4. Restaurants

Imanas Tei Restaurant

2626 S King St, Honolulu, HI, 96826
  • (808) 941-2626
  • Store is closed

Imanas Tei Restaurant Menu

Sorry, We are updating this restaurant menu details.

Sorry, We are updating this restaurant cholesterol menu details.

  • DJ Nocturna R.

    I love Japanese food and Imanas is one of my favorite places to go. The owner is always there to greet you when you come in and the cute woman who echoes his warmth and friendly smile. When you come in- be ready for everyone to look at you because they acknowledge your entrance with doozo , hait te kudasai ! and when you leave they say doomo arigatoo gozai masu ! The food is great, unagi, seafood dynamite, sushi, sashimi, miso soup, pickles and one of the few places I would order uni. - everything in the menu is perfectly made fresh. Their shochu and sake are the best and you must have it when you dine with Japanese food.

    (5)

  • Brandon N.

    Great place and very cozy. The food is fresh and delicious! And nice on the pockets. Helps to make a reservation. Hardest thing is the parking! Will Def be back again!

    (4)

  • Alt K.

    Their garbage cans smell of rot fish if you have to walk over and their parking sucks, but luckily Pucks Alley is nearby and provides a reasonably priced place to leave your car. For the price Imanas sushi was terrific! We particularly enjoyed their hamachi and uni which was fresh, fatty, and oh so flavorful! I recommend the Assorted Sushi Plate (B) for a nice selection of the good stuff, but sit at the sushi bar and ask the sushiya if you want their best stuff. This place gets busy so come early or make reservations.

    (4)

  • Kalani S.

    Very traditional setting from the bar to the dining area. The food was more than what I expected. The way how I scored this restaurant was by 3 challenging dishes they are uni, Saba, & Hamachi 1. Uni fresh as if it came out of the ocean. 2. Saba very well made with no frozen flavors. 3. Hamachi it taste as fresh as it gets. The reviews on this place is spot on and will definite be back many more times. Kudos

    (5)

  • Carol K.

    Decent sashimi. We ordered the sashimi combination and I liked the tuna and salmon but a bit disappointed with the others. Maybe my expectations were too high but I do recommend the tuna and salmon sushi.

    (4)

  • Pierre L.

    Delicious sushi, big pieces of uni, handroll had plenty of hamachi and the fishes were all fresh. The seafood dynamite was a bit heavy but everything else was good. The restaurant is beautiful.

    (4)

  • Jennifer L.

    Imanas is the best Japanese restaurant in Hawaii. I definitely do not agree with this statement. I didn't think there was anything great about this restaurant. The dishes weren't very original and the sashimi was not as fresh as Sushi Bistro's sashimi. I ordered the Butterfish with Miso Sauce. It tasted like a typical butterfish. My sister ordered the seafood dynamite. I think this is the best dish at Imanas. The sauce is very flavorful and tasted wonderfully with white rice. I definitely recommend ordering the seafood dynamite! You will not regret it :)

    (3)

  • Julie N.

    Love this place! Usually get the tekka don or misoyaki butterfish. OH the kabocha is amazing! Best kabocha all around! I love the sauce it comes in and it's chilled just perfectly. Very soft and cooked just right. The tekka don is great! Over sushi rice, sprinkled with thin strips of nori, and fresh sliced ahi over it. Mm.. I'm getting hungry for this just writing this review. Reservations are recommended, but if you walk in late enough you're fine. It's a pretty small restaurant and a bit pricey, but it's been around for a while for a reason!

    (5)

  • Sheena C.

    OMFG, I finally tried the nabe and it is worth every penny! I have never seen such variety in ingredients to nabe-fy. Shrimp, scallops, chanko, mussels, CRAB, veggies, and the list goes on. DO ITTTTTT!

    (5)

  • Anita C.

    My friend loves this place and is his favorite Japanese restaurant to eat on island. He's been bugging me to go for quite some time, so yesterday we finally went. Parking is a little nutty here. There's limited spots out front and it's super tight. There's street parking and also a parking lot at Puck's Alley. We went around 6:30pm and we waited for about 5 minutes while they cleaned the sushi bar area. We sat at the bar and service was fast. Once seated, I had someone bring me a hot towel for my hands and had my order drink taken. We ordered the spicy clams, beef tongue, fried squid legs, sashmi for 2, spicy tuna and cali roll. Everything came out quickly, fresh (especially the fish!! omg, it just melted in my mouth!!) and hot (for the hot dishes). Each item was flavorful and just really yummy. We ended the meal with azuzi bean and the green tea ice cream. Very very yummy!! I had first suggested we go to Bubbies for dessert but my friend insisted on the ice cream from Imanas and I'm glad he pushed for it. My azuzi bean had just the right combination of creaminess, sweetness and beaniness (if that is even a word). Oh and my friend had a large Asahi and I had tea - all that came out to about $110 with tip. Next time I am going to try the seafood dynamite.

    (5)

  • Cynthia L.

    Best chanko nabe ever! This Japanese-style hot pot was overflowing with: *King Crab *Shrimp *Clams *Tofu *Scallops *Beef *Chicken *Meatballs *Salmon *Mochi *Veggies Broke da mouth. If that wasn't enough, after the hot pot was finished, there was a choice of rice or udon noodles to be mixed into the remaining dashi. We opted to try the rice. Our waiter made us zosui (rice porridge)! It was extra tasty made with the leftover seafood and meat infused broth. Cost: $19.99 per order. Minimum 2 orders.

    (5)

  • Chantelle T.

    I'm a huge fan of izakayas and this place is definitely one of the better ones I've gone to. The ambience here is really nice and the service is good. Here's a rundown of the food: Chirashi (A) - Delicious. It's been awhile since I last had chirashi sushi so this was quite a treat for me. The selection of fish is good and they definitely pile it on. The variety of fish for this is the same as the nigiri sushi (A). The chirashi came with miso soup and salad so it's a pretty good deal for the amount you pay. w00t w00t! The tofu with miso sauce was pretty good too. The sauce was a bit on the salty side but it went pretty well with the tofu. Come early since parking in the area is really limited. We got lucky and arrived when someone was leaving and there was no wait.

    (4)

  • Jonas T.

    One of the best places (if not the best) that I've ever been to for Japanese food. Sashimi was fresh, shrimp tempura was big and juicy, hamachi kama was excellent - Everything was good and I don't have a single complaint. JONASAPPROVED!

    (5)

  • Russel M.

    4 1/2 Stars! The Sushi was very good followed by the Dynamite Seafood Comb and Butterfish. Everything including the Service was top-notch. Get there early or plan on a painful wait. Prices were fair and excellent Sake list with Manjyu of course.

    (5)

  • Faye M.

    Finally got to try this place out with a few of my co-workers the other night & we were all stuffed by the end of dinner! Luckily we found parking as soon as we pulled in; unfortunately, it was the stalls by the bus stop & bushes =AKA= the public restroom. It totally smelt like urine as soon as we opened our doors. Our wait was only about 10 minutes, so that was good - since we got there around 715pm! So I had a pretty good idea of how big the Chanko Nabe was, thanks to all the great reviews...but we still ordered some sushi and the other girls ordered butterfish, and salmon? We got the Spicy Tuna Roll and the Spider Roll...both were good, but the Spicy Tuna wasn't that spicy :( In the meantime the nabe is set up at our table, and the lady artfully places everything in the pot (seriously, look at my profile picture!). So we're eating our sushi, drinking our warm sake and when the nabe is finally good to go - 2 of the girls don't want any! So it's just me and Virginia C. left to tackle this crazy mofo! It was soo good though! We tried so hard to eat as much as we could...but were defeated! Then they ask us if we want rice or udon ~ we chose udon. It was a good choice, but it felt like we were eating a whole new meal, right after finishing our first meal! Haha... Lesson learned: make sure everyone (more than 2 people) is gonna eat the nabe! There was a lot of leftovers.

    (4)

  • Jerrel C.

    Good good good....staff is very friendly and fun esp at the sushi bar...try it once its fun. Food... top notch! My favorite place with my wife. Always our first pick on the weekends...i think we are here almost every weekend....one thing i dont enjoy is parking.....but who cares da food is fo buss yo mout!

    (5)

  • Daniel C.

    I have to say that this is by far one of the best Japanese Restaurants in Hawaii. The food is amazing and the service is second to none. Love the ambiance and atmosphere inside. Be warned that there is a long wait to dine here but it's totally worth it to dine there. Parking isn't great so car pool!

    (5)

  • Dean H.

    Read the reviews and so I am not redundant I am going to just say that the Chanko Nabe was a WINNER! Protein packed with chicken, clams, shrimps (was a little mushy), meatballs, beef (soooo good), and salmon. I am sure I missed a few yummys in the mix. Also had a side of butterfish, grilled tongue, and buttery clams (the soup that it was in was AHHHH good). All was very good. Pretty pricey and the nabe broth wasn't as good as Ichiriki but overall it was a great experience indeed. The nabe impressed by the amount of fresh ingredients, variety of ingredients and the choice of rice/udon at the end. The staff was very helpful and was always attentive. I felt like I was back in Japan with the "irasshaimasei" greetings and smiling faces. I would definately go back for some of the other offerings cause that sushi, other grilled items, and clams were that good.... Happy Eatiing!

    (4)

  • Nette T.

    4.5 stars After my disappointment with Hakone buffet, my faith was restored with my visit to Imanas Tei. We met up with friends we haven't seen in a while and looked forward to good food as well as good company. I know that Imanas is known for the Chanko Nabe and I've had it on a previous trip. I wasn't feeling it that night so we ordered the Seafood Dynamite, Miso Butterfish, tonkatsu on a stick, sashimi and garlic ribeye steak. LOVED the Seafood Dynamite which had the Japanese mayonnaise with scallop, abalone,salmon, and mushrooms. This was really good, we pretty much liked the plate clean :) Tonkatsu on a stick was more of a novelty - everyone likes meat on a stick, right? Tonkatsu was perfectly fried. The garlic ribeye steak was apparently good - I didn't try this but my friends liked it. But the standout was the sashimi - we ordered uni, toro, maguro, and abalone. Everything was outstanding. I am not normally a fan of uni because of the texture and taste (maybe I've been going to the wrong places in the Bay Area?) but this was actually sweet and oh-so-tender. Service was excellent, our server was friendly and everything was on point. Parking can be difficult but there is a convoluted parking paid parking lot next door. Iamans Tei will be a permanent fixture on my to do list when I go back to Hawaii!

    (4)

  • Beata S.

    Definitely the best restaurant dining experience I have had on waikiki beach! This place is located on inside a small strip mall not visible form the street, and the whole plaza looks for the lack of better description, shady. But don't let this fool you because it features a peaceful and welcoming interioor, very fresh sushi, and pretty reasonable prices. We had sppicy sallop sushi, a salmon skin roll, a sweet shrimp with fried head, agedashi eggplant, yellowtail jalapeno roll, and some really amazing tamago, for all of $39. The fish quality was really amazing, and the atmosphere was great!

    (5)

  • Dragon D.

    I have been coming here for many years. This is the best Japanese Restaurant. I usually order the garlic butter clam, California roll with masago on the outside, King Crab Dynamite, Butterfish and the Nabe. Parking is a problem. They don't take reservations after 7:00 p.m. You will need to wait in line. They don't take take out over the phone. Overall it is a bomb.

    (5)

  • Anna D.

    Birthday party+Imanas Tei=SUCCESS! Trust me, it's good. Everything is delish. Just ask them to suggest you dishes if you dont know what you want. You wont be disappointed Try the seafood dynamite.

    (5)

  • Angela P.

    My first 5-star review (with the exception of Glazers, I should have given him a 5 since I'm a loyal customer)! Service? Freaking amazing. They shout out your name and they look damn happy serving you. It gets pretty busy but they do their best on filling your water. Food? Oh. My. God. The quality is amazing. Spicy Tuna Roll melts in your mouth, Dynamite King Crab is rich and fills your taste buds with euphoria, and even the California Roll is out of this world. Come here for everything! Sushi is the best! The price is REASONABLE and WORTH it. The decor is AMAZING. Love, love, love my experience here. Will be coming back for more :)

    (5)

  • Joshua C.

    I generally don't find Portland lacking. Okay, well minus missing family and some of our close friends. But food-wise, farm freshness combined with crazy foodie passion has made P-town a mecca for ultra fresh deliciousness, EXCEPT when it comes to fish (and amazing Japanese restaurants). So on my recent week long stay in Honolulu I tried to eat at least six months worth of fresh fish and all things Japanese, and if there's a favorite place to do so Imanas Tei is definitely it. Normally, there's a wait to get in. Especially on a Saturday, especially one of two private tables (where you sit on the floor and your feet disappear into a hidden space beneath the table). Having failed to get into a few other establishments I tossed up a hail mary and called Imanas. Space for six people, ten minutes, no problem....in fact a party didn't show up and you can have a seat in the tatami room....this never happens (at least not in the seven or eight years that I've eaten there). Walking in always feels like passing through a portal in Tokyo. Suddenly English is no longer the primary language (in fact I don't recall any being spoken except by us). An intimate space, bustling with activity, but at the same time a strange calmness. Immersed in a naturally toned setting of shadows and light we weaved through the mini maze of shabu shabu and sake covered community tables to our hidden space in the back. Prompt service, helpful recommendations, full tea and water glasses...entrusted by my family to handle the ordering, the waiter and I conspired for dining awesomeness. {itadakimasu} miso soup | warming flavorful stock, green onion topped cloudy comfort salad | simple, refreshing, slightly pedestrian, but fine nigiri sushi mix & nigiri sushi mix deluxe | tiny gems of sushi rice skillfully topped with salmon, hamachi, tamago, ikura, uni, maguro.... miso katsu | perfectly fried pork cutlets on sticks arranged in an artful moutain and drizzled with scallions and a miso katsu sauce seafood tempura | light airy wonderful scallop, ika, gobo, and shrimp tempura pile dynamite | broiled seafood casserole topped with some sort of mayo white miso magic, so good we ordered another chicken karaage | unremarkable but still good bits of fried poultry hamachi kama | lightly salted, not over seasoned, not dried out, grilled collar misc reorders | another sushi platter, two side orders of hamachi, the above mentioned extra dynamite {gochisosama} Amazingly this came out to about $17 a person (tip not included, and we drank just water and tea, but still...). While it seems like a lot that's just a sampling of the deep and delicious offerings available. I'm thinking maybe some beef tongue when I next visit. After an unsuccessful attempt to take Imanas (and my friends and family) with me (I tried it as my carry on, check in, and personal item, but it wasn't happening), I find myself back in Portland amidst the falling sakura, experiencing slight "mono no aware" like symptoms, feeling the bitter sweetness of this beautiful but fleeting moment, reminiscing, then anticipating a return. Blog post with larger pics: pdxploration.com/2010/03…

    (5)

  • Beverly T.

    Wow. So fucking good. So fucking good that I saved this for my 300th review. WOOT! Hamachi nigiri: Thick, beautifully sliced fish. SO fresh, buttery and delicious. Uni: I'm suppppper picky with uni so theirs was OK. Pretty good but nothing to rave about. Toro nigiri: UH-MAY-ZING. I love toro and theirs was very very fresh and sweet. Hamachi kama: Tender fish, perfectly charred and smoky outside. Squeeze a lemon on top, dip in ponzu and you're in heaven. Grilled beef tongue: I usually don't like the irony taste of beef tongue but theirs was so thinly slice and tender it was delicious. Rich, meaty, sweet with a slight irony taste for contrast. Karaage: Juicy meat, crispy well spiced batter. Side note: I'm making my friends bring me here everrrrry time I visit!

    (5)

  • Angela Y.

    My coworker and fellow Yelper, Nicole L., recommended this place on my vacation to Hawaii. (Plus she mentioned Daniel Dae Kim frequents this place.) The atmosphere is great. It's dimly lit, classy and elegant. When you walk in, you're greeted by the hosts/hostesses. The servers were really attentive, making sure we were comfortable and that we weren't waiting long. My boyfriend and I got to sit at the sushi bar which was a pretty fun experience. We ordered a sashimi platter between the two of us, a spicy tuna roll and the seafood dynamite. Everything was delicious! The sashimi was fresh and melted on your tongue. The assortment was great. The dynamite came out a little later and looked like a seafood creme brulee. It's a baked seafood dish, incredibly creamy and full of flavour. I would recommend eating this over rice and this dish can definitely fill you up fast! With our dinner, we ordered some hot sake to go with it. A little pricey, but worth it!

    (5)

  • Casey O.

    Fantastic sushi!! You do pay a bit, but it's only natural for the quality of ingredients you're provided. Tried the misoyaki salmon, lots of flavor and not overdone...portion was a little small but you don't come here to stuff your face. The unagi nigiri was the best I've had in a long time. Will definitely come back!

    (5)

  • Dixie R.

    Writing this wasted after a dinner here not just because im wasted. . sooo oishiiiiii........ butterfish, braised beef,.butterfish goodnight

    (5)

  • Brian D.

    Dining at Imanas Tei has become an annual tradition for my trips back to the island. Talk about the best sushi restaurant and those in the know will surely mention Imanas. The family owned establishment features the same friendly faces on each of my visits and amazingly they recognize my mug despite only eating at the restaurant 2-3 times a year (only during my vacation in Oahu). Now the important stuff: everything on the menu is worth a try. The spicy garlic clams, the oh so absolutely delightful butterfish, the fried baby shrimps, the fresh maguro....ok I'm getting hungry just talking about it, simply fabulous. See you in April Imanas!

    (5)

  • Tyra K.

    Awe I'm sooo sorry but I'm not such a fan no more, if I could I'd prolly give this place a 3 and a half star tho, especially for the GREAT customer service you have.. But I'm just a lil disappointed cuz of other things... Yes this place used to be FANTASTICCC.. But for some reason when things become popular and known of then the quality of food changes (sadly becomes worse)... I'm a picky eater and this place has a variety of yummy things I WOULD EAT no problem which is great, i LOVE my sashimi but I LOVE it the right way. Idk if it was the sushi chef last time but the sashimi wasn't really cut the right way, basic things like that make a big difference (sorry maybe I'm a lil spoiled) but because of this Imanas would not be my first pick on a night I'm craving sushi and sashimi it prolly wouldn't even b my second, third or fourth pick especially in the area when there is so much competition around.. Comparing it to other sashimi/sushi places in the area this place is whateva, food is really nothing that special I'd rather just go to any Izakaya and even pay more if necessary... The interior and the customer service is exceptional at Imanas (really can't complain) and I'd give it a 5 star, but because of the OK food its really just a 3 and a half star... I might come back and give it another try, but I really don't feel like waiting too long for something I'm not too excited to wait for.. This place used to be one of those whole in the walls, but now its just overrated and maybe you should think of possibly going back to how it used to be... I really wanted to be a fan of this place but I guess not so much anymore.. I actually used to even recommend this place to ppl visiting Hawaii.. I really might give Imanas another shot in the future, maybe things change so I can update this review to something better.. cuz I never really wanted it to be negative...

    (3)

  • Emi H.

    Walked into Imanas Tei with my BF and we were startled by the workers greeting us with "Irasshaimase!." This restaurant is small but the food here is tastiness topped with a sprinkling of delicious! If you love Japanese food then you'll want to grab a cot and park it right inside of Imanas Tei so that you can dwell 24/7 in the delightful den of yummy nummy! We ordered potato salad, grilled clams, butterfish, spicy tuna roll and fried chicken. Loved the grilled clams and after I devoured my little seafood friends I slurped up the garlic broth they were cooked in. The butterfish was tender and each bite melted in my mouth. The spicy tuna roll was hooooot but the burn was worth it! The plate of fried chicken was huge and salty artery clogging good. Our waitress was a little old lady who was super sweet and on it! We left with our bellies full and I almost jumped out of my jeans when the staff yelled "Irasshaimase" as we left. I appreciate the enthusiasm guys but one day someone is going to keel over from the shock!

    (5)

  • Rob F.

    Great sushi restaurant!! We ate there a few nights ago, and loved it. The sushi was delicious, and prepared very professionally!! We sat at the sushi bar and had our food made by top notch sushi chefs!!! The service was five stars all the way. The waiter that helped us, was knowledgable and very professional. We were catered to the whole time, even when it started to get really busy. We tried the seafood dynamite which was delicious. Also had the hamachi, salmon and sea urchin and several other types of nigiri. All were simply delicious!! Excellent service with a great atmosphere!! Get there early for good seating. Highly recommended for fabulous sushi!!

    (5)

  • Duke W.

    This is one of my favorite Honolulu restaurant when I was living in Hawaii. I've probably been here for more than 30 times! They have a relatively limited yet very reasonably priced lunch menu and an expanded, pricier dinner menu. But no matter which time I come or what I order, the consistency of high-quality, very authentic food never let me down. I especially recommend zaru soba, tenju (best lunch combination; note it's different from ten don as this one has the sauce on rice), and their shokado-style bento (dinner only). At the end of the meal, they will also present you the soba soup if you ordered a zaru soba. If you mixed it with a bit of soba dipping sauce, it's both delicious and healthy! Finally, the place is small yet nicely decorated with a peaceful feel; the service is usually attentive and polite even when it's crazily busy. Every time I visit Honolulu to see my relatives, this is the first place I want to go to relieve my jet lag. =)

    (5)

  • Ka'imi L.

    Great Sushi here! Always fresh, wonderfully prepared, and excellent presentation. You know the place is authentic if all your FOB friends from Japan go here to kau kau. What I liked best was that it had a large menu with lots of options. Whatever you're in the mood for, Imanas has it. What I didn't like was the awkward seating... so if you want a table you'll have to make a reservation (duh)! A little on the pricier side too but nothing too outrageous. Great place for izakaya. Worth checking out if you're looking to impress someone.

    (5)

  • NIKKI F.

    And this place just keeps getting better!!! You simply can't go past the quality of the food, the service and the beautiful ambiance. It's perfect for a casual mid-week dinner with family, or a Friday night date. Last night I took my parents visiting from Australia. For $61 (including tax and tip) we had the most delicious meal and Imanas Tei has now risen to my favourite restaurant (not just Japanese restaurant) on the island. The albacore special sashimi and the dynamite were to die for! I think the chicken teriyaki was the best, I've ever had in my whole life! The charcoal bbq flavour was so tasty, I almost licked the plate. And I don't make this statement lightly, because I lived in Japan for a few years. Other stand outs include the fried (karaage) chicken and the oshinko. The fried squid legs were unusually a little tough, but still very delicious.

    (5)

  • Kristi C.

    I always love eating here. They have a good variety of things to choose from and so far everything we've tried is really good. I love to order their nabe and butterfish, plus the sushi is always fresh. Even though there's usually a wait since they can get very busy during dinner and sometimes it's hard to find parking, I think it's worth it.

    (5)

  • J L.

    Good God this place was awesome! We did not have reservations, so we arrived at the restaurant at 4:45 pm to stake out a spot (the restaurant opens at 5pm). We ordered the toro and yellowtail sashimi, the salmon and uni sushi, the dynamite, butterfish, and beef tongue, all of which were delicious and which we would recommend to future diners. The fish and uni were extremely fresh, and the dynamite and beef tongue were so flavorful and delicious. Although we did not have reservations, the service was friendly and patient. At no time did we feel like we were being rushed through our meal to make room for the diners who did have reservations (by the time we finished dinner, the restaurant was packed). Our server was also very knowledgeable and recommended a few dishes for first-timers like myself. If you are ever in Honolulu and are in need of a sushi or izakaya fix, definitely consider Imanas Tei. The parking lot is tiny, so either get there early or find street parking.

    (5)

  • Katty C.

    I went to Imanas based on Yelp's recommendation. It was 9:30pm on a Thursday night and there were so many people that I couldn't find parking, even in the back alley. Finally able to find a spot after circulating the block for another 10-15 minutes. I said to myself that the food there better be very good. And it was. I ordered some sushi, mostly the regular stuff like salmon, yellowtail, sweet shrimp, etc. Everything was great, very fresh. I had better sushi before but this comes very close to the best I've tried. I also ordered the fried soft shell crab and grilled salmon. The soft-shell crab was a let down, too soggy and not crisp at all. The grilled salmon was a very simple dish, lightly seasoned with salt and grilled to perfection. Service was good. No problem there. The price was a bit pricy, but hey, I was in Hawaii for work and dinner was comped, so I don't mind spending a bit more. Basically I think it fully deserves a 4.5 starts. And being in Waikiki for work rounds it off to a 5.

    (5)

  • Erika B.

    so delicious... chanko nabe was chock full of delicious seafood and goodies, and agedashi eggplant, miso butterfish were AWESOME. good service as well! would have been 5 stars but wasn't too fond of the dynamite nor the spider roll but everything else was especially delicious and will go back!

    (4)

  • Aron N.

    Just as good as it gets around here. The sushi @ the counter is fantastic. The nabe is incredible and makes certain other places seem way over priced. The service is good. Some of the food tastes better than in Japan. Really.

    (5)

  • Mandy Y.

    The Best Japanese restaurant ever!! A little bit pricey but totally worth it. Highly recommend their beef shabu shabu, minimum order of 2 tho. Parking is limited and be sure you go early, otherwise be prepared for a long wait.

    (5)

  • Peter K.

    Went back to share their food with friends on a weekday to avoid the rush. Still full and busy on a Wednesday night. Been there a year ago and remembered how good the place was. From the hearty greeting upon entering down to the delicious and thoughtful food, it made for a pleasant experience. The dynamite was a hit, I thought that one person from my party would start licking the empty bowl. The chef's choice market sashimi/Omakase was a wonderful choices of fresh fresh fish....very generous and with a big dollop of uni. Other highlights were; very decent Softshell crab, the yellowtail collar/hamachi kama (didn't see in on menu, but of course they had it) was the perfect pairing with their cold sake. Would have liked to have tried their nabe, but it was for two people and would have put us over the edge. To be honest, we went in not feeling too hungry but it didn't stop us from cleaning up all the plates anyway. One surprise was the limited sake menu, which didn't stop us from having a good time but one would think someplace this good that gets so many visitors and food fans would have a more robust sake list. Lastly, we found it amusing that the place was full of not just Japanese but Korean and Chinese customers as well. I guess good food knows no boundaries. Can't wait to go back on my next trip to the island.

    (5)

  • Kim S.

    So I organized a sushi crawl to compare 2 highly yelp rated restaurants along King Street. We had a blast! Sushi Izakaya Gaku ( yelp.com/biz/sushi-izaka… ) unanimously won the throw down against Imanas Tei Restaurant! Ambiance: 3 stars. @ 6:40pm it was already noisy. We didn't have to scream during dinner but the noise was above a comfortable level. The decor was nice (which Yanagi Sushi lacks) - but the large communal table in the center appeared a bit awkward with a loooong bench for multiple diners along 1 side (luckily we had a 4 top). Service: 2 stars. The waiter almost left our group without taking my order & didn't provide much elaboration on the menu despite our questions. Brisk. Not attentive. Took 2 requests to get green tea. Food: 3.5 stars. Hamachi nigiri sushi - Great. Well priced @ $5/pair. Mirugai nigiri sushi - Giant clam serving wasn't so giant but neither was the price @ $8/pair. Unagi & cucumber roll - average. $7 Hamachi kama - Cooked through perfectly & not dry. Kama had a ton of meat - I swear some places must scrape some of the meat off before serving. Loved the freshly grated daikon accompaniment. The highlight for $11! Potato salad - I wasn't a fan. It had both (raw) onions & garlic - be sure both of you eat some if you're on a date! $3.50 Butter clams (asari) - Ok. Nothing special. Good # of clams for $7. Butter salmon - Good sized portion for the price of $7.50. Too much butter - the 1st bite is awesome but deteriorates with each subsequent bite. Summary: Prefer Yanagi Sushi for Japanese food & sushi because it has more parking & seating (+ the volcano roll is to die for!). Both provide options for the non-sushi eater.

    (3)

  • Avy R.

    Love this place! Everything tasted so good! My favorite sushi place in Oahu so far! Parking is a bit hard... And we waited for 45 mins for a table. But it was worth it! :D Staffs were very polite! Nice interior too! Def. will need to go back again!! Yay!

    (5)

  • Carah N.

    Heard about this place from a friend, so [another] friend and I decided to check this place out. This place is set back from the main road, so make sure you keep an eye out for it. The parking lot is a bit small and they share it with a yakitori place. We had to wait a bit before we were seated (the location is very small and cozy). The atmosphere was very Japanese-y (like you're in Japan). To top it off, we got to sit at the sushi bar! Their food was delicious! Their fried tofu with ponzu sauce was awesome. And their ikura was to die for (I'm very picky when it comes to ikura...but this one was very fresh). The night we went, they had two different types of ikura (i didn't know there were different types until that night) so I tried the regular salted one. The prices are very reasonable compared to other sushi places that I've been to. I will definitely be coming back.

    (4)

  • Jasmine T.

    Seafood dynamite!! Need I say more? :p

    (4)

  • AsianRunningDiva S.

    We had reservations for a different restaurant at 730p, but missed it because Piikoi was shut down to all traffic (ahh..APEC!). So instead we called up Imanas and found out that there were only 2 other parties on the list. We got there at 745p and didn't get seated until 830p! It was busy in there! Remember for next tim: Go there late, you will get seated right away! But TOTALLY worth it! We had the pumpkin (cold), eggplant (cold) and oshinko appetizer (cold). The King Crab Dynamite (since we had already tried the other Dynamite before), butterfish (YUM!), fried gobi and seafood, fried teri chicken, fried tofu, miso soup....all soo good! And the atmosphere is great! I love being greeted whenever I walk into a Japanese restaurant! Parking is difficult since their lot is small, but down the street you can sometimes find some...a great place to bring visitors!!! :)

    (5)

  • Aimee C.

    Delicious!! Went with my parents and it was like we were transported to a restaurant in Japan. Our waiter was really helpful and helped us order. We ordered the Chanko Nabe - sooooO much seafood. Delicious broth. I ordered the Hamachi Kama - yum! We also ordered the sushi A set...the pieces of fish were huge placed on little pebbles of rice. And because I'm always checking the bathrooms....the women's has the TOTO system which sprays your you-know-whats and there's a seat warmer (which I don't know what is the purpose in HI). You must try it out if you've never....

    (5)

  • Stephanie T.

    I admit that the reason why I gave this place a 5 was partially out of loyalty -- I come here with the family every Friday evening and my parents have been coming here every week for years. The food's wonderful for the price, the service is always excellent and it's just a feel good place. Even the owner comes in early to prepare and clean, and he works hard during open hours at the sushi bar or taking reservations which makes you feel better as a customer knowing where the restaurant is coming from, compared to places where the owner or manager simple walks around the room, or worse -- sits at a table and drinks alcohol and yells at his waiters to get him food (Momomo). Just make sure you reserve a table and come early to get parking, as it is extremely limited (to about 8 stalls or so). All in all, I love this place :)

    (5)

  • Austen I.

    Omakase once again. I'm starting to see a trend. New place, first time, same order. Give me what you think is best. Our server brought out a large sushi platter for 3 of us. 3 pieces each: ($103.50, 3 pieces each. $4.31/piece) Ika Aji Otoro Hamachi Ikura Hirame Maguro Mystery Fish (Our server didn't say what was given to us) We annihilated the plate. I bet we would've ate the ceramic platter if it had a fish design. Everything was scarfed in a matter of minutes. So much hype. Too much anticipation. Self control went out the window. Well I guess it went through the wall since we were sitting where there were no windows. But after all of that noming, the consensus was "are we really at 4.5 stars, legendary status Imanas?" We didn't give up. No no no. "Omakase. One more time!" Round 2 brought us the same fish, different style. Everything was lightly grilled except the Uni. Aburi style. ($44.50, 2 pieces each, $3.70 a piece) Otoro Salmon Aji Hamachi Saba Uni Plate hits the table. Game on. Sushi - 0 Us - 2 No one needed to speak after we finished. I could tell by everyone's reaction that we had indeed come to the right spot. The aburi toro was killer. If you can believe it, the grilling brought out the creaminess and teri beef flavors. Yes teri beef out of toro. Redonk. We had to order another round of the aburi toro. A sushi crazy friend categorizes sushi bars based on quality adjusted value meaning that the fish need not be a 15 on a 10 scale if it's cheap. Imanas should be in the yelp elite of quality adjusted value spots. Nothing was over $10 and the majority around the $5-$6 range for 2 pieces. Imanas is THE value play. Parking sucks, reservations only accepted from 5pm-7pm, etc, etc. I think I've just found my default sushi bar. Feed me!

    (4)

  • Jay B.

    I wish I could review Imanas Tei, but when we tried to go there, we accidentally went to Kohnotori & just wanted to stay there cuz we already got our menus. I'm sure this happens a lot because there's a huge "IMANAS" sign, but the brightly lit door underneath is Kohnotori's. Imanas' black unlit door is tucked away in a dark corner. Damn it, now I have to go back there to make sure I try it! Just wanted to let you know so you don't lose more business.

    (5)

  • Troy M.

    Back for more at one of my favorite places for japanese Food. Must Trys: Seafood Dynamite Oyster Vinigrette Hamachi Sashimi

    (5)

  • kamran s.

    boy, this place (along with Maharani's) is my favorite place in HI. I lived closeby and was always begging my girlfriend to go to this place. We both loved it. She's vegetarian and found a lot of suitable items. I HIGHLY reccomend the salmon nigiri. Sooo fresh and delicate. It really melts in your mouth. Also the Tamago nigiri and Agedashi tofu and amazing. and the best thing is, you can get a complete awesome meal for under $40 for 2. It can be expensive if you get expensive stuff but it can be affordable and still amazing if you don't. only thing-parking is bad.

    (5)

  • Cal C.

    If I had to debate between Kuru Kuru Sushi and Sasabune, I would end up choosing here! It comes in between both when I'm very....undecided. There are several reasons why I come here often. The Customer Service level is really as good as it gets. During M-Fs, I always have at least 1 server/waitress waiting right next to me asking if I need help or if I need water refills . You cannot beat that, since I drink so much water that my cup is always empty. There are places where I get so frustrated I would walk myself to the counter for my water. Or request a pitcher with water and ice sitting on the table. 10 out of 10 times, I've never had bad service here. The Menu has quite a selection, but I always go for the spicy tuna rolls, I can sit there and eat these one after the other. The Dynamite dish is extremely filling. I had this twice, and I could barely walk. The Dynamite King Crab was also another dish I always order. Oh, don't forget the Assorted Sashimi too, this one I only order from time to time depending on my mood, but it always tasted fresh each and every time. I've also tried to Shabu Shabu once, but its just not my cup of tea. I've had better ones else where. And also, where are the DESERTS? ..I always get bum out without having good desert in the end..=/ The Pricing is about average ranging from 50-80 dollars for two people. Depending on what you order of course, but I had never gone over 100 for 2 people. Although one thing I had always complain about coming here is PARKING..I'm constantly trying to pull my hair off or what's left of it every time . It's really difficult to find them especially in that complex! The best bet is street parking, but that is usually fill most of the time too... In the end, GREAT FOOD, SUPERB CUSTOMER SERVICE will make me want to come back here time after time..=)

    (5)

  • Keola m.

    Imanas Tei came very highly recomended. Unfortunately, I tend to have high expectations when this happens. first of all: Parking is challenging. there is a small lot in front of the restaurant but, its small. the atmosphere is very nice. Low keyed and clean and the staff is very friendly. We sat at the bar and which was full. In fact the restaurant was full in general. Sashimi platter: very fresh and portions were fair. Uni was kinda small tho. Aji tataki was just ok...I think too much shredded Shisho. Tan Shio was EXCELLENT and I also enjoyed a Shrimp Tempura special with spicy mayo sauce. My all time favorite was the Ika and mentaiko along with the Negi toro roll. When we were leaving there were soooo many people waiting to get in. This could be a sign of either 2 things, or both, 1-Its GOOD and/or 2-they need a bigger place. Im jus saying. I would recommend this place and will eat there again. Im off to trying other places now. till next time ..

    (3)

  • Jeff S.

    MAKE RESERVATIONS! Best sushi we've had in Honolulu. Great service! The sashimi was as good as it gets. The Dynamite dish was also very good but I think I expected more because of all the rave reviews recommending to try it. It is very similar to a good seafood thermador. All the other dishes we had were excellent. It was worth the cab ride and we will definitely be back again. MAKE RESERVATIONS so you won't get there and be disappointed.

    (5)

  • Frances G.

    We asked a bellman at our hotel where we could get great sushi. He told us the name of the place, but I couldn't find it on Yelp. He then ran inside to the concierge to find out how to spell the same and returned with a map and directions to Imanas. We didn't go that night because after reading the Yelp reviews, we were worried we'd have to wait too long as it was after 7:00 pm. Fast forward a couple days later when we see the same bellman and he asks if we've tried Imanas yet. I said no, but we'd try it before we left the island. We drive off and I tell my husband, "I'm on a mission! We are going to Imanas no matter how hard it is to park or how long we have to wait". We made it and we were sooooo glad we did! The parking wasn't so bad. We went on a Saturday night and got there about 6:30 pm. I parked in the lot next door and we walked over. That lot is only $1.50/hr and has 2 levels. (I won't bore you with the embarrassing story of how we went into Kohnotori next door and realized we were not at Imanas -- DOH!) We only had to wait about 15 minutes and they sat us at a communal table that had a fun bunch of older locals and we loved it. The staff were friendly and accommodating. When on vacation, we eat a big breakfast and a big dinner with nothing in between, so it was nice they didn't judge us for ordering several times. Our fave local sushi place makes you feel like an oinker if you order more than they think you should. NOYB is what I feel like saying. Hmph. The food was amazing! We had several kinds of fried chicken, multiple kinds of sushi, fried teri pepper chicken, agedashi tofu, and a few other dishes. We ordered 10 things plus 3 large Asahi beers and the whole bill was $90, which I thought was very reasonable. We walked out of there full and happy, but sad that we wouldn't be coming back before we left. Don't be scared by reviews that talk about the negatives of parking or waiting, cos Imanas is worth it!

    (5)

  • Julie L.

    We got a same day reservation due to a cancellation. I was torn between this place and Izakaya Gaku, so we decided to try both back to back. First stop, Imanas Tei. Tucked behind King Street, it was challenging to find. We parked at Long's Drugs and walked for 5 mins. Ordered: Assorted Sashimi for 2: Mostly Tuna, Albacore, some Yellowtail and Salmon. Should've done ala carte. Very fresh but not amazing. Salmon Skin Salad: Where's the salad? Mostly fish and slightly bitter. Hamachi Kama: The star of the night even though they forgot the ponzu sauce. Yellowtail with Green Onion and Spicy Hamachi Handroll: delicious and just enough spice. Yellowtail and Uni Sushi: Uni was sweet and melt in the mouth. Yellowtail was a leaner cut than what we are used to. Dynamite: Filled with succulent scallops and seafood. Fantastic with rice! Overall a good but not great experience. The servers were way too busy to be attentive. The atmosphere and decor were modern yet cozy. The tatami room looked inviting. Next time will try the Chanko Nabe.

    (4)

  • Dennie C.

    I have had one of the most enjoyable meals in my life here at this simple, low key and local Japanese restaurant. I do not say that lightly as I live in New York and am an obsessive foodie who lives to find great meal experiences. I would gladly trade every meal I've ever had at Nobu, Tomoe and every other Sushi or seafood restaurant for a meal at Imanas Tei. Why has this place made such an impression ? Besides having excellent sushi masters and chefs they have the freshness of their fish cannot be compared. My cousin from Hawaii explained to me that the fish was caught that morning, auctioned that afternoon and prepared that evening with little to minimal refrigeration and zero freezing during this time. It makes for the softest, lushest and tastiest fish I have ever eaten and my cousin's Japanese wife says that it is the most authentic Sushi in Hawaii. I've had dinner here in the small private back room and also at the sushi bar which is fun as you can let the Sushi master make suggestions.

    (5)

  • Reimy K.

    I absolutely LOVE Imanas Tei! After hearing so many great things about Imanas, I was eager to try it and after going there, I am happy to report that Imanas lived up to all the hype and reviews I've been hearing about....definitely THE BEST Japanese food I've had on the island! From the moment you walk in, you are greeted by the nicest people and since it was my birthday, we were seated in the "semi-private" tatami room, which was nice since the restaurant is really small and there were tables that looked like you would need to share it with others. Since all of us had never been there before, our waiter went over the menu with us and recommended their top selling dishes. Here is what we ordered: Fresh oysters: these were the freshest oysters I've had--and they didn't have the usual "oyster-ocean" smell Dynamite: this is apparently their most popular dish, which consists of seafood that is covered with a special sauce--what made this outstanding was the amount of seafood it had, wasn't just chopped up seafood, but HUGE pieces of scallop, crab, etc.... every bite was delish! Tonkatsu with miso: it was served on a skewer, which made it different, but the real winner was the miso--it was really dark so it looked like tonkatsu sauce, but definitely tasted like miso and it was also delish! We had a few orders of sushi, which was excellent and though we didn't order a huge amount of food, the 4 of us were completely full by the end of the meal, including my hubby and brother who have big appetites. Our meal ended with a few of the servers bringing me green tea ice cream and singing Happy Birthday to me--- was fun because almost the whole restaurant was singing and clapping at the end. All in all-- Imanas delivered a top quality with top service dining experience. I can't wait to go back to try more food--especially their Chanko Nabe--that looked ONO! Quick tip: make reservations, be prepared to share a table with others, and you can park either in their small private lot, or park in Puck's Alley--at night the gates are open, so you can park there for free--well, the night we were there it worked out that way. =)

    (5)

  • Rebecca C.

    blissful!!! agedashi eggplant hamachi sake aji kohada spicy tuna roll salmon skin roll tongue garlic butter clams tonkatsu king crab dynamite toro can't wait for another round...

    (5)

  • Thu N.

    Rule # 1 and only one rule. Come here with a group of 5-6 people. To our dismay, in order to try this infamous Chanko Nabe, the minimum order was 2. Each order serves 2-3 people, depending on whether you want to just have it as a part of your meal or have it as a main course. Mind you, there were only 2 of us trying to eat for a village of 5-6. It's exactly what you could expect of a hot pot: fresh veggies, seafood, and meat that all come together in the end to form a broth that's simple yet flavorful. They dump the "leftovers" into a bowl with rice and egg in a similar fashion to that of bibimbap, delicious but we just didn't have the stomach room for it. We did manage to squeeze in a couple of nigiri's (sweet shrimp & uni) which was just as good as our favorite local spots in Cali. Price: $20-25 per order of Chanko Nabe Service: 4.5 STARS

    (4)

  • J K.

    Really good service. Servers are very attentive and helpful especially for a couple unfamiliar with the menu. We ordered the oyster appetizer. I've never been a huge fan of raw oysters but these are delish! For our entrees we had the spicy clams with udon soup and the butterfish with rice. Everything was just oozing with flavor. So yummy! The ambience was very nice and the price was good. Portions were suitable too. But the parking sucks. Go early and make a reservation if you want your own table, but the communal table is still intimate too. Hands down, the best Japanese food we've ever had!

    (5)

  • Kat L.

    I liked it here! The sashimi is super fresh. I ordered an uni sashimi dish thinking $11.50 won't buy me much but it was like a single scoop of ice cream. We also ordered the giant clam and sweet shrimp. So sweet and fresh! The dynamite was pretty good but given that the sauce was so rich, it was pretty big!!! They had chunks of scallops, clams and other stuff in there. It was yummy but I could only eat a little. Everything else was good. The lady there was a bit mean to us when we stood inside to wait though. Not sure if it's a language thing or whether she was truly mad. Oh well, she seemed ok after that.

    (4)

  • Anastasia L.

    This is one place I can just repeatedly go to and not get sick of. From their delicious nabes to shabushabu and to their pricing on sushi is just awesome. Don't be surprised to wait in line. Sometimes they;re too booked so they take walk-ins only. Enjoy!~

    (5)

  • Jennifer K.

    Hands down, the best otoro I have EVER had. Granted, it was the first otoro I have ever tried but it was absolutely delicious!!! We tried other things, but my memory is blurred and all I can remember right now is the otoro. I'll admit, it was pricey, but WORTH IT. the bill came out to about $100 for two people, and my brain was shocked! but my mouth was more than satisfied. I would eat here again in a heart beat, once my wallet allows me :( Con: Service was hard to get a hold of, but nothing terrible.

    (4)

  • Dale H.

    Good quality food, staff is very helpful. Prices are high but the food is worth it. Parking is difficult so it's easier to park on the street and walk.

    (4)

  • A S.

    Chanko-nabe... Chanko-nabe... I feel like a Sumo wrestler every time I eat one... LOL!! I still remembered how my friends and I stumbled into Kohnotori (next door) by mistake during our first trip looking for Imanas Tei some years ago. This place is somewhat hidden if it is your first time in the area and parking can be difficult. There is a full sushi bar and I have tried many items on the menu (saba tataki, tonkatsu skewers, garlic steak, chazuke, etc.). I find myself usually returning to Chanko-nabe and some sashimi since I don't find the other offerings that great or memorable. I just love all the veggies, shellfish, crab legs, and the unique chicken meatballs stuffed in bamboo shoots. Aside from nabe, Imanas Tei usually has fresh and good selections of sashimi available each night. The selection varies depending on what fish/shellfish is available. Service is always attentive and the owner is quite friendly. We even received free dessert one night because we showed up toward closing and the owner felt bad for rushing us out despite we never felt rushed at all. This is defintely one of my "must visit" restaurants every time I am in Oahu!!

    (5)

  • M Y.

    Food is great, and the people that run the place are awesome. They remember their regulars, and they treat new customers very nicely. Downside is the minimal parking and the inevitable wait. They don't take reservations so plan accordingly. If you haven't been here yet, you're missing out. Give this place a try on a night that you have some time and want to treat yourself to some good Japanese food.

    (5)

  • Abbey Y.

    Came here with the family and it was awesome. The food is totally worth any wait that you might be doing as the place gets PACKED! If you are planning to go here I definitely suggest you make a reservation a couple days in advance because after they book a certain amount, they stop with reservations and its up to you to wait for walk ins. The atmosphere is authentic and very comfortable. It has a unique layout too that I haven't really seen in a Japanese restaurant before. Service: Very attentive without being intrusive. Food: Excellent, we had soft shell crab, tons of sashimi and nigiri, unagi don, this special dish where they fillet the meat and serve it as sashimi, and the bones of the fish is deep fried and served with a shoyu sauce. Cons: As much as I don't want to, I have to warn readers that parking is a big problem as they share a small lot with another restaurant and this lot contains only 7-ish stalls. Your best bet is to park behind 7-11 out on the street, but even that gets packed as UH students might park there and other guests for nearby restaurants might crowd there as well. I have to say that this is definitely worth a try for everything on their menu.

    (5)

  • D L.

    Excellent food and excellent service. The Misoyaki butterfish is perfect and their Yamakake is executed beautifully! Will definitely be back many, many times. Gochisoosama deshita!

    (5)

  • Eddie K.

    Chanko Nabe is very good. High quality ingredients, broth was very tasty. I prefer this place over Ichiriki, both the service & food is better. Spicy sauteed clams were very good. The thing that keeps me away from this place is the parking and how busy it can get here. I was sad to see Apple Motoring close this down years ago but I'm glad to see Imanas in its place.

    (4)

  • Janet K.

    This place is closed on Sundays and unfortunately, that's my "Eat out and Yelp about it" day! Since it was bookmarked for so long, I decided to go there on a Saturday, and since I HATE waiting an hour to eat, we went there slightly before opening. Luckily we snatched one of the few parking stalls they have up front. We ordered the chanko nabe of course. It was filled with all kinds of protein and some veggies and noodles. The nabe takes a while to heat up and start cooking all the protein so we ordered some sushi while we waited. We ordered uni, mirugai, and hamachi. I made my BF try the uni and he said, "it's not as bad as I thought it would be." Get over the texture and dive right in to buttery goodness!!! We also made one of the nabe orders a sashimi set so we had some salmon, maguro, and tako to feast on too. Back to the chanko nabe, it was so filling and delicious! Think Sweet Home Cafe hot pot with all kinds of protein Japanese style. So, after we stuffed our faces til we couldn't breathe, the server comes over and asks us, "udon or rice?" What??? Aren't you supposed to be asking us if we still have room for dessert? What do you mean, "udon or rice?" Apparently, they add rice or udon to your pot after most of the protein has been eaten. I was wondering where my bowl of rice was, but I just thought there was some noodles in there so that must have been the starch part. BF wanted the rice. What they do is take all the left over protein out, mix in some egg and rice with the broth and you're supposed to top it with the shredded nori and eat it. Let me just say that by that time, we were so full we just took one bite just to taste it. Holy mother of God, it should come with a warning label like, "EAT UNTIL HALF FULL BECAUSE WE ADD THE CARBS AFTER ALL THE MEAT IS GONE" or "MUST BE EATEN WITH 4 PEOPLE MINIMUM." We had sushi, sashimi, and practically the whole chanko nabe for just two people! I was curious about this "chanko nabe" so I googled it. This is the stuff that SUMO wrestlers eat! WTF no wonder I felt like a fricken sumo wrestler at that point. There was no room for dessert. There was no room in my pants. Please, hand me a sumo diaper so I can be more comfortable and take a nap. zzZzzZzz

    (5)

  • Ljubica T.

    We are honeymooning in Hawaii (Oahu) and the Lonely Planet guidebook recommended this place as their "top pick", so we went. It is in an extremely obscure location but they do have a small parking lot. Come early (at 4:30 pm or so) or make reservations. We didn't have reservations, so they sat us at the bar which was pretty cool. Everyone was super friendly and shouted a greeting to all customers entering the restaurant. The interior is also very nice! It seemed like there were a lot of locals eating there.... which was nice. We aren't fans of overcrowded resort-type restaurants and tourist traps. PRICES - very reasonable. QUALITY - extremely fresh. SERVICE - excellent, excellent, excellent! ATMOSPHERE - relaxed! happy! SUSHI - never tasted anything so good! We are definitely coming here again! I'm jealous of the local people who are so blessed to have this wondrous sushi place.... where I live (Calgary), we don't have anything CLOSE to what Imanas Tei is like! Next time we are going to try the shabushabu dishes. :9

    (5)

  • Relyn B.

    Best place ever. My bf and and I go at least once a month. Chanko nabe and gobo is our favorite.

    (5)

  • Jennifer H.

    The bf and I decided to try Imana's for the first time after hearing raving reviews from his brother and his brother's gf. I have to say that we were NOT dissapointed. We went with 2 of our friends and we ordered a bunch of stuff. We ordered the chanko nabe (a 2 order minimum) and it was so delicious! It was overflowing with all kinds of goodies...shrimp, crab, beef, meatballs, salmon, scallops, etc. Towards the end they also give you udon to put in the broth. The udon was so yummy and it was cut thinly so it wasn't chewy and soaked up all the flavors. We also ordered spicy hamachi with a quail egg that comes with pieces of nori on the side to wrap yourself. The hamachi just melts in your mouth and you could hardly taste the raw quail egg they mix in it. The dynamite was also very yummy but it was really rich and I wish it was served with rice or bread. The pepper chicken was good too...you could smell all the pepper on it but it didn't overwhelm the taste buds. Overall, the restrauant was really great! The service was excellent! Our waiter helped us order because it was the first time for all of us. Everything he suggested was absolutely wonderful and tasty. I suggest making reservations if you want to eat early. While we were eating people were being turned away because the resturaunt was booked. Also, the parking lot is small so get there early for parking or else you may have to look elsewhere.

    (5)

  • C N.

    Loved it, service n food both exceeded my expectation. Definitely my must go sushi joint whenever returning to visit Honolulu

    (5)

  • Crystal L.

    The only thing I would ever eat here?? The seafood dynamite! If you're going to order anything else...dip it into the dynamite and it will taste better. I've had better izakaya style food at Aki-no-no. Why are there so many awesome reviews for Imanas? I have no idea. You can find the same grill food at a cheaper price next door at Konotori. You want great Nabe? Go to Ichiriki or Sweet Home Cafe.

    (2)

  • PY K.

    Thank you for another terrific meal...so satisfied. Thankful also for grandparents babysittig. Highlights of the night was the hamachi and Molokai amaebi....and dynamite! YUM!

    (5)

  • Liz T.

    Considering how hot it is on Yelp, it left me lukewarm. The only dish I truly enjoyed was the Dynamite--baked seafood topped with a thick layer of creamy spicy sauce. It was an explosion of flavors that came out an hour too late--when we were already in a coma-like state from the Chanko Nabe and Fried Tofu with ponzu sauce. The Chanko Nabe was good and had just about everything, including beef, pork, chicken, fish, and shellfish. I liked that there were free and frequent refills on the broth, and two orders fed three people. The Fried Tofu was mediocre at best--its delicate flavor was overpowered by the ponzu sauce, which our server recommended. Why only three stars? There was a piece of green onion in my tea cup (gross), a black rotten clam in the nabe (super gross), and our young server--while very nice--was a bit awkward and clumsy. I guess I was like that at 16 as well, so I won't hold it against him. Not sure if I'll be back again with the plethora of Japanese restaurants in town ,but maybe for the Dynamite.

    (3)

  • Vincent E.

    We went here for my daughter's birthday as a group of nine on a Thursday evening. I called to make a reservation and suprisingly scored a table. We ordered a little bit of everything from sushi to shashmi without a single disappointment. The staff was exceptionally curtious and kept our drinks filled and food coming. They were even willing to sing my daughter happy birthday and the whole restaruant joined in. it truely was a magical evening. This place was a little difficult to find, but well worth the journey. I would recommend making reservations Friday - Saturday as the staff informed me it gets really busy. However they stop taking reservations past 7:00PM. Oh yeah, and the hot Sake was yummy...

    (4)

  • Gary N.

    I really like this place and love that it was open so late. They close at 11:30 pm on a Thursday night! I ordered the Tekka Don and other people in my group ordered the Teriyaki prime rib eye steak, grilled misoyaki butterfish, kobacha, miso soup, and rice. All the food was delicious. I know this because my friends encouraged me to try a little bit of everything, while they sampled a little bit of my food as well. The Teriyaki rib eye was the best steak I've had in a while. That's saying a lot because I'm usually never quite happy with restaurant steak. The Tekka Don was impressive! I gotta start bringing my camera, because you guys need to see this thing! A huge layer of maguro was topped with shiso leaf, wasabi, and the most beautiful tuna I've ever seen. It came with a ridiculous amount of ginger and the rice was a sushi rice with sesame seed and seaweed mix. The steak came with potato salad, which wasn't greasy at all, and a salad as well.

    (5)

  • avalon e.

    What?? I'm-a-nasty? Nyahhh just kiddin. The food is definitely more refined than other izakayas in the neighborhood. A wee-tad pricier than others, quality and quantity justifies it. Nice decor.. best place for people watching and to show off your high-maintenance date. For cheapskates like yours truly... stick with the Sushi moriawase (B), it's priced at a HUGE bargain relative to the a la cartes.

    (5)

  • Bow C.

    Very good experience. The food was really good and lots of selection. The Nabe had lots of seafood and generous in portion. Parking sucked, but it's Hawaii, not a problem. Try this place out, I'm sure you'll like it.

    (4)

  • Jesse C.

    Fresh fish and beer *nom nom nom* This is a great place for sushi. Creators of the seafood dynamite. Everything I ate was nommy! I definitely need to come back and try the shabu shabu. Anyone?

    (4)

  • Guava G.

    Tucked away off the main road, Imanas is my favorite Japanese restaurant on island. The staff is very nice and accomodating. The ambience is mellow... Sometimes there is a long wait since they don't take reservations after 7 p.m., but it is sooo worth the wait, trust me. Every time I try a new Japanese place, I ask myself half way through the dissapointing meal, "why did I come here instead of Imanas?". Then I get even more irritated when the bill comes and it twice the price for mediocre food! I really enjoy the Sushi and Udon soup!

    (5)

  • erik w.

    Awesome izakaya with a, well-designed, contemporary Japanese interior. Chanko Nabe and Shabu Shabu figure prominently on the menu, as well as standard izakaya fare and sushi. Arriving around 8:30pm on a thursday negated the dreaded waiting time (although street parking in the little alley was a challenge). Ordered the Chanko Nabe (veggies, beef, pork sausage, chicken, salmon, scallops, clams, crab, rice cake, noodles, tofu) cooked in a dashi broth in a copper pot on the table. This is pretty much a meal in itself (we ordered for two)... but I couldn't help adding a few pieces of nigiri (aji, yellowtail, and sweet shrimp) as well as an order of dynamite. I've only recently become a fan of the dynamite and this one was definitely worthy - big chunks of scallop (and some butterfish?), mushrooms - all covered in Kewpie mayo of some sort and broiled to crispy perfection... The Nabe was tasty, and we managed to keep it pescatarian, initially, in order for the non-meat eater to have a taste, before saturating the pot with fatty animal protein goodness. The best part of the meal, by far, was the deep fried shrimp heads (from the sweet shrimp) that are served separately, but are included with the sushi order.... they were so crispy and perfectly seasoned, with the little chunky pieces of meat still left still retaining their juices. I could have just eaten a big bag full of those!

    (4)

  • A. C.

    Their food is really pretty, but in terms of portion size and flavor, it is okay. Everything we ordered from the sashimi to the beef tongue was pretty generic in terms of flavor. Nothing was extra special that would bring us back =(

    (3)

  • Cheryl K.

    Ooishi! This place is awesome! This is the second time I have eaten here in a couple years. It was my birthday and I was excited to eat some shabu-shabu. We ordered the shabu-shabu plus sake plus beer. Yayer! I love the ambiance here. Seems like no one speaks english but the other guests around you. Super similar to Japan which is a plus, plus, plus in my book. We had an awesome time and the cost was about right for authentic shabu-shabu beef. The only junky thing is parking and a little waiting time. You can always find some extra parking at Puck's Alley and waiting is a breeze when you and your fiance are burying our faces into our blackberry and iphone. Well worth the wait and price! Super awesome!

    (5)

  • Carol B.

    Amazing place! Awesome food amd prices! Last night was my first time but definitely not my last! Ordered so many dishes and every single one was delicious!!! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

    (5)

  • Rodalyn C.

    I love anything nabe or shabu shabu!!! The guy I was talking to at the time decided to bring me here & the chanko nabe was delish! I've been to Ichiriki countless times, shabu shabu, hot pot heaven and SHC, so coming here was a change in direction. Along coming here, I also got the seafood dynamite. I dont know, but to me, it was very salty & I am not a huge fan of salty food. On the other hand, It's just an 'okay' place to me.

    (3)

  • Manda P.

    I went here with my husband to celebrate my birthday. Parking was kinda killer. They have a small parking area that is shared amongst the other restaurant and shops. We ended up parking behind the restaurant on the side street that had a no parking sign. I don't recommend this! Anyway, we went on a friday or saturday night...I forget which. We of course had to wait around 20-30 minutes to be seated. Our name was called and we sat in the middle of the dining area with a really long table that sat other parties as well. I ordered..... the clams (forgot the exact name)- it was ok, wasn't too flavorful though. toro nigiri- very delicous! $14 for two pieces. My husband crapped himself. But hellllooo! IT'S MY BIRTHDAY! salmon nigiri- which was also very good. dynamite- I liked this, but I kinda wish it was served over rice. There are somethings in there that I didn't know what it was, but it was good. My husband wanted to get the nabe, but I read on yelp that it's pretty big and should be shared between two people. I told him I don't think I could eat with him cuz I was getting kinda full already. I would come back to eat the nabe, but damn the parking situation kinda traumatized me.

    (3)

  • Sheryl S.

    Imanas has the bestestestestest sushi in Hawaii! Hands down! The sushi here is so fresh, I swear this was just caught by the waiter fishing in back of the restaurant. Each bite of the unagi, mirugai & ebi was so perfectly juicy & fresh. Nothing could make it more heavenly. I loved the fact that they used just a tiny bit of rice with a huge chunk of the seafood. Just when I thought that was good enough, the Agedashi tofu with miso paste & the teriyaki chicken were also cooked to perfection. Obama should definitely make a stop over here on his next Christmas vacation to Hawaii.

    (5)

  • Shaz Z.

    In a word: awesome. Get here now. If there's a wait, it's worth it.

    (5)

  • Jin N.

    I've become quite the sushi connoiseur in California. My dad took me here telling me it's one of the best. Sure, the food is good, but I wasn't particularly fond of their fish. I definitely h ave to give them a lot of credit for inventing the first Dynamite. I had it at Imanas 7 years ago, and soon after every sushi joint had it too. The Dynamite in 25 other sushi places I've tried doesn't come close to beating Imanas Tei. Nice ambiance.

    (3)

  • Dev C.

    This was the first place ever that I've tried Seafood Dynamite, and I've been forever been using it as the measuring stick for other dynamite dishes but nothing comes close. Unagi and miso butterfish are always awesome, and of course, nigiri. Toro and hamachi for the win. If you're unsure what to order, ask your server what would they eat on their lunchbreak that day. That's how I found out about the toro. EDIT: The Lobster Van Van at Mitch's Fish Market took the dynamite champion title.

    (5)

  • Virginia C.

