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Great Sushi here! Always fresh, wonderfully prepared, and excellent presentation. You know the place is authentic if all your FOB friends from Japan go here to kau kau.
What I liked best was that it had a large menu with lots of options. Whatever you're in the mood for, Imanas has it.
What I didn't like was the awkward seating... so if you want a table you'll have to make a reservation (duh)! A little on the pricier side too but nothing too outrageous.
Great place for izakaya. Worth checking out if you're looking to impress someone.
The food here is excellent, the beef shabushabu is a bit pricey, but very good, service is top notch. A bit difficult to see/find as it's tucked back off the street, but worth the look. Limited off street parking, an it shares a bathroom with the neighboring restaurant.
I'd recommend the fried chicken, and any of the sushi.
If you don't order the shabushabu or chanko nabe, it can be a relatively inexpensive meal.
Went there friday night, with my husband, at around 7 p.m. and had to wait about 30 min. not bad for not having a reservation. We finally sat down and ordered about 8 dishes between us because we wanted to sample everything that looked good. This is what we ordered:
Hamachi kama ( yellowtail collar)
oyster 1/2 dz. w/ ponzu sauce
grilled butterfish
ama ebi
uni
rib eye steak
chicken salad
hamachi sashimi
everything was soooooooooooo good. I can't stop thinking about how fresh and authentic the dishes were. This is my new fave place to dine. The ambiance is nice...mood lighting and fab place for hang out with bunch of friends or just a nice dinner with ur significant other.
I originally loved gaku, but this is my first choice
Shame on me that I didn't write the review right away. Now I can't remember all the dishes:
Miso sauce fried tofu - so yummy. This & a bowl of rice, and I have a meal.
salmon belly - how can you go wrong, other than the fact we had this & didn't have room for the butterfish belly. Sigh...next time.
fresh sake sushi - fish was ok...I would've been happier if it had been salmon belly as I'd asked for
Spicy hamachi "salad" that you roll your own sushi out of. Also very good.
Tehre were a couple other small things but I can't remember what. 1 beer, 3 people, and the bill came out to $45. That's a pretty good deal. Wish I was home more often.
Shabu Shabu here is excellent and probably the best value. Meat is excellent. Love the mochi and undone at the end. Even the sake is great. Poke and spicy roll.
This place has a very extensive menu! I had the chanko nabe and it was good! also ate sushi,pretty good exspecially for the price! The food is a five star but the reason I gave a 4 was parking and it was hard to get service at times. over all a great japanese resturant
I had the omakase (sushi only) and am extremely knowledgeable about fish. Here's my thoughts. The fish was very good. Nothing was a 'wow' for me though so I must admit that I was expecting better. I also found the rice to be a bit too cool as it really should be warm and nearly falling apart when picked up with the chop sticks. The rice was more of a ball of rice tightly packed... not idea. In addition, the fish was all brought out at the same time. Bad move, it should be brought out piece mail and then immediately consumed seconds after it's cut. I had a much better experience at Sasabune and Izakawa Gaku. With those restaurants in town, I don't see myself coming back here although the meal was tasty.
Delicious!! Went with my parents and it was like we were transported to a restaurant in Japan. Our waiter was really helpful and helped us order. We ordered the Chanko Nabe - sooooO much seafood. Delicious broth. I ordered the Hamachi Kama - yum! We also ordered the sushi A set...the pieces of fish were huge placed on little pebbles of rice.
And because I'm always checking the bathrooms....the women's has the TOTO system which sprays your you-know-whats and there's a seat warmer (which I don't know what is the purpose in HI). You must try it out if you've never....
The best Izakaya in Honolulu, no doubt. I just wrote a review for Sushi Izakaya Gaku, they are a very close second.
Imanas has an awesome menu. Very diverse and something for everyone. If you have someone in the crowd that's not big on sushi, no worries, there's something here for them and it will taste amazing. Beyond diversity, it is also a creative menu, there's dishes here we've never heard of before. If you are into fish and sushi, it's damn good too.
Service is good but can be much better. They are extremely friendly and they do try but there's plenty of room for improvement if they want to hang on to my top rating!
