Tonkatsu Tamafuji

My review is for take out only. Wanted to avoid the long wait, ordered a bento box(includes cabbage, and miso soup). Wow, great presentation, great food. Definitely appreciate the quality, highly recommend! Only took about 30m (they give a pickup time) for my 2p shrimp 2p pork loin bento box. I arrived on time and I watched them bring my order out of the kitchen. Very efficient! Used street parking, but they have a parking complex beneath the building (unsure of cost).

It’s fun and delicious, albeit a bit heavier than one would usually budget for Japanese food. Katsu was perfectly done, and the variety of dips was so fun. Careful not to use too much soy sauce though! And while I tried some of the oysters, pork is definitely the play. Self grinding is fun! We managed to walk in before the big rush, and the wait wasn’t too bad for a weekday lunch

Tamafuji Tonkatsu was one of the most memorable meals we had in Hawaii. We ended up waiting almost two hours after originally being told it would be about an hour, but honestly… it was completely worth it. I knew my boyfriend was really wanting to try this place so it was a small sacrifice I have never in my life had such an incredibly tender piece of pork tenderloin. It practically melted in your mouth. The quality, crispiness, flavor, and attention to detail in every part of the meal were next level. You can truly taste why this place is so highly rated and why people are willing to wait for it. From the perfectly cooked tonkatsu to all the little sides and sauces, everything felt thoughtful and authentic. The staff worked hard despite how busy it was, and the whole experience felt special from start to finish. If you’re visiting Honolulu and love Japanese food, this place is an absolute must. Just be prepared for a wait but trust me, it’s worth every minute..

The meat was really good super fresh tasting and cooked perfectly. I also got a sandwich and it was delicious. Overall the experience was very fun, and I would definitely recommend this place. The staff were also nice.

Fully booked for several months so showed up at 2:55pm on a Monday & was able to get 2nd in line on the walk-in list that the staff sets out at 3:00pm. They start seating promptly at opening 4:00pm & we were able to be seated around 4:10/4:15pm after the host called for reservations that were not there. Definitely make a reservation online, but if you have an hour or two to spare, I think it’s worth the wait to come on a weekday if you have never been. Our favorites from best to least from what we ordered were the oysters, aged pork loin, shrimp, & meatballs (the meatballs are very large, we could have split one. Or I would skip this next time). We preferred the shiso rice over the seasoned rice they had that day, & we both had the red miso with clams. All of the katsu’s were so good! The breading was super crispy and flavorful, & while everything was still super moist. I saw reviews about inconsistencies, but luckily all our items were very tasty. After looking at a couple other places because I was not sure I wanted to wait, I finally decided they did not look quite as good, & my husband & I were very happy we went here. I also really liked the hot mustard that came with the tonkatsu. The shredded cabbage & the two dressings provided were very tasty. Another server was offering tables more cabbage as we were packing up to leave. The servers were polite during our interactions, but as it is an extremely busy place, not much in terms of checking in again once you place your order. Definitely felt a bit rushed. One server pushed the bill beside my arm from behind very quickly in passing which my husband did not really appreciate. We have not had proper tonkatsu before (chicken katsu a handful of times), so I can’t compare to other spots on the island, but I would come back if I am able to make a reservation.

If you can’t get a reservation you can walk in, it’ll be a long wait but it’s absolutely worth the wait! One of the most delicious things I’ve ever ate. Highly recommend this place! The pork was incredible and I don’t even like pork at all but this was something much better than I could’ve imagined.

We had a very long wait but the food and experience was very nice. Getting to grind your own sesame seeds for the Katsu sauce was fun. The shiso rice was also a good choice.

This was high on my list too get a reservation and I finally procured one! You have to book 3 months in advance or wait in line right before the restaurant opens. The food was great, especially the oysters and shrimp. The pork is good, but the 300g was too much for me. The beer came out ice cold and tasted fantastic. It was a great meal and fantastic service. I would recommend and return.