First Japanese BBQ in Oahu. We love Japanese BBQ so coming here was a no brainer. The food is great; skirt steak, beef tongue, kalbi, anything you order will be pretty good and we ordered plenty!! It's not super cheap buy compared to Hiroshi this place was like a bargain especially if you get happy hour prices! You will come out smelling like a piece of grilled meat though. Their air extraction system is non-existent. I miss yakiniku. :'(
(4)
Pynki V.
love their HAPPPY hour!!! Best place to go to get some Korean BBQ...u cook your food how you want it!! They have a happy hour menu that has food plates for $3-$5. The garlic noodles are on point especially if you want something to help with that hang over!!! The noodles are mixed in front of you & it cooks itself in front view in a stone clay pot..pretty cool!! All their meat is yummy!! They have pretty small portions of veggies..but your not going there for the veggies!! Haha..they also have drink specials. The lychee martini is on point also!!! :)
(5)
Haley G.
OH EM GEE. LOOOOOOVED this place. Growing up in Japan, my family often frequented places like this, so coming to a restaurant like this was a taste of home. Great service. Great company. Great food. Loved the Happy Hour prices, but besides that, this place was pretty pricey, haha. With that said, if you're here on vacation, there are so many better places to try (local spots, food trucks, etc)...so only go here if you've exhausted your options. If you're like me, I don't like eating at places I can frequent back home.
(5)
Shaneel S.
Vary cute and nice place for dinner or lunch . It can get a little on the expensive side due to the amount of food that you get is not much. They have the best drinks which are about $4 during happy hour .
(5)
Brandon I.
I've only been to the Waikiki location twice and the locations in Japan but I wasn't a fan of the service on my last visit. Our server recommended the Kim Chee ramen and it was not good, should've figured that ordering ramen at a yakiniku restaurant was not a good idea. Server change in the middle of our meal and the 2nd server basically never spoke 1 word to us. Also took 30 minutes for me to get my 2nd drink and I asked 2 times about it. The manager on duty came out and offered a free drink but it did not salvage the experience as she did not smile or seem to even care about us. I've experience much better yakiniku and will take my business elsewhere.
(2)
Hai Q.
The meat were good, but it's expensive , price range from $8.00 for 3.5oz per dish about 4 piece of meat. No free side veg. Our ( 4 people ) bill come out to $263 include tip without alcohol.
(3)
Kanwal A.
First time trying this Japanese BBQ concept and we absolutely loved it. We ordered a bunch of things: chicken, steak, sausage, vegetables, potatoes and.... drum roll please -- garlic noodles!! Yes, those noodles are amazing. We had a blast cooking and eating such delicious food. The servers are awesome too. We were completely satisfied with all the food we ordered and paid $70 for two of us. Good thing we didn't fall into the trap of those pre-selected combos. We would have ended up wasting a whole lot of food and paying more $$.
(4)
Cherryl D.
My Ratings: Quality - 5 Stars Quantity - 5 Stars Price - 5 Stars Location - 5 Stars Service - 5 Stars Speed - 5 Stars My Opinion/Story: So hungry... too much walking... need food.. good food! Whoa, Japanese? Ok, let's go inside... what? It's happy hour, half price? Even better. This was a bit different style of japanese.. kinda like the typical Korean but it's Japanese. The waiter was pretty nice and informative. He showed us what's good to eat as well as how to cook it. We ordered several dishes to cook and some drinks.. their Lava Flow is awesome! We should have listened to him about getting the dinner for two because we ended up spending more than we expected for alot less number of dishes. They replace the grill even when our first one wasn't that dirty. They were pretty quick to refill our drinks and replace our plates. Service was just top notch. The food is equally as awesome. Our favorite was the kalbi. Next time we come back to Waikiki, we'll definitely go back to this place.
(5)
Daisy W.
OMG, this place is pretty darn amazing. I came here a couple weeks ago with 6 other people, I come here almost every time I visit hawaii. We ordered the Mahalo course which feeds 6 people and ordered 2 garlic noodles on the side and some asparagus. I loved the Daikon salad and the bone in kalbi, they were both delicious. I must say that the garlic noodles are not the original garlic noodles that I am use to but it's a must try becasue it's very tasty and really good and the asparagus was sooo good and buttery, I almost felt like I was gonna have a heart attack eating it with all that butter but it was also very yummy and tasty. For dessert they give you smores, which reminds me of the bonfire days but it was so good and it just melts in your mouth. Overall, I definitely recommend giving this place a try. It's a little on the pricey side so I would say to go during happy hour and it'll be much more worth it. Oh n try making reservations before you go because it's a small place and you'll most likely need to wait a little while for a table.
(4)
Love P.
Sorry Gyu-Kaku lost a couple of stars. 1.5 was for accusatory and rude behavior from the manager/supervisor and the other was for misleading information. Here is the story. I brought my sister here on Saturday afternoon for an all you can eat lunch. First of all, we didn't even get everything that was supposed to be served as part of that meal (e.g. bibimbab). We also didn't ask for seconds of any of the other items on the menu. Thus, we paid 29.99 for an incomplete meal and definitely not all you can eat. (We had leftovers from our INCOMPLETE meal because we were so full Which is why we didn't make a big deal about the stuff that we weren't served). The manager comes up to our table to inform me that we wasted food and that he will have to charge me extra because we didn't consume everything as part of the all you can eat. EXCUSE ME?! First of all, I understand that policy if people repeatedly order food during an all you can eat meal, however you didn't even serve us the entire portion of that menu and we didn't order anything extra...so I'm not sure where this rudeness. I didn't even complain when your service forgets to bring me stuff they should have. Secondly, no where was it posted in the menu or in the restaurant that this was policy. Sorry Gyu-Kaku, although I appreciated that the manager didn't end up charging me at the end, we won't be coming back.
(3)
Aaron K.
Food: 4/5 Price: 5/5 Service: 5/5 Organization: 5/5 Layout: 5/5 Atmosphere: 5/5 I know I did one on the Kapiolani Gyu-Kaku but we just went to the one in Waikiki and boy were both experiences enjoyable and different! The food was amazing as usual and I highly recommend going during the happy hour. The Waikiki location's happy hour starts at 10 pm and the Kapiolani starts at 9 pm. Sadly there were no Cheese Wontons and the prices are a few cents more. The layout was more or less standard and the music is the same. I give the music 5 stars alone because it keeps everything upbeat which is nice for dinner. I mean, some high energy house, hip hop and r&b music really helps the appetite and keeps the spirit alive to eat and order more. My compliments go out to Urara and Katrina who were our main waitresses for the night! They were amazing and really show how service should be like for every restaurant. They are truly a key asset to any successful business. There was one momentary blip when they forgot my friend's order, but nothing that couldn't be easily remedied and they were apologetic and friendly about it. So star points for them! Rather than the Spicy Tuna Avacado salad, we went with the signature Gyu-Kaku Salad ($7.95). It had cherry tomatoes, boiled eggs, cucumbers, red bell pepper, and garnished with daikon. the dressing was a sesame ginger which I originally took for a peanut ponzu but I stand corrected! Now I'm going to list off a few of what we ate the their happy hour prices. The Kalbi Chuck is a must have! at $6.95 before and $4.95 during happy hour, it is definitely a deal! It's your standard meat to have for any dinner. Ordered with the Cheese Fondue ($2.00) and dipped in there, it's like a Philly Cheesesteak! OMG! Once again we ordered the Mushroom with Butter ($3.95) and the Mushroom Medley ($4.95) which were amazing and delicious!! I do have to recommend the Toro! It's beef bacon!! at $6.95 before and $2.95 during happy hour, it's an amazing treat! Season it with the Ponzu sauce before you start grilling it for some additional taste! The Rosu was pretty good, especially for the price. $6.95 before and $3.95 during happy hour, it definitely is a stable but wasn't my most enjoyable for the night. The Gyu-Kaku Cold Tofu ($3.95 before and $2.95 during) was amazing! It was very creamy and garnished with green onions and fish flakes and a nice hot sauce. So delicious and a must try during the Happy Hour special! Also try the Pork Belly Cajun ($5.95)! It cooks pretty fast and tastes amazing because of the right amount of spice. Yummay!!! There were a few others but these are really the ones worth mentioning. For everything we ordered and between 3 people, it came to around $68! We left stuffed with food babies and satisfied. Our waitress also signed us up for Gyu-Kaku's reward card which gives you points for each dollar you spend in the store. After spending $250, you get a $25 gift card which can just be put toward your next visit. For the price, how much you can eat, and the deals, I am definitely a fan of this chain! So can't wait for my next paycheck to ravage the menu again!
(4)
Sandy K.
I would summarize Gyu-Kaku as sub par. I've been to other Japanese/Korean BBQ places that were much better on all levels, e.g. Juban in SF. The actual restaurant was depressingly dingy inside. The service wasn't great either. It was busy, so maybe that's why the service was slow and inattentive. There were a lot of menu items to choose from. I tried the kimchee soup, and it was just okay. I also got the garlic shrimp, which had too much garlic paste and didn't taste very good. I wouldn't waste my time, or appetite, going back.
(2)
Katie N.
Came here for lunch for the first time today, it was a very enjoyable experience. Our server TC was very nice, friendly, attentive and knowledgeable about the menu. His recommendation was great and I would recommend King Kalbi, Hirame miso beef both was good. I would recommend this place to anyone, and thank you for the awesome customer service TC!!!!
(5)
Jennifer S.
Decent food a bit overpriced but me and hubby both got food poisoning, on our vacation, 2 days in bed. Pretty sure we cooked the food fully.
(1)
Justin E.
I've lived in Japan for about 8 months or so, and I've been to many a yakiniku place. I've had it Korean-style, which I've found has bad service but better prices by far. Gyukaku is much more Japanese. Everything is a la carte. That adds up--when kimchi sets you back about $6 when it'd be free at a Korean restaurant... that's the price you'd pay in Japan! The meat was of excellent quality (though the vegetables weren't anything spectacular). Service was really good, just like the quality of service you'd get in Japan. There was a coupon we got from a cow (no joke--a guy dressed as a cow) on the corner just down the street. It gave us $1 beer (1 per person). I think we could have gotten some sort of food instead for a buck as well... by why bother? Nothing goes better than BBQed meat and beer. Quality of food and service was excellent, though I'm not a fan of the price.
(4)
Linh P.
We came here twice during our vacation, yes the food was that good. You're probably wondering then why the four and not five stars? Because the bill was very expensive. For two adults and a three year old that barely eat, the bill was $75, without drinks. We came during happy hour which could be before 6:30pm or after 10pm until midnite/closing. The meat you order comes in 3-5 ounces, very small portions so you will need to order many. We had the garlic shrimp, the hiro-miso short ribs, rib eye, boneless chuck short ribs, ahi poke, kimchee, some other meat but now I can't remember. They all were very tender, well marinaded, simply delicious. If money were no object we would have eaten at this place more often.
(4)
Euge L.
i hate having to walk by this place when shopping the tourist row. every time we passed by.... YUM YUM YUM..... but alas, grilling japanese style korean food wasnt high on the todo list. whats worse than shopping? shopping and constantly smelling grilled meats!! but alas, after some hardcore work outs in the sun... the stars and sun aligned and gyu kaku it was..... sure its a chain. sure they might try to upsell you some items, etc...... but you know what? this korean boy who has made his own kimchee before(hell ive made ddaeng jjang and kot chu jjang also) says everythings pretty good. the banchan? pretty decent. the kimchee? it better than most store bought kimchee from the korean markets in san francisco. and of course the meats to grill, though not the best qulity around, its pretty damn good. having a constant line out the door probably helps maintaining higher quality food standards, im not industry, but a good guess i would think.... grilled meats, smoky, drinky.... good time had by all.
(4)
Dawn G.
Our waiter was very helpful recommending the meats since it was our first time to eat here. We got there during happy hour so many items were very inexpensive. Yay! The selection of veggies was limited and what we didn't order was very small or didn't come out good on the grill- came out dry. Boo! Filet was tough, bistro harami was the all around favorite as was the beef tongue. Don't go with germaphobes that get all crazy about what tong touched what meat etc...it kills the fun This person will remain anonymous to save them from embarrassment. We went here because we were playing tourists in Waikiki but if I had to choose I would go to chois garden. This is more of a drinking place to hang out.
(3)
Heidi M.
Had dinner here. They had happy hour. Everday of the week they have a different item for happy hour. Sundays are a lean sirloin. U can choose different sauces. Then u cook it to your liking. I would definetly recommend this place. I wish they would open one up in the San francisco area. I ordered the: Cajun spicy chicken- my favorite! Just make u don't over cook it. Ahi tuna- simple. I ate it raw Lean sirloin- very good with miso or garlic sauce Shrimp- yummy, but nothing special Veggie platter- eggplant, onion, mushroom, zucchini ... I say skip the veggies and get the good stuff +1 great atmosphere and ambiance +1 clean!!!! +1 fun, creative, and entertaining cooking method +1 deliscious food and wide variety +1 service was very fast. They were very understaffed but I totally understand LOVE LOVE LOVE
(5)
Niva S.
i have been to the this restaurant in Hawaii and in Torrence California. I do believe the one in Hawaii is better but they have almost the same menu. I do love there happy hour menu that offers a lot of variety. I came here with my mom and had a great time and a great meal! make reservations if you can because it gets crowded and then you end up facing a wall! I am a big fan but I do have one issue and that is service! it could be better.
(4)
Jon M.
If you like Gyu-Kaku, this is a great place. If you don't know what it is, you order all sorts of meats and vegetables with different spices and marinades and grill them yourself on a roughly 12" diameter grill in the middle of your table. Then you eat them fresh off the grill and enjoy with a pitcher of japanese beer and sake. Each table here is kind of enclosed so it's kind of a private feeling. We forgot there were other people here and got a little loud I'm sure. The time to go is late night happy hour (i think it starts after 10pm). But Late night happy hour you get a ton of their meats half off, pitchers and sake are cheap as well. And everything is delicious. I love Gyu-Kaku and this one did not dissappoint. We ordered around 12 different things, shrimp, steak, butterfish, and all sorts of meats and every single one was great. We even tried tongue (cow tongue I believe) and it was really good. Surprisingly I liked it and would definitely order it again. So go late, get a steal of a deal, and leave happy and full!
(4)
Christopher R.
Excellent! Went to one back in West LA and this one is just as good. Very affordable during happy hour to boot.
(4)
Laura D.
Food not bad, but the custumer service was poor. Japanese custumer with no reservations were getting seated before us , despite the fact we hada reservation! After 45 min of waiting time we decided to leave. On our first time at the bbq we had to wait 1 hr outside beacuse there was a big group of japanese tourist.....but then it was ok, since we didnt have any reservation! Wile waiting 45 min when u DO have a reservarionis little bit too much! Not gojng there again
(2)
Nathan N.
Really good happy hour, I like the cheesy jalapeño wuntun. I like the ward location seating better than the Waikiki location.
(4)
Annie L.
This place is delicious! Our first night in Waikiki, we found this place to eat for dinner. They were running their daily happy hour specials and it was so cheap! The Hiromi skirt steak ( I think I spelled it right) was super good, but that's not on their happy hour menu. It's cool though, it was good. We actually went back there again 2 days later for a late night happy hour. We had different kinds of beef and marinated meat. The chicken was good too. I went to a place in LA similar and it was much better, but this is a nice cheap place to go for meat eaters during their happy hours (11:30am to 6:30 pm and 9:00 pm to 11:00pm - I think). Yum!
(4)
Rabbitar N.
11:30 am to 6 : 30 pm is happy hour, great deal with yummy food. Excellent superb service.
(5)
Lindbergh B.
What is more manlier than cooking meat on an open flame while relaxing with a pitcher of beer? This is how I picture Jesus spending his Sunday afternoon after a day of church, drunk and wearing a tuxedo shirt, which says, "I'm formal but i also like to party!" So, come check out this place only during HAPPY HOURS and get your "Happy Ending". But please, ask them in a seductive manner or else they wont give it to you.
Just what you'd expect from a chain restaurant. The food and service were average at best. However, there happy hour menu is very extensive and reasonably priced. Its a good place to come and have a long dinner as you cook your own food and it can take a while. I wouldn't recommend it for a date since you might lose track of your meat and burned it to a crisp. Then again, if your date is boring at least you can entertain yourself by playing around with the grill. Happy hour menu had a wide selection of meats from 3 to 8 dollars a serving. You probably want to get 3 or 4 meats and a side or two of rice for a full meal. Also consider ordering the Bimbamp, a korean rice dish, for only 7 dollars and another meat to mix in.
(3)
Kit W.
First, the bad: - you gotta know how to cook stuff on a grill - you're going to smell like yakiniku for the rest of ____ until you shower/swim/get rained on/etc - non-happy hour pricing is not cheap Then, the good: - MMMMMMMMMM! just about everything we had was really tasty and the cooking recommendations were spot on - Happy hour specials are bargains! both drinks and food. - Great service, the guy even told us that we could order off the happy hour special despite being a few minutes late (and they were super nice to us despite us having a large party with 3 little ones. Definitely go either early or late, they are fairly busy. Mmmmmm. I think that the experience will be better with 4 people or so is going to get a greater variety/etc
(4)
Phoebe R.
A little pricey, but I felt like we got our money's worth. The service was fast and responsive and the food was great! The best beef tongue I've ever had - tasted like an expensive steak - yum! Left full and happy. What more can you ask for! (oh! and get the dessert that comes with little pancakes...mmmmm)
(4)
Aristotle M.
I love this place. My favorite yakiniku on Oahu. I like the one in Waikiki more than the one on Kapiolani, but never go simply because there is no parking. Oh well, the food is what matters. A bit on the expensive side though, especially considering Gyu Kaku is well known in Japan to be a sub-par yakiniku place, popular with young people because it's lower quality puts it in their price range. Put it in Hawaii though, and it's gourmet. The meats are great and are of course the focus of the menu, but give the sukiyaki bibimbap a shot at the end of your meal. It's great.
(4)
Jen C.
I LOVE this place!!!! 6 of us went there 2 nights in a row. Go there after 9:30pm and you can order the food from the happy hour menu. The filet mignon was the best! We tried several varieties of beef, chicken, shrimps, and pork, and the beef was the only thing we liked! I also had the egg soup and it was tasty! They also have it in Southern California and New York. I will try it when I'm in town! Definitely!
(5)
Tlisa A.
first time to the Waikiki resaurant... service was FAST, and the food was DELICIOUS! However, i think they water down their Kirin! i HIGHLY suggest you order the combo's it will probably be CHEAPER than doing ala carte.
(3)
Cassie P.
Believe it or not, I've never been here before today. I walk by this place literally 5 days a week on my way to work. Finally, a friend called me up today and suggested lunch here. Ahhhhhhh my goodness, it was freaking awesome. Didn't look any further than the happy hour lunch specials. Didn't need to. "Starter set" of rice (unlimited), seaweed soup, edamame and salad for $5. Shared an ahi poke stack (which was DELISH) for....I can't remember. $5ish. Zucchini, mushrooms, basil chicken and kobe were all on the table. Everything so mouthwatering good!!!!! Even though we were super full, there definitely still a little room for the doryaki icecream! Ummm who doesn't love ice cream melting in a little toasty pancake sandwich?? The only reason for not getting the fifth star was the server. I'm guessing he was new; didn't really know the menu, sauces, discounts, etc, as well as being kinda slow. I can't wait for another lunch date. Mmmmmmmmm.
(4)
Jennifer C.
This place is ridiculously good. Happy hour is from 11am to 6pm... half off a lot of the meat dishes and certain beer. Happy hour starts up again from 9pm to close. What a deal!
(5)
Maya B.
Went here on a Saturday night and were accomodated by the manager on short notice without a reservation. You don't get service like that outside of big citys but as luck would have it this wonderful woman was from Chicago. The meal was great from start to finish and the fact that they have after dinner happy hour makes it even better. The food was all fresh and great and the staff was very attentive. All in all this was a wonderful dining experience and I would reccomend it to anyone.
(5)
J F.
Hmm went here for happy hour.. place had about 4-5 other tables here. Ordered the Toro Beef, Chuck Kalbi which is on sale! the Cow tongue, and the Garlic Shrimp. THe Cow tongue was...alright kinda the texture I Expected and alright taste, my favourite was the chuck kalbi which is always solid, the toro beef was alright. My wife loved the garlic shrimp said it was very very good. Place is good for cheap eats and their happy hour times go for a long time so its convenient for people who liek to eat early then come back here and eat the late night happy hour as well!
(4)
Kan H.
Love it so much. You definitely want to try its best sellers. The skirt steak is AMAZING!!!
(5)
Julie M.
The happy hour is great. Very reasonable food and beer/drink prices. Try the tongue it is great. The skirt steak is great too. The mushrooms are beyond delish. The fried rice was very good too and a good value. I would pass on the garlic noodles. This place is a hidden gem and a little off the beaten path. Certainly worth seeking out. Happy hour goes to 6:30 so get there before that.
(4)
robert k.
I have never been to a Korean/Japanese BBQ joint but I can't believe I've been missing out on such a great dining experience. I love to grill meat at home; there is something about being the master of the grill that makes me feel just as warm inside as the grill surface that I'm working on. Gyu-Kaku satisfies that urge but also provides excellent quality meat and an overall great dining experience. Our server Robert on the first night and Wei the second night were both awesome, and the bartender who brought us drinks was also very helpful as well. A+ service! I can't recommend any specific dishes because we tried so much! On Kalakua at night there are people dishing out 99 cent coupons for marinated kalibi which was delicious. They have 6 or 7 marinades to choose from. The meat, although a little fatty, is delicious! And their menu is very extensive - Lots of beef, seafood, chicken, and vegetables to grill or steam. My fav was the US Kobe Ribeye. We got that to cap us off on the 2nd night we ate there, and it was soooo good! It practically melts in your mouth. I also loved the cheesy broccoli which is just velveeta and broccoli that comes wrapped in foil. Drop it on the grill top for about 4 minutes each side and bam it comes out all gooey and delish! And I cannot say enough good things about the garlic fried noodles. They're finished table side in a very hot bowl by your server and..omg...best noodles ever. I'm seriously contemplating a weekend trip to LA just so I can eat at Gyu-Kaku and Roscoe's! Be forewarned, though, it is indeed a little pricey. Especially if you want to dine like a King and try everything on the menu, haha! Despite the price this was so good it's the only dinner place we ate at twice on our whole trip to Hawaii and we'll most likely dine here twice on our next trip as well!
(5)
Candice F.
Absolutely fantastic! Went for Happy Hour twice in 5 days. Once on a date and once alone. Both times I had great drinks and food. Go for the Asian pear mojito, mushrooms and fillet mignon. You cook everything yourself and you leave feelin' like a rock star! I wish I had one here in Jersey :(
(5)
Fred T.
Kind of nice food if you are into meat but it is a rather annoying atmosphere. It is just too much going on at the same time. The pub next door had a talentless band playing and unfortunately it was impossible not to hear the music through the walls. Having said this I actually enjoyed the vegetables the most. Nice cheese broccoli and very nice salad. When it comes to the meat I would skip the tongue and filet mignon. Their marinated beef was way tastier and if you go for the better cut very tender.
(3)
Mike S.
We had an amazing waiter, Cris, an Asian college student at UH, who spent the time and explained everything about the different meats, cooking times, and recommendations on menu items. Being confused with the myriad of choices we just ordered the premium course and extra vegetables. Everything from the beef tongue, tenderloin, rib eye, steamed fish, mushrooms, poke, melted in our mouthes.
(4)
Heather B.
I really like this place. Food is very good. BBQ. Cook it yourself. This place is the best for BBQ. Soooo Gooooodddddd!!
(5)
Robert C.
Rating: 3.25/5 Date(s) Visited: 12/31/10 Food: 5/5 Service: 2/5 Atmosphere: 3/5 Price: 3/5 The food quality at the Waikiki Gyu-Kaku is much, much better than at the Kapiolani location, but the service certainly is not. I went here with more or less the same group that I had gone to the Kapiolani location with, intending to grab dinner before heading to the Hilton to watch the fireworks. Unfortunately we had a rather large kerfuffle since the bills were all mixed up and the group ended up missing most of the show. Food: The Waikiki location seems to realize the importance of properly seasoning their beef products. When I ordered my shabu beef, I wasn't swirling it on the plate to get every last grain of salt and every last sesame seed to give it flavor. Instead, all I had to do was plop it down on the grill and enjoy with a bowl of rice. It also made me realize that I much prefer the thinner cuts of meat because I can give it a slight char that, say, filet mignon won't really take. I will be ordering shabu beef from now on. Even their non-beef dishes taste better here. Their potatoes had a je ne sais quoi about them that made them taste even better, although I still wished that they had pepper shakers. That didn't stop me from wanting to drink the butter my potatoes were cooked in, though. (I did not drink the butter) I also ordered their corn and was very impressed with that as well. My friend who had ordered their "Garlic Fried Noodles" at the Kapiolani location decided to give them another chance and boy am I glad she did. This dish was a complete 180. They brought the bowl to the table and mixed it right there instead of just handing her a small plate with undercooked, burned noodles and garlic. This time, the noodles were perfectly cooked and extremely garlicky. The price was a bit steep, but given how amazingly delicious it was, I think it's worth it. Service: The service was just so-so until the bill came. We were seated on three sides of a table and the bill was supposed to be one for each side. Despite that, one side ended up getting everyone's drink bills and a bunch of other people's foods, the side I was sitting on ended up getting only my friend's food order and my bowl of rice and the last side got the rest of my food order. We spent almost twenty minutes trying to sort the mess out and handing out cash as appropriate to the people paying the bills. Because of that, we ended up leaving the restaurant at 11:50 or so and that gave us barely any time to walk almost clear across Waikiki to get to the Hilton. As a result, I arrived at the fireworks show at 12:07, with only about three more minutes left. Not quite the way I had hoped to enter the New Year... Atmosphere: The ambiance here is very different from the Kapiolani location. To me, it seemed much less rowdy and more under control. I also didn't feel like I was getting a tan sitting next to the grill since there was unrestricted airflow around us. Still, it was kind of annoying to have to sit next to the entrance and listen to the employees shout their greetings and farewells to all the customers. Price: I still find myself having problems with Gyu-Kaku in terms of pricing. To me, it doesn't really seem like a fair deal unless you go during happy hour and even then it's nothing extraordinary. I guess if you're in love with Gyu-Kaku, then the prices won't matter that much, but I'm far from in love with them.
(3)
Paul T.
I stumbled into this place on my first night in Hawaii, and was initially taken in by the idea that I was eating at a local joint. Turns out, however, that it's a chain, but that doesn't take away from the fun of grilling your own food at the table. I love eating out. I also love cooking my own meals. Gyu-Kaku definitely allowed for a mash-up of both of these experiences. The servings are typically small, so order two dishes with a side of rice to take away any hunger pangs you might be having. The kal-bi ribs I ordered were deliciously marinated and tender as all get-out after I'd cooked it, and were it not for my short stay and desire to eat at as many different places as possible, I might have paid another visit to the joint. Odds are, however, I will never eat here again, since there are so many different local flavors and local places to dine at. There really is no sense in wasting a dining experience on a chain restaurant in a place like Hawaii.
(3)
John M.
I Love Gyu Kaku but this location is not as good as Kapolani
(4)
Myke F.
Fantastic Japanese BBQ, a favorite in Waikiki!! I had to go all the way over there to discover that several exist in Los Angeles, I can't wait to go back when I get home! Happy Hour prices are awesome, especially considering the high quality menu and food. We had everything from shrimp to beef to chicken, and it was all terrific. Possibly the best miso soup I've ever had. Also, great service, worth every bit of a 30% tip!!
(5)
HayesOne s.
My wife and I had an impromptu dinner here July 6th. We got the Saki sampler and the kalakaua. It was plenty of food and it was all good. We were especially surprised with the sausages. We like it but for the price not really worth it. Small tables and not well ventilated.
(3)
Justin L.
After searching for something open for dinner past 10pm I was starving and so thankful to find this place! We came in 30min before they closed so I knew we would be rushed but didn't care. Our waitress was super sweet and helpful! Helped us pick a good selection for one total carnivore and a vegetarian. However within 20min, before we were even done eating, the bill was forced upon us by the manager and they had begun taking away sauces and utensils. None of this really mattered though cause everything was 50% off including many sakes plus loved our great server. I wish I remembered her name! Not to mention I was totally crushing on the guy in the cow outfit who passes out flyers to the passing crowds urging you to eat here. I was totally having a Miranda (Sex & City) moment. Can't see him but I know he's totally cute. Also, we had ordered dessert but the kitchen had closed and have the servers had already left so we knew we weren't getting it. It was only $5 and not worth the trouble so we decided to just take off. We get about a block away and here comes our waitress with two dessert cups in hand for us. So sweet!!
(4)
Francis C.
I've always enjoyed Gyu-Kaku because of its selection and reasonable prices (Happy Hour is excellent). Only thing, sometimes the server(s) can be really slow and unattentive. They started a "Gyu-Kaku Card"- only $1 to join- and similar to Shokudo's card. You get a reward after spending so much.
(5)
Joe I.
Insanely awesome. Delicious food. Great service. Cool space. I had never done Japanese BBQ before, and the social interaction around cooking food for yourself and for others is really fun and fosters some great conversation. The variety of food that came with what we ordered was super fun, and even though there were 5 of us we ordered a meal that served two, and there was plenty. I can't recommend this place more highly. Best meal I had in Honolulu.
(5)
Julia H.
It used to be a 5 star place until they lost their dorayaki maker....to which i have to give it average stars since I really feel the dorayaki made them special!
(3)
Doris D.
Just ok, overpriced! The happy hour, I heard, is a very good deal and would make a trip to this place worth it.
(3)
JL S.
One of our standard go-tos in Waikiki. The food is great, price is reasonable, and atmosphere is fun. Not always easy to find in such a touristy spot.
(4)
Nicholas T.
First time I went for a late lunch. Have to knock off a star for service. Must have been the B team
(4)
Rosalyn T.
Everything was delicious, and service was excellent! In addition to our meats and veggies, we also ordered sukiyaki which was sooo tasty and one of our favorite sakes, Kikusui. For dessert, we got the Hawaiian ice cream and it was to. die. for. Gyu Kaku is one of our favorite restaurants and it just happened to be a few blocks away from our hotel, Score!
(4)
Todd T.
Second time eating here, a little different menu than Kapiolani Blvd location. The rice sizes here are very small. The garlic noodles are prepared table side in a hot bowl, different again than Kapiolani. They still have the happy hour menu which is nice. Best to make a reservation because its always busy.
(4)
Barry W.
I am a big fan of the Gyu-kaku(s) in Los Angeles, so ... naturally when I came to Waikiki, I had to visit this one. This location served it up well. I ordered combo plates! It has a more japanese feel since it's located on lewers. (narrow 2-lane street, with lil bench out front to wait on.) Wait was ~ 30min on a Sunday nite & service excellent. My son and I'll certainly return next time we're in Waikiki.
(4)
Anh T.
It was fantastic!! Definately get the combo. Lots of good food and plenty for 3 people. Try and make it for happy hours. 12:30-6 & 9-12. Better prices and still great service
(5)
Chris B.
Very good restaurant, professional and knowledgeable staff, nice atmosphere, but can get expensive fast as they sell ingredients to cook by the serving.
(4)
Alexandra H.
The hubby and I love this place and come here at least 2x a month. I highly recommend getting frequent customer card. It helps out a great deal with point accumulation and discounts....another great thing is that they extended the All-You-Can-Eat buffet for everyday, not just on the weekends! rozu beef and toru! Oh and the fried cheese wontons! Or the seaweed soup! All very yummy!i don't drink anymore, but I noticed that for the Kirin pitcher they have a device in it that keeps it nice and foamy n fresh drafted taste
(5)
Vanessa B.
I can't believe I lived in Waikiki for a 1 1/2 years and only recently discovered this place! I absolutely loved it here and i'm pretty sure my boyfriend enjoyed the experience as well. After visiting the one on Kapiolani I decided to make reservations for happy hour at the Waikiki location. The open windows made it much more comfortable as I complained about how stuffy it got at the Kapiolani location. The hostess in the front were on top of it and immediately sat us down at the time of our reservation. The waiter told my boyfriend about everything he needed to know about. He showed us the happy hour menu, explained how to adjust the flame, described the sauces for the meat, and described several of the dishes as well. The food was delicious! The happy hour prices were great! The best part of the night was having a live show of people fighting right outside of our window..only in Waikiki!
(5)
Latham W.
Visiting family in Honolulu last week I checked out Gyu Kaku on a recommendation from my brother. It's best to try this place during their very lengthy Happy Hour, which I think is from 11am to 6pm. During Happy hour the cost is extremely reasonable, and they have a full bar. After Happy Hour things get a little pricey for what you are getting: cook-it-yourself food. Great place for a group of meat eaters, not so much for the vegetarians. Give it a try, it's worth it.
(4)
Dong T.
It can be expensive, or it can be super cheap. When you order stuff, it comes out right away, since it's not like they have to cook it or anything. The happy hour specials are a great deal. Our waitress was able to hook us up with some specials even though it wasn't the right time. Try a bit of everything! We ate dinner here our first night in Oahu. Got TOTALLY wasted because of the stupid drink specials. Damn them! When you get a table, ask for IAN. He is the MAN!!!!
(5)
JD L.
I am not a fan of this location. I've only been to this gyukaku twice, and both times were blah. The wait for the tables were ridiculously long. We were told by the hostess that we would have to wait ten minutes so that someone could clear a table for us. No one cleaned anything?? We ended up waiting for about 30 minutes. Service was alright. I prefer the kapiolani location!
(3)
Hillery G.
All of the steak meats were great. It was fun to cook our food. the customer service left a lot to be desired. We had to track down waiters for additional water, dessert and the check - so annoying.
(4)
David D.
This is cook-your-own on a gas grille in the center of your table. The difference between Korean and Japanese is the "dipping sauces." Two nights we called and couldn't get a reservation before 9:30 pm. The third day we called around noon, and got a 6:30 pm seating. Ikaika, a muscular guy who looked like he should be fire dancing at the Polynesian Cultural Center, deftly guided us through the menu. We ordered the Kamehameha special, a prix fixe dinner that was supposed to feed two, but that could easily feed all three of us. It consisted of a large salad, mixed vegetables, and a half dozen meats, including tongue, sirloin, prime rib, and kalbi (cross-cut short ribs). Ikaika brought us a third cup of rice for Mom. Dessert consisted of vanilla ice cream covered with maple syrup. A great evening, 3 satisfied customers for $81.66 + tip. We were notified when we were seated that the table had to be turned by 8:00 pm. Normally this would have irked me, but seeing how busy the restaurant was, I didn't mind. Taking our time, we were out by 7:45 pm anyway.
(5)
Michelle W.
The food was only so-so. One of the appetizers, fried calamari, was so tough as to be inedible, and was actually pretty freaky looking. It was no where near as described in the menu or like the picture in the menu. That went back. We ordered filet mignon, but it was tough and extremely riddled with fat and chewy bristle. Not appetizing. The food took way too long to come out of the kitchen, especially considering that you cook it yourself on the grill at the table. How long, exactly, does it take to plate up raw food? 45 minutes is a little asinine. The waiter forgot to bring us tongs, so the only way to cook our food was with the chopsticks, and being our first experience, we didn't realize that they were supposed to bring tongs, until she finally showed up 20 minutes later with them. The restaurant was dirty. The lamps above the table, directly above the grill yo Next time, I believe we'll try one of the other locations, or a different restaurant all together.
(2)
Minette C.
This is the type of place where you want to find cheap eats and cheap liquor, and also if you are super hungry. I came here for the late happy hour, as I already had quite the hefty dinner, but I really wanted to squeeze this in from all the reviews on Yelp. I was a little disturbed from the cleaniness, but it's something most people won't notice, as many were drunk. I can see myself enjoying this place a lot if I was starving and buzzed, but I was neither.
(2)
Angela R.
Prices: Great!! I would say it deserves a $$ not $$$. My friend and I had a ton of food, TWO drinks each and dessert for about $80. Atmosphere: Nice setup. A little smokey, though. Service: Great!! We had a couple different guys waiting on us who were all helpful and fast. Food: De-lic-ous. Everything we had (beef, tounge, spinach) was so frigging good.
(5)
Hanh Y.
We were looking to dining here based on the yelp reviews. Unfortunately, the food was offset by the terrible service. We had an 1 hour and 15 minute wait on a Wednesday night, the waiter got our order mixed up. The $$ paid was not really worth the tiny portions. The food was somewhat tasty, but we regretted the decision to spend our precious vacation time here waiting so long.
(2)
Janders S.
Best grill I've had since Japan. Better than Korean stuff in Portland. (Please God, someone in Portland area let me know of a great yakiniku place in the area) I need grilled beef, I'm tired of standing there, slicing steak and tossing the individual pieces in a frying pan while drinking a beer and wearing a wife beater' Excellent for a group or a relaxed date. two people who can enjoy, get the $80 special. Go to Kalakaua and find the guy handing out coupons for cheap beers unless you go for happy hour. Manager, get that dancing kid in the kitchen a fucking tissue or send him to the bathroom or have him wash his hands when he is done 'clearing' his nose. shit. at least i got my food already and from the other side of kitchens. Waiters and Waitresses, EXCELLENT, no question about it. Such Good grubs that I had a time walking after and I usually dont eat that much. Happy HR 11:30a-6:30p then 9:30p-close. EXCELLENT FOOD/SERVICE Anyone in the Portland area know of such a place, because I could eat at this place weekly? Someone let me know.
(5)
Emily D.
When my bestie here is craving BEEF close by Waikiki this is where we head off to. You may recognize the shop by the man sized cow that hands out flyers on the corner for their happy hour from open-630pm & 930-close. Food: Great seasoned beef and multiple sauces to customize your experience. There are lots of cuts and types of meats depending on how much you want to spend. I particularly enjoy the gyu-kaku salad with it's flavorful dressing and quartered hard boiled egg. Happy hour: not very many choices. Shabu beef starts at 2.95 and the more expensive shrimp and thicker beef goes up to 5.95. I kind of find it the price it is SUPPOSED to always be. Advertising it as "happy hour" is kind of deceptive. Overall: go for happy hour during a date- cooking the meat should give you something to do during those awkward pauses :) plus "happy hour" is almost all of the time.
(4)
sherry t.
FANTASTIC! Came here for happy hour Monday after 9pm. $3 ahi poke, $2.75 draft pints, $3.50 hot sake. Solid food for great price. Excellent service. MUST GO!!
(5)
Sheila F.
OMG! This place was right up the block from my hotel- I called them re: a reservation while my husband was out diving, and we got there at 5:30 PM- still happy hour! Our bill was less than $60 for drinks, dinner (filet mignon, a bunch of other meats- even the tongue!) and garlic noodles. Excellent!!! The filet mignon was the best. Service was excellent. Enjoy!!!
(5)
Tiffany R.
My husband and I just ate here for an early dinner, during Happy Hour of course! I am really not sure what we ordered but it was all really awesome! And our waitress was friendly, our glasses were never empty! We've been living two blocks away for almost three years and I wish we would have tried this place sooner! We will defiantly be going back and bringing friends! I also LOVE the music they play there, great atmosphere!!
(4)
pirateninja a.
eh okay. The food prices were okay aside from that, this place is dirty! The floor is sticky, the chairs sticky, I was waiting to go to the restroom and I saw a guy take a broom out of the closet and the mop was black et cetra. Also one star removal for 1 bathroom(Wth) and another star removal for dirtiness. I give a star for those workers though, enjoyed the mixing the rice. Their foods are okay, meats are the BEST though . And they validate parking which is a plus. But at least the servers are much better than shukudo and take the time to explain and remember your orders even though they ARE busy(possibly more busy than shukudos) Rather give them business that arrogant shukudo
(3)
Roxanne H.
Ok ,so it was the weekend of the Honolulu Marathon, but that did not excuse the incredible delays and the service . We made a booking and were told it would be an hour before we could be seated so off we went to do some shopping at Ross Dress for Less around the corner, came back fifty five minutes later and waited outside and waited and waited approximately another thirty five minutes although there was a table next to the window that remained vacant.( which we were told was being held for someone who never materialized ) along with others who were also not impressed with the long waiting time. if they had initially told us the wait would be that long we would have gone elsewhere but well we were there so! when we eventually got our table the waiter was more interested in selling us a package meal than anything else, like explaining the menu or the condiments on the table as we had not been to this restaurant before it would have been nice to have someone explain the menu etc..but no.. the dishes we selected were well we have had better in Japan/Sydney/Asia and not as expensive. I'm not sure we will give this restaurant another visit when we are next in Honolulu. oh and to add insult to injury they included a 15% tip in the bill automatically..very rude...
(2)
Padraig M.
Great fun lunch place. Fixed price meals were fun, good value. The $18 premium lunch meal not that great, the premium cuts weren't as good as I hoped for. $10-11 prix fixed better option. Got an extra side of fillet mignon which was great. Great friendly service, manager/owner came over too to check on us. Very accommodating with the baby, even if the place isn't optimal for that.
(4)
Kristy W.
I had lunch here on a Sunday afternoon and loved the food, service and prices. The happy hour prices are very reasonable (in an area where reasonable prices are not necessarily common) and the food delicious. There was a slight wait when I arrived however it was only 5-10 mins and they had places to sit right outside. I was eating alone, so I'm confident this review is based on an excellent dining experience and not just wonderful company. The server gave me a great idea as to what each menu item was, without any pressure to select a local or personal favorite. Ultimately I ordered the 'bistro harami and rosu' grill lunch set. I added the mixed kimchee appetizer and a mixed drink. I was stuffed at the end of the meal and completely happy. I plan on returning with my husband to share the treat.
(5)
Linda E.
Gyu-Kaku Ok There I was tired on my Friday standing in and sore plus dealing with reconciliation I still managed to receive the green light to go. Happy Hour starts at 9:30. Albeit it was graduation weekend for UH but er um but aren't we important people too? We just got off work and some of us were super hungry and thirsty for cocktails. It was Karin's last day before maternity leave. She does so much for us that we wanted to say our proper farewell. She had her heart set on Gyu Kaku. I on the other hand am more of fan of spicy Korean or sashimi style sake bars like that of my regular Sorabol and or Doraku being I love Crown Royal it's my Friday and it Karin's last night I decided to go. My curfew time was ticking away standing on Lewers Street where I have no business being... sad and thirsty I left angry after waiting over an hour. There I was tired on my Friday standing in lined up like a cattle call... we should have moo'ed maybe we would have gotten faster service? Sore muscles and dehydrated as well as thirsty plus dealing with reconciliation another story, I managed to receive the green light to go with the girls to celebrate! Yes, I was fully aware I got to get up make coffee and do breakfast, grab the contents of household shopping list be back to before lunch to serve hungry construction workers and write a blog about my experience. Which was now really less than fabulous, it was in fact horrible and I wasted my Friday of which I have only one day off this week. Being an LMT it is crucial to have good nutrition and adequate rest and sleep plus unwind from a rough week... and boy oh boy did I have one! another story there as well... But imagine spending the bulk of one hour standing outside Lewers on a Friday Night... No food, no water in line arrived and in line since 9:10 "told 9:30" then at 9:35, "Please wait 20 more minutes" and then at 10:12, "Sorry 20-30 minutes more." I lost my smile and cool! I was feeling foolish and angry. Empty tables all about reserved for a party of 7 while a party of 4, 6, various numbers passed through to sit down, with sill empty tables that we could have ate sat and left by now. My suggestion is don't go unless you have time to hang out on Lewers Street or like to hang out at lengths on Lewers and people watch. While Gyo Kaku tries to imitate long line as in high demand it is sad they are management style is so whacked. Sad they had me going there and thinking it was going to be great and it was so disappointing!!! Our party went from 8 to 6 to 4 with the announcements of delays while others sat with the Karin still craving Gyo Kaku so Bernie, Ryoko, and Satoko stayed. Eventually Bernie having to drive home to Ewa Beach finally threw in the towel and left hungry! Such a disappointing evening... I will not be recommending this to place for celebration but only drop in if it there are free tables available but who knows perhaps they too will be RESERVED lol!!! So many places and such a bad economy and they play games with local and fellow co hearts of Waikiki sad... Do they know we are married and we have disposable income? Hm... we the working class need to unwind and have money... Where's the perk of paying first class taxes, buying local when we get treated like third class citizens and like rift raft sad yeah? Some management styles in Hawaii lack service and hospitality. Next time I'll suggest Doraku!!! Great food, great drinks pours, great service, friendly and courteous too, and in the Royal Hawaiian where they cater to hungry paying customers
(1)
First Name L.
This is a 4.5 but pretty darn close to a 5. I've been here a few times and every experience has been positive. Parking is easy, after 6pm there's usually a street space, if not the parking lot on Kapiolani is validated. I usually go up the ramp, I'm not sure if it's a different parking company if you go to the lot that is on ground level. Hours of operation is pretty much early lunch to late night. Seems like it's happy hour all the time. Basically between 6:30-9pm is the only time it is NOT happy hour. You can't beat Kirin draft for under $3 and a pitcher for $8! The Mojito's are also quite good. The food is awesome. I've ordered their Mahalo and Aloha sets in the past and have come in and just ordered ala carte. I'll usually just order one of every happy hour special plus premium kalbi, garlic noodles, salad, and of course their dessert. I was really disappointed with the regular Kalbi... it was $5 but it was basically one Kalbi cut in three pieces, pretty pricey for all that bone. That's really my only gripe. Service is consistently very good. It's hard for me to not tip 20% because they work hard for their money. Very clean and what else?! If you haven't tried, give it a try, you won't regret it. Price... that's the only but! But the price. Yeah... dinner for four last night was about $200 and only 2 of us were drinking... and it was happy hour (: You get what you pay for. For my money, excellent service, food, and icy cold Kirin... it's well worth it.
(5)
Melody T.
Amazing pear mojito just have to point that out! It was just the right amount of sweetness and it was so smooth. We went during happy hour so the drink was about 4 dollars, which added to my liking. We ordered a bunch of yakiniku and rice and the bill came out to be 25 dollars for three people which is not bad at all. I definitely recommend this place!
(4)
Aimee A.
Everyone loves this place so I brought my auntie and uncle here. Got the $100 package. Had good service and the place was nice but...food wasn't anything special or exceptional. Serving's weren't the big either. Maybe I didn't order the right food but I didn't feel like I got my money's worth here.
(2)
Amanda M.
Boy, this place was expensive but hey, my parents were paying! We ordered the Kalakaua Course for 2 at $74 and since there were 4 of us my sister ordered some Kimchi fried rice and chicken ramen. I thought it was pretty expensive for all the thinly sliced meats we were getting so I'm hoping at least the meats were from local ranches or anything related to the Slow Food Movement haha...probably not. The staff was very fast and efficient and they were on top of their stuff. They were honest with their suggestions and knew that the Kalakaua would be enough for all of us haha. A funny thing is that there was one white guy working there that had a nametag with an obviously very Japanese name, probably a joke. The meats were okay....I drenched a lot of everything in a lot of sauce. But to this day, me and my sister still talk about that ramen, OH MY GOODNESS...so good. Hence the 4 stars.
(4)
Joey F.
Happy Hour is fantastic! We still managed to spend $150 between 4 people but we ate WELL and the food was delicious. The filet mignon was soft indeed. All the cuts of meat we had were fantastic. The service was great as well. I lived in Japan for a few years and this really made me reminiscence about how much I miss the food there....great place for a small group.
(5)
Cin G.
I had a craving for japanese food and walked in after looking at the price and it was a great fun meal, good price and happy hour too. Definitely a nice lunch date with my honey! Gonna bring our outerisland guests here next week. Yummy!
(4)
Christina C.
Yummy yakitori and yummy drinks. My sister and I got good meats and veggies, and it's one of the better yakitori places I've had. I wish we got to come back for their happy hour though, when meat and drinks are cheaper.
(4)
Tracy S.
This was my first experience at a Japanese BBQ restaurant and I loved it. We had a reservation, but showed up a little early. They said they would quickly clear a table for us, but in reality just kept us waiting until our reservation time. This was fine -- especially as other diners kept arriving without reservations and had to settle in for a wait. Our waiter was quite helpful in explaining the menu. This was important as its a big menu and can be a little confusing. We ordered 4 or 5 different meats, veggies and fish to try and he brought them out a few at a time and gave tips when needed on how long to grill each item. We then picked up the tongs and started to grill -- a fun and interactive experience. The food was excellent and really filled us up. One person in our party ordered dessert and as a bonus, the waiter brought a smaller sample of the dessert for the rest of us to try as well. Nice bonus - even if we were already very full! Honolulu is filled with chain restaurants, which we tried to avoid while there. However, I didn't realize that this was one too (it was recommended by friends), but am very happy that we went. I'll even search it out back here on the mainland!
(4)
Regina K.
Good service and the meats were very well prepared. The atmosphere of the restaurant has the perfect setting to having a great yakiniku style dinner with friends, family, a date or any other occasion. Also, if your grill gets too dirty they will gladly replace it with a clean one. And specific foods I enjoyed so far are the cheesy broccoli which was superb I love my veggies with cheese! And the roast, was amazing! Hope this helps! Another thing, it may get busy, so if you want a seat right away, make reservations. If not the wait isn't too bad and plus there are little stores nearby and a few bars if you want a nice drink while waiting. I recommend this place for a good japanese style yakiniku!
(4)
Morgan B.
This is such an awesome place. From the outside it looks very plain but the food is amazing and the experience is a ton of fun!! My husband and I decided to go because of the great yelp reviews. We went during the late night happy hour, it was great! We would both highly recommend to check this place out! They had a really great selection for happy hour and some really yummy ice cream treats! Price during happy hour was good too!
