Kikuya
1315 N King St, Honolulu, HI, 96817
Kikuya Menu
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Address :
1315 N King St
Honolulu, HI, 96817 - Phone (808) 841-7979
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:00 am - 2:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Lunch
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 : Beer & Wine Only
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : No
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Doris D.
Good standard bento place. The lunch specials are good values at about $10 each for two choices. The location is a little sketchy but good parking is available. I would it's a nice family option with reasonable prices and good service. Not the most mind-blowing food but seems like a dependable restaurant.
(3)Clarissa M.
Went her for lunch for four. We were seated very quickly - hardly a wait at all. It is a small restaurant with about 15-18 tables. The wait staff were efficient and friendly. Our order was taken immediately and our food served immediately and it was prepared and cooked well. This joint offers brown rice :). I had the side order sashimi and shrimp tempura with vegetables and brown rice. There were six good size prices of shrimp! Very tasty tempura. The rest of the table had a lunch bento, green cold soba noodles, and a hot pot of rice and fish of some sort. The table as a whole were pleased with their foods and our tummies left very satisfied. I never knew this place existed and am very glad to find a decent restaurant like this near work. They are also open for dinner. The restaurant as a whole is clean. Not sure if there is a restroom - I did not see one inside the restaurant.
(4)Jamie T.
The lunchbox is a great deal for Japanese food on the cheap. $9.95 will get you a two-combo box complete with all the fixings (rice, miso soup, salad, tsukemono, and a shrimp tempura). On my last visit I got sashimi and chicken katsu as my choices, but everything I've tried has been good. For dinner, they offer a similar two-combo or three-combo meal that is also a good deal. The other items on the menu seem kind of expensive, especially the sushi.
(4)Buddy L.
Can't beat the lunch box specials....$9.99...love the quality of the food...and the value.
(5)Matthew K.
I would always come here with my Grandma Or Grandpa and the food was always good. The only thing I have against this place has nothing to do with the food. The parking situation is pretty bad since where they are located they are near auto repait places and bars. Anothe thing is I can never pin point the hours on this place sometimes they are closed and usually its a day I have off. Other than that this food is great if you can walk here try it out.
(4)Cliff Y.
My aunt recommended this place to us so we decided to go and give it a try. Don't let the surrounding area and the bars next door scare you away. It's located behind Diner's and next to the Post Office in Kahili. The wait staff was very good and service was fast especially given that fact that we had 10 people in our party. I ordered a 3 choice teishoku meal with miyoyaki butter fish, sashimi, and tempura. Price was very reasonable at only $18 which included salad, miso soup, and rice. All the ingredients were fresh. A little too much panko on my shrimp tempura but the shrimp itself was good. Serving of butter fish was a little on the small side but for $18 I guess you can't expect a huge serving. Would definitely recommend this place if you are looking for a reasonably priced Japanese food.
(3)Susan F.
In my opinion, weather or not you order it, when you eat at a Japanese restaurant you should always be served green tea. And if they don't automatically give it to you, when you ask for it... they shouldn't charge you for it. That being said, I really liked this place. As soon as we walked in, water and tea was served, our order was taken quickly and even the food arrived fast. I ordered the spicy ahi don, and it wasn't as spicy as I would've liked it, but it wasn't anything wasabi couldn't fix. Great place to check out if you're in the area. Its right behind the Diners, near Kiawe grill.
(4)Brad R.
My grandparents took me here after picking me up from the airport. It's in the same strip mall as Au's Garden, if you know where that is. I ordered the lunch box with butterfish misoyaki and teriyaki chicken, which includes one piece of shrimp tempura and salad. The green tea was cold, the miso soup weak, the salad dressing bland, and the teriyaki sauce too sweet. On my way out of the restaurant, I even overheard a customer at another table complaining to the waitress about his "sour sashimi." With all these strikes, I can't rate Kikuya any more than two stars. However, the lunch box was a respectable $9.95, my grandparents eat there regularly, and the staff was very friendly, so I wouldn't go so far as to tell people not to eat there. Just don't be expecting too much.
(2)Liz C.
A little piece of Japan tucked away in Kalihi. Service is quick and very welcoming!
(4)Kory U.
Good food at good prices. Lunch box is a pretty good deal for the 'ono food
(4)Kevin A.
JAPANESE FOOD IN KALIHI? I've never really associated Kalihi with Japanese food, but I decided to give this place a shot after finding out the Yanagi was going to be an hour wait. Kikuya is a bit of a hole in the wall and you would never know it was there driving by on King Street. My first impression was decidedly negative as they tried to seat my party of five on their "patio". The furniture was plastic and there was a dumpster on the other side of the wall that REEKED. 'No f-ing way', I proclaimed...so we moved to the sushi bar instead. I ordered the oyako-don which was a solid choice, but I made a grave error and went with the 'Kalihi roll' which was a California roll topped with eel, tobiko, and a "special sauce". I don't know what I was thinking, because 9/10 times "special sauce" equals a sh*t load of mayonnaise. I'd say the guy used at least 3/4 cup of mayo on top my roll. It was FOUL. I think next time, I'll just wait the hour at Yanagi.
(2)Kaiulani K.
Good food, good service. The parking is tough if you're coming at happy hour, but if you are going for lunch its is not bad at all. Be careful about the hours of operation, though. One sign says open from 11am-10pm, but below that more prominent sign is a little printed out paper which says 'closed from 2:30-5pm'. Tricky. Kikuya has fresh fish, very good quality, and a nice variety. They have the traditional sushi, but not many options for the customized rolls that are so popular now days. I like the way they do their sashimi, though. Most places on Oahu serve you ahi sashimi only, but at Kikuya a standard order of sashimi has ahi, salmon, ika, snapper, or even mackerel. All of this, as I said, is very fresh and of good quality. Their entrees are good for the most part, but their steak and their garlic shrimp is not impressive. They have good tsukemono, a little sweet, and good seaweed salad. Their miso soup is one of the best (because believe me some places CAN mess it up), and they have a nice, refreshing salad. Their specials are often excellent. My favorites are the Butterfish Misoyaki and the Hamachi Collar. I usually order a combo box (for lunch and dinner) and I love their tempura- very light. Today my experience was a little different, but still good. My dad got ahi sashimi of a very good cut, and I got ahi sashimi of a poor cut. It was weird that within five minutes of each other, those two orders of OBVIOUS quality difference would be sent to the same table. Also, my veggie tempura was raw on the inside, and my shrimp tempura was overdone. Despite these mishaps, I stand by Kikuya. I have eaten here several times and I guess something was bound to happen sooner or later. Watchout for the language barrier though. After 3 minutes of explaining to the waitress what I wanted when I said "firm tofu' I was still brought an order of silky tofu. The price isn't bad for a nice Japanese place, but its not what I would call a 'good deal'. EXCEPT for the lunch combo boxes: $10 for two choices of a dish, salad, soup, tsukemono, and rice. THAT is a good deal. Everything else is about what you would expect.
(4)C M.
Going to Kikuya tonight. It is located behind Diner's in Kalihi- lots of parking, cute little place. It is near home, and pretty consistent. Lilke Kanoelani said, it is a Korean run joint that serves some decently priced Japanese cuisine. We always get the teishoku assortment at dinnertime- your choice of a number of dishes for under $20. They also have a full sushi bar, which is why my other half likes to go there. Good deals, and yummy food. I would recommend the miso butterfish and the karaage chicken. I am looking foward to it!
