4. Restaurants

Sushi Izakaya Gaku

1329 S King St, Honolulu, HI, 96814
  • (808) 589-1329
  • Store is closed

Sushi Izakaya Gaku Menu

Sorry, We are updating this restaurant menu details.

Sorry, We are updating this restaurant cholesterol menu details.

  • Norman C.

    omakase sashimi, gindara, steak.

    (4)

  • Laughn R.

    By far, Gaku is the best Izakaya style Japanese restaurant in town. I never really understood when people said that something was "better than sex" until I tried the Sea Urchin here. Dear God it was fantastic. If I smoked I would have had a cigarette after!! I've never had a bad dish here and the waiters are always so helpful. I usually leave the ordering up to them once I have my favorites. Go!!!

    (5)

  • Ruth O.

    Service here was excellent, the food was awesome and I loved the cozy atmosphere. There were a lot of items on the menu we didn't get to try so I'm sure we will be returning. Just make sure though that you plan ahead and try to make a reservation, the first time we came here they were completely booked for the whole night and it was simply because it was the weekend. They told us they couldn't even fit us in for the sushi bar. So make sure to call ahead of time and make a reservation!

    (5)

  • Russell O.

    We loved this small sushi place so much that we had 2 dinners there during our 6-night stay in Honolulu. The setting is cozy and impeccably decorated. The staff and especially the chef are very friendly, yet professional. The food is, as good as it gets--mind you we only tried their miso soup and the sushi. Hope you enjoy it as much as we did!

    (5)

  • pepper s.

    Service - wait staff is always attentive and friendly! Food - everything we order is delicious! Sushi, natto, filet mignon, pumpkin! I like to go to Izakaya Gaku whenever I'm in Honolulu!

    (5)

  • Todd T.

    Finally I tried this place. I always drive by and there is a few people always waiting outside. The food and service were excellent. The waiter recommended some things that we normally wouldn't order but was so good. It is really small and intimate restaurant but overall one of the best izakayas now.

    (5)

  • Good A.

    Even though this is an expensive place, they are totally legit, they actually speak Japanese. The food here is exceptional, fish is very fresh, much better than that overrated San Sei place in Maui. These small restaurants are a dying breed, and very hard to come by, seems like a local spot that have not been tainted by us mainlanders yet. The service was exceptional as well, no rush service, table was ready when we walked in and as with any quality Japanese establishment, all workers greeted us when we walked in... Overall, a fine dining experience, out of the touristy area of Waikiki...

    (5)

  • Jackie M.

    One of my favorite authentic Japanese restaurant. I went there for late night snack and the nigiri was very fresh. I had the Otoro nigiri, tuna tartare, and beef tongue. It was delicious...

    (5)

  • Kimo S.

    I'll definitely be coming back here again to pick through their menu further. My main reason for knocking off one star is because of the total package. I don't like having to fight to get to a restaurant where I am going to be spending $100+ for dinner. The parking situation put me in a foul mood from the start, the lot they have is extremely small and always packed. Street parking is really difficult and sketchy side streets didn't make me feel comfortable. The food though, was excellent. I went through the normal sushi orders, maguro, toro, unagi, spicy tuna roll... all of them were fantastic. I actually ordered the spicy tuna roll a few more times for us because it was priced really well. The Spicy Hamachi tartare was amazing, we also ordered two of these dishes because it was just that good. We ordered the garlic rib-eye which I thought was great, a little more "rare" than the medium we ordered but it was still a tasty dish. Overall, we'll be coming back for sure and trying out a few other dishes on the menu with a focus on the sushi.

    (4)

  • Mckenzie Y.

    LOVE IT. small cute little place - monkfish liver, baked crab, negihama tartare...!!! the chefs are adorable and if you sit by the sushibar you can totally drool while you watch the prep of your food.. (and watch other's be made) - It gets packed fast - so reserve or get there early! yummmmmyyy. best ever! (i'm from out of town - and it basically spoiled me - i use it as now a basis of comparison for all japanese restaurants i go to.. and... everything on the mainland flops and now makes me sad.) haha.

    (5)

  • Hiro I.

    By far the best Sushi Izakaya on the island and i've been to them all and also frequented a lot of places in Japan. You can't go wrong with anything you order here. Sit at the counter if you want the full sushi experience and let Manabu excite you palette. They also have the BEST Tsuke Ikura I have ever ate! They soak the Ikura in a shoyu based sauce and...you just gotta try it. The dishes from the kitchen are also excellent! Matsuri Natto, Hamachi Kama, etc, etc...everything is good. A little on the pricey side but well worth it. Actually for the quality of food it is cheap. And the service is excellent. Be ready to wait at least an hour or more to get in if you don't have a reservation and that's on ANY night of the week. Yes it's that popular and yes it's that good. Oh an the desserts .....wow! Different dessert selection every week. Ask the young looking guy behind the counter what dessert is good today and trust what he says as he makes them all. If you've never been to Gaku...What are you waiting for?!!!!

    (5)

  • Jen P.

    Izakaya is my new favorite for Japanes cuisine! The ambiance, though you'd never guess from the outside, was very nice. The staff were friendly and helpful too! The dishes that stood out for me were the papio sashimi, spicy negihama tartar and the baked king crab. (Note: the hamachi collar and the oyster shooters were awesome too!!!) All bites from heaven!! The sashimi was so fresh and melted in your mouth. Tips, make reservations and be ready to spend some money. There were four of us and we spent an easy two bills, but money well spent!! We will definitely be back for more.

    (5)

  • Grimeater A.

    If my first experience here wasn't so bad I would've given Sushi Gaku 3 stars. Sushi Gaku was suggested by my friend/co-worker (you know who you are) because he said he knew the owner. We were meeting up with a bank executive from the mainland so we decided to meet at Sushi Gaku. When we got to Sushi Gaku my friend went inside and chatted with the owner for a little bit while we waited outside for our guests who were going to be running late. My friend comes out and says they have no tables open yet, which is ok since our guests haven't arrived anyway. Our guests show up in about 25-30 minutes and still no tables. It takes another 30+ minutes of standing around outside before we finally get seated. Long story short, we order a bunch of food because were starved and the dishes come in spurts with long wait times in between. As soon as the waitress drops off the dishes she's gone! Not returning until the next drop off. Suddenly the food AND the waitress stop coming. We're just sit there with empty dishes for a good 20+ minutes. We know for sure we had ordered more food than that but my friend (who knows the owner lol) sits there playing cool like everything is all good. He eventually caves in and checks on our food... somehow our ticket gets misplaced. I understand stuff like that happens but the missing waitress made things even worse. We probably could' have sat there till closing with empty dishes and the waitress would've cared less. The food was slightly above average for a Japanese restaurant. The Monk fish liver tasted like it was from a can. The portions were small and pricey and not worth the 3 hour ordeal. Good thing our guest was cool about everything.

    (2)

  • Joshua C.

    My favorite place to eat sushi (taking into account food, atmosphere, and service). It's intimate, stylish, unpretentious, and wonderfully delicious. Here the fish is ultra fresh (top notch daily specials), there's an abundance of expertly prepared small dishes, and the service rocks. I could eat here every night of the week(if I lived in town and had a higher disposable income). What it's like: Dark hard woods with a wall or two of bright green (the chef's favorite color) accents. Great place for a date or get together with friends. Fun, lively, but not too loud. The space is broken up into three areas that flow nicely together; an extended L shaped sushi counter, a cozy dining section, and a back room. Why I'd go back: The awesome amalgamation of food, ambience, service, and reasonable pricing. O-toro (not always available), Hamachi, and the best Ikura I've ever had (usually the fish eggs come a bit crushed and slimy, here they're beautiful spherical orbs). At Gaku the sushi's not only fresh, but skillfully prepared. My brother and I enjoyed both Omakase nigiri samplers. Also loved the Garlic Rib-Eye in ponzu , TNT (broiled mayonnaise, white miso, mixed seafood combination), and Chicken Karaage Random Thoughts: I'd recommend making a reservation, but go anyway even if you can't get one. It's not huge so if you have more than 6 people ask for the room in the back. You can park on the street or drive through the building and park in the back. It's located on the right side of King street just before Keeaumoku, right across from Cafe Sistina. Paper or Plastic: The prices really vary depending on what you eat. Dishes range from a few bucks to just under twenty. Of course good sushi never comes cheap, but at least here the prices aren't outrageous. It's nice to know that even if I can't afford to eat here as often as I'd like, I'm getting my money's worth when I do. Don't take my word for it: starbulletin.com/2007/04… honoluluweekly.com/resta…

    (5)

  • ChunLi T.

    I love this place!!!! I am not a fan of seafood dynamites, but I had to try it because of all the great yelp reviews, and I must concur with everyone else...it was amazing...worth the money and worth the wait. It's great because the menu is diverse, so you can get noodles, sushi, steak, so there is something for everyone if you have people in your group who don't like sushi. The sushi was really good, one of the best I've had. The steaks were moderate because I'm not crazy about terriyaki sauce on my steaks, but the price was moderate as well, so we didn't mind. In terms of the quality of food, I think they are comparable to Sasabune and Kin Chan, but it is a lot more reasonably priced and has a casual atmosphere similar to that of Kin Chan. We had a really nice waiter, Michael, who was very attentive and gave us great suggestions with the sake and food. We sat at the sushi bar which was very spacious for a sushi bar and I think is way more fun than the tables. All the sushi chefs were really nice and fun to get watch them make the food.

    (5)

  • Dave C.

    Best Japanese food in Hawaii!!!

    (5)

  • Tania P.

    I thought the food here was good, but expensive. I had the butterfish (good), dynamite (ok), and the hamachi kama (excellent). The hamachi kama was sooo flavorful! Please try it! My friends ordered nigiri and the fish looked delicious! Service was very good as well. I like how sleek and clean the restaurant is. Seating is very limited, so you should make reservations or you'll have quite a wait... Parking is pretty stressful. I absolutely HATE crossing King street. I always feel like I'm going to get run over!!! So be careful (and good luck) parking and walking to the restaurant.

    (4)

  • Karissa C.

    I don't write reviews often but this was honestly one of the best (if not the best) sushi/izakaya meals I've ever had in my life, including meals I've had at upscale NY sushi places, in Japan, and in LA. Everything was so delicious -- my only regret is that I didn't have a bottomless stomach (or wallet) to try everything! I only had a single night in Honolulu, and was bummed when I found out reservations were already booked. So my boyfriend and I got there at 7, put our names down (it was a Friday night, no less) and were told it would be about 45 minutes. We went across the street to a Korean bar, had a drink, and then were called right about 45 min later. I love uni so I got the uni shooter, a piece of uni, and the tofu with uni on it. All so good. We also got a sashimi combo for 2, which included pieces I've never had before. Each was so buttery that my boyfriend (who had never eaten anything besides mid-end NY sushi joints) was in awe, and felt like he'd never truly eaten sashimi or sushi before this. The shrimp in particular was sweet and creamy. We also ordered octopus nigiri which was SO good, just enough chew and tenderness, like eating a good piece of steak almost. The spicy tartar was really great too. We got the raw squid in some sort of... intestine sauce? And it was really fabulous. Ikura piece was also tasty -- doused in a soy yuzu ish sauce that was similar to the gelee they used for the shooters and tofu. I'm sure I'm missing something. All I know is I will dream about this place... and be sad that it is so far from NY. Probably a good thing. I might eat there every day if I lived there. If I return to Honolulu, it will probably be my first stop.

    (5)

  • Ramfis B.

    ( I ) have to say, this is the BEST RESTAURANT IN HAWAII HANDS DOWN ( L ) et me tell you, it doesn't get any better than this my friends ( O ) pt to eat at the sushi counter and watch these chefs in action ( V ) olumes of people eat here and itch to come back ( E ) xpecting to eat here without a reservation is just plain moronic ( T ) he Negihama Tartare with Quail Egg is a MUST ORDER ( H ) ideki is a fricken food magician and makes me drool with his specials ( I ) love everything i have eaten here...NO JOKE ( S ) ushi and Sashimi are so fresh it melts in your mouth ( P ) eople who haven't eaten here are missing out big time ( L ) et Chef Manabu do an Omakase meal for you..he won't disappoint PROMISE ( A ) nkimo Saute with a Redwine Tsunami Sauce....ORGASMIC!!!! ( C ) an it get any better than this? I think not!!!! ( E ) xcellent service by Braddah Mike and the crew!!! ( M ) orio's Sushi can't even touch this place.......PLEASE!!! ( O ) rder the Goosepoint Oysters with ponzu...WOW!!! ( R ) elax in the Tatami Room if you have a big party ( E ) xpections are met each and everytime i eat here ( T ) ako Basil...YUM ( H ) ideki is one of the best chef's around ( A ) mazing specials every night... ( N ) ow for you people visiting from the mainland, you gotta try this place ( I ) will warn you folks now, this place ain't cheap ( L ) ove the deepfried fishbones here..perfect with an ice cold Asahi ( O ) rder the Filet Mignon here. It just melts in your mouth ( V ) ariety is why i love this place. Not just seafood ( E ) xpect parking to be a little tight here. They have 8 stalls in the back ( M ) any Japanese tourists eat here which is a good sign ( Y ) elpers have reviewed this place almost 350 times and look at all the stars ( W ) e have seen so many people try to get in without a reservation and ( I ) have to say, they get turned away 99% of the time ( F ) antastic desserts as well but not much to choose from ( E ) xotic and unusual specials sometimes such as Alligator Tempura ( ! ) ( W ) ell, for you people who order Miso Soup and Teriyaki Chicken...STAY AWAY!! ( E ) at the Sashimi Moriawase made by Chef Manabu...So Beautiful ( L ) ove looking at all the beautiful Japanese women that eat here ( L ) ooking at Chef Hideki and Chef Manabu with their superlong eyelashes ( M ) y guests from Japan rave about this place ( A ) mazing how Japanese people want to eat here considering ( Y ) es, this is the third time reviewing this place, and it ain't my last ( B ) ecause i put this place on a pedestal ( E ) ach and everytime i dine here ( J ) apanese tourists that eat here know great Japanese food..trust me ( U ) ni Sushi and Mirugai Sushi are out of this world ( S ) picy Scallop Sushi and Kinmedai Sushi...Oh my... ( T ) he atmosphere here is just electrifying ( A ) wesome presentation and friendly and efficient make this place special ( L ) ove the Garlic Steak as well ( I ) 'm a big fan of Sushi Izakaya Gaku and always will be ( T ) he whole Grilled Moi is so good ( T ) his review is an epic one for me ( L ) ove the fact that this place isn't a big restaurant ( E ) at the Ochazuke after eating all this fabulous food ( M ) anabu San is sitting on a gold mine ( O ) pen Monday thru Saturday 5pm to 11pm..Closed Sunday ( R ) emember all you out of towners, only 10 minutes from Waikiki ( E ) xpect me not to eat all day when i have a reservation here ( O ) nly true foodies will understand me when i say Izakaya Gaku ( K ) icks Okole when it comes to unique and innovative Japanese Cuisine

    (5)

  • Karina M.

    HANDS DOWN THE BEST SUSHI I'VE HAD!!!!!!!!! My husband also agreed!! We absolutely fell in love with the freshness and the great service that we were given. It was awesome!!! I would definitely recommend this place with no doubt, that you will try some of the freshest and uniquely made sushi! I read some other comments about the sushi chef looking like a ken doll and you know what..., he kinda does!!! lol! He was our chef and man did he wow my husband and I with his impeccable sushi and knowledge of what our pallets might like after a few of our own orders. INCREDIBLE!!!!!!!!! I asked if they would open a sushi spot in cali!!! He said no, he loves to surf too much! I can't blame him, he has found his niche and is doing very well at keeping his spotlight~! Thanks for the wonderful experience

    (5)

  • Jenny T.

    I've came here for a birthday dinner it was nice here. I love the food and everybody seem very nice. For walk in it usually take bout 40 mins.

    (4)

  • Casey R.

    This place gets better each time! Best sushi restaurant in Honolulu! This latest time I went they had fresh Alaskan King Crab. Yes...fresh! When you ever seen fresh King Crab? It was baked and melted in your mouth like butter. I also tried the tako with basil. So fresh and unique. Definitely a redo. I also tried live prawns (in shell and raw) for the first time. It was a bit intimidating and messy but so fresh and flavorful. They then take the heads and fry them up for you. Nothing quite as awesome as some fried prawn head! Everything here is such awesome quality and the service is always so great. I can't wait to come back!

    (5)

  • Beverly N.

    sashimi combo, uni shooters, baked king crab, hamachi kama.. mm these are just a few of my favorite things. i come here quite often and i love the freshness of everything. the uni is amazing.. ive had uni at other places and i jus spit it out every time! but not here.. ive been craving it ever since. parking is limited to street and a small lot behind the restaurant. reservations are taken, but i think only before 7. otherwise.. wait is usually really long. ive waited many times over a hour just to see no one leaving. everyone sits and talks, but no one is eating. get out of there so other people can come eat dinner! ive seen a bunch of walk in customers being told that the wait is gonna be an hour, so they leave. :/ its kinda bad for business when customers who are done eating decide to linger around.

    (4)

  • Katie B.

    What the heck is with the great reviews??? It took us forever to get our food. The service was beyond slow. We paid a lot of money for our food and still left hungry after being there for an hour and a half (not including the 45 min just to get a table) Will never come back and would not recommend.

    (1)

  • Camy A.

    I've tried many new sushi places In Hawaii.... But I always end up going back to Gaku! Izakaya Gaku is just top notch! Can't get better than this. It has become my weekly or bi monthly to go spot! :) make your RSVP ahead of time! This place is always super packed! Don't give up .... Just keep trying! Its so worth it :)

    (5)

  • Carisa W.

    Took my boyfriend here for his birthday and he LOVED it. If you have a appreciation for fresh fish this is the place to be. I like my fish mixed with things so pretty much I only like spicy ahi...ahaha. So I'm really not a raw fish sushi eater. But we ordered the crab cake was which delicous filled with a lot of crab meat&not fillers. The garlic steak was cooked perfectly especially coming form a Japanese restaurant that is a plus. The tuna belly just melts in your mouth. My boyfriends loved the toro and of course I loved the spicy tuna! You know it's a good sushi restaurant when the fish is bigger than the rice. We sat at the counter and sushi chefs makes your orders right in front of you, it was a really good experience. It was pricey but worth it. A great to go place for special occasions!

    (5)

  • Talor M.

    This place has some crazy amazing sushi!! Now, that being said whenever I come here it's not the sushi that I look forward to, it's the specials menu. Don't get me wrong the sushi is top notch here and they do feature the freshest fish around. Though some of the tastiest dishes I've had from this restaurant has come from this menu. Things like the spinach bacon salad with egg or the sweet potato mousse. The specials menu features a lot of fusion and many things you'll probably wouldn't expect from an Izakaya but not once have I been disappointed by it. I do not at all want to down play their regular menu for it is such an excellent one! Even without the specials menu this restaurant would still be my favorite. I haven't tried it all but I'm sure its all good. Some of the favorites that we have to always order is the toro nigiri, ribeye, and the karaage. So one of the major factors that I judge a restaurant on is consistency. For me I feel to be a good restaurant you can't just have good food, you have to have good food every time. This place is the king of consistency. I've left the restaurant in awe every time and this accounts not just for the eats but for the service too. At this point I could go on and on about how great this place is though I rather just let the restaurant speak for itself. lol A few things to consider when dining here: The place is very small so it is sometimes loud inside and you might have less wiggle room than expected. There's limited parking in the back and its pretty difficult to get out but I usually find a spot. So far it's been my top pick for Japanese food on this island. I highly recommend it!

    (5)

  • Rissa K.

    By far my fave sushi spot! Super authentic and awesome service! The staff and sushi chefs are so energetic and very friendly! Very clean restaurant and authentic Japanese! Everything here is so good and sushi is so fresh! Oysters were so yummy! Negitori Spicy Hamachi with seaweed great appetizer! You gotta try the Toro here...def my fave! I aso tried Shirako (Cod Milt) for the first time here....very interesting! I will def come back! Only thing is parking is a bit hard to find...there is a small parking lot in the back but it gets filled up pretty fast. Also I would recommend making reservations before coming here!

    (5)

  • Betty C.

    We found this place because of Yelp and we would definitely be back when we are back in Oahu. We were greeted by the entire staff when we first arrived and so there's a very welcoming atmosphere. We sat at the sushi bar and ordered a variety of sushi including their daily specials. Everything was very fresh and well prepared. I wanted to keep on eating the otoro and the uni! We would opt for the omakase next time because everything was so high quality. Tip: They do take reservations but were fully booked when we called a few days ahead. We were able to walk in around 9:30pm and had no wait even on a weekend. Walk ins are accepted after 7:30pm.

    (4)

  • Bogdan K.

    Aloha from the counter at Gaku, What can I say about this place that won't increase the wait time for reservations from 3 to 4 weeks ? The ambiance is quite nice, a busy little place with few little tables, a sushi counter and a larger table with Japanese sitting area (this is very fun in larger group). The parking through the back is tight but functional and nice to be off street. The staff is friendly and polite pointing out specials and asking about likes and allergies (very nice!) The food is amazing, having eaten at most high end sushi joints on the island, for me this is the best. The quality and quantity is perfect, the fish and uni is always fresh and the Tako basil is amazing, the basil picked in the back of the restaurant few hours before (check out their little garden back there along the parking area). My big hint for this place ... Make a reservation before leaving, works for me and it's a wonderful monthly treat for me and my plus one. Happy Eats

    (5)

  • T L.

    Went back for a 2nd time and just didn't wow me like it did the first time. Kinda let down but nonetheless, still a good place to kick back and enjoy some delicious Japanese plates. Omatsui Natto was still delicious, the fresh tofu was refreshing and delightful, and we had various sushi which was good too. We had plenty of dishes but still walked away feeling slightly hungry. Also, the male host needs to smile more.

    (4)

  • Tania L.

    Random evening after work, met up with my bro for dinner here. He told me this place was rather pricey but good and that I would like it, esp since I wanted Japanese. Found parking on the street right in front, free and with a few minutes remaining in the tow away period I got brave and parked it anyway ;) (I actually misread it and thought I was safe but actually hadn't read the other sign....o.O). Anyway, this isn't about parking wars so I'll just skip to my overall summary that it was a solid 4 stars that piqued my interest to absolutely want to go back real soon and explore the rest of their menu. While it isn't as extensive as that of your typical Chinese fare, it still had a decent variety. The several items we ordered were done well enough to make me want to go back and bring JB, whose palate favors Southwestern and a mixture of spicy, savory, and layers of flavors (I.e. complexity). Not quite up his alley but he can appreciate food that's prepared well. Started strong with a hamachi kama, my bro's go-to. It was done the best I've had compared to various places, with the outside lightly seared and the inside cooked and still moist. Udon was excellent and actually didn't taste store bought, garnished with smoked fishcake or squid, not quite sure lol it was too good to slow down and dissect. I rather enjoyed the beef tongue but my bro thought it was just all right. I was craving "light" which translated to sashimi lol. Took a risk and had the omakase six-choice............ I am somewhat of a control freak and sometimes I let loose and say What the heck, but this time it fell short. My amaebi (both pieces) were slimy........... Aka not fresh. And the other sashimi were ....... Eh. Not even factoring the price. Just eh despite the price. Otoro was extremely oily and fatty, but both pieces had veins!!!!!! Letdown to say the least. I don't care much about the snapper, maguro, and whatever filler white fish they commonly use. I was unimpressed. Next is the alcohol. They had one of my favorites - Hakkaisan - so bro and I drank three together (traditional glass and overpour) which was maybe a third of the bottle, maybe. $48!!!! One bottle costs about $20 at Don Quijote so you can do the math on their markup. It wasn't a ripoff, but it was kind of high. However, that's all that was disappointing. Although those two aforementioned consisted a big chunk of the bill (about half actually), the rest was to be lauded. I had a $13 uni shooter which was very fresh, somewhat similar to Rokkaku's uni jelly dish but bite-sized version and I think pricier but better? We also splurged lol and got the half dozen of oysters which tasted very..."fresh" as frozen things come. Yes, I know most all has been previously frozen but it's a fine balance to juggle price and product etc... Not ours to worry about as consumers but still kind of good to know how much food waste cost is being passed on to us. But this is about dining... Finally, we ended with green tea ice cream. It was $3. Only two flavor choices, think the other was vanilla?? But it was a good price, I thought. Standard, nothing crazy or strong tasting but it was the creamy kind and good. Like I said, had a great experience. Dollar for dollar it probably was more like a 3-star experience, but cost doesn't weigh as much when it comes to making the taste buds and belly happy! Good food, good company, good conversation - go early or make reservations because when we got there they were booked and we lucked out with a small two-top in the back room. The family of four that went in right before got turned away, so yeah... Make reservations. It CAN break your bank but you can also have a moderately priced meal and still be satisfied at Gaku. I just went a few days ago and am already looking forward to my next experience!

    (4)

  • Catherine G.

    Went here when family came into town. My cousin's family loves sushi so I was happy we found a place that got good reviews. We luckily got reservations for RIGHT when they opened. Though due to traffic, we all ended up running a bit late. I cringed of course as we drove up to this area because lets face it, parking is non existent. However, we got lucky and found a spot that just opened up. YAY us! Coincindentally we all ended up arriving at the same time so we got sat into the corner area. I guess that was good since there were 6 of us, but it felt a little squished. The next 2 1/2 almost 3 hours is a blur... Yes... we ate, drank and talked Asian style meaning we were there for the long haul. I know this is a small place and they probably wanted us out sooner, but we kept ordering food.... and we even ordered dessert. The food was decent, but not sure it was the freshest sushi I've had. And because of their squished seating and the servers rushing us a bit I have to give it a 4 star rating. Still I wouldn't mind going there again, but its the parking situation... a little unnerving..and I really am not keen on waiting. So either make reservations and get there early or go late.

    (4)

  • Terry H.

    We were supposed to go to Yelp Event for the pre showing of Vacation but they ran out of tickets 5 minutes after they started giving them out. It was date night so we looked for somewhere new and food for dinner. Couldn't let this date night go to waste. We learned about this place from an interaction with a patron of The Beauty Spot. So we decided to give it a try. It's very good here. I rated it only 4 stars because of a few things. I'll go further to say it's 4.5 because the food is so delicious. The parking was a pain only because it's not easy to find. We were lucky to find a spot on the street. It's a little high-end so definitely not a place to frequent unless you're made of cash. Also the menu was not too big. But what they had was awesome. Kabocha karaage - soft hot and delicious. Melts in your mouth. Chicken Karaage - lightly breaded. Big chunks of meat. Ask for Katsu sauce. King Crab cakes - better than Marylanf blue crab cakes. Huge chunks of tasty King Crab Fried fish Bones - very fishy and tasty Sashimi for 2 - I've had better sashimi but the Otoro was Heavenly. It felt like a fat bomb gong off in my mouth. Best EVER!!! Gaku TNT - awesome mix of seafood in a creamy sauce. The grapefruit soju was interesting. It came out with a fly all grapefruit which you had to squeeze. Our dessert was Mochi with ice cream. For the two of us the bill was $116 with her drink and without the tip. We are going to introduce the family to it for 2015 Food Fest.

    (4)

  • Joanne Y.

    I'm a sushi snob, and have been spoiled by the plenty good fish from living in CA and visiting Japan. Taking Japan out of the picture since that's just not a fair comparison... this place is good. It's solid, but it's definitely nowhere near my top 5. The fish quality is good, but by no means top-tier. The small plates we got were also solid dishes, but nothing in my mind really stood out. For the price it was pretty average - I would say they definitely can satisfy a good sushi craving, however don't be surprised if it doesn't blow you out of the water.

    (4)

  • Stella J.

    For a izakaya place I was pleasantly surprised with the omakase here. We opted to go with no hot dishes and to only have sashimi and nigiri. This place reminded me of maruya in San Francisco where they keep serving you until you say stop. We started off with a hamachi tartare and it was delicious mixed up and put with nori. The hamachi was fresh and did not taste fishy. A great way to start off the meal. Next we got a sashimi platter with 8-10 different cuts of fish. Surprisingly they gave pretty generous portions. Each fish was pretty fresh, the one I did not care for was the Saba. After the sashimi we had a few nigiri and we had to throw in the towel. It was a good amount of food and generous portions for the nigiri. We still had room for dessert so we tried the green tea ice cream with red bean and Mochi. Can you say delicious?! It was so good! The only thing is it's only a good dessert of you like red bean and Mochi otherwise it's probably not your typical dessert. Overall this was a pretty good sushi place. It's a bit in the ghetto and no one is really around but definitely worth the experience. Total for 2: $230

    (4)

  • Sheila K.

    Tonight's omakase was outstanding! The sushi chefs are so delightful! Probably the most authentic sushi outside of Japan. The dashi Ikura, kampachi and unni were some of the best I've ever had!!! It was a great place to go for a special celebration. We ate so much and the price was even less than I had spent at other sushi bars! Definitely coming again!!!

    (5)

  • Tracy V.

    Came here on a limb and waited for a table and my party of four only waited about 10 minutes on a Friday night :) It was first time having hamachi and it enjoyed it. The fresh uni here is amazing!! The toro was really fresh and marbled but it was too fatty for me. The salmon was good. The sushi here is a lot different than what we have in California. It's definitely better though. I'd recommend to order by fish. The sashimi platter we order for 3-4 had like 4/9 fish we didn't really care for. I had an order of udon and this was the best udon I've ever had. It was nice and chewy and the broth was flavorful. I didn't really like the egg in it though. It was a lot better than marukame udon...

    (5)

  • Diana L.

    This place was beyond amazing. Came here for a belated birthday dinner and was not disappointed at all. First off, make reservations! It took us about a week and a half to get in. You could walk in after 8 pm, but the likelihood of you getting a seat is low. Better to make reservations. The establishment itself is intimate. A few tables Western style that seat 2-4 and a separate dining area, Japanese style. Parking is limited in the back, but there is street parking if you're lucky. The service was great. The staff was quick to assist and take our food and drink orders. Also quick to take the plates off our table. Food: amazing. The Toro was amazing. It was so buttery. Reminded me of Japan. And really made me miss eating in Japan. The Uni was amazing too... Especially the Uni shooter! A must try! Gyutan was also amazing. It was nicely marinated and seasoned. Loved it. I had the natto too. First time ever. Can't say I hated it. Can't say I loved it. It was decent, but not memorable. Great food. Great company. If you want to try some awesome sushi, you MUST try Gaku.

    (5)

  • Richard K.

    Normally I do not order sushi from izakayas because typically most izakayas specialize in anything but sushi and it's usually the non-Asians that order sushi. But Sushi Izakaya Gaku is different because true to their name where "sushi" comes before "izakaya", Sushi Izakaya Gaku definitely does sushi right. Oh and they do great izakaya dishes as well. The wife and I were fortunate to get a seat at the sushi bar without a reservation because we arrived just after they had opened. In other words, definitely call ahead and make a reservation! We were seated in front of the younger sushi chef, Hideki, who has been with Sushi Izakaya Gaku for 8 years as the right-hand man to the head sushi chef and owner, Manabu Kikuchi, who reminded me of a Japanese Popeye. Hideki definitely made us feel very welcome with his infectious smile and friendly banter. His signature comment to check up on us every few minutes would be "everything okay?" Of course everything we ordered was more than okay. It was cho oishi! We started off with the spicy hamachi (yellowtail) tartar topped with a raw quail egg and negi (scallions) that was served with nori (seaweed). The tartar was creamy and had just the right amount of spice. And when we had eaten all our nori, Hideki promptly gave us more. Then we ordered sushi plates that came with a fresh assortment of quality fish that included toro, salmon, uni, and ikura. Moreover, I rarely eat the tamago (egg sushi), but even that was really tasty. We also ordered additional a la carte pieces of the hamachi, salmon belly, and red snapper that were all amazing. But of course the highlight of our meal was not the raw fish, but a grilled fish called moi. This fish was reserved for Hawaiian royalty and was so prized that commoners were not allowed to catch the fish and if they did their punishment was death! Sadly, due to overfishing, moi is not that easy to come by at most restaurants and Sushi Izakaya Gaku imports their moi from the Big Island. Therefore, it's not cheap at over $20. But you know what? You are not going to be able to eat moi outside of Hawaii, so splurge a little and don't be a cheapass commoner and just order this fish that was once reserved for kings! And by the way, Sushi Izakaya Gaku cooks this moi to moi-therf*KING perfection. The white flaky meat was very "moi-st " and to continue the whole royalty/king feeling, for a second I thought about screaming that trademark line from the Titanic, but the wife told me to "keep calm and carry on" or else Hideki might ask "everything okay?" At the end of the day, we really enjoyed Sushi Izakaya Gaku because they serve great food and Hideki definitely made the experience fu*KING awesome. This place is "moi" than worthy of its 5-star reputation.

    (5)

  • Julie L.

    The restaurant is a bit on the smaller side but very clean and comfy. All staff members bellow out greetings both when you enter and leave the restaurant. Definitely suggest calling and trying to get a reservation cuz your chances walking in will be slim. They offer authentic, fresh and unique dishes. Loved the snapper wrapped Uni, Wagyu tataki was buttery, fried Moi was crispy yet delicately fluffy...and this is just to name a few. They have a whole page of specials to consider and definitely worth trying. For instance, we had the special pork bone miso soup that didn't disappoint. Their hot sake is a bit pricy tho. Not the cheapest meal but we thoroughly enjoyed everything. One of the best meals of our trip.

    (5)

  • Takashi H.

    For the adventurous in search of mezurashii (uncommon, rare) delights, Izakaya Gaku is bound to be a memorable experience. I could easily keep Gaku on a short list of places to take out of town guests who I want to impress. While many might be quick to recommend Nobu's, Morimoto's, or other joints with name recognition, make the smart choice by trying a Japanese Izakaya experience you will remember. The ambience is chic and classy; authentic to popular Izakaya bars in Tokyo. You can choose to sit at the sushi bar where all of the action is unfolding, or at one of the tables for more room. Larger parties have the option of being in the rooms closer to the bathroom. The food was delicate and ideal for the refined palette. The dishes ranged from naturally flavored raw fish dishes, to those with a little Gaku flair. As a litmus test, I ordered ikura sushi which is my favorite among the usual options. The Ikura eggs were marinated in a special dashi which gave it a unique and agreeable flavor. The grilled fish dishes were fit for a king. In the literal sense, Gaku's menu features moi which was reserved for the ali'i royal class during the days of the Hawaiian Kingdom. Thankfully, moi can now be enjoyed by a few spots in Honolulu whether fresh caught or farmed on the Big Island. The ponzu sauce complemented the milky flavor of the moi. The vegan sushi options were delicious and a step above the usual kappa maki and avocado roll. The sushi chef was quite accommodating to our vegan guest who had an assortment of maki sushi, including two of my favorites; natto-shiso, and yamaimo-shiso-wakame. The desserts were a pleasant way to end a phenomenal meal. The warabi mochi was true to taste and texture. Served with refined green tea and fresh fruits, this dessert option was a light end to a big meal. Parking is limited to a small lot in the back, or street parking along South King Street, or the residential area. With the bike lane open along S.King, you have a few more spots across the street. Take care when crossing at night. Also, check the traffic patterns ahead of time as the residential area has one way streets.

    (5)

  • Dwayne Y.

    This place is amazing. My favorite Japanese Restaurants on Oahu are Gaku, Nonbei, and Imanas Tei. Gaku is my favorite though. The food is amazing!

    (5)

  • Jennifer D. L.

    Malibu was out sushi chef and he was friendly & amazing! The moi was so soft and delightful. The Japanese snapper was also amazing! I thought I didn't like snapper because it's been a bit fishy in the past, but I was pleasantly surprised :) Ambiance was relaxing and the vibe was on point! My date was great too :)

    (5)

  • Maria G.

    I am so conflicted about Gaku. On one hand their dishes are really tasty, on the other hand their prices just seem too steep for what you get. Don't get me wrong, I'm willing to drop $ on a good meal, but when you charge me $20-30 for an appetizer that is so small, it just doesn't seem worth it, especially if there are other places that serve izakaya fare just as good.

    (3)

  • Derek W.

    Not sure what happened to my original review of Sushi Izakaya Gaku but here comes the second one. I was sorta disappointed with my original visit here two trips ago since we weren't able to make reservations, I was determined to try this place out and ended up waiting close to 2 1/2 hours for a seat. I guess that left a super sour taste on my tongue and really didn't think the food lived up to the hype. However, I still thought some dishes were unique and was worth checking out again with the wifey. This time around, I made reservations a month out in advance and requested the sushi bar. Arrived and scored parking in the back. Spicy hamachi tartare yelp.com/biz_photos/sush… . This dish was what brought me back here. The combination of the hamachi and their spicy sauce was simply awesome! A definite must order when dining here. Wife loves natto so therefore ordered this natto, uni, ikura, okra, and yamaimo salad yelp.com/biz_photos/sush… . She thought it was hella good. Guess you have to love natto and yamaimo to enjoy this. Kabocha karaage yelp.com/biz_photos/sush… . Lightly battered and fried kabocha squash which I thought was just ok. Karaage chicken yelp.com/biz_photos/sush… . Not sure why I always crave some sort of protein after diving, but I was craving this and was not disappointed. Perfectly fried to a golden brown this chicken karaage didn't disappoint. Hokkaido scallop sashimi yelp.com/biz_photos/sush… . Was surprised they lightly grilled the scallops which added an awesome smokey flavor to the already sweet scallops. A definite must order! Seared toro sushi yelp.com/biz_photos/sush… . Yes I know very non-traditional sushi dish but it is one of my favorite since the torch brings out some of the oil from the toro which just adds so much flavor to the already tasty fish. Will be back but will need to make sure to make reservations waaaay out in advance to avoid the 2+ hour wait. People seem to just hang out here at this place so don't expect a quick turn-around.

    (4)

  • Sasha L.

    Gaku is my favorite Japanese restaurant, hands down. I've tried sushi everywhere and nowhere in Hawaii compares to the otoro (fatty tuna that melts in your mouth like butter) that they have here. Came here last night and had otoro nigiri, ikura wrapped in otoro, garlic seared otoro and otoro sashimi..it's the best! Also, we had hamachi kama, uni tofu jelly, dried sting ray, ikura wrapped salmon, coffee jelly with ice cream, and some sake, beer and iichiko Mizu wari. This place is consistently the best Japanese food I have found. The only bad thing is that they're always booked, so after 7pm they don't take reservations and you can walk in and put your name down. I can't wait to come back again!

    (5)

  • Roger A.

    I ate here last night with three friends. It is traditional Japanese seating, that is remove your shoes. We spend $500 with tip. Two bottles of sake, 4 beers, a few entrees, and many sushi later... The fish was fresh. The service was good. I would recommend this place.

    (4)

  • Marie I.

    Anytime there's an opportunity to eat dinner at Izakaya Gaku I jump for it. I like to go at 5-ish so I can take one of the few parking spots in the back (where I also check out the veggies they grow). The energetic, Japanese speaking staff are friendly, helpful, and attentive. They have very creative and unique dishes, my favorite being their spicy hamachi tartare w negi and a raw quail egg yolk, eaten with crispy nori catapults me into heaven. I never leave without having this dish!

    (5)

  • Johanna M.

    What a great spot for a date night. This little gem serves some of the best sushi I've ever had. Everything was so fresh, and the presentation of all the dishes were so pretty. I almost didn't want to eat some of it because it was so beautiful. My hubby and I went on a Saturday night so they were pretty busy. We made a reservation about two weeks before our visit, and our table was waiting for us when we arrived. Our waitress was so sweet. It was our first time there and she made some great suggestions. She recommended their shumai, which we might have just glazed over upon reading the menu, but it was a great addition. The shumai was big too...this isn't your ordinary shumai. She also suggested this really tasty deep fried pork cubes, which were really tender and well seasoned. We loved them. They were small, but pack a big punch. While their sushi is divine...do try their tofu jelly with roe...so dope. The negihama tartare was also really delicious and fun to eat. The otoro is also amazing...so soft, so yummy. One of my favorite items was the miso soup with the shrimp heads...it was sooo good. The shrimp was slightly sweet...it might be the best miso soup I've ever had. My hubby and I also ordered a plate of sashimi, and I loved the shrimp. It was sweet, and so great. I am usually not a fan of raw shrimp, but this shrimp was so tender and slightly sweet. If you want to splurge a bit, come out to this place. It is a little pricey, but well worth it. I will say, we were still hungry after we left, so we grabbed some food at the next spot. Maybe eat something before coming here, so you're not starving when you arrive.

    (5)

  • Rosa W.

    Just go and let you mouth feel the fresh and the sweet of their fish. Just amazing good!

    (5)

  • Connie H.

    - TLDR - If you like Japanese food, Sushi Izakaya Gaku is THE place to go! - FOOD - I'm generally not a fan of Izakayas because the sashimi tends to not be of the best quality, but this restaurant proved me wrong. We ordered quite a bit, but the following

    (5)

  • Tommy C.

    Overall excellent dining experience. Sashimi, steak, oysters...all skillfully prepared. Premium quality and freshness. Excellent service. Not really good for groups or kids. MAKE RESERVATIONS.

    (5)

  • KoBBella K.

    Very good restaurant. Although it needs an hour waiting, the staff there is so kind to call me whenever the seat is ready. Food is very fresh and tasty, especially the toro( def worth the price). Wonderful grilled moi too!

    (5)

  • Micki K.

    One of the best Japanese restaurants that I oh so love! Been a customer ever since 2012, and still not disappointed! Although, one of my favorite waiter disappeared :( Food is delicious, the flavors and texture is on point! I always get the fried kobocha and garlic steak. Besides that, everything else is good. Though, the bill can get pretty high fast. Dessert is a must, I love their custard pudding. Been my favorite ever since I first came here. Parking is limited and tight (risk getting your car scratched/dented) inside the building. Or you could just street park, if there is. Definitely a must try, you won't be disappointed! Forever your loyal customer :)

    (5)

  • Lyn L.

    Another fun evening with "the girls"....Five of my lady friends get together and the "birthday girl" gets to pick the place. Well, this time it was Izakaya Gaku... We had a Japanese table where you sit on the floor with your legs and feet in a "pit". The table is above floor level so it is pretty comfortable. Remember to remove your shoes before you enter the room and wear slacks...not really pretty watching a group of older ladies get up and down from the floor. We kind of had to gather ourselves up, roll over and then get up, some with the help of the wall or door...well enough said about older people sitting on the floor. The people were very nice, be prepared for a strong Japanese accent, the servers are authentic! We started out with miso soup, not the fancy one, just the basic. It was hot and delicious with a piece of wakame, love it! Next came the house salad..really nice and the dressing was perfect. Then we had the karaage chicken, nice and crispy and delicious. Spider roll came next (deep fried soft shell crab in a roll), that was so delicious and what we loved is the roll is small enough to be one bite...so you are not biting on it and the sushi is falling apart. We had miso butterfish, TNT (their version of dynamite), both very good. The TNT had nice chunks of scallop, mirugai (king clam) and clams, I think. Flavor was good! We also had the fried moi and even an order of the deep fried bones, oh so nice and crispy. Finally was the dessert. A couple of the ladies had the green tea ice cream, one had the azuki beans with mochi balls and one had the special flan. I had the custard which was delicious, not sweet....they topped it all off with a special dessert for the birthday girl...it was fun...they turn down the lights and the waitresses gather around and announce the birthday. Then they get the whole restaurant singing Happy Birthday...my girlfriend was really embarrassed, but it was still a fun event for the ladies. Gaku is on the pricey side, but I guess considering all that we ate and the quality and the special dessert they provided, it was all worth it!

    (5)

  • Mido U.

    The best sushi in Hawaii. I am not sure why i haven't reviewed this place before. it is the best. it is hte go to. there is nothing like it. they are not pretenious. there food is amazing. the uni shooter is to die for. the sushi is top notch. the sting ray is amazing. trust me. uni shooter, sting ray, and you really cant screw up the rest of your order if you get those two and they will keep you coming back! only gripe is that the parking is terrible. try to find street parking is the easiest

    (5)

  • W L.

    Ordered the omakase which was $60 per person and received one dish with 11 pieces of sushi. Don't know if I'm jaded from having omakase from the mainland but I usually expect more than just one dish with multiple pieces of sushi. Granted, the one piece of toro was excellent. I appreciated the small mound of rice that accompanied each piece of fish. The uni had a watery appearance (sucked). Overall, it's okay. It's a bit far from the strip of hotels to command Waikiki prices so a bit overpriced. Stick to ordering rolls and a la cart. Pro tip - if you get the ama ebi with your omakase, better ask for the fried shrimp head from your waiter otherwise you forfeit that.

    (3)

  • Nadia K.

    This is my most favorite restaurant! They have a very extensive regular menu as well as a changing menu of specials that coming here once a month ensures us that we will have our favorites and be able to trying something new too. Win, Win! For those of you who don't know, typically when dining at an izakaya, the food is normally ordered slowly over several courses rather than all at once. The dishes also come out when they are ready and not all at the same time. If in doubt and want to let the sushi chef decide for you, order the omakase sushi and/or sashimi! Our sashimi favorites are the otoro, uni, saba, moi, and kinmedai. I also love the seared toro with garlic and the king salmon nigiri. We always order the stellar bay oysters and the spicy negihamachi tartar. The uni shooters and the carpaccio are very delicious as well! If raw fish is not up your alley, then order the pumpkin kaarage, kurobuta sausage, miso butterfish, hamachi kama and chicken kaarage. All excellent! If you are feeling adventerous, ask for the hone (super thin and crispy fried fish). It tastes like chips and goes great with that bottle of Asahi. For desserts, I recommend the zenzai. It is the very best! Their house custard is also really good. Be sure to check out their dessert special as well. We once ordered 3 of the Japanese style pancake with ice cream. It was that delicious. And I miss it. Please bring it back. If you have a small party, be sure to sit at the sushi counter where all the action takes place. The sushi chefs are amazing to watch and so friendly. If you have 12-14 people, ask for the tatami room! Their tatami room has space under the table for your legs so it's very comfortable. This is one of the best restaurants on the island and perfect for any occasion. Bring your friends, your family, your out of town guests here and have an amazing experience! There is parking in the back, street parking, or pay the box across the street in the same buidling as Cafe Sistina. Definitely make a reservation! They take reservations for dining between 5pm-7pm and then its a wait list. Closed Sundays and Mondays.

    (5)

  • Lenny B.

    Since it was Christmas, we supper club ladies of four wanted something to indulge. The food was excellent but since it was our first time here, we wanted help with the selection of food from the waitress..... wrong!! I think it was the language barrier lol. I know fine Japanese food serves small portions, waitress could have recommended we order two or three servings as there were only two pieces per dish. Not racist but I think our experience would have been better if we had the better English speaking wait help who could have given us better recommendations and would have given this place a five star. The selection of food was excellent and sashimi platter was ONO, specially the uni, one of the freshest I've tasted. I know fresh as I grew up eating it fresh from the ocean :-). Save your tummy for dessert!! Definitely be back but will try the bar seating next time....

    (4)

  • Joyce L.

    The last time I ate here was about 4 years ago. I'm not much of sashimi eater but I do like shellfish like king clam, abalone, oysters. I ordered king clam and abalone without wasabi. Yeah, I don't do wasabi either. But they forgot my request and I thought I was having a heart attack and a big crocodile tear rolled down my face. They did fix my order. I'm sure sushi chef thought what dummy eats at sushi place without wasabi. I wasn't upset at all. I really came here to feed my husband. I can't tell you how sashimi was. My husband prefers Mitch's though. Shhhhh. Their dessert was pretty good. We had mochi with Azuki, guava and peach jelly, vanilla ice cream for my boring son. The atmosphere is nice and cozy. People are laughing having good old time. Personally, I rather eat at Sushi King. To me, it's about the same since I don't eat sashimi.

    (4)

  • Kim M.

    Everything I've ever had here = great, delicious, worth every penny. OMAKASE is absolutely fab. I totally recommend it. Especially if you aren't a picky eater and you LOVE to try new things. ;) #lovethatomakasedoe: yelp.com/biz_photos/sush… yelp.com/biz_photos/sush… On my most recent visit, my 2 male friends and I ate and drank about $650-worth of scrumptious Gaku eats and SAKE. We really take that whole "saké till you maké" thing seriously. (That wagyu nigiri is bomb, BTW.) Oyster shooter: yelp.com/biz_photos/sush… I'll keep this short and sweet bc Gaku is an experience to be had over and over again. Reviews don't do this place justice. Make sure you go with great company and adventurous eaters. FYI - Walk-ins welcome after 7PM, so get there a bit before 7PM (early enough) to save your place in line / put your name down and give your number.

    (5)

  • Steve D.

    Great food, the only problem was that we were partially full.... Had their signature tofu jelly, was great, please add the uni, just made it even better.... We also ordered the TNT thing, tasted better than it looks, tartar was excellent, the wife thought it was Ok, the butterfish, I think I had something like that before. But slightly better. The poke was also pretty good.... Overall good food, a little more expensive than Torae Torae, but still within acceptable range.

    (4)

  • Ada F.

    Hands down better than Sushi Sasabune. Last night we dined there so everything is quite fresh in my mind. We ordered: Fresh scallop sashimi from Hokkaido - they must have grilled it over wood because there was this smokiness to it that made it amazing. Never had fresh scallops that way. Very delicious!!! Seared toro with garlic sushi - my hisbamd's favorite. I did not try, too full from my natto, but if he is particular about his sushi so if he says it is good it must be. Spicy negihamachi tartar - yellowtail & green onion with Gaku's original spicy sauce. Super delicious!! A must order!!! Omatsuri natto - natto with uni, ikura, ahi, ika, yamaimo, okra & quail egg. If you love natto you will LOVE this. Natto and yamaimo are two things I love so this was heaven for me. Another must order!!! Kabocha karaage - so so. I expected more. I love kabocha and this disappointed me. Gaku's tori karaage - good flavor! I'll definitely be back for more. Make reservations ahead of time or you will be waiting for awhile. There is street parking and a tiny lot in the back.

    (5)

  • Vivian L.

    When you're only in Hawaii for 24 hours, you need to be efficient, organized, and hungry to be able to do as many of the greatest hits as possible. Our objective was to have fresh fish (specifically Toro) while in Hawaii. Sushi Izakaya Gaku was an easy decision. It offered sashimi and unique small plates izakaya style. It's a favorite among locals and tourists. We took a cab from Waikiki Beach, and it was kind of difficult to find, even after putting in the address in the GPS. There's a big, bright Japanese restaurant right next door, and we thought that was it, even though the GPS said we already passed it. The entrance is not really lit, and you have to look carefully for the signage. We called in for reservations a couple weeks prior just in case and we opted for a table instead of the sushi bar. I knew I had wanted the toro for sure, and also the spicy negi hamachi tartar after looking at all the yelp photos. We also ordered a rockfish carpaccio, seared garlic Toro, and steamed sweet potato manju with pork. Spicy Negi Hamachi Tartar + The spicy negi hamachi tartar was our favorite that night. The bowl of tartar sits in a bowl of ice, and they give you sheets of nori to wrap the tartar with. After mixing the egg into the tartar, it becomes savory, creamy goodness. We wanted to order another one, and almost did as our dessert... Rockfish Carpaccio + The rockfish was so fresh that it was almost crunchy when biting into it, it had such a springiness to it. It didn't have much taste to the fish itself (which was rather mild), but it was quite tasty with the sauces, oils, jalapeño, and garnishes. It was more about the texture of the fish than flavor. Oh Toro + The plate of oh toro came with 7 pieces for $40. Honestly, and surprisingly, I was disappointed. I expected a creamy, butteriness since it's the fatty belly of the tuna. Instead, it was juicy. I don't know how to explain it except to liken it to an under ripe avocado. It's watery, and bland (but very fresh). It was wetter than sashimi that I've had in the past. I didn't care for it very much at all, and I still prefer sake sashimi. Seared Garlic Toro Nigiri + We also got two pieces of seared garlic toro nigiri, at $14 for two pieces. I liked the seared toro more than the sashimi. It brought out a little more butter flavor, and I always like the smokiness of the blowtorch on my sushi. However, I didn't notice the garlic taste. Pork Manju + This was our "wild card" and ordered it as something different to try. It was so good! the manju is a big ball of pork inside a soft, mushy mochi skin sitting in a puddle of warm flavorful broth. It was delicious. We wanted to order one more thing just to push us over the threshold between content and satisfied. We almost ordered another negi hamachi tartar, but asked our waitress for fresh fish suggestions. She asked us what types of fish we're looking for, we said something fatty. She brought out two slices of local fish (sorry, the name escapes me) and it was so much better than the toro. I usually don't like skin on my sashimi, but I couldn't even tell with this one. Overall, if you have the means and ways of getting here from the touristy beaches, please do. While you're in Hawaii, you gotta have fresh fish.

    (4)

  • Aireen M.

    Baked king crab was good Garlic rib eye steak Soft shell crab roll was good too Definitely we'll be back Kinda pricey thou

    (4)

  • Regina B.

    Tried this place for the first time and mmmm so good! Read a bunch of yelp reviews to decide what to order. A lot of ppl say it's expensive but it really depends on what you order. Ranges from $5 to $25 for single dishes and higher for combinations/omakase. We were a party of 2, ordered 6 dishes and 2 desserts, came out to $130 after tip. Negihamachi tartare and tofu jelly with uni- loved! Both served chilled, very refreshing. Could prolly order 3 each! Ribeye with garlic(bfs fav)- was iffy about ordering steak at a sushi place but so glad I did! Very tender and packed with yummy sweet garlic soy flavor. Seared garlic o toro and wagyu beef- was super excited to try these but thought they were just ok. Maybe my palate isn't sophisticated enough to appreciate these pricey items. Wagyu- intense marbling, red meat is tender and yummy but the fat is very chewy, to the point where I just swallowed it cause I was tired of chewing. Butterfish was good but I think there's better things on the menu... Overall the food was very fresh and tasty, would def return. Service was good, a little slow but workers were sweet. I recomend making reservations on a weekday around 645pm. Metered street parking right outside the restaurant opens at 630 and is free.. didn't bother looking at their provided parking as yelp users say it's few and cramped

    (5)

  • Mel S.

    This is my latest favorite sushi restaurant on da island! It's so perfect, super fresh and perfect omakase! Also enjoyed the uni with gelatin, otoro, and the ikura with sake flavor is a master piece! Parking can get challenging but it's worth it and try to make reservations!

