Imanas Tei Restaurant

Excellent local japanese restaurant with a happy hour. $4 high balls? Yes please! Excellent quality fish. Especially loved the fried squid and chicken. Portions were filling. Sushi tasted fresh and got to try their spicy tuna. It’s a hidden gem with a terrible parking lot. Would come back

Amazing Japanese food! Fast service. Parking is minimal so park somewhere else or Uber.

Pretty good Japanese restaurant. Location is kind hard to get to , you have to drive through a small alley to get to the middle of the property of where it is located. I went here kind of late at night around 8 pm. We forgot to do a reservation, but they accommodated us at the bar. Until we decided to order the chankonabe, also known as the soup sumo wrestlers regularly eat. They found a table that had a space available. I then saw someone ordered the salmon firecracker nigri sushi ($11 for 2 pieces) and immediately wanted that. Withstanding the spectacle of having the salmon and tobiko blowtorched in front of you; it was damn good. The flesh was meaty with a good amount of fat and the fish eggs had a nice smoky flavour. Intrigued by the sushi, we decided to order a sashimi for 2-3 persons ($40). It was very good, especially the yellowtai and tunal. They were kind of skimpy on the salmon though. Now for the chankonabe ($31 per person). I had high hopes as this was for sumo wrestlers and I expected sumo sized portions. What we got was a single bowl for the both of us that was too small to fit the contents inside. On top of that we had to cook on a butane stove. We waited about ten minutes to heat the food while at the same time manipulating the food inside to get properly cooked. It was good, but a lot of work and definitely not worth the money. I think the waitress sense our disappointment by offering a extra plate of udon. Is it good? Yes. However I went here for the chankonabe and was truly disappointed. Despite being tasty, I will never order that item again. Other than that it was good.

I celebrated my birthday here with my family this week. The waiters and waitresses were very patience. One of the child who came to this dinner had a weird obsession with eating lemons. The servers had no problem with giving him a lot of lemons to eat (more than 10). This place serves food pretty quickly and is delicious but can be quite expensive; however, I would definitely go back. This place is located in an area thst might be hard to find. The restaurant sign doesn't light up at night. Parking is limited. If you come here, I suggest coming early. There are street parking available as well.

My friends & I went here for dinner, it was actually my FIRST time ( I live on the Big Island now). We had reservations & was seated quickly 💜 Our FIRST waitress was VERY attentive & patient with us as we asked questions 🤔 I ordered a Souchu with Sakura (for the first time) & it was REALLY smooth & goooood! My meal consisted of Salmon Nigiri, Tobiko Nigiri & a pair of Ikura & Uni that was each on Monk Fish Liver & O-M-G...it was THE MOST delicious thing that I have ever tried 😋 if ANY of you like liver, in general... you'll DEFINITELY enjoy it 😋 As we were done with our meals and wanted our checks...we couldn't find our waitress, tried to flag down another girl, with success BUT...it took a while before she took our cards to process. I understand that the place was a little busy but, when you're working in a Customer Service field, you need to learn to MULTITASK 🤙🏽 All in all, I would STILL come back to experience the WHOLE menu 😍

Staff literally kept on screwing up our order. Forgetting & giving us things we never ordered. Combinations of this happened at least 5 times throughout the night. Seriously…how can you forget something like drinks? This is an izekaya- a Japanese style BAR… One of the last orders never came, so we just never mentioned it. Fortunately, they also forgot to put it in our bill. Food was mediocre.

Imanas Tei was one of the most underrated gems I've been to on Oahu. The sushi quality was absolutely top notch. While not cheap, the value or quality was outstanding. In addition to the sushi, we tried the katsu and shrimp tempura, both of which were fried perfectly. The entire experience was great, though the service was a tad slow. Not surprising considering it was busy, though. Overall, I'll absolutely be coming back.

Parking in front of restaurant fills up quickly. Then we would park at nearby pucks alley. Parking rate is not outrageous. We made a reservation on Yelp and were glad to be able to dine here. 5-6pm is happy hour and we took advantage of that and ordered different stuff. Sushi and noodle set is defining a steal. I loved the hamachi Kama, shrimp tempura, edamame. The highlight for me was the chanko nabe which comes with chicken pork fish clams and veg. At the end we made zousui and it really completed the meal nicely.

