Rai Rai Ramen

This place has such good ramen I’m making a second review for the second day in a row I visited!! 😂 I wanted my last meal in O’ahu to be something really really good and I just had to come back here so putting this place on BLAST 🗣️🗣️SUCH. GREAT. RAMEN!!!! Also the staff is seriously so kind too : )

Great casual spot for ramen. We had the tan tan and it was a good amount of spice and really tasty. Would recommend if in the area.

Really cute place! Ordered the hakata tonkotsu ramen and it came out very well, quickly too. Very peaceful and would love to go again! (I ate a bit of the photo 😅, there was plenty of meat and the usual egg too).

Use to go here often but their curry ramen has been getting more and more watery which is a bummer. Flavor and food is still good just know the curry ramen is more of a soup ramen nowadays

The place smells musty and like a homeless person. The service was terrible, as if they were doing us a favor. The ramen was completely tasteless. At the end, they outright demanded a tip. I do not recommend this place at all—it was a very disappointing experience!

Incredible ramen and a comfortable dining experience! I ordered the Hakata Tonkotsu and was genuinely impressed—rich, flavorful broth, perfectly cooked noodles, and fresh toppings that brought everything together beautifully. Easily one of the best ramen bowls I’ve had in Honolulu. What really stood out beyond the food was the atmosphere. Unlike many ramen spots in Waikiki that tend to be overly hot and stuffy, this place had a comfortable, well-ventilated space where I could actually enjoy my meal without breaking a sweat. That attention to customer comfort goes a long way. Highly recommend for anyone looking for high-quality ramen and a relaxed dining environment!

The best ramen restaurant I've ever been to! Hot and spicy seafood soup is massive, incredible flavor, and full of protein. The noodles are perfectly chewy, not mush at all. Went for lunch and it kept me full all day!

Extremely good food, well packed, gluten free options, simply great. We didn't eat there and the place was small, but right near a nice road. Food itself was great, and we wanted to go back for more on our trip hahaha! Recommended :)

Probably top 5 ramen I've had in my life! I highly recommend coming here and enjoying a bowl of there beef ramen. It's soooo good!

I once loved this place! You have all but removed the shrimp from your dumplings (wonton soup) and you no longer have hot mustard. OK you've raised your prices, but you've also cutting corners on your food quality. Raising your prices is one thing, but skipping on food quality is where I draw the line. Not a fan.

Was once! Would go back in a heartbeat. Waitress so so nice and the place was clean, food was good, brother was very tasty!

Quick service using mobile app at the table and the service was fast too. The spicy ramen had good flavor but didn't have the kick I expected and there wasn't a whole lot of bamboo with only half an egg. The meat wasn't bad but I can't say it was quality meat. For the price, I expected a higher quality ramen but it was filling and hit the spot. Parking is extremely limited in a high traffic area. Glad I tried it but will probably go to somewhere a little cheaper

My friend and I went to Rai Rai Ramen in Kailua (my first time, but she's been here a few other times), and this indeed is truly the best ramen I've had in this area. Different menu items available, portions are excellent and the service is great and efficient. The restaurant itself is small and can get busy, though we got lucky on one Friday night and there was hardly anyone else there at the time. We also shared gyoza and it was delicious and fresh too! I plan on coming back here sometime in the near future!

We made a phone order 7/3/24 around 5pm. Gf got the fried noodles and I got fried rice. My fried rice had so many egg shells in it I couldn't eat it and my gf got very sick after eating. Quality of food has steadily gone down hill. Sad because we used to love this place!

This is literally our 1st spot from the airport every year we come here. Delicious food and cute tiny restaurant.

Still a favorite for ramen on Windward side. Tan Tan Ramen flavors are thru the roof. Chicken Katsu Curry is hearty and filling. Don't forget to get a six pack of Gyoza! Yum! Family owned business with fast service and fresh ingredients.

I ordered the vegetable ramen. I liked the vast amount of vegetables they give you (broccoli, bok choy, carrots, coin, green onion, and mushrooms). Everything was fresh but the mushrooms tasted like from a can. Noodles were perfectly cooked and chewy. Not sure if the broth was vegetarian so may want to ask them. Service was quick. Place was cozy and quickly filled up with patrons.

