Jenel O.

So delicious! Stopped here on a whim while attempting to go somewhere else around the area. I ordered the negitoro don and was not disappointed! The server let me know that it was a special night and that they were using special ahi as well, I think bluefin, SCORE! This little gem is located just in front of the Korean supermarket off Keeaumoku. You can't see the restaurant from the street, you need to drive into the parking lot to find it. All the sides were delicious as well and very high quality. I'll definitely be back!
(5)
Homer O.

Had the negitoro don, again, will probably order it next time too, it was that good. Very good food, reasonable prices.
(4)
Marnica B.

We stumbled upon this restaurant after having a huge craving for chirashi. Fresh fish, and was surprised that they had hotaru ika as well. While not my favorite chirashi, it still hit the spot.
(4)
Lynn S.

We have two close friends we love to eat with because we share an appreciation of general late-night favorites. We're either armed with chopsticks and easy-to-drink Japanese beer or recovery food and extra large cups of water at the places you'd expect. Said friends were interested in getting a teishoku dinner, so we made a reservation at Michinoku on a Friday night. To our surprise, it was almost completely empty when we arrived at 8:30 p.m. and it stayed that way until we left. It's a little hard to find, tucked away next to the Korean market on Keeaumoku, so that could be part of it. It's also close to more popular spots such as sushi ii ($$$) and Yakiniku Don-Day. We came for the teishoku but the highlight was actually the generous serving of flavorful hamachi kama and the melt-in-your-mouth salmon nigiri. Our experience reminded us of some of our favorite Kapahulu spots -- Mr. Ojisan (when it was in its prime) and the quaint, authentic vibe of Sunrise Restaurant. Although the tab wasn't terribly expensive, we'll most likely wait for a special occasion to return. But when we do, we know what to order.
(4)
Joyce L.

This hole in the wall Japanese restaurant is located next to Keeaumoku supermarket. Parking is free in front of the restaurant. It is a small place. There's a sushi counter that fits about 5 people and 5 tables of 2 or 4 people. The whole place is about a good size living room. I ordered butterfish teishoku. It comes with miso soup, salad, chawamushi, pickled won bok and da-kwan and butterfish. And it was yummy. My companion got some assorted sushi. The Hamachi sushi was pink color. I've never seen it pink. I'm used to seeing it white. Hmmmm.... Price is slightly higher than other Japanese restaurant. There was only one server. She dressed in simple kimono. The restaurant was pretty full but she managed to serve all of us efficiently and so politely. That's what I love about these hole in the wall places. Service is always top notch.
(4)
Stella H.

Noticed this place when i visited the korean supermarket. Hidden at the end of the small alley with the market, the parking lot is shared. The atmosphere in the restaurant is small & cozy. Service is very friendly and quick. They have lots of teishokus to choose from & also fresh sushi made at the sushi bar. I went at dinner & got sat down right away. A very friendly waitress took our order. Most of the dishes are $15 or more, but they were mostly meal sets so it was a good deal. The salmon teishoku i ordered had 2 large pieces of fish along with all the sides, it was super filling & i even had leftovers!!! They even have a different menu for lunch, definitely want to go back & try that out!
(4)
Kaitlyn F.

This past Friday I finally had the pleasure of going to Michinoku. I've tried to eat here about 4/5 times within the past two months but they have always been closed (even during their "hours of operation"). This place is a gem if fate allows you to catch this place while it is open. Michinoku is a small restaurant that can fit about 30 people and has a small sushi bar. The menu has a variety of options which consist mostly donburi-sets, averaging about $20-$30. The sets come with miso soup, salad, chawamushi, and takuan. The food here is very fresh and the atmosphere instantly transports you to Japan. When I went I got the "Michinoku Special" which was a barazushi set that came with a side dish of sashimi (maguro and hamachi). I actually preferred my dining partner's unagi-don instead because it came with hearty slices of warm unagi topped with a raw quail egg. Being a poor college student $20-$30 is really steep to be paying per person for a meal, so I can't say that this will be a regular spot for me. However, if you are looking for a hole-in-the-wall Japanese restaurant with fresh food and great service, Michinoku is definitely a place that you should consider going to at least once.
(4)
Denalee C.

My out of town cousin and I visited Michinoku because according to our aunty, Gayle C. (see her review below) it's her favorite Japanese restaurant in the area. I came here years ago but too much time had passed to write a fair review. This tiny sushi restaurant holds about 20 people. Luckily for us, the restaurant was only half full on a Tuesday at about 7:30 pm. Looking at the menu, we decided to text our aunty who said she always gets the butterfish or the chirashi. Who are we kidding, we both ALWAYS order chirashi. My cousin got the fancier one ($35) and I got the less fancy one ($25). I can't remember what they were called (I know, color me unhelpful). The main differences was the fancy one had ikura and toro while mine had masago (I like this better). The portions seemed similar. What I liked best about chirashi here is it comes in a complete meal with miso soup, green salad, chawanmushi and other veggie sides. The fish. Fresh, high quality, great stuff. I'd say it's a tinge (just a small tinge) under the more widely known high end sushi restaurants. However, I'd still give it two fins up!
(4)
Russel M.

Great little Sushi Bar located right in front of Supermarket on Keeaumoku St. Nice variety of fresh fish and outstanding service...
(4)
Aline T.

This mom and pop restaurant serves up teishoku meals with good quality sashimi/sushi. I like having all the accompaniments that come in a teishoku meal. The mama-san is very friendly and nice, which is one of the reasons I like coming here. She asks if you want water or tea (ocha kudasai!). I love hot tea with my meals. They have an assortment of donburi, with my favorite being hotate and ikura! Yum! They're located next to the korean supermarket on Koreamoku (Ke'eaumoku). There's parking available but that area is always busy.
(4)
John W.

This place is next to a supermarket and is very hard to see from the street. It's probably better to call ahead and find out the name of the supermarket and google map it. The owners are Japanese so the stuff is authentic. My favorite is the negitoro bowl - best value I've found on the island and never disappoints!
(4)
Tiare B.

Dying for some sushi after a grueling Organic Chemistry exam, I was in the area with my boyfriend and looked to handy dandy yelp for some Japanese. Came across Michinoku, hadn't heard of it before, saw the picture of the Otoro-Don and was sold! Located right outside of a small korean market in back of Sorabol, Michinoku is a quaint little sushi restaurant with a small sushi bar and additional table seating. The menu is not very extensive but they specialize in their dons. I quickly ordered the Otoro-Don and my boyfriend ordered the Sashim-Don. All dons come with a few japanese sides, miso soup, salad and my favorite chawan mushi! Chawan mushi is something I have found to be quite hard to find so I was surprised it came with your meal. It's basically a steamed egg custard with bits of seafood and mushroom cooked throughout. Our food arrived quickly as it is a small business and the waitress was so cute and polite, very japanese. The Otoro-Don came with a fairly large portion of otoro which is some of the fattiest and therefore most delicious parts of ahi, mashed up over rice with two slices of egg omelet and nori to top it off. $20 The Sashimi-Don came with 3 pieces of maguro, 2 pieces of tako, 2 pieces of salmon, 2 pieces of hamachi and a shrimp with rice on the side in addition to the set. $28. Not a vast amount of food for the price, but sashimi is pretty pricey in general so I understand. Not a good option if you're going out for the night with your guy, the portion is much too small for a man. Overall Michinoku's quality of fish is really good and definitely fresh however I do think they are a bit pricey for just dons. I do realize you pay for the quality though, so I would definitely make a visit back!
(4)
Ruby X.

Really authentic Japanese food! Small restaurant with fresh sashimi. Most customers are Japanese which is a good sign! Love it!
(5)
Aulii H.

With a sushi snob boyfriend, it's hard to find a decent Japanese restaurant that everyone can enjoy. Then he found Michinoku. Although it's still not the greatest, he does like the price for the quality and quantity. We've been here twice, and he ordered the negitoro combo both times. I usually don't like when everything is brought out at one time, but the portions are just right, and it doesn't make the tray look overcrowded. I've been to places where they do this and it looks like things are going to fall off the tray. That's not the case here. The one server and sushi chef are very friendly. It's a small place with only four tables, but they do take reservations. The only thing that will keep me going back is the price. You can get a full Japanese meal for about $20, and when you want to eat decent food on a budget, this place might be the perfect stop.
(4)
Shay F.

This place give me that nice cozy Japanese-y feel. It's a small Japanese restaurant where the waitress speaks half English and half Japanese. Thank goodness I understand Japanese. I don't know how others would be able to understand her, but none the less it was a great experience. The food was good, no line to wait in, and of course the service was great too. I should go back again soon.
(4)
Joy N.

I found a new FAVORITE! I called Michinoku for reservations on a Saturday night and surprisingly they had a table for 4 at 7pm. I say surprisingly because this restaurant is very small - only seats about 20 people max in there. It's located on Keeaumoku Street by the Korean supermarket. There's sufficient parking in the private lot so parking shouldn't be a problem. We were seated right away when we arrived at 7pm :) From looking at all the photos on yelp, I knew that I wanted to order the negitoro don. Negitoro dons are so difficult to find in Hawaii! When my food arrived, I was shocked at how much negitoro they put in their donburi! I must say that I had a smile on my face the entire time eating there!! The negitoro just melts in your mouth and they give a very very generous amount of food and side dishes. As for the menu items, they have a very straight forward menu. My mom got a combo of a donburi & cold soba and my grandma got the butterfish teishoku. Everyone enjoyed their meals! I'll definitely be coming here much more often! Still want to try more of the nigiri & chirashi bowls. I just need to remember to call ahead for reservations.
(5)
Jay B.

Well deserved 5 stars for this hidden gem. This hidden "mom & pop" sushi joint hit the spot for me. My friend brought me here for a belated birthday dinner. At first I was a bit curious to where he was bringing me as we drove through an alley known for strip clubs. He made reservations to avoid the wait. We were prepared to eat as we brought 2 bottles of sake. They so not serve alcohol so bring your own liquor! In a positive note, they will chill your liquor and even serve your sake in a cute sake chiller! If you come here, you should know your sushi as everything on the menu is in Japanese! Even the waitress talks to you in Japanese! Very authentic! Food overall hit the spot!
(5)
Leslie A.

My boyfriend and I were craving for sushi and found this place on yelp. It is tucked away in the corner of the building, immediately next to Keeaumoku Market. You could easy miss the sign: we passed the restaurant twice before asking a parking security guard where it was. When we walked in, it was this great little Japanese restaurant. The owners are a Japanese couple and welcomed us in. We ordered the Sakura sushi set. It came with salad, miso soup, seaweed, pickled cabbage and chawanmushi. The seafood was fresh and we were stuffed. Great place to go for sushi.
(4)
G W.

Great authentic Japanese food! From sushi, sashimi, teishoku, donburi, udon and more. Everything is perfectly prepared, fresh, tasty, and very healthy! One of my favorite Japanese casual open late (10pm) restaurants. It's small and seating is limited but it's worth it!
(5)
John F.

I found Michinoku using Yelp's search to find a Japanese restaurant that was close to home & not too expensive. Michinoku did not disappoint in any way. When I called to make a reservation, a Japanese person politely took my reservation even though I was calling at 5:15 for a 5:30 reservation. We arrived at 5:25 and were promptly seated, given menus, and served water & green tea. Because it was my first time at this restaurant, I ordered the Michinoku Special for $20 which included miso soup, salad, sashimi, kobachi, chawanmushi, barazushi topped with ikura, shredded egg, and had bits of shrimp & eel. Making a reservation is strongly recommended because by the time we left, every seat was taken and people were waiting outside. See my many pictures!
(4)
Kelsey S.

As usual, the sushi cravings were in full swing. So the BF graciously volunteered his expert reservation-making services *sarcasm*. We were lucky enough to get a reservation that night. I say lucky because we arrived to an already packed house. This little hole-in-the-wall can hold about 20 people or so, so reservations are probably a must. Our search to find Michinoku was a little challenging. Heading down Ke'eaumoku, the sign doesn't exactly jump out at you. At night, look for the large blue sign that says "Super Market" - it's to the left of that. Going to the "Super Market" before you head in might be a good idea especially because the drink menu is minimal and the restaurant allows you to bring your own alcohol. Sushi...oh the sushi... While you have your pick of Donburis and Teishokus, we decided to go with the Nigiris. I think you can tell a lot about a sushi restaurant by the Nigiris and let me tell you, they did not disappoint. The fish was so fresh and the portion size so large I could barely fit it in my mouth. Add to the fact that they use fresh Wasabi...perfection! Definitely a place worth trying.
(4)
T D.

I feel like I am home in Japan! The food Is exceptional and the atmosphere is like a neighborhood hang out
(5)
Brandon S.

Another place I always forget about but definitely worth the visit. I don't think I've every had anything bad at this place. Think of Maguro-ya as far as the fresh fish and sushi but with a little less variety. The only reason why I didn't give this place 5-stars is because the parking here really sucks. I mean you could get lucky and get one on the street or one within the plaza but you're competeting with all the other nearby eateries and the Keeaumoku Supermarket. The service here is very friendly and they are very personable which is a must considering the size of the establishment. I recommend any of the sushi items and the best deal is their Chirashi special. I love how fresh everything tastes here and how generous the cuts of fish are. I wouldn't say this place is the cheapest place in the word but for what you pay it's worth it. Oh and if worse comes to worse, park at Walmart :P
(4)
Shuji K.

Great food. Fair price. Awesome service and a convenient location. What a hidden gem. The sashimi was fresh...especially the hamachi.
(4)
Elim N.

Smelly! A small japanese restaurant on Keeamoku next to the korean Super Market. Place smelled a little fishy like we were at the fish market. Japanese couple were very friendly and restaurant was very homey. Parking in the lot is hard to find as many stalls are reserved for the Super Market so you can park on the street or be sneaky like us and just walk into the Super Market for something small :) We ordered: Michinoku Special [$20]: Barachirashi, a few pieces of sashimi with everything in the set. A basic set to give everything a little try. Sakura Nigiri Sushi [$38]: 10 different pieces of nigiri sushi and 6 pieces of Tekka Maki along with everything in the set. Sushi had thick, generous cuts of fresh fish which includes hamachi, toro, amaebi and uni! A good order to get your sashimi fix :) Negi Toro-Don Donburi Combo [$22]: Negi Toro-Don with mini udon. A great don where the fish melts in your mouth. Not sure how this mini is compared to the regular size, but portions were fair. Make sure to make reservations because all the tables were reserved. We were lucky to go when they opened at 5:30 p.m to sit at the bar. Walked away so full!
(4)
Doris D.

3.5 stars. Michinoku was a good experience and I'm glad I tried it. Unfortunately if you compare the sushi to other great places in Hawaii (Yohei, Sushi ii, Sasabune...), Michinoku does not make the cut on our favorites list. I got the $22 nigiri set which came with snapper, salmon, 2 maguro, mirugai, cooked ebi, ikura, squid nirigi, the black fungus things, chawanmushi, daikon/cabbage, salad, tekka roll, miso soup. I enjoyed the maguro and mirugai and the rest were just ok. My husband got the chirashi with all the fixings that comes with the nirigi sets. He enjoyed it and thought it was good. There were some complaints about the service from previous Yelp reviews but we had pretty good service on our end.
(4)
Fred W.

Had saba and hamachi belly sushi, and unagi don buri. The sushi was good, but I didn't like the vinegar sliver of whatever it was on the saba. The unagi and sauce was good, but could have used more unagi. The dressing on the salad that came with the donburi was gross, miso soup was so so, side vegetable thingies were okay, and I won't comment on the chauwan thingy cause I usually don't like it to begin with. All in all, two stars cause if I'm spending $60+ for a meal for me and my 5 year old, I should be walking out very happy...but I wasn't. Would have been just as satisfied getting sushi stuff from Shirokia and saving at least $20-$30.
(2)
Addie L.

Tucked in the corner in the middle of Honolulu's version of Koreatown is a mom and pop Japanese restaurant that's pretty darn good. Who would have thought? We came here for lunch and order the miso butterfish and salmon complete meals. The butterfish was nice and moist, well seasoned but not too overpowering, not overcooked at all. One thing that I liked the most is that the piece didn't have too much bones, a pet peeve of mine. The salmon was ok, a bit too salty but not too bad. The sides are not bad, miso soup, pickled veggies, pass the test. But my wife is a big fan of rice and she says that it's high quality. Service is good and friendly, prices are reasonable. Recommended!
(4)
Yuko A.

Small restaurant with 1 sushi chef, 1 waitress (who are also the owners), and a cook in the back. Very clean because its only been open for a year and a half. Their previous location was on Keeaumoku near DonQ. Great side dishes like konyaku yaki with miso, shishamo, agedashi tofu, and sushi apps...Prices range from $5+ I highly recommend the konyaku if you like it and miso which has a hint of yuzu in it. Michinoku special which was chirashi sushi was fresh and very filling. There was a nice heap of ikura on my donburi, so can't complain. $18. My grandma got the tuna torroimo which she loved. They also serve it with just the right amount of rice. The bowl is deceiving, it looks way deeper than it is, which was totally fine with me. Next time I want to try the negitoro don.. The place has only 5 tables and 6 seats at the sushi bar so call ahead to make reservations or go early. There was a line when we left. There is the keeaumoku supermarket right next door to it, so you can always check that out while waiting. YELP 365: 076/365
(5)
Andrew M.

My girlfriend and I love this little place. It's small but has a nice atmosphere for a date. The food some of the best Japenese food I've had in Honolulu. Tip: Get the michinoku special
(5)
Cin T.

