Kaimuki Shokudo

Kaimuki Shokudo was a great spot and definitely worth a visit. I’d recommend making a reservation because it’s a popular place, especially during peak dinner hours. They also have some great happy hour specials, which make it a perfect time to try several different dishes. While I was there they had a “throwback menu” running as a special, which was a fun touch and gave us even more options to choose from. We tried the fried calamari, quail eggs, and the tuna bowl. The calamari was excellent—the batter was light, crispy, and really flavorful. The quail eggs were a great small bite, creamy and rich. The tuna bowl was also outstanding, with very fresh tuna that really stood out. Portions are on the smaller side, which actually works well because it encourages you to order a few different dishes and try more of the menu. Another convenient detail is that the restaurant has both a front and back entrance, which makes getting in and out easy depending on where you park. Overall, a really enjoyable dining experience with great flavors and a fun menu.

Kaimuki Shokudo has always been a go-to spot for us in Honolulu, but their new menu rollout just elevated the game, blending fresh, local ingredients with inventive Japanese flair that left my taste buds dancing. We kicked off with the $9 Corn Karaage—plump, juicy kernels of fresh corn battered to a golden crisp and drizzled in their signature tangy-sweet original sauce, delivering a addictive crunch with bursts of natural sweetness that's unlike anything I've tried before. The $14 Grilled Saba followed, a charcoal-kissed mackerel fillet with smoky, flaky perfection and a subtle oceanic freshness that pairs beautifully with a squeeze of lemon, making every bite feel like a seaside escape. Diving into the hot pupus, the $17 Chicken Mizoreni stole the show: tender chicken thighs simmered in a light, umami-rich soy broth, topped with grated daikon for a refreshing zing that cuts through the savoriness like a cool breeze. We couldn't resist the $19 Kakuni Nikujyaga, where melt-in-your-mouth braised pork belly mingles with soft potatoes in a deeply flavorful Japanese-style stew, infused with hints of ginger and soy for that comforting, homey depth. For entrees, the $26 Ichibo Steak was a charcoal-grilled rump cap masterpiece—juicy, marbled beef with a caramelized crust and rosy interior, showcasing the meat's natural richness. The $29 Kona Kanpachi Ichiyaboshi impressed with its lightly dried and grilled local fish, offering a delicate, buttery texture enhanced by subtle smokiness and a fresh herbal lift. And the $19 Miso Marinated Pork Chop? Charcoal-broiled to succulent perfection, with the miso marinade imparting a sweet-savory caramelization that's pure umami bliss. Don't miss Happy Hour (Monday-Friday, 3-5pm) for steals like the $7 Yukari Fries—crispy shoestring potatoes dusted in tangy plum seasoning that's endlessly snackable ($8.50 regular)—the $7 Tataki Cucumber Salad with its smashed, sesame-dressed crispness ($8 normally), and the $9 Ika Karaage, tender Japanese-style calamari fried to golden heaven with a light, addictive batter. Sami provided friendly, spot-on service, anticipating our needs with a smile. Parking is a breeze in the nearby municipal lot. If you're craving innovative Japanese eats that highlight fresh, bold flavors, run—don't walk—to Kaimuki Shokudo; you'll leave planning your next visit!

We came here with our friends to try out this place while in Hawaii, and the food was so good that we made dinner plans here for the second time. The service was wonderful. The price was reasonable too. Nothing to complain about. We will sure come back to try other dishes we haven't tried. Highly recommend this place if you are in Honolulu near Waikiki.

The spicy ahi bowl and sashimi were incredibly fresh, and the soba noodles were perfectly done. We also tried the yuzu drop, similar to a lemon drop with a slight bitterness. Not unpleasant, just noticeable. The atmosphere was very comfortable, and we sat at the bar. Our server, Ashley, was kind, patient, and welcoming. The place didn’t feel intimidating at all. Great spot for a casual dinner or a cute date night. Would definitely return.

The food was to die for! We ordered so many things odd the menu from karage chicken, shishitos tempura, poke and yukari fries. I would return just for the hamachi shashimi and the ichibo steak as it melts in your mouth! Loved the great ambiance and service. The greeter welcomed us and sat us quick even said happy birthday. Our servicer Emily was so friendly and so was the rest of the staff that brought out the amazing food!

