Wasabi’s Japanese Cuisine
75-5803 Ali'i Dr, Kailua-Kona, HI, 96740
Wasabi’s Japanese Cuisine Menu
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Address :
75-5803 Ali'i Dr
Kailua-Kona, HI, 96740 - Phone (808) 326-2352
- Website https://wasabishawaii.com
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:00 am - 10
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Street
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Quiet
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : Yes
WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES
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Lindsey H.
We went here twice while staying in Kona and really enjoyed this spot. We ordered the tempura veggies (small portion but good variety) and had three rolls- Ali'i drive, spicy sunset and a salmon roll on our first stop and ramen and soba noodles the next time. All were very good and we thought that the presentation was beautiful. The service was not the greatest even though there were few customers both times we went.
(4)William K.
I stopped in here during my Kona vacation and I was disappointed with the quality of the sushi. I ordered the rainbow roll, tuna nigiri and salmon nigiri. Only the salmon nigiri was good. The tuna was devoid of much of its flavor, while the rainbow roll lacked any resemble to other rainbow rolls I've had. As you can see in the picture, there are only two types of fish on top of the rainbow roll. This limited selection makes for a visually unappealing dish, since typical rainbow rolls also feature salmon, tuna and sometimes avocado in order to add color and ensure the roll lives up to its name. On the plus side, the service was good and the cooks were friendly. The prices were on par with other sushi restaurants. I almost forgot my ball cap. The hostess told me that I left it behind, so that was good.
(2)Bob A.
Good location, descent service, however it's over priced. Food was ok. Lots of shops near the restaurant so you can eat here and then look at stores after dinner
(3)Marvet B.
Food was fresh. Be clear about what you want and how you want it when you order. The service was nice and the chef was friendly.
(3)Tracey W.
We were staying at one of the resorts down the street and were undecided for a late lunch. We pulled up to the rear of Wasabi. My cousin thought the restaurant was part of a chain (on the mainland). It's not (part of the chain), but the food was okay. They had a variety of sushi and non sushi items. We both had Bento boxes. I had curry chicken, which was very good. They made a sushi for my cousin, which was similar to the sushi that she eats at home. I had an Ali'i roll and a crazy roll. They were good and flavorful. But I did not have "full blow/raw protein" sushi (I wasn't in the mood that day). They gave us good service, but I thought the prices were a little high. I did not have the Hibbachi or the Teppanyakki. I would give 3.5 stars, if I were able to. I did not feel the place merited a 4 star review.
(3)Sara L.
So it could be possible that my party went on a bad night. It seemed like it since the waitress wouldn't even let us walk into the door and put us at a table outside and off to the side. They seemed like they were understaffed that night. It took awhile before she could take our order and directly said they were backed up and that there would be a long delay. I ordered the shrimp and veggie tempura for an appetizer - $10.95 - this was a about 5 veggies and two shrimp which in my opinion isn't worth nearly 11 bucks! That being said I'm not surprised by the portion. I decided to have sushi since it was a Japanese place and opted for the Green Flash roll. This was described as spicy tuna with jalapeno. This is the only description of it on the menu. When it came I had to give it to another member of my group since it was covered in a wasabi cream sauce. I don't like wasabi with my sushi at all so this was particularly disappointing to me. I ended up getting a veggie roll that I traded with my dad. The veggie roll was pretty basic with just some sprouts, avocado and cucumber but even soy sauce couldn't bring the life to that roll. One person ordered their "Ranmen" which was a soup with thin noodles, fish cake, and a lot of veggies. Since I was still hungry I ended up finishing off the soup that got left over. It wasn't anything to rave about and was lacking a lot of flavor. I was told that my original roll was pretty good and that the yakisoba wasn't bad either. I can't comment on those since I didn't actually eat either one of those. I can't say that I would go back again since it was pretty disappointing overall in the first place. I think this was one of the low points of my trip.
(2)Chris R.
Better than I expected. They don't have a lot of specialty sushi rolls. So we ordered 3 rolls that stood out from the menu. One roll had papaya, another roll had cream cheese and the third had spicy tuna. Sorry, I can't remember their names. The sushi rolls were fresh, and tasty. Let's review their services. Service was horrible. This place is run by Mandarin speaking lady and she probably didn't know I spoke Mandarin too. She was getting short with us when we asked for forks for our kids and her response with an attitude was is there anything else? If you don't mind the rude service and is craving sushi rolls, this place is a ok place.
(2)Everett H.
I went in thinking it was a hibachi grill from the picture. It was not! The hibachi grill you see in the photo was ONE hibachi grill in the way back corner and its smaller than it looks in the picture. The cook seemed more of a waiter (wanna be cook) than an actual cook. The food turned out to be decent and the staff was friendly and that's why I gave it a 2 star instead of a 1. The price was high also. Would not recommend this place and will not be going back.
(2)Katie R.
It was late when I spotted this place in a cluster of closed shops in a strip mall like location right off of the Kona strip. I walked in and was the only customer. I asked if they had zaru soba on the menu. They indicated they did. I ordered it to go. 10 minutes later I was told it was almost ready. 10 minutes later I ordered a beer and continued to wait. 20 minutes later I finished the beer. 10 minutes after that I was handed a Styrofoam container with a scoop of noodles and a 1 oz plastic cup of sauce. No wasabi. No nori. No green onion. Just the soba and almost no sauce. After waiting almost an hour. As the only customer.
(2)Jennifer L.
