4. Restaurants

Agu Ramen

925 Isenberg St, Honolulu, HI, 96826
  • (808) 492-1637
  • Store is closed

Agu Ramen Menu

Sorry, We are updating this restaurant menu details.

Sorry, We are updating this restaurant cholesterol menu details.

  • Aron N.

    Went to Agu again. Honestly it looks so much better than it tastes. It is not bad in any way - just not what it could be. This time I tried the ramen with black garlic oil - hoping it would be anything like Ippudo in Fukuoka. Nope. WAY TOO GARLICKY! The side of the bowl was coated with garlic and the broth just didn't have that rich and delicious flavor you would expect from looking at it. I give it points for looking good, but the taste is just not what it should be. I also think the price is a little high for what you get. Service was just ok - forgot to place chopsticks on table, didn't refill water until too late.

    (3)

  • Carolyn O.

    Spicy kotteri tonkotsu, level 2!! My new favorite ramen place! Although two of my friends ate the same thing and both would have liked a different noodle choice to go with that broth. Loved the garlic chips in the Ramen though! The edamame wasn't good at all. It was just blackened edamame that lacked flavor. :-/.

    (4)

  • Cindy K.

    Agu Ramen should definitely have a spicy ramen challenge! I had the spicy tonkotsu ramen today and my my...my lips are still tingling. I am definitely an avid spicy food eater and today I met my match. Level 3 spicy has a kick to it, but was still enjoyable. Broth was rich and delicious. Definitely one of my favorite ramen places on the island.

    (4)

  • Ryan G.

    Ramen is definitely superb quality. They fixed the kinks from when they originally open. Their staff is great and passionate about Ramen. The spice level has gotten better and be careful. The bare kotte and the hot mess are my favorites here.

    (4)

  • Raych D.

    Texted my boyfriend yesterday as soon as I saw Agu Ramen on the hot new business list "we are eating Agu Ramen tonight". Right after he got home from the gym, I didn't even change outta my work clothes that I just wanted to go there and eat. Got there at 6:45pm and parking it in the front (very limited) but you'll see their yellow cones on the ground to mark which ones are their stalls. The place is very moder, nice and really clean looking...it is right across the park next to First Hawaii Bank and I believe it was the old "Da Kitchen" on Isenberg. The workers there are really sweet and I believe high school students and they all had a plaid and jeans attire. There are tables around the restaurant and a big counter top table in the middle surrounded with flowers. Our waitress was cute Hispanic girl who convinced my bf to get the spicy Ramen at a level 4 because 2-3 is not hot at all but for me I prefer to have it really really spicy so I got the spicy Ramen at a level 5 (the hottest) with no pork but substitute with more bamboo shoots...I love that each of their Ramen had bamboo shoots, boiled egg, pork char siu and seaweed inside and you can also substitute any of them for more of something else....I also like the concept of having the spiciness level from 1-5 and that their noodles are thin noodles very Japanese style but I never really liked my noodles on the harder side which I normally have them cook it longer to make it a lot softer but I forgot to asked for that last night...my fault because it made me not eat half of my Ramen. The level 5 spiciness is spicy with all kinds of peppers on it from jalapeno to chili peppers and the broth was very hot, smooth and flavorful and not too salty. My boyfriend on the other hand was sweating with a level 4 spiciness, he likes the Ramen but preferred his noodles also to be cooked longer and he said the pork needed to be worked on but everything else he loved. The prices are decent, with both our Ramen bowls it was about $21 with tax. We will be back later once they have more of the menu (on the back) going so that we can try more of their Ramen selections. I also will next time asked to have my noodles cooked longer. I say it is a go! Everyone in the area who loves Ramen should come check this place out!

    (4)

  • Jonathan Q.

    It is OK. Gyoza was good, flavorful. Chicken karaage came to us like stretchy rubber bands and burnt black. The broth is delicious, I had a level 2. Service was all over the place.

    (3)

  • Khan M.

    Fine. If there's currently a joint that's takes the cake for overall best bowl it's here solely because the broth is almost perfect, but I get heated about the HUGE line and fairly large price. I mean tacking on $4.50 to make it xl is kinda of steep. I get the business side of it, but as far as service to the community goes, I hope this place improves by maybe opening a sister restaurant that it more accommodating. Thanks though

    (4)

  • Ash K.

    With all the new ramen restaurants opening up around town, it took me awhile to finally try here! I guess the small parking lot scared me, but actually, when we arrived we for a parking space right in front! The wait was only 2 parties deep when we arrived - we were seated within 10 minutes. We sat on a high table against the wall, and I liked it but my boyfriend (taller than me) said the chairs were a bit uncomfortable for him. The service was great and the wait staff were able to answer all of our questions. I don't remember which spice-level I got but it was just right :) the soup is soooo yummy and tasty. Will be back here...SOON!

    (4)

  • Kelsey S.

    Agu is located right across of Stadium Park. Minimal parking in the front but you can head to the back for more. The restaurant is small but cute and the service is great. I had the Spicy Tonkotsu (level 3) and my counterpart had the Kotteri Tonkotsu. Both were tasty, but when I go back, I'll probably have the Kotteri because of it's rich and creaminess. The Spicy Tonkotsu has 5 levels of heat you can choose from. My heat tolerance is probably maxed out at 3 - best described as Korean hot. I'd be scared to try any higher, but more power to you if you dare to. The noodles are prepared just the way I like- al dente. In my opinion, all noodles should be prepared like this. These noodles aren't the typical size you find in ramen either. It was thinner which made it that much more easier to eat the whole bowl. Wait...now that I think about it, I don't know if that's a good thing... As a side dish, we had the Gyoza. The flavor was there but the size...meh... I'd appreciate a bite filled with more stuffing. Alcohol was not offered when we went because they didn't have their liquor license yet...not sure if that's changed since. All-in-all, a good ramen shop and one to keep in mind when craving noodles.

    (4)

  • L. Y.

    Stumbled upon this ramen shop while looking for late night eats. So glad that we did. We ordered the Original Kotteri and an order of Agu Gyoza. The gyoza is the best we have ever tasted here on Oahu. The flavors were perfect and being that it is made fresh daily is a plus. The Kotteri broth reminded us of our favorite ramen broth in Mountain View, CA. We enjoyed the flavors that the black garlic oil and garlic chips added to the broth. We are definitely going to be back for more.

    (4)

  • Jaimie S.

    Finally! We've been trying to get here for weeks and we've never been able to find parking but guess we got lucky today. Definitely not your typical ramen but still tasty. I had the tonkotsu kottori original rendition. When it came the soup was black and I'll admit I was skeptical. But taking that first spoonful of soup - nothing but creamy goodness! The noodles were done perfectly and were nice and chewy just the was I like it. We ordered a side of gyoza - 6 in an order and you could taste the hint of fresh ginger in it. Mmmm. The servers are all familiar from other places like Jimbo's or Goma Tei so you're guaranteed good service. We didn't finish our gyoza and Stuart, or waiter, was great enough to ask if they're was something wrong. Nothing wrong just full! Plenty of different things to try. We will be back!

    (4)

  • Kim S.

    Everyone has been raving about this place. Seeing my friends post their check in's every week made me curious. Got there 5min before opening and there were about 4 other groups of retirees waiting to get in. Sat down and ordered shio jidori, shoyu tonkotsu, 2 gyoza, karaage. The gyoza came out piping hot and tasted like home. I was pleasantly surprised and awaited the ramen. The ramen was at best ok. The noodles were very soft, reminded me of zippys saimin. The broth had a tinge of a sour smell. My lunch partner said it smelled like urinal soup. Karaage was surprisingly light but EXTREMELY bland. So I went back to the gyoza....it was cold by now and the taste had defiantly changed once it cooled down. Got the check for $50....meh. Overall, won't be back and won't recommend to anyone. The one star is for HOT gyoza.

    (1)

  • Jonathan L.

    Came here expecting to wait a long time after hearing this place just opened but oddly enough there was no wait and we were seated right away. The restaurant is fairly small and the counter was the only seats available. It was not bad because the counter has ample spacing and you won't feel cramped. The menu was small and only a limited numbers of items were available. I ordered the kotteri tonkotsu, I really wanted to try the spicy tonkotsu but was scared away after hearing how spicy it was. We also ordered a side of gyoza. It comes with six gyoza but only got five as they had to make some more because they finished the batch. The waiter told us the food was going to a little longer because they had a large group of 8 ordered before us. It was okay as we actually didn't even have to wait that long. My kotteri tonkotsu's broth was a milky texture and very garlicky as they put a lot of garlic chips in the broth. The broth was good as it was not salty as some other ramen places. The noodles reminded me of Chinese cake noodles, same color and texture. Water was always refilled on a timely basis and the waiter was attentive. I would come here again if its not too busy. It would be a good place to take a date as the lighting is dim. Gotta man up one day and try the spicy level 5 LOL

    (5)

  • Amanda Z.

    Agu Ramen is a cute, small, restaurant on Isenberg. Parking lot is also tiny, so good luck finding street parking! I really have a pet peeve with restaurants that think that dumping a whole bunch of hot pepper in something will make it a delicious spiciness. I believe that things can be spicy, but also be flavorful, instead of just blasting away your tongue and burning your throat. In that regard, I really disliked the Spicy Tonkotsu ramen (level 3). There was no balance of flavors, just simply burning spice. Luckily the husband took my bowl, and I ate the Kotteri Tonkotsu ramen - flavorful and the garlic chips were a nice touch. Overall, I think this place has potential, especially once they expand the menu.

    (3)

  • Amy V.

    I never knew Ramen could be so good! One night my boyfriend and I were looking for something to eat in the neighborhood, so we decided to try out Agu... best decision ever! We both couldn't stop thinking about that first delicious bowl of ramen we shared so for the next week we went 3 more times. It's rare that I take the time to review a place on Yelp but last night while eating my spicy level 1 original I vowed to share my love for Agu with the Yelp world. The service is excellent and friendly every single time, Stuart and Howard get 5 stars in my book... thanks for being patient with this white girl from Texas who doesn't know too much about Ramen. :) This place has a really great neighborhood family feel, nicely decorated and lit interior, free parking, convenient location...delicious food... what more could you want? Open till 12 am on Friday and Saturday also. Oh and I'm pretty sure the food is made with love, I could taste it.

    (5)

  • Steven K.

    My buddy told me that Agu is one of his favorite ramen places. I will have to add it to my list. I enjoyed the "level 3" spicy ramen. The noodles were just right, the broth was rich and char siu had the right amount of fat and the egg put the ying to the spicy broth yang. We also enjoyed a side of Agu gyoza and Fried Mimiga. The gyoza was tasty, but the mimiga (pigs ears) was nothing special. Great little ramen bistro for me and my bud to catch up on the 12th of August.

    (4)

  • Anthony N.

    Just got back from eating here... I'm still sweating.. still drinking water.. That was a delicious spicy ramen bowl! Located on Isenberg St. across Old Stadium Park. Where Da Kitchen used to be. I parked in the back lot where the Saint Louis Alumni Lounge is. There are quite a bit of tables which I love! I hate waiting for ramen! The Island in the middle have hooks on the bottom for you girls to hang your bags. There were 4 waiters/waitresses which made things go pretty smoothly. The design is chic and clean. I had an order of gyoza which was crispy on the outside yet soft in the middle. The filling was your usual gyoza, I didn't taste anything special. I ordered the spicy tonkotsu level 3. (I recommend level 2) I LOVE SPICY ANYTHING! Trust me when I say you don't need anything higher than Level 3. It just won't be enjoyable if its too spicy... So, if you're planning to order a spicy ramen, make sure you ask for the Big Boy Glass of water, because if the restaurant gets busy, good luck getting a refill. You'll probably just die from all that spicy goodness and sweating..a river.. The ramen comes with 3 small pieces of pork, egg, bamboo shoots, cloud ear mushrooms and jalapeno. The broth was really flavorful as well. Really not sure why they even have a level 4 and 5.. that is just crazy!! I will definitely be back to try some of their upcoming food items!

    (4)

  • Lisa S.

    OMG, their ramen is sooooo good. The spicy Koterri Ramen was absolutely delish. I like their soup base so much better than Goma Tei. The char siu was also very tastely and not too fatty. The noodles, I don't care for so much since I prefer my noodles more chewy but they claim that their noodles were specifically made so you it would compliment the soup. I highly recommend you don't go past a leve 3 spicy, even if you like it spicy. I am pretty tolerant to spicy foods but even at 3, I could barely manage eating without a runny nose. My friend however, was not so fortunate! I think I might try a level 2 the next time (I should have learned my lesson the first time I ate there!). The gyoza is decently priced too. You get 6 for less than $6.

    (5)

  • Keiko P.

    Love Agu, spicy kotteri tonkotsu! Eat your succulent gyoza with just vinegar and black pepper, it brings out the umami of the beef and vegetables. The, chukka noodles are always perfect in consistency and I LOVE their aji tsuke tamago!!! The spicy menma to to change the flavor of the of the kotteri is a MUST!

    (5)

  • Ren B.

    Ok....so I am part Japanese and grew up living with my Japanese grandmother who's from japan and I have also visited japan many times and had real ramen and gyoza. I know what good Japanese food is and this place is seriously the shit. In a good way! My grandma and I eat out all the time in search of a new Japanese restaurant to eat at and usually my grandma( who is a harsh critic) never wants to come back. But this time she was very pleased and thought the broth was so good and flavorful. She had the jidori shoyu ramen and loved it. I had the level 1 kotteri tonkastu and I am now addicted. The garlic chips are soooooo yummy and the broth....mmmm yeah... Their gyoza is the best I've had since Dairyu. I've been back a 2nd time in the past month and it was just as good. My grandmas been asking to go back again too, but we decided to try the other newer ramen place Hokkaido Santouka, and were not very impressed. We were talking about Agu the whole time we were there. But oh well now we know to just go to Agu. It might be a little pricey but it's worth every penny I promise you!

    (5)

  • Scott Y.

    Everytime i go i try something different. I am always impressed that the things i think I'm not going to like come out changing my mind. I've tried most of the different Ramen flavors except for the super spicy ones. I really like them all. I like how they pair the different noodles with the different broth styles. I'm going to be a customer for a very long time. The service staff there is excellent, they know their product, take time to socialize, very very nice, never have even a half empty glass of water. They never let it get that low! I mainly like the clean clear broths, i have been turned to the warm, thicker, stick to your ribs broths and those skinny white noodles... They are sooo good. I really like the rice dishes they prepare also... Almost cant go wrong with anything ordered. If only they had that Hokkaido pork cheek!! But that's ok they are tops on everything else.

    (5)

  • Doris D.

    Nice, modern joint with good ramen. I had the shoyu tonkotsu ramen - good broth and noodles but the roast pork was pretty disappointing (no fat, a bit tough). The noodles were too soft for me. Overall, I was not blown away. The gyoza were good and the lychee sorbet was tasty.

    (3)

  • Mabel L.

    Tonkotsu is supposed to be a milky white broth, not a burnt, gritty mess. This is the most disgusting ramen I've ever had. How did they decide it was acceptable to serve charcoal water ramen? Definitely not coming back here again.

    (1)

  • Imo C.

    Yummy ramen, though a bit on the expensive side. The broth is nice and thick and you can request all the hot sauces to add more kick to it! Portions are a bit small, so some might need the extra noodle. The charsui pork was a bit on the tough side, maybe they can find a way to improve that.

    (4)

  • Rheena A.

    This is my second time eating here and agu ramen hasn't disappointed me yet! I've fallen in love with the shoyu jidori! And the best part is that it's super close to where I live!

    (5)

  • Christopher K.

    I went here twice with some friends of mine. On both occasions i tried the apps and the entrees. I had the strangely satisfying Parmesan ramen on both occasions. I highly suggest that you try it atleast to try it. If you dont like it then atleast you can say you tried it right? It is thick and rich and slightly creamy. Even though the cheese itself is salty, the soup as a whole was not over salted. The apps weren't too special in my opinion, but they did compliment the ramen shop flare.

    (3)

  • Taylor W.

    WARNING: do not get the spicy kotteri above a level 1 or 2 on the spicy charts because when my bf got the level 3 it literally was just spicy... Could not taste anything else. I got the shoyu ramen and it was ok nothing special. And we also got gyoza, also ok. Service was attentive and good overall just the food is not that great and special. I will stick to yotteko ya in McCully shopping center!

    (2)

  • Rissa K.

    I had the spicy tonkotsu ramen with a level 3 of spicyness. You can get it up to level 5 spicy. This place is located where the old Da Kine kitchen used to be. There is a small parking lot or you may find street parking. Great service and friendly staff. The ramen noodles here are bit different and broth is very tasty. I will def be back!

    (4)

  • Bert S.

    Nice interior. Good service. Great karage. Noodles cooked perfectly. No little broken pieces at the bottom. That would normally get 5 stars. So why the mediocre rating? For the price, the regular size is too small. My 5 ft tall 74 y/o mother in law asked if we could go somewhere else to pick up more food after dinner. Not enough pork, egg, or other toppings. I'd almost forgive this if the taste was heavenly. Not the case. Tonkotsu miso ramen was good but the cold ramen was ridiculously sweet. If this were a place serving "local" food, I'd forgive the sweetness but I can guarantee there are no ramenya's in Japan that serve it this sweet. The gyoza was bland. Tasted like it was stuffed with soft pork and cabbage only. No salt, ginger, garlic or anything else. The fried side just wasn't crispy enough. It wasn't bad, but for the money and taste, I'll be going to Menchankotei were I can get something that tastes better, cost less, and has more toppings.

    (2)

  • Kimo S.

    I will try this place again, but there were a few bad glitches. Good: Gyoza was good and our waitress was nice. The servers hustle. Bad: They tell us that they are sold out of tonkotsu (understandable)...We order..,They tell us that there are two more tonkotsu orders if we want them...We change order...We wait...They argue in the back then tell us that we have to get our original order because they are now out of tonkotsu...We wait again basically double our order time. Our waitress apologized but nothing was offered or reconciled. I really want to try the tonkotsu so I will go back hopefully.

    (3)

  • Ryan M.

    No complaints so far!! Been here about 4 times and every time has been an enjoyable experience. It's nice coming on a regular basis and having the servers remember who you are LOL. I highly suggest everyone to come and try this place!!

    (5)

  • Jenet Y.

    I liked the broth. There was flavor and depth to it. My only wish is that it was served hotter. The noodles were a little on the skinny side as far as ramen noodles go. But over all I really enjoyed the meal.

    (3)

  • Kehau C.

    I give it 3 stars because the lack of good service does put a damper on the overall experience. The parking was easy at 830p at night. There was seats for us when we got in on a Friday night so it was another plus. Once we ordered, the meal took more than 10 mins to get out to us. People who ordered at the same time as us finished their meal before we got ours. Got the Parmesan Kotteri which was a nice change from the typical flavors found in most ramen. I thoroughly enjoyed my ramen choice with a side of gyoza as it left me comfortably full. The prices were well matched with the creativity of the Ramen dishd and gyoza in my opinion. Despite the service I received, I would go back but I would hope I get a better server. After we got our meal we didn't see much of our server. I could see from the others that received his service he must have had a junk day. The other servers were on it.

    (3)

  • Marcia L.

    This place is A-OK. Among the myriad ramen options available now in Hawaii, this one has a nicer, modern, fine-dining-esque interior. However, the food is similar: gyoza y ramen. I ordered the Level 4 spicy, which was way too intense for me. Now that I've tried it once I'm not in a rush to go back. Note: the mango gelato is very good.

    (3)

  • Chris T.

    Heaven in a bowl. Probably one of the best ramen I've had in the States. I haven't been to every local ramen shop, but I've been to most of them, and this was definitely the best I've had here in Hawaii. I must confess, I am a born carb loving noodle junkie since I was a little kid. Ramen, soba, udon, somen, yakisoba, pasta, you name it, I enjoy some sort of noodle dish almost everyday. Steak or ramen? I'll take the ramen. Tonkatsu or zaru soba? I'll take the soba. A quick burger or yakisoba? You get the picture. As an adult, I enjoy ramen a few times a week. I'm no expert but I like to think I know good ramen when I taste it. Having visited countless ramen shops in Japan, Hawaii, NYC and the LA area over the years, I was blown away when I took my first sip of Agu's Tonkotsu Shoyu ramen. Wow, the flavor! This is no packaged artificial soup concoction, this is the real deal! With one sip from the renge spoon, you can taste the honest delicious flavor that comes from soup stock made from pork and real ingredients. The soup is not overpowered with salt, soy sauce or some chemical gimmick found in plenty of other ramen shops. This is the authentic taste of really good ramen IMO. Something I have not enjoyed too often since my childhood/teen years in Japan many years ago. I found Agu's ramen noodles to be pretty spot on as well. Not too thick, not too soft, cooked just right with the right amount of 'shin'(al dente speak in Japanese). The charsiu slices were delicious. It's not too thick and fatty like many places but thinly sliced and full of that old school Japanese ramen shop charsiu flavor. If your a meat lover, it might not be enough to fill you but the taste is very good. I also enjoyed a plate of Agu's gyoza. Once again, it did not disappoint. It hit my palate just right! Tastes just like gyoza from my youth. I didn't notice it during our first visit but thankfully, their menu offers plain white rice. Good gyoza goes great with ramen but to me, its perfect with some white rice. On my second visit, I had the pleasure of enjoying Agu's Jidori Shoyu ramen. (It might have been due to the soft open but during my first visit, I was told the chef was not satisfied with how the Jidori(chicken) stock came out that day so they didn't offer it. When was the last time you heard that? I love the fact that the chef wouldn't compromise and serve something he's not proud of). The wait was worth it though. One sip of the Jidori Shoyu and once again, I had a huge smile on my face. This is really good ramen. The true flavor of a honestly prepared chicken stock based shoyu ramen soup with no overpowering gimmicks to cover up the lack of an improperly made stock. No need for excessive salt, oil, soy sauce, or any of those nonsense chemical additives. Agu's ramen soups are clearly crafted by someone who takes ramen seriously. The Jidori Shoyu had a refreshing taste that's becoming more and more difficult to find these days. I think Agu achieves this delicious flavor by doing it right from the start, a very well prepared stock. I probably sound like a broken record but I can't help how happy I was to find a ramen shop that takes real authentic ramen soup seriously. I don't believe it's just the skill of the chef but it must also cost quite a bit more to make and this lifelong ramen lover can really appreciate that. Now for the something other than the soup. Sorry about going on and on about the soup. The service was great and the decor is modern, clean and comfortable. The wait staff are friendly, attentive and they never once left my glass of water sit empty. Overall, it's a really nice little restaurant with good friendly service. The parking seems limited at first but I did notice the menu had a map that showed that there were more parking spaces available at the back of the building. There were other parking lots listed that seems to be located around the corner but I don't honestly remember too well. I'm not one who usually writes reviews, and it probably shows, but I couldn't help share my thoughts about Agu Ramen. I'm still sporting a big smile from my visit. This place is simply delicious! If your a ramen lover, you owe it to yourself to give Agu Ramen Bistro a try. One sip and you'll know it won't be your last!

    (5)

  • Judy M.

    I recently went on a ramen craze looking for new and better ramen shops to try around Oahu. Ramen is tough because I'm not into the shoyu ramen and the tonkotsu can sometiimes be too thick. I asked all my friends, some of them took me to various spots about town. However, until I tried Agu - they were all kinda "meh". Why you ask? For me, it's the GARLIC. If you love garlic, you will love this place! It's the first ramen place I've been to that when I ask for extra garlic, they don't look at me like I need to check what restaurant I am in. The housemade noodles are awesome and the gyoza very fresh and yummy. The only thing lacking is that there are no vegetables on the menu. No salad or veggie sides to add to your nutritional balance of the meal. Tastey yes, but leaves your body wishing you'd had some veggies too!

    (4)

  • Mune T.

    Nice interior and friendly services. As I've written a few reviews on other ramen shops, my evaluation points are Noodle, Soup, and Topping. I had Tonkotsu ramen. At the first sip of the soup, I was like ??? ,an aftertaste was questionable, then as I had the second and third sips, it really grew on me. I LIKED it. The toppings are very good. The reason I gave only 3 stars for this place is because of its noodle. The noodle is way to soft and there is no texture. This noodle is not the type of noodle that could be cooked less and get more texture. As they say in their menu for Tonkotsu ramen, Hakata style ramen, the noodle has to be re-evaluated in my humble opinion. Gyoza was very good, perfectly cooked and taste like good Gyoza I've had in Japan. I would go back there and try other menu items.

    (3)

  • Yooka H.

    Overrated as hell!!! This place sucks... Spicy? It wasn't even spicy.. Portions are small and broth was not hot. I can't stand it when soup don't come out hot... And the cold noodle had no sauce and no flavor... It's busy in there but that place will not last long... Bistro? I mean the name is retarded too...

    (1)

  • R L.

    Great Ramen and Service is what Agu is about. On my first visit, I ordered the Kotteri Tonkotsu Ramen. Basically the broth/soup base made from pork bone characterized by a milky tan color, richer and thicker taste compared to other types of ramen. The noodles here are a little more firmer than what I'm used to but the soup base and toppings were great and of course the service. I will definitely come back to try other types of ramen.

    (4)

  • Jason Y.

    Ramen and service were both just OK. The place was very busy so i wasn't expecting super fast service but one server seemed overly stressed out and snappy towards the other one. The food came quick and I like the choice of spicy levels but it seems like a gimmick to attract attention to the restaurant only to serve mediocre noodles in a spicy yet seemingly bland broth. I would give it another try but not in any rush to do so.

    (3)

  • C M.

    I got the kotteri tonkotsu. I had high hopes for this but sadly, I left disappointed. While the broth was thick, I found the flavor lacking and just overall kind of bland. The noodles they use is different than the kind you find in most ramen places. It is much thinner and not as chewy. The charsiu was rough, too. I'm just not impressed.

    (2)

  • Sus I.

    I was so excited to check out this new place, after hearing great reviews from a foodie coworker and from yelp. I'm a simple girl; I love spicy food and noodles. This is the place! I got the Spicy Kotteri Tonkotsu Level 3 (I was warned to order one below and they could always add more thai chili upon request) and the gyoza. The gyoza was ok, tasted kinda gingery, although it does not have ginger in it. It did have nira in it, not sure if that has a gingery taste? Anyway, the Spicy Kotteri Tonkotsu was very tasty and spicy! I did ask for a little more thai chili, so I'm not sure if that made it to Level 4. However, the portion is small for the price. I wished they served more noodles and toppings. They do offer a XL size for $3.50 more. But I can't imagine paying $16.25 for ramen, especially when other ramen places offer more for under $10! This place is good but I think it's just all about the hype.

    (3)

  • Nathan K.

    Nice fancy interior. The ramen was good, a little oily. Shio jidori had a nice aroma and deep flavor.

    (4)

  • Dan M.

    Meeeean! I got the level 4 miso tonkatsu ramen with gyoza. Sooo ono. Logan was our server. Service was excellent.

    (5)

  • Vlad T.

    The service was fast, the ramen was well priced and the broth is amazing. It is rare for me to finish the broth after eating all the noodles and fixings, but this broth was gone to the bottom of the bowl. I definitely recommend this little spot. I did not get the name of the girl who was waitress but she very at tent and was very kind.

    (5)

  • Roston O.

    Awesome service. Very knowledgable server. Food was promptly served and devoured. Ordered a special ramen called the Hot Mess. It was good but not what I was expecting for ramen. It tasted similar to Italian pasta with soup just as the server explained. Im happy I ordered it but wont order it again. The atmosphere was great, young, hip and trendy. Filled with a slight mix of the older Asian generation and tourists. Comfortable seating and space. I hear the toilet is a little walk but manageable. Also love the different levels of spicy they have. Had the #7 (Habinero) and it rocked my socks off... Will be frequenting this place when I am in town.

    (4)

  • James L.

    Modern style Ramen. Nice place to eat at. Limited selection of alcohol.

    (4)

  • George L.

    Good service, food was served fast. My daughter and I thought their spicy kotteri ramen level 5 wasn't hot at all. Probably will try the WTF level next time.

    (4)

  • Sofia S.

    Best soup I ever tasted! Highly recommend to go for spicy Kotori soup and ask for mild spicy. (1 pepper sign)

    (5)

  • Emily S.

    I have never eaten ramen in hawaii, This is my first time trying at actual raiment restaurant in hawaii. I ordered shoyu jidori (soy sauce chicken) flavor of ramen. It was good :) I like the noodle, I think it's was bit skinny and hard which I really liked it. The soup was light taste. The egg was hanjuku!! My favorite! Gyoza, the skin was very sod and there was lots inside it. I'll give 4stars for this place :)

    (4)

  • Natalie L.

    sorry goma tei, we are through. you know how some things are just meant to be? the stars were totally aligned today and i found front row parking at agu right as i drove in to their lot. no trolling for spaces on isenberg. i was seated right away at the bar and soon after delightfully slurped down a bowl of spicy (level 5) kotteri tonkotsu ramen. the rest is history. the noodles are thin and really soak up the broth with every bite. when they say spicy they mean it. we aren't talking spicy-salty or spicy-sriracha or spicy-crushed peppers or any of that bs you'll find at other places. fresh thai chili's people. no joke. next time (which could even be tomorrow) i am definitely going for "epic" spicy level which boasts a thai chili/ habanero combo. i might not be able to sleep tonight. disclaimer: i enjoy painfully spicy foods so i imagine the level 5 (which made my nose run just a tad) would be intolerable for most. for the beginner i would probably recommend a 2 ;).

    (5)

  • Eddie A.

    Ramen with a twist,broth is very rich in flavor..Staff is friendly, arrival of food wasnt that long.

    (4)

  • Ryan S.

    I love the food here. I definitely recommend the kotteri ramen level 1 spicy. Service is a bit on the okay side. I figure the servers are new so I'd cut them some slack since the food is delicious. Nathan is a very friendly & helpful server there so ask for him if you go there. I will be back again soon. This place is my FAVORITE ramen restaurant in town.

    (5)

  • D J.

    Roasted garlic in the Kotteri Ramen, hand made gyouza, and a spicy Menma that packs a nice punch. 5 stars.

    (5)

  • Boki C.

    it's good, but it's not the best thing ever. i rather thicker ramen - this place has thing kind. i told the waiter that there's only ONE time (at sweet home cafe, cuz we asked them to dump a LOT of chili oil/sauce into the broth) at a restaurant that i couldn't handle the spice, everywhere else i'm fine. he recommended a 2 of 5 spicy rating first. so i said fine, but asked if i could get more spice if it wasn't enough. of course it wasn't enough spice..so i asked for some more, and got it up to spicy rating 5.. and it was fine. i could go higher, but i think 5 was a good amount. their gyoza was quite yummy. i like that there's lotsa parking! =)

    (3)

  • Dale H.

    Service was lacking but the ramen was flavorful. They put a lot of spice, even in the level 3 and it's delicious but beware if you aren't used to Thai chilies. Their gyoza wasn't the best but loved that they make it crunchy.

    (4)

  • Ryan K.

    Came here for the first time after hearing some good reviews from friends. I tried the Parmeasan ramen and I was expecting a lot more for the price that they charge. The broth was very tasty but they give very little noodles and I was still hungry after the meal. This place is no where near the quality you get in Japan and for the price I think it's way over priced for what you get. I won't be back. Too many other places to try before giving this place a second chance. Forgot to mention that service was fine and the food came out promptly.

    (2)

  • Arlene A.

    Finally had a chance to try this newish ramen spot. I reviewed the previous place and didn't like it so much so Agu Ramen is a welcome change. Not what I expected when I walked in. It's not your usual casual dine-in restaurant. It had a bit of a modern upscale feel but not pretentious at all. I liked it. The menu is fairly simple. There's small sized dishes/appetizers and of course ramen. My sistah and I came here at the last minute near closing time but didn't feel rushed at all. The waiters were welcoming and friendly. We got the kotteri garlic edamame out of pure curiosity. I didn't really taste garlic but the black salt had a nice flavor to it. She ordered the pork donburi. It was a good serving for about $5-plus. The pork was very tender and it was delicious. I had to try the kotteri ramen since I love Tenkaippin's one so much. The presentation was photo-worthy but I was too hungry for any of that. The broth wasn't so heavy or thick and the egg was a nice touch. It was different but also good. I would definitely come back again to try their other tasty ramen dishes!

    (4)

  • Catherine L.

    I just spent the last 5 months eating delicious ramen in NYC and am thrilled to find this place so close to my home. Be warned that when you ask for spicy, it is probably spicier than you think. Will definitely be back!

    (5)

  • Sara T.

    The ramen is overpriced. The staff could have been a little more friendlier, but perhaps that is the style of this place. I would love to see ramen toppings similar to restaurants such as Ramen Dojo ( m.yelp.com/biz/ramen-doj… ) in San Mateo if this restaurant is going to charge these types of prices.

    (3)

  • Lynn T.

    Delicious and great staff. You meed to time it just right to beat the rush. We arrived a few mins. before 6 on a Sunday Easter & was seated right away. Our waitress was a doll. Super friendly despite the fact that she had been working all day & missed spending Easter with her daughter. I've been to several ramen noodle houses from east to west but have to say, this is one of the best. Don't miss out on a reasonably priced bowl of noodles!!! An absolute pit stop for a meal if you're in Waikiki.

    (4)

  • Rob I.

    My third visit here and just as good as the first. I always order the spicy tonkotsu kotteri ramen level 3 as this combo produces the best ramen! The fried mimi "ears" also goes well with the ramen. The first time i ate fried ears was at the clement church farmers market and was glad to see this on the menu!

    (5)

  • Stewart C.

    Solid quality. Exceptional waiter. Ethical meat. Great taste. Prices more than fair. We had a great meal through and through. If I lived in Honolulu, I would move into the neighborhood so I could eat there regularly. A must visit destination for foody people.

    (5)

  • David G.

    So good

    (5)

  • Chelsie M.

    The Parmesan ramen is addicting. I crave it at random times and I always order it every time. This place is a little pricey compared to other ramen places but it's soo good I'm willing to spend the money on it once in awhile. The egg served in the ramen is the best egg I ever had in my life. Try the Parmesan if u haven't yet.. I know it sounds strange but it's the best!

    (5)

  • Andie H.

    1st IMPRESSION: Tiny, modern space; pricey but ono ramen. Since seeing all these posts about this new ramen place, I definitely had to make this one of my stops while on island. Located where Da Kitchen in McCully was, this small restaurant looks pretty fancy from the outside. Parking was a bit confusing, you could park in the space where the restaurant occupies, and a few other places, but the bros and I decided street parking near stadium park was the obvious choice. *Protip* You can park in the Hawaiian bank parking lot, but only after hours and in the marked stalls. Be ready to parallel park! Really got the modern vibe walking in. It was a lot smaller than anticipated, not the greatest pick for large groups. Small 2-4 chair tables surround a very tall community table. We sat on the community table because that was the last spot for our 3 person party. Service was quite great. Fast, efficient, great customer service. No problems there. The ramen was pretty good. Looking over the menu, there are less than 10 choices. No kidding. On the back there are some extras, but the ramen is definitely the selling point. The bros and I all got varying degrees of the kotteri tonkotsu. I got the regular, one bro got the spicy #2 and the other spicy #3. I enjoyed the noodles, they were definitely thinner than most ramen noodles, but in that way, I enjoyed more. I perfer skinny noodles, the skinnier the better (in comparison I completely hate udon). The broth was nice, not too salty, but definitely garlicky! I tried the #3 spicy, and it was pretty comfortable, nice kick, but not overly spicy (then again I didn't have to live with the consequences!) I enjoyed the bamboo and the egg, and even pork in the ramen. We also ordered the gyoza, and man, I don't normally like gyoza, and these buggers are tinier than most gyoza, but damn those things were delicious!! 5 stars for those gyoza!! The ramen is pricey, the parking is confusing, but I definitely walked away from the restaurant content. I give my recommendation to those curious about this place!

    (4)

  • George N.

    My third time here in just two weeks......the #3 was great so I tried the #4.....little hot for my taste but still great!! This time I ate the kotteri with grated parmesan cheese.....tasty but hands down the regular kotteri is the bomb. The Gyoza is the best....crispy but still moist and great flavor burst when you bite into it. The service is always very consistently great, friendly, knowledgeable, and fast. My personal best ramen on the island and possibly the best I have ever eaten......give it a chance when in the area. The only bad thing to say is that parking is not great for bigger vehicles!!!!!!

    (5)

  • C Y.

    I have had the tonkotsu and koteri here and they are both excellent. The broth tastes cleaner and less greasy than other ramen places. The spicy ramen is pretty hot, so I would recommend starting off low then going up

    (4)

  • Jayne T.

    Well, a bit pricey, noodles were not impressive, broth -- eh. Gzoya was yummy. Char su a bit fatty. Yotteka ya still reins ramen king for me. Service was great- waiter a sweetie. Will I go back? Nah.

    (2)

  • Nia P.

    Holy guacamole! I have been on a crazy ramen kick this week and so I've tried a whole bunch of places back to back to back. This ramen is the best that we've had I the area so far. Their spicy meter is pretty right on and the broth is phenomenal. The gyoza is scrumptious and the staff is great. Definitely recommend checking this place out!

    (5)

  • Tim O.

    We live nearby and I'm so glad we stopped by tonight. Friends of ours had tried it and said they wouldn't return. Well, so much for their opinion, we loved it! My wife is a freak about soup bases in general and this place has it going on. It's three hours later and she's still talking about it! When the waiter Stuart came I was a little distracted (answering work emails) and went ahead with the Kotteri Spice Level 5. He did give me a little funny look, like 'brah, you sure?'.... We didn't wait long before the food arrived and I was famished so I dug right in. There's like a half of a cooked egg with some kinda sauce on it, very tasty. Started ploughing through the noodles, one bite, two bites, three! Baboom! It hit me like a freight train! Stuart couldn't keep my water glass filled! He later brought a big glass for me, noticing the pain I was in. The next time I will order Spice Level 3. The Goya was tasty, only had none, teenage son woofed um down. The coffee gelato saved me, my lips were able to simmer down a bit. This place must be doing a great job, there were over 20 people outside waiting to be seated with a 45 minute wait. I look forward to returning for another great meal with friendly service.

    (4)

  • Claudia M.

    Koiterri tonkotsu was so delicious. I liked that it didnt look and taste like a chinese noodle gravy broth...which i had at other tonkotsu ramen shops. I forgot to take a pic of the wonderful presentation of my ramen which was topped with char siu, bamboo shoots, fried garlic slices and green onion and half a boiled egg. The soup had a lot of sesame seeds, which i liked. They use organic chicken in their shoyu jidori ramen. They use flour based noodles in the tonkotsu and egg base in their jidori. We liked the egg base noodles better. The flour base reminded me of somen noodles. Gyoza was delicious, not super oily. Waitress was pleasant. Parking wasn't a problem, first hawn bank allows parking, i think after hours. We will definetely be back.

    (5)

  • Jay T.

    You know the ramen was Ono when you don't care that you wreak of garlic or that you're so full you start to let out gas as soon as you get back to the office. Just me? =)

    (5)

  • Rosie N.

    I came here for the first time with my friend and it was so gooood!! I had the tonkotsu level 3, omg I wouldn't be able to handle it without water lol. it was very good though, the service is excellent!! and the prince wasn't that bad either!

    (5)

  • Tellia W.

    Excellent ramen. One of the best noodle places in Hawaii and I think that was the spicyest Japanese ramen I've had. Definately check it out. You won't be disappointed.

    (5)

  • Alan H.

    Agu ramen is a-ok. There is a few designated parking spots available in front of the restaurant; a few more spots are available at the bank next door in the evening. If you are in the neighborhood you would not have gone wrong to give it a try, but is not quite crave worthy which would require a special trip. The soup is good, the ramen is fine, but it lacks something special that would make it stand out compare to all the other ramen shops like hokkaido and goma-tei. The staff is friendly, the prices are reasonable, and it is good, just not quite great.

    (3)

  • Ken F.

    I am very picky when it comes to ramen. There are two criterias that has to be met to my liking. First, the noodles regardless of shape has to be chewy like youre eating a good piece of artisan bread chewy. Second, the soup has to be rightly seasoned. Agu Ramen misses all that. I came here on a recommendation from a friend. VIsually the Ramen looks good, but portion wise it could use a few more ounces of noodles. First bite of the ramen noodles weren't chewy to my liking; it was soft. It felt like people with dentures are able to eat thsi without chewing. The soup also is a problem. If seasoning the soup is based on a 0 percent to 100 percent scalre where 0 is no salt, and 100 is fully salty. The saltiness of the soup is around 80 percent which is extremely salty. Umeboshi is a 70 percent saltiness and this soup here is just too much. Although this place is trendy and has a take on modern ramen, this is not a place for me.

    (3)

  • Sukalia O.

    Fellow spice junkies: don't get excited or hold any hope for this ramen; the reviews on it's amazing hotness come not from one of us, but clearly those with a cats tongue. Seriously though, I don't think the majority have any idea what 'Thai spicy' is, people just throw it around all willy nilly. Thai spicy, like a good Vindaloo or Szechuan hot pot, are the type of heat that leave your lips and mouth numb, burn a path through your intestinal tract and sear your soul. It hurts so good. What you'll get here at Agu is people who confuse their levels of spice with the adding of more chili oil- about a quarter inch of it, floating on top of your ramen (and some slices of Serrano chilies as well as Thai red chilies). The heat at number five won't break a sweat and doesn't burn your mouth; it's basic with no depth. However, it will give you massive indigestion from all the oil! Adding in the garlic chips to the tonkastu broth that were not fully blanched before frying (so that they are still bitter) and you'll be worshipping the porcelain gods all night! Good fun! On another note, the pork in the ramen lacks flavor, but I get why, when you need to slice anything THAT thin, who has time to cook it in the traditional style? There were a few slivers of menma in it that we're quite tasty, and the egg was beautifully cooked. I won't comment one way or another on the noodles themselves as they weren't bad but not a style I'm used to, so it's more about personal preference there. The broth might have been okay, but between the bitter garlic and Exxon Valdez style oil float, there's no way to tell. All in all, it was not a spicy bowl of steamy goodness that I looked forward to finishing, and left me and my roommate completely unsated. I hope, someday to find a truly spicy ramen, but this was not that place or day. Another time perhaps.

    (2)

  • Julie N.

    I don't care for this place and I'm not planning on going back. It was a 1 time deal and I'm good. The broth of the ramen has a lot of fat floating in it and it's pretty gross. The wait staff seemed pretty not knowledgable about the ingredients in the ramen that is stated on the menu. The restrooms are not even in the restaurant.. And I've had better ramen at Goma Tei. As for spicy ramen, I can eat a bowl of Nong Shim and be more satisfied :P

    (3)

  • Erika K.

    Might be the best one in town ..

    (5)

  • Wesley C.

    The restaurant is renovated & clean in the former location of Da Kitchen.. They have a short one page menu with 3 Tonkatsu style broths ( regular , Spicy, Salt), and two famed Jidori chicken style ( Shoyu or Salt). The last menu item is Gyoza. We ordered one spicy Tonkatsu & one Jidori Shoyu ramien along with an order of gyoza. The service was excellent as we were the only ones in there! The Gyoza came out first, crispy & hot, but the filling was soft & mushy not much better than frozen gyoza. ( I think Yen King has better pot sticker) My Jidori shoyu flavored ramien came out next; beautiful bowl of noodles with nori, green onions, two slice of char siu, menma, & half of a soft boiled egg. However, the first thing I noticed was the strong smell of katsuo boshi (dried Aku shavings), and one sip of the soup confirmed the overwhelming taste of katsuo broth. No hint of any jidori chicken or shoyu could be found in the soup; just katsuo; very disappointing when you are expecting a chicken or at least shoyu flavored broth. Overall, prices were slightly higher $30.00 for two ramien & one order of Gyoza, and not a memorable bowl of noodles to boot. I'll stick to Goma Tei or Goma Ichi for true shoyu ramien.

    (2)

  • Trina C.

    I've been eating at the same ramen restaurant for 4 yrs (which I love). I was convinced to give this place a try. Well, I was quite disappointed. I felt the broth was bland, wasn't particularly fond of the egg or the small noodles. However, I do like the levels of spiciness. The gyoza was also bland tasting and on the smaller side. Restaurant itself is very clean, trendy, service and employees were great but it doesn't look like I'll be coming back here.

    (3)

  • Denise W.

    Nothing like great ramen from Hawaii. Even though it was hot outside I only had a few days so had to try this place recommended by my hairstylist. I really enjoyed my miso ramen. The noodles were perfectly cooked, soft and chewy. The broth was absolutely amazing. It was thick like my mom makes soups when she has been boiling the bone for hours. I also had an order of gyoza. I like that it was fresh and perfectly pan fried. I think the flavor was good but seems like it was missing something. What I didn't like was that they were extremely oily. I think they could have dabbed the oil off before bringing it out. My mouth was laced with oil like chap stick after bitting into one so I spent the next few minutes dabbing the oil off myself. The ramen for twelve bucks was a bit pricey so might be a special occasion to visit here. I also would have liked a little more noodles as I was still hungry after finishing my ramen. I will keep looking to find quality and value if that still exists here. Sad as the food was good.

    (4)

  • Alexandra T.

    The ramen here is amazing! We also had the gyoza which was fantastic and crispy! The service was good and the food came out fast. Definitely going here again soon!

    (5)

  • Ricki Y.

    The Ramen is really good. I also like that i could choose what spicy level that i like. The service is really good too!

    (5)

  • Signe G.

    I love ramen and am always hunting for tasty and delicious ramen. Agu was amazing, the spices were well-balanced (choose wisely), the broth full-bodied and rich and the gyoza was tasty. The noodles were just the right texture not soft and not hard had the right chewiness. I highly recommend Agu to all ramen lovers. You will not be disappointed.

    (5)

  • Jay P.

    Been to this place quite a few times since it opened. I always order the Shio Tonkotsu ramen. To my surprise, on a visit on 6/3/14, I received my ramen with a lot of garlic on and in it. Having had this particular ramen many times before, I immediately notified the server of the error. She apologized and took it back to the kitchen, apologized on behalf of the chef, and returned a few minutes later with my "new bowl" of ramen. Here's the part where unfortunately they have lost my business forever. The bowl returned, and while there was no more garlic toppings/chips, you could still smell the garlic and see some remnants on the side of the bowl. I did not eat it. I think the chef basically dumped the garlic toppings, REUSED THE SAME RAMEN NOODLES that still smelled of garlic and used the same BOWL WITHOUT CHANGING or RINSING, and sent that ramen out with the server as my Shio Tonkotsu. Instead of complaining about it to management, I just decided that I would silently walk away and never dine here again. In my opinion, all the chef had to do was admit he was wrong and remake the correct dish. But NO, he probably got all pissed off that someone sent the ramen back and decided to "retaliate" by serving a half ass dish. Sorry chef, but you just ruined it. I hope you don't do this more often, or you will ruin your restaurant. Or better yet, how about next time you just remember that you were preparing a Shio Tonkotsu and not a Kotteri Tonkotsu. I give them two stars because the servers are always incredibly nice and professional, and my husband loves the curry. He says its the best curry ever...lol. As we left the restaurant, my husband knew it would be our last visit here. Sorry.

    (2)

  • Fresh I.

    Omg... I enjoyed all levels, including WTF! All and all, I can't stay away from Agu. It's the best. If you are a hot head you gotta try WTF.

    (5)

  • R B.

    Definitely will NOT be going back. First of all, there were no vegetarian options on the menu. Nothing. I ordered a simple shoyu ramen (chicken broth, which I don't mind) - but it was tasteless. really. Oh and get this, they charged me full price, even though I had no meat. Additionally, the appetizer we ordered came after our entrees and the drinks we ordered came sometime halfway through the meal. All in all it was so totally not worth it. a massive disappointment and not a good value for the price.

    (1)

  • T J L.

    Ramen lovers must love this place. Ordered the shoyu tonkotsu and my wife took the chicken broth style. Liked mine better, very hearty and tasty. The only negative was that it left a very oily aftertaste that took some time to go away.

    (3)

  • Bev J.

    Nice staff! went in for a quick bit and even had some creamy gelato! I think it was the best gelato ever... yummy Kona Coffee!

    (4)

  • Sheila F.

    About 3 weeks ago a friend of mine and I whent to this new Ramen place and was served by the manager, jenny, she was very snotty sarcastic, after the intial seating she forgot about us, and when I tried to remind her she was rude and dismissive. The food was mediocre. The ramen milky and bland, it tasted like it came from the bottom of the pot, for 11.75 a bowl I expected more. The Gyoza was terrible, and took so long for it to come out. I had just come from a trip too japan, and the was expecting an authentic Japanese meal and was completely disappointed.

    (1)

  • Clyde S.

    Wife and I went early around 6pm on Wednesday 3/12/14, luckily found parking right in front and a table by the window. Our waiter was Stuart who smartly suggested that we move to the back booth since the setting sun would be shining directly on us. The restaurant was half full on the tables and only two diners on the counter. Because it was our first time here, Stuart was very patient and thoroughly answered all of our questions about the menu. Wife had the Shoyou Tonkotsu and I decided to try the Savory Koterri Parmesan. We also ordered the Jidori Karaage. We were very surprised that the food came out so quickly. I consider my wife to be a 'noodle connoisseur' - she can eat good noodles 7 days a week. She hardly spoke to me as she was quietly 'wolfing down' her noodles which only has to mean it's really good. Parmesan in a ramen? go figure, but it really did look 'savory' and different. It first came with the Parmesan powder piled high in the middle but it quickly melts and blends in as you stir it into the soup. It was outstanding and did not have a strong Parmesan taste at all - very, very delicious. The Jidori Karaage chix came out soon after with some thinly sliced cabbage garnish, which we also picked on as our fresh veggies for the meal. The fried chix was lightly seasoned with plenty skin, so almost like a fresh 'chicharon' (?spelling), which was also very delicious. One thing that I like to see in a restaurant is where the waiters help out each other - if they see used dishes on your table, they will lend a hand and help with the cleanup as they are passing by or ask how your meal is. To me this is a good reflection on their attitude about the job and working together as a team to assure quality service for their customers. This was the type of service that we received here. My first impression when I read the menu was that the prices were on the higher end for a ramen restaurant, but I would gladly pay those prices again for the quality of food and the fine level of service, and the free parking. We will definitely go back to Agu Ramen and although there are a lot of other items on the menu that I'd want to try, I would probably have the Parmesan and Karaage again.

    (5)

  • Lechelle M.

    first time eating here. the shoyu jiori ramen was delish and light too.great food and friendly service

    (5)

  • Kei N.

    It's okay. Not bad, not great. I didn't care for the noodles; it was thin like somen. I guess I just prefer a more traditional ramen noodle. The service was excellent! Our food came out quickly and the waiter was attentive.

    (3)

  • Judith P.

    This is a comment, not a review. This place does not do take-out ramen. Currently battling a cold & wanted something with a spicy broth. Drove to restaurant, only to discover they do take-out on appetizers & small dishes, not ramen.

    (1)

  • NIkola V.

    Wow. This places impresses from the get-go. Super friendly and attentive service, very clean and feel-good ambience. The food is outstanding. Some of the best Ramen and Gyouza outside of Japan! My small son wanted the Hiyashi (cold) Ramen, so we split that. Very Tasty- A Winner. The gyouza came out next- combination of crunchy and chewy done just right. The draft beer machine is set up and coming soon. That will be a great compliment to the ramen and gyouza. The girl having the spicy tonkotsu across the counter also looked awesome. This will be the place we return when the ramen bug comes a calling.

    (5)

  • Karen E.

    Ok I might leave a few details out since this review is long overdue. I was looking through all the pictures I posted on yelp and found out I never did a review on this place. So here we go... I remember when this place was formally Da Kitchen so I was very familiar with the area. There are very few parking stalls but there is always ample street parking of you don't mind walking a bit. Decor was on point! I love the look of wood in general so I was happy. Very clean and very cold so bring a jacket. I remember being seated right away so that was a plus. A few more people came in after awhile since we were seated but I noticed they were given waters and a chance to order before us. I had to flag down a waiter so we could have water and order since no one came to our table. So service was so so. Now the food. I'm not sure what my husband got but I ordered Shoyu ramen and it was ok but the portion was a little smaller than what I'm use to and cost a whole lot more. If I'm going to pay $15 to $20 on ramen, get slow service, and small portions I think I'll go somewhere else. I don't know I kind of get the feeling we were just being overlooked. I'm not sure why but that's just how I felt. Oh well there's no use in crying over expensive small portioned ramen.

    (2)

  • Arthur S.