Parking is fine... stop whining people! There's more than 6 or 7 stalls in the lot like someone else mentioned and if those are full there's parking lots and street parking all over this area. Never had problems with a space.
Price is a little more than Tokkuri Tei and less than Gaku. For the overall quality, prices are just right.
This review is for Teri C. Hi Teri!! I'm writing a Hawaii review! And Teri if you are ever out in Honolulu, you must go here. I know you will like it!
We stopped by here, based on a recommendation from a client of my sister's. My sister had tried it during a past business trip to Hawaii and now we were all with her in Hawaii, and she was dying to go back! That says a lot. She loves her food!
The restaurant is pretty tiny and is linked to another Japanese restaurant next door. They share a bathroom, and my husband entered the wrong Japanese restaurant after having used the bathroom, looking for us, thinking he stepped into the twilight zone. But no, there are two Japanese restaurants here. Anyways, that's just a warning. Also, another warning, the lines here can be long. I think we waited for about 1 hour. They don't take reservations either. Oh and one more warning, parking in this area sucks.
Me, being the vegetarian, had the udon, fried tofu with miso dressing. The house salad was HUGE, and shared by our table of 6. I also had the kappa maki. Good consistency, rice was spot on, wasabi in the roll.
The meat/fish eaters loved the Dynamite. It was like a fish/seafood casserole baked with some sort of mayo sauce. That was the most memorable. But the meat/fish eaters loved every bite of everything else they ordered.
The service was great. So friendly and accommodating. And because we waited so long, we got our bill and it looked like they discounted it.
Would give it 4.5 stars if I could.
One of the best Izakaya style restaurants in Hawaii, just a notch below Tokkuri Tei and Gaku Izakaya, IMO.
Parking is a challenge. Only a 6 or 7 stalls service the entire restaurant. One must find alternate ways to park your car if you wish to dine here.
But it's worth the effort because the sushi here is fresh and the food for the most part is fabulous.
One of my new favorite restaurants!!!!
Imanas has a wide selection of dishes to choose from, and the prices are pretty affordable! My boyfriend and I came here for his birthday, it's important to make reservations if you want to get seated quickly...the restaurant opens at 5 and there were some people that actually wait outside the doors before they opened! The parking isn't all that great, but you can find street parking nearby.
The service is excellent and the waitresses are friendly!
We ordered:
-katsu sticks (DELICIOUS)
-2 misoyaki butterfish (YUM)
-potato salad
-2 servings of hamachi nigiri
-2 servings of salmon nigiri
-2 bowls of rice
-geso karaage
-Green tea ice cream
The total for all of this was only $60. Not bad, I say! We left very satisfied and full!
Favorites were:
- Chanko nabe: wide palette of ingredients, rich and flavorful broth, excellent udon to finish.
- Butterfish misoyaki: marinated and grilled to rich, savory, and unctuous perfection; the mild bitterness of the charred skin nicely complemented the accompanying pickled daikon.
- Geso: crisp, with a proper crunchewy tentacular texture.
No complaints:
- Grilled beef tongue: super thin slices of chewy beef that tastes you back, and better than I expected with the lemon garnish.
- King crab dynamite: not big on the heavy mayo dishes, but still tasty.
- Spicy tuna roll: Could actually taste the freshness of the fish, but I think my spicy tuna meter may be calibrated to a more plebian scale.
Nice ambiance, friendly, helpful and attentive waitstaff. Slightly expensive for fairly small portions (except for the chanko nabe). Easy to mistake entrance for Imanas on first visit. Limited parking.
After all the rave reviews and hearing from all the Japanese transpants that this is their favorite restaurant I decided to take my family here. It was good, but maybe not the best place I've ever eaten. The things that really stood out to me was the Spicy Ahi Rolls, Spicy Clams, and Lobster Dynaminte.
The butterfish, fried gobo, garlic clams, fried tofu in ponzu sauce, garlic steak, and regular dynamite were all alright, but nothing special. And the Chanko Nabe definately did not live up to my expectations.
