Kikuya
46-148 Kahuhipa St, Kaneohe, HI, 96744
Kikuya Menu
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Visit below restaurant in Kaneohe for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Kaneohe for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Kaneohe for healthy meals suggestion.
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Address :
46-148 Kahuhipa St
Kaneohe, HI, 96744 - Phone (808) 235-2613
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Opening Hours
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Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : No
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : No
WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES
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Lynette N.
Found this place by accident on the lush Windward side of Oahu. The first thing I see on their door is a sticker saying "People Love Us On Yelp." Well, couldn't pass that up! And so glad I didn't. There was a line out the door but they seat you pretty quickly. The servers were so busy and always on the go, yet very attentive to water refills and anything else that was needed...not to mention, very friendly and cheerful even though they were swamped. I had the Sashimi/Tempura/Misoyaki Butterfish combo special...OMG! The tempura was crispy and fresh tasting, butterfish was delish, the potato salad was Ono and the sashimi was "broke da mouth" yummy! A lady sitting at the next table ordered the Fried Akule special which she kindly let me snap a picture of...lol. I heard every bite she took because it was so crispy...just the way I like it. I'll have to try that next! All in all, a great meal for this always hungry foodie. :)
(5)Kelli I.
Pretty good here. They answer the phones promptly, take efficient phone orders (I carried-out lunch here for a week straight), treat customers nicely. Pricing: A little on the higher side, but not bad. The food here is really tasteful, especially the meals that come with miso soup, rice, etc. However, they do serve other things like Donburi, Ramen, even something as small as a spam musubi! Parking: Not really that good. There aren't a lot of stalls and because there are auto shops, etc. in the same complex, it is often very crowded. Often you will find yourself having to find street parking. This rating would have been a five-star rating if it weren't for the parking situation. Restaurant: Nice, and pretty spacious. Good sized, comfortable booths. Menus up on the wall could be organized a little better (hand-written, etc). Never actually "ate-in", but probably will provided I could find parking.
(4)Allie-ski Y.
The value here is awesome! My friend and I shared the butterfish and sashimi combo. The only complaint I had was that the butterfish was pretty flavorless, small and bony. So if you're really wanting a nice, succulent, thick and flaky butterfish head somewhere else. Other than that, the tempura, miso soup, sashimi and even potato salad and cabbage and dressing were ono. The tofu was loaded with veggies and meat and had the perfect balance of salty and savory with a hint of sweet. Yum! The broth is so good just to eat with rice.
(4)Barry W.
Food is ok at best. Only Japanese restaurant in Kaneohe so I guess it will do since there is no other choice. Service is not good. Came on a Sunday evening for an early dinner had to wait for over an hour just to be seated. Only one person servicing the floor with about 10 people waiting outside. Took forever to even get water to us at the table. Was shocked to find a cockroach egg drop into my food that finally came from the kitchen. Server only gave a casual "sorry about that", took the food away and never offered to replace the dish. Don't think I will be coming back anytime soon. Recommend make the trip to Kailua for much better food and service.
(1)New York R.
Great family owned restaurant! The food is always great and very different than the Japanese restaurants that cater to tourists or Japanese restaurants on the mainland.
(5)Kyle H.
I've been going to Kikuya for years. It's been my family's first choice for dinner outings for any occasion. We find ourselves here at least once a month x 20 or so years, that's a lot of teishokus! They have a pretty extensive menu, all of the traditional local Japanese food you'd expect. The best can be found in their combo meals - a main protein (salmon, butterfish, teri chicken, katsu, etc) served with shrimp and vegetable tempura, green salad, potato mac salad, miso soup, tsukemono, sashimi, and of course - unlimited rice. All of that for between $20-22. Wow, I remember when this was about $12?! ... still a deal though in my book. They can get pretty busy during dinner hours but they do take reservations and usually the wait isn't too long. We have had parties of up to 25 without a problem. They are used to large-ish parties. Kikuya is definitely a hole-in-the-wall place, older and kind of beat-up looking (my gramps calls this place the "dirty spoon" lol) but the food is great and will always be five stars for me, purely for nostalgia's sake :)
(5)Sheldon K.
Great place for local Japanese food. Good prices and nice portions. The atmosphere here is warm and family oriented. It's not fine dining, but it's got a lot of character and local hospitality. If you're looking for a great place to have some Japanese food and not hurt your pocket... This is the place to go! I have never left this place unsatisfied or upset. Overall, this restaurant is a great place.
(5)Kelsi C.
The food here is delicious, there's no doubt about that. Favorites of mine are the ahi katsu (I usually get all potato salad...the potato salad is yummmmmmy!), the salmon and the Yosenabe. It's a bit hole-in-the wall-ish, it's quite Japanese rustic. When we first started eating here, it was a bit of a turn-off to me, but the food made up for it. This is also NOT a fast-food place. You do have to wait a bit for your food, but I don't mind. That means they're serving you quality! The service is okay. I think they need to hire more servers per shift...sometimes, especially during a busy dinner rush, there'll be only one or 2 servers to tend to a full restaurant of hungry customers. However, the servers are very friendly and do their best to make sure you're tended to. Overall, if you're in Kaneohe (and if you can find this place, as it IS a bit out-of-the-way) and you're hankering for some Japanese food, this is the place to go!
(4)Lois S.
This is my family's favorite Japanese restaurant. It's a small little hole in the wall in Kaneohe. Parking is rather limited, but there's a lot of street parking available. They only take reservations for parties of four or more. Reservations is always a good idea since it's quite busy with locals. Prices have increased quite a bit since we first started going but still a pretty good value for the quality & quantity of the meal. I always order the Teri chicken trish ok or chicken katsu teishoku. It comes with rice, miso soup, pickled vegetables, nice portion of fresh air sashimi, green salad, Japanese potato salad, Teri chicken and tempura. All that for $19.95. Imagine just a few years back this entire meal was $12.95! Service is good and food comes out quick. Definitely can't beat the taste. This is a great meal for a great price. Highly recommend if you're ever on the windward side!
(4)Noreen O.
I love, love, love this place! If you go there expecting a fine dining, hoity toity kind of experience then don't bother. But if you want honest to goodness Japanese comfort food, then Kikuya (in Kaneohe, not Kalihi!) is the place to be. You sign in by writing your name on a good 'ol notebook that's on the counter, then hang out in or outside the restaurant and hope that the others in there eat fast and dig out. It's a small place, so it's not unusual to have to wait for a table. My favorites: yosenabe. Clean, flavorful broth chock full of tofu, won bok, chicken, shrimp (ok, two skimpy shrimp), scallops, mussels, carrots, long rice and a hard boiled egg. I'm sure there's a few more things in there that I'm missing. On a cold night, the yosenabe hits the spot. Tonkatsu: others have posted pictures here and one thing I must say is that they are consistent. Good sized pieces of pork that's tender and flavorful. The panko coating is light and crispy. Don't even need the tonkatsu sauce, but I dip a little because it makes it that much better! Salmon shioyaki: you get two nice sized pieces of salmon. Lightly salted, moist, and the salmon skin is nice and crisp. I love this dish because it's so simple in it's seasoning. My husband's favorite is the fried flounder. It's a whole flounder that has been deep fried until crisp. Can't crunch on the bones, but the fins (yes, I know that sounds gross) are so crisp it's like eating potato chips. It's fried goodness! Potato salad and cabbage salad: love them both and I do eat it all. The cabbage salad comes with their standard dressing which is something like thousand island, You don't have a choice of dressing but I really don't care because I love the one they serve. My only complaint is that the hot tea is not always so hot. But if you ask them, they will go ahead and turn up the fire and heat the tea and bring you a fresh hot pot. There's usually just two women working the dining room. They do everything except cook the food. They are constantly moving, taking orders, bringing out the food, replenishing the water, clearing the tables, working the register, etc. No frills, but they work HARD and I have much respect for them. We go back again and again because it's good food at decent prices. Nothing fancy, which is just how we like it. Oh! Almost forgot to mention: byob!
(4)toni a.
A Kaneohe favorite. With Nabe and Teppanyaki style popping up here, nice to see this family staple is still growing strong. Food is hot, fresh and delish.
