Restaurant Matsu

Restaurant Matsu is a true hidden gem and now officially one of my favorite spots on Maui! It came highly recommended by locals and now I see why. As a big fan of udon soup, I had to try theirs with the tempura vegetables, and it did not disappoint. The broth was flavorful and comforting, and the tempura was perfectly crispy. I also grabbed a spamasubi (because, of course!), and it hit all the right notes; simple, satisfying, and packed with local flavor. The menu is full of tempting options, so it’s definitely a place I’ll be revisiting to try more. The service was friendly and efficient, which made the whole experience even better. If you’re in Maui and looking for something casual, delicious, and local-approved, Restaurant Matsu is the place to go. Highly recommend!

I've been coming to Matsu's ever since they were located in the Maui Mall (where Thailand Cuisine is now.) I'm sure they're happier in their new digs as they don't have to follow mall hours & rules and probably have cheaper rent. ATMOSPHERE: Divey, dinky little wooden building in Kahului Industrial Park. Signs abound for every pet peeve of theirs. It's a self-service restaurant, so order at the counter, have a seat, and the food is delivered. The customary request is to take all your items to a cart near the counter when you're done, like a cafeteria. The only thing I don't care for is that they use a lot of styrofoam and disposal plastic products for dine-in service. Such a waste! MENU: Ramen, udon, soba, don bowls, sushi, local plate lunches. FOOD: Shoyu Ramen This is what started me on my ramen rage, circa 1990. It was my very first shoyu ramen experience. The broth is a traditional dark shoyu, with a hint of ginger. The noodles are thin and chewy with an eggy-flavor that I love. Toppings are fishcake, green onions, and a razor thin slice of charsiu. Honestly, the best-tasting shoyu broth on Maui, but it's just a tiny bit too small in portion size for me. It could also use more topping options like a soft egg and bean sprouts. Tempura Ramen This is my favorite dish here. It's served with the shoyu broth which is dark and savory, with thin noodles that are always cooked perfect. It comes topped with green onions and fish cake. The fresh tempura consists of two shrimp, green beans, sweet potato and eggplant. My only gripes are that the portion size of the ramen is a bit below average, they don't give enough broth as you are constantly trying to ration it while eating, and it doesn't come with any charsiu. The tempura makes up for the small amount of ramen. That shiny 5th star is close but oh so far. Miso Ramen I tried this on a whim, being that my ramen palette has expanded to more than just shoyu, especially when dining off of the rock. I've had a tasteless version at Ramen Ya, but this one has a very good & strong miso flavor, and perfectly cooked noodles. I didn't care for the generous amount of sliced white onions that are apparently part of the broth. Other odd toppings were carrots and won bok, but unfortunately no bean sprouts. There was a half boiled egg which wasn't fresh as the yolk had the gray ring on the outside. I don't think any Maui establishment knows how to make that to-die-for soft egg. If you've found one, please let me know! Overall, I love miso soup and miso butterfish, but miso ramen is just not a favorite of mine. California Roll Nobody comes close to a flavorful Cali roll like these folks. The vinegary rice, fresh avocado, cucumber and mayo mixture just melts in your mouth. Another plus is that you can buy these in as little as 3 pieces to accompany your lunch. Spicy Ahi The 6 small pieces were very fresh, but I didn't care for the spicy sauce as I could taste Tabasco in it, rather than being a creamy sriracha. I'd rate it a 2 on a 5 heat scale. Priced nicely at $4.50. RESERVATIONS: Not taken. The busiest times are weekday lunch hour. They probably do equal amounts of dine-in and takeout. SERVICE: Staff are friendly and food service is quick. TIPS: Plate lunch portion sizes are on the small side. Call ahead for takeout as they can get pretty busy at lunch with all the other businesses nearby. FACT: They used to own the now defunct Izakaya Matsu in Azeka SC (Kihei). OVERALL: The best tasting and most traditional shoyu ramen on Maui.

This place falls far short of a restaurant. I drank water from cracked plastic cups, ate from chipped plate, the forks so old and had a lot of scratches. We are ordered bento box and it’s not worth the money (36$) Food is not yummy. We were hungry, but we didn't eat with appetite. I don’t understand why there is so high rating. The shrimp are not good, the rice in Taki maki sushi is undercooked and dry. Ahi tuna is not bad and California roll was delicious. Customer service was not great too. We had a company of 8 people, but the waiter refused to let us join the tables together. After several unsuccessful attempts, they grudgingly allowed it.