Wang Chung's owner Dan recommended that we go here for dinner last night, it's a spot he likes to frequent. The food is affordable, always fresh and delicious. Good enough for me. Btw, check out Wang Chung's Karaoke Bar in Waikiki! Best.Karaoke.Bar .Ever: yelp.com/biz/wang-chungsâ€¦ . Sorry, I love this place & couldn't help myself =) Ok, back to Michinoku. This hidden gem is easy to miss, it's not visible when you're driving past Ke'eamoku at all. Here's another fellow yelper's link to help guide you on it's specific location: yelp.com/biz/michinoku-râ€¦ The small restaurant has around 4 tables and a sushi bar, giving it a real homey, comforting vibe. I think it's run by a husband and wife team (he's the sushi chef and his wife runs the floor). The service was good and the food arrived in a timely matter. yelp.com/biz_photos/SE7Lâ€¦ Dan ordered the Negitoro-don ($18 market price, $20 regular). yelp.com/biz_photos/SE7Lâ€¦ - The toro (most priced and fatty part of the maguro/tuna) is chopped up and mixed with green onions. I got a taste of it and it was delicious. It was rich, smooth and melted in my mouth. yelp.com/biz_photos/SE7Lâ€¦ I ordered the Hotate & Ikura-don (scallops and salmon roe) at $16/market price, $18 regular. - The hotate was super fresh and sweet, I almost felt bad for dipping it in shoyu. - Ikura always makes me happy!! Although it was tasty, the size of the roe is smaller than what I'm used to seeing and I wished they gave more. - The rice was cooked perfectly, there was a nice balance of sweetness and the vinegar was subtle (which I appreciated). yelp.com/biz_photos/SE7Lâ€¦ Everyone knows that I can't resist ordering calamari or karaage wherever I go. I ordered Ika Geso Karaage (fried squid legs, $10). - Crunchy and non-greasy, I'd order it again b/c it was tasty........and because I like anything karaage. yelp.com/biz_photos/SE7Lâ€¦ Dan ordered Uni (sea urchin) Nigiri ($9) for us to share. - Price was a little steep for the 2 small-sized pieces. But all was forgiven when I tasted it: sweet, velvety & delicious! Sorry no pic was taken, it was already inside our bellies when I realized that I forgot to take one.
(5)
Nadia K.

My husband really enjoyed the sushi here. He had the aji, ama ebi, uni, tobiko, ikura, hotate, and more. He said it was excellent. They didn't have a sashimi menu so you kind of have to know what to order. The American style sushi they offer here is either spicy ahi or california roll. Their spicy ahi is sooooo yummy! They use fresh maguro with their spicy ahi sauce. They also serve teishoku, donburi, and udon. I had the salmon teishoku which comes with salad, rice, veggies, chawan mushi, and miso soup. What a deal for $16! We also tried the ika geso karaage and the chikuwa ten. I really liked the chikuwa, it was like eating dessert because the tempura batter was slightly sweet. They serve drinks now. We had thought it was BYOB from some older reviews. The parking is really junk. They are located in the lot with Red House and located on the left side of the korean supermarket. Inside is small, but family friendly. We had a really great dinner!
(5)
Lilian N.

Wow, we were very impressed with Michinoku. The food is very classic Japanese and nothing fancy at all, just simple, delicious flavors at reasonable prices. When we first walked in, I thought we were in someone's living room because it was so tiny! A few tables with maybe 10 seats and a small sushi bar for about 6 people. The sushi chef and kimono wearing waitress were the only workers but they were quick and very friendly. I ordered the Sakura set and didn't expect so much food! The main dish was the sushi platter: maguro, chutoro, hotate, amaebi, uni, ikura, and a few more pieces of nigiri and a tekka maki. The fish was so fresh and I love that the shari rice was small. The side dishes included were: miso soup, salad, nimono, tsukemono, and chawanmushi. All that with Asahi beer and cold sake filled me to the brim. Parking is a hassle but we drove to the back of the restaurant and found a few stalls available. Will definitely be back!
(5)
Rita L.

I'm starting to really love this place. I'm obsessed with Japan and this feels like I walked into a small sushi restaurant in Tokyo. I really love that its a sushi restaurant with that Japanese homey feel. The hostess is awesome and she gives great service. The Donburis here are delish! The Michinoku special is the best deal. The have Fresh fish and I love the green tea here. I'll be back for more...
(4)
Inthira M.

If you read my last review you know that since eating at Kin Chan I've been aching for some good sushi. The fiance said that this place was supposed to be good and it's right next to that new Asian Supermarket that opened up on Keeaumoku St. so I said I'd give it a try. When we walked in we were immediately greeted and we were promptly seated. I listened as a party at the bar were conversing with the sushi chef in Japanese. I am now convinced that if you go where the sushi chef is Japanese and the customers are majority Japanese then I have found a good sushi restaurant!! We ordered the nigiri sushi (sakura set) which came with 10 mix nigiri sushi and a ahi roll and the Chirashi (momiji set). Both came with miso soup, chawanmushi, salad, seaweed, and sunomono. I looked down at the feast I was about to take on and I smiled, thinking to myself that once again, I was in sushi heaven. Thick cuts of fish, freshly made side dishes, everything was ono!! You would never even know this place existed unless you were in this parking lot (the same one as the new Ni Hao restaurant) and this is definitely a diamond in the rough. If you're in the area I would definitely say to try this place, you won't be disappointed... and it won't break your bank either!
(4)
S M.

Always fresh and delicious, consistently good every time we've gone. A little pricey but justified by the quality of the fish.
(4)
Mark M.

Eating sashimi on New Year's is a tradition in Hawaii right? Right. With that being said, I was surprised to see many sushi places closed that day. We originally intended to eat at Sushi Masa but I failed to make a reservation because I honestly have never seen that place packed to capacity until New Year's. I called Sushi Izakaya Gaku and they were closed. Sasabune was also closed. I was determined to have sushi that night so I broke out my trusty iPhone with its equally trusty Yelp app and I did a search for sushi and that's where I found Michinoku. I gave them a ring and a really energetic lady answered the phone with a heavy Japanese accent. She told me that they were open until 9p and that I didn't need a reservation. The rest I couldn't really understand. The trick to this restaurant is actually finding it. Everything else is relatively smooth sailing. We drove past it a few times on Keeaumoku Street without even knowing it. It's directly across the street from McDonalds'. If you're heading towards Ala Moana and look to your left, you'll see "Supermarket" in giant letters. That's where the restaurant is. This place is TINY. There are maybe about ten tables total with about four or five seats at the sushi bar. When we entered we only saw one guy eating udon and we were greeted by that same energetic lady that answered the phone. We were seated and given menus as well as water and tea. We looked over the menu and the wife decided on the butterfish teishoku. When it came out, the fish looked perfectly cooked and a little fatty which no doubt added to already amazing flavor of the fish itself. It came with rice, miso soup, chawan mushi, and vegetables. As for me? Well I came to eat sushi so I ordered maguro nigiri which was some of the freshest I have ever eaten. I splurged a little and ordered two sets of oh-toro nigiri was oh my effin lawd awesome! It melted on my tongue and I didn't feel guilty at all about spending $20 just on that. I also ordered the negitoro don which came with a small udon, vegetables, chawan mushi, and Japanese salad. I don't know if they make those udon noodles themselves, but they were incredibly fresh and tasty! All in all, I'd have to say that Michinoku's saved my New Year's dinner. I'd love to come back here to try more of their dishes, and since I know where they're located, it'll be a little less stressful finding great sushi at any time of the year.
(4)
Glenn F.

It's Friday night and we wanted to try something different. We heard about Michinoku through some of the reviews in Yelp. We always have a hard time finding someplace that's not packed with a long waiting line. To our surprise, we were able to find parking in an area that we were familiar with, but not where Michinoku was located. After a short walk, we found the place and were seated quickly with no reservations. My wife had the chirashi and I had to night's special, hamachi kama, The food was great, attentive service, and the prices were good for this type of food. I would definitely recommend coming here and we'll return at the next opportunity
(4)
Manda S.

Walking into Michinoku is almost exactly like walking into a Japanese restaurant in Japan. The major difference is that you drove there, instead of taking the subway. :) - Nat N. is right--This restaurant is run by 3 people (a sushi chef, a hostess, and a cook) and they will speak Japanese to you (no worries, the hostess is very friendly and can speak some English. The menu is also bilingual). You know, when we were there, I want to say we were the only non-Japanese speakers. - It looked like everyone in the restaurant got the Michinoku Special for $18 so we figured it must be good, right? It was very delicious. It didn't look like much food but I was satisfied after eating everything--the carnivore in me wanted more meat though! It comes with the following things: - Chiraishi on Sushi Rice (with generous scoop of ikura YUM) - Sashimi (three fat pieces of maguro and two baby squid) - Chawan Mushi - Miso Soup - Salad + Veggie/Seaweed Appetizer + Pickled Veggies - I did like the special, but the next time we come here, I'm probably going to get one of the donburis or just sushi/sashimi. The sashimi that came with the Special was WONDERFUL. I would have given away the Chawan Mushi and all those veggie dishes if it meant I could have more sashimi--it was melt in your mouth QUALITY good. - Michinoku, being a very good Japanese restaurant, serves VERY GOOD green tea. The quality is just as good as their sashimi. I swore I drank at least 5 cups of it. Our very sweet hostess also refills it very often. - If you're coming with a group, I recommend making reservations. We were able to make ours (for a party of 5) a day or two in advance with no problem. If there are only a few of you and all the tables are full (I think there are only 5 or 6), there were plenty of seats at the sushi bar. -Overall, I was very impressed! It's nothing fancy but I thought I got what I paid for (or perhaps a little more). The food was of a very good quality--I'd come back.
(5)
Juliann C.

First off -- I'm going to tell everyone WHERE it is, because I was walking in circles! Michinoku is located right behind Red House in that Korean-only center. THE GOOD * Cute, and small Japanese restaurant. I enjoyed the atmosphere. * Service was great. She made me miss my best friend's mom (who's very Japanese) * Food was deals. I mean $20-24 for Chirashi, or any donduri type of food is deals especially with all the small delights that come with it like tsukemono, daikon, miso soup, salad, bowl of rice, and more. I think you get more than what you pay for. AND I LIKE IT THAT WAY!! * The miso butterfish was rich, and perfect. It was so rich, I could only finish one of the two slices... but so good none-the-less * My boyfriend had the Michinoku Special - it was only $18 but it wasn't tasty enough for him. It did come with 3 pieces of ahi sashimi and octopus! Deals. * There is parking if you can find it. You can always just park at Walmart and walk over :) * Even though this place is small, there are many tables and a sushi bar. * Food came out very fast! THE BAD * The Michinoku special wasn't what I thought it would be :( but we will definitely be coming back to try more items! THE WEIRD * This is more cute than weird, but our waitress wore a kimono, or casual kimono, with authentic Japanese in-house slippers. You can tell when she was getting busy because you can hear her flip flops move to a faster beat. Haha. Poor thing! She was very cute and delightful though! * Oh and this is the only establishment that was Japanese, the rest is all Korean! They must feel segregated :( :(
(4)
Chloe M.

Before I walked into the restaurant, I was in a bad mood. Actually, A VERY bad mood. I wanted to treat myself to a nice Japanese lunch to make myself feel a little better before work. After my meal, I walked out with a smile on my face and very satisfied. Food: I ordered the negitoro don set with udon instead of miso soup. I'm glad I ordered it this way because the don was pretty big even though it a "half size". The udon was nothing special, but was a nice dish to break the fishy taste from the donburi. The side dishes were very good (tsukemono and seaweed octopus). I could tell that they took the time to make the side dishes delicious, as well as the main meal. The toro in the donburi melted in my mouth! It's legit stuff! I thought $17 was a very good price for what I got. Service: The waitress really made my day. As I said at the beginning of the review, I was in a very bad mood before I came. When I walked in the restaurant I was instantly greeted by an "Irashaimase!" She was always smiling and very friendly. The restaurant wasn't too busy, so I didn't have to wait long for my food. Tea and water was always filled. Overall: Very cute hole in the wall place. The restaurant is very tiny and very hard to find. It's in the same lot as the Keeaumoku Super Market and Daechun. Their prices are fair for the quality and quantity of the dishes. I look forward to trying more stuff from here!
(5)
Juan N.

This past Tuesday, after a very long 9 hour flight from Chicago, I was dying to eat some sushi. So after my girlfriend picked me up at the airport we ventured to town and found this gem of a place thanks again to Yelp! Parking can be a pain but that's no different to anything on Keeamoku other than Wal Mart. The place is very small but it's very cozy and clean. You get this vibe that's you're welcomed at somebody's house. A quick glance at the menu and we noticed that although it's a bit limited, it still had most of our favorite items, and the prices are reasonable. I ordered a maguro natto donburi set, and my gf ordered the sakura set. Everything was absolutely delicious! Just look at the pictures I put up, it tastes even better! I'll definitely be back here again and again.
(5)
Waikiki S.

Nice little restaurant. Friendly Japanese waiter. Food is excellent. Very expensive.
(4)
Cindy L.

I came back because I really wanted to try the Ikura Oyako Don (Ikura and Salmon bowl - $15). I was super excited and anxious to have my bowl of sushi rice, however, I was totally disappointed when I saw that the salmon was not FRESH salmon, it was smoked!!!!!!! HELLO! What type of Japanese restaurant serve SMOKED salmon as their sashimi?????? I was outraged! Not once did I ever salmon from a Japanese restaurant and they gave me smoked salmon. AHHHH... how could this be? This totally ruined my experience and my love for this restaurant. My husband had a chirashi bowl ($26), he opted for the more expense bowl (other one was $19) because they said it has better quality fish like toro and ikura. He was disappointed when his tiny little bowl of chirashi came out and it only has one piece of toro. We remember seeing the chirashi bowl at lunch time for $16 and it was the same size. So our second experience here was not as good as the first. But, I would still recommend this place because the owners are super nice and friendly people and their lunch menu is reasonable. I just won't come back for dinner.
(3)
Erica F.

I am a sushi lover, but a connoisseur by no means. I have been to a few restaurants on island and for the most part I've been unimpressed. I wanted to try something new and I used yelp to find this place. The restaurant is located beside the Super Market tucked in the back of the plaza. There is a small parking lot and plenty of street parking around. Its a mom and pop style restaurant with about 7 tables inside. The sushi menu was very hard to understand because it was all written in Japanese. Thank god for yelp and pictures lol. The waitress was also very helpful in explaining the menu and the types of sushi serviced. I had a hard time understanding what she was saying but decided on getting the momo sushi set. The sushi was very fresh and each piece was served with wasabi already inside. If you can't handle wasabi then you probably should request without because a few pieces for me had a lot and I can handle spice. I pride myself in being an adventurous person but I definitely stepped outside my comfort zone with a few pieces on my plate. Sea urchin and Abalone are not for me lol. The waitress brought out the main sushi plate and the appetizers all at one time. I found the complete meal to be very filling and the warm egg custard not to my liking. The waitress did joke that it wasn't a dessert and we may not like it. Overall a good spot. I would definitely return.
(4)
Charleston C.

My fiancee lives in Honolulu, so I visit her form the mainland fairly frequently. And every time I visit her, Michinoku is a must have, twice or thrice a week. I love the Japanese lady (the owner of the restaurant) is so polite, babbles long strings of Japanese that I don't really understand, yet I can totally feel her enthusiasm. I've tried calling to make reservation, and she would speak tons of Japanese, while all I catch are the essential "time?" "how many people?" "name?". Our most commonly ordered food are the chirashi (icho and momiji), the michinoku special, and negi toro-don. I think I don't really need to go into extreme details of how good they are, as there are dozens of other reviews to tell you that. Some more practical tips though, are that: 1. I think it is sufficient to order icho chirashi. I like the variety of sashimi that comes with it. I've ordered the momiji on occasions when I feel like wanting to spoil myself. The fish / seafood in there do worth more, but somehow I feel that the essence of michinoku is in its common-ness and the happiness it generates with a family-style japanese meal not filled with high end fish. It's the freshness of the food that counts, not the market price of the fish. 2. If you were to order the donburi's, I suggest going only with the donburi, rather than half don half udon (i.e. the donburi combo). After all, I think there are only so many ways to make udon and they really taste more or less the same everywhere. Keep to the strength of michinoku and enjoy your meal! 3. Should always try to make reservation if possible. While on a weekday evening they may not be crammed to the street, but it's usually filled due to the relative smallness of the restaurant. In a way, I find it difficult to explain why I like michinoku so much. Taken apart individually, each item in a michinoku special or chirashi are not something that you have not seen elsewhere. But somehow together, they really give you an enjoyable experience. Moreover, their prices are really decent given that it's Japanese food.
(5)
Ryan T.

LIke Will.I.Am says, "I just can't get enough." For me I can never get enough of good Japanese food. Looking to try a new place, I decided to visit Michinoku since I had heard a lot of people raving about this mom & pop eatery that serves up fresh sushi/sashimi dishes. Located on Keeaumoku St., Michinoku is really easy to miss, especially if you tend to drive a little fast like I do. In fact they are such a hidden gem that they will not be visible even if you slow down and drive slow. If you are driving makai on Keeaumoku St towards Ala Moana Shopping Center, Michinoku will be on your left hand side. As far as landmarks are concerned, just be on the look out for Daechun and the Keeaumoku Supermarket. Upon entering Michinoku, I was warmly greeted with a "Irrashaimase" by the owner's wife dressed in a traditional Japanese yukata no less. This is the type of greeting that you would expect back in Japan, definitely not in Hawaii. After getting seated, I really did not have to think twice about what I was going to order. For me, the only thing that was going to hit the spot and satisfy my sushi fix was the Negitoro Don. For those of you unfamiliar with this dish, the toro comes from the fatty belly portion of the tuna and is coveted by sushi aficionados around the world. At Michinoku, not only is the toro here melt in your mouth delicious, they also give a hearty portion. Besides the generous amounts of ground toro, this donburi is also topped with 2 slices of tamago-yaki, a shiso leaf, sliced daikon strings, green onions, and a pinch of shoga. Priced at $17, this is by no means a cheap dish, but well worth it when you consider the generous portions and quality of the ground toro. As far as negitoro dons are concerned, Michinoku's is right up there with some of the best that I have had. The only thing that could make this dish more decadent for me would be to put some pieces of uni on top with a quail egg. With only six tables and a small sushi bar, Michinoku is a true hole in the wall joint that serves up fresh fish at reasonable prices. I love my Japanese food and after my visit for lunch today, they are now part of my top 10 Japanese eats in Hawaii.
(4)
Christine T.

