Teshima's Restaurant

If you want really good, old school, home cooked Japanese food ~ looking no further ~ this is your place! My wife and I each got the No. 3 and son pick the Japanese fried rice platter. The food was simply excellent, period. The restaurant is not overcrowded and has a very family friendly, family owned vibe to it, which is very cool. Oreo tempura for desert is a must, both my son and I really enjoyed it. If time permits, we definitely plan to return as we had a 45 minute drive to get here in the first place, but well worth it! I highly recommend this restaurant if you want good food and family friendly service.

TESHIMA’S has been around for a long time; now run by the founder’s descendants. The atmosphere is old school family restaurant with some of the most delicious bento boxes, daily specials, and Japanese comfort food. Prefect lunch stop on the way back from Captain Cook’s beach outing or a short drive down from Kahalu’u beach. Service is great and friendly.

After seeing the menu and reading the history, we decided we had to visit. We were greeted by a very friendly staff, unsurprising if you’ve read the history, and immediately offered green tea (a delight!!). The food was incredible, it’s served in traditional Japanese style with miso & tsukemono accompanying nearly every meal. The sukiyaki was excellent, the miso was quality, and my partner enjoyed the #3 a lot. We’ll definitely be returning the next time we’re on big island and recommending this place to everyone.

Teshima's is an established local restaurant in Kona. They have a selection ofl breakfast choices from a Japanese style breakfast to a choice with a local touch (corned beef hash patties) with eggs, fried rice, and a pancake. Attentive service for coffee drinkers too! Delicious, quick - what more could anyone ask for? Expect costs from $17-$20+.

Local hole in the wall restaurant that served traditional, authentic Japanese comfort food w/ old-school interior & ambiance that transported us back in time. The walls were decorated w/ trinkets & pictures of the owner's family from generations that tell a story. They kept our attention while we waited for our food to arrive. My husband & I were fortunate to get a wonderful server who directly pinned 2 plumeria flowers above my left ear (left to indicate in a relationship & right to indicate that a woman is available). I was impressed w/ the staff's overall hospitality & attentiveness. We ordered the Teishoku No. 3 & the Corned Beef Hash Patties, which were both satisfying & didn't leave us feeling bloated. Simple & humble meals served w/ good portions. Mahalo from Vancouver, Canada!

I love this historic little restaurant. It’s more authentically Japanese than the places near me in SF Japantown. The love they have for their matriarch is really touching and so much aloha. I just can’t. Oh and the food is really good too. Service is with an authentic smile. I ended up going twice, once out of my way.

Food was incredible! The dining experience is authentic Japanese featuring lots of small bento style dishes. I had the No 2 and the fried fish was excellent. The tuna sashimi was also probably the best I've had on the island. It's clear they care about freshness and quality here. I'd highly recommend!

Delicious home-style Japanese food. Loved the combo plate, especially the fried fish, and the tasty tomato beef dish that I’ve never had before. Staff was super friendly and accommodated us even though we arrived 10 minutes before closing. Also enjoyed the pictures of the owners grandpa (?) or great-grandpa playing baseball and cracking one into the bleachers! Mahalo!

Pancake first Hot chocolate and water (condiments brought) Miso Soup Four scrambled eggs Rice, bacon, sausage Bacon Sausage Rice Tea on request Great meal Very satisfied (SUMU KUMU) (SAMU KAMU) (KUMU SUMU) (KAMU SAMU) with T mobile cellular, it make take up to one hour to receive a signal. Definitively enjoyed. A nice comfortable relaxing experience as long as the car traffic in front is cooperating. Good experience when the right experience is shared. Mutuality is a necessary, Reprocity

Teshima is a staple in the neighborhood. It's been around forever and the quality is always consistent. Solid Japanese style dishes mixed in with a little Hawaiian style. Prices are good for the amount of food they serve. Service is attentive but not personal. I come in for the Oyako Donburi with sashimi pretty regularly. My other favorites are the sashimi plate, and the NY steak with shrimp tempura. The steak is always cooked well and is a pretty good quality cut. On weekends the line can get long. It's walk in only. No reservations. The food comes out pretty fast so the line usually moves quickly.

