Sushi Sasabune

A little off the main Waikīkī strip, but so worth the while to come here. I can say by far, this is the best omakase experience and course I’ve had EVER. The staff are so attentive, and the fish is buttery soft melt in your mouth delights. 11/10 and 5 stars!!

Overall, would come back! Hands down, the food is good. Arguably up there with any other great omakase places. You just got to go try it. There's no way to describe it. Each piece was fresh and good. Corkage fee per bottle, I believe it was something like $25/bottle. Don't remember if ice cream dessert was included, but don't think it was. Great spot for date night, get togethers, business client meetings. Atmosphere/decor okay, but for the food, the quality, and the price, easy to overlook!

I struggle to understand the negative reviews. We visited Sushi Sasabune based on local recommendations and did no research prior. We didn’t realize it was an Omakase style until the second course, but the quality was already high. Some reviews mention a rude atmosphere, but sitting at the bar we felt very welcomed. They did not make us tell them to stop as the specially designed menu was set at 13 courses. The chef even made a custom hand roll to finish out for my wife based on preferences he picked up during light conversation. The cost was high, but well worth it. Yes all pieces had special sauces, but the quality of the fish was also high. We had a wide variety of fish including several types of tuna, eel, snapper, salmon, mackerel, and hamachi. It forced us outside of our comfort zone but we ended up loving it all. The finish was a miso soup that went well beyond a basic mix and included elements from all courses tried throughout the evening. It was still traditional miso, but with a much richer flavor and a perfect end to the meal. Omakase means you leave it up to the chef, and their motto is to trust them. Those saying this isn’t traditional omakase need to relearn the true meaning. Sushi Sasabune was one of a kind and worth ever penny. Thank you to the incredibly attentive staff and world class chefs. We’ll be back!

I first started coming here 25+ years ago when I was working on a project in Honolulu; we would take our client from the mainland there because he loved it so much. My wife and I ate there in 2001 when we first started dating. It was mind blowing, surreal, sushi like you never get anywhere else, although you need to be able to eat about anything shows up (or let your companions eat yours). The chef had the reputation at the time of being the "sushi Nazi" because he would kick people out if they did not eat the sushi bites properly. We just went back this week, and were delighted to find that the place has not changed a bit! It still looks like a hole in the wall from the outside in a credit part of town, is attractive and welcoming inside, and the food is still mind-blowingly incredible. The same chef is still there, when we talked to our waiter about it, he laughed and said that the chef is much nicer now, and in fact he was all smiles when we thanked him profusely as we left. I guess another thing that did change is the prices, no surprise. It is shockingly expensive, so you need to be able to pay for it and consider it a once in X years special occasion. You can tell them to stop partway through the experience which is 12 – 14 dishes and it will be less. We went all the way through, plus a large bottle of sake, and 2 desserts, and the bill was $950 including the service charge/tip and taxes. Still, a must do if you are a sushi connoisseur!

Top two omakase experience in my life. I went to some Michelin star omakase in Paris, some in Japan, Canada, USA. Here the sushi is amazing. Even though you get pieces 2 by 2, I found the fish / spice assortment amazing. Really impressed. Some aspects are lower tier than other omakase restaurants of the same price: cheap chopsticks, pace, slightly dated decor. But the food was so good… 5*! Btw I really loved the look of the place. Conserving this type of decoration is very important. It is just very different from the current fashion, BUT I LOVE IT!

Had my first omakase dinner tonight and wow… what an experience. Easily one of the best meals I’ve ever had. Favourite bite was the sea urchin. Insane!

Would I go there again? Probably not. It's pretty pricey. You can get to experience local fish and unique sushi. I didn't love every single dish, but there are a handful that I can appreciate and it was an interesting and unique experience since I normally eat the same type of more common sushi. I think there's a lack of transparency with the omakase style and pricing. I think you can end your courses earlier if you wanted to save money or was full, but we didn't know that and just paid for every course and didn't end up eating the last few dishes thinking it was an all-in cost. The place is also a bit stuffy And not very inviting . The chef who looked like the head chef has a Stern stare and I felt judged by him and the staff . I echo what some of the other reviewers say about it. Feeling like the place thought highly of itself . I mostly wouldn't go back because it's expensive for what it is. It was minimum 200 per person.

I have been to sushi restaurants all over. Mostly, the restaurants i have been to, people rave about the food and I usually feel mediocre at best. HOWEVER, this was hands-down, the best sushi experience i have ever had! There is no menu for food (that is saw) and dish after amazing dish kept on arriving at the table. All so different and all so amazing with fantastic flavors melting around my palate. A couple of us had to tap-out near the end, but worth every single bite. With drinks and food, we were just over $200 per person and well-worth it! This unassuming restaurant is a hidden gem! If you are in Ohau, you must make the time to experience this!

Amazing! I took my girlfriend for her birthday. She loved it so much I’m glad we we were able to go. The sushi was top notch, and omakase experience was one of the best I’ve ever experienced in all my travels. Hats off to the chef.

Fantastic high end sushi restaurant. Worth the price tag, but be prepared for it if you have never been. We paid $200 per person when we went. I've had high quality sushi and sushi with great flavors before, but this is the best I've ever had of both worlds. Extremely high quality fish and really well played out flavors in the offerings. Highly reccomend this place.