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Come enjoy Kushiage (bite-size skewered katsu $1.25~) and appetizers ($4.00~) with your favorite drinks on Fri & Sat after 9pm!
Mon-Thu. 11:00 a.m. - 9:30 p.m.
Fri-Sat. 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 a.m.
Sun. 11:00 a.m. - 9:30 p.m.
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i love their new late night!
generally speaking, this place is a little expensive but the late night is perfect to tru a bunch of different items for $2-$4 per skewer.
they just got kirin on draft too so omg i'm so there. only on friday and saturday btw. i work down the street so it's perfect when i get off work late.
ps- their bathrooms are works of arts! you MUST so see them.
pps- masa, the owners and aya, his wife and server are the sweetest people alive! so nice :)
If you love tonkatsu, but can't head to Japan anytime soon, then Ginza Bairin will not disappoint! Their katsu is simply delicious~ I have tried the sandwich and their normal katsu and both were heavenly. Compared to menchanko, it's a bit more pricey but I think Ginza's portions are bigger and it's good.
The servers are really nice, a bit fobby but nice (especially considering I'm not Japanese and some Japanese restaurants can be kind of mehhh towards non-Japanese customers). Restaurant is kind of on the small side, but really nice and clean.
It can get quite busy, so either make reservations and plan it out, or just wait for a table.
Do you like authentic Japanese food? Do you talk about "marbling" in your meat? Do you like tonkatsu? Well, if your answer is "Yes to all three!" then you have to eat here. Located on Beach Walk Street (make sure you're on the actual street and not the "Waikiki Beach Walk") it is clustered among a few other busy restaurants.
This back door find has excellent tonkatsu and when we mean tonkatsu, we're talking steak sized and really flavorful. They serve their golden crispiness with katsu sauce and a mortar and pestle to grind up sesame seeds yourself to mix with your sauce. It add something to the experience and was pretty fun. I was told that their chefs are all from Japan and cooked in the restaurant over there. Additionally with all of this, is a bevy of Japanese sake and beers to choose from.
Their staff is attentive and easy going. I never saw the bottom of my glass of beer until I finished it. My advice is to sit at the bar because the chefs are cooking behind clear glass right in front of you and you can see everything they're preparing. Obviously from my description, it's located in Waikiki (so, if you're a local and don't want to get down there, we walked in, you can pick some up at Shirokiya). This location is fairly small, so if you don't have reservations you may have to wait during peak hours. They vary in prices because they grade on the type and fat content or the "marbling" of the meat. You can also just get one tonkasu sandwich as well. The prices are a bit steep, but well worth trying at least once.
Oh my goodness. What can I say but authentic? If you want real Japan-style tonkatsu but can't leave Oahu, this is where to get it. Absolutely delicious, and you can have as much yummy rice and shredded cabbage as you want. The best!
Its been a while since I've eaten here, so excuse me if I name the dishes wrong. I'll describe them to the best of my ability :)
My sister and I shared the tonkatsu sandwich (which was their tonkatsu pork with sauce between two slices of white bread) which was surprisingly good for such a simple dish. We also shared a dish that was pork sauteed in a ginger sauce I believe? I forget the exact name of the dish, but it was served with soup, salad, and a side of rice.
Overall the dishes were tasty; the pork in ginger sauce was tender and juicy, the salad had really good dressing, and it was pretty filling. The pricing is a little steep, but I'd definitely recommend anyone to try the place out, because their tonkatsu is very good.
If I'm ever in Honolulu again (which I plan to be!), I will try out one of their other tonkatsu dishes. Mmm, I'm hungry now!
Best.tonkatsu.ever. (That's really all you need to know, but I must elaborate.)
As a lover of pork, especially when it is fried in a panko crust, I was lured here by all of the stellar reviews. I must have missed the lunch rush because it was relatively quiet when I arrived. I was promptly seated and given a menu but I knew what I wanted - the special of the day - pork tenderloin with onion rings.