I am apprehensive about sharing how wonderful this mom and pop classic restaurant is; almost too good to tell everyone for fear of it losing its beauty as a local hangout. Then again; that's a selfish motivation and I am not that person. In support of an awesome restaurant that is epic and legendary for no pretenses or chef egos to stroke, here goes. First off; the people. Christian and Ka'imi (husband and wife) are so kind, and efficient. They both give aloha to everyone; equally. Big welcome and e' komo mai! Hospitality like the good ole' days. The food is exceptional and as beautiful as it is tasty. Look at these photos. Fresh ahi and shrimp in a beyond belief light as a feather tempura batter. The triple fish bento style is perfection. My husband goes for a classic love moco style dinner. Lunch and dinner menu are served at midday. They do close between 2:00-5:00 to get ready for evening shifts. Okay. I did it. Take me seriously when I say; so ono da' kine! A hui hou!

Okay so I'm from Oahu and I've gotta say, this place has really good value for what you're paying and the quality of the food is phenomenal! We didn't wait too long for our table and everyone here was super friendly. Seating felt more on the traditional side and I love that since we don't really have much of this on Oahu. My boyfriend ordered the Sat & Sun special the "puppy tray" and I ordered the No. 2 Teishoku which came with Miso Soup, Sashimi, Sukiyaki, Fried Fish, Sunomono, Tsukemono, and Rice. Everything was really so tasty, but if i had to choose then I would say that the tempura and sukiyaki really stood out to me. Even the sashimi felt really fresh! It's been a while since I had some good japanese food and this place really hit the spot. Can't wait to be back in Kona again

A truly wonderful experience dining at Teshima. Our server was so friendly and had great recommendations. I ended up getting the Thursday special which was some of the best tempura I've ever had. I got to sneak a few bites of my husband's sashimi as well and I wish I had ordered this as a side it was so good. They played a documentary inside of how the restaurant was started, that paired with all of the family pictures around the restaurant created a home-like feel to the place. I will definitely be back!

Five HUGE stars!! After speaking with the hostess when they were about to open at 5pm, she was telling me that the ownership spanned six generations and the recipes are still original from the early 20th Century. Simply amazing history being eaten here and now. The staff were very friendly and super attentive. The food, man, I can't say enough about it! I would go into epicurean detail, but bottom line, you HAVE to try it for yourself. Eyeballs rolling to back of your head delicious and ono!! Think the movie Ratatouille and the epic scene of the critic sampling the Ratatouille. Bringing him back to his childhood days. The ambiance was truly old school and very comfortable to be in. A home away from home. All in all, highly recommend with a huge five star rating!

Wow!!! It was such a gem! Totally loved the food! Big portions, fresh, delicious! Only downside is the wait.

Traditional Japanese diner that has been around for almost 100 years. No sign in sheet - just a few benches outside forming the "line". Came here around 7pm on Sunday and at first the line moved really fast (4 parties sat within 10 mins). But then when we were the next up, it took another 20 mins even though we could see open tables. Not sure if they seat in "waves" but I was starving so it felt like forever hahaha. They are known for a few specific items, but the shrimp tempura is out of this world but probably the best I've ever had. The jumbo shrimp is huge, juicy, meaty, and the tempura batter light and crisp. The shrimp tempura dinner is a combo that comes with 4 pieces of shrimp tempura, a bunch of veggie tempura, rice, miso soup, cucumber salad, and cabbage salad. Was originally worried it wouldn't be enough food but oh boy I was wrong. My husband got the shrimp tempura and beef teriyaki combo and really enjoyed the beef as well. Our server was very friendly and gave great recommendations. Interior is a little worn out but totally makes sense given the history of the restaurant.

Super legit authentic Japanese spot. We came on a Friday night and were seated immediately. We ordered 2 of the panko fried ahi, saimin, oyakodon with sashimi, and Oreo Sundae Panko fried ahi was buttery, light, and fresh. No sauce needed. Saimin was delicious and we especially loved the noodles!! My oyakodon was delicious and filling as well. My sashimi was fresh and high quality. Oreo sundae included fried Oreos, ice cream, and whipped cream. For icecream, we went with the Kona coffee flavor. These fried Oreos were unlike any other ones I've had before. Other fried others are thick , greasy, and covered in pancake batter. These were light and airy! They could sell this by the bag - they were that good! Combined with the icecream, it was a true delight. Everyone here is so nice - special shout out to our server Lisa. She is hilarious!!!!