    Walk-in on a Saturday around 7:15 pm = 10 mins wait = TOTALLY AWESOME!! I was with a party of four and was super excited to try the highly raved about Chanko Nabe. If you want to try this, you must order a minimum of 2 orders so bring some hungry peeps! After the server skillfully layered all the veggies, meats & seafood into the broth (with her bare hands), we watched the huge mound of FRESH food simmer down into the broth. Then it was time to dig in & what do I hear..."we're not having any". 2 people in our party were too full after having sushi and the likes to partake in the Chanko Nabe. So Faye M and I had to chomp through this ginormous pot of food all by ourselves! Just when I thought we did good & my belly was so expanded I felt like popping out of my jeans, she tells me, "you know there's rice or udon after we're done". I thought: "WHAT?! Are you kidding me?! I'm bursting at the seams like a stuffed turkey!!". And so to top off our meal we gobbled up some udon and digested it with hot green tea afterwards. I also tried the butter sauteed salmon, spicy ahi roll, and spider roll which were all prepared with fresh ingredients and contributed to my food coma... 5 stars for using FRESH ingredients and me rolling out of there beyond satisfied!!

    (5)

  • Elbert K.

    This place had great flavor and the food was on point. I had ordered the omakase, which is basically a tasting from the chef's best stuff of the day. The toro (fatty tuna belly) was delicious, but then again when is toro not delicious. They had also given a few pieces of unni (sea urchin). The clams are a fantastic treat. Slightly briney to remind you it's from the ocean, but not so that it feels like they got it from the ala wei (dirty stream that runs next to waikiki). The full factor was about a 6 out of 10. I was full, but I had to pay for it. The one problem I had was that the waiter had no clue what was going on. We had ordered two orderes of omakase and this single plate came out with two pieces of everything and he told us that was our order. In actuality, it was only one order. I would chalk this up to a freak coincidence, but in general that night he wasn't on his best a-game. It didn't seem like anyone else was having as much trouble with him, so I won't hold it against the restaurant.

    (4)

  • Ryen L.

    The BEST Japanese Restaurant on Oahu This is true Japanese food done very well. Imanas spoils my family. It is now hard to eat at other Japanese restaurants without having something to complain about. I have eaten here very often and have had everything on the menu. The sushi is of extremely high quality (I always order Maguro, Ika with Shiso, Soft-Shell Crab, and Salmon-Skin handroll). Izakayas are traditionally meant as a place where you meet, drink, and eat many small appetizers. This is the concept (those many small appetizers can end up costing a lot of money. For those who don't want to spend too much, the Shabushabu is exquisite here and only $20/person. The service is very hospitable and friendly (but you may not be able to benefit from it if you don't speak Japanese). Make sure to make reservations (they recommend 2 weeks in advance). My family never makes reservations, but we go right when it opens and avoid the line. The restaurant does not have many seats and due to the style of Izakaya, you may end up waiting outside for a long time.

    (5)

  • Blake M.

    Went here again last week: Food: while the king crab dynamite is excellent, the seafood dynamite was too rich and heavy for 3 of us to share...fried tofu (with ponzu sauce) is ok, wouldn't get it again...much better at morio's. Udon remained tasty, sushi still refreshing, tonkatsu sticks were good too, I would definitely get it again; thick, not oily or fatty. They had a spicy hamachi special...definitely ask for it. Our server was attentive and threw in extra shiso for free. However, they messed up our bill three times, charging and voiding and charging the wrong card again and again. We went on a friday and NOTE: from 5-7 it is reservations only so we waited from 6:15 until 7 to get seated...even the bar area is reservations only...according to them that day anyway. Also, parking on a Friday is a pain in the butt...ended up parking on the back road running right under the freeway...accessed from university or by driving straight through the driveway of Imanas. I still think for the price there are better places out there.

    (3)

  • Ed K.

    imanas is still there. didn't used to be as busy as it is now. used to go there after work for dinner and drinks. food is really good. crowd is propper, younger and less fob. itz traditional for them to enter and rearrange my world and rock it with suspense, action, thrills have their way w/ me in any which way and be out and act like nothing even happenned and deny me from returning. should i forget what happenned and continue on the way i was going? are u going to be around? next time ill go when its not busy.. set a timer. wait for it.. wait for it... haha..XZ

    (5)

  • Kimi A.

    best spicy clam ever, to die for!!! customer service is great too...great food, great sake great sashimi...love love love

    (5)

  • Katrice K.

    I went here with my boyfriend to try the amazing sushi everyone talked about. The only problem is I'm not a huge sushi fan so I lived vicariously through my boyfriend who is a huge sushi fan. He looked so exciting after receiving his order of otoro and the expression on his face was priceless when he took his first bite. He also ordered the uni, masage (which was nice and salty and crunchy), hamachi, and mirugai. He liked all of them. For me we ordered the salmon chazuke, miso katsu, and garlic clams. The salmon chazuke was fantastic and miso katsu was interesting with an amazing sauce. The garlic clams were ok, but not up to the standards of the other food. All the food was well prepared with quality ingredients and I definitely want to go back to try other dishes and maybe even try a few sushi.

    (4)

  • Peety P.

    This has to be my favorite Japanese restaurant in Hawaii. Chanko nabe is deeeee-lish. Always friendly service with a smile. My only gripe is the parking situation, but the food is definitely worth the hassle.

    (5)

  • Ardy D.

    Pricey but good. Try it

    (4)

  • CingCing J.

    my japanese teahcer recommended me to the imanas. so my BF took me there for dinner. there was a 30 mins wait since we didn't have any reservation. but it was worth the wait. i love their service and the food of course. so we returned there for the second time few days later. the first time we only tried their sushi, which was good, especially the uni sushi. that became my BF's favorite. the second time we tried their chanko nabe (hot pot) it was soooooo GOOD! it comes with so many different things in the hot pot (meat, fish, vegetables, udon, king crab, shrimp, mushrooms, rice cake, tofu....) it's good for two people. i also love their grilled squid.... i think they didn't have it on the menu (only fried squid) but you can ask them. it's really good.

    (5)

  • Gotfunit W.

    By far, one of the best places on the Island. Food, service, atmosphere are all top notch. We've been back multiple times and have ordered everything from the Nabe, to the sushi, to the dynamite, to the shabu shabu.... always amazing. I've gone there with my family (two young kids), with out-of-town guests, for work lunches, and for after-work drinks with friends... it's perfect every time and is suitable for different types of "social" meals. Only thing is that one should probably RSVP for peak times.

    (5)

  • Rock T.

    I could be a professional eater having trained at culinary school and as a wine professional. I have lived in and eaten at the great sushi restaurants in San Francisco, NYC and Tokyo (including Tsukiji) and this is one of the best sushi restaurants in Hawaii. If you like high quality fish served classically in a quintessential Japanese setting, this is for you. This restaurant also has excellent izakaya selections making this my favorite Japanese restaurant in Hawaii.

    (5)

  • Caligurl M.

    Went there friday night, with my husband, at around 7 p.m. and had to wait about 30 min. not bad for not having a reservation. We finally sat down and ordered about 8 dishes between us because we wanted to sample everything that looked good. This is what we ordered: Hamachi kama ( yellowtail collar) oyster 1/2 dz. w/ ponzu sauce grilled butterfish ama ebi uni rib eye steak chicken salad hamachi sashimi everything was soooooooooooo good. I can't stop thinking about how fresh and authentic the dishes were. This is my new fave place to dine. The ambiance is nice...mood lighting and fab place for hang out with bunch of friends or just a nice dinner with ur significant other. I originally loved gaku, but this is my first choice

    (5)

  • Brad K.

    Food is amazing, price is high, service is slow but they are polite. Good luck getting a reservation.

    (3)

  • Caroline C.

    This review is for Teri C. Hi Teri!! I'm writing a Hawaii review! And Teri if you are ever out in Honolulu, you must go here. I know you will like it! We stopped by here, based on a recommendation from a client of my sister's. My sister had tried it during a past business trip to Hawaii and now we were all with her in Hawaii, and she was dying to go back! That says a lot. She loves her food! The restaurant is pretty tiny and is linked to another Japanese restaurant next door. They share a bathroom, and my husband entered the wrong Japanese restaurant after having used the bathroom, looking for us, thinking he stepped into the twilight zone. But no, there are two Japanese restaurants here. Anyways, that's just a warning. Also, another warning, the lines here can be long. I think we waited for about 1 hour. They don't take reservations either. Oh and one more warning, parking in this area sucks. Me, being the vegetarian, had the udon, fried tofu with miso dressing. The house salad was HUGE, and shared by our table of 6. I also had the kappa maki. Good consistency, rice was spot on, wasabi in the roll. The meat/fish eaters loved the Dynamite. It was like a fish/seafood casserole baked with some sort of mayo sauce. That was the most memorable. But the meat/fish eaters loved every bite of everything else they ordered. The service was great. So friendly and accommodating. And because we waited so long, we got our bill and it looked like they discounted it.

    (5)

  • Kalama K.

    The best sashimi (thick cut) in awhile. Killer steak, tempura. Authentic Japan Feel to it. Just park at Puck's Alley (cheap) if no parking in front.

    (4)

  • Kit W.

    This was my favorite meal of our trip. SOOOO TASTY. We have izakaya places where i live, and I've been to Japan, but this place is the best izakaya that I've had outside Japan. The seafood salad was simple but really good, tasty and different dressing. The sushi we ordered was really fresh and had great flavor and texture. (Ikura, Unagi, and Hamachi nigiri) The Salmon Kama and the Hamachi Kama were both great, large portions with lots of flavor. We had Toro sashimi which was very reasonable for the amount we got, and melt in your mouth delicious. I loved it, I didn't even have to chew it, just let it melt under gentle pressure from my teeth. The service was very nice, and very personal, even though they were busy, the hostess came over and asked us how our trip was going and talked with us for a bit. Very much appreciated. Parking was a bit of a challenge, but we eventually found a spot. Next time I will definitely order a nabe dish, it looked really tasty when it came out, but an open flame and a big bowl of boiling hot soup wasn't going to be too compatible with a 2 year old. Overall, as far as Izakaya goes, it was very reasonable too. Definitely not cheap eats, but yum yum!! I'd easily go back and would definitely recommend this place. Thanks Yelp!

    (5)

  • Diana C.

    After going to Imanas more than five times with friends, this past week I finally ordered the chanko nabe! Let the story telling begin: We arrive around 8:00. No reservations after 7 I think, so I put our names in, and we wait for about 30 minutes. The nice, old lady who is always there then takes us to our "regular table", well the one they always seem to give us. Let the ordering begin. 2 orders of Chanko Nabe: So delicious. Imanas doesn't skimp. Tons of crab, shrimp, scallops, and salmon, as well as all the types of meat you could dream of. The only difficult thing is trying to get that heap of add-ins to cook. But, we did it. Slurped and chomped our way through the whole pot, and even had room for the rice porridge at the end. I've had nabe with udon before, but with rice, wow, it's taken to a new level. Cut Spicy Ahi Maki: Their spicy ahi isn't like Genki Sushi or anything, but that's what I like. Quality ahi tartar style with a moderate amount of heat. Yum. 4 people, 4 orders. Not even joking. Hamachi Green Onion Maki: My favorite from Imanas. I've gone to my fair share of sushi joints, and I've never had this anywhere else but at Imanas. Maybe I just don't look, but the white fish with the delicate onion flavor is so darn delicious. Cold Udon: Not amazing. But their dashi is pretty good, there's a good amount of noodles, and TONS of bonito. I love that stuff, others don't. Miso Butterfish: Yum yum yum. Not overly miso-y, as other types are. Start with a good piece of quality fish, and crispy miso outside. Definitely delicious. Pork Katsu on a Stick: Not anything special, in my opinion. Pork katsu always tastes like pork katsu. If you do get it though, ask for both sauces! You won't be disappointed. All in all, going to Imanas always makes for an amazing dinner with friends. Tons of talking and eating. This time, amongst the four of us, the bill was about 30 a person, including tip. It's definitely not the cheapest place to go, but hey, I would rather spend my money on a delicious dining experience anyways.

    (4)

  • Jay S.

    Best sashimi I've ever had. My faves: *Ikura - the best *Yellow tail - "like butta" in your mouth. It is cut right off the fish. *Soft shell crab - yummy! *Spider roll - must try!!

    (5)

  • Rose O.

    Toro is super super fresh! A must..... Butterfish and mackerel are beautifully grilled. Gobo and seafood was delicious. Even their green tea ice cream is genuinely tasty. We thoroughly enjoyed it and will be back.

    (5)

  • Bifyu J.

    Favorites were: - Chanko nabe: wide palette of ingredients, rich and flavorful broth, excellent udon to finish. - Butterfish misoyaki: marinated and grilled to rich, savory, and unctuous perfection; the mild bitterness of the charred skin nicely complemented the accompanying pickled daikon. - Geso: crisp, with a proper crunchewy tentacular texture. No complaints: - Grilled beef tongue: super thin slices of chewy beef that tastes you back, and better than I expected with the lemon garnish. - King crab dynamite: not big on the heavy mayo dishes, but still tasty. - Spicy tuna roll: Could actually taste the freshness of the fish, but I think my spicy tuna meter may be calibrated to a more plebian scale. Nice ambiance, friendly, helpful and attentive waitstaff. Slightly expensive for fairly small portions (except for the chanko nabe). Easy to mistake entrance for Imanas on first visit. Limited parking.

    (5)

  • Travis M.

    After all the rave reviews and hearing from all the Japanese transpants that this is their favorite restaurant I decided to take my family here. It was good, but maybe not the best place I've ever eaten. The things that really stood out to me was the Spicy Ahi Rolls, Spicy Clams, and Lobster Dynaminte. The butterfish, fried gobo, garlic clams, fried tofu in ponzu sauce, garlic steak, and regular dynamite were all alright, but nothing special. And the Chanko Nabe definately did not live up to my expectations. All in all it was a good experience, but I think I'll only come back when my Japanese friends go. Still trying to find that one Japanese Restuarant item that keeps me coming back. Till then I'll just be dreaming of that sukiyaki I had in Hakone.

    (4)

  • Nani Y.

    Imanas is one of the best Japanese restaurants to go. My girlfriends and I enjoy the great service and food. Very good selection of food. This is one of the places where you know you will return.

    (4)

  • Takako F.

    My husband was trying to make a reservation for my birthday dinner today. No reservation available for today. Very busy... according to them...They told to come after 7:00pm. We may get seated after 1hr of waiting. I have to prepare for waiting in the line with books. I am expecting 5 stars!! I can not wait!! Because my husband got very sick, so I was unable to eat chanko or shabushabu or rib eye which I really wanted to order. The vinegar oysters were gone (sold out for the night). Assorted Sashimi (Specially Uni was soooooo sweet!!) was really good. Dynamite (scallop) was goood!! Thanks to Liz T. They gave me a green tea ice cream to make a wish for my birthday. People are nice. After Cafe Miro, it is very difficult to compare, since the people at Cafe Miro make all the experience so nice and make their food more delicious. Well, Cafe Miro was closed today. So, no choice. Parking was very hard to find, even for lucky person like me. There is a hair salon on the left had side of the road to Imanas Tei. The owner there allowed me to park in front of his salon. He seems very nice gentleman. I should bring him a gift when I got to eat at Imanas Tei next time. But I should always make a reservation earlier for Vinegar Oyster and eat Nabe such as shabushabu or chanko.

    (5)

  • First Name L.

    I'm not sure why but this is no longer a 5 star restaurant for me... so I'm updating. I was there earlier this week. As usual, I didn't make reservations, and I waited outside while my stomach twisted in pain! Service was average, more like the service you'd get at any other asian restaurant. Service was never their strong point but it's gotten worse. The food was good but I expected great and it wasn't quite there. Don't get me wrong, this is still one of my favorite restaurants, it's just lost some of it's sparkle. We had a variety of sushi and ala carte dishes. The only thing we didn't eat was the towering pile of gobo... I think that's what they called it. It wasn't that good but they sure made it sound special.

    (4)

  • Sean V.

    Great izakaya with some of the most awesome food here in hawaii. I've had almost everything on their menu, and its all wonderful! If parking was better and took reservations, it would be 5 stars. But hey, 5 stars is perfect to me.

    (4)

  • Tom B.

    I totally know I'm going to regret it for writing this review. I really hesitated to bring this place under the public eye for fear of it becoming too popular. The lines are long enough as it is to get dinner since the rest of the Japanese locals know this place very well. Thanks to my 2007 resolution of being a better person, I will resist my temptation to lie and say that I found pubic hair in my hamachi nigiri. There's only 2 things you need to know prior to visiting: make a reservation, and if at all possible carpool to this place because the parking lot is limited to 6 or so spaces. I could never do the food justice with my commentary, so I uploaded a couple photos of the dishes. Great Izakaya dishes! Definitely try the garlic steak and fried tofu. What this place is really known for is the Nabe! Chanko-nabe the food for sumos is definitely plentiful. The Chanko-nabe for two is enough to feed 4 people, so don't be fooled by the description. Easily the best nabe on the islands! Oh and the service there is amazingly friendly. You'll find the happiest and perkiest 70 yr old hostess. Bless her soul, I hope she lives on to 200.

    (5)

  • Michele E.

    I LOVE IMANAS-TEI! I come here at least twice a week and I have never been disappointed. The seasoned burdock, chicken karage, and pork katsu are must tries. The atmosphere is intimate and they have used lighting to create beautiful shadows on the wall from the bamboo ceiling. A great place over-all.

    (5)

  • rylie m.

    i don't understand why peope love this place so much. nothing was bad but nothing was that great. everything looked real sloppy and for the money i've had much better. won't be going back here.

    (2)

  • Mitchel C.

    Hands down the best japanese restaurant in hawaii. I dont know why some of these yelpers called it expensive. Its maybe more expensive than fast food sushi or junk sushi like genki sushi but if you compare it to any decent japanese place, its definitely cheaper. I havent had anything on the menu that was not delicious. Ya gotta get the dynamite of course when you go. Its just perfect!

    (5)

  • Jayme N.

    I love their Chanko Nabe here - It's so delicious. Assorted vegetables, meat, and seafood in a savory broth... what's not to miss. At the end - once all the ingredients have been cooked and flavored the broth - you get your choice of udon or rice and egg which they mix into the broth. The rice and egg is good - it creates a sort of savory porridge. I dined with two other friends and the Chanko Nabe [two orders] and a few side dishes were more than enough for all three of us. It was the best dinner I've had in a while.

    (4)

  • tony l.

    This is one of my favorite Japanese restaurants. The nabe is delicious and everything is fresh as it can be. Only drawback is the small parking lot and lack of street parking.

    (5)

  • Nikki C.

    My other FAVORITE Japanese Restaraunt.. My husband and i have been eating here for years. Once 3x's in in one week :) That's how good it is @ IMANAS. Staff is very friendly and FUN. Food is really good (esp. their DYNAMITE and GRILLED BEEF TONGUE), SAKE's great and prices are reasonable. They get 5 STARS from me!! If I'm not "there"...it's because I'm "HERE".....

    (5)

  • Rita L.

    so for absolutely fabulously yummy and delicious japanese food, come to imanas! tip: if you come before 7pm you can make reservations, which is a good idea. this place gets super duper busy! must eats: chanko nabe, garlic steak, spicy chicken, the katsu stick, and all the sushi! the service is great and i actually feel like i'm in a izakaya in japan! sooo good... again, if you don't come early, be prepared to wait, this place gets busy, but its sooo worth it! i guarantee it!!!

    (5)

  • Kaili N.

    I love the shabu shabu here! The sushi and sashimi are always super fresh. Nice selection of cold sake. Imanas is my absolute favorite restaurant for Japanese cuisine. Service is fast and friendly. I'm always laughing when I leave because they are very enthusiastic with their "doomo arigato gozaimashita!!" The staff starts shouting it several times and bowing as you walk out the door. I'm glad they show their appreciation. I've been to so many places where the hostess didn't even thank us or acknowledge us on the way out. That really puts a damper at the end of your dining experience. Too bad the parking is crappy and there's always a wait. They are also closed on Sundays. :( Oh well, the food is definitely worth the wait and parking headaches.

    (5)

  • Sylvia C.

    Its an okay restaurant, nothin really wowed me so it's definitely overrated!

    (2)

  • Amanda Z.

    I love love love the chanko nabe. Tons of different types of meats, veggies, all expertly placed in the bowl by the waiter. Enough food for 3 people. The best part is the end where they ask you if you want noodles or rice and egg to be placed in the broth. I would recommend the rice and egg option, so delicious! I've also tried the Chirashi - fresh, delicious fish. TIP: they accept reservations up to 7PM, so make them otherwise you might have to wait a while - but it's definitely worth it!

    (5)

  • Laura P.

    Imanas Tei is sleek inside. They make you feel ever so welcome. About a dozen people welcome you the minute you step in the door. Sweet! The menu is several pages and they don't insult your intelligence with stupid descriptions or false photos. Actually, I'm getting so accustomed to that way of marketing that it made ordering really hard. Everything looked good on paper and there was no way to differentiate what would be a hit or a miss. Hubby had the assorted sashimi special and I ordered a number of cooked items. Our favorite of the night was the fried tofu in yuzu sauce. It was served in a beautiful bowl that really highlighted the dish. The bidet wasn't working in the ladies bathroom, which was fine with me. I only wanted to see it, not really use it. What was odd was the heated toilet seat. If I were in drizzly & damp Seattle I would have appreciated it a bit more, I'm sure.

    (3)

  • Jocelyn L.

    "The food was divine! The crispy rice was so good...hard to get reservations...but so worth it..yummy! Best place to get Japanese in Honolulu...great ambience too...tricky parking"

    (4)

  • Ssong S.

    I've always visited Imanas Tei whenever I visited honolulu for several years. Still serving great fresh sushi, specially Uni, nice servers and reasonable price for fresh quality food.

    (5)

  • sandie g.

    very good service & good food. really enjoyed their signature nabe, ordered for 2 people, but shared it w/ 3, lot's of food! beautiful decor. you'll need reservations & parking can be a challenge.

    (5)

  • barry n.

    I had to pick a restaurant that my wife wanted to take me for my yakudoshi, so after reading the good reviews, I decided on Imanas Tei. I was expecting a lot from here, and overall, it was pretty good. We were stressing out about the parking because of the reviews. We arrived at about 5:10pm, and were lucky to find a stall, but by the time our last guests arrived, they had to park in the public parking lot behind Puck's Alley. Because we had a party of 10, they put us on an odd shaped table in the middle of the restaurant. We had a problem with having an infant because the restaurant is pretty cramped, so we couldn't leave him in his stroller. So I guess the reviews about it not being good for large groups and kids is correct. I had the chanko nabe, which was very good. The broth was very tasty and there was a lot of meat, fish and vegetables crammed in the pot. I also had sashimi, and it was probably the best sashimi I have had in a while. The maguro and salmon seemed to melt in my mouth! My wife had the shabu shabu, which was pretty disappointing for her. My aunty had the hamachi kama and she thoroughly enjoyed it. Overall, the food was good. The service was very good at the beginning, but kind of fell off towards the end. Our glasses of water were empty most of the time, and only half of our group was asked for dessert. I thought that for my standards, it was a very good restaurant. But because not everyone in our group was satisfied, I couldn't give it five stars. I would definitely recommend this restaurant to anyone and I will be there again.

    (4)

  • Kristen N.

    Great ambiance. Pretty good food. Challenging parking. Awesome izakaya restaurant.

    (4)

  • Jon T.

    The aji tataki or nigiri is awesome! Also the amaebi deep fried heads are one of the better ones I've had. Overall the staff is very friendly and the sushi is good. Their chirashi is good and also very reasonable

    (4)

  • Lester N.

    We wanted to treat ourselves to some nice sushi and Imanas Tei showed up as a strong competitor. Reviews were giving it 4-5 stars left and right so that kinda hyped it up for me. With this strong hype followed high expectations. I know I shouldn't let that bring up my standard just because something was hyped up, but how could I not? The parking lot is indeed small. Something like 12 spaces in the vicinity of the restaurant. After they fill up, I don't know where else people can park, Puck Alley's parking lot? I have no idea...I was fortunate enough to find a spot in front of the restaurant and it was around 7pm. While we were waiting for our seats, which didn't take very long, 10-20 minutes?, many people were walking to this restaurant. I don't know from where, but parking is horrible. The ambience was relaxed and chill. I mean you can just put some decent clothes on and have yourself some pricey sushi. It's pretty loud in there so you don't have to worry about anythin. Make yourself comfortable and all that good stuff. Welcoming for kids. The staff was very nice and professional. It's all business in there. Not once did I wonder where my waitress was or got annoyed that I waited too long. Water is always filled, hot tea was always ready, you know, all business WHILE being friendly and courteous. Great. Just great. We started off with some ala carte sushi, unagi, some sweet shirimp and I tried this King Crab Dynamite. Man do I love Dynamite. The king crab leg was awesome too. I felt that the portion was lackin for the king crab leg, especially when it's some $12, but I did understand that it was a king crab and it was a dynamite. Brushed it off. Delicious. The portions of the sushi was actually pretty good. It isn't too small or too big. I do realize that this place is pricey, but for the ala carte sushi? I think the price should be just a little less. Yeah, the portion is better than most, but not THAT much better. Yeah, the fish was fresh, but there wasn't anything "special" to justify a high price like that. Tastes almost like any other unagi or sashimi out there. But it is definitely fresh, so I can see a higher price, just not THAT high. Come to think of it, the fish was fish. The unagi was unagi. The fried shrimp head was fried shrimp head. The dynamite was dynamite. There wasn't anything special about their food. I thought for this $$$ price tag, I'd get blown away. Don't get me wrong, the food here is better than something you'd get at a lunch wagon or some fast food sushi place. Fresher fish, greater atmosphere, restaurant quality food. At the end of my meal, I was very satisfied. Fish was fresh, rice wasn't soggy, water didn't taste funny, staff was just great, the whole nine yards. I wouldn't come here again though. It was great for my first time, don't get my wrong, but the prices are just too high for food that doesn't "blow me away".

    (4)

  • Kimo O.

    Imanas was great tonight. Thanks to the staff for an awesome meal for my mom's birthday. The first (and defiantly wont be the last) time I ever tried sea urchin sushi! Awesome!

    (4)

  • Chris L.

    You can't get better than this. The food is awesome and for such a reasonable price. I am a frequent patron here at least once a month my wife and I eat here. You won't be dissapointed.

    (5)

  • Alison C.

    First off, I would give 4.5 stars if I could. For our family of four, this is what we ordered: hamachi, toro, giant clam, salmon sashimi uni sushi shabu shabu (2 orders plus an extra order of beef) red bean ice cream According to my parents, the salmon, hamachi, and uni weren't anything special. But we all loved the toro and the giant clam. The shabu shabu was good...it comes with mushrooms, tofu, bean sprouts, green onions, cabbage, bok choy, and konyaku (flavorless jello things made from yams). The shabu shabu is a great deal - only $20 for an order, and the beef is good quality stuff. The ice cream was amazing. Probably one of our favorite things of the night. The wait was long, probably 45 minutes, when we got there at 7pm on a Tuesday night. BUT....the staff was extremely apologetic. They even offered us two dishes that weren't on the menu (monkfish liver and little squids in a sauce). They were really attentive, and wouldn't stop saying sorry for the wait. To shorten the wait time, you can make reservations - but only before 7pm! ONE MORE THING. The door to the restaurant is on the right hand side - NOT directly facing the parking lot. That is another restaurant that only serves grilled/BBQ stuff. It's easily mistaken for Imanas Tei. This place is totally worth the short drive outside of Waikiki, although it is a little difficult to find.

    (4)

  • Jenifer G.

    Imanas is one of my favorites, a place you can count on for good izakaya food and a wonderful atmosphere. Parking can be a pain though. I haven't had their shabu shabu in years but from what I remember it was pretty good. Honestly I'm so picky w/ shabu shabu now that I just make it at home so I can pick my own ingredients.. Although the wait without a reservation can take forever (we waited well over 45minutes outisde, we literally missed making reservations by 2 minutes, think it's a 6:30pm cut-off?), it was well worth it because we had the tatami seating in the back. We ordered a bunch of stuff, listed from favorite to least: - Seared toro (forgot the Japanese name): served with thinly sliced green onion on top. It was so good everyone ordered a second round. - Manila clams: served in a warm spiced tomato broth, SO tasty. - Ribeye: sliced, served w/ salad (but when does ribeye go wrong anyway?) - Salmon sashimi: I didn't get to try this because I was so full already but I was told it was one of the better dishes. - Uni: (because I can't resist!) I could still taste the ocean in it but it was still damn good. - something dynamite: sorry, I can't recall exactly what this is at the top of my head, but it was HUGE and tasty, although I don't understand who would want to eat that much mayonaise in one sitting. - Grilled skewered clams: pretty fresh - sausages: I guess okay (friend who doesn't eat shellfish ordered this) - Chicken karaage: didn't care for it, not crispy at all, kind of chewy in fact. The best I've had in a while are at Ichiriki on Piikoi. Panya's are pretty good too. They have a decent list of small bottles of sake, as well as beers too. We had a blast for sure here.. one of the better meals I've had in a while!

    (4)

  • Lauren W.

    Ok, screw the king crab dynamite. You MUST order Seafood dynamite. It is ten times bigger (ok, maybe 5 times) and the flavor is amazing. Broiled Japanese mayonaise over scallop, salmon, abalone and mushrooms. Yum! If you had some left over you could take it home and spread it over some garlic bread. Top with some melted cheese and.....WOW!

    (4)

  • Yumiko K.

    One of the worst food experiences. Roaches on our table. The waiters were apologetic, but when they went to speak to the manager nothing was done to alleviate the matter. We moved to another table and different kinds of tiny roaches went scurrying off our table. It was so disgusting. The chef behind the counter just told the waitress not to charge us. Again, no apologies from management. I'd hate to see what their sanitation standards are. Sad...because I knew this place when it first opened and back then it was awesome. If I could've given this a negative rating I would. For your own safety and health...beware...:(

    (1)

  • Wendy Y.

    Everything was delicious! Sashimi was fresh (yummy salmon nigiri)! Parking available in Puck's Alley

    (5)

  • Kiki O.

    Food is really good here. I really love their soft shelled crab!

    (5)

  • Lisa N.

    most favorite sushi spot in honolulu. parking is very difficult and they do not take reservations other than when they first open at 6pm? the wait can scare you off easily, but if u manage to get in; the salmon and hamachi have never failed to be amazingly fresh and dEE-lishhh!!! I've been to many japanese places and this is one of the best places, hands down. if you know what you want to order, the pricing is very reasonable as well. (aside from the beef tongue which can run you about ten dollars, i'd say just go next door for half the price) Haven't tried the shabu shabu yet, but other than that, the salmon skin roll, the uni, ika, salmon and HAMACHI are bomb!!!

    (5)

  • Patty O.

    Authentic Japanese noodle house at it's finest. The waiter was very patient with us and the menu, recommended the chanko nabe for the three of us with plenty to go around. I loved watching the wait staff hustle! The nabe was very good, full of substance. Also had some sushi, didn't order anything fancy, fresh and good portions. Would definitely return. Take a cab, tho. Very limited parking.

    (5)

  • Charley C.

    I have to give it a solid 5 stars. My sister was very excited to take me there when I visited Hawaii and I was a bit skeptical at first. As soon as we walked in, I was impressed by the interior that was so thoughtfully and artistically put together. We were seated at a long wooden community-style table that tapers off on one side and next to us was this family with a cute japanese girl. Although the Uni that I desperately wanted was sold out, everything we ordered were very fresh, proper in size and so tasty! Ama Ebi and Toro were to die for! I wish there were an Imanas Tei close to where I live...

    (5)

  • Kent I.

    Went here last weekend after hearing rave reviews and wasn't disappointed. First, however, there was a 1hr+ wait, they only take reservation BEFORE 7pm, so plan accordingly. The wait staff was very friendly. We ordered the beef shabu shabu, which was ok. Honestly, there is really nothing that special about their shabu shabu, its not bad, just not great. We also ordered the Miso Katsuu and spicy tuna rolls. Both were awesome. The miso katsuu was the best I've had since Japan, in fact, it reminds me of the place right by my apartment in Japan. The spicy tuna was also excellent, I've had a lot of spicy tuna and I would say this is one of my favorites. Next time, I'm going to pass on the shabu shabu (which was good) and just going for the sushi and katsuu. Highly recommend.

    (4)

  • Tao M.

    Considering that I travel to Japan 4-7 times per year I am pretty strict when it comes to Japanese food. In Hawaii there are not too many go to favorite sushi places but Imanas ranks highly by my standards. When I go out for sushi its 100% Imanas Tei. The service is great, the atmosphere is the way I like it. You will find me and my wife at the counter unless we have a big group.

    (5)

  • Brian F.

    The Katsuo Tataki is a must. Good eats

    (4)

  • Casey B.

    Japanese food is definitely one of my favorite foods to eat. Especially sushi. Imanas is a fantastic spot. This is a regular spot for my friends and I. Its the right balance of price and quality. I've been to Sasabune (and loved it) but I can't always drop that kind of cash everytime I want sushi. We've tried a lot of the sushi Imanas has to offer as well as many of their other prepared dishes. Never had a bad dish yet. My favs are Aji, Saba, flounder, yellowtail, monkfish liver, ikura, yamaimo roll...actually I like almost all they have to offer, you really can't go wrong. I love their ponzu jelly, and seasoned salts they use for their sushi. We had a great experience at the bar seating on a couple occasions as our sushi chef was passionate and very accommodating letting us combine toppings with different sushi choices--it was great. I love the decor/ambience---they really bring nippon alive in there. I would like to give it 4.5 stars but 4 will have to do.

    (4)

  • Scott R. D.

    Wow! We had dinner here last night. It was very busy, but we only had to wait a few minutes. We had several kinds of sushi and some of the izakaya little plates and the big Chanko Nabe for 2. It's a copper bowl of broth on burner that they put the food in and it cooks before your eyes. Then you dig in and pull out what you want. After that they make you a eggy rice soup in the same bowl. That was delicious too. We probably over ordered so it was a little on the expensive side, but the quality was excellent. It ended up being about $50 per person, including plenty of beer and sake.

    (5)

  • Jyron S.

    I absolutely loves this place. Tucked away in Puck's Alley, literally it's a hidden gem. From the decor, the food and the service, this place has the "IT" quality. The staff treats us like family, until we get the usually LARGE bill at the end of dinner. It isn't cheap, but it's worth every penny.

    (5)

  • morgan b.

    My favorite Japanese restaurant in town! I've tried many other places but Imanas is where I always come back. Since they don't take reservations (or only before 6PM I believe) the wait can be a problem, but it's well worth it. Raw fish quality is excellent. A lot of diversity in the menu.

    (5)

  • Lisa K.

    I could eat there everyday. I love the salad dressing on the toss greens, agedashi tofu, tonkatsu skewers, sushi, grilled fish, teriyaki chicken, chanko nabe (love the fishcake and udon), the butterfish, the japanese vegetable dishes that I can never seem to find time to make like kinpira gobo and the list can go on. While it is crowded and there is no parking..just plan to park at pucks alley, make reservations before 7pm or figure on eating at th sushi counter.

    (5)

  • Kiko U.

    I LOVE IMANAS TEI so much I wish I could eat it every day of my life. Everything is so delicious, and the fish just melts in your mouth. Parking is hard to get though because it shares a little lot in front of the restaurant with Kohnotori. Wow, craving sashimi platter right now!

    (5)

  • N. O.

    Food was good, service was great, but overpriced. Limited parking, go early.

    (3)

  • Jannet L.

    it boggles my mind that there are all these nice places in these run down strip mall locations. this place has great presentation value. the restaurant inside is beautiful. the porcelain dishes are beautiful. the presentation of the food is beautiful. the taste is good. nothing mind boggling. well, the sashimi was quite nice - the salmon was buttery as well as the other fish that I couldn't identify. we had udon, squid and mentaiko, tako marinade, toro negi, tatsuta age. i'm not a huge fan of shiso so that might've been the problem. i recognize that this place is nice. just wasn't wowed by any of the flavors. maybe the nabe is better?

    (3)

  • L A.

    Shame on me that I didn't write the review right away. Now I can't remember all the dishes: Miso sauce fried tofu - so yummy. This & a bowl of rice, and I have a meal. salmon belly - how can you go wrong, other than the fact we had this & didn't have room for the butterfish belly. Sigh...next time. fresh sake sushi - fish was ok...I would've been happier if it had been salmon belly as I'd asked for Spicy hamachi "salad" that you roll your own sushi out of. Also very good. Tehre were a couple other small things but I can't remember what. 1 beer, 3 people, and the bill came out to $45. That's a pretty good deal. Wish I was home more often.

    (5)

  • Stephen H.

    first timer here. i heard a lot of great things about it. Nice environment and atmosphere. I notice a lot of beautiful women coming in to eat here as well. The one dish i heard a lot about Dynamite, was a disappointment because it was very heavy in mayonnaise so that made me a little sick feeling. If your thinking of going here, pls RSVP. the line was long when we left

    (5)

  • Unyong N.

    Hubby & I went to Imanas Tei for the 1 millioneth time last night. A good friend introduced us to this hidden gem about 6 years ago and we've been addicted ever since. High-quality restaurants where the service AND food are unquestionably superb are becoming harder and harder to find in Honolulu; Imanas Tei keeps the hope alive. Onto the nitty gritty: Service: b/c we're regulars, we went with no reservations but were seated right away. This doesn't happen all the time, but if there's space, a cancellation, or for whatever reason, the "you are too tan for words" owner or the "you are too perky for words" hostess gives us the "shush" finger and seats us. For some reason, the male waiters have always been better than the female waiters. As a female...this saddens me, but I gotta be honest. So, try to order from a man and you'll have the great service that I speak of. Order from a women, and you're taking the risk of a simple thing like a bowl of rice taking 10 minutes b/c she forgot. Food: our faves include....gyu miso (a recent dish added, konyakkyu & meat stewed in miso), seafood gobo, lobster dynmite, misoyaki butterfish, oysters vinagrette, grilled sausage, hamachi kama, spicy clams, tofu with ponzu, and spicy seaweed salad. For sushi/sashimi we order: baby abalone, mirugai, maguro, amaebi (fried heads are awesome!), and hirame. Not on menu, but can order: yaki-musubi. My mother-in-law orders this even though it's not on the menu. Hmm, could be the avocados she brings the owner, or it could be "ask and you shall receive." Note: it takes 30 minutes to make - order ahead. Drinking: there's a sake and beer menu. You can buy a bottle of Ichiko sake and store it there for ~ 3 months. Be sure you remember exactly how you wrote your name though! Ambiance: the decor is kinda ascetic. there's bamboo on the ceiling, same color wood tables and chairs, straight branches in a vase, and a weird branch thing on the wall. That's it, but it works. Reservations: if it's a special occasion, date, or a planned outing w/ friends - mos def make a reservation. But they only take reservations until like 7 pm or so, afterwards it's all first come, first served - baby. Unless you call way ahead and get the 8-top room in the back, I don't recommend you go w/ a large party. It's better for 4-tops and under; best for couples, in terms of getting seats. Parking: there's like 6 puny stalls in front, but they're shared w/ Kohnotori restaurant. We always park at Puck's Alley for under $5 bucks. Complaint: no chawan-mushi on menu. Final words: try their Chanko Nabe - it's the best! And let it be known that my hubby is mad that I wrote this review cuz he wants to keep Imanas Tei as unknown as possible. The more people that know = less parking = harder to get seated. He's funny like that, and I like to annoy him like that. Hehehe.

    (5)

  • Jaclyn L.

    I will wait 2 hours if I have to...just to get in and eat at this %^&$#@! awesome sushi bar. Solid, solid, solid is all I need to say. I dream of you Imanas Tei, even though I am here in SF.

    (5)

  • Dan Q.

    Best place I have found for Sushi, Worth every breaking out the American Express !!! Love it when the make the Sushi with the Wasabi under the fish. Going back there again.

    (5)

  • Renee A.

    awesome, awesome, awesome!!! had dinner there for the first time last week, and it's just awesome! We had mostly sushia and a few hot dishes. I love the spicy seaweed salad and all the sushis. Oh! The soft shell crab was TDF! loved it!!!!!! I will be back for sure!

    (5)

  • Steve B.

    I found this sushi restaurant based on the high Yelp rating. I was not disappointed other than trying to locate it. We order various sushi and fried tofu....all excellent. Very very fresh fish and the sushi rice was perfect! This is a local hangout...most were of Japanese descent. Go there if you have a chance...off the beaten path in J town.

    (5)

  • Joshua T.

    Absolutely one of the best, ever. I live in San Francisco and have Japanese at least once a week; Imanas Tei beats them all. If you have been disappointed by the unfortunate choices in Waikiki, take a 5 minute ride over to King St., find this amazing place tucked off the street (tight parking lot), and get ready for the heaven. We went on a Saturday night without reservations. We waited about 20 minutes on great benches, and were seated at the sushi bar. First thing we noticed? We were about the only non-Japanese in the place. No, not non-Asians: non-Japanese. There was barely any English spoken, but with food like this, who cares about language? Made us feel truly immersed. The hamachi? Unreal flavor: like creamy butter. Maguro was like a perfect steak, with superb taste. Please, please, please, don't miss the Miso glazed Butterfish: heavenly. Wasn't too thrilled with the hamachi collar, even though other Yelpers seemed to love it. The sushi chef was so happy to help, offering us tastes of what he thought we might like. And the prices are absolutely a steal for the food, service and a respite from the rest. Don't think. Don't debate. Just go. Cannot recommend it enough: our best meal in Oahu.

    (5)

  • George Q.

    One of the best Izakaya's on the island. The service is always good and the food is solid. I enjoy my time when I eat sushi at the counter, but in my opinion I think Gaku does a little better.. It makes sense because Manabu-san of Gaku used to be the head sushi chef there before he opened up his place, but that said, I think Imanas-tei does a solid job.. Considering that the Gaku counter is such a hassle to reserve for, if you crave for sushi at a sushi counter on a day Gaku can't accommodate you, this is a great back up plan.

    (4)

  • Jennifer H.

    Lovely setting and carefully prepared Japanese food. Good place to take someone for a date because it's nice and quiet.

    (3)

  • Adam B.

    I had the omakase (sushi only) and am extremely knowledgeable about fish. Here's my thoughts. The fish was very good. Nothing was a 'wow' for me though so I must admit that I was expecting better. I also found the rice to be a bit too cool as it really should be warm and nearly falling apart when picked up with the chop sticks. The rice was more of a ball of rice tightly packed... not idea. In addition, the fish was all brought out at the same time. Bad move, it should be brought out piece mail and then immediately consumed seconds after it's cut. I had a much better experience at Sasabune and Izakawa Gaku. With those restaurants in town, I don't see myself coming back here although the meal was tasty.

    (4)

  • Mai Y.

    I would give it five stars because their food is really delicious, but they need to improve their desert menu. They only have two items: azuki ice cream or green tea ice cream. But I guess you could walk up the street and have mochi ice cream or a sundae at bubbies.

    (4)

  • Mari K.

    Don't ever judge a book by its cover. Imanas is a gorgeous restaurant disguised by a humble exterior. They even serve their dishes on pretty platters... (pretty platters... say that 10 times fast!) =P My friend and I ate only 2 hours before visiting Imanas, so we weren't that hungry going in (we tagged along with my relatives)... but when the food arrived, I think I ate just as much or even more than anyone else. Their award-worthy dishes: king crab dynamite and spicy clams. Upsides: Their Japanese-style tables come with a hold in ground, so no sitting on your knees or indian-style. =) Friendly, but slow service. Downsides: Our food took forever to arrive. Sushis were very small... like mini sushi! Price is definitely not reflective of food size.

    (4)

  • Diane K.

    Imanas is THE BEST Japanese restaurant IMHO. There are just a couple of cons about this place, one being that it's difficult to find parking and the other is that it's hard to get a table without waiting 30 mins to an hour. This is however one of a few places that I'm willing to wait a LONG time for a table... What I've found though is that if you get there between 5 and 6 during the week, you can usually grab seats at the sushi bar. The only drawback is that you can't order the "cook at your table" dishes like the Nabe which is ok because there's lots of other yummy things on the menu. The dishes I love are of course the Nabe, the sashimi for 2 - 3 people(approx 25 pieces of fish including, ahi, hamchi, salmon, sometimes a seared ahi, some other thing that my BF always eats), the seafood tower (I call it that but I'm not sure about the actual name of this dish but it's a tower of fried seafood and gobo), spicy ahi roll, butterfish and many many more. The fish is always fresh and the waitstaff and sushi chefs are all really nice. I could go to Imanas every week if I could afford it! :)

    (5)

  • Dave C.

    Freaking awesome izakaya. Awesome food and drinks. Of mention was the Lobster dynamite, king crab, and hamachi kama (baked yellowtail collar). As others have mentioned, definitely make reservations (they ask you to wait at the benches outside). Our particular waiter was a real cool guy, recommended some great seafood dishes that just arrived that morning, and imparted that he owns an indie hip hop record label and also started a hawaii nightlife website ( dosomethingtonight.com ). Bring a bunch of friends, an empty stomach, and get ready to drink beer for hours on end.

    (5)

  • Maiya M.

    One of my new favorite restaurants!!!! Imanas has a wide selection of dishes to choose from, and the prices are pretty affordable! My boyfriend and I came here for his birthday, it's important to make reservations if you want to get seated quickly...the restaurant opens at 5 and there were some people that actually wait outside the doors before they opened! The parking isn't all that great, but you can find street parking nearby. The service is excellent and the waitresses are friendly! We ordered: -katsu sticks (DELICIOUS) -2 misoyaki butterfish (YUM) -potato salad -2 servings of hamachi nigiri -2 servings of salmon nigiri -2 bowls of rice -geso karaage -Green tea ice cream The total for all of this was only $60. Not bad, I say! We left very satisfied and full!

    (5)

  • Alice R.

    Wow. What a hidden little jewel on King St. Went here early on a Wednesday evening. We were immediately greeted by the host who was a little frazzled we didn't have reservations AND it was already busy at 6pm. After confirming we didn't have a reservation, she seated us right away. If you come here, 1) Make a reservation and 2) You want to sit on the inside table and take in the beautiful wood interior and decor. However, a seat at the sushi bar will also get you access to the delicious menu offerings. The service here is excellent.

    (5)

  • Emily W.

    the best as it gets! If you want excellent sushi and japanese food with cool atmosphere and top notch service, Imanas is it! My husband and I go there at least twice a month to get our fix. Staff is all japanese and most patrons are nationals so you know it's good!!

    (5)

  • Bret F.

    Been three or four times and always best izakaya food in honolulu. Went last night but had to wait 45 minutes for a table of 4 at 7pm, but still great experience. Favorites from last night in no particular order: 1. Basil Tako was surprisingly awesome (but after dinner it's all i could taste in my mouth unitl i got a mint ) 2. Dynamite w/ mushroom and scallops was perfect 3. maguro poke is great 4. beef stew (didnt order so i dont know the name. sorry!) 5. flounder sashimi (amazingly fresh) 6. clams w/ butter and garlic 7. ikura (which i usually dont like because its fishy or gross at most places but imanas has really fresh and tasty ikura) 8. spicy tuna roll

    (4)

  • Kale O.

    good as it gets, ate about $200 dollars worth of food ,hamachi kama its ova..

    (5)

  • Joy H.

    Best Japanese Food on the Island. Every dish is flavorful and unique. Explosion of goodness in your mouth. Service fast and friendly.

    (5)

  • Daniel K.

    Shabu Shabu here is excellent and probably the best value. Meat is excellent. Love the mochi and undone at the end. Even the sake is great. Poke and spicy roll.

    (5)

  • Nuthin But T.

    I love this Japanese restaurant... Even tho the wait .. It's well worth it.. Love the shabu shabu ... Good sauce and fresh meat... Also the king crab leg dynamite is the bomb!!!! The atmosphere is lovely.. But restroom needs a little fix up .. Other than that wonderful experience!! Good service!!!

    (5)

  • Satoru Y.

    A fantastic izakaya that wonderfully emulates places in Japan. I've never been to Imana's, even though I've heard of the place several times over the years. One night, the decision was made to go to Imana's. I must stress that you have to call to make a reservation before 7pm: after that time they will not book any more reservations. We missed the deadline by two minutes, and had to wait outside for about staring at the front door for about 40 minutes: the Japanese story of Hachiko the dog mournfully waiting years for his lost master come to mind. However, it was all worth the wait: we also got a Tatami table in the back too! Everything tasted really Japanese. I know that is a curious statement; but the food tastes the most like meals in Japan than many of its peers. They offer a wide array of different selections, and we dove into them head first. The Seared Ahi sushi we ordered was mind-blasting: delicious and wonderfully garnished. This Clam in Broth dish that we ordered was superb: the broth gave a great explosion of flavors. The Ribe-Eye Steak had this great sauce that felt like a hybrid of a dressing and a steak sauce. Their Beef Tounge and Dynamite dish were great too. There was so much more we sampled. Tons of Ahi dishes, Tofu Tempura, and The Spider Roll was okay. However, I have to say that their Uni and Chicken Kaarage were disappointments: the Uni tasted not too fresh (too much like stagnant Ocean) and the Kaarage's batter was bland and it was pretty flavorless. However, the pluses of the other dishes way overrule these disappointments. Overall, I would say that their sushi is okay, but their other izakaya dishes are where they really shine. I'm looking forward to sampling their Shabu Shabu and Nabe offerings. Many of the tables are set up for hot-pot dinners. Given how good their other food was, I have high expectations. I caught myself gawking at other tables who ordered Nabe. The ambiance of the place is very contemporary Japanese, and the achieves the look it was going for. It is very good for groups or for social, casual dinners. The layout is pretty good, and it feels very comfortable. There also is a sushi bar if you don't feel like having a lengthy sit-down; or if you don't feel like waiting for a table. Wide varieties of great food make this place the best izakaya in Hawaii.

    (5)

  • Topazskye L.

    We wanted to sit at the bar but was told it was full for that evening and we couldnt make reservations as well so we walked in but thank goodness, they were able just to accomodate the 2 of us within minutes. I loved the atmosphere of the restaurant but it is kind of small and hard to accomodate big groups. I totally love the sushi here and the uni was sooo sweet and delectable..mmmm! The salmon skin handroll is definitely one of the bestthat I've had and it was a chockful of yummy stuff with tobiko and some daikon shoots. We saw another table ordering the sushi combo and that looked good. I guess if you want variety and not too particular about what types of nigiri u want then definitely go for that. I loved the clam miso soup too...it was just sooo tasty and the clams were tender. I would definitely return to Imanas Tei again!

    (4)

  • N Z.

    Authentic Japanese food. Order the chanko nabe. Our go to Japanese restaurant.

    (5)

  • Bailee W.

    What can I say? Everything that I have ever ordered from Imanas is SHEER PERFECTION. Don't let the wait turn you off, it is worth it and the food comes out fast. The waiters are amazing. This is one of the best restaurants in Hawaii!

    (5)

  • takeda s.

    Very shibui...good for the senses - taste, smell, sight, hearing, overall feel and ambiance.....sushi is exceptional...sit at the bar..they know what is best for you and can tell you everything...and give you treats/....fresh, unique, melts, tastes and feels like the ocean...you never notice that it is flown in from Japan it is so fresh....good sake and nice cold beer...I have to agree w/Unyong...keep it on the low to keep the crowds from spoiling...but just too good to be kept a complete secret... Oishikatta! TS

    (5)

  • Suzanne R.

    so delicous but like a lot of people here, the wait is totally a bummer! but omg way way worth it! the vinegarette oysters are delicious, the sashimi very fresh and the nabe is so ono! the service is very friendly and fast. my new favorite restaurant! can't wait to go again!

    (4)

  • Margie N.

    Not good for parties of 10 and a baby! Tables were too small to accommodate the shabushabus and chanko nabes! Wasn't happy with the shabushabu, no taste and for 28.50 per person, we thought it was too expensive. Chanko nabe was good but I think they use MSG because those that ate it were really thirsty later. Felt rushed, didn't offer dessert, just handed me the check. Later when I got home, I realized they didn't have a receipt for me! Someone ordered the Hamachikama and loved it so if I go next time, I will try that. Not sure if we will though because the parking really does suck there. Our reservations were at 5:30 and we got there at 5:15 and there was 1 stall left after we took ours....

    (3)

  • Richard C.

    If we had the option of adding additional stars, this place certainly deserves it! You would never find it if you were just driving by because it's tucked away in a small shopping center that's blocked by buildings on both sides... you literally have to drive into the narrow driveway and either fight for parking or park on the street. I took my wife here for sushi since we had a craving, and we had to have some while in Oahu. We didn't have to wait, we were seated at the sushi bar watching the sushi chefs put together these colorful sushi dishes. We ordered and shared a sashimi platter of fresh raw fish, sushi rolls, seared salmon and lobster stuffed with a delicious cheese sauce. The colors of the fresh fish was amazing, and the flavors were out of this world. We really couldn't believe how delicious this place was. The interior was beautiful, bamboo laced ceilings and Japanese accents set the tone perfectly. In all the places we've ever eaten, this place is number one on our list of any restaurant. We wanted to eat here every night after for the rest of our trip. The prices are great too; we walked out well fed and extremely happy paying under $100 with drinks! Imanas is really a hidden gem and we will definitely be back next time we're in Hawaii.

    (5)

  • Kobu K.

    For sushi in Hawaii, this is as good as it gets. Bar-none! What more can I say

    (5)

  • Lisa M.

    I love this place! We go there at least 3 times a month. It's always the same friendly workers (Takako, Iko, Tomo) and they are so nice. On top of that, the food is delicious. The shabu shabu is amazing and it's clean in there as well. They take pride in what they serve you and I will continue to go there again and again. You know it's good when all the Japanese people are eating there.

    (5)

  • wingless g.

    One word. Dynamite. It was amazing, so creamy and delicious, hands down the best dynamite I've ever had, and I love baked mayo like no one's business so trust me, I've tried dynamite at every restaurant I've been to that offers it. My husband and I also ordered the chanko nabe and the garlic steak, way too much food for the two of us but it was our last night of vacation so we just had to. Everything was delicious and the service was superb! Our waiter (the super friendly bald headed guy) even offered to give us recommendations to other restaurants when we told him we were on vacation. He made our chanko nabe for us which was great since I was really skeptical about how everything would fit into that tiny pot - but it did! And he gave us his secret recipe for linguine with clams!

    (5)

  • Jennifer S.

    Oh, my god, I LOVE this place. Go with three people, get the chanko nabe, finish with zosui and green tea ice cream. Usually for some variety, we order the chicken karaage, agedashi tofu, or hamachi sashimi. Everything I've tried here is seriously good, but the chanko nabe is a MUST.

    (5)

  • elisa o.

    Worth the wait! Awesome food! Great ambiance. Service is the best. I never had any problems. The food is impeccable! Crowded! There is a reason to the wait! Everyone knows the food is good and expect the service to be there too! This is one place where I do not mind standing in line! The best time is to go when they JUST open! If you have a bigger "party" of more than 4 make sure you make reservations. But after you have the Imanas Tei experience you will want to invite your entire entourage!! Sushi is awesome! Their sake selection is awesome and I don't even drink sake. I honestly don't think you will be disappointed at all!!! ENJOY!!!

    (5)

  • Brandon F.

    Imanas Tei is located near puck's alley on 2626 South King Street. Parking is really hard to get in the restaurant parking lot so I suggest you park in the garage. At Imanas Tei we started off with beef tongue, fried octopus, and chicken. It was all really delicious. My family decided to order the Shabu Shabu but I decided to order sashimi and sushi. I ordered hamachi, otoro, chutoro, and uni. The fish was delicious and the uni was really fresh! My family said the Shabu Shabu was great and that they especially liked the meat balls. Later, the fish bones were served deep fried, really crunchy and tasty! For dessert we all ordered the green tea ice cream. We all thought it was really good. Overall, Imanas Tei was a great restaurant.

    (5)

  • Bryce S.

    Maybe I should've braced for this, and of course this review is coming from a naive tourist, but damn the prices are more expensive than I would've ever expected. Yes, this is Hawaii, but is importing fish that much more pricey than getting them shipped to the mainland? It's a beautifully designed restaurant space, and I don't doubt this is more "authentic" than other places, but paying over $30 for about 10 thin slices of sashimi (roughly 1/5" x 1" x 2") put a dent in the experience. It wasn't even more expensive fish save for the 2 thinly-sliced pieces of toro.

    (3)

  • Breanne Y.

    When you come here, do the following: - Go on an empty stomach....if you can afford it. Your appetite will thank me for this reminder. - Make a reservation: as a former smoker, i hated sitting outside for 20 mins with all the smoke (and there's lots of it). - Walk: parking sucks. - Speak some japanese. Even if it's just a lame attempt, WE R APPRECIATE. - Sit at the sushi bar: it's much, much more entertaining. Unless you're with a large group that won't fit. Then again...that may be interesting. - Pass on the shabu shabu crap, it's just boiling water. - Order some kind of fresh fish: they have amazing quality fresh fish here. And not some spicy ahi-ish stuff either, that's not fresh. Get some nigiri sushi, or something that the chef has to cut. I was pretty blown away. - Have a drink, it makes all the people go away. - Understand where you are: there are lots of dishes, don't wear frilly-long sleeves. The servers are fairly attentive - they'll reach over your shoulder pretty often to refill your glass. Don't be surprised by this action, or they'll end up spilling something on you. I love some good fresh fish, had an awesome time there!

    (5)

  • Rob F.

    Always a good meal and great folks...be prepared to know your Japanese food. Make it a point to try the Shabu Shabu with at least a few Sake's (cold of course) and order a variety of the sushi...it is always the freshest and best cuts...

    (4)

  • Christine W.

    Excellent Japanese food!

    (5)

  • Brendon G.

    Booyah. The real deal. Sat at the sushi bar and had the works, up to an including Uni, which was fabulously fresh. Best sushi we had in Hawai'i. Sort of tucked away, but worth the journey!

    (5)

  • Mark G.

    I really love Imanas Tei, at least I used to. I used to go there every week; at least. I don't think it has changed much, I might have burned out on it. Their Chanko Nabe is the best. What a treat! I always have to bring a few friends because I really want to get to the end when all the rice and egg gets dumped into the remaining broth to make the porriage. (I know there is a proper Japanese name for it but I don't remember what it is). You'll usually have to wait to get in at Imanas unless you go late. Their Fried Miso Tofu is also great. I love the touch of hot mustard that they provide, it adds such a nice little kick to the flavor. I've never had anything bad at Imanas and the service is great.

    (4)

  • K N.

    The miso beef is so good especially if you like miso. I also really enjoyed the unagi/avocado roll. The gobo/seafood tempura is something different and interesting. Bonito tataki, hamachi and amaebi were amazing. Only downfall was that it was so busy and service was not the greatest but overall, wonderful experience.

    (4)

  • S L.

    This is a great place with a comfortable and sleek setting with a Japanese flair. The food is very authentic. You need to try the Chanko Nabe. Its good if you have 3 - 4 people for the Chanko Nabe. The broth is delicious and well done which makes this shabu shabu so great! Also request for their udon with your Chanko Nabe - it has the perfect elasticity and texture.

    (5)

  • Damian L.

    The service at this restaurant is outstanding. Our waiter was extremely friendly and attentive. The chanko nabe was delicious and when the waiter poured rice in the leftover soup......delicious. The sashimi was fresh and tasty, especially the toro. Overall, I would go to Imanas again, but I'd prefer to check out the comparable sushi restaurants in the area. When compared to my favorite places in Los Angeles in Japan, Imanas holds it's own, but doesn't set itself apart.

    (4)

  • Masami A.

    This place is great - Izakaya style - i feel like im in japan - Good job!

    (4)

  • Lan L.

    This is a hidden treasure for tourists....great authentic japanese food for very very decent price. You have to try the Chonku-Nabe, it's a hotpot of a bunch of combination. Customer service is awesome too!!! The only negative is the tiny parking lot...but it's worth it guys!

    (4)

  • Christine G.

    This is the place. Anytime my husband and I come home. (We live in California now) We have to go to Imanas Tei. The nabe is awesome! It is a must. Get the nabe and some sushi. This place is pricey by local standards, but it is worth it. The surroundings are intimate and the service is great! Come early of make a reservation. But if you have to wait...IT IS WORTH IT!!!!

    (5)

  • Tracy N.

    One of my favorite restaurants on the island. I love the setting, the workers, the atmosphere, and especially the food! Parking is a bit scarce but that never stops me. My favorites are the Hamachi Kama, clams in this butter garlicky sauce, all of the sashimi (i've never disliked any of their fresh fish), salmon skin roll, and I've heard from many people that their nabe is amazing.

    (5)

  • Jane S.

    Yum! This place realigns your tastebuds for sushi. I cant eat store-bought sushi now because of it - but thats a good thing! it was busy and the waitstaff couldnt really handle it, but i liked the food enough to overlook it. they need more waiters so that everyone can be tended-to, i wouldve ordered more and drank more if i was asked more frequently,

    (3)

  • Janice S.

    Fantastic Japanese restaurant! The service is great, and so is the food!

    (5)

  • Boki C.

    sushi was fresh, portions were great, service was good. nice decor. parking... it's on king street, deal w/ it.

    (5)

  • Shu Jin S.