Excellent local japanese restaurant with a happy hour. $4 high balls? Yes please! Excellent quality fish. Especially loved the fried squid and chicken. Portions were filling. Sushi tasted fresh and got to try their spicy tuna. It's a hidden gem with a terrible parking lot. Would come back.

I've been coming here with my husband and sometimes friends ever since they started their happy hour from 5-6 and 8 to last call. It's a great deal! They also allow dogs if you're okay eating outside, which is a huge plus. I love ordering their happy hour combo--udon soup with sushi. It's such a great value! I also usually get the sashimi and edamame, and their salmon skin hand roll is really good too. The portions are satisfying, and the prices are reasonable. The only downside is the service. There were times I had to wait up to 30 minutes just to get a server's attention, which was frustrating. That's the main reason I'm giving 4 stars instead of 5. Still, the food and happy hour deals keep me coming back!

This place was recommended by our cycle instructor. He told us it was a good local place for shabu shabu. I was so excited to come here. My husband came in first and sat then I sat then our girlfriend came in when I took the menu off the table for her to review the menu and she and I saw the roach in its back on our table. I had to ask them to cancel my drink quickly. I couldn't not eat here after seeing that on our table. I know all restaurants have them and I have to come back in the future but not any time soon. I felt bad for leaving, but I'll have to try it another time. My girlfriend said that she read in a review someone said they had a roach on their table as well. She didn't want to tell me since I invited them to dinner she thought she would still come. This review is not on the food. As we did not eat dinner as planned. The people were really nice and the food looked really good.

A wonderful izakaya tucked away on S King Street! This restaurant is located in a little plaza, and parking is pretty limited to several spaces within the private lot, so you may have to hunt around for a parking space in a nearby lot or on the street. The interior has plenty of seating featuring a communal table, individual tables, and a tatami room, but it can get quite busy in the evening -- it's best to make a reservation ahead of time if you want a guaranteed spot! You may have to flag down the waiter during busier hours, but otherwise service was good. I arrived during happy hour and ordered the assorted sushi with soba, as well as a lemon chu-hi. I thought my sushi was very tender and fresh, and I loved the soba on the side. Prices are a bit on the steeper side but I do think you're paying for a good quality meal. I would love to come back to try their other menu items!

Imanas is OG! You know this is gonna be a good quality Japanese restaurant when Japanese speaking people are eating beside you. I've been coming to imanas since ever since & I'm never disappointed. I usually get the Nabe or shabu shabu because that's what you come here for. But this time I tried smaller dishes that did not disappoint. First of all you always always always have to get the kakiyage which is the fried gobo and is basically Healthy Japanese french fries. Shrimp tempura had a batter that was light and crunchy and everything else was amazing. The fish quality was chef's kiss. I will always come back again and again. The only downside to going to imanas is the parking is terrible legit the worst parking. you have to find parking on the street or somehow maneuver your car to get in and out of their 10 car parking lot.

We enjoyed our food here. Their happy hour is really good deal. We ordered shrimp tempura, sushi set and California rolls. We all shared Chanko Nabe which has ground meat ball, beef, chicken and vegetables. At the end the zoushi closed the meal beautifully. Definitely will go back again!

For the 2nd visit this was such a let down. This place is not somewhere to come with more than 2 people. Came with my family this time a party of 5. To start off we wanted waters for everyone and 4 hot teas in addition to the waters but they got it wrong and did 1 water and 4 teas. We then had to ask for waters for everyone else. Then we ordered an appetizer the deep fried squid legs and after we got all the other food it still didn't come out so we waited the server and he said he would check and that they were working on it and by the time we finished eating the chanko nabe it still was no where in sight so when the server finally was in the area we told him to cancel already since it was taking forever. And then the server didn't come back for a while and we were waiting on the check. And we are currently still waiting on the check....

