • Alyssa K.

    Came here for happy hour GNO. Loved it! Happy hour drinks are $3 - $6, and pupus are $2 - $6. Really reasonable prices. The bill for four of us came out to $93 total and we had 6 drinks and a bunch of pupus plus dessert. Yaye~! Here is what we ordered: Ginger chicken karaage = winner eggplant miso = not that great. The miso was too sweet. Deluxe spicy Ahi roll = winner. Loved the shiso. Fried shrimp = not that great. Sauce was too sweet. Tempura brownie = pretty good. Brownie was nice and hot. Banana with ice cream = not that great. Banana was mushy. Lychee martini = winner!! Service = great! We all loved this place and will be back in a couple weeks for another GNO!

    (4)

  • Jennifer F.

    Great happy hour. Love their Salmon Carpaccio. Also tried their Misoyaki Butterfish... not quite as good as Roy's, but for 1/2 the price, it was still good. Had a few bones in it though, which is a big turn off. Great atmosphere. We sat at the bar and our bartender was attentive. We will definitely visit again.

    (4)

  • Judy S.

    Hmmm... I just reviewed this.. wants me to do it again?! lol it was good ;)

    (4)

  • Nathan N.

    Where do I begin . . . . . . Okay. We went on 4/27/2013 with a party of 12. They placed us on two separate tables of 6 persons on each table. You know how people are, some people were running late and one couple went to the wrong Doraku. My girlfriend and I were late because the valet parking was completely full and there is no self-parking. It took us a while to find street parking. So we walked in 20 minutes late. We join our party and sit down. Doraku is an Izakaya style restaurant - small plates made to order and meant to be shared. I've been to Doraku Waikiki, which is just wonderful and cozy with dark lighting and dark woods. The Kapiolani location is the opposite. It is loud and bright. This Doraku location was built to be seen and grab your attention. The restaurant has this really fancy interior decor that tries to combine the look of a-hole-in-the-wall Japanese back alley yakitori bar with the modern feel of Iron Chef. Chai's is right next door. And wow, their gas torches outside are spectacular at night. So back to this disaster called Doraku Kapiolani. We order something really simple: cold tofu, garlic karaage chicken, shrimp tempura and misoyaki butterfish. The only dishes I had a problem with were the shrimp tempura and the misoyaki butterfish. The shrimp tempura wasn't completely cooked. The batter was still soft and mushy. And the misoyaki butterfish hardly had any miso flavor. I've had a better misoyaki butterfish from a Korean hostess bar. Oh and another thing - $2 for every tiny bowl of rice???? Shouldn't a bowl of rice be offered if you're ordering dishes?? Is it because most of the customers in there are White and you know they don't normally eat rice? And finally to top it all off, we were told we had a two hour time limit. Whoa....I was never told that at the Waikiki location. This isn't a buffet! And besides the servers kept getting the dishes all confused or sent them to the wrong table. We would order things and not get them at all or ended up spending a lot of time just sitting there and not eating anything. So how do you give us a two hour time limit and expect us to rush our eating when the restaurant is screwing up? I would like to say this was the worst dining disaster I've had in a long, long time.

    (1)

  • Alina Noelani C.

    Doraku is one of the best places to go for happy hour. Not so much for drinks but for food! They have so many good food items, my favorites are the firecracker shrimp, the ahi poke, karage chicken, and this other raw fish dish that sits on top of chopped cabbage. It's always best to go with someone and order as much as you want and share it. I love the fact that they have regular and a late night happy hour! Every time I go out in town, I always end up going to Doraku after for their late night happy hour. It's always busy though so the wait is junk. The hostesses aren't too friendlybut their servers are pretty nice. Overall, Doraku will always be one of my fav happy hour places to go.

    (4)

  • Kristi C.

    Doraku is now one of my favorite places to eat. This was only my second time there and it was better than my first. Our server Andrew was awesome. When my boyfriend asked him what was good, he recommended we try the butterfish, which was delicious. After trying the unagi nigiri that I ordered, my boyfriend wanted an order for himself. Our server recommended that he try the anago instead and my boyfriend really liked it. Of course, our favorite dish was a tempura brownie. Even though we were both really full, we had to order it since it was so delicious the first time. Although you have to valet if there isn't street parking, it's totally worth it. The food is delicious and the service was great.

    (4)

  • Sanoe D.

    My Must Have...Happy Hour!!! I absolutely love Doraku on Kapiolani Blvd. I've been to the Waikiki location as well and have to admit that I like the ambiance and decor of the Kapiolani location very much!!! It's fun, it's cool, and the music is really upbeat, that by the end of your visit you're wondering where else to go!! The food in both places are GREAT, but there's something about Kapiolani, WAIT, I know exactly why I love the Kapiolani location better...... Happy Hour EVERDAY from 4-6PM AND 9-12AM!!!!!! The happy hour menu is not just a few items here and there. They have a great variety to choose from. From clams, kama, spicy tuna, firecracker shrimp, ahi poke, seafood poke, chicken karaage and my favorite AHI TATAKI!!!! I always automatically order 3 for the table even if there are only 2 people in the party!! And let's not forget about the $5 Sake and $5 Kirin!!!! Which I also automatically order as many sake bottles as I can!! Parking is easy! You can either valet or if you go for the late happy hour, don't forget to keep an eye out for street parking right on Kapiolani Blvd. All around amazing is all I have to say and will continue to say!!! Love Love Love this place!!

    (5)

  • Foodie C.

    I would NOT go back. We were appalled and disgusted with the treatment from a staff member as she literally held out her hand for more gratuity. Who does that?

    (1)

  • Mad D.

    3 stars is for overall inconsistency in food. The first two times I've come here with friends, the food tasted great, and I mean everything that was ordered. Until my bf and I went for HH last night... where to start. The disappointments.. HH Firecracker shrimp - tasted like frozen shrimp that were battered and deep fried. I've had better from California Beach Rock n' Sushi HH Edamame - how do you mess this up especially if it's plain... overcooking that 's how. HH Ahi poke - ahi flavor was lost in the mixture. Can taste the onions tho. Salmon nigiri - salmon was warm like it had been sitting out a bit. Why did I still eat it? Trust me I shouldn't have. Ebi nigiri - One shrimp wasn't cleaned because you could still see the poop chute. So we start investigating, turned one over and walaaa not cleaned. Japanese cube steak- the steak was tender, and good. But they hide the skimpy amount in a full plate of stir fried veggies. Order the garlic steak instead!! I had it the last time and you get more meat. The brighter side.. HH Lychee martini - love the drink, not too sweet and not super strong in alcohol, and the best part is the soaked lychee you get if you can wait till the end of your drink. Hamachi carpaccio - good, but a bit drowned in the sauce HH Tuna tataki - the best dish we ate last night. At least this has never been inconsistent

    (3)

  • Chris Z.

    Still amazing flavors but the price increases along with smaller portion of spicy tuna on the donburi was disappointing. I understand food costs are rising but to raise prices and cut portions sizes by half is irritating. Management addressed my concerns in a positive manner

    (3)

  • Toni P.

    The only reason I'm giving two stars instead of one is because I'd eaten here once before and the sushi was quite good. However, after last night's meal with my family, I will never go back again. The food was just so-so, and the service was terrible. We waited at our table forever and didn't even get any water. In the meantime, the group next to us that sat down after us got their food and drinks way before us. That just pisses me off. I think the management of the place just needs more organization because it has potential. The ambiance is nice, but like I said the food is just so-so and the service awful (the service was bad the first time I was there, too). One dish we had was downright disgusting and should be removed from the menu. In fact, I think it made me sick. My stomach isn't quite right this morning. All in all, a very disappointing experience. I usually don't like to write bad reviews but it was such a bad experience that I had to this time.

    (2)

  • Michelle L.

    Ate here for happy hour. The prices were pretty good considering you get really fresh ahi. I'd say the ahi poke and beef were my favorites. The salmon was also fresh. The lomi sushi roll was also pretty tasty. I didn't care for the fried chicken. I'd stick with what they do best. Good service. A little noisy though.

    (4)

  • Dennis A.

    Although they have valet parking, good luck during happy hour. Limited valet parking available for Doraku. If its full you need to find street parking and hike on over to Doraku

    (3)

  • Lauren S.

    I'm so glad my best friend suggested we have dinner here tonight! I was a little skeptical at first, thinking that the portions would be small and the plates overpriced....but I'm so glad I was wrong! It was a last minute dinner selection, so we didn't have reservations. My friend and her husband arrived there first and the hostesses told them the wait would be about an hour. My friend left her number, and they told her they would call when a table was ready. Parking for this location is either by valet ($3.00) or if you can find street parking right in front of the restaurant, it's free after 6:00pm. The food was absolutely amazing! *Traditional Miso Soup (extremely flavorful) *Hamachi Carpaccio (The sauce definitely complimented and enhanced the flavor of the Hamachi) *Spicy Tuna Don (It looks like a tiny portion...but I loved how fresh and light it tasted...dare I say, one of the best Spicy Tuna Dons I've had in a long time) *Panko Crusted Hamachi (Extremely flavorful and balanced flavors...loved the mango salsa on top and the oyster mushrooms!) *White Dragon Roll (with hamachi and a garlic chip on top...it was a small roll, but really satisfying) *Miso Butterfish (We got this dish because our waiter raved that it was his favorite item on the menu...but after the first couple of bites we weren't impressed. Definitely squeeze the lemon over it---it completely changed the flavor profile...much better!) The Brownie Tempura deserves its own paragraph because it was simply amazing!!! Let me just say that I'm not a brownie ala mode dessert girl...but this dish completely blew me away! The tempura batter added a much needed crunchy texture to this classic dessert! (this dish definitely needs two scoops of ice cream). Make sure to save room for this!!! Our waiter was awesome and really made our first dining experience here an amazing one! Definitely looking forward to our next visit!

    (5)

  • Andie P.

    THe food was very good, not the best sushi restaurant i've been to, but it was ok. One thing that threw me off is that this is supposed to be a japanese sushi restaurant no?? so why the gross cream cheese in the sushi rolls??!?!? i would rather say this is American sushi. For me it kinda sucked too since i am lactose intolerant so I ordered something else. Also, real japanese sushi have about 3-4times thinner sashimi and sushi slices on the rice, so the slices where too thick which leaves you with too much too chew- The tempura was perfect and all of the food was packed with flavour but there was always something missing. Also, the service was kind of inconsistent. The waitress was hard to get a hold of and different guys jumped in all the time to clear our table even if we weren't quite finished, so they seemed rushed. - a bit disappointed that this was American styles sushi (cream cheese and all) - WAY too thick slices of fish for sushi and sashimi - for the guys who were in a rush to clear + The taste and quality of the food was consistent and + The waitress was very nice :) and the lychee martini was delicious!!! would definitely come back here, but not for the sushi

    (4)

  • Janette F.

    It is my sister's birthday and I want us to try someplace new so I did some research and decided on Doraku Sushi, which I had passed by driving along Kapiolani Blvd. Their Happy Hour is from 4:00pm-6:00pm and then again from 9:30pm-Closing. My sisters loves HH so we decided to go at 5p to have enough time to enjoy the HH menu. We opted to sit outside because it was kind of chilly inside with the AC. The table we sat at was right below a speaker blasting loud music so we asked if we could move. This is what happens when you get old! :( The second table was better though we could still enjoy the music albeit a bit less loud. The noise from Kapiolani Blvd. is quite extensive (especially when the Harleys drove by and parked at the next building revving their engines), but after a while, it is not so bad. Again, it was the weekend so the traffic is not so bad. Cannot say the same between 4 and 6 on a weekday, I suppose. But it was nice to be able to sit outside comfortably. The HH menu was generous. Our server was Isaac and he was very attentive and didn't rush us through anything. So, we started with draft beers for $3 a glass, which was reasonable. Then we ordered miso eggplant and edamame (plain). The presentation of the miso eggplant was superb but it was extremely salty. I would recommend they drizzle the miso rather than place a blob on each eggplant. But, the eggplant was steamed to perfection and it was good (after I scraped off some of the miso). The edamame was edamame and we enjoyed it. My sister then ordered the ginger karaage chicken for her and my mother, and they both said it was delish! We then decided on the yamakake agedashi tofu, which was absolutely delicious The flavor was just right and the portion was perfecto. My sister loves raw oysters and they have an oyster shooter on the menu for $6. She asked Isaac if that was for one and he said yes, but it comes with a quail egg, ponzu sauce and something else. I told her to get it since it is her birthday. She did and she was not disappointed. She said the ponzu sauce was really good and the oyster was nice a small (not lick them American oyster shooters which can choke you they are so big!), and she thoroughly enjoyed it. I even took a video of her shooting it! Next was oyster mushrooms (eringi) in a ponzu sauce (sorry, I cannot remember the name on the menu). The mushrooms were grilled perfectly and the ponzu sauce was excellent. I could have had many more plates of this but I had to refrain. Finally, my mother wanted to finish off with the California roll. She said it was very good though it could have been rolled a bit tighter. As we were enjoying our meal, a gentleman came around to ask us how our dinner was. We told him it was excellent and chatted for a while. He said he was one of the managers. We talked about quite a few things and I mentioned we decided to come here for my sisters birthday and we were not disappointed. To our surprise, he sent over a dessert to celebrate her birthday. How nice! It was the tempura brownie with ice cream. Waaaay to sweet for me and I do not eat chocolate but my sister said, coupled with the ice cream, it was good. What a great birthday dinner it was. Great food, exceptional service by Isaac, great conversation with the manager (I should have gotten his name), and a reasonable bill. I will definitely return and try some other dishes. Please make more vegetarian options for HH menu!

    (4)

  • Chanel P.

    As much as I like Doraku, the waikiki location is better. Our waitress straight up asked why she didnt get her tip when we were gonna leave it on the table. She gave us this long talk about tipping which my party thought was really rude.

    (2)

  • Michelle D.

    I LOVE coming to Doraku for their happy hour! I always order the Tuna Tataki and a bowl of garlic edamame :) The price for the quality of the sashimi is a deal, and the edamame is just amazing for only $3! I love the decor of the place; getting a seat in one of the booths that has that Japanese atmosphere makes dining so much more intimate. The servers are also always so friendly and they're great with their customer service!

    (5)

  • AJ D.

    Came here for my cousin's going away dinner and I had a good time! First of all, the parking is valet. What I found weird was that we had to go through a different store to get to the restaurant. We had a sort-of private room, which was nice. The seats were comfortable and the lighting wasn't too dim. The waiter was good on taking our orders. The food is reasonably priced and delicious. The only thing I didn't like was that the waiter was actually socializing with (practically hitting on) some of my cousin's friends instead of paying attention to what else we needed. The women's restroom is clean and well maintained. If you feel like taking a mirror-pic selfie, they have a full-body mirror with great lighting in the restroom.

    (4)

  • Don D.

    I think the parking situation is the most you will dislike about this place. Everything else is awesome. Its such a busy place during happy hour, you may even have to wait just to get in or even sit at the bar. Its filled with business types that just finished work which is why it seems like it takes longer for people to leave. They hang out and talk story, etc etc. I dont blame them. But anyway, Doraku food is always great quality. I have never ordered something and didnt like it. If you sit at the bar, you may be seated in front of the sushi chefs, and you can see how they make their creations. In this case, there is a server that serves you which is a little awkward because its from behind. Happy hour is a great deal. But even when its not happy hour, always a great time.

    (4)

  • John C.

    Wow! Great place. Ambience is nice and upscale but not snooty. Food came out really quick. Our roll came out in less than 5 minutes and the sushi came out in less than 10! And man oh man was it tasty. Some of the best sushi I've ever had in the states. Hubby got the miso butterfish (not a fan of sushi) and he was blown away too. The price was not that high considering it's Hawaii and it's sushi. Will definitely be returning!

    (5)

  • Ryan Y.

    First off the eye candy rating is off the hook! Many beautiful girls eat here and the waitresses are nice and cute too.! Lol okay enough of that! The food was good we went for happy hour and got the salmon poke which was nice, had chicken karaage, eggplant ( this wasn't that great, too bad my fren liked it and ordered two), we also had various sushi and of course beer! The tempura brownie was mean also! This place gets packed and they do not take phone reservations, so be prepared especially Friday and Saturday night! Also another tip on a Saturday night sitting outside could be irritating, a lot of dumbass drunks walk around drunk either going through Pacifica or waiting for a table.

    (4)

  • John G.

    Absolutely FANTASTIC!!! I went here with 2 friends on 10-01-13 for the first time and during their "Sushi Happy Hour". What fantastic food at very, very reasonable prices; as well as, great service from Samantha. 3 of us ate sushi, 1 salad, 2 red wines and all for only $65. We even sat on the "other" patio/lanai near the parking garage but it was peaceful (and no kids, lol). One note, if I had to choose, I would pick this location over the other location, which is at the Royal Hawaiian Center.

    (5)

  • Chelsea G.

    Came here for lunch with a couple of friends to take advantage of their lunch specials! Very surprised with the amount of food given and especially the price! Ordered the teri chicken complete with oshinko, miso soup, salad with oriental dressing, full bowl of rice and main entree of 2 large pieces of chicken on bed of cabbage and veggies for only $13! Not to mention, super yummy! Ambience was great! I was impressed by the atmosphere, the decor and yet the how casual it felt it there. But downside was how hot it was for lunch, I don't know if it was because we sat by the window? Or maybe just a really hot day? Or maybe the AC wasnt' working to its fullest potential?? Parking was free, just park at Pacifica and get validated, and feed the parking ticket back in. Also a major PLUS for me, as we all know that parking for free isn't always a given when eating in town... I shall come again!

    (4)

  • Jesse C.

    I prefer the setup on this location better than their sister. Better lighting and I feel better service. Happy hour is good. Just expect for a little wait on the weekends or peak hours. But there's always the bar!

    (4)

  • Steph J.

    I loved Doraku since their location opened in Waikiki and was always a fan. So when this location opened up, I was a happy camper! They have great happy hour and you can do shared plates with a bunch of your friends and walk away stuffed and pay less than $20 per person with drinks! I heard that they no longer let you sit in the restaurant and have to sit on the patio area during happy hour but it's still be so very worth it! Parking is valet only so if you have a bunch of people, try and carpool down to the location.

    (4)

  • Tia S.

    My favorite happy hour spot! Good staff, vibrant ambiance, but casual and chic at the same time. I almost always sit at the bar when I dine here, mostly 'cause it's always busy and 'cause I like sitting with Ikaika the bartender (lots of tattoos). He makes it fun and knows my order right away when I walk in. "Ahi tataki one or two orders?", says Ikaika, and I've barely even sat down. LOL I like it and def think you should swing by for a mellow crowd and lunch specials during the day. Valet parking is tight, so don't bring your SUV. Street parking available when permitted.

    (4)

  • Chauntel B.

    You cant lose coming here.. lol yumerz! great atmosphere and good service! Calamari yes! hamachi? yes!crunchy rolls? yesss!!!

    (4)

  • Jake M.

    The Kapiolani location offers the same great food and service minus the headaches of Waikiki. Our large party sat upstairs and really enjoyed the coziness of the corner we were in. LATE NIGHT HAPPY HOUR is awesome! The happy hour menus has lots of tasty, cheap food, like $4 plates of tuna rolls. They had pretty inexpensive sake and beer, too. Our servers were very tolerant of tipsy table and they even offered valet service for the DDs. I'll be back soon!

    (5)

  • Candice P.

    This is an awesome place to go especially for happy hour!! Got there around 10pm for dinner and beers were only $3 a glass. Service was quick and the food came in less than 7 minutes. I talked to the waiter about what she would recommend on the menu and she said the Doraku Roll and Spicy Lobster Roll. We got both rolls and ordered regular edimame and firecracker shrimp as our appetizer. Then for dessert we had the brownie tempura. We loved every last bit of each dish! Great food and prices! Our total bill was only $46 with 2 beers!! I recommend everything we just had tonight for dinner to anyone one of you that decide to eat here for the first time.

    (5)

  • Sheila S.

    My husband and I went to Doraku last night, and were utterly disappointed. We are big-time sushi lovers (have it about 3x a week) and Doraku left us feeling like we wasted $100, and should've just ate at home. The tuna in the negi toro roll was so cold, I had to let it sit in my mouth, before I chewed. The sake nigiri was also a big let down. The salmon was cut thin, and it was chewy, instead of melt in your mouth. We kept trying... we had two more rolls, both with super small cuts of fish on the top, and just way too many sauces that really took away from the flavor in the fish. One roll had raw jalapeno on top, with spiny tuna inside, and spicy sauce on the plate... it was just way too much, and lacked any contrast in flavors, or inventiveness that actually worked. The one thing I'll say was the oyster shooter was delicious. We made a promise to each other that we would never go back! And still, this morning, we both woke up talking about how bad our experience was. Too bad because the decor is awesome.

    (1)

  • Mari Y.

    One of my favorite restaurants by far! I come here all the time with family and friends! Not only is their food to die for, but their customer service is amazing! All the waiters and waitresses are very friendly and attentive. They remembered my family and I when we came here just after the third time! Their happy hour is what I really come here for! Every time I come I can never decide what I want to eat off the happy hour menu so I always get one of everything. You can never go wrong with anything on the happy hour menu honestly. My favorite has to be the Dynamite Donburi with the Chicken Karaage! Seating for happy hour changes from time to time, but it is usually outside seating for happy hour. The outside seating has a nice ora to it and is a little more quiet/intimate. However, once when it was about to storm the waitress kindly moved us for happy hour inside (although it was only happy hour seating outside at that time).

    (5)

  • Carmen M.

    Food was excellent. The wait was long, otherwise I will give it five stars. It is on the pricier side but definitely worth it. The happy hour menu has a lot of good selections and is definitely worth it.

    (4)

  • Jenny L.

    For a Saturday night, wait was not bad for not having reservations. Happy hour menu was great! Prices and food were both awesome. Main dish that is a must have here..... BUTTER FISH. The end.

    (5)

  • Adam M.

    If you are looking for a modern average price place for happy hour look no further. Ive been to doraku multiple times but had decided to come here specially for their happy hour and was honestly impressed. From their deluxe spicy tuna roll which included takuan "pickled radish" and shiso which is my favorite complement to sushi to my all time favorite natto poke seafood mix. If you aren't a big fan of slimy texture then this might be too adventurous for you but it's a it's a great mix of hamachi and salmon with crunchy wonton chips and tobiko. Also, another great perk is the $4 kirins and $5 sake bottles which includes about 10-12 sake sized shots inside.

    (4)

  • Melody M.

    Getting in from the parking was a bit weird. U had to go through another store to get to Doraku. When we got there, service sucked. Our drinks took forever when there were so many waitresses n 2 bar people standing around. The waitress that helped us didn't even seem like she knew what she was doing. Food was a little overpriced, especially for the oyster shooter. U only get one for $6. Ridiculous. I wanted to try it out for my birthday and will never go there again.

    (2)

  • Erin Y.

    I've been to the Waikiki location, so I knew what to expect. It's a restaurant with trendy decor and a very young crowd. We went early on a Sunday night to sample their happy hour menu. This is a great time to go! From 4-7, you can indulge in rock shrimp for $5, spicy ahi roll for $4, California roll for $3, Edamame for $2, and house wine for $4. Crazy deals, I'd say. The hostess shows us to our table, and its upstairs. UPSTAIRS??? I wasn't even aware that this place has a second floor. UH,... it doesn't. It's sort of a loft area with a few tables, which are extremely close together. For a few couples, it would be ok. For a party of 10 and a few other tables, it WAS NOT OK. This restaurant gets extremely loud. The table on the other end of the "loft" was VERY disruptive, VERY loud, and VERY drunk. Goodness, it was only 6pm, can't this wait for the midnight crowd? "Alcoholics know no time" she says to me. Sitting in the loft, everything takes a little while longer. Drinks. Food. Service. I would think that when the manager came up to see how we were doing, he would have noticed how many F-bombs were dropped in the - I don't know - 2 minutes he was up there. All in all, the food was good. The spicy ahi roll had a very strange taste to it. Wasn't fishy or anything ... just strange. Frozen maybe? Or freezerburn? Looking forward to trying more things - maybe at the Waikiki location. Otherwise, I hear Chai's is opening up next door!

    (3)

  • Jon R.

    Try the lunch specials!

    (5)

  • Es L.

    Came with a friend and just made happy hour. They should train their servers on liquor laws because we got a lot of liquor placed in front of us in the ten minutes we had left. No complaints here, but wow we were drunk in half an hour. The happy hour food is ok, however I prefer the food on the main menu, if its about the same as the menu at their other Waikiki location. Much more imaginative. Happy hour menu items we ordered were spicy tuna rolls (not bad), clams (kind of slimy), special (or were they called deluxe?) spicy tuna rolls (eh) and miso eggplant. The eggplants were good as a snack. Want to come back to this location for regular dinner items. Service was good though, even if they should review with the servers what is ok to bring a guest at a time liquor wise, if they don't want to get in trouble. (Um.. the Liquor Commission is in a building about a block away..)

    (4)

  • Alice C.

    I was so stoked that they had open a location on Kapiolani because I hate driving into Waikiki for anything! I feel that their new location is almost perfect because that complex is now more developed and draws more people to the area. I love the ambiance of the restaurant. I do want to suggest that the menu should be displayed through a CLEAR plastic covering rather than a hazy covering because its difficult to read depending on where you're seated. I love the big barrels of sake it just fit in snugly with the decor of the restaurant. Our server Isaac was super friendly and he came by to check on us often so we have no complaints with service. Basically its Izakaya style, our party of five shared everything we ordered. I felt like we ate 1/3 of the menu for we were one hungry party. We literally got there between the two happy hours so we completely missed that. Some items we had: ahi poke (perfect, even my friend who isn't into poke tried it and loved it) eggplant miso (it mentioned that it was deep fried in the description but it didn't taste too deep fried to me, it was still very egg-planty to me. If you like eggplant you might enjoy it, I didn't care for it but thats my preference over eggplant) japanese style garlic steak (tender and delicious!) Churrasco steak (ribeye, it was so tender also. yummm) spicy lobster roll (very creamy) maguro - (very fresh) negitoro temaki ( for $8.95, they sure do pack a lot of negitoro in it which I like) misoyaki butterfish (lets just say its better than vegas's California hotel and thats saying a lot because I felt that California had one of the best miso butterfish, and Doraku might be replacing that now!) Calamari tempura Rock shrimp tempura- pretty much popcorn shrimp. (I wouldn't find it special but it was good) Vegetable Tempura Geisha Roll - (it was pretty exotic, with spicy tuna, cucumber, and cream cheese stuffed in the roll and topped with Ahi. I love anything with cream cheese!) *the rolls come with 8 pieces If i was rich and my belly could handle, I would've continue to order but I'll have to save the rest of the menu next time. However, we did also order "happy ending desserts" which I cannot really say gave me a happy ending. I really didn't find the desserts all that great tasting.. the tempura icecream (Yukidama) didn't please me as I was hoping it would. We also had the Banana Ice cream flambe, which I wished the banana bread was hot or warm atleast but it was room temp and kind of stale tasting to me. but I did love the bananas with the sauce drizzled over the mac nuts and icecream. It just would've been perfect for a hot bananabread* Sorry Doraku, I would give the last star when the dessert menu is perfected but I do incredibly love everything else I had so I will be back for happy hour next time!

    (4)

  • Jennifer T.

    I cannot wait to come back AFTER work!!! Came here for our monthly work meeting for lunch. YUMMMM I loved it! Had some peruvian mixed seafood ceviche, and soft shell crab and all at a reasonable price! I work walking distance from this place so I cannot wait to go back when I can pair it up with some imbibe-ables! This may be my new fave!

    (5)

  • Justine R.