    (5)

  • Austin C.

    Maybe they are the best in the area. I can't really say because I'm just a tourist but I thought it was good. Nothing special. The sashimi was nice and fresh, I am not a fan of uni and now not a fan of raw scallops. Both taste just like sea water to me, but some people like that. I wouldn't say this is a 3-4 person platter although it is good for sharing but as you can see, some items have 4 pieces, some have 2. So if you are getting this for 3-4 ppl, a couple will just have to miss out on a few items. If you are thinking that it will be a lot of food, it's not. 1 person voice of easily finish and eat more. The tartar was good and there are quite a lot of items on the menu I didn't get to try. I wouldn't say it was out of this world amazing but it was good. I would venture here again to try other things but not in a rush. Too many other food places to try. Service is excellent and always s a pleasure eating Japanese food. I wouldn't say it is more expensive than other places, but you get what you pay for. Go cheaper, you'll prob get less quality.

    (4)

  • Lalaine K.

    I can't believe this place has been around for years and I just a couple months ago found out about it! My usual spots were booked and Gaku was available! Talk about love at first bite! I always order omakase but while sitting at the sushi bar, I got to see all kinds of other yummy dishes! Service is impeccable and always friendly!

    (5)

  • Denise L.

    This place is superb, it really is. Their sashimi is of excellent quality and our waitress even informed us that some of the fish the chef prepares is straight from Japan. Can you get any more authentic than that? Even though Hawaii is known for having outstanding Japanese food, Izakaya Gaku is pretty much at the top of the pyramid. Seriously, if you're a tourist and you're trying to figure out a place to get BOMB ASS SUSHI (please excuse my enthusiasm), this is the place to go!!! It's kind of a hole in the wall but a walkable distance from Ala Moana too-- which is great, because what better way to help the economy than to treat your taste buds to fresh, buttery sashimi afterwards? Oh, and you get the cutest, cheeriest/spirited greeting from the chefs when you walk in too. I have no idea why, but that always makes me :) get it? And it might be a good idea to make reservations unless you want to chill on their bench outside.

    (5)

  • Rachael O.

    I am in love! With a sushi place, of all things. You see, I was not a sushi fan before. But my date suggested it and he was a darling person, so I decided to make the best of it. It turned out that the food and the experience were fantastic! We arrived right on time for our reservation to a hearty greeting from the servers and sushi chefs. Don't let the location fool you. The interior is warm and inviting. I'm not sure why, but our reservation did not guarantee us a table, only two seats at the bar. While I enjoy sitting close and seeing the chefs in action, my date was recovering from being hit by a car while riding his bike (Don't text and drive, folks!) and sometimes sitting up high at a bar is less comfy than a table. These bar stools were comfier than most, so all was well. I didn't see the bill, so I can only comment on the quality of the food, which was incredible, start to finish, as was the presentation. We enjoyed oysters served on a bed of ice (super fresh and slightly briny, just like I like 'em), the thing with the quail egg on top (hamachi tartar?), otoro, a savory custard, cold, pickled spinach (or some other greens), green tea, cold sake, and a not-overly-sweet mousse like dessert topped with fruit. The service was gracious and impeccable. The staff was knowledgeable but not obtrusive. I never thought I'd say it, but I now have my very own favorite sushi spot.

    (5)

  • Lauren S.

    This was one of my favorite meals I've had. I came here on the recommendation of some local yelpers and I'm so glad I did. We sat at the sushi bar and browsed the menu. One of the sushi chefs approached and asked us what we like and what we don't. My fiance and I both don't discriminate when it comes to raw fish, so we welcomed all his suggestions. We had the ikura, baked king crab legs, poke, sea urchin wrapped in flounder, a miso glazed baked fish and oysters. Of course we also shared a bottle of sake. The only thing I wasn't impressed with was the poke. I did enjoy making little tamaki for my date to eat! I loved the baked king crab and the flavor of the marinated ikura. Service was good and not intrusive. The sushi chef was so friendly and we talked a bit about where we were from and our visit. We had to park a few blocks away and walk, but that isn't an issue for us. I would come back here in a heartbeat!

    (5)

  • Coty G.

    My taste buds did a happy dance at Sushi Izakaya Gaku. Gaku is located in a tiny space along King Street, just up the road from Sushi Sasabune. From the shabby exterior of the old building, you wouldn't expect to find authentic sushi chefs and top notch sushi on the opposite end of the wooden front doors. However, once you take your first step inside Gaku, it's like stepping into a slice of Tokyo that's been transplanted into Honolulu. The interior is dark and rustic. Fish bones hang from the ceiling. Everyone behind the sushi counter speaks Japanese. My must-try favorites include: 1) sashimi omakase: a nice selection of raw fish. We had ahi, otoro, moi, red snapper, saba. That otoro, oh man that otoro. 2) Uni wrapped in thinly sliced flounder with shiso leaves. If you like uni, then you'll love this dish. 3) The spicy negihamachi at Gaku is one of their most popular dishes, and I can see why. Take the wooden spoon and mix the negi (green onions) with the finely chopped hamachi. The raw qual egg will bind the ingredients, and the ponzu sauce provides the pomp and circumstance. Take a large scoop of the negihamachi and roll it into a sheet of nori and take a bite. Hear that pomp and taste that circumstance? Delicious, right. 4) They have some of the best ikura nigiri on the island. 5) The otoro nigiri is sinfully good.

    (5)

  • Sharon H.

    A lovely and extravagant choice for izakaya dining in a traditional setting, complete with the shoji doors, low tables and open kitchen with delicious, sizzling aromas wafting throughout the modest-sized restaurant. From the polite and refined servers to the river stone chopstick holder, the attention to detail made Sushi Izakaya Gaku a four-star experience for me. After a long day of shopping, it was so nice to sit back and watch with awe as one dish after another arrived at the table. For starters, a dashimaki tamago served cold was simply presented with a generous scoop of grated daikon. While Fran C. and our friend Cathy dined on oysters on the half shell, I munched on kabocha karaage with it's delicate fried crunch giving way to a meltingly soft pumpkin. We all shared the chicken karaage with a squeeze of lemon, perfect alongside a hearty bowl of udon noodles bathed in hot broth. The two of them also indulged in sushi and tempura, signatures of the restaurant, while I was content to finish my bowl of udon and contemplate dessert. Parking is in a tiny lot adjacent to the restaurant, and we were one of the lucky ones to find a space, though most folks will have to make a few passes along King Street or Sheridan Street to find an open space. I want to go back, only next time I'd prefer someone else to drive!

    (4)

  • Chris O.

    Food is great! Best to try what ever the chef recommends. I learn and taste something new every time i come here that's what makes it fun!

    (5)

  • Linh N.

    Everything was very fresh and amazing!!! This is what we had: Negi Hamachi tartar Spicy scallop Nigiri Steller bay Canada oysters Salmon Snappers (2 types) Miso butterfish Tamago Seared otoro nigiri zenzai Everything was 5 stars! Great customer service also which is always a plus

    (5)

  • Liana F.

    Gaku.Gaku.Gaku. One of the BEST sushi joint in Honolulu! Sushi Izakaya Gaku is totally worth the wait and you'll def. leave this restaurant satisfies! Although it's pretty tough to get a table here, you won't regret the wait. After 7:30 it is first come first serve, but I recommend making a reservations ahead of time. My boyfriend and I are a sushi lover and we love trying different sushi places, but this is by far the BEST one! FOOD: UH-AMAZING! You can never go wrong with ordering anything from here. Promise! The quality of their fish is fresh as it gets. If you haven't eaten here, you are missing out! The consistency of their food and quality is always on point! Sushi Izakaya Gaku always meet my expectation every time! Presentation is very clean and nice. Our order is pretty much the same every time we're here, and here it is: **Spicy Negihamichi TarTar: Perfect spicy level, creamy and rich in flavor! The quail egg is a perfect combo with it. This is served over a bed of ice and once you finish mixing the quail egg with it, you wrap it with the nori that comes with it! **Seared Toro with Garlic Sauce: MELT IN YOUR MOUTH. Although Ootoro could get pricey, I never regret spending money on this piece of fatty, juicy, delicious and flavorful fish! The garlic sauce is just amazing. **Fresh Oysters: I'm so picky when it comes to fresh oysters, but Gaku is one of the three places for fresh oysters! The ponzu sauce is house made and it's a perfect match along with the grated ginger and green onion. BUT.....it's missing one thing - GRATED DAIKON!! Most places, they serve their oysters room temperature or even warm sometimes, but their oysters here are COLD. **Sushi A: 7 different nigiri (Saba, Uni, Ikura, Maguro, Otoro, Toror, Amebi), House Tamago and a negihamachi roll. Super bomb. Super FRESH! You can't ever go wrong with ordering this set because it comes with the top 7 fishes of the day and it gives you a taste of each fish. **Gyutan: In love with cow tongue! Best gyutan ever. It's not chewy, it's tender and delicious! Make sure you squeeze the lemon, if not you'll regret it. It's so tasty, and there's no after taste or the meaty taste. Good stuff. **Catch of the day Carpaccio: Winner! The catch of the day was Red Snapper when I went, and it was by far the best carpaccio dish I've had. It's thinly sliced, served with house ponzu, topped off with jalapeño, brussels sprout and thinly sliced onions. Great combination and it's so flavorful. I didn't even know how sweet and tender the Red Snapper could be. Service: Friendly. Knowledgable. Fantastic. We was always being checked up on and our tea/water was always refilled -- never had to ask. Every question was answered and they didn't seem annoyed because if you know me I ask a million questions. Don't get me wrong, who doesn't? lol. Atmosphere: Love the traditional set up of this restaurant. It's so clean. There are few rooms that you can reserve for big parties and it's great for privacy! The atmosphere is great and the noise level is not too much either. Price: Worth every penny! Expect to pay the price if you want a QUALITY dinner. On average, it's about $60-$70 per person including tips. Although it depends on what you order, if you choose omakase, it could be a bit more. I strongly suggest that if you are not willing to pay for the price then don't even bother. I'm never disappointed when I dine in here, and I don't mind paying for the price especially if it somewhere like Gaku. Overall, amazing dinner and I enjoy it every time I come here. I'll be back in no time!

    (5)

  • Arthur S.

    I was lucky to be a patron of this resturaunt just the other day when i was brought here for my birthday dinner. One of my best dining experiences yet on the island. My gf called ahead an ordered the Omakase for us both. Dishes brought out were as follows: #1 Raw oysters topped with tobiko and a dash of greens- I really enjoyed the oysters. They were served chilled, the sauce they were in was excellent, the tobiko added great texture to the dish. #2 Salmon Skin Salad- Excellent starter, crispy crunchy salmon skin with a nice dressing to top it off. #3 Kurobota Pork- Nice and tender. Wasn't to suprised with this dish since its a common dish here in hawaii. The gravy it was in was dark and deep. I'm pretty used to Kurobota pork being paired with a darker type sauce. #4 Uni Shooter- Hands down best part of the Omakase. If i could give 6 stars, this would have been the 6th. Heaping mounds of uni topped with a pickled garnish swimming in a sweet savory sauce. I would get drunk off this dish if it were possible. Uni so fresh! #5 Spinach- Probably the least favorite dish of the night, it was sort of a salad type dish, served cold. There was a grainy texture in the spinach, not sure what it was that was mixed in. #6 Fried Stuffed Tofu- A decent dish, but very similar to agedashi tofu in my opinon. The sauce was quite thick. I dissected the fried tofu ball and it was cooked nicely, there was also a few mushrooms thrown inside. #7 Crab Cakes- One of the better dishes! This dish was perfectly fried. I could taste the sweet crab meat in each bite, there were some chives mixed in for flavor and crisp. #8 Fried Shishitou and Stuffed Eggplant- A tempura like dish, the eggplant was stuffed with a creamy shrimp mixture. I enjoy my serving of vegetables! #9 Hirame wrapped Uni- Maybe my second favorite dish. It added a real freshness to the course of the meal, after eating a few fried dishes, i was ready for a cool, fresh melt in mouth dish. This dish did it. Cool to the tongue, buttery in mouth. Refreshing! #10 Salmon Tataki- Decent dish. I've had tataki before so i can't say too mch about this dish. Perfectly grilled on the inisde. Nice soft raw fish in the center. Garnished with greens, sauteed in a sweet sauce. #11 Toro Nigiri- Refreshing! a nice pink slab of toro, that was extremely soft and buttery, an excellent cut of fish. Great quality. #12 Uni Nigiri- My favorite nigiri! I could eat these everyday. The uni was chilled, and super fresh, toppling over the seaweed. I like the generous portions that are served in the nigiri here. Atmosphere is great. The dim lighting, the sushi chefs hard at work behind the counter. The seating arrangements are all very homey style. The wall art and sculpture make a serene setting for couples on a date. The service excellent. We did end up waiting a while before the dishes started flowing. Which made us a bit impatient at first. We were served the first two dishes, then ended up waiting a while before the next couple dishes came out. I'd imagine it would be more continuous, although maybe it was a busy Wednesday. I would definitely enjoy coming back here again someday. Many of the dishes were new and unique to me. Only downside is that we were served many fried dishes. I was looking forward to more of a fresh style omakase with a more exotic twist including fresh seafoods in a sashimi or nigiri type manner. Parking may also be a downside, although we walked so it wasn't a big deal.

    (4)

  • Amara E.

    Quite possibly the best sushi restaurant in Hawaii. I've been here 3-4 times now and the service is always good, the food is consistently excellent and the fish is very fresh. You can order anything on their regular menu and it will be good. The first page on their menu is a list of their "specials," which I consider to be the dishes that are more experimental. Sometimes they're fantastic and sometimes they're decent, but I've never had bad food here. Ever. And I can't say that about any other place I've ever been to. Recommendations: 1) Seared toro with garlic sushi Most delicious piece of fish I've ever had. The flavors are incredible too. 2) Negihama tartar A creamy mix of hamachi, green onion and raw quail's egg wrapped with nori. Delicious! 3) Butterfish Tender, but not soggy. Flavors are balanced, not too sweet. Perfectly caramelized. 4) Gyutan I usually hate beef tongue, but the Gyutan they serve here is awesome. The total bill came out to $63 for about 6-7 dishes. Granted we didn't order sake or sashimi, but I've had both here before. Both very good. Parking is tight in the parking lot, so I'd suggest not even bothering to attempt parking there. There is plenty of free street parking after 6pm on S. King St. Make a reservation or expect a 2hr wait with walk-in.

    (5)

  • Weng C.

    We eat here maybe once twice a year. Great place to have very high quality sushi served by a Japanese sushi sensei. ..can't get better than that. Sitting at bar top is a must.

    (5)

  • Tomoko M.

    Best sushi in waikiki, fresh fish and great shari(sushi rice). They know what's really good :)

    (5)

  • Kristina D.

    Come here only to order sashimi as that is what this kind of of sushi joint is. Don't expect an extensive menu filled with Crunchy Tuna Rolls and Catepillar Rolls. I ordered seafood dynamite, miso butterfish, toro nigiri, and spider roll. Seafood Dynamite - Typical. Nothing special. A variety of chopped up pieces of seafood baked under Japanese mayo. Spider Roll - Ew. What is this shit? The soft shell crab did not have a good crunch to it and tasted grainy when I bit into it. Miso Butterfish - Bland and not a whole lot of flavor. It was my first time trying butterfish and was not a fan of the texture. Toro - This was the only good part of the meal. It was my first time trying toro and my boyfriend loves toro and said it's one of the best he has had. Two stars derive only from this fish. Service is slow. I've noticed that service is slow at a lot of places here in Hawaii. Maybe it's the Hawaiian lifestyle? "Chill brotha"? Does it usually take 45 minutes to get food around here? Poo. I just want food.

    (2)

  • Darren M.

    Went here the other week and was not surprised. Everything was good. Its def not cheap and you need to make reservations if you don't want to wait. This is probably the 55th time Ive been here. Food is really consistent and service is always excellent. Since my wife loves sushi we will def be coming back when she can eat raw fish again.

    (5)

  • Olga C.

    Great food, service, ambience! Everything we tried was very fresh and flavorful. We loved sashimi platter, tofu jelly, and spicy yellowtail tartar. Even sushi rolls were beyond good.

    (5)

  • Kenji L.

    This place is one of the best places to get Japanese food on the island. It does however come at a very high cost. The fish they use for their sashimi here is probably and arguably some of the freshest fish I've ever had in a restaurant. All sushi is prepared by a well trained Japanese chef and some of the fishes are even imported from Japan. I personally would recommend ordering things from their specials menu especially because most of the stuff on that menu is so fresh and delicious. Also make sure to make a reservation because this restaurant is small and gets packed very quickly. Overall, Izakaya Gaku is one of the best sushi restaurants on the island.

    (5)

  • Kayla R.

    Extremely disappointed. I recently revisited Gaku for the first time in over 2 years! And it was horrible. My husband and I decided to go to Gaku for my first time eating sushi again after my pregnancy. So first off, we decide we want to get the omakase! (Going into this we set out standards high, we've both been to sasabune and read a review from someone that they liked gaku better) so we were pumped! Our server asked if we wanted just sushi or a mix of their popular dishes and sushi. We wanted a mix (since it was my husbands first time) he brought out spicy hamachi tartar (always good) oysters (delish) and a dish of your typical sushi. I wasn't impressed with their typical choices, I was expecting something a little more exotic. Plus their hardly have anything too. So still hungry we order otoro sashimi, seared chutoro tataki (recommended by server- it was okay....), also tofu jelly with Uni, and we both had dessert! He ordered sweet potato mousse and I had their flan. NOTE: my husband didn't have the flan, and I ended up sick ALL NIGHT LONG! It was AWFUL! Never coming again! So in the end, I will never come back... Due to sickness and overpriced food and not being impressed!

    (2)

  • Danny C.

    Ok the food is not bad, but it's not good as you will expect from a high end sushi place. The cut of the fish is really weird shape. The rice is not holding in shape. (Or I should say there is no shape more like a circle). Fish to rice ratio is wrong as well. The quality of the fish / seafood is not what you would expect from a high end Japanese restaurant. And they over priced on everything except fish bones. I will not go back again for sure ( after spent around $200 on some not so good sushi/sashimi)

    (3)

  • Annie K.

    OOOOOHH...... What a magical night!!! It was unforgettable, most desirable, and the BEST food ever. Their staff were welcoming and friendly. No matter how great the food it is, if the staff is happy and friendly, the food shines even more. Everyone made sure we were eating a smile. Glasses were full and empty dishes were removed. Oh, what great service from the Gaku staff. First time at Izakaya Gaku, and yes, I am a HUGE fan. HUGE!!! I've been to numerous Izakaya houses and only two has made an impression on me and Gaku is one of them. We had their sashimi that night with moonfish, salmon, toro, ahi, amaebi, and opa...WOW! Ever so sweet and fresh. The star of the night was their baked king crab. It was a whole lotta crab! Their kurobuta sausage blanketed with cheese had the perfect amount of cheesiness. Each and every dish was a gold star and I would definitely come back for more. And then, maybe some more. :)

    (5)

  • Billy H.

    what can you say about this place that others already haven't? service was great and everything was good. uni wrapped in halibut (?): really the best thing that happened to sushi category. this was the reason we wanted to eat here and it didn't disappoint. oyster: this was ok. wife liked. seared chu-toro: visually, it fools you into thinking that this is a meat dish. wife didn't know what i ordered and she thought it was a wagyu dish. she couldn't believe how tender the meat was. she liked this a lot. butter fish: this was very sweet and buttery. can't remember the official name of the dish but description said butter fish. actually, saw at another table and ordered. wife also liked this very much but was a bit too buttery for me. Uni nigiri: the least briny kind both of us ever tasted. we love uni and always try it at any sushi restaurants we visit. the waiter confirmed that it's the least briny breed. so very sweet and not overwhelmed by brininess. o toro nigiri: sweet and tender. melts in mouth. seared o toro nigiri: this was so good. must have. got so full but ended up ordering another plate of uni nigiri and o toro and seared o toro. but since the last 2 was same price, i asked for one each as you usually get 2 per order. would definitely visit again if we go back to oahu.

    (5)

  • India R.

    I would definitely recommend this place and I will be back here! I just enjoyed everything about it! The service was great, really amazing food even though it was smaller portions and quite the assortment of sake! Our server came over and described different sake's to us and had us taste a couple before we decided which we liked best. The spicy Hamachi, crab cake, and the kambocha (which I believe was on special that evening) was all on point! Again, the portions were smaller so you could end up spending a pretty penny before getting full. But you so leave satisfied! Another secret, they do have a few parking spaces open in the back, if you're lucky, you can score a spot there. Other than that King St. is one of the worst for parking!!

    (5)

  • Jesse S.

    We called and they promised me and my friends, (including a 10 year old little girl) a table if we showed up before 6:45PM. We rushed over, got their by 6:30PM and were told their were no tables available and we wouldn't be seated. The Manager Yuki was extremely rude, unapologetic, and didn't seem to care at all. I don't think he likes Americans. Take your business elsewhere.

    (1)

  • Jeanie L.

    This restaurant may serve good Japanese food but its customer service is the worst I have ever experienced. Called several times and either it was busy or went directly to voice mail. When I finally talked to a staff, he said the reservation is all full but walkin starts at 8 pm. I arrived at the restaurant at 7:30 pm. No one was waiting outside. The staff said the wait is 1 hr. This means that the restaurant does not keep some seats separate for walk-in customers. I asked the staff how come he told me that the walk in is 8 pm. He said I will let you know if a table is ready in one hour. I don't think I am going to beg for spending over $100 at a restaurant and receive this kind of snobbish attitude. The food may be great but they are losing me as a customer forever.

    (1)

  • Brandon S.

    Gaku has always been one of my favorite sushi izakaya's in Hawaii. The quality and care that they put in their food is top notch. As soon as you enter the eatery you instantly feel like you're in Japan. Many of my friends who are from Japan dine here and they are quick to say that they also feels like they are back home because of the environment, the service and the quality of the food. Aside from the taste of the food, I also love how fresh the seafood is as well as the variety they offer. Not many places serve good Unni, Mirugai, ama ebi consistently. The last time I was here the salmon was awesome sauce. It was like no other I've ever had in Hawaii. It was soft like a creamy buttery goodness that just melted in your mouth. The toro here also reminded me of being in Japan and eating it fresh in Tsukiji. I took someone here for the first time a few weeks ago and she absolutely fell in love with the place. It's now on her places to take her friends and relatives list lol. It's a little on the pricier side when you compare it to other izakayas but the way I look at it, I'd rather spend a $100 here for a complete full filling meal for 2 people than half a meal for one person at somewhere like Moriomoto's. I recommend you make reservations because I have never seen this place not crowded. I believe they only take reservations before 7pm and after that it's first-come-first serve. So it's not as bad as Morio's where they're booked for month's at a time. You at least have a chance of getting seated. I was lucky, showed up about 6:40 on a Friday and was seated promptly after 7pm. There are a few parking stalls in the back but you're better off finding street parking or parking across the street in the building that Cafe Sistina is in for $3.

    (5)

  • Kelly M.

    This place has delicious food!

    (4)

  • Bryan A.

    This place is awesome. The only drawback is you need to make reservations well in advance. But if you can get in, the food is awesome. We love sitting at the sushi bar. The sushi chefs are fantastic at cutting fish and come up with creative ways to serve. We have had some of the best cut of otoro in Hawaii at this place. It is best to relax and enjoy your meal with some sake. You do not want to be rushed getting in and out. It is a little pricey but you get what you pay for.

    (5)

  • Marina M.

    Of course it's a four star!!! What can I say? Great food, great staff, great presentation of food!! But parking sucks!!! There's parking for only numbers of tables in the restaurant. If parking is full=no seats. Lol

    (4)

  • Ian K.

    This is by far one of the best izakaya anywhere and that includes Japan. Very creative and tasty food. Great service and fair prices. It is on our must eat list when on Oahu.

    (5)

  • An N.

    My absolute favorite spot in Hawaii. Sushi was amazingly fresh. I tried the uni shooter for the first time here, and I want to come back for more! Awesome atmosphere with nice sushi chefs, every single bite was unique, authentic and delicious. It really is a little hidden gem!

    (5)

  • Zar A.

    I LOVE YOU!! Sushi chef Manabu-san makes awesome sushi, sashimi, nigiri... and other stuff I cannot pronounce! Some friends introduced me to the grapefruit soju and it was awesome! I usually don't drink cocktails, but this was absolutely fabulous! The bitterness of the grapefruit was balanced quite well with the soju. +Tar tar - comes with a quail egg was yummy! +Eihirea - something definitely different here not served at other izakaya places on Oahu, but very yummy! +Seared salmon ikura - amazing! I normally don't like ikura due to its very fishy taste. but this was balanced so well with the seared salmon that I could not taste the fishiness of the Ikura. +Seared ahi with garlic - yum! +Scallop nigiri - omg, so fresh! Best scallop I've ever had, ever!

    (5)

  • Verena K.

    fantastic. so delicious and wonderful. i spent two birthdays in a row there. make sure to make a reservation if you are on the island only a short time and really want to get in, although last year we just walked in and were lucky enough to get seats at the sushi counter. it's actually really great to get to sit there, and watch them work and prepare all the delicious food. they also talk to you and explain dishes.

    (5)

  • Carol S.

    Best sushi experience so far! Walked in & the whole staff greeted us in Japanese with smiles. Sat at the bar and got recommendations from our sushi chef. Decided to go with the Negihamachi tartar & a whole bunch of toro! The quality of the fish is so tender and fresh. The toro almost tasted as if it just melted in your mouth. Yum!!! Also had oyster shooters with frozen sake on the top.

    (5)

  • Sheldon T.

    Ok, I went again last night and I was highly disappointed... NOT, kidding, never ever disappointed with the best eating place in the world!!!! Sushi Izakaya Gaku never disappoints! EVER!!! I'm the King of Foodies and I have 21 check-ins in this place, so you can either believe me or not, it's up to you. I probably forgot about 10 check-ins because I was too busy drooling over the food and forgot to check-in... Manabu the owner is a genius! Hideki the special sushi chef is the most amazing "special dish" man EVER. I have a "man crush" on both of them!!! I am straight as an arrow, so don't please don't get the wrong idea. ;) Put them and all the awesome employees together and you have the best place ever to eat in the best place ever to live - Hawaii. If you can't live Hawaii, sorry. I've been to Asia and Europe and all over and Hawaii is the best place to live and eat!!! If you get there, just tell Manabu that the "Famous Sheldon" sent you and tell them, give to me what Sheldon gets - seriously. I've taken at least 10 different partys here and if they live here, they became regulars. If they don't live here, they call me as soon as they get off the plane and make me take them here - again seriously. I won't waste your time with more recommendations. Everything I've ever eaten there gave me a foodgasm (food+orgasm). I took my friend of 30 years here last night for his birthday and I know he will become a regular. Last month a took a girly here from Cally and she called me the next day to tell me that she had a dream of Sushi Izakaya Gaku - nuuuuuuf said! If you see reviews that aren't 5 stars, don't believe them. There is either no pleasing them or they have a giant bug up their butt that needs removing... Best wishes to all my fellow Yelpers and happy holidays!!!!

    (5)

  • Dawn T.

    One of the best sushi bars that I've been to. You can tell the food is fresh. My husband was a little skeptical about coming here but I wanted to come because of all the rave reviews and I was craving hamachi so bad (I'm 6 1/2 months pregnant) nuff said :D We celebrated our 8th wedding anniversary here last night and I'm so glad we did, the atmosphere is nice, we sat in the corner of the sushi bar and although there was a lot of chattering around us, it still made it seem intimate for us. My husband and I were throughly impressed, you can tell they take pride in their craft, as we sat and watched them make our food. We ordered quite a few things ( after all I am eating for two) we had: Seared Toro - Yum, Yum, Yum talk about a melt in your mouth fish. So buttery, so yummy, so awesome! Hamachi Carpaccio - Cravings taken care of!!! Check! A must try, I could have eaten 5 plates on my own :) Shrimp & Vegetable tempura - It was good, I wasn't too impressed, I like my tempura with more batter but that's my preference. Negihama Tartar with Quail egg - So good, so much flavor I think my husband could have had 2 more bowls of that it was sooo flavorful Chicken Karaage - one of the best Karaage's that I had. So moist, so tender, good flavor. Yellowtail with green onion roll - delicious! Unagi Roll - I'm not a huge fan of eel but this one was delicious! (I wish I had taken photos but once you put food in front of a pregnant lady, it's on don't even count on trying to snap pics) lol At the end of the night our tab came out to a little over $130 with tip and that's with the 2 beers (my hubby's), and my vanilla ice cream for dessert. All in all we had a great experience, my husband and I will definitely be coming back here!!! Oh and btw parking can be a bitch, they have a parking area in the back, you have to enter on the side to get to it, super small & tight. If you own a large truck like we do (ford f-150) don't even bother. We managed to find street parking and took a nice walk :)

    (5)

  • Eric A.

    On our very first visit, I experienced love at first bite! An extremely polite and helpful staff quickly seated us and offered all the help we needed without being intrusive. The food came quickly with perfect presentation. Ankimo, hamachi, oh toro, a surprising treat of tofu with a delicately smokey jelly topped with the most perfect ikura I've ever tasted, all perfectly paced out of the kitchen. A beautiful little teapot filled a delicious soup of Maitake mushrooms and seafood topped off our wonderful late night snack. We will be back, and we're bringing friends! Oh yeah, and there is parking in the back. I'm in love...

    (4)

  • Michael L.

    It's only ok. I don't know how it gains its reputation. Place is hard to book with all the tourists hyped up. Waited TWO hours for the mediocre food. Service is pretty slow and indifferent. I'd give it a one star if not for the variety of the menu.

    (2)

  • Dai I.

    Pros: Taste of some dishes were great. Cons: Taste was a hit or miss, tight parking, terrible business practices. My rating is low due to the fact that they slapped on charges without telling us (I mention later in my review), the speed of sushi made was extremely slow, and that they were shooing us out even though it wasn't our fault that our food took so long to come out each time. Maybe it was someone new at the sushi counter who knows. I had come here many years ago when the store first had their grand opening and my impression of the place was that it was "one of the best". Therefore, I suggested this place for my friends birthday. Everyone, myself included, were thoroughly disappointed with our experience. Parking: Small parking in the back with roughly 6~8 stalls, street parking in front if needed. Food: -Salmon Skin Salad (7/10): Slightly small for the price, but was good. -(2x)Dynamite (10/10): I've had many different varieties of dynamite at different locations and I can say that this was one of the best I've had. Not too rich and full of good seafood. -Spider Roll (8/10): Nothing really too special. If you like softshell crab, then it shouldn't be that bad of a deal. -(2x)Special Sashimi Platter for 3~4 (2/10): 3 pieces of Katsuo, 3 pieces of hamachi, 2 pieces of ootoro, 2 pieces of scallop, 2 pieces of amaebi .... wait a minute, this dish is called Sashimi Platter for THREE TO FOUR right?! All of the pieces were in quantities of 2 or 3. Do they expect us all to fight over the pieces?? Even in terms of total quantity, this is definitely NOT for 3~4 people. The plate was decorated with abalone and giant clam shells... but too bad! no such sashimi on the plate! Just a decoration.... Lastly, what happened to the sweet shrimp heads? Did they use something so preprepared that they don't have the heads? Or did they just throw away our heads for no reason? This was a terrible dish to pay over $70 for. Was a mistake to order 2 orders from the start. -(2x)Bara Chirashi (9/10): The dish was really good but took almost 15 minutes from order until received Everything on it is raw, how does it take that long? The store wasn't even full. -Spicy Tar Tar (or something like that) (8/10): My friend ordered it and I had a bit. It was served on ice which kept it nice and cold so it tasted great. If only the amount wasn't so small for how much it cost. -Assortment of individually ordered Sushi (?/10): My friend was the one who ordered it so I cant say anything about the taste but he said it was "pretty good". -Special Dessert (1/10): Okay this is what made the night's experience utterly terrible. We originally told the person that took our reservation on the phone that we were coming in for a birthday. We reminded them and pointed out whose birthday it was when we came in. We were done with our food and thought that there was nothing special for birthdays, since noone asked us whether we wanted desserts or something, getting ready to ask for the check. Then the waiter brings a "special dessert" (as it said later on the check) and sung happy birthday. The dessert was charged 12.5 on the check. WAIT WHAT? Yeah sure I wouldn't have cared to pay for dessert for a friend IF YOU DIDN'T JUST SLAP IT ON THE CHECK WITHOUT TELLING US. Seriously, not a single warning from anyone? Great business ethics there folks. On top of all this, during most of our meal, the table next to us was open (had 2 people sitting in it when we left, when the table seats 6ish tops) the sushi bar had about 3 seats open, yet they were RUSHING us out looking rather irritated that we didn't leave earlier. Yeah, thanks, when everything we ordered from the sushi counter took over 15 minutes to arrive so it was hard to know whether or not to order more. (yes literally everything took more than 15 minutes. The sashimi, bara chirashi, and the assorted sushi -- it was less than 10 pieces! -- were all ordered separately when we realized we needed more food). Food was good, but definitely not worth the price and service (slapping charges on the check without asking is a bad business etiquette you know...). I can understand why this place wasn't full even though we went around prime dinner time. Will NOT be coming back again unless I'm swimming in money. Many other places that are around the same or similar quality for cheaper in town.

    (2)

  • Castanza D.

    BEST sushi place in Honolulu. probably the second best i've ever had in life. been all over japan, and hawaii, along with the CA coast, this place is so great.

    (5)

  • Lance M.

    I've been wanting eat here for awhile and it was definitely worth the wait and price. We Got there at 630 on a Saturday with no reservations, and gave my name/nbr to the gentleman at the front...1hr to an 1-1/2 wait, no problem! Started with a glass of Hoyo sake, smooth with a slightly sweet taste. Food wise-started with the oysters and Negi Hamachi tartar. I'm not a huge fan of oysters but man, these were so fresh especially with the ponzu sauce! Negi Hamachi ridiculously fresh yellowtail with green onions and an raw egg on the top, mix it about and spread on provided nori (you can ask for rice if needed) and experience awesomeness. Sushi- Asked for the omakase (chefs choice) for 2 which the chef selected 6 different kinds of seafood sashimi style-ours included sweet shrimp, moi, red snapper, o toro, and another snapper (forgot the name!), and yellowtail. All were excellent, fresh and possessed their own unique flavor and fatty goodness. I personally loved the yellowtail, moi and above all the o toro! We loved the sashimi so much that we then ordered some nigiri- o toro, sake (salmon), yellowtail (hamachi), moi, and uni! Again so damn good! Some of the best fatty, freshest tasting fish I've experienced in Hawaii. Almost forgot but we also had the Gyutan (beef tongue) which was simply great. It had so much flavor, cooked perfectly and just delicious. The waitress and servers were all very friendly, personable and answered any questions we had during our dining experience. Was it worth an hour wait and the price? Most definitely. Would we keep coming back for more? Hell yes!

    (5)

  • Cindy L.

    I can't believe that it took me this long to finally dine at Gaku. Yes, I tried several times and never had any luck with reservations or walk-ins. My husband and I came here for our 4 year anniversary dinner, we weren't going to bring our little girl, but decided last minute that we can't celebrate without her. But really, it's not a place to bring a toddler, although the staffs were friendly and accommodating, you can't fully enjoy the experience. However, here's what we tried: Homemade tofu jelly with uni - The tofu was soft and velvety and the uni just enhanced the flavor, but I didn't really care for the jelly. Spicy hamachi tartar - Best dish of the night! The texture and the taste were perfect. And the crunchiness of the seaweed just compliments it. Daily oyster - Fresh. Sushi Combo A - 8 pieces of sushi: o toro, uni, amaebi, ikura were the highlights. O toro - Very good, but not the best I had . Seafood Dynamite - Good, I like it when the ingredients were not chopped up and messed together. It's a little pricey but they do use some of the fresher ingredients on the island.

    (4)

  • Seiko M.

    I tried the omakase. The wait staff informed me that it would be approximately $75/pp. I wanted to see how it compares to Sasabune. The oysters were super fresh and served on the half shell atop an ice bath. The sashimi platter was ultimately my favorite.

    (4)

  • Tiff C.

    I deserve a spanking for not writing a review for god knows how long but this place deserves some recognition! We started with refreshing uni and ikura tofu jelly and that was eye opening delish! Two Thumbs up on this dish! Then we ordered the hone senbei and this is THE super secret off the menu only insiders know about dish, and it's basically fried to crispy chip like leftover fish bones, which would have been really good with some beer! Good to try this if you like fried stuff! Next came our sashimi and I think the seasonal fish "Saba" was really good even though the waiter said it was "gamey" The dish had all our faves: salmon, yellow tail, oh toro, sweet Ebi, tuna, 14 pieces for $48, totally worth it IMO! EC had an uni shooter which had jelly and it was really like diver just got some uni from the ocean fresh! I scarfed down our yakitori with salmon belly and shiitake mushrooms, I think I could eat this everyday, hands down my favorite of the night! Next we got the squid, ume umami sushi which was an appetizer dish, something different but not mind blowing! Our final dish was the TNT seafood combo, the oysters tasted a little fishy but the scallops, mushrooms and yellow sauce made up for the dish! Pomegranate jelly with fruits topped with syrup was a great palate cleanser and I got the Matcha mochi green tea ice cream which was decent! Service was excellent and you could live in the huge clean bathroom...someone celebrated their birthday and they got sung to and a special dessert, which was sweet of them! Needless to say we made another reservation for next week, so many other dishes we were drooling over

    (5)

  • Reid A.

    What's good? Probably everything, but I couldn't try everything. Oh toro, yellowtail (hamachi), spicy negihamachi with quail egg, braised pork and daikon, gaku egg sushi, and the best dish of the night...( drumroll please) the wagyu sushi! The menu can be overwhelming, but it's an izakaya. Order a drink and a dish or two and hold on to the menu because you are free to order as you please. You don't need to order everything at one time. This ordering system works when you have awesome service, which gaku has. It seems all the waiters/ waitresses there are there to help you. You can flag anyone down and they will get your order. I love asking waitresses what is popular, because I don't want to miss out on a good dish. In this case I knew one of the waitresses, Lindsey. She brought over a popular dish called the wagyu sushi, I think. Well, thank goodness I tried it, because it was amazing! It was better than the oh toro. The parking is in the back. There are only a few stalls and make sure to reverse into your stall. You will have to reverse on the street if you don't. This place is my favorite izakaya hands down.

    (5)

  • Kenson K.

    This place was really good. All the chefs and servers here are Japanese so you know the flavors are authentic. I came for dinner with my boss. We sat at the bar as there was no room. It was so packed, for a weekday! We ordered the broiled moi, which is one of my favorite fishes. It was cooked perfectly and had just salt and pepper seasonings. Served with a side of lemon and daikon oroshi. Perfect. We also had a baked seafood medley. It had a mayonnaise sauce, but it was ok. We also ankimo, which my boss had the for the first time. I told him it was the foie gras of the sea. He seemed to like it. The misoyaki butterfish is so ono. It reminded me of mom's home cooking. It was so good. We fishished off with a spicy tuna roll, and a unagi roll. Must try this place again when I'm in town.

    (5)

  • Yuko A.

    I come from a family of foodies, my dad's parents and my mom's father. Anyway, I always go to the same places with my Grandma. I guess the familiarity of the menu and the fact that she knows the owners is the main reason but sometimes I have to drag her out of her comfort zone and I suggested we try Izakaya Gaku. I called on Saturday night and the only reservations I was able to make for Tuesday night was 5pm.. When we got there, we were the only other customers inside besides one other couple so our food came out pretty fast....Here's what we ordered... Okoze Carpaccio yelp.com/user_local_phot… Aji Tataki Salad Dashi tofu jelly Spicy negihamachi Tartare yelp.com/user_local_phot… Fish bone senbei Uni/Oyster shooter yelp.com/user_local_phot… Sushi (Oh-toro/Uni/Amaebi/Aji/Ikura/Hotate/Hirame/Chu-­toro) Dashimaki Warabi mochi w/ green tea ice cream (for dessert) Everything was absolutely amazing. The presentation, the little attention to detail, the freshness of the fish. I loved the Aji salad, always eat it as sushi and it was delicious as a salad. It was my first time eating Okoze but I definitely recommend it if its on the specials list. At first my grandma didn't want to order the spicy negihamachi since "you can order that anywhere" but she was impressed when she had that first bite of creamy/spicy/quail egg hamachi wrapped in nori. I've never had a uni shooter so of course I had to try one. It wasn't bad, topped with dashi jelly but I prefer it with sushi. One of my favorite dishes was no joke, the dashimaki. I love egg dishes. I'll eat eggs with anything and I always order gyoku to end my sushi meal. This dashimaki was the best I've ever had. So flavorful, I think next time I'll order some to take out....The ikura was also some of the best I've had. I asked the chef and I guess they soak it dashi so its not as salty. Try it! yelp.com/user_local_phot… I'm happy to say my Grandma was impressed..."How do you find all these different restaurants Yuko!" - YELP! Anyway, I had such a good meal, and time staring at their incredibly good-looking sushi chef. Yes I'm not going to lie, I did a little staring during the meal....He's the one in the middle by the way ladies :) That I came back 6 days later with some friends and enjoyed another fantastic meal.... We ordered some of the same things (uni shooter/spicy negihamachi/dashimaki/Ikura/Un/Warabi mochii) but some other things as well... Mentaiko butter potato Seafood TNT Abaraki sausage Shinsato peppers Their natto dish (uni/ikura/ika) Some sushi rolls Gaku Salad Oysters on the half shell Custard pudding Kabocha pudding (dessert) Damn, I'm pretty sure they can't mess anything up...Except I was told that the kabocha pudding was gross - it was sour? The oysters like other yelpies have mentioned are plump and very fresh! The seafood TNT was better than Imanas and I ordered a bowl of rice to eat it with again :) We all died after eating the natto dish - so good. Especially if you are fan of natto like we all were....I only had a couple bites of the custard pudding but it must be made in house - not sweet at all, perfect consistency of creamy and custard. Now just a warning, its not going to be a cheap meal. We spent at least $100/person both meals but honestly, it is SO worth it. This is the BEST Japanese restaurant I have been to in Hawaii. YELP 365: 235/365

    (5)

  • Janel E.

    The chefs at Gaku don't just go to work, put in their hours, and leave. They live and breathe food, the restaurant, the strive to provide the best that can be offered. This is what sets it apart, and makes it a favorite among many. Some musts: Ribeye (or filet if available) with garlic/butter, spicy negihama tartare, otoro and ikura sushi, and any dessert. The only negative thing about the restaurant location is the parking. It's cramped like sardines, and good luck finding street parking. But I always find a way to make my stomach happy. :)

    (5)

  • Thomas H.

    It's possible that the night before at Sasabune biased our view of this place. Solid, fresh seafood, but nothing to rave about. Service was very sloooooow, got both of annoyed by the end of the night. Even the check took 10 minutes to process.

    (3)

  • Jing Y.

    OMG, this is boutique of Japanese food!!!!!! My friends and I went here last summer and almost a year pass, we still miss what we had so much. It's pretty crowded and may wait for a long time if you don't make reservation first. It's street parking which means it's super hard to find a place because we went there at night. Foods are absolutely stunning with no doubt!!!!! I can guarantee every money you spend here is worth it. Sashimi is extremely fresh and other dishes we had are tasty as well. Don't know what to say, YOU'VE GOTTA TRY IT.

    (5)

  • Iris K.

    I think I died and went to heaven. This place is amazing hands down. I'm not sure why I would even attempt to go to Morios as I can't even get a reservation, but this place does sushi justice. The bf and I went for a date night and grabbed a spot at the counter (we had reservations of course - but they didn't take months to get). We both had a glass of otokoyama sake which makes everything taste so crisp and delicious! Our servers were kind enough to explain several items to us as well as give the best recommendations for what was on special for the evening. We ordered to following: seared toro with garlic sushi, shirako with ponzu sauce (intestine looking thing which was surprisingly creamy and deliciously perfect with the yuzu), nodokuro sushi (a type of snapper that was just butter in your mouth), and an omakase sushi and chef's choice sashimi sampler. Pictures to follow. The prices are not cheap, but I'm all about quality vs quantity . The service was excellent and the sushi chef was so friendly and answered all of our questions. It is such an experience to sit at the bar and watch the food made before your eyes. I would definitely recommend this place, but reservations are definitely a must.

    (5)

  • Mizzie C.

    Best izakaya!!!! Everything was on point! We had the sashimi omakase, oysters, king crab cakes, grilled beef tongue and the spicy negitoro! Al 5 stars. Ordered a flask of sake $45 and a beer. Everything came out to $187 not including tax. Went on a Saturday night at about 9 PM and there was NO wait. Sat at the sushi bar and was out of there in an hour. Would recommend to go a little later to avoid the long waits!

    (5)

  • Monthakan B.

    Hands down........GAKU is the best izakaya in town! (For me) Always looking forward to coming here. Great food and good service. Must get: Uni shooter!! Oyster shooter!! Hamachi tartar Kakuni tempura (daily special) Toro sashimi They don't take reservation here so avoid the rush hours (6:00-8:00pm) We normally went in to put our name down then walked across the street to Tsunami for couple of drinks. They will call you when your table is almost ready :)

    (5)

  • Javier F.

    I was surprised when I got this place, 1 1/2 hour wait? Totally worth it! We had the fried pumpkin, deliciously sweet and soft in the mouth. I tried the spicy hamachi tartar, really good and perfectly presented on the table. The sashimi platter was good, a nice selection of the best fish cuts they offer at this place. Seared toro was unbeatable, delicious. The show stopper was the Oh toro, oh my god... Not only because is hard to find it, but because the thickness of each cut and the observable freshness of the fish, I can say that I've been to one of the most spectacular sushi places on earth, this restaurant is not pretentious at all, and service is really good despite the host's English (he wasn't clear about if he put my name on the list). Keywords: oh toro, yummy.

    (4)

  • Jenny K.

    by the time we arrived in honolulu that evening, it was fairly late. there was a wait at 9:20pm. that's a good sign, not that i like to wait...but it was packed on a thursday night. we sat at the bar-like area. the person making food across from us was from japan. his older cousin is the owner. traditional japanese cuisine at its best. tofu jelly with uni - whoa! the flavors, the softness of the tofu, the pairing of the shoyu jelly with the tofu and the uni.. *salivating* yelp.com/biz_photos/lVX6… spicy scallop - 2 pieces of scallop sushi with a bit of spicy goose tail oysters (WA) - the biggest oysters i've ever seen!! delish!! yelp.com/biz_photos/lVX6… miso clam broth with uni - i'm not a big fan of miso soup but paired with the clam broth and uni made it very good pork chasu - delicated sliced pork full of flavor with a side of cabbage seafood chazuke - japanese seafood porridge. they pour the broth over everything at the table. negihama tartare - spicy yellowtail with a raw duck egg. they give you seaweed so that you can wrap your own spicy yellowtail rolls. yelp.com/biz_photos/lVX6… the tofu jelly with uni was the most creative and flavorful dish of them all. but all of the dishes were absolutely delicious!! every bite was heavenly. we were quite full at the end so we didn't have room for dessert. such a treat for our first meal back on the island!! =)

    (5)

  • Tman S.

    Impressed. I am a sushi snob and this place delivered. I ordered 10 different nigiri based on my favourites and what they had fresh that day. I really loved their take on the torro nigiri and their snapper was also amazing. Amazing cuts, properly served with amazing service and friendliness. Will be back next time I am in hawaii. Period.

    (5)

  • Shree M.

    I hate giving these guys 5 stars because it's already impossible to get in there! Might be in my top 5 meals ever (I've traveled extensively - to 40+ countries over 40 years)... So that's a strong statement! Get the Negihamachi Tartare without fail. The wait staff is also very very good.

    (5)

  • Gavin L.

    Let me begin by quoting a popular blog that shares small bits of wisdom for those of us of a whiter shade of pale (i.e. haole people): "White people love Japan for a number of reasons. Sushi is pretty much the biggest one, since white people have spent so much time in sushi restaurants, enjoying the food, learning about how to eat it, and how to be snobby about it. This natural curiousity fills them with a need to pay a visit to Tsukiji and taste the freshest Sushi possible...But it goes beyond just food, all white people either have/will/or wished they had taught English in Japan. It is a dream for them to go over seas and actually live in Japan. This helps them not only because it fills their need to travel, it will enable them to gain important leverage over other white people at Sushi restaurants where they can say "this place is pretty good, but living in Japan really spoiled me. I've had such a hard time finding a really authentic place" ( stuffwhitepeoplelike.com… ) I have been to Tsukiji and tasted some amazingly fresh and delicious sushi; I have lived and taught English in Japan and gone to more sushi restaurants than I can shake a chopstick at; I have successfully positioned myself in life to have leverage over other non-Japanese people in sushi restaurants in determining the quality of the sushi at stake. And many a time I have said, "it's good, but you should really go to Japan, it's just not the same." However, this time was different. Not only was I blown away by the atmosphere of the place and, of course, the quality of the sushi (toro and papio was amazing), but I was accompanied by my Japanese friend who claimed that this was the best sushi on the island and that her friends she always brought here from Japan thought so as well. But seriously, I had a truly memorable experience here. I am so glad there is a place like this on Oahu. The sushi chefs were impeccable in their precision, hilarious to talk to (so definitely try to get a seat at the bar, this means you will have to reserve a seat at least a week in advance or just be really lucky if you walk in), and they even prepare items that may not even be on the menu, say if you had something once and would like to try it again. Admittedly, it seems a just a tad pricey when you first look at the menu, but considering the quality of the food and the charm of the atmosphere, it's totally worth it, even a deal. And with a menu that accommodates daily freshness, be sure to see what is only available that day, and be sure to try the desserts, the watermelon sorbet was pretty good. So now, after a long and arduous search and even having lived in Japan for two years, I can finally say, "This place is pretty good, but going to Gaku spoiled me."

    (5)

  • vladimir m.

    The best sushi I've had in my life. Period.

    (5)

  • Erin Y.

    What's to say that 300+ reviews haven't already said? It's perfect. Everything is perfect. Hence, the 5/5 stars. If I could give 10, I would. I would take some of my one star reviews that didn't even deserve the one that was given, and give it to Gaku. Clearly, they know how to do it, and they do it right. + Baked King Crab + Miso Butterfish + TNT + Edamame + Hamachi Kama + Softshell Crab Roll I know those surveyed said that this place is not good for kids. I will say, its good for well behaved older kids. My 4 year old daughter was an angel here because she craves good tamago. Not recommended for normal pizza loving kids. Make reservations. Eat a lot. That is all.

    (5)

  • Iris W.

    Best Izakaya in Hawaii! I love everything... ^_^

    (5)

  • Sonia S.

    My name is Sonia and I'm ADDICTED to sushi and Gaku! Although I don't go to Gaku as often as I'd like, which would be every day, when I do go....I'M IN HEAVEN! All the oohs and aahs bite after bite.... My gf and I were lucky to get in super last minute...luckily there was a cancellation on the sushi bar. The BEST seat in the house is at the sushi bar. We ordered: *Whop Yo Jaw* garlic ribeye steak ~ This steak is ALWAYS amazingly delicious. Served with a small salad with ponzu vinaigrette, cooked potatoes, carrots and broccoli. Each delicate morsel of steak covered in garlic slices is crazy good! *$45 sashimi moriawase ~ As fresh as fresh can be! Manabu's sashimi presentation is always so beautiful. Sometimes too beautiful to eat! The sashimi platter consisted of: 2 pieces of amaebi (sweet raw shrimp) 2 pieces of ehu (local snapper) 2 pieces of otoro (fatty tuna that melts in your mouth) 4 pieces of aji (jack fish) 4 pieces of maguro (tuna) 2 pieces of whitefish (may have been hirame...I didn't get a chance to ask as I was oohing and aahing too much) *Tako and spinach appetizer ~ I forgot the japanese name, but it was cooked, marinated spinach and tako (octopus) in a light, vinegary sauce. Similar to mozukusu, but lighter in flavor. It was sooooo good. I wanted to drink the sauce! *Seared toro with garlic sauce ~ We were already so full, but ended up ordering this for dessert. Our neighbor was making a whole lotta noise after eating his sushi. It was the seared toro...he said it was a must try! So glad we did! This was the highlight of our meal! Definitely re-order next time I go!

    (5)

  • John C.

    I would have given it zero star if I could. It is a complete rip-off. I didn't get any information useful. Stay sway .

    (1)

  • Aaron I.

    After hearing about how great SIG, I had high expectations. I was thoroughly not disappointed and everything from beginning to end was excellent! Luckily I went with the perfect folks to thoroughly enjoy true Izakaya experience, I think our reservation was at 7 and we were there well past closing. We all had omakase, as we wanted to get the full interpretation of the chef. Fresh, high quality, traditional, and exotic it was all there. Hamachi from the heavens, Carpaccio exquisiteness, perfectly balanced Clam Miso, basil Tako to awaken your palette, O-toro that melts in your mouth, the garlic Rib-Eye cooked to a medium-rareness that was almost to pretty to eat, baked King Crab delicate and warming of the soul and the rest of the night was a blur.... If you enjoyed the film Jiro, you will definitely love this $100 omakase. Its well worth it! Don't forgot to ask for recommendations to pair with sake/shochu/beeru!

    (5)

  • Jess C.

    Every dish at Izakaya Gaku seems authentic, the quality of all the items from the tofu to the sashimi was very fresh, but I wouldn't recommend visiting if you are starving like I was. Highlights of the menu were: TNT Dynamite - if you like seafood and something a little creamy Tofu w/Uni and Fish Eggs - incredibly fresh soft tofu with jelly Fried fish of the day - simple but executed perfectly. Pass on the: Karaage Chicken - it was good but I prefer my chicken to be crispier. Hamachi Tartare - the hamachi may have been fresh but the best part, the texture, was a bit lost on me since it was ground up and pounded into mush.

    (4)

  • Mune T.