Very yummy!! They really took care of us for our gluten allergy. They were very sweet. Family friendly and close to the carnival cruise port.

My wife and I went here during our honeymoon and it was fantastic! The food was cooked really well and to our specifications. The staff were incredibly friendly and welcoming and the atmosphere was relaxed and inviting. The menu was diverse and reasonably priced as well! Would not hesitate to come here again!!!

Family of 10 enjoyed a delicious lunch for under $200 including tip. Everyone is so nice and always smiling. This includes staff and customers. If you come with a large group get there before noon because the place gets busy and tables fill quickly after noon.

We stopped for lunch on our way to the airport on our last day. It's a cozy place with good food and speedy service. We had miso cod fish and unagi donburi -- both were excellent. Wed definitely come here for lunch again the next time we're in Maui.

Excellent tempura, udon, and miso fish. The staff was friendly, food service quick, and the restaurant was clean. I intend to go back to sample more of the menu.

Always delicious and great service. Love the upgrades to have more inside table service dining. Prices did go up but food quality and service did as well. Highly recommend.

Good location! Excellent foods. Good services. Easy parking. My friend and I ordered the daily today special : wow! We like to it each iron on the lunch bento box !

Food was great! If you dine in on the left side, it's a bit warm. We were only checking in on once by our waitress. She sat us down, took our order then came back at the end when we were done eating. We ordered the combo A, katsu don, soft shell sushi roll and a spicy tuna roll. Everything was great! Especially the salted cabbage as your side. We'll definitely be back.

The food is good, but I still don't understand why they use plastic and Styrofoam to serve in. It's not a food truck. It's a restaurant. It makes no sense to me. Why they can't use normal dishes and have a dishwasher instead of filling up Maui's landfill with more garbage every single day.

Food here is always tasty. Service is friendly. It does get a little warm inside ambience is plain Japanese diner.

A good comfort food spot, the food/service is decent, but not as great as I expected. The staff is very friendly, but I wish they could clean up and organize the place a little better.

Landed from the airport and went straight here for a ma and pa meal! The food was okay. I noticed that their rolls were mostly rice rather than protein and one of my rolls was just drenched in spicy mayo. I wouldn't recommend a sushi fix here, but the cooked food options are made with love! The bento special was pretty good for the price. The chicken curry katsu was very crunchy and I enjoyed the curry taste without all the extra seasoning and salt. Service is really friendly and sweet! Ambiance is very cozy. I notice a lot of locals come eat here and most of them order soups. Maybe I'll come back for a warm bowl of ramen :)

This is one of the best places on Maui to get Japanese food that tastes like home cooking. It's a small place with limited seating. Their hours can be a bit tricky so it's best to call ahead to make sure they're open. My favorite dish is the fried chicken. It's so crispy and seasoned perfectly. Another popular item is their special of the day bento box. It's pretty big with a little bit of everything. You really can't go wrong with anything on the menu!

My GMAs favorite for Japanese food and now my favorite too! Staff was so kind and friendly. We ordered some sushi tonkatsu gyoza and more... it tastes so good!!!! Will always be coming back to this place! Only downside is be careful of the table. You will hit your knee when trying to get up from it.

After not eating at Matsu for about 5 years, I decided to come back. We are so happy that we did. The chicken karaage was delicious, cooked exactly the way I like it, plus potato salad that was excellent. My wife had beef tofu, which she loved. The nice thing about this place is the prices are very reasonable, as well as a smaller portion. I don't need the extra large portions. The customer service is great with Carl and Annie. This place is the best.

Picked up a few items from here that were tasty! Futomaki ($14), Combination C with Chicken Katsu Bento ($17) and California Roll ($11) were delicious. The tempura and Katsu were wonderfully crispy, and the California Roll was yummy and had a creamy, flavorful filling.

Excellent home style Japanese food including mochiko spam Musubi and excellent ramen and tonkatsu. You can also get sushi which is really fresh - had spicy salmon skin for the first time Service was so kind and funny too

KAHULUI, HI 96732 / JAPANESE / 11-03-23 / LUNCH +The house-made udon broth was delicious. +The tempura was well-made. +The udon noodles were al dente, nice and chewy.

Yum yum yum. You want local food that's been around and knows what they are doing? Try here! There's parking in the front and back of the restaurant. Open seating or take out options. If you are doing take out, I recommend placing a phone order. My mom and I like to come here. It's convenient and the variety of food is awesome! You want sushi? Or Teishoku style? Or just some local food? Up to you! Try this place out. Order at the register and sit to eat. Easy!