This was long overdue! We went there for lunch on a weekday in December '24 when we were visiting the island. Parking spots in front of the building are limited and we didn't see too many on street parking spots either. When you're at the door, you have to pull aside the curtain and let them know you're here. It's part of the old worldly charm that is almost in the DNA of this establishment. The maitre de requested us, very politely, to leave the only item on us, a bottle of water, in the car. We were seated at a booth and the attendant, very patiently, answered all our questions. I ordered their daily lunch special which turned out to be a large and delicious plate. Overall, this is probably the most authentic Japanese restaurant on the island and while I couldn't stop myself from drawing comparisons with Marugame in Waikiki, Oahu, the food was pretty good.

First bit on Big Island, and boy did this place hit the spot. There is usually a line during the lunch rush, but the service is quick and efficient, so you won't have to wait too long. The saimin was delicious, chock full of spam and egg, quite different from the many bowls I've had in Oahu. I dare say this one was better than any other I'd had! Perfectly chewy noodles, and refreshing broth. I ordered the no. 3 Teishoko with veggie tempura on the side. The tempura was definitely the main event--perhaps the crispiest tempura I've ever had, but still characteristically light. Everything was portioned and delivered perfectly, from the fresh ahi to the sunomono. The only miss was probably the beef sukiyaki--pass on it if you can!

Extremely friendly service :) We felt right at home with our waitress, and she provided recommendations about the menu. Stick to the Japanese options, as that's what this place specializes in! We loved the Deep Sea Trio, and having hawaiian music softly playing with a nice breeze coming in from outside created a very peaceful and calming atmosphere. The walls are adorned with various japanese cultural and family photographs, as well.

We decided to check out this diner because it has been around for almost 100 years. Parking was a little difficult to find, as the parking lot was small and there was no street parking allowed in the surrounding areas. After driving around in circles a few times, I was lucky to get a spot in front of the restaurant. We arrived around 6PM on a Sunday evening and waited in line for about 20-30 minutes. There was a bench to sit on, so the wait wasn't bad. My cousin got the teishoku number 3 and really liked it. Her favorite was the ahi sashimi, which was very fresh. The wasabi was also very fresh. The tempura was very crispy, even we ate it at the very end. The one thing my cousin didn't like was the sukiyaki. It had only one very small piece of beef. The rest was just konjac noodles and bamboo shoots, which was very disappointing. I ordered the nabeyaki udon. At $14, it is very reasonably priced and the portion size was good and satisfying (but not to the point of being stuffed). I do wish that there was a little bit more protein. My udon included one poached egg, two pieces of kamaboko fish cake, two pieces of another kind of fish cake (sorry, I don't know the name), cabbage, and what I think were mustard greens. In summary, my cousin really liked this restaurant and wants to go back. I personally thought it was good but not mindblowing.

A local favorite: yummy food, aloha vibes and a part of the history of the town. We ordered three entrees - our server didn't think we could finish it. We said bet! lol. The butter fish is my all time favorite. It just melts in your mouth, the flavor is salty/sweet....just trust me and order it! Tempura veggies - crisp, not oily, healthy *wink wink* The side veggies and pickled veggies are always a highlight as well.

Established in 1929! What a special place. Deep Sea Trio - The absolute BEST shrimp Tempura. GET THIS!!! Perfect amount of crispy batter with a beautiful thick butterflied shrimp. Not oily or greasy and tasty dipping sauce. The other pieces were tasty too but this stole the show. The fried fresh Ahi was pretty well done (I should had asked for rare). The fresh catch Ahi sashimi was excellent. 5++ stars!!! No. 2 Teishoku - Same tasty fried Ahi and excellent Ahi sashimi as in the Deep Sea Trio. The sukiyaki was very sweet and tasted like it had been stewing for a while but the meat was delish and super tender. Lots of noodle and not too much veg. Overall 5 stars. Loved the traditional Sunomono, tsukemono, rice, miso soup and hot green tea served with the combinations. This place was reminiscent of the mountain country restaurants in Japan. Simple but prepared right with quality ingredients. Super friendly servers and quaint atmosphere. Hope this place is around for another hundred years!