    I must say I'm super happy they opened one in town because the one in Waikiki always seems packed. I finally had a chance to try it and it was exceptional. First let me talk about the happy hour menu. Good select choices and pretty cheap. They don't have as much options as I would like there to be but hey, I can live with what they have. Sweet and Spicy Edamame ($3): This was definitely worth it. The sauce was so good. It had a sweet tangy bbq sauce drowning the decent-sized bowl of edamame. Definitely try it out. You will never want to eat edamame the same way again. My only complaint is edamame beans are usually served cold so it was definitely kind of weird to be served hot. I burned my lips a bit because I wasn't expecting the heat. Just let it cool a bit and it's just perfect. Ginger Chicken Karaage ($5): This was good, don't get me wrong, but it's nothing worth dying for. Great amount for the price. Spicy Ahi Roll ($5): This was kind of disappointing. Nothing amazing and the spicy ahi was kind of mushy. I can definitely get a better roll for the price somewhere else. Dynamite Donburi ($7): If you're really hungry during Happy Hour, this is something really worth getting on the whole menu. Not because it is especially yummy, but because it is filling. It's topped with various seafood bits and covered in dynamite sauce on a bed of cold rice. Lychee Martini ($5): This is ok. Martini's are usually pretty small but the glass they give you causes the illusion of it being smaller. It has a really strong liquor taste which makes it really hard to drink. I don't really recommend this. Now on to the regular menu. I don't remember the prices too clearly but it is the same as any average Izakaya Japanese restaurant. Unagi Doburi: Don't get this. The unagi is like any unagi you would find at any conveyor belt sushi, if anything worst. It was cold and kind of tough on a bed of cold sushi rice. Basically unagi sushi in a bowl. Not really worth it. Emperor Roll: This was amazing! I have never had anything like this. So good! It's a ahi roll wrapped in a deep fried nori making it crunchy and warm. Definitely the best combination is the sauce which was a sort of teriyaki-like glaze. It was like eating tempura with sashimi inside. Fried Hamachi: This was really interesting. The hamachi was deep fried with a mango salsa glaze. It was really fresh. Only complaint is since it's family style, it's really hard to share. Everyone had to take turns poking their chopsticks into it but it was good. Sashimi: This was probably the best part of the course. The sashimi was so fresh! It's decent slices placed on a bed of chi-so leaves and radish. It was melt-in -your-mouth goodness. Would definitely go back for this again! Miso Butterfish: The butterfish was really "butter"-y. It was super soft and warm drenched in a miso-yaki glaze. This is definitely a must try as well although the portion is pretty small so don't expect to share. Drinks. Majority of them are $9 each. I don't really recommend them at all because they are inconsistent, small-portion, and heavy on the liquor. Momo lemonade: This is a good-sized drink but it was heavy on the liquor. Dancing Geisha: Nice fruity drink but super inconsistent. Doesn't taste the same every time. Mojito: Really disappointing. It has a yummy chiso-leaf taste but there was no leaves in my drink. Again, very heavy on the liquor. Not good for enjoyment but great for other reasons (if ya know what I'm sayin') Service The food here is hit and miss but I really like the atmosphere so I give it a 5 stars. However, I'm taking off a star for service. I'm not quite sure why it takes so long to get food. The dishes come in intervals of 10 minutes. This would be understandable if I was eating a three-course meal. However, they are small portions and I am usually really hungry (and impatient). It doesn't matter what time I'm there and how busy it is, it's always the same. I'm sure there's not enough people working in the back. The waiters/waitress there are very friendly and attentive (when it's not busy). I will definitely be back!

    (4)

  • Linda D.

    This past Friday, I took a friend to Doraku Kaka'ako for his birthday. I had told them that it was a birthday. I made the reservations for 6:30pm. There was no parking in the building, so we got out and decided to valet instead; making us 5 minutes late. We were asked to sit and wait. After 10 minutes I asked how long more did we have to wait. One of the 3 hostess told me that they were waiting for a table to open. When I told her that I called in this reservation for 6:30pm, she replied that they had to clean the table. Ok....there were 3 girls/hostess and they all looked flustered. There were several walk-ins who were told that it would be a 45 minute wait. We must of looked angry, for we were then offered cold tea while we waited. It was now 6:50pm. Finally we were taken to an odd table facing the window and outside, with 2 chairs side by side. I noticed a nice cozy booth next to us. That would have been my choice of seating, especially since we were celebrating a birthday and I was carrying the birthday present. I was about to ask the waiter for that booth, but they gave it to someone else who came after us. Reluctantly, we sat down. I noticed my friend was already not pleased with this restaurant. When the wait helper asked how we were doing, I told him "not great". I noticed that we still had 5 minutes till the Happy Hour was over, so I immediately asked the wait help if we could order a few appetizers and 2 drinks for the Happy Hour and without looking at the time, he told us it was over. I frowned and told him it was still before 7pm. Meanwhile, our waiter approached the other couple in the booth, got water for them and was taking their order.....and they arrived after us....Hellooooo.... I got my Happy Hour drink, but, my friend didn't. So, we waited and waited till we flagged down the waiter. He didn't have an order for my friend's drink. Then when he brought the Sapporo beer, he said they ran out of the smaller size (it's only 7:15pm and they ran out of that beer?) so he brought the larger size at no extra charge. That was the first nice thing done for the evening. After the appetizers and 2 drinks, we ordered dinner and a sake sampler. Maybe by then, they realized that we weren't there for just the Happy Hour. Then we felt that we got better service. We declined the birthday dessert (coconut brulee...not a favorite) and paid for banana flambe. We both have been to the Doraku in Waikiki and enjoyed it. We are not too sure about this location. Maybe it was because of the Happy Hour crowd that the hostess were all flustered and the waiters/wait help looked overwhelmed; but it ruined our dinner experience. We weren't there for the 1/2 price appetizers and drinks; we just wanted to have a nice birthday dinner. Maybe they need to hire more help during the Happy Hour, or maybe we have to delay our dinner reservation to a later time like 7:30pm. Maybe we will wait 6 months before we return to this restaurant.

    (2)

  • Pam H.

    So we decided to try this place since it look amazing from driving by on Kapiolani Blvd. Located in the Pacifica Bldg it's spacious and well staffed. But just because their well staffed doesn't mean they're stellar workers. Of course I had to "wait" for my sake sampler and I am a believer that no one should have to wait for their first drink. Our waitress was friendly, but we quickly realized that the dishes our sushi and poke was served on was wayyyyy to big for our SMALLLLL table. The food was tasty, but the rice from the sushi could use a little bit more of their attention to detail. Of course the maguro I had was a little too smooth to the tongue and so I was fishy (no pun intended) about the quality of raw seafood I was eating. I may give them another try in a month to see if the staff is a bit more professional (not yelling across the room to each other) and if the rice for the sushi is more authentic. It's good enough, but when you've had good quality stuff you really notice the small stuff.

    (3)

  • Megan M.

    Love this place for late night happy hour! The location is convenient and you can always find street parking. I am a huge fan of rolls and I love the white dragon roll! Pair this with a drink called the Dancing Geisha and it is heaven. Also, got the tempura brownie for kicks and that was delicious as well. A definite must! :)

    (4)

  • Anna F.

    I love this location because it's close to where I work. I came here for the happy hour which was from 5pm-7pm. They had a lot of items on the happy hour menu. The prices range from $2 to $7. The portions are small but if you order 3-5 items, you could get full. I got the ahi poke, ahi tataki, egg plant miso, asari clam sakamushi, and the rock shrimp tempura. The ahi tataki, egg plant miso, and rock shrimp tempura were my favorite items. I thought the ahi poke needed more shoyu because it tasted really bland. I was disappointed with the asari clam sakamushi because the clams were slimy and fishy. Just to be sure that I didn't get a bad clam, I went and tried a second one and I also had my friend try it too. Those clams weren't fresh! There were people across from us and we warned them about it and so they ended up returning theirs to the kitchen after trying it. I told the waiter to take away the clams too and I also told him it was very fishy but I don't know if that message was passed into the kitchen. I think if your seafood isn't fresh, you shouldn't serve it to your customers. I wasn't going to let 2 clams ruin my night so I went on and ate the remaining dishes. The atmosphere of the place is cool and hip. The lights are dimmed and the music playing is not super loud. It's a good place to come and hang out after work with friends. You'll actually be able to hear each other talk without shouting. They also have outside seating which is pretty nice. The waiters are very attentive but because I was sitting on the "community table" the waiters kept bring my dishes to the people across from us. There were a few times where the people across us was like "We just put in our order so I think it's theirs." As for parking, the only option is valet. They park in a private lot and I'm sure it's secure. If you're eating at Doraku it's $3 but if you're parking in there for other stuff, it's $20. How will they find out if you didn't eat at Doraku, I don't know because I didn't get my parking ticket validated and I gave the valet person $3.

    (3)

  • Hayley K.

    After all the hype, of course I had to try their food! My boyfriend and I went during happy hour(of course, gotta save money when we can) and we waited about 45 minutes give or take. The staff is friendly and our waitress was helpful. We ordered the ahi poke, red dragon roll, misoyaki butterfish, spicy tuna roll, doraku roll, brownie tempura & I forget what my boyfriend ordered for his main dish, but I know he said it was good. I enjoyed all of it. Nom nom nom. I wouldn't mind coming here again, but only during happy hour. Our bill came out to around $60. I think I like Kunio's better, but this is still a place that has bomb food.

    (4)

  • Joyce F.

    For: decor, food, $3 beer Against: limited happy hour Other essentials: More: What was the big hullabaloo with Doraku happy hour? After all the crazy reviews, I was stoked to find an excuse to go. The result - I built it up too much and was disappointed. $4 spicy tuna roll and $3 beer. Go in expecting that and you'll be happy. Beautiful décor. The service is awesome. Wish I could say more but we were there for happy hour and only ordered off that menu. There is a spicy tuna roll that has takuan in it but I don't like that in my sushi. That's cool, I'll save a buck and get the regular. We parked in front of Sports Authority only to walk to Doraku and find a ton of parking out front on Kapiolani. The good news is the regular menu has a ton of carpaccios and sake! Haven't broken into that yet but looking forward to it. No sake flights that I've seen yet.

    (3)

  • Aaron A.

    Valet took change from my ash tray in my car. I won't be coming back here again. If you eat here, thoroughly check your vehicle's contents before leaving. Can't believe I tipped those thieves on top of it. It's not the amount of money taken, it's the principle.

    (1)

  • Derek W.

    Great restaurant with an awesome atmosphere and a very friendly wait staff. Happy hour has some very good deals on drinks, and not just your standard happy hour draft beers. They offer quite a few less-than-cliche happy hour choices. Pretty great. We were with a large group and ordered quite a few appetizers and of course main dishes. I thought all of the good was great. My favorite though, was the tuna tataki. I definitely recommend this restaurant!

    (4)

  • Jeremy M.

    This was my first time at Doraku and well, their first impression was on key. When first walking in I got very relaxed yet nice vibe from the Japanese style decorations. It definitely has a very calm and elegant atmosphere. One thing I took advantage of was their happy hour menu. I believe it is after 9pm. I ordered fire cracker shrimp and a California Roll. The portion of said dishes were very satisfying. The taste was very delicious, and it was all 8 dollars total. This is a very good place. It has the looks and environment of a high class restaurant, but has very good food at a very decent price. I suggest taking advantage of their happy hour menu as well! I WILL BE BACK!

    (5)

  • Terry L.

    I have been going here on a regular basis for some time now. First, the Waikiki location and now here. What was really upsetting is that at first, the happy hour menu was valid anywhere in the restaurant. Then, they changed it to only the community seating areas, the bar and the outside. Also, they shortened the cut off from 7PM to 6PM. Because of these issues, I find myself thinking twice about going here, especially since they don't take reservations for the happy hour seats. Finally, they took off some beer selections from the original happy hour and the normal prices are very steep! The food was always consistent and the service, for the most part was pretty good. Although, there always seems to be a lot of wait staff milling about and none when you need help to order. Overall, I am glad to have this closer to downtown alternative versus Waikiki. Valet parking required for a nominal fee. This restaurant has better food (more authentic tasting) than Shokudo. However, Shokudo's service is a lot better. I only wish they didn't change their happy hour policy! Food=3 Service=2.5 Ambience=3 Value=2.5 (non happy hour) Value=4 (happy hour)

    (3)

  • Andie H.

    Hello bitches, I'm baaaaack! No really though, since my move off island, I haven't had the pleasure of writing another yelp review. It's been making me crazy!! Hahaha, anyways, since I was on island a few days ago, I've decided to get back and write a review on the fairly recent location of one of my favorite restaurants (Doraku Waikiki rocks!). Just FYI, this is a comparison to Doraku Waikiki because they are pretty much the same thing, just a new location. Food: The food is pretty much on par as the Waikiki restaurant. Japanese fusion, yum yum. Whenever I'm craving some sushi rolls along with seafood stuff, I pop in. I didn't notice any significant deviations from the way the food is prepared, plus its the same menu. Location: Hi, got $3 on you? They only valet your parking, unless you like street parking on Kapiolani, ugh. The restaurant is under one of those new condos, in a row of spaces that have yet to be occupied. Not much to do here other than visit the restaurant. Staff: Friendly! Our waitress was very good, knowledgable, and made it easy. Waikiki service takes FOREVER. Could be because they are way busier, but who knows? Ambiance: We sat outside. Winter nights?? Cold. Summer nights? Unknown but may be hot. Rain?? Hahaha good luck. No music out there, if you go for late night dinners like the boyfriend and I, then all you get to hear is your date and the cars :p The deco is more lighted than Waikiki, which I like. I like to see what I eat. Summary: Not as crowded as Waikiki, therefore better/faster service. Happy hour from 4p-7p and after 10pm. Good for sunday nights when Yanagis are closed early!! Hahaha. Pricey menu, some items don't give as much as others, but I still enjoy the rolls!! I would definitely come back here to get my Doraku fix (if I didn't want to walk around waikiki afterwards...)

    (4)

  • Melissa T.

    I used to love coming here until some of their employees came to the restaurant i work at. They were openly laughing about how they spit in and mess with the customers food if they come in late or don't tip well. Um....WHAT?! As a waitress I find this to be SO alarming. I called the GM Richard today and was immediately brushed off as if this wasn't a concern and wasn't happening to which i replied "It's just hard to believe when the things that I heard came straight from your employees mouths." I will personally never go there again. I don't appreciate my food being messed with.

    (1)

  • Brett S.

    Its been awhile since I've been here, which is surprising since I live in the building next door. The atmosphere in here is young and fun. It was my favorite place to go for awhile and I stopped in probably twice a week. Music is good and the service is awesome. I used to go here a lot for the happy hour specials. Delicious $4 spicy tuna rolls can't beat it! I heard they changed the happy hour menu (making it a bit more expensive) since I have been there so I'll have to try it again and update my review

    (5)

  • Joanne P.

    The white dragon roll, hamachi nigiri and tempura brownie is what we go to Doraku for. That, and the fact that we can get a seat at the sushi bar without a reservation. Service is fast and you order sushi from the waitress, even when sitting at the sushi bar. They also have a community table that is often available for spontaneous diners like us. It's only a little bit strange that you have to walk through another restaurant in order to enter Doraku. The only downside is the parking. It's valet and costs $3. Make sure the valet parkers give you an exit ticket. If they don't, you won't be able to get out of the garage!

    (4)

  • Margaret L.

    My new favorite sushi spot! Arriving here, I thought I'd be dropping $30 on my dinner. Valet parking, super nice exterior and interior, and excellent service. Turns out I only spent $10 and left feeling full! My all time favorite roll is salmon and avocado and that combination seems to be SO HARD TO FIND but Doraku had it! and for only $5.50! Another one of my favorite dishes is agedashi tofu, and I've had this in plenty of places all over the world. Doraku's agedashi tofus is top notch.

    (5)

  • Bill T.

    Nice fun place. The food is good as well. My only hesitation in giving them a perfect review is that when we went with three kids under 10 years old, they sat us at a high top table where the cushions and pillows that were on the high bench moved and made it difficult for them to sit still.

    (4)

  • Chantel B.

    Ate dinner here with a couple of friends on Saturday 03/21/15. Food is a bit pricey and portions are kind of small. We waited more than 30 minutes to be seated and the waitress took a while to serve us. We ate the red eye dragon roll, white dragon roll which were good. The misoyaki butterfish was good but was a small portion. Also had the brownie tempura, and that was alright. My boyfriend and friend had the teriyaki opah and they didn't really care that much for it. Her boyfriend had the Hamachi, which he really enjoyed, he just said it was really "fishy". They also had the geisha roll and another roll which they really liked and the tempura ice cream, that was alright. I would definitely recommend their rolls, but as for the other things, not so much. The music is very loud in there, so wouldn't recommend to people with children. My friends son was having a melt down because of it. Other than that, this place is decent.

    (3)

  • Debbie G.

    Food was good, though waitress did forget a few items.

    (4)

  • Chaulcey C.

    Service here is very unprofessional. The hostesses didn't look like they gave a crap about customers. No welcome just "for how many ?". It dosent hurt to smile especially if your working in customer service. Most of the time we were there our waiter was no were to be found. Just when he was delivering our food. Littetally had to flag him down to order more. Food took super long ! And it wasn't even busy. Workers were basically standing around gossiping. The food was alright. You get what you pay for.

    (1)

  • Ken C.

    Service was appalling and nonexistent. It was a total waste of time! There were a lot of chairs at the bar so we sat there. We sat for about 10 minutes and the first bartender at the corner of the bar failed to acknowledge our existence. Finally a second bartender emerged from the kitchen. We sat and watched her for the next 5 minutes attempt to service the couple next to us without even a "hi", "hello", or "I'll be right with you." The restaurant wasn't that busy so there shouldn't be an excuse for a lack of service.

    (1)

  • Sash T.

    This location is definitely a better place for locals to go to than the Waikiki location. We usually stay long enough to order food n drinks off their happy hour menu and their regular menu. I don't know how their valet is now since Chai's also opened recently 2 shops down. I know they park one car in a stall n double it in with another car, so be prepared to wait if they get backed up. It happened to me the other nite.

    (4)

  • Rhianna L.

    Ok so I've eaten here with my husband too many times to count. No seriously, it was so bad that we went at least 2x a week. Some of the servers know me as "the girl who orders A LOT of california rolls with no sesame" lol. But really, what can you expect of someone who truly appreciates a lovely ambiance, quality food, outstanding customer service from the waiters/waitresses, and even better - unbelievably cool prices. Now I'll be honest and say that I have ONLY come here during happy hour and I truly believe that Doraku is one of a very select few that offers a FANTASTIC happy hour menu with BEYOND GREAT prices. My all-time favorites and MUST-HAVES are california rolls (no sesame), ginger chicken kara'age, and eggplant miso. Yea, I don't eat fish... But my husband loves their ahi poke and tuna tataki. So to put it simply, Doraku is one of the BEST places to eat/hangout/have a good time. The one thing that I will say that sucks is the wait time when it's packed. Other than that, Doraku is a fave.

    (5)

  • Jasmine N.

    Doraku is an amazing restaurant overall. The setting is Asian aspired, their selection of sushi is amazing, and the food is delicious. I suggest the brownie tempura for your choice of desert, it's to die for :) My two complaints is that service is slow because the number of customers they are juggling, but they are still exceptional servers. Second, the hostess' in front of the restaurant aren't too friendly and they tend to stand around getting into servers ways.

    (4)

  • Hope B.

    I can tell you, this place is probably the only place I get sushi from on island. I'm addicted to the white and red dragon sushi roll. Along with the ginger chicken. Anytime I go out I get either of those rolls and add the ginger chicken. There plum wine is really good and will compliment the meal of someone's choice. For dessert I always get the tempura brownie and ice cream. This place can be either be somewhere you go with a friend or you can go on a date here as well. I never had to wait to be seated and if so, I probably wait no long then 8-10 mins.

    (5)

  • Ken A.

    So glad Doraku no longer requires a trip into Waikiki! We're not fans of valet parking in general, but found street parking around the corner in Kakaako. The Kapiolani location is louder, especially in the loft, but food and service meet the same high standards as the Waikiki site. The waitress asked detailed questions about our reactions to the dishes, not just the perfunctory 'How was everything?' Only caveat: Couldn't find them on OpenTable

    (5)

  • Kasandra M.

    I went here a couple months ago with my boyfriend during happy hour. We haven't tried either location yet so we figured why not go during happy hour right?! So we get there... valet parking..whatevss. We get seated at the bar because that's where it is for happy hour customers? Okay. It wasn't really crowded or anything so the experience started off good. I was hoping for a really good experience because everyone's been raving about it. So I was really excited. We ordered off the happy hour menu. I remember getting that lychee martini thing, which I didn't like. It was bitter and strong so our waiter was willing to take it back and not charge us. Ok cool. So the rest of our food came except our firecracker shrimp. I asked our waiter about it and he said the time he placed the order, the kitchen was right in the middle of changing the oil, and it would just be a little while more. 10 minutes later--The party next to us that came and ordered AFTER us, had gotten their firecracker shrimp! I complained to our waiter and he went back to the kitchen and checked on it, came out and said that it's coming out. By this time, we were already ready to get our check and pay; I had somewhere to be. Another 10 minutes, he came out with our shrimp packed in a box and ready for take out. While I appreciate the gesture, I was just really irritated already. I think our waiter didn't do very much for us in general (aside from not charging us for the martini). He DIDN'T check on us after we got our food; I had to flag him down to ask about our shrimp. No efforts were made to refill our water vase/jug whatever. He wasn't welcoming or open to giving recommendations. It was just not a good experience. It's too bad because I was really looking forward to tasting the tempura brownie. After getting our bill, all I wanted to do was leave. I don't know about trying this location out again. I considered maybe going to the Waikiki location, but idk yet. i honestly don't even remember how the rest of the food tasted. ughh, just really disappointed.

    (1)

  • LeaDan Y.

    I've been to the Waikiki location, which just felt like your typical tourist spot mostly because of it's location, but this location should appeal a tad more to the locals and the business folk. There's enough room both inside and out to enjoy a meeting with coworkers or a evening out with friends. The booths are the perfect size to give a group privacy. The prices match the quality and quantity but I would recommend going with a group so that you can enjoy the variety of choices without having to take on too much of the cost. The desserts are small enough to enjoy after dinner.

    (3)

  • Veronica L.

    If I had made a review before my last visit, I would have rated this restaurant a complete five stars. Unfortunately, my last visit pretty much changed my view of Doraku completely. Doraku has great food, a great atmosphere and usually great service. On my last visit, my boyfriend, our friend and I came to Doraku on a Tuesday night around 10 pm. The restaurant was pretty empty because it was pretty late on a weekday night. The hostess at the stand greeted as soon as we walked in, and I told her we'd like a table for three. She then told us that the only tables available were either seats at the bar or a giant community table, which already had two people seated. We agreed to the community table and took a seat. We then realized that the restaurant was completely empty and there were at least two or three empty tables in our section of the restaurant. When our server arrived I had kindly asked if it were possible to sit at a table. He went to speak with the host (who was right in back of us) and when he asked her, she became very irritable and spoke very loudly and obnoxiously and said "sorrrrrrry" very sarcastically. When he came back to us, he told us we could sit at the next table next to us, with a very irritable tone. I absolutely did not feel welcomed at all, and even thought about walking out. But since we had already sat down, we decided to stay. We then waited about 20 minutes for our server to come back, which is when we placed our order. After we ordered and then received our food everything was fine, except for the fact that our server did not come even once to check up on us or refill our waters, and we had to flag him down to finally receive our checks. While walking out, none of the staff had even given us a simple "thank you". Although my personal experience was not as bad as some others, I was left with a very negative image of this restaurant and possibly will not be back at this location again. Customer service plays a giant roll in any business, and Doraku definitely needs to work on that.

    (1)

  • Andrew D.

    Been here twice since they opened, usually I'm kind of hard on Shokudo...Doraku...types of restaurants, but I actually enjoyed my time here. Biggest thing for me is service, both times I came here, service was great. Once with a girl, the other time with a guy server. I think his name was Sam or Tom, my girlfriend thought he was nice...better watch yourself Sam...or Tom...or whatever your name is... The food here was good, I think the best time to come in to eat is during their happy hour. Last I was here, my girlfriend wanted to try the happy hour. That being said, we pretty much ordered everything on the happy hour menu. My favorite was by far the salmon kama. Generous portion of the collar, loaded with succulent, tender salmon flesh. I think it was ~$7 or was it ~$10 something like that, the sake was flowing that day, forgive my memory. If you get the chance though, order the kama, good dish to pair with a nice, dry sake. Overall, good experience, good service. I will definitely be back to pay them a visit.

    (4)

  • Judy L.

    First time I went, we were suggested to sit outside because they had a lot of parties coming that night. Oddly, when we left, the restaurant was still pretty empty. I don't mind the outdoors, but if you can get a seat indoors, do so because there isn't any cover in case it rains. Also, you can genuinely appreciate the decor that Doraku has to offer inside. It is modern, urban, and stylish. Only thing they should fix is the music. I don't think they should be blasting pop music like Rihanna's Diamonds. It just doesn't fit the atmosphere. Service is top notch. They are attentive, informative, and very smiley. At times a little too attentive and take away plates that we haven't finished 100%. They should slow it down a little... I have tried a wide assortment of their food: emperor roll, buddha roll, miso eggplant, miso butterfish, garlic steak, seabass, jumbo calamari, spicy tuna deluxe roll, panko hamachi, something tataki (I can't remember their specific names)...Best ones were the panko hamachi and miso butterfish. So good! The panko hamachi had a tangy topping on it and the hamachi was nice and flaky. The miso butterfish was so rich and buttery but so tiny! About 4" x 3" piece... Their specialty sushi rolls were all pretty good too. Very fresh and creamy. Others weren't as memorable. Happy hour: Everyday from 4-7 PM! Parking: There is valet parking for $3. Not sure if that is only for nights. There is always street parking after 6:30 PM everyday, and Sundays is free anytime. Not bad.. I recommend trying it out at least once!

    (3)

  • Kiichi R.

    This is just for the Ward location. I have always seen friends post pictures of their food on instagram and it has been a go-to place for a while. Well I finally had the chance. First, make reservations. I cannot imagine what the wait is like because it was crowded when I got there (around 7:30PM on Thursday). The interior is nicely decorated. Nicely lit - not bright, but not dark. On to the menu - quite the selection! And decently priced! I was expecting $20-30 entrees, but they were reasonably priced at around $15 max for majority of the items, with those exceeding that price being the sashimi. Although I must say, for any ume-shu lovers out there, Doraku is like anywhere else... only offering Choya. It's a cheap, and alright umeshu, but I wish there were restaurants around this price range with an actual selection. Aside from that, I must say... the food was GREAT! Both me and my girlfriend got one order of the Emperor Roll (which we ordered SECONDS because it was so good) to share together. I got the Salmon and Ikura Donburi (at around $13). I have to say, it was tasty but extremely small. I guess if the menu were to reflect my price expectations, I would have been filled as normal. My girlfriend got the Panko Hamachi, which was great as well. The outer "shell" was quite thick and hard (but yummy), and the fish was soft and juicy. For dessert, I got the Brownie Tenpura, which for the price was a great way to end the awesome night of food. Our server, whose name I cannot recall, was... "friendly". He may have had a "brownie" but it wasn't a deterrent to good service. I've been told that we need to definitely go back for the Happy Hour, and perhaps then, they may get my personal 5-star approval. For my first time, it was GREAT and I'm definitely a fan and want to go back again. 4.5 stars - DEFINITELY a fan!

    (4)

  • Julie N.

