4. Restaurants

Gokoku

7192 Kalanianaole Hwy,Ste D-105, Honolulu, HI, 96825
  • (808) 888-7777
  • Store is closed

Gokoku Menu

Sorry, We are updating this restaurant menu details.

Sorry, We are updating this restaurant cholesterol menu details.

  • Judy W.

    We were excited to see that this new restaurant opened up in koko Marina... They didn't look busy at all so we thought to walk in and try it out..: only to be greeted and told that they only take reservations bec they can feed up to 70 people per nite. And that they were fully booked already, while they had a lot of tables open and available. Major disappointment

    (1)

  • Keld C.

    Unfriendly staff--was fully booked so the hostess recommended we sit at the bar and have appetizers. There were only 5 appetizers to choose from. beer glass was small n bartender was sour puss.

    (1)

  • Marcus O.

    Awesome Japanese food. I've lived in Tokyo for 13 years and so I'm always underwhelmed by the food when I'm in Hawaii. Gokoku was seriously impressive. Great sushi, beautiful presentation, beautiful atmosphere.

    (5)

  • P M.

    Well... I will start with the fact that I live in LA. Some locals suggested this place for sushi. Its a nice cute restaurant but I wouldnt go back. The sushi menu was VERY limited. Like a choice of about 10 roll choices and that is it. No sashimi. No nigiri. The menu was a hodgepodge of asian-ish foods. But then some weird chicken things and stuff that wasnt Japanese at all. Its confusing. So I ordered 2 rolls. Bleh. Not good. Fish was no fresh, but rubbery. Didnt taste good at all. Maybe Im spoiled with the amazing sushi you can get in LA. But just no.

    (2)

  • Kristiana H.

    The bar and restaurant is really nice. Has potential to be a happening spot. The food was good but a little pricey. The service wasn't great. I was asking questions about the menu and the server didn't know. The drink menu was fun but I asked questions about the drink menu and the server didn't know about the drinks on the menu.

    (2)

  • Dunny C.

    Service took unreasonably long, portions were small. But that was expected for fine dining right? You would expect if you pay $13 or so for a California roll the meat would be CRAB and not imitation. Also, the wait for food was just insane. My wife and I were in there for about two hours and that was WITHOUT alcohol. Never again..

    (1)

  • Mich W.

    Walked in on a Saturday lunchtime...was told ah sorry no can take you without reservations. Didn't offer for us to wait or nothing. Just sorry no reservations no can help you. Seeing the bad reviews not going to try it at all. Don't waste your time drive to town for good sushi bars.

    (1)

  • Watah H.

    So so food, intolerant haughtiness, no wonder the place is a joke. They have tons of staff doing nothing but fake working. Then they turn away customers who walk in off the street as they are "reservation" only. What a joke. This company doesn't know hospitality and barely know food.

    (2)

  • Evan R.

    We had dinner at Gokoku on Friday night after a long anticipated wait. The service was marginal, the ambiance was dead quiet with no music, and the food was "so so" at best. I think the restaurant staff needs a little time to iron out their dishes and service.

    (1)

  • Jonas O.

    This is hands down the highest quality Japanese restaurant Hawaii Kai shopping center has ever seen. As a sushi chef I appreciate the superior quality of rice they use. Presentation and portion sizes were perfect. The lunch set had an amazing variety of udon, chawanmushi, tempura, and anindofu desert. Super nice staff. The udon melted like butter in my mouth. The rice was cooked perfectly. Fish was super duper fresh. The ambiance amazing. Modern clean design overlooking the marina. Worth every penny.

    (5)

  • David M.

    BODY HAIR IN SUSHI RICE - I'M DONE! Tried to be fair and open-minded, and give Gokoku another opportunity. Besides the menu remaining relatively the same and basic (they don't even have sushi handrolls) - seeing the hair in the sushi rice as I was about to eat it, that just did it for me. I lost my appetite after that, but to be fair the restaurant 'comped' us all the sushi we ordered. But what cannot be 'comped' was that this was a dayoff for my wife and I, both of us having full-time work schedules. This was a precious night out for our busy family - time is precious, and another not another moment of our family's will be wasted at Gokoku.

    (1)

  • Jean P.

    What a shame. The consensus of reviews is on point. I love Japanese food and there are quite a few wonderful Japanese eateries on O'ahu and this is not one of them. Shame. I had high hopes for this place as Hawai'i Kai was in desperate need of quality Japanese food but this is not high quality. Ambiance is not as important as the quality of food and service. Ambiance is why this has one star, sadly the quality of food and service was beyond lackluster

    (1)

  • Susong H.

    lunch set menu $15/18/24. Worried if the food will come out slow/late as other reviews, but it came out very fast and very satisfying visually and tatewise. Will definitely visit again for the atmosphere and for the food. Went dinner time, little expensive, since small dishes adds up. Wish to have more varieties/choices, and the rolls be tightened up :) similar to Gazen, but great atmosphere, so hopefully they will improve on menu/price.

    (4)

  • Naholowaa G.

    I love it. The hostesses are really nice and welcoming. Our waitresses name is Kaylin and she seemed really nice. She knew the menu really well and she was able to answer all my questions about the dishes. The food service is fast and everyone is very polite. Gokoku is a perfect restaurant for Hawaii kai!

    (5)

  • Patti K.

    Nice ambiance and waiters and waitresses are very nice but kitchen (we assume) somewhat incapable of getting the order straight. Had to ask for wasabi and shoyu and tempura sauce. Received it almost ten minutes after getting the tempura and sushi. One entree still had not arrived almost 45 minutes after we ordered. Ordered kids food first. Came out last. Imagine the chaos. We will give them the benefit of the doubt because they are new. Management was extremely apologetic and discounted our tab. Would probably come again in about a year after all the kinks are worked out.

    (3)

  • Nancy K.

    Love their food. Just right size portion and taste. People say they are very expensive, I agree but before you go there, you already know they are expensive. I do not understand Why they always complain about it. Beautiful atmosphere and great food! Hoping more server that has experienced.

    (5)

  • Caesar P.

    Nicely appointed neighborhood restaurant. Very cordial waiter, prompt and attentive. However, food is overpriced and quality not on par with what cost and definitely not comparable with other high end Japanese restaurants which is apparently where this restaurant is trying to position itself. We had a few appetizers, notably disappointing were the foie gras and sushi rolls we ordered as appetizers. Both are equal in taste and quality with most of the fast food and sushi establishments around town. Ceviche was good and the only high point of the evening. Entree was equally disappointing. Their dry and tasteless version of wagyu beef should be taken off the menu. Can't recommend this establishment. Two stars for decor and ambiance.

    (2)

  • Denby R.

    How sad. We tried. The wait staff was really very nice. Smiling bowing smiling bowing. Lots of bowing. Every time the come and leave the table they bow. Pricing blah blah. Ok. We know they are pricy. But the food: This is the first time I have ever spit out uni. I know....sinner. But this was rotten. (They saw me do it and didn't ask if anything was wrong but offered the bill) The salmon was good. But small. And the special salmon belly tasted sour. Like there was citrus on it but I don't think this was part of the order. Clam miso soup for 7.50 was fine. Five little clams in a bowl filled up one third of the way. It tasted fine. We asked the waiter how big the beer on draft was and he said really tall. It was a narrow standard beer glass. Not big. But tasty. We paid and left. 75$ Went to find food elsewhere.

    (2)

  • Pamela S.

    I wanted to like this place... I really did! A new sushi place around the corner from my house... yes please! Unfortunately, there are not many good things to say. Service: SUPER slow. Like we sat there for 20 minutes before anyone even came over. Oh, and did I mention that we were one of like 8 tables in this huge restaurant? Then, when the waiter finally did come over, we wanted to know what was in the preset meals and our answer was "fish." Thanks... that's what I meant. Don't you think I would expect it to be fish? We got there at 7:30 and didn't leave until 9:30. Plan to spend a full evening here. Cost: Crazy high. Food: Most of it was pretty good, but after such a long wait, anything would have tasted good. Positives: Lots of parking and beautiful restaurant.

    (1)

  • Karen C.

    I feel bad for this new restaurant. They're really struggling to be a well run restaurant. Our waitress was super apologetic every time she came to our table because the wait for food is forever and a day. This place is really expensive. Fine, I guess we're in for some better quality sushi then, right? Wrong. Haha so wrong. The wait is long, the food is pricey, but the taste/aesthetics can't even deliver! I got the spicy tuna roll, sister got the tempura teishoku, mom got two sushi rolls. Everything looked and tasted soooo average. Not inedible, just average. I mean Gyo Taku might've been better. Yanagi is better. The interior is super highly decorated, so I'm guessing the recent menu change (and price hike) is to compensate for how much they spent on renovating the restaurant. I wouldn't come here again. If everything was less then $10, yea I'd come again sure. But for this price, for this wait.... Come on. At least make it hella good or look kinda fancy. No effort was put into the food.