A cute small plate Japanese restaurant. Parking can be a problem as there's a very small and unique space for parking. There are several large tables and a small tatami room. If you come between 5-6, there's a nice selection of sake for $10. We came with a party of 8 so had a great selection of dishes. They were delicious but didn't really stand out except for the salmon and hamachi collars were outstanding.

After seeing Yelp Elites Terry K and Allen N's photos of the shrimp tempura it was etched on my mind to find this place. Leaving Waikiki, as the chauffeur, I told hubs let's find Imanas Tei. Yelp said 10 minutes away, let's go! Called for a 6:30 pm reservation. Luckily an Uber pulled out, I took the first stall by the trash bin. A man jumped out of his car and asked me if he could double park in front of me. Sure, since the lot was Full. I reversed the car all the way to the back to tandem. Both of us never heard of this place so it was great! As we entered I peered to the right, cool- there were long communal tables as well as individual tables plus I saw a tiny private room which looked like sit on the floor dining. The food arrived amazingly fast. First the gesso karaage them my shrimp tempura, hubs' raw sushi platter, miso soup and salad. My two piece unagi came last and so delicious! I put the whole triangular mound of grated daikon in my tempura sauce. Perhaps I should have added to taste. Our server was sweet and efficient. She asked permission every time she cleared the used dishes. I ordered a can of sprite then asked it they have gift certificates. I told hubs we should get his surgeon's thank you gift from here. I thought the atmosphere and ambiance was really "Japanese-esque." The server asked is 4 $25 certificates okay? Yes. I opened the envelope to check - very nice rustic looking certificates. I don't know if there was background music as the two young females drinking beer diagonal to us, one dominated he conversation quite loud and emphatically the entire time we were there. Other tables were quiet and considerate of others. Would I come again? For sure!

Dinner in Honolulu, Hawaii... It's hard to believe that I haven't been to this old-school izakaya by the University of Hawaii... Imanas Tei It's a cozy nook where we felt like we were in Japan. We had 8pm reservations, but got there early because the parking is tight and limited, but free. We were greeted politely right away! We were seated at the sushi bar, so we got a chance to watch meals being prepared! I ordered Chirashi Bowl, which was perfect! The fish was fresh, and the unagi was nicely broiled. My meal came with a fresh green salad and a comforting miso soup! Thanks to Irene for always going to my Bucket List places with me!

Forgive me Imanas Tei for I have been neglectful. It has been at least 15 years since I visited you. Yet, the food is as delicious as I remember it to be. The interior of the Establishment is exactly how I remember it to be; with the exception maybe of new and updated flooring and carpet. They layout and footprint has not changed. About the food. We ordered and ate family style (that means we ordered more appetizer dishes than full and complete teishoku. From fried (tempura, gobo chips) to baked (mushroom dynamite, hamachi kama) to raw (sashimi appetizer), we ate our way through scrumptious food. Happy Hour menu and pricing available until 6 pm and then again from 9 pm onwards. Parking might be a problem as the evening moves on such that you may have to hunt for street parking stalls. I have one piece of advice for you and that is don't dilly dally like I did. You are definitely missing out on some delicacies at pretty decent prices Go there soon!

The hidden gem... Itadakimasu!! With 8pm reservations in hand we arrived early and yes the parking is just something to behold and is golden when you get a stall though just having free spots dedicated to any particular biz is greatly appreciated Imanas Tei is the greatest struggle to getting there. Divided in two on the right is the standard dining tables and sushi bar is on the left which is where we were seated as the tables were all full though having the entire sushi bar to ourselves isn't quite so bad either though glancing at the various menus quickly illuminated was the alcohol which left us with the Happy hour (5pm-6pm and 8pm to close) which is pretty good though we were here at 7:30 for our 8pm reservations lol...shrug! Upon arrival you're given a oshibori which is a hot towel and it was "steaming" hot as I tried to take a pic of it lol but what a "Omotenashi" traditional Japanese hospitality that absolutely help wipe the exhaust from me with this simple service strange enough was one of the most memorable part of the night. Prices are great I can't argue that though didn't want anything fried as I was so tired and ordered their "Mozuku" which is a seaweed that's seasoned in a vinegar sauce and what a bowl of yumminess but wished it had more vinegary tang along with their "Hiyashi Udon" topped with katsuobushi, green onion and daikon oroshi with a dab of grated ginger the classic Japanese way to enjoy this dish and how even my mom would make for me. Though this restaurant is quite cozy the vibe here is very comfy and minimalistic yet zen-like decor and with priced friendly items along with huge menu offerings Imanas Tea is the place that everyone will enjoy...gochisousama! Thank you!