    Came here with a co-worker and enjoyed the happy hour! The furniture is very fashionable and to my liking! The hostess seemed pretty stuck up though :/ I decided to come to this location, since I often go to the Waikiki location. The cocktails are great and the sushi rolls are delish! Doraku is a better, mature version of Shokudo. My boyfriend always comments how all these high schoolers hang out at Shokudo, which makes him not want to go there. However, we like Doraku!

    (4)

  • Todd T.

    First, I love the fact I don't need to drive all the way into Waikiki to eat at one of my favorite restaurants. Second, the ambience is amazing! My gang and I loved our seating area (especially with all of the pillows). Third, the service was impeccable. Our server was Kamalei and she was incredibly attentive. She made sure all of our tea/water cups were filled. She made sure the food kept coming out. Dishes were taken away at the appropriate times. Fourth, the food! If you have never been to Doraku before, you are totally missing out!! It is worth going to definitely. The serving sizes could be increased a tad bit more, however, the quality and taste were wonderful. The miso eggplant and the chicken karaage were winners definitely! HINT: Happy Hour is from 5-7. Definitely worth going to during those hours. Lots of food items on the list. Don't miss it!!

    (5)

  • Cindy L.

    White & red dragon rolls delishh !!! HAVE TO TRY THE OSYTER SHOTS !!! Hour menu was great ! Our helpful waiter was very helpful lols The vibe in there is different from alot of other restaurants. They play really good music and thats what I really love about this place & its not bright as hell ! Parkings easyy, valet just for 3$

    (5)

  • goodgirlglam Q.

    Nice and reasonable lunch menu. Had the Pablo crusted hamachi with a mango salsa and lemon butter ponzu on top of asparagus and mushrooms. Came with side salad and miso soup for $14.50. Nice business lunch for under twenty bucks. They were slammed for lunch so thin on service but not bad enough to be a deal breaker. Great variety of Asian fusion.

    (4)

  • Michelle M.

    I dont like when I have to downgrade my reviews...really! It sucks to have to do this but I just must aire my dislike for the recent changes that Doraku has made to their happy hour. Change 1: Used to be able to sit anywhere and get happy hour menu pricing. NOT ANYMORE! Now, only offered at the actual bar, outdoors, or at the sushi bar. Change 2: HOURS used to be 4-7PM. Now they run from 4-6PM. The pricing is still awesome. The service is still outstanding. just dont care too much for some of the minor changes that they have instituted. Wish they would open the Happy Hour to cover the entire house since almost everyone I know comes there just for that! The hours are no biggie but PLEASE let me have my cute little corner booth so I can get crazy with my girlies like we used to last month! Jaime is a great server! :)

    (3)

  • Kim S.

    When I got my credit card bill, the amount on my statement was $9 HIGHER than the amount I signed for. That was a 48% tip for my portion of the bill. Hopefully the credit card company will refund the overage.

    (1)

  • Ha'Ane T.

    Dorakus Sushi is one of my favorite places to have sushi, and it is open pretty late from 12-1 AM! It is located on the second floor of the Royal Hawaiian Hotel. We had made reservations on the weekend, good thing we did because there was a waiting line in front of the restaurant when we got there! Service Great service! The servers weren't too pushy and didn't bother you as much which I like as well, just perfect service in my opinion. Although the waitress could have suggested a few things from the menu that are popular, since that was our first time eating there, she still served us with a smile. Ambience Dim lighted restaurant. There are bathrooms for both sexes, although they are only single person bathrooms. Lots of seating, but I still would suggest reserving a table if you are deciding to eat there on the weekends (especially dinner times), they will hold your table for only 5 extra minutes, so if you are running late let them know and they will try their best to hold your table! Food Okay, so their specialty sushi rolls are to die for. We had three different types of sushi; white dragon roll, emperor roll, and the spicy tuna roll. I also had the misoyaki butterfish as my main dish and my boyfriend had the garlic steak as his. Both main dishes were served with rice and vegetables. This was my first time having their rolls, and their specialty rolls are just amazing; the white dragon roll was my favorite, it was a shrimp tempura roll with garlic chips on top of it drizzled with unagi sauce, the chips gave it the oomph and it comes with about 8-9 pieces I believe. The emperor roll was my boyfriends favorite it was filled with salmon, tuna, crab, and shrimp and the outside of the roll was fried with a homemade aioli sauce that my boyfriend adored, I did not really like the sauce- for it was just a little bit too much sauce on the sushi. The spicy tuna roll was not apart of the specialty roll menu so it did not look as pretty as our specialty rolls, pretty plain and sloppily presented on the plate. It was my first time trying anything misoyaki and I personally did not like the sauce on my fish, the fish was good but the sauce was waaay too sweet, it came with a scoop of (if I remember correctly) rice and salad. BUT my boyfriends steak was cooked to perfection with a scoop of right and perfectly sautéed mushrooms and onions on the side. I didn't really get to check out their drinks menu for I was only 20 at the time, so I just had water. This sushi joint is one of my favorites!

    (5)

  • Erik P.

    I have now dined here several times and never a bad experience. In fact, I've had nothing but outstanding service, match but equally outstanding meals. I'm in love with the lobster roll and the Chu torro! The Sake menu is great, but a bit pricey. That said, don't let that deter you. Go! Enjoy! I did and I'll be back soon.

    (4)

  • John W.

    The food is great quality and happy hour is a must. I suggest the geisha roll, white dragon, and the chirashi don. My wife also enjoyed the lychee martini. For large groups they have upstairs and one semi-private room. The ambience is interesting and they play great music. The last time we went our friends were excited to hear so much indie and alternative music. There is only valet parking, but not bad at $3 and its conviently located on kapiolani. Enjoy

    (4)

  • Ellen S.

    Nothing made me more happy than when Doraku Kapiolani opened right downstairs from where I live. They have a great happy hour, great food, and fun atmosphere. I am giving them 1-star based on my last experience. I came in last week and sat at the bar like usual. My server/bartender was a new and wearing a hat (wish I remembered his name), being that I frequent Doraku I usually recognize the workers. We came in for the late happy hour and ordered the Doraku Tataki, Clams, and the some specialty rolls. After over 20 minutes of waiting for the Tataki we inquired if it would be coming out soon. He proceeded to say yes but after checking our tab he realized it was never inputed. I understand mistakes are made, no big deal. After coming back from the kitchen he poured us two shots which we did not order. My husband has to work early so he said no to the shot. The bartender then openly took it himself which was surprising because I have never seen any bartenders at this establishment drink openly. After we finished our food we stayed so I could finish my drink. This is where the irritation came in. The bartender throughout our dinner seemed to be getting more and more intoxicated which lead to him getting louder and more obnoxious, constantly interrupting us with crude comments. I ended up not finishing my wine and requested for the check. When the check came, it was wrong because by this time the bartender reeked of liquor. It had some items on it that we did not order and it did not have my two happy hour red wines. After a long period of waiting the tab was fixed and he said he would take care of our wine for the mix up. I am disappointed but this review however does not reflect my overall view of Doraku. The owner, Kevin has always been very personable, management and staff before this incident has always been professional and friendly and the food is great but this experience has made me and my family think twice about returning.

    (1)

  • Karly L.

    im really torn! the food was delicious and our waitress was excellent. BUT there was no diaper changing table in the bathroom. i asked one of the waitresses who was texting on her phone if there were anywhere i could change my son. then she asked the hostess who then asked another waitresd who finally grabbed the manager. they were having a conversation and the manager kept looking at me and going back into the conversation. then the manager finally said we dont have a changing table! DUH!!! thats my concern dumbass! so i told him that i will change my son on the waiting bench but he said "thats unacceptable." we changed him on the ground!!!! so thats why im giving then 2 stars

    (2)

  • Jasmine B.

    I'm on the fence about doraku. We went with a party of 3, with a reservation for Friday late night happy hour. Service was mediocre-- server gave great drink suggestions but was horrible about refilling drinks (only 2 of the 3 of us were served our refills -- forget about a 3rd drink!); bus staff was quick to clean the dishes off our table, bus staff refused to take orders or to assist in even a water refill, server was constantly rushing. Everything was delicious; just the service left us disappointed. If service is something you value, skip late night happy hour.

    (3)

  • AsianRunningDiva S.

    Happy hour changed hours and now from 4-6pm. Still good food at really good prices! 4 of us ate and drank for $50/couple (tip included!). Not bad!!:)

    (4)

  • Marnelli Joy B.

    Food, OK. Service, OK. Came here for dinner with a group of friends to celebrate some recent accomplishments. We sat in the upstairs loft. From what we were told, it was their first week of opening, which is probably an important factor in our experience. Since we had such a large group, it took a while for everyone to get there. There was a server and a "server assistant." While waiting, of course they asked if we wanted drinks, etc. After looking at the menu, I asked what was in the Sangria. The assistant said he didn't know and was going to ask. He came back, saw me and remembered. So he walked to the server to ask him, came back to me, and said, "The server will let you know." It took about 15 to 20 minutes for them to finally let me know. I decided I didn't want it anymore. When I was looking at other drinks, I asked how another drink was and the server just repeated what was on the menu. (I was hoping he'd give me his opinion, or if it was sweet or sour, something...) Anyway, we ordered our food, and everyone's food came at odd times. We understand it was a large party, but my and my bf and the people sitting next to us ordered the same dishes. Except theirs came about 10 minutes after ours. Some people on our table never got a Red Dragon Roll that they ordered, even after both the server and the assistant went to check and said, "5 more minutes." The Panko Crusted Hamachi was great! Something I would definitely order again. The White Dragon Roll was good too. Dessert though, was another story. The tempura brownie didn't appeal to us, so we got the banana flambee... Our bananas were BURNT. Not crispy or slightly charred, but burnt. I had to scrape off what I could eat. It totally did not seem flambeed. NOT ordering this again. Overall, we felt it probably was because it was their first week. Food overall was okay. Will we go here again, maybe in a couple months. Glad to see others have had better experiences though. I gives me hope!

    (3)

  • Laynie P.

    Love this place! The panko encrusted hamachi was my fav dish! Also loved the white dragon roll and the God of Fire. They are all "must-haves". This is a cute little spot with cool ambiance and bomb food.

    (5)

  • J H.

    Nice environment. & good happy hour price. actually pretty good for lunch too.

    (4)

  • Glenn D.

    Food is as awesome as the Waikiki location, but this location is bigger and better only because of the outdoor seating and the bigger bar. Plus there's ample street parking and the late night happy hour at 9pm is awesome. Just like the Waikiki location, Happy Hour is the best on the island.

    (5)

  • lisa l.

    We live in So Cal and decided to try out sushi in Hawaii. After reading multiple Yelp reviews we decided to try this place out. The atmosphere is very 'bar' like=loud. Not kid friendly. But the sushi is the best I've had in a looong time. I had the 5 course chef's special, my dad tried the sashimi deluxe and my hubby had a couple of rolls. I recommend the chef's special, it had everything you really need. The slices were very large and fresh. I tried two of their cocktails and they were amazing. Make sure you make reservations, it gets packed!

    (4)

  • Chris F.

    It was the worst service we have had in our six months in Honolulu. The three of us were very excited to eat at Doraku Sushi last night. Figuring it was a Monday and would not be too busy we never thought service would be an issue. We are moving into the neighborhood and were excited to try a local sushi place. To start with I ordered us the Edamame and some hot tea. Both came promptly. We all placed an order for remaining 3 rolls and Sushi Samishi platter miso soup. And WE WAITED, the California Rolls came about 30 minutes later, and the final sashimi and rolls came in another 30 minutes. The miso soup never arrived, which suprised me because I have seen small lunch places get it to me inside of 2 minutes. Once she dropped down the final sushi dishes I told her I didnt want the Miso Soup, she never apologized for the wait on it. Our water was unfilled for several minutes on numerous occasions and we rarely saw the waitress except for when whe brought our food. It was the worst service we have had in our six months in Honolulu. When I told the waitress this she said she was sorry and walked away. She did not get a manager or try to explain, just walked away. And then she told us that the manager took off the miso soup for us, as if we had ACTUALLY gooten it and then sent it back to the kitchen! The proper address would have been to apologize for someone never getting us the soup inside of an 1.5 hour dinner in a slow restaurant. The food was ok, but we will never go back there again. If it was such bad service on a Monday, I cannot imagine a Friday...

    (2)

  • T T.

    Food is out of this world. Service and ambiance is not. Although it is decorated in a more trendy fashion, it is super loud, so loud that it is impossible to have a conversation. Service was super super slow when we dined there. I think the staff need to be more attentive and atleast "pretend" to enjoy their job. Our food took forever to come out, we had to ask the status quite a few times. And when we did, the bartender had the most irritated look on his face. And the bartender is another story. It was a male who had tattoo sleeves and gages in his ear. He was so rude..maybe trying to be funny but came across cocky and offensive. I would def give the food 2 thumbs up but then again, not worth it if you cant be comfortable and enjoy it. They should do a workshop to staff on how to provide excellent customer service to their patrons as that would make this restaurant a 5 and vastly improve their business.

    (3)

  • Clay K.

    Newly opened with a chic decor and indoor/outdoor seating. Upscale atmosphere but definitely a local lounge feel with good music. Extensive menu with creative specialty items. Emperor roll and "God of Fire" roll is a must try! The Hamachi carpaccio was a winner as was the Japanese style garlic steak. The grilled jumbo calamari was a pleasant surprise and so delicious. To finish off a wonderful meal you must have the green tea ice cream and you might not want to share this one! Our server Chelsea was just amazing and knowledgeable with her menu suggestions that made us wanting more. I will definitely be back and bringing more friends.

    (5)

  • Michelle K.

    Ive ate here twice and I really love this place! The decor is japanese fusion like. There is a happy hour menu and the food on it is awesome, you would think it would be crappy food on it, but completely opposite..yummy! Don't forget to order the brownie tempura its to die for!!

    (4)

  • Jonathan L.

    I was craving sushi but didn't want to go somewhere that did not have long wait so I choose Doraku. Street parking is fairly easy to find at night and if anything you can unofficially park at the self storage. We got there around 8pm and there were no tables inside so we had to sit outside. It was pretty windy that night and I didn't want dust blowing into my food. I asked the server if there was anyone leaving and he tried his best to find us an open table but we ended up staying outside. For the food we order the following: White Dragon Roll - This one was excellent each roll has a garlic chip on top and very creamy. It was laced with mayo which made it extra tasty. There was a piece of hamachi on it to and it went down my throat like butter. Geisha Roll - This roll is spicy it may not look spicy but it has a kick in the end. It was really delicious even though it kicked my ass. Dancing Eel Roll - This was my least favorite roll because I thought the eel did not go down to my stomach smoothly. It was tasty Tofu Spinach Salad - This is a normal tofu spinach salad. Noting much to say about it. It was a good experience. I felt like the server was very attentive even though he had tables inside and outside. Doraku seems like a good place for big parties. They even have an upstairs incase you want to hold a large gathering.

    (4)

  • A W.

    Great food and fun ambiance. If you love sushi and would like to be close to "the strip" this is the place to be! I had the ahi natto don, which was pretty good!! I have had better toro,overall I thought this place was great! I'll be back!!

    (4)

  • S A.

    Great happy hour! Lychee Martini, Momotaro Lemonade, soju...all for $6 and under. You can also get appetizers for that same price while sitting in the bar area. Can't beat that!

    (4)

  • Ele G.

    I had high hopes for this place and I made sure I went here on a special day... Our 19th wedding anniversary. .. We are from the west side so trekking to town and it was a holiday (labor day) had to be a good reason why... Anyway, we ordered from their HH menu and the food was just blahhhhhhh. ... from their spicey tuna roll.to their chicken karrage. .it just was not worth it... We so wanted to try their brownie tempura but my teenager son was already turned off by their food that he just wasn't in the mood. Out server was nice so that's why we ended up giving her 20% plus my husband's in the food industry so we know... anyway, sad to say won't be coming back anytime soon.. we'll just stick to sushi bay.....

    (2)

  • Rupert L.

    Went here for happy hour. Good selection for happy hour. Never knew their was an upstairs section for this place. It's just too hyped up if you're going last minute, the wait can take too long. Parking, well good luck with that if you're going the street parking way.

    (4)

  • Kyle H.

    I'm really glad they have finally opened this location - I avoid Waikiki like the plague so it's nice to have an alternative in a much more accessible area. As you would expect with a brand-spankin' new location, everything is nice, clean, chic and truly a pleasant place to dine. We hosted our girls' night here just in time to catch the last 30 minutes or so of their happy hour specials. What a steal! We ordered a bunch off of the HH menu : Asari Clam Sakamushi - broth was great, a bit on the sweet side Spicy tuna roll - we got seconds of this, simple crowd-pleaser, good portion Tuna Tataki - IMHO, the BEST item, It was so flavorful and delicious, I loved the fried garlic chips on top! Ahi Poke - standard stuff, they didn't complicate this, which was nice. Eggplant Miso - elegant bites, worth a try Tragically, they were out of the salmon kama (also on the HH specials menu) and shockingly, no green tea?!!? Other than those two faux pas, we enjoyed our cheap night out ($10 each for 5 people - wow!) and loved our cozy little booth, a wrap-around couch with lots of pillows to set the mood! I'll be back for happy hour for sure!

    (4)

  • Julia O.

    I've been here twice already, once for the regular menu and the most recent for happy hour. And i must say, their HAPPY HOUR is a WIN! $3 draft Kirin!!! That was one of the highlights :). They also had a good lychee martini which was still a little pricey...I think it was $9 for Happy Hour? Also good on the menu, as far as food, was the ahi tataki, the special donburi and the deluxe spicy ahi roll. Everything was reasonably priced and with $3 Kirin draft, everyone was feeling extra happy ;D. Their parking is $3 valet but we were there pretty late so they actually waived the fee since the valet was leaving already, score! The ambiance is great, sometimes gets super noisy but overall it was a great experience with friendly staff and great food and drinks!

    (4)

  • Erika H.

    I go here usually for the happy hour. :) they changed their happy hour menu maybe, 2 months ago? It's almost the same, but they took out some of my favorites, such as the spicy ahi roll (not the deluxe) and firecracker shrimp, but oh hey. there's still the california roll, so it's not bad. I also get the maki rolls, such as the red eye roll and white dragon roll.(pretty sure i tried more, they were all good ) i really like their fish, it's fresh and yummy! it's around 11~14 dollars for the maki rolls, and plus i get some happy hour specials, so i usually i spent about 20 here. i also tried an oyster shooter before, but it wasn't as great as i thought, i think it's just probably not my cup of tea, but it was fun to try it with friends! the service here, i would say it's on and off. on days its very good, or either it will be mediocre, but it was never horrible. :) doraku is a place to hit up whenever it's a bit late and my friends and i get that sushi craving. totally satisfies it!

    (4)

  • Kelli S.

    I recently met a friend for an early dinner at Doraku on a Friday around 5 p.m. Parking was definitely hard to find - you can't bank on street parking until after 6 p.m., and the tiny lot across the street (allowed for Doraku parking) was completely full. At 5 p.m., though, the eatery wasn't too busy, which was nice. My friend and I just sat at the bar because it was just two of us meeting. I would have preferred not to sit at the very front of the restaurant, but what can you do. This was my first time going to Doraku for Happy Hour, and some of the featured items were definitely worth trying. Our food came out really quickly and dinner didn't take as long as I expected. I've only been to this location twice, but I've had a good experience both times. Here's what we got: "Chicken Karaage": Let's get one thing straight - I like my karaage crunchy, and this version from Doraku definitely didn't disappoint. I forget how many pieces of chicken were included on the plate, but it was a good amount that my friend and I could share comfortably. I liked this karaage because it wasn't super crunchy, but it still had enough crispiness to it. The chicken meat itself was tender and flavorful; I would order this off the HH menu again anytime. "Agedashi Tofu": I do love tofu, but I tend to love it even more when it's fried. This tofu dish was great because the exterior was fried just enough (not soggy), but it also wasn't overdone. I also really liked the sauce that the tofu was in. This HH dish came with three pieces of tofu, I believe. "Tuna Tataki": I think this was the name of the last HH dish we ordered. The tuna tasted fresh, and I was glad for the chance to try this one. I let my friend have two of the three pieces included, though, because I wanted to eat more of the chicken. "Doraku Roll": Because this roll was named after the restaurant, I figured it had to be one of the more popular items. I really liked this roll because it had lobster, but my friend wasn't as keen about it. It featured lobster, shredded crab and cream cheese, and it was tempura fried and served with red and black tobiko and spicy garlic aioli. I liked the blend of the lobster and the shredded crab; the cream cheese also gave the roll a slightly sweet taste. My friend's main issue with this roll was that the entire thing was fried, but I didn't mind. I rather enjoyed the contrasting textures - the softness of the crab meat and the delectable crunch of the tempura batter. "Red Dragon Roll": This was one of the sushi rolls that I got during my first visit to this Doraku. It features spicy tuna, shrimp tempura and avocado topped with unagi, red tobiko, unagi sauce, ao nori and spicy aioli. It's one of the restaurant's best sellers and definitely one of my personal favroites. I love the contrasting flavors from the spicy tuna and shrimp tempura, along with the savory, fresh unagi. My friend liked this roll more than the "Doraku Roll." "Spicy Tuna Don": This rice bowl features spicy tuna served over sushi rice. I recently developed a liking for spicy tuna, so I definitely want to try this entrée from Doraku one day and see how it compares to other spicy tuna bowls that I've had in the past. I know Doraku is known for their sushi rolls--I normally get sushi whenever I come here--but if I'm in the mood for something different, I wouldn't mind trying one of their donburi options.

    (4)

  • Molly B.

    Love this place! Happy hour 4-6 and 9-close, there's a lot to choose from. Everything I've had here has been great - tuna tataki, beef tataki, south beach roll, lomi lomi roll, spicy tuna, chicken lettuce wraps, and don't forget that tempura brownie with ice cream - prefect to share with someone because it comes with two pieces. Service is excellent, the servers come check on you frequently (but not in an annoying way, in like a "I know you're here for happy hour and will need to order frequently" way). We sat outside because the inside had AC blasting (a good thing, I was just cold that night) and the music is pretty loud. The outdoor patios are quiet, comfortable, and relaxing. Indoor is modern and great for groups and hot dates. I can't wait to power through this entire menu, I'll be back a lot.

    (5)

  • Erica A.

    I've been to both Doraku locations several times (once was my first date with my hubby!) And each time, they deliver. The flavours are so complex and unique, a blend of western and Japanese cuisine. Tonight was made especially phenomenal by our server, Ty! He was so friendly, funny, helpful and awesome. Made a mental note to give him a shout out! If you have a question about a dish, ask him- his description of the surf and turf special sold us for sure. Whether you come for their specialty rolls or more traditional sushi, Doraku is delicious. Tonight we had the Maguro Zuke sashimi and it melted in your mouth... so good! If you're wanting to order sake and find the selection intimidating, try a sake sampler! They will show you a range of sake flavors to guide you in the right direction, and the price is very reasonable. Tonight we sampled 5 high quality sakes for $22. Save room for dessert! The tempura brownie is amazing. My personal fave is the green tea icecream- unassuming, yes, but packed with matcha flavor and served in anmitsu style with azuki, jelly, lychee and mikan. Divine! it's fun to order a bunch of things and share with friends. Though the foods look small, you will NOT leave hungry, lol. Kapiolani location has free customer parking on the corner of Kapiolani and Kamakee!

    (5)

  • Pabs G.

    Dragon roll, misoyaki butterfish, and garlic stead good. Ambiance and decor good. Black chopsticks and water bottle was nice. Being placed next to a noisy table with iPad blasting and kid having a tantrum was not good. It seems tech toys at the table keep us from having thought-provoking and mindful conversations during a meal with family and friends. Service staff may think twice about where they seat people. First impression of the food was good, but based on first experience, we are not likely to return.

    (3)

  • Rae W.

    My colleagues and I went for Happy Hour 4-6. We didn't check our watches until 7:30. Whoops! The food and drinks were amazingly good. I especially loved the miso eggplant, the dragon roll, and the lychee martini with a REAL lychee in it! Later, we ordered some desserts and were similarly impressed. I love bread pudding, but theirs is very different yet tasty. I can't wait to go back!

    (5)

  • Sungjin S.

    Solid rolls! I've been here several times and love their happy hour. Atmosphere: I really like the feel of Doraku in kakaako. They really made it accessible for locals to avoid the chaos in waikiki and still enjoy Doraku dining. Service: the place is huge with plenty of seating and usually pretty busy. Good and attentive servers. Make sure you valet park inside only $3. Accepts all credit cards. Food: the rolls are so tasty. Today I tried the black dragon roll, doraku roll and lobster roll. Lots of rolls. It was so good, especially the black dragon roll. I also tried the karaage chicken which was well flavored. For dessert tried the green tea ice cream and the banana bread pudding a la mode. The contrast of warm bread pudding and ice cream topped with caramel and chocolate sauce and whipped cream made it heavenly. Intangibles: solid rolls if thats what you like for sushi. Must try the banana bread pudding with ice cream for dessert.

    (4)

  • Roxanne Lynn T.

    I love doraku but this is based upon a customer service experience that left us feeling pretty upset that evening. Although happy hour prices and menu has changed and increased overtime, we still enjoy coming here for a late night dinner. But it was like one of those unpleasant service that could make you rethink about coming here for a while after the wait and runarounds we've had to endure during our recent visit. We had reservations around 9pm for 5 people and were seated promptly by 2 of our friends who were there prior to me and my other 2 friends who came shortly after. We were seated at the trunk middle table for the restaurant. This table is the worst table to be seated at! I was unfortunately stuck at the end of the trunk which gave me no leg room at all, giving me leg markings throughout the night because I was sitting so uncomfortably on my chair and the table. I wanted to sit on the other side of my friend but it was already reserve for upcoming people walking in. But that wouldn't have made a difference either since my friend was sitting on the edge of part of the tree trunk design that gave her leg problems as well. But I let it slide and figured not to let that ruin my night. We ordered off of the Happy Hour Menu: Tuna Tataki ($6), Ahi Poke ($6), Chicken Karaage ($5), and Sweet & Spicy Edamame ($3). That came fairly quickly so some of were able to enjoy it as it was freshly made. I should of gotten the regular edamame as the one I ordered was a little to heavy on the seasoning sauce. My friends ordered the following: -White dragon roll ($13.95): Spicy tuna, shrimp tempura and avocado topped with unagi, red tobiko, unagi sauce, ao nori and spicy aioli. -Chirashi don ($18.95): Assorted Sashimi over rice. -Spicy Tuna Don ($11.95): Spicy tuna served over sushi rice. -Happy Hour Deluxe Spicy Tuna Roll ($6) The white dragon roll came shortly after my happy hour items then the chirashi don came a little longer than expected but we figured since its all fresh fish it would have taken a while. As the 3 of us were enjoying dishes and we noticed that 2 of my friends dishes didn't come out yet after 20 minutes. You would think that the Happy Hour Deluxe Spicy Tuna Roll would come out the same time as our happy hour but it didn't. We waved down our server and asked for those two items, the spicy tuna don and spicy tuna roll that we didn't have and 10 minutes pass and still nothing. Again, we asked and he said he'll check in the back. Another 10 minutes pass, no dishes nor no update. Then the server passes by and says "you didn't get it yet?!" Nope, we didn't. At this point, the rest of us were already done with our dishes and we were at the verge of just canceling the rest of the orders. We ordered another ahi tataki to eat in the meantime while we still waited and that came out within 5 minutes. So we're thinking he must of forgotten those orders because he was well over 45 minutes since we were dining in there. After 3 times of inquiring about it, of course our appetites are not there anymore and we just wanted to cancel them already but it came just when we were about to ask for the bill. So of course, even when my friends were already so fed up waiting, they just ate it and didn't enjoy it as they would have because of all that waiting. Even the water service sucked, we waited so long that we drank so much water and didn't even get our water bottle filled up quick enough that we had to ask other servers to serve us. So as compensation for the super long wait, the server said they would give us a complimentary dessert. He suggested the ice cream tempura and so we agreed that's what we would get or so we thought we had placed the order. The server was distracted by someone else who had saw him and slowly walked away and didn't even acknowledge our order. After almost 10 minutes of waiting he comes back and says "So have we decided what dessert you'll get?" Like seriously?!! All that waiting again, we already had chosen. We were feeling it at the last string of our nerves, we were all irritated as we were rushing to catch a movie that night. The dessert finally came shortly after as I have to agree was pretty good but that irate feeling you have when you're so pissed off that even a dessert wont be satisfying as it should be. At first I really wanted to give 1 star but since some of the happy hour items came in a reasonable time and we got compensated with a dessert, I'll give this place that one extra star of service. Other than that, our experience here was just unacceptable. It'll probably be a while till I'll be back here but I hope when I do come back, it'll be a much better experience of service and a better choice of seating.