    (2)

  • Krysten I.

    This was the worst restaurant experience I've had. Maybe ever. I've never wanted to walk out of a restaurant so badly. I was looking forward to Gokoku opening since I noticed the new sign in koko marina months ago. Koko marina is in high need for a good japanese restaurant. This isn't it. I called to make sure they were open and the guy I talked to was very friendly and excited about their opening. I made a reservation for 9pm because that was the earliest available time. We walked in a little before 9 to a little walkway that would make claustrophobics go nuts. It's an awkward layout that makes you check in and wait awkwardly on the side while people squeeze by you to come in or out. We were seated promptly and looked over the dinner menu. The waiter came by to give us waters and asked if we wanted anything else to drink. Seeing as we had no drink menu (I think they expect you to somehow already know what kind of beverages they serve), I declined. The boyfriend ordered a hot tea. If you want to order a hot tea and be told it's "coming soon" and not actually receive it until 20 mins later, after reminding your server that it's supposed to be coming, come dine at Gokoku. -_______- We ordered three things, it's not that hard. We received one, the tempura. We were then incorrectly brought three other plates of food belonging to other customers. They didn't mess up once, they messed up 3 times!!! After coming to our table, the wait staff wandered around asking other tables if they ordered what they had offered us. It was hard to turn down since I was so hungry. The waiter then asked us if we needed any desserts to finish our meal. Interesting, as we hadn't received the rest of our food. In fact, we had inhaled the tempura without receiving even napkins!! Almost an hour after we sat down, our sushi order finally arrived. But you have to ask for shoyu, don't expect them to bring it to you, even if you wait an hour. Your plates also won't be cleared while you wait an hour for the rest of your meal to come out. The food is expensive for such terrible service, save yourself he trouble and just eat at zippys (next door). You'll have a much more pleasant dining experience.

    (1)

  • Stephanie M.

    An exquisitely unique and adventurous new Japanese restaurant finally opens in Hawaii Kai! Originating in Japan Gokoku Sushi will be the first of its kind to open in America and Hawaii. So cool! The restaurant space is lovely: glass windows, beautiful light fixtures with soft lighting, comfortable seating with appropriate place settings, elegant displays, and even a stylish bathroom (at least for the women's). There is a small lanai overlooking the marina, which adds to the already-perfect ambiance. I had the honor of attending one of their VIP nights to enjoy (and brave) some of their signature dishes, all with high quality and great presentation. There was a sushi/sashimi buffet with amazing cuts of fresh fish, succulent shrimp heads, and of course, a variety of tempura. There were also some very notable small bites that I have never seen, nor tried before. The first was the chawan mushi or "custard egg" with edible gold flakes on top. Surprisingly yummy with such beautiful presentation. Second was a tofu with uni. Something that seems "normal", but the tofu was so soft and silky it almost tasted like a pudding. Definitely something to try! In addition to all these great qualities the service was so friendly and efficient. Each person was helpful, thoughtful, and made the experience great with a cherry on top. I hope to go back to Gokoku to discover other menu items and continue to expand my palate with these adventurous bites. I think this restaurant will do very well in Hawaii! Grand Opening is Sunday, December 14, so make sure to try it out!

    (4)

  • Lacie S.

    The absolute worst dining experience EVER. Save yourself the time and money and do not go here! Service was so horrible that the manager switched with our server and waited on us personally. To start, our initial waiter did not know the menu. For the set menu, it stated appetizer and fish. When I inquired what the appetizer was, he said it depends on what they have. Puzzled, we asked him to elaborate and he said it can change depending on the moment you order it. When I asked about the fish, he said there were 3 kinds of white fish. When I asked which fish he didn't know. Eventually, I asked him to go check with the chef to let me know. Upon his return, he told us the appetizer was a scallop dish BUT when he gave us our food, it was ceviche! As for food wait time, we were the first in our section. 6 tables later, my father finally received his food (again, after 6 other tables were served). I did not receive my food until 4 other tables had come, ate, and left! As for quality of food, saying it was mediocre is a stretch. Everything was ridiculously salty...side dishes, fish, miso soup, udon, and veggies. In the end, the manager gave us free ice cream as we were walking out the door. No discount, free appetizer as we waited for our food, or anything was given. Maybe wrongfully expected, but any other restaurant would have done something.

    (1)

  • M D.

    I have to say that this place caters first hand to Japanese tourist and don't treat locals with respect. We went in for lunch one day and they were so rude to us that we just walked out. However, they totally cater to Japanese nationals. Our party of four went next door to another restaurant eat instead. I will never recommend this place to anyone ever. What they have to learn is that you cannot exclude locals from your customer mix, or treat them bad. Every restaurant that's gone into this space has closed quickly within a year because of bad customer service, bad food or because it was a bad concept restaurant. This is the first one who treats locals like crap. I had to pick a star to leave a rating for this place to post this review otherwise they'd get zero stars -- period!

    (1)

  • Steve T.

    Great place for authentic Japanese sushi and sashimi plus many other scrumptious dishes that made me feel like I was back in Japan... Extraordinary service and luxurious surroundings right on the water of Hawaii Kai's Marina was so romantic and inviting. Will be back for sure and recommend this to all of our friends!!

    (5)

  • Patti K.

    Sashimi teishoku was great. We were here early so no crowd. They've changed a bit over the months...still trying to see what works. Good food and beautiful atmosphere!

    (4)

  • Emiri H.

    Gokoku has super duper nice decor. The food was alright. The best sushi plate was the rainbow roll. Their salmon melted in my mouth. The rest of the fish from the sashimi trio was alright. The gokoku Sunday was soooooooooooo amazingly delicious. All of their dishes had GREAT presentation. This restaurant is very stylish.

    (4)

  • Kayla R.

    Not sure about all these horrible reviews people made, because I didn't experience any of these complaints. Especially we came on a Saturday night when it was packed! The service: EXTREMELY FAST, it was amazing how fast our drinks and food came! And they were really good about constantly filling up our water! My husband and I like that! The food: it was pretty basic, although our server Alex (thumbs up on his service) told us it's just their soft opening menu, and they will be expanding their menu later this week! So we will try to come and visit again! I loved everything about this place. It's very modern, not very traditional Japanese. Clean and fresh new restaurant is always appealing! And exactly what Hawaii Kai needs! I guess people are constantly complaining about they do offer take out, but seriously. Why would you want good food just to be taken out? Just dine in and get the full experience! I hope this restaurant is here to stay! P.S. They also offer valet!

    (4)

  • Adele K.

    My client treated my husband and I to an anniversary dinner at Gokoku in Koko Marina and the experience was excellent from beginning to end! We had a reservation and was seated right away. The service was excellent and the ambiance was pretty nice. The menus were a bit cumbersome but I think the elderly would appreciate the large font size! I ordered the misoyaki butterfish and my husband ordered the Mahina set. The presentations were perfect. The tastes were excellent. I wish the desserts were larger in portion size, lol! When we received our bill, there was a cute little thank you card from our server. What a nice finishing touch! The past few restaurants at that location didn't last very long, but if Gokoku is consistent with their food standards and service, I think it'll be a well known landmark on the East side.

    (5)

  • Joseph V.

    The 5th time for my wife and I to this place. The prices recently dropped some and if you want a deal go for then"prix fixe" menu options. Really an excellent meal no matter how you swing it. Genuinely good service although maybe a little slow, but the wait was always worth it... Highly recommended!

    (5)

  • Stephanie K.

    Excellent vibe and atmosphere and by far the best Japanese restaurant east of Japan. Quality service with exceptional food and drinks. The tempura is worth a visit alone. Going back to try the lunch menu next.

    (5)

  • Madoka P.

    Beautiful decor with a nice view of the marina, good food, but service lacking. Came here for lunch about a month ago. We got the $15 set menu. The presentation was gorgeous. The udon and tempura were delicious, but the chawanmushi was oddly hard, and the sushi rolls had too much going on. I like simple. No complaints about the quality or price. However, the service was so odd. The door was opened by a young Asian man who did not invite us in but just stood there answering my questions. He would listen intently and then run in and come back out with the answer. But they were answers he should've known... Thank god our server was a nice local boy who had no trouble communicating with us. Oddly enough, we were speaking Japanese and yet all the Japanese employees continued speaking in English that was not very good. Maybe they are told to speak only English... Will not return until they work out the kinks with their employees and hear/read good things about this place. It was disappointing because there's not many authentic Japanese places in this neighborhood...

    (2)

  • Erik H.