    Came here with my family (party of six) on a Friday at 6pm for dinner...I was genuinely surprised that we were able to secure a reservation on Tuesday of that week, but it helps to get there early. Here's what we had: - Eggplant Agedashi (super delicious) - Seafood Dynamite (too much mayo) - Sashimi platter (decent) - Gobo Kakiage (MUST order) - Chanko Nabe (meats, Korean mochi, beef, meatballs, EXCELLENT Udon) - Yellow Tail Kama (grilled, SUPER delicious) - Junmai Ginko sake was delicious, and I took the bottle home since I couldn't finish - Fried squid legs: my nephew devoured them. My Dad did ask for fresh wasabi at one point and it's WAY spicier than what you're getting at the table. Yum. Dessert options were limited -- red bean or green tea ice-cream. Our server deserved a medal. He was incredibly patient, he made really smart recommendations (we literally had the PERFECT amount of food) and also advised us on how to order in the most economical way. All in, it was $149 to feed a party of six. I look forward to visiting again on future trips to Oahu!

    (5)

  • Nancy K.

    Good food, good price and came out food very fast. We are very enjoyed. Just want to have more parking and more easy to get in.

    (4)

  • Tom T.

    Good food. Sometimes ok waiter. Japanese style bar, good design, relaxing place. Taishou is very good guy. I will recommend their sushi and nabe

    (4)

  • Mik O.

    Imanas Tei is a long time Izakaya-style restaurant in Honolulu that can be relied on for good food and friendly service. It lacks surrounding parking, but there is a structure nearby that is reasonable. The food is tasty and seasoned well - items like Gyutan are grilled and sliced thin to perfection. Sushi rolls are a great value, and mix a variety of flavors and sometimes textures, i.e. tobiko with salmon skin, to create a delicious bite, without resorting to ridiculous local trends by some hack sushi chefs like putting chili oil over everything! Also known for good nabe, though there are many other cheaper and specialized places in Honolulu, still good enough to try... Service here is in line with what you'd expect in a traditional Japanese restaurant, welcoming and courteous if you are dissapointed in a dish. I had agedashi tofu and truth be told it wasn't the best. Sometimes tofu quality can suffer and it tasted a little "wooden"...the waitress was apologetic and removed it from our bill. Easy and professional. Pricing is on the upper average range, though some items are a steal like cut sushi rolls... Always pleased to come here and with an intimate, dimly lit, cozy ambiance to boot...perfect drinking environment when cruising with a date or a group of friends.

    (4)

  • Madge N.

    I'm not happy with the parking situation. They open at 6pm and close at midnite. My doctors office is next door and closes at 5. Yet all day long no one can park in the stalls. AUWE!!

    (1)

  • Pkca M.

    Went here on a Thursday night around 8pm with my boyfriend. I should first and foremost mention the issue of parking here. It's a tiny lot with no more than 15 stalls, all of which are shared with the Kohnotori Yakitori place next door. Luckily my friend and I were able to snag a stall the second time around after passing through an entirely full lot the first time. I suggest either street parking or, like others have said, park in the Puck's Alley lot. The wait wasn't bad at all, maybe about 15 minutes. The interior of the restaurant was nicely dimmed, was a cool temperature (honestly AC is so important in my opinion), and the seats and tables are nicely spaced out. We ordered hamachi kama, tekka maki, tamago nigiri (which turned out to be my favorite), nameko miso soup, fried baby shrimp, assorted sushi B (we ordered this twice because it was so good and so cheap), grilled beed tongue, and mentaiko maki (?), and one other maki with shiso in it. Everything was very good; standard Japanese bar food. Service was pretty good too. The man at the register was always greeting incoming customers and thanking leaving customers. The servers were 3 women, all of whom were quite friendly. I definitely plan on coming back! There's so many other things I want to try!

    (4)

  • Diana L.

    I am a huge fan of sushi. Imanas has been on my Yelp Bookmarked list for a while now and I figured it was time to satisfy my sushi craving. First tip: make reservations. Good luck if you want to walk in. This place gets so busy! I had called 3 days prior and got reservations for a Wednesday night. Was seated right away. Their service is wonderful. Very attentive and always making sure we were okay. Their sushi: excellent. However, hardcore Imanas patrons might get upset with me for this... I liked Gaku better. The menu is a little more diverse and bold. Imanas tends to be a little more "traditional" in a general sense. Nonetheless, the sushi is still superb. Ordered some Uni, Sashimi Platter for Two, and Beef Tongue. Oishii! If you're craving sushi and want some value for some good quality sushi, try Imanas out.

    (4)

  • Kyung R.

    Their food was very fairly priced for dinner. Wr ended up having the assorted sushi, fried chicken, toro, udon and spider roll. The miso soup imo was quite bland. Their sushi pieces were decent. The best piece of nigiri was some unknown fish which melted in your mouth. Roll wise, the spider was pretty good but nothing to write home about. While the food wasn't spectacular, it was quite serviceable. However, anybody would be foolish to pass up on the pricing of this place. I'm too used to east coast pricing, so this place was downright cheap in my mind. I only gave this place 3 stars because their uni was sorely lacking. Avoid that here, but at least their toro was good.

    (3)

  • Kevin C.

    I'm sure my mercury levels were already sky-high after eating sushi the night before, but once again my sushi cravings were strong enough that I found myself taking some risks in eating some weirder styles of sushi like sea urchin (uni) and salmon eggs. I was unprepared for the slimy texture of the sea urchin paste and came close to spitting it out but stomached it in front of the sushi chef. I was the only white dude there--the sure sign of a good Japanese restaurant.

    (5)

  • Sean C.

    parking: private lot, didn't have issues finding parking here. There's also some street parking around cost: $50 per person reservations: recommended they take reservations between 5-7pm but they fill up fast then it becomes first come first serve. We showed up at 5:15pm with a party of 2 and were seated promptly. However, a party of 4 showed up right after us and were turned away. The food: - Gobo kakiage - hamachi and o-toro sashimi - seafood dynamite - grilled beef tongue - king crab dynamite - squid and uni - fried tofu I just love the ambiance of this place! You feel like you've been transported to Japan. Quiet and unassuming and provides a tranquil and calm dining experience. There's a nice amount of dim lighting that would be perfect for a romantic dinner. All the tables and seats of made of wood with a central seating area that's bench style. In the back you have floor seating and near the entrance is the bar. The star of my meal was definitely the king crab dynamite. It's quite a unique dish that I haven't found elsewhere. It's just the right amount of creaminess. I found the gobo a slight letdown. It tasted like any fried vegetable, and I didn't find it that special. The seafood dynamite was good, it can be a little heavy but the first couple of bites are simply amazing. The grilled beef tongue was a let down. It was too moist with not enough crispiness in my opinion. Overall, an ideal place to take a date or a small group of friends. I've found better food at other Izakaya establishments but the ambiance and mood of this place makes up for it! I will have to come back for the nabe!

    (4)

  • Stephanie L.

    I came here twice and both times I was pleasantly satisfied. The service is slow, but hey, they were extremely nice and friendly. What do you expect from a quaint home-y restaurant? Both times the fish was fresh and delicious! My favorite is hands down the hamachi nigiri. It is so buttery and good! My second favorite would have to be the dynamite! It comes out piping out and layers so nicely in-between bites of seared beef tongue and assorted sashimi! Another dish that I quite enjoy is the misoyaki butterfish. It is HOT and glazed well in miso. The portion of the fish is on the smaller side, but hey, the fish literally flakes into pieces with you piece it with your chopstick. I love it. I love it so much. I would definitely come back, and, I look forward to dining here again!

    (5)

  • Tommy C.

    Don't go into the wrong restaurant next door. Make reservations in advance for a group of 5 or more. Sashimi was super fresh. Chanko nabe is as good as people say. Lively but laid back atmosphere. Excellent selection of Japanese sake and beer.

    (5)

  • Tee V.

    They have Natto on the menu. That is a good indicator of an authentic Japanese restaurant. Good sushi (I am used to mine cold, these are warm and soft, yet fresh and tasty) Seafood dynamite a must try. Grilled beef toungue was good. Small portion, thin slices. Excellent green tea ice cream. Buttered clams was a bit disappointing bc it weren't thoroughly cooked: garlics were still raw, butter didnt bring out the flavor. Clams were fresh though. Great service. Great ambiance. Great interior decor. Limited parking. Door to the restaurant a little tough to spot, like to a secret sushi society.

    (4)

  • Golnaz P.

    There are so many reasons why this place is awesome. There service definitely sets them apart. Our waitress who I think ran the place was so sweet. She kept trying to make sure that we understood what we were ordering and tried to even save us some $ by informing us that our meals come with salad, so why would we be ordering a side of more salad. She even brought me a glass of water and said it was for my throat, since I couldn't stop coughing there. My cup of tea was never empty. The chirashi bowl was a great deal. The fish was fresh and the melt in your mouth kind. The rice was cooked very well too. Everything was perfect! Just so you know it does get crowded. Making reservations would be a good idea.

    (5)

  • Mari K.

    We came, we ate, we demolished. We ordered a handful of sushi (because how can you not when you sit at the sushi bar) and all I want to write about right now is their Tamago sushi. I know, how boring right? I mean so boring, that why would you waste stomach space on eating tamago (egg) sushi?! Well, had the Japanese girl sitting next to me not ordered it, I would've not even known. But after seeing it presented on our plate and the amount of ooing and ahhing and "oishis" I was hearing, I knew I had to have one. And, I ended up having not only one but two because it was just that good. Unlike other sushi bars where the egg is simply placed on top of the rice, this sushi is more like a egg sandwich. Where the perfectly cooked grains of rice are placed between a beautifully cooked and sweet Japanese style egg. It may sound strange, but for me, It will be one of those memorable dishes that I'll keep talking about for months. Sometimes simple is best!

    (5)

  • Kazu N.

    I believe this is authentic Japanese food. Very busy at weekends. I tried almost everything on the menu and they are consistently flavorful. I really like their appetizers. However because this place is usually packed, the service is a bit poor compared to their food.

    (4)

  • Rebecka A.

    Wonderful sushi bar near University and King. Attentive, professional sushi chefs and quick waitresses. We had the dynamite, grilled beef tongue, and katsu on a stick with special sauce, along with hamachi sashimi (this came out first, and was my favorite dish we ordered. So fresh, so silky) and uni nigiri (it was very fresh and high quality-- surprisingly firm and very tasty! not what I was expecting, given past uni experiences...) #100in2015 (#10!)

    (5)

  • Diana I.

    Came here for dinner based on a friend's recommendation that it was "the best Japanese restaurant" but I didn't think it was anything special compared to the awesome and authentic Japanese food we have back in Torrance/LA. We made reservations in advance for the sushi bar. Ordering was a little complicated because the waitress wanted us to order sushi through the sushi chef but the other items through her. The sushi chef was not very friendly and wasn't able to take a lot of sushi orders at once. Not sure why we couldn't just mark the paper ourselves and hand it to him...? Either way, he made me feel unwelcome as if I was bothering him. As for sushi, we tried the yellowtail, salmon, tamago, and uni. The yellowtail was very soft and delicious, tasted the most fresh. Their tamago portions are very generous. The worst was the uni... I'm a huge fan of uni so I was disappointed that it didn't look or taste fresh. :( We also tried the Dynamite which had baked scallops and mushrooms in a hot, creamy sauce. It was okayyy, a little too salty for my liking. I'm sad we wasted one of our few nights in Oahu on this place. Maybe it's worth a visit if you live in the area, but if you're just visiting, especially from LA, I'd say pass on this one. Parking: limited in the small private lot.

    (3)

  • Chay S.

    I believe Imanas to be the sweet spot for sushi as far as quality/price goes. They don't take reservations past a certain time (9pm?) so be weary because it can get crowded on the weekends. The Chankonabe is also worth checking out.

    (4)

  • Denalee C.

    In the words of Rhianna, "Where have you been all my life?" Seriously Imanas Tei, how is it that we are only meeting in 2014? Now that we are finally acquainted, it's safe to say after only one encounter, we will be spending a lot of time together. Yes the restaurant is sort of small and the parking lot is even smaller. Make an early reservation (6pm) and it'll help with the parking situation. But once you get past those things, the rest will blow you away. The service is awesome-they are constantly walking around, collecting dishes and filling water. I am the most predictable person when it comes to ordering at a Japanese restaurant. I always order the chirashi and use it to compare restaurants against each other. The sushi rice was warm..I like mine room temperature but that's not a big thing. The ahi was beautiful-darker shade of red, cartilage free, fresh and had a perfect texture. Everything else was also extremely fresh and amazing. I don't think I have to tell you to order the chirashi, I'm fairly sure you'll love whatever it is you choose.

    (5)

  • Paul J.

    I recently planned a family night out with my wife and two kids and wanted to have a delicious dinner before we went to see a play at MVT. After searching Yelp for restaurants in Manoa I decided on Imanas after reading all of the great reviews. The food was no big deal and lacked flavor, expensive, and the waitress wasn't very accommodating. It certainly didn't meet my expectations and was a dissapointment. Oh well, sometimes no can help, but there are a lot of other Japanese restaurants in Honolulu to try before I ever return to this one.

    (2)

  • Elsie F.

    I was quite disappointed when I dined here last night with my friends. I suggested this place to them because the previous time I came it was actually really good. Last night was an exception...So, the wait was about 30 mins for 4 people and that was fine. We were seated and a server came over to take our orders but he didn't seem to understand English that well. We wanted to ask for some recommendations because I was the only one who came here before. After a couple questions with no response we just gave up and looked through the menu ourselves. Let's move on to the food now... Beef shabu shabu PRIME: Ok, well this was one of the choices for the nabe. I suggested the Chanko nabe but my friend wanted the beef. We had to order a minimum of 2 orders but as they brought the food out, there wasn't much of it...Each person literally had only 4 slices of beef and a whole lot of veggies. The guys were complaining that they felt ripped off for this dish lol..It was around $25 for one order so it ended up being $50 for nothing much but veggies. We probably should have just stuck with the Chanko nabe. On the plus, at the end of the meal you had a choice of either udon or the porridge. Oyster Nigiri: This was probably my favorite of the night because I love oysters! They were around $6 for one order and it comes with 2 pieces. Just look at the picture I posted and you will know how delicious it was :) Seafood Dynamite: My second favorite dish because of the huge pieces of scallop inside! The sauce was really good as well and I basically used that to slurp up my udon at the end of the meal. Calamari w/ sea urchin: Hmmmm....this dish was a little misleading because my friend thought it was actual fried calamari. So when it was brought to our table we were a little surprised lol This was alright, nothing special... Spider Roll: Overall, the roll was good with the soft shell crab. Maybe we should just stick to the dishes we know haha Perhaps we came on an off night but my friends and I weren't satisfied. The food here is inconsistent, so I suppose it's a hit or miss. We were even debating whether or not we should go over next door to Kohnotori because we weren't full. In the end we just went to get dessert to fill our stomachs. Sorry to say, but I probably won't be coming here for a while :/

    (3)

  • Curt C.

    Imana Tei's is located right by Pucks Alley next to the 7-11 on Kings St. I suggest coming here for an early dinner as they only take reservations before 7pm and they start taking reservations two weeks in advance. The parking lot is also a bit small, especially since it shares the lot with Konotori, with maybe about ten stalls. If the lot is full, there is limited street parking around the area. I've gone to Imana Tei's twice now and ordered the exact same thing both times to share; the sashimi platter A for one person, spicy tuna roll, seafood dynamite, and a bottle of Sapporo. The sashimi platter was bigger than I thought it would be with about 12 pieces of assorted fish. It was really fresh and was such a good deal for only $20. The seafood dynamite had a really good flavor and I liked that the mayo wasn't overpowering. It was really creamy and was so good with some rice. The large bottle of Sapporo was only about $7 which went really well with the sashimi haha. I really liked Imana Tei's as their food was really good and it was a nice experience.

    (4)

  • Jenny K.

    * NOT FRESH - FOOD POISONING ALERT * * SHAME ON THE CHEFS!!! ...to serve dark orange colored SB uni... * * go for the cooked food if you dine here * we were gravely disappointed since we rave about how authentic japanese restaurants are in honolulu. ordered: premium chirashi viniagrette octopus oyster ponzu jelly sushi salmon chasuke when the chirashi arrived, we saw that the uni was a dark orange color. many times, the waitress is nowhere to be seen. if she were around more, we would have asked where the uni came from but she wasn't. so we ate it. thought that it may have been south american uni?? when we finally asked, we found out it was santa barbara uni.. UH-OH!!! that's a TERRIBLE SIGN since we know what santa barbara uni should look and taste. needless to say, my poor husband got food poisoning from the uni. =( it was our first dinner in waikiki. (i only had a small piece) also, the oyster was fishy.. and look at the sushi that was served to us versus the other people's photos of the same thing. you be the judge. on top of that, we waited a VERY LONG TIME for the oyster sushi. we think that they made a mistake and gave it to someone else. so you would think that they would make it extra nice since we waited about 20 minutes for a two piece sushi, but no.. look at my photo again. yelp.com/biz_photos/iman… SHAME ON THE CHEFS!!! they must've knew that the uni was not fresh. THEY SHOULD KNOW BETTER. THEY SHOULDN'T HAVE SERVED UNI THAT WAS NOT FRESH!!! and FISHY OYSTERS!!! BEYOND DISAPPOINTED.

    (1)

  • Kimi C.

    Roach infested. Apparently, their roaches aren't afraid to approach customers even when there isn't any food. Also, service was poor for having multiple servers around with only 3 tables.

    (1)

  • Brandon S.

    Wow, I've been coming here for years and didn't realize that I hadn't written a review for Imanas-Tei yet. What was I thinking? I was probably too busy stuffing my face with all the great food they have to offer here. If you can get around the limited parking and long wait (if you didn't think ahead to make a reservation) then there is absolutely no reason why this shouldn't be on your list of places to hit when you think Japanese Izakaya. Sushi, okazu, fried, grilled, raw, whatever you eat here it'll make you smile. Like seeing a unicorn smile. Never ordered the Chanko nabe from here yet? You're missing out on magical goodness. Go with a bigger party so you can try more dishes on top of the chanko nabe. Hot date? You'll impress him/her with this place. They'll love the sushi and all the other things you order from here. A perfect dinner would be some sushi, a couple side dishes and the chanko nabe. Did I also mention that you can come on the later side and settle your belly with some Ochazuke? Park at Puck's Alley if you can't find parking. Go get validated at Nijiya market place after buying a few breath mints. Or you can chance it by waiting out the parking attendant who will sometimes be out by 7pm. They leave the gate up after that and you can leave the lot w/o having to pay. Smooth.

    (5)

  • Kit W.

    Imanas Tei is fantastic! I have heard of this place for years now and finally came here for my birthday a few weeks ago. I was so excited about coming here that I must have spent at least an hour looking through reviews and pictures in the days leading up to my birthday xD The ambiance is lovely with the low light and red/orange hues against the wood furniture. We were seated at the community table but there was enough room between parties so that it still felt relatively private. We noticed there was a small tatami mat room at the back of the restaurant. Not sure if you have to come in a group to reserve a table in there but neat that they have that option. We couldn't wait to try their food and eagerly ordered the Sashimi Platter (for 1 person), Seafood Dynamite, Spicy Tuna Roll, and rice. I know it doesn't sound like it was a lot but we were both full after! The sashimi was incredibly fresh and a great deal at $19.95. The dynamite was indeed as good as everyone says...unbelievably intense in flavor and the mayo is not at all overwhelming. I couldn't stop eating it haha. The spicy tuna roll was simple but delicious. According to other reviewers, Imanas Tei gives you a free green tea ice cream for your birthday. The person who took our reservation even asked for the name of the birthday person. We would have chosen Imanas Tei for my birthday even if they didn't give a birthday dessert but the fact that they offer it made me look forward to it. When we finished eating, we waited around for a while but nobody came by to take away the dishes and ask if we needed anything. We looked around for our waitress and finally noticed she was held up with on a table in the tatami mat room. We decided it's not a big deal to not get the ice cream...Bubbies was right down the street xD Imanas Tei is popular so it's best to make a reservation. They take reservations starting two weeks in advance but only for seating prior to 7pm. After 7pm, it's first-come, first-served.

    (4)

  • Qing L.

    It's feels like you are in Japan. Food is super authentic, delicate and tasty. Sashimi is so fresh. The saki is definitely the best I have ever had in my life. The oyster dish is so so so delicious. Garlic steak is also amazing. EVERYTHING WE ORDERED WAS JUST AWESOME!!!! Parking lot in front of the restaurant was very small, but there is a big parking structure which was free too.

    (5)

  • Krysten I.

    I had been wanting to try imanas tei for quite some time. It is one of my friend's favorite place for good sushi. It's a little on the pricier side, but I definitely think you get what you pay for in terms of quality. Imanas tei is located on king street, between the post office/ gas station and pucks alley. It's a little hard to see from the street, so drive slowly. There is a little parking lot in front, but it fills up fast. There is also usually a line during peak dining times. My friend and I shared a few sushi combo plates and an udon. The food was delish. The fish was fresh and he service was above average. The waitress checked on us frequently and was pleasant and accommodating. When we went up to the cashier to pay, the older people working the cashier were appreciative and nice too. I'll be back, especially when I'm feeling a little more wealthy. ;)

    (4)

  • Malia H.

    OMG, I just began my relationship with Imana's and I'm already attached like a needy girlfriend. I made a reservation for two, a week in advance, it was for a week night so no sweat. I have heard some horror stories about large parties and making reservations on the , you need plenty of advance notice. I was also a bit anxious about the parking situation as there's less than 10 stalls they share with Kohnotori and everyone warned me if its full, I have to find street parking. And everyone knows this is not the easiest feat. No Pucks Alley parking either. These are two major hiccups I do not like, advanced reservations and parking issues...however I heard great things so I was willing to look beyond and give Imana's a try. So we got there an hour before our reservation at around 530pm, luckily they took us early and we scored a parking stall in the lot. This dinner was starting out fabulous. The service was excellent from all the staff who all seem to be Japanese nationals. One thing I noticed was it seemed like they wanted to get you in and out, no dallying which would turn off most people. I like to get in and and out at a place so I was content. The waitress was there a couple minutes after we were seated and bam the food was there shortly after. The restaurant is small with a private room and sushi bar. It's very cute and has a romantic ambiance. yelp.com/biz_photos/iman… yelp.com/biz_photos/iman… This is a family style restaurant which I love since I'm so indecisive and love to share food, well depending on who my dinner date is. So heres the dish about the dishes... shochu with green apple - yummy and not too overpowering. I only had one since I had to focus on the food. yelp.com/biz_photos/iman… grilled beef tongue $9.50- grilled perfectly and not too thin. Loved it. yelp.com/biz_photos/iman… garlic buttered clams $12.50- the clams were huge and practically fell out of the shell. The broth was pure buttery goodness that had to be slurped. yelp.com/biz_photos/iman… stewed miso based beef $5.50- this was an interesting dish. It was very tasty but a little salty for my tastes. Make sure to top your beef with a bunch of negi, it enhances the flavor more IMO. yelp.com/biz_photos/iman… skewered katsu with special katsu sauce $6 - the katsu was tender and who doesn't love anything on a stick. Yum! yelp.com/biz_photos/iman… grilled calamari shio $9.50 - this dish was ok, not too flavorful. But love that you get rings and tentacles. yelp.com/biz_photos/iman… salmon skin roll $9.50 - loved the roll. The salmon skin was crispy and went well with the tobiko. yelp.com/biz_photos/iman… spider roll $12.50- the soft shell crab was oishii! It went perfectly with the slivers of avocado in the roll. yelp.com/biz_photos/iman… assorted sashimi for one person $19.50- a tray of art. The fish was fresh and melted as you ate it. I do wish the pieces were more thinly sliced. I enjoy thin sliced sashimi more than the chunky variation. yelp.com/biz_photos/iman… And the Pièce de résistance... The grilled butterfish with miso sauce $13.50 - my favorite dish and what I've been told I HAD to have. I enjoyed almost everything I ate here, I didn't love everything but nothing was bad at all. But this dish, it is what made my relationship bloom with Imana's. It was good size piece, not fishy, no bones and very moist. This is a must get dish. yelp.com/biz_photos/iman… I think we over ordered. I was so full but happy. I literally had tears well up in my eyes. Talk about an awesome first time. I came in with high expectations and Imana's did not disappoint. yelp.com/biz_photos/iman… And this is the story about how my relationship began with Imana's.

    (5)

  • Carrie G.

    Imanas, I love you. I really really do. No other izakaya compares. When everyone around you is speaking Japanese, you know it's legit. The decor is really nice, service is excellent, but its the food that keeps us coming back. The fried foods are delish. Portions are generous, and I highly recommend the chicken katsu skewers. The simple green salad (no relation to the cleaning spray) is a large shareable portion and its very delicious. Miso soup is packed with tofu and wakame. My favorite is the miso butterfish. It's expensive and a small portion but it tastes amazing and its always perfectly cooked. The sushi is always fresh, and not outrageously priced. The spider roll wasn't my favorite, and they don't really do the extravagant kinds of sushi rolls that other places do, so you're best bet is to order sashimi, chirashi or another sushi combo and trust the chef vs. ala cart. Nice selection of beer, wine and sake.

    (5)

  • Tracy Y.

    One of the top Japanese Restaurant on Oahu. Very tasty good quality food at reasonable prices. Only bad thing about this place, sometimes hard to get a table. The best times to go is 530p when they open or after 830p. Anything you order will probable be good, but our favorites are the spicy tuna Handroll-(too die for), tonkatsu skewers, Misoyaki butterfish and Seafood Dynamite to name a few.

    (5)

  • Erin N.

    By far one of the better izakaya's in town!! Everything is always so fresh when we come here! Sushi is never a disappointment! I'm not by any means a sushi snob. I just know what I like and imanas always satisfies my craving!! Hamachi, uni and amaebi are some of my absolute faves, along with oyster ponzu. Along with their sushi being super fresh, prices are very reasonable here compared to other places.....where amaebi can cost upwards of $14 an order, YIKES! Another thing I love about this place is their service!! Everyone is always so friendly from when you are greeted as you walk in the door by a cute bachan lady who, looks like will rip you a new one if you cross her; to the sushi chefs at the sushi counter if you are lucky enough to sit there, or even the servers who tend to the tables in the dining room side. Even if it's busy, there's always servers running around the room who you can easily get the attention of if need be. Back to their menu. This is a great place for picky eaters bc they have something for everyone, literally! Raw fish, cooked fish, chicken, beef, shabu, nabe, chazuke, fried foods, grilled foods, salads. Will def be coming here for years to come!!

    (5)

  • Jody C.

    I'll start off by saying that I had really high expectations of this place based on the 4.5 stars on yelp. Having said that, this place is just OKAY. The prices are reasonable, so I can see why it can get busy. Based on all the yelp reviews, I knew I had to order the Dynamite. I don't understand why people like the dynamite here. It was way TOO sweet, creamy, and too many different types of seafood in one dish! I didn't know if I was eating the clam/oyster/fish/lobster? And the menu doesn't list the items in the dynamite dish. Since we sat at the sushi bar, we could not order the hot pot (chanko nabe) which was a bummer. So, we just order a bunch of sushi- spicy tuna roll, sweet shrimp, yellowtail, and unagi. The sashimi tasted fresh, and the rice was slightly on the warm side. We also ordered some appetizers: chicken karagee and agedashi tofu. I suggest you not to order these items, they're not that good. Total for 2 came to about $70. I noticed that alot of tables were ordering the kumamoto oysters, which looked delicious, but since we were here for vacation.. we didn't want to risk getting any food poisoning. Imanas Tei has their own parking lot, even though it's very small - it can fit about 6 cars max. I would explore other Japanese restaurants next time I'm in town before coming back here again.

    (3)

  • Tiffinie K.

    I really like this Japanese restaurant. In particular, I like the quality of the sushi. I went on Monday earlier this week, the salmon was so delicious we ordered more than one set several times. I'll gladly pay the price. This restaurant is so popular that you need reservations in advance to eat there...either that or wait forever to get in. The parking is free, but very limited. The service is quite good as well. They are fast, and very friendly. Five stars. Definitely go there again, but maybe for a more special occasion.

    (5)

  • Marnica B.

    Asai san and takako san always greet their customers with warm smiles and personable service. This is an eatery where you can make it as good or mediocre of an experience as you want. Each item is ordered ala carte, and the sake menu isn't the greatest either (no dassai, varieties of koshi no kambai, etc.), but the combination of good comfort food, ambience, service, and company, always makes this place our go to restaurant. Their specials are usually seasonal fishes, which I would highly recommend, and their chirashi has always been one of my favorites on the island.

    (5)

  • Dave F.

    The next time, I won't order the steak. For me, believe it or not, it was my first time dining here. I was happy to have snagged a good parking stall in the cramped lot outside., even if I had to let my dining companions out before reversing into the stall... Oh, and with one very preggos friend onboard, so I wasn't taking any chances! Okay, so the four of us are seated at our table and after waiting for a while a server appeared and proceeded to take our drink orders... My friend and I both ordered Japanese beers, Kirin and Sapporo and the ladies had green teas. Proceeding with our dinner orders, it seemed like we were having a feast! We ordered agedashi tofu and eggplant which was quite good. Karaage chicken, gobo chips, miso soup with mushrooms, salmon ochazuke and an assortment of sushi. The sushi was great, spicy tuna rolls, unagi nigiri, California roll, very much enjoyed. Now for the steak... I'm a meat eater by choice! A good steak in my mind is grilled to medium rare perfection. We had a choice of I believe it was a seven ounce cut or a ten ounce cut. I chose a ten ounce prepared teriyaki style. My companions chose the smaller size prepared with garlic, well done. Well, when the steaks arrived at the table, theirs was well done with garlic and ours was practically rare in some areas and it was cold. And I could swear that wasn't teriyaki style. I brought this up to my table mates who asked the waiter who said it was. Being it's so noisy in there and not being able to hear clearly, I didn't push the issue any further. It wasn't a very good cut too, very stringy and lots of tendon. For $28 bucks? I don't think so. I left several pieces on the plate. Disappointing. We were also overcharged for an order of sushi that we never ordered... I do have to say that the manager lady came over and had the tab adjusted. She was very gracious and polite which made any problems quickly fade away. Great service once the orders got started, maybe somewhat slow in the beginning. I think I'll go for the sushi bar next time and will avoid the steak.

    (3)

  • Karin J.

    This place is a traditional sushi house and reminds me of some of the places we ate at in Tokyo. Service was really good here and everyone who works here is Japanese. The item everyone orders is the Chanko Nabe, a hot pot the server cooks for you. They start by layering in all the items so that each one cooks perfectly so when they are done staking every thing (like 10-12 different items) into the pot its cooked from the bottom up. An absolutely amazing experience. Love the ambiance.

    (5)

  • Tze M.

    I've been here on a few occasions for dinner and has always sat at the sushi bar. Located next to Pucks Alley. It is on the ground floor of a two-story building. They share a tiny lot with the business next door. It is best to make reservations. All the times I've gone were without and I've had to wait for seats. Food and service has always been excellent! Beer and sake is available. The seafood is fresh! I've always enjoyed my visits and everything about it!

    (5)

  • Wendy C.

    I've been wanting to try this place, since it is so close to where I live, but I haven't had a chance to since I get off of work so late! Finally got a chance to recently, but I almost wish I hadn't. Everything started off fine. We had pretty friendly servers and didn't need to wait for a seat. The food was okay too albeit nothing worth mentioning.. that is until our miso-marinated beef came out. At first, the dish was enjoyable.. until I took a bite of one piece and the center was ICE COLD. Then one by one we all started finding cold the cold pieces. I am assuming the dish was pre-made and kept in the fridge/freezer and then microwaved when someone ordered it. So the outside pieces were hot while the middle was just ice cold. That is pretty nasty on so many levels. They were nice enough to take the dish off of our bill without any dispute, but it seriously makes me doubt the freshness of the dishes at this restaurant. Not coming back.

    (1)

  • Julie C.

    Not sure if it's the absolute best Japanese in Honolulu, but it's pretty darn good and definitely one of the best Izakaya joints in town. Great selection of both fresh and cooked seafood as well as nabe. Definitely recommend the Omakaze (chefs choice) sashimi as well as the grilled butterfish. The staff is super friendly, however at times the service can be slow. Also, I'm pretty sure you will only score a parking spot in this tiny lot if you have some good driving karma built up. Overall, worth checking out!

    (4)

  • Rod U.

    One of the top izakayas in Hawaii. Fresh quality ingredient, consistent flavor and cooking techniques, loud groups of people unwinding after work, plenty of cold beer and sake. Win! This is an izakaya. A working man's place. Don't expect a wide range of globally sourced seafood or exotic cuts of meats. For sushi, well seasoned, a little sticky, everyday short grain rice. Generous portions of mounted seafood (it fits in your mouth in one bite). Very fresh uni (source unknown), uber sweet raw king crab (sometimes steamed), ama ebi, and the candy of the sea mirugai, correctly graded chu toro and OMG, sublime otoro. All can be ordered as sashimi. The otoro prepared as sashimi, excellent. Thick cut. You can truly enjoy the melting fat on the tongue. Asian inspired oyster shooters; fresh oysters on the half shell (again variety unknown), tobiko, ponzu, green onion and lemon, very good. The simple miso soup seasoned with ama ebi heads. Sucking the head fat and drinking the soup is one of life's little pleasures. Perfectly cooked hamachi kama with the uneven thickness making all kinds of great textural contrast (burnt bits, overcooked and chewy thinner sections, moist and juicy thicker sections). Finally, the lightly teriyaki glazed, grilled beef tongue. Slightly chewy, add a squeeze of lemon and makes the mouth all kind of happy. So why this review now after everyone has already said what needs to be said? Simple: silence for a few minutes as my visiting Vegas bud tries a few things then. "oishii, oishii, oishii!" Big smile on his face, "we need to order more of that and that and that" pointing with his chopsticks. "More beer too". With each dish "oishii, oishii, oishii!" "Stop it, you're Chinese" I manage to get out in a bout of laughter. His reaction, priceless, he sticks his tongue out at me then goes back to eating. Good food. Good setting. The ultimate catalyst for a good time. Imanas delivers.

    (5)

  • Kerry Y.

    Chanko nabe and deep fried gobo excellent, center table is novel and art decor relaxing

    (5)

  • John C.

    There is a pretty good reason why we were told to wait over an hour for this place. Luckily, a lot of people bailed so I didn't wait very long. I took some people here who were from out of town and they have eaten all over the world. Anyways, this place had excellent customer service and it's just the perfect place to take people if they are visiting and want Japanese food that isn't on a conveyer belt. Some of the dishes that we tried were: Seafood dynamite King crab dynamite Chanko nabe (hot pot) Soft shell crab Garlic cutter clams (I even drank the soup) Sashimi and more. Everything was outstanding and we ordered more than we could handle. It's not somewhere that you would eat every week if you have a budget but definitely a place to take people from out of town that want to eat Japanese food.

    (5)

  • Sasha L.

    Imanas is a cute little Japanese restaurant tucked away by university, across central pacific bank and behind 7-11. Imanas is located next to a yakitori places called Kohnotori, and they share a parking lot. So if you have a reservation, I suggest arriving early to park, parking on one of the slightly sketchy side streets behind the restaurant, find street parking or just catch a can. Anyway..imanas has amazing sushi, which is what you should come here for. We had a few orders of nigiri.. uni, hamachi, hirame, ikura, hotatae (it came out warm, not chilled..yuck), salmon, and king crab. All were delicious, but maybe it was just me but the sushi rice was a little mushy. We also couldn't resist a couple orders of otoro nigiri..soooo good!! If you've never had otoro, order it as sashimi and become forever addicted. It will melt in your mouth and you probably won't think anything tastes good after that. Also, we had egg omelette (delicious), potato salad (not creamy or salted enough..was disappointed because I love Japanese potato salad..), and age dashi tofu (just didn't taste right since they added a lot of ponzu..I usually like the other sauce more). We had yummy ankimo (goes perfectly with oolonghi and a nice asahi beer!) and some green tea ice cream and tea to end the meal. All in all a very nice meal! But I will forever be an Izakaya Gaku fan..;]

    (4)

  • F K.

    One of the top Japanese restaurants in Hawaii. The owner is incredibly friendly and so is his staff. The only negative thing would be that parking can be a real pain. Consider it a lucky night to get a parking right outside the place. Other than that, I have parked along the fence before. Things to get: Dynamite (no where makes it like they do in Hawaii and in CA) Fried Gobo Beef Tongue Miso Tofu Shabu Shabu Sashimi Combo Everything is always fresh and amazing. My favorite restaurant in Hawaii!

    (5)

  • Bao Q.

    My friend took me here on my arrival to hawaii. THis place has some of the best sushi i ever tasted. Everything i ate was delicious here. THe nigei toro melts in your mouth and the king crab dynamite is pretty amazing. I would highly recommend this place for a nice sushi dinner in hawaii if you ever come here

    (5)

  • Lyndsey C.

    Hard to get reservations, must be there when they open at 5pm and only takes reservations til 7pm. Not open for lunch. Love their baked king crab leg! Its my favorite. Parking is really limited.

    (4)

  • Katie H.

    Tried to go there to eat. Called them and their person who answered the phone was exceedingly rude. But did get the fact that they had open seating after 7pm. Went there and couldn't find them. Called them from the corner parking lot across the street and she couldn't give me directions, but again was rude.! Their building is hidden from the street because it is situated behind another and off the street. Dropped my party off and found parking and joined them. This place came with high recomendations. This same lady was extremely rude ordering us to sit down and wait for one hour. When I went to inquire about reservations for another day she just blanket stated they were all full! Again ordered me to sit down and wait. At that I had enough and my party left. She yelled after us... no just sit down and wait for one hour. I think not. Their food may be good, I won't find out because they are RUDE, RUDE, RUDE!!!! Don't go there unless you want to be treated rude.

    (1)

  • Sasha-sparkle y.

    i love imanas tei!! everything here is awesome. the sushi, the shabu shabu and all the little izakaya dishes are yummy!!! it's fun to go here with a bunch of people so that you can order several dishes and share. you can eat, drink, go outside smoke a cigarette, come back in, eat, drink, chill, hang out.......... the only drawback is that it's small and it gets crowded so on a busy night you might have to wait for a table. i think they take reservations if you eat before 7 pm or something like that. but who eats that early especially when meeting friends? some dishes i recommend: katsu with miso sauce and the steak. the sushi is awesome too. the funny thing is i told my husband about this restaurant but he only believed me about how good and authentic it was after talking to sam at sushi sam's in san mateo. sam says this is the best izakaya in hawaii. how can you go wrong with that recommendation????? and they're open till midnight.

    (5)

  • Nana K.

    This was my #1 place to eat before I left Hawaii. Although Manabu san is not there anymore, I will stil go there for their awesome chanko nabe. My girlfriends and I went there last night and had a blast. Good company, good food. Definitely a place I miss the most when I am back in NYC.

    (5)

  • Reina M.

    you want izakaya, you come to imas tei.

    (5)

  • Yun Y.

    one of my favorite shabu shabu places,,,as for the sushi not too impressed. i still go there though...since there selection is pretty good and nowadays you don't have to wait that long.

    (4)

  • Miye I.

    Love the food. Try the nabe! It's huge.

    (4)

  • Karen L.

    This is my favorite place for sushi! It's always cool to sit at the sushi bar, because you can see everything being made. My most favorite things to order are the hamachi, otoro, amaebi, and unagi nigiri! Also tried the stewed miso beef which was tender and yummy! For the special that night, there was butterfish belly grilled.... which we mistakenly heard from the server as being butterfish barely grilled. So we were surprised when this different part of the fish came out, but it was a good mistake! I think they prepare it just the same way as the regular grilled misoyaki butterfish, just not as charred. The belly part was soooo soft!!! I hope they have this again the next time we go. We always end dinner with the azuki bean ice cream for dessert. I think the server told us it's from Bubbies, but it's still good! Don't have anything bad to say about Imanas, except maybe the server can be better about refilling tea.

    (5)

  • andy s.

    Best sushi restaurant east of Japan. Great service, and reasonably priced. Expect a wait, but its worth it... if you can find it!

    (5)

  • Sharon W.

    I'm a huge fan of this place! My only wish was that my vacation was longer, so I could go back to Imanas-Tei. On our vacation we tried all the highly recommended Izakaya places, and Imanas Tei was definitely my favorite. The service was attentive and fish was so fresh. The only draw back to the place was parking was tough and the restaurant was kind of hard to spot. We ordered the sashimi special, a hamachi kama, ika, uni, umechazuke and green tea ice cream. The meal was very satisfying and there were plenty of Japanese speaking customer who ordered other great things that I would definitely try another time.

    (5)

  • Mary L.

    This place was awesome! One of our servers at the hotel we were staying at recommended this place to us and we were so glad she did! They do not take reservations, or at least not for 2 people, so we had to wait about 20 minutes for a table- no big deal. The restaurant is pretty small but very nice. They had the best sushi I have ever had (granted I live in Chicago...). We did not try the shabu shabu but we watched everyone else and it looked really good. For all the seafood we ate our tab was not as bad as I thought it would be so that was a nice surprise! I will definitely go back and next time we WILL try the shabu shabu!

    (5)

  • Jennifer L.

    What was unique about this place is the seating plan. The two of us were seated at the long table in the middle. It didn't feel like a shared cafeteria table because the way the dividers are placed makes your area intimate and private. Parking a bit scarce so we parked on the street behind 7-11. Izakaya style we ordered pupus and a 22oz asahi. I love mirugai clam so I had the sashimi which was about $26-28 and 2 pcs toro (fatty tuna) nigiri sushi. Melts in your mouth. Went to bubbies for dessert! Just a 7 minutes walk

    (4)

  • Rob M.

    Great fresh sushi. Omakaze turned out fantastic and the specials were delish. Great little secret for the business traveler without the Waikiki prices.

    (5)

  • Jennifer C.

    When I wanted to try out a new Japanese restaurant, the first thing out of everyone's lips were "Imanas Tei." It's no wonder this restaurant has such a sizzling review on Yelp! The sushi was EXCELLENT, fresh, and everything you would expect a 4-5 star Japanese restaurant in Hawaii would taste like. I don't have any specific recommendations, they were all good! The ambiance is trendy and definitely inviting. Certainly a great place to take a date if you want to show a lady the best Hawaii has to offer. Food came out fairly quickly and in an abundant amount, worth every pretty penny. Check out what all the buzz is about!

    (4)

  • Yummy T.

    Auwe! Heard such good things about this place but it was a serious disappointment. You never want to have your chutoro sashimi actually smell fishy. Hamachi and salmon not fresh either. Eggplant was good. So very disappointed. Could not even finish all the sashimi or nigiri. Service and staff friendly. But can't go back if fish quality not consistent. I should have read all the reviews first instead of just looking at the star rating.

    (2)

  • Kim M.

    Imanas Tei puts a great deal of work into the careful preparation of its food and presentation, which are only a couple of reasons why so many people love this place. The food is delicious and the prices arent toooooo outrageous for the quality. And, the workers are all very cheery and pleasant, which make the whole dining experience that much better. Imanas Tei shares a small parking lot with the nextdoor restaurant Kohnotori in the Puck's Alley area, so parking may be difficult at times. If you're lucky enough to find a stall in that lot, awesome. ..If not, try looking for street parking nearby (behind the building or on King). FRIED BABY SHRIMP $7.50 yelp.com/biz_photos/zw70… The bf ALWAYS orders this! It's slightly salty (in a good way), crispy, and highly addictive. Great with a squeeze of lemon and a nice cold beer. This, IMO, is probably comparable to a Japanese twist on popcorn shrimp. (Eat the whole baby shrimp including the tail.) GRILLED BEEF TONGUE $9.50 yelp.com/biz_photos/zw70… Perfectly cooked (grilled) and still very tender. And the edges aren't curled! If you love tongue like I do, you'll want to order this. ;) BEEF GARLIC STEAK - 8oz. PRIME RIBEYE $22.50 yelp.com/biz_photos/zw70… The evenly cooked medium rare garlic steak--accompanied by a small side salad, a scoop of Japanese mash / potato salad, and some crispy garlic chips--is so tender and easy to eat. No chewy, white, weird stuff! To date, this may be my favorite garlic steak! And the sauce is excellent. UME / YAMAIMO ROLL $3.50 Exactly as it sounds. Can't go wrong if you're a fan of both Ume and Yamaimo. MAGURO NIGIRI - 2pcs $5.50 Fresh, fresh, fresh! And watch out for the fresh wasabi! It has a kick ;) ASAHI - 21.4 fl oz $7.50 This is the big bottle! :) Pairs nicely with some sashimi, nigiri, and the fried baby shrimp. VERDICT It's a guaranteed top notch meal at Imanas! And an excellent date spot. And my favorite Grey Goose is only $6!!! ;) Fantastic food, wonderful service, and an overall great experience. Highly recommended. Yelp 365 - #257/365

    (5)

  • Ed W.

    Very good izakaya in HNL (Check out my pictures ) Short wait when we went on a Saturday night We ordered -chanko nabe for two Had many different kinds of seafood .. Crab,lobster,clams,scallops etc Had zosui rice porridge at the end very good If you like seafood get this Min order for two people -assorted sashimi platter Everything was very fresh Yellowtail, salmon , tuna etc Very good -1/2 dozen oyster very good but ponzu sauce was a little over powering -seared tuna sashimi with onions very good Washed it all down with some Japanese beer and sake Very good meal!!! There is also a yakitori place next door Only minus is small lot but we found parking in back of restaurant Overall good food and mixed crowded of locals and a few tourists....

    (5)

  • Erica L.

    Came here before with friends and it was alright (a solid 4 stars). Decided to take my bf here this time and was quite disappointed. :::NOTE::: Their uni is currently from an unknown place (the waitress forgot where) because the waters around Cali (where they normally get them from) are "not good." :::FOOD::: We got the Sushi Combo B where we had a dark orange uni... With one piece of light orange uni at the bottom. I asked a waitress about the color and she said it was supposed to be like that. (See above note.) I'm just confused as to why there are distinctly two different colors of uni if they're from the same place and if they're supposed to be dark colored. The dark uni didn't smell like anything but the light uni smelled a little sweet. My bf just ate the uni and he feels ok so hopefully it's alright. The combo also comes with the regular (frozen) shrimp versus ama ebi (like the combo from Yanagi's). We also got the Dynamite, Hamachi Kama, and Beef Tongue. These were pretty good but kinda pricey (hence the two stars). :::SERVICE::: Whenever we needed something or had a question, my bf and I would be looking around the restaurant to see where the servers were and even then it would take a couple of minutes before someone noticed us. Of the 5 workers, no one came by to ask how our meal was nor if we needed anything else. Even getting the check took a while (even though I had already asked for a takeout container). Okay, so we did arrive at 6 and there was a decent amount of customers there, but the restaurant is pretty small... Nothing 5 servers couldn't handle. We won't be back anytime soon.

    (2)

  • c w.

    It would be very difficult to find better quality food at such a reasonable price. Norwegian salmon nigiri for less than $5/two pieces, Boston uni around $9/two pieces. Arguably the best "cut" California roll. I recently visited sasabune and imanas and firmly believe the quality of fish was better at imanas for a fraction of the price you would pay at sadabune. I do like sadabune however they have been inconsistent the past few times I visited. Imanas is extremely consistent in their quality!

    (5)

  • Chris K.

    It was kinda busy when I went, so there was a 20 minute wait. We ordered beer that did not arrive so we got free ice cream. The portions were small and I felt like, since we got the cheaper sashimi plate, it seemed like the cuts weren't as good. But all issues aside, the taste of all the food was AMAZING. Loved their fried squid and the butter fish was delicious. Small but delicious.

    (3)

  • Alice H.

    Imanas Tei is my favorite place to eat sushi and Chanko Nabe. By favorite, I mean, THE BEST PLACE TO EAT SUSHI & NABE. YES YES YES I always love coming here. When my parents and I have the same days off together, we always end up coming here. Since my father & the owner are friends, they give us EXTRA good service. I love sitting in the Tatami room. Its more private and very spacious. Since they are super delicious, of course they're always busy. Theres always a line outside of the restaurant and they don't take reservations after 7PM. I used to not care of Nabe and "Hot Pot" food but as you get older your taste changes, I guess.. I crave eating Nabe all the time now. And it feels odd when you don't eat sushi and just hot pot. Meh. So I always end up eating a lot of Nigiri sushis. Everytime I come here I consider it my "cheat day" & "my diet can start tomorrow". When they have fresh oysters, we MUST get that. My dad and I always have a bottle or two beers together and eat a lot of pupus before the actual sushi & nabe. Unlike sweet home, and hot pot & other nabe places, they actually make it for you. They prepare your Nabe (hot pot) so beautifully its a work of art. (I always take a picture) The staff is so lovely and friendly. They're quick and know good service. You get what you pay for, and this place is worth your money. I PROMISE! xxx

    (5)

  • Kayo S.

    The sushi is good quality and the hot pot is the best compare to other Japanese restaurants. Really like the atmosphere and how it's hidden from plain view. Like your own little secret spot!

    (4)

  • Cory L.

    Aloha! Been a long time client of this fabulous sushi and izakaya place. Imanas Tei has by far some of the best lineup of sushi, sashimi, agemono (fried morsels) in metro Honolulu. It's located in the heart of Mo'ili'ili tucked away next to Puck's Alley near the University of Hawaii at Manoa. I would strongly suggest reservations as the food rocks, the restaurant is packed during primetime to about 8pm as eaters enjoy multiple sampling of otsumami (appetizers) like hiyakko tofu, salmon skin salad and more. For some main courses I usually order toro, salmon and engawa, the latter if available. In the past I have ordered their chanko nabe which the server will assemble in a copper pot with butane portable stove at your table. This nabe rocks. Topped with ample portion of ground pork mix that is first boiled and then the rest of the toppings and ingredients are piled into the pot. As the temperature rises and the broth boils, the chicken, mushrooms, beef and greens reduce and cook creating a mouthwatering meal, especially in the cool months like now. The chanko nabe is for two people minimum, so take a friend and enjoy! This evening I opted for the chirashi. See photo, nice cuts of ahi, salmon, delectable oily Hamachi, tamago (egg) wedge, clam, a sprinkling of ikura and more. Rice was perfectly cooked with a balance of vinegar and moistness.

    (5)

  • David M.

    Imanas Tei, The place where I was recommended by many friends. Parking here was an issue during dinner time. The parking lot was full, we had to find street parking which doesn't exist here. Once we drove into their parking structure again, we noticed a parking garage on the left of Imanas Tei. Luckily there's a spot. Once seated I had the Chanko Nabe, King Crab dynamite, Regular dynamite, Otoro, Hamachi. Scallop. Chanko Nabe - Probably the best thing I've tasted here. I thought the broth would be salty like every Japanese broth I've tasted, but I feel like they put the right amount of salt. The flavor stands out really well, I am obsessed with this dish. King Crab Dynamite - I thought this dish is really done well. I'm a sucker for king crab. I loved every aspect of this dish. Regular Dynamite - This dish didn't pleased me at all. I felt like it was rushed. It was very very very very very watery. I tried my friends dynamite and it was very good. i liked it a-lot. I could of return It and asked for another one but I'd stick to what is given. Otoro - I was very confused why it tasted so stringy. I asked the server why they have told me it was pre-frozen. I was like what. I didn't bother with it and ate stringy fish. Hamachi sashimi - I really liked their hamachi. It didn't tasted stringy at all :P. it's better than most places on the island. Tuna Mayo Scallop - I ordered one order of tuna mayo scallop. I loved it. I regret not ordering more. The Chanko nabe was too much for me. If I do come back. It would be for the Nabe Chanko / King Crab Dynamite / Tuna Mayo Scallops.

    (4)

  • Kathy C.

    We enjoyed Imanas Tei during our recent trip to Waikiki. To avoid the crowd, we purposely went around 10 PM at night to order some appey and ice cold beer. The location was a short drive from the condo we rented in Waikiki. We were immediately seated and the service was friendly enough. We ordered some of our usual dish when going to izakaya like the grilled beef tongue, the fried chicken, the skewers etc. So it's all very standard and "A-OK" kinda experience to us. Nothing really stood out as being good or bad. So I have to be honest in that I was a bit disappointed since I was hoping to be "wow'd" by something there. If we had more time in Waikiki, it would be likely that I would want to go back and order more dishes to try again.

    (3)

  • Mike K.

    Is parking an issue? Yes. Is it often crowded? Yes. Is there a reason and is it worth it? Yes. The only hands-down good Japanese restaurant on Oahu. Traditional items with quality ingredients and preparation. The owner is usually near the center of the restaurant to monitor everything- and it shows. You pay for the quality but much better value compared to some of the newer trendy Japanese fare around town.

    (5)

  • Barbie P.

    BEST Chanko Nabe I've ever had. And I'm from Los Angeles (Japan-Town #3, after Japan and Honolulu.) The broth is SOOOO good. The ingredients are so fresh and good. I'm a shabu shabu lover but Chanko Nabe shares the love. I've tried lots of different places, but you have to try it here. Parking is tough. We've always gone early to beat the crowds.

    (5)

  • Kristen K.

    I have been DYING to go to Imanas for a few YEARS. Yes, YEARS. BUT I'm one of those really odd people who honestly might pass up a place if they have: inconvenient parking, bad location, don't take reservations, etc. Hence why I just never really made it around to coming here....until a few weeks ago. Jokes on me because I only wish I had come a LOT sooner! There was a short wait, but as soon as we walked in, I was in love! It is such a cute, intimate restaurant....and I love the minimal Asian decor. Keep in mind, they will take reservations for THAT evening upon opening at 5 pm. But they only take them up to BEFORE 7 pm. There's also a cute sushi bar, perhaps able to seat around 10 or so. So we had a party of 7....got to sit on the long table in the middle, which was nice. Although I think the little room with the zabuton seating is real cute, sitting at a regular spacious table came in handy because we ordered the chanko nabe AND the shabu shabu. Whenever I go to these cute Japanese places, I somehow feel compelled to drink a lot of Ichiko. So there's no surprise as to what I was drinking all night. Started off with some kind of odd flavored one....it was ok....quickly switched back to the good ol' Ichiko/water/lemon. My friend got the calpico one & let me have a few sips....it was good! We ordered a bunch of stuff: - Chanko Nabe* - Shabu Shabu* *keep in mind that both of these are a 2 order minimum - Calamari (not a fan....these were too chewey and rubbery for my liking...) - Salmon - Udon for my picky eater friend - Assorted sushi....the hamachi was amazing...and I always get my beloved tamago - 2 orders of the Agedashi tofu (one regular, one with ponzu) - 2 (would have been 3 had my friend not stopped me) orders of the grilled tongue....I would have personally enjoyed it a little better if it was a little more crispy....but then again, this isn't Gyukaku or Millions or I could have just kept my pieces on the grill longer. - ......and more Ichiko Dinner was AMAZING. I can't wait to come back again..... Knowing that it might be hard to get a reservation, I'll be prepared to wait. Its worth the wait. Only I hope I get chauffeured there from now on because I hate hate hate parking in small, tight lots....(which is to a tee what Imanas AND Kohnotori SHARE)...even worse is places that require street parking (*GASP*).

    (4)

  • Denise M.

    Yes the parking will suck...try looking on the street in the back of Puck's Alley. Go after 9:00PM if you don't want to wait for at least 30 minutes. If you have to wait go next door to the 7-11, grab a beer and hang out by the stairs. But once you are in there, YUM. The sushi is worth waiting for. My favorite right now if creamy uni and I have not been disappointed yet. There a sushi combo B that is $28(?) and worth it. If you order nigiri one at a time, it can get pricey quickly. I'm not a nabe fan but it is good here as well.

    (4)

  • Jamie K.

    There absolutely nothing to say bad about this place. The food is excellent and so is the service. I've eaten there many of times and I've received the same awesome service from different waiters. I recommend this place to everyone that loves Japanese food.

    (5)

  • Jessica G.

    Seafood Dynamite? Check! Salmon nigiri? Check! Hamachi nigiri? Check! Otoro? OH-FUCKING-YUM-TORO!

    (5)

  • Hawaiian G.

    Acquaintances raved about this restaurant as if this was THE restaurant to visit so....hubby and I made a reservation and tried it out. Get ready to park on the street or at a paid parking lot elsewhere because you won't find space in front of their restaurant. Inside the restaurant, you enter and there is the sushi counter to your left, and the dining area to your right. There are some counters in the middle of the dining area and a private dining area in the far back - the place was pretty much packed with people Not many tourists though - mostly locals. Don't come here if you're expecting a nice quiet dinner - the customers are drunk and are rowdy, the conversations from each table kind of bounce off the walls and echo. Pretty noisy and lively. The food was okay. The sushi platters we ordered seemed fresh. The miso soup they serve was nothing out of the ordinary, kind of bland if you want the truth :( We ordered small platters (appetizers) - but 3 out of 5 dishes never came out before our main meal. Nothing was said as in "your xxxx is coming out very shortly, sorry for the wait". So we're eating our main dish (without the 3 appetizers), and when one of the servers finally approach us we ask if the missing appetizers and side dishes are on its way. The server, instead of saying "yes, sorry, they're on their way", goes "well, you have the exact same side dish here on your platter with your main meal, YOU SURE YOU STILL WANT THE SIDE DISH ORDER?" (as if to hint that maybe we should cancel the dish we were waiting on??) I thought that was weird. Who are they to tell us if we are "SURE" if we want to keep waiting for a platter we have ordered 20 minutes ago (it's a cold plate, nothing they need to cook in the back LOL) So at that point we did cancel it, got tired of waiting for it. We also canceled another dish that should have come with my husband's beer too as they never showed up either. Mind you, they were all small appetizer dishes - and all cold items (tofu, edamame, salad, those sorts of things) I get that this place is popular and the servers are busy, but we never had anyone come to our table to ask if everything was okay. We pretty much had to hunt down our server (actually ANY server that was in our vicinity) to help us with extra utensils or hot tea, or whatnot. The food may be decent, but the service and the fact that they don't bring you what you've ordered - is a definitely turn off. Management needs to figure out a more efficient way for their servers to take care of the dining area. Do they even have their own section? Seems like everyone helped everyone else - maybe that's where the confusion occurs. Left the place wondering why this place was so popular - there are a ton of other Izakayas that beats this place in both taste AND service. I don't think I would ever wait to get a table if we don't have a reservation (they don't take reservations after 7 PM which is normal for most Izakayas)

    (3)

  • Steph J.

    This is my favorite restaurant to eat sushi at. Depending on the season, they have this great oyster sushi with ponzu sauce and it's to die for! In addition, they have great things you can order off the menu like their cold shabu-shabu salad, hamachi kama and rib-eye steak. They only accept reservations before 7pm and if you come later than that, you'll have to wait on a first come-first served basis. Parking is a little limited too but you can always park next door at Puck's Alley. I typically eat about 6-7 pairs of sushi and spend about $50, including one bottle of hot sake. A must try!

    (5)

  • Jay P.

    Probably one of the best tips anybody can give you about Imanas is to MAKE RESERVATIONS IN ADVANCE! If you don't, expect to wait for at least an hour. That's what my party of three and I had to do because we suddenly felt like having nabe on Monday. Let me reiterate...it was a MONDAY and we still had to wait for at least an hour. Don't make the same mistake I did when the weekend rolls around... We ordered a Dynamite and a Chanko Nabe for three when our waitress came to our table. If you can speak Japanese, here might be the best place to start using it. The workers do speak English to some extent but I found it much easier to grab their attention when I spoke Japanese. The dynamite was one of the better seafood dynamites I've had in Hawaii because it didn't have that usual dominant mayonnaise flavor. In fact, the majority of the dynamite at Imanas was packed with perfectly cooked seafood! The flavors tasted fresh and consistent and the plate was cleaned in no less than five minutes. My only disappointment is the portion size; I wish it was even a little bigger! The chanko nabe was amazing! I found out that chanko is a traditional sumo stew that helps sumo wrestlers gain weight and now I understand why! One taste and I couldn't stop asking for refills! This broth isn't too salty and has a flavor that lingers on your taste buds. I thought it was somewhat awkward that our waitress set it up for us but I did think that the presentation was nicely done. The chanko nabe comes with a variety of meat, seafood and vegetables that includes pork balls, beef, chicken, shrimp, scallop, clams, salmon, mushroom, cabbage, mochi, tofu and more! The minimum order for the chanko nabe is two and I honestly felt that those two orders could satisfy more than three people. At the end of the meal you get to choose either udon or zosui (rice porridge) with your leftover broth. We opted for the udon and barely had the stomach to finish it! We were THAT full. The service was excellent when it came to refilling our water and tea because there was always one worker walking around with a pitcher or teapot in hand. The bad side is that they share the area with Kohnotori and the parking, bathroom, and overall wait time can get pretty bothersome.

    (4)

  • Jayden L.

    I had the chirashi bowl, the fish was really fresh and I will definitely be coming back.

    (5)

  • Aaron Koichi C.

    What can I say. I cry every time I think of eating here. It's like a long lost love or something. Everyone is so nice and they make you feel so at home. The food is spectacular! Best Japanese restaurant in Hawaii. You'll cry and melt when the miso yaks butter fish touches your tongue. Chicken skin down my back!!!

    (5)

  • Summer B.

    Best izakaya!!! Sushi Gaku is a close second. Loved the nigiri sushi platter. Everything was so super good and fresh. They also have a really good miso beef dish that I have every time I go. I haven't tried the nabe but everyone seemed to be ordering that so I'll try it the next time I go.

    (5)

  • Zar A.