This has to be my favorite Japanese restaurant on the whole island. The food is authentic, fresh, and delicious. Service is excellent although it's run by a small family (father, mother, daughter). My mom was born and raised in Japan and even she thinks the food is excellent. If my mom approves then I know it's as authentic as it can get. I usually get the butterfish teishoku which is the best butterfish I've ever had in my life. My mom usually gets the best Chirashi sushi they offer. I've taken my bf there who has tried a lot of Japanese restaurants here but is from Wisconsin and even he thinks it's the best on the island. You should probably make a reservation since the small place gets full quickly.
(5)
Bret H.

Quaint little Japanese place. The owners seemed nice. Great food!
(4)
Terry K.

Natto donburi, sashimi moriawase, chicken karaage, miso-konyaku, mirugai nigiri, and the list goes on. All FRESH, as fresh can be. But I learned later the item to order is the omakase for $40 rather than the sashimi moriawase for $75. Nevertheless, the food was good. The service was excellent. When making the reserversation, I made a boo-boo by failing to ask if it was still byob and brought beer and sake. BUT they do serve beer and sake now, she said for at least a year. Both our server and sushi man were ever so polite, let us drink our own beer and sake apologizing for the misinformation. It is I who should apologize I think for not asking. Ever so polite (like being served in Japan). Downside is parking, or the lack of it. Do make a reservation before you go. It's a small restaurant and during our visit, not an empty seat!
(4)
Arthur S.

Great customer service. I called a phone order in one day just because i was curious about this place. I walk into the store and am promptly greeted by the cashier. The place has a very traditional feel to it. There were some Japanese customers already sitting at a table and once i walked in i felt like an outsider. Much like the feeling i get in Japan. Right there and then i knew this place was legit! I decided to get the negi-tori don which was OK. It was teishoku style meal and came with several styles. I enjoy teishoku style meals because its not just one large meal, its a few small meals so it makes it hard to get tired of eating the same thing over and over. The negi-toro was quite soft and flavorful. The salad and miso soup that comes with the negi-tori were also tasty. For quality of food given at the price id say it was a little pricey. It was all well put together but negitori just isn't my dish of meals. Id rather have fresh thick cuts of Hamachi. Parking is quite difficult to find here. I had to park as sorabol and walk down keamoku. Michinoku is tucked away in a parking lot so don't expect a big flashy sign with arrows leading to the front door.
(3)
Kelly G.

Mom and pop shop in front of the Keeamoku grocery store was open late enough for my boy and I to catch a late dinner! Just a warning, last call for food is at 9:30, but they won't give you crap for coming in at 9:20 to order food. We ordered the chirashi dinner set and a unagi don dinner set. Both came with miso soup, salad, seaweed salad, chawan, pickled veggies and the main entree. Everything was balanced nicely and provided a variety of textures and tastes throughout the dinner. Maybe it was just last night, but the food was a tad salty and leaving me needing to drink a lot of water later in the night. But, chirashi was fresh and had a nice variety and unagi was soft and came with a quail egg baked on top. Total $40-ish, a little pricey, but everything was just so satisfying and of quality. Love that they take card and were open relatively late.
(4)
Bianca Y.

This is a small japanese restaurant runs by a japanese lady and man. The lady takes care of the customers and the man makes the sushi, there is a kitchen in the back but unable to see. Overall this place is clean and services are good. Very fresh sushi and uni , one of the best place to get uni on Oahu with resonable price, you get what you pay for and to me it's worth the price. I have brought 10+ friends here and got good feedback from them too. The japanese lady is super nice, something she might talk a little in japanese while speaking in English, but it's common Japanese words so it's not too bad. I took out one star because they doesn't serve dessert.
(4)
Nat N.

When you walk into this hole-in-the-wall joint on Keeaumoku, you'll instantly get the feeling that this is the real McCoy. The hostess/waitress and sushi chef instantly greet you in Japanese. That's just the start to a wonderful dining experience. The green tea is opaque, thus you know it's not brewed from a tea bag. The sushi is fresh as can be. They give you generous pieces of fish on the nigiri pieces. You can't go wrong with anything on the menu. It's not cheap, but it's worth every penny.
(5)
Esteban W.

Quite simply put Michinoku has the best raw item you will ever place on your mouth... next to licking Lady GaGa. Of course I tend to go on and on in my reviews, but I'm determined to keep this simple. In the end though, good food deserves to be ranted and raved and Michinoku deserves recognition for its superiority. The GOOD: the freshness. I, along with fellow companions, Tim P., Dan from Wang Chungs, and Derek G. all ordered our own special dish. I myself enjoyed a spectacular mushroom Udon. The broth was beyond flavorful and satisfying, along with amazing fresh green onions and mouth watering mushrooms, your eyes will glaze over with the mushrooms. A collection of 'shrooms that are tasty as they are (for lack of a better word) cute as F*K make you almost sorry that you're going to macerate them between your gums. Salty, feshy, delicious. The Udon noodles were perfectly prepared. The best huge noodles I have ever slurped on. Udon is typically a thick noodle, and Michinoku makes their huge, soft noodles so delicate that they nearly melt in your mouth. Derek G. couldn't resist asking me to taste my noodle. So I let him get some. In addition to the food being completely amazing, the service was about as cute as those damn mushrooms. Mom and Pop shop to the Nth power. Mom walks around in her kimono offering Tea and water smiling up the joint, while pops kicks it behind the sushi bar. You can understand why the couple is still together after sooo many years if he is as magical with his hands with her as he is in making sushi. No wonder she never fails to smile. The ambiance of the tiny establishment is fun too. About 3 Japanese men chat away with pops (clearly his best men) as he works his magic with raw fish. Mom caters to the guests and everyone loves feeling like what they think Japan is really like. The BAD: Nothing. Not a damn thing. Of course, price is always an issue, and Michinoku caters to the high-end palate, which means many normal folk who are struggling to keep their two bedroom, one bath in Waikiki may not like the price tag of superior quality. The good side of the sad financial story is that my Udon was only $9 for a satisfying amount. The Bad, our bill (for four guys looking for after-party munchies) was $101.04. That included two Udon bowls, two platters of sushi and the schmorgesborg that Dan ordered. Everything included some fresh hot tea and four waters, because that's how we `roll' (because it's a sushi bar - get it). Overall, I managed to go over board and type a page long review even though I promised myself to keep it short. In the words of Dan from Wang Chungs, I don't want this place to go out of business, and neither do I. Once in a while you have to splurge on your sushi, or else your stuck thinking Kuri Kuri is the best O'ahu has to offer. In the end Michinoku blows any conveyor-belt-sushi disgrace out of the proverbial water. So next time you're thinking of Genki, come to your damn senses and find this tiny treasure that is sure to blow you away. You will come to find yourself smiling as much as mom on your way out.
(5)
Tina C.

This is authentic Japanese food! I ordered the Sakura, and the fish was so fresh. The toro was amazing! The Uni was sweet to the taste. The ratio of fish to rice in their nigiri was awesome - huge slice of fish and just enough rice. We also had the butter fish. Wow - it had just a hint of miso and melted in your mouth! The meals come with a salad, seaweed salad, steamed egg custard, pickled cabbage, and miso soup! Great quality food!
(5)
Denise K.

This lil mom n pop sushi bar is LEGIT! Very traditional sushi, no frills, just melt-in-your-mouth sushi! Most people don't know about this spot so guarantee you can walk right in and sit at the sushi bar. The seared scallop sushi is money. I'd recommend doing omakase here - you can expect small lumps of rice and large slices of fish. The couple who owns the place are adorable! This place is a hidden gem.
(4)
nick m.

Found this place from Yelp recommendations and in the search for a sushi place I haven't been to before. First, this place is tricky to find. It's located in the strip mall area by the Korean supermarket on Keeamoku, right across the street from McDonalds. If you've passed Micky-Ds and are on your way to Ala Moana mall, you went too far! Small (about 6-7 tables and sushi bar) dining room, all packed with Japanese speakers so you know they must be doing something right. Ordered miso butterfish don and ikura-hotate don. Generous slices of raw scallop and fish roe on top of sushi rice? YES and YES. The hotate was so sweet, it was probably the best I have ever tasted. I think their tesihoku plates were a great deal- yelp.com/biz_photos/SE7Lâ€¦ Salad (with ginger dressing) Soup- your choice of miso or udon Pickled cabbage and yam marinated mushrooms bonito fish custard (sounds weird but tasted pretty good) and an assortment of your favorite raw seafood on sushi rice. Service was terrific. Because it's so small our waitress was extremely attentive and was always bringing us more ice for our BYOB and clearing plates. My only regret was not trying more of the sushi- from what I had in my don bowl I would not hesitate to come back here for a sashimi-oriented meal! BYOB!- I recommend iichiko japanese soju or a good japanese draft beer to compliment! There's a Korean supermarket about 20 feet away that closes early, and several liquor stores in the area as well.
(4)
Jannet L.

This parking lot is almost as bad as the palama supermarket one. How strange that this is also he parking lot for the other Korean supermarket. What is it with my peeps and creating impossible parking lots? Anyhow the sashimi pieces were huge and fresh and melt in your mouth. The rest of he food on he tray was good. Fine really. I just didn't know what to expect since the English words were just phonetic spellings of whatever it said in Japanese and the hub wasn't around to translate.
(3)
Sara S.

3.5 stars rounded up because next time I'm just getting the full sized negi toro donburi! HOW WOULD I HAVE FOUND THIS PLACE WITHOUT YELP?!? I HAVE NO IDEA. It's seriously in a random mini lot across the street from McDonalds where the new Keeamoku Supermarket (which I didn't know existed) is. It's so small, it can fit about 20 ppl max. One older Japanese waitress for the entire restaurant, one sushi chef. LEGIT. I got the donburi/ mini udon combo with a negi-toro don. The toro was SOOO MELT IN YOUR MOUTH GOOD. LIKE BUTTA! Don't wanna think about how many calories it is. TOOOO BAD. Complete with a side of tamago, NOM NOM NOM! The mini bowl looked small but it's deeper than it looks so I wonder how big the normal one is... I would definitely pass on the udon here next time though and save that for Marukame Udon or Jimbo's. The combo price is based on the price of the donburi you order, so mine was $20. My friend got the combo with the gyu-don which is $15. The combo also comes with a salad, kobocha and CHAWAN MUSHI. Yummy!!!!! If you think about it $20 is not incredibly expensive for the amt of food you get, it's like the same as a typical teishoku. They also have chirashi and nigiri sushi of course. If you have a larger party, definitely make reservations bc I'm not sure they can accommodate you otherwise. Definitely glad I checked this place out, I'll be back for more sushi and negi-toro donburi!!!
(4)
Royce H.

Really quaint hole in the wall in the middle of koreamoku. The fish quality is top notch, especially the maguro. The michinoku special is a good deal, and comes with a few sides and miso soup. The hostess is really friendly and sweet. Also try the butterfish if you're not looking for raw fish.
(5)
Anne P.

In my opinion, the perfect chirashi would contain the following ingredients: *multiple slices of sake, hamachi, saba, hotate, maguro, unagi, amaebi, tamago, white tuna *ikura (salmon roe) *slices of sweeten braised shiitake mushroom *pickled radish or daikon *seaweed salad (optional) This restaurant's chirashi had the following pros and cons, relative to my notion of the perfect chirashi: Pros: The fish was very fresh and of the perfect portion size. All the fish came straight from Japan. The maguro melted in your mouth and it even came with hotate! Cons: In terms of variety, this chirashi definitely was lacking -- it didn't have unagi, saba, amaebi and any of the 'freebies' such as shiitake mushrooms, radish/daikon or seaweed salad. I definitely have mixed feelings about this place's chirashi. Based on pure variety, I would give it three stars; however, what boosted it up to four stars was definitely the quality of the ingredients and the entire meal as a whole. Specifically, all the fish originated from Japan, and it even came with chawamushi and some pickles/daikons on the side (but i don't count that since it technically wasn't part of the actual chirashi)! I consider this a real gem, and if you have a big group, I highly encourage you to make a reservation!
(4)
Gayle C.

This is my favorite Japanese Restaurant in the area. I bring all of my out of town guest and friends who love Japanese food. It it intimate, friendly and the quality of the sashimi and sushi are excellent. If you have a group larger than 4 or arrive later than 6:30, you should make reservations. The restaurant hold about 25 people. The sushi chef and the waitress are husband and wife and are very friendly. My favorite dish is the Momoji Chirashi and I never been disappointed.
(5)
Kelly M.

Amazing fesh fish. Prices to match. That fish don't come cheap. Mon-n-pop operated with more Japanese spoken than Engllish. Very nice people. Had the chirashi. A bento box with rice and shreaded daikon toped with several pieces of great sashimi (red tuna, hamachi, squid, shrimp, egg, and fish roe), miso soup, salad, brown threads of something, and a few pickled somethings. I'll be the first to admit that I like Japanese food, but I don't KNOW Japanese food. So I just eat it. Shreaded daikon was prett bland. Miso was great, best I've ever had. Rice was very good. You could tell it was very high quality with a very subtle nuttiness. Fish was fabulous quality. But I discovered something about myself. At the end of the day, sashimi is just....... raw fish. Quality is important, but not mech else for me to get excited about (no sauce, no cooking technique, etc.). So I'll go back to theis great little place, but will probably have something else on the menu.
(4)
risk E.

Fish is really fresh. They have really good uni, ikura, and maguro. I recommend sitting at the sushi bar because sometimes the chef has extra pieces and lets you sample the scraps. Staff here is extra friendly and atmosphere is like Japan mom and pop restaurants.
(5)
ed k.

I've been on a Japanese food binge the past two months. I've gone to Hinone Mizunone, Yanagi Sushi, Tokononame and today Michinoku. Unfortunately, Michinoku is on the bottom of my list. I was very disappointed with their Chirashi. Quality is the same with the other places but their quantity is less. It was definitely not worth the $25 I paid. There were only 8 pieces of seafood on the sushi rice. Wow, that's $3 for each piece.
(2)
Kevin A.

SHIZUKANI! Shhh! This place is truly a hidden gem. It's a small mom and pop type operation with only a handful of tables, a small sushi bar, and exceptional food. There's a reason this place is packed with people speaking Japanese; the sushi was extremely fresh, the service is very friendly (although a little slow since there was only one lady serving), and (for now) it's a BYOB place next door to a Korean grocery store. They don't sell sake, but they do have beer and soju. What a deal! My favorites of the night were the awabi, ikura, chutoro, and the silky smooth chawan mushi.
(4)
Andrew M.

This is probably my favorite restaurant in Honolulu. The place is small, but really quite good. Get the Michinoku special! It's really fantastic.
(5)
Noelani C.

Yummy combo sets to choose from. Small restaurant with a cute clean atmosphere. Nice waitress and nice sushi guy behind the sushi counter. The sashimi combos are great priced and the hot udon noodle soup is really good too! Nothing too fancy here. Its just a great simple japanese restaurant that has great customer service! Kid friendly!!
(5)
Marko C.

My best friend and I went to dinner here the other night because it was so highly recommended. We weren't dissapointed! The food was actually pretty good! I ordered the toro-donburi and it was pretty good! The fish was very fresh and there was a lot of flavor from the dish. I liked the fact that they put a LOT of fresh fish on the donburi and didn't try to skimp on anything. Well proportioned. Came with veggies, miso soup, and several other tsukemono dishes. ~$16-18 My friend ordered the chirashi sushi bowl and it was amazing. There were about 10+ different types of sashimi on the rice and everything was very fresh. It was nicely arranged. The food was "art". $17-18. The waitress was totally super nice and efficient. She was very polite. She was an authentic Japanese woman, so it made the place's atmosphere even more welcoming! it's a bring your own booze kind of place. If you forgot your drinks, go to the Korean supermarket right next door and they have plenty of selection (and it's cold!). Michinoku will put the beer in the fridgerator to keep it cold until you are ready to drink it. Overall, two thumbs up!
(4)
Sarah B.

Disappointing. The fish was at best unmemorable and all the nigiri had FAR too much wasabi on it. The service was distracted and the premises are utterly charmless.
(2)
Shari S.

I love love love Michinoku! The atmosphere instantly brings me back to Japan. The cute little Japanese owners and usually when I go I'm the only one speaking English. All of the Japanese nationals go there (which you know it must be good because they like it and they are from the best!). I definitely recommend coming here.
(5)
Clinton L.

Love this place. Went to go eat the Nigiri Sakura Deluxe, and it was really really good. Moderate prices, very homey, very very very good. Me and my gf were the last customers in the place, arrived around 8:10PM on a Wednesday night, and ate very well. The waitress speaks Japanese, and a little bit of English. Enough to maybe take your order, but not enough to hold a conversation. All in all, a good experience. Come here if you want really good sushi.
(5)
Lalaine V.

I really enjoyed this place for its quaint and quiet atmosphere where you can converse with your date or small group. Hopefully you're not the claustrophobic type. The hostess/waitress was attentive and just very nice. The food was delicious. The hamachi nigiri were thick slices and fresh. My friend ordered uni and the only thing he complained about was the amount of uni on the rice. For our entree three of us ordered the sashimi teishoku and one got misoyaki butterfish which we scarfed down. Uni friend was still hungry so he ordered chicken karaage which we all tried. I thought the flavor was good but it didn't have that crunchy-crispy coating I love. It's a good idea to make reservations. Parking is a challenge but it's worth the hassle.
(4)
Maile F.