    If you want to order three simple dishes, get one in a reasonable amount of time then wait for almost an hour for the other two, come here. That's what happened last night to my date and I. We arrived about 10 minutes before our reservation time and were seated almost immediately. The menus we were given are "temporary" and their new menus will arrive at the end of January with items that contain a "European twist." After reading through the menu, we decided on an assorted tempura platter, a dragon roll and two pieces of salmon sushi. One thing about the menu, for their sushi rolls, they don't list what's in them. There are popular items you can find at other sushi establishments, but there are others I've never heard of. Also, the wait staff wasn't really knowledgeable on what was in some of the appetizers. Anyway, about 10 minutes after placing our order out comes the tempura platter. It includes two pieces each of shrimp, asparagus, eggplant, zucchini, fish, chicken and what we think was potato. To me it was all right. I like my tempura to be firm and really crunchy. This was just the opposite. It also tasted kind of bland and the tempura sauce didn't help with the flavor issue. Now that the tempura platter was done, we were ready to get our next round of food. A waitress brought out a sushi platter that looked nothing like a dragon roll or salmon sushi. Before she set it down we informed her that it wasn't for us. She had a puzzled look on her face and asked the party next to us if it was for them. She got another no and moved on. This happened about two more times. About 20 minutes after we had finished our tempura platter, our waiter came by and asked if we wanted dessert. My date and I looked at each other and then told the waiter that we hadn't received the rest of our order. He said he'd go check to see about it. One thing too, our dirty dishes were still sitting in front of us. Five minutes short of being in the restaurant for an hour we finally received the rest of our order. YAY! But wait. It wasn't our waiter who brought it out. No. It was the water boy. He had stopped by our table to check on us because we were just sitting at our table for the longest time with no plates coming or going. He was the saving grace otherwise we were about to walk out. But yet again, we were left waiting. There was no shoyu on the table and no shoyu had been brought with the food to mix with the wasabi. The waiting game continued until another waiter came by. You'd think it would be a given for them to bring out shoyu since they don't have it readily at the table. One thing about the dragonroll. When I think of dragon, I think of fire. When I think of fire and sushi, I think of spicy ahi. There was no spicy ahi. Just crab mix, rolled in rice, topped with avocado and eel. The fire came from the shoyu wasabi mix. Disappointing. So, to wrap up, if you like guessing what's in some of the rolls then dine here! If you want to experience a mickey mouse wait staff, dine here! If you want to sit for an our and gaze into your dates eyes for an hour while pondering on leaving because your food is taking forever, dine here! PS: when we were initially seated, I was looking at the dinnerware. I noticed a chip on one of my girlfriends plates and joked with her that it's a sign of things to come during our time there. I wish that joke didn't turn out to be correct -_______-

    (1)

  • Reina L.

    Went to dinner here with the family for New Year's Eve, we were impressed with the modern design. The restaurant is beautiful, there is no denying that, but it is pricey! The food is beautifully plated and is excellent! But, wasabi is $1.25? It wasn't even hot! Oyster shooters are $11.75 for two small, no tobasco, no spiciness, in a shotglasses single oyster with red sauce and green onion. I gave three stars because we had to ask for my mom's order of assorted tenpura. We had to ask for a refill of Coke. We had to ask twice for two sushi slices of the house fish for my step-dad and then for his brother. When my step-dad had asked the girl for my wasabi, she had to say there would be a charge for it. Ok, well I wasn't going to walk all the way to Walgreens to buy us some. The only thing this place impressed me with was the food presentation (as you will see from my pics) and the restaurant itself. The food was pretty good, but when I wanted to take my Japanese seafood stew home for my sick son to eat...I was told they only had paper boxes for people to use. I had to carry out my son's left over misoyaki lamb, no bags to put your box in. No chawanmushi served at dinner either, only during lunch? Since they just opened on December 15th, they have time to improve! Please do, because with the price we paid, we do expect much better. We had 6 of us and I know our bill was over $300, the waiter asked my mom if she wanted change brought back? Of course, she didn't hand it to you and say keep it I don't need the change.

    (3)

  • Jenny L.

    The presentation is great - most of the dishes are cute. The sashimi 5 came with fake ice and blue led lights under the sashimi. So it was cute, although real ice would have been better. I gave 3 stars because the food was good and presentation was cute, but not worth the expensive price.

    (3)

  • Josie K.

    Gokoku Sushi serves authentic traditional and contemporary Japanese cuisine. It has Hawaii's only Sushi & Tempura Bar. Reservation is a must for lunch and dinner. The restaurant is situated on the waterfront at Koko Marina Center so diners who are seated by the windows can enjoy nice views of the marina. Food is tasty but quite pricey so perhaps it's a place for special occasions. They have a great sake selections with small portions priced to encourage sampling. Servers are friendly but are still not knowledgable on the food served. Got the names of the sushi pieces wrong and can't tell you what's in the tempura platter. They offer free valet parking by Elite Valet on Fridays and Saturdays, 5 pm to 10 pm.

    (4)

  • John D.

    I am not a fan of Japanese food but my wife insisted we have lunch here. I was seriously impressed. As we walked up to the restaurant, the Maitre d' opened the door and welcomed us. She seated us at a table with a view of the Marina. We were immediately aattended to by our waiter who brought us our menus and took our drink orders. My Martinini was excellent with the exception of the glass. Any one who orders a Martini at lunch doesn't want to fool around with a stem that doesn't come out of where it's supposed to. My wife had the Bento Box and I had the Tempura at her suggestion. She said the food was better than Gyotaku. I wouldn't know. The restaurant was very nice and open with nice ambience and views. Everyone was very polite and all said goodbye as we left. A very nice experience.

    (4)

  • J J.

    The short version Food: Like I was back in Japan Service: Japanese-style excellence, very accommodating (yes, it might seem like overkill, but that's how they're trained) Decor: Modern/funky Overall: Amazing experience that was reminiscent of modern fine-dining in Japan. The extended version... We decided to try Gokoku as a "simple" way to celebrate a big birthday for my dad. We were all pleasantly surprised at how incredible the experience was. Food: It was perhaps the one time we couldn't decide what our favorite dish was. The tempura was light, crispy, and flavorful. The sushi was of high-quality. My dad raved about how wonderfully different the Anago tasted compared to the local teriyaki-dipped type. The modern dishes were truly creative. (i.e. nothing was drowned in a spicy mayo) I can't emphasize enough how authentically Japanese the food was. In true Japanese fashion, the presentation was also very deliberate. Where else can you drink consommé out of Limoges porcelain in Hawaii? Service: I am pretty sure I flubbed on my reservation and forgot to add my brother to our party, but the front of house staff didn't blink an eye. They made sure to give us the most comfortable arrangement and with a view of the marina as I had requested. Everyone wished my dad a 'happy birthday.' He's a very personable guy, so when he engaged them in conversation they kind of loosened up and seemed happy to chat with him. What mattered most to me was that all of the staff members made a genuine effort to do their jobs well. It made us feel welcome. An unexpectedly wonderful experience! They really made my dad's birthday special!

    (5)

  • Sandy D.

    My husband and I are so happy that Gokoku has opened in Hawaii Kai. The food is great and the staff are wonderful. I have to say they have one of the nicest restrooms I have ever been in. They spared no expense in the design of this restaurant. You can actually dress up and have a fine dining experience or go in with beach wear and be comfortable. The head chef is a sweet funny guy who will try to accommodate you if you want something separate from the menu. The sushi bar has an incredible view of the marina especially at sunset.

    (4)

  • Toni W.

    BRING YOUR OWN WASABI TO AN EXPENSIVE JAPANESE RESTAURANT? The food was great. The service was better than average. The ambiance was crisp, clean, and comfortable. However, who wants to pay for their Wasabi??? I told them to delete that policy and we would all be back to enjoy this lovely place. I will not pay separately for Wasabi. That is that!

    (2)

  • Tara C.