(5)
Kristina C.
The meats and seafood are very flavorful. The veggies and sides are one of a kind and completely delicious. You've got to try the soju and barley tea drinks. I hope that there's a Gyu Kaku in San Francisco.
(5)
Chris N.
I love dining at Gyu-Kaku, and the Waikiki location was no exception. Despite having a reservation, we still had to wait close to 20 minutes before being seated. That's expected though, considering the set-up of the restaurant (yakiniku BBQ) and its popularity! Wei, our server, was super awesome. He was very attentive, and made sure that we were doing well throughout the entire dining experience. The dinner prices here are a little more expensive than if you were to dine at a location on the mainland, but oh well (when you put in to account some of the specials that tend be offered at other Gyu-Kaku locations). If you're looking for a bargain, make sure to stop by during the happy hour or during lunch time when they have pretty good deals on selected meats and plates. We each ordered sukiyaki bibimba (warning - this location adds an egg to the bowl, but does not list it as an ingredient on the menu), so three bowls total. In addition, we also ordered the gyu-moco and garlic fried noodles to share, which were delicious. And of course, we got a selection of chicken, kalbi and filet mignon, as well as vegetables to steam/grill. Overall, great service and we'll be back upon our return to Oahu!
(4)
Sammy C.
Went there on Mother's Day and it was great. they gave us the Happy Houir prices and the food was delicious. My kids enjoyed it. they loved cooking their own food. It is a great experience.
(4)
FAITH M.
ALOHA! Me and my husband been to Gyu-Kaku @ Wakiki couple times. It was AWESOME! GREAT FOOD AND GOOD SERVICE!!!! Thank you Gyu-Kaku! We're looking forward to come and visit your place again... MAHALO
(5)
Ryan W.
This is my new favorite restaurant. Why don't we have these in San Francisco?? We ate here on a Thursday night with a party of 3. The food was so good that we came back the next night with a group of 14. Everybody had fun and enjoyed the food both nights. The Harami is my favorite cut of beef that they offered. I like the spicy miso sauce, but the others were very good as well. The asparagus wrapped with bacon was unique and tasty, and the shrimp was also worth ordering. I didn't taste anything I didn't like, and the crispy rice was delicious! Go with a group. That makes it more fun. You cook the food on a grill in the middle of the table. The service is excellent, but be prepared to do the cooking yourself. It is really simple. I would descibe the cuisine as an excellent mix of Japanese and Korean. This location is walking distance from most hotels/resorts in Waikiki, and I must say it was the best meal I had in the tourist district. Prices are very fair, in my opinion. Without alcohol, the tab on a party of 14 was around $300 and we ate a lot!
(5)
Ramsey K.
Really enjoyed this. I liked being able to pick a bunch of different meats and veggies for grilling. While the place isn't the cleanest establishment I've been in, it has a certain atmosphere of friendliness made up for it. Next time I'm in Honolulu (probably not for a long time...first timer, not a fan), I'd definitely come back.
(4)
Jonathan D.
I have no idea why but the servers here are always on their best behavior like they have a "secret customer" watching them. I had this good looking chick (no homo) Very pretty (still no homo) I was glad she catered to everything and when we asked how big was everything she told us how big the meat was with how many came on the plate. Very awesome. I burnt my wonderful looking musubi rice ball that you grill and it fell apart. Got a new one cuz she felt bad that she didn't tell us how to make it. Yippie. Loved her more! Got every dish I asked for. First dish was an appetizer that came out about 15 minutes later cuz it was a cooked one. Very good along with the food. At the end I didn't know the smores came with only too, and being the little piggy I am I ate both in like ten minutes. She asked if we wanted anything else to order and if not she would give us our checks. Got the checks and she was still refilling our waters :) Gave her the check and she even refilled our waters after that. I think I love her :) UPDATE: Just had another cool server a local moke guy with the name Ian. He is da bomb. Really chill down to Earth. If you love to just have a good time with a party of friend I highly recommend him as a server when not in an intimate party.
(5)
Thao V.
Happy hour starting at 10PM- closing (12AM) is a pretty sweet deal, but I wouldn't come on an empty stomach cause it would be pretty easy to rack up quite a bill. The portions are cheap but are small at the same time. So if you're going with someone who eats a lot, such as my boyfriend, you might have to keep ordering more and more. I don't really remember what we got in terms of meat, but I remember it was good. Their pina colada (not on HH though) was so yummy! The atmosphere is pretty chill, and being able to grill your own meat is fun. Just don't come when you're starving cause you have to cook your own food first.
(4)
Derrick V.
Tried the second location of this Japanese BBQ spot but I liked the other one better. The happy hour is tricky, because you can only order 1 item per person, unless you're in a group of 5 or more. Only the kalbi stood out among our selections.
(3)
Alex D.
This place's food is so yummy. We just ordered the top #1, #2 recommendation from the menu. After a huge disappointment from Hakone buffet the previous night, this place totally rocks us. The service is also pretty good as well. I might have given this place a 5 star if we were eating during happy hour rate. I would recommend you to go during happy hour and you will have pleasant experience in both of your food and your bill.
(4)
malia w.
first time to eat at gyu-kaku. went there for dinner, wish i went during happy hour because prices are much better. food is good quality and tasty. we got 2 red meats, one chicken, one shrimp and noodles. it was very filling and my husband is a big eater. they try to get you to order at least two dishes per person. if you aren't that hungry, just do 3 meat dishes for two people. our server was nice. it's a good place for a date or hanging out with a small group. i plan on trying the one in cupertino, CA.
(4)
Jennifer B.
While on buisness alone in Honolulu, my trusty Yelp friends saved me again. Walked to this restaurant based on reviews and am now currently stuffed full of meaty grilled goodness!! Contrary to some reviews, I received excellent service in spite of being a lone diner (you often get forgotten when a party of one at dinner). This is not a fancy restaurant by looking at it (more dive-ish) but the food quality is amazing. By the time I left there was a line out the door on a Tuesday night. My only complaint is that the waitress told me as a single (female) diner I should order at least 3 meats, salad, rice and veggies. This was waaaayyy too much (but I ate it anyway :) ). The Poke was wonderful and fresh but a bit heavy on the onion for me. Also ate the filet, garlic shrimp and some kind of skirt steak (Haram?) which was the best of all. Steamed asparagus was a little weak. I might have preferred to just grill it straight. The sauces were also good, but honestly the meats were soo wonderful just grilled I hardly used them at all. Biggest plus, I got there for the tail end of happy hour so the whole shebang plus 2 beers cost me less than $30 which for Hololulu is pretty darn good, especially considering I probably won't need to eat again for 2 days. I will definately plan to come backh here when in Honolulu again (hopefully with a bigger group so I can try more things), but will also check out their California locations when I am there next.
(5)
Yi F.
So tender the beef is. And great dessert. I tried both New York and Hawaii, they are both awesome!
(4)
W Q.
Happy hour is an amazing deal here -- but I still think the $30 unlimited is the best deal!!! I love this place. Would recommend it to everyone! They do a really nice job marketing this place and offer good discounts for check-ins. Open late till 11:30pm when everything else good in Waikiki closes.
(5)
Cynthia A.
Waikiki location, next to Kelley O'Neil's. Happy Hour specials everyday for beer and meat (see my pic). My favorite day is Saturday, for Sausage! My fiance and I are usually happy with a few orders of the sausage, some kalbi (any variety), and one or two veggies. I like the grilled mochi dessert. Gyu-Kaku, Waikiki | 808-926-2989 307 Lewers St., Honolulu, HI 96815 Open on 365 days a year. Hours of Operation: Everyday: 5pm to 12am* [*Last call done 30 minutes prior to close]
(5)
Gary T.
Best Place for late nigh Happy Hour, 1/2 price dishes, and drinks and is a Yaki Niku style restaurant. Food is slightly above average same with the drinks, but who could complain, it is 1/2 price!
(4)
miss w.
I coincidentally strolled in here during my vacation to Honolulu last year. I heading back out and the end of this month and this is the first place on my restaurant list. Excellent food, great customer service, and lively atmosphere. The one in Huntington Beach, California doesn't compare though it's not far from 5 stars. Just thinking about it makes me hungry.
(5)
Ryan N.
when i was living in hawaii, we came here once a week to eat. i recently came back to visit and man was it heaven..Their new happy hour set menus are good. Happy hour is the best time to go imo. I dont need to explain each dish cause..its all good and thats all you gotta kno! oh and get dessert, u wont regret it
(5)
Angela Y.
We've never eaten at a Japanese style BBQ restaurant before, just Korean BBQ....so we had to try Gyu-Kaku when we visited Waikiki. We didn't have to wait at all, I think because we got there right when it opened for lunch. I forgot the name of our waiter, but he was awesome! We ordered a pitcher of beer since it was "on sale" - how could we pass that up! One thing that I did notice, was that the lunch menu didn't have much of a variety as the dinner menu. Makes sense though....but we did find out that you can order anything from the dinner menu if you wanted. With that said, we ordered the garlic noodles off the dinner menu (really good!) - everything else we ordered off the lunch menu (kalbi, chicken, and the thinly sliced beef...i forgot the name). My sister and I were cooking the food so the experience was more of a task than anything. All in all, the food was great - the meat was tasty and the dipping sauces....SOO GOOD. I wanted to put a bottle in my purse. I heard there's one in Los Angeles.....i think the husband and I will check it out.
(4)
Jen D.
I have been lucky enough to live in a city where there are 2 gyu-kaku locations (NYC). The East Village being my favorite location. And then I went to gyu-kaku when I was in Osaka. Gyu-Kaku has never let me down and the two times that we went in Hawaii were both just as great as my other experiences at their other locations. My favorite this time was the prime skirt steak in tare sauce, the premium beef tongue with salt, pepper and lemon juice, the garlic noodles and the sukiyaki bibimbap. Yes i said it. SUKIYAKI BIBIMBAP. It was sooooooo good!! The service was top notch and everyone there is really friendly. And don't worry about the smell. Japanese yakiniku places always have the grill that sucks the smoke down, so none of the smokey, meaty smell will infiltrate your clothing and follow you around for the rest of the night.
(5)
Bigi L.
Amazing beef tongue. I'm normally not the one to try strange exotic food, and usually stick to my regular beef meat, chicken meat, pork meat, all the most common things. The first time I've been here was 3.5 years ago and I tried the beef tongue here and could never forget it. I came here again this time and it didn't disappoint. The whole meal was awesome (we got the set dinner for two which pretty much lets you sample a bit of everything), but of course the highlight is the beef tongue. Service was great, our server was really good and explained everything to us clearly, even told us which ones require dripping of lemon juice, and so on.
(5)
Yingxingzi H.
This is awesome! even I get annoyed when I waited half an hour to get the seat but the food deserve five stars! everyone must go there!
(5)
Kim H.
Once again another place to check out if you are in Honolulu. Our waiter was extremely knowledgeable and took the time to understand what we were looking for and what we wanted. My friend and I were there for happy hour and had a $50.00 tab so it's not cheap but it's well worth it. Honestly it was probably the first place I have ever been were all the employees seem to actually enjoy working.
(5)
John A.
I would say a must try. Love the garlic noodle.
(4)
Mickey K.
Food: 4/5 Price: 4/5 Service: 5/5 Organization: 5/5 Atmosphere: 5/5 Gyu Kaku is probably my most frequented restaurant in Waiks due to the laid back atmosphere. It's the place to go whenever I have an Aunty visiting me, after a surf session, or before work too. The first time I went there on Halloween with a large group. That's the exceptional part too!! We walked in Happy Hour, on Halloween with our ridiculous costumes and was seated immediately and served promptly without a reservation. The layout of the restaurant is made where you have your own little area, therefore more privacy to talk about whatever. Our waiter was Naruto, and he took our orders quickly and efficiently. Of all the times I've been there too, the service was always quick and attentive. There's a hapa boy who has been my waiter on numerous occasions and was always good at mentioning the deals and recommending selections. Sure you have to grill your own food, but that's the fun in it. Portion sizes may be considered small by some people but it's perfect for me. Plus, it's pretty simple to just order more if you're still hungry. As for prices, well compared to Waikiki this is a pretty reasonable price for the service, food, plus setting. I actually consider this a relatively cheap place to eat at, but of course that's only in Waiks. What I love the best about this restaurant is the ahi poke, hmmMMmmm. What made me cringe was the desert menu. My roommate and I ordered desert that costed about 8 bucks, (shotty memory since we ordered the first time we ate there and never again) but the ice cream was just one of ice cream. Definitely not anything impressive.
(4)
Randy S.
Just had a great experience at Gyu-Kaku. We used the $10 check in coupon afterwards too. Fantastic food...great service...and an overall awesome experience. Kenji (the manager) is super cool and helpful too.
(5)
Jame K.
The All you can eat! Liver..sausages meat, pork belly , basil chicken so so yummy .......Awesome and fast service. Great all around experience.
(5)
Allison V.
Just got back from gyugaku and it was sooooo good! we went during happy hour and ended up doing a sake tasting and like 6 other drinks between me and my husband.. they all were delicious.. we also ordered like 5 meat dishes which were very good. the best thing was the garlic noodles.. beyond the best thing ive ever eaten! the only two downsides.. not any space to play footsies due to grill base and it was a bit louder than we wouldve liked.. but over all very very good food and we cant wait to go back..
(5)
Tom A.
Just visited Gyu Kaku today, and though I've been there many times, gotta compliment them for taking my special order. I've been trying an Atkins diet for the last week, zero carbs, and they were willing and friendly about splitting my portion of meat between me and my friend (hers seasoned, mine not). Very good customer service here, and I've always liked the food, though it seems a bit pricey! This location has happy hour from 3:30 to 6:30 and from 10 until close :)
(4)
Chris C.
Really love this place. The happy hour specials are fantastic and the service is alright. A few servers are better than others. Otherwise I love coming here.
(4)
Mark B.
I came here with my family while we were on vacation in Hawaii. My boys have been to two other of their locations in NYC and loved the place. They love cooking their own food at the table. I do recommend making a reservation. We still had to wait for a few minutes, but that wasn't so bad. The food is good. My son loves the strip steak, so we had a couple of orders of that. The steamed fish was very good as was the garlic spinach and chicken. The place was pretty busy and service was indifferent. My biggest complaint is that there is virtually no ventilation in this restaurant. As the evening went on, the place filled with smoke. I was surprised it met building code. While I would happily go back to their locations in NY (which don't have the ventilation issue), I would not come back here.
(2)
manchy m.
Happy Hours are awesome, you can get a lot for a reasonable price. My favorite dishes: Garlic Noodles, Butter fish, Teriyaki Chicken, Beef Kalbi, Tofu Soup... I would recommend Mojito, it's surprisingly good! The service has always been great, but I found it better on Kapiolani location than Waikiki.
(5)
Elisa C.
I'm sad that I didn't get to come here during their happy hour, because it gets expensive when you order a la carte! My sister and I ordered two plates of meat, two drinks, and a side of vegetables, and our bill was about $60, and I wasn't even full afterwards :( The food is good though; the meat is very tender and drinks are yummy :) I hope that I will be able to eat during happy hour next time, and leave the place with food coma.
(4)
Tasha T.
Hands down one of my favorite places to eat with a group of friends. I have come to this location numerous times for birthday celebrations and get together dinners. Awesome service and wonderful eating/cooking experience. If you are not one to enjoy cooking your own food, then please save yourself the effort, money, and heartache. You're better off going to a restaurant where you are served cooked meals, rather than a unique experience of yakiniku. That said, I LOVE GYU! And you should love it too :D Gyu basics: -HAPPY HOUR... EVERYDAY from 11:30am-6pm; 9:30pm-closing. What can I say? This alone = LOVE. Actually, they have changed this up over time. They used to offer just ONE special per specific day of the week. Nowdays, they caught onto what they were doing at the mainland locations by offering discounts on the best seller items on the menu everyday! Yessss! Poke, Bistro Harami, Filet mignon, NY steak, shrimp, kalbi, edamame, and more... And drinks, too such as sake, Kirin beer, and certain mixed drinks. Sooooo awesome. =Great drink selection, especially their Asian alcohol choices. Umeshu (plum wine), shochu (vodka), chuhai (shochu fruity mixed drinks), and of course Sake and Japanese beers. -The dishes (brace yourself, this is gonna be lengthy since I've tried almost everything over the years). For dishes served in foil, the server will instruct you on approximate cooking time, allowing you control over the finished product. Everything else is pretty simple, just throw it on the grill! -Spicy tuna avacado salad: The dressing complements this salad really well. Just the right amount of cucumber, tomato, and raw tuna (sashimi). -Tofu chigae: Kind of surprising to find a Korean dish in a Japanese restaurant, but it works! Spicy and hot, this is a great appetizer. It actually fills me up because of the kim chee and tofu combination, but there's ALWAYS room for the remainder yakiniku meal to follow. -FILET MIGNON: I never imagined having steak with ponzu prior to having this at Gyu. It goes amazingly well together! -Bistro harami (w/ MISO marmalade is my fave): My all time favorite! The meat is tender and juicy, and the flavor is to die for. -Gyutan: Basically cow tongue. Don't get grossed out! This is chewy but flavorful. Make sure to squirt some of the lemon and dip this in one of the sauces. Mmmm. (Negi Gyutan is almost the same thing, but with onions for added flavor). -Shrimp: Very fresh! -Miso butterfish: ALWAYS good & mouthgasmic... Just make sure not to overcook it! -Scallop: watch carefully to make sure you cook it JUST right :) -ANYTHING chicken: Be extra careful when cooking chicken yakiniku style, cook thoroughly. -Bacon wrapped enoki mushrooms: OMG AHHHH! Pairing enoki (really really good mushrooms) with BACON just makes for a deadly combo. -Cheesy brocolli: Really good, but again be sure to not overcook. -Mushroom medley/any vegetable dishes: Complements the meat dishes quite well. The sauces: There are 3 types, so just throw them in your special sauce dish and enjoy. I like the ponzu sauce best. Really fun desserts -S'mores! -Doriyaki ice cream: grill the pancake and make a cute twist on an ice cream sandwich. -Yaki-mochi ice cream (same concept, but with mochi instead) -Their ice cream flavors are super good (green tea & azuki are my faves!) For LUNCH, they have a few notable specials. -ALL YOU CAN EAT LUNCH starting from $24.95. -To-go bento boxes starting at around $7 (at this location only) -If you have a party of 10-12, I suggest making a reservation and getting the sectioned off area close to the back. It's secluded and the setup is close enough for everyone to mingle. -The servers and workers are all very dynamic and interesting individuals who are super fun and will make sure you have a great experience. -This restaurant gets BUSY so try to be ready to order everything in the beginning just in case it gets hectic and your waiter doesn't come back as quickly as your hunger desires. Service is really quick, and even though I've never really experienced long waits, a hungry tummy takes no prisoners. When ordering later in the meal, order in bulk so you can get everything coming to the table as they are prepared. -PARKING. This may be a problem for those who are driving in Waikiki. I suggest the lot right off of Kuhio (near 2145 Kuhio Ave). It's metered stalls (about a quarter per 15 minutes), but is significantly cheaper than the paid lots that can charge up to $10 flat rate. Also, there is a walkway that connects to the street that Gyukaku is on, so it's merely a 5 minute walk. Perhaps even try parking at DFS parking structure. Overall, Gyu is one of my all time classic faves & will continue to be. They have been consistent in their service and quality over the years, and I look forward to the new items that they periodically add to the menu.
(5)
Jameson T.
Truly a wonderful experience all of the way around, which is really rare these days. The service is authentic, speaking Japanese and English with spot on communication between the two languages. A class act that drew in a lot of people especially Japanese which to me signified quality and traditional food. You cook the different options in front of you on a mini grill and have a lot of fun doing it. Went with my fiance and it was a nice romantic experience with lively conversation over just how good the food was. Take the server's recommendations, I assure you it is for a reason. Would have never tried pork belly or beef tongue(both were amazing). Give this place a shot if you are ever in Waikiki. One more thing, a very generous happy hour from 11am-6:30pm and 9pm-11:30pm EVERYDAY with a plethora of options. I wouldn't get too dressy though due to close interaction with food oils and proximity of hot grill.
(5)
Annie N.
We were in Hawaii and Yelp'd for a good restaurant, and boy, was Yelp RIGHT ON! This place is right on the strip with all the shopping stores, so its perfect to come by put your name down (which you probably have too) then walk around a bit. It was our frist time there, so we got the $66 for Two dinner with a variety of meats. EVERYONE of those was delish! Service was great and very attentive. They will even explain to you how long to cook the meats in case you are unsure. So good, we came back again before we left!
(5)
Albert L.
I'm going to try to make a concerted effort to write a new review every day, since it's been awhile and I realize I have such unbelievable taste in food/good experience in multiple cities around the US, so here goes... First of all before I forget, I highly recommend calling ahead and putting your name down for a reservation at this Gyu-Kaku at least, because this is in a heavily trafficked part of Waikiki on Lewers and there can be a 20-30 min wait or more at busy times...or you may get stuck at the communal table as opposed to your own table. And just rememeber you have to GRILL YOUR OWN MEAT and the smell can get all in your clothes, so prepare yourself when you go to dinner there. I love the smell and wish I could take a bath in it, but that's just me! This is a great first-date, small Japanese/Korean type grillable plates restaurant that is a chain...I first went to it in LA, and even saw one of the original ones in Shibuya, Tokyo! Although you probably don't get as MUCH meat as you would at another traditional Korean type yakinuku, it's more about the ambience and the QUALITY of the meat is very good. Each order of meat is usually about $7-$10, and comes with only about 6-8 pieces of smaller meat. For a 2 person dinner, you need about 5 or 6 dishes total (with other things like chicken/udon/seafood/vegetables thrown in). My personal recommendations for dishes include the Harami beef w/Miso flavor (most of the beef dishes are pretty good), the boneless chicken wings, the Kalbi-flavored Udon is great, the Miso butterfish is also pretty tasty. Don't get the other chicken dishes (pretty bland), their poke has a weird spicy marinade and isn't great, and their vegetables are nothing to scream about in general. They have a great Happy hour from 5-6:30 pm and 10:30 pm til close where beers are I think $2 and one dish each day is 50% off...I also happen to have a great 15% off card that they consistently honor everytime I go no matter how many times I use it! My one complaint is that in general, even if you only get a few dishes you'll still spend about $40-50 and sometimes feel like you didn't get a ton of food...but it's worth spending a little more for the environment/quality food!
(5)
Larry C.
Got bored and went here. The food was ok at a reasonable price and the staff was very friendly.
(4)
Christine D.
Okay. So the food is alright, the whole "cook your own food" is a nice gimmick, but seriously? The service was horrible. You would think that there would be some form of organization but there wasn't any. I went there for a party my friend was throwing and we waited about 30 minutes for our food while every one else on our table was already digging in. We THEN had to wait another 20 minutes for someone to come and change our coal for our cooker. Don't get me wrong, the food was better than decent, the marinated meat was superb, but I won't go back to a place if the service was lacking, and by lacking it was non-existent that night, and the previous time I was there. All I wanted to do was grab my check - which was also an issue, they couldn't distinguish who had what, so we waited another 20 minutes for our checks to be sorted out - and GO.
(3)
Albert M.
Wanted to try something different, so we came to Gyu-Kaku in Waikiki. Staff were very friendly. We had the Hawaiian Ahi poke, fried chicken, and the garlic noodles. The food was ono and the price was good. We will visit again soon.
(4)
Takahiro K.
Waiters are very attentive and friendly. Everything here was decent (meaning YUM!) and very lively atmosphere. Only one thing tho....! I am not a big fan of soft white rice... that was the only sad thing about this restaurant. If you want to have fun with friends and eat lots of food. This works pretty well.
(4)
Michelle T.
I heart Gyu-Kaku!!!!. Everything here is good. Sure you have to cook for yourself but that's part of the fun. Plus I'll have to eat a lot slower so I'm consuming less calories...which i'm saving for the mochi ice cream dessert :) I recommended Gyu-Kaku to a few of my friends and they all love it.
(5)
SukMon C.
Sat here for two hours stuffing myself on their all-you-can-eat lunch for $30, which was an awesome deal. I'm surprised we didn't eat the house clean of their beef.
(4)
August A.
The food and veggie combos for yakiniku are great. Prices are reasonable. The place itself is nestled in a little spot next to Kelly O'Neil's but the booths are sizeable. I recommend the broccoli and cheese, ribeye, and top it all off SMORES!! Greatness
(5)
Jenn W.
I lovelovelove this place! A bit expensive (expect your bill for 2 people to be $60 or more), but so worth it! Garlic noodles, tofu chigae, cheese wonton and the miso harami are must-haves! There's something so satisfying about being able to grill your own meat at your table! Love it!
(4)
Miss L.
Delish + happy hour = ultimate winner!!! :)
(5)
Justin R.
This visit I tried the garlic shrimp and garlic chicken. I also ordered the sukiyaki bibimbap, basically it's a japanese style beef fried rice with more of a Korean influence. Then I also ordered the garlic fried noodles. Both the rice and noodles are served to your table in a stone pot super hot and very delicious. I can't wait to try the location in nearby Torrance.
(5)
Harry R.
I really like this place. A little small...but the food and atmosphere awesome. Go during Happy Hour and it's a bargain for Waikiki location. Had the Filet mignon, Kalbi, garlic shrimp, corn and butter, etc... Had a little of everything cause it was good. What the other Yelp reviewers said are true....good eating. The meat portions are a little small, but will fill you up and if not, you can order more cause Happy Hour prices pretty decent. A must visit if you're in Waikiki.....but you definitely need to get a reservation! Place is crowded.
(5)
Dan M.
Wow! Amazing! Damn fine! I feel silly jumping on the band wagon like this, but they were wonderful. The waiter explained everything we had questions about. The food was terrific- even after we were in charge of cooking. We made a mistake cooking the fish and they came over and gave us a new one. If you have a chance- definitely go.
(5)
Janice C.
Was looking forward to some authentic Japanese BBQ but it's very mediocre. The meat was super duper thin and it's not very good quality. Don't expect too much.
(2)
Guil L.
Francis C. is right about the servers. They can be unattentive, but other than that, GO FOR HAPPY HOUR! Super awesome deals! Mina Y. is on the spot. GET THE MEATS!
(4)
Kieu L.
I know the food tasted excellent before I got wasted. After that, I don't remember what I ate. What I do remember is that I've never known mushrooms to taste any better than they do at Gyu-kaku. In fact, I ordered a second helping at the end of the meal. (Mushroom medley on menu) They came wrapped in foil. You toss them on the grill and wait until the foil puffs up. Open it up and stick it in your mouth. So simple yet so masterfully flavored. How do they do it? I'm truly inspired... BTW, as for Ian. He's the best! He'll give you awesome tips on where to go in Oahu.
(5)
Colin M.
Great as always. Had the Premium Kalbi based on another Yelper's review and have to say I was blown away.
(5)
s c.
Amazing!!! Been to this location quite a few times now. We go for the AYCE special. Sometimes we do the $25 and sometimes $29. Both are amazing deals, just depends on on what you are craving. I think either way, you will get your money's worth. One slight downside is that it does take time in between orders to get your food. So, if are able to, try to order additional food prior to finishing your order (unfortunately, it is common practice that they won't take your next order until you are very close to finishing or have finished your current order). All the meats are excellent and the veges (veges you may ask) are also tasty. Garlic Noodles and Sukiyaki bibimbahp are also excellent dishes to accompany all the meats. Parking can be a challenge since this is Waikiki. The manager did say that they were trying to get a contract with one of the garages and offer parking validation. Not sure if they were able to get this done or not. You should call and ask. Wherever you decide to eat at, Happy Eating!
(5)
Dora P.
Everything was good!!! My bf and I were visiting Honolulu for the first time and this Japanese BBQ restaurant was near our hotel. We decided to try it the night we were leaving. It was happy hour so there were special dishes that were half priced. We ordered the ny steak, chicken, kalbi, and the harami....we loved the kalbi and harami!!! They were delicious!!!! Plus the good thing about this place is the grill they use won't splatter oil all over u while cooking. We had the macadamia nut ice cream which was off the hook!!!!! This place is a must try!!!
(5)
Ryan Y.
3rd stop on the Waikiki bar hop tour. Saw sign that they had specials till 9:30pm. Sorry can't remember in detail all the details. Friendly service, food tasted good, not sure if was affected by earlier beer and sake tastings. The only thing is that it can get smokey from the grilling.
(4)
Khai T.
I love going to Gyu-Kaku Waikiki! The atmosphere is always great! Todd, Ian, and the gang always make you feel welcomed! The Service is always top notch and the food.... OMG is always great! Their happy hour specials are always good! If you want to have a good dining experience you can't fail when you go here!!!
(5)
Everett A.
One of the best happy hours!! come here before 6:30 or after 9 for some good cheap-eats... i usually get full off of 3 meat selections, a couple side selections, and rice. great place to come with friends and to casually cook food and talk story.. =)
(4)
Susan F.
So we finally decided to go to Gyu-kaku for happy hour. Thanks to you yelpers, we got the $1 off for the Kalbi, and we ordered the chicken with yuzu, and beef tongue. Of the three items we ordered, the beef tongue was the best. This place is not for us... I felt that cooking my own food was distracting me from enjoying it. The service was not good either, it took what seemed like forever and a year for the server to bring out uncooked food. And when we were finally done, we waited 15 minutes for the check before we decided to walk up to the counter to pay instead of waiting for it. I still give them 3 stars, because I broke the lock on the bathroom door :-/
(3)
Kathleen H.
There are a ton of yakiniku restaurants in the Waikiki area and I would recommend spending your money elsewhere. Not that Gyu-Kaku was not yummy, but the meats are all marinated so all I am tasting is the miso, soy, or teriyaki sauces. The happy hour 50% off specials is a great deal (meats and beer) that's why I've decided to give the restaurant three stars instead of two. I really liked the fun s'mores dessert and the small pieces of rice cakes. The wait staff was extremely friendly and helpful given how busy and chaotic the restaurant was.
(3)
Jacqueline D.
Happy Hour is the only time to go! Almost all of their stuff is half off! They also have set deals that are so cheap for the quality of food. Their meat selection is great and their tofu salad is delicious!
(5)
Matt V.
the late 10-12am happy hour is definitely 5 stars. we ate and drank like kings for something like 40 bucks. favorites were the filet, beef harami and smores!
(5)
Darren L.
We got a flyer for this place while walking down Kalakaua street. Oh and it was 50% all meat for happy hour. The kalbi, kobe beef, butterfish and mushroom in foil are my favorite items that night... and of course my icy cold beer too. We took our time and didn't order everything at once. The waiter was very helpful and answered a lot of our questions. This reminds me so much of korean food..... had this once in tokyo....same concept, tastes good too. What's not to love about eating hot sizzling meat that you can grill at your own table.
(4)
Eric S.
Despite the fact they have one of the worst, most unusable websites I've seen since the '90s, I love this place. We took the waiters advice and ordered one of the priced meals that included beef and seafood, soup and dessert which we split between 2 adults and the boy. To me, the soups were ok. My wife and son loved the egg soup, so I'll give em props for that. Cooking on the grill was fun, even the boy could do it with supervision. The steak was perfectly cooked (cuz I did it) as were the shrimp (me again) and the scallops (you guessed it, cooked by me). As much credit as I deserve for my cooking, the real credit goes to the marinades. They made for delicious, perfectly seasoned eating. No table salt necessary. Dessert was fun too. We grilled pancakes then made icecream sandwiches. Good times. Good tasty times.
(5)
Ane P.
I loveeeee Gyu-Kaku. The point here, is to fry everything that has been pre-marinated and brought table side. Sort of like a diy Benihana, yet with better food. So easy, and you leave the restaurant smelling like you just grilled your clothing. The marinades are excellent, and I love the garlic prawns. Don't forget to order the pancake dessert. It's the greatest thing, to be able to fry up some dessert!
(5)
chris c.
I love this restaurant, unfortunately they don't have in Bay Area. I've tried this restaurant in NYC, good food but will enpty your wallet. This one in Hawaii is better than NYC because of it's price. The quality is the same but you sure can eat hell of a lot more. I strongly recommend this place to everyone.
(5)
Carpe D.
Excellent experience the food is amazing and it is very resonable. We went there for happy hour and it was super affordble and the waiters are not pushing you out. Food is outstanding Service is a little slow at times but really no big deal . Please please come to SF !!!
(4)
Louis B.
The service was rather awful. The raw meat was just dropped off at our table with no instruction or suggestions (like how to avoid picking up our cooked meats with the same utensils used to handle the raw meat!) We had some Ahi Poke appetizer that was unedible. We were pretty sure that if we ate it, we'd have issues later. Trained chefs should be better at cooking meat than I am. It is tough to make sure that the chicken is thoroughly cooked on there, so we tended to err on the side of caution, resulting in dry chicken. The beef tasted great, but again, it's sitting on a grill right next to a piece of raw chicken, which can be sketchy at best.
(2)
Mike C.
Awesome place with amazing deals during lunch and early/late dinner. A huge pitcher of beer for 8 bucks! Great friendly staff. Food was unreal. Loved the eggplant in foil with miso sauce and the garlic shrimp. I think it's fun to grill though I know some don't like cooking their own food when they're out. I say as long as there's beer, I'll cook anytime!
(4)
Mandy B.
This place is so good and fun. Can't beat a place that has a BBQ built in your table. I always come for happy hour where the beer and food are so cheap. The beef is awesome along with the cheesy broccoli. Love it. And if you are on the email list they send great specials.
(4)
Eiich O.
food is always good. they put our party of 4 in a booth made for 2. very uncomfortable, ruin my whole meal. ask to change but was told that everything was taken, however a roomier table was open the whole time we were there.
(1)
Iger P.
first off, i always confuse this place with gyutaku. so i was hoping for some sushi. negative! and another cook your own food place? why do we keep coming to these places? my husband and i tried the butter fish, ribeye, beef tongue, scallops and whatever else the husband felt like eating. the food was good. i especially loved my butterfish. if it's on the menu, i'm definitely having it. the place is small and a bit tight. and they need to turn the AC up. it was hella hot having to cook our own food. water service was good. they have 1 restroom each for the women and men. hello, it is obvious that men designed the place b/c a woman would add more toilets in the women's restroom.
(3)
Everett H.
excellent. had it the first day we arrived in hawaii from california. before 5:30pm is the happy hour and discounts on set meals and single items. waiter was excellent in explaining the self roasting of the marionated meats. poke salad was new to us and a must to get. we were advised to try this also from a local japanese friend of a friend, and will definitely return
(5)
Emmanuel F.
Delicious yakiniku in the middle of Waikiki. This was within walking distance of our hotel. We were in time to get some of the Happy Hour specials, and the Kobe special cuts were even better, even if a little more expensive. Not to water things down, the shoju mojito went down great with all the grilled meat. Not as impressed with the garlic noodles. Next time I'll try the bibimbap.
(4)
Scott J.
More tongue. Seriously. Order the tongue, which is given to you raw. Then you cook it yourself on the BBQ grill that is at your table. I can't believe I'm saying it, but nothing could be better. I don't know how this is ok with the health department or the fire department to serve raw meat to customers at a table with a fire in the middle of it. But somehow, it's ok. I am not familiar with this type of restaurant and we stumbled upon it in Honolulu. However, it is now our favorite and I don't know what else to say other than it's incredibly awesome. And order lots of tongue. I am not kidding.
(5)
Joyce K.
Love coming here everytime. I normally like to get there before 630pm so I can order off of the yummy happy hour menu. Service here is great. It does get alittle hot while cooking your own food but the whole experience is great.
(5)
Adrienne P.
We really enjoy dining at Gyu Kaku Kapiolani and expected the quality of food and service to be similar in Waikiki. It was the exact opposite. Although the wait staff was friendly, the service was extremely slow, even though the restaurant was empty. When we finally received our appetizer of cucumber kim chee (which took awhile to arrive even though it doesn't require much preparation), the cucumber was horribly mushy. It had obviously spoiled and yet they served it to us anyway. We were so disappointed we decided to leave. Luckily, the waiter ended up not charging us for the rancid cucumber kim chee. If you can, avoid the Waikiki location and stick to one on Kapiolani.
(1)
Erik Freyr P.
Great happy hour. One of the best places to eat while in waikiki. That is if you like grilled stuff. Very cool and fun.
(5)
Will C.
more late night eats they have a happy hour special night 50% off a lot of food items and beer! garlic noodle, hirame, and a bunch of other funny names for meat. love the arabiki sausage. a bunch of sauces to mix and match with the meats. sit back, grill up and wash it down with some ice cold beer. I think they do an early bird too, but I'm always working.
(4)
Dave W.
The same as all the other Gyu Kakus, but the cheap drinks here are all you really need to know. $1 beers and a great way to kill some time over a cheap meal. Don't go if you're in a rush, but if you just want to enjoy yourself, this is the place.
(4)
Amy G.
This got to be the one of the best Japanese-Korean fusion restaurants I've been to! I've not really experienced that many Japanese-Korean restaurants, but this place is a MUST to visit. We ordered Premium Kobe, the most expensive course for two. I must say this is WORTH the price. The food is plenty and the meats were fabulous. They really melt in my mouth. I got really full and still some meat left over. I like the way they set up the grill, a silver aluminum that looks like a grid in the table to grill the meat and veggies although it's more common to have tabletop grill popular in Korean restaurants. If there's one in Southern Calif., I'd definitely go again.
(4)
donna t.
We went there last October for lunch. They had some special offers such as $2.95 beef, it tasted great!!
(5)
Anna L.
i love beef! and cooking my own food. the cheesy broccoli is bangin. sneak some extra broccoli from home in your bag and throw it on the grill. along with some other veggies. cus boy i tell ya, the portions are small! the bistro harami is bomb diggity. and always ask the servers which sauces go the best with the meats. beat those meats! yummmmm
(4)
Will C.
The food and drinks here are pretty good. Portions are small but I guess its meant so you can try a bunch of different stuff. Everything was pretty tasty but my favorite was the Original Fried Rice Bibimba. (Rice, Chicken, seasoned veggies and egg). This bowl of heaven was soooo good and I feel is the best value! Wish I would have had more Bibimba from this place.... too bad im back in the Bay Area now....
(5)
Phillip K.
Still the best BBQ place on town. Pricey, so recommend the happy hour times. Grab some coupons from the advertisers on the street to save a few bucks
(4)
Anthony B.
My family had a great time at Gyu Kaku. We went for my wife's birthday and ordered a Kamehameha special (supposedly for 2 or 3, but it comfortably fed 4 of us, albeit 2 of our party were teenage girls). Basically, there is a super hot grill in the middle of the table and the waiter constantly supplied us with super fresh meat and seafood to cook ourselves (as well as salads and dessert to eat uncooked obviously). The waiter even knocked a whopping 15% off the bill because he forgot the soup (which we didn't even notice was missing). Very authentic too (about half the clientele was Japanese, always a good sign of authenticity for a Japanese restaurant).
(5)
Wolfgang S.
Absolutely a feast! Japanese-Korean barbecue/grill at it's best! Just go there and taste for yourself. Great food and excellent service. We'll come again next time... Hopefully soon.
(5)
JP K.
Food is good but way overprice for the portion!
(3)
Inigo M.
High quality kalbi. Smaller portion of kimchi side dish but high quality. Fast, courteous service, the waitstaff explained the dishes well. This location seems popular, there are typically lines outside. Trendy / cozy atmosphere ripe for kissy kissies as evidenced by Polaroids on the back wall near the restrooms.
(5)
Jeff I.
It's a fun place to eat Japanese food. The thing is that the grill is hot enough to make me sweat. I start sweating in everyone's food and they get pissed. just kidding. The only down side to this place for me is the prices. Other than that, the service was good, the food was good, even the bathrooms were nice.
(4)
John R.
Whats not to love about simple, delicious and tender meats? A meal at your own pace. The service is great and never rush to get you out.
(5)
Joy M.
Ate here for dinner last night (during happy hour @ 9:30) and received excellent service. Our waiter was on it. He brought out drinks and dishes quickly and in epic proportions. Thank you Gyu-Kaku!
(5)
Lance C.
Love Gyu-kaku. I don't have to go all the way to Japan to eat the quality beef on the neat grill. Pricey though.
(4)
Jennifer C.
This place is ridiculously good. Happy hour is from 11am to 6pm... half off a lot of the meat dishes and certain beer. Happy hour starts up again from 9pm to close. What a deal!
(5)
Annie D.
Good grilled meats. However the portions are really small which is why I'm giving it 3 instead of 4 stars. Back home in Virginia we have a Korean grilled meat restaurant that is similar however the portions are 3 times as large for half the price. Also, our grilled meat place at home does not chargeextra for rice, lettuce and sauce which Gyu Kaku does. I supposed we are in Honolulu and paying a premium for food. Gyu Kaku meats were very tasty though. We got the kalbi which was very good. However, we spent almost $70 and left feeling a bit hungry because the meat portions were so small.
(3)
Tom W.
My faith has been restored. I will be going back to Gyu Kaku on the mainland.
(4)
Michelle M.
lunch at this waikiki location is pretty unbeatable. not only is the food delicious (i go for harami and yakishabu combo) but the price is ridiculous. $10.95 + 20% kamaaina discount? yah...i'll be back tomorrow. shio eggplant is good too. ishikyaki rice bowls are yummy if you don't feel like grilling but i hate that they never have doriyaki ice cream during lunch. service during lunch can be pretty hit or miss (last time i went, it was definitely a new server-in-training) but the food really makes up for it. ps- cheap kirin whoo hoo
(4)
Pavel T.
To really simplify issues, this is a Japanese take on Korean BBQ. I've always been a huge fan of Korean BBQs, where a selection of marinated meat morsels is brought to the table, where they are then prepped on a small table tip grill. There is beauty and simplicity to this, meat is fresh; there is a visual component of color and marbling that is missed in a pre-cooked meal, and a group dynamic of sharing and grilling adds an extra dimension to the dining experience. In Guy Kaku, this meal type has under gone a Japanese treatment. By which I mean that the dining experience has been streamlined and optimized. Everything in the restaurant seems very well though through. Dining spaces are cozier, grills are smaller, yet easier to clean. The selection of meat is fantastic, as are the sides that go with the meal. Although there is a temptation to try just about everything on the menu, a prefixed meal is probably the best option. There are a couple of choices available, generally grouped by the quality of meat, number of selections, and, of course, price. Though this does tend to end up being on the pricier side, as a culinary experience, the pre fix selection is a must. It offers the widest variety of choices and tastes, and saves the headache of spending a half an hour going back and forth over the menu.
(5)
Gabby V.
My boyfriend and I are gyu-kaku whores. It was our first time to the waikiki location so we were excited. We decided to walk from our hotel and we got lost on the way but we quickly found it after calling the restaurant. The kapiolani location's happy hour was 9-closing but the waikiki one started at 10-closing. The grill is used the same way but without charcoal underneath the grill (it's a little bit more hi-tech). Other than that, same food, same concept.
(5)
T M.
The meat here is really tender and tasty. I've heard good things about Gyu Kaku in LA so i was excited to try the one in Honolulu. Me and my bf ordered the ahi poke, kalbi, the other steak cube dish, garlic chicken, garlic noodles and some soup. My favorite items were the kalbi and garlic noodles. The garlic noodles come in a hot black iron bowl that you stir up - very garlic-y and good. The kalbi was probably one of the best I've had. Items get a bit pricey though and you have to order several dishes to get full, but the food especially the meat) is really good quality and it's nice to cook it how you like it.
(4)
Tyler D.
I always get so fired up thinking what I am about to eat will be so good here, but somehow, it never really stacks up to the price and the look before I eat it...I don't know. I've only been three times, but I have never been amazed. Toraji used to blow this place away when they used live coals (I think they closed though...and when they switched to gas it was junk)...
(3)
Stephanie S.
yum and fun1 took my staff here for an outing and they all loved it! we went during the happy hour 1130-630 and were able to all order whatever we wanted for under $200!
(4)
Julie C.
Check this place out for Happy Hour. For a party of 4, we ate and drank for $60. Delicious, fresh, healthy meats and veggies that you bbq in the center of your table. I recommend the Salmon Miso and the Aburi Style Ahi Tuna. The Cheesy Broccoli on special was pretty good too! ;) Skip the usual tourist traps of Waikiki and try this place: you won't be disappointed.
(4)
Ange M.
I have to give this place another try because I brought my kids in with me and that may have affected my experience, but with that said - leave your kids at home, people. Yelp says it's good for kids.....so NOT! While it's loud enough that a crying baby will hardly be noticed - grill &baby....not a good combination. I would say a child maybe 5 years and up might be okay. But if you really want to enjoy it, bring along only those who can cook their own food. Cooking for the family is not exactly what I anticipated having to do for the night. Could have stayed home to do that. I left here hungry and sweaty and ended up having pizza afterwards. Otherwise, the food was great. Loved the Beef Tongue and the Kobe. Honestly don't remember much else. Portions were small and we would have had to stay all night to feed the fam bam. The bill was much larger than I anticipated considering we were all still hungry. Anyway - go without kids and you will be okay. As for me, I think I will stick to restaurants that cook the food for me.
(3)
Michelle F.
The food is good, but it is a little too pricey. The garlic shrimp is VERY good....it was crispy and fresh. The cheesy broccoli is not worth getting; it is literally broccoli with cheese, nothing special. The tofu jigae is good, but small. All the vegetables are delicious, especially the eggplant! The service was also very good. The hostess and waitress were both very friendly!
(4)
Becky L.
"You want to go to a restaurant where we have to cook our own food???" This was my bf's reaction when I told him I wanted to go to Gyu-Kaku. But after being there a little while he soon changed his tune! Our waiter was SUPER helpful. We ordered 2 meat dishes, broccoli w/ cheese, some rice & garlic noodles. Portions were pretty small, but yummo!! Marinades were great & the garlic noodles are a must! BUT, the sweltering heat!!! Ahhhh, I was melting!! The second we sat down at our table I was ready to sweat. Duhhh, I know the grills need to be hot...but I don't think it'd kill 'em to turn up the AC or fans a little..
(4)
James K.
Their marinated pork and beef is a must! All you can eat meat is awesome for all the meat eaters.
(4)
Jimmy L.
Happy Hours prices are awesome! The wife and we tried the different meats and had veggies on the HH menu and the prices are great for the portion size that we got . We have done Hot Pot before but not Japanese BBQ. Would definitely recommend coming here during Happy Hour!
(5)
Lance n.
I stumbled upon this place the LAST day during our vacation. What a pleasant surprise. We had so much fun cooking, including our 5 and 8 year old children. I thoroughly enjoyed watching my kids have the time of their lives throwing Kalbi onto the hibachi. The food was very tasty, adding to the enjoyment. The kids could not believe that they had cooked such a fine meal. The waiters could not be any friendlier and helpful. I imagine that this would be a cool place to hang out with friends or take a date. I can't wait to go back here.
(5)
maria o.
Had a great time here on my birthday, such a perfect place to hang out with friends and have a few drinks with good food.
(4)
Eric L.
Get the tongue. Seriously get the tongue... As already mentioned, you get the raw stuff, and cook it to your liking. Give your grill a bit of time to heat up otherwise you'll just end up with flabby grey meat instead of nice succulent meat with a bit of char on it. Also, don't overload your grill. Went here for dinner and was seated within a few minutes of the reservation. Wife had a mojito with her meal (light refreshing one - not overly alcoholic or minty). Besides the ultra-tasty tongue, had the following: kobe ribeye: fatty goodness, like butter + steak in one red miso skirt - also really good - charred the miso a bit on both sides to give it more depth of flavor kalbi - good texture, not sure if I am used to more heavily seasoned kalbi though butter garlic shrimp - garlic a bit overpowering Hard to cook out the opakapaka - needed a bit more oomph - pouch sauce was a bit watery raw garlic taste because shrimp gets overdone butter garlic spinach - pretty standard/pretty good doryaki dessert - we had green tea and azuki(red bean) ice creams. Fun to toast the pancakes (if you weren't tired enough from grilling the food) and the maple (I think it was maple) syrup adds a nice sweet twist.
(5)
Gina G.
So good... Wish they had one on the West side.. Kapolei area
(5)
Patrick K.
I called on a Wednesday at 7:15, and made reservations for 8:00 (this was the earliest reservation they had, which was perfectly fine with me). However, when I got there at 7:55, the hostess told me we would have to wait 25 - 30 minutes. This annoyed my wife and I, but we stuck it out. I am glad we did. The food was awesome, our waitress was great, and everything was perfect. It was a kind of new experience, grilling our own food at the table, but it was a lot of fun. The only cook-your-own-food place we had been to before was The Melting Pot, which is a fondue place, so this was a lot of fun. I would highly recommend this place, but don't expect to get seated right away, even with a reservation. That little issue is the only reason I knocked off a star.
(4)
Eric M.
Japanese version of Korean BBQ (cook your own) is very good and I love the happy hour prices if you eat early 3:30-6:30pm. The dipping sauces (3) are all good and chicken, steak filet and grilled veggies are my faves, along with cucumber kim chee.
(4)
Yb W.
This place combines the great flavors of yakitori and the fun of shabu shabu. We ordered various cuts of meat with different marinades and grilled them at our own table grill. I was impressed that the waiter came by to change the grill iron mid-meal so our meat wouldn't stick. The best part was dessert. We grilled mochi slices. When they puffed up, we added them to our icecream. The warm, neutral-tasting mochi on cold sweet icecream was a very interesting contrast of temperature, texture, and flavor. We were here on Halloween so the place was packed with people in costume (including a few of the waitstaff). The restaurant has an extensive selection of cocktails, which always help to liven things up.