    Sushi Izakaya Gaku is my favorite Japanese restaurant in Honolulu. I have to warn you, first of all, this very popular restaurant is always busy, so you have to make a reservation well in advance or be prepared to wait to be seated. The fish is very fresh, local or flown from Japan almost everyday. The chef Manabu and Nobu at the counter are both friendly and very good with creating great dishes using their fresh seafood, sashimi, sushi, and other dishes with raw seafood. The kitchen chef, Hideki, we call "Genius" always create amazing dishes that make us say, "Ah....", be it, fried, grilled, baked, steamed, soup, or marinated. The waiting staff and manager are also very nice. What I feel at Sushi Izakaya Gaku, is "100% at ease". It means "free of worries" like wondering if the next dish is good or not, the service tonight is friendly or not, and so on. You don't have to worry about being disappointed in their food or services and it is very consistent. Just to make sure that we have a place to sit next time, we always make a reservation for the following visit before we leave. Love this place!

    (5)

  • R S.

    I'm giving this place two stars for the simple fact that the food here is just not good. My gf and I started off by ordering the homemade tofu jelly, monk liver, and seaweed salad. The tofu jelly LACKED flavoring and seasoning, I had to force myself to finish the dish. The liver tasted fishy and off, the only thing that actually tasted fine was the seaweed salad. For our entrées we order the chef choice sushi and the hamachi collar. Being in Hawaii, with fresh fish caught daily and there being a large Japanese population, you would think that these two dishes would be good to excellent. But no, both were bad and by bad I mean HORRIBLE. I mean how the hell can you mess up these two dishes. The fish was fishy and tasted old, the hamachi collar tasted dry like fish jerky. At the end of this sushi nightmare it was so bad we just wanted our check so that we could leave. Our bill was a little than a $100, it was definitely not worth it considering that there are so many sushi restaurants in Hawaii with great food. This place for one is not. I recommend sushi sasabune.

    (2)

  • Jenifer G.

    The Hamachi Tartare was absolutely exquisite, can't go wrong being topped with a raw quail egg. The Hamachi Kama Collar was delicious, it doesn't yield much, so savor every bite! I'm usually not a fan of Seafood TNT Dynamite (seafood baked with mayo) but it was so tasty, I got second helpings :) The Oyster Shooter was fresh and clean. The Uni nigiri was sweet salty fresh, per the usual. The Pork Sausages were okay, a bit oily and salty so I gave away half of mine. Although I'm a huge fan of fois gras, I didn't care for the Ankimo (monkfish liver), the flavor was a little rough and I it lacked any kind of creaminess..I guess I shouldn't be expecting that. It's not cheap but Gaku never disappoints with their fresh ingredients and high quality of food and service. The four of us enjoyed a tatami room in the back, luckily we reserved it for a Thursday night (plan way in advance if you want something on the weekend!). The food was awesome, the sake and Sapporo kept flowing, and the conversations were alive, what else could we ask for?

    (4)

  • Tiffinie K.

    Yummmy! Good thing we made reservations, but they only take them between 5-7PM, otherwise, you have to try to walk in. I arrived at 6:15PM, reservations at 6:30PM, and I got the last stall (of 8). Where's the parking lot? Right after the restaurant front door, looks like a short drive way. Gotta give them some props for having a parking lot though, right? Food was goood, except for the spider roll and chu toro takaki. The spider roll, in my opinion, had too much sesame seeds; and the chu toro tataki was over cooked. The other items we ordered the oysters of the day, sashimi, ootoro and amaebi sushi, nameko miso soup, and gyutan. Can you guess what my favorites were? Of course, the ootoro, oysters, and amaebi. It was my first time trying amaebi - it was so clean that I didn't break out (yes, allergic to shrimp when it's not cleaned good, or if it's too old). Please holler your suggestions my way - I'll be sure to try them next time I go there. Service was great! We were seated immediately. The host server explained the menu, and even suggested items. I preferred his service over our main server's. Not a deal breaker, but our main server forgot to tell the sushi chef not to put wasabi on our sushi. I noticed because she asked us if we wanted wasabi on top or on the side. Atmosphere was rather loud. I kind of like that in sushi or izakaya restaurants. Makes me feel more at home, since I come from a loud family and all. 4.5 stars. I can't quite give it a 5 since there was a minor flaw in service and my palate wasn't completely satisfied for the price.

    (4)

  • Mei-Lan C.

    let me start by saying that I don't eat anything raw . my hubby loves sushi , that's why I have to come to these places once in a while. it was my hubby's birthday and he chose this place. we ordered sushi combo a ( 45 $ ) , spicy negihamachi tartar ( 9.50 $ ) and the ikageso ( 7.50 $ ) oohh, I can't believe how expensive this place is ! the sushi combo A was definitely NOT worth 45 $ . the portion of ikageso was also very small for the price. the servers were very nice though

    (3)

  • Amina P.

    I love this place. I am no expert on Japanese food or culture, but this place proves a genuine and respectful interpretation of the food and culture in my opinion. Clean, authentic, friendly and chic.

    (5)

  • Lyndsey C.

    Lots of things to choose from on their menu! Loved their fresh oysters (so big), their garlic steak, and negi hamachi tar tar! Service was really good, but if you dont have a reservation...it can be a while. So walk to tsunamis and have them call you when a table is ready!

    (5)

  • Amanda T.

    Wonderful Japanese food. Try to sit near the chef/ sushi bar. The owner and his cousin are awesome chefs and so much fun to sit near them. The Spicy Negihamachi Tartar (# 12) is delicious and the TNT dynamite is a must. The seared toro is so good. Also, the beef tongue is worth it.

    (5)

  • Asia N.

    I'm here almost every week. Just fir the bake king crab, the king crab wrap with cucumbers n for dessert gotta have the flan. It so soft but not too sweet.

    (5)

  • Anthony W.

    For our very first night in Waikiki we decided to come here for dinner after reading the reviews. It was a great choice and would return again. It is a very small sushi place that appears to be privately owned. If you want a table between 5p-7p I would call FAR in advance for a reservation. We called ahead and they mentioned they only take reservations from 5p-7p. After that, it is first come first served. The place was full of Japanese customers which, in my opinion, is a good sign. The dishes we ordered was amazingly fresh, but I guess being in Hawaii that must be the norm. We had the spicy scallops, spicy tuna, spider roll, king crab bake (like a crab cake) and some negihama dish I can only refer to as item #12. It is basically yellowtail, green onions, fish roe that you mix up yourself and roll up in mini-seaweed paper. If you are in the mood for some good fresh sushi, you won't be disappointed coming to this place. Just make sure you plan it well so you don't end up waiting too long. When we arrived at around 8:15 we noticed a family waiting in a car, and we were behind them. Don't be THAT guy. Visited June 2012

    (5)

  • Brenda L.

    I love this place! I grew up in japan (30yrs) and this place is as good as eating in Japan! When I want sushi but also want to eat other dishes, this is the place to go. Staff are all very friendly and extremely inviting. Always busy so I try to go late.

    (5)

  • Allie Z.

    We came here our second to last night on Oahu, without a reservation - but because we got there right when they opened, they were super accommodating and seated us right away! We ordered a number of things - a sashimi sampler, beef tongue (or maybe it was beef hearts?), Uni!!, their special pork for the night, something else, and both their desserts! I wish we could eat here every night because the meal was so perfect. The service was incredible - super knowledgeable & really listened to what we were in the mood for. I would highly recommend this (and make sure you have a reservation, or make sure you get there early!!) It was our first time having Uni - and it was so... interesting. the best I can describe it is that it was like having a mouthful of the ocean, in the most refreshing and soft way. The one thing that we'd say could use improving, is having a full stock of t-shirts! My fiance loved the place so much he wanted to buy one of their t-shirts but unfortunately they didn't have any in his size (medium!!!). I would go back in a heart beat.

    (5)

  • sean m.

    don't really feel like writing a review, but this place deserves 5 stars. Great service, atmosphere, and of course food. This is definitely one of my favorite restaurants on the island. My girlfriend and I come here regularly and get the same things every time. I would recommend their tofu jelly with uni, hamachi tartar, and gyutan. Everything I have tried has been great, but those three dishes are must tries.

    (5)

  • Ricky Q.

    I really don't get why this place got such a good review. I have gone to many sushi places and this was definitely not worth it. Overall the food wasn't bad, not like a cheap sushi place where the fish leaves a weird taste in your mouth, but nothing on the caliber of what you would expect from a high end sushi restaurant. They have quality ingredients but they don't seem to know how to really turn it into something great. Don't get me started on the service. Inattentive and slow. We were annoyed by the end of our visit on top of leaving still hungry. All in all you're paying extra for better quality ingredients that have simply been cut up into weird squares for your enjoyment. Definitely not worth your time or money.

    (3)

  • Greg C.

    Has it all: quality, atmosphere, authenticity. Lives to the hype and then some. Believe it.

    (5)

  • Alysha K.

    Omakase here is to-die-for! Come hungry cuz they feed you until you tell them you're too full and can't eat anymore. The portions are pretty filling and big too, especially if it's just the two of you. -Started off with the hamachi tartar with nori. Suuuuuper delicious! One of my favorite dishes of the night! -Second, we had some oysters on the half shell. Very fresh! -Next came the seafood bisque. Seriously one of the best bisques I ever had in my life! So flavorful, and there was even a shrimp-like head in there too! -Sashimi platter with toro, ahi, aji, tai, ama ebi, and more! Fish is soooo fresh! Loved every bite! -Hamachi head (not kama). The eyeball was staring at me the whole time, until I gulped it up! Meat is really tender. -I then requested for something with uni in it. And the sushi chef made me uni wrapped with some kind of white fish & shiso. I love anything with uni in it! -Various nigiri sushis. All so good. -Agedashi eggplant dish - super refreshing and cleaned the palette. Nice to end with cuz after that, I could not eat a bite more! I cannot wait til my next adventure at Gaku! Prices are reasonable too. Came out to $75 per person, including sake (a lot cheaper than other omakase places, such as Sasabune & Morimotos).

    (5)

  • Ai T.

    this place is really good, I would be lying if I were to say that it isn't. The service is also great and the host was very welcoming. So why only 4 stars? EXPENSIVE, dont get me wrong, I dont mind paying for great sushi, but sushi here isnt phenomenal. It is really good though and definitely really fresh, I had my best salmon sashimi here and the baked king crab was delicious, its crispy, savory and buttery but not over powering and its filled with alaskan crab, cant go wrong there.

    (4)

  • Steph U.

    This was one of the most authentic Japanese places I've ever been to! The service was amazing and the food was ridiculously good. They use different ingredients to create their own twist on Japanese foods. My boyfriend and I ended up here randomly after reading the Yelp reviews and we were not disappointed. I don't remember all the names of the things we ordered, but there was this Seafood Dynamite thing and it was just absolutely deeeeelicious. We also had this fish with chili peppers that the restaurant grew itself. The only downside was the price. It definitely was a little pricey, but it was definitely worth splurging.

    (5)

  • Jade K.

    More than 2 years back to this joint and my high standards for Japanese food was still met! With reservations, you can get seated right away! Without reservations, you could wait up to an hour (you will not suggested to wait.. but there are those persistent last minute visitors that say they only have one day in Honolulu) They offer more menus now! And sorry but the sushi hand rolls aren't their specialty! My original faves: - Jaga Butter Mentaiko - Grilled Moi - Papio Carpaccio Still consistently yum! - Grilled Butterfish is good too! (Options for those folks that tend to stay away from raw fish) Things that I'm glad I tried, but I probably wouldn't order again: - Acai Jelly I wouldn't recommend this restaurant for group events as it is quite a small place. Expect to pay about $35+ per person for a hearty meal :) (Same) The tatami room is the best! :)

    (5)

  • Marty G.

    Awkward cuts. Missing menu items. Confused waitress. Quality not great.

    (3)

  • Boki C.

    I was hoping to rate this 5 stars, since I've been trying to eat here for over a year, but timing hasn't worked out. Don't get me wrong, the food is great here, and their menu is very vast. But it just wasn't 5 stars for me. We ordered a LOT of stuff between the 5 of us, lots of uni (delicious! but smaller than the average sushi place i've been too), o toro (excellent), chawanmushi (i've had better, but this was still good), chirashi, natto dish, hamachi kama, tofu jelly, oysters on half shell, oyster shooters (the texture of the saked with ice flakes was weird with the oyster). we also had the uni wrapped in halibut, it was good... but i felt that the halibut dulled the flavor of the uni. service was pretty good until more people got there, so our 2nd order of food took a while, which i didn't mind, that gave me time to digest, then we were kindly asked to leave after eating and drinking and loitering a bit - which i understand, since there were people waiting outside. I'm from hong kong, so it's normal for me. i don't really have anything to complain about. it's delicious, but i think i'll be trying a few more different sushi places (ones i haven't been to), or go to my GO TO japanese/sushi places - yohei, sushi ii, sunrise restaurant before i visit gaku again.

    (4)

  • Jimmy C.

    This place was so incredible that my wife and I came here twice on our short stay in Oahu. The vibe seems like a neighborhood joint but they were very friendly and service was great. On to the food review, it would be difficult to find something not delicious here. Fresh local and traditional Japanese seafood. We sat at the bar and ordered individual items during our first visit. The spicy hamachi tartar and seared moi nigiri are highly recommended. They also pour generous portions of sake! During the 2nd visit, we sat at the bar again. Our chef remembered us (3days later) and this time we went with omakase chef choice. The staff are attentive to every detail. The chef remembered what we liked from our first visit. We had at least 10 different kinds of fish and none included salmon, mackerel and or eel which is fine by us. A few fish we did have were sweet shrimp, toro(2ways), moi, GoldenEye snapper, uni, and our favorite was surprisingly a seared flounder nigiri.... So buttery and without guilt of eatting toro. We look forward to coming back again when we return to Oahu. Food, service, quality all 5 star. The price was not cheap but was reasonable given the quality of food.

    (5)

  • HighStandard S.

    Wherever I go, Rod U has been there before me! Enough has been said about the food, so I'll mention that the service is excellent, friendly, and helpful. The setting is cozy and intimate; it's a small place, an oasis of deliciousness and civility in a hectic part of town. The menu is in Japanese, English, and there are pictures. Add in the knowledgable servers, and you can't go wrong. I arrived on a Friday night without a reservation, and they made it work for me without any scolding. I skipped the wasabi so as to not obscure the fresh, delicate flavors. Like unagi? Try the sea eel here without any sauce, it will be a revelation. The smelt roe was so fresh, it danced on the tongue, like ginger ale. The pumpkin and the burdock were savory and clean tasting, unlike the usual candied treatment. 5 high quality dishes + tea= $34

    (5)

  • Steven M.

    3 - stars food was good but is HYPED tried the - tomago maki appetizer - sashimi platter for 1 or 2 - tanuki udon - spicy tuna roll everything was pretty good. The sashimi is melt in your mouth but lacked flavor... the tuna left a fishy taste in my mouth which kind of made me frown. the udon was nothing out of the ordinary other than the fact that the price was much higher than other places. the tomago was very good. the spicy tuna roll was suprisingly the best part of the meal it was very tasty. walking from waikiki to king street you kind of see a bit of the ghetto side of waikiki....

    (3)

  • LL C.

    the experience was as if i boarded a flight to japan, again. the sushi chefs were friendly and knowledgeable. great fresh catches/specials of the day. the fish bone chips was a first for me, they were great. really enjoyed the seared scallop over lotus manju in a steaming seaweed broth (what a great mixture of flavor presented in an artfully prepared manner). the shrimp from argentina and the sweet shrimp were fresh and succulent. octopus and scallop sashimi? check and delicious. lobster tempura was phenomenal, as was the lotus root tempura that came along with it. the oh toro was fresh, but i've had better/fatter tuna. though this does not detract any stars from the experiences of this restaurant. parking was easy enough, we arrived just before 7pm and there was ample parking in front of the restaurant.

    (5)

  • Bryant W.

    This was our best dining experience while visiting Honolulu. In a city full of touristy dining options, Sushi Izakaya is somewhat removed from the main tourist area but still very convenient to central Honolulu and Waikiki Beach. We live in San Francisco and accustomed to fresh fish, but the sushi here was both innovative and delicious. Truly creative offerings coupled with genuinely nice service made for a fantastic experience! I would highly recommend both the taretare as well as the yellow tail carpaccio! Sit at the sushi bar for a more personalized experience as the chefs will make you local favorites, all fresh from the local fish market. Tip: reservations are available for early evening times only but well worth it as this spot fills up quickly!

    (5)

  • Nelson Q.

    Supposedly one of Hawaii's top Izakayas, we stopped in and checked it out... We got the Hamachi Tartare which was as good as everyone says. we also got some O-toro, Uni, and Giant Clam Nigiri, fresh, tasty and expensive...$35 just for the 6 pieces.Ouch! I was happy to see the Monkfish liver and Stingray wings on the menu, so we got those as well. The stingray had a nice sweetness being marinated in mirin before they grilled it. the liver on the other hand, was kinda skimpy and disappointing. also A-Ok were the Grilled Squid, Tako Basil, and a big letdown was the grilled beef tongue-tough, chewy, and barely warm. Good flavor and texture on the Karaage Chicken. We finished with the Coffee Jello and Warabi Mochi Overall, a good experience, but I'd rate the service higher than the quality of our food items...ALOHA!!!! YELP 365 CHALLENGE-(104/365) "Izakaya Action"

    (4)

  • Coco S.

    Best Sushi place in Honolulu! Garlic Toro is awesome, it seriously melt in your mouth! Everything is fresh and tasty here. I've tried so many sushi places (both in US and in Japan), and this is one of the top ranked. Only disappointment was the dessert, I was expecting more from their japanese style cheesecake. But overall it's definitely a five star. Worth to spend some money here.

    (5)

  • A W.

    This place has the best Ikura next to the Tsukiji market. My favorite item on the menu is the Ahi tartar and the Crab cake. I love how you can order anything from sushi to izakaya. You can't go wrong with anything on the menu.

    (5)

  • Geri S.

    Positives: -Free parking -Everything we ordered was excellent (otoro, ikura, salmon, carpaccio, kurobuta sausage, negitoro, clams, and ice cream!) -All the staff were very, very friendly and polite. Negatives: -Our clams came so late that we actually forgot we ordered it. Our bill plus 2 beers came out to a little over $100. I was warned that this place was pricey, but I think the price is right for the quality of food you get. I can see how eating the most expensive things on the menu until you are beyond stuffed can make your bill go into the hundreds, but if you try different things and not get full off sashimi alone, you should be just fine. Verdict? I'll be back, many more times :)

    (5)

  • Julie N.

    Oh, I didn't write a review for here yet? It's AWESOME! AS GOOD AS IT GETS! Took my brother here to celebrate his birthday. Can you believe they charge $12.50 for his birthday dessert? I thought those things were complementary! Besides that, the fish was so fresh and the foods were so delish! I was not a fan of the kabocha tempura because Imanas does their kabocha better. But hands down, the quality of the fish really got a hold of me, the green tea ice cream was amazing, and even the small touches like the hot tea was awesome!

    (5)

  • Misty P.

    Ok, my fiance does not like this place much because of the price, but man I love the atmosphere and food. (Guess I won't be frequenting this place much unless we win the lottery!) :( Price aside (yes it's expensive), I loved their menu and that they had specials of the day. They had a pretty big selection (about 2 pages) for the specials of the day, which shows that they feature what is fresh and available that day. This is important when the menu mostly consists of sashimi quality fish and seafoods. We order the grilled hamachi collar (? if I remember correctly) which was simply tasty and seasoned with just the right amount of salt. The grilled charcoal taste brought the flavors of the fish out and I appreciate how the natural flavors came out of the fish with just a simple seasoning of salt. We ordered the special of the day which was o toro with garlic sushi rice. This was my favorite! Even my fiance loved it even though he did not love the price ($15.00 for only 2 pieces). The rice was very garlicky and delish! And the o toro melted in your mouth! It also appeared lightly blow torched for a nice charred top. Next in line was the vegetable and shrimp tempura. This was good and just ok. The dipping sauce was on point and the batter was good but some parts of the batter were soggy and I think it was because they stacked the tempura too soon without letting it cool a bit and the excess oil made some parts of the tempura wet and soggy. We also got some plain o toro sushi (2 pieces) and some salmon sushi (2 pieces). Very delicious and fresh in terms of quality of the fish. Top that off with some beers and we were good to go! Yes, I wasn't that full, but I would say I was content. All of this was $117.00 Service was ok. The waitress was kind of deaf or didn't speak English too well, as we had to repeat our order because she repeated it back to us wrong twice. Everyone should at least try it out. If you can't find parking, park across the street next to Cafe Sistina in the honesty box parking. It's only $3.00 for the whole night. Better than driving around in circles looking for a metered stall.

    (5)

  • Rod U.

    One of Hawaii's top sushi restaurants. I admit it, I don't like to share but what's the use. Can't will back time. With 370 reviews and an average 4.5 star rating... The best get first crack at the highest quality ingredients. It shows. Gaku's got it. From the freshest island Moi to melt in your mouth o-toro, unctuous uni, foietastic akimono, cloyingly sweet ama ebi, and the occasional Hawaiian onaga (red snapper). Add outstanding quality, gently seasoned short grain rice. Add animated sushi chefs that humbly respect their ingredients and are experts at their craft. Toss in some non sushi offerings (Outstanding spicy negi hamachi tartar with the perfect creamy, spicy balance. Great textural contrast with the nori. The grilled moi, classic. Charred, over cooked in some areas, aggressive saltiness. Evokes memories of grilling fresh caught fish on the beach over an open fire, smelling the salty sea air. It all equals a consistent, excellent experience. Note: To my LA yeeps (where sushi is king), Gaku is a mid level sushi eatery with typical, albeit quality ingredients. Do not expect globally sourced, seasonal, micro climate, sub species of fish caught by the bare hands of an octogenarian fifth generation fisherman. Typical Hawaii prices (aprox $50/person) unless of course you order a dozen o-toro nigiri. No problem. It's called VISA. Great omakase. Advance ordering recommended. Reservations required.

    (5)

  • Cartman P.

    Izakaya Gaku is awesome! Great atmosphere and chefs are all Japanese, meaning it's 100% authentic. We mostly had sushi here and almost everything was excellent! We started out with the plate of oysters since our chef recommended it. I'm not much of an oyster fan but I was presently surprised how fresh oysters can do wonder in your mouth! We had spicy hamachi tartar, salmon, saba, ono, aji, seabass, ahi poki, and karaage. Salmon was my fav, it melted in my mouth!! Aji was really good also. Just for those 2, and the great staff I would come back here again. Saba and seabass were definitely fresh but a little weird texture wise here. The price is on a little higher side but still a great place to go for great sushi!

    (5)

  • Chipper P.

    Excellent sushi. I can't wait to go back. Sushi chef's rock it, with tons of interesting and different things to try.

    (5)

  • Link L.

    I have traveled a bit and consider myself a big Sushi/Japanese food person. I have to admit this was the freshest and tastiest sushi and I have ate in a long time. The sushi taste as if it had just arrived. The service was great as the restaurant is small. Wait staff is very attentive. The Chef and staff all greet you as you enter which is typical for Japanese restaurants. This is hands down the best Sushi place in Hawaii.

    (5)

  • Margie N.

    Come here very year to celebrate our anniversary and let's just say they are the best! We both decided on the omakase and our sushi chef, Nobu, was fantastic! He gave us so many different varieties and we enjoyed every sushi! My fav was, and always is, their otoro sushi! My hubby's fav was the wagyu beef sushi which was also very tasty. We ordered clams which were very meaty and delicious along with oysters on the half shell which was amazing as always. We always get the king crab cake which you gotta try, out of this world! The bill was a bit much but I know we will be here again next year because it is always worth every penny!!

    (5)

  • Tiffany T.

    First time went to Gaku 2 weeks ago and it was so good that I had to return for 2nd consecutive night. Small Japanese restaurant, limited seating but it has sushi bar, traditional tatami room and regular dining table. 3 Japanese sushi chefs, equally talented and very friendly and professional. Service is also good. My favorite are uni shooter, of course there's uni there but there are were some sort of jellylike thing on top and filled with a delicious sauce. When you take the entire shot, the texture, the distinct taste of uni and the chilled sauce just exploded in your month! I felt like I was in cloud nine. Other dishes are also insanely delicious. The hamachi tartar with nori - OMG...it was super yummy!! I think this was my 2nd fav. Amaebi, hamachi, Otoro, fresh oysters were absolutely fresh and delicious! This is now my new favorite Izakaya in Honolulu and I can't wait to go back!

    (5)

  • David S.

    Absolutely perfect. After I did nor know what to order,I had Manabu order for us. I have only eaten veggies for a few months and this will be our cheat spot every time. Gaku is the atomic bomb...

    (5)

  • Lin L.

    Had to try this place based on the reviews. They only take reservations to a certain time, then its first come first served. The only irritating part was we came early, thinking it would be crowded (was raining and had to wait outside). We could've came later and still got seated at the same time. This place is awesome, the kind of place you could go 2-3 times a week to chill. Too bad I don't have that kind of money. Everything we had was good. What stood out was this baked crab leg. That was ono. Had to try the otoro which also didn't disappoint. The ikura is also very good, similar to Kona Kai's. Overall this place did not disappoint. The food and service was very good. We plan to be back soon.

    (4)

  • Roo H.

    Love the food! So fresh and great customer service. Been coming here for years and they just always welcome me back when I do come back to visit from Los Angeles. My favorite place to eat, and I can always count of the fish being fresh.

    (5)

  • Juliann C.

    OMFG NO WHY!!!!!!!!!! THE GOOD * all food is delicious * everything you order is awesome * some suggestions are: fresh raw oyster plate, Negitoro Tartar, Toro Nigiri, and Horo Sake! * This is my favorite place to dine for sushi HANDS DOWN THE BEST PLACE TO GET FRESH DELICATE... MOUTH-WATERING SUSHI THE BAD * I always drop at least a benjamin when I eat here! * my service this time around was horrible.... I usually have GREAT service here. But today was just a bad day. She was a little hard to flag down. She seemed like she was about 5x more nicer to her customers that spoke Japanese... AND THE WORST OF ALL.......... SHE TOOK AWAY OUR LAST THREE PIECES OF HAMACHI.......... WTH! WHO DOES THAT. She was putting down some Japanese paper and markers for the July 7th holiday thing for us to write on... and I guess by assuming she was just touching our plate to move it to the side... she just ran off with our hamachi... before I even knew it was gone.. SHE WAS GONE. We asked if she tossed it out already, and she already had. I don't know what was going on in her MIND... WHO IN THE WORLD WOULDN'T FINISH THEIR HAMACHI EVEN IF THEY WERE THE FULLEST PERSON IN THE WORLD. She didn't ask us if we were done with it OR anything. What the hell. I still can't believe she threw out our three pieces of hamachi. WHO DOES THAT!!!!!!!!! THE WEIRD * our server probably ate our damn last pieces of hamachi... and lied about it. But yes, this place still earns a 5 star because I can't find any freshly prepared fish other than this wonderful place. I hope I don't ever get her as a server again.

    (5)

  • Naomi S.

    first time I ever came to eat here, we didn't have any reservations, but someone had done a no-show, so we were lucky. I LOVED IT!!!! ate at the counter and it was THE BEST. been there several times after that, sitting on the counter, and even in the zashiki area as a big group. LOVE IT LOVE IT LOVE IT. Love the service, the food, the atmosphere. I guess the crappy part is the parking, but what do you expect from a hole-in-the-wall BEST sushi izakaya! TOTALLY WORTH ALL OF IT!!!! cant wait to go again!

    (5)

  • Chad Y.

    Five stars...to give less than that would be an insult to a great establishment. Sushi Izakaya Gaku is one of those establishments that live up to the hype Yelp sets before it by conjuring up fantastic food, a great ambiance, and most importantly a high level of service that makes for an amazing dining experience. Even before you enter the restaurant there are high hurdles to overcome which make me deduct a star. They only take reservations for seating before 7:00 pm and if you go on a busy night the wait after that can be a bit long. So how did they overcome the loss of the star? Great food. Actually to call the food at Gaku great is diminishing their menu, it is amazing. They offer a fantastic selection of Japanese fare along with their personal takes on some menu items. Let's be honest, would you really expect to find eye popping large oysters topped with herbs, butter and panko at a Japanese restaurant? Well Gaku has it and it was bites of sheer heaven with herbs complementing the ocean taste of the oyster is a perfect harmony that would make angels scream from the heavens. The fresh fish served sashimi style is perfectly cut and amazingly fresh. You truly can taste the freshness in their high quality fish which is well worth the price and the cut is beautifully executed. Let's me not forget to mention their tempura which is served perfectly cooked and hot upon delivery nor the sushi which is of a very high standard that would make an Iron Chef go "good" with a heavy Japanese accent. The meats are cooked to perfection with the lamb being grilled to a nice char and perfectly pink in the center, complemented with a sauce that I could lick the bowl clean. Let me go out on a limb and say that if something on their menu catches your eye, you certainly will not be disappointed. Oh, and if that isn't enough, they have a great sake selection. Not wide ranging expansive but hitting the high notes and in a plethora of flavors and price points that will make you happy. Service is top notch with food arriving in a perfect orchestration and with the staff quickly coming in and out to refill water/tea (which never went empty on the occasions I've gone) and bringing fresh plates depending on the course. They also know their menu inside out and can help you with your selections if you are at a loss or don't know what omakase or chanko nabe is. The location is fantastic right off King street before Keeaumoku. While they have a few parking stalls in the back of the restaurant, they do fill up quickly so plan on parking on the street or pay a couple of bucks to park in the First Interstate building across the street. Yelp has made it the number 1 Japanese spot in town and it certainly is worth of such a distinction.

    (5)

  • carsten v.

    I can't wait till I'm back on Oahu so I can go here! My buddy Dr. Lee tipped us off to the place so we tried it and boy am I glad we did! This food is amazing!!! Everything we had was delicious. The price may be a little steep but if you think about the quality of what you are eating it's a great value. Eat here!!

    (5)

  • Shay F.

    273 Reviews and 4.5 Stars? Yikes...I might get some hate mail on this review. Yes, I believe it is a great place with great food, but I don't think it's worthy of 5 stars. So, why not 4? Well, I don't go often enough, which means I don't crave it often enough to be a "fan" of the place. Therefore...3. Like I said, great cozy atmosphere with great food. There's just no WoW factor for me. Yelp 365 Challenge #89/365

    (3)

  • Jon E.

    Best Japanese restaurant in Hawaii. Period. I fly to Oahu to eat here, no joke. Where to start? Uni shooters, must get, everytime, food of the gods. Their Uni is always fresh from Santa Barbara Fish senbei (grilled up backbones of fish) - must try Otoro - get it 3 ways, sashimi, sushi, and aburi (blowtorched) Ikura - I'm not such a fan of Ikura, but theirs is scooped out of a shoyu based marinade and is amazing Oysters - Kumamoto style from pacific NW, with a bit of radish, ponzu, and magic melts in the mouth Dammit I'm getting hungry now... Ok just get everything on the menu you won't go wrong with anything. Sake choices are good too, Suirakuten is my favorite, and they always have it. Don't just get Kubota Manjyu because that is the cop out "good" sake. Try something with more character. When I drink Suirakuten I think I'm drinking fresh snow, beautiful fresh alcoholic snow... Ahhhh

    (5)

  • John N.

    South King Street, shall now be named Sushi Street as it holds the Sushi Trifecta: Izakaya Gaku, Sushi Sasabune, and Morio's all within a few blocks of each other. We lucked out one night to celebrate my girlfriend and I's one monther(and her birthday none the less) as we didn't make any reservations. I had initially just plan to wing it and do whatever that came to mind. Luckily, on a weeknight, Gaku had space for us. The staff at Gaku were very helpful, courteous, friendly, and warming. It just felt like you were welcome the moment you stepped in. There was no pressure to order and we asked quite a bit of questions on the menu. Ended up getting their omakase special, Gaku dynamite, and a few others. They didn't skimp on the sashimi. Every cut was made from quality fish and three were extremely outstanding. Loved the aji, ika, and the otoro. Definitely the best I've ever had. Bill was shy of a benji, but it was well worth it.

    (5)

  • Aaron Koichi C.

    Food and the waiters are Ono. LOL! Foreal. They make good decisions and suggestions. What a enjoyable meal.

    (5)

  • Hoon L.

    What a wonderful place. Authentic Japanese cuisine. Lots of high grade sushi and specialty items on the menu. The service is what all restaurants should emulate. For those who like the adventurous stuff, try the abalone (with the extras) and natto. Great stuff! It is a bit pricey but worth a visit on special occasions.

    (4)

  • Shu C.

    There can definitely be long waits for this small restaurant. I can't fault them for being too successful though. I've tried a variety of things here, all ranging from good to really fricken awesome. I'll name the spicy tuna tartar my staple along with o-toro which is a staple everywhere. Service was great. I got this guy Mike both times I been here so far (my minimum visit for reviews). Great recommendation on sake Mike, although I forgot what it was already. I tried Belt fish for the first time. I give it a thumbs up. Good quality Uni, some slightly chewy veins on the otoro but very good overall. And they gave me fresh Wasabi. Will be coming back competing on the limited seats on my next visit to Hawaii.

    (5)

  • Sara T.

    YUM! Came here with the family after watching "Jiro Dreams of Sushi." By the end of the film, I was drooling, so I was so excited to chow down some sushi, and Gaku did not disappoint! The kabocha karaage (deep fried chunks with dashi sauce) was really delicious, and a nice change of pace from the usual kabocha tempura slices. The spicy salmon with green onions, tobiko, and a quail egg was very tasty (not very spicy) and served with wrap-your-own nori slices (like rice-less sushi). We tried the tofu with dashi jelly, which was interesting and worth a try, but I don't know that I would order it again. We shared the assorted sashimi combo, and most of the fish was great, especially the maguro - it was a beautiful bright red and had great texture. My mom said one of the pieces of uni was really salty, but the others seemed to be fine. The only disappointment was the o-toro (fatty tuna), which was chewy and not very flavorful. My favorite type of sushi is ikura, and the ikura here was AMAZING. It was so fresh and not sticky at all, and it was marinated with dashi and mirin, giving it a sweet (and not over-salty) flavor. The hottate (raw scallop) was just as good -fresh, soft, sweet, and not fishy. The grilled king salmon topped with daikon and ikura was delicious, with a smoky grilled flavor and just enough left raw to give it depth of flavor. The tamago was much better than your average kaiten or convenience store tamago, and it had little "Gaku" kanji grill marks! The green tea ice cream was also very yummy, not too sweet and with real matcha flavor. My only complaints are the noise level and the slow service. There was a huge group of Cantonese people in the "private" room and I could barely hear anyone on our table over their yelling. This isn't really the restaurant's fault, though. Most of the food came pretty quickly, but we waited at least 15 minutes after we finished the rest of our dishes before the sushi came out. I thought it was weird that our sashimi platter came out quickly but the 6 pieces of sushi took forever. However, our waitress was very nice and made good recommendations - I don't think it was her fault, the sushi chef was probably just slammed from trying to prepare for the big group. All in all, I would definitely come back! I might even come back just for that ikura... it's not cheap, but you get what you pay for, and the menu variety makes for a fun dinner. Make sure to make reservations, and try to go right at 5 pm when they open to avoid the crowds and noise!

    (5)

  • Rick A.

    One of the local residents told me to forget the Waikiki restaurants and that we needed to experience Sushi Izakaya Gaku. What we discovered far exceeded our expectations. What a find!! I split my time between L.A. and Osaka and have visited most of the better sushi restaurants in both cities. Nothing could have prepared me for what I experienced the other night at Gaku. The varieties and quality of fish were mind-boggling. The warm and generous service also made for the most fun and entertaining atmosphere. All I can say was that the omakase was sublime. You can feel the love and pride the owner and staff pour into the preparation. I cannot imagine a better dining experience.

    (5)

  • Joo S.

    There's a reason why I choose to come here on special occasions - because Gaku never disappoints! Unassuming on the outside, charming and cozy interiors (cozy by default b/c it's small). It's a great place to bring a date or some friends for good times and great food. The only downside is that they don't take reservations after 7 pm. Otherwise, great alcohol selection and really really fresh fish! The last time I went, I ordered a fresh grapefruit squeeze sour for the first time. Our waitress' English wasn't the greatest so I thought she said that the grapefruit is freshly squeezed into the iichiko. Then she brought the iichiko, half a grapefruit, and juicer to the table for us to do ourselves! it was really fun and added to the experience, like I made my own delicious drink, ya know? Spencer T found it enjoyable to watch me do my impromptu "grapefruit squeeze happy dance." On to the food. I always get the negihamachi tartar (winnahz), mentaiko butter potato (i love mentaiko anything), and either toro/hamachi sushi. the ribeye steak is also really good, we got it with the garlic sauce that night. It was really flavorful and juicy. Salty too, but I love salt. Spencer T got some natto dish that looked very appetizing, but I still don't like natto so it tasted quite nasty. There were some pieces of maguro and uni in it, which enticed me to try it. If you like natto, you should probably try it b/c the overall consensus of that dish was ++++ (except for me). My friends seemed to enjoy the other little sides that they ordered as well. The next time I go, I think I want to make it a purely sushi/sashimi night. The freshness of their sushi is so worth the wait. Until next time...I'll be dreaming of Gaku.

    (5)

  • Elle P.

    You know what? For Honolulu the price range was actually decent at this place. Don't be discouraged at the $$$ because for quality sushi this place in my opinion is $$! To be honest I was looking forward to trying out Morio's so my date and I walked from Waikiki all the way over there thinking 2 miles is cake. Well it is usually cake, however not in cute sandals and apparently this part of town is not all that pretty. If I walked alone or with girlfriends I def would not feel safe. Of course when we finally reached Morio's we were shot down cold with "So sorry you have reservation? No, OK we are fully booked tonight." Door shut. No offer to get a reservation, nothing. So on the way walking back we come across this Godsend. You walk in and right away you feel like you came home for the holidays. The men working behind the sushi bar were all friendly and helpful. The other patrons seemed like loyal elite locals. I knew we made a great choice before we even got the menus. MUST have is the fresh squeezed grapefruit juice (they offer it with shoju $8 but if you want it virgin is $3.50... totally refreshing and WORTH IT!) The salmon belly was yummers as well as the sashimi salad. OMG the fresh oysters.. it was the not too big not too small, super sweet, AMAZING texture kind.. you know what I mean? Like not at all briny or chewy or slimy. Just delicate and beautiful! The salmon 2 pc that the chef cut up for me was seriously the best cut of the whole fish. I wish I took a picture but you know how when its too good you want to savor it and keep it all to yourself? Well it was like that! Orgasmic delicate LITERALLY melt in your mouth soft and buttery salmon....mmmmm! We came here the first night we flew in and Izakaya Gaku def set the bar and got us starting our trip on the right foot! 6 stars if I could!

    (5)

  • S K.

    I love Izakaya Gaku!!! First of all, I suggest making reservations or getting there before the dinner rush. I've had almost everything on their menu over the last couple of years, the tartar, sushi, salads, grilled fish and steak - it's all great. My favorite item on the menu is the tako and basil, it's served like sashimi in a delicious marinade; very tender, lucious and flavorful. Honestly the best tako I've had in my life and I can't stop telling people about it. The atmosphere is fun and energetic, partly due to the open kitchen and vocal greetings as patrons enter the restaurant. The servers are knowledgable of the menu and will also help you with a sake selection if you're not familiar. This is a very fun and interactive restaurant, I can't wait to go back!

    (5)

  • Melissa C.

    We visit Oahu twice a year and finally got a chance to try this place and I'm so upset it took us this long! The wait for 3 people was about an hour, totally worth the wait because it was fantastic. We sat at the sushi bar, my husband did omakase and my friend and I ordered a la carte. I started with the ankimo and negihama tartare. The ankimo was good but the tartare was amazing! For my entree I had the ribeye steak which completely surpassed my expectations being that we were at a sushi restaurant. The steak was perfectly cooked and the thick slices of garlic in their butter sauce complemented it perfectly. I also had 4 pieces of otoro which was awesome, fatty and succulent just as it should be. I didn't think anything could top what I've had so far but then my husband made me try one last thing, the seared garlic otoro which turned out to be one of the best bites of my life. One bite that made me forget the world for a second. It was otoro on a whole other level. My husband adds that the sushi was top notch, very fresh, and also uniquely prepared. The local fish were especially good and a must try is their ikura which had a great smokey flavor.

    (5)

  • Ikaika J.

    Great cuts of sushi. Fried stuff is good too. Toro is delicious. A little pricey overall but worth it.

    (5)

  • Bryan I.

    By far this is the best Sushi I've ate on the island. I heard of this place by word of mouth, so I didn't have too high of an expectation of the place. Needless to say I was very impressed by both the presentation of the place and the food itself. Everything was top notch. The restaurant itself wasn't that big, so it has a rather intimate and "authentic" feel to it. The fish was extremely fresh and full of flavor. The presentation of the more specialty dishes were also very appealing visually. The only thing that limits me from giving it a 5 star rating would be the parking and the size of the place. Parking is very limited in the back, so if it's full you'll have to find parking elsewhere. Also while the size of the place allows for an intimate atmosphere, consequently it doesn't hold a lot of people. There will be a wait, although the length of it is just dependent upon how "packed" it is. I'm not sure if they take reservations, but it would definitely be something to consider. Regardless this is a great place for a special occasion or even just casually wanting to eat some really good sushi. It is on the pricier side though, but like anything else, you get what you pay for.

    (4)

  • Oski B.

    If I could rate this place a 4.5... but I can't, so I'll round up to a 5. Service - fantastic (friendly waitress who had great recommendations, was accommodating, and checked in the right number of times) Baby-friendly - surprisingly so. we were worried about this since Yelp states it is not kid-friendly. but i disagree...well depends. our group sat in the private area in the back. you sit on the floor, but there is a hole under the table where you can let your legs drop. this was PERFECT for our baby since we could put him in a sit on the floor next to us. Food - i don't remember much...since my buddy proceeded to order 3 bottles of the strongest sake on the menu (he chose it precisely because of its alcohol %) but what i do remember is the butterfish (OMFG), the stuffed crab legs (OMFFG) and the hamachi seaweed wraps (OMFFFG). of course the several sushi and sashimi platters we ordered were all very fresh and tasty. The only reason I say I would rate a 4.5 is because of the price and the fact that it was not necessarily localized in any way. It's a pure Japanese joint, not a Hawaiian-Japanese joint. But if you go in there expecting that.... a great Japanese joint...then you will be pleased.

    (5)

  • Mochi T.

    Came here for dinner and the food was excellent. This is a nice small restaurant so come on a day that's not too busy or come after 7 pm. We weren't able to make reservations because it was already booked so we decided to play it by ear and got there around 745. We were lucky because a couple just left so we got seated right away. The portions are small and expensive so if you have a big appetite make sure to eat something little before or you are going to have to look for another restaurant to eat at later. :) The service was awesome and sushi was fresh. I would come back here again!

    (4)

  • Michelle F.

    Thank you Yelp for helping us find this place. Here's to another 5 star star rating! Food is DELICIOUS!! The Ahi Tartar was so GOOD...I wanted to come back the next day for more. The staff were very friendly & welcoming. Our server made some recommendations of what we should get & we liked all of his suggestions. The restaurant has great ambiance. It's a small place, so I recommend making reservations if you can. Also, a man from Japan who made his own sake that was there & he gave us a free shot of sake which was cool. I'll be back here during my next Hawaii trip.

    (5)

  • tony l.

    I have been here twice now, and it hasn't disappoint. Everything is super fresh and so yummy! I have never had a taste for uni or ikura before I tried the ones here at Gaku. I was told that theirs have been specially marinated in sake which makes it less fishy and so good. The place isn't large and what's with Japanese restaurants and small parking lots, just because Asians are small doesn't mean their cars are! But in all I will keep coming back and try all the other items that didn't fit in my tummy this time around.

    (4)

  • Wendy Y.

    Food was excellent as well as the service. Ate there with a friends visiting from out of town... will definitely go back there again.

    (5)

  • Y C.

    Having heard (and read) great reviews of this place, I decided to take the DH out for his bday recently. I made reservations about 3 wks in advance, and scored two seats at the sushi bar. We scored easy parking (a feat in and of itself in this neighborhood!) and walked into the restaurant at 6:25. Us: Hello, we have reservation at 6:30. Gaku: Oh, okay, just one moment. (five seconds later) G: I'm so sorry, your seats are not ready yet, they are almost done. I'm so sorry. Us: Um, it's okay. We're early. G: So sorry. Please and thank you for waiting. Us: I'm sorry. Thank you. G: Thank you. (another server walks by us) G: I'm so sorry to keep you waiting. It'll be just a moment. Us: (feeling really bad for coming early), No, we're early, I'm sorry. G: Thank you so much for waiting. (two minutes later) G: Thank you so much, welcome, right this way! The service started out excellent, and it just went uphill from there with food. We ordered the large sashimi platter (to share), had several orders of sushi, ate the miso soup on the recommendation of the chef, and ALL OF IT WAS FRIGGIN' good. All of the great food was enhanced by excellent and attentive service, with 4-5 servers plus 3-4 chefs (including the two sushi chefs) servicing what was probably a max of about 40 people (if that, and including the tatami room). I have not had such wonderful service in HI in, like, forever! This was top notch food accompanied by the kind of service you find at zagat-rated restaurants. It was a bit pricey but well worth it. I would go there again even if I had to pay for it - again!

    (5)

  • Kevin M.

    What's the Scoop? Awesome sushi joint. Very high quality. Very fresh. I think it's the best Sushi place on the Island. You can just taste it . The ambiance is very home like. Price: Fair Must try: The salmon (Sake) was awesome. Everything we ate was amazing. Drinks: We ordered an expensive bottle of Sake. Wasn't all that for the price, but hey it was something to drink. Stay away from: It can get very busy. Parking: Street Note: It was funny to see Haole guys working at a place like this. They spoke some Japanese, but they really over did it with trying to hard to be to Japanese. That just killed it. We saw all the expressions of the local Japanese people eating there and it was hilarious. It was the WTH? look haha. I could even hear some of them trying not to show any expression to make it obvious that the haole was making them look bad. Anyway, it's just something you'll notice if you eat here.

    (5)

  • Anna D.

    we came here after being torn between Sasabune and this place..... our decision was based on the wait time since it was dinner time and super busy at both places. Sasabune said they definitely could not fit us in a Izakaya's wait was almost an hour. I AM SO GLAD WE ATE HERE! everything was delicious. Fish was fresh and flavorful. Sushi chefs were friendly and the place was filled with native japanese people and sushi connoisseurs. I'm sooo craving it now... why in the world did i write this review? i'm such a tease. Dont forget to try the Negihama

    (5)

  • sideshow b.

    Wow, wow, wow! I'll jump right in... Tartare, carpaccio, stir fried vegetables in garlic/miso (yes, I drank the leftover sauce), butterfish, hamachi roll, salmon skin roll. Everything was perfect or nearly so. Sake was smooth. Service was excellent. Hands down, my favorite sushi/Japanese on the island.

    (5)

  • sky i.

    Gaku has supplanted Tokkuri-Tei as my favorite izakaya, not just because of the food, but because of the atmosphere and service as well. Ambience - Cozy, unpretentious, relaxing music in the background, feels like every employee is happy to see you spend money there atmosphere. Food - Fresh, melt in your mouth, yummy sushi, plus broke da mouth scrumptious pupu style eats that won't put you in the poor house if you don't want to prices. Sushi Chefs - Super cool, gregarious, doesn't put blinders on when working, friendly but not in a stalker kind of way, and fun. Beware - Incredibly busy between 6 and 9. Reservations required at least 3 days ahead of time. Terrible parking...no valet and only 4 stalls available. Usually have to find street parking. I'm going back next week, and the week after that, and the week after that... =)

    (5)

  • First Name L.

    I've driven by a million times and never noticed. The Yelp reviews caught my eye so we decided to give it a go. Overall, we were pleasantly surprised. I'm going to get straight to the point on this one. We liked everything A LOT. Service was superb and prices are commensurate with the experience... about $50/ person with alcohol. Sushi Izakaya Gaku and Imanas Tei would be our top Izakaya's in Honolulu. They are a tad different and I would give the edge to Imanas Tei as they have a more diverse and creative menu, especially good if you have a crowd that's not big sushi fans. Gaku has a more traditional menu (I'm not Japanese so in my mind it's a traditional menu but what do I know). Gaku gets the nod with service, hands down better service. Imanas always has ample staff but you always have to flag someone down for help and they are usually in the middle of something else. If I had to pick one it would be an easy pick - Imanas Tei is better, you go to restaurants to eat and the diverse selection and quality make it an easy pick.

    (5)

  • Lauren W.

    Gaku just popped my Japanese 5 Star Cherry on Yelp. I'm kinda stingy when it comes to 5 star ratings...but Gaku is deserving - MOS DEF. Homemade Tofu w/ Bonito Gelee **** Interesting (I'd rather have the homemade tofu at Tsukuneya) Taraba no Kyurimaki su **** Thanks to Love S. for the recommendation! New Zealand Oysters **** We prefer 'em ice cold so we had to scoop some ice from our water glasses to chill 'em. SPICY Hamachi ****** OMG, yes. 6 stars. High quality Hamachi (even though it may have been from the day before), japanese mayo, tobiko, sriracha and - a QUAIL egg. I'm convinced that the egg was the key to the creamy, rich taste. Next time I go to Genki, Imma sneak in a quail egg for my Spicy Tuna. Sashimi Moriawase **** Our server told us we had already ordered too much food. Boy, did we show him! Sashimi moriawase always tastes best when it is cut but the man who bought the fish himself, that morning, at the fish auction. (H)amachi Kama ***** The bf loved it...so much so that he forgot to save me a bite. Geso Karaage **** Fried Squid dusted in mochiko & Nori ( a tad salty) T-N-T ***** I'm totally on a dynamite kick. I think I'll make a list after this review. Green Tea Ice Cream ***** Hard to go wrong, they use Bubbies (Though Daves is also *****) Hoyo Sake ***** Perfectly sweet at smooth Dewasansan **** More like your daddy's sake Service ***** EVERY dish was served up with a, "Thankee yuuu sooo muchee for the waitinguu!" And our server even asked, "Is it ok if I give you a little extra sake for your patience?" Wham, bam, thank you ma'am. You just earned yourself 5 stars.

    (5)

  • Brandy I.

    I couldn't help think about this place last night, because there isn't really anything in Seattle that offers these types of dishes. I was home for a week and I ended up eating here twice. All the typical "normal" safe dishes were yummy, I remember a salad, hamachi kama and some sort of roll....but what is really amazing about this place, is that all the things I thought I hated since small kid times, like natto and uni, omg were amazing here. It must be the combination of natto, yamaimo, ika, green onion, quail egg and.....oh now I wish I wrote this review last month but either way, it was so good. (Or it could be signs of one getting older)... Spicy tartar, very yummy....but oddly, I really enjoyed the couple of bites that I took from my friend's Mini Uni-don, they have these marinated Ikura that is just mindblowing, I have no idea what's in them but it is sooo good and I don't like Uni or Ikura.... Service was awesome, very attentive drinks and food came up pretty quickly. Parking can be difficult, since it is on King street, but if you're super lucky there's a tiny lot in the back.

    (5)

  • Michael S.

    As cliche as it sounds I'm a first time reviewer long time reader on Yelp. I should say thanks for a wonderful suggestion on this restaurant. I ate here just because of the reviews on Yelp. I came here with another couple and we both loved the dining experience here. I actually wanted to get this place 4 1/2 stars but since I can't I'll round up to the 5. I"ll tell you why... I'm not very "educated" in the fine idiosyncrasies of sushi. If we didn't have Daniel as our server that gave us wonderful suggestions on all our dishes we would have been somewhat lost. At one point the other couple and I just gave up looking at the menu and just went with with all the suggestions that he had to offer and enjoyed every single one of them which includes the sake selection. He recommended one sake it was delicious but I was looking for something more floral and he knew exactly what we were after and delivered it. IT was the sake that I was quenching for a while now. If we didn't have Daniel and his down-to-earth laizze-faire attitude and his recommendations this rating would have been a 4. So with that. The food itself deserves a 4. For our meal we had: Miso Soup Garden Salad--- The dressing was amazing with crunchy texture of the salad Dynamite (TNT)--- It was soo good. Baked "casserole" like dish but it seemed like we could this somewhere else but we could be wrong but it was delicious none-the-less Spicy Tuna Roll-- (Spicy Tartar)-- Amazing unique creative dish that I would recomend to anyone that enjoys seafood or not. Baked Tako with basil and Garlic--- My girlfriend's favorite. It was absolutely wonderful. My number one as well. Garlic Ribeye--- Great for someone who doesn't like seafood as much. Juicy and flavorful. We got it Medium and I enjoy more onth rarer side but it was so good it really didn't matter much King Crab Roll And some other diches I can;t remember because of the sake...ha For dessert we had green tea ice cream w/ mochi balls and azuki beans and some kind of custard. -----amazing. The beans compliment the great tea ice cream so much. My only problem is parking but it is Honolulu so you have to deal with it. The place was booked for reservations but they called me on my cell phone when there was a table available. AWESOME! Good Job guys, Kudos Daniel. You got my vote.

    (5)

  • Winnie L.

    I've been MIA for a while due to the wedding and job search, but i'm backkkk! Married and i have a new job that is stress free...for now. anyway, husband took me to Sushi Izakaya Gaku (SIG) for my birthday. it was my request as my birthday present. Food is one of the best gifts ever, and when it's so delicious as SIG it makes it so much more worthwhile :) but i am giving 4.5 stars...merely because my husband was disappointed with the wait. he understood reservations were necessary. but we arrived half an hour early and did not get sat until 5-10 mins. after our reservation. apparently all seats are assigned? who knew... we didn't. it was our first time. i guess it makes sense since they do get busy. as soon as we were seated we were offered drinks. we sat at the bar and had a great time with the chefs. pretty much everything he made we wanted to try, and we did. our feast included: -garlic cow tongue -tofu jelly -omatsuri natto -miso marinated garlic -seafood dynamite -baked fishcake -garlic butter clams -misoyaki butterfish -baked potato with mentaiko -chawanmushi -for dessert: matcha mousse with azuki and green tea ice cream with kinako overall: food = yummy and excellent quality. service = great!. ambiance = sitting at the bar is an awesome experience. price = damage wasn't too bad. i didn't pay so i'm guessing it was around $100 or less. :) it sure tasted better than Nobus and i got wayyy more food. i'm a fan of service and great food...and we'll definitely come back to SIG!

    (4)

  • Christopher C.

    I came here a long time ago and didn't like it. Parking is terrible and the food was not cheap or good. Can someone explain why this place gets such good reviews?

    (2)

  • Erin M.