When my tray arrived, there was the pork tenderloin and 2 onion rings with a mountain of cabbage along with a small bowl of pork and potato, a large bowl of rice and a standard bowl of miso. I started with the miso first - it was excellent - not too salty and full of miso flavor. Then I tried the pork with potato - also excellent. After I poured a ladle of the katsu sauce on the table, I tried the pork tenderloin. It was cooked perfectly - tender and juicy. I savored every bite of the pork tenderloin along with the onions.
My mouth is watering just thinking about how good that katsu tasted. Even though the prices may be a little spendy for those who are used to ordering katsu at a Hawaiian BBQ place, it is worth every penny. Don't miss it if you're in Waikiki!
It seemed like every time I passed this place, there was a line-up down the street (a promising sign).
My companion and I beat the evening rush by walking in at 5:30 pm. The place is small, but clean. Decor is very chic-modern Japanese. Service was incredibly prompt, attentive and polite.
There were a few groups of two and four at the restaurant. One group with small kids. By the time we left, the place was packed with a line-up outside.
We started with calamari and edaname sprinkled with Hawaiian salt. The calamari was flavorful and tender. I had the Tonkatsu Don, while my companion had the Tempura Katsu Don. The meat was juicy and melted in my mouth. The miso seemed to be more vibrant tasting than anything I've had at home. The salad dressing wasn't as good as some I've had at home, but it was still good.
The Choya Junmai Ume Sake was very smooth and delicate, like flower petals . The best sake that I have ever tasted.
I'm still salivating at the mere memory of that tonkatsu.
Just know that the parking during lunch hour is HORRENDOUS. They validate for the parking lot next door only during dinner.
Other than that, the tonkatsu is AWESOME. If you're looking for authentic tonkatsu, you absolutely have to order the Kurobuta pork tonkatsu ($36)! I know it's steep, but it really will be the best tonkatsu you'll ever have, unless you go to Japan (where the best tonkatsu will still cost you around $20).
The lunch special is a pretty good deal if you just want some tonkatsu. It's $13 for a small tonkatsu, fish, squash, shredded cabbage, miso soup, and daikon (I forget the proper term at the moment). This is worth it... if you can find parking.
I got to speak with the owner for a little and he said that this restaurant is one in a small chain that spans throughout Japan. I think this is why they have a large Japanese clientele: they recognize the name. I'd say this is hands-down the best Tonkatsu in Hawaii!
This place is good, but not as good as all the hype (or the prices). It's nice for the ambience and the neat way they serve the tonkatsu, but after trying it once, I am not tempted to go back. There are other places that have tonkatsu at a comparable level. While it may not be quite as good at the other places, it is one third the price. It really isn't worth it for me to go through the hassle of finding parking in Waikiki, trekking to ginza bairin, and dishing out my money in healthy quantities.
The food is great, the atmosphere is great, but the prices and parking situation are too overrated for me.
Awesome, authentic tonkatsu. Not easy on the wallet, but worth every cent!
Really authentic meal. We were the only English speaking people in the entire place. Service was excellent and the manager or maybe owner stopped by to talk with us twice.
My boyfriend was in heaven reminding him of his younger days in Japan. My giant tiger prawns were HUGE and so good. The miso soup here was really really good and the prices are very reasonable.
This is an all-around great restaurant: tasty food, friendly service and nice decor. Most of the items on the menu are different variations of tonkatsu, and my friends and I were happy with everything we got. The tonkatsu donburi was tasty, as was my hubby's lightly battered and fried organic chicken goodness. Our friends got the tonkatsu platter with "sizzling action" (yes, they ordered it based on the name alone), and they loved the mushroom sauce that was drizzled over the tonkatsu (that's what sizzles). If you're craving classy tonkatsu, this is the place to go.
BEST TONKATSU ON THE ISLAND!
But, what sets this tonkatsu apart from the average plate lunch?
Well, this tonkatsu was refined, delicate, and made with high quality pork loin. Each piece was a juicy, one-inch thick pork loin, fried to perfection. Not only was the tonkatsu good, the cabbage salad, the saba, and the tonkatsu sauce were also all delicious. That's right, even the salad was good! The cabbage was finely shredded and oddly, tasted great with the house tonkatsu sauce as salad dressing.