I've been coming here since they opened years ago. It's been awhile since I've eaten here, but it's still one of my faves! Food and service are both excellent. This place gets busy and tables are limited, so if you're planning to dine in, you may have to wait.

Still the best ramen place in Kailua, hands down no competition. They've revamped their menu, offering a lot more set options and other dishes. Our go-to is the house special, shio broth. The fried rice and curry rice are delicious as well. Gyoza is always a hit.

Had an early lunch here after my girlfriends massage. They just opened a little before 11am. The lady greeted us as we sat to decide what we weee gonna have. We asked for recommendation and suggested their hakata tonkotsu ramen and the house ramen. The hakata tonkotsu ramen was not bad, and the broth was on the lighter side. The house ramen was I little more flavorful in a shoyu kind of broth. Of course, you cannot do ramen without gyoza, and theirs were super yummy. If you are in Kailua, and looking for a nice ramen place, give it a try. (I am basing this review in comparison with other ramen places we frequent) so... that being said, this place is not bad for the money.

Tried a new-to-me ramen place in Kailua. Overall, I liked it. The ramen was good with a tasty broth and firm noodles. I liked that the house ramen had an oyster katsu in it. I don't see that in many places. Service was fast. When we got there (around 7pm) there was only us and a family. There was a lot of take out meals being picked up while we ate. By the time we were done, the place had filled up. If there was one negative, it would be the parking. They only have a few stalls in front and it requires you to back ip on Oneawa St. so you have to time it when to move. Not sure if there's additional parking in back. Still, it was a good meal.

No frills ramen place with a few tables. Service is great but don't expect to be waited on hand and foot. But if you're looking for a great bowl of ramen, there's no better place in Kailua! I ordered the Spicy Miso Ramen and it was magnificent. The char siu pork was perfectly seasoned and fall apart tender. But the broth... Oh, the broth! Amazing! We will be returning!

My family and I love coming to eat at Rai Rai when we're in Kailua! Everything on the menu is good. I really like the Mabo tofu ramen the the wonton soup. Service is quick as well. Parking is a bit tough but there's plenty of street parking!

My favorite Kailua town ramen shop! Always quick and easy, friendly service too! The food is always fresh and the selection is quite extensive. Worth the stop in for sure!

The reviews looked good so we decided to stop in on a Friday night. I really enjoyed their Hakata Tonkotsu Ramen. Broth was flavorful and noodles were chewy. There was a nice assortment of pickled cabbage, ginger, seasoned egg, fish cake and charsiu that blended well together. My friend got their Mini Combo Fried Rice which includes mini shoyu ramen and fried rice. She enjoyed both. Although there was just one server and the place was busy, she was efficient and kept it moving. It is a smaller space with maybe 8 tables or so. I'd definitely return.

I've been coming here for years since the original one on Waialae. It's been consistent through out the years and the price is not bad. Highly underrated ramen shop on the windward side.

Loved this place until both my husband and I got sick with old leftover food. The restaurant was smelling bad so we should have known. Smelled like foul water pipes. If so, owner should have closed rather than lose customers.

After swimming at the Kailua Beach our family was hungry and wanted to look for a restaurant nearby for a late lunch. Saw Rai Rai Ramen with descent reviews and decided to give it a try. We ordered 3 ramen bowls, calamari and fried rice. The food came pretty fast. All the food we ordered were tasty. The broth of the ramen was so flavorful, better than the ramen we had the night before in Waikiki. In fact, they were better than most we've tried on the mainland. They were generous with the add-ons such as fish cake, charsui pork, etc. The fried rice was one of the best I've had eaten . I think they used the same rice as the rice they make sushi with, just perfect. Fried rice was so good that I ordered a second one to go. We are glad to run into this place outside of Honolulu and Waikiki, but yet so good. Will stop by this place every time we come to Oahu after our swim in Kailua Beach.

I finally got to try this establishment out after passing by so many times. Quick Note: This place is small. 5 tables at 2-4 person and 3-6 person. Menu is QR code seeing the new "normal". Prices on average is $13. I ordered the Oxtail Ramen. At $17.95 , this bowl was just the right amount of flavor. Nothing was over powering! The Ox tail wasn't fall of the bone but was still well cooked. It appeared as if the OX Tail itself was just boiled without seasoning. Nonetheless, paired with its tasty broth worked, kinda. Ordered 6pc Gyoza, typical for every Gyoza out there. Still a tasted appetizer nonetheless. In closing, If your looking for a quick and simple Ramen flavor just to subside your craving, this is the place. Rating is average when using past establishments as a reference.