    Up until recently i have been a shoyu base ramen fan. After all my ramen ventures i'm starting to come around to like tonkotsu based ramen more and more. What really topped it off is probably my last experience at Agu. My first experience there i played it cool and opted for the shoyu tonkotsu ramen, which was good but still didn't measure up to Kiwami's Tsukemen dip noodles. Something about the chewiness and consistence that matched perfectly with the dipping sauce made Kiwami my number one go to spot for ramen! On my latest visit to Agu i was a bit hesitant about trying anything but shoyu again, but my gf somehow coerced into trying the spicy kotteri tonkotsu ramen. My gf being Japanese rarely ever drinks the broth of her ramen, she always just goes wild on the noodles, but it being my first time trying this ramen base, first thing i did was take a sip of the broth. Absolutely suprising. Spiciness level was perfect and broth was super delicious! Im not a fan of thinner noodles, but somehow the noodles paired perfectly with the spicy tonkotsu broth! We also ordered a side of Gyoza. The gyoza were delicious as well, perfectly crisp and fresh. Now every time i go to Agu, its a must order item on the menu to supplement ramen. Although this place doesn't have the best shoyu base ramen, It definitely holds competition between my all time favorite Kiwami Tsukemen.

    (5)

  • Chaeyeon K.

    If you want to pay 14$ for a tiny bowl of ramen with 2 paper thin slices of pork and 1/2 egg, then be my guest and try this place .. Honestly, the ramen was just ordinary.. Nothing ! Nothing special about their ramen. You can probably easily have the same quality or even better ramen elsewhere and pay a lot less than this place. I want to keep this short and yet be helpful for other yelpers.

    (1)

  • Diana T.

    I am definitely late to the party on this one. As a hapa Korean, my tolerance for spice is something that often leaves people with their jaws dropping. With that being said, I was excited about this place. There is a similar-style restaurant chain in Japan that I always go to every time I visit. I grabbed 2 friends and we drove into the tiny little parking lot, where I nabbed the very last (and very awkward) parking spot. BOOYAH. But seriously, the diagonal parking spots in the middle of the back lot are SO AWKWARD. After lining my car up nicely, we went in and nabbed the very last (and much less awkward) table. How awesome was this night turning out to be? I ordered the Spicy Kotteri Tonkotsu ramen, level 3. I could probably handle higher levels of spice, but I still wanted to taste my broth, so level 3 it was. Flavor-wise, of course I've had better ramen (I've traveled to Japan how many times now?) but this is pretty good for what we have here. I'm tied between this place and Tenkaippin for my favorite ramen spots. I know a lot of people complain about the noodles here, but this style of noodle is what I'm used to eating when I travel. ---EDIT--- I can't believe I forgot to write about this. I just realized, and had to jump onto the computer right away because EVERYONE NEEDS TO KNOW. THE EGG is the BEST part of the ramen, hands down. I tried to savor it until the end but I couldn't help myself. And they only give half an egg. What I would give for the whole egg. It was that good. ---END EDIT--- Spice-wise, it was beautiful. A lot of people who I talked to said that level 3 was too much for them. So remember - coming from a Korean, level 3 is just right. If you can't handle, but still want spice, go for level 2. Tonkotsu ramen has a pork-based broth versus the jidori chicken broth. I am not a fan of greasy food, like really gross burgers and fries. But for some reason when it's a broth, it doesn't bother me. I ordered this to see what all the review fuss was about and in my opinion it was not that bad at all. In fact, I slurped my entire bowl clean. My friends ordered the Original Kotteri, and the Yuzu Jidori, and both enjoyed their bowls as well. We also had one order of gyoza split among the 3 of us. Can I just say THANK YOU AGU for not serving an awkward 5 pieces of gyoza, but a nice 6 pieces? You all know exactly what I'm talking about. I know you do. Service was just the way I like it. Not too "doting" and not completely ignorant either. Water stayed filled, and my conversations weren't awkwardly interrupted. Thank you Agu for allowing my friends and I to have a great time on a Monday night :)

    (4)

  • Darick M.

    Thought I'd try Agu again since it's been a while. It was better than the last time. Had the tonkotsu shio ramen and the crispy pig ears. The ramen was really good, but the portion was a little on the small side for the price. The pig ears were great but the sauce doesn't taste like it belongs in a ramen place. There are other places with awesome ramen for a lot cheaper but I'd come here again for variety and I want to try a bunch of other stuff on the menu but I probably won't come here often.

    (3)

  • Damien G.

    First Review!!! Found Agu Ramen on Yelp and decided to try this place out. My girlfriend and I are big fans of Japanese cuisine. We went on a Sunday night around 8 p.m. There was a wait of about 20 mins. Well worth the wait. What we ordered: Okinawan Rafute Donburi. ($13.25) Really rich stewed pork belly. Comes on a bed of rice. I enjoyed it very much. Limited quantities though. Yuzu Jidori Ramen: ($13.75) A very zesty broth with lots of noodles. A little on the spicy side but goes well with the taste of everything else. The Aji Tamago is a nice touch which I think completes the meal overall. Ban Ban Ji Kurage: ($6.75) Light, refreshing, surprisingly crunchy. This Jelly-fish dish completed the meal for us. It was like having a nice side salad made of a very firm vegetable. The sesame ginger sauce was amazing too! The cucumbers pulled it all together. We recommend the dish if eating here!!! Pros: Very nice decor, Prices were reasonable, Service was great, food was amazing, Lots of parking behind and the side of the building Cons: Smaller than usual dining area, The low chairs were not as comfortable Overall: A solid 4 stars!!!

    (4)

  • Cullen K.

    Delish!!!! That chicken Yuzu was so good!! I didnt realize you could add on stuff or i would have gotten more chicken. That egg was awesome as well lol. I also ordered fried pig ears. Not much to say about it. Its pig ears lol. Can't go wrong but not the classiest thing to eat. I wish there was salt on it maybe. Service was very friendly and fast. Didn't mind answering my questions. Food takes a little longer than other ramen places but i appreciate that. I hate getting my ramen a minute after ordering. There's no love in the food lol. Based on all the pictures i have to eat the spicy next time. It's just too hot today for that lol

    (5)

  • Marissa H.

    4 stars because it reminds me of ramen in Japan. Not quite the same, but as close as it gets. For the appetizer, I had the kurobuta sausage. The sausage was tasty, and it came with a dijon mustard sauce that went perfect with the sausage. My favorite here is the tonkotsu kotteri ramen. The tonkotsu broth is pork broth which is rich and flavorful. Kotteri is made with black garlic and adds so much flavor to the broth. In Japan, it was called black ramen because the broth is literally black. The noodles were just right, not too soft, not too hard. Good texture... The pork was so soft that it fell apart. Ive also tried the spicy tonkotsu kotteri ramen. The most rich ramen ive ever had. A little too much thickness for me, but the taste is there. Anything above 2 for hotness definitely turns up the heat.

    (4)

  • Lori L.

    Agu Ramen is a small contemporary ramen shop serving up bowls of steaming noodles and tasty sides. They specially pair the noodles with the broth to maximize the flavor and texture. Sit at a table if you can or belly up to the counter to get yours. I really enjoyed the Shoyu Jidori served with chijire noodles, char siu, menma, green onion, nori, and half a shoyu soft boiled egg. The noodles were chewy, the broth was delicious and there was the right amount of toppings. I was surprised to get more than one piece of char siu and the egg was perfection. I couldn't get into the Agu's Savory Parmesan. Paired with Hakata style noodles, topped with char siu, menma, sesame seeds, and half a shoyu soft boiled egg; the tonkotsu broth is additionally flavored with black garlic oil, garlic, se-abura, and parmesan cheese. It was just too much going on in the bowl for me and rather than finding the bits of melted cheese appealing, I pushed them to the side to avoid them. I also found the thinner noodles to be softer in texture, and I prefer chewier noodles. This ramen is pretty popular so you might like it. I will definitely be back to try the Original Tonkotsu. The Gyoza side was pretty standard, I would suggest trying a different side that might be more exciting. Service was good, for the small dinning room. There were 5 Servers on duty which meant our water never went less than half-full and we were checked on regularly. If you want to check out Agu Ramen there is lots of free parking behind the St. Louis Club. There was a wait for a table at 6 pm when we arrived, but groups walked right in at 7:30 pm, and if you're feeling hungry you can pay extra to upsize.

    (3)

  • Alice R.

    If you love ramen like I do, Agu Ramen will not disappoint. The location is across from the stadium playground and it wasn't difficult to find parking. There is a small lot in front of the restaurant but only offers a few spots. We were able to snag one since we got there well after the lunch rush. We started off with the karaage chicken and the okinawan rafute. The karaage was crispy with just a hint of batter and very flavorful. The rafute was definitely an indulgence with it's fatty porky belly, but well worth it. It was a tad pricey for the portion, but really, how much pork belly do you need? It was enough for two people to share and then some. For ramen, I opted for the original kotteri and the husband got the spicy kotteri with a spice scale of 3. When his bowl came to the table, it smelled awesome and made my mouth water. The broth was really good, too. Made me wish I ordered mine spicy too! But, I wanted to be able to compare. Mine was also very good and a solid tonkotsu broth. I wasn't a big fan of the thin noodles though. Of course, i enjoyed the toppings, especially the soft boiled egg. As far as service, we were greeted promptly and seated fairly quickly which we were happy about. The servers were attentive but they seated us at first without menus and they needed a reminder about an item we had ordered. Otherwise, the service was great. Agu Ramen is definitely a spot that warrants numerous visits. There were so many appetizing items on their menu, I can't wait to go again! But first I have to digest what I had today.

    (4)

  • Florelei B.

    I probably went to Agu Ramen maybe three times already, each time gets better and better. The most recent time we came here it was on a Friday. Before arriving I was already dreading the wait time but the host said it would be 20 minutes. I assumed it was a lie since there were many people waiting outside. But customers were coming in and out and they actually sat us around 20 minutes of wait time! My boyfriend ordered an XL bowl for. $4.95 extra and they gave me a complimentary upgrade too for free which I thought was nice but I didn't end up finishing it lol my boyfriend did. Their selection of ramen is great unlike some places where they only have certain types of broth. I've tried the level 2 ramen and the yuzu ramen, both with rich flavors and so yummy!! Agu ramen is now my favorite place on the island when I crave ramen!

    (5)

  • Jenny C.

    This place is superb. Clean, bomb, and cheap. The kotori is my fave. The egg is perfectly cooked and marinated. They take card and have parking!! One of most update joints in this island. Defitnetly one of the best meals on Oahu

    (5)

  • Nat N.

    The first time I came here, I was not that impressed. I had tried the shoyu tonkatsu ramen and it didn't strike a cord. A few weeks later, my friend Brandon S. told me to go back and try the shoyu jidori ramen, since he knows my taste when it comes to ramen. BINGO! Wow, what an awesome tasting bowl of ramen. The broth is light, clean, and refreshing. The chijire noodles were perfectly cooked. The only thing I do not like about this bowl of ramen is price tag - $11.75 is pretty steep for a bowl of ramen, esp. when the serving size is not that large. Their gyozas are nicely pan fried, crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. Nice decor, great service.

    (4)

  • Daisy V.

    Oh sh*t, a decent Japanese (or Okinawan?) bar within walking distance of our new place. Open late night after the hubby's evening shift is over. Full of salty, fattening, fried foods. Chef clearly has been to Japan or trained by a Nipponese (or Uchinanchu?) cook, referencing common izakaya/bar apps. Plus: SO MANY PORK things on the menu: cheek, ears, loin, etc. [We actually were missing pig's feet...where da hoofers at?] Husband dug into the buta, after a trying day of physical and mental labor, and didn't come out of the foodie haze, until hours later. I'm in. And we're in danger. Highlights: * I disagree with the reviewers who hated the tori nanban. This dish--a regional variety from Miyazaki ken which invented this gutwarming comfort food and which is known for their jidori chix (though Agu's menu didn't claim their version as jidori--prolly too expensive)--made me miss Japanese izakayas so much, how they execute simplistic seeming ideas in sophisticated ways. The idea is that the vinegar and slight BBQ-ness of the chicken's tare (Jpn. grilling sauce which can be steeped/set for months/years in big pots, and which proudly showcases the house's flavor profile) should combine with what Westerners are unfairly calling a tartare...but which is more like a cream sauce, as it lacks the tang of European/American tartares. One reviewer demeaned it as egg salad, which is actually a pretty good description of its taste. The combination--layers of the vinegar's sour, the tare's sweet-salty, and the "tartare"'s creamy-umami--is so killer. But even better mixed are the textures: super soft and moist meat, paired with finely sliced cabbage [plated correctly not as a side dish but as an integral part of this combination...they must have used a Japanese shredder/mandolin to get the texture this fine, as a knife chop wouldn't manage (need to move my own specialized mandolin out of the dump pile into the save pile...darn apartment move)], combined with the crunchy-creamy "tartare"...it's like going back to the old country and walking into an average snakku/izakakaya. Which would be hardly average in the U.S. More on Miyazaki Prefecture's famous chix nanban-- travel.cnn.com/tokyo/lif… Only thing I disliked: Agu's version lacked crunch on the outside. Wasn't soggy--again, disagree with the reviewer who's labeled it thusly--there was an artistic choice to go with light breading that holds its own against the sauces, but that was not crispy, and that was a slight miss. * Pork afficionado spouse was grudgingly complimentary about the two buta dishes he'd tried: Fried pig ears and rafute. These were a deliberate attempt to engage Uchinanchu culinary traditions (most local and/or Japanese places would call rafute "shoyu pork" or "Okinawan shoyu pork," a ethnocentric way to reduce/simplify the notion of rafute, which is sooooo much more), and he was skeptical but enjoyed them. "It's an interpretation," he said, having had real pig ears and rafute in his home city in Okinawa and also local Uchinaa eateries (Violet's Utage Sunrise etc.). He thought the pig ears were Japanized/Americanized so that you couldn't taste the crunch, to be more palatable to non-Okinawans. The rafute--we both noted--was disappointingly set in a pool of pork oil. Understandable, if you love the flavor THAT much or want to dip/souse other things in the oil (rice? ramen noodles?), but Okinawans take pride in NOT having oily pork, usually cooking slices so the fat renders out. We both thought the pig ears could have used a sprinkling of sea salt but liked the chili-aioli type sauce accompanying it--and the sauces here have an urbane nature that makes them quite original yet hard to analyze, truly--and truly wished the rafute didn't come sitting in that oil pool. But overall, not bad for an "interpretation." Photos of pig ears and rafute, by other Yelpers: yelp.com/biz_photos/agu-… yelp.com/biz_photos/agu-… We debated whether the chef was Okinawan or local Okinawan trying to cater to US/Hawai'i palates, or simply a Japanese or Filipino fan of the culture's pig dishes. No Orion posters or shisaa on display (though what passes as the store's central spiritual heart had two ceramic pigs, not daruma or maneki neko, and two bottles of Iichiko..."Maybe it is a shrine, but not a Shinto one...instead, it worships pig and shochu," I said, making my husband chuckle). No awamori brands advertised on the store's walls. But two LARGE Iichiko ads. What kind of Okinawan join hypes shochu but not awamori or Orion? We should've looked at the drink menu to confirm, though. Nice surprise, given that Aloha pho closed early; this was our back-up choice. Natch, we'll return for the pork tonkatsu and pork cheek croquette. Guess we should get around to trying the ramen, too.

    (4)

  • Joanna Y.

    I'm not complaining about all those new ramen places popping up. I love ramen! And I love Agu's ramen, especially those skinny noodles! Not those sun noodles that everywhere else in Hawaii uses LoL! Agu is definitely in my top 3 ramen places. LOCATION The old Da Kitchen with that crappy parking lot. I really don't like how that parking lot was designed up in front of the restaurant. But there is ample parking behind the lot, too. Inside Agu, I really like how the decor looks now though, it really reminds me of some of the restaurants I've been to in Japan. Clean, modern, and comfortable. FOOD Yum! So far I've tried the regular Kotteri and the Parmesan Kotteri ramen. I love cheese, but I wasn't sure about it on ramen... WINNER! It was pretty bomb. As mentioned, I like the skinny noodles. They kind of remind me of somen noodles. I've also tried the gyoza and Jidori Chicken Karaage, which are both noms. The karaage took a long time to come out though, so it wasn't really an appetizer.. after eating half of our ramen, (with the chicken still not out) we had to just stop and wait for the chicken. I don't know if their chicken normally takes this long, but we eventually got it piping hot and super fresh - it was good! I am just not sure about the wait haha. Also I need to note that the prices are on the expensive side. $12-15 ramen? Damn! But I admit, you are definitely paying for quality! SERVICE Pretty good, the waiters were always really attentive from beginning to end.

    (4)

  • Yourourin Y.

    I had high expectations for this place as everyone I know had great things to say about it. However, I was very disappointed with my experience. First off, there is a sign outside of the restaurant saying to "sign in" at the front. When I read the words "sign in" I'm under the impression that I need to write down my name and pax count on a provided form with a provided pen. BUT NO. I walk in and see the clipboard and form to my left and as I approach it I see no pen. So thinking, "OH, MAYBE SOMEONE TOOK THE PEN," I whip out my own pen from my purse. As I'm about to write my information down, Howard (one of the waiters who work there) snatches the clipboard away from me without saying anything. Not even so much as a "hello," or "how can I help you?" At this point I'm thinking "How rude..." This alone made me want to turn around and go home but I was like, "Hey, I'm here. I'm hungry and the food smells flippin great." So I stayed. After waiting no more than 10 minutes, me and my boyfriend get sat at our table. Howard was our waiter (fml) and barely made any effort to introduce himself. He asked us if we were ready to order and we did. Usually when a waiter/waitress takes your order, it is proper etiquette for him/ her to repeat the order back just in case he/she may have missed anything. But not Howard...Thanks Howard. Anyway, we ordered: Drinks: Calpico & Oolong tea Appetizer: Jidori Sunagimo (Chicken Gizzards) I'm a really big fan of chicken gizzards. However, these were really oily. Even as we got to the bottom of the dish, we could see oil that dripped off the gizzards forming little pools. Main: Jidori Shoyu Ramen & Spicy Tonkotsu Ramen (Level 5) Honestly, I liked my ramen. However, my boyfriend didn't like the level 5 Spicy Tonkotsu ramen. He was expecting a dish that was spicy and flavorful at the same time but he expressed that he couldn't taste anything over the peppers. In my opinion, it's almost as if they slapped something together just to say they have something spicy on the menu. So in a "normal" restaurant your Drinks, Appetizers, Main dish would come out in such order but not here. The first thing that came out was our main dish. When Howard brought our ramen to the table, he made no mention as to what he placed on the table. Since this was our first time here, there was no way to recognize if the order in front of us was the right order. For all I know the ramen in front of me may or may not have been my order. Next came our drinks (I'm pretty sure this is supposed to come first). And by the time we were almost done with our ramen, our appetizer came out. I was pretty full by the time the gizzards came out I practically forced myself to eat it. This is another reason why it is importation to read back a customer's order. Since the appetizer came out so late we thought maybe our waiter didn't pick up our order in the first place. Lastly I'd like to mention that not once during our meal did our waiter come to check up on us or ask us how we were doing.

    (1)

  • Charisse O.

    Absolutely LOVED the ramen I got! It was the shoyu jidori, and the size was perfect to fill me up after a day at the beach. My friend got the extra large (double the noodles and more broth), and it was too big for him. Maybe next time I'll just share the extra large with someone to save money. Don't waste your stomach space and money on the gyoza; there is nothing special about it compared to other restaurants. I did enjoy the french fries though! Quite crispy, and good amount of spiciness for me. Customer service was great! They always made sure my water was full. Overall a great experience!

    (4)

  • Jen V.

    I was staying in Ko'Olina while on vacation and was craving something hot whether it's ramen or pho. I am so glad I came across this place through Yelp of course. I ordered a spicy tonkotsu level 3 and shared gyozas with my BF. I was hesitant about how spicy the ramen would be because there are other places that I've been to in my home state of Cali that fail to deliver my need of heat. Anyways, the level 3 actually had the right level of kick I needed. Thankfully I didn't order a level 4 or it would be difficult to eat! So I read that they make their gyozas FRESH daily....that sealed the deal and had to order it. Talk about yummmm...you can definitely tell they are fresh and the balance of flavors were spot on. We had to order another one. They also offer appetizers that you must try like fried pig ears. Now that I'm back in So Cal, I can't stop thinking of that yummy spice bowl of goodness I had from here. Until we meet again...

    (4)

  • Vanessa K.

    Delicious ramen that isn't too greasy but very flavorful! Also lots of variety and different appetizers to sample and share (the Kara-age and Cheek-a-by croquettes were especially good)! Broth is thick and flavorful and the noodles are perfectly al dente. The spicy broth packs a punch so order at your own discretion! Tried the Hot mess ramen which was a crazy explosion of flavors, and the Yuzu Jidori was a lighter chicken based broth, both delicious and very different.

    (4)

  • Dextr M.

    If you're looking for good quality ramen, AGU is one fosho ! Came here with my gf for the first time. At first we weren't sure of what to expect because of the mixed reviews here on yelp, but it turned out pretty awesome ! First off:location . It's located in the mccully area where the old "Da Kitchen" used to be. Parking in the lot or street . So it's not too bad. We waited about 15-20 mins for a table considering it was around 830 so not too bad also. Ambience and vibe is really classy for a ramen joint which is a good thing. Food wise, my gf ordered the shoyu ramen. Which she said was great! Considering she Is not a fan of ramen. I had the spicy kotteri Tonkatsu level 3 ( I like how you can choose your level of spicyness) which to me was also awesome, however Hokkaido at don quiote is still the winner for me. ( the karamiso and cheeks hands down da best) respect to agu ramen though their broth is mean and tasty ! As for service, our waiter did a good job taking care of us. He awnserd our questions (since we were first timers ) and came back a few time to check on the food and how it was tasting, overall 4 stars ! I will be back!

    (4)

  • Kahala K.

    In love with the original Kotteri. Not a ramen person, just came on a whim and I'm so glad I took that chance. Opened my eyes to yummy ramen! Best saimin ever!

    (5)

  • Ming-Jou C.

    Agu Ramen is located in what used to be Da Kitchen. There are about four spots in front and a giant lot in the back, and you can usually find street parking. On a Saturday night at 8 pm, we had to wait about 10 minutes which wasn't too bad. It's a small place with a family counter high table in the middle, some high four tops and about 20 other regular seats with bench seating along the wall. I ordered the kotteri which was about $12 which has a ton of black garlic in it and K got the shoyu tonkotsu and made it an extra large for $3.50 more. The guy said it was about 80-90% more than a regular size. We got an order of gyoza, six for $6. The ramen came out in a few minutes, the gyoza followed a few minutes after. The noodles were white and firm and soaked up the flavor well. The broth was tasty but not overly salty and I had plenty of fried garlic chips in mine. K said the half soft boiled egg in the soup tasted like candy. He was right in that it was the deep gold yolk that had a certain sweetness to it - definitely something to savor. Service was great as they kept coming by to fill our water glasses. They have a sign that says no outside food or drinks but I had an almost-finished boba tea with me and they didn't say anything so I appreciated that. All the waiters were guys that night with the only woman being the hostess. I hope this place continues to do well! It's close enough to Waikiki but far enough away from all the tourist madness.

    (5)

  • Gail Y.

    I'm not a ramen fan, so I tepidly agreed to go to Agu when my husband had a ramen craving. Now I'm a big fan (of both locations). There's something about their noodles--thin, with the perfect "chew". The rafute miso ramen was worth the cholesterol splurge. I've also tried the yuzu jidori ramen which was equally delicious. I'm also not a boiled egg fan, but even this was full of flavor. Everything was perfectly seasoned. I especially love their somewhat unsual selection of small plate appetizers and have to stop myself from ordering everything. Love the chicken gizzards (perfectly battered and fried), the jidori nanban--sooooo surprisingly moist for being fried, the piri kara menma--chili seasoned bamboo shoots with a crunch, and banban ji kurage (jellyfish!!), to mention a few. I'm not a beer drinker, but this place might turn me into one because these small dishes just scream out "give me a beer". Isenberg's service seems faster than Ward, but the food is so good that I can wait a little. It gives us more time to "talk story", especially if I'm with a friend whom I haven't seen for a while. I'll be going back soon!

    (5)

  • Gary N.

    This place has the hottest ramen I've ever had! Epic spice sure was epic. Oh man... and the morning after was too. Then the rest of the day was epic. Burn baby burn! What goes in must come out. On the bright side I'm not getting that again. I do plan to get level 5 again. I was okay the next day after that one. The great thing is that you can get the spice on the side rather than inside your bowl of ramen. I felt the ramen portion size was a bit small, but you can make your ramen XL for $3.50 more. Definitely a plus for those with hearty appetites. I tried both the Spicy Tonkatsu and the Spicy Kotteri Tonkotsu ramen and enjoyed them both. They had half of a soft boiled egg, pork, and other garnishments. I couldn't taste the flavor of the epic broth (all I could make out was heat), but I could taste the flavor of the level 5 broth. I liked it! Gyoza and Piri Kara Menma were also delicious. Service was great with lots of appearances from the wait staff. Parking was readily available in the lot on both visits. I definitely will stop by again when I want some spice in my life.

    (4)

  • Sean C.

    parking: private lot in front and back reservations: don't need cost: $20 per person the food: spicy kotteri tonkatsu level three gyoza If you're driving north on Isenberg street you can see this place on your right from the street owing to their huge sign. There are two entrances on that street to their small front lot; they also have a much larger lot in the back. The wait wasn't too bad when I got there at 9PM on a Friday, but I was still surprised to see that it was still moderately full given the non-dinner hour. In any case there are several 4 seater tables around the periphery with a high-top bar table in the middle. The spicy kotteri looks almost black from the chili. I found the level 3 a little too spicy to the point where I felt that I couldn't enjoy the broth anymore, so I'd recommend a level or two lower. Otherwise, I thought what I taste of the broth was really well made. The ramen was thin and soft. There were two pieces of char siu (I wished that they had given one or two pieces more) that were tender, soft, and fatty. I wasn't all that impressed with the gyoza. It tasted like reheated frozen gyoza from Costco. Overall, a nice place for ramen. I would rate this place in the top 3 of ramen places that I've had on Oahu. Well made and full of flavor. I would recommend not going above level 3 unless you're truly adventurous or have a pretty high tolerance for spicy foods and skip the gyoza.

    (4)

  • Teri K.

    I wouldn't have imagined that parmesan cheese could be so good in ramen, but it really does make sense. Salty, hearty, comforting. Really, really filling! The gyoza was tasty. I don't know if I'd order the chicken skin again. The first couple bites were good, but then it's just too much. I'd definitely go back & try another bowl and other appetizers.

    (4)

  • Crystal I.

    I have a friend who LOVES and when i say love, I mean obsessed, like a fat kid to a rainbows meal & ice cream slush float. We frequently have dinner at ramen shops which kinda turned me into a "ramenholic" Before heading over, I heard much hype from not one, but four different people - I knew we had to try. I googled the menu and knew what i wanted. When we got there, there wasn't much people but it does get crowded.. when we left at 6 there was a wait outside (and this was on a Monday) **I suggest going @ 5 no later than 6 if you want a seat on a weekday - weekend im not so sure? We grabbed a seat at the long table looking bar. I ordered the tonkotsu level 3 and my friend got a shoyu type of base. I guess it really depends on everyone's spicyness, at first i thought i set myself up for a challenge but after I kept eating i think i could have handled a level 4..but no more! **Another FYI - the noodles in my broth were different from my friends, mine was harder had a somen type texture; hers was a softer noodle, like regular ramen. Her noodles were yellow, mine were white. At the end of my meal I was satisfied, maybe could use more noodles? but thats just the fat girl in me talking. Good for the recent weather Honolulu's had to offer lately :/

    (4)

  • Esther K.

    Spicy kotteri tonkotsu level 5. Do it! The black garlic oil takes the flavor way over the top! I love black garlic for its nutty flavor and health benefits. For my fellow Koreans that don't know what level of spicy to go, the level 3 was not hot at all, and the level 5 was hot but not too hot to savor the other flavors in the broth.

    (4)

  • Tiana I.

    I think I possess a stomach of steel. For example: What was that? That just won the Spiciest Hot Sauce of the World awards? Okay, let me taste.......... Oh, okay. I guess it was spicy?... Oh what's that? A burger made with chopped up ghost peppers? Giv eet to me nao!......... HAH NO, even a baby could eat this!! Anyways, you get the point. I can handle my spicy food. No problem-o. Everything is baby heat. I ordered the spicy kotteri tonkatsu (level 5), and it was mildly hot. It wasn't ridiculous or anything. I could savor and taste the depth of the broth while getting a slight burn on my lips. The heat seems to come more from the abundance of black pepper that lingers on your lips. Despite the lack of heat that I was expecting, the broth was really deep and flavorful. The black garlic oil really kicks the garlic flavor up to the extreme. I loved the essence of black pepper of the broth. The broth was smooth, creamy, with a good fatness to it. Toppings matched to a T. However, the Hakata-style noodles were small kine skimpy. I drank mostly broth, and took only tiny portions of noodles at a time, and still ended up with 1/3 of the broth left. Also, the house-made char siu was thin and not really something to be remembered. The depth of the broth was so good though, that I'll be back again soon. This is probably one of the better ramen I've had since I came back from Tokyo. Next time, I'll be trying that cheesy ramen. I saw the waiter walk by with it, and HOLY CHEEZUS, THAT IS MY KIND OF RAMEN! So, if you're unsure of getting level 4 or 5, just go for broke. The waiter gave us extra large cups full of ice cold water before the ramen came, and I ended up not needing it. It seriously wasn't that hot. It just clears up your sinuses, which gets annoying, because it's hard to breathe through your mouth and eat at the same time. Unless you can't handle sriracha, thai curry, or eat those pepperoncini that come with your pizza, I think you should be fine. Just tell yourself, "can handle brah. CAN HANDLE!" Good luck!

    (4)

  • Jerry E.

    Best ramen place in Honolulu, so far! My first visit, but I was very impressed with all we ordered. Friendly waiters and easy parking made the experience even better; my visited after 1300 may the reason for easy parking. Their curry and gyoza were delicious and great complement to ramen. Small gripe, the room temperature was on the warm and hot side, making eating spicy noodle very uncomfortable. I hope they will lower the thermo to make sampling their goodies more enjoyable. Lastly, their prices were higher than competitors, but customers do get more stuffs, such as boiled egg, chasu, and bamboo shoe with their ramen. Keep up the great ramen!

    (5)

  • Sylvia F.

    I've driven by this spot a few times but have never gone in, and finally went the other night. Parked in the back at the St. Louis clubhouse area off of Isenberg - there were plenty of spots on a Wenesday at 10pm-ish. I was surprised about how many people they can cram into a small-ish space, but they make it work with their dark, clean lined Japanese style décor. We sat at the high counter in the center of the restaurant, and after waiting a few minutes for someone to tend to us.....ordered some ramen! I had the plain kotteri ramen and friend had kotteri spicy #3, which had a good kick to it (that kind where your throat gets a little scratchy/stingy with each slurp of broth). The ramen is very good (I got a kick out of reheating up a solid block of broth the next day from my leftovers) although the noodles caught me by surprise. I'm a weirdo and particular about the shape of noodles I eat (i.e. I can't stand spaghetti but angel hair is ok), and these noodles were....strangely odd for ramen. A little al dente for my tastes as well, but I'm no noodle connoisseur. But, the broth was creamy and rich, although the tonkotsu tased a little sweet to me. We also got the pork cheek croquettes (they were ok, surprised to know they were mushy inside) and gyoza (pretty standard). I'll be coming back to check out more on the menu, maybe over lunchtime since I work up the road. I'd love to work my way up the spicy level, but seems painful!

    (3)

  • Samantha A.

    Omg!!!! I've been looking for a really good ramen restaurant around Hawaii and I'm so glad I found this place!! They have the best ramen ever! The only thing is, this place is a bit small therefore, there's not enough room so expect to wait for a table. Don't worry though,it's definitely worth waiting for. I recommend giving this place a try especially if you like your ramen spicy! I usually go for the level 3. It's so good!!!

    (4)

  • Chris R.

    Very nice Ramen place just outside the city. Clean and modern decor with ample parking. I heard it was tougher to get parking after it first opened but it is not quite as busy now. Flavors were very good, lots of options including many levels of heat. 1 or 2 works pretty well for heat, unless you want to sweaty face and burnt tongue feeling for some reason. A nice deep broth that is cooked for a long time to get the flavors out and the ingredients are also very good. I would say the meal is very good but the price is a little on the steep side for a bowl of Ramen.

    (4)

  • Lyn L.

    After reading all of the reviews, we finally went to Agu. Nice little restaurant, I like the decor. People there were very welcoming..all very pleasant. Broth was still a bit heavy for me....if I go back, I'll probably go with a shio broth...

    (3)

  • Chin L.

    Good customer service, friendly, food is good too! First time here and we have good experience.

    (5)

  • Vicc C.

    best best best ramen ever!!! Spicy Kotteri!! we came all the way from Los Angeles to eat this!! Thumbs up forever!!

    (5)

  • Demonica M.

    I had flown in for a friend's wedding and a group of us went here on Jan. 22nd to try it out. I had been craving good ramen and this place was recommended to us. Food was just okay. Our ramen arrived with a film/skin on the top, and the broth was not hot at all. And this was probably a good thing for only one reason: the waitress spilled half of the bowl onto our friend's (the bride!) lap. Never mind the fact that her $300 DVF top was ruined, but none of the staff offered rags to mop up booth bench and table, and no one offered to bring a new ramen for her. One of our friends had to take the bowl up to the kitchen window and request a new one. She also had to request that someone bring a rag or towel over - in the meantime we had gone through all of our napkins, trying to wipe down an expensive leather purse. The waitress did not come back to our table for over 15 mins, even after our friend had gone out to the restroom to clean her jeans and try to rinse out her top. We didn't expect a comp, but did expect a replacement ramen. The waitress did spill half of it as she was placing it on the table...and then left it there. I don't mention the pricey top and purse for kicks. It's expensive to get these things bought with hard-earned money cleaned properly. Some suggested we ask for Agu to cover the dry cleaning costs, but I wouldn't trust management at this point. By the time things were cleaned up and we could sit down, my ramen was stone cold and the noodles were mush. I was starving so I just ate it anyway. As someone from Japan, I expected the broth to wow me. It didn't. Good ramen broth still tastes great even when cold. Our group included many with Japan ties, so we all expected much more from this place. Perhaps the food is still hit-or-miss because it's new, but the experience with the staff will keep us from returning. Also - it's a bit questionable that you're sent out to St Louis Clubhouse to buy your beer and bring it back to the restaurant.

    (2)

  • Kevin Y.

    I came here with my girlfriend one night and we both order a ramen and a side order fried chicken karaage. First the appetizer we order was very disappointed. The chicken karaage is plain fried is just no flavor, and dry. Only 5 small tinny little pcs of chicken in the order, and they charging $7.00++ more. Way over price, I fell I got so rip off. Next, the ramen is here. I order Aku special the cheese ramen, forgot the name, it cost $17 for the ramen. I really don't mind paying the price. But there is nothing special about it but a full of cheese flavor, taste like Pizza. I think that's too much cheese, it's should be call pizza ramen. Very very disappointed again. We pay over $50 with tip for two for eating ramen. That is way over price. The food quality is totally not worth it. The chef really need to work on the food menu and the price adjustment. Or else this not gonna last. I gave two start is because the design of the restaurant . But still I probably not going to come back again.

    (2)

  • Megan M.

    Level 2 is damn spicy! The spicy kotteri tonkatsu was ono! The soft boiled egg and bamboo shoots really make their ramen good! The noodles are a bit on the soft side for me but the broth is so tasty This place was good!

    (4)

  • Lauren M.

    This is now my most favorite Ramen place! The service is friendly, the vibe is hip, the ramen is delicious!!!! My only complaint is that I don't live closer! Haha

    (5)

  • Justin S.

    With four ramen places opening up in such a short time frame, it was easy to get lost in the mire of choices. Though somewhat incomparable due to the types of soup and noodles they use, Agu gets my vote for the best "full-package" deal. The staff is impressive. Every visit I've made to Agu has been characterized by a number of different staff members ranging from the kind and professional management, to a detail-oriented server, and an outgoing bundle-of-energy server that just wants to put a smile on everyone's face (who also, incidentally, is a server at Bevy). Not a single person on their staff has made me feel less than enthusiastic to return. The menu is simple, and really offers the perfect thing for me: Spiciness grading. The kotteri tonkotsu has a spicy option that ranges from 1 through 5, with an additional suicide-grade "EPIC" spiciness option. Being a spice-freak and all-around naive idiot, I dove in on my first visit and ordered the Level 5 spiciness. The server calmly asked me if I had tried it before, and if I wasn't willing to try a slightly lower level first. Something about his tone and word choice dripped with concern and fear for my health. I had to rethink this. He actually convinced me to reduce my order to a lower level of spiciness. Nobody has ever convinced me that was in my best interests (see above for 'all-around naive idiot' description), but his approach was...grave. Foreboding? Something. The Level 4 came to the table, crimson as hell, speckled with chili seeds, and ominous as it could be. Halfway through the bowl, I was DYING. Sweat dripping down my scalp, collar of my shirt dampening. It was as spicy as "Thai Spicy" food at most Thai places I eat at. The server kindly dropped us a visit and asked how I was doing. Not in a "haha, you suck and I was right" kind of way, but in a way that made me feel like he was genuinely concerned about whether or not I'd collapse at the table. I thanked him for talking me out of Level 5, and left an extra tip and an appreciative comment on the receipt. And then I came back a week later and stubbornly ordered a Level 5. It is significantly spicier. What a surprise. Anyway, the appeal of Agu is the combination of an amazingly rich and silky tonkotsu broth and some very interesting noodles that allow you to truly enjoy all the broth's flavors and creamy texture, along with the service that consistently impresses me and makes me feel welcome and cared for. "Epic" spiciness is on my list of things to do, but I'm still so freaking scared of it that I couldn't even bear the thought of having a bowl of that GI-cleansing solution. Maybe if I had the next two days off, I'd give it a shot, just to say I'd done it. Burns in, burns out. You know how it is. I very much hope that Agu continues on this path of great service, as it will take them just as far as their amazing ramen will. Thanks to their team, and I'm a loyal fan!

    (5)

  • Katherina B.

    The atmosphere here is nice but a little pricy. The ramen here isn't all that great. I've had much better at many other places. The broth is missing a lot of flavor. This goes for the most of the broth, especially the shoyu tonkatsu one. Of course it had to be the one I ordered. Also the parking situation sucks. I won't be coming back.

    (3)

  • Kiichi R.

    WOW, DELICIOUS. I finally had the chance to see why this place is hot hot hot - and I'm not just talking about spice! It's located where Da Kitchen once was. Unfortunately, the restaurant does not include the back hall that Da Kitchen utilized, leaving the actual seating very limited to a small place. That's about the only real downside to Agu Ramen. I went with some friends and ordered a level 2 Tonkotsu and I must say, the broth is not as rich as legit Hakata ramen but it sure comes close! The spiciness adds a nice twist and the noodles sure fit the bill. I also had the Jidori karaage which was just fine. Not fantastic but not horrible either. Our waiter was a true local boi that made the experience all that much more enjoyable. He was quick to answer any questions and give suggestions for a first timer like me. As far as I understand, they do not take RSVPs and the wait can climb up there in time. However, I will definitely make it a place to hit whenever I'm in town!

    (4)

  • jeffrey w.

    The ramen scene is heating up. When i'm craving noodles and don't feel like pho, i need a solid go-to ramen place. This is now that place. This place is a very solid place for a tasty bowl of ramen. I love the spicy kotteri tonkotsu. spice level 3. The spice is pretty serious so be prepared. flavor of the broth is delicious. love the egg and the garlic chips. the slices of char siu are tasty . just wish it included more. pricey for a bowel of ramen at 12.75. but very satisfying.

    (4)

  • Clay Y.

    First time here, [the old "Da Kitchen" , behind the St Louis Crusader clubhouse, across the old termite palace stadium on Isenburg,] 'will be back. it's crowded here during lunch on a weekday. parking is limited. tried the miso ramen, kottori broth excellent, Spicy Kotteri, level 2 tasty, just the right kick, you can order it 1-5. Best gyoza. We also tried the fried chicken skin served with a lemon and ponzu sauce.

    (4)

  • Ryan M.

    Amazing food and service! I came here with party and we tried so much of the menu: fried chicken appetizer, original ramen, pork belly, gyoza, sake, and it was all delicious. The pork belly is cooked for 9 hours and melts in your mouth. The ramen is cooked for about a day and is by far the best ramen I've ever had. The beer selection... I definitely recommend Orion and Sontury. I will absolutely be back. Thank you Yao and Sashi for a wonderful meal

    (5)

  • Vernelle O.

    I like the decor and the service was good...the ramen is yummy, too... although my daughter's spicy ramen (level 3) seemed too spicy for her to finish

    (4)

  • Casey B.

    Been here about 6 times now, I guess I should write something! Should you go here for some good ramen? Yes you should. They have a simple menu, 1 side is apps and the other is a few ramens, shoyu, tonkotsu, miso and such. What they are most popular for is the spicy tonkotsu, with levels 0-5 and EPIC. I do like spicy but 3 is as high as I'd like to go if I want to really enjoy the flavor. I'd say start with 1 to enjoy their flavor and next time challenge yourself. Other than that the other items like Jidori Shoyu and such are just as delicious. The only thing I don't like is the counter as there is no divider between you and other customers across, however, there are tables too if you can wait.

    (4)

  • Elaine W.

    Highly recommended! Kotteri Tonkotsu ramen was amazingly delicious! Long line but worth the wait

    (5)

  • Jas A.

    Agu Ramen, how can you be so wonderful! It all started with the service. Being a small restaurant, you would never expect the restaurant would have 4 servers. I loved that even though they were crowded, I have never waited longer than 10 minutes. Their efficiency is amazing and they cover each other's sections. The efficient staff is also very knowledgeable. The food is on a different level in comparison to the ramens that we have in Hawaii. It almost reminds me of ramen that I had in Japan from a place called Ippudo. My fave is the Spicy Kotteri Tonkotsu, #3.5. Be warned, looks are definitely deceiving. This particular ramen doesn't look red enough to be spicy...until you see the minced fresh chili intertwined in the noodles. I order the #3 and ask for the special chili sauce on the side to make it a .5 extra(I swear it kills germs or something with the heat that creeps on you). I save the rest of the chili for my gyoza sauce. At Agu, I don't share my gyoza. These little bites are so flavorful, a 6 piece gets devoured in no time(I always dip the last one in my broth. Agu is so amazing, we came back 3 weeks in a row! Keep up the good food and exceIlent service Agu, I am definitely a fan.

    (5)

  • Nani Y.

    I'm weak sauce, so I only got a level 1 of the garlic one. It was amazing. My husband got the regular level 3 with the spicy sauce on the side. It definitely had some kick. We had to wait awhile to be seated, but it was well worth the wait, right down to the salted caramel scoop of gelato we had for dessert.

    (5)

  • Derrick T.

    One of the best noodle shops in town! Can't yelp from inside, too busy. You get 5 levels of hotness for your soup base and I had the #2 which was perfect. The egg inside the soup was the perfect consistency for me, on the soft side with soft yoke. no reservations are taken, not even for a party of 8. no byob, need to buy from St Louis clubhouse bar. place gets crowded fast so go early (AT opening) or plan for a long wait.

    (4)

  • Leighton P.

    My classmates and I went to Agu on 10/17 cause we were thinking of having some ramen/soup cause it was a wet night perfect for both. I always wanted to try this place and because I was the out of towner from the big island.. I was able to pick Agu, not to mention that one of the people into party recommended it as well.. This place did not disappoint. The decor was modern and chic. The only other ramen experience I had was Goma Tei and this place surpassed it. Initially when I was reading the menu, I was clueless to what to order. So a looked at the chefs recommendations.. Hot Mess it is! The dish hit the spot. Matter of fact all my classmates dishes looked awesome! And the ichiriki Sochu made it even better cause it tasted like juice which was dangerous. We got to sit on the middle section which made the experience awesome cause we got to sit down fave each other like a dining table.. I have a feeling I'll be back for more!

    (5)

  • T. C.

    My humble opinion; the best ramen in Honolulu. Clearly they put a lot of time into the broth, it's layered, super rich and complex. Noodles are the smaller white ones which I prefer. They're cooked al dente. Don't mess around with anything other than the Kotteri ramen. Gyoza's a solid 8.5 as well. Service - 9 If this was hip hop I'd give Agu a solid 4.5 mics, instant classic.

    (5)

  • Scott H.

    We arrived put our name down and the host told us 20 minutes. We were around the corner for 15 minutes when we come back and they say they gave our table away and we have to wait another 20 minutes. They tell us 20 minutes and give away our table at 15 minutes. Ridiculous and unfair and I'll never go back because he treated us rudely and with no respect. Guy with glasses. Look out for him.

    (1)

  • Kumi F.

    Agu ramen came highly recommended by my daughter's friend who is a chef. I ordered the Spicy Kotteri Ramen Level 2. I love spicy food and found level 2 to be just enough heat but without overpowering your palate so you can enjoy all the amazing taste of the broth! The noodle is not your typical noodle and it was cooked perfectly. Gyoza and korokke were delicious. The second time we went I ordered the Miso ramen. Great miso ramen but I would stick to the Spicy Kotteri personally as it had more depth in the broth. Limited parking and you may have to wait especially if you have a party larger than 4 but it's worth the wait! One of the best ramen I've had including ones I've had in Japan.

    (5)

  • Franklin P.

    the ramen and gyoza were delicious. we had the level 4 spicy tonkotsu which was the perfect amount of spicy.

    (5)

  • Charlotte V.

    im not a japanese ramen fan but i really like the ramen here at agu! i recommend the kotteri tonkatsu -its nicely spicy and garlicy. There other side menus are good too such as the gyoza and the fried crab balls. Customer service is nice too. If you sit on the countertops you occassionaly hear the waiters conversations and they seem fun. parking can get a little messy but other than that, nice interiors and food!

    (5)

  • Sandra C.

    Seems like it's hard to avoid eating ramen especially with so many places opening up. If you are a fan of spicy, then this is the place for you. Also, if you prefer the thinner noodles, another reason to come here. I personally do not like spicy and do not like the thinner noodles. But I still had a great experience here. I had the koterri tonkotsu and it was delicious. My friend was brave enough to try the spicy tonkotsu. However, the waiter was nice enough to talk him into getting a 3 (instead of a 5). Depending on how much spicy you can handle, you can request that they have the extra spice on the side (the level of spiciness is additive). So my friend got a level 3 in the ramen and level 2 on the side. He eventually added more spice to a level 4 but did admit that a level 3 allowed him to enjoy his food, while the spiciness was overpowering in level 4. So lesson learned-- listen to the waiter and start off low. Overall, great food, excellent service, nice interior, and adequate parking (carpooling may help if it's prime time to eat.)

    (4)

  • Brad H.

    Excellent Shio Tonkotsu. Great balance of flavor and noodle to broth ratio. Definitely recommend to ppl and will b back

    (5)

  • Summer N.

    I think I may be addicted to Agu's Spicy Kotteri (spice level 3 out of 5). The crispy garlic chips and soft boiled egg are a great touch to the dish! Service is friendly and helpful (offered to bring extra spices in case the spice level wasn't hot enough). Want to try other dishes, but I really enjoy the mix of flavors of the Spicy Kotteri, which is spicy without burning my all of my internal organs. Small parking lot in front, which can get filled quickly, but at lunch time on the weekend, I had no trouble finding parking across the street along Stadium Park. Can't wait to go again!

    (5)

  • Jon B.

    I love the ramen at this place. Been here 4 times and havent had a bad meal. Waiters are all nice and timely. It is small inside but very nice. Parking on the back side or at the bank is the way to go. Street parking sucks.

    (5)

  • Mark F.

    Crowded for SUN lunch today. I made the kids run cuz I saw a big group coming from the other way. Turned out to be a party of 10+. Ya, good luck with that. They ended up leaving. Had the Spicy Kotteri Tonkotsu today, 3 stars for me. Shoyu & Shio for the kids. Our usual. Would have given 5 stars but our gyoza didn't come till we were almost Pau. Still yummy but...

    (4)

  • Ralph Y.

    Like a lot of folks, I did think "geez, another freakin ramen shop. Just what Honolulu needs". I'll even go further and state that I agree with some of the comments about the noodles but then again, in Japan, Ramen noodles are not standard. There's common sizes but there are striking regional differences. I agree with that it is pricey to plunk down over $10 but it is a rather uncommon ramen broth. It is evident that the staff takes great pain with the cooking the noodles correctly to achieve that balance of cooked yet having that chewiness and ability to absorb the broth. They have slowly expanded their menu adding small plates to share plus having the ability to serve beer and wine which simply enhances the meal. I need to go back and try their seasonal selections...especially the pig's feet. I've been there several times and fully intend to return. While they might be a buck or two more than average, they're on par with other more upscale ramen places. For Agu it's not just a broth but a story.

    (4)

  • Twinkle S.

    Ate here for lunch a couple weeks ago. Had the Parmesan Kotteri Tonkatsu and gyoza... It was delicious, but I thought it was a little pricy for ramen. Was disappointed that I couldn't get any of the hot dishes for take out...

    (4)

  • GLENN F.

    Back again, 3rd time. Ordered the 2 chicken karaage on the menu. One regular and one with a EGG tarter sauce dressing. Little oily but taste good. The chef wont let you sub the thin white Hakata ramen out with the thicker yellow (more better) ramen. I'll try again next time.

    (4)

  • Krystal S.

    I love AGU! In my opinion, it's the best ramen on the entire island! It is so flavorful and unique. It does get kind of busy, but I have never had longer than a 15-20 minute wait. Maybe I've gotten lucky. I'm so glad we found this place!

    (5)

  • K K.

    Tonight is the opening night of the restaurant. I love ramen, and this place is really close to my home. I noticed the sign last week, and had been curious about how this place would rate. It is located within the St. Louis Alumni clubhouse, where Kanak Attack and Da Kitchen were formerly located. It is a smaller place, but nicely decorated with a modern touch. You can choose to sit at the tables which line the perimeter of the restaurant, or the counter which sits right smack dab in the middle of the restaurant. I had the Kotteri Ramen, a ramen with a thick pork based soup. It had a rich tonkatsu flavor, with a hint of garlic. The ramen and soup were delicious. This ramen-ya has a flavor of its own. I have reviewed other ramen places, and this matches up with the best of them. I also ordered the gyoza, which was no better or worse than most ramen-ya's. The portion of the ramen was slightly on the smaller side, so I was still a bit hungry after I finished the bowl. At this time, there was not an option for extra noodles. The staff was very friendly, and so to was the Chef/Owner. Let's hope that the service and food remain top notch!

    (5)

  • Wikiwiki F.

    The ramen in general is ok. I do like the thin noodles and if you go there I highly recommend the Jidori organic chicken broth ramen as it was really good. Light flavor and osihi. However they run out if this at times so go early. The gyoza was good too but was a bit small. Be preapred to pay quite a bit when you go there as its a bit pricey for what you get but worth trying anyway. Many of my local friends went away hungry or had to pay alot to get full when eating here.

    (3)

  • Sovatha A.

    Wow, I survived Level 4! I underestimated their spicy ramen and went ahead with level 4. The waiter did warn me it's gonna be pretty hot and asked if I wanted to think again. Me not wanting to lose pride and thinking American spicy is never spicy anyway confirmed the level 4 spicy. And damn it was hella spicy. I was satisfied. Beside the spicy Tonkotsu ramen, we also had cold ramen, gyoza, and Jidori Kawa, their crispy chicken skin. They all tasted good. We went in the middle afternoon, so it wasn't busy. The waiter was friendly and like Justin U. was saying in his review, the water glass kept being refilled. If it's ramen you're looking for, this is one good place to go. The place is small, but clean. Other people said they like the ambience and interior decor and all that. I wasn't impressed. It's not bad, it's just okay. The most important thing was that it was clean.

    (4)

  • Brent K.

    Small place BIG taste ! Yes it is worth waiting in line . Miso tonkatsu ramen was excellent ! smoth and creamy. curry good, goza very good. fried chicken was ok. Can't wait to try something else next time.

    (5)

  • Brad I.

    A-good-o ramen Of all the new ramen places popping up in Honolulu, I like this one the best. The Tokkuri tonkotsu ramen was tasty. The spicy Tokkuri tonkotsu level 3 was spicy. I enjoy spicy food and I was a bit nervous when the waiter said "are you sure?" But I have a high tolerance for spicy so I said "yes." Well if you can eat a whole jalapeño pepper without an issue, level 3 is right level. I'm not sure how others can do 4 or 5

    (4)

  • Hawaiian G.