Though it can be expensive to eat here, I thought their daily lunch special was a great deal at $13. Plus, they offer endless bowls of salad and rice.
This is a must-try!
Authentic Tonkotsu. I recently returned from my travels in Japan and believe this restaurant has the closest I've had to many restaurants in Japan. We decided to order an array of Tokatsu: the Kurobuta, the Tenderloin and the Shrimp. To me, paying $36 for the Kurobuta was not really worth it but it was delicious. The service was excellent and the owner was very friendly and helpful. I will be back again.
PROBABLY THE MOST AUTHENTIC JAPANESE MEAL I'VE HAD IN MY LIFE....(NOTE: I STILL HAVEN'T BEEN TO JAPAN THOUGH)
Our friends decided they wanted to check this place during our stay in Oahu due to rave reviews from their friends. TONKATSU in the name says it all....and you definitely must order it from here, so don't come here if you don't eat pork!!!
As we arrived at this small cozy restaurant (located on a small side street near Waikiki Beach) we were greeted by the owner who was looking for potential passer-bys to try his restaurants...so he really tried to play up how good the food was, but little did he now we already planned to eat here and it did not disappoint.
I had the prime cut Tonkatsu which must have been 1+ inch thick and cost $32 per plate. There are also other cuts of Tonkatsu (one more lean and one more fatty and juicier) that aren't as thick but way above the average katsu and a little less expensive at around $26 per plate. My boyfriend had the Tonkatsu and egg rice bowl which he really enjoyed and was only $17 (cheap for this place).
The plating and presentation of each meal was so lovely. Each person received a tray of food served in Japanese dishes. It was way too cute. Another big plus was the staff was kind, corteous, and attentive.
One of the best parts of the meal was the make your own katsu sauce. They give a small bowl of sesames seed to grind with a warm stick. You then add the sauce to these grinded seeds and various spices to your Katsu sauce.....and boy was the sauce AMAZING!!!! Probably why the Katsu tasted so good.
And wow I ate everything on my plate. I drank all of the soup (I normally don't like Miso soup) and finished all the shredded cabbage which was sliced nice and thin and you got to choose between three choices of dressing. It was all good!!!
Some of the guys enjoyed authentic Japanese beer and/or cold Japanese sweet sake that you normally don't see in other Japanese restaurants.
Minus 1 star because this place is pretty pricey for Katsu...so if you don't mind spending the $$$ I'd definitel y reccomend checking this spot out.
OVERALL A GREAT EXPERIENCE!
Ebi Fries here are HUGE O_O!!!!!!!!
I wish we had these kind of restaurants in Bay Area!
My friends and I went here for a birthday dinner! it was soo worth it! I had the pork tenderloin because i didn't want fatty pieces and the waiter recommended that I get this cut...boy it was DELICIOUS! I really wanted to try the shrimp as well so i ordered a side piece and it was a huge fried shrimp that was soooo juicy!
The service was great! The waiters and servers were helpful and very sweet! Small restaurant great ambiance! I felt like I was in Tokyo!
I'm not a cabbage person but the side cabbage that comes with the meal was actually quite tasty....especially with all the tonkatsu sauce!
so yum! I would come again...just get ready to spend some dough it was quite pricey!
Disclaimer: I am not generally a fan of tonkatsu. And seeing all these people in very little clothing made me more than a bit self conscious about eating deep fried pork. All that went out the window as soon as I saw other people's entrees hah!
There was a lunch special for $25 with the regular tonkatsu, saba, onion rings, pickles, rice and the requisite shredded cabbage. Three of us four got the lunch special, and just to be different I got the tonkatsu sandwich (and I didn't feel like eating that much). The pork was juicy, tender and coated with the perfect amount of crunchy panko breading - just enough to add texture. My sandwich came on thick Japanese bread with hot mustard and a thin spread of the house tonkatsu sauce. The bread was good, but I don't eat bread so I tossed most of it and ate the pork by itself.
The lunch specials were very Japanese as far as meal structure goes - you can get as much cabbage as you want, if you can eat anymore after all the food that's included.
I really enjoyed it, but I still don't like tonkatsu all that much.