I am a tourist visiting from Los Angeles and also work in the hospitality business so I admit when craving teppanyaki I had to consult yelp for where to go! I heard the restaurant in our hotel was overpriced and no good so called around a few places. When I first called a man was super nice and took my reservations. Then we called again having trouble finding it and the women whom answered the phone was so kind and helpful. I am guessing this women was the owner-and through our whole experience her customer service was impeccable. It was a Monday- a slower night there, but she still got us a spot at the hibachi grill right away and we didn't have to wait for others it was just us two. Her attitude made for a wonderful night out with my boo! Our chef was super cool too - his name was fish and he was Jamaican.... He was friendly and put on a good show. The ny steak and jumbo shrimp combo was delicious. Good quality and so flavorful. We also added friend rice which is a must. The price is reasonable Bc you get a ton of food and they even have a yelp discount so check it out Overall this is a hidden gem that made us feel really special and appreciated for our Business with delicious food. Worth a visit :)
(5)Margaret S.
The sushi was horrible the fruit in it was old and mushy I would give it 1 star. The soup had no flavor. The chef was very friendly . The fish and meat I would give ***** 5 stars.
(3)Rema Grace R.
The sashimi was excellent and served in a beautiful presentation. I recommend the place to everybody.
(5)Katherine L.
Im surprised this location averaged 3 stars. I think your experience here really depends on what you order. For example, this place had some of the freshest sashimi, but the tempura and soba noodles I ordered were mediocre. The hamachi sashimi was excellent. The sushi chef cut the sashimi pretty thick --about an inch thick. I usually don't like my sashimi cut this thick , however because the fish was so fresh and fatty, the flavor pretty much outweighed my slicing preference. The Hamachi sashimi is perfect for someone who prefers eating a fatty fish that has a softer texture due to the fat content. The lamb skewers and chicken skewers were also bomb. The skewer dishes are very dainty, so one person could probably eat more than a few of them for a meal. The reason I loved the lamb skewers was because it had a nice seasoning (cumin, paprika mix), perfect fat to meat ratio, and really mild pleasant lamb flavor. Some may not prefer to eat lamb due to the "game meat" taste, but I assure you that this dish is great for people who want to have not tried lamb before. The lamb had a nice clean taste. The chicken skewer was excellent as well. They make their chicken skewers using the drumstick meat of a chicken (dark meat), so it had lots of flavor. I could tell it was pre marinated, with chinese flavor spices like white pepper and soy. The classic teriyaki sauce they put on their chicken brought about a nice sweetness to complement the bitterness from charred meat. Soba are a wheat based noodle that can be prepared cold. Since Kona is pretty humid is nice to cool off with some soba noodles. The noodles themselves were a bit over cooked and didn't really have the classic bite to them. I wouldn't recommend eating the soba alone, however if you get some chicken skewers the soba and chicken makes for a nice combo. I would recommend this place for someone who enjoys eating fresh sashimi and bbq skewers. Quite and small location. For small parties or couples.......
(4)Ted D.
My five star review is based largely on my guests reactions... I take people here who say they don't like sushi and have never even tried it due to simply being squeamish about raw animal protein... First off... There are lots of non sushi items on the menu. Secondly... They have allot of fancy rolls that look real pretty and can hardly be recognized as sushi. Sweet, savory, hot, crispy or some combination thereof. Not my kind of sushi but I guess mid western corn fed tourists get real excited about it and must go home and tell there neighbors how daring they were to eat sushi in Hawaii... If you actually like sushi stick to the Nigiri and Sashimi and you wont be disappointed. From what I gather from the one american born worker I spoke to the owner takes on allot of Chinese student/ intern type workers that are just visiting the country to get some international experience. Which explains why it can be "Dinner theater" more often than not. So if you are feeling lucky or wild give it a try. If you can leave your high expectations at the door you wont be disappointed and you might even be pleasantly surprised. Also better to sit at the bar and order directly from the sushi maker... Just tell them what you like leave them a little artistic freedom and it usually goes well.
(5)Jes X.
4 stars for decent food and hours. -1 star for overcharging by 50 cents for one of the rolls, made me doubt my memory but the menu clearly says 7.50. Not computerized system so the price they charge is based on their memory? Weird... Didn't want to waste time on this and argue. Hopefully they are not doing this on purpose to all patrons. Really good red dragon roll and jalepeno roll. Yakisoba isn't Japanese enough. More like an Asian fusion.
(3)Bernard W.
Headed over here in hopes of getting a decent meal as was recommended by both a Chinese and English guidebook. Should have decided against that. First, it's supposed to be Japanese food, yet the place is run by Chinese people. That should be ring a bell already. The owner is nice, but really picks the customers to pay attention to (the ones with the money). Second, the place is seriously overpriced. As in Saimin for like 12$? Plus 2$ for chicken? It would have been a fair deal if the bowl of noodle was big and it actually tasted nice. However, it was neither. My family tried the sushi and it was absolutely drowned in sweet sauce. Let me just repeat, this is not Japanese food. I would not come back here. Food was not good. Portions were small and prices were expensive. We weren't full when we left because we decided it wasn't worth it. If you want some fake Japanese food for an inflated price, then feel free to eat your wallet away.
(1)Whitney A.
I came here with two of my best friends! We had a wonderful time! This is the best sushi I have had in Kona! The staff are so friendly and funny! It's very clean. Other sushi restaurants are less expensive. However, Wasabi's has the best quality by far. So delicious!!!!
(5)Mike F.
Great little place, felt like a mom and pop sushi place.. the sushi was amazing! Not the cheapest but what is in Hawaii! Would go back in a heartbeat
(5)Lance O.
How long could it take to cook Sushi? RIGHT? When we asked for wooden chopsticks the waitress was rude, wanted to argue about Waited 40 minutes, finally walked out, She had the nerve to charge me my can of soda Never again, and we live here
(1)Lacey B.