(4)Krysten I.
Yay! I finally got to try Kikuya! After we tried going on a monday for lunch (they're closed on mondays), I was finally able to try this place! Woo! They have pretty great lunch specials that will leave you very full. I ordered the miso butterfish with tempura special. I love miso butterfish, and I honestly haven't ever had any miso butterfish that I didn't enjoy. It is therefore kind of hard for me to judge this place based on the miso butterfish. It was served with a slice of lemon, which I thought was kind of weird. The tempura was alright, I'm not the greatest fan of shrimp tempura, I'd much rather have vegetable tempura if I have tempura at all. The plate also came with rice, potato salad and cabbage salad, miso soup and cabbage tsukemono. For the amount and quality of food, I thought it was decent. It wasn't very crowded during lunch, so there was only one server. She was nice and attentive--no complaints there! The patrons were all locals, kind of an older crowd. I would be back for the homey-feeling and decent food. Parking would have been an issue if I didn't get the last stall in the lot. Maybe the parking situation gets better after work when the car maintenance shops that share the lot close.
(4)Mike N.
Went on a sunday afternoon, the food was great the donburi my mom ordered was good she enjoyed the food. I ordered a saimin with shrimp tempura everything was hot and fresh ,I really enjoyed the food ,will be back for sure.Only one waitress was working and she was super good always refilling our water.
(4)Jo L.
Kikuya Restaurant is a hole in the wall type of restaurant in Kaneohe. It has been is business for a long time. I love Kikuya for their fish. I go there to eat Ahi Belly or Fried Akule. Both really good and they give a lot. The fried Akule is fresh with a crispy light coating that's well seasoned. The Ahi belly is also lightly coated and well seasoned and cooked just right. My Mom loves their japanese teishoku and their butterfish. The atmosphere is that of a hole-in-the-wall, small and crowded during the rush, but well worth it. Parking is tight, but there are street parking as well.
(5)Earle K.
First time visit but it will not be my last. Food was very tasty, price-range was decent for the portions we were served and Brittany and her counterpart graciously escorted customers in and the food out when it was prepared. Bonus thought for potential diners...BYOB!
(4)Hannah L.
A nice family kind restaurant! Everything tasted like your uncle and auntie's cooking. Just yummy!! My personal favorite....I can't even decide which one I like the most...I usually go for one of the dinner specials, or beef sukiyaki, and sometimes the fried flounder. My husband's favorite would probably be the katsudon. But seriously...YUM!!
(5)Kobe O.
All I can say is awesome. It's a Saturday night around 6:30pm and da place is packed with a waiting list of 5 parties that was growing by the minute. First bit of advice, make reservations.....they actually work! I had the dinner special 4 with da Teri chicken, sashimi, and tempura. Da tempura was 2 shrimp. 2 greens beans, a carrot and an eggplant .....was light and not too greasy. Da chicken was tasty and grilled with da slight burnt flavor that accentuates and enhances da flavor. Sashimi was fresh with 5 pieces. My Better half had da beef sukiyaki that was also tasty and it comes in da pot.....along with da teapot of genmai tea and lacquer bowl of rice! I love pots of all you can eat rice! Da tsukemono and miso soup was also good......lots of tofu! Great local business with hardworking staff. Love these types of establishments and will come here many times in da future!
(5)Lily B.
Kikuya is a Kaneohe standard. From family gatherings to weeknight dinners, they do it all. Best Japanese style potato salad, my favorite chicken katsu, the owners here have maintained a consistent local Japanese taste for over 20 years! Expect a crowd and don't expect white table cloth service. They don't care if you don't like them, because so many others do! Act right and they will serve you happily.
(5)Charles A.
Food is always fresh and delicious and service is friendly. Had the fried Akule and it was winnahs!
(4)Thanh N.
My favorite place for Japanese food on the island! I always take visitors here and they love it. Stick to one of the specials so u get a little bit of everything. And don't be thrown off by the "hole in the wall" appearance from the outside
(5)Janna B.
Well, thanks to Yelp, and an accident on the H1 Westbound last night, we had dinner at Kikuya in Kaneohe. It was delicious! I had tonkatsu and my girlfriend had fried akule. Both were very good. Tonkatsu was crispy and light, pork super soft, not fatty and tough. Tonkatsu sauce was a little like ketchup, but who cares, I could have eaten the tonkatsu without sauce (almost), it was that good. Reminded me of the tonkatsu at the old Restaurant Fuji (in Hilo), which was made by actual Japanese men brought in from Japan on a monthly basis! Girlfriend loved the akule too! Service was nice and quick. The place is cute, parking is limited though. Bill was a bit expensive for just the two of us, on an unexpected dinner out, but all in all, it was worth it. Will definitely go back again, another time while stuck in Kaneohe at dinner time! Hmmm I wonder if they are open for lunch too?
(4)Morgan M.
First time I came I had the fried akule and it was great. This time I ordered the Special and it was terrible. Miso butterfish was rubbery and had no miso taste. Waste of $26. Go anywhere else for better Japanese food.
(2)Michael W.
Growing up in Hawaii, Japanese teishoku meals represent a throwback to the hanabata days. And in the days of "we won't make it until you order every single thing individually and will charge you out an orifice for it", when you can get everything under the sun in one meal, hanabata days accomplished. Kikuya is a visit to the familiar old days of complete meals and familiar tastes. Order one combination plate, and get sashimi, tempura, tonkatsu, rice, miso soup, salad, tsukemono and a partridge in a pear tree. (The partridge is cooked thoroughly, lightly battered, tempura-style.) Nothing fancy about this old-school Japanese eatery tucked away in Kaneohe ... as it shouldn't be. Every single food item has been delicious, from the chicken tofu to the various combo teishoku. Nothing feels like home like a juicy piece of katsu and a huge bowl of rice. Ikimashou!
(5)Erik H.
I come here every so often and always get the same thing, the #5 lunch special which includes teriyaki chicken, tempura shrimp and vegetables, rice and both potato and green salad. Along with your meal, you're served miso soup and "popcorn" tea. That runs about $14.50. It is a great meal to have when you're in the Kaneohe area. Parking can be a bit of a problem since the ~10 stalls in the lot are shared with a few other businesses. So come early to beat the lunch rush!
(4)Casey T.
Kikuya patron since birth. I love this place. There's just something about their Japanese food that is so genuine and just so damn delicious. If you expect a tea house don't go. If you like good classic unpretentious Japanese food done well you'll always go back.
(5)Rodney C.
Kikuya Kaneohe is da bomb. We have tried almost everything on the menu. Every item is great and oishi (delicious)! We ate the Salmon Shioyaki and Seafood Combo this time. My wife loved the deep fried oysters, scallops and shrimp. They deep fry the food enough that it is done exactly how we want it,= crispy, crunchy, and light. Always a favorite place for our family to go.
(5)Dawn Y.
This is a staple and tradition in our family. A ' go to' guaranteed good Japanese meal. Nothing fancy just really tasty. Butterfish Yakima, tempura, teriyaki, even the sides, potato salad is ono.
(5)L K.
Had lunch here with my grandparents today, and my family has gone to have Japanese food here for years and years. And yes, it is a little hole in the wall kind of place. The taste of the food is still great, better than a lot of Japanese places. But over the years the prices have kept going up, which I suppose is to be expected. The tempura and chicken katsu are still faves of mine. And their miso soup is good too, not all watered down like some places. The parking definitely sucks though, tight and cramped, very limited. I recommend going for an early lunch, like 11AM. Then you will get seated quickly and your order will arrive pretty fast too.
(4)Chloe M.