Check out my pics! Everything we ordered was delicious. Gonna go back to try some nigiri next time. Best part BYOB!!
(4)
Linda M.

It was ok, nothing great. I had the momiji chirashi ($28) and mom had the butterfish teishoku ($20). The salad dressing had an unusual gelatinous consistency but was a tasty yuzu flavor. Both course came with salad, oshinko, miso shiru, and chawan mushi which was disappointingly quite bland. I guess I'll go back but for lunch only since it was kind of pricey for dinner.
(3)
Jason F.

My favorite Japanese restaurant on the island and my go-to Japanese restaurant when I need a sushi fix. It doesn't have the pizzazz like Imanas, Sasabune or Gaku; but it is delicious, traditional Japanese food and sushi at a moderate price. Their sushi is always fresh and their donburi's are great. They sometimes have specials, which are usually very good (I've had their hamachi kama and saba sashimi.) This is a small little restaurant with 6 or so tables and a sushi bar. It's pretty much run by a husband and wife team (I assume). The service is quick (as long as the restaurant is not packed) and has that homey Japanese feel to it. My favorite dishes are any of their sushi, the butterfish teishoku and negi-toro don. None of these are mind-blowing dishes, but they all hit the spot on taste and flavor. Some things of note: the menu is mostly in Japanese with English pronunciations, so it might be difficult to understand the whole menu. In addition, the waitress speaks mostly Japanese with a little English, so sometimes it's difficult to ask what is what on the menu. Regardless, I love this place and will keep going back.
(5)
LesliAnn K.

If you ever find yourself looking for authentic Japanese in town for supah early Sunday dinner, this is your place. To let you know, lot of Japanese places are closed Sunday/Monday, and trust me, I've done the research already (the old fashioned lets go to the restaurant and walk up to the door kine to see sign CLOSED), this place is OPEN! It is the rare Japanese restaurant open on Sundays, 530 - 1000 pm. Very cozy place that can seat about 20, a very kind hostess who immediately converses in Japanese with you regardless of if you know it or not, and an awesome display of 100+ knickknacks behind Mr. Sushiman. Its right in the heart of "Koreamoku" next to the Keeamoku supermarket. Now the thing that has remained consistent and stands out every time I go is that the rice is just that good. Whatever it is, it is the perfect consistency every time. They do teishoku, sushi well. Tried the Michinoku special, good for the indecisive who want a little of everything. Had miso soup, salad, chawanmushi, unagi rice, tsukemono, and more. Light but satisfying. Also, the maguro toro nitsuke was the special of the day, get it! very soft and the taste was subtle, not drowning in it kine.
(4)
Brooke N.

I had a teishoku dinner...I took a picture and posted it on facebook...people commented...where are you?? It looks like you're having dinner in Japan. It was oishii! Small and quaint you either need to make reservations or come in early...I think there are only 6 tables and a handful of seats at the sushi bar. The seats fill up quickly!! Just be careful in the parking lot it's close quarters and a little difficult to maneuver.
(4)
Bill L.

Outstanding restaurant. Have been here 3 times. Each time, the meal was great. Fish quality is good. Have had the Michinoku Special and Chirashi. Couldn't be better. One day, there was a daily special (written in Japanese) - the owner explained what it was. It was so fresh and great.
(4)
Sheryl M.

I find that most of the places I enjoy eating at are little hidden gems, hole in the walls as they're called. Most recently we were checking out the newest Korean market off Keeaumoku and noticed a cute restaurant tucked away in the back of the parking lot, and yet now tucked away off the side fronting the new market. In the middle of Korea-moku was a inconspicuous Japanese restaurant that specializes in a variety of fresh fish sashimi, nigiri's, traditional sushi rolls, chirashi, and donburi. Spying into the place, I noticed the sushi bar and knew immediately I NEEDED to try the fish. As I perused the dinner menu, a sashimi teishoku for 20 dollars...hmmm.....not a very difficult decision. We also ordered the unagi tororo donburi, less the tororo - since that person never had it before. If you never have either, it's grated mountain yam (yama-imo) and it has a very slimy consistency. Most importantly we HAD to order the salmon skin roll. The salmon skin roll was very good, but paled in comparison to the main dishes. The unagi donburi was one of the best that I've had in Hawaii. The flakiness of the eel and light yet flavorful sauce was similar to the dishes I've had in Japan. The sashimi teishoku consisted of (3) maguro, (2) hamachi, (2) mirugai, (2) hirame, and (1) tako. All I can say is OHHHHHMYYYYYYYY GOD! I was in sashimi heaven....I would have sprouted wings and a halo if I also had anago, sake, and uni!!! Wait I take that back, they would have needed to roll me out of there - so it's a good thing I stuck with what was on my plate! Up next, is the NEED to try the chirashi...to be continued...
(5)
Eddie T.

Japanese soul food! Delicious and the atmosphere makes me feel like I'm at home. All welcomed and warm.
(5)
Cindy H.

WOW WOW WOW! I did not know that authentic Japanese food was SO good! First of all, I expected sushi rolls on the menu, but it didn't have any. I scanned the menu front and back, but I could not recognize a single item except edamame. Everything was spelled in letters, but there were no descriptions. The lady owner was so nice and pointed out some of the popular dishes on the menu. We ordered chirashi, scallop bowl, and ahi tuna bowl. The chirashi is the BEST Japanese food I've ever had. The bite of thinly sliced egg, shrimp, eel, and rice with soy sauce was unbelievably AMAZING! Then you have all the little appetizers on the tray too. My favorite was the steamed egg that had a slightly dried shrimp flavor, which added slight saltiness that wasn't too overwhelming, rather enjoyable. The slices of tuna and hamachi were very fresh too. The slices of tuna with soy sauce in the rice bowl were fresh and tasted so good with rice. The scallop bowl was okay, but my friend said it was her favorite. The green tea is definitely green tea. It tastes very authentic and looks like it too. I love this mom-and-pop restaurant. The owners are so nice.
(5)
Grace Y.

I loved this sushi restaurant before they moved, and I love it after they moved. The parking situation is much better now. This is a staple for us when we want good Japanese food and attentive Japanese style service. I like how tiny the restaurant is and the intimate feel to it. The server is so great, she is so patient and kind. The sushi is very fresh. I usually go for a sushi platter and, like most of the dinner platters, this comes with a variety of side dishes including salad, pickled veggies, miso soup, and Changsha (yum!). The tea is also very good.
(5)
sky i.

After their former landlord mistreated them, the owners of Michinoku decided to move to another location. Their final destination, however, is difficult to find. Michinoku is located on Keeamoku Street in the parking area that is between Next Door Bar & Grill and Club Sandy. Their menu and the prices remain mostly the same, but more importantly, their dedication to quality food and service is still intact as well. Their sushi/sashimi in particular, is on par with the best of them in Honolulu, and all for a decent price. FYI: For parents of toddlers, no high chairs are available. For alcoholics, Michinoku still awaits their liquor to be approved so it's BYOB. There is, however, a liquor store only a few doors down.
(5)
Art T.

My friend recommended this place. I assumed the lady served us was the Sushi chef's wife. She was very nice and pretty with her kimono. I had Sashimi Teishoku. As my friends mentioned, the fish was very fresh. I also loved the chawamushi (steamed egg custard) side dish that came with the meal. I was full by the time I finished my meal. My friend had the vegetable udon. I could not help but asked him to let me taste it. It was very good. I definitely have to go back to order one myself next time. If anyone likes good quality Japanese food, this place is a gem.
(5)
Mai T.

I have been to Michinoku twice for lunch and dinner, and both times have been a great experience. When I went for lunch with my sister we ordered the Nigiri Lunch Special and for the price it was, it was a great deal! It is a lunch menu, so the items were not like Uni, mirugai and the other must gets at sushi restaurants, but it was good. For dinner, we sat on the counter and ordered some sashimi. We wanted to try some different things, but I got the feeling that the sushi chef here was more traditional. Everything was nice and good, but at the same time, there is not one thing here that would definately bring me back.
(3)
Kimo S.

This is more of a 3.5 star restaurant but I always like to give the benefit of the doubt in cases where I am stuck in the middle. With soooooo many Japanese sushi restaurants crammed into Honolulu you really need to stand out to be considered fantastic. We dined here Saturday evening and it was crowded, even though it was only 6 parties it pretty much filled the place to capacity. This is a VERY small restaurant. Service was attentive and the place looks clean, though I'll figure that is because they just moved from their old Kalakaua location to here recently. The sushi... it was good. We had four pieces of maguro and what turned my fiancee off was that two of the cuts were perfect. The other two had the stringy white lines showing in them. It tasted fresh but the presentation left us a little puzzled. The uni also left my fiancee on the fence, one of the pieces was delicious the other tasted gritty/dirty. The menu is small so I was expecting a certain level of perfection and consistency... but we were left on the fence after leaving here. Personally, we'll most likely be sticking to Akasaka for sushi in town but should I crave well priced sushi a few blocks away... this might suffice.
(4)
Keoki O.

Immediately greeted in Japanese with an "irasshaimase" There's a traditional aura about this place. Got the traditional Japanese music playing in the background, and da waiter was wearing one kimono with da geta slippahs. Was da first customers during the opening for dinner. Friendly service. Ono meals. Had a complete teishoku meal with salad, miso soup, and da ono sashimi. Onolicious garenz!
(4)
HighStandard S.

This place is the real thing. Green tea is wonderful, as is the wasabi. I think the chef must prepare the wasabi himself. The set up requires patience because the waitress doubles as a prep cook.
(4)
Jessica H.

We found this restaurant because of Yelp. We were searching for a sushi restaurant that wasn't closed on a Sunday night, which apparently is a difficult task in Honolulu. Anyway, this is a true genuine sushi restaurant and if you are more of a "western" sushi-goer, then this might not be for you. I admit that I am in the latter camp, but I'm giving it 4 stars anyway, simply because I can appreciate quality food and service, even if I didn't like everything on my plate. I ordered one of the nigiri specials (because a la carte prices are about $6-$7 for 2 pieces of fish, or you can order a whole special for $18-$26), but that means putting my fate in the hands of the sushi chef. So I got some really good pieces of fish and a few that I wasn't a fan of. I didn't realize that it would also come with soup, salad, and 4 other sides, which was a bonus! The place is tucked back in a shopping center and the sign does not face the street so it is difficult to find. There is some parking, but it is shared with the neighboring restaurants and supermarket so it isn't plentiful. Bottom line, if you don't love every kind of sushi out there, then this might not be for you. But, if you will eat anything, then this is a great little gem of a sushi restaurant with some top quality fish.
(4)
Porky Penguin S.

Michinoku, in its new location, still maintains the authentic quality of its Japanese cuisine. A good price performer. My maguro-natto domburi was delicious, and the accompanying udon had great texture and taste. With a myriad of side dishes that come with the meal, for $14, it was a deal! I want to return there in the near future to keep them in business.
(4)
At O.

This restaurant is a solid place to go. I found it on yelp and decided to try it. - Location-behind Red House retaurant on Keeamoku St - Service-we were a little nervous when we walked in as everyone looked at us as the only non-Japanese customers and we were sure why but then I just said, "Dinner" and the hostess/waitress said "call in?" and I said, "no" then we were seated right away but I think what made it weird was we were sure if we could just sit right down, but you basically can sit whereever. It's small and the lady speaks as much English as she can and tolerated our number of questions on the menu with ease and niceness. We loved her. - Food-very good. I had the nigiri plate (Ume) that had 8 pieces of nigiri with pickles, miso soup, pickles, seaweed, and salad (the pictures others posted show how it comes out). I also ordered two Unagi and was unable to finish all my nigiri so had someone else finish it. My friend had the butterfish which she really liked and she said the salmon and fatty tuna nigiri were awesome. Another friend had the combo Udon and I forgot the other term but although I didn't hear her mention anything she ate it up. The third friend had the sashimi plate and he ate it up as well. Everyone was completely satisfied and would definitely go again...and again. - Appearance-simple yet clean. It's funny as the door to the bathroom leads to a back room and two huge bathrooms (one male, one female) that are very clean. As my sister in the food industry says, "Clean bathroom, clean kitchen." I kind of want to go again now after writing this. My rating scheme-5-consitently amazing where I leave like I had a spiritual food experience, 4-consistently awesome, 3-I'd eat it, but don't crave it, 2-if someone brought it to me, I would eat some, 1-no thanks.
(4)
Noeru N.

Yay! Michinoku (one of me and mom's fave sushi places) has found a new home! -- Was so excited as its been awhile since I've had sushi and decided to treat myself for lunch. I ordered the Nigiri Lunch Special. For $15 I got a salad, miso soup, simmered kobu, otsukemono and 2 pcs Maguro, 1 Hamachi, 1 Ebi, 1 Kaibashira, 1 Kisu and 1 kanpyo cut roll. Not necessarily my favorite sushi's .. wasn't impressed with the double up tuna, would've preferred different types of nigiri instead. But what the heck, its a lunch special. I was hoping to sit at the sushi bar for lunch but it was closed and the showcase was covered so I couldn't see what was available. They had a good amount of people having lunch, I saw that the chirashi's, udon's and other teishokus were their bestsellers. I know that if I go back for dinner and sit in front of him it'll be five stars. However this is strictly for my lunch special .. 3 1/2 stars. Maybe next time for lunch I'll get the sanma teishoku.
(3)
Sarah P.

I really wish I could give this place as many stars as others, but when I dined there on Saturday night, I was so sad. My first time there and now I regret it. Wish I'd just called Morio's instead a week ahead of time for a reservation. The dinner had a lot of stuff - I got the special. I think the tofu was ok. The salad was ok. But I was here for sushi. I got two pieces of freezer burnt disgusting salmon (I'm from Alaska, I know what good salmon is supposed to taste like and this tasted like the crap I feed my dogs because it got lost at the back of the freezer) and tailpipe tuna (tuna treated with carbon monoxide). My friend, however, was served fresh fish, including fresh tuna. What the hell?! We're sitting at the same table! Not sure what the difference is. Perhaps because I asked what things were on the menu (sorry folks, I speak Russian as my second language, not Japanese, so my apologies for not knowing what things are on the menu), they assumed I'd never eaten sushi. She asked me, "Oh, you don't like the sushi?" I said, "No, the salmon is freezer burnt and the tuna is gassed." She said "Oh" then handed me my bill for the full price. Horrible horrible. I'll never go back. I truly wish I'd had the same experience others have had. I was excited about this place because of all the 4-5 stars others have given, but I hate paying that much money for salmon that I spit out. Yes, I spit out. It was that bad.
(1)
Kirk W.

Ate here tonight. Always find it amazing how the sushi taste so good. Great little mom and pop place. Limited English. But great service and better sushi
(5)
Kevin N.

Cozy nice atmosphere not too expensive and nice selection of fish. Would go again.
(4)
pete y.

This place is good. Try the chirashi. The special looks good also. This is a three person business model, waitress, sushi chef and cook. Parking is hard, but the fish is fresh, and the sushi rice is the right texture, consistency.
(5)
CJ C.

Actually would give this place a 3.5 stars. Prices are reasonable for good sushi. We ate salmon, hamachi, chu toro and mirugai. Sushi was fresh and tasty, but a couple pieces were stringy. The misoyaki butterfish was a generous 2 piece portion which was well-cooked and tasty--probably some of the best butterfish I've had. My dining companion had the special--the rice with seafood and shredded egg was unusual and palate pleasing. A tiny place. Good sushi, not the best I've ever had, but a good deal for a fair price.
(3)
Grant O.

Very authentic Japanese food. Had their hamachi kama shioyaku special which was excellent. Very moist, flavorful, nicely marbled, served with daikon and lemon.
(5)
Wade T.

I'm hesitant to write a review because I want to keep this little gem of a secret, a secret. This place is tucked right next to the new keeaumoku super market. I was told by a friend to check it out and all I can say is YUM!!!! If you are tired of going to the same old sushi bar with the same old stuff then go check this place out. He puts a little spin on most of the sushi he serves. Yes there is the typical hamachi and maguro, but it's the other stuff yo gotta try. We had the Hirame and I found out there are two parts to the Hirame and he said to try the engawa I think it's called. It had a light smoky flavor with a nice sauce on top. I think it was better than sex. I had the hotate which he lightly cooks so it too had a nice smoky flavor with a little lemon. It just melted in my mouth and I knew I needed to try more. He recommended the ika which was tender not at all rubbery like some places which was from japan. The tako was also from Japan, and he said it had more flavor than local tako, and it did. All in all it was a great experience. I finished my meal with this crab udon. It was a little light on the crab side, but the flavor of the broth was tasty and I was ready for bed. It's a mom and pop place and his wife is so cute making recommendations and scolding my wife when she wasn't eating something as it should be, but it made things all the better.
(5)
Eric S.

cute little place on keeamoku its not a whole in the wall but its tiny with a few tables. went on a saturday night and surprisingly it was slow i think people dont know where this new location is. awesome food and awesome value had the michinoku special which included alot of things couple side veggie dishes, sashimi, chiwan mushi, ,miso soup and some type of sushi rice dish with little pieces of egg and seafood which was awesome cuz the sauce from the unagi incorporated well but im not an unagi eater so i just picked it off and gave it to my gf who loves it. my gf wasnt too hungry so she picked up the hot soba with mushrooms the broth was light yet very flavorful and all this for under 25 dollars if i remember right. the unagi sushi my gf got on the side was unbelivable in her opinion for under 6 dollars its the only place i know of which serves it warm the sauce was ligth yet very flavorful but u dont lose the true essence of the unagi taste. you guys better check this out there a little short on staff yet they try to be attentive as possible.
(5)
Jenel O.