We stopped early on Sunday and both had the mid-priced tonkatsu which we found exceptional. The tonkatsu is at least twice as thick as those we usually find on the mainland, and its crust was delicious. Service was very good we were given explanations of ingredients for the sauces and dressings and the different cuts of tonkatsu.
The owner/manager was a fine host as was the waiter and we plan to return before leaving for home.
So if it is your last night in Hawaii and you want something completely mouth-watering and memorable, what might you get?
Answer: Calamari creamed croquettes.
If these don't blow your doors off, the Shiraae asparagus just might!
Meal presentation and interior design of Tonkatsu is flawless. Tonkatsu is an apt name for this place because, literally, all the entrees on the menu are breaded and fried and almost exclusively pork (there's one chicken option). Fortunately, there is more variety among the daily appetizers.
Surprisingly, the dressing on the salad was bland. So we were able to nicely jazz up the dressing by also dripping the Oroshi (radish) ponzu appetizer onto our salads. Just like Lazarus, the salad came to life!
This nice meal fortified us for one last walk along on Ala Moana Blvd in Waikiki. It's indistinguisable from the Strip in Vegas, both in the massive volume and type of people. Great for people-watching, but as a vacation getaway, well, I just don't know anymore...
Okay, it's back to the Pac Northwest now.
This weekend we took some friends from Japan to Tonkatsu Ginza Bairin and they mentioned that it reminded them of the restaurant in Japan. The restaurant is fairly small so reservations are recommended.
The prices on the menu is not cheap but for the quality of the food it is well worth the price. The rice alone is not your typical Diamond G quality but rather a superior quality imported from Japan. While dining at the restaurant you can get refills on the rice and cabbage salad.
The highlight on the menu is the kurobuta tonkatsu teishoku which is available in limited quantity per day. It's a thick cut of porkloin and is on the fattier side. Because of the high fat content it's very moist and tender. They also have a house tonkatsu sauce that when mixed with the freshly ground sesame seeds adds a roasted flavor to the pork.
There is validated parking available at the ANA building (Planet Hollywood) for $1.
My sister and I were craving tonkatsu and had read about the rave reviews from fellow yelpers and we were not dissapointed! We finished every morsel of the mouth-watering, melt-in-your-mouth pure deliciousness...and I'm not even a huge fan of pork or of fried food.
I ordered the regular pork katsu, which our Japanese waitress explained as being the leaner cut of the pork. My sis ordered the curry special they have on Tuesday and Wedesday, which is a thinner cut, gin-katsu (fattier). The food came with salad and miso soup and a generous portion of white rice. This was THE best tonkatsu we ever had - granted, we were raised on Korean-style tonkatsu, this was so yummy and we left the restaurant in pure bliss. We also ordered the dessert that came with a scoop of red bean ice cream and mochi balls, which was a great finish to the excellent meal.
Others have commented on the price. Well, for a dinner for 2, the bill was $50, which is really not very much, considering the quality of the meat and the attentive service you receive. I can't wait to go back there again before we leave for the mainland.
When we went on our Japan tour in '05, the tour guide took us to this hole in the wall tonkatsu place. It was pretty memorable because not only was the tonkatsu pork tasty, the crust was fried to perfection. Crisp, flakey and flavorful. You also get a bowl of sesame to smash up and add the tonkatsu sauce to. I've never been able to find a place like that in the states until this place!
Thanks to Yelp, I found this place while doing my research for my Honolulu trip for places to eat. We ate here for lunch today and got the lunch special which came with miso soup, unagi bowl, tonkatsu pork, potato salad and pickles.They served everything in cute bowls with a lid on top. It was fun to open everything and inhale the food. :)
Unagi was tender and soft but the lunch special portion of the tonkatsu wasn't enough for my craving. :) I would suggest just getting the tonkatsu since it's the specialty. Yums!
It's not up to snuff with what you get in Japan. Still, for Hawaii, it's decent.
If they aren't out of the special tonkatsu, that's the way to go, less ye like less fatty meat.
Curry action is on Wed & Thurs... didn't go back to try it... since it's not Japan quality tonkatsu, one visit was enough for me.