(4)Ted S.
Excellent food and great service. My favorite is the combination lunch or dinner.
(5)Dennis Y.
Went the following day (Saturday) with wife and son in tow to show them the restaurant... this time I chose pork tonkatsu and the beef ribeye as my lunchbox meal. The bbq was quite soft ! I went gaga..my wife asked (and physically showed the waitress a small circle which we thought was UNIVERSAL for getting a small order) of ahi katsu, as it was not showing on the menu...she said they 'can whip something up'.. A few minutes later, out comes a large dinner plate with the ahi katsu..we initially thought that was not our order...only to find out it WAS her order...we 'thought', wow...such a large plate for a 'small side order'...however, when the meal ticket came...that side order was $13.95! That's ok, my wife and son liked the food so much! She is going to bring HER co-worker to this place!
(4)Kent W.
Three stars. People may initially think that I'm giving Kikuya's three stars when compared to higher end Japanese restaurants. But I'm not. Its three stars for its niche, which is local Japanese food that is priced and catered towards everyday family diners. The location works well for me since its between work and home, so I was excited at the prospect of finding a new place to grab some dinner with the family. Things started off well as the menu items and prices looked like a great value. Next the usual miso soup, salad, and tsukemono dishes were brought out and even those were pretty good. Well, at least typical of similar places. Then things started to go down hill. Most of the dishes were, eh, none were really junk. But for what you expect it could have been so much better. The mini tempura udon was pretty good, but maybe that was just in comparison with the ahi katsu which was pretty bland and tasteless. The miso butterfish was two very small pieces that were a little dry and filled with bones. The flavor was also overly miso-ish and not very appetizing. The chicken kaarage was decent, probably one of the better dishes, and the Kikuya sushi roll was overly soaked with sweet chili sauce which over powered the flavors and turned everything into a mushy rice concoction. Overall, I really wanted to like this place. It would have been a perfect place to stop for a local Japanese dinner, but despite its reasonable prices, its food just could not compare with similar places. I would rather go down the street to Idetas, travel a few more miles to Kochi or GyoTaku, go out to west to Kuni or Kunio, or even travel over to Kaneohe and eat at the original Kikuya restaurant. When compared to the rest, Kikuya on King street is A-Ok when according to Yelp is three stars.
(3)Les M.
This place was kind of hard to find, on my maps app on the iphone it said its directly off of king street, but failed to mention that its in a strip mall that you can't see from off the main street. I even called the place, and the directions they told me is "by the post office, behind diners", i couldnt really understand the korean accent mixed with the ambient noise in the background. The food. I ordered the lunch box special two choices and opted for the salmon and the sashimi. Along with the lunch box they serve "ocha" tea, miso soup, two choices of cabbage and one korean style radish ban chan-ish type. These three vegetables were of usual japanese portion size (small) and tasted decent, nothing special. The miso soup was hot and tasty, and so was the ocha. The main dish was the best, along with the sashimi and salmon came rice, shrimp tempura, and salad with miso dressing I believe. I'd say the size of sashimi was a little smaller than normal, but the quality of all three types (sake, ahi, and hamachi) were above normal. My girlfriend ordered the spicy ahi don and said it was decent, nothing special. She couldnt finish it, so I got to taste a couple bites and have to agree, it was lacking on the spicy side (homemade spicy ahi tasted better). The thing that made me give this place four stars was the price, $9.95 for the lunch box and $9.95 for her spicy don. Service was great, but i dont give any stars for service when it comes to restaurants, I just rate the food and price. Pretty good japanese restaurant owned by koreans.
(4)Kapua H.
I was craving Japanese and have been to this restaurant before nonetheless the food was not the same as I had previously experienced. First of all, for the price the quantity of food is terrible. I ordered a two choice teishoku at dinner time which consisted of miso butterfish and shrimp tempura w/ vegetables. The portion of butterfish was the amount of fish put on a nigiri sushi piece!! It was thin and very very small. We also ordered some sushi from the sushi bar and it was awful. The sushi chef was not busy at all yet our sushi got to our table mid meal?? We wondered why it was taking so long. When it finally got to our table, my 'Kikuya roll" which is scallops over california sushi that is so called oven baked was luke warm. The sushi rice for all our sushi was very mushy. At last, we decided to go ahead and order ice cream since my 2 1/2 year old loves any kind of ice cream and I always like to have green tea ice cream at Japanese restaurants. I couldn't believe it ! Our ice cream was old !! You know ice cream is old when you can taste freezer burn and its more like just flavored ice milk instead of the creamy consistency we're used to. Couldn't even get my dessert right!! I will never return there because of this experience. And to top it off, for me and my husband not including my 2 1/2 year old because she just ate one of our miso soup with rice, our grand total was a whopping $71!!!!! wow what a rip!!
(1)Greg A.
Every time we get a craving for Japanese food we come here! The restaurant is small and unpretentious. We usually order the combo dinners of 2 or 3 choices, comes with pickled vegetables, toss salad with house dressing and miso soup. I would recommend the chicken karaage, the shrimp & vegetable tempura. My wife likes the salmon , butterfish, and rib steak. As always we leave there full and content!
(4)Berneta A.
When I win the lottery I'm going to have Kikuya set up shop in my kitchen so I can eat that every day. My fiancé and I are addicted to their food, it's like a drug we need badly so we come here for our fix every week. $11.95 goes a long way here during lunch. You'll get two entree choices, miso soup, salad, tsukemono, rice, a shrimp tempura and hot tea for a lunch combo. Stay for dinner and tack on four more dollars and get larger entree portions. I've had the entire entree menu and the only dish to stay away from is the ahi steak. It's like all the yummy ingredients were rationed out for their other dishes, so there was none left over for the ahi. Butterfish Misoyaki, New York steak ( only during dinner) and the sashimi are winners! There are only 11 or 12 tables so come towards the end of the lunch rush, 1 or 1:30 ish, if you don't want to wait, if not you may have to consider one of the other restaurants in the plaza. Parking can get tricky for dinner as its gobbled up by the bar crowd of the area. If you're in Kalihi check Kikuya out, it looks like a ghetto area but their food will surprise you!
(4)Dionne A.
We stumbled upon this place by Yelping for a new place to eat in the Liliha/Kalihi area. I'm really picky about my Japanese food, the freshness & flavor are very important, I am not into immersing my food in teriyaki sauce or shoyu. I've been back several times so I can't even remember all of what my kids & I have ordered. I can say the miso soup was very flavorful without being over salty. If I had to be really fussy, I'd like more limu in it. The sashimi was fresh & the tempura was perfectly cooked. The salad was just a regular salad but the dressing made it special! The Misoyaki Butterfish made my night the first time I tried it. Cooked perfectly, it wasn't tough or rubbery & not soaked in too much miso & oil. My son loved the sushi and my daughter loved the udon, the dashi was very tasty. The service was good, greetings & smiles, water & green tea refills. I really appreciate how nice they were in taking my 10-yr-old son's order. He orders efficiently but will hesitate to repeat his order if they didn't hear it the first time. The only thing I didn't personally care for was the tsukemono (not a fan of ginger). Will definitely return, the prices are good for this single mom to treat the fam now & then!
(4)Valerie S.