    This ramen place has made it as one of my top favorite ramen spots in Honolulu. They make some quality ramen and their gyoza is fantastic! The broth is delicious. They say how good or bad of ramen is, is determined by how they make their broth. This place has got that going on! The noodles are not too thin, not too thick - just the right thickness. Their menu is quite simple - but that's the way to be. There are too many ramen shops desperate to stand out - with their special sauce, or mabo-ramen, or curry ramen or sesame ramen....bleh. Sometimes simple is best. Shoyu and Shio. Tonkotsu. All very traditional sounding - but Agu somehow succeeded in making the classics into something very modern. The interior of the restaurant is nice. Again, simple, yet modern. 4 tops, 2 tops, high seats, counters - they've got them all. I have tried the shoyu tonkotsu (yummmmm) and the last time I was there I had the shoyu jidori (yes, I'm a shoyu fan lol). Their gyoza was perfect - crispy on the outside, piping hot and moist on the inside. Stuffing is just perfect - minced well - no huge chunks. I want to try the spicy tonkotsu next (will start with the lowest level of spiciness though LOL) Hubby had the char-siu bowl and gyoza. He loved it too. Service was pretty good. Attentive, asked if everything was okay, if we wanted take out boxes, etc. Food came out at just the right time as well. If I heard right, I think one of the server was telling the customers near that they are going to start serving alcohol next month! Guess this place is going to get busier at night. It's a good thing though. LOTS of parking spaces - don't get discouraged if it seems full in the front - you can park on the side, AND in the back of the building too. Go try this place.

    (5)

  • Richard W.

    A friend suggested we go here since now they are open for lunch. No regrets. The ramen was great. But the star of the show was the broth. Creamy, flavorful, deep, a complex of flavors that's been brewed together for hours that provides a strong base for the ramen and it's condiments. Had it with a side order of pot stickers and the whole meal was satisfying. The restaurant was a bit intimate, modern and kinda of trendy. It a great place to hang out with friends. The service was great...quick and clean. Lots of non-local Japanese patrons,,,that says a lot to me. Prices are slightly on the high side but I feel it's worth it. I will return!

    (4)

  • Sash T.

    I have been here about 5 times and it has become one of my top five ramen shops in Hawaii. They now serve lunch and dinner 7 days a week, so whenever I have a ramen crave this will be one of the places I will go to.

    (4)

  • Karen C.

    I luv their spicy level 2 or 3 tonkotsu & spicy kotteri ramen!! Excellent broth and noodles and excellent service and personality of the waiters and hosts. This is a highly recommended ramen place for anyone with a passion for good ramen broth. That's what makes the ramen!! Kudos!! We'll be back again soon :)

    (4)

  • Stewie C.

    I tried the spicy kotteri tonkatsu ramen level4 second most hottest. It made me sweat just a little. My wife tried it and she said her tongue was on fire. Next time i gotta try the level 5.

    (5)

  • liz n.

    Great place if you are a ramen connoisseur. I ordered the Bari Kote, black garlic oil ramen. The flavor was out of this world!!! We will definitely come back when visiting.

    (5)

  • Kayden I.

    I don't want to sound like a girl, but level 2 spicy tonkatsu ramen was just right for me. If I ate the level 3, I would have had massive fireball poops the next day (for those of you who know). The ramen was great! I really enjoyed the skinny noodles they had, which is a nice change of pace from other ramen places. However it is more on the expensive side of ramen places. I paid $14 (tax and tip) for just a bowl of ramen. If you are willing to pay that much, I highly suggest you try this place. The parking is okay. The restaurant is kind of hard to spot but it's probably because I am not a town person. The service was great and the waiter was very friendly. We didn't even have to wait that long for our ramen to come. Will definitely come again to take on LEVEL 3!!!

    (4)

  • Tiffany D.

    Came here for take out. They have a take out policy (which is not on their website). You can only make take out on items that DO NOT have broth. What kind of ramen place does take out but not for the ramen?!? People rave about the ramen and this place is small so people are likely to want take out. I think they would have a lot more business if they did take out. Ended up getting the char siu donburi and karaage don.

    (1)

  • Marian S.

    Outstanding service, very clean and casual. Employee are very well educated and friendly. They tend to our table to ensure we are ok and if we need anything. This place is very busy because they are delicious and the spicy level base on each individual tolerance is amazing. I'm going back again.

    (5)

  • O S.

    Really good Ramen. Tried Spicy Tonkotsu Level 3 spiciness and it was the perfect level for me. The fries and gyoza were also good. They serve beer. :) Parking was kind of limited, not sure if you can park at the Saint Louis Alumni Association in the back as the Agu stalls are marked AGU. Will come back again.

    (4)

  • Joseph A.

    Thick broth with full of flavor. Spicy is actually spicy and I just got the level 3. The cheese saimin taste can get tiring. Also tried the garlic flavor and I love it. Service could be better... But good food

    (4)

  • jonah A.

    My mother-in-law raved about the Hiyashi Ramen. She said that it was so tasty. I know that she has a great taste for ramen since she loves to try the ramen all over the island. I knew that I had to order the Hiyashi and looked forward to eating and tasting the beautiful noodles and sauce. However, I was soooooo disappointed. The cook forgot to shake out all the water before serving it. It was soooo watery and tasteless. I could not eat it; I left about half of the serving; it was bland. I checked with my mother-in-law, she ate the Hiyashi during the lunch time. I ate the Hiyashi during the evening. It was probably a different cook. What to do....should I try it again? If I do, I will definitely order it during the afternoon. I'm writing this review with so much disappointment.

    (2)

  • Kittie W.

    With the weather being chilly and with the flu season now... I was on a ramen craze. When I heard about this new restaurant that opened near my house (next to FHB and where Da Kitchen used to be) I opted to try it out. We were able to get seated right away, even during dinner time. I ordered the Shio Jidori (regular size) because I heard good things about it. Normally I would go for something spicy, but I was feeling a bit under the weather. He ordered the Koterri Tonkotsu (large size).. at a LEVEL 4! The waitress had warned him about being spicy, but he insisted it would be fine. The waitress came back with a LARGER sized water cup for him.. and boy did he need it. It was definitely spicy! And we both can handle spicy food.. this was just crazy. Normally I appreciate spicy food, but only if it still tasted good. That was just "burn in your lips and numb your mouth" spicy. I tried one bite and was like.. that just tastes like nothing but spicy. After the meal, his stomach was not happy with him. Overall, my ramen was ok. Like other yelpers had said, the noodles are different. I liked the skinny yellow one I had; the white somen one he had thrown me off. The portion is different too. The regular size was too small and the large size is too big. I was definitely left hungry afterwards. Also, the price is a bit pricey. They don't have combo deals, so a side of gyoza adds up. BTW.. we ordered the gyoza and it was ok. Nothing special or anything. As a side note, the Spicy Koterri has 5 levels.. AND the "WTF" and "Epic" levels from what the waitress had told us and its not listed on the menu. Just fyi...

    (3)

  • Mad D.

    I was so anxious to try this place and had been trying to find time to come here since I heard about it a few weeks ago. Sadly, there was no wow factor for me. The kotteri tonkatsu broth seemed a bit bland for me, and as I understand japanese noodles are cooked al dente, the thin noodles that were in there were too al dente. I still ate it thinking that maybe I'll like the whole thing eventually, but meh. I look forward to the pork char siu in a bowl of ramen, but this was a bit on the tough side. The gyoza had good exterior, but flavor was alright. My brother had donburi and that was plain, just a bowl of rice, and strips of pork. This was bland too. Not going back.

    (2)

  • Vincent E.

    Always liked this place from the beginning when they had a limited menu, now that they expanded the menu its only gotten better! Ive tried three different ramen the three times I went and none were a let down. Broth is always killer! Just a tip though when ordering any of the spicy ramen use a rule of thumb in that it will always be a step hotter then the number you order. Like if you order a two it might taste like a three. Unless your taste buds are accustom to spicier food. Gyoza is made daily what more could you ask for? Late hours? Yup they even close at 12! The only tricky thing is the parking. Most times you can park in the back if front parking is full. Some nights the back tenants have parties which take up all the stalls. But for the most part its worth the fight.

    (5)

  • Douglas K.

    Wow. This place is great! Ramen is so authentic and so tasty. We tried the Bari Kote which was very garlicky and rich, as well as the Shio Tonkotsu ramen which was creamy and delicious. For a side order we split a small pork curry rice, and the flavor of the curry was fantastic. We would return just for more of the curry, if the ramen weren't so good. Prices seemed a little high compared with other offerings elsewhere. But the service was speedy and courteous, and overall eating here is a great experience and we will be sure to return.

    (5)

  • Theresa T.

    No stars couldn't seat party of 5 at 6:00, but as smaller parties came they was seated in no time tried to wait but as more people came they still didn't seat us.

    (1)

  • Shingo K.

    My new favorite ramen shop in Hawaii, service is great too!

    (5)

  • Chyanne O.

    I've seen many pictures of this place so I was really excited about going here. However, Agu ramen is a disappointment. I honestly did not like their slinky white noodles- it doesn't even feel like ramen noodles, almost like somen in soup. I had the level 4 spicy kotteri and boy was the "spicy" a disappointment. All I tasted was the chili pepper, no depth in the soup. It wasn't that spicy to me but it's just a shame that the chili overpowered the broth that there was no taste to it. The restaurant itself is nice and clean. Gyoza is pretty good.

    (2)

  • Tara C.

    My husband and I got an order of gyoza, spicy menma and two level 3 Kotteri Tonkatsu ramens. Gyoza was great. Cooked perfectly and flavorful. My issue is with the ramen. The spice of the chili oil added to the broth was overpowering rather than complimentary. It is all I could taste. I love spicy foods, so it wasn't too spicy, just didn't taste good. I'm not a big fan of their choice of noodle either. Too thin for my taste. I think we'll stick to Tenkaippin or Goma Tei for our ramen for now.

    (2)

  • Aloha E.

    Love it. I went with my family and we all ordered different broths. They were all different, flavorful, and delicious. The noodles were also al dente, which I love. The gyoza is juicy and tasty. I prefer my gyoza to have a crispy bottom and soft and delicate on top. This gyoza is sort of crispy or fried all over. Though it's not my preference, it was still very tasty and very good. The place was very nice and the presentation was perfect. Service was 5 stars.

    (4)

  • Monica J.

    Everything was good! Food, service and staff was beyond my expectations. Will be back to try other items on the menu. Today, we had the shoyu and koterri ramen, gyoza and mini cha siu bowl, all were delicious!

    (5)

  • David I.

    The tonkotsu soup base is best! Great place for noodles. Yes, the spicy is spicy and the shoyu tonkotsu is rich.

    (5)

  • Trevor A.

    I think I've found a new favorite ramen place. Today (6/11) the wife took us to Agu Ramen. I was shocked to see how much it costs (thus the 4 stars) to eat ramen here, but once our meals arrived I quickly realized it was worth it. My wife had the spicy tonkotsu wtih a spice level of 2. The broth was very flavorful, and the spice level tolerable. The noodles were cooked perfectly, and the dish included two fork tender pieces of pork. I had the Kotteri Tonkotsu with a spice level of 3. Again, the broth was good, and just a bit more spicy than my wifes. We shared gyoza which was good, but nothing outstanding. Unlike other ramen shops I think I want to give Agu another try, but this time going for spicy level 3.5 or 4. The location of this establishment is good (Saint Louis club house), and parking is very ample. The waitstaff is friendly, and knowledgeable. Pricing for ramen is a little steep, but the flavors and textrue make it acceptable.

    (4)

  • Chris K.

    There were 3 open tables and half the counter open yet we waited for 20 minutes to try to get seated and got ignored by the servers the entire time.... Needless to say, we went somewhere else. Seriously, the restaurant was half empty.

    (1)

  • Ryan H.

    Good taste to broth and thin almost saimin like noodles. I enjoyed the condements included like the menma and egg. I ordered the spicy level 3 and it had good heat to it, but didn't like that it was largely from the chili oil floating on the top. Gyoza was nothing special but good. Down side is cost! $12 plus $6 for 6pcs gyoza and still hungry after.... my review is actually 4 stars for ramen, but 2.5 for value.

    (3)

  • Danny U.

    There food was fresh and AMAZING! I got their spicy level 1 Ramen and their freshly made Gyoza. Loves the food but the service wasn't all that great.

    (4)

  • Kory K.

    Love this place i come here often, service is great and food is even better. Probably the best ramen place i have ever been to. My favorite is the spicy Kotteri ramen, so good, just watch out it can get unbelievably spicy so I suggest just getting the spicy score of 1, really that's perfect

    (5)

  • Tamlyn M.

    Absolutely love the spicy kotteri! This is my go to ramen spot! Can't go wrong! The parking is a bit limited but it's definitely worth the wait.

    (5)

  • Sayu V.

    The ramen at agu is among the better ones I've tried on this island. The soup base for the ramen is very flavorful, but at the same time extremely light. This was a big plus for me, as the soup bases at other ramen places here are thick and tasteless. I will say the prices are pretty expensive, but that is not stopping me from coming back again.

    (4)

  • Layna F.

    Prior to eating at AGU I never understood people's devotion/obsession/eagerness for ramen. I mean I have never finished a whole bowel ever (cup o noodles don't count). Ramen has never been my first choice for noodle soups. I have found my bowl of ramen. The original kotteri tonkotsu. Silky smooth broth and fatty in the best possible way. The tonkotsu broth is full flavored with no off putting smell and the black garlic oil matches perfectly. Thin straight noodles go very well with the broth. I crave this ramen. The cheek a boo croquettes is my go to side dish here.

    (5)

  • andrew a.

    Fantastic ! Just far enough from the main stretch of Waikiki to be an easy walk but still allows you to skip the lines and the tourists. Typically I like to split a bowl of ramen; here I could easily eat my own bowl and probably another... My new favorite ramen place in the world :) the Yuzu Jidori is so clean and flavorful; I'll dream of this place till I come back... Plenty of AC small hip place, lots of parking and if Tyson is your waiter he brings the truth... Just follow his lead... Truly a diamond in the rough !!!

    (5)

  • Kyra L.

    This restaurant hits the spot. The quality of the broth at Agu is one of the best I've tasted on the island. (The best ramen I've had was in Japan) But agu comes close! This restaurant failed to receive a 5 star rating because of its extreme prices in comparison to the quantity and quality. My most beloved ramen to order is the "Innovative Hot Mess" but I've only ordered that twice in my life. It's somewhat ridiculous to pay $20 for a simply "good sized" bowl of ramen. It was amazing ramen. But no medium sized bowl of noodles is worth 20 dollars.

    (4)

  • Jeff T.

    Agu is a solid ramen establishment. Even though they have a smaller restaurant, the contemporary and mellow design provides atmosphere where you can relax and enjoy the ramen...even if it is super crowded like it is now. One of the defining characteristics of Agu is the option to choose the spice level. I am ok with a good amount of heat but beyond level 3 is just uncomfortable for me. The spice levels go up to level 5, then to "Epic". Last week Agu expanded its menu with a whole bunch of non-ramen entrees and sides. They also serve beer and Iichiko. Nice.

    (4)

  • JR L.

    Super hot fire. Its like a dopest mixtape in yo mouth... Yall will need an encore dohhh so come ready. I got the Hakata Ramen with the extra noodles served at the end. If youre like me you wont want to waste the broth and will get the extra newdowww at the end.

    (5)

  • Gavin D.

    Tip: if you order ramen with any level of spiciness, ask to keep the chili on the side....it ruins the true genius of the broth. You can also ask for the noodles extra al dente if you prefer. Jidori chicken skin is dope.

    (5)

  • Brian K.

    I've come back time and time again for their delicious ramen and unreal broth. Overall this place doesn't need any reviewing (there is almost always a wait) but I figured I'd let everyone know that this place is just incredible. Try the spicy ramen! Anything more than a level 2 for me is too hot, but if you are a fan of spice, ask about their "WTF?!" spice level. You will dehydrate yourself from sweat after just one sip. Enjoy!

    (5)

  • Michele S.

    I am updating my review and giving them 5 stars! Agu Ramen has become my go-to ramen spot. I definitely recommend the garlic kotteri, the spicy kotteri, and the parmesean kotteri. My previous 3-star rating was based on having the miso Ramen... I strongly recommend having their specialties over something you can get elsewhere. The kotteri ramen is great. The only downfall is that it's a bit on the pricier side for ramen. But overall, I definitely recommend going here over a lot of other ramen places on the island.

    (5)

  • Sharyne Z.

    This place is fantastic! Alex gave us the best service! For example this guy still cuts the plastic from the six pack cans so the turtles heads don't get stuck in em! We have been coming here and continue to! Flavor and noodles on fleek doe. We geekin over dat kotteri too. Hando dat. The spicy is the best.

    (5)

  • Brian F.

    Agu is one of our favorite 'go-to' ramen places on the island and we were there again on Monday, 8/24/15 for dinner. Parking is always a bit tight at this location so I always try to park in the bank's parking lot or on the street in front. It may take you a minute or two to find parking, but rest assured, it is well worth it once you get inside the restaurant. As always there was a wait, but it usually goes pretty quickly and on this night, we waited for about 10 minutes before we were seated. That should tell you something about their ramen immediately. We started off with the gyoza and as always, it was brought to us hot and fresh. The flavors are quite subtle and a balance between the moist pork and the green onions make it a juicy pallet exciter. The dish has the right textures through and through, with the perfect amount of balance that makes it so moist, crunchy and delicious. We took our time on this dish so that we could immerse ourselves in the deliciousness that was presented in front of us. I had the Yuzu Jidori and got the habanero paste to give it that extra kick I love in ramen. The broth is always so light and refreshing without tasting the MSG that most ramen broths endure. The noodles were al dente with just the slightest crunch that adds to the satisfying scrumptiousness in every bite. The boiled egg (aji tamago) that comes in the broth has the slightest sweetness that adds to the dish while the bamboo strips (menma) add another slight crunch element to the textural balance. The char siu and nori round out the dish culminating in a flavor explosion in one's mouth that leaves you wanting for more. All the flavors are carefully thought out in their ramen so that one ingredient doesn't over power another. We will definitely be heading back for more in the coming weeks, if not days.

    (5)

  • Greg S.

    I have checked this place out when it opened and was impressed on the decor but not so much the ramen. I had to say that I frequent Santoku at Don Quiote and liked the soup base much more. After returning to Agu , they tweaked their soup base and I have to say that they brought it a few notches up! Very flavorful and I think the saltiness is just right. Gyoza is also very tasty. Repeater for sure

    (5)

  • Lai T.

    Hype alert! For months I've been hearing rave reviews about Agu Ramen. Well with the rainy weather, the bf and I figured it was time to cross this off our list of places to try. We waited about 20 minutes and service started off well. We ordered the jellyfish, a bowl of the Original Kotteri ramen, and a bowl of Bari Kote Tonkatsu ramen. The jellyfish was okay (nothing mind blowing), but quite a small portion. I sampled a sip of my bf's Bari Kote broth. Ewww! It was as if I was drinking melted butter. Thankfully my Original Kotteri broth was much more tolerable-slightly bland on the spice scale but porky. I think the black garlic oil is what has intrigued me about Agu (I'm a garlic lover). Once I got over the novelty of the soup's appearance, I found myself wanting... * regular ramen noodles-these noodles were much thinner and reminded me of soba noodles :/ * thicker slices of char siu-razor thin slices...like when you order beef tongue thin :/ * garlic chips be gone-they're pretty to look at, but they kept getting stuck in my teeth :/ * more umph in flavor Let's be real, trying not a new spot is always a gamble. Listening to other reviews is not a guarantee (you may read mine and totally think my tastebuds are whacked because you absolutely love and crave Agu ramen)...but I think we can all agree that nothing sucks more than eating a dish that leaves you daydreaming about another one you've had :/ In the end, I got my soup fix-but felt weighed down. Did I just drink a bowl of lard?!? We finished our meal and had to flag down our bill. I experienced some sticker shock when our bill arrived. $36 pre-tip? Thanks but no thanks ;) To be fair-the outside of the egg was wonderfully flavored. Definite highlight of my meal :)

    (2)

  • Jamie K.

    I love the tapas style ramen place. Great appetizer and great ramen, but there is a long wait during dinner time so come early or wait for awhile. - Char Siu Tonkotsu $16.75 was really good and the char siu was cooked to perfection - Spicy Kotteri $13.25 was delicious also. - Gyoza $5.75 was really fast to arrive and tasted oh so delicious after our hour of wait for food - Spicy Kotteri $13.25 was also delicious the ramen was a little bit different but still good. I would definitely recommend to come early or else pick up a snack before you come because the wait might be for awhile

    (4)

  • Taryn L.

    While it has been a miserable summer (or miserable whenever I leave the office as the office has wonderful air conditioning that makes me feel like I'm Jon Snow on the Wall (Game of Thrones reference)), it has been raining frequently...which makes me crave the warm comfort of a good bowl of ramen. I am always on the hunt for good Japanese food, especially ramen. So many shops have opened up that each have their own special broth or serves a particular type of noodles or style from a part of Japan. I do not know the history of Agu, but I do know that their ramen is AMAZING. When I first tried Agu over two years ago (or possibly more), I did not care for their ramen. I think it was the broth. However, I have changed since then and I am now a believer! #teamAgu The ramen noodles are thin and are not mushy. It is cooked to the right texture so that even when it is still sitting in the hot broth (thus, the noodles are still getting cooked), the noodles are never mushy. I usually get the spicy kotteri with the spicy at level 2. It is a rich tonkotsu broth with black garlic oil and garlic chips on top. I've tried the level 3, but it was a little too spicy for me to truly enjoy the meal. I like that I can choose how spicy I want the broth because I do enjoy spicy broths, just not so spicy where I feel like my mouth is on fire. The ramen comes with two pieces of char siu, menma (bamboo; their menma is prepared the way I like it - sliced thinly and still has a slight crunch to it), green onions, and half an egg. With all of these toppings and the noodles, you can see how the bowl is a meal in itself. It is so filling that it is difficult for me to even eat gyoza with it (but I still order gyoza; it's like ordering a burger and not getting fries!). The spicy kotteri is $13.25. I have not tried the hot mess yet, but I have tried the spicy kotteri ramen with parmesan cheese. I know. It sounds like such an odd combination, but don't judge it until you try it! The cheese, being that parmesan cheese is salty, really brings out the flavor in the broth. Plus, the cheese melts and gets to that ooey, gooey, stringy cheese texture, very much like gruyere cheese in a french onion soup. OMG. It is so good and worth the $4.75 additional cost to add this as a topping (definitely for a visit when you feel like splurging and adventurous). The parking lot can get full, especially if the St. Louis Alumni Association is having an event as well. There can be a wait, depending on what time you go, so if you go during the typical eating times, just be prepared to wait at least 20 minutes for a seat.

    (4)

  • Terry N.

    Delicious, expertly crafted ramen. I ordered the spicy kotteri ramen, level 1. Fantastic! The broth was just the right level of spicy, and had a deep, long simmered flavor. The noodles were thin and nicely cooked, the pork tender, and the egg a perfect soft boiled. Washed down with a large bottle of koshihigari beer, and fast, efficient service, it's an ideal ramen experience. Go. Now!

    (5)

  • Jkae R.

    Man! This broth hits the spot!! Reminds me of Japan and their broths of perfection ^_^ i was a satisfied customer...I got the miso ramen and it came with a few tender pieces of charsiu, menma, sesame seeds, green onion and a delicious Japanese style half boiled egg...oishii neeeeee!!!! We also tried the fried chicken skin....my fiancé said "it's like fluffy pillows of flavor" lol he and I enjoyed them down to the last one! The decor is beautiful but it was kinda warm where we sat (probably from the cooking of course). This place took the place of Da Kitchen ....that's why it looked so familiar. ...

    (4)

  • Chad Y.

    With so many ramen places to grace our city, you end up going "which one is that?" So yeah...my response: "It's the one by Stadium Park." "It has the parmesan ramen." "Its over by the St. Louis Clubhouse.." "You know, it took over Da Kitchen's spot." Usually by the last one you'll remember it. So with so many different ramen spots, each with a long line waiting for a spot, why go to Agu? Well..It's cause their Tonkotsu ramen is pretty damn good and their different levels of heat is really awesome to the varying taste palates of your group. I mean come on...I'm a whimp and like a good 2 or 3...while some of my friends will load up and get a 5. So we're all pleased at the end of the meal. Don't dismiss the parmesan ramen till you try it once. It definitely isn't for everyone but in my book, it's definitely something I'd have a lot. It stands out on its own and is something you don't get everyday. The karaage chicken is pretty respectable and so is their gyoza. However not something that really stood out. It's definitely a nice side to your main ramen. After all, who goes to a restaurant just for gyoza? So there is a wait...but the plus side is that they have a pretty good supply of parking if there isn't an event going on in the clubhouse. Service is good and the staff definitely keep things moving as best as they can and definitely are helpful if you have questions. All in all, its really damn good and one of my favorite spots in town.

    (4)

  • Scott B.

    Agu is well deserving of one of my rarely awarded five-star rating. I know ramen and this is ramen the way it is meant to be. The broth is one of the best I've ever tasted to include the close to a hundred ramen places I've tried during my years of living in Japan. The noodles were cooked perfectly as well. The gyoza was flavorful. The server was helpful and attentive.

    (5)

  • Lisa M.

    I really didn't expect my experience here to be that great. Our family favorite is Goma Tei and to be quite honest I was hooked. Nothing else compared. There's something about the ramen soup base, gyoza, tenderness of their meat....heaven! So when we tried Agu, I was shocked. I really didnt think I would like it that much. Holy cow!! This place is amazing!! The portions are a bit smaller than I expected but that doesn't change anything because the flavor a seriously knock your socks off!!!! I didn't think ramen could taste this great. You have got to try the miso ramen. I don't care for spicy dishes, so I didn't try those but kind of wish I had because they look so good! The gyoza? Oh the gyoza. Soooooo perfect and so flavorful. I could just sit and eat that all day. Amazing!! It was such a great experience from the time we walked in at noon. We didn't have much of a wait and the food came quickly to answer our growling stomachs. The parking availability was a bit tight but once you devour your first bite of this ramen goodness, all worries melt away!

    (5)

  • Takeru T.

    Best ramen I've ever had. And the service at isenberg is great! A must try when in Oahu

    (5)

  • Kevin C.

    Finally gave Agu another visit after all these years. I can honestly say the quality, if I can even remember that far back, has not slipped. That is amazing! I had the regular Kotteri ramen and shared the Agu Gyoza. The gyoza came fresh, hot and juicy! Just the way gyoza should be served. The Kotteri is their popular ramen and also comes in a spicy version. Buyer beware that even their Level 2 of spiciness is pretty damn spicy. I learned that they hard way the first time I visited and was sweating bullets by the end of the meal. This time I played it safe and went with the regular (I know, what a loser..) Overall, very rich and tasty broth tonKOTSU with lots of garlic. (Tonkotsu is broth made from pork bone.) The noodles are skinny and the hardboiled egg is delicious. The pork that comes with the ramen is nothing to write home about, but it's still good nonetheless. Parking can be tricky if you come at a prime hour. There are stalls right in front of the restaurant as well as several more in the back lot. If not, there is lots of opportunity for street parking if it isn't busy. FYI: They just opened a second location at Ward right next to Kuaaina Burger so if you can't make it out to this location, give their other spot a try!

    (4)

  • Becky M.

    Very tasty ramen! My first time coming here and heard they had Kotteri (which I had before at Tenkaippin) so I was curious to see how theirs tasted. I sadly can't take too much heat in my soup so decided to go with a safe ramen, the Original Kotteri, my boyfriend ordered the spicy Kotteri Tonkotsu (2nd Level), and we also ordered a side of their gyoza. Everything tasted very good! I was very happy with the amount of ramen to soup ratio they gave me because I usually can't finish all of my noodles, but they give a good portion size. The best part of my ramen was the broth; can't go wrong with that smooth, silky black garlic oil. I felt like Agu's ramen doesn't make you feel as full as Tenkaippin's and because they have several locations available now, you don't have a long wait time that you do there. The amount of servers they have are abundant (almost wonder if they over scheduled too many the time I came here) and are attentive at filling water cups and making sure everything tastes well. The parking is a bit tricky if you are planning on parking in the lot-space is limited and you may have to circle around or look for street parking if you can't find a spot. I would definitely come back here next time (or even try out the new Ward location) when I have a ramen craving. Definitely try this place out if your looking for a new tasty ramen restaurant to try!

    (4)

  • Victoria J.

    Oh yes, I love Agu Ramen!! Everything on the menu is so tasty! The Yuzu Jidori is nice for a lighter broth. Spicy Kotteri Tonkotsu is delicious and satisfying. My MIL loves the Hiyashi because their dressing is so good! I've never disliked anything I've ordered from here. The service is always excellent even when they're busy (which they almost always are). I'm usually a food-centric person and don't care about the atmosphere of a place too much as long as my table is clean. But I love the atmosphere here because people are very happy here and the decor is really modern/clean. This has definitely become my favorite ramen restaurant :D

    (5)

  • Steve R.

    My girlfriend and I have gone to countless ramen joints around Oahu over the past few years and we both can agree on one thing so far: Agu Ramen's original Kotteri Ramen is the best ramen we've ever had.

    (5)

  • Liam C.

    This place has been here for quite a while now, and I always see it on a lot of my friends' social media accounts so it has definitely been on my list of places to try. It was the first time for each of us in my party and so none of us had any idea what to expect aside from people saying that they love this place. We got here on a Saturday afternoon and there were already a few parties waiting outside and so we went to put our names down and then went back out to wait. Now it's VERY hot and sunny in the afternoon these days, which was already making me wanna go somewhere else since there were no places to sit and wait in the shade (because who wants to eat piping hot ramen when it's a million degrees outside! But because of all the things I heard, we all decided to stick with it and waited in the hot sun. As we were seated, the workers shouted the traditional Japanese restaurant greetings which was nice to add to the atmosphere. After looking through the menu which nicely listed what's in each item, I chose the Kotteri since that was the one I was recommended my a friend. Foodwise, I'd have to say I kind of expected a little more shabang. Maybe I just chose the wrong menu item for my personal taste or something (trying to give the benefit of the doubt here) but I just wasn't quite satisfied. The noodles were very thin almost resembling instant ramen and the broth just didn't quite seem as amazing as I had anticipated. I doused almost my entire bowl with the sauces on the table which I feel like shouldn't have been necessary on a $13+ bowl of ramen. Service was friendly though, our server was helpful and was very willing to help us split our bill. Overall, if you're in the mood for ramen, Agu Ramen is not bad. But considering all the great things I've heard about this place, I set my expectations just a little too high.

    (3)

  • Kelsi C.

    Agu Ramen is a new ramen shop, located in the same spot as Da Kitchen. The restaurant itself is a bit tiny, so you might have to wait for a table. We started off with the gyoza, which I enjoyed, however, it wasn't anything apart from other gyoza. For my entree, I got the Tonkotsu at a level 2. I wish I had gotten the Level 3, because it wasn't as spicy as I would have liked it. However, the broth was delicious! It wasn't too thick, but it wasn't too watery. It had that pleasant, nutty taste of sesame oil that I am quite fond of for ramen, and it also nicely coated the noodles. Sometimes broth doesn't quite cling to the noodles, this one did, and I am appreciative of that. It also included an egg and pork, and I really liked the creaminess of the hard boiled egg in contrast to the ramen and the chewiness of the noodles. The noodles were good also, had that nice al dente bite that everyone loves. The service there is good. We came as a large party of 6, and they quickly pushed together the tables for us, so that we could sit together. Our waiter was attentive, and was very good about coming around to refill our waters, and asking if we needed anything. All in all, if you can find this place, I recommend giving it a try. If you're a Tonkotsu Ramen lover, I can't imagine you would be disappointed.

    (4)

  • Angel H.

    This place gets a two thumbs up from me. They offer a vast appetizer menu that other ramen places don't have. They have the ban ban ji kurage, which is their jellyfish that I want to try the next time I go there. They also have the jidori kawa, which is the fried chicken skin. I heard that that was very good. This is the top ramen spot for the hubby because he doesn't eat red meat. They actually have a broth that's made with chicken which other places don't. He got the shoyu jidori which he liked a lot. I got the original kotteri, which the broth is made with black garlic oil. The broth was awesome and had a nice flavoring to it. The aji tama was cooked perfectly, soft in the middle. The pork was a little tough but not a big deal. The gyoza was nice. It was a decent size and the filling was good. I'll pass on the fries the next time. They gave a small portion that wasn't worth the $5.75. The dipping sauce was just ok. The decor was chic but we weren't feeling the table that we were sitting at. It was too high off the ground. The service was good. Our server came over to check on us a few times and filled our water glasses.

    (4)

  • Alec F.

    My boyfriend and I have been talking about trying this "luxury ramen" place for months now. We always opted for something cheaper or just plain forgot about it, until today - so we checked it out for a friend's birthday and it was a little underwhelming. We got parked just fine and walked in to put our name down, as we saw many parties waiting outside. The restaurant is a lot smaller than I thought - it seems large on the outside, but inside there are only a few tables and bar seating. It is however very sleek and modern looking with a nice red/black color scheme. We put our name down for a "15 to 20 minute wait" which quickly became 30. But I figured this was a good sign, considering it was 2:00pm and people were still lining up to eat here for lunch. We finally got our table and decided on what we wanted. Our friend who described it as "luxury ramen" was spot on. It's your basic ramen place, but with some fancy ingredients, most of which I didn't even know to be honest. We all put in our orders and the waiter disappeared. He kept our waters full as we waited, but we didn't see too much of him - odd for such a small place. Our ramen took quite awhile to get to us, but we didn't notice too much as we were chatting. When it finally arrived, it was nicely presented in these beautiful bowls, with the ramen all laid out nicely inside. And don't get me wrong - their ramen is good. However, for $14, I kind of expected reeeeeeally good ramen. Or something really fancy, or strange, or just... different. And while good, it wasn't any of that. Their black sauce (I believe) is the only thing that sets them apart, and while tasty, I don't see myself craving it. I don't know if I'd return to Agu - I feel like there are cheaper places for just as good. However the ambience is nice and if you're looking for a classier place to grab some good ramen in town, I'd still say check it out!

    (3)

  • Paul C.

    I really don't know why it took me such a long time to come here. Many of my friends RAVE over this place. I enjoy eating RAMEN. Shoots, it's more like I enjoy eating! However, with some not so good reviews of several friends I wasn't that anxious to try this place but when a friend "lured" me by an invitation to use her loyalty card of $1 off per bowl of RAMEN, I jumped on the bandwagon and came here. I waited for a looooooong time to dine here. I should have waited longer........ The service was good. Our server was informative and friendly. I enjoyed the decor and ambiance of this place. However, the food just fell flat. It was below-par and so disappointed. Here is what I sampled: SPICY KOTTERI RAMEN Level 4 (1/5) I was warned by the waitress this would be spicy. I enjoy spicy but this was a spicy dish that I am NOT used to and NOT a fan of. Just adding lots of RAW chili peppers into a dish to make it spicy. It had such a RAW spicy taste to the dish and just killed your taste buds. You could not taste the broth at all. After reading Richard K.'s review of mentioning the portions are small I opted for a side order of noodles. What a mistake that was. The noodles were slightly overcooked and therefore on the soft side. I was the last one of 5 people on my table to receive my food and usually I would send it right back but decided not to because my friends would have to wait until I finished. I do NOT like to waste food and sadly I chose not to finish my bowl of noodles. It was that bad. GYOZA (3/5) Perhaps I am spoiled by eating really good GYOZA. I lived in Japan for several years and had GYOZA a lot. My sister, brother-in-law and my sister's sister-in-law all make GYOZA regularly and very generous with the filling and cooks it fresh. I eat them fresh out of the pan where many times I burn my tongue. I can also make good GYOZA but they taste better when someone cooks them for you. :P The GYOZA here was nothing to write home about. It was marginal. Could have used more filling. BEEF CURRY RICE (4/5) My friend let me try his food and I really enjoyed it. It had large chunks of tender beef and you could see the veggies. It was very tasty but maybe a tad sweeter than I am used to. I had 2 spoonfuls of it and could envision me eating the whole plate. CHICKEN KARAAGE (4/5) The boneless dark meat chicken was deep-fried until golden brown and very flavorful. It was served with some finely shredded cabbage. I would recommend this side-dish. Executed quite well in my opinion. CHEEK-A-BU CROQUETTE (3/5) These deep-fried pork cheek meat croquettes were very RICH, in the sense where it was definitely rich in texture. Deep-fried very well BUT it lacked in flavor. They seemed bland to me and could have used more salt or seasoning to them. It's somewhat sad that I enjoyed the fried chicken and beef curry rice at a RAMEN restaurant. I should have enjoyed the RAMEN. I mean, the RAMEN should be the star of this place. I was amazed how this place filled up so quickly with a handful of people writing their names on the waiting list. I even witnessed a group of Japanese tourists come here to eat RAMEN during my visit. I am confused. Service and great atmosphere may have won me but sadly, I can only give this place 2-stars. I will give AGU Ramen another chance. This place for sure is on the pricey side for eating a bowl of noodles and therefore, NOT eager to come back in the near future.

    (2)

  • Brennan T.

    Since I got back from Japan last month, I've been craving some good ramen. Agu Ramen has some great ramen, but the portions are smallish for the price. LOCATION AND AMBIANCE: Agu Ramen is located in the old "Da Kitchen" on Isenberg. There is a small private lot and street parking. The feel of the restaurant casual and kind of hip, not too fancy, but also not a place for board shorts and a tank top. My brother, sister-in-law, and I enjoyed the covers of some old school songs playing over through the restaurant. FOOD: I really enjoyed everything we ordered. The hiyashi ramen was cold and refreshing. It was very tasty and felt authentic, but the portion was quite small - smaller even than the portions I had in Tokyo. The tan tan tonkotsu ramen was also really good, as was the buta curry rice. It's funny that they call it "buta" since all it means is pork. SERVICE AND COST: The service was good, but nothing outstanding. We were seated promptly on a Saturday evening around 6pm. We thought the place would be busier, but there was only one other party. I guess the location is off the main King St drag of restaurants, so it doesn't get as many passersby. The prices felt pretty steep, especially considering the portion sizes. The hiyashi ramen and buta curry rice were both $12.75, and the tan tan tonkotsu ramen was $17.75. The first two are reasonable, but the latter felt kind of ridiculous. OVERALL: The food was great, the service average, and the prices high. If the prices were more reasonable, I'd give four stars instead of three. I'd still say to give it a try!

    (3)

  • Kurt N.

    My wife and I love our ramen and we miss dearly a ramen spot in the bay area, Orenchi Ramen which we have yet to find a place here to replace in our hearts. I'll have to say Agu Ramen comes real close and we may have indeed found the Orenchi replacement. I had ordered the Original Kotteri ramen while my wife ordered the Shio Ramen. The kotteri ramen had a unique broth which had this black garlic oil mixed with it which just creates fireworks in your mouth when your sipping on the broth. They also include a lot of fried garlic cloves on there so even more fireworks in every bite. The broth in the shio ramen is also rich and my wife savored every sip. The tonkotsu broth overall is cooked for 18 hours daily so you should always expect the rich taste and yummyness. What is impressive is the char siu meat that was served with both ramens. They were so soft it basically fell apart when you grabbed it with your chopsticks. Also, love how they give a plentiful amount of bamboo shoot and ramen noodles. At first sight the bowl of ramen may look small but don't be deceived because Agu gives you fair amount of food in the bowl. We'll definitely be back!!!!

    (5)

  • Ridge N.

    Went here because everyone has been raving about this place and has been spamming my ig with pics. I haven't found a place in Hawaii that has authentic tasting tonkotsu ramen like Japan. This place is pretty close! Their lvl 3 spicy tonkotsu was way hotter than expected! I feel sorry for my server. Had to refill my water literally 6 times from all the water I was drinking between bites. Overall it was really good and I will be coming back with my gf really soon!

    (4)

  • Cody Z.

    AGU RAMEN in Ward Center another memorable night of food consumption Cody had the KARAAGE appetizer and the ORIGINAL KOTTERI TONKOTSU so good, such a good time

    (4)

  • Denalee C.

    So I have to admit my first review just wasn't quuuuuite right. It was after a wedding with cocktails and was before I really got the hang of the ramen scene. For the past year when people would suggest Agu, I would make a face. BUT now a bit older and wiser, I've changed my mind on Agu. In fact, I'm adding it to my list of places to get ramen around town. Here's what I noticed-prices are higher than most ramen shops. The portions aren't too large, either. We sat on the stools and even though there are plants between you and the people across, it is still a little strange. The condiment tray sits between you and the person across and although it was a much nicer set up, I could REALLY use some labels. What are these mysterious sauces? I can already hear you, "I thought she insinuated that she had a handle on the ramen scene?" Now before you start judging, I'm kind of a purist-I don't really add sauces to my food. But when the gyoza came, I could not help myself. I had to reach for the condiments. The gyoza was PERFECTLY COOKED. It had the most pristine crunchy pan fried crust. I gobbled up my half of the dish in seconds. The shio jidori ramen didn't really taste like chicken (OMG. I feel like I should pause here because it seems right to add in: said no one ever. But I just said it!). There were no chicken pieces but it was still called jidori. The noodles were crinkly, chewy and complimented the super pure soup. The only thing is that soup wasn't multi-dimensional but still flavorful. PAUSE. If you have been following my ramen reviews, you know I've been looking for a ramen shop where the noodles and soup are of equal awesome-ness. CUE Lego song...EEEEVERYTHING IS AWESOME!!! This place comes the closest to noodles = soup.

    (4)

  • Y C.

    Pretty good for a bowl of ramen late at night. I like that they're open until midnight. Usually I go for the tonkotsu and gyoza is good too. If you go during the off times there's not much of a wait and parking is plentiful but during peak times it could be hard to park (they only have a few stalls plus street until the bank next door closes) Ramen noodles are thin and soup is delicious!

    (4)

  • Joyce L.

    Agu Ramen is in the same location as st. Louis clubhouse. Parking is plentiful. You can enter from Isenberg street. It's right next to Maple garden. It happened to be a rainy day so it was perfect for Ramen for dinner. The wait was about 10 minutes. At 5pm, it started to get busy. This place is small. It can only sit about 3 dozen people all together. Yes, i counted. Counter sits are in the middle and tables are on wall side. If your 5 feet and under your gonna need to lift your body up cause wooden chairs are higher than most restaurants use. We ordered shoyu jidori, spicy koterri level 1 & yuzu shoyu jidori. Jidori Ramens are clear shoyu base. Spicy koterri is similar to tan tan Ramen. I don't eat spicy. There's spicy level from 1 to 5. They even have epic level beyond spicy. I could barely do level 1. Even then, my ears were popping because it was too spicy for me. As for the taste, I love the thin Ramen noodles and I like jidori base which was clean and tasty. But I taste some msg which gives me a faint headache. Service was excellent. 4 servers were efficient and professional. They greet you in Japanese as you enter & exit the place.

    (4)

  • Mahina C.

    It's about damn time that I finally get around to updating my review from almost 2 years ago. Just as time is changing, so did Agu over the few months or two years since my last review. First... Winter season is NOT happening at this moment and actually it's quite the opposite. Looking towards working for that "summer bod"? You've come to the right place. Not only is it hot as hell during the summer, but this ramen joint is packing with heat with their spicy kotterri! Level 4 please! So not only do you sweat off those calories before and after... But also during your meal. (Summer bod goals in action all day, err day) Secondly... There is still random ramen places popping up here & there but this place is always ranked in my top 3 ramen eats & always on my top 5 "go to always" eateries. (Seriously, I eat here about once a week... Don't judge me!) Parking is never really an issue and the wait is usually pretty quick compared to other places on a Friday/Saturday night. The grand finale? In my previous review, my only complaint was that I wasn't pleased with the temperature of my ramen. Did that change? You bet your damn pretty pants they did! (Pants are not needed at this time, due to my pants are NOT on fire) which really makes a huge difference. Broth of the ramen packed with flavor, topped with black garlic oil, scattered with dried garlic chips, accompanying their chewy thin noodles, crunchy menma & who can or could forget about "dat EGG doe". It's happiness in one ramen bowl ready to set your tastebuds on fire... Well just your mouth, for now. ***Warning, may cause other burning sensations which will be not be discussed or listed for your friendly reading pleasure. Among other bites to order, we've been hooked on those damn mimiga! Thinly sliced, deep fried, pig ears! Crispy, airy, & yet satisfying with not heavy salted overload. & what would ramen be without goyza? Pan fried to delicious perfection every time. Although the prices have increased overtime, the quality of their food definitely always has me leaving as a very sweaty, runny nose blowing, happy camper waiting to come back for my summer ramen bod ;)

    (5)

  • Kelsey U.

    I came in here yesterday for dinner around 5:30 with a friend and though parking in the area is horrendous, the food and service made it worthwhile. Upon entry, we were greeted and promptly seated at the high center table which was quite spacious and they even have a purse holder under the table! It's also nice that there was a footrest high enough to where I didn't have to struggle to climb up onto the seat! I ordered the spicy kotteri ramen level 2, and my friend ordered level 3, which was definitely a jump in spiciness between the two. Though the types of spices used at each level change, the deliciousness stayed consistent! I loved the egg that came in the ramen - cooked perfectly to where it was still a little gooey in the center - yay! We also ordered the gyoza and the cheek-a bu (spelling?) balls, which was similar to a hash potato/pork ball that had been deep fried. This was my favorite, and I would definitely suggest getting it! The service here was great, making sure that our waters were filled and that we were happy customers. I will be back here again soon, likely within the coming week, trying to slowly climb my way to level 5 spicy!

    (5)

  • Andy F.

    I tried. I really TRIED! Still, all the hype, and all the grandeur, it's just another disappointment. After a pretty disappointing experience the first time, I was willing, and was even pushing my friend, who shares the same sentiments as me, to give this place another chance because of the Yelp reviews and ratings, and perhaps we just came on an "off" day. I also read on numerous reviews and even heard from others that this place has one of the better gyozas in town. Umm, I believe everyone meant "one of the worst." It's crazy to see my previous review is almost a year old! I was sure it was a lot closer than that! Anyway, everything is pretty much the same, except the prices! They have certainly gone up a lot in that time. The lowest priced ramen is over $12, and that's for the basic Shio and Shoyu base! It goes all the way up to almost $20. It's crazy ridiculous compared to the rest of the Ramen places. I ordered the Original Kotteri since I got that last time, sans the spice. This time around, the ramen visually looks better with a good amount of menma, and green onions and garlic, and it's not drowned in black garlic oil. The broth was nice and hot, but lacked any fragrant aroma. That right there tells you the broth is on the bland side, and that was exactly the case. I mixed everything in, and the broth was just middling there in taste and flavor. The garlic flavor, which should be pronounced considering there's garlic and black garlic oil, was barely there. The consistency was more on the watery side than rich and silky. The noodles were better from the soft and soggy experience this time. It was firm with a good amount of chewiness. The char siu was plain awful. It was tough, dry, super bland, and chewy. It might've gone bad by the way it tasted in my mouth, but it may be the meat has been way overcooked, or both. An utter disappointment! The ajitama was cooked nicely, but the yolk was very sweet and the white was very salty. That didn't quite work out. The gyoza.... What's good about it? It might look good, but looks can be deceiving. The entire gyoza was poorly prepared overall. Yes, the bottom of the gyoza was browned nicely, but it wasn't crispy at all. It was in fact soft, and the top part was undercooked, which made it chewy and doughy. The filling was very, very bland. This may be due to the fact that there was barely any filling in the gyoza. You're pretty much just eating pockets of air with a few pieces of cabbage and ground pork here and there. So again, what's good about it? Overall, my opinion of this place has gone down even more. The ramen noodle itself was good, but everything else was very poor with one of the worst Char siu I ever had. The same can be said for the gyoza. Just poor, poor, poor. Another thing is the prices are ridiculous! For $20, I should be getting a whole lobster in my ramen, not parmesan cheese! The size of the bowls aren't even big at all. In fact, it is on the smaller side compared to the rest of the ramen places. I peaked over at the table next to me who ordered the jellyfish and karaage for appetizers, and the portion was very small. Definitely overpriced! The service wasn't the friendliest, but they were attentive enough and the food came out quick. The only thing I like about this place is its extensive menu, but what's the point if everything is prepared poorly. After this experience and the overly increased prices, it's safe to say I won't be returning here by choice. There are so many Ramen places that are infinitely better, and there are more and more places popping up almost every few months. Did I come on a bad day again?

    (1)

  • Brandi S.

    Hands down best ramen I've ever eaten! This isn't traditional ramen, so if you're expecting a bowl of traditional shio or miso, squash your expectations and prepare for a gourmet ramen experience. My colleague, Kim S., suggested Agu Ramen. She raved about it and because I know she's a foodie who has tried everything, I trust her. My bestie and I went to Agu around 11:30 a.m. on a week day. There was no table available so we put our names on the waiting list and watched as waves and waves of people arrived after us. We were glad we came early! We were seated in 15 minutes. The waiter was very helpful and informative since it was our first time there. We looked over everything on the menu and because we were celebrating my friend starting an awesome new job and we wanted a good, satisfying bowl of ramen, we just had to try the INNOVATIVE HOT MESS. Let me tell you what the this freaking rich, satisfying and savory ramen consists of: chewy, perfectly cooked, thin noodles topped with char siu, egg, crunchy menma, light, grated parmesan cheese and garlic chips...all swimming in this beautiful, rich and creamy broth. The waiter warned us that the spiciness levels were kind of high, there's a huge difference between 2 and 3. Well...with the INNOVATIVE HOT MESS, I ordered it with level 2 and had to ask for a side dish of chili paste to add in since there wasn't even a kick to it. After I added in extra chili paste, I entered a state of pure bliss. I hardly remember talking to my bestie throughout the entire experience. Did I even ask how her first day at her new job went? Did we even have a conversation? I don't remember. I remember she ordered gyoza and I couldn't bring myself to part with the taste of my ramen to fully try and evaluate the taste of the gyoza. I can say it looked good. The garlic, butter and chili in the ramen were on point. I never had that butter taste in my ramen broth before, and when the cheese melted, it so lightly complimented the overall dish...I was emotionally moved by how delicious and INNOVATIVE the hot mess pleased my taste buds. My senses were so stimulated by this dish that I couldn't even enjoy the gyoza or take in anything else (ambience, decor, customer service). I was drugged. I need to come back and try another one of their specialty ramen, maybe the spicy kotteri because everyone seems to be raving about it. One thing I wouldn't recommend is eating here during your lunch hour. I had a hard time concentrating at work after that. Ramen portions are perfect, the noodle to broth ratio was just right.

    (5)

  • Kris B.

    Beautiful decor, intimate atmosphere. They have table and counter seating. 3 stars is for A-okay. There are at least a couple other ramen places I can think of that I'd rather go to. Their ramen has okay flavor, good thing is they do have a large variety to choose from. Bf got the spicy tonkotsu level 3 - yikes! For the easygoing spice lover, I'd suggest nothing over level 2! Service is really great - they're always attentive and quick. Parking is rough sometimes - there is a lot in the back and I usually get lucky with a spot. Otherwise, there is scarce open street parking to choose from. Upside: they serve beer - they have Asahi and Orion to start. I suppose I would suggest to try this place at least once, but I don't really see the hype.

    (3)

  • Trish N.

    Went for an early lunch & arrived at 11:15 am, so there were plenty of open tables & seats at the bar, yay! By 11:45, we were both happily slurping up ramen, & the place was packed, with about 6 or 7 more people waiting outside. I loved the original kotteri ramen & basically everything in it. =) Broth, YUM...skinny noodles, YUM...soft-boiled egg, menma, garlic chips, garlic oil...YUM YUM YUM!! ;D The best part was the little tidbits of pork fat floating on top...serious!! =D I think this is the first tonkotsu ramen I've had in Hawaii that actually includes these little bits of artery-clogging heaven, and it totally took me back to my favorite ramen-joint in Tokyo!! If anything, the only room for improvement was the char siu, which was cut super thin, not much there. Also, the portion-size was just right for my lunch--& I loved every drop!--but someone with a larger-than-average appetite would need to order the double-noodles option for a few bucks more. My lunch-buddy loved his Yuzu Jidori ramen, & I tasted the broth, which was nice & light, with a subtle but distinct yuzu flavor, very good! We shared an order of gyoza too...also yummy, good balance of meat & veggies, well-cooked...but very small. All said & done, I thought the ramen here was great, & I really liked the comfortable vibe & decor, good service. The prices were a bit high (ramen was about $13 each)--so I wouldn't come every day--but no doubt I'll be back!