(5)
David R.
Dropped by here on a work trip to Waikiki. The portions of food are a bit small but with a bowl of rice and a beer you'll walk away fine. The waiter was quite friendly and the atmosphere was nice. Look around for people handing out flyers for good lunch combos and coupons.
(4)
Alexander S.
Great place the happy hour sales on meat can't be beat. The experience is also a big highlight.
(4)
L R.
My favorite Japanese BBQ restaurant. I love their food. The food is not the only thing that's super hot. Friendly staff. Great music. It's always busy at peak dining hours so call ahead or be prepared to wait 20-30 mins. It's worth it.
(5)
Reuben R.
My elite friend from Seattle came to town in the afternoon with her sister, and after they and my brother came to pick me up, we all headed over here. Parking was easy because the it seemed everyone was at the football game, and we had the last bit of happy hour. It was fun to order everything on the happy hour menu, but for sure I'd say the filet mignon was the best thing. I'd order just trays of that. I didn't get a pitcher of beer, but a large bottle of Asahi super dry for $8 which was just regular price. I like it better anyway. My friend got a saketini which she just realized was sake and mentioned that she didn't really like sake to begin with, and her sister got some sort of coconut and vodka drink.... I dunno I wasn't paying attention because I wasn't interested in those drinks, but I did notice it looked like graham crackers were sprinkled along the edge of the glass. The ice cream and the grilled mochi is really good. I had it when I was here a while ago, so I suggested it to them and they liked it. Total bill, was around $70 for the four of us because... we had so much food.
(4)
Penny C.
Food and experience was great, but service was horrid. It wasn't busy at all and it took FOREVER to order, get our food and then get our check...matter of fact we're still sitting here waiting to get it. NO BUENO.
(2)
Jon H.
Love this place but def go for their happy hour and order their specials.
(4)
Nix M.
This rating is for lunch time at Gyu-Kaku Waikiki location. We have been to Gyu-Kaku for dinner (Kapiolani) several times. Always great service & great food. Decided to try the happy hour lunch (Waikiki). Great prices of course but service lacks as a result. If you are looking for a good deal, it is. But the food quality is not the same. Staff are friendly but SO understaffed. Waited 20+ min for an extra order & eventually gave up & asked for our check. Seemed like the server hadn't even put our order in. Then waited another 10 min for them to process my payment. Dinner I would say 5 stars (at Kapiolani). Lunch, well you get what you pay for. Its almost like they dont even care because they thought we were tourists. So disappointing.
(3)
Tj G.
OMG KWKOUKI GOES TO HAWAII!!!! Went for 2 weeks and my inner fat kid couldnt wait to taste the food there. lets start this party I have been dying to try Yakiniku pretty much since I knew how to chew food. This was the last dinner of our Hawaii trip. Was very much a high point to our trip. Yakiniku means "grilled meat" in Japanese. You sit in front of a very small grill. You are served thin cuts of meat that are marinated any way you like. They also serve vegetables and seafood. You cook your own food...how cool is that! I made my reservations over the phone for about 6:30pm. When we got there the guy refused to seat us. Now before you go all WTFMATE on me im gonna explain. He told me that if I cancelled my reservation and come back at 7:00 we would be offered the happy hour menu and prices. He told us with a smile to go enjoy Waikiki for a half hour and come back hungry. Think about this for a sec. The people sitter guy *no clue what they are called* turned down a more expensive bill so we could enjoy ourselves. I actually feel bad, we absolutely got away with grand theft for the food to money ratio. Yes you get a smaller menu, but its like happy hour was the "best of the best" offerings. We put in our order for about 3 farm animals worth of surf and turf offerings. You wait a bit for your food because they cut everything to order. its very fresh and very tasty....not to mention awesome looking. I can see how happy hour appeals to a place like this. Cooking your own food is very fun and sociable. There were very few "personal" tables so you sit to complete strangers. You say hello and try your best not to snatch food from their grill because everything looks amazing. To the best of my memory we ordered terriyaki chicken garlic and butter shrimp *big enough to growl at you if they were alive* kalbi skirt steak assorted vegetables broccoli n cheese chicken fondue white rice im very sure im missing something. the point im trying to make is there is NOTHING on this menu that didnt sound amazing or tasted amazing. They even offer smores for dessert. We ate enough to feed a small family and a half for about 60 bucks. I would gladly spend the money again next visit.....actually I plan to ^__^
(4)
Giovanni H.
During a lazy sunday me and some friends were in the mood for some great BBQ. Having visited this location for drinks after work, it was a perfect end to a great weekend. We were greeted promptly and seated within minutes. Our sever Josh was simply awesome. He recognized we visited before and offered to get us a cold adult beverage. His awesome customer service skills will keep us coming back. Pros: Love the food selection, fresh vegetables, fresh fish and great Japanese beer Ample seating for a party of 4 or more Ventilation is ample for this location so you do not walk out smelling like a BBQ. GYU-Kaku Rewards program (ask your sever for details) Cons: Can get crowded on the weekends, so call ahead to find out the wait time. Things to try-Ask for dessert menu. After eating BBQ I am sure you will have a sweet tooth.
(5)
Kelly G.
Great Happy Hour! Extensive menu (exclusively for happy hour, unlike the Kapiolani location where the happy hour menu is mixed with their normal menu). Food has always been awesome - great marinades and dipping sauces. Reservation of 7 @ 9:30pm seemed to come pretty easy. Maybe it was the crazy storm that has been raging the last couple of days. The storm also prompted Gyu-Kaku to host a $2 hot sake special! YUM! The space was nice. We sat up front so I didnt get to see much of the rest of the restaurant but seemed similar to the Kapiolani one. At the front, there are booths where the restaurant opens up windows to the public to help with ventilation. Also great for people watching. Great service, came around often enough to keep our drinks coming and were non intrusive about clearing our plates. Parking can be a pain, I've always just parked along Ala Wai and walked. The manager Kenji introduced us to their special drawing where we all inputted our emails addresses in hopes of a free gift card! Also have a rewards cards you can sign up for. After accumulating enough points you can get $25 off a bill, so I highly suggest getting one.
(4)
Jan S.
We decided (last minute) to eat at Gyu-Kaku on a Sunday night. I'd read a few bad reviews on the staff, as well as wait times so naturally since we didn't have a reservation, that was a concern. Thankfully we didn't have to wait long, maybe 15 mins or so which put us closer to the 8:30 happy hour:) Food was tasty and the portions were perfect, not too big, not too small. I had an Asian Pear Mojito which was just OK, maybe next time I'll try another mixed drink or simply stick to good old Sake. The wait staff did a pretty good job, in fact we had more than one server ask if we were doing OK on more than one occasion. Parking was quite convenient too! In the end, this super picky chick enjoyed her relaxing Sunday meal at Gyu-Kaku...I shall be back.
(4)
Karl A.
Whet there for dinner. The Service was great, but the quality of the short ribs was below average - very salty. The shrimp had too much garlic power on it and the mushrooms were just average. The place was also very smoky because there are only fans blowing the BBQ smoke around - no ventilation. I had to take a shower and wash my clothes when I got home.
(2)
Mur K.
Delicious food, super friendly service. Our food was served 5 minutes after we placed an order. Would come here again!
(5)
Mike L.
During dinner with my friends at Gyu-Kaku, I remember thinking to myself, "I wish there was a place like this back home". Little did I know, Gyu Kaku is a semi-chain with locations in several countries, let alone several states...INCLUDING one in the Bay Area. Why didn't I know about this place sooner? Since it was going to be tough managing our group of eight with a single grill, we ended up splitting in half over two neighboring tables. With so many different things to choose from, our table of four ordered the Kalakaua Course since it included most of what we wanted (Edamame, Ahi Poke, Daikon Salad, Miso Soup, and Smores for dessert, along with Gyu Tan, Cajun Pork Belly, Filet Mignon, Bistro Harami Miso, Yakishabu Beef, and Chicken Teriyaki). Although it sounded like a lot, the menu listed it as only being "for two" so we threw on an order of the Toro Beef and another Harami Miso as well. While most of the sides were just okay, I thought the Ahi Poke tasted great. Since it was the only thing that wasn't grilled, it was refreshingly different too. As for the meats, they were all pretty tasty, but a couple stood out from the others. The Cajun Pork Belly was my favorite since the taste was so different, and I thought the Bistro Harami Miso had the best overall taste. It's surprising how small the plates were though; I guess that's why the dinner combo was listed for two people. Given the smaller sized plates, the food is somewhat overpriced for the portions you get, but everything still tastes pretty good. Just make sure you get one of their dinner options, and the value will be slightly better (assuming you're hungry enough).
(4)
Joy N.
I usually go to the Kapiolani location, but decided to give the Waikiki one a try since Kapiolani didnt have any reservations until 9:45pm!! We got reservations for 7pm and were seated as soon as we arrived. LOVE that! We ordered the must-haves: king kalbi, yakishabu beef, rosu, tofu salad, enoki (1 order for each person since it's amazing to throw on top of your rice), sausage and rice. Now... heads up on the rice. Waikiki has different rice portions, so a small is VERY small. We thought that it would be the same size as the regular at Kapiolani, but that's actually their large size. Haha we each ended up ordering 2 bowls of their small rice since it was so small! Service was great and I really like the ambiance at this restaurant since it's a lot brighter at this location, than Kapiolani. It's easier to see your meat cooking and felt more comfortable/relaxing to socialize with friends... but this is just my preference. Would've given this location 5 stars... But the parking kinda sucks since it's in Waikiki. We parked in that lot next to GS studio and it was $10 for the weekend night rate. =/
(4)
Katie O.
There's pretty much always a line here, so make sure that you have time to sit. Don't worry, though. It's totally worth the wait. They have quite a few different meat options, and if you get there during happy hour, you're in for super yummy cheap eats. Try the mushroom medley in between meats.
(5)
Hieu P.
Really good Japanese BBQ. I personally like the ponzu marinated. The miso is too salty for me. All the meat are good. The garlic shrimp is good too. I ordered too much though... LOL
(5)
Mari K.
Usually all over a Gyu-Kaku. It's Yaki Niku style where you order raw meats and cook at the table and of course who doesn't love this? But I just want to make a few comments about this location in Waikiki. 1. Did you know you can order bento from here and take out? seriously, a dream for people who work in Waikiki. Make sure to let them know you're a kama'aina and they'll give you a discount. 2. The bento is ok. I would go sit in here again and dine-in however, I'm not sure I'd order the Bento again. It's nothing over the top and not good enough that I would crave to go back. 3. This location is WAY unorganized. I called in my Bento and went down to pick up. While waiting for the pickup a couple walked in and asked for a table. There were a ridiculous amount of seats open at their bar and tables open but the Host told them they'd have to wait. He told them there were a lot of people waiting and they'd have to wait about 10 minutes. Albeit not a long time but there were no other people waiting...weird? 4. When the hostess brought my bento out she gave it to me and walked away. I hadn't paid and could have just walked out. I didn't, I paid but still, she took my order over the phone and gave it to me, I wonder how many people walk out with free takeout!
(2)
Nai N.
I visit here several times a month. Do I need to say more?
(5)
Jeremy M.
Not bad food, in fact very tasty, but definitely overpriced for dinner. Service was very good, although we did feel rushed by him bringing our next course too early. If you go, go during happy hour and get a la carte.
(3)
Kat L.
If I lived in Honolulu I would eat here everyday. Happy hour when they open, and happy hour when they close. Also if you eat dinner here, and you keep your receipt, you get 20% off your next lunch. What's not to love? After a few meals here I can honestly say there's nothing on the menu that I didnt like (didnt try seafoods though cause i'm allergic, but husband says its fantastic!)
(5)
Jenny C.
Five stars are not enough for this place. We absolutely adored the meal from start to finish. We got the second level meal for two. The meats were well cut, the vegetables were fresh and the seafood was perfect. Our mojitos (Classic and Asian pear varieties) tasted light and refreshing. Our server Erik was polite, helpful and lightning fast, even whisking away my chopsticks wrapper seconds after I laid it on the table with one deft move. Meal ended with a single s'more for each of us. Perfecto!
(5)
Timmy W.
Didn't matter that we made a reservation, we were seated 35 minutes after our reservation time. We were told we would get money off of our bill because of it but it didn't happen. We didn't want to stay around any longer to fight it. If you want good service, go to the gyu kaku in ala moana. They grease the grill and have grills that work, unlike this one that was very inconsistent.
(1)
Joseph F.
Visited on a busy Thursday in February. Air conditioner was down, but they brought out frozen wet towels to compensate. Every meat we had was tasty, and my family enjoyed the grill concept. Try to get the slightly cheaper 'happy hour' prices before 6:30pm and pig out. Service was mostly good but some meats took a while [come on, you're not cooking it!]. Good value and fun choice in Waikiki.
(4)
Marielle T.
I loooooove Gyu-kaku! The Waikiki location gets points for having disposable grills and fast and friendly service. You definitely can't beat their happy hour prices for the quality of the food. This location seems smaller than Kapiolani but it's just as busy. I recommend making reservations ahead of time.
(5)
Katrina L.
Came here for the good yelp reviews, but had the worst experience ever! We made a reservation for 2 at 8pm and arrived around 7:40pm. The hostess said the table will be ready in a couple minutes and told us to wait outside. We waited, while other people who came after us with no reservation were all seated! I asked the hostess what is going on, and she told me it's 7:59pm now, and since our reservation is at 8, we have to wait for another minute to be seated. WTF! When does making reservation actually go against you? And it's not like the restaurant was packed, there were a couple of empty seats! The food was so so. Will never go again!
(1)
Lance L.
This is totally creepy, but try the tongue and use their spicy sauce. My waiter recommended it and it was surprisingly good. Nice waitstaff. You get to play with fire. Lots of beef LLL OUT
(4)
Jamie Y.
10pm... where to go for quality food at penny pinching price? Happy hour at gyu-kaku!! The bf and I came here coincidentally during happy hour and loved it! We ordered the recommended items on the menu which were: sapporo beer hawaiian ahi poke garlic noodles filet mignon fried chicken Harami Miso cubed beef? everything was pretty delicious, especially for its price! the total came out to be around $30-40 and we were pretty full! The Hawaiian ahi poke was great in texture and tasted very very fresh. the cut of beef we had (the cubed one) wasn't so great because it was chewier than we'd thought it'd be. but if that is your preference, it should taste great as well. The garlic noodles, i think, should not have been on the top picks on the menu because it tasted quite ordinary. overall, happy hour is probably one of the only times i'd come for japanese BBQ. other than that, i had a good time here
(4)
Abe N.
For a group dinner it is best to call the day before for a reservation. I can say the parking around the area was not convenient, so I walked to the restaurant from my hotel. We were seated immediately after table reservation verification. Beers and waters orders were taken and soon received. Our server spoke both English and Japanese pretty well. The appetizers appeared after a few minutes, then the meats and vegetables. Delicious steak, tongue, and fish broil were mouth-watering and flavorful. This place is good. Definite return visit.
(4)
Mikey H.
Genki desu! I love this place! The staff is always so chill and attractive! The first time I came to one of them, I wanted to work in one and go to University of Hawaii. However, you must be fluent in Japanese because of the influx of tourists. It's really cool to see the cute round-eyed haoles speaking to their customers. "koregadokoniaruka shitte iruka?" o_0??? "Nihongo mada joozu ja arimasen." "But you say that so well!" (He did speak English! LOL!) When we were waiting, some Japanese tourists were lost and asked me for directions. I just brought them inside and told the hostess my Japanese sucked! We looked over the menu and ordered some fried karaage chicken to start because we were starving and large Sapporos. We then ordered a large Gyur-Kaku salad to share which came with a tasty light ginger dressing. We then decided on the New York loin, Yakishabu beef, scallops, and chicken. You then can decide which sauces the meats will be marinated in. We chose the basil for one of the beef dishes and chicken and the garlic for the others. We also ordered the garlic fried noodles for each of us and they came in these really hot bowls. This dish was really good! Thick noodles with vegetables, and they continued to keep frying as we ate! It's sort of like you're barbequing indoors. At times, the grill can get a little too hot...so more large Sapporos! Oh and Sake! "Watashi ha jissaini kono basho wo aisu ru!" (I really love this place!)
(5)
Jasmine N.
My review is strictly for lunch... My co-worker and I came to a cross-road on lewers.. to eat at Kimukatsu or Gyu-kaku... Neither looked super crowded but the thing that won us over was the huge happy hour sign in the Gyu Kaku Waikiki window. Sold.. but maybe we should have opted for the other option : / We were promptly seated and we had two servers. I've never been here for lunch so when I picked up the menu I was shocked to see it was drastically different. For starters there is no kurubota sausage. :( They have combos on the back or you can opt for a meat and make it a meal for $5 extra (rice, soup, salad, and edamame). We opted to pick two meats and make it a meal. We also ordered a couple of appetizers (which were on happy hour) fried calamari and gyoza. YUM! We also asked if they had the sausage and even though it wasn't on the menu we could still order it. The food was just ok. The calamari was more oily than anything and the meats were just ok. I just didn't realize how expensive it is. $50 for two of us for LUNCH. Dang.. I would come back for dinner but it's just to expensive for lunch plus not the best idea when you have to head back to the office. must try: ask for your favorite even if you don't see it on the lunch menu 31 yelps - 3/31
(3)
Jeanette Y.
Asian pear mojito? YES, PLEASE! Garlic shrimp? YES, PLEASE! King kalbi Tare? YES, PLEASE! Harami miso skirt steak? YES, PLEASE! Steamed clams & mussels? YES, PLEASE! Spicy sukiyaki bibimbap? Meh. Daikon salad? YES, PLEASE! Okay, I can really keep going... but as you can see I'll just keep saying YES, PLEASE to almost anything/everything here. The food was really good. The service was awesome. Okay, I did say meh to the bibimbap, but hey, that's one out of so many! Gyu-Kaku, you amazed me!
(4)
M.B. L.
This is by far our favorite Gyu-Kaku on the island. While this establishment is part of a chain, each restaurant features a slightly different menu. I suspect it's at the discretion of the manager. Make no mistake, this food is not your typical yakiniku place. There's a Japanese influence, and it's very vegetarian friendly. I do not recommend this place for large groups or if you are looking to have a party with separate checks. The food is also made to share and quite good, especially during one of their happy hours. My personal vegetarian favorites are: the tofu salad, mushroom medley, broccoli cheese, eggplant with miso, shishito peppers, yaki onigiri, and gyu-kaku ice cream. The meat eater's favorites include: kimchi ramen (with raw egg.... it used to come with it but now needs to specified), bistro harami, chicken teriyaki, and dorayaki ice cream. We both love the happy hour special on the pitcher of Kirin Light. Yum, yum.. Definitely check this place out if you are in Waikiki. It's a lot more upscale than your typical Korean BBQ joint, but it's casual enough to walk in with shorts and flip flops. We usually have great service here. You can't beat their "A-Roooo-Ha" (aloha) welcome and attitude.
(5)
Virginia Y.
I've heard about the gyu - kaku in NYC so I knew I had to try the one in hawaii. It was happy hour when I came so everything was pretty much half off. It's a pretty sweet deal cause it's usually $50 a person, it came down to $20 a person with tip and tax. Great selection of beef and kalbi! P.S. they give out coupons around kalakaua avenue!!
(5)
Michele C.
Updating my review... Go to 678 it's a better deal. After finding 678 I probably won't bother going back to this place. I've been wanting to try this place for years. There is always a long wait. Finally got in. So the manager lady that helped us was the best. Our server Wei was also amazing! Together they took great care of us. I'm real picky when it comes to Kim chee and the manager just gave me a lil sample. After tasting a piece I knew I needed more it was delicious! My fave thing I tried was the spicy tofu chigae soup it was like the perfect combination tofu and hot! Hubby and I both agree it's the best thing on the menu. I must be honest and say I don't eat red meat so I don't know how any of that was my hubby said it was good. I tried the pork belly wasn't a huge fan of it. I'm not used to pork belly being on the bone. The garlic noodles were ok I'm not sure I would order it again but it had good flavor. Taste like garlic in yo mouth for hours. I think the texture was a lil strange for us. Great experience I would def go back!
(4)
KatyCakes M.
Probably my favorite restaurant! Fun experience, delicious food and super friendly service!
(5)
Christine S.
What a wonderful find! It was so close to my hotel, but I would've never found it if it weren't for Yelp. It is just off the main road. It was already 10:30pm and I was super hungry because I missed dinner. So happy that this place was still open and the happy hour menu is awesome! Everything was delicious and a great price! The waiter was super nice and when I asked for his suggestions he told me about all his favorites on the menu. I took his advice on most of the items and it was all great. Totally hit the spot!
(5)
Jamie D.
We were looking for a place that was open late. Most everything around here closed at 8PM. I filtered out the places that had more than two '$' because we didn't really want to spend that much. Yelp said '$$' so our party of six was caught slightly off guard on the price of the Mahalo combo ($198.00). We figured, "everything is expensive in Hawaii" so this is just relative to where everything is. When we received our order, holy moly it's a lot of food! Instead of "serves 5-6," there is enough food to feed a party of 8-9 comfortably. The food just kept on coming. I felt like I was at a Brazilian steakhouse and my service marker was in the "yes" position. So the price was just right IMO. Many will compare the food to Korean BBQ. But I think it's unfair to do that. Comparing the two is like apples and oranges. They are different. That being said, the food was great! I wish though, that maybe there are signs telling which one was which because we couldn't remember which one worked best with what sauce. The staff was also great and knowledgeable as well. I'm definitely a fan of this place.
(4)
Natasha D.
So good! Garlic shrimp was the best!! Had the most attentive server. So so so good, can't wait to go to one closer to me!!
(5)
Jason G.
Was probably the best dining experience in Honolulu as cooking at our table was a lot of fun. The food itself was good as well, we had the lunch special for about $12 which came with sausage and two other meats, rice, salad, soup, and dessert. There are all day happy hour specials on individual items so try a few different meats.
(5)
Randy F.
Gyu-Kaku is a very popular Japanese BBQ chain that has restaurants in Hawaii, Los Angeles, and elsewhere in the United States (though not the Bay Area). I was eager to try this place given the reputation and the drool-worthy food photos that accompany the site. On a Thursday night, our wait was 1 hour, so I definitely recommend reservations if you can. The concept is simple. The center of the table has a gas/ceramic stone heat source and above it is a metal steel wire grill. You select among a variety of meat, vegetable and seafood items and grill your items yourself. The drink menu is quite extensive and it's obvious the place is popular with those who like quality drinks (soju, ume, sake) along with tasty food. We sampled a diverse range of items and all were extremely fresh, well marinated, and accompanied by delicious sauces. A few favorites: Bone in Kalbi - excellent quality and freshness, despite ordering only the regular version and not the premium or kobe version. Delicious garlic marinade that enhanced and did not cover the quality meat Beef tongue - again, extremely fresh. Also available in regular or premium versions Butterfish - teriyaki infused fish cooked in an aluminum foil. Extremely buttery and tasty Spicy sausage - looked like little hot dogs but tasted much better. A slightly spicy yet sweet flavor. Delicious. Gyu-Kaku was a great meal and while ordering a la carte can get pricey with the petite portions (ie: vegetables for $6.95), it's delicious. I like the concept and think cooking your own food is fun. While shabu shabu and Korean BBQ are similar concepts, Gyu Kaku stands out with very flavorful marinades, dipping sauces, and excellent quality meats. Gyu Kaku accepts credit cards, including American Express. I'll be looking for my first Japanese BBQ place like Gyu-Kaku in the Bay Area as soon as one opens....
(4)
Lisa M.
My boyfriend (bartender at GS Studio located across the street) and I are frequent customers at Gyu-kaku on Lewers Street. We are very familiar with the staff and absolutely love the customer service they've provided to us over the years. He is a manager/lead bartender at GS studio and frequently serves Gyu-kaku employees. In Hawaii, it is very important that neighbors establish and maintain good relationships with each other. Since we are only across the street (1 minute walk), they offer a special delivery service to us which we most appreciate. However, one night I came in to purchase a salad, delivered, if possible. I was told by employee, Kai, "maybe". I waited about an hour till I went down there and saw Kai at the front. He apologized and informed me that it got super busy and they couldn't deliver it. I told him that it was okay but I didn't want a salad that was sitting out for an hour. Urara (the manager on duty) sitting in back of him working on something and didn't speak up. No one offered to make a new one and I could see that Kai was frustrated with the situation but by no means did the supervisor step in to aide. Keep in mind, I know Kai and he is a lovely man who provides above and beyond service whenever possible (Kai is an amazing server at Gyu-kaku and has been there for years!) I asked if I could kindly get my refund back and Kai attempted to refund it to my card. He then asked Urara for help and Urara screamed at him, "Why did you delete it?! You're never suppose to delete it! Now I can't do anything!" I couldn't believe she was shouting at an employee, in front of a customer. I have worked in retail for 6 years (management for 2) and I understand that in some establishments deleting a transaction would result in a void which does not always produce a receipt. However, that is not how any staff member (especially a manager) should react. Kai apologized profusely when Urara looked over at me and said, "We don't deliver; we never said we would deliver this". I responded, "I merely asked since you guys usually do--if it was a problem, I only wish I was informed". If then, I don't understand what was so hard about re-creating a salad? IMPORTANT PART: Urara then said, "Are you a baby? Does everyone around you treat you like a baby? Why are you acting like a baby? We are not going to baby you!" I was completely dumbstruck by this and I asked for a receipt validating my return and she told me that she could not produce one. She then said, "You just need to leave, bye!!" I stood there dumbfounded and she screamed "BYE!" at me multiple times while I slowly left. CONCLUSION: I've never paid to receive nothing but harassment and then rudely kicked out of an establishment by a supervisor yelling "bye" at me. I understand the special circumstances, but that is not a way any manager should act nor is that a way any customer should be treated. Gyukaku Staff: +5 stars. Gyukaku Service: +5 stars. Gyukaku Food: +5 stars. Paid for.... One horrible experience: -5 stars Management Insults: -5 stars Kicked out: -5 stars
(1)
Rhi M.
I been here 2x. For Happy hour!! The drinks are good. The lihing mui margarita and the blue lychee is good. The meats are good, nothing can go wrong with that because YOU cook it. The service is okay...not bad. The dessert however was funny and disappointing. (Maybe me and my friends had a few to drink before eating). The dessert are smaller than they look on the picture menu. The desserts are only for one person. One scoop ice cream per order and the ice cream melts fast because its next to the grill. I would comeback here drinks and food...NOT desserts!
(4)
Margaret P.
While wandering the streets behind our Waikiki hotel, we randomly came across this place during the lunchtime happy hour. We were starving, so I'm sure anything would've tasted great at that point, but I always love me some Asian grill places. Prior to our trip to Hawaii, one of the girls did not eat much seafood. But this place turned her with their version of nachos- ahi tuna poke on top of fried wontons for chips. Ah-may-zing! The meats we grilled were pretty tasty, but this is the dish that I remember most of that place and what made us come for the evening happy hour the very next day. The staff were pretty accomodating, too. Very friendly, as most locals in Hawaii are. But they made my birthday dinner extra special with some mighty strong and complimentary shots, along with posing with the inebriated birthday girl for some pictures. Just realized that this is a chain, but a pretty awesome chain at that. Wish we had this in the Bay Area, especially my part of the East Bay.
(5)
S L.
Happy hour for MOST of the day and night?! Hell yes! The food was amazing and the drinks were made just right! We ordered 5 appetizers and BBQ for lunch as well as 6 cocktails. Fat status right? Oh well! We were on vacation and this was THE highlighted restaurant of our entire trip! The staff were all delightful and helpful. One of the waiters suggested something off the menu and it was bomb.com . A most def must try! Can't wait to make another trip to Oahu for the beach, island life, and Gyu-Kaku!
(5)
seth f.
Good stuff. We kind of stumbled upon this place and were pleasantly surprised at how good it was.
(5)
Spencer H.
Great delicious food. Very flavorful marinated meats. What's strange is that we didn't smell like bbq after we went out. (kudos to the ventilation?) I want to rave about their service. From the explanation of the sauces, to the constant refills of water (you will need it), to the well mannered staff, it was wonderful as it was one of the highlight dining experiences of my hawaii trip. Bravo!
(5)
Kevin S.
Gyu-Kaku is a cook it yourself Japanese BBQ. We go here frequently in CA, but I had a craving for it in Waikiki today so we gave it a go. Unfortunately, we found that at 6PM on a Wednesday the wait would be 40 minutes for 2 people! Sad. The food itself was good as usual. In particular, the Harumi Miso and the Kalbi were especially good; I don't remember these selections being offered in the CA locations we typically go to. We missed the happy hour, but were able to order a la carte for 2 people and be completely stuffed for about $55. Not bad, considering when we order purely happy hour stuff it costs around $40. On a sad note, smores here are $3.95 now... wtf??! The service and atmosphere at this place tonight were both very average. But I love Gyu-Kaku so it'll still get a positive review from me.
(4)
Laura H.
My bf and I were so excited to try this place because we've been to the LA location and it was great! They do have happy hour and reverse happy hour but the things we wanted were not on it so we decided just to order from the regular menu. If you're a party of just two they sit you at a small booth that will fit just two people so theres not much room to put the dishes and it was kind of crammed. The waitress didn't seem to know much about the dishes or even how to cook it. - Assorted Kim Chi $5.75: very small portion - Seaweed paper $2.95 - King Kalbi short rib $8.95: it was good but really small portion as well. - Kobe Style Rib eye $23.95: (wagyu) SO DISAPPOINTED. it wasn't red and didn't looked marbled. Usually my bf and I fight over who gets the last piece. We were so upset that we didn't even care to finish it. - Premium gyu-tan $11.95: (beef tongue) Did not look anything like the picture. It was brown when it came out and did not melt in your mouth. - mushroom medley $4.95: probably the best thing that we had there We left hungry and did not care to order dessert. We were so disappointed in this place. The LA location is a lot better. But if you want good quality food then go to Yakiniku Hiroshi. Great service and great food! Would not come back here ever.
(1)
Jason D.
Late night happy hour! From 10pm - closing. Food an drinks are cheap! Portions are small, so if you go hungry, your tab will add up. You probably don't want to go there on an empty stomach. We ordered the toro beef for $2.95, mushroom medley for $3.95, and miso harami for $5.95. There were six of us, so really we each got no more than two bites each. Sure, we could've ordered more, but we were there really to drink. A pitcher of Kirin draft is $8.50, which is a really good deal! Not a beer drinker? Get some hot sake for $3.50.
(4)
Nat W.
Definitely go during the happy hour (11:30AM-6:30PM and 9:30PM-11:30PM). We were able to stuff our face for $30 each person (we did not drink any alcohol). Great service and food! I love their Kalbi!! The server was super friendly. Do not order their Calpico...it was so watery. Make sure to finish your meal with mochi ice cream!
(4)
Aline T.
Parking - there's paid public parking right next to gyukaku. turn right into the first driveway you see (there's a small sign too) after gyu kaku. if you turn left in that same area, you'll see a paid public parking sign as well. both are 10 bucks after 6:30pm. 8 before, I believe. Service - not bad, they have good looking waiters and waitresses who are pretty much all asian. don't expect them to ask you if you need anything, they won't. just tell them when they happen to come to your table. Food & Drink - Sour Apple Chuhai was awesome. I split the Kamehameha for 2 set ($78) with 3 friends, and it was enough to make us all full. The food was great. You get to try different cuts of meat but they pretty much taste all the same. There are 2 dipping sauces provided that are yum. Overall - yeah, I like it. It was really fun going with friends but I suggest you not go with so many people that you don't have elbow room to cook. I ended up doing most of the cooking and it was irritating because I wanted to eat, except I had to cook for 3 people. I'll probably check out the one on Kapiolani with my sister and we can both cook our own food.
(4)
Jill V.
We stumbled onto this restaurant but couldn't get in due to the long wait and made a reservation for the next night. They are very easy to reach on the phone and call you when your table is ready. We had never been to a Japanese BBQ so we tried a little of everything. The five of us had a great time grilling our own veggies, meat and seafood and tried some noodle and rice dishes aswell. Everything we had was excellent and very flavorful and surprisingly healthy for a night out at a restaurant. The service was great and very patient with our 1st timers, they even accommodated 2 in our party arriving late. Will go ahead and bring more friends!
(5)
Rylan C.
First timer at this location. Good Experience. I'd come back for me but finding affordable parking is the tough spot.
(4)
Kameron K.
The best! I was super excited to go to Gyu-Kaku when I was looking for places to eat in Honolulu for vacation. Now if you haven't had yakiniku before, its basically a grill your own meat place. You get a gas fired grill to you and your party (the wait staff will come and change the grill every so often) and you basically grill your own meat. You get 3 different dipping sauces (regular, ponzu [soy sauce with lemon juice] and spicy). Spicy was the best and definitely not spicy at all, but very flavorful. I have to say I wasn't disappointed. Enough that I came here twice during my 5-day trip. First - Friday night, pretty busy, we had to wait about 20 minutes to get a table. We got a shared table which was fine. We ended up with the Kamehameha course for 2 people. Definitely enough food. Starters: - Ahi poke: Just right! - Assorted kim chee: Very good - Edamame: Eh, its edamame... - Daikon salad: It was a pretty large salad, although didn't like it too much - Miso soup: We didn't get this till the end because they were out of miso soup and we were completely full at the end. - Rice MEAT!: - Gyu-tan: Tongue! It was actually the best! It cooks really quick. - Chuck Kalibi Tare: Very juicy, flavorful - Harimi Miso Skirt steak: Very good, although took a lot longer to cook - Filet Mignon: Was very good, but loses the esteem as a premium cut of beef as a BBQ item. - Asparagus Bacon: was okay, nothing too exciting - Shrimp Garlic: Was also okay - Teriyaki Chicken: I was a little hesitant since raw chicken with the beef. The chicken of course took a long time to cook and wasn't too exciting. You also get a s'more at the end to roast as a dessert. In the end, it was a pretty good success, but I wasn't satisfied because I really wanted the all-you-can-eat. We came back later in the trip for their all-you-can-eat lunch special, highly recommend! $30/person for the premium all-you-can-eat. They have two packages and each one has different selections of meat you can choose from. You have 90 minutes to eat the food. The clock starts when you place your first order and you can only order 2 orders of items per person at a time. The meat needs to be fully grilled before you can order more. We definitely got our worth. We had at least 14-16 orders at the end of the meal, way before the 90 minute time limit. Any food that is ordered that you don't finish, you are charged for by the ala carte price. Side note: Plus for playing old school Jpop (Every Little Thing, early Ayumi Hamasaki, early Chemistry, etc.) from the 90s/early 2000s during the lunch hour! Was surprised I didn't break out in the meat sweats! Staff is super friendly and attentive. HIGHLY recommend! MMMM meat!
(5)
Anita L.
I couldn't help laughing when my traveling buddy kept asking me to eat at Gyu-Kaku with her. Okay, yes... I am a spoiled California kid with a Gyu-Kaku 10 minutes from my house, so seeing this Japanese BBQ don't really get me that excited. Haha. Happy Hour is daily till 630pm and 10- closing. Quality is great and I love their happy hour price! $2.95 Kobe Beef! Yum. Of course, my night at Gyu-Kaku cannot end without my favorite order of Smores. Heheh
(4)
Andy N.
If you want to be ripped off, eat here. I was really looking forward to this meal. The first thing I received was a beer that was barely over half a pint - for 5.95. When I asked about that, I was told that i was wrong, and it is a 16oz glass. I know what 16oz looks like, so I ordered a large bottle of Sapporo. The bottle I received was only 2/3 full, but before I could complain, the waiter started pouring it into a glass. Oh it was not a waiter, it was the manager! Well, I was really here for the food, not for the beer. Ordered a Spicy Tuna and Avocado salad, gyoza and bibimbap. The tuna was so so, but the avocado was old and brown. The gyoza tasted as if they had been warmed up in a micro-wave. The bibimbap was good but small. All in all a high price for a mediocre meal. It all ended for me when I saw a cockroach on the wall next to our table, crawling into the kitchen. Perhaps Hawaii has bugs that look like roaches but aren't really roaches. I am done with this place and I am definitely not coming back.
(1)
Aishling R.
Fellow yelpers, you've let me down. I thought that this place's 4 1/2 star rating was sure to impress my boyfriend and our friend. I should have known that when we had to wait for 15 minutes after our reservation time that no good could come of it. We were seated and had to wait a bit for our server to come up to our table. In that time of waiting, we ended up deciding what we wanted. When our server finally showed up, he offered us drinks, but didn't necessarily want to take our order right away. So our server comes back and starts going off about how 2-3 plates of meat and a couple different sides were the normal serving for a single person. Excuse the hell out of me, but nowhere on yelp did anyone tell me that. So we order 3 meat dishes, 2 veg dishes, 2 rice bowls and 2 noodle bowls. For 3 people. You would have thought we only ordered water with our server's reaction of "you can always order more when you're done." We got the food, and it was fair-good. But honestly, how much effort needs to be put into raw meat and veg that we cook ourselves on our own table's grill? I did the cooking. Portions were tiny and getting so many dishes adds up. We all ate again pretty soon after because we weren't satisfied with our meal.
(2)
Tommy C.
Grill, dip, eat, and repeat. All the beef items we ordered were fresh and very tasty. Yakishabu brisket was our favorite. We made it for happy hour 6:30pm and saved a few bucks. Comfortable and clean dining room. Our waiter was friendly and offered excellent speedy service. He offered menu suggestions, routinely changed out the grilling surface, and filled our cups. Surprisingly, this grill didn't smoke up my clothes as bad as Korean BBQ.
(5)
Beth T.
Went to this place for an early dinner on Sunday night. We got there around 5:30 and waited about 20 minutes for a table. We were seated and waited on by a couple of very attentive waiters. They explained the menu options clearly and suggested we try the Kamahameha Course, which is basically a big combo of appetizers, meats, and a dessert. We were there during Happy Hour, which is apparently a big deal (and why I wanted to go so early), but I was talked out of it by the people with me and the waiter's suggestion. We probably could have saved quite a bit of $$ had we gone with happy hour a la carte choices. The appetizers were all pretty good. I suggest the miso soup, it was really good. As for the meats, my favorite were the boneless kalbi ribs (amazing!) and the miso skirt steak (so good). I added an order of the pork belly, because it wasn't on the course we ordered, and it was very good. Total for 2 adults & 1 child (kamehameha course, plus beer and the extra pork belly) was about $100. I ordered an extra s'mores dessert for my daughter, so we could each have one (the dinner only came with 2), and they charged an extra $3.95 for her s'more. Which really, on a $100 ticket, can't you just throw in a freaking marshmallow for free for a kid? But overall, it was a delicious meal, and fun to cook and eat. The restaurant is nice (kind of loud), and the wait staff is super helpful and nice. I highly recommend this place.
(4)
Jonathan M.
Wear casual clothes here...you might get oil on you depending on where you seat. I unfortunately had my back to an area where they stage used grills for cleaning. I felt something prick my neck and turned around and saw where the staff had set these grills...OK, some hot oil hit my neck...I'll live. Well, sure enough, notice had a good number of oil spots on the back of my shirt...awesome :/ Anyway, first Yakiniku experience and it was fun to grill our own food. Had the filet mignon, pork belly, and pesto-basil chicken along with Egg Plant and Mushrooms. The food was excellent, also not bad on the price since it was part of their lunch specials. The service was good with multiple people tending to our table making sure we had what we needed. Aside from ruined clothes, food was really good and a nice fun place to eat.
(4)
May L.
I LOVE Gyukaku!!! You do have to cook the food yourself but the food is sooo GOOD!!!
(5)
Leah U.
Ate here during happy hour, the food took forever to come... From appetizer to the bbq meat...very poor service
(1)
Lindsay P.
Mmmm! Gyu-Kaku was so good that we went twice! The first time we went during the earlier happy hour, where a lot of the meats are up to half off, and drinks are more than half off. Make sure you try the Manager recommended Kalbi meat! It was most definitely THE BEST item on the menu. Their kimchi was also really good; I ordered it both times. We tried so many different things on the menu and nothing was bad; I am also trying to find an excuse to go to their location in Vancouver, BC because it is the next closest one to us. We would have eaten there every night had I not wanted to expand my horizons and try different places. Oooooh soooooo gooooooood. Happy hours are the best!
(5)
Dameon G.
good food, exceptionally attentive waitstaff!!
(4)
Christina S.
Good food, fun concept. Only drawback I would say is price and the ahi poke appetizer - if we hadn't been here for happy hour, our bill would've been about $70 for 2, and that's with a few meat dishes, one veggie combo, a pitcher of beer and an order of ahi poke as an appetizer (definitely skip this - did not taste like quality fish). All in all, a fun place but expensive. Generally speaking, Korean bbq is more satisfying (hey, you get banchan!), but the meat is better (and more varied) here.
(3)
Wendy C.
One of the best restaurants I've had during my visit to Hawaii. Everything is great. I love the poki and cheese broccoli. Go there during happy hour. Alcoholic beverages are only $4 each. The only reason I took 1 star from the 5 is the smoke. The fan is really weak. In the hot Hawaiian weather, the smoky stuffy restaurant doesn't make the food too appetizing. After being there for an hour, I was eager to get out. For that reason, I really couldn't give it a 5.
(4)
Skippy T.
gyu-kaku is good no matter where you go!!!! so 5 star is an obvious. i just wanted to share my experience at this one... i ate here while on vacation. i walk in, kinda smokey, but i did not walk out smelling like smoke which was great because you walk in being smokey and all means you can smell the meat!!!! sooo good. but i hear a voice and i turn around to see "John Lovitz" eating here... this place is self explanatory! its pricey but well worth it!
(5)
Theresa K.
This place does Japanese BBQ very well. The 30-day aged filet mignon was by far a favorite, along with the prime beef. The prices are comparable to other Japanese BBQ's I've been to, but the portions are a bit smaller. If there was no other Japanese BBQ alternative in my area, I would come here again.
(4)
Grimeater A.
The food here tastes great but I've found the service to be lacking. Not just an isolated incident, it's happened the last two times I visited. I couldn't understand how it took so long to bring out raw meat. The portions have also shrank since my first visit back in the days. With the small portions and pricing your bill can rally start to add up. When I eat, I eat...this place just can't satisfy my hunger without breaking my wallet at the same time.
(3)
mm h.
never come back again. the food is good, but the service is really bad....
(1)
Nan R.
This place is classic Japanese Yakiniku. Yakiniku is Japanese style barbeque on a grill at your table. The meat here is always fresh and the dipping sauces compliment the meats perfectly. You can choose to order everything ala cart or prix fixe. You start by picking out the meat that you want, your choices include Korean kalbi, filet mignon, kobe beef. They have great kimchi, Hawaiian poki and veggies, too. You grill the meat at your own table which can accommodate just two people or up to 9. Definitely try to make it during happy hour 5:00-6:30 where meat specials are ~$5 and pitchers of Kirin are $8!
(5)
Retired B.
I've been to the other Gyu-Kaku on Kapiolani... this location has more happy hour restrictions than the Kapiolani one, but I still had a great time since the servers were super attentive and helpful.
(4)
belinda n.
1st time havin japanese bbq for both me & the old man.. we couldnt decide where to have our last HI dinner & while i was gettin ready, he thumbed thru a brochure advertising local restaurants we picked off a street newstand ( i think the mag was simply title "dining") and he closed his eyes & his finger landed on gyu-kaku.. so we arrive sat late around 10 ish & wait 20 mins for a table so we go next door to the divey kelly pub for a pint of kona to kill the quoted time.. from the outside, gyu looks like a fast food joint.. well its not.. the tables & booths are wooden, the booths are intimate, the bbq pit in the middle of the table gets hot so watch out.. the entire staff was attentive, our waitress was cute & nice & except for her utter misunderstanding of the concept of checking w/your customers to make sure they got everything, our meal was amazing &^ romantic & we were stuffed & so content & what are the chances that my hubbys finger landed on the ad for this joint... minus tip, $82.. including the happy hr pitcher of draft.. honestly, i dont know what we ordered.. we got the #1 of the package which comes w/a shitload of meat i couldnt try to name even if my puppys life was in jeopardy.. dessert, on the other hand, was red bean ice cream & silver dollar pancakes you can grill & watching my hubby make grilled ice cream sammies will remain a cherished moment in my heart.. i do know that our dinner had egg drop soup , a salad, edamame, kimchi, & some type of sausages. & a shitload of meat. similiar to korean bbq, but its bbq rather than saute/hot pan..
(5)
Amanda S.
just had thanksgiving lunch with the family while visiting the seester. it's a decent japanese bbq. i've had better but it will do in a pinch. i like that they have three sauces on the table to dip your freshly grilled meat in - a sweet plum-like sauce, plain soy and soy with sesame oil. personally, i think the portions are pretty small for what you pay but the staff is incredibly attentive. i liked the flat steak, the assorted veggies, the scallops and the udon noodles. you can choose to have your meats marinated in a variety of sauces - the fresh garlic paste was tasty! my favorite dish though was definitely the enoki mushrooms grilled in creamy butter. yum yum.
(3)
Kelvin L.
What a treat and a find while on vacation! It helps when a guy in a cow suit (restaurant mascot?) hands out coupons for $1 items! Make sure you take advantage of this. Hes usually out on the corner of Kalakaua and Lewers. The coupon is helpful for your chicken, short rib order or beer for $1 each. Whatta deal! Dined during late night happy hour after 9:30pm where a lot of the items are 50% off. Quite a few selections on the menu for BBQ but ordered the filet mignon, chicken-$1, garlic shrimp, short ribs-$1, endamame, kimchee plus a few beers at the 50% off - $2.75. The BBQ was already fired up when we got to the table but its essentially built right in the table unlike the gas portable stoves that one would usually find at hot pot. You are given 3 types of sauces to accompany your BBQ. The meat was good and I guess you are to blame if you don't cook it right :) I found no issues with the serving staff as they brought out a fresh beer when i needed one, refilled the water, and brought food out in a prompt manner. All in all I'd dine here again. Cant beat the value for a dine in BBQ. So for 2 of us, the bill came to $38.
(5)
Elsie F.
First of all, I love Gyukaku!...the Kapiolani one that is. The Waikiki location seems to be a little greedier with the portions. I guess considering the tourist location, it is somewhat reasonable. Came here for HH yakiniku after work with the bf and the wait was about an hour. It's usually really busy because it's Waikiki & everyone comes out at night. The bf loves it here because of the pork belly but I go for the beef tongue! Yum! Thick juicy slices of beef tongue! Anyways, the other great thing about Gyukaku is their kamaaina menu! Majority of the time they don't offer it to you, so you should definitely ask! I would recommend this place to others, but for myself I'll stick to the Kapiolani location :)
(3)
Olivia C.
This place is great!! Like a number of other reviews on here, the idea of going out to cook my own food doesn't usual appeal to me. This place has changed all that. We called and booked ahead to reserve a table which I would recommend. I would also recommend going during happy hour as the prices are even better (not that they are too bad outside of happy hour anyway). We ordered a number of different meats and veges and got cooking on our barbecue. My goodness! Every bite of food was amazing. So full of flavour and deliciousness. The beef tongue and the harami miso skirt steak were my favourite. Another great thing about this place is you can order a few and if you're still not satisfied, you can get a few more. This place is highly recommended!!
(5)
Vi L.
Ripoff food you cook yourself and atrocious service. Even the spicy tuna maki you have to assemble yourself. The only highlight was the drink menu - Asian pear mojito and lychee martini. Find less expensive yakiniku near ala moana.
(1)
Jeff H.
First and last time. Service was unacceptable. Requested a fork never got it. Rice didn't come out till 10 min after meat. Richard was horrible server
(2)
Kien M.
From open to 6:30PM, Monday through Friday happy hour is awesome. I believe there is also late happy hour as well. Under $4 cocktails, ~$3 beers or ~$8.50 pitchers, and discounted appetizers, meat, and veggies (all under $6 each). For 2 people, we went a little over board and order about 10 total dishes. Ahi poke, fried oysters, soft shell crab, filet mignon, nakaochi, kalbi, garlic shrimp, roasted corn, garlic noodles, and egg plant. All of the meat are good choices but I would past on the oysters and egg plant. For dessert, go with the macadamia ice cream. I can't wait to try this place back home at the Cupertino location.
(4)
Johnny G.
I think its a bit overpriced for the food but the meats were good. The happy hour menu does save some some money but I think the best thing was the interesting cheese wontons. Also they have a coupon for 99 cent draft ichiban beer! talk about winning! The manager Kenji REALLY cares about this place. He went out of his way to ensure we had the best service. He also gave us a really generous discount since we said we live near the other branch in the bay area. He is super nice and really just a genuine great guy!
(4)
Vincent Q.