Great place to go for lunch! My co-worker introduced this place to me and its pretty good and authentic Japanese food. I like their bento box and the variety of options you are able to choose from. Some of their ahi is a bit dry but tempura is delicious! I haven't tried their sushi yet but my co-worker ordered a sushi bowl and that thing is HUGE! Price is okay but seafood tends to be pricey so it is expected. Good "hole in the wall" because it is in the back side and not too visible if coming from the main street (N. King St). Good lunch place!
(4)Layla F.
FOOD: 3 Stars Kikuya is pretty mediocre in terms of Japanese food. I ordered the chirashi, which has been my standard order at most Japanese restaurants with the exception of misoyaki butterfish, lately. I find it a determining factor of whether or not I will return to dine again. The chirashi at Kikuya, although aesthetically pleasing, not that pleasing on my taste buds. The chirashi consisted of one piece each of hamachi, maguro (there were 2), salmon, ebi, tako, a bit of spicy ahi, tamago(there were 2), tai, daikon and ika atop a bed of sushi rice. It sounds like a lot, but some of the pieces were small. The fish was alright. I usually enjoy the melt in your mouth buttery taste of all of my fish in my chirashi, but the fish was a little bland. The daikon tasted a little funny to me, too. Also, the sushi rice was a little too vinegary for my liking. I enjoyed the hamachi, thoughts. The spicy ahi was good at first, but I started biting into something hard. It was spicy ahi gunkan, but I was still a little weirded out. I wasn't sure if it was bone or not. A friend ordered the sashimi set A and the pieces of fish were quite small. PRICE: 4 STARS It is pretty cheap. You get what you pay for though. I paid $16.95 for my chirashi. EXPERIENCE: 3.5 STARS It was alright. The place was a little hole in the wall restaurant that initially looked closed because it had blackout things lined on the windows. The location was easy to find and parking was easy to get. You can't see it from the street, so we thought we may have been lost. The people were cordial--greeted us, sat us, and served us. We were sat on a 6-person table smack dab in the middle of the restaurant when we were only a part of 4. That was a little weird to me. One of the people working questioned someone in my party's order in regards to if he was sure he wanted that, which kind of threw me aback. I can't describe the tone in which she said it in, but it was a tad discomforting. The other person working refilled our water and tea many times, but was quite stoic. I always said thank you, but she didn't seem to budge.
(3)Roxanne Lynn T.
This restaurant is tucked away in the small complex by the post office, behind new diners drive-in. I've been to this restaurant only a couple of times. We went on a friday night and it was pretty busy around 7p.m. so we waited probably half an hour before we got seated. Although there was no one that had greeted us nor was there a sign in for us to put our names down. So we stayed in the restaurant and waited on the seats till we saw people were leaving and made sure we were seen so we can be seated first than those who were just standing around waiting for their seats as well. We already knew what we wanted so we went on ahead to place our order. I got the vegetable donbori and my boyfriend had gotten the sashimi with tonkatsu and chicken combo. The service was pretty decent and we didn't wait too long for our food. The quality of the food here is really good and prices are really reasonable for what you get. Parking is a headache in this area, so it may me tricky to find parking as it shares parking lot with the different restaurants, stores, and bars there. Food quality is great, prices are reasonable but location sucks and service could use a little help when there's a wait line.
(4)Julie D.
My friends, husband, and I were hungry. We were craving Japanese food and since we were in the area we found this place. Ever since that day my husband and I go to this place whenever we want Japanese food. Go here during their lunch special. It's about $11 which includes two entrees, rice, salad, soup, and tsukemono. So far we tried: 1) Shrimp tempura: perfectly fried. No oily feeling. Huge piece. 2) Beef teriyaki: they use ribeye steak. Sliced into perfect bite size pieces and moist. 3) Miso butterfish: THIS IS A MUST! Flavored perfectly and their pieces are bigger than other places. 4) Sashimi: very fresh and ahi is red! Good amount. Free private lot parking. Good customer service.
(5)Shawnelle K.
Got here at around 6:30pm on a Saturday night. My husband and I drove separately but we were able to find parking right away for both of our cars. As soon as we entered the restaurant, we were seated. It was empty when we first arrived but it filled up pretty quickly while we were there. My daughter commented on how cute the place was. She also said that the bathroom was also cute and clean. Her exact words were, "Guarantee they check and clean the bathroom every hour." A restaurant with clean bathrooms score big in our family. We started with the California sushi and the spicy ahi sushi. My husband and I both agreed that it was the best sushi we've ever had! So big and fresh and made so well. For dinner, I ordered the 3 choice meal (Don't judge me...I was starving...) Anyway, my meal choices were grilled ahi, teriyaki chicken and shrimp and vegetable tempura which included rice, tsukemono and miso soup. I enjoyed everything except I didn't really care for the grilled ahi. It was kinda too fishy tasting. My husband liked his meal but he said that the butterfish wasn't that tasty. It also looked kind of pathetic being that it was just two tiny flat little pieces of fish. My daughter enjoyed her Tempura Don. Although, it seemed different from the usual Donburi dishes that I'm used to--there didn't seem to be any egg in it. Overall, it was a pleasant dining experience. The 4 stars is for the great service and cleanliness of the place, the awesome sushi and food was pretty decent. I would eat there again and maybe just try something different next time.
(4)Paul B.
First time ever coming here. I've seen it around, but just never made it in until Friday night. It's clean inside and cozy feel. The wait help are friendly. I ordered the 2 choice teishoku, butter fish and nigiri sushi. I was very pleased with the taste and portion size. It was so good, I also ordered the salmon skin roll. It was really satisfying! A member if my party ordered a Chirashi type bowl with chunks of ahi, as he wasn't as pleased as I was, as he doesn't like the stringy cuts. I guess they use the better/non stringy cuts for the sushi and sashimi. This was a great find for my family and I, as I will definitely return and patronize this sushi restaurant again. Korean waitress was very friendly and willing to answer my inquiries.
(5)Michael J.
Been here twice. Service has been very good. Prompt, courteous, clean and tasty. Have gotten the three combo with tonkatsu, kalbi (short ribs), and shrimp tempura. This time I got tonkatsu, kalbi and nigiri. Wasn't expecting much for the sushi. Only thing was the two slices of ahi and I think hamachi was a little rough. Usually when you bite into the sushi it's like biting into butter. It was a little tough but their service and other food more than make up for that. Can't complain and will definitely be back again.
(5)Debrah D.
This place is definitely a hole in the wall, you wouldn't even notice that it was there. The Lunch Box with the sashimi and Butterfish misoyaki is what I ordered. It's cheap and you get what you pay for. The sashimi wasn't the kind that melts in your mouth, but it also wasn't the tough stringy kind either. It was pretty good. The Butterfish slice was small, but the lunch box comes with a salad, a piece of shrimp tempura, bowl of rice, miso soup, picked sides and some fish fat? LOL. My kids had the cold Zaru soba and gyoza combo. The gyoza was decent, but not stuffed to the brim, also has noodles perhaps as a filler. The kids liked it, that's all that mattered. The staff was polite and attentive, they didn't hover or excessively ask if everything was ok, my water was always filled. My son had to use the restroom and it was surprisingly clean and there was an extra chair which was super convenient while I waited for him. It definitely helped that they had two restrooms, male and female. I'd definitely come back here again, perhaps to try the dinner menu.