    Everyone says that this is the best, best, best Japanese restaurant in Hawaii so I had to make it my priority to come here on my birthday!!!!!!!! Cheeeehooooo... Izakaya is pretty much the Japanese equivalent to the Spanish Tapas, which is, small meat and vegetable portions to share!!! Izakaya dishes are yummy enough to eat alone but even better to pair with beer or sake!! What we ordered - Amazing!! Mirugai (king clams) yelp.com/biz_photos/zw70… Sashimi platter yelp.com/biz_photos/zw70… Oyster platter (2x) yelp.com/biz_photos/zw70… Hokigai (clams) yelp.com/biz_photos/zw70… Tonkatsu kushikatsu yelp.com/biz_photos/zw70… Spicy butter clams yelp.com/biz_photos/zw70… Fried squid legs yelp.com/biz_photos/zw70… Soft shell crab yelp.com/user_local_phot… Grilled beef tongue yelp.com/user_local_phot… Dynamite (2x) yelp.com/user_local_phot… King crab dynamite yelp.com/user_local_phot… Salmon skin roll yelp.com/user_local_phot… Assorted nigiri yelp.com/user_local_phot… Crab meat soup yelp.com/user_local_phot… Green tea ice cream (my bday "cake") yelp.com/user_local_phot… What we ordered - ok to pass next time: Agadashi eggplant yelp.com/biz_photos/zw70… Garlic butter clams yelp.com/biz_photos/zw70… Unagi, avacado roll yelp.com/user_local_phot… Service was awesome!! These are Japanese speakers but they were super attentive and were super patient as we placed our order with our half Japanese and half English language barrier. This place is tiny!! Only one small semi private room for a big group, fitting only up to 12 people. So, be sure to make a reservation 3 weeks or earlier in advance for this room. For small groups of 4 or so, I would also highly recommend making an advance reservation. Also, they do not accept reservations scheduled for 7pm or later.

    (5)

  • Juliann C.

    They are back on my radar! The last time I went here, it was so bad. My sister and I wanted to eat sushi here before she moved back to AZ and the sushi was mediocre. And we vowed never to come back here because of it. I had a change of heart to give them another shot. I tried Imanas again. And it's a good thing I did! The Good: * tamago - yumyummm * had the chef special for two - perfect amount for my bf and i! * sitting at the bar was quite entertaining * ikura was da booooooooooomb. could eat it here all day... * cold tofu (i mean .. who can mess that up.. really!) The Bad: * how close your sitting next to the people at the bar * parking is small and could be difficult at times The Weird: * i felt really awkward trying to get the attention of the sushi chef at the bar............ mostly because everyone else knew japanese.... and he was really slammed that night with orders... sooooooooooooooo kinda awkward... to the point where i just raised my hand! yay!

    (5)

  • Livetoeat F.

    I come here all the time and order the same things every time because it's just that good. -hamachi && toro sashimi -beef tongue -SPICY CLAMS -dynamite -MORE SPICY CLAMS. Seriously though, spicy clams. Go here, you won't regret it.

    (5)

  • Chris D.

    The food here is excellent, the beef shabushabu is a bit pricey, but very good, service is top notch. A bit difficult to see/find as it's tucked back off the street, but worth the look. Limited off street parking, an it shares a bathroom with the neighboring restaurant. I'd recommend the fried chicken, and any of the sushi. If you don't order the shabushabu or chanko nabe, it can be a relatively inexpensive meal.

    (5)

  • Conor I.

    MAKE RESERVATIONS in advance. If you call the day of you will be disappointed as this place fills up very quickly. If you don't have reservations you can wait outside for a table to open but, but beware the wait can be over an hour sometimes. The parking lot is very tiny, maybe 8 cars can fit total. Strongly recommend looking for street parking. Now with that out of the way, lets get on to about the actual food. Let me also say that I absolutely love Izakaya style restaurants. I'm always one to order a couple of things to try. I enjoying being able to share food with my family and friends. We started with the grilled salted tako, oh man this was so good. Not overly chewy, and seasoned just right. Chanko Nabe is a must here. It is a 2 order minimum. When they bring out that small pot and the huge plate of food, you are wondering to yourself there is no way all that food is going to fit into that small pot. The skillful waitress / waiter will prove you wrong and place everything in the pot in a specific order so it cooks properly. The sushi and other fare on the menu is always fresh and tasty here. Everyone has always been very friendly and willing to answer any questions about the menu. You may notice that the Restaurant is normally filled with many Japanese tourists. This is a GOOD sign. You can't go wrong with Imanas Tei.

    (4)

  • Shanisse I.

    Just thinking about what to write for this review is making me crave sushi!! Where do I begin.. Like always, I came here with the boyfriend. He came here a few times with his bff and fell in love with the place. So naturally, he took me here so I can experience this deliciousness. I'm usually the kind of person that doesn't like looking for parking.. meaning if the parking lot is full, I dont want to street park or drive around the block thinking the two minutes I went around the block, someone had left. So just keep in mind that Imana's has a small lot right in front of their door but they also share that lot with Kohnotori so finding a stall right there is a blessing!!.. But you can also park on the side but even then it gets kind of crowded. Since the restaurant is small, they usually have a wait but if you really want their sushi; you'll wait. hahahahahahahahahaha The workers there are so great. Walking through the entrance, "IRASSHAIMASE!" so be prepared. The servers, excellent, and the sushi chefs, LOVE THEM!! We usually sit at the sushi bar, i dont know why, we just do and its great watching them make the sushi. My boyfriend and I have this little philosophy, "if the workers/chefs can barely speak english, you know youre getting the first hand experience" and boy is that something to live by. Look at me, typing up a storm but I didn't even get to the food part. Here it goes: We ordered cold tofu, miso butterfish, chicken katsu with their special sauce, spicy tuna maki, sake nigiri (salmon), toro, uni, ebi, maguro, unagi, udon,.....and I believe that's it?? Cold tofu? Awesome! Miso butterfish? Melt in your mouth! Chicken Katsu? YUMMM Salmon Nigirii? DELISH Ebi? mmmmm!!! Maguro? LOVE Udon? Delish! Toro? DELISHI-GASM!!! Spicy Maki, Uni, Unagi: Excellent!! (from the bf) I don't like spicy food..sorry -__- uni, ummmm I tried but I havent acquired the taste yet and unagi is good. My boyfriend and I share all of the food but I let him have those three all to himself lol. Servers are very attentive and always make sure everything is alright and that we got everything we ordered. The prices vary depending on what you order so it can get kind of high in the sushi category but hey, you get what you pay for. The food is just that great that I believe that the money spent is worth it!

    (5)

  • Yuko A.

    One of my good friends just came back from a summer long trip to Europe so what better way than to celebrate his return with good food! I was stoked since it was my first time and I had read such rave reviews..... Our party of four was pretty hungry so we ordered a little bit of everything...and some bottles of beer and sake (unfortunately their bottle selection is small and lame according to the world renowned sake master, James G) Anyway, everything we ordered was good. Spicy Hamachi roll x 2 Negi toro roll Natto Roll Yamaimo Ume Roll Fresh Oysters Hamachi Kama Shishamo Age dashi tofu Seafood Dynamite Beef Tongue Seafood Salad There may have been a few other items I'm missing but I think this was it for the most part....Although we only had very basic rolls, they were fresh and we had to order another order of the spicy hamachi roll cause it was sooo good. I love raw oysters so we got half a dozen and they didn't disappoint. Garnished with ponzu and a little bit of scallions and daikon oroshi. I would have eaten all six if I didn't have to share. The hamachi kama was buttery, moist, and so ono. I wish we had ordered a bowl of rice earlier cause it would have gone so well together. We did order a bowl of rice to eat with the seafood dynamite....Oh man....I could live off that stuff if it wasn't filled with cream, butter, and milk. Shishamo and beef tongue were grilled to perfection. No complaints. I definitely want to come back and try their chanko nabe amongst other items on their menu. The food was definitely 4 stars but their service was a 3. Our waitress seemed confused half the time and spoke awkward broken Japanese so we would speak Japanese to her and then have to switch to English because she would give us confused looks....Not a big deal but I want some A+ service for my 4 star food. :) YELP 365: 233/365

    (4)

  • Lars C.

    There are two restaurants at this location. The noodle house is to the left and sushi house to the right. I walked into the noodle house looking for sushi, it was packed and was told to go next door. Once inside I noticed it was quieter and more more traditional in appearance than their noodle house. Flavors were good, the miso soup with mushrooms were excellent, the fried tofu appetizer with ponzu sauce was very refreshing. Then came the disappointment, their sushi. I've been to many sushi establishments in the USA and Japan. The sushi here is just ok, not as fresh or appealing as I would have liked. This part of King Street can get sketchy at night so come before 9pm.

    (3)

  • Kayla R.

    Best Japanese Restaurant in Oahu~ Outstanding food, Outstanding service and wonderful atmosphere! I never leave disappointed! I'm always happy to come to Imanas and My tummy is happy leaving :D You must must must order the O-toro Sashimi, soooo fat and juicy! They give huge pieces of sashimi, and pairing it with Mu~ Sooo good!!!! Also if you're an Amaebi fan, you must order! They're HUGE biggest I've ever seen in my life of eating sushi! And the fried head was so big I had to take like 4 bites! Super good! Always make an reservation or at least call on your way here, it's always busy!

    (5)

  • Tma Y.

    Best Japanese restaurant we found in the U.S. Till now. Chanko nabe and sashimi. Don't forget to try their shrimp sashimi and fried shrimp head.super yum!

    (5)

  • Troy T.

    I've been to Imanas Tei many a times before, but decided to rate them this time. Their uni is really good, and I'd go back anytime. Reservations are usually needed if you go early, other than that its first come first serve after 7 or 7:30 I believe. I didn't get it this time, but their Nabe is to live for. Appetizer Gyutan (Beef Tongue) - subtle saltiness, and a light squeeze of lemon makes it down right dangerous... 4.5* Sushi Ika(squid) - 3* it could've been more tender, but the taste was nice Hotate Mayo(scallop Mayo) - 4.5* one of the best i've had. Sake(Salmon) - 3* typical salmon, not bad at all, but nothing special either. Engawa (meat near the fin of Hirame) - 4* most places run out of this part since there is approximately 4 pieces sushi per fish. Hamachi (Yellow Tail) - 3* not really fatty, but perhaps i should've asked if they had hamachi toro. Botan Ebi aka Ama Ebi(sweet shrimp) - 4* Botan Ebi is quite large compared to true ama ebi, so if it comes with two pieces of shrimp it is probably ama ebi, but if it comes with one large shrimp its almost always Botan Ebi. I prefer Botan Ebi. Oh, and I loveee the deep fried heads that come with the Botan Ebi. Unagi (fresh water eel) - 3.5* better than a lot of other places that serve unagi. Uni (sea urchin) - 5* I so thoroughly enjoyed my uni I ordered uni sashimi too... btw these scrumptious guys came from Santa Barbara.

    (4)

  • Doris D.

    This time was one of those magical nights where you immediately find parking and are immediately seated on a bustling Saturday night. We've been to Imanas Tei before for nabe and dynamite and both were so, so delicious. This time we had: Ankimo (great start to the meal), ebi nigiri, fried shrimp heads, hamachi nigiri (fatty and firm), Hamachi collar (one of the bigger collars I've seen. Lots of sweet, succulent meat), and dynamite (the mayo part comes out bubbling and it tastes excellent. The bits of shrimp, shiitake mushrooms, and scallop were really tender.) We also had tofu in tempura sauce with a heap of bonito flakes (too much bonito for my taste and the tofu sucked up all the tempura sauce. We didn't finish the dish we were so full), two big bowls of rice, and a huge salmon skin hand roll (unfortunately the skin was too burnt). We ate at the sushi bar and watched the chef work his magic. I love sitting at the bar, you get dinner and a show! We waddled out of the restaurant totally happy.

    (5)

  • Lori W.

    Celebrated a birthday last night for my son with an outstanding feast of his favorites. Dynamite, hamachi sashimi, fried gobo, fried squid, spicy ahi roll, garlic steak, butterfish, shabu shabu. They topped it off with a song and a scoop of ice cream. Great service as usual. Continues to be our favorite.

    (5)

  • Lisa T.

    i love it! they have really authentic japanese food. there was food that was new to us that we haven't heard of before. it was smaller servings. but that meant we could try more things on their menu. highly recommend reservations. i called the restaurant on a saturday and couldn't get an early 5pm reservation for two people until tuesday. i would definitely come back on my next trip back.

    (4)

  • Raych D.

    Finally got to try this place out 2x in 4 days! Experience #1: Came here this past Saturday with two other girlfriends after drinking all day. Luckily we got there after 9pm and it wasn't busy at all that they took us right in. The place is very cutesy and roomy. We got seated in the far back were we were able to sit on those tables where we sat on mats and our heels were on the stairway. They are very strict with having your heels placed right outside and lined up nicely because they yelled at us for it. Our waiter was very efficient and nice. I got the sashimi platter for 1 ($19) and an unagi nigi ($9.50). My sashimi platter consisted of nicely thick cuts of 3 hamachi, 4 salmon, 4 ahi and 3 slices of some other fish. My unagi was a little pricey but it was a huge cut of fish and really delicious that I ate it with the rice...and I never eat rice! My girlfriend got the fried baby shrimp, salmon skin roll and a side of rice. She liked the baby shrimp but the salmon not to much..I didn't care for the salmon either because it was a too bitter for me. And my other friend got the spicy ahi roll, miso soup and sweet ebi (shrimp) with the fried head. She loved all of her food. Our waiter was nice enough to split all 3 checks in the end. Prices are not to bad considering the amount of food they give and the quality of the food. My total was only about $29. Experience #2: Because I loved the sushi so much from my 1st dining on Saturday, I came back last night (Tuesday) night with a girlfriend as a post-work out dinner. Got here around 7:30pm and there was no wait so we were seated right in. Our waiter was a really sweet and fast as delivering our food and getting our waters filled. I ordered the miso butterfish and a extra spicy tuna roll...they really did spice it up, which I like because most places never make it spicy enough. My friend got the seafood dynamite, fried soft shell crab, oolong tea and the unagi, cucumber and avocado roll. She liked her entire meal except for the dynamite because for one, it took so long to get to her and two it was too sweet. I have to agree, because I did take a bite and it was too sweet and to mayo-y for my taste. We also shared a green tea ice cream which was so creamy and not too sweet but perfectly balanced and went well with our entire meal. I was surprised that my butterfish and spicy tuna roll was only $19....The cashier was a little upset that we waited until the end to ask for a split check but after telling her I knew the owners wife her and the owner (sushi chef) she was nice about it and the owner even came over to say Hi. Cons: I just wish they had more dessert options and more roll options but the taste and quality is dynamite! I also wish there was more parking available and I wish they could take reservations.

    (5)

  • Toby T.

    freshest, best sushi along with traditional Japanese favorites. It has been one of our favorites for 10 years!

    (5)

  • Jenny F.

    Disclaimer: I came here for my cousin's bday party and ate but never saw the menu! So this review is NOT including thoughts on price, which, judging by the dollar signs, is kinda up there. But, whatever the price, this place is gold! It's currently one of my favorite restaurants. TIP: Park at Puck's Alley, and buy something at Nijiya Market to get it validated, because Imanas Tei has only a handful of spots. We actually left around 9, and I guess the last parking shift had ended, because no one was there to pay and the gate was just left open! We had a party of ten, so we got to sit in the little private room in the corner of the restaurant. It could seat up to 12 comfortably. You leave your slippahs at the opening in the screens, walk inside, and slide your legs under the table. Basically it's like bench seating, but the floor is the bench and they cut out room under the table for your legs. It's a great quieter, secluded spot for a party. We had food upon food upon food! We pretty much ordered two of everything for our party of 10. House salad was really great--fresh and flavorful. Spider roll was fresh, but I've had better elsewhere. Fried gobo (burdock root) was good, and not greasy. It comes with a dipping sauce. Fried tako was really tasty. Sashimi platter was really fresh--probably one of the best sashimi I've had on island. But the BEST part of the evening was the Chanko Nabe, aka Sumo Wrestler Stew! It's what they eat to bulk up, and it's plain to see why: It's a huuuuge pot of boiling broth, and they layer veggies, snow crab, squid, fish cake, dduk (rice cake), glass noodles, chicken, beef, pork meatballs, huge portions of salmon, shrimp, squid, clams, mussels, and tofu in it. I'm probably missing a protein in there, but that's pretty much almost every edible animal I can think of, so I think you get the picture. It's DELICIOUS!!! The broth is flavorful on its own, but add to it every creature from land and sea and it becomes a party of epic proportions. Everything is tasty. Everything is delicious. And it's all quality--they even marinate the chicken before they put it in! And the meatballs are great--they taste like a sweeter version of siu mai. And just when you think you've had so much food you can't take any more....in comes the server who fishes out all the leftovers of your bountiful stew, adds rice, adds an egg, mixes it all together and makes some magic akin to risotto or congee/jook. Ohh, I feel myself slipping into food coma just writing this review...

    (5)

  • Local B.

    This 5 star review pertains to our experience at the sushi counter and not the dining room. The seafood selections were abundant and extremely fresh when compared to other sushi eateries around town. The Japanese tourists that sat at the counter were "regulars" that have been coming for years whenever they visit Honolulu. That would only happen if they trust the quality of what is being served here as they are used to getting the best in the world a short 8 hour flight away. When their "star" talented sushi chef left to open his own restaurant years ago, people were worried about a possible downfall of the sushi at Imanas. They did stumble slightly at first but that was due to the itamaes that worked the counter. I am happy to report that now with Abe-san in charge, Imanas has regained it's position at the top of sushi restaurants in Honolulu. Bravo Asai-san!

    (5)

  • Sara S.

    If I were a foodnetwork chef, Imanas-Tei would go on my "Best Thing I Ever Ate" spiel. It's definitely one of the best Izakayas on Oahu. The contenders: SEAFOOD DYNAMITE- a generous assortment of scallops, shrimp and fish bathed in your standard "dynamite" sauce (mayonaise, cheese....?). Creamy but not too heavy. A must! SASHIMI PLATTER- the sashimi here is top notch. Nuff said. AMA EBI- my favorite sushi is like heaven here... SO FRESH AND SWEET! The best part is that they ask what you want to do with the heads! I opted for the miso soup, which is great with the steamed shrimp head. BUTTERFISH- not a huge butterfish fan but I'd eat it here because it is oh so tender. CHANKO NABE- as most people have said, definitely get the chanko nabe. It is a fish-based broth that comes with shrimp, pork balls (given in the bamboo like Ichiriki), cabbage, green onion, abalone, mushroom, beef, and other things I probably forgot. True Japanese nabe! What amazes me is that the servers arrange this dish for you. They literally assemble the different items in a pretty set up, which not only looks good but also ensures that everything will be cooked properly. It's an ART and the final product is delicious. At the end of the meal you can choose between udon or rice porridge to accompany the rest of your nabe. SALMON CHAZUKE- very generous portion of chazuke!! Like seriously the bowl is pretty big. THINLY SLICED HALIBUT- comes with ponzu or just your typical wasabi. Sliced ever so thin, fresh and delicious! AM I IN JAPAN? FRIED GOBO STRIPS- I love thisssss! Huge ball of twisted gobo strips fried like tempura. Great to munch on and split amongst a big group. All this delicious food seems like it would be top dollar, right?? WRONG! Imanas-tei is super reasonable and the reason why it gets 5 stars. Izakayas can often run your wallet dry since each little dish adds up, but not here! You can definitely get full off the Chanko-nabe too ($19.95/person minimum of 2 people). If you're trying to go on a Friday or Saturday, better make reservations in advance. Reservations on any other night would help too, but it's crucial for the weekends.

    (5)

  • Devon S.

    A brief note from the author: (If I may paraphrase the hook of an incredibly dumb rap song I heard at a friend's house: "I love bad fishes, that's my freakin problem!" I KNOW most of my reviews are about sushi experiences. And, YES this is another review by yours truly about...you guessed it; a SUSHI spot. I LOVE SUSHI! I cant help it! I'm addicted to the stuff! Its the world's most perfect food! And every spot you go to is a little different from the last. Whachu want me to say; I'm sorry!? ) We now return you to your regularly scheduled program: Oh man, the "hole in the walls" strike again. Like its deliciously inconspicuous counterpart Sushi Ii, Imanas is tucked away in what appears to be an alley right off King Street once you cross University. You may have some difficulty parking, as the lot is quite small. One thing that immediately stood out to me in Imanas was the ambiance; quaint, elegant, and romantic, yet sophisticated and authentic to Japanese style at the same time. I recommend that you make reservations because the seating is limited, but be aware that they only take them up to 7pm. After 7, it's 1st come, 1st serve. I got there after 7 and had to wait 15 - 20 before we could get in, but it was well worth the wait. When we were seated, I was warmly greeted and referred to by name when speaking with the hostess and waitresses. Small details like that mean alot. What I like most about Imanas is its menu and its pricing; Very extensive and very reasonable respectively. They have a wide variety of grilled, fried, and raw appetizers and dishes. Some items are ala carte, while others come with miso soup, salad, and rice. They also offer shabu shabu pots cooked tableside. The guests in front of me had the chanko nabe with seafood and udon noodles and it looked great. I had the sushi combination B with a bowl of natto, while my girlfriend had the butter salmon with rice and pumpkin, and we split a seafood dynamite. Everything was fantastic. The dynamite was a liiiiiiitle too sweet for my tastes, but it was full of scallops and shellfish, unlike other places that give you mostly vegetables. Everything came out to about $45 before tip. Score! I have got to come back to Imanas sooner than later. There is so much more to this place than sushi, which I have got to try, but I love that stuff. That's my freakin problem. "S"

    (5)

  • Nadia K.

    The previous two times I went to Imana's, I had the chankonabe. So good, but this time we were in the mood for sushi and other dishes. To start, we ordered the kabocha, potato salad, miso butterfish, tonkatsu kushikatsu, fried gobo and then we were stopped because the waitress thought that was too much food. My husband took that as a challenge. The tonkatsu kushikatsu (skewered) was my favorite. It is so awesome!! It's served with a mustard and tonkatsu sauce. I also had their spicy ahi which was just okay. I can't remember everything my husband had (because I was too busy eating), but he really enjoyed it : aji, amaebi (you can choose to have the head deep fried or in a miso soup), and sama. I was disappointed they only offer azuki and green tea ice cream for dessert, but we walked to Bubbies and all was well. :) Parking is horrible! Luckily we found street parking on King. Service is great!

    (5)

  • Milly C.

    Ahhh Imanas Tei. I wanted to like you SO MUCH. SO, SO MUCH. My best friend and I decided to have our college graduation celebration dinner here based on the spectacular reviews on Yelp. We tried to make a reservation for 7pm, but it turns out they don't take reservations past 6:30pm. Everything is open seating (first come, first serve) after 6:30pm. We arrived around 6:30pm, and the wait wasn't too bad. We were seated in about half an hour. The thing that impressed me the most about Imanas Tei was the decor and the fantastic service. I couldn't stop admiring the interior decor throughout our meal. I love the way the lights create these amazing shadows against the wall. My friend also asked the waiter to play a prank on me and he did so without any hesitation! Onto why Imanas Tei received only three stars... The food. We ordered the chanko nabe and some assorted sushi, but everything was so SALTY. One of the servers arranged the chanko nabe extremely nicely and it looked AMAZING. I couldn't wait for it to be done so I could dig right in! Unfortunately, the food looked better than it tasted... The broth was extremely salty, and the sushi we ordered was pretty salty as well. The best part of the chanko nabe was the rice mixed with the broth at the end because the rice downplayed the saltiness. I wish I could give this establishment a 3.5 stars, but since Yelp doesn't allow it, I needed to give you 3 stars... I don't think I'll be back unless I hear that they start putting less salt into their food.. The ambiance and servers are five star quality though!

    (3)

  • Monique N.

    My favorite Japanese restaurant in Hawai'i. Plenty of standard Izakaya type dishes and delicious fresh sushi. What I keep going back for (besides trying a different small item each time), is their Chanko Nabe, a dish sumo wrestlers are commonly known to eat. There's no need to feel guilty when sharing with others though! A small burner is brought to the table with a pot full of broth. The waiter brilliantly layers the seafood, tofu, meatballs, and fresh vegetables into the nabe. After letting the ingredients cook for several minutes, you can start eating it! Don't drink all the broth though, since at the end of the meal, a waiter will come by and ask if you'd like rice or noodle with it. Egg is mixed in and now you can enjoy the rich broth that's been combined with the flavors of the ingredients that were cooked in it earlier!

    (5)

  • Aline T.

    Hard to find if you're not familiar with Puck's Alley. If you know where the 7-11 is on King St, it's beside and behind it in the back, bottom floor of a building with Revolution Books. There's a tiny driveway you need to turn into and head towards the back. I go late so there's parking (I take the last stall...). The service is decent/good. The food is fantastic. The bill can add up. The sushi nigiri is priced fair compared to other sushi joints of similar quality. I was surprised. The prices are similar to California Rock n Sushi but the quality is superb. I would recommend but if you don't like waiting or crowds, go later around 9:30 - 10:00pm.

    (4)

  • Cin T.

    I haven't been to Imanas for a good 3+ yrs. We sat at the sushi bar but because we were in a rush, we only ordered a fried chicken dish (sweet korean-style glaze) and a sushi dish. I wasn't impressed with the sushi and the chicken was too sweet for my taste. This past week, a group of 7 of us were having drinks at Nobu when the conversation of good sushi and Japanese food came up. Song enthusiastically suggested Imanas & promised a great meal. Nobu is one of fav spots, but not a place I would go for good sushi: yelp.com/biz/nobu-honolu… Our friend Song was a regular there so getting a table wasn't difficult. This place is always packed (they have a sushi bar, a couple tatami rooms and a main dining area). They ONLY take down your name for reservations between the hours of 5-7pm, after that it's on a first-come/first-serve basis. After making a phone call, Song got the all-clear and we immediately closed our Nobu bill and left around 9:30pm. I don't know why it took me so long to give this place another shot, but I'm glad I did. It's way better to go with a group of people who are familiar with the menu. Song, Melodi and Corey went all out on the menu and my tummy was quite happy when I was done. This place serves everything: shabu shabu, nabe, sushi, deep-fried & grilled items. KAKI NIGIRI ($5.50 for 2 pc): Sushi rice is topped off with a raw oyster, sweet/tangy ponzu jelly, scallions and spicy daikon oroshi. Delicious! yelp.com/biz_photos/zw70… The oyster was succulent & seemed very fresh. The grated daikon complements the oyster very well. I can eat this stuff all day! yelp.com/biz_photos/zw70… IKURA (salmon roe: $6.50) & UNI NIGIRI (sea urchin $9): You bet your ass I ordered my usual and I was not disappointed. I think I've found a place that has the best uni yet! It was so fresh, buttery and fluffy (none of that melted, flat & broken ones I've had in the past). And for $9, they give you double the amount! I had 2 pc of uni PER nigiri (that's 4 pieces of uni total per order!). yelp.com/biz_photos/zw70… STEWED MISO-BASED BEEF ($5.50): I had to double-check if there was a typo, I thought they meant to say "miso-braised" but it wasn't the case. This is a must-order! The beef was tender and flavorful. The veggies gave the dish different textures as well: konnyaku jelly, burdock root, shitake mushrooms and bamboo shoots. I would've been happy with just this dish and a bowl of white rice (being that it's a miso stew, it can be a little salty for some people). yelp.com/biz_photos/zw70… SEAFOOD DYNAMITE ($11:50): I think we all agreed that this was "the best seafood dynamite" we've ever had. The pieces of scallops & mirugai (geoduck/gooey duck clam) was cooked perfectly and had a nice sear/char to them. The dynamite sauce wasn't thick and chunky like some places I've tried and the mayo wasn't overpowering the protein. The shitake and tobiko was also a nice touch. yelp.com/biz_photos/zw70… KING CRAB DYNAMITE ($13.50): Song wanted Sonia to try this version out. Both she and I thought that the regular dynamite dish was way better. yelp.com/biz_photos/zw70… The same dynamite sauce was used to coat 4-5inch crab leg (the top part of the shell had been cut away, revealing the crab meat). Stick to the regular dynamite dish, you get more flavor and portion for your $$. yelp.com/biz_photos/zw70… KATSUO TATAKI: The ahi is seared perfectly and topped with a mound of sliced raw onions and kaiware sprouts (sprouted from daikon radish seeds). The tangy garlic ponzu sauce cuts the bitterness of the sprouts well. I personally wouldn't order this dish again because I prefer to have my fish served entirely cooked or entirely raw. The "blackened" or "seared" way isn't my cup of tea. yelp.com/biz_photos/zw70… SKEWERED PORK KATSU w/SPECIAL HOUSEMADE KATSU SAUCE ($6 for 4 pc): I didn't get this dish at all: why put a thin piece of pork on a stick? Saw most of the people in our group pulling the meat off from the sticks, no one took a bite of the katsu when it was on the skewers. The meat was dry and lacked seasoning. I prefer L&L katsu over this.......yeah, I went there. Even the "special katsu" sauce was forgettable. It was a saltier version of the L&L, nothing fancy. This dish is also avail as a chicken katsu on a stick and you can ask for their miso sauce instead of the katsu sauce. yelp.com/biz_photos/zw70…

    (5)

  • Nicole R.

    Went to dinner here last night with the boy and was pretty much blown away by the food. The quality of the fish was among the best I've ever had, the service is so attentive and friendly, and the ambience is amazing. You'll feel transported to an Izakaya in Japan...if you want authenticity, look no further! We feasted on a plate of assorted sashimi (the salmon and hamachi were my favorites!), the miso butterfish, oyster sushi, bonito, a hamachi and green onion maki roll and of course, the famous Dynamite, which is creamy seafood deliciousness at its finest. Every single bite was a pleasure and we washed it all down with a wonderful sake and hot green tea. Heaven... One of my favorite things about Imanas Tei is that you feel like you can really linger and enjoy your meal and your dinner date for as long as you like. No one is in a hurry to turn the tables, so you can settle in and really soak in the beautiful surroundings and savor the amazing food. Consider yourself warned: finding parking can be a bit of a bear, and Russ M. is right, if you don't arrive early for dinner you can expect to be in for a lengthy wait. The boy tried to make a reservation for us, and the person he spoke to said that they only take reservations before 7 pm, and after that it's first come, first served. Don't let this deter you though...I promise, the dining experience at Imanas Tei is well worth the effort and the wait! I can't wait to return!

    (4)

  • Kiku G.

    This is one of my favorite sushi places. The food is fresh and the menu is creative. I would give 5 five stars just for the spicy clams.

    (5)

  • Mike M.

    Delicious, authentic Japanese sushi made fresh . It is very reasonably priced , especially considering you are in Hawaii . Sushi lovers dream

    (4)

  • Ramfis B.

    Ok Yelpies, if you are looking for the BEST Japanese Restaurant in Hawaii, i will say it right here, Imana's Tei is the BEST Japanese Restaurant on the island of Oahu. Some may beg to differ but if you have gone to a place over 30 times and the food is always consistently good, Imana's is just out of this world. I would give Izakaya Gaku a very close second, but where do you think the owner of Izakaya Gaku came from?? You got it, he was the Sushi Chef at Imana's a while back... ATMOSPHERE: This place is what you expect in a Japanese Restaurant, Sushi Bar to the left and the Restaurant itself has a private Tatami room in the back of the restaurant which i think can fit about 10 people comfortably. I just love the design of the restaurant because it's not very big. The place is always PACKED. The place can get a little noisy at times but who really cares. I love the electricity this place brings!!!! FOOD: This is the reason i come here all the time, CONSISTENCY. This place has never ever done me wrong. The food here is spectacular and not that expensive. The flavors here are so subtle and exquisite that i just dream of this place time and time again and i could eat this food everyday till i die..... The Garlic Butter Clams: This dish right here has the sweetness of the Manila Clams just soaking in the light Garlic Broth and it's just so light and refreshing. I always sip the broth from the bowl. I don't care if anyones looking. The Grilled Beef Tongue: Thinly Sliced Beef Tongue cooked just right with a squeeze of lemon. YUM The Sushi: Just about any Sushi you eat here will simply amaze you: The Uni or Sea Urchin is so fresh and the Mirugai has that crunchy texture that i just love. And the O-Toro and Chu-Toro is just...WOW!! Seafood Dynamite: This my fellow foodies, is a must order here. This is a mixture of seafood in a creamy sauce which is served HOT in a casserole dish. This dish right here makes Imana's Tei right here. This is where i fell in love with this place literally. THE BEST EVER!!! Vinaigraitte Oysters: A half a dozen Oysters served chilled with a little Ponzu over it make it a perfect combination with a nice cup of Sake.. Crabmeat Soup: After eating all of this food, you have to eat the Crabmet Soup. This is very much like Ochazuke but with the sweetness of the crab and the light soup will make everything go down smoothly... SERVICE: The service here is what you expect here in a Japanese Restaurant. For a place that gets very hectic at times, the waitstaff keeps it's composure and will heed to your every need. Just ask anyone there for anything if you want and you will get it. The owner Kei-san is always right by the register and will jump on the Sushi line if needed. Never had a badtime here in the 30 plus times i have been here. OVERALL: Imana's Tei will always be my go to place for great Japanese food. It's funny how me and my Mi-chan bring guests from Japan here and when they come to visit Hawaii the next time they come, this is one of the places they want to come back to. I truly enjoy good food and Imana's Tei has never, ever let me down. I will be very,very sad if this place ever shuts down, but i just dont see this powerhouse of a Restaurant ever doing so. Imana's Tei, you are the BEST Japanese Restaurant in my eyes.......

    (5)

  • Jonn D.

    Rating: 4/5 Date(s) Visited: 10/09/2013, one other time in 2009 Food: 5/5 Service: 5/5 Atmosphere: 5/5 Price: 4/5 Parking: 2/5 Wow! I can't believe that it's been awhile since my last visit. I'm already planning for my next one. Food: I always see how good a sushi restaurant is based on a simple dish...if they can wow me over with it, everything else should be spot on. The simple dish that I'm talking about is the "Tamago," or aka (Also Known As) the "Egg Omelet." It was by far, the best I've had! I also had other items on the menu such as a Steak, Spider Roll, Sashimi, Clam Soup and some Green Tea Ice Cream. I respect an establishment that knows that they are not masters of Desserts, and have to carry a fellow business specialty that are masters of their craft. By this, I mean the ice creams are from "Bubbies." I was expecting to head over there for dessert, but the kind and entertaining waiter mentioned that their ice cream was from there. Service: Servers are very attentive to your every need. A glass of water will never be empty here. Atmosphere: I love the dimness or rather low lighting of this restaurant. Price: After the first bite and taste, I didn't care what the amount of the bill would be. I knew and felt that it would be over $175.00, but what the heck?! My mouth was having a mouthgasm. Parking: Hit or miss. This time I missed.

    (4)

  • Linda L.

    My most favorite sushi spot in the island! Spicy clams, spicy hamachi sumame, and king crab leg dynamite is a must!! Never once left this place unsatisfied, unless they're out if my fav dishes. Lol.

    (5)

  • Anna F.

    The first time I came here, I walked into the restaurant next to it. But then I found out, I wasn't the only one. Other people walk in by mistake thinking that's Imanas. They have a huge menu and no photos of their dishes. Most of the items on their menu are pretty good. My favorites were the grilled beef tongue, and king crab dynamite. I usually don't eat beef tongue but they made it taste really good and I ended up eating more than 2 pieces which is bad because there was 4 of us at the table. Their tea cups are really small. It's like 2 sips and you need a refill. I wonder if they're serving some really fancy green tea and you're suppose to savor each sip. The restaurant could use a little more light. When you have trouble reading the words on the menu, that means it's too dark. The worst of all is their parking. I suggest parking on the street or in Puck's Alley.

    (5)

  • Ha N.

    The otoro is so.. *at a loss for words. My BF and I came just the other day and we have a set menu we order every time we come: - OTORO sashimi (you can choose either 5 or 7 pc) - fresh oysters (6 pc) - ika karaage - hot udon for me - cali roll for him - spicy hamachi tartare - ASAHI beeeer. :) We cannot do without any of the above, except maybe the starches. Mmm. One time, when we had to wait, I shamelessly asked if they had any oysters left. They were out last time! I had to ask or else I would leave! JK. They were so nice, they offered to save us an order! That made me feel so very important. HAHAHAHA lol. I feel so greedy coming here to eat with my BF all the time. Our parents could not stomach the idea of shoving $4/pc sashimi down their throats. I'll have to treat them here one day and make them regret ever thinking that.

    (5)

  • HighStandard S.

    Miss Fussy-Pants loves this place! (Once she was able to find it! It's tucked away from King St., take the driveway before the 7-11 if you are coming from the direction of University Ave.) high quality food great value wonderful ambiance, wabi-sabi pottery professional, courteous service AND THE FOOD IS AWESOME! for $37: gobo/carrot salad ankimo (monkfish liver sashimi, I just found out this is on a list to avoid due to unsustainable fishing practices ) grilled butterfish fried octopus legs (or was it squid?) ume chazuke (tasty broth with rice, pickled plum, sesame, seaweed) miso beef stew green tea The food is less salty and sweet than most Japanese places, which is a good thing.

    (5)

  • Joanna Y.

    BOMB!!! This is the best Japanese restaurant in Hawaii! Kinda pricey, when me and my bf go here we end up spending about $80-$100 (including tip). Some of our faves: Sushi: super fresh, super awesome. Chanko Nabe: sooo good, very filling and $20 a person. When we order this we order only a few sushi on the side. I also love the rice at the end when they mix it into the remaining soup with an egg (forget the name) but its so yummy! Garlic Butter Clams: we end up drinking the soup and all the garlic pieces too!! its soo yums Dynamite: rich, creamy with scallop, fish, and mushrooms inside Katsu Skewers with miso sauce: tasty! Garlic Steak: yummy, sauce is good! includes a small salad and potato salad with fried garlic - perfect combo The only downside can be the wait, but if you go at the right time then you won't have to wait too long, or not at all! Normally me and my bf would go early at around 6ish and we don't have to wait, of course the peak hours 7-9 would be busy so i always recommend going early..

    (5)

  • Edward L.

    Honolulu has a lot of Japanese people, so what better thing to do than try an izakaya. Parking is available in front, but there are only a few spots. There was a bit of a lineup, but the staff were very quick. They spoke Japanese, so this seemed like the real deal. The interior is traditionally themed, with lots of wood paneling. As an izakaya, you expect to pay a few dollars more, and this is no exception. For drinks we had sake and beer. Get the Asahi, as it is 2x the size of the domestics. Wish I knew that beforehand. The food was pretty tasty overall, but a couple of dishes stuck out. Sashimi platter - none of the fish was farmed. You could taste the quality. Soft-shelled crab - one of the largest I've ever had. Yum. The only complaint was that the waiter forgot our dynamite roll. Twice. We asked him to check up on it, and he told us it was coming. Then an hour later (as we were finishing our meal) he tells us that they forgot to put in the order. Really? We were not happy with that at all. The food is good for sure, but I'd check twice for the service.

    (3)

  • John B.

    Love this place. Great value and wonderful sushi... Always a favorite for date night.

    (5)

  • Cherie O.

    I've tried my share of izakayas, as they are MY FAVORITE (as of right now that is..) and Imana's Tei is BY FAR THEEEE BEST izakaya I have tried. I haven't written a yelp review for decades (okay, okay, maybe just like.. a year &a few monthss...) so I decided to get back into the groove of things (I HAVE 43 REVIEWS TO WRITE, HOLY COW) I decided to choose the most enjoyable experience that could come to mind! :D I've only sat at the sushi bar which is completely fine for me because I was only with my boyfriend. Atmosphere is on the slightly above casual, upscale but more-so casual side. Service is wonderful and at the three times I've been there (all sitting at the sushi bar) are always not overbearingly attentive. The last time I came here was a while ago.. so I can't review specific dishes. All I can say is... I fell in love with their eggplant (at one point I had this weird obsession), oysters, and YOU ABSOLUTELY, ABSOLUTELY MUST MUST MUST HAVE AT LEAST ONCE IN YOUR LIFE, their MISOYAKI BUTTERFISH. I'm gonna say it again: BUTTERFISH BUTTERFISH BUTTERFISH BUTTERFISH BUTTERFISH. It's the tenderest, juiciest, flakiest, most absolutely PERFECT butterfish TO-DIE-FOR! There are a few reason why I wouldn't give Imana's Tei a golden five star rating though (If I could, I'd give it 4.5 out of 5 but Yelp doesn't let me do that): For starters, parking. HOLY, GOODNESS GRACIOUS. WHEREE YOUR PARKING AT!? Haha, no actually theres quite some parking right in front of the establishment itself, it's just that it's always ALWAYS packed. Reason is because it shares its parking with Konohtori, another quite well established izakaya. Fortunately, by the time it's 7 or 8, your luck with street parking errs to the THUMBS UP! Soo, this shouldn't be so difficult to handle. (I'm being really nit-picky haha, I'm sorry) Secondly, reservations. They don't take reservations past a certain time. If you want to guarantee a table, or even a no wait, then you have to call and plan to be there before (I believe it's) 7:00pm. Otherwise, everything after that is a first come, first serve seating basis. Kinda poopy if there's a lot of people or you're really hungry, or making plans for your night. Sometimes, it's nice to have completely control of how long your dinner is going to be if you plan to possibly have dessert somewhere or watch a movie; Maybe even go out with some friends. Although I don't like this unpredictability and inconvenient time-scheme thing (which I admit, it did take away from us going three times the amount we would've), every single time I've gone, the longest we've waited was 5-10 minutes at very most. So thumbs up! While we're still on that note about timing, I'd like to also mention that this place does close relatively early compared to other izakaya establishments. Although I love the food, service, and ambiance, I hate that i'm so limited to its hours of service. I'd like to give you my money until 2 in the morning, please!?!? Because I have not yet picked up on a geriatric eating schedule, I do like to start eating a little later in the night, possibly have a few drinks, and not have to worry about being pushed out of my chairs so early in the night. Many of my friends work until 9:00 or 10:00pm. I believe Imana's closes well before midnight on even weekends... while other izakayas close at 1:00 or 2:00 am... Lastly, I believe that BECAUSE this place is so SPECTACULAR, the portions are so small, and it is VERYYY "izakaya-style," this place can easily break your bank. I'm 24. I don't make those "hunnedss, hunnedss..." but hell.. when I do.. I'm going to eat here every other day... As you can see, most of my review was on the management of the business it'self. The food, literally is spectacular. Wonderful. Fanta-bulous. You will NOT be dissappointed in its presentation, textures, and tastes. However, there are other things that just don't make it a completely 5-star restaurant. I'd say this is a very nice place to take a date, drink some beer, maybe some sake, or for me preferably, just some sweet tasty umeshu! ^^ And if you didn't hear me scream before.. Don't forget: Butterfish.

    (4)

  • Clarissa M.

    Went here with a friend during happy hour for the first time. This place has super tight and limited parking. Once inside there was no wait - and we sat at the sushi counter which was fine with us. They ran out of oysters so we ordered toro sushi instead. Chef recommended a local fish sushi (forgot the name) but it was smooth and slightly sweet - super delicious and fresh! We also tried the grilled shio chicken, katsu, grilled octopus, unagi with avocado roll, and seafood dynamite. We also had their Asahi beer which was served super cold - the way I like to enjoy it. Everything was tasty. The seafood dynamite was on the "soupy" side and more soy sauce base. This was more than enough food for two people and we were stuffed. Service was quick, friendly, and super attentive.

    (4)

  • Lyn L.

    01/28/12 It's been a while since I've reviewed Imana Tei....because they are so consistently GREAT!!!...but thought I should give them some press again.... We went there, again, last night and yup! It's still GREAT!!! We order our usuals... For the folks who are concerned about the parking....if their tiny lot is filled, just park at Puck's Alley...instead of turning right into the Imana's lot, go straight, take a ticket and the barrier will go up...park in that structure, it's cheap. Enjoy!

    (5)

  • Susy W.

    My friends insisted on bringing me here when I was visiting from out of town. I still think about the food I ate here... We ordered the spicy tuna roll, grilled beef tongue and Portuguese sausages. Even though the spicy tuna roll was simple and can be found in any sushi joint, this was one of the best I've ever had. I've ate beef tongue a couple of times but I've been converted ever since I had it at Imana's. The chanko nabe was delicious! Never had anything like it before and I've love to see this in Seattle - it would be the ultimate comfort food when it's cold out. The real treat is the rice porridge they make at the end with the flavorful broth that cooked all the ingredients (seafood, meats, veggies, etc). At that point we were too full to try out the dessert but I will make sure to come back and eat again when I visit next. Prices were very decent considering the amount and quality of food. YUM!

    (5)

  • Kayleigh M.

    Had the best sushi here! Love it so much, I would go back to Hawaii just for this restaurant!!!!! After got back to LA for almost 3 months, I really don't want to eat the sushi restaurants here. T_T

    (5)

  • Nancy Y.

    I wish we got to try to chanko nabe, but when we made reservations they were totally booked and could only accommodate us at the bar area. NOTE: the bar area cannot order Chankko Nabe, only the tables can. We ordered sashimi and it was SOOOOOOOOOOOO fresh! I love this place and would definitely come back again. Parking wise-they have a small lot that cannot accomodate too many cars. We had to circle around 3 times and luckily got a spot.

    (5)

  • Lindsay G.

    I've seen this place a few times since I was a regular at Khonotori and its right next door. I never thought to try to until my friend mentioned as place to have a going away dinner. We decided to go on a Friday night around 8 it was busy and we had to wait a half hour before we were seated. (I think they give preference to people they know or eat there a lot. We were told they do not take reservations after 7, and these people came after us were seated before us.) Imanas is small but the tables are placed strategically (or not), so the room doesn't look too small and can seat a big party if needed with a long table with benches which I thought was smart. Our waiter was nice and explained the different dishes they had. I had settled on sushi set B and so did 2 other people from our group, I don't remember all the sushi that came with it, it did come with hamachi, maguro, ikura, unagi and uni plus miso soup and salad. My husband ordered the salmon and chicken karaage. Our food came out quick. Sushi pieces were pretty good, even the uni. This is how I judged this place. (I know crazy right.) I've had uni before and it was terrible. I thought perhaps it just wasn't for me. Thanks to Imanas I now think uni is for me! It was creamy and the taste was not bad at all. The other pieces of sushi were also very good; I also loved the salmon sushi! It wasn't fishy at all. The chicken karaage and salmon my husband ordered was good too. We finished our dinner off with green tea ice cream which was the standard Dave's I think. All in all I think this place was pretty good and would totally eat here again... just for the Uni! FYI... the parking lot is small and so are the stalls. There is a lot of street parking though.

    (4)

  • Sonia S.

    I can't believe I have NEVER gone to Imanas until now... I've always heard great things about the place, but for some reason, just never had the desire to try it. My new friend, Song said "Are you sure you're a foodie? You're such a foodie, but never tried Imanas...hmmmm?"...I was totally being called out, so off to Imanas we went! I just sat back and let him and everyone else do the ordering: *Seafood Dynamite ~ It sure packed the punch with flavor! Cooked mirugai, scallops, shiitake in a heavenly, perfect dynamite sauce. I could have this with a bowl of rice and be happy for the rest of night. Hands down....THE BEST DYNAMITE I've ever had!!!!! Dynamite so good that'll make your head spin....Dynamite so good that'll make your eyes go a lil cuckoo....I'm serious!! *King Crab Dynamite ~ my friend was so excited about this one. Normally I would be too because I love crab, but the Seafood Dynamite was sooo much better! *Katsuo Tataki ~ I love katsuo! This was super fresh slices of katsuo topped off with thinly sliced raw onions, kaiware sprouts served with ponzu sauce. I don't like eating onions raw, but I'll eat it raw for this dish! *Kaki Nigiri ~ Raw oysters topped off with a ponzu jelly, negi and chili daikon oroshi...this was hella oishi! So good that we ordered a second round! I love oysters and I love sushi, but to have it together was superb! Too much time has lapsed since I went, so I forget a lot of the things we ate. On another occasion, in addition to the dynamite, we ordered: *Seafood Gobo ~ Served as a huge mound of thin slices of gobo (burdock root) tempura style with a few pieces of tempura shrimp. It was good, but maybe a lil too greasy for me. I hear their nabes and shabu shabu is really good. I'll save that for next time.

    (4)

  • Jaswant A. S.

    I read about this place on Yelp when I was trying to figure out where to go on my first night of a weeklong stay in Hawaii. Read all the reviews and since I knew it was right near Puck's Alley I figured it was not too far of a walk. We walked around a bit doing some last minute stuff before a relative's wedding the next day. When we were finally done it was just before 9pm on a Saturday night and I was starved. We walked in thinking we were well past prime dinner time so it shouldn't be too bad. No dice. all the tables were full. Luckily, there was room at the sushi bar. We sat down at the bar and ordered a bunch of stuff. Lots of sashimi - can't even remember every single thing we ordered. Standouts were salmon, amaebi, and uni - which I had all to myself since I took a bunch of amateurs with me. Uni was good - not the best I ever had but good. I also got the deep-fried amaebi heads all to myself for the same reason. We also had tako wasabi which was very spicy - had to wash that down with Kirin so it wouldn't burn my mouth - that was also mostly just for me, same reason. I believe we also had cold kabocha - after having some of that dish I realized I like it much better warm. My favorite thing of the night was the thinly sliced hirame (flounder) in a special dipping sauce - I think it was ponzu and shredded daikon. Broke da mouth! Place is pricey so it broke da wallet a little too but it was worth it. Our itamae was very attentive and communicative. We had a great time and would definitely do again. Funny I thought this was one of the only Izakayas in this area but after a week of going all over town I realized you could probably drive down any main street and randomly throw stones out the window every so often and your chances of hitting an Izakaya are pretty good. I'm used to much bigger cities that have just a handful of Izakayas. For a town the size of Honolulu, it sure is saturated with Izakayas. Not complaining at all - just noticing. Even though we hoofed it over to this restaurant we could clearly see that the tiny parking lot leaves a lot to be desired - especially if you come at prime dining hours. Anyway, I Will be back here again for sure one day.

    (5)

  • Teri K.

    First time trying Imanas and will definitely be back. This is a favorite of a good friend of mine and her recommendation is spot on. We shared a sushi combo, miso butterfish and garlic clams. The service here is excellent and super friendly. The only difficult part is getting a table! We made reservations but could only book seats at the bar. But it's easy to see why the place gets so many customers. Great place!

    (5)

  • Play Paradise K.

    We heard great reviews from friends and guests, and now it was my turn. It was packed with guests on Friday night. Drinks: Asahi Super Dry, Umeshu Mizuwari (Plum wine with water) Appetizers: Seafood Dynamite, a delicious mayonnaise-based gratin Side Dishes: A well balanced Kaisou Sarada (seafood salad) and Sake Ochazuke, which was at the perfect temperature, with tender rice and a well balance salmon flavor Entrees: Hamachi and Natto nigirizushi, the Tekka makizushi, Gyutan (beef tongue), all of which were fresh, tender, and delicious Desserts: Too satisfied to order Atmosphere: Authentically Japanese, relaxing, with warm omotenashi Service: Friendly and quick. We were initially told it might take up to 30 minutes when we walked in, but were seated at the sushi bar in only 5. Our sushi chef was attentive and made pleasant conversation with all the patrons equally. I highly recommend this to any of my guests looking for a great sushi izakaya.

    (5)

  • Nicole L.

    I would add this to my list of top recs for Oahu - awesome food, good service, cool atmosphere. While the wait can be long, I think the food is worth it, so sit tight, you will soon be rewarded for your patience. We sat at the sushi bar. We ordered: a sashimi platter a la cart: hamachi, salmon, and toro, the dynamite, hamachi kama (tuna collar), kakie nigiri (oyster), and uni nigiri. Everything was spectacular. Of all the sashimi the toro was the best - fatty, sliced easily with chopsticks, melted on your tongue - we were so impressed we ordered a second order to fulfill our craving. The dynamite was a baked seafood dish that is served hot and can be eaten over rice or alone, it was flavorful and looked like a seafood creme brulee. The hamachi kama was surprisingly meaty and 4 of us were able to get a good hardy piece. Kakie nigiri was different, something I'd never tried before and I was surprised was the saltiness but it was good, wouldn't add it to my list of fav. nigiri's but would eat it again, the presentation was beautiful. We always conclude our meal with uni - to us it's like a dessert and when it's good it leave us with good flavor in our mouths. They pile on the uni good at Imanas and we were definitely happy after our first bites. The uni was super fresh, the sushi chef said it'd been flown in that morning from Santa Barbara. Quality uni that was sweet, dissolved, and left us craving more. We loved it so much we got a second order. Booya. Loved it. Loved Imana's, thanks for a good meal.

    (5)

  • Renee-Lisa L.

    Daniel Dae Kim spotting!!! Supposedly this is one of his favorite restaurants, so you may get to sit next to him like we did. I tried to be sneaky and take a picture of him but I accidentally left my flash on (guess you could say I was a bit LOST). Embarrassing much!?!! I recommend if you see him here, you don't do that =/ Anyywayy, this has got to be the best Japanese food on the island. I told Kyle I would take him anywhere for his birthday, Hy's, Morton's - anywhere, but he picked Imanas Tei (...and now I know why) Edamame - Winning They're deliciously soft, refreshing alternative to the typical crunchy soybean Garlic Steak - Winning The meat is tender and the garlic sauce has the taste of garlic without being overpowered. It also comes with a scoop of potato salad. Katsu Skewers - Winning Ask for both the miso & katsu sauce! Yellow Tail & Salmon - Winning Hamachi Kama - Winning (according to Kyle) Lots of meat! And cooked perfectly. This place is bi winning, win here, win there, win win everywhere!

    (5)

  • Hiro I.

    One of the great classic Izakaya restaurants in Hawaii if not one of the originals. It's been around a looong time and I used to actually work there as a waiter the first year it opened back in........anyway. Sushi selection is great, Kitchen items are all awesome! Kaori Chicken and Koebi Karaage is some of my favorites as well as the Miso Kushi Katsu. The chanko nabe is also always a winnder. Great Sake selection and great service. Expect to wait a while if you don't have reservations as it is always crowded but worth the wait.

    (4)

  • Angela S.

    GREAT FOOD, FAST SERVICE, FRESH INGREDIENTS. My girlfriend and I came here TWICE in the one week duration that we had in Hawaii. The first time we had their Chanko Nabe.. Highly recommended. The ingredients were fresh, and the broth tasted great (to me, but a bit salty for her!). Please keep in mind that they offer udon/rice at the end, so save some room for that ;)! The 2nd time we came here, I had the Chirashi (b) (which included Uni and Salmon Roe), and she had the assorted sashimi plate. Both were STELLAR! I love sashimi, and dont get easily impressed, but their cuts were fresh, and delicious! The oysters (which I typically HATE), were enjoyable and fresh! I really like this restaurant and highly recommend it! Thank you yelp for introducing me to this place, and I hope anyone else visiting can give this place a try ;)!

    (5)

  • Noelani C.

    This restaurant is by far one of the best on the island! They have the best nabe, the best shiokara, the best natto special, and every experience when we dine there is just amazing! The staff is wonderful, friendly, and really catering to dropping off extra napkins, refilling hot tea, taking away bowls that are empty, excellence!! I love the salmon belly, the OMAKASE is AMAZING too! Every piece of sushi has a mouth watering flavor of its own! I will always eat here weekly and my daughter loves their marinated ikura with sushi rice! Her ultimate fav!!!

    (5)

  • Amanda C.

    I went here with two dear friends for what turned out to be an amazing dinner! The parking lot is surprisingly small, and had we not lucked out with a spot right by the door, I am not sure where we would have parked...thankfully we didn't have to worry about it! One of my friends did all of the ordering, and while I am not sure of anything that we ate, all I can tell you is that is was all pretty much amazing. The King Dynamite was incredible. Here is my advice, gather some special people, order 6-8 items on the menu and share them!

    (5)

  • Carlton Y.

    Great spicy tuna that u mix and put on nori. The nabe is absolutely wonderful. A must try dish is the miso beef. Get a side of rice with this and it's almost a complete meal. Sushi is okay her fish is good quality not on part with mitch's. The potato salad is very good. Fried gobo used to be great but they cut the portion size and when they did the dish taste oilier. Might have something to do with the shape of the loaf.

    (4)

  • jeanie c.

    One of my favorite restaurant! Freshest Sashimi! Love the Salmon skin salad, spicy clams, fresh oysters, Ika gueso, deep fried bay shrimp. Everything there is super yummy : )

    (5)

  • Mami S.

    this is the best izakaya on the island. the food and service is always top notch. only bad part it can be tough to get a table immediately but that is for a good reason. the seafood dynamite and miso katsu are two of my favorites. oh and how can you forget gobo tempura amazing. than when in the mood for sushi they are top notch. really great place to spend an evening with friends. I still want to try the shabu shabu. always a reason to go back!

    (5)

  • Y M.

    Celebrated our second anniversary at Imanas last night. I requested Japanese food, so husband reserved a seat for us at the sushi bar. Well, I must say that was the best sushi I have ever had! We ordered "omakase", so the sushi chef just made us whatever he recommended for that day. He told us just to let him know when we are full. So he served us tai, hirame, mirugai, toro, amaebi, aji, katsuo, amaebi, maguro and anago (around 10 pieces each). Everything was so so fresh and beautifully presented. The toro was just melt in your mouth good and I loved the mirugai and aji and katsuo. He even fried the shrimp heads for us (really crunchy and good). After having a baby last year, I finally got to eat all my favorite sushi and my sushi craving has been taken care of. To be honest though, we were a little worried about the final bill since most of the things he served us said "market price" on the menu lol, but the sushi was less than $90 for two of us! That's a really good deal for that quality of sushi! The restaurant interior is very nice too, fancier than a regular izakaya but fairly casual. Just a nice calm ambience, great for a quiet night out.

    (5)

  • May L.

    Price - Too high Food - Okay Wait - Too long I love Kohnotori next door, much cheaper and better food!

    (3)

  • Roger L.

    I love this place! Fresh seafood for Sashimi, great services. I have been there many times!

    (5)

  • Haji M.

    I love this place. I went to 3 times already. My Fav are Sashimi Combo Seafood Dynamite Karaage These are the must !!

    (5)

  • Anna K.

    I love Imanas!!! I have been coming here for years. I even had my birthday dinner here a few years ago. I have never had a bad experience here ever. The food and service is consistently good. The wait can be long so I suggest you go early or eat a snack before you go to brave out the wait. Some of my favorite items are chirashi, fried baby shrimp, steam claims, steak, etc. This is my favorite izakaya place, hands down.

    (5)

  • Julia H.

    EXPENSIVE but worth it when you wanna treat yourself to good sushi :). SALMON SKIN SUSHI. mmm. Super fresh UNI here too.

    (5)

  • Brian L.

    My first time here. The nabe was good. The sashimi was OK. The experience was very average. I can't say i'd go out of my way for a return visit. But I wouldn't tell someone it's not a place to go.

    (3)

  • Ann K.

    Great authentic Japanese sushi bar...fresh fish...not a big fan of grilled squid..too chewy and burnt.

    (4)

  • Kat B.

    First time here, friend recommended this place for sushi, but it was difficult to find. The service was great, food came out quickly, sushi and sashimi were fresh. Over all not bad, but food was a little over priced.

    (4)

  • Chad Y.

    Imanas Tei is one of those izakaya restaurants the dot our scene that make you go this was good, service was stellar, prices are great, but there was no single item that truly stood out for me that would make me go wow. The menu offers a good selection of items including sushi, seafood, and meats that are delightfully prepared and of good quality. The sushi offers the same selection one would expect and the same robust flavors that shine with great cuts of fish and well done sauces. The crab dynamite was stellar with well cooked crab legs topped with a fantastic dynamite blend broiled on top. The service is what makes Imanas Tei shine. You never feel pressured and the service is always checking in on you in a quite, yet meaningful method that truly is appreciated. They know their menu well and deliver in a well-planned orchestration that keeps your plates full and your bellies filled. Prices are decent and not something outrageous. It is certainly more than you plate lunch, but you definitely pay for quality and well worth the price. When compared to other izakaya style establishments the price is definitely in line. Ambiance is comfortable with well done lighting, perfectly staged seating for groups or that quiet intimate discussion. Parking can be a bit tricky since their lot is small and street parking can be tough to come by. Worse case, fork out a couple of bucks and park next door at Puck's Alley (you'll thank me later). Definitely a good izakaya place that I will be sure to visit more and more!

    (4)

  • Joey C.

    This restaurant's food is on a par with those of Japan, but when two people eat and one drinks and the bill is $200, you have to ask yourself was it worth it. In my book, not really. I like sushi, but my wife doesn't. Most of the tab was for the fish, so watch what you order. You can get more for your Yen in Japan than you can for your dollar at Imanas Tei.

    (3)

  • Kristen K.

    The sushi rolls are quality, the sashimi is excellent, the drinks list is well curated - but the small plates are what I really crave - Cold Pumpkin, Seafood Gobo, Nato with quail egg, Miso Fried Tofu... You must try them!!! Imanas is probably my favorite restaurant on Oahu. The atmosphere is lively, the staff kind and helpful. Imanas has seating at the bar, a beautiful communal table and a tatami room. Call ahead if you are dining on the weekend and reserve your preferred space. I recommend reserving the communal table for large gatherings!

    (5)

  • Mitch N.

    Ordered omakase this time at the bar. The price was splendid, about $40 for about 10 pieces. That is a steal! The fish was super fresh and clean tasting.

    (5)

  • Brandon F.