I ate here for lunch on 4/18/2015. It was simply amazing. We had a nice view facing the ocean and we were the only patrons in the whole place, so the waitress was very attentive. My mom had the pumpkin soup which was delicious, and I had the sashimi and sushi bento box and it was sooo great!! The fish was so fresh it didn't even taste like fish and just melted in my mouth!
(5)Ekaterina B.
We've been coming here three night in a row with a friend while staying at the closest hotel. We've been ordering pretty much the same stuff (we both are fond of sashimi and salmon in any way) sashimi, edamame, some cocktails and LOTS of sashimi. Food was good and fresh, but my concern was that on the second visit owner's wife rejected to make all salmon sashimi (even though she agreed the first time and charged us more which we didn't mind) talking something about prices for salmon on the markets right now which didn't really make sense to me if I was agreeing to pay more. After my second experience I didn't really want to come back to Wasabi the third night, but my friend insisted (fish freak) When we came in, I decided to ask for all salmon sashimi once again, because I thought that after leaving over a hundred bucks for two for two nights in a row they would be able to do that, but no, I was mistaking. Never experienced such an issue, to be honest, which made me disappointed, thats why only 3 stars.
(3)Quyen N.
After completing our shave ice quest, the boyfriend and I wandered around Coconut Grove Marketplace before our meetup with the mantarays later that evening. I was eying potential places for dinner pre-meetup. One place that caught my eye was Wasabi's with the sidewalk sign listing "vegitarian." Me vegetarian! Deciding between that or the pricey Mexican eatery with a nice view of the water or the Thai restaurant (usually a fail-safe option). In the mood for sushi at Wasabi's, I chose the tempura and natto ("netto") sushi rolls. Natto roll good - just a little bit on each piece, not to overwhelm the senses (smell, taste). Tempura roll was a bit disappointing - only vegetable was the Okinawan sweet potato; I was expecting a greater variety of vegetables in the tempura (like Ninja Sushi!) I was still a little hungry after eating the two rolls, but didn't want to spend more money on food. So my boyfriend let me pick over some of his leftover food (I forgot which dish he ordered - something with noodles). :op Bottom line: I'm accustomed to bigger, reasonably priced portions at Ninja Sushi and Sushi Spot. But the decor and ambiance were nice. Service was good.
(3)Georgie P.
This review is just based on our take-out experience ... We haven't dined in here. We placed a small order in the early afternoon at a time when the restaurant didn't seem busy... We could only see two tables seated and nobody else waiting for take-out at the time. We were told to expect our food in about 15 minutes, however our order wasn't ready until nearly 30 minutes later. This seemed like a bit too long to be waiting for a simple take-out order during a quiet period. I ordered the Gyoza which appeared to be undercooked - quite chewy and sadly lacking in flavour. Edamame were loaded in salt, and were just too salty to be enjoyable (which is unusual for a salt addict like myself). I wish I had taken a picture- it looked like someone upended a salt shaker on the top! Mr P ordered the Yakisoba with chicken, which he said was good but not great. Our portions were small, which wasn't entirely a surprise after seeing some other Yelp reviews. Their prices are on the higher side - which wouldn't deter us if their food and service was of an equally high standard. Unfortunately based on our experience that didn't seem to be the case. Overall this experience was a bit disappointing. I don't think we will be back.
(2)Danni D.
This review is for dine-in experience. I'm a fan of this place and I've been coming here for a while now and I've constantly been surprised about how amazing the food is. The udon comes out super hot, the tamago is delicious, and the inari is the best I've had in a long time. Also try the teriyaki chicken. It's a huge hit with my family!
(4)Courtney R.
My family stumbled upon this place for lunch and I am so glad we did. Our waitress ( we think she's the manager) was so friendly and she gave us great suggestions. All sushi and meals were excellent. Average prices as well, which is nice when you are traveling. I would recommend this place to any sushi lover.
(5)Yvonne S.
Loved this place! Recommended by Davis at Royal Kona Resort! Everything was fresh & delicious! Tori was excellent & our waitress Allison was so charming! Great coconut margaritas!
(5)Christine G.
What an amazing place. They made a new roll just for me, The Picky Hawaiian.. Gluten free and amazing. Service was great and the manager was even better! It's a must try when in Kona.
(5)John D.
Best sushi in Kona hands down. Not sure about the other reviewers, I think the some of the other reviews reference the sushi place about a block from here. This place is top notch and run by a husband and wife team. The sushi is some of the best I've ever had outside of Tokyo. The Tuna sashimi, poke, ramen, rolls, seaweed salad are all top notch. I ate here 2 days in a row last week it was so good. I recommend this place to clients, friends, anyone who likes fresh fish and authentic Japanese food. The "hot rolls" are excellent and the place caters to both meat eaters and vegetarians alike. Highly recommended.
(5)Toure P.
Excellent place to eat. Service was very personal and everyone worked to deliver a really good experience. It was my last bday dinner celebration before leaving Hawaii and it was the best for last! Great energy and good to match!
(5)Andrea S.
We prepared for Wasabis to be expensive since it is smack dab in the middle of the tourist trap district but we weren't expecting such a limited amount of rolls to choose from. They have more vegetarian rolls and California roll variations than anything else but we were in Hawaii we were wanting fish! The first two rolls we got were good but not great, very basic. The last roll we ordered the Poke Volcano, 15 min after ordering our waitress completely forgot to deliver to us, she brought us our check (with the roll charged) but the roll was still sitting in the sushi bar counter. She finally brought it over and it was awful it was FULL of super ripe red onion. It was simply a bunch of onions a small piece of some random tasteless white fish (not tuna), rice and piles of tempura flakes smothering it. We tried to pick the onions out but the taste of them was still strongly lingering. We told the waitress and she just said "sorry bout that" and walked off. Didn't take it off our bill, didn't discount it. Guess we should have skipped the place seeing as it was empty when we walked in and only one other table when we left.