All in all it was a good experience, but I think I'll only come back when my Japanese friends go. Still trying to find that one Japanese Restuarant item that keeps me coming back. Till then I'll just be dreaming of that sukiyaki I had in Hakone.
Dining at Imanas Tei has become an annual tradition for my trips back to the island. Talk about the best sushi restaurant and those in the know will surely mention Imanas. The family owned establishment features the same friendly faces on each of my visits and amazingly they recognize my mug despite only eating at the restaurant 2-3 times a year (only during my vacation in Oahu).
Now the important stuff: everything on the menu is worth a try. The spicy garlic clams, the oh so absolutely delightful butterfish, the fried baby shrimps, the fresh maguro....ok I'm getting hungry just talking about it, simply fabulous.
See you in April Imanas!
I have had one of the most enjoyable meals in my life here at this simple, low key and local Japanese restaurant. I do not say that lightly as I live in New York and am an obsessive foodie who lives to find great meal experiences. I would gladly trade every meal I've ever had at Nobu, Tomoe and every other Sushi or seafood restaurant for a meal at Imanas Tei.
Why has this place made such an impression ? Besides having excellent sushi masters and chefs they have the freshness of their fish cannot be compared. My cousin from Hawaii explained to me that the fish was caught that morning, auctioned that afternoon and prepared that evening with little to minimal refrigeration and zero freezing during this time. It makes for the softest, lushest and tastiest fish I have ever eaten and my cousin's Japanese wife says that it is the most authentic Sushi in Hawaii.
I've had dinner here in the small private back room and also at the sushi bar which is fun as you can let the Sushi master make suggestions.
We wanted to sit at the bar but was told it was full for that evening and we couldnt make reservations as well so we walked in but thank goodness, they were able just to accomodate the 2 of us within minutes. I loved the atmosphere of the restaurant but it is kind of small and hard to accomodate big groups. I totally love the sushi here and the uni was sooo sweet and delectable..mmmm! The salmon skin handroll is definitely one of the bestthat I've had and it was a chockful of yummy stuff with tobiko and some daikon shoots. We saw another table ordering the sushi combo and that looked good. I guess if you want variety and not too particular about what types of nigiri u want then definitely go for that. I loved the clam miso soup too...it was just sooo tasty and the clams were tender. I would definitely return to Imanas Tei again!
Been three or four times and always best izakaya food in honolulu. Went last night but had to wait 45 minutes for a table of 4 at 7pm, but still great experience.
Favorites from last night in no particular order:
1. Basil Tako was surprisingly awesome (but after dinner it's all i could taste in my mouth unitl i got a mint )
2. Dynamite w/ mushroom and scallops was perfect
3. maguro poke is great
4. beef stew (didnt order so i dont know the name. sorry!)
5. flounder sashimi (amazingly fresh)
6. clams w/ butter and garlic
7. ikura (which i usually dont like because its fishy or gross at most places but imanas has really fresh and tasty ikura)
8. spicy tuna roll
I love the shabu shabu here! The sushi and sashimi are always super fresh. Nice selection of cold sake. Imanas is my absolute favorite restaurant for Japanese cuisine. Service is fast and friendly. I'm always laughing when I leave because they are very enthusiastic with their "doomo arigato gozaimashita!!" The staff starts shouting it several times and bowing as you walk out the door. I'm glad they show their appreciation. I've been to so many places where the hostess didn't even thank us or acknowledge us on the way out. That really puts a damper at the end of your dining experience.
Too bad the parking is crappy and there's always a wait. They are also closed on Sundays. :( Oh well, the food is definitely worth the wait and parking headaches.
Imanas Tei is sleek inside. They make you feel ever so welcome. About a dozen people welcome you the minute you step in the door. Sweet! The menu is several pages and they don't insult your intelligence with stupid descriptions or false photos. Actually, I'm getting so accustomed to that way of marketing that it made ordering really hard. Everything looked good on paper and there was no way to differentiate what would be a hit or a miss.
Hubby had the assorted sashimi special and I ordered a number of cooked items. Our favorite of the night was the fried tofu in yuzu sauce. It was served in a beautiful bowl that really highlighted the dish.