(5)Stephen H.
Ha ha ha. I guess it's Japanese miniaturization at work. Like in Japanese cars, electronics, dogs, gardens and trees. The food at Kikuya is "model". Not as in exemplary. As in ¼ scale. I ordered the "Lunch Box". For $10.95, you get 2 choices from ahi steak, katsu, or teriyaki, beef teriyaki, butterfish misoyaki, chicken teri, katsu, or wing, short ribs, salmon, sashimi, or tonkatsu + vegetable or 1 piece shrimp tempura or 2 pieces gyoza + Rice, miso soup, salad, and tsukemono. Sounds like a good deal right? But my salmon, ahi steak, and shrimp tempura were ¼ the size of what I've gotten at other Japanese restaurants. For the price, fair I guess. I marveled at the cook's knife skills to slice the salmon and ahi so thin and not have them vaporize when thrown on the fire. The taste was fine. What little of it I could make out from such small pieces. Shrimp? What shrimp? Where? The miso soup was hot and had bits of wakame and little cubes of tofu in it. The salad of iceberg lettuce, red cabbage, and carrot was dressed in a thin, watery miso dressing. I appreciate the effort, but both were just a bit above "bland". For lunch, portions sensible...for fashion models trying to make weight. I got the distinct sense that this place would be pretty good if they weren't trying to stretch their dollars, and diners, so THIN.
(3)Denalee C.
Kikuya is one of my favorite Kalihi restaurants. It's not the fanciest/priciest/best or at the top tier, but it's at the top of the middle tier. Don't get confused with the Kikuya in Kaneohe-they are totally different. I usually only get here for dinner, and at night the area can be a little bit sketchy but put on your big boy pants, because it's worth it. The interior is not super big, but there's adequate amount of tables and seats at the sushi bar. The interior is modern and has a good vibe. There's always specials on the white board to chose from, but I always get the chirashi. Always. It never disappoints. I order it so often that I'm slowly getting the rest of my family members to copy my order. Not by peer pressure, just curiosity on their part. I love watching the chef at the sushi bar make my order :) I know it's our turn when he gets like three chirashi bowls off the shelf.
(5)Clay Y.
Great place for lunch, Lunch box w. choice of 2 entries comes with a shrimp tempura, rice & tea, if you are pressed for time, be there by 11:30, sashimi was good, butter fish awesome, The katsu is always good as well as the teri chicken. Always a steady crowd there, I would rate this a light to med lunch, portions are good but not plentiful.
(4)Janice S.
The sashimi slices are large, generous, tender, and fresh. Good quality sashimi. And must drink Kirin Ichiban in a chilled glass with the sashimi after a long day at work. Aaahhhhh!
(5)Lyn D.
Finally got to try this location. Had the misoyaki butterfish/tempura combo - not bad for $14.95. Tempura was nice and flaky and butterfish was cooked perfectly. Also ordered the agedashi tofu which looked good but the sauce was bland. Service was so-so. Our server had very little personality however the other two that were there was very pleasant.
(4)Benjamin T.
Went here for lunch on the first day of the UH football game of the season. It wasn't crowded at all and the service was quick. I have to say, this is by far the best Japanese restaurant I have been to so far. I like eating at Japanese restaurants like this because with one meal you get a bunch of different foods to try. In the lunch box combo I chose to have the butterfish misoyaki and the sashimi. They have a variety of choices but I get sashimi any chance I get. In addition to the box lunch combo, I got an order of spicy ahi nigiri on the side. The nigiri was the best spicy ahi nigiri I have ever had from any restaurant. Though the portion was pretty small for $5, the quality in their food was definitely there. I definitely recommend getting a few of these if you go, I know I will when I go back! The lunch box was awesome! The butterfish misoyaki was delicious and had a lot of flavor. I wasn't disappointed with the sashimi either! The pieces were fairly small but the fish was so fresh, it was worth it. The order came with 3 pieces of salmon, 3 pieces of hamachi, and 4 pieces of ahi. I highly recommend this option too if you're a sashimi lover. This box lunch also came with salad, rice, tsukemono, the 2 main dishes you choose, and choice of 1 shrimp tempura, vegetable tempura, or 2 gyoza. All of that for just $11. It's an awesome deal! Can't forget to mention their green tea with rice; it was good! I highly recommend this place for a meal! Their food was extremely delicious and I have nothing to complain about. Their staff was also really friendly and food service was really quick!
(5)Dana I.
Dinner is a bit more than lunch, but the portions are larger. Food is good always. Trying the pork spicy donburi tonight. Yum!
(4)Terrence I.
If you are someone who likes tanuki (tempura flakes) then I highly recommend trying this place for tanuki udon. They do it differently from most places. They put their tanuki on the side as a add in to the regular udon or soba. They fry it then put it on a plate to add to your udon or soba. I had udon and put a little bit in my soup at first then gradually added more till the plate was empty, it was very tasty and easy to digest I left there feeling very full and content so it was a different approach to eating tanuki this way but thoroughly satisfied. I will eat it again
(4)Naomi S.
ate lunch here the other day. I ordered the 2 dish combo and had Ahi teri and Kalbi with a side California roll with tobiko. the ahi teri- hhhmmm... mah... its all right... small pieces and I think I should have ordered another type of fish instead. kalbi - I liked it! wasn't overcooked, it was pretty good... but what do you expect from a Japanese restaurant, with Korean workers... of course the kalbi is exceptional! lol the California roll was tobiko was good... nothing bad about it... but the shrimp tempura, it was VERY CRUNCHY. I don't like soggy, too much batter tempura, so this was A-1 on my plate. but my table was really really sticky.... even the napkins stuck on the table. they did have cute drinking water glasses tho.. with colorful polka dots all over. will I go here again? idk.... I think I rather go to another Japanese restaurant than here.
(3)Roan P.
I ordered the lunch box for $11.99. You get two choices so I ordered the grilled salmon and butterfish. I'm full, but I would have enjoyed bigger slices of fish. They were TINY. The salmon was onolicious. I didn't care too much for the butterfish. Way too soft. I like a harder fish consistency like that of salmon or tuna. You also get miso soup, rice, a small side salad, one piece of shrimp tempura with tempura dipping sauce, and three Korean appetizers (pickled purple cabbage, green cabbage, and two little potatoes). The rest of the menu is wayyyyy too overpriced. Only came here because my work had a field trip for the senior citizens.
(3)Holly B.
Tried and true, great for families and friends, especially at lunch. For $10.95 you get 2 choices of entrees, PLUS hot tea, hot rice, miso soup, tsukemono, fresh salad, and either 1 shrimp tempura, 2 gyoza or vegetable tempura. Satisfying and filling!
(4)Jenna S.
Decided to give this place a try based on the reviews, but I was not impressed with the food here at all. The Misoyaki Butterfish were two thin slices that tasted watery and bland. The fried chicken wings were also small and dry, and the tempura batter wasn't crunchy. The steak was ok but it didn't have much flavor. I didn't get to try the sashimi or sushi (I am guessing this is where the good reviews come from?), but based on the food I probably won't be back. I expect good food all around in Japanese joints and the food really sucked - cheap both in price and quality.
(1)Sammie S.
It's super cute in here!! They have a great selection on the menu. The prices are extremely reasonable and the portions are generous.
(5)Youngsub K.