(2)troy m.
My wife and I have been trying out all of the many Sushi restaurants in Kona over the last month. Wasabi's seemed fine overall, the staff was friendly and quick. We got a eel roll that was excellent. What was disappointing is that we ordered the fried calamari and for the $8 we got 7 little shoe string potato pieces that truly must have been someones idea of a joke. I wish i would have taken a picture.It was the pre-frozen battered stuff with some dark sauce dribbled on it. Also the regular (not premium) Sake cost $17 for the large and was the size of a small at other local places. We spent $50 on two small rolls, the appetizer and the Sake, we left still hungry and we are not big eaters. So far we have liked SAKURA (near safeway) best for quality, price and experience overall.
(2)Sam G.
We made the mistake of trying this place tonight... The seaweed salad was the one you can buy at Costco. The two rolls we ordered were mediocre at best. The shrimp tempura they put into our roll was sitting on the counter (in our sight) for over twenty minutes before it was used. We did not dare try the sashimi for fear that it had gotten the same treatment at some point! The manager or owner (not sure which) was on the computer looking for a new home, scrolling through photos online, while our server was angrily yelling at the other staff people for "not listening to her." And, just in case you couldn't hear our server from where you were tonight, her head is killing her. Needless to say, we will not be returning to Wasabi's. There is definitely better sushi and service elsewhere.
(1)Julia G.
Good place, a little bit off the street, casual dining, nice friendly staff. The food is good.
(4)Keawe R.
Owner is quite mean - I ordered salmon hibachi with fried rice; my nice server happened to forget that we wanted fried rice and the owner quite literally berated her from the kitchen on the floor. We all heard it and it was very inappropriate. Now the food: the salmon was excellent and there were two fairly large pieces. Traditional hibachi veg (zucchini, onion, carrot, mushrooms) were great. Large chunks, tender but firm. Sauce was light and fresh. Ginger dressing was made locally using the tasty Big island white ginger. Fried rice was very oily and I did not enjoy it but ate it because I felt bad for the waitress. Dad got Teri chicken and it was pretty good. Cooled all the way through and sauce on the side. Sweet and earthy and homemade. The staff was excellent - food came out quick and hot. Would return just for the waitresses and staff!
(3)Rich H.
I stumbled into this place my first night in Kona. Lovely in all respects! I ordered the items that my waitress said were freshest: hamachi and oysters. Also got a rainbow role. The hamachi was amazing. The oysters delightful. The role was quite good. They even offered fresh wasabi...which was less harsh than the usual stuff. Very pleasant wait staff. It was expensive, but the food is much better than you will find in most of the local (tourist trap) restaurants, which are also pricey. And while this is not one of the "best all time sushi restaurants, it was quite good, and I will return.
(4)Melissa H.
We thought to try this place since the other sushi spot around the corner was busy. 4 of us in the group got 2 plates of chicken katsu plate and 2 plates of hibachi teriyaki steak for dinner. Let me tell you that this place is an absolute waste of money. The portions are small and the meat is dry. The hibachi teriyaki steak tastes like beef jerky with some grocery store teriyaki sauce poured over it. The miso soup tastes like water with beige food coloring. Our meals came at all different times, 2 people in the group were done before we even got our order. They have some ghetto-rigged "hibachi grill" room that has no ventilation except an airconditioner which they turned up the fan and the whole restaurant filled with smoke. They had to open all the doors. The servers are nice tho, which kind of makes me sad to write this horrible post. The food tastes like the cooks are just now learning how to cook.
(1)Risa M.
Some of the reviews on here aren't so accurate. I don't agree with a lot of these reviews and I come here very often. The tempura shrimp roll is 6.50 and that is really cheap and the sauce they give is just so tasty and great. The owner is an amazing lady. She gets orders out on time and helps in the back and sets everyone up with their amazing specials once people walk in the door. The store is pretty clean and the waitress' are sweet and have great customer service. I also love the new crepe stand that they added and I heard they're expanding the bar and making it into a sports bar.
(5)Tina J.
So good! The rolls are huge! We had the Spider roll & the Honey Wasabi roll, both were fresh and had a beautiful presentation. The waitress recommended red snapper that was just delivered. I've had sushi in Las Vegas, Seattle and San Francisco - this was the best red snapper sashimi I've ever had. Great service too!
(5)Tina H.
Brought a group to check this place out. Good selection of rolls and sushi to choose. Had a rainbow roll, tuna sushi, and shrimp tempura roll. None were as fresh as I would have expected, especially since the ocean is not more than 150 feet from the restaurant. Flavors were bland but it took care of a sushi fix I needed. The rest of the group had hibachi and they said they enjoyed the chicken and beef teriyaki they had. Good portion of rice, veggie tempura, and a small salad with ginger dressing. Would try a different place next time I'm in Kona. It's hidden in a group of small boardwalks between the beach and some chain restaurants. Park on the street or in one of the other restaurants nearby.
(3)Hilary K.
Cute little restaurant with really good sushi. They day I went in, they had fresh uni, which I could not say no to! I got a mixed sushi plate with some nigiris and sashimi. Everything tasted very fresh and I left feeling fat and happy! The service is very friendly, albeit not super attentive. They have a great list of reasonably priced cocktails too! I got a lavender lychee martini that was tasty, and was only about $8, and it even had grey goose in it! Overall, I would return. Good sushi and cocktails, and not too overpriced considering its location
(4)Kun L.