    (2)

  • Victoria A.

    Always a great meal with pretty fantastic service here! Free parking with validation, $3:00 for valet parking or street parking available. Beautifully decorated with "intimate" (see below disclosure) seating areas as well as a beautiful "community table,"bar and outdoor seating! I just love this place! From the many reviews before mine - daily specials are abundant as well as one of the best happy hours on the island. But my favorite thing about coming here is that I really don't have to think too hard about what to have on the menu. Everything is good!! There are carb-less (no rice) sushi rolls as well as some of the tastiest and lightest Miso Teriyaki Chilean Sea Bass I've ever had - it really doesn't get any better than this! So delicate and light, flavored gently with the sweetness and saltiness of miso teriyaki sauce. Tied with the Chilean Sea Bass is the Misoyaki Butterfish. Flavor profile is very similar to that of the Miso Teriyaki Sea Bass but the sauce is glazed and the vegetables are grilled. Happy hour (4-6pm & 9pm - closing) prices here make it one of the best places to chill after a hard day's work. Discounted drink and food prices can't be beat here. Service was absolutely perfect!! Attentive and courteous wait staff made our experience a 5 star experience however, circumstances beyond their control dropped this review to a 4 star experience. Call me old or old fashioned, but the music volume was horrendously LOUD (yup...like caps on LOUD)! I had asked if there was anything they could do to lower the volume and I was politely told that they had no control over that since they share the music from the business beside them. This made it really difficult to hear what my friends were saying although we were sitting right beside each other. I'd gladly come back here to dine and perhaps opt for outdoor seating and crossing fingers that the street traffic noises are not as intrusive as the indoor dining volume. Not having tried their much boasted about brownie tempura also warrants another visit sans the pounding headache from the loud music.

    (4)

  • Tina L.

    Oh Doraku, how your service has plummeted. I originally called the Waikiki Doraku on accident at first, but went right back to trusty Yelp and called Doraku Kaka'ako instead. I called on Tuesday night, May 12th, and spoke with the hostess about making a reservation at 9:00 p.m. for a party of 14 people. Sounding shocked about such a large party (I've made and been a part of larger parties here, so she must have been new), the hostess put me on hold for a while. After she got back, the hostess told me that the restaurant does not take reservations after 9pm because that is Happy Hour. No worries, I asked for the latest time possible. At first she told me that they could put us down for 8pm, but I asked her if that really is the absolute latest time we could make the reservation, because we have people who don't even get off work until 8:30. She said, "As long as MOST of you guys are here, that's fine." So I agreed to make the reservation at 8:30 pm for 14 people on the next night, which was Wednesday, May 13th. She asked for my name; I gave it to her. She asked for my phone number "starting with the area code first please"; I gave it to her. Finally, she responded, "Alright Tina, we have you down for tomorrow night at 8:30 pm for 14 people. Thank you!" Fantastic! May 13th, 2015 (8:00 pm) I get a phone call from a friend asking if the reservation was under my name. I told him that it was, but apparently the hostess was giving him a hard time saying that they "don't do reservations after 8pm". A little annoyed, but knowing that Doraku and its hostesses wouldn't be so: 1.) Careless, and 2.) Rude to my friends (or anyone for that matter) I told him to just ask again and let them know I for sure made a reservation for 14 people at 8:30 pm, and I know for SURE it was Doraku Kaka'ako that I called, because that's the greeting that they answer the phone with. The hostess apparently continued to give my friend a hard time. I showed up at 8:30 and they managed to get a table anyway because it was slow, so I decided to not let it ruin my night. Unfortunately, the hostess is for sure new since I've been there, and the servers have all been replaced as well. The waitresses that my friends and I used to love talking to are all gone. Anyway, I walk in with my friend, and the hostess looked like she just really didn't want to be there. She did not say a single word to me. I smiled at her and sort of walked up to her, but she just CONTINUED TO STARE AT ME. Maybe she was having the WORST day of her life. Go home then. Call out sick. But don't stand there and roll your eyes around at me as I walk past you. Also, I have a picture of her playing on her phone and not looking up at another person who walked in and had to stand there for a hit before being greeted. TWO hostesses worked that night on May 13th, and one point BOTH of them had their heads down playing on their smart phones not caring about the people who were walking in! Also, the busser guy seemed to be harassing/flirting with one of the hostesses. I do feel bad for her despite her attitude, because I think she felt uncomfortable around him after he sort of placed a cold water bottle on her leg, so she backed into her podium away from him a little bit. Don't behave like that in front of us. We can see all of it, we were sitting right in the MIDDLE of the restaurant, and that behavior from MULTIPLE employees that night was just unbelievably unprofessional. Very very VERY disappointing. I started the update for this review last night, but I decided against it, because I don't like to be negative. After hearing multiple complaints, however, from multiple people in my party about how terrible the service was, I guess the sour feeling just stuck with me. I'm not even angry. I'm incredibly sad. I used to love Doraku, and now this place seems to be run by teenagers who take their job for granted. Mind you, we were there for my friend's birthday, but it was also the birthday of one of the bartenders and they all made a big giant scene about that. Maybe they were just too distracted that night to serve us despite it being a slow night? I mean, apparently the birthday of an employee trumps the birthday of a paying customer. The service was friendly. As in our waiter was nice. Actually I think two guys waited on us, and they were both nice, but the service was way too slow. I waited over ten minutes just for some lemon wedges while my uni don remained untouched. The waiter liked to take his time with everything including getting our checks for us when we asked for it. Nice, but too slow. Are they all new? Where did all the good ones go? Perhaps they need to do some serious re-training. Until then, I'm on the prowl for a new sushi joint, because I think I'm gonna have to break it off with Doraku. Seriously I'm not even angry about the service. Just seriously incredibly sad that such a great restaurant has gone to complete crap.

    (2)

  • Seb H.

    Since I'm not too far from this place I always visited this place for happy hour exclusively, so this review is pretty much an exclusive review on their happy hour service. When we dine out we try to find a good deal most of the time. You splurge here and there trying to eat the best of something once in a while but when it comes to frequent restaurant dining value is what I think most of us looks for. And if you're in Hawaii, Doraku's happy hour would pretty much be the best value you'll find in the entire state. They have a pretty extensive menu even for happy hour, offering a wide range of appetizers and some smaller portioned main dishes such as the rolls. Regardless of how picky or large your group is there will likely be a happy hour option that the person will like. If you are so picky that nothing on the happy hour menu piques your interest they do seems to have a rotating happy hour special as well these days. Last time I visited it was grilled ribs which were so meaty and smoky and amazing for something like $10. I think it would have costed me more money to buy the ingredients and cook it myself. The booze options are pretty nice too (I'm boring so I always get beer on draft). While it is possible to find cheaper booze at other places when you consider the cheap food you can pair with your booze, and considering that the restaurant is pretty classy and not a dive bar, it is a pretty damn good deal which I can easily recommend. While I never had to worry about parking they do seem to have the valet option for those willing to spend a little or a satellite parking lot for those who are more frugal by the corner of Kapiolani and Kamakee. And of course the street parking on Kapiolani would be an option too if you are going for the late night happy hour instead of the 4-6 PM.

    (5)

  • John G.

    Good place to grab sushi in Waikiki. Good fish, cool location - sit on the lanai and enjoy the view of the strip - we watched some b-boys busking while we waited for our food. The sushi is good and, atypical for most sushi places, their desserts are really good! Fun place, easy location, and usually not too long of a wait to get in (the crowd builds outside the Cheesecake Factory - seriously?) Fun story - The first time we went, in 2010, we were entertained by the two worst behaved children we've ever seen in a restaurant - they were in one of the u-shaped booths just to the right of the entrance, and they were running and jumping on the bench between mom and dad the whole time we ate - when we left, we saw them totally wipe out the display at a store on the second floor of the mall. We were cracking up, and I told my nearly adult kids how good they'd always been in restaurants. :-)

    (4)

  • Andy F.

    Wow, the last time I was here was in November of 2013? That's....a little disappointing. I came here with a bunch of friends for the late afternoon Happy Hour. Everything looks exactly the same as I remembered from almost a year and a half ago. It still has the rows of sake barrels behind the bar, and the mix of modern and classic Japanese décor. The food, for the most part, looks the same. We had the Salmon Carpaccio. There are seven slices of salmon sashimi with a yuzu mayo in a creamy ginger sauce with tobiko, red onion and scallions. The salmon was very fresh and was the star of the dish. The sauce was more on the bland side, and there wasn't enough of the tobiko and yuzu mayo to add any salty and sour element to this dish. But the freshness of the salmon was enough to make me enjoy this dish. The Tuna Tataki over a bed of shredded daikon radish and onions with ponzu sauce, garlic aioli, and chopped green onions and fried garlic chips wasn't as good I remembered. This time, the radish salad underneath was overdressed with ponzu sauce and made the dish more sour than anything. Also, the tuna didn't taste that high quality. The Ginger Chicken Kara'age was okay. There were pieces that were tasty and juicy, and fried very well, but there were pieces that were dry and tough. For the ones that were good, the ginger soy sauce was really good and had a nice balance between salty and sweet. Do NOT order the Steak Yakitori. This was absolutely awful. Whoever cooked this, killed the beef. The meat was super tough due to some major overcooking, and the edges were burnt. Not a nice char, but just straight burnt. There wasn't much of sauce and more so oil and greasy. This was accompanied with a strange cabbage slaw that appeared misplaced and unpleasing to the eye. The Deluxe Spicy Tuna Roll was not very good. The tuna wasn't spicy what-so-ever, and the roll itself looked and ate as if it was from a fast food or buffet restaurant. The roll wasn't rolled tight so the rice was loose and the nori was soft. I remembered the Eggplant Miso was my favorite from my last visit. This time, even though it was still very good, the toppings were extremely scant. It only had chopped up radish sprouts and a sprinkle of sesame seeds. The eggplant itself didn't seem like it was fried, but boiled. But they were cooked very well to a nice softness. The saving grace is the Yuzu Miso sauce, which was super tasty and went very well with the eggplant. After eating all these dishes, we didn't feel full or satisfied, so we ordered the Steak Tataki, and I am glad we did. The raw beef is was sliced razor thing and soaked in a sweet soy yuzu sauce with raw red onions and scallions on top. The beef was very fresh and the sauce was tasty with nice flavors, and the yuzu element really cut into the rawness of the beef. Overall, the food was so-so this time around. Just still with the good ones. The service was good. Attentive servers and the food came out at the right amount of time. This is still a top place for Happy Hour, which includes Hot Sake!

    (3)

  • Angela R.

    Was a nice atmosphere. Thought the prices were reasonable. I had the garlic steak. It was good but not the best. Think next time I'll have sushi.

    (3)

  • Stan G.

    Chef Jarrin is Fantastic at his craft. The food was outstanding, not to mention the excellent staff. Thank you for making my Wife's lunch a memory.

    (5)

  • Kenson K.

    Yay for sushi! We went bonkers here and ordered so much stuff. If you have any of the sashimi or sushi, everything is very fresh and you will not be disappointed. The ootoro is so good. Clam miso soup - I didn't care for it so much. it was a little to ocean-y oyster shooters - I think they had too much ponzu in it. it was a bit too sour Firecracker Jumbo shrimp - I thought this was just ok. I liked the prawns better. Spicy garlic prawn - excellent. Very large pieces of shrimp with just the right amount of spice. Ahi poke - this was really good. I don't know what they put in it but there is something in there that makes it taste different from normal poke. It's so delicious. Seafood poke - good but I like the ahi poke better Kampachi carpaccio - I thought this was good. but I wished there was more acid and sour in it Misoyaki butterfish - one of my favorites. Deelish Garlic steak - it was ok. I liked the other seafood dishes better though

    (4)

  • Lindsey S.

    I miss this place! AMAZING SUHI!! One of the best places to get fresh sushi with sweet, spicy, tangy, fresh flavors all in a small piece wrapped up in rice. Picture is worth a million words so check it out! You wont be disappointed. If you are looking to try a no rice roll... THEY HAVE THEM!! I loved it. I would ask for a roll each time i went. Always with the sauce on the side. =)

    (5)

  • Amabel L.

    One of their drivers hit my boyfriend's car, and they are now refusing to pay to fix it. Telling lies like they were behind him. But the site of the accident is obviously on the left side near the drivers seat. I also ate there with a few friends and was served spoiled lychee in my drink along with not so special sushi and side dishes. A lot is to be said about a company when they don't own up to their mistakes.

    (1)

  • Tracy T.

    Called two days in advance to make a reservation at 5:00for a party of 9 was told I couldn't make a reservation at that time would have to just walk in. We got there a little before 5:00 went to check in they told me it would be a hour to 11/2 hour wait or longer cause than it would be after happy hour and we would be behind the people that had reservations @6:00 WTH they told me I couldn't make reservations we had a friend from mainland just wanted to have a good time out! They ruined that! So we went next door to Chai's they accommodated us and had their happy hour menu that was really good they did everything they could do to accommodate us thanks Chai's for saving our nite out Doraku you missed out on a $500.00 sale cause you told me I couldn't make a reservation than said I would be behind the people that did!

    (1)

  • Karen G.

    I am giving 4 stars solely based on my food experience... Customer service on the other hand is EXTREMELY slow.. I wouldn't mind, but since I had a flight to catch in an hour, I had to rush to eat my sushi .. Nice interior, not too crowded, pretty chill for lunch dates and business gatherings.. To sum it up.. If you are not in a rush and want to enjoy some fresh sushi.. This is the place to go. (You might be pouring your own water too -just heads up)

    (4)

  • Noelani C.

    Service could be better here... Was sat but never served. Waited 15 minutes before the server approached our table. I watched the servers walk by a few times and no "hello" or any eye contact. Ordering and the server was really nice! She apologized that she didn't know we were in her section and thought we were helped by another server. Apology accepted. As we order she was thorough and everything I ordered came out accordingly. The sashimi is not the freshest but it was good! The appetizers were great and the ambiance is amazing! Just a little too crowded so therefore understandable when needing an extra napkin or refill of water is a task to flag someone down. It's a great social atmosphere and gathering spot. Just remember to order when you have the chance! I will maybe dine here again. Not sure but maybe in 6 months.

    (4)

  • Nyla K.

    This place is very trendy and is a cool spot to catch drinks and food, especially on their late happy hour. We got there a bit early and ordered a regular priced dish but at the stroke of 8 we piled in all the HH items our bellies would allow! The poke was great, the sushi was great, the beer was great! After awhile I lost count of how many beers and how many rolls I had but the night ended up with us bar hopping. An excellent place to go... Even for tourists.

    (5)

  • Liz M.

    this place never fails me, especially when it comes to quality sushi and sake! love this place and it is always a must when I'm in Oahu! I haven't been to any other location, though there is another one. the specially sushi selection has a variety!

    (5)

  • Kelsi C.

    I've heard great things about Doraku and decided to check it out. Plus, we had family visiting from the mainland, who wanted to see too. The ambience in here is very nice, very chic. It's an upscale, modern twist on Japanese decor. We were seated at our table, which was about 10 feet off the ground. I wondered why that was, especially since it wasn't a bar seat, and it made it hard to climb on and off from the seat. We ordered the ahi bone, the Black Dragon sushi, the hamachi and salmon carpaccio, the lobster tempura, the garlic steak (which was DELICIOUS), and the panko-crusted hamachi. OHHHH, that food was excellent! They also give a lot, because it's meant to share pupus-style. Our service lacked. I didn't get a name of our waiter, but he knew my boyfriend. I didn't appreciate that he almost...encouraged my boyfriend to drink. THAT really is why I'm giving 3 stars instead of 4 or 5. The waiter was friendly and all, but that was not cool. I don't care if you two know each other personally, show some professionalism. Overall, this is a good place to come to have a drink and kick back. I don't think you'll be disappointed with the food. At least I wasn't, and nobody in my party was. I was disappointed with the lack of professionalism though.

    (3)

  • Alec F.

    AHH THE HAPPIEST OF HOURS. This is one of my favorite happy hour spots, and honestly, I've only actually be here FOR happy hour as I'm pretty sure the regular menu is fairly pricey. But this happy hour man. It's great. Offering two happy hours from the earlier from 4 to 6 or from 9 to close, Doraku has an insert in its menu for all your happy hour needs (I posted a picture if you wanna check it out). They have everything from rolls, to edamame, to hot dishes, to poke. My favorite's are the lomi lomi roll, the chicken karaage, and the California roll - okay, I'm sorry, I can't handle spicy so I stay away from a lot of the menu. But everything I've ever tried here has been tasty! Also, they have a selection of drinks under $6 - that's always appreciated. You can get your glass of wine and sushi on like all the cools kids are doing these days. On top of this awesome happy hour - which by the way, I recommend going to for your classy pregame before hitting up Chinatown or Waikiki - you get this classy/upscale ambiance because... well, Doraku is a little more classy, haha. But that means you get classy for an affordable price. Dim lighting, close tables, and beautiful flatware makes a good way to start or end any evening. The waiters are always super friendly and on top of things, and for some reason the music is always playing all my jams. The only downside may be parking. Not that it's really a downside, because they do have a validated lot, but it's still a few bucks. However there's also street parking and it's located pretty centrally so hey - Uber it! This location in particular is great as it's a little less touristy and casual than the Waikiki location in the Royal Hawaiian shopping center. You're doing all the right things Doraku, keep it up.

    (5)

  • Alizabeth H.

    Heard of this place from one of my massage clients. He said it is great and prices are good for Japanese food. So we tried it out. It was a great experience. We got in during happy hour. It was very busy but the servers didn't look rushed or stressed. The restaurant looked really nice. Pictures would have been better for this review because I'm not great at explaining. We enjoyed our food and the restaurant so much that we didn't take much pictures. We just eat and enjoyed. Happy hour is the best time. I think it was 6pm-9pm the happy hour and we got our drinks and food. For the two of us it was $80 with tip. Not cheep but cheep for great Japanese food. We will come back. Valet is $3

    (5)

  • Courtney T.

    I'm not a fan of raw fish or fish in general, so going to sushi restaurants can be a challenge. However, Doraku's expansive menu gave me lots of interesting options. So I opted for the eggplant miso and stir fry veggies. The stir fry had a lot of bell peppers and onions that were barely cooked, but the mushrooms and zucchini and fried onions were good. Overall, a so-so dish. On the other hand, the eggplant miso was AMAZING! The eggplant was juicy, tender and tasty. The miso and yuzu combined with the garlic chips on top of the eggplant was heavenly. I would go back just for the eggplant. We went during lunch and it wasn't too crowded. The service was great and I want to go back during happy hour because guess what's on the happy hour menu. The eggplant! Yum.

    (4)

  • Latifa S.

    Same sushi, different location!! Doraku can do no wrong. No really. They can do NO wrong! Open, pretty décor, check!! Pretty kick ass food: check check check! I can eat at their waikiki location almost every day. Naturally, I have to check this one out too.So this one is in town. Not waikiki. But still quite nice. Much more laid back. They had shared tables and bar seats. We were seated in this massive table! We chose the corner since it was too big. Seems prices are cheaper here too. Drinks~ definitely didn't have the same menu as the waikiki one. I sticked with hot sake. Quite strong actually!! Food Seafood poke - yummm! You can never have enough poke! This one has at least 3-4 different kinds of fish in it. Kampachi - didn't have it!!!!!! surf and turf - a ok! I'm not big on eating steak on my sushi. But my friend liked this. Tofu salad with miso dressing - good Miso edmame - pretty good God of fire- this was wayyyy less spicy than their Royal Hawaiian one! If you like spice, this is the roll for you! Jalapenos, habaneros and then some. Yummm! Spicy shrimp - not so delish. It was good but I had this as an appetizer. Basically fried shrimps on a bed of greens with spicy mayo. Could've gone with something else ( not fried) Eel roll was also pretty tasty! I did get to try their happy hour drink in the end. It was something sake, pink and sweet. For a not so busy spot, they were busy!! Too busy to get the staffs attention. I don't mind it because I love the food but waikiki one is definitely my goto location!!

    (3)

  • Cyndy K.

    Cyndy's Bottom Line: Great for sushi lovers! Excellent selection of sushi. Interesting, creative rolls and flavorful combinations. Wide ranging menu from cold dishes, donburi -rice bowls, salads, soups, hot dishes, Doraku speciality rolls, dragon rolls, speciality no rice rolls, hand rolls, nigiri and assortment of sashimi and toro. Great selection of cocktails and sake. Delicious tantalizing happy endings desserts. Great service from Vinny! This is what we ate/drank: *Bloody Mary lined with black salt on the rim. Garnished with a stuffed olive and lime slice and celery stick. Yummy! *Prosecco - so glad they serve bubbly! Yay! *Kirin draft by the glass *Traditional miso soup The most delicious miso soup with konbu and tofu. Yummy! *House salad with Doraku ginger dressing. Delicious dressing with a nutty, savory flavor. *Negi toro don Yummy decadent fatty tuna sprinkled with green onions over delicious sushi rice. The rice is premium grade and perfectly cooked. *Hawaiian Opah Miso Teriyaki The opah is moist and perfectly cooked and served with a flavorful sweet miso teriyaki sauce over sautéed spinach. *Ume Shiso Chicken - grilled tender chicken thigh served with julienned shiso leaves and plum paste. The chicken was a bit dry and the plum paste was sparse. *Sake Bomb roll - spicy salmon, cucumber, jalapeño & avocado topped with salmon, garlic aioli and ikura. If you love salmon you will love this roll. It's all about the salmon. A YUMMY combination! *Red Dragon roll - spicy tuna, shrimp tempura, avocado topped with unagi, red tobiko, unagi sauce, nori and spicy aioli. *God of Fire Roll - spicy tuna roll with cucumber, jalapeño, topped with tuna sushi habernero masago and spicy garlic aioli. *Banana flambé in Gran Marnier served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, honey, chocolate syrup and macadamia nuts. YUMMY! *Brownie Tempura - home made brownie tempura served with vanilla ice cream and fruit purée, chocolate syrup and topped with macadamia nuts. The brownie is nicely fried and everything together is very yummy! Lovely decor and ambiance. There is validated parking. There is Happy Hour everyday from 4pm to 6pm. Late Night Happy Hour everyday from 9pm to close

    (4)

  • Nicholas L.

    Both Doraku locations are great! I prefer the Kapiolani location just to avoid the tourist rush. Things I love about Doraku Kapiolani: -cheap and easy valet parking ($3) -open all day so early dinners are easy -outstanding happy hour menu -courteous servers, all well-trained Menu items I recommend: -chutoro (often hard to find at other places) -white and black dragon roll -double happiness roll -karaage (happy hour menu) -ahi and avocado salad (huge ahi portions perectly matched with house ponzu dressing) The bar seating is large and the outdoor dinning section is a nice change up to the traditional indoor dinning experience. Last tip: If there is a crowd, the wait is worth it! Don't fall into the trap of thinking of going next door to Chef Chai's. You'll thank me later.

    (4)

  • Butterfly P.

    OMG! The Doraku seafood salad was awesome! It's like ordering a side of a variety of poke with greens. There's alot of poke in the salad. Everything else we ordered we had before so I won't comment except it's still delicious! All topped off with a House Cabernet. Ahhh.... Service was great too! Ayame was our waitress.

    (5)

  • John F.

    I absolutely love the Doraku Sushi early bird happy hour menu! I'm a huge fan of the salmon carpaccio and tuna carpaccio. They also make a wonderful spicy tuna roll and Lomi salmon tuna roll. Their chicken karaage is no slouch either. And for only 2 bucks you get a huge overflowing bowl of edamame lightly sprinkled with rock salt. No reservation is required and you can be seat and you can seat yourself at the bar without any waiting. 6 dishes ran me a tab of a only about $30. The only drawback to this location is the parking. It is valid only for 3 dollars plus tip. It's not expensive but I prefer to park myself. It's definitely 5 star food for any super low price with one star off only for the parking situation. Highly recommended! See my pictures!

    (4)

  • Sonia S.

    If you appreciate a good Happy Hour, Doraku is the place to be. Daily from 4 - 6pm, they have a nice selection of menu items with prices less than $10. You'll see wood decor carved with the saying "road to Happi ness"...Doraku is the road to happiness indeed. We love their Salmon Carpaccio ~ thinly sliced salmon sashimi swimming in an addicting orange ginger sauce, topped with negi, sliced red onions and black tobiko. Chicken Karaage is a go to item as well ~ tender chicken pieces seasoned just right, not too sweet, not too salty with shredded beets and daikon. Sushi is decent, service is pretty good, cool ambience. Great place for a date night.

    (4)

  • Pamela S.

    Came here with a friend for dinner on Christmas day and sat at the bar. Shared the geisha roll and the white dragon roll. I can definitely eat more than that but this wasn't the time. Most of the rolls here sounded pretty similar to each other. Hard to judge a place based on just a couple of specialty rolls but I really liked both of the options we went with. Sometimes sauces get to be too much for me, but it wasn't overwhelming on either. If I ever go back, I'd definitely need to try the sashimi - must be fresh! Dimmed lighting and trendy atmosphere, would be great for a date.

    (4)

  • Evan M.

    I have been always meaning to try here, and finally got a chance! We came for lunch, which is a perk because structure parking is free when validated. The con about lunch is I think the kitchen gets backed up a bit due to the smaller staff size, but we weren't kept waiting too long at least. We started off with two rolls- the White Dragon Roll and the Red Dragon roll. Both were excellent, but I preferred the Red more because it had more kick to it given the spicy sauce on top. I got the Misoyaki Butterfish, which was recommended by our server. It was flavorful and tender, but did have a decent amount of bones (as most butterfish has, unfortunately). Since I got the dish as a lunch special (15 bucks) it came with miso soup and salad, which made it a great deal. For dessert we got the Chocolate Brownie Tempura, which was great. It was surprisingly not too "heavy" given the "fried tempura" coating. It reminded me of a lighter "fried Oreo". I would definitely recommend getting this if you haven't!! Overall I hope to come back again and try more of their menu. Also heard their happy hour is a great deal so will try to come back then. Till next time!

    (4)

  • Ally G.

    Made it to Doraku on a Monday for their happy hour specials. We been here before about a year ago and wanted to try it again since we were close by and looking for a happy hour in the early afternoon. It's located in the Pacifica building, parking is kinda tight but they usually have valet after a certain time. Ordered off the happy hour menu, Cali roll, delux spicy ahi roll, chicken karaage and ordered a special they had on butterfish bones. Also had a couple of Heineken lights each. Total was $37. Overall, the food and service was ok. The restaurant is nice, but I don't really care for the bench seating. Not sure if I would come back again.

    (2)

  • Cat P.