I really don't want to give Kikuya four stars, but I think I just ordered the wrong thing. They use fresh ingredients (except the salad, I think that was packaged) and they give generous portions, but the actual taste of my food was not good. Kikuya is located close to Windward mall. I have to agree with some of the other reviewers that it is in a run down, shady-ish location. It looks kind of scary at night. Seafood Combo ($13.50): Comes with a small dish of tsukemono, miso soup, a big bowl of rice, tossed salad, and potato salad. We also got a pot of fresh rice tea, which tasted great! Tsukemono and miso soup tasted okay. My first sip of the soup had a glob of miso paste which looked and tasted like a booger. Kind of ruined the rest of the soup for me. The seafood combo looked like it should've been served at a southern restaurant. Don't get me wrong, I love old school Japanese food, but my combo was a platter of deep fried seafood served with tar tar sauce and the salad was drenched in thousand island dressing. There were two pieces of shrimp, two pieces of oyster, two pieces of scallop, a green bean, eggplant, and carrot. The seafood itself tasted fresh and delicious, but the batter was way too thick. Pass on this one, unless you want to have a heart attack. My bf's saba was delicious and only $9.40. I think I'll get fish next time. Service was okay. Nothing special. Overall: Devoted patrons of Kikuya, please don't beat me up for dissing your favorite Japanese restaurant. I'm willing to try it again. It was a pretty good deal for how much food we got.
(4)Vanessa G.
Excellent food, the tempura was fresh, hot and crisp. I had the #4, the Sashimi is like butter, the teriyaki beef delicious. The tea tasted nutty and was the perfect companion to the food. Even the miso soup was unbelievable, the tofu is the freshest and tastiest I have ever had. We have waited forever to try this place but it's either crazy busy or closed. We will be back to try everything!
(5)Cara M.
Out of the teishoku-style Japanese restaurants I've tried in Kaneohe, Kikuya is my favorite! Despite the terrible parking situation and the strange people hanging around the lot, the homey atmosphere, service, and value of Kikuya is pretty nice. Since the food is a little too pricey for me, I usually get the oyakodon, which comes with miso soup. Service is relatively quick once you get seated, and the oyakodon comes piping hot from the kitchen! I can never finish the donburi, though. It comes with a lot of rice! There's a good family vibe at Kikuya. If my family lived in Kaneohe, we'd probably come here all the time. The restaurant would look a lot nicer with less decorations (colorful umbrellas and large, flashy fans). The decor comes off to me as cheap and a little gaudy, which is unexpected in a Japanese restaurant. For parking, I normally park on the street and jaywalk over.
(4)Jilly C.
Kikuya is a Kaneohe favorite, you can tell by the table wait time or by the amount of take out orders! Parking can be junk, but it's worth the hassle! I recommend ordering one of the combinations. They're all good, but my personal favorite is the Chicken Katsu with Tempura & Sashimi. If you're ordering take out, they do not give miso soup or tsukemono with the order. Also if you're ordering a Combo take out, be sure to move your sashimi (separate container) off the styrofoam box... I guess they're too busy to realize that by putting the sashimi container on the (warm/hot) styrofoam box, you're kinda warming the fish up... Overall, Kikuya is great!
(4)Julie M.
Kikuya is a horrible restaurant. And I'm saying this even before I got to try the food!! HORRIBLE customer service. A couple nights ago I had just got done from a long day of school- 3 classes and 4 hours of studying, at this point I'm exhausted and starving. I was driving around looking for somewhere to eat. I decided I'm in the mood for some Japanese and pull into kikuya's parking lot. I walk into the restaurant at around 8:30pm. The sign CLEARLY states they don't close till 9pm. There were 2 rude ppl. A slightly older woman and slightly younger woman. I asked if they had a to-go menu to look at, and the older one handed one to me. Couple minutes after she goes to the front door to turn off the open sign. 8:38pm. she proceeds to ask me if in ordering to go and I respond nicely saying yes. Unfortunately I was waiting for someone else to get back to me on what they wanted. The older one went back around the counter and annoyingly kept clicking her nails on the counter, expressing her impatience with me because I was still trying to contact the other person to see what they wanted to get. Then in a rude, annoying tone of voice she looks at me and says "are you going to order yet or what?" Again in a nice tone I say "yes I am" then the young girl, pipes up and says "Yeah because were closing already, we're just waiting on you" in a also very rude tone. (A hurry the fuck up/ type of tone) After that, I just got up and said "never mind" then left. I wanted to tell them off but eh, not worth my time) I WAS going to order some food and leave some good tip for coming in 30 minutes before closing, but I guess if it bothers you guys so much to wait while I figure out what my friend wants, then I can take my money else where else. There was still people eating in the restaurant as well, in other words both of the women could have been doing something like cleaning or packing up, rather then staring at me waiting for me to order WHEN they don't even close till 9pm as STATED in the hours that's taped to the front door. What ever happen to customers first? I am a waitress myself, there have been many times ppl come in at 8:55 for food even if we close at 9pm and we don't turn them down. Never. Customers are always first, because I understand sometimes people are struggling, they work all day and get off late hoping to get some food or maybe they just didn't know what time the restaurant closes, yet we never turn down people. ESP. When theirs still 20 minutes before closing. On top of that, why would you turn down someone who is willing to pay? You both benefit by making more money and the person goes home happy. Kikuya has NO sense of respect, or kindness or any sense of good customer service. I feel bad for people who are going to eat here. Good luck. I was completely nice to them and they were straight rude, horrible customer service, just wanted to buy some food. If I could rate this restaurant a 0 I would, because for me as a customer. I like to have a sense of respect or in general everyone likes to be TREATED NICELY AND RESPECTFULLY.
(1)Justin S.
Excellent mom and pop Japanese food. The service is excellent too. This restaurant has a wide variety of dishes from hot pots, ravens, combination plates, nabes, and seafood. I highly recommend this restaurant to all my family and friends.
(5)Vince B.
Kaneohe's Totally Old School Neighborhood Japanese Restaurant. Very simple. Very small. A little run down. Hand made signs on the walls telling about the specials. Mostly families who are bringing the grand parents. Lots of young people too. Birthdays, graduations and wedding anniversaries. I really like this place. Others seem to enjoy it also because there is often a line outside. No advertising, no coupons, no Groupon deals. It seems sort of stuck in time in the 1970's. The metal teapots are well worn and dented for example. Food is good. It is mostly teishoku style. Fixed menus with miso soup, rice, sashimi optional, tsukemono plus main dish, potato salad and small salad. But, they also have ramen and a few other classic individual dishes. Check the photos above for what you will get. Tempura Shrimp is nicely done. Crisp with very clean flavor. The tempura chef knows what he or she is doing. Miso salmon, chicken katsu, Miso butter fish and all the other standards. Plus, you can get combinations. One special that is always on the wall,but, not in the menu is the Whole Fried Akule. For those who salivate even thinking about the Akule it is well worth the low price. They would gladly pay much more. Not far away are a couple of newer Japanese Restaurants in Kaneohe that have similar menus and similar prices. Lots of customers seem to prefer the newer places. I think they are good too. But, for many of the regular customers, I think it is the nostalgia and flavors from the past that brings them back. Kikuya has soul. I agree with everyone who has had issues with the service. With just two servers at the busy dinner time they can get behind. Sometimes it seems like they are just barely interested in being there. Although there are no plans that I know of to close this place down. I hope it stays open for ever. If it does ever close, Kikuya will be talked about long after it's gone because it has been a part of many people's lives. There are not very many of these older family run restaurants any more. The kids and grand kids of the original owners don't see themselves as cooks and waiters. So you hear about these old restaurants closing up for good on a regular basis. it's happening all over Oahu. Good food. 4 stars Spotty Service and sort of rundown appearance. 2 stars. It's a solid 3 stars over all. I'm going back for sure because I like it always, plus, my wife craves the Akule on a regular basis.
(3)Milla V.
I went to Kikuya a few weeks ago with my husband, and really enjoyed the food! It's a very small restaurant and parking kind of sucks but the food is very tasty and well prepared.
(4)Denise W.
Hungry for some local Japanese food? This is the place to go while in Kaneohe. Food is fresh and made to order. The soup base for their udon is fantastic! Limited parking in the parking lot but there is street parking. Restaurant is small and they are busy. If you have to wait, it will be worth it.
(5)Harold S.
Comments below: - Ordered the sashimi, shrimp tempura, and chicken katsu set dinner menu. - The set dinner came with tea, miso soup, rice, small salad, potato salad. -Sashimi was tuna, it was very fresh. - Chicken katsu was light and flavorful. Shrimp tempura had 2 shrimps, 2 green beans, 1 eggplant, and 1 carrot. There was a little bit too much batter, but it was light and crispy. - Overall, this was a great experience. This hole in the wall restaurant is the way to go. Not bad for under $17.