    I only had sushi here, so I can't speak to any of the other food, but it was some of the best sushi I've had in Hawaii. I was there with a friend who claimed he didn't like uni (one of my favs), but I convinced him to try it again here, and he loved it- this is how uni should taste. They service was great too, prompt and accommodating. I literally cannot wait to come back.

    (4)

  • K F.

    Fresh fish and great atmosphere. Couldn't ask for more.

    (5)

  • Jenny C.

    This is the best sushi I've ever had, excellent service, and an authentic Japanese atmosphere, so I'm told. We got last minute rezzies in the back room for a large party (one of our party is a regular). Daniel was our waiter- what a cool guy! He was instructed to bring out the best of everything, and he delivered. My favorites (I'm not the most adventurous): Hamachi Tartar, Monkfish Liver, Baked King Crab, and this delicious bowl of rice, nori strips and salmon with green tea poured over it- can't remember what it was called. It's not cheap, but well worth every penny for top notch service with a smile and the freshest fish around. My husband was in sushi heaven. We will definitely be back next time we're in Hawaii!

    (5)

  • Noeru N.

    Gaku is my favorite izakaya. The menu is extensive, but not to the point where they put things on the menu "just cause.." Everything is perfected and has a fine balance between traditional japanese and local flavors. I love their fresh tofu with the dashi gelee, it is something I will never share, order your own brah!! The aji salad is soooo good and fresh.. garlic ribeye is a must, and Manabu-san's sushi I could order all night! Above the sushi counter you'll see a line of fish bones being dried for senbei, when you order it they'll lightly toast and salt it for you, the perfect otsumami to go with that great sake menu! Don't bother walking-in without reservations, they're always packed and guests are in for the night as its cozy and homey, nobody wants to leave..

    (5)

  • Dar C Y.

    Off to a rough start when I first went to the establishment because they didn't write down my reservation but went there a second time (called a day before to confirm my reservation) to have dinner. The service was great and very welcoming to first-timers. I would definitely want to go back but maybe a monthly outing (if lucky enough). I would recommend if your looking for an authentic sushi place. RESERVATIONS required unless you don't mind eating after 8pm. They are also closed on Mondays....trust me!

    (4)

  • Kelly T.

    A short review: Wonderful menu selection and excellent customer service. The only thing I really remember...the heavenly (broiled and tender) hamachi kama. It was so good, we ordered another.

    (4)

  • Diana B.

    I had dinner my first night in Hawaii here. We couldn't get a reservation but were told that we could get there after 8:30 for a short wait. We got there a bit early and waited half an hour mostly outside in the wind and drizzle until we moved into the small interior to get away from the drunk guy who was bothering the customers waiting outside. The staff was very polite in how they handled that, and we were quickly seated as we were the only party of 2 waiting (the party of 4 who waited before me wasn't seated until close to after we finished our dinner). Dinner was tasty but expensive and not too filling. We started with the negihama tar tar with seaweed that our server recommended which was fun to eat but soon became too rich and cheesy ( yelp.com/user_local_phot… ). We also had the garlic rib eye (a bit dry and overcooked), the baked king crab which was good ( yelp.com/user_local_phot… ), and the negi-toro roll. Service was friendly but not too attentive (rice and hot tea didn't come until near the end of our meal). Also, unfortunately, they didn't have any tofu that day because of the black out - nice to know that the tofu is homemade.

    (4)

  • Kaio T.

    Not bad Not bad.. i like their sirloin steak.. and their sushi is extremely fresh I recommend it!

    (4)

  • Donovan T.

    This is by far some of the BEST sushi I have eaten. This place has a focus on Sushi and Service. We went here 2 nights in a row (it was that good). Our service started off with Daniel, who got to know what we liked and assisted us in our choices. They were all amazing, especially: Miso fishbone soup Halibut appetizer Toro- and seared Toro We were served by Stephanie & Danial....Great service and superior sushi. Cannot wait to go back.. Caitlin and Donovan

    (5)

  • Love S.

    Gaku is now my new favorite Sushi/Izakaya restaurant in Honolulu. Clam miso soup-$7 So simple but I think this was my favorite Taraba no kyurimaki (king crab wrapped in cucmber cut into tiny morsels)$9.50-Not at all what I was expecting but it was absolutely D-VINE! Garlic Rib eye steak in ponzu sauce $13-SPECTACULAR Tako with Basil (around $9)-interestingly different but good Hamachi Sashimi-$12 like BUT-TAH O-toro-Flawless Baked King Crab-$12 A MUST-my other favorite Beef Tongue-no, this was my favorite......they were all my favorites. Going to Gaku will definitely give you the eyes are bigger than your stomach syndrome. Everything is stellar. If you have a large party, reserve way in advance. I tried to make a reservation a week in advance for a party of nine, it was a no-go. We ended up at Sushi Bistro also on King Street , I was depressed. Not that the food at Sushi Bistro isn't good, it is good, But Gaku is EXCELLENT! * Gaku is closed on sundays and I believe the 1st or 2nd monday of the month.

    (5)

  • Mari P.

    My husband took me here for Thursday night for our anniversary. We've heard about this place from one of his coworkers a while back, but just didn't get around to going. I'm so upset it took us so long because EVERYTHING was just that perfect. Seriously. We sat at the sushi bar, but didn't order any sushi! Don't hate - we ordered massive amounts of raw stuff, just not sushi. Monkfish liver, hamachi tartar (yeah, with quail egg, love it), Mirugai, Amaebi, Uni (by far the best quality I've had in HI),Mentaiko(raw & roasted), toro - and now I know what Anthony Bordain means by 'food porn.' Watching guy slice the soft pink slab was one of the sexist things I've ever seen...but wait, that wasn't my favorite. My vote for fave raw dish is their oyster shooter. Best d@mn oyster shooter I've EVER had(My previous fave was Hotel Lanai). Goes down so easily. Our server suggested the uni shooter, but we were both so in love with the oyster one, we had 3 orders each! Amazing quality. So yummy. So good. We also had some cooked dishes. Gyu tongue. Hands down my most wanted hot item. Unfortunately, we didn't try the smoked pork special. I overheard that they smoke it themselves out back. (boo for me, but next time!) The crab was awesome. I've never had fish fried with an arare coating, but that was super light and crispy! Chwanmushi was peppery delicious. I didn't eat the tamago, but my husband is in love with it. The food alone deserves five stars, but then there's the service, ambiance, and price. The service was fun! Once again, I'm sick it took us so long because there were so many regulars, I wanted to be one, too! The cute old lady next to me asked if it was my first time, then welcomed me cause it was! All the workers knew 90% of the customers that walked in. It's cozy, so the place was nonstop busy. I loved it. Everyone - from the workers to the crowd - just so much fun! Reservations are a MUST. They told me they sometimes have to turn walk-ins away. As far as price goes, you pay for what you get, and I got 5 stars at a 5 star price.

    (5)

  • Mani P.

    We made a side stop to Ohau from Maui just for the food, and boy it did not disappoint. The hamachi tartare, all sorts of sushi (toro), and everything else we ordered was soo good.

    (5)

  • alex h.

    Best restaurant in Honolulu, period! Food- Fabulous, it really is a great representation of excellent Izakaya. Very innovated dishes like the deep fried fish bone (like a fish potato chip), tofu jelly (super light tofu with a bonito gel floating on top), the negihama tartar (three different kind of fish mashed with green onion and other stuff that you spoon onto seaweed, oh snap it was good). Service- Incredible, we arrived as a party of 4 plus a baby in a stroller with no reservations. They at first said the wait would be 45 minutes, we decided to wait, 5 minutes later the waiter came out and said he would move a few things around and have us seated at the sushi bar in 10 minutes (including the stroller). Usually when I take my kid we get ignored or regulated to eating in the kitchen but the way the wait staff treated us was amazing. They made an extra effort to get us seated comfortably quickly and were extremely attentive and almost apologetic that we had to wait as long as we did. A-1 Ichiban in my books! The two sushi chefs were awesome, they weren't super busy so we spent the night talking to them since we were seated at the sushi bar. Very very friendly and it was fun to swap recipies from different Izakaya restaurants from different countries and talk shop. I will definitely miss this place!

    (5)

  • Jon L.

    Fun! And tasty! It was a Saturday night, around 8. My buddy and I decided a bro-date was in order, and we headed to the sushi bar. We sat down in front of a really friendly sushi chef, who spoke horrible horrible English. However, I believe this makes the sushi taste better, so I already had high hopes. Plus, his enthusiasm was outstanding. He made great suggestions throughout the night, which I always appreciate. Here's what we had: -A sashimi combo, with toro, uni, snapper, scallop, and I think there was hamachi. -The fish quality was top notch. I would say it was at par with, if not better than Yanagi sushi in terms of quality. -The scallop was perfect. Sweet, barely crispy, silky, and light. -Yellow tail collar, which was cooked perfectly. -Fresh oysters from Seattle (I had to ask him 3 times before I figured out he was saying Seattle - awesome!) -The dankness: Omatsuri Natto, consisting of uni, ahi, ika, and natto. WOW. -Standard issue udon. Our guy also dropped something while he was making in front of us - I wasn't sure if it was ours or not, but he was mortified that he messed something up and that we saw. After briefly considering sepuku, he went with a more civil option, and made us a complimentary dish. I don't remember what it was called, but it was some lightly grilled fish with silvery skin. Twas good! I was impressed with this joint's fish quality, service, and overall ambiance. Pricey, but you get what you pay for. I haven't given a restaurant 5 stars in a long time... But this place is definitely worth it.

    (5)

  • Chad H.

    Honto ni! Gaku Ichiban ski desu!!! Yelp wants me to translate but if you don't know. You just don't know. And sometimes I can't help you, you just need to go find out for yourself.

    (5)

  • H C.

    I went there for our anniversary dinner. I will give it 3.5 stars. The decoration of the place is cozy and modern. The music was a little too loud. The service was very good. Parking is very limited behind the building. Drinks: Extensive Sake menu. House sake (warm) very smooth. Oyster with ponzu sauce: Very fresh. Nigiri Sushi: Very fresh Uni. Others only so so. Fish bone: This deep fried, crunchy treat is not on the menu but was one of the best items available. Its an unusual item we have not found elsewhere. And a good source of calcium! Baked king crab: Too much mayo and too salty. Natto bowl with ikura, uni, and other goodies: Very pretty dish. Eat with Nori. Loved it. Spicy tuna Tartar: Popular dish at the restaurant but don't think it's anything special. Taste like spicy tuna from Safeway in Manoa. Pay attention to your bill. They charged us sashimi on our sushi order. It was almost $20 more. The Nigini sushi was also on the pricy side.

    (4)

  • Cassandra L.

    I was told that this wasn't a kid-friendly place, but we decided to try it anyway. I called to make reservations and asked if they could provide a high chair, but they didn't have any. The guy that answered the phone apologized and then told me that he would put us in the tatami room so that we would be more comfortable. When we arrived, we were enthusiastically greeted by everyone. The tatami room was comfortable and having our son seated the same level as us made him behave very well. Everything we ordered was good, but nothing was sooo good that it really stood out. Everything was fresh and food presentation was extremely appetizing. Taraba no Kyurimaki su: Everyone raved about this, but it didn't really taste like anything. The combination of textures from the crab meat and the cucumbers were good, but I couldn't taste the usual sweetness from the king crab. Hamachi Kama: This was excellent. It was broiled just enough so that it was still moist. There was just enough salt added that I didn't have to add any shoyu. New Zealand Oysters: This wasn't as good as the ones that we had at Sushi King. It tasted like the oysters were previously frozen and then thawed to serve. I only say this because I had ordered a case of oysters from Mitch's and they were flash frozen and it had the same taste/texture. Asari Clams sauteed with garlic and butter: The clams were good, there was no grit. I hate it when you bite into a clam and there's a loud, annoying *crunch* from sand/grit. The garlic and butter broth was yummy. Hotate nigiri: These were sweet and plump. Uni wrapped with hirame: Uni was sweet and creamy, the hirame was fresh and there was a nice bite. The combination of textures were perfect. Otoro nigiri: the toro just melted! Negihama tartare: The quail egg added extra creaminess to the combination. It was really good, but there wasn't a really big difference between this and the fresh spicy tuna from Safeway. (I think another yelper mentioned this and I agree) All in all, we had a really good experience and we'll definitely be coming back.

    (3)

  • Trea Z.

    This place is amazing!!! Best sushi on the island by far. You can sit down and ask the chef to make you a special combo and the delicious dishes will not end. I will def be back. Each dish came with a detailed description of the fishes and regions by knowledgable staff. The patrons were all very friendly and the butterfish is AMAZING!

    (5)

  • C O.

    DAISUKI! Manabu-san is the BEST! I have to sit at the counter!!

    (5)

  • Jeff L.

    The yellow tail tartare & the tako w/ basil taste absolutely ridiculous(in a good way). The person who compared a restaurant in hawaii to Tsukiji fish market is also ridiculous( not in a good way). Anyways, the fish here was extremely fresh. Toro & uni here were bomb. The sweet shrimp was a bit on the tiny side, but i think its cuz i've been spoiled by live prawns in the past. They even served me some fish that i havent had before(or maybe I did at Tsukiji but i had no clue what i was eating) Last but not least...I have to give props to the white man from the big island. I forgot your name but i know you read this. Superb recommendations and he even told us about free parkin spaces in waikiki area. Everything he said was good was good. Everything he said was adventrous was disgusting. The man tells it like it is. 4.5 stars

    (5)

  • AsianRunningDiva S.

    I love coming here, but it is a little pricey. BUT, they always serve the most amazing sushi! I can't say anything that hasn't been said already! Def call in for a res b/c it's tiny! Get the tuna tartare to start! YUM YUM YUM! :)

    (5)

  • Pat M.

    Love, love, love Gaku. We put the menu in the hands of the masters and always have amazing delicacies!

    (5)

  • Rekinhsuf Z.

    Introduced to this place in 2007, Gaku reigns as the number one sushi restaurant in Hawaii. The waiters and waitresses for the most part are extremely knowledgable when it comes to the menu, and are very attentive to even the smallest of details. Never mind that the waiters are "non-Japanese"; they are very good at what they do. So to the food then: fantastic. The sushi is as fresh as it gets, with different seasonal imports straight from Japan. Also you have to respect the fact that the owner HIMSELF works behind the sushi bar as the head sushi chef nightly! Recommendations are always spot-on, though I always have my usual goodies to fall back on (O-Toro, Abalone, Uni, Mirugai, etc.). The fresh octopus from Hokkaido was surprisingly tender and a must-try while supplies last! The rest of their menu is very versatile and diverse, with something to please everyone. NOT for the budget-minded crowd, as with any great restaurant you must pay for excellence. If you're coming here thinking about ordering a spicy tuna roll and Genki Sushi price expectations, you need to take your broke azz home. I don't get the people that give this place bad ratings, but give Genki Sushi 5 stars lol. I guess that speaks for itself. Enjoy!

    (5)

  • Tae C.

    When you get into the restaurant, you're greeted by the friendliest staff that treats you like a total rock star! Your table is in a cute little area w/shoji doors. You have to take your shoes off before you enter & when you sit on the bench, your feet hang off into a little space. It's a very different experience.

    (4)

  • Allen H.

    When we stepped into Izakaya Gaku, there was a warm, cozy feeling that you don't get from the high-end (and sometimes overpriced) Japanese restaurants near the hotel district in Waikiki. Gaku is somewhat small, so I would recommend making a reservation if you want to take a large party to enjoy this place! The food was verrry fresh and the menu was very authentic. The menu consists mostly of smaller tapas-size dishes, but each of them are unique and tasty! We got the oysters with ponzu sauce, which were extremely fresh. Another standout was the steamed clams in garlic broth-- the clams were huge and the broth was as succulent as you could imagine. Papio is a local fish that I have never tried before prior to my visit at Gaku, and I loved the papio carpaccio they have. My personal favorite sushi is boxed mackerel, but it wasn't on the menu. Not to worry!-- the staff at Gaku is soo friendly and accommodating, I asked our waiter and he was happy to fix something up for me. Seriously, the service here is superb; that was one of many times the staff exceeded my expectations. The sweet shrimp sashimi are very delicious/fresh, but if you decide to get fried shrimp heads (which aren't on the menu, but you have to ask for), ask them to fry them a little crispier, since the ones we got were not crunchy enough and could be trickier to eat. ^that was my only complaint of the 11 dishes we ordered. + if you want to impress a date with awesome food that also has AWESOME presentation, go here. They aren't the cheapest restaurant, so it's not too easy to get FULL here if you intend on eating the entire meal at this place. (If you don't want to spend too much money, I would suggest coming here with friends and sitting at the bar for a snack/drink). GO TO GAKUUU!!! you wont regret it, and it will instantly become a fav

    (5)

  • KenGee E.

    Wow! Amazing! Havent had sushi like that in a looong time! Daniel the waiter was amazing and knowledgable. Just ordered the chefs recommendation. The garlic toro was the perfect finisher! we will be back every time we are in Waikiki!

    (5)

  • Topazskye L.

    Oh a definite must try. Get reservations for sure! We ate an array of things but things that were memorable are the eggs. It had a kanji imprinted on it. It was so tender and flavorful. Tamago is so basic but it is also a true test of the sushi chef's skill. We had a taretare and it came with a quail egg and once u mix everything together, it was such a smooth tasting treat.I cant quite remember the names of all the dishes ordered as we got our japanese friends to place the order but the whole dining experience was Awesome!

    (4)

  • Ashley S.

    Good food. Order all that u want when they first ask u. Cause it takes awhile to get your food if u order later. They give u the food as it is made. So your usually workering on one dish at a time. For two people our bill was $100. Too much to eat there all the time but definitely worth it this once. Steady full house. Friendly attentive service. Because it was busy slow but still attentive service. Closed on Monday. Will be closed Oct 2-9. There was a sign in the bathroom.

    (5)

  • Miles E.

    Wow, I think this may just be the best sushi I've ever had. All of it, toro, baked king crab, ahi tartar, hamachi... everything was awesome. Perfectly prepared (cooked or not) and timely served. Just wish it wasn't so pricey, but hey, you get what you pay for here.

    (5)

  • Tiffany A.

    We fiiiiiiinally got a chance to hit up the top restaurant on this site since I can remember and it didn't let me down one bit. Small place but quite cute. Bar area was a decent size so it allowed for more than 6 people to eat there. The other parts of the restaurant were nice and roomy and not too stuffed with tables. There's chair seating or traditional floor seating. The staff were very friendly and attentive. But that's minahs to what I'm about to talk about... the FOOD! We read it all that everything was good... but was it really? I have to say yes it was! I arrived late so my party had tried some other items but what I ate was pretty amazing stuff. I started out with my share of the Oh! Toro nigiri. Heaven! Absolute heaven when I ate it. It was just the fattiest piece of fish and amazingly tasty even with the wasabi inside. No shoyu necessary! Next up was the TNT. This was an interesting dish. It was a whole mash up of seafoods from tako and shrimp to scallops and maybe ika covered in this gooey mayo/spicy mixture. It was yummy :) Third came the Spicy Negihamachi Tartar. When you first look at it, it's such a tiny dish and there's an itty bitty egg yolk on top of it! But the detectability of the fish and the spices really shines through and somehow that little quail egg just makes it all the more merrier. It was sodelicious, we did it twice... that's right 2x! It's served with nori slices on the side so you can make little rolls to eat. Next up, was the King Crab cake. It came straight from the oven steaming hot and beyond yummy. Best crabcake ever!!! After that, we had what I want to call Garlic Ahi but it's Toro Ahi, seared with a Garlic sauce on top. This had to be my favorite because I absolutely adore any seared garlic item. This was a three piece dish. Imagine: toro ahi and a garlic sauce!!! Last on the list was the Filet Mignon. Three words: Oh. Em. Gee. Now if you know me well, you know I love love LOVE steak. And my favorite piece of cow is the Filet part. Well this one didn't disappoint one bit at all. We asked for Medium (I'm a Medium Rare fan though but for the sake of others who like their cow cooked well we went with something in the middle) and it came Medium Rare. So maybe aim for a little more cooked if you can't stand to see red. But my friends tried it anyway and they loved it even with it's red juicy center!!! The sauce they put on the meat was also a nice addition to the plate. I would definitely return just for this item and it's not even a steakhouse ;) So overall, absolutely wonderful meal. Price wise it was pricey but worth it. What I would come back for: Filet and Toro. The parking sucks though... small lot in the back and the entrance is hidden and right on King right past the restaurant. Street parking is better and doesn't start til 630pm (end of Tow Away Zone time frame). There's also the Easy Music Center parking across the street for $2 flat. Will go back :)

    (5)

  • Mii L.

    the best Japanese restaurant. taste is real !! you just have to wait though. they are always busy.

    (5)

  • T L.

    Probably the best izakaya restaurant in Hawaii! Consistently good service and good food. Fish is always fresh! Highly recommend trying here if you didn't already. If you don't know what to order, always ask the wait staff...they always know what is fresh and good.

    (5)

  • Laura Y.

    Oh Em Gee. Best sashimi I've ever had. And I've been to Japan too! Came here without reservations and had to wait about 20 minutes. Not too bad. Was expecting a way longer wait due to the size of the place. The inside of the restaurant reminds me of being in Japan. I know a number of sushi places "westernize" to make it more appealing to the local customers. However this place, made me feel like I was right in Japan with the atmosphere from the decor and staff. The only thing that reminded me I was in Hawaii was the customers and looking out the window and seeing the buses drive by. The wait staff was extremely nice and friendly, and suggested a number of dishes. They even had 6-8 plates on the counter showing some of the daily specials, which I thought was nice because you get to see what you'll get. Ordered the sashimi platter (9 kinds). I don't remember everything on it, but we got otoro, tuna, shrimp, scallop, rockfish, uni, hamachi, and I don't remember the rest. Started with the tuna and that just melted. A lot of the sushi places i've been to have had tuna that's kind of stringy, but this wasn't like that at all. Everything on the platter melted in the mouth and was just so good. Hell, I'm not a big fan of uni but I actually liked this one. Also ordered the garlic ribeye. It came with some veggies and a small salad. The ribeye was perfectly cooked medium. It was tender, flavorful, and was worth every penny. I'd order it again in a heartbeat. We then ordered the shrimp and corn croquettes and a king salmon avocado roll. The shrimp and corn croquettes were creamy inside, and doesn't have the grittiness that I've had in other cream croquettes. It was smooth and delicious. The king salmon avocado roll, my god. That salmon was so soft and tender you'd think you were eating otoro. The salmon just melted. Hell I don't even think I had to chew. Between the incredible fish and the excellent service, this place would get 6 stars if I could give it.

    (5)

  • Marcie I.

    The service was great and the food was wonderful. Have to try the fish bones which they toast. Crunchy and delicious. The sushi is great and I love the Garlic Steak. A definite MUST. Just can't say enough. Wonderful. Will definitely return.

    (5)

  • Puna K.

    Umai yo! Chotto konderu but sushi is always very fresh, portions are just right and its all tucked away in a cute little setup that's perfect for a date. Definitely a place to return to.

    (4)

  • Chris K.

    This place owns. Seriously. I don't think any other Japanese restaurant on the island comes close to matching the quality of food and service here at Gaku. There are warm welcomes towards every visitor or regular, the decor is pleasant and inviting, the sushi is consistently fresh and delicious, and everything that comes sizzling off the grill, steaming out of the oven, or crackling out of the fryer is close to or cooked to perfection. Everyone who works at this restaurant strives for quality and it shows by how well known this small Izakaya has become in just two years since its grand opening. It's the only place on the island I'm willing to tip beyond 20% after I eat here because of how much I love this place (even when the economy is as bad as it is). Give this place a shot, I assure you, it is as excellent as everyone says. If you're still skeptical, don't be. Truth is I worked here as an assistant chef for an entire year. I just felt compelled to spread the word and get more people to come to love this place as much as I do. I want Gaku to be around forever :]

    (5)

  • Mkitty F.

    Went here last night for my 45th Birthday....It was AWESOME and just what I expected after reading all the reviews...We ordered the Hamachi Tartar-OUTSTANDING...We had the Chef's sushi combo-ONO....Oysters-(I was so craving these)- the BEST oysters on the Island...tasted so clean/fresh...Steak with Ponzu sauce -Excellent-soft melts in the mouth..Baked Crab- it looked so plain but WOW were we surprised! In a good way---Yummy...Spider Roll- yumOz...To drink with all this yummness--Grapefruit Sour--they bought us a do it yourself juicer to our table to squeeze our fresh grapefruit--then you pour it into a glass of Shochu/soda water add some of your pulp and DRINK...That was really good and refreshing..Someone from the next table ordered it right after watching us...He left smiling by the way...At the END of our AWESOME experience dessert was bought out and the whole(and I mean everyone in the restaurant) stood up and sang HAPPY BIRTHDAY..BANZAI....Amazing night here and the staff/service excellent....we will definitely be coming here regularly..Oh one more thing call a week in advance they book up fast...

    (5)

  • Brian P.

    Great sushi. Fresh and well prepared. The hamachi tartare is excellent. Be sure to make reservations because its not a large place and it fills up quickly. Parking is tough. The baked ribeye and crab are also good as is the tako and basil salad. Service is great.

    (5)

  • Nicole C.

    Ever since I came home from college, I listened to my mom and sister rave about Gaku, however, they are always fully booked. After making reservations a week ahead, I finally satisfied my japanese food cravings. Coming from a chinese family who, "lives to eat", I have a mother who always orders EVERYTHING on the menu. Our entire family sat on the japanese mats at Gaku for 3 hours, trying nearly every dish they offered. As the food started coming, Daniel, our sweet, outgoing waiter from the big island suggested new specials throughout the night. We reveled dish after dish: gaku's special garlic seared otoro sushi, chef's combination sashimi platters: offering the freshest catch of the day: toro, otoro, aji, halibut, hamachi belly, uni, and kampachi, misoyaki butterfish, spicy negihamachi tartar, chawamushi, rib-eye, filet mignon steak, uni wrapped in a thin filet of flounder, homemade tofu with special jello sauce on top, melt in your mouth japanese blue fin tuna sushi to name a few of my favorites. The otoro was soo fresh, buttery, and smooth, we couldn't resist, but to order two more orders of sashimi after trying it in the sashimi special. Uni's rich taste, paired with the fresh crisp flounder filet created an amazing fusion of flavors and textures! Every dish disappeared as fast as it came, and after three hours, we were stuffed. Superb service, moreover, complemented our delicious dishes. Daniel deserves 6 stars for bringing hawaiian hospitality and culture to Gaku by making jokes, teaching us how to "speak pigeon", and sharing bits and pieces of his childhood. If you are looking for an authentic, chic, and unpretentious japanese restaurant in Honolulu, Gaku is the place to go. This pleasant restaurant with its exceptional service and delicious dishes, attracts families, tourists, and couples from all over. Though hundreds of dollars will swim away before you know it, Gaku is well worth it! So what are you waiting for, pick up your telephones and make your reservation for Gaku.

    (4)

  • Kaili N.

    we came here in december for my friend's bday dinner. i remember the food being pretty good, the service very good and friendly, and the middle sushi chef super hot. i know that the food was good, but there were too many distractions at dinner that i really can't remember much about what we actually ate! our server was a really sweet white guy that i think must be japanese at heart or something (lots of bowing). he accidentally spilled some soup on one of my friend's back and was absolutely mortified, as well as the owner dude (i think he was the owner - he looked like an asian kyle maclachan). our server apologized profusely, got a towel and literally started wiping down my friend which was comical for us but kinda uncomfortable for her. they offered to dry clean her cardigan which was nice but she opted for a free drink instead. :) i feel bad for her cause she also banged her car on a stupid short pole that was randomly sticking out of the ground when she was looking for parking earlier that night (parking is a bitch there). boy, she was having a rough night. anyway, i'd like to talk more about this hot sushi chef cause that was the highlight of dinner. they should give him a raise because i am sure girls go there just to gawk at him. poor guy...or maybe he likes it. he should open up his own sushi joint where they serve the sushi off his body. that would be fun! sorry, random dirty thought. so yeah, the food was great, but the eye candy was better!

    (4)

  • N. s.

    I would love to have eaten here after reading all the great reviews, but we did not know that you have to make a reservation. I was surprised that we were turned away even without a reservation, because I saw about ten seats open. Next time I come back to Honolulu, I will try to make it back, but will not forget to call ahead.

    (3)

  • Jannet L.

    yeah it was good.

    (4)

  • Biff Y.

    So friends of mine treated me to a wonderful dinner here during my recent visit. We had a party of three sitting at the bar; but overall, the place was pretty small, so I wouldn't consider going there with a larger group without a reservation. First of all, I loved the selection of hikarimono - I had the aji tataki, and later sanma and iwashi (sardine) sushi. That made very happy, since most places don't tend to carry them. Of course if you don't like the fishy stuff, don't even touch them. Iwashi & sanma is a few degrees fishier than hamachi. Speaking of hamachi, we had a wonderful grilled hamachi collar. I also asked the chef to prepare me the hirame engawa with a ponzu finish, and it was awesome. Also, I loved the daikon steak - oden style daikon which has been grilled. Overall, I enjoyed the food there - we stuck to things were traditional Japanese stuff, so I can't vouch for any of the funkier stuff. Also a pretty nice selection of sake - I had one of the cold ones, but I forgot which one I got - sorry! By the way, street parking in front of the restaurant is free after 6:30 - which is why our reservation was set at that time.

    (5)

  • Greasybones V.

    I have nothing but good things to say about this little treasure on King St. It's my favorite place for what is probably the best & freshest sushi on the island and great small izakaya dishes to go with sake or beer. They cure their ikura (salmon roe) in their own marinade of mirin and sake too! Remember to either call for a reservation (last one is at 7 pm) or go later, since the place is small and fills up quickly.

    (5)

  • Richard C.

    What a fantastic experience! Our waiter turned a good experience into a great one! Super knowledgeable and honest about what is good and not good that day. Originally, we tried to order the otoro sushi but he recommended us to order the sashimi instead because the cut from the sashimi is better (and he was right). He read his customer well and was quick to build a rapport. When he found out that we are quite adventurous diners, he offered us dishes not on the menu to showcase the depth of the kitchen. While there are better Izakaya (in terms of food) that I have been to, but rarely do you find such enthusiastic and genuine service. It certainly is rare in this industry.

    (5)

  • Tadd L.

    i have to admit....this is by far.... the BEST JAPANESE AND SUSHI EVER IN MY LIFE!!! I have a list made of all the sushi place around honolulu to hit up during our trip there, and this was the first place we decided to try out. Wow....just amazing. When I called the host said they only do walk-in's, so we arrived around 8:30 pm, and found out the wait is around 45 minutes! We contemplated for a few seconds, along with the fact that there is no real waiting area there, but decided to stay and wait for our turn. They had a bench outside, but the host got our number too and said we can go to a nearby bar and wait until he gives us a call. We decided to wait. Thanks to waiting patrons who decided they couldn't wait any longer and cancelled, our wait ended up only being around 20 minutes. The inside is clean and cute, not some hole-in-the-wall atmosphere. The service was great, with our waiter explaining how the food is prepared, and what their specialties are. We ordered the sweet shrimp, the grilled lobster, negihama tartare, butterfish, seared tuna, and this one dish that I can't remember the name now, but consists of a variety of seafood cooked in a stew/sauce. They were all amazing!! But the negihama tartare and the grilled lobster were beyond amazing! These were some of the best dishes I have ever tasted. I can't even begin to describe the flavors that I experienced, but hats off to the sushi chefs. This place is a must for all! 5 big giant stars!

    (5)

  • Lisa K.

    One of the best places to eat sushi on the island. Feels like being in Japan again. Where else can you find fresh sanma sushi and fish bones expertly dried and salted in Hawaii? A great alternative to eating at Sasabune and Mitch's when you want to eat more than just sushi. Aside from their Izakaya dishes, they make a great udon. The Noodles are firm. Parking Secret: Park in the building across the street where Cafe Sistina is on the ground floor. It's free. The parking gate has always been up during all the times I've been to Gaku and parked there.

    (5)

  • akiko c.

    Gaku is truly a diamond in the ruff. The staff there are extremely friendly, and the quality of food is exquisite. I am always looking forward to seeing Manabusan and the crew since they offer one of the best customer services. For those who haven't entered this hidden oasis yet, you should definitely make a trip over there.

    (5)

  • Celise N.

    I know I'm in the minority, but I didn't like this place for many reasons. There is a miniscule parking lot that probably holds 4 cars.... and it is TIGHT. First their service was not very good. Our reservation was for 5 pm (we arrived on time) and after practically arguing with the staff about the reservation(they lost it!), they finally gave us a table but told us we only had the table until 7pm as they had a 7pm reservation. No problem as we ate at Tokkuri Tei a week earlier and was in and out within 1 hr and 15 minutes. On this night, we would have 1 hr and 45 minutes to eat. Should be no problem...... The food was very non-traditional Japanese food. We had this wierd banana/chicken katsu which was interesting, didn't taste bad, but I wouldn't order it again. We like fresh tofu and they had this other strange tofu dish with "fish jelly" on it. To me it was inedible. We had this other vegetable dish that was basically boiled or steamed carrots, broccoli, beans, asparagus with some thick shoyu/mayonnaise type sauce on the side which was boring and overpriced. We also ordered the fresh fried moi which was good, but not to die for. We had already eaten everything and we were just waiting and waiting for that last moi dish to show up. The moi also took almost 30 minutes to arrive after we had to remind them about the moi So, back to the service. At about 6:45pm (remember we had to be out by 7pm) the waitress comes to our table and tells us "Last Call." Sorry but at this point, I was irritated. How rude! "Last call" is at a bar, when the place is about to close. We would have been gone if they didn't take so long to make the moi. This is not the way to end a dinner. So many JAPANESE (nationals, not local Japanese) people have all raved about Gaku, but maybe Gaku has a different standard of service for non Nihon-Jins. Overall, they food was OK, but the service was horrible.

    (2)

  • Brad Y.

    First off, we saw Iron Chef Morimoto himself here - I think that says a lot in itself!! So if you've got some cash to blow and want some AMAZING Japanese food, come here. Honestly we came here a while ago so I don't remember exactly what we had, but the food was amazing enough to leave a lasting "giddy" impression in my head. Hence, I get happy whenever I think about this place haha CHECK IT OUT!

    (5)

  • Andrew L.

    Came here with my buddy. I was blown away by the Omatsuri Nato. I didn't think I would like the fermented soy beans but the combo was amazing.

    (5)

  • Livetoeat F.

    By far the best japanese food on the island. Hamachi tar tar and beef tongue (not on the menu but can ask for it) is to die for. Pricey but well worth it. The only con is it takes forever and a day to try to get a reservation. Don't go with more than 4 people, you won't be seated til the zombie apocalypse.

    (5)

  • Eddie Y.

    I found this little gem of a Japanese restaurant and it sparkles. I went with my friends to conclude my month long birthday celebration! There are so many dishes on the menu I wanted to try. I finally chose the live abalone sashimi as it is not readily available and being part of my celebration, I deserved it. It arrived in a beautiful crystal bowl on top of a bed of crushed ice. Chef Manabu Kikuchi used his masterful skill on this shellfish dish. From the bite I knew I was enjoying a piece of the ocean, it was crunchy and sweet that only the freshest seafood brings. The four of us also shared several sushi selections and the same theme ran through all of them, skillfully prepared with the freshest ingredients. Most menu items are the raw variety but they can broil or fry items if you prefer. Another item we tried was the chicken karage and it was just perfection. I also tried the udon because if you eat noodles on your birthday you will have a long life! Hot, simple and tasty. For our finish, we shared their special sesame nut moose and zenzai with mochi balls. A really nice ending to a wonderful meal. This restaurant is so cozy and romantic for those on the "ultimate date". In addition, I really do judge a restaurant by the cleanliness of the restrooms and I was not disappointed. Since it is a small space, reservation are strongly recommended. We will be going back soon to try more of the dishes.

    (5)

  • Amy S.

    A year-and-a-half later, I am still thinking about their delicious negihamachi. It took so much restraint to not gobble that dish up in a minute! I have tried ordering it elsewhere, but no place seems to make it the same. I suppose I'll just have to make the trip back here...

    (4)

  • Chris S.

    This isn't a big restaurant so make sure you make reservation before you go. And they have a small parking lot in the back, always full even early at 5-ish pm. I just park at Mcd. Food-wise, I prefer Sushi Sasabune, but price-wise and service-wise, this place is better.

    (3)

  • Doc J.

    Akasaka, Sasabune, and this place are must eats for anyone who loves sushi. The servers all are fluent in Japanese and lived there. the food is amazing. the sake selection is second to none. the non-sushi dishes are amazing. The sushi is really good, but the other dishes are better. that is a sign of a great japanese restaurant. i love this place.

    (5)

  • Jay C.

    I went twice in one week because this place is INSANELY DELICIOUS! A friend took me on a busy Friday night having made reservations in advance. We were fortunate enough to sit at the counter so we could watch the sushi chefs work their magic! Everything we tried was delish from the sushi, deep fried pumpkin, chicken kaarage, garlic toro, and sweet potato mousse. We had other things, but I can't remember their names because I am old. Friendly and prompt service, fantastic food...this place is a MUST!

    (5)

  • Doraemon M.

    I invite this place at least once a month. This week I went there twice because I truly love their food. Daniel and Michael (haole waiters that speak Japanese) are the greatest, very friendly and attentive. Shin San, who is their host, is the best guy in town. He always accommodate my late dinner reservations.

    (5)

  • Christina S.

    I used to think I knew enough about sushi to adequately discern between good and mediocre. No more. This place has set a new standard that renders even my go-to choice in Berkeley simply average. Seriously, after eating here I felt like I'd never had real sushi before. Husband and I came here after a failed outing to another sushi restaurant in Waikiki that had us swearing we wouldn't try sushi again in Hawaii - we felt we'd been led astray one too many times. But we failed to cancel our reservations in time, and rather than simply not show up, we decided to go. Best decision ever. Atmosphere was intimate/perfect. Waitress was super gracious and explained what non-sushi items were favorites after we shared our reluctance to have sushi again. She then strongly encouraged us to at least try some sushi, which we did. Ate the himachi/seaweed/quail egg appetizer (loved loved loved), garlic butter ribeye, miso-marinated butterfish, octopus nigiri, moi nigiri, etc. Everything blew us away. Couldn't have asked for better food, service or chefs, especially Hideki. We will most definitely be back.

    (5)

  • Maurice P.

    A bit of a whole in the wall but a great place to come. Staff there is very friendly and looking to make sure that your experience there is great. You can either sit at the sushi bar or at tables even rooms with tatami mats. But if you're like me sitting at the bar is the best place, you can interact with the sushi chefs and see what is happening and watch your food being prepared. All the sushi they have is very fresh, some of the freshest sushi I've ever had. There are daily specials on their menu and the servers are always there to make recommendations or help you to decide if you are having a hard time to deciding. Their sashimi plate is a great way to wet your appetite and help you decide on the rest of your sushi or sashimi choices. there are also lots of hot dishes that you can choose from as well. Miso soup, udon, steamed clams, even rib eye steak. there is so much to choose from but the only way you'll be able to see how good the food is the best way to do it is go and see for yourself. When you do go, if you've never tried otoro i really recommend trying it here , very good quality and very fresh. Definitely will be going back for seconds.

    (4)

  • Chevis C.

    Very good authentic Japanese food! The sake was fun to drink in a box. The service was excellent. The parking was the only thing that was disappointing, if there was parking I didn't know where it was. It seems that there was only street parking.

    (5)

  • Laura D.

    Oh my god, this place is SO good. Enough said.

    (5)

  • Hans K.

    Everything was wonderful!

    (5)

  • David L.

    Visiting the islands was fun, but man did this sushi joint rock. The food was just AWESOME and so was the service. I was not even hungry, but the food was just absolutely delicious. The crab cake, grilled chicken and baked fish were great, but the sashimi, spicy tuna, udon etc etc (we had just about everything on the sashimi side) were fresh as fresh can be....I think my favorite Okada in Vegas has just been clipped from its number one position....Mahalo baby!

    (5)

  • Andrea F.

    Made a reservation here for my birthday & was totally impressed! The chefs & staff are friendly & very accommodating. Everyone working there were polite & their professionalism was superb! The food... WOW! I tried things a bit out of the box for my tastes, liked Ankimo (Monkfish Liver) & Uni (Sea Urchin Roe) which were phenomenal to say the least! The Toro, Hamachi & Miso soup were oh so ONO! We sat at the bar & really took in the show of watching our chef prepare sushi & sashimi for us & other guests. He was very informative & enjoyable to talk to. I just told him to make me what he thinks I would like, I'm not shy of my food for sure! My husband had the garlic butter ribeye, which was cooked just like he wanted & inhaled quickly. This isn't the cheapest place for sushi on the island, but it's not out of this world expensive either. You get amazing atmosphere & the freshest fish for a reasonable price. Definitely a must-go place for special occasions. Between my husband and I, we spent about $120, which was half of what we had expected it to be. We spent the remainder at Dave & Busters around the corner, burning off our dinner. Domo Arigato Sushi Izakaya Gaku for our night of bliss!

    (5)

  • E D.

    Yep! Gotta LOVE Gaku...it's AWESOME! :)

    (5)

  • Mia F.

    Hands down...my favorite Japanese restaurant and maybe favorite restaurant in Honolulu. Everything is delicious, beautiful, memorable...I highly recommend this cozy and quaint place...but be prepared to wait! It's tiny!

    (5)

  • Peter L.

    First time in Oahu had no idea where to eat, my girlfriend's friend recommended this place and we had a double date here. Reservations a must for early dinners only or else be warned of the long wait. This place is one of my FAVs, I mean seriously we were on Oahu for 1 week and ended up eating here for 2 nights. Service was two thumbs up...even the white guys speaks Japanese, that's awesome. Good sake list, including my favorite: Dewazakura Dewasansan (if you like chilled and lightly sweet filter sake). Ribeye, uni, Toro are definitely my top 3 dishes here but everything is pretty awesome. If you are staying in Waikiki definitely stop by this place for some awesome service and food...!

    (5)

  • Tina B.

    i ended up coming here twice this christmas break, so i thought i should write a review. the first time i went with my cousin (i didn't know we had plans to go there on christmas eve), and the next time for christmas eve dinner with the family and a family friend who apparently frequents the joint and knows the owners. both times the food was excellent. the both times we ate a whole bunch of stuff, i'm not going to bother trying to list them all everything was tasty but there were some standouts: first visit faves: a pan fried fish, but i cannot remember the name! it was a great fish, just salty enough to pair perfectly with rice. Moriawase Sashimi: a chef's choice sampler of super fresh sashimi, it's got some of everything, including uni which i love and amaebi, another fav. every thing was so good! tho i think we got more stuff when we camethe second time with the owner's friend, but the sashimi was solid both times. i even liked the aji which i normally avoid due to its fishiness. Dynamite or something like that: it's a seafood casserole (scallops& calamari mainly, i think) topped with a mayonnaise-y mentaiko sauce. i thought it was a very japanese izakaya-like dish. yummy creamy goodness, i love that sauce. We got so many dishes that night i can't recall. i know everyone raves about the mentaiko butter potato thing, but i though it was only ok. too dry. second visit faves: Moriawase Sashimi again, tho i think the aji was better the first time. Pan Fried Moi: i think it was a special. Moi is the best fish ever! it is so juicy and tender! Moi Sushi: i don't know if you have to ask for it this way or if it always comes this way, but the moi was slightly torched to have a slightly crispy crust, and it was sooooo good. i wish i could have eaten all of them, but i had to share. :( Steak: i think weordered the filet cooked cooked medium but got a rib eye cooked closer to medium-rare which is fine with me! the meat was so tender and good. it comes pre-sliced for easy sharing. The center of some of the pieces was the color of a dark tuna steak (ie, rare) but for some reason it wasn't bloody, and you could see the changes in the redness as you got closer to the outside,and it was so tasty! it comes in a teriyaki like sauce which is ok, but a little sweet, so dip it in the hot mustard to balance it out. Special Christmas Dessert: Asian pear frozen and filled with fruits in a jelly, vanilla ice cream and a very delicious chocolate sauce to pour over the ice cream. very very good.

    (4)

  • Danny P.

    This place is the best kept secret for the best sushi. You gotta go Omakase here. But, be patient, the place is becoming popular. Just make a reservation. And if you are a walk-in just leave your name and number and go across the street to Tsunami and chill out until they call you. They are great about trying to squeeze you in. It is just a great place to go.

    (5)

  • Chris R.

    The hamachi tartare is something one dreams about. I've considered ordering a few of these for potential take out. The sashimi is also top notch. Great atmosphere and good times.

    (5)

  • Eddie T.

    Delicous location for a night out with friends

    (5)

  • AJ T.

    If I hadn't gone over to Mitch's (see previous review) the day before, I probably would have given this place 5 stars. Nevertheless, this place is still a standout in terms of sushi. Their izakaya menu seems pretty solid; great variety with tons of daily specials, and even though we only ordered a few items from that menu, every order came out delicious. We also ordered the sashimi dinner, and everything came out extremely fresh; nothing like what I've had outside of Hawaii. It's a small restaurant, and a great place for a date; the low light and terrific decor makes for a cozy dinner. The service here is fantastic. The waiters were extremely friendly and accommodating, and when we left, the whole wait staff and sushi chefs stopped what they were doing to yell goodbye to us!

    (4)

  • Alden H.

    One word.... Bonkers! Top notch sushi and excellent izakaya if you in the mood for both.

    (5)

  • Renee A.

    definitely one of my favorite places in town. It would have been 5 stars but it gets one star off of always being full! Basically, 9 out of 10 times we tried there, they are full and we had to go elsewhere. There are places that are just as good but easier to get seated at... Anyway, I'd recommend this place to anyone with time to wait around...

    (4)

  • Josh H.

    This place is awesome because its awesome! ha ha.... I know thats circular, but thats what this place is... Awesome. I regularly eat at sushi bars and this place is my fav because I always feel that I'm getting a GOOD DEAL, plain and simple! I usually splurge at this place and have a hard time walking when I'm leaving because i'm so full. Aside from excellent quality fish, this place has some interesting dishes. However, be WARNED... parking can be difficult to find and the place is almost always busy. If you dont have reservations (which are only taken from 5 to 7 on most nights) you could end up waiting for an hour or more (its worth it). On busy nights, if your one that needs constant service... this might not be the place for you.

    (5)

  • Chip M.

    A coZy small Japanese restaurant. Bring a date and sit very tight. Great place to take your date so you can take a closer look into her eyes. Table is small so I think they try not to bring you everthing at once. Sushi is ok compared to other high end sushi bars and restaurant. Other foods like appetizers are not bad.much like imanas. But they have their own flavors. Service is really good and waiters are helpful in helping you select certain dishes and quick to refill your water and tea.

    (3)

  • Turkey B.

    Great food and great service. The sushi as well as the hot items were all wonderful. Favorite item was the oh toru which melts in your mouth! We had the omakase and it only came out to $140/couple compared to Sushi Sasabune's $130/person!

    (5)

  • George Q.

    In Japan, I'd probably give this place a 4, but for Hawaii.. it could possibly be a 6! Best sushi in town. Not the cheapest place to eat sushi, but you shouldn't really eat cheap sushi anyway. If I can get a counter spot reserved slightly before 7pm or get there for a little late night munchy action, I'll go straight up sashimi/sushi dinner and drop money and it'll satisify my mouth, mind and stomach to the point where I can ignore my crying pockets.. It could also be that I usually tend to drink a lot when I eat sushi that I"m just not feeling any pain.. Manabu-san the head sushi-chef was the head sushi-chef over at Imanas before he started Gaku. I almost feel like his sushi got better after he left Imanas... or maybe, the sushi level dropped a bit over at Imanas that he's gone now... who knows.. and I guess.. who really cares.. Having a group dinner at the table and zashiki and eating off their izakaya menu is definitely a superb festive dinner..

    (5)

  • German V.

    Awesome restaurant! 100% traditional Japanese Izakaya. Definitely a MUST if you're a Japanese cuisine fan.

    (5)

  • Foodie B.

    After reading so many great reviews from Yelp, I decided to try this place to see what all the hype was about. Unfortunately, this place fell far below my expectations. Pros: -Service is attentive and we were greeted right away. - Constant refill on tea and waters and clearing plates. - My dad said the maguro chazuke was good. - Spicy hamachi tartar with quail egg - Gyutan (cow tongue-grilled) very thick and flavorful Cons: - Our waiter was not knowledgeable. Maybe he was new? My dad asked him what was in the chirashi and he told us twice that it was an assortment of sashimi. Finally, another server told us the assortment of fish that was in the bowl. Thank you for clarifying! We also asked him what was jagga butta? Yes, I know on the menu it says potato but what's on it? Again, maybe he was new? - I expected thicker cuts of otoro! For $40 and only getting 5 small and thin cuts; no wait, more like slivers (which were not great quality since I felt the white stringy-ness after chewing and definitely NOT melt in my mouth goodness)? I can go somewhere else. - Although uni was on the menu for today's specials, they did NOT have any... and we were the second group that made reservations for 5:00PM that night. - The negi hamachi nigiri was just ok. Nothing special. - Small portions not worth the $$$. The pictures on Yelp make it look so much larger! For the quality of fish, the small portions, and the $$$, it was not worth it and will not be back. My recommendation for high quality fish and sushi: Sasabune.

    (1)

  • CJ C.

    What a great place! I ate at the bar here with my significant other. Wow! Amazing. The toro melted in my mouth. The recommended kabocha dish was also great. Even though I'm not usually a fan of oysters--these were wonderful--crunchy, briny, lovely. I had just eaten at Sasabune the week before, which was also wonderful, but Gaku was 1/2 the price, without the attitude. Gaku was much more relaxing. Can't wait to go again. Maybe tonight...

    (5)

  • Jamie T.

    We went to Gaku for the first time last Friday on a whim. We got really lucky and scored street parking right outside. It was 7:00 and we didn't have reservations, but a party of two at the sushi bar was leaving just as we walked in. We were immediately seated and offered a hot towel. We mentioned it was our first time there, and the server welcomed us and made some suggestions on the menu. I tried the homemade tofu and negi hamachi tar tar -- both yummy. We also ordered a sashimi platter and some nigiri sushi. The fish was fresh. My favorite was the oh-toro. The salmon was okay...I've had better. We enjoyed watching the sushi chef at work, and overall the service was excellent. As another reviewer mentioned, they are constantly unnecessarily apologizing and thanking you for waiting -- they were very quick and continuously but unobtrusively checking on us. Our bill for 2 (including some beer) came out to a little over $100 -- not bad considering we ordered some of the most expensive stuff (a few orders of oh toro and mirugai). We'll definitely be back.

    (5)

  • Linda H.

    great place, especially if u like fresh seafood. they have a great selection of sake too. it's a little pricey but for the quality of food and outstanding service well worth it! the place is kinda small so it's best to make a reservation to avoid waiting, especially for groups.

    (5)

  • J P.

    *loudest irashaimase greeting i've ever heard... we had seats at the sushi bar, in front of the chef who was the loudest. haha. *limited amount of parking, we parked in the other restaurants lot. lucky, we didn't get towed! *waited 45 minutes since there was no reservations taken after 7, or they were booked. it was worth the wait! *VERY FRIENDLY STAFF! give good recommendations based on what you're looking for, likes/dislikes, if you're adventurous or not, etc. i didn't get the girl's name working in the kitchen, but she was super nice! & so was chef Hideki (who was sorry his English wasn't great, but he was so kind & we completely understood what he was trying to say) the spicy hamachi appetizer was my favorite [thanks kanoelani c.]... comes with nori to wrap it in. we needed about 2 more pieces of nori so we asked the waiter.. he gave us 3 pieces. when we got our check, they charged $2 for that!!! however, the sushi chef gave us little samples of things so it paid off. definitely coming back :)

    (5)

  • Wei-Wei C.

    oh how i love these little izakaya joints. i just love places like gaku. the ambiance is nice, the food is great, the service friendly. what more can you ask? sure you might have to wait 30+ minutes or so if you don't have reservations or that the parking is limited, but that is what makes it even more of a treat when you finally get seated! everything we ordered was good. aaaargh, i was going to name some of the dishes we ordered, but i'm getting hungry just thinking about this place!!!!!! so maybe next time... i think i need to go eat something now.

    (5)

  • Mako Y.

    If you appreciate traditional sushi, this is probably one of the best sushi-ya's in town, and I dare equal the quality to some sushi-ya's in Tokyo, to include the sushi-ya's at Tsukiji fish market area. Their otoro complemented by fresh wasabi is highly recommended. Other recommendations: awabi, spicy tuna appetizer, cow tongue, rib eye steak with ponzu, all of their sashimi and nigiri sushi.

    (5)

  • Yasuo O.

    unbelievably horrible service. Price is ridiculous for the quality of the food. Fish isnt fresh and dressing for the salad was bought right from Don Quijote. Maybe cause I eat in Japan alot? Maybe cause I am from Japan I expect more from nationals? Dont know but this is a place I would gladly tell people not to go to. Surprised the DOH hasnt come down on them for thier cooking practices. Oh, I found a piece of plastic in a chicken dish and they said..sorry. didnt offer to take it off the bill or bring out a new one. In fact, they took away the old one. What a joke.

    (1)

  • Bran Y.

    good food yum yum.

    (5)

  • Jamie W.

    What better place to try an Omakase for the first time (other than Japan, of course!) than in Honolulu? Reason #1: Japanese restaurants run by Japanese people #2: there are a lot of Japanese tourists and locals and #3: easy access to amazing seafood. The combo of these three should make for an optimal dining experience, no? We made a Monday night reservation to sit at the sushi bar. I knew things were going to be good as soon as the first course came out - freshly cut tuna, perfectly seasoned and a fresh quail egg on top. Amazing. Fresh, delicious and simple. I know it was basically a bowl of fancy spicy tuna but it was sooo much more than that! The other courses did not disappoint... a combination of sushi, sashimi and hot items such as lightly fried pork and then noodles. I'm surprised we ate as much as we did but the portion sizes were perfect. We didn't leave feeling full, just pleasantly satiated. We told them that we were flexible with no real strong preferences or dislikes. Truthfully, they probably went a little easy on us. The Japanese couple next to us who also ordered omakase were served some far more adventurous items. As I watched them prepare an sea urchin shooter, I just about passed out. Thankfully, it wasn't for me. That is just one taste/texture I can't get used to. The price was around $100 per person, not including beer and wine. The service was terrific. The sushi chefs weren't intimidating like I've heard some other restaurants in the area are. The sushi bar's turn over was huge. It's obviously a very popular place, especially with Japanese clientele. The one thing I'll remember about this restaurant is the way it smells. It's kind of hard to describe but I'll try. It smelled like my memories of Japan. Restaurants and places I had been to in Japan when I was much, much younger. Fresh ocean and seaweed and friendly, smiling people. It's funny how easily smell triggers memory. Though it's a little out of the way, I would say the cab drive is well worth our experience here. I'll add Sushi Izakaya Gaku to my list of places to return to when in Hawaii!