So delicious! Stopped here on a whim while attempting to go somewhere else around the area. I ordered the negitoro don and was not disappointed! The server let me know that it was a special night and that they were using special ahi as well, I think bluefin, SCORE! This little gem is located just in front of the Korean supermarket off Keeaumoku. You can't see the restaurant from the street, you need to drive into the parking lot to find it. All the sides were delicious as well and very high quality. I'll definitely be back!
(5)
Homer O.

Had the negitoro don, again, will probably order it next time too, it was that good. Very good food, reasonable prices.
(4)
Marnica B.

We stumbled upon this restaurant after having a huge craving for chirashi. Fresh fish, and was surprised that they had hotaru ika as well. While not my favorite chirashi, it still hit the spot.
(4)
Lynn S.

We have two close friends we love to eat with because we share an appreciation of general late-night favorites. We're either armed with chopsticks and easy-to-drink Japanese beer or recovery food and extra large cups of water at the places you'd expect. Said friends were interested in getting a teishoku dinner, so we made a reservation at Michinoku on a Friday night. To our surprise, it was almost completely empty when we arrived at 8:30 p.m. and it stayed that way until we left. It's a little hard to find, tucked away next to the Korean market on Keeaumoku, so that could be part of it. It's also close to more popular spots such as sushi ii ($$$) and Yakiniku Don-Day. We came for the teishoku but the highlight was actually the generous serving of flavorful hamachi kama and the melt-in-your-mouth salmon nigiri. Our experience reminded us of some of our favorite Kapahulu spots -- Mr. Ojisan (when it was in its prime) and the quaint, authentic vibe of Sunrise Restaurant. Although the tab wasn't terribly expensive, we'll most likely wait for a special occasion to return. But when we do, we know what to order.
(4)
Joyce L.

This hole in the wall Japanese restaurant is located next to Keeaumoku supermarket. Parking is free in front of the restaurant. It is a small place. There's a sushi counter that fits about 5 people and 5 tables of 2 or 4 people. The whole place is about a good size living room. I ordered butterfish teishoku. It comes with miso soup, salad, chawamushi, pickled won bok and da-kwan and butterfish. And it was yummy. My companion got some assorted sushi. The Hamachi sushi was pink color. I've never seen it pink. I'm used to seeing it white. Hmmmm.... Price is slightly higher than other Japanese restaurant. There was only one server. She dressed in simple kimono. The restaurant was pretty full but she managed to serve all of us efficiently and so politely. That's what I love about these hole in the wall places. Service is always top notch.
(4)
Stella H.

Noticed this place when i visited the korean supermarket. Hidden at the end of the small alley with the market, the parking lot is shared. The atmosphere in the restaurant is small & cozy. Service is very friendly and quick. They have lots of teishokus to choose from & also fresh sushi made at the sushi bar. I went at dinner & got sat down right away. A very friendly waitress took our order. Most of the dishes are $15 or more, but they were mostly meal sets so it was a good deal. The salmon teishoku i ordered had 2 large pieces of fish along with all the sides, it was super filling & i even had leftovers!!! They even have a different menu for lunch, definitely want to go back & try that out!
(4)
Nat N.

When you walk into this hole-in-the-wall joint on Keeaumoku, you'll instantly get the feeling that this is the real McCoy. The hostess/waitress and sushi chef instantly greet you in Japanese. That's just the start to a wonderful dining experience. The green tea is opaque, thus you know it's not brewed from a tea bag. The sushi is fresh as can be. They give you generous pieces of fish on the nigiri pieces. You can't go wrong with anything on the menu. It's not cheap, but it's worth every penny.
(5)
Kaitlyn F.

This past Friday I finally had the pleasure of going to Michinoku. I've tried to eat here about 4/5 times within the past two months but they have always been closed (even during their "hours of operation"). This place is a gem if fate allows you to catch this place while it is open. Michinoku is a small restaurant that can fit about 30 people and has a small sushi bar. The menu has a variety of options which consist mostly donburi-sets, averaging about $20-$30. The sets come with miso soup, salad, chawamushi, and takuan. The food here is very fresh and the atmosphere instantly transports you to Japan. When I went I got the "Michinoku Special" which was a barazushi set that came with a side dish of sashimi (maguro and hamachi). I actually preferred my dining partner's unagi-don instead because it came with hearty slices of warm unagi topped with a raw quail egg. Being a poor college student $20-$30 is really steep to be paying per person for a meal, so I can't say that this will be a regular spot for me. However, if you are looking for a hole-in-the-wall Japanese restaurant with fresh food and great service, Michinoku is definitely a place that you should consider going to at least once.
(4)
Denalee C.

My out of town cousin and I visited Michinoku because according to our aunty, Gayle C. (see her review below) it's her favorite Japanese restaurant in the area. I came here years ago but too much time had passed to write a fair review. This tiny sushi restaurant holds about 20 people. Luckily for us, the restaurant was only half full on a Tuesday at about 7:30 pm. Looking at the menu, we decided to text our aunty who said she always gets the butterfish or the chirashi. Who are we kidding, we both ALWAYS order chirashi. My cousin got the fancier one ($35) and I got the less fancy one ($25). I can't remember what they were called (I know, color me unhelpful). The main differences was the fancy one had ikura and toro while mine had masago (I like this better). The portions seemed similar. What I liked best about chirashi here is it comes in a complete meal with miso soup, green salad, chawanmushi and other veggie sides. The fish. Fresh, high quality, great stuff. I'd say it's a tinge (just a small tinge) under the more widely known high end sushi restaurants. However, I'd still give it two fins up!
(4)
Russel M.

Great little Sushi Bar located right in front of Supermarket on Keeaumoku St. Nice variety of fresh fish and outstanding service...
(4)
Aline T.

This mom and pop restaurant serves up teishoku meals with good quality sashimi/sushi. I like having all the accompaniments that come in a teishoku meal. The mama-san is very friendly and nice, which is one of the reasons I like coming here. She asks if you want water or tea (ocha kudasai!). I love hot tea with my meals. They have an assortment of donburi, with my favorite being hotate and ikura! Yum! They're located next to the korean supermarket on Koreamoku (Ke'eaumoku). There's parking available but that area is always busy.
(4)
John W.

This place is next to a supermarket and is very hard to see from the street. It's probably better to call ahead and find out the name of the supermarket and google map it. The owners are Japanese so the stuff is authentic. My favorite is the negitoro bowl - best value I've found on the island and never disappoints!
(4)
Tiare B.

Dying for some sushi after a grueling Organic Chemistry exam, I was in the area with my boyfriend and looked to handy dandy yelp for some Japanese. Came across Michinoku, hadn't heard of it before, saw the picture of the Otoro-Don and was sold! Located right outside of a small korean market in back of Sorabol, Michinoku is a quaint little sushi restaurant with a small sushi bar and additional table seating. The menu is not very extensive but they specialize in their dons. I quickly ordered the Otoro-Don and my boyfriend ordered the Sashim-Don. All dons come with a few japanese sides, miso soup, salad and my favorite chawan mushi! Chawan mushi is something I have found to be quite hard to find so I was surprised it came with your meal. It's basically a steamed egg custard with bits of seafood and mushroom cooked throughout. Our food arrived quickly as it is a small business and the waitress was so cute and polite, very japanese. The Otoro-Don came with a fairly large portion of otoro which is some of the fattiest and therefore most delicious parts of ahi, mashed up over rice with two slices of egg omelet and nori to top it off. $20 The Sashimi-Don came with 3 pieces of maguro, 2 pieces of tako, 2 pieces of salmon, 2 pieces of hamachi and a shrimp with rice on the side in addition to the set. $28. Not a vast amount of food for the price, but sashimi is pretty pricey in general so I understand. Not a good option if you're going out for the night with your guy, the portion is much too small for a man. Overall Michinoku's quality of fish is really good and definitely fresh however I do think they are a bit pricey for just dons. I do realize you pay for the quality though, so I would definitely make a visit back!
(4)
Ruby X.

Really authentic Japanese food! Small restaurant with fresh sashimi. Most customers are Japanese which is a good sign! Love it!
(5)
Aulii H.

With a sushi snob boyfriend, it's hard to find a decent Japanese restaurant that everyone can enjoy. Then he found Michinoku. Although it's still not the greatest, he does like the price for the quality and quantity. We've been here twice, and he ordered the negitoro combo both times. I usually don't like when everything is brought out at one time, but the portions are just right, and it doesn't make the tray look overcrowded. I've been to places where they do this and it looks like things are going to fall off the tray. That's not the case here. The one server and sushi chef are very friendly. It's a small place with only four tables, but they do take reservations. The only thing that will keep me going back is the price. You can get a full Japanese meal for about $20, and when you want to eat decent food on a budget, this place might be the perfect stop.
(4)
Shay F.

This place give me that nice cozy Japanese-y feel. It's a small Japanese restaurant where the waitress speaks half English and half Japanese. Thank goodness I understand Japanese. I don't know how others would be able to understand her, but none the less it was a great experience. The food was good, no line to wait in, and of course the service was great too. I should go back again soon.
(4)
Joy N.

I found a new FAVORITE! I called Michinoku for reservations on a Saturday night and surprisingly they had a table for 4 at 7pm. I say surprisingly because this restaurant is very small - only seats about 20 people max in there. It's located on Keeaumoku Street by the Korean supermarket. There's sufficient parking in the private lot so parking shouldn't be a problem. We were seated right away when we arrived at 7pm :) From looking at all the photos on yelp, I knew that I wanted to order the negitoro don. Negitoro dons are so difficult to find in Hawaii! When my food arrived, I was shocked at how much negitoro they put in their donburi! I must say that I had a smile on my face the entire time eating there!! The negitoro just melts in your mouth and they give a very very generous amount of food and side dishes. As for the menu items, they have a very straight forward menu. My mom got a combo of a donburi & cold soba and my grandma got the butterfish teishoku. Everyone enjoyed their meals! I'll definitely be coming here much more often! Still want to try more of the nigiri & chirashi bowls. I just need to remember to call ahead for reservations.
(5)
Jay B.

Well deserved 5 stars for this hidden gem. This hidden "mom & pop" sushi joint hit the spot for me. My friend brought me here for a belated birthday dinner. At first I was a bit curious to where he was bringing me as we drove through an alley known for strip clubs. He made reservations to avoid the wait. We were prepared to eat as we brought 2 bottles of sake. They so not serve alcohol so bring your own liquor! In a positive note, they will chill your liquor and even serve your sake in a cute sake chiller! If you come here, you should know your sushi as everything on the menu is in Japanese! Even the waitress talks to you in Japanese! Very authentic! Food overall hit the spot!
(5)
Leslie A.

My boyfriend and I were craving for sushi and found this place on yelp. It is tucked away in the corner of the building, immediately next to Keeaumoku Market. You could easy miss the sign: we passed the restaurant twice before asking a parking security guard where it was. When we walked in, it was this great little Japanese restaurant. The owners are a Japanese couple and welcomed us in. We ordered the Sakura sushi set. It came with salad, miso soup, seaweed, pickled cabbage and chawanmushi. The seafood was fresh and we were stuffed. Great place to go for sushi.
(4)
G W.

Great authentic Japanese food! From sushi, sashimi, teishoku, donburi, udon and more. Everything is perfectly prepared, fresh, tasty, and very healthy! One of my favorite Japanese casual open late (10pm) restaurants. It's small and seating is limited but it's worth it!
(5)
John F.

I found Michinoku using Yelp's search to find a Japanese restaurant that was close to home & not too expensive. Michinoku did not disappoint in any way. When I called to make a reservation, a Japanese person politely took my reservation even though I was calling at 5:15 for a 5:30 reservation. We arrived at 5:25 and were promptly seated, given menus, and served water & green tea. Because it was my first time at this restaurant, I ordered the Michinoku Special for $20 which included miso soup, salad, sashimi, kobachi, chawanmushi, barazushi topped with ikura, shredded egg, and had bits of shrimp & eel. Making a reservation is strongly recommended because by the time we left, every seat was taken and people were waiting outside. See my many pictures!
(4)
Kelsey S.

As usual, the sushi cravings were in full swing. So the BF graciously volunteered his expert reservation-making services *sarcasm*. We were lucky enough to get a reservation that night. I say lucky because we arrived to an already packed house. This little hole-in-the-wall can hold about 20 people or so, so reservations are probably a must. Our search to find Michinoku was a little challenging. Heading down Ke'eaumoku, the sign doesn't exactly jump out at you. At night, look for the large blue sign that says "Super Market" - it's to the left of that. Going to the "Super Market" before you head in might be a good idea especially because the drink menu is minimal and the restaurant allows you to bring your own alcohol. Sushi...oh the sushi... While you have your pick of Donburis and Teishokus, we decided to go with the Nigiris. I think you can tell a lot about a sushi restaurant by the Nigiris and let me tell you, they did not disappoint. The fish was so fresh and the portion size so large I could barely fit it in my mouth. Add to the fact that they use fresh Wasabi...perfection! Definitely a place worth trying.
(4)
T D.

I feel like I am home in Japan! The food Is exceptional and the atmosphere is like a neighborhood hang out
(5)
Brandon S.

Another place I always forget about but definitely worth the visit. I don't think I've every had anything bad at this place. Think of Maguro-ya as far as the fresh fish and sushi but with a little less variety. The only reason why I didn't give this place 5-stars is because the parking here really sucks. I mean you could get lucky and get one on the street or one within the plaza but you're competeting with all the other nearby eateries and the Keeaumoku Supermarket. The service here is very friendly and they are very personable which is a must considering the size of the establishment. I recommend any of the sushi items and the best deal is their Chirashi special. I love how fresh everything tastes here and how generous the cuts of fish are. I wouldn't say this place is the cheapest place in the word but for what you pay it's worth it. Oh and if worse comes to worse, park at Walmart :P
(4)
Shuji K.

Great food. Fair price. Awesome service and a convenient location. What a hidden gem. The sashimi was fresh...especially the hamachi.
(4)
Elim N.

Smelly! A small japanese restaurant on Keeamoku next to the korean Super Market. Place smelled a little fishy like we were at the fish market. Japanese couple were very friendly and restaurant was very homey. Parking in the lot is hard to find as many stalls are reserved for the Super Market so you can park on the street or be sneaky like us and just walk into the Super Market for something small :) We ordered: Michinoku Special [$20]: Barachirashi, a few pieces of sashimi with everything in the set. A basic set to give everything a little try. Sakura Nigiri Sushi [$38]: 10 different pieces of nigiri sushi and 6 pieces of Tekka Maki along with everything in the set. Sushi had thick, generous cuts of fresh fish which includes hamachi, toro, amaebi and uni! A good order to get your sashimi fix :) Negi Toro-Don Donburi Combo [$22]: Negi Toro-Don with mini udon. A great don where the fish melts in your mouth. Not sure how this mini is compared to the regular size, but portions were fair. Make sure to make reservations because all the tables were reserved. We were lucky to go when they opened at 5:30 p.m to sit at the bar. Walked away so full!
(4)
Doris D.

3.5 stars. Michinoku was a good experience and I'm glad I tried it. Unfortunately if you compare the sushi to other great places in Hawaii (Yohei, Sushi ii, Sasabune...), Michinoku does not make the cut on our favorites list. I got the $22 nigiri set which came with snapper, salmon, 2 maguro, mirugai, cooked ebi, ikura, squid nirigi, the black fungus things, chawanmushi, daikon/cabbage, salad, tekka roll, miso soup. I enjoyed the maguro and mirugai and the rest were just ok. My husband got the chirashi with all the fixings that comes with the nirigi sets. He enjoyed it and thought it was good. There were some complaints about the service from previous Yelp reviews but we had pretty good service on our end.
(4)
Fred W.

Had saba and hamachi belly sushi, and unagi don buri. The sushi was good, but I didn't like the vinegar sliver of whatever it was on the saba. The unagi and sauce was good, but could have used more unagi. The dressing on the salad that came with the donburi was gross, miso soup was so so, side vegetable thingies were okay, and I won't comment on the chauwan thingy cause I usually don't like it to begin with. All in all, two stars cause if I'm spending $60+ for a meal for me and my 5 year old, I should be walking out very happy...but I wasn't. Would have been just as satisfied getting sushi stuff from Shirokia and saving at least $20-$30.
(2)
Addie L.

Tucked in the corner in the middle of Honolulu's version of Koreatown is a mom and pop Japanese restaurant that's pretty darn good. Who would have thought? We came here for lunch and order the miso butterfish and salmon complete meals. The butterfish was nice and moist, well seasoned but not too overpowering, not overcooked at all. One thing that I liked the most is that the piece didn't have too much bones, a pet peeve of mine. The salmon was ok, a bit too salty but not too bad. The sides are not bad, miso soup, pickled veggies, pass the test. But my wife is a big fan of rice and she says that it's high quality. Service is good and friendly, prices are reasonable. Recommended!
(4)
Yuko A.

Small restaurant with 1 sushi chef, 1 waitress (who are also the owners), and a cook in the back. Very clean because its only been open for a year and a half. Their previous location was on Keeaumoku near DonQ. Great side dishes like konyaku yaki with miso, shishamo, agedashi tofu, and sushi apps...Prices range from $5+ I highly recommend the konyaku if you like it and miso which has a hint of yuzu in it. Michinoku special which was chirashi sushi was fresh and very filling. There was a nice heap of ikura on my donburi, so can't complain. $18. My grandma got the tuna torroimo which she loved. They also serve it with just the right amount of rice. The bowl is deceiving, it looks way deeper than it is, which was totally fine with me. Next time I want to try the negitoro don.. The place has only 5 tables and 6 seats at the sushi bar so call ahead to make reservations or go early. There was a line when we left. There is the keeaumoku supermarket right next door to it, so you can always check that out while waiting. YELP 365: 076/365
(5)
Andrew M.

My girlfriend and I love this little place. It's small but has a nice atmosphere for a date. The food some of the best Japenese food I've had in Honolulu. Tip: Get the michinoku special
(5)
Cin T.