Update 1: we’ve returned as promised just to check out its cold soba. We had the duck cold soba and the lime citrus soba. The two tasted totally different, obviously, but both were tasty and so full of Japanese flavors. Definitely worth a try here if you haven’t had any cold soba recently. We also ordered a side of tempura at $18, which was exactly the same size as the soba with tempura at $20. So for an extra $2, you get a big bowl of soba. Service was very friendly as the last time. We had a pleasant lunch on Christmas Day. Thanks to all the staff for working on a holiday. This place mainly serves two specialities: soba (buckwheat noodles) and donburi (rice bowl). We added a mini donburi for an extra $7 to our sobas. Soba is generally eaten cold, but here it offers a few soba in hot broth, which I decided to give a try. It was good, but I still prefer cold soba. I had the kakiage tempura (fritters) soba and it was excellent. The staff was very friendly and attentive. It’s worth a visit if you like to try some of the best sobas on the island.

First time visiting Shokudo in Kaimuki after it's original location closed by Ala Moana. Chastity is absolutely amazing, she went over the menu and asked if we had questions. My partner asked for her recommendation and decided to go with it.. it was delicious and he loved it! Service was great, good and drinks came out pretty quick. The food and atmosphere was great too! Definitely will be back to this location.

We had an absolutely wonderful experience at this restaurant! The scallops were perfectly cooked and incredibly flavorful. The soba noodles were a really nice surprise. The sweet potato salad was delicious, with a perfect mix of sweetness and texture. And the spicy tuna don was also really good. Everything we tried was exceptional, and the atmosphere and service made the visit even better. Highly recommended!

Shokudo has a large bar, my date and I decided to go for Izakaya but every place I called had a two hour plus wait. This was our first time trying Shokudo which is the only place that had an opening without a two hour wait. We sat at the bar, the food was excellent, shared a pitcher of Orion and a sake flight. Great ambience that you would not expect when you come down the stairs from the rear parking lot which offers ample metered parking. I forgot to take a photo of the Ahi Tataki which was my date's absolute favorite. Melt in your mouth ahi, though it did have a LITTLE bit of muscle. Warm, inviting and tasty, Shokudo Kaimuki is on my go to list!

Okay izakaya experience overall. The staff at the bar was attentive and decor is beautiful. Maybe we didn't order the right things, but the food was just alright. I tried a few different dishes and the mochi cheese spring rolls were probably the most tasty and fun. I was excited for the Kamameshi, thinking that if it's one of the more expensive items on the menu PLUS if there's a 30-40 min wait time for it, that it must be good. It was unfortunately average at best, and I felt like it tasted like something that I could easily cook at home. I think the vibes in general seem fun and would be better if I came on a date or with friends mainly for drinks. If you aren't able to get a reservation, bar seating is first come first serve.

Was craving soba and this place really hit the spot. They have a large lunch menu with tons of options, from cold and hot soba, sushi and rice dishes, so there's something for everyone! Our server Kimi was very sweet and gave great recommendations, which made the experience even better. We were way too full to try dessert this time, but the brick toast is already calling my name, so we will definitely be back to try more from the menu! FYI - There is a parking lot area around the building and they do not validate parking

Solid food. Overall good experience. Great service. Our favorite item was the brick toast dessert! The yellowtail was also delicious! The tempura was ok, not the best. Some dishes also could have better presentation like the scallops. They were just piled on top of each other like my mom bringing out her dish from her kitchen. Love the decor inside but could see signs of aging. The place could be a little cleaner. The menu was sticky and bathroom needed some attention. Also, we could use the chase sapphire reserve dining credit here which was the main reason why we came here. Overall good experience!

Kaimuki Shokudo is a hidden gem in Honolulu that delivers an authentic Japanese dining experience with a modern twist! The atmosphere is warm and inviting, with wooden accents and a lively izakaya vibe that makes you feel like you've stepped into a cozy Tokyo eatery. It was weekday but we waited about 20minute to get seated. The star of the show? Their soba. I tried tenzaru soba my favorite: chilled, refreshing, and served with a rich dipping sauce that's both savory and satisfying. Whether you're in the mood for something light or hearty, their soba menu has something for everyone!

My friends gave me a gift card to Shokudo because they're always on the lookout for dog-friendly places, and this was one of them. They had called ahead and were able to sit outside with their dog, which is a nice option to have. We were able to get a later dinner reservation, which worked out well. The menu at this location was smaller than the Beretania one, and the portions were also on the smaller side. I'd consider this spot more of a pupu or pau hana place, especially since the bar looked really impressive. It worked out well for us since none of us eat a lot, but it's worth noting that most dishes require ordering a side of rice separately. Overall, a pleasant experience, just good to know what to expect going in.