Best value in town!!! Food is great not so expensive and servers are very friendly. I ordered Sashimi and ten zarusoba. Shrimp tempura was very crispy and soba was perfect taste. Sashimi was very fresh especially ahi tuna. I strongly recommend this place. I'm so happy I found something I really like. I'll definitely go there more often. ^^
(5)Claire F.
$10 for a 2-choice bento lunchbox with a side of shrimp tempura, miso soup, rice, side salad, and tsukemono, say what?!?!!!! Kikuya's lunch bento boxes are money (without much of the money, if you know what I mean--har har)! I'm always won over by a great value, and Kikuya definitely has it! BENTO LUNCHBOX: 2 choices of meat from a good selection: teriyaki chicken, chicken katsu, tonkatsu, miso butterfish, chicken wings, chicken karaage, sashimi, fried ahi, and a few others I don't quite remember. The quality is good and I'm all about variety! What I had most recently: Chicken katsu + Miso butterfish yelp.com/biz_photos/kiku… My only complaints are that the shrimp tempura was overly battered, and the butterfish was pretty small (but good!). However, even with that tiny piece of butterfish and withOUT eating all my salad and miso soup, I was completely full after the meal, and stayed full til dinnertime (a rare occasion)! Service can be kinda slow if you come with a large party, and there's only about 10 four-person tables. Parking can also be pretty bad with so many other restaurants in the complex.
(4)Cindy L.
I have bookmarked this place for a while for their lunch special. Well, finally made it here and try their two-choice lunch box for $10.95. I had the sashimi and garlic kalbi and my hubby had the sashimi and butterfish. The lunch box comes with miso soup, rice and a shrimp tempura. It's a decent lunch box and totally worth the money. We also tried the spicy ahi roll ($6) and the ahi was fresh. This place is packed with lunch goers and almost everyone ordered the lunch boxes.
(3)Daryl I.
What a bang for your buck. Get the 2 choice lunch box. Miso butter fish is kinda small thou...
(4)Paul C.
In the heart of Kalihi is a good Japanese restaurant right next to Diner's Drive Inn. If you love teishoku's, this is the place to go! My favorites are the shrimp tempura and sashimi. My wife likes the miso butterfish. Good, solid Japanese food at a very affordable price range.
(4)Jenifer G.
I had to run an errand in the area and found this spot on Yelp (thank you Yelp app and fellow Yelpers!). We went early, a little after 11am on a Monday, and parking was plentiful and so were the table seating options. We were seated immediately, got a nice spot next to the window, and ordered quickly. Like others say, it's pretty good for a $9.95 two-combination lunch! Ordered the SASHIMI and MISOYAKI BUTTERFISH. They first serve 3 sides (marinated daikon/radish, and 2 types of pickled namasu) and hot miso soup, not bad. And then your lunch box with the sashimi (pretty good portion, 3 types of fish between 3-4 pieces each!, looked like ahi, salmon and maguro), what looked like a little baby butterfish, AND a choice between a piece of shrimp or veggie tempura, or 2 gyozas! I opted for the gyoza: they were large pieces, a little generic and on the oily side but tasty. I ate everything served to me but hardly touched my bowl of white rice (too bad I only saw the sign for brown rice after I finished my meal). The portion was just right for me but I can see how a hungry eater may want more. The restaurant is in the same building as New Diner's Drive-In, which has that bright green sign banner at King/Houghtailing so it wasn't too hard to find. I saw a side fridge of beer and sake, not sure if they have other kinds of alcoholic beverages so it sounds like dinner would be pretty good here too.
(4)Sydney L.
Old style Japanese restaurant...must be good because the place was packed for lunch and it's really hidden away! Food was very good - not fancy Japanese style, but local Japanese style. Don' believe the oher yelper who said the portions were small at lunch - was plenty of food, and it was good. Pretty much a dive, but wait staff was pretty nice (remember...it's a dive!) and really, can't beat the prices!
(4)Lorilynn L.
Delucious food, little pricey for being tucked away in Kalihi, but overall pretty experience.
(4)Big Daddy O.
Tucked away in a little business complex off of King Street this restaurant is easy to Miss. Despite being surrounded by a couple of seedy bars and a Korean restaurant directly across the way (see my review of Han yang yakiniku buffet restaurant) kikuya is a real gem. The restaurant is clean and tastefully appointed. The service is prompt and friendly. The prices are about average. The menu has a wide variety of authentic Japanese dishes. The Bentos speak for themselves. The sukiyaki is scrumptious but the one dish you have to try is the grilled ahi collar. But order it as soon as you walk in as it takes a while to prepare. We have been there at least seven or eight times and have never been disappointed. I strongly would recommend this restaurant to anyone who wants some good Japanese food in a pleasant environment.
(5)Sharon O.
I've been looking for a decent Japanese restaurant that served teishokus at a price that won't empty my wallet. I went here on a whim to celebrate a special occasion with my daughter and we were not disappointed! The service was great and attentive. Fast and friendly. As soon as we sat down, we were served with water and tea. The meals began to come out not too long after we ordered. Starting first with the tsukemono (assorted pickled vegetables?), along with any additional utensils and miso soup. The meals themselves don't look like much. My daughter ordered the udon with tempura and I ordered the butterfish with tempura. But trust me, it was a lot! It's very deceiving because they come in little plates and bowls. Everything was flavorful. The tempura was light and crispy and not oily! (I was really surprised at that!) The vegetables in the tempura still tasted fresh, cooked, but not mushy. And the udon was not too chewy. My daughter loved everything. It was the first time she had tried vegetable tempura and she really liked it! Yay! She said it was really yummy! And she doesn't eat vegetables, so go figure. The only downside to this was the parking, which is not a lot. It's in a small lot next to the New Diner's Drive Inn and they share it will about four other businesses. But we will gladly go back for some really nicely prepared Japanese food!
(4)Kristen W.
my mom and i casually go here for lunch or dinner and we LOVE it . the waitress is so kind and patient, the food is always good and fresh especially the sushi, i just wish i got more food when i ordered lol.
(5)Florence K.
My dad wanted to have lunch one day, and he said he heard of this small Japanese place down in Kalihi, that had really good deals on their food. I was already wondering what Japanese restaurant it was, since Kalihi doesn't have much and the only one that came to mind, was Utage in the City Square Shopping Center. Alas, we arrived at Kikuya. Okay, honestly the first thing that came to my mind when I saw this place was: This place is SKETCH. It's located behind New Diner's Drive Inn, and it seemed like some hidden parking lot where I wouldn't want to be at at night. But you know what, there are places that seem so sketch that have delicious food, so I wasn't going to complain. The specials they have for lunch are their lunch box deals. It comes with your two choices of protein which vary between chicken katsu, teriyaki chicken, fried tebasaki, ahi katsu, salmon, butterfish, sashimi, beef teriyaki, and so forth. The lunch box also comes with some salad, miso soup, tsukemono and your choice of either shrimp or vegetable tempura. This option is 9.95. Looking at the menu, this was definitely the best choice, because it seemed like I could get so much for so little. I chose the miso butterfish and sashimi combo, and my brother and dad ordered the lunch box as well with their choices. The food came out quickly, but unfortunately, I was quickly disappointed. Sadly, the quality of the meal reflects the price of the meal. My butterfish was overcooked and lacked the flavor as well. The sashimi were measly pieces that seemed stringy and not fresh. The best part of my meal was honestly that one piece of shrimp tempura that came with my bento. We also ordered a Kalihi? Roll, or one of the other ones. I can't really remember the name. But it was basically a unagi roll that was baked. I was definitely not a fan as I couldn't eat anymore after the first piece. And I usually never let anything with unagi be left on the table. The servers were on top of it as my water glass was never empty and they also refilled our teas. However, I didn't really care for the food,
(2)Ally G.