Small little restaurant on the side of a main traffic street. Only a handful of tables to sit. Service is very fast. Ordered spicy beef ramen, spicy seafood ramen, fried calamari, chicken katsu curry sub with fried rice and curry on the side. Calamari was ok. Chicken katsu curry was good, nothing special. Spicy beef ramen was alright - again, nothing special. However the spicy seafood ramen was such a disappointment. Found a hair in my food. The woman was very quick to take the old bowl and give me a new one. The thing is this particular dish came with a thick corn starch slurry ontop the ramen that was mixed with the seafood and vegetables ontop. Once you mix it into the soup the whole thing becomes thick. At this point it's not even ramen anymore, it's like a gravy consistency. I ate everything but the "soup". Also it basically had no flavor but a mouthful of Tabasco. I gave two stars for the fast service, and they were quick to resolve the hair problem. But I wouldn't come back nor would I recommend their ramen.

Amazing Tan Tan. Lived in Kailua for 20 years first time there. Ordered the Tan Tan the umami was fantastic will be back.

The Kimchi Ramen and Chicken Katsu are chefs kiss! Do not miss out!! We visited this location several times for these two items alone.

We come here every time we visit Oahu, which is usually twice a year. The food and service are always excellent. We always have ramen but this time we also ordered gyoza and fried rice. Highly recommended.

Bypassed this little Ramen shop many times, because of no parking close by. Fianilly got a parking spot in front the shop. We ordered the Takata Tonkotsu ramen and a mini special. The mini we ordered was a shio broth ramen with fried rice on the side. The noodles of both ramens were good. The broth of the shio ramen was average. Tonkotsu broth was really good with the first taste. The broth lost it flavor as you are because of the amount of pickle vegetables and ginger. If your like japanese boiled egg in your ramen this was one of the best I've had. The service was fast and friendly. I thought a little pricey for noodles. The mini was $14.55 and the Takata ramen came in at $13.35. Give them a try. Stay safe

Oh WOW! This is one of the smallest restaurants I've eaten at and it was such a great meal! They most def had make the ramen noodles. I ordered separate items, the Kim Chee fried rice was amazing, also the portion was so big we took it for togo and had it for breakfast the next day with an egg (honestly the best) There were only 4 tables but up to 6 people in 3 of them

Rai Rai Ramen Ratings: 4.1/5 Food: 4.5/5 - Just completed the Three Peaks hike, and my boyfriend and I were so hungry. We are craving for some fried food and CARBS, and Rai Rai is the place that has both and was super close by. Their curry ramen caught my eyes on Yelp, and we definitely made the right decision to come here. It was such a comfort food after a long hike. You can see the description of the chicken katsu curry ramen I got for dinner below. - Chicken Katsu Curry Ramen [GET]: First of all, the chicken katsu was perfectly fried to a golden color with a crispy and delicate outer layer. The chicken thigh meat on the inside was juicy, moist, and tender. The broth is a shoyu based with curry added to it, but the curry flavor wasn't too powerful so it still got a nice bone broth flavor to it. The ramen is nicely cooked with a good chew to it, nice texture and al dente. Bok choy was fresh too and crunchy. The only downside was that the chicken katsu don't stay crispy long, since they are sitting in the curry broth the entire time, so make sure to enjoy the top pieces first! Ambiance: 3.75/5 - This is one of the smaller restaurants I have dine at in Oahu. Rai Rai gives a hole-in-the-wall vibe, causal and chill ambiance, more like a pit stop after a long hike type of restaurant. There are maybe 4 tables, and fits 12 people at most. It was all packed when we arrived, but surprisingly it wasn't too loud at all. The restroom is also located in the back of the restaurant, and you need to ask for the keys to use it. I would say this is the place where you do not judge them by its cover. Price: 4.25/5 - The price here is great and reasonable for Hawaii. My chicken katsu curry ramen was $12.95 before tax. The portion size was generous and pretty big, and I was satisfied after the meal, especially when I was so hungry after the hike. This place is worth it and definitely good value. Service: 3.75/5 - There was only one staff working there. She had to manage all the customers dining in along with all the other online and take-out orders. The service is quite slow, so do not expect anything too outstanding or much attention from the server. There is not much interaction, no water refills, and expect it to be a place with super causal service. The food also took a while to come out, but overall understandable. BLUF: A hidden gem in Kailua for some hearty Japanese meals after a hike nearby. I recommend any of the Katsu dishes, literally fried beautifully and wonderfully, crispy and crunchy, too delicious to be true. Come support local businesses when you get a chance before or after a hike.