Thoroughly enjoyed our Christmas Eve lunch here compliments of the kiddies' mom. What? We can spend $150 for lunch- sounds good to me! The female run staff are so sweet, young and efficient. They have a half donburi for $7 if you order a soba dish. Hubs ordered a Diet Coke and a cold Saba soba. I had a peach iced tea and a hot Tempura soba. I ate one shrimp tempura, a slice of pumpkin and a bite of the green pepper( spicy) and shared the rest with hubs. The dipping sauce was good. The batter on the shrimp and pumpkin were light and subtly crispy, really good. I ordered two mermaid sushi rolls and two vanilla honey toasts to go. Hurry hubs go straight home I don't want our ice cream to melt between 11 th Avenue, Kaimuki and home. Sure, you can stop to get Pianomo rolls for the airline staff. Hang on ice cream!!! Be like Frosty the Snowman and don't melt away. It's a smallish dine in eatery. I was so consumed by the sweet staff and food that I didn't give the place a once over. I did notice they do have a bar. The tables were quite near to each other but it was a very low key, comfortable vibe going on in here . I was amazed that the prices for lunch of soba, donburi and sushi for lunch was quite reasonable mostly under $20 with the exception of the uni.

This is for the Yakitori Hachibei Experience Very unorganized way of handling the pop-up with open table. Made reservations but soon thereafterI called to confirm it would be for the pop-up and not for regular dine-in since on the Instagram link I did not find a section for the pop-up (although I put it in the notes section when I made my reservation) After confirming I was told that I had lost my reservation even though I called to confirm it was for the pop-up and not regular dine-in. I was called back that they had an opening for me for the pop-up and told me to call them back. Upon calling back to take the spot I was told it was taken and spots were gone. After being screwed both times I don't think I will ever be back to eat at this establishment because of how things were handled. Periodt.

This was a really unsatisfying meal overall. Most of what we ordered was fried, and unfortunately that turned out to be a poor choice. Nearly everything tasted over fried and poorly battered. After we left, I looked at photos of the food from other reviewers, and what we were served looked noticeably worse in comparison. I didn't feel comfortable sending most of the food back, but the fried items, especially the tempura and chicken karaage, were poorly colored and had that unmistakable taste of oil that had been overused. The scallops were also overcooked, very chewy, and arrived barely warm. Service was also disappointing. Our drink didn't come out until the meal was almost finished. The only thing I genuinely enjoyed, and what kept me from fully regretting choosing this restaurant, was the honey toast. I'm not sure if this was just an off night, but the experience didn't match the high Yelp rating or the level of busyness in the restaurant. I hope it truly was just an off night because I would love to see a local restaurant succeed.

Haven't ate at Shokudo in years! When they were originally at their primary location in the Ala Moana Pacific Center Building, now this will be my first visit to Kaimuki Shokudo. Menu seems to be similar from way back when, various sushi, udon, katsu don, and the infamous honey toast for dessert. Wide selection of alcoholic beverages both Japanese and domestic liquor to choose from. Better to make a reservation as seating during lunch hours got very busy on a weekday. There is a municipal parking that shares with many other restaurants and other types of businesses in Kaimuki. Very clean with Japanese style decorations. Happy Hour Lunch specials were available. It's good to be back at one of my favorite Japanese restaurants.

This place was a letdown. I was looking forward to dining here, but the experience fell flat. Some of the food items were tasty but the majority of the food was not memorable and average at best. The Chirashi Bowl was disappointing. They minced everything in the bowl. Wished they would've stated that on the menu. I was expecting slices of sashimi but received what looked like diced pieces of fish and other items mixed together. The duck in the soba was presented nicely but extremely chewy and not enjoyable. The service was poor and the food preparation timing needs to be assessed by their chefs. Our food arrived at all different times. Some of the people in my party were done eating while others were not yet served. No apology from the staff. You would expect a Ikura Don to be quick, but it was one of the last items to show up along with two sushi rolls. The restaurant is modern with wood paneling and a nice bar at the center of the restaurant. As others have mentioned, this restaurant seems to be fixated on reservations. Each party that we saw come in was asked if they had a reservation even though there were tables available, which was odd. This was a check on my list of places to try, but will not return.

Ordered the Washugyu beef set with rice, which was one of the dishes featured for Restaurant Week, and it did not disappoint. The beef was incredibly tender and flavorful, with just the right amount of richness without feeling heavy. Each bite was juicy and well-seasoned, letting the quality of the meat really shine. The rice paired perfectly with the beef, soaking up all the savory juices and balancing the richness. The portion size felt just right -- filling without being overwhelming. For a Restaurant Week offering, this felt like great value and still very high quality. I'd absolutely order this again.