A friend and I were craving some sushi, so we decided to try this place out. It was pretty empty for a Saturday night, but we figured it was because of the UH football game going on. Got there about 7 pm, and we were seated right away. The waitresses were very nice and attentive. We ordered the spicy tuna roll, Cali roll, and tempura and spicy tuna roll. The sushi was pretty standard. We also ordered the misoyaki butterfish, chicken Katsu and hamachi sashimi. The butterfish was kinda bland, probably should have been marinated a little longer. The hamachi sashimi was disappointing considering it was $25. Had a couple of beers to go along with our meal. Overall, I thought the service was good, restaurant ambience was ok, the tables were a little sticky, and the food was ok. Our bill was $90, price was ok considering what we ordered. Probably not somewhere I would visit again.
(3)Jackie S.
This place is a diamond in the rough. By far the best sushi place in Kalihi. Best time to go is during lunch when you can order the lunch box special for a cheap price. I highly recommend getting sashimi, butterfish, and/or chicken katsu. The lunchbox also comes with rice, salad, shrimp tempura, tea, and three other assorted picked vegetables. Servers are attentive and refill water and tea frequently.
(5)Annie L.
I LOOOVE this little hidden gem! No one appreciates a good restaurant in the ghettos more than me... Kikuya is located fairly close to my house, in the Kalihi neighborhood. They reside in the same lot as New Diners, and share the same parking lot. The restaurant itself is very clean and cute. They have lots of staff who are attentive and quick despite the high volume of customers that pass through. I ventured here for lunch one day with the boyfriend, and found the place packed with hungry patrons. After mulling over their menu (great diverse selection at extremely reasonable prices), we both opted for their lunch special. For only $10.95, you get a 2 choice bento, complete with miso soup, rice, and tsukemono. They offer a similar dinner special, at a slightly higher price ($14.95- 2 choice, a couple bucks more for 3 choices). -Butterfish: so soft and flaky, melt in your mouth deliciousness. Albeit, the piece of fish is a little on the small side, but it doesn't really matter because you can order an extra side of it for just $4.95...DEAL! -Sashimi: 3 thinly sliced pieces each of ahi, salmon, and hamachi. The fish was fresh and good. No stringy thingys here. -Tonkatsu: Lightly fried to a nice golden brown, they give a very generous portion of tonkatsu. The meat was tender and moist, not dry like some places that over fry it. Overall, I'd say that Kikuya lives up to its reviews, and is definitely worth a visit.. ESPECIALLY if you're in the neighborhood looking for some good ol' Japanese dining.
(5)Dawn H.
I just recently heard about Kikuya and being a Japanese food lover, I decided to visit it tonight. I never knew this place existed and decided this would be my very first Yelp review. On a scale from 1 to 10 I would have to give it a 5. It's not bad but at the same token it wasn't good. I ordered their 3 choice teishoku. Butterfish, tempura and sashimi where my selections. I want to make my first entry into yelp as positive as I can. So I will say the sashimi was pretty fresh and that's all I've got say.
(2)Tania L.
Good price for what you get, and the food is pretty good, too.
(4)Andrew D.
Went for dinner recently. Something is way different. It was really empty. This made me nervous. I ordered the same thing as last time.. Saba, miso butterfish and sashimi. The portion size was so tiny! (not like before) and the miso butterfish had no flavor. The service was really slow. I will not return
(2)Grace T.
Good Japanese food for a reasonable price. Parking might be difficult but there's usually isn't a waitlist. Good service as well
(4)Kang X.
Good food and fast service. Much cheaper than Gyotaku and the food is about the same. The ahi katsu is good, sashimi has always been fresh in our experience. The waitresses there are keen to remember y(our) names and also remember our usual orders.
(4)Edmund L.
My friend just about knows all of the hidden gems for good food on the island. And when he brought us here to Kalihi for sushi, I was just thinking how good could sushi be here in the middle of nowhere. I was wrong The sushi here is so fresh and amazingly done well The toro here just melts in your mouth and is fresh as can be. The uni here tastes fresh and sweet although I am unsure of what grade it is. The chirashi bowl is the nest bet if you want to sample a large variety of the fish here If you want to go big boy status just order the boat which has man pieces of sashimi above shredded daikon on a huge wooden boat. I went to the bathroom one day and I walked past the kitchen in which you can easily see what's going on inside. I saw the guy unload a huge fresh caught ahi that looked to be about 150-170 lbs. I stood there like an idiot and just watched them proceed to start cleaning the fish. This was about 11am so I thought to myself how lucky the rest of the customers coming later in the day would be to have such fresh caught fish. The prices here are also very reasonable for such high quality fish and food overall. I assume that is possible because of the location not requiring a high overhead just because of the area it is in. Don't get me wrong though, it is safe to be around there. The shopping plaza this place is located in has food from every corner of Asia since this place covers Japanese sushi, there is a ramen place 20 feet away, a Chinese food place next to that, Korea is covered as there is a classical Korean BBQ eatery. Southeast Asia is covered as there is a Thai and Vietnamese restaurant that are both next door to each other.
(5)Lauren S.
Excellent chirashi! The portion looked like it was small but it was filling! My parents took us here and I would definitely come back for the chirashi, it was really tasty and I thought very reasonable too. Easy parking as well which is a plus!
(5)Beth I.
(4 stars for casual family Japanese restaurant category...not in the same category as other fancier sushi/Japanese places) I like this place, but it's not the nicest looking restaurant (it's behind Diner's)and not everything on the menu is good. It's a family restaurant that won't break the bank. But, as a whole, it's pretty good unpretentious Japanese fare. It's also open Sunday, so it's a good place to go after church! Lots of families are in there on Sunday with slippahs and tshirts, so it's a good casual place. The lunch boxes, as everyone else has mentioned, is good. It's about $10 and comes with tsukemono, a bowl of rice, miso, salad, and a choice of two main dishes. I like the teri chicken and salmon. It's pretty basic, but cooked well so my tummy is happy! My son loved the zaru soba and it's $7 for the lunch portion. It goes up a dollar for dinner. My boyfriend got the katsudon which was a very generous portion and tasty (I had a couple bites and he had to take it away before I attempeted to eat it all :). We ordered a spicy ahi roll which was $4.95 (cheap!!) and it wasn't very pleasing to look at (the rice was messy on the outside), but it sure tasted good! Can't complain if it's $5! The hamachi was a little bit more, but a generous fresh cut. So...the service is friendly and the food is pretty good and cheap and they open on Sunday! Take it as you will...
(4)Mel M.
Great service and a warm welcome. The food was great and prices are reasonable. Nice ambiance and clean environment. Overall happy with my experience here. Will be back!
(5)Faye M.