I've heard about this place many times, but have been hesitant to eat there because of the prices. To me, it's like sushi, you can get what you want in small portions, but once you lose control, once you start to order everything, the bill gets insane. I let my friend choose from a list of the better rated restaurant in Waikiki, and I already knew--Gyukaku would win. My one saving grace was that we arrived during Happy Hour, which ends around 6 p.m. Half-priced drinks and foods. Thank goodness. Gyu tan- 4.5-stars- Large, thin sliced pieces of beef tongue. This has become a staple anywhere I cook my own food. You'd be surprised how large a cow's tongue is, let alone how tender and delicious the meat can be. The pieces are sliced thick enough to keep their shape and grill beautifully. Of the sauces, I enjoyed the plum version the most. Filet Mignon- 5-stars- At first, I was curious about these thicker wedges of meat. Yet, after cooking, they are so soft, they almost melt in your mouth. The thickness allows for a layering of flavor to build up, with a juicy center. This would be a top choice. Toro- 4-stars- Like fresh bacon, but not as greasy. Cooking it at different lengths you get a very bacon-like texture because this is so thinly sliced. There is enough fat to give it that right flavor, without going too far. Plus, it's on a grill, so much of the quickly burns away. A definite advantage when working with fattier meats. Rosu- 3.5-stars- Roast, another good slice of meat, but not something I would miss from this meat medley. It is a bit thicker than the toro, but this is considering that dish is about as thick as bacon. This one can stand a bit of longer cooking. The slice is a bit bigger, heftier, and creates a different cooking style. At times, it may end up being harder to grill when you have other meats there, too. Mushroom Medley- 4-stars- For a mushroom lover, you get shiitake and enoki mushrooms. Don't worry, these are fresh! Dried shiitake grosses me out, to be honest. The lighter flavor of these steamed pieces were tender, soft, and not too chewy. I liked the enokie, partly because of the texture, because it wasn't entirely overflowing with flavor. It's packed up in foil, so you place it on the grill and decide how long you want to cook it. Chigae- 4-stars- Obviously reminiscent of jigae, Korean kim-chi stew, with tofu, etc. It isn't entirely spicy, but it's hot enough to give you warmth, especially if you're already drinking beer. coming in a black pot, it stays warm and keeps cooking for a short while. Atmosphere- The seating is relatively private, with perhaps enough room to fit four people, with little elbow room. Behind and in front of you, the seat-backs aren't too high, so I kept viewing other people eating. But at your sides, there is a board to block heads, but not torsos. There isn't too much decor otherwise. Service- Our waiter introduced himself as one of the people who will be helping us. I counted maybe four people who helped us that night. Most of the service was quick and attentive. With the space so close, it was easy to find someone when we needed help. Conclusion- For happy hour, this is reasonable. I ended up paying $60 (which included two pitchers at happy hour prices). The beer came with a cooler in the center, I assume it takes up more space in the pitcher, but our second pitcher didn't have one. For the quality of our meats, the prices weren't insane, but still a bit high. Thankfully for my friend, this was a birthday treat. I said I usually expect a kiss after paying that much for dinner. But then I tell my mom this, too. so I guess it's okay, right?
(4)
Julie N.
Since I hate cooking my own food, especially when I go to a restaurant, I ask them to cook it for me. If I wanted to cook my own food, I would stay home and cook it at home. When I go out, I really don't want to cook my own food because I have a tendency of burning it or undercooking it. And if you're going to tell me to take some culinary classes, I've taken a year of that.. thank you very much. This restaurant has happy hour all day long, except for like a few hours 6:30-9:30pm or something like that. It's happy hour all day and all night after 9:30 at this location. If you don't live in Waikiki like I do, then I suggest you go to the Kapiolani location unless you don't mind paying a lot for your parking and walking from a structure. You could park at the Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center, then try and get validation somewhere over there. My favorite drink is the Asian Pear Mojito! I mean, there's a reason why this drink is #1 over there. :) It's really good, just try it! The Li Hing Margarita isn't bad too. The Lychee Martini is my 3rd favorite. But come on, isn't beer the best with yakiniku? Well, then there's Kirin (my favorite!)
(4)
Zane T.
LOVE the chain, great food and our waiter Kiet was awesome!!
(4)
Chass B.
I had a craving for Gyukaku and this was the nearest one to fulfill that for me. I was just reminded why I don't care to come here very much =\ Although the hostess was gracious enough to seat me quickly as I had only one hour to eat (since I'm on break), it took what seems to be a lifetime before my server took my order. I timed it and it took nearly 10 minutes before he came around to get my order and halfway through that I did ask for my server and mention that I was ready. I saw that the other tables got more attention than I did. I know that I am just one person, but I am one person that can eat and fast. So this table is a no-brainer and will turn fast. It continued to be slow throughout my meal and by the time my food arrived and cooked, I am shoveling food in my mouth. At the end my checkout process took another 10 minutes. Food is yummy and during happy hour is golden!! My most favorite thing about this place is that they have a take-out bento for lunch up till 3pm daily. I always get the Bistro Harami bento that includes a drink for $7.50!! Don't forget to mention Kamaaina =)
(3)
Tim G.
Not a match for its New York clones. but a solid choice for some moderately expensive food in japanese and korean flavors. A bit dirty!
(4)
Daniel C.
They're lunch specials are a great deal. For $11.95 you can get yourself two sets of meat, salad, soup, rice, and edamame. 4 stars and not five since this place lacks adequate ventilation. Ceiling fans do not suffice. My advice to management is to invest in purchasing adequate infrastructure for grilling such as air vents over every grill. Lung cancer is not a joke. Food's great, and the service gets a 7 out of 10.
(3)
Odille C.
This place can be a little pricey if you want everything, but its really fun to cook your own food. The meat choices are delicious and vary so much its a dance party of food in your mouth. Its amazing. I love it. I am definitely going again.
(5)
T C.
The food and service for this place is great. We were greeted and seated very fast for 5 people. The waiter was very nice and knowledgeable of the menu. He ask us how hungry we were and suggested to us a certain set menu, he was right and we were happy about the food choice. I suggest you try this place out. I believe happy hours start at 9pm.
We stopped by here last Friday as we were walking back to our hotel. Hadn't tried this type of bbq before, but trusted the positive reviews here on Yelp. To our surprise happy hour prices were in effect most of the day.... Had several beer at a reasonable price and an excellent meal. Highly recommend.
(5)
Yuko A.
Disregard my previous review which was actually for the location in Kapiolani when I was oh such a newbie to Yelp..... I mean I still think that the value isn't great but now I know - HAPPY HOUR is the time to go.....That being said, we actually missed the Happy hour mark waiting for our table :( Oh well, still had a good time. Ate some dishes I had never had a BBQ before and definitely interested in returning. Probably to the other location though. Anyway, on to the food. We started off with cheese wontons and fries. That was a first, but surprisingly tasty. I mean you can't really go that wrong with fried food... My friend did all of the ordering so we got a ton of different meats including kalbi, tan, hormone, and some others. Gyu tan was the best for sure and the others weren't bad. Just not up to the same quality I've had at other yakiniku restaurants. But you kind of know that before coming in. Half the reason people come here is to get drunk off the cheap drinks too during happy hour too:) After our first round of drinks and food, we ordered another round of gyu tan, kalbi, and garlic noodles. I was full by this time but I had to try the garlic noodles I had heard/read so much about. They were udon noodles cooked in a hot pot (like the ones they use for bibimbap) with veggies and meat and of course lots of garlic. It was probably one of my favorite dishes of the night. Definitely ordering it earlier next time so I can eat more. Nom Nom. Had a mojito which wasn't bad. A little too sweet for multiple rounds but it was tolerable for one. It seems to really depends on who makes it, since my friend's first one was good while our second one was a little syrupy. Two of our friends tried the frozen beer. Basically frozen foam on top of the beer. You are probably better off getting a regular beer unless you want to be eating foam like ice cream.... Service was decent, nothing special. He forgot a couple things but I guess its understandable when its packed all night. YELP 365: 218/365
(4)
Zayka Z.
Great experience overall, ordered skirt stake, liver, chicken, shrimp, mushrooms, asparagus in bacon, garlic noodles and more - all was tasty and cooked perfectly (by us!)- pomegranate drink I ordered was perfect - bit too sweet not too sour! ;) the s'mores were great! and 'lava' cake was ok.
(5)
Jonathan Q.
The service was awful Long wait despite having reservations. It was over an hour, but it is Waikiki so it was kind of understandable. Took forever to get our orders. We first ordered a bibimbap, and did not get it until we were all done with our meat etc. Furthermore, the waitress left it on the counter and did not bother to take it for us despite passing it multiple times. Dessert also took forever too. The meat was good though, I liked the tenderness and the seasoning of it.
(2)
Angie S.
I'm seriously obsessed with happy hour at Gyu-Kaku! They have so much to choose from and prices for items start as low as $1.99. Be sure to check in on four-square when you arrive, I got free Sake for doing so! ;)
(5)
Mio S.
JUST WARNING! I wanted to tell everyone to take care and that they should check their bill before they sign it. I made the terrible mistake of letting them get 15% gratuity with your 5 party table. I was very disappointed when I called back to clear the mistake up an hour later. Why would I need to pay gratuity for a table with 5 people? They said they'd refund the 15% back to me, but really, nothing has happened. I'm very upset. I would never go to a gyukaku chain, in America or elsewhere. Their food is good though and cheap during happy hour if that's what you're looking for.
(1)
Mike D.
This is a very fun place to eat with the group. Think of Teppan-Yaki type dining but with food that you grill yourself. As others have described, there's a barbecue in the middle of the table where you cook your own food. It's fun, it's social, and it's not something that you get to do every day. It also feels like a good locals place so if you're in Hawaii on vacation it's a great place to dine. I would definitely plan on dining early or having a reservation. We showed up at 6 PM and by the time we left the place was packed.
(5)
Cheryl H.
Great food and fun place to have Korean style food although this is a Japanese restaurant. It is part of a large chain out of Tokyo. I enjoy being able to cook food at my table and they also have a pretty good wine list.
(5)
Christa L.
Love this restaurant! The food is amazing and my hubby, who has lived in Japan, said it is very authentic. There is so much to choose from so everybody can find something they like. We tried the pork belly, teriyaki chicken, and strip steak...all were great! The garlic noodles are also fantastic. For those that don't eat meat, there are so many other options including tofu and multiple veggies. Like I said, something for everyone and definitely worth a try.
(5)
Noeru N.
Happy Hour Heaven. For you early birds or late night crawlers. $8 Kirin Pitchers. 1/2 off meats and appetizers. Cook. Drink. Eat. Repeat. Gyu-Tan + Harami + Nakaochi Kalbi + Reba + Beer = Happy Tums. This is how we do: Order our meats Shio (salt) instead of tare (marinade) Side of Negi (chopped scallion with sesame seed oil) Bowl of Lemon Wedges (squeeze some on your tender meats) Sanchu (Green leaf lettuce leaves to wrap your meat, rice and veggies in)
(4)
Sherylynn S.
I would have give a 5 if they continue to have garlic in a foil bag. They stopped providing because some customer got them burned and almost burned down the building. However, the food are awesome !!! Easy to make and I love their happy hours!!! Only from 11:30am to 6:00pm and after 9:30pm
(4)
Haiyan J.
We were craving for some beefy meat, so we followed Yelp's recommendation and went to Gyu-Kaku. It was great as said by everybody else! We arrived at 6:15 and had to wait for about 20 or so minutes, so we missed the happy hour (which ends at 6:30). Our waitress was super nice and quick with getting our orders and drinks. We got skirt steak, ox tongue, liver, scallop, eggplant, mushroom medley, garlic noodles, green tea ice cream with black sugar syrup, and appetizers eg miso soup and, what turned out to be our favorite surprise: toka wasabi. All dishes were great. I loved the steak and ox tongue the best. You really have to watch your time to ensure the meat are done but still juicy. The entire place was full of fun.
(5)
Joseph B.
Everything that we ordered tasted good but I wish the portion sizing was larger. Don't come here and expect to leave really full.
A great lunch or dinner spot! And it's right next to a Irish bar! I ordered about 7 items (portions are only about 3-4 oz each) and it came out to be like $35 (with tip and tax). The meats were perfectly marinated and so delicious. The sauces on the table were really good for dipping. The poke salad was small, but the tuna chunks were so flavorful, definitely one of the good pokes that I've tried! Both the chicken and skirt steak were wonderful and made me want more.
(5)
Scott G.
Hi I'm a man and I like grilling stuff... this place was awesome.... scallops, bacon asparagus, pork belly, lobster nuggets , garlic noodle, garlic shrimp, chicken fondue ... great to have a lot of small plate choices
(5)
Jason P.
Japanese-style Yakiniku (cook your own meat). Came here with a group of 5, we were seated within 30 minutes which is reasonable for a Saturday night. Waiter bought our drinks right away, he was very attentive to our table although it was pretty busy. We ordered from the Ala Carte menu, we didnt' want some of the items in the course meals (like the S'mores). Meats were good, came out of the kitchen at reasonable times, cant' complain about anything here. Get the Harami and the beef tongue!! This is Lewers street off of Kalakaua, so parking is obviously a concern.
(4)
Kimberly S.
The servers are very nice and great with suggestions. Cassandra was our server and she was fabulous! The appetizers were delicious - we should have ordered more! Great place with reasonable prices.
(5)
Holly B.
Really nice waitstaff, prompt filling of orders for take-out bentos with drinks! Accommodates my requests for extra furikake on the bento rice and sauce for the chicken karaage. Close to work and one of the more affordable places in Waikiki for us working stiffs!
(4)
Joey T.
Besides the parking which is horrible in Waikiki, period, I had a stellar time at Gyu-Kaku. I highly recommend making reservations if two or more people are going as it tends to get crowded. However, since it was just my date and I we just walked right in and they sat us down. The food and the prices were fantastic! We went during happy hour and took advantage of the Kama'aina special they have here (not too sure if other locations have this special as well) and our total bill for my date and I came out to $20 and we had six dishes and beers! You can't best that kind of a deal, especially in Waikiki. The service was excellent, we just waited a little longer in the end for our bill but otherwise we were well taken care of. Food: I give it 5 stars. The food was excellent. The quality of the meat wasn't lowered due to price and I do appreciate that. We had the pork belly and the steak for our yakiniku and had all the proper condiments on our area to complement it. We also had the lobster tempura balls, those were really good especially with the sauce. We also had the calamari which was excellent as it wasn't oily like it usually is when I order from other places. Fantastic food, great quality. Service: I give it 4 stars. The service was excellent, just except for the wait we had in the end to get our bill. Our server was really attentive and made sure we were well taken care of. We didn't wait long for the food which was great because I would've died with the people around me continuing to cook and eat food while we were sitting there. Price: I give it 10 stars, especially during the happy hour with the Kama'aina special as our food and drinks were dirt cheap. Our total bill came out to $20 including drinks. The non happy hour prices were pretty standard for Yakiniku restaurants. I highly recommend going during happy hour. I would definitely recommend this to everyone and will definitely be coming again!
(5)
Ren L.
Had a reservation here, but it took longer than usual since there was an earlier party that wouldn't leave for 30 minutes. A bit disappointing there. Once we were seated and ordered our food, it came out relatively quick as we ordered the Aloha course. Unfortunately as well, we came at a time when happy hour was not served. The meat that definitely stood out was the Kalbi, as that had a bunch of protein. The corn/butter combo was neat in the manner of cooking it over foil and having the corn already removed from the cob. The s'mores at the very end of the meal was a neat way to cap off the course. If I ever come back, hopefully I'll be in the realm of happy hour.
(4)
Shanisse I.
i.LOVE. gyukaku. I just love coming here. the food is very yummy. Of course we come here during happy hour. I usually get the zucchini,filet, chicken, mushroom medley and whatever random stuff we feel like getting. The wait can be a little long, or maybe the fact that we go when we're starving so it feels like forever. But its understandable; the workers have other people to tend to and so on. If you go to this Waikiki location, I suggest you head towards the strip till you see the Cow Mascot that passes out the coupons where you can either get a glass of kirin, or chicken basil or kalbi for just 1 dollar. Its just for one serving but hey, if you dont eat that much then thats great!! and if you eat a lot, thats still great!! you only have to pay 1 dollar for one of your plates. For desert, I ALWAYS have to get the dorayaki ice cream. The person who thought of that is GENIUS!!! its kind of like a japanese pancake with maple syrup and what you do is grill it and eat with the ice cream they serve with it. I don't know if thats the proper way to eat it but hey, if it tastes good I'm going to keep doing it my way. If you think that you are going to be a regular there I suggest you get that gyu kaku card that they offer. Its just a dollar to sign up and once you do, for every dollar you spend you get a point and once you accumulate 250 points you get a $25 voucher. I don't think you can use it during happy hour, maybe maybe not, but still, if anything you just have to pay a few more bucks out of your pocket to cover the remainder.
(5)
Sandy I.
We went for lunch. Food, value, service (Brittney) was great! Definitely will be back. We ordered one of the BBQ lunch combos-tons of food 10.95 (two meats/fish, edamame, salad, soup, rice, coconut dessert). Kimchee ramen-spicey, hot and comforting (7.95) and sake (6.95). We arrived around 11ish and were leisurely, done by 12:05. No waiting, but busy and service on top of it. Just one thing, this is a BBQ (your own) so if that is not your thing, this may not be your place. I'm usually not a big fan myself, but this place you didn't walk out and smell like the grill.
(5)
Ryan O.
Had an enjoyable meal here on a Wednesday evening. Our server was a big dude, forget his name but I like that he had a real opinion on the drinks and dishes and didn't mind sharing it as we had never done a Japanese BBQ before. It's a fun concept where you cook your own meats. Kind of expensive at roughly $60 per person but I would do it again because the quality of the food was good and so was the service--not to mention there just aren't too many dining experiences like this. We ordered many items from shishito peppers to ribeye steak to shrimp, to mushrooms and everything was tasty, tender, and just plain good. Only reason why I don't give 5 stars is because it's too expensive considering the patron does the cooking himself/herself!
(4)
Darren N.
Getting there: Parking entrance right off Kapiolani Blvd and it's free validated. Ambiance: Japanese decor and wooden accents give this place a great atmosphere. Spacious seating makes it a great place for groups of friends to eat and talk story. Service: They were very busy but eager to accommodate us as best as they could. Servers were quick and responsive. They even swap out the burners for us midway so our later orders were made over a fresh grill. Food: Everything I tried I would recommend. For appetizers, the cheese fried wontons were filled with warm and fresh mozzarella. The Harami beef, pork belly, bacon-wrapped asparagus, butterfish, and garlic shrimp were all covered with great tasting sauces. The garlic fried noodle was not bad but if you are like me, I prefer my noodles on the thinner side. Rice bowls, fluffy and fresh, are a separate cost. Who to bring: Any size party works. Probably good to call ahead to make reservations. How much to bring: Every dish seems to be above 6 so if you order a drink and a few dishes you can easily surpass a typical steak dinner. Verdict: Three stars for great food but fairly expensive experience. If you like cooking your own food and have a big budget, add a star. ***Final notes: One of our party got their credit card info swiped and used not even a day after. Have no direct proof if it was done here but I wouldn't use my cc here in the near future.***
(3)
Deb S.
A great big thank-you to our waitress at Lulu's for breakfast who mentioned this little spot to us. We couldn't have been happier to try it out. We wandered past early in the day and made reservations for a 7pm dinner. Thank goodness, because it got very crowded. We were surrounded by other families and parties of 6 or 7 or 8 people enjoying themselves. This is one of those little places where you cook your food yourself on the little grill in the center of the table. Kalbi - delicious, chicken teriyaki - super yummy, veggies - very good, but the butterfish.... oh my it was out-of-this-world delicious! The service was very good, and the sake was terrific as well. This place is just off the beach walk in Waikiki and my guess is that the locals love it as much as the tourists. So yummy, and remember - use your tongs to cook your food, not your chopsticks!!!
(5)
Andrey Y.
I do not give very many 5s but a huge fan of this place. Like the vibe of this location better (maybe because I could walk to it). Always go for the happy hour (4:30-6:30) which is like a 40% off original price. Most all of the meat is delicious, along with the cheese wontons and fried oysters. Try the filet minon, bone-in kalbi, any of the thin meats, and cook the cheese wontons 30s on each side for the perfect amount of melty ooie gooie-ness. :) 365 Challenge: # 2A/365
(5)
Gary N.
The food here is so fresh and awesome! It's a little pricey, but if you go during the lunch or happy hour you save a bunch. Our waitress today was Mai Hoang and she had a really good attitude. She actually looked like she wanted to be there. All of the workers there were friendly and nice. Our party of three ordered 5 lunch sets, which consisted of garlic beef, garlic shrimp, spicy beef, shabu style beef, garlic spinach, enoki mushrooms, edamame, endless rice (awesome for you local people!), 5 bowls of salad, 5 bowls of soup, pickles, dessert, and more! Everything was so delicious. Today damage: $57 after a generous tip.
(4)
Hideyo K.
I came here with a group of Japanese people, and I could swear I was in Japan all over again. The atmosphere is very izakaya-like, with a rustic interior design and welcoming staff to match. The sound of sizzling meat and the occasional Japanese pop music playing from above really contribute to the illusion, and that alone is something worth coming for. But we're here for the food and drinks. Since there were eight of us, we decided to get a combination of the Kamehameha Course (for 2 people) and the Aloha Course (for 5 to 6 people). Each course comes with a wide variety of meat, shrimp, vegetables, and s'mores for dessert (see PDF of menu on gyu-kaku.com ). The amount of food was pretty reasonable for our group, and everything tasted great. Without even ordering drinks though, I have to say that this place fringes on the pricey side ($33 a head with just the two courses). By the end of the night, I think the bill was around $400 (thank goodness we had modest drinkers!). Still, if you come with the right group, it's a really great place to just socialize and enjoy a good range of drinks. It's yakiniku. What else are you gonna do while you wait for the food to cook? Also, the service was impeccable the night that I went. They have a large waiting staff so I didn't have to wait much for refills. It was also pretty helpful for our particular group that all of them were bilingual. Gyu-Kaku is a well established chain in Japan, so I don't think you can really go wrong. If anything, my advice would be to go there during happy hour, and familiarize yourself with their menu online if you're planning on going with a big group. Also, check out the special offers on their website. Right now for instance, I see a 50% off all meat special for both Hawaii locations. I'm definitely down to come back again especially for that kind of deal.
(4)
Andrew A.
The food was amazing (loved the poke), the drinks were great (pear mojitos were tasty), and the manager even went above and beyond for a special request we had. Great place. Check it out!
(5)
Jonathan R.
Great locals menu. Just order everything.
(5)
Mali T.
Giving it a 4.8 - Great place to dine with friends and family. There Ahi Poke was delicious. Love the varieties of BBQ dishes. Great for family gathering and if you like to grill your own food! Great experience =) Every time I'm visiting Hawaii we always have a gathering here and never fails. Customer service was awesome =) Cons: Pricing can be expensive, overall Great food! Totally recommend
(4)
HiLife B.
So we have a party of 22. Ok first of all party of 22 should be treated right. I can tell y'all this that we are from here, we are not tourist or anything like that so word does go around. If y'all wanna make money then get ur customer service right. You don't know if we're filthy rich and give y'all hella tip. Oh wait yes we are, we work for our money and most of us are business owners and doctors and nurses and even managers for a big company. Does that tell you we have money? If we told y'all were those kinda people would u treat us different? Anyways slow ass service, complaints from different people who asked us if we got our food yet. One more thing, wrong orders over and over again. We do base our lunches and dinners through customer service. We we're once like these people but we always work hard for our money and that's how we have careers now. Btw our age ranges are from 24 to 37. Does that tell y'all something?
(1)
Ilene B.
Nice place with great food just be careful because the bill adds up quickly. They have a great happy hour from lunch until 6:30.
(4)
May T.
Ate here for the first time last night with my family and I have to say, we really enjoyed ourselves. My kids got a kick out of watching us grill their food. The atmosphere is great, kid friendly, not to mention they have Happy Hour ( everything is half off, House sake is $3.50... I'm sold!). They have a good selection of meat. I recommend the Harami Miso Skirt Steak and Bara kalbi short ribs. Overall, a great place for hands on do it yourself grilling experience.
(5)
Todd C.
Made a reservation for about 10pm and loved every minute of this place. From feeling like I was back in Japan and enjoying all the amazingly cute girls coming in and out to the excellent food and drinks, I'd say to anyone that they must visit Gyu-Kaku during a stay in Honolulu - well, I'm a lover of anything Japan related so possibly a bit biased.... Each table has it's own gas grill where you cook your meats and veggies. In similar fashion to such a place as a fondue restaurant, this means that if you're by yourself you'll probably not have nearly as much fun as if you're with a group of friends - we never felt rushed and was nice to chat, people-watch and in general have a great time. I found it very easy to figure out the cooking times for everything, really if you have cooked anything at all in your life you should be able to handle this little grill. Not sure why some people have a problem with this aspect. The dipping sauces were delicious. The meats and veggies were well proportioned and savory after their grilling. A bit about the service: my young man that I had as a waiter was extremely knowledgeable and helpful, unobtrusive and quick with our orders. A definite thumbs up from me for this guy. See you there!
(5)
Josh M.
Got the happy hour deal, ordered the best seller beef entries, everything was so good. Try the pork belly, won't disappoint you.
(5)
Ikaika O.
If you haven't heard, Gyu-Kaku is awesome. The Waikiki location holds true to that statement. The only downsides are the parking and the prices. Parking can be found across the street ($10 after 5pm), in the galleria ($10, Gyu-Kaku does not validate!) or you can try to find street parking in Waikiki. AND since you crossed over the alawai, you are paying Waikiki prices. Now the positive: the food, the people. The workers here are held to a high standard of service, so when they are explaining everything to you, it's not because they think you're ignorant, it's part of the mandatory explanation they give to everyone, just smile and take it. The staff are knowledgable so ask them what they like, it's usually a winner. The food is awesome, every time. The level quality is superior so the food always tastes good, choose one of the marinades like Shio, Tare, or Miso and get ready to be addicted. Some items I recommend: the fried cheese wontons, ahi poke to start, nakaochi with Shio, harami with miso and the king kalbi with Tare. Add some rice and you'll be set. Happy hour is from 11:30 am until 6:30 pm and starts up again at 9:30 until last call at 11:30. Apps, meats, veggies and drinks all at a discounted price. But don't get tunnel vision! There are a lot of great things in the regular menu that are just as cheap, especially the veggies, so take a look. All in all, you won't be disappointed. Ever
(5)
CherMatt K.
Excellent service! Great value- best to go during happy hour for both food and drink. You get to grill your own food... Would definitely go back!
(5)
Keahi R.
Very good! A must visit in Waikiki.. Everything is good here.. Beef tongue, all steaks, poke, fried cheese, and it's a great time with friends to cook it all up..green tea ice cream, mojitos looked really good, i'll have get one next time..
(5)
Wendi W.
Absolutely love this chain!! I used to goto the original one in beverely hills back in the day, so I was very happy when I found this one while on vacation. Came here twice during my 6day stay in Waikiki for happy hour, and boy did they make me happy:) First off, you can't go wrong with $.99 beers and $5 sake, add that with their delicious food items all for about $4-$8 each. We ordered two plates of filet, garlic shrimp, eggplants, beef tongue, and a few more which I can't remember due to my impaired sake vision. I do remember the super yummy macadamia nut ice cream with coffee sauce(I think) we ordered as dessert. The ice cream was very light with chunks of macadamia nuts in it. Soooo good I felt like I died and went to macadamia heaven, lol. The wait staff were very cute and attentive, made great suggestions and joked around with us. Must say they made the experience even better. When I was here last month for business I had the fish with a long name that I can never remember in a miso sauce, definitely a must try dish! I cannot wait for the one in Cupertino to open so I can go there everyday!!
(5)
Logan N.
This is a great place for dinner. Happier hour is cheaper, but I feel like the food portions are also smaller. The staff is friendly and the there's a lot energy at this place. I recommend the asian pear mojoto and beef tongue!
(5)
Katy N.
NOTHING special about this place and the only star was the $10 or 20 discount I had received using yelp :) Whatever you do, do NOT provide your server your email account because they will SPAM you!!!!!!
(1)
Willy W.
Solid... that's how I'd describe this place in one word. They took our reservation for a large group (14ish i'd say) and accommodated us nicely. The waiter and host staff were great. We ended up ordering meals for each half of our party and shared. I think that they even threw in some extra cuz some of us newbies. The cow tongue was interesting... kinda like chewy brisket. Everyone got ice cream at the end and had a grand ol' time. Thanks~
(5)
Belicious C.
Probably one of my favorite Japanese Bbq places. It's a little different then my home-restaurant. But still very very good!!!
(5)
Jackie D.
So I frequent this joint in Huntington Beach and Tustin and honestly this location needs to work on their Garlic Noodles. Everything else is amazing. Their Poke is better at this location, I prefer my Poke spicy. Service is awesome, like every Gyu-Kaku I have ever been to. Place is nice inside like the other locations. Would I recommend this place, of course, but I would send people to the mainland for the noodles. The garlic noodles at this location reminds me of Bibimbap in a way. A raw egg is added at the table, which adds to the show but I prefer it without it. In the mainland locations, they don't add they egg and are much more garlicky. Over all, the flavors are so different. All this talk about Garlic noodles makes me want to head over to Huntington Beach for my Garlic Noodle fix.
(4)
Jason R.
Service was bad and very impatient when explaining the menu items. Portions were small and the food just wasn't that tasty. Tip for the waiters... Don't look like your time is being wasted when asked for recommendations.
(1)
Danielle L.
While on our Honeymoon in May, my husband and I met a couple that had just gone here for dinner, they recommended it so we decided...why not! We ended up going TWICE in the course of a few days because it was so good. I think we tried one of everything and the Happy Hour deals are too good to be true. They have filet, chicken and shrimp for $2.95-3.95. My husband also tried fish in a foil packet and he was amazed. The garlic noodles were to die for. The second night we went, we also had the make your own s'mores and the red bean ice cream, both delicious. It was the coolest eating experience we have had, and we are sad that the closest one to us is about 2 hours away. We will be back as soon as we can!
(5)
Grace C.
Don't really get the hype. Super pricey, small portions. Honestly, it's all the rage to go but the food isn't even good....
(2)
Nikko B.
Went here twice on our trip because of the great food, service, and staff. Servers were above and beyond expectation and pretty funny too. Thanks a lot, will definitely come in next time I'm on the island!
(5)
Brandon H.
Wow! Hands down best Korean BBQ I have had. I am vacationing from San Diego and love to check out small Asian spots and compare them to San Diego's. I suggest you sign up for there email list so you qualify for their secret menu (which has a variety of proteins such as pork belly, beef toro, succulent marinated chicken, pork gyoza and a pitcher of beer for $7.50!) Also, our server " Ikaika" was very professional and was great at up selling the items on the menu and also who was the one who informed us about the secret menu that they had. I'm in the industry as well and I was impressed. The ambience is very up to date, always playing popular music and flat out gave my brother and I a great dining experience. Tourists, I suggest you come here as a dining destination if you are in the mood for great Korean BBQ! P.s: Their customers' favorite dessert "dorayaki ice cream" is to die for!
(5)
Martin P.
Went here with friends and family. Really enjoyed it. The garlic noodles were excellent. The scallops were incredible as was the selections or meat cuts. Even tried the beef tongue.....delicate and delicious . The food just kept on coming...and we kept on eating. Prices are on the high end of things but the quality of the food and staff sure makes up for it. Love this place.
(5)
Rowell D.
I highly recommend calling in for reservations or else you'll be waiting in line for dinner. My #1 tip is to go during happy hour, every day, between 3pm-630pm and 9pm - close. You'll save a lot of money that way. I ended up paying $40 total for 5 bbq items, 1 appetizer, 1 fried rice & 2 hot sakes. The staff is very friendly. We were greeted by everyone. They seated us promptly, as we had reservations, and it wasn't crowded yet. They are very fast with service. The quality of the food is amazing. I've had similar dishes in San Diego but this restaurant is so nommerz.
(5)
Amy G.
Yum! i was brought here by my sister in law for lunch one day and fell in love. I've been to the one in japan and that one is awesome, but lets talk about the one here. hah I just recently came back cuz my friend told me about the 50% off they have this month. OMG!!! i love it. dinner came out too 100 for 5 of us. now thats cheap considering the amount we bought. if you walk in front of DFS, they have the guy who passes out the coupons. pick it up. its $1 for a plate of nakauchi(idk how its spelt) but if theya re out of that, they will replace it with another meat. for every 15 you spend, you can get one plate of that. another great thing is that, even tho its priced a little higher then the one in kapiolani, they give you kamaaina discount. lunch is 20% and dinner is 10%. it comes out to the same price! you dont' get the discount for teh 50% off tho. the service is really good too. very friendly and nice. the food is exceptional. the bi bim bap is the best i've tried (now $4 instead of 8) yay!. haha so excited. planning on coming back sometime this month! try it. its really good.
(5)
Maika Y.
I don't even know how many times I've been here! haha Pretty good yakiniku :] Happy hour prices are unbelievable. SO CHEAP!
(4)
Joyce S.
So good. My chopstick skills were adequate and the selection for 2 people was the best. Got to try many things all tastier than expected. Service was spot on
(5)
Robert B.
So far, the best food experience during our short stay in Waikiki. Our waiter Pui was strong, and we always rate our restaurants based on food, service and ambiance. $100 for 3 persons, taking advantage of the happy hour specials (1$ off most plates, and adding 2 drinks). Now we have to try an LA location, as we were more than satisfied with our experience. And again, it goes with the exceptional service on top of the excellent food. Kudos to you all. It was our second time, and going early had its benefits.
(5)
Kelcie M.
I usually only go during happy hours, like for lunch or anytime after 9 pm! Its too pricey if its not happy hour. You will have an easier time getting a table during lunch time compared to after 9pm. I live in waikiki so im able to walk here, but i think parking would suck if i didnt live nearby and i would probably just go to the one on kapiolani. 2 definite must haves are the 1) sukiyaki bibimbap (stone pot bibimbap with sukiyaki beef and the rice gets crispy) and their 2) dessert, i dont know whats its called but its mochi that you grill and it puffs up, gets crispy/warm, and you eat it with ice cream (i personally like it with green tea ice cream). I also like their asian pear mojito! Its not too sweet like a fufu drink nor is it too stiff. I dont like cheap tasting drinks but i was amazed at the $4 mojito. You cant go wrong here either with their meats. However, the portions are not that big, thats why go during happy hour and you can order up without hurting the wallet as much. Side order some veggies and make sure to ask the server to add garlic, mmmmhmmm!
(4)
Kathy B.
Went here with a bunch of friends as my going away party. It was a good solid place to go to for Korean BBQ and liked the three different sauces that they had. It's a great atmosphere for groups, but I've definitely had better Korean BBQ. However, you really can't beat the prices they have during happy hour. So if anything...go to preserve your wallet and get your belly full of good solid food.
(3)
Janelle O.
Thank goodness for Yelp! Great restaurant. Had the garlic noodles, special ramen, filet 'mignon, asparagus & eggplant from their happy hour selection. All good dishes. Had to cook all except the garlic noodles, but the rest were marinated very well. Thanks to Ryan who was our server and to the rest of their team - Jess & Chris who made us visit with our 9 month old very tolerable.
(5)
J B.
Parking may be an issue since this restaurant is in Waikiki but it is DEFINITELY worth the trouble. The service is absolutely great, the food portions are perfect, the food is so delicious and the ambiance is great. This location is so much better than the Kapiolani restaurant. Must have sides: cheese wontons, mushroom medley, broccoli and cheese, namuru, GyuKaku salad, cold tofu. I'm so appreciative of the service and food here! Always a pleasure coming in.
(5)
Sparkles H.
Pretty good! I hear there is one in Vancouver too but I haven't been. We were a group of 5 ppl. They suggested the group menu for 5-6 ppl but instead we got 2 sets for 2 ppl and it was SOOOOOOO much food already. Everything was good, though I thought their deserts were a bit lacking and boring (i.e. smores, a so-so chocolate lava cake). Anyways, we all left stuffed and happy.
(4)
Martin C.
Very filling meal, with lots of selection on what kind of meat you can get. I had the chuck kalbi and the rosu, both of which were delicious. Service was lackluster, however; I had to wait ten minutes before I could flag down a waiter each time (though this may just be them being understaffed) All in all, come for the food, not for the service.
(4)
Wendy Z.
I have always been a fans of Gyu-Kaku, but this Gyu-Kaku really disappoint me. I tooled my parents to there, and I ordered the two people meal just because they want to try first, but then the waiter showed his bad attitude to us. He didn't introduce how to cook, and he doesn't even bother to stop and ask us how's everything going or add some tea. Instead, he shows his great welcome to the table next to us. He keeps Sebring them beer and ask to refill all the time. I felt so bad to take my parents there and receive that kind of respect. We didn't enjoy the food either since his service is so bad. I would not go to there again, and I will recommend my friends to not to go the Gyu-Kaku in Hawaii.
(1)
Tyra K.
Yum, yum, yum... Great place for happy hour when chillin with friends or family.. Food is great, staff is amaizing very friendly... Its a bit unorganized with reservations and waiting lists... But that about the only bad thing I observed and I've been going here for a while.. No matter what will be coming back here very soon...
(5)
Ramon L.
I'm in love with this place! Crazy ass selection of meats to grill, great appies & some good cocktails. Their grills work great...everything we cooked came out perfect. two kinds of rib eye, kalbi, all kinds of other beef dishes I can't remember. It was a meat tornado! Oh shit it was good...I could never be a vegetarian. Priced good too considering we're in Waikiki. I'll be back before this trip is over...believe that!
(5)
Gene J.
I came here by accident on the first day of my honeymoon, and it was the best food I've eaten in Honolulu! The best time to go is probably during the happy hours, which is quite long for restaurants. The Yakiniku set combination we ordered were very delicious and the portion are large enough to feed the two hungry adult with plenty of leftover to take home. Together, our bill was less than $30 for 2 combo, 1 appetizer, and 1 drink. Make sure you try their Gyu-kaku Nacho...it is probably the best food i've ever eaten. I'll definitely check out this restaurant chain in California. Happy Hour: 11:30pm-6:30pm 10pm-Closing
(4)
Christopher L.
This restaurant is located across the street from Alo Moana Mall. It was my first time trying Japanese hotpot/bbq. It was pretty good. Will definitely do it again..
(4)
George R.
We decided to try Gyu-Kaku because we had read good reviews and I had an Entertainment Book coupon.Our party consisted of my Wife and I, transplanted mid-westerner, steak and potato people now living on Oahu, our adult daughter who doesn't like anything spicy but has an incredible palate, and our 15 year old neice who has been raised on anglo-peruvian food. While we expected good food and a good time from reading other reviews, we were all blown away about how good the food, the service and atmosphere were. Even with our differing food preferences and ages, we all loved it. .This is really a must try when visiting Waikiki. I cannot say enough good about it. Ryan and the rest of the staff took great care of us.
(5)
Taylor W.
Food was good as usual but for the first time ever a gratuity was already included.i don't know how much of a tourist my boyfriend and I looked like but considering we just got off work around the area and we speak perfectly good English. I asked the hostess a short Asian girl for our check "in English " and she hands me a check and sees me staring at something. she then asks if it's okay if the gratuity is included I replied no. first off since when did you guys start adding gratuity to a party of two, second shouldn't you ask before hand if it's okay to add the gratuity not after you see your customer annoyed and not happy.i found this quite disturbing and ruined my mood. i always enjoyed your guys' food but for this reason I will honestly not be going back to this location or your restaurant at all. seriously if you need the money that bad provide good service and you'll be surprised how much you get not this adding tip to local party of two bullcrap, the nerve!!!!
(1)
Sunny L.
OM..Goodness... this place is soooOOooo worth the price. While visiting Hawaii, we found this place. Everything was GOOD. Especially at happy hour, its gets better. I would love to come here like every day. the food was fresh and clean. You dont have to order everything at one and the food comes fast. The staff replaces the grill as often as they can. For 4 people, the total came out to 150. But that's because we wanted to eat EAT. We ordered a pitcher of draft for 8 and happy hour prices are half off. Not bad. Fun place, GREAT ambiance. Loved it. Too bad its left a scar in my wallet... hahaha Recommended for everyone. Pros: Food, Ambiance, Staff, fresh Cons: Price Notes: Garlic Noodles!!!
(4)
Chris C.
Came here for dinner/happy hour with a large party. We Ordered: Bistro Harami: good flavor, meat wasn't too stringy, plenty moist if you don't overcook it Chicken Teriyaki: wasn't a fan, a little bland Garlic Shrimp: nice and moist! Zucchini: tasty, just keep an eye on them because they're easy to burn S'mores for dessert: SO Good! Service was kind and attentive, I'll definitely go to the one back home now that I've tried it here.
(4)
Gordon S.
Amazing meal. Definitely come during happy hour to enjoy a range of options at great prices. Great service all around. Kiet was fantastic. Worth listening to his suggestions!
(5)
Sarah B.
This is one fabulous night-out on Waikiki! In a setting kind of similar to a fondue restaurant- Gyu Kaku allows you to cook your own choice of meats and veggies over a built-in grill in the table. I however, went with my family of five, in which it was a hassle for my mom to make sure my little brother (who was starving) was getting enough food in a timely manner, which frazzled her. I would, however, recommend this restaurant for their Happy Hour, and their specialty- frozen beer! The food was delicious, all marinated and seasoned well, and I really enjoyed the variety of sauces sitting on the table- especially their Sweet & Spicy sauce! It's a little wait to get inside for dinner, but I'd say it's worth it. Go for a night out with friends, or a birthday party, but not for families with younger kids.
(4)
Kalani E.
love this location perfect for after work and cute place for dinner! staff here are so welcoming and great service! Chris(the manager) is bomb and all the servers that work under him! Amazing atmosphere! food is always on point!!! good alcohol selection! ps: the staff is bad@$$?!?!?
(5)
Mio S.
First of all, I went there a while ago so my memory is spotty. They gratuity charged me with a party of 6 (5 adults and 1 child) even though they said they charge only for 7 and above? I didn't notice until I signed, my bad. Then I tried calling the manager to refund me (I tipped as well), apparently they couldn't. After that one call, I was unable to reach the manager ever again. Abysmal service. Will never be going to that location again. As much as I hate to admit, the meat was acceptable. However I frequent the one at Kapiolani branch, less tourists and better service.
(1)
Anthony G.
What a wonderful suprise, food was excellent . Very good for its value. The waiter was very informative for it being our first time there. We ordered the special with all the different meats which was discounted. Very neat concept that you cook your own meat on the grill in front of you. It was so easy my 10 year old son had a blast cooking his own food. Highly recommend .
(4)
C.k. W.
Our dinner experience at Gyu-Kaku was excellent. And we will be back. The staff and manager were very nice and friendly.
(5)
Elina A.
You can never go wrong with Gyu-Kaku. I had visited the location in LA a few times and then here on the island. Everything was delicious. Meats were super tasty. I suggest coming during happy hour (I think before 6?) because lots of things are discounted!
(5)
Mariko M.
Could it be possible that we've found a new favorite spot?? We came here TWICE in our past visit, and it was worth it so much that we wondered if we should come back a third time. Come here hungry and ready to eat all kinds of delicious meat! And the best part is you can cook it yourself to your liking! Nestled along the bustling bar area in a smaller street, this place usually has a few people waiting outside. The interiors are dimly lit and remind me very much of the yakitori spots in Japan. There are larger tables enough to sit 6, and smaller intimate tables just enough for 2, and all tables have the small grill in the center. The service here is excellent, with the servers never letting a dirty plate crowd your table for too long and they are always ready to make recommendations on cooking times, what sauce to try what meat with, etc. My favorites were the garlic shrimp, the toro beef, beef tongue, and the pork belly. The ahi poke salad here is also very tasty and fresh. They have great drunk food items such as the cheese corn. The meats are cooked on your own and there are three sauce choices on the table; sweet soy sauce, a zesty ponzu, and a sweet spicy chilli. It's helpful that the menu lists which meat to try with which sauce and I would certainly continue to use this as a guide because it gives the best outcome to newcomers. I highly recommend taking advantage of the Happy Hour prices here which I think begins after 9:30 pm. Its totally worth it since our first time eating here our bill was about $90, and the second time during HH it was $50 and we definitely ordered way more the second time around. We'll see you the next time we're in town, and I can hardly wait!
(5)
Helen N.
We were already in Waikiki so we decided to go to this location instead. Only problem is downtown parking is always inconvenient. But food and service was great, as usual. We came for lunch around 1:30 on a Sunday and they had both the lunch menu specials and happy hour specials. I ordered a 3-meat lunch meal for $14! Pretty good deal I think, perfect amount of food for 1 person.
(4)
Gabrielle C.
Haven't been to this location before. Service was perfect. Our server was very nice and everytime we had a question to ask him he answered then we'll along with some recommendations. LOVE the food and atmosphere. It was pretty slow and there was also no wait time. We did make online reservations but was 30 minutes late due to traffic. We went the same night waikiki had that night life event with all the food trucks which was probably why it was a bit slow but it was great for us!
(5)
Erica L.
Om nom nom nom nom. Happy hour is the time to come here!! Eat something small before hand if you come here late at night to help tide yourself over. The last thing you want to be to others is hangry haha. Don't laugh.... hangry and HANGER is real ! The basil chicken is yummy! The melted cheese option doesn't add much flavor, so I pass on the cheese. I always get a spicy pork; the pork belly with cajun (I think that's it) is great! Get lots of meats and don't forget the mushrooms! I like the mushrooms with butter better than the mushroom medley. I think it has more flavor. Don't forget to get a bowl of rice. 1 bowl is $2.95. Split a bowl between two people... it's a generous sized bowl, especially if you're going to be loading yourselves with tasty meat. If it's not enough rice, you can always order more right? :P Over ordering on rice is a shame. Pass on the fried gyozas, they're frozen... blah. Don't forget about the Kamaaina happy hour menu (you will need to show Hawaii ID). It's slightly more reduced than the regular one, but be aware-- if you're using a groupon/living social, be sure to ask the server if it can stack. We were told the Kamaaina happy hour couldn't be combined with our groupon; however, the regular happy hour menu could.
(5)
Paola A.
Really enjoyed our food and our time here! A nice escape from the sea of super commercialized/chain restaurants in the Waikiki area. The meats are delicious and you can cook them to the temp you want! The skirt steak and the duck were our favorites- the duck fat gets a nice char on it over the grill! The garlic noodles were a solid side dish- asked for no peppers and were really happy with the decision. They're starchy and buttery- awesome. And s'mores for dessert! Food was delicious, service was nice and fast, and free edamame with check in ...recipe for a great night :)
(4)
Ian M.
Another great experience and dinner. Our server Ian was attentive and took very good care of us. The meat was good quality and the portion size per plate appropriate for the price. The kids had a great time and really enjoyed the ribeye and premium sirloin. Ending with s'mores was a perfect ending in their eyes.
(5)
Krysten I.
I like this gyukaku location because it is convenient for me and offers great lunch specials!! Gyukaku is a restaurant chain specializing in japanese yakiniku. Be prepared to cook your own food on the table top grill. Normally, their prices are a little on the higher side, but recently they've offered various happy hour specials thought the day and late night specials after 9 or 9:30. It gets a little confusing.... But if you come for lunch, just get a lunch set! It's so affordable! Lunch sets start at about $11. On top of that, there is a 20% kamaaina discount! Whoooo! I like the kalbi set and the beef tongue set, but I've tried the combo sets too, and everything is always super delicious. The sets come with salad, seaweed soup and unlimited rice. Their salad has to be one of my favorites and this might sound strange, but their rice is always top notch! If you have room for dessert, they have near bbq items like s'mores or grilled mochi. They also offer a range of cocktails, some of which are on the happy hour menu. The service is usually wonderful. On various occasions, the waitstaff was exceptional at small talking and trying to get to know their customers. The wait can get a little long, especially at night. This location is tiny compared to the Kapiolani and kaneohe locations too, so that doesn't help. During lunch, it's more empty. They also offer a rewards system which requires downloading their smartphone app. It's not the best application and I don't like that you can't view your purchase history.... But if you accumulate enough points, you can get $25 off your next meal. I recommend coming to this gyukaku for lunch, but it's gonna be great even if you come for dinner. :)
(4)
Jason P.
This place is amazing. My wife and I walked by and saw the menu outside. They show all the meat as raw and we were concerned that this was some new unhealthy trend. We immediately felt stupid after we realized that every table has a grill built into it and you grill your own meat. Our waiter Bill explained everything to us and provided his recommendations on his favorite cuts of meet. Everything we tried was delicious. A new definite must go when visiting Hawaii, also happy to find out they have several in the mainland as well!
(5)
Guy B.
This was dinner last night. We were 2 and being past happy hour, we chose the set meat that had the upper end meat... We arrived without reservations and waited only about 15 minutes to be seated. The entire staff seemed focused on customer satisfaction and assisted where they could (for us haoles that had never been) Our waiter was awesome. He explained the process and the menu options, asked questions regarding our pallet and made suggestions. Thru the grilling process as he brought more and more food out, he would give us guidance on level of heat and time to cook as well as sauce suggestions (3 are standard at the table) we also chose the beef tongue and he brought a special dipping sauce for that. All on all top notch service, top notch food. Can't wait to hit a place like this in the future.
(5)
Ryan M.
This was a wonderful dining experience. We've never been to a place like this before. It was like a more casual version of The Melting Pot. We ordered a dining package that included many menu items. Everything was delicious. I wanted to take home a bottle of their salad dressing. Their wait staff was very friendly and attendant. I wish we had a closer location to us in Florida because we would definitely go back.
(5)
Liam C.
This rating is for their regular priced menu. I've been here for their happy hour many times and those prices are awesome but their regular menu is not cheap. The quality of meat is nice and as a self proclaimed yakiniku connoisseur, they have a nice variety of meats and excellent sauces. My favorite is their toro beef with cajun sauce of their chicken with either basil pesto or spicy mayo. I recommend coming during happy hour because it makes a huge difference when it all adds up!
(4)
Steph J.