    Let's put it this way, no one lives in Hawaii Kai because of the plethora of culinary choices. We HAVE good restaurants, just not many of them. Those we do have always come with an asterisk, something you need to know about going. Gokoku is no exception. Let's start with the whole reservation thing. Reservations are REQUIRED. Apparently, they will actually turn away walk-ins even when the restaurant has tons of open tables. I imagine that won't last long, in the meantime, it's the first "thing you gotta know." We DID make reservations, but I really thought I was scoring a table when I got one. Open Table said they were booked. When I called, I was told "only after 7PM" which was fine, because we wanted 8PM. So we expected a full, buzzing restaurant. Imagine our surprise at the fact that the entire restaurant had one other table. We were seated in a really nice high-back booth with views of the sushi bar and the open kitchen. This would have been a totally awesome table had it not been for the fact that the chefs in BOTH kitchens as well as the staff, were just standing around. The staff stands along the wall, hands behind back, almost military style. They smile when they make eye contact, but as far as I could tell, they mostly try to avoid that. The restaurant itself is gorgeous. It feels intimate and romantic; it's darkness is pierces by torches of light, or soft red glowing lanterns. Once we were seated and had a chance to peruse the menu and take in the atmosphere and settle in, we began to wonder awkwardly, if any of the large staff would wonder on over for a drink order. When someone did, he was very sweet and personable; it just took a while to meet him. We ordered a couple of cocktails off the cocktail menu. I had the signature highball with sake and lime juice, super refreshing. DH had some mint/sake concoction that he was less than crazy about. They also have a decent sake list, although I was a BIT surprised that it wasn't bigger, but you could definitely find something there to wet your whistle. We ordered the oyster shooters, despite the reviews from other Yelpers, we really liked them; they had an interesting flavor profile and a combination of textures. I'd definitely do the shooters again. We also had garlic edamame-it was good. You know, it was edamame. Then we had sushi. We ordered a spicy tuna roll to start as we figured that would tell us a little more about the place. The roll is HUGE, there must be 10 pieces, it isn't saturated in sauce, but has a restrained amount. We liked the roll, a lot. I could see having a roll or two with some cocktails at the bar for a light dinner. When we asked about eating at the bar, we were told they aren't serving food at the bar, YET. I don't know why, but I guess we'll have to stay tuned for when the bar starts serving food. Moving onto sashimi, as other reviewers have pointed out, each order of sashimi is a single piece, you just have to know that (remember what I said about the asterisks?). So we started off with mackerel, fatty tuna, uni and salmon. We were very happy, all the sushi was very clean tasting and fresh, the pieces were appropriately cut and the presentation very nice. Depending on how you like your sushi, some of the pieces could have had a touch more flavor from an extra day in the refrigerator. Regardless, the sushi was high quality and well prepared. Unlike other readers, our food came out super fast, but I sort of expected that since we were practically alone. We then ordered hamachi and flying fish roe. Both were again excellent. Unlike other reviewers, we didn't have to pay extra for wasabi. We were curious about Madai as we'd never had it. We were going to order that, but we were told they were out of it. We asked what it was and our server said it was an oily, salty fish. That sounded interested, I asked how it compared to Mackerel (as that's how I would describe Mackerel as well), that really through him off, as I think he had the two confused. I've since looked up Madai and I KNOW he had the two confused. So the staff menu training could use a little bump. Dinner for two with a couple of rounds of cocktails was about $140 plus tip. That's about right for an upscale dinner in Hawaii Kai. Geesh, we've spent that at Outback to tell you the truth, and the experience at Gokoku is certainly a more elevated one than Outback. I expect that we'll be back, because its refreshing to have sushi choices in Hawaii Kai, but I can't say I'm adding it to my "favorite" list. There was something just..."off" about our experience. Maybe it was the total discomfort of an empty restaurant on a Saturday night. Maybe it was the large staff who avoid eye contact. Again, the food was very good, the service throughout the meal was prompt and the restaurant is gorgeous. I suggest you give it a try, but if you do, remember: *reservations **per piece sashimi ***order the madai if you can, just don't ask what it is.

    (3)

  • Rod L.

    Love this place. It's close to home and the quality of the food is great. I saw the other posts but I did not experience any of their disappointments and this is our second time here. It's Japanese food izakaya style where you eat small plates of good quality. The staff were attentive and the service was great.

    (5)

  • Jo Ann I.

    Went here for Mother's Day and really liked the food and the atmosphere. Really nice and relaxing and you don't have to deal with all the crowds like in Waikiki. Presentation was very good and the service was excellent. Also, the place was very clean and my 91 year old mother was so impressed by the beautiful restroom. Will definitely go back again. Those who gave this place low ratings should give it another try. It may have been due to them just opening, but I think they worked out lots of the problems.

    (5)

  • Jennie B.

    This restaurant is newly opened and is located at a place where businesses never lasted for more than year. Decor: very impressive, modern, waterfront and fairly large Menu:needs to be more descriptive, if you don't know your sushi then you are out of luck. Service: is very "timid,'" slow and very difficult to understand if English is your primary language. Definitely a place for wealthy Japanese tourist who do not need to see pictures nor descriptions of the food. BAD We came here without knowing what to expect since it just opened before the holidays and definitely obvious by the way business is handled. It was a Sunday night, you would think that they will try to impress you by seating you by the waterfront or a table a with nice view, but instead we were sat at a corner facing the parking lot!!!!! The food presentation is great, but they have to work on pleasing the people who are potential "repeats" because thats the way this place can survive longer than the other places before it was GOKOKU. It is expensive, but not the place to celebrate a special occasion,it is definitely not for this neighborhood. Oh, remember it is ala carte you have to pay for wasabi, unbelievable!!!!

    (1)

  • Misha H.

    Wow. This was not a good time. Ate dinner here with my family, and everybody had something negative to say about the meal. The presentation was amazing, but the execution was poor. It looked like the sushi could have been served at a wedding, but it tasted like the sushi they would serve at a prison. I've never been at a restaurant where the food tasted so bad that I thought "this must be a front for the mob" before, so there is that going for Gokoku. They overcooked the fish, the pork cutlet tasted like chicken mcnuggets, the udon tasted like something you'd find at a nursing home. My one nice thing to say, they didn't manage to screw up the beer! Woo hoo low expectations!

    (1)

  • Mike S.

    One of the most over priced place in Hawaii for sure. Employees dont even know about their menu yet. Also service is pretty slow. Its funny how they tell employees to write reviews and upload pictures on yelp as they are customers.

    (1)

  • Megan A.

    Better than Nobu! One of the best Japanese meals I have ever had. Beautiful ambiance, joyful staff and the food amazing. CHECK THIS PLACE OUT!

    (5)

  • Katkat K.

    Amazing decor, food and presentation. Hands down top contender for best sushi in HNL also, the black sesame ice cream was superb. Highly reccomend.

    (5)

  • Elizabeth W.

    Soft opening, harsh handling This restaurant only offers prix fixed menus, Because I am gluten intolerant, and the three options for the prix fix menus all included food I am unable to eat, I asked if I could order the sushi ala carte. The very apologetic (and embarrassed) waiter checked with the manager who refused to serve anything other than the set menu. If we wants to stay there to eat, I'd have to order food I cannot eat. My husband and I regretfully left our companions to eat elsewhere (a delicious ahi salad at Kona Brewery) It is the first time in five years of eating gluten free in restaurants in Honolulu -- and elsewhere around the world -- that a restaurant would rather send me away than serve me food already on the menu. Too bad, it's a lovely setting, and clearly a lot of expense went into the place. Yet, my experience as a patron was tarnished by a lack of aloha and minimal accommodation, which makes all the rest irrelevant.

    (1)

  • Bertie W.

    TL;DR: If Bobby Flay started a Japanese restaurant, it would be a lot like Go Koku. We went at 8pm on a Friday with no reservation. The place was not crowded and they seated us immediately in one of the cool booths. The decor is very modern and there are bars all over the place for different functions. The sake menu is pretty comprehensive with high and low price points. We tried a couple of the inexpensive options: Mio sparkling sake and Sho Chiku Bai nigori, both for $12-$18 for a 300ml bottle. The high end sakes were much more expensive. Suggestion for GoKoku: list flavor profiles on the sake menu, ie whether the sake is dry or sweet (amakuchi vs karakuchi). The food was delicious. We had two starters, edamame with fried garlic bits ($9) and a fancy seared ahi plate ($17), where each piece of ahi was on a tomato slice, garnished with foam, and dressed with a vinaigrette. My traditional Japanese side wrinkled the nose at such non-traditional food but it tasted great, and my non-Japanese dining companion really liked it. The cooked main dishes were also pretty good. The seafood stew was ahi, salmon, clams, and oysters in a miso broth, and a relative bargain at $16. The tempura udon was a bowl of udon and a small plate of tempura with one shrimp, one piece of fish, and some veggies ($15). The tempura was outstanding; the batter was very thin and crisp and the tempura sauce correctly had lots of grated daikon. The sushi was outstanding but ruinously expensive. The price for nigiri sushi is per piece, and the price per piece is $4-$8. We had madai and hotate from Japan, Kona abalone, and tsubugai (big snail) and uni not from Japan. The Kona abalone came with a sweet sauce. The other nigiri were standard. So maybe $50-$60 for 9 pieces of sushi; delicious but pricey. They also had a lot of rolls on the menu but I didn't try any of them because I'm a snob. The service was good but a little funny. They asked us if we wanted our sparkling sake hot or cold (ha ha). Every time the servers brought us something, they bowed. They had a haole guy serving water and he was bowing like a champ. There were lots of different people visiting the table to fill glasses, clear dishes, etc. After a while, it became a little distracting. All in all, the food is good and they seem to be fixing the problems with service. The cooked options are good and not so expensive. The sushi is great but, wow, the prices. Our total bill was $166 with tip for 2 mains, 2 starters, 9 pieces sushi, and a couple small bottles of sake. We had a gift certificate so we were partially subsidized; not sure if I would go back if I had to spend my own money. Addendum: my father and our neighbor are both Japanese expats and my father goes back to Japan several times per year. We went to Go Koku because my parents live in Hawaii Kai and because our neighbor likes the kaiseki lunch. My dad is a huge snob when it comes to Japanese food, and his response to my description of Go Koku was basically, bah humbug. He goes to Yanagi Sushi downtown and Maguro-ya in Kaimuki.