    Imanas Tei is located near puck's alley on 2626 South King Street. Parking is really hard to get in the restaurant parking lot so I suggest you park in the garage. At Imanas Tei we started off with beef tongue, fried octopus, and chicken. It was all really delicious. My family decided to order the Shabu Shabu but I decided to order sashimi and sushi. I ordered hamachi, otoro, chutoro, and uni. The fish was delicious and the uni was really fresh! My family said the Shabu Shabu was great and that they especially liked the meat balls. Later, the fish bones were served deep fried, really crunchy and tasty! For dessert we all ordered the green tea ice cream. We all thought it was really good. Overall, Imanas Tei was a great restaurant.

    (5)

  • Bryce S.

    Maybe I should've braced for this, and of course this review is coming from a naive tourist, but damn the prices are more expensive than I would've ever expected. Yes, this is Hawaii, but is importing fish that much more pricey than getting them shipped to the mainland? It's a beautifully designed restaurant space, and I don't doubt this is more "authentic" than other places, but paying over $30 for about 10 thin slices of sashimi (roughly 1/5" x 1" x 2") put a dent in the experience. It wasn't even more expensive fish save for the 2 thinly-sliced pieces of toro.

    (3)

  • Breanne Y.

    When you come here, do the following: - Go on an empty stomach....if you can afford it. Your appetite will thank me for this reminder. - Make a reservation: as a former smoker, i hated sitting outside for 20 mins with all the smoke (and there's lots of it). - Walk: parking sucks. - Speak some japanese. Even if it's just a lame attempt, WE R APPRECIATE. - Sit at the sushi bar: it's much, much more entertaining. Unless you're with a large group that won't fit. Then again...that may be interesting. - Pass on the shabu shabu crap, it's just boiling water. - Order some kind of fresh fish: they have amazing quality fresh fish here. And not some spicy ahi-ish stuff either, that's not fresh. Get some nigiri sushi, or something that the chef has to cut. I was pretty blown away. - Have a drink, it makes all the people go away. - Understand where you are: there are lots of dishes, don't wear frilly-long sleeves. The servers are fairly attentive - they'll reach over your shoulder pretty often to refill your glass. Don't be surprised by this action, or they'll end up spilling something on you. I love some good fresh fish, had an awesome time there!

    (5)

  • Rob F.

    Always a good meal and great folks...be prepared to know your Japanese food. Make it a point to try the Shabu Shabu with at least a few Sake's (cold of course) and order a variety of the sushi...it is always the freshest and best cuts...

    (4)

  • Christine W.

    Excellent Japanese food!

    (5)

  • Brendon G.

    Booyah. The real deal. Sat at the sushi bar and had the works, up to an including Uni, which was fabulously fresh. Best sushi we had in Hawai'i. Sort of tucked away, but worth the journey!

    (5)

  • Mark G.

    I really love Imanas Tei, at least I used to. I used to go there every week; at least. I don't think it has changed much, I might have burned out on it. Their Chanko Nabe is the best. What a treat! I always have to bring a few friends because I really want to get to the end when all the rice and egg gets dumped into the remaining broth to make the porriage. (I know there is a proper Japanese name for it but I don't remember what it is). You'll usually have to wait to get in at Imanas unless you go late. Their Fried Miso Tofu is also great. I love the touch of hot mustard that they provide, it adds such a nice little kick to the flavor. I've never had anything bad at Imanas and the service is great.

    (4)

  • K N.

    The miso beef is so good especially if you like miso. I also really enjoyed the unagi/avocado roll. The gobo/seafood tempura is something different and interesting. Bonito tataki, hamachi and amaebi were amazing. Only downfall was that it was so busy and service was not the greatest but overall, wonderful experience.

    (4)

  • S L.

    This is a great place with a comfortable and sleek setting with a Japanese flair. The food is very authentic. You need to try the Chanko Nabe. Its good if you have 3 - 4 people for the Chanko Nabe. The broth is delicious and well done which makes this shabu shabu so great! Also request for their udon with your Chanko Nabe - it has the perfect elasticity and texture.

    (5)

  • Damian L.

    The service at this restaurant is outstanding. Our waiter was extremely friendly and attentive. The chanko nabe was delicious and when the waiter poured rice in the leftover soup......delicious. The sashimi was fresh and tasty, especially the toro. Overall, I would go to Imanas again, but I'd prefer to check out the comparable sushi restaurants in the area. When compared to my favorite places in Los Angeles in Japan, Imanas holds it's own, but doesn't set itself apart.

    (4)

  • Masami A.

    This place is great - Izakaya style - i feel like im in japan - Good job!

    (4)

  • Lan L.

    This is a hidden treasure for tourists....great authentic japanese food for very very decent price. You have to try the Chonku-Nabe, it's a hotpot of a bunch of combination. Customer service is awesome too!!! The only negative is the tiny parking lot...but it's worth it guys!

    (4)

  • Christine G.

    This is the place. Anytime my husband and I come home. (We live in California now) We have to go to Imanas Tei. The nabe is awesome! It is a must. Get the nabe and some sushi. This place is pricey by local standards, but it is worth it. The surroundings are intimate and the service is great! Come early of make a reservation. But if you have to wait...IT IS WORTH IT!!!!

    (5)

  • Jane S.

    Yum! This place realigns your tastebuds for sushi. I cant eat store-bought sushi now because of it - but thats a good thing! it was busy and the waitstaff couldnt really handle it, but i liked the food enough to overlook it. they need more waiters so that everyone can be tended-to, i wouldve ordered more and drank more if i was asked more frequently,

    (3)

  • Janice S.

    Fantastic Japanese restaurant! The service is great, and so is the food!

    (5)

  • Boki C.

    sushi was fresh, portions were great, service was good. nice decor. parking... it's on king street, deal w/ it.

    (5)

  • Katie H.

    Tried to go there to eat. Called them and their person who answered the phone was exceedingly rude. But did get the fact that they had open seating after 7pm. Went there and couldn't find them. Called them from the corner parking lot across the street and she couldn't give me directions, but again was rude.! Their building is hidden from the street because it is situated behind another and off the street. Dropped my party off and found parking and joined them. This place came with high recomendations. This same lady was extremely rude ordering us to sit down and wait for one hour. When I went to inquire about reservations for another day she just blanket stated they were all full! Again ordered me to sit down and wait. At that I had enough and my party left. She yelled after us... no just sit down and wait for one hour. I think not. Their food may be good, I won't find out because they are RUDE, RUDE, RUDE!!!! Don't go there unless you want to be treated rude.

    (1)

  • Sasha-sparkle y.

    i love imanas tei!! everything here is awesome. the sushi, the shabu shabu and all the little izakaya dishes are yummy!!! it's fun to go here with a bunch of people so that you can order several dishes and share. you can eat, drink, go outside smoke a cigarette, come back in, eat, drink, chill, hang out.......... the only drawback is that it's small and it gets crowded so on a busy night you might have to wait for a table. i think they take reservations if you eat before 7 pm or something like that. but who eats that early especially when meeting friends? some dishes i recommend: katsu with miso sauce and the steak. the sushi is awesome too. the funny thing is i told my husband about this restaurant but he only believed me about how good and authentic it was after talking to sam at sushi sam's in san mateo. sam says this is the best izakaya in hawaii. how can you go wrong with that recommendation????? and they're open till midnight.

    (5)

  • Nana K.

    This was my #1 place to eat before I left Hawaii. Although Manabu san is not there anymore, I will stil go there for their awesome chanko nabe. My girlfriends and I went there last night and had a blast. Good company, good food. Definitely a place I miss the most when I am back in NYC.

    (5)

  • Reina M.

    you want izakaya, you come to imas tei.

    (5)

  • Yun Y.

    one of my favorite shabu shabu places,,,as for the sushi not too impressed. i still go there though...since there selection is pretty good and nowadays you don't have to wait that long.

    (4)

  • Miye I.

    Love the food. Try the nabe! It's huge.

    (4)

  • Karen L.

    This is my favorite place for sushi! It's always cool to sit at the sushi bar, because you can see everything being made. My most favorite things to order are the hamachi, otoro, amaebi, and unagi nigiri! Also tried the stewed miso beef which was tender and yummy! For the special that night, there was butterfish belly grilled.... which we mistakenly heard from the server as being butterfish barely grilled. So we were surprised when this different part of the fish came out, but it was a good mistake! I think they prepare it just the same way as the regular grilled misoyaki butterfish, just not as charred. The belly part was soooo soft!!! I hope they have this again the next time we go. We always end dinner with the azuki bean ice cream for dessert. I think the server told us it's from Bubbies, but it's still good! Don't have anything bad to say about Imanas, except maybe the server can be better about refilling tea.

    (5)

  • andy s.

    Best sushi restaurant east of Japan. Great service, and reasonably priced. Expect a wait, but its worth it... if you can find it!

    (5)

  • Sharon W.

    I'm a huge fan of this place! My only wish was that my vacation was longer, so I could go back to Imanas-Tei. On our vacation we tried all the highly recommended Izakaya places, and Imanas Tei was definitely my favorite. The service was attentive and fish was so fresh. The only draw back to the place was parking was tough and the restaurant was kind of hard to spot. We ordered the sashimi special, a hamachi kama, ika, uni, umechazuke and green tea ice cream. The meal was very satisfying and there were plenty of Japanese speaking customer who ordered other great things that I would definitely try another time.

    (5)

  • Mary L.

    This place was awesome! One of our servers at the hotel we were staying at recommended this place to us and we were so glad she did! They do not take reservations, or at least not for 2 people, so we had to wait about 20 minutes for a table- no big deal. The restaurant is pretty small but very nice. They had the best sushi I have ever had (granted I live in Chicago...). We did not try the shabu shabu but we watched everyone else and it looked really good. For all the seafood we ate our tab was not as bad as I thought it would be so that was a nice surprise! I will definitely go back and next time we WILL try the shabu shabu!

    (5)

  • Diane K.

    Imanas is THE BEST Japanese restaurant IMHO. There are just a couple of cons about this place, one being that it's difficult to find parking and the other is that it's hard to get a table without waiting 30 mins to an hour. This is however one of a few places that I'm willing to wait a LONG time for a table... What I've found though is that if you get there between 5 and 6 during the week, you can usually grab seats at the sushi bar. The only drawback is that you can't order the "cook at your table" dishes like the Nabe which is ok because there's lots of other yummy things on the menu. The dishes I love are of course the Nabe, the sashimi for 2 - 3 people(approx 25 pieces of fish including, ahi, hamchi, salmon, sometimes a seared ahi, some other thing that my BF always eats), the seafood tower (I call it that but I'm not sure about the actual name of this dish but it's a tower of fried seafood and gobo), spicy ahi roll, butterfish and many many more. The fish is always fresh and the waitstaff and sushi chefs are all really nice. I could go to Imanas every week if I could afford it! :)

    (5)

  • Dave C.

    Freaking awesome izakaya. Awesome food and drinks. Of mention was the Lobster dynamite, king crab, and hamachi kama (baked yellowtail collar). As others have mentioned, definitely make reservations (they ask you to wait at the benches outside). Our particular waiter was a real cool guy, recommended some great seafood dishes that just arrived that morning, and imparted that he owns an indie hip hop record label and also started a hawaii nightlife website ( dosomethingtonight.com ). Bring a bunch of friends, an empty stomach, and get ready to drink beer for hours on end.

    (5)

  • Maiya M.

    One of my new favorite restaurants!!!! Imanas has a wide selection of dishes to choose from, and the prices are pretty affordable! My boyfriend and I came here for his birthday, it's important to make reservations if you want to get seated quickly...the restaurant opens at 5 and there were some people that actually wait outside the doors before they opened! The parking isn't all that great, but you can find street parking nearby. The service is excellent and the waitresses are friendly! We ordered: -katsu sticks (DELICIOUS) -2 misoyaki butterfish (YUM) -potato salad -2 servings of hamachi nigiri -2 servings of salmon nigiri -2 bowls of rice -geso karaage -Green tea ice cream The total for all of this was only $60. Not bad, I say! We left very satisfied and full!

    (5)

  • Alice R.

    Wow. What a hidden little jewel on King St. Went here early on a Wednesday evening. We were immediately greeted by the host who was a little frazzled we didn't have reservations AND it was already busy at 6pm. After confirming we didn't have a reservation, she seated us right away. If you come here, 1) Make a reservation and 2) You want to sit on the inside table and take in the beautiful wood interior and decor. However, a seat at the sushi bar will also get you access to the delicious menu offerings. The service here is excellent.

    (5)

  • Elbert K.

    This place had great flavor and the food was on point. I had ordered the omakase, which is basically a tasting from the chef's best stuff of the day. The toro (fatty tuna belly) was delicious, but then again when is toro not delicious. They had also given a few pieces of unni (sea urchin). The clams are a fantastic treat. Slightly briney to remind you it's from the ocean, but not so that it feels like they got it from the ala wei (dirty stream that runs next to waikiki). The full factor was about a 6 out of 10. I was full, but I had to pay for it. The one problem I had was that the waiter had no clue what was going on. We had ordered two orderes of omakase and this single plate came out with two pieces of everything and he told us that was our order. In actuality, it was only one order. I would chalk this up to a freak coincidence, but in general that night he wasn't on his best a-game. It didn't seem like anyone else was having as much trouble with him, so I won't hold it against the restaurant.

    (4)

  • Ryen L.

    The BEST Japanese Restaurant on Oahu This is true Japanese food done very well. Imanas spoils my family. It is now hard to eat at other Japanese restaurants without having something to complain about. I have eaten here very often and have had everything on the menu. The sushi is of extremely high quality (I always order Maguro, Ika with Shiso, Soft-Shell Crab, and Salmon-Skin handroll). Izakayas are traditionally meant as a place where you meet, drink, and eat many small appetizers. This is the concept (those many small appetizers can end up costing a lot of money. For those who don't want to spend too much, the Shabushabu is exquisite here and only $20/person. The service is very hospitable and friendly (but you may not be able to benefit from it if you don't speak Japanese). Make sure to make reservations (they recommend 2 weeks in advance). My family never makes reservations, but we go right when it opens and avoid the line. The restaurant does not have many seats and due to the style of Izakaya, you may end up waiting outside for a long time.

    (5)

  • Blake M.

    Went here again last week: Food: while the king crab dynamite is excellent, the seafood dynamite was too rich and heavy for 3 of us to share...fried tofu (with ponzu sauce) is ok, wouldn't get it again...much better at morio's. Udon remained tasty, sushi still refreshing, tonkatsu sticks were good too, I would definitely get it again; thick, not oily or fatty. They had a spicy hamachi special...definitely ask for it. Our server was attentive and threw in extra shiso for free. However, they messed up our bill three times, charging and voiding and charging the wrong card again and again. We went on a friday and NOTE: from 5-7 it is reservations only so we waited from 6:15 until 7 to get seated...even the bar area is reservations only...according to them that day anyway. Also, parking on a Friday is a pain in the butt...ended up parking on the back road running right under the freeway...accessed from university or by driving straight through the driveway of Imanas. I still think for the price there are better places out there.

    (3)

  • Ed K.

    imanas is still there. didn't used to be as busy as it is now. used to go there after work for dinner and drinks. food is really good. crowd is propper, younger and less fob. itz traditional for them to enter and rearrange my world and rock it with suspense, action, thrills have their way w/ me in any which way and be out and act like nothing even happenned and deny me from returning. should i forget what happenned and continue on the way i was going? are u going to be around? next time ill go when its not busy.. set a timer. wait for it.. wait for it... haha..XZ

    (5)

  • Kimi A.

    best spicy clam ever, to die for!!! customer service is great too...great food, great sake great sashimi...love love love

    (5)

  • Katrice K.

    I went here with my boyfriend to try the amazing sushi everyone talked about. The only problem is I'm not a huge sushi fan so I lived vicariously through my boyfriend who is a huge sushi fan. He looked so exciting after receiving his order of otoro and the expression on his face was priceless when he took his first bite. He also ordered the uni, masage (which was nice and salty and crunchy), hamachi, and mirugai. He liked all of them. For me we ordered the salmon chazuke, miso katsu, and garlic clams. The salmon chazuke was fantastic and miso katsu was interesting with an amazing sauce. The garlic clams were ok, but not up to the standards of the other food. All the food was well prepared with quality ingredients and I definitely want to go back to try other dishes and maybe even try a few sushi.

    (4)

  • Kalani S.

    Very traditional setting from the bar to the dining area. The food was more than what I expected. The way how I scored this restaurant was by 3 challenging dishes they are uni, Saba, & Hamachi 1. Uni fresh as if it came out of the ocean. 2. Saba very well made with no frozen flavors. 3. Hamachi it taste as fresh as it gets. The reviews on this place is spot on and will definite be back many more times. Kudos

    (5)

  • Carol K.

    Decent sashimi. We ordered the sashimi combination and I liked the tuna and salmon but a bit disappointed with the others. Maybe my expectations were too high but I do recommend the tuna and salmon sushi.

    (4)

  • Alt K.

    Their garbage cans smell of rot fish if you have to walk over and their parking sucks, but luckily Pucks Alley is nearby and provides a reasonably priced place to leave your car. For the price Imanas sushi was terrific! We particularly enjoyed their hamachi and uni which was fresh, fatty, and oh so flavorful! I recommend the Assorted Sushi Plate (B) for a nice selection of the good stuff, but sit at the sushi bar and ask the sushiya if you want their best stuff. This place gets busy so come early or make reservations.

    (4)

  • Shu Jin S.

    Came here with my family (party of six) on a Friday at 6pm for dinner...I was genuinely surprised that we were able to secure a reservation on Tuesday of that week, but it helps to get there early. Here's what we had: - Eggplant Agedashi (super delicious) - Seafood Dynamite (too much mayo) - Sashimi platter (decent) - Gobo Kakiage (MUST order) - Chanko Nabe (meats, Korean mochi, beef, meatballs, EXCELLENT Udon) - Yellow Tail Kama (grilled, SUPER delicious) - Junmai Ginko sake was delicious, and I took the bottle home since I couldn't finish - Fried squid legs: my nephew devoured them. My Dad did ask for fresh wasabi at one point and it's WAY spicier than what you're getting at the table. Yum. Dessert options were limited -- red bean or green tea ice-cream. Our server deserved a medal. He was incredibly patient, he made really smart recommendations (we literally had the PERFECT amount of food) and also advised us on how to order in the most economical way. All in, it was $149 to feed a party of six. I look forward to visiting again on future trips to Oahu!

    (5)

  • Nancy K.

    Good food, good price and came out food very fast. We are very enjoyed. Just want to have more parking and more easy to get in.

    (4)

  • Tom T.

    Good food. Sometimes ok waiter. Japanese style bar, good design, relaxing place. Taishou is very good guy. I will recommend their sushi and nabe

    (4)

  • Mik O.

    Imanas Tei is a long time Izakaya-style restaurant in Honolulu that can be relied on for good food and friendly service. It lacks surrounding parking, but there is a structure nearby that is reasonable. The food is tasty and seasoned well - items like Gyutan are grilled and sliced thin to perfection. Sushi rolls are a great value, and mix a variety of flavors and sometimes textures, i.e. tobiko with salmon skin, to create a delicious bite, without resorting to ridiculous local trends by some hack sushi chefs like putting chili oil over everything! Also known for good nabe, though there are many other cheaper and specialized places in Honolulu, still good enough to try... Service here is in line with what you'd expect in a traditional Japanese restaurant, welcoming and courteous if you are dissapointed in a dish. I had agedashi tofu and truth be told it wasn't the best. Sometimes tofu quality can suffer and it tasted a little "wooden"...the waitress was apologetic and removed it from our bill. Easy and professional. Pricing is on the upper average range, though some items are a steal like cut sushi rolls... Always pleased to come here and with an intimate, dimly lit, cozy ambiance to boot...perfect drinking environment when cruising with a date or a group of friends.

    (4)

  • Madge N.

    I'm not happy with the parking situation. They open at 6pm and close at midnite. My doctors office is next door and closes at 5. Yet all day long no one can park in the stalls. AUWE!!

    (1)

  • Pkca M.

    Went here on a Thursday night around 8pm with my boyfriend. I should first and foremost mention the issue of parking here. It's a tiny lot with no more than 15 stalls, all of which are shared with the Kohnotori Yakitori place next door. Luckily my friend and I were able to snag a stall the second time around after passing through an entirely full lot the first time. I suggest either street parking or, like others have said, park in the Puck's Alley lot. The wait wasn't bad at all, maybe about 15 minutes. The interior of the restaurant was nicely dimmed, was a cool temperature (honestly AC is so important in my opinion), and the seats and tables are nicely spaced out. We ordered hamachi kama, tekka maki, tamago nigiri (which turned out to be my favorite), nameko miso soup, fried baby shrimp, assorted sushi B (we ordered this twice because it was so good and so cheap), grilled beed tongue, and mentaiko maki (?), and one other maki with shiso in it. Everything was very good; standard Japanese bar food. Service was pretty good too. The man at the register was always greeting incoming customers and thanking leaving customers. The servers were 3 women, all of whom were quite friendly. I definitely plan on coming back! There's so many other things I want to try!

    (4)

  • Diana L.

    I am a huge fan of sushi. Imanas has been on my Yelp Bookmarked list for a while now and I figured it was time to satisfy my sushi craving. First tip: make reservations. Good luck if you want to walk in. This place gets so busy! I had called 3 days prior and got reservations for a Wednesday night. Was seated right away. Their service is wonderful. Very attentive and always making sure we were okay. Their sushi: excellent. However, hardcore Imanas patrons might get upset with me for this... I liked Gaku better. The menu is a little more diverse and bold. Imanas tends to be a little more "traditional" in a general sense. Nonetheless, the sushi is still superb. Ordered some Uni, Sashimi Platter for Two, and Beef Tongue. Oishii! If you're craving sushi and want some value for some good quality sushi, try Imanas out.

    (4)

  • Kyung R.

    Their food was very fairly priced for dinner. Wr ended up having the assorted sushi, fried chicken, toro, udon and spider roll. The miso soup imo was quite bland. Their sushi pieces were decent. The best piece of nigiri was some unknown fish which melted in your mouth. Roll wise, the spider was pretty good but nothing to write home about. While the food wasn't spectacular, it was quite serviceable. However, anybody would be foolish to pass up on the pricing of this place. I'm too used to east coast pricing, so this place was downright cheap in my mind. I only gave this place 3 stars because their uni was sorely lacking. Avoid that here, but at least their toro was good.

    (3)

  • Kevin C.

    I'm sure my mercury levels were already sky-high after eating sushi the night before, but once again my sushi cravings were strong enough that I found myself taking some risks in eating some weirder styles of sushi like sea urchin (uni) and salmon eggs. I was unprepared for the slimy texture of the sea urchin paste and came close to spitting it out but stomached it in front of the sushi chef. I was the only white dude there--the sure sign of a good Japanese restaurant.

    (5)

  • Yummy T.

    Auwe! Heard such good things about this place but it was a serious disappointment. You never want to have your chutoro sashimi actually smell fishy. Hamachi and salmon not fresh either. Eggplant was good. So very disappointed. Could not even finish all the sashimi or nigiri. Service and staff friendly. But can't go back if fish quality not consistent. I should have read all the reviews first instead of just looking at the star rating.

    (2)

  • Jayden L.

    I had the chirashi bowl, the fish was really fresh and I will definitely be coming back.

    (5)

  • Aaron Koichi C.

    What can I say. I cry every time I think of eating here. It's like a long lost love or something. Everyone is so nice and they make you feel so at home. The food is spectacular! Best Japanese restaurant in Hawaii. You'll cry and melt when the miso yaks butter fish touches your tongue. Chicken skin down my back!!!

    (5)

  • Sean C.

    parking: private lot, didn't have issues finding parking here. There's also some street parking around cost: $50 per person reservations: recommended they take reservations between 5-7pm but they fill up fast then it becomes first come first serve. We showed up at 5:15pm with a party of 2 and were seated promptly. However, a party of 4 showed up right after us and were turned away. The food: - Gobo kakiage - hamachi and o-toro sashimi - seafood dynamite - grilled beef tongue - king crab dynamite - squid and uni - fried tofu I just love the ambiance of this place! You feel like you've been transported to Japan. Quiet and unassuming and provides a tranquil and calm dining experience. There's a nice amount of dim lighting that would be perfect for a romantic dinner. All the tables and seats of made of wood with a central seating area that's bench style. In the back you have floor seating and near the entrance is the bar. The star of my meal was definitely the king crab dynamite. It's quite a unique dish that I haven't found elsewhere. It's just the right amount of creaminess. I found the gobo a slight letdown. It tasted like any fried vegetable, and I didn't find it that special. The seafood dynamite was good, it can be a little heavy but the first couple of bites are simply amazing. The grilled beef tongue was a let down. It was too moist with not enough crispiness in my opinion. Overall, an ideal place to take a date or a small group of friends. I've found better food at other Izakaya establishments but the ambiance and mood of this place makes up for it! I will have to come back for the nabe!

    (4)

  • Stephanie L.

    I came here twice and both times I was pleasantly satisfied. The service is slow, but hey, they were extremely nice and friendly. What do you expect from a quaint home-y restaurant? Both times the fish was fresh and delicious! My favorite is hands down the hamachi nigiri. It is so buttery and good! My second favorite would have to be the dynamite! It comes out piping out and layers so nicely in-between bites of seared beef tongue and assorted sashimi! Another dish that I quite enjoy is the misoyaki butterfish. It is HOT and glazed well in miso. The portion of the fish is on the smaller side, but hey, the fish literally flakes into pieces with you piece it with your chopstick. I love it. I love it so much. I would definitely come back, and, I look forward to dining here again!

    (5)

  • Tommy C.

    Don't go into the wrong restaurant next door. Make reservations in advance for a group of 5 or more. Sashimi was super fresh. Chanko nabe is as good as people say. Lively but laid back atmosphere. Excellent selection of Japanese sake and beer.

    (5)

  • Tee V.

    They have Natto on the menu. That is a good indicator of an authentic Japanese restaurant. Good sushi (I am used to mine cold, these are warm and soft, yet fresh and tasty) Seafood dynamite a must try. Grilled beef toungue was good. Small portion, thin slices. Excellent green tea ice cream. Buttered clams was a bit disappointing bc it weren't thoroughly cooked: garlics were still raw, butter didnt bring out the flavor. Clams were fresh though. Great service. Great ambiance. Great interior decor. Limited parking. Door to the restaurant a little tough to spot, like to a secret sushi society.

    (4)

  • Jenny K.

    * NOT FRESH - FOOD POISONING ALERT * * SHAME ON THE CHEFS!!! ...to serve dark orange colored SB uni... * * go for the cooked food if you dine here * we were gravely disappointed since we rave about how authentic japanese restaurants are in honolulu. ordered: premium chirashi viniagrette octopus oyster ponzu jelly sushi salmon chasuke when the chirashi arrived, we saw that the uni was a dark orange color. many times, the waitress is nowhere to be seen. if she were around more, we would have asked where the uni came from but she wasn't. so we ate it. thought that it may have been south american uni?? when we finally asked, we found out it was santa barbara uni.. UH-OH!!! that's a TERRIBLE SIGN since we know what santa barbara uni should look and taste. needless to say, my poor husband got food poisoning from the uni. =( it was our first dinner in waikiki. (i only had a small piece) also, the oyster was fishy.. and look at the sushi that was served to us versus the other people's photos of the same thing. you be the judge. on top of that, we waited a VERY LONG TIME for the oyster sushi. we think that they made a mistake and gave it to someone else. so you would think that they would make it extra nice since we waited about 20 minutes for a two piece sushi, but no.. look at my photo again. yelp.com/biz_photos/iman… SHAME ON THE CHEFS!!! they must've knew that the uni was not fresh. THEY SHOULD KNOW BETTER. THEY SHOULDN'T HAVE SERVED UNI THAT WAS NOT FRESH!!! and FISHY OYSTERS!!! BEYOND DISAPPOINTED.

    (1)

  • Kimi C.

    Roach infested. Apparently, their roaches aren't afraid to approach customers even when there isn't any food. Also, service was poor for having multiple servers around with only 3 tables.

    (1)

  • Brandon S.

    Wow, I've been coming here for years and didn't realize that I hadn't written a review for Imanas-Tei yet. What was I thinking? I was probably too busy stuffing my face with all the great food they have to offer here. If you can get around the limited parking and long wait (if you didn't think ahead to make a reservation) then there is absolutely no reason why this shouldn't be on your list of places to hit when you think Japanese Izakaya. Sushi, okazu, fried, grilled, raw, whatever you eat here it'll make you smile. Like seeing a unicorn smile. Never ordered the Chanko nabe from here yet? You're missing out on magical goodness. Go with a bigger party so you can try more dishes on top of the chanko nabe. Hot date? You'll impress him/her with this place. They'll love the sushi and all the other things you order from here. A perfect dinner would be some sushi, a couple side dishes and the chanko nabe. Did I also mention that you can come on the later side and settle your belly with some Ochazuke? Park at Puck's Alley if you can't find parking. Go get validated at Nijiya market place after buying a few breath mints. Or you can chance it by waiting out the parking attendant who will sometimes be out by 7pm. They leave the gate up after that and you can leave the lot w/o having to pay. Smooth.

    (5)

  • Kit W.

    Imanas Tei is fantastic! I have heard of this place for years now and finally came here for my birthday a few weeks ago. I was so excited about coming here that I must have spent at least an hour looking through reviews and pictures in the days leading up to my birthday xD The ambiance is lovely with the low light and red/orange hues against the wood furniture. We were seated at the community table but there was enough room between parties so that it still felt relatively private. We noticed there was a small tatami mat room at the back of the restaurant. Not sure if you have to come in a group to reserve a table in there but neat that they have that option. We couldn't wait to try their food and eagerly ordered the Sashimi Platter (for 1 person), Seafood Dynamite, Spicy Tuna Roll, and rice. I know it doesn't sound like it was a lot but we were both full after! The sashimi was incredibly fresh and a great deal at $19.95. The dynamite was indeed as good as everyone says...unbelievably intense in flavor and the mayo is not at all overwhelming. I couldn't stop eating it haha. The spicy tuna roll was simple but delicious. According to other reviewers, Imanas Tei gives you a free green tea ice cream for your birthday. The person who took our reservation even asked for the name of the birthday person. We would have chosen Imanas Tei for my birthday even if they didn't give a birthday dessert but the fact that they offer it made me look forward to it. When we finished eating, we waited around for a while but nobody came by to take away the dishes and ask if we needed anything. We looked around for our waitress and finally noticed she was held up with on a table in the tatami mat room. We decided it's not a big deal to not get the ice cream...Bubbies was right down the street xD Imanas Tei is popular so it's best to make a reservation. They take reservations starting two weeks in advance but only for seating prior to 7pm. After 7pm, it's first-come, first-served.

    (4)

  • Qing L.

    It's feels like you are in Japan. Food is super authentic, delicate and tasty. Sashimi is so fresh. The saki is definitely the best I have ever had in my life. The oyster dish is so so so delicious. Garlic steak is also amazing. EVERYTHING WE ORDERED WAS JUST AWESOME!!!! Parking lot in front of the restaurant was very small, but there is a big parking structure which was free too.

    (5)

  • Krysten I.

    I had been wanting to try imanas tei for quite some time. It is one of my friend's favorite place for good sushi. It's a little on the pricier side, but I definitely think you get what you pay for in terms of quality. Imanas tei is located on king street, between the post office/ gas station and pucks alley. It's a little hard to see from the street, so drive slowly. There is a little parking lot in front, but it fills up fast. There is also usually a line during peak dining times. My friend and I shared a few sushi combo plates and an udon. The food was delish. The fish was fresh and he service was above average. The waitress checked on us frequently and was pleasant and accommodating. When we went up to the cashier to pay, the older people working the cashier were appreciative and nice too. I'll be back, especially when I'm feeling a little more wealthy. ;)

    (4)

  • Malia H.

    OMG, I just began my relationship with Imana's and I'm already attached like a needy girlfriend. I made a reservation for two, a week in advance, it was for a week night so no sweat. I have heard some horror stories about large parties and making reservations on the , you need plenty of advance notice. I was also a bit anxious about the parking situation as there's less than 10 stalls they share with Kohnotori and everyone warned me if its full, I have to find street parking. And everyone knows this is not the easiest feat. No Pucks Alley parking either. These are two major hiccups I do not like, advanced reservations and parking issues...however I heard great things so I was willing to look beyond and give Imana's a try. So we got there an hour before our reservation at around 530pm, luckily they took us early and we scored a parking stall in the lot. This dinner was starting out fabulous. The service was excellent from all the staff who all seem to be Japanese nationals. One thing I noticed was it seemed like they wanted to get you in and out, no dallying which would turn off most people. I like to get in and and out at a place so I was content. The waitress was there a couple minutes after we were seated and bam the food was there shortly after. The restaurant is small with a private room and sushi bar. It's very cute and has a romantic ambiance. yelp.com/biz_photos/iman… yelp.com/biz_photos/iman… This is a family style restaurant which I love since I'm so indecisive and love to share food, well depending on who my dinner date is. So heres the dish about the dishes... shochu with green apple - yummy and not too overpowering. I only had one since I had to focus on the food. yelp.com/biz_photos/iman… grilled beef tongue $9.50- grilled perfectly and not too thin. Loved it. yelp.com/biz_photos/iman… garlic buttered clams $12.50- the clams were huge and practically fell out of the shell. The broth was pure buttery goodness that had to be slurped. yelp.com/biz_photos/iman… stewed miso based beef $5.50- this was an interesting dish. It was very tasty but a little salty for my tastes. Make sure to top your beef with a bunch of negi, it enhances the flavor more IMO. yelp.com/biz_photos/iman… skewered katsu with special katsu sauce $6 - the katsu was tender and who doesn't love anything on a stick. Yum! yelp.com/biz_photos/iman… grilled calamari shio $9.50 - this dish was ok, not too flavorful. But love that you get rings and tentacles. yelp.com/biz_photos/iman… salmon skin roll $9.50 - loved the roll. The salmon skin was crispy and went well with the tobiko. yelp.com/biz_photos/iman… spider roll $12.50- the soft shell crab was oishii! It went perfectly with the slivers of avocado in the roll. yelp.com/biz_photos/iman… assorted sashimi for one person $19.50- a tray of art. The fish was fresh and melted as you ate it. I do wish the pieces were more thinly sliced. I enjoy thin sliced sashimi more than the chunky variation. yelp.com/biz_photos/iman… And the Pièce de résistance... The grilled butterfish with miso sauce $13.50 - my favorite dish and what I've been told I HAD to have. I enjoyed almost everything I ate here, I didn't love everything but nothing was bad at all. But this dish, it is what made my relationship bloom with Imana's. It was good size piece, not fishy, no bones and very moist. This is a must get dish. yelp.com/biz_photos/iman… I think we over ordered. I was so full but happy. I literally had tears well up in my eyes. Talk about an awesome first time. I came in with high expectations and Imana's did not disappoint. yelp.com/biz_photos/iman… And this is the story about how my relationship began with Imana's.

    (5)

  • Carrie G.

    Imanas, I love you. I really really do. No other izakaya compares. When everyone around you is speaking Japanese, you know it's legit. The decor is really nice, service is excellent, but its the food that keeps us coming back. The fried foods are delish. Portions are generous, and I highly recommend the chicken katsu skewers. The simple green salad (no relation to the cleaning spray) is a large shareable portion and its very delicious. Miso soup is packed with tofu and wakame. My favorite is the miso butterfish. It's expensive and a small portion but it tastes amazing and its always perfectly cooked. The sushi is always fresh, and not outrageously priced. The spider roll wasn't my favorite, and they don't really do the extravagant kinds of sushi rolls that other places do, so you're best bet is to order sashimi, chirashi or another sushi combo and trust the chef vs. ala cart. Nice selection of beer, wine and sake.

    (5)

  • Tracy Y.

    One of the top Japanese Restaurant on Oahu. Very tasty good quality food at reasonable prices. Only bad thing about this place, sometimes hard to get a table. The best times to go is 530p when they open or after 830p. Anything you order will probable be good, but our favorites are the spicy tuna Handroll-(too die for), tonkatsu skewers, Misoyaki butterfish and Seafood Dynamite to name a few.

    (5)

  • Erin N.

    By far one of the better izakaya's in town!! Everything is always so fresh when we come here! Sushi is never a disappointment! I'm not by any means a sushi snob. I just know what I like and imanas always satisfies my craving!! Hamachi, uni and amaebi are some of my absolute faves, along with oyster ponzu. Along with their sushi being super fresh, prices are very reasonable here compared to other places.....where amaebi can cost upwards of $14 an order, YIKES! Another thing I love about this place is their service!! Everyone is always so friendly from when you are greeted as you walk in the door by a cute bachan lady who, looks like will rip you a new one if you cross her; to the sushi chefs at the sushi counter if you are lucky enough to sit there, or even the servers who tend to the tables in the dining room side. Even if it's busy, there's always servers running around the room who you can easily get the attention of if need be. Back to their menu. This is a great place for picky eaters bc they have something for everyone, literally! Raw fish, cooked fish, chicken, beef, shabu, nabe, chazuke, fried foods, grilled foods, salads. Will def be coming here for years to come!!

    (5)

  • DJ Nocturna R.

    I love Japanese food and Imanas is one of my favorite places to go. The owner is always there to greet you when you come in and the cute woman who echoes his warmth and friendly smile. When you come in- be ready for everyone to look at you because they acknowledge your entrance with doozo , hait te kudasai ! and when you leave they say doomo arigatoo gozai masu ! The food is great, unagi, seafood dynamite, sushi, sashimi, miso soup, pickles and one of the few places I would order uni. - everything in the menu is perfectly made fresh. Their shochu and sake are the best and you must have it when you dine with Japanese food.

    (5)

  • Brandon N.

    Great place and very cozy. The food is fresh and delicious! And nice on the pockets. Helps to make a reservation. Hardest thing is the parking! Will Def be back again!

    (4)

  • Jody C.

    I'll start off by saying that I had really high expectations of this place based on the 4.5 stars on yelp. Having said that, this place is just OKAY. The prices are reasonable, so I can see why it can get busy. Based on all the yelp reviews, I knew I had to order the Dynamite. I don't understand why people like the dynamite here. It was way TOO sweet, creamy, and too many different types of seafood in one dish! I didn't know if I was eating the clam/oyster/fish/lobster? And the menu doesn't list the items in the dynamite dish. Since we sat at the sushi bar, we could not order the hot pot (chanko nabe) which was a bummer. So, we just order a bunch of sushi- spicy tuna roll, sweet shrimp, yellowtail, and unagi. The sashimi tasted fresh, and the rice was slightly on the warm side. We also ordered some appetizers: chicken karagee and agedashi tofu. I suggest you not to order these items, they're not that good. Total for 2 came to about $70. I noticed that alot of tables were ordering the kumamoto oysters, which looked delicious, but since we were here for vacation.. we didn't want to risk getting any food poisoning. Imanas Tei has their own parking lot, even though it's very small - it can fit about 6 cars max. I would explore other Japanese restaurants next time I'm in town before coming back here again.

    (3)

  • Tiffinie K.

    I really like this Japanese restaurant. In particular, I like the quality of the sushi. I went on Monday earlier this week, the salmon was so delicious we ordered more than one set several times. I'll gladly pay the price. This restaurant is so popular that you need reservations in advance to eat there...either that or wait forever to get in. The parking is free, but very limited. The service is quite good as well. They are fast, and very friendly. Five stars. Definitely go there again, but maybe for a more special occasion.

    (5)

  • Denise M.

    Yes the parking will suck...try looking on the street in the back of Puck's Alley. Go after 9:00PM if you don't want to wait for at least 30 minutes. If you have to wait go next door to the 7-11, grab a beer and hang out by the stairs. But once you are in there, YUM. The sushi is worth waiting for. My favorite right now if creamy uni and I have not been disappointed yet. There a sushi combo B that is $28(?) and worth it. If you order nigiri one at a time, it can get pricey quickly. I'm not a nabe fan but it is good here as well.

    (4)

  • L A.

    Shame on me that I didn't write the review right away. Now I can't remember all the dishes: Miso sauce fried tofu - so yummy. This & a bowl of rice, and I have a meal. salmon belly - how can you go wrong, other than the fact we had this & didn't have room for the butterfish belly. Sigh...next time. fresh sake sushi - fish was ok...I would've been happier if it had been salmon belly as I'd asked for Spicy hamachi "salad" that you roll your own sushi out of. Also very good. Tehre were a couple other small things but I can't remember what. 1 beer, 3 people, and the bill came out to $45. That's a pretty good deal. Wish I was home more often.

    (5)

  • Marnica B.

    Asai san and takako san always greet their customers with warm smiles and personable service. This is an eatery where you can make it as good or mediocre of an experience as you want. Each item is ordered ala carte, and the sake menu isn't the greatest either (no dassai, varieties of koshi no kambai, etc.), but the combination of good comfort food, ambience, service, and company, always makes this place our go to restaurant. Their specials are usually seasonal fishes, which I would highly recommend, and their chirashi has always been one of my favorites on the island.

    (5)

  • Jennifer L.

    What was unique about this place is the seating plan. The two of us were seated at the long table in the middle. It didn't feel like a shared cafeteria table because the way the dividers are placed makes your area intimate and private. Parking a bit scarce so we parked on the street behind 7-11. Izakaya style we ordered pupus and a 22oz asahi. I love mirugai clam so I had the sashimi which was about $26-28 and 2 pcs toro (fatty tuna) nigiri sushi. Melts in your mouth. Went to bubbies for dessert! Just a 7 minutes walk

    (4)

  • Rob M.

    Great fresh sushi. Omakaze turned out fantastic and the specials were delish. Great little secret for the business traveler without the Waikiki prices.

    (5)

  • Dave F.

    The next time, I won't order the steak. For me, believe it or not, it was my first time dining here. I was happy to have snagged a good parking stall in the cramped lot outside., even if I had to let my dining companions out before reversing into the stall... Oh, and with one very preggos friend onboard, so I wasn't taking any chances! Okay, so the four of us are seated at our table and after waiting for a while a server appeared and proceeded to take our drink orders... My friend and I both ordered Japanese beers, Kirin and Sapporo and the ladies had green teas. Proceeding with our dinner orders, it seemed like we were having a feast! We ordered agedashi tofu and eggplant which was quite good. Karaage chicken, gobo chips, miso soup with mushrooms, salmon ochazuke and an assortment of sushi. The sushi was great, spicy tuna rolls, unagi nigiri, California roll, very much enjoyed. Now for the steak... I'm a meat eater by choice! A good steak in my mind is grilled to medium rare perfection. We had a choice of I believe it was a seven ounce cut or a ten ounce cut. I chose a ten ounce prepared teriyaki style. My companions chose the smaller size prepared with garlic, well done. Well, when the steaks arrived at the table, theirs was well done with garlic and ours was practically rare in some areas and it was cold. And I could swear that wasn't teriyaki style. I brought this up to my table mates who asked the waiter who said it was. Being it's so noisy in there and not being able to hear clearly, I didn't push the issue any further. It wasn't a very good cut too, very stringy and lots of tendon. For $28 bucks? I don't think so. I left several pieces on the plate. Disappointing. We were also overcharged for an order of sushi that we never ordered... I do have to say that the manager lady came over and had the tab adjusted. She was very gracious and polite which made any problems quickly fade away. Great service once the orders got started, maybe somewhat slow in the beginning. I think I'll go for the sushi bar next time and will avoid the steak.

    (3)

  • Karin J.

    This place is a traditional sushi house and reminds me of some of the places we ate at in Tokyo. Service was really good here and everyone who works here is Japanese. The item everyone orders is the Chanko Nabe, a hot pot the server cooks for you. They start by layering in all the items so that each one cooks perfectly so when they are done staking every thing (like 10-12 different items) into the pot its cooked from the bottom up. An absolutely amazing experience. Love the ambiance.

    (5)

  • Tze M.

    I've been here on a few occasions for dinner and has always sat at the sushi bar. Located next to Pucks Alley. It is on the ground floor of a two-story building. They share a tiny lot with the business next door. It is best to make reservations. All the times I've gone were without and I've had to wait for seats. Food and service has always been excellent! Beer and sake is available. The seafood is fresh! I've always enjoyed my visits and everything about it!

    (5)

  • Wendy C.

    I've been wanting to try this place, since it is so close to where I live, but I haven't had a chance to since I get off of work so late! Finally got a chance to recently, but I almost wish I hadn't. Everything started off fine. We had pretty friendly servers and didn't need to wait for a seat. The food was okay too albeit nothing worth mentioning.. that is until our miso-marinated beef came out. At first, the dish was enjoyable.. until I took a bite of one piece and the center was ICE COLD. Then one by one we all started finding cold the cold pieces. I am assuming the dish was pre-made and kept in the fridge/freezer and then microwaved when someone ordered it. So the outside pieces were hot while the middle was just ice cold. That is pretty nasty on so many levels. They were nice enough to take the dish off of our bill without any dispute, but it seriously makes me doubt the freshness of the dishes at this restaurant. Not coming back.

    (1)

  • Julie C.

    Not sure if it's the absolute best Japanese in Honolulu, but it's pretty darn good and definitely one of the best Izakaya joints in town. Great selection of both fresh and cooked seafood as well as nabe. Definitely recommend the Omakaze (chefs choice) sashimi as well as the grilled butterfish. The staff is super friendly, however at times the service can be slow. Also, I'm pretty sure you will only score a parking spot in this tiny lot if you have some good driving karma built up. Overall, worth checking out!

    (4)

  • Rod U.

    One of the top izakayas in Hawaii. Fresh quality ingredient, consistent flavor and cooking techniques, loud groups of people unwinding after work, plenty of cold beer and sake. Win! This is an izakaya. A working man's place. Don't expect a wide range of globally sourced seafood or exotic cuts of meats. For sushi, well seasoned, a little sticky, everyday short grain rice. Generous portions of mounted seafood (it fits in your mouth in one bite). Very fresh uni (source unknown), uber sweet raw king crab (sometimes steamed), ama ebi, and the candy of the sea mirugai, correctly graded chu toro and OMG, sublime otoro. All can be ordered as sashimi. The otoro prepared as sashimi, excellent. Thick cut. You can truly enjoy the melting fat on the tongue. Asian inspired oyster shooters; fresh oysters on the half shell (again variety unknown), tobiko, ponzu, green onion and lemon, very good. The simple miso soup seasoned with ama ebi heads. Sucking the head fat and drinking the soup is one of life's little pleasures. Perfectly cooked hamachi kama with the uneven thickness making all kinds of great textural contrast (burnt bits, overcooked and chewy thinner sections, moist and juicy thicker sections). Finally, the lightly teriyaki glazed, grilled beef tongue. Slightly chewy, add a squeeze of lemon and makes the mouth all kind of happy. So why this review now after everyone has already said what needs to be said? Simple: silence for a few minutes as my visiting Vegas bud tries a few things then. "oishii, oishii, oishii!" Big smile on his face, "we need to order more of that and that and that" pointing with his chopsticks. "More beer too". With each dish "oishii, oishii, oishii!" "Stop it, you're Chinese" I manage to get out in a bout of laughter. His reaction, priceless, he sticks his tongue out at me then goes back to eating. Good food. Good setting. The ultimate catalyst for a good time. Imanas delivers.

    (5)

  • Kerry Y.

    Chanko nabe and deep fried gobo excellent, center table is novel and art decor relaxing

    (5)

  • John C.

    There is a pretty good reason why we were told to wait over an hour for this place. Luckily, a lot of people bailed so I didn't wait very long. I took some people here who were from out of town and they have eaten all over the world. Anyways, this place had excellent customer service and it's just the perfect place to take people if they are visiting and want Japanese food that isn't on a conveyer belt. Some of the dishes that we tried were: Seafood dynamite King crab dynamite Chanko nabe (hot pot) Soft shell crab Garlic cutter clams (I even drank the soup) Sashimi and more. Everything was outstanding and we ordered more than we could handle. It's not somewhere that you would eat every week if you have a budget but definitely a place to take people from out of town that want to eat Japanese food.

    (5)

  • Sasha L.

    Imanas is a cute little Japanese restaurant tucked away by university, across central pacific bank and behind 7-11. Imanas is located next to a yakitori places called Kohnotori, and they share a parking lot. So if you have a reservation, I suggest arriving early to park, parking on one of the slightly sketchy side streets behind the restaurant, find street parking or just catch a can. Anyway..imanas has amazing sushi, which is what you should come here for. We had a few orders of nigiri.. uni, hamachi, hirame, ikura, hotatae (it came out warm, not chilled..yuck), salmon, and king crab. All were delicious, but maybe it was just me but the sushi rice was a little mushy. We also couldn't resist a couple orders of otoro nigiri..soooo good!! If you've never had otoro, order it as sashimi and become forever addicted. It will melt in your mouth and you probably won't think anything tastes good after that. Also, we had egg omelette (delicious), potato salad (not creamy or salted enough..was disappointed because I love Japanese potato salad..), and age dashi tofu (just didn't taste right since they added a lot of ponzu..I usually like the other sauce more). We had yummy ankimo (goes perfectly with oolonghi and a nice asahi beer!) and some green tea ice cream and tea to end the meal. All in all a very nice meal! But I will forever be an Izakaya Gaku fan..;]

    (4)

  • F K.

    One of the top Japanese restaurants in Hawaii. The owner is incredibly friendly and so is his staff. The only negative thing would be that parking can be a real pain. Consider it a lucky night to get a parking right outside the place. Other than that, I have parked along the fence before. Things to get: Dynamite (no where makes it like they do in Hawaii and in CA) Fried Gobo Beef Tongue Miso Tofu Shabu Shabu Sashimi Combo Everything is always fresh and amazing. My favorite restaurant in Hawaii!

    (5)

  • Bao Q.

    My friend took me here on my arrival to hawaii. THis place has some of the best sushi i ever tasted. Everything i ate was delicious here. THe nigei toro melts in your mouth and the king crab dynamite is pretty amazing. I would highly recommend this place for a nice sushi dinner in hawaii if you ever come here

    (5)

  • Lyndsey C.

    Hard to get reservations, must be there when they open at 5pm and only takes reservations til 7pm. Not open for lunch. Love their baked king crab leg! Its my favorite. Parking is really limited.

    (4)

  • Kim M.

    Imanas Tei puts a great deal of work into the careful preparation of its food and presentation, which are only a couple of reasons why so many people love this place. The food is delicious and the prices arent toooooo outrageous for the quality. And, the workers are all very cheery and pleasant, which make the whole dining experience that much better. Imanas Tei shares a small parking lot with the nextdoor restaurant Kohnotori in the Puck's Alley area, so parking may be difficult at times. If you're lucky enough to find a stall in that lot, awesome. ..If not, try looking for street parking nearby (behind the building or on King). FRIED BABY SHRIMP $7.50 yelp.com/biz_photos/zw70… The bf ALWAYS orders this! It's slightly salty (in a good way), crispy, and highly addictive. Great with a squeeze of lemon and a nice cold beer. This, IMO, is probably comparable to a Japanese twist on popcorn shrimp. (Eat the whole baby shrimp including the tail.) GRILLED BEEF TONGUE $9.50 yelp.com/biz_photos/zw70… Perfectly cooked (grilled) and still very tender. And the edges aren't curled! If you love tongue like I do, you'll want to order this. ;) BEEF GARLIC STEAK - 8oz. PRIME RIBEYE $22.50 yelp.com/biz_photos/zw70… The evenly cooked medium rare garlic steak--accompanied by a small side salad, a scoop of Japanese mash / potato salad, and some crispy garlic chips--is so tender and easy to eat. No chewy, white, weird stuff! To date, this may be my favorite garlic steak! And the sauce is excellent. UME / YAMAIMO ROLL $3.50 Exactly as it sounds. Can't go wrong if you're a fan of both Ume and Yamaimo. MAGURO NIGIRI - 2pcs $5.50 Fresh, fresh, fresh! And watch out for the fresh wasabi! It has a kick ;) ASAHI - 21.4 fl oz $7.50 This is the big bottle! :) Pairs nicely with some sashimi, nigiri, and the fried baby shrimp. VERDICT It's a guaranteed top notch meal at Imanas! And an excellent date spot. And my favorite Grey Goose is only $6!!! ;) Fantastic food, wonderful service, and an overall great experience. Highly recommended. Yelp 365 - #257/365

    (5)

  • Ed W.

    Very good izakaya in HNL (Check out my pictures ) Short wait when we went on a Saturday night We ordered -chanko nabe for two Had many different kinds of seafood .. Crab,lobster,clams,scallops etc Had zosui rice porridge at the end very good If you like seafood get this Min order for two people -assorted sashimi platter Everything was very fresh Yellowtail, salmon , tuna etc Very good -1/2 dozen oyster very good but ponzu sauce was a little over powering -seared tuna sashimi with onions very good Washed it all down with some Japanese beer and sake Very good meal!!! There is also a yakitori place next door Only minus is small lot but we found parking in back of restaurant Overall good food and mixed crowded of locals and a few tourists....

    (5)

  • Erica L.

    Came here before with friends and it was alright (a solid 4 stars). Decided to take my bf here this time and was quite disappointed. :::NOTE::: Their uni is currently from an unknown place (the waitress forgot where) because the waters around Cali (where they normally get them from) are "not good." :::FOOD::: We got the Sushi Combo B where we had a dark orange uni... With one piece of light orange uni at the bottom. I asked a waitress about the color and she said it was supposed to be like that. (See above note.) I'm just confused as to why there are distinctly two different colors of uni if they're from the same place and if they're supposed to be dark colored. The dark uni didn't smell like anything but the light uni smelled a little sweet. My bf just ate the uni and he feels ok so hopefully it's alright. The combo also comes with the regular (frozen) shrimp versus ama ebi (like the combo from Yanagi's). We also got the Dynamite, Hamachi Kama, and Beef Tongue. These were pretty good but kinda pricey (hence the two stars). :::SERVICE::: Whenever we needed something or had a question, my bf and I would be looking around the restaurant to see where the servers were and even then it would take a couple of minutes before someone noticed us. Of the 5 workers, no one came by to ask how our meal was nor if we needed anything else. Even getting the check took a while (even though I had already asked for a takeout container). Okay, so we did arrive at 6 and there was a decent amount of customers there, but the restaurant is pretty small... Nothing 5 servers couldn't handle. We won't be back anytime soon.

    (2)

  • c w.

    It would be very difficult to find better quality food at such a reasonable price. Norwegian salmon nigiri for less than $5/two pieces, Boston uni around $9/two pieces. Arguably the best "cut" California roll. I recently visited sasabune and imanas and firmly believe the quality of fish was better at imanas for a fraction of the price you would pay at sadabune. I do like sadabune however they have been inconsistent the past few times I visited. Imanas is extremely consistent in their quality!

    (5)

  • Chris K.

    It was kinda busy when I went, so there was a 20 minute wait. We ordered beer that did not arrive so we got free ice cream. The portions were small and I felt like, since we got the cheaper sashimi plate, it seemed like the cuts weren't as good. But all issues aside, the taste of all the food was AMAZING. Loved their fried squid and the butter fish was delicious. Small but delicious.

    (3)

  • Alice H.

    Imanas Tei is my favorite place to eat sushi and Chanko Nabe. By favorite, I mean, THE BEST PLACE TO EAT SUSHI & NABE. YES YES YES I always love coming here. When my parents and I have the same days off together, we always end up coming here. Since my father & the owner are friends, they give us EXTRA good service. I love sitting in the Tatami room. Its more private and very spacious. Since they are super delicious, of course they're always busy. Theres always a line outside of the restaurant and they don't take reservations after 7PM. I used to not care of Nabe and "Hot Pot" food but as you get older your taste changes, I guess.. I crave eating Nabe all the time now. And it feels odd when you don't eat sushi and just hot pot. Meh. So I always end up eating a lot of Nigiri sushis. Everytime I come here I consider it my "cheat day" & "my diet can start tomorrow". When they have fresh oysters, we MUST get that. My dad and I always have a bottle or two beers together and eat a lot of pupus before the actual sushi & nabe. Unlike sweet home, and hot pot & other nabe places, they actually make it for you. They prepare your Nabe (hot pot) so beautifully its a work of art. (I always take a picture) The staff is so lovely and friendly. They're quick and know good service. You get what you pay for, and this place is worth your money. I PROMISE! xxx

    (5)

  • Kayo S.

    The sushi is good quality and the hot pot is the best compare to other Japanese restaurants. Really like the atmosphere and how it's hidden from plain view. Like your own little secret spot!

    (4)

  • Cory L.

    Aloha! Been a long time client of this fabulous sushi and izakaya place. Imanas Tei has by far some of the best lineup of sushi, sashimi, agemono (fried morsels) in metro Honolulu. It's located in the heart of Mo'ili'ili tucked away next to Puck's Alley near the University of Hawaii at Manoa. I would strongly suggest reservations as the food rocks, the restaurant is packed during primetime to about 8pm as eaters enjoy multiple sampling of otsumami (appetizers) like hiyakko tofu, salmon skin salad and more. For some main courses I usually order toro, salmon and engawa, the latter if available. In the past I have ordered their chanko nabe which the server will assemble in a copper pot with butane portable stove at your table. This nabe rocks. Topped with ample portion of ground pork mix that is first boiled and then the rest of the toppings and ingredients are piled into the pot. As the temperature rises and the broth boils, the chicken, mushrooms, beef and greens reduce and cook creating a mouthwatering meal, especially in the cool months like now. The chanko nabe is for two people minimum, so take a friend and enjoy! This evening I opted for the chirashi. See photo, nice cuts of ahi, salmon, delectable oily Hamachi, tamago (egg) wedge, clam, a sprinkling of ikura and more. Rice was perfectly cooked with a balance of vinegar and moistness.

    (5)

  • David M.

    Imanas Tei, The place where I was recommended by many friends. Parking here was an issue during dinner time. The parking lot was full, we had to find street parking which doesn't exist here. Once we drove into their parking structure again, we noticed a parking garage on the left of Imanas Tei. Luckily there's a spot. Once seated I had the Chanko Nabe, King Crab dynamite, Regular dynamite, Otoro, Hamachi. Scallop. Chanko Nabe - Probably the best thing I've tasted here. I thought the broth would be salty like every Japanese broth I've tasted, but I feel like they put the right amount of salt. The flavor stands out really well, I am obsessed with this dish. King Crab Dynamite - I thought this dish is really done well. I'm a sucker for king crab. I loved every aspect of this dish. Regular Dynamite - This dish didn't pleased me at all. I felt like it was rushed. It was very very very very very watery. I tried my friends dynamite and it was very good. i liked it a-lot. I could of return It and asked for another one but I'd stick to what is given. Otoro - I was very confused why it tasted so stringy. I asked the server why they have told me it was pre-frozen. I was like what. I didn't bother with it and ate stringy fish. Hamachi sashimi - I really liked their hamachi. It didn't tasted stringy at all :P. it's better than most places on the island. Tuna Mayo Scallop - I ordered one order of tuna mayo scallop. I loved it. I regret not ordering more. The Chanko nabe was too much for me. If I do come back. It would be for the Nabe Chanko / King Crab Dynamite / Tuna Mayo Scallops.

    (4)

  • Kathy C.

    We enjoyed Imanas Tei during our recent trip to Waikiki. To avoid the crowd, we purposely went around 10 PM at night to order some appey and ice cold beer. The location was a short drive from the condo we rented in Waikiki. We were immediately seated and the service was friendly enough. We ordered some of our usual dish when going to izakaya like the grilled beef tongue, the fried chicken, the skewers etc. So it's all very standard and "A-OK" kinda experience to us. Nothing really stood out as being good or bad. So I have to be honest in that I was a bit disappointed since I was hoping to be "wow'd" by something there. If we had more time in Waikiki, it would be likely that I would want to go back and order more dishes to try again.

    (3)

  • Mike K.

    Is parking an issue? Yes. Is it often crowded? Yes. Is there a reason and is it worth it? Yes. The only hands-down good Japanese restaurant on Oahu. Traditional items with quality ingredients and preparation. The owner is usually near the center of the restaurant to monitor everything- and it shows. You pay for the quality but much better value compared to some of the newer trendy Japanese fare around town.

    (5)

  • Tracy N.

    One of my favorite restaurants on the island. I love the setting, the workers, the atmosphere, and especially the food! Parking is a bit scarce but that never stops me. My favorites are the Hamachi Kama, clams in this butter garlicky sauce, all of the sashimi (i've never disliked any of their fresh fish), salmon skin roll, and I've heard from many people that their nabe is amazing.

    (5)

  • Kristen K.