(4)Kylie O.
Born and raised in Kaneohe, Kikuya has always been the place to go for japanese food. Hidden off Kahuhipa, Kikuya isn't a hole in the wall, but it isn't a fancy place either. Something that adds to its charm. As far as I can remember, I've always sticked to my regular, the #2, salmon teishoku. It comes with salmon, shrimp/vegetable tempura, toss & mac salad, miso soup, and sashimi. Although the prices have gone up over the years, I still believe it's a reasonable price at $16, for all of the food you get. Especially at such good quality. The sashimi has always been fresh, and the salmon cooked very well. My favorite part is the tempura sauce. It's not your normal sauce, it has a somewhat different taste. In fact, I like their sauce over any other japanese restaurant. Now, the reason why it's not a five, is due to the service. The service can be horrible at times, especially if it's busy. Those workers aren't the most pleasant at times, but being a regular, I have become use to it, at the same time, I can see how it can turn others off. Overall, Kikuya is the best Japanese restaurant there is in Kaneohe, and a must-go for visitors. Note: -Parking is difficult. It's shared with 3 other business. Usually street parking is all there is.
(4)Christopher T.
Great place to spend a Father's Day Lunch (with reservations of course). Within a half an hour after opening, this place is packed. You just can't beat the old style Japanese restaurant. All of the favorites are here from Beef or Chicken Teriyaki, Tonkatsu, Chicken Katsu, Beef, Chicken, or Pork Sukiyaki, Shrimp Tempura, and so on. The always have combination specials. My wife's favorite is the Chicken Teriyaki with Shrimp Tempura, while my son usually eats Shioyaki Salmon, I have always been partial to the Tonkatsu (and not the combination because I want to maximize how much tonkatsu I get). Too bad we moved farther away, but it is always worth a drive out to Kaneohe for Kikuya.
(5)Tiana L.
My favorite restaurant in the world with THE BEST teriyaki chicken is Kikuya. I've been going there since I was a kid and have tried different dishes (that other people ordered) but I'm loyal to the teriyaki chicken with vegetable tempura and a side of potato salad. I refer to it as my "Death Row" meal because that's exactly what I would request. Parking is a bit of a pain and when they are busy, you will be waiting but it's worth it! I live in Las Vegas now but everytime I'm home, I make sure I eat here at least once.
(5)Boki C.
I liked this place because it's mom + pop, old school menu (and decor! how charming), simple ono grinds. I particularly liked this place because it was in kaneohe and i didn't have to go to town to have good japanese food. Food came quickly, was SUPER HOT (my favorite! why can't all restaurants be like that?) and portions were generous.
(4)Carolyn S.
Lunch for 4 was $50 and the food was good. The shrimp tempura was delicious. The teri beef was tasty and not full of fat or gristle. The nabeyaki udon had a nice selection of garnishes. Lots of fish specials and good service. I'll be back!
(5)Tori M.
I was born and raised in Kaneohe, but I never went to Kikuya until this week. It's in that baby blue warehouse building on Kahuhipa that I always pass by without thinking. Wisteria used to be my favourite restaurant and Kikuya definitely reminds me of that local Japanese feel only a few places seem to still have. I originally ordered the salmon teishoku but I had to trade my friend for the butterfish teishoku because he was a little too hungry/lazy to take out the few bones leftover. The teishoku sets come with fresh sashimi, miso soup, tenpura, rice, and your entrée. I've only seen a few places/people make their tenpura like Kikuya. It's a pretty time and labour intensive process to get the batter and flakes whispy like they do, but you can taste and feel the difference. I remember the old aunties making it this way and I've had it from a tiny food stall in Tokyo, so it's nice to see them take the time to make a good product. The servers were exceedingly friendly and it really did feel like the old Wisteria in many ways, including the occasional lack of parking, which is the only reason why Kikuya doesn't get five stars this time.
(4)Juliann C.
The Good: -Private parking -Family owned restaurant The Bad: -The food is mediocre and isn't worth the price The Weird: - Sometimes it smells funny?
(1)Kenyan K.
Kikuya has great local Japanese food. I look forward to eating here when I'm in Kaneohe. The quality of the food is awesome and the prices are reasonable. They make one of the best Japanese potato salads and have good combination specials. The restaurant has a very home-style atmosphere and the service is great. There aren't too many tables and it often gets crowded but I've never had to wait very long (under 30 mins) to get seated. My biggest complaint is the parking as the lot is small and the stalls are narrow. I usually end up finding street parking nearby.
(4)Asako O.
Kikuya by far is one of the best local Japanese restaurants you will find on the Windward side. It is located in Kaneohe, on Kahuhipa Street, near Windward Mall. Must go early because this restaurant gets very crowded during lunch and dinner and parking is limited. Being that it is surrounded by industrial businesses it might be easily missed. This is one of my favorite restaurants because of their great local Japanese food. They have daily specials posted on the wall with fresh fish prepared in many different ways. They have an extensive menu with so many options to choose from. The item I usually order is the butterfish and tempura combo. The tempura is not like other places I have tried, not too doughy and the tempura sauce is so good. The meal comes with hot tea, miso soup, tsukemono, rice, toss salad and their ono potato salad. What a deal. I recommend this restaurant as you will not be disappointed. Just need to be a little patient as it gets busy but it is well worth the wait. Food is fantastic along with their service.
(5)Jonathan E.
Kikuya is and has always been my favorite Japanese food joint. People who give less than 3 stars have no idea what they are talking about. This is authentic Japanese food that takes a lot of preparation to make. None of that packaged tempura batter, bottled teri sauce, powdered miso soup, etc.... everything is from scratch. Owners are sweet and hard working. The waiters bust ass too and are great people. My favorite is always #4 combo with tempura, teri chicken, sashimi, miso soup, rice, and tsukemono. Price has been going up, but is still reasonable compared to other Japanese joints. Please check it out. You do need to be patient at times, but that only shows how great the food is. Impatient bastards stay away, and mainlanders, stick to fricken haole cooked japanese food on the mainland, cause thats what you are used to......
(5)Doris D.
One of the best local, authentic, Japanese restaurant on the Windward side. The best is the miso butterfish with the tempura teishoku! I've eaten here countless times and the food is consistently great. The "Special" is awesome too, you get yosenabe, tempura, teishoku, etc. It's a good deal. I only minus-ed one star because I got food poisoning the last time I went and haven't been back since! Whoops.
(4)Tracey I.
Food was good but service wasn't the greatest. We went for lunch and it wasnt very busy, only 2 other tablel. The waitress gave us the bill while we still eating. That made us feel very rushed. We seen her do that to a couple that came in a few minutes after us too. She didn't have very good customer service skills and giving customers their check while they still have food on the table is just plain rude. What happen to common sense?
(3)Darlene S.
Kikuya has been a Kaneohe icon for decades. Great local Japanese food, friendly wait service, fresh ingredients all in a familiar and comfortable atmosphere. If you're looking for upscale, look elsewhere. Kikuyu is like visiting your favorite auntie who knows how to dish yummy down home Japanese food. Rubber slippers, shorts and t-shirts are the dress code here. It's all about enjoying dinner in comfort. Aside from your fave aunt's place where can you get light, lacy tempura combined with ultra fresh ahi for less than $20? Did I mention the fresh ahi sashimi that comes with your combo dinner? Seriously? Yep, you betcha. Kikuya remains a Kaneohe staple because the quality of the food remains fresh, tasty, and consistent. Here's to another couple of decades more of yummy food at that mom and pop shop.
(4)Charles S.
I love this place!! The teri-chicken and tempura combo is my favorite. Portions are plentiful and the taste is perfect! It gets pretty busy from 5:00 - 7:00 pm, so you might want to get there early. Calling in ahead for a take-out order might be another option if you don't like waiting for a table. The only down side is the small parking lot, but it's well worth looking for street parking!
(5)Geri S.