    (5)

  • Tony N.

    We went here because of the high Yelp review and also the owner at Wang Chung highly recommended it as well. When we approached the restaurant, it looked like a sketchy building in a dim lit area. Once the door opened, we were transported to another world. The setup of the restaurant is very traditional. There were an area for regular dining and another section where you sat at a lower table with our shoes off (good thing I washed my feet before I left the condo). Between 3 people, we ordered about $200 of food and drinks...WORTH EVERY PENNY! We must have ordered almost everything on the menu; 4 different sashimi, king crab cake, seared salmon and mackerel, oysters, and sake bombs after sake bombs. It was our last night in Honolulu and we wanted to go all out. Everything was delicious and did not last on the table for more than 3 minutes. The salmon roe was amazing, it was not salty at all, and it was actually sweet and very flavorful. If you go here, you have to try to king crab cake, it is to die for. It has big chuck of crab meat and a very buttery taste. YUM! By the time we ordered desert, we were so stuffed that we decided to share a green tea ice cream. I guess our stomachs made more room because the ice cream was so good, we each order our own. It was a great finish to a delicious meal. I give this place 5 stars for the food and service. Enjoy!

    (5)

  • Lauren A.

    This is officially my new favorite spot! The best otoro ever! Sat at the sushi bar, great experience and awesome service! Love gaku!!!

    (5)

  • Bernie K.

    This was one of the best Sushi place I've ever had. We had the: Seared toro with garlic sushi - One of the most delicious piece of nigiri I've ever had. The fish simply melts in your mouth within seconds and the fragrant mix of garlic and spring onions mix further enhances the expeirence. Seared wagyu beef nigiri - This is another amazingly melt-in-your-mouth wagyu that has a slight crispiness to the initial bite from the sear, then it explodes in flavor as the sushi rice attempts to balance out the richness that is wagyu. Homemade Steamed Pork Dumpling - Made with pure pork meat, cabbage,and few other incredients, this dish is a perfect and delicious economical filler to your sushi meal. Beware, they come out steaming hot! Kinmedai - The golden eye snapper is a solid fish in most restaurants. Gaku did not disappoint in their preparation. Opah - Local Hawaiian fish is again solidly prepared to deliver a good portion and balance between the sushi rice and subtly sweet fish. The meal was really amazing and did not break the bank like some other top-tier sushi places in Hawaii. The only drawback is the difficulty in getting reservations at this place. i recommend reserving a table for no more than 4, as we saw plenty of rejections to walk-ins and phone reservations while we sat there. For my first time there (this description was of the second) my party of 6 had a make a reservation 2 weeks out to get a spot.

    (4)

  • Brandon Y.

    So I've eaten here a few time already and it just keeps getting better and better every time. Came here with Tasha T. last night and since we got there at about 8:45 PM the wait was already an hour....you can't make reservations after 7PM. We got seated at the bar a little after 10PM and it was well worth the wait, we were so glad we didn't pass it up! I would give this place 6 stars but since I can't I think i'm just going to have to downgrade some other places to 4 stars....Yes it is that good all around, not just the food! First thing you're going to notice when you walk in is that the staff is very friendly. Everyone will greet you with smiles and hellos. They even apologized to us all night for making us wait so long even though it wasn't their fault. The atmosphere is awesome and everyone always seems to be enjoying themselves...and the food. Now for some tips: 1) Party of 2? Sit at the bar, you can watch them make your sushi and even chat with the chef he's very friendly. I had much more fun sitting at the bar than at the tables. 2) Try to go before 7pm so you can make reservations the wait can be long even on the weekdays. They also run out of some things by the end of the night.... 3) Don't be afraid to order new things. Even the things I don't normally eat taste good here. They have different specials all the time so try to order the specials, you can get the regular stuff at any time. 4) The Filet Mignon is excellent! It's normally only a special but try to order it even if you don't see it. Don't settle for the Rib-eye it's not nearly as good. Some other things we ate - Hamachi Tar Tar - Probably my second favorite after the filter Deep Fried Fish Bone Chips - Sounds and looks weird but pretty good, dip them in shoyu. Monkfish Liver - One of the weirder sounding things I've eaten but it was very tasty, it came with a ponzu jelly on it. Bacon Wrapped Vegetable Stirfry - It was good but not as good as everything else I ate. Writing this just makes me want to go back again....hungry now =/

    (5)

  • Trinity G.

    Izakaya has quickly turned into my favorite type of Japanese cuisine, and this is THE place for izakaya on Oahu. Because this place is so popular, we weren't sure if we'd be able to dine here on such short notice, but were lucky to score a table after two attempts. So worth it. I'd only ever been to two izakaya places: Gochi's (fusion) in the Silicon Valley and Kiraku in Berkeley. This was my favorite. If not for the food, the atmosphere. We ordered the seaweed salad, tofu with dashi jelly, grilled homemade shrimp balls, aji salad, grilled hamachi, clams in broth, an assortment of sashimi, maguro chazuke and azuki beans with mochi for dessert. Even after all that food, we weren't completely stuffed but we thoroughly enjoyed each and every dish.. except for the sashimi which was okay at best. Like I have said in previous reviews, I am spoiled when it comes to good sushi. To drink, we had shochu on the rocks instead of chilled sake. We couldn't finish the bottle, but they measured what was left and told us to come back whenever. We are already planning to come back in July.

    (5)

  • Maya D.

    I've only been here once but I cannot stop thinking about the uni shooter or the hot sushi chef that works there (right side of the bar by the entrance). The food is bursting with flavor, fresh, and delicious; it is the best sushi I have ever had. You definitely pay for what you get so save up for this one or get someone really generous to take you! The spicy hamachi tartar, the uni shooter, and the oh toro were tastier than anything I had ever put in my mouth before. I think about that uni shooter daily. What made it even better was that I got to watch the super handsome sushi chef make each delicious thing I ate. The service is great and the whole experience is very authentic. It's not fancy or flashy just delicious and perfect, there isn't a flavor out of place! I can't wait to go back for the food and maybe for that sushi chef too! ;)

    (5)

  • Erica S.

    Another satisfying meal I had in Oahu. Recommend you make reservations as it seems to get really busy. The only time slot we were able to get on a Thursday night was 6:30 PM. Parking is limited so you may have to park on the street. The interior makes you feel like you're in Japan. Everything on the menu seemed good so we had a hard time deciding what to get. Best to get a sushi or sashimi platter (chef's choice) with a bunch of appetizers to share. I tasted the negihama (hamachi w/ green onion) tartare with side of nori, Omatsuri natto, sashimi platter for 3, nameko mushroom miso soup, tofu jelly, and chawanmushi. We tried to order appetizers that were unique to this place. The sashimi was just mouthwatering and the broth for the chawanmushi was very "Japanese" tasting, clean and subtle. Everything was reeaaallllly good! Noticed they had lots of dishes with uni so my husband and friend were ordering everything with uni on it, being uni fanatics! Except me, since I don't like it. Expect to spend at least $50 p/p. The staff were all very friendly and welcoming. They always came to check on us to see how we were doing and if we wanted to order additional items. I have to come here again next time!

    (5)

  • Eugene C.

    Gaku is my favorite restaurant in Honolulu. It amazes me how this restaurant can do everything so well. Must orders: Rib-eye steak pan seared topped with mounds of garlic. Spicy negihama tartare Ikura Seared garlic otoro sushi I love sitting at the bar and interacting with Manabu-san. He is very friendly. I highly recommend ordering omakase with him.

    (5)

  • Jae K.

    I saw many positive review from the Yelp so I decided to visit here on my last visit. I have to say I really didn't enjoy my experience here. Mainly the food isn't anywhere near nicer Japanese Sushi restaurant. I would have to be in terms of ingredients its more like the "to-go" sushi shop grade. 1. The food that includes sashimi and rice, grade is definitely not the level that is expected from any high end sushi shop. (I have dined in hundreds of sushi restaurants in Japan and U.S) 2. The way chef prepares and cuts the sashimi is extremely important, but the cut was very awkward on all of my Omakase sashimi cut. The proportion of the rice to sashimi was extremely disappointing. 3. The grain level of the rice used was not high grade that I would expect from Sushi-ya around the cost of this place and it was again disappointing. 4. The atmosphere and vibe of the restaurant was great and it did have that authentic "Tokyo Night Life" feel. 5. I think this is one of the first Sushi restaurant on yelp that had 4.5+ rating that really disappointed me. I would just never return here on my next visit to Honolulu. Other than the food, sashimi grade level, low grade ingredients including the sashimi and rice grain, lack of chef's preparation skill of cutting the sashimi and preparing the rice, I would say it was absolutely great. But really... food wasn't too great. I would not return here but again, Honolulu doesn't really have alot of high end Japanese Sushi Restaurants so give yourself a try and let us know how you think of this place :)

    (3)

  • Tammy L.

    On a recent visit home, my generous parents treated my husband and me to a hotel room in Waikiki so we could "play tourist," something I hadn't done since high school. I was so excited! My mind immediately went to dinner. Where in the world would we spend this precious dinner, just the 2 of us? This never happens in Hawaii! I love my family, but my husband and I have such a good time just eating together. Anyway, after a lot of obsessing and research, I settled on Gaku, and my husband was totally game. We had a wonderful time. When I called to make a reservation they said they were booked, so we walked in at about 7:30 and was told there would be a wait, so we ran across the street to Cafe Sistina to have a glass of wine and an appetizer. Well, we got the call significantly earlier than our hour, so we had to hurry up and gobble everything down! The restaurant staff was so friendly when we walked in, and our server was so incredibly nice about explaining how they do things and giving us some recommendations. The sushi chef (we were at the bar) was really fun to talk to also. Everything was very Japanese. All the fish was impeccably fresh. We tried seared moi, buri (wild hamachi belly--delicious), O-toro, kohara (a kind of sardine), miso butterfish, and amaebi. Oh, and one other fish that I can't remember for some reason. But hey, it was all delicious. My only small complaint was that the sushi chef was pretty heavy-handed with the wasabi. I was trying really hard to like everything as-prepared, but I'm not a wasabi fan...I should have requested no wasabi earlier than the last pieces of sushi! I was so glad I did--the O-toro was last, and it was soooo good. We tried their green tea ice cream for dessert (they were out of green tea cake, which they were apologetic about), and it was so delicious. Best green tea ice cream I've ever had! I usually don't bother ordering it because it's often just ok, but this was so good. Don't know if they make it or buy it (Bubbies??), but whatever--a scrumptious ending to a perfect sushi dinner. It was pricey but worth every penny. I will definitely be back!

    (5)

  • Lai T.

    Is it possible to be overloaded on sushi? After dining at Sushi Izakaya Gaku, my stomach says absolutely not, but my wallet says perhaps :p Yes, dining here is not what I would call economical, but you only live once, right? If you're a true sushi aficionado, make sure that this is on your bucket list! A few days before my bf's bday, I finally decided that I wanted to take him to Sushi Izakaya Gaku and tried making a reservation. Unfortunately, they were booked for that weekend, so I opted for a reservation the following Saturday. The day before our reservation, I called to confirm and inquire about what they do for birthday celebrations. I was told that the kitchen could make a custom dessert and they would alert our server beforehand. When my bf asked where we were going for dinner, I told him we were off to get some fast food (not quite a lie since sushi is made pretty quickly). Wanting to be slick, I drove, but ended up having to tell him where we were dining since I failed to see tiny curb that leads to the equally tiny parking lot for Gaku. Upon arriving at the restaurant, we had the honor of sitting in the owner's section at the sushi bar. I usually engage in conversations with the sushi chefs, but Manabu Kikuchi was constantly busy and I didn't want to interrupt his flow. Watching him assemble his beautiful creations was a treat in itself! Micheal was the ideal server-friendly, fast, and also very informative. We opted for an omakase meal and had quite the feast! UNI TOFU: Silky tofu topped with dashi jelly, uni, and a dollop of wasabi come together in a beautiful mash up to refresh and cleanse your palate. The perfect starter! RAW OYSTERS: Fresh, fresh, fresh! SPICY NEGIHAMACHI TARTAR (#11 on the menu): Mix the egg on the tartar and wrap it in the supplied nori. I could eat this dish every day! ASSORTED SASHIMI: Beautiful presentation of toro, sweet shrimp, abalone, uni, hamachi, halibut, and mackerel. This was my first experience with raw abalone-it was a bit harder than I thought it would be. The uni was some of the best I've ever had...SWEET! The rest of the fish were very good as well. CROQUETTES: Oh my! These were better than I expected! The croquettes had this fragrant curry smell and when I bit into it-there was a beautiful symphony of crab and cream cheese. There was a tomato sauce which I think Gaku calls the "American" sauce. ASSORTED SUSHI: Moi, seared toro with garlic sauce, and seared King Salmon. Super yum! My favorite was the toro because of the garlic sauce, but seriously-the moi and salmon were very good. IKURA SUSHI: I was starting to get full and couldn't finish all the Ikura. They were fun to pop individually in my mouth. Very fresh! LOBSTER DYNAMITE: Lobster, stir fried vegetables, zucchini and uni on top broiled in the oven. Probably my least favorite dish of the night. While there was lobster and the presentation was pretty, I think I prefer to stick to the sashimi and sushi. MISO SOUP (with shrimp head /fish): I was full by the time this came out, but it was such a hearty broth-I just couldn't resist. A good way to wind down the meal. DRIED FISH: I was intrigued by the fish hanging around the sushi bar. This dish was prepared by frying the dried fish and sprinkling salt on top of it. It was interesting because you could eat the bones. I imagine it would taste good with some cold beer. At this point we were quite full, but then it was time for dessert :) When we ordered dessert, Manabu Kikuchi gave Michael the signal and about 10 minutes later- the lights were turned off and Michael had rallied the entire restaurant to serenade happy birthday to my bf. Wow! While I'd be super embarrassed with such an out pour of attention for myself, but it was fun to see the shock on my bf's face :p The dessert platter was a mixture of green tea ice cream, brown sugar mochi, and some house made cheesecake with strawberries. Again, the presentation was stunning! This meal was definitely a remarkable one. We left with some food to take home and some pretty wonderful memories ;)

    (5)

  • Travis S.

    Out of all the japanese restaurants I've been to, this is my favorite. The fish is always fresh and the staff is always very nice. Price is a little high but def worth it. Can't wait to be back

    (5)

  • Kai T.

    Currently holds #1 in my book for authentic japaknee sushi bars at a reasonable price. My gf and I requested for one-sushi, and one-sashimi omakase...both were nothing short of amazing, and surprising filling! Proportions are more on the generous side compared to similar authentic, higher-end restaurants alike. I'll be back again, no doubt. Ikura lovers...you'll be in heaven! SEX IN YO MOUTH.

    (5)

  • Julie-ann O.

    this place is freaken expensive, but worth every penny. their sushi is so fresh you can tell by the yelp pictures alone. they have crappy/crampy parking in the back and if you are lucky you can find parking on the streets. The toro melts in your mouth like "buttah". they have this spicy tuna thing in a bowl with nori on the side, no rice, and that was notable, along with the salmon roe which is sake infused and smoky not fishy eggy at all. i must be weird because i really liked the soft poached-ish mozuku egg too. if you rich and want to eat really good sushi-make it a point to go here. just remember parking sucks, and it gets really crowded.

    (5)

  • Jack C.

    Got to give Sushi Izakaya Gaku a high commendation! I was looking for a great sushi spot for my girlfriend that didn't make us uneasy. This is reference to what I was reading about some other high end/high quality places also in hawaii that the chef was known to be called a sushi nazi. Izakaya Gaku fit the bill perfectly. I made a reservation a week in advance for 6:30pm on a wednesday. I was reminded twice over the phone how the restaurant was small thus urging me to arrive on time. I obliged and the table was ready in a very intimate set restaurant, great date spot *nudge nudge*. As for the food. we ordered a sashimi combination, butterfish, a toro roll, and spicy hamachi. The butterfish was nice but not the most buttery fish I've ever had. The spicy hamachi was delicious and unique. The sashimi combo was awesome. Every fish selected was flavorful and fresh, but especially the toro. The toro roll was disappointing since it actually masked the taste of the toro. I can't say enough of how the whole experience from the food, to the service, to the ambiance of the restaurant was top notch. Please come here!!!

    (5)

  • K K.

    I have been eating here since a little after they opened. It was really good then as it is now. I have finally gotten around to writing a review for this restaurant. Their ingredients are always top notch and fresh. Favorites of mine are the spider roll and spicy ahi nigiri as far as sushi, although the others are also excellent. Rib eye is soft and delicious, king crab is always great (although I never met a king crab leg I didn't like), tempuras and karaages are tasty too. It is pricey, but a great place to treat yourself every so often. Enjoy!

    (5)

  • Guy N.

    ATTENTION: Japanese Culinary Artists At Work Here The rave reviews for Sushi Izakaya Gaku caught our attention, and after going there for dinner (12/28/11), the high rating is clearly well justified. This restaurant has creative and delicious dishes, some of which I've never experienced in a sushi bar before. The quality of the fish is outstanding too, which is always the most important factor in great sushi. This is what we ordered and how I would rate each dish on a scale of 1-10 with 10 being best: Mushroom Miso Soup (SCORE: 7) - A nice twist on the usual run-of-the-mill miso soup you normally encounter at sushi bars. Hamachi Tartare (SCORE: 9) - Beautiful presentation and excellent, subtle flavor. Like everyone says, a MUST order. Pumpkin with Sesame Dressing (SCORE: 6) - An interesting item to see on the menu, but sounded a little more appealing than it ended up tasting. Eggplant & Tofu Appetizer (SCORE: 3) - Disappointing, especially since I'm such a big fan of eggplant dishes. Broiled Japanese Sausage with Mozarella Cheese (SCORE: 8) - Never seen this before on a sushi bar menu, and didn't know what to expect, but it was fantastic. Unique flavor for a sausage, and very juicy too. Baked King Crab (SCORE: 9) - Basically the best crab cake I've ever had. Misoyaki Butterfish (SCORE: 9) - Fantastic flavor, texture, & presentation. Another MUST order. Japanese Filet Mignon Steak (SCORE: 8) - The mustard made it. Seared Blue Fin Toro With Garlic Sauce (SCORE: 10) - Stellar. Garlicky, buttery, melt in your mouth goodness. Blue Fin Toro Sushi (SCORE: 10) - The foie gras of sushi, just as delicious plain. Salmon & Avocado Sushi (SCORE: 8) - The person next to us at the bar ordered this and we had to get one too. The salmon was exceptional. Spicy Tuna Sushi (SCORE: 8) - Superb. Unagi Sushi (SCORE: 8) - Eel is probably my all-time favorite, and theirs is done very well. One last thing - the men's bathroom (and I'm told the women's too) are nicely done, particularly the flooring (see accompanying picture). To me it's another reflection of how Sushi Izakaya Gaku strives for excellence and creativity, right down to the final touch.

    (5)

  • Kim S.

    Was it just a magical 1st date? Would our romance endure a repeat perfomance? Would we have another mind blowing, gastronomic feast? Heck yeah!! I'll just mention the new dishes we tried... Soooo, happy Moi was available (it wasn't the previous night)! We had Moi nigiri sushi & a whole fried Moi (see photo) which was crisp, moist & delish! Moi moi moi. Wild boar tempura - I adore gamy meat. Marinated overnight. WOW, it melted in our mouths! The meat was fork tender & flavorful. This dish was sooo yummy we ordered a 2nd. :) Fried fish bones (see photo) - WTH, we had to try it! The bones were dried then deep fried. Crunchy. I liked the flavor of the Flounder best. Forget the chips - great pupu with beer. :) Beef tongue wrapped around asparagus & shitake mushroom. Flavorful but I always have a texture issue (too chewy) with tongue. It shouldn't be bitten. LOL! Orange sherbet - very refreshing! Tasted like the juice was frozen in the orange & served. Cheesecake - very smooth & creamy. This is my new favorite place.

    (5)

  • S E.

    On our first visit, my girlfriend and I got a mix of nigiri. All of it was quite good (we were particularly pleased to try moi for the first time) and the staff was very friendly. But it didn't excite in quite the same Sasabune did. So we didn't add it to our regular rotation. But, after my girlfriend did some research, we decided to try Gaku again. And it was fantastic. The crab cake was so delicious that it made me angry at every crab cake I've ever eaten before. And the spicy hamachi tartar is wonderful with good spice and a creamy, rich texture (it has a quail egg mixed in). Also, the otoro sushi probably was the best I've ever had. One caveat: the parking lot is small and a little difficult to navigate. On the other hand, street parking is not too hard to find.

    (5)

  • Kelly M.

    Beautiful interior, fantastic servers, very good food, Some wonderful things here (the ebi was soooo sweet); some OK things here (most sushi seems normal for the price point), and a couple not so good things (had this pork belly appetizer that even my dog wouldn't finish the leftovers.) They have an unagi omelet that was served to us hot - very good. (They cooked it special for us, since we wanted it cut in 4 pieces for the 4 of us at the table.). Ordered a second helping, which was served cold. Menu advirtized it as a cold app, but I'd ask for it to be served hot again in a second. I like this place for the ambiance. But if we are just talking sushi, you can't beat Morio's.

    (3)

  • Gemma R.

    Toro. Toro. Toro. Chef Manabu. more toro. I want to come back but I'm poor :(

    (5)

  • D K.

    I lived in Japan for 14 years and I have to say, this place doesn't do anything for me. The staff showed up the day I was there. That's about all I can say for them. I thought they were like the U.N. -- UNaccommodating and UNhelpful. With so many good Japanese places in Honolulu why would you go here? Meh.

    (2)

  • Tanya M.

    Went here while I was on vacation and it was an amazing & delicious experience. The wait staff was friendly and the food was killer. We had the spicy hamachi tartar which is a must have. So tasty! This place is far from being a tourist trap which made it even better. 5 star for the friendly staff, delicious food, & and the great local laid back feel.

    (5)

  • Todd G.

    We sat at the bar and our chef was awesome and gave us a lot of recommendations. My girlfriend grew up in a tiny fishing village in Japan and she loved this place. I didn't like the local Hawaiian fish that we sampled as much as the fish (hamachi, sake, aji) we usually order. My favorite was the spicy hamachi tartar followed by the fresh oysters. Our chef recommended the oysters due to their freshness and they didn't disappoint. Extremely fresh and they tasted like the sea. It felt like we were back in Japan as pretty much all of the customers were Japanese. Overall it was a great night with friendly service and great food.

    (5)

  • Amanda G.

    This place is so amazing, it actually changed the way I think about izakayas back home. Sadly, the Bay Area doesn't have an izakaya that comes close to this one, it's that excellent. (Which is saying a lot coming from me, as I'm totally smitten with the Bay Area food offerings.) We went in knowing there might be a wait. Luckily, it wasn't nearly as long as I had heard it could be, and it was totally worth it. Everything we had was fresh, flavorful, well made, and many items were creative, yet still authentically Japanese. The sushi chefs are fun, and great to chat with, (as are the other diners we sat at the counter with.) Our server was friendly and very knowledgeable about the food and sake. On the to the food.... The saba here was so incredible, it's on a whole different level than any other saba nigiri i have ever had. The hamachi tartare with nori wraps was fantastic. Even my hubby (who's not a fish eater) loved it. I abhor pork belly, and I've had it at some very nice restaurants. I just find it gross and completely unappealing. The dish made here that is very similar to pork belly was actually really good. The moi was tasty, the misoyaki butterfish was perfect... Everything we had was off the charts, a serious game changer as far as izakayas go. This place is not cheap, it's probably the most expensive meal we had on our trip, but it was one of the best. A truly memorable and delectable experience, i would absolutely return on a future trip.

    (5)

  • Tu Uyen H.

    After sampling sushi all over the US (and outside the country), I now realize that I've been spoiled by the amazing fresh seafood the Pacific Northwest provides. Needless to say the bar is set very high for good sushi for me. So to those who aren't so fortunate, you might disagree with this review. Sushi Izakaya Gaku was good, but definitely underwhelming for me. Sorry die hard fans! The quality was alright, the pricing is expected as it has 3 $ signs, but the portions are ridiculously small, even for someone of little stature and frame like me. It was a little innovative, but nothing I haven't seen before. The best dish I had there was a non-sushi item, which was the beef tongue. You'd get more bang for your buck at Nobu.

    (2)

  • Sarah B.

    Having given Gaku another try, it turns out my mistake was ordering the basic sushi rather than trying the more elaborate offerings on the menu. We went back and did our ordering on the advice of Yelp and Chowhound, and MAN was it good. Top choices: I highly, HIGHLY recommend the "crab cake" and the hamachi tartar. Note that the crab cake isn't the east-coast-style deal with potatoes etc -- as far as I can tell it's pure shredded crab, perfectly fried. The hamachi tartar is incredible -- we considered ordering a second to end the meal on. I also LOVED the uni shooter, though it is perhaps not for everyone -- it's quite large, you really need to be prepared to go for it. So tasty though. Other: the seared chu toro was tasty but not super exciting. We split the plate between two and both would have been happy with less. We did order some nigiri and a salmon+avocado roll as well, and I maintain that Sasabune's nigiri beats Gaku's by a mile. But Gaku's other offerings are ridiculously delicious. Per my earlier review, parking remains awkward and annoying.

    (5)

  • kristine f.

    I love you and I miss you! I promise to visit soon!

    (5)

  • Teri K.

    I was lucky enough to be taken to Gaku as a birthday present. We ordered a sushi combo - all excellent. We didn't have reservations & were initially told that it would be a 20 minute wait. I think we waited maybe 10 minutes, if not shorter, and were seated. We picked from a selection of izakaya dishes and all were fabulous. I had to order the "tofu jelly" just because of the name. It proved to be quite nice - very soft tofu covered in a shoyu jelly & topped with green onions - very light & refreshing. The veggie of the day was a chive mushroom combination - also very tasty. We had the oyster shooters - those were topped with a sake shaved ice and were so good that we ordered another! One stellar dish was the hamachi collar. This was new to me & I couldn't stop eating it! The staff was excellent. Even though it was a busy night, they were attentive & friendly. They brought a complimentary dessert of watermelon sorbet & vanilla ice cream - a perfect ending to the fabulous meal. Highly recommend!!

    (4)

  • Vicky L.

    BEST. RESTAURANT. EVER. My boyfriend and I made reservations a week in advance for Labor Day dinner, as Morio's was already booked two weeks out (?!?!?!?!). And we are SO GLAD we decided to come here instead, because we seriously had the best Japanese food of our lives. As someone who grew up eating Japanese food, I've come to appreciate the simplicity of really good food. You don't need a million ingredients to make something delicious. And at Sushi Izakaya Gaku, simplicity is key, and simplicity is excellent. We ordered the chirashi, hamachi kama, butterfish, and salmon. The chirashi was a huge, huge bowl of at least 8 varieties of very fresh fish, cut into smaller bite-sized pieces, with generous lumps of uni and spoonfuls of roe. The other three fish dishes were set under the broiler, and I can honestly say I've never tasted more delicate, tender, well-seasoned fish. Sit at the sushi counter so you can watch the three chefs in action (plus, two of them are young and cute). The one working right in front of us was friendly and asked us where we were from, explained some of the specials, and told us about some of the dishes we'd ordered. He said that all of the chefs were trained in Japan before going over to work at Izakaya Gaku. Which I'd believe, because sometimes it was difficult to understand him with his accent. If you're just visiting Oahu, this place is a stone's throw from the Waikiki/Ala Moana shopping areas, so grab a cab if you don't have a car. Seriously, totally worth it.

    (5)

  • Craig S.

    My wife and I LOVE this place. We like to sit at the sushi bar to watch the sushi masters in action. Everything we've tried there is good. As it would have to be because it's not cheap. And the service is always friendly. It's definitely our favorite Japanese food place.

    (5)

  • S J.

    Love this place! Excellent quality, tasty food, fun atmosphere, and great service. Haven't had anything I didn't love. Hamachi and toro--oh so good! Had some things not on the menu, and they were excellent. Not cheap, but totally worth it!! (As an aside, cleanest bathroom I have ever seen in a restaurant. I sneaked into the men's because the women's bathroom was being used, and it was immaculate)

    (5)

  • Emily R.

    A-MAZING! Seriously it is what my boyfriend and I call "close your eyes good" - you just taste the food and can't help but shut your eyes and savor! Every single thing we had was just incredible. And the waiter was super helpful and gave great recommendations to boot! Don't read any more reviews - just go!

    (5)

  • Ryan O.

    Went with some friends for dinner. Owner prepared a special ribeye w roasted garlic that was excellent. Also enjoyed the aji myoga. It was delicious. The vibe in the restaurant is great and we especially enjoyed sitting in one of the tatami rooms. Also enjoyed the sushi that we ordered, fish quality was good. Braised pork belly was also a winner. Service was good and the greeting and exit from the restaurant reminded me of being in Japan

    (4)

  • Paul M.

    The best sushi I have ever had. Great service. A lot of unique local fish. Be sure and try those. If you're one of those giant roll kind of people then you might want to go to some all you can eat place.

    (5)

  • Amy P.

    This unassuming place has exceeded my expectations. The service was genuine and attentive, the atmosphere was comfortably intimate and the food was authentic and delicious. Everything was delightful. We enjoyed the food so much that we kept on eating way after we were already full. From the Ono Sashimi, to the Uni, the Gaku Egg, the Unagi, to the grilled Moi and the Roast Duck all the way to the perfectly cooked, perfectly executed Udon...it was all delicious. Please make a reservation or you will definitely regret it. We were able to get in on our second attempt. The restaurant is small and it's always full. You don't want to stand around watching other people enjoy their awesome meals while you're getting hungrier and hungrier now do you?

    (5)

  • Dave E.

    The best Japanese restaurant in Hawaii. Awesome and unique cuisine. Worth the money and wait. Must try if you are a big fan of Japanese food. Top notch food and service.

    (5)

  • Mindy D.

    So fresh, so clean... and so authentic! I wish I had tried this place earlier because everything we had was to die for. The menu is extensive with a variety of items from sashimi to tofu to grilled goodies. Also, lots of sake to choose from! We had a nice large warm sake to wash everything down. The seafood is so fresh here. We ordered the sashimi platter and it came with a few pieces of everything, i.e. yummy fatty toro, ahi, salmon, hamachi, giant clam.. you get the picture. Our server proudly boasted about how fresh the seafood was by telling us to gently tap the giant clam... It moved! I saw it slowly curl up... yes, ladies and gents, it's aliiiiive! The restaurant itself is quite small, but has a nice homey feel. If you're lucky, you'll score a sweet parking spot in the small lot in back. If not, say hello to street parking. It's definitely not cheap but it's always nice to splurge on a restaurant that's worth the money!

    (5)

  • Carlton Y.

    This place rocks. The yellowtail tartar is perfection. Japanese papio nigiri is sweet, firm, and tasty. I love the stingray jerky sweet and tender. Absolutely do no miss dessert. Their mochi is out of this world.

    (5)

  • theresa s.

    Yelp 31 days Challenge: 18 of 31 My husband is not a seafood lover. Let's face it. He doesn't eat seafood at all. So sushi places are typically not on our rotation list of places to eat. When he goes out of town, I eat sushi almost daily. I have been wanting to go to Gaku for a while, but we could never get reservations since it is a last minute thing. I decided to try it out when my husband was away, and Gaku was easily able to accommodate 1 person at the sushi bar. I was also lucky to get the last available parking spot in the back. I was greeted warmly by all the staff including the sushi bar chefs, and was seated a corner seat at the bar. Since it was my first time, I had a tough time deciding what I wanted. The server was really nice, and spent some time with me recommending items on the menu. I met 2 nice ladies who a regulars who provided me input as well and also shared some of their food so I can try it for next time. Thanks ladies! I learned that people are nicer to you if you are sitting alone; I guess they "feel sorry" for you since you have no one to talk to! Oysters were fresh and plump. Just the right amount of brininess to balance the citrus of the ponzu and bite of the onions. King crab roll was wrapped in nori (no rice) sitting in some vinegar. Very good but different. I liked the firm texture of the crab. Butterfish- very delicate. perfect cut, I think I had 2 bones. Sweet ebi- love crispy fried shrimp heads! Overall great experience from the wonderful service to the delicious food. Tip: Parking is scarce. There are about 4 spots behind the restaurant. Note you can cannot park at the spots on the other side of the same lot.

    (5)

  • y G.

    This restaurant used to be my favorite, however this is my last visit and I won't go back to izakaya Gaku anymore. Food was good overall. Not great. hamachi tartar is the only one I can call it a great dish. Other foods are okay but not so memorable. Sashimi part of sushi is too small. I had really good sushi when I went to Japan. Sushi is bigger & more creative looking. The quality of Gaku's sushi is not even close to the ones I had in Japan. Good otoro (fatty tuna) looks like marbled beef! Obviously otoro we had at Gaku did not look like that. Tamago had weak taste. Presentation was good, could have some improvement. Service - I guess I expected too much for service. When we made a reservation on the phone we told them this is for birthday. The restaurant charged us for birth day dessert which was $12.50. The guy answered the phone never mentioned about it when I made a reservation. There are some dessert choice but the restaurant never asked which one we want. For a little tiny piece of cheese cake & ice cream for $12.50? And the fun part is cheese cake was soooo bland. Worst cheese cake ever! I can bake better cheese cake than Gaku. And absolutely it was the WORST birthday dinner! There are many sushi restaurants all over in Honolulu. This place is over rated. Maybe the restaurant owner is too arrogant? Service Is a part of products. You pay for service. Really disappointed! From now on, I would recommend my friends to go to different place to eat sushi.

    (1)

  • Expert F.

    when fresh, super good, everything really good, even cooked items

    (5)

  • Jo Anna K.

    This is hands down the best sushi in Hawaii and that includes Los Angeles the chefs are amazing the fish is the freshest order #12 it's hamachi chopped up w spicy oil green onions and a quail egg served w the freshest nori to slather it on. The oysters are amazing and I toro anyway it comes is a must . We had Uni every which way. Shooters sashimi and sushi I am spoiled now from any other bar and my bar is high I have raised my kids at Matsuhisa sasabune Nobu JINPACHI nothing compares to this flushing bar

    (5)

  • Katalyss P.

    Overall Experience: "This is one of those places that you'll keep coming back to!" This place is for the serious sushi enjoyers to the knick-kacking enthusiasts alike. Ambiance: Unpretentious, rustic decor with dimmed-lights and personalized wooden menus for the guests. This is a cozy little pick amongst the Izakayas in town. As soon as you walk in, you'll hear the familiar chattering of the crowd and a sushi bar to your right. Sake: We tried the Hakutsuru ($14/bottle) from their small bottle section... refreshing, floral and light. I later moved onto my usual Junmai Ginjo, Hakkaisan ($15/glass)... I just love everything from the Niigata region. A lot of the sake on their menu was a bit unfamiliar to me but that was actually a nice surprise considering that they really paired their sakes well with their sushi menu. Menu: We started off with the OYSTER & UNI SHOOTERS. The only other place where I've had Uni shooters recently was in L.A. We then had the CLAM MISO, TNT (baked seafood dish), CHICKEN KARAAGE (Yum!) and YOKUBARI CHAZUKE ($8.50) w/Salmon & Ume (plum). I won't bore you with all the sushi items but I gotta say, the O-TORO and Seared MOI SASHIMI... if you're not ready to forever debauch your tastebuds, don't try it here. Just thinking about them again gets my mouth salivating! Btw, the sushi bar does do OMAKASE (fresh tastings at the sushi chef's whim) for the adventurous at heart. ;) To end the night, we tried the cold, HIYASHI SHIRATAMA ZENZAI ($4) which is simply sweet azuki beans with mochi balls. Wasn't too sweet, wasn't too much... just perfect to cleanse the palate. Service: I'll just say this... we couldn't make reservations so rather than turn us down, the host/server took down our name and number to give us a call when the next seat came available (approx 20min wait) instead of having us aimlessly wait outside (which btw does not have waiting/seated area). We walked across to Tsunami's and had a few martini with friends until they called us. Taking initiative is a MUST in the service industry... Gaku, which means "Happy" in Japanese, definitely made my party extremely happy with their service. Gaku is a MUST-TRY if you're looking for a great izakaya to enjoy with good company. This place will leave a lasting impression on your tongue... and wallet so come prepared to splurge a bit. Their reservation time (5-7pm only) is inconvenient but with that being said, the food and service will make up for it, I promise!

    (5)

  • Eddie K.

    Quick overview ~ PROS: Freshness in the wide variety of seafood, diverse & unique selection of dishes, great service. CONS: Parking (only 3 stalls in the back), tough to get a seat, some specials run out quick. Highlights: Salmon special (seared salmon topped w/ avocado and a dynamite sauce), papio carpaccio (sauce is tasty), maguro toro, stingray strips (jerky), aji nigiri topped with ginger and ponzu, ikura (soaked in bonito broth), hamachi tartare, deep fried fish bones (appetizer like chips - eat bones and all) and server Daniel-san (much props). I was expecting much from this place after a buddy of mine was raving SO much about this place. I thought the built up hype would result in disappointment but no....Gaku delivers. Service was friendly, they knew every item on the menu and explained it well so you could picture it. Daniel-san provided impeccable service, even asked each person in our party their name and put it to memory. He gave us recommendations based on his experience, and each dish was excellent. As with any izakaya, it will be ala carte, most dishes range from $7 to $16, but omakase sushi for 2-3 people is $65. I know it's pricey, but please don't cheap out on sushi and start making some nigiri goldfish from daughter's fish bowl, cuz you really can save hundreds $$ with GEICO. So be prepared to spend $100 per person here. But the experience here with the high quality product and ambience will make you not want to leave.

    (4)

  • Rob F.

    We just ate at Sushi Izakaya Gaku tonight, and had the best dining experience!! As soon as we walked in the front door, we were greeted by all of the super friendly staff. The owner Nobu, Hideki, Daniel, Mike and the rest of the employees. The restaurant environment is spectacular. Sushi bar, beautifully set up dining area, nice all around ambiance. The most impressive thing to me was the service: Top Notch!!! The waiters helped my wife and I select the dishes that we really enjoyed. They described the different dishes to us to a tee before we made our order. That made a world of difference for us in deciding what to eat. The seafood entrees, salad dish with seared salmon, delicious sushi, and last but not least green tea ice cream!! We were blown away by the total dining experience at Restaurant Gaku tonight. I'm glad that I took the advice of fellow Yelpers and made early reservations. It got pretty busy at around 7 pm. It is definitely now our favorite restaurant to eat at, hands down!!

    (5)

  • Julia H.

    Just heavenly. I feel like this restaurant is kind of a secret. Its very small, kind of hidden in its simplicity on a very busy street. You wouldn't even know its a restaurant while driving/walking by. Service is always delightful. Fish, oysters, and roe are so ridiculously fresh. IKURA here is so amazing. I don't even normally like ikura because i find that they are so salty (and i've tried them everywhere) but here its just tasty, not salty. I always order the Ahi Tartar and then I'll hit up the specials. Carpaccio anything is always wonderful. Sushi Combo A comes with an assortment of sushi including: o toro (fatty tuna belly) , uni (sea urchin), ikura (salmon roe) and the normals ahi, ebi, etc. Favorite Restaurant on the Island! seriously.

    (5)

  • Chi N.

    Absolutely delectable raw seafood delicacies! ..served by good looking sushi chefs no less :) This place is a little sushi oasis tucked in a quiet part of S King street. Negihama was soo awesome, seriously melted in my mouth. I especially enjoyed the myoga-saba dish with shiso, a very refreshing dish full of great flavors. Also great sake selection. Thanks to my niece for bringing me here. I loved every bite of it.

    (5)

  • Jason G.

    Went on a Thursday night with no reservations and were able to sit at the sushi bar immediately, which seemed like a small miracle as this place is always busy. The food was pretty good - poke, TNT, a tartar, miso soup, and sushi. The best dish was the baked king crab though.

    (4)

  • Ira J.

    Good times: That's what I had at Sushi Izakaya Gaku earlier this evening. I had a really good dinner as well. Three of us sat at the bar and shared several dishes. Each was served promptly by a friendly and helpful waiter and each was as good as or better than the previous one. My favorite: the Baked King Crab. It wasn't as pricey as I feared either. Three of us ate very well for $60 plus tip. Not too bad... I'll be back to Sushi Izakaya Gaku for more good times and more good food and certainly more Baked King Crab. You can count on it!

    (5)

  • D K.

    Wishing this place was in California is the first thing. But now I have something else to come back to, here in Oahu. For those of you interested in some great seafood / sushi in Oahu...this is the place.

    (5)

  • Lyns B.

    Went for my birthday and it has become my favorite japanese/sushi restaurant. It is a little pricey but you will quickly notice why with the perfect quality and presentation they serve their items with. The garlic Toro and tar tar is just heavenly!! It's so much better to go with a larger group ( I went with 6 people) so you can try all the things on the menu. Make sure to have a reservation because it's a small restaurant and a busy one!

    (5)

  • Connie C.

    Barely 4 stars...I had high hopes for this place after reading the reviews and browsing the photos posted on yelp, but i was sadly disappointed. I went on a Thursday night, which may be too late in the week. A lot of sushi restaurants purchase their ingredients in the beginning of the week. Highlight: the ikura was delicious with a slight smokey flavor. I would say their ikura is better than any other sushi restaurant on the island. The hamachi kama was simple but prepared right. Service is superb! Very attentive and helpful staff. Pretty good selection of sake. Nothing was bad. Sashimi and oysters could have been fresher. Wasn't impressed by the pork belly or rib eye. These are good cuts of meat that have so much more potential. We also got a chicken dish with a tomato sauce that was pretty mediocre. The sushi rolls are tiny--don't bother ordering them. The spicy Negihamachi was a little bland for what i was expecting. Overall i would say Gaku is a little over-rated. Good, but you can get better for the same price elsewhere.

    (4)

  • Anna K.

    I had the opportunity to eat here while I was back home a few months ago. The special occasion was my friend's graduation dinner party. The food was great and the service was excellent. I loved their sushi and oysters!!! It was so fresh and delicious with a bottle of Asahi. In addition, the waiter we had really knew the menu, food and drinks, which made the experience wonderful because no one likes to go to a restaurant and talk to a waiter who has no clue at what is good.

    (5)

  • Kevin A.

    OK GAKU, SEDUCE ME WITH YOUR WARES.... And seduce they did. I'm always inherently skeptical of massively popular places, but Gaku fired on all cylinders on my inaugural visit and did not disappoint. On to the food... O-toro; ridiculously good and not bad at about $7 per piece O-toro aburi; excellent, but the un-torched toro was better Kinmedai aburi; wonderful Uni: fresh, briney, creamy, and perfect and the highlight... the $13 negitoro uni hand roll! I was on the fence because of the price, but I'm glad I got it. om nom nom The only things that didn't wow me were the negihama tartare and the aji which was a little tough. Otherwise, I am a big fan.

    (5)

  • Les T.

    Gaku is one of my favorite restaurants in Honolulu. The food is consistently very good and tasty. The sashimi is consistently fresh. The service is always excellent. It's hard to ask for much more. Gaku has different daily specials, so I always ask for the server's recommendations and order from the dailys. They do a great job at letting diners know what's good on the specials menu. Sometimes they have fresh oysters, different kinds of fish, pork, organic chicken, duck, homemade bacon, I even had a hairy crab once! In addition to the specials, I usually order a sashimi omakase and the spicy negi hamachi tartare. The tartare is a must try; hamachi mixed with soy sauce, tobbiko, green onion, quail egg, and some other stuff, spooned onto crisp nori. It is simply delicious. The tofu with dashi jelly is yummy. The hone (fried fish bone) is great with beer. I also like the mentaiko potato. It's simple, but something I still wouldn't make at home. I have to mention that I didn't care for the grilled stingray fin (it was little on the sweet side) and the shrimp tempura batter isn't the normal local style, flaky batter (which I prefer). Gaku has a decent selection of sake. They have my favorite, Kubota Manjyu, as well as a sake-of-the-month, which is usually a good price too. They also have a few bottled beers. I can't comment enough about the great service. The staff greets everyone with a resounding "irasshai!" And the main man, Manabu-san always thanks customers for waiting. (There can be a long wait, so I usually go at 8:45-9:00 on weekdays and the wait is only 5-10 minutes.) The staff treats all customers the same. They don't judge you by what you wear or the way you speak. They treat new customers the same way they treat regulars. Everyone gets excellent service! That is something really special and I'll never get tired of it.

    (5)

  • Amy L.

    Stopped by while on vacation and decided to come check it out. Did not make reservation since i thought it was a weekday and might be slow. Walked in and found out the wait time was an hr. Dropped my # down and he called us 45mins later. Got seated at the bar. The chefs were all super friendly. Must try: negihama tar tar: freaking amazing!!! i think they put crack in this. I'm so addicted! Oysters: super super fresh Yellowtail sashimi: very refreshing Omatsuri Natto - (asked the waiter before we ordered and he said we will either love it or hate it. OMG i hate it! if you don't like slimy sticky glue like texture...don't order it) Fresh tofu with shoyu "jell-o" - totally going to try to make it at home! so flavorful! Beef Tongue - it was very tender Service: Excellent Price: not too bad at all Ambiance: Cozy Will i come back?: HELL YEAH!

    (5)

  • Derek K.

    Visited Sushi Izakayay Gaku for dinner one night with Christine. It was fairly early for dinner (630ish cause that's when street parking opens up on King). Being a weekday and thinking that it won't be too crowded, we walked in and asked for a seat. They said that we would have to wait a little cause they were almost booked with reservations. I was shocked. At the same time though, they calmly looked at their reservations and squeezed us onto the bar. Food = AMAZING! Service = AMAZING! Price = Pricey, but it's izakaya, so what do you expect. It might as well be...AMAZING! The food here is soooooooooo fresh. From the fish to the rice to the nori to all the other ingredients that they use, fresh fresh fresh! One of the dishes I had was their spicy hamachi mix, which they put a quail egg in. Anyway, you're supposed to mix the egg into the spicy hamachi and then wrap it up into pieces of nori. Yeah, soooo good. Even, the chicken karaage that I ordered was amazingly good. If you're looking for a nice izakaya dinner and don't mind spending the money, I will definitely recommend this place. Their menu is loaded with fresh, interesting takes on traditional japanese food. 5 AMAZING stars!

    (5)

  • Cindy L.

    SIT AT THE BAR. and look at what other people order. EVERYTHING THERE WAS DELICIOUS. THE SUSHI CHEF WAS SO NICE !!! VERY DECENTLY PRICED. $140 for two including tip. and we had ALOT of food.

    (5)

  • Ed L.

    This is one of the best Japanese restaurants I have been to anywhere and is as authentic as they come. Everyone dining here was speaking Japanese (probably tourists from Japan) and not an ounce of English. I always feel when you go to an ethnic restaurant, the more of that foreign language you here, the better you know that food will be. They had some very unique, adventurous plates that I have never seen or heard of nor would I even dare to try. Fish was crazy delicious from sashimi to the Hamachi tar tar. The flavors and freshness really puts this place above the rest. The baked TNT, although not original, was broiled nicely with a creamy finish and full of perfectly cooked fresh seafood. The most memorable was the herb tea you pour into the rice, like a rice soup. It was so light, unique and memorable. Every dish was so orderly and beautifully presented. One of those meals that puts a smile on your face as you walk out of the door. Foreal foreal.

    (5)

  • Miyuki H.

    Gaku has been my favorite Izakaya/Sushi place in Hawaii. We have celebrated milestones in our lives at Gaku since they opened, and Manabu, Nobu, and Hideki always make us feel welcome and special. The best customer service in my opinion. We always try to get seated at the bar. We are willing to wait until seats at the bar open. I love talking to the chefs while we dine and let them recommend what's good on that day. When they recommend oysters, you gotta get them because they are sooo good. I love it when they have namako on the menu. My go to sushi orders are uni, mirugai, and ikura. I love how their shari is not too warm, just right, and not too big, just right. I love their ikura, it is soaked in flavorful dashi and they pour ikura over gunkan so much that it overflows. When I was there for my birthday with my family and friends, I ordered ikura for me and my daughter to share. Nobu was so nice to give me a small bowl of rice so that my daughter could pour the rest of Ikura on the dish on top of rice to thoroughly enjoy. We always end our meal with one of Hideki's special desserts. Sometimes when I see a dessert I really want, I ask Hideki to save one order for me. His desserts are very unique and very Japanese but using fresh local ingredients. What other Izakayas in Hawaii has dessert menu that changes daily?

    (5)

  • Pauline W.

    Sushi Izakaya Gaku is one of my favorite restaurants in Hawaii. The food is great, the atmosphere is wonderful and the staff is always very friendly and attentive. The spicy negihama tartare is number ONE on my top ten list of favorite foods. I'm not kidding, I wish someone would throw me in a vat of it so I could eat my way out of it. Cold, delicious, spicy negihama tartare topped with a raw quail egg, I'm drooling and typing. Our other favorites we order every time are the fried kabocha (not greasy fried, it also sits in a sweet sauce), tako basil (slices of tako and basil in a ponzu sauce), oysters (delicious and fresh fresh fresh!) and baked sausage with mozarella (I just can't resist arabiki sausage). We recently tried the stingray (think sweet jerky), it pairs amazingly well with beer. Dip it in the accompanying Japanese mayo, take a bite, follow with some beer, repeat. The desserts here are usually really good, but pretty small in portion size. We just tried a cauliflower mousse and it was AMAZING. It was light, not overly sweet, and had a nice grainy texture from the cauliflower. I've also tried other mousses here and they were fantastic as well.

    (5)

  • Keiko P.

    This is my favorite restaurant in Hawaii! I stumbled across the restaurant by accident. I was looking for someplace to eat, so I looked on Yelp for places similar to Yanagi Sushi. Sushi Izakaya Gaku popped up with pretty high ratings, so I said why not try it. I am so glad I did. I've been dinning here every Friday for the past 5 or 6 weeks. SERVICE: Michael, Myumi, and Stephanie are great. If you don't know what to eat, ask one of them what to order. They will give you suggestions on food and drinks. I found my favorite sake by the glass thanks to Michael. Hideki, one of the chefs, is so awesome and has a great memory. He actually came out to say hi after seeing me come in a few weeks in a row. I also have to give a shot out to Shinn, the host/GM...he rocks!!! FOOD: I can't say enough good things about the food. Since I've been dining here for several weeks, I can honestly say the seafood is as fresh as you can get. Here's my take on the best of the best ... 1. Tako basil fumi-it's pieces of tako with basil and a ponzu type of sauce. It's only $8.50 and so delicious...really refreshing. 2. Filet Mignon-this is a daily special. It is so tender and easy to eat and it's flavored with a teri-type sauce. It's served with a few pieces of potato and broccoli. It's $18.50 and very reasonably priced. 3. Uni-even if you don't eat uni, try it. I used to work at Genki Sushi, and this is NOTHING like their uni. It's actually sweet and creamy, and it doesn't taste or smell like the ocean. $25 for a whole sashimi order. 4. Amaebi-the best amaebi I've ever eaten. It's sweet. I know amaebi is supposed to be sweet, but this one is so fresh and sweet. 5. Toro-I've never had toro like this. Actually, if you had asked me what toro was months ago, I would have said the ground up ahi Genki serves, nothing special, but this toro is so awesome. It is buttery and oily, but in a good way. I think this is the most expensive sashimi on the menu, but it's well worth the money. 6. TNT-I've had the baked king crab, which is similar, but subtle. If you're as American and me, and like seafood baked with mayo, try this. I'm not 100% sure what type of seafood is in here, but I know there's scallop and shrimp in the dish. 7. Stuffed tonkatsu-this was a special, and they didn't even call it tonkatsu. It something kurabota (pork in Japanese?), but it was stuffed with mochi and such an interesting take on a local classic. 8. Natto+quail egg+maguro+yamaimo+green onions+uni+ikura-okay, so I can't remember what this dish was called, but it's served with pieces of nori. You basically mix all the ingredients together and make "sushi" with the nori. It's so good. 9. Duck salad-if you no one told me the meat was duck, I wouldn't have known. The meat was tender and not gamey at all. It almost tasted like filet mignon. This is a special, so get it if you see it. 10. Spinach mousse-I know it sounds weird, but you have to try it. As Stephanie put it...green tea (as in ice cream) is made with leaves. Spinach is leaves, so there you go. DINING TIPS: 1. Part of the menu changes out daily, so if you plan on going back, try some of the specials. The regular menu will always be there. The daily special menu is on the second page. 2. Sometimes the parking lot gets full. There are only 8 stalls. If you don't mind walking, try finding street parking. 3. Try some sake with your meal. I would recommend the blue bottle for sakes by the bottle (it's $15) and Akitabare Koshiki Junzukuri by the glass ($9). BTW, the glass is really more like a shot glass-sized, so why not try a few different sakes. This is going to sound sad, but ever since I found this place, it's the one thing I look forward to every Friday. It's not cheap, but good food hardly is. Dinner for two usually costs between $100-$160 with about 3-5 drinks, but it's well worth it!!! Another thing...if you want to see some of the food I've ordered over the last few weeks, check out the photos on page 5-6. No, I didn't eat all of that in one sitting!

    (5)

  • Troy M.

    First time dining at this place and i want to kick myself for not trying this place sooner. Great decor. The place was a lot smaller than i thought. Best seats would be at the end of the sushi bar. Sashimi was incredible and fresh. Everything was great. Must try would be the hamachi tar tar & oysters. Garlic steak was also great. The TNT was really good too. Service is a top notch and hard to beat. Its a bit pricey here but well worth it. If you on a budget go to genki. If you want a great dinner that you will fully enjoy check out gaku and don't hold back. Damn now i want to go back. Sounds like this place is a full house every night and i can see why. Reservation a must or try a weekday. Life is short....Relax, Enjoy, Eat.