    I have been DYING to go to Imanas for a few YEARS. Yes, YEARS. BUT I'm one of those really odd people who honestly might pass up a place if they have: inconvenient parking, bad location, don't take reservations, etc. Hence why I just never really made it around to coming here....until a few weeks ago. Jokes on me because I only wish I had come a LOT sooner! There was a short wait, but as soon as we walked in, I was in love! It is such a cute, intimate restaurant....and I love the minimal Asian decor. Keep in mind, they will take reservations for THAT evening upon opening at 5 pm. But they only take them up to BEFORE 7 pm. There's also a cute sushi bar, perhaps able to seat around 10 or so. So we had a party of 7....got to sit on the long table in the middle, which was nice. Although I think the little room with the zabuton seating is real cute, sitting at a regular spacious table came in handy because we ordered the chanko nabe AND the shabu shabu. Whenever I go to these cute Japanese places, I somehow feel compelled to drink a lot of Ichiko. So there's no surprise as to what I was drinking all night. Started off with some kind of odd flavored one....it was ok....quickly switched back to the good ol' Ichiko/water/lemon. My friend got the calpico one & let me have a few sips....it was good! We ordered a bunch of stuff: - Chanko Nabe* - Shabu Shabu* *keep in mind that both of these are a 2 order minimum - Calamari (not a fan....these were too chewey and rubbery for my liking...) - Salmon - Udon for my picky eater friend - Assorted sushi....the hamachi was amazing...and I always get my beloved tamago - 2 orders of the Agedashi tofu (one regular, one with ponzu) - 2 (would have been 3 had my friend not stopped me) orders of the grilled tongue....I would have personally enjoyed it a little better if it was a little more crispy....but then again, this isn't Gyukaku or Millions or I could have just kept my pieces on the grill longer. - ......and more Ichiko Dinner was AMAZING. I can't wait to come back again..... Knowing that it might be hard to get a reservation, I'll be prepared to wait. Its worth the wait. Only I hope I get chauffeured there from now on because I hate hate hate parking in small, tight lots....(which is to a tee what Imanas AND Kohnotori SHARE)...even worse is places that require street parking (*GASP*).

    (4)

  • Nikki C.

    My other FAVORITE Japanese Restaraunt.. My husband and i have been eating here for years. Once 3x's in in one week :) That's how good it is @ IMANAS. Staff is very friendly and FUN. Food is really good (esp. their DYNAMITE and GRILLED BEEF TONGUE), SAKE's great and prices are reasonable. They get 5 STARS from me!! If I'm not "there"...it's because I'm "HERE".....

    (5)

  • Rita L.

    so for absolutely fabulously yummy and delicious japanese food, come to imanas! tip: if you come before 7pm you can make reservations, which is a good idea. this place gets super duper busy! must eats: chanko nabe, garlic steak, spicy chicken, the katsu stick, and all the sushi! the service is great and i actually feel like i'm in a izakaya in japan! sooo good... again, if you don't come early, be prepared to wait, this place gets busy, but its sooo worth it! i guarantee it!!!

    (5)

  • Hawaiian G.

    Acquaintances raved about this restaurant as if this was THE restaurant to visit so....hubby and I made a reservation and tried it out. Get ready to park on the street or at a paid parking lot elsewhere because you won't find space in front of their restaurant. Inside the restaurant, you enter and there is the sushi counter to your left, and the dining area to your right. There are some counters in the middle of the dining area and a private dining area in the far back - the place was pretty much packed with people Not many tourists though - mostly locals. Don't come here if you're expecting a nice quiet dinner - the customers are drunk and are rowdy, the conversations from each table kind of bounce off the walls and echo. Pretty noisy and lively. The food was okay. The sushi platters we ordered seemed fresh. The miso soup they serve was nothing out of the ordinary, kind of bland if you want the truth :( We ordered small platters (appetizers) - but 3 out of 5 dishes never came out before our main meal. Nothing was said as in "your xxxx is coming out very shortly, sorry for the wait". So we're eating our main dish (without the 3 appetizers), and when one of the servers finally approach us we ask if the missing appetizers and side dishes are on its way. The server, instead of saying "yes, sorry, they're on their way", goes "well, you have the exact same side dish here on your platter with your main meal, YOU SURE YOU STILL WANT THE SIDE DISH ORDER?" (as if to hint that maybe we should cancel the dish we were waiting on??) I thought that was weird. Who are they to tell us if we are "SURE" if we want to keep waiting for a platter we have ordered 20 minutes ago (it's a cold plate, nothing they need to cook in the back LOL) So at that point we did cancel it, got tired of waiting for it. We also canceled another dish that should have come with my husband's beer too as they never showed up either. Mind you, they were all small appetizer dishes - and all cold items (tofu, edamame, salad, those sorts of things) I get that this place is popular and the servers are busy, but we never had anyone come to our table to ask if everything was okay. We pretty much had to hunt down our server (actually ANY server that was in our vicinity) to help us with extra utensils or hot tea, or whatnot. The food may be decent, but the service and the fact that they don't bring you what you've ordered - is a definitely turn off. Management needs to figure out a more efficient way for their servers to take care of the dining area. Do they even have their own section? Seems like everyone helped everyone else - maybe that's where the confusion occurs. Left the place wondering why this place was so popular - there are a ton of other Izakayas that beats this place in both taste AND service. I don't think I would ever wait to get a table if we don't have a reservation (they don't take reservations after 7 PM which is normal for most Izakayas)

    (3)

  • Wendy Y.

    Everything was delicious! Sashimi was fresh (yummy salmon nigiri)! Parking available in Puck's Alley

    (5)

  • Kiki O.

    Food is really good here. I really love their soft shelled crab!

    (5)

  • Jay P.

    Probably one of the best tips anybody can give you about Imanas is to MAKE RESERVATIONS IN ADVANCE! If you don't, expect to wait for at least an hour. That's what my party of three and I had to do because we suddenly felt like having nabe on Monday. Let me reiterate...it was a MONDAY and we still had to wait for at least an hour. Don't make the same mistake I did when the weekend rolls around... We ordered a Dynamite and a Chanko Nabe for three when our waitress came to our table. If you can speak Japanese, here might be the best place to start using it. The workers do speak English to some extent but I found it much easier to grab their attention when I spoke Japanese. The dynamite was one of the better seafood dynamites I've had in Hawaii because it didn't have that usual dominant mayonnaise flavor. In fact, the majority of the dynamite at Imanas was packed with perfectly cooked seafood! The flavors tasted fresh and consistent and the plate was cleaned in no less than five minutes. My only disappointment is the portion size; I wish it was even a little bigger! The chanko nabe was amazing! I found out that chanko is a traditional sumo stew that helps sumo wrestlers gain weight and now I understand why! One taste and I couldn't stop asking for refills! This broth isn't too salty and has a flavor that lingers on your taste buds. I thought it was somewhat awkward that our waitress set it up for us but I did think that the presentation was nicely done. The chanko nabe comes with a variety of meat, seafood and vegetables that includes pork balls, beef, chicken, shrimp, scallop, clams, salmon, mushroom, cabbage, mochi, tofu and more! The minimum order for the chanko nabe is two and I honestly felt that those two orders could satisfy more than three people. At the end of the meal you get to choose either udon or zosui (rice porridge) with your leftover broth. We opted for the udon and barely had the stomach to finish it! We were THAT full. The service was excellent when it came to refilling our water and tea because there was always one worker walking around with a pitcher or teapot in hand. The bad side is that they share the area with Kohnotori and the parking, bathroom, and overall wait time can get pretty bothersome.

    (4)

  • Jamie K.

    There absolutely nothing to say bad about this place. The food is excellent and so is the service. I've eaten there many of times and I've received the same awesome service from different waiters. I recommend this place to everyone that loves Japanese food.

    (5)

  • Jessica G.

    Seafood Dynamite? Check! Salmon nigiri? Check! Hamachi nigiri? Check! Otoro? OH-FUCKING-YUM-TORO!

    (5)

  • Barbie P.

    BEST Chanko Nabe I've ever had. And I'm from Los Angeles (Japan-Town #3, after Japan and Honolulu.) The broth is SOOOO good. The ingredients are so fresh and good. I'm a shabu shabu lover but Chanko Nabe shares the love. I've tried lots of different places, but you have to try it here. Parking is tough. We've always gone early to beat the crowds.

    (5)

  • Zar A.

    Everyone says that this is the best, best, best Japanese restaurant in Hawaii so I had to make it my priority to come here on my birthday!!!!!!!! Cheeeehooooo... Izakaya is pretty much the Japanese equivalent to the Spanish Tapas, which is, small meat and vegetable portions to share!!! Izakaya dishes are yummy enough to eat alone but even better to pair with beer or sake!! What we ordered - Amazing!! Mirugai (king clams) yelp.com/biz_photos/zw70… Sashimi platter yelp.com/biz_photos/zw70… Oyster platter (2x) yelp.com/biz_photos/zw70… Hokigai (clams) yelp.com/biz_photos/zw70… Tonkatsu kushikatsu yelp.com/biz_photos/zw70… Spicy butter clams yelp.com/biz_photos/zw70… Fried squid legs yelp.com/biz_photos/zw70… Soft shell crab yelp.com/user_local_phot… Grilled beef tongue yelp.com/user_local_phot… Dynamite (2x) yelp.com/user_local_phot… King crab dynamite yelp.com/user_local_phot… Salmon skin roll yelp.com/user_local_phot… Assorted nigiri yelp.com/user_local_phot… Crab meat soup yelp.com/user_local_phot… Green tea ice cream (my bday "cake") yelp.com/user_local_phot… What we ordered - ok to pass next time: Agadashi eggplant yelp.com/biz_photos/zw70… Garlic butter clams yelp.com/biz_photos/zw70… Unagi, avacado roll yelp.com/user_local_phot… Service was awesome!! These are Japanese speakers but they were super attentive and were super patient as we placed our order with our half Japanese and half English language barrier. This place is tiny!! Only one small semi private room for a big group, fitting only up to 12 people. So, be sure to make a reservation 3 weeks or earlier in advance for this room. For small groups of 4 or so, I would also highly recommend making an advance reservation. Also, they do not accept reservations scheduled for 7pm or later.

    (5)

  • Juliann C.

    They are back on my radar! The last time I went here, it was so bad. My sister and I wanted to eat sushi here before she moved back to AZ and the sushi was mediocre. And we vowed never to come back here because of it. I had a change of heart to give them another shot. I tried Imanas again. And it's a good thing I did! The Good: * tamago - yumyummm * had the chef special for two - perfect amount for my bf and i! * sitting at the bar was quite entertaining * ikura was da booooooooooomb. could eat it here all day... * cold tofu (i mean .. who can mess that up.. really!) The Bad: * how close your sitting next to the people at the bar * parking is small and could be difficult at times The Weird: * i felt really awkward trying to get the attention of the sushi chef at the bar............ mostly because everyone else knew japanese.... and he was really slammed that night with orders... sooooooooooooooo kinda awkward... to the point where i just raised my hand! yay!

    (5)

  • Yumiko K.

    One of the worst food experiences. Roaches on our table. The waiters were apologetic, but when they went to speak to the manager nothing was done to alleviate the matter. We moved to another table and different kinds of tiny roaches went scurrying off our table. It was so disgusting. The chef behind the counter just told the waitress not to charge us. Again, no apologies from management. I'd hate to see what their sanitation standards are. Sad...because I knew this place when it first opened and back then it was awesome. If I could've given this a negative rating I would. For your own safety and health...beware...:(

    (1)

  • Conor I.

    MAKE RESERVATIONS in advance. If you call the day of you will be disappointed as this place fills up very quickly. If you don't have reservations you can wait outside for a table to open but, but beware the wait can be over an hour sometimes. The parking lot is very tiny, maybe 8 cars can fit total. Strongly recommend looking for street parking. Now with that out of the way, lets get on to about the actual food. Let me also say that I absolutely love Izakaya style restaurants. I'm always one to order a couple of things to try. I enjoying being able to share food with my family and friends. We started with the grilled salted tako, oh man this was so good. Not overly chewy, and seasoned just right. Chanko Nabe is a must here. It is a 2 order minimum. When they bring out that small pot and the huge plate of food, you are wondering to yourself there is no way all that food is going to fit into that small pot. The skillful waitress / waiter will prove you wrong and place everything in the pot in a specific order so it cooks properly. The sushi and other fare on the menu is always fresh and tasty here. Everyone has always been very friendly and willing to answer any questions about the menu. You may notice that the Restaurant is normally filled with many Japanese tourists. This is a GOOD sign. You can't go wrong with Imanas Tei.

    (4)

  • Shanisse I.

    Just thinking about what to write for this review is making me crave sushi!! Where do I begin.. Like always, I came here with the boyfriend. He came here a few times with his bff and fell in love with the place. So naturally, he took me here so I can experience this deliciousness. I'm usually the kind of person that doesn't like looking for parking.. meaning if the parking lot is full, I dont want to street park or drive around the block thinking the two minutes I went around the block, someone had left. So just keep in mind that Imana's has a small lot right in front of their door but they also share that lot with Kohnotori so finding a stall right there is a blessing!!.. But you can also park on the side but even then it gets kind of crowded. Since the restaurant is small, they usually have a wait but if you really want their sushi; you'll wait. hahahahahahahahahaha The workers there are so great. Walking through the entrance, "IRASSHAIMASE!" so be prepared. The servers, excellent, and the sushi chefs, LOVE THEM!! We usually sit at the sushi bar, i dont know why, we just do and its great watching them make the sushi. My boyfriend and I have this little philosophy, "if the workers/chefs can barely speak english, you know youre getting the first hand experience" and boy is that something to live by. Look at me, typing up a storm but I didn't even get to the food part. Here it goes: We ordered cold tofu, miso butterfish, chicken katsu with their special sauce, spicy tuna maki, sake nigiri (salmon), toro, uni, ebi, maguro, unagi, udon,.....and I believe that's it?? Cold tofu? Awesome! Miso butterfish? Melt in your mouth! Chicken Katsu? YUMMM Salmon Nigirii? DELISH Ebi? mmmmm!!! Maguro? LOVE Udon? Delish! Toro? DELISHI-GASM!!! Spicy Maki, Uni, Unagi: Excellent!! (from the bf) I don't like spicy food..sorry -__- uni, ummmm I tried but I havent acquired the taste yet and unagi is good. My boyfriend and I share all of the food but I let him have those three all to himself lol. Servers are very attentive and always make sure everything is alright and that we got everything we ordered. The prices vary depending on what you order so it can get kind of high in the sushi category but hey, you get what you pay for. The food is just that great that I believe that the money spent is worth it!

    (5)

  • Yuko A.

    One of my good friends just came back from a summer long trip to Europe so what better way than to celebrate his return with good food! I was stoked since it was my first time and I had read such rave reviews..... Our party of four was pretty hungry so we ordered a little bit of everything...and some bottles of beer and sake (unfortunately their bottle selection is small and lame according to the world renowned sake master, James G) Anyway, everything we ordered was good. Spicy Hamachi roll x 2 Negi toro roll Natto Roll Yamaimo Ume Roll Fresh Oysters Hamachi Kama Shishamo Age dashi tofu Seafood Dynamite Beef Tongue Seafood Salad There may have been a few other items I'm missing but I think this was it for the most part....Although we only had very basic rolls, they were fresh and we had to order another order of the spicy hamachi roll cause it was sooo good. I love raw oysters so we got half a dozen and they didn't disappoint. Garnished with ponzu and a little bit of scallions and daikon oroshi. I would have eaten all six if I didn't have to share. The hamachi kama was buttery, moist, and so ono. I wish we had ordered a bowl of rice earlier cause it would have gone so well together. We did order a bowl of rice to eat with the seafood dynamite....Oh man....I could live off that stuff if it wasn't filled with cream, butter, and milk. Shishamo and beef tongue were grilled to perfection. No complaints. I definitely want to come back and try their chanko nabe amongst other items on their menu. The food was definitely 4 stars but their service was a 3. Our waitress seemed confused half the time and spoke awkward broken Japanese so we would speak Japanese to her and then have to switch to English because she would give us confused looks....Not a big deal but I want some A+ service for my 4 star food. :) YELP 365: 233/365

    (4)

  • Lars C.

    There are two restaurants at this location. The noodle house is to the left and sushi house to the right. I walked into the noodle house looking for sushi, it was packed and was told to go next door. Once inside I noticed it was quieter and more more traditional in appearance than their noodle house. Flavors were good, the miso soup with mushrooms were excellent, the fried tofu appetizer with ponzu sauce was very refreshing. Then came the disappointment, their sushi. I've been to many sushi establishments in the USA and Japan. The sushi here is just ok, not as fresh or appealing as I would have liked. This part of King Street can get sketchy at night so come before 9pm.

    (3)

  • Kayla R.

    Best Japanese Restaurant in Oahu~ Outstanding food, Outstanding service and wonderful atmosphere! I never leave disappointed! I'm always happy to come to Imanas and My tummy is happy leaving :D You must must must order the O-toro Sashimi, soooo fat and juicy! They give huge pieces of sashimi, and pairing it with Mu~ Sooo good!!!! Also if you're an Amaebi fan, you must order! They're HUGE biggest I've ever seen in my life of eating sushi! And the fried head was so big I had to take like 4 bites! Super good! Always make an reservation or at least call on your way here, it's always busy!

    (5)

  • Tma Y.

    Best Japanese restaurant we found in the U.S. Till now. Chanko nabe and sashimi. Don't forget to try their shrimp sashimi and fried shrimp head.super yum!

    (5)

  • Golnaz P.

    There are so many reasons why this place is awesome. There service definitely sets them apart. Our waitress who I think ran the place was so sweet. She kept trying to make sure that we understood what we were ordering and tried to even save us some $ by informing us that our meals come with salad, so why would we be ordering a side of more salad. She even brought me a glass of water and said it was for my throat, since I couldn't stop coughing there. My cup of tea was never empty. The chirashi bowl was a great deal. The fish was fresh and the melt in your mouth kind. The rice was cooked very well too. Everything was perfect! Just so you know it does get crowded. Making reservations would be a good idea.

    (5)

  • Mari K.

    We came, we ate, we demolished. We ordered a handful of sushi (because how can you not when you sit at the sushi bar) and all I want to write about right now is their Tamago sushi. I know, how boring right? I mean so boring, that why would you waste stomach space on eating tamago (egg) sushi?! Well, had the Japanese girl sitting next to me not ordered it, I would've not even known. But after seeing it presented on our plate and the amount of ooing and ahhing and "oishis" I was hearing, I knew I had to have one. And, I ended up having not only one but two because it was just that good. Unlike other sushi bars where the egg is simply placed on top of the rice, this sushi is more like a egg sandwich. Where the perfectly cooked grains of rice are placed between a beautifully cooked and sweet Japanese style egg. It may sound strange, but for me, It will be one of those memorable dishes that I'll keep talking about for months. Sometimes simple is best!

    (5)

  • Kazu N.

    I believe this is authentic Japanese food. Very busy at weekends. I tried almost everything on the menu and they are consistently flavorful. I really like their appetizers. However because this place is usually packed, the service is a bit poor compared to their food.

    (4)

  • Rebecka A.

    Wonderful sushi bar near University and King. Attentive, professional sushi chefs and quick waitresses. We had the dynamite, grilled beef tongue, and katsu on a stick with special sauce, along with hamachi sashimi (this came out first, and was my favorite dish we ordered. So fresh, so silky) and uni nigiri (it was very fresh and high quality-- surprisingly firm and very tasty! not what I was expecting, given past uni experiences...) #100in2015 (#10!)

    (5)

  • Lisa T.

    i love it! they have really authentic japanese food. there was food that was new to us that we haven't heard of before. it was smaller servings. but that meant we could try more things on their menu. highly recommend reservations. i called the restaurant on a saturday and couldn't get an early 5pm reservation for two people until tuesday. i would definitely come back on my next trip back.

    (4)

  • Summer B.

    Best izakaya!!! Sushi Gaku is a close second. Loved the nigiri sushi platter. Everything was so super good and fresh. They also have a really good miso beef dish that I have every time I go. I haven't tried the nabe but everyone seemed to be ordering that so I'll try it the next time I go.

    (5)

  • Diana I.

    Came here for dinner based on a friend's recommendation that it was "the best Japanese restaurant" but I didn't think it was anything special compared to the awesome and authentic Japanese food we have back in Torrance/LA. We made reservations in advance for the sushi bar. Ordering was a little complicated because the waitress wanted us to order sushi through the sushi chef but the other items through her. The sushi chef was not very friendly and wasn't able to take a lot of sushi orders at once. Not sure why we couldn't just mark the paper ourselves and hand it to him...? Either way, he made me feel unwelcome as if I was bothering him. As for sushi, we tried the yellowtail, salmon, tamago, and uni. The yellowtail was very soft and delicious, tasted the most fresh. Their tamago portions are very generous. The worst was the uni... I'm a huge fan of uni so I was disappointed that it didn't look or taste fresh. :( We also tried the Dynamite which had baked scallops and mushrooms in a hot, creamy sauce. It was okayyy, a little too salty for my liking. I'm sad we wasted one of our few nights in Oahu on this place. Maybe it's worth a visit if you live in the area, but if you're just visiting, especially from LA, I'd say pass on this one. Parking: limited in the small private lot.

    (3)

  • Chay S.

    I believe Imanas to be the sweet spot for sushi as far as quality/price goes. They don't take reservations past a certain time (9pm?) so be weary because it can get crowded on the weekends. The Chankonabe is also worth checking out.

    (4)

  • Denalee C.

    In the words of Rhianna, "Where have you been all my life?" Seriously Imanas Tei, how is it that we are only meeting in 2014? Now that we are finally acquainted, it's safe to say after only one encounter, we will be spending a lot of time together. Yes the restaurant is sort of small and the parking lot is even smaller. Make an early reservation (6pm) and it'll help with the parking situation. But once you get past those things, the rest will blow you away. The service is awesome-they are constantly walking around, collecting dishes and filling water. I am the most predictable person when it comes to ordering at a Japanese restaurant. I always order the chirashi and use it to compare restaurants against each other. The sushi rice was warm..I like mine room temperature but that's not a big thing. The ahi was beautiful-darker shade of red, cartilage free, fresh and had a perfect texture. Everything else was also extremely fresh and amazing. I don't think I have to tell you to order the chirashi, I'm fairly sure you'll love whatever it is you choose.

    (5)

  • Paul J.

    I recently planned a family night out with my wife and two kids and wanted to have a delicious dinner before we went to see a play at MVT. After searching Yelp for restaurants in Manoa I decided on Imanas after reading all of the great reviews. The food was no big deal and lacked flavor, expensive, and the waitress wasn't very accommodating. It certainly didn't meet my expectations and was a dissapointment. Oh well, sometimes no can help, but there are a lot of other Japanese restaurants in Honolulu to try before I ever return to this one.

    (2)

  • Elsie F.

    I was quite disappointed when I dined here last night with my friends. I suggested this place to them because the previous time I came it was actually really good. Last night was an exception...So, the wait was about 30 mins for 4 people and that was fine. We were seated and a server came over to take our orders but he didn't seem to understand English that well. We wanted to ask for some recommendations because I was the only one who came here before. After a couple questions with no response we just gave up and looked through the menu ourselves. Let's move on to the food now... Beef shabu shabu PRIME: Ok, well this was one of the choices for the nabe. I suggested the Chanko nabe but my friend wanted the beef. We had to order a minimum of 2 orders but as they brought the food out, there wasn't much of it...Each person literally had only 4 slices of beef and a whole lot of veggies. The guys were complaining that they felt ripped off for this dish lol..It was around $25 for one order so it ended up being $50 for nothing much but veggies. We probably should have just stuck with the Chanko nabe. On the plus, at the end of the meal you had a choice of either udon or the porridge. Oyster Nigiri: This was probably my favorite of the night because I love oysters! They were around $6 for one order and it comes with 2 pieces. Just look at the picture I posted and you will know how delicious it was :) Seafood Dynamite: My second favorite dish because of the huge pieces of scallop inside! The sauce was really good as well and I basically used that to slurp up my udon at the end of the meal. Calamari w/ sea urchin: Hmmmm....this dish was a little misleading because my friend thought it was actual fried calamari. So when it was brought to our table we were a little surprised lol This was alright, nothing special... Spider Roll: Overall, the roll was good with the soft shell crab. Maybe we should just stick to the dishes we know haha Perhaps we came on an off night but my friends and I weren't satisfied. The food here is inconsistent, so I suppose it's a hit or miss. We were even debating whether or not we should go over next door to Kohnotori because we weren't full. In the end we just went to get dessert to fill our stomachs. Sorry to say, but I probably won't be coming here for a while :/

    (3)

  • Curt C.

    Imana Tei's is located right by Pucks Alley next to the 7-11 on Kings St. I suggest coming here for an early dinner as they only take reservations before 7pm and they start taking reservations two weeks in advance. The parking lot is also a bit small, especially since it shares the lot with Konotori, with maybe about ten stalls. If the lot is full, there is limited street parking around the area. I've gone to Imana Tei's twice now and ordered the exact same thing both times to share; the sashimi platter A for one person, spicy tuna roll, seafood dynamite, and a bottle of Sapporo. The sashimi platter was bigger than I thought it would be with about 12 pieces of assorted fish. It was really fresh and was such a good deal for only $20. The seafood dynamite had a really good flavor and I liked that the mayo wasn't overpowering. It was really creamy and was so good with some rice. The large bottle of Sapporo was only about $7 which went really well with the sashimi haha. I really liked Imana Tei's as their food was really good and it was a nice experience.

    (4)

  • Sara S.

    If I were a foodnetwork chef, Imanas-Tei would go on my "Best Thing I Ever Ate" spiel. It's definitely one of the best Izakayas on Oahu. The contenders: SEAFOOD DYNAMITE- a generous assortment of scallops, shrimp and fish bathed in your standard "dynamite" sauce (mayonaise, cheese....?). Creamy but not too heavy. A must! SASHIMI PLATTER- the sashimi here is top notch. Nuff said. AMA EBI- my favorite sushi is like heaven here... SO FRESH AND SWEET! The best part is that they ask what you want to do with the heads! I opted for the miso soup, which is great with the steamed shrimp head. BUTTERFISH- not a huge butterfish fan but I'd eat it here because it is oh so tender. CHANKO NABE- as most people have said, definitely get the chanko nabe. It is a fish-based broth that comes with shrimp, pork balls (given in the bamboo like Ichiriki), cabbage, green onion, abalone, mushroom, beef, and other things I probably forgot. True Japanese nabe! What amazes me is that the servers arrange this dish for you. They literally assemble the different items in a pretty set up, which not only looks good but also ensures that everything will be cooked properly. It's an ART and the final product is delicious. At the end of the meal you can choose between udon or rice porridge to accompany the rest of your nabe. SALMON CHAZUKE- very generous portion of chazuke!! Like seriously the bowl is pretty big. THINLY SLICED HALIBUT- comes with ponzu or just your typical wasabi. Sliced ever so thin, fresh and delicious! AM I IN JAPAN? FRIED GOBO STRIPS- I love thisssss! Huge ball of twisted gobo strips fried like tempura. Great to munch on and split amongst a big group. All this delicious food seems like it would be top dollar, right?? WRONG! Imanas-tei is super reasonable and the reason why it gets 5 stars. Izakayas can often run your wallet dry since each little dish adds up, but not here! You can definitely get full off the Chanko-nabe too ($19.95/person minimum of 2 people). If you're trying to go on a Friday or Saturday, better make reservations in advance. Reservations on any other night would help too, but it's crucial for the weekends.

    (5)

  • Guava G.

    Tucked away off the main road, Imanas is my favorite Japanese restaurant on island. The staff is very nice and accomodating. The ambience is mellow... Sometimes there is a long wait since they don't take reservations after 7 p.m., but it is sooo worth the wait, trust me. Every time I try a new Japanese place, I ask myself half way through the dissapointing meal, "why did I come here instead of Imanas?". Then I get even more irritated when the bill comes and it twice the price for mediocre food! I really enjoy the Sushi and Udon soup!

    (5)

  • Livetoeat F.

    I come here all the time and order the same things every time because it's just that good. -hamachi && toro sashimi -beef tongue -SPICY CLAMS -dynamite -MORE SPICY CLAMS. Seriously though, spicy clams. Go here, you won't regret it.

    (5)

  • Chris D.

    The food here is excellent, the beef shabushabu is a bit pricey, but very good, service is top notch. A bit difficult to see/find as it's tucked back off the street, but worth the look. Limited off street parking, an it shares a bathroom with the neighboring restaurant. I'd recommend the fried chicken, and any of the sushi. If you don't order the shabushabu or chanko nabe, it can be a relatively inexpensive meal.

    (5)

  • Devon S.

    A brief note from the author: (If I may paraphrase the hook of an incredibly dumb rap song I heard at a friend's house: "I love bad fishes, that's my freakin problem!" I KNOW most of my reviews are about sushi experiences. And, YES this is another review by yours truly about...you guessed it; a SUSHI spot. I LOVE SUSHI! I cant help it! I'm addicted to the stuff! Its the world's most perfect food! And every spot you go to is a little different from the last. Whachu want me to say; I'm sorry!? ) We now return you to your regularly scheduled program: Oh man, the "hole in the walls" strike again. Like its deliciously inconspicuous counterpart Sushi Ii, Imanas is tucked away in what appears to be an alley right off King Street once you cross University. You may have some difficulty parking, as the lot is quite small. One thing that immediately stood out to me in Imanas was the ambiance; quaint, elegant, and romantic, yet sophisticated and authentic to Japanese style at the same time. I recommend that you make reservations because the seating is limited, but be aware that they only take them up to 7pm. After 7, it's 1st come, 1st serve. I got there after 7 and had to wait 15 - 20 before we could get in, but it was well worth the wait. When we were seated, I was warmly greeted and referred to by name when speaking with the hostess and waitresses. Small details like that mean alot. What I like most about Imanas is its menu and its pricing; Very extensive and very reasonable respectively. They have a wide variety of grilled, fried, and raw appetizers and dishes. Some items are ala carte, while others come with miso soup, salad, and rice. They also offer shabu shabu pots cooked tableside. The guests in front of me had the chanko nabe with seafood and udon noodles and it looked great. I had the sushi combination B with a bowl of natto, while my girlfriend had the butter salmon with rice and pumpkin, and we split a seafood dynamite. Everything was fantastic. The dynamite was a liiiiiiitle too sweet for my tastes, but it was full of scallops and shellfish, unlike other places that give you mostly vegetables. Everything came out to about $45 before tip. Score! I have got to come back to Imanas sooner than later. There is so much more to this place than sushi, which I have got to try, but I love that stuff. That's my freakin problem. "S"

    (5)

  • Nadia K.

    The previous two times I went to Imana's, I had the chankonabe. So good, but this time we were in the mood for sushi and other dishes. To start, we ordered the kabocha, potato salad, miso butterfish, tonkatsu kushikatsu, fried gobo and then we were stopped because the waitress thought that was too much food. My husband took that as a challenge. The tonkatsu kushikatsu (skewered) was my favorite. It is so awesome!! It's served with a mustard and tonkatsu sauce. I also had their spicy ahi which was just okay. I can't remember everything my husband had (because I was too busy eating), but he really enjoyed it : aji, amaebi (you can choose to have the head deep fried or in a miso soup), and sama. I was disappointed they only offer azuki and green tea ice cream for dessert, but we walked to Bubbies and all was well. :) Parking is horrible! Luckily we found street parking on King. Service is great!

    (5)

  • Milly C.

    Ahhh Imanas Tei. I wanted to like you SO MUCH. SO, SO MUCH. My best friend and I decided to have our college graduation celebration dinner here based on the spectacular reviews on Yelp. We tried to make a reservation for 7pm, but it turns out they don't take reservations past 6:30pm. Everything is open seating (first come, first serve) after 6:30pm. We arrived around 6:30pm, and the wait wasn't too bad. We were seated in about half an hour. The thing that impressed me the most about Imanas Tei was the decor and the fantastic service. I couldn't stop admiring the interior decor throughout our meal. I love the way the lights create these amazing shadows against the wall. My friend also asked the waiter to play a prank on me and he did so without any hesitation! Onto why Imanas Tei received only three stars... The food. We ordered the chanko nabe and some assorted sushi, but everything was so SALTY. One of the servers arranged the chanko nabe extremely nicely and it looked AMAZING. I couldn't wait for it to be done so I could dig right in! Unfortunately, the food looked better than it tasted... The broth was extremely salty, and the sushi we ordered was pretty salty as well. The best part of the chanko nabe was the rice mixed with the broth at the end because the rice downplayed the saltiness. I wish I could give this establishment a 3.5 stars, but since Yelp doesn't allow it, I needed to give you 3 stars... I don't think I'll be back unless I hear that they start putting less salt into their food.. The ambiance and servers are five star quality though!

    (3)

  • Monique N.

    My favorite Japanese restaurant in Hawai'i. Plenty of standard Izakaya type dishes and delicious fresh sushi. What I keep going back for (besides trying a different small item each time), is their Chanko Nabe, a dish sumo wrestlers are commonly known to eat. There's no need to feel guilty when sharing with others though! A small burner is brought to the table with a pot full of broth. The waiter brilliantly layers the seafood, tofu, meatballs, and fresh vegetables into the nabe. After letting the ingredients cook for several minutes, you can start eating it! Don't drink all the broth though, since at the end of the meal, a waiter will come by and ask if you'd like rice or noodle with it. Egg is mixed in and now you can enjoy the rich broth that's been combined with the flavors of the ingredients that were cooked in it earlier!

    (5)

  • Aline T.

    Hard to find if you're not familiar with Puck's Alley. If you know where the 7-11 is on King St, it's beside and behind it in the back, bottom floor of a building with Revolution Books. There's a tiny driveway you need to turn into and head towards the back. I go late so there's parking (I take the last stall...). The service is decent/good. The food is fantastic. The bill can add up. The sushi nigiri is priced fair compared to other sushi joints of similar quality. I was surprised. The prices are similar to California Rock n Sushi but the quality is superb. I would recommend but if you don't like waiting or crowds, go later around 9:30 - 10:00pm.

    (4)

  • Cin T.

    I haven't been to Imanas for a good 3+ yrs. We sat at the sushi bar but because we were in a rush, we only ordered a fried chicken dish (sweet korean-style glaze) and a sushi dish. I wasn't impressed with the sushi and the chicken was too sweet for my taste. This past week, a group of 7 of us were having drinks at Nobu when the conversation of good sushi and Japanese food came up. Song enthusiastically suggested Imanas & promised a great meal. Nobu is one of fav spots, but not a place I would go for good sushi: yelp.com/biz/nobu-honolu… Our friend Song was a regular there so getting a table wasn't difficult. This place is always packed (they have a sushi bar, a couple tatami rooms and a main dining area). They ONLY take down your name for reservations between the hours of 5-7pm, after that it's on a first-come/first-serve basis. After making a phone call, Song got the all-clear and we immediately closed our Nobu bill and left around 9:30pm. I don't know why it took me so long to give this place another shot, but I'm glad I did. It's way better to go with a group of people who are familiar with the menu. Song, Melodi and Corey went all out on the menu and my tummy was quite happy when I was done. This place serves everything: shabu shabu, nabe, sushi, deep-fried & grilled items. KAKI NIGIRI ($5.50 for 2 pc): Sushi rice is topped off with a raw oyster, sweet/tangy ponzu jelly, scallions and spicy daikon oroshi. Delicious! yelp.com/biz_photos/zw70… The oyster was succulent & seemed very fresh. The grated daikon complements the oyster very well. I can eat this stuff all day! yelp.com/biz_photos/zw70… IKURA (salmon roe: $6.50) & UNI NIGIRI (sea urchin $9): You bet your ass I ordered my usual and I was not disappointed. I think I've found a place that has the best uni yet! It was so fresh, buttery and fluffy (none of that melted, flat & broken ones I've had in the past). And for $9, they give you double the amount! I had 2 pc of uni PER nigiri (that's 4 pieces of uni total per order!). yelp.com/biz_photos/zw70… STEWED MISO-BASED BEEF ($5.50): I had to double-check if there was a typo, I thought they meant to say "miso-braised" but it wasn't the case. This is a must-order! The beef was tender and flavorful. The veggies gave the dish different textures as well: konnyaku jelly, burdock root, shitake mushrooms and bamboo shoots. I would've been happy with just this dish and a bowl of white rice (being that it's a miso stew, it can be a little salty for some people). yelp.com/biz_photos/zw70… SEAFOOD DYNAMITE ($11:50): I think we all agreed that this was "the best seafood dynamite" we've ever had. The pieces of scallops & mirugai (geoduck/gooey duck clam) was cooked perfectly and had a nice sear/char to them. The dynamite sauce wasn't thick and chunky like some places I've tried and the mayo wasn't overpowering the protein. The shitake and tobiko was also a nice touch. yelp.com/biz_photos/zw70… KING CRAB DYNAMITE ($13.50): Song wanted Sonia to try this version out. Both she and I thought that the regular dynamite dish was way better. yelp.com/biz_photos/zw70… The same dynamite sauce was used to coat 4-5inch crab leg (the top part of the shell had been cut away, revealing the crab meat). Stick to the regular dynamite dish, you get more flavor and portion for your $$. yelp.com/biz_photos/zw70… KATSUO TATAKI: The ahi is seared perfectly and topped with a mound of sliced raw onions and kaiware sprouts (sprouted from daikon radish seeds). The tangy garlic ponzu sauce cuts the bitterness of the sprouts well. I personally wouldn't order this dish again because I prefer to have my fish served entirely cooked or entirely raw. The "blackened" or "seared" way isn't my cup of tea. yelp.com/biz_photos/zw70… SKEWERED PORK KATSU w/SPECIAL HOUSEMADE KATSU SAUCE ($6 for 4 pc): I didn't get this dish at all: why put a thin piece of pork on a stick? Saw most of the people in our group pulling the meat off from the sticks, no one took a bite of the katsu when it was on the skewers. The meat was dry and lacked seasoning. I prefer L&L katsu over this.......yeah, I went there. Even the "special katsu" sauce was forgettable. It was a saltier version of the L&L, nothing fancy. This dish is also avail as a chicken katsu on a stick and you can ask for their miso sauce instead of the katsu sauce. yelp.com/biz_photos/zw70…

    (5)

  • Nicole R.

    Went to dinner here last night with the boy and was pretty much blown away by the food. The quality of the fish was among the best I've ever had, the service is so attentive and friendly, and the ambience is amazing. You'll feel transported to an Izakaya in Japan...if you want authenticity, look no further! We feasted on a plate of assorted sashimi (the salmon and hamachi were my favorites!), the miso butterfish, oyster sushi, bonito, a hamachi and green onion maki roll and of course, the famous Dynamite, which is creamy seafood deliciousness at its finest. Every single bite was a pleasure and we washed it all down with a wonderful sake and hot green tea. Heaven... One of my favorite things about Imanas Tei is that you feel like you can really linger and enjoy your meal and your dinner date for as long as you like. No one is in a hurry to turn the tables, so you can settle in and really soak in the beautiful surroundings and savor the amazing food. Consider yourself warned: finding parking can be a bit of a bear, and Russ M. is right, if you don't arrive early for dinner you can expect to be in for a lengthy wait. The boy tried to make a reservation for us, and the person he spoke to said that they only take reservations before 7 pm, and after that it's first come, first served. Don't let this deter you though...I promise, the dining experience at Imanas Tei is well worth the effort and the wait! I can't wait to return!

    (4)

  • Kiku G.

    This is one of my favorite sushi places. The food is fresh and the menu is creative. I would give 5 five stars just for the spicy clams.

    (5)

  • Mike M.

    Delicious, authentic Japanese sushi made fresh . It is very reasonably priced , especially considering you are in Hawaii . Sushi lovers dream

    (4)

  • Steph J.

    This is my favorite restaurant to eat sushi at. Depending on the season, they have this great oyster sushi with ponzu sauce and it's to die for! In addition, they have great things you can order off the menu like their cold shabu-shabu salad, hamachi kama and rib-eye steak. They only accept reservations before 7pm and if you come later than that, you'll have to wait on a first come-first served basis. Parking is a little limited too but you can always park next door at Puck's Alley. I typically eat about 6-7 pairs of sushi and spend about $50, including one bottle of hot sake. A must try!

    (5)

  • Dixie R.

    Writing this wasted after a dinner here not just because im wasted. . sooo oishiiiiii........ butterfish, braised beef,.butterfish goodnight

    (5)

  • Brian D.

    Dining at Imanas Tei has become an annual tradition for my trips back to the island. Talk about the best sushi restaurant and those in the know will surely mention Imanas. The family owned establishment features the same friendly faces on each of my visits and amazingly they recognize my mug despite only eating at the restaurant 2-3 times a year (only during my vacation in Oahu). Now the important stuff: everything on the menu is worth a try. The spicy garlic clams, the oh so absolutely delightful butterfish, the fried baby shrimps, the fresh maguro....ok I'm getting hungry just talking about it, simply fabulous. See you in April Imanas!

    (5)

  • Ramfis B.

    Ok Yelpies, if you are looking for the BEST Japanese Restaurant in Hawaii, i will say it right here, Imana's Tei is the BEST Japanese Restaurant on the island of Oahu. Some may beg to differ but if you have gone to a place over 30 times and the food is always consistently good, Imana's is just out of this world. I would give Izakaya Gaku a very close second, but where do you think the owner of Izakaya Gaku came from?? You got it, he was the Sushi Chef at Imana's a while back... ATMOSPHERE: This place is what you expect in a Japanese Restaurant, Sushi Bar to the left and the Restaurant itself has a private Tatami room in the back of the restaurant which i think can fit about 10 people comfortably. I just love the design of the restaurant because it's not very big. The place is always PACKED. The place can get a little noisy at times but who really cares. I love the electricity this place brings!!!! FOOD: This is the reason i come here all the time, CONSISTENCY. This place has never ever done me wrong. The food here is spectacular and not that expensive. The flavors here are so subtle and exquisite that i just dream of this place time and time again and i could eat this food everyday till i die..... The Garlic Butter Clams: This dish right here has the sweetness of the Manila Clams just soaking in the light Garlic Broth and it's just so light and refreshing. I always sip the broth from the bowl. I don't care if anyones looking. The Grilled Beef Tongue: Thinly Sliced Beef Tongue cooked just right with a squeeze of lemon. YUM The Sushi: Just about any Sushi you eat here will simply amaze you: The Uni or Sea Urchin is so fresh and the Mirugai has that crunchy texture that i just love. And the O-Toro and Chu-Toro is just...WOW!! Seafood Dynamite: This my fellow foodies, is a must order here. This is a mixture of seafood in a creamy sauce which is served HOT in a casserole dish. This dish right here makes Imana's Tei right here. This is where i fell in love with this place literally. THE BEST EVER!!! Vinaigraitte Oysters: A half a dozen Oysters served chilled with a little Ponzu over it make it a perfect combination with a nice cup of Sake.. Crabmeat Soup: After eating all of this food, you have to eat the Crabmet Soup. This is very much like Ochazuke but with the sweetness of the crab and the light soup will make everything go down smoothly... SERVICE: The service here is what you expect here in a Japanese Restaurant. For a place that gets very hectic at times, the waitstaff keeps it's composure and will heed to your every need. Just ask anyone there for anything if you want and you will get it. The owner Kei-san is always right by the register and will jump on the Sushi line if needed. Never had a badtime here in the 30 plus times i have been here. OVERALL: Imana's Tei will always be my go to place for great Japanese food. It's funny how me and my Mi-chan bring guests from Japan here and when they come to visit Hawaii the next time they come, this is one of the places they want to come back to. I truly enjoy good food and Imana's Tei has never, ever let me down. I will be very,very sad if this place ever shuts down, but i just dont see this powerhouse of a Restaurant ever doing so. Imana's Tei, you are the BEST Japanese Restaurant in my eyes.......

    (5)

  • Jonn D.

    Rating: 4/5 Date(s) Visited: 10/09/2013, one other time in 2009 Food: 5/5 Service: 5/5 Atmosphere: 5/5 Price: 4/5 Parking: 2/5 Wow! I can't believe that it's been awhile since my last visit. I'm already planning for my next one. Food: I always see how good a sushi restaurant is based on a simple dish...if they can wow me over with it, everything else should be spot on. The simple dish that I'm talking about is the "Tamago," or aka (Also Known As) the "Egg Omelet." It was by far, the best I've had! I also had other items on the menu such as a Steak, Spider Roll, Sashimi, Clam Soup and some Green Tea Ice Cream. I respect an establishment that knows that they are not masters of Desserts, and have to carry a fellow business specialty that are masters of their craft. By this, I mean the ice creams are from "Bubbies." I was expecting to head over there for dessert, but the kind and entertaining waiter mentioned that their ice cream was from there. Service: Servers are very attentive to your every need. A glass of water will never be empty here. Atmosphere: I love the dimness or rather low lighting of this restaurant. Price: After the first bite and taste, I didn't care what the amount of the bill would be. I knew and felt that it would be over $175.00, but what the heck?! My mouth was having a mouthgasm. Parking: Hit or miss. This time I missed.

    (4)

  • Linda L.

    My most favorite sushi spot in the island! Spicy clams, spicy hamachi sumame, and king crab leg dynamite is a must!! Never once left this place unsatisfied, unless they're out if my fav dishes. Lol.

    (5)

  • Anna F.

    The first time I came here, I walked into the restaurant next to it. But then I found out, I wasn't the only one. Other people walk in by mistake thinking that's Imanas. They have a huge menu and no photos of their dishes. Most of the items on their menu are pretty good. My favorites were the grilled beef tongue, and king crab dynamite. I usually don't eat beef tongue but they made it taste really good and I ended up eating more than 2 pieces which is bad because there was 4 of us at the table. Their tea cups are really small. It's like 2 sips and you need a refill. I wonder if they're serving some really fancy green tea and you're suppose to savor each sip. The restaurant could use a little more light. When you have trouble reading the words on the menu, that means it's too dark. The worst of all is their parking. I suggest parking on the street or in Puck's Alley.

    (5)

  • Ha N.

    The otoro is so.. *at a loss for words. My BF and I came just the other day and we have a set menu we order every time we come: - OTORO sashimi (you can choose either 5 or 7 pc) - fresh oysters (6 pc) - ika karaage - hot udon for me - cali roll for him - spicy hamachi tartare - ASAHI beeeer. :) We cannot do without any of the above, except maybe the starches. Mmm. One time, when we had to wait, I shamelessly asked if they had any oysters left. They were out last time! I had to ask or else I would leave! JK. They were so nice, they offered to save us an order! That made me feel so very important. HAHAHAHA lol. I feel so greedy coming here to eat with my BF all the time. Our parents could not stomach the idea of shoving $4/pc sashimi down their throats. I'll have to treat them here one day and make them regret ever thinking that.

    (5)

  • HighStandard S.

    Miss Fussy-Pants loves this place! (Once she was able to find it! It's tucked away from King St., take the driveway before the 7-11 if you are coming from the direction of University Ave.) high quality food great value wonderful ambiance, wabi-sabi pottery professional, courteous service AND THE FOOD IS AWESOME! for $37: gobo/carrot salad ankimo (monkfish liver sashimi, I just found out this is on a list to avoid due to unsustainable fishing practices ) grilled butterfish fried octopus legs (or was it squid?) ume chazuke (tasty broth with rice, pickled plum, sesame, seaweed) miso beef stew green tea The food is less salty and sweet than most Japanese places, which is a good thing.

    (5)

  • Joanna Y.

    BOMB!!! This is the best Japanese restaurant in Hawaii! Kinda pricey, when me and my bf go here we end up spending about $80-$100 (including tip). Some of our faves: Sushi: super fresh, super awesome. Chanko Nabe: sooo good, very filling and $20 a person. When we order this we order only a few sushi on the side. I also love the rice at the end when they mix it into the remaining soup with an egg (forget the name) but its so yummy! Garlic Butter Clams: we end up drinking the soup and all the garlic pieces too!! its soo yums Dynamite: rich, creamy with scallop, fish, and mushrooms inside Katsu Skewers with miso sauce: tasty! Garlic Steak: yummy, sauce is good! includes a small salad and potato salad with fried garlic - perfect combo The only downside can be the wait, but if you go at the right time then you won't have to wait too long, or not at all! Normally me and my bf would go early at around 6ish and we don't have to wait, of course the peak hours 7-9 would be busy so i always recommend going early..

    (5)

  • Edward L.

    Honolulu has a lot of Japanese people, so what better thing to do than try an izakaya. Parking is available in front, but there are only a few spots. There was a bit of a lineup, but the staff were very quick. They spoke Japanese, so this seemed like the real deal. The interior is traditionally themed, with lots of wood paneling. As an izakaya, you expect to pay a few dollars more, and this is no exception. For drinks we had sake and beer. Get the Asahi, as it is 2x the size of the domestics. Wish I knew that beforehand. The food was pretty tasty overall, but a couple of dishes stuck out. Sashimi platter - none of the fish was farmed. You could taste the quality. Soft-shelled crab - one of the largest I've ever had. Yum. The only complaint was that the waiter forgot our dynamite roll. Twice. We asked him to check up on it, and he told us it was coming. Then an hour later (as we were finishing our meal) he tells us that they forgot to put in the order. Really? We were not happy with that at all. The food is good for sure, but I'd check twice for the service.

    (3)

  • John B.

    Love this place. Great value and wonderful sushi... Always a favorite for date night.

    (5)

  • Cherie O.

    I've tried my share of izakayas, as they are MY FAVORITE (as of right now that is..) and Imana's Tei is BY FAR THEEEE BEST izakaya I have tried. I haven't written a yelp review for decades (okay, okay, maybe just like.. a year &a few monthss...) so I decided to get back into the groove of things (I HAVE 43 REVIEWS TO WRITE, HOLY COW) I decided to choose the most enjoyable experience that could come to mind! :D I've only sat at the sushi bar which is completely fine for me because I was only with my boyfriend. Atmosphere is on the slightly above casual, upscale but more-so casual side. Service is wonderful and at the three times I've been there (all sitting at the sushi bar) are always not overbearingly attentive. The last time I came here was a while ago.. so I can't review specific dishes. All I can say is... I fell in love with their eggplant (at one point I had this weird obsession), oysters, and YOU ABSOLUTELY, ABSOLUTELY MUST MUST MUST HAVE AT LEAST ONCE IN YOUR LIFE, their MISOYAKI BUTTERFISH. I'm gonna say it again: BUTTERFISH BUTTERFISH BUTTERFISH BUTTERFISH BUTTERFISH. It's the tenderest, juiciest, flakiest, most absolutely PERFECT butterfish TO-DIE-FOR! There are a few reason why I wouldn't give Imana's Tei a golden five star rating though (If I could, I'd give it 4.5 out of 5 but Yelp doesn't let me do that): For starters, parking. HOLY, GOODNESS GRACIOUS. WHEREE YOUR PARKING AT!? Haha, no actually theres quite some parking right in front of the establishment itself, it's just that it's always ALWAYS packed. Reason is because it shares its parking with Konohtori, another quite well established izakaya. Fortunately, by the time it's 7 or 8, your luck with street parking errs to the THUMBS UP! Soo, this shouldn't be so difficult to handle. (I'm being really nit-picky haha, I'm sorry) Secondly, reservations. They don't take reservations past a certain time. If you want to guarantee a table, or even a no wait, then you have to call and plan to be there before (I believe it's) 7:00pm. Otherwise, everything after that is a first come, first serve seating basis. Kinda poopy if there's a lot of people or you're really hungry, or making plans for your night. Sometimes, it's nice to have completely control of how long your dinner is going to be if you plan to possibly have dessert somewhere or watch a movie; Maybe even go out with some friends. Although I don't like this unpredictability and inconvenient time-scheme thing (which I admit, it did take away from us going three times the amount we would've), every single time I've gone, the longest we've waited was 5-10 minutes at very most. So thumbs up! While we're still on that note about timing, I'd like to also mention that this place does close relatively early compared to other izakaya establishments. Although I love the food, service, and ambiance, I hate that i'm so limited to its hours of service. I'd like to give you my money until 2 in the morning, please!?!? Because I have not yet picked up on a geriatric eating schedule, I do like to start eating a little later in the night, possibly have a few drinks, and not have to worry about being pushed out of my chairs so early in the night. Many of my friends work until 9:00 or 10:00pm. I believe Imana's closes well before midnight on even weekends... while other izakayas close at 1:00 or 2:00 am... Lastly, I believe that BECAUSE this place is so SPECTACULAR, the portions are so small, and it is VERYYY "izakaya-style," this place can easily break your bank. I'm 24. I don't make those "hunnedss, hunnedss..." but hell.. when I do.. I'm going to eat here every other day... As you can see, most of my review was on the management of the business it'self. The food, literally is spectacular. Wonderful. Fanta-bulous. You will NOT be dissappointed in its presentation, textures, and tastes. However, there are other things that just don't make it a completely 5-star restaurant. I'd say this is a very nice place to take a date, drink some beer, maybe some sake, or for me preferably, just some sweet tasty umeshu! ^^ And if you didn't hear me scream before.. Don't forget: Butterfish.

    (4)

  • Clarissa M.

    Went here with a friend during happy hour for the first time. This place has super tight and limited parking. Once inside there was no wait - and we sat at the sushi counter which was fine with us. They ran out of oysters so we ordered toro sushi instead. Chef recommended a local fish sushi (forgot the name) but it was smooth and slightly sweet - super delicious and fresh! We also tried the grilled shio chicken, katsu, grilled octopus, unagi with avocado roll, and seafood dynamite. We also had their Asahi beer which was served super cold - the way I like to enjoy it. Everything was tasty. The seafood dynamite was on the "soupy" side and more soy sauce base. This was more than enough food for two people and we were stuffed. Service was quick, friendly, and super attentive.

    (4)

  • Lyn L.

    01/28/12 It's been a while since I've reviewed Imana Tei....because they are so consistently GREAT!!!...but thought I should give them some press again.... We went there, again, last night and yup! It's still GREAT!!! We order our usuals... For the folks who are concerned about the parking....if their tiny lot is filled, just park at Puck's Alley...instead of turning right into the Imana's lot, go straight, take a ticket and the barrier will go up...park in that structure, it's cheap. Enjoy!

    (5)

  • Susy W.

    My friends insisted on bringing me here when I was visiting from out of town. I still think about the food I ate here... We ordered the spicy tuna roll, grilled beef tongue and Portuguese sausages. Even though the spicy tuna roll was simple and can be found in any sushi joint, this was one of the best I've ever had. I've ate beef tongue a couple of times but I've been converted ever since I had it at Imana's. The chanko nabe was delicious! Never had anything like it before and I've love to see this in Seattle - it would be the ultimate comfort food when it's cold out. The real treat is the rice porridge they make at the end with the flavorful broth that cooked all the ingredients (seafood, meats, veggies, etc). At that point we were too full to try out the dessert but I will make sure to come back and eat again when I visit next. Prices were very decent considering the amount and quality of food. YUM!

    (5)

  • Kayleigh M.

    Had the best sushi here! Love it so much, I would go back to Hawaii just for this restaurant!!!!! After got back to LA for almost 3 months, I really don't want to eat the sushi restaurants here. T_T

    (5)

  • Nancy Y.

    I wish we got to try to chanko nabe, but when we made reservations they were totally booked and could only accommodate us at the bar area. NOTE: the bar area cannot order Chankko Nabe, only the tables can. We ordered sashimi and it was SOOOOOOOOOOOO fresh! I love this place and would definitely come back again. Parking wise-they have a small lot that cannot accomodate too many cars. We had to circle around 3 times and luckily got a spot.

    (5)

  • Lindsay G.

    I've seen this place a few times since I was a regular at Khonotori and its right next door. I never thought to try to until my friend mentioned as place to have a going away dinner. We decided to go on a Friday night around 8 it was busy and we had to wait a half hour before we were seated. (I think they give preference to people they know or eat there a lot. We were told they do not take reservations after 7, and these people came after us were seated before us.) Imanas is small but the tables are placed strategically (or not), so the room doesn't look too small and can seat a big party if needed with a long table with benches which I thought was smart. Our waiter was nice and explained the different dishes they had. I had settled on sushi set B and so did 2 other people from our group, I don't remember all the sushi that came with it, it did come with hamachi, maguro, ikura, unagi and uni plus miso soup and salad. My husband ordered the salmon and chicken karaage. Our food came out quick. Sushi pieces were pretty good, even the uni. This is how I judged this place. (I know crazy right.) I've had uni before and it was terrible. I thought perhaps it just wasn't for me. Thanks to Imanas I now think uni is for me! It was creamy and the taste was not bad at all. The other pieces of sushi were also very good; I also loved the salmon sushi! It wasn't fishy at all. The chicken karaage and salmon my husband ordered was good too. We finished our dinner off with green tea ice cream which was the standard Dave's I think. All in all I think this place was pretty good and would totally eat here again... just for the Uni! FYI... the parking lot is small and so are the stalls. There is a lot of street parking though.

    (4)

  • Sonia S.

    I can't believe I have NEVER gone to Imanas until now... I've always heard great things about the place, but for some reason, just never had the desire to try it. My new friend, Song said "Are you sure you're a foodie? You're such a foodie, but never tried Imanas...hmmmm?"...I was totally being called out, so off to Imanas we went! I just sat back and let him and everyone else do the ordering: *Seafood Dynamite ~ It sure packed the punch with flavor! Cooked mirugai, scallops, shiitake in a heavenly, perfect dynamite sauce. I could have this with a bowl of rice and be happy for the rest of night. Hands down....THE BEST DYNAMITE I've ever had!!!!! Dynamite so good that'll make your head spin....Dynamite so good that'll make your eyes go a lil cuckoo....I'm serious!! *King Crab Dynamite ~ my friend was so excited about this one. Normally I would be too because I love crab, but the Seafood Dynamite was sooo much better! *Katsuo Tataki ~ I love katsuo! This was super fresh slices of katsuo topped off with thinly sliced raw onions, kaiware sprouts served with ponzu sauce. I don't like eating onions raw, but I'll eat it raw for this dish! *Kaki Nigiri ~ Raw oysters topped off with a ponzu jelly, negi and chili daikon oroshi...this was hella oishi! So good that we ordered a second round! I love oysters and I love sushi, but to have it together was superb! Too much time has lapsed since I went, so I forget a lot of the things we ate. On another occasion, in addition to the dynamite, we ordered: *Seafood Gobo ~ Served as a huge mound of thin slices of gobo (burdock root) tempura style with a few pieces of tempura shrimp. It was good, but maybe a lil too greasy for me. I hear their nabes and shabu shabu is really good. I'll save that for next time.

    (4)

  • Jaswant A. S.

    I read about this place on Yelp when I was trying to figure out where to go on my first night of a weeklong stay in Hawaii. Read all the reviews and since I knew it was right near Puck's Alley I figured it was not too far of a walk. We walked around a bit doing some last minute stuff before a relative's wedding the next day. When we were finally done it was just before 9pm on a Saturday night and I was starved. We walked in thinking we were well past prime dinner time so it shouldn't be too bad. No dice. all the tables were full. Luckily, there was room at the sushi bar. We sat down at the bar and ordered a bunch of stuff. Lots of sashimi - can't even remember every single thing we ordered. Standouts were salmon, amaebi, and uni - which I had all to myself since I took a bunch of amateurs with me. Uni was good - not the best I ever had but good. I also got the deep-fried amaebi heads all to myself for the same reason. We also had tako wasabi which was very spicy - had to wash that down with Kirin so it wouldn't burn my mouth - that was also mostly just for me, same reason. I believe we also had cold kabocha - after having some of that dish I realized I like it much better warm. My favorite thing of the night was the thinly sliced hirame (flounder) in a special dipping sauce - I think it was ponzu and shredded daikon. Broke da mouth! Place is pricey so it broke da wallet a little too but it was worth it. Our itamae was very attentive and communicative. We had a great time and would definitely do again. Funny I thought this was one of the only Izakayas in this area but after a week of going all over town I realized you could probably drive down any main street and randomly throw stones out the window every so often and your chances of hitting an Izakaya are pretty good. I'm used to much bigger cities that have just a handful of Izakayas. For a town the size of Honolulu, it sure is saturated with Izakayas. Not complaining at all - just noticing. Even though we hoofed it over to this restaurant we could clearly see that the tiny parking lot leaves a lot to be desired - especially if you come at prime dining hours. Anyway, I Will be back here again for sure one day.

    (5)

  • Teri K.

    First time trying Imanas and will definitely be back. This is a favorite of a good friend of mine and her recommendation is spot on. We shared a sushi combo, miso butterfish and garlic clams. The service here is excellent and super friendly. The only difficult part is getting a table! We made reservations but could only book seats at the bar. But it's easy to see why the place gets so many customers. Great place!

    (5)

  • Play Paradise K.

    We heard great reviews from friends and guests, and now it was my turn. It was packed with guests on Friday night. Drinks: Asahi Super Dry, Umeshu Mizuwari (Plum wine with water) Appetizers: Seafood Dynamite, a delicious mayonnaise-based gratin Side Dishes: A well balanced Kaisou Sarada (seafood salad) and Sake Ochazuke, which was at the perfect temperature, with tender rice and a well balance salmon flavor Entrees: Hamachi and Natto nigirizushi, the Tekka makizushi, Gyutan (beef tongue), all of which were fresh, tender, and delicious Desserts: Too satisfied to order Atmosphere: Authentically Japanese, relaxing, with warm omotenashi Service: Friendly and quick. We were initially told it might take up to 30 minutes when we walked in, but were seated at the sushi bar in only 5. Our sushi chef was attentive and made pleasant conversation with all the patrons equally. I highly recommend this to any of my guests looking for a great sushi izakaya.

    (5)

  • Nicole L.

    I would add this to my list of top recs for Oahu - awesome food, good service, cool atmosphere. While the wait can be long, I think the food is worth it, so sit tight, you will soon be rewarded for your patience. We sat at the sushi bar. We ordered: a sashimi platter a la cart: hamachi, salmon, and toro, the dynamite, hamachi kama (tuna collar), kakie nigiri (oyster), and uni nigiri. Everything was spectacular. Of all the sashimi the toro was the best - fatty, sliced easily with chopsticks, melted on your tongue - we were so impressed we ordered a second order to fulfill our craving. The dynamite was a baked seafood dish that is served hot and can be eaten over rice or alone, it was flavorful and looked like a seafood creme brulee. The hamachi kama was surprisingly meaty and 4 of us were able to get a good hardy piece. Kakie nigiri was different, something I'd never tried before and I was surprised was the saltiness but it was good, wouldn't add it to my list of fav. nigiri's but would eat it again, the presentation was beautiful. We always conclude our meal with uni - to us it's like a dessert and when it's good it leave us with good flavor in our mouths. They pile on the uni good at Imanas and we were definitely happy after our first bites. The uni was super fresh, the sushi chef said it'd been flown in that morning from Santa Barbara. Quality uni that was sweet, dissolved, and left us craving more. We loved it so much we got a second order. Booya. Loved it. Loved Imana's, thanks for a good meal.