This environment here is so dirty. They will reuse the plastic cups. The food here taste bad. They put onions in the volcano roll.
(1)Sharr K.
Our first night in Kona....we wanted sushi and walked around Ali'i Drive. Wasabi's was the first sushi restaurant we saw and we walked right in. There were 4 of us and we were seated in a bungalow on the outside patio. The waitress was helpful and attentive. From the looks of what we saw, we were probably the only customers at that time (around 6pm). The bf and I shared the Sushi Mix Plate (assorted fresh sushi). I'd have to say it was probably one of the freshest fish I've tasted in a while. We also ordered fresh wasabi (instead of the tube kind) for additional $2. It's not as spicy and has more grainy texture. I personally like the burning sensation in my nose from the tube wasabi but others might like the fresh one. The highlight of course was that we had a few sake bombs to celebrate our first night here. This is located inside a huge shopping plaza. And there are definitely lots of other sushi places to try besides this: Sushi Shiono ( yelp.com/biz/sushi-shion… ), You Make the Roll Sushi (this place pissed me off, they were closed each time we came by twice) and Bistro Yokohama (didn't get a chance to try). A bit of warning, all these places close early....some as early as 7pm.
(4)Kimi N.
Do not go!! Horrible! Had a rude waitress. Saw everyone else get served their orders without explanation. Finally inquired after 40 minutes and was told it would be another 5 minutes. Finally left without eating and without apology. Even paid for our 1 soda. WOW! Go to Sushi Shiono next door!!!!!!!!
(1)Cara P.
We have been here a few times and usually do the tapan dinner. It seems to be the only restaurant in town to cook dinner in front of you, of which they just recently added their service. Prices are unusually high. For such a small restaurant, service is definitely on Hawaiian time. Expect to be there for some time before dinner gets going. Once cooking the chef does seem to make up time and gets through it quickly, with all of the corny tricks. Food for the most part is average to just above average. I have been to better tapan restaurants and worst. I will say that their Hawaiian poke is my favorite in town :) I have not had sushi here to comment on it, sorry.
(3)Angie E.
I wish there was an option for negative stars... Lee me start with the basics: Food quality- mediocre at best. Food quantity- decent. Service- horrendous. Speed- like an angry snail crossing a salt mine. We had originally intended to visit another sushi restaurant, but after being given a faulty address by google maps, we decided to go to wasabi's as it was close and my hangry attitude was not sitting well with my boyfriend. When we got there, we were one of three parties being served. We ordered two rolls and drinks to start, thinking that with so few patrons it wouldn't be a big hassle to order in waves. Well, we were wrong. An hour and a half into our meal (and only 3 items, total); we finally gave up. 8 tables, 2 waiters, 2 chefs and an owner... And seriously? An hour and a half to get our food? I would not eat there again unless the establishment started from scratch on their wait staff and vastly improved the overall communication and dining experience.
(1)Dan R.
We went to this place in our 2nd night in the big island. Today I'm reading these reviews and I feel so bad for all these people! We did have a good time. Service was fast and efficient, the restaurant was sort of empty, and that fish was definitely fresh. That's why we liked it so much. Living in Chicago we got used to eat spicy tina mixed with lots of spicy mayo and when we ordered it here it was just amazing. Now, I'm giving the place only 3 stars because we got to try only 3 rolls and that was it. We weren't very hungry. But my husband said that the BBQ menu looked very pricey. But regarding fish freshness, we both agreed that it was very good .
(3)Ms P.
What a great find! Traveling with 4 adults and 3 kids under the age of 5, we stumbled upon Wasabi's around a busy lunchtime one afternoon. We were immediately greeted warmly (with 3 little kids???) and offered a private hibachi room. It was perfect for our group! The chef was fun and entertaining and the kids loved the show. The food was great and reasonably priced. The server and hostess were very friendly and thought of our every needs (brought spoons out for the kids, special drinks and cups for the kids - without being asked, as we typically need to request at other restaurants). Would recommend this location for families and would definetly return.
(5)Rob T.
In a great location! Service was not bad portions were good as well. Rolls have potential but could use more sauces had 3 different kinds but all tasted similar. Soups were just ok
(3)Noah B.
Surprised at all the negative comments. Just ate there with my 3-year-old. We had a delicious mean (disclosure: I don't eat fish so this isn't a review of the sushi), unbelievably attentive and friendly service (so good I left a 30% tip) and by far the nicest dining in our three nights on the Big Island.
(5)William C.
Great, fresh sushi! Their ingredients are organic and the service staff was knowledgeable and helpful with our choices. By far the best and biggest shashimi I have ever had! Overall great food.
(5)Kim H.
Service was outstanding and they really make you feel like they care about your business. We tried the fresh wasabi they grate right there and it was very fresh and tasty. Sushi was very fresh and portions were good. The pricing was good for the portions.
(5)Kristina A.
We had limited choices for a late dinner since every decent places in Kona closes early. We came here hoping to get decent seafood but nope that wasn't the case. We ordered their poke special and dear lord it was covered in crystal rock salt. I felt bad for ordering seafood and not be able to eat it so I wiped off the salt and washed it down with water. Lastly, the yakitori specials were also very disappointing, especially the fish that was mostly likely frozen for however long. We didn't eat it as we didn't want to get ill. Overall, our money went to waste and I just wanted to run from this place and so should you.
(1)Elizabeth G.
It's a small place but the service was friendly and quick. We sat at the bar area and was able to see the chef fix our meal right there, it was nice. Nothing exciting about this place, I would say average but good. It was a last minute choice for our first night in town.