    This place is one of my faves for happy hour. They have a large variety of pupus, all of which are very good. My favorites include the chicken kara'age, tofu agedashi, beef tataki, salmon carpaccio, and tuna tataki. These items are all on the happy hour menu but I believe the tofu agedashi is like a secret item on their list. My all time fave drink here is the lychee martini...it has the perfect amount of sweetness from the lychee, and just enough alcohol to get me feeling buzzzzed. I really love the ambience of this place too...we always take our visitors from the mainland here (as it's walking distance from our place), and it's a cool place to go to for happy hour. The happy hour prices are super reasonable and the price you pay for what you get is soo worth it! One con about this place is that it can get pretty packed so the wait time can be pretty long, especially if you have a large group. So we try to come here on weekdays, or if there is a really long wait, then we'll put our names down, walk back to our place and have a few more drinks, and then head back over for some ono grindz. Food on the regular menu is really good as well but it is pretty pricy so I highly recommend coming here for happy hour, as the prices are wayyy more reasonable! I believe they have an afternoon happy hour from 4-6pm, and then a late night happy hour, which goes from 9pm to close.

    (5)

  • Kaitlyn M.

    The sushi was amazing and creative. The restaurant is just beautiful. A variety of places to sit, high ceilings, nice materials used for the furniture/bar. The service was very good. And they leave a glass bottle of water at the table which I always love!

    (5)

  • kristine f.

    Let me preface this review by saying that this review is solely based upon my opinions of Doraku's Happy Hour. The good: + Location is conveniently located to Ala Moana and Ward Shops. + Happy hour Sake was huge and all for $5. + Poke is the only consistent thing on the menu that has been tried and true. + Ambiance has such a hip (cool) vibe and would be a good time with either a big group of friends or just you and your bestie. The Ugly - The food lacks consistency. I've been to Doraku a handful of times and I will say that my palate's experience every time. - Service was okay but not the best. The sushi chefs were nice but the servers weren't the most cordial bunch. - Happy hour menu items are just "okay." Compared to other happy hours like Sansei and Gyukaku I'd much rather prefer that, unless you prefer a more sexy atmosphere with mediocre food.

    (2)

  • Karen T.

    I just got home from having lunch at Doraku! As expected, this experience was even better than the first time I was there. I had the Miso Halibut served on some greens and it was great. Not sure if I like this or the Butterfish better. My cousin had the Hamachi which she said was really good too and our friend had Chicken Karaage-her usual since she's a regular. We also got the Brownie Tempura Ala Mode to share! Fried Brownie Sticks with Ice Cream! Yay! LoL Our waitress was really nice and patient, I wish I caught her name. We were talking so much when she came to take our orders we hadn't even opened our menus yet. Even Richard the manager came and checked on us a few times to see how things were going. Even the hot tea was good... We had a nice leisurely lunch(3hrs) and they never tried to rush us out or anything. Oh, and it's a little chilly in there towards the back-just how I like it. Would I go back? Yes... with this summer heat, same time tomorrow would be great Do I recommend to others? Yes I do!

    (5)

  • Ryan T.

    What?! How have I never been here?! 2 happy hours everyday!!! Just had my 1st experience and it was awesome, maybe it was all the sake? or all the delicious pupus on the happy hour menu, either way, definitely going back. I hear the parking situation is a little tough, but I didn't drive and this Honolulu, is there any good parking here? Walk, Uber, Lyft, bus, cab or have a friend drop you off because you shouldn't be driving when you leave this place anyhow. We got the beef tataki, so tender and just melts in your mouth, more please :-) I destroyed some chicken kara'age by myself. Ahi poke was also great. And, then the eggplant. If I could cook eggplant like that I would be a vegetarian. It tasted so good I refused to believe it was eggplant. If I gave it to you and you didn't like eggplant guarantee you would eat and ask for more. Basically everything was good, not sure if you can go wrong ordering anything here. Anyhow, service was also good. Our waitress was very kind and helpful in trying some new types of sake. Planned on only going for an hour or 2 and it turned into 4. If you haven't been definitely go check it out. Good stuff. Maybe next time I'll try those oyster shooters :-)

    (5)

  • Nikki S.

    I enjoy the food here & usually enjoy the servers but the hostesses... not so much. Every single time that I've been here they don't greet you & they don't smile, they simply look at you & that's it. The last time I came in, which was just a few days ago, there were two men standing at the front so I told them how many & they just said "ok" & continued to carry on with their own little side convo. Hm ok so I awkwardly had to stand there until I realized he wouldn't ask for my name or tell me how long. As soon as I figured that out I sat down next to my friend & one of the guys said "k I can take you" I knew their convo had nothing to do with our seating assignment because my friends & I could hear what they were talking about. Moral of this story: just because I look to be the same age as you, do not be so rude where you can't even do your job correctly. I'm only giving this place 3 stars because I REALLY enjoy the food. If I had to give a rating based on service? I'd only give it 1 star.

    (3)

  • Reina L.

    This is one of our favorite places to go, good food, great atmosphere. We love the oyster mushrooms! The hamachi carpaccio, steak, and tried the pork belly yaki-soba tonigt. Excellent! Sons favorites are the hamachi, sashimi platter (large one), and even the mushrooms (only time he eats them). Wait staff are great! Remember to make reservation! Valet parking is a flat $3.00.

    (5)

  • Aim H.

    My friends and I came here to try the happy hour today. We were seated right away in the upstairs seating area. Our server greeted us and went over the specials. We ended up ordering all of the specials along with more than half of the items on the happy hour menu. Some of the specials were ribs and roast pork. Both were excellent. Some of the happy hour items we ordered was poke, all of the sushi, sweet and spicy edamame, yakitori , etc. we also ordered items from the regular menu like oyster mushrooms and spicy lobster roll. Everything we had was good. We ordered the brownie tempura (2x lol) and the ice cream tempura (2x lol). Desserts is a must before leaving!! I will definitely be back!

    (4)

  • Sarah G.

    The happy hour here is great. The first one ends at 6pm and the second one starts at 9pm. The hibiscus drinks are amazing at only $6. Lots of good food on happy hour too, like the karage chicken. The brownie tempura dessert is just as amazing as it sounds!

    (4)

  • Rhesa S.

    Service was impeccable: our waiter seemed to check on us at the right time to offer more drinks and/or other menu items. Happy Hour specials are delish! Must try the beef skewers (I wish I ordered my own--not sharing next time, ha ha...seriously though...). Pair it with their beer on tap special (Kirin) or their yummy Lychee Martini !

    (5)

  • Leigh A.

    Service was atrocious! The waiter forgot drinks, we had several duplicate menu items delivered to the table that were not ordered. One sushi roll was delivered to the wrong table and it was not figured out until the roll brought to our table was not claimed. We had lobster delivered to the table and the server said that it was firecracker shrimp, so the wrong person started eating it. The overall service was poor and the food was mediocre!

    (2)

  • Joyce L.

    I went to Doraku Sushi for ending of happy hour/dinner. I made a reservation and they gave us a cozy place to sit and hangout with my friend. The hostesses were welcoming and energetic. Doraku Sushi isn't your traditional Japanese restaurant where you can get Teishoku meals. It's more of a hangout place for drinks. Therefore, I wouldn't recommend for family dinner with young children. I did see one child at the center counter. And yes, some yelpers did say it's good for children but for me it's a no. I was happy with the server and the food. We ordered vegetable tempuras, chicken wrap and California rolls. However, when I paid for my bill in cash, the server didn't give coin change back. I've been to places where servers take the coins out and give you even change back. So my server short me 80 cents in change. I thought that was weird. But maybe she forgot no big deal. Parking is valet for dinner. I'm one of those people who don't like to valet my car. But I hear lunch is self park. So maybe I'll be back for lunch. If you want to grab a drink especially for happy hour this is one of the up beat kind of place to hangout. Price is right too!

    (4)

  • Elizabeth O.

    We sat at the bar during happy hour. Great happy hour choices in both drinks and food. It's super yummy! Can't wait to go again

    (5)

  • Kim M.

    Excellent service and good food. Happy hour is definintely the time to go. CHICKEN KARAAGE The menu used to read, "Ginger Chicken Karaage," but I found that nothing about it changed aside from the name. (Thank gawwwd.) I am a hardcore fan of this ginger chicken karaage. Mmm.. #thatsaucedoe OYSTER SHOOTERS Always fun and delicious. CHIRASHI Better than I had expected! Tons of different BROWNIE TEMPURA I can't get enough of this. It's sinful, but freakin' delish. I order this every time I dine here. yelp.com/biz_photos/dora… VERDICT When you can't decide on where to go, think Doraku. Great for dinner, lunch, happy hour, or whatevs! I've been here with both friends and family, so it's really a great restaurant for everyone. Definitely a good place for happy hour. And they have a late night happy hour from about 9PM until close.

    (4)

  • Christopher B.

    Expected service to much better. Came here about a week ago and received better service. Ordered a drink and couple pupus. My chicken and California roll came before my kirin. I finished the sushi and chicken and still no drink. Furthermore, we asked if they could split our check; however, he just suggested to figure out the amt on our own and just split the payment. So here we are, passing around one check....to figure how much each party owe. My opinions, as a customer stand point, waiter should have split the check. Save the customer doing everything manually. Save the customer time calculating how much they owe. Some waiters and waitresses nowadays think Tip is an "entitlement"... They need to change their mindframe. :)

    (2)

  • Michael C.

    Truly, a HAPPY Hour! I've had Doraku Sushi bookmarked for what seems like an eternity. For a while my enthusiasm to try this place was quite high, and then (sadly) it eventually morphed into procrastination as other social commitments (Yelp events, family events) took precedence in recent months. Thankfully, the happy hour gods took pity and I was able to try out their late night happy hour recently with fellow Yelpers in tow. NOTE: Happy Hour daily 400-600pm and 900pm to closing. PARKING: Valet or street. SETTING: This location is comprised of outdoor and indoor seating, with the restaurant having seating at tables, at the sushi bar, or on a cozy/small mezzanine level. The restaurant is lively and energetic, with the patrons engaged in conversation whilst enjoying food and drink. A terrific social environment surely. FOOD: The happy hour menu is very extensive featuring food and drink specials. Altogether our group shared the salmon carpaccio, spicy tuna roll, tuna tataki, beef tataki, chicken karaage, and steak skewers. I must admit I liked every item we tried on the happy hour menu. Though the portions are not large, they're just right to allow sharing of several dishes to satisfy one's appetite. My favorite dishes were the chicken karaage, the salmon carpaccio, and the tuna tataki. The slices of salmon were expertly cut and plated artfully, the chicken karrage was served hot and fresh, while the tuna tataki is sinfully delicious in its own right. I wouldn't hesitate to order those three items on future visits. Lastly, my drink of choice for the meal: Kirin on draft. SERVICE: Terrific. The servers are friendly, knowledgeable, and attentive. Our group appreciated their food recommendations for HH, as well as their knowledge about the menu. The food was delivered in a timely manner, the water and beer glasses never emptied, and we were well looked after throughout our meal. BOTTOM LINE: Late night happy hour is awesome! Great food and drink specials!

    (4)

  • Rhea Cherie B.

    PROS +Awesome lunch specials +Happy Hour +Fresh fish +Tasty dishes +Speedy service CONS -Pricey -Long waits during weekends, especially during dinner FAVORITES +Brownie tempura...BEST. THING. EVER! +Spicy crispy trio...yum! +Japanese style rib eye garlic steak...double yum! I love Doraku and I'm not sure what else I can say that everyone else who gave a 5-star review hasn't said already. The restaurant is nice and clean, the decor and ambiance are on point. I love the sake barrels behind the bar and the fact that all of their wooden chairs have "Doraku" carved into their sides. I've never had to wait very long for food, even when they're busy. This is one of the best places to get sushi on the island. The fish is always fresh and prepared perfectly and they have a lot of creative dishes. The hostess service is alright, sometimes I get the feeling they hate their job but the service I've received from the bartenders and servers has always been fantastic. Overall, Doraku is one of my favorite sushi spots on Oahu. Just be prepared to spend a little extra money-you will want to order just about everything on the menu and prices are a bit steep if you're not going during happy hour.

    (5)

  • Jerry X.

    I rarely give a restaurant a five star. Especially for a new one. But this one deserve it. With warm greeting to the excellent recommendation. Excellent happy hour menu and regular dinner menu, I didn't find anything fail. Excellent food and ingredients. The one critic is only my medium rare garlic rib eye is a bit overcooked.

    (5)

  • Sarah T.

    I love their Royal Hawaiian Center location so my hubby and I popped into this one the other day thinking it couldn't be that much more different. Service was good. He was prompt at refilling our waters and attentive in asking if we needed another beer when we were running low. Our friends ordered off the lunch menu, as did I. The portions were a good size to have ordered an appetizer and rolls on the side. So a bit small, but good if you want to order several other things off their menu. My main qualm is with my spicy tuna bowl order. The fish had the consistency and texture of poi. (For those unfamiliar with poi it has the consistency of a thick glue-y paste.) It tasted very bland and had almost no heat. I took a few bites and left it alone. The others tried as well and were confused about the texture and lack of taste. Needless to say, won't be ordering that again. The rest of our meal went without a hitch for me. I know the others didn't enjoy their bowls as much either but they got full on beer. Will it stop me from coming again? No. I probably won't ever order the spicy tuna bowl ever again though. Yikes.

    (3)

  • Geoff P.

    If you are hungry for sushi and other good Japanese food then check out Doraku Sushi Kapiolani. Good sushi without the traffic and tourist crowd of their Waikiki location. Prices are reasonable but it can get pricey. They have a wide selection of creative sushi and traditional Japanese menu items for non sushi lovers to dine on. Everything on their menu is 4 stars. You really cannot go wrong. Make reservations but do confirm with them. Made a reservation 2 weeks before our scheduled dinner. Luckily I called a day before to confirm and found out they had the reservations on the wrong date. They were very accommodating and secured us our table and time on the correct date. Overall restaurant rating 4 Food quality 4.0 Food selection 4.0 Value for the price 3.5 Friendly staff 3.5 Don't let the prices scare you. Eat family style and budget $40 per person and you can get plenty of food without breaking the bank. A restaurant I will return to again and again.

    (4)

  • Amy Y.

    Unexpected dinner when we failed to go to Bubbies for mochi ice cream. My friend told me about this awesome ice cream puff dessert here. So what the hey..let's do it! It was around 7 at night...it was busy but 3 of us got seated right away. Love the interior decor...dislike the loud music. Then realize it was a bar?! Oh boy.. We got seated outside, much much more quiet. There was definitely a lot of options on the menu for sushi. Finally, we decided to order the sake bomb sushi roll, firecracker yellow tail roll. oyster shooter, and chirashi. The oyster shooter looks like a shot glass with marinated raw oyster. My friend loved it. The chirashi had variety of sashimi fish on top of rice..she ate it all. I ate the sake bomb sushi roll which has salmon, ikura, avocado and spicy salmon. It was good. Salmon in one bite. The firecracker roll was spicy because there was jalapeno on top. Inside was yellow tail fish, sriracha, and avocado. It was yammy too. The most important part of our dinner...the dessert. We ordered the ice cream tempura with matcha ice cream. It is fried on the outside with caramel sauce drizzled on top. There were also tiny bits of pineapple pieces on the plate. The dessert was the most delicious thing I ever tasted for a while. I can taste the strong match in the ice cream. The tempura batter was fried perfectly. Soft and chewy...because it was fried with pound cake and tempura batter. The service was ok. The portions were kinda tiny for the sushi, 8 pieces per roll. I'll return if I'm desperate for the dessert.

    (4)

  • Derek W.

    I really don't like fusion sushi restaurants but Doraku came highly recommended by a friend so we ended up here for dinner one night. Walked in and expected the place to be full only to find it partially filled. I guess their daily happy hour ends at 6 so by 7 the place clears out. This place reminded us of Katsuya. Browsed the menu and also a few yelp reviews and ended up ordering a few dishes to share with the wife. Double happiness roll yelp.com/biz_photos/dora… . Ordered this one as the wife isn't a big rice eater and it wasn't bad but definitely not something I'd normally order. Emperor roll yelp.com/biz_photos/dora… . This roll came recommended by other yelp reviewers so figured we'd give it a try. Again not bad but thought the sauce they used made the roll too sweet for my liking. Spicy trio yelp.com/biz_photos/dora… . Don't get me wrong this dish could've been better if they had used better quality fish. Yes I know .... most sushi restaurants use old cuts of fish which is masked by the sriracha hot sauce but boy was the fish still fishy. Definitely would not recommend this dish at all. The table next to us even asked what it was since it looked good...I didn't have the heart to tell them it really sucked. Garlic ponzu ribeye yelp.com/biz_photos/dora… . Probably the best dish that we had that night. The ribeye was tender and loved the flavor of the garlic ponzu sauce they used. Would I go back? Most likely not unless it was just for happy hour and to grab drinks. I'd definitely skip dining here if you were craving sushi.

    (2)

  • Ray A.

    In a restaurant that open for some time now...I am displeased with the service...unacceptable for a Tuesday night...the hostess was very unpleasant...we were presented a table after a wait of 45 min...we were made aware that the wait would take 15-20 min...as we sat on our table, it took sometime just to get water as well as menus...the food took longer than it should be making the conversation easy to continue to bad mouth what I thought was my favorite go to dine in :( unfortunately this wasn't the first time and feel awful that it had to succumb to this

    (1)

  • Jorge G.

    Always great to come back to Doraku, they have the best prices, friendly staff and a great menu. I have been going to Doraku since the first one opend in Miami Beach, FL. If you are looking for a nice happy hour Doraku has a great one.

    (5)

  • El L.

    Great place for gathering n yummy food. I love their starter the Signature Ahi dish, it open up my appetite. Also their uni bowl n other food quality also good. I will try the Waikiki one next time:)

    (4)

  • Eva C.

    I am visiting Hawaii and my fiancée and I were looking for a great sushi restaurant. Unfortunately I chose Doraku- I was fooled by the overall rating of this restaurant. The sushi was OKAY. The customer service was not good at all- we had to ask for our waiter and he when he arrived- he was not attentive at all. I even saw a miso soup machine in the back- odd. It was really disappointing. I do not recommend coming here. Pro- the sushi chefs were awesome- very friendly and they looked like they enjoyed their jobs!

    (1)

  • Randy D.

    I recommend the red dragon roll and they got one of the best chicken karaage I've tasted on the island.

    (4)

  • Mary G.

    I've never been here usually go to the one Waikiki Doraku just because. Actually first impression when walking in what really caught me was the patio. Nice garden atmosphere romantic setting in the evening. We we're seated upstairs nice and secluded. The server asked for our drinks and of course for Happy Hour I had to get the usual, " Lychee Martini" smooth, nice pretty elegant drank my fave so far but still gotta try the other drinks. I loveee coming here because of HAPPY HOURS! I mean the sushi, the drinks, the awesome musics, & good company just to name a few things. Our usual order: I'm soo in love with the Chicken Karaage. Soo Ono crispy similar to. Fatboys garlic chiq. In loveee with the Tuna Takaki usually eat the whole thing Daicon and seaweed with lemon squeeze and shoyu. Tried the salmon carpaccio and I'm speechless. If you like salmon you gotta try em! Pretty nice fancy salmon. The sauce was unique and yummy! Also got the special deluxe sushi. All of the above at like $5-$6 which is affordable if you have nice decent job you can afford ya know lol. I always enjoy coming here with good company I mean the night can't get any better with having dinner with friends. Good stories, good laugh and good food why not! On to the Desserts. Our intention was to come for The brownie tempura cuz the mermaid was craving for it soo bad! Anyway so we tried the Brownie Tempura w/ green tea ice cream. Okay I like Green tea and all but I think I prefer it with vanilla ice cream better. It was yummy dou not gonna like. Service was good again! Music was awesome and yeah I love Doraku Haply hour! If you're around in town you must stop by cuz the mermaid said so!

    (5)

  • Kevin T.

    One of the best happy hour sushi spot on Oahu. Used to go sansei sushi for late night happy hour, but their service got worse everytime I went so I found a new late night sushi spot. Thank you Doraku. Good service and good food. Never failed me yet.

    (5)

  • Deandra P.

    Did not plan on eating here tonight. First time ever. Inferior was gorgeous!! A little too dark but really set a nice mood. Ordered the sashimi deluxe and misoyaki butteefish. Oh my goodness the butterfish melts in your mouth. I really suggest getting this dish! The sashimi was wonderful of course! Our server was great! Always checking up on us and pouring us water :)

    (5)

  • Mildred R.

    Doraku is by far THE best place on the island for sushi! Ambiance is nice, service is great and the sushi chefs are THE BEST! ** Shout out to Peter! ** The majority of the food that I ate there was sushi, didn't have too much of the hot food. But you should definitely have their sashimi! Soo fresh! They have another location in Ala Moana, but I prefer this location because it is less touristy. Fun Fact - the owner of Doraku is Kevin Aoki (Steve Aoki's brother)!

    (5)

  • Tia C.

    The reason I am giving this place 2 stars is not because the food was bad, it's actually fairly good, as you would expect in Hawaii: fresh fish, Asian fusion, lots of flavor, etc. However, the service and the organization of the kitchen was horrendous. My family and I attended dinner. There were six of us. We made a reservation earlier that day for 7:30pm and got there about 10 minutes early. We had to wait an extra 15 minutes until 7:45 for our table (if this had been the only complaint it wouldn't have even been notable.) We were seated upstairs and made our orders in a reasonable amount of time. This is when everything went to hell. Not only did they bring our entrees out one by one so we couldn't even eat at the same time, they were very lengthy gaps in between each plate. My mom then ordered sake (before her entree came) and the waitress brought it back without a sake glass and then said she would bring one which took her long enough for my dad to walk downstairs to the bar (where there was only one bar tender) and brought back a sake cup before our waitress came back with one. Then as our food kept coming one by one, our waitress comes with what she thinks is the last plate and asks if there is anything else we'd like to which we reply that she has forgotten our doraku roll. She then replies that she will go down and get it and 20 minutes after not receiving it she comes back up saying that is was picked up by another server and it's on it's way. We wait another 10 minutes before my dad, having been the only who hadn't eaten cancels the order for the roll and asks for the bill. This restaurant's only redeeming quality is the food is decent. The service was unbearable, and that is not just our waitresses fault. The timing of the food, the missing roll, etc is a reflection of the restaurant as a whole and turned our evening rather sour. Not to mention that parking isn't free and the restaurant made no attempts at redeeming themselves from a terribly served and delivered meal.

    (2)

  • Katy E.

    Love the white dragon roll! I don't know if it's the garlic chips or hamachi that make this roll so great but I'm never disappointed! The shrimp tempura is a different story... I couldn't even finish one shrimp because you just got this fishy taste left in your mouth after one bite. I'm pretty sure they used the same oil to fry everything on their menu :/ Next time I'll know better and order something else.

    (3)

  • Rissa K.

    Their happy hour is pretty impressive! Love their tofu avacado tomato salad and their poke is pretty good! Love the decor here too. Service is good. Parking is $3 valet.

    (4)

  • Stephen H.

    I can't speak to the wait for a table, or ambiance, or happy hour, or the service of this place. Only to its "Kagu-tsuchi Roll" (aka "God of Fire") that I ordered to go for lunch. For $12.50 + tax you get a "spicy tuna roll with cucumber and jalapeno topped with tuna sashimi, habanero tobiko, and spicy garlic aioli." Artfully presented, and tasty/spicy enough. But the roll was so thin. To name it after a deity is blasphemous at most, disrespectful at least. I think Kagu-tsuchi would have been embarrassed to know that a mere mortal subject, me, was still awfully hungry after eating his namesake sushi.

    (3)

  • Jasmine W.

    I've been to Doraku a few times now, mostly for their regular menu and only once for late night happy hour. Most recently, I was there with a group of friends (6 of us total) on a Wednesday night around 7:30pm. I called around 3:20pm the same day to get a reservation, and I was surprised they were able to accommodate me on such a short notice! Beware though...I heard through another friend that they don't take reservations after 8pm. Not sure if this is true or not, but just be warned that this might be the situation. When I got there a couple minutes after 7:30, our table was already set for us. We waited around 15/20 minutes for the rest of our party to arrive before ordering. I was the only one out of the 6 of us that ordered a roll...and I have no idea why it took so long! 4 of us got a variety of don (rice bowls), and one got beef tataki, and these dishes were all out relatively quickly and around the same time as each other. My red dragon roll, however, took at least 10-15 minutes longer to be served! I felt really bad because my friends were waiting for me, but they refused to start before everyone had been served. I'm not sure what took so long for the roll...but it was pretty irritating to have to wait so long after everyone else had their food. Our service in general was sort of slow...and I'm not sure why since the restaurant wasn't completely packed when we were there. We had to ask for our own water at least two times over 2 hours. Doraku's menu is VERY extensive. I think the first time I came, I was so overwhelmed with how many choices they have! Everything from appetizers to nigiri and roll sushi and desserts, they've got everything covered! The red dragon roll is my go-to at Doraku, with spicy ahi, shrimp tempura, tobiko, and unagi. How could you possibly go wrong! The roll comes with 8 pieces, and is satisfying if you are a light eater. I also enjoy the rice-less rolls, but I wasn't hungry enough to order 2 things this time around. We were too full for dessert, but brownie tempura sounded very appealing! I'll have to try it on my next visit. There is street parking and valet service in the evenings. Street parking seems hard to come by, so if you want a spot go earlier! TL;DR - slow service, extensive menu, and reservations suggested!

    (3)

  • Trav K.

    The food is always excellent and the happy hour menu has a good variety of options. I would recommend coming early if you plan to come during happy hour since it always is crowded. As crowded as they get, they are well staffed and the service of food is almost always quick.

    (4)

  • Kelly L.

    Doraku is a great California-style sushi option. Both locations have validated parking and great ambiance/decor. I've never had bad service. Pretty darn good sake selection too! Some of my favorites: sake, lychee martini, seaweed salad, doraku roll, green and red dragon rolls, lobster tempura, butterfish, brownie tempura with green tea ice cream.

    (4)

  • Eddy N.

    Waited almost an hour to get in on a Saturday nite. Looks like da happening place in town. Nice selection for Happy hour specials. Not too impress with their nigiri. Our server was great, kudos to that. Not your typical sushi place, more like a meeting place for young single people. Atmosphere was young and vibrant.

    (4)

  • Rachel K.

    Really great food! My friend and I went for dinner and got the Sake bomb roll and the tuna tataki. Both amazing!! And for dessert we got the brownie tempura with vanilla ice cream! Gotta have that for dessert, seriously! The three stars is only because of service, which wasn't entirely the waiters fault but I think is just poor management in general. We came at about 6pm for our reservation and the hostess looked way to preoccupied and we were kind of in limbo after requesting our reservation. The place was extremely crowded and the entire restaurant was grossly understaffed. I don't think we even got to order until maybe a half an hour after we got our menu. To add to that our food came pretty slowly as well. We had to flag waiters down to get orders in. I don't think we even knew our waiters name until the check came and his name was on the reciept. Maybe we should've come at an earlier or later time but either way, management should be aware of the traffic increase during dinner hours and accommodate accordingly. Food was great! Staffing needs help!

    (3)

  • Kyla W.

    Service and food are so so. I would only come for their happy hour. I am very disappoint on how long it took for the spicy dragon roll to come out!!! Our server told us two times that the roll should be coming, but don't see it. Until 10-20 minutes after? I don't know why it took that long to make a dragon roll = = We wanted to order dessert, but afraid we have to wait again so decide not to. I am not sure if is like other Yelpers saying, this place had new staff. But they are lucky, we tip almost 18% for them. I don't think I am coming back to this restaurant unless I want to eat their happy hour menu again.

    (2)

  • Cecily C.