The bidet wasn't working in the ladies bathroom, which was fine with me. I only wanted to see it, not really use it. What was odd was the heated toilet seat. If I were in drizzly & damp Seattle I would have appreciated it a bit more, I'm sure.
I had to pick a restaurant that my wife wanted to take me for my yakudoshi, so after reading the good reviews, I decided on Imanas Tei. I was expecting a lot from here, and overall, it was pretty good.
We were stressing out about the parking because of the reviews. We arrived at about 5:10pm, and were lucky to find a stall, but by the time our last guests arrived, they had to park in the public parking lot behind Puck's Alley.
Because we had a party of 10, they put us on an odd shaped table in the middle of the restaurant. We had a problem with having an infant because the restaurant is pretty cramped, so we couldn't leave him in his stroller. So I guess the reviews about it not being good for large groups and kids is correct.
I had the chanko nabe, which was very good. The broth was very tasty and there was a lot of meat, fish and vegetables crammed in the pot. I also had sashimi, and it was probably the best sashimi I have had in a while. The maguro and salmon seemed to melt in my mouth! My wife had the shabu shabu, which was pretty disappointing for her. My aunty had the hamachi kama and she thoroughly enjoyed it. Overall, the food was good. The service was very good at the beginning, but kind of fell off towards the end. Our glasses of water were empty most of the time, and only half of our group was asked for dessert.
I thought that for my standards, it was a very good restaurant. But because not everyone in our group was satisfied, I couldn't give it five stars. I would definitely recommend this restaurant to anyone and I will be there again.
Not good for parties of 10 and a baby! Tables were too small to accommodate the shabushabus and chanko nabes! Wasn't happy with the shabushabu, no taste and for 28.50 per person, we thought it was too expensive. Chanko nabe was good but I think they use MSG because those that ate it were really thirsty later. Felt rushed, didn't offer dessert, just handed me the check. Later when I got home, I realized they didn't have a receipt for me! Someone ordered the Hamachikama and loved it so if I go next time, I will try that. Not sure if we will though because the parking really does suck there. Our reservations were at 5:30 and we got there at 5:15 and there was 1 stall left after we took ours....
SOOO good. the shabu shabu there is really good. sushi is very good. i felt like i was eating sushi in japan again. the service is very good too the owners are very nice. and must try japanese restaurant in Hawaii. its always busy whenever i go there.. i suggest making reservations.. parking is also really tight.
A fantastic izakaya that wonderfully emulates places in Japan.
I've never been to Imana's, even though I've heard of the place several times over the years. One night, the decision was made to go to Imana's. I must stress that you have to call to make a reservation before 7pm: after that time they will not book any more reservations. We missed the deadline by two minutes, and had to wait outside for about staring at the front door for about 40 minutes: the Japanese story of Hachiko the dog mournfully waiting years for his lost master come to mind. However, it was all worth the wait: we also got a Tatami table in the back too!
Everything tasted really Japanese. I know that is a curious statement; but the food tastes the most like meals in Japan than many of its peers. They offer a wide array of different selections, and we dove into them head first. The Seared Ahi sushi we ordered was mind-blasting: delicious and wonderfully garnished. This Clam in Broth dish that we ordered was superb: the broth gave a great explosion of flavors. The Ribe-Eye Steak had this great sauce that felt like a hybrid of a dressing and a steak sauce. Their Beef Tounge and Dynamite dish were great too. There was so much more we sampled. Tons of Ahi dishes, Tofu Tempura, and The Spider Roll was okay. However, I have to say that their Uni and Chicken Kaarage were disappointments: the Uni tasted not too fresh (too much like stagnant Ocean) and the Kaarage's batter was bland and it was pretty flavorless. However, the pluses of the other dishes way overrule these disappointments. Overall, I would say that their sushi is okay, but their other izakaya dishes are where they really shine.
I'm looking forward to sampling their Shabu Shabu and Nabe offerings. Many of the tables are set up for hot-pot dinners. Given how good their other food was, I have high expectations. I caught myself gawking at other tables who ordered Nabe.
