Waikīkī Shokudo

Located right at the heart of the busy Waikiki, the spot was unsurprisingly packed even during weekdays dinner time. Reservations certainly recommended as walk-ins were available but might end up requiring bit of wait. Plenty of options from the menu but seemed like almost all tables having the Garlic Beef Rice hence we went for it. Luscious balanced of pepper and garlic flavors to enjoy with warm beef rice! The Miso Butterfish was so moist but we thought the seasoning marination could’ve been better as it’s strong on the edge part but not equally at the center. Our highlight was the Mentaiko Cheese Mochi being so distinctive that we’ve never seen anything similar elsewhere. The mochi was flawlessly chewy and the overall flavor and texture mix this dish nailed was on point. The broth was a surprise element to us, yet what we did love the most.

First time to this location and left extremely happy and with full belly. PARKING- at Hyatt Centric... walk if possible, or drive the smallest vehicle as reaching the designated 6th floor and maneuvering the narrow & tight turns was anxiety-filled. Super short walk to the restaurant. FOOD- a lot of different items than the kaimuki shokudo which we thoroughly enjoyed a little bit of everything- salads, kauai shrimp, garlic pepper rice, gyutan, tonjiru soup, mentai mochi.... and rolls, ALL goodies. Ended the evening with honey toast because it's an absolute must. SERVICE- our online res didn't go thru, however were added to the queue and seated in 5 minutes even with a line of patrons waiting on the stairs. super attentive server (she was awesome i'm sorry didn't recall her name) checked on the 5 of us frequently, refilled water/coke so we didn't have to ask, ensured we received our items as quickly as possible, and apologetic when we had a long stall in time for the last couple of dishes. as local residents, we would def return and even if it's a bit more calmer at kaimuki as we have two great options for yummy food.

Super great service. We had arrived a little late trying to find parking. But they were very accommodating. The food was super good! Small plates to share and the drinks were really good too. We got the mentaiko yakisoba, ichibo steak, niku tofu and other great food that I unfortunately did not take photos of. The lemon chu-hi was really good too. I recommend adding the honey to it! Overall a great experience and will definitely be coming back!