Wang Chung's owner Dan recommended that we go here for dinner last night, it's a spot he likes to frequent. The food is affordable, always fresh and delicious. Good enough for me. Btw, check out Wang Chung's Karaoke Bar in Waikiki! Best.Karaoke.Bar .Ever: yelp.com/biz/wang-chungsâ€¦ . Sorry, I love this place & couldn't help myself =) Ok, back to Michinoku. This hidden gem is easy to miss, it's not visible when you're driving past Ke'eamoku at all. Here's another fellow yelper's link to help guide you on it's specific location: yelp.com/biz/michinoku-râ€¦ The small restaurant has around 4 tables and a sushi bar, giving it a real homey, comforting vibe. I think it's run by a husband and wife team (he's the sushi chef and his wife runs the floor). The service was good and the food arrived in a timely matter. yelp.com/biz_photos/SE7Lâ€¦ Dan ordered the Negitoro-don ($18 market price, $20 regular). yelp.com/biz_photos/SE7Lâ€¦ - The toro (most priced and fatty part of the maguro/tuna) is chopped up and mixed with green onions. I got a taste of it and it was delicious. It was rich, smooth and melted in my mouth. yelp.com/biz_photos/SE7Lâ€¦ I ordered the Hotate & Ikura-don (scallops and salmon roe) at $16/market price, $18 regular. - The hotate was super fresh and sweet, I almost felt bad for dipping it in shoyu. - Ikura always makes me happy!! Although it was tasty, the size of the roe is smaller than what I'm used to seeing and I wished they gave more. - The rice was cooked perfectly, there was a nice balance of sweetness and the vinegar was subtle (which I appreciated). yelp.com/biz_photos/SE7Lâ€¦ Everyone knows that I can't resist ordering calamari or karaage wherever I go. I ordered Ika Geso Karaage (fried squid legs, $10). - Crunchy and non-greasy, I'd order it again b/c it was tasty........and because I like anything karaage. yelp.com/biz_photos/SE7Lâ€¦ Dan ordered Uni (sea urchin) Nigiri ($9) for us to share. - Price was a little steep for the 2 small-sized pieces. But all was forgiven when I tasted it: sweet, velvety & delicious! Sorry no pic was taken, it was already inside our bellies when I realized that I forgot to take one.
(5)
Nadia K.

My husband really enjoyed the sushi here. He had the aji, ama ebi, uni, tobiko, ikura, hotate, and more. He said it was excellent. They didn't have a sashimi menu so you kind of have to know what to order. The American style sushi they offer here is either spicy ahi or california roll. Their spicy ahi is sooooo yummy! They use fresh maguro with their spicy ahi sauce. They also serve teishoku, donburi, and udon. I had the salmon teishoku which comes with salad, rice, veggies, chawan mushi, and miso soup. What a deal for $16! We also tried the ika geso karaage and the chikuwa ten. I really liked the chikuwa, it was like eating dessert because the tempura batter was slightly sweet. They serve drinks now. We had thought it was BYOB from some older reviews. The parking is really junk. They are located in the lot with Red House and located on the left side of the korean supermarket. Inside is small, but family friendly. We had a really great dinner!
(5)
Lilian N.

Wow, we were very impressed with Michinoku. The food is very classic Japanese and nothing fancy at all, just simple, delicious flavors at reasonable prices. When we first walked in, I thought we were in someone's living room because it was so tiny! A few tables with maybe 10 seats and a small sushi bar for about 6 people. The sushi chef and kimono wearing waitress were the only workers but they were quick and very friendly. I ordered the Sakura set and didn't expect so much food! The main dish was the sushi platter: maguro, chutoro, hotate, amaebi, uni, ikura, and a few more pieces of nigiri and a tekka maki. The fish was so fresh and I love that the shari rice was small. The side dishes included were: miso soup, salad, nimono, tsukemono, and chawanmushi. All that with Asahi beer and cold sake filled me to the brim. Parking is a hassle but we drove to the back of the restaurant and found a few stalls available. Will definitely be back!
(5)
Rita L.

I'm starting to really love this place. I'm obsessed with Japan and this feels like I walked into a small sushi restaurant in Tokyo. I really love that its a sushi restaurant with that Japanese homey feel. The hostess is awesome and she gives great service. The Donburis here are delish! The Michinoku special is the best deal. The have Fresh fish and I love the green tea here. I'll be back for more...
(4)
Inthira M.

If you read my last review you know that since eating at Kin Chan I've been aching for some good sushi. The fiance said that this place was supposed to be good and it's right next to that new Asian Supermarket that opened up on Keeaumoku St. so I said I'd give it a try. When we walked in we were immediately greeted and we were promptly seated. I listened as a party at the bar were conversing with the sushi chef in Japanese. I am now convinced that if you go where the sushi chef is Japanese and the customers are majority Japanese then I have found a good sushi restaurant!! We ordered the nigiri sushi (sakura set) which came with 10 mix nigiri sushi and a ahi roll and the Chirashi (momiji set). Both came with miso soup, chawanmushi, salad, seaweed, and sunomono. I looked down at the feast I was about to take on and I smiled, thinking to myself that once again, I was in sushi heaven. Thick cuts of fish, freshly made side dishes, everything was ono!! You would never even know this place existed unless you were in this parking lot (the same one as the new Ni Hao restaurant) and this is definitely a diamond in the rough. If you're in the area I would definitely say to try this place, you won't be disappointed... and it won't break your bank either!
(4)
S M.

Always fresh and delicious, consistently good every time we've gone. A little pricey but justified by the quality of the fish.
(4)
Glenn F.

It's Friday night and we wanted to try something different. We heard about Michinoku through some of the reviews in Yelp. We always have a hard time finding someplace that's not packed with a long waiting line. To our surprise, we were able to find parking in an area that we were familiar with, but not where Michinoku was located. After a short walk, we found the place and were seated quickly with no reservations. My wife had the chirashi and I had to night's special, hamachi kama, The food was great, attentive service, and the prices were good for this type of food. I would definitely recommend coming here and we'll return at the next opportunity
(4)
Mark M.

Eating sashimi on New Year's is a tradition in Hawaii right? Right. With that being said, I was surprised to see many sushi places closed that day. We originally intended to eat at Sushi Masa but I failed to make a reservation because I honestly have never seen that place packed to capacity until New Year's. I called Sushi Izakaya Gaku and they were closed. Sasabune was also closed. I was determined to have sushi that night so I broke out my trusty iPhone with its equally trusty Yelp app and I did a search for sushi and that's where I found Michinoku. I gave them a ring and a really energetic lady answered the phone with a heavy Japanese accent. She told me that they were open until 9p and that I didn't need a reservation. The rest I couldn't really understand. The trick to this restaurant is actually finding it. Everything else is relatively smooth sailing. We drove past it a few times on Keeaumoku Street without even knowing it. It's directly across the street from McDonalds'. If you're heading towards Ala Moana and look to your left, you'll see "Supermarket" in giant letters. That's where the restaurant is. This place is TINY. There are maybe about ten tables total with about four or five seats at the sushi bar. When we entered we only saw one guy eating udon and we were greeted by that same energetic lady that answered the phone. We were seated and given menus as well as water and tea. We looked over the menu and the wife decided on the butterfish teishoku. When it came out, the fish looked perfectly cooked and a little fatty which no doubt added to already amazing flavor of the fish itself. It came with rice, miso soup, chawan mushi, and vegetables. As for me? Well I came to eat sushi so I ordered maguro nigiri which was some of the freshest I have ever eaten. I splurged a little and ordered two sets of oh-toro nigiri was oh my effin lawd awesome! It melted on my tongue and I didn't feel guilty at all about spending $20 just on that. I also ordered the negitoro don which came with a small udon, vegetables, chawan mushi, and Japanese salad. I don't know if they make those udon noodles themselves, but they were incredibly fresh and tasty! All in all, I'd have to say that Michinoku's saved my New Year's dinner. I'd love to come back here to try more of their dishes, and since I know where they're located, it'll be a little less stressful finding great sushi at any time of the year.
(4)
Denise K.

This lil mom n pop sushi bar is LEGIT! Very traditional sushi, no frills, just melt-in-your-mouth sushi! Most people don't know about this spot so guarantee you can walk right in and sit at the sushi bar. The seared scallop sushi is money. I'd recommend doing omakase here - you can expect small lumps of rice and large slices of fish. The couple who owns the place are adorable! This place is a hidden gem.
(4)
ed k.

I've been on a Japanese food binge the past two months. I've gone to Hinone Mizunone, Yanagi Sushi, Tokononame and today Michinoku. Unfortunately, Michinoku is on the bottom of my list. I was very disappointed with their Chirashi. Quality is the same with the other places but their quantity is less. It was definitely not worth the $25 I paid. There were only 8 pieces of seafood on the sushi rice. Wow, that's $3 for each piece.
(2)
Manda S.

Walking into Michinoku is almost exactly like walking into a Japanese restaurant in Japan. The major difference is that you drove there, instead of taking the subway. :) - Nat N. is right--This restaurant is run by 3 people (a sushi chef, a hostess, and a cook) and they will speak Japanese to you (no worries, the hostess is very friendly and can speak some English. The menu is also bilingual). You know, when we were there, I want to say we were the only non-Japanese speakers. - It looked like everyone in the restaurant got the Michinoku Special for $18 so we figured it must be good, right? It was very delicious. It didn't look like much food but I was satisfied after eating everything--the carnivore in me wanted more meat though! It comes with the following things: - Chiraishi on Sushi Rice (with generous scoop of ikura YUM) - Sashimi (three fat pieces of maguro and two baby squid) - Chawan Mushi - Miso Soup - Salad + Veggie/Seaweed Appetizer + Pickled Veggies - I did like the special, but the next time we come here, I'm probably going to get one of the donburis or just sushi/sashimi. The sashimi that came with the Special was WONDERFUL. I would have given away the Chawan Mushi and all those veggie dishes if it meant I could have more sashimi--it was melt in your mouth QUALITY good. - Michinoku, being a very good Japanese restaurant, serves VERY GOOD green tea. The quality is just as good as their sashimi. I swore I drank at least 5 cups of it. Our very sweet hostess also refills it very often. - If you're coming with a group, I recommend making reservations. We were able to make ours (for a party of 5) a day or two in advance with no problem. If there are only a few of you and all the tables are full (I think there are only 5 or 6), there were plenty of seats at the sushi bar. -Overall, I was very impressed! It's nothing fancy but I thought I got what I paid for (or perhaps a little more). The food was of a very good quality--I'd come back.
(5)
Juliann C.

First off -- I'm going to tell everyone WHERE it is, because I was walking in circles! Michinoku is located right behind Red House in that Korean-only center. THE GOOD * Cute, and small Japanese restaurant. I enjoyed the atmosphere. * Service was great. She made me miss my best friend's mom (who's very Japanese) * Food was deals. I mean $20-24 for Chirashi, or any donduri type of food is deals especially with all the small delights that come with it like tsukemono, daikon, miso soup, salad, bowl of rice, and more. I think you get more than what you pay for. AND I LIKE IT THAT WAY!! * The miso butterfish was rich, and perfect. It was so rich, I could only finish one of the two slices... but so good none-the-less * My boyfriend had the Michinoku Special - it was only $18 but it wasn't tasty enough for him. It did come with 3 pieces of ahi sashimi and octopus! Deals. * There is parking if you can find it. You can always just park at Walmart and walk over :) * Even though this place is small, there are many tables and a sushi bar. * Food came out very fast! THE BAD * The Michinoku special wasn't what I thought it would be :( but we will definitely be coming back to try more items! THE WEIRD * This is more cute than weird, but our waitress wore a kimono, or casual kimono, with authentic Japanese in-house slippers. You can tell when she was getting busy because you can hear her flip flops move to a faster beat. Haha. Poor thing! She was very cute and delightful though! * Oh and this is the only establishment that was Japanese, the rest is all Korean! They must feel segregated :( :(
(4)
Chloe M.

Before I walked into the restaurant, I was in a bad mood. Actually, A VERY bad mood. I wanted to treat myself to a nice Japanese lunch to make myself feel a little better before work. After my meal, I walked out with a smile on my face and very satisfied. Food: I ordered the negitoro don set with udon instead of miso soup. I'm glad I ordered it this way because the don was pretty big even though it a "half size". The udon was nothing special, but was a nice dish to break the fishy taste from the donburi. The side dishes were very good (tsukemono and seaweed octopus). I could tell that they took the time to make the side dishes delicious, as well as the main meal. The toro in the donburi melted in my mouth! It's legit stuff! I thought $17 was a very good price for what I got. Service: The waitress really made my day. As I said at the beginning of the review, I was in a very bad mood before I came. When I walked in the restaurant I was instantly greeted by an "Irashaimase!" She was always smiling and very friendly. The restaurant wasn't too busy, so I didn't have to wait long for my food. Tea and water was always filled. Overall: Very cute hole in the wall place. The restaurant is very tiny and very hard to find. It's in the same lot as the Keeaumoku Super Market and Daechun. Their prices are fair for the quality and quantity of the dishes. I look forward to trying more stuff from here!
(5)
Juan N.

This past Tuesday, after a very long 9 hour flight from Chicago, I was dying to eat some sushi. So after my girlfriend picked me up at the airport we ventured to town and found this gem of a place thanks again to Yelp! Parking can be a pain but that's no different to anything on Keeamoku other than Wal Mart. The place is very small but it's very cozy and clean. You get this vibe that's you're welcomed at somebody's house. A quick glance at the menu and we noticed that although it's a bit limited, it still had most of our favorite items, and the prices are reasonable. I ordered a maguro natto donburi set, and my gf ordered the sakura set. Everything was absolutely delicious! Just look at the pictures I put up, it tastes even better! I'll definitely be back here again and again.
(5)
Waikiki S.

Nice little restaurant. Friendly Japanese waiter. Food is excellent. Very expensive.
(4)
Cindy L.

I came back because I really wanted to try the Ikura Oyako Don (Ikura and Salmon bowl - $15). I was super excited and anxious to have my bowl of sushi rice, however, I was totally disappointed when I saw that the salmon was not FRESH salmon, it was smoked!!!!!!! HELLO! What type of Japanese restaurant serve SMOKED salmon as their sashimi?????? I was outraged! Not once did I ever salmon from a Japanese restaurant and they gave me smoked salmon. AHHHH... how could this be? This totally ruined my experience and my love for this restaurant. My husband had a chirashi bowl ($26), he opted for the more expense bowl (other one was $19) because they said it has better quality fish like toro and ikura. He was disappointed when his tiny little bowl of chirashi came out and it only has one piece of toro. We remember seeing the chirashi bowl at lunch time for $16 and it was the same size. So our second experience here was not as good as the first. But, I would still recommend this place because the owners are super nice and friendly people and their lunch menu is reasonable. I just won't come back for dinner.
(3)
Erica F.

I am a sushi lover, but a connoisseur by no means. I have been to a few restaurants on island and for the most part I've been unimpressed. I wanted to try something new and I used yelp to find this place. The restaurant is located beside the Super Market tucked in the back of the plaza. There is a small parking lot and plenty of street parking around. Its a mom and pop style restaurant with about 7 tables inside. The sushi menu was very hard to understand because it was all written in Japanese. Thank god for yelp and pictures lol. The waitress was also very helpful in explaining the menu and the types of sushi serviced. I had a hard time understanding what she was saying but decided on getting the momo sushi set. The sushi was very fresh and each piece was served with wasabi already inside. If you can't handle wasabi then you probably should request without because a few pieces for me had a lot and I can handle spice. I pride myself in being an adventurous person but I definitely stepped outside my comfort zone with a few pieces on my plate. Sea urchin and Abalone are not for me lol. The waitress brought out the main sushi plate and the appetizers all at one time. I found the complete meal to be very filling and the warm egg custard not to my liking. The waitress did joke that it wasn't a dessert and we may not like it. Overall a good spot. I would definitely return.
(4)
Charleston C.

My fiancee lives in Honolulu, so I visit her form the mainland fairly frequently. And every time I visit her, Michinoku is a must have, twice or thrice a week. I love the Japanese lady (the owner of the restaurant) is so polite, babbles long strings of Japanese that I don't really understand, yet I can totally feel her enthusiasm. I've tried calling to make reservation, and she would speak tons of Japanese, while all I catch are the essential "time?" "how many people?" "name?". Our most commonly ordered food are the chirashi (icho and momiji), the michinoku special, and negi toro-don. I think I don't really need to go into extreme details of how good they are, as there are dozens of other reviews to tell you that. Some more practical tips though, are that: 1. I think it is sufficient to order icho chirashi. I like the variety of sashimi that comes with it. I've ordered the momiji on occasions when I feel like wanting to spoil myself. The fish / seafood in there do worth more, but somehow I feel that the essence of michinoku is in its common-ness and the happiness it generates with a family-style japanese meal not filled with high end fish. It's the freshness of the food that counts, not the market price of the fish. 2. If you were to order the donburi's, I suggest going only with the donburi, rather than half don half udon (i.e. the donburi combo). After all, I think there are only so many ways to make udon and they really taste more or less the same everywhere. Keep to the strength of michinoku and enjoy your meal! 3. Should always try to make reservation if possible. While on a weekday evening they may not be crammed to the street, but it's usually filled due to the relative smallness of the restaurant. In a way, I find it difficult to explain why I like michinoku so much. Taken apart individually, each item in a michinoku special or chirashi are not something that you have not seen elsewhere. But somehow together, they really give you an enjoyable experience. Moreover, their prices are really decent given that it's Japanese food.
(5)
Ryan T.