I have some heard people say this is one of the oldest continuing functioning restaurants in Maui. Don't know if that's true or not but it is a classic casual Japanese restaurant. In fact, if you could close your eyes, you could be in Osaka or outside of Tokyo the food is very similar, the quality is good but not great. The prices are not dirt cheap but not expensive. It's a casual restaurant to have meals when you're working or maybe lunch out the seats and tables are plan. Restaurant is appearing to follow Covid protocols still, which is a good thing. Onto the food I actually had the Bento box special, which is kind of a survey of the menu with some chicken teriyaki some salmon, sashimi, and a couple of pieces of sushi. I have had much better Japanese food and much worse Japanese food at the same price, but I would say this place for the food is a solid B and I hope it continues to stay as part of our community for a very long time to come.

The food is fine. But it's dirty. Tables are smudged with dry food. Floor is dusty and strewn with debris. The window sill is dusty and full of gecko droppings. Ever since I spent a week in Tokyo and dined in all different levels of cafes, bars and restaurants, I realized how little cleanliness matters in the US. There really is no excuse for a dirty eating establishment. Japan is proof that even inexpensive and unassuming places can be clean.

With Covid, they've offered (and still are as of 2 weeks ago!) a % discount on your order if you come back within 2 weeks of the receipt. Any discount helps! Also, I've been ordering sushi from them and although it's a bit pricey (umeque which is ume cucumber is $5!) it's well made. It's the rice, def. Nice and fluffy, cucumber crunchy, decent ume. Be sure to ask without wasabi, as it comes with it. I also increased my rating to five because they're always nice here and the food is consistent! They also have modified their restaurant to a more take-out kind of vibe to accommodate Covid restrictions and have gotten much better answering their phones (not that they didn't answer, they just were always busy, so you'd get a busy tone). If they could streamline ordering, that would be great.

It has been years since I came to this restaurant. I saw their menu online and ordered the chicken katsu curry. It was pretty good. However for $15 I would've liked a little more chicken katsu in the plate. I'd consider trying their bento or something else when I feel like eating japanese food next time. Ladies at the counter were also friendly.

Delicious Sushi and Local Japanese Favorites . Best California Sushi Roll on Island *Spicy Ahi Sushi *Chicken Katsu DonBuri *Daily Bento Special

This is a local must-try, very authentic and yummy! tried the katsu don and chicken curry. Absolutely delicious. My only complaint is that it's pretty small so you have to order first and then wait for a table to clear up. Wish they had a bit more space to seat more people. Getting take out from here would probably be ideal for this reason.

The bento plate was delicious and service was quick and efficient would definitely recommend for a quick lunch.

Super delicious food, good portions! There's a small area where you can sit down and eat with A/C. Conveniently located in the heart of Kahului. Parking was easy and customer service was great! Definitely a Maui gem, will be coming back. Super shocked I didn't go here before, especially since I grew up on Maui. I want to try the chicken katsu now!

Went here yesterday. Called my order in some to a friendly girl on the phone. She's was really sweet. She told me it would be 10 minutes, and to val then when we arrive she'll come outside to your car and bring your order. So we went to get a soda to kill some time. It was 10 minutes, called when we arrived she came outside really fast told me mybtotal. |12.50| have her 17 dollars told her to Keep the change. She then gave me a receipt so I can use on a order within 2 weeks for 20% off. Yay.. perfcet.. We went to a parking lot nearby to eat it was a little overcooked on the outside but undercooked on the inside.. long story short I had ti find a bathroom within 15 minutes of eating my stomach was so sore. I really like this place their great but not too sure now. Maybe you'll have better luck.. they have great customer service tho.

I love restaurant matsu. They are they best Japanese food in my eyes! It's jus them hours. So confusing and restrictive!

Love this place. They have bento specials that change daily. Old school Japanese place w/ bentos, udon, tempura, ramen, katsu, and sushi. There are a few tables inside for seating up to 4 persons but most people come for takeout. Good quality food for what they do and affordable.

No frills authentic Japanese restaurant with counter service. Limited seating, but it looks like they do a bunch of takeout. Decent portions (the udon is very large), but the sushi is a bit small. Extremely reasonable prices as well. If I worked close to here, I would be here every week!