I'm leaving this review completely unbiased. I'm sorry that this is a mom-and-pop type restaurant, I'm sorry it's been here forever, I'm sorry that they're a small business in a small town. But if you want a better review, step it up. The place is completely run down. My daughter had to stay in her stroller because the chairs had cracks in it. I don't expect a fancy restaurant but I do expect a clean, comfortable area when I eat. The food tastes like they just flavored it with salt and pepper and threw it on the frying pan. If that's the case, I could've done that at home for half the price. I can't believe I let my brother-in-law drag me 10-miles out of the way for this. All 4 of us were disappointed and believe me, he will never hear the end of it. 2 Stars because the only thing that was decent was the service.
(2)M T.
Old school family style japanese food. Hard to find places. like this in town. Lots of choices on the menu and prices are fair and reasonable. Tempura is a must. Green tea is really good and they leave the pot on your table is you feel like chazuke.
(4)Grand Y.
We got one of the combos (sashimi, mahi mahi, and chicken) and the seafood combo bowl. Both were disappointments, and the service was no better. I was led to believe the seafood combo bowl was a bowl of seafood. Not so. It was basically 2 tempura shrimp, 1 tempura scallop, 1 tempura clam, and a couple tempura veggies. Funny, they didn't list it in the tempura section of the menu. It didn't help that I don't like tempura. The sashimi pieces were tiny. The mahi mahi was battered and deep fried, not lightly pan fried as explained. The teri chicken was good. We swapped it in, swapping out the tempura (since I don't like tempura). They said the upcharge was $1, then charged us an additional $3 for the substitution. Both combos came with a half-filled bowl of soup that barely tasted like miso, and a tablespoon of pickled cabbage. That they mention these items as part of the dinner combo is kind of a joke, since the portions were tiny and the food forgettable. Kikuya is proof that Yelp can lead one astray. This was my only disappointing meal in Oahu. The restaurant is aslo in a sketchy part of town. I woudn't come here on a first date.
(2)Ryan T.
This is probably the best Japanese restaurant on the Windward side and one of the better local style Japanese places on the island. The prices are quite reasonable for the quality & quantity of food served. For less than $15, you can get a set meal that includes sashimi, tempura, & miso soup with your main dish. One of the unique items that they serve is kushikatsu, which is basically meat and/or vegetables on a skewer and deep fried to a golden brown. Although the version served here is more local style and different from the kushikatsu that I have eaten in Japan, it still is quite good.
(4)Rae I.
Simple little place. The food was great! We had the Chicken Katsu with Shrimp Tempura combo and Beef Teriyaki with Shrimp Tempura combo. The Beef Teriyaki was flavorful. The portions were just right for me although my husband could have used just a little more rice. The boss lady was running the front of the house since her wait staff went back to school. I was worried about that because this was the lunch hour but I was wrong. She was on it!
(4)Lyra H.
Just a disclaimer to anyone reading this. DON'T expect to go to a fancy restaurant where the servers wait on you hand and food. This is a little mom and pop restaurant. There are usually at most 3 women working, so when it does become packed they cannot always get to tables in a timely manner. They don't practice complete server etiquette. Your water may not be filled right away. BUT have a little compassion. Even though there's probably about 15 tables, that's about 5 tables per server who has to run around multitasking taking orders, bringing food to the table, clearing & cleaning the table, and ringing customers up. So when it's busy, it's busy. Some what disappointed to read a review that said it's in a shady part of the neighborhood. That's untrue. It's in an industrial area of Kaneohe. There's a Gracie's Gym right next door, mattress store, bar and mechanic type place. It's also minutes to the mall and apartments. It's also right across the street of a Honda car wash. I'm not sure how an industrial area seems shady. If you can get past all that OR come earlier when it's not a busy dinner rush, the food is delicious. I would suggest any type of katsu or teriyaki. I would also recommend the Specials. You get sashimi & shrimp w/vegetables tempura.
(4)Kelley C.
If you've never heard or tried Kikuya's before, there's only one way to find out!!!!! ps. number 4 is winnahs!
(5)kara n.
They some of the best tempura that i've tried, and I eat tempura EVERYWHERE. I love that you can substitute the sashimi for more tempura in the combos, and that every plate comes with salad and potato salad. You don't see potato salad very often in Japanese restaurants. The chicken katsu has good flavor, not overcooked, but it is a bit too oily. The teriyaki chicken was a little too dry. The oyako donburi has good flavor, and its huge! When I go back, I'll definitely stick with the tempura though, it's very crisp, and not too much batter. The service is great as well, they are quick to refill drinks and the food comes out fast and hot. For good Japanese on the Windward side, this is probably the best choice.
(4)Allison Y.
We went here for our grandmother's birthday. It's not fancy....at all. But as long as it's good food, she doesn't care. We pulled up to a tight parking lot across from the Honda dealership/car wash. You wouldn't even notice the place if you weren't looking. A small restaurant with what seemed like alot of regulars. Grandma and I ordered one of the specials: salmon w/ the tempura teishoku. It came with miso soup, sashimi (ahi and hamachi), and pickled veggies. The tempura was light and crispy-not greasy at all! The salmon was salted just enough where a small bite of warm rice was the perfect combination. They were good portions, and I finished it all-yum! Grandma almost finished it off as well, but with the never-ending tea, she was filled to the brim. Hubby got the beef tofu pot. He must of liked it, it was gone in minutes! My sister-in-law and her daughter shared the chicken katsu dinner. Her daughter snarfed all the rice, and as much chicken as she could (she is only 1 1/2 yrs old). Definitely a return trip, when we're back in the area!
(4)Wayne S.
Great restaurant that has really caught on. Not a hole in the wall secret place anymore. Great place to eat after a round of golf on that side of the island. Tempura!!! The price points are good too. Try it but only once please............lines are getting too long. hahaha.
(4)Bren P.
Solid 4 1/2 stars for authentic japanese food. Like that majority of the reviews, the tempura was delicious! Perfectly crispy and not overwelmed with batter. I came with a large group, so I called ahead right before I left to make sure they were able to accommodate us. They were extremely nice and showed us to our table immediately. This place isn't that big, but large enough to seat our group of 12. We also ate at 9pm so we didn't have any issues with lines or waits. I ordered the Kikuya Special which included salad, miso soup, sashimi, yosenabe, butterfish and tempura for $19.75. It was a lot of food and I loved each and every dish. The butterfish is small, but by the time you get the butterfish, you're pretty filled by then. Just be warned that there are bones in the fish. I would definitely check this place out if you're in Kaneohe. I will definitely be back again the next time I'm in Oahu.
(4)Davis M.
My favorite restaurant! Best food, sweetest owners... what more can you want?
(5)Kaliko A.
As our usual celebratory eating place me and my family usually eat at this restaurant, it is always a family favorite and you can see many families in side with at least more than half of the tables taken by full families and couples. I have had many different dishes at Kikuya, my favorite two are the "Katsu Don" and "Kikuya Special" both are excellent meals which have always been served hot and are extremely tasty and filling. The setting is welcoming and has a lot of cultural decor that provides a welcoming environment. With great customer service and a friendly staff this restaurant has a very welcoming feel to it. Although Kikuya is a little hole in the wall restaurant next to a jujitsu dojo, it is always a family favorite and has great comfort food that i personally love.
(5)H T.
The Kikuya Special: yosenabe, sashimi, butterfish, tempura, salad and miso soup for 19.75 (see photo). Good quality and excellent value. Will be a regular stop for me on future trips to Oahu.
(4)A G.
I think this place got me sick. I usually have a stomach of steel, but a couple hours after here it was game-over. Too bad, the food was tasty especially if you like your food deep-fried. This place epitomizes hole-in-a-wall.
(2)Anita L.
An extremely small hole in the wall serving up some pretty good Japanese food at reasonable prices. There is a host of specials on the wall so make sure you peruse that before settling down in your seats. Lunch specials are cheap and tasty. I had the flounder set lunch which was $7.95. Hubby had the chicken and tofu set. Very good food!
(4)Chad G.