(4)Karl A.
Good location. The pricing was high in my opinion for what you get. The sushi tasted good - average quality, but this place is NOT an authentic Japanese sushi restaurant. Even though the name of the restaurant is Wasabi, they serve you IMITATION wasabi (how ironic) and you have to pay $2 more for real wasabi. Of course this was not disclosed on the menu. There are better alternatives for Japanese food.
(2)Brian W.
This place would be okay if it wasn't so expensive. It's not like it's terrible, but it's just not very good. Considering the location-- right on the waterfront, perhaps the price is justifiable, but service for our (admittedly large) group was slllooowww. 2 or 3 people would get food, then a small eternity would pass, 2 more would come out... etc. etc. They were also out of Coke when we ordered it, and we ended up with Coke zero or diet or something. Ick. Maybe they did mention it, but I didn't hear them-- probably because by the time our food came out it had started raining, and then POURING so much that the umbrellas we were seated under started soaking through (!). Ok, the weather wasn't their fault, but the slow service was, and the food? Passable at best. The onion rings were excellent, the sashimi was ok to good, the rest was... just... just ok. The tempura, the chicken, all the other sushi was very fitting for a typical low-end Japanese joint that I might hit on a quick lunch for work. For 1.5x the price I was expecting better.
(2)Martin L.
Must admit. Was somewhat hesitant when we entered the restaurant and I heard the entire staff speaking mandarin... However, I instantly became a fan when I started to eat the Poke and Agadashi. Yummy. We also ordered the spider roll and a house salad. All was very good and authentic in taste.
(4)Paulina O.
Where to begin? We arrived while the restaurant was full so understandably, we would have to wait a little while for menus, water, and an opportunity to order. No worries there. There appeared to only be the main server, sushi person and cook. Over the course of our 2 hrs there, several other random (family members?) showed up to help. We ended up waiting maybe 20 min to order. We received our water in a plastic cup because there was 'no time' for a dishwasher. There were black flecks of something in my friend's water glass. I opted not to order a drink because that would add more to the chaos of limited staff. Our food trickled out slowly (at least an hour after being there). Had the seaweed salad which was great. Veggie and prawn tempura was not good - too much batter. Ordered local fish with wasabi sauce. She didn't take the time to let us know what fish they were and we couldn't catch her attention. It was ok except it came out with dead fruit fly stuck to one of the pieces. I can get over that pretty quickly but come on, sushi guy, have a final look over your product. About another 20-30 min later we received our sushi plate - 3 rolls and 2 pieces of abalone sashimi. Rolls were good. We've never tried abalone but know people who have abalone on a regular basis and have described it for us. It was so tough, we couldn't even bite into it (literally, it was like thick rubber). The server reassured us that that is how it's supposed to be but I disagree. Perhaps warn people of the consistency. The three components of a good restaurant experience for me and my impression of Wasabi Sushi are: Food quality - mediocre Service - terribly slow and chaotic although friendly Atmosphere - due to the irritable clients all around us, it was tense. Also, I did not see the server wash her hands once. She left the building several times to get things from their ?storage room, she played with her hair and held glasses by the rim. Not cool. Food Safe fail. I actually woke up during the night due to thinking I was going to vomit (mouth salivating and abdo pain) but thankfully that feeling passed. I would not go back there again. There's no excuse for bad food and service. I hate to give a bad review but I hope they'll reevaluate their business plan and approach because it does not seem to be working.
(1)William S.
Everything I've had there is good: noodles, sushi, soup. Not very expensive, good service. A good view of the bay, but still sort of hidden, so they're not as busy as they should be. Love it.
(4)Alison R.
BF and were craving a light dinner and sushi seemed to fit the bill. We tried the gyoza, chicken katsu, salmon roll, spicy tuna roll and one of their specialty rolls I believe was called the "bling" roll. Food quality was good. The gyoza was my favorite. I was hoping for something more given we were in HI. You figure the sushi would be killer. This was ok. Service was good, the place was clean and quiet. I'm not going to remember this as one of the best meals I had in Kona nor one of the worst.
(3)David V.
I was very upset with my experience here. Our orders were delivered unreasonably spaced apart. We had a seven member party, and ordered two bowls of udon, a total of three rolls and an order of gyoza, which I do not consider a large order. While I expected that our rolls would be delivered one at a time as they were made, the two people who ordered udon were not served until after the remainder of the party were nearly finished with the rolls. The wait for the remainder of the party became very awkwardly with the food on the table for some people but not others. There was no explanation that the food would be delayed. There was no apology for the delay. And the restaurant was not busy. During our meal, there were only two other parties of two in the restaurant. One party finished their meal before we ordered. The other party ordered after several of our rolls were served. Further, the tip was added to the check and there was no notice of this practice in the menu or by the waitstaff. We nearly left double the tip for a very poor experience.
(1)J E.
I had high hopes for this place.... but was less than impressed when all was said and done. Someone in my party ordered wine and the amount in the glass was less than half. The second glass was standard. The service was incredibly slow. Trying to get my water glass filled was like waiting for rain.... you know it will come.... you just don't know when. The sushi rolls were very small and tasted OK at best. They forgot the second half to our order and asked if we saved room for dessert - that's when we reminded them we were not done and we were still waiting on our food. No apologies....just blame on someone who moved the ticket... at one point the waitress was yelling at the cook in the back and a lady who I assume was a manager started yelling in Japanese. Not an impressive experience. I doubt we will go back.
(2)Tami S.