In order to live a healthier life, the experts say that you should minimize your meat intake and instead eat more fruits, salads, grains and nuts. Okay, I can do that for a little while. But then I turn into a wild, CRAZY rabbit and then just looking at something green makes me turn my head the other way. Let's face it, I'm a carnivore. Props to all you vegans, vegetarians, pescatarians and the most recent term I heard about, which ironically, I think I actually am, a reducetarian - one who still eats meat but tries to reduce their intake - but, sometimes, I just need some meat. Gyu-Kaku's happy hour is awesome. They have these pre-set meals for two which comes with appetizers, a salad, edamame, a whole slew of meats and smores for dessert. No thinking needed and won't break the bank. Order up an ice cold glad of beer or tap and whatever label you choose to use, you can't go wrong.
(4)
Nicedude N.
What a fun restaurant. We went on Tuesday night in Waikiki. It was close to our hotel and the main strip area where all the shopping and beaches are. It's a small hole in the wall with music blasting in the background and you order and cook your own meat over a circular bbq grill. The concept is you order the meat already spiced and seasoned they deliver it to your table and wallah.... You cook it. That's it! Simple tasty and fun. A combo spread for two is 90 bucks, a little steep but your in a tourist area.
(4)
Alice C.
Went to waikiki's location for my boyfriends birthday.... Called them in advance to let them know we were running late. Our table was ready for us so there was no waiting. We got the takumi set during yakiniku fest so it was good. We also ordered garlic noodles and guy kaku Kalbi which was good! Our all the dinner was great, service was good! The only issue was that it was soooo hot. It was kinda of uncomfortable to enjoy the food because of the heat... But overall we enjoyed out dinner!
(5)
Katha N.
Amazing food, great prices on Happy Hour (9:30pm-12am) and a lot of fun to cook your own food. Cant wait to go back
(5)
Dee D.
Best location ever!! Tons of vegan options. I always get the variety of pickled sides. The original bibimbap with no egg!! And spicy! This is my jam! So good! I always love getting the mixed mushrooms with NO butter, easily vegan. And lots of fun cocktails. Came here twice on my vacation. That speaks volumes imo.
(5)
Celia Z.
I learned a lesson this time - avoid mainland chain restaurants. I brought my parents here in a hope to show them a restaurant that my friends and I all loved in New York. This was a complete disaster. Nothing is as good as it is on the mainland. The meat was not fresh, the flavors were distorted, and some of my favorite dishes weren't even on the menu. And the happy hour prices are more expensive. Also, DO NOT serve me frozen cake. Yes, I get it, Gyu Kaku has to ship the Lady M Cake all the way from New York, but try not to let me know that it's frozen, okay? I'd prefer not to get brain freeze from eating days old cake that you charge me $10 for, happy hour or not. FIrst Let's stick to REAL, local Japanese food in Hawaii. For cheaper and for the better.
(2)
Jus M.
First time at this location as I use to frequent the Kapiolani location a lot before I moved away. It is conveniently located for a happy hour getaway with friends from work. It was in the middle of the week so we didn't have to wait to get seated. Service was great and our server was great...although he did almost forget about our order of rice. Here are my recommendations as They've daily become my regular order-- * Harami miso * Kalbi * kurubota * garlic shrimp * garlic potatoes As for dessert, yes, definitely make room for dessert..the boyfriend and I would get doroyaki ice cream but I didn't see it on the menu this time. I think it got replaced with a fish shaped doroyaki filled with red bean. Gyu-kaku ice cream (macadamia nut ice cream) was oiishi desu!!
(4)
Tom M.
Let's say you want...no, NEED some Korean BBQ. And let's say you don't live very close to Koreantown, or don't even have a Koreatown-like area in your neighborhood. In that case, Gyu-Kaku is always a good fallback for to get your Korean grinds on. Seriously authentic? Not especially. But satisfies your kalbi cravings, and your control freak need to monitor your own meal. Considering we could get the same back home (we've been to several Gyu-Kaku's, we weren't sure we wanted to go. But it was just down the street from our hotel, we couldn't resist the smell from the fragrant table fires as it drifted out the sidewalk. Glad we did, because I like this one better than some others I've been to on the mainland. Yep, it was a bit of a dive (they all are, really). But it also was packed, because deals aren't always easy to find around here. We had good service, some decent cuts of beef, a plate or two of garlic noodles, at a price that that helped us cover the cost of our SUP rentals the next day.
(4)
Maile N.
We stopped by for the happy hour on our last night in Waikiki. They have quite a good spread of appetizers (we had tofu, fried chicken, gyoza, edamame, fried shrimp) and meats to cook (we didn't get any but the table next to us enjoyed meats and shrimp - looked good!) on the HH menu, plus cocktails and beer. Service was solid, and we were happy with our meal.
(4)
Larry H.
I thought this place would be more pricey for Waikiki, but it was reasonable. Happy hour has a lot to offer, especially if you have a family. Beef and chicken were great. The spicy beef has a kick. Gyoza was good.
(5)
Tasha H.
Best KBBQ I've had! Tasty soups, fresh ahi and beef and great happy hour ;) Friendly servicr and good music!
(5)
Emily D.
Ate here the other day (my first time at this location). Let's just say their menu is quite different than the Kaneohe location. They didn't have half of the menu items that my husband and I would regularly order. Service here was good, very friendly. I hate writing bad reviews but for the full/great gyu-kaku experience, I recommend the Kaneohe location.
(3)
Don P.
yummy!! and a GREAT deal for lunch!! Domo arigato Gyu-Kaku!!
(4)
Amber C.
Came here for the first time with a LivingSocial deal during happy hour and was not disappointed. Made reservations and was seated right away. The fire gets super hot at times but good thing I brought the bf to do the grilling! Surprisingly my favorite meat dish was the chicken, so juicy! Pork belly was my 2nd fav but everything we ordered was good. We'll be back soon for another happy hour visit :)
(5)
Maxwell B.
Gyu-Kaku is a great place to eat BUT during slower times service lacks. I usually eat at the Kapiolani location and always had a great experience. This was my first time at the Waikiki location and I was disappointed in today's service. My friends and I dined in today around 3 and were instantly greeted and seated. We were able order quickly and everything came out on time. Our servers were very attentive during our meal, they made sure everything was okay and checked up on us frequently. The food was great as always (my personal favorite was the cheese wontons). Towards the ending of our meal I decided to get dessert. We asked our server if we could see the dessert menu. He brought out it and was never to be found afterwards. We waited for ANY server to stop by to check up on us but no one came by. 20 minutes went by and no one still bothered to check up on us. My friend even went out to smoke and came back to find out that no one still checked up on us. We eventually flagged a server passing by to get us our check cause we just wanted to leave already. We even saw our server out of uniform. Guess the shift was over. The service at the end was disappointing.
(2)
Clint B.
A fun, lively atmosphere, a kid-friendly environment, food choices for every type of eater, and an interactive dining experience make Gyu-Kaku the perfect spot for friends and family to dine.Expect long wait times (30 minutes or more) during peak hours so make reservations or call ahead. An order of edamame is free with a Facebook or Yelp checkin. Garlic noodles full of bold and savory flavors is a must and plenty to share. An order of assorted veggies will include eggplant, onions and mushrooms. They'll fire up the grill at your table so you can cook everything yourself. The kalbi steak was well marbled, providing plenty of umami flavor. The shrimp was decent sized and the chicken, mostly thigh meat, was perfect. Dip everything in one of their four sauces to find your favorite flavor profile. If you don't like the way the food is cooked, there's no one to blame but you or your party. We ended our meal with a chocolate lava cake lacking the "lava". Despite it being cooked through, it was still moist and delicious. As with all lava cakes, the contrast of the warm cake and cold ice cream is always a hit. Service may have been spotty, but the food, environment, and company more than made up for it. The reasonable prices (our group of five ate for about $110) make this spot one of the best deals in the area.
(4)
Dianne H.
I've been coming to Gyu-Kaku for a while, this is my 5th or 6th time here. They have a lot more specials than I remember, so great! I highly recommend coming for lunch from 11:30am - 3:30pm and getting the lunch special "Meat Lovers" which is about $12. You choose 2 kinds of meat which come with edamame, salad, soup, and rice. It's quite a bit for 1 person, sooo worth it. They also have happy hour at the same time for drink and plate specials. I love everything here. If it's your first time I recommend the Yaki Shabu, Toro or Rosu. If you're still hungry then I highly recommend the Beef Tongue. They have 3 locations in Hawaii, I have never been to the Winward Mall location. This Waikiki one doesn't seem to get that crowded around lunch on the weekdays, but the Kapiolani one always seems crowded. It's best to come with 2 or more people so you can rotate who is cooking and who is eating. Tips: (If you don't know already, you cook everything yourself) - Use the dipping sauces - Try something new - Go during happy hour
(5)
Nick B.
I've been to this place 3 times and have had a great experience every time. Food was delicious (I especially like their "while supplies last" specials), service was great, and the atmosphere was fun. It's quickly becoming one of my favorite places to take visitors from the mainland on their 1st night here. Highly recommend the jalapeno cheese wontons!
(4)
Farhana S.
Been to Gyu-Kaku several times in Cali and this was my first experience in Hawaii. My friend and I actually thought it was one of the Best Gyu-Kaku's we've been to. Their bibimbap and udon noodles were divine! Definitely worth checking this place out!
(4)
Arthur S.
This is based off of the Waikiki location. There are lunch specials served everyday from 11:30am to 3:30pm. The lunch special is the way to go! For $11.95 you get the big portion meat lovers special. The special is that you chose from 2 meats served with sausage, rice, edamame, soup and salad. For my special i chose the kalbi chuck and rosu. At first i didnt know what rosu was, and neither did my Japanese girlfriend although our waiter kindly explained what type of meat it was and that it was a bit tougher out of the selection. It was great idea to dine here as a going away lunch for my sister. Grilling up the meats gave us a lot of time to have nice conversation and to catch up on things. Our server was really helpful and because they were a bit busy during the lunch hour and service was a bit slow he gave us many refills on the edemame. One of the greatest things Gyukaku offers is their rewards card. You get one point for each dollar spent on food, and upon reaching 250 points you get an automatic $25 discount off of your next meal! Super excited to come back for their lunch specials. They also had a gyutan lunch special. Im a big fan of gyutan, so i will most likely try this out next time.
(5)
Toni P.
We've been wanting to eat at one of those places where you cook at the table, but every time we've tried to go to one, there was always a long wait or no tables at all. Finally, we got a table at Gyu-Kaku in Waikiki. It was a big success! Fun and delicious, too! The prices were more reasonable than we expected. We were there in time for happy hour, so the drinks were reasonable as well. We got the Takumi Course for 2 for the four of us (two adults, two kids), and added on scallops and some extra beef cuts, and that turned out to be plenty for all of us. The salad and gyoza were really good, as was the seaweed soup. I was surprised because usually in places where they have combo menus like this the appetizers are pretty lame, but these were quite tasty. And all the meat cuts were tasty as well - good marinades on some of them, others just plain. The only complaint I have is about their dipping sauces - I only cared for one of them, and barely at that. But otherwise, everything was great. The service was good, but I think our waitress got a little tired of us after a while; we sensed she wanted us to leave before we were even done with our main dishes, and we were still ordering more add-ons - you'd think she'd be grateful for that. All in all, a good experience - I would definitely go back there. Not sure what the one on Kapiolani is like, but we've never had any luck getting a table there, so probably will stick to the Waikiki location.
(4)
Carly C.
A lil bit pricey but its good Go for macadamia nut ice cream for dessert is a 5stars
(4)
Seattle F.
Food = 6 out of 10 Service = 6 out of 10 Cleanliness = 6 out of 10 Went for dinner. It was pretty okay. Had a few bbq items and 3 beers. Total came to $80+ for two. We weren't full full. Just "full." I won't be going back. I'll be going to a Korean bbq joint that's $20 per person for all you can eat next time. Essentially that's what it is. Korean bbq, except smaller portions that cost more. Go for the original, not to more expensive imitation.
(3)
Steve L.
Really enjoyed this place. Forgot exactly what we ordered but it was all good! Happy to recommend.
(5)
Desiree S.
Seeing all the great reviews about this place really bums me out about the service I received. I went to this place not too long ago. I figured I'd make a reservation because my friends told me sometimes it could get busy so that's what I did. My boyfriend and I were on a date. When we got there the hostess made us wait a couple minutes and we noticed she sat these people before us which we knew didn't make a reservation because we saw them just arrive there. Then when we finally got seated we thought we'd get seated at a table where we can sit across from each other and when we asked if we could move she said we'd probably have to wait a little more but honestly I couldn't do that. Our waiter was nice however he didn't pay much attention to my boyfriend and I but more on the girls who just arrived. That was very upsetting to me. This was just a bad service experience for my boyfriend especially because he was told such good things about service with this place despite it being busy and what not. Food wise, this place has very amazing yakiniku style food. The cheese wontons were super good! And the meats were very flavorful. The fun part was being able to cook it yourself.
(2)
Mo H.
I had the 21 day aged skirt steak, mushroom medley, ahi tuna, and shrimp bibambap. Everything was spot on! The server was super nice and gave me recommendations from the menu and grilling tips for each dish. Great experience overall! I didn't make it to happy hour, but those deals looks awesome.
(5)
Stephiee L.
Seriously I am such a fan! There will be a wait for this place so call ahead. The food is really fresh and all of the servers were really knowledgeable about their menu. They were really nice to explain how to cook each type of item and also gave us They were not pushy but merely gave suggestions. We love the idea of cooking our own food, It makes for a great date night and great conversation at the dinner table.
(4)
Amy F.
So yummy. The meat was fresh and the veggies amazing. Our waiter was funny and informative. We had the middle grade couples meal and it was a TON of food. If we were staying longer here we would be coming back. The reason for 4 stars is your bathroom was very dirty with a clogged sink and water and towels all over the floor. Other than that...thanks for making our experience so yummy and fun!
(4)
Kristine R.
I came here for the first time on a Sunday night for dinner and I was extremely surprised that we were able to get a table right away. The dining area is pretty tight and there doesn't seem to be a/c in here so it gets really hot.. but I could deal with it. I was here with 6 other people and got a corner table next to the window so it was nice. We weren't really sure what to order so we pretty much got almost EVERYTHING from the meats and vegetables on the menu x5. Everything was so delicious and flavorful!! The service was great. The waiter actually suggested that if we all checked in at that restaurant on Facebook, we could each get a free order of edamame, so we went ahead and all checked in. Like I said, we pretty much ordered everything on the menu but my favorite meat by far was probably the spicy red pork (sorry, I don't remember what it was called!) but I don't think I've ever tasted any pork that good before. All of the vegetables were perfect and our friend and my husband perfectly cooked everything. The meat portions were average and OK for the price. Of course we ordered smores for the kids and they loved roasting the marshmallows at the table. We had a few drinks (some sake) which was expensive but my husband wanted to try it for the first time. (We are not really drinkers) The vibe in this restaurant is super chill. It's kind of loud, which I like! I really loved this place though and I'd definitely go back! This place would be a great restaurant to take my family to if they came and visited me in Hawaii!!
(5)
Rel M.
Cant go wrong with practically all day Happy Hour! Located on Lewers St, the parking may be kind of tough. I luckily nabbed a stall in the metered lot across the street next to Mooses. Walked in on a Friday night about 45 min to closing and our seating took about 5 min. What I like about this location compared to Kapiolani is there reward card. Generally the more you spend, the more points you receive towards future discounts. They should offer that Kapiolani too! Ordered: Harami, Bi-bim-bap, House Salad, FREE edamami if you check-in via Yelp or FB. Gizzards just to name a few. Prob best HH places to come to. Hey that rhymed :P
(5)
Ninarae N.
Night in town with my family from Cali and chose to try this restaurant which I've tried back in SoCal before. Glad to report, same great flavors between the two locations. My mom and I ordered the gyu kaku kalbi, kimchee, bacon wrapped asparagus and rice while my bro and sis in law ordered the ramen, pork belly, cheese wontons and garlic spinach. My mom and I enjoyed everything we ordered. The marinade was great on the kalbi and everything flowed together seamlessly. My siblings on the other hand didn't enjoy their side dishes, sadly I agree. The cheese wontons that ppl rave about on yelp taste more like nacho cheese wontons with a jalapeño inside. Maybe our expectations ruined the experience, as we were expected some type of cream cheese like most other places serve. The nacho cheese taste just didn't seem to go well in a fries wonton. The garlic spinach was also overly garlicky. It wasn't our cup-o-tea, but it's cool...still enjoyed everything else! Especially the pork belly, kalbi and the bacon wrapped asparagus. Service was very pleasant. Our server was kind and answered all of our questions well and with enthusiasm. Took a while to get our bill and payment back to us and we ended up pulling our phones out just to help pass the time, but I would definitely go back.
(4)
Emmanuel S.
walked in for lunch, very pleased with the food and service. Had the spicy kalbi noodles the meat lovers bbq and fried chicken karagee as an appetizer. Seemed very authentic and priced right.
(5)
Eric R.
The food was awesome and the service was great! This was one of the biggest highlights on our trip to the Hawaiian islands!!! If you are in the area it is a must do!!!!
(5)
Mike L.
It was a fantastic experience. The food was very yummy and the service was good. it is a good place to take kids and the deserts were great too.
(5)
Connie T.
Omg we loved the food! The meat was so fresh and tasty! The service was good as well. I would recommend if going for dinner to make a reservation. We will be back the next time we are on the Island.
(5)
Sally C.
Lively atmosphere, excellent service and delicious food. We were fortunate enough to arrive during their last happy hour and totally took advantage of the great prices. We'll definitely return when we visit the island again.
(5)
Xingxing C.
Nice place with some solid food. They have sesame oil sauce, which you can't find in the ones in California. We came at 2pm happy hour. They were very busy at first that we waited about 25 mins for the first plate. But all other plates came almost at once. They apologized for the long waiting time so I feel better. I liked the pork belly here. We will come again.
(4)
Amanda C.
I came here for lunch with my friends for a birthday before we headed to the spa. Service was great, but a bit slow, and you definitely need a reservation if you don't want to wait. They have happy hour specials when you come in the noon. I really liked their rice dish, which I forgot the name, but we ordered 2 of those because it was so good. We had a bunch of meats ordered, which I loved all of them. For the price it was pricey for a lunchtime deal - we each spent 40+ per person. The lychee ice team was yummy too. Definitely want to come back again to bring the boyfriend and family :) Oh! And they provide smores in the end and sing for your friend if it's their birthday. They also came with a small dessert for them :)
(3)
Jasmine A.
This was the most awesome restaurant ever!!! We only ordered the things you were supposed to grill, and I tasted soo delicious! You must try the Beef Hangar Steak (I think that was the name) and make sure you're there at the happy hour since most of the dishes are half price :) overall the staff was really nice explaining everything and making sure everything was alright. Totally a five-star experience!!!!!!
(5)
Jane S.
I've heard amazing things about this place so I was excited to go. We had a very short wait, got a table by the window and server was so sweet. The food was amazing! I love that you grill it yourself so you can chose how rare or well done you want the meat cooked. I will be back next time I am in town!!
(5)
Jenny W.
So happy with my meal here after so many disappointing meals in Hawaii. PROS: The lunch special is a really good deal, even if you decide to get the more premium cuts of meat (which require an additional $3). We got the premium sirloin, king Kalbi and angus beef ribs tare. The King Kalbi was by far our favorite (it had just enough fat to make the meat juicy), and I wish we had just gone for the $10 bigger portion (another lunch special deal). Also, GET THE SPINACH GARLIC! We got eggplant and the spinach as side dishes, and while the eggplant was mehhh the spinach garlic was amazing! It comes in a tin foil and then you cook it on both sides for ~3 minutes each (6 min total), and at the end, you get this delicious cooked mass of spinach that has soaked in all the garlic juices. I don't know what their secret is inside that foil pouch, but the resulting spinach was amazing. CONS The items that came with the lunch special weren't amazing, and the edamame tasted undercooked. The Lihing was way too sweet (plus barely any alcohol) and just altogether weird tasting (I think Lihing is an acquired taste).
(4)
Richard M B.
Top Notch place to eat! Friendly staff, great selections, and you cook your own food to perfection! What else is there to ask for? The menu is not only meat selections as it may seem. There are so many choices of vegetables too. Also, a great selection of Sake. Tip, don't burn your food.... I would highly recommend this place for anybody who has the pleasure to stay in Wakiki Beach.
(5)
Cerena G.
My sister and I have yelped to find amazing places that aren't on the strip - we actually never saw this come up on our searches (surprisingly!) and stumbled upon while walking. It was busy at 830pm and decided to wait till their late night happy hour started.. Made resies (maybe advised!) and slipped off to pub across the street. The service by Eric was amazing! He was attentive and all smiles! Food was AMAZING! We did the deal for 2 where u get apps, meats, and dessert for $60 and yum!!! It was so good! So much food too! We loved cooking our own food and kept ranting about how awesome this place was. Decided this was our favorite eating place so far (dined at blue marlin, heavenly, that maruake (?) udon place, etc..) SO GOOD. Must try!!!
(5)
Austin B.
I love Gyukaku! It's expensive if you go when it's not happy hour. If you're a fan of yakiniku, sign up for their emails (they some great deals from time to time) or go during happy hour. Likes: I've been to this one and Kapiolani a few times each, and I'd say that this location has better service and the servers are way friendlier (maybe it's the time of day I go). Decent prices for happy hours, and excellent deals through emails or their website. Dislikes: Parking. There is none for this restaurant so find a paid lot, street parking, or shop at Royal Hawaiian and get validation there. Kind of small so it can get crowded. A side of rice here is $3! Favorites: Pork belly! A good place if you like to cook your own meats and if you like happy hour. I'd go here more than the Kapiolani one if parking weren't an issue.
(4)
Mieko H.
I happen to come across this restaurant when I was out wanting to have a healthy lunch. For $8.95, it is a great value. I had a Yokiniku donburi set. My complain is the rice was mushy and beef was a little chewy. Maybe I am being too harsh but rice is very important to me.
(3)
Sergio H.
This was killer, the server Chelsea was very nice and really made great suggestions. The Anchan Harami was just sooo good and per her suggestion super tender. The Pork Belly crisped up was just amazing. The Scallops needed a little sauce but with the Sweet Soy it was heavenly. The extra treat she also suggested was the rice with shrimp in a hot clay pot, it was stirred and patted down to absorb heat from the clay and crisped up the outer edges of rice !!!WOW! Fantastic meal off the main Waikiki strip.
(4)
Lien V.
As always, service is friendly, happy and courteous. This is a place I consider not only a source for fun food and good food. The meats are always nicely presented and good. Enjoyed having healthy green tea with all my meals here. I love how they're even nice to locals and this will always be a place I feel good going.
(4)
Jessica C.
Sooooooooo Goood! and a great deal for what you get. It was so yummy, we came back two nights in a row. I highly recommend! All the cuts of meat were delicious and the kimchee was also well prepared and a nice addition. We could not get enough of the hangar steak....if I had to guess, I would say 10-15 orders between the two of us during both visits....yup, it is THAT good! Service is fantastic, the only drawback is the wait time, fortunately there are couple of places to choose from to have a drink while you wait! :)
(5)
Jordan C.
This place has been a favorite restaurant of mine for a while and while I desperately miss their butter fish I still have a whole list of other favorites from their menu. First and foremost their desserts are amazing. The green tea crepe haunts my dreams and I would eat it everyday if I could. Super thin layers of pastry layered with a green tea creme of some sort make for a desert so unique and amazing it pains me to know I may never find something like that again when I move back to the mainland. Melts in your mouth so amazing. The lava cake... That thing has an amazing texture and richness that is almost too fine for this planet let alone a less than 5 star restaurant. Now that I'm done with those... A lot of dishes can be tricky, in that since you are doing the cooking, how well you manage your grilling or how hot your grill is can make or break each dish. My girlfriends and I will go and have the best times, while for some reason with my husband we have had a couple nights where we could just not get things right (burnt meat, broccoli with cheese that we just couldn't get to melt). But, all in all I still love this place. Cheese wontons are my usual must for an appetizer, and I usually get those with the awesome poke nachos (great for us raw fish fans. The garlic shrimp bibimbap is the bomb when it has enough shrimp and I have yet to be disappointed with any soups I've tried. I love the cheesy broccoli, mushroom medley, asparagus. Wash all of that down with one of their exotic cocktails like, my favorite, the li hing mui margarita.
(5)
Ken U.
Went here last week with family and boy did we have fun. We were all muttering "why didn't we find this place earlier, when we walked past the place a 1000 times". We got in an hour just before happy hour but being tourists and extremely hungry we opted to order the set menu for 2 (party of 4) to start us off and then capitalise on the discounted options later. Boy was that a good move, we got to sample most, what our waiter would call "premium meats" and started to log in our heads our favourite cuts. When the time ticked over into happy hour, that's when I could hear orders being called out thick and fast. We must have ordered just over 10 more dishes, I had a look of fear wondering whether we could finish the additional orders we just made. When the Toro beef, Cajun pork belly (this was ordered so many times), bacon asparagus, king kalbi, and sirloin cooked to my liking and dipped in the awesome spicy sauce we devoured each plate as it hit our table. The atmosphere, food, and awesome service by Kiet made this one of our fave places in Honolulu.
(5)
Samantha L.
My friend in particular is in love with this place so he comes regularly. I on the other hand have only been here three times and the food is delicious. I love trying new things and being able to cook the meat just the way i like it. The only thing i noticed is the customer service is not consistent. But none the less i always have a great time when out with friends. Its a great place for a group of 4 or even just a date night. !! Look into their happy hour times!!
(4)
Matthew W.
I have been here a few times. Sometimes with family, and others with friends. I love this yakiniku. The prices are what you would expect for a Japanese bbq, which is typically expensive. The last time I came here with 3 friends and covered the bill, it ended up at $184. Worth. Every. Penny! The servers swap around a lot, but it works out in the fact that you always have a drink, but at the same time, they aren't bothering you too much. The servers also like to joke around with the customers and have a way of making you feel super comfortable here. The meat is great, the sides are delicious, and the side dishes are excellent. Also, set meals come with s'mores. I'm not a fan, but my friends and family sure are. Also, this is one of the very few places that serves Chu-hi. If you eat here on the weekend for dinner, and you want a nice quiet dinner, this place isn't for you. It's quite noisy in here. Plus, if you get one of the two tables next to the front window, you will get a nice show of all the super drunk people falling all over the streets (which is like a show with my dinner, personally). There are bars all over Lewers St, so it can't be helped. Definitely a great place to eat for a family night out or EVEN a night out with friends. Enjoy!
(5)
Tony L.
This has got to be one of the best places to eat on Oahu! Great food! Always! I've been here on several occasions, I now find myself returning one a week to once every other week. The prices are very decent. The service is always exceptional! I always try to ask for Ian Kablay to serve us, but we've had others and they are great as well. Make sure to try the Harami, and if your lucky, you'll probably get to go home with the cook:)
(5)
Sofia M.
My boyfriend and I went here for our anniversary. We ordered the $60 course meal which included a. Variety of meat, appetizer, and s'mores. You cannot change anything from the fixed menu. My favorite meat that was included was the beef tongue and kalbi. The kimchi was incredibly fresh. I'll be back afain
(4)
Sean C.
reservations: recommended, or go at an off time cost: $25 per person the food: - harami miso skirt steak - beef tongue - s'mores There's quite a bit of seating on the inside. You can either sit in a booth or at the bar area. The star of this place is definitely the Japanese BBQ. Get the harami, excellently seasoned and so tender. The beef tongue is also always a winner. The service is excellent and the waiters give great suggestions. To finish off, it almost seems necessary to get the s'mores. There's really nothing special about their s'mores (chocolate, marshmallows, and graham crackers), but maybe it's their simplicity that makes it such a great ending to your meal. Also, I would say that the price is very reasonable for the quality of food that you get. Overall, a nice place to come with friends to socialize and eat. Great for dinner or late-night. Get the harami skirt steak and beef tongue!
(4)
Jody T.
Enjoyed our first visit there. Did the lunch combo special and it was a lot of food for the price! A great value. We both had the Angus beef and pork belly, with buttered corn and cheesy broccoli as sides. Will return.
(4)
Rose G.
Love, this place. Excellent tasty food & friendly service. New fav. Place in Oahu. Love grilling our food too.
(5)
Jia Tong L.
Very nice Japanese BBQ. We went in last night for family dinner because our friends has suggested it to us, and truly the food is pretty good. Our table has four people and we ordered two set meals and it is just the right amount for every one. The waiter is pretty helpful in terms of food recommendation, but not when we need our drinks and I have to get up to get my drinks myself every single time. Quite nice in general.
(4)
Lisa W.
What a great location, next to a Kelly's! Definitely DRUNK munchies here! And it's cool too because they have late night happy hour! We ordered a lot of things and it came out to be like $14 (with tip and tax) for 5 people. The meats were so delicious and tender, the sauces on the table were a really good dipping sauce as well. The poke salad was small, but the tuna chunks were so flavorful, definitely one of the good pokes that I've tried! And it's a good place to sober up... and have good food. They have this in Cali, but hey, it was next door to our drinking place and late night happy hour! Couldn't ask for more.
(4)
Ululani C.
Came across this place accidently while walking from our hotel to the beach. What caught me and the bf attention was the lunch special advertisement on the window. This place is yakiniku style! We ordered the lunch combo, which was a good price and portion for both of us. 3 choices of meat and it comes with unlimited rice, seaweed soup, & edamane.
(4)
Young L.
Took my girl friend`s family here. We are 4 people and enjoy everything right there. Only thing maybe need to let people know its their music really loud. I think it was fine but my girl friend`s parents were feel a lil uncomfortable. Will come back one more time when I been to Honolulu.
(4)
Brandon J.
First time we ever received bad service here 10 minutes after being seated no water no nothing... People seated after us got their alcohol water and some appetizers.
(1)
Pakela D.
We waited for over 20 minutes, while we watched everyone around us order and got their foods. Note, we were seated before some of those who came in 10 minutes after us. I will never come back to this location ever again, compared to all the other locations I've been at.
(1)
Sophia B.
Everything was so delicious and the service was great! Great happy hour specials too!
(5)
Joe E.
What a great, authentic, fun place for lunch, right off the strip -- but miles from the glitz (and cost). You are greeted warmly and seated with a big grill in the middle of your table. The waiter patiently described what would happen next as we placed our orders. Out came our rice and a WHOLE lot of meat. we got to cook the meat ourselves on the grill, test all the dipping sauces and just have a great time. Definitely worth a visit
(4)
Sabrina P.
Came here during lunch and also dinner while I was on vacation. The happy hour specials are awesome, especially for lunch - can't beat $11.95 per person and the choice of 3 meats, edamame, miso soup and salad. They also offer $5 hot sake during HH. For dinner, they offer different options for a party of 2. We chose the 2 for $70-something dinner - comes with more meat, cheese wontons, two veggie dishes, miso, salad, and s'mores for dessert. Their miso soup was so yummy and all the meat options hit the spot... except for the beef tongue (not a fan of tongue, sorry). My boyfriend and I love going to restaurants where you can grill your own food. They also give you 3 different sauces to dip your meat in, nice touch and adds more flavor to your meal. Our waiter during lunch, Eric, was super cool. I suggest going here for lunch since there's no wait and the prices are a lot better than during dinner. I wish we found this gem earlier during our vacation, we probably would have ate here more often if we did!
(5)
Ralph K.
I don't want to give a great review because there is always a wait as it is. Great place to go... don't be afraid. .... get the skirt steak, garlic noodles and some veggies. .. you won't be disappointed. ..
(4)
Kurt N.
Date of Visit: been here multiple times but first time was sometime in May 2013 for my mom's birthday *Note: been procrastinating on my reviews since I moved from the Bay Area back home to Hawaii because I don't have enough time on my hands, but took notes on my phone to help me write my reviews today =) What did we order? First time we were here, I came with my family and we ordered the dinner for 5 times two! Appetizers & side dishes Edamame Assorted Kim Chee x2 Crispy Seaweed x2 Daikon Salad x2 Miso Soup x6 Rice x6 BBQ dishes Gyu-tan x3 Harami Miso Skirt Steak x3 Filet Mignon Ponzu x3 King Kalbi Short rib tare x3 P-toro Shio x2 Corn butter x2 San Chu Lettuce Wrap Dessert S'moreS x3 Overall all the dishes was good and the meat for the BBQ dishes are of great quality. If I were to choose my favorite meat, it would have to be the King Kalbi Short Rib and/or the Harami Miso Skirt Steak. How was the service? Service has never failed me here. Will I be back? Well I kinda have to because my wife loves it here!
(5)
Jennifer D.
I love coming here it's super nice , service is awesome and happy hour is amazing , it quite and great to come with friends it's busy most of the time but the food is delicious
(5)
Len C.
Be aware that the prices at the Lewers St location are higher than the Kapiolani location. Not sure why I didn't know that. Limited parking of course, it's Waikiki. There is a small lot across the street. Food is good but I swear they have smaller servings. Unless you are on a staycation in Waikiki don't bother.
(2)
Ellen L.
Japanese style eatery with American fusion to their food. If you don't mind smelling like bbq afterwards then this is the place for you. Cook your food at you own pace as you're spending time with family and friends.
(5)
Tracy K.
GYUKAKU IS DELICIOUS. Plain and simple. I've eaten at all three restaurant locations on Oahu (Waikiki, Kapiolani, Kaneohe), as well as Japan at the Kameido and Roppongi restaurants. I eat at Gyu about twice a month and it NEVER GETS OLD. The marinades are top notch, the prices can be dirt cheap if you know what and when to order, and the memories can be the best you'll have with the right people. First of all, Gyukaku is a social dining experience. The people you are surrounded by will make a huge impact on your take home notes. Japan is known for their teppanyaki, yakiniku, shabu shabu, and izakaya style restaurants that center around the "good food, good folks" style atmosphere. That's not to say that you can't have a great time with one person, but the goal is to spark conversation, laugh heartily, and cook for one another. Gyukaku meat is premarinated in a je ne sais quoi blend of five different recipes. I prefer shio (a salt marinated rice malt) for all my meats, but you can choose tare, miso, spicy cajun, or garlic. In addition, you have three dipping sauces to hone in on your palate's delight. My favorites include the bistro harami skirt steak, tofu salad, nakaochi kalbi, seaweed soup, cheese fondue, and enoki mushroom. My fave dessert is the chocolate lava cake with vanilla ice cream that seriously rivals other five star restaurant ooze cakes. And if you wanna share something fun and sweet with friends and family, try the s'mores or dorayaki pancakes. Love potion shots are sweet yummies and if you want a cool, refreshing sip drink, try the Asian Pear Mojito. Some non-alcoholic favorites are the melon float, calpico, and ramune. Happy hour specials hack off about 50% of the price between 11:30-6:30pm and 9:30-11:30pm, so GO GET YOURS! This extensive menu includes most of the items previously mentioned as well as sooo many others. Cooking your own food is easy with two simple rules: Only flip the meat ONCE (this keeps the meat most tender and juicy) and flip it when it sweats. Meat cook time depends on thickness and type so my rule of thumb is when you see the meat perspire, it's ready to turn. Gyukaku is also good on seasonal specials. En Kai Party Festival just ended but you receive game cards for free food and discounts in the meantime. Every card is a winner. And it can be anything from $50 off your bill to free kalbi to winning $1000! They also have an email list that notifies you of super deals, contests, prize giveaways, and a rewards loyalty program called the Yaki card. After purchasig $250 in food and drink, you receive $25! Sounds like a far fetch but if you go with a party of six friends, you can put that bill under your name and in no time, you'll be eating a free meal for yourself! Parking is available across the street and in the adjacent parking lot. Reservations are recommended during peak hours but walk-ins are also welcome. Take out is available (meat is cooked for you), and all major credit cards are accepted. Five stars all the way for my favorite yakiniku restaurant!!!
I love this place. I mean, I feel true love for it. Not just, "Hey, this is a great restaurant." No, no, no. I love you, Gyu Kaku. I love the fact that your "happy hour" is like all day except for like two hours. I love your cheap pitchers of Kirin with an ice cold glass. The prime lube for the meat onslaught to come. The smell of smoke, the enchanting sizzle of the meat as the juices hit the charcoal. The eclectic and fun menu, full of variety even beyond the glorious meat. No irony here. This is true love.
(5)
Will L.
We had a really great meal last night and the pitchers of beer were on happy hour all day! I enjoyed the hanger steak the most !
(5)
Mary D.
We were looking for a late night happy hour a bit after 11am and came across this place. The specials were great-- pitcher of Kirin for less than $10, the kim chee ramen was tasty, and the meats were perfectly cut, marinated, and priced. We got the kalbi, ribeye, and spicy pork. They gave cooking instructions for each on the wire grill that I've seen used for yakitori, then we dipped them in three sweet and salty sauces. The Asian Pear Mojito was delicious... but could definitely use more liquor! Service was fast and friendly. My husband's been begging to go back!
(5)
Kristi S.
My boyfriend and I love the Kapiolani location, but we spent the day in Waikiki and just decided to try this Waikiki location. What a huge mistake. We wanted to come here just for a nice dinner but the experience was awful. It didn't seem crowded, there were only 3 - 4 tables taken, but still the service was awful. I don't know if it was a busy day or what was going on, but the waiter hardly took care of us. He never refilled our waters and consistently forgot our orders. We had to remind him about 2 times regarding our food. For example, we ordered an ice cream scoop for dessert and 15 minutes later, he came around asking if we wanted anything for dessert! He forgot our previous order! He also did this with our other entres. By the time we ate, we just wanted to get out of there. But it took about another half an hour for him to ring up our check. He didn't even come anywhere near us so that we could get his attention. It took about 20 minutes for him to take the bill, and another 15 to give it back. Because the service was terrible, we most likely will never be coming back (to this location). We'll take the extra drive to the Kapiolani location for our yakiniku needs (:
(1)
Channing L.
One word...delightful...I came here with a party of six, an infant and a 5 year old. We ordered a plethora of drinks, all strong and tasty, even felt satisfied with a $7 bottle of sake...now all buzzed and a sleepy infant, it was time for some yummy food choices. I would suggest to go bold and try some beef tongue, so full of flavor and quick to cook. The spicy pork belly is great, but I don't suggest the chicken unless you want to stay there for all eternity waiting for it to cook. Life was delicious for the time being, even with the angus beef...I salud to it all. The downfall, the ice cream was water based, don't get it. If you want a cheaper place, eat at the one on kapiolani, Waikiki is a bit more expensive. Finish up your night with some s'mores, just don't fly it towards the wall when the marshmallow catches on fire....it's a sticky hot mess, kids, gotta love em!
(5)
Letie W.
I made for the lunch special...Karage chicken over rice. So yummy!!!! I had intentions of grilling my own, but was starving and figured I just wanted a quick eat. I think that will be another trip. On a side note, garlic noodles. I read previous reviews about how yummy they are. I just didn't find them to be that great. For me, they were just super salty and not really garlicky. Not sure if it was just that day, but I honestly was not impressed and have had better in Maui (Star Noodle...AMAZING!!). Ok, I just had to plug that in there. I'm not sure about the other foods, but can't wait to try them out next time.
(4)
Sarah L.
We've been craving teppanyaki and this was the first place that somewhat resembled a japanese grill. It turned out to be something completely different, yet we had a really good time! Since we went there around 2p.m. (I think) we got happy hour prices and could order a ton of food for very little money. I am only giving them 4 out of 5 stars because the waiters took forever, even though the place was practically empty and there were at least 4 waiters on duty. As for the quality of the food - it's really nice. We ordered some of the more expensive meats which were really tasty. The portions aren't super generous, so make sure that you order enough if you're really hungry. As I said, they take forever to bring it to you :) In conclusion, teppanyaki it is not. However, it is a nice casual place to go with a date or a small group of friends if you're craving grilled meat.
(4)
Jennie S.
Hands down one off favorite restaurants! I live back on the mainland again but we used to come here often. I recommend calling to make a reservation as it does get busy. And if you go during happy hr almost everything is 50% off. The food is incredible. I love the cheese yako, cheese wontons, and you have to try the miso harami skirt stake. It's incredible.
(5)
Duong U.
No matter it's japanese style yakiniku or korean style, it's two different style! I love it, broke my mouth! The char coal style is different in terms to heated metal plate. Service is great and very casual. Makes it very comfortable. The happy hour deals are great for everyone. You all should stop by and try it out. Stop pickering about food, this time you are the cook. You will cook your way :P
(5)
Charles H.
My wife and I went to this one on Oahu...it was similar to the one in Houston but Houston has the beat on atomophere
(4)
Kalae M.
What a great place for happy hour. It's fun to cook your own food. Nice atmosphere as well. The food and drinks came out lighting fast. Great service!
(5)
Andrew W.
The manager Chris is cool. He was very courteous and helpful ensuring I felt being welcome there. The food was delicious.
(4)
Denise L.
Okay, I guess I would like to start off by saying that I am no longer the person I was 2 years ago when I first made a mini blurb on how much I loved Gyu-Kaku on Yelp-- that, and I am also no longer the same girl who first ate Gyu-Kaku for the first time 4 years ago after moving to Hawaii and suffered miserably through horrible cafeteria dinners on most nights. That being said, Gyu-Kaku is still good but it's actually quite pricey. Now don't get me wrong, the food tastes great and comes in pretty good quality. BUT get this: my friend had a gift card worth $250 and so she treated us, and we had to come during Happy Hour in order to be full. Otherwise-- when we (the same group of 4) came and spent ~$80 total without tax (again, during Happy Hour), we were pretty hungry. However, if you order an udon or some other dish in addition to the yakiniku, you will be more well fed. The mojitos had no alcohol in it as well. which was really weird. They've also raised the prices for the pitcher of beer (from 5 to around 7.50) for Happy Hour. Like Mike L. said in his review, I've seen Gyu-Kaku in other places, specifically in Hong Kong this past summer when I visited which is pretty cool.
(4)
Joyce C.
Having gone to the Gyu-Kaku in Pasadena, I was very impressed and excited to visit the location in Waikiki. I currently live in Las Vegas and am a big fan of Korean BBQ and did not have a Gyu-Kaku location near by. When we arrived, we were told there would be a 10-15 min wait which turned into almost 30 mins. And you could see empty tables thru the window yet we got sat at the counter. Although the server that we had was very nice, he was not very attentive. You could see him walking around the dining room talking to other customers who were at tables and his coworkers but it seemed like he would just walk right past us as sitting at the counter also meant our back were to him. It took a while to get his attention when we needed additional assistance. Food wise, we ordered a Happy Hour special for 2 people. Compared to the quality of the cuts I had gotten in Pasadena for Happy Hour as well, I felt what we had in Waikiki just wasn't as good. The beef tongue, which was supposed to be the premium beef tongue didn't taste that way. Typically the beef tongue I've had at Korean BBQ locations, you can just do a quick sear on each side and the beef tongue will stay fairly tender. When I cooked it the same way I always had, it was very tough. The Spicy Tuna Maki was very good. But the Cheese Wontons were lacking. It was a fried dish yet there was no color on the wontons. It could have used a bit more time in the fryer until it was a golden brown and had a crunchy exterior. Our originally server's shift ended while we were dining and we were assigned a new server. The only time we saw that server was when they both came over to let us know of the shift change. My bf's water glass went thru all of dinner never even being refilled. Having high hopes and being extremely excited to dine at the Waikiki location, I was truly disappointed in the service and the experience. They are in developments for a Las Vegas location and I hope my experience there will be much better.
(2)
Thomas F.
We sought this place out because of its Yelp reviews. We were not disappointed. The food is good as is the service and cooking it ourselves at our table was just plain fun. If you come here, just think of it as tapas and your expectations will be managed.
(4)
sandy l.
While in Waikiki, we tend to avoid the downtown touristy restaurants. they tend to be overpriced and not very good. But we thought we'd try Gyukaku and we were pleasantly surprised. The food is fresh and can be quite healthy. we had the special for two and it included edamame and potsticker appetitizers. The salad greens were very fresh and tasted locally grown. Loved the light dressing. Then came the parade of food for grilling. My husband isn't big on working for his food but he does like to barbecue. Loved the variety of meat including filet mignon. I loved the dipping sauces especially the ponzu. We had s'mores to top the meal since we had a hot grill. A fun evening to end our last night in Hawaii. Our server Bill was fantastic. He was helpful and friendly and even told us that there were Gyukakus near our home in San Francisco.
(4)
Kimo K.
Best everything. Eaten there since they opened. Feel like you are in Japan. Bilingual great looking staff.. fun, attentive, smiling.. never make a mistake.. Japanese quality service.. not western where they look like they cant wait to get off and only smile to get a tip. Great Late Night Happy hour.. food, music and service is always great and consistent. People like to cook own food, beef, chicken, shrimp all creates action and interactivity with your food. Open air front windows view of famous Lewers. BEST on line marketing campaign of any restaurant in Hawaii that treat you not like a customer but a Fan.. and I am. Great place to get gift cards for presents as Food is best gift to give people. Always something on special. Other Japanese operated sushi, yakiniku, yakitori, Izakaya franchise restaurants from Japan are usually pricey, boring, ok food.. but this is my favorite neighborhood bar restaurant. $30 per head for drinks and BBQ. I think they have an all you can eat option. Japan tourists can not believe how cheap the prices compared to beef in Japan so full of tourists.. you too will be taking pictures of the food on Instagram. They also welcome local professionals with post work marketing strategy. Romantic, Fun, alive atmosphere. Would encourage hands free toilets.. no need touch anything. Great people make great food.. you can taste and feel the Aloha in the food itself Almost do not want to give recommendation because it is already popular and the last time I had to wait, so dont go.. it is terrible, go to the Ala Moana Mall, yeah.. the Mall instead. There is a Gyu-kaku over there as well. I would love to own one of these franchises. I wish the owner would take over some beachfront Waikiki location, Hawaii can do with one less ABC store on Kalakaua.
(5)
Maria H.
Great food, great drinks.... What's not to like? The only thing that I would consider a minor issue was the fact that no one was at the hostess stand, and we waited for awhile before we were acknowledged, but we chalked it up to it being busy (happy hour/lunch). Other than that the service was great, and the food was even better. Out of all the places we dined at, this was definitely one of the few I would go back to and recommend! Enjoy!
(5)
Jlyn T.
I loved this place. Such a unique dining experience for me and my bf when we were wandering around starving downtown. The options of meet are portioned perfect where you can get a variety of meats to share with somebody. Definitely will come back when im in town!
(4)
Lily B.
First off, I must say that I'm not usually a fan of 'cook your own food/yakiniku', but Gyu-Kaku, you've stolen my heart! The BF and I were tired of eating the same o same o, so I went to Yelp to find a new place to try. We went to the Kapiolani Blvd location but it was an hour wait, so I called Waikiki and they said they could seat us right away! The ONLY downside to Waikiki is the parking. We couldn't find any parking so we parked in the garage and ended up paying $12 or $14. A bit steep but next time we'll be able to drive around a bit more or find parking along the Ala Wai. The restaurant is much smaller than the Kapiolani location and not as fancy in my opinion but I liked the chill vibe this place has! We were greeted and seated right away. I swear we had 3 servers assisting us! ALL of them were fabulous and so friendly and patient as it was our first time. Kenji, a manager, took a great deal of time explaining the menu and each cut of beef etc etc. The other servers did as well. The BF and I were a bit overwhelmed with the amazing service! What a great way to start off dinner! We were in time for happy hour. I was feeling adventurous, so I started off with sake. Unfortunately, it's just not for me. I'm not fond of beer and this reminded me of beer. Kenji was SOOOO sweet! I said I'd keep it on the bill and it was no biggy but he insisted on taking it off and getting me something else. yelp.com/user_local_phot… Which leads me to the li hing margarita. Now I'm NOT a fan of tequila. BUT, this margarita is OFF THE HOOK!!! A perfect balance of tequila, triple sec, and li hing powder or whatever it is. I think I had 3?? THAT GOOD!!! Drooling just thinkin' about it. Kenji even offered to give me the recipe because he saw how much I enjoyed them (lol) but I respectfully declined and said it would keep me returning if I DIDN'T know the recipe! :) yelp.com/user_local_phot… We ordered gyoza to start which were melt in your mouth delicious! yelp.com/user_local_phot… The fried gyoza were okay. We preferred the steamed ones. yelp.com/user_local_phot… My BF enjoyed the poke. yelp.com/user_local_phot… The garlic noodles are sooooo good (we ordered 2 of em!) and the shrimp bibimbap was yummy as well! yelp.com/user_local_phot… We're ready to grill! The garlic shrimp is delicious!!! The scallops were okay. The ribeye was okay. The king kalbi short ribs were very good. BUT the WINNAH of the meat is the harami miso skirt steak. JUICY, TENDER, and WORTH EVERY PENNY!!! GET IT!!! yelp.com/user_local_phot… yelp.com/user_local_phot… yelp.com/user_local_phot… I probably should've taken a picture of all the food cooked... but it didn't stand a chance because we were so hungy and it was so yummy... lol! I think we spent about $100 give or take but we ate a LOT of food, and we even had lots leftover. Kenji and the staff made this experience incredible! EXCEPTIONAL service (and I'm sorry to the other 2 servers I forgot your names but you were great!!). Quality food, friendly and efficient service, fun laid back atmosphere, and yummy alcoholic drinks... what more can you ask for? Thanks Gyu-Kaku! We'll definitely be back and you truly deserve a "Woohoo! As good as it gets"! We'll be back!... have those margaritas waiting for me! ;)
(5)
Diane L.
I love eating here and grill my own food! The sauces the beef are marinated in are really good! Takes some time to get a table and parking isn't that easy.
(5)
Krys Y.