I love this place, one of the biggest specials ever found at a Japanese restaurant. The Kikuya Special, miso soup, wakame, sashimi, yosenabe, tempura, and a entree... Dude, even the tea is awesome, if you come a little later there will be a wait, and no parking, but street parking.
(5)Steve T.
Always good food here and good service. The only bad is parking especially on fridays. My family's been coming here for years and still will be.
(4)Stefanie M.
Kikuya is local favorite Japanese restaurant which has been around forever. The location is a bit odd considering it is in an industrial building underneath a dive bar, but don't let the surroundings fool you because this restaurant is a hidden gem. The restaurant itself definitely could use a facelift one of these days seeing as the old diner style seats are cracked and duct taped, but once you look past the run down appearance you'll be able to appreciate Kikuya. I wouldn't say they serve authentic style Japanese food, but rather a local rendition of Japanese food. They have a decent sized menu with lots of food choices. You have the option to order your meal ala carte, or if you prefer you can always do one of their dinner plate combos which come with sashimi, mac salad, tossed salad and rice. Depending on your entrée prices vary from $12~$15. My favorite dinner plate would be the one with misoyaki butterfish. The butterfish is covered in a miso glaze and then grilled to perfection. Another dish that I like to order is the chicken tofu. It is served in what looks like a cauldron (I'm sure there is a traditional name for it, but that's what it looks like I swear!) and it is stuffed with lots of pieces of chicken, tofu, and veggies. The sauce they cook it in is amazing! Although the two above dishes are awesome my absolute favorite dish to order is the Nabeyaki udon. It also comes served in a stone pot and is piping hot! It's always piping hot so I would wait a while to take a bite as you will definitely burn your tongue like I've done so many times before. I can't help myself, I can't wait to eat it! It comes with a load of chewy udon noodles, cabbage, egg, and a piece of shrimp tempura. Parking here can also be a little tricky as parking is limited. If you can't find parking in the lot I'd recommend finding street parking on Kahuhipa. If you're in the mood for some good home-style cooked Japanese food, I'd say Kikuya is for you!
(4)C M.
Love, love, love their teishoku! :) I especially love the teriyaki chicken and tempura combination, and that it comes with some really good sashimi. Anytime I need to have a fix for Japanese, Kikuya will be the place to go! The service is good and we have yet to find food that we haven't enjoyed. The only problem is when it's packed, or if the bar upstairs is packed, then parking becomes a slight problem.
(4)Mikee M.
they open only in certain lunch hour and dinner time til 9pm, and close in between times and mondays. it easy to get lost finding it since the location is surrounded by car services shop. but inside the ambience is bright. $$ for most of the menu and some dinner combo. i like the sashimi's and the fried salmon was a bit saltier for my taste. is's just nice to have a japanese food nearby. they also got some bento (to go).good service too. i went out full. :)
(3)Lynn Y.
This has been a family favorite for a very long time.... I have fond memories of dinner with my parents, brother, and all four grandparents. My first time back in several years didn't disappoint. I had the misoyaki butterfish dinner special. After having a rather sad miso-less butterfish a few days prior, this really hit the spot! I subbed an extra piece of shrimp tempura instead of the sashimi, and the tempura was excellent. We all enjoyed our meal and waddled out of there content and stuffed. And all that for ~$65 for 5 people! (before tip) Was going to give 4 stars since that's a "safer" rating, but I can't really think of any downsides, so I'll go out on a limb and give it the full 5!
(5)Ang R.
This little local restaurant is definitely a casual dining experience, but in Kaneohe, the "Mom and Pop" atmosphere is not necessarily a bad thing. I ate there recently for the first time with family, some of whom really like it and go there often, while another rated it mediocore. I rated it 4 stars because while I liked most of the food and our experience, there were some things that could have been better. Service was good. They got all our orders right for our big party, and they served us efficiently so we all received our food around the same time; but they only gave us 1 small teapot for 13 people, and aside from coming to refill water once, no one asked us how we were doing and if we needed anything else. The misoyaki butterfish could've had a stronger miso taste, but it was grilled to a perfect flaky and moistness. The batter for the fried seafood and tempura were both the lighter, more prickly-looking texture rather than the packaged smooth coatings, which was great. The fried akule was pretty good, but too dry in some parts, and the udon broth was too salty. The potato salad was good, the tsukemono was just alright, and the miso soup wasn't that good. Parking can definitely be a problem with the little lot they share with other businesses and if you have a big party, you should definitely make reservations, as they can get crowded. But aside from ramen places, there aren't a lot of good Japanese restaurants on the Windward side, so if you don't want to drive to town, this is a good place to go.
(4)Cheryl W.
Had the worst experience there yesterday! They need to brush up on customer service skill! We have eaten there for years and never complained until now. I will call in my complaint to the owners.
(1)AJ N.
This place is amazing! i have random cravings for it!
(5)Christopher C.
Visit: February 2008 - Food is okay. Prices not bad. Service decent. No notable dish. Just plain boring food. I will come back if I am in the area.
(3)Travis M.
Pretty good place to eat if you're on the windward side. I would actually give it 3.5 stars, but because we had to wait 45 minutes to be seated (we were there at 6 pm on a Saturday) I had to give it only 3 stars. But it is packed with the regulars. After all, this was the best Japanese restaurant on the windward side, until some other ones came in. Nothing really sticks out of the menu, and I've tried most of the menu. When I go here I usually get the Miso Butterfish or teri-chicken combo. If anything the shrimp tempura is above average. They usually have fish specials too.
(3)Joel A.
I've been coming here for a long time, longer than I could probably tell you. Its sort of a dive but their food is excellent (hints the wait times at peak hours). If you're in here for the the first time ask or look at the board...everything is great!! I usually get a combo or one of their specials. Its a local favorite and with good reason!
(5)Jay D.
By far the WORST dining experience I've ever had. So bad, I had to Yelp about it. We stopped in at Kikuya a little after 8pm. It looked as though we just missed the rush so we stood near the bench at the entrance and waited to be seated. 2 female servers whizzed by us several times, but apparently were too busy to acknowledge us. So we wait and wait and I sit down on the bench near the entrance. Then we wait some more and my BF sits down. The younger female server walks right past us to look at something on the counter (we're the only people waiting to be seated) then walks past us again. We continue to be ignored until another couple walks in. The younger server, with her evil caterpillar eyebrows, looks up and, in her fake voice, says. "Hi, for two? You can sit right here." So I turn around and shoot her a nasty look just as the older server walks out and says, "oh, they were here first." Catepillar Eyebrows just says that she didn't see us. Ok fine, whatever - you didn't see us - better get your eyes checked sweetie! So the older waitress is basically busting ass while Caterpilllar Eyebrows pretends to be busy. We order our food - chicken katsu for me and fried akule for the dude. Caterpillar Eyebrows comes back a few minutes later with two plates of food, stops a few feet from our table, and says, "here," while she extends what appears to be my food and gestures for me reach over and take the plate from her - are you serious!?!?!! So I give her the 'WTF" look and grab my plate from her. Then I watch as she walks past us and gently sets down another customer's plate. Ummmm, what is this girl's problem? Maybe she drank some hater-aide on her break? My food sucked, BTW. A 1mm strip of chicken thigh sandwiched between half inch layers of panko batter just dripping with grease. So, I'm pretty much pissed. Sheity service and crappy food make for a less-than-stellar experience. When my BF finally finishes his food, we get up to pay and Caterpillar Eyebrows cashes us out. While waiting for his credit card to go through, she pretends to be super busy scribbling in her notebook and asks in her snotty voice how everything was - no answer from either of us. She asks again and, when my BF says it was alright, she looks up and asks what was wrong. He nicely tells her that she completely ignored us when we arrived and then seated other people before us without even an apology. She then launches into how busy she is and how she has to serve tables, bus them, cash people out, etc. Isn't that what waitresses do at smaller restaurants? She continues to give her lame-ass answer loaded with attitude. So I ask her if she was too busy to put my plate down. She then goes on and on about how she does that all the time and none of the other patrons mind and she's sorry that I NEED TO BE SERVED THAT WAY. I pretty much wanna rip her ugly eyebrows off her pudgy, greasy little face, but I just tell "whatever" and start to walk out, but not before she calls me a bitch. So, I walk back in and ask her if she called me a bitch and, as chicken$#!T people are known to do, she denies it. At least have the balls to call me a bitch to my face! So I holler at her to keep her day job and we walk out. Seriously, that chick needs to take another look at her job description and adjust her attitude. I won't be paying this dump a visit ever again. Forget Kikuya and head straight to Domo, behind Kaneohe Zippy's. At Domo, very nice and polite Japanese ladies work there, service is top-notch, and the food is goooooood!