    (4)

  • Krysten I.

    Agu Ramen is located across from stadium park on Isenberg st, right next to Maple Garden. There is a small parking lot, and if you can't find parking (because it is super popular), there is plenty of street parking. Be prepared to wait for a table, but the staff is good at turning tables quickly. It is a pretty small space, but they were able to use the space efficiently, while still being aesthetically pleasing. The ramen here is good, but nothing more amazing than what you can get at other ramen places. I tried the spicy koterri ramen. The hard boiled egg was probably my favorite part of the dish. I also particularly liked the gyoza, crispy pigs ears and karaage chicken. I think I'd come back for the appetizers and non-ramen dishes....kind of sad since this place is a ramen place. The service is quick and cordial. Everything was just A-OK for me, nothing too exceptional or unexceptional from the food, to the service to the atmosphere. Compared to other ramen places, Agu is more expensive, but they are open late. I may be back for menu items other than ramen, probably not during prime time dinner hours either.

    (3)

  • R.G. W.

    I enjoy eating at Agu Ramen. The service is swift (but not pushy), and the tables turn pretty quick. Unlike many other ramen joints in town, Agu has a number of items that keep my attention. Whether it's the Spicy Tonkotsu Level 5, the Yuzu Jidori, or the Hakata ramen, all three are flavorful and different. There are many other items on the menu to choose from, but those three are my favorites. Also they have a nice, purposeful selection of gelato and sorbet to help cool your mouth down after a fiery soup.

    (4)

  • Beth I.

    I love ramen. Period. I'm certainly NOT picky about ramen...I even enjoy the dried kind you make at home, but I do know when it's over and above. This most certainly is top quality ramen! Oishii! It's a tiny space located across from Stadium Park so be prepared to wait, but it's REALLY worth it. At least there is plenty of parking in the lot around the building. The service is efficient and very attentive and they are able to move people in and out in an efficient way without making patrons feel rushed. That's skill my friends. On to the food. I had the yuzu jidori ramen. I had no idea what to expect, but I love yuzu flavors. I was very surprised by the bright citrus flavor with a deep dimension of other rich flavors (I have no idea how to describe it) and it was very different from any ramen I've ever had! I was impressed that I could be surprised by such a new broth flavor. It was Ah-ma-zing. Like close your eyes and melt a little amazing. Everything in the bowl from the noodles to the perfectly seasoned boiled egg was well cooked. Others in our party had the Savory Parmesan which was also wonderful and I will certainly try next time. The gyoza, pork cheek croquette, and jidori pate were all delicious. They have mastered the ramen and wonderful sides. I've also heard the curry is good, but when at a ramen place...get the ramen. If you enjoy ramen, you must try this place. It has expanded my ramen love to new heights.

    (5)

  • Jon T.

    My friends and I have been coming to Agu since opening day, probably as part of our extended lament for Da Kitchen, and I figured it's about time I write a review. As an aside, when we first sat down in Agu, we didn't know what to expect but ordered our ramen with great anticipation. Our server came by with an extra order of gyoza, saying that the owner would like to thank us for coming out on their opening day. He then came out to personally talk to our party, informing us of how they prepare their broth hours ahead and the liquor license would come late 2014. It was one of the most personable and generous gestures I've encountered in a busy city restaurant. Back to it. The wait itself speaks volumes for Agu's popularity, yesterday we stood outside for 30 minutes. The wait staff wasn't the problem either, they were numerous, busy, and quite attentive. One of the most common reasons I complain to my friends in restaurants is an empty water glass: if I am able to finish my water and then wonder where the staff is for more than 10 minutes, then I can tell there's a problem. I don't think I got to the bottom of my glass (even with spicy ramen!) at Agu. Agu's interior is a lovely redesign from Da Kitchen's generic seating: wooden slats on the wall, tasteful overhead lighting, and a snazzy wraparound ramen bar in the center. I still miss Da Kitchen, but I don't miss their sticky tables. The reason everyone comes back, of course, is the food. Agu seems to have a good feel for quality ingredients and preparation. Every time I come back I find another aspect of their food to enjoy. My go-to ramen so far has been the spicy kotteri level 3. My friend said that at levels 1 and 2, they simply use chili flakes for spice, and level 3 is like the entry spiciness where they begin using chili oil in the broth. It has a perfect amount of fire that enhances the smooth, rich broth without making your mouth uncomfortable. This brings me to my standards for ramen joints: in order to serve a good bowl of ramen, all I need is good broth and good noodles. So many aspiring eateries will present amazing noodles while slacking or cutting corners on the broth, or vice versa. The kotteri broth is just this fattening, silky, tonkotsu elixir with black garlic and garlic chips. Basically heaven in a bowl. Then, the noodles they use are thin, chewy, and just perfect in presenting the flavors of the broth. I'm not sure if they make the noodles themselves, but they are pretty close to the quality over at Hokkaido Santouka. The toppings are just icing on the cake, and really push the quality over the top. The little garlic chips are chewy and delicious, the menma is crunchy, fresh, and flavorful, and the egg...the ajitama almost deserves a review of its own. You only get a small half-egg, but maybe that enhances my craving for it? The flavors are sweet and tangy, indicating that they use some kind of marinade, which my friends surmise to be shoyu & mirin. It seems to permeate all the way to the yolk and just creates this beautiful pod of flavor. The only real underachiever is the char siu, which always seems dryer than I'd like, though I may be spoiled by Santouka's toroniku. Succinct sides: Kickin fries are freshly fried and come with an insanely good sauce, but pretty expensive for what you get. Cheek-a-bu croquette was little fried balls of potato, onion, & pork cheek meat that I was not impressed with. Comes with yuzu mayo. Gyoza is tasty and fresh but honestly not a go-to. Also pricey for the quantity. I should also add that the bowls of ramen start at around $13, which is a bit more than most places. In my opinion, it's worth it, as you certainly get what you pay for here. If ramen and saimin are the same to you, don't waste your time and money. I'm glad to see the menu slowly growing at Agu, as long as it doesn't affect their ability to provide good service and quality bowls of ramen. American culture seems to have pinned ramen as a cheap commodity, but Agu has become one of our standbys for comfort dining.

    (5)

  • Ni N.

    Very tasty ramen. The right amount of salt and sweetness. The broth looks creamy but it doesn't taste overwhelming at all. The char siu(pork) was mostly meat, very little fat which is a great plus. I forgot to mention, I got the shoyo ramen. We ordered two appetizers: gyoza and fried chicken gizzards. Both were extremely delicious. I'm pretty picky with my ramen and this place surpassed beyond my expectation. Go get some!

    (5)

  • Reid A.

    Almost two years has passed and it still has kept its high quality. The tonkotsu is still the second best. They have more options for side dishes now. I tried the okinawan pork belly. It was okay, but not fall apart tender. The new addition ramen is really good and nobody seems to be talking about it. The yuzu jidori ramen has a citrus taste with a peppery bite to it. It's very refreshing. Plus the noodles are thicker than the tonkotsu somen noodles they use here. This place gets super crowded at night, so be prepared to wait or come early. Lunch isn't too crowded though.

    (4)

  • Kev T.

    Underwhelming. Server forgets to bring my diet coke. When the guy next to me gets a refill on his drink, my wife asks the server what about our diet. My wife gets her curry dish. Others who came in after us got their ramen. She's down to the bottom of her bowl when I get my ramen. So much for sharing. No refill on diet coke. Gyoza. Great. Kotteri tonkotsu ramen. Muddled flavors. Greasy. Not as crisp as it used to be. Just weirdly mushy greasy taste. People yelling in kitchen - irritating. Still better than most ramen places. But my bowl was half filled when I left. That should tell them something.

    (2)

  • Nica N.

    Spicy kotteri didn't taste the same. There was barely any soup when the bowl was dropped off. I think it comes with too much noodle. The egg still tastes delicious.

    (3)

  • Diana L.

    I've been here so many times, I've lost count. Each time they have never failed me. My personal favorite is the Spicy Kotteri Tonkotsu. I get it at level 2 spicy and that's good enough for me. For those brave souls out there.. It goes up to level 5 and beyond. You just need to ask for extra spice. Good luck with that! Their broth is rich, creamy, and garlicky. I've had a lot of ramen and this is, in my opinion, one of the best ramen on this island. Their menu has changed a bit, more dishes. More appetizers. Their gyoza is also good. Kajun fries are also good. The sauce used to dip the fries has a kick to it. Very tasty. One dish I've gotten that wasn't too crazy about was their pate. Don't get me wrong, the pate was good. But they served it to me super cold... Straight out of the fridge. Would have tasted much better warmed. The place is always clean. There's usually a bit of a wait and they don't take reservations. Also there is ample parking in the back. A definitive must try if you are a ramen lover!

    (5)

  • Chelsea H.

    This place made me a ramen convert! Although I have to say that I'm also skeptical to go to another ramen place because I'm pretty sure it wouldn't hold a candle to this one! I had the Agu Savory Parmesan - O.M.G. I basically want to eat this everyday! This was a last minute late night dinner decision on our first night. Even though we went late there was still a decent wait and the entire place was packed before, during, and after our visit!! The servers are pretty busy because of this but still friendly. Basically - if you are in Honolulu - go here!! Trust me - you will enjoy it!

    (5)

  • Sivilay T.

    I came back with my aunt on a Sunday night around 8 PM and the wait for a table for 2 was still about 30-40 minutes, after we put our names on the waiting list. I was kind of skeptical about coming back because I did complain about not wanting to come back after my previous trip. However, since my aunt was so insistent on showing me this "new spot" that she found, I didn't want to disappoint her. She's a real sweetheart because every time she finds a good restaurant, she'll immediately text me with the food pictures to tell me she wants to take me back when I visit Oahu, but little does she realize I've been to almost every place she's recently discovered. Lol After we were seated, we placed our orders. We decided to share the deep fried chicken skin appetizer, which was probably about 3,000 calories and so worth it because I loved it. The sauce that accompanied the chicken was very good, although it didn't really need the sauce. Chicken skin usually already has enough flavor all by itself, in my opinion. We both ordered the spicy Kotteri. She went with a level 2 and I asked for a level 3, but I was kind of indecisive about whether I wanted to kick it up another level because I remembered going with the level 4 on my last visit. The waiter was so sweet; he brought me an extra side of chilis even though I didn't ask for it. He must have known I was going to need it because I did add more on top of my level 3. You can't go wrong with a sweet and good looking waiter...in my book. Lol The food was better this time and service was definitely great! I might decide to change my mind about not wanting to come back because of the price being too high. Some things in life are worth the extra money...Hahaha

    (4)

  • Celina Q.

    After reading countless reviews and seeing dozens of check-in at Agu Ramen, I had to see what the hype was all about. Stopped in on a rainy Saturday afternoon. Limited parking in a private lot. The restaurant itself it pretty small with tables for 2 or 4 and some counter seating. Service was quick and attentive. Our server answered all our questions smoothly. I opted for a regular, non-spicy ramen (yeah, yeah Im boring) and it was tasty. A little salty in my opinion, but still very good. Noodles were non traditional, thin type that went well with their broth. As for side dishes, they dont offer a large selection (no fried rice!) so we ordered a chicken karaage- perfectly fried small pieces of seasoned chicken, also kind of salty, but tasty nonetheless. They take cash and credit, so no worries there.

    (4)

  • Phil K.

    Loved it! Killer broth. The best broth I've tried at a ramen joint so far. This is why I love ramen over udon. No comparison when the broth is done properly. Creamy, milky...however you want to describe it, just know the broth here is amazing. I ordered the spicy kotteri level 3. They mixed up the orders and I got level 2 instead. It was perfect. Level 3 made it to someone else at our table and it was frickin' crazy spicy! If that was a 3, I'd hate to taste level 5! Stick with 2. Trust me on this...unless our 3 was a 4 or 5 that was given to us by mistake. Also love that they put in a perfectly done, half soft boiled egg! Thinner noods and chasu but done right. The gyozas were just ok for me. Typical mushy style which I'm not a fan of. Santouka's meaty gyozas are much better. Hyped up here. So good. Dang. Come to Canada!!!

    (4)

  • Lisa S.

    It was love at first bite! While I wasn't that adventurous and ordered the Shio ramen, it was quite heavenly. The soup base was so flavorful yet light and the noodles were thin like how I like them. For someone who was recovering from a bad cold, this was the perfect comfort food. Their chicken skin is a must order! The only downside is that this place gets packed super quick so GET THERE EARLY! Their service is ok but depends how busy they are and be mindful of your time to allow the tables to be available for others waiting outside so they can taste the awesomeness too. This will for sure be my new go-to ramen place! Love it and will be back for more!

    (4)

  • Jeff I.

    I've visited A LOT of ramen bistros from Japan to Cali, but nothing compares to this place. The noodles are perfectly cooked...not too hard and not too soft & the broth is perfect! I always get the spicy kotteri. You can get it in 5 different spicy levels, I recommend that you start off at level 2. If that's not spicy enough then they can always give you more spice on the side. The only downfall to this place is its small venue, limited parking, and long wait (on the weekends) which is why I gave this place 4 stars. Other than that, the food, trendy atmosphere, and awesome staff make this place my #1 ramen spot!

    (4)

  • Xin L.

    I am a ramen person, Agu is the best ramen that I have tried in Honolulu so far, broth is rich and noodle is very thin noodle which I like. Good place.

    (5)

  • Bryce K.

    This place is interesting in that you can't evenly compare their Ramen to other shops. Its different very much like how Tenkaippin Ramen is different. Price point is a bit expensive for Ramen but it's worth going at least once.

    (5)

  • Lani A.

    I like Agu Ramen..,,, WAIT! Hold that thought! I LOVE AGU RAMEN. Personally, I love Santouka a little better but Agu make a tasty spicy ramen bowl. Seriously, it shits on everyone else's version of a spicy broth. My go-to ramen is the spicy tonkotsu, level 2 spicy with a side of Parmesan cheese. Side of cheese you may say? Yes, so I can place a nice helping of cheese onto each bite. Seriously, I love cheese. My body probably oozes cheese instead of blood if you were to slice me in half, however, I digress. Anyways, having cheese in my ramen is what my bf would call "a game changer". It's a must try!!! My bf loves their bari kote, which is good too. It's super garlicy so if you're not a huge fan of garlic, you might want to rethink your choice. I am interested in trying their fried pig's ear as I do enjoy this snack. Don't even knock it til you try it! One thing to note, the shop is small so there may be a wait at times but the crowd moves quickly so don't fret. There is a parking lot, however, if you can't find a stall, you can always pay a few bucks to park at the bank. Also there's stalls near old stadium park and the baseball park near Long's.

    (5)

  • Alden B.

    Was looking for something more off the beaten path and not so much a part of the "tourist scene" in Waikiki, but within reasonable distance of our hotel. Agu met all these expectations and exceeded any others. The staff is so friendly and efficient and are more than willing to help someone new like me. The space is a little bit smaller but is trendy and clean. I ordered the Spicy Kotteri at level 3 spiciness. I'm a heat seeker when it comes to food, and this ramen brought it, if you're not inclined to enjoy especially spicy foods I'd suggest going with a lower level or ordering the regular Kotteri . The spicy garlic broth is so rich and good to the last drop, I would know as it took quite a bit of willpower to resist licking the bowl :p. Portion matches the price as well. Thank you so much again to everyone there! I plan on coming back when I return to the island.

    (5)

  • Victoria C.

    Ok sooo I went back to give it another try since my friend was raving about the yuzu Jidori ramen. I think I just found my new fav ramen! Not huge on yuzu but the yuzu flavor in the broth was so addicting! I've been craving for it for days ever since I had it! Will be back just for this!

    (4)

  • Cami K.

    Absolutely LOVE Agu Ramen. I'm not a big ramen person and it's not something that I ever crave, but ever since going here, I crave this place ALL THE TIME. I always go with the level 2 Spicy Kotteri Tonkotsu. I looove the noodles for the Spicy Koterri and since I can't handle too spicy, level 2 is perfect for me as it's not too much, but you still get a little kick. We also always have to order the gyoza and the kicked up fries for appetizers. Really can't go wrong with anything you get as my boyfriend is more adventurous and has tried the parmesan ramen and another one and loved both. Absolute recommend!

    (5)

  • Dwayne Y.

    This is a pretty solid place to get good ramen. We ordered the spicy cotter topknots ramen. This was very tasty and I would order it again. We also ordered the fried chicken skin. This was magical. Who does't enjoy fried chicken skin? It's located in the old Da Kitchen spot right next to the St. Louis Clubhouse. The place is nice and service is pretty good.

    (4)

  • Jon C.

    This will be a short review as the 500+ reviews before me have all come to the same conclusion. One of the best ramen places in Honolulu. The menu is much larger than other great places like Santouka; however, everything I have had there is very good. The Yuzu Jidori and Kotteri are my staples, but others are also very good. Portions are very generous, soups are clean and not overly oily. Like others, only complaint is the poorly designed parking lot and it being a little pricey in comparison to other good ramen spots in Honolulu (Why I docked 1-star). If ramen were in the $10-12 vs. $13-16 range, I think it would be better. Owner Hisashi Uehara, learned from a Japanese chef in El Camino California and has found a niche that other ramen shops do not have. Offer several different broths....do them all very well. Care about your sides like gyoza, ban ban ji kurage, karaage, and gizzards and people will enjoy it. AGU and Gyotaku are not the same. Chef Uehara is a partner in REI Foods, which is the parent company of Gyotaku. However, they are separate companies. They recently opened a second location in Ward Village. I have yet to try it but I have passed by and it seems like the same size as the location on Isenberg. With their popularity, I assume the Ward location will also be VERY busy. Hopefully it will mean the waits at the Isenberg location go down.

    (4)

  • Mark O.

    I first went to Agu the week they opened a year or two ago. I had a pretty bad experience and was very unimpressed with the ramen that I had at the time, which was one of the few items on the menu. Given that I am moving back to the mainland shortly, I decided to give it one more attempt since it consistently pulls in good reviews and I've had a number of people tell me that they like it quite a bit. The first thing I noticed when I came in this week was that they have massively expanded on their initial menu and have a lot of interesting new ramen options as well as quite a few new sides and toppings. This time I ordered the Bari Kote ramen with some added spiciness and a slew of toppings. The broth was very rich and quite silky which I definitely enjoyed. The egg was good as well, with a very soft center. Overall, I think Agu has stepped up their game and may be one of the better ramen shops around. "I'm a fan."

    (4)

  • Carly C.

    I am so in love with this ramen! I get the spicy kotteri ramen. One week I ate it 4 days almost in a row. I started with level 3 spicy and have since upgraded myself to level 4, but feel like I am ready for level 5. It is nice and clean inside. It gets full fast, but the line moves and I don't feel like I've ever had to wait long even when they looked busy. The staff is always nice and attentive. The parking lot is sometimes hard to park in but you can park at the bank after hours or on the street without too much hassle. I am pretty sure they don't have a vegetarian broth, so if you don't do meat you probably can't eat anything here.

    (5)

  • Lauren Y.

    Agu is as close as you'll get to the real deal when it comes to ramen - and the best part? The prices are pretty competitive with other similar ramen restaurants. -1 star for the lack of service.... our waitress seemed to be rushing around and we felt rushed when trying to place our order. I had some questions but right after i finished reading off what I wanted to order, she left as I started to ask my question. She seemed nice toward the end of our visit, when I had ordered take out. But I still feel that the service could have been better, as we only got 1 water refill and the only time she checked on us was to ask if we were ready for the check. All in all, if you haven't already, you need to try Agu!

    (4)

  • Keiko P.

    ALEX PLEASE COME BACK!!! Tonight's service was an epic fail. My beer went dry, no one came to fill the water, and they forgot something I ordered. I actually had to tell them they forgot my kurabota. Most importantly...MY BEER WENT DRY!!! It took me over 5 minutes to flag someone down. TO THE CREDIT OF THE OLD AGU STAFF...NONE OF THE REGULAR WORKERS PRE-WARD WERE WORKING. Alex, Jenny, Yao, and Tyson...you guys are awesome, and service has always been stellar when any of you are working. I love Agu Ramen, but I won't be visiting this location if the service is this bad. People...you need to check on your customers at least once after you drop the ramen. The restaurant isn't that big. Your customers shouldn't have to flag you down. Yeah, you took off a beer, and yeah I left 20% tip, but sorry, if the regular staff has migrated to Ward, I'm going to Ward.

    (1)

  • Laus A.

    This is a MUST try! My husband and I went here based on a friends recommendation. We both had the Hot Mess and gyoza. Wish we would have tried the pig ears and other things but that's just a great reason to come back. The broth itself was good. Then when you mix the Parmesan cheese it turns into oh so yummy goodness. The pork that comes in it nice and thinly cut. The bamboo shoots add just enough texture. Thanks to everyone that gave us a heads up on the parking. Do not even attempt to park in the tiny lot more available at the bank or on the street. We will definitely be coming back!!

    (5)

  • Robin S.

    Easily one of the best food I've eaten in the Island of Oahu!!! I'm all things Ramen, but Agu gives you way beyond a delicious bowl of Tonkotsu Kotteri. Pork Gyoza is another one of my favorites, but they went above and beyond with the Karaage, Fried Pig Ears, and Deep Fried Chicken Skins. All come with tangy ponzu sauce for your dipping pleasure. I've eaten at many Ramen joint in LA, and Agu both is by the far THE best and most flavorful broth, period. The thought of not having this place in LA is just beyond sad.

    (5)

  • Maria G.

    Probably one of (if not the best) Ramen place on the island. The smoky (and garlicky butter filled) broth is to DIE for. The crispy pig ears and dumplings were great appetizers. The noodles are thin yet absorptive and really complement the broth. I'm VERY particular about my noodles and ramen and this place just gets it right. Be prepared to wait though, this place is very popular for a reason. Parking can sometimes be a pain as it's connected to the St. Louis alumni hall.

    (5)

  • Jennifer Y.

    Four stars for parking. PLEASE paint the stall lines! I couldn't tell if I was in a spot, the lines were so faint. Shall I direct this request to the Saint Louis Alumni Assoc. instead? After all, the two of you do share the lot. Anyway... This place reminded of Goma Tei, but not so crazy. It did get crowded at 6pm (we were there at 5:30pm) but the noise level was nothing compared to that other popular ramen place. My friend and I could actually enjoy our meal in peace and not feel rushed. With that said, the food was SO tasty! I ordered the shoyu jidori ramen and loved it: the chicken was so tender that it fell apart in the broth, and that broth made the ramen very yummy. I don't remember what my friend ordered but the plate of gyoza we shared was just as tasty. We ate everything. The service was prompt so we left our waiter a nice tip. :) Overall I enjoyed myself. I'll be coming back.

    (4)

  • Ray L.

    With ramen you can generally expect something reminiscent of superior places in Japan, or some weird hipster twist that ends up producing novelty rather than taste. Except for here...basically if you like tonkotsu ramen, you need to be here pronto, you never know when management or chefs will change. I'm pretty sure the Kotteri Tonkotsu Ramen will not disappoint; although pricey, in this case it's worthwhile. I would only suggest that with food this good there's no need to pipe in indie hipster music to align yourself with the modern foodie movement. The food stands on its own. And that music sucks.

    (5)

  • Crissy K.

    I'm gonna blame all the Agu superfans out there for my being underwhelmed by the Agu Ramen experience. With all the ramen choices out here in Honolulu, I guess what everything boils (hahaha, get it) down to is your preference for broth flavor and noodle type. For me, Agu didn't cut it on either part. The noodles here are very, very thin: Think capellini (angel hair pasta) or somen. I'm really not a fan of capellini, and for me, somen noodles only work in somen salad. I just didn't care for the way the thin noodles held -- or failed to hold -- the broth. In terms of broth, Agu's kotteri is on the rather thin side. Kotteri is supposed to be rich and thick. Agu's is rich, yes -- in that it is quite oily, almost to the point of being what I would consider greasy -- but it isn't really thick. It isn't BAD, but it isn't slurp-up-the-leftover-brother fabulous, either; in fact, I would think you would not feel very good afterward if you did. Or maybe that's just me. Again, I can see where this would totally fit the bill for some ramen lovers, but it's just that nothing really matched my tastes. Service was all right, and there was plenty of free parking at lunch time.

    (3)

  • Steve D.

    One of the best ramen we've had.... Noodles were perfectly cooked. Broth was delicious,thick tonkatsu with extra thick, I think they called it buro something.... Ordered gyoza, was also fantastic. Definitely recommended when anyone in Honolulu.....

    (4)

  • Leslie M.

    I was on the fence about coming here due to mixed reviews. However, when you're craving ramen late at night this place happens to be open till midnight. Hallelujah! Parking is free, they have a private lot or you can find street parking. The atmosphere is modern/contemporary. It's a cozy little place with a bar and seating area, accommodating 30 people or so. Service was quick and servers were friendly. We ordered the original koterri, spicy koterri tonkotsu-level 3 and side gyoza. They offer different levels of spicyness: Level 1-5. Level 1 starts off as an entry level spicy, Level 2 being a medium spicy. Level 3 had the right amount of spicyness. Let's just say it kinda kicked my ass a little and I actually like things a little hot! I think if I went with level 4, steam would be blowing out of my ears. I can't even imagine what Level 5 must be like...Ill just stick to Level 3. Overall, I enjoyed my meal here. I absolutely love the fact that they offer different levels of spicyness and the levels are legit. The only downfall from my experience here is that it is on the pricier side and the noodles they served were too thin for my liking. Nonetheless, I'm sure I will come back for more when my late night cravings kick in again :0)

    (4)

  • Kim S.

    UPDATE!!! Congratulations to Agu Ramen Bistro! New location at Ward Village, next to Kua Aina. Thank goodness-the 45 minute wait at Isenberg was getting a little ridiculous. Now with the new location, Isenberg is a comfortable 15 minute wait, which is doable. Still excellent service, excellent flavors, and the one i***t who always orders a level 5 upon their first time trying this restaurant. Once again, this restaurant is the easiest recommendation ever. If you looking for good ramen, you must come to Agu Ramen Bistro.

    (5)

  • James T.

    Flawless Ramen. Excellent location in Ward center. Welcoming and informative wait staff. Ramen is the reason to visit but comprises less than half the menu. The small plates as appetizer are uniformly excellent. The selection of Ramen noodles and broth is unlikely to be matched on island.

    (5)

  • Rhemielyn U.

    This is by far our favorite ramen place. Their broth is rich and flavorful. They give the right amount of broth and noodle proportion. Their noodles are thin and soft. I love how you can choose the level of how spicy you want your broth. Every time we go to a new ramen place, I keep coming back to this place. I also love their karaage and gyoza. Their fried pig ears and chicken skin is also a must. Waiting for a seat can be long but I don't mind since it's worth it. I always order their spicy tonkatsu ramen and then I choose the spice level I want. My goal is to get to epic level.

    (5)

  • Maria Abigail R.

    First time in this place and there was no waiting in line. We ordered the Gyoza which is something different because of the gingery flavor, it was pretty good and we liked it! Yuzu Jidori is so aromatic and flavorful I want a bigger bowl! The portion is a little small though. But for sure we will go back soon!

    (5)

  • Tracy K.

    This little piggy went to the market, This little piggy stayed home, This little piggy had roast beef, This little piggy had none. And this little piggy went... "WEE WEE WEE" all the way home! Agu Ramen tickles my taste buds the way my father would tickle my toes when I was a little girl singing this nursery rhyme to me. "Agu" refers to Okinawan pork, the flagship ingredient in their savory broths. This was my first swing, and I was clearly ready to be tickled pink. The hubster and I luckily found a table right as we walked in (seemingly difficult from what I hear) and was greeted by a server named Jordan. He had excellent customer service skills, was attentive, and very friendly. It was clear that he wanted to give us the best impression since we mentioned it was our first time. He listed a handful of unique items and his personal faves. We agreed on the Agu Gyoza, Cheek-A-Bu Croquette, and AGUcini for starters.The gyoza is bomb. The hubs enjoyed it enough to get seconds and I loved dipping it in ponzu sauce. The agucini was refreshingly different but the cheek-a-bu, forgettable IMHO. For entrees, we partook in the Buta Curry Rice, Yuzu Jidori Ramen, and Karaage Don. I loved the deliberate heaviness of the buta flavors...robust, Japanese-style curry married to tender pork always go over well in my book. The yuzu jidori ramen had an appreciative array of flavors, but just a pipsqueak off the mark in acidity. I would have probably enjoyed their fine assortment of ramen more had I gone with a traditional bowl of shoyu or shio broths. Their soups are no joke, and I love how much love is put into each marinade. The karaage was tasty, and everything that night was delicious in their own way, but for me the winner was the Buta. Prices are a bit steep for the portions, but they do offer $1 discount ramen cards to shave a little off the top. Would I go again? Yes. This little Agu cried, "Wee wee wee" all the way home...

    (4)

  • Kristi D.

    I came here at the recommendation of friends (of course!) and I was thrilled to see they were right! I took my kids. It is a very small but well done space with a bar in the middle and tables along the perimeter. Very high energy, and awesome customer service. My girls ordered the miso ramen just soup and noodles, so they brought the other stuff (bamboo shoots, roast pork, egg) on the side. I ordered the shio ramen. We also ordered the tonkatsu small plate for my son, and the karaage and agu-cini to share. OMG. All the meats were very moist and perfectly cooked. And that egg - WOW! - it was like it was from egg heaven, so sweet and delicious! My son said the tonkatsu was also very good, and it must have been because there was nothing left. The agu-cini was the dark horse - a rice, cheese and a lot of other tastyness all fried up into little balls - AMAZING! Parking. Well, it looks at first like there is about 6 stalls, but in fact the parking goes along the side of the building and along the back, so don't stress! Bathrooms are located in the building, but you have to go out and walk outside the building to get to them. They are clean and well maintained. This was a super awesome visit and we will definitely be back!

    (5)

  • Lori F.

    Out favorite ramen spot now. Still love the spicy kotteri ramen & gyoza, but also love the new menu item, "fried chicken skin." So bad for you, but yum! Go early or late to grab a parking spot.

    (5)

  • Krystal Y.

    I found my ramen spot. After trials of ramen restaurants alllllll over the island, I found it. Agu is IT. My husband wanted a particular type of ramen..it had to have that special yellow noodles...& the right broth. That combination is hard to come by according to him. I'd make him ramen at home and try different kinds of noodles and broth combinations -- none completely satisfied him. Until today. I guess you could say we are ramen enthusiasts. We've tried a lot of ramen, and Agu exceeded our expectations and that really says a lot coming from my husband who can't be satisfied by any other ramen restaurant! He had the shio dijori -- he wished he got the extra large. This broth id say is for the more subtle palette. It was yummy, but I preferred the spicy kotteri tonkatsu. Oh my goodness. That was heaven in a bowl. Soooooooo incredibly tasty. So much flavor! I've never had garlic in ramen before. The noodles -- holy. Loved. The broth -- outstanding. And the gyoza.... Wow. We found a hit in agu! Please stay there forever!!

    (5)

  • Riana S.

    So like me to order the most expensive ramen on the menu. I love getting the Hot Mess level 1...it doesn't come spicy but they can add it in there for you and it was a great balance (and kick) to the garlic, creamy cheesiness. It's about $20 and obviously it's a banger if I order it every single time. Cheese and ramen just work together it's crazy. Their gyoza is really good too, not the freezer kine but fresh kine. And if it isn't then they got me fooled. The one thing I don't like is that every time I come here I order coke and the waiter always seems to forget about it till I remind them again. This happened with 3 different waiters already...am I not speaking loud of enough or am I just that forgettable haha. Also love that this place is right down the street from my shop. Only shitty thing is that around 7pm-8pm parking gets crowded because it's shared with St Louis's alma martyr bar place and that lot is so tight it's hard to maneuver trucks and SUVs in there. If can find parking on the street.

    (4)

  • Cat D.

    Miso Ramen was fantastic!!! Got my hot sauces on the side just in case the spice level was too much! The hot sauces are very Spicy... fyi For suped up ramen, the prices reflected are fair. Love Gomotei, but this place, i feel has more flavorful, thick, fragrant broth. You literally finish the entire bowl, broth and all. Go at 430pm when its not too busy. Other than that you will have to wait and they will give you a time limit consideration.

    (4)

  • Summer A.

    Bari Kote you are to die for! And they offer XL portions. Yesss! I have only found a few ramen places that I like and this one's at the top of my list for sure. Although it's small and usually has a wait, it's worth it trust me. The one thing that really sucks is that they don't do take out with the ramen Sometimes on cold rainy knights I just want ramen in bed watching netflix. I dont know if it's quality control or what but I'd pay double for take out. I have yet to try the drink menu but once I do I'll be back!

    (4)

  • Brad Y.

    Great Ramen and Sides My wife and I love this place, our favorites are the Yuzu ramen and the Okinawan Pork. What we love even more is the neat side dishes such as the chicken Gizards and Jellyfish. Overall service is quick and wait staff friendly.

    (5)

  • Jo Y.

    Spicy ramen level #3. I thought I would like it. I didn't. Opened in the fall 2013, Agu Ramen is located at the St. Louis Alumni Association Club House which formerly housed the Maui-based Da Kitchen. It has been extensively renovated w/ pleasing interior dark wood & red accents; the exterior is an eye-catching huge signage on bright red background (you can't miss it). Parking available is the front/back of restaurant, as well as street parking. Owner, Hisashi Uehara, formerly of Gyotaku Restaurants named the restaurant, Agu A Ramen Bistro, w/ "agu" referring to the premium grade pork from Okinawa. yelp.com/biz_photos/agu-… Agu Ramen specializes in tonkotsu ramen, which has a rich, slow-cooked pork bone broth. The flavorful opaque broth is made when up to 480 lbs. of pork bones per day are simmered for 18 hours to break down fat, marrow, calcium minerals, & proteins. Hakata-style thin noodles are made fresh daily from a special house recipe; the noodles are thin to absorb the thick tonkotsu broth flavor. I had the Spicy Kotteri Tonkotsu, which also included char siu, half soft-boiled egg, crunchy menma (bamboo shoots), green onions, & sesame seeds. As Kotteri literally means "rich, thick" and characterizes a heavier, oily broth, I thought I would like the dense, flavorful soup base. I also enjoy spicy foods, so w/ a choice between levels 1 to 5 (and even higher on request), I chose the mid-level 3. yelp.com/biz_photos/agu-… I was not ready for what I got. The broth was black, maybe from using black sesame paste or black garlic oil; it looked so strange & unconventional for a ramen dish. I slurped some of the noodles w/ the dark broth, and it was soooo spicy. As hungry as I was, I could not finish even half of it. It was unpalatable & just too spicy for me. Unfortunately, the spiciness overpowered the flavorful Koterri broth, which I could not enjoy. Apparently, Agu's mid-level 3 was much spicier than what I had thought; perhaps a level 1 or without any spiciness would have been better. (I was told later that levels 1 & 2 have red peppers, & levels 3 to 5 have the hotter Thai peppers & jalapenos.) My husband had the Spicy Tonkotsu, level #3. He loves spicy foods, & he enjoyed it. As this was not the Kotteri Tonkotsu, his broth was red, & not black. yelp.com/biz_photos/agu-… We also ordered gyoza, which is freshly made on a daily basis. It came with six pieces, and they were excellently prepared, crispy on the outside & juicy on the inside w/ ground pork, cabbage, & green onions. This is a winner! yelp.com/biz_photos/agu-… Agu Ramen also offers shoyu & shio (salt) tonkotsu without any spiciness; Jidori chicken ramen w/ Tokyo-style chijire noodles, & cold ramen. It recently started offering various pupus, such as: fried Jidori chicken skin, Jidori nanban (fried chicken dipped in soy & vinaigrette w/ homemade tartar sauce), Cajun French fries, deep fried pig ears w/ Cajun-style Volcano sauce, curry rice, & char siu donburi. For dessert, they have gelato & sorbetto made by Il Gelato. We were at the restaurant on a late Friday night, about 9:30 pm, & it was quite crowded at that time. A large group of about 15 people came in & sat around the bar counter. No complaints about service, as our orders were quickly tended to, & water glasses refilled promptly. Just wished the server had warned us how spicy each level was, since it was the first time there for us. I certainly plan to return to try their other ramen dishes & pupus, & perhaps, their Kotteri ramen again at spiciness level 1 or maybe without any spiciness. I'm sure my review will be updated at that time. At least I know better now - spiciness level #3 & above is not for me.

    (3)

  • Amy L.

    One of the best ramen I've ever had on the island. Noodles were cooked perfectly and they were my favorite type thin noodles like the kind they have in Japan. Broth was flavorful and you can taste all the hours of cooking they put into it. My friend and I tried the gyoza, shio ramen and miso ramen. Gyoza: Definitely homemade skin was soft on the outside and perfectly pan fried. I don't get how places deep fry the gyoza that ruins the purpose of the soft and crunchy texture you get. Filling was flavorful and juicy. Shio Ramen: Very flavorful and addiction broth. I got mine with the toppings and even the charsiu was delicious. Noodles were firm but chewy just the way in japan ramen is like. Miso Ramen: Flavorful broth with out being overly salty. You can tell the chef really cares about the food here makes sure everything tastes perfectly. Interior is Japanese themed, very clean and relaxing environment. We went on a monday night and parking was easy to find. Place was half filled but you can tell it's legit but the amount of Japanese people inside. While the price is a bit high it's worth it for quality ramen carefully crafted for your taste. I would love to come here again. Service was great they were very attentive and friendly it's like a ramen shop from japan transport here.

    (5)

  • Jenny S.

    My first time here and I promise you it won't be my last!!! I came here with my co-workers for lunch to try the spicy SPICY ramen. Of the 5 of us, one ordered the epic, the other level 5, and I ordered the 4. My other two co-workers ordered non-spicy stuff that they said were delicious! The person who ordered the epic is a daily spicy eater, tried all kinds of spicy foods and actually enjoys his stomach burning when eating spicy food. He thought the epic wasn't spicy enough for him (eek), he had ghost peppers and other types of peppers in his soup base and he still thought it was only medium spicy! (Gasp!) He wants to try the WTF next hahha. My other co-worker who ordered the 5 thought her soup was delicious!! And I totally agree with her! When I first tasted the soup I thought wow this is kinda sweet and salty. When I sipped the second time that's when I tasted the fire! I could tell this one is spicy!! The spiciness of this soup creeps up on you. You first think oh wow this is nothing then BAM! It's SPICY! hahha! The 4 kind of tasted like the 5, except slightly slightly less spicy. But it was very delicious, each time I took a bite of the noodles there were pepper pieces stuck in between! Although there were a lot of peppers in this soup, it really isn't as spicy as one would think. I like eating spicy food but I definitely know my limits. To compare to Thai curry, I usually get my Thai curry at the medium spicy level bc anything hotter than that and I'm crying! So if you're like me you can handle up to a 5! But if you want to keep it safe, I suggest a 4 because you can always go hotter than go the other way. We also had a side order of the kick up fries and that was also very good. The fries are Cajun spiced and I'm not sure what was in the dipping sauce but the sauce was also a bit spicy. I also heard the gyoza is a must-have or a must-try item. Wish you all luck with your spicy adventure!

    (5)

  • Kerry L.

    I had the jidori shoyu ramen and the broth was aMaZing! It's comparable to a reputable ramen shop in NY (ippudo). The ramen was cooked perfectly, al dente with minimum oil floating on the surface. Chicken broth is usually my favorite compared to tonkotsu since it's clear and not as salty. The serving was ramen was enough to fill you up. I came here twice in 3 days bc it was simply that delicious.

    (4)

  • Jason S.

    Hip ramen bistro with some creative and flavorful offerings. Small parking lot but can park next door at the bank after hours especially handy if you have a larger vehicle. The interior is cozy and neatly decorated with a bar seating area in the middle and tables around it. Ideal for parties of 2 - 4... anything more wouldn't be impossible but challenging during peak hours. Above average, flavorful ramen. I had the karaage appetizer with the char siu tonkotsu ramen. The karaage was crispy on the outside and moist, juicy goodness on the inside. My tonkotsu ramen was well prepared and visually appealing. My friend had the kotteri tonkotsu ramen with has the black garlic oil and that was even better. You can choose your spice level and he went with Epic. While it was spicy, when eating with the ramen it provided the a good peppery accompaniment. Just alone, it tasted like fiery pepper oil. Service was attentive but I can see how it could get chaotic. Overall, I would recommend it as a cool place to eat some ramen that has some creative and appealing dishes that has some fusion of old and new flavors.

    (4)

  • Jaime O.

    I frequent this place and have brought many friends here. All of them have loved this place. For some people, the service might be lacking, but it's a ramen shop. All they need to do is make sure the food comes quickly. This place is great for tonkotsu ramen, although it's a little pricy. I always order the original kotteri, which is a tonkotsu broth that has black garlic oil and garlic chips. It's a very flavorful, rich, thick broth that coats the thin, chewy noodles perfectly. The toppings are great too. I love menma (fermented bamboo shoots. More delicious than it sounds for sure!), green onion and their perfectly cooked pork. Their gyoza is good, but a bit small. They have a lovely golden brown, and crispy bottom. Unfortunately, they lack filling sometimes. I've also tried their agucini. It's a little pricy at almost $7 for three tiny deep fried risotto balls, but they are super flavorful. The Isenburg location has little parking, so I'd recommend going to the Ward location, which has more parking, and the same great food. Plus you can catch a movie, or go shopping after. Go check this place out!

    (4)

  • Heather S.

    I come here for one thing and one thing only... AGU'S SAVORY PARMESAN kotteri tonkatsu ramen. Just adding grated parmesan cheese makes a world of a difference to the broth's taste, which is already very flavorful without the cheese. My favorite place for ramen has been Goma-Tei, but after eating here, I was considering bumping it down to my number two spot. However, Goma-Tei remains my number one because their ramen is a bit cheaper and portions are a bit larger. Hence why, Agu Ramen gets four stars from me instead of five. They do have their own parking lot. I've only came here during lunch, and so, there were a lot of available parking spaces. Service is OK. The servers are friendly but not always efficient. Even on a slow day, they don't seem to check up on us as often as I would like. If you're not into having cheese in your ramen, they do have a lot of other ramen to choose from.

    (4)

  • May L.

    C'mon guys, if you can't handle spicy level 3, you weren't eating "spicy". After reading reviews of your worst nightmare, I can't even finish, too spicy to enjoy, black oil with crazy secret ingredients to turn up the heat kotteri tokatsu ramen, I hesitantly ordered level 3. Not spicy at all guys, not spicy at all. Comparing to thai spicy, or Szechuan spicy, or even spicy hot pot, this was nothing. If you order "spicy" or "medium" at real Thai restaurants, you can handle more than this. Luckily our waitress had more chili sauce for me to add. So I added most of the extras, she told me to order 5 next time. YEAHH 5!! Then EPIC!!!!! Anyway, ramenwise noodles were yummy, broth was so tasty, but very little meat. It was a bit pricy too for the amount of food you get.

    (4)

  • Katherine L.

    I went there at about 12:15 and waited about 40 min for my Spicy Tonkotsu ($12.75). The soup was alright, not enough noodles for me though (Guys probably need to order two bowls of noodles lol). I wish there were more green vegetables in the soup. For the amount of food I get, I think it's overpriced. I went there with a friend. The waiter did not check to see if we needed anything. Also the waiter swiped the wrong cards for us (he charged me for my friend's food!!). I don't know what is the hype about this place. I heard this one is better than the one in Ward Village. But still I'm kind of disappointed.

    (3)

  • David C.

    I thought their signature noodles the koterri ramen was way too heavy. I'm never going to get that again.

    (2)

  • Trisha G.

    Nice change to the former Da Kitchen location in Moiliili. Give it up to the staff that was attentive and friendly. I really liked the decor, but the ramen was so-so. I had the TONKATSU KOTTERI. While it looked delicious, I wasn't wow'ed by it. On the plus side I love MENMA and when I ordered extra, they didn't hold back. I also liked the ono medium boiled egg. Another staple order for me at all ramen locations is GYOZA. This place wasn't bad. Probably one of the better things we ordered. My friend ordered the SPICY TONKATSU (level 2). She said it was spicy, but not too hot Note: you can order the spicy level from 1 to 5. It seems that anything above 2 or 3 is ridiculous and unnecessary. I like spicy, but I'm not usually down to burn off my taste buds. Just like Da Kitchen, the parking sucks. Depending what day of the week you go, there can be street parking. There were also a few stalls available at First Hawaiian Bank (after hours). I could go back to try some other stuff, but so far... I haven't found the gotta-get-my-fix-now, absolutely-need-to-order dish from this place...yet.

    (3)

  • A. L.

    We ordered the cheesy kotteri and original, and the pork cheek croquette . Everything was good. But not worth the price. I feel like I could get similar quality at gome tei or santouka for HALF the price. I'm not afraid to pay if it's worth it, this place was just not. Nothing special just your average ramen spot. It wasn't horrible either , the seating tho is a bit cramped . We sat literally 5 inches next to other ppl. It's def $$$ for ramen

    (3)

  • Richard K.

    This place has some pretty legit ramen. The flavors in the broth are super rich and the spice that you can add in make it all that much better. I like that they give an egg here (well, 1/2 an egg) and that it's soft boiled, my favorite in ramen. My biggest qualm with this place is the price to quantity ratio. When I'm paying over $11 for ramen (plus an upcharge for spice), I'm expecting not only good quality, but to also be full when I leave. The last time I was here, I had to get a snack after dinner. I attribute this partly to the bowls they use...conical shaped so it's a bit deceiving when you see it at first. Don't get me wrong, the quality is definitely there. I just wish I can get full off 1 bowl of ramen at Agu. Increase your bowl size and I'd give another star for sure, even if the price remains the same. Bonus points for having a parking lot. Street parking in this neighborhood is very difficult.

    (3)

  • Christine E.

    Wahhh. My review for Agu is so so difficult. On one hand, I thought the food was excellent. But the service was just...bearable. I liked that there was parking, but didn't like how awkward it was. Like if you entered the driveway on the right and it was full, there was no way in hell you'd fit down the middle and basically have to reverse out onto the street and go in the other driveway (not a big deal, just...weird). Anyways, we went on Sunday afternoon, about 2:30pm I'd say. So we figured it shouldn't be super crowded right? but surprisingly, this place was pretty full! Maybe only 2 or 3 tables empty. Anywhoo, they seated us right away..score! But then, things seemed to drag. There were 2 or 3 guys serving. Our server seemed...distant?...grumpy?...busy? Idk. He took our orders without ever looking any of us in the eye. Kind of more like "ok ok hurry up" nodding his head but not really repeating and then just rushing off. I swore I thought he would've screwed up my mother in law's order because he didn't look at her ONCE as she spoke. But to my surprise all the food came out correct and was very yummy. But then....our water didn't get refilled like ever and when it finally did, my father in law's got missed and he was forced to drink from us instead. And somehow our simple quick ramen late lunch ended up being an hour and half long because it took a long time to get checked on to order dessert, then we had to walk up to the counter and ask for an extra spoon, and then a billion years passed until we got a bill, and then it took a seemingly long time to get the bill taken care of. Idk. Food was great. Service...odd. Our server was nice enough, and I don't think he meant to ignore us or make us feel unwelcomed. But he did. Even my mother in law commented on how slow it was. It was really just the oddest first experience one could have. Food was fast, out in a few minutes, but then why was our lunch soooo long? I'll return again for the kotteri. It was definitely worth the trip. Hopefully we just came on an off day for the server. :/ P.S don't skip dessert! We had a mango gelato that tasted like I was eating a mango. It was seriously the freshest most yummy thing ever. :)

    (3)

  • Anna F.

    I noticed more and more ramen places popping up in the last few months. I heard some good stuff about this place so I gave it a try. If you're a fan of spicy, you will probably like this place because they have a spicy ramen where you choose how spicy you want to go (level 1-5). I played it safe and went with the kotteri tonkotsu. The kotteri broth is garlicy but it's not overly salty like some other ramen places. The broth is oily but if you mix it all up and just start slurping the noodles, the oil will go away. I wasn't impressed with the gyoza. The ground pork was too mushy. The side order cha siu tasted better than the char siu inside the ramen. They have a different sauce drizzled over the side order version and I highly recommend it. The inside of the restaurant is small and tight. If you plan to dine with 6 people expect to wait about 30 minutes during the normal dinner hour. There's 4 parking spaces in front of the restaurant and lots more spaces in the back which people don't know about. When you arrive, just remember to go in first and give them your name and the number of people in your party before waiting outside. Beware of the sprinklers, it waters the bench too.

    (4)

  • Tiffany O.

    When Agu Ramen first opened, I swear a lot of my friends were talking about how good it was. I finally got to try it randomly on Christmas Eve last year. We actually wanted to eat Sweet Home, but didn't realize they were closed lol! It was dark and gloomy and raining hard so Agu was just the next street over. It was perfect. I felt bad that the workers were there, because many places had already closed! The restaurant was also empty, but they were happy to see customers (I think). I think I got the Original Kotteri Tonkotsu, which had extra rich broth made with a black garlic oil, garlic & silky se-abura (taken from web menu). I really like the black garlic oil which is why I ordered it. My boyfriend got the Spicy Kotteri (Level 3). OMG IT WAS SO HOT... well I don't have a high tolerance for spicy food, however it was kind of spicy for my Korean boyfriend lol. I don't think he finished it, but it was too spicy where it kills the taste. I don't know how anyone can eat that. But anyways, their gyoza was good too! It's been about 10 months since I've last been here. I guess I'll try it again soon! Oh and the interior is nice haha.

    (3)

  • Justine Emily M.

    Ahhh, so good ToT I've been dying to come here. I don't know why it took me this long. I have a few all-time favorite ramen places and Agu Ramen became a new one. Nice small cozy restaurant. The workers are quick and attentive. It's that brothandthatsofteggandthoseskinnynoodles. I wish I got more garlic chips and a level spicier because it's just that good.

    (5)

  • Diane R.

    I love this place. Finally a place that makes awesome ramen noodles plus their garlic spicy oil is delicious! It's become a regular stop for me and my friends.

    (5)

  • Kammy U.

    I went here for the first time last night, and I can officially say that Agu Ramen is my new favorite ramen restaurant. I ordered the Kotteri Parmesan Tonkotsu ramen. At first, I was a little skeptical about parmesan being in ramen, but I love both things, so why not, right? :P It was delicious! Their homemade noodles are excellent, and the broth had so much flavor :) I also got the gyoza, which you could tell was made fresh...and my boyfriend had their miso ramen and karaage chicken, which he enjoyed a lot as well. The staff was on top of their game and very friendly. There was a small line when we got there, but didn't have to wait any more than about 5 minutes. In fact, for such a small place, I noticed they got people in pretty quickly...keeping the wait to a minimum. The only downfall would be the parking. There are minimal spots in the front and to the side of the restaurant, and there are a few spots in the First Hawaiian Bank parking lot designated for Agu Ramen (which is marked off with a cone). If you don't have any luck with their lot, or the designated stalls at FHB...I noticed that FHB also has a public parking meter that you can pay for parking, or there is street parking if you can find any spots.

    (5)

  • Jannet L.

    Best thing about this place is the super fast service. Servers are on top of it and food comes out fast. Food is okay. The gyoza wrappers were kinda thin but the stuffing was good. My friend got curry rice and that was yummy with super tender pork. My mil got hiyashi noodles which was fine but I didn't notice any jellyfish in it as described in the menu. I got the spicy kotteri tonkotsu ramen level 3. It was really spicy and I like spicy. I usu ask for Thai spicy level so I was surprised that level 3 was so spicy. The noodles seem more like thick soba noodles. It was okay. Ramen at yottekoya is better. People at the tables next to us got corn which looked yummy but at 4.25 kinda steep for corn on the cob. Also they got some kind of deep fried thing looked like pig ears or something? Lotsa people got it so must be good. The problem with this place is that they are blasting music which made conversation difficult. And also it was pop music so didn't fit with the food. Overall fine but if I want ramen and gyoza will go to yottekoya.

    (3)

  • Liberty L.

    This review is long overdue. We came here on a whim when one of the storms were expected to hit. We ordered the following: Spicy kotteri tonkotsu, level 3 - This was absolutely delicious. The spiciness was perfect and soothed my throat so well. I will definitely try level 4 next time. $13.25 Innovative hot mess - If you're craving for something rich then this is for you. The ramen is soaked with Parmesan and garlic goodness. I got sick of it after a while because it was just too rich for me. $19.95 Gyoza - Perfectly cooked gyoza, yum! $5.75 Kicked up fries - Didn't really care for it. The seasoning was light-handed. $5.75 Both ramen could use a little more noodles. For the prices we paid, we expected to be fill on the ramen alone. Parking is also an issue. The stalls are shared with St. Louis bar/venue so it may be difficult to find parking.