Please keep in mind when coming here, that despite only being takeout, the integrity of their food and presentation has not been compromised one bit. It does make me sad that I can no longer dine in her, and enjoy the beautiful plating of each type of food. This is one of those restaurants that you could run into people from work, previous jobs, Sunday School from years ago, or the Mayor and various elected officials. Because the way everything is here, it is home. It slightly scares me to share this priceless gem, but it's hard not to want to herald their food! Combo sets, plates, soup. Everything is handmade, ingredients are local - or from Japan! For the uninitiated, go for a Combo. You can't go wrong. Call ahead or order online!

Ok, I ordered the unagi don . It was the best I had in the last few years. The rest of food was a little above average. Decent price for Maui. Will be back.

Restaurant Matsu is a Maui institution. A favorite among locals, this mom and pop shop has earned this badge of honor after many years in the business; 35 years, give or take. They were originally located in Maui Mall, but about 20 years ago moved to their location on Alamaha Street. It's still owned and run by the same family, using the same recipes created by the family patriarch. In an industry where doors close more often than not, they've withstood the test of time and have built a loyal customer base. Growing up, I always wondered about that 'house' on Alamaha and what kind of food they served. They never seemed to be open whenever it would pique my interest so I never paid them a visit up until maybe a year or two ago. You walk into the restaurant to find a simple, cozy space that is more or less self-service. The menu is on the counter -- filled with your typical Japanese fare of udon, ramen, sushi, tempura, katsu, teriyaki, etc. Put your order in with the cashier and if you're dining in you get a number and a tray which you take to the table of your choice. If you're doing take out, you pay and wait for your order. While you're waiting, you can decide if you want dessert as they have shelves stocked with Maui Manjookie cookies ;) I've tried a handful of dishes since my inaugural visit: miso soup, tempura, piece of miso butterfish, soft shell crab roll, shrimp tempura roll, tonkatsu, oyako donburi, & tempura udon. The food is homey, not fancy. Not the best, but pretty good, and the prices are very very reasonable. Except for that side of miso butterfish. For $4.50, I got a piece that was less than 2" x 2" ... I know it's normally expensive, but the piece was tiiiiny. I do not recommend. My favorite dish that I keep coming back to time and time again is the tempura udon. It always hits the spot and once I find something I really like from a restaurant, I will order the same thing for years to come. The side of tempura is always tasty as well. If you like Japanese homestyle cookin' that won't break the bank, do make a stop here.

Located in a industrial park in Kahului, this joint didn't disappoint. We ordered some Japanese comfort foods. The place was packed! We ordered at the counter and given a number. We grabbed a table and helped our selves to water. The food came out at a decent time and everything was delicious and comforting. We ordered the Ten Zaru Soba, combo plate, and yakisoba. The teriyaki chicken was a tad salty, but everything else was great.

Ordered the special bento. Everything was delicious!!! The hamachi sashimi was fresh and the sauce on top was perfect! Nice and air conditioned restaurant. A local favorite.

Have not been here since Covid shut it down. Good to enjoy it once more. Clean, fast service. Food is delicious. Prices fair. The combo dishes are spot on. Tempura Shrimp very light and crispy coated. Nice to have another ono Japanese food restaurant in Kahului. Bento is available after 11. Opens at 10.

Food was delicious!!! The chicken katsu curry was crispy despite being smothered in curry, soft shell crab roll was a hit, and I especially loved the saimin & udon! Beef teriyaki my dad ordered was just okay, but I'm sure any young kid would absolutely love it & maybe I only felt meh about it because everything else was so good! Thank you to the staff, who were all so lovely and patient. Yes, it was very hot inside the restaurant. Yes, I had to order the soups. And yes, my family and I will be back.

The Japanese food is decent. We happened to go when the AC unit broke down so it was uncomfortable eating inside. The menu is pretty basic but the food is well prepared. I do wish there was more choices for veggies.

The locals love coming to this place for affordable Japanese food and bentos. There is limited seating but they also do take-out. We were craving for donburis but they are also known for their fried chicken and chicken karaage. This place is highly recommended.

In a word: Oishi! (Delicious!) Which explains why the place gets packed at mealtimes, and why takeout flies out the door. A wide variety of simple Japanese dishes, with something for everyone, including vegetarians. The dining room is cozy, but tables turn over fairly quickly. Even when they are busy they manage to crank out the goodies in good time. Generous portions of comfort food. My oyako donburi was wonderfully warm and filling, and my friend enjoyed her tempura udon. Parking around the front, side, and in back. Could be easy to miss, as it is a modest place in a business neighborhood, but they have a big sign. A few steps in front but there is a ramp (park in back). There's a restroom on the premises. Self-serve water and a good selection of canned soda, juices, and teas. There is a picture menu available but the problem is everything looks good! Sometimes stuff, like the fish, runs out. They take cards.