LIke Will.I.Am says, "I just can't get enough." For me I can never get enough of good Japanese food. Looking to try a new place, I decided to visit Michinoku since I had heard a lot of people raving about this mom & pop eatery that serves up fresh sushi/sashimi dishes. Located on Keeaumoku St., Michinoku is really easy to miss, especially if you tend to drive a little fast like I do. In fact they are such a hidden gem that they will not be visible even if you slow down and drive slow. If you are driving makai on Keeaumoku St towards Ala Moana Shopping Center, Michinoku will be on your left hand side. As far as landmarks are concerned, just be on the look out for Daechun and the Keeaumoku Supermarket. Upon entering Michinoku, I was warmly greeted with a "Irrashaimase" by the owner's wife dressed in a traditional Japanese yukata no less. This is the type of greeting that you would expect back in Japan, definitely not in Hawaii. After getting seated, I really did not have to think twice about what I was going to order. For me, the only thing that was going to hit the spot and satisfy my sushi fix was the Negitoro Don. For those of you unfamiliar with this dish, the toro comes from the fatty belly portion of the tuna and is coveted by sushi aficionados around the world. At Michinoku, not only is the toro here melt in your mouth delicious, they also give a hearty portion. Besides the generous amounts of ground toro, this donburi is also topped with 2 slices of tamago-yaki, a shiso leaf, sliced daikon strings, green onions, and a pinch of shoga. Priced at $17, this is by no means a cheap dish, but well worth it when you consider the generous portions and quality of the ground toro. As far as negitoro dons are concerned, Michinoku's is right up there with some of the best that I have had. The only thing that could make this dish more decadent for me would be to put some pieces of uni on top with a quail egg. With only six tables and a small sushi bar, Michinoku is a true hole in the wall joint that serves up fresh fish at reasonable prices. I love my Japanese food and after my visit for lunch today, they are now part of my top 10 Japanese eats in Hawaii.
(4)
Christine T.

This has to be my favorite Japanese restaurant on the whole island. The food is authentic, fresh, and delicious. Service is excellent although it's run by a small family (father, mother, daughter). My mom was born and raised in Japan and even she thinks the food is excellent. If my mom approves then I know it's as authentic as it can get. I usually get the butterfish teishoku which is the best butterfish I've ever had in my life. My mom usually gets the best Chirashi sushi they offer. I've taken my bf there who has tried a lot of Japanese restaurants here but is from Wisconsin and even he thinks it's the best on the island. You should probably make a reservation since the small place gets full quickly.
(5)
Bret H.

Quaint little Japanese place. The owners seemed nice. Great food!
(4)
Terry K.

Natto donburi, sashimi moriawase, chicken karaage, miso-konyaku, mirugai nigiri, and the list goes on. All FRESH, as fresh can be. But I learned later the item to order is the omakase for $40 rather than the sashimi moriawase for $75. Nevertheless, the food was good. The service was excellent. When making the reserversation, I made a boo-boo by failing to ask if it was still byob and brought beer and sake. BUT they do serve beer and sake now, she said for at least a year. Both our server and sushi man were ever so polite, let us drink our own beer and sake apologizing for the misinformation. It is I who should apologize I think for not asking. Ever so polite (like being served in Japan). Downside is parking, or the lack of it. Do make a reservation before you go. It's a small restaurant and during our visit, not an empty seat!
(4)
Arthur S.

Great customer service. I called a phone order in one day just because i was curious about this place. I walk into the store and am promptly greeted by the cashier. The place has a very traditional feel to it. There were some Japanese customers already sitting at a table and once i walked in i felt like an outsider. Much like the feeling i get in Japan. Right there and then i knew this place was legit! I decided to get the negi-tori don which was OK. It was teishoku style meal and came with several styles. I enjoy teishoku style meals because its not just one large meal, its a few small meals so it makes it hard to get tired of eating the same thing over and over. The negi-toro was quite soft and flavorful. The salad and miso soup that comes with the negi-tori were also tasty. For quality of food given at the price id say it was a little pricey. It was all well put together but negitori just isn't my dish of meals. Id rather have fresh thick cuts of Hamachi. Parking is quite difficult to find here. I had to park as sorabol and walk down keamoku. Michinoku is tucked away in a parking lot so don't expect a big flashy sign with arrows leading to the front door.
(3)
Kelly G.

Mom and pop shop in front of the Keeamoku grocery store was open late enough for my boy and I to catch a late dinner! Just a warning, last call for food is at 9:30, but they won't give you crap for coming in at 9:20 to order food. We ordered the chirashi dinner set and a unagi don dinner set. Both came with miso soup, salad, seaweed salad, chawan, pickled veggies and the main entree. Everything was balanced nicely and provided a variety of textures and tastes throughout the dinner. Maybe it was just last night, but the food was a tad salty and leaving me needing to drink a lot of water later in the night. But, chirashi was fresh and had a nice variety and unagi was soft and came with a quail egg baked on top. Total $40-ish, a little pricey, but everything was just so satisfying and of quality. Love that they take card and were open relatively late.
(4)
Bianca Y.

This is a small japanese restaurant runs by a japanese lady and man. The lady takes care of the customers and the man makes the sushi, there is a kitchen in the back but unable to see. Overall this place is clean and services are good. Very fresh sushi and uni , one of the best place to get uni on Oahu with resonable price, you get what you pay for and to me it's worth the price. I have brought 10+ friends here and got good feedback from them too. The japanese lady is super nice, something she might talk a little in japanese while speaking in English, but it's common Japanese words so it's not too bad. I took out one star because they doesn't serve dessert.
(4)
Esteban W.

Quite simply put Michinoku has the best raw item you will ever place on your mouth... next to licking Lady GaGa. Of course I tend to go on and on in my reviews, but I'm determined to keep this simple. In the end though, good food deserves to be ranted and raved and Michinoku deserves recognition for its superiority. The GOOD: the freshness. I, along with fellow companions, Tim P., Dan from Wang Chungs, and Derek G. all ordered our own special dish. I myself enjoyed a spectacular mushroom Udon. The broth was beyond flavorful and satisfying, along with amazing fresh green onions and mouth watering mushrooms, your eyes will glaze over with the mushrooms. A collection of 'shrooms that are tasty as they are (for lack of a better word) cute as F*K make you almost sorry that you're going to macerate them between your gums. Salty, feshy, delicious. The Udon noodles were perfectly prepared. The best huge noodles I have ever slurped on. Udon is typically a thick noodle, and Michinoku makes their huge, soft noodles so delicate that they nearly melt in your mouth. Derek G. couldn't resist asking me to taste my noodle. So I let him get some. In addition to the food being completely amazing, the service was about as cute as those damn mushrooms. Mom and Pop shop to the Nth power. Mom walks around in her kimono offering Tea and water smiling up the joint, while pops kicks it behind the sushi bar. You can understand why the couple is still together after sooo many years if he is as magical with his hands with her as he is in making sushi. No wonder she never fails to smile. The ambiance of the tiny establishment is fun too. About 3 Japanese men chat away with pops (clearly his best men) as he works his magic with raw fish. Mom caters to the guests and everyone loves feeling like what they think Japan is really like. The BAD: Nothing. Not a damn thing. Of course, price is always an issue, and Michinoku caters to the high-end palate, which means many normal folk who are struggling to keep their two bedroom, one bath in Waikiki may not like the price tag of superior quality. The good side of the sad financial story is that my Udon was only $9 for a satisfying amount. The Bad, our bill (for four guys looking for after-party munchies) was $101.04. That included two Udon bowls, two platters of sushi and the schmorgesborg that Dan ordered. Everything included some fresh hot tea and four waters, because that's how we `roll' (because it's a sushi bar - get it). Overall, I managed to go over board and type a page long review even though I promised myself to keep it short. In the words of Dan from Wang Chungs, I don't want this place to go out of business, and neither do I. Once in a while you have to splurge on your sushi, or else your stuck thinking Kuri Kuri is the best O'ahu has to offer. In the end Michinoku blows any conveyor-belt-sushi disgrace out of the proverbial water. So next time you're thinking of Genki, come to your damn senses and find this tiny treasure that is sure to blow you away. You will come to find yourself smiling as much as mom on your way out.
(5)
Tina C.

This is authentic Japanese food! I ordered the Sakura, and the fish was so fresh. The toro was amazing! The Uni was sweet to the taste. The ratio of fish to rice in their nigiri was awesome - huge slice of fish and just enough rice. We also had the butter fish. Wow - it had just a hint of miso and melted in your mouth! The meals come with a salad, seaweed salad, steamed egg custard, pickled cabbage, and miso soup! Great quality food!
(5)
nick m.

Found this place from Yelp recommendations and in the search for a sushi place I haven't been to before. First, this place is tricky to find. It's located in the strip mall area by the Korean supermarket on Keeamoku, right across the street from McDonalds. If you've passed Micky-Ds and are on your way to Ala Moana mall, you went too far! Small (about 6-7 tables and sushi bar) dining room, all packed with Japanese speakers so you know they must be doing something right. Ordered miso butterfish don and ikura-hotate don. Generous slices of raw scallop and fish roe on top of sushi rice? YES and YES. The hotate was so sweet, it was probably the best I have ever tasted. I think their tesihoku plates were a great deal- yelp.com/biz_photos/SE7Lâ€¦ Salad (with ginger dressing) Soup- your choice of miso or udon Pickled cabbage and yam marinated mushrooms bonito fish custard (sounds weird but tasted pretty good) and an assortment of your favorite raw seafood on sushi rice. Service was terrific. Because it's so small our waitress was extremely attentive and was always bringing us more ice for our BYOB and clearing plates. My only regret was not trying more of the sushi- from what I had in my don bowl I would not hesitate to come back here for a sashimi-oriented meal! BYOB!- I recommend iichiko japanese soju or a good japanese draft beer to compliment! There's a Korean supermarket about 20 feet away that closes early, and several liquor stores in the area as well.
(4)
Sara S.

3.5 stars rounded up because next time I'm just getting the full sized negi toro donburi! HOW WOULD I HAVE FOUND THIS PLACE WITHOUT YELP?!? I HAVE NO IDEA. It's seriously in a random mini lot across the street from McDonalds where the new Keeamoku Supermarket (which I didn't know existed) is. It's so small, it can fit about 20 ppl max. One older Japanese waitress for the entire restaurant, one sushi chef. LEGIT. I got the donburi/ mini udon combo with a negi-toro don. The toro was SOOO MELT IN YOUR MOUTH GOOD. LIKE BUTTA! Don't wanna think about how many calories it is. TOOOO BAD. Complete with a side of tamago, NOM NOM NOM! The mini bowl looked small but it's deeper than it looks so I wonder how big the normal one is... I would definitely pass on the udon here next time though and save that for Marukame Udon or Jimbo's. The combo price is based on the price of the donburi you order, so mine was $20. My friend got the combo with the gyu-don which is $15. The combo also comes with a salad, kobocha and CHAWAN MUSHI. Yummy!!!!! If you think about it $20 is not incredibly expensive for the amt of food you get, it's like the same as a typical teishoku. They also have chirashi and nigiri sushi of course. If you have a larger party, definitely make reservations bc I'm not sure they can accommodate you otherwise. Definitely glad I checked this place out, I'll be back for more sushi and negi-toro donburi!!!
(4)
Royce H.

Really quaint hole in the wall in the middle of koreamoku. The fish quality is top notch, especially the maguro. The michinoku special is a good deal, and comes with a few sides and miso soup. The hostess is really friendly and sweet. Also try the butterfish if you're not looking for raw fish.
(5)
Anne P.

In my opinion, the perfect chirashi would contain the following ingredients: *multiple slices of sake, hamachi, saba, hotate, maguro, unagi, amaebi, tamago, white tuna *ikura (salmon roe) *slices of sweeten braised shiitake mushroom *pickled radish or daikon *seaweed salad (optional) This restaurant's chirashi had the following pros and cons, relative to my notion of the perfect chirashi: Pros: The fish was very fresh and of the perfect portion size. All the fish came straight from Japan. The maguro melted in your mouth and it even came with hotate! Cons: In terms of variety, this chirashi definitely was lacking -- it didn't have unagi, saba, amaebi and any of the 'freebies' such as shiitake mushrooms, radish/daikon or seaweed salad. I definitely have mixed feelings about this place's chirashi. Based on pure variety, I would give it three stars; however, what boosted it up to four stars was definitely the quality of the ingredients and the entire meal as a whole. Specifically, all the fish originated from Japan, and it even came with chawamushi and some pickles/daikons on the side (but i don't count that since it technically wasn't part of the actual chirashi)! I consider this a real gem, and if you have a big group, I highly encourage you to make a reservation!
(4)
Gayle C.

This is my favorite Japanese Restaurant in the area. I bring all of my out of town guest and friends who love Japanese food. It it intimate, friendly and the quality of the sashimi and sushi are excellent. If you have a group larger than 4 or arrive later than 6:30, you should make reservations. The restaurant hold about 25 people. The sushi chef and the waitress are husband and wife and are very friendly. My favorite dish is the Momoji Chirashi and I never been disappointed.
(5)
Jannet L.

This parking lot is almost as bad as the palama supermarket one. How strange that this is also he parking lot for the other Korean supermarket. What is it with my peeps and creating impossible parking lots? Anyhow the sashimi pieces were huge and fresh and melt in your mouth. The rest of he food on he tray was good. Fine really. I just didn't know what to expect since the English words were just phonetic spellings of whatever it said in Japanese and the hub wasn't around to translate.
(3)
Kelly M.

Amazing fesh fish. Prices to match. That fish don't come cheap. Mon-n-pop operated with more Japanese spoken than Engllish. Very nice people. Had the chirashi. A bento box with rice and shreaded daikon toped with several pieces of great sashimi (red tuna, hamachi, squid, shrimp, egg, and fish roe), miso soup, salad, brown threads of something, and a few pickled somethings. I'll be the first to admit that I like Japanese food, but I don't KNOW Japanese food. So I just eat it. Shreaded daikon was prett bland. Miso was great, best I've ever had. Rice was very good. You could tell it was very high quality with a very subtle nuttiness. Fish was fabulous quality. But I discovered something about myself. At the end of the day, sashimi is just....... raw fish. Quality is important, but not mech else for me to get excited about (no sauce, no cooking technique, etc.). So I'll go back to theis great little place, but will probably have something else on the menu.
(4)
risk E.

Fish is really fresh. They have really good uni, ikura, and maguro. I recommend sitting at the sushi bar because sometimes the chef has extra pieces and lets you sample the scraps. Staff here is extra friendly and atmosphere is like Japan mom and pop restaurants.
(5)
Kevin A.

SHIZUKANI! Shhh! This place is truly a hidden gem. It's a small mom and pop type operation with only a handful of tables, a small sushi bar, and exceptional food. There's a reason this place is packed with people speaking Japanese; the sushi was extremely fresh, the service is very friendly (although a little slow since there was only one lady serving), and (for now) it's a BYOB place next door to a Korean grocery store. They don't sell sake, but they do have beer and soju. What a deal! My favorites of the night were the awabi, ikura, chutoro, and the silky smooth chawan mushi.
(4)
Andrew M.

This is probably my favorite restaurant in Honolulu. The place is small, but really quite good. Get the Michinoku special! It's really fantastic.
(5)
Noelani C.

Yummy combo sets to choose from. Small restaurant with a cute clean atmosphere. Nice waitress and nice sushi guy behind the sushi counter. The sashimi combos are great priced and the hot udon noodle soup is really good too! Nothing too fancy here. Its just a great simple japanese restaurant that has great customer service! Kid friendly!!
(5)
Marko C.

My best friend and I went to dinner here the other night because it was so highly recommended. We weren't dissapointed! The food was actually pretty good! I ordered the toro-donburi and it was pretty good! The fish was very fresh and there was a lot of flavor from the dish. I liked the fact that they put a LOT of fresh fish on the donburi and didn't try to skimp on anything. Well proportioned. Came with veggies, miso soup, and several other tsukemono dishes. ~$16-18 My friend ordered the chirashi sushi bowl and it was amazing. There were about 10+ different types of sashimi on the rice and everything was very fresh. It was nicely arranged. The food was "art". $17-18. The waitress was totally super nice and efficient. She was very polite. She was an authentic Japanese woman, so it made the place's atmosphere even more welcoming! it's a bring your own booze kind of place. If you forgot your drinks, go to the Korean supermarket right next door and they have plenty of selection (and it's cold!). Michinoku will put the beer in the fridgerator to keep it cold until you are ready to drink it. Overall, two thumbs up!
(4)
Sarah B.

Disappointing. The fish was at best unmemorable and all the nigiri had FAR too much wasabi on it. The service was distracted and the premises are utterly charmless.
(2)
Shari S.

I love love love Michinoku! The atmosphere instantly brings me back to Japan. The cute little Japanese owners and usually when I go I'm the only one speaking English. All of the Japanese nationals go there (which you know it must be good because they like it and they are from the best!). I definitely recommend coming here.
(5)
Clinton L.

Love this place. Went to go eat the Nigiri Sakura Deluxe, and it was really really good. Moderate prices, very homey, very very very good. Me and my gf were the last customers in the place, arrived around 8:10PM on a Wednesday night, and ate very well. The waitress speaks Japanese, and a little bit of English. Enough to maybe take your order, but not enough to hold a conversation. All in all, a good experience. Come here if you want really good sushi.
(5)
Lalaine V.

I really enjoyed this place for its quaint and quiet atmosphere where you can converse with your date or small group. Hopefully you're not the claustrophobic type. The hostess/waitress was attentive and just very nice. The food was delicious. The hamachi nigiri were thick slices and fresh. My friend ordered uni and the only thing he complained about was the amount of uni on the rice. For our entree three of us ordered the sashimi teishoku and one got misoyaki butterfish which we scarfed down. Uni friend was still hungry so he ordered chicken karaage which we all tried. I thought the flavor was good but it didn't have that crunchy-crispy coating I love. It's a good idea to make reservations. Parking is a challenge but it's worth the hassle.
(4)
Maile F.