Excellent food and service. Had gyoza, shrimp ramen and spicy beef. All were excellent. Other tables were also talking of how great their food was as well. Will go again!

If Miso and Curry Ramen had a baby, this would be it! Noodles are aldente and there's so many chicken katsu pieces that I always have to save half for the next day's lunch. And their panko/batter has a sweet crunch to it And when in doubt, their miso ramen set is the way to go! Mini miso ramen + fried rice + gyoza, this is literally like 2 meals in 1. Just be careful with parking. Although there are a few stalls directly in front of the shop, it fills pretty quickly on a busy day. And it's fronting one of the busy streets, so if you're able to reverse park into the stalls, more power to you getting out! Nevertheless, this is my most favorite place to grab good ramen in the Kailua area!

We ordered take out ramen last night, and were very pleased that we did so. My wife ordered the seafood ramen and I had the spicy beef. She liked hers and I loved mine. We didn't have high expectations, but if we did they still would have been exceeded. My beef ramen was the best ramen that I've ever had. It was savory, hearty and really hit the spot. The egg was perfectly cooked and the broth was delicious. Our only disappointment is that, based upon the Yelp page, we assumed that dining in was not an option (so we phone ordered takeout). When we arrived, we saw people eating in the restaurant, which we'd have preferred. (It all worked out: we took our takeout ramen to Grace in Growlers, sat in the patio, and had both Rai Rai ramen and Grace in Growlers beer.)

Unfortunately, I wasn't a fan of the Seafood spicy ramen. The server mistakenly brought out my seafood ramen as non-spicy. I reminder her and she brought the ramen back with a thick/corn starchy seafood stir fry on top of my ramen. It turned my broth really thick and just didn't have that authentic ramen taste any longer. It was disappointing because they give you a lot of good seafood such as scallops, fish, and shrimp in your ramen. Note to self if I ever go back... do not order it spicy. My husband ordered the Miso ramen combo and his broth was so much better. I actually took my noodles and used his broth to finish up my ramen. Gyoza is 5/5 and the fried rice is a 5/5 so definitely order the combo. Making it a fried rice for the combo vs. the rice is an additional $2.75.

In this time of the pandemic, we are reminded of how much we should appreciate what we have right here on our beautiful islands. With that said, I won't be comparing this ramen to ramen from elsewhere because I really like what they do with what they've got. There is a small parking lot in front but if you turn into streets nearby, you could find street parking and just walk over as we did. Very small shop but they do a great job spacing people apart, sanitizing, and using PPE. We ordered the Shoyu Charsiu Ramen and the Hakata Tonkotsu Ramen. The Shoyu Charsiu Ramen was absolutely tasty. It had a rich amount of shoyu flavor while being slightly creamy and not too salty. Very wonderful. The char siu was generous and quite good. The Hakata Tonkotsu Ramen was very creamy, remaining consistent with the "Hakata" style, which is milky and creamy. The charsiu was very generous and good. What I really admire is their own unique touch on the ramen that, I feel, makes it local. The bak choy and mustard greens were wonderful touches that made the dish not only colorful but very tasty and satisfying as well. The egg was also cooked VERY well. It was more on the jammy side, which I like, and tasted like a real ramen egg. Oh, and the noods, one of the most critical elements. They definitely used Sun Noodle, which I highly agree with. But for the Hakata Style, it seemed a little more thin and much more like Hakata I am used to. Rai Rai gets it right right! The prices are very reasonable and consistent with the ramen prices you'd pay here in Hawaii, maybe even a little less. But the portions and taste justified the prices and would definitely say its worth it. The woman working there was very attentive and quick to service us. She was very nice and answered all of our questions! I would come back if I was on this side again. Its a local style of ramen that I think we should all appreciate. They're not trying to be anything they're not and its really tasty. If you are addicted to ramen as much as I am, even if you are far from town ramen joints, you can still get your fix on here!