There arent many tonkatsu places stateside that are remotely good. Ginza is one of those exceptions. Ordered the thick cut per recommendation of the waiter, he said it was the most popular cut. Im taking it with a grain of salt, but either way it tasted pretty good! Paired with their tonkatsu sauce and the perfectly cooked rice, it was a match made in heaven for my taste buds. Service is attentive and pricing will be around $20+ a dish, so its slightly pricey for tonkatsu I personally think.
Now where can I find good tonkatsu in California? If only Saga japanese cuisine is still open -_-
We heard about this place from Yelp. Like everyone else, I agree that this is the most authentic Japanese restaurant I've been to, though I haven't been to Japan yet (does sitting in the Tokyo airport for 3 hours count? no? ). We wanted to go on our first night there, but it turns out the place is pretty small and they had a big table reserved. So we came back a few days later after making a reservation, which I recommend.
The decor inside is super cute, and looks almost like a little slice of Japan. The chefs and waiters were super nice and sincere, and helpful in explaining what we got, as well as the different parts of the meal.
I got the lean tonkatsu, which also came with a roasted sesame seeds that I crushed for my tonkatsu sauce, which was delicious. I'll admit, apart from our touristy luau dinner, this was the most expensive meal we paid for on the island. However, for the dining experience and the amazing tonkatsu, it was worth returning for.
The house special tonkatsu donburi is the best donburi I have ever had outside of japan. This place is modern, clean and the service excellent A++++! Well worth the long walk from our hotel to this place. Most recommended.
I am a Japanese national and this is the best Tonkatsu I had outside of Japan. Pork Tenderloin Tonkatsu is the best! It is not worth paying for Kurobuta though... I felt I saved me a trip to Japan.
For a stateside tonkatsu place, this place really does a god job with making one of the best tonkatsu dishes I think you will ever try in your life. Unless you go to Japan of course and then this place would just be average.
I ordered the oroshi katsu set which came with a side of grated daikon in a special homemade ponzu sauce. This was supposed to be the dipping for my tonkatsu. It was GREAT!! My tonkatsu was cooked perfectly. Seriously, I don't understand how they can get the breading so crispy and flakey, not oily and simply delicious.
The rice was also wonderful. That's one thing I always noticed about a really good tonkatsu restaurant. The rice. It's fluffy and has a bit of a bite and just perfect.
I also picked up a bottle of there homemade tonkatsu sauce. YUM!!!
If you are looking for really authentic tonkatsu, this is the place to go when you're in Waikiki.
We were idly wandering, after being dissapointed that we couldn't ride mopeds.... and my friend saw this place. Her eyes widened as she was DYING for some good katsu... so really, there was no use in arguing... (not that I wanted to, but, seriously, she was super excited).
I got katsudon, one of my favorite dishes. The egg was perfectly cooked over the katsu, which was also PERFECT. my only complaint was too much rice, but otherwise it was perfecto.
My friends got regular tonkatsu which looked delicious. I wanted to get the curry but since I felt strange ordering two dishes, I stuck with katsudon. I proceeded to get katsu curry at L&L's the next day-- big mistake, but I suppose that's another post.
Wow! This was the best katsudon I've ever had. The tonkatsu was cooked perfectly and had very little fat. The egg was over easy. The flavor of the sauce was wonderful. The rice was cooked to perfection. Our waitresses were cool.
In fact, everybody's tonkatsu was very good. Those that ordered straight up tonkatsu (not donburi or katsu curry) got a mortar and pestle to crush their sesame seeds. Bairin has their own special katsu sauce.
The only thing that was the least bit bad was that they didn't have beer on tap, and the Sapporo that I ordered was brewed in Canada.
Just went back. Yup, still as good!
(and still not quite as good as the original.)
And I'm going repeat again: someone please open a good tonkatsu joint in bay area.
Go there twice during per stay when we go to Honolulu. If we could squeeze in more meals in a day,… Read more »
Went with the family on a Monday night. Our server was excellent, a Honolulu local but versed in Japanese. He explained the entir menu for us (in English) and my son and I chose the thick cut, wife had the one with Ponzu sauce and daughter tried the Karaage Chicken. All were perfect and delicious. Of course we've had tonkatsu before but this was TONKATSU!