    (4)

  • Natalie P.

    Not sure why this place doesn't have better ratings? Been here a handful of times and always leave thoroughly impressed by the service, efficiency, presentation, and quality of the food. Go with the prix fixe menu- amazing deal and you leave more than blissfully satiated. Will definitely be back soon! Waki (name?) was incredibly helpful and gracious and again, service was superb.

    (5)

  • Wyland L.

    Ok so here's what's up. Two and a half. This is a review on lunch. Their dinner menu and service is apparently totally different. This place has amazing dishes. And they also have amazing blunders. -Right now, for lunch, they have a set menu with 3 options. -Most of the servers are fresh from Japan or have no waiting experience. Here's my lunch experience. I walked in and asked for a table for 2. They said there was a wait for a table because there was no reservation. But we were able to sit at the bar and order and wait while a table opened up. Whatever. The bar is nice. The bar tender was very nice. He took our order and served our drinks. But eventually we were seated. Didn't have to wait too long. Unfortunately we were the ones bringing our drinks to the table, and not the waitress. Also the communication between the staff is poor, because we were asked for our order twice again. Food wait time was quick. And the display of it spectacular. Well done. The food itself was overall good. Chawanmushi was a bit cool, not hot. But it was delicious. Tempura was great. They use a unique batter. I really liked it. Udon was nothing special. Then the sushi nigiri. All were great...except the tako. Yikes, too big and too chewy for sushi. THIS MUST BE FIXED. For the bill, they don't have an itemized receipt. THIS MUST BE FIXED. Overall. It's okay. For a resturant like this, their service is lacking and needs to improve fast. I believe it can improve a lot. The food. It's presentation is amazing, but a crappy piece of nigiri is unacceptable. Ok and the sushi chefs, what, they all have a bad day or something? Why you no smile or say hi when I come by to ask question??? WORK ON IT. This resturant has potential. But right now they aren't hitting it. Service, chefs, and details must be attended to. Food, atmosphere, and presentation are quality.

    (3)

  • Kausuke K.

    Great atmosphere and good sushi! They completely redid the whole interior of the former Just Tacos and Miguel's. The place is going to be popular at Koko Marina. Perfect for family or friends and of course bringing people for business. Great selection of Japanese Sake.

    (5)

  • Glenn D.

    Not bad not bad...super cool restaurant with a super cool interior. Sushi nigiri was fresh. The wagyu beef nigiri was tender and soft. The salmon carpaccio looked cool as it came in a cold yet smoky plate. However, the vinegar took over the taste. Not a fan. The spicy tuna roll was not what I expected. The sauce it's drenched in reminded me of a tempura roll, which is not what I wanted to taste. Hence, you could barely taste the spicy tuna. Best dish was the poke salad that came with a yuzu wasabi sorbet.

    (3)

  • Live Love Laugh D.

    Nice atmosphere. Sushi quality is ok. I think they are more Americanized sushi. We only tried rolls and appetizer with sake. If we go back there for quick sushi dinner is like to try sushi counter and try sushi not the rolls.

    (3)

  • Eha S.

    Good was good. Not as good as the prices are showing. But the service is very good. They were very professional. They are very pricey though.

    (3)

  • Derek C.

    The ambiance and service were top notch. I was at first a little skeptical after reading some previous posts but it seems that they took those criticisms and addressed them. The wait staff were very attentive and polite. We had the sushi set menu which was delicious. We especially enjoyed the hostate, O-toro and Kauai shrimp. We will definitely go back there to eat.

    (4)

  • Rdy S.

    This is a beautifully renovated dining room. The food is nicely plated though the flavors are understated. The execution of some dishes and the service are disappointments. At lunch, there are three variations of the same set meal. I expected something to stand out. The nigiri and roll sushi are fine but not special. The tempura I received was not hot and tasted oily. Chawanmushi is included, but mine was overcooked to the point where the bottom was set past the texture of hard flan. The small bowl of udon was simple and unexciting. I had a little of both but did not care to finish either dish. Disappointing execution of a simple lunch menu. At one dinner, I chose to sit at the 9 seat bar. For some reason, the bartender actually lined up dirty beverage glasses right on the counter in front of customers. After I ordered food he did not give me a place setting or utensils. In fact, when my dish arrived the server remarked, "you need utensils and a napkin". She promptly brought me utensils but no napkin, and disappeared. I ordered Chicken Nanban, which came as a cutlet instead of Karaage style nuggets. I didn't taste much in the way of sweet, vinegary, or spicy. The tartar sauce that usually accompanies this dish is usually thick from the addition of minced hard boiled egg. This tartar sauce was thin with minced bell peppers. The greens on the side were wilted from being over dressed, and to my dismay, included a long dirty romaine stem. The third time, again for dinner, I saw a lot of beautifully plated food with some nice flavors. The cheese flavored Housemade Tofu came on four spoons, two topped with ikura, two topped with uni. Washu Beef Steak was eight medallions, accompanied by two sauces, one, a black sesame and the other, a white sesame and ginger. The Tataki was six ahi medallions topped with a mildly citrusy white foam. The service, again, was disappointing. After I had tasted one dish I asked the waiter about some of the flavors. He did not know and did not bother to follow up with information. Eating plates were never changed out. Empty beverage glasses were not removed. Our table was not cleared of dishes and utensils before the check was requested. There is a lot of money invested in this first of many food establishments and they have stated their intention to be in Honolulu for the long haul. I hope they can succeed. Right now, the coffee shop quality table service needs to improve. Quickly.

    (3)

  • T M.

    Our experience there has been mixed. The ambience is beautiful and spacious. I did notice that they did not take walk in customers even when there were empty tables. When they first opened, the waiters couldn't explain what the offerings were. This place is upscale and I think the local waiters aren't well informed. I hope they remain open as it is a needed addition to HK. I recommend that they offer sushi in pairs on their menu as most restaurants do. I can imagine the upset custermers when only one nigiri comes out. If Gokoku wants to be competitive outside of Japan and China, they need to research how the successful Japanese restaurants in Hawaii and the mainland do it.

    (3)

  • Alice And Steve S.

    We enjoyed our lunchtime visit today and look forward to returning again soon. The kaiseki meals we had filled us up and made us reminisce about our trip to japan and the tsukiji fish market.

    (4)

  • Dana R.

    I am giving it 4 stars as there is definitely room for improvement since they just opened. I am not rating this less as it seems unfair because it has great potential. The ambience reminds me of shokudo, doraku, kaiwa, rokkaku, etc meshed into one contemporary urban Japanese restaurant. Their plating and presentations are creative and attractive; their portions are pretty good size for the price...I hope they stay that way and are not larger than normal due to just opening. The entire staff is friendly and accommodating. The menu seems all over the place in price point but at least it captures a larger population. It needs improvement in a greater selection and explanations of what the item is. I appreciate the drink menu which serves sake, beer, shochu, cocktails, including beer cocktails. the food concepts are good but the Japanese taste is just shy of "umami-ness" or elevation of flavors when presented in such a contemporary/gourmet way. I'm sure it will get there after their soft openings are over. We had the foie gras which was good; it came with a grapefruit shooter to balance the richness. The assorted tempura was a very generous portion; it was interesting that it included fish and chicken. The batter could have been a little tastier though. My inlaws ordered the spicy tuna roll and tempura udon and they loved it enough where it persuaded them to return to this place vs gyotaku that's also nearby. My husband ordered the dragon roll which was good and largely portioned. I ordered the salmon carpaccio which the presentation was beautiful, but was missing that izakaya gaku japanese flavor that I was craving for. in comparison to the other neighborhood restaurants, I would definitely continue to come here and it is so far a better fitting restaurant for hawaii kai than the previous ones. I hope they can add uni shooters, chirashi, sushi roll specials, omakase, and a takeout menu. Good ambience for a date, good for groups, mainly for 8-15 people? Slightly cold with a breeze from the fans near the sushi bar. i feel like the attire is casual, but not beach or gym wear, even though u probably still can...I showed up in yoga pants and a top and felt a lil underdressed since the ambience is contemporary and the group next to us had girls wearing skirts with heels....could have been my own insecurities though. Overall, this gets my vote if you don't want to drive into town to eat/drink Japanese food.