Check out my pics! Everything we ordered was delicious. Gonna go back to try some nigiri next time. Best part BYOB!!
(4)
Linda M.

It was ok, nothing great. I had the momiji chirashi ($28) and mom had the butterfish teishoku ($20). The salad dressing had an unusual gelatinous consistency but was a tasty yuzu flavor. Both course came with salad, oshinko, miso shiru, and chawan mushi which was disappointingly quite bland. I guess I'll go back but for lunch only since it was kind of pricey for dinner.
(3)
Jason F.

My favorite Japanese restaurant on the island and my go-to Japanese restaurant when I need a sushi fix. It doesn't have the pizzazz like Imanas, Sasabune or Gaku; but it is delicious, traditional Japanese food and sushi at a moderate price. Their sushi is always fresh and their donburi's are great. They sometimes have specials, which are usually very good (I've had their hamachi kama and saba sashimi.) This is a small little restaurant with 6 or so tables and a sushi bar. It's pretty much run by a husband and wife team (I assume). The service is quick (as long as the restaurant is not packed) and has that homey Japanese feel to it. My favorite dishes are any of their sushi, the butterfish teishoku and negi-toro don. None of these are mind-blowing dishes, but they all hit the spot on taste and flavor. Some things of note: the menu is mostly in Japanese with English pronunciations, so it might be difficult to understand the whole menu. In addition, the waitress speaks mostly Japanese with a little English, so sometimes it's difficult to ask what is what on the menu. Regardless, I love this place and will keep going back.
(5)
CJ C.

Actually would give this place a 3.5 stars. Prices are reasonable for good sushi. We ate salmon, hamachi, chu toro and mirugai. Sushi was fresh and tasty, but a couple pieces were stringy. The misoyaki butterfish was a generous 2 piece portion which was well-cooked and tasty--probably some of the best butterfish I've had. My dining companion had the special--the rice with seafood and shredded egg was unusual and palate pleasing. A tiny place. Good sushi, not the best I've ever had, but a good deal for a fair price.
(3)
Grant O.

Very authentic Japanese food. Had their hamachi kama shioyaku special which was excellent. Very moist, flavorful, nicely marbled, served with daikon and lemon.
(5)
LesliAnn K.

If you ever find yourself looking for authentic Japanese in town for supah early Sunday dinner, this is your place. To let you know, lot of Japanese places are closed Sunday/Monday, and trust me, I've done the research already (the old fashioned lets go to the restaurant and walk up to the door kine to see sign CLOSED), this place is OPEN! It is the rare Japanese restaurant open on Sundays, 530 - 1000 pm. Very cozy place that can seat about 20, a very kind hostess who immediately converses in Japanese with you regardless of if you know it or not, and an awesome display of 100+ knickknacks behind Mr. Sushiman. Its right in the heart of "Koreamoku" next to the Keeamoku supermarket. Now the thing that has remained consistent and stands out every time I go is that the rice is just that good. Whatever it is, it is the perfect consistency every time. They do teishoku, sushi well. Tried the Michinoku special, good for the indecisive who want a little of everything. Had miso soup, salad, chawanmushi, unagi rice, tsukemono, and more. Light but satisfying. Also, the maguro toro nitsuke was the special of the day, get it! very soft and the taste was subtle, not drowning in it kine.
(4)
Sheryl M.

I find that most of the places I enjoy eating at are little hidden gems, hole in the walls as they're called. Most recently we were checking out the newest Korean market off Keeaumoku and noticed a cute restaurant tucked away in the back of the parking lot, and yet now tucked away off the side fronting the new market. In the middle of Korea-moku was a inconspicuous Japanese restaurant that specializes in a variety of fresh fish sashimi, nigiri's, traditional sushi rolls, chirashi, and donburi. Spying into the place, I noticed the sushi bar and knew immediately I NEEDED to try the fish. As I perused the dinner menu, a sashimi teishoku for 20 dollars...hmmm.....not a very difficult decision. We also ordered the unagi tororo donburi, less the tororo - since that person never had it before. If you never have either, it's grated mountain yam (yama-imo) and it has a very slimy consistency. Most importantly we HAD to order the salmon skin roll. The salmon skin roll was very good, but paled in comparison to the main dishes. The unagi donburi was one of the best that I've had in Hawaii. The flakiness of the eel and light yet flavorful sauce was similar to the dishes I've had in Japan. The sashimi teishoku consisted of (3) maguro, (2) hamachi, (2) mirugai, (2) hirame, and (1) tako. All I can say is OHHHHHMYYYYYYYY GOD! I was in sashimi heaven....I would have sprouted wings and a halo if I also had anago, sake, and uni!!! Wait I take that back, they would have needed to roll me out of there - so it's a good thing I stuck with what was on my plate! Up next, is the NEED to try the chirashi...to be continued...
(5)
Eddie T.

Japanese soul food! Delicious and the atmosphere makes me feel like I'm at home. All welcomed and warm.
(5)
Cindy H.

WOW WOW WOW! I did not know that authentic Japanese food was SO good! First of all, I expected sushi rolls on the menu, but it didn't have any. I scanned the menu front and back, but I could not recognize a single item except edamame. Everything was spelled in letters, but there were no descriptions. The lady owner was so nice and pointed out some of the popular dishes on the menu. We ordered chirashi, scallop bowl, and ahi tuna bowl. The chirashi is the BEST Japanese food I've ever had. The bite of thinly sliced egg, shrimp, eel, and rice with soy sauce was unbelievably AMAZING! Then you have all the little appetizers on the tray too. My favorite was the steamed egg that had a slightly dried shrimp flavor, which added slight saltiness that wasn't too overwhelming, rather enjoyable. The slices of tuna and hamachi were very fresh too. The slices of tuna with soy sauce in the rice bowl were fresh and tasted so good with rice. The scallop bowl was okay, but my friend said it was her favorite. The green tea is definitely green tea. It tastes very authentic and looks like it too. I love this mom-and-pop restaurant. The owners are so nice.
(5)
Grace Y.

I loved this sushi restaurant before they moved, and I love it after they moved. The parking situation is much better now. This is a staple for us when we want good Japanese food and attentive Japanese style service. I like how tiny the restaurant is and the intimate feel to it. The server is so great, she is so patient and kind. The sushi is very fresh. I usually go for a sushi platter and, like most of the dinner platters, this comes with a variety of side dishes including salad, pickled veggies, miso soup, and Changsha (yum!). The tea is also very good.
(5)
Brooke N.

I had a teishoku dinner...I took a picture and posted it on facebook...people commented...where are you?? It looks like you're having dinner in Japan. It was oishii! Small and quaint you either need to make reservations or come in early...I think there are only 6 tables and a handful of seats at the sushi bar. The seats fill up quickly!! Just be careful in the parking lot it's close quarters and a little difficult to maneuver.
(4)
Bill L.

Outstanding restaurant. Have been here 3 times. Each time, the meal was great. Fish quality is good. Have had the Michinoku Special and Chirashi. Couldn't be better. One day, there was a daily special (written in Japanese) - the owner explained what it was. It was so fresh and great.
(4)
Art T.

My friend recommended this place. I assumed the lady served us was the Sushi chef's wife. She was very nice and pretty with her kimono. I had Sashimi Teishoku. As my friends mentioned, the fish was very fresh. I also loved the chawamushi (steamed egg custard) side dish that came with the meal. I was full by the time I finished my meal. My friend had the vegetable udon. I could not help but asked him to let me taste it. It was very good. I definitely have to go back to order one myself next time. If anyone likes good quality Japanese food, this place is a gem.
(5)
sky i.

After their former landlord mistreated them, the owners of Michinoku decided to move to another location. Their final destination, however, is difficult to find. Michinoku is located on Keeamoku Street in the parking area that is between Next Door Bar & Grill and Club Sandy. Their menu and the prices remain mostly the same, but more importantly, their dedication to quality food and service is still intact as well. Their sushi/sashimi in particular, is on par with the best of them in Honolulu, and all for a decent price. FYI: For parents of toddlers, no high chairs are available. For alcoholics, Michinoku still awaits their liquor to be approved so it's BYOB. There is, however, a liquor store only a few doors down.
(5)
Mai T.

I have been to Michinoku twice for lunch and dinner, and both times have been a great experience. When I went for lunch with my sister we ordered the Nigiri Lunch Special and for the price it was, it was a great deal! It is a lunch menu, so the items were not like Uni, mirugai and the other must gets at sushi restaurants, but it was good. For dinner, we sat on the counter and ordered some sashimi. We wanted to try some different things, but I got the feeling that the sushi chef here was more traditional. Everything was nice and good, but at the same time, there is not one thing here that would definately bring me back.
(3)
Kimo S.

This is more of a 3.5 star restaurant but I always like to give the benefit of the doubt in cases where I am stuck in the middle. With soooooo many Japanese sushi restaurants crammed into Honolulu you really need to stand out to be considered fantastic. We dined here Saturday evening and it was crowded, even though it was only 6 parties it pretty much filled the place to capacity. This is a VERY small restaurant. Service was attentive and the place looks clean, though I'll figure that is because they just moved from their old Kalakaua location to here recently. The sushi... it was good. We had four pieces of maguro and what turned my fiancee off was that two of the cuts were perfect. The other two had the stringy white lines showing in them. It tasted fresh but the presentation left us a little puzzled. The uni also left my fiancee on the fence, one of the pieces was delicious the other tasted gritty/dirty. The menu is small so I was expecting a certain level of perfection and consistency... but we were left on the fence after leaving here. Personally, we'll most likely be sticking to Akasaka for sushi in town but should I crave well priced sushi a few blocks away... this might suffice.
(4)
Keoki O.

Immediately greeted in Japanese with an "irasshaimase" There's a traditional aura about this place. Got the traditional Japanese music playing in the background, and da waiter was wearing one kimono with da geta slippahs. Was da first customers during the opening for dinner. Friendly service. Ono meals. Had a complete teishoku meal with salad, miso soup, and da ono sashimi. Onolicious garenz!
(4)
HighStandard S.

This place is the real thing. Green tea is wonderful, as is the wasabi. I think the chef must prepare the wasabi himself. The set up requires patience because the waitress doubles as a prep cook.
(4)
Jessica H.

We found this restaurant because of Yelp. We were searching for a sushi restaurant that wasn't closed on a Sunday night, which apparently is a difficult task in Honolulu. Anyway, this is a true genuine sushi restaurant and if you are more of a "western" sushi-goer, then this might not be for you. I admit that I am in the latter camp, but I'm giving it 4 stars anyway, simply because I can appreciate quality food and service, even if I didn't like everything on my plate. I ordered one of the nigiri specials (because a la carte prices are about $6-$7 for 2 pieces of fish, or you can order a whole special for $18-$26), but that means putting my fate in the hands of the sushi chef. So I got some really good pieces of fish and a few that I wasn't a fan of. I didn't realize that it would also come with soup, salad, and 4 other sides, which was a bonus! The place is tucked back in a shopping center and the sign does not face the street so it is difficult to find. There is some parking, but it is shared with the neighboring restaurants and supermarket so it isn't plentiful. Bottom line, if you don't love every kind of sushi out there, then this might not be for you. But, if you will eat anything, then this is a great little gem of a sushi restaurant with some top quality fish.
(4)
Porky Penguin S.

Michinoku, in its new location, still maintains the authentic quality of its Japanese cuisine. A good price performer. My maguro-natto domburi was delicious, and the accompanying udon had great texture and taste. With a myriad of side dishes that come with the meal, for $14, it was a deal! I want to return there in the near future to keep them in business.
(4)
At O.

This restaurant is a solid place to go. I found it on yelp and decided to try it. - Location-behind Red House retaurant on Keeamoku St - Service-we were a little nervous when we walked in as everyone looked at us as the only non-Japanese customers and we were sure why but then I just said, "Dinner" and the hostess/waitress said "call in?" and I said, "no" then we were seated right away but I think what made it weird was we were sure if we could just sit right down, but you basically can sit whereever. It's small and the lady speaks as much English as she can and tolerated our number of questions on the menu with ease and niceness. We loved her. - Food-very good. I had the nigiri plate (Ume) that had 8 pieces of nigiri with pickles, miso soup, pickles, seaweed, and salad (the pictures others posted show how it comes out). I also ordered two Unagi and was unable to finish all my nigiri so had someone else finish it. My friend had the butterfish which she really liked and she said the salmon and fatty tuna nigiri were awesome. Another friend had the combo Udon and I forgot the other term but although I didn't hear her mention anything she ate it up. The third friend had the sashimi plate and he ate it up as well. Everyone was completely satisfied and would definitely go again...and again. - Appearance-simple yet clean. It's funny as the door to the bathroom leads to a back room and two huge bathrooms (one male, one female) that are very clean. As my sister in the food industry says, "Clean bathroom, clean kitchen." I kind of want to go again now after writing this. My rating scheme-5-consitently amazing where I leave like I had a spiritual food experience, 4-consistently awesome, 3-I'd eat it, but don't crave it, 2-if someone brought it to me, I would eat some, 1-no thanks.
(4)
Noeru N.

Yay! Michinoku (one of me and mom's fave sushi places) has found a new home! -- Was so excited as its been awhile since I've had sushi and decided to treat myself for lunch. I ordered the Nigiri Lunch Special. For $15 I got a salad, miso soup, simmered kobu, otsukemono and 2 pcs Maguro, 1 Hamachi, 1 Ebi, 1 Kaibashira, 1 Kisu and 1 kanpyo cut roll. Not necessarily my favorite sushi's .. wasn't impressed with the double up tuna, would've preferred different types of nigiri instead. But what the heck, its a lunch special. I was hoping to sit at the sushi bar for lunch but it was closed and the showcase was covered so I couldn't see what was available. They had a good amount of people having lunch, I saw that the chirashi's, udon's and other teishokus were their bestsellers. I know that if I go back for dinner and sit in front of him it'll be five stars. However this is strictly for my lunch special .. 3 1/2 stars. Maybe next time for lunch I'll get the sanma teishoku.
(3)
Sarah P.

I really wish I could give this place as many stars as others, but when I dined there on Saturday night, I was so sad. My first time there and now I regret it. Wish I'd just called Morio's instead a week ahead of time for a reservation. The dinner had a lot of stuff - I got the special. I think the tofu was ok. The salad was ok. But I was here for sushi. I got two pieces of freezer burnt disgusting salmon (I'm from Alaska, I know what good salmon is supposed to taste like and this tasted like the crap I feed my dogs because it got lost at the back of the freezer) and tailpipe tuna (tuna treated with carbon monoxide). My friend, however, was served fresh fish, including fresh tuna. What the hell?! We're sitting at the same table! Not sure what the difference is. Perhaps because I asked what things were on the menu (sorry folks, I speak Russian as my second language, not Japanese, so my apologies for not knowing what things are on the menu), they assumed I'd never eaten sushi. She asked me, "Oh, you don't like the sushi?" I said, "No, the salmon is freezer burnt and the tuna is gassed." She said "Oh" then handed me my bill for the full price. Horrible horrible. I'll never go back. I truly wish I'd had the same experience others have had. I was excited about this place because of all the 4-5 stars others have given, but I hate paying that much money for salmon that I spit out. Yes, I spit out. It was that bad.
(1)
Kirk W.

Ate here tonight. Always find it amazing how the sushi taste so good. Great little mom and pop place. Limited English. But great service and better sushi
(5)
Kevin N.

Cozy nice atmosphere not too expensive and nice selection of fish. Would go again.
(4)
pete y.

This place is good. Try the chirashi. The special looks good also. This is a three person business model, waitress, sushi chef and cook. Parking is hard, but the fish is fresh, and the sushi rice is the right texture, consistency.
(5)
Wade T.

I'm hesitant to write a review because I want to keep this little gem of a secret, a secret. This place is tucked right next to the new keeaumoku super market. I was told by a friend to check it out and all I can say is YUM!!!! If you are tired of going to the same old sushi bar with the same old stuff then go check this place out. He puts a little spin on most of the sushi he serves. Yes there is the typical hamachi and maguro, but it's the other stuff yo gotta try. We had the Hirame and I found out there are two parts to the Hirame and he said to try the engawa I think it's called. It had a light smoky flavor with a nice sauce on top. I think it was better than sex. I had the hotate which he lightly cooks so it too had a nice smoky flavor with a little lemon. It just melted in my mouth and I knew I needed to try more. He recommended the ika which was tender not at all rubbery like some places which was from japan. The tako was also from Japan, and he said it had more flavor than local tako, and it did. All in all it was a great experience. I finished my meal with this crab udon. It was a little light on the crab side, but the flavor of the broth was tasty and I was ready for bed. It's a mom and pop place and his wife is so cute making recommendations and scolding my wife when she wasn't eating something as it should be, but it made things all the better.
(5)
Eric S.

cute little place on keeamoku its not a whole in the wall but its tiny with a few tables. went on a saturday night and surprisingly it was slow i think people dont know where this new location is. awesome food and awesome value had the michinoku special which included alot of things couple side veggie dishes, sashimi, chiwan mushi, ,miso soup and some type of sushi rice dish with little pieces of egg and seafood which was awesome cuz the sauce from the unagi incorporated well but im not an unagi eater so i just picked it off and gave it to my gf who loves it. my gf wasnt too hungry so she picked up the hot soba with mushrooms the broth was light yet very flavorful and all this for under 25 dollars if i remember right. the unagi sushi my gf got on the side was unbelivable in her opinion for under 6 dollars its the only place i know of which serves it warm the sauce was ligth yet very flavorful but u dont lose the true essence of the unagi taste. you guys better check this out there a little short on staff yet they try to be attentive as possible.
(5)

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Address : 835 Keeaumoku St
Honolulu, HI, 96814
Phone (808) 942-1414
Click To Get Directions

Opening Hours

Specialities

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

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Michinoku

835 Keeaumoku St, Honolulu, HI, 96814

Michinoku Menu

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