Not a lot for $120 but we a(four of us) were full as we left. Excellent sauce and very lightly coated and crispy. Not an everyday place for us but a great way to learn about really well prepared food.
I'm originally from Tokyo and always crave Japanese food and come here every once in a while when I'm in Waikiki to get the Atsugiri Tonkatsu Teishoku.. It's definitely one of the best places to get Tonkatsu in Hawaii, but it's a bit overpriced for what it is.. You can eat the same quality tonkatsu for half the price in Tokyo.. Menchanko-tei's tonkatsu is a little cheaper and is basically the same thing.. I give it a 3.5
Okay yes, this place is a bit pricey. It's a given especially since it's in Waikiki and is an upper-scale Japanese restaurant, so go into this restaurant knowing this.
I came into this place for lunch once and loved it! They have a special lunch set that was pretty reasonable. I think that the price helps pay for really good food, super great service and an awesome atmosphere. I am definitely a fan and will return one day soon.
REALLY?? REALLY? at $26 dollar an order, I had high expectations. I understand Tonkatsu is considered an art in Japan, but I honestly did not enjoy it all that much.
We ordered the Katsu-ni (tonkatsu don but in a clay pot kind of thing), and the ginger shoyu pork. Both of them were good, but not exceptional or anything. I make Katsu-don at home at the time and it tasted pretty darn close to my homemade version.
So supposely it is the special pork Kurobuta or something, the meat is tender and doesn't have as much of a pork flesh smell nor taste to it. But with everything being deep fried and coated with sauce, you can't taste the difference whatsoever.
For 2 entrees and one soda, our bill came out to be $54 dollars excluding tips. That's some expensive pork if you ask me. Not worth it at all, L&L and Zippy's taste better and only cost 1/5.
To be fair, I only had the lunch specials for $13 on a Weekday. The pork was pretty good. But as some reviewers said, I wouldn't pay the price of $38 for a 7 oz Tonkatsu:) I can get a filet mignon at the top steakhouse.
This place is amazing. It's one of the top tonkatsu restaurants out of Ginza in Japan according to my mom..which is why the place was probably packed with almost all non-local Japanese.
Bairin serves tonkatsu in various forms....black meat pork tonkatsu (Kuro buta, but the meat isn't actually black), thick cut tonkatsu, etc. The meat is tender and perfect. The miso soup also had fu in it! I've never seen fu in miso soup at many Japanese restaurants.
The cost is a bit high but once you get your tonkatsu, that won't even matter once you take a bite! :D
yes, definitely had to try the Kurobuta pig - the "Wagyu of pork"... it didn't disappoint. Love the tonkatsu sauce with the bamboo ladle, and the sesame seeds ground up with a wooden dowel - so authentic. The best tonkatsu I've had outside of Japan. They also have the Yebisu beer (export, I think), that I've only ever had in Tokyo. I heard about their katsu-sando lunch special -if I worked anywhere near Waikiki, I'd be on that in a heartbeat.
We were looking for a sushi place across the street at the Breakers hotel that apparently is no longer there when we came across this place. It looked like a sushi place, but everything was breaded pork or chicken! We were hungry and thought, hey why not try something new? I had never heard of tonkatsu, but basically it is lightly breaded pork tenderloin served with rice and shredded cabbage. They also have fried chicken, which I had been craving for a long time, so I ordered it.
Of course what makes it really tasty is the various sauces that you can customize in the little bowls and dip the pork like sushi. All of this we had to deduce from observing the table next to us, which was seated after we ordered our food. The table next to us also received sesame seeds, which they ground up themselves on their table. I'm not sure if you have to ask for it or if we didn't receive that because we were non-Japanese.... but I think the meal would've been really amazing with the sesame. Otherwise, we were treated well and people weren't staring at us for being the only non-Japanese, white couple in the place.
Honolulu, HI
Category: Japanese
Honolulu, HI
Category: Japanese
Honolulu, HI
Category: Japanese
Honolulu, HI
Category: Sushi Bars
Honolulu, HI
Category: Japanese
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