The ambiance of the place is very contemporary Japanese, and the achieves the look it was going for. It is very good for groups or for social, casual dinners. The layout is pretty good, and it feels very comfortable. There also is a sushi bar if you don't feel like having a lengthy sit-down; or if you don't feel like waiting for a table.
Wide varieties of great food make this place the best izakaya in Hawaii.
11/3/08 Update...
Imana's NEVER LETS ME DOWN....Been going a couple of times a month..sometimes weekly and it has been consistently delicious!..Never had a bad meal or service here!
**********************************
My latest FAVORITE Place!!! Love the Dynamite, grilled mirugai, chanko nabe, clams, butterfish, soft shelled crab......so far most everytihing! This is the kind of place you want to share so they never go out of business, but then don't want to share cuz you always want to be able to get a table....
They DESERVE your patronage! Great Food, Great Hospitality....Worth the hassle of finding parking....
They take reservations only until 7PM...after that, it's first come first serve....worth the wait!
I find if you go with a larger group, like 6, the cost per person is not too bad....if you go with only two, then we end up spending about $40+ per person...guess it's because we want to eat everything....so go with a big group then you can taste everything and share...
I love their Chanko Nabe here - It's so delicious. Assorted vegetables, meat, and seafood in a savory broth... what's not to miss. At the end - once all the ingredients have been cooked and flavored the broth - you get your choice of udon or rice and egg which they mix into the broth. The rice and egg is good - it creates a sort of savory porridge.
I dined with two other friends and the Chanko Nabe [two orders] and a few side dishes were more than enough for all three of us. It was the best dinner I've had in a while.
sushi was fresh, portions were great, service was good. nice decor. parking... it's on king street, deal w/ it.
I could eat there everyday. I love the salad dressing on the toss greens, agedashi tofu, tonkatsu skewers, sushi, grilled fish, teriyaki chicken, chanko nabe (love the fishcake and udon), the butterfish, the japanese vegetable dishes that I can never seem to find time to make like kinpira gobo and the list can go on.
While it is crowded and there is no parking..just plan to park at pucks alley, make reservations before 7pm or figure on eating at th sushi counter.
A little bit less casual than your typical izakaya, Imanas Tei is tucked away in a hard to find location but once you find it, you will be quite happy you made the journey.
The space is an immaculately gorgeous room with open-ceilings. Imanas Tei's specialties are the chef's miso paste (available with eggplant, black cod, and butterfish) and their karaage which is fantastic (I had the chicken). Soon enough with the help of either your appetite or the excellent servers, your table will soon be covered in Izakaya kobachi (small plates).
I've become quite the sushi connoiseur in California. My dad took me here telling me it's one of the best. Sure, the food is good, but I wasn't particularly fond of their fish.
I definitely h ave to give them a lot of credit for inventing the first Dynamite. I had it at Imanas 7 years ago, and soon after every sushi joint had it too. The Dynamite in 25 other sushi places I've tried doesn't come close to beating Imanas Tei.
Nice ambiance.
Hubby & I went to Imanas Tei for the 1 millioneth time last night. A good friend introduced us to this hidden gem about 6 years ago and we've been addicted ever since. High-quality restaurants where the service AND food are unquestionably superb are becoming harder and harder to find in Honolulu; Imanas Tei keeps the hope alive. Onto the nitty gritty:
Service: b/c we're regulars, we went with no reservations but were seated right away. This doesn't happen all the time, but if there's space, a cancellation, or for whatever reason, the "you are too tan for words" owner or the "you are too perky for words" hostess gives us the "shush" finger and seats us. For some reason, the male waiters have always been better than the female waiters. As a female...this saddens me, but I gotta be honest. So, try to order from a man and you'll have the great service that I speak of. Order from a women, and you're taking the risk of a simple thing like a bowl of rice taking 10 minutes b/c she forgot.
Food: our faves include....gyu miso (a recent dish added, konyakkyu & meat stewed in miso), seafood gobo, lobster dynmite, misoyaki butterfish, oysters vinagrette, grilled sausage, hamachi kama, spicy clams, tofu with ponzu, and spicy seaweed salad. For sushi/sashimi we order: baby abalone, mirugai, maguro, amaebi (fried heads are awesome!), and hirame.