    One of the best misoyaki butterfish preparations in Hawaii can be relished at Doraku on Kapiolani. It's one of the lunch specials ($14.95) available from 11:00-4:00. Perfectly cooked with a marriage of sweet mirin and salty miso, I like the broiled crispness on the skin of the fish. The hearty fillet was not without bones, but there were just a few of them. I opted for extra salad instead of rice, and I'm glad I did. The salad dressing is a mixture of ginger and miso and it's very flavorful. Dessert was a Japanese custard I liken to a creme brûlée, or you can indulge on their specialty dessert, the tempura brownie served ala mode. They also have more traditional fare such as chicken yakitori, and a plethora of specialty sushi rolls, including some "no-rice" options, on which to experiment and feast. An enjoyable alternative to the downtown lunch scene. We had a spacious booth with lots of cushions and pillows, Doraku provides a conducive atmosphere for friends and business alike. Easy validated parking.

    (4)

  • Joy Celeste P.

    Might have to work on training your hostess about seating customers. We arrived at 520 and she kept insisting that everything was reserved at 7:00. Okay and then what? She asked if we had reservations. So you saying you can't seat us even if it's only 5:20? I come here often because I live upstairs and it's nice to talk to the sweet bartenders as they give excellent service. Maybe it's time I stopped coming since the 7:00 customers are expecting their seats to be empty at 5:20.

    (1)

  • Amelia C.

    Quality of the food is the same as the Waikiki location but the service is EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTING. I have been here a few times, always hoping that my next dining experience will be better than the last. Unfortunately, I have yet to see an improvement in their service. First, the hostess told us our table was ready but then realized we were the wrong party, so we had to wait even longer. Our 20-30 minute wait became a 30-45 minute wait. Second, I see a party of 3 come in and immediately get seated. He seemed to know the host because they shook hands. Not a big deal, but it upset me that the host did it so openly while there was a line of parties who were waiting longer. It just seemed like a smack to our face. Third, Fourth and Fifth, it took them 10 minutes to get us a menu and water. Our orders came at two separate times- four were received 30-45 minutes, and the other three came after an hour. When I asked our server what was going on with our second portion, he just said the sushi orders have been way backed up for a while now. Why couldn't he tell us earlier during our dinner instead of waiting for us to be tired, hungry and irritable? Had we known the sushi bar was backed up, we would have ordered something else. We stayed at the restaurant for 3 hours because of the excessive waiting time. My advice: don't come here expecting great service.

    (1)

  • Reid A.

    A trendy place with good food. The first thing was how trendy it was inside and the gorgeous people that eat here. People eat here to been seen it seems. It was how Shokudo was when it first opened. Some guys were wearing blazers and girls were dolled up for the club. I felt under dressed, but ainokea. The restaurant has a mezzanine level and we sat up there. The food was really good. It is izakaya style, so order a bunch of dishes a little at a time. The Hamachi Carpaccio and buddha roll was great. The ginger garlic chicken is good and the toro is really good. The chu toro (medium fatty tuna) is fairly inexpensive too. The tempura brownie was a nice finish to the meal. The service was good. We were checked on constantly, so it made ordering more food easier. The parking is limited. Making reservations at 6:00pm on a Friday and the lot is full. Doraku also has a parking lot at the corner of Kapiolani and Kamakee. So when the valet tells you the lots full, just turn right out of the lot on Kapiolani and make the first right at the traffic light and you'll see a blue wall, which is the lot. That was full too, so I found some street parking nearby. Crossing the street here is very dangerous, so be careful. Drivers are just not looking for pedestrians.

    (4)

  • Krista J.

    Great sushi place! Red dragon roll is my favorite. No parking so u gotta walk but still worth it. It's one of my top places for sushi

    (4)

  • Ray M.

    One of our favorite happy hour places to go when on the town side of the island. Great food, great drinks, and a very friendly/attentive staff. Highly recommend coming here for either happy hour or just dinner.

    (5)

  • DJ Nocturna R.

    I love their late happy hour after 9pm and the choices in the Happy hour menu. More restaurants need to do this and stay open late like Doraku. Doraku has good food in the happy hour menu. Only request - please turn down the music. Music playing in the restaurant is a little too loud.

    (4)

  • Kiara Q.

    I ate here for the first time with a couple of girlfriends that I haven't seen in a while. They said this place was great and so we arrived at around 830 pm without a reservation and waited about 5-10 minutes to be seated, which was not bad at all being as they looked pretty busy. We got seated in the upper left portion of the upstairs section, which was really nice, with an intimate ambiance. Perfect for a nice girls night out, catching up with old friends. Our waitress (I forget her name) was very sweet and extremely helpful with making suggestions. Her service was prompt, without being intrusive, and she was very personable. We ordered a bunch of food to share (which were so freaking delicious), and we had a round of cocktails which were tasty. As far as drinks go- the white sangria (peach?) was amazing. Soo good, and they serve it in pitchers which is great for sharing! Overall, we had a great time here. I read the other reviews and it's kind of a bummer that others didn't have as great of a time, because I love it here. Maybe I got lucky with a great server, but either way I definitely recommend this place.

    (5)

  • Joanne V.

    For a moment, I was all about Doraku! The ambiance, service (most times), & food was always top notch. In fact, there hasn't been a dish I didn't like. We like to come for happy hour after work or late at night and always order the ahi tataki & lychee martinis. Aside from these two menu items, I am a big fan of the white and red dragon rolls. Seriously, you can't go wrong with those rolls. You just can't. Anyway, sushi has always tasted fresh & the variety of rolls are great. There is surely a roll that would satisfy everyone & anyone. Four stars out of five cause sometimes the booths reek & one of my rolls was lost in oblivion & was almost charged for it. Uh uh honey :P. Our server quickly fixed this issue & all was well again :)

    (4)

  • India R.

    - Great for Happy Hour!!! -The Kapiolani location is very convenient, with valet parking and just as nicely designed as the Waikiki location. But again, way more convenient! :) -Just across from the Blaisdell, you can stop here before a concert too!

    (5)

  • Jordann M.

    I've been here a couple of times and always had a good dining experience. But I'm writing this review solely based on the service. Came here tonight with a bunch of girlfriends for their birthdays, and I know my friends can be really demanding so I always pray for our server to be on it. He was though! He was attentive, friendly and quick. And at the end of our dinner we brought out our own birthday cake and it was pretty big so we couldn't eat it all. I'm guessing it was the manager but he told us he would pack it up for us, even though it wasn't their desert. I was thankful they did, they saved us the trouble! Anyways even though it's busy, I'm glad our waiter/manager helped us out! Thank you!

    (5)

  • Amanda K.

    Love this place and they're also open late on weekends. I can't eat seafood so I get the vegetable roll, which is a hand roll here. Just delicious. Loved the drinks and the great service too. The decor is very nice and provides for a comfortable yet hip atmosphere. I tried the tempura brownie and it wasn't my cup of tea, but a cool concept. Would love to go back.

    (5)

  • Angela M.

    HAPPY HOUR BEEF TATAKI! And that is all you need to know. You're welcome. Fine, I'll say bit more. Ahem. Dear Doraku, I have experienced your happy hour three times. Thrice. And I mostly love it. Here's what I don't love: Please refrain from seating me upstairs as everything takes longer, and the pleasure I'm experiencing from your food is deeply affected by the pity I feel for the poor little server struggling up and down, up and down, up and down. Your music can also be a touch loud though I suppose it is actually a sound veil of privacy as the tables next to me can't hear the terribly scandalous things I'm practically yelling to my dining companion. "AND THEN THEY TOLD ME MY LABIA WAS LITERALLY BEING STRETCHED BEYOND IT'S ELASTICITY! SO NOW HE'S LOOKING INTO REDUCTION OPTIONS, WHICH IS JUST CRAZY BECAUSE-". Though I wouldn't be yelling if the music weren't so loud. But then maybe they'd hear me even at normal level because the music would be soft. What came first, the chicken or the egg? Also, I only experienced the extremely loud music one out of three times, so perhaps it was a doozy. I didn't love paying the valet $3, watching him park my car exactly three stalls down, then have him return my keys to me because they were closing up shop soon. Being told "Just go ahead and park as we're leaving soon" would have made me significantly happier than paying $3 to save myself an entire nine walking steps. I also thought your fried green tea ice cream tasted like play-doh. My companion thought it was edible, so maybe it's good and I just don't like it. Things I do love: BEEF TATAKI IN ALL OF ITS VINEGARY-ONIONY-UMAMI MAJESTY! But you already know that. Your other happy hour foods. Specifically the eggplant thing, the agedashi tofu, and the largeness of the $6 dynamite bowl. I really love that you're open relatively late and that your happy hour begins at 9 and not 10:30 like many other places. Um, yes. Alright, it seems like I have far more complaints than likes. But the likes more than make up for the gripes. And though the "things I don't love" list seems really long, when I think of your restaurant I feel bubbling feelings of fondness and an intense desire to eat your beef tataki. So I will be back! Sincerely, Angela

    (4)

  • Legend M.

    If you are looking for a good place to eat Japanese food with a good atmosphere, this is the place. Sushi is super delicious, salmon and hamachi kama... Phenomenal, and even the steak is great. Service there is super good too. Very quick, very friendly. I recommend this place 10 times out of 10!

    (5)

  • Alli C.

    Doraku is another restaurant that I have only been to during happy hour. I really enjoy their happy hour menu. The sake and sushi are good! If you like martinis the lychee martini is delicious!! The restaurant is very clean and has sushi bar, table, outside and a community table seating. It can be pretty crowded and hard to find a seat if you walk in because people do make reservations. The parking is valet if you park in the building. I think it is $5. It makes parking easy and safe if you don't mind paying for valet. I have great things to say about the restaurant itself, but the reason Doraku only got 3 stars from me is my friend's tab was altered after we left the restaurant. After leaving a cash tip, she had a tip added onto her credit card. She was compensated by the manager, which made her satisfied but the one waiter is still rude and inattentive to certain tables. Honestly, this situation was unfortunate and bothersome, however it won't stop me from going to Doraku. I just might go to the Waikiki location or make sure that my tab is accurate on my credit card statement.

    (3)

  • Heather S.

    I wanted to start off and say that the service is ok here. Last time I ate here (which is last month actually), we were told that they accidentally over-booked and that we only have an hour and a half to eat. I was like... Over-booked?! This should never happen anywhere. Luckily though, everything was resolved and we were not rushed to finish our meal. With that said, there is no doubt how good the sushi is here. They have so many creative sushi rolls to choose from, but my favorite would have to be the WHITE DRAGON roll. It has hamachi, which is btw my favorite fish to eat raw. My only complaint would be the portions of the dishes, and they're not cheap either. At first glance, it may look like the portion is large. But after eating a whole roll of sushi to yourself and wondering why you're not full, you soon realize that the individual pieces of the roll (though large in number) are actually small in size, in comparison to most places. The rolls are so good though that sometimes you'll find yourself eating another sushi roll. Well, it has happened to me once... Or maybe twice ^_^ Alcohol isn't cheap here, too. But I sure do like their hot sake!!

    (4)

  • Heather C.

    Went to Duraku Sushi to celebrate some friends' birthdays. They don't take reservations before six (we got there a little after five), but they put us at a great table that was reserved for later that night rather than make us wait for a big enough table to open up. I ordered the Green Dragon Roll and it was amazing. Could have eaten a second one. Shrimp tempura with avocado on top and a great sauce with the perfect amount of spice. The chicken lettuce wraps were tasty as well. We split a couple of tempura brownies with green tea ice cream. Yummy. They were busy but they did a great job checking on us often and our food was ready quickly. Will go back again. A fun side note. Your bill comes on this cool wooden block with their logo branded into it.

    (5)

  • G D.

    Love the ambiance, service and food. Good variety of sushi. Parking is somewhat complicated.

    (5)

  • Dan W.

    We had white dragon roll (shrimp tempura and avocado with hamachi). It was OK. We also had the emperor roll (tuna, crab, shrimp, avocado). The combination was awesome. I would definitely recommend it. Bathroom is shared with another restaurant. We did not have a changing station for our baby, so we had to use a little 1 foot wide cabinet/stand that was in the restroom. Wish it was more family friendly.

    (3)

  • Jan L.

    A friend of mine recommended this place so we had to give it a try, right? Our waiter was very attentive and friendly. I was glad when the hostess sat us outside as it was freezing cold and loud inside the restaurant. We ordered the appetizer special that they had that evening -- the poke and oysters were heavenly! We also ordered the braised pork yakisoba (YUM!) and the salmon as entrees. BEWARE that the portion is on the "small" side (thus the 4 stars and NOT 5)... I guess I should have read the reviews about the Happy Hour Specials earlier ... I guess we just missed it by 15 minutes! DOH! Oh well,... Next time we'll definitely have to check out the Happy Hour Specials to get our bank for our buck! LOL. :-)

    (4)

  • Krizia Faith M.

    Doraku will always be one of my fave sushi spots! I've been here many times but never got to write a review until now. It's never really busy when we do walk-ins but sometimes I like considering reservations just incase, especially on weekends. I'm pretty much familiar with the menu now. I practically love all their sushi rolls (esp the emperor roll), lobster tempura, garlic steak, pan seared salmon, and hamachi. I've tried all their desserts as well but I would say that I love the brownie tempura and banana flambé the best. I don't think I've ever had any bad experiences here with the waiters, food, or service. I've always had a pleasant experience, whether it was coming with family, bf, or friends. Most of the waiters here are always so jolly and I love that because who the hell would want a grumpy waiter? This place never fails :) Btw, it's better to have vallet parking. It's only $3 so it shouldn't be too bad.

    (5)

  • Vi T.

    I had dinner here a couple of weeks ago with my family. The fish was very fresh and delicious. My favorite was the hamachi carpaccio. So light and flavorful! The eggplant app (I think miso eggplant) was lovely as well. Even my grandma liked it and she doesn't love eggplant. The agedashi tofu was okay; I would have preferred it to be more crisp and have more flavor. While the fish is tasty, the rolls were a little lackluster for the price. Most of the rolls are fairly standard; they're not bad, just not very exciting. We also tried the butterfish and the pork yakisoba. I really liked the yakisoba because it was served with a gooey egg and a good portion of delicious pork belly!

    (4)

  • Stefanie D.

    I had a great experience at Doraku Sushi. I came just in time during Happy Hour on a Friday night. Parking is only $3 for valet and the restaurant seated us immediately. Talk about an awesome start. Our service was really nice and helpful with us, being it all our first time there and one member of our party is unfortunate enough to be afflicted with a shellfish allergy. We ordered lots of stuff to try, a lot that I've seen recommended on Yelp! For drinks, we got Kirins on Happy Hour special and I got a delicious plantation tea. Also from the HH menu, we ordered the miso eggplant, edamame, salmon kama, and firecracker shrimp (for the two non-allergic who can't resist). We also had seaweed salad, miso soup, agedashi tofu, ahi poke, and God of Fire rolls. I think that's everything...Highlights for me were the miso eggplant and firecracker shrimp. The agedashi tofu was so good as well. We ended our meal with the brownie tempura, which as expected did NOT DISAPPOINT! My brother who didn't want dessert ended up grabbing an extra spoon and indulging because it was just too damn good not to! The prices were great for Happy Hour. We were able to try so much for our first visit. For three people, it ended up only costing around $70. I will definitely be back here for a dinner date in the near future. It's perfect for couples, families, and friends. Very laid back but at the same time, the service and restaurant is wonderful. I will definitely be back now that I've finally tried it. I have a lot more fish to try since I started eating it again after years of strict vegetarianism. This was a great place for me to try some new things and to bring an allergic to shellfish out of towner!

    (5)

  • Cassie B.

    F O O D: The food here is a pretty good mix of Japanese sushi, some classy dishes, and bar food. I think they make some great appetizers, and the drinks were amazing. I did notice that the food was considerably lower in price during HH, and I did feel that some of the sushi rolls/don bowls were overpriced. Still, I left feeling satisfied, and I am excited to come back. RECOMMENDED - Oyster Shooter: This was my first time getting an oyster shooter. Yes, there is raw egg and an oyster in there, but it was so delicious. I was tempted to just eat these all night; they were that good! Plus they come in a shot glass so you can down them with your friends!! I also appreciated that the amount of food was just right; it was the perfect mouthful of delicious seafood. - White Dragon Roll: I loved this roll! It was so tasty, and the crunchy tempura paired well with the hamachi (at least for me)! It wasn't too overpowering, and I could've ALSO eaten this all night. The price was a little high for what I was getting, IMO, but I still enjoyed it enough to consider getting another roll so close to HH. - Chicken Karaage: I ordered this during HH, and OMG YOU GET SO MUCH DELICIOUSNESS FOR SO CHEAP! I loved the chicken. It was so flavorful and cooked just right. I could barely finish the dish and had to actually ask my BF to polish it off for me. The HH dishes seem to be the same size as the normal dishes during regular hours, which is a bonus. MEH - Dynamite Donburi: This was actually really underwhelming. The fish was very dry and there was very little mayonnaise and actual seasoning. When I think of dynamite, I think of mayo with delicious seafood and good sushi rice. The dish just tasted like canned salmon with some spice thrown on and a dash of mayo. Not good enough to justify the price to me, but it was good filler during the meal. It didn't tasted bad; it just was less than what I expected. GRADE = B+ A M B I A N C E: The place is dimly lit at night, and there is a bar along with many group tables. The place looks like it was structured primarily for groups of friends. The sound level is LOUD, so be prepared for that. There is also club music playing a little loudly in the background. For those looking for a quiet evening out, this is probably not the place. Those who are looking for a lively dinner (esp before an evening out on the town), this is a great place to dine! The atmosphere gets you ready for a party or at least makes your dinner feel like one! GRADE = A- (for what it is) S E R V I C E: I was pleasantly surprised with the service on the busy evenings I went there! There was always a line, but the servers were always so sweet and gave great recommendations. It was clear that they were very busy, but they didn't let that stress affect their service level! I was given great recommendations, and they even cracked some jokes with us! The greeter at the door was also friendly. Yay for good service! GRADE = A RECOMMENDED? YES!

    (5)

  • Manmeet R.

    The sake made my tummy feel warm and happy and the food was good ... Don't remember what I ate but the sake ... Forget about it

    (4)

  • Helen N.

    The place itself has very nice ambiance. $3 valet parking. There is outside, inside, bar, and upstairs seating available. Our server was Dave B. who was very nice and recommend the best items with pure honesty. We came after 9pm which was during happy hour. Ordered Locus cocktail which was a great blend of passion fruit like liquor. Started with Salmon Carpaccio and the Streak and Sheshito Peppers which were great, I absolutely enjoyed "no-rice" Double Happiness roll, "God of Fire", and Asari Clam Sakamushi soup was one of the best I've had in my life, worth every penny and came with 12 clams! Dave even brought my hubby birthday desert even through it was 2 days ago. Thanks will definitely be coming back soon!

    (5)

  • B. K.

    I really love this place and frequent it often. Yesterday a friend and I decided on Doraku for lunch before a movie. i have been for lunch before and knew that they had a good lunch menu. The food was great as usual and atmosphere was lovely. My only complaint is that service was a little slow and one of our sushi rolls was ordered wrong. To compensate us they removed some other items from our bill. kinda odd, but whatever. I'll be back for sure in the future. It's one of my favorite places to dine.

    (4)

  • Aziz S.

    Horrible service ;((((( I would rate it zero stars if I could,I mean I didn't even get to eat! The so called "hosts"at 6:39 pm on August 8th,2015 were horrible, impolite, tried to force us to take a dirtyyyyyy table that they did not clean after customer left. The floor had food on it?Glad I Left because I am now enjoying my sushi and service at Sansei Seafood restaurant and Sushi Bar in Marriott,Waikiki. I am thankful for the bad service

    (1)

  • Gray G.

    I went here for my 21st birthday just recently and it was a fun experience. The waitstaff is very polite and lively. They check up on you frequently and make you feel welcomed into the environment. The decor is also very inviting and original. This Doraku has more of a younger vibe to it than the one in Waikiki. Both are very good but the one in Waikiki feels more touristy. Prices are reasonable and also cheaper than the one in Waikiki. I personally loved the choice of music but I can imagine that it would be only for a certain type of crowd because it can get kind of loud at times. All in all the food was delicious but if you're a heavy eater, expect to be buying more than one dish because portions are kind of light. I would go here again in the future!

    (5)

  • Kurt N.

    Date night with bae after a long week of work. The choice was easy to choose Doraku because I've seen many great food pics on IG as well as great reviews on Yelp so it was a must try for my wife and I. What did we order? 1. Firecracker Shrimp: great appetizer and the dipping sauce is just to die for. They also give a good amount of shrimp. 2. Spicy Lobster Roll: I was a bit hesitant because of the cream cheese that's on the roll but it went well with this roll. 3. White Dragon Roll: a must have, enough said :) 4. Brownie Tempura with Vanilla Ice Cream: what a way to end our dinner with a yummy dessert. It was either this or tempura ice cream. Glad we choose the brownies because it was something we haven't tried before. Just amazing how tempura batter always makes everything better. Will I come back? Yes!!! The service was great. Art was our bartender and he was great. Also, the food came out fast...faster than Mcdonald's! Haha!

    (5)

  • Valaine V.

    Hosted some visitors to the island at Doraku this evening.... Experience: Five Stars!!! Pleasant, clean, great service, good food, great ambiance for all. Service: Five Stars!!! Provided by Darrell. He took care of our needs without being over-attentive. I like this. If i needed something, he was there, he didn't linger, he did not impose. Pleasant in appearance, clean, and accurate with his order-taking style. I would hire him. I tipped him 20%. Food: It was good. Nothing more, nothing less. Great presentation of food (visually satisfying). Personally, I believe I've tasted better sushi, but keep in mind, that flavor is variable. Overall, I was pleased. Family and guests loved the tempura brownies with ice cream. Would I return. Yes. Thanks Doraku!!

    (4)

  • Rae Ann S.

    Tonight I have a friend visiting from Kauai who wanted to have dinner in a lively place. I thought late night happy hour would be perfect! We were told there was a 45 min wait for 4, so we grabbed 2 seats at the bar and waited for our other friends. This is my 3rd time here this month and I was not pleased with the service tonight. The bartender was RUDE. I asked her for a napkin for our pupus and she handed me bar napkins, when the people next to us has real napkins to wipe their food on. She never offered a refill on our drinks or offered us water. THEN, they gave away our table without knowing. I've now been waiting over an hour and the best they can give me is, "we have you on pretty soon, this doesn't happen often. Can we sit you at the community table??" Good thing the happy hour is good or I would've left already...still waiting... They seated us 10 minutes after my post at the community table. Our server's name was Dave and he put a rush on our order after he heard our table was given away. We got our food ao fast we didn't know what hit us! Way to save the night Dave. We appreciate you!

    (4)

  • Mary D.

    Tip: Go during happy hour to save some money. Unless money is no object for you. Then go whenever! I had a quick dinner with my daughter before the Madam Butterfly show at the Blaisdell. We were seated, full of food, and out of there in 45 minutes. That was amazing. We had the california roll, spicy ahi roll, chicken karaage, salted edamame, and steak skewers (I can't remember the actual name). Bill total about $35 with tip. Everything we got was delicious and came out very quickly. Service was excellent from entry to departure. I swear they boil their edamame in butter or something. It's not greasy but was the most tasty "boiled" and salted edamame ever. We were seating in a tucked away corner and my daughter loved our "box" booth. She was blown away by the interesting water bottle that they left on our table and just the decor and ambiance of the entire place. I thought it was pretty cool too. If I'm ever in the area and there for a show, I'll definitely hit this place up between 4 pm and 6 pm or after 9 pm for the happy hour menu. :)

    (5)

  • Peter T.

    Been a couple times. Good place to sit at the bar and drink with a friend, pick up chicks with princess syndrome. Pupu's mediocre and sushi, while not bad, overpriced. Wouldn't avoid but wouldn't go out of my way to go again.

    (3)

  • Garret U.

    We arrived just before 6pm on a Tuesday and the valet was already full. We had to self park just around the corner in a small private lot. Not a big deal but somewhat inconvenient. We didn't have reservations but were seated right away (2 of us) which was a pleasant surprise given the parking situation. Despite the crowd we were attended to very promptly. The server, a lively and happy fellow, informed us that we had made it just in time for happy hour which was ending in a few minutes (6pm), another pleasant surprise. We ordered the beef tataki, spicy tuna roll, salmon carpaccio, and the steak yakitori off the fairly large happy hour menu. Each item was delivered a lot faster than expected. Out of the four, my favorite was the beef tataki; I've always had a weakness for extremely rare beef and I was not let down. For our main dishes I ordered the sushi nigiri deluxe and my friend had the surf and turf roll. We also got two orders of chu toro nigiri. I am very picky when it comes to sushi as it's one of my favorite foods. That being said, while Doraku's sushi nigiri deluxe was very good, it was not the best I've had, not even close. But still good enough that I'd rate it 5 stars. The extra order of chu toro nigiri on the other hand was a big disappointment. The quality just wasn't there; 1 star out of 5 for the chu toro (sad face). I tried some of my friend's surf and turf and I must say that out of everything I ate tonight, the surf and turf was my favorite. I honestly have no idea what was in it as I kinda dozed off when the server was explaining it to us, but it was very oishii! I rate the service, nigiri deluxe, surf and turf, and the HH items we ordered 5 strong stars. I deduct 1 star for the subpar chutoro and another half star for the parking. 3.5 stars total rounded up to 4. Recommendations? Get the surf and turf roll.

    (4)

  • Ada F.

    My husband's dive friend recommended this place. From the reviews I could tell this would be a very westernized Japanese place but reviews were positive so why not give it a try. I was happy to see they had a few "no rice" rolls. My husband and I ordered: Emperor roll - tuna, salmon, crab, shrimp and avocado roll crusted with panko then flash fried, served over spring mix with sweet onions, special aioli sauce and masago Double happiness - tuna, salmon, scallop, squid, shrimp, crabmeat, shiso leaf, kaiware sprouts, wrapped with Nori and thinly sliced cucumber and topped with garlic aioli, tobiko and ponzu sauce Japanese style garlic steak - 8oz grilled ribeye served with garlic ginger ponzu sauce with mushroom, sprouts and onions Spicy crunchy trio - 6 crispy sushi rice pieces topped with big eye spicy tuna, salmon and Hamachi Many people raved about the Emperor Roll so we had to try it. Super disappointed. Of the two rolls the Double Happiness roll was better but it did not impress me. The 8oz of ribeye had good flavor but a few pieces were full fat. Yuck! The spicy crunchy trio was fishy. The crispy sushi rice was to thick and lacked crispiness. Overall I was disappointed with the meal. First night was Sushi Sasabune, next night Sushi Izakaya Gaku and tonight Doraku Sushi. I would not recommend this place. It has a good vibe in terms of people drinking and laughing; reminds me of a want to be Katsuya. Maybe the drinks are good but I don't drink so my review is strictly on their food. The hot green tea was good. That was the only memorable thing about dinner. Service is so so here. We were seated at a small two people table but we ordered four items. The food kept coming out so quickly. At one point I was holding an empty plate for a few minutes and no one came to pick it up from me.

    (2)

  • Kelehua K.

    I wish I could tell you what we ordered when we went for Happy Hour on a weeknight several months ago, but my friend ordered because it was my first time. WOW!! Delicious food and drinks. So fun after work. We sat in the loft upstairs and our waiter was great. We tried a variety of items, mostly on the happy hour menu, followed by an incredible TEMPURA BROWNIE dessert. Best dessert I'd had in a long time. Parking is valet in the building.

    (4)

  • Kevin C.