Been coming here for years. They are famous for the chanko nabe, and it was definitely up to the hype as always. Sushi is also very good, as was the beef tongue. The menu is huge and includes all kinds of traditional Japanese dishes. Like i said, been coming here for minute, and will continue to do so! Till the next time!

Highly recommended beef shabu shabu. Chanko nabe is also good if you prefer not to cook raw food yourself. Their two person nabe can feed four easily. We ended up take home most of the chanko nabe.

Still one of the best izakaya place to come. Haven't been here forever, didn't they now have sukiyaki. Food is always good , nice staff friendly place. Very clean restaurant too.

Been a while since we'd been...maybe a couple years. I love going there, but hate the parking. This time we went when it opened, so easily got parking. Think you can also double park on the little lane now too (but not positive, so go check before you get towed!). There is also only 1 bathroom per gender, that is shared with the shop (also super good!) next door. But other than that, things are good. Never went so early, so didn't realize they had an early bird happy hour. That was pretty good. We ordered a bunch of things both on and off happy hour menu, so don't really know what got exactly. We had choke food, but what I liked was - Gobo with tempura...ika? Not sure, but was fatty pieces. The gobo could be a little bigger, but otherwise still good. - Sashimi and Nigiri trays good...fish all good. - Hamachi kama was yummy and cooked really well...not dry at all. PERFECT. I wasn't a huge fan of the karaage chicken. Too sweet for me. And I thought the udon sauce was a little strong...but my baby loved the tasty noodles. Overall still consistently good. Most of the waitstaff really nice and helpful...one guy looked stressed, a little sweaty with his glasses looked like falling off his face.

Shhh... don't spread the word because the parking can be difficult and the restaurant can fill up, but they have one of the best Happy hours in town! Asahi super dry, Lemon and oolong Iichiko Chu-Hi, and highball all only $4 All sake $8 Food includes cold and hot appetizers, rolled sushi and sushi sets. Some of things we ordered on this visit and last: Sushi assorted or Chirashi soba (hot or cold) or udon set for $18 . 3 kind 9 piece assorted sashimi $15 Oyster shooters $10 Maguro natto $8 Agedashi tofu $5 Whole garlic tempura $4 Hamachi Kama $14 Butter fish belly $7 Ankimo $8 We also ordered the deep fried gobo and seafood which is not on happy hour. Amazing value for good quality sashimi and other delicious Izakaya dishes as well as drinks! Don't get carried away like we did and order too much food! Portions were very generous for the soba and fried gobo and seafood.

Like the energy and feels like a Japanese izakaya . It was very busy and parking is limited.

Good service, good food, and reasonable price ! Vast menu with great items. Love the happy hour menu. We'll be back!

Customer service ~ Very unacceptably made my experience very disappointing. Never said goodbye and it even a thank you after staying 1 hr and spent $120..00 plus, More importantly gave us a plastic bag for take out and the bag is non compliant to Hawaii regulations.

What a gem in Honolulu. A cozy izakaya near the University of Hawaii at Manoa campus with quality Japanese dishes, Imanas Tei is one of our favorites whenever we visit the island. They have a wonderful mix of items on their happy hour menu and we were able to sample a variety of sushi and sashimi offerings, numerous appetizers, and udon for a casual family Japanese food fest. Sushi and sashimi were fresh and amazingly tasty. Service was very friendly and courteous. We enjoyed our meal immensely. The only challenge we had was finding parking in their very limited space in what looks like a back alley of several buildings. One good thing was that a street that connects to another street is actually closed off, allowing for a parking space. A small challenge for an amazing family time at Imanas Tei!