I like Gyu-Kaku but always try to go for the happy hour specials. The prices are a little lower at this time which makes the tab a little easier to swallow. The meat and foods from here are good but the portions are on the smaller side for the prices. A small plate of french fries are like $3.xx and a small bowl of soybeans are like $2.xx. Meat is like $8.xx a plate, which has about 8 pieces on it... That's practically a dollar for one sliver of meat. So even during happy hour, a party of three can easily rack up $100 dollar tab. The atmosphere here is nice, and everyone is squeezed in really tight, but it doesn't feel that tight. The service is relatively quick if you consider how many people are actually in the establishment. There's a small parking lot nearby that has metered parking so at least you have somewhere to park. Otherwise, you have to street park. I'd come here again, but it'd probably only be once in a while.
(3)
Michael R.
I think this was the best meal I've had in Honolulu. But first, the wait can be long, so call ahead and make a reservation. They don't have the pager system, so you can go into any of the nearby bars and get hammered. Furthermore, remember your conversions! One minute in island time is approximately 1.65 minutes in rest-of-the-world time, so the 30 minute wait will actually be 50. But the wait was worth it! We got the big platter thing with the Kobe beef, shrimp, skirt steak, etc. and a few pitchers of Kirin. The Kobe with a pinch of salt was pretty amazing. And since you cook it yourself at the table, you can get it cooked just right. If it tastes like crap, that's on you. Also, plan for 2 hours. Maybe I'm just slow on the grill, but the beer in me was saying otherwise.
(5)
Doug T.
A yakiniku restaurant with quality offerings and a happy hour not miss. Gyu-kaku is a fun dining experience (you grill at your own table). A fun date night, great prices a la carte dining during happy hour (minimum order is $15 a person). Two people will leave very full and very happy on a $30 tab if they pick the right items. I recommend the garlic noodles, chili dumplings, pork belly, toro beef, yaki shabu, rosu chuck flap, zucchini, or smores if you are on a budget (they are all cheap and tasty).
(4)
Rissa K.
I prefer the Kapiolani Gyu-Kaku because it's bigger and better ambiance. Went here and the grill wasn't working....we had to change tables with a different grill. I love the Happy Hour prices. Steak, Bibimbap in hot clay pot, Pork Belly, and Asparagus all so yummy!
(4)
Seth B.
Loved this place in Chicago, love it more in Waikiki!
(5)
Vivian D.
I was here mid-March on vacation. This place was fun but DO NOT ORDER THE COLD (KOREAN) NOODLES. It's been months and I still remember them being absolutely horrid! The kimchi & pork on the hot plate was delicious, and the BBQ was okay but I think I prefer Korean BBQ hand over fist. It was also a bit expensive.
(3)
Christine N.
My server Cassandra was so awesome! She took great care of us! I feel like I would only come here during happy hr just bc the portions aren't worth the regular price. The drinks were ok as well. Not a bad place but didn't blow my skirt up
(3)
Kym P.
Yum food! I mean, we cooked it ourselves so we have to say that right? Haha. Ok; we got the wasabi crunchy shrimp to start, it was ok, I think the shrimp could have been less coated and a little bigger. Then we just got going with our meats, we got the harami skirt steak, Kobe toro beef, butter fish, spinach garlic, mushroom medley, pork belly, shrimp, rosu beef. All of it was delicious. The standouts for me, in order, we're rosu beef, pork belly and Kobe toro beef. They were spectacular. To wash everything down we had draft Kirin, I want to show them how to pull a proper draft and give it a real head, however, I'm not sure if it's tap or draft. I would definitely recommend going here as an alternative to the strip. We love Asian foods, and we could not have had nearly as much food and alcohol if we had gone on the strip. It's only a half block away. We've found the best food this time just by wandering around more than usual.
(4)
Jon H.
Loved it. Little different than a Korean BBQ but equal in taste. If you've been to a Korean BBQ, you'll like a Japanese one.
(4)
David K.
We were made to wait for a table outside the empty restaurant for 20 minutes, and then had our dinner interrupted and cut off as they wanted to close. Very unpleasant experience with the staff overall and will never come back.
(1)
Taryn K.
This was the first time I've been here for happy hour. I'd definitely suggest you go for happy hour if you can eat because the dishes definitely add up. Each dish does not come with a lot of food but you can keep ordering as the night goes along. To be honest most of the time I didn't know what I was eating but the food was good. Our service was awesome and he made really good recommendations and told us when happy hour would be done. If you come I would definitely try the poke nachos, which if I remember correctly is on the happy hour menu.
(4)
Kay N.
We were walking around Hawaii on our first day and stumbled on this restaurant, because we saw the yelp sticker outside the restaurant. It was happy hour time which was a plus! We loved all the meat that we tried. We didn't know where to start, but our friendly server helped us by showing us the top meat dishes he liked. Our favorite was the Rosu meat dish. I also ordered Gyu-kaku Nachos, it was definitely different but good nonetheless. It is raw, so beware if you dislike raw food. I ordered the Asian pear mojito drink which I liked. It didn't have a lot of alcohol in it, but hey not bad for 5 bucks on Happy hour. It is supposedly their most popular cocktail.
(5)
Yoon K.
Overall experience was good as far as food and service. One of the chicken wing plates I found reallly salty to the point I had to say something, but the server was happy to exchange for a different chicken wing plate.
(4)
Pamela F.
What a fantastic evening! Hubby decided on this one because he likes trying new things and we both LOVE Japanese food. First, the service is superior! Kiet, our server, was the BEST!! He was friendly, personable and very kind! Then the food starts coming out....holy cow, chicken and shrimp. We got the middle set. Was a lot of food but everything was amazing! Try it! I bet you will have a great meal and a wonderful experience!
(5)
Steven B.
This place is definitely still at the top of my list of best places on the island. Can become a little high priced. But overall a great place and good drinks.
(4)
Bryan G.
Their reception James gave us false wait time. Walked in @ 8:10pm, told us to come back @ 8:45pm. We came back @ 845 pm told us 10 mins more. Went to follow up,then told us 20 mins more. Spoke to the manager,he said he will cover our drinks, and I was like "What?"
(1)
Lovey Y.
Great yakiniku place especially during happy hour! Had a 20-30 min wait. They have no seats for customers waiting to be seated so we stood outside until we were seated. Place was a bit smaller than the kapiolani location. Despite the wait, the food was amazing and so was the customer service! I would've gave then 5 stars if it wasn't for the wait.
(4)
Jonathan V.
Environment: 5/5 Employees: 5/5 Food: 5/5 Drinks: 5/5 Cost: 5/5 Parking: 1/5 Total: 26/30 BEST DEALS DURING HAPPY HOUR! Synopsis: I will reiterate this, only come during HAPPY HOUR! The reason being the food is half-off and the pitcher of beer is $8.50 FOR KIRIN, DRAFT! The employees were nice from start to finish, from warm smile and greeting, to sitting, and followed by "Come Again." Location is prime Real Estate, as it is by two other pubs, where you can finish off your drinking, or after being drunk, be brave enough to venture to GS Studios and sing in Japanese! In the end, for four, we had spent $50! HOLLAHH for that DOLLAH! Environment: From the outside, you see the sign in nice lettering, with happy hour signs in both, English and Japanese. When it is a nice day, and the sun is out, the doors are open to see within. It is quite bustling in there, as time seems to move faster from the outside. The interior is a nice complimentary soft wood that is damp to the touch. Mold? Irregardless, it has a nice smell to it. Depending where you sit, you can be crammed in a two sitter, or be at a big table as we were. Although, it allowed us to sit across these nice Japanese ladies, which I asked where they are from, what they do, and talking about the food all in Japanese...yes, Japanese! Employees: Upon entering the restaurant, the lady greeted me with a genuine smile. I requested a reservation and it was perfect because we wanted it 30 minutes later than when we entered. Things were going perfect. Even though our entire party was not present, we were sat. Urara was our waitress, and also part of UH's symphony, as the Elite Ka'imi, recognized. She took REALLY good care of us. First round of beers, here we come! She also had a genuine smile at all times and checked on us, regularly, to make sure everything was perfect. I greatly appreciated her services. Food: Bomb-digady! Fried Cheese Won-tons w/ JAPANESE mayonnaise: omg, fat with more fat. Who would have thought dipping these things in Japanese mayonnaise would make your eyes roll back? Just be certain to eat it quick, before it cools down. The taste goes from a 5/5 to a 2/5! If you do not know already, I HATE AMERICAN mayonnaise. And if you hate American Mayonnaise, you may think about tasting Japanese mayonnaise. Such a huge difference in quality and taste! Cheese w/ shoyu: I had never though to put these two together, but the creaminess followed by a burst of cheese flavor, flowing liquid, and salty finish with a melting feeling in your mouth. Complete that with a smooth transition from your larynx, down your esophagus into your stomach is heaven! 5/5 Mixed Kim chee: I can do without this. Definitely was not my favorite...in fact we had left overs. If you do not know me already, I lick my plate clean! I would not do this ever again. 1/5 Kalbi: Yes! Add the hot sauce, and you're good. I love the fact you can cook this and decide how well done you want it, so the kitchen does not f it up! Ka'imi is like mama-san! 5/5 Shrooms w/garlic: Again, cook it yourself. The flavors were great with the sauces. Yum. 5/5 Gyu Tan - Also known as beef tongue. When I eat this, I expect it to be rubbery, much thicker. For some reason the flavoring from the sauce did not complete the whole taste of this. All I could think of was, "I want Choco House style please." 3/5 Drinks: Draft Kirin Pitcher for $8.50 is not too shabby at all! In fact, it's one of the better choices since typical American beer doesn't taste as good. Although that remains my opinion. I do say, however, that Choco House on a Tuesday evening, the price for Draft Kirin Pitcher is $6. But because Gyukaku food is also 50%, this place may be a better choice, because there are two sets of happy hour every day...yes EVERYDAY! Cost: For four people, being stuffed beyond belief and drunk. About $50! Isn't that absurd? I think it is! Sounds like our future visits here may be more frequent than I thought! YES! Parking: The only down-fall here is the parking. Wah! So, if you live in Waikiki this place is such an awesome choice. I am thinking that I want a yelp event here in the near, near future!
(4)
D L.
The atmosphere is fun. The food is decent. The waiter is very friendly and explains everything well. Can't wait to have one in San Diego. :)
(5)
Ying W.
We went during the happy hour and orders 4 different meats and garlic spinach. Everything is great except the soups came with the meals are very very oily.Service is great as well,.....
(5)
Tony B.
I had some time alone and i was hungry. most of my band were out either eating something out of my price range, sleeping, or at a club. so i walked around killing time and trying to find something that would work. i wound up here. my experiences at gyu-kaku at home had always been good. this was just ok. granted, it was a friday night, and i was the only loser with nothing to do, but the staff seemed pretty determined to get me the hell out of there so that they could leave. so, i burned my food, inhaled it, and bailed. not the greatest night of my life, but they can't all be.
(3)
Arlo G.
Great service, very clean. Food was ok.... price wasn't too bad, but ultimately a nice place for tourists.
(4)
Gary M.
Time to get get happy with meat and beer snacks. Slow cooked meats on a bbq allow for relaxing times with friends. Friday nights start right at happy hour Gyu Kaku. g
(4)
token t.
Went for happy hour hoping for a deal but everything adds up and isn't that filling. When it comes down to it, a big chunk of their open hours is a happy hour, so don't expect crazy deals. The marinated beef and karage tasted decent. Cold noodle bland. Garlic noodle tasted strange with bell peppers (doesn't fit any style of cuisine). Pork belly, beef slices were plain and pricey. AC broken while grilling. Plenty of better places in Cali for a better deal.
(2)
Jesse K.
Location: The location is pretty easy to find. If you can't see the Gyu-Kaku sign, then the red neon "Indoor BBQ" sign in the window will light the way. The restaurant itself is small and pretty compact, but not so much that it was uncomfortable to sit down in. Pricing: The pricing is pretty decent, especially during "happy hour", where several food items are discounted. You really have to watch yourself, though, when ordering a la carte. If you go overboard, you'll definitely be paying for it when the check arrives. Food: The food was excellent. The duck breast was superb, but the beef tongue was paper thin. I wonder now if the premium beef tongue is thicker cut. Definitely try the sauces that they offer you at the table. Oddly, you don't get rice included with anything; you pay for a small bowl of it separately. You get generous helpings when you order the vegetables. At the end of the meal, they offer several different deserts, of which we ordered s'mores, because why not? You're literally playing with fire! Unfortunately, the s'mores were tiny. Drinks: They have several options for drinks. However, for cocktails, you're pretty much limited to what they offer specifically on the menu. I tried to order a Long Island Iced Tea and was told that they don't make them. Service: Service was prompt, but we got all of our stuff at random intervals instead of all at once. The waitress didn't know we wanted separate checks (she never asked ahead of time and we never let her know until the end, though) and when she separated them, she got a few items mixed up. However, she was able to quickly correct the problem and we were on our way.
(4)
Jason W.
We went to this place after all the positive reviews. It seemed like something fun to do during the evening. Sadly it was not to be. We went close to 9pm and there was still a 20 minute wait. Expecting great things we waited. We hit up some shops around the block and returned. Our group of 6 was seated in a booth near the back. Note that this place was very hot and muggy inside. The trade winds weren't blowing that night and when you add in all the working grills, the place feels like an oven. I say 'working' grills because after we ordered drinks and meat, our waiter lighted our semi warm grill. We did our best to cook some meat on it, but after complaining and the waiter fiddling with the grill a couple times, we just had to give up. We couldn't cook our meal, the place was uncomfortably hot, and there was no other solution than to simply eat somewhere else.
(1)
Federico G.
Amazing place. First time on a Japanese BBQ, and as we are from Argentina we were a little curious of how will this work. WOW what a surprise!!!!!! Such incredible flavor on the meat, and as you cook your own meat you pick it out of the grill on the point you like it the most. The bad part was we ordered 2 beers and they were $7 each!!!! Really expensive drinks, the rest OK. Portions are small but with 2/3 meats and 1 veggie + 1 rice youre good to go. I recomend this place.
(5)
Risa G.
Food was awesome. Wait staff was attentive. Fun food environment. $50 for two people with alcoholic cocktails. Would highly recommend.
(5)
Noelani C.
Service is excellent! Kiet is our amazing waiter! He knows his menu and introduced us to many dishes! Very good atmosphere and I love the food.
(5)
Thomas C.
Loved this place! The food her was good and cooking over an open fire at your table was Korean BBQ-esque. The large open windows and semi-private seating areas make for a soothing and pleasant place to spend time with friends. The real star here is the staff. Nothing takes a 3 star meal to 4 stars as quickly as a friendly and knowledgeable staff that is there when you need them and invisible when you don't. This perfectly describes our two waiters at Gyu-Kaku. The size of our group did not put them out any. Instead, they happily gave us two extremely friendly staff members. Both of them were able to quickly and thoroughly explain both the process and the items on the menu. They both identified ways in which we were wasting money without actually getting more to eat and help us to rectify it. It was a fun evening with good food that was compliments by the restaurant's staff! Keep up the great work!
(4)
Victor K.
Amazing restaurant!! Our favorite spot in Hawaii, we have dinner here probably close to 50 times. Awesome happy hour specials for food and drink! We will be missing this place as we are moving but amazing staff, Managment and food. Thanks so much, will miss you guys!!
(5)
Tommie S.
I found this spot thanks to my food tour guide. It's a great idea, but I would have enjoyed it more if it were a true Japanese Bar B Q where one removes their shoes and sits in a sunken location. Prices are much cheaper during happy hour, which is most of their hours.
(3)
Ramon B.
As always my visits here are always pleasant! Recently I discovered the Lunch Special! Get there at opening and you will never have to worry about seating. Awesome food awesome choice of Protein if you love good eats this is the place to be
(5)
Miyeko T.
Delicious! Variety and flavors are great. Came with a group of three during dinner rush - our server was Ian, he was super fast and very friendly and helpful. Great happy hour. For American yakiniku, this experience was worth a 5. However, if you are used to Japan's higher quality meat and thinner slices, this experience is more of a 4.
(5)
Art H.
I can here two days ago. I have wanted to try this place for two years back home just never got arround to it. Well the food was good but the service was terrible the whole order was brought backwards. Miso soup served last with the rice showing up right before that. The waiter was more concerned about chatting,with a large group having a party. The exhaust system was lousy and once the,plce got crowded it got real hot. I will not be going back but ill try the one back home. Since the food was so good.
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Street Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : No Dogs Allowed : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
Lexi H.
2 words: HAPPY HOUR SO BOMB
(5)Nick L.
First Japanese BBQ in Oahu. We love Japanese BBQ so coming here was a no brainer. The food is great; skirt steak, beef tongue, kalbi, anything you order will be pretty good and we ordered plenty!! It's not super cheap buy compared to Hiroshi this place was like a bargain especially if you get happy hour prices! You will come out smelling like a piece of grilled meat though. Their air extraction system is non-existent. I miss yakiniku. :'(
(4)Pynki V.
love their HAPPPY hour!!! Best place to go to get some Korean BBQ...u cook your food how you want it!! They have a happy hour menu that has food plates for $3-$5. The garlic noodles are on point especially if you want something to help with that hang over!!! The noodles are mixed in front of you & it cooks itself in front view in a stone clay pot..pretty cool!! All their meat is yummy!! They have pretty small portions of veggies..but your not going there for the veggies!! Haha..they also have drink specials. The lychee martini is on point also!!! :)
(5)Haley G.
OH EM GEE. LOOOOOOVED this place. Growing up in Japan, my family often frequented places like this, so coming to a restaurant like this was a taste of home. Great service. Great company. Great food. Loved the Happy Hour prices, but besides that, this place was pretty pricey, haha. With that said, if you're here on vacation, there are so many better places to try (local spots, food trucks, etc)...so only go here if you've exhausted your options. If you're like me, I don't like eating at places I can frequent back home.
(5)Shaneel S.
Vary cute and nice place for dinner or lunch . It can get a little on the expensive side due to the amount of food that you get is not much. They have the best drinks which are about $4 during happy hour .
(5)Brandon I.
I've only been to the Waikiki location twice and the locations in Japan but I wasn't a fan of the service on my last visit. Our server recommended the Kim Chee ramen and it was not good, should've figured that ordering ramen at a yakiniku restaurant was not a good idea. Server change in the middle of our meal and the 2nd server basically never spoke 1 word to us. Also took 30 minutes for me to get my 2nd drink and I asked 2 times about it. The manager on duty came out and offered a free drink but it did not salvage the experience as she did not smile or seem to even care about us. I've experience much better yakiniku and will take my business elsewhere.
(2)Hai Q.
The meat were good, but it's expensive , price range from $8.00 for 3.5oz per dish about 4 piece of meat. No free side veg. Our ( 4 people ) bill come out to $263 include tip without alcohol.
(3)Kanwal A.
First time trying this Japanese BBQ concept and we absolutely loved it. We ordered a bunch of things: chicken, steak, sausage, vegetables, potatoes and.... drum roll please -- garlic noodles!! Yes, those noodles are amazing. We had a blast cooking and eating such delicious food. The servers are awesome too. We were completely satisfied with all the food we ordered and paid $70 for two of us. Good thing we didn't fall into the trap of those pre-selected combos. We would have ended up wasting a whole lot of food and paying more $$.
(4)Cherryl D.
My Ratings: Quality - 5 Stars Quantity - 5 Stars Price - 5 Stars Location - 5 Stars Service - 5 Stars Speed - 5 Stars My Opinion/Story: So hungry... too much walking... need food.. good food! Whoa, Japanese? Ok, let's go inside... what? It's happy hour, half price? Even better. This was a bit different style of japanese.. kinda like the typical Korean but it's Japanese. The waiter was pretty nice and informative. He showed us what's good to eat as well as how to cook it. We ordered several dishes to cook and some drinks.. their Lava Flow is awesome! We should have listened to him about getting the dinner for two because we ended up spending more than we expected for alot less number of dishes. They replace the grill even when our first one wasn't that dirty. They were pretty quick to refill our drinks and replace our plates. Service was just top notch. The food is equally as awesome. Our favorite was the kalbi. Next time we come back to Waikiki, we'll definitely go back to this place.
(5)Daisy W.
OMG, this place is pretty darn amazing. I came here a couple weeks ago with 6 other people, I come here almost every time I visit hawaii. We ordered the Mahalo course which feeds 6 people and ordered 2 garlic noodles on the side and some asparagus. I loved the Daikon salad and the bone in kalbi, they were both delicious. I must say that the garlic noodles are not the original garlic noodles that I am use to but it's a must try becasue it's very tasty and really good and the asparagus was sooo good and buttery, I almost felt like I was gonna have a heart attack eating it with all that butter but it was also very yummy and tasty. For dessert they give you smores, which reminds me of the bonfire days but it was so good and it just melts in your mouth. Overall, I definitely recommend giving this place a try. It's a little on the pricey side so I would say to go during happy hour and it'll be much more worth it. Oh n try making reservations before you go because it's a small place and you'll most likely need to wait a little while for a table.
(4)Love P.
Sorry Gyu-Kaku lost a couple of stars. 1.5 was for accusatory and rude behavior from the manager/supervisor and the other was for misleading information. Here is the story. I brought my sister here on Saturday afternoon for an all you can eat lunch. First of all, we didn't even get everything that was supposed to be served as part of that meal (e.g. bibimbab). We also didn't ask for seconds of any of the other items on the menu. Thus, we paid 29.99 for an incomplete meal and definitely not all you can eat. (We had leftovers from our INCOMPLETE meal because we were so full Which is why we didn't make a big deal about the stuff that we weren't served). The manager comes up to our table to inform me that we wasted food and that he will have to charge me extra because we didn't consume everything as part of the all you can eat. EXCUSE ME?! First of all, I understand that policy if people repeatedly order food during an all you can eat meal, however you didn't even serve us the entire portion of that menu and we didn't order anything extra...so I'm not sure where this rudeness. I didn't even complain when your service forgets to bring me stuff they should have. Secondly, no where was it posted in the menu or in the restaurant that this was policy. Sorry Gyu-Kaku, although I appreciated that the manager didn't end up charging me at the end, we won't be coming back.
(3)Aaron K.
Food: 4/5 Price: 5/5 Service: 5/5 Organization: 5/5 Layout: 5/5 Atmosphere: 5/5 I know I did one on the Kapiolani Gyu-Kaku but we just went to the one in Waikiki and boy were both experiences enjoyable and different! The food was amazing as usual and I highly recommend going during the happy hour. The Waikiki location's happy hour starts at 10 pm and the Kapiolani starts at 9 pm. Sadly there were no Cheese Wontons and the prices are a few cents more. The layout was more or less standard and the music is the same. I give the music 5 stars alone because it keeps everything upbeat which is nice for dinner. I mean, some high energy house, hip hop and r&b music really helps the appetite and keeps the spirit alive to eat and order more. My compliments go out to Urara and Katrina who were our main waitresses for the night! They were amazing and really show how service should be like for every restaurant. They are truly a key asset to any successful business. There was one momentary blip when they forgot my friend's order, but nothing that couldn't be easily remedied and they were apologetic and friendly about it. So star points for them! Rather than the Spicy Tuna Avacado salad, we went with the signature Gyu-Kaku Salad ($7.95). It had cherry tomatoes, boiled eggs, cucumbers, red bell pepper, and garnished with daikon. the dressing was a sesame ginger which I originally took for a peanut ponzu but I stand corrected! Now I'm going to list off a few of what we ate the their happy hour prices. The Kalbi Chuck is a must have! at $6.95 before and $4.95 during happy hour, it is definitely a deal! It's your standard meat to have for any dinner. Ordered with the Cheese Fondue ($2.00) and dipped in there, it's like a Philly Cheesesteak! OMG! Once again we ordered the Mushroom with Butter ($3.95) and the Mushroom Medley ($4.95) which were amazing and delicious!! I do have to recommend the Toro! It's beef bacon!! at $6.95 before and $2.95 during happy hour, it's an amazing treat! Season it with the Ponzu sauce before you start grilling it for some additional taste! The Rosu was pretty good, especially for the price. $6.95 before and $3.95 during happy hour, it definitely is a stable but wasn't my most enjoyable for the night. The Gyu-Kaku Cold Tofu ($3.95 before and $2.95 during) was amazing! It was very creamy and garnished with green onions and fish flakes and a nice hot sauce. So delicious and a must try during the Happy Hour special! Also try the Pork Belly Cajun ($5.95)! It cooks pretty fast and tastes amazing because of the right amount of spice. Yummay!!! There were a few others but these are really the ones worth mentioning. For everything we ordered and between 3 people, it came to around $68! We left stuffed with food babies and satisfied. Our waitress also signed us up for Gyu-Kaku's reward card which gives you points for each dollar you spend in the store. After spending $250, you get a $25 gift card which can just be put toward your next visit. For the price, how much you can eat, and the deals, I am definitely a fan of this chain! So can't wait for my next paycheck to ravage the menu again!
(4)Sandy K.
I would summarize Gyu-Kaku as sub par. I've been to other Japanese/Korean BBQ places that were much better on all levels, e.g. Juban in SF. The actual restaurant was depressingly dingy inside. The service wasn't great either. It was busy, so maybe that's why the service was slow and inattentive. There were a lot of menu items to choose from. I tried the kimchee soup, and it was just okay. I also got the garlic shrimp, which had too much garlic paste and didn't taste very good. I wouldn't waste my time, or appetite, going back.
(2)Katie N.
Came here for lunch for the first time today, it was a very enjoyable experience. Our server TC was very nice, friendly, attentive and knowledgeable about the menu. His recommendation was great and I would recommend King Kalbi, Hirame miso beef both was good. I would recommend this place to anyone, and thank you for the awesome customer service TC!!!!
(5)Jennifer S.
Decent food a bit overpriced but me and hubby both got food poisoning, on our vacation, 2 days in bed. Pretty sure we cooked the food fully.
(1)Justin E.
I've lived in Japan for about 8 months or so, and I've been to many a yakiniku place. I've had it Korean-style, which I've found has bad service but better prices by far. Gyukaku is much more Japanese. Everything is a la carte. That adds up--when kimchi sets you back about $6 when it'd be free at a Korean restaurant... that's the price you'd pay in Japan! The meat was of excellent quality (though the vegetables weren't anything spectacular). Service was really good, just like the quality of service you'd get in Japan. There was a coupon we got from a cow (no joke--a guy dressed as a cow) on the corner just down the street. It gave us $1 beer (1 per person). I think we could have gotten some sort of food instead for a buck as well... by why bother? Nothing goes better than BBQed meat and beer. Quality of food and service was excellent, though I'm not a fan of the price.
(4)Linh P.
We came here twice during our vacation, yes the food was that good. You're probably wondering then why the four and not five stars? Because the bill was very expensive. For two adults and a three year old that barely eat, the bill was $75, without drinks. We came during happy hour which could be before 6:30pm or after 10pm until midnite/closing. The meat you order comes in 3-5 ounces, very small portions so you will need to order many. We had the garlic shrimp, the hiro-miso short ribs, rib eye, boneless chuck short ribs, ahi poke, kimchee, some other meat but now I can't remember. They all were very tender, well marinaded, simply delicious. If money were no object we would have eaten at this place more often.
(4)Euge L.
i hate having to walk by this place when shopping the tourist row. every time we passed by.... YUM YUM YUM..... but alas, grilling japanese style korean food wasnt high on the todo list. whats worse than shopping? shopping and constantly smelling grilled meats!! but alas, after some hardcore work outs in the sun... the stars and sun aligned and gyu kaku it was..... sure its a chain. sure they might try to upsell you some items, etc...... but you know what? this korean boy who has made his own kimchee before(hell ive made ddaeng jjang and kot chu jjang also) says everythings pretty good. the banchan? pretty decent. the kimchee? it better than most store bought kimchee from the korean markets in san francisco. and of course the meats to grill, though not the best qulity around, its pretty damn good. having a constant line out the door probably helps maintaining higher quality food standards, im not industry, but a good guess i would think.... grilled meats, smoky, drinky.... good time had by all.
(4)Dawn G.
Our waiter was very helpful recommending the meats since it was our first time to eat here. We got there during happy hour so many items were very inexpensive. Yay! The selection of veggies was limited and what we didn't order was very small or didn't come out good on the grill- came out dry. Boo! Filet was tough, bistro harami was the all around favorite as was the beef tongue. Don't go with germaphobes that get all crazy about what tong touched what meat etc...it kills the fun This person will remain anonymous to save them from embarrassment. We went here because we were playing tourists in Waikiki but if I had to choose I would go to chois garden. This is more of a drinking place to hang out.
(3)Heidi M.
Had dinner here. They had happy hour. Everday of the week they have a different item for happy hour. Sundays are a lean sirloin. U can choose different sauces. Then u cook it to your liking. I would definetly recommend this place. I wish they would open one up in the San francisco area. I ordered the: Cajun spicy chicken- my favorite! Just make u don't over cook it. Ahi tuna- simple. I ate it raw Lean sirloin- very good with miso or garlic sauce Shrimp- yummy, but nothing special Veggie platter- eggplant, onion, mushroom, zucchini ... I say skip the veggies and get the good stuff +1 great atmosphere and ambiance +1 clean!!!! +1 fun, creative, and entertaining cooking method +1 deliscious food and wide variety +1 service was very fast. They were very understaffed but I totally understand LOVE LOVE LOVE
(5)Niva S.
i have been to the this restaurant in Hawaii and in Torrence California. I do believe the one in Hawaii is better but they have almost the same menu. I do love there happy hour menu that offers a lot of variety. I came here with my mom and had a great time and a great meal! make reservations if you can because it gets crowded and then you end up facing a wall! I am a big fan but I do have one issue and that is service! it could be better.
(4)Jon M.
If you like Gyu-Kaku, this is a great place. If you don't know what it is, you order all sorts of meats and vegetables with different spices and marinades and grill them yourself on a roughly 12" diameter grill in the middle of your table. Then you eat them fresh off the grill and enjoy with a pitcher of japanese beer and sake. Each table here is kind of enclosed so it's kind of a private feeling. We forgot there were other people here and got a little loud I'm sure. The time to go is late night happy hour (i think it starts after 10pm). But Late night happy hour you get a ton of their meats half off, pitchers and sake are cheap as well. And everything is delicious. I love Gyu-Kaku and this one did not dissappoint. We ordered around 12 different things, shrimp, steak, butterfish, and all sorts of meats and every single one was great. We even tried tongue (cow tongue I believe) and it was really good. Surprisingly I liked it and would definitely order it again. So go late, get a steal of a deal, and leave happy and full!
(4)Christopher R.
Excellent! Went to one back in West LA and this one is just as good. Very affordable during happy hour to boot.
(4)Laura D.
Food not bad, but the custumer service was poor. Japanese custumer with no reservations were getting seated before us , despite the fact we hada reservation! After 45 min of waiting time we decided to leave. On our first time at the bbq we had to wait 1 hr outside beacuse there was a big group of japanese tourist.....but then it was ok, since we didnt have any reservation! Wile waiting 45 min when u DO have a reservarionis little bit too much! Not gojng there again
(2)Nathan N.
Really good happy hour, I like the cheesy jalapeño wuntun. I like the ward location seating better than the Waikiki location.
(4)Annie L.
This place is delicious! Our first night in Waikiki, we found this place to eat for dinner. They were running their daily happy hour specials and it was so cheap! The Hiromi skirt steak ( I think I spelled it right) was super good, but that's not on their happy hour menu. It's cool though, it was good. We actually went back there again 2 days later for a late night happy hour. We had different kinds of beef and marinated meat. The chicken was good too. I went to a place in LA similar and it was much better, but this is a nice cheap place to go for meat eaters during their happy hours (11:30am to 6:30 pm and 9:00 pm to 11:00pm - I think). Yum!
(4)Rabbitar N.
11:30 am to 6 : 30 pm is happy hour, great deal with yummy food. Excellent superb service.
(5)Lindbergh B.
What is more manlier than cooking meat on an open flame while relaxing with a pitcher of beer? This is how I picture Jesus spending his Sunday afternoon after a day of church, drunk and wearing a tuxedo shirt, which says, "I'm formal but i also like to party!" So, come check out this place only during HAPPY HOURS and get your "Happy Ending". But please, ask them in a seductive manner or else they wont give it to you.
(4)Wendy C.
I love the Gyu-Kaku in Huntington Beach, CA yelp.com/user_details_re… . My kids have never been to it, so I brought them here while vacationing in Hawaii. It was a big hit with my kids as well! We came during lunch time so we were able to take advantage of the happy hour menu. But they offer 'happy hour' practically all day except from 6:30pm - 9:30pm. There are also preset menus as well as all-you-can eat options. We ordered (from the happy hour menu) so much food but the bill was only around $87 (before tips) for the 4 of us. Considering it's Hawaii, it's really inexpensive. A few of my favorites are: Ahi Poké, Filet Mignon (so tender), Sukiyaki Bibimba (You must try this!), Bone-in Kalbi, Bistro Haromi, Shabu Beef. Service was excellent. I'm really impressed with Gyu-Kaku with its consistency in the quality of food and service. Now that I'm back in i CA, I'll be visiting the one in Huntington Beach soon. :)
(5)Virgilio B.
Just what you'd expect from a chain restaurant. The food and service were average at best. However, there happy hour menu is very extensive and reasonably priced. Its a good place to come and have a long dinner as you cook your own food and it can take a while. I wouldn't recommend it for a date since you might lose track of your meat and burned it to a crisp. Then again, if your date is boring at least you can entertain yourself by playing around with the grill. Happy hour menu had a wide selection of meats from 3 to 8 dollars a serving. You probably want to get 3 or 4 meats and a side or two of rice for a full meal. Also consider ordering the Bimbamp, a korean rice dish, for only 7 dollars and another meat to mix in.
(3)Kit W.
First, the bad: - you gotta know how to cook stuff on a grill - you're going to smell like yakiniku for the rest of ____ until you shower/swim/get rained on/etc - non-happy hour pricing is not cheap Then, the good: - MMMMMMMMMM! just about everything we had was really tasty and the cooking recommendations were spot on - Happy hour specials are bargains! both drinks and food. - Great service, the guy even told us that we could order off the happy hour special despite being a few minutes late (and they were super nice to us despite us having a large party with 3 little ones. Definitely go either early or late, they are fairly busy. Mmmmmm. I think that the experience will be better with 4 people or so is going to get a greater variety/etc
(4)Phoebe R.
A little pricey, but I felt like we got our money's worth. The service was fast and responsive and the food was great! The best beef tongue I've ever had - tasted like an expensive steak - yum! Left full and happy. What more can you ask for! (oh! and get the dessert that comes with little pancakes...mmmmm)
(4)Aristotle M.
I love this place. My favorite yakiniku on Oahu. I like the one in Waikiki more than the one on Kapiolani, but never go simply because there is no parking. Oh well, the food is what matters. A bit on the expensive side though, especially considering Gyu Kaku is well known in Japan to be a sub-par yakiniku place, popular with young people because it's lower quality puts it in their price range. Put it in Hawaii though, and it's gourmet. The meats are great and are of course the focus of the menu, but give the sukiyaki bibimbap a shot at the end of your meal. It's great.
(4)Jen C.
I LOVE this place!!!! 6 of us went there 2 nights in a row. Go there after 9:30pm and you can order the food from the happy hour menu. The filet mignon was the best! We tried several varieties of beef, chicken, shrimps, and pork, and the beef was the only thing we liked! I also had the egg soup and it was tasty! They also have it in Southern California and New York. I will try it when I'm in town! Definitely!
(5)Tlisa A.
first time to the Waikiki resaurant... service was FAST, and the food was DELICIOUS! However, i think they water down their Kirin! i HIGHLY suggest you order the combo's it will probably be CHEAPER than doing ala carte.
(3)Cassie P.
Believe it or not, I've never been here before today. I walk by this place literally 5 days a week on my way to work. Finally, a friend called me up today and suggested lunch here. Ahhhhhhh my goodness, it was freaking awesome. Didn't look any further than the happy hour lunch specials. Didn't need to. "Starter set" of rice (unlimited), seaweed soup, edamame and salad for $5. Shared an ahi poke stack (which was DELISH) for....I can't remember. $5ish. Zucchini, mushrooms, basil chicken and kobe were all on the table. Everything so mouthwatering good!!!!! Even though we were super full, there definitely still a little room for the doryaki icecream! Ummm who doesn't love ice cream melting in a little toasty pancake sandwich?? The only reason for not getting the fifth star was the server. I'm guessing he was new; didn't really know the menu, sauces, discounts, etc, as well as being kinda slow. I can't wait for another lunch date. Mmmmmmmmm.
(4)Jennifer C.
This place is ridiculously good. Happy hour is from 11am to 6pm... half off a lot of the meat dishes and certain beer. Happy hour starts up again from 9pm to close. What a deal!
(5)Maya B.
Went here on a Saturday night and were accomodated by the manager on short notice without a reservation. You don't get service like that outside of big citys but as luck would have it this wonderful woman was from Chicago. The meal was great from start to finish and the fact that they have after dinner happy hour makes it even better. The food was all fresh and great and the staff was very attentive. All in all this was a wonderful dining experience and I would reccomend it to anyone.
(5)J F.
Hmm went here for happy hour.. place had about 4-5 other tables here. Ordered the Toro Beef, Chuck Kalbi which is on sale! the Cow tongue, and the Garlic Shrimp. THe Cow tongue was...alright kinda the texture I Expected and alright taste, my favourite was the chuck kalbi which is always solid, the toro beef was alright. My wife loved the garlic shrimp said it was very very good. Place is good for cheap eats and their happy hour times go for a long time so its convenient for people who liek to eat early then come back here and eat the late night happy hour as well!
(4)Kan H.
Love it so much. You definitely want to try its best sellers. The skirt steak is AMAZING!!!
(5)Julie M.
The happy hour is great. Very reasonable food and beer/drink prices. Try the tongue it is great. The skirt steak is great too. The mushrooms are beyond delish. The fried rice was very good too and a good value. I would pass on the garlic noodles. This place is a hidden gem and a little off the beaten path. Certainly worth seeking out. Happy hour goes to 6:30 so get there before that.
(4)robert k.
I have never been to a Korean/Japanese BBQ joint but I can't believe I've been missing out on such a great dining experience. I love to grill meat at home; there is something about being the master of the grill that makes me feel just as warm inside as the grill surface that I'm working on. Gyu-Kaku satisfies that urge but also provides excellent quality meat and an overall great dining experience. Our server Robert on the first night and Wei the second night were both awesome, and the bartender who brought us drinks was also very helpful as well. A+ service! I can't recommend any specific dishes because we tried so much! On Kalakua at night there are people dishing out 99 cent coupons for marinated kalibi which was delicious. They have 6 or 7 marinades to choose from. The meat, although a little fatty, is delicious! And their menu is very extensive - Lots of beef, seafood, chicken, and vegetables to grill or steam. My fav was the US Kobe Ribeye. We got that to cap us off on the 2nd night we ate there, and it was soooo good! It practically melts in your mouth. I also loved the cheesy broccoli which is just velveeta and broccoli that comes wrapped in foil. Drop it on the grill top for about 4 minutes each side and bam it comes out all gooey and delish! And I cannot say enough good things about the garlic fried noodles. They're finished table side in a very hot bowl by your server and..omg...best noodles ever. I'm seriously contemplating a weekend trip to LA just so I can eat at Gyu-Kaku and Roscoe's! Be forewarned, though, it is indeed a little pricey. Especially if you want to dine like a King and try everything on the menu, haha! Despite the price this was so good it's the only dinner place we ate at twice on our whole trip to Hawaii and we'll most likely dine here twice on our next trip as well!
(5)Candice F.
Absolutely fantastic! Went for Happy Hour twice in 5 days. Once on a date and once alone. Both times I had great drinks and food. Go for the Asian pear mojito, mushrooms and fillet mignon. You cook everything yourself and you leave feelin' like a rock star! I wish I had one here in Jersey :(
(5)Fred T.
Kind of nice food if you are into meat but it is a rather annoying atmosphere. It is just too much going on at the same time. The pub next door had a talentless band playing and unfortunately it was impossible not to hear the music through the walls. Having said this I actually enjoyed the vegetables the most. Nice cheese broccoli and very nice salad. When it comes to the meat I would skip the tongue and filet mignon. Their marinated beef was way tastier and if you go for the better cut very tender.
(3)Mike S.
We had an amazing waiter, Cris, an Asian college student at UH, who spent the time and explained everything about the different meats, cooking times, and recommendations on menu items. Being confused with the myriad of choices we just ordered the premium course and extra vegetables. Everything from the beef tongue, tenderloin, rib eye, steamed fish, mushrooms, poke, melted in our mouthes.
(4)Heather B.
I really like this place. Food is very good. BBQ. Cook it yourself. This place is the best for BBQ. Soooo Gooooodddddd!!
(5)Robert C.
Rating: 3.25/5 Date(s) Visited: 12/31/10 Food: 5/5 Service: 2/5 Atmosphere: 3/5 Price: 3/5 The food quality at the Waikiki Gyu-Kaku is much, much better than at the Kapiolani location, but the service certainly is not. I went here with more or less the same group that I had gone to the Kapiolani location with, intending to grab dinner before heading to the Hilton to watch the fireworks. Unfortunately we had a rather large kerfuffle since the bills were all mixed up and the group ended up missing most of the show. Food: The Waikiki location seems to realize the importance of properly seasoning their beef products. When I ordered my shabu beef, I wasn't swirling it on the plate to get every last grain of salt and every last sesame seed to give it flavor. Instead, all I had to do was plop it down on the grill and enjoy with a bowl of rice. It also made me realize that I much prefer the thinner cuts of meat because I can give it a slight char that, say, filet mignon won't really take. I will be ordering shabu beef from now on. Even their non-beef dishes taste better here. Their potatoes had a je ne sais quoi about them that made them taste even better, although I still wished that they had pepper shakers. That didn't stop me from wanting to drink the butter my potatoes were cooked in, though. (I did not drink the butter) I also ordered their corn and was very impressed with that as well. My friend who had ordered their "Garlic Fried Noodles" at the Kapiolani location decided to give them another chance and boy am I glad she did. This dish was a complete 180. They brought the bowl to the table and mixed it right there instead of just handing her a small plate with undercooked, burned noodles and garlic. This time, the noodles were perfectly cooked and extremely garlicky. The price was a bit steep, but given how amazingly delicious it was, I think it's worth it. Service: The service was just so-so until the bill came. We were seated on three sides of a table and the bill was supposed to be one for each side. Despite that, one side ended up getting everyone's drink bills and a bunch of other people's foods, the side I was sitting on ended up getting only my friend's food order and my bowl of rice and the last side got the rest of my food order. We spent almost twenty minutes trying to sort the mess out and handing out cash as appropriate to the people paying the bills. Because of that, we ended up leaving the restaurant at 11:50 or so and that gave us barely any time to walk almost clear across Waikiki to get to the Hilton. As a result, I arrived at the fireworks show at 12:07, with only about three more minutes left. Not quite the way I had hoped to enter the New Year... Atmosphere: The ambiance here is very different from the Kapiolani location. To me, it seemed much less rowdy and more under control. I also didn't feel like I was getting a tan sitting next to the grill since there was unrestricted airflow around us. Still, it was kind of annoying to have to sit next to the entrance and listen to the employees shout their greetings and farewells to all the customers. Price: I still find myself having problems with Gyu-Kaku in terms of pricing. To me, it doesn't really seem like a fair deal unless you go during happy hour and even then it's nothing extraordinary. I guess if you're in love with Gyu-Kaku, then the prices won't matter that much, but I'm far from in love with them.
(3)Paul T.
I stumbled into this place on my first night in Hawaii, and was initially taken in by the idea that I was eating at a local joint. Turns out, however, that it's a chain, but that doesn't take away from the fun of grilling your own food at the table. I love eating out. I also love cooking my own meals. Gyu-Kaku definitely allowed for a mash-up of both of these experiences. The servings are typically small, so order two dishes with a side of rice to take away any hunger pangs you might be having. The kal-bi ribs I ordered were deliciously marinated and tender as all get-out after I'd cooked it, and were it not for my short stay and desire to eat at as many different places as possible, I might have paid another visit to the joint. Odds are, however, I will never eat here again, since there are so many different local flavors and local places to dine at. There really is no sense in wasting a dining experience on a chain restaurant in a place like Hawaii.
(3)John M.
I Love Gyu Kaku but this location is not as good as Kapolani
(4)Myke F.
Fantastic Japanese BBQ, a favorite in Waikiki!! I had to go all the way over there to discover that several exist in Los Angeles, I can't wait to go back when I get home! Happy Hour prices are awesome, especially considering the high quality menu and food. We had everything from shrimp to beef to chicken, and it was all terrific. Possibly the best miso soup I've ever had. Also, great service, worth every bit of a 30% tip!!
(5)HayesOne s.
My wife and I had an impromptu dinner here July 6th. We got the Saki sampler and the kalakaua. It was plenty of food and it was all good. We were especially surprised with the sausages. We like it but for the price not really worth it. Small tables and not well ventilated.
(3)Justin L.
After searching for something open for dinner past 10pm I was starving and so thankful to find this place! We came in 30min before they closed so I knew we would be rushed but didn't care. Our waitress was super sweet and helpful! Helped us pick a good selection for one total carnivore and a vegetarian. However within 20min, before we were even done eating, the bill was forced upon us by the manager and they had begun taking away sauces and utensils. None of this really mattered though cause everything was 50% off including many sakes plus loved our great server. I wish I remembered her name! Not to mention I was totally crushing on the guy in the cow outfit who passes out flyers to the passing crowds urging you to eat here. I was totally having a Miranda (Sex & City) moment. Can't see him but I know he's totally cute. Also, we had ordered dessert but the kitchen had closed and have the servers had already left so we knew we weren't getting it. It was only $5 and not worth the trouble so we decided to just take off. We get about a block away and here comes our waitress with two dessert cups in hand for us. So sweet!!
(4)Francis C.
I've always enjoyed Gyu-Kaku because of its selection and reasonable prices (Happy Hour is excellent). Only thing, sometimes the server(s) can be really slow and unattentive. They started a "Gyu-Kaku Card"- only $1 to join- and similar to Shokudo's card. You get a reward after spending so much.
(5)Joe I.
Insanely awesome. Delicious food. Great service. Cool space. I had never done Japanese BBQ before, and the social interaction around cooking food for yourself and for others is really fun and fosters some great conversation. The variety of food that came with what we ordered was super fun, and even though there were 5 of us we ordered a meal that served two, and there was plenty. I can't recommend this place more highly. Best meal I had in Honolulu.
(5)Julia H.
It used to be a 5 star place until they lost their dorayaki maker....to which i have to give it average stars since I really feel the dorayaki made them special!
(3)Doris D.
Just ok, overpriced! The happy hour, I heard, is a very good deal and would make a trip to this place worth it.
(3)JL S.
One of our standard go-tos in Waikiki. The food is great, price is reasonable, and atmosphere is fun. Not always easy to find in such a touristy spot.
(4)Nicholas T.
First time I went for a late lunch. Have to knock off a star for service. Must have been the B team
(4)Rosalyn T.
Everything was delicious, and service was excellent! In addition to our meats and veggies, we also ordered sukiyaki which was sooo tasty and one of our favorite sakes, Kikusui. For dessert, we got the Hawaiian ice cream and it was to. die. for. Gyu Kaku is one of our favorite restaurants and it just happened to be a few blocks away from our hotel, Score!
(4)Todd T.
Second time eating here, a little different menu than Kapiolani Blvd location. The rice sizes here are very small. The garlic noodles are prepared table side in a hot bowl, different again than Kapiolani. They still have the happy hour menu which is nice. Best to make a reservation because its always busy.
(4)Barry W.
I am a big fan of the Gyu-kaku(s) in Los Angeles, so ... naturally when I came to Waikiki, I had to visit this one. This location served it up well. I ordered combo plates! It has a more japanese feel since it's located on lewers. (narrow 2-lane street, with lil bench out front to wait on.) Wait was ~ 30min on a Sunday nite & service excellent. My son and I'll certainly return next time we're in Waikiki.
(4)Anh T.
It was fantastic!! Definately get the combo. Lots of good food and plenty for 3 people. Try and make it for happy hours. 12:30-6 & 9-12. Better prices and still great service
(5)Chris B.
Very good restaurant, professional and knowledgeable staff, nice atmosphere, but can get expensive fast as they sell ingredients to cook by the serving.
(4)Alexandra H.
The hubby and I love this place and come here at least 2x a month. I highly recommend getting frequent customer card. It helps out a great deal with point accumulation and discounts....another great thing is that they extended the All-You-Can-Eat buffet for everyday, not just on the weekends! rozu beef and toru! Oh and the fried cheese wontons! Or the seaweed soup! All very yummy!i don't drink anymore, but I noticed that for the Kirin pitcher they have a device in it that keeps it nice and foamy n fresh drafted taste
(5)Vanessa B.
I can't believe I lived in Waikiki for a 1 1/2 years and only recently discovered this place! I absolutely loved it here and i'm pretty sure my boyfriend enjoyed the experience as well. After visiting the one on Kapiolani I decided to make reservations for happy hour at the Waikiki location. The open windows made it much more comfortable as I complained about how stuffy it got at the Kapiolani location. The hostess in the front were on top of it and immediately sat us down at the time of our reservation. The waiter told my boyfriend about everything he needed to know about. He showed us the happy hour menu, explained how to adjust the flame, described the sauces for the meat, and described several of the dishes as well. The food was delicious! The happy hour prices were great! The best part of the night was having a live show of people fighting right outside of our window..only in Waikiki!
(5)Latham W.