I am pescatarian and just learned that the seafood ramen is made with pork broth. Was happy to learn they could make me a vegetable broth instead! I do wish they had a better drink selection. The ones on offer are low quality because they are all artificially flavored and unbelievably, they have high fructose corn syrup as the primary sweetener! I thought all responsible companies phased HFCS out a couple years ago. Foodland has great Japanese soft drinks by Kimino that only have fruit juice, sparkling water and cane sugar in them. I wish they carried those instead.

Seafood ramen plus bok choy was delicious. We ordered online for pickup and our order was ready when we arrived 15-20 minutes later. It's not an ambiance kind of place, more like a lunch counter. My husband is a fan of the Waikiki Ramen Nakamura Oxtail ramen so he was not happy like I was with the seafood ramen

It looks the same, but the food is not as good as before Covid. I highly suggest carrying out because one of the unfortunate changes is the degrading interior. My gyoza and beef ramen were acceptable but the interior smells more like a beach restroom. Good but I can't go back.

Great ramen place in Kailua. The broth is tasty and the noodles cooked to perfection. This trip I ordered the chicken katsu curry. The portion was huge and the chicken so tender. Certainly happy with my choice.

Great ramen!! We ate here a few years ago when we visited Hawaii and made it a point to come back. It was recommended by a local, its a small place, nothing fancy but the ramen is out of this world!!

We ended up coming here after reading an article on the internet. The writer used words such as "umami", "next level" and comforting. The narrative was descriptive and inviting, so we went there. Per the article, we expected a line. We got there and there was none. Parking....was empty. Not good signs and when I finally lifted the tray.....I could see why. (See my pics) We ordered two ramen: Spicy seafood ramen and per the article's recommendation , I got the House Ramen. The box couldn't have weighted more than 1 1/2 pounds!!! Other reviews posted here said their orders were plentiful and large. You have got to be kidding. You would think that when you order something to be eaten there vs take out, you should get the same amount. Is that too much to ask for? Take a look at my pics and compare them to the pictures of bowls of ramen taken by others when they ate there. Do you feel that they are equal in size? Yeah I didn't think so. So based on cost (this order cost us just under $30) and what you get for that amount, Rai Rai Ramen gets only one star. Your hard earned dollars could be better well spent elsewhere.

Holy yum yum. I had no manners cuz I was gobbling this delicious ramen down. I got the chicken katsu curry rice. It seems like a popular dish and for good reason. The chicken is so tasty. I was worried it would get soggy but it never did. The curry is so yummy. I could've licked the bowl. The service was great. We had a sweet woman running the register and brought out our food really fast. She was regularly filling our waters. My sister got the seafood spicy ramen and I tried some bites and it was delicious. One bowl is plenty and I'm glad I didn't get a side. So great! And great prices. Easily returning.

From Kailua to Kalihi, my all time favorite from Rai Rai Ramen is the Spicy Beef Ramen. It's so good along with an order of gyoza, an extra side of chicken katsu, rice, and an ice cold coke! Perfect on a rainy day or better yet, any day!

A (slightly) hidden gem of Kailua. Friends of mine chose this place as their LAST MEAL in Hawaii before moving back to the mainland after living here for a year. That should be all you need to know. But let me tell you more. Reasonably priced for Hawaii, generous portions, and a no-nonsense menu. This place rocks. Hands down the tastiest ramen dish I've ever had (Chicken Katsu Curry Ramen), something about the chicken and bok choy with the curry flavored broth was almost too delicious to handle. I finished it all and licked the bowl and I'm not exaggerating.

Food was excellent. The chili garlic sauce was to die for! Service was very accommodating.