Definitely a step up of delicious Japanese food. Everything tasted really yummy. The food tasted very fresh and came out piping hot! Food gets 5 stars! Reservation through yelp was easy but it's weird they asked for my credit card to hold the place. Parking is tight and cumbersome. There are also homeless laying in areas of the parking lot so be careful when exiting at night. The one star is for service. The servers are very short and seem to be rushing us to order. The restaurant was not busy and there was no line. I felt like Japanese speaking clientele were treated nicer than our table. The waitress only came around to take our orders. She did not refill our waters. She seemed impatient and communicated very little to us besides..are you ready to order. As we got up to pay the bill..and we were leaving a scoop of ice cream came out from the kitchen for the birthday person in our party. That was weird too. It's nice we received dessert but maybe communicate that to us prior. Or even have the waitress say..I hear we have a special occasion. I think paying premium prices for a nice restaurant we deserve courteous treatment. We ordered almost ten dishes and enjoyed them. Tempura fried to perfection and very light. Flavorful fish dishes. Great sushi. Felt good was unique. As we were leaving we waved and smiled saying thank you to the host and possibly manager. Omg..he just turned his head and did not acknowledge us. That was weird too. Due to that final reaction and dropping a bunch of money well needless to say ambiance is a zero. We will not return.

Finally checked this out after living around the corner, late night happy hour was a nice surprise. Love the options that they discount for a smaller size, great for that time of night and a smaller meal. They had a bunch of HH sake specials which ended up being the same price as my friend's non alcoholic drink. Service was pretty lackluster considering the amount of people and that last call was coming up. I had to go up to a server to order since they hadn't come by the bar for 20+ to flag them.down. The highlight was probably our Hamachi kama, cooked great and reasonably priced. We will be back for some more late night snacks :)

This is a hidden gem near Pucks Alley! We found this spot through yelp and got a reservation within the hour! Parking is very tight and there is no sign indicating the parking entrance so it's easy to miss it. The parking entrance is near the bus stop! The ambiance of the restaurant is so beautiful and unique! The decor and art were very interesting! The menu can be quite overwhelming since there's so much to choose from. I highly recommend the dynamite, soft shell crab, udon, and assorted sushi b! The assorted sushi b is your best bet if you want to try a variety of sushi on the menu as it comes with all kinds of options like uni, maguro, salmon etc. The food is a little pricey here but I believe completely worth it! You can taste the quality and the experience is incredible! I came here having mediocre expectations but they completely exceeded my expectations! I haven't heard much about this place and I don't think it gets the recognition it deserves since it's so hidden. I can't wait to bring my family here!

Yo. The food here is fkn great! Love the sizzling garlic steak and the tempura and sushi. Thank you so much.

We had such an amazing experience at this out-of-the-way, casual eating gem. They are very busy and have relatively few servers, so be prepared to wait a bit for your food - but I promise it will be worth it! Fresh, delicious sushi at an affordable price, which is so rare near Waikiki, tender beef tongue, udon noodle soup and sake flights were our highlights. The menu is HUGE so there is plenty for everyone and all tastes. I wish we'd had longer in the area, because we would have definitely returned to try some more. One note of caution: we walked here from the main tourist area of Waikiki and it's a bit far and bit dark, so I'd recommend a cab ride if it's late!

Party of 5 during happy hour (5-6pm) and spent about $100. $4 asahi super dry beer, cheers!!! Kiddies really enjoyed the spicy tuna roll special, but another adult said the fish was probably old; didn't have the fresh taste. They preferred the negi toro roll instead. Chicken karaage was super yummy, moist and crispy. Really wanted to try hamachi Kama but no more. They didn't have for the past few days either. We had two different servers (male and female), the female was much more friendly and engaging. Any questions I had, she would take the time to answer it all and help me choose the dishes to eat. Definitely would come back to try other dishes