    One of my favorite happy hour spots now! Doraku has really grown on me and I am seeing myself come more and more. They have daily happy hour from 4-6 AND after 9pm. Uhhh, how you can NOT be all over that? I've been here both during non-HH and HH times and I enjoyed both. But being the Chinese-y person that I am, I obviously prefer the HH! It does get a bit crazy during late night HH, especially on Friday/Saturday so I either recommend hitting up a little earlier and waiting for HH to start or going a little later if you have the time. The restaurant is nicely decorated and has nice dim lighting to 'set the mood.' What that mood is depends on you and your party. There is seating available on the main floor, at the bar, at the big communal table in the middle and even some tables on the patio. I've tried a lot of the dishes here but my personal recommendations would be the miso eggplant, tuna tataki, the fried chicken on HH and the white dragon roll. But trust me, there are TONS of options of the menu that also will not disappoint you. The drinks are also your standard fare at a Japanese restaurant. I'm a simple man and I usually stick to my Kirin drafts heh you can't go wrong with that. My friends have ordered their house specialty lemonade cocktail and that proved to be pretty tasty as well! Parking can be a challenge especially on the weekends. There is a $3 valet right next to the restaurant. Other than that, there is lots of street parking along Kapiolani and on the surrounding side streets that are free after 6pm and on Sundays.

    (4)

  • Julia G.

    The ambiance of this place is so fun. I can't wait to come back- primarily tried different dragon rolls but my favorite item was their sake tasters 3 for only $10. Will definitely come back. Located on Kapiolani Blvd, near Blaisedell. Staff is super friendly and the restaurant is a fun "hip" environment, fun for catching up w friends. Parking is $3 valet and I think you can self park and they validate.

    (4)

  • Rhemielyn U.

    I love coming to this place during happy hour. The service and ambiance is top notch. Their food is amazing. I always get their hibiscus sparkler or lychee martini with everything in their happy hour because everything is under $6. I love their red and white dragon roll along with beef tataki and chicken karaage. Their brownie tempura is a must to end the night.

    (5)

  • K G.

    Delicious fresh food, interesting rolls, nice atmosphere, clean, beautiful sitting, good prices-my new go to sushi place.

    (5)

  • Nat N.

    Came here three times - first for a private party and two times for lunch. My friend rented the entire restaurant for a birthday party for her husband. It was buffet style and the food was delicious. They were a little slow in refilling a few of the dishes but good food does take time to prepare and is rather eat it hot off the stove than premade food that had been sitting. I'm not sure how much it costs to rent out the whole restaurant, but if you can afford it, it's a pretty cool venue to consider. Now onto the lunchtime service. They have pretty good lunch specials that come with salad and soup. The cheapest is the chicken teriyaki at $10.95. Good portion of chicken. I also like the negi toro donburi which is negi toro served on a bed of sushi rice with nori flakes. So delicious. I wanted to try something on the dessert menu but my dining mate was too full and I did not want to eat a whole dessert by myself. Next time! I've got my eye on the tempura ice cream. I still don't get how they can deep fry ice cream without the ice cream melting!

    (4)

  • Tyler D.

    Really enjoyed the food and the atmosphere. The food was comparable to Sansei but a but was priced better. I definitely wanna come here again.

    (4)

  • Jessika G.

    My boyfriend and I tried Doraku Sushi for the first time this weekend and we are both looking forward to our next visit. We made it to the Kapiolani Boulevard location at about 5:30 p.m. for the 4-6p.m. Happy Hour. We chose to sit at the bar (ask for Art, he's awesome!) and started with drinks; a Lotus for me and a Kirin for him. We ended up ordering two orders of chicken kara'age, two orders of the Deluxe Spicy Tuna Roll, one order of "steak on a stick", and because I just HAD to try a roll outside of the Happy Hour menu, I ordered a Black Dragon Roll. We were told that the Deluxy Spicy Tuna Roll was the one item to choose if we liked spicy, however, it wasn't spicy at all, but the fish was fresh and buttery and that made up for it. If I hadn't gotten the special roll, our bill would've have come out to $40+; which isn't bad and is pretty normal for us. Although there were lots of people, the area in which we were sitting in seemed empty. The ambiance is perfect for date night. We look forward to coming again, hopefully with friends and family. $3 valet parking in garage next to Doraku.

    (5)

  • Dillon S.

    Nice and trendy spot. Well decorated. Sushi is decent and affordable, especially during happy hour. Everyone I saw seemed to be having fun and our waiter was attentive. They forgot one of our orders, but we were so full we were thankful.

    (4)

  • Laurabeth M.

    Pricey, but I can see why! This place is a total treat for lunch, and so far of the 5 employees I've met, I've liked every one of them. I recommended this place to my brother, who is very picky and elite about where he goes. He asked for "the best sushi on the island" when he was visiting from Hong Kong and was not disappointed. I'd give it 5/5 but the strangest thing was I enjoyed the trio appetizer so much more than the riceless roll. In fact, the riceless roll was rather underwhelming.

    (4)

  • Maria Shea A.

    WOW WOW WOW I am so impressed with this place. We were invited to a birthday party there so when we arrived, several of our friends were waiting at the bar, to be seated. Their drink and wine selection was vast enough to satisfy most. After about 30 min, we were lead to the area up the stairs, to the right of the bar. We walked up a stairway and were led to the left corner. There was a U shaped booth along with some very close tables where one side had cozy bench style seats and the other some comfortable chairs. All 10 of us ordered and shared items from "Dinner Happy Hour" menu. These items are offered every day from 4 to 6pm and 9pm to closing. WIN!!! The menu has a wide variety of items for those who are more health conscious as well as others. Prices on the items range from to 3. to 6., yess really! Each and every item I'd tasted was just wonderful... except for the chicken lettuce wraps. The chicken was overdone. No matter though; the flavor, freshness, presentation, ambiance, service, value, quality of the food/drinks were ON POINT. Based on tasting about 90% of the items on this menu and the opinion of my friends, here are my recommendations: Tuna Tatake - My FAVORITE Salmon Carppacio - My Second favorite Eggplant Miso Chicken Kara'age Dynamite Donburi Any of the rolls. I also want to mention that they have my absolute favorite type of Sake on the Happy Hour Menu; Sho Chiku Bai, Nigori (cold, unfiltered sake). That is a really good sake for beginners or those who can't take the strong alcohol taste of most sake. We WILL be returning. I absolutely love this place.

    (5)

  • Robert G.

    Over rated. Customer service was not where it needed to be. I would not return but its a good place to get a sushi fix.

    (3)

  • Chad M.

    Not 5 out of 5 for the best restaurant I've ever had, but in its class category, it deserves a 5. Besides the 10 minutes of a crying baby in the back corner booth at the end of the sushi bar, this dining experience was fantastic! My girlfriend and I came out tonight on a Tuesday night and had made reservations for 7:30pm. We called 5 mins prior to let them know we were running 5 mins behind, but when we got there there wasn't a problem seating us & we chose to sit at the sushi bar anyways. Our server's name was Soo, which we have had several times before and it was great every time! We started off with the king salmon sashimi, which was really fresh as usual and nothing short of amazing. After that, the manager Aaron brought us a complimentary white dragon roll. All of the rolls are so delicious here and I've never had a bad one! After we obliterated that one, Soo came back and we ordered one cocktail each... A Moscow Mule, which goes perfect with sushi because it has ginger in it and they even have the copper mugs to compliment! Then we ordered some vegetable tempura, oyster shooter which had a quail egg/daikon/ponzu/green onion, oh toro (the best ever!!), and main entree seared sesame citrus ahi. The ahi was fantastic and had a nice spice/twist on it! The vegetable tempura was great too! All n all, it was a great experience and I will definitely continue to dine here as i have since they first opened. I always like to sit at the sushi bar because u can see all of the fresh fish up close and personal, as well as watch the pros prep everything like edible pieces of art! Worth the money & excellent quality for the cost basis.

    (5)

  • Julie D.

    Been here multiple times with my family or friends especially during happy hour because duh everything is cheaper. The food here is so tasty! I love getting the firecracker shrimp but too bad it's off the happy hour menu...boo! All is well though cuz it seems they added more on the happy hour menu. They now have beef yakitori and beef tataki which were both so tender and tasty! I usually get the lychee martini. I can get buzzed from one drink so it's worth the price of $6 under the happy hour menu. They also have a seating area upstairs for a more intimate setting. Ambiance is pretty. Parking is valet.

    (5)

  • Matt G.

    As I've matured (gotten old), weekly outings to the bar or club have turned into happy hour visits and after work drinks. What's not to love about that when Doraku is an option? Very generally speaking, happy hour prices range from $5-10 for anything on that menu. And compared to a lot of other places, it's fairly extensive. The tuna takaki is my favorite. Seared ahi tuna on a bed of julienned daikon and sweet onions with mixed wakame, kaiware, and ponzu topped with fried garlic chips and a garlic aioli. Sooooooo good. The only drawback is that I personally prefer my sear to be a little more substantial. A few more seconds on a hotter pan could've achieved a great crust. But in terms of flavor, on point. Also at $6 was the beef takaki, and it was very similar. Rare beef in the same ponzu sauce topped with green onions, red onions, and the fried garlic chips. Having been here before for dinner and again, recently, during happy hour, I think it's safe to say Doraku is a great option for either. The main appeal of happy hour are the prices. $6 for tuna or beef tataki? What's not to like about that? Oh and don't forget the drinks. Cheap drinks are always a plus.

    (4)

  • Zaneth Y.

    I usually come here every so often. Each time I went are always different experiences Overall the waitresses are always friendly and attractive. Food is great and decent pricing for any occasion. It's funny how the songs the play don't match their theme Japanese setting. I probably would recommend coming for happy hour. Every time I come here they're always out of some of their items. They need work on getting a new dish washer person because their glasses are never clean and have water and good stains! Which is pretty gross. But over all I do like the food and servers

    (4)

  • Taryn P.

    I'd say this is my favorite restaurant. Try the: - Hamachi Carpaccio - Tuna tataki - God of Fire Roll - Sohomare sake Service is friendly, restaurant is busy, clean bathrooms, and good vibe!

    (5)

  • Zar A.

    I love the outdoor seating here!! This place is definitely more accessible than its first location on Oahu, in Waikiki where traffic and parking are horrendous. Doraku, like its other locations, is a chain-American style-sushi (Japanese)-higher-end- fancy restaurant. As far is succeeding in Hawaii, this restaurant definitely has high competition. However, after having been here twice, this place has grown on me. - Their happy hour menu and prices are very affordable. - Brownie Tempura dessert. A must, must get!!!!

    (4)

  • Savannah P.

    Yikes! I came here once but the wait time was too long to bare so left and decided to come give this place a second shot. On our second time around, the wait for 2 was over 30 minutes to be seated but it felt more like 45 minutes and the hostess told us 20 minutes would be the wait time to be seated. Once seated we were greeted by our waitress who was super friendly and nice. She brought us our waters and checked up on us pretty frequently and answered any questions for anything we were unfamiliar with. We went with the happy hour menu (9pm-Close) & ordered 1 Kirin Draft ($4), 1 Garlic Teri Edamame (not on menu, ask for it upon request) ($3), 1 Dynamite Donburi (I assume only listed in some menus because it wasn't listed in my menu) ($6), and 1 Deluxe Spicy Tuna Roll ($6). ($19.90 with tax). The food was left with much to impress. The only things that were edible food wise was my cold Kirin draft and garlic teri edamame. The Dynamite Donburi (listed in the Hot Dishes section) was cold, the rice was stale and overly vinegary and the fish tasted like it was left over reminents which could not be used in other sushi dishes and was thrown into our Dynamite Donburi bowl. The Deluxe "Spicy" Tuna Roll looked pre-packaged like I could pick it up at any convinience store. There was hardly any tuna in it and it certainly was not spicy. I understand it's on the happy hour menu but don't bother serving it if it's going to served less than mediocre and all I get is rolls of rice wrapped in nori. I'm on the fringe of trying Doraku again. If I do, it certainly won't be for food off their Happy Hour menu.

    (2)

  • Cindy P.

    Located across mckinley high school's baseball/track field. Customer service is amazing! Although I personally think for the quality/portion, the sushi is overpriced. However the plating is nicely done. I tried both the fried ice cream (it's always vanilla) and the fried brownie. It tasted like boxed brownie that's been fried with tempura batter. I recall I think for both the fried desserts it was about $16? If you want to go to a place that will serve you food that's visually appealing, this is the place! You may ask, where did all of the flavor go? I wonder too. The food was bland in my taste.

    (3)

  • Wes N.

    Awesome energetic service. We were recommended a very nice bottle of sake...my company and I polished off a bottle and a half. Chutoro was great... And we enjoyed the braised ribs special. Valet is weird...literally parked the car 10 feet from where we gave them the keys and toward the end of our dinner they came around to give us our key to self serve ourselves...not quite the valet service that I enjoy tipping for...by oh well. Other than that... A+

    (5)

  • Mike H.

    Stopped in last night before heading to the airport and great food and the Lobster Rolls were top notch!! The Salmon Carpaccio was great after seeing another review on here figured try it out and was good!

    (5)

  • Dwayne Y.

    We went around 4pm for Happy Hour at the Kapiolani Blvd location. It was quite empty when we first arrived. The Happy Hour Menu is quite extensive and a great deal in our opinions. We ordered about 11 different dishes. The waitress was friendly but she was not confident with her knowledge of the menu when we asked for suggestions. The Ahi Tataki was really flavorful. It was fresh and very tasty. This was a great deal for only $6. We ordered 4 of these. The Miso Eggplant was a great dish. The exterior of the eggplant was firm and has good texture, yet the inside was soft and pillowy. The miso complimented the flavors of the eggplant nicely. We didn't really care for the rolls that much. The Beef Tataki was another really good dish. The beef was raw and tasted very fresh. This is a great place if you want good food and a great deal. I woudl suggest going early since it got very crowded.

    (4)

  • Kristen K.

    Came here for happy hour. It wasn't bad at all. It was fine. Just not memorable by any means. They offer valet. The hostesses were cheery and seated us right away, and our server was friendly and attentive. However, the best thing on the entire happy hour menu (in my opinion) is the garlic edamame. Ya, that's right. The edamame. Try it. It's delicious. The chicken karaage was surprisingly good too. Everything else we got was alright but nothing to rave about. They are definitely overpriced for the regular menu. Reminds me of Sansei. Both these places have super good happy hour, but it's shocking how much a normal menu item costs at both establishments (for what you end up with). This restaurant has nice decor though. For what it's worth.

    (3)

  • Cliff B.

    First off: I don't eat sushi. So why in the blue blazing heck am I writing a review for a high-class sushi joint? Well, I ate there - I had some sushi offered by my fiancee - again, I don't eat it - not regularly, but I am trying to expand my palate for the sake of love. And the sushi I sampled wasn't too bad. The food I ate - of course I can't remember, dadgummit (I need to start doing these more closely to the times I actually visit these places) - was delicious. I want to say there was some beef and chicken involved...and rice. The sake was good, too. And the beer and wine. It's a wee bit pricey, but you get what you pay for. The atmosphere's kinda hip, but neither pretentious nor snooty. I felt like I was at a lounge-type place in Japan but everyone spoke fluent English.

    (4)

  • Ciera G.

    Perfect happy hour spot. Went there 4 pm on a Wednesday. Ordered a couple rolls, chicken ka'rage and the sashimi deluxe. Drinks were delicious and came quick. I do not know if I would come back for dinner but definitely a great happy hour.

    (4)

  • Jamie C.

    Awesome, Awesome, Awesome This was our first time here and Evette our server was excellent. We went during happy hour (which is the best time to go) as our bill came our to only 150.00 for four of us and we ate A LOT!!! Definitely will go back again. The service is great, the food is ono and the prices are reasonable.

    (5)

  • Maka K.

    Woohoo! New favorite sushi place! Why? Only place I know that makes sushi without rice!! No need to worry about those useless rice carbs! YAY! Parking: You can valet, but if you're like me and hate to pay to park, then you'll have to circle the area for some street parking. Be careful, though, different street parking areas have different "Tow Away Zone" times. Yeah....I kind of hate the parking for this place. Venue: You'd never guess from the outside that the decor on the inside of the restaurant is so cool! The lighting is a bit dim, but there are hanging Japanese lanterns, tables made from wood that still hold it's natural shape (i.e not the normal rectangular, clear cut corner sort), and cool looking bar! This location has a small lanai/patio seating area, but you're subject to the sounds of the main roadway (Kapiolani Blvd) that the restaurant is on. Happy Hour (HH): Everyday 4-6p and again for late night at 9p-closing. $3 beer, $4 house wine, $6 cocktails, and hot, cold & sushi roll dishes that are all $6 or under. It's an excellent HH! I've never gone for the earlier HH, so I'm not sure if it's only at the bar or anywhere in the restaurant, but the late night HH is fine no matter where you sit. Sadly, none of the "no-rice" rolls are on the HH menu. :( Food: Normally, the thing that turns me off from going to a sushi place is that I just don't really want to eat all that rice! I'm there for the seafood! The SEAFOOD! Why waste money & calories on rice, right? That's why finding the "No-Rice" Rolls section totally made my night when I found it! There are only 3 rolls in the section, but I had the Double Happiness! Tuna, salmon, kaiware sprouts & shiso leaf surrounded by a mix of scallop, squid, shrimp & crabmeat (instead of rice) and wrapped in nori & thinly sliced cucumber THEN topped w/ garlic aioli, tobiko & ponzu sauce! Doesn't that sound AMAZEBALLS! SO MUCH SEAFOOD! And it tasted amazing, too! Also had the Salmon Carpaccio (a.k.a. really thinly sliced/pounded sashimi). It's not sushi, but there's no rice either. (^_^") Doraku makes theirs with red onions & garnish it wish a creamy ginger sauce and black tobiko. It looks like really fancy sashimi, but it tastes 10 times better than sashimi! Desserts: 2 words: BROWNIE. TEMPURA! They have 3 or so desserts on the menu, but this is the one that stands out! housemade brownie sticks that are tempura battered, fried, then stacked on a plate with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream plopped on top. Then they sprinkle on the mac nuts and drizzle chocolate syrup and a fruit puree! It's rich, but it's a winner! Conclusion: Like I said, new favorite sushi restaurant! Even though I hate the parking situation and I prefer eating w/ HH prices, the fact that I now have a place to go where I don't have to worry about the rice content makes me a super happy girl!

    (5)

  • Nikki S.

    I love Sushi and this place it good... It's best to go during Happy Hour the prices are much lower.... BUT you tend to order more hahaha.. Had Happy Hour with our family and everything was delicious. I can't wait to go back again!!

    (4)

  • Divine D.

    I came in, was not greeted right away because server & greeter were busy with some paperwork. I asked to be seated by window & greeter suggested the sushi bar in middle restaurant. Greeter knocked the menu over podium on me by accident. Greeter was nice to get me water but I didn't like all the personal questions about me and where I'm from, etc. I would've given bad rating but Giro from the sushi bar gave me great service which makes up the stars.

    (5)

  • Samantha T.

    First time here. I would like to start off by saying I've heard alot about this place. About the happy hour, about how good everything is. So me and my boyfriend decided we would try it out. We walk in the host was very nice and attentive. We were seated right away. Our waiter was very nice. Answered our questions on the menu.. But as soon as we started eating our waiter didn't come check up on us. We quickly realize that our food was way over priced for the portion size. Happy Hour prices are great! But for half sized sushi.... The spicy firecrackers shrimp were good. Also tasted like it was frozen not fresh like the menu had describe. The lobster tempura nigiri is almost the same thing as the lobster roll from shokudo. The spicy&sweet soybeans were the best thing we ordered lol. We finished up our food and waited a good 20mins before our waiter came back to our table before to check up on us. He asked us if we wanted to try the tempura bromine. And I specifically asked to put the ice cream on the side. Because my boyfriend had given up ice cream for lent and he can't eat it. Not more then 5 mins later he brings it out with the ice cream right on top. I had asked him nicely to take it back and fix it. He comes back with the ice cream on the side and he just flipped the brownies over and left it with all the ice cream on them.. I am very disappointed after my experience today. I was expecting so much more. I probably won't be back anytime soon. For these prices you could go to other places and get twice as much food for less then $60..

    (2)

  • Lanette B.

    We arrived for lunch at opening time so the place was empty. We were seated right away and server brought water but took a while to come back for our order. Ordered hot dishes-the butterfish and the hamachi. And the habanero sushi. The sushi arrived first. Fish melts in your mouth. We waited quite a while for the hot dishes. Then all at once toss salad, miso soup and fish arrive. Butterfish cold. We eventually catch the servers eye and she apologizes and brings another butterfish. Table cleared and check dropped off with no offer of dessert. I paid the bill with cash. Server brought back my change. Currency only...no coins. Is it a practice for Doraku to "round" up the bill and keep the coins? I expected a far better experience.

    (3)

  • Scott H.

    Very friendly staff that always makes you feel at home. Food and ambiance is the perfect combination of balance, price and taste. Best place to eat with friends due to the location and liveliness. Always busy during dinner time so get there early or try and make reservations

    (5)

  • C.T. K.

    Food poisoning last week. Hate to write this because in the past (esp. at the Waikiki one we have had great meals,) however the Kapiolani restaurant just does not seem to be at the same level. It was good enough though for me and easier to get to so we started going there. So to celebrate on my birthday my wife and I went to happy hour. I ordered only a red dragon roll and chicken karaage. My wife who is pregnant ordered the steak. The unagi on the roll tasted not very good but I don't like to complain so just ate it. It didn't taste rotten just not like how good unagi tastes. Anyway a few hours later in a movie, I started to feel achy in my muscles. Then I started to feel extremely cold. When we left I was shaking and my hands were going numb. I thought I was just cold but I was hoping the recent humidity would warm it up. When we got home I started feeling nauseous and tired at the same time. That's when I realized I had food poisoning. I spent the rest of my birthday in the bathroom and on the couch. Throwing up, using TP, showering all night. I slept for about 15 to 20 minutes at a time. For 2 days I called in sick and only ate 2 crackers, 3 spoons of porridge and a few bites of fruit. My joints and stomach cramps were SO painful. I was upset because I was in so much pain, had to miss work & had a pregnant wife that could have gotten sick (luckily we know not for her to eat seafood). It's been 4 days now and I'm feeling ok but my stomach still hasn't recovered fully (I will spare you the details of how I can tell.) I don't know if the heat and humidity last week had anything to do with it but tomorrow I am calling the Department of Health. I truly am not a fan of yelp and also really hate writing such a bad review but I felt like what happened is really not right. We PAID them to make me sick and miss out on work. Also in their defense I know you can't blame the whole company on possibly one person's mistake but if I don't speak up then there is the chance it will happen to another person and I wouldn't want that.

    (1)

  • Joshua K.

    I made an account just so I could write a review for this restaurant. The food was cold, the portions were tiny, the prices were outrageous, and the service was terrible. Here's a recap of my night: 1. I ordered the most expensive sushi platter to I can get the uni along with maguro. I get my platter, and I realize that the uni is missing. The restaurant served me the platter without the uni, and they didn't even tell me. I talked to the waiter (who was very nice) and she told me the chef substituted the uni with another sushi...I didn't get any reimbursement. 2. The food (garlic steak and steamed fish) were both cold. They were not even warm, but cold. Conclusion: For such an expensive restaurant, the service and management is terrible and not acceptable. I will never be back, and I'm hungry.

    (1)

  • Jackie K.

    I have found a new love in life and it is the tempura brownie at doraku. It is so delicious that I don't ever want to share with my partner ever again.

    (5)

  • Odille C.

    Amazing food, service, and decor. We got the dragon rolls, white and red, and they were fantastic. I thoroughly enjoyed them. The decor is very Japanese, but that is to be expected. It is family style, so bring friends! It's a cozy and cool place to eat dinner.

    (5)

  • Lexy N.

    Sadly I was extremely disappointed with the service and some of the quality of the sushi from my last visit. I was really excited to eat here because in Ewa we don't have higher end restaurants like this and very rarely am I in town. I came in on a Wednesday afternoon it was pretty slow considering the fact that I've been here before on more crowded days. But the waiters and waitresses were cluttered around the hostess stand and from what I assume were gossiping they took at least 5 mins to acknowledge me so basically I was just standing there looking like a dumb garden gnome until they all glanced up at me and rushed away as if I ruined their conversation. When the hostess finally decided to greet us and take us to our seats she stuck us away upstairs which is pretty cramped and I was pretty sad because I really love the way the restaurant is decorated and designed and upstairs I could see none of that. Which again I didn't understand because again the place was pretty empty. But because I really like Doraku I decided to shake it off. When our waitress came she was nice and informative. She recommended some of her favorites and even the restaurant favorites and I even showed her pictures of the sushi I wanted but forgot the name to and she knew right away. So that made me feel a little bit better. The food took a little long to come out two plates came out first then it took at least 20 mins for the rest to come out but I don't mind waiting. Especially because I figured climbing up and downstairs is sorta a hassle. I got the Salmon carpaccio my favorite and a must have because its delicious and the sauce is to die for sometimes I find myself craving it randomly:-)! Spicy lobster roll was more mild, I couldn't really distinguish the difference between lobster and cream cheese it was more of a cream cheese roll. The godess of Fire another one of my favorites if you love spicy food! The emperor roll was the first time I ordered and was amazing it was deep fried crunchy on the outside and lastly The deep fried trio. (I think I would enjoyed the sushi more if it was still hot when I got to eat it.) Last but not least I needed to get dessert to finish my stay I got the deep fried tempura brownie and although I was a little bit hesitant and I know some of you are as well ! Don't be it was very rich and hit the spot. All together the bill was only around $66 dollars which was relatively cheap meal. I really wish I could of write a better review I just hope the service improves. Maybe it was just a bad day. All and all I would come here again for the sushi.

    (3)

  • Branden N.

    Slow service from stuck up staff... Food was ok but presentation is very nice. All in all, the food is not worth the price

    (1)

  • Paul H.

    First time here. Great experience. Asked the waitress for her recommendations on the food and sake and she was on point. Love when that happens. Everything was perfect. Ordered red dragon roll, lobster tempura, lobster roll and steak and mushrooms. Delicious. I had the house wine which tasted epic. Also it's only valet and cost $3 which is no big deal. All in all great place to hang with friends or just you and your girl with great music and atmosphere.

    (5)

  • Cin T.

    2.5 stars We arrived 15 minutes too early for their 4pm-6pm happy hour. I thought our waitress would be a more lenient, given that we were only ones in the dining area (there was a couple that had just paid their bill and left as we were being seated). I was wrong, she did not budge one bit. We decided to stay anyways since we were on limited time and wanted to grab a quick bite before running some errands. OYSTER SHOOTERS ($6 per serving, we got 4 orders for the 2 of us): yelp.com/biz_photos/dora… - Fresh New Zealand oysters, ikura, uni and quail eggs topped off with ponzu, chili oil and spicy grated daikon. I even tasted a hint of sesame oil. - Although there was a lot going on here, I could still taste the brininess of the oysters. Refreshing and delicious, no doubt the best part of our rushed lunch. CALAMARI TEMPURA ($9.50): yelp.com/biz_photos/dora… Japanese Surume Squid was lightly battered and fried to a crisp. The tempura batter was light enough that it didn't overpower and take away from the already thin rings of ika. - Served with a traditional Tentsuyu/tempura dipping sauce. - It seemed more like their happy hour portion size for the hefty $9.50 pricetag. SPICY LOBSTER ROLL ($14.95, $5 happy hour): yelp.com/biz_photos/dora… The lobster-crab meat-cream cheese mixture is tempura-battered and fried. It's topped off with a spicy garlic aioli, then garnished with both red and black tobiko (flying fish roe). - The tempura crust was undercooked and soggy, so the thick amount of dough was a bit much to swallow. - We didn't get any black tobiko in ours. When I asked our waitress, she said "it's only supposed to have red tobiko in it." I showed her the menu that clearly states that both the red and black roe are in the dish. She apologized and that was it. No attempt was made to correct the dish in any way. ***The couple that left as we were seated had also left half of their spicy lobster roll untouched. Guess they weren't really impressed with it either. GINGER CHICKEN KARAAGE ($8, $4 happy hour): yelp.com/biz_photos/dora… Marinated in a ginger-soy sauce and deep-fried. - Would've been perfect had it not been tossed in a sweet garlicky glaze, which turned it a bit soggy. Would've been nice to have the sauce served on the side as a dipping sauce. - The flavors reminds me a lot of the sweet Korean-style garlic chicken found at the local okazuya places. GARLIC TERIYAKI EDAMAME ($5, $3 happy hour): yelp.com/biz_photos/dora… My friend and I both agreed that it was the same sweet garlicky sauce used in the their ginger chicken karaage. - The soy beans were undercooked and hard.