Second night in Kona, tired from the prior day of travel. Walked from Royal Kona Resort, didn't want anything heavy as it was 9:30 pm. Wait staff was very attentive, food was great, and the fish was fresh and local. Would definitely dine at this restaurant.
(5)Beth C.
We came upon this place late and they were closing but they stayed open just for us. Great service and delicious food with beautiful presentation. The fresh wasabi is grown on the island and was the best I have ever tasted. I highly recommend checking this place out!
(5)Mil8ertc C.
Yakisoba, ramen, most of the specialty rolls were delicious! I ordered the kona roll, aloha roll, and the honey wasabi roll. They were all good! Service was good although I expected since we were the only ones there. The one star they missed was that there were dogs in the back, not in the kitchen but next to it.... Isn't there a law not to have dogs near the kitchen?
(4)Dave J.
So it's not exactly Japanese food but the steak and sushi plate was so good that I had to get it again. The ginger dressing on the side salad is phenomenal and the teriyaki steak was just right. I also accidentally left my bag there after lunch, and staff was so friendly when I called about it and came to pick it up. There seem to be two women in charge - one Chinese and one Japanese, so the restaurant ends up doing pretty well for both types of food. If you really want Japanese food, there are very legit sushi bars in the food court and if you came to Hawaii to eat American strip mall food, there's an Outback Steakhouse. But, if you want somewhere quick and tasty, hit up wasabi!
(4)Mitch T.
Went right at opening, so got a jump on the crowd. had the chicken don bori, and really enjoyed it. food was hot, and ambience perfect. Price is affordable, and glad to see lots of free parking. two thumbs up with the shaka!!
(5)Lina P.
Im so sad. I just ordered my meal to go. I got 2 rolls for $20. The girl was nice, but overcharged me $2 on accident. I didnt notice until I had left (my fault). When I oped the container, the sushi roll pieces were laying flat, I guess it was to make it appear as if there was more. Each roll was five pieces. Unfortunately Im still hungry, even though sushi is infamous for filling me up quickly. The alii roll was tasty, but a cant afford to ever come here again.
(2)Lynda M.
I walked in to get some green tea ice cream to go. I stood at the front of the place for ten minutes before anyone acknowledged my presence. I was ignored by two different workers (the only two there i think) and thee was only one table in the restaurant. I don't mind waiting even if they are not busy, but I do expect to be greeted At least when I walk in, not glanced over and ignored. When the ice cream came it tasted great though!
(2)Nico L.
Waitress was pushy and rude. She left the table while we were ordering to help another table. A table that arrived after us got their food first. Service sucked; will not return. Food was okay.
(1)Stephen P.
Great romantic setting. That was it. Waited for well over 15 minutes for the entree we ordered. Only to find out... it wasn't put in. I won't give them repeat business.
(1)Lauren M.
I have to say it's totally overpriced for what it is. But the fish is fresh and delicious. I would eat there again, but it's nothing too special.
(3)Laura Y.
Stay away! This was horrible. It was overpriced and the service was slow and inattentive. I wish I knew to stay away....
(1)Keri F.
So, Wasabi's Manager actually emailed me, asking me to elaborate why I didn't like their place, and offered a some odd discount if I came in and stated that I was from Yelp. I did not reply because I was busy. Then I got another email stating that they would give me a $25 gift certificate for Wasabi's if I would remove my review. SO, since I am not a sell-out, and I would never eat somewhere where they obviously hate me, I guess I will elaborate now. I went there for lunch with my then probably about 2 or 3 year old daughter, and my fiance. We walked in, and there was no one else in there eating. They did not seem very welcoming, or enthusiastic to help us. They took us WAY in the back on their dining area, as if we were being stashed away in a corner. We ordered some random sushi, and some drinks. I ordered some sort of blue alcoholic concoction, which did not taste like it had any alcohol in it whatsoever. The sushi took FOREVER to arrive. It took so long, that our child was getting fussy, and the beer had gotten to my fiance, so he went to use the restroom. When he came back, I was informed that there was a platter sitting out in the open with our food on it, with flies buzzing around it. Obviously it was ours, because we were the only people eating there at the moment. So, besically, yeah, I don't care how much anyone bribed me, I will never eat there again, and I will NOT take down my review. Wasabi's wanted me to elaborate. Here it is. You're welcome! :)
(1)Cristian M.
Wow. We loved this place. The food was excellent and the service was friendly. Try the sizzling poke. I had the halibut sushi which was also awesome. He had a friendly server who we chatted with for a long time.
(5)Michael M.
First of all, I like to say that the food is good most of the time here, BUT you will have to put up with the owner who shouts back and forth with her cooks in the kitchen in Chinese when you tried to have a pleasant and enjoyable meal, sometimes you could just tell by the vibe that the cooks were frustrated while making YOUR food, and all that frustration was going into the dishes they were making for YOU: you can make a judgement call for yourself whether or not you like to dine in this kind of atmosphere, basically the restaurant is INTERNALLY DISORGANIZED, and it shows if you are an observant customer. Plus, different restaurants have different ethics, some are into putting together the healthiest ingredients, some are into creating the nicest ambiance, Wasabi in my personal observation is about making money, nothing wrong with that if you own a restaurant business in Kailua-Kona (a heavily touristy town) but I am pickier than most tourists, I will spend my money elsewhere for lunch or dinner in Kona: for example I would choose Lotus Cafe instead, for the same amount of money you pay, you will get much higher quality food that is prepared for you consciously.
(1)Apple C.
This place I had the worst exp ever. Not even worth of trying at all. I agree w all above reviews. Not authentic, Not Japanese at all, and a total rip off. Why I even tried to begin with? My friend did not believe with the review and insisted trying. What a waste of time and money. I tried around 20 restaur
(1)Katy C.