Finally took the time to try this place and it did not disappoint! Got the bento special for the day which included nigiri, shrimp tempura roll, croquette, fried oyster, shrimp spring roll and Arabiki sausage. Everything was soooooooo delicious! My favorite was the shrimp tempura roll which also had a healthy amount of avocado in it which put it over the top! You can this is a favorite lunch spot because it was very busy on a Tuesday. Definitely will be back to try some of the individual menu items.

On our trip to Haleakala, we were craving Japanese Ramen so we found a place on the route. It is near the airport on the industrial side of town. It is small and quaint where you order at the counter and sit down. The vibe was definitely casual. A lot of locals dropped by when we were there. We ordered udon, tempura ramen, oyakodon, and cold ramen. The food was good, more comfort food than compared to a specialty ramen place. It had a feel like you would get something made by your mom without all the frills. It was satisfying. Recommend if you are in the area.

I can honestly say this place NEVER disappoints! I've had a variety of their foods that they offer and everything is super yummy! Normally restaurants may slip up every once in awhile but not here. I do recommend calling ahead to order if you're on a time limit. The space only offers a few tables and it can be calm one second and the next every table is full, there's a line to take orders, and the one aunty cashier is doing taking orders in person and on the phone while the kitchen continues to pump out food. Everything is quality! They have it down with no need to change anything. I love love love their fried chicken with fresh squeezed lemon or orange. It makes all the difference! Also the Cali roll is so smooth! You need to bookmark this place and go!

Mauis best Japanese cuisine to go. Daily bento specials that never disappoint. The sushi is grade a quality with the preparation skills to match. Gotta try thier 4 kinds of Spam musubi. Our favorite is da mochiko & karage Spam musubi.

I've turned into a regular here. Chicken Katsu don and chicken Katsu curry are the things that I like the most. They can be busy at times so I'd advise to call if your order first so when you get there you can just pick up and sit down to eat. Great place for the kahului area.

I haven't gone here for over 10 years, why? I have not idea. I've been missing out on the best tempura and udon. Ordered the tempura udon, broth was yummy and loved the chewiness of the noodles. The tempura was perfectly cooked, shrimp was not overdone. The tempura sauce was not your ordinary bland sauce! It was onolicious. It went perfect with their california sushi and their homemade Kim-chi. Will it take me another 10 years to come back? No ways, will be back as soon as i can.

I love the food and the sushi, they even have wonderful I also enjoy the plate lunches and my favorite is the pork tofu plate but everything on the menu is really good

I will be back! If you're looking for an authentic Japanese restaurant ,this is the place to go for lunch. Right when you walk in, order what you want, & don't forget to look at their specials. Pay up, and choose a table. We went at 11am and there was a lot of available tables. Once the clock hits 12, the 8 tables with four chairs were all taken. So if you're planning to go there for lunch and dine it, go before 12pm. While eating , most of the customers were speaking in Japanese which made it feel like I was in Japan. California and spicy tuna rolls are a MUST Try. Theirs have a unique taste & creamy texture. This place has so much to offer, I need to go back asap.

Amazing customer service and very fast food delivery. Ordered food and in about 10 minutes we go food instantly. Food was super delicious and well worth the price. Amazing place!

Please update your hours of operation!!! 3rd time website says open, we drive over and you are closed. No hours of operation posted anywhere..

I think one of our best take-out meals in Maui. Pretty affordable food, spent about $110 for a family group of 7. Huge menu of bentos, ramen, udon, sushi, etc. Highlight was the FOUR types of spam musubi. Even though it was too much of a curiosity to NOT try it (I was a little skeptical), my 3-hour cold (the driver always eats last) karaage spam musubi was deliciooooouuuuus. I also had the cold noodles which were yummy. The rest of the food was devoured before my turn to sit down and eat, so I assume it was satisfactory. Also the meal was ready for pick-up when they said it would be--I think they have their operation well-practiced.

Awesome bento! Shrimp tempura, fish, chicken, gyoza, california roll, teri beef and condensed milk mochi. All really good and beautifully presented.

Too small to dine-in, unless you're comfortable sitting elbow to elbow. Great for take out though. I had their Chicken Katsu and my husband had their fish. Great portions and we both enjoyed it. Definitely returning.