    (4)

  • Nancy F.

    Ramen and other items order was yummy. I'm a visitor from the Mainland and will come again. Will add to my places to eat while visiting Oahu for friends to come.

    (5)

  • Kawena K.

    Agu Ramen is in the St. Louis clubhouse building where Da Kitchen used to be. They have some stalls in the clubhouse parking lot and if FHB is closed, you can park in their lot too. Otherwise, good luck with the street parking! I ordered the spicy kotteri tonkotsu, which is a creamier broth than shoyu ramen. I chose the first level of spicy because I'm a pan-teh but I think I could've handled the second level since I felt no burn at the first level. Our waitress warned us that levels 3-5 spicy is made with Thai chiles so beware if you're a Randall Nocanhandle! My friend recommended asking for the chili sauce on the side so you can control the spiciness but I totally forgot to ask. The noodles were cooked perfectly and the broth was both flavorful and creamy, I almost drank the entire bowl. I could've done without the gyoza but our side of pirikara was a nice complement to the noodles and broth. No complaints about the service, our server was super friendly and helpful! Overall, a great meal and I WILL be back!

    (4)

  • Angela Y.

    Agu Ramen gets busy fairly quickly, and parking gets tough. I would just find street parking or park at Longs, whatever :) Never had worries about being towed or getting a ticket, hm. At your own risk, I guess! But who can blame the temptation of a huge parking lot?? Service: 4 stars. Because it's so busy, it's difficult to catch their attention if you want to order or request (for extra green onions!^^) but they're really good at filling your water, being informative on the menu, and trying to help as much as they can. Food: 4.5 The spicy tonkotsu and kotteri tonkotsu have 6 different levels of spiciness. Seriously, the highest I would go is 3-4. There's a level five for those who just LOVE spicy, and the epic spicy level for those who are crazy (RT/JC). I love piling heaps of green onions on my noodles, and their noodles are just right on firmness. Gyoza isn't too bad either. Give them a try! Wait wasn't too long for the couple times I've eaten there. Not my go-to ramen place, but I would go maybe once a month for my extra spicy ramen fix:)

    (4)

  • Jennifer P.

    Most delicious and flavorful ramen I've had. The Spicy Kotteri and gyoza are my go-to orders. The service is great; the waiters are very knowledgable and friendly. They work pretty quickly as well. The restaurant is pretty small, so the seating is very compact. You can either sit at the counter, which means you'll be facing strangers, or at tables. Some of the seats don't have backs, so it can be uncomfortable.

    (4)

  • Shanna U.

    Tried here after hearing a lot of good things about this place and I wasn't disappointed at all. This place is small so it quickly fills up and stays busy. Not a good place to go to if u have a big group of people. Parking can be tricky so try to go right at opening to not have to fight for parking and for a table. I tried the ramen with the Parmesan cheese and it was delicious. We also ordered some gyoza for the table to share. I will definitely be back as there's so many other goodies to try on their menu.

    (5)

  • Nadia K.

    When parking can be a problem, it's an instant deterrent for me. But you don't have to worry at all here at Agu Ramen! Parking is plentiful in nice big stalls all around the building. I really like the ambiance of the restaurant. It's comfortable, nice, and inviting. There's tables on the perimeter and a large long table in the center of the restaurant. The long table has a hook for your handbag at each seat! Now that's planning! Our party of three ordered the 6 piece gyoza (made fresh daily) to complement our ramen. But it was soooooo good that we requested another order. The second order did take forever as we had finished our ramen and was just about ready for dessert. We even considered cancelling our order. But we didn't. And we ate it all. I had the spicy kotteri tonkotsu ($12.75) and since our waiter said spice level 3 was pretty hot, I went with 2. It was just the right amount of heat for me and he said that if I wanted it spicier, he could bring me the spices to add. The tonkotsu was really good. It was rich and flavorful. They serve all of their tonkotsu ramen with traditional Hakata style noodles (made thin to absorb the maximum amount of flavor). I enjoyed the noodles, but being a piggy, I totally could have eaten more, thus the second order of gyoza. We finished off with gelato and sorbet. Our service was great and the waiter was very attentive. This is a great place to get your ramen fix!

    (4)

  • Sharon G.

    I'm not one to suggest ramen for a "go out" meal, but I've heard nothing but good things about Agu Ramen and it's right down the street! We got here and there was maybe a 7 minute wait for lunch seating. The restaurant is small, with a long table in the middle for communal seating and its surrounded by smaller tables. It's dark and dance music is blasting throughout the place. It's a little loud, but the food was great so I didn't really care. I ordered the spicy Kottteri Tonkatsu ramen and it was delicious! It had just the right amount of spicy and the broth wasn't too thick and very garlicky. We didn't have to wait long and the service was amazing. Servers were attentive and very friendly. I can't wait to come back for more!

    (5)

  • Kaileen Y.

    My new favorite ramen shop. Period. I've been dreaming about this place every day for the past week since my (other) brother, Travis took me here on Monday. One of our sibling get togethers, which I think we should have more of btw!! When our original plan of trying the new yakiniku place on Kapahulu failed because of how busy they were, Travis immediately decided on Agu. Seeing as he was just getting over the flu and had been craving their ramen over the weekend, it only seemed fitting. The food is a little on the pricey side, but the ramen is really pretty legit. The broth has great flavor and the noodles are quite perfect. I absolutely LOVE the soft boiled egg that they add in there also! I almost wanted to request a second one... It's a really small shop, and it's bound to make one quite claustrophobic...but I really like it. Scratch that, I love it. It's actually kinda cute. I especially love how as soon as you walk in, you suddenly feel like you stepped into Japan, or should I say Okinawa. I definitely wouldn't mind coming here again. Actually, I can't wait. I'm a girl who loves her ramen, and I've eaten at quite a lot of ramen places thus far...but this one definitely tops them all! So far...

    (5)

  • Terrance Y.

    We decided to have a late lunch here, walking in I was quite pleased with the decor and ambience the staff also were friendly. I ordered the Shio Jidori which is supposed to be a light chicken broth it was very light and although there were hints of the flavor I would have hoped that the broth would have been a bit richer, the noodles were done well on my bowl and had a nice crunch to them just right however Cory L's noodles were noticeably over cooked sad to say my char Siu was quite hard and actually tasted more like ham quite disappointing, my half egg was thrown in cold so when I ate it it was still cold, the memma was good though. Sadly I thought if they could nail a good light broth I'd be very happy but unfortunately there were other issues with my meal other than the broth. The meal itself for me would have been given two stars. But in their defense they did ask me how was my meal all though that was before I ate the char Siu, so that would have been their chance to bring out better Char Siu which I was quite disappointed in, the egg I could have let soak in the weak broth to get warm. The service and ambience was just great that would have made me give four stars so that's why they've been given a three star rating by me. I will go back to see if I just had just gone on a bad day there, although it is a bit pricey.

    (3)

  • Ai C.

    We waited to have lunch there today. The hours of operation clearly says 11am as the operation of buss. There are about a dozen people standing waiting to enter the restaurant. We can see the staff moving about in the restaurant...waited again, this time it's 5 mins passed 11:00, still no one came to open the door. WOW! They either do not care to notice their patrons at the door or ignore their patrons...NOTE, even the place does not open till 11 am and the staff clearly sees people outside, ACKNOWLEDGE your customers! The party of 3 left and took our services to another establishment...this was my second visit to Agu...don't think I'll be returning.

    (1)

  • Monish S.

    I had the Yuzu Jidori w chicken broth and level 4 spice factor on the side. It's a good lunch place and very reasonable on price. Too bad they serve cold oolong tea instead of hot. The combination just didn't work for me so I didn't relish the cold tea. Also, if you are vegetarian you are pretty much SOL. Feels like a bunch of college students are working there as wait staff. The service is better than average but it's not professional. Good to know so you know what to expect. Ambience is neat and clean but nothing fancy.

    (4)

  • Jon E.

    Best ramen shop. It's close as there are so many great options now! Gomatei, gomaichi, yottekoya, santouka. Agu edges them out with their kotteri soup. Rich and savory. Try this. Avoid the hot ones. The heat overshadows the flavor. If you need spice add it yourself. Kotteri also has a thinner firm noodle. Get it XL. You won't regret it. Avoid the cheese and other silly additives. They also distract. Gyoza are good as is the karaage. It was a mess when they first started, but they are definitely hitting on all cylinders now. The line moves decently fast.

    (5)

  • Heidi N.

    To date and to me, this place is tied for best ramen on the island. My other favorite is in the far corner of Shirokiya followed by the one next to Daiei Kaheka...yes Daiei. Lol I am picky about my ramen broth, preferring shio over miso and shoyu, and super picky about the noodles. Agu has great noodles, but it ain't my ideal. It works real well with the broth though. To me, gyoza is absolutely a part of the ramen experience. This, along with overall service and experience all matter when it comes to star ratings. This place definitely gets 5 stars from me as the ramen, gyoza, service & experience is all excellent! Looking forward to trying their homemade gelato & fried pig ears one day. One warning I will give is that their spicy is spicy! The way it is served, the spice slams the back of the throat like a ice cold drink on a hot summer day. I usually love spicy, like pho with sriracha & chili pepper oil with jalepenos to the point of runny nose and no taste buds spicy but this way of serving spice I can not handle so well. I got level 3 the first time, couldn't really taste my food so I knocked it down to a 1 the second time. Yummers! One last thing... Starting 9/1/14, Agu is open til midnight every night!

    (5)

  • Jayson L.

    Started from 1 and now i'm at 3, i'm still scare to go to 4 or 5 because of what might happen next... if you never been to agu ramen you should give it a try you will understand what these numbers are. Agu ramen takes the old place call the Da Kitchen. it's across from the stadium park and they have parking on the front or the side of the building. they wrote AGU on the ground to make sure you park at the right spot. Spicy Kotteri Tonkotsu my favorite. Very rich flavor with garlic and silky back fat. Flavor was there but portion size is too small for noodle. $12.75 if you want extra noodle to fill you up you have to pay +$3.50 for XL bowl. ($17.01 with tax, most expensive noodle place i been to in hawaii) spicy memma was ok taste. they used some house hot sauce mix. ($5) Hot and very yummy Ground pork, cabbage and nira in the Gyoza. ($5.25) it comes with 6 piece so its good amount to share with 2 or 3 people. I love the taste and really enjoy the food. if you are ramen lover or spicy hunters you should get into your car and drive down here.

    (4)

  • Julie D.

    My husband and I decided to finally try this place out. We checked in and were seated after 5 min. The place was set up like the ramen restaurants we've been to in Japan so we had high expectations. We looked through the menu and the spicy kotteri tonkatsu caught my eye and my husband got the hot mess. I got a level 3 and my husband got the level 4 cuz we were thinking we would feel the burn. We also ordered the agu gyoza. When our bowls of ramen came out and we tasted them this is what we thought...PRICEY FOR A BOWL OF RAMEN! Spicy kotteri tonkatsu had a sweet and salty taste to it with one piece of meat and 1/2 soft boiled egg. Garnishes included. Portion wasn't much. Price: $12.75. Hot mess was more on the salty side with one piece of meat and 1/2 soft boiled egg. Garnishes included. By the description on the menu it sounded huge but nope it was as small as my bowl. Price: $19.75. Gyoza was the usual. Overall nothing really stood out and we had to ask for extra chilies to make it spicier. Maybe we'll go back for epic spice level.

    (3)

  • Sarah S.

    Uh.... YUM Broth is redic flavorful, complex, and yet nuanced. Great service, ambiance, cleanliness, and have I mentioned yum?

    (4)

  • Moli Y.

    This is a very cute and small ramen eatery. Is very tiny inside, I believe, you may be able to squeeze less than 35 patrons at once. Parking can be tricky by seeing only 6 parking stalls on the front, but parking is ample at the back, as well as street parking on the front. Is located right behind Moilili, First Hawaiian Bank. Can't miss the BIG red sign with Agu on there. I enjoyed the rich flavors of the broth. The char siu was tender and the memma (bamboo shoots) gave texture to the soup. I was happy with my spicy level 3. It was spicy enough to enjoy the broth without reaching for water after every bite, but I am thinking level 4 would be good on days where I want to work up a sweat. **I have a tolerance for eating spicy foods.. so be aware of anything higher than 3!** The price is a bit much for a bowl of noddles. About $15 with tax and tip. I won't be a regular, but I would come back occasionally to enjoy it. I will skip the spicy memma appetizer, not worth the $5. But Agu is a must-try place for a different flair of noddle taste!

    (4)

  • Donna M.

    As other Yelpers have mentioned, Agu Ramen takes the spot of the old Da Kitchen. Easy spot to find, and breezy parking if you can snag one of the handful of spots around the restaurant. The option is also avaliable to park at the bank or on the street, if the dedicated parking lot becomes freakishly full. The restaurant itself is a small space, but decorated with a modern aesthetic. Lucky enough, the two of us were able to snag one of the last tables on a saturday night. However, dining at the counter wouldn't have been too bad either. While the tables didn't have it, I noticed that there were mounted purse hangers underneath each seat at the counter. Handy touch that goes a long way. All of us ladies who love our bags can breathe a sigh of relief, not having to eat with our purses in our laps, or hang them off the seat shoulder like a safety hazard and an accident waiting to happen. I tried the Shoyu Tonkotsu and ordered the gyoza to share. The ramen broth definitely hits the spot. It is on the rich side, but hey, a little richness never hurt anyone. It was bursting with flavor, perfectly salty, and no doubt full of dimension. The noodles that accompanied were very thin, which in turn also made them seem very soft. While I normally prefer al dente noodles, I chalk this up to preference, and nonetheless, they were still very good. The ramen came with half an egg, menma, a heaping mound of green onion, and char siu. While the egg was nothing to shout about, the char siu portions were pretty generous and super tender. Yum! The gyoza came out a little bit after the ramen did. Oh boy, these little suckers are good! The filling was tasty and plump, good balance of both veggies AND meat. The bottom had a nice crispy sear to them, and they were not an ounce too oily. I normally pass on gyoza at restaurants, none can live up to mamasan's, but these get a two thumbs up from me! I can finally put away my binoculars, stash away my map, and end the hunt because Agu Ramen has easily become my new go to spot when I'm hit with a ramen hankering. These wickedly tasty bowls they serve up will definitely fill you up, and warm you up! A must try for ramen lovers!

    (5)

  • Jordan S.

    I had a cold recently, and decided some ramen would hit the spot. I hadn't tried Agu yet, so we came on in, parking is a little iffy, but we found a spot and were seated immediately. The menu is smallish, but has enough choices to keep most people happy. I am a big spicy food lover, so I went with the Spicy Kotteri Tonkotsu. I ordered it as a spicy level 5, and the waiter gave me an odd look and asked if I was sure, I told him yea, so he brought me a big glass of water =D The ramen was really good. The level of spicy was just what I wanted, a little hotter might be nice, so I will try their "Epic" next time, and maybe the hottest some time just for kicks, but for a spicy food lover, the 5 was a nice comfortable level of hot. We also ordered the gyoza and kicked up fries as apps, both were really good. Food was all served REALLY HOT, not just warm, which is nice since so many places ruin good food by serving it cold.

    (5)

  • Aileen T.

    I don't get food poisoning very often, but somebody did not wash their hands when they served me my ramen. I don't care how good your food is, if I wake up in the middle of the night with body aches, fever, and a stomach ache that keeps me at home from work, your food is not worth it for me. I will never be coming back again.

    (1)

  • Ryan T.

    At one time I was an Udon only type of guy, but after trying places like this, and Goma Tei. I am starting to have feelings for ramen. I've been trying to suppress those feelings but when you try items like the Spicy Kotteri Tonkotsu at Agu, it's hard to go back to udon. So many wonderful flavors dancing in mouth at one time, I'm feeling full, but I can't stop and now I'm so full I feel sick, yet complete. Pros: Parking Good service Nice, modern place Wait time - Little to none which might change in the future once more people experience this place, then I will once again have to find a new ramen place. Cons: Small Intimacy, about 0 Beer? I don't think BYOB? No doubt that I shall return. Definitely worth a try whether you are a hardcore ramen fan or a newbie. Only suggestion would be additional picture menus for those not familiar with ramen.

    (4)

  • Kelly M.

    They have great ramen. Really great ramen. I am partial to the original, though the jidori chicken is very nice, too. Over the past few visits, we've tried a few appetizers. Can 't say any rocked my world, but all were good. - Agucini - rice balls with pork, rolled in panko and fried. Nice consistency, not a lot of flavored. Only 3 balls seemed stingy when the primary ingredient is rice. - Gyoza - good, but standard. - croquettes - heard a lot about these and felt disappointed. Parking can be tight, especially when they are busy. The sometimes have 5 parking spots at Bank of Hawaii marked off with orange traffic cones, and there is always street parking within a block or two.

    (5)

  • Joy N.

    First time trying out this new Ramen Bistro. I really liked it!!!! The atmosphere is inviting and not too loud. This is kind of a tiny place, maybe at max 40 people can sit at once. There is bar seating, and the only thing I would like to see there is a partition to separate the two sides. While eating, you are practically staring at the people on the other side. The service is friendly and attentive while not being overbearing. Ok, for all of you wondering about the spice levels... I'm sorry but I am a complete spice wimp so I got a plain ramen with the spice on the side. The two spices that came made me sweat just by looking at them. The server said that a teaspoon of the spices go into the ramen per level - I should have asked if it was both spices per level or not... I will next time I go. The noodles are thin and tasty. The highlight of the meal for me was the gyoza... they were soooo delicious!!!! On the menu it says that they are homemade and you can tell that they are. I am not sharing next time I go. LOL. They also have quite a few sides that you can order to add to the whole experience of eating here. I want to try the menma next time.

    (4)

  • Glenn N.

    One of the worst meals I've ever had because of unprofessional service and ordinary tasting food. Don't waste your money here.. Overpriced for the level of service and the food. Management needs to take some lessons. But that's ok.. There's a lot of better places to eat... I sure don't need to go to Agu again ever.

    (1)

  • Sari P.

    Food is good, wide variety of flavorful ramen. Service was alright. Found hair in my food, so they gave me a $2 promo discount LOL, eventually they took off the ramen. Also, tan tan ramen is 18$. $18!! Wtf. Anyway, hats off to the cook, if it weren't for him I'd never go back.

    (3)

  • Jeff T.

    So hot, it burns twice. Get the spicy kotteri tonkotsu and a side of Gyoza. That should be enough for a normal sized person. You may be the kind of person who goes.."meh..ramen .. overrated" but this ramen is actually different from many places in Hawaii. Again, get the spicy kotteri tonkotsu.. It's not that bad, go for like a level 3 if you're not into spicy stuff, level 4 if you like a little spicy and level 5 if you can handle tabasco sauce. get epic just for fun.. :P enjoy.

    (4)

  • Mark S.

    Second time here and it's great again! Their service is nice and quick. Their food is unique and fun. Definitely something to try if you haven't. Try the black garlic ramen! Checkout the pics. ;)

    (5)

  • Stacie N.

    Yummy! One of my best bowl of ramen! I order spicy tonkston ramen level 3 spice. Level 3 spicy is pretty dame spicy! We also order chicken skin as a advertiser and I must say it taste crispy from the outside but it melts in your mouth!! Must have a second bowl if your in town

    (5)

  • Reid S.

    AGU RAMEN IS THE BEST IN HAWAII. I've been everywherrreee! Absolutely everywhere, and through my noodle journey I have found that Honolulu's fairly new Agu Ramen has all the qualities of ramen shops I've been to in Japan. Conveniently located on Isenberg right before Maple Garden, Agu is conveniently located in the famous Moiliili neighborhood. Parking is rather scarce though they have a good amount of stalls in the front and back. *Note: I didn't know this but there is an exit in the very back of the lot so you don't need to face arriving drivers at the front. The food at Agu is exceptional to say the least. I have ordered their Kotteri Ramen and their spicy Tonkotsu ramen. If you have never eaten a bowl of Tonkotsu ramen, you are missing out on one of the best things in the world. Tonkotsu, NOT "tonkatsu" is a broth that is made using the pork bone. It is simmered for hours sometimes even a whole day. The result, a fatty, creamy, exquisite broth that is sure to make your mouth water and your tastebuds dance. Hawaii ramen shops typically don't make tonkotsu broth because it is tedious and takes a lot of time and love. Agu's "aloha broth" shows the dynamic flavors of their ingredients, which perfectly accompanies their skinny ramen noodles. I should, however, pose a warning. LEVEL 3 SPICY IS HOT. Like the soup makes you cough before it even touches your throat, hot. THAT HOT. Too hot for me to be honest and I thought I was doing a good job handling my Korean food lately. Agu's broth is creamy and wonderful, with the noodles it provides a solid bowl. I was so happy finding this place because it embodies everything I love about ramen into one. Gyoza is also their strong point. Gyoza in Hawaii is a failing dish, but Agu's is crispy, moist, and stays perfectly together. I also tried their Karaage chicken and found that it is second to Chez Kenzo's chicken, which is a good thing! It was so delicious, crispy, oily, salty. I live for that. So, if you're ever in the area and want a fantastic bowl of tonkotsu ramen, please please please pay a visit. With your luck, I'll probably be there! :) Itadakimasu!

    (5)

  • Sasha L.

    AGU ramen is delicious! Yummy in my yummy! Went with a friend.. His Instagram is filled with AGU ramen photos..and now I know why! I had the kotteri level 3 spicy ramen..and maybe I'm just weak now but I thought it was spicy! Their gyoza melts in your mouth..it isn't too thick or doughy like other places, nor is it limp or too greasy..trust me, it's just right! They do have the best gyoza out of all the ramen shops! The edamame was tossed in black garlic, salt and had garlic chips on top..my gosh it was so good! But the surprise favorite thing I had was the karaage. They have amazing fried chicken!!! ORDER THE CHICKEN! Also, they have delicious ice cream too.. I don't remember the name of it but it was so good..and I don't even like ice cream. AGU ramen is great! I will definitely be back to eat again!!!

    (5)

  • E Y.

    Good ramen, broth was full of flavor and well put together. The small dishes were good. Fried pig ears were good, I never had them deep fried before and it was a good compliment to the nice bowl of ramen.

    (4)

  • Pam H.

    This is the place that "Da Kitchen" was at. I love the interior it's very modern looking and CLEAN looking too. Agu however is smaller than you think. But there is ample parking in the back and at the bank once it closes (the bank that is). I love how they all greet you once you walk in the door! I ordered the Jidori Shio and I enjoyed it. My noodles were firm and not over cooked. The broth was well balanced and not too salty. The nori-- OMG the nori is thicker than others that I've tried and I just loved it! Of course I had to have some Gyoza and it had flavor but it was lacking something.... I just don't know what. I was still delicious and I wasn't disappointed at all. The only issue I had was the cost. My order was $11.75 for my bowl of ramen and I didn't feel it was worth that much. But they have to pay the rent right... Staff was friendly and the ambiance was nice so I'll be back to try more ramen when I'm feeling the extra cash is in my wallet. LOL

    (4)

  • Blayne S.

    When here for a first date for the first time and boy were we impressed. All of the employees were all so welcoming and the service was on it! The price to quantity and quality ratio is really on the money as haha. The only real issue at the place if parking. But even that is worth the trouble for this place. I ordered the Innovative Hot Mess for my first ever Agu-licious dish along with a side of Gyoza and I was stunned. There were so many different flavors popping up in every bite and every spoon full. I just cant comprehend how they'd get so many different flavors in one dish and still have them all balance each other out. any Ramen enthusiast will thoroughly enjoy this dish and extremely enjoy this place.

    (5)

  • Marcie R.

    The spicy kotteri ramen is amazing and must try! I get level one so its not too spicy

    (5)

  • Kenson K.

    This was a very interesting ramen experience. I love ramen, but I'm usually used to the Sapporo style , which is thick broth. Well this place has even thicker broth. The flavor was different, I guess it's because it has Okinawan flavors in it. I ordered the kotteri ramen which was with a very heavy broth but quite tasty. Much different than the Sapporo style I usually go for, but it was delicious. Also ordered a side of gyoza, also good and a side of mimiga - fried pork ears. kinda like fresh pork rinds I guess. Thought it was light. I would come here again but this place was crowded and had a line outside.

    (4)

  • Greg D.

    Really good ramen, very flavorful and delicious, a tad pricey to me, but they really push the envelope on the types they have, the one with shredded Parmesan cheese really is unique when mixed into the soup.

    (4)

  • Darren M.

    I'm on the fence about this place. I really like the full, rich broths that they have. Also love the gyoza. But the noodles, to me, are soggy and the prices are pretty high.

    (3)

  • Claire F.

    I almost fell down when I saw the price for ramen here: $13?! And yet, some of the tastiest ramen I've had in Honolulu. I was so devastated when one of my favorite restaurants, Da Kitchen, closed. But Agu Ramen showing up in their old space made the pain a little easier to cope with... Specializing in tonkotsu ramen, their most popular items are the kotteri tonkotsu ramen ($11.75) or its spicy variety ($12.75) which can range in spiciness from Level 1-5 (Sriracha sauce coming in at a Level 2 spice rating for reference). The kotteri tonkotsu includes the addition of "extra silky pork back fat", as the waitress describes. Extra silky pork back fat may sound a little weird, but it is SO GOOD. More FAT almost always = more TASTY. The price is justified here with their inclusion premium fixings: soft boiled and marinated egg, lean charsiu, garlic chips, gobo, tons of green onions, and my favorite, MENMA (marinated bamboo shoots). Add your level of spice and this is a ramen that can't be beat! Also widely popular is the jidori chicken ramen which is supposedly a very light, clean broth made from jidori chicken imported from Japan! Their gyoza is also pretty good, priced at 6 pieces for $5.75. The gyoza wrapping is a soft, melt-in-your-mouth texture grilled to a lovely brown crisp and the filling is hot, flavorful, and spiced! However, both times I've been here the gyoza has come out either 5 minutes before or 5 minutes after our ramen. Either the ramen or gyoza was getting cold while we waiting for our other food. Ah, the pricing. 2 ramen bowls with an order of gyoza comes out to close to $40 with tax and tip. Eeek. All good things come at a cost, I suppose!

    (4)

  • Tina K.

    We heard from friends that they liked the ramen at this place..that it was onolicious! so we had to try it....they were right! Sooo delicious! I ordered the jidori shoyu ramen which i loved...jus the right amount of ramen n meat n veggies n an egg..i drank all of the broth so there was absolutely nothin left in my bowl! We ordered an appetzer of jidiori liver pate with baguette slices...that was delicious too! Very modern n clean inside...friendly servers...will definitely be back!

    (5)

  • Nicole K.

    Agu Ramen, located in the old Da Kitchen spot (fronting the St. Louis Alumni Clubhouse), is one of my new favorite places for ramen! On a recent lunch outing with my friend, I ordered the Spicy Kotteri Tonkotsu Ramen. Since they are known for their tonkotsu (pork bone) broth, which they boast is cooked daily for 18 hours, I just had to try it out. And I was not disappointed! The Spicky Kotteri Tonkotsu can be ordered at 5 different levels of spiciness (or Epic Spicy Level if you dare). I ordered mine at level 3 and was happy with my choice. It was spicy enough so that I was sniffling by the end, but not too spicy that the delicious tonkotsu flavors were masked. The tonkotsu broth is one of the lighter versions I have tried. Sometimes, tonkotsu can be so rich and heavy that you can hardly finish the bowl. I had no problem eating every last bite this time! Service was great and we had no trouble with seating. There were many free seats at the bar and a few tables open when we arrived a little past noon. Parking may be an issue with just a few stalls fronting the restaurant (all marked "AGU"), but they have additional parking at the First Hawaiian Bank after branch hours.

    (4)

  • Ariana M.

    Yummy Yummy in my tummy! Finally I was able to check out this new ramen place. I have been dying to check it out ever since I first noticed it a month ago. Since the weather is getting colder I have been craving a lot of soupy things :3 Lucky for us, there was no wait. However, the service was a bit slow, and for some reason it felt like they would over look us. We were sitting down for a little while, then another group sat at the table next to us. They received waters and had their order taken before we did. *Sad Face* On a positive note, after your order is taken - the food comes out quickly. Which is great when your super hungry and just don't want to wait anymore. :) THE GRUB [[ AGU GYOZA $5.25 ]] yelp.com/biz_photos/agu-… Ground pork, cabbage and nira. The gyoza here is good, but nothing amazing. [[ KOTTERI TONKOTSU $11.75 ]] yelp.com/biz_photos/agu-… This broth has a richer flavor and is made with garlic and silky se-abura. [[ SHIO TONKOTSU $10.75 ]] yelp.com/biz_photos/agu-… I like this broth better because it was a lighter flavor from Hawaiian sea salt and dried konbu. Shio for the win! When comparing Agu to other ramen places, I would definitely say this is on my top 5 list. I really like that they use thinner noodles and not over cook them.

    (4)

  • Erica L.

    The Shio Jidori and Koterri Tonkotsu was pretty good, not really different than most places, but my biggest gripe is.... portion size!! Too small :( I was still hungry afterwards.

    (2)

  • Christian Y.

    This place is pretty good! I like how they maximized the seating area for getting the most out of their space. I was gonna try the five star spicy sauce but they warned me to try the three star first. Which was a good idea since I just pooped fire the morning after! The side dishes were great as well and the beer was chilled very cold. The patrons were mixed with young and older people which I thought was pretty cool. My only gripe is that the noodles seemed to be freeze dried and not fresh and soft. I will return with family and friends!

    (4)

  • Debbie R.

    Level 5 spicy is the way to go if you need to get over a cold or some sort of intestinal parasite. WOW. This stuff goes in a level 5 and comes out a 10. If you prefer to actually taste your food, level 3 or lower is recommended. And you are going to want to taste the food here, because it is dynamite! The spicy koterri is really good, as was the deep fried chicken skin and gyoza. One of my favorite places on the island to go for Ramen.

    (5)

  • Myrtle B.

    For whatever reason, genuinely delicious ramen is hard to find outside of Japan. Agu Ramen's Shoyu Jidori broth was good -- I'd eat there again -- but it wasn't Japan good. Their noodles are a much different story though; perfectly al dente (or, QQ as the Taiwanese say!) and I genuinely thought about asking for an extra helping just to eat more noodles. I also tried the Shio Jidori broth when I was there -- I am definitely ordering that one next time. The broth was clean and had a lot of depth, which is really hard to find.

    (3)

  • Maka K.

    Of all the new ramen shops that popped up at once, this place is definitely a winner! Parking: The lot in front & on the side of Agu seems really small, but there's a huge lot in the back of the building! All you have to do is drive around the side of the building! Venue: They have high counter seating in the middle of the room for 12ppl, then table seating around it for maybe 16-20 more people. Their color is red, apparently, because their signage is red, their interior is red based, but it's all really tasteful. The dark wood furniture matches really well w/ the rest of the decor too. Food: When I went to visit all the new ramen shops, I always tried the "spicy" ramen option & gyoza. Agu's Spicy Tonokotsu ($11.25) comes in 5 spicy levels (5 is the hottest), and I had no idea what I was getting myself into when I ordered a 3. You think, "How hot could 3 possibly be? It's medium spicy, right?" WRONG. I like sriracha, tabasco, and jalepenos in small quantities, but even 3 was too much! Essentially, you can't really taste anything because your mouth is trying to cope w/ the spicy...not what I wanted. I wish I had heeded the waitress' warning!2 :( Note to self (and to you): Start w/ level ONE if you're getting the spicy, they can always make it hotter, in my opinion. Friends also tried the Shoyu Tonkotsu ($10.75) & Kotteri Tonkotsu ($11.75) & both were good. The broths were flavorful, not too thick. They also use Sun Noodles, which I really like because they're not too thick, they're not too thin, they have good flavor, they're not overly chewy or too soft---authentic noodles! As for the gyoza ($5.25 for 6pcs), of all the new ramen places, they have my favorite gyoza! The filling has good flavor, they wrapper isn't chewy (undercooked) or mushy (overcooked), and there's just the right amount of crispy that I like from them pan-frying it! Conclusion: Next time, get less spicy ramen! Otherwise, I really liked this place! I think it's a little pricy for ramen, but at least you get an authentic (says me & my from-Japan friend) & flavorful bowl of ramen! If I had to choose, and I had the extra dollar or two, then I would definitely eat at Agu!

    (4)

  • R.Mei ..

    Having been my first time here, I dragged my friend with me after our morning hike. I must say, waiting nearly 20 mins for a table was well worth it. I ordered the, "Spicy Kotteri Tonkatsu Ramen." with the spicy level of #2. Definitely will be back again!

    (5)

  • Mahina K.

    I like the Bare Kote and the Jidori ramen. But what keeps me coming back over and over is the fried chicken skin. Not the like karaage chicken or anything just the chicken skin. So crispy and not oily. Bare Kote has lots of garlic, a nice thick broth, and the miso soft boiled egg. Jidori was a little less thick and in generally, just lighter. The staff is generally well attentive. Sometimes you really need to flag them down, but they get me what I need. The atmosphere is great, parking is less than great. But if you come with the elderly, know that you should wait for one of their like 10 tables. The rest of the seats are raised at the bar. It can get kind of expensive, but it's worth it.

    (4)

  • Madoka P.

    Addicted!!! My favorite ramen place now :D I came here for the first time last week Sunday around 6. The wait was about 5-10 min. I got the Spicy Tonkotsu level 4 which started off not so spicy but I was feeling it by the time I was done. My son inhaled the Shoyu Tonkotsu, and my hubby's Buta Curry was delish. We also got the fries, gyoza and Tori Nanban. All were fantastic! No, it was not just the three of us. Lol. My friends had the Parmesan and cold ramen which were both yummy. I loved it so much I went again one week later, Sunday around 5:15 to beat the crowd. No such luck - We had to wait 10-15 min. This time I got the Spicy Tonkotsu level 5. Mmm!! So spicy and flavorful. My son inhaled his Shio Jidori (yes, he lives to eat, like me) which was so light and delicious. My dad had the Shoyu Jidori which was also delicious! We also got fries, fried chicken skin and karaage (super moist!). All delicious. Besides the ramen, our faves are the fries, gyoza and karaage! Did I mention they serve Il Gelato's gelato? :)

    (5)

  • Joy C.

    after eating here, Oh my other ramen places went down. This means you guys must try it!!! Small restaurant but, the food were amazing.. I would go back million times.

    (5)

  • Eric Robert R.

    I GOT THE SPICY #OFF THE CHARTS!!! I'M ON FIRE! FIRRRRRE!!! THE HAIR ON MY CHEST GREW!!! PFFFT THAT AIN'T HOT!!! NOOOOOT! Ok, ok... I, Eric Robert, will confess I wimped out and got absolutely NO spice! Well, technically I got a spoonful from my Japanese friend, Akira's SPICY #4! Oh boy, that spoonful was enough! Dad, with more hair on his chest than me, got the SPICY #3! Haha! See me complaining? Heck, at least I didn't die at Agu A Ramen Bistro! In fact, I rather enjoyed my NO SPICY Shoyu Tonkatsu 豚カツ! Domo Arigato Gozaimashita! Yup, YUP! Those that really know me, know that I'm a spicy lightweight! No joke too. I have a bad reaction with anything too spicy, well unless we're talking the "Spice Girls" - fo sizzle! I once almost went to the ER when I had too much spicy Szechuan cuisine in San Francisco, and recently too much spicy Kimchee in Honolulu, the later witnessed by some of my close Yelp friends when I started sweating profusely and shaking like a leaf in a hurricane. All the time adamantly denying I was a drug addict! Yup, sad to say I'm one that's actually allergic to too spicy! Ok, so Akira insists I try a spoonful of her SPICY #4! Ok, ok I'll man-up and give it a go and WHAM! That spoonful was one spoonful too many for this big boy! HAIR ON MY CHEST! Again, I was happy enough with my NO SPICY Shoyu Tonkatsu! Oh, I like to taste what I'm eating, yo! The broth was nice and rich! The Tonkatsu 豚カツ perfect - Hence, the "Agu" which refers to the quality pork from Okinawa (Jo knows!) - Agu pork is soft in texture, rich in fats, yet only have a quarter of the cholesterol of typical pork. It is also high in collagen. Agu pork are used in many quality dishes, but the bottom line is that it's absolutely delicious! The Agu Gyoza is made fresh daily with a nice crisp exterior and moist filling! Definitely a MUST HAVE when visiting Agu A Ramen! I would definitely recommend Agu A Ramen Bistro to ramen lovers and those that love spice! And if like me, low tolerance to too much spicy... delicious NO SPICE options are available too! Heck, I can eat a dinner of the Agu Gyoza alone! Thank goodness that's NOT spicy! Still, on my next visit I'll attempt the SPICY #1, maybe, just maybe I can buildup to the %#*^£# level! *drinks large glass of water* AGU A RAMEN BISTRO RATING... DAD: 4.0-STARS AKIRA: 5.0-STARS ME: 3.5-STARS OVERALL RATING: 4.2-STARS! LIVE ALOHA... YELP REVIEW #267

    (4)

  • Jayson N.

    The word Agu refers to the high end pork that is used to make their tonkotsu soup. Kobe is to beef as Agu is to pork as the waiter explained to a group of old ladies sitting at a table next to ours. I've been on a ramen craze lately and on a rainy night, nothing would hit the spot more than a bowl of tonkotsu ramen. Came here on a Saturday night, right at 5 pm when Agu opens their doors. No wait and very fast service. The ambiance is excellent, it definitely has that upscale bistro vibe to it. The lights are dim and the walls have clean neutral tones with wooden accents. The ramen broth was deep with flavor and you could taste that richness that you expect from tonkotsu. The noodles were a let down for me as it seemed more like somen than ramen. The garnishes were fresh and had great texture to balance the boring noodles. But garnish can only help so much. The gyoza is excellent here but the kitchen has problems with the timing of the food. The staff should really work on their timing, several tables were finished with their ramen before the gyoza was delivered to their table. The char siu is great, not as fatty as other ramen places in town but it has great flavor profile to it. The service is excellent, they may seem a bit intrusive at times always checking in but I suppose that is better than service that NEVER checks on you. For the price of the Ramen here, I rather eat at Hokkaido Santouka but the ramen is not bad here. The parking I can foresee being a problem but TIMING is everything right?

    (3)

  • Veronica L.

    I'm surprised to see that there are even a few bad reviews for this place! I have been wanting to try Agu Ramen for a while now, I wanted to see what all the hype about this place was. Upon walking in, my boyfriend and I were immediately greeted and had our name put down on the wait list. I'm huge on customer service and this place has definitely wow'd me! Our server was so outgoing and friendly. On top of it, he was extremely helpful. He answered my every question and helped us decide what to order. My boyfriend and I each ordered the Spicy Koterri Tonkatsu (level 2) and a side order of gyoza. The gyoza came out first, piping hot. After just one bite I literally realized that this was one of the best gyoza I've ever had. The filling is so tasty, and the outside is soft with the perfect amount of crispiness. Our ramen came out with a reasonable wait, I would say around 10 minutes. The broth is absolutely AMAZING. The broth is so flavorful, the spice level was perfectly on point, and they are definitely generous with the amount of char-siu they give in each bowl. The only thing that I disliked about this place is the parking and location. Agu ramen is in Mo'ili'ili, in a very hidden location. I would definitely suggest busting out your GPS system if you are not familiar with the area. Also, there is a very limited amount of parking, you may have to drive around the block a few times. However, all of this inconvenience is definitely worth it! Overall, I wouldn't be able to give this place anything less than a five star rating. Good job Agu!

    (5)

  • H Y.

    Great service and food. Perfectly al dente noodles. Rich flavorful broth. Be careful of the spiciness levels. They really are spicy compared to other ramen joints. Come during off hours when there is no wait. Can't wait to visit again.

    (5)

  • LooLicious L.

    It was good but nor worth $15 for a bowl of ramen!!! I've had much better char siu too for a lot less.

    (3)

  • Brian B.

    Ramen places in and around town in Honolulu are a dime a dozen. On practically every corner within the confines of Waikiki through most of Beretania & King Street, you can easily trip and fall into a ramen place completely by accident. They're as plentiful as sushi places! Agu Ramen Bistro however is one new place that I highly recommend that's popped up in Moiliili recently that is worth checking out. For those of you that remember a plate lunch style place called Da Kitchen which was on Isenberg Street, right across from Stadium Park, you'll know where this new ramen joint is located. You can't miss it because the whole outside facade is painted red rather than white which really stands out at any time of the day. Just standing on the outside looking in, you can tell that this is one classy establishment with nice & new furnishings. Walk on inside the doors and on your left is the cashier and the area where you are greeted before you get seated. A few feet away in the middle of the room are 2 long tables which can seat a total of 10 people which are elevated. On the back wall from the door are several other high tables which can seat parties of 2-4 people each, and on the far right back wall are more tables but these are your standard restaurant height ones which also seat 2-4 people each. Also on that same wall is some nice red-ish/brown wood paneling which gives the place a nice & classy ambiance. Right now, because the place is so brand spankin' new, their menu is limited to several different varieties of Tonokotsu style ramen. The usual suspects of Shoyu/Shio/Kotteri/Spicy ramen are availabel for selection as well as Shoyu/Shio Jidori ramen. There is also gyoza & char siu pork available as side orders and extra toppings are available too. The first time I went there with another Yelper, we were told that the owners are still working on refining the menu and will be adding more things to it as time goes on. So how was the food you ask? I loved it! As I mentioned in previous reviews, I'm not that much of a ramen guy or connoisseur but I know a good bowl when I see one! On each occasion I've had Kotteri & Shoyu ramen which were both well done. The noodles are on the thinner side(think Angel Hair pasta thin) but they seemed very fresh & soft without seeming stale and mushy. The broth also was a good balance of flavor without being too rich or bland. Both times I've also had gyoza and this was served up very quickly and felt like a good balance of meat and fried to perfection. As for the service, anytime we had any questions the host/hostesses were very attentive and quick to answer questions without being irritated. Water refills also came in a timely manner too, which is important when having hot bowls of ramen or spicy ones. One quick note to mention is that there are five levels of Spicy Tonokotsu ramen that can be chosen, with Level 1 being the most mild and 5 being the hottest. I think most people will be perfectly fine with Level 2 or 3 depending on how much spicy food they eat. So, definitely worth a visit! Good service, tasty food & great ramen along with atmosphere makes this place a very strong recommendation! Out of all the new ramen places that have popped up, this is one of my faves. Try it out and I think you'll like it as much as I do!

    (5)

  • Brandon S.

    I was able to catch this place on opening night and despite the fact that they had just opened that day, my bowl of ramen was very good. I had at least expected a few flaws since most places need the time to smooth things out on their opening night but the ramen was hands down authentic Japanese. From the diced negi to the hakata style noodles it was a delicious bowl of tonkotsu ramen. We did have trouble w/ the gyoza however as it came well after we finished our Ramen. But the manager was nice enough to comp us the gyoza and one of our bowls of Ramen which is unheard of in this day and age and I appreciate that. I came back a few days later b/c a few friends wanted to try it. Again we ordered gyoza and this time it came well within the time our Ramen arrived. The gyoza here is one of the best I've had in Hawaii. Crisp on the bottom and nice and chewy on the top like gyoza should be. The filling was also flavored perfectly with the right amount of salt and garlic. It was also fluffy and not overcooked where the pork gets balled up. We also ordered the Kotteri and I honestly couldn't tell the difference between this and the Shoyu Tonkotsu aside from the garlic chips. The garlic chips included were a bit overcooked but I'm sure they can easily remedy this. The shoyu soft boiled egg and the char siu we had were also good but it had a bit of a strong sake taste to it. I didn't mind it too much but for someone sensitive to alcohol, this could be a problem if they don't check the balance of the marinade. The best part was that the Ramen comes to you fast. The service here is great and you're well taken care of. I think the size of the eatery is right on target for the amount that the kitchen and staff can handle so they've definitely have done their homework. That's good to see. Parking is also a plus since the surrounding area can be pretty tough to come by available spaces. I'd recommend to anyone that Agu should be on their list of Ramen-ya's to try.

    (4)

  • Christina Y.

    Had the spicy koterri level 2. It was delicious but my lips are burning!!!! My husband had the hot mess. He loved it because it was really creamy. It wasn't for me. Not a fan of cheese in my soup. The gyoza was also good. Looking forward to trying more things here.

    (4)

  • Justin U.

    I rate restaurants based on 4 categories: Service, Food, Ambience, and Water Refills. Agu exceeded all of these. Service was great. We were greeted with smiling faces coming in, and were said goodbye to leaving. One of the owners came out, talked story behind the creation of Agu, and spoke about their vision moving forward. Exciting things going on here for sure. Food was excellent. I ordered the Spicy Tonkotsu Ramen with spicy level 2 (out of 5 being the spiciest). The broth was perfect. Not too spicy but had a kick. The noodles were soft and char siu was very tasty. We ordered their gyoza as well which was also good. Ambience was relaxing. Low lit, nice color tones, clean everything. The only thing I would suggest though is to maybe curtain up the kitchen. For some reason I don't like being able to see my food being prepared haha. I might be an anomaly on this so no biggie. Water refills are soooooooooo important to me and our waitress Jasmine was always on point. I don't even think not once did the water level in my cup dip below the halfway mark. Kudos! Even being opened for only three days I would say they had everything in order and running smoothly. Because of literally just opening, not all items on the menu were available but will be coming very soon. Thats ok though because I will definitely be back to try the other items in the meantime!

    (5)

  • Lisa E.

    Dined in again last night. The parking lot was packed because there was an event happening in the Alumni facility, but I managed to snag a spot right in front - SCORE!!! Went with the savory parmesan this time, so rich! Maybe a little too rich, so next time I'll ask for the cheese on the side. Flavor still hit the spot, so no regrets there. And of course, the jidori kawa...so not healthy, but for a little while I just don't care!

    (5)

  • Lena V.

    The wait was super long so my friends and I went to the bar behind it to have some drinks. By the time it was our turn to get seated, we were all already super drunk. I ordered the spicy tonkatsu and it was so gooood. I ordered level 3 I think? I can't really remember since I was so drunk. But it was a bit too spicy for me and i eat a lot of spicy. I think a level 2 would have been better. I poured some water into my soup bowl and it was still flavorful and the spiciness went down. Our group also ordered the pig ears and it was surprisingly really good. The pig ears were super crispy.

    (4)

  • lindsey m.

    Level 5 spicy ramen oh yeah!!! That's the only thing I eat here. With extra chili sauce (I know I should just get epic level but I enjoy customizing to my perfect amout of spice). Because what's the point of life if not to burn off all your taste buds for a moment of firey bliss? I must eat here once a week to meet my spicy addiction quota. If there were SA (spiceaholic anonymous) for spicy abuse I would be the president. By the way, the gyoza and tamago are real good too here. The ramen noodles are chewy just the way i like it. And of course I always have to get the pirikara menma (spicy bamboo)! It's very crunchy !

    (5)

  • Darren N.

    Tried their Kotteri ramen and compared to other ramen places, it was a small bowl of noodles, two small and mediocre char siu pieces. They also put a lot of red pepper flakes and heat to an order that I didn't expect to have much spice at all. I can tell this place is definitely trying to separate itself by offering spicy ramen choices but I don't feel that an overly spiced bowl of noodles necessarily tastes good. When spice is heavy-handed, you lose all other flavor other than heat. Now I know why their dessert is expensive gelato... Their gyoza side had a bit too much ginger for my taste as well. In a fair sized party, the orders not remembered and came out staggered but I am finding that only fancy restaurants seem to care about the timing of table service so this isn't a big deal here. Water service was very good, but I suppose that goes hand-in-hand with their menu. 2 stars especially since there are other options out there that are more filling and more in line with the type of ramen I'd be looking for.

    (2)

  • Jonathon L.

    O ye brave souls who thirst for adventure which burns like the pits of Hades... I present to you, the spicy koterri ramen! Dont be fooled by their docile 1-5 scale. This place makes sure their ramen packs a punch. There is a HUGE gap between 2-3. I can only imagine what 5 or epic must be like. To put it into perspective a 2 is probably like eating a raw jalepeno and the 3 like eating a raw habenero. As far as actual flavors, I am a big fan of tonkotsu ramen so this place is amazing. Extremely rich broth and perhaps the best gyoza i've had to date. The black garlic sauce on the spicy koterri looks intimidating but tastes great. Dont worry, even if your date is a vampire you should be ok talking to them after enjoying your meal. The ambience presents itself as a great date place with your options of tables and counter space. Parking is a little rough on the Agu side, but if you drive to the back by the St. Louis alum clubhouse there is ample room.

    (4)

  • Jackie C.

    I came with a friend a long time ago and didn't really care for it. But decided to give it a second chance as I had a ramen craving tonight. It was definitely better than the first time for sure. I don't remember what I got last time but I tried the spicy tonkatsu ramen and it was soo good but I should've got a lower level of spicy cause it was a bit too hot for my enjoyment. I think I still prefer goma tei but would definitely be coming back here as well.

    (4)

  • Krizia Faith M.

    Agu Ramen and Goma Tei would have to be my number one choices when it comes to ramen. Agu Ramen's broth is soooo good! I've been here several times but there was a time when I dined in here and found two strands of hair in my soup. I felt super disgusted and swore not to go back for a while....but I still did. I usually get the Agu Gyoza and Spicy Tonkotsu or Koterri ramen, level 2. The spicyness is just perfect for me. I can normally handle really spicy things because I love spicy food but today, I tried level 3 and holy damn! My nose was super runny and I had a sour stomach while eating it. I thought it was okay and I did kind of like it but I don't think I can ever enjoy a meal by having a runny nose and sore stomach ever again. I'll stick to level 2. Nothing above that. I got full way too fast because I kept drinking water because of how spicy it was. Other than the food, the place is super small and tight. I feel like the waiters kept bumping into me the whole time. It gets pretty crowded during lunch and dinner hours so be prepared for a wait. The waiters here are usually nice but they seem like they're always in a rush.... I felt rushed when they kept coming back to our table to ask what we wanted to order and they took our plates/bowls right away when they THOUGHT we were done and didn't even bother to ask if we were actually done. Not to mention, I tried level 3 today and my mouth was on fire and some of the waiters did not even refill my water at all even when I needed it the most. I felt avoided!!! This explains why I knocked off two stars, including the time I found two strands of hair in my soup.

    (3)

  • Amy Y.

    I'm not a ramen girl but I actually love this place. My friend recommended here and it was new so why not? I went with my friend for lunch. It's a small ramen shop with a few tables and a bar looking tables. We got seated immediately because it wasn't busy. Looked through the menu and ordered the ramen spicy level 1. I was too afraid it might be too spicy for me and I don't want to sweat so I got the first level. The ramen was chewy and soft. Soup tasted good. It wasn't as spicy as I expected. Next time I'm going for the next spicy level for a challenge.

    (5)

  • Lucy L.

    Excellent ramen! Try the koteri spicy ramen level 5 if you can handle spiciness ! Or else order level 2 or 3 ! The broth is so flavorful and they have great service! Loved it

    (5)

  • Tiffany H.

    Yum yum in my tum tum. I've only been here two times since it's pretty far from home, but both of those times I left stuffed to the point where I hated myself... and completely happy about it. I got the Spicy Kotteri ramen both times at level 2. I honestly wish I had just gone for it an gotten the 3 because the 2 was just not spicy enough for my taste. However, being pregnant, I decided to go easy on the baby and myself. I really enjoy the rich, creamy broth in the Kotteri. And the garlic chips--oh my gosh. So savory. The oil content in the broth bothers me not even a little because it's just so darn GOOD. The gyoza is also really yummy and crispy, just the way I like it. it's the perfect size for sharing with a friend or two. I am curious about some other items on the menu like the Savory Parmesan ramen. My motto is that cheese can make anything taste even better ;) Try to come early so you don't have to deal with the crazy wait-list that they are guaranteed to have. Maybe if you're lucky, you'll snag one of the limited parking stalls, too! The service here is nice. They keep your waters filled without bothering you. On my second visit here toward the end when my friend and I were clearly through with our meal (bowls pushed toward the edge of the table and all), it took a while for someone to ask if we were ready for the check. All is forgiven, though. I will return.

    (4)

  • Corey A.

    Char Siu Tonkotsu Ramen (Zaasai) with a side of Agu gyoza and karate...Broth is very rich and creamy! Super Ono!! Karaage was perfectly done! And the ponzu dipping sauce, killer! Excellent food enjoyed with excellent people! Parking was a little tight and you definitely don't park across the street (You'll have to see it to believe it).