    (5)

  • Troy T.

    I've been to Imanas Tei many a times before, but decided to rate them this time. Their uni is really good, and I'd go back anytime. Reservations are usually needed if you go early, other than that its first come first serve after 7 or 7:30 I believe. I didn't get it this time, but their Nabe is to live for. Appetizer Gyutan (Beef Tongue) - subtle saltiness, and a light squeeze of lemon makes it down right dangerous... 4.5* Sushi Ika(squid) - 3* it could've been more tender, but the taste was nice Hotate Mayo(scallop Mayo) - 4.5* one of the best i've had. Sake(Salmon) - 3* typical salmon, not bad at all, but nothing special either. Engawa (meat near the fin of Hirame) - 4* most places run out of this part since there is approximately 4 pieces sushi per fish. Hamachi (Yellow Tail) - 3* not really fatty, but perhaps i should've asked if they had hamachi toro. Botan Ebi aka Ama Ebi(sweet shrimp) - 4* Botan Ebi is quite large compared to true ama ebi, so if it comes with two pieces of shrimp it is probably ama ebi, but if it comes with one large shrimp its almost always Botan Ebi. I prefer Botan Ebi. Oh, and I loveee the deep fried heads that come with the Botan Ebi. Unagi (fresh water eel) - 3.5* better than a lot of other places that serve unagi. Uni (sea urchin) - 5* I so thoroughly enjoyed my uni I ordered uni sashimi too... btw these scrumptious guys came from Santa Barbara.

    (4)

  • Sheena C.

    OMFG, I finally tried the nabe and it is worth every penny! I have never seen such variety in ingredients to nabe-fy. Shrimp, scallops, chanko, mussels, CRAB, veggies, and the list goes on. DO ITTTTTT!

    (5)

  • Raych D.

    Finally got to try this place out 2x in 4 days! Experience #1: Came here this past Saturday with two other girlfriends after drinking all day. Luckily we got there after 9pm and it wasn't busy at all that they took us right in. The place is very cutesy and roomy. We got seated in the far back were we were able to sit on those tables where we sat on mats and our heels were on the stairway. They are very strict with having your heels placed right outside and lined up nicely because they yelled at us for it. Our waiter was very efficient and nice. I got the sashimi platter for 1 ($19) and an unagi nigi ($9.50). My sashimi platter consisted of nicely thick cuts of 3 hamachi, 4 salmon, 4 ahi and 3 slices of some other fish. My unagi was a little pricey but it was a huge cut of fish and really delicious that I ate it with the rice...and I never eat rice! My girlfriend got the fried baby shrimp, salmon skin roll and a side of rice. She liked the baby shrimp but the salmon not to much..I didn't care for the salmon either because it was a too bitter for me. And my other friend got the spicy ahi roll, miso soup and sweet ebi (shrimp) with the fried head. She loved all of her food. Our waiter was nice enough to split all 3 checks in the end. Prices are not to bad considering the amount of food they give and the quality of the food. My total was only about $29. Experience #2: Because I loved the sushi so much from my 1st dining on Saturday, I came back last night (Tuesday) night with a girlfriend as a post-work out dinner. Got here around 7:30pm and there was no wait so we were seated right in. Our waiter was a really sweet and fast as delivering our food and getting our waters filled. I ordered the miso butterfish and a extra spicy tuna roll...they really did spice it up, which I like because most places never make it spicy enough. My friend got the seafood dynamite, fried soft shell crab, oolong tea and the unagi, cucumber and avocado roll. She liked her entire meal except for the dynamite because for one, it took so long to get to her and two it was too sweet. I have to agree, because I did take a bite and it was too sweet and to mayo-y for my taste. We also shared a green tea ice cream which was so creamy and not too sweet but perfectly balanced and went well with our entire meal. I was surprised that my butterfish and spicy tuna roll was only $19....The cashier was a little upset that we waited until the end to ask for a split check but after telling her I knew the owners wife her and the owner (sushi chef) she was nice about it and the owner even came over to say Hi. Cons: I just wish they had more dessert options and more roll options but the taste and quality is dynamite! I also wish there was more parking available and I wish they could take reservations.

    (5)

  • Toby T.

    freshest, best sushi along with traditional Japanese favorites. It has been one of our favorites for 10 years!

    (5)

  • Julie N.

    Love this place! Usually get the tekka don or misoyaki butterfish. OH the kabocha is amazing! Best kabocha all around! I love the sauce it comes in and it's chilled just perfectly. Very soft and cooked just right. The tekka don is great! Over sushi rice, sprinkled with thin strips of nori, and fresh sliced ahi over it. Mm.. I'm getting hungry for this just writing this review. Reservations are recommended, but if you walk in late enough you're fine. It's a pretty small restaurant and a bit pricey, but it's been around for a while for a reason!

    (5)

  • Doris D.

    This time was one of those magical nights where you immediately find parking and are immediately seated on a bustling Saturday night. We've been to Imanas Tei before for nabe and dynamite and both were so, so delicious. This time we had: Ankimo (great start to the meal), ebi nigiri, fried shrimp heads, hamachi nigiri (fatty and firm), Hamachi collar (one of the bigger collars I've seen. Lots of sweet, succulent meat), and dynamite (the mayo part comes out bubbling and it tastes excellent. The bits of shrimp, shiitake mushrooms, and scallop were really tender.) We also had tofu in tempura sauce with a heap of bonito flakes (too much bonito for my taste and the tofu sucked up all the tempura sauce. We didn't finish the dish we were so full), two big bowls of rice, and a huge salmon skin hand roll (unfortunately the skin was too burnt). We ate at the sushi bar and watched the chef work his magic. I love sitting at the bar, you get dinner and a show! We waddled out of the restaurant totally happy.

    (5)

  • Jenny F.

    Disclaimer: I came here for my cousin's bday party and ate but never saw the menu! So this review is NOT including thoughts on price, which, judging by the dollar signs, is kinda up there. But, whatever the price, this place is gold! It's currently one of my favorite restaurants. TIP: Park at Puck's Alley, and buy something at Nijiya Market to get it validated, because Imanas Tei has only a handful of spots. We actually left around 9, and I guess the last parking shift had ended, because no one was there to pay and the gate was just left open! We had a party of ten, so we got to sit in the little private room in the corner of the restaurant. It could seat up to 12 comfortably. You leave your slippahs at the opening in the screens, walk inside, and slide your legs under the table. Basically it's like bench seating, but the floor is the bench and they cut out room under the table for your legs. It's a great quieter, secluded spot for a party. We had food upon food upon food! We pretty much ordered two of everything for our party of 10. House salad was really great--fresh and flavorful. Spider roll was fresh, but I've had better elsewhere. Fried gobo (burdock root) was good, and not greasy. It comes with a dipping sauce. Fried tako was really tasty. Sashimi platter was really fresh--probably one of the best sashimi I've had on island. But the BEST part of the evening was the Chanko Nabe, aka Sumo Wrestler Stew! It's what they eat to bulk up, and it's plain to see why: It's a huuuuge pot of boiling broth, and they layer veggies, snow crab, squid, fish cake, dduk (rice cake), glass noodles, chicken, beef, pork meatballs, huge portions of salmon, shrimp, squid, clams, mussels, and tofu in it. I'm probably missing a protein in there, but that's pretty much almost every edible animal I can think of, so I think you get the picture. It's DELICIOUS!!! The broth is flavorful on its own, but add to it every creature from land and sea and it becomes a party of epic proportions. Everything is tasty. Everything is delicious. And it's all quality--they even marinate the chicken before they put it in! And the meatballs are great--they taste like a sweeter version of siu mai. And just when you think you've had so much food you can't take any more....in comes the server who fishes out all the leftovers of your bountiful stew, adds rice, adds an egg, mixes it all together and makes some magic akin to risotto or congee/jook. Ohh, I feel myself slipping into food coma just writing this review...

    (5)

  • Local B.

    This 5 star review pertains to our experience at the sushi counter and not the dining room. The seafood selections were abundant and extremely fresh when compared to other sushi eateries around town. The Japanese tourists that sat at the counter were "regulars" that have been coming for years whenever they visit Honolulu. That would only happen if they trust the quality of what is being served here as they are used to getting the best in the world a short 8 hour flight away. When their "star" talented sushi chef left to open his own restaurant years ago, people were worried about a possible downfall of the sushi at Imanas. They did stumble slightly at first but that was due to the itamaes that worked the counter. I am happy to report that now with Abe-san in charge, Imanas has regained it's position at the top of sushi restaurants in Honolulu. Bravo Asai-san!

    (5)

  • Lori W.

    Celebrated a birthday last night for my son with an outstanding feast of his favorites. Dynamite, hamachi sashimi, fried gobo, fried squid, spicy ahi roll, garlic steak, butterfish, shabu shabu. They topped it off with a song and a scoop of ice cream. Great service as usual. Continues to be our favorite.

    (5)

  • Renee-Lisa L.

    Daniel Dae Kim spotting!!! Supposedly this is one of his favorite restaurants, so you may get to sit next to him like we did. I tried to be sneaky and take a picture of him but I accidentally left my flash on (guess you could say I was a bit LOST). Embarrassing much!?!! I recommend if you see him here, you don't do that =/ Anyywayy, this has got to be the best Japanese food on the island. I told Kyle I would take him anywhere for his birthday, Hy's, Morton's - anywhere, but he picked Imanas Tei (...and now I know why) Edamame - Winning They're deliciously soft, refreshing alternative to the typical crunchy soybean Garlic Steak - Winning The meat is tender and the garlic sauce has the taste of garlic without being overpowered. It also comes with a scoop of potato salad. Katsu Skewers - Winning Ask for both the miso & katsu sauce! Yellow Tail & Salmon - Winning Hamachi Kama - Winning (according to Kyle) Lots of meat! And cooked perfectly. This place is bi winning, win here, win there, win win everywhere!

    (5)

  • Hiro I.

    One of the great classic Izakaya restaurants in Hawaii if not one of the originals. It's been around a looong time and I used to actually work there as a waiter the first year it opened back in........anyway. Sushi selection is great, Kitchen items are all awesome! Kaori Chicken and Koebi Karaage is some of my favorites as well as the Miso Kushi Katsu. The chanko nabe is also always a winnder. Great Sake selection and great service. Expect to wait a while if you don't have reservations as it is always crowded but worth the wait.

    (4)

  • Angela S.

    GREAT FOOD, FAST SERVICE, FRESH INGREDIENTS. My girlfriend and I came here TWICE in the one week duration that we had in Hawaii. The first time we had their Chanko Nabe.. Highly recommended. The ingredients were fresh, and the broth tasted great (to me, but a bit salty for her!). Please keep in mind that they offer udon/rice at the end, so save some room for that ;)! The 2nd time we came here, I had the Chirashi (b) (which included Uni and Salmon Roe), and she had the assorted sashimi plate. Both were STELLAR! I love sashimi, and dont get easily impressed, but their cuts were fresh, and delicious! The oysters (which I typically HATE), were enjoyable and fresh! I really like this restaurant and highly recommend it! Thank you yelp for introducing me to this place, and I hope anyone else visiting can give this place a try ;)!

    (5)

  • Noelani C.

    This restaurant is by far one of the best on the island! They have the best nabe, the best shiokara, the best natto special, and every experience when we dine there is just amazing! The staff is wonderful, friendly, and really catering to dropping off extra napkins, refilling hot tea, taking away bowls that are empty, excellence!! I love the salmon belly, the OMAKASE is AMAZING too! Every piece of sushi has a mouth watering flavor of its own! I will always eat here weekly and my daughter loves their marinated ikura with sushi rice! Her ultimate fav!!!

    (5)

  • Amanda C.

    I went here with two dear friends for what turned out to be an amazing dinner! The parking lot is surprisingly small, and had we not lucked out with a spot right by the door, I am not sure where we would have parked...thankfully we didn't have to worry about it! One of my friends did all of the ordering, and while I am not sure of anything that we ate, all I can tell you is that is was all pretty much amazing. The King Dynamite was incredible. Here is my advice, gather some special people, order 6-8 items on the menu and share them!

    (5)

  • Carlton Y.

    Great spicy tuna that u mix and put on nori. The nabe is absolutely wonderful. A must try dish is the miso beef. Get a side of rice with this and it's almost a complete meal. Sushi is okay her fish is good quality not on part with mitch's. The potato salad is very good. Fried gobo used to be great but they cut the portion size and when they did the dish taste oilier. Might have something to do with the shape of the loaf.

    (4)

  • jeanie c.

    One of my favorite restaurant! Freshest Sashimi! Love the Salmon skin salad, spicy clams, fresh oysters, Ika gueso, deep fried bay shrimp. Everything there is super yummy : )

    (5)

  • Mami S.

    this is the best izakaya on the island. the food and service is always top notch. only bad part it can be tough to get a table immediately but that is for a good reason. the seafood dynamite and miso katsu are two of my favorites. oh and how can you forget gobo tempura amazing. than when in the mood for sushi they are top notch. really great place to spend an evening with friends. I still want to try the shabu shabu. always a reason to go back!

    (5)

  • Y M.

    Celebrated our second anniversary at Imanas last night. I requested Japanese food, so husband reserved a seat for us at the sushi bar. Well, I must say that was the best sushi I have ever had! We ordered "omakase", so the sushi chef just made us whatever he recommended for that day. He told us just to let him know when we are full. So he served us tai, hirame, mirugai, toro, amaebi, aji, katsuo, amaebi, maguro and anago (around 10 pieces each). Everything was so so fresh and beautifully presented. The toro was just melt in your mouth good and I loved the mirugai and aji and katsuo. He even fried the shrimp heads for us (really crunchy and good). After having a baby last year, I finally got to eat all my favorite sushi and my sushi craving has been taken care of. To be honest though, we were a little worried about the final bill since most of the things he served us said "market price" on the menu lol, but the sushi was less than $90 for two of us! That's a really good deal for that quality of sushi! The restaurant interior is very nice too, fancier than a regular izakaya but fairly casual. Just a nice calm ambience, great for a quiet night out.

    (5)

  • May L.

    Price - Too high Food - Okay Wait - Too long I love Kohnotori next door, much cheaper and better food!

    (3)

  • Roger L.

    I love this place! Fresh seafood for Sashimi, great services. I have been there many times!

    (5)

  • Haji M.

    I love this place. I went to 3 times already. My Fav are Sashimi Combo Seafood Dynamite Karaage These are the must !!

    (5)

  • Anna K.

    I love Imanas!!! I have been coming here for years. I even had my birthday dinner here a few years ago. I have never had a bad experience here ever. The food and service is consistently good. The wait can be long so I suggest you go early or eat a snack before you go to brave out the wait. Some of my favorite items are chirashi, fried baby shrimp, steam claims, steak, etc. This is my favorite izakaya place, hands down.

    (5)

  • Julia H.

    EXPENSIVE but worth it when you wanna treat yourself to good sushi :). SALMON SKIN SUSHI. mmm. Super fresh UNI here too.

    (5)

  • Jennifer C.

    When I wanted to try out a new Japanese restaurant, the first thing out of everyone's lips were "Imanas Tei." It's no wonder this restaurant has such a sizzling review on Yelp! The sushi was EXCELLENT, fresh, and everything you would expect a 4-5 star Japanese restaurant in Hawaii would taste like. I don't have any specific recommendations, they were all good! The ambiance is trendy and definitely inviting. Certainly a great place to take a date if you want to show a lady the best Hawaii has to offer. Food came out fairly quickly and in an abundant amount, worth every pretty penny. Check out what all the buzz is about!

    (4)

  • Brian L.

    My first time here. The nabe was good. The sashimi was OK. The experience was very average. I can't say i'd go out of my way for a return visit. But I wouldn't tell someone it's not a place to go.

    (3)

  • Chad Y.

    Imanas Tei is one of those izakaya restaurants the dot our scene that make you go this was good, service was stellar, prices are great, but there was no single item that truly stood out for me that would make me go wow. The menu offers a good selection of items including sushi, seafood, and meats that are delightfully prepared and of good quality. The sushi offers the same selection one would expect and the same robust flavors that shine with great cuts of fish and well done sauces. The crab dynamite was stellar with well cooked crab legs topped with a fantastic dynamite blend broiled on top. The service is what makes Imanas Tei shine. You never feel pressured and the service is always checking in on you in a quite, yet meaningful method that truly is appreciated. They know their menu well and deliver in a well-planned orchestration that keeps your plates full and your bellies filled. Prices are decent and not something outrageous. It is certainly more than you plate lunch, but you definitely pay for quality and well worth the price. When compared to other izakaya style establishments the price is definitely in line. Ambiance is comfortable with well done lighting, perfectly staged seating for groups or that quiet intimate discussion. Parking can be a bit tricky since their lot is small and street parking can be tough to come by. Worse case, fork out a couple of bucks and park next door at Puck's Alley (you'll thank me later). Definitely a good izakaya place that I will be sure to visit more and more!

    (4)

  • Joey C.

    This restaurant's food is on a par with those of Japan, but when two people eat and one drinks and the bill is $200, you have to ask yourself was it worth it. In my book, not really. I like sushi, but my wife doesn't. Most of the tab was for the fish, so watch what you order. You can get more for your Yen in Japan than you can for your dollar at Imanas Tei.

    (3)

  • Kristen K.

    The sushi rolls are quality, the sashimi is excellent, the drinks list is well curated - but the small plates are what I really crave - Cold Pumpkin, Seafood Gobo, Nato with quail egg, Miso Fried Tofu... You must try them!!! Imanas is probably my favorite restaurant on Oahu. The atmosphere is lively, the staff kind and helpful. Imanas has seating at the bar, a beautiful communal table and a tatami room. Call ahead if you are dining on the weekend and reserve your preferred space. I recommend reserving the communal table for large gatherings!

    (5)

  • Mitch N.

    Ordered omakase this time at the bar. The price was splendid, about $40 for about 10 pieces. That is a steal! The fish was super fresh and clean tasting.

    (5)

  • Ann K.

    Great authentic Japanese sushi bar...fresh fish...not a big fan of grilled squid..too chewy and burnt.

    (4)

  • Kat B.

    First time here, friend recommended this place for sushi, but it was difficult to find. The service was great, food came out quickly, sushi and sashimi were fresh. Over all not bad, but food was a little over priced.

    (4)

  • Anita C.

    My friend loves this place and is his favorite Japanese restaurant to eat on island. He's been bugging me to go for quite some time, so yesterday we finally went. Parking is a little nutty here. There's limited spots out front and it's super tight. There's street parking and also a parking lot at Puck's Alley. We went around 6:30pm and we waited for about 5 minutes while they cleaned the sushi bar area. We sat at the bar and service was fast. Once seated, I had someone bring me a hot towel for my hands and had my order drink taken. We ordered the spicy clams, beef tongue, fried squid legs, sashmi for 2, spicy tuna and cali roll. Everything came out quickly, fresh (especially the fish!! omg, it just melted in my mouth!!) and hot (for the hot dishes). Each item was flavorful and just really yummy. We ended the meal with azuzi bean and the green tea ice cream. Very very yummy!! I had first suggested we go to Bubbies for dessert but my friend insisted on the ice cream from Imanas and I'm glad he pushed for it. My azuzi bean had just the right combination of creaminess, sweetness and beaniness (if that is even a word). Oh and my friend had a large Asahi and I had tea - all that came out to about $110 with tip. Next time I am going to try the seafood dynamite.

    (5)

  • Cynthia L.

    Best chanko nabe ever! This Japanese-style hot pot was overflowing with: *King Crab *Shrimp *Clams *Tofu *Scallops *Beef *Chicken *Meatballs *Salmon *Mochi *Veggies Broke da mouth. If that wasn't enough, after the hot pot was finished, there was a choice of rice or udon noodles to be mixed into the remaining dashi. We opted to try the rice. Our waiter made us zosui (rice porridge)! It was extra tasty made with the leftover seafood and meat infused broth. Cost: $19.99 per order. Minimum 2 orders.

    (5)

  • Chantelle T.

    I'm a huge fan of izakayas and this place is definitely one of the better ones I've gone to. The ambience here is really nice and the service is good. Here's a rundown of the food: Chirashi (A) - Delicious. It's been awhile since I last had chirashi sushi so this was quite a treat for me. The selection of fish is good and they definitely pile it on. The variety of fish for this is the same as the nigiri sushi (A). The chirashi came with miso soup and salad so it's a pretty good deal for the amount you pay. w00t w00t! The tofu with miso sauce was pretty good too. The sauce was a bit on the salty side but it went pretty well with the tofu. Come early since parking in the area is really limited. We got lucky and arrived when someone was leaving and there was no wait.

    (4)

  • Jonas T.

    One of the best places (if not the best) that I've ever been to for Japanese food. Sashimi was fresh, shrimp tempura was big and juicy, hamachi kama was excellent - Everything was good and I don't have a single complaint. JONASAPPROVED!

    (5)

  • Russel M.

    4 1/2 Stars! The Sushi was very good followed by the Dynamite Seafood Comb and Butterfish. Everything including the Service was top-notch. Get there early or plan on a painful wait. Prices were fair and excellent Sake list with Manjyu of course.

    (5)

  • Faye M.

    Finally got to try this place out with a few of my co-workers the other night & we were all stuffed by the end of dinner! Luckily we found parking as soon as we pulled in; unfortunately, it was the stalls by the bus stop & bushes =AKA= the public restroom. It totally smelt like urine as soon as we opened our doors. Our wait was only about 10 minutes, so that was good - since we got there around 715pm! So I had a pretty good idea of how big the Chanko Nabe was, thanks to all the great reviews...but we still ordered some sushi and the other girls ordered butterfish, and salmon? We got the Spicy Tuna Roll and the Spider Roll...both were good, but the Spicy Tuna wasn't that spicy :( In the meantime the nabe is set up at our table, and the lady artfully places everything in the pot (seriously, look at my profile picture!). So we're eating our sushi, drinking our warm sake and when the nabe is finally good to go - 2 of the girls don't want any! So it's just me and Virginia C. left to tackle this crazy mofo! It was soo good though! We tried so hard to eat as much as we could...but were defeated! Then they ask us if we want rice or udon ~ we chose udon. It was a good choice, but it felt like we were eating a whole new meal, right after finishing our first meal! Haha... Lesson learned: make sure everyone (more than 2 people) is gonna eat the nabe! There was a lot of leftovers.

    (4)

  • Jerrel C.

    Good good good....staff is very friendly and fun esp at the sushi bar...try it once its fun. Food... top notch! My favorite place with my wife. Always our first pick on the weekends...i think we are here almost every weekend....one thing i dont enjoy is parking.....but who cares da food is fo buss yo mout!

    (5)

  • Daniel C.

    I have to say that this is by far one of the best Japanese Restaurants in Hawaii. The food is amazing and the service is second to none. Love the ambiance and atmosphere inside. Be warned that there is a long wait to dine here but it's totally worth it to dine there. Parking isn't great so car pool!

    (5)

  • Dean H.

    Read the reviews and so I am not redundant I am going to just say that the Chanko Nabe was a WINNER! Protein packed with chicken, clams, shrimps (was a little mushy), meatballs, beef (soooo good), and salmon. I am sure I missed a few yummys in the mix. Also had a side of butterfish, grilled tongue, and buttery clams (the soup that it was in was AHHHH good). All was very good. Pretty pricey and the nabe broth wasn't as good as Ichiriki but overall it was a great experience indeed. The nabe impressed by the amount of fresh ingredients, variety of ingredients and the choice of rice/udon at the end. The staff was very helpful and was always attentive. I felt like I was back in Japan with the "irasshaimasei" greetings and smiling faces. I would definately go back for some of the other offerings cause that sushi, other grilled items, and clams were that good.... Happy Eatiing!

    (4)

  • Nette T.

    4.5 stars After my disappointment with Hakone buffet, my faith was restored with my visit to Imanas Tei. We met up with friends we haven't seen in a while and looked forward to good food as well as good company. I know that Imanas is known for the Chanko Nabe and I've had it on a previous trip. I wasn't feeling it that night so we ordered the Seafood Dynamite, Miso Butterfish, tonkatsu on a stick, sashimi and garlic ribeye steak. LOVED the Seafood Dynamite which had the Japanese mayonnaise with scallop, abalone,salmon, and mushrooms. This was really good, we pretty much liked the plate clean :) Tonkatsu on a stick was more of a novelty - everyone likes meat on a stick, right? Tonkatsu was perfectly fried. The garlic ribeye steak was apparently good - I didn't try this but my friends liked it. But the standout was the sashimi - we ordered uni, toro, maguro, and abalone. Everything was outstanding. I am not normally a fan of uni because of the texture and taste (maybe I've been going to the wrong places in the Bay Area?) but this was actually sweet and oh-so-tender. Service was excellent, our server was friendly and everything was on point. Parking can be difficult but there is a convoluted parking paid parking lot next door. Iamans Tei will be a permanent fixture on my to do list when I go back to Hawaii!

    (4)

  • Beata S.

    Definitely the best restaurant dining experience I have had on waikiki beach! This place is located on inside a small strip mall not visible form the street, and the whole plaza looks for the lack of better description, shady. But don't let this fool you because it features a peaceful and welcoming interioor, very fresh sushi, and pretty reasonable prices. We had sppicy sallop sushi, a salmon skin roll, a sweet shrimp with fried head, agedashi eggplant, yellowtail jalapeno roll, and some really amazing tamago, for all of $39. The fish quality was really amazing, and the atmosphere was great!

    (5)

  • Troy M.

    Back for more at one of my favorite places for japanese Food. Must Trys: Seafood Dynamite Oyster Vinigrette Hamachi Sashimi

    (5)

  • A S.

    Chanko-nabe... Chanko-nabe... I feel like a Sumo wrestler every time I eat one... LOL!! I still remembered how my friends and I stumbled into Kohnotori (next door) by mistake during our first trip looking for Imanas Tei some years ago. This place is somewhat hidden if it is your first time in the area and parking can be difficult. There is a full sushi bar and I have tried many items on the menu (saba tataki, tonkatsu skewers, garlic steak, chazuke, etc.). I find myself usually returning to Chanko-nabe and some sashimi since I don't find the other offerings that great or memorable. I just love all the veggies, shellfish, crab legs, and the unique chicken meatballs stuffed in bamboo shoots. Aside from nabe, Imanas Tei usually has fresh and good selections of sashimi available each night. The selection varies depending on what fish/shellfish is available. Service is always attentive and the owner is quite friendly. We even received free dessert one night because we showed up toward closing and the owner felt bad for rushing us out despite we never felt rushed at all. This is defintely one of my "must visit" restaurants every time I am in Oahu!!

    (5)

  • Joshua C.

    I generally don't find Portland lacking. Okay, well minus missing family and some of our close friends. But food-wise, farm freshness combined with crazy foodie passion has made P-town a mecca for ultra fresh deliciousness, EXCEPT when it comes to fish (and amazing Japanese restaurants). So on my recent week long stay in Honolulu I tried to eat at least six months worth of fresh fish and all things Japanese, and if there's a favorite place to do so Imanas Tei is definitely it. Normally, there's a wait to get in. Especially on a Saturday, especially one of two private tables (where you sit on the floor and your feet disappear into a hidden space beneath the table). Having failed to get into a few other establishments I tossed up a hail mary and called Imanas. Space for six people, ten minutes, no problem....in fact a party didn't show up and you can have a seat in the tatami room....this never happens (at least not in the seven or eight years that I've eaten there). Walking in always feels like passing through a portal in Tokyo. Suddenly English is no longer the primary language (in fact I don't recall any being spoken except by us). An intimate space, bustling with activity, but at the same time a strange calmness. Immersed in a naturally toned setting of shadows and light we weaved through the mini maze of shabu shabu and sake covered community tables to our hidden space in the back. Prompt service, helpful recommendations, full tea and water glasses...entrusted by my family to handle the ordering, the waiter and I conspired for dining awesomeness. {itadakimasu} miso soup | warming flavorful stock, green onion topped cloudy comfort salad | simple, refreshing, slightly pedestrian, but fine nigiri sushi mix & nigiri sushi mix deluxe | tiny gems of sushi rice skillfully topped with salmon, hamachi, tamago, ikura, uni, maguro.... miso katsu | perfectly fried pork cutlets on sticks arranged in an artful moutain and drizzled with scallions and a miso katsu sauce seafood tempura | light airy wonderful scallop, ika, gobo, and shrimp tempura pile dynamite | broiled seafood casserole topped with some sort of mayo white miso magic, so good we ordered another chicken karaage | unremarkable but still good bits of fried poultry hamachi kama | lightly salted, not over seasoned, not dried out, grilled collar misc reorders | another sushi platter, two side orders of hamachi, the above mentioned extra dynamite {gochisosama} Amazingly this came out to about $17 a person (tip not included, and we drank just water and tea, but still...). While it seems like a lot that's just a sampling of the deep and delicious offerings available. I'm thinking maybe some beef tongue when I next visit. After an unsuccessful attempt to take Imanas (and my friends and family) with me (I tried it as my carry on, check in, and personal item, but it wasn't happening), I find myself back in Portland amidst the falling sakura, experiencing slight "mono no aware" like symptoms, feeling the bitter sweetness of this beautiful but fleeting moment, reminiscing, then anticipating a return. Blog post with larger pics: pdxploration.com/2010/03…

    (5)

  • Beverly T.

    Wow. So fucking good. So fucking good that I saved this for my 300th review. WOOT! Hamachi nigiri: Thick, beautifully sliced fish. SO fresh, buttery and delicious. Uni: I'm suppppper picky with uni so theirs was OK. Pretty good but nothing to rave about. Toro nigiri: UH-MAY-ZING. I love toro and theirs was very very fresh and sweet. Hamachi kama: Tender fish, perfectly charred and smoky outside. Squeeze a lemon on top, dip in ponzu and you're in heaven. Grilled beef tongue: I usually don't like the irony taste of beef tongue but theirs was so thinly slice and tender it was delicious. Rich, meaty, sweet with a slight irony taste for contrast. Karaage: Juicy meat, crispy well spiced batter. Side note: I'm making my friends bring me here everrrrry time I visit!

    (5)

  • Angela Y.

    My coworker and fellow Yelper, Nicole L., recommended this place on my vacation to Hawaii. (Plus she mentioned Daniel Dae Kim frequents this place.) The atmosphere is great. It's dimly lit, classy and elegant. When you walk in, you're greeted by the hosts/hostesses. The servers were really attentive, making sure we were comfortable and that we weren't waiting long. My boyfriend and I got to sit at the sushi bar which was a pretty fun experience. We ordered a sashimi platter between the two of us, a spicy tuna roll and the seafood dynamite. Everything was delicious! The sashimi was fresh and melted on your tongue. The assortment was great. The dynamite came out a little later and looked like a seafood creme brulee. It's a baked seafood dish, incredibly creamy and full of flavour. I would recommend eating this over rice and this dish can definitely fill you up fast! With our dinner, we ordered some hot sake to go with it. A little pricey, but worth it!

    (5)

  • Casey O.

    Fantastic sushi!! You do pay a bit, but it's only natural for the quality of ingredients you're provided. Tried the misoyaki salmon, lots of flavor and not overdone...portion was a little small but you don't come here to stuff your face. The unagi nigiri was the best I've had in a long time. Will definitely come back!

    (5)

  • M Y.

    Food is great, and the people that run the place are awesome. They remember their regulars, and they treat new customers very nicely. Downside is the minimal parking and the inevitable wait. They don't take reservations so plan accordingly. If you haven't been here yet, you're missing out. Give this place a try on a night that you have some time and want to treat yourself to some good Japanese food.

    (5)

  • Jannet L.

    it boggles my mind that there are all these nice places in these run down strip mall locations. this place has great presentation value. the restaurant inside is beautiful. the porcelain dishes are beautiful. the presentation of the food is beautiful. the taste is good. nothing mind boggling. well, the sashimi was quite nice - the salmon was buttery as well as the other fish that I couldn't identify. we had udon, squid and mentaiko, tako marinade, toro negi, tatsuta age. i'm not a huge fan of shiso so that might've been the problem. i recognize that this place is nice. just wasn't wowed by any of the flavors. maybe the nabe is better?

    (3)

  • Tyra K.

    Awe I'm sooo sorry but I'm not such a fan no more, if I could I'd prolly give this place a 3 and a half star tho, especially for the GREAT customer service you have.. But I'm just a lil disappointed cuz of other things... Yes this place used to be FANTASTICCC.. But for some reason when things become popular and known of then the quality of food changes (sadly becomes worse)... I'm a picky eater and this place has a variety of yummy things I WOULD EAT no problem which is great, i LOVE my sashimi but I LOVE it the right way. Idk if it was the sushi chef last time but the sashimi wasn't really cut the right way, basic things like that make a big difference (sorry maybe I'm a lil spoiled) but because of this Imanas would not be my first pick on a night I'm craving sushi and sashimi it prolly wouldn't even b my second, third or fourth pick especially in the area when there is so much competition around.. Comparing it to other sashimi/sushi places in the area this place is whateva, food is really nothing that special I'd rather just go to any Izakaya and even pay more if necessary... The interior and the customer service is exceptional at Imanas (really can't complain) and I'd give it a 5 star, but because of the OK food its really just a 3 and a half star... I might come back and give it another try, but I really don't feel like waiting too long for something I'm not too excited to wait for.. This place used to be one of those whole in the walls, but now its just overrated and maybe you should think of possibly going back to how it used to be... I really wanted to be a fan of this place but I guess not so much anymore.. I actually used to even recommend this place to ppl visiting Hawaii.. I really might give Imanas another shot in the future, maybe things change so I can update this review to something better.. cuz I never really wanted it to be negative...

    (3)

  • Anna D.

    Birthday party+Imanas Tei=SUCCESS! Trust me, it's good. Everything is delish. Just ask them to suggest you dishes if you dont know what you want. You wont be disappointed Try the seafood dynamite.

    (5)

  • Angela P.

    My first 5-star review (with the exception of Glazers, I should have given him a 5 since I'm a loyal customer)! Service? Freaking amazing. They shout out your name and they look damn happy serving you. It gets pretty busy but they do their best on filling your water. Food? Oh. My. God. The quality is amazing. Spicy Tuna Roll melts in your mouth, Dynamite King Crab is rich and fills your taste buds with euphoria, and even the California Roll is out of this world. Come here for everything! Sushi is the best! The price is REASONABLE and WORTH it. The decor is AMAZING. Love, love, love my experience here. Will be coming back for more :)

    (5)

  • Pierre L.

    Delicious sushi, big pieces of uni, handroll had plenty of hamachi and the fishes were all fresh. The seafood dynamite was a bit heavy but everything else was good. The restaurant is beautiful.

    (4)

  • Duke W.

    This is one of my favorite Honolulu restaurant when I was living in Hawaii. I've probably been here for more than 30 times! They have a relatively limited yet very reasonably priced lunch menu and an expanded, pricier dinner menu. But no matter which time I come or what I order, the consistency of high-quality, very authentic food never let me down. I especially recommend zaru soba, tenju (best lunch combination; note it's different from ten don as this one has the sauce on rice), and their shokado-style bento (dinner only). At the end of the meal, they will also present you the soba soup if you ordered a zaru soba. If you mixed it with a bit of soba dipping sauce, it's both delicious and healthy! Finally, the place is small yet nicely decorated with a peaceful feel; the service is usually attentive and polite even when it's crazily busy. Every time I visit Honolulu to see my relatives, this is the first place I want to go to relieve my jet lag. =)

    (5)

  • Ka'imi L.

    Great Sushi here! Always fresh, wonderfully prepared, and excellent presentation. You know the place is authentic if all your FOB friends from Japan go here to kau kau. What I liked best was that it had a large menu with lots of options. Whatever you're in the mood for, Imanas has it. What I didn't like was the awkward seating... so if you want a table you'll have to make a reservation (duh)! A little on the pricier side too but nothing too outrageous. Great place for izakaya. Worth checking out if you're looking to impress someone.

    (5)

  • NIKKI F.

    And this place just keeps getting better!!! You simply can't go past the quality of the food, the service and the beautiful ambiance. It's perfect for a casual mid-week dinner with family, or a Friday night date. Last night I took my parents visiting from Australia. For $61 (including tax and tip) we had the most delicious meal and Imanas Tei has now risen to my favourite restaurant (not just Japanese restaurant) on the island. The albacore special sashimi and the dynamite were to die for! I think the chicken teriyaki was the best, I've ever had in my whole life! The charcoal bbq flavour was so tasty, I almost licked the plate. And I don't make this statement lightly, because I lived in Japan for a few years. Other stand outs include the fried (karaage) chicken and the oshinko. The fried squid legs were unusually a little tough, but still very delicious.

    (5)

  • Kristi C.

    I always love eating here. They have a good variety of things to choose from and so far everything we've tried is really good. I love to order their nabe and butterfish, plus the sushi is always fresh. Even though there's usually a wait since they can get very busy during dinner and sometimes it's hard to find parking, I think it's worth it.

    (5)

  • J L.

    Good God this place was awesome! We did not have reservations, so we arrived at the restaurant at 4:45 pm to stake out a spot (the restaurant opens at 5pm). We ordered the toro and yellowtail sashimi, the salmon and uni sushi, the dynamite, butterfish, and beef tongue, all of which were delicious and which we would recommend to future diners. The fish and uni were extremely fresh, and the dynamite and beef tongue were so flavorful and delicious. Although we did not have reservations, the service was friendly and patient. At no time did we feel like we were being rushed through our meal to make room for the diners who did have reservations (by the time we finished dinner, the restaurant was packed). Our server was also very knowledgeable and recommended a few dishes for first-timers like myself. If you are ever in Honolulu and are in need of a sushi or izakaya fix, definitely consider Imanas Tei. The parking lot is tiny, so either get there early or find street parking.

    (5)

  • Katty C.

    I went to Imanas based on Yelp's recommendation. It was 9:30pm on a Thursday night and there were so many people that I couldn't find parking, even in the back alley. Finally able to find a spot after circulating the block for another 10-15 minutes. I said to myself that the food there better be very good. And it was. I ordered some sushi, mostly the regular stuff like salmon, yellowtail, sweet shrimp, etc. Everything was great, very fresh. I had better sushi before but this comes very close to the best I've tried. I also ordered the fried soft shell crab and grilled salmon. The soft-shell crab was a let down, too soggy and not crisp at all. The grilled salmon was a very simple dish, lightly seasoned with salt and grilled to perfection. Service was good. No problem there. The price was a bit pricy, but hey, I was in Hawaii for work and dinner was comped, so I don't mind spending a bit more. Basically I think it fully deserves a 4.5 starts. And being in Waikiki for work rounds it off to a 5.

    (5)

  • Erika B.

    so delicious... chanko nabe was chock full of delicious seafood and goodies, and agedashi eggplant, miso butterfish were AWESOME. good service as well! would have been 5 stars but wasn't too fond of the dynamite nor the spider roll but everything else was especially delicious and will go back!

    (4)

  • Aron N.

    Just as good as it gets around here. The sushi @ the counter is fantastic. The nabe is incredible and makes certain other places seem way over priced. The service is good. Some of the food tastes better than in Japan. Really.

    (5)

  • Mandy Y.

    The Best Japanese restaurant ever!! A little bit pricey but totally worth it. Highly recommend their beef shabu shabu, minimum order of 2 tho. Parking is limited and be sure you go early, otherwise be prepared for a long wait.

    (5)

  • Peter K.

    Went back to share their food with friends on a weekday to avoid the rush. Still full and busy on a Wednesday night. Been there a year ago and remembered how good the place was. From the hearty greeting upon entering down to the delicious and thoughtful food, it made for a pleasant experience. The dynamite was a hit, I thought that one person from my party would start licking the empty bowl. The chef's choice market sashimi/Omakase was a wonderful choices of fresh fresh fish....very generous and with a big dollop of uni. Other highlights were; very decent Softshell crab, the yellowtail collar/hamachi kama (didn't see in on menu, but of course they had it) was the perfect pairing with their cold sake. Would have liked to have tried their nabe, but it was for two people and would have put us over the edge. To be honest, we went in not feeling too hungry but it didn't stop us from cleaning up all the plates anyway. One surprise was the limited sake menu, which didn't stop us from having a good time but one would think someplace this good that gets so many visitors and food fans would have a more robust sake list. Lastly, we found it amusing that the place was full of not just Japanese but Korean and Chinese customers as well. I guess good food knows no boundaries. Can't wait to go back on my next trip to the island.

    (5)

  • Kim S.

    So I organized a sushi crawl to compare 2 highly yelp rated restaurants along King Street. We had a blast! Sushi Izakaya Gaku ( yelp.com/biz/sushi-izaka… ) unanimously won the throw down against Imanas Tei Restaurant! Ambiance: 3 stars. @ 6:40pm it was already noisy. We didn't have to scream during dinner but the noise was above a comfortable level. The decor was nice (which Yanagi Sushi lacks) - but the large communal table in the center appeared a bit awkward with a loooong bench for multiple diners along 1 side (luckily we had a 4 top). Service: 2 stars. The waiter almost left our group without taking my order & didn't provide much elaboration on the menu despite our questions. Brisk. Not attentive. Took 2 requests to get green tea. Food: 3.5 stars. Hamachi nigiri sushi - Great. Well priced @ $5/pair. Mirugai nigiri sushi - Giant clam serving wasn't so giant but neither was the price @ $8/pair. Unagi & cucumber roll - average. $7 Hamachi kama - Cooked through perfectly & not dry. Kama had a ton of meat - I swear some places must scrape some of the meat off before serving. Loved the freshly grated daikon accompaniment. The highlight for $11! Potato salad - I wasn't a fan. It had both (raw) onions & garlic - be sure both of you eat some if you're on a date! $3.50 Butter clams (asari) - Ok. Nothing special. Good # of clams for $7. Butter salmon - Good sized portion for the price of $7.50. Too much butter - the 1st bite is awesome but deteriorates with each subsequent bite. Summary: Prefer Yanagi Sushi for Japanese food & sushi because it has more parking & seating (+ the volcano roll is to die for!). Both provide options for the non-sushi eater.

    (3)

  • Avy R.

    Love this place! Everything tasted so good! My favorite sushi place in Oahu so far! Parking is a bit hard... And we waited for 45 mins for a table. But it was worth it! :D Staffs were very polite! Nice interior too! Def. will need to go back again!! Yay!

    (5)

  • Carah N.

    Heard about this place from a friend, so [another] friend and I decided to check this place out. This place is set back from the main road, so make sure you keep an eye out for it. The parking lot is a bit small and they share it with a yakitori place. We had to wait a bit before we were seated (the location is very small and cozy). The atmosphere was very Japanese-y (like you're in Japan). To top it off, we got to sit at the sushi bar! Their food was delicious! Their fried tofu with ponzu sauce was awesome. And their ikura was to die for (I'm very picky when it comes to ikura...but this one was very fresh). The night we went, they had two different types of ikura (i didn't know there were different types until that night) so I tried the regular salted one. The prices are very reasonable compared to other sushi places that I've been to. I will definitely be coming back.

    (4)

  • Jasmine T.

    Seafood dynamite!! Need I say more? :p

    (4)

  • AsianRunningDiva S.

    We had reservations for a different restaurant at 730p, but missed it because Piikoi was shut down to all traffic (ahh..APEC!). So instead we called up Imanas and found out that there were only 2 other parties on the list. We got there at 745p and didn't get seated until 830p! It was busy in there! Remember for next tim: Go there late, you will get seated right away! But TOTALLY worth it! We had the pumpkin (cold), eggplant (cold) and oshinko appetizer (cold). The King Crab Dynamite (since we had already tried the other Dynamite before), butterfish (YUM!), fried gobi and seafood, fried teri chicken, fried tofu, miso soup....all soo good! And the atmosphere is great! I love being greeted whenever I walk into a Japanese restaurant! Parking is difficult since their lot is small, but down the street you can sometimes find some...a great place to bring visitors!!! :)

    (5)

  • Aimee C.

    Delicious!! Went with my parents and it was like we were transported to a restaurant in Japan. Our waiter was really helpful and helped us order. We ordered the Chanko Nabe - sooooO much seafood. Delicious broth. I ordered the Hamachi Kama - yum! We also ordered the sushi A set...the pieces of fish were huge placed on little pebbles of rice. And because I'm always checking the bathrooms....the women's has the TOTO system which sprays your you-know-whats and there's a seat warmer (which I don't know what is the purpose in HI). You must try it out if you've never....

    (5)

  • Stephanie T.

    I admit that the reason why I gave this place a 5 was partially out of loyalty -- I come here with the family every Friday evening and my parents have been coming here every week for years. The food's wonderful for the price, the service is always excellent and it's just a feel good place. Even the owner comes in early to prepare and clean, and he works hard during open hours at the sushi bar or taking reservations which makes you feel better as a customer knowing where the restaurant is coming from, compared to places where the owner or manager simple walks around the room, or worse -- sits at a table and drinks alcohol and yells at his waiters to get him food (Momomo). Just make sure you reserve a table and come early to get parking, as it is extremely limited (to about 8 stalls or so). All in all, I love this place :)

    (5)

  • Austen I.

    Omakase once again. I'm starting to see a trend. New place, first time, same order. Give me what you think is best. Our server brought out a large sushi platter for 3 of us. 3 pieces each: ($103.50, 3 pieces each. $4.31/piece) Ika Aji Otoro Hamachi Ikura Hirame Maguro Mystery Fish (Our server didn't say what was given to us) We annihilated the plate. I bet we would've ate the ceramic platter if it had a fish design. Everything was scarfed in a matter of minutes. So much hype. Too much anticipation. Self control went out the window. Well I guess it went through the wall since we were sitting where there were no windows. But after all of that noming, the consensus was "are we really at 4.5 stars, legendary status Imanas?" We didn't give up. No no no. "Omakase. One more time!" Round 2 brought us the same fish, different style. Everything was lightly grilled except the Uni. Aburi style. ($44.50, 2 pieces each, $3.70 a piece) Otoro Salmon Aji Hamachi Saba Uni Plate hits the table. Game on. Sushi - 0 Us - 2 No one needed to speak after we finished. I could tell by everyone's reaction that we had indeed come to the right spot. The aburi toro was killer. If you can believe it, the grilling brought out the creaminess and teri beef flavors. Yes teri beef out of toro. Redonk. We had to order another round of the aburi toro. A sushi crazy friend categorizes sushi bars based on quality adjusted value meaning that the fish need not be a 15 on a 10 scale if it's cheap. Imanas should be in the yelp elite of quality adjusted value spots. Nothing was over $10 and the majority around the $5-$6 range for 2 pieces. Imanas is THE value play. Parking sucks, reservations only accepted from 5pm-7pm, etc, etc. I think I've just found my default sushi bar. Feed me!

    (4)

  • Jay B.

    I wish I could review Imanas Tei, but when we tried to go there, we accidentally went to Kohnotori & just wanted to stay there cuz we already got our menus. I'm sure this happens a lot because there's a huge "IMANAS" sign, but the brightly lit door underneath is Kohnotori's. Imanas' black unlit door is tucked away in a dark corner. Damn it, now I have to go back there to make sure I try it! Just wanted to let you know so you don't lose more business.

    (5)

  • Cal C.

    If I had to debate between Kuru Kuru Sushi and Sasabune, I would end up choosing here! It comes in between both when I'm very....undecided. There are several reasons why I come here often. The Customer Service level is really as good as it gets. During M-Fs, I always have at least 1 server/waitress waiting right next to me asking if I need help or if I need water refills . You cannot beat that, since I drink so much water that my cup is always empty. There are places where I get so frustrated I would walk myself to the counter for my water. Or request a pitcher with water and ice sitting on the table. 10 out of 10 times, I've never had bad service here. The Menu has quite a selection, but I always go for the spicy tuna rolls, I can sit there and eat these one after the other. The Dynamite dish is extremely filling. I had this twice, and I could barely walk. The Dynamite King Crab was also another dish I always order. Oh, don't forget the Assorted Sashimi too, this one I only order from time to time depending on my mood, but it always tasted fresh each and every time. I've also tried to Shabu Shabu once, but its just not my cup of tea. I've had better ones else where. And also, where are the DESERTS? ..I always get bum out without having good desert in the end..=/ The Pricing is about average ranging from 50-80 dollars for two people. Depending on what you order of course, but I had never gone over 100 for 2 people. Although one thing I had always complain about coming here is PARKING..I'm constantly trying to pull my hair off or what's left of it every time . It's really difficult to find them especially in that complex! The best bet is street parking, but that is usually fill most of the time too... In the end, GREAT FOOD, SUPERB CUSTOMER SERVICE will make me want to come back here time after time..=)

    (5)

  • Keola m.

    Imanas Tei came very highly recomended. Unfortunately, I tend to have high expectations when this happens. first of all: Parking is challenging. there is a small lot in front of the restaurant but, its small. the atmosphere is very nice. Low keyed and clean and the staff is very friendly. We sat at the bar and which was full. In fact the restaurant was full in general. Sashimi platter: very fresh and portions were fair. Uni was kinda small tho. Aji tataki was just ok...I think too much shredded Shisho. Tan Shio was EXCELLENT and I also enjoyed a Shrimp Tempura special with spicy mayo sauce. My all time favorite was the Ika and mentaiko along with the Negi toro roll. When we were leaving there were soooo many people waiting to get in. This could be a sign of either 2 things, or both, 1-Its GOOD and/or 2-they need a bigger place. Im jus saying. I would recommend this place and will eat there again. Im off to trying other places now. till next time ..

    (3)

  • Jeff S.

    MAKE RESERVATIONS! Best sushi we've had in Honolulu. Great service! The sashimi was as good as it gets. The Dynamite dish was also very good but I think I expected more because of all the rave reviews recommending to try it. It is very similar to a good seafood thermador. All the other dishes we had were excellent. It was worth the cab ride and we will definitely be back again. MAKE RESERVATIONS so you won't get there and be disappointed.

    (5)

  • Frances G.

    We asked a bellman at our hotel where we could get great sushi. He told us the name of the place, but I couldn't find it on Yelp. He then ran inside to the concierge to find out how to spell the same and returned with a map and directions to Imanas. We didn't go that night because after reading the Yelp reviews, we were worried we'd have to wait too long as it was after 7:00 pm. Fast forward a couple days later when we see the same bellman and he asks if we've tried Imanas yet. I said no, but we'd try it before we left the island. We drive off and I tell my husband, "I'm on a mission! We are going to Imanas no matter how hard it is to park or how long we have to wait". We made it and we were sooooo glad we did! The parking wasn't so bad. We went on a Saturday night and got there about 6:30 pm. I parked in the lot next door and we walked over. That lot is only $1.50/hr and has 2 levels. (I won't bore you with the embarrassing story of how we went into Kohnotori next door and realized we were not at Imanas -- DOH!) We only had to wait about 15 minutes and they sat us at a communal table that had a fun bunch of older locals and we loved it. The staff were friendly and accommodating. When on vacation, we eat a big breakfast and a big dinner with nothing in between, so it was nice they didn't judge us for ordering several times. Our fave local sushi place makes you feel like an oinker if you order more than they think you should. NOYB is what I feel like saying. Hmph. The food was amazing! We had several kinds of fried chicken, multiple kinds of sushi, fried teri pepper chicken, agedashi tofu, and a few other dishes. We ordered 10 things plus 3 large Asahi beers and the whole bill was $90, which I thought was very reasonable. We walked out of there full and happy, but sad that we wouldn't be coming back before we left. Don't be scared by reviews that talk about the negatives of parking or waiting, cos Imanas is worth it!

    (5)

  • Julie L.

    We got a same day reservation due to a cancellation. I was torn between this place and Izakaya Gaku, so we decided to try both back to back. First stop, Imanas Tei. Tucked behind King Street, it was challenging to find. We parked at Long's Drugs and walked for 5 mins. Ordered: Assorted Sashimi for 2: Mostly Tuna, Albacore, some Yellowtail and Salmon. Should've done ala carte. Very fresh but not amazing. Salmon Skin Salad: Where's the salad? Mostly fish and slightly bitter. Hamachi Kama: The star of the night even though they forgot the ponzu sauce. Yellowtail with Green Onion and Spicy Hamachi Handroll: delicious and just enough spice. Yellowtail and Uni Sushi: Uni was sweet and melt in the mouth. Yellowtail was a leaner cut than what we are used to. Dynamite: Filled with succulent scallops and seafood. Fantastic with rice! Overall a good but not great experience. The servers were way too busy to be attentive. The atmosphere and decor were modern yet cozy. The tatami room looked inviting. Next time will try the Chanko Nabe.

    (4)

  • Dennie C.

    I have had one of the most enjoyable meals in my life here at this simple, low key and local Japanese restaurant. I do not say that lightly as I live in New York and am an obsessive foodie who lives to find great meal experiences. I would gladly trade every meal I've ever had at Nobu, Tomoe and every other Sushi or seafood restaurant for a meal at Imanas Tei. Why has this place made such an impression ? Besides having excellent sushi masters and chefs they have the freshness of their fish cannot be compared. My cousin from Hawaii explained to me that the fish was caught that morning, auctioned that afternoon and prepared that evening with little to minimal refrigeration and zero freezing during this time. It makes for the softest, lushest and tastiest fish I have ever eaten and my cousin's Japanese wife says that it is the most authentic Sushi in Hawaii. I've had dinner here in the small private back room and also at the sushi bar which is fun as you can let the Sushi master make suggestions.

    (5)

  • Reimy K.

    I absolutely LOVE Imanas Tei! After hearing so many great things about Imanas, I was eager to try it and after going there, I am happy to report that Imanas lived up to all the hype and reviews I've been hearing about....definitely THE BEST Japanese food I've had on the island! From the moment you walk in, you are greeted by the nicest people and since it was my birthday, we were seated in the "semi-private" tatami room, which was nice since the restaurant is really small and there were tables that looked like you would need to share it with others. Since all of us had never been there before, our waiter went over the menu with us and recommended their top selling dishes. Here is what we ordered: Fresh oysters: these were the freshest oysters I've had--and they didn't have the usual "oyster-ocean" smell Dynamite: this is apparently their most popular dish, which consists of seafood that is covered with a special sauce--what made this outstanding was the amount of seafood it had, wasn't just chopped up seafood, but HUGE pieces of scallop, crab, etc.... every bite was delish! Tonkatsu with miso: it was served on a skewer, which made it different, but the real winner was the miso--it was really dark so it looked like tonkatsu sauce, but definitely tasted like miso and it was also delish! We had a few orders of sushi, which was excellent and though we didn't order a huge amount of food, the 4 of us were completely full by the end of the meal, including my hubby and brother who have big appetites. Our meal ended with a few of the servers bringing me green tea ice cream and singing Happy Birthday to me--- was fun because almost the whole restaurant was singing and clapping at the end. All in all-- Imanas delivered a top quality with top service dining experience. I can't wait to go back to try more food--especially their Chanko Nabe--that looked ONO! Quick tip: make reservations, be prepared to share a table with others, and you can park either in their small private lot, or park in Puck's Alley--at night the gates are open, so you can park there for free--well, the night we were there it worked out that way. =)

    (5)

  • Rebecca C.

    blissful!!! agedashi eggplant hamachi sake aji kohada spicy tuna roll salmon skin roll tongue garlic butter clams tonkatsu king crab dynamite toro can't wait for another round...

    (5)

  • Thu N.

    Rule # 1 and only one rule. Come here with a group of 5-6 people. To our dismay, in order to try this infamous Chanko Nabe, the minimum order was 2. Each order serves 2-3 people, depending on whether you want to just have it as a part of your meal or have it as a main course. Mind you, there were only 2 of us trying to eat for a village of 5-6. It's exactly what you could expect of a hot pot: fresh veggies, seafood, and meat that all come together in the end to form a broth that's simple yet flavorful. They dump the "leftovers" into a bowl with rice and egg in a similar fashion to that of bibimbap, delicious but we just didn't have the stomach room for it. We did manage to squeeze in a couple of nigiri's (sweet shrimp & uni) which was just as good as our favorite local spots in Cali. Price: $20-25 per order of Chanko Nabe Service: 4.5 STARS

    (4)

  • J K.

    Really good service. Servers are very attentive and helpful especially for a couple unfamiliar with the menu. We ordered the oyster appetizer. I've never been a huge fan of raw oysters but these are delish! For our entrees we had the spicy clams with udon soup and the butterfish with rice. Everything was just oozing with flavor. So yummy! The ambience was very nice and the price was good. Portions were suitable too. But the parking sucks. Go early and make a reservation if you want your own table, but the communal table is still intimate too. Hands down, the best Japanese food we've ever had!

    (5)

  • Kat L.

    I liked it here! The sashimi is super fresh. I ordered an uni sashimi dish thinking $11.50 won't buy me much but it was like a single scoop of ice cream. We also ordered the giant clam and sweet shrimp. So sweet and fresh! The dynamite was pretty good but given that the sauce was so rich, it was pretty big!!! They had chunks of scallops, clams and other stuff in there. It was yummy but I could only eat a little. Everything else was good. The lady there was a bit mean to us when we stood inside to wait though. Not sure if it's a language thing or whether she was truly mad. Oh well, she seemed ok after that.

    (4)

  • Anastasia L.

    This is one place I can just repeatedly go to and not get sick of. From their delicious nabes to shabushabu and to their pricing on sushi is just awesome. Don't be surprised to wait in line. Sometimes they;re too booked so they take walk-ins only. Enjoy!~

    (5)

  • Jennifer K.

    Hands down, the best otoro I have EVER had. Granted, it was the first otoro I have ever tried but it was absolutely delicious!!! We tried other things, but my memory is blurred and all I can remember right now is the otoro. I'll admit, it was pricey, but WORTH IT. the bill came out to about $100 for two people, and my brain was shocked! but my mouth was more than satisfied. I would eat here again in a heart beat, once my wallet allows me :( Con: Service was hard to get a hold of, but nothing terrible.

    (4)

  • Dale H.

    Good quality food, staff is very helpful. Prices are high but the food is worth it. Parking is difficult so it's easier to park on the street and walk.

    (4)

  • Abbey Y.

    Came here with the family and it was awesome. The food is totally worth any wait that you might be doing as the place gets PACKED! If you are planning to go here I definitely suggest you make a reservation a couple days in advance because after they book a certain amount, they stop with reservations and its up to you to wait for walk ins. The atmosphere is authentic and very comfortable. It has a unique layout too that I haven't really seen in a Japanese restaurant before. Service: Very attentive without being intrusive. Food: Excellent, we had soft shell crab, tons of sashimi and nigiri, unagi don, this special dish where they fillet the meat and serve it as sashimi, and the bones of the fish is deep fried and served with a shoyu sauce. Cons: As much as I don't want to, I have to warn readers that parking is a big problem as they share a small lot with another restaurant and this lot contains only 7-ish stalls. Your best bet is to park behind 7-11 out on the street, but even that gets packed as UH students might park there and other guests for nearby restaurants might crowd there as well. I have to say that this is definitely worth a try for everything on their menu.

    (5)

  • D L.

    Excellent food and excellent service. The Misoyaki butterfish is perfect and their Yamakake is executed beautifully! Will definitely be back many, many times. Gochisoosama deshita!

    (5)

  • Eddie K.

    Chanko Nabe is very good. High quality ingredients, broth was very tasty. I prefer this place over Ichiriki, both the service & food is better. Spicy sauteed clams were very good. The thing that keeps me away from this place is the parking and how busy it can get here. I was sad to see Apple Motoring close this down years ago but I'm glad to see Imanas in its place.

    (4)

  • kamran s.

    boy, this place (along with Maharani's) is my favorite place in HI. I lived closeby and was always begging my girlfriend to go to this place. We both loved it. She's vegetarian and found a lot of suitable items. I HIGHLY reccomend the salmon nigiri. Sooo fresh and delicate. It really melts in your mouth. Also the Tamago nigiri and Agedashi tofu and amazing. and the best thing is, you can get a complete awesome meal for under $40 for 2. It can be expensive if you get expensive stuff but it can be affordable and still amazing if you don't. only thing-parking is bad.

    (5)

  • Jennifer L.

    Imanas is the best Japanese restaurant in Hawaii. I definitely do not agree with this statement. I didn't think there was anything great about this restaurant. The dishes weren't very original and the sashimi was not as fresh as Sushi Bistro's sashimi. I ordered the Butterfish with Miso Sauce. It tasted like a typical butterfish. My sister ordered the seafood dynamite. I think this is the best dish at Imanas. The sauce is very flavorful and tasted wonderfully with white rice. I definitely recommend ordering the seafood dynamite! You will not regret it :)

    (3)

  • Janet K.