(1)Steve N.
I love this place! It is a great old school Japanese restaurant. It reminds me of the japanese restaurants that I used to eat at when I was young. The food was very good and the service was good also. I would highly recommend going here if you happen to be in Kaneohe.
(4)Shannon B.
Great little Japanese restaurant near Windward Mall. I think its only open about 4 hours a night, and lines for quickly. We went right before they opened and still waited for a little while, but it was totally worth it. The food was great. The Misoyaki Butterfish has to be my favorite, it has a great smooth and creamy taste- but beware of the bones. I also loved the Tonkatsu. Quite yummy. Here is the breakdown: * Wait staff: Nice, busy * Drink Menu: I think its beer and wine * Menu: Japanese * Parking: We walked and if you can I recommend doing the same- the lot fills up really quick
(5)Dev C.
Chicken katsu donburi is above average here. Something about how the savory sweet sauce goes over all the rice and makes it all flavorful and badass. They've got good miso butterfish too if that's more your style.
(4)Kim B.
Great japanes food, best tempura I've ever had. I had the shrimp tempura and barbq beef. It came with potato salad. WISH the portions were a little bigger, but well worth it the price.
(4)Sarelle K.
I grew up in Kaneohe and have never tried this restaurant till the other nite. The reason why I've never tried it is because everytime we've gone there's usually NEVER any parking, and the restaurant is so small so it always looks busy but really there's just a long wait cuz there's only like 11 or 12 tables in the whole place. Regardless, we decided to stick it out this time since so many people rave about this place. Circled the crowded parking lot 4 times until finally parking up the street, waited about 45 mins outside in a small crowded area then finally got seated. A grouchy, rude waitress showed up to the table about 15 mins later to ask for our order. Then another 15 mins to get food. We got the specials which sounded way better than they actually were. Food was just ok...you can make better local food at home for cheaper!! Teri ahi was a small thin piece that didn't taste fresh, ahi sashimi looked more like au sashimi & sides didn't look fresh- cabbage & salads were brown. Overall, this place is totally not worth the wait or headache! I will NEVER go here again :(
(2)Just M.
BEST JAPANESE FOOD EVER!!!! Seriously... we tried many places all over oahu... no one can compare. Ya... parking is small... and place is small... but we find parking and go early or later in the evening. Everything is ONO! My favorite is the Beef Sukiyaki! Also... call in lunch take out for the Bento! Way better than Zippys Zip Pack.
(5)Tyson K.
Good food here.... i always order the fried akule its so huge its deep fried...pretty cheap too like 8.00 for a whole fish with rice, mac salad and miso soup cannot go wrong... also, the fried ahi is good to go....never ate here in awhile i will be back soon....
(5)darin c.
a great place for japanese food. Lots of local color. the decor is simple with a fabulous painting of Mt. Fuji that was recently refurbished. The parking lot is a bit cramped, ok, really cramped. But the food is great and quick and fairly priced. The waitresses are generally friendly, busy, some could smile and show more personality. BYOB with no corkage fee is great, but it does get crowded; A.C. could work better @ times. The sashimi is a nice cut and i like the daikon served with it. The salmon is a winner, although a bit small @ times. Show up At 4:45 for the first rush, or go late @ 8:15-8:30 for tables. Reservations for 4 or more accepted. Put your name on the pad on the counter if showing up with less then 4 people/reservation. 12/26/13. I'm here for lunch today, we walked right in to find a table in the back. Service is quick and prompt, and the food great! Here's today's photos to add to our delicious meal.
(4)Katy D.
3.5 stars this def is a hole in the wall. long lines out the door and pretty sad looking inside; very 60's, haven't made any changes with old rusty metal tables and chairs from wal-mart. tons of locals. i had the kikuya special..wowzers, waaaay too much good food. started with miso soup and two kinds of vinegared veggies, cucumbers and cabbage. next came the seafood and meat udon. awesomely flavored soup with cabbage and tons of different kind of meat. the noodles had a interesting crunch to them, in a good way. i was full off of that, when the waitress brought out another full plate for lil 'ole me! it was full of tempura and grilled butter fish. the tempura had a nice batter that was less greasy and more flaky than usual. shockingly this only put me back $15.50! score! i think i would go back for take-out (lines are too long, with busy staff who can't keep up) that way i don't have to eat off the old "not sure if they were cleaned thoroughly" dish ware.
(3)Hoku H.
This has to be my favorite Japanese restaurant. The tempura and Teri chicken combo set is so worth the price, which is not bad at all. Parking is always tricky but I try to go before 7:00 for dinner. Staff has always been good to us.
(5)Jennifer K.
Kikuya is my hands down favorite hole in the wall Japanese restaurant . always friendly service and they have delicious tempura and fish specials. Although the prices have gone up, (the combos are 21$ that come with a protein rice shrimp and vegetable tempura miso soup sashimi and tsukemono.) the food portions have not gotten smaller and the quality is still great. Oh and their potato salad is to die for. If you're ever in kaneohe I urge you to eat here.
(5)Haley H.
Been coming here with my family since I was little. The food is still the same delicious quality. Everything is so good! The service is warm and friendly. The combo dinners and lunches are great, very generous portions. Truly local Japanese comfort food. Mmmm. Never could tire of this place. Try it once and guarantee you'll be back.
(5)Ernest T.
My wife & I went there around 6:00 on a Saturday. No parking in the parking lot but lots of street parking nearby. We waited about 15 minutes for a table. We were first seated on a big table but then they moved us to a booth when it became available. I ordered the Kikuya Special which included Miso soup, Sashimi, Yosenabe, Namasu, Shrimp Tempura and Miso Butterfish. They subbed the miso butterfish with what I think was teri butterfish but that was good too. Everything was oishi! Even the rice was ono! My mistake was pouring the shiru from the yosenabe over the leftover rice and eating it. That's when my eyes glazed over. I was so full I had to rest awhile. My wife had the Beef Sukiyaki. Excellent taste and the beef was nice and tender. This was our first time here and it was great! I have to go back and order the whole fried flounder.
(4)Michael C.
I would like to thank Kikuya for ruining my wedding anniversary. I don't mind the wait i understand restaurants can be busy. What i don't understand is being told that i can't order until the table with a reservation (whose party wasn't all arrived yet) orders. So i'm suppose to sit there til they all arrive (who knows when that will be), looks over the menu and then places their order before I can order?!
(1)Iris F.
The service is so bad.The older waitress has no people skills..Not friendly or even a smile we got from her.She brought us water when we first sat and it was never refilled. ..It took her almost 10 mins to greet us from the time we satdown..Food was good but service sucks...
(1)Mike O.
Small hole in the wall local japanese restaurant in kaneohe. Good food with reasonable prices makes this a hot spot for those on the windward side. Come early or you'll have to wait. I had teishoku with teri-beef tempura and sashimi. It was excellent. Wait staff is really nice and attentive. -1 star for small parking lot, possible wait time and local style interior (if you know what i mean). Will definitely be back when on the windward side.
(4)Crystal T.
Decided to try this place after a recommendation from a co-worker. Came here around 6:15 on a Friday night. Parking lot was packed but there was a lot of street parking. There was a little mix up with getting seated but it was a understandable. I had the number 2 combo and my friend had the ahi katsu. Both dishes was beyond my expectations. I would compare it to Gyotaku but this place has a home cooked vibe going on. I believe this place would have a higher review on yelp but I did notice that 80% of the customers were older and probably does not use yelp. This place might also be BYOB because I did spot a group of men bring in a case of Heineken and a older gentleman with a bottle of wine
(5)Lyn L.