    (4)

  • Takashi H.

    Top pick for spicy and thick broth ramen lovers. Their ramen is legitimately spicy enough to satisfy the numbest of noses. Sanji Ramen's jigoku ramen does not compare to this spiciness. My first visit to Agu was after their appetizer menu was expanded. There are many options for people who might be looking for a low-carb option in a high-carb haven. The interior is comfortable and ideal for dinner. As far as ramen goes, I would recommend trying Agu although my personal preference is for lighter flavored miso butter corn ramen (Hokkaido style).

    (4)

  • Kit W.

    The gyoza here is out of this world!!! Perfectly pan-fried with soft thin skin (you can totally tell it's fresh) and incredibly delicious filling, this is the kind of gyoza all ramen places should aspire to reach!!! If the ramen here weren't so tasty too, I would just get several orders of this and leave so happy! I am a tonkotsu (pork bone broth) fan. If you are too, I highly recommend the spicy tonkotsu ramen. I have only had it at spice level 2, which has just enough spice for it to deserve being called "spicy" but not so spicy that the spice overwhelms the integrity of the broth. Friends have tried the shoyu jidori, shio jidori, and kotteri, and everyone enjoyed their ramen. I love that the ramen is topped with char siu, aji tamago (sooo delicious!), crunch menma, and lots of negi! I like how many different types of ramen Agu offers and the fun, drool-inducing descriptions of all the items! I want to try their miso tonkotsu or shio jidori ramen next time!

    (4)

  • Sylvia T.

    The food was good. It was pricy tho. The service was good. The restaurant was nice and clean. I ordered spicy ramen and since I love spicy food, I ordered the spiciest level 5 and I like it. Hahaha. My husband ordered cold ramen and it was really good. I will definitely come back there and ordered cold ramen.

    (5)

  • molly n.

    SPICY KOTTERI TONKOTU RAMEN SPICE LEVEL 4!!!! My favorite ramen spot for this week. I love that when you actually order something spicy, IT'S SPICY. The waiter was cute... asked me if I'm sure I wanna do 4. Probably saw many people choke on the spice!!

    (5)

  • G Y.

    great interesting selection. good broth different style noodles fast clean service. son loved it. sides were very good

    (4)

  • Angus M.

    Agu brings some new ideas to traditional ramen. It was recommended by a friend as an alternative to Nakamura and Santouka. I brought some extended family with me so we ordered a variety of starters: tonkatsu, karage and fries. The karage was excellent and the tonkatsu was well received. The fries were not worth the effort. I had to try the hot mess which was rich and thick. It had some grated Parmesan which added to the thickness and reminded me of eating Alfredo. That sounds weird but tastes very good indeed. The noodles were quite fine and had a nice bite to them. Normally I add spice to my food, but for the hot mess the waiter recommend putting chili on the side. They provided two chili pastes: a red chili which was medium hot, and a Thai chili that was downright dangerous. It was a great recommendation. Each of the ramen we ordered had an egg. This was a big hit. My kids were enthusing about the eggs. My wife ordered the Kotteri with spice level 3 which was genuinely spicy and delicious. One of our kids ordered the Kotteri with spice level 5 - which he loved until he tried to walk - that was when the chili got to him. He is going to burn tomorrow. The wait staff were friendly and fast. We did try some strawberry sake which had the taste and consistency of guava juice. My wife liked it a lot. I don't think it is a guy thing. The price for dinner was a little over $22 per head, before tips. I think you could eat well here for $15 per head.

    (4)

  • Helen M.

    I have the funniest statement to share: There were feathers in my fries. The kicked up fries started out delicious, super fresh and deep-fried to total and utter perfection. The seasonings were a tad salty for my taste but by just a hair so if you're not critiquing it strictly, damn, these are some good fries. The chili cream sauce was a good pairing for the fries. The portion is small though. Halfway through the meal, I noticed something stuck to my fries, almost the same length as the fries. My friend tried to convince me it was just deep-fried parmesan until we found another feather. I'm sure it was also deep-fried to total an utter perfection, as there was a nice sprinkling of panko on the feathers. I understand that mistakes happen though I care more about how the servers react to it. To me, this was the funniest thing; I'm amused, not mad. But wow, talk about great service! They noticed right away and came over to offer apologies and a re-do. Once they came over, I was too embarrassed to tell them to wait while I take a picture. Funny stuff aside, the ramen is super delicious. I had the original kotteri tonkotsu ramen while my friend wanted to try it with parmesan. I do feel the cheese overpowers the broth but it was still good nonetheless. The broth is flavorful and I would totally drink it all up, just like the broth from Yotteko-ya! The noodles and all the toppings (char siu and bamboo shoots) were perfection! Because of the fries, the waitress later gave us free ice cream as well so we got the mango sorbetto and their premium flavor. On the day we went, it was a fancy chocolate flavor. Oh my, those two scoops of ice cream were totally worth the feathers. This has not dampened my opinion of Agu Ramen, and I would not hesitate to come back here for another great bowl of ramen!

    (5)

  • Ann N.

    Came here on a windy day to satisfy our cravings bc it was really cold and we wanted something hot... And because we were sick! The place wasn't busy at all, probably downtime. The setting inside looked really nice and everything looked clean. We were seated and ordered the level 3 & level 4 spicy Kotteri ramen and shoyu ramen. We also ordered the gyoza and extra nori and aji tamago on the side. -- SPICY KOTTERI -- Level 3 was medium-spicy. I could handle it but I was close to tearing up! The broth was really good though. Level 4 was my friend's and omg!!! So spicy! At first when you take a bite, it's like nothing... And then BAM! You start to choke up because the Thai chilis mysteriously pops in your mouth outta nowhere and you can feel the heat in your throat. It was so spicy I had to drink 2 cups of water. Luckily they left the spice on the side instead of mixing it with our broth or else we would've died -- SHOYU RAMEN -- My sister ordered this bc she doesn't like spicy food. She says it's really good and she'd recommend this to non-spicy food lovers. -- GYOZA -- I like eating this without any sauce. It tastes really good ~ but I would recommend you don't dip it into the shoyu condiment left on the side on your table; it can get really salty. Overall, I really like this place, although pricey. They feed organic foods to their chickens (from what I heard) and they make their broth with love!!! So it's worth your money.

    (4)

  • Kris C.

    Holy Cheese Snack was this ever good. I am going to look past the extremely small space that this place holds because the service and the food are that good. I had the garlic ramen. It was wonderful. I particularly enjoyed the fine noodles and the broth was very rich. The pork was flavored very well and the toppings were minimal. Personal preference, I am not a fan of a bunch of stuff in my ramen. The location is small (as previously stated) and the place can get warm, especially with the hot soup going and what appears to be no air conditioning, but I am not completely sure on that. Frankly, I don't care. The food is that good and the beer is that cold.

    (4)

  • Lisa T.

    I LOVE ramen so I couldn't wait to try this place out when my friends and I found out it was in the area. We came in the late afternoon for a late lunch/early dinner. It's great how this place has its own parking lot, something that I missed dearly when we traveled around Hawaii. We didn't know this though so we parked a bit far and walked over. It's a very small parking lot though so if you're coming in during rush hour then you'd most likely be out of luck. It wasn't busy when we came in, and I'm assuming it's because we came in during an off hour. The waiter seated us right away. Service was very quick and responsive. I decided to order the kotteri ramen, and my friends and I shared some gyoza and deep-fries pig ears as appetizers. Their gyoza is handmade everyday and it was delicious. The deep-fried pig ears were a first time for me, so I was a bit weirded out about trying it at first, but it just tastes like deep-fried chips. As for the ramen, all I can say is YUM. The broth was very thick and flavorful, just how I adore it, and the noodles were a little different from other noodles I've had, but it was great! I definitely wouldn't mind coming here again.

    (4)

  • Aaron W.

    I learned about this place after a high school classmate came here, tried their spicy ramen on a dare, and apparently failed to finish. There were five levels of heat, then this so-called epic level noted on the menu. Epic, you say? My friend and I (who you can classify as spicy challenge idiots) accepted the challenge in late December. EPIC LEVEL SPICY RAMEN: Ordered the miso ramen, accompanied by some pureed peppers (looked like a mix of habanero and Thai). Very flavorful, pleasurable heat. I did break a sweat, partly from the ramen and partly from the weather. Still, it was a casual lunch. VIDEO: youtube.com/watch?v=VFHn… TIP: Agu Ramen then contacted me recently and said there's a "WTF" level that's not on the menu. I will have to return for that at some point. This place is excellent. Good service and great food.

    (4)

  • Jack W.

    1. Verdict/Value: The food is good, but pricey for what you get and with so much competition in town. Solid choice if you're in the area and looking for clean contemporary environment, but there are better ramen places offering lower prices. 2. Food: The Ban Ban Ji Kurage ($6.75) is an interesting take on jellyfish. It comes with sliced cucumber and a sesame sauce. It's different in taste than what you'll find at other restaurants; however, the most disappointing aspect is the fact that it's only about 3 to 4 bites large. Tough to recommend. The large Buta Curry Rice ($11.75) was great for sharing between two people. The curry and rice tasted great though some of the pork pieces were dry. The Miso Tonkatsu ($13.75) comes with thin ramen noodles, one piece of Japanese-style char siu, half an egg (perfectly cooked in the Japanese soft-boiled sense), bamboo shoots (menma), and green onions in a very thick but flavorful soup. Overall, it's good (even if the soup is way too salty for me), ut the most disappointing aspect is the price compared to the small size fo the bowl. Honolulu's got a lot of places ofering good ramen in larger sizes at a lower cost. 3. Service: Great - no complaints, friendly, patient, and what you would want and expect. 4. Atmosphere: It's new age, modern / contemporary with table and bar seating. The tight quarters makes it all feel a little more lively. It's a popular places, so be sure to snag one of the two benches outside while waiting!

    (3)

  • Baba G.

    good ramen- 4 stars. lose 2 stars for SLOWWWWWW and inattentive service. Ramen should not take over 20 minutes to get to the table. we even had to ask one of the girls to take our order after WAITING over 10 minutes. Gyoza came out fast, but ramen took forever. Get your act together AGU- Ramen is supposed to be a fast meal. Take a lesson from Manichi Ramen.

    (2)

  • Stephen T.

    Amazing ramen, just thought that there wasn't enough ramen in the bowl. My cousin told me the quality is a lot higher here compared to mainland, and they didn't disappoint. Noodles, broth, and meat are all great, just a little more expensive than I expected. Otherwise, great service and ambience! Highly recommend

    (4)

  • Darlene B.

    Arrived shortly after 6pm. I expected a crazy wait but we were seated right away. Nice little restaurant with seats all around with higher counter top tables in the center. Parking is minimal but its walking distance from my apartment... Which is cool and (probably) bad at the same time. As soon as you walk in, you get greeted by the whole staff loudly in Japanese... its like a celebration everytime a party walks in. Music is decent & mello. Idk why I expected some EDM music. I got the Spice Koterri... Spicy Level 2. (My husband ordered the same) If you like the rich pork broth and lots of garlic this is made for u. Sooooo good. Spicy Level 2 was perfect for my taste buds. It made me hot enough but not enough to make my nose run. I also shared an order of Fried Mimiga with my husband.... Thinly sliced pig ears. So crispy you think you were eating chips. Salty but good. Comes with a spicy volcano dipping sauce which is like a sriacha mayo dip. Got the gyoza also... Nothing special... Its gyoza... Or maybe my taste buds just sided with the fried mimiga. I also ordered the Shiyo Jidori for my 2 daughters to share. The server brought out extra bowls and forks for them without me asking. *Brownie points!!!* I didn't get to taste theirs but its made of a chicken broth. They enjoyed it & finished all their noodles. Service was great. There was always someone walking around checking if we were doing ok, running food, or filling up drinks. The was a medical emergency in the restaurant with one of the customers & the staff handled the situation really well, calling 911 right away, and making sure the customer was ok.

    (5)

  • Jay P.

    I would come here all the time if it wasn't so DAMN EXPENSIVE. Drove over with three friends and parked in their extremely small parking lot. There are literally four stalls available for Agu Ramen, so it might be a good idea to look for street parking before turning into the actual lot. We all walked in and were greeted and seated at a table. I ordered the Spicy Kotteri Tonkotsu ramen ($13.25) because I'm a fan of spicy and, of course, ramen. The menu literally reads, "Levels 3-5 come with a caution! Made with our blend of house chili sauce and fresh chili for those who love their broth extra spicy." To be honest, I didn't want to s(h)it in the bathroom all day, so I went for Level 1 just to try out the spice level. I also ordered extra noodles (kaedama) for $2.75. My ramen came and the broth was black and something I've never really seen before (...I think). The flavor was impactful and the noodle portion was fine with the kaedama. The spice level at Level 1...it almost tasted to me like there was no spice. I tried my friend's Kotteri Tonkotsu and the broth was only slightly different. My mistake, I should have opted for Level 2 or grown balls and went with Level 3-5. Water test passed; our waters were filled and none of us left parched or unsatisfied. I only docked one star off because of the price...I'm poor, okay?

    (4)

  • Steak E.

    Noms!! Finally tried this place.. When we got there I thought it looked familiar and yup, it's located where the old Da Kitchen used to be. They have private parking but the stalls fill up quick so you may need to find street parking. There may be a lot of people waiting inside but the turnover rate is quick and we were seating in about 15-20 min. They don't take reservations though :( The waiters and staff were very nice, friendly, and helpful. I am always impressed when a restaurant can refill my water before it runs out. They got the orders right and the food was promptly served :) The taste of the food was pretty good. I love the type of noodles that they use in their ramen! I got the spicy kotteri because my friends suggested it. I am not one for spicy food so I ordered a level 1 (least spicy). It was delicious but still a tiny bit too spicy (but thats just me). I loved that this ramen was flavorful but not overly thick, rich, and fatty like Gomatei is. Gyoza and karaage chicken were delicious!!

    (4)

  • Russell A.

    I've been here a few times, actually many times. I usually order the Yuzu Jidori with extra noodles, something that not too many usually get. I also enjoy the Sake and their jellyfish dish. This place is also open till 12 which is perfect for a late dinner .

    (4)

  • Grace L.

    Agu ramen is in the location Da Kitchen used to be. I love almost everything about this place except for the parking. I get pretty bad anxiety when parking stalls are tight. I ended up going in the wrong entrance and had to squeeze my way between two parked cars and had to readjust a billion times that I almost died from embarrassment. I found parking in the back but even then the stalls are a little uncomfortable to maneuver. As for the food, I tried the gyoza and the cold ramen. I try to stay away from sodium heavy soups so instead of opting for the typical hot ramen I tried the cold noodles instead. It had a lot of flavor and it was SO refreshing! It was cool and perfect for the humid weather. It comes with some veggies, meat, jellyfish (I think?), egg, mustard, and sauce. SO FRESH TASTING. The gyoza was pretty good too but it's not something I would come here just to eat. It's good but pretty ordinary. Service was top notch and the person who helped us made sure our waters were always topped off. I thoroughly enjoyed my meal and my overall experience here.

    (4)

  • Tara F.

    I originally started to come here a lot because my friend is OBSESSED with their "hot mess" ramen. I've had their ramen a couple of times and I really enjoyed it especially since the noodles are thin (looks like Hakata style noodles?). You can also choose the level of spiciness you want added to your ramen (or have none at all, whatever you feel like). Let me just say, I am a spicy food person, but gahdamn! I can't go to their level 3! My friend suggested that I get a level 2 spicy with level 3 spicy sauce on the side, which is a good idea, and I'll try that next time. What I really wanted to write about is the cheesy buta curry. Let me just tell you I DREAM ABOUT THIS CURRY. All-caps are necessary. And okay, you wouldn't think finely shredded parmesan cheese wouldn't go well with curry but good lord, it does! And the curry is so satisfying, rich, and stew-like, its just all around amazing. I legit haven't stopped craving it since the first time I tried it. Another must have to order are the pig ears and the chicken skin (as you can see, I'm super healthy). Request ponzu sauce for dipping, it really cuts through the greasy-ness of the fried foods.

    (4)

  • Rosalynn E.

    If your comfort food is ramen like me then you will not be dissapointed with Agu. Located at in Moiliili on Isenberg, a block away from Down to Earth and across from Star Market. I love the spicy kotteri tonkotsu ramen. This has a rich broth topped with black garlic oil and crispy garlic chips. There is just the right amount of tender char Sui served with each bowl. Here are other selections of broth that you may choose from some are shio, hakata and others. There are many side dishes to select from as well. I have not had the chance to try them as the ramen is so good and filling. I've tried the Jidori chicken karaage fried to perfection. I love it when it's super crispy and not a lot of oil. Shamefully.... I love the chicken skins they serve, again fried to perfection with ready for it....ponzu!!! Ah!! So good. Hands down best gyoza! If you don't feel like ramen there are plate dishes available such as curry or donburi. There is also a selection of Sake, beer and Sochu for you drinkers. Must try!!

    (5)

  • D M.

    Great lunch, had the original with #2 spice. Not to hot just right. Tiny place with cramped parking. Quick prompt service. Two bowls with dumpling appetizer $40 with tip.

    (5)

  • Cat T.

    Yummy! We got the tonkatsu shio ramen and the kotteri. Both are good and I love straight noodle ramens. The only thing is the price is on the upper end for some of their bowls. Parking is not really an issue, however you may have to park at First Hawaiian Bank at nights and pay the parking box. There is a few stalls in front of the restaurant and street parking. Restaurant is very small. Service coming from the servers that serve the food could have been more proper. Each time our dish came out seems like the server served it like he didn't give a crap. Other than that the ramen was decent.

    (4)

  • Roland T.

    I'm aware Hawaii is stacked when it comes to ramen spots, but this one's a tad bit diff. What you heard about this place is real. This place has that good good when it comes to ramen, specializing in that spicy kind. If you like to sweat in all the right places--especially with that light mustache sweat--all you bold food challenge eaters look no further. This place has what you need. PLACE: located on Isenberg street--that sounded like Heisenberg, RIP Breaking Bad--really close to University Avenue. They have their own private lot but parking is very limited due to its heavy popularity (get prepped for a wait in line for a table to open up to seat your party). If you can't find lot parking street parking is plentiful. AMBIANCE: nice and cozy, just the way I like it. Some of the chairs are nice and tall, so if you find that your ramen is overly spicy and pass out, your friends have enough time to point and laugh as you fall midair. As soon as you walk into the joint, all you hear is slurping, the slurping sounds just deafening. If you were blind, you'd think you just stumbled upon an open invite orgy. EXPERIENCE: the service is outstanding, they're very attentive even during a packed house. If you have trouble on deciding what to order, they always have the best suggestions/recommendations. We've been here thrice and it just kept on getting better and better. If you order the fries, request for all the sauces they have to offer for the dish. That way variety comes into yo' life. You won't be disappointed. All the sauces are bosses. The ramen, they have all kinds, and they come Costco size. Based on my observed opinion, it's the spicy bowls that attracts all the hardcore fanatics. Trust, I've seen't a man walk out of here with just his elbows sweating. I went with the most spiciest one they have to offer: spicy level epic. I'll tell you, this bowl was no joke. When they laid it down before me, I was startled by the amount of cheese they shred on this bad boy. SooOooOooO good. It was like I was eating pizza ramen. Fack, I'm drooling. It definitely burns going in your mouth, all the way down to your small intestine . . . but it's just so good you can't stop. It's a pain for pleasure type deal, so masochist's bring your A game. Also, be warned that the place is called Agu Ramen because if you try the spicy level epic, your butthole makes an "Agu" sound while your on the toilet. Overall a really great experience. We'll be back for shizzle FIN.

    (4)

  • Alysha K.

    Agu upped their ante when they expanded their menu. They now have more ramen options. My new fave is the bari kote tonkotsu ramen which includes fresh garlic, black garlic oil, and garlic butter. So garlicky but very flavorful. Don't be alarmed when you receive it because the broth is pure BLACK. They also have a parmesan cheese one, or the option of including it in any of the ramens. I also love the chicken skin and pig ears!

    (5)

  • Jenn T.

    I've heard so much about this place recently and my friend took me here. It's located nearby old stadium park. It's a small restaurant and pretty nice inside. The menu has different types of ramen that all sound yummy. I tried the original kotteri which was very flavorful and loved the chewy ramen. The broth was tasty! Service was great, quick and helpful. They explained everything. Parking can be hard to find, but the parking lot loops around the back as well. It wasnt too crowded when I got here, but we ate pretty early probably before the crowds.

    (4)

  • Myong C.

    What an underwhelming, expensive dining experience. I've driven by Agu numerous times and have always seen a line outside. Must be good, yeah? Better go try em then, cuz I love me some ramen. So because of the cold weather and the fact that I was a little under the weather, went to check it out. We started off with the Ban Ban Ji Kurage, or jellyfish. The portion was good for the price ($6.75) but the flavor was a bit bland. Then came the Tori Nanban, or fried chicken with tartar sauce. I actually enjoyed this dish a lot as the chicken was flavorful, tender and nicely fried but was shocked at the portion size. For $10.75, you get exactly 1 piece of chicken. That's crazy. Then the ramen came. We tried the shio tonkotsu ($12.25) and the spicy tonkotsu ($12.75). When we ordering, we ordered the spicy ramen at a level 5 (well, we are Korean) and the waiter must've warned us like 3 times how hot it would be. Yeah, yeah, I heard you the first time. So with all that warning and hoopla, I was expecting quite a fiery broth. Nope. It was barely spicy at all. Now I know I have a Korean palate but still, don't give me all those warnings and then serve me medium hot broth. The shio tonkotsu was just okay as well. I didn't particularly care for the broth as it was missing the richness and smoothness found in the broth at other, better ramen joints. Overall, the ambience seemed young and hip so maybe it's better as a hangout place than a pure ramen restaurant. Not for ramen purists.

    (2)

  • Leenelle T.

    This Ramen spot was pretty good! We got there about 1050 am and Waited until they opened but once inside service was fast and quick. Some. Portions were small but tasty. They also gave us a coupon for $1 off each ramen for our next visor! Service was OK but seemed rushed!

    (4)

  • Ryan B.

    I hope you're not hungry when you come here because there can be a long wait. We ended up sitting outside in the cold weather for about 20 minutes before getting inside. Not too bad, but I was starving when we finally got seated. We were promptly served our waters and asked if we needed anything before our waiter disappeared. After having a once over on the menu, I decided to get the hakate and my friend got the yuzu jidori ramen. Within a short wait, our ramen was on our table. Hakate: I don't know if you ever tasted the milk of a god before, but this broth is definitely it. It's rich in flavor and has a creamy consistency. I'm not a big fan of ramen in general, so I was a bit skeptical coming here. Laaaaawrdy! This is not your traditional ramen, and i'm in love. Let's not forget about the savory charsiu. Another thing i'm not really a big fan of is eggs, but sweet Mary take the wheel. I am a fan of these eggs! This ramen is not the love of my life, but a bittersweet affair that came to an end as soon as I finished the bowl. I might have cried a little bit when it ended, but there's so much more on the menu I have to try. You will always be my first love here. Yuzu Jidori Ramen: "This broth is baby Jesus's bath water." You can only imagine how fast my friend swallowed his bowl. Definitely going to be coming back soon.

    (5)

  • Daniel C.

    BEST RAMEN IN HONOLULU! Parking: They have a private lot and it's easy to find parking in front or in the back. Stalls are spacious so don't worry about the dings. There is also street parking if you absolutely can't find parking. Food: I LOVE the ramen and gyoza here. I personally love spicy foods and did their Spicy Kotteri Tonkotsu LEVEL 5, EPIC LEVEL and LEVEL 10. No problem at all. VERY TASTY for those who love spicy foods! If you can't handle spicy foods then don't worry because they have a lot of great choices. Chicken Karaage and Gyoza are excellent here. I don't think I ever left where there was still broth in the bowl. I did try this ramen that had squid ink and I didn't care for it much. It said on the menu that it was rich and it was too rich for my taste. Service: They are very good here to make sure that you have enough water and things are going ok. I never had my order delivered wrong and the servers always double check what you ordered before bringing your order to the kitchen. They always thank you for your business and for the wait to get in. MISC: If you come here and there is a line, make sure to put your name on the list when you enter. They do take cash and card here so don't worry if you didn't bring enough cash. Several ramen places I've been to only take cash which isn't very convenient. It's very casual here and noise is slightly above average.

    (5)

  • Jonathan T.

    Pork fat on my tongue, Smell of garlic up in face, It was a good bowl. Agu Ramen received the "First Ramen Place Jonathan Ever Ate In Hawaii" award, and it definitely was memorable. Oahu native Kasey and ol' homeboy Erich both recommended that my girlfriend and I order the Bari Kote (type of tonkotsu ramen). For an appetizer, we all shared an order of the Kicked-up Fries. *Bari Kote (black garlic oil, sikly se-abura, and garlic butter): When I sipped the black-as-the-night-since-there-are-no-street-­lights-on broth, I immediately received a strong garlic taste with a buttery-smooth consistency. (Wonderful.) The only thing that the broth didn't have was that deep umami, usually tasted from a tonkotsu broth. Aside from that, the noodles tasted fine as well as all of the other delicious edibles. (3.5/5) *Kicked-Up Fries (black garlic oil, sikly se-abura, and garlic butter): Beautifully cut golden fries fries, tasty seasoning, and a tasty dipping sauce. (4/5) Service: Our food came out steaming hot and our server was super friendly! (5/5) Space: It's small and intimate with tons of four-person seating on the outside and a bar in the middle. (4/5) If I ever found myself back on Oahu, I would totally return. I would probably try something other than the Bari Kote, though.

    (4)

  • Sungjin S.

    Spicy ramen. The broth here for their ramen is so good and full bodied. I tried their 3 spicy level which was definitely enough for me. I don't know how people do their 4 or higher spicy levels. Definitely one of the better ramen spots especially hard in Honolulu.

    (4)

  • Jboogie B.

    Thee best ramen ever!!! Place is small so seating is limited. Prices are acceptable. Honestly, I'd pay more there that good! I'm just glad I'm walking distance to get my ramen on.

    (5)

  • Brad K.

    Exceeded all expectations! Grayson was an awesome host. Thanks bro! "Hot Mess" is legit! And Asahi draft....#allpau

    (5)

  • Kira F.

    Great food, terrible service!!!!!!!!!!! We are a table of five, younger looking and unsuspecting. This is not an excuse for rude and standoffish service. We ordered appetizers and each an order of ramen.... Our waitress was extremely condescending from the time we were sat down. She never smiled at us once, yet we have observed her the entire meal paying careful and friendly attention to the other tables. The runners were MUCH friendlier than our waitress. Additionally, halfway through our meal, our waitress slammed down the bill on the table without asking us if we needed anything else-despite this we continued to order. The two stars are for the runners and food respectively. None for the server.

    (2)

  • Haylee F.

    First time here and it can't wait to go back! Couldn't decide between the original rendition or the kicked up version with garlic butter so I asked the waiter. He was kind enough to recommend the original; great for an Agu rookie! The broth was rich and flavorful...so much so I couldn't imagine adding the bold flavor of garlic butter! Loved the black garlic and garlic chips... Also tried the gyoza. While it was tasty and the perfect compliment to my warm and delicious bowl of noodles, it wasn't anything too special. Maybe next time I'll be a bit more brave and opt for the Parmesan topping...

    (5)

  • Anna K.

    I like Agu Ramen..,,, WAIT! Hold that thought! I LOVE AGU RAMEN. Personally, I love Santouka a little better but Agu make a tasty spicy ramen bowl. Seriously, it shits on everyone else's version of a spicy broth. My go-to ramen is the spicy tonkotsu, level 2 spicy with a side of Parmesan cheese. Side of cheese you may say? Yes, so I can place a nice helping of cheese onto each bite. Seriously, I love cheese. My body probably oozes cheese instead of blood if you were to slice me in half, however, I digress. Anyways, having cheese in my ramen is what my bf would call "a game changer". It's a must try!!! My bf loves their bari kote, which is good too. It's super garlicy so if you're not a huge fan of garlic, you might want to rethink your choice. I am interested in trying their fried pig's ear as I do enjoy this snack. Don't even knock it til you try it! One thing to note, the shop is small so there may be a wait at times but the crowd moves quickly so don't fret. There is a parking lot, however, if you can't find a stall, you can always pay a few bucks to park at the bank. Also there's stalls near old stadium park and the baseball park near Long's.

    (5)

  • Nina S.

    Food is good, but service can be much improved. Today, at the end of a lunch lasting less than 1.5 hours, the waitress asked "Would you like more water?" We responded "No thank you." She said "Ok well let me get these out of your way" and proceeded to take our water from us. Am I the only person who thinks this is quite rude? Needless to say, we caught the hint and left immediately... only to find that there were no customers waiting for a seat. I will not be going back any time soon, perhaps never.

    (2)

  • Michael C.

    Variety is the spice of life......or so they say. Apparently, that's definitely the case at Agu Ramen where they offer a varied selection of Ramen dishes, some of which carry their own spice level. Yes, that you read that correct: spice level. These levels range from 1 to 5, with the EPIC level being the spiciest broth offered. After accepting a dinner invitation, I began to slowly wonder what I had gotten myself into. I hoped and prayed the spice wouldn't get the best of me. LOCATION/PARKING: Near the Moiliili branch of FHB. Same compound as St. Louis Alumni. Parking available in the lot (look for spaces with "AGU" next to them) or on the street. The restaurant is quaint and cozy with counter seating directly in the middle, as well as tables positioned against the walls. I was with a group of six and we arrived for dinner on a weekday around 6pm. It wasn't too crowded when we arrived, but by the time we left slightly past 7pm, there were people waiting to be seated. After looking over the menu, I chose the Spicy Tonkotsu with Level 3 spice, and shared a small plate of gyoza with Sandra K. Others in the group selected cold ramen, parmesan ramen, and the EPIC spice. I'll admit I was a bit anxious while waiting for the food. I suppose I experienced a slight fear of the spice that was to come (Spice-no-phobia perhaps)? Well, the food arrived as it inevitably would and looked rather intimidating. I took a few sips of the broth to prepare myself of my pending meal, and at first I found it alright. Midway thru the meal was when I became ever so thankful for the constant water refills provided by our server. I think Level 3 is my EPIC level so to speak. I commend the lone person (Jacob N) in our group who was brave enough to conquer the EPIC spice. Bravo! Overall, I did like the ramen but found the portion size smaller than I expected. For those with a ravenous appetite, I would suggest upgrading to the XL portion or order one or two side dishes in addition to the ramen. The gyoza was absolutely delicious. SERVICE: Pretty good. The servers were friendly enough, the food came out in a timely manner, and water was readily refilled throughout the meal. NOTE: No reservations accepted (we tried to make one!). First come first serve. BOTTOM LINE: A EPIC visit to Agu Ramen. I'd definitely return to try other items on the menu, but I"m not so sure about trying anything above Level 3.......sadly everyone has a imit.

    (4)

  • Sung K.

    Came in because it was open late, and glad we did very yummy Raman. I got the spicy t... And wife got the curry, I felt the curry was a little pricy but it was very large serving and pretty yummers so didn't mind to much. My spicy t.. the broth was velvety and rich, the Raman noodles was perfect, and the level three heat was just under the level I would start sweating. Overall enjoyed the experience was full when I left and would definitely go back.

    (4)

  • Cindy L.

    My sister was in town and wanted to try every single ramen shop. Agu was one of the chosen one.... Boy I was not disappointed. We tried every broth: shoyu, kotteri, tonkatsu and etc. I have to say that my favorite is the Original rendition! Oh my god! That's the best broth I ever had, at any ramen shop. The boil egg is not fully cooked, which I love it when the yolk gooey. The noodles had a very nice texture and bite to it, too! So good.... This could be one of my top ramen and "to go" place for ramen fixings.

    (4)

  • Cat P.

    This place is starting to become one of my favored places to go to for ramen here on the island. I still have yet to find the best ramen on this island, but it's hard to just choose one, as each of the ramen places has its specialties. This does rate among the top ones on the island, along with Goma Ichi and Goma tei, in my opinion. I always end up getting the original kotteri, which is always a safe bet. I have tried the spicy kotteri tonkotsu, which is really good, but soooo ridiculously spicy! I had the level 2 and it gave me acid reflux/heart burn for the rest of the day haha. Unfortunately, as much as I love spicy food, my body can't handle it as it used to and I end up paying for it later that day and then the following day. So i gotta be smart about it and go with the original ramen, no spiciness =] Oh, I like the gyoza here too! And the croquettes. YUM!

    (4)

  • Chi W.

    Zaasai $4.75 Tastes exactly like a milder or watered down version of fermented Chinese mustard cabbage you can find at Chinatown, probably for less than half the price of Agu. Agu Gyoza $5.75 Ground pork, cabbage, and nira. Tasty, but not mind blowing. Too much cabbage, in my opinion. Spicy kotteri (level 2) $13.25 Very flavorful and rich. Noodles were nicely done, springy and fresh. The lackluster toppings of char siu (thin and dry), bamboo shoots, garlic, and half a soft boiled egg were okay, average.. almost disappointing. I parted ways with this little bistro feeling full, but not satisfied.

    (3)

  • Stephanie A.

    Ahhhhhh now this is my type of comfort food! Just thinking about eating here makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside :) My roommate and I are pretty much ramen connoisseurs by now and have tried every spot imaginable. Nothing compares to Agu! Spoiler: Be prepared with your stretchy pants and a HUGE appetite. Yes, searing is limited: 10 tables and counter top with a little over 10 high stools. Good things come to those who wait people!!! Just be smart and don't go at peak times :) Never had to wait before, I just consider that fate *hairflip My go to ramen: the Spicy Kotteri Level 2! First off let's start with the broth. ITS LIQUID CRACK, SO HEAVENLY! I could drink that all day so fr*cken yummy. It's savory, creamy, and the spice level is just enough to give you the sweats. Also, the broth doesn't settle into two parts - such a turn off. Toppings include menma (bamboo), ajitama cooked to perfection, scallions, char siu, and garlic chips. The cheek-a-bu croquettes are very tender and served with yuzu mayo/aoili, best believe I lick that plate clean. Jidori Kawa & Fried mimiga are always a treat for any chicharon lovers so yummy!!! SUPER FAT A** TIP: Sprinkle a little fried mimiga on top of your ramen to give it extra crunch, eat quick so it doesn't get too soggy. One of servers saw what I was doing and complimented me on my creativeness LOL. The only criticism I have is that they don't have a stamp card..... Lame right? Yup that's it. I can't complain at all. Agu Ramen you have my heart!

    (5)

  • Sheryl N.

    I love ramen, so of course every ramen shop that opens; I must try! I've heard rave reviews about this place and had to stop in! First off, it's a red building that you cannot miss (it had the place of the short lived "Da Kitchen" spot) and the parking is quite scarce (around 8-10 stalls maybe) Mind you this place is usually busy unless you walk in at odd hours between 2-3 in the afternoon. The wait was about 5 minutes although the place was pretty packed. It's a bit small, and can fit around maybe 20 something people. Nonetheless simple decor, nice mood lighting, and very clean. I've ordered the kotteri tonkatsu and the kotteri tonkatsu level 3. First off the kotteri tonkatsu was, at first glance; interesting, since I hadn't seen a black broth before (due to the black chili oil). However, it was delicious! Great rich pork based broth that had simmered for 18 hours, mixed with succulent thin sliced chasu, bamboo, green onion, and a wonderful soft boiled egg. The portion was a bit much for me, which is great for others! My belly was extremely happy! Now for the level 3... Well, let's say I'm not the best at taking the heat, but I can withstand enough! I had asked a friend of mine which broth I should test out, and apparently she can take quite a hit with spicy foods T__T; so I though, "oh hey maybe level 3 isn't so bad then" WRONG. Holy monkey, when it arrived it was redddd... Dodenskdnwjsn lol! It had the same contents as the original kotteri, but of course much spicer! My body was not readyyyy LOL. I took a sip of the seemingly tame soup and choked! LOL. I did end up finishing it though, I believe I just became numb.... But it was delicious! I ordered up some fried pig ears to go along with it to add some texture. It was crispy, awesome goodness served with a side of ponzu. You definitely should stop by and give your taste buds a whirl :) they also have a parmasean broth which is, CHEEEEZZZUSSSS approved. Very interesting combo. Service was great, very attentive and friendly! Check it ouuuut!

    (4)

  • Misty P.

    I read all the reviews and was craving ramen for lunch today so I ventured off to Agu. This place is right behind First Hawaiian Bank off Isenberg St and S. King. There is a small parking lot in the front, otherwise there is street parking. When I arrived they just opened at 11:00am and there were already people in line. The restaurant is spotless clean and the decor is nice and modern. The service was quick and friendly. I ordered the Spicy Tonkatsu ramen with spice level 2. The spice level goes from 1-5. I usually like spicy things and when it arrived, for a #2, it was red as a mofo. The noodles were nice and chewy. The broth was just alright. The spice level for a #2 was still very hot. My lips were on fire towards the end. It kind of killed off my appetite. There were generous portions of sliced pork, bamboo shoots and a half of a soft boiled egg. I also ordered a side of gyoza. This was probably the best gyoza I've had. Delicious filling and crispy outside. All the condiments are on the side to make your own dipping sauce to your liking (shoyu, vinegar and the spicy chili oil). It was decent, but the ramen was nothing to write home about. What made it even sadder was the bill was $17.24 for a ramen and gyoza. With tip that was a $20.00 lunch. Not worth it in my opinion. There's many other ramen restaurants that are cheaper and tastier than this place. This restaurant is a bit overrated in my opinion...

    (2)

  • Laurie P.

    So I'm rounding up on the Agu Ramen experience. I know there are fellow Yelper homies who are absolutely enamored with this joint and were here like 3+ times a week when they first opened. My review is based on several visits over the course of like 9 months. The first time we came to visit was in February 2014, Agu was still relatively new. We came for dinner, but arrived early as Yelp tips at the time indicated an excessively long wait for dinner service. I guess this is because their rental space is actually pretty small. I do think the way they renovated the dining room from Da Kitchen's setup was smart because it can seat more people and a larger variety of party sizes. I was really excited because it turns out Agu has a jidori chicken based broth, which means my Muslim husband could eat ramen (sans the cha su of course) The first time I came, I ordered the bare kotte - a tonkatsu broth with added garlic oil and additional accoutrements. I can tell you right now, I know this bowl is popular, but it disgusted me. It was incredibly rich and confusing tasting. It actually put me off Agu entirely. Also putting me off, the fried chicken skin we ordered wasn't crispy and was still soggy. After this first experience I really couldn't understand why other Yelpers were raving. The second time I came was in June/July-ish. I still felt burned by the poor service and bad food I had received my first visit, but my #rideordiebitches were desperate for Ramen after having just come back from our group vacay to Japan. So to Agu we went. This time I ordered the shio jidori chicken broth based ramen. It was perfect. Light but still full of umami. I realized, the problem I had with the bare kotte was it was too heavy. I like lighter broths, so it wasn't that bare kotte is a bad bowl of ramen, it's just not my taste in ramen. The third time I visited Agu was this past Tuesday (December). My best friend was in town and really wanted ramen, with the hubby also in tow I knew Agu was our only real choice. This time I ordered the Yuzu Jidori Chicken Ramen. Fragrant with Yuzu with just a hint of spice over their umami shoyu jidori chicken broth, this was my most perfect bowl of ramen. The cha su was scanty and thin, so I definitely agree with Richard K. If I am paying more than $11 for a bowl of ramen, I want a good amount of noodles, plus 3-4 piece of thin cut cha su or 2-3 pieces of thick cut cha su. While I left full, I definitely was shocked that lunch for 4 (2 bowls of ramen, 2 rice plates, 1 order fried chicken skin, 2 sodas, 1 bottle of sake, 1 grean tea) came out to OVER $100. So while I'd totally give them 4 stars because I am now a fan, the cost is just a bit high. I guess this is more gourmet ramen.

    (3)

  • Emily R.

    SO ONO. I haven't had a bowl of ramen this good in longer than I care to admit. I got the original kotteri, and my friend got the yuzu jidori. While I was not disappointed in my choice, which was perfectly garlicky and smooth, I liked his better! So peppery and refreshing. Also, I am a bit of a fire-eater, so if I were to get the kotteri again, I would get the spicy, probably at a 2 or 3 spice level. One star off for the gyoza, which were the only meh part of the meal, but I can take or leave gyoza when going out for ramen.

    (4)

  • Jenny T.

    I don't really eat at other ramen shop but here. Ramen is really good i always get my spice level in 1-2. The broth is really creamy and delicious. I think they need to improve on the service a little more because.

    (4)

  • Mark H.

    Comparatively pricey ramen... All but one of Kiwami's ramen is under $10. The best ramen on the island, Yotteko-ya, charges under $12 for almost all of their ramen. Agu ramen ranges from $11.75 to $19.25--definitely a higher price point. Service was fantastic. Servers constantly passing and checking on all of their guests. Their crew is very polite and conscientious about taking care of their customers. Great crew. Definitely the best customer service of any ramen spot I have been to in Hawaii... I chose their Savory Parmesan Kotteri Tonkotsu ramen ($15.75). I took a sip of the broth and immediately noticed the depth of flavor in the broth. Good broth with several layers of complexity. Did the parmesan enhance my ramen experience? Balance was out of whack. The parmesan overpowered the yumminess of the tonkotsu broth. Simply put, it didn't feel like I was eating ramen when the parmesan took over.... Perhaps, this is new school ramen? I will probably try just the tradition kotteri the next time or their jidori ramen. My nihonjin date did later comment that she loved their gyoza. I agree the gyoza was better than other ramen establishments. Crisp, firm gyoza but never overcooked. All of the necessary condiments were fully stocked.... I still have yet to try Ramen Hokkaido Santouka, but it is next on my list. Good ramen, great service. Can't go wrong here.

    (4)

  • Teale T.

    Went on a week day around 6 pm. While there were open tables to chose from inside, you had to fight for parking outside. It was my friends' and my first time there, so we ordered the original Kotteri (not spicy) ramen. The noodles were thinner than I expected- closer to the width of somen noodles, but very tasty! The broth was very flavorful without being too oily and heavy. The black garlic was a nice touch and the garlic chips that absorbed the broth as they softened were delicious too. The hard boiled egg was also tasty as it had been soaked in a marinade (probably shoyu) before being served with the ramen. Reasons for 4 stars instead of 5: parking sucks and I can't imagine what it is like when it is completely packed!! Gyoza came out after everyone had already started eating their ramen. AND they do NOT do take out on their ramen (despite what is listed here on yelp- get on it yelp team!). All in all, the ramen is delicious and worth the price, but having to search for parking just to get inside to grab a bowl is a bit much. Would definitely recommend people to try their original Kotteri at least once though!

    (4)

  • Lei K.

    I really loved the food here. So very tasty. One of the best ramen I have tasted on the island. The gyoza tasted flavorful and fresh. It is a must try place. My husband had the original koterri the signature item. It was great. I had the shio tonkatsu which was very good too. However I loved the flavor of my husbands choice much more because of the garlic flavor. Yumm! Service was good . You may think it's pricey for ramen but let me tell you once you taste it you will know it's worth it.

    (5)

  • Colleen W.

    When asked on Mother's Day if I had anywhere special I wanted to eat, I knew I wanted to try Agu Ramen for lunch. Being a fan of ramen, and having to hear the kids talk about it, I thought, my turn, let's go. We were there early afternoon, which I thought would be after the lunch crowd. . .around 2pm. Nothing doing! No parking along with a long wait. I don't mind the wait, I understand that it's popular, so I was willing. Once we were seated, I did notice that a party of 3, who were still waiting outside when we were taken in to be seated, had their orders taken before ours were. That makes me upset when I see that. Okay, so we put in our order and our gyoza comes first. By this time, we are pretty hungry, so that gets eaten up quickly. It was good tasting, noticed garlic pieces in it. Then, we sat and waited for our ramen. . .and waited. . .and waited. Even our server, Rice, told us it usually doesn't take this long and apologized for the wait. But, we continued to wait. . .at least the other party didn't get theirs before we did. They served me my Original Koterri first. . .maybe because it was Mother's Day. I must say the broth was delicious, very tasty. My family told me to eat while they waited for theirs. Next, they brought the spicy Koterri. Needless to say, our meal was NOT served all at once. I was practically done by the time the last bowl, the fourth in our party, was served to our table. They offered no explanation why it wasn't all served the same time. If it wasn't for that, I would have rated it higher. The broth was delicious though. I had a sip of the Yuzu and the shoyu jidori, which I thought were both excellent. One thought. . .I wonder if they use aji because within 12 hours or so, my stomach was rumbling and and sore. . .next time I'll have to ask.

    (3)

  • Lynvi S.

    Does Honolulu need another cute and trendy ramen place? No, but I'm sure Agu will make itself at home in Moiliili. The Kotteri Tonkotsu broth just oozes of luscious pork gravy fat goodness. It's creamy and silky, and the garlic chips add that perfect punch that hits it out of the park. I would definitely chose this over Tenkaippin's kotteri. I tried some of my bf's Spicy Tonkotsu at level 3, and it was decently spicy and good, but kind of one-note and not nearly as flavorful or interesting as the Kotteri broth. Other yelpers have mentioned that the noodles should be cooked longer, and it seems as if Agu has addressed this issue because the noodles were soggy and mushy. I like my noodles firm and chewy, so the soft noodles were a total buzzkill for me. I almost wish they weren't even there to ruin the wonderful broth. On the other hand, my bf really enjoyed the texture of the noodles because he prefers softer, overcooked local-style noodles. The sliced char siu that comes with each bowl is mediocre. I ate one piece and happily passed the rest along to my bf. I also ordered my ramen with extra negi for $1 more, and it was barely a tablespoon more negi than a regular order. Lame. I liked the chewy yet crispy texture of the gyoza, but I thought the filling was just okay. My bf enjoyed them more than I did, but I don't think we would order it again in the future. Service is fine. The parking situation has the potential to become super shitty, since there are only about 8 dedicated parking stalls in the front and on the side. Just look for stalls marked by the bright yellow cones. In terms of taste and overall quality of the product, I think Santouka has Agu beat, but I would definitely return for the Kotteri Tonkotsu broth.

    (4)

  • Julianne C.

    Agu ramen hits the spot for me! As with all new establishments in town, many flock to this place to get a taste of it for themselves. I went to Agu on a Sunday night and surprisingly there was a crowd waiting outside already. Thankfully, it was just my boyfriend and I so we got seated quickly within 10 minutes. I ordered the Spicy Tonkotsu ramen, (I passed on the kotteri) level 4, and oh boy was it spicyyyyy!! Usually I have a fairly high tolerance for spicy foods, but this was different. My ramen was spicy, not in a cloyingly sour/tangy-additive spicy that's often found elsewhere but in heat from the chilis. And I loved it. :) It took me a little longer to finish my food, but I enjoyed every spicy savory bite of it. The noodles itself were pretty good, al-dente, but not sure why it was so thin. Apparently the menu claimed that the thin noodles absorbed the broth's flavoring better, which seem somewhat plausible. My boyfriend ordered the Tonkotsu Kotteri ramen and he seemed pretty happy with what he got. Our gyozas were also delicious - made with thin wrappers, tasty filling, and pan fried to crispy perfection. Great wrapper to filling ratio, which IMO is an extremely underrated factor! Although the parking is a slightly annoying issue, it doesn't discourage me to come back for more. The service is good...pretty easy going, friendly, attentive, but didn't hover over us esp. when my mouth is on fire!!! My ego is at stake here. lol With that said, I can't wait to try other items on the menu!

    (5)

  • Brett I.

    Another good new ramen place in Hawaii! I ordered spicy tonkotsu and spicy kotteri (kotteri being more creamy and garlicky than the regular spicy). If you dig spicy, then Agu Ramen is definitely for you. You have five levels of heat to choose from; I ordered mine on the lowest level, but it still had a tad bit of heat to it (though, for me, it was perfect), so I'm sure heat lovers will really appreciate this place. Taste-wise, the broth has a good amount of substantiality and body to it. I really like how the porky broth, in its buttery opaqueness, is balanced nicely with the spices and elements of heat. The noodles are good texture and me thinks a tiny bit of sweet, too. Overall, I recommend! Staff is courteous and are cool to explain their food to customers if they have questions. Come to Agu Ramen!

    (4)

  • Debbie L.

    With all these new ramen places popping up around town, I had to try them all. Agu Ramen is located in the old "Da Kitchen" spot. There's more than enough parking, but the wait for the restaurant can be a bit long depending on the time you go. I order the same thing every time - spicy tonkatsu ramen, level 1. I like spicy but I have a low tolerance. Level 1 is perfect. I wouldn't be able to enjoy my ramen if I had ordered level 2. I've tried the spicy kotteri but I'm not a kotteri fan. Their broth is delicious! And their noodles are perfect. They're thin and not too soft. Agu Ramen is my go-to place for ramen. I hope they open up another location or expand their current restaurant to get rid of that wait!

    (5)

  • Jimmy L.

    This is the first and only time I've choked on noodles without actually eating them. Location: Agu Ramen is the restaurant that took over "Da Kitchen" which is next to First Hawaiian Bank, across the street from Stadium Park. Parking: In the lot in front, side, or back of the building. No space? Find street parking. Service 4/5: I like the people who work here. They're nice and very sincere. You basically get your water right as you are seated that is, if you don't knock it out of their hands like we did (by accident, of course). The food comes out fairly quickly, but not quite quick enough considering it is a ramen shop. I think that could use some improvement. Food 4.5/5: I've been here a number of times with friends and it seems like the popular thing to do is to eat the SPICY kotteri tonkatsu ramen. Though I can't actually handle spicy food very well, mind you. I ordered the koterri shoyu ramen the first time, and the spicy koterri tonkatsu ramen (level 2) the second time. Gyoza BOTH times, because these bowls of ramen are not big enough to fill you up in one go! I am a bigger fan of the koterri shoyu, but I'm just a very simple person in that aspect. The level 2 ramen, to me was probably like a level 4 to a normal person. There was also an instance when I was preparing to slurp my ramen, but the broth had such a strong airborne spice that I literally choked up before I even took a bite. Food tastes great if you can still taste it, that is. I felt a bit embarrassed sitting across from strangers and choking on air. Then, sweating as if I just got out of a hot shower. I'll stay away from the spicy stuff for now. Overall: I'll be back again, I'm sure. Recommended? Yes. The service is great. The food is good. I DO want to try out some of the other popular ramen places though so I'll keep you posted on how those work out!

    (4)

  • Al D.

    This might be my favorite ramen since Sapporo King of Ramen closed. Got the spicy koteri level 2 with extra charsiu. The broth was delicious. The spiciness was perfect for me and I drank every last bit of it. The charsiu was delicious and well marinated. My only complaint is that it was sliced too thin. Good thing I got extra. The noodles were excellent. They were really thing but had a good flavor and texture to them. The egg was sweet and delicious. I will definitely return.

    (4)

  • Coreen L.

    Late night ramen spot!! HOORAY!! I've been wanting to try this place after seeing so many posts and pictures. I'm a huge ramen fan and the spicy kind too. Thank goodness our server knew his stuff and talked to me about the level of spicy in this place. Trust me, listen to your server!! We talked it over and I decided on a level 3 for the spicy kotteri tonkotsu -- which was delicious with the right amount of heat for me (and trust me, it was spicy even on this level -- yum!)

    (4)

  • Ryan M.

    Amazing high quality ramen, high quality ingredients with authentic levels of spice.... I ordered the kotteri ramen spice level 3, highly recommend.

    (5)

  • Nicole F.

    I love spicy food so of course I had to get the spicy tonkotsu ramen. And it was soooo good. Kind of wished I asked for level 3 as level 2 I couldn't "feel" the spiciness of it. Will come again just to try the parmesan which I heard is another great dish.

    (4)

  • Brehon Q.

    Agu Ramen's staff is impeccable as is every item on their menu that I have tried in my 29+ visits. Can't praise this place enough.

    (5)

  • Shannon H.

    I think I am a wimp and should just stay away from heat from now on. So this place is pretty new and I decided to try it. I love ramen and especially black sesame broth which they have (kotteri tonkotsu, made of black garlic oil, garlic, and silky se-abura). You can order it at varying spicy levels (1 - 5) or if you're unsure of your tolerance, order it non-spicy and ask for some of the spicy stuff on the side. Now, it turns out I'm an idiot because when the ramen came out, with spicy stuff on the side, I thought it didn't look like a lot so I tried the ramen sans spicy and then dumped the whole [little] ball of spicy into my bowl. Boy oh boy was that a mistake. It was INTENSE. I mean, I don't handle heat all that well and I know other reviews have said that it was manageable but, for the love of god, BE CAREFUL. The other thing they are known for is their prime jirori ramen. Also pretty good! I prefer the kotteri but the jidori broth is very light (thereby giving the illusion that it's much healthier than the heavily oiled tonkotsu option) and still tasty. Worth a return trip (or mooch off your friend) to try both. There's a lot of parking; only a few stalls in the front but the lot behind the building has about 20 stalls and both times I went, it was not full. BONUS: if you get overheated, head to frostcity up the street (and a block over) for some yummy dessert!