    This place is closed on Sundays and unfortunately, that's my "Eat out and Yelp about it" day! Since it was bookmarked for so long, I decided to go there on a Saturday, and since I HATE waiting an hour to eat, we went there slightly before opening. Luckily we snatched one of the few parking stalls they have up front. We ordered the chanko nabe of course. It was filled with all kinds of protein and some veggies and noodles. The nabe takes a while to heat up and start cooking all the protein so we ordered some sushi while we waited. We ordered uni, mirugai, and hamachi. I made my BF try the uni and he said, "it's not as bad as I thought it would be." Get over the texture and dive right in to buttery goodness!!! We also made one of the nabe orders a sashimi set so we had some salmon, maguro, and tako to feast on too. Back to the chanko nabe, it was so filling and delicious! Think Sweet Home Cafe hot pot with all kinds of protein Japanese style. So, after we stuffed our faces til we couldn't breathe, the server comes over and asks us, "udon or rice?" What??? Aren't you supposed to be asking us if we still have room for dessert? What do you mean, "udon or rice?" Apparently, they add rice or udon to your pot after most of the protein has been eaten. I was wondering where my bowl of rice was, but I just thought there was some noodles in there so that must have been the starch part. BF wanted the rice. What they do is take all the left over protein out, mix in some egg and rice with the broth and you're supposed to top it with the shredded nori and eat it. Let me just say that by that time, we were so full we just took one bite just to taste it. Holy mother of God, it should come with a warning label like, "EAT UNTIL HALF FULL BECAUSE WE ADD THE CARBS AFTER ALL THE MEAT IS GONE" or "MUST BE EATEN WITH 4 PEOPLE MINIMUM." We had sushi, sashimi, and practically the whole chanko nabe for just two people! I was curious about this "chanko nabe" so I googled it. This is the stuff that SUMO wrestlers eat! WTF no wonder I felt like a fricken sumo wrestler at that point. There was no room for dessert. There was no room in my pants. Please, hand me a sumo diaper so I can be more comfortable and take a nap. zzZzzZzz

    (5)

  • Ljubica T.

    We are honeymooning in Hawaii (Oahu) and the Lonely Planet guidebook recommended this place as their "top pick", so we went. It is in an extremely obscure location but they do have a small parking lot. Come early (at 4:30 pm or so) or make reservations. We didn't have reservations, so they sat us at the bar which was pretty cool. Everyone was super friendly and shouted a greeting to all customers entering the restaurant. The interior is also very nice! It seemed like there were a lot of locals eating there.... which was nice. We aren't fans of overcrowded resort-type restaurants and tourist traps. PRICES - very reasonable. QUALITY - extremely fresh. SERVICE - excellent, excellent, excellent! ATMOSPHERE - relaxed! happy! SUSHI - never tasted anything so good! We are definitely coming here again! I'm jealous of the local people who are so blessed to have this wondrous sushi place.... where I live (Calgary), we don't have anything CLOSE to what Imanas Tei is like! Next time we are going to try the shabushabu dishes. :9

    (5)

  • Relyn B.

    Best place ever. My bf and and I go at least once a month. Chanko nabe and gobo is our favorite.

    (5)

  • Jennifer H.

    The bf and I decided to try Imana's for the first time after hearing raving reviews from his brother and his brother's gf. I have to say that we were NOT dissapointed. We went with 2 of our friends and we ordered a bunch of stuff. We ordered the chanko nabe (a 2 order minimum) and it was so delicious! It was overflowing with all kinds of goodies...shrimp, crab, beef, meatballs, salmon, scallops, etc. Towards the end they also give you udon to put in the broth. The udon was so yummy and it was cut thinly so it wasn't chewy and soaked up all the flavors. We also ordered spicy hamachi with a quail egg that comes with pieces of nori on the side to wrap yourself. The hamachi just melts in your mouth and you could hardly taste the raw quail egg they mix in it. The dynamite was also very yummy but it was really rich and I wish it was served with rice or bread. The pepper chicken was good too...you could smell all the pepper on it but it didn't overwhelm the taste buds. Overall, the restrauant was really great! The service was excellent! Our waiter helped us order because it was the first time for all of us. Everything he suggested was absolutely wonderful and tasty. I suggest making reservations if you want to eat early. While we were eating people were being turned away because the resturaunt was booked. Also, the parking lot is small so get there early for parking or else you may have to look elsewhere.

    (5)

  • C N.

    Loved it, service n food both exceeded my expectation. Definitely my must go sushi joint whenever returning to visit Honolulu

    (5)

  • Crystal L.

    The only thing I would ever eat here?? The seafood dynamite! If you're going to order anything else...dip it into the dynamite and it will taste better. I've had better izakaya style food at Aki-no-no. Why are there so many awesome reviews for Imanas? I have no idea. You can find the same grill food at a cheaper price next door at Konotori. You want great Nabe? Go to Ichiriki or Sweet Home Cafe.

    (2)

  • PY K.

    Thank you for another terrific meal...so satisfied. Thankful also for grandparents babysittig. Highlights of the night was the hamachi and Molokai amaebi....and dynamite! YUM!

    (5)

  • Liz T.

    Considering how hot it is on Yelp, it left me lukewarm. The only dish I truly enjoyed was the Dynamite--baked seafood topped with a thick layer of creamy spicy sauce. It was an explosion of flavors that came out an hour too late--when we were already in a coma-like state from the Chanko Nabe and Fried Tofu with ponzu sauce. The Chanko Nabe was good and had just about everything, including beef, pork, chicken, fish, and shellfish. I liked that there were free and frequent refills on the broth, and two orders fed three people. The Fried Tofu was mediocre at best--its delicate flavor was overpowered by the ponzu sauce, which our server recommended. Why only three stars? There was a piece of green onion in my tea cup (gross), a black rotten clam in the nabe (super gross), and our young server--while very nice--was a bit awkward and clumsy. I guess I was like that at 16 as well, so I won't hold it against him. Not sure if I'll be back again with the plethora of Japanese restaurants in town ,but maybe for the Dynamite.

    (3)

  • Vincent E.

    We went here for my daughter's birthday as a group of nine on a Thursday evening. I called to make a reservation and suprisingly scored a table. We ordered a little bit of everything from sushi to shashmi without a single disappointment. The staff was exceptionally curtious and kept our drinks filled and food coming. They were even willing to sing my daughter happy birthday and the whole restaruant joined in. it truely was a magical evening. This place was a little difficult to find, but well worth the journey. I would recommend making reservations Friday - Saturday as the staff informed me it gets really busy. However they stop taking reservations past 7:00PM. Oh yeah, and the hot Sake was yummy...

    (4)

  • Gary N.

    I really like this place and love that it was open so late. They close at 11:30 pm on a Thursday night! I ordered the Tekka Don and other people in my group ordered the Teriyaki prime rib eye steak, grilled misoyaki butterfish, kobacha, miso soup, and rice. All the food was delicious. I know this because my friends encouraged me to try a little bit of everything, while they sampled a little bit of my food as well. The Teriyaki rib eye was the best steak I've had in a while. That's saying a lot because I'm usually never quite happy with restaurant steak. The Tekka Don was impressive! I gotta start bringing my camera, because you guys need to see this thing! A huge layer of maguro was topped with shiso leaf, wasabi, and the most beautiful tuna I've ever seen. It came with a ridiculous amount of ginger and the rice was a sushi rice with sesame seed and seaweed mix. The steak came with potato salad, which wasn't greasy at all, and a salad as well.

    (5)

  • avalon e.

    What?? I'm-a-nasty? Nyahhh just kiddin. The food is definitely more refined than other izakayas in the neighborhood. A wee-tad pricier than others, quality and quantity justifies it. Nice decor.. best place for people watching and to show off your high-maintenance date. For cheapskates like yours truly... stick with the Sushi moriawase (B), it's priced at a HUGE bargain relative to the a la cartes.

    (5)

  • Bow C.

    Very good experience. The food was really good and lots of selection. The Nabe had lots of seafood and generous in portion. Parking sucked, but it's Hawaii, not a problem. Try this place out, I'm sure you'll like it.

    (4)

  • Peety P.

    This has to be my favorite Japanese restaurant in Hawaii. Chanko nabe is deeeee-lish. Always friendly service with a smile. My only gripe is the parking situation, but the food is definitely worth the hassle.

    (5)

  • Jesse C.

    Fresh fish and beer *nom nom nom* This is a great place for sushi. Creators of the seafood dynamite. Everything I ate was nommy! I definitely need to come back and try the shabu shabu. Anyone?

    (4)

  • Ardy D.

    Pricey but good. Try it

    (4)

  • erik w.

    Awesome izakaya with a, well-designed, contemporary Japanese interior. Chanko Nabe and Shabu Shabu figure prominently on the menu, as well as standard izakaya fare and sushi. Arriving around 8:30pm on a thursday negated the dreaded waiting time (although street parking in the little alley was a challenge). Ordered the Chanko Nabe (veggies, beef, pork sausage, chicken, salmon, scallops, clams, crab, rice cake, noodles, tofu) cooked in a dashi broth in a copper pot on the table. This is pretty much a meal in itself (we ordered for two)... but I couldn't help adding a few pieces of nigiri (aji, yellowtail, and sweet shrimp) as well as an order of dynamite. I've only recently become a fan of the dynamite and this one was definitely worthy - big chunks of scallop (and some butterfish?), mushrooms - all covered in Kewpie mayo of some sort and broiled to crispy perfection... The Nabe was tasty, and we managed to keep it pescatarian, initially, in order for the non-meat eater to have a taste, before saturating the pot with fatty animal protein goodness. The best part of the meal, by far, was the deep fried shrimp heads (from the sweet shrimp) that are served separately, but are included with the sushi order.... they were so crispy and perfectly seasoned, with the little chunky pieces of meat still left still retaining their juices. I could have just eaten a big bag full of those!

    (4)

  • A. C.

    Their food is really pretty, but in terms of portion size and flavor, it is okay. Everything we ordered from the sashimi to the beef tongue was pretty generic in terms of flavor. Nothing was extra special that would bring us back =(

    (3)

  • Cheryl K.

    Ooishi! This place is awesome! This is the second time I have eaten here in a couple years. It was my birthday and I was excited to eat some shabu-shabu. We ordered the shabu-shabu plus sake plus beer. Yayer! I love the ambiance here. Seems like no one speaks english but the other guests around you. Super similar to Japan which is a plus, plus, plus in my book. We had an awesome time and the cost was about right for authentic shabu-shabu beef. The only junky thing is parking and a little waiting time. You can always find some extra parking at Puck's Alley and waiting is a breeze when you and your fiance are burying our faces into our blackberry and iphone. Well worth the wait and price! Super awesome!

    (5)

  • Carol B.

    Amazing place! Awesome food amd prices! Last night was my first time but definitely not my last! Ordered so many dishes and every single one was delicious!!! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

    (5)

  • Rodalyn C.

    I love anything nabe or shabu shabu!!! The guy I was talking to at the time decided to bring me here & the chanko nabe was delish! I've been to Ichiriki countless times, shabu shabu, hot pot heaven and SHC, so coming here was a change in direction. Along coming here, I also got the seafood dynamite. I dont know, but to me, it was very salty & I am not a huge fan of salty food. On the other hand, It's just an 'okay' place to me.

    (3)

  • Manda P.

    I went here with my husband to celebrate my birthday. Parking was kinda killer. They have a small parking area that is shared amongst the other restaurant and shops. We ended up parking behind the restaurant on the side street that had a no parking sign. I don't recommend this! Anyway, we went on a friday or saturday night...I forget which. We of course had to wait around 20-30 minutes to be seated. Our name was called and we sat in the middle of the dining area with a really long table that sat other parties as well. I ordered..... the clams (forgot the exact name)- it was ok, wasn't too flavorful though. toro nigiri- very delicous! $14 for two pieces. My husband crapped himself. But hellllooo! IT'S MY BIRTHDAY! salmon nigiri- which was also very good. dynamite- I liked this, but I kinda wish it was served over rice. There are somethings in there that I didn't know what it was, but it was good. My husband wanted to get the nabe, but I read on yelp that it's pretty big and should be shared between two people. I told him I don't think I could eat with him cuz I was getting kinda full already. I would come back to eat the nabe, but damn the parking situation kinda traumatized me.

    (3)

  • Sheryl S.

    Imanas has the bestestestestest sushi in Hawaii! Hands down! The sushi here is so fresh, I swear this was just caught by the waiter fishing in back of the restaurant. Each bite of the unagi, mirugai & ebi was so perfectly juicy & fresh. Nothing could make it more heavenly. I loved the fact that they used just a tiny bit of rice with a huge chunk of the seafood. Just when I thought that was good enough, the Agedashi tofu with miso paste & the teriyaki chicken were also cooked to perfection. Obama should definitely make a stop over here on his next Christmas vacation to Hawaii.

    (5)

  • Shaz Z.

    In a word: awesome. Get here now. If there's a wait, it's worth it.

    (5)

  • Jin N.

    I've become quite the sushi connoiseur in California. My dad took me here telling me it's one of the best. Sure, the food is good, but I wasn't particularly fond of their fish. I definitely h ave to give them a lot of credit for inventing the first Dynamite. I had it at Imanas 7 years ago, and soon after every sushi joint had it too. The Dynamite in 25 other sushi places I've tried doesn't come close to beating Imanas Tei. Nice ambiance.

    (3)

  • Dev C.

    This was the first place ever that I've tried Seafood Dynamite, and I've been forever been using it as the measuring stick for other dynamite dishes but nothing comes close. Unagi and miso butterfish are always awesome, and of course, nigiri. Toro and hamachi for the win. If you're unsure what to order, ask your server what would they eat on their lunchbreak that day. That's how I found out about the toro. EDIT: The Lobster Van Van at Mitch's Fish Market took the dynamite champion title.

    (5)

  • Virginia C.

    Walk-in on a Saturday around 7:15 pm = 10 mins wait = TOTALLY AWESOME!! I was with a party of four and was super excited to try the highly raved about Chanko Nabe. If you want to try this, you must order a minimum of 2 orders so bring some hungry peeps! After the server skillfully layered all the veggies, meats & seafood into the broth (with her bare hands), we watched the huge mound of FRESH food simmer down into the broth. Then it was time to dig in & what do I hear..."we're not having any". 2 people in our party were too full after having sushi and the likes to partake in the Chanko Nabe. So Faye M and I had to chomp through this ginormous pot of food all by ourselves! Just when I thought we did good & my belly was so expanded I felt like popping out of my jeans, she tells me, "you know there's rice or udon after we're done". I thought: "WHAT?! Are you kidding me?! I'm bursting at the seams like a stuffed turkey!!". And so to top off our meal we gobbled up some udon and digested it with hot green tea afterwards. I also tried the butter sauteed salmon, spicy ahi roll, and spider roll which were all prepared with fresh ingredients and contributed to my food coma... 5 stars for using FRESH ingredients and me rolling out of there beyond satisfied!!

    (5)

  • Emi H.

    Walked into Imanas Tei with my BF and we were startled by the workers greeting us with "Irasshaimase!." This restaurant is small but the food here is tastiness topped with a sprinkling of delicious! If you love Japanese food then you'll want to grab a cot and park it right inside of Imanas Tei so that you can dwell 24/7 in the delightful den of yummy nummy! We ordered potato salad, grilled clams, butterfish, spicy tuna roll and fried chicken. Loved the grilled clams and after I devoured my little seafood friends I slurped up the garlic broth they were cooked in. The butterfish was tender and each bite melted in my mouth. The spicy tuna roll was hooooot but the burn was worth it! The plate of fried chicken was huge and salty artery clogging good. Our waitress was a little old lady who was super sweet and on it! We left with our bellies full and I almost jumped out of my jeans when the staff yelled "Irasshaimase" as we left. I appreciate the enthusiasm guys but one day someone is going to keel over from the shock!

    (5)

  • Rob F.

    Great sushi restaurant!! We ate there a few nights ago, and loved it. The sushi was delicious, and prepared very professionally!! We sat at the sushi bar and had our food made by top notch sushi chefs!!! The service was five stars all the way. The waiter that helped us, was knowledgable and very professional. We were catered to the whole time, even when it started to get really busy. We tried the seafood dynamite which was delicious. Also had the hamachi, salmon and sea urchin and several other types of nigiri. All were simply delicious!! Excellent service with a great atmosphere!! Get there early for good seating. Highly recommended for fabulous sushi!!

    (5)

  • Dragon D.

    I have been coming here for many years. This is the best Japanese Restaurant. I usually order the garlic butter clam, California roll with masago on the outside, King Crab Dynamite, Butterfish and the Nabe. Parking is a problem. They don't take reservations after 7:00 p.m. You will need to wait in line. They don't take take out over the phone. Overall it is a bomb.

    (5)

  • CingCing J.

    my japanese teahcer recommended me to the imanas. so my BF took me there for dinner. there was a 30 mins wait since we didn't have any reservation. but it was worth the wait. i love their service and the food of course. so we returned there for the second time few days later. the first time we only tried their sushi, which was good, especially the uni sushi. that became my BF's favorite. the second time we tried their chanko nabe (hot pot) it was soooooo GOOD! it comes with so many different things in the hot pot (meat, fish, vegetables, udon, king crab, shrimp, mushrooms, rice cake, tofu....) it's good for two people. i also love their grilled squid.... i think they didn't have it on the menu (only fried squid) but you can ask them. it's really good.

    (5)

  • Gotfunit W.

    By far, one of the best places on the Island. Food, service, atmosphere are all top notch. We've been back multiple times and have ordered everything from the Nabe, to the sushi, to the dynamite, to the shabu shabu.... always amazing. I've gone there with my family (two young kids), with out-of-town guests, for work lunches, and for after-work drinks with friends... it's perfect every time and is suitable for different types of "social" meals. Only thing is that one should probably RSVP for peak times.

    (5)

  • Rock T.

    I could be a professional eater having trained at culinary school and as a wine professional. I have lived in and eaten at the great sushi restaurants in San Francisco, NYC and Tokyo (including Tsukiji) and this is one of the best sushi restaurants in Hawaii. If you like high quality fish served classically in a quintessential Japanese setting, this is for you. This restaurant also has excellent izakaya selections making this my favorite Japanese restaurant in Hawaii.

    (5)

  • Caligurl M.

    Went there friday night, with my husband, at around 7 p.m. and had to wait about 30 min. not bad for not having a reservation. We finally sat down and ordered about 8 dishes between us because we wanted to sample everything that looked good. This is what we ordered: Hamachi kama ( yellowtail collar) oyster 1/2 dz. w/ ponzu sauce grilled butterfish ama ebi uni rib eye steak chicken salad hamachi sashimi everything was soooooooooooo good. I can't stop thinking about how fresh and authentic the dishes were. This is my new fave place to dine. The ambiance is nice...mood lighting and fab place for hang out with bunch of friends or just a nice dinner with ur significant other. I originally loved gaku, but this is my first choice

    (5)

  • Brad K.

    Food is amazing, price is high, service is slow but they are polite. Good luck getting a reservation.

    (3)

  • Caroline C.

    This review is for Teri C. Hi Teri!! I'm writing a Hawaii review! And Teri if you are ever out in Honolulu, you must go here. I know you will like it! We stopped by here, based on a recommendation from a client of my sister's. My sister had tried it during a past business trip to Hawaii and now we were all with her in Hawaii, and she was dying to go back! That says a lot. She loves her food! The restaurant is pretty tiny and is linked to another Japanese restaurant next door. They share a bathroom, and my husband entered the wrong Japanese restaurant after having used the bathroom, looking for us, thinking he stepped into the twilight zone. But no, there are two Japanese restaurants here. Anyways, that's just a warning. Also, another warning, the lines here can be long. I think we waited for about 1 hour. They don't take reservations either. Oh and one more warning, parking in this area sucks. Me, being the vegetarian, had the udon, fried tofu with miso dressing. The house salad was HUGE, and shared by our table of 6. I also had the kappa maki. Good consistency, rice was spot on, wasabi in the roll. The meat/fish eaters loved the Dynamite. It was like a fish/seafood casserole baked with some sort of mayo sauce. That was the most memorable. But the meat/fish eaters loved every bite of everything else they ordered. The service was great. So friendly and accommodating. And because we waited so long, we got our bill and it looked like they discounted it.

    (5)

  • Kalama K.

    The best sashimi (thick cut) in awhile. Killer steak, tempura. Authentic Japan Feel to it. Just park at Puck's Alley (cheap) if no parking in front.

    (4)

  • Kit W.

    This was my favorite meal of our trip. SOOOO TASTY. We have izakaya places where i live, and I've been to Japan, but this place is the best izakaya that I've had outside Japan. The seafood salad was simple but really good, tasty and different dressing. The sushi we ordered was really fresh and had great flavor and texture. (Ikura, Unagi, and Hamachi nigiri) The Salmon Kama and the Hamachi Kama were both great, large portions with lots of flavor. We had Toro sashimi which was very reasonable for the amount we got, and melt in your mouth delicious. I loved it, I didn't even have to chew it, just let it melt under gentle pressure from my teeth. The service was very nice, and very personal, even though they were busy, the hostess came over and asked us how our trip was going and talked with us for a bit. Very much appreciated. Parking was a bit of a challenge, but we eventually found a spot. Next time I will definitely order a nabe dish, it looked really tasty when it came out, but an open flame and a big bowl of boiling hot soup wasn't going to be too compatible with a 2 year old. Overall, as far as Izakaya goes, it was very reasonable too. Definitely not cheap eats, but yum yum!! I'd easily go back and would definitely recommend this place. Thanks Yelp!

    (5)

  • Diana C.

    After going to Imanas more than five times with friends, this past week I finally ordered the chanko nabe! Let the story telling begin: We arrive around 8:00. No reservations after 7 I think, so I put our names in, and we wait for about 30 minutes. The nice, old lady who is always there then takes us to our "regular table", well the one they always seem to give us. Let the ordering begin. 2 orders of Chanko Nabe: So delicious. Imanas doesn't skimp. Tons of crab, shrimp, scallops, and salmon, as well as all the types of meat you could dream of. The only difficult thing is trying to get that heap of add-ins to cook. But, we did it. Slurped and chomped our way through the whole pot, and even had room for the rice porridge at the end. I've had nabe with udon before, but with rice, wow, it's taken to a new level. Cut Spicy Ahi Maki: Their spicy ahi isn't like Genki Sushi or anything, but that's what I like. Quality ahi tartar style with a moderate amount of heat. Yum. 4 people, 4 orders. Not even joking. Hamachi Green Onion Maki: My favorite from Imanas. I've gone to my fair share of sushi joints, and I've never had this anywhere else but at Imanas. Maybe I just don't look, but the white fish with the delicate onion flavor is so darn delicious. Cold Udon: Not amazing. But their dashi is pretty good, there's a good amount of noodles, and TONS of bonito. I love that stuff, others don't. Miso Butterfish: Yum yum yum. Not overly miso-y, as other types are. Start with a good piece of quality fish, and crispy miso outside. Definitely delicious. Pork Katsu on a Stick: Not anything special, in my opinion. Pork katsu always tastes like pork katsu. If you do get it though, ask for both sauces! You won't be disappointed. All in all, going to Imanas always makes for an amazing dinner with friends. Tons of talking and eating. This time, amongst the four of us, the bill was about 30 a person, including tip. It's definitely not the cheapest place to go, but hey, I would rather spend my money on a delicious dining experience anyways.

    (4)

  • Jay S.

    Best sashimi I've ever had. My faves: *Ikura - the best *Yellow tail - "like butta" in your mouth. It is cut right off the fish. *Soft shell crab - yummy! *Spider roll - must try!!

    (5)

  • Rose O.

    Toro is super super fresh! A must..... Butterfish and mackerel are beautifully grilled. Gobo and seafood was delicious. Even their green tea ice cream is genuinely tasty. We thoroughly enjoyed it and will be back.

    (5)

  • Bifyu J.

    Favorites were: - Chanko nabe: wide palette of ingredients, rich and flavorful broth, excellent udon to finish. - Butterfish misoyaki: marinated and grilled to rich, savory, and unctuous perfection; the mild bitterness of the charred skin nicely complemented the accompanying pickled daikon. - Geso: crisp, with a proper crunchewy tentacular texture. No complaints: - Grilled beef tongue: super thin slices of chewy beef that tastes you back, and better than I expected with the lemon garnish. - King crab dynamite: not big on the heavy mayo dishes, but still tasty. - Spicy tuna roll: Could actually taste the freshness of the fish, but I think my spicy tuna meter may be calibrated to a more plebian scale. Nice ambiance, friendly, helpful and attentive waitstaff. Slightly expensive for fairly small portions (except for the chanko nabe). Easy to mistake entrance for Imanas on first visit. Limited parking.

    (5)

  • Travis M.

    After all the rave reviews and hearing from all the Japanese transpants that this is their favorite restaurant I decided to take my family here. It was good, but maybe not the best place I've ever eaten. The things that really stood out to me was the Spicy Ahi Rolls, Spicy Clams, and Lobster Dynaminte. The butterfish, fried gobo, garlic clams, fried tofu in ponzu sauce, garlic steak, and regular dynamite were all alright, but nothing special. And the Chanko Nabe definately did not live up to my expectations. All in all it was a good experience, but I think I'll only come back when my Japanese friends go. Still trying to find that one Japanese Restuarant item that keeps me coming back. Till then I'll just be dreaming of that sukiyaki I had in Hakone.

    (4)

  • Nani Y.

    Imanas is one of the best Japanese restaurants to go. My girlfriends and I enjoy the great service and food. Very good selection of food. This is one of the places where you know you will return.

    (4)

  • Takako F.

    My husband was trying to make a reservation for my birthday dinner today. No reservation available for today. Very busy... according to them...They told to come after 7:00pm. We may get seated after 1hr of waiting. I have to prepare for waiting in the line with books. I am expecting 5 stars!! I can not wait!! Because my husband got very sick, so I was unable to eat chanko or shabushabu or rib eye which I really wanted to order. The vinegar oysters were gone (sold out for the night). Assorted Sashimi (Specially Uni was soooooo sweet!!) was really good. Dynamite (scallop) was goood!! Thanks to Liz T. They gave me a green tea ice cream to make a wish for my birthday. People are nice. After Cafe Miro, it is very difficult to compare, since the people at Cafe Miro make all the experience so nice and make their food more delicious. Well, Cafe Miro was closed today. So, no choice. Parking was very hard to find, even for lucky person like me. There is a hair salon on the left had side of the road to Imanas Tei. The owner there allowed me to park in front of his salon. He seems very nice gentleman. I should bring him a gift when I got to eat at Imanas Tei next time. But I should always make a reservation earlier for Vinegar Oyster and eat Nabe such as shabushabu or chanko.

    (5)

  • First Name L.

    I'm not sure why but this is no longer a 5 star restaurant for me... so I'm updating. I was there earlier this week. As usual, I didn't make reservations, and I waited outside while my stomach twisted in pain! Service was average, more like the service you'd get at any other asian restaurant. Service was never their strong point but it's gotten worse. The food was good but I expected great and it wasn't quite there. Don't get me wrong, this is still one of my favorite restaurants, it's just lost some of it's sparkle. We had a variety of sushi and ala carte dishes. The only thing we didn't eat was the towering pile of gobo... I think that's what they called it. It wasn't that good but they sure made it sound special.

    (4)

  • Sean V.

    Great izakaya with some of the most awesome food here in hawaii. I've had almost everything on their menu, and its all wonderful! If parking was better and took reservations, it would be 5 stars. But hey, 5 stars is perfect to me.

    (4)

  • Tom B.

    I totally know I'm going to regret it for writing this review. I really hesitated to bring this place under the public eye for fear of it becoming too popular. The lines are long enough as it is to get dinner since the rest of the Japanese locals know this place very well. Thanks to my 2007 resolution of being a better person, I will resist my temptation to lie and say that I found pubic hair in my hamachi nigiri. There's only 2 things you need to know prior to visiting: make a reservation, and if at all possible carpool to this place because the parking lot is limited to 6 or so spaces. I could never do the food justice with my commentary, so I uploaded a couple photos of the dishes. Great Izakaya dishes! Definitely try the garlic steak and fried tofu. What this place is really known for is the Nabe! Chanko-nabe the food for sumos is definitely plentiful. The Chanko-nabe for two is enough to feed 4 people, so don't be fooled by the description. Easily the best nabe on the islands! Oh and the service there is amazingly friendly. You'll find the happiest and perkiest 70 yr old hostess. Bless her soul, I hope she lives on to 200.

    (5)

  • Michele E.

    I LOVE IMANAS-TEI! I come here at least twice a week and I have never been disappointed. The seasoned burdock, chicken karage, and pork katsu are must tries. The atmosphere is intimate and they have used lighting to create beautiful shadows on the wall from the bamboo ceiling. A great place over-all.

    (5)

  • rylie m.

    i don't understand why peope love this place so much. nothing was bad but nothing was that great. everything looked real sloppy and for the money i've had much better. won't be going back here.

    (2)

  • Mitchel C.

    Hands down the best japanese restaurant in hawaii. I dont know why some of these yelpers called it expensive. Its maybe more expensive than fast food sushi or junk sushi like genki sushi but if you compare it to any decent japanese place, its definitely cheaper. I havent had anything on the menu that was not delicious. Ya gotta get the dynamite of course when you go. Its just perfect!

    (5)

  • Jayme N.

    I love their Chanko Nabe here - It's so delicious. Assorted vegetables, meat, and seafood in a savory broth... what's not to miss. At the end - once all the ingredients have been cooked and flavored the broth - you get your choice of udon or rice and egg which they mix into the broth. The rice and egg is good - it creates a sort of savory porridge. I dined with two other friends and the Chanko Nabe [two orders] and a few side dishes were more than enough for all three of us. It was the best dinner I've had in a while.

    (4)

  • tony l.

    This is one of my favorite Japanese restaurants. The nabe is delicious and everything is fresh as it can be. Only drawback is the small parking lot and lack of street parking.

    (5)

  • Kaili N.

    I love the shabu shabu here! The sushi and sashimi are always super fresh. Nice selection of cold sake. Imanas is my absolute favorite restaurant for Japanese cuisine. Service is fast and friendly. I'm always laughing when I leave because they are very enthusiastic with their "doomo arigato gozaimashita!!" The staff starts shouting it several times and bowing as you walk out the door. I'm glad they show their appreciation. I've been to so many places where the hostess didn't even thank us or acknowledge us on the way out. That really puts a damper at the end of your dining experience. Too bad the parking is crappy and there's always a wait. They are also closed on Sundays. :( Oh well, the food is definitely worth the wait and parking headaches.

    (5)

  • Sylvia C.

    Its an okay restaurant, nothin really wowed me so it's definitely overrated!

    (2)

  • Amanda Z.

    I love love love the chanko nabe. Tons of different types of meats, veggies, all expertly placed in the bowl by the waiter. Enough food for 3 people. The best part is the end where they ask you if you want noodles or rice and egg to be placed in the broth. I would recommend the rice and egg option, so delicious! I've also tried the Chirashi - fresh, delicious fish. TIP: they accept reservations up to 7PM, so make them otherwise you might have to wait a while - but it's definitely worth it!

    (5)

  • Laura P.

    Imanas Tei is sleek inside. They make you feel ever so welcome. About a dozen people welcome you the minute you step in the door. Sweet! The menu is several pages and they don't insult your intelligence with stupid descriptions or false photos. Actually, I'm getting so accustomed to that way of marketing that it made ordering really hard. Everything looked good on paper and there was no way to differentiate what would be a hit or a miss. Hubby had the assorted sashimi special and I ordered a number of cooked items. Our favorite of the night was the fried tofu in yuzu sauce. It was served in a beautiful bowl that really highlighted the dish. The bidet wasn't working in the ladies bathroom, which was fine with me. I only wanted to see it, not really use it. What was odd was the heated toilet seat. If I were in drizzly & damp Seattle I would have appreciated it a bit more, I'm sure.

    (3)

  • Jocelyn L.

    "The food was divine! The crispy rice was so good...hard to get reservations...but so worth it..yummy! Best place to get Japanese in Honolulu...great ambience too...tricky parking"

    (4)

  • Ssong S.

    I've always visited Imanas Tei whenever I visited honolulu for several years. Still serving great fresh sushi, specially Uni, nice servers and reasonable price for fresh quality food.

    (5)

  • sandie g.

    very good service & good food. really enjoyed their signature nabe, ordered for 2 people, but shared it w/ 3, lot's of food! beautiful decor. you'll need reservations & parking can be a challenge.

    (5)

  • barry n.

    I had to pick a restaurant that my wife wanted to take me for my yakudoshi, so after reading the good reviews, I decided on Imanas Tei. I was expecting a lot from here, and overall, it was pretty good. We were stressing out about the parking because of the reviews. We arrived at about 5:10pm, and were lucky to find a stall, but by the time our last guests arrived, they had to park in the public parking lot behind Puck's Alley. Because we had a party of 10, they put us on an odd shaped table in the middle of the restaurant. We had a problem with having an infant because the restaurant is pretty cramped, so we couldn't leave him in his stroller. So I guess the reviews about it not being good for large groups and kids is correct. I had the chanko nabe, which was very good. The broth was very tasty and there was a lot of meat, fish and vegetables crammed in the pot. I also had sashimi, and it was probably the best sashimi I have had in a while. The maguro and salmon seemed to melt in my mouth! My wife had the shabu shabu, which was pretty disappointing for her. My aunty had the hamachi kama and she thoroughly enjoyed it. Overall, the food was good. The service was very good at the beginning, but kind of fell off towards the end. Our glasses of water were empty most of the time, and only half of our group was asked for dessert. I thought that for my standards, it was a very good restaurant. But because not everyone in our group was satisfied, I couldn't give it five stars. I would definitely recommend this restaurant to anyone and I will be there again.

    (4)

  • Kristen N.

    Great ambiance. Pretty good food. Challenging parking. Awesome izakaya restaurant.

    (4)

  • Jon T.

    The aji tataki or nigiri is awesome! Also the amaebi deep fried heads are one of the better ones I've had. Overall the staff is very friendly and the sushi is good. Their chirashi is good and also very reasonable

    (4)

  • Lester N.

    We wanted to treat ourselves to some nice sushi and Imanas Tei showed up as a strong competitor. Reviews were giving it 4-5 stars left and right so that kinda hyped it up for me. With this strong hype followed high expectations. I know I shouldn't let that bring up my standard just because something was hyped up, but how could I not? The parking lot is indeed small. Something like 12 spaces in the vicinity of the restaurant. After they fill up, I don't know where else people can park, Puck Alley's parking lot? I have no idea...I was fortunate enough to find a spot in front of the restaurant and it was around 7pm. While we were waiting for our seats, which didn't take very long, 10-20 minutes?, many people were walking to this restaurant. I don't know from where, but parking is horrible. The ambience was relaxed and chill. I mean you can just put some decent clothes on and have yourself some pricey sushi. It's pretty loud in there so you don't have to worry about anythin. Make yourself comfortable and all that good stuff. Welcoming for kids. The staff was very nice and professional. It's all business in there. Not once did I wonder where my waitress was or got annoyed that I waited too long. Water is always filled, hot tea was always ready, you know, all business WHILE being friendly and courteous. Great. Just great. We started off with some ala carte sushi, unagi, some sweet shirimp and I tried this King Crab Dynamite. Man do I love Dynamite. The king crab leg was awesome too. I felt that the portion was lackin for the king crab leg, especially when it's some $12, but I did understand that it was a king crab and it was a dynamite. Brushed it off. Delicious. The portions of the sushi was actually pretty good. It isn't too small or too big. I do realize that this place is pricey, but for the ala carte sushi? I think the price should be just a little less. Yeah, the portion is better than most, but not THAT much better. Yeah, the fish was fresh, but there wasn't anything "special" to justify a high price like that. Tastes almost like any other unagi or sashimi out there. But it is definitely fresh, so I can see a higher price, just not THAT high. Come to think of it, the fish was fish. The unagi was unagi. The fried shrimp head was fried shrimp head. The dynamite was dynamite. There wasn't anything special about their food. I thought for this $$$ price tag, I'd get blown away. Don't get me wrong, the food here is better than something you'd get at a lunch wagon or some fast food sushi place. Fresher fish, greater atmosphere, restaurant quality food. At the end of my meal, I was very satisfied. Fish was fresh, rice wasn't soggy, water didn't taste funny, staff was just great, the whole nine yards. I wouldn't come here again though. It was great for my first time, don't get my wrong, but the prices are just too high for food that doesn't "blow me away".

    (4)

  • Kimo O.

    Imanas was great tonight. Thanks to the staff for an awesome meal for my mom's birthday. The first (and defiantly wont be the last) time I ever tried sea urchin sushi! Awesome!

    (4)

  • Chris L.

    You can't get better than this. The food is awesome and for such a reasonable price. I am a frequent patron here at least once a month my wife and I eat here. You won't be dissapointed.

    (5)

  • Alison C.

    First off, I would give 4.5 stars if I could. For our family of four, this is what we ordered: hamachi, toro, giant clam, salmon sashimi uni sushi shabu shabu (2 orders plus an extra order of beef) red bean ice cream According to my parents, the salmon, hamachi, and uni weren't anything special. But we all loved the toro and the giant clam. The shabu shabu was good...it comes with mushrooms, tofu, bean sprouts, green onions, cabbage, bok choy, and konyaku (flavorless jello things made from yams). The shabu shabu is a great deal - only $20 for an order, and the beef is good quality stuff. The ice cream was amazing. Probably one of our favorite things of the night. The wait was long, probably 45 minutes, when we got there at 7pm on a Tuesday night. BUT....the staff was extremely apologetic. They even offered us two dishes that weren't on the menu (monkfish liver and little squids in a sauce). They were really attentive, and wouldn't stop saying sorry for the wait. To shorten the wait time, you can make reservations - but only before 7pm! ONE MORE THING. The door to the restaurant is on the right hand side - NOT directly facing the parking lot. That is another restaurant that only serves grilled/BBQ stuff. It's easily mistaken for Imanas Tei. This place is totally worth the short drive outside of Waikiki, although it is a little difficult to find.

    (4)

  • Jenifer G.

    Imanas is one of my favorites, a place you can count on for good izakaya food and a wonderful atmosphere. Parking can be a pain though. I haven't had their shabu shabu in years but from what I remember it was pretty good. Honestly I'm so picky w/ shabu shabu now that I just make it at home so I can pick my own ingredients.. Although the wait without a reservation can take forever (we waited well over 45minutes outisde, we literally missed making reservations by 2 minutes, think it's a 6:30pm cut-off?), it was well worth it because we had the tatami seating in the back. We ordered a bunch of stuff, listed from favorite to least: - Seared toro (forgot the Japanese name): served with thinly sliced green onion on top. It was so good everyone ordered a second round. - Manila clams: served in a warm spiced tomato broth, SO tasty. - Ribeye: sliced, served w/ salad (but when does ribeye go wrong anyway?) - Salmon sashimi: I didn't get to try this because I was so full already but I was told it was one of the better dishes. - Uni: (because I can't resist!) I could still taste the ocean in it but it was still damn good. - something dynamite: sorry, I can't recall exactly what this is at the top of my head, but it was HUGE and tasty, although I don't understand who would want to eat that much mayonaise in one sitting. - Grilled skewered clams: pretty fresh - sausages: I guess okay (friend who doesn't eat shellfish ordered this) - Chicken karaage: didn't care for it, not crispy at all, kind of chewy in fact. The best I've had in a while are at Ichiriki on Piikoi. Panya's are pretty good too. They have a decent list of small bottles of sake, as well as beers too. We had a blast for sure here.. one of the better meals I've had in a while!

    (4)

  • Lauren W.

    Ok, screw the king crab dynamite. You MUST order Seafood dynamite. It is ten times bigger (ok, maybe 5 times) and the flavor is amazing. Broiled Japanese mayonaise over scallop, salmon, abalone and mushrooms. Yum! If you had some left over you could take it home and spread it over some garlic bread. Top with some melted cheese and.....WOW!

    (4)

  • Lisa N.

    most favorite sushi spot in honolulu. parking is very difficult and they do not take reservations other than when they first open at 6pm? the wait can scare you off easily, but if u manage to get in; the salmon and hamachi have never failed to be amazingly fresh and dEE-lishhh!!! I've been to many japanese places and this is one of the best places, hands down. if you know what you want to order, the pricing is very reasonable as well. (aside from the beef tongue which can run you about ten dollars, i'd say just go next door for half the price) Haven't tried the shabu shabu yet, but other than that, the salmon skin roll, the uni, ika, salmon and HAMACHI are bomb!!!

    (5)

  • Patty O.

    Authentic Japanese noodle house at it's finest. The waiter was very patient with us and the menu, recommended the chanko nabe for the three of us with plenty to go around. I loved watching the wait staff hustle! The nabe was very good, full of substance. Also had some sushi, didn't order anything fancy, fresh and good portions. Would definitely return. Take a cab, tho. Very limited parking.

    (5)

  • Charley C.

    I have to give it a solid 5 stars. My sister was very excited to take me there when I visited Hawaii and I was a bit skeptical at first. As soon as we walked in, I was impressed by the interior that was so thoughtfully and artistically put together. We were seated at a long wooden community-style table that tapers off on one side and next to us was this family with a cute japanese girl. Although the Uni that I desperately wanted was sold out, everything we ordered were very fresh, proper in size and so tasty! Ama Ebi and Toro were to die for! I wish there were an Imanas Tei close to where I live...

    (5)

  • Kent I.

    Went here last weekend after hearing rave reviews and wasn't disappointed. First, however, there was a 1hr+ wait, they only take reservation BEFORE 7pm, so plan accordingly. The wait staff was very friendly. We ordered the beef shabu shabu, which was ok. Honestly, there is really nothing that special about their shabu shabu, its not bad, just not great. We also ordered the Miso Katsuu and spicy tuna rolls. Both were awesome. The miso katsuu was the best I've had since Japan, in fact, it reminds me of the place right by my apartment in Japan. The spicy tuna was also excellent, I've had a lot of spicy tuna and I would say this is one of my favorites. Next time, I'm going to pass on the shabu shabu (which was good) and just going for the sushi and katsuu. Highly recommend.

    (4)

  • Tao M.

    Considering that I travel to Japan 4-7 times per year I am pretty strict when it comes to Japanese food. In Hawaii there are not too many go to favorite sushi places but Imanas ranks highly by my standards. When I go out for sushi its 100% Imanas Tei. The service is great, the atmosphere is the way I like it. You will find me and my wife at the counter unless we have a big group.

    (5)

  • Brian F.

    The Katsuo Tataki is a must. Good eats

    (4)

  • Casey B.

    Japanese food is definitely one of my favorite foods to eat. Especially sushi. Imanas is a fantastic spot. This is a regular spot for my friends and I. Its the right balance of price and quality. I've been to Sasabune (and loved it) but I can't always drop that kind of cash everytime I want sushi. We've tried a lot of the sushi Imanas has to offer as well as many of their other prepared dishes. Never had a bad dish yet. My favs are Aji, Saba, flounder, yellowtail, monkfish liver, ikura, yamaimo roll...actually I like almost all they have to offer, you really can't go wrong. I love their ponzu jelly, and seasoned salts they use for their sushi. We had a great experience at the bar seating on a couple occasions as our sushi chef was passionate and very accommodating letting us combine toppings with different sushi choices--it was great. I love the decor/ambience---they really bring nippon alive in there. I would like to give it 4.5 stars but 4 will have to do.

    (4)

  • Scott R. D.

    Wow! We had dinner here last night. It was very busy, but we only had to wait a few minutes. We had several kinds of sushi and some of the izakaya little plates and the big Chanko Nabe for 2. It's a copper bowl of broth on burner that they put the food in and it cooks before your eyes. Then you dig in and pull out what you want. After that they make you a eggy rice soup in the same bowl. That was delicious too. We probably over ordered so it was a little on the expensive side, but the quality was excellent. It ended up being about $50 per person, including plenty of beer and sake.

    (5)

  • Jyron S.

    I absolutely loves this place. Tucked away in Puck's Alley, literally it's a hidden gem. From the decor, the food and the service, this place has the "IT" quality. The staff treats us like family, until we get the usually LARGE bill at the end of dinner. It isn't cheap, but it's worth every penny.

    (5)

  • morgan b.

    My favorite Japanese restaurant in town! I've tried many other places but Imanas is where I always come back. Since they don't take reservations (or only before 6PM I believe) the wait can be a problem, but it's well worth it. Raw fish quality is excellent. A lot of diversity in the menu.

    (5)

  • Lisa K.

    I could eat there everyday. I love the salad dressing on the toss greens, agedashi tofu, tonkatsu skewers, sushi, grilled fish, teriyaki chicken, chanko nabe (love the fishcake and udon), the butterfish, the japanese vegetable dishes that I can never seem to find time to make like kinpira gobo and the list can go on. While it is crowded and there is no parking..just plan to park at pucks alley, make reservations before 7pm or figure on eating at th sushi counter.

    (5)

  • Kiko U.

    I LOVE IMANAS TEI so much I wish I could eat it every day of my life. Everything is so delicious, and the fish just melts in your mouth. Parking is hard to get though because it shares a little lot in front of the restaurant with Kohnotori. Wow, craving sashimi platter right now!

    (5)

  • N. O.

    Food was good, service was great, but overpriced. Limited parking, go early.

    (3)

  • Unyong N.

    Hubby & I went to Imanas Tei for the 1 millioneth time last night. A good friend introduced us to this hidden gem about 6 years ago and we've been addicted ever since. High-quality restaurants where the service AND food are unquestionably superb are becoming harder and harder to find in Honolulu; Imanas Tei keeps the hope alive. Onto the nitty gritty: Service: b/c we're regulars, we went with no reservations but were seated right away. This doesn't happen all the time, but if there's space, a cancellation, or for whatever reason, the "you are too tan for words" owner or the "you are too perky for words" hostess gives us the "shush" finger and seats us. For some reason, the male waiters have always been better than the female waiters. As a female...this saddens me, but I gotta be honest. So, try to order from a man and you'll have the great service that I speak of. Order from a women, and you're taking the risk of a simple thing like a bowl of rice taking 10 minutes b/c she forgot. Food: our faves include....gyu miso (a recent dish added, konyakkyu & meat stewed in miso), seafood gobo, lobster dynmite, misoyaki butterfish, oysters vinagrette, grilled sausage, hamachi kama, spicy clams, tofu with ponzu, and spicy seaweed salad. For sushi/sashimi we order: baby abalone, mirugai, maguro, amaebi (fried heads are awesome!), and hirame. Not on menu, but can order: yaki-musubi. My mother-in-law orders this even though it's not on the menu. Hmm, could be the avocados she brings the owner, or it could be "ask and you shall receive." Note: it takes 30 minutes to make - order ahead. Drinking: there's a sake and beer menu. You can buy a bottle of Ichiko sake and store it there for ~ 3 months. Be sure you remember exactly how you wrote your name though! Ambiance: the decor is kinda ascetic. there's bamboo on the ceiling, same color wood tables and chairs, straight branches in a vase, and a weird branch thing on the wall. That's it, but it works. Reservations: if it's a special occasion, date, or a planned outing w/ friends - mos def make a reservation. But they only take reservations until like 7 pm or so, afterwards it's all first come, first served - baby. Unless you call way ahead and get the 8-top room in the back, I don't recommend you go w/ a large party. It's better for 4-tops and under; best for couples, in terms of getting seats. Parking: there's like 6 puny stalls in front, but they're shared w/ Kohnotori restaurant. We always park at Puck's Alley for under $5 bucks. Complaint: no chawan-mushi on menu. Final words: try their Chanko Nabe - it's the best! And let it be known that my hubby is mad that I wrote this review cuz he wants to keep Imanas Tei as unknown as possible. The more people that know = less parking = harder to get seated. He's funny like that, and I like to annoy him like that. Hehehe.

    (5)

  • Jaclyn L.

    I will wait 2 hours if I have to...just to get in and eat at this %^&$#@! awesome sushi bar. Solid, solid, solid is all I need to say. I dream of you Imanas Tei, even though I am here in SF.

    (5)

  • Dan Q.

    Best place I have found for Sushi, Worth every breaking out the American Express !!! Love it when the make the Sushi with the Wasabi under the fish. Going back there again.

    (5)

  • Joshua T.

    Absolutely one of the best, ever. I live in San Francisco and have Japanese at least once a week; Imanas Tei beats them all. If you have been disappointed by the unfortunate choices in Waikiki, take a 5 minute ride over to King St., find this amazing place tucked off the street (tight parking lot), and get ready for the heaven. We went on a Saturday night without reservations. We waited about 20 minutes on great benches, and were seated at the sushi bar. First thing we noticed? We were about the only non-Japanese in the place. No, not non-Asians: non-Japanese. There was barely any English spoken, but with food like this, who cares about language? Made us feel truly immersed. The hamachi? Unreal flavor: like creamy butter. Maguro was like a perfect steak, with superb taste. Please, please, please, don't miss the Miso glazed Butterfish: heavenly. Wasn't too thrilled with the hamachi collar, even though other Yelpers seemed to love it. The sushi chef was so happy to help, offering us tastes of what he thought we might like. And the prices are absolutely a steal for the food, service and a respite from the rest. Don't think. Don't debate. Just go. Cannot recommend it enough: our best meal in Oahu.

    (5)

  • George Q.

    One of the best Izakaya's on the island. The service is always good and the food is solid. I enjoy my time when I eat sushi at the counter, but in my opinion I think Gaku does a little better.. It makes sense because Manabu-san of Gaku used to be the head sushi chef there before he opened up his place, but that said, I think Imanas-tei does a solid job.. Considering that the Gaku counter is such a hassle to reserve for, if you crave for sushi at a sushi counter on a day Gaku can't accommodate you, this is a great back up plan.

    (4)

  • Jennifer H.

    Lovely setting and carefully prepared Japanese food. Good place to take someone for a date because it's nice and quiet.

    (3)

  • Adam B.

    I had the omakase (sushi only) and am extremely knowledgeable about fish. Here's my thoughts. The fish was very good. Nothing was a 'wow' for me though so I must admit that I was expecting better. I also found the rice to be a bit too cool as it really should be warm and nearly falling apart when picked up with the chop sticks. The rice was more of a ball of rice tightly packed... not idea. In addition, the fish was all brought out at the same time. Bad move, it should be brought out piece mail and then immediately consumed seconds after it's cut. I had a much better experience at Sasabune and Izakawa Gaku. With those restaurants in town, I don't see myself coming back here although the meal was tasty.

    (4)

  • Mai Y.

    I would give it five stars because their food is really delicious, but they need to improve their desert menu. They only have two items: azuki ice cream or green tea ice cream. But I guess you could walk up the street and have mochi ice cream or a sundae at bubbies.

    (4)

  • Mari K.

    Don't ever judge a book by its cover. Imanas is a gorgeous restaurant disguised by a humble exterior. They even serve their dishes on pretty platters... (pretty platters... say that 10 times fast!) =P My friend and I ate only 2 hours before visiting Imanas, so we weren't that hungry going in (we tagged along with my relatives)... but when the food arrived, I think I ate just as much or even more than anyone else. Their award-worthy dishes: king crab dynamite and spicy clams. Upsides: Their Japanese-style tables come with a hold in ground, so no sitting on your knees or indian-style. =) Friendly, but slow service. Downsides: Our food took forever to arrive. Sushis were very small... like mini sushi! Price is definitely not reflective of food size.

    (4)

  • Emily W.

    the best as it gets! If you want excellent sushi and japanese food with cool atmosphere and top notch service, Imanas is it! My husband and I go there at least twice a month to get our fix. Staff is all japanese and most patrons are nationals so you know it's good!!

    (5)

  • Satoru Y.

    A fantastic izakaya that wonderfully emulates places in Japan. I've never been to Imana's, even though I've heard of the place several times over the years. One night, the decision was made to go to Imana's. I must stress that you have to call to make a reservation before 7pm: after that time they will not book any more reservations. We missed the deadline by two minutes, and had to wait outside for about staring at the front door for about 40 minutes: the Japanese story of Hachiko the dog mournfully waiting years for his lost master come to mind. However, it was all worth the wait: we also got a Tatami table in the back too! Everything tasted really Japanese. I know that is a curious statement; but the food tastes the most like meals in Japan than many of its peers. They offer a wide array of different selections, and we dove into them head first. The Seared Ahi sushi we ordered was mind-blasting: delicious and wonderfully garnished. This Clam in Broth dish that we ordered was superb: the broth gave a great explosion of flavors. The Ribe-Eye Steak had this great sauce that felt like a hybrid of a dressing and a steak sauce. Their Beef Tounge and Dynamite dish were great too. There was so much more we sampled. Tons of Ahi dishes, Tofu Tempura, and The Spider Roll was okay. However, I have to say that their Uni and Chicken Kaarage were disappointments: the Uni tasted not too fresh (too much like stagnant Ocean) and the Kaarage's batter was bland and it was pretty flavorless. However, the pluses of the other dishes way overrule these disappointments. Overall, I would say that their sushi is okay, but their other izakaya dishes are where they really shine. I'm looking forward to sampling their Shabu Shabu and Nabe offerings. Many of the tables are set up for hot-pot dinners. Given how good their other food was, I have high expectations. I caught myself gawking at other tables who ordered Nabe. The ambiance of the place is very contemporary Japanese, and the achieves the look it was going for. It is very good for groups or for social, casual dinners. The layout is pretty good, and it feels very comfortable. There also is a sushi bar if you don't feel like having a lengthy sit-down; or if you don't feel like waiting for a table. Wide varieties of great food make this place the best izakaya in Hawaii.

    (5)

  • Topazskye L.

    We wanted to sit at the bar but was told it was full for that evening and we couldnt make reservations as well so we walked in but thank goodness, they were able just to accomodate the 2 of us within minutes. I loved the atmosphere of the restaurant but it is kind of small and hard to accomodate big groups. I totally love the sushi here and the uni was sooo sweet and delectable..mmmm! The salmon skin handroll is definitely one of the bestthat I've had and it was a chockful of yummy stuff with tobiko and some daikon shoots. We saw another table ordering the sushi combo and that looked good. I guess if you want variety and not too particular about what types of nigiri u want then definitely go for that. I loved the clam miso soup too...it was just sooo tasty and the clams were tender. I would definitely return to Imanas Tei again!

    (4)

  • N Z.

    Authentic Japanese food. Order the chanko nabe. Our go to Japanese restaurant.

    (5)

  • Bret F.

    Been three or four times and always best izakaya food in honolulu. Went last night but had to wait 45 minutes for a table of 4 at 7pm, but still great experience. Favorites from last night in no particular order: 1. Basil Tako was surprisingly awesome (but after dinner it's all i could taste in my mouth unitl i got a mint ) 2. Dynamite w/ mushroom and scallops was perfect 3. maguro poke is great 4. beef stew (didnt order so i dont know the name. sorry!) 5. flounder sashimi (amazingly fresh) 6. clams w/ butter and garlic 7. ikura (which i usually dont like because its fishy or gross at most places but imanas has really fresh and tasty ikura) 8. spicy tuna roll

    (4)

  • Kale O.

    good as it gets, ate about $200 dollars worth of food ,hamachi kama its ova..

    (5)

  • Joy H.

    Best Japanese Food on the Island. Every dish is flavorful and unique. Explosion of goodness in your mouth. Service fast and friendly.

    (5)

  • Daniel K.

    Shabu Shabu here is excellent and probably the best value. Meat is excellent. Love the mochi and undone at the end. Even the sake is great. Poke and spicy roll.

    (5)

  • Nuthin But T.

    I love this Japanese restaurant... Even tho the wait .. It's well worth it.. Love the shabu shabu ... Good sauce and fresh meat... Also the king crab leg dynamite is the bomb!!!! The atmosphere is lovely.. But restroom needs a little fix up .. Other than that wonderful experience!! Good service!!!

    (5)

  • Bailee W.

    What can I say? Everything that I have ever ordered from Imanas is SHEER PERFECTION. Don't let the wait turn you off, it is worth it and the food comes out fast. The waiters are amazing. This is one of the best restaurants in Hawaii!

    (5)

  • Margie N.

    Not good for parties of 10 and a baby! Tables were too small to accommodate the shabushabus and chanko nabes! Wasn't happy with the shabushabu, no taste and for 28.50 per person, we thought it was too expensive. Chanko nabe was good but I think they use MSG because those that ate it were really thirsty later. Felt rushed, didn't offer dessert, just handed me the check. Later when I got home, I realized they didn't have a receipt for me! Someone ordered the Hamachikama and loved it so if I go next time, I will try that. Not sure if we will though because the parking really does suck there. Our reservations were at 5:30 and we got there at 5:15 and there was 1 stall left after we took ours....

    (3)

  • Richard C.

    If we had the option of adding additional stars, this place certainly deserves it! You would never find it if you were just driving by because it's tucked away in a small shopping center that's blocked by buildings on both sides... you literally have to drive into the narrow driveway and either fight for parking or park on the street. I took my wife here for sushi since we had a craving, and we had to have some while in Oahu. We didn't have to wait, we were seated at the sushi bar watching the sushi chefs put together these colorful sushi dishes. We ordered and shared a sashimi platter of fresh raw fish, sushi rolls, seared salmon and lobster stuffed with a delicious cheese sauce. The colors of the fresh fish was amazing, and the flavors were out of this world. We really couldn't believe how delicious this place was. The interior was beautiful, bamboo laced ceilings and Japanese accents set the tone perfectly. In all the places we've ever eaten, this place is number one on our list of any restaurant. We wanted to eat here every night after for the rest of our trip. The prices are great too; we walked out well fed and extremely happy paying under $100 with drinks! Imanas is really a hidden gem and we will definitely be back next time we're in Hawaii.

    (5)

  • Kobu K.

    For sushi in Hawaii, this is as good as it gets. Bar-none! What more can I say

    (5)

  • Lisa M.

    I love this place! We go there at least 3 times a month. It's always the same friendly workers (Takako, Iko, Tomo) and they are so nice. On top of that, the food is delicious. The shabu shabu is amazing and it's clean in there as well. They take pride in what they serve you and I will continue to go there again and again. You know it's good when all the Japanese people are eating there.

    (5)

  • wingless g.

    One word. Dynamite. It was amazing, so creamy and delicious, hands down the best dynamite I've ever had, and I love baked mayo like no one's business so trust me, I've tried dynamite at every restaurant I've been to that offers it. My husband and I also ordered the chanko nabe and the garlic steak, way too much food for the two of us but it was our last night of vacation so we just had to. Everything was delicious and the service was superb! Our waiter (the super friendly bald headed guy) even offered to give us recommendations to other restaurants when we told him we were on vacation. He made our chanko nabe for us which was great since I was really skeptical about how everything would fit into that tiny pot - but it did! And he gave us his secret recipe for linguine with clams!

    (5)

  • takeda s.

    Very shibui...good for the senses - taste, smell, sight, hearing, overall feel and ambiance.....sushi is exceptional...sit at the bar..they know what is best for you and can tell you everything...and give you treats/....fresh, unique, melts, tastes and feels like the ocean...you never notice that it is flown in from Japan it is so fresh....good sake and nice cold beer...I have to agree w/Unyong...keep it on the low to keep the crowds from spoiling...but just too good to be kept a complete secret... Oishikatta! TS

    (5)

  • Jennifer S.

    Oh, my god, I LOVE this place. Go with three people, get the chanko nabe, finish with zosui and green tea ice cream. Usually for some variety, we order the chicken karaage, agedashi tofu, or hamachi sashimi. Everything I've tried here is seriously good, but the chanko nabe is a MUST.

    (5)

  • elisa o.

    Worth the wait! Awesome food! Great ambiance. Service is the best. I never had any problems. The food is impeccable! Crowded! There is a reason to the wait! Everyone knows the food is good and expect the service to be there too! This is one place where I do not mind standing in line! The best time is to go when they JUST open! If you have a bigger "party" of more than 4 make sure you make reservations. But after you have the Imanas Tei experience you will want to invite your entire entourage!! Sushi is awesome! Their sake selection is awesome and I don't even drink sake. I honestly don't think you will be disappointed at all!!! ENJOY!!!

    (5)

  • Stephen H.

    first timer here. i heard a lot of great things about it. Nice environment and atmosphere. I notice a lot of beautiful women coming in to eat here as well. The one dish i heard a lot about Dynamite, was a disappointment because it was very heavy in mayonnaise so that made me a little sick feeling. If your thinking of going here, pls RSVP. the line was long when we left

    (5)

  • Renee A.

    awesome, awesome, awesome!!! had dinner there for the first time last week, and it's just awesome! We had mostly sushia and a few hot dishes. I love the spicy seaweed salad and all the sushis. Oh! The soft shell crab was TDF! loved it!!!!!! I will be back for sure!

    (5)

  • Steve B.

    I found this sushi restaurant based on the high Yelp rating. I was not disappointed other than trying to locate it. We order various sushi and fried tofu....all excellent. Very very fresh fish and the sushi rice was perfect! This is a local hangout...most were of Japanese descent. Go there if you have a chance...off the beaten path in J town.

    (5)

  • Suzanne R.

    so delicous but like a lot of people here, the wait is totally a bummer! but omg way way worth it! the vinegarette oysters are delicious, the sashimi very fresh and the nabe is so ono! the service is very friendly and fast. my new favorite restaurant! can't wait to go again!

    (4)

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Map

Opening Hours

  • Mon :5:00 pm - 11:00pm

Specialities

  • Takes Reservations : Yes
    Delivery : No
    Take-out : No
    Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
    Good For : Dinner
    Parking : Private Lot
    Bike Parking : Yes
    Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
    Good for Kids : Yes
    Good for Groups : Yes
    Attire : Casual
    Ambience : Casual
    Noise Level : Average
    Alcohol : Full Bar
    Outdoor Seating : No
    Wi-Fi : No
    Has TV : No
    Waiter Service : Yes
    Caters : No

Imanas Tei Restaurant

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