The owner came by, noticed that we were Chinese and tried to strike up a conversation in Mandarin. Little did we know...it was probably a ploy to get us to spend more. This was confirmed when after taking our order, the owner lady left to put in the order and then casually turned her head to ask if we'd like miso soup. A little suspicious, I asked if it would be extra. She replied, "Yes, two dollars each." Not off to a good start... Then we received our food, a "Crazy Roll" and a bowl of chicken chow fun. We were underwhelmed by the size of the portions. The fish was fresh, I suppose, but the roll was tiny. The chow fun was sitting in a pool of grease and there was about 0.25 ounces of chicken in it. We definitely had to get a second dinner after coming here.
(2)Sally H.
I would recommend that you avoid this place. The summary is: overpriced, very low quality food, not very cvlean and poor service. The food is the primary drawback. I ordered the deluxe sushi which was unusually poor quality while my wife ordered some kind of fish that was most certainly overcooked. The "waitress" ran around taking great care of the Japanese customers and ignoring all others. Prices are exremely high. So, walk twenty more feet and try the other palce.
(1)Virginia G.
I don't know if the older reviews are bad because of when they were done but we did not have any of the bad experiences mentioned (perhaps ownership changed?). In fact, we went there twice while staying in Kona. To keep it short as far as fish go, we had the Poke, the local Opaka Paka sushi, the Crazy Roll and the Kona Roll. All of them were awesome. Just to note - Poke at other places did not compare. The Lilikoi juice we were served came from the actual fruit. We were even given the seeds to take home after the juice had been made. Needless to say, it was really good (if you like passionfruit). We even had Lilikoi pie, which was served frozen like a sherbet and was very enjoyable. We had great service and were very well taken care of both times we went. Only reason I give 4 out of 5 stars is because it is a tad overpriced, even though sushi in the US generally is. Would go there again any day.
(4)Anna P.
Don't know where all these bad reviews are from...we've always found the service to be incredibly polite. The food is good, and we eat a lot of Japanese food (and have been to Japan). Food prep takes a little bit, but that's because it's being made to order. It's always fresh and while it isn't cheap, it's not ultra high priced either. It is clean with a nice ambience. Don't let the bad reviews scare you away.
(5)Shawn O.
We were looking for a place to eat and this place looked decent from the outside. The warning should have been how empty it was when other places were busy. Don't go here! They will nickel and dime you for everything. On top of that, it is very expensive for what you get. Their expensive drinks are watered down. I felt totally ripped off by this place. Their sushi was cut so thin it fell apart when you picked it up with chopsticks. There are many other places nearby, pick one of them before this place.
(1)Cal C.
On our business visit over on the Big Island, i've decided to stop by this place since it was the nearest "SUSHi" stand that was open on Sundays and wasn't 10-15 miles away from where we are. From the outside of this place, it looked just like any ordinary sushi stand i've seen. And the reviews seem pretty decent, but boy was I dissapointed...Let's get down to the sushi, the most important part. This place just don't cut it to even be considered a decent sushi diner. It's just not even good, especially not for the PRICE you are going to pay for it in the end. The rolls are extremely small and it wasn't even that good either in a basic standlone comparision to a place as simple as GENKI sushi in Honolulu. I would never recommend this place to any of my friends or even come back again. Perhaps, they should look into converting back to a Chinese diner since the owners are Chinese/Taiwanese. It will perhaps do a lot better, but it just doesn't for Sushi thats all...
(2)Yelp R.
I recently moved to the island and went to Wasabi twice. After the second time, I swore to myself I'd never go back to Wasabi. Okay, the FOOD itself is not bad, BUT.... the energy of the store which also is in your food is unbearable! The Chinese woman who owns/manages the place is one of those people who too obviously care about your money only. She's all over the money, her greed can almost be smelled. She looks at you like you're a moneybag, lies and exxagerates about orders, so you agree, and then the portions are smaller, and you understand she just lies to your face to tell you what you want to hear, just to get your money. You know she's one of those people who should be a bookkeeper or something and never show her face where people try to have a happy and nutritious meal. It totally ruined my experience boh times, the second time I wished I could throw up after I'd eaten, and I'll NEVER go back if it's the last eatery on the planet. Remember people, the energy of your food is at least as important as freshness and taste, and Wasabi's is BAD for you!!!! Oh and it's overpriced for what it is, too.
(1)Laurie T.
We discovered Wasabi's while we were walking down Alii Drive hungry after 10 PM and were surprised to find them open till 11 serving dinner! Not only were they open but we were delighted with their food and the friendliness of the owner / server, Aling. We beg to differ but the fact that she asked us if we wanted Miso soup for an extra $2 didn't bother us a bit ($2.00 ?) . The Miso soup was very rich and delicious We also had the Spicy Tuna Shrimp roll. Wow! It is slightly crunchy with a perfect taste. The Crazy Roll and the Hawaiian Rolls are also very special. We highly recommend this place and look forward to trying all of their other dishes.
(5)Mae S.
Trevor Corson's book on all things sushi says the rice should still be warm when they serve your sushi -- well, that's how it was at Wasabi. All the sushi was very fine, I thought. The service was a little slow, but I think that was because they were making the sushi by hand. The prices are much lower than at Kenichi, for what it's worth.
(3)Kim K.
This place was alright. We sat in their outdoors patio area. The food tasted like what you would expect to find at "Japanese" restaurants in the city. Huge portions though and they have some pretty good smoothies too. Oh, and we had a roach companion who stayed for dinner. This wasn't the first time this has happened here so I didn't freak...much.
(3)