    (4)

  • Brandon T.

    Ordered the Original Kotteri. Black garlic oil in tonkotsu broth is one of my favorite things. I am a garlic fiend, so I could have used more garlic, but for the average enjoyer of garlic, it'll do just fine. Ramen noodles were just the right consistency and firmness. If you know you will kaedama it up, I might recommend doing so early on to dump in and incorporate the broth flavors as much as possible. Charsiu was good, but not the best I've ever had. It did it's job. Egg (ajistuke tamago)was perfectly cooked. Wonderful addition. Overall, the broth is just amazing. There is nothing to improve as far as the broth goes. My wife ordered the Parmesan variant and said it was the best ramen she had ever had. I tasted it and it was very good, but also very rich. This is going to be one of our go-to places whenever we visit the area in the future!

    (5)

  • Dap C.

    I really enjoyed the ramen here. The flavors are so delicious. This place made my tummy very happy. I was satisfied. This was a meal worth the price. I loved it and I am thinking of going again this weekend. So very delicious. The orginal tonkatsu was so delicious. A must try eatery,

    (4)

  • Shay F.

    If you love your ramen noodles THIN, then this is the place! I love my ramen noodles thin and curly... these aren't curly, but they are still good! I got the shio tonkotsu, which I thought was ok... but the best part of this place is that the ramen comes to you ULTRA fast. I swear, it was less than a 5 minute wait. Sweet deals if you're in a hurry for a quick dinner!

    (4)

  • Chelsey N.

    This place wins the contest for most expensive ramen ever eaten in my book. Worth the $20? Yes...? I ordered the spicy char siu ramen and it was ehh. I mean it was rich and you could tell there were a lot of ingredients, but $18 was a little too much for the mediocre flavor. The hot mess ramen is a mixture of their two best soup bases and that was amaze! Black garlic oil, I love you. I never thought Parmesan in ramen would ever be not nasty, but the combo was heavenly. Just smelling it as it was served, you could tell it was the bombdotcom. My friend also ordered the fried chicken skin. It's exactly as it sounds, and it was sinfully delicious. But if you have a doctor's appointment coming up, avoid that dish and the ramen altogether actually. I definitely enjoyed this place, but it's a tad pricey to want to visit again soon. I also wish their portion sizes were bigger considering the price, but the world can't always be perfect.

    (3)

  • Kent S.

    Been here numerous times and keep coming back! Best place in town to get spicy ramen. My girlfriend loves this place and she always wants to go. She usually gets a spicy level 2 or 3 tonkotsu ramen or kotteri tonkotsu. I always get the tonkotsu. Tried every spice level from 1-5. In all honesty, it's not THAT spicy WHEN you eat it. It kicks in by the time you're done with the meal or the next day haha. But this is coming from a guy who eats spicy food all the time. We always get the gyoza and they are very good. This time though, we got the fried mimiga (pork ears) and the spicy chicken wings. They were both delicious. The service here is always good and the waiters are very attentive. Hence, we keeping coming back for more. The price may be a little bit expensive compared to other ramen shops, but the good taste is worth it!

    (5)

  • Kristin I.

    The inside of this place is pretty trendy and hip. Definitely inviting and feels a bit Like japan with their short tables and stools. The ramen is pretty killer, especially since you can get it at a spice level you may like. I got the spicy tonkotsu level 4. It was a bit spicy, made my nose run. And the homemade Gyoza was so good!!! You can tell that it was homemade. There's parking in the front and I believe maybe a few spaces in the back. There's also street parking. The service was great. Always coming around to fill our glasses with water, since we need water to cool down our mouth from the spices. Our waitress even joked around with us, she was nice. They even have Il gelato for dessert. Definitely a place to try. Warning epic spicy may hurt.

    (4)

  • Trisha N.

    Wow! This place is yum! I'm glad we weren't disappointed! I tried the original kotteri! Oh lord that broth was heaven!!! Loved the gyoza too. If you're someone like me with a family of small kids and don't mind eating early, yea 430ish is no wait and not too crowded...great service. Will come back again.

    (4)

  • Janet I.

    This was our first time to Agu Ramen. The parking was a bit confusing but once we found a parking spot, the wait was not too bad....around 10 minutes. It was well worth the wait. Thank you to Marissa H. for her review. I followed her lead and ordered the Tonkotsu Koteri Ramen their signature with the Black Garlic! It did not disappoint. My son had the Parmesan Cheese Tonkotsu Koteri Ramen. I tasted the broth and it was very tasty! It was a little too fancy for him though! Next time, he wants to go back to the more classic flavors. We also ordered the Kurobuta Sausage, Gyoza and the recommended Chicken Karaage for appetizers. The Kurobuta Sausage was very tasty and delicious! The Gyoza was good and the Chicken Karaage was okay. The service was okay. I ordedered a drink but did not receive it until almost the end of my lunch and although I did not get to finish it, I was still charged for it.

    (4)

  • susan L.

    Love this place. Can't beat the ramen anywhere else. Also come for the Gyoza. It's also the best. Every ramen dish we've had has been great.

    (5)

  • Michael W.

    Super yummy!! If you like spice... This is the ramen place you wanna eat at! Jordan is the best server in the world!!

    (5)

  • Aaron Koichi C.

    This place definitely has grown into an inviting atmosphere. The smells are unbelievable and the service is outstanding and swift.

    (4)

  • Erica W.

    Located behind Maple Garden in Molili, I am glad to I stopped by. I am always on the look out for ramen shops to try (in case my go to place is too full or I am too lazy to drive there). There are several types of ramen bowls and levels of spicyness. I didn't try the ones that I pick th level of spicyness, instead I tried their shoyu jidori ramen bowl and boy was it yummy! They also have two non-ramen dishes on the menu, I just remember that one of them is curry on rice. My mom ordered this and liked it but she mentioned she wishes there was more variety of vegetables. I think it only had chicken and carrots. The employees were nice and the place was clean. In the middle of the restaurant is the a community bar seating that can sit about 10 - 15 people. Lining the walls are the tables, which can be shoved together to fit bigger parties. The only downfall: the limited parking but if you can find street parking you're lucky.

    (4)

  • Merlinda Y.

    Does not disappoint. I've tried different bay area (california) ramen before and by far this one is on the top of the list. Don't think I can get this type of ramen back in the bay. A bit sad that they discontinued the garlic edamame :-/

    (5)

  • Kenn K.

    I got the kotteri ramen. It was good but not the best. The amount of ramen I got was not the big as well, only fill everything including the ramen and the soup halfway. I don't know if this is how they serve it, but to me it definitely did not get me full. Kind of pricey, but I would go again.

    (3)

  • Thanh N.

    Best ramen on the island! Go for the kotteri. My fav use to be the tan tan at Goma Tei. Agu has replaced that. A little pricey tho, but worth it.

    (5)

  • Jacob N.

    OH YEAH!! + Spicy ramen + Deep fried pig ears + Lots of parking + Good flavors OH NO!! - Gets crowded - No alcohol (yet) OH MY!? ~ Pig ears and chicken skins!! Some like it hot! And if you're one of them, Agu just might be the place for you! The highlight of the menu for me is the pair of spicy ramen offerings they have since most other ramen places around town don't usually have very many spicy offering that aren't full of mapo tofu. I've been here a few times since they opened, and have been pleased to see the menu expand from the slim six different ramen, and two appetizers to a more plentiful offering of about 10 different bowls of ramen and about the same amount of appetizer offerings, and even a couple other dishes if you're not in the mood for noodles. My first couple times I went, I decided to take a walk on the spicy side. On a scale of 1-5, I went all the way with a level 5 Spicy Kotteri Tonkotsu. There was a nice flavor to the thick, porky broth somewhere under all that spiciness, but the flavor was still there. The second time I went I decided to dial it down a bit and go with level 4, and I was able to taste even more of the broth. Garlic, pepper and other seasonings along with the pork stock. I would recommend going with a lower level of spice, or even opting for the non-spicy version for your first outing, so you can taste the actual broth flavor before kicking up a few spicy notches. On my most recent visit I decided to try one of the new items on the menu. I went with the Bari Kote Tonkotsu. This was a rich and very garlicky pork broth. The garlic flavor was strong, but not overpowering. A must-try for all you garlic lovers out there. Some of the appetizers I tried were: Agu Gyoza: The flavor of these is pretty good, but the texture of the meat in the gyoza is a little too finely minced for my personal taste. I personally prefer my gyoza meat to be a little chunkier. Pirikara Menma: Spicy menma. Just like the menma you get with your bowl of ramen, soaked in a spicy sauce. Robust flavor, and a nice crunch. Fried Mimiga: Deep-fried pig ears. Yes, that's right. I just went there. Just make sure you have a couple other people to share this with because if you're all on your own with this dish it might be a bit much to handle. Jidori Kawa: Deep-fried chicken skins. Think pork rinds, but from a chicken instead. As with the pig ears, be sure to have someone to share these crispy little bad boys with. A little less flavorful than the Mimiga, but still delicious with the ponzu sauce. The restaurant is located in the space previously occupied by Da Kitchen in Isenberg Street in Moili'ili (next to First Hawaiian Bank). There are a few stalls in the front of the restaurant, and a bunch in the lot in the back. After banking hours you can also park at First Hawaiian Bank in certain designated stalls. There is also street parking along Isenberg. Sometimes the St. Louis High School Alumni Association has a function in the same building, and parking can get pretty tight. Also, as of my last visit, they were still not serving alcohol, but one of the waitresses did tell me that they were working on getting their liquor licence and installing beer taps. I hope that happens soon! Out the several ramen places that have opened up over the past few months, I've only got to try Agu, so I'll have to try the others to see how they all compare. But of course, I'd be more than happy to make a return trip to Agu for some spicy broth and pig ears!

    (4)

  • Ed A.

    First time here and was very enjoyable. Great location, finding parking was simple. The service was very good and the ramen was great! Will definitely be back. If you like ramen this is a must try.

    (4)

  • Fun T.

    I've eaten at a lot of restaurants and understand the need to stagger seating I order to not overwhelm the kitchen or wait staff. Or hold reservations for a certain period of time. I also have seen restaurants build reputations that make them difficult to get into. I don't understand why Agu has so empty tables and counter space yet they have people waiting outside to be seated. It just doesn't make sense. Since I've been sitting here waiting, I've seen 2x the number of people leave the restaurant as there are of us waiting to be seated. I would think they would want to turn as many seats over as possible to generate more revenue. I'm hoping the ramen is worth the wait. ** so the workers just said they have a problem with the gas line and are trying to make due with very limited capabilities. (Would have been good to know this when they put my name on the list)

    (2)

  • Asashi S.

    Took my dad here for lunch today. I feel like I'm being ripped off every time I come here. Today even more so than usual. I wanted to take out ramen for my boyfriend, since this is one of his favorite ramen joints, but was unable to make it today. But they only do take outs for their cold ramen and sides. He can't eat only sides for lunch, so I was forced to take out their cold ramen. It was over $12, so I expected it would be amazing like all their other dishes, especially since that's their only take out option. It looked and tasted very plain and ordinary. You can get the same thing at other shops for $5 cheaper! Very disappointing. Not to mention the lack of sauce they gave as well. My dad ordered the shio. I tried it and it was as bland as ever! He said it was ok, but for $13, it should be amazing. I ordered my usual $16 ramen, which was great as usual. We decided to try a few new sides, which I totally regretted. Got some Cajun fries for $6, which was literally a handful of fries with spices and a spicy mayo sauce. Could've gotten more at McDonald's... We also got fried chicken skin that we mistook for regular chicken, which is fine. Our mistake. Gave it a shot, but it was basically flavorless chips. Super disappointed with how food tasted today. Paid almost $70 with tip. Probably won't come back. But if I do, just for the dishes that I know are good on super special occasions. Really disappointed with how things turned out today... Still giving them 3 stars because of my prior experiences. But I hate feeling ripped off. :(

    (3)

  • Dave F.

    Agu Ramen is in the spot formerly occupied by Da Kitchen. Lots of parking in their lot or on the street. Agu is one of many new Ramen Shops opening up around our Honolulu recently. Each has it's own specialty or flavor. So what did I have??? Spicy Tonkotsu, level3... Ah yes, that's the maximum amount of spiciness for me, I like spicy food, but not where it's so spicy you can't enjoy it! Love that it comes with an egg, I was gonna order one, but found out it's included. Their broth was tasty, rich and just the right amount of spiciness. I did notice that the noodles tasted very similar to a ramen noodle that was given to us from a family member when they came back from Japan. That is a special recipe that they have custom made for them locally and delivered fresh to their establishment. It's hard for me to describe the taste, but it's mostly the texture that caught my attention. Very good noodles! Also, we ordered gyoza with our meal and were pleasantly surprised that it comes six per order! No more splitting the last one! Like I've mentioned before, we are rather fortunate to have such an impressive selection of Ramen shops opening up in our Honolulu, with each delivering it's own unique taste and style! Let's go out to eat everybody!!

    (3)

  • Eunhye L.

    I've been here a couple times now and this is one of my favorite ramen places due to the spicy and flavorful dishes! so let's get down to what I ordered! CHAR SIU DONBURI $9.25 Tender, slow cooked, char siu served over rice topped with menma (aka bamboo) and green onions. SPICY KOTTERI TONKOTSU $12.75 Extra rich broth made with black garlic oil, garlic & silly se-abura. Fresh blend of mixed spices to the broth for that extra kick of spiciness made for those who love spicy! Personally I usually order the spicy kotteri tonkotsu on level 3 with more spice on the side to control my level. But for some odd reason it was more spicy so I skipped the extra on the side today. And there was a lot of black garlic oil in it as well today. I guess the ramen varies every visit! I also want to say this place gives a nice aura to it. Everyone's kind, likes to converse with customers and tries to make things easier for us. The waiter, Stuart was very kind and remembered us even when we haven't been here in a couple months. That was very nice. Anyways, I highly recommend to try this place if you love spicy and if you haven't been here before :) - Es

    (5)

  • Mindy H.

    This is my all time fave ramen place. I like the isenberg location. I always order gyoza & the koterri and my tummy is always satisfied. Now I have discovered you can put Parmesan on it so I have yet to try it out on my next visit here.

    (4)

  • Lauren A.

    Been hearing all types of good things about this place and was super stoked I got to visit recently. This place was bumpin' and I was lucky enough to stop in right before all the tables were full. It is in quite a strange location and I went around the block twice before finding it. If you know where Maple Garden in Moiliili is then you will find this place no problem. We walk in and I was completely in love with the decor. Looks like a small place that just humbly serves amazing food and a high quality level which is exactly what this place is doing! Nicely lit with a lot of mood lighting, there were a good number of large 4 seat tables all around and an amazing bar top that seated a lot of people. Deciding what to order was tough because everything looked great. I did however end up ordering the Shoyu Jidori Ramen which has a broth made from Jidori Chicken and is supposed to be light and flavorful. The description sold me when it said that it was rich in umami flavor!! I love menma so I also ordered the spicy menma on the side. My friend ordered the Spicy Tonkotsu Ramen at a level 4 spice level as well as the gyoza. Food did not take too long to arrive and it was time to eat!! Presentation of the food was very nice, I was impressed and it tasted just as good as it looked. My broth was simple, clean and delicious and I was not disappointed because it was extremely rich in umami indeed. It was one of the best broths I've had. Also, the noodles were cooked perfectly and the char-siu was delicious as well. The menma was good, it had a nice spicy flavor however I did feel that more garlic and fermentation would do it even better. I tasted my friends soup and it was also quite tasty but really spicy. Don't get me wrong, I am a spicy food lover, more often than not if my mouth is not on fire by the end of my meal I'm not satisfied. But this was really really spicy. I would recommend a level 2 because you still want spicy but enjoyable, ya feel me? The gyoza was also very delicious and good size! Will definitely be returning real soon and also just want to say that the staff was amazing as well as super professional. 5 stars all the way!

    (5)

  • Ryan M.

    This place is part 2 of 3 on our ramen quest. First was Hokkaido and now this one. So far I think they are both good and it comes down to personal preference of how you like your broth and or noodles. The Ramen - Good Good but not great. Still a fan though. You see, I'm the type of person who doesn't like his noodles super firm. I know..I know.. that's how it's supposed to be but that's me. Well if that's you then you'll love it here. The broth is what kept this place in the game for me. Very rich, deep in flavor type of broth. I ordered the Spicy Kotteri. There are 5 different levels of spicy and here is how I would suggest what level to order. 1 if you're a spicy eater wannabe . 2 if you're a casual spicy eater. 3 (They said between 2 and 3 is a huge jump in heat) This is what I got. I eat spicy somewhat a lot and it was about all I could handle. 4 & 5 - If you breathe fire and not afraid to use the bathroom after you eat it. We also ordered the gyoza but it tasted standard to what all the other places taste like. The Service - Good We basically had no problems. They were courteous, they brought food in a timely manner and checked on us enough. The Environment - Nice I would say a modern design with a Japanese twist. I can see the parking lot getting full if they get busy. They share the lot with the St Louis Alumni Club house. Overall, I think this place is definitely someplace I would recommend to try if you haven't yet.

    (4)

  • Sapna S.

    Excellent place for authentic Ramen but not friendly to Vegetarians. Also does not serve hot tea or dessert. Everything is tasty if you area non- veg.

    (3)

  • Arthur H.

    Love the ramen! I come here especially for the spice, Level 3 is my limit, 4 can't handle yet. Ono gzoya have to get it.

    (5)

  • George Q.

    I went here back when they first opened and I was somewhat disappointed that I never went back. Now after a couple years, I've had friends and family tell me to give it another chance. I tried is a few days ago and was pleasantly surprised by how much they stepped up their game.. I only live down the street, so I'm super stoked that I have another go to spot.

    (4)

  • irene u.

    Sooooooooo gooooooood! Go here! Go now! And don't be shy! Go all in and get the Hot Mess! The dish is so flavorful. The service is friendly, attentive, and knowledgeable of their menu! The spice here is unbelievable...we got a four the first time and we were swearing. The second time we got a three and it was much more enjoyable! Yes! We went back for more. Yes! I would go back a third if our trip was for longer. If you want to be adventurous, get the jellyfish appetizer. It's yummy and the texture is like seaweed. You can do it! If you're looking for a standard go to side, get the teriyaki butter corn. If you're looking for a nice clean sake, get the Kiishi. You won't be disappointed. Agu Ramen, can you please open a branch in San Francisco? I would be a regular!

    (5)

  • Kathy A.

    Outstanding! Since I am a neophyte Ramen eater I found myself again following Rod U's review and stopping here this week to see what's up. Wow, since my last attempt was ruined at another ramen place I was hard pressed getting honey bunny here but once seated....he's a fan of this little restaurant. I tried the Spicy Kotteri, level 3, loving every bite. Could have gone another level but I thing it would have overwhelmed the flavor of the broth. I have seen the milky broth before but thought milk or God knows what was added. Boy was I so wrong! I wish this place was closer to Aiea so I could come once a week. Loved the egg, so soft and flavorful. The noodles were perfect and that broth.....I just wanted to plant my face in it. Should be illegal. Plenty of parking in the back of the shared Crusader' Alumni club house and our server, Desiree was the best! Oh, the Gyoza was awesome, HB ate his six and started on mine, dirty old man!

    (4)

  • Heidi P.

    I liked their Ramen so much I came back twice in one week! This restaurant is located where "Da Kitchen" used to be, right behind the First Hawaiian Bank. As you turn on to Isenburg street, all you have to do is look a little to the left and you can't miss it! With its rich red sign you can spot it easily. You may find street parking, but they also have several stalls to offer, however the lot is very narrow so if you have a long car you may want to try to park on the side of the restaurant rather than the front. The decor is very modern and clean and really invites you to come in and sit down to enjoy your meal. You are greeted at the door and the wait staff goes out of their way to provide good service. I originally came here on a recommendation and a cold. One of my very good friends told me to knock my cold out - eat spicy ramen...and this was the place to go and get it. I tried the Spicy Kotteri Tonkotsu Ramen - I was thinking just get this cold out of my body - so I went for the level 4....yup...and boy should I have scaled it down! This baby delivers! While it was incredibly spicy - it had great flavor. The broth was rich and full of nutrients from the noodles. I will say - if you like spicy this is your go to dish - but a 4 almost knocked me out of my chair! Trip two required that I scale it back - OK I chickened out - I went for the regular Kotteri Tonkotsu Ramen. It was full bodies and delicious - but I did miss a bit of spice. The noodles are firm but soft at the same time - not mushy and you just keep wanting to drink the broth to get every bit of it's flavor! I would recommend this place to anyone and I am strongly considering that it should be my go to Ramen place. The pricing is a little higher than most places with a bowl starting at about $11. They keep all the nutrients of the noodle water in with the broth - but I think it truly is worth it! Enjoy!

    (4)

  • Christopher B.

    Very small place. It's a little pricey for their serving size. Arrived around 5:30 with no wait, but just around 6 it got very busy.

    (4)

  • Jaswant A. S.

    We came here right around five on a weekday and lucked out because it was not too crowded. We were told to avoid going at peak hours so an early dinner worked out just right - yeah, we were told a bunch of good things about this place so we were here to see if it lived up to all that hype. We were seated after a little wait right at the counter - there were empty spaces at the counter but all tables were occupied. I ordered the Tonkotsu Ramen with Rafute. Rafute (ラフテー) is pretty much the Okinawan version of Buta Kakuni (pork belly) and is usually stewed in soy sauce and brown sugar - or some variation of that. So when I got my bowl it came with noodles, slices of char siu, a sprinkle of green onions, half a softboiled egg, a nice big cube of Rafute, and Tonkotsu broth with black sesame paste. I tried the broth first. Wow. Just wow. I thought the Kakuni Paitan ramen broth at Yotteko-Ya was the shiznit but this cranked it up a number of notches - pretty much off the charts. The Rafute - first time I ever had that and it was awesome - even though they gave me a knife to cut it with I didn't really have to as it was pretty tender. Tender and flavorful and juicy and just the right amount of fatty portion. We had gyoza too and the gyoza was good but this ramen bowl sort of overshadowed everything. Next time I'm in Hawaii I will definitely return to this place. Service was alright though I had to ask for more water at one point but otherwise our server, Jasmine, was pretty attentive. Price - it's on the pricey side but I'm ok with that because I will definitely pay a little more for quality ramen like this. Parking - they have a little lot but you might have to find street parking if it's full. Oh yeah - when we finally left Agu that evening, there was a group of almost 20 people waiting outside on the waiting list to get in. Early birds get less seating hassles.

    (5)

  • Naomi C.

    We went to eat lunch yesterday at 11:45. All three of us got very sick within 12 hours. We didn't eat anything together after lunch because we started feeling the symptoms around 5 p.m. that day, and getting progressively worse. We had the runs, stomach cramp, throw up, headache, and nausea. I think it was either the gyoza or the fried chicken skin. When I bit into the fried chicken skin, I did think it was slightly undercooked. It was not crispy but had that slight squish to it when you chewed down on it. I wasn't sure if anyone else got sick too on this day at this time. I called the restaurant to let them know, but there was no one live that answered the phone and I had to leave a message. They never called me back, so I am assuming they just don't care enough. Of course, we will never go back there again.

    (1)

  • Katt O.

    Excellent flavor! Would definitely go back and recommend them. I would have liked to have my ramen and husbands ramen be served at the same time. Great service. First timers ask questions. Will be going back again and again.

    (4)

  • Jim M.

    Wow, this place is fantastic. Maybe not the best neighborhood, but don't let that dissuade you. Plenty of parking and inside decor is very nice. Great service and the spicy Roman was awesome.

    (5)

  • Candace C.

    The Skinny: broth lacks porky depth and the tonkotsu noodles were overcooked (3) service: relatively prompt, service is friendly (3), value: the quality of the cuisine doesn't merit the higher than average price of their ramen (2.5). FYI: they have their own parking area in the back of the building. They do have a sign however when it is dark it is easy to miss. We were intrigued by the review of this joint so we went ahead and came in for bowls of their tonkotsu kotteri, jidori ramen and an order of their chicken karaage. To be fair, their tonkotsu ramen isn't bad... but it just wasn't memorable. The broth lacked the deep pork flavor I associate with a tonkotsu broth. The tonkotsu noodles were also decidedly overcooked. The chasu was okay but really nothing special. The egg was done perfectly though. Deciding to order something different from the hubs, I tried their jidori ramen. The chicken broth was good but again nothing spectacular. The ramen noodles were decidedly better than the tonkotsu noodles but still a bit more on the cooked side. In addition, we tried their jidori nanban which was really a fail for us. First of all, why go through all the trouble of deep frying a piece of chicken then drenching it in a sauce and overwhelming it with a crap load of egg salad? Yeah - my thought exactly. Texturally, it was one big sopping mess. The flavors of the sauce was completely lost underneath all that egg salad. Overall, not something that I would recommend ordering. In the big scheme of things, the food is okay but really nothing special and pricy to boot. Really it ranks about a 2.5 star in my book but the staff is nice so I bump it up to 3 starred review.

    (3)

  • Cindy B.

    With a lot of great reviews that I read, I was so excited to eat here. Unfortunately, my experience wasn't as great as others. We arrived around 5pm and did not have to wait for any seats. The restaurant is small and probably could seat a total of 40 people max. I thought the interior design was cute. As soon as we were seated we were given menus and water. As we ordered, Howard (our waiter) came by. It was my first time here so I asked Howard which would he recommend: Spicy Tonkotsu or Spicy Kotteri Tonkotsu. He was too concerned about who was walking in that he couldn't even answer my question. Throughout our order, he was just staring at the front door. He was also not very friendly. It almost seemed like he was irritated that he had to take our order. We ordered: Agu Gyoza ($5.25): Yum. The gyoza was crispy on the outside and so juicy on the inside. It was very flavorful and fresh! Jidori Karaage (~$11-12): Delicious. The chicken was battered lightly and fried. The sauce (shoyu based) that accompanied the chicken was good as well. Spicy Tonkotsu Ramen ($11.75): My boyfriend ordered this with spice level 4. My boyfriend said it was a bit spicy. He said the broth was bland, but had no other complaints. Spicy Kotteri Tonkotsu ($12.75): I ordered the level 4 as well. It was not spicy at all. Had to get two extra level 5 dishes on the side. It was finally to a spice level that I enjoyed. If you can handle spicy, you should get a level 5 or higher. My ramen had no flavor nor was the broth even hot. The charsui was probably the best part of the ramen. Kona Coffee Gelato and Mango Sorbetto ($4.50/each): Both were absolutely fantastic!! Yummy! Very soft and creamy. Perfect way to end our meal! Howard brought us our check before we even got our dessert. He just walked by and dropped it on our table. Annoying. He didn't even add our dessert in. Luckily, my boyfriend was nice enough to tell the other waitress that they forgot to add the dessert in. I don't know if I will be back soon. The appetizers were great and food came out in a timely manner, but ramen was so-so and our waiter sucked.

    (3)

  • Alice C.

    Everyones all about eating pho when they're hanging these days but lately.. Ramens been trying to make a come back. Theres so many new Ramen shops opening up! I tried Agu Ramen last week for the first time and instantly fell in love. I fell so fast that I had to go twice in one week. I'm so in love that as I'm typing this, i'm fantasizing eating it. What makes this place different from other ramen places is their broth. They got this thick garlic broth (Kotteri) and if you like spicy, they got FIVE levels of spicyness. Such a challenge. The service is wonderful.. well I had the same server twice. I apologize that I forgot his name. I want to say Daniel but I might be wrong. He gave excellent service. He was informative and would joke around with us. He had suggested on my first time to get a level 2 or even lower and to just get extra spicy sauce on the side so that I can test it out for next time. Level two I felt was just enough spicy where you can still enjoy the flavor of the broth and enjoy every bite. The second time I went, I got a level 3, that may have been a bit too spicy for me but still bearable. Now I can't imagine level 5 but maybe some day I will take the challenge.. work my way up there. Theres something about their gyoza that taste different from other ramen places. The meat stuffed inside is different. Definitely home made and definitely delicious. They are getting their liquor license soon so for now you can go next door to the bar and bring your beer from there but once they get their liquor license, they will have some beers on draft! What better way to eat Ramen than pairing it with some good Kirin?! Price Range: I believe the cheapest ramen is atleast $10.. so a bit pricier than most ramen places, or similar prices to ramen at Shirokiya. Oh Agu Ramen, you definitely make me cry Agu in a good way. probably in a bad way after I look at my wallet.. :P

    (5)

  • Glenys Mae D.

    Karaage was perfect. Spicy 4 on my ramen was just right. Perfect place to go after late surf session

    (5)

  • Kelli L.

    The spicy koterri is really good. The noodles are so soft. I got spicy level 2 this time and it was a little spicy for me. I tried the level 1 before and it didn't seem spicy at all. The broth didn't seem very thick to me. If you're looking for thick broth, the koterri at tenkaipen is definitely what you're looking for. The gyoza is very good. The bottom has a little crunch but the rest of it is very soft. Also ventured to try the pig ears. It wasn't anything special to me. Just tasted like thinly cut pork rines. One downside is that the place isn't that big and is a hard place to accommodate a big party. We only had a party of 5 and had to sit across from each other in the middle bar since the bigger table was taken. I would definitely recommend to get the spicy koterri and gyoza.

    (4)

  • Krislyn S.

    Good quality and fast service as well from beginning to end. The best ramen I've had so far. The broth was flavorful, garlicky and creamy and I love how you can add a level of heat to it. The charsui was tender.

    (5)

  • Mitchell N.

    Having come back from Kawasaki a little while ago, I've been searching for a thick, flavorful broth and tender pieces of char siu in my ramen. A (famous? at least, well followed) blogger had recommended Agu so I decided to stop by. It was nearly empty when I arrived Friday, just after 5pm. Strange for such a popular place I thought. I ordered a beer and a spicy ramen. They differentiate the levels by stars, I figured I'd start on the higher end. Our waiter advised me that it was toooo spicy, so I kicked it down to mid-range. Now...have you ever had a dish where it was so overpowering, it just tasted like blaaahhh? There was waayy too much heat. Yes, it's my fault for ordering such a spicy dish but there was zero flavor in it anymore! I could have just ordered over the top spicy chicken wings and it would have tasted the same. That aside, I did give it 4 stars. My wife's ramen was good - not the best, but better than most and certainly tastier than mine. We ordered gyoza too, which was just okay (I'm spoiled by homemade gyoza). I'd come back if I were in the neighborhood and try it with a regular ramen.

    (4)

  • Addie L.

    Very high quality ramen which is worth the slightly higher premium price in comparison to it's peers and smaller portions too. If you are hungry, recommend that you order the X large for $3.50. My wife ordered the spicy kotteri with level 4 out of 5 in spicy level. It's the right level for her, but for regular folks, a 2 or 3 should suffice. A level 5 would not be a good choice as it would overwhelm all of the other flavors. Broth is very flavorful, with hints of an unknown spice and smoky flavor. Noodles are well cooked. The pieces of pork are of high quality, lean but very tender. I wanted to be different and ordered the Jidori chicken ramen. This is a contrast to the spicy kotteri as this has a mild and subtle flavor. Think of this as a healthy and clean tasting chicken noodle soup. Probably not going to order this next time. The gyoza is very good, the classic way how this should be made. Recommend that you order this with your ramen. A drawback is that I wished they gave this to us before the ramen came, not at the same time. This restaurant is small, so it fills up quickly. Recommend going for lunch instead. Service is quick and friendly. Would give it four stars with the miss with the gyoza timing and no hot tea (how is that possible?).

    (4)

  • Iris K.

    I've been on a ramen kick lately since I've somehow caught another cold (graveyard shifts are terrible for the immune system I tell you!!) so the bf and I wanted to try out a new spot and I'm sooooo glad we did. Parking was a little hectic because the St Louis alumni group was having an event. I ended up parking at the First Hawaiian bank (it's marked for agu ramen) after circling the block once. Ambiance - this spot is nice for a younger crowd with its fresh and trendy decor. It's a small place with about half of the seating at the center bar area. Service - It's quick! We didn't wait long and I got my bowl of steaming delicious ramen and gyoza pretty quickly after we ordered. Food- I have to say hands down my new favorite ramen spot. I got the kotteri tonkotsu ramen and the bf got a level 2 spicy kotteri tonkotsu ramen. We couldn't stop raving about how good the broth was, and the noodles seemed to be fresh-made and nicely chewy. I can't wait to come back.

    (5)

  • Carrie Y.

    Ordered the spicy tonkotsu ramen (spicy level 1, not too much of a hardcore spice fan) and it was actually not spicy at all. The boyfriend, who had a spicy kotteri tonkotsu, and I had to ask for more of the Thai peppers/chili on the side. There are up to 10 levels of spiciness, but the menu only advertises up to level 5. If you can handle spiciness, try level 10 WTF! The noodles were nice and soft and the broth was rich and flavorful as well. Parking is plentiful and when we arrived on a Thursday afternoon, we were the only ones there! Service is good. The waiter who helped us was very informative and even said that they will be opening up a bar by the end of the month! As of now, it's BYOB from a liquor store in the same lot. However, if you want to take-out, you cannot take-out the ramen. You are only able to take out appetizers..

    (4)

  • Rod U.

    FINALLY. Quality tonkotsu ramen in Hawaii. To the LA foodies, it rivals Daikokuya. Tonkotsu, a rich, viscous, pork broth made by extracting then concentrating collagen and gelatin from the marrow of pork bones, made even more complex by the addition of bonito, konbu, soy, and garlic. Never fatty, just the rich essence of piggy goodness yearning to be drunk. Agu's version of tonkotsu is well rounded, heavily extracted, mildly salty. Variants include: - Shoyu - MSG heavy from the addition of dashi and more soy with the added complexity of the obligatory, earthy, black sesame paste. Classic. - Shio - Balanced and cleanest pork flavor. - Kotteri - Bitterness of the garlic chips accentuate the sweetness of the pork. Good flavor. The addition of fat does make drinking all the broth difficult. - Spicy kotteri - Heat from fresh jalapeño peppers, chili oil and chili flakes adds another dimension of sweet, smoky flavor to the broth at lower levels but the becomes off balance the higher up the scale. Wanna look like you finished your workout at the gym? Level five. Well cooked, thin noodles with decent chew and seasoning. Well made marinated egg and well braised cha siu. As many have mentioned, the gyoza is good. Light, almost fluffy filling, perfect finishing sear. Unfortunately when they are busy, the gyoza comes at the end of the meal, not with it. Never tried the Jidori chicken ramen. Small lot but plenty of street parking. Efficient service. Good value at around $12 per bowl. A very welcome addition to Hawaii's ramen scene.

    (4)

  • Alyssa K.

    I came here again with my husband and this time the soup was not bland. It was quite good!

    (4)

  • Yuzen Y.

    I got the spicy kotteri tonkotsu and was pleased with it. The flavor was rich and the amount of fried garlic wasn't over powering. However, I was a little disappointed with the gyoza. The fried portion wasnt crispy and the flavor was a little mild - more cabbage than meat/garlic. Not what I'm used to as a frequent traveler to Kyushu...

    (4)

  • Steve W.

    Friend was sick and he loves this place. Wouldn't let me take ramen to go. Horrible customer service

    (1)

  • Lee Ying K.

    When did ramen become such a fetishized foodie item? Being so tasty and accessible, everybody these days seems to have their opinion on what the best or hottest ramen joint in town is. I like the fact that ramen has taken on a multitude of tastes and forms and variations, both locally and abroad. I don't like the fact that people inevitably set up rivalries (Goma Tei vs. Goma Ichi! Agu vs. Hokkaido!) in defense of their beloved favorites... why can't we just mutually appreciate all tasty ramen :I Disclaimer aside, Agu Ramen is pretty fantastic. I actually didn't think much of its ramen on my first visit, but after trying the Spicy Kotteri Tonkotsu Ramen, I've concluded that Agu's strength lies more in its spicy flavored broths, rather than the shoyu and shio ones. As in curry, a well-constructed spice can add real dimension to a dish's flavor. I feel like the shoyu and shio broths here fall short of the depth of flavor carried by the luscious shio broth at Hokkaido Ramen Santouka, but the spicy kotteri broth at Agu is great on its own. The spice levels are ranked from 1-5, and are exceedingly spicy... such that I would recommend a 1-2 so that the heat doesn't interfere with the flavor of the actual ramen broth. 2 is plenty. The noodles here are a bit different than the traditional "curly" (suddenly, amateur food writer) ones. Agu's noodles are pale and straight, but their plainness somehow complements the sesame and spice overtones in the broth really well. Delicious. The gyoza here arrives in a set of six (!) so you don't have to bicker over who gets the last piece (or in the case of the dieting foodie; who is forced to eat the last piece). Order an extra egg here; the egg's yolk is so flavorful that I really wonder what it is about Japanese eggs that make them so much tastier than the ones we buy in the supermarket. Great ramen for spice-lovers, and a real treat to enjoy with a friend during these colder winter months.

    (5)

  • Paul H.

    One year later and still excellent. I had to come out here for work and I looked forward to coming here all week. I was not disappointed. I had the Koterri Tonkatsu (original) spice level 1 and the Agu Gyoza as a side. I left satisfied. Look, I'm a mainlander who gets out here once a year at best so I have nothing much to compare it to, but all I can say is that I love the food, atmosphere, service and have never been disappointed.

    (5)

  • Dawn O.

    Pros: yummy! Cons: not enough tummy space! I will definitely go again. I had the original kotteri and it was melt in your mouth! Need to turn up the ac just a bit, tho.

    (4)

  • Chris K.

    A little expensive but good place to go at least once. a large variety of ramen and the curry was delicious. The salted caramel ice cream from IL Gelato was ah-maze-ing. Love it. Over all a good experince.

    (4)

  • Chip M.

    Agu is the place to be for spicy garlic ramen...the koterri broth is the bomb with the garlic....one of the best ramen noodles in town..our server Yao, very helpful and knows which stuff taste da best!!! The yuzu ramen is also very tasty!!!!

    (5)

  • Sara S.

    Confession: I went to Agu ramen and didn't get the tonkotsu or kotteri ramen. I got the Shoyu Jidori ramen instead ($11.75)!! GASP GASP GASP. I just wasn't feeling a heavy lunch at the time. Gotta make sure that Agu is well-rounded, right??? But even though I didn't try their staples, I enjoyed my food. The jidori ramen is a clear broth, and it kind of just tasted like a good shoyu ramen. The noodles are thin and an excellent level of chewiness. I managed to grab a taste of Nicole K's Spicy Kotteri ramen. It actually wasn't too heavy so I probably could've gotten one-- pretty legit Hakata ramen! But wow that thing is potent and I believe it was only at level 2 spiciness! There was more than enough chili to go around, but the waitress gave her some extra chili paste. We also shared a 6-piece order gyoza, which was just right! Ramen and gyoza are like sushi and beer- a perfect combo! The decor is quite classy unlike small, crowded mom and pop ramen shops you'd find in Japan. If you're going for a nice casual lunch/dinner, this is great place to go for some ramen without dealing with the crowds of Goma-tei. First review of 2014!! Happy 2014!!!

    (4)

  • Steve E.

    I consider myself a little better than average when judging this wonderful dish we call ramen. i went to lunch with a couple of pals the other afternoon. i decided to try one of their special ramen dishes called "the hot mess" It was very garlicky and cheesy! very different and clever use of flavors. it reminded me of how Pietro's presents their pasta dishes. Not quite Italian but not quite Asian, more of a good mix. That's how this ramen came across to me. If you don't like garlic or parmesan cheese than I don't think you would like it. Fortunately I love both. On my first visit a few months earlier, I tried the Kotteri ramen which was very flavorful and rich. I don't think getting the really spicy ones are necessary unless you really like red pepper. Anyways, the thing that made me give this place 5 stars was the exceptional service by the waiters and the manager. our waiter asked us how our food tasted shortly after we dug in. i think that's an important thing that some places are lacking. after we were finished the manager came over to deliver us the bill. he mentioned that in his opinion the ramen took too long to come out to us! whoa, that's the first time that's ever happened to me. He gave us a small discount and apologized. That was a class act!

    (5)

  • Lydia K.

    Found this little gem the day we arrived in Oahu recently and wished we had more time to be able to come again! Everything we ordered was fresh and delicious .. such as the fried pig ear, gyoza, and the black infused garlic ramen. Make sure you stop by!

    (5)

  • Jeff C.

    Meh. The food was a 4 star and that was barely there. I got a miso tonkotsu. It wasn't good. It wasn't bad. But it was waaaay overpriced. I also opted for sides. The fries are a rip-off. I think I counted maybe fifteen... Gyoza was good. Slightly mushy Service really drove the score down. I get that the restaurant is cramped. I understood that the wait time might be long, but nothing excuses the "I just sucked a lemon face" by our waitress. Parking was a trip. Being affiliated with the St. Louis alumni association made parking a breeze. I paid about 40.00 for two people for lunch. Pricey for meh.

    (3)

  • Chani M.

    We've been going to Agu for around a year now, and haven't been disappointed by the quality of the food yet. Parking is sometimes a challenge, but there is a lot of street parking in the neighborhood. There's usually a line when we go, but we are generally able to get in within 15-30 minutes, and it's always worth the wait! My favorite is the shoyu jidori, which is a simple shoyu broth, and is delicious! I've heard raves about the spicy kotteri too, which I understand is VERY spicy. I'd give this place 5 stars, but they recently took away the option of getting an XL portion, which used to cost a few extra dollars, and was an extra-large portion of noodles with extra broth. Now, they only offer extra noodles, which comes as a serving of noodles with no broth. As a small eater, I like to share with my fiance, but without the option to add a little more broth, it's impossible for us both to enjoy our meals without buying two bowls of ramen. Sometimes, though, this works out, because we can each order something different and share! :)

    (4)

  • Aileen F.

    Really great service! The food was really good too. We got the pig ears. Fried chicken skin. Gyoza. Corn with garlic butter. Kurobuta pork sausage. Yuzu jidori ramen. A bit spicy. Nice citrus touch. "Hot mess." A tonkotsu base with Parmesan cheese, interesting but good. All of our dishes were really good. Ramen was a step up from the traditional ramens. A four star because although great, I've had better.

    (4)

  • Janet K.

    I got the level 4 spicy kotteri tonkotsu. I thought it was aight. The noodles were on the thin side, which is fine but they sure were stingy with it. The broth was spicy but not the good kind. I couldn't taste any debt to the broth... It was just overpowered with hot peppers. I really wanted to be able to taste the broth AND have it be super spicy! The gyoza was good and the service was quick. I may be back to taste the broth in its naked form.

    (3)

  • Matt L.

    I had the spicy tonkotsu kotteri ramen. It was very good, but not outstanding for $13. The place seats maybe 50 people, and parking is a little tight so I suggest carpooling. We went in a party of 5 on a Thursday night, and it was still busy at 10pm--full house but we were seated in about 20 minutes. Service was overall pretty average. It was nice to taste test a pate, which had some earthy flavors. Perhaps, it'll be on the menu soon.

    (4)

  • Eddie T.

    My second chance, Agu ramen must have changed something as it tasted a lot better. Still I was hesitant to try the Gyoza, i've ordered the Chicken nanban and it was great! Customer service was good, and I hope to visit again.

    (4)

  • Austin Y.

    First time eating here and it was excellent. I've been searching for a cleaner broth with my Ramen and they didn't disappoint. I enjoyed the SHIO JIDORI. A healthier version to enjoy Ramen, must try.

    (5)

  • Reimi D.

    I really love Agu ramen. I misunderstood "tonkotsu" for "tonkatsu" when I first read the menu. No problem though, because the spicy kotteri tonkotsu ramen pretty much blew my mind. The broth was SO good--if I was at home I would have picked up the bowl and drank it. The noodles are thin and firm, softer toward the end of the meal--as to be expected--but still on the firmer side. It was SO good. Agu ramen is now my go-to ramen joint, though I will still go to Yotteko-ya at McCully because they are also one of my faves. My hubby could not stop talking about the the ramen, either. We went with spicy level 2 but will try level 3 next time (it goes up to 5, and higher for the crazies). The gyoza should not be missed. The meat was cooked all the way (no pink) through, with just enough crisp on the outside. Service was great--friendly wait staff and quick service. The ambiance, very nice and roomy. Seating is comfortable. Parking, not a hassle. Get there around 5:30ish and you will most likely beat the dinner rush. Our waitress told us that it gets busiest at the lunch hour and from about 6:30-8:30 pm. In my opinion they are comparable to Goma Tei. Indeed, Goma Tei's char-siu is thicker with a fall-apart tenderness that is sorta to die for, but the broth at Agu Ramen steals the show. Also, with Goma Tei you have to either deal with cramped Ward parking or the insanity of Ala Moana parking (until they are done with Bloomingdales and everything else they are building/adding to the mall in the next 5-7 years) At Agu Ramen, they have ample parking, as well as lots of street parking on Isenberg. And maybe it's because we didn't go at the busiest time, but it's kind of nice to not have to put your name down on a clipboard and wait almost 20-30 minutes every. single. time. like at Goma Tei--both locations. I am tempted to try the Shoyu Jidori (chicken) ramen on our next visit, but we'll see. I may need to get my kotteri tonkotsu fix.

    (5)

  • Brit N.

    Agu is the best ever and what makes this place even better, are the awesome servers like Grayson! Top notch food... Best Japanese style curry on the island, and not to mention their ramen, which they are known for. You won't be disappointed when dining here.

    (5)

  • Dan F.

    How do you like your ground beef? 80% protein with 20% fat? Well if I had to describe my ramen experience here. The soup was 80% oil and 20% water. This was from the level 5 spice level from the Kotteri Tonkotsu ramen I had. I didn't like the soft thin noodles. I prefer them to be chewy but not too firm. The broth was very flavorful but not as spicy as I thought it would be. I didn't want to drink too much of the broth since it was very oily. It was most likely from the added chili oil to increase the spiciness. When I shook my bowl, it was almost gelatinous like jello. The pan seared gyoza was very good and didn't taste store bought or prepackaged. The portions are on the small side and the price was a little expensive for ramen. It took 15 minutes to get my order.

    (3)

  • Pam D.

    AMAZING broth! We ordered the black garlic ramen, the broth is flavorful and thick, exactly as they described. It's on the heavier side, but that's the appeal. On the lighter side, there is the jidori ramen. The flavor is very distinct and slightly citrusy.

    (5)

  • Sarah V.

    It's like someone had a house/ estate or something and decided to build a ramen place instead of a home. It was comforting being there is what I'm trying to get at. But perhaps even more so? When you come home to your ungrateful family are you greeted with a welcome home? Nah. Let's be real coming home isn't really a miracle on the every day. But when you walk into agu there are multiple voices that should "irrashaimase!!! & welcome to agu!!" Very warmly & with PASSION. The same passion that you saw fade from your lover's eyes all those years ago. I don't know what the name of our server was, but she had light hair, a fringe, and was most likely an angel hybrid sent from above to spread some hope back to this godless earth. She was very sweet, on top of it, really a breeze to talk to & even held the door open for us as we walked out as it wasn't too busy that day. Super sweet! Non stop thank you's were sent her way. Got a small bowl of curry & gyoza and was full! Really nice proportions here. And tbh I thought good Japanese curry did not exist to be purchased on this island. Don't fight me on this, y'all that say coco's in hawaii has the best curry you could ever get here are HIGH. The curry at agu is quality & tastes homemade! A lot of the food tastes home made which is odd for being in a restaurant that isn't like a cramped hole in the wall. So yeah, I can't wait to bring my friends here!! If anyone reading this thinks ramen ya's ramen is #1 you need to find god. (You'll find what you're looking for here)

    (5)

  • Aldora K.

    I am more of a fan of gyoza than noodles! Of course Agu Ramen did not disappoint when I tried the Kottorei Tonkastu Ramen and Gyoza! I love the broth and drank the entire bowl clean! I highly recommend checking out Agu Ramen, but I must warn you that there is a wait time during weekends and busy hours...

    (4)

  • June O.

    Parking wasn't as bad since they have stalls in the front, side and back. It's located right behind First Hawaiian Bank in Moilili--fairly easy to find. We came here a little after 1 in the afternoon on a Saturday hoping to miss the lunch rush and it was the perfect time. They seated us right away. I wanted to try the Spicy Kotteri Tonkotsu Ramen since it had the black garlic oil inside. Totally unhealthy for you but come on, it's okay to splurge once in a while right? Since we were on a roll for unhealthy, we also ordered the fried chicken skins. (There was a much nicer name for it but I forgot what it was.) Originally, I wanted to order a Level #4 spicy ramen. After much deliberation, I decided that I wanted to experience the broth a little more rather than testing my tolerance for spiciness. I'm glad I did. Level #2 wasn't spicy at all. It had the right amount of kick and the broth was flavorful. Rich indeed but tasty. The fried chicken skin was absolutely delicious as well and served with a refreshing ponzu shoyu sauce. The price was a little steep for ramen but given the flavor of the broth, I approved. The service was on point. They came often to fill the waters (I think they were worried about a lot of customers who ordered spicy ramen). They definitely needed to fix the AC unit though. From the moment we walked in, it was a little warmer than I would expect it to be, given that it was a ramen restaurant. All in all, it was a good experience and delicious. My other favorite ramen place is Yottekoya in McCully shopping center. I can't really compare the two since the broth is different but Agu is probably up there with Yottekoya. Would I return? Absolutely. But I would probably try a few other new ramen places before coming back. There's so much new restaurants that popped up over the last couple of years that I don't want to miss!

    (4)

  • Aaron K.

    Food: 5/5 Price: 5/5 Service: 5/5 Organization: 5/5 Layout: 4/5 Ambiance: 5/5 Went here with some coworkers after we got off our shift and totally loved it. The food is amazing, fresh and flavorful. I wasn't feeling too hungry so I only ordered one dish. I did get a chance to sample off a few other appetizers that my coworkers ordered. The price for everything is reasonable and you can super-size your order. I would definitely advise that you come with a voracious appetite if you do get the XL size (+$3.50). - Hiyashi Ramen ($10.75): Extremely delicious and like the description says, very refreshing. The sauce really compliments the entire dish superbly and I would highly recommend it for those hot days. - Spicy Tonkotsu ($11.75): My coworkers ordered this. With 5 levels of spiciness, you would think that would be enough. However, one of my coworkers said it wasn't spicy enough even though it looked completely black at level 5. If you really need that extra kick, I would suggest asking them for additional hot sauce you can add in. That is if you have an iron caste stomach. I take my hat off to my coworker for this one. - Kotteri Garlic Edamame ($4.50): Great appetizer because who doesn't love edamame? The garlic oil really gives it a whole different flavor. - Agu Gyoza ($5.25): Just the right amount of crispy and tenderness. You know it's made fresh. You actually have to make your own sauce which just adds to the different flavors you can add to this dish. A must have! - Kicked Up Fries ($5.25): Crispy and pipping hot! They're not those dinky little fries some places may serve but a great size that make for an amazing snack. The dipping sauces are also delicious for this one! - Jidori Karaage ($11.75): Nice and crispy on the outside, juicy and tender on the inside. Absolutely loved it and the fact that my coworker was too full and was willing to offer me a piece. (need some emoticons for this one. haha) The service was on point. They were quick and polite and our orders came out pretty swiftly. The ambiance was pleasant but the only drawback to this location is the layout; it's pretty small and compact. I would suggest going early if you have a large group because space is limited and fills up quick. I can't wait to go back here and sample more of the dishes they have to offer!

    (4)

  • Orange S.

    I love ramen but the tonkatsu soup base here tops everyone else thus far (not Japanese and have not been to japan yet) Oh! and the way they make that egg!!! Don't skip over this one.

    (5)

  • Lauren C.

    Agu ramen succeeded my expectations. To keep it short and simple- I got the Kotteri Tonkatsu. I asked the waitress what her personal favvv was and she said that she would go with the Kotteri Tonkatsu Spicy, however as many of you know, I cant hang with the spicy crowd, so she suggested just getting the regular Kotteri over the other choices (Shoyu or Shio Tonkatsu). And I was so happy with my choice!! She was right. The broth had sooo much flavor! If only there was a lot of it. I ran out of broth before I finished my noodles! (But mind you, I eat broth with every bite). One thing I am not a fan of is their thin noodles. Nothing personal- I just like thicker noodles better. It still tasted delicious and they give you PLENTY noodles :) This is one of the newer ramen shops on the island and it was #2 on my ramen treasure hunt- Im gonna try all the new ramen shops eventually- and I rank it top on my list so far!