5 stars for Imanas Tei! Fresh, fresh, FRESH! That's the first thing I want to say about our experience. The wife and I enjoyed date night at Imanas Tei last night. It was a bit of a struggle finding their parking lot, but once we were there, it was smooth sailing. We were thrilled to discover that we arrived during happy hour. (See pic for times and offerings) AWESOME options to choose from, and it was a surprise, so - Yay :) Things we tried: Uni Ikura Hamachi Maguro Tako Hotate Scallop/mayo gunkan Tamago Ebi Oyster shooter Shrimp temp appetizer Agedashi tofu Tempura whole garlic Cali roll Miso butterfish Everything was in the category of WOW!!! Blown away with the clean & fresh taste. Omg.. can't wait to have more. The service btw was great. There were many workers on the floor, and even the sushi chef offered to seat us since the servers were busy at the time we arrived thru the door. Oh and another reason for the 5 stars which I definitely can't leave out is, we were so please to have all of our orders fly outta the kitchen! Our entire meal only lasted 45 minutes because of how fast we received our orders after placing them. I genuinely appreciate when I can enjoy my meal with my wife since she usually orders the raw stuff, and I'm more of a kitchen connoisseur. Great job everyone! Thank you for making our first visit a success. :)

A long standing izakaya that I recently got hooked on! They introduced a new happy hour/late night happy hour menu fairly recently and we have been here multiple times since then! I have passed by the shop many times but never really considered going until we saw their happy hour menu. Now we can't stop going! Located near pucks alley, they have a small parking lot shared with their restaurant neighbor Torikyu, another great spot! If it's full, you can try street parking in the area or across the street where the Raising Canes is. Their happy hour menu has $4 beers & chu his, $8 sake deals, and discounted appetizers, sushi, and sushi sets! Their $8 sake is a steal and they give you a generous pour that overflows onto the plate it's served on! We have tried a bunch of their appetizers but the one thing we love to order is their $18 sushi sets. Each set comes with a generous portion of udon or soba AND your choice of sushi dish like nigiri, chirashi, tekka don (ahi bowl) or some rolls. What a steal for $18! It's really a great spot to hang out with friends or family and get a early or late meal. We've also tried some items not on their happy hour menu like the gobo tempura - which is a HUGE portion of fried gobo and seafood. Their menu is pretty big and they have something for everyone! A must visit local spot. Make sure to make a reservation as they fill up especially on weekends!

DID YOU HEAR ABOUT THEIR NEW HAPPY HOUR!? You can get a sushi set AND a hot udon for a whopping $18. This is amazing. Like holy moly ollies! Their happy hour starts after 8PM on the weekdays, I'm actually not too sure if they still do it on the weekends...

I can't believe we have never made it to Imanas! We made an early reservation for dinner and got a fabulous happy hour spread. Service was excellent, all of the food was tasty and the Japanese music made us feel as though we were in Japan. The shrimp tempura was outstanding and the slices of fresh fish were meaty and very tasty. We have to come back - didn't even make a dent on the menu. Parking is very tight. Make a reservation.

This is a review from a few months ago that I'm getting around to doing now. I made a reservation via Yelp a few days in advance for 5 pm. We were easily seated, and we only had 1 thing on our minds - Shabu Shabu. You can order standard meat, Premium Meat, or Wagyu. We opted for the Wagyu. Shabu Shabu - 5/5. Hands down one of the best hotpot on island. While not an AYCE, the quality of the ingredients and the dipping sauces can bridge the gap. Every order cones with their sesame sauce or Ponzu with daikon and green onions. All hotpot are also given the choice of rice for zosui or udon to finish in their leftover broth. This is one location that I actually skip on rice to enjoy everything the hotpot has to offer (their rice is good though). They also have a wide selection of sushi, sashimi, and cooked dishes. We thoroughly enjoy the Shabu Shabu here but don't discount their other items.

A hidden gem that is absolutely worth spending your money on! Traditional and authentic Japanese cuisine that exceeded my expectations. The service was excellent. One of the best Izakaya's imo. I recommend making reservations ahead of time because they do get really busy!