    (4)

  • May A.

    Went to Gokoku for the second time tonight. The first time was for lunch when they first opened. They only had set menus and we thought were very good and reasonably priced. Always wanted to come back and this time for dinner. Well, they finally expanded their menu (and their prices along with it)... I ordered the Mahina set and my husband ordered an assortment of sushi - salmon, uni, anago and kampachi. After the aperitif that came with the Mahina set was served, my dinner came relatively quickly along with my husband's salmon sushi. He finished his salmon and by the time I was almost finished with my dinner, the rest of his order still hadn't come. The server came by and apologized that the sushi chef was behind - so we decided to cancel the order. A number apologies followed along with a complimentary chocolate/strawberry ice cream dessert and then some matcha tea and peach mochi. All very delicious! More profuse apologies were given and even a handwritten card with an apology came with our credit card bill! Anyway - despite the unfortunate coordination between the kitchen and the sushi bar, the fact that the restaurant is wonderfully designed, the beautifully displayed food is very good quality and that they really tried to make up for their shortcoming they're definitely worth going back for... I really hope they make it...Hawaii Kai needs more special places to eat!

    (5)

  • Judi K.

    Beautifully redesigned space! It's hard to believe that we were in a Hawaii Kai Japanese restaurant. Their staff was very good, too, so training and opening a new restaurant, with all of its growing pains, seemed to have been resolved. They have an ample bar, also, with on tap Japanese beer and Yamazaki whiskey, which we tried. We ordered veggie tempura as an appetizer to share, and it was excellent. The sushi we ordered came per piece rather than getting two per order, so we were a little surprised at getting 5 pieces instead of our expected 10 (like other sushi places we frequent). We ordered various entrees from spider rolls to chicken/egg soba. Perhaps we've been eating too much tan tan ramen, but the soba itself, was nice, but the broth seemed to lack flavor. More like something you'd serve to grandma or when someone was ill. The seafood stew was adequate, but not thrilling. So, the surroundings, the service, the tempura were excellent, but the subtler things, probably need adjustment. We also think we need to work on our ordering choices. We will go back and give it another as we really do enjoy Japanese food. You probably should make reservations as lots of Hawaii Kai people have been waiting for this and it's not a huge place.

    (4)

  • Kalama K.

    Wow! I wasn't expecting this to be as fancy as it was. I was expecting Izakaya type of place but this place could be located in the Mori Tower or Park Hyatt (setting of Lost in Translation movie) in Tokyo...and you pay a couple of extra bucks for the experience...but worth it. The seating is thoughtfully facing the beautiful marina and Kookau Mountains backdrop. -"Japanese Seafood Stew" was amazing to the last drop. -Oyster shooters were awesome ($11 each...ouch) -Sashimi Moriwase (assorted of the day) was thick cut like I like with an awesome presentation on ice. -My drink (Whiskey) had the hand cut ice like I get in Tokyo. -I really like the Japanese nationals in uniform and the air of sophistication (while being super friendly) that they bring. -Its next to Kona Brewing...happy hour then Gokoku! To work on... -Management needs to educate staff on drink offerings and explanation of the dishes. ie Basic stuff like which Nihonshu/Sake is dry/sweet etc..and the chicken Nan-ban is not "like teriyaki chicken but like with a spice to it"...not even close. Its more like Tonkatsu/cutlet style but lighter (but good!). I'd go again for sure. Going to try the Udon next!!

    (4)

  • Holly H.

    I was excited that there was a Japanese restaurant opening in Hawaii Kai but was very disappointed with my visit. The food was not worth the high prices.

    (2)

  • Greg S.

    Hours said they were open for lunch 12 to 2 pm...went at 1:15 and the sign on the front door said closed...??

    (2)

  • Dennis I.

    I just had my fourth visit to this restaurant. Sadly, I must say that gravity is winning here. Each visit offers a little less of an experience than the previous visit. The only thing that is going up are the prices. The wonderful freshness of ingredients, the artistic presentation and plating are gone. The service is still plagued with inconsistencies, but new inconsistencies. For example, at my last visit, the oshibori brought to my table, were the pre-packaged, thin towelettes you would expect in "the main cabin" on a flight to Japan. What we got was also cold. The table next to us were offered what we expected, what seemed to be hot, and freshly wrapped. On a previous visit, we received the "house" version, but they were cold and smelled old. I realize that this is a minor item, but details and consistency are what make for a great experience and return customers. A bad start does not bode well for a great finish. The new menu, presented in an over-sized format, although I did not measure it, I estimate it to be 18" by 12", is both space consuming and unwieldy, it is poorly organized, as well as not well suited for it's intended purpose, especially at the sushi bar. If the intent was to present a "high class" elegant statement, this misses the mark by a mile. I would love to see Gordon Ramsey's face if he ever saw that menu-it has large, full color pictures of the food...just like Denny's menu, except the Gokoku menu comes in a heavy, stiff cover that adds literally a couple of pounds to the menu. On my first and second visit, I ordered sashimi5 and it came in a beautifully designed dish that had clever blue ice cubes that lighted the dish from under the bed of ice that kept the sashimi cold. The plating was both exquisite and functional. On my third visit, the sashimi was presented on a long, curved, glass dish, no ice, no lights, just garnish and sashimi. Although the ingredients were essentially unchanged, the experience had changed. Dining out is not only about the food, it's about the experience, The new items added are dinners of various types. Unfortunately, no one tried them, so I can't really say anything about them except that they seem to start around fifty dollars per person and go up from there. That should not be a problem, provided other options are available, and other options are. However, many of the best "options" are no longer available and what is available has all gone up in price considerably. This is no longer anything approaching a $$ restaurant. Dinner without tax or tip or bar tab for two women and me approached $150, and none of us ordered a "dinner." Service still leaves much to be desired. The management needs to know that there is such a thing as too much attention. On a Saturday night, this place was empty. When we left around peak dinner hour, there were literally more workers than patrons. Nevertheless, servers "hovered" over us and circled constantly to grab anything that looked as if it were finished. I have seen this behavior in crowded restaurants, especially during peak hours as they are always in danger of running out of silverware or plates. At one point, I actually had to argue with our server, that one of the Ladies was still eating a dish and that is was not a good time to be clearing the table. I am a little sad about this place. I don't give them long if they continue in the direction that they are heading. What used to be a unique experience is now an average experience at up scale prices. If I want to pay upscale prices, I will go to a place that may charge more, but also delivers more, and does it with more consistency. I originally rated Gokoku a four star restaurant. I now consider it at best, a one or a two star experience.

    (2)

  • Ellie W.

    The restaurant itself is very beautiful! However, I can see the reason for so many negative reviews. It seems as though the servers were not trained very well, which I don't think is their fault; it is the manager's. The restaurant has pretty slow business to begin with so I do not understand the need to limit the amount of customers they take each night??? I understand it is still their grand opening, but if it is your GRAND opening, shouldn't you be ready for all the wonderful customers to come and enjoy the food instead of turning them away right from the beginning? That is certainly a great way to NOT gain loyal local customers. If your staff isn't "ready," why would you open so soon in the first place? I've heard the complaints about the manager treating non-Japanese people differently, and it is somewhat noticeable. I also notice that the lady in the suit (I believe her name is Waki?) does not look very approachable as she always has this mean look on her face. When she does talk to customers, she puts on a fake smile (unless of course they are Japanese). The food is okay.. just overpriced in my opinion because you can get sushi that is just as good, if not better, at other Japanese restaurants on the island. The reputation of this restaurant doesn't look too good, but maybe if management changes.... I'll give them a few more months to improve and maybe come back again then. For now, I would not recommend this place. Spend your money at Yanagi or the Izakaya restaurants instead!

    (1)

  • Lennon K.

    Gykoku is really nice, interior wise. Beautiful view of the marina and edgy interior design. The wait staff on the other hand is a down fall. Was not greeted when walked in, then when we finally did get greeted, we were told "give me 10 minutes." But my grandma insisted we we waited, even though the hostess was rude, and about 15-20 minutes later we were seated. The waiter came about 5 minutes later to greet us and asked "have we been helped yet" and apologised and helped us. Wait staff isn't knowledgable of menu or items or drinks. The manager couldn't even help us and my grandma speaks perfect japanese. Just poor wait staff and poor knowledge.