Visiting family in Honolulu last week I checked out Gyu Kaku on a recommendation from my brother. It's best to try this place during their very lengthy Happy Hour, which I think is from 11am to 6pm. During Happy hour the cost is extremely reasonable, and they have a full bar. After Happy Hour things get a little pricey for what you are getting: cook-it-yourself food. Great place for a group of meat eaters, not so much for the vegetarians. Give it a try, it's worth it.
(4)Dong T.
It can be expensive, or it can be super cheap. When you order stuff, it comes out right away, since it's not like they have to cook it or anything. The happy hour specials are a great deal. Our waitress was able to hook us up with some specials even though it wasn't the right time. Try a bit of everything! We ate dinner here our first night in Oahu. Got TOTALLY wasted because of the stupid drink specials. Damn them! When you get a table, ask for IAN. He is the MAN!!!!
(5)JD L.
I am not a fan of this location. I've only been to this gyukaku twice, and both times were blah. The wait for the tables were ridiculously long. We were told by the hostess that we would have to wait ten minutes so that someone could clear a table for us. No one cleaned anything?? We ended up waiting for about 30 minutes. Service was alright. I prefer the kapiolani location!
(3)Hillery G.
All of the steak meats were great. It was fun to cook our food. the customer service left a lot to be desired. We had to track down waiters for additional water, dessert and the check - so annoying.
(4)David D.
This is cook-your-own on a gas grille in the center of your table. The difference between Korean and Japanese is the "dipping sauces." Two nights we called and couldn't get a reservation before 9:30 pm. The third day we called around noon, and got a 6:30 pm seating. Ikaika, a muscular guy who looked like he should be fire dancing at the Polynesian Cultural Center, deftly guided us through the menu. We ordered the Kamehameha special, a prix fixe dinner that was supposed to feed two, but that could easily feed all three of us. It consisted of a large salad, mixed vegetables, and a half dozen meats, including tongue, sirloin, prime rib, and kalbi (cross-cut short ribs). Ikaika brought us a third cup of rice for Mom. Dessert consisted of vanilla ice cream covered with maple syrup. A great evening, 3 satisfied customers for $81.66 + tip. We were notified when we were seated that the table had to be turned by 8:00 pm. Normally this would have irked me, but seeing how busy the restaurant was, I didn't mind. Taking our time, we were out by 7:45 pm anyway.
(5)Michelle W.
The food was only so-so. One of the appetizers, fried calamari, was so tough as to be inedible, and was actually pretty freaky looking. It was no where near as described in the menu or like the picture in the menu. That went back. We ordered filet mignon, but it was tough and extremely riddled with fat and chewy bristle. Not appetizing. The food took way too long to come out of the kitchen, especially considering that you cook it yourself on the grill at the table. How long, exactly, does it take to plate up raw food? 45 minutes is a little asinine. The waiter forgot to bring us tongs, so the only way to cook our food was with the chopsticks, and being our first experience, we didn't realize that they were supposed to bring tongs, until she finally showed up 20 minutes later with them. The restaurant was dirty. The lamps above the table, directly above the grill yo Next time, I believe we'll try one of the other locations, or a different restaurant all together.
(2)Minette C.
This is the type of place where you want to find cheap eats and cheap liquor, and also if you are super hungry. I came here for the late happy hour, as I already had quite the hefty dinner, but I really wanted to squeeze this in from all the reviews on Yelp. I was a little disturbed from the cleaniness, but it's something most people won't notice, as many were drunk. I can see myself enjoying this place a lot if I was starving and buzzed, but I was neither.
(2)Angela R.
Prices: Great!! I would say it deserves a $$ not $$$. My friend and I had a ton of food, TWO drinks each and dessert for about $80. Atmosphere: Nice setup. A little smokey, though. Service: Great!! We had a couple different guys waiting on us who were all helpful and fast. Food: De-lic-ous. Everything we had (beef, tounge, spinach) was so frigging good.
(5)Hanh Y.
We were looking to dining here based on the yelp reviews. Unfortunately, the food was offset by the terrible service. We had an 1 hour and 15 minute wait on a Wednesday night, the waiter got our order mixed up. The $$ paid was not really worth the tiny portions. The food was somewhat tasty, but we regretted the decision to spend our precious vacation time here waiting so long.
(2)Janders S.
Best grill I've had since Japan. Better than Korean stuff in Portland. (Please God, someone in Portland area let me know of a great yakiniku place in the area) I need grilled beef, I'm tired of standing there, slicing steak and tossing the individual pieces in a frying pan while drinking a beer and wearing a wife beater' Excellent for a group or a relaxed date. two people who can enjoy, get the $80 special. Go to Kalakaua and find the guy handing out coupons for cheap beers unless you go for happy hour. Manager, get that dancing kid in the kitchen a fucking tissue or send him to the bathroom or have him wash his hands when he is done 'clearing' his nose. shit. at least i got my food already and from the other side of kitchens. Waiters and Waitresses, EXCELLENT, no question about it. Such Good grubs that I had a time walking after and I usually dont eat that much. Happy HR 11:30a-6:30p then 9:30p-close. EXCELLENT FOOD/SERVICE Anyone in the Portland area know of such a place, because I could eat at this place weekly? Someone let me know.
(5)Emily D.
When my bestie here is craving BEEF close by Waikiki this is where we head off to. You may recognize the shop by the man sized cow that hands out flyers on the corner for their happy hour from open-630pm & 930-close. Food: Great seasoned beef and multiple sauces to customize your experience. There are lots of cuts and types of meats depending on how much you want to spend. I particularly enjoy the gyu-kaku salad with it's flavorful dressing and quartered hard boiled egg. Happy hour: not very many choices. Shabu beef starts at 2.95 and the more expensive shrimp and thicker beef goes up to 5.95. I kind of find it the price it is SUPPOSED to always be. Advertising it as "happy hour" is kind of deceptive. Overall: go for happy hour during a date- cooking the meat should give you something to do during those awkward pauses :) plus "happy hour" is almost all of the time.
(4)sherry t.
FANTASTIC! Came here for happy hour Monday after 9pm. $3 ahi poke, $2.75 draft pints, $3.50 hot sake. Solid food for great price. Excellent service. MUST GO!!
(5)Sheila F.
OMG! This place was right up the block from my hotel- I called them re: a reservation while my husband was out diving, and we got there at 5:30 PM- still happy hour! Our bill was less than $60 for drinks, dinner (filet mignon, a bunch of other meats- even the tongue!) and garlic noodles. Excellent!!! The filet mignon was the best. Service was excellent. Enjoy!!!
(5)Tiffany R.
My husband and I just ate here for an early dinner, during Happy Hour of course! I am really not sure what we ordered but it was all really awesome! And our waitress was friendly, our glasses were never empty! We've been living two blocks away for almost three years and I wish we would have tried this place sooner! We will defiantly be going back and bringing friends! I also LOVE the music they play there, great atmosphere!!
(4)pirateninja a.
eh okay. The food prices were okay aside from that, this place is dirty! The floor is sticky, the chairs sticky, I was waiting to go to the restroom and I saw a guy take a broom out of the closet and the mop was black et cetra. Also one star removal for 1 bathroom(Wth) and another star removal for dirtiness. I give a star for those workers though, enjoyed the mixing the rice. Their foods are okay, meats are the BEST though . And they validate parking which is a plus. But at least the servers are much better than shukudo and take the time to explain and remember your orders even though they ARE busy(possibly more busy than shukudos) Rather give them business that arrogant shukudo
(3)Roxanne H.
Ok ,so it was the weekend of the Honolulu Marathon, but that did not excuse the incredible delays and the service . We made a booking and were told it would be an hour before we could be seated so off we went to do some shopping at Ross Dress for Less around the corner, came back fifty five minutes later and waited outside and waited and waited approximately another thirty five minutes although there was a table next to the window that remained vacant.( which we were told was being held for someone who never materialized ) along with others who were also not impressed with the long waiting time. if they had initially told us the wait would be that long we would have gone elsewhere but well we were there so! when we eventually got our table the waiter was more interested in selling us a package meal than anything else, like explaining the menu or the condiments on the table as we had not been to this restaurant before it would have been nice to have someone explain the menu etc..but no.. the dishes we selected were well we have had better in Japan/Sydney/Asia and not as expensive. I'm not sure we will give this restaurant another visit when we are next in Honolulu. oh and to add insult to injury they included a 15% tip in the bill automatically..very rude...
(2)Padraig M.
Great fun lunch place. Fixed price meals were fun, good value. The $18 premium lunch meal not that great, the premium cuts weren't as good as I hoped for. $10-11 prix fixed better option. Got an extra side of fillet mignon which was great. Great friendly service, manager/owner came over too to check on us. Very accommodating with the baby, even if the place isn't optimal for that.
(4)Kristy W.
I had lunch here on a Sunday afternoon and loved the food, service and prices. The happy hour prices are very reasonable (in an area where reasonable prices are not necessarily common) and the food delicious. There was a slight wait when I arrived however it was only 5-10 mins and they had places to sit right outside. I was eating alone, so I'm confident this review is based on an excellent dining experience and not just wonderful company. The server gave me a great idea as to what each menu item was, without any pressure to select a local or personal favorite. Ultimately I ordered the 'bistro harami and rosu' grill lunch set. I added the mixed kimchee appetizer and a mixed drink. I was stuffed at the end of the meal and completely happy. I plan on returning with my husband to share the treat.
(5)Linda E.
Gyu-Kaku Ok There I was tired on my Friday standing in and sore plus dealing with reconciliation I still managed to receive the green light to go. Happy Hour starts at 9:30. Albeit it was graduation weekend for UH but er um but aren't we important people too? We just got off work and some of us were super hungry and thirsty for cocktails. It was Karin's last day before maternity leave. She does so much for us that we wanted to say our proper farewell. She had her heart set on Gyu Kaku. I on the other hand am more of fan of spicy Korean or sashimi style sake bars like that of my regular Sorabol and or Doraku being I love Crown Royal it's my Friday and it Karin's last night I decided to go. My curfew time was ticking away standing on Lewers Street where I have no business being... sad and thirsty I left angry after waiting over an hour. There I was tired on my Friday standing in lined up like a cattle call... we should have moo'ed maybe we would have gotten faster service? Sore muscles and dehydrated as well as thirsty plus dealing with reconciliation another story, I managed to receive the green light to go with the girls to celebrate! Yes, I was fully aware I got to get up make coffee and do breakfast, grab the contents of household shopping list be back to before lunch to serve hungry construction workers and write a blog about my experience. Which was now really less than fabulous, it was in fact horrible and I wasted my Friday of which I have only one day off this week. Being an LMT it is crucial to have good nutrition and adequate rest and sleep plus unwind from a rough week... and boy oh boy did I have one! another story there as well... But imagine spending the bulk of one hour standing outside Lewers on a Friday Night... No food, no water in line arrived and in line since 9:10 "told 9:30" then at 9:35, "Please wait 20 more minutes" and then at 10:12, "Sorry 20-30 minutes more." I lost my smile and cool! I was feeling foolish and angry. Empty tables all about reserved for a party of 7 while a party of 4, 6, various numbers passed through to sit down, with sill empty tables that we could have ate sat and left by now. My suggestion is don't go unless you have time to hang out on Lewers Street or like to hang out at lengths on Lewers and people watch. While Gyo Kaku tries to imitate long line as in high demand it is sad they are management style is so whacked. Sad they had me going there and thinking it was going to be great and it was so disappointing!!! Our party went from 8 to 6 to 4 with the announcements of delays while others sat with the Karin still craving Gyo Kaku so Bernie, Ryoko, and Satoko stayed. Eventually Bernie having to drive home to Ewa Beach finally threw in the towel and left hungry! Such a disappointing evening... I will not be recommending this to place for celebration but only drop in if it there are free tables available but who knows perhaps they too will be RESERVED lol!!! So many places and such a bad economy and they play games with local and fellow co hearts of Waikiki sad... Do they know we are married and we have disposable income? Hm... we the working class need to unwind and have money... Where's the perk of paying first class taxes, buying local when we get treated like third class citizens and like rift raft sad yeah? Some management styles in Hawaii lack service and hospitality. Next time I'll suggest Doraku!!! Great food, great drinks pours, great service, friendly and courteous too, and in the Royal Hawaiian where they cater to hungry paying customers
(1)First Name L.
This is a 4.5 but pretty darn close to a 5. I've been here a few times and every experience has been positive. Parking is easy, after 6pm there's usually a street space, if not the parking lot on Kapiolani is validated. I usually go up the ramp, I'm not sure if it's a different parking company if you go to the lot that is on ground level. Hours of operation is pretty much early lunch to late night. Seems like it's happy hour all the time. Basically between 6:30-9pm is the only time it is NOT happy hour. You can't beat Kirin draft for under $3 and a pitcher for $8! The Mojito's are also quite good. The food is awesome. I've ordered their Mahalo and Aloha sets in the past and have come in and just ordered ala carte. I'll usually just order one of every happy hour special plus premium kalbi, garlic noodles, salad, and of course their dessert. I was really disappointed with the regular Kalbi... it was $5 but it was basically one Kalbi cut in three pieces, pretty pricey for all that bone. That's really my only gripe. Service is consistently very good. It's hard for me to not tip 20% because they work hard for their money. Very clean and what else?! If you haven't tried, give it a try, you won't regret it. Price... that's the only but! But the price. Yeah... dinner for four last night was about $200 and only 2 of us were drinking... and it was happy hour (: You get what you pay for. For my money, excellent service, food, and icy cold Kirin... it's well worth it.
(5)Melody T.
Amazing pear mojito just have to point that out! It was just the right amount of sweetness and it was so smooth. We went during happy hour so the drink was about 4 dollars, which added to my liking. We ordered a bunch of yakiniku and rice and the bill came out to be 25 dollars for three people which is not bad at all. I definitely recommend this place!
(4)Aimee A.
Everyone loves this place so I brought my auntie and uncle here. Got the $100 package. Had good service and the place was nice but...food wasn't anything special or exceptional. Serving's weren't the big either. Maybe I didn't order the right food but I didn't feel like I got my money's worth here.
(2)Amanda M.
Boy, this place was expensive but hey, my parents were paying! We ordered the Kalakaua Course for 2 at $74 and since there were 4 of us my sister ordered some Kimchi fried rice and chicken ramen. I thought it was pretty expensive for all the thinly sliced meats we were getting so I'm hoping at least the meats were from local ranches or anything related to the Slow Food Movement haha...probably not. The staff was very fast and efficient and they were on top of their stuff. They were honest with their suggestions and knew that the Kalakaua would be enough for all of us haha. A funny thing is that there was one white guy working there that had a nametag with an obviously very Japanese name, probably a joke. The meats were okay....I drenched a lot of everything in a lot of sauce. But to this day, me and my sister still talk about that ramen, OH MY GOODNESS...so good. Hence the 4 stars.
(4)Joey F.
Happy Hour is fantastic! We still managed to spend $150 between 4 people but we ate WELL and the food was delicious. The filet mignon was soft indeed. All the cuts of meat we had were fantastic. The service was great as well. I lived in Japan for a few years and this really made me reminiscence about how much I miss the food there....great place for a small group.
(5)Cin G.
I had a craving for japanese food and walked in after looking at the price and it was a great fun meal, good price and happy hour too. Definitely a nice lunch date with my honey! Gonna bring our outerisland guests here next week. Yummy!
(4)Christina C.
Yummy yakitori and yummy drinks. My sister and I got good meats and veggies, and it's one of the better yakitori places I've had. I wish we got to come back for their happy hour though, when meat and drinks are cheaper.
(4)Tracy S.
This was my first experience at a Japanese BBQ restaurant and I loved it. We had a reservation, but showed up a little early. They said they would quickly clear a table for us, but in reality just kept us waiting until our reservation time. This was fine -- especially as other diners kept arriving without reservations and had to settle in for a wait. Our waiter was quite helpful in explaining the menu. This was important as its a big menu and can be a little confusing. We ordered 4 or 5 different meats, veggies and fish to try and he brought them out a few at a time and gave tips when needed on how long to grill each item. We then picked up the tongs and started to grill -- a fun and interactive experience. The food was excellent and really filled us up. One person in our party ordered dessert and as a bonus, the waiter brought a smaller sample of the dessert for the rest of us to try as well. Nice bonus - even if we were already very full! Honolulu is filled with chain restaurants, which we tried to avoid while there. However, I didn't realize that this was one too (it was recommended by friends), but am very happy that we went. I'll even search it out back here on the mainland!
(4)Regina K.
Good service and the meats were very well prepared. The atmosphere of the restaurant has the perfect setting to having a great yakiniku style dinner with friends, family, a date or any other occasion. Also, if your grill gets too dirty they will gladly replace it with a clean one. And specific foods I enjoyed so far are the cheesy broccoli which was superb I love my veggies with cheese! And the roast, was amazing! Hope this helps! Another thing, it may get busy, so if you want a seat right away, make reservations. If not the wait isn't too bad and plus there are little stores nearby and a few bars if you want a nice drink while waiting. I recommend this place for a good japanese style yakiniku!
(4)Morgan B.
This is such an awesome place. From the outside it looks very plain but the food is amazing and the experience is a ton of fun!! My husband and I decided to go because of the great yelp reviews. We went during the late night happy hour, it was great! We would both highly recommend to check this place out! They had a really great selection for happy hour and some really yummy ice cream treats! Price during happy hour was good too!
(5)Kristina C.
The meats and seafood are very flavorful. The veggies and sides are one of a kind and completely delicious. You've got to try the soju and barley tea drinks. I hope that there's a Gyu Kaku in San Francisco.
(5)Chris N.
I love dining at Gyu-Kaku, and the Waikiki location was no exception. Despite having a reservation, we still had to wait close to 20 minutes before being seated. That's expected though, considering the set-up of the restaurant (yakiniku BBQ) and its popularity! Wei, our server, was super awesome. He was very attentive, and made sure that we were doing well throughout the entire dining experience. The dinner prices here are a little more expensive than if you were to dine at a location on the mainland, but oh well (when you put in to account some of the specials that tend be offered at other Gyu-Kaku locations). If you're looking for a bargain, make sure to stop by during the happy hour or during lunch time when they have pretty good deals on selected meats and plates. We each ordered sukiyaki bibimba (warning - this location adds an egg to the bowl, but does not list it as an ingredient on the menu), so three bowls total. In addition, we also ordered the gyu-moco and garlic fried noodles to share, which were delicious. And of course, we got a selection of chicken, kalbi and filet mignon, as well as vegetables to steam/grill. Overall, great service and we'll be back upon our return to Oahu!
(4)Sammy C.
Went there on Mother's Day and it was great. they gave us the Happy Houir prices and the food was delicious. My kids enjoyed it. they loved cooking their own food. It is a great experience.
(4)FAITH M.
ALOHA! Me and my husband been to Gyu-Kaku @ Wakiki couple times. It was AWESOME! GREAT FOOD AND GOOD SERVICE!!!! Thank you Gyu-Kaku! We're looking forward to come and visit your place again... MAHALO
(5)Ryan W.
This is my new favorite restaurant. Why don't we have these in San Francisco?? We ate here on a Thursday night with a party of 3. The food was so good that we came back the next night with a group of 14. Everybody had fun and enjoyed the food both nights. The Harami is my favorite cut of beef that they offered. I like the spicy miso sauce, but the others were very good as well. The asparagus wrapped with bacon was unique and tasty, and the shrimp was also worth ordering. I didn't taste anything I didn't like, and the crispy rice was delicious! Go with a group. That makes it more fun. You cook the food on a grill in the middle of the table. The service is excellent, but be prepared to do the cooking yourself. It is really simple. I would descibe the cuisine as an excellent mix of Japanese and Korean. This location is walking distance from most hotels/resorts in Waikiki, and I must say it was the best meal I had in the tourist district. Prices are very fair, in my opinion. Without alcohol, the tab on a party of 14 was around $300 and we ate a lot!
(5)Ramsey K.
Really enjoyed this. I liked being able to pick a bunch of different meats and veggies for grilling. While the place isn't the cleanest establishment I've been in, it has a certain atmosphere of friendliness made up for it. Next time I'm in Honolulu (probably not for a long time...first timer, not a fan), I'd definitely come back.
(4)Jonathan D.
I have no idea why but the servers here are always on their best behavior like they have a "secret customer" watching them. I had this good looking chick (no homo) Very pretty (still no homo) I was glad she catered to everything and when we asked how big was everything she told us how big the meat was with how many came on the plate. Very awesome. I burnt my wonderful looking musubi rice ball that you grill and it fell apart. Got a new one cuz she felt bad that she didn't tell us how to make it. Yippie. Loved her more! Got every dish I asked for. First dish was an appetizer that came out about 15 minutes later cuz it was a cooked one. Very good along with the food. At the end I didn't know the smores came with only too, and being the little piggy I am I ate both in like ten minutes. She asked if we wanted anything else to order and if not she would give us our checks. Got the checks and she was still refilling our waters :) Gave her the check and she even refilled our waters after that. I think I love her :) UPDATE: Just had another cool server a local moke guy with the name Ian. He is da bomb. Really chill down to Earth. If you love to just have a good time with a party of friend I highly recommend him as a server when not in an intimate party.
(5)Thao V.
Happy hour starting at 10PM- closing (12AM) is a pretty sweet deal, but I wouldn't come on an empty stomach cause it would be pretty easy to rack up quite a bill. The portions are cheap but are small at the same time. So if you're going with someone who eats a lot, such as my boyfriend, you might have to keep ordering more and more. I don't really remember what we got in terms of meat, but I remember it was good. Their pina colada (not on HH though) was so yummy! The atmosphere is pretty chill, and being able to grill your own meat is fun. Just don't come when you're starving cause you have to cook your own food first.
(4)Derrick V.
Tried the second location of this Japanese BBQ spot but I liked the other one better. The happy hour is tricky, because you can only order 1 item per person, unless you're in a group of 5 or more. Only the kalbi stood out among our selections.
(3)Alex D.
This place's food is so yummy. We just ordered the top #1, #2 recommendation from the menu. After a huge disappointment from Hakone buffet the previous night, this place totally rocks us. The service is also pretty good as well. I might have given this place a 5 star if we were eating during happy hour rate. I would recommend you to go during happy hour and you will have pleasant experience in both of your food and your bill.
(4)malia w.
first time to eat at gyu-kaku. went there for dinner, wish i went during happy hour because prices are much better. food is good quality and tasty. we got 2 red meats, one chicken, one shrimp and noodles. it was very filling and my husband is a big eater. they try to get you to order at least two dishes per person. if you aren't that hungry, just do 3 meat dishes for two people. our server was nice. it's a good place for a date or hanging out with a small group. i plan on trying the one in cupertino, CA.
(4)Jennifer B.
While on buisness alone in Honolulu, my trusty Yelp friends saved me again. Walked to this restaurant based on reviews and am now currently stuffed full of meaty grilled goodness!! Contrary to some reviews, I received excellent service in spite of being a lone diner (you often get forgotten when a party of one at dinner). This is not a fancy restaurant by looking at it (more dive-ish) but the food quality is amazing. By the time I left there was a line out the door on a Tuesday night. My only complaint is that the waitress told me as a single (female) diner I should order at least 3 meats, salad, rice and veggies. This was waaaayyy too much (but I ate it anyway :) ). The Poke was wonderful and fresh but a bit heavy on the onion for me. Also ate the filet, garlic shrimp and some kind of skirt steak (Haram?) which was the best of all. Steamed asparagus was a little weak. I might have preferred to just grill it straight. The sauces were also good, but honestly the meats were soo wonderful just grilled I hardly used them at all. Biggest plus, I got there for the tail end of happy hour so the whole shebang plus 2 beers cost me less than $30 which for Hololulu is pretty darn good, especially considering I probably won't need to eat again for 2 days. I will definately plan to come backh here when in Honolulu again (hopefully with a bigger group so I can try more things), but will also check out their California locations when I am there next.
(5)Yi F.
So tender the beef is. And great dessert. I tried both New York and Hawaii, they are both awesome!
(4)W Q.
Happy hour is an amazing deal here -- but I still think the $30 unlimited is the best deal!!! I love this place. Would recommend it to everyone! They do a really nice job marketing this place and offer good discounts for check-ins. Open late till 11:30pm when everything else good in Waikiki closes.
(5)Cynthia A.
Waikiki location, next to Kelley O'Neil's. Happy Hour specials everyday for beer and meat (see my pic). My favorite day is Saturday, for Sausage! My fiance and I are usually happy with a few orders of the sausage, some kalbi (any variety), and one or two veggies. I like the grilled mochi dessert. Gyu-Kaku, Waikiki | 808-926-2989 307 Lewers St., Honolulu, HI 96815 Open on 365 days a year. Hours of Operation: Everyday: 5pm to 12am* [*Last call done 30 minutes prior to close]
(5)Gary T.
Best Place for late nigh Happy Hour, 1/2 price dishes, and drinks and is a Yaki Niku style restaurant. Food is slightly above average same with the drinks, but who could complain, it is 1/2 price!
(4)miss w.
I coincidentally strolled in here during my vacation to Honolulu last year. I heading back out and the end of this month and this is the first place on my restaurant list. Excellent food, great customer service, and lively atmosphere. The one in Huntington Beach, California doesn't compare though it's not far from 5 stars. Just thinking about it makes me hungry.
(5)Ryan N.
when i was living in hawaii, we came here once a week to eat. i recently came back to visit and man was it heaven..Their new happy hour set menus are good. Happy hour is the best time to go imo. I dont need to explain each dish cause..its all good and thats all you gotta kno! oh and get dessert, u wont regret it
(5)Angela Y.
We've never eaten at a Japanese style BBQ restaurant before, just Korean BBQ....so we had to try Gyu-Kaku when we visited Waikiki. We didn't have to wait at all, I think because we got there right when it opened for lunch. I forgot the name of our waiter, but he was awesome! We ordered a pitcher of beer since it was "on sale" - how could we pass that up! One thing that I did notice, was that the lunch menu didn't have much of a variety as the dinner menu. Makes sense though....but we did find out that you can order anything from the dinner menu if you wanted. With that said, we ordered the garlic noodles off the dinner menu (really good!) - everything else we ordered off the lunch menu (kalbi, chicken, and the thinly sliced beef...i forgot the name). My sister and I were cooking the food so the experience was more of a task than anything. All in all, the food was great - the meat was tasty and the dipping sauces....SOO GOOD. I wanted to put a bottle in my purse. I heard there's one in Los Angeles.....i think the husband and I will check it out.
(4)Jen D.
I have been lucky enough to live in a city where there are 2 gyu-kaku locations (NYC). The East Village being my favorite location. And then I went to gyu-kaku when I was in Osaka. Gyu-Kaku has never let me down and the two times that we went in Hawaii were both just as great as my other experiences at their other locations. My favorite this time was the prime skirt steak in tare sauce, the premium beef tongue with salt, pepper and lemon juice, the garlic noodles and the sukiyaki bibimbap. Yes i said it. SUKIYAKI BIBIMBAP. It was sooooooo good!! The service was top notch and everyone there is really friendly. And don't worry about the smell. Japanese yakiniku places always have the grill that sucks the smoke down, so none of the smokey, meaty smell will infiltrate your clothing and follow you around for the rest of the night.
(5)Bigi L.
Amazing beef tongue. I'm normally not the one to try strange exotic food, and usually stick to my regular beef meat, chicken meat, pork meat, all the most common things. The first time I've been here was 3.5 years ago and I tried the beef tongue here and could never forget it. I came here again this time and it didn't disappoint. The whole meal was awesome (we got the set dinner for two which pretty much lets you sample a bit of everything), but of course the highlight is the beef tongue. Service was great, our server was really good and explained everything to us clearly, even told us which ones require dripping of lemon juice, and so on.
(5)Yingxingzi H.
This is awesome! even I get annoyed when I waited half an hour to get the seat but the food deserve five stars! everyone must go there!
(5)Kim H.
Once again another place to check out if you are in Honolulu. Our waiter was extremely knowledgeable and took the time to understand what we were looking for and what we wanted. My friend and I were there for happy hour and had a $50.00 tab so it's not cheap but it's well worth it. Honestly it was probably the first place I have ever been were all the employees seem to actually enjoy working.
(5)John A.
I would say a must try. Love the garlic noodle.
(4)Mickey K.
Food: 4/5 Price: 4/5 Service: 5/5 Organization: 5/5 Atmosphere: 5/5 Gyu Kaku is probably my most frequented restaurant in Waiks due to the laid back atmosphere. It's the place to go whenever I have an Aunty visiting me, after a surf session, or before work too. The first time I went there on Halloween with a large group. That's the exceptional part too!! We walked in Happy Hour, on Halloween with our ridiculous costumes and was seated immediately and served promptly without a reservation. The layout of the restaurant is made where you have your own little area, therefore more privacy to talk about whatever. Our waiter was Naruto, and he took our orders quickly and efficiently. Of all the times I've been there too, the service was always quick and attentive. There's a hapa boy who has been my waiter on numerous occasions and was always good at mentioning the deals and recommending selections. Sure you have to grill your own food, but that's the fun in it. Portion sizes may be considered small by some people but it's perfect for me. Plus, it's pretty simple to just order more if you're still hungry. As for prices, well compared to Waikiki this is a pretty reasonable price for the service, food, plus setting. I actually consider this a relatively cheap place to eat at, but of course that's only in Waiks. What I love the best about this restaurant is the ahi poke, hmmMMmmm. What made me cringe was the desert menu. My roommate and I ordered desert that costed about 8 bucks, (shotty memory since we ordered the first time we ate there and never again) but the ice cream was just one of ice cream. Definitely not anything impressive.
(4)Randy S.
Just had a great experience at Gyu-Kaku. We used the $10 check in coupon afterwards too. Fantastic food...great service...and an overall awesome experience. Kenji (the manager) is super cool and helpful too.
(5)Jame K.
The All you can eat! Liver..sausages meat, pork belly , basil chicken so so yummy .......Awesome and fast service. Great all around experience.
(5)Allison V.
Just got back from gyugaku and it was sooooo good! we went during happy hour and ended up doing a sake tasting and like 6 other drinks between me and my husband.. they all were delicious.. we also ordered like 5 meat dishes which were very good. the best thing was the garlic noodles.. beyond the best thing ive ever eaten! the only two downsides.. not any space to play footsies due to grill base and it was a bit louder than we wouldve liked.. but over all very very good food and we cant wait to go back..
(5)Tom A.
Just visited Gyu Kaku today, and though I've been there many times, gotta compliment them for taking my special order. I've been trying an Atkins diet for the last week, zero carbs, and they were willing and friendly about splitting my portion of meat between me and my friend (hers seasoned, mine not). Very good customer service here, and I've always liked the food, though it seems a bit pricey! This location has happy hour from 3:30 to 6:30 and from 10 until close :)
(4)Chris C.
Really love this place. The happy hour specials are fantastic and the service is alright. A few servers are better than others. Otherwise I love coming here.
(4)Mark B.
I came here with my family while we were on vacation in Hawaii. My boys have been to two other of their locations in NYC and loved the place. They love cooking their own food at the table. I do recommend making a reservation. We still had to wait for a few minutes, but that wasn't so bad. The food is good. My son loves the strip steak, so we had a couple of orders of that. The steamed fish was very good as was the garlic spinach and chicken. The place was pretty busy and service was indifferent. My biggest complaint is that there is virtually no ventilation in this restaurant. As the evening went on, the place filled with smoke. I was surprised it met building code. While I would happily go back to their locations in NY (which don't have the ventilation issue), I would not come back here.
(2)manchy m.
Happy Hours are awesome, you can get a lot for a reasonable price. My favorite dishes: Garlic Noodles, Butter fish, Teriyaki Chicken, Beef Kalbi, Tofu Soup... I would recommend Mojito, it's surprisingly good! The service has always been great, but I found it better on Kapiolani location than Waikiki.
(5)Elisa C.
I'm sad that I didn't get to come here during their happy hour, because it gets expensive when you order a la carte! My sister and I ordered two plates of meat, two drinks, and a side of vegetables, and our bill was about $60, and I wasn't even full afterwards :( The food is good though; the meat is very tender and drinks are yummy :) I hope that I will be able to eat during happy hour next time, and leave the place with food coma.
(4)Tasha T.
Hands down one of my favorite places to eat with a group of friends. I have come to this location numerous times for birthday celebrations and get together dinners. Awesome service and wonderful eating/cooking experience. If you are not one to enjoy cooking your own food, then please save yourself the effort, money, and heartache. You're better off going to a restaurant where you are served cooked meals, rather than a unique experience of yakiniku. That said, I LOVE GYU! And you should love it too :D Gyu basics: -HAPPY HOUR... EVERYDAY from 11:30am-6pm; 9:30pm-closing. What can I say? This alone = LOVE. Actually, they have changed this up over time. They used to offer just ONE special per specific day of the week. Nowdays, they caught onto what they were doing at the mainland locations by offering discounts on the best seller items on the menu everyday! Yessss! Poke, Bistro Harami, Filet mignon, NY steak, shrimp, kalbi, edamame, and more... And drinks, too such as sake, Kirin beer, and certain mixed drinks. Sooooo awesome. =Great drink selection, especially their Asian alcohol choices. Umeshu (plum wine), shochu (vodka), chuhai (shochu fruity mixed drinks), and of course Sake and Japanese beers. -The dishes (brace yourself, this is gonna be lengthy since I've tried almost everything over the years). For dishes served in foil, the server will instruct you on approximate cooking time, allowing you control over the finished product. Everything else is pretty simple, just throw it on the grill! -Spicy tuna avacado salad: The dressing complements this salad really well. Just the right amount of cucumber, tomato, and raw tuna (sashimi). -Tofu chigae: Kind of surprising to find a Korean dish in a Japanese restaurant, but it works! Spicy and hot, this is a great appetizer. It actually fills me up because of the kim chee and tofu combination, but there's ALWAYS room for the remainder yakiniku meal to follow. -FILET MIGNON: I never imagined having steak with ponzu prior to having this at Gyu. It goes amazingly well together! -Bistro harami (w/ MISO marmalade is my fave): My all time favorite! The meat is tender and juicy, and the flavor is to die for. -Gyutan: Basically cow tongue. Don't get grossed out! This is chewy but flavorful. Make sure to squirt some of the lemon and dip this in one of the sauces. Mmmm. (Negi Gyutan is almost the same thing, but with onions for added flavor). -Shrimp: Very fresh! -Miso butterfish: ALWAYS good & mouthgasmic... Just make sure not to overcook it! -Scallop: watch carefully to make sure you cook it JUST right :) -ANYTHING chicken: Be extra careful when cooking chicken yakiniku style, cook thoroughly. -Bacon wrapped enoki mushrooms: OMG AHHHH! Pairing enoki (really really good mushrooms) with BACON just makes for a deadly combo. -Cheesy brocolli: Really good, but again be sure to not overcook. -Mushroom medley/any vegetable dishes: Complements the meat dishes quite well. The sauces: There are 3 types, so just throw them in your special sauce dish and enjoy. I like the ponzu sauce best. Really fun desserts -S'mores! -Doriyaki ice cream: grill the pancake and make a cute twist on an ice cream sandwich. -Yaki-mochi ice cream (same concept, but with mochi instead) -Their ice cream flavors are super good (green tea & azuki are my faves!) For LUNCH, they have a few notable specials. -ALL YOU CAN EAT LUNCH starting from $24.95. -To-go bento boxes starting at around $7 (at this location only) -If you have a party of 10-12, I suggest making a reservation and getting the sectioned off area close to the back. It's secluded and the setup is close enough for everyone to mingle. -The servers and workers are all very dynamic and interesting individuals who are super fun and will make sure you have a great experience. -This restaurant gets BUSY so try to be ready to order everything in the beginning just in case it gets hectic and your waiter doesn't come back as quickly as your hunger desires. Service is really quick, and even though I've never really experienced long waits, a hungry tummy takes no prisoners. When ordering later in the meal, order in bulk so you can get everything coming to the table as they are prepared. -PARKING. This may be a problem for those who are driving in Waikiki. I suggest the lot right off of Kuhio (near 2145 Kuhio Ave). It's metered stalls (about a quarter per 15 minutes), but is significantly cheaper than the paid lots that can charge up to $10 flat rate. Also, there is a walkway that connects to the street that Gyukaku is on, so it's merely a 5 minute walk. Perhaps even try parking at DFS parking structure. Overall, Gyu is one of my all time classic faves & will continue to be. They have been consistent in their service and quality over the years, and I look forward to the new items that they periodically add to the menu.
(5)Jameson T.
Truly a wonderful experience all of the way around, which is really rare these days. The service is authentic, speaking Japanese and English with spot on communication between the two languages. A class act that drew in a lot of people especially Japanese which to me signified quality and traditional food. You cook the different options in front of you on a mini grill and have a lot of fun doing it. Went with my fiance and it was a nice romantic experience with lively conversation over just how good the food was. Take the server's recommendations, I assure you it is for a reason. Would have never tried pork belly or beef tongue(both were amazing). Give this place a shot if you are ever in Waikiki. One more thing, a very generous happy hour from 11am-6:30pm and 9pm-11:30pm EVERYDAY with a plethora of options. I wouldn't get too dressy though due to close interaction with food oils and proximity of hot grill.
(5)Annie N.
We were in Hawaii and Yelp'd for a good restaurant, and boy, was Yelp RIGHT ON! This place is right on the strip with all the shopping stores, so its perfect to come by put your name down (which you probably have too) then walk around a bit. It was our frist time there, so we got the $66 for Two dinner with a variety of meats. EVERYONE of those was delish! Service was great and very attentive. They will even explain to you how long to cook the meats in case you are unsure. So good, we came back again before we left!
(5)Albert L.
I'm going to try to make a concerted effort to write a new review every day, since it's been awhile and I realize I have such unbelievable taste in food/good experience in multiple cities around the US, so here goes... First of all before I forget, I highly recommend calling ahead and putting your name down for a reservation at this Gyu-Kaku at least, because this is in a heavily trafficked part of Waikiki on Lewers and there can be a 20-30 min wait or more at busy times...or you may get stuck at the communal table as opposed to your own table. And just rememeber you have to GRILL YOUR OWN MEAT and the smell can get all in your clothes, so prepare yourself when you go to dinner there. I love the smell and wish I could take a bath in it, but that's just me! This is a great first-date, small Japanese/Korean type grillable plates restaurant that is a chain...I first went to it in LA, and even saw one of the original ones in Shibuya, Tokyo! Although you probably don't get as MUCH meat as you would at another traditional Korean type yakinuku, it's more about the ambience and the QUALITY of the meat is very good. Each order of meat is usually about $7-$10, and comes with only about 6-8 pieces of smaller meat. For a 2 person dinner, you need about 5 or 6 dishes total (with other things like chicken/udon/seafood/vegetables thrown in). My personal recommendations for dishes include the Harami beef w/Miso flavor (most of the beef dishes are pretty good), the boneless chicken wings, the Kalbi-flavored Udon is great, the Miso butterfish is also pretty tasty. Don't get the other chicken dishes (pretty bland), their poke has a weird spicy marinade and isn't great, and their vegetables are nothing to scream about in general. They have a great Happy hour from 5-6:30 pm and 10:30 pm til close where beers are I think $2 and one dish each day is 50% off...I also happen to have a great 15% off card that they consistently honor everytime I go no matter how many times I use it! My one complaint is that in general, even if you only get a few dishes you'll still spend about $40-50 and sometimes feel like you didn't get a ton of food...but it's worth spending a little more for the environment/quality food!
(5)Larry C.
Got bored and went here. The food was ok at a reasonable price and the staff was very friendly.
(4)Christine D.
Okay. So the food is alright, the whole "cook your own food" is a nice gimmick, but seriously? The service was horrible. You would think that there would be some form of organization but there wasn't any. I went there for a party my friend was throwing and we waited about 30 minutes for our food while every one else on our table was already digging in. We THEN had to wait another 20 minutes for someone to come and change our coal for our cooker. Don't get me wrong, the food was better than decent, the marinated meat was superb, but I won't go back to a place if the service was lacking, and by lacking it was non-existent that night, and the previous time I was there. All I wanted to do was grab my check - which was also an issue, they couldn't distinguish who had what, so we waited another 20 minutes for our checks to be sorted out - and GO.
(3)Albert M.
Wanted to try something different, so we came to Gyu-Kaku in Waikiki. Staff were very friendly. We had the Hawaiian Ahi poke, fried chicken, and the garlic noodles. The food was ono and the price was good. We will visit again soon.
(4)Takahiro K.
Waiters are very attentive and friendly. Everything here was decent (meaning YUM!) and very lively atmosphere. Only one thing tho....! I am not a big fan of soft white rice... that was the only sad thing about this restaurant. If you want to have fun with friends and eat lots of food. This works pretty well.
(4)Michelle T.
I heart Gyu-Kaku!!!!. Everything here is good. Sure you have to cook for yourself but that's part of the fun. Plus I'll have to eat a lot slower so I'm consuming less calories...which i'm saving for the mochi ice cream dessert :) I recommended Gyu-Kaku to a few of my friends and they all love it.
(5)SukMon C.
Sat here for two hours stuffing myself on their all-you-can-eat lunch for $30, which was an awesome deal. I'm surprised we didn't eat the house clean of their beef.
(4)August A.
The food and veggie combos for yakiniku are great. Prices are reasonable. The place itself is nestled in a little spot next to Kelly O'Neil's but the booths are sizeable. I recommend the broccoli and cheese, ribeye, and top it all off SMORES!! Greatness
(5)Jenn W.
I lovelovelove this place! A bit expensive (expect your bill for 2 people to be $60 or more), but so worth it! Garlic noodles, tofu chigae, cheese wonton and the miso harami are must-haves! There's something so satisfying about being able to grill your own meat at your table! Love it!
(4)Miss L.
Delish + happy hour = ultimate winner!!! :)
(5)Justin R.
This visit I tried the garlic shrimp and garlic chicken. I also ordered the sukiyaki bibimbap, basically it's a japanese style beef fried rice with more of a Korean influence. Then I also ordered the garlic fried noodles. Both the rice and noodles are served to your table in a stone pot super hot and very delicious. I can't wait to try the location in nearby Torrance.
(5)Harry R.
I really like this place. A little small...but the food and atmosphere awesome. Go during Happy Hour and it's a bargain for Waikiki location. Had the Filet mignon, Kalbi, garlic shrimp, corn and butter, etc... Had a little of everything cause it was good. What the other Yelp reviewers said are true....good eating. The meat portions are a little small, but will fill you up and if not, you can order more cause Happy Hour prices pretty decent. A must visit if you're in Waikiki.....but you definitely need to get a reservation! Place is crowded.
(5)Dan M.
Wow! Amazing! Damn fine! I feel silly jumping on the band wagon like this, but they were wonderful. The waiter explained everything we had questions about. The food was terrific- even after we were in charge of cooking. We made a mistake cooking the fish and they came over and gave us a new one. If you have a chance- definitely go.
(5)Janice C.
Was looking forward to some authentic Japanese BBQ but it's very mediocre. The meat was super duper thin and it's not very good quality. Don't expect too much.
(2)Guil L.
Francis C. is right about the servers. They can be unattentive, but other than that, GO FOR HAPPY HOUR! Super awesome deals! Mina Y. is on the spot. GET THE MEATS!
(4)Kieu L.
I know the food tasted excellent before I got wasted. After that, I don't remember what I ate. What I do remember is that I've never known mushrooms to taste any better than they do at Gyu-kaku. In fact, I ordered a second helping at the end of the meal. (Mushroom medley on menu) They came wrapped in foil. You toss them on the grill and wait until the foil puffs up. Open it up and stick it in your mouth. So simple yet so masterfully flavored. How do they do it? I'm truly inspired... BTW, as for Ian. He's the best! He'll give you awesome tips on where to go in Oahu.
(5)Colin M.
Great as always. Had the Premium Kalbi based on another Yelper's review and have to say I was blown away.
(5)s c.
Amazing!!! Been to this location quite a few times now. We go for the AYCE special. Sometimes we do the $25 and sometimes $29. Both are amazing deals, just depends on on what you are craving. I think either way, you will get your money's worth. One slight downside is that it does take time in between orders to get your food. So, if are able to, try to order additional food prior to finishing your order (unfortunately, it is common practice that they won't take your next order until you are very close to finishing or have finished your current order). All the meats are excellent and the veges (veges you may ask) are also tasty. Garlic Noodles and Sukiyaki bibimbahp are also excellent dishes to accompany all the meats. Parking can be a challenge since this is Waikiki. The manager did say that they were trying to get a contract with one of the garages and offer parking validation. Not sure if they were able to get this done or not. You should call and ask. Wherever you decide to eat at, Happy Eating!
(5)Dora P.
Everything was good!!! My bf and I were visiting Honolulu for the first time and this Japanese BBQ restaurant was near our hotel. We decided to try it the night we were leaving. It was happy hour so there were special dishes that were half priced. We ordered the ny steak, chicken, kalbi, and the harami....we loved the kalbi and harami!!! They were delicious!!!! Plus the good thing about this place is the grill they use won't splatter oil all over u while cooking. We had the macadamia nut ice cream which was off the hook!!!!! This place is a must try!!!
(5)Ryan Y.
3rd stop on the Waikiki bar hop tour. Saw sign that they had specials till 9:30pm. Sorry can't remember in detail all the details. Friendly service, food tasted good, not sure if was affected by earlier beer and sake tastings. The only thing is that it can get smokey from the grilling.
(4)Khai T.
I love going to Gyu-Kaku Waikiki! The atmosphere is always great! Todd, Ian, and the gang always make you feel welcomed! The Service is always top notch and the food.... OMG is always great! Their happy hour specials are always good! If you want to have a good dining experience you can't fail when you go here!!!
(5)Everett A.
One of the best happy hours!! come here before 6:30 or after 9 for some good cheap-eats... i usually get full off of 3 meat selections, a couple side selections, and rice. great place to come with friends and to casually cook food and talk story.. =)
(4)Susan F.
So we finally decided to go to Gyu-kaku for happy hour. Thanks to you yelpers, we got the $1 off for the Kalbi, and we ordered the chicken with yuzu, and beef tongue. Of the three items we ordered, the beef tongue was the best. This place is not for us... I felt that cooking my own food was distracting me from enjoying it. The service was not good either, it took what seemed like forever and a year for the server to bring out uncooked food. And when we were finally done, we waited 15 minutes for the check before we decided to walk up to the counter to pay instead of waiting for it. I still give them 3 stars, because I broke the lock on the bathroom door :-/
(3)Kathleen H.
There are a ton of yakiniku restaurants in the Waikiki area and I would recommend spending your money elsewhere. Not that Gyu-Kaku was not yummy, but the meats are all marinated so all I am tasting is the miso, soy, or teriyaki sauces. The happy hour 50% off specials is a great deal (meats and beer) that's why I've decided to give the restaurant three stars instead of two. I really liked the fun s'mores dessert and the small pieces of rice cakes. The wait staff was extremely friendly and helpful given how busy and chaotic the restaurant was.
(3)Jacqueline D.
Happy Hour is the only time to go! Almost all of their stuff is half off! They also have set deals that are so cheap for the quality of food. Their meat selection is great and their tofu salad is delicious!
(5)Matt V.
the late 10-12am happy hour is definitely 5 stars. we ate and drank like kings for something like 40 bucks. favorites were the filet, beef harami and smores!
(5)Darren L.
We got a flyer for this place while walking down Kalakaua street. Oh and it was 50% all meat for happy hour. The kalbi, kobe beef, butterfish and mushroom in foil are my favorite items that night... and of course my icy cold beer too. We took our time and didn't order everything at once. The waiter was very helpful and answered a lot of our questions. This reminds me so much of korean food..... had this once in tokyo....same concept, tastes good too. What's not to love about eating hot sizzling meat that you can grill at your own table.
(4)Eric S.
Despite the fact they have one of the worst, most unusable websites I've seen since the '90s, I love this place. We took the waiters advice and ordered one of the priced meals that included beef and seafood, soup and dessert which we split between 2 adults and the boy. To me, the soups were ok. My wife and son loved the egg soup, so I'll give em props for that. Cooking on the grill was fun, even the boy could do it with supervision. The steak was perfectly cooked (cuz I did it) as were the shrimp (me again) and the scallops (you guessed it, cooked by me). As much credit as I deserve for my cooking, the real credit goes to the marinades. They made for delicious, perfectly seasoned eating. No table salt necessary. Dessert was fun too. We grilled pancakes then made icecream sandwiches. Good times. Good tasty times.
(5)Ane P.
I loveeeee Gyu-Kaku. The point here, is to fry everything that has been pre-marinated and brought table side. Sort of like a diy Benihana, yet with better food. So easy, and you leave the restaurant smelling like you just grilled your clothing. The marinades are excellent, and I love the garlic prawns. Don't forget to order the pancake dessert. It's the greatest thing, to be able to fry up some dessert!
(5)chris c.
I love this restaurant, unfortunately they don't have in Bay Area. I've tried this restaurant in NYC, good food but will enpty your wallet. This one in Hawaii is better than NYC because of it's price. The quality is the same but you sure can eat hell of a lot more. I strongly recommend this place to everyone.
(5)Carpe D.
Excellent experience the food is amazing and it is very resonable. We went there for happy hour and it was super affordble and the waiters are not pushing you out. Food is outstanding Service is a little slow at times but really no big deal . Please please come to SF !!!
(4)Louis B.
The service was rather awful. The raw meat was just dropped off at our table with no instruction or suggestions (like how to avoid picking up our cooked meats with the same utensils used to handle the raw meat!) We had some Ahi Poke appetizer that was unedible. We were pretty sure that if we ate it, we'd have issues later. Trained chefs should be better at cooking meat than I am. It is tough to make sure that the chicken is thoroughly cooked on there, so we tended to err on the side of caution, resulting in dry chicken. The beef tasted great, but again, it's sitting on a grill right next to a piece of raw chicken, which can be sketchy at best.