Fried fish....yummmy...love eating the fins and tail..ha ha... Great little local restaurant...heard about it from several people....tried the special, but actually enjoyed the fried fish more...Nabe was good too... Wonderful service...so friendly and nice...love these local places! Will go there again!
(4)Krystle K.
This restaurant is located on a main road in Kaneohe right across of the Honda auto spa and if you drive too fast, you'll miss it. The parking is a small lot that they share with a bar upstairs, a jiu jitsu place next door, and some other small businesses. If you're lucky, you'll find street parking along the main road. (Be careful crossing the street as cars seem to speed there). When I walked in it looked like an old mom/pop restaurant. There were booths along with tables and I was immediately greeted with the smell of good ol fashioned Japanese food. The service...its a hit or miss. What I do notice that's consistent is that the waitresses tend to throw down the menus when they seat you and then walk away. I guess you could say they all seem a little 'rough.' After being sat, it took my waitress a good 5 minutes to come and greet me and my guests. Throughout my time there, the waitress failed to refill my cup of water (all the times that I've been there this has happened), but they were all good at checking to see how the food was. (I know this sounds weird, but this is how my experiences have been.) The food...my favorite is the dinner special. I got pork katsu, shrimp tempura, and I substituted my sashimi for extra vegetable tempura for $18. The tempura has just the right amount of batter and the vegetable tempura is served with zucchini, carrots, and green beans. The tempura sauce is good too..i also like to ask for the shredding dikon on the side. I've also had the butterfish there which was good as well. I plan to keep going back there to try more of their food. :)
(3)Tammy S.
This restaurant most likely one of the local favorites. Whenever I go to a Japanese restaurant, I always look for unagi. If it's reasonably priced, I'd most of the time order it. Here, I ordered Unagi-don for $15.95. It came in a cute box and it was a pretty big portion compared to other japanese restaurants. I also tried the sashimi and it was fresh. Excellent sashimi! Mom had butter fish which is the same as black cod with dinner special and she liked it. Another person had udon but he said the portion was pretty small. Service was excellent. Waitress alway came around to refill water. I liked how the waitress was wearing a pink tokidoki shirt haha. Satisfied with my meal especially with the friends I had the meal with.
(4)Ariel A.
My favorite Japanese restaurant in Kaneohe. Closed on Mondays. Parking is limited since it is shared among a few other businesses. There is street Parkin near by. My family and I come here at least 4x a month. Prices has been raised in the past couple years but I must say I leave feeling full. I love the combo for dinner since it comes with sashimi and tempura all for about $18. The restaurant is always busy with regulars. I love the beef teriyaki and my boyfriend always gets the butterfish. We also order the fish tempura with tartar sauce instead of the shrimp tempura. It's nice to see the dedicated owners still running the restaurant.
(5)Terri Lynn S.
Love the lunch combos. My favorite is the Pork Tofu and Tempura. Kikuya makes the best Pork Tofu-very tasty. Lunch prices are continually going up. Its about $13.95 now. Seems to increase each time we go. But then again Japanese Food is always kinda high.
(5)Jesse K.
My new favorite. Excellent food and service. Family owned and operated. My new go-to every time I'm on the island. We had the fresh flounder, shrimp, tempura vegetables, tofu, everything was PERFECT. Unpretentious family restaurant. I liked the local families eating here, clearly a neighborhood favorite. Good job Kikuya.
(5)Thomas M.
Great Japanese meals in a clean setting with very attentive service. The only issue for me is the toilet. Make sure to go before you leave home. The food and service are terrific!
(4)Lauren S.
Hole-in-the-wall place with Homemade Japanese food? Cannot get any better than that! Try one of their dinner specials! got the #6, which is Sashimi, Mixed shrimp and vegetable tempura and Misoyaki Butterfish. All with rice, miso soup, and tsukemono. Under $20 for all that food! Also, this place is BYOB. Cheers!
(4)William F.
The restaurant was a little tricky to spot at first hiding between two Car maintenance garages. The parking lot itself is a bit small and a little overwhelmed by the maintenance garages. So parking might be a bit tricky to get. The menu itself has a decent selection of your typical Japanese food, that you could find at just about at any Japanese restaurant, that's outside of Japan. So don't be expecting any extravagant Japanese dishes. The prices were very nice and the quality of the cooking was decent, but not spectacular.(IMO). The restaurant itself has a pretty down-to-earth and local feel to it. I came right around opening-time for lunch so it wasn't crowded at all.. There were a few groups of people and a large group of loud elderly ladies doing there thing.. But, it was not crowded.. There was only one waitress when I came in, which wasn't a problem because it wasn't too busy, so she was able to attend to everyone, in a timely manor from what I could see. Although, I can assume if it's just one waitress at peak time, that might not be so good. But, I'm sorry... To be completely honest there was nothing about this restaurant that really stood out for me, that would warrant it a 4-5 star rating. The menu is varied, but extremely typical for a 'Japanese' restaurant. The only really nice thing was it's on the windward-side of the island making it convenient for a quick trip to get a Japanese meal and the waitress was very friendly.
(3)Michael C.
came here after a round of golf as i did not want to fight traffic going back to marriot on the west side. nabiyaki udon...on point....broth...SATISFYING. butterfish combo...fish awesome..wish the portions were a little bigger....the tempra that came w....meh. one quick note...byob....no alcohol served here.....i was so thirsty for a cold Sapporo to go w my meal....but the servers made it up by refilling cold ice water. 4 stars....1 star minus for no beer/wine.
(4)Paul A.
Ok so the wife and I went to Kikuya for dinner last night. The food was awesome with a very good portion. I had the combination shrimp tempura, Tonkatsu, sashimi and my wife have the shrimp tempura, butterfish, sashimi. Great service and very good food. Nothing more can you ask for. No frills on the furniture and limited parking but well worth the dining experience.
(5)Keane S.
Wow can't believe I haven't written a review for Kikuya yet, as a word of caution I'm a little BIASED on this one, growing up in kaneohe this was a family favorite and basically -- as far as restaurants go -- my first real taste of japanese food. Not much has changed, Kikuya tends to be crowded around dinner so make reservations or come early, it's a small restaurant, the menu for the most part has stayed the same for the past ten years with just pricing of course. The majority of the time we're there we'll get one of the combinations which includes rice, miso soup, and tsukemono. My friend likes to get the fried akule but some other favorites are the butterfish, and of course the shrimp tempura is fantastic. If you're feeling hungry? go for the Kikuya special, it's basically a tempura and butterfish combination with the addition of a bowl of nabe as well -- trust me it hits the sweet spot! yelp.com/biz_photos/akuv… yelp.com/biz_photos/akuv… Kikuya will always be near and dear to my heart, many memories there, and when I'm craving a small simple japanese place Kikuya almost always pops into my mind immediately.
(5)Loco B.
Husband's new FAVORITE restaurant! (and he doesn't even LIKE Japanese food!) which is quite a thing to say for a restaurant than. We have gone here at least about 5 times. The food here is pretty tasty for a pretty good price and since it's so loud in here, it's not a bad place to bring the whole family. No frills, no fuss just eat and go! Favorite Dishes: Teriyaki Chicken (Great flavor, comes a little burnt but still good!) Katsu Don (Katsu Chicken with Donburi style, get it if you don't mind your katsu not crispy) Katsu Chicken (super ONO, just the right amount of crispiness) Tips: -parking is TIGHT, but if you come @ a early dinner time should not have a problem finding a space -waitresses are SUPER busy, keep this in mind than you won't mind there "water!?" shouts ;) -you can make a reservation for a party of 4 or more -when you come as a walk in make sure to write your name on the little pad of paper and they will do their best to accommodate you right away. Don't go too often though as you'll take our parking space! ;)
(4)Puddytat C.
Love the Shrimp Tempura with Vegetables. Tried the Miso Butterfish and it was awful. Had to send it back. Didn't have that sweet miso grilled flavor that is fantastic when marinated for 72 hours, minimum, in the correct sauce made with sake. Pork or chicken katsu is great too. Prices are high but the food is great. Very local setting, hidden away in a warehouse business district. Worth trying if you're in for Japanese cuisine.
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