Kaimuki Shokudo has become one of those places that just feels good to be at. While the menu is a bit smaller than the original, the food quality is still excellent and honey toast is still on the menu. The restaurant itself has a cozy neighborhood vibe with a great ambiance, whether you're stopping by for lunch, pau hana, or dinner. There's bar seating, comfortable tables inside, limited outdoor seating, and familiar touches like their bamboo window shades and warm lantern lighting. Parking is relatively easy for Kaimuki, with a paid ticketed lot behind the restaurant (not validated) as well as metered street parking. Food-wise, there are some real standouts. The Spicy Ahi Donburi is still a favorite -- just note that the small is more of an appetizer, while the large works as a light meal. The Karaage Chicken was tender and flavorful, and while the fries were just okay, the sides overall are worth exploring. Service can feel a bit stretched when the restaurant is full, but overall the experience, food, and atmosphere make Kaimuki Shokudo a place worth returning to. It's a welcome addition to the neighborhood and a solid choice whether you're a longtime fan or trying it for the first time.

Restaurant week adventure with friend and Yelp Elite All Star Donna O. Great suggestion Donna O. to try Kaimuki Shokudo. Reasonably priced Restaurant Week Teishoku Specials at $18. Lots of parking in the adjacent paid parking lot. Limited street metered parking. Restrooms are available inside the restaurant as well. Outdoor seating available, however, it's street side so it may be noisy and dusty out there. Service is good. Attentive as best they could with a packed restaurant. Water refilled and there was only a couple of times we needed to get our server's attention. It was very busy. Only glitch was that she forgot to remove one of our drink orders from the bill. I needed to return to the restaurant to have it credited back. Overall 4/5 stars. Food: We both ordered from the Restaurant Week Teishoku Specials. I ordered the Washugyu Sukiyaki Beef, Maguro Sashimi, Okinawan Sweet Potato Salad with hot soba. Overall a good Teishoku meal. I personally found the Sukiyaki sauce too sweet for my taste buds. The meat had chewy texture and did not appear to be of good quality. The Okinawan Sweet Potato salad was delicious. The hot soba was nice and chewy noodles The sashimi tasted fishy and unfortunately not fresh. Overall, a 3.5 star rating. Donna O. Ordered the same Restaurant Week Teishoku, but with the Grilled Saba and Hamachi sashimi. Everything else was the same. Donna also ordered a side of kabocha pumpkin tempura. We shared our main course and sashimi to try each option. I preferred the grilled Saba. It was tasty, moist inside and had a great grilled taste to the fish. 5/5 stars. The kabocha pumpkin tempura was served piping hot with a dipping sauce. This was great as well 4/5 stars. Not oily and flavorful. The Hamachi sashimi fell a bit short of tasting fresh. It was a bit chewy and fishy tasting, (yes, I know it's raw fish, but the taste was off), similar to the maguro. 2/5 stars. Overall, 4/5 stars mostly due to the great tasting grilled Saba! I hope everyone gets to try a Restaurant Week feature! Thanks Donna!

Stopped by Kaimuki Shokudo for their Restaurant Week $18 Teishoku special. Added a sushi roll to share and ended up perfectly full: the rare sweet spot between 'satisfied' and 'I need a nap' lol. My teishoku lineup: hamachi sashimi, washugyu sukiyaki beef, mini soba, rice, and the Okinawan sweet potato salad...which deserves its own applause. That potato salad was crazy good, I could eat a whole bowl without shame. Wish they would make this Teishoku set a regular lunch item! Hamachi was clean and buttery, the tender sukiyaki beef had great flavor, and everything felt balanced. We also split the aburi garlic mayo salmon roll, which was creamy, lightly torched, but I do wish there was more of that signature aburi flavor. Service was genuinely friendly and attentive, and the ambiance nails that clean, understated, Japan-inspired calm. Took me way too long to come here, already planning to come back for their dinner menu which leans more izakaya style. Great value, great food, dangerously addictive potato salad. Would 100% return.

Umami with some umami and a little more umami . Can I say unctuous ? It's all of that mouth watery savory taste that makes you say ahhhh . Like slipping into a warm bath .

Everything was delicious and super savory. My favorite has to be the char siu and honey toast. We had other things but we ate it and I forgot to take photos. My friend ordered the melon float. I ended up ordering myself a melon float too.

A definite win in Kaimuki. We got a duck ramen with a curry rice add on. Plus, a spicy tuna roll. Enjoyed every bite! Service was great and I loved the ambiance. Known for their honey toast dessert. We were too full to get sweets. Huge municipal lot behind the restaurant.

Always love coming back to this restaurant. Lunch specials are cheap and delicious, worth coming here for a quick bite. Great service, restaurant is a little dark but there are lights on each table for the vibe.