Not on menu, but can order: yaki-musubi. My mother-in-law orders this even though it's not on the menu. Hmm, could be the avocados she brings the owner, or it could be "ask and you shall receive." Note: it takes 30 minutes to make - order ahead.
Drinking: there's a sake and beer menu. You can buy a bottle of Ichiko sake and store it there for ~ 3 months. Be sure you remember exactly how you wrote your name though!
Ambiance: the decor is kinda ascetic. there's bamboo on the ceiling, same color wood tables and chairs, straight branches in a vase, and a weird branch thing on the wall. That's it, but it works.
Reservations: if it's a special occasion, date, or a planned outing w/ friends - mos def make a reservation. But they only take reservations until like 7 pm or so, afterwards it's all first come, first served - baby. Unless you call way ahead and get the 8-top room in the back, I don't recommend you go w/ a large party. It's better for 4-tops and under; best for couples, in terms of getting seats.
Parking: there's like 6 puny stalls in front, but they're shared w/ Kohnotori restaurant. We always park at Puck's Alley for under $5 bucks.
Complaint: no chawan-mushi on menu.
Final words: try their Chanko Nabe - it's the best! And let it be known that my hubby is mad that I wrote this review cuz he wants to keep Imanas Tei as unknown as possible. The more people that know = less parking = harder to get seated. He's funny like that, and I like to annoy him like that. Hehehe.
so for absolutely fabulously yummy and delicious japanese food, come to imanas!
tip: if you come before 7pm you can make reservations, which is a good idea. this place gets super duper busy!
must eats: chanko nabe, garlic steak, spicy chicken, the katsu stick, and all the sushi!
the service is great and i actually feel like i'm in a izakaya in japan! sooo good...
again, if you don't come early, be prepared to wait, this place gets busy, but its sooo worth it! i guarantee it!!!
I love this place! Its my favorite Japanese restaurant out there! The Nabe is sooo yummy! The sushi… Read more »
One word. Dynamite. It was amazing, so creamy and delicious, hands down the best dynamite I've ever had, and I love baked mayo like no one's business so trust me, I've tried dynamite at every restaurant I've been to that offers it. My husband and I also ordered the chanko nabe and the garlic steak, way too much food for the two of us but it was our last night of vacation so we just had to. Everything was delicious and the service was superb! Our waiter (the super friendly bald headed guy) even offered to give us recommendations to other restaurants when we told him we were on vacation. He made our chanko nabe for us which was great since I was really skeptical about how everything would fit into that tiny pot - but it did! And he gave us his secret recipe for linguine with clams!
"The food was divine! The crispy rice was so good...hard to get reservations...but so worth it..yummy! Best place to get Japanese in Honolulu...great ambience too...tricky parking"
I totally know I'm going to regret it for writing this review. I really hesitated to bring this place under the public eye for fear of it becoming too popular. The lines are long enough as it is to get dinner since the rest of the Japanese locals know this place very well. Thanks to my 2007 resolution of being a better person, I will resist my temptation to lie and say that I found pubic hair in my hamachi nigiri.
There's only 2 things you need to know prior to visiting: make a reservation, and if at all possible carpool to this place because the parking lot is limited to 6 or so spaces.
I could never do the food justice with my commentary, so I uploaded a couple photos of the dishes. Great Izakaya dishes! Definitely try the garlic steak and fried tofu. What this place is really known for is the Nabe! Chanko-nabe the food for sumos is definitely plentiful. The Chanko-nabe for two is enough to feed 4 people, so don't be fooled by the description. Easily the best nabe on the islands!
Oh and the service there is amazingly friendly. You'll find the happiest and perkiest 70 yr old hostess. Bless her soul, I hope she lives on to 200.
Don't ever judge a book by its cover. Imanas is a gorgeous restaurant disguised by a humble exterior. They even serve their dishes on pretty platters... (pretty platters... say that 10 times fast!) =P
My friend and I ate only 2 hours before visiting Imanas, so we weren't that hungry going in (we tagged along with my relatives)... but when the food arrived, I think I ate just as much or even more than anyone else. Their award-worthy dishes: king crab dynamite and spicy clams.