This place is amazing. We came here for dinner and both of us ordered the Number 3 Teishoko, which includes miso soup, sashimi, sukiyaki, shrimp tempura with vegetables, sunomono, tsukenomo, and rice. Every dish was extraordinary. The sashimi was tender and fresh and generously sliced. The tempura batter was crunchy but not greasy. I would love to return and try some of their other offerings. Service was friendly and fairly fast considering it was a very busy Saturday night. We were checked upon regularly. One of the staff came by with a Polaroid and offered to take a complimentary picture for us. This is a casual place. Since it was our first time here, we didn't realize that the people sitting on the bench were in a line. I had thought that they had given their name and party size and were waiting to be called. The practice there is to wait in the line and when it's your turn, you give your party size. Once you do that, you have a very brief wait and then are seated.

We went back for dinner Monday night after a day trip to Hilo and couldn't have been a better choice. Both of our meals really hit the spot after this long trip. Good food in combination with good service. Many thanks to the Teshima family for keeping this business alive and many thanks to the servers in providing good quality service to the many patrons that stop in to eat.

This was one of our favorite meals on the big island. While we were at first intimidated by the long line of people waiting outside on the bench, it moved quickly and we were seated in about 15 minutes. The restaurant feels imbued with history and tradition. The staff were extremely friendly, like we were welcomed guests in their home. While everything on the menu looked delicious, we went with shrimp tempura teishoko #3 and the pupu weekend lunch special. Loved the bites of everything. The sashimi was so fresh and tempura so light and crispy! Truly an art form. I'd never seen shrimp tempura prepared this way. Def recommend.

A wonderful old-time Hawaiian / Japanese restaurant - a throwback to another time, and really good. The ambiance is right out of the 1950s, but it suits the character of the restaurant. Located a few miles south of Kona, it can still be busy and hard to get into - I finally managed to get a table by going off-hours rather than at prime dining time. For the most part, the staff has been there for many years -- they are practiced, friendly and helpful, but down to earth - there is nothing fancy about Teshima. This is a really good all-around Japanese restaurant, with some good Hawaiian things too. They also happen to have many non-Japanese and non-Hawaiian items (at least not what I think of as Hawaiian) on the menu -- pass them by, and get the good stuff. I had a margarita to start - a concession to the fact that tourists like their drinks and alcohol sales are where the margins are in a restaurant - it was quite good, though their drinks aren't the reason I'd visit. I ordered the No. 3 Teishoku -- like all meals there, it came with green tea. The meal, served only at dinner time, consisted of miso soup, tuna sashimi, sukiyaki, shrimp & vegetable tempura, sunomono, tsukemono, and rice - a wonderful combination. The soup was flavorful and full of umami, the pickles were tasty and crunchy, the tempura generous and light, the sukiyaki flavorful, the salad crisp with that wonderful sweet/sour crunch - and of course the maguro sashimi was very good. The next time I'm on the big Island, I'll be going back. This is a place not to be missed.

While I don't want to increase my wait time the next time I eat here, I can't be selfish. My family has been going to Teshima's since it opened in the '50s; my father with his high school friends when it had a soda fountain, family weeknight dinners in the '80s when you could order a bag of Kitch'n Cooked potato chips as an appetizer, wedding rehearsal dinners upstairs, and now it's a must-do on my agenda when I visit. Our family favorites are the Deep Sea Trio, Kona Fried Ahi, and Omelette Fried Rice with Portuguese sausage. While they don't have a gluten-free menu, you can request certain dishes to be made GF, and the kitchen is aware of safe practices to avoid cross-contamination. They use GF tamari and oyster sauce, even GF breading for the fried ahi, and cook in dedicated pans. My mom is celiac and has been safely eating here for decades, and has never gotten sick. She usually gets the Yaki Chop Steak made GF, or the fried ahi. The ambiance is old-school, local-Japanese style, and everything is always immaculate. While I miss Mrs. Teshima bringing out maki sushi appetizers and some of the longtime servers who used to know us by name, Teshima's is still my absolute favorite place to eat (in Kona, or anywhere).