Love this spot. Haven't been since they moved from Ala Moana spot Parking is easy in the ticketed lot behind the restaurant (non-validated). Reservations are easy to make online on OpenTable, I love their Spicy Ahi donbori. The small is more of an appetizer size, but the large size is more of a small meal. The ikura uni don was flavorful and fresh. The sides are great additions to your meal. I loved the Okinawa Sweet Potato Salad- definitely a favorite. Their Karaage Chicken was very good as well- tender and flavorful. Their fries were okay. Have to end with their famous Toast for dessert. Order earlier in your meal as it can be a wait to prepare. Always a great place to be.

We stopped in for lunch and were quickly greeted & seated. We ordered a couple small dishes to get started - Gobo Tempura & Mermaid Roll. Tempura was light & crunch my & the roll was delicious. We also got the Duck soba in broth & cold Tempura soba, we got distracted & didn't get photos of those. Everything was tasty & service was attentive during the meal, definitely would go again!

Kaimuki Shokudo is one of those places where you know you will get a good meal. Perfect for taking friends if you want to impress them. First of all, the place is lovely. The decor and ambience is authentically Japanese and cozy. The menu is simple, not too extensive as to be overwhelming. The bar selection is impressive with crafted cocktails and cold draft beers. Because we were recently there for Restaurant Week. We had the lunch teishoku. We chose the sukiyaki beef, hamachi sashimi, and cold soba. It also came with their Okinawan sweet potato salad. This salad should be the reason you go there over and over again. It's so good. The sashimi was generously sliced. The cold soba is very refreshing. The sukiyaki beef is tender and packed with flavor. It's so nice to have this restaurant available for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The menu changes but there's always something delicious. And, parking is easy.

Menu Check . After weathering out bipolar rain, wind and sunshine at the beach, we followed Yelp pics n our noodle cravings to Shokudo. Sadly, majority of their SOBA options are only available during LUNCH ): At dinner, the selection is reduced to 3 - kake, zaru and uni. Kake is the only soba served hot so went with that. It was great...just a little bummed I couldn't get one with more substance. . So...happily ordered sides to supplement! Gyoza, karaage chicken and kabocha tempura completed my meal perfectly. Finished it all up with a classic honey toast for dessert - I was with friends so obvi shared. . Good service n izakaya vibes are mellow until the dinner crowd arrives cranking up the room volume. . At this point, I accept I'm just old and will always miss the original Ala Moana Shokudo. . じゃあ, それはそれで

We were in the area and decided to try somewhere new. We were familiar with the old Shokudo and were excited to check out this location. When we arrived, the staff were very welcoming, and even though we didn't have a reservation, they were still able to seat us. The ambience was great, perfect for a date night. The service was excellent from start to finish. Initially, we were told we had about an hour due to a reservation after us, but when it was canceled, they communicated quickly and let us know we could stay longer. Honestly though, extra time wasn't even necessary. The food came out quickly, our waitress checked in often, and we finished our meal in about 45 minutes without ever feeling rushed. The food was delicious, everything tasted fresh. Of course, we had to order the infamous honey toast, and even my picky nephew couldn't resist helping devour it. I also appreciated how simple and easy the menu was to read. The local music playing was a nice touch too--the playlist was fire. Overall, it felt intimate and nice, yet still casual and local. We'll definitely be coming back. Loved it!

A great place to go for groups !! We had 7 people which was perfect to be able to try all kinds of stuff. I hadn't been to shokudo since the alamoana one closed, so I forgot how good it is or maybe it got even better ?? So much variety of Japanese dishes & can't forget the honey toast!!

This place is so swanky and cute. I absolutely love the decor! It feels so nice and cozy inside, and the music was super groovy too. Honestly, everything on the menu looked so appetizing that it was hard to choose. I came in around 10:30 p.m and they told me it was about 10 minutes until last call. I really appreciated how polite and mindful Taj, the server was. He even reminded me that the hot green tea was caffeinated and helped me decide between a few dishes I was torn on. I ended up getting the hot green tea, grilled gyoza, grilled vegetables, and the half order of beef curry. Everything came out hot and fresh. The vegetables were beautifully arranged, though I do wish there had been a dipping sauce for them, but they were still very tasty. The beef curry was my favorite, it came out steaming hot, with a delicious crunch from the onions and a rich, comforting flavor that hit just right. It felt like a warm hug in a bowl! For coming in last minute, the team was so welcoming and accommodating. I'd definitely would come back!