Ambiance is nice, busy. Staff and service was really nice and friendly! Cute place and decor. I ordered uni, otoro, and hamachi nigiri to start. Delicious. Also ordered oyster shooters, a surf and turf roll, and hamachi sashimi. I looooove oyster shooters, but I didn't like this one. They had way too much daikon that it was just unpleasant. The oysters seemed tinier than usual for shooters. A pleasant aftertaste was the only thing it had going for it. The surf and turf roll was painfully dry and bland. My friend enjoyed it though. It wasn't nearly enough sushi, so I had to order hamachi sashimi too. Yummy. Price is about average for what we ordered, except the oyster shooters were a bit more expensive and completely not worth it. Would go again, but no oyster shooters.

Imanas has officially become one of my favorite restaurants to eat at in Honolulu. I was amazed at the various offerings from Izakaya, sushi, hot pot, and more. My husband and I really appreciate great sushi and Imanas did not disappoint. We also ordered Wagyu hot pot and garlic clam from izakaya side. Every single item was fantastic. The service was exceptional and loved the ambiance. Can't wait to visit again.

Originally we were looking for a place to grab some sushi, however when looking here the happy hour really caught our eye. Parking was really tight and I was very fortunate to find a spot, I can only imagine what it's like on a busy night. Walking in we were greeted to a quaint dining area with a sushi bar. To start off we shared a six piece sushi plate which came with a bowl of udon. The fish was very high quality and was a great way to start our meal. After which I ordered the Sushi Platter B which came with a side salad and miso soup. My girlfriend enjoyed a dragon roll which came with a bowl of soba. The fish again was of great quality and the miso soup came out piping hot which I certainly enjoyed. The dragon roll was also delicious and the soba had great flavor! Overall I really hope to come back so I can try some of the cooked dishes.

Tried the Chanko Nabe this time. Solid and worth coming back for. Chawanmushi still awesome. Hamachi and salmon kamas both awesome.

Came here and found out the happy hour was still going on. We ordered from both the HH and regular menu. Everything was so good! I really liked the fried burdock/seafood dish! It goes so well with beer/alcohol hehe. I also tried the sushi and soba combo, which was delicious. Other key items - tempura, agedashi tofu, monkfish liver. The service was awesome and love this authentic Japanese restaurant. Super fun atmosphere and parking is limited if you come during prime dinner time.

Absolutely loved the food and wait staff. Friendly prompt and courteous. The food was fresh delicious and perfectly cooked def coming back

For many years this place used to be my favorite "affordable" Izakaya on the island. Upon new ownership, I've given this place a few tries to redeem itself, but tonight will be my last time stoping in. They've kept many of the old recipes from the previous owner/management, yet their execution just doesn't cut it. The fish does not seem fresh--maguro & hamachi were 'okay', but everything else had a 'off' taste and slimy texture. And I eat sushi & sashimi frequently. Their cooked dishes were much better than the sushi, so if you do come in the tempura looked good & skewers were fine. The ambiance used to be moody & cool, with eager patrons lined-up. Now it's just kind of lost the "sexiness" and charm it once had. What made my experience really unenjoyable was having a really sharp pin-bone in my nigiri sushi.. I wasn't expecting it and it cut my gums with the first few chews. Following that, a baby c$@ckroah was crawling on the table. I am from Hawai'i, so I know that's a common problem, but it was the cherry on top. Service was great, the ladies that helped us were very kind & attentive. All the stars to them. I don't enjoy writing reviews like this, but I had to share my experience--especially since the last few times were not great as well..

Quite possible my favorite izakaya on the island! This spot is hidden off the main road. Unless you were searching for it, chances are you will never really find it. Reservations are highly recommended. I tried walking in several times just to be turned away because of how busy it was. The food menu is like an essay. Over 100 items, each sounding more delicious than the next! Some items I really enjoyed were the gobo tempura (goes great with beer), pork jowl, beef tongue, and the miso katsu skewers (comes with 3). Parking is a pain though. Small one way in and out lot that fits about 7 cars that's also shared with the restaurant next door.

Super late review: They were celebrating their 25th anniversary with 20% off their entire menu. I was pleasantly surprised at the simple Japanese but elegant decor. We were seated at the long share table, but we were spread out enough to feel enough privacy. We particularly enjoyed the fried burdock, salmon fire cracker nigiri, amaebi, seafood dynamite, buttered clams, and uni otoro nigiri (what a splurge).