    (5)

  • Rachel L.

    Probably the freshest sashimi my boyfriend & I ever had. Sushi Combination A wasn't enough to fill both our tummies, so we also ordered oyster shooters, yellowtail sashimi and toro roll. All were delicious for a hefty price, but it's worth it (maybe not the hour wait)!

    (4)

  • Ryan T.

    I must admit that I am by no means a person who frequents izakayas that often but the food at Sushi Izakaya Gaku is just awesome. Being that this was my first time here, my expectations were more than met. I just love Japanese food and the food here was absolutely delicious. Here is a recap of what my friend and I ate during our recent visit. Spicy Negihamachi Tartar - This flavorful mix of ground hamachi, green onions, and masago topped with a quail egg was one of our favorite dishes of the night. Served with nori on the side, we wrapped rolls of this tartar until there was no more left in the bowl. Hamachi is definitely a step up from the traditional spicy ahi that is served at most sushi joints. Tako Marinate Basil Fumi - I just love tako, but I would have never thought to serve it with basil. Although I am used to eating tako with a miso dipping sauce, the tako here was still tasty and very tender. Seared Katsuo Tataki with Garlic Soy Sauce - Being that the chef was serving Katsuo as a special, we decided to try it tataki style. What made this dish for me was the garlic soy sauce that matched quite well with the seared katsuo. Tori Karaage - I just love me any type of fried chicken, so it was a given that we were gonna try this. While not bad, the chicken karaage was just alright. I would have preferred for the chicken to be a bit more crispy. Still juicy inside nonetheless. Jaga Butter Mentaiko - As an avid lover of anything with mentaiko (cod roe), I just had to order this dish. Although we did manage to scarf everything on the plate, I was expecting thinner slices of potato with a more pronounced metaiko flavor. I also would have liked to have more butter since the potato was a bit on the dry side. Deep Fried Pumpkin with Sesame Sauce - Kabocha is one of my favorite veggies, but this deep fried dish tasted more like sweet potato to me. While not bad, this was my least favorite dish of the night. Baked King Crab - This was yet another dish that I just loved and for me is a must order if any of you decide to visit this place. The rich mix of baked crab with mayonnaise & other goodies was just so good. Seared Salmon Toro topped with Ikura Sushi - As if the seared salmon toro was not melt in your mouth delicious by itself, the addition of ikura (salmon roe) on top takes this sushi to another level for me. Definitely one of the best things that we ate that night. Otoro Sushi - Need I say more? The fatty tuna here just melted in my mouth! If not for the price, I think I could have ordered another 4 pieces just for myself. Zenzai with azuki beans & mochi balls and Green Tea ice cream - I am a sucker for desserts and I could not resist ending the meal with 2 of my favorite sweets: zenzai and green tea ice cream all in the same bowl! Like my fellow Yelpers, I highly recommend making reservations since this place is pretty small and fills up quite fast. As far as parking is concerned, there is a small parking lot in the back, but street parking is your best bet if you decide to come here later in the evening. I will definitely be back again to try some of their other dishes, but this place is somewhere if you are looking to splurge for a special occasion and would not be a weekly thing unless you are one of those people who makes buku bucks.

    (5)

  • Mai T.

    By far Gaku is the best Japanese restaurant that I know of in terms of not only Excellent Food, but also for excellent service. Gaku is my favorite, as well as my husbands favorite restaurant and out of the many times we have stopped by to have dinner, we have NEVER left the restaurant without a smile on our face. Regardless of what time it is or how busy they are, you are always welcomed and the staff gives you their full attention. When we go, the usuals that we get are: Homemade tofu, Sashimi Omakase, Aji Takaki, Spicy Hamachi tartar, Hone (when i need calcium), and their specials. Their kurobuta kakuni is out of this world, the pork is so soft it practically melts in your mouth however the fat is not overwhelming. I like the mentaijaga butter ( Potato with Mentako on it). If you like nigiri, the seared toro with garlic chips is also recommended, or you can ask Manabu-san to make you something special with your favorite ingredients! Regardless of its a causal night out or a fancy dinner ,Gaku is one place that you are sure to have an awesome experience.

    (5)

  • Lauren S.

    Sushi Izakaya Gaku is one of my favorite, be-ready-to-splurge Japanese restaurants. The atmosphere is so welcoming and I love the fact that they have a small herb garden behind the restaurant (when we were heading back to our car, we saw one of the sushi chefs running outside to grab some, and he was nice enough to ask us how everything tasted and hoped we would come back soon!) MUST TRYS: -SPICY HAMACHI TARTAR- An absolute MUST, no questions about it...in fact, get 2! You won't be disappointed; the presentation is beautiful with the raw quail egg on top...just mix it together with the tiny wooden spoon and scoop it into the nori and enjoy. -YELLOW TAIL SASHIMI- These will simply melt in your mouth! My husband and I always fight over the last piece, and then wind up getting another order. :D -HAMACHI KAMA- This bad-boy is huge! Forget the tiny ones you get at Kurukuru and Genki...this thing is a beast, and oh sooo good! -PAPIO CARPACCIO- Another favorite of ours :) -GRILLED MOI- My husband completely devoured this dish within a few minutes (no sharing). -BEEF TONGUE- Perfectly cooked and tender (don't worry if you're a little squeamish about the idea of eating a tongue. If I hadn't heard my husband order it, I would have eaten it without a moment of hesitation). I would definitely order this again! Just remember: They only take reservations till 7:00pm, after that, it's strictly walk-ins. (psssst: If you ever wondered what kind of rice they use....It's Nozomi! You can find it at Don Quijote or Safeway) shhhhhh ;D

    (5)

  • Sandy P.

    Hands down, the best sushi restaurant i tried in Honolulu, Hawaii!!!! They made a mistake on our order and we got to try both uni shooter and oyster shooter! Yay for mistakes! Love the ambience and food. I will definitely go back again!

    (5)

  • Melissa L.

    Many many thanks to my fellow Yelpers and Jennie C. for steering me to Izakaya Gaku. I ate here the night after I dined at Sasabune (another place that I love) and I have to say that this place really blew me away. Just. Wow. The food here is extraordinary. I was extremely impressed with the service, the freshness and quality of the food, the care and respect taken with the preperation of each dish, the ambiance and the overall experience. The menu has a wide variety of options and I would encourage first time diners to move out of their comfort zone and try new things.... you will not be disappointed. Given that we had eaten at Sasabune the night before we agreed to not order any sushi. They were also out of crab that day, one of our favorites. Thus, we decided to order a variety of dishes that weren't as familiar to us. I have to say that I was so happy with everything that we ordered, including the lamb, which is one of the very few things I prefer not to eat (unless it's in the form of a gyro, no thanks!) Reservations are a must, unless you enjoy waiting for a table. The restaurant is relatively small with a sushi bar and a small number of tables (less than 10, I would guess). Street parking is available, but please be careful crossing the street!! Prices may seem a bit high but given the overall experience I would say it was a downright bargain! This will be a required visit for me each time I'm in Honolulu. All these Yelpers cannot be wrong and certainly weren't when it came to Izakaya Gaku. Thank you!

    (5)

  • Makani I.

    gaku is my favorite place in oahu..reservation is recommended..

    (5)

  • Mahina A.

    Great atmosphere, Delicious and fresh food, and wonderful service! This place is an absolute must! I am one of those people who like the "american" sushi's (california roll, spicy tuna roll, etc). I was always afraid to try other fishes and the really exotic stuff. Our boss took our office there for a dinner, and we tried a lot of different sushis. There was nothing we tried that was not fresh. You will get the best quality sushi and authentic japanese atmosphere. I didn't see the bill, but I hear this place takes a pretty big toll on your wallet. So come prepared. If not, you should probably stick with Genki or Kurukuru. But I can guarantee that the fish won't taste half as good as the fish from gaku. (I use to work for genki, tried everything and definitely nothing compared to Gaku).

    (5)

  • Live Love Laugh D.

    No other sushi place other than sasabune can replace sushi here. Love it. I wish they had more seating!

    (5)

  • Crystal L.

    Super fresh fish! Awesome that it is also inventive! I haven't had anything that wasn't at least 4 stars there. I love the blends of flavors! But expensive...you get what you pay for. It's a tiny place on the right side of S. King St. before Piikoi. It's easy to miss the small sign. I would recommend it if you like flavorful sauces, fresh fish and not living from paycheck to paycheck.

    (4)

  • Brian L.

    One of the best sushi place in Hawaii...my Japanese wife agrees so :) After watching 'Jiro dreams of sushi', we wanted to check out this place with high hopes to experience the omakase. This place definitely exceeded our expectation with fresh foods and great drinks. I recommend going to this place if you would like to taste what an authentic Japanese Sushi-ya is.

    (5)

  • Laura H.

    First night arriving in Hawaii my bf and I decided to try sushi first. This place is really small and don't take reservations past 7pm. We came there and they were packed! We had to wait a little bit but not too long. The server was very nice and the entire staff greats you when you walk in and also says bye when you leave! They have fishes hanging all around the walls and its actually something that you can order to eat! - spicy hamachi tartar: pictures make it look so big but its a tiny little bowl with seaweed paper on the side. DELISH!!! definitely get it though. its a good portion for an appetizer. - Uni wrapped in hirame: this was super small too! lol But it was good! - baked king crab: this was okay. - o toro sashimi: yummy! It melts in your mouth! Very fresh! - ikura nigiri: I must try this everywhere and I loved it. It was so sweet and they overflow the seaweed paper with it! - moi nigiri: meh.. I could have done without - wagyu beef tataki: It was okay as well. for wagyu i thought it would melt. - green tea ice cream with mocha and red bean: good and refreshing!

    (4)

  • Kimmy C.

    This place lives up to the hype. My 1st suggestion is make reservations in advance. When we were eating so many people were walking in trying to get reservations for that night. They were all turned away. I made reservations 3 weeks in advanced. Parking is in the back and is kinda tight. There are old tea pots hanging around outside in the yard. Lets get to the food, the baked king crab is a crab cake, one single crab cake. The flavor is good, but I would not order this again. It was flakey, crunchy and full of flavor, but it was one crab cake. The sesame kabocha was light and crispy on the outside and tender inside. The order was 5 pieces of pumpkin, I love kabocha but this to me was only okay. The flavor was too mild. The garlic steak was the best, some vegetalbes and a small salad on the griddle. The flavor was awesome with small slivers of garlic on top of the steak and the size was good. The oysters were juice, fat and plump. The uni wrapped with shiso leaf and halibut was melt in your mouth. We ordered 3 glasses of sake, and they "over pour" into a square box the range was $9-$14.50. The dessert were sweet potato ice cream with custard pudding and green tea ice cream. Both were fantastic, I've never tasted anything so good. We left satsified and not stuffed or full. Its a little pricey but totally worth it. This is one of my favorite restaurants now. I was still thinking about it the next morning. The daily specials are worth the try. .

    (5)

  • Denise K.

    My favorite sushi joint on the island! Make a reservation if you can eat before 7pm.. otherwise, expect to wait. I bring all my friends who are in town to eat at Gaku and they all fell in love. The sushi chefs are a bit quiet, but they sure know how to execute omakase! When at Gaku, omakase or go home. AMAZING SUSHI!

    (5)

  • David L.

    My favorite izakaya style eatery! But be prepared for a wait if you don't make reservations for one of the early times (reservations between 5 and 7 only). The rest of the time is walk in only. At 8:45 last night, it was still a 20 minute wait. The fact that it is busy (every time I've been there!) is a good sign! The food here is delicious. My favorite is the spicy hamachi spread (paste doesn't sound as good) with a quail egg on top. Mix it together and spoon on to the supplied nori, shape into a funnel and eat! Another one to try, roasted kubocha (pumpkin). I was skeptical the first time I tried it, but I now order it every time I visit. If you like fish, the hamachi collar is good also. Of course they serve good sushi, but their other dishes make them stand out. I would ask that they bring back the smoked duck they had as a special. That was amazing! There is a small parking lot behind the restaurant through a narrow lane. It fills up fast though, so grab street parking on King if you see it. Wait staff is very attentive and social! I like sitting at the sushi bar because I keep eyeballing what I'm having the next time I'm there! And the sushi chefs behind the counter are friendly and attentive. I think they're starting to remember me. One thing, its easy to over order because you keep seeing things that look good on the menu. Don't. You can always order more if you haven't had enough. Or come back again. Or both! Yet one more thing, a decent selection of sake and shochu. Its easy to spend more on that then the food!

    (4)

  • Yurie G.

    AMBIENCE: Nice, dark lighting with a great Japanese interior. Three separate seating area: sushi counter for those who might want to strike up a conversation with the chefs, chair seating area found in any other restaurant, and floor sitting area for those who want to eat the traditional Japanese way. FOOD: One of the best Japanese places in Oahu. First off, the menu was fun to look through because they provide pictures of each item on the menu! I ordered the dashimaki tamago (egg), california roll, negitoro roll (tuna and green onion roll), beef tongue, king crab cake, and satsumaage (fried fish cake). The sushi was really well made with great fish, the beef tongue was cooked perfectly, and the crab cake was soft and delicious. I definitely like the food here and can't wait to come again :) For dessert, I ordered the shiratama zenzai (azuki beans with mochi balls) and homemade gaku pudding. Neither stood out as much as the food did, but nonetheless they were a great way to end dinner . DRINKS: Something to appreciate about this restaurant is that their alcoholic drinks are not watered down like in other restaurants that I've been to. My mom had their umeshu (plum wine) and was delighted by the taste :) SERVICE: The servers were extremely responsive and really friendly. The server in charge of seating even remembered my name (from when we made reservations), which was a surprise since this was my first time here. PRICE: On the expensive side. The king crab cake, for example, was about the size of a single serve Haagen Dazs ice cream cup and cost $18. So if you come hungry, be prepared to pay more than your usual dine out. PARKING: The parking lot is directly behind the restaurant and the driveway leading into the parking lot is directly next to the front entrance of the restaurant. This driveway can be hard to miss, so keep a watch out for it when you get close! RECOMMENDATION: Make reservations the day before if you don't want to wait in a long line! I heard they only take reservations until 7PM. After 7PM, they accept walk-ins.

    (5)

  • Sandy N.

    Absolutely LOVE this place. My favorite restaurant !! Come ready to spend some money... This place is $$$ however, it's worth it. If you like to eat, drink, and enjoy this is the place and of course you will need to shell out some cash. After that is said.. I realize some people are giving low stars because of the price, that's sushi... it's like ordering a great steak. You get what you pay for. All the special Nigiris are absolutely mouth exploding tastefulness! And becoming such a regular Manobu the owner knows what we like and keeps the food coming at a great pace. We never feel rushed in there, we can sit for one hour or three or four.. You gotta keep eating though :) I recommend this place and the amazing staff makes it all the better.

    (5)

  • Ryan D.

    My friends had rave reviews about this place, but personally, I prefer Sasabune. They don't take reservations after 7 pm, & we ended up waiting 1 1/2 hours when the host initially said only 45 min - 1 hour. We were starving, and the service was SLOW. One of us was a vegetarian, so she ordered edamame for an appetizer, but it didn't come out until after the oysters for the omakase. The sashimi & sushi were fresh & had some different items from what I'm used to in SF, but we weren't blown away. I'm sure we were tougher critics after our initial wait.

    (3)

  • Lynvi S.

    I heard a lot of great things about this place so I was excited when I finally got a chance to go with a friend. We were lucky in finding parking right in front and there was an open table. Score! The hamachi tartar and baked dynamite were fantastic! My friend also ordered some kind of beef dish that wasn't on the menu (wish I knew what it was called) that came with the BEST teriyaki-like sauce in the world. I could eat that drizzled over rice with nothing else. The potato with the butter mentaiko was interesting and pretty tasty. I worked in Japanese restaurants for years so I'm pretty familiar with Japanese food, and I must say that this is the best izakaya I've been to in Hawaii. Definitely five stars because I was totally sober and the food was still awesome.

    (5)

  • Liza R.

    We came here a few years back and thought it was amazing so had to come back since we were in town. This time we were disappointed-and for the price that hurts! Not sure if it was a mistake to come in a group and sit at the tatami rooms, because the first time we sat at the bar. Even the things we had the first time, like the negihama tartar weren't as good. I know it is an Izakaya, but service seemed painfully slow between orders. Boo!

    (3)

  • a p.

    this place is so good! Eating up at the sushi bar was great! I would for sure come here again! I noticed that they have seating in the back, which would be a good spot to have a gathering with friends. I have been living on island for 8 years and never knew about this place. Somehow we were able to walk right in and grab the last two seats on a friday night. Service was quick and they were very attentive. Got the oyster shooters, a combo sushi plate, and the Hamachi Tartare which was so good! It was a great place to come and have fantastic food and sake in a modern japanese atmosphere. Coming back soon!

    (5)

  • Jessica L.

    Never did cuts of saba and toro make a grown woman like myself weep tears of ecstasy. Chef Manabu, I love you.

    (5)

  • Jennifer L.

    As one raised in an enriched Japanese cultural environment, the food expected at Sushi Izakaya Gaku in Honolulu far exceeded the normal teishoku boxed meals served with miso soup, tsukemono and daikon. We ordered from the daily special menu, sushi bar and grill. Drinks: 2 bottles of "Moon over water" sake. Served cold $65 per bottle. It was a good night after our first shot! The rest is history... Uni shooters- Parfait of exotic foods in a shot glass: Sea Urchin (uni), Ikura (Salmon Eggs), Wasabi and Dashi..awesome! Baked King Crab: Shredded crab meat with a mayonnaise mixture and baked. It was decent but not memorable Tuna tartar: Tastes like the spicy tuna served in a rotating sushi bar however a quail egg is added on top. It was decent but not memorable. Seared toro (nigiri): Fatty tuna slightly cooked over a ball of rice. Excellent, I would recommend this first. The protein literally melts in your mouth. Aji (spanish Mackarel) Salad, i believe: Sliced aji with shiso salad, ginger, and other ingredients. Great , however a taste to acquire. Hamachi (Yellowtail) : Sashimi. The cuts were of a skinnier part of the fish but I always expect to taste the butter when it comes to this fish Agedashi Tofu: Large blocks of lightly breaded soft tofu in tasty tasty sauce. Tofu can never go wrong! Grilled Ribeye Steak: served with a tossed salad and grilled broccoli, carrot and zucchini. Didn't taste it but looked delicious! There were sliced nail sized (sorry for the gruesome description but it looked like fingernails) garlic pieces over the meat which was a delight! King Salmon with Avacado: Lightly seared salmon with a slice of avacado over a ball of rice (nigiri). Yummy Grilled gyutan (Cow tongue): Nice touch of the dish with the meat over a bed of tasteful salad.

    (5)

  • Michael D.

    Favorite Sushi/Japanese Food joint in Hawaii hands down! Mix of traditional sushi, various Japanese dishes, and some unique progressive meals that are all extremely fresh and tasty. There's a party in mouth every time I visit. This is one of those places that make me wish I made 7 figures so I could eat here 3 times a day, 7 days a week. Yes it's really that amazing!!! There's over 240+ reviews on this place so It's probably not necessary to elaborate much further, but I'll let a few photos that I had make your mouth water. yelp.com/user_local_phot… yelp.com/user_local_phot… yelp.com/user_local_phot… yelp.com/user_local_phot… yelp.com/user_local_phot… Keep it simple, make sure you make a reservation. You need to eat dinner so why not splurge a little and learn first hand why this place has such awesome reviews! You won't be disappointed! Well maybe a little when you realize you're not able to dine here everyday...

    (5)

  • Sophia L.

    This place is delicious but soo packed because it's a small restaurant. I had to wait 40 minutes to get a seat during dinnertime. The service is slow (the server was really friendly and kept apologizing though) I think because they could tell we were tourists so we were less important than their regulars that were there :p but nonetheless I loved the food! TNT- a bunch of different kinds of seafoods in some creamy concoction. delish NY Steak- so tender and filling! Spicy Negihama Tartare- their most popular dish!! It looks weird but is so good Baked King Crab- looks/tastes kind of like crab cakes I was surprisingly stuffed after these 4 dishes...a meal for 2 cost about $60-70!

    (4)

  • Hikari K.

    My hubby took me for my bday and now it's one of our fav sushi/izakaya spots. Beef tongue is fabulous! Uni is always sweet and super fresh, and the sake selection is just awesome! Service is absolutely fantastic, and their recommendations are always spot on. Pricey but def. Worth every cent.

    (5)

  • Tai M.

    My second experience here was even better than the first. Went with 2 friends. Hamachi Tartare - sooooo tasty. Spicy hamachi roll - unbelievable! Melted in my mouth. Spicy tuna roll - great, but not as good as the spicy hamachi roll. Still very enjoyable. Salmon skin roll - tasty. Ikura rolls - I'm still getting used to the taste of ikura, however the few little roe that I ate were good. Beef tongue - I am not an exotic food eater, and I forgot that we had ordered this (and I certainly wasn't planning on eating it). When it came out, I thought it was the ribeye, so I ate it. It was sliced very thin, and very tasty. Ribeye - Very, very tasty. Came with ponzu or garlic sauce - we went with ponzu. Tori karaage - The chicken was SO tender! I'm not a fried chicken person but this was thoroughly enjoyable. I will definitely order next time. Spicy hirame uni - Sea urchin wrapped inside a slice of fish. Not my thing. Looking forward to the next time. This place is fantastic!

    (5)

  • Lauren H.

    I usually make it a point NOT to review any places with over 100 reviews, but it pains me that Gaku only has 4.5 stars, when it should clearly have 5! I sometimes daydream about the Spicy Negihama Tartare. A petite ceramic bowl nested into a bowl of ice. Beautifully fatty hamachi in a melange of mayo and spice. Delicately placed quail's yolk. Crunchy tobiko. Paper thin rings of green onion. A thin ring of shoyu. Crisp nori and a wooden spoon. It's a thing of joy, especially when you order your very own and don't share ;P Other notables: rare garlic rib eye served on a sizzling platter with onions, the refreshing homemade tofu with "jelly" made of dashi and shoyu, TNT or any seafood special with dynamite sauce (theirs is particularly tasty). Stick to those faves and try out a few daily specials. You won't be disappointed! PS. Street parking opens up at 6:30 pm, so ideally book your reservation for that exact time slot!

    (5)

  • Jenn H.

    My boyfriend and I came here at the suggestion of previous Yelp users. Thank you! We absolutely loved it. My overall impression was that Izakaya Gaku's food quality is well worth the higher prices. We initially ordered the Sashimi Omakase for 1-2 people. I love sashimi/sushi and have definitely eaten my fair share, but the toro here was by far one of the best I've ever had. It literally melted (!) in my mouth and I'm salivating just recalling it. We also ordered the Gyutan (beef tongue) and the Warabi Kinako Mochi with Green Tea Ice Cream. Let me start by saying that I'm horrible with eating strange things so I honestly had some issues eating the Gyutan. It had the chewy texture of a tongue and I couldn't quite get past that. If I hadn't KNOWN what it was, I probably would've enjoyed it a lot more. The flavor was great and the meat wasn't overdone. At the urging of the waitress, we also ordered the Warabi Mochi for dessert. Aside from the toro, this was probably my favorite part of dinner. It was amazing! Warabi Mochi is mochi made from ferns rather than the typical rice and it has a different, firmer texture. I highly recommend Sushi Izakaya Gaku and look forward to the next time I get the privilege of dining here. If you are looking for an authentic Japanese dining experience, this is definitely a top pick!

    (5)

  • Mymy L.

    Sushi Izakaya Gaku ranks as one of my top three izakayas, ever. My friends and I came here twice during a nearly week long trip to Hawaii last spring. We had turned to our trusty yelp app to find some good Japanese eats during our first night in Honolulu and it completely let us down. Note to self: never go with the #1 recommended restaurant - that ranking has fooled us twice already *shakes fist*. But thankfully Sushi Izakaya more than made up for our sad first dinner. It's a bit further away from the hotel/tourists area which we took as a good sign. The decor inside was pleasant and had a lovely ambiance. The service here was splendid. I wish I could remember our server's name because he was refreshingly friendly and helpful in offering recommendations. It was during this trip that we discovered the goodness of Masuimi sake. It is smooth and easy to drink which and has since been our sake of choice. I can't quite remember all the dishes that we ordered but there are two that stand out and still have me salivating to this day: Hamachi tartar Accompanied with a quail egg that you mix all together to create a flavorful filling that you wrap within seaweed. It was so fantastic that we ordered multiple orders. Oh how I miss you hamachi tartar. Sake Infused Salmon Roe I normally don't mind salmon roe too much although I know many people who are not too fond of the fishy taste. This was definitely not the case with this dish. The infusion of sake in the salmon roe created a clean, refreshing sensation that completely bathed over every single taste bud and made your mouth water for more. Quite simply the best Salmon roe I've ever had. I would recommend anyone visiting or living in Honolulu to dine at Sushi Izakaya Gaku - your taste buds will thank you. I would go back just for this restaurant although just being on the island doesn't hurt.

    (5)

  • Poulina K.

    You know a sushi restaurant is great when it's full of Japanese patrons. Sushi Izakaya is a small establishment and gets very busy during dinner time, however it was well worth the wait. We are spoiled with a lot of great sushi in Seattle, and these guys were on par if not better in some regards. Designed primarily for sushi purists (you won't find uber fancy rolls here), they offer a solid variety of fresh fish along with some more expensive cuts. We sampled the following: - Spicy Hamachi Tartar: I would have eaten 5 of these if my stomach had space. Creamy with freshness of scallions and a raw quail egg mixed in. - A couple of different choices of Aji and Toro: you can't go wrong with the buttery texture of toro, and I love Aji for its distinct flavor. - Miso marinated and grilled pork: juicy, tender and very flavorful. - Various nigiri, tiny clam red miso soup completed the meal. Add a bottle of Sapporo and you got yourself a pretty amazing dinner.

    (5)

  • Kay R.

    So slow!!! Took forever to get our food. The rolls were good but the wait was 45 to get in and another 45 to get our first order. Expensive and still left hungry

    (1)

  • James L.

    First time here and all i have to say is The chicken karaogi (not sure if I'm spelling that correctly) was just amazing. I have never had a crunchier, more tender, and more flavorful piece of chicken in my life. I don't know how they do it, but i hope they keep doing it, because thats how theyre gonna keep me comin. I also had the steak and pork skewers. I deducted a star because they got rid of the original pork skewer that my friend really wanted me to try. They replaced it with some not-so-great lean meat that's a bit too chewy for me. The steak waw great. Medium rare, flavorful, very tender, and great overall. I would come back just for the karqogis any time any day.

    (4)

  • Jon A.

    Wow .............. .............. and did I already say Wow!!!! Wow! I dont' give 5 stars but this one is a 5 star. First of, the service is amazing. The master sushi chefs work very hard to give you small piece of art which just explodes in your mouth. We had the toro and it just told me a happy story that lasted a while. What do they put in the sushi - crack! LOL Anyways, there's available parking in the back. You have to get there early since seating is limited. We signed in and stopped by "Champs" and 30 min later we got the call. Enjoy :)

    (4)

  • Myong C.

    I've eaten here over a dozen times but haven't written a review because there's already a plethora of them. But I'm inspired to write one now because 1) I hadn't gone for over about 6-8 months and finally went back this past weekend and 2) had their omakase for the first time. Omakase....o mah gahd! I've only had omakase (chef's choice) at Sasabune before but decided to give it a go at Gaku since Iove their food so much and wanted this dinind experience to be filled with surprises. Here's what we got.... 1) Hamachi tartar - Talk about starting off with a bang. This was so freakin' ono. Raw, ground up hamachi, mixed with green onions and quail egg, then wrapped in nori. Loved it! 2) Fresh raw oysters - Very fresh, none of that ocean taste. Covered in ponzu with a dab of fish roe. Very refreshing and delicious. 3) Beef tataki carpaccio - Slivers of raw beef with shredded daikon and onion. A change of pace from the heavy seafood beginning. The pieces of beef were just the right amount of chewy yet tender. 4) Wild boar tempura - The only miss of the night. Cubes of wild boar meat deep fried in tempura batter then covered in sauce. The boar meat was strangely very soft but also left a slight hint of gamey aftertaste. But it wasn't the meat that bothered me. It was the fact that the tempura came out soggy and I like mine crispy. 5) Sushi nigiri - Finally....the sushi! A tray of 6 nigiri was presented before us. Uni, snapper, mirugai, beltfish, otoro, and one more I can't remember.....I'm not an uni fan by any means but this one was very good. The mirugai was also fresh and not chewy at all, which I hate. All of the fish nigiri were also excellent, with the snapper being the best, yes, even better than the otoro. We also had 3 orders of sake throughout the evening. I really wish they'd give a full pour though for the money, like Choco House does. But the sake was very very good and a perfect complement to the food. Total damage was $145 including tax and tip. Gotta take care of these guys. The service is beyond excellent. So overall, a little pricey but hey, gotta induldge yourself every now and then. My only reason for the 4 star rating vs. a 5 star rating is that I did not care for the wild boar tempura and also found the nigiri sushi to be a bit skimpy on the fish. But other than that, hard to find a complaint.

    (4)

  • Kelly B.

    Best Sushi on Oahu!! Been eating Sushi twice a week for 5 years, at many different places, so I should know! Sushi and Sashimi taste so fresh every time is unbelievable. This place makes Yanagi Sushi look like McDonalds. Just compare their Salmon Sashimi and tell me what you think. Yanagi tastes like catfood compared to Gaku, and I've been at Yanagi well over 30+ times. Plus, Gaku is much cheaper than Yanagi ... last time I checked, it was over $8 price difference for Salmon Sashimi (not the torro kind) I looove their appetizer with yellowtail tartar. You have to try that! This is the Number 1 stop on Oahu if you'd like to try some Sushi while you're visiting. If you're a local, this place should be one of your staples. It's hard to get a reservation nowadays, but no wonder ... the food is just amazing !! The owner himself prepares the Sushi every night - what else can you want?

    (5)

  • Erin Y.

    Originally brought here last year by some trusted foodies, and have spent my last two birthday dinners here. After sitting down, I almost knew the food would be great because of their unique and solid dishwear. :) The pace of the dishes comes out perfectly, not rushed, not waiting, not crowded. I always order spicy hamachi carpaccio, the nato dish, and hamachi kama izakaya style, definitely all dishes to share and enjoy with company together. On top of those three dishes, my party of three the other night ordered raw oysters, clams, a saba dish, and three drinks .. came out to $108 before tip. Love this place, very authentic, fresh, and welcoming.

    (5)

  • Jeremy D.

    Awesome! I was trying to Yelp! what I was eating while there and the above comment is all I could come up with. Really. The hamachi kama was so good, I didn't even use my teeth to chew...I just let it rest in my mouth for a moment while savoring all of the goodness! The tako was the best I've ever eaten! It may be my inexperienced pallet for Japanese cuisine, but the hint of wasabi, tako, and a very fresh basil leaf made for an awesome dish. Everything was so good, I quickly forgot about yelping and just kept eating. I am very thankful to have had the coolest friends with me that ordered the best dishes. Uni Shooters are on my "Must Do" list and that will be done SOON!

    (5)

  • Ella H.

    One of the best and most authentic Japanese restaurants in Honolulu. Great for special occasion, the food is fantastic, and the service is excellent. If only I could go eat there more often... My husband and I usually go to Gaku for our anniversary.

    (5)

  • Allie L.

    Took my mom here for her birthday earlier this week, I knew she'd like it. And I was right (per usual, DUH!). This really is one of the best izakaya restaurants I've been to. The kind of place that you'll come to even if the parking is bad, which can be true for this place. We ordered the beef tataki, spicy negihamachi, clams, butterfish, homemade tofu with dashi jelly and ikura (my favorite of the night!), various nigiri. All fantastic, all worth it. The fish is so fresh. We didn't have any alcohol, so our bill came out to a solid $100. For the quality of food we ate, I was expecting a much larger number. I like it when that happens.

    (5)

  • Greg O.

    I was lucky to eat dinner at the sushi bar. The owner it turns out was serving us and making fantastic recommendations. After eating at Nobu two nights previously and being massively underwhelmed, we ventured here and were blown away. I lived in Sapporo and Tokyo, Japan. The fish selection was similar to what you eat in Japan. Everything was fresh and cut perfectly. The Kohada and Tamago really showed the quality of the restaurant. The saba was as good as anything you find at top quality sushi ya in Japan. The restaurant was not necessarily typically Japanese style Izakaya, but certainly was Japanese. I gladly waited for one hour to get a seat. One thing I really appreciated was the respect for the fish, how it was cut, and the temperature it was stored. All this was delicately balanced and respectful. Sake you ask? Hai. great selection of different styles of Sake. Try Gaku and never go back to over priced/hyped Wai Ki Ki Japanese Restaurants. The experience and atmosphere is well worth the wait.

    (5)

  • S K.

    This izakaya/sushi bar is ok. I'm a bit skeptical of any place that claims to be both sushi and izakaya. Isn't it easier to be good at one thing, instead of two things? Well both the izakaya stuffs and the sushi stuffs were pretty good here. It's not something I'd write home about, but I did enjoy it. Admittedly I was a bit inebriated during my meal so I can't really break the dinner down. It's very much a local - japanese scene. I enjoyed the lively atmosphere, until the waiter and the sushi chef both started hitting on my wife. Dame dame.

    (3)

  • Reno Doc G.

    GREAT way to end my visit in Hawaii. Someone told my wife about this place on the last visit, and it's close to my mom's place, so we decided to check it out. Compared to Reno, it's nice to walk into a sushi bar and have Japanese sushi chef's rather than chefs who "look" Japanese...kinda. The menu starts out with specials of the day, and it's nice to have an eclectic mix of tastes. Seared toro, spicy hamachi which you wrap yourself in nori (an obvious customer favorite), tofu bowl with ikura on top, top-notch nigiri sushi, and ending with sweet potato mousse. The service and cleanliness were excellent. There's a tatami mat area in the back for larger parties. DEFINITELY a repeat for me on my next trip.

    (5)

  • Jenny L.

    Food: must try the tofu jelly, hamachi tartare, oysters on a half shell. I also had the hamachi nigiri which was good. Service: very welcoming and informative. The service is always wonderful. Price: relatively reasonable. I definitely would eat here again! They don't take reservations but I usually eat there after 8 so it's not very busy.

    (5)

  • Will W.

    Consistantly the best sashimi I've had on Oahu. Our first time in, we had an amazing experience with our server who had excellent personalized suggestions for the regular menu as well as the specials menu. Food finds range from traditional sushi fare to creative specials. (ie: whole broiled moi to roasted duck breast and bacon "sashimi") The restaurant is small and the manager is fincky with reservations, but don't shy away from the sushi bar. The chefs are lively and personable. All are impressive to watch. I think I'll go again tonight...

    (5)

  • Jodi K.

    Okay, first off...my fellow yelpers, please don't be hating. =I Honestly, I do not understand how in the world this establishment is rated between 4.5 stars and 5 stars! That is just...weird or even..absurd? So, because my good friend has been to Sushi Izakaya a few times, I decided I'd like to try it too since the reviews on yelp were so positive (most of them anyway!) and the fact that she didn't have any complaints. Hence we ended up meeting at 5pm on a weeknight, and yes, we did call to make reservations. As you enter the staff does greet you very 'enthusiastically' as one fellow yelper said. My friend decided to sit at the sushi bar which was a first for her at this place. I don't recall our server's name, but he was nice and indicated we try "#11 and #30" because they were the most popular items. However, my friend did not want to try those, because well, every other place has them too. Anyway it seemed like it'd be a great evening...we put in our orders for some 'regular' ol' nigiri sushi like the hamachi, ikura, amaebi, and salmon. The fish were all very fresh, they did not disappoint. The ikura nigiri does taste like it was sitting in some sort of 'dashi no moto' sauce, however I still love ikura and savored each salty bubble. We also ordered the salmon skin roll, which was just "okay." I didn't like the fact there was carrot inside the roll...it just seemed...out of place, perhaps it was for 'texture?' In addition we also put in an order for their monk fish liver, ochazuke, and seared toro nigiri sushi. That garlicky seared toro nigiri sushi was like the most memorable thing of the night, to me anyway. After we received our seared toro nigiri with garlic the wait began...Seriously, does it really take that long to assemble some monkfish liver and ochazuke!?!? WTF. By then the people around us received food nonstop, their servers checked in on them regularly. After about 20 minutes, we finally inquired and till this day we're not really sure if it was the server's error or the kitchen. Anyway although he was apologetic, it just got weird after that. We asked for just the ochazuke, and for the check. Instead of the check, he brought us a scoop of green tea ice cream. Really...that will not change my mind about giving you a great tip. All in all...I'm not quite sure if I'd return again. If I do, I'll plan to sit at the table and maybe won't feel so discriminated, and secondly, it's too bad I felt the owner catered more towards the Japanese people from Japan (you know, the ones that move here from Japan to Hawaii and now live here), oh and I'm Japanese so don't think I'm hating them. Honestly I've had better variety at other establishments. Oh and if it's important to you to know how much we paid, the total was $116.00 or so for two, not including tip.

    (3)

  • Kalani C.

    4.52 stars. So after all the raving reviews, I was curious to try and determine what all the hype is about. Made a couple of attempts and got shut down, so best to call a few days to a week or more in advance. Reservations can be made starting 3pm each day. We were accommodated on Friday evening at 5:30 with instructions that we needed to be done by 7. That actually proved perfect as we got their at 5:15 (place opens at 5) due to APEC-fear or just good planning on our parts. Ambiance was very cute. Like you stepped into some clever side street bar that had warm touches of wood and home style ambiance: 4 stars. We were immediately greeted by not one, but by the entire staff which included the cashier, the wait help and sushi chefs. We were seated at a table for four and had the extra space the entire time. We did our research via yelp reviews and had our list of must haves. The only waiter in the house serviced our table and introduced himself as Daniel. We both looked at one another and were delighted. According to the reviews, Daniel stands out as a case in point. We knew we were in good hands and we were. Daniel offered impeccable service, spot on descriptions and recommendations (on point sake pairings!). Mahalo Daniel, you made our night that much more enjoyable. Service: 5 stars! Yes, we had our list that turned out to be of most of their specialties. But it was the marked items on the menu that were the specials of the day that we were most intrigued. We started off with the brilliant Hamachi Tartare with nori wraps: 5 stars! After eating this, I knew we were in for a stellar night! Gaku had me at tartare, oh boy! A hard act to follow, we had the Baked King Crab. Everyone was right (mahalo Ira!). Totally broke-da-mouth good! What was impressive was the crab flavor was enhanced by the spices, not masked: 5 stars! The next dish was the Omakase Sashimi, an array of ocean delicacies that included Papio carpaccio, Ahi, Japanese Mackrel, sea urchin, sweet raw shrimp and the stupendous Oh Toro and Hamachi. This platter kicked ass!: 5 stars! Sorry, no better way to describe it. And once your ass was kicked, it got roundhouse kicked with the Oh Toro. Thank you sir, may I have another?!! Next up was the Monkfish Liver in Ponzu sauce: 4.5 stars. I liked this better than my dinning partner. It was as if I wasn't even eating fish, but some type of pâté. The ginger in the sauce made the entire dish sing (well, at least I was). The Pumpkin with Sesame Dressing was the least adventurous dish, but nonetheless delightful. I love pumpkin and this made me love it even more: 4.5 stars. We then were offered fried shrimp heads that we didn't realize were from the Omakase platter. We sucked out every part that was edible from these crustaceans: 4 stars. Next was the Steamed Duck in Brown Rice and Orosi sauce that was like a stew. Medium rare pieces of duck medallions will full flavor. However, the remaining parts weren't as impressive: 3.75 stars. The second to the last dish was the Grilled Whole Moi! Yes! This was a beautiful piece of fish, perfectly done and so tender, so delicious! Easily 5 stars! The last main course was the Garlic Rib Eye Steak done medium. The slivers of garlic made me hesitant at first, but by the end of the dish I wanted more garlic (and more steak!) Probably the best steak I've had in a couple years. Very memorable: 5 stars! The dessert was the Green Tea Ice Cream (5 stars!) with coffee mochi (2 stars; we're still uncertain was that portion was. My friend said it tasted like shoyu flavored mochi). Desserts are not Gaku's strong point, but we can accept that. 5+2= 7/2= 3.5 stars. Wow! Gaku rocks! I am not very versed in Japanese cuisine, however we feel honored and amazed by this experience. In this caliber, I have only experienced Mitch's Fish Market. I must say, this experience outshines the later in many ways (a huge one being ambiance). A definite must-dine restaurant that is so worth the money. Tally: Ambiance: 4 stars. Service (Daniel-San): 5 stars! Hamachi Tartare: 5 stars! Baked King Crab: 5 stars! Omakase Sashimi: 5 stars! Monkfish Liver in Ponzu Sauce: 4.5 stars Pumpkin w/ Sesame Dressing: 4.5 stars Fried Shrimp Heads: 4 stars Steamed Duck in Brown Rice and Orosi: 3.75 stars Grilled Whole Moi: 5 stars! Garlic Rib Eye Steak: 5 stars! Green Tea Ice Cream w/ Mochi: 5 (green tea)+2 (mochi)= 7/2= 3.5 stars 4+5+5+5+5+4.5+4.5+4+3.75+5+5+3.5= 54.25/12= 4.52 stars. #Yelp 365: 108/365

    (4)

  • Amanda K.

    Best sushi hands doooown!!! The tuna tartar is the best, all those flavors!! I end up ordering two of the tuna tartar!!! The down fall of this place is the hostess guy!! He never let's u sneak in and eat real quick while they wait for their reservations!! Literally the place can be empty with the next ressi coming in 45 mins!!! all well they must not need my business!! But great food all around!!

    (2)

  • Moshe H.

    Mr maybe one of the nicest guys in town ( the owner ) sheen Daniel and rest of the crew know exactly what I love to eat and it's like going back home for dinner every time Best hamachee Kama in Oahu Best and actually no where else make it ONI shooters , Best oysters ( the owner hand pick them daily and gives u the nod to get a dozen when the realy realy good ) All around best Resturant in hawaii for sushi etc Been hearing pepole talk about sasabonee and Yanagi etc, No chance, Small tip Always sit At the bar for some odd reason the bill is never more then 150 for 2 pepole no matter how much sushi and sake you drink, ( just be nice and polite to the owner who also makes the food ) Kampaiii !

    (5)

  • DJ Nocturna R.

    This is my favorite Japanese restaurant so far. I love everything in the menu - and they have a great big selection of everything. I love especially the seafood dynamite- the Gaku TNT. The ikura is so fresh and you can tell. It's safe to eat uni and fresh raw oysters there. The Salmon and salmon roe and the Hamachi Carpaccio are too die for and don't forget to make a toast with Shochu or Sake- they have the best ! I love beef tongue and I decided I'm going to try their beef tongue there next time. I haven't had tiny mushrooms in my miso soups since I dined in my favorite Japanese restaurant in Tumon, Guam so many years ago, but the taste of Gaku's miso soup and the tiny mushrooms savoring in your mouth gives that feeling of orgasm. I also need to try their monkfish liver the next time I go there. There is free parking in the back and if you look around the parking lot, you will find interesting clay pots and man made rocks that looks like cosmography. You can park on King Street too but don't get run over. Sometimes they are busy so do come early- the guy by the cash register reminds me of a Heian samurai because he has good swings. The staff, the cooks, Japanese chefs are wonderful. They welcome you with big hearts and a loud "Ohayo Gozaimasu" and they say goodbye the same way: Loud. The one gentleman on your left of the sushi bar is so cute. He has one of the most angelic faces. He is full of passion and love and you can tell he loves what he does: he makes people feel happy. The other sushi chef on the right of the sushi bar looks like a handsome but bashful Japanese actor. The owner who is usually in the middle but towards your right as you face the sushi bar is a hard worker.. that's why he is so successful. The best thing about this place is that it has the cleanest restroom I have ever seen. Absolutely zen !

    (5)

  • R P.

    Being from mainland USA, i must admit that my standards for sushi are several ratchets below Hawaiian places. but i loved izakaya gaku. Great atmosphere with fish skeletons drying above the sushi bar. the opihi marinated in oil were a revelation-soft al dente shellfish which were like mini abalones. the spicy hamachi tartare was also great--a sort of cold fancy salad with quail egg on top, meant to be mixed together and eaten with nori. a memorable experience.

    (5)

  • Rita L.

    oh sooo yummy! I love all the sushi here, so fresh! the hamachi kama is the best i ever tried! the hubby loves the sake selection here! the udon is a must, with the yamaimo! the oysters are yummy...gee...everything is soo good! the ribeye, the chazuke, the tea! I could go on and on! Reservations is a must or prepared to wait outside...we kinda felt bad we took sooo long eating because there was soo much people trying to get in...sorry guys, i have to enjoy the food and not inhale it! sooo oishi!

    (5)

  • Robyn N.

    Parking Sucks! The wait was 45 minutes. They only take reservations between 5PM and 7PM after that you are on a waiting list. Aside from that GAKU is my new favorite place! I love the ambiance. They had a great playlist running. Sade, Groove Theory, Faith Evans, etc. All my favorites! The lighting is perfectly dimmed and the seating is cozy. I noticed that they have a little party room too. I can't wait to have a dinner party there. Our waiter Daniel was very helpful with ordering, being that it was our first time there. They were out of clams. Errrr! After viewing all the YELP photo's I kind of knew what I wanted to eat. My favorite sashimi is OTORO. In the YELP pics the OTORO looks amazing. The pieces they served us was very bad. Stringy! It was the the worst I've had. I think they gave the good pieces to the regulars. Gaku salad was ok. Hamachi tar tar with quail egg was excellent, will mos def order again. Natto bowl interesting but, not for me. Jaga butter menkaiko, mmmmmmmm! Delish! I've had something similar at Imanas but, this is better. Dynamite is good. Filet mignon! Winner! Melt in your mouth. For dessert we had a lilikoi cheesecake and green tea ice cream with warabi mochi. I didn't care for either. I can't wait to go back again so, I can try more! I want to change my four stars to 5.

    (4)

  • Sabrina T.

    This is prob the best izakaya restaurant I've ever been to! We got 5 little dishes and all were great. 5/5. We also tried the baked crab and the homemade mochi and green tea dessert.. amazzing! We came past 9pm and there was still a wait, so it's prob a good idea to make reservations if you plan to come in around the usual dinner hour.

    (5)

  • Marshall L.

    They just recently renovated/remodeled so check it out if you haven't been in a while. I really like this place. I would consider it one of the MOST authentic Japanese restaurants in town. We went on a double date with friends on a busy Sunday night. The place is small but cozy. It's usually packed so make reservations if you can. We got to sit at he tables with the pit seating...try to score those tables if you can. Gaku is a sushi/izakaya joint so make sure to go with friends that like to share dishes. We tried a bunch of stuff that night but the most memorable dishes are below: Otoro sashimi (Japanese blue fin tuna...holy crap this was delicious), tamago (Gaku brands a kanji on their's...kinda cool), uni ebi nigiri, baked king crab, flounder fish bones (they're like fish crackers), alligator karaage, natto bowl, miso butterfish It's a little pricey so make sure you're packing some heat. Great atmosphere and service made the experience even better. I would definitely go back and recommend friends. Final verdict: Gotta Try!

    (4)

  • Carol C.

    1. Sushi-Fresh 2. Service-Helpful and suggestive 3. Ambience-Nice lighting and great seating set-up 4. Presentation-Could use a little improvement 5. Pricey and worth it.

    (4)

  • Chris N.

    Gaku delivers it's high rank with quality food and friendly service. Where it lacks is elsewhere...literally. Space is tight both inside the restaurant and outside in the tiny parking lot. Parking remains the largest deterrent to dine here, and price some distance away. Despite these unintentional shortcomings, Gaku is one of the tastiest izakayas I've been to. Waiters are as scarce as they are friendly, so you'll find yourself guilt-ridden when you want to say something to your hard-working waiter/waitress who seems to be inattentive towards your needs. Nothing a tactful reminder won't remedy. Menu items as follows: Gaku Salad: I'm not much of a salad-eater, but would not hesitate to chow down on Gaku's unique salad. Away with stiff, generic lettuce and cold hard vegetable trimmings; it's time for fresh, leafy greens and a tangy original dressing! Baked King Crab: Unlike the crab sticks shown on the menu, the crab will be served as a frying patty. The right mixture of green onion, king crab, mayonnaise, and possibly salmon sings rapture with each bite. Though small, this item defines quality vs quantity. Jaga Butter Mentaiko: Fish eggs are a common deterrent to some, but mentaiko tastes more like Parmesan cheese while on Gaku's baked potato. There will be four cut pieces of potato, each topped generously with mentaiko. Twas a bit bland, but shoyu resolved that issue. Broiled Sausage: Rich, fatty sausages topped with cheese. Goes well with the Jaga Butter Mentaiko, adding some oil and salt to the dry potato. You'll get four short sticks of sausage. Spicy Tuna Roll: Eight dynamite-style sushi cuts, with some top quality spicy ahi in its center. It may not be the spiciest, but enough to be discernible from ordinary tuna. Filet Mignon: Eight slices of tender, juicy filet mignon bathing in a special "teriyaki" sauce with a small side of broccoli, carrot, and sweet potato (or possibly yam). Might be some of the best cuts I've ever had. Vanilla Tempura: I'd never heard of taking ordinary Vanilla Ice Cream and adding an outer shell of tempura. The result of my curiosity: an item that tasted like a cream puff with a thicker, crispier outer shell. The ice cream was mostly warm and melted, but the general taste was commendable. All this in one sitting (plus some drinks), running a bill of about $80. Somewhat expensive, but worth a trip or two every year.

    (5)

  • Bow C.

    Great food, great service, will definitely go there again. Otoro was nice and fresh, oysters were plump and sweet, all the sashimi were prime cuts and the hot foods were prepared to perfection. Hands down the best dinning experience I've had. A must try, you be the judge.

    (5)

  • Sam K.

    After reading all the good reviews this place got, I wanted to try this place. I was disappointed because the food came out so slowly, and it's super expensive for its portions. We waited an hour for a small sashimi dish and all of our orders came out one at a time. I don't know what's so good about this place, it's pretty a rip-off in my opinion. Maybe its cause we were Koreans...

    (1)

  • Emi H.

    My girlfriend Tamra & I went here one night and I was pleasantly surprised. We walked in and the first thing she said to me was "Well you know this is going to be really good because all the FOB japanese are sitting at the bar." I glanced behind me and sure enough, there were seven japanese girls sitting at the bar with their perfectly curled and auburn dyed hair. I'm not being a hater because I love people watching japanese girls in Waikiki and often wonder how much time they put into their morning get ready routine. Do they go to sleep looking this? It's quite fascinating, like watching animals raised in captivity run through the wild! We had the butterfish, taco basil, udon noodles and quite a few cocktails. Everything was completely delish and very clean tasting. The service was spot on and our water glass never went empty. The biggest problem with Sushi Izakaya Gaku is that it can sometimes be tough to get a table there. Hmm nice problem to have!

    (5)

  • David C.

    These guys are legit! We didn't actually order that much sushi, mostly izakaya faire. Especially loved the Moi!

    (5)

  • Vlad R.

    Great Place! Never a disappointment !!!

    (5)

  • Cris G.

    Really good food and good service. This place is really small and cozy inside, and I love the aesthetics. It's dim and has a nice interior. But because it's so small and popular, you will wait a long time if you don't have a reservation. My friend and I have waited over an hour for a table at times. Can be pricey if you keep ordering things which is so easy to do cause the portions are small. I love this place! It's a great little date spot too.

    (4)

  • Jay K.

    I could eat the garlic toro aburiyaki and mentai butter jyaga all night! Of course, being that Manabu-san was the head sushi chef at Imanas-Tei for years, I kind of like his spicy hamachi tar tar better than Imanas tsumani...

    (4)

  • Stephen B.

    Hideki you are my hero. We sat at the bar with some things in mind to order. We also took some recommendation from Hideki who was preparing the food behind the bar. Every recommendation he had was amazing. We enjoyed our choices too but next time I'm not even going to look at the menu. Hideki will decide for me.

    (5)

  • Huli H.

    Can't say enough good things about this place. My GF and I both love eating here. Food is always fresh, waiters, sushi chefs are always in a great mood and happy to suggest new things. Had the Batta Bacon?!! Wow, it had a nice smokie flavor with a little butter after taste...unreal. Hamachi Tartare is always something to order - always get a bowl of gohan with it. Can't wait to go back...just need to be sure to make reservations early.

    (5)

  • Diana T.

    My friend from Honolulu suggested this place for good sushi so my bf and I decided to try it on Dec 23-our first night flying in from LA. We loved it so much we came back on the 29th, just 6 nights afterwards to have it again before the flight home. Service/reservations: I was shocked to see a white guy serve us but he knows more Japanese than I do and he's a great guy with a fun character. We also got another non-Japanese server the last night. You really need to make reservations if you plan to eat between 5-7. Thankfully they were able to squeeze us in for 1 hr in between reservations but it's not fun being rushed because we ate things in all the wrong order =( Sushi chefs: really busy guys. The taller chef who stood in the middle on both nights was so HOT. He looks like he's in his 30s but really good looking. I couldn't help but look at him though I was with the love of my life. If you are reading this, message me. =D Food: Miso butterfish: 5 stars! Butterfish is so soft and melts in your mouth. I thought it would have ruined the perfect fish since it was cooked but it was so so good. It ran out the first night I was there so the 2nd night, my bf and I each got our own plates. Gaku's fried chicken was surprisingly delicious and crispy too. I winced when my bf ordered chicken at a sushi place but it was pretty good. Reminds me of a better popcorn chicken from boba places in San Gabriel Valley. Miso Katsu: Pretty good. I ordered rice to go with this but I honestly prefer my Katsu with curry so I wouldn't get this again. King Crab: This was delicious but I'm not sure what's in it. They crack open King Crab legs and add extra things on top. Tastes like the spicy mayo stuff and other things. DELICIOUS but costly for what you get. Sashimi: Unsure of what to order, we got the chef's combination of sashimi. Everything was good but there are a few that stood out. My bf loved the amaebi (sweet shrimp) but to me, I never liked raw shrimp for it feels like it leaves a powdery slime feel in my mouth afterward. MOI is so good and its a Hawaiian specialty so we went back the 2nd time to order a sashimi plate of this (6 pieces for $17?). OTORO (o-toro), FATTTTTY TUNA was so good! The second night we went back for a plate (6 pieces for $25). Sushi: Since the point of our trip to sushi places was to try the fish, we tried to skip sushi but the seared Otoro sushi looked and tasted amazing. Best sushi ever! I wanted to try seared moi sushi too but I was so full... Fried Fish Bones: Not on menu. After inquiring the server why they were hanging up fish bones to dry, he told us about the dish. If you love salted crunchy stuff, get this. It's a variety of random bones and sometimes taro chips with it. Get it anyway to try it out.