    (2)

  • Nathan S.

    Amazing food and service. Had a combination of sushi and appetizers. Oyster shooters were fantastic but everything was interesting and delicious!

    (5)

  • Jane D.

    What a wonderful addition to Hawaii Kai! Superb and courteous service combined with beautiful presentation of high quality sushi. Mark was our server and he took the time to explain items on the menu that we were not familiar with (yamakake-- it was very good). Looking forward to seeing the full menu!

    (5)

  • Tod T.

    A restaurant in Hawaii Kai has great decor, but very cold hostess and these employees are mostly from Japan, I don't see any local employee from Hawaii! This restaurant does not do any TAKE OUT, do you know any restaurants that don't do take out!! Tonight I tried to eat there, had a father and son walk in and they took them, but when my mom and I tried to eat, they said "do you want to eat at the sushi bar"? And they had about 3 open tables and 1- reservation at 7:00 pm for 4 people. My comment was so you only take reservation and no walk ins...... And the hostess said yes only reservations.... This is only 2 strikes but will not patronise this restaurant anymore..... I really don't want a slap in my face, but this is a disgrace to me and the people in Hawaii. They should have just open a restaurant in Waikiki, so the Japanese clientele can eat there!!!! Since they don't want the local people there!

    (1)

  • Sarah M.

    Summary: Atmosphere was great, service was terrible. Food is not worth your money. Don't waste your time. Had a 7 PM reservation on a Tuesday night. The interior is great, the lights and tables make it very unique and welcoming. We were seated after waiting only a few minutes. Great. Then the night went downhill. SERVICE ISSUES: ALL the servers are running around like chickens with their heads cut off. Seriously. At the end of the night, I still don't know who our server was for the table because we kept having to wave down the three in suits (whom I presume are managers or owners). Our table of 4 went past 20 minutes without anyone greeting us. In fact, we had to wave two people down. The first girl did nothing. We were about to get up and leave but all of were so hungry and craving sushi. So I waved the man dressed in a suit and tie. He apologized and took our order. The menu has no description of the rolls so I asked him what is in the salmon roll (reply-"oh, uh, salmon"). Okay, what's in the sashimi 3 set? (reply-"it changes everyday.") Okay, what's today's? (reply-"I'm, I'm not sure"). In total we order 2 appetizers (edamame and cream cheese rolls), 3 sushi rolls (gokoku, dragon, spicy tuna), and udon. Our appetizers took 20 minutes. We were brought edamame and 1 order of cheese rolls and the second order came after another 15 minutes. 35 minutes total. After another 20 minutes the spicy tuna roll came. Our udon came plain, even though it was ordered with chicken. She brought a complimentary plain udon because it was extra. The gokoku roll and dragon roll came last. The sushi was just okay. The spicy tuna roll had hardly any tuna, considering it was $12. The dragon roll had nice pieces of avocado, but not worth the $15. Gokoku roll had so much ginger wrapped inside, it overwhelmed the entire roll. We also got charged for the complimentary udon, which I had to spend another 10 minutes trying to wave someone down to take off of our bill. Our dinner in total took 2 hours. I noticed the entire time the table around us were waving servers down or sending back food because it was the wrong order. *note: if you have food allergies, I wouldn't risk trying this place. They are not careful at all. The woman in the table next to us said she explicitly told the servers and managers that she was allergic to crab, but she still found crab in her sushi anyway.

    (1)

  • Bryan S.

    Wow. Just one thing to say about these guys. WANKERS!!!!! What a horrible first experience I had with my family here today. I live in Hawaii Kai with my family and we frequent ALL the local restaurants in HK and Koko Marina. We love this area as EVERYONE is so friendly and full of aloha. We've been EAGERLY awaiting for Gokoku to open up so that we could visit them and welcome them to the neighborhood. So tonight my wife, two kids and I were very excited to finally get to try out this new place. We arrived just a little before 5PM - the hour that they open - and asked to be seated. The first question we were asked is whether or not we have reservations. I'm looking in the restaurant and we're the only people there and I ask if we really need reservations. Apparently we do because we're told that they're about to get incredibly busy and that they don't have any spare tables for us. The lady tried to explain something about their kitchen only being able to handle so much work. Well hey, sometimes that's the way things go. We were disappointed but said OK and had dinner at another local restaurant. As we were walking back to our car at 6P, we walked by the restaurant and there was not a single customer in the place. I decided to say something to them and as I walked up, another couple had just been turned away by them with the same excuse. I told them how rude they were. If they're open for business, then they should be open for business. I could see that not a single table setting had changed in the last hour. I told the lady that one hour ago I had come by with my family and they told me that not a single table was available yet not a single customer had come in within that hour - a fact she did not deny. Then it was more of the same, "we're about to become very full and our kitchen can only handle so many orders." Then I was told that we could have eaten at the sushi bar - a fact that clearly was not mentioned to us when we first stopped by. I don't know what kind of game Gokoku is playing but this CERTAINLY is not the aloha spirit that is so alive and well in Koko Marina. This is their BRAND NEW location and this is how they treat new customers??? I told them that they should be ashamed of themselves for treating potential customers in this way especially as all of us local people have been so excited about them opening their doors. This has certainly put a taint on their image with me and also with the other couple who were turned away as they hung around to listen to my scolding of them. As I walked away they thanked me for being so vocal and upfront with them about this nonsense treatment. Word will spread if this continues. For still being in the holiday season, Gokoku gets a BIG GRINCH!!!

    (1)

  • Rocki K.

    Me and 3 other people came here for a quick dinner. Coming from California we are huge sushi fans. From reading the reviews we were quite hesitant to try it but SO GLAD WE DID. Walked in Thursday night and sat immediately. The decor is beautiful and we were greeted by every single person right when we walked in. Automatic good vibes ! They really took the time to welcome us. Yes, they don't state what's in the rolls... But it takes 2 seconds to ask. The fish was good and I loved the clam miso soup. The reason I am Mainly giving 5 stars is the impeccable service. Every person was in a great mood and was very accomadating to all of our many requests. Our waitress was so sweet !!! Our food came out in less the 15 minutes. Did I mention the restuarant itself is gorgeous ?! Including the bathroom!! Amazing smelling soaps and even mouth wash. Thank you for a great dining expierence.

    (5)

  • Ronald G.

    Even at half the price this sushi was terrible. I was so disappointed. I was hoping Hawaii Kai would get a nice Sushi place but this will NOT fill the need. I had the 15 piece Sashimi ($42.50), which I would have hated at half the price. They make it look beautiful placing the Sashimi on a bed of clear ice. But the quality was worse then you can get at any fast food sushi place. All of the fish was bland and tasteless. Even the Hamachi which should have a nice buttery flavor. The Tuna was tough and tasteless, the salmon was ok but still had very little flavor. I had to load up on wasabi and shoyu which I usually don't do. My wife had the Dragon roll. Their roll selection in unimaginative, just plain boring. The Dragon roll had Eel which was also bland even with the sauce, the middle was fake crab which for $20.50 I really didn't expect and the mayo tasted horrible. It was covered with plain mayo, nothing fancy here. Again I have had better rolls at lousy fast food sushi places. What a disappointment. This place is all about flair. It's a fancy restaurant, service is friendly and attentive but the food quality is sub par.. They are clearly cutting corners on the fish to make up for their fancy construction overhead. I recommend you get your sushi somewhere else, anywhere else. If this place is still open in 6 months I will be amazed.

    (1)

  • Katie H.

    The valet just told us the restaurant was reservations only. When we finally made reservations for 10 mins later and walked in there were at least 20 open tables. If my husband didn't want to try this place I would have never wasted my time.

    (1)

  • Aric T.

    This is my first negative yelp review. That's how upset I am that I was charged $121 for subpar food and terrible service. This deserves a 0 star review however I can't figure out how to do that. The place looks really really nice so I decided to go in and try because I'm a huge fan of Japanese food and sushi. Unfortunately for this restaurant, I know what good sushi is. This place is the exact opposite of a good sushi spot. My waitress argued with me that foie gras was LAMB liver even though I know it's duck. The sushi was slapped together with no presentation whatsoever. They also are very quick to say "no" when I ask for something like spicy ponzu. They don't even say "let me check". They don't have Tabasco for the oysters. I also ordered amae ebi and when the deep fried head didn't arrive, I asked about it and was told they don't give the heads. how can you charge more than yanagi and give people less??? This restaurant is doomed to fail unless they start proper training with the staff. They aren't rude, they just aren't familiar with hospitality. I would honestly rather go to Genki sushi than come back here. I am going to tell everyone I know not to come here. Hopefully this review sends them a wake up call to review their process. I was going to go to a movie right after dinner but I was so upset I decided to sit outside the theater and write this review instead!!!