(2)Mike C.
Awesome place with amazing deals during lunch and early/late dinner. A huge pitcher of beer for 8 bucks! Great friendly staff. Food was unreal. Loved the eggplant in foil with miso sauce and the garlic shrimp. I think it's fun to grill though I know some don't like cooking their own food when they're out. I say as long as there's beer, I'll cook anytime!
(4)Mandy B.
This place is so good and fun. Can't beat a place that has a BBQ built in your table. I always come for happy hour where the beer and food are so cheap. The beef is awesome along with the cheesy broccoli. Love it. And if you are on the email list they send great specials.
(4)Eiich O.
food is always good. they put our party of 4 in a booth made for 2. very uncomfortable, ruin my whole meal. ask to change but was told that everything was taken, however a roomier table was open the whole time we were there.
(1)Iger P.
first off, i always confuse this place with gyutaku. so i was hoping for some sushi. negative! and another cook your own food place? why do we keep coming to these places? my husband and i tried the butter fish, ribeye, beef tongue, scallops and whatever else the husband felt like eating. the food was good. i especially loved my butterfish. if it's on the menu, i'm definitely having it. the place is small and a bit tight. and they need to turn the AC up. it was hella hot having to cook our own food. water service was good. they have 1 restroom each for the women and men. hello, it is obvious that men designed the place b/c a woman would add more toilets in the women's restroom.
(3)Everett H.
excellent. had it the first day we arrived in hawaii from california. before 5:30pm is the happy hour and discounts on set meals and single items. waiter was excellent in explaining the self roasting of the marionated meats. poke salad was new to us and a must to get. we were advised to try this also from a local japanese friend of a friend, and will definitely return
(5)Emmanuel F.
Delicious yakiniku in the middle of Waikiki. This was within walking distance of our hotel. We were in time to get some of the Happy Hour specials, and the Kobe special cuts were even better, even if a little more expensive. Not to water things down, the shoju mojito went down great with all the grilled meat. Not as impressed with the garlic noodles. Next time I'll try the bibimbap.
(4)Scott J.
More tongue. Seriously. Order the tongue, which is given to you raw. Then you cook it yourself on the BBQ grill that is at your table. I can't believe I'm saying it, but nothing could be better. I don't know how this is ok with the health department or the fire department to serve raw meat to customers at a table with a fire in the middle of it. But somehow, it's ok. I am not familiar with this type of restaurant and we stumbled upon it in Honolulu. However, it is now our favorite and I don't know what else to say other than it's incredibly awesome. And order lots of tongue. I am not kidding.
(5)Joyce K.
Love coming here everytime. I normally like to get there before 630pm so I can order off of the yummy happy hour menu. Service here is great. It does get alittle hot while cooking your own food but the whole experience is great.
(5)Adrienne P.
We really enjoy dining at Gyu Kaku Kapiolani and expected the quality of food and service to be similar in Waikiki. It was the exact opposite. Although the wait staff was friendly, the service was extremely slow, even though the restaurant was empty. When we finally received our appetizer of cucumber kim chee (which took awhile to arrive even though it doesn't require much preparation), the cucumber was horribly mushy. It had obviously spoiled and yet they served it to us anyway. We were so disappointed we decided to leave. Luckily, the waiter ended up not charging us for the rancid cucumber kim chee. If you can, avoid the Waikiki location and stick to one on Kapiolani.
(1)Erik Freyr P.
Great happy hour. One of the best places to eat while in waikiki. That is if you like grilled stuff. Very cool and fun.
(5)Will C.
more late night eats they have a happy hour special night 50% off a lot of food items and beer! garlic noodle, hirame, and a bunch of other funny names for meat. love the arabiki sausage. a bunch of sauces to mix and match with the meats. sit back, grill up and wash it down with some ice cold beer. I think they do an early bird too, but I'm always working.
(4)Dave W.
The same as all the other Gyu Kakus, but the cheap drinks here are all you really need to know. $1 beers and a great way to kill some time over a cheap meal. Don't go if you're in a rush, but if you just want to enjoy yourself, this is the place.
(4)Amy G.
This got to be the one of the best Japanese-Korean fusion restaurants I've been to! I've not really experienced that many Japanese-Korean restaurants, but this place is a MUST to visit. We ordered Premium Kobe, the most expensive course for two. I must say this is WORTH the price. The food is plenty and the meats were fabulous. They really melt in my mouth. I got really full and still some meat left over. I like the way they set up the grill, a silver aluminum that looks like a grid in the table to grill the meat and veggies although it's more common to have tabletop grill popular in Korean restaurants. If there's one in Southern Calif., I'd definitely go again.
(4)donna t.
We went there last October for lunch. They had some special offers such as $2.95 beef, it tasted great!!
(5)Anna L.
i love beef! and cooking my own food. the cheesy broccoli is bangin. sneak some extra broccoli from home in your bag and throw it on the grill. along with some other veggies. cus boy i tell ya, the portions are small! the bistro harami is bomb diggity. and always ask the servers which sauces go the best with the meats. beat those meats! yummmmm
(4)Will C.
The food and drinks here are pretty good. Portions are small but I guess its meant so you can try a bunch of different stuff. Everything was pretty tasty but my favorite was the Original Fried Rice Bibimba. (Rice, Chicken, seasoned veggies and egg). This bowl of heaven was soooo good and I feel is the best value! Wish I would have had more Bibimba from this place.... too bad im back in the Bay Area now....
(5)Phillip K.
Still the best BBQ place on town. Pricey, so recommend the happy hour times. Grab some coupons from the advertisers on the street to save a few bucks
(4)Anthony B.
My family had a great time at Gyu Kaku. We went for my wife's birthday and ordered a Kamehameha special (supposedly for 2 or 3, but it comfortably fed 4 of us, albeit 2 of our party were teenage girls). Basically, there is a super hot grill in the middle of the table and the waiter constantly supplied us with super fresh meat and seafood to cook ourselves (as well as salads and dessert to eat uncooked obviously). The waiter even knocked a whopping 15% off the bill because he forgot the soup (which we didn't even notice was missing). Very authentic too (about half the clientele was Japanese, always a good sign of authenticity for a Japanese restaurant).
(5)Wolfgang S.
Absolutely a feast! Japanese-Korean barbecue/grill at it's best! Just go there and taste for yourself. Great food and excellent service. We'll come again next time... Hopefully soon.
(5)JP K.
Food is good but way overprice for the portion!
(3)Inigo M.
High quality kalbi. Smaller portion of kimchi side dish but high quality. Fast, courteous service, the waitstaff explained the dishes well. This location seems popular, there are typically lines outside. Trendy / cozy atmosphere ripe for kissy kissies as evidenced by Polaroids on the back wall near the restrooms.
(5)Jeff I.
It's a fun place to eat Japanese food. The thing is that the grill is hot enough to make me sweat. I start sweating in everyone's food and they get pissed. just kidding. The only down side to this place for me is the prices. Other than that, the service was good, the food was good, even the bathrooms were nice.
(4)John R.
Whats not to love about simple, delicious and tender meats? A meal at your own pace. The service is great and never rush to get you out.
(5)Joy M.
Ate here for dinner last night (during happy hour @ 9:30) and received excellent service. Our waiter was on it. He brought out drinks and dishes quickly and in epic proportions. Thank you Gyu-Kaku!
(5)Lance C.
Love Gyu-kaku. I don't have to go all the way to Japan to eat the quality beef on the neat grill. Pricey though.
(4)Jennifer C.
This place is ridiculously good. Happy hour is from 11am to 6pm... half off a lot of the meat dishes and certain beer. Happy hour starts up again from 9pm to close. What a deal!
(5)Annie D.
Good grilled meats. However the portions are really small which is why I'm giving it 3 instead of 4 stars. Back home in Virginia we have a Korean grilled meat restaurant that is similar however the portions are 3 times as large for half the price. Also, our grilled meat place at home does not chargeextra for rice, lettuce and sauce which Gyu Kaku does. I supposed we are in Honolulu and paying a premium for food. Gyu Kaku meats were very tasty though. We got the kalbi which was very good. However, we spent almost $70 and left feeling a bit hungry because the meat portions were so small.
(3)Tom W.
My faith has been restored. I will be going back to Gyu Kaku on the mainland.
(4)Michelle M.
lunch at this waikiki location is pretty unbeatable. not only is the food delicious (i go for harami and yakishabu combo) but the price is ridiculous. $10.95 + 20% kamaaina discount? yah...i'll be back tomorrow. shio eggplant is good too. ishikyaki rice bowls are yummy if you don't feel like grilling but i hate that they never have doriyaki ice cream during lunch. service during lunch can be pretty hit or miss (last time i went, it was definitely a new server-in-training) but the food really makes up for it. ps- cheap kirin whoo hoo
(4)Pavel T.
To really simplify issues, this is a Japanese take on Korean BBQ. I've always been a huge fan of Korean BBQs, where a selection of marinated meat morsels is brought to the table, where they are then prepped on a small table tip grill. There is beauty and simplicity to this, meat is fresh; there is a visual component of color and marbling that is missed in a pre-cooked meal, and a group dynamic of sharing and grilling adds an extra dimension to the dining experience. In Guy Kaku, this meal type has under gone a Japanese treatment. By which I mean that the dining experience has been streamlined and optimized. Everything in the restaurant seems very well though through. Dining spaces are cozier, grills are smaller, yet easier to clean. The selection of meat is fantastic, as are the sides that go with the meal. Although there is a temptation to try just about everything on the menu, a prefixed meal is probably the best option. There are a couple of choices available, generally grouped by the quality of meat, number of selections, and, of course, price. Though this does tend to end up being on the pricier side, as a culinary experience, the pre fix selection is a must. It offers the widest variety of choices and tastes, and saves the headache of spending a half an hour going back and forth over the menu.
(5)Gabby V.
My boyfriend and I are gyu-kaku whores. It was our first time to the waikiki location so we were excited. We decided to walk from our hotel and we got lost on the way but we quickly found it after calling the restaurant. The kapiolani location's happy hour was 9-closing but the waikiki one started at 10-closing. The grill is used the same way but without charcoal underneath the grill (it's a little bit more hi-tech). Other than that, same food, same concept.
(5)T M.
The meat here is really tender and tasty. I've heard good things about Gyu Kaku in LA so i was excited to try the one in Honolulu. Me and my bf ordered the ahi poke, kalbi, the other steak cube dish, garlic chicken, garlic noodles and some soup. My favorite items were the kalbi and garlic noodles. The garlic noodles come in a hot black iron bowl that you stir up - very garlic-y and good. The kalbi was probably one of the best I've had. Items get a bit pricey though and you have to order several dishes to get full, but the food especially the meat) is really good quality and it's nice to cook it how you like it.
(4)Tyler D.
I always get so fired up thinking what I am about to eat will be so good here, but somehow, it never really stacks up to the price and the look before I eat it...I don't know. I've only been three times, but I have never been amazed. Toraji used to blow this place away when they used live coals (I think they closed though...and when they switched to gas it was junk)...
(3)Stephanie S.
yum and fun1 took my staff here for an outing and they all loved it! we went during the happy hour 1130-630 and were able to all order whatever we wanted for under $200!
(4)Julie C.
Check this place out for Happy Hour. For a party of 4, we ate and drank for $60. Delicious, fresh, healthy meats and veggies that you bbq in the center of your table. I recommend the Salmon Miso and the Aburi Style Ahi Tuna. The Cheesy Broccoli on special was pretty good too! ;) Skip the usual tourist traps of Waikiki and try this place: you won't be disappointed.
(4)Ange M.
I have to give this place another try because I brought my kids in with me and that may have affected my experience, but with that said - leave your kids at home, people. Yelp says it's good for kids.....so NOT! While it's loud enough that a crying baby will hardly be noticed - grill &baby....not a good combination. I would say a child maybe 5 years and up might be okay. But if you really want to enjoy it, bring along only those who can cook their own food. Cooking for the family is not exactly what I anticipated having to do for the night. Could have stayed home to do that. I left here hungry and sweaty and ended up having pizza afterwards. Otherwise, the food was great. Loved the Beef Tongue and the Kobe. Honestly don't remember much else. Portions were small and we would have had to stay all night to feed the fam bam. The bill was much larger than I anticipated considering we were all still hungry. Anyway - go without kids and you will be okay. As for me, I think I will stick to restaurants that cook the food for me.
(3)Michelle F.
The food is good, but it is a little too pricey. The garlic shrimp is VERY good....it was crispy and fresh. The cheesy broccoli is not worth getting; it is literally broccoli with cheese, nothing special. The tofu jigae is good, but small. All the vegetables are delicious, especially the eggplant! The service was also very good. The hostess and waitress were both very friendly!
(4)Becky L.
"You want to go to a restaurant where we have to cook our own food???" This was my bf's reaction when I told him I wanted to go to Gyu-Kaku. But after being there a little while he soon changed his tune! Our waiter was SUPER helpful. We ordered 2 meat dishes, broccoli w/ cheese, some rice & garlic noodles. Portions were pretty small, but yummo!! Marinades were great & the garlic noodles are a must! BUT, the sweltering heat!!! Ahhhh, I was melting!! The second we sat down at our table I was ready to sweat. Duhhh, I know the grills need to be hot...but I don't think it'd kill 'em to turn up the AC or fans a little..
(4)James K.
Their marinated pork and beef is a must! All you can eat meat is awesome for all the meat eaters.
(4)Jimmy L.
Happy Hours prices are awesome! The wife and we tried the different meats and had veggies on the HH menu and the prices are great for the portion size that we got . We have done Hot Pot before but not Japanese BBQ. Would definitely recommend coming here during Happy Hour!
(5)Lance n.
I stumbled upon this place the LAST day during our vacation. What a pleasant surprise. We had so much fun cooking, including our 5 and 8 year old children. I thoroughly enjoyed watching my kids have the time of their lives throwing Kalbi onto the hibachi. The food was very tasty, adding to the enjoyment. The kids could not believe that they had cooked such a fine meal. The waiters could not be any friendlier and helpful. I imagine that this would be a cool place to hang out with friends or take a date. I can't wait to go back here.
(5)maria o.
Had a great time here on my birthday, such a perfect place to hang out with friends and have a few drinks with good food.
(4)Eric L.
Get the tongue. Seriously get the tongue... As already mentioned, you get the raw stuff, and cook it to your liking. Give your grill a bit of time to heat up otherwise you'll just end up with flabby grey meat instead of nice succulent meat with a bit of char on it. Also, don't overload your grill. Went here for dinner and was seated within a few minutes of the reservation. Wife had a mojito with her meal (light refreshing one - not overly alcoholic or minty). Besides the ultra-tasty tongue, had the following: kobe ribeye: fatty goodness, like butter + steak in one red miso skirt - also really good - charred the miso a bit on both sides to give it more depth of flavor kalbi - good texture, not sure if I am used to more heavily seasoned kalbi though butter garlic shrimp - garlic a bit overpowering Hard to cook out the opakapaka - needed a bit more oomph - pouch sauce was a bit watery raw garlic taste because shrimp gets overdone butter garlic spinach - pretty standard/pretty good doryaki dessert - we had green tea and azuki(red bean) ice creams. Fun to toast the pancakes (if you weren't tired enough from grilling the food) and the maple (I think it was maple) syrup adds a nice sweet twist.
(5)Gina G.
So good... Wish they had one on the West side.. Kapolei area
(5)Patrick K.
I called on a Wednesday at 7:15, and made reservations for 8:00 (this was the earliest reservation they had, which was perfectly fine with me). However, when I got there at 7:55, the hostess told me we would have to wait 25 - 30 minutes. This annoyed my wife and I, but we stuck it out. I am glad we did. The food was awesome, our waitress was great, and everything was perfect. It was a kind of new experience, grilling our own food at the table, but it was a lot of fun. The only cook-your-own-food place we had been to before was The Melting Pot, which is a fondue place, so this was a lot of fun. I would highly recommend this place, but don't expect to get seated right away, even with a reservation. That little issue is the only reason I knocked off a star.
(4)Eric M.
Japanese version of Korean BBQ (cook your own) is very good and I love the happy hour prices if you eat early 3:30-6:30pm. The dipping sauces (3) are all good and chicken, steak filet and grilled veggies are my faves, along with cucumber kim chee.
(4)Yb W.
This place combines the great flavors of yakitori and the fun of shabu shabu. We ordered various cuts of meat with different marinades and grilled them at our own table grill. I was impressed that the waiter came by to change the grill iron mid-meal so our meat wouldn't stick. The best part was dessert. We grilled mochi slices. When they puffed up, we added them to our icecream. The warm, neutral-tasting mochi on cold sweet icecream was a very interesting contrast of temperature, texture, and flavor. We were here on Halloween so the place was packed with people in costume (including a few of the waitstaff). The restaurant has an extensive selection of cocktails, which always help to liven things up.
(5)David R.
Dropped by here on a work trip to Waikiki. The portions of food are a bit small but with a bowl of rice and a beer you'll walk away fine. The waiter was quite friendly and the atmosphere was nice. Look around for people handing out flyers for good lunch combos and coupons.
(4)Alexander S.
Great place the happy hour sales on meat can't be beat. The experience is also a big highlight.
(4)L R.
My favorite Japanese BBQ restaurant. I love their food. The food is not the only thing that's super hot. Friendly staff. Great music. It's always busy at peak dining hours so call ahead or be prepared to wait 20-30 mins. It's worth it.
(5)Reuben R.
My elite friend from Seattle came to town in the afternoon with her sister, and after they and my brother came to pick me up, we all headed over here. Parking was easy because the it seemed everyone was at the football game, and we had the last bit of happy hour. It was fun to order everything on the happy hour menu, but for sure I'd say the filet mignon was the best thing. I'd order just trays of that. I didn't get a pitcher of beer, but a large bottle of Asahi super dry for $8 which was just regular price. I like it better anyway. My friend got a saketini which she just realized was sake and mentioned that she didn't really like sake to begin with, and her sister got some sort of coconut and vodka drink.... I dunno I wasn't paying attention because I wasn't interested in those drinks, but I did notice it looked like graham crackers were sprinkled along the edge of the glass. The ice cream and the grilled mochi is really good. I had it when I was here a while ago, so I suggested it to them and they liked it. Total bill, was around $70 for the four of us because... we had so much food.
(4)Penny C.
Food and experience was great, but service was horrid. It wasn't busy at all and it took FOREVER to order, get our food and then get our check...matter of fact we're still sitting here waiting to get it. NO BUENO.
(2)Jon H.
Love this place but def go for their happy hour and order their specials.
(4)Nix M.
This rating is for lunch time at Gyu-Kaku Waikiki location. We have been to Gyu-Kaku for dinner (Kapiolani) several times. Always great service & great food. Decided to try the happy hour lunch (Waikiki). Great prices of course but service lacks as a result. If you are looking for a good deal, it is. But the food quality is not the same. Staff are friendly but SO understaffed. Waited 20+ min for an extra order & eventually gave up & asked for our check. Seemed like the server hadn't even put our order in. Then waited another 10 min for them to process my payment. Dinner I would say 5 stars (at Kapiolani). Lunch, well you get what you pay for. Its almost like they dont even care because they thought we were tourists. So disappointing.
(3)Tj G.
OMG KWKOUKI GOES TO HAWAII!!!! Went for 2 weeks and my inner fat kid couldnt wait to taste the food there. lets start this party I have been dying to try Yakiniku pretty much since I knew how to chew food. This was the last dinner of our Hawaii trip. Was very much a high point to our trip. Yakiniku means "grilled meat" in Japanese. You sit in front of a very small grill. You are served thin cuts of meat that are marinated any way you like. They also serve vegetables and seafood. You cook your own food...how cool is that! I made my reservations over the phone for about 6:30pm. When we got there the guy refused to seat us. Now before you go all WTFMATE on me im gonna explain. He told me that if I cancelled my reservation and come back at 7:00 we would be offered the happy hour menu and prices. He told us with a smile to go enjoy Waikiki for a half hour and come back hungry. Think about this for a sec. The people sitter guy *no clue what they are called* turned down a more expensive bill so we could enjoy ourselves. I actually feel bad, we absolutely got away with grand theft for the food to money ratio. Yes you get a smaller menu, but its like happy hour was the "best of the best" offerings. We put in our order for about 3 farm animals worth of surf and turf offerings. You wait a bit for your food because they cut everything to order. its very fresh and very tasty....not to mention awesome looking. I can see how happy hour appeals to a place like this. Cooking your own food is very fun and sociable. There were very few "personal" tables so you sit to complete strangers. You say hello and try your best not to snatch food from their grill because everything looks amazing. To the best of my memory we ordered terriyaki chicken garlic and butter shrimp *big enough to growl at you if they were alive* kalbi skirt steak assorted vegetables broccoli n cheese chicken fondue white rice im very sure im missing something. the point im trying to make is there is NOTHING on this menu that didnt sound amazing or tasted amazing. They even offer smores for dessert. We ate enough to feed a small family and a half for about 60 bucks. I would gladly spend the money again next visit.....actually I plan to ^__^
(4)Giovanni H.
During a lazy sunday me and some friends were in the mood for some great BBQ. Having visited this location for drinks after work, it was a perfect end to a great weekend. We were greeted promptly and seated within minutes. Our sever Josh was simply awesome. He recognized we visited before and offered to get us a cold adult beverage. His awesome customer service skills will keep us coming back. Pros: Love the food selection, fresh vegetables, fresh fish and great Japanese beer Ample seating for a party of 4 or more Ventilation is ample for this location so you do not walk out smelling like a BBQ. GYU-Kaku Rewards program (ask your sever for details) Cons: Can get crowded on the weekends, so call ahead to find out the wait time. Things to try-Ask for dessert menu. After eating BBQ I am sure you will have a sweet tooth.
(5)Kelly G.
Great Happy Hour! Extensive menu (exclusively for happy hour, unlike the Kapiolani location where the happy hour menu is mixed with their normal menu). Food has always been awesome - great marinades and dipping sauces. Reservation of 7 @ 9:30pm seemed to come pretty easy. Maybe it was the crazy storm that has been raging the last couple of days. The storm also prompted Gyu-Kaku to host a $2 hot sake special! YUM! The space was nice. We sat up front so I didnt get to see much of the rest of the restaurant but seemed similar to the Kapiolani one. At the front, there are booths where the restaurant opens up windows to the public to help with ventilation. Also great for people watching. Great service, came around often enough to keep our drinks coming and were non intrusive about clearing our plates. Parking can be a pain, I've always just parked along Ala Wai and walked. The manager Kenji introduced us to their special drawing where we all inputted our emails addresses in hopes of a free gift card! Also have a rewards cards you can sign up for. After accumulating enough points you can get $25 off a bill, so I highly suggest getting one.
(4)Jan S.
We decided (last minute) to eat at Gyu-Kaku on a Sunday night. I'd read a few bad reviews on the staff, as well as wait times so naturally since we didn't have a reservation, that was a concern. Thankfully we didn't have to wait long, maybe 15 mins or so which put us closer to the 8:30 happy hour:) Food was tasty and the portions were perfect, not too big, not too small. I had an Asian Pear Mojito which was just OK, maybe next time I'll try another mixed drink or simply stick to good old Sake. The wait staff did a pretty good job, in fact we had more than one server ask if we were doing OK on more than one occasion. Parking was quite convenient too! In the end, this super picky chick enjoyed her relaxing Sunday meal at Gyu-Kaku...I shall be back.
(4)Karl A.
Whet there for dinner. The Service was great, but the quality of the short ribs was below average - very salty. The shrimp had too much garlic power on it and the mushrooms were just average. The place was also very smoky because there are only fans blowing the BBQ smoke around - no ventilation. I had to take a shower and wash my clothes when I got home.
(2)Mur K.
Delicious food, super friendly service. Our food was served 5 minutes after we placed an order. Would come here again!
(5)Mike L.
During dinner with my friends at Gyu-Kaku, I remember thinking to myself, "I wish there was a place like this back home". Little did I know, Gyu Kaku is a semi-chain with locations in several countries, let alone several states...INCLUDING one in the Bay Area. Why didn't I know about this place sooner? Since it was going to be tough managing our group of eight with a single grill, we ended up splitting in half over two neighboring tables. With so many different things to choose from, our table of four ordered the Kalakaua Course since it included most of what we wanted (Edamame, Ahi Poke, Daikon Salad, Miso Soup, and Smores for dessert, along with Gyu Tan, Cajun Pork Belly, Filet Mignon, Bistro Harami Miso, Yakishabu Beef, and Chicken Teriyaki). Although it sounded like a lot, the menu listed it as only being "for two" so we threw on an order of the Toro Beef and another Harami Miso as well. While most of the sides were just okay, I thought the Ahi Poke tasted great. Since it was the only thing that wasn't grilled, it was refreshingly different too. As for the meats, they were all pretty tasty, but a couple stood out from the others. The Cajun Pork Belly was my favorite since the taste was so different, and I thought the Bistro Harami Miso had the best overall taste. It's surprising how small the plates were though; I guess that's why the dinner combo was listed for two people. Given the smaller sized plates, the food is somewhat overpriced for the portions you get, but everything still tastes pretty good. Just make sure you get one of their dinner options, and the value will be slightly better (assuming you're hungry enough).
(4)Joy N.
I usually go to the Kapiolani location, but decided to give the Waikiki one a try since Kapiolani didnt have any reservations until 9:45pm!! We got reservations for 7pm and were seated as soon as we arrived. LOVE that! We ordered the must-haves: king kalbi, yakishabu beef, rosu, tofu salad, enoki (1 order for each person since it's amazing to throw on top of your rice), sausage and rice. Now... heads up on the rice. Waikiki has different rice portions, so a small is VERY small. We thought that it would be the same size as the regular at Kapiolani, but that's actually their large size. Haha we each ended up ordering 2 bowls of their small rice since it was so small! Service was great and I really like the ambiance at this restaurant since it's a lot brighter at this location, than Kapiolani. It's easier to see your meat cooking and felt more comfortable/relaxing to socialize with friends... but this is just my preference. Would've given this location 5 stars... But the parking kinda sucks since it's in Waikiki. We parked in that lot next to GS studio and it was $10 for the weekend night rate. =/
(4)Katie O.
There's pretty much always a line here, so make sure that you have time to sit. Don't worry, though. It's totally worth the wait. They have quite a few different meat options, and if you get there during happy hour, you're in for super yummy cheap eats. Try the mushroom medley in between meats.
(5)Hieu P.
Really good Japanese BBQ. I personally like the ponzu marinated. The miso is too salty for me. All the meat are good. The garlic shrimp is good too. I ordered too much though... LOL
(5)Mari K.
Usually all over a Gyu-Kaku. It's Yaki Niku style where you order raw meats and cook at the table and of course who doesn't love this? But I just want to make a few comments about this location in Waikiki. 1. Did you know you can order bento from here and take out? seriously, a dream for people who work in Waikiki. Make sure to let them know you're a kama'aina and they'll give you a discount. 2. The bento is ok. I would go sit in here again and dine-in however, I'm not sure I'd order the Bento again. It's nothing over the top and not good enough that I would crave to go back. 3. This location is WAY unorganized. I called in my Bento and went down to pick up. While waiting for the pickup a couple walked in and asked for a table. There were a ridiculous amount of seats open at their bar and tables open but the Host told them they'd have to wait. He told them there were a lot of people waiting and they'd have to wait about 10 minutes. Albeit not a long time but there were no other people waiting...weird? 4. When the hostess brought my bento out she gave it to me and walked away. I hadn't paid and could have just walked out. I didn't, I paid but still, she took my order over the phone and gave it to me, I wonder how many people walk out with free takeout!
(2)Nai N.
I visit here several times a month. Do I need to say more?
(5)Jeremy M.
Not bad food, in fact very tasty, but definitely overpriced for dinner. Service was very good, although we did feel rushed by him bringing our next course too early. If you go, go during happy hour and get a la carte.
(3)Kat L.
If I lived in Honolulu I would eat here everyday. Happy hour when they open, and happy hour when they close. Also if you eat dinner here, and you keep your receipt, you get 20% off your next lunch. What's not to love? After a few meals here I can honestly say there's nothing on the menu that I didnt like (didnt try seafoods though cause i'm allergic, but husband says its fantastic!)
(5)Jenny C.
Five stars are not enough for this place. We absolutely adored the meal from start to finish. We got the second level meal for two. The meats were well cut, the vegetables were fresh and the seafood was perfect. Our mojitos (Classic and Asian pear varieties) tasted light and refreshing. Our server Erik was polite, helpful and lightning fast, even whisking away my chopsticks wrapper seconds after I laid it on the table with one deft move. Meal ended with a single s'more for each of us. Perfecto!
(5)Timmy W.
Didn't matter that we made a reservation, we were seated 35 minutes after our reservation time. We were told we would get money off of our bill because of it but it didn't happen. We didn't want to stay around any longer to fight it. If you want good service, go to the gyu kaku in ala moana. They grease the grill and have grills that work, unlike this one that was very inconsistent.
(1)Joseph F.
Visited on a busy Thursday in February. Air conditioner was down, but they brought out frozen wet towels to compensate. Every meat we had was tasty, and my family enjoyed the grill concept. Try to get the slightly cheaper 'happy hour' prices before 6:30pm and pig out. Service was mostly good but some meats took a while [come on, you're not cooking it!]. Good value and fun choice in Waikiki.
(4)Marielle T.
I loooooove Gyu-kaku! The Waikiki location gets points for having disposable grills and fast and friendly service. You definitely can't beat their happy hour prices for the quality of the food. This location seems smaller than Kapiolani but it's just as busy. I recommend making reservations ahead of time.
(5)Katrina L.
Came here for the good yelp reviews, but had the worst experience ever! We made a reservation for 2 at 8pm and arrived around 7:40pm. The hostess said the table will be ready in a couple minutes and told us to wait outside. We waited, while other people who came after us with no reservation were all seated! I asked the hostess what is going on, and she told me it's 7:59pm now, and since our reservation is at 8, we have to wait for another minute to be seated. WTF! When does making reservation actually go against you? And it's not like the restaurant was packed, there were a couple of empty seats! The food was so so. Will never go again!
(1)Lance L.
This is totally creepy, but try the tongue and use their spicy sauce. My waiter recommended it and it was surprisingly good. Nice waitstaff. You get to play with fire. Lots of beef LLL OUT
(4)Jamie Y.
10pm... where to go for quality food at penny pinching price? Happy hour at gyu-kaku!! The bf and I came here coincidentally during happy hour and loved it! We ordered the recommended items on the menu which were: sapporo beer hawaiian ahi poke garlic noodles filet mignon fried chicken Harami Miso cubed beef? everything was pretty delicious, especially for its price! the total came out to be around $30-40 and we were pretty full! The Hawaiian ahi poke was great in texture and tasted very very fresh. the cut of beef we had (the cubed one) wasn't so great because it was chewier than we'd thought it'd be. but if that is your preference, it should taste great as well. The garlic noodles, i think, should not have been on the top picks on the menu because it tasted quite ordinary. overall, happy hour is probably one of the only times i'd come for japanese BBQ. other than that, i had a good time here
(4)Abe N.
For a group dinner it is best to call the day before for a reservation. I can say the parking around the area was not convenient, so I walked to the restaurant from my hotel. We were seated immediately after table reservation verification. Beers and waters orders were taken and soon received. Our server spoke both English and Japanese pretty well. The appetizers appeared after a few minutes, then the meats and vegetables. Delicious steak, tongue, and fish broil were mouth-watering and flavorful. This place is good. Definite return visit.
(4)Mikey H.
Genki desu! I love this place! The staff is always so chill and attractive! The first time I came to one of them, I wanted to work in one and go to University of Hawaii. However, you must be fluent in Japanese because of the influx of tourists. It's really cool to see the cute round-eyed haoles speaking to their customers. "koregadokoniaruka shitte iruka?" o_0??? "Nihongo mada joozu ja arimasen." "But you say that so well!" (He did speak English! LOL!) When we were waiting, some Japanese tourists were lost and asked me for directions. I just brought them inside and told the hostess my Japanese sucked! We looked over the menu and ordered some fried karaage chicken to start because we were starving and large Sapporos. We then ordered a large Gyur-Kaku salad to share which came with a tasty light ginger dressing. We then decided on the New York loin, Yakishabu beef, scallops, and chicken. You then can decide which sauces the meats will be marinated in. We chose the basil for one of the beef dishes and chicken and the garlic for the others. We also ordered the garlic fried noodles for each of us and they came in these really hot bowls. This dish was really good! Thick noodles with vegetables, and they continued to keep frying as we ate! It's sort of like you're barbequing indoors. At times, the grill can get a little too hot...so more large Sapporos! Oh and Sake! "Watashi ha jissaini kono basho wo aisu ru!" (I really love this place!)
(5)Jasmine N.
My review is strictly for lunch... My co-worker and I came to a cross-road on lewers.. to eat at Kimukatsu or Gyu-kaku... Neither looked super crowded but the thing that won us over was the huge happy hour sign in the Gyu Kaku Waikiki window. Sold.. but maybe we should have opted for the other option : / We were promptly seated and we had two servers. I've never been here for lunch so when I picked up the menu I was shocked to see it was drastically different. For starters there is no kurubota sausage. :( They have combos on the back or you can opt for a meat and make it a meal for $5 extra (rice, soup, salad, and edamame). We opted to pick two meats and make it a meal. We also ordered a couple of appetizers (which were on happy hour) fried calamari and gyoza. YUM! We also asked if they had the sausage and even though it wasn't on the menu we could still order it. The food was just ok. The calamari was more oily than anything and the meats were just ok. I just didn't realize how expensive it is. $50 for two of us for LUNCH. Dang.. I would come back for dinner but it's just to expensive for lunch plus not the best idea when you have to head back to the office. must try: ask for your favorite even if you don't see it on the lunch menu 31 yelps - 3/31
(3)Jeanette Y.
Asian pear mojito? YES, PLEASE! Garlic shrimp? YES, PLEASE! King kalbi Tare? YES, PLEASE! Harami miso skirt steak? YES, PLEASE! Steamed clams & mussels? YES, PLEASE! Spicy sukiyaki bibimbap? Meh. Daikon salad? YES, PLEASE! Okay, I can really keep going... but as you can see I'll just keep saying YES, PLEASE to almost anything/everything here. The food was really good. The service was awesome. Okay, I did say meh to the bibimbap, but hey, that's one out of so many! Gyu-Kaku, you amazed me!
(4)M.B. L.
This is by far our favorite Gyu-Kaku on the island. While this establishment is part of a chain, each restaurant features a slightly different menu. I suspect it's at the discretion of the manager. Make no mistake, this food is not your typical yakiniku place. There's a Japanese influence, and it's very vegetarian friendly. I do not recommend this place for large groups or if you are looking to have a party with separate checks. The food is also made to share and quite good, especially during one of their happy hours. My personal vegetarian favorites are: the tofu salad, mushroom medley, broccoli cheese, eggplant with miso, shishito peppers, yaki onigiri, and gyu-kaku ice cream. The meat eater's favorites include: kimchi ramen (with raw egg.... it used to come with it but now needs to specified), bistro harami, chicken teriyaki, and dorayaki ice cream. We both love the happy hour special on the pitcher of Kirin Light. Yum, yum.. Definitely check this place out if you are in Waikiki. It's a lot more upscale than your typical Korean BBQ joint, but it's casual enough to walk in with shorts and flip flops. We usually have great service here. You can't beat their "A-Roooo-Ha" (aloha) welcome and attitude.
(5)Virginia Y.
I've heard about the gyu - kaku in NYC so I knew I had to try the one in hawaii. It was happy hour when I came so everything was pretty much half off. It's a pretty sweet deal cause it's usually $50 a person, it came down to $20 a person with tip and tax. Great selection of beef and kalbi! P.S. they give out coupons around kalakaua avenue!!
(5)Michele C.
Updating my review... Go to 678 it's a better deal. After finding 678 I probably won't bother going back to this place. I've been wanting to try this place for years. There is always a long wait. Finally got in. So the manager lady that helped us was the best. Our server Wei was also amazing! Together they took great care of us. I'm real picky when it comes to Kim chee and the manager just gave me a lil sample. After tasting a piece I knew I needed more it was delicious! My fave thing I tried was the spicy tofu chigae soup it was like the perfect combination tofu and hot! Hubby and I both agree it's the best thing on the menu. I must be honest and say I don't eat red meat so I don't know how any of that was my hubby said it was good. I tried the pork belly wasn't a huge fan of it. I'm not used to pork belly being on the bone. The garlic noodles were ok I'm not sure I would order it again but it had good flavor. Taste like garlic in yo mouth for hours. I think the texture was a lil strange for us. Great experience I would def go back!
(4)KatyCakes M.
Probably my favorite restaurant! Fun experience, delicious food and super friendly service!
(5)Christine S.
What a wonderful find! It was so close to my hotel, but I would've never found it if it weren't for Yelp. It is just off the main road. It was already 10:30pm and I was super hungry because I missed dinner. So happy that this place was still open and the happy hour menu is awesome! Everything was delicious and a great price! The waiter was super nice and when I asked for his suggestions he told me about all his favorites on the menu. I took his advice on most of the items and it was all great. Totally hit the spot!
(5)Jamie D.
We were looking for a place that was open late. Most everything around here closed at 8PM. I filtered out the places that had more than two '$' because we didn't really want to spend that much. Yelp said '$$' so our party of six was caught slightly off guard on the price of the Mahalo combo ($198.00). We figured, "everything is expensive in Hawaii" so this is just relative to where everything is. When we received our order, holy moly it's a lot of food! Instead of "serves 5-6," there is enough food to feed a party of 8-9 comfortably. The food just kept on coming. I felt like I was at a Brazilian steakhouse and my service marker was in the "yes" position. So the price was just right IMO. Many will compare the food to Korean BBQ. But I think it's unfair to do that. Comparing the two is like apples and oranges. They are different. That being said, the food was great! I wish though, that maybe there are signs telling which one was which because we couldn't remember which one worked best with what sauce. The staff was also great and knowledgeable as well. I'm definitely a fan of this place.
(4)Natasha D.
So good! Garlic shrimp was the best!! Had the most attentive server. So so so good, can't wait to go to one closer to me!!
(5)Jason G.
Was probably the best dining experience in Honolulu as cooking at our table was a lot of fun. The food itself was good as well, we had the lunch special for about $12 which came with sausage and two other meats, rice, salad, soup, and dessert. There are all day happy hour specials on individual items so try a few different meats.
(5)Randy F.
Gyu-Kaku is a very popular Japanese BBQ chain that has restaurants in Hawaii, Los Angeles, and elsewhere in the United States (though not the Bay Area). I was eager to try this place given the reputation and the drool-worthy food photos that accompany the site. On a Thursday night, our wait was 1 hour, so I definitely recommend reservations if you can. The concept is simple. The center of the table has a gas/ceramic stone heat source and above it is a metal steel wire grill. You select among a variety of meat, vegetable and seafood items and grill your items yourself. The drink menu is quite extensive and it's obvious the place is popular with those who like quality drinks (soju, ume, sake) along with tasty food. We sampled a diverse range of items and all were extremely fresh, well marinated, and accompanied by delicious sauces. A few favorites: Bone in Kalbi - excellent quality and freshness, despite ordering only the regular version and not the premium or kobe version. Delicious garlic marinade that enhanced and did not cover the quality meat Beef tongue - again, extremely fresh. Also available in regular or premium versions Butterfish - teriyaki infused fish cooked in an aluminum foil. Extremely buttery and tasty Spicy sausage - looked like little hot dogs but tasted much better. A slightly spicy yet sweet flavor. Delicious. Gyu-Kaku was a great meal and while ordering a la carte can get pricey with the petite portions (ie: vegetables for $6.95), it's delicious. I like the concept and think cooking your own food is fun. While shabu shabu and Korean BBQ are similar concepts, Gyu Kaku stands out with very flavorful marinades, dipping sauces, and excellent quality meats. Gyu Kaku accepts credit cards, including American Express. I'll be looking for my first Japanese BBQ place like Gyu-Kaku in the Bay Area as soon as one opens....
(4)Lisa M.
My boyfriend (bartender at GS Studio located across the street) and I are frequent customers at Gyu-kaku on Lewers Street. We are very familiar with the staff and absolutely love the customer service they've provided to us over the years. He is a manager/lead bartender at GS studio and frequently serves Gyu-kaku employees. In Hawaii, it is very important that neighbors establish and maintain good relationships with each other. Since we are only across the street (1 minute walk), they offer a special delivery service to us which we most appreciate. However, one night I came in to purchase a salad, delivered, if possible. I was told by employee, Kai, "maybe". I waited about an hour till I went down there and saw Kai at the front. He apologized and informed me that it got super busy and they couldn't deliver it. I told him that it was okay but I didn't want a salad that was sitting out for an hour. Urara (the manager on duty) sitting in back of him working on something and didn't speak up. No one offered to make a new one and I could see that Kai was frustrated with the situation but by no means did the supervisor step in to aide. Keep in mind, I know Kai and he is a lovely man who provides above and beyond service whenever possible (Kai is an amazing server at Gyu-kaku and has been there for years!) I asked if I could kindly get my refund back and Kai attempted to refund it to my card. He then asked Urara for help and Urara screamed at him, "Why did you delete it?! You're never suppose to delete it! Now I can't do anything!" I couldn't believe she was shouting at an employee, in front of a customer. I have worked in retail for 6 years (management for 2) and I understand that in some establishments deleting a transaction would result in a void which does not always produce a receipt. However, that is not how any staff member (especially a manager) should react. Kai apologized profusely when Urara looked over at me and said, "We don't deliver; we never said we would deliver this". I responded, "I merely asked since you guys usually do--if it was a problem, I only wish I was informed". If then, I don't understand what was so hard about re-creating a salad? IMPORTANT PART: Urara then said, "Are you a baby? Does everyone around you treat you like a baby? Why are you acting like a baby? We are not going to baby you!" I was completely dumbstruck by this and I asked for a receipt validating my return and she told me that she could not produce one. She then said, "You just need to leave, bye!!" I stood there dumbfounded and she screamed "BYE!" at me multiple times while I slowly left. CONCLUSION: I've never paid to receive nothing but harassment and then rudely kicked out of an establishment by a supervisor yelling "bye" at me. I understand the special circumstances, but that is not a way any manager should act nor is that a way any customer should be treated. Gyukaku Staff: +5 stars. Gyukaku Service: +5 stars. Gyukaku Food: +5 stars. Paid for.... One horrible experience: -5 stars Management Insults: -5 stars Kicked out: -5 stars
(1)Rhi M.
I been here 2x. For Happy hour!! The drinks are good. The lihing mui margarita and the blue lychee is good. The meats are good, nothing can go wrong with that because YOU cook it. The service is okay...not bad. The dessert however was funny and disappointing. (Maybe me and my friends had a few to drink before eating). The dessert are smaller than they look on the picture menu. The desserts are only for one person. One scoop ice cream per order and the ice cream melts fast because its next to the grill. I would comeback here drinks and food...NOT desserts!
(4)Margaret P.
While wandering the streets behind our Waikiki hotel, we randomly came across this place during the lunchtime happy hour. We were starving, so I'm sure anything would've tasted great at that point, but I always love me some Asian grill places. Prior to our trip to Hawaii, one of the girls did not eat much seafood. But this place turned her with their version of nachos- ahi tuna poke on top of fried wontons for chips. Ah-may-zing! The meats we grilled were pretty tasty, but this is the dish that I remember most of that place and what made us come for the evening happy hour the very next day. The staff were pretty accomodating, too. Very friendly, as most locals in Hawaii are. But they made my birthday dinner extra special with some mighty strong and complimentary shots, along with posing with the inebriated birthday girl for some pictures. Just realized that this is a chain, but a pretty awesome chain at that. Wish we had this in the Bay Area, especially my part of the East Bay.
(5)S L.
Happy hour for MOST of the day and night?! Hell yes! The food was amazing and the drinks were made just right! We ordered 5 appetizers and BBQ for lunch as well as 6 cocktails. Fat status right? Oh well! We were on vacation and this was THE highlighted restaurant of our entire trip! The staff were all delightful and helpful. One of the waiters suggested something off the menu and it was bomb.com . A most def must try! Can't wait to make another trip to Oahu for the beach, island life, and Gyu-Kaku!
(5)seth f.
Good stuff. We kind of stumbled upon this place and were pleasantly surprised at how good it was.
(5)Spencer H.
Great delicious food. Very flavorful marinated meats. What's strange is that we didn't smell like bbq after we went out. (kudos to the ventilation?) I want to rave about their service. From the explanation of the sauces, to the constant refills of water (you will need it), to the well mannered staff, it was wonderful as it was one of the highlight dining experiences of my hawaii trip. Bravo!
(5)Kevin S.
Gyu-Kaku is a cook it yourself Japanese BBQ. We go here frequently in CA, but I had a craving for it in Waikiki today so we gave it a go. Unfortunately, we found that at 6PM on a Wednesday the wait would be 40 minutes for 2 people! Sad. The food itself was good as usual. In particular, the Harumi Miso and the Kalbi were especially good; I don't remember these selections being offered in the CA locations we typically go to. We missed the happy hour, but were able to order a la carte for 2 people and be completely stuffed for about $55. Not bad, considering when we order purely happy hour stuff it costs around $40. On a sad note, smores here are $3.95 now... wtf??! The service and atmosphere at this place tonight were both very average. But I love Gyu-Kaku so it'll still get a positive review from me.
(4)Laura H.
My bf and I were so excited to try this place because we've been to the LA location and it was great! They do have happy hour and reverse happy hour but the things we wanted were not on it so we decided just to order from the regular menu. If you're a party of just two they sit you at a small booth that will fit just two people so theres not much room to put the dishes and it was kind of crammed. The waitress didn't seem to know much about the dishes or even how to cook it. - Assorted Kim Chi $5.75: very small portion - Seaweed paper $2.95 - King Kalbi short rib $8.95: it was good but really small portion as well. - Kobe Style Rib eye $23.95: (wagyu) SO DISAPPOINTED. it wasn't red and didn't looked marbled. Usually my bf and I fight over who gets the last piece. We were so upset that we didn't even care to finish it. - Premium gyu-tan $11.95: (beef tongue) Did not look anything like the picture. It was brown when it came out and did not melt in your mouth. - mushroom medley $4.95: probably the best thing that we had there We left hungry and did not care to order dessert. We were so disappointed in this place. The LA location is a lot better. But if you want good quality food then go to Yakiniku Hiroshi. Great service and great food! Would not come back here ever.
(1)Jason D.
Late night happy hour! From 10pm - closing. Food an drinks are cheap! Portions are small, so if you go hungry, your tab will add up. You probably don't want to go there on an empty stomach. We ordered the toro beef for $2.95, mushroom medley for $3.95, and miso harami for $5.95. There were six of us, so really we each got no more than two bites each. Sure, we could've ordered more, but we were there really to drink. A pitcher of Kirin draft is $8.50, which is a really good deal! Not a beer drinker? Get some hot sake for $3.50.
(4)Nat W.
Definitely go during the happy hour (11:30AM-6:30PM and 9:30PM-11:30PM). We were able to stuff our face for $30 each person (we did not drink any alcohol). Great service and food! I love their Kalbi!! The server was super friendly. Do not order their Calpico...it was so watery. Make sure to finish your meal with mochi ice cream!
(4)Aline T.
Parking - there's paid public parking right next to gyukaku. turn right into the first driveway you see (there's a small sign too) after gyu kaku. if you turn left in that same area, you'll see a paid public parking sign as well. both are 10 bucks after 6:30pm. 8 before, I believe. Service - not bad, they have good looking waiters and waitresses who are pretty much all asian. don't expect them to ask you if you need anything, they won't. just tell them when they happen to come to your table. Food & Drink - Sour Apple Chuhai was awesome. I split the Kamehameha for 2 set ($78) with 3 friends, and it was enough to make us all full. The food was great. You get to try different cuts of meat but they pretty much taste all the same. There are 2 dipping sauces provided that are yum. Overall - yeah, I like it. It was really fun going with friends but I suggest you not go with so many people that you don't have elbow room to cook. I ended up doing most of the cooking and it was irritating because I wanted to eat, except I had to cook for 3 people. I'll probably check out the one on Kapiolani with my sister and we can both cook our own food.
(4)Jill V.
We stumbled onto this restaurant but couldn't get in due to the long wait and made a reservation for the next night. They are very easy to reach on the phone and call you when your table is ready. We had never been to a Japanese BBQ so we tried a little of everything. The five of us had a great time grilling our own veggies, meat and seafood and tried some noodle and rice dishes aswell. Everything we had was excellent and very flavorful and surprisingly healthy for a night out at a restaurant. The service was great and very patient with our 1st timers, they even accommodated 2 in our party arriving late. Will go ahead and bring more friends!
(5)Rylan C.
First timer at this location. Good Experience. I'd come back for me but finding affordable parking is the tough spot.
(4)Kameron K.
The best! I was super excited to go to Gyu-Kaku when I was looking for places to eat in Honolulu for vacation. Now if you haven't had yakiniku before, its basically a grill your own meat place. You get a gas fired grill to you and your party (the wait staff will come and change the grill every so often) and you basically grill your own meat. You get 3 different dipping sauces (regular, ponzu [soy sauce with lemon juice] and spicy). Spicy was the best and definitely not spicy at all, but very flavorful. I have to say I wasn't disappointed. Enough that I came here twice during my 5-day trip. First - Friday night, pretty busy, we had to wait about 20 