    (5)

  • Jocelyn L.

    YUM! I love Japanese pub food and this is one of the Best I've had! Rundown of Dishes: - Grilled Octopus- Done just right; the grilled taste was yummy! - Fried Calamari- good - Chicken Karaage- juicy - Lobster Cucumber Rolls in Vinegar- one of my fave dishes that nite - Spicy Hamachi with Quail Egg- SOOOO Good! We had to get 2 orders for our table of 5! - Bacon wrapped Asparagus- Good - Spicy Hamachi Rolls- good; tasted like ahi! - Mountain Yam Shiso Rolls- ummmm, my least fave dish - Oh!Toro- Wow. 5 pieces for $25! Actually they gave us 6 pieces. Melted in my mouth like Butter! Not even an exaggeration! - Handmade tofu with shoyu jelly- They ran out when we ordered it, but they made another batch for us! Definitely make reservations here. The wait can be horrendous

    (4)

  • Tamra P.

    As Emi H mentioned in her review, the first thing I told her about Sushi Izakaya Gaku was "well you know this is going to be really good because all the FOB japanese are sitting at the bar". Not just that but all the sushi chefs, and the wait staff (with the exception of the one haole guy that speaks Japanese pretty well) seem rather FOB-y. In a good way. Street cred. If you are impatient, visit during off hours. This place is small, always packed and seems to have a wait. Parking is no picnic either....if you are lucky there is a tiny lot or you have the adventure of finding parking somewhere on or just off of one-way King Street. Get past that and you are set to have a happy mouth. They have very unique, unexpected combinations of flavors like tako with basil. Their butterfish is absolutely to die for (who would have thought that orange slice could be so lovely?). The sushi was great, and I have had a number of dishes that I really enjoyed but can't remember because they have quite a bit of seasonal items that change. They have a nice sake selection as well. The less adventurous will also be pleased. I took my sister here for her birthday and she ordered 3 orders of tobiko sushi and an order of butterfish and I think udon yet she was equally delighted albeit boring. Writing this review is making me crave another visit....

    (5)

  • Atherfagalagi N.

    HOMOPHOBES! my boyfriend and i were planning our anniversary dinner so we called ahead to see if they took reservations, which they do not after 7:00 pm. when we walked in at 8:00 pm the maitre d' told us it would be a 30 minute wait. when we said we would wait he said, "oh no, more like 40-45 minutes".

    (1)

  • Vanessa B.

    Everytime my fellow New Yorkers are in town I always take them to Izakaya Gaku. The service is wonderful, the food is amazing, and the restaurant itself is well kept. It is definitely my favorite Japanese restaurant on the island. The portions are small and relatively expensive so be prepared to spend money on high quality and fresh food. It is worth it!!

    (5)

  • Kerry G.

    I feel as if I am in Japan here. The staff is extremely friendly, the food is authentic -- Japanese. The fresh Agadashi Tofu is my favorite however it sells out quickly. The sushi is perfect! Manabu-san puts much pride and love into his food. This is my favorite authentic Japanese restaurant.

    (5)

  • Patrick C.

    This place is one of my favorite sushi spots. Every sashimi dish that came out was fresh and flavored perfectly. Thee best Amaebi I've had...EVER! Even the head of that shrimp was deep fried to perfection. Otoro sushi was bomb!

    (4)

  • Rica S.

    This place blew me away. I went here with my fiance on the 2nd leg of our Hawaii vacation. We ordered a ton of things, with the total coming out to less than $200. I consider that a bargain. I got the uni shooter.... I'm drooling just thinking about it now. The negihamachi tartar was really delicious as well. Fresh, great quality seafood. There's no going wrong with that. Be prepared for a bit of a wait because I think a lot of people know how great this restaurant is. Service was awesome. And there seems to be a room in the back where it's traditional Japanese seating. There was a huge party coming out from back there.

    (5)

  • Sierrah I.

    Finally got to go to Izakaya Gaku. My boyfriend and I wanted to try Gaku for quite some time now, and since it was his birthday I figured, hey why not? So I called at around 3:30p.m. (They start taking reservations after 3:00p.m.) and made a reservation for the two of us. When we came in it was a full house! My boyfriend wanting to sit at a table, instead of the sushi bar asked the Host if we could wait for a table and give our bar seats to someone else. The Host was very appeasing and friendly and asked for his number and told us he'll call us as soon as our table was ready. So went across the street to the new Karaoke Speed (next to Champions Sports Bar) to check it out, and came back after a drink and a few Megatouch games. On to Gaku, I was more than fulfilled with our meal at Gaku. I'm sure whatever anyone chooses to order they won't be dissatisfied. Tonight we had: -Fresh Oysters $18 for half a dozen, but my boyfriend loved them so much he had to get a second order. -Fried Pumpkin with Sesame Dressing- This was a recommendation by the server. It was really tasty, a small bowl with cubes of kabocha fried and tossed in a sesame dressing. -Grilled Moi, I actually got to see one of the Chefs skewer and grill the fish O_O crazyyy My bf really enjoyed this he ate it clean! -Filet Mingon, this was really tender and good, only thing I didn't really enjoy was that the sauce that was all over the veggies and steak was very sweet! All the veggies were caramelized by this sauce which was kind of overwhelming. amaiiiii.. -Broiled Sausage, I am a japanese sausage lover!! Does that sound wrong? Hehee, Kurobuta sausage covered with melted cheese and tomatoes broiled! OMG I am in heaven. My favorite item of the night, haha. The thing I really was most impressed here by was the service. Gaku has excellent service and a very friendly staff. The whole night, every since person was the utmost accommodating and polite. When any one came in or left, there was always a "irrashaimase" or a "thank you very much good night" from every employee. Any question I had, they were more than willing to answer, and when it came time for dessert and the celebratory "happy birthday" song everyone was so great! They brought out a huge platter of desserts for my boyfriend and I, and embarrassed him by announcing his birthday and singing out loud! :) It was a great experience, and I'd be more than happy to come back again.

    (5)

  • JJ Z.

    Read many Yelp reviews and was excited to try this izakaya. Made a rezzy for my husband's birthday and was not disappointed. We had a fantastic experience! We both tried the "whole menu" omekase which the server said consisted of the most popular menu items as well as items from the daily specials menu. We started off with the menu's most popular dish, negihamachi tartar with quail egg. Amazing start! Then came oysters on the half shell from the daily specials menu. Lovely! After that, a beautiful sashimi platter with otoro and moi. We felt like kings! The staff does take your requests into consideration even with the omekase because they did serve us the baked king crab after I mentioned that it was the dish to try according to Yelp reviews. The food at first came at a good good clip, we would put the last morsel of food in our mouths and the next dish would arrive. The only unfortunate thing was that clip stopped at the start of the sushi. We had a noticeable wait for 5 pieces of sushi. I wish I could deduct only a 1/2 star for this because I do not think it warrants a whole star for the wait, but a wait nonetheless. We finished with a kabocha mousse with chilled banana slices drizzled with chocolate which was divine. We are definitely looking forward to our next dining experience here!

    (4)

  • ninja m.

    Gaku is fabulous! Ninja munchies highly approves. Sitting at the counter was a wonderful experience and the sushi was top-notch! The sushi chefs were very friendly and informative. We trusted them to prepare sushi and other dishes and were not disappointed at all! Favorites include: uni, ikura (which has a unique smokiness to it), moi (sooo good), aji, amaebi and so much more. Even the clam and octopus, which is not usually to our liking, was delicious. Based on recommendations, also tried the fried fish bones, which was crispy and somehow refreshing. Don't forget to check the menu for specials of the night, which also include desserts that are changed daily. Interestingly, the sushi chef informed us that the beginning of the week has a larger variety of fresh local fish, and the second half of the week is more focused on fish flown in from Japan. Try it, you won't be disappointed. Only downside is the wait and lack of parking, but it's so worth it!!! haiya, ninja munchies

    (5)

  • Crissy K.

    Everyone has had such wonderful things to say about the food service here, the sheer amount of information can be overwhelming . . . so here's the main point: Do NOT miss the garlic seared toro. Many other things at Gaku are good, but this is truly melt-in-your-mouth, smoky fabulousness. If you enjoy good fish, period, you will not be disappointed.

    (4)

  • Tyra S.

    I always enjoying going here. Great food. I'm vegetarian and last time I went, they ran out of vegetables at 8pm. Other than that, normally great place! Just make sure you reserve two day in advance, especially if you want a table.

    (4)

  • Krissy K.

    Um, this place is amazeballs. If you read my profile, you will notice that I do not eat sushi. Yeahyeahyeah, I know I'm Japanese, but the smell and taste of vinegared rice gives me the heebs. I also spent most of my life avoiding fish, cooked or otherwise, but thankfully my taste buds have become more open to it in the past few years.With those caveats in place, here's a list of the things I ate last night (well what I can remember anyway): Spicy negihamachi Tartare Baked King Crab Tako Basil Seared Chutoro Filet Mignon Grilled Kabocha Yasai Papio Carpaccio Oysters Moi Hamachi kama Assorted desserts The fact that I, a non-fish lover, found everything to be so good is a testament to the quality of the food here. While the hamachi kama and even the moi were a little too fishy for me, I chalk that up to my lame taste buds. The service was outstanding as well. Our bill was pretty high, but that's mainly because we were downing very expensive bottles of sake. Our server actually tried to advise against it and suggest more reasonably priced options. As everyone else stated, make reservations (we got lucky, but I'd never risk that again). If you find street parking, take it. I can't wait to go back!

    (5)

  • Doug M.

    The best meal of the vacation in O'ahu. Authentic, fresh, and delicious food backed up by great service at a very reasonable price. The restaurant is small and intimate which allows for proper care to each dish and customer. One warning - you must make reservations before you go as they are usually booked and you will be turned away! The negehamachi tar tar was our favorite. The hamachi was fresh, and the marinade topped with quail egg was a tasty combination. The chu toro tataki was also very fresh and 'melt in your mouth' delicious. The other dishes ordered - Baked King Crab, Agedashi Mochi /w Pork, Shitake Mushroom and Salmon, and Tako w/ Basil were also very delicious. No such restaurant like this (that I know of) exists on the mainland. Can't wait to come back on the next vacation!

    (5)

  • Flyboy F.

    Food is awesome. Whole Moi shioyaki fantastic. Sushi, fresh and rice done perfectly. Sashimi beautiful. Have had almost everything on the menu and have enjoyed it all. Staff super friendly and efficient. Hard to get a table or seat at the sushi bar. Always so busy and place is very small. Have had to leave quite a few times because wait too long. Very expensive but worth every hard earned penny!

    (5)

  • Tom Y.

    My sister recommended Izakaya Gaku and the experience was memorable. You muse secure reservations because if you don't, you might expect to eat after 8:30 p.m. Apparently they only take reservations from 5-7 p.m. then it's first-come-first-served. We happened to be lucky and got a seat at the sushi bar where all of the action takes place. Ordered the homemade tofu, chef's choice sashimi, taco/basil/garlic dressing, ebi fry, king crab cake, oh toro and uni shooter. Overall the flavors are traditional Japanese with a beautiful presentation. I thoroughly enjoyed the experience however if you want bold flavors, you will not find it here. My wife thinks this is the best overall Japanese experience in Hawaii which is a pretty big statement. For me, this is top 3 but I'm holding my true opinion for my second and third visits.

    (5)

  • Easy E.

    Make a reservation if you plan to go before 7pm. Luckily we got there at like 5:15pm when the place was still half-empty and they were able to squeeze us into the corner of the sushi bar as long as we promised to vacate before 7pm. No problem for us because we were hungry and ready to rock. Beggers cannot be choosy! We ordered: Uni Shooter - my favorite, of course I savored the uni and chewed that sucker up, great mix of flavors with whatever else is in that little shot glass Fresh Canadian Oysters - very small and very tasty ponzu mix with these Baked Crab Cake - very good Spicy Negihamachi Tartar - comes with raw quail egg on top and you mix it up and spread it over seaweed, good stuff! Omakase Sashimi - pretty good, included Toro which was the best part by far. Everything else was pretty standard, Tuna, Salmon, Albacore, Spanish Mackeral, and Sweet Shrimp. Echigo - washed it all down with a bottle of Echigo = very yum. They also have bottled Asahi, Kirin, and Bud Light. Not sure who comes here for a Bud Light? Service gets a little slow once they get crowded, but understandable since we did not make reservations and others did. Will definitely be back in the future to try more of the interesting stuff and will pass on the standard sashimi/nigiri.

    (4)

  • Vicky C.

    Oh. My. Goodness. It's so good here. Great. Fantastic. All those positive adjectives that you'd like to use now would be the time. Service was personable, though not terribly fast but you don't want that anyways when you're chatting away and sipping sake, and the food was good, not all favorites but my least favorite is still beating all the other restaurants. Walked in around 7:30pm on a Saturday and only had to wait a few minutes for them to wipe off the seats at the bar. Was told there'd be a 45 minute wait for a table so best to make reservations. There was a 3 member family waiting outside for a table, I think they had to wait less than an hour. It's a tiny place so that's a reasonable amount of time. I don't quite remember everything I had, but most memorable was some uni wrapped in halibut with a piece of mint (best without the mint imo), oysters with this green onion dressing and the marinated big fish eggs. And the green tea ice cream with this mochi. That mochi was the best part, it's lightly powdered and chewy without being tough. Highly recommended. I'd only planned to stayed for two hours or so but instead we ended up staying till they almost closed. The staff is very friendly and funny. My sister and I was carded when we first ordered the sake, then the other waiter checked with our waitress to make sure she carded us, then the host checked and finally the chefs checked, separately. I guess we do look very young. One of the chefs asked if we're ok to get home safely (we, I, had two bottles) and if he needed to call a cab for us. So sweet. I'll be going back at least once more before my trip to Hawaii is done. Again, highly recommended...........though we did end up spending around $60 per person here. But then again we did order multiple times. Without consulting the menu so......order with sobriety!

    (5)

  • Russel M.

    Gaku is still riding in the top tier of all Izakaya type restaurants. We always turn the Chefs loose and are never disappointed. The Service is top notch and you feel like family. I hope everyone that lives and visits Honolulu will make a point to visit it. You won't be sorry....

    (5)

  • Rachelle B.

    A Perfect Way To End The Week And Kick Off The Weekend... Since moving to Oahu, I had been looking for a sushi restaurant to fill the void once filled by the one I left. My favorite sushi restaurant back home had set a pretty high bar and I was doubtful I'd ever find a suitable substitute. Yet, as they say, the most amazing things appear when you least expect it. Such was the case with Sushi Izakaya Gaku! Designed with sushi purists in mind, you won't find a lot of fancy schmancy rolls or tourist-oriented creations here. What you will find is a respectable variety of consistently fresh fish prepared with precision and beautifully presented by Japanese culinary artists. The atmosphere is cozy and often lively, the food is always fresh and flavorful, and the staff are consistently attentive and on their game. Feeling a bit daring and adventurous? Sit at the bar and indulge in the chef's recommendations. You won't go wrong. In just a relatively short period, Sushi Izakaya Gaku has become one of my favorite restaurants on the island. Though I often reminisce with love and fondness for the one I left behind, I have found a new sushi love and Friday evening dining spot in Sushi Izakaya Gaku and life is wonderful again...

    (5)

  • Nemo O.

    Impressive. Delicious food, friendly service, everything well-done, not expensive, authentic dishes, and lively atmosphere.

    (5)

  • Kelly T.

    Sushi was awesome. Freshest roe I've ever tasted. Service was solid and friendly. The wait time and parking was a nightmare though. The place is tiny and there's no waiting/bar area so we had to go somewhere else to kill an hour. We didn't get seated until 10pm on a Tuesday night. The food did not disappoint but not sure if the hassle was totally worth it.

    (4)

  • Jamie O.

    Went here for dinner for the first time last night, and our experience was excellent! The atmosphere is great: authentic and intimate. I also loved the service; all of the waiters & waitresses spoke Japanese & were so helpful. When you asked for something, like a new bowl of rice, or extra napkins, it came right away! My favorite thing to eat was the Spicy Ahi Tartar! I could eat that all day! It was just the perfect amount of spicy & sweet, with crisp nori & the perfect sticky rice! Another great thing I loved about this restaurant is because sometimes the wait is long (they gave us a wait time of 40-60minutes - we got there at 740) they take a telephone number and will call you when the table is ready. They said we can go do something else; we didn't have to actually stand outside the restaurant! Although this place is a little pricey, it was beyond worth it for all of us who went. Hands down, this is the best japanese sushi place i've been to yet!

    (5)

  • Norberto D.

    Quite possibly of one of the best sushi restaurants, if not THE best sushi restaurant i have EVER been to in the world. Having eaten sushi in Japan, San Francisco, Washington D.C. and New York, i can honestly say you will NOT be disappointed. , A true hole in the wall. From the outside you would never ever guess the gem of a restaurant that is waiting for you on the inside. If you're not careful you can easily miss Izakaya driving down S. King Street. The service is TOP notch, their sake selection is fantastic, and the food rivals some of the best fine dinning restaurants Oahu has to offer (i.e., La Mer, Nobu, Roy's, etc). The hamachi tar tar with the quail egg was delictable. So was the basil tako with daikon relish. As was the pumpkin tempura. There is nothing on the menu that isn't prepared with the most meticulous attention to detail. My giflfriend is a staunch sushi critic and she gives this place an 11 out of 10. When we left Izakaya we were litterally floating to the parking lot and it was NOT because of the awesome sake. If you eat nowhere else while visiting Oahu, you have to try Izakaya Gaku. WE LOVE THIS RESTAURANT

    (5)

  • Swee L.

    We went there on Wednesday night, it was packed. The wait was an hour! Always always make a reservation!! It's a very small restaurant! Food and services were amazing!! They have creative Japanese dishes. Not just the ordinary sushi and ramen. MUST get the spicy tartar, baked crab legs, seared toro tataki and sashimi! We asked for special foods that are not on the menu, those were really great too!! Will definitely visit again!

    (5)

  • Melissa K.

    For the past several weeks I've had a hankering for amazing quality sushi and after the fabulous reviews, decided to check out Izakaya Gazu. We were fortunate to score a full table. The restaurant is small but I didn't feel claustrophobic. I loved the style of the menu (wood?) and the little dishes on the table looked like handmade ceramic. Very nice. The napkins were held down by a stone. Wow! =) We started off with the fried calamari, shrimp and vegetable tempura, chawanmushi (my comfort food) ... the calamari was perfect and so fresh! The batter on the tempura was superb, the shrimp melted in my mouth (it was literally the best shrimp I've ever had), and the vegetables (sweet potato, okra, mushroom) were perfect. The chawanmushi arrived super hot and bubbling ... the shiitake mushroom was fresh, the chicken was delicious (and I typically don't eat thigh meat), and the shrimp was succulent. The custard itself was delicate and not overly salty-- could definitely taste the subtle hints of mirin. Ordered the papio carpaccio ... the temperature of the fish was cold and perfect ... but ... well, although the quality of the fish itself was very good, we didn't think that the papio made an ideal choice (tuna would have been better) for the dish. It was a bit sinewy and it just wasn't a good pairing. The sauce was a blend of olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and perhaps a dash of mirin but it was too strong, and rather than complementing the papio, it overwhelmed, and just wasn't that good so the dish just sat there, half eaten. I loved the seafood dynamite-- the seafood pieces were all so delicious! Even though there were only the two of us, we ordered the sashimi platter ($65) for 3-5 people (nine types of fish). At this point, the service, which had been outstanding, began to waver. We waited and waited until finally the sashimi arrived. The busser just put it on the table ... no explanation of what was what so we picked our way around the plate. The fatty tuna was sooo good. We were disappointed that the papio was included ... we just don't think it is tasty when served raw. Although the fish was high quality and I normally love sashimi, I didn't love this platter; I barely liked it. I felt like I was forcing myself to eat it. When I got to the car, I felt ill. Even now, the thought of sashimi makes me a little ill. BUT the dynamite was delicious and the tempura was SO GOOD-- the best restaurant tempura (my Grandma makes better). =) Five dishes, a beer, and the large sashimi platter ... $130. I was satisfied but my dining friend was still hungry so we went elsewhere.

    (4)

  • Sushi Criticz A.

    I really enjoyed Izakaya Gaku. Atmosphere and vibes were awesome. Fried fish bones...a huge plus! The negihama tartar was to die for. And the UNI during that night was the best I have ever had. I am really glad I found this place. Fun, relaxing, and gooood sushi. Definitely a place to come with friends to hang out, eat and drink as well as a place where you can just take your girl or wife and have a good time. Also - prices are very fair. I was surprised when my bill came out under $100. Another plus! Definitely recommended.

    (4)

  • Olivia D.

    Although I've only just eaten at Gaku for the first time, I was so impressed that I think it might be my favorite izakaya. My friends and I have always gone to Tokkuri-Tei, but the atmosphere, food quality and flavor and service is much better than at Gaku and I like that the food is a bit more authentic here. My favorite dish was the first one they served, a simple dish of fried chunks of kabocha (pumpkin) sprinkled with kuro goma (black sesame seeds) and green onions and served with a wonderfully creamy sweet miso sauce. It was the best pumpkin dish I've ever had. My friend ordered the maguro chazuke and he raved about it. He said the slices of maguro on the rice were flavored with something citrusy--must have been some kind of yuzu paste?--and the whole bowl was delicious mixed together. I had the cold udon with oroshi and green onions. The sanuki udon was nice and firm and the chilled broth was balanced between sweet and savory. It wasn't too expensive, either--I think only $5.50 for the bowl. I remembered someone on Yelp recommending the Taraba no Kyurimaki su, but I don't recommend it. It's a cold dish of king crab legs wrapped in a thin cucumber slice and nori and sliced into rounds served on a bed of mozuku seaweed in a vinegary sauce. It looks like crab sushi. The texture is nice, but you can't get any flavor from the crab. The clams we had were nice and fresh, in a sake broth. Everything else we had was good, but didn't stand out. The service is very good here. We had two Caucasian male servers (who speak fluent Japanese with great accents) and a Japanese female and they were so polite and friendly. They had three sushi chefs working also, so the sushi was flying off the counter. Although I loved the atmosphere, the restaurant is so small that other conversations can get very loud and intrusive. It's a bit pricey, but I can't wait to go back and try the rest of the menu.

    (5)

  • Nathan K.

    WOW. Just WOW! I'm speechless after dining here with friends last week. Still thinking about the Hamachi Tartar. The fresh uni I ate which I usually hate. Believe all the five star ratings you see others post here. This is not a cheap meal, but if you're looking for quality and a great experience, this is your place.

    (5)

  • David J.

    Went here not too long ago and have to say everything was great! Definitely one of my favorite places to go for good sushi. I had the Omakase set and figured I let the chef decide what they serve me. The presentation of the food was excellent and the sushi was so fresh it just melted in my mouth. I really didn't know raw fish could melt in your mouth. Did you? Maybe I'm just exaggerating. I also had a full bottle of Sochu with my friend and that was mistake! That's a different story though. The service was excellent, can speak Japanese, and the people were very accomodating. I thought the price was pretty fair as far as sushi place goes. Not too expensive, but not Genki sushi cheap. Crap, did I say Genki sushi? Absolutely no comparison by the way. Sorry Sushi Izakaya if I offended you. I do recommend that you make reservation since the place is pretty popular and fairly small in size. If you like good sushi, you have to try this place out.

    (5)

  • Austen I.

    One of the bad things about yelp is the huge expectations it places on restaurants. There's an enormous amount of hype when a restaurant has 166 reviews and 4.5 stars. Gaku isn't afraid of the hype. Gaku laughs in the hype monster's face and serves up dishes that makes you wish you were 300 pounds just so you could eat more. I chose to go with the omakase, or chef's choice since it was my first time. I got the omakase with a friend so it included dishes that were meant to be shared such as the hamachi tar tar, papio carpacccio and sushi. It included tofu w/ dashi jelly, washington oysters flew in that afternoon, uni wrapped with hirame, hamachi tar tar, papio carpaccio, assorted nigiri, and green tea ice cream. Everything we had ranged from good to awesome. I was really impressed with the fish quality. The sushi included seared and raw nigiri. It was standard fare, with toro, uni, ikura, hirame, saba, tako, sake, maguro, engawa. Their otoro, uni, and ikura were crazy good. The toro and uni were ridiculously creamy and fatty and just melted in your mouth. Someone noticing me eating the toro and said, "So when are you going to swallow that?" I wanted to enjoy every second of that otoro. Damn you for being so expensive ($13 for 2 pieces) and delicious! Their ikura is house marinated in something that I can't remember, but it was great. Salty and fresh. All the salty, pop in your mouth goodness you can expect of great ikura. If you were wondering what the sushi portion of the omakase is going to cost, it was $119 for 16 pieces of sushi: 1 seared otoro 1 seared hirame 1 seared saba 1 seared engawa 2 uni 2 ikura 1 otoro 1 maguro 1 saba 1 hirame 1 engawa 1 tako 1 amaebi 1 sake It ended up being $119 for 16 pieces of sushi or around $7.40/piece for 2 people. Their non-sushi dishes were great as well. The hamachi tar tar and tofu w/ dashi jelly are things that I would get every time I go back. As other reviewers have stated, expect to wait. It's nice that they understand the long wait time and let you put your name and number down. You can go to Tsunami's across the street to have some pre-dinner drinks and they will call you when your table is ready. Their service is helpful, timely, and knowledgable. Gakuuuuuuu I love youuuuuu.

    (4)

  • Ying Y.

    Such an awesome night in this restaurant. We had 8 pax and so we were in a room, the children sat on the inside and adults gathered together. We ate so much, the children loved the unagi roll, rib eye and the chicken fried balls. We had the sashimi combo plate for four os and ordered a bunch of side dishes. So good, every order was good and fresh. For me, I enjoyed my hot sake very much too, drinking and eating at the same time. Very nice! The service staff, Daniel, was extremely personable and I must say this restaurant was one of the favorite things we did in our Hawaii vacation! Spicy Ahi Tartare, fresh Uni and Papio Sashimi plate were all my favs! Must try!

    (5)

  • Erika H.

    Just magnificent. The seared garlic toro sushi was the single best bite of sushi we ever had.

    (5)

  • Kim S.

    Oh, Gaku, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways. 1. Daily specials So many different, delicious-sounding options, it's hard to choose. Ask your server to make a recommendation & you won't be disappointed...At least, I've never been. 2. Fresh seafood My husband is very critical when it comes to the quality of his fish & he's more than content with what is found at Gaku. 3. Filet mignon We order it medium rare but it usually ends up a little more on the rare side, which we love. The sauce is delicious & the assortment of roasted vegetables compliment the dish nicely. 4. Great service The servers are friendly & quick, the temperature of the food is always perfect. 5. Cute sushi chef One of the sushi chef's is hot. This doesn't hurt when you get seated at the sushi bar..At least you have something nice to look at while waiting for your nigiri. There are a few downers, but neither are enough to detract from my 5 star rating. -There's a small parking lot but it SUCKS. If the lot is full you'll have a bitch of a time turning around & getting out of there, especially if you're a horrible asian female driver like myself (At least I'm honest. I find myself doing the Austin Powers stuck-in-a-hallway-reverse-go-forward-reverse-go-­forward maneuver waaay more often than I should). Street parking opens @ 6:30 & if you can score a spot right out front it's money. -It's ALWAYS busy. Make a reservation. My husband & I always decide where we're eating last minute so we usually try to walk in, which often results in disappointment.

    (5)

  • Regina F.

    It's funny: I really, really enjoy natto or whatever that fermented soybean dish is called. I don't enjoy fermented soybeans mixed with raw quail egg. That isn't delicious...because there's surprisingly little...flavor...if any at all. I even hired a tiny tongue to try to taste a tiny bit of fermentation...but that tiny tongue couldn't even do it.

    (3)

  • Juliet M.

    The food was fantastic. OUr table was an eclectic mix of foodies and heifers...all and alll we all left happy. A fabulous thing! I will be back soon

    (5)

  • Michelle M.

    We felt like we were transported to Japan during our amazing meal here. Recommend reservations a few days out. If you are a couple or trio also recommend bar seating because you can see the talented chefs up close and in action! Great service, food, and atmosphere.

    (5)

  • Yoshi M.

    This is place is seriously AS GOOD AS IT GETS in HAWAI'I. Oh come on, i dream about their food ALL THE TIME now that I live in NY and being that I cannot get quality sushi unless i pay a fortune... or i end up eating sushi made by chinese ppl (SORRY! not discriminating but it is just NOT the same!!!!) THIS IS the place I first write on my "go to list" when I know I am going home. BEST SUSHI IN HI period. Fresh fish and they have a BIG variety. OYSTERS are out of this world, best oysters I've had in the US.... BIG and creamy... ! LOL.... Best sushi, great service.... I can't say MORE. It's only morning here but I am getting hungry thinking about their food.... *SHOOT ME NOW*****!!!

    (5)

  • Elizabeth N.

    Thanks again fellow Yelpers for pointing my tummy in the right direction. Everything was super fresh and properly prepared and balanced in taste. Light yet flavorful. Simple yet filling. Pretty yet substantial. Again, from Yelp suggestions, I tried the misoyaki butterfish, the spicy hamachi tartar, moi & clam sushi nigiri style and a whole bunch of the specials recommended from our very attentive and knowledgable server. Sorry, I can't even remember the names of it, I just ate! I didn't feel the prices were over the top BUT like all good japanese restaurants, you will pay for quality and prep/presentation. Also, its just that portions are also small and everything looks/taste so yummy you end up ordering choke stuff! But really, dinner for two (no alcohol, just green tea) was $90 including tip. Not bad at all. I will definitely come back again for a date night to try the rest of the menu. Here's the recap of my experience: Pros: -SUPER fresh food. Loved how our server even suggested to give our clam nigiri a smack and watch it puff up because "you can test how fresh clam is by giving it a good tap. If it doesn't react, it's not that fresh." -Ambiance: It's a small restaurant but very cozy and clean with somehwhat modern but traditional decor. From the decor and the mix of patrons, I really felt like I was in a small restaurant in New York or a Tokyo side street versus on King St. in Honolulu. -Service: Very attentive and knowledgeable. -Small parking lot in the back Cons: -Small restaurant and yup not really young kid/baby friendly due to lack of space. Do yourself a favor leave the keiki behind when you come here so that you can savor and enjoy your time. I think kids over 5 could come here but my 1 year old? NOT. -So good its hard to get a seat so make reservations in advance. They only take reservations from 5-7pm. After that its first come first serve. BUT the wait staff knows their stuff so call them and as when its best to come. They had no reservations available when I called but the man I spoke to, told me to come at 7:30 and sure enough, wide open. We were seated right away. -Parking could be tricky depending on the time you come. The small lots fills up quick and street parking, even at 730p, was a little hard on a Weds. Had to circle the block before finding something in the residential area.

    (5)

  • Jim M.

    Clean Punctual service. Efficient, friendly staff We had a large sashimi tray and it was a melt in your mouth delicious..Other waitress suggestions brought more small dishes.... Recc: Since the menu is large, we left it up to the chef.....you will not leave hungry or stuffed... If parking is a problem WAL-**** is about four blocks away....

    (5)

  • Salad S.

    Gaku is my favored restaurant! Friendly service great food!

    (5)

  • Dons A.

    Reservations recommended

    (4)

  • Dianne H.

    I luv food & I luv Gaku! Fair prices: delicious food. Easiest to park at Walmart & walk over. Salmon sashimi & butterfish! :D

    (5)

  • John P.

    How do you give a place 10 stars on Yelp? Let me start by saying once, long ago, a wealthy friend took me to a Michelin 3 Diamond restaurant in France (Auberge de l'Ill), and Izakaya Gaku is the only other place I've ever eaten on this top top level. The quality of the food, the preparation, the taste, the service..all 100% as good as it gets. By far the best restaurant I've ever eaten at in Hawaii. Simply amazing food. For some people the appeal will be completely lost...it'll seem like a basic Japanese sushi bar, but if you are Japanese, or want the best Japanese food available outside of Japan, GO HERE. It's not even expensive...we spent $100 for two people eating everything we could, drinking good sake, etc. I highly suggest to not get sushi and get the amazing prepared foods. Good sushi is much more commonly found, so forgo that and get the seared garlic toro or the cod kama..OMG! Of course the hamachi tartar is rockin' and the presentation is sublime perfection. I wish I live on Oahu just for this one reason alone! lol. Wish I could forget about the toro...sigh.

    (5)

  • Sheryl G.

    what: izakaya style restaurant... what is that exactly? japanese restaurant that serves food along with alcohol! can't go wrong with that~! something good: i love the interior of this restaurant... on the outside looks like a old hole in the wall but on the inside is a traditional, homey japanese style eatery. i love the dim, rustic feeling of this place. the big parties are seated in an area where you sit on these pillows and you need to take of your shoes :D !! the service is great! and the food is delicious! i am seriously impressed... this is coming from someone who never dared to eat natto and the food here was so beautiful that i just needed to try it :) something not so good: i really can't say just yet... i ate family style for my first time but i definitely need to come back and order off the menu :) something to try: i'll update on my second visit :D

    (5)

  • Aline T.

    This izakaya is top notch in service, food, and atmosphere. I really appreciate that they allow reservations only from 5 PM - 7 PM to actually give people who don't call a week in advance a chance to eat here. The food and service is just overwhelmingly good and they are consistently so! The fish was so fresh and exceptionally executed and presented. When I saw a picture of salmon wrapped ikura nigiri that is not typically offered ala carte, they made it for me. They have a specials page in the menu and it featured the seasonal matsutake which made me very happy! Our waiter was kind and attentive. When they accidentally put wasabi in the kani nigiri, they gracefully offered us another one at no charge. There are very few restaurants that make me feel peacefully happy, like all is right in the world. Gaku is one of them.

    (5)

  • Lynne T.

    Their ikura is amazing! All of their sushi is fresh and very very tasty. The ikura is slightly sweet and the best I've tasted in Hawaii. Every time I go I have at least 5 orders of this stuff! I would also say their tamago is one of the best in Hawaii. It is a very pleasant dining experience with delicious Japanese food. Parking is hard to find since there aren't many spots. We've parked at walmart and walked to the restaurant since it was easier.

    (5)

  • Koichi T.

    EXCELLENT EXPERIENCE After cancelling the reservation at Nanzan GiroGiro, I made a reservation at Gaku. Although my girlfriend and I arrived much earlier than the reservation time around 6pm, the host (possibly manager) escorted to our seats without hesitation. We were escorted to sushi counter where we could enjoy watching the food being prepared. Server was professional and all of the chefs we spoke to was very friendly. Everything we had at the restaurant was great including sushi such as otoro, amaebi, hamachi, giant clam, ebi, salmon, very sweet uni shooter, and assorted agedashi items such as shrimp ball, eggplant, and shishito. Although everything was great what we really really enjoyed were king crab cake and the oysters. Crab cake was JUST AMAZING. It's a definitely a must try since I won't be able to describe it well. Oysters were sooooooooooooo fresh that they had none of the old oyster taste.. I hope you know what I mean. lol What was also amazing was the efficiency of all workers. By 7'oclock, the restaurant was packed and turning customers away. However, we hardly waited for the food to be served to us. We enjoyed the desert and wrote our wishes for tanabata festival and hang our tanzaku on the way out. I thought it wassuch a wonderful way to make the dining experience special. We would DEFINITELY return to Gaku to try many other items we could not try. I would highly recommend you making a reservation and visit Gaku to have a wonderful dining experience! Gochiso~samadeshita~

    (5)

  • William E.

    The only izakaya better is in Japan. Not sure what to order? Ask the waiter. Try everything he recommends. We did and were pleased. Can't recall what it all was at this point, though. Venue is small but they take reservations for certain times. Have your wallet ready because these are Japan prices, but not unreasonable considering the quality and service. If you end up on the waiting list, there's a bar just down the block -- go hang there until they call you on the phone!

    (4)

  • Randy C.

    This place is where I go to eat on my birthday, that's saying something because I get my choice of anywhere I want. The sushi is always on point and great quality. Now and then they'll have a different variety of hamachi to choose from, hamachi is my weakness so they got me right off the bat. The hamachi tartar is delicious. Usually I wouldn't want to change anything about hamachi but the addition of the quail egg, negi, tobiko and spiciness atop the sheets of nori is a really tasty way to get your meal cracking. Unagi is on point... nuff said. The ika geso is beautifully fried and seasoned as well. Great selection of sakes and beer. All in all, this place is a winner... take someone there on their birthday ;)

    (5)

  • Rebecca F.

    He said: "Would you like to have dinner sometime. You can pick the place." I smiled and said "I'd love to. Let's go to Izakaya Gaku." I made a reservation. We ordered lots of food and two glasses of sake. He tried the sake, and said he was surprised he liked it because he doesn't usually like sake. He relaxed. We ate. We talked. The food was superb. The service, too, was excellent. Conversation flowed. He looked handsome with a fried fish bone in his hand. We agreed to go on a second date. It was then we realized we had nothing in common. Everything had been so wonderful at Gaku that we thought we clicked. Be warned: This is such a great place for a first date, but the food is intoxicating. You might think you like your date a lot more than you actually do. : )

    (5)

  • Erin F.

    Gaku is absolutely my favorite Japanese restaurant in Hawaii. I dine at Gaku when I'm in a celebratory mood or just plain moody. I usually get the ikagesu, tori karaage, spicy negihama tartar, and salmon skin roll, which is always satisfying. And for a mood-turner, the oh-toro sashimi is totemo ichiban! AND, when I'm feeling a little adventurous (I'm a control-freak), omakase all the way! Bottom line, the food is excellent, the service is super, the chefs are innovative, but quasi-traditional. I highly recommend Gaku -- the chef carefully prepares a new menu of some variations of the night-before--so open your mind to some giblets (intestines) or some fresh papio carpaccio with yuzu. Complement the dishes with some sake, and you'll be in a celebratory mood all night.

    (5)

  • Norm G.

    I recently ate here for the first time with my family. I had the salmon, along with the spicy negihamachi appetizer, which is this raw fish that you wrap in nori; it was really delicious. My wife also shared her sashimi platter with me, which was also good. Our party of 4 adults and 2 kids got to sit in the tatami room, which was great. The total bill was $180. The waitress was very friendly and helpful, and we plan to return at some point in the future.

    (5)

  • Connie L.

    Gaku is way better than Sasabune. Better food, less pretentious staff, greater variety, and better ambience. While vacationing in Hawaii a local friend took us to Gaku. We ordered the deep fried fish bones, butterfish, fresh water eel, oysters, yellowtail, toro, salmon, rockfish, kanpachi, baked king crab, scallops, uni, masago, some cooked shrimps, and shochu. I wish we had this restaurant in Los Angeles. It was THAT GOOD. Make reservations or be prepared to wait... but it's well worth it, ya?!

    (5)

  • Victoria C.

    My fiancé loves this place!! It's an awesome little Izakaya place that has the best spicy tuna. You must also try the tartar.. my fav =) I would say pretty much everything is pretty good here. Service is great and always up to par. Beware though, it gets pretty busy so make reservations!

    (5)

  • jen y.

    Great place - nice ambiance, clean, great food, great service. Service is friendly and professional, unlike many other sushi places in town. Portion size was smaller than expected but food quality and presentation made it easier to appreciate. My favorite thing to do when I go there is to sit at the bar and trust whatever the chef gives you - it's an experience to be enjoyed. Reservations are recommended! Parking can be a little tricky.

    (5)

  • Tasha T.

    I would give 6 stars if I could. Brandon Y. swore by this place, and said "if Japanese people from Japan come here, it must be good." Interestingly enough, there was also a significant amount of non-Japanese patrons, and everyone seemed equally delighted. Long story short, I left extremely happy and food coma'd as soon as I got home. Overall experience was amazzzzing. Top notch service. Great for small parties to mingle and enjoy the ambiance. AWESOME for foodies to enjoy the exploding flavorful dishes. Here's my experience in more detail: Rule #1: I HIGHLY RECOMMEND MAKING RESERVATIONS. If not, expect to wait well over an hour because this place is small and people stay here forever in their pursuit of trying the different dishes. Note: They will never kick you out because they care more about individual experience than turning over tables ;) Service is pristine, and you will feel like you are a welcomed guest in their restaurant "home". As soon as we stepped barely halfway into the door, we instantly felt welcomed. It was such an amazing vibe that really showed they really appreciated our business. The decor, the atmosphere, the etiquette all reminded me of Japan. I couldn't believe I was in Hawaii... it was that authentic. But one thing stood the test of this: the food. RULE #2: If it looks/sounds good, TRY IT. We ordered from the daily specials menu and other items that were recommended, as follows: -Omatsuri Natto: This alone made my meal (and night). Natto lovers, be ready to have a fun-filled array of different bursting flavorful, fresh ingredients that you already love. It features onion, yama-ito, maguro, quail egg, uni and ikura which you mix together and eat with nori for a delicious festival in your mouth. -Hamachi tartar: It's like an ultra premiere version of the island favorite, spicy ahi. The fresh hamachi combined with quail egg, green onions, and masago is eaten with nori, and even though the portion seemed small, lasted the entire dinner. -Monkfish liver sushi topped w/ ponzu jelly: Manabu (sushi chef/owner) will politely recommend to eat this in one bite without shoyu. Just obey, and you will see why. Explosion of goodness in your mouth. -Filet mignon: O M G. It came out looking like a typical steak w/ vegetables... But this was a total mouthgasm. You have to try it to understand. -Deep fried fish bone chips: I was a little skeptical about this because I had never eaten fish bones before. But once I got over it, I realized they were very interesting (in a good way) in both taste and consistency. Glad I tried it! :) -Zenzai with mochi balls & ice cream dessert: Great way to wrap up the ultimate experience. Rule #3: TALK STORY with the staff! They are very friendly and super chill. Try to sit at the sushi bar so you can chit chat with Manabu (sushi chef/owner). This guy loves his job, loves life, and loves Hawaii. He's been all over and has his share of experiences. During our conversation, we figured out that we're neighbors! Small island... That really brought me close to home (lame joke, I know :P). Rule #4: Definitely GO BACK on another occasion if you don't get to try something that you wanted to. There are different specials offered on different days. You really gotta just get lucky to go on the days that a certain item is featured. If not, then just come back again and cross your fingers :) In attempts to try so many things, I left full. Despite how small the portions seem, your eyes will be bigger than your stomach. Just take it easy, and return at another time (hopefully I get to go back soon). Izakaya Gaku, Arigatou! Honto ni oishikatta desu ^__^ Mata ne~

    (5)

  • Sandy N.

    After reading the positive reviews about this place I had to check it out the first night I flew into Hawaii. It's an izakaya (tapas restaurant). Nice Japanese style atmosphere and the food was authentic. We weren't too hungry so we just ordered the chicken karaage (this was juicy), house salad (their homemade dressing was yummy), and this raw dish of uni, grated yamaimo, ahi, tobiko, ikura, natto and quail egg. My friend didn't care much for the last dish but I enjoyed it since I like all those ingredients, including natto. I don't blame him for not liking natto, fermented soy beans. We ended our meal with the pumpkin pudding - not too sweet and heavy. Overall it's a nice place to just relax and enjoy a Japanese tapas.

    (3)

  • Jill S.

    It was long overdue and well worth It. The ambiance was very charming and welcoming. Service was friendly and informative. The food was flavorful, delicious and beautifully presented. In addition, Gaku offered us to participate in the summer festival of Tanabata. What a heavenly treat!

    (5)

  • Sandra Y.

    OMG. On my most recent visit to Hawaii I was introduced to this restaurant. I now dream about this place at night. I honestly can't tell you what we ordered, my friend is a regular here and ordered everything for us. All I can tell you is that everything that touched my lips was amazing. Def going to make this a regular restaurant on my annual visit to Hawaii. See you next year . . .

    (5)

  • Nakoa T.

    Gaku is one of my FAVORITE sushi bars i come here quite often with my fiancee or my dad. the sashimi is to die for such good quality everything here is good no matter fried or raw you cant go wrong! I also love there sake & sochu selection there is nothing better than fish and some ice cold hakkaisan! I always get miso soup with rice and an assortment of sashimi and sushi my fiancee does not eat raw fish so he normally gets chicken karaage and miso butter fish I have no complaints about this place except for the nights I cant get a table! you have to try this place if you havent already you wont be sorry.

    (5)

  • Jonahson K.

    Gaku has far down my favorite place to eat. It has a wonderful atmosphere which is very relaxing. The sushi is so awesome and so is the service. My favorite has got to be the uni and the ooh toro.. They also all different types of fish which changes weekly. This place can get crowded sometimes so you better be prepared to wait. the wait is well worth and everytime I leave there I cant wait to come back. Once you go to Gaku you will keep coming back...ooh yeah get the fried fish bones. It may not sound good but it is so awesome with beer..

    (5)

  • kahau m.

    hard to find. harder to find parking. even harder to find a table! still worth it. Eaten there 6 times and never disappointed. king crab roll, beef tongue salad, toasted fish bones, moriawase, baked king crab, garlic steak. All yummy! bottle of sake and sapporo! Sit at the sushi bar if you can find room. otherwise sit where ever you can!

    (4)

  • Kuishimbo F.

    So... I'm a huge fan of Izakaya style dining since my last trip to Tokyo and they are springing up everywhere but this place has been around a long time apparently. I'm indebted to Yelpers for leading me to this place as it was absolutely delicious. Makes me want to live here just so I can eat here frequently. But then I'd be poor so... Well, that may be exaggerating but once I start ordering, somehow the bill ends up always over $150. But this time it was about so with 3 of us. The chef-owner was fixing sushi at the bar with 2 other sushi chefs assisting him. The Caucasian servers were quite fluent in Japanese - I was impressed and gave them their well deserved props. We had a special natto dish (Omatsui Natto) with all kinds of goodies on top - probably an "acquired taste" dish as many do not like the stickiness of the natto (soybeans) but on top of that, there is raw uni, ikura, masago, yamaimo (which is an even stickier white soft potato), spring onions and a small raw egg with yolk. Delicious and fresh! I had ordered sushi combo A which had more than the basic fish and 2 orders of the 1/2 dozen raw oysters which had ponzu-type sauce with masago on the oysters - small, briny, fresh! I'm a fan of Hamachi-kama so we had that which was perfectly grilled and Dad had steamed clams which were yummy and fresh. Mom had to order the satsuki udon (plain) bec/ she couldn't hold back and they were great - chewy noodles, mild broth. Wish I had one in my neck of the woods! But I'll go here everytime I visit Oahu! They have a small parking lot in the back which saved us from worrying about parking.

    (5)

  • Shawn H.

    Yumm!!! First time trying this place... I went with a friend who was "experienced" and knew exactly what to get! The sushi was yummy and fresh and the drink I got (grapefruit sour) was delicious. Lots of grapefruit pulp in it..a little bit of the seeds as well but no big deal. I also tried this spicy negi hamachi thing (it comes with a little egg on top and you mix it all up) it also comes in a bowl of ice keeping it nice and cold! The garlic steak was also delicious! Came with salad and some veggies on the side. Oh! And I cant forget about the gaku salad! That thing is delicious..the dressing on it was different..but so good! We also tried the fried pumpkin,,.that was ok..I feel that it needs a little more sauce cause it gets kind of dry. Other than that, def worth trying and worth my 45 minute wait :p (don't worry, they will call you when the table is ready so you can go across the street and grab a drink or something)

    (5)

  • Nina L.

    YUM. We went omakase and was not disappointed. We went with a pair of locals and one of them said he had been dining here for years. We were presented with raw oysters, threadlike seaweed, savory chawanmushi, grilled Hawaiian/Japanese sausage, grilled fish, snails, platter of sashimi, and awesome sake. All was very fresh and well prepared. Loved how small and friendly the place was and all our servers were awesome. I called a week ahead for a Friday night reservation (at 7:00 pm) for a party of 4 with no problems. We'll be back...can't wait for next year's trip.

    (5)

  • Pierre L.

    So much potential but ruined by slow service. I don't doubt the food can be good because the few dishes we had, uni with tofu and soy sauce gelee, grilled fish, uni wrapped in halibut were all very good. However we ordered a few pieces of sushi to try but we didn't get it till an hour after we ordered. So in one hour, we only had three dishes to eat and they were small dishes. When we got the sushi, we ate it in a few minutes and asked for the check. The waitress said there were many sushi orders that night and they were backed up. Yes they were full but you're a sushi restaurant so if you can't get the sushi to your customers fast enough, what's the point? The waitress gave us free ice cream and apologized for the delays but we didn't want to wait another hour for a few more pieces of sushi.

    (3)

  • Mike M.

    Oh my gosh, this place is fantastic. First of all, get the haminachi tartare. I'm glad the waiter peer pressured me into trying it, especially because it's the trifecta of what my pregnant wife can't eat (tuna, raw fish, and tartare), so I got it all for myself. Hell yes! The reason this place is really fantastic, though, is that I really liked two things here that I've never liked before: roe and sea urchin. Any place that can take something that I've always found foul and make me totally rethink my opinion on it is really special. The service was also quite excellent. Our waiter explained things to us, our cups were always full, and we felt quite welcome and appreciated.

    (5)

  • Andrew D.

    Great, maybe the best izakaya on the island! Went twice with two different groups. Both times I went I got the jaga-butter mentaiko, uni tofu with dashi jelly, seafood dynamite and fish bone chips...flavor orgasm! Service was most excellent, everything we ate was delicious, if there was one restaurant I could eat at over and over again, it would be here. Side note: parking is a little tight, but that's not the restaurants fault :)

    (5)

  • G Z.

    Miso cod; shishido peppers... tasty! - FYI, this was for a dinner we had in the summer of 2011.

    (4)

  • C M.

    Excellent! Must call for reservations, I called two weeks ahead, definitely worth the wait. Had everything recommended by fellow reviewers and was not disappointed. The oysters are the best, cravings have brought us back twice so far. Pricey, especially if you also drink sake, but sooooo worth it.

    (5)

  • Derek N.

    I came here at the recommendation of some family members and friends. Based on that I figured it would be good. I don't see what all of the hype is about. Someone mentioned the sushi is better than Yohei, but I respectfully disagree. The sushi here was good, but not great; I've DEFINITELY had better. I also had chicken karaage and some other forgettable dishes, nothing spectacular. Kind of expensive though. The service and the atmosphere are nice, but not enough to make me want to come back. Bottom line: Good, not great.

    (4)

  • Joshua J.

    I'm usually not one for first impressions, although they say they are important, you can never gain much insight or depth. But with Gaku I was blown away the first time I ate here and consistently they have delivered. If Gaku was a television character I'd equate it to Barney Stintson from How I met your mother, fun, enticing, persistent, and always a good time. You would think that when it comes to sushi it's not really hard to mess up but trust me I've been to some places where something as simple as uni or hotatte gai came out horrible. But not Gaku not only do they try to keep the menu fresh with the constant changing daily specials some of there simplest items are out of this world. The tartare quail egg, garlic steak, ankimo (monkfish liver) and teriyaki sauce, oyster and scallop shooters, uni, and tofu jelly and uni are some of my favorite items. I think they make their tofu in house as well. The other plus side to this place is it closes at 11pm so they serve a little later than most sushi bars.The first time I've dined here was after work and we got in at 10:20 and they still served us and were quite nice about it. As I work in the food industry I felt a little bad because we were kinda on the later side and as most people who work in the industry know it's kind of an unwritten law that you don't want to be the last table in the restaurant. But like I said they were cool about it and service was great. Don't forget to check out their sake selection cause they got a nice list as well. All in all Gaku is in my opinion one of the two best sushi places on the island.....the other being Mitches......go there and trust me the night will be Legen.....wait for it.......actually don't wait just get there and eat......oh and You're welcome.

    (5)

  • A S.

    Another one of my "must visit' restaurants in Oahu! I have been going to Gaku several years now and I can always find something new to try during each visit. There is an excellent selection of fish available for sushi and sashimi daily. There are many Izakaya offerings and some slightly larger dishes to share on the menu. A very good selection of various grades of sakes as well if you are into cold sakes. I love the spicy Ahi tuna tartar and Alaskan crab wrapped in cucumber. The awabi sashimi is very fresh and crunchy but I still love Koiso's in Maui the best! DH enjoys the chawanmushi and we both love the pudding dessert! I finally had the pleasure of sitting at the sushi bar and ate there twice in a recent trip. DH and I usually have to sit at a table with our friends when they join our Oahu getaway. It was a treat watching the synchronized movement of the 3 chefs at the sushi bar, with 2 chefs responsible for making sushi/sashimi and 1 chef overseeing the cooked items. There was also 1 chef responsible for frying and making desserts. The service was attentive and friendly. It also offers 1 or 2 nightly specials, so don't forget to ask the server. IMO, I would go to Sushi Izakaya Gaku over Sasabune any day!!

    (5)

  • Jason S.

    This store is five star !!! I have a vocation in Hawaii , I search on the yelp to find the good sushi restaurant , it didn't disappointment me at all . I order the sashimi combination , the yellow tail , taro , tuna , scallop , sweet shrimp are so delicious !!!! And I also order the curry taro , this is the must order dish in this restaurant . The chief and waiter is very polite and friendly , I will definitely come back again , awesome restaurant !!! Btw , parking is the nightmare , but it's worth it

    (5)

  • Shirin M.

    Found this place based on yelp reviews. Really good sushi, but I think the other items on the menu are what makes it great and unique. We had: Deep fried pumpkin appetizer: tender and bite sized. Not too fried so you won't feel gross after. Spider roll: great quality and flavor. Jaga butter Mentaiko: kind of like a baked potato but with tiny fish eggs baked on top. Buttery too. Ribeye steak with ponzu sauce: loved the sauce, but next time I would order it medium rare. Medium was a little tougher than I was expecting. Green tea mochi and ice cream: I really enjoyed this one. I was expecting standard mochi ice cream but they actually serve the mochi separate from the ice cream, and the mochi has a vegetable base (not rice)so it was extra tender. Service is simple and nice. Food came out fast and with a smile.