Ate here for the first time this past Friday night and it was good! Not being familiar with the Kalihi area ~ I had no idea that this place even existed! We walk in, are warmly greeted and seated right away - it was already 830pm, so only a few other tables were taken. Looking over the menu, there was soo many choices that it took me awhile to decide on what to get. I finally chose the dinner set of Misoyaki Butterfish which included all the "usual" Japanese dinner sides: salad w/miso dressing, pickled vegetables, miso soup, & rice. My BF got the 2 choice dinner set and chose Ahi Katsu & Mini Steak, which also came with the rice and stuff. So the salad, miso soup, & vegetables all come out right away & not even 5 minutes later, our fish and meat come out! Like, it was SUPER fast - we were surprised! The food was good, and the service was top notch! the ladies there were all very sweet & friendly! Their lunch specials looked good too...I'll definitely come back soon!
(4)Barrie H.
Went for lunch today to celebrate a co-worker's birthday. Service was poor. I had the lunchbox with teriyaki chicken and sashimi. Bland, hard chicken and not so fresh sashimi left my stomach cramping. Tea was like drinking hot water. My co-worker's had the lunchbox with misoyaki butterfish and sashimi and are also suffering from cramps. I do not recommend this restaurant unless you plan to spend the rest of the day in the restroom.
(1)Chastity J.
I love the lunch box bento! Hidden gem! Place is small, but thats ok. They have a sushi bar which my daughter loves. The service was good. The lady was nervous around us because we were such a large party. I liked the misobutterfish. My little one likes the tempura udon. I will come back more often!
(5)Misty P.
This restaurant is located in Kalihi behind Diner's. Inside is a cute little Japanese restaurant with a little sushi bar. The food and sushi was fresh and good, but I'd like to note it is Korean owned. We got an assortment of nigiri sushi, from salmon, ahi, hamachi, abalone, shrimp and clam. All were prepared right and were fresh and tasty. Miso soup was tasty and hot. We also ordered misoyaki butterfish which was also seasoned well, but had a bit too much little bones in there. Service was very friendly and helpful. The waitress even gave us free abalone innards to try prepared by the sushi chef. Um, it was totally gross but I appreciate the offer and gesture. The establishment is clean. Parking can be tricky as the lot is shared by numerous businesses and bars. Stalls are tight. It is a bit pricey.
(4)Michele M.
Our go-to Japanese dinner when we are not down to cook and are not feeling it with our leftovers. The location is great since we live no more than 10 minutes away. There's always parking in the big lot shared with some club/bar/lounge type neighboring businesses. Love the butterfish. Chirashi not so bad either. Talk about good old Japanese comfort food. It really feels like home here and the prices are quite reasonable.
(4)John H.
Tempura was awesome, but watch out when you pour the shoyu, its kikkoman. Miso butterfish is so ono. I love the tray of pickled vegetables they serve. Parking is kind of bad during lunch hours and not too much seating.
(4)Erin Y.
Another business lunch to go to. I'm really beginning to run out of places to go near work. I cannot go to Sam Choys again. My tummy will probably act up in protest. Kikuya is a welcoming Japanese restaurant in a very strange location behind this seedy bar and in a business warehouse district. The lunch special is a great deal. At 9.95, you get two choices (they have salmon, ahi katsu, chicken katsu, miso butterfish, and other typical fare). It comes with one piece of shrimp tempura, miso soup, salad, rice, tsukemono, and tea. Their shrimp tempura is super good, so I recommend getting a side order (which also comes with some veggies) and sharing with your table. My business lunch for three was less than $60, tip included, so I'd consider that a deal! Parking is a bit of a bother, I had to go round and round several times before I got a stall. I would definitely recommend this place if you're ever in the area for lunch!
(4)Shirley P.
Stumbled upon this place when we were on our way to Han Yang for dinner but decided to try Kikuya's out instead. I ordered the 3 choice teshoku which consisted of teriyaki new york steak, sashimi & shrimp tempura ($17) and the husband got the 2 choice of salmon & sashimi ($15) which included sides of Miso soup, salad & some other things which I don't know the name of. Our tummies were very satified when we were done with our dinner. We will definitely be coming back here again.
(4)Diana N.
Love this little Japanese restaurant! One of our favorites to go have lunch especially. Really can't beat their $10 lunch boxes. My favorite is their always fresh sushi/sashimi and the misoyaki butterfish. The spicy salmon roll is a must try if you like buttery salmon. MMM writing this makes me hungry =) The staff is friendly and helpful though some are faster and more efficient than others. The parking lot isn't the easiest to find a spot though during lunch time.
(5)Jan T.
I love this place! My coworker & I used to come here once a week for lunch. Lunch box special is more than filling! I usually get short ribs & chicken katsu with veg tempura! It comes with miso, rice & a little pallet of veggies. I always leave stuffed! Service is hit or miss but they're usually busy when I go at lunch time so it's understandable..the food does come out quick though. Oh, and I love their tempura roll! (Tempura maki with spicy tuna on top!) big enough portion to split between 2 people :)
(4)Michelle M.
Talk about hidden away...THis place sure meets the definition to a T! Let me start by saying that I love the fact that I work in an area that has sooo many options for me to choose from. I have expanded my collection of Japanese eateries tremendously over the last few months. This visit was to Kikuya. It's tiny, off the beaten track location was something that I didnt have to deal with as many of my co-workers have eaten here before. Thank goodness~ I ordered the Lunch Bento with Sashimi and Misoyaki Butterfish. 3/5 Stars I dont know what it was about this place, but it just seemed like they dont really care. The place was just a bit too grimey. The food was just a bit less fresh. I bet that if they had used fresher cuts of sashimi, my meal would have been much more enjoyable. My co-workers Ahi Natto Ikura Bowl would have been much better if the fish were not quite so dingy in color and chewy in texture. For the price, i guess it works. I will definitely say that the misoyaki butterfish was flavorful and savory but the portion size was lacking. Oh, well... on to the next one!
(3)Michelle L.
My friend just came home from Seattle and wanted to eat something cold. Something cold...hmm. She wanted Japanese food on a budget and not Genki's so I suggested Kikuya because it is close to where she lives. Five of us came in for lunch and we were quickly served water and teas. The lunch box special was a great deal. Two entree choices with miso soup, salad, tsukemono, and gyoza/tempura for only $9.95! That was an obvious choice for all of us. A few of us got the sashimi as one of the choices and I got short ribs as well. The portion sizes were good. For sashimi, you get three slices of salmon, ahi, and hamachi. The short ribs were kalbi...I should have known, it was Korean owned joint. One problem I had with the food was that everything lacking flavor. The tea was very weak, the miso soup wasn't that flavorful, the sauce for the gyoza/tempura tasted watered down and the sashimi was old and fishy tasting. My friend wanted something cold and the sashimi disappointed her because I ended up eating her portion. It was kind of disappointing but still edible. I really enjoyed the salad dressing though. The service wasn't that good since after the lady took our order, she did not check up once except to drop off the food and check. Food was okay but I definitely had better. Maybe it was lunch time and they skimp on the quality, who knows. I'll most likely be back since I'm in that area quite often.
(2)Nathan N.
The take-out bento is pretty good. Don't expect anything big because the Japanese go for quality and flavor, not quantity over quality.
(4)Chelsea L.
I've been here about four times so far and I enjoy it especially because it's a 5-8 minute drive away from my house. I usually share a spicy tuna sushi, and eat the 2 combo choice of tonkatsu and miso butterfish. It's so delicious!
(4)Kendrick Y.