Such delicious food - the best tempura and udon we have ever had! The atmosphere is really nice and the staff are very sweet. Ladies get a flower pinned in their hair at the start of the meal - such a nice touch!

Wow! What a dining experience. It was well worth the wait! Now I see why it's the most recommended restaurant in Kona!

Great food. Restaurant has been there since a very time. Our server Lisa was wonderful. My wife ordered Chicken Udon and I had #3 . My only regret is that I could have had another 10 pieces of Ahi with no problem. They were delicious as well ask everything else. Finished meal with Kona Ice cream. Tried to stay away from the rice. Dieting Lol. Waiting until we can go back. Very reasonable prices for the amount of food you get. The entire staff is wonderful there.

Wonderful historic Japanese restaurant with old time vibes. The facility is old but clean. Notably, the tables aren't greasy! Wait can be long. The tempura is outstanding, incredibly light and memorable. Will definitely return to try out the rest of the menu.

This was the BEST udon that I have ever had in my entire life. If anyone ever visits the Big Island, you have to go here. We just came back from spending the entire day at the beach, and we were feeling hungry. We decided to stop by Teshima, and it was the best decision ever. Although it was pretty late at night, the servers greeted us with a big smile. We felt so welcomed. When our food came out, it was steaming from being freshly made. The udon was so delicious and chewy. It had hint of a smokiness that I have never had before, but the uniqueness of the flavor was so intriguing and so good. There were also fish cakes and cabbage that added additional textures and flavors! The warmth of the dish was so soothing and perfect after a long day at the beach. I love this place so much, and hope you guys enjoy it too!

The service was amazing here with the waitress being attentive to our food allergies, kind and polite throughout the meal. The ambiance furthered this kindness with a peaceful environment. The food was excellent with the best shrimp tempura I've ever had along with the freshest tuna sashimi you can imagine. The rest of the side dishes were true to their flavor leaving nothing lacking. Definitely come here for great Japanese food in Big Island!

The food did not disappoint , true favors of the food my Grandmother would make, brought back warm memories. All the aunties were wonderful and friendly. Can't wait to get back to Kona and enjoy again

Amazing meal! Trudy was so special and assisted us with our ordering! We would dine here everyday!

After a long day of driving and exploring the island, my husband and I were lucky to have found this spot that offered such delicious and comforting food! We both really enjoyed what we got. I'd be eating here all the time if I lived on the island!

Local Japanese restaurant serving home style food. Food was good but not sure it's worth the price. Saw menu prices a few months ago and the set I wanted (set 2) went up by a few bucks. The fish, soup, and side dishes were good but not sure it's worth $25. Expect to pay about $20-$30 per dish excluding the udon which was the most reasonable priced at about $14. Our party of 5 ate here for dinner and although most of us got our orders in a reasonable time, they forgot to put in an order and my boyfriend didn't receive his food until very late (we all basically finished eating). The waitress was really nice though, I have to say that she came over to check on out and gave us green tea for the wait: maybe she put in the order but kitchen forgot to make it? Not sure. Either way, it's a decent place for comfort Japanese food if you're willing to spend more than a few bucks. If not, I'd check out other local spots for a better value.

Ridiculous that living five years on big island I hadn't made it here before. It's one of the island treasures. Highly recommend No reservations -- I think to give everyone the chance. Once inside you time warp into old Hawaii replete with 50s music and aloha service. No one will rush you or upsell Comfort food Japanese, Hawaiian palate so slightly sweet. Their tempura is memorable. Otani don was great with slight twist to ass bamboo shoots. Sashimi was exceptional--buttery and fresh. (Sukiyaki if you are Japanese may disappoint it's not bad but far from traditional).