I ordered the soba and chirashi take out. Unfortunately the person that was supposed to pick it up yesterday didn't and thank goodness they still had it. I made the soba and it was quite easy and delicious. The chirashi on the other hand wasn't as fresh of course, not their fault. When I got to the restaurant I think because of New Year's they were behind the schedule and the organization of the pick up orders was a bit chaotic. It was ok, within 15 minutes of arriving I left with my order. They were struggling a bit so maybe two people helping with take out would be helpful to make the orders go out faster. Nonetheless, under stress everyone was friendly and calm. The only complaint I might have is the fact that the chirashi that was $60 for two came with very little on top. It was almost all rice. The soba was good and the lobster chirashi was good but the crab one was not so plentiful as you can see in the pictures. The ambiance seemed a bit rushed and chaotic but I will come back on a normal night not on New Years. People were filling up for lunch and I assume please make reservations. Cute inside deco.

had a wonderful surprise dinner date for my birthday here! my husband even got us in through the back door so i didn't even know where we were going until we were literally at the door! the interior lighting is so cool. so many lanterns hanging from the ceiling and small table lamps really set the mood. their menu has so many options that are great for sharing with 2-4 people and the food is so unique. we loved the okinawan sweet potato salad, that was really different and a great starter. side note, i super appreciate that they serve their hot and cold dishes in respectively heated/cooled ware! we also really enjoyed the mochi cheese mentaiko rolls. the mentaiko wasn't too strong and the mochi cheese combined with the crispy egg roll wrapper was amazing texture. the spicy ahi bowl and soba plate were both solid, but nothing special. same with the garlic scallops, also delicious! the drink menu has a lot of vodka options and lychee cocktails (LOVE!). the cosmo and martini were both phenomenal. the star at the end of the night was the honey toast! even if you think you're full, you'll have room for this! buttery, crunchy, toasted milk bread with honey and two scoops of ice cream on top. SO YUM. we're definitely coming back again to try more dishes next time!

Went there on a weekday, close to 5pm but seated early enough to order items from the Happy Hour menu. Good deal. Although they have been here for a while, I had never been here (only the Kapiolani one that is now closed). By 5;30 there was a decent crowd considering it was a weekday. Service is friendly and came by often to ask how we were doing or to refill glasses. We had a baby with us and the staff was very nice and complimented him often (even gave a plastic cup of water with a cover and straw for him- at 8mos he hasn't mastered a sippy cup much less a straw but a very nice touch). I really like the deep fried squid-it was extra crispy. Maybe they double fried it like some people do with chicken. Another dish I like was the watercress salad. The watercress was extremely fresh like they just got it from Sumidas because I haven't had it that fresh even at Whole Foods. Nice evening.

I want to rate this higher because service was great, but I just can't. There's no parking, so you have to pay to park in the lot next door. The interior is nice though! Zaru Soba (1/5 stars) - the soba was extremely undercooked and dipping it in the cold dipping sauce did not help, I'm assuming they undercook it and put the soba in hot broths so it can absorb it, but for a cold dish the soba should have been fully cooked, also portion size was too much for 1 person (it definitely was the amount for 3 people or 2 very hungry people) Kakiage Tempura (4/5) - this one did taste good!, fried nicely and crunchy, but there was a random pile of salt and the piece that touched it ended up way too salty Also, I'm a little confused why they were obsessed with the fact that we didn't have reservations, it was mostly empty. That was the only weird thing we got from the workers, but other than that they were very nice and answered all our questions.

I came here in a party of 5, on a reservation Parking: there's a big paid lot adjacent to the spot. Didn't see (or really look for) free spots Atmosphere: decently full at 8 pm on a Monday! hip decor, mostly younger crowd. Not very crowded. Probably bar seating than actual seating so would recommend reservation Food: - Underwhelming: the three salads - Average: soba, donburi bowls - Would get again: chicken karaage, honey toast - Delicious!: pork char-siu, sashimi (especially the yellowtail) - Interestingly, we had a group of 5 and the food was catered nicely for 5 of I each item, lovely! - Wish there were maki rolls or sushi pieces on the dinner menu (they are on the lunch menu) - they only have sashimi for dinner Service: decent service but the waiter was simply covering too much, we had a bigger group and needed more attention but had to track him down multiple times Overall a solid spot for Japanese food in a hip environment. I wasn't blown away but had a generally positive experience. Prices were as expected. I would certainly come back on my next trip to Hawaii.

Amazing quality foods served tapas style. Was here for a birthday party and so we got to try a variety of different dishes! I recommend this place for a party of 4-6 They offer small portions that can be shared if the group isn't too big. Smaller parties can be good too but the only downside is you might not be able to try as much. The hilight of the meal for me was the hamachi and maguro sashimi! They were both extremely fresh and really delicious cuts with their own unique flavor. It was nice to try both side by side. I would also recommend saving room for the honey toast. It is really filling but worth getting!

The soba is on point! The noodles have good chew! The watercress salad is the best, so crunchy !!! Definitely a new favorite that we will visit again soon.