Upsides: Their Japanese-style tables come with a hold in ground, so no sitting on your knees or indian-style. =) Friendly, but slow service.
Downsides: Our food took forever to arrive. Sushis were very small... like mini sushi! Price is definitely not reflective of food size.
Imanas is one of my favorites, a place you can count on for good izakaya food and a wonderful atmosphere. Parking can be a pain though.
I haven't had their shabu shabu in years but from what I remember it was pretty good. Honestly I'm so picky w/ shabu shabu now that I just make it at home so I can pick my own ingredients..
Although the wait without a reservation can take forever (we waited well over 45minutes outisde, we literally missed making reservations by 2 minutes, think it's a 6:30pm cut-off?), it was well worth it because we had the tatami seating in the back.
We ordered a bunch of stuff, listed from favorite to least:
- Seared toro (forgot the Japanese name): served with thinly sliced green onion on top. It was so good everyone ordered a second round.
- Manila clams: served in a warm spiced tomato broth, SO tasty.
- Ribeye: sliced, served w/ salad (but when does ribeye go wrong anyway?)
- Salmon sashimi: I didn't get to try this because I was so full already but I was told it was one of the better dishes.
- Uni: (because I can't resist!) I could still taste the ocean in it but it was still damn good.
- something dynamite: sorry, I can't recall exactly what this is at the top of my head, but it was HUGE and tasty, although I don't understand who would want to eat that much mayonaise in one sitting.
- Grilled skewered clams: pretty fresh
- sausages: I guess okay (friend who doesn't eat shellfish ordered this)
- Chicken karaage: didn't care for it, not crispy at all, kind of chewy in fact. The best I've had in a while are at Ichiriki on Piikoi. Panya's are pretty good too.
They have a decent list of small bottles of sake, as well as beers too. We had a blast for sure here.. one of the better meals I've had in a while!
Absolutely one of the best, ever. I live in San Francisco and have Japanese at least once a week; Imanas Tei beats them all. If you have been disappointed by the unfortunate choices in Waikiki, take a 5 minute ride over to King St., find this amazing place tucked off the street (tight parking lot), and get ready for the heaven.
We went on a Saturday night without reservations. We waited about 20 minutes on great benches, and were seated at the sushi bar. First thing we noticed? We were about the only non-Japanese in the place. No, not non-Asians: non-Japanese. There was barely any English spoken, but with food like this, who cares about language? Made us feel truly immersed.
The hamachi? Unreal flavor: like creamy butter. Maguro was like a perfect steak, with superb taste. Please, please, please, don't miss the Miso glazed Butterfish: heavenly. Wasn't too thrilled with the hamachi collar, even though other Yelpers seemed to love it. The sushi chef was so happy to help, offering us tastes of what he thought we might like. And the prices are absolutely a steal for the food, service and a respite from the rest.
Don't think. Don't debate. Just go. Cannot recommend it enough: our best meal in Oahu.
Ok, screw the king crab dynamite. You MUST order Seafood dynamite. It is ten times bigger (ok, maybe 5 times) and the flavor is amazing. Broiled Japanese mayonaise over scallop, salmon, abalone and mushrooms. Yum! If you had some left over you could take it home and spread it over some garlic bread. Top with some melted cheese and.....WOW!
**If you are having other people meet you there, make sure they know to go into the restaurant on… Read more »
Freaking awesome izakaya. Awesome food and drinks. Of mention was the Lobster dynamite, king crab, and hamachi kama (baked yellowtail collar).
As others have mentioned, definitely make reservations (they ask you to wait at the benches outside).
Our particular waiter was a real cool guy, recommended some great seafood dishes that just arrived that morning, and imparted that he owns an indie hip hop record label and also started a hawaii nightlife website (http://www.dosomething...).
Bring a bunch of friends, an empty stomach, and get ready to drink beer for hours on end.
Honolulu, HI
Category: Japanese
Honolulu, HI
Category: Sushi Bars
Honolulu, HI
Category: Japanese
Honolulu, HI
Category: Sushi Bars
Honolulu, HI
Category: Sushi Bars
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