    (2)

  • Lori M.

    By far the best food we had our whole two weeks in Honolulu. We went back several times for consistency.

    (5)

  • ChrisandBecky W.

    Great atmosphere. Friendly service. No reservations for happy hour but the prices make it worth the risk! The food is delicious and they give you pretty large portions!! The fried brownie is delish!!!!! Definitely recommend saving room for dessert! I don't think it's good for kids.. The booths are small and close together and the music is loud. Definitely an adult restaurant! I don't even eat seafood but their teriyaki chicken was awesome!

    (4)

  • Anna-Stasha M.

    OMG, YUM!!! Doraku has phenomenal sushi. Be prepared to crave it all the time once you have it. This place is so addicting, never enough!!! The customer service is great. If you order to do they are very fast! One of the best places to go for sushi in Honolulu. Enjoy!!

    (5)

  • Jennifer S.

    Had a late lunch here after discovering that Blue Tree next door doesn't serve too much in the way of food. We came here with some vegetarians who were able to easily find something to eat - they shared veggie rolls, some noodles, and a couple other dishes. I do partake of the fish, however, and I thoroughly enjoyed my Red Dragon Roll: avocado, spicy tuna, and shrimp tempura with rice, topped with unagi and red caviar (I have forgotten the name of this) - all my favorite things in ONE roll?? Sold! One of these rolls, cut into about 8 pieces, runs $13.50. For the quality, that seemed reasonable. Salad comes with a typical ginger dressing, but I appreciate that the lettuces were NOT iceberg. Red leaf, romaine, and some other typical Spring-Mix greens. Others in my party had the Geisha Roll, God of Fire roll, and the Teri Chicken dish, and all thought they were delicious. The lunch menu offered nothing different from (and same prices as) the main menu. Happy hour from 4-6p. Large variety of sake. Virtually no wait for a weekday lunch at just after 1pm - and we had a group of 10. Free parking during the day doesn't hurt, either.

    (4)

  • Janet K.

    The food is absolutely delicious! My absolute FAVORITE dish is the Double Happiness Roll. There's no rice in it so I don't feel guilty eating it. The miso eggplant, hamachi, tuna avocado salad, agedashi tofu and tuna tataki are all wonderful. The drinks are trendy and the desserts are fried! Can't get better than that! Limited parking assigned to Doraku is in the Pacifica building. The service is usually good. Tip - They have a Doraku rewards card called D-Club so don't forget to sign up. It's a pretty cool looking black card that gives you points when you dine and you can redeem it for credit/discount ranging from $25 - $100.

    (4)

  • David C.

    The last time I came here the sushi didn't taste very fresh. The happy hour menu here is a bargain. If anything, go here for the happy hour menu.

    (2)

  • Kalia G.

    Such a good atmosphere and I really enjoyed my waiter... Their happy hour sushi was so satisfying. As was their lychee martini! Really recommend if you're dining with a group. May want to make reservations.

    (5)

  • Little D.

    DORAKU SUSHI @1009 KAPIOLANI BLVD. Happy Hour 1600-1800. Take reservation only after 1800. HH review: You can get pretty full with only Happy Hour menu. We loved Ahi Poke $4.00 and Deluxe roll with shiso. Chicken lettuce wrap was different but tasty. Lychee Martini $6.00 was also tasty. We did not care for Eggplant Miso, Chicken Karaage, Beef Tataki much. Edamame $2.00 and spiced Edamame $3.00 were good. Next time I will try Deep Fried Brownie. Take out does not apply Happy Hour price. Although we loved their Hamachi! Parking: $3.00 for valet. If you don't like a stranger driving your car, and don't mind walking 5 minutes, you can park at Ward center.

    (5)

  • Brian P.

    Fun spot to meet up for some great food and drinks. Happy hour is a great time to sample some of the menu at great prices.

    (5)

  • Jhay B.

    LOVE their sushi, atmosphere is a mix of modern and American. Had the oyster shooter with UNI was bomb. Also had ikura and salmon don buri. Service was friendly got seated quickly, only confusing part was valet since I didn't know where to go in line. Will be coming back here real soon!

    (5)

  • Delilah A.

    Group dinner with my friends last night. I really like this location rather than the Royal Hawaiian Center. The décor is casual yet, chic, and the large, open dining room offers a comfortable dining experience. I ordered the garlic steak and it was perfect. The ponzu sauce was killer. My dinner was the last to arrive and everyone in my party had multiple courses come before mine even arrived, which was kind of a drag. Dessert is always a must for me, so I ordered the Brownie Tempura. It was decent, but didn't fulfill my sweet tooth. I went home and got my fix with powdered donuts. Overall, fun, not crazy expensive and, most importantly, delicious.

    (4)

  • Sirinat M.

    After a long day at work, my husband and I love to come here because they have such good food and comfortable seats. When they are busy, we don't mind sitting at the bar as either Art or Moriah are so friendly in helping you decide what to eat or drink. Their Happy Hour specials are very-well priced, which causes us to keep ordering. Doraku is truly one of the best quality sushi/Japanese restaurants vs dollar value in town. I'm sure you will love it, too!

    (5)

  • Misha T.

    Solid place, especially for large groups. Their rolls are quite tasty, although their sashimi probably isn't worth it. Stick with the rolls. Protip: Come eat at 8pm, get/eat your rolls, and wait till 9pm for happy hour to fill in any gaps in your belly.

    (4)

  • I M.

    We are Asian food lovers! The ambiance to this Japanese restaurant was really contemporary Asian. The staff were friendly and helpful with ordering. Even when busy they were quick to serve you and kept your water and tea full. All their fish we had was fresh. Prices are reasonable for sushi. It is loud, but a great place for any occasion. They even have happy hour. Make a reservation in advance as they seem to book up, especially on weekends.

    (5)

  • Spencer X.

    This is an excellent restaurant ... IF you're a munchkin who wants overpriced, poor-quality, pseudo-Japanese food! Not only are the portion sizes SMALL, but the quality and freshness of the seafood stink. The other dishes, such as the overpriced chicken teriyaki, tofu stir-fry, or edamame would be appealing, except I don't have the palate of a five-year kid. It's not a bad place but -- considering how many better places there are in Hawaii -- I just can't say it's good. It's just underwhelming. YOU WILL leave this restaurant HUNGRY and head up the street for a sour dough Jack with curly fries!

    (2)

  • Julie F.

    Try the red dragon roll. Trust me on this one.

    (4)

  • Deborah C.

    This is going to be a bit tricky to write, but here goes. Earlier last evening (Friday night) I met a few of my girl friends here for dinner and drinks, and we had a fabulous evening. Our server was attentive and very efficient. We loved him! The food was crazy amazing, and we absolutely loved every dish we ordered. One member of our party arrived later, and that's where the "fun" begins. She told the hostess she was coming to meet a group of girls, to which the response was: "There's no group of girls here." Then my friend gave the name she thought the reservation had been placed under and was told "No". There was absolutely NO effort on the part of the hostess to assist my friend, let alone be courteous or helpful. This is a bit disturbing, because when you have great food and an awesome wait staff, why wouldn't your first point of contact be someone who is gracious and personable? Especially with this type of business! Luckily my friend has a great personality and brushed it off. However, we do feel management should demand that individuals working the initial point of contact show a little more respect and courtesy towards customers. You never know when one of them will (or already has) dropped a huge sum of money while entertaining in your establishment... and I imagine repeat business of that type is highly desired?

    (4)

  • Erica S.

    This review is only for the happy hour. 4-6pm and 9pm-close every day. $5 tuna tataki....hands down the best I've ever had, good looking bartenders with a relatively strong pour. Would highly recommend this place.

    (5)

  • Robbie M.

    The grillled fish cheek was awesome. The skin was nice and crisp and the fish moist. The green dragon roll had a good crunch and spicy. The hamachi carpaccio was our least fave. The sauce overwhelmed the delicate fish. The happy hour lomi lomi roll was very tasty with a nice punch.

    (4)

  • Nicole C.

    Service was impeccable. I don't remember her name, but our server was friendly, attentive, and intuitive. She was the best server I've had in months! A+ for you, Doraku. However, the food was not up to par. We had the karaage, lomi lomi roll, deluxe spicy ahi roll, tuna tataki, agedashi, and beef tataki. Where to begin... The decent: tuna tataki The mediocre: lomi lomi roll (rather bland), deluxe spicy ahi roll (nice balance of flavors but nothing special), agedashi (for some reason, this wasn't done quite right) The bad: beef tataki - tasted like moist beef jerky; I MUCH prefer the Shokudo version I'm not coming back. It's not authentic, and it's not particularly good. Shokudo is an easy choice over this.

    (2)

  • James M.

    FAST AND FURIOUS!!!! We came here for good Hawaii sushi. The restaurant is very loud with blaring rave music (to make you eat faster?) and the sound competed with the Elvis impersonator playing in the courtyard outside. The staff was friendly but rushed and hyper vigilant and we were in and out of the front door in 40 minutes!!! A meal at Taco Bell takes longer. I guess the name of the game is turning over the tables. The tuna avocado salad was excellent as was the calamari but the local sushi was rather insipid and disappointing---and such small portions. I have had much better sushi in Honolulu and on the mainland. Your HI dollars would be better spent at one of the many local noodle bars.

    (2)

  • Miss P.

    The hostess service is superbly disgusting. The hostesses are snooty and they attempt to make you feel very small. My party was about 15 minutes late for our reservation and she felt the need to tell me that she gave our table away because we were late and that we have to sit outside. Like sitting outside was a bad thing! And she had to make it a point to say that she gave our table away. It was not necessary as we want to move on. It was the same as our first time here. They didn't disappoint with their bad first impression. My tip for them: Smiling goes a long way! Despite the hostesses, the waiter/waitress service was excellent. The restaurant is very busy so service can be slow but it's not because they want to neglect you. The food is excellent and above average. The food makes us come back for more and makes us endure hostesses attitudes.

    (3)

  • Cullen K.

    Let me just clarify that im giving 4 stars for SERVICE. Went here last Friday for our friends going away dinner. We were a large party so we had the upper private section which I LOVED. The decor is just top notch here! Everything is so beautiful and well thought out. Our server, I never caught her name, was so polite and welcoming. She was very busy dealing with my group and other tables but always approached with a smile. I work in restaurant so I know how hard this is sometimes lol. FIVE stars for service. I deff have to minus a star because of the food however. Ok so what happened was we sat a bit before 830 and put in a first order that time because it wasn't happy hour. I ordered the golden buddha (my servers reccomendation) Then 9 came around and we ordered happy hour stuff. Though still no sign of my roll. I did however recieve the tea and drinks we ordered. Then around 915 everyone is receiving their happy hour food as did we. Still no golden Buddha roll. It wasn't until 930 that i received MY roll which was the LAST item to come out amongst all 13 other people getting ALL their food. Now correct me if I'm wrong but if I order something an hour ago and order something 30 minutes ago, should I not get my item I ordered first FIRST? Ridiculous. I thought maybe it was cuz the uni but my friend got his uni nigiri at the 915 mark so right then I got pissed. And then we found out a tuna roll we ordered got dropped at a different table. So you can imagine how angry I was because I was starving. Our server definitely picked up on it because she was very apologetic after which I appreciate in any waitress because even though it was clearly not her fault in either case, she still managed to make me have a good time and order dessert lol!! Btw that fried ice cream hooommmgggggggg! Though I've been told the brownie is the best. I know stuff happens in restaurants and all that but the trouble with the food just made me feel like last priority especially since evetyone else got their complicated rolls way ahead of me. Good thing our server helped the situation because I'm not sure the food was worth the trouble of coming back. I did however try peoples food and found EVERYTHING was better than what I ordered *sad face* so for now on its oyster shooters and spicy volcano roll(with the jalepeno)!!!!

    (4)

  • Charlie M.

    great Toro

    (4)

  • Kathleen A.

    The service was really great. Excellent cocktail special. The food wasn't special, but there were some good items. They were accommodating of an allergy and everything came out quickly. A bit heavy handed with sauces, and the calamari was chewy, but everything else was high quality and nice.

    (3)

  • Gloria M.

    Awesome place great sushi and other stuff, emperor roll killt it!!!!!! Great staff and ambience like RA gone island in hawaii, skip yanagi, its such a has been, this is it!!!! will definitely be back!!!!

    (5)

  • yvonneandscott j.

    The happy hour is the best deal there....it gets busy so get there early. The food presentation makes it appealing eat. The sake samplers are okay..and the price is reasonable. If you are going to a concert at the blasdell then its a great place to stop in and eat before the event.

    (4)

  • Greg H.

    Have only been during Happy Hour but it is the best out there! I would come here every day if I could! :-)

    (5)

  • Fil L.

    white dragon roll - must order. garlic edamame - really tasty too. it comes in a huge bowl so be aware.

    (5)

  • Kazuo O.

    Doraku on Kapi'olani has quickly become one of my go to staples. It's large enough to dine with big groups, the bar gives you the option of dropping in late night with your date for a late night snack, and the food quality is certainly up to par with the stylistically nouveau Japanese cuisine found in Honolulu. The late night happy hour, although limited, offers some affordable and delicious basics that can fill you up while you splurge on some of the more exciting regular menu items. If you're a sake aficionado (I'm not) you'll find the beverage list more than adequate (per my sake obsessed friend). Although the space is quite large, the modular design lends to a more intimate feel than you would expect. Likes: atmosphere and design, well-executed dishes, long and varied menu, good for large groups (but get a reservation), chance to meet Steve Aoki. Dislikes: parking can be troublesome if you're allergic to walking, hard to get a table on the busy nights, might feel a little pricey vs dining experience... There's a bit of a scenester thing going on sometimes. Bottom line: solid four star. I'd like it if fewer people went so that I could show up without a reservation... Ha

    (4)

  • Erica K.

    Very, very, very good!!!! Love the sushi here! Had the doraku roll, surf and turf, god of fire roll, ahi tataki and the hamachi Kama. Everything was absolutely amazing!!! We ordered the brownie tempura for dessert. Didn't care for that much. Definitely returning for round 2!!!!

    (5)

  • Tiani B.

    Got there late, met up with friends....they had dinner there and then stayed for happy hour. Since they are NOT yelpers I will share their experience. They found a live caterpillar on their shrimp! They were not charged for the meal. Why they stayed, I will never know. But we met up for drinks so I figured I was safe. They were seated in the outdoor area and it was nice because we could conversate without so much loud music n stuff. I one star this place based on the service we recieved. It was terrible. I felt like our waitress forgot about us being out there. She took a while to return with drinks or to check on us. We even had to hunt HER down to get and pay our tab!! I will stick to the Waikiki location for sure...sorry Doraku Kapolani, you will not be seeing this foodie ever again.

    (1)

  • Dean V.

    There food is good and service I'll be back for sure

    (4)

  • Corrinne L.

    Stopped in at Doraku for a quick bite while waiting for my hotel room to be ready. I was a little late for lunch and so the restaurant was quiet and the servers had time to just chat about the food. That was nice. The decor was classy and I remember thinking to bookmark this place for when I come back next time with hubby and kids. I wasn't overly hungry, so I ordered the negi toro with scallions (nigiri) and the grilled hamachi kama. The sushi was wonderful. Fish was scraped finely and very fresh. The hamachi kama was far too salty. For such a good cut of fish, it didn't need that much salt. I felt that killed the experience for me. I might return to give it a second try - but my suspicion is that I'll stick with the sushi, rather than the cooked food.

    (3)

  • Boki C.

    I love the happy hour prices, for a relatively nice place! The food was really yummy. The music was my cup of tea. I enjoyed their uni, my thing to order. Their oyster shooters were delicious, as was their hamachi carpaccio. I wasn't a fan of their special spicy tuna roll (happy hour menu), cuz it had that shiso, which I didn't enjoy. We had their house sake which was good too. Ambiance and decor was great. A big spot. We stayed for last call drinks, all serving staff were awesome. Will definitely return.

    (4)

  • Gabe A.

    This is as good of a sushi spot you'll find in Hawaii. This is not your typical Aloha Sushi or Genki Sushi establishment. This is the type of place you visit if you are looking swanky spot with premium fresh sushi and a young, energetic (good looking) crowd. Right off the bat, I'd go with the Tuna Tataki. This dish is drizzled with some ponzo sauce, garlic chips and coupled with some green and white sweet onions to add a little crunch to the fresh Ahi. I'd recommend at least two orders of this. Can't go wrong with the Poke either. This was beautifully presented to us with a mix of Nalo greens and included some macadamia nut sprinkles, marinated in some special sauce that went down nicely with my Kirin. Finally, you gotta try the Red Dragon Roll. The mix of shrimp tempura with spicy tuna is a personal favorite of mine. Throw in the avocado and a drizzle of the spicy aioli sauce, and this is one UNREAL treat to feast on. Last of all - the ambiance at this place is top notch. You can tell that the owners spared no expense to provide a high quality atmosphere to the Hawaii crowd. Reminds me of a few top sushi spots I'd previously visited in places like LA or Miami....something you don't usually see in Hawaii. If you're looking to impress your date, or maybe a friend from out of town, Doraku is the spot to go.

    (5)

  • Mac J.

    Parking is extremely limited. Carpool if you can. For large groups, I strongly recommend making reservations. Their sushi menu looks limited but you can order anything you see at the sushi bar. As long as they have the ingredients, they'll make it for you. My friends to me the Happy hour menu changed slightly but it still works for me. Service was very good. Sam came by enough times to make sure we were good. Overall 3 stars. I wasn't significantly impressed to award a 4th star.

    (3)

  • Ro M.

    Had to take away 1 star. Arrived about 15 min before the start of happy hour, which starts @ 4pm. Besides the 2 people seated at the bar, this place was empty. ALL the tables were vacant inside & outside. We tell the hostess "for 2 people." She looks @ her little table/seating chart on her hostess table & takes some time to figure out where she wants to seat us. LOL. Meanwhile, I'm trying hard not to laugh as I skim the restaurant, looking at all the empty seats jumping, "Pick Me pick me!" LOL. Finally, we are seated & the fun begins:) Ordered the 1) Panko Hamachi: crisp perfection & bursting with flavor. A must try! 2) Emperor's roll: 5 pieces of sushi for $12.95. Worth each bite. Highly recommended. 3) Red caterpillar roll: Tasty with a little crunch to it. 4) White Dragon roll: A little too garlicy for me. Probably wouldn't order it again. Validated parking was $3. I will definitely be back.

    (4)

  • Chansis C.

    Came here for a date night with the hubby! The waitress was great, she seen my husband on his phone looking at football scores and offered him the TV to watch the actual game!!! The food here was delish, and the lychee martini hit the spot!! Don't think I'm going to dress up as much as I did, but a definite must!!

    (5)

  • George K.

    Came here for my birthday looking for some contemporary Japanese cuisine. Food was pretty good but they were out of so many things. We had a 6:15 reservation so we came in quite early. Out of the oyster shooters, salmon kama, salmon ochazuke, u me ochazuke, Japanese pudding. Never coming back here again. So would rather go to Gaku, Imanas Tei, Gazen, Akinono, Izakaya Nombei.

    (1)

  • Ridge N.

    I went last night for happy hour and I was bummed that they took off the firecracker shrimp off the happy hour menu! $5 during happy hour seemed perfect for the amount they give. Full price at $10 for the portion given is pretty steep! Put the firecracker shrimp back on the happy hour menu pls!! Oh, and the salmon cheek :) other than that I have no complaints! Service was good! Red dragon roll is always bomb!

    (4)

  • Jana T.

    Food was good. Music was a little loud for a family dinner, can't hear each other without talking loud above the music. Hard to see the menu with the dim lighting.

    (4)

  • Ling W.

    "Completely underwhelmed" We've been wanting to try this place for 2+ years, so when the opportunity presented itself, we went in for dinner. Pros: We were seated quickly (albeit at the sushi bar) without a reservation Some of our food arrived quickly Nice atmosphere Cons: Some food did not arrive quickly Our waitress was completely casual and commented TWICE about how quickly we ate our food and "you TANKED that!"--so much for tact The waif-ish girls working the front stare down everyone for...their fashion sense? Who knows... The food was completely underwhelming--bland tastes despite planful and well-thought presentations Expensive for what we got (we did not go during happy hour) Bottom line? Inexperienced services, high prices for bland sushi and apps.

    (2)

  • Eunice K.

    This place is such a sweet spot for little dates or hang outs, especially during happy hour. The poke was pretty delicious. The ambience definitely reminds me of Asia.

    (5)

  • Rachel r.

    been here several times with big groups and sometimes we would just sit at the bar... this place is our go to restaurant when we don't know what we want to eat. service is always good, but this last visit our server was spacey and forgot to ring in additional orders of drinks and food.

    (3)

  • Felicia D.

    First review on Yelp! Yayyy! It's a 1-star! Boooo... For starters, let me note that this was on my birthday... yea. My birthday. I ate here once before when it opened and me and my boyfriend decided to check it out because we love anything that boasts great sushi. We stumbled in on happy hour, but ended up ordering mostly from the regular menu because the HH menu didn't really spark our tastebuds and the portions wouldn't fill us up. Luckily, we had a great bartender who filled us in on dishes that were worth the buck. We left saying we'd only come back for drinks before a movie date because it does have a good bar and fun ambiance to it (hipster alert! Especially during HH), but I much prefer Kunio's or even Kona Kai, etc. for better sushi at those prices. However, my friends decided to plan a surprise birthday dinner here after my boyfriend took me to the Lion King show at the Blaisdell, which was conveniently across the street. We ordered what we knew we would like (can't go wrong with hamachi and the Double Happiness roll is healthy AND yummy), friends took advantage of the HH items, and the beau and I tried some new things that were a little disappointing, but I was in great company, I had liquor in front of me, and it was my birthday, so I didn't care. Our waitress, Ashley (?), was super nice and tried her best despite "computer system glitches" - and that's not her fault so we understood, but it made the food and drinks come out A LOT slower and some items never even made it to the table. But like I said, no one's fault, so we're cool. But then I start to notice waitresses, managers, etc. in a conversation with my friend at the other end of the table that seemed to be of concern and two older management-type fellas circling our table (like literally, watching us eat over our shoulders) and whispering to each other as they checked their watches, then going to Ashley, sternly asking, "Are they going to be done by 7?" Mind you, we're still waiting on food to come out because of THEIR technical difficulties and definitely in ear shot of this and he wasn't trying to be quiet about it. I find out that the owner is coming to eat dinner and they want to give him our table. My friends knew and were originally told 8:30 so we had ample time (we got there at 4:30ish), even with the slow service problems. I guess the owner bumped up his reservation and management freaked out. Works well under pressure? Noooope. Circling and watch-checking continued. More conversation about when we were going to leave went down at the hostess stand (which was right next to us). By then, we just asked Ashley for a manager and straight up said, "This is hella (yes, hella) rude. We don't even feel comfortable here anymore." The manager (disclaimer: not one of the two aforementioned managers) was younger and definitely did what he could to apologize and explain the situation to us, which was difficult on his end because it was still inexcusable. He comp'd us about 1/3 of our bill for our party of 10, wished me a happy birthday, and we went on our way. And yes, I dragged my feet getting up from the table. This would've been a 3-star review for a decent happy hour spot and our sweet waitress and her accommodating manager, but I'm sure the owner would much rather prefer to know his customers are enjoying his establishment than to see a 1-star review on the performance of his senior management trying to fake that they were prepared for his arrival. Boom.

    (1)

  • Mel M.

    I LOVE the food, the location, the drinks, service, and ambiance! perfect for lunch and dinner. and you can never be Unhappy for HAPPY HOUR!

    (5)

  • Michelle F.

    Doraku happy hour is pretty damn amazing! Plan ahead and hit up their early happy hour (4-6p) or their late happy hour (after 9p). Score fantastic deals on their happy hour menu on both food and drinks. Their salmon kama at $5, when available, is a great deal. My bf will order at least 2 orders of their ahi tataki. Small portion size, but great flavor and a good price during happy hour. Atmosphere is welcoming, contemporary and comfortable. Service is consistently good. Parking is either valet or street parking during late night. Great spot for groups or couples.

    (5)

  • Maria K.

    Had dinner there last night. While the ambience and decor were nice, the service and presentation of food were lousy. We had to remind our waitress to bring an ordered beverage, twice, while our bland miso soup arrived after our main sushi order. The maguro and amber jack sashimi presentation was not in proportion and it was sloppily sliced. Our three rolls, which were tiny, took at least 30 minutes to arrive. We had to flag down our waitress for water refills (and she grabbed the top of the bottle, covering it with her fingers-yikes!). My empty cocktail glass remained on the table all night. She brought my dessert first, then brought my husband's dessert ten minutes later. Where's the training? Doraku's servers lack basic training, which is the fault of management. Based on our experience, we won't return to Doraku's - it makes absolutely no sense to spend our hard-earned money for sub-par service and mediocre sushi. Back to Yanagi Sushi!

    (1)

  • Krissy K.

    I came here for happy hour last week with some girlfriends. We really enjoyed it. To park, you have to turn into the garage and valet there. You then go through Blue Tree Cafe to get to either the side entrance or out to the street to the main entrance. I'm not explaining it too well, but I promise it makes more sense once you're there. It looks like Alyssa K. and I disagreed on the menu items. I preferred the miso eggplant and shrimp to the chicken. I must like things she deems too sweet! :) No comment from me on the sushi, since I don't eat it. We also had the poke, which I liked a lot, but that could just be because I've been quite the poke fiend lately. Maybe next time (which we have already scheduled), we'll be wild and order things not on the happy hour menu. We also tried 2 desserts - the tempura brownie and some sort of bananas flambe. The bananas were fine. I give the brownie points (CWIDT?) for being a little more creative. I wouldn't necessarily order either again, but Thi L. often likes to have a little dessert, and I think those were the best options on the menu. The happy hour crowd is lively without being too loud. We were definitely still able to have some interesting conversations. Service was a little slow but quite accommodating and friendly. Recommended.

    (4)

  • Sydney L.

    Nice place - it was hopping on a Sat around 5:30 pm so we sat at the bar. Nice decor and vibe. HH specials 4-6 pm - some were really good - others so so. Standouts: the ahi poke and miso eggplant....so-so were the chicken yakitori and california roll. The nigiri sushi assortment was also very good - fish was fresh! Parking is very odd.... you drive into the parking garage, and then they valet park it for you.

    (4)

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Map

Opening Hours

  • Mon :11:00 am - 12

Specialities

  • Takes Reservations : Yes
    Delivery : No
    Take-out : Yes
    Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
    Good For : Dinner, Late Night
    Parking : Valet, Street, Validated
    Bike Parking : Yes
    Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
    Good for Kids : Yes
    Good for Groups : Yes
    Attire : Casual
    Ambience : Trendy
    Noise Level : Average
    Good For Dancing : No
    Alcohol : Full Bar
    Happy Hour : Yes
    Best Nights : Fri, Sat, Sun
    Coat Check : No
    Smoking : No
    Outdoor Seating : Yes
    Wi-Fi : No
    Has TV : No
    Waiter Service : Yes
    Caters : No

Doraku Sushi

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