Finding this place was a challenge; it's set back from King St , down a drive alley. There are like eight spaces in the mini lot, shared with another Japanese place. Server was a friendly young guy, who was kept very busy. Chef and staff had tired expressions and were ready to go home. No loud "Irasshai!" going on this night. Fried gobo chips were excellent, which had some shrimp and calamari mixed in. The assortment of tsukemonos (pickled veggies) tasted as good as my Aunt Kiyo's (da best!). Chicken kara-age was served hot and tasty. Hakusai and green salads were fresh and green, with plenty of dressing. My Nissei dad would appreciate their sushi prep, as the assortment of seafood was not laid on a giant block of rice, but instead blanketed a nice, bite-sized oval of sushi rice; we had a couple sets, as recommended by our server. All the food tasted great. Prices here are very reasonable. The only problem: not long after leaving, some in our party badly needed a restroom. I mean badly. Something we ate here did NOT like us. That was a major bummer. Be safe.

The sushi bar can keep up with the orders but the kitchen cooking hot food CAN NOT! I order a Butterfish for dinner, it finally came after everyone was finished & ready to leave. My food came after a 30 minute wait. That's pretty bad! So sorry to feel this way but it seems that previous visits had similar results of the kitchen not able to keep up.

We always love our time at Imanas, the cozy little restaurant tucked quietly in the University area. Whether we're at a table or at the sushi bar we receive great service. The menu is Huge with lots of options. Some of our faves include the baby fried shrimp which is reminiscent of my time in Japan and the clam Miso soup filled with good sized clams which enhance the rich miso broth. I also suggest the shrimp tempura which is light and fluffy and made to perfection. It's also a great deal at 13.50 for 5 pieces of shrimp and two bean tempura. The only down side would be the small parking lot which they share with a neighboring restaurant but when it comes down to it, I think the food and experience is worth waiting a few minutes for.

We were finally able to get a reservation!! We hadn't been there in years and I was so happy! The food was excellent as always, but the service was not that great and we were very disappointed. We ordered more food after finishing some pupu and waited. And we waited and waited... When I finally asked about our order only to find out they were not placed. Very disappointed because we really wanted to eat more and would've ordered more drinks, too but by the time I found out, we were both too full...

I have been going to Imanas for over 20 years. The staple that my family loves is the dynamite. It has gotten smaller over the years but still tastes good. I have always gotten the simple green salad. In the early years without Shiso but more recently my flavor palate must be evolving because it is so much better with it. This time we tried the sukiyaki shabu shabu. It was a little to sweet for my taste. But the portions were large and everything tasted fresh. Everyone enjoyed their dishes they ordered. The server was attentive and patient with our group. Gave some recommendations and chose a good sake for us to enjoy with our meal. We enjoy coming here and they can cater to large groups like ours, 10 people. There was another large group next to us. Parking at the pucks alley lot was free when we got there at 7 pm, gate arm was up and we parked on the backside. The parking lot in front of imanas was packed and they have closed off the through street that goes from king street to kalo place. Careful to not get yourself stuck in there.

My friend and I haven't really had a real dinner date since those whole COVID era. We made plans to dine here and our belly was happy. We think our eyes wanted more than what our belly could absorb but we controlled ourselves. I enjoy their food, it's really yummy. I had miso butterfish and the sushi platter with uni. Their uni wasnt the sweeter one that I preferred. Surprise to me all of the nigiri had wasabi under and the ebi had a big slab. Wooo my sinus was cleansed.. I always dip in shoyu wasabi so when I took that bite it was my surprise. Thank goodness I like spicy food. I used to not like wasabi but now I enjoy it. This place has been around for a long time... who doesn't know about them?? It's one of them staples like yanagi sushi. Service is ok, Weird table seating that you stare at everyone you don't know.... Parking has a small lot and the stalls are tight do you got a bigger car.

Amazing food and incredibly welcoming staff who know English and Japanese! Ambiance makes you feel like you're in Japan!