I really wanted to try Hawaiian saimin noodles and I'm glad i tried it here. The taste was very plain, subtle and comforting. The fried fish was really good (would get again. Macaroni potatoes salad was alright. The restaurant very beautiful from outside and homey and clean inside. Staff was friendly

Family owned Japanese diner. Considering most places close early on island, we were surprised how busy it was but happy we didn't have to wait for a table! The food also came super fast (within 10 min of ordering). Everything was delicious. We ate it all: My husband got No 2 Teishouka (tray) with miso soup, sashimi, sukiyaki, friend fish, sunomono, tsukemono, and rice. I opted for chicken sukiyaki also came with miso soup, sunomono, tsukemono, and rice. Yum! Both came with hot tea!

The best meal we have had since we got on Big Island. This is the cutest place ever!!!! It's a small family owned restaurant with a long history since 1929 (the original place I think was a grocery store). Everyone was so sweet and kind (they literally gave me a box for my take out). Service was relatively quick and efficient. Now the important stuff, the food was SO GOOD. The warm broth and the curry healed me after our long trip under the rain from Volcano Village. The shrimp tempura was crispy, and it paired perfectly with the hot rice and the side dishes. I'm already planning to come back for another meal!

Hidden gem in Kona, a real OG spot. Inside Teshima the interior brings you back to a Japanese family's ancestry and food legacy. Very spacious and the service is 5 star. Ordered the omurice which is fried rice tucked inside a fluffy omelet. No Demi glacé sauce to top the omelet so I used ketchup instead. The hot wok sear on the chicken fried rice was good. The miso soup and house tsukemono pickles were sweet and on point. Nothing but love for this restaurant. Classic family recipes in a beautiful space. Add to your list of top food spots in Kona.

The service and ambiance were great! The ahi is so fresh! I love all the pickled veggies too. Oyako donburi was my favorite! So Ono! My baby loved everything too!

Food and service are always great. Had another fantastic lunch at Teshimas today. Husband had the homemade corned beef hash and eggs and Inhad the pupu platter. Always fresh and tasty. Mahalo for all that you continue to do. The consistency is greatly appreciated.

Teshima is still a local favorite for Japanese food on the big island on the upper road. The place is from 1949, but don't let that fool you, it's a GREAT place to eat and all the locals will be there with you.

5/13/2024 Teshima Restaurant 79-7251 Mamalahoa Hwy Kealakekua, HI 96750 We went there for dinner just after opening on a Tuesday evening. It is about 8 miles south of DT Kailua in the rural village of Kealakekua. Parking was available at 5:30 PM but may be tough when it is busier. The interior was clean and dim with a booth and table aisle arrangement and vinyl upholstery. We were seated promptly with the available area half full just after opening. There are 3 separate dining areas with another perhaps on the second floor for busier times. Service was friendly, informative and efficient throughout our experience. I ordered the No. 2 Teishoku and Wifey had the Beef Teriyaki. All my Teishoku dishes were authentic and excellent, excepting the Sukiyaki which I never liked especially my Mom's which was way too sweet. The Miso soup had a nice Miso flavor, the fried Ahi and pickles were tasty and the 5 generous slices of Ahi sashimi were fresh and excellent. The wife did not like her ample serving of beef because it was too sweet and a little chewy. A word of warning then, local style Japanese food is sweeter than many other locales due to the addition of sugar and Mirin to the dishes. A good value for authentic Japanese style local food, good service and apparently popular for locals. The exit was opposite to the entrance, presumably to facilitate efficient flow. Very repeatable.

I'm completely confused. Saw the good reviews and drove around 1hr to come here. The service was ok, not great, but definitely not bad. Food was awful. Ive traveled to Japan several times, been a huge Japanese food fan since younger age. The sashimi had tiny scales on it, but didn't take pictures. The shrimp tempura was completely disastrous. Butter too thick, super greasy, but they told me that's how it's usually cooked, fine. We were literally super hungry but had to take the butter off a bit to eat. Would give negative stars if possible.

First stop in our Big Island trip! This was honestly the perfect food to eat after getting off a really long flight. It was efficient, clean, and delicious! We got saimin, vegetable tempura and no. 3 Teishoko which comes with Miso Soup, Sashimi, Sukiyaki, Shrimp Tempura, Sunomono, Tsukenomo, Rice. We loved absolutely everything, but if I had to choose one thing, definitely definitely get the shrimp tempura. I'm amazed at how CRISP the tempura was, and you can tell they use fresh oil because the tempura was fried to golden perfection. The fresh ahi was an added bonus as well. Definitely recommend!