This place is within walking distance of my office, so I have been getting take out for my co-workers and myself for the past 4 years. We usually always go with a lunchbox- which consists of this: rice, tsukemono, salad, miso soup, rice, and 2 choices of main entree. I usually get the beef teriyaki and tonkatsu. Other choices include tempura, ahi katsu, miso butterfish, teri chicken, salmon, and sashimi. They also have a full sushi bar and serve beer & sake. I would put the pricing at average-to-slightly above average. Good service too!
(4)Del A.
I live in Socal now but on a recent trip back to the islands I was cravin' sushi & sashimi. I had never been here before and I was fortunate that my younger brother decided to take me here one day after our round of golf. This is one of those little hole in the wall places that turns out to be a great find.. As mentioned by other posters here, the parking lot and restaurant is small, but we got lucky and got a spot. We ordered an assortment of sashimi's and the shrimp & vegetable tempura was the lightest, crispiest best I've ever eaten. It was a great meal and now, great memories. I'm dyin' to get back here. Aloha.
(4)Mybotoitchy T.
I was craving Japanese food and happened to be looking at the different restaurants in the strip mall where Kiyuya is located. My wife and I decided to try this place out since the menu looked pretty good. I swear I could have gone to McDonalds, bought a happy meal and receive more food than what was brought out to us. My wife had the broiled salmon dinner which consisted of 3 very thin slices of salmon.I had a 2 choice combo of teri beef and tempura. I thought that they made a mistake and brought out the kids meal! I understand they are maybe cutting back on portion size as a cost saving measure, but this was ridiculous! The taste was just "OK." The waitress didn't bother to check on our water or tea until after we finished eating the entire meal. Will I be back? Negative!
(1)Jennifer L.
Reserved a table for 4 @ 7:45 PM on a Saturday night. Not crowded at all..was it a slow night or is it because it's not a location central to the cool young crowds. Kikuya has been open for about 5 years and I couldn't believe that I've never tried this place because I absolutely love Japanese cuisine and raw fish! Bill was $135.90. Ordered: Salmon skin nigiri, Ikura nigiri Boat B: (SASHIMI) Maguro, Hamachi, Mirugai, Salmon, Tai, Tako and a few marbles of Ikura. Fish was overall good quality. I love Mirugai (giant clam) it was superb and crunchy. ($34.95) New York Steak: Over a sizzling platter and a bed of round onions. (we asked for some minced garlic on top) ($16.95 complete meal however also offered as ala carte) Charcoal skewers : Shrimp, Chicken wing, bacon (wrapped around string beans and pork rib ($2 average a stick) Chicken Karaage: Mmm...anything fried is tasty! Dynamite: Yummy flavors the shiitake mushrooms were not overbearing. Spider roll: (Soft shell crab with California roll). The crab served to us was anoerexic! It was okay.. Spicy Ahi roll: Friend ordered it . Cut Maki style 2 orion beers @ $7 each and a glass of red wine @7. Lots of variety, also serves nabes, dons, noodles ( i think). I think we received complimentary miso soup and tsukemono with small butterfish appetizers..nice touch! I will come back again!
(4)Kimberly K.
Tried to eat there last night. Sign says that they close at 11 pm. Walked in at 9:30 pm Pp to an empty restaurant and the 2 ladies standing by the register said that they closed early tonight. Disappointed. But I think we will try again another time due to some of the positive reviews from my fellow yelpers.
(2)O O.
Since I wrote this review, I have been back about 7-8 times. They must have done away with the rubbery tako sashimi because it hasn't made an appearance since. The food has been perfect and the service even better. The prices have remained the same and the portions are very generous. I added 3 stars. Ima tellya. Kikuya deserves it. They have improved 110 percent. No kidding. I haven't had an imperfect meal in a year. And the more I go, the happier I am. So adding 3 stars? You bet! This is the veritable, "you can't see it from the street" restaurant. It is tucked away in a grungy, little strip mall in Kalihi but as far as I'm concerned it's worth the effort to find, at least once. I've read so many mixed reviews about Kikuya from, "smelly fish" to "freshest fish ever" and I can only testify to what I experienced the 3 times I've been there. I am a great believer that either a good restaurant strives for consistency or improves along the way. That's why only the 3 stars. The quality declined the more often I went. The first time I went there, I was surprised to find this little gem of a place in and amongst the worst parking ever but my fatso sister limps so we were able to use her handivan parking placard and get a space quickly. Once inside we were pleased to find a real sushi bar and a cool air conditioned room where the waitresses don't believe in letting you wait for anything. There is no carpeting and so the first thing you notice is the loud, scraping, banging chairs that drag and thud mercilessly the wooden floor at an uncomfortable decibel. I mean it's really deafening especially if the diners around you are being seated or leaving. Not exactly Zen. My virgin meal of shrimp tempura was the flakiest and sweetest ever! The sashiimi was thinly sliced to perfection, sweet and fresh, without a hint of odor of any kind. The miso soup was a tad too salty but the salad was tasty and crispy fresh! The broiled salmon was fatty and the skin puffed and crispy. The high quality rice was hot and expertly cooked. Four of us shared and sampled from tonkatsu to sushi and all dishes were tasty and first rate. The price was a comfortable 14.95 for each diner and we were stuffed aburage when we left the place, banging our bellies against the chairs with extra gusto. But the second and third time I went, the tempura was a thin stick of rigored shrimp and the batter was thick and heavy and not tasty at all. The octopus sashimi which had previously been razor thin and sweet was cut with one end so thick I had to chew and chew for a minute and then finally swallow the whole disgusting lump. Spit it out? Not for $14.95. Now the first time we went we were accompanied by a 6' 3", 200 lb. tattooed relative. Every square inch of him is muscle. Then the last time I went it was just my fatso sister and I. And believe it when I say that his presence always makes a difference. When he's with us, no matter the restaurant, we get comped or larger portions, etc. and I mean that in all honesty. I like it when he joins us for dinner and I mean that in all honesty too. Go figure. Anyway, the food has ranged from crispy and hot to soggy and mild. The sashimi from fresh and delectable to rubbery and well, rubbery! My point is, that the consistency at this restaurant isn't there and that's when a restaurant disappoints. If one more dinner there disappoints, I'm back to Hinone Misunone. If you don't have a fat limping sister with a handivan placard, leave the Escalade at home, take the bondo Corolla. Go twice, if you dare. Like Kikuya or not, the chairs will still grate at your ears, as you leave.
(5)Lauren W.
Thank goodness for Korean-run Japanese joints. At 2:00 pm on a Sunday afternoon, all the REAL japanese restaurants take a midday siesta or something. We drove all around town looking for a place....Yagura, Yusura, Utage, plus two others that I don't know the names....all closed! Thankfully Kikuya (which happens to be the closest one to home!) stays open from 11:00 am till 10:00 pm daily. The "Lunchbox" is a great deal for $9.95: salted cabbage, pickled cabbage, fried salmon skin, miso soup, white rice, green salad, shrimp tempura, miso butterfish, and sashimi (salmon, ahi, hamachi)! The shrimp tempura was the highlight....a large shrimp coated in golden tempura with lots of crunchy, wispy bits of batter that have been fried to a crisp! We also had the soft-shell crab, though it was just so-so. Did I give this place an extra star because we were STARVING and DESPERATE by the time we found it? Probably. oh well...
(4)