    (4)

  • Ave L.

    This is the best ramen on the island, and that's a tough claim. Take the spicy challenge! You will be in heaven! They're so legit- they don't do take out ;)

    (5)

  • Kristen K.

    Best tonkotsu ramen I have had here in Hawaii, to-date. Apparently this restaurant just opened up about a month ago. They are located on Isenberg in the old Da Kitchen spot, across from Old Stadium Park. Parking can be quite difficult to come by in that area. They have a few reserved marked stalls (I'd say about 7 or 8) in front and alongside the restaurant. We scored one of these when we stopped in on a Friday night. The restaurant is small, but cozy. The way they did their table layout really maximizes the space. There's some normal "low" tables, a few hightop tables, and a long shared counter table right in the middle. As soon as we were seated, we were given water, drink orders were taken (for my Diet Coke) and asked if we'd like to order gyoza. We said yes, and our gyoza came only a few minutes after our ramen did. I noted that some previous reviewers mentioned that they got their gyoza at the end of their meals. So it was good to see that the staff figured out how to better time this item. And while we're talking about the gyoza, can I just mention that they also serve some of the best gyoza that I've had? The filling was tasty, they were not oily, and the bottoms were perfectly browned. We also got an order of the garlic edamame. It was alright. I picked out most of the yummy garlic chips and threw them into my ramen instead. Service was good. We were continuously checked upon, and our waters were always refilled. The ramen and the edamame came out really fast., with the gyoza following it a few minutes later. So.......*drumroll please*......about the ramen. I got the kotteri tonkotsu and added an "extra egg" (note: $1 for each additional egg half). Other half got the spicy tonkotsu, level 3. I had a sip of the soup and initially thought it was tolerable, but then the "aftermath" burn kicked in. And it was WAY too much for me. He enjoyed it, but said he wouldn't mind dropping it to the level 2 next time. Ok so back to my ramen: it was OH-SO GOOD. The broth was amazing. Not too salty, but tasty and flavorful. Also not too thick (ex: Tenkaippin's broth). The noodles are also a lot thinner than typical ramen noodles, and this made it so much easier to get a good spoonful of both noodles and broth. The garnishes are also top notch: melt-in-your-mouth pieces of charsiu, half of a soft-boiled egg, thin cuts of menma (bamboo shoots), crispy garlic chips, and the thinnest slivers of negi (green onion) that were all uniform and sliced to perfection. I ate the ENTIRE bowl. Yes, everything. Down to the very last half-spoonful of broth. I had to sit there for a minutes after my last bite to try to contemplate just how a bowl of ramen could be so dang GOOD. After that, I contemplated getting one to-go...just so I could eat it again a half an hour later. But I refrained. However, I did talk about how good my ramen was the WHOLE way home. And brought it up again the next day. And the day after that. And I told all my friends about it and told them to go try it too. And made my boyfriend promise that we could go back again (as soon as possible). I guess I just REALLY liked this place (if you can't tell by now). So now, you go try it. And sit there in contentment after you demolish every last drop of that ramen, and then ponder how amazingly good it was, and then wonder when you can come back again. Because it was just that good. And to thank me for introducing you to this ramen joint gem, you can order me a to-go tonkotsu while you are at it, ok? Add that extra half-an-egg please. :)

    (5)

  • Kayla R.

    Meh. It's okay. I liked the broth of my shio jidori, it was more of a clear broth! Very clean tasting! My boyfriend got the koterri tonkotsu, his tasted interesting he got it at the level 2, just tasting like the added chili oil to the broth. So nothing special. The thing I found weird was the noodles, in my dish it was verrrrry skinny ramen noodles, and my boyfriends his was like little somen skinny white ramen noodles. I'm more of the thicker noodle in my ramen type of girl so I didn't enjoy it so much. Bottom line, broth good! Service great! Noodles thumbs down. It's very clean inside so that was nice. There was a baby near our table throwing noodles all over the place, the parents didn't even care to stop her (not thinking of others in the restaurant/gross I don't want those noodles ending up on me!) so maybe it just wasn't a good experience. P.s. This was literally the smallest bowl of ramen I've ever had in my life! They need to up the size a little bit, I left still hungry! (Sad face)

    (3)

  • K L.

    One of my favorite Ramen places in town. Food: no doubt so god damn delicious! But the one star off is for the high-price for a bowl of ramen. It's $13-15 compare to $8-10 at most other ramen places. I'd definitely visit there more if the price is lower.

    (4)

  • Jared F.

    Bari Kote Tonkotsu Ramen pictured here. Garlic and butter aplenty. I thoroughly enjoyed the ramen, but golly I would not drink any more of the broth by how rich it is. The flavors are well rounded, but I still have reservations against thin noodles. Topping wise, I don't like my egg's yolk soft but the charsiu is soft and very delicious. Everything else besides: the gyoza rivals my favorite, and the karaage chicken is top notch in juiciness; service was prompt and good on water refills and checking on customer satisfaction. Pricy, though. Come here if you have a nice date, it's well worth the dinner.

    (5)

  • Sean R.

    It was great until I saw one of the chefs use the restroom and not wash his hands! Yuck! This is unacceptable in my opinion. Wash your hands! Ruined my otherwise wonderful Ramen dinner. Great atmosphere, great service and value. Terrible hygiene.

    (1)

  • Justin C.

    The parking at this place is sometimes difficult because of the popularity.. But rest assured, the search is well worth the experience. It has a great lighting and layout to make you feel relaxed and in the mood for ramen! I was shocked by the prices of each dish.. it will cost you at least $11.. It is well worth the price.. I got the jidori chicken ramen and it was well packed with ingredients and flavor. I can't say it was the best I have had, but it will be one of the top places.. The level of spicy from 2 to 3 is a huge jump! 2 is very tolerable..and if you are not expecting the kick, it will really surprise you. But once you settle down the 3 becomes manageable but you may be a little sweaty afterwards.. The gyoza was brought out in the middle of our ramen, it was nice and crispy and very soft in the middle. It seemed to have the right amount of outer crunch and inner flavor.. I do wish it was a little more stuffed. Overall this was a great experience to go for! It really puts you in the mood to indulge in ramen.

    (4)

  • Masato I.

    Great new ramen spot on Isenberg at King St. Limited parking in the lot, but there was plenty street parking this trip. Ramen is pork-bone broth with hakata-style thin and relatively firm noodles. Broth is really rich (my fav!!), egg was nicely boiled, and the char-siu was good. I have tried the shoyu tonkotsu, spicy tonkotsu (level3), and gyoza. Shoyu tonkotsu is nice and rich, unapologetically "koterri." Wife talked me out of ordering the level 5 spicy tonkotsu, because yikes, that was hot!! I'll settle on 2 and enjoy the flavor. Toasted garlic and plenty of hot pepper seeds in the broth. I recommend this one if you like some kick. Gyoza was done well, came out steaming and perfectly crisped. Modern interior with counter and table seating. The place is kept clean and the shoyu, vinegar, rayu, and white pepper were all kept neat. Service was friendly and attentive. They also have gelato from il Gelato... I'll tack on the 5th star when they either sell beer or let me BYOB... the spicy tonkotsu is too hot not to have a beer with it!!

    (4)

  • Alyson Y.

    After being a long-time fan of Da Kitchen (the former tenants of Agu Ramen's location), I was looking forward to loving a new ramen restaurant close to home. But, I was a bit disappointed. I went there with my sister and boyfriend. My sister ordered the Shoyu Jidori ($11.75) which looked delicious and smelled so good. She's not partial to spicy foods and even then, she said she found the broth a bit bland for her liking. I ordered the Spicy Tonkotsu #3 ($11.75 and you can choose your spiciness level from 1 - 5). It was perfectly spicy. Lots of flavor, but not so hot that it's enjoyable. But, I was disappointed with how little noodles and meat there was. For $11.75 I would have expected a hearty amount of noodles, at least. My boyfriend ordered the Spicy Tonkotsu #5 ($11.75). The waitress asked if he had ever eaten their #5 before and he said he had not. She advised he start off at a #3 and they can give you spices on the side. Not one to back down from a perceived challenge, he insisted upon the #5 and was not disappointed. He said it was the spiciest ramen he has ever had and really enjoyed it. After ordering, the waitress offered him more broth in case it was too spicy - which I thought was nice. Though he didn't use the additional broth, she did mention they have a bowl spicier than the #5 (which they refer to as "Epic"). Overall, the food was okay. The decor was nice (and you'd never guess it use to be Da Kitchen!). They added more dedicated parking stalls than they had when it was owned by Da Kitchen. And they have even rented out some parking stalls at the Bank of Hawaii next door, if you do after the BoH closes. You can tell which are reserved for Agu Ramen customers because they are marked with pylon cones. It makes parking much more convenient than before, without disrupting the Saint Louis Alumni in the back of the building. Still, with all of the improvements they made to the site - I was still not sold. For nearly $12 a bowl, the portions are tiny and not enough to get you full. We did finish with an order or sorbet (because my mouth was on fire!). They only offered sorbet in peach flavor, when we were there. And I'm not a big peach fan, so I didn't love it. But, I liked that they offered you something to cool down with after such spicy ramen. Giving this place 3 out of 5 stars because I found the pricing pretty outrageous for the portion size. I was hoping to love it, but it just wasn't good enough to bring me back.

    (3)

  • Murray B.

    This place made a solid first impression. Since I didn't visit when it was Da Kitchen, I don't know what the interior looked like before Agu came along. But now it feels modern and yet still cozy. They have a small bar area (roughly 10 seats) in the middle as well as a number of tables surrounding it. The staff was friendly throughout the visit. The waiter even gave me a bit of the "raised eyebrow look" when I ordered the spicy tonkotsu at level 3 as if to say "Are you sure about that?". But I assured him that, while I appreciated him watching out for me, I like spicy food. The ramen was damn good and level 3 had plenty of kick. While acknowledging that chefs have different opinions on how to make it, I do prefer the char siu at Goma Tei a bit more. But that won't stop me from coming back to Agu for more ramen! p.s. Although I didn't notice this before, Agu gives you the option of doubling the portion of ramen noodles and adding some extra broth and seasonings via the XL size. Nice to know if I go in next time totally famished!

    (4)

  • Emily E.

    ATTENTION SPICY LOVERS whenever i go out for ramen I almost always chose something off the menu that claims to be spicy, and 75% of the time it ISNT AT ALL. But at Agu their spice is FOR REAL, I ordered the Spicy Tonkotsu level 3 and I have to say there was a good amount of heat. They have a spicy scale from 1-5 but i didn't want to risk it being overpowering so I kept it safe at 3. I WAS SO RIGHT~ I can handle spicy foods and level 3 was perfect for me, I could still taste the other flavors of the broth so i was happy. I will say that the broth is a little too salty and I decided to spoon off the top layer of my broth because it was mostly OIL..( it would've been nice if they had taken some oil off the top of both our bowls before sending them out) my bf ordered spice level 5 and HOLY SALTBALLS~ i didn't know spicy meant salty...but thats how it came out. Shio Ramen~ I prefer this ramen to the spicy tonkotsu because they broth seems lighter and tastier to me. But I ask the server for a small dish of hot sauce on the side, that way I can kick it up as much as I want without having to worry that it'll be too much. Gyoza~ the gyoza here is yummy, it always comes out super hot and fresh and it not super stuffed which Is something I prefer. They also seem to fry it up just right, a MUST.

    (4)

  • Chris S.

    Been here many time from when they opened. This is sp far my favorite ramen place. The noodles and soup base in my opinion has more balance than everywhere else. Always decent pricing for the quality that you get. With new items being added every so often with no disappointment.

    (5)

  • Charlee K.

    This is definitely NOT a place for parties greater than 2. They served all the other 2-parties before they served us. We waited about an hour and a half. The food was good, but since this was my first time, this wasn't worth the hour and a half wait...on a MONDAY!? The service was ok. This place is just a hype.

    (1)

  • Olivia W.

    Right off the bat, one of the servers had rubbed us the wrong way. He told us we couldn't sit where we were sitting on the bar, like, "I told you guys to sit HERE," like we were in the wrong. Then realized, that after talking with the other couple that was sitting at the bar, we discussed seating arrangements with the other group, so in actuality we weren't doing any wrong at all, we had just switched seats. Very off-putting and rude. And he didn't apologize for calling us out for sitting in the "wrong" spot. As far as the food goes, the ramen is good, but PRICEY. The fries weren't anything special. If we were to go back to eat something, I'd probably order something besides the ramen just to try something different. There were a lot of people waiting outside to come in, and I don't think it's really worth the wait. Parking seems like a hassle, but lucky for us we got parking in the lot.

    (2)

  • Jeff S.

    Ordered: Kotteri Tonkotsu (Original Rendition). Broth: if you've eaten ramen in Hakata, you know that most restaurants here with the word "Tonkotsu" on their menu are committing a grave misrepresentation of something special. Not the case here. Broth was rich, porky and satisfying. Noodles: Love the thin noodles w Tonkotsu. Could've been taken out a little sooner but was ok. Why 3 stars then? Char Siu: bland, tough and chewy Tamago: I usually save one of the halves for a great last bite. Not here. The egg, though cooked well had a strange, sweet, saccharin-like taste. Boo.

    (3)

  • Jong Soo L.

    I love spicy food. I'm addicted to spicy food. Finally, a place where I can say their food is actually spicy. I love ramen and it always has to be spicy. At Agu Ramen you can pick the level of spiciness you want. They have levels 1-5 and also an epic level at the spiciest. I've tried epic and level 5. I would say level 5 was more enjoyable but epic really wakes you up. I highly recommend level 5 if you can handle spicy. . They have a decent amount of seating from tables to counters. Sometimes they have a wait. The servers were nice. I didn't get to try any of the other foods but I think you should get ramen at a ramen place.

    (4)

  • James C.

    Another ramen / noodle spot to go down on my list.

    (4)

  • Loosey B.

    The ramen is awesome! Perfect pork, noodles, egg and garlic. The spicy ramen is my favorite! It goes on a scale of 1-5 followed by "epic" and rumor has it a "wtf" which isn't on the menu. I love spicy food and the 2-3 is perfect for me. If this is your first foray into the spicy ramen here....I'd suggest starting with a 2 or 3 and go from there Oh yeah...The wait can be a bit crazy, especially for larger groups.

    (5)

  • Tobie W.

    I love eating ramen, especially ones that have great broth and noodle firmness. I love that they allow you to choose what kind of "spicy" you want on a scale of 1-5 (I LOVE spicy foods). On top of good food, their service is always great, constant rounds at the tables for water, along with a hospitable greeting and good bye. I've been here quite a lot, so my boyfriend wanted to see what my latest "crave" was all about. We both got the tonkotsu ramen spicy level 5, needless to say he loved it! The next time we go, we're going to try the epic spicy!

    (5)

  • Sarah L.

    $12 for a bowl of ramen?!?! The price is so, so wrong, but the taste makes it oh-so-right. I had the spicy tonkotsu, level 5. If I had to explain the spiciness, I would say its like a ghost pepper and Tabasco had a baby and this is what popped out. If you can handle a little bit of spicy, stick with level 3 to play it safe. For all the spicy lovers out there looking for a nice colon cleanse and butt burn, there are two levels above 5: Epic and WTF. DO IT. We also tried the agu gyoza. Nothing too special imo. But the ramen.....mmmm. Other info: Located at the old Da Kitchen on Isenberg St Parking available in the restaurant lot, select stalls at First Hawaiian Bank, and street parking (if the creepsters hanging around the park don't scare you off) Can pay extra for extra noodle-y goodness! Looks like it's BYOB for now. Saw some other customers bring in beer to enjoy with their meal. Might wanna call to check though.

    (4)

  • Laura M.

    Parking lot is tiny.. Lots of parking in the back.. Be careful of the light fixture they have in the front that shines on their restaurant sign.. Walking in.. You are seated right away.. Your server takes your order pretty quickly.. And your food comes out quickly.. The ramen noodles are thin.. It says on the menu that it is made in traditional style to be able to absorb the flavors in the broth.. It's amazing.. Love that Agu uses bamboo shoots as a garnish.. Delicious.. If you have room after your meal try the gelato.. Perfect touch and treat .. Hope to be back to visit soon..

    (4)

  • Hansen C.

    The ramen here is delicious. Portion wise it has gotten better than when I came the first time. Thus time I got the Shio Jidori which was very good. The broth was tasty and lite enough. As for the gyoza, I really think it is better than Gomatei; the gyoza at Agu doesn't have this too golden brown texture on the bottom. Overall the food here is just great with the variety and that each ramen gets those sides like that delicious egg.

    (5)

  • Tina L.

    Had the Bari kote ramen, it was okay. Personally I prefer the kuro ramen from monta in LV. Same concept but much tastier.

    (3)

  • Jamie H.

    All I can say is that this place ROCKS! The server Brandi was sweet as pie and so helpful and efficient. Amazing employee, great food, and beautiful ambiance!

    (5)

  • Jhoren C.

    Anytime a new Ramen spot opens up it is a MUST that I try it out! I am a big ramen fan! Price = 3 stars about $11.75 for a bowl of ramen Ambience = 3 stars Parking = 2.5 stars (it get's pretty full) Location = 2 stars it's sorta hidden if you don't know the area you might miss the turn Food: Spicy Tonkotsu Ramen - I ordered Spice level 5 ****Warning**** the spice levels are true to its numbers 4-5 spice level is like THAI CHILI HOT! If you're not sure how your taste buds can handle the spice I would suggest sticking to level 1-2 to be on the safe side. Overall I give this place a 3 star rating, holding out on that extra star due to their mini menu...but I did see they are planning to add more dishes.

    (3)

  • Brad B.

    I was driving down Isenberg last night and right off the street, a bright red facade with white lettering caught my eye. "AGU", huh? I've never seen this before? When did this place show up? "A ramen bistro"? Whoa. Stop the car. I thought I knew of all the ramen spots in town, but this is new. Like real new. New new. I circled around and found parking. You can park directly in front and around the restaurant (there are a few stalls), street parking alongside Old Stadium Park, or even at the bank on the corner during bank afterhours. The decor is very warm, lots of wood accents and lighting; it has a very modern feel to it. The plates were matte black (style points for my fave color). It also has a 'cool' sensibility to it, kind of like how Pint+Jigger is. An interesting detail I noticed was that the staff wore plaid. The GM, who I chatted with for a while, lived in NYC and worked at Nobu and Momofuku and others. I guess Moiliili is the next place to be, haha. There are several tables (8 or 9), and a counter table in the center, which technically could become a large table for a group of 13 or so. Just a theory for now. Someone needs to go in with a party of 13 and see what happens. I ordered a Kotteri Tonkotsu and some gyoza. The broth of the Kotteri here is very silky and smooth; it's not super-heavy like some Kotteri. On the menu, it says they cook the tonkotsu broth for 18 hours a day. The noodles are thin-style, decent portion. I think you can order extra noodles if you want. The gyoza was made well, wasn't oily either. Just the right amount of chewiness to it. I think they make their own. Probably a good idea to order gyoza first while you decide on noodles, which is what I did. Besides the standard ramen toppings, it also comes with aji tamago already inside. For me, that's a big deal. I always eat ramen with egg. The aji tamago has a hint of mustard somewhere. It's a subtle nice touch. Extra eggs only cost $1! Most of the menu isn't active yet, but they have the basics. They even use organic local chicken for their jidori. In the future, they're going to serve alcohol and have non-ramen food and all kinds of stuff. Should be something to watch out for. They won't just be a noodle spot. Great service, friendly, good ramen. What's not to like. Seems like a good spot to chillout with friends over some noodles, especially once they start serving alcohol, hahahh

    (5)

  • Laurie T.

    Love how the ramen craze is growing! The awesome: 1. Kotteri Tonkotsu -- Broth is very rich & savory! Although you must love garlic chips. Love the abundant toppings! However, the pork was not as soft as other restaurants. 2. Shoyu Tonkotsu -- Broth is very flavorful. Onions were an interesting topping, but did not care for it. (Note: You can ask for it without) [Review by my food nom-age buddy] 3. Kona Coffee Gelato from Il Gelato = win! :D They give you a nice sized scoop! Perfect for two after a large bowl of ramen. (however, it is so awesome, that you won't want to share. hehe.) 4. Service was awesome. Waitress was nice and helpful. However, was caught off guard when she asked if we wanted dessert when I wasn't finished with my ramen yet. The not-so-awesome: 1. Parking... good luck. Haha. Just so happen there was a stall open in front of the restaurant. If not, I believe it is street parking. 2. The pork.. it was soft, but not melt in your mouth status. I think I am just spoiled. I love when the pork just falls apart and melts in your mouth. *drools* Would I return? Yes, I would!

    (4)

  • Kay Y.

    Warning - very slow service when busy. Dishes are more oily too. For example Gyoza resembles closer to deep fried instead.

    (3)

  • Kiana O.

    This place had a nice atmosphere and the service was great! They have two broths...pork and chicken based. However, you have a selection of style to choose from how they prepare the broths. I believe they cook the broths for about 18 hours. I chose the pork based broth for lunch and had the Kotteri Tonkotsu Ramen. It was rich in flavor and I liked the garlic and sesame seed touch to it. I also ordered a side of gyoza. For two people the total came out to $30...but it was worth it. The portion size was good. There are no fish menu items though, but it's ok.

    (4)

  • D A.

    I went for lunch with the Mrs. It was a brisk and crowded Friday afternoon. I had the spicy Tonkotsu (Lvl 1) while my wife had the shoyu tonkotsu. The spicy tonkotsu was delish. Not overbearingly spicy. The broth had a good amount of koku (depth). My wife preferred a bit more shoyu in her shoyu tonkotsu. Overall we liked it and will be going there again.

    (4)

  • Paul L.

    came here when it first opened last year and it was great, probably one of the best in Hawaii

    (4)

  • Keiko T.

    What I like about the noodles: The hakata style noodles are made extra thin, the white wheat dough is more porous by nature so that it can absorb the delicious porky tonkotsu broth. The tonkotsu soup is super gelatinous because it is made from scratch using pork bones cooked for hours at a time, thus creamy in color which results in a savory pork broth. This soup deserves the pairing with white hakata noodles to maximize its potential to rock your taste buds. The shina men are Chinese style noodles, they are the yellow glossy kind usually paired with lighter Shoyu broth, for Agu's case, they come in their amazing clear chicken broth. The element in the chinese style noodles called Kansui is a solution of potassium carbonate and sodium bicarbonate that reacts with the flour to make the noodles yellow in color and it also toughens the protein so that the noodles are springier than the white wheat noodles. I like to enjoy this type of ramen by serving a bite sized portion of the glossy yellow noodles in my soup spoon and dunk it right in the broth for a generous amount of soup with my noodles, then slurp the whole spoonful of ramen goodness.

    (5)

  • Jason M.

    I went ther for the first time... I got the tonkotsu kotteri, spciy level 2. I thought the quality was excellent and the noodles were amazing... 5 stars for the noodles. However, the kotteri broth was ok... I think tenkaipen broth was MUCH better. Agu's broth was too think for me and not enough flavor. the service was really good, but parking sucks. i'm really glad i tried this place, but probably never going back.

    (3)

  • Jus Bone K.

    Always Gd to eat here. Gets hella busy tho so come early or plan to wait. Their broth is hella garlicky but really Gd. Their Parmesan ramen kinda taste like spaghetti inna broth and the spicy I heard is really spicy. I'm getting the 4 today and I'll let y'all know how it is. With a friendly staff and nice atmosphere, I always dig eating ramen here. Overall good times and food

    (4)

  • Rissa M.

    All these fancy ramen shops have been popping up all over the place! I had a hankering for some hot noodle soup and since I have been hearing so much about Agu, I decided to try it out. My roommate swore to me that this place was even better than Hokkaido Ramen. He swore to me that I would love this place and that I would want to eat here over and over again. Sorry roomie, you were wrong. :/ I had high hopes for this place, even with all the talk about it on Yelp. With all these expectations, my anticiptation for amazing-ness and food-gasm fell flat on it's face at my first sip of the Shio Broth. It just tasted watered down, and fatty to me. Nothing special or flavorful. The pork that came with my order of the Shio Ramen was one too many chews overcooked. Just not what I was expecting at all. We also ordered the Gyoza which crumbled instantaneously when I picked it up with my chopstock, which resulted in a stabbing technique for the remaining gyoza. ha ha kind of funny-- but i did feel like an uncoordinated 2 year old child. Fork please? They use a skinny noodle, and mine was overcooked. Not to mention, i'm not sure if the AC was broken-- but whatever it was, it was freakin hot in there and I was sweating like a pig with my piping hot shio broth sitting in front of me. Extra flavoring anyone? Woah woah woah. I just re-read this whole review and I sound like a whining bee-***. No fingers crossed behind my back-- I ONLY SPEAK THE TRUTH! Perhaps I just ordered the wrong thing and showed up at the wrong time. Happy to have tried this place, but I think you could get Ramen at the same quality for a cheaper price elsewhere. If you're ever in the neighborhood, go ahead and try it out for youself! Perhaps you will prefer this place! As for me, I've had my fill and am ready to explore other Ramen shops!

    (3)

  • Loren O.

    Every couple days I would see my friend post pictures of her Agu ramen on Instagram, and it looked DELISH. My mom wanted to eat ramen so I suggested Agu Ramen since we both have'nt tried it. Located on Isenberg, next to St. Louis Alumni Bar (or whatever its called), Agu Ramen took over the old Da Kitchen. There is a few spaces in the front, but more stalls in the back. It's pretty small inside, with a counter that seats about 6 on each side, and a bunch of 4 person tables surrounding the outskirts of the restaurant (I'd say maybe about 10 tables or so). We were warmly greeted and quickly sat as soon as we walked in. Our server explained a little to us what everything was, and told us which were the popular ones. I decided to go with the Spicy Tonkotsu. This one you could choose your level of spicyness :D I'm a sissy when it comes to spicy, so I got a 1 :p But surprisingly, it wasnt too hot. I may just go with level 2 next time! The ramen was pretty good. The noodles seemed heavier than the other ramen noodles I've had which was a nice change in texture. Their charsiu was okay... it tasted a little bit on the sweeter side. They also added half a boiled shoyu egg in there which was different :] This is a FOR SURE place every ramen lover should try! I will definitely be back again! I heard the Kotteri is awesome here so that will be my next order :]

    (4)

  • Jan M.

    We tried the shoyu and spicy tonnkotsu ramen and gyoza. Friendly and attentive service. We like spicy and the spicy level two was nice without working up a major sweat. Very flavorful broths that reminded us of the ramen in Tokyo. Really liked the creamy egg. Will definitely be back here again!

    (4)

  • D S.

    Tonkotsu ramen is very flavorful. Had the Shio. Good gyoza, too. Really liked the edamame...lots of garlic fried crunchy but not bitter. Yummy.

    (5)

  • Paul A.

    Decided to try Agu Ramen for lunch today. Started out with about a 20 minute wait outside in the hot mid afternoon sun with absolutely no shade to be found. When we were finally were seated we had a nice table to ourselves. The waitress was friendly and pleasant as she took our order of Tan tan ramen, miso ramen and a six piece gyoza. While waiting I noticed a group of four and another group of two who were behind us waiting in the parking lot getting seated. While waiting I noticed various dishes being served at othe tables and the food looked interesting. About ten minutes into the wait the waitress brought the gyoza to our table. Anticipating our ramen we waited to eat them together. Afte about another five minutes of waiting I noticed the table of four as well as the table of two both eating ramen that had been served to them. I told my wife I think they may have forgotten our order. After about a good 10 minute wait after the gyoza arrived they brought out our ramen. It looked and smelt amazing however as I suspected the ramen was luke warm at best as it must have been sitting in the back for a while. I don't believe in sending back any food that is taken out of my site so I just ate it. As it was served luke warm I would have had a better lunch experience if I had made my own. It was a late lunch and I suspect that the staff were tired from the lunch crowd and missed an apportunity to serve there best today. There are many more ramen placeses in the Honolulu area that you don't have to wait and you can expect a hot ramen broth. For now pass on this place till they figure it out.

    (2)

  • Suzanne A.

    I've been to Agu Ramen twice already and twice have finished the whole bowl, which isn't common for me. The tonkotsu broth is rich and flavorful! My favorite part is the minced onions in the broth that melts in your mouth. So yummy! I've gotten the shoyu tonkotsu and have tried a bit of the shio tonkotsu ramen. My boyfriend, who can usaully tolerate spicy foods, tried the spicy tonkotsu at a level 3 and couldn't take the heat haha. He said he'd probably get a level 2 next time. Poor thing. He enjoyed it though, and the extra noodles option was the perfect size for a big eater like him. He has also tried their kotteri tonkotsu, but the broth was a bit heavy for him. Their service is very friendly, quick, and helpful. We came 10 minutes before closing once and they didn't turn us back. Thumbs up for that. Also, my friend wanted to try the shio jidori but they said they didn't have any for the day since the broth didn't come out to their standard. I thought that was smart and that they didn't want to sell anything they believe their costumers didn't deserve to pay for. I'll definitely be coming back to try the jidori broth next time~

    (4)

  • Jenn W.

    So i really wanted to give 4.5 stars but it wasnt an option so 5 it is. My fiance and i just got back from tokyo where we ate ramen at least once a day on our vacation at some of the best joints in town. We were having withdrawals and decided to try Agu since it was newly opened. I can say that it closely rivals the ramen we ate in japan. The broth is rich and flavorful and not too oily. You can really taste how much time went into making it. The thin noodles are exactly the ones they use in japan. I prefer it to the thicker ramen that every place in hawaii uses to suit the local palate. My favorite part of eating ramen is the soft boiled shoyu egg and I just wish a whole egg came with it instead of just half. I wasnt too keen on adding on extra garnishes since the ramen itself is a little on the pricey side at about $11. The pork was just okay. I feel like it couldve been more tender. We also had gyoza which was good but nothing to write home about. Service was excellent and our water glasses never went empty. We will definitely be back!

    (5)

  • Ranz M.

    Everyone needs to go here. BEST Ramen!!!! Rich, full flavor perfectly seasoned ramen at very affordable prices!! This is taking ramen to a whole nother level. The spicy ramen has five levels of spice. Had the number five definitely spicy but not over bearing. Looking forward to going back for a taste of their agu pork.

    (5)

  • Levi C.

    Soup base is da bomb. I have ordered the spicy kotteri tonkotsu everytime I have been here, and I can't get enough of that stuff. I thought I could handle spicy, but I can barely finish the level 3 here, so I am now a level 2 guy, but I pretty much scrape the bottom of the bowl when I am done. The first couple of times I came the char-siu pork that comes in the ramen was really tough, and hard to eat, but the last time I came, it was really good. Not sure if it was sliced thinner, or if they are using a different cut, but it was perfect. I still am getting used to the thin noodles - don't get me wrong, I am by no means a ramen expert, but I have been hooked on menchanko spicy miso ramen for a while, and while I still think that menchanko has the best noodles, Agu's broth is pretty amazing. Service has been good on the handful of times that we went, and I found it was easier to just park in the back where there are a ton of stalls.

    (4)

  • E M.

    Thank goodness for this new ramen spot that serves Hakata style ramen~! Hawaiii's first ramen spot to do this~! I like both the common chirimen (egg noodle) ramen but I love this hakata ramen since its absorbs more flavor of the soup...its nice to have the options, since sometimes I feel like a heavy hokkaido santouka ramen and other times I crave this wonderfully flavored classic hakata style ramen...I had the gyoza, and the shio tonkotsu ramen, both amazing....I can finish the soup without feeling overstuffed and food comma after the meal, my body definitely felt the quality ingredients...love love love... thank you for being daring enough to introduce the classic style ramen to the island and doing it well... also for those of you who like the glossy chirimen they serve it there too~! Their chirimen uses egg whites and no yolk...the yellow color comes from a vitamin says the chef.. ;)

    (5)

  • Lily H.

    This time we didn't have any ramen, and we tried the tonkatsu and pork curry, along with my all time favorite gyoza. The tonkatsu came in 3 thick pieces. I especially like their sauce which is a bit on the sweet side for me. The curry had good sized chunks of pork, and wasn't too spicy. My friends always ask me if the gyoza is good. YES!!! In my opinion, it's the most authentic (Japanese flavor, texture) on Oahu. If any readers out there know of better, please let me know! It was a nice early Sunday evening, so no waiting in line. Perfect!

    (4)

  • Mari K.

    Great new dining option in the Mo'ili'ili area. Who doesn't like ramen?! First of all, the name of the restaurant -- Agu. Agu is a type of premium pig that is grown in Okinawa. It can be compared to "Kobe Beef", but in the pork sector. According to the workers, right now they are not serving Agu Pork, but are in the works of trying to import it to Hawaii. Since everyone else who yelped about Agu Ramen pretty much said it all, I'll just make this one short and sweet. Pros: - good service - clean, modern establishment - dishes come out fast - gyoza is BOMB! Cons: - no take out - limited parking ***WARNING*** Spicy Level 3 is pretty spicy! If you cannot handle spice, I really recommend ordering level 1 or 2 on your first try. They are still adding items to their menu, so I'm looking forward to coming again.

    (4)

  • Eric W.

    1st time tried the Kotteri Tonkotsu spicy level 3. I was unprepared. Flavor of broth was so good that I had to eat it anyways, despite my eyes watering and nose burning. 2nd time here tried the spicy level 1. Much better for a novice like myself. Any courageous individuals who dare try the higher levels hats off to you! Great restaurant and all my friends were right the food is awesome!

    (5)

  • Jennifer W.

    That was so oo hearty. Real broth. Spice by numbers. Love it. Be prepared to wait Worth it

    (4)

  • Eaton W.

    Great food. Second time here. However one of the wait staff here came off as being a bit rude. Took my brother here and he ordered first, generally he mumbles so he repeated himself after getting no response and the waiter replied with "yeah I heard you. .." not sure if he was having a bad day or if we came at the lunch rush and he was stressed but it was just shocking to hear that response in that tone of voice. As mentioned the food was really good. I had the parmesan ramen and my bro had the original rendition. Would come back again. . hopefully today's experience was just a fluke.

    (3)

  • Chelsea U.

    The first time I came here, I ordered a level 2 spicy ramen. It was delicious, but I thought I could handle more spice. Naturally, the second time I came here I ordered a level 3 and my boyfriend ordered a level 4. Both were too spicy for us. Lesson learned, level 2 spicy ramen is the way to go!!

    (4)

  • Ashley E.

    I love the ramen here! My favorite is the shoyu tonkotsu with a side of level 2 spice. The broth has a lot of flavor and the noodles aren't fat. (Which I'm not a fan of) The gyoza is pretty good here too. The staff here are very friendly and I love the music they play here. If you love ramen, you must come here. Trust me, you won't regret it!

    (5)

  • Alison E.

    Not too much parking..can park at First Hawaiian pay lot next door. Trying the #3 tonkotsu ramen. Just right spiciness got me. Still trying to decide about the noodles...yet char siu is tasty & the gyoza is good too. I'll come back again to try the other stuff on the menu!

    (5)

  • Brandon Y.

    It's located on Isenberg St. across the park and it's easy to spot with a nice big sign. The parking is in the front and the stalls for Agu are labeled. The interior is nice and clean and service was excellent especially for a place that is new. Spicy Tonkotsu - The broth was good but it wasn't amazing I think it might be a better idea to do a Spicy Kotteri Broth to give it more flavor. I had a level 3 spicy which was perfect for me I think I wouldn't have enjoyed it if I went any higher. The noodles were cooked perfectly for me. Everyone seems to have a different preference on how they like the noodles I wish there was a 1-10 scale that they could please everyone. I read a lot of reviews about the noodles being too hard but I felt these were just right for me. They definitely weren't japan style hard. The char siu was the worst part about the dish. It wasn't terrible but it's far behind Yotteko-Ya and Santouka in that department. Kotteri Tonkotsu - I got to try some of this one and i'll probably be getting this the next time I come back. The broth is rich and delicious and is much better than Tenkaippin's in my opinion. The noodles in this one seemed a bit overdone compared to the one I had in the Spicy Tonkotsu. The Char Siu was a little better from soaking up the Kotteri Broth but still lacking overall. Gyoza - Not much to say about this one it was pretty standard and done well.

    (4)

  • Ren M.

    Some good stuff here. Miss da kitchen but... this place is the spot. Better than gomatei anyday.

    (5)

  • Jake A.

    Can't get enough always the best service!!! Best ramen, and now they serve alcohol !!! Thanks again guys!!!

    (5)

  • Jen L.

    I was in Honolulu for a time working and this was one of my favorite restaurants! There are some places that just capture you and pull you in with their food. This is one of those places. Their Spicy Kotteri Tonkotsu is amazing and you can choose your own level of spiciness. I tried the level 2 and 3 and 2 was plenty spicy. If you are a ghost pepper type I would imagine 5 to be your choice. 2 gives you a good burn without taking away from the flavor. Their appetizers are great too! All of them. And don't forget to ask for salted caramel gelato if they happen to have it (they change gelatos at times). It's to die for!!

    (5)

  • Kellen Floyd A.

    Went here twice, loved it! Tried the level 3 spicy the first time, it wasn't too bad, just a little heat in the after taste, then went the next time and tried the level 4...BIG difference. Their sides are very tasty too. Only reason they got a 4 star is because they don't have their liquor license squared away. We went the first time and you could BYOB, but the next time, they didn't allow it. But for their food, GREAT PLACE!

    (4)

  • Shinri M.

    Everything was super good. So much better than any of the ramen restaurant in Los Angeles!

    (5)

  • Wolf M.

    The wait was about 10 minutes on a Friday at 1830. But it was worth it. Authentic Japanese Ramen and gyoza. The broth was tasty but not as hot (temperature) as I would like. I had the innovative hot mess and my GF had Shio Jidori. A little pricey but good. Limited parking.

    (4)

  • R B.

    Love this place!! It's super awesome. I get the Tonkotsu Koterri spicy Level 3. It's sooooo yummy.

    (5)

  • Leslie A.

    We looove Agu! The spicy kotteri level 2 is the perfect heat and you can still taste the yummy dashi. Don't forget the gyoza, we love the gyoza too!

    (4)

  • Lauren C.

    We came close to closing time after a Wahine volleyball game on a Friday night and it wasn't very busy at all. We were seated greeted by the whole staff and were seated promptly. The menu is relatively short and basically only consists of ramen and gyoza. Their noodles are thin, unlike your typical ramen noodle...almost similar to soba or somen but with a chewier texture. I got the spicy tonkotsu ramen and they allow you to pick the level of spiciness. I chose number three because I enjoy eating spicy foods and I think that I can take the heat. Boy was I wrong. I took one bite of my ramen and my tongue was instantly on FI-AH. It was sooooo spicy that I could not enjoy it at all! I struggled to eat the rest and tried to dilute the soup with my boyfriend's one. I wound up just giving him the rest because it was not enjoyable at all. The gyoza was pretty meh. Although it's homemade, it's pretty simple with just pork and cabbage (?) in it. I've eaten wayyyy better. It's one of the places that I wouldn't mind eating at but definitely not one of my top ramen places. P.S. The bathrooms are located in another part of the building so you have to walk outside of the restaurant and around the corner to reenter another part of the building to access it. It was a tiny bit scary to walk there by yourself at night.

    (3)

  • Jozlyn H.

    Meh!!! Parking - meh!! Ample space but lots of street parking. (we got here at 1130am, before the lunch hour rush so there was lots of parking) Service - Excellent... They tried their best to provide what they had... Which wasn't much. They could have offered a discount or maybe a lil' something something when they told us that nothing but 2 items on their menu was available lol Atmosphere - The decor and seats are impressive. Makes you think you're gonna get some awesome ramen. Alright...here goes. Food.... meh! First of all, they did not have ANY tonkotsu ramen. Apparently the broth didn't come out to par so they decided not to sell it. Which is good I guess.......but...... you would think that if you open a ramen restaurant, you would have "mastered" the art of making the broth. They only had the Shoyu Jidori or Shio Jidori. TWO options??.... I saw some customers walk out after being told they only had the Jidori. We decided to give this place a chance, even after being disappointed. I was looking forward to eating the Spicy Koterri Tonkotsu.... but instead, I settled for the Shoyu Jidori with some "spice" on the side. We also ordered Gyoza and some spicy bamboo thing on the side. We got our appetizers AFTER receiving our ramen. Shoyu Jidori - light, broth was meh!, temperature was on the cooler side, noodles....ok texture..., Negi...eh where's da other half??, Charsiu - only 2 pieces? wasn't as tender. Overall........ I wouldn't recommend it. This place just opened, and to be honest, if their service wasn't so awesome I probably wouldn't try this place again...maybe in a month or so.

    (2)

  • Justin L.

    Love their hot mess. Place is clean and plenty of parking for how many seats are available in the place. Open late. Takes Amex. A++ for me

    (5)

  • Lei L.

    Loved this ramen joint! I ordered the garlic butter ramen...totally forgot the name, but it was delicious! I highly recommend it :) the servers were sweet & the restaurant was extremely clean. I loved the simple decor & the fresh beautiful flowers. A little pricey, but awesome nonetheless.

    (5)

  • Cristin L.

    Agu Ramen is one of the best ramen shops in Hawaii. When it comes to ramen, I like to think I've been around the block. I split my time between Los Angeles and Honolulu, two places where entering the ramen business can be brutally competitive. To me, a good bowl of ramen is the solution to any, if not all of life's problems (sickness, a fight with my boyfriend, stress, etc.) and Agu does the trick. Agu offers a unique menu with numerous options for broths, flavors, appetizers, and noodles. Everything is quickly and freshly made. Not only that, the service is exceptional and if you can believe it, we got our food in less than 10 minutes. As mentioned in other reviews, you can choose how spicy your ramen is on a scale of one to five. I got my ramen a level two and YIKES! That was still pretty intense for me. This is a great place to come for a satisfying meal though I do think the prices are a little high. Also, I wouldn't recommend coming here with a party of 10+, you'll be waiting for a while.

    (4)

  • Rdy S.

    They're constantly adding to the menu. You can't get kikurage in your ramen anymore but now you can add bean sprouts, shredded red pickled ginger, Thai chilies, or habanero peppers for a dollar. You can get hayashi ramen either with a sesame or spicy chili dressing. It's still all about how much heat you can handle in your tonkotsu ramen. If you're going with the milder Jidori ramen, choose the shoyu over the shio tare. The shio has a light chicken soup taste without depth. The silky mouthfeel of collagen or oil is missing. The shoyu brings a little more balance of sweet and salty to the broth. The thicker, lightly yellow, eggy chijiro noodles are a better choice over the soggy thin white wheat noodles served with the tonkotsu ramen. For the Jidori Nanban two pieces of chicken are battered, fried, dipped in sweetened sauce, topped with a tartar sauce, and accompanied by finely shredded cabbage on the side. The result is supposed to be representative of a Miyazaki prefecture nanban fry dish but I got a overly sweet soggy dish of chicken overwhelmed by onion in the tartar sauce. I would not order this again. Based on other Yelpers delight in this chicken dish I'm guessing Agu simply has problems consistently executing their concept of moderately priced simple dishes to supplement their ramen. Speaking of their ramen, I'm finding it equally inconsistent. It seems most people best enjoy Agu's ramen drowned in high, higher, and insanely high levels of chili spice.

    (3)

  • Cori S.

    Everything we ordered here yet has been excellent! Customer service is also top notch! Thanks Agu!

    (5)

  • C M.

    Hands down, my favorite ramen location. I wanted to try it twice just to make sure.... The first visit tickled my taste buds, but it I want to say the 2nd visit is what sealed the deal. I always order the chicken base and their kaarage chicken. Both of us just taste like How can one not appreciate impeccable customer service, especially when the service is waiting on a party of 10? The orders came out quickly AND correctly. I felt like the staff on our second visit (this evening) went above and beyond. Not only did they accommodate our larger party, but what I appreciated was they made sure we had extra bowls, spoons and forks for our children. Also, when I ordered the XL size, they placed all the sides (pork, konbu, negi, nori & soft boiled egg) on a separate plate, because they saw that I was sharing it with my children and they were spread out on the table. When I asked why, the waiter stated it's so that it's easier to share it, low and behold it was! Our waters were kept filled and the servers were all easy going and were always one step ahead of us. Oh and we never once did we felt rushed to get out even after we were done with dinner. The service and food were both outstanding! Thank you to the servers tonight!!!

    (5)

  • Grant I.

    Went to check out the new ramen place at the St Louis Alumni clubhouse. Go Crusaders! Lol! Anyhoo, the Original Rendition Kotteri Tonkotsu Ramen wasn't visually appealing but the taste was there. Rich pork broth with a lot of flavor. I wasn't really hungry so the regular portion was just fine. I also had the gyoza which was good but not anything special. I liked the decor and atmosphere. Mostly locals at 8pm on a weekday but it hit the spot and I was in and out pretty quick. The place was pretty crowded but no line and surprisingly there was parking. I recognized one of the servers as a guy from Goma Tei alamo's. Wonder if there is any relation? Well overall, good food, reasonable price and quick service. The only thing I didn't care for was siting at the long middle counter where you are facing another party and you kind of feel like you're part of their conversation since you're so close. But other than that - I'd repeat :-) Price: Reasonable Food: Not bad Service: Speedy

    (4)

  • George K.

    I've been to many ramen shops in Hawaii and had my fair share in Japan as well. Agu Ramen is at the top of the list. Some people say the broth makes the ramen while others claim the mein does. This place gets both the broth n noodles just perfect. I order the Spicy Kotteri Tonkotsu Ramen, level 2. The broth is so well done and the noodles are firm and skinny. The consistency, texture, and diameter of the noodles are perfectly done and you can see why this place gets its right. I also recommend the "mimiga" pig ears that are lightly battered to a crisp. There's nothing like comfort food and for me growing up in an Asian family, a good bowl of ramen hits the spot. My wife and I try to eat here every other week and we just love that there's a place that will make you feel at home.

    (5)

  • Ann N.

    I've always had to wait in line no matter what time i came. But it is yummy, so wait. The spiciest is way too spicy. #3 level is just right.

    (4)

  • Jonathan P.

    It's a personal tradition...and has become a MUST to eat some sort of ramen on a cold, rainy, night. Lately I've been making a strong effort to hit up and try all the ramen places in Oahu. Sadly, our warm, tropical climate limits the amount of cold rainy nights. During my visit to Agu I believe my expectations far exceeded my expectations. Immediately after stepping into Agu, I fell in love with the decor and ambiance. Agu has outdone themselves; transforming the former plane-jane Da Kitchen into a sleek trendy looking ramen store! Kudos to your contractors and renovations! I'm probably one of the few who have yet to have the spicy kotteri but sadly my spice tolerance is now so low, I'd probably cry. So rather than making myself look like a fool I decided to try the Kotteri Tonkotsu yelp.com/user_local_phot… . It was pretty flavorful, yet salty, and VERY oily. Personally, I think I rather have the Shoyu Jidori yelp.com/user_local_phot… . What disappointed me was the execution of my meal. Before ordering my ramen, I knew I wanted gyoza. So before ordering my ramen, I ordered their Agu gyoza and told them to bring it out with my bamboo appetizer. The spicy bamboo shoots quickly came out and were nice and refreshing with a subtle pop of spiciness. Then came out the ramen...where were my gyozas? Sadly the gyozas came out way after finishing my ramen and drinking all the soup and it came with my check. To make it worse, no one told me the status on my gyozas! As much as I like ramen, I really miss Da Kitchen. Boy I remember Da Kitchen's huge portions and now it makes me sad that Agu has replaced those huge portions with their small bowls of ramen. I'm not going to lie, I left kind of hungry. Luckily Bubbies is just a block away.

    (3)

  • David L.

    Overly priced for small portions and mediocre flavor. It is really small in there, which I assume for the inflation. I've had better.

    (2)

  • Clarissa M.

    This restaurant just opened on Monday (two days ago) per the GM. The interior design is clean and Japanese modern. The service was friendly and efficient. Jessica was our server and she was sweet. At 9:25 p.m. on a week night, the parking lot was available and restaurant not crowded. We tried the gyoza which was cooked well and not oily at all. We also shared an order of the number 2 spice level tonkatsu and the organic chicken broth shio ramen. The boiled egg was cooked in between soft and hard. It was so good. The soup base was tasty and the number 2 was enough spice for me. The noodles were much thinner which I prefer. The GM stopped by to chat with us and he said his business partner was an alumni of St. Louis and the GM used to work at Nobu. The restaurant was something for the surrounding community. I am a fan. It is a great addition to the neighborhood. My advice is spread the word - more people need to try this restaurant! We will return to try the other flavors.

    (5)

  • Qi Y.

    This is the best tonkotsu ramen I've had in the States, hands down. Having visited Japan and eaten tonkotsu ramen as my first meal there, I have been searching for an authentic tonkotsu ramen place since I've been back in the States. This place does not disappoint. They cook the broth just right and they have a spicy option if you dare try. Don't go for too spicy though, since you might not be able to taste the broth if you do. The gyouza is great too, a lovely addition to the main dish. I like how they are able to seat a lot of people in a very small space. The wait was about 15-20 min to get in, not too bad for good ramen.

    (5)

  • Patricia M.

    I love this place. The ramen was so bomb. They offer different choices from the traditional ramen like the cheese toppings. The soup was so good too--black sesame in it! And they have a great selection of appetizers. I literally cannot wait to go back!

    (4)

  • Sophie L.

    For my first time in Hawaii, this is by far the best decision I've been for our foodie adventure trip. It was amazing, and I love spicy ramen. For them to have so many level of spiciness....its like a dream come true. They even put a side of chilli for me to add to my liking. I finished both the noodles and broth. It was cooked to perfection, including the noodles. I will definitely come back on my next Hawaii trip to sample their other ramen.

    (5)

  • Jessica C.

    The restaurant deserves five stars, but some of the servers need some help with customer service. I am aware that I am in a very popular ramen joint. The food is always delicious when I dine there. I usually dine with my mother there when we crave a good bowl of ramen. This time I went with a group of friends, I am not sure if the server (female girl name started with a P) had been stiffed by a group of young adults before but she treated us as if she never expected a tip. Which is unfortunate because majority of us are in the F&B industry. We noticed that she was very personable and peppy with the tables around us, but each time she approached our table, she seemed to dread us. I was hosting my friends from Miami and wanted to show them what an excellent bowl of ramen was like...Our orders were simple, I did most of the explaining as far as what was what. Her job was simple, take the order down and bring the bowls out, occasionally fill the waters. The boys that brought our bowls of ramen out were excellent. Friendly and fast. I wasn't sure if this particular server was having a bad day or just didn't like us. She dropped our check waaaay too early, potentially indicating us to get the heck out, we were still interested in order a side dish but lost our interest when she dropped our check off. Her demeanor was less than acceptable. Being that my friends and I understand how tips are valued, we left her a little over 10% just out of sheer courtesy.

    (4)

  • Jay F.

    Updating my review and giving them one more star this time. Last time I went was right after the Grand Opening, so I waited dust to settle & gave them a second chance. Tried Miso Tonkotsu and Gyoza this time and both were very good. Miso Tonkotsu = 4 stars Gyoza = 4.5 stars No Smile on wait staff = minus 0.5 star Severe Heartburn after 1 hour = minus 1 star $13.75 for bowl of Ramen = minus 1 star Oooops!! it don't adds up!?!? Well I'm getting old.

    (3)

  • Glenn F.

    Wondering why I only gave 2 stars well I will explain!...... The ramen is to then and mushy because it's to soft I would like it a little firm. ( do you guys know if u could tell them to put less salt or make noodles a little more firm? ) The broth was to fatty because the pork. The pork was too hard and doesn't melt in your mouth ( go to ramen Kai it's the best ramen I tasted! Happy hour goyzas! Meat melts in your mouth because there is a lot of fat in the meat. ) We'll good thing there are good servers but it's loud in the kitchen you can here the cooks talking the the back ground!

    (2)

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Map

Opening Hours

  • Mon :11:00 am - 12

Specialities

  • Takes Reservations : No
    Delivery : No
    Take-out : Yes
    Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
    Good For : Brunch
    Parking : Street, Private Lot
    Bike Parking : Yes
    Good for Kids : Yes
    Good for Groups : Yes
    Attire : Casual
    Ambience : Casual
    Noise Level : Average
    Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only
    Outdoor Seating : No
    Wi-Fi : No
    Has TV : No
    Waiter Service : Yes
    Caters : No

Agu Ramen

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