Great place to grab food to go. It's very small inside but very clean, and the tables are organized well. I suggest quickly reversing into a stall so you can get out into traffic easier. They are across from Taco Bell, very easy to find. The workers are helpful and happy, and make the atmosphere really nice. They even opened the door for me when I went to leave. It's the little touches that make a difference. Thank you! For four of us the bill was $78. But I do have very hungry kids and an other half who can totally eat! I am happy to report the portions were pretty big. Not a bad price for what you get. And I did some sides because I read other reviews and couldn't NOT order the kimchee fried rice and the oyster katsu... Best items that we ordered : *Side order oyster katsu You get three pieces (fried to perfection) with sauce and a little cabbage underneath. It was really good, not super fishy tasting like some places. Not really oily either. Loved it! *Shoyu ramen combo which comes with four pieces gyoza, rice, and a nice sized ramen bowl. My daughter inhaled it! Not too salty. Beautifully garnished. *Mabotofu Ramen. Very well prepared. And it paired well with the kimchee fried rice side I got too! *Chicken katsu curry. Came with a nice portion of golden and crispy chicken katsu with a bunch of white rice (fried rice or kimchee fried rice is extra). The curry was on the milder side which is great for me. Did not ask about the heat ratio so I'm really glad it wasn't too hot. This was my first time ordering from here. The online ordering was really easy and the promised time of pickup was spot on! Definitely an awesome experience. We will be back!!!

Hot and Spicy Miso Ramen 10/10 We ordered this with extra noodles and extra egg and it was a lot of food! The noodles are the perfect bouncy texture, and the soup was really delicious and spicy. The meat was very tender. Kimchi Fried Rice 6/10 Not bad, but the kimchi is not quality.

One word - delicious. I ordered the shoyu ramen. The broth was rich and savory, char-siu was perfectly marinated (a bit dry, but still delicious). I will be dreaming about this bowl of ramen for a while. The best I've had in the States since I was in Tokyo.

OVERALL: 8.8/10 (Yelp Converted Score: 4.4/5 - rounded down to 4/5). Solid example of a ramen restaurant in Kailua - would definitely recommend if you wanted to grab a quick, reasonably-priced, decent-quality ramen in the Kailua area of O'ahu. 1) VARIETY/SELECTION: 8.5/10. The selection was reasonable - it seemed like the ramen options were plentiful, but what worries me is that the quality is likely harder to feel authentic, given the number of possibilities (unless they use shortcuts to make most of them). They have a small set of choices for side orders, such as gyoza, chasiu, soup (wonton or miso), kim chee (why is there a Korean dish in a Japanese place?), as well as katsu (oyster, chicken, shrimp). 2) FRESHNESS: 8/10. Quality was solid - soup definitely felt curry-like. Bok Choy seemed out of place, and it's a shame they charge $1.99 extra for a seasoned egg (which isn't included with the base ramen), but all in all, the noodles were also great, and the katsu was cooked to a high bar of quality (at least so my hungry self said, at the time). 3) VALUE FOR MONEY: 9/10. I ordered chicken katsu curry ramen ($11.95) with oyster katsu side (3pc for $5.25). Ramen felt somewhat small for the price - katsu portion was reasonable, but it seemed like there weren't a lot of noodles, and there was exactly one bok choy (instead of the usual seaweed that comes with ramen). I found it annoying that they charged $2 for a bowl of rice. I didn't order it, but when I noticed it on the menu I slightly cringed. Also, hot tea is $2.50 (unlimited refills, but unless this is some incredible tea, that's overpriced)! I didn't order "extra noodle" for $1.50, but that seems reasonable - it's entirely dependent on how much extra noodle is given. 4) SERVICE: 9.5/10. Upon arrival, we were immediately seated (granted, there wasn't anyone else there yet, although about half of the tables were full by the time we left), water refills were prompt (never below 1/4), and service was fast - we received and finished our meal within 45 minutes of sitting down, and paid and left within an hour. 5) CONSISTENCY / FIRST IMPRESSION: 9/10. I felt like this was a great first-impression experience, but it's definitely biased because of the lack of other customers, meaning that this review never had the chance to properly stress-test the establishment. Note: Parking is limited to 5 stalls in front of the restaurant, but we showed up at 4pm on a Friday and nobody was in a stall (and no customers yet in the restaurant).

I love the vegetarian noodles. Clean and fresh. Service is friendly and fast. So yummy

Happy that we were able to try several choices with family members and friends. Food 5/5 very tasty-recommend asking got extra noodles! Service 5/5 Prompt snd pleasant Location 4/5 Convenient, but parking can be problematic-like most places We did carry-out. Would enjoy going here again.