Our favorite meal experience on the Big Island and we've enjoyed a lot of great food here. A long history and recipes that stand true. We both agreed it was the best tempura we've ever had. He also had excellent beef teriyaki while I also had fried fish and sashimi- so good!!!!

Best spot for local and authentic Japanese cuisine! Love the teishoku set meals. Everything is always tasty and fresh. The tempura and sukiyaki are delicious. Definitely recommend!

You MUST visit this place if you're in Kona. There will most likely be a line, and you just jump in and sit down. The line moved quickly in our experience, and the service is lovely. There's so much history with this family-owned restaurant. You can see the place is lined with family photos, and it's very reminiscent of a diner. Grandma Teshima worked until she was 104 here, and some of the staff are her descendants! The food was spectacular. You need to get the sunset dinner combos, which came out on trays as big as my forearm. I particularly loved how the shrimp tempura was breaded; it's a big piece that's so crispy and different from what you might expect. The girls get a flower placed in their ear, and overall, this was one of my favorite dinners on the trip for Japanese food.

This place is legit, period! Definitely recommend showing up on the early side because it gets busy for dinner. Old school ambiance and super friendly service. And, most importantly, the food was AMAZING!!! I definitely recommend the deep sea trio for dinner (shrimp tempura, fried fish, and sashimi) which was of course served with rice, miso soup, and pickled veggies

Stopped by here after a LONG day of driving and exploring all of Kona. All we wanted was something comforting to eat after we've been out all day and it was getting cold. Teshima was the perfect find. We were greeted with a traditional Japanese / Hawaiian menu and immediately gravitated towards the 2 kettle dishes. Both were absolutely delicious and perfectly hit the spot for both of us. We shared a mini sashimi as well and that was just the cherry on top.

Honestly, I'm not quiet sure what the hype is about. The food is okay, not amazing. Flavor is good and portions are decent. Server was very polite and attentive, although the entrance chain at the sign was interesting and made me think the restaurant was closed initially.

Wonderful old fashioned local Japanese restaurant. Menu selections are timeless. Service very friendly. Be prepared for walk-in seating only, but since there's typically a line outside they have a long bench to rest on while you wait. If you want a quick but forgettable bowl of ramen and gyoza, head to those generic shops at the strip mall. But if you're in the mood for a taste of old Hawaii, lovingly prepared and served in an out of the way locale, this is it. Worth it!

I was super excited to try this place when we were in the area a couple weeks ago on vacation, but I agree somewhat with other reviews - the 3rd generation didn't seem to care as much about quality control. Service was great all around - particularly impressive given that after we'd ordered, the whole block suffered a complete power outage due to the rain. (They closed to new guests, but everyone was super communicative and friendly even while scrambling to check to see if we could still get the food we'd ordered. Answer, obviously, was yes. Had an accidentally romantic dinner by candle-light. That obviously wasn't their fault, and they handled it well.) I ordered the oyakodon, which for $19 with a side of 5 pieces of great, fresh ahi would be a pretty good deal, if the oyakodon hadn't been super bland. (The ahi was quality, though.) My wife got the steak and tempura shrimp combo for $30 - I tried a bite, I agree with her that the tempura shrimp was decent but not the best we'd had, and the steak was pretty chewy and kinda gristley, definitely not steak you'd pay that much for (she also ordered it medium and got it quite well done, though that could have been power outage related). Both orders also came with soup and pickled cabbage - the soup was great, the cabbage was so salty, it *literally* just tasted like a plate of salt (we didn't touch it). I also agreed with my wife, at least when we were there a couple weeks ago, there was something off with the ice they used. I know it's weird to complain about something you didn't have to pay for, but at the same time, as a restaurant, how do you mess up tap water? (Answer, in this case: I think by letting your ice sit in the freezer until it starts smelling stale?) My wife asked for a glass with no ice; I just drank plum wine. (Though I was also not surprised that the menu was wrong - it says $7.50 for a half-carafe of plum wine. It was actually one glass, which is still totally reasonable. Good plum wine, too. Would've been better if it'd been a half-carafe like it says on the menu though. :p)