    (4)

  • El T.

    OMG!!! O-M-G basically sums up this place. Gaku was soooooooo good. Last night, I was in the mood for sushi so we decided to try a new place. We decided to come here and I was totally AMAZED. Once we stepped inside the restaurant, it was like we teleported to Japan. On a side note, I loved the wood panels in the ceiling :). We got there around 830p and there was about a 10 minute wait. Once we were seated, the knowledgable server was sweet and friendly and answered all of our questions regarding the menu. Since we were seated at the bar, we ordered the Omakase. OMG!! The cuts of fish were sooooooooooo FRESH. Just by looking at it, you know they use the best quality fish. Everything was delicious. I had an extremely wonderful experience here. I mean, I got the opportunity to watch my boyfriend drink his sake out of a box ;). That was a first for me :). Yes, this place is pricey, but it is completely worth it. The sushi chef was so kind and asked us if we liked everything. When we left he said "See you again". He must be telepathic because we will definitely see him again. Next time, we are bringing all of our sushi-loving friends.

    (5)

  • Aaron A.

    I've been to Japan and around the world trying sushi and this place brings me right back to the feeling I had while I was in Japan. It is a little pricey but well worth it! I will always be a fan of this restaurant and frequent it as much as I possibly can until I am broke. That's how good it is...

    (5)

  • Kathy S.

    The best meal we had on Oahu. #12!!!

    (5)

  • T H.

    Great izakaya restaurant...their sushi is pretty good. Definitely worth asking the sushi chefs what they recommend for the evening because we were pleased with what they served us. Their other dishes were very tasty and cooked just right. i would recommend the misoyaki butterfish... great place to go for dinner or to just meet up with friends before a night out in town...

    (5)

  • George R.

    Superb sushi experience. Great atmosphere and fantastic sushi.

    (4)

  • Jae C.

    So good I fly back just for the sushi

    (5)

  • Jimmy V.

    Just had dinner here and I must admit at first I read all the yelp reviews and got excited but I've been fooled by yelp reviews before so I wasn't really sure what to expect. But after eating here and experiencing it for myself first hand I must admit all the yelp reviews are true! Everything from service and quality of food was just impeccable! When we got there around 7pm we were told it'd be a 30-40 minute wait but the gentleman was very nice and took down our number and called us when the table was ready. When our table was ready we came back and upon arrival everyone greeted us, definitely makes you feel welcomed. We sat at a table for 2 and we had Mike as our waiter. Mike was incredibly helpful when it came to describing the food and giving us his recommendations. He was also very accommodating throughout dinner. Appetizers... (MUST HAVE) Hamachi tartar - MUST HAVE! (MUST HAVE) Garlic clams in a ponzou sauce - I forgot the correct name but it was AMAZING! (MUST HAVE) Deep Friend Boar pork - I'm a guy and definitely a meat person and this meat was just INCREDIBLE! Lightly battered and deep fried but it's not super crunch the meat inside was so soft that it just melted in your mouth. Pumpkin something (Mike gave this to us on the house) - Lightly tempura pumpkin. I'm not much of a pumpkin person but man this was delicious too! Entrees... Yellow tail - I'm tired of saying everything was so good but it REALLY was GOOD! Salmon Skin Sushi - This was good as well but compared to everything else I could have done with out. Ribeye Steak - Didn't I already say I was a meat person? This meat was GREAT! Let's just say it was good enough that I'll definitely come back here before we leave next week.

    (5)

  • Janet K.

    First, let me just say that I had really high expectations of this place. Friends and fellow Yelpers can't stop raving so I had to check it out. I'm glad I did, but I wouldn't say it ranks as one of my favorite restaurants. It's probably one of the best Izakayas in Hawaii I've tasted better sushi/sashimi. Maybe they were having a bad day? I'll try again later and give an update. Service was superb. However, I did notice the waiters were not Asian. Not that there's a problem with that, but when I ask for recommendations at a restaurant that I've never been to before, I'd like to steer clear from hearing spicy tuna or seafood dynamite. The menu was large enough to try and avoid the basic food itmes that show up in every Japanese restaurant. Sucker me... I tried his recommendations anyway. Seafood Dynamite - Good, but it's been done so many times. Small Sashimi Platter - Were they out of the good fish? I didn't see any hamachi. If it was hamachi on my platter, it must've been some crappy grade that turned white because we had two types of white fish. One must've been aji, but what was the other? Amaebi and maguro I recognized. Was the other one toro? Tasted okay but they could've made it larger. Yanagi's toro is better. Fried Kabocha with sesame sauce - Yelpers love it. I thought it was okay. Nothing special. Sorry guys. Oysters (Seattle) - Now, this was something I could've ate all night. Spicy tarter - Can we say spicy tuna or hamachi? Mirugai Sushi - I ordered it just to have. Dessert - The custard dish and a scoop of green tea ice cream. Both were yummy and light enough to complete the meal. Shared a large Asahi with the bf, I had a glass of Kubota sake, bf had a glass of sake and the bill came out to $140 + $40 tip. ***VERDICT*** Definitely worth trying. Excellent service. Do make reservations. Maybe I'll try the sushi bar next time. I hear the sushi chef/owner Manabu gives good recommendations.

    (4)

  • Jeanie D.

    i thought: uchi in austin. yes, very uchi-esque, with a slightly lighter price tag. the restaurant was pretty small and pretty dark. parking is minimal, but apparently that's how it is at almost all places that offer free parking. we were completely daunted by the unfamiliar items on the menu, so we decided to ask for recommendations. it's not often that i agree recommendations given, but this time, we had to give him props. he knew what was good. spicy tartar. i have no idea what's in this. not replicable. the only distinguishable components were green onions, masago, and some sort of egg. mix and wrap it in the toasted seaweed. it looks pretty unappetizing, the orange mass, but ended up being one of my favorite dishes of the night. ahi tuna poke. supposedly, you gotta get the poke in hawaii, so we did. fresh chunks of tuna mixed with some sort of seasoning, onions, and greens. FABULOUS. baked king crab. baked crab bits and spicy mayo. this is generally good anywhere you go, albeit unhealthier than some of the other menu items offered. and i do think the smaller portions heighten the "mmm" factor a little bit. one other dish we had was also fantastic, but i can't remember anything except how fresh everything tasted. and of course, my fresh salmon handroll with avocado. maybe it was just me that was giddy and it made everyone else look giddy too. fantastically fresh fish. scrumptious seaweed. superior service. our first stop for food was more than what we had hoped for.

    (5)

  • Brent S.

    Simply one of the best Japanese restaurants. Normally, we're not able to book a reservation after 7pm here. But this weekend, we were really lucky or they were being really generous and we got in. The hamachi tartar is one of my favorite dishes. Almost as good as Morimoto, but not quite as expensive. The ika geso is always cooked perfectly. The fresh tofu is velvety and surprisingly flavorful. The toro melts in your mouth. The sushi is good. But if you come here, you should really try the other dishes. You won't regret it.

    (5)

  • A H.

    Best Sushi on Oahu! I feel like I am in Japan!

    (5)

  • San C.

    I would rate this as one of my top 10 restaurants to eat at in Honolulu. One of my favorite dishes is the Kabocha on the 'specials' menu. I always order this and have turned a few of my friends on to it too. I think it's flash fried and then tossed with a creamy goma sauce? Don't worry, the special menu doesn't change (it's just special bc it's so darn delicious) so you can order it anytime you want (unless it's sold out o_0). The crunchy senbei is also pretty 5star, as well as the their house soaked ikura. Spicy Hamachi tar tar with a raw quail egg and crispy nori...... I have to stop. Too Hungry. Sit at the sushi counter in front of Manabu (owner). He makes The Most Awesome Sushi Omakase. :) p.s. don't be alarmed by all the pics i'm about to upload.

    (5)

  • Lionel P.

    For some strange reason I keep wanting to go back to this great place. I'm not sure if it's the outstanding care and attention from every staff member or the exceptional food. There are less than three restaurants that I frequent more than twice a year - Gaku is the only exception. On my last visit I was fortunate to be dinning with two very selective Japanese women who know great food. I've learned that if you like certain dishes a certain way - just ask. One of my quests was concerned about not eating too much rice - so the sushi chief reduced the rice content on every dish served - with a smile. I really enjoyed the pressed sushi (saba sushi). The fish was amazing. Also try some of the more familiar such as their Hokke and dynamite is amazing. When your not sure were to go and want a great meal - look no further.

    (5)

  • Connie T.

    i'm in love... This restaurant made vacationing in Hawaii one of my best experiences, ever! After a long day of scuba diving, my boyfriend and i were looking for a place to eat. Thanks to yelp, we decided to try this restaurant. There was a bit of a wait. But the service was impeccable! we were offered drinks while waiting for a table. We were seated at the bar, the sushi chef was really friendly, he suggested a few specials, everything we ordered was extremely fresh! the people sitting in the bar area was also really friendly, (we be friended several people). Figures right? were in Hawaii! everyone is nice! Towards the end of my meal, the chef made me a fish soup (on the house), just because he saw how exhausted i was, and told me to drink up, because its good for my skin. Its one of the BEST soups i've ever had! It was so good i drank the whole pot of soup he made! (4 bowls!) I've been trying to find something that meets up to it at home, but i haven't succeeded yet. :( its a must eat place in hawaii!

    (5)

  • Keane S.

    Been here just once about half a year ago but the experience was awesome. Menu: Some creative items, with specials offered, also standard sushi offerings for those less adventurous. Drinks: Large drink menu, definitely should satisfy anyone who wants good sake with their sushi Service: A++, Our server was great, his name is slipping my mind at the moment but he was a Caucasian guy who knew a sh*tload about the different types of Sake, me and my other friends had a great time and he was helpful the whole way through. Desserts were a nice touch at the end, and you even get to leave a part of you with the restaurant when you leave. Awesome place to go

    (5)

  • Vanesa V.

    I would definitely recommend getting the omakase if you want to come here. I think it came out to be about $100 a person. I would make reservations to sit at the sushi bar just because it makes the whole experience much better. I believe they only took reservations if you come before 7pm. For the omakase we got 5 tasting plates, a sashimi platter with 7 different types of fish and 5 pieces of sushi. The sushi was so fresh and amazing it was heavenly! You can also let the chef know if there is a particular fish you like so he can incorporate that into your tastings.

    (5)

  • Arlene A.

    A girlfriend and I wanted to go to an izakaya and had heard rave reviews about this place. Be careful coming down King St. or you just might miss it! It's just after Tsunami's but on the right side. Look for the bright green sign! Parking at the restaurant is tough, but street parking nearby isn't too hard to find. We walked in just after 7pm on a Wednesday evening and they were booked. The man at the door checked on a table that was about to close their check and said that they will be able to accommodate us. We waited maybe 15 minutes at most to be seated. Good timing too because there were several other couples that walked in a few minutes after us that probably had to wait longer. The restaurant is small, with a welcoming atmosphere, very Japanese-y. We were greeted by all the workers with the traditional "irasshaimase" as we were seated. They have daily specials and the ones the chef recommends are highlighted on the menu. Our server had great recommendations as well. Everything we ordered was fresh and so tasty! The standouts were: Baked King Crab - This item is a must! No imitations! Spicy Hamachi Tartar is another must! - Mix the quail egg in and make your own rolls. Seared Salmon Belly - melt in your mouth goodness! Premium Ribeye with Ponzu - another winner! We also had spicy scallops, tamago & chicken karaage. In case you're wondering, we did save room for dessert. Let me start off by saying that I don't like green tea ice cream from just anywhere. In fact I only like it from ONE place...until I came here. I figure I give it a try after reading reviews on yelp about it. OMG am I glad I did! The green tea ice cream with mochi at Izakaya Gaku is da winnahz!!! The mochi is made from fern root and is so soft. Excellent presentation on all the dishes, too. Our server also came to change out our plates for new ones halfway through our meal. It is pricey here. But you know what, hells yeah am I gonna be willing to pay the price for quality food. Oh, and nice, clean bathroom! Always a +1 for me! I give Izakaya Gaku 5 stars for their food....no doubt about that. As much as I would like to give them 5 stars overall, I had to knock off a star for parking & semi-inattentive service. I don't think we got the same attention as the larger party next to us. I had to wave down our server a couple of times and he forgot to bring us a glass of water we asked for. In addition, there was a loud, intoxicated & obnoxious group using vulgar language near us and I feel the workers should have at least asked them to tone it down a bit as they were disturbing other guests. Yes, I get that they're having a good time and it can get loud, but loud vulgar language is unacceptable. Nevertheless, I can't wait to go back! Especially for dessert. Next time I'll be sure to make reservations and request to sit at the bar so we can watch the chefs make the dishes. Two thumbs up for Sushi Izakaya Gaku!

    (4)

  • crown r.

    I must admit, other than the parking issues (which I don't deduct for) this place is as bomb as it gets. I never thought I would try fish bones but alas I did as it goes pretty damn good with a nice cold beer. Sushi was fresh, tempura was great, and all the "tapas" dishes were awesome. Service was stellar...no complaints here...will definitely go back. Now this place is an izakaya!!

    (5)

  • Ian F.

    Phenomenal sushi. I try to go more than once a week, but it is busy.

    (5)

  • Joshua S.

    You want great sushi, attentive service at a reasonable price? SIG has it in spades!

    (5)

  • anna n.

    I first discovered this place back in 2009 and made sure on my visit to Oahu this past August that it would be my first stop for dinner. It was everything I remembered and more. Needless to say, I made sure we came back another time before we left Oahu, that's how much I love this place. My fave dish here would be the Hamachi Tartar. It is so yummy and delicious. OMG..just wrting about this makes me want to go back to Oahu. I absolutely love love this dish. The sake infused roe here is also very tasty. The roe just pops in your mouth and has a really good flavor to it. Other dishes I recommend are the yellow tail cheek, monk liver, yellowtail sashimi, seattle oysters, and rib eye steak. There was one dish I tried that I did not like which was the Nato. Slimy gooey and had a funky taste to it...ewww, no thank you!! But apparently it's a pretty popular item on their menu. I guess it's just not for my taste buds though. I totally recommend this place to anyone visiting Oahu, I promise you won't be disappointed. Good food with great service. It can't get any better then that. I totally I'm a fan of Izakaya Gaku. Will make it a tradition to come here for the first dinner everytime I pay Oahu a visit.

    (5)

  • Dev C.

    The Negihama is incredible but don't get it if you're squeamish about eating raw egg. Hamachi Kama is really good too. Don't mind the Japanese businessmen drunken-singing next to your table. That just adds to the experience, I think.

    (5)

  • Megan G.

    Hamachi Tartare, Spicy King Crab, Uni, Ikura with Quail Eggs... what is not to love... I drool thinking of it!! Came back Friday for another stellar meal

    (5)

  • barry n.

    Hands down, one of the best Japanese restaurants I've been to!! The food was excellent and the service was top-notch!! A bit pricey, but if you're willing to pay, it's very much worth it!! You will not go wrong with anything that's on the menu! Our waiter, Michael, was probably one of the best waiters I have been served by. Being that it was our first time there, he made excellent recommendations, provided outstanding service and did everything to convince us that we will definitely be back. It's a small place, so be prepared to wait if you go around 7 pm. The parking is very limited: maybe a handful of stalls behind the restaurant. It's probably better to park on the street. But if you want awesome food, you gotta come here!!

    (5)

  • Pedantic S.

    Every bit of the high praise heaped on this place is well warranted. Definitely the best sushi I have eaten (even comparing it a very wide range of places all over the US!). The sushi is fresh, unique, and simply delectable. The service is great. The servers are friendly, attentive, helpful, and so well informed! Make reservations in advance! This is POPULAR! It is tough to get a place at the last minute!!

    (5)

  • Tricia Z.

    I absolutely loved sushi Izakaya Gaku. I was blown away by my experience. Even though it sucked when we couldn't get in one time the experience I had made up for it. I called asking if we could get seated around 7:30/8 and the guy said to come in about a hour early which we did to put ourselves on the list (why couldn't I just call hmmm?). We walked around a bit, (was not interested in the wine bar across the street to kill time) and of course there was absolutely nothing to do in the area. Went in around 45 mins later and the guy told me we probably were not going to get in for another hour. We said screw it and made reservations for Saturday night because I heard how good this place was. I think they should be doing reservations even after 7 or whatever if they normally remain packed but that is just me. BUT when we went in Saturday it was HEAVENLY! We did the omakase and the chef (who was also the owner) was kind enough to do things around our picky appetites and picked fish that just made me want to die and go to heaven. There is no doubt that everything is amazingly fresh here and the staff was so helpful. I would absolutely recommend sitting at the counter as it was an experience. Doing the omoakase made it a bit expensive, $140 for two people with a few drinks (which are very reasonably priced) and some little sides but it was worth every penny. Judging by the menu, you could get away with a cheaper meal as many of the rolls were reasonably priced. When I asked for something "different" for out last item for the omakase we just got toro...(not sure if that was the wrong thing to do) and that was my only complaint.... Oh and this place is VERY Japanese I loved the ambiance!

    (5)

  • E C.

    Fresh sashimi, attentive service, zen ambiance make this place a sure winner. Everything we ordered was excellent ; hamachi tartar, sashimi omakase, kabocha karrage, rolls, chwanmushi, etc. It wasn't completely overpriced, which was a pleasant surprise for a place that serves such incredible good. Ikura (salmon roe) was the best I've ever tasted. They were subtlety sweet with a mellow salty undertone. It was even better than at Sushi Sasabuni down the street. We will never be able to eat Ikura from other Japanese restaurants again. We enjoyed our meal so much that we made a reservation for next week before leaving the restaurant! Do make reservations in advance. After 8, it's first come first serve.

    (5)

  • Jonathan D.

    Probably the most Japanese place I've been too here in Hawaii. My server barely understood my English but it was great that I had two other friends that spoke fluent Japanese to our Japanese server. Now due to the lack of me not know that language I have no idea what we ordered but damn it was good! Got some kind of rice ball that was grilled. My fav. I think tacoyaki balls. Soo very awesome. Some kind of meat thing and idk but it was to die for! Just go and you won't regret it unless you have a fluent Japanese server that doesn't speak English! :)

    (5)

  • Hillery G.

    It is a busy place, but if you are willing to sit at the bar, you can get in. The baked crab dish was excellent. The sushi waas also good as was the tartar.

    (3)

  • Bailey C.

    My brother and I came here while I was out visiting him in Honalulu. We looked up sushi bars to go to on yelp and chose the one with the highest rating; Sushi Izakaya Gaku. We had to wait 40 minutes when we got there at 830pm but the greeter at the door was very friendly and kept checking on us. Finally, when we were called, we walked inside the restaurant and were greeted by at least 3-5 staff members. To keep a long story short, the food was great. But the sake was a little odd tasting and I love sake so for it to be odd must really mean something. That is the reason I am giving this review 4 stars. When we were leaving just about every staff member in the entire restaurant said bye in Japanese. We felt very special. My brother and I definitely recommend this place :)

    (4)

  • GT O.

    if it wasnt so busy all the time, i'd be coming here more often!! make reservations early!

    (5)

  • Anne C.

    This sushi place is so incredibly yummy!! The hamachi tartar is absolutely amazing, fresh, and so good! It is a must try if you are here. All the fish is incredibly fresh, and everything was just right. The restaurant is a tad small inside so there was a wait...but it was so, SO worth it!

    (5)

  • Aims H.

    Very good! My husband and his father are sushi chefs:) My husband loves it, he doesn't like to eat out very much, so, I picked this as my very first review :) It is extremely busy for a week night :) We ate here after our "official" wedding-lol and staycation at the Moana...(love it there too!) Everyone is friendly, quick service, and I agree with everyone's positive reviews: Yah...Me no likee Sushi Nazis! What is up with that?! Anyways...Yummy, Sugoi! Cho oishi!! Masarap!! Bongga!!

    (5)

  • Annizzle D.

    Came here with my sister one night and had never been here before. Good impression from the moment we walked in. Taken to the front, greeted by everyone, and shown to our seat. Between the two of us, we had the Gaku jelly, daily fresh oysters (6 pieces to an order), Negihamachi tartare, 2x Omakase, 2x seared garlic toro, and a bottle of iichiko. By the time it was time to leave, I was full to the point of needing to be rolled out but seriously...no regrets. All of the seafood was well prepared, presented neatly, and most importantly, super delicious. Highlight was definitely that seared garlic toro. Turn down for what? THIS TORO.

    (5)

  • Chimo M.

    Called to get a table for 2 and told they don't take reservations so turn up for first come first served sushi, but then when we arrived and there was no one waiting I was informed we couldn't sit at any of the 4 open bar seats or the empty table as 'people coming' and I might get a table in 40mins or so guess. Wait what? that means those seats are reserved, or they are bias and I didn't look like 'their' sort of people, phffft whatever I'll stick to Sasabuni

    (1)

  • Little D.

    Great Sushi, Great service! Price easily go up to $60.00 per person. Parking: Street or on the back side... We use street.

    (5)

  • Kanoe K.

    Yup ... somehow I ended up at another sushi place?!? If you're surprised by the number of sushi places I've frequented recently ... so am I!!! I do have to say though that this place was one of the best I've been to! My fellow food tourers and I made reservations for 6:00pm and two of us were lucky enough to find parking in the TINY lot behind the restaurant. The driveway is a little tricky to find as it's in the middle of the building and it can only accommodate about 6 cars. We found that street parking isn't available til 6:30pm so you might want to make your reservation for that time to be safe. We were seated at the bar which was nice because we got to see how all the dishes were prepared first hand. The restaurant is not big, but it has comfortable and welcoming atmosphere ... it's very ZEN!! There's a variety of seating options available too. You can sit at the bar, a table, or traditional seating on the floor. Even the bathroom had a zen atmosphere ... that's a good sign!! Okay ... now to the good stuff for everyone ... THE FOOD!! The first dish we ordered was the Toro Nigiri ... very smooth and delicious. It was definitely a favorite of the group. As my friend and I were waiting for our other friend, we also decided to try the Tofu Jelly without the sea urchin on top. SOOOOOOOO GOOD!! It was too good that I ate it all and didn't save any for my friend that wasn't there yet ... sorry! We were also starving and staring at the Tamago ... so we ordered it!! The Tamago sushi was so tasty and adorable because it has a kanji imprinted on it!! When the last of our party arrived we ordered the TNT ... I'm not sure how I would describe this. Some of the seafood in there was unidentifiable and undelectable. The sauce was good, but not something I would order again. Following the TNT was a Spicy Hamachi Tartar .... OMG FRICKIN DELICIOUS!! It comes in a cute little bowl on ice topped with a tiny little quail egg and nori to put it in. It was so nice we ordered it twice!!! Definitely a MUST HAVE if you eat here!! Next was the Baked Crab ... which my friends knew I would love because crab is a favorite. It came out sizzling hot and was too tasty for words ... another must have in my case!! My friends then got another order of Toro Nigiri this time seared and covered with garlic sauce. For some reason I couldn't eat anymore at this point so I let my friends dig in ... definitely tasty as it disappeared pretty quickly! The last (I know finally) dish we ordered was the Filet Mignon at medium. I'm not a fan of bleeding meat, but compromised since my friend is a medium rare fan. The meat came out more medium rare though, but I had to try it. It was so delicious and the sauce it comes with only adds to the tasty goodness!! All in all it was a good night for this non fish eater! I don't know if I'll be back just because I don't normally crave sushi, but if I do or want to recommend a good place to go for sushi ... this is where I would go. The prices didn't seem too bad when looking at the menu, but after all the food we ordered it ended up being a rather pricey meal ... so be prepared to spend a little more! I might go back just for that Spicy Hamachi Tartar ... yeah it was that good!! FINAL VERDICT: A nice upscale sushi place for those of you out there that are in search of the best sushi available. GET THE SPICY HAMACHI TARTAR!!!

    (4)

  • Inland O.

    This was our best meal of the week in Oahu. Unfortunately they only take reservations from 5pm-7pm and apparently you have to make reservations way in advance. We did not make any reservations and waited approximately 1 1/2 hours before we got seated. This is not a large establishment and has an old school Japanese tavern feel to it, very unassuming. We were seated in the back with the tatami mats (which was nice). It seems like they have a regular menu and a daily specials menu; we ordered ~15 items from the menu, sashimi, chu toro, cold/hot plates, baked king crab, etc... every dish we had was above average to mind blowing excellence. Even the desserts were tasty. My only regret was that this was a Saturday and it was our last dinner before we left for home. W/ hundreds of items on the menu, I would have loved to try more. Note: the dishes are small, tapas/pupu style - perfect for sharing. Our waiter Daniel (as well as the other waitstaff) were all very friendly, made great recommendations, and also very apologetic about our wait - definitely 5* service (w/ 5* food). Those ~15 dishes came out to be ~$180 after tax/tip; not bad for 3 adults and 1 toddler. Would totally come here again on our next visit. I will call in advance this time and try to get a 5pm seating right when they open - I will come hungrier next time and order/try everything I can get my hands on.

    (5)

  • Doris D.

    We went for the omakase, very good! The chef's style is a little heavy on the wasabi in the nigiri, and he tends to use shiso leaves a lot. Of course, the fish is very fresh. I'd come back to try the dinner menu.

    (4)

  • Satoru Y.

    A wonderfully charming izakaya. The decor reminds me of what Tokkuri-Tei used to be. It made me sad to see that many places like Tokkuri-Tei were abandoning the traditional Japanese decor for a more Americanized look: RIP old Shirokiya dining area at Ala Moana Center. The interior is really wonderful to admire the work that went into the place. Apparently, the owner, and a few of the staff, got together to design and built the interior themselves. Their work really paid off, and it really breathed some life and personality to the place. Enough about the decor, now about the food. The food is really tasty and the presentations are great. They have a great selection and they do have a great menu. I found many of the dishes to be hits, such as the Oyster Dynamite, the Tako Salad, the Poke, and on. There were some misses. I did find the Natto Combo Bowl to be surprisingly bland. With the diverse array of ingredients, I was shocked. The Spider Roll (Soft Shell Crab) left something to be desired. The Crab wasn't that crispy, and there seemed to be a lack of sauce. Other points I noticed about the food; the rolling skills of the sushi are atrocious. The sushi here is usually wrapped sparsely with rice. It doesn't seem that the sushi chef is very skilled. The service can get a little backed up if it's crowded, and it has affected us receiving our food. But, for the most part, the food is served promptly. The food here is more than worth checking out. The staff is very attentive, and very friendly. The place can get packed, and rightfully so. When going for sushi, I would prefer Tokkuri-Tei instead of Gaku. However, Gaku is pretty close behind. The verdict is that Gaku is a great truthfully traditional spot for sushi.

    (4)

  • Christy K.

    Negihama Tartar- The star of the show. This is one thing you MUST try if you are eating at Gaku for the first time. Dried stingray- It's served with mayo and like jerky, but sweet and sticky. IMO, this would be perfect bar food (not sushi bar food), a perfect accompaniment to a glass of beer. Baked King Crab- Alright. It's enjoyable but I'd hope there are better things to order on their menu. Omakase Sashimi- Overall, good! There were varying types of raw seafood, though I must say the Otoro was probably the worst Otoro I've ever had (it was stringy!) Ikura nigiri- This was very good. Comparable to Sasabune's ikura, which I adore! TNT (Gaku's version of the seafood dynamite)- I can't really pinpoint why I didn't like this dish, but this was my least favorite. I would not order this again nor recommend it. Ambiance was cozy, hip, clean. I was thinking this place was going to be as expensive as Sasabune, what with everyone mentioning "expensive prices," but it wasn't THAT bad. If you go to any decent sushi restaurant, the prices will always be fairly high. All in all, I would go back, but try other things.

    (3)

  • Andrew Y.

    My favorite restaurant. It's a combination of service, food, and ambiance. I feel so comfortable here that it feels like I'm going to a friend's house to hang out. The only negative experience for me was when I had way too much ichiko. Must try: spicy negihama, sting ray, deep fried aji bone, ankimo (monkfish liver), rib-eye ( either ponzu or garlic), TNT (seafood dynamite), kumamoto oysters, and of course, sushi.

    (5)

  • Chouster S.

    Amazing food. Everything we ordered us fresh and tasty. Ribeye steak, spicy negihamachi tartar, eel roll, yellowtail collar, fried chicken and tako basil fumi. Best I have ever had:)

    (5)

  • Michael C.

    A wonderful wonderful place. The three of us ordered so many of the different dishes that I can't quite remember all the names. The guys next to us looked at us like we were some freaks b/c our dishes just kept coming. sorry...we just needed to try a little of everything after a long day's hike. The standouts are the steak, the tar tar and my fav was the hamachi head. I just wish the place was larger given its huge popularity. Although it's no where near the main strip, this place is not a secret anymore...everyone knows about it so get there early. And the best is the prices are more than reasonable for such high quality.

    (5)

  • Jas A.

    To celebrate my bday, Kuma had sent me to a spa-cation at the Halekulani. After the most incredible spa day ever, Kuma thought that it would be nice to end the day here. He was absolutely right. I can't believe we ate sooooo much, but from what i remember, my faves were: Matsuri Natto Spicy Hamachi UNI (I GOT THE LAST ONES INHOUSE!) Stingray Broiled Crab (dynamite?) Homemade Tofu Shishamo but the best thing to get here is...THE IKURA (they receive it fresh and marinate it so it's not so heavy. The flavor is kind of a light dashi...idk...you just have to try it to believe me) A wonderful night to end the most awesome day!

    (5)

  • Aron N.

    Fantastic dishes. The hamachi tartare was fantastic. Oysters, sushi, really fresh. A bit pricey - but well worth it. Staff was friendly and informative. One of the best for sure.

    (5)

  • Stefanie M.

    I finally got the chance to eat at Gaku and it is one of the few restaurants that lived up to its hype! I've been told by many people that Gaku is one of the best Japansese restaurants in Hawaii and I must agree. Being an izakaya restaurant they have your typical menu with a wide variety of menu options, but what makes this restaurant different is that everything they put out is absolutely delicious which I can't say for all the Izakaya restaurants I've dined at before. Sitting at the sushi bar was a great experience. We had the privilege to sit in front of the sauté chef and got to see him in action. It's comforting to know that each dish ordered is made when it is ordered. Nothing here is pre-made and reheated when ordered. That even went for our miso soup! While most restaurants keep a large pot on the burner, the sauté chef made each bowl of their pork miso soup to order! That is a complete dedication to freshness. Izakaya restaurants are great for my boyfriend and me because we can get a lot of variety. He is a carnivore and I am a seafood lover so at Izakaya restaurants we get the best of both worlds. We started our meal with a variety of different nigiri sushi including uni, giant clam, Hamachi, unagi, tamago, and amaebi. All of the sushi was so fresh! Nothing fancy but you could definitely tell they have high quality ingredients. We also tried the highly recommended Hamachi tartar and fried kabocha pumpkin. Both of these dishes were as good as everyone described them to be so you'll definitely want to order this if you go! One of my favorite vegetables is kabocha pumpkin and Gaku's version did not disappoint. Our server recommended the half-shell fresh point oysters which were on the daily specials menu and they were absolutely amazing! Being an oyster lover there is nothing better tasting than an ice cold oyster fresh oyster, yum! As for our protein entrees we had the seasoned duck, ponzu ribeye steak, and chicken karaage. If there was one thing I learned from Gaku it is that ponzu taste good on almost everything! The duck and ribeye was both seasoned in it and both were very flavorful and refreshing. Our ribeye steak was pan fried to a perfect medium rare and topped with a fresh tasting glaze. Absolutely delicious! While the chicken karaage was great in its own right, we probably would pass on it next time so that we could try another specialty dish on the menu. Service here is spot on! Sitting at the sushi bar we had several people check on us constantly. At the end of the meal they encourage you to relax unlike most restaurants who are trying to chase you out so they can sit the next party. Prices here are typical Izakaya prices. It can be very reasonable upwards to very pricey--it just depends on how big of an appetite you have. Our bill with drinks and tip came up to about $200 for two...yikes, guess that makes me a piggy!

    (5)

  • Beverly P.

    OMG...this place was incredible! We had to wait outside for 30 minutes but it was so worth it! The bf and I walked in and were instantly taken to a room in the back where we had to take our shoes off. It was very authentic to my eyes. We started off with their extensive sake menu and tried several STRONG sake drinks that were just so smooth and delicious. One of the drinks was $20 per glass, but after tasting it you'd definitely understand why. The portions were comparable to every fancy restaurant: small. However, everything, and I mean everything, was delicious. We started off with a Tuna Tartare, Oyster Shooters, and some sort of Aji salad. We proceeded to order more but the sake sort of impaired my memory at that point. But I do remember ordering a steak and having each morsel melt in my mouth! We also had the dessert which was small and light, a perfect end to our meal. The service was quick and our waitress Mayumi was especially kind and helping. Another plus of the evening was that we were seated next to a magician who gave us a free magic show! Overall,

    (5)

  • Dan M.

    A great place for sashimi at a decent price. The omakase is a little small but very fresh and traditional. Friendly service & a great atmosphere makes this place a great deal. The Toro is excellent and they have a great sake selection as well. I would recommend making a reservation.

    (4)

  • Tyler D.

    I like Gaku better than Sasabune, Mitch's, Yohei, Imanas, and whatever other restaurants you can name out there... The fish is top notch. The service is excellent. The array of dishes are solid. The atmospheres is great. The bathrooms are stylish and clean. They have drop down seating in the back. Daniel is super cool, and it is great to see a guy that looks that Haole jam Japanese so well. The sushi chefs are hilarious. They have things like matsutake mushrooms on occasion (I hadn't had that since I lived in Japan). The list goes on and on.... The bad part of the list: they don't take reservations after 7pm! Oh well...they know their market well...these guys don't have to take reservations. They know they will be swamped...might as well keep it catch as catch can from a business standpoint. The uni is off the hook here. Yamakake is great! I love the oyster shot with sake and raw egg...yummy! The chicken Karaage is unreal (I normally don't like karaage...but these guys marinate the chicken before frying it...it is so juicy!). This place is the shiznit...I like to go at 5pm when they first open for a super duper late lunch...no lines....

    (5)

  • Brad K.

    One of my most favorite restaurants on the island. Fairly priced, great atmosphere, parking sucks. Food is amazing!

    (5)

  • Reza S.

    Very small sushi place with an authentic feel to it. The food was so so though. I wasn't too impressed. They do have a huge menu which can get a little confusing. Our waiter was nice overall but he was more involved with the table next to ours the whole night because it was his friends. But overall it was average. Worth trying if you can't find anything else. Reasonably priced. Would recommend a reservation because we didn't have one and had to wait 30 minutes.

    (3)

  • Dan F.

    Finally, I got a chance to eat at this place because everytime I try to call in I am unable to get a table until after 8:30pm and by then I have already eaten some place else. I came here with my family to eat. Anyway, this place is kind of expensive but it's actually worth it. The staff are very friendly. The food is probably what I liked best. If I remember correctly, we had Maguro Chazuke, Cold and Hot Udon, Tobiko Sushi, Uni, Squid Legs, Spicy Tuna Roll, Maguro and Miso Soup. I loved the Maguro Chazuke because it was simple, not sure where the seasoning was but all I had to do was pour the hot tea that came with it and eat the rest like good soup. I liked how it wasn't salty. The Hot and Cold Udon were flavorful, I liked the hot one better and the noodles were chewy. The Spicy Tuna Roll tasted great, not overpowering with sesame oil, mayo, or that spicy sauce. I wonder if the ingredients used was made differently. The Squid Legs weren't chewy, very crispy, and melts in your mouth which I liked but it was salty. What surprised me the most was the Tobiko, the eggs looked bigger than most places that serve it and it was shiny like little glass beads. Eating it was amazing, it didn't taste like crap and I would love to eat it again because I don't normally eat Tobiko. The Miso Soup was just right, didn't taste like there was MSG in it. As we left, the whole staff thanked us. My dad left his cell phone and didn't know but one of the waiters came running outside to give it back to us before we left. It was very kind of him to do so. Man I love this place. Definitely a great place to eat with a bunch of friends or with a date. *Update on Food 4/10/10* I ate here for a second time with a bunch of friends. So far we loved what we order. Chicken Karaage was soft, tender, white meat, and flaky crispy. Deep fried squid legs was the same as the chicken karaage and it wasn't tough or chewy. Cold Udon was awesome! Noodles were chewy and broth was flavorful minus the MSG I hope because it didn't taste like it. Clams in Sake was damn good. The natural flavor of the clam mixed with sake reminds me of drunken claims done in a Japanese way, served hot. Gaku's own Ahi Poke was probably the best Poke I had. The flavor was not overly done or salty. It was more of a dry version rather than wet. I couldn't remember exactly what it was mixed with but there was some type of seaweed and nori in it. The maguro was top notch since it was soft to eat and not one hint of tenderness. Let's just say it's not like any other maguro in cheap sushi restaurant. It's maguro that could almost melt in your mouth, but not like toro. I also order assorted sushi which had Toro, Maguro, Hamachi, Amaebi, Salmon, Ikura, another fish, and 6 pieces of maguro tekka maki. My friend who ate the Toro loved every bit of it. I pretty much ate everything else. I can't describe exactly how each sushi tasted, but I would say it's about one level down Sushi Sasabune or Mitch's.

    (5)

  • Mako H.

    Definitely amongst the best of the best! all daughter number 1 could keep saying all night was "i'm in heaven, i'm in heaven" (of course after "i'm hungry, i'm hungry"), daughter 2 never heard a peep outta her and at one point got concerned and checked to see if she was still breathing, yup everything A-OK (she can be the human shovel, that skinny little bean) ok we had: clams ribeye steak w/garlic Menpachi (special for the night) hotate (also a special) anago ebi maguro cali spicy tuna (really spicy and good) and more but those was the highlights special note: menpachi was good but how big do you expect a menpachi to be, shoulda ordered 2 or 3 (they was cheap anyway) ribsteak was mouthwatering (opppps sorry i'm drooling) the service is impeccable and friendly (japanese speaking non japanese staff a definite plus) the only down side i could come up with is parking sucks and you may have a loooong wait if you just walk up, fills up quick which is the best,,, gaku? tokkuri? imanasu? i'm just gonna keep eating at all of them until i can decide.

    (5)

  • Michelle K.

    A friend and I tried this place based on the great reviews on yelp. First of all, it is a little alarming to see so many haole waiters. They were extremely friendly and knowledgeable, just a little off putting. We enjoyed the ribeye although they did bring us the wrong one. And, my favorite was the jelly tofu. Very tasty. We tried the signature hamachi which was tasty as well and fun to mix and make. The prices are a little expensive for the amount of food, but it was tasty. The atmosphere is very nice - feels like a traditional japanese restaurant. It would be a cute place to take a date. I also agree about the great sake recommendations by the waiter.

    (3)

  • Dan T.

    love this place, this is my favorite restaurant.

    (5)

  • rylie m.

    okay.. i'm very picky about my sushi. and i was happy with EVERYTHING there. 100%! food was excellent, service was great. had NOTHING to complain about. if you are in honolulu and love authentic sushi, go to this restaurant. i've tried many sushi restaurants in hawaii but haven't had anything close to this. i will be back every time i'm there!

    (5)

  • johnson l.

    Overall the food was good and fresh. The down side was the service our udon took atleast 45mins to come and my ebi heads took another 30 minutes.

    (4)

  • Brendon G.

    Boom. The best meal I've had in a long time.

    (5)

  • Adam B.

    This could be my new favorite sushi restaurant in Honolulu. I must admit that I know high quality fish as I research sushi restaurants, have read books on it and have conversations with the sushi chefs often. I had omakase sushi. What impressed me was the different types of fish served. Many of which I have never experienced before and many without English names (so I was told). The fish was of very high quality as was the rice. Some sushi was serviced with a sauce that was appropriate and not overpowering. This place and sasabune are my definite favorites in the area. I would go back here in a heartbeat.

    (5)

  • Jamie S.

    Definitely deserves it's ratings! We were on vacation in HI, and we went on a Tues. night. We waited around 10 minutes which bears no judgement. Parking was a little tight, but not the worst. The host even came out to tell us that a party would be leaving in 10 minutes and for us to block the driveway. That was customer service. We didn't get to sit at the bar, but that's ok our server was amazingly courteous and helpful. We ordered their dynamite, which was great but not so great if you don't like Octopus (I don't), but still very delicious. We also order baked crab legs, very good as well. Our server told us that there were 2 ways of preparation (mayo or not) we went with the mayo version. We ordered Otoro sashimi, decently priced, but very delicious, melt in your mouth, wonderful. We also ordered Yellowtail sashimi which was just as delicious. Both fishes were very fresh. We also got Sake, I forget which grade, but I knw it's the mid-grade one. Our server was being truthful and said that the descriptions beneath each Sake should not be listened to. Sake was amazingly smooth and just the right amount of sweetness. Lastly, we ordered the rib-eye. My boyfriend loved it. That night I wasn't craving beef, but nonetheless, it was good. To each their own! Overall great place, great server, and great food! Thanks for the fantastic dinner in Hawaii!

    (5)

  • Krystalyn G.

    We just tried this last night, and I have to say...I've never had Japanese food this good! When you get into the restaurant, you're greeted by the friendliest staff that treats you like a total rockstar! Your table is in a cute little area w/shoji doors. You have to take your shoes off before you enter & when you sit on the bench, your feet hang off into a little space. It's a very different experience. The food was absolutely fabulous! Everything came out on decorative dishes made out of stone-like material & the seafood tasted like it was just swimming around 10 minutes ago! I also tried their "plum" wine on the rocks. It's a sweet sake w/a fermented ume. It's a small amount, but it does its job of making you "feel good"! Overall, it was a great experience & is made to share w/a bunch of friends!

    (5)

  • Mark A.

    This is my all time favorite Sushi Bar. I'm am a purist, a traditionalist and I eat everything you probably wouldn't. Next to La Mer this is my favorite restaurant on O'ahu. Wonderful atmosphere, innovative dishes, a friendly and accommodating staff. All of these are reasons why Gaku Rocks!! Thanks to the staff and the wonderful chefs' that work so hard and diligently to present to you little gems of food that is appealing to the eye and mouth.

    (5)

  • Haidee O.

    The food here is absolutely delicious! Quite possibily the best sushi I've ever eaten! It is a bit on the pricey side but definitely worth it. My husband and I were recently in Honolulu and everyone recommended this place so we had to check it out. We ordered the fresh oysters which were perfect in size and had the right amount of dressing. Their spicy hamachi dish is to die for! And don't get me started on their TNT dish... YUMMY! First glance, I was scared because it looked like it would be way too rich for my taste, but one bite and I was sold. Not only was the food yummy, but the servers and chefs were all very friendly. They made us feel right at home. The only downside is it's a very small restaurant and it fills up quickly so be sure to make reservations days in advance if not weeks. But if you do end up waiting, trust me, it's worth the wait.

    (5)

  • Christi D.

    Visiting in Honolulu for the third time, but finally with my son who will eat sushi with me. We tried several places early in the week. Who knew you needed reservations at a sushi restaurant on a Monday night?!? So yes, absolutely, make a reservation. You can call after 3:00, although you are unlikely to get one for that day. They loosen up after 7:00, and you can usually grab a spot with a bit of a wait...we sat outside on the bench for less than 10 minutes. Now, being from Seattle, it's kind of hard to impress me where sushi is concerned, but these guys managed. The tuna and snapper nigiri were perfect. The fish was almost creamy it was so fresh and perfect temperature...that's the true test for me. If it's too cold, it doesn't have enough flavor; if it's too warm, it doesn't want to stay in my mouth. The miso grilled butterfish was terrific, although not quite as good as my favorite sushi place back home. The creme de la creme was the papio sashimi with the most delectable ponzu sauce and the perfect little pepper rings. I had the Hawaiian style plum wine and my son had a couple of different types of saki. We liked Black Dragon the most. The unagi (my favorite dessert sushi) was like a bite of heaven. Our bill was surprisingly modest. I honestly expected it to be more. We had plenty to eat and two drinks each and it was less than 100 dollars. I haven't eaten in any other sushi restaurants in Honolulu, so I can't compare it to them, but I can compare it to 30 years of sushi love. This is a fine, fine restaurant.

    (5)

  • Caligurl M.

    love it there. my husband and i consider this one of our fave spots! we've been there 2 x and each time was great. we had tuna tartare, ribeye steak, assorted sushi, dynamite, monk fish liver, hamachi kama, asari w/ garlic, and a lot more just cant remember. everything was good. go on a friday...thats when we go and the wait is usually about 10-15 min.

    (5)

  • Hillary M.

    Our new favorite date night spot! Worth every penny. Absolutely impeccable service, perfect food, and inventive combinations make for the perfect dinner. Better than Nobu!

    (5)

  • Alexander S.

    The best on island. Great service, food, and environment. Thos place is hard to beat.

    (5)

  • Ann L.

    This place was excellent. The best sushi I've had. The waiter was very knowledgeable and helped us make great choices so we weren't duplicating anything and everything complimented each other very well. The food was a little pricey, but well worth it, and definitely within reason! Especially for Hawaii standards. Don't miss out!

    (5)

  • Missy F.

    When visitng Hawaii, my husband and I stopped by to eat at this wonderful place! We both miss it and wish that this little place exist in Los Angeles. Our bill came out to be $160.00 but we got about 8 dishes and 2 bottles of beer.

    (5)

  • Lola C.

    Seriously does not get any better than this. It's pricey, but you get what you pay for, and service is always great.

    (5)

  • Victor K.

    A quaint sushi restaurant located in a what seem like slumy area at night. Although, it was safe enough. Designed from ceiling to floor with wood; hardwood floors, tables and chairs, register counter, ceiling beams, and laterns. I found the atmosphere somewhat cold and distant. I believe it is known for their sashimi and nigiri, so if you are looking at the other items on the menu, think again. I order the nigiri set (I do not know what they called it), but they snowballed you with a eggplant and tamago nigiri. Otherwise, fresh, clean and tasty. Service was quite friendly, quick and attentive, but that is the Japanese way, anyways. It is one of the best sushi restaurants on the island. You know when you see the Japanese from Japan eating there. Food: 8.5 Service: 9 Cost: $20-40/person 4.5 stars

    (4)

  • LooLicious L.

    I'm a fan !! Very quaint japanese restaurant w/ great food & service. Everything we ordered was delicious like the egg, sausage (My Fav), garlic steak...all good. The prices are reasonable , but you will have to find street parking which usually is not a problem. Only thing is the place is very small. You will definitely enjoy it.

    (4)

  • Nana K.

    I just found out that my favorite sushi man Manabu san opened his own izakaya. I went to check it out and had a great time. Manabu san is still the same and his spicy tuna is as good as ever!!! I can eat his inside out spicy tuna roll with Avocado for every meal. The place was really nice, sushi chef's outfits were awesome, food was on point. Congrats Manabu san on your success!!! I am going again before my trip is over for sure :) And I did.

    (5)

  • Ed K.

    ay i got nothing bad to say about this place except i couldn't find any coupons in the newspaper. you could say, its trendy, crowded, and small capacity. had the carpaccio, oyster shooters, and couple olong highs and it was just how it was supposed to be. bartended at a similar restaurant and learned how to flip and tip BIG.. this where all the sachos blow ridiculous cash and get loose and looney.. went there responding to an invitation. had a pleasant evening & will be back.. the food was oishi!

    (5)

  • Grace L.

    4.5 actually for this place...why so close and not the full credit? Let me start with the good stuff first. The service is impeccable, the people here are kind, welcoming and timely. When the people preparing your sushi are Japanese people who don't speak perfect English, you know you are in for a treat. (Take that as a hint, some Chicago sushi bars!) Once we sat down at the bar, the guys making sushi opened up his services to us immediately and was attentive. We tried a little bit of everything, and all of it was great..worth the 30-40 min wait we endured because we didn't make reservations. Stupid us. One of my favorites was the hamachi tartare, so perfectly seasoned and served with seaweed wrappers. The hamachi kama was grilled so well, just crispy enough and soft inside. The toro was served at a good temperature (so yum!), the salmon was just ok. The carpaccio was really good, but nothing amazing. Great Japanese food without the flair and fusion.

    (4)

  • Sasha-sparkle y.

    when i eat here, i feel like i'm cheating on imanas. i think this place is better. i kinda feel like imanas is slipping on the quality and taste of their food. they have a completely different menu though. the sushi chef was at imanas and then he started his own restaurant. food came out really quick and the sushi guy was really nice. most of the dishes we ordered were on the 'specials of the day' menu. everything was tasty and delish! no complaints here. they had otoro and that was awesome! melt in your mouth! sushi is awesome here. the cold tofu with jelly was good. it was like dashi broth, cold and jelly-like on the top of the tofu. i think this was my favorite. pretty much everything on the menu is worth tasting. you can't go wrong here! atmosphere and service was fabulous. i would definitely go back again!!!! they don't take reservations past 7pm and the place is small so if you go with no reservations be prepared to wait for a table.

    (5)

  • a c.

    Went here with my girlfriend. The entire staff was so friendly and the food was great. Their famous dish is the spicy hamachi tartar, recommended to us by our waiter. It was so good that we ended up ordering another one. Would absolutely recommend this place

    (5)

  • g. m.

    why don't i just continue this trend of positive reviews on this purveyor of salubrious and elaborate tastes? let's see, we had the omatsuri (pardon my spelling errors) that is made with among other special ingredients, natto. and before you turn your nose up to this, give it a chance. natto used to be "nasto" to my unbreakable palate, but this is done in such a way that it's pretty good. for a place that can do this for natto- imagine what they can do for the rest of the amazing choices? go. enjoy.

    (5)

  • Anne A.

    Quite often in Honolulu, new restaurants become a big hit, then things slow down, and in some cases shut down (like Momomo, I think.) So we wondered how Gaku would be after a few years. The last time we went was last November, and the quality of food and service is still excellent. Their specials change daily, depending on what's available, of course. So it is important to take the advice from your waiter. All his recommendations were spot on, and everyone had a great time. We always have the ochazuke at the end, and it was excellent as always. Our waiter (sorry...forgot his name, but speaks fluent Japanese and is from Waimea on the Big Island) recommended I try a sake different from what I'd normally order and it was fabulous (Izumijudan.) We've sat at the sushi bar in the past, but the table is just as good. They may want to add a couple additional desserts like maybe the shaved ice type dessert they have at Ichiriki or Tadashi, made with green tea. Very refreshing. Parking is a challenge unless you get there early.

    (5)

  • Kyle H.

    I'm giving this a 5 just based on the sashimi, since that's all I ate. I had a platter with like 9 different types of sashimi. All of the pieces were very good. Also that was the 1st time I ate raw shrimp, so that was a different experience

    (5)

  • Doug B.

    I think I first went on the 2nd night it was open; I worked down the St. Definitely didn't have the reservation/line issue then. I guess popularity brings it's own issues. It is a great sushi/japanese restaurant: personally I wouldn't call it an Izakaya (although I suppose purists will question that). It's hardly a hole-in-the-wall/'find' type place. It's actually a reasonably sized space and was designed from the ground up a couple of years ago and has a reasonable ad presence although I would guess right now it could survive on word-of-mouth/travel blogging. Food is great, somewhat inventive and classic at same time; I'm a sashimi/bar guy but will take anything the chef will put in front of me. It is a little pricier than I think it needs to be and there's quite a few sushi joints here, Oahu, that are as tasty/more affordable so I'm reticent in saying it's "the best". I like a more neighborhood feel that I can turn up to, sans reservation, and sidle up to sushi bar and get favorite fish. I'm just not interested in needing a reservation esp. for a sushi place and more and more my visits have dwindled because of that. Service is pretty good, although originally it was very 'authentic' (e.g. Native employees) and progressively turned into a more 'hip' presence/staff with a tendency to 'hover' (not too bad) with a sense of "do you want anything else?" (we need your seat). As an on-islander I guess these are nit-picking comments; if you went on vacation I assume it'd probably be a "gushing" experience. Unfortunately I won't tell you where I go (actually in dreadful Waikiki) where I rarely can spend more than $20 +BYOB and get ample, simple sashimi in DEFINITELY a small/front-of-store bar, which is also unfortunately getting reservation problems. Probably we make too many of these blog entries and create the situation ...

    (4)

  • itsme i.

    The food is good. Some of their combinations sounded a little strange...so I didn't order them. I HIGHLY recommend the toro here. Definitely some of the best I've had. Do yourself a favor and order some toro, or you'll be doing yourself a disservice.

    (5)

  • Jane M.

    mmmm.. can't get enough spicy hamachi tartar, toro sashimi, tofu jelly,uni shooters and fried fish bones- I love this place!!

    (5)

  • anne f.

    I heart this place! The staff greats you in Japanese with genuine sincerity when you walk in. The owner/sushi chef recommended some sashimi for me that was to die for! Toro with garlic sauce...oh my god heaven and salmon with what tasted like some sort of chipotle chili sauce...ahhhmazing. The nice Japanese gentlemen next to me treated me to some excellent cold sake. they have quite the list of amazing offerings. The hamachi tartar was delicious as well spicy and unique. Even the simple tamango (egg) and spicy radish was delicious. The only thing i didn't like was the natto, the texture bothers me, but I heard you acquire a taste for it I just haven't acquired it yet. For dessert, the mochi with green tea ice cream was perfect. The experience, atmosphere, and food were outstanding. The staff is incredible and always willing to assist you. It's costs about $40-50 per person and totally worth every penny. Definitely check this place out!

    (5)

  • Hoku K.

    I was really looking forward to eating here as my friend who turned me on to Imana's recommended the place. The owner of Gaku formerly worked at Imana's and I absolutely love the food at Imana's. Gaku's interior is very chic, and shows an obvious mix of traditional and modern. The service was rather slow and it took several attempts to get any service. We were seated near the front and were privy to the host's trouble with the seating (he seemed overwhelmed between balancing the reservations and walk ins) The food was so-so, they are obviously trying some bold combinations. A few worked most didn't. Surprisingly, they forgot our sushi order. We kept looking at the sushi chefs and they were just standing around waiting for orders. When we reminded the server of our order. They quickly tried to put it together but we declined. We were kinda over the place. On the upside the sake was great and they are very generous with the serving. Helped to take our mind off not having our sushi. This experience reinforced how wonderful Imana's is.

    (1)

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Map

Opening Hours

  • Mon :5:00 pm - 11:00pm

Specialities

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

Sushi Izakaya Gaku

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