    (1)

  • Michael P.

    My wife and I are pretty selective about restaurants, but we agree that this is one of the best restaurants in Hawaii Kai, and our new favorite Japanese restaurant on Oahu. The setting is stunning, the decor is modern and tasteful, the seating very comfortable, the service friendly, efficient and professional, and the food delicious. And we think the prices are very reasonable - both for food and drink. There's a great selection of sake, and a good wine selection as well. The sushi bar is nice, but so are the comfortable tables. There is a nice variety in the menu offerings, and we've enjoyed everything that we've ordered. The wait staff is young, but eager to please - and very, very polite. We've been to Gokoku a number of times now, and are eager to share this gem with friends. Gokoku is a very special place, a much needed addition to the dining scene in Hawaii Kai. We look forward to returning over and over.

    (5)

  • darrin k.

    Brought my relatives from Tokyo in for dinner on Christmas. Food is AMAZING. Staff is friendly HOWEVER service is a bit rough and kinda takes away from the delicious food experience. Hopefully, they get things together.

    (2)

  • Roxana D.

    This location has been unfortunately been a place of stand up restaurants but slow from getting seated and placing our order. The food was excellent and the only waiter that we had seen Mark Ogata took his time to answer our questions and give us outstanding service. It was noticeable there was more hostess that were not able to answer questions that pertained to this restaurant. Truly hopes this restaurant makes it , Hawaii Kai is a small community that needs good places. The service should have been more compatible than the esthetics.

    (3)

  • Kinberg M.

    Excellent food. Okay service. Price I a little high but worth it. My friend and I were a little shocked by price and were only going to order 1 roll and a beer each. After the roll and a beer, we were in for round 2. Best sushi rolls I ever had.

    (4)

  • Brian F.

    This is a 3 star that I will never come back to. Ambiance is like a spa and the food is regular. There's definitely a disconnect between the expectation and what comes out on your plate. Tripping about the sushi bar. Even that's disconnected...literally. I've never seen a sushi bar that you couldn't order directly from the chef. For you sushi snobs out there... I had a bone in my sushi!

    (3)

  • Cody H.

    Food was awesome. Washu rolls kicked ass. One server in our area was really slow, never checked up with us the whole time. Sushi took over 2 hours, probably that server's first day waiting tables. Understandable in a way because it's the grand opening. Hopefully service will be better in the future.

    (5)

  • Marc F.

    Decided to give Gokoku a try after recent grand opening. Restaurant inside nicely redone and staff was eager to please but had too much staff standing around for the few folks dining inside. Unfortunately during lunch you can only select one of three set menus. You cannot order anything else but set menu during lunch. Dinner menu available with more variety and choices. Weekend lunch hours should be extended another hour as 1:30pm for last order we saw many folks who tried to come in but was turned away due kitchen closed at 1:30pm. To our surprise we were also charged $3.50 for hot green tea when other Japanese restaurants serve hot green tea for free. We were given 20% discount coupon for next visit since we visited during their grand opening month so we'll try Gokoku one more time perhaps for dinner menu. Otherwise we will remain loyal to Gyotaku in nearby Niu Valley (for more menu variety especially during lunch) even though we would prefer to support local eateries in Hawaii Kai area. We hope Gokoku will change their limited lunch menu and include free hot green tea. We shouldn't be charged extra to enjoy hot green tea with our meal :-(

    (2)

  • Y A.

    Over-priced for sure. Sushi toppings are cut paper thin, wines and sake are marked up by at least 150' percent of retail values, service was very slow despite the fact that there were many employees and the place was only 50 percent occupied. Had to keep asking for water refills. Food quality okay, but not for those prices!!

    (1)

  • Gilbert L.

    omg,waited forever for aserver who does not know what Toro is.He said they have no unagi hand roll,sake served in one tiny cup only,these people need major trainning.we finally got our food and they gave us sishi rather than sashimi like we ordered..We actually commeiserated with other angry diners atound us. There were many!

    (1)

  • K K.

    Service is awful!!!!! We had a busboy for a waiter!! Very rude people!! They were taking away our plates when there were still food on it!!! The manager did not know how to resolve anything! The people next to us complained too, terrible terrible service!! Very disappointing!!!!

    (1)

  • Jonathon K.

    Tried to walk in to eat with my family hostess greets us by looking at us up and down asked if we had reservation, I said no. Then says "sorry reservations only" place had 6 people total. I asked when is the next availability I replied then she says "oh I'm not sure". WTF!!!!! Forget this place eat some where else..... Zippys was probably better than this place.

    (1)

  • Jordan G.

    On the day of the restaurants grand opening the waiting staff seemed just too tired to continue to work until there closing time. This caused them to close 15 minutes early on there grand opening day. Not a very good impression to give off in my opinion. When I asked why they were closing early the manager told me " we had a lot of customers today and we sorry" an excuse that should have no weight in the restaurant business. Was very disappointed in a restaurant that had so much potential.

    (1)

  • L C.

    This review is after TWO visits. Overall, this is a GREAT restaurant. It took over in a spot that has seen one restaurant after another. I am hopeful this one will be around for a long time! - beautiful ambience, serene, clean, modern, lovely restrooms (a huge plus in my book!) Comfortable seating Interesting floor-plan / lay-out, offering a feeling of not being at all crowded - parking can be a tad difficult, as this lot gets crowded, esp at night. plan accordingly, and don't forget the spaces on the other side of the theaters, including upstairs. Always plenty of open spaces there, and the walk is really not long at all! - the style and manner of service and just the general approach to things is a bit different. For example, you have to make reservations. They wouldn't take us after 8:00, although the posted hours say closing is at 10:00. But I feel after 2 visits that there is a good reason for this - they are VERY concerned about the service customers will receive and will not cut corners or squeeze you in knowing that could suffer. Everyone is very welcoming, gracious and polite. NO attitude at all (other than pleasant and helpful - as it should be when dining out), which is so refreshing. You almost feel like you are in Japan - in a nice way. :) Not really a "kid" restaurant, but if yours are well behaved and can exhibit manners appropriate for a nicer restaurant, this is a fine choice. First visit: Lunch Thoughts: food was excellent, service was good, only 'complaints' were the limited choices (only 3 kaiseki style lunch choices) and the fact that hot tea is available only for an extra charge. Second visit: Dinner with a party of 6 - Celebrating a birthday - All members of our party agreed... we loved our dinner (and we do eat out quite a bit). Thoughts: food was again excellent, service was so gracious. There was a bit of confusion for us, and I feel they would do well to kind of explain the menu or make suggestions as to how you can best order. We ended up winging it and going "family style". We started with about 4 dishes and added on until we were full. It worked great! RECOMMENDATIONS: -the seafood 'stew" -all the sushi rolls we got were delicious -the tempura is awesome -poke salad very small but the poke was amazing... and the wasabi sorbet served with it is very yummy & worth it if you understand the salad itself is not that large. - nice wine and sake choices. also an extensive mixed drink menu. In fact, the drinks menu is way larger than the dinner menu, making this a GREAT place to go and have cocktails and pupus - albeit upscale ones. - it is a bit on the more expensive side, but really not when you consider the quality of the food and overall experience. Over time, as they get a bit more acclimated to how their approach might need to be tweaked a bit for American customers, I see this being a 5-star experience. I hope I am right and I am excited to have Gokoku in our neighborhood!!

    (4)

  • Dan K.

    Went there with my family around 8pm.. they had closed sign hanging..although people was inside. We asked and told they are closed.. what kind of restaurant closes at 8pm??

    (1)

  • Betty D.

    This is their soft opening the waiter told us. It was good, well presented in an attractive serving basket. There was plenty of food for the money, but limited choices so far. We were all happy with the choice we got however. Ranged from $15 - $24 but the waiter said this is special pricing for the soft opening, prices may double. If that's true , there is no way I would pay $30 for lunch.! The food was served nicely and tasted very good. The waiter and wait staff were very friendly and explained selections to us, ( we are not Japanese) I will go back but not if the prices rise.

    (4)

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Map

Opening Hours

  • Tue

Specialities

  • Takes Reservations : Yes
    Delivery : No
    Take-out : No
    Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
    Accepts Bitcoin : No
    Good For : Lunch, Dinner
    Parking : Private Lot
    Bike Parking : Yes
    Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
    Good for Kids : No
    Good for Groups : Yes
    Attire : Casual
    Ambience : Classy
    Noise Level : Quiet
    Alcohol : Full Bar
    Outdoor Seating : No
    Wi-Fi : No
    Has TV : No
    Dogs Allowed : No
    Waiter Service : Yes
    Caters : No

Gokoku

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