This Shokudo is one of my top spots for a late night bite. They specialize in Izakaya style small plates - perfect for sharing! Parking is in a paid lot in the back or there is street parking around the neighborhood. On the weekends, this spot stays open until 1am and on the weekdays they're still open until Midnight. Not a lot of spots in Honolulu are open late with this quality of food. The okinawan sweet potato salad is one of my favorite potato salads ever. It's topped with sweet potato chips, ikura and a soft boiled egg. Another crowd favorite is the chicken karaage with a yuzu mayo. Shokudo is known for their soba noodles that you can get here either cold or hot. Don't miss out on their spicy ahi bowl, hamachi carpaccio, or their garlic salmon roll if you're craving sushi! The cocktails here have some amazing flavor profiles like a yuzu drop, wasabi marg, and shiso-cucumber-yuzu. I've been going to shokudo for years and their honey toast is iconic - be sure to save room for dessert!

After sweating it out in hot yoga (so many moves, so much core shaking), we had to reward ourselves with something good. Closest spot? Kaimuki Shokudo -- been here a couple times and the food's pretty solid. Post-workout cravings were screaming "cold and light," so we started with the watercress salad. The flavor was there, but the fried stuff piled on top? A bit much. We ended up taking that off and just enjoyed the watercress, tofu, and that yummy sesame dressing on its own. Of course, had to get our faves -- the hamachi carpaccio and scallop. Never disappoints. Closed it out with soba for a little carb love. Normally we'd grab a drink or two, but we were on our "healthy era" tonight and went for plantation and peach iced tea instead. Overall, still a solid spot for late-night grinds with a chill vibe. I think I come here pretty often so yeah, 5-star all around.

Duck Water Cress Soba (Hot): Broth is so savory not too salty, and you can taste the smokiness from the duck. Duck is lean and juicy with just enough fat. It came with 5 slices of the duck. The green onion was nice and sweet. Watercress balanced the dish with a subtle bitter bite. Spicy Tuna Don (Half): just the right amount. Of course Spicy Tuna is a standard that was upheld here. Love the crunchy tempura bites. And the lunch special price came at $7 so I think it's worth it. Well what can I say? This place is always consistent with food, service, and ambiance. Nothing more to say. The

Good food and service, great for a set of pupus and some drinks, great ambience with the lighting

Second Helping! Another great visit for an early dinner. Everything was great with exceptional service! Favorites tonight were Mentai Tamagoyaki, watercress and cake noodle salad, garlic shoyu butter scallops and again the milk toast. If you get the Milk toast dessert, go with vanilla ice cream, it's a better compliment to the dessert than any other flavor. Easy parking, the public lot is right off the back doors. Also the Yuzu soda was awesome!

Food - 2 stars Service - 2 stars Ambiance - 2 stars First and foremost, I never expect a Japanese restaurant to serve poorly cooked rice. Stale, possibly rice from the day before, dry, no taste. Shame on them. The curry was meh. I could have made my own with the Japanese curry blocks. Delicious fresh rice is a MUST with curry. Our table all agreed that they served us day old or longer rice. Nothing else matters when you serve bad rice with curry. Service was not attentive at all. We had to search for our server most times. No, I will not return.

This was such a cute find and a great spot! Good soba noodle restaurants are hard to find, but this one just hit the spot. I ordered the Zaru Soba and it was perfect - the noodles were cooked to perfection and the flavor of the dipping sauce was great. There was plenty of parking (but it's a paid parking lot) and the restaurant was super easy to find.

Came here last month for my birthday dinner with friends and this place feels like an upscale, not too expensive Japanese restaurant. When you walk inside especially in the evenings it is really well lit up, and has a very lively atmosphere. The decorations are on point, very Japanese. The food is a little pricey and portions are small but not too bad. The Soba noodles were probably one of my favorite dishes they just tasted really well made and went well with the soup. The other fish dishes I ordered were great too, but didn't stand out to me. Their signature ice cream and toast dessert in my opinion was worth it. You would think ice cream and toast is a ripoff and that you could make it at home, but the bread so delicious, fresh, really thick and big and served hot it really goes well with ice cream and honey. I noticed most of the cooks in the kitchen are also women which I found really unique and cool! Overall: 6.8/10 would probably come again.

We had a such an amazing meal here! They have a lot of variety and everything we tried was delicious, and came out very quickly. The Zaru Soba noodles are perfectly al dente and I recommend getting them with a tempura. The spicy tuna don is really good, and the ratio of fish to rice is perfect. The cheese mochi spring rolls are incredible, they have a Parrilla leaf and a slight spice to them, which gives it an interesting flavor. Service is really great and the interior is so cute and cozy with the lanterns of the ceiling. They have a parking lot out back and it's pretty affordable rates as well.

I can't believe I haven't tried this location since they've opened. The menu was very different. I'm not sure if the intention was to be like the previous restaurant, but I wouldn't compare them. First of all, the vibe was really nice. During lunch when outside is bright, the restaurant is dim with beautiful lanterns hanging above. Christine was our server and being our first time, she shared that they specialize in soba and donburi for lunch. Their dinner menu is very different. They also have a lunch special if you order at least half a donburi or soba, you can add on variety donburi options for $6. We ordered the ume oroshi shiso soba, cold duck watercress soba with the additional vegetable donburi. The dishes were BEAUTIFUL and delicious. The shiso made a perfect combo of flavor with the soba noodles. The duck was tender and the broth was super tasty. The vegetable donburi was a nice add-on as well. My favorite was the duck watercress soba. I went with cold soba, but I think hot would be just as delicious. Overall, I'm very pleased with the changes they've made. I didn't get the opportunity to try their honey toast yet, but I will. I plan to return for their dinner menu.

My boyfriend and I went here for date night and it was a nice experience. We made reservations and got seated right away. We ordered quite a few dishes such as the zaru soba, Okinawan sweet potato salad, hamachi kama, spicy tuna don and chicken karaage. For drinks, I believe we got the yukari lychee-tini and the guava chu-hi. Everything we ordered was delicious! But my favorites were the Okinawan sweet potato salad, spicy tuna don and the chicken kaarage. The Okinawan potato salad was so unique, the ikura on top added a nice saltiness and we used the taro chips like a dip lol. The spicy tuna don had a nice texture and the right amount of spicyness. The chicken kaarage was crispy and juicy and I really liked the yuzu mayo on top! The drinks we got were good too. This visit was during their anniversary week and we got their special honey toast (with lemon curd and a cream cheese topping) and it was so yummy! We were so full from our dinner but we were still able to finish the whole thing!

A nice lunch for four. I had not been to Shokudo since it moved from the Ward/Ala Moana area to Kaimuki area, and it was a great new spot. I miss the old Bread and Butter spot for brunch that was next door, so if that can come back too, that would be nice!! Noodle specials for lunch. They have a full bar. Every one was satisfied and stuffed! They have two entrances, one from the paid parking lot and one from the street. Short review but check out the photos. Yummy!

The soba was truly delicious. Amazing texture and flavor, with interesting dashi broths that still take authentic but with a twist. Interior is really classy in a simple way and service was excellent. Great experience overall and I'll be back.

Late night dinners should always be at a bar counter. A drink and a menu. Start with your fave and try the rest, too. Check out the recommended items in the menu. The karaage chicken was good. The grilled vegetables was mm-mm-good. Miso butterfish was yum. Finish it all with a hot soba noodles. There's late night happy hour. Good prices on drinks. Speedy service. Super friendly. Super casual. Lunch is really affordable too.

Kaimuki Shokudo is a great place for lunch and dinner. I come here for their soba. My favorite is the zaru soba. It's chilled buckwheat noodles with a dashi and shoyu dipping sauce. For lunch, they offer sets so you can do a mini don as the add on for $6 more. During lunch, the restaurant is quiet and I go there after 1pm so I miss the crowd. For dinner the restaurant is more lively and there's lots of people dining in groups. Their pupu portions are small but it is meant to be shared. I've always done family style just so I can more items on their menu. Every time I go, they will have 2 -3 new items added to the menu so I love that they change it up. My favorites are the Okinawan sweet potato salad, hamachi carpaccio, mentai mochi cheese spring roll, and the grilled Kauai shrimp. For drinks they have a very creative menu but prefer the mocktails. I rotate between the lychee soda and the yuzu soda; both are refreshing and goes great with the food. The interior of the restaurant is pretty. They kept the wooden things that hung against the windows in the original Shokudo. The ceiling has mini lantern lights. There's also a u-shaped bar so if you can't get a table, the bar seating works. Their staff are friendly and the kitchen staff cooks up the food in a timely matter. Their prices are reasonable. The best perk is that they open late. On weekdays they're open till 12am and on weekends, 1am. It's perfect for if you have friends that land on Oahu in the evenings and they want something to eat before heading to the hotel. For parking, I use the paid lot where Happy Days and First Hawaiian Bank are located. The entrances to this lot are on 11th Ave and 12th Ave. After you park, you can actually enter the restaurant from the back door so you need to walk around the block and go back to 11th Ave where their main entrance is.

I've been to this location a couple of times and it's always been great. The food is really yummy, service is fast, and prices are very reasonable. It's always been relatively not crowded and easy to get a seat even without reservations. Today I came for lunch and got the soba. I really liked that it wasn't too noisy and it was easy to have a conversation. There is limited street parking in the area if you're willing to walk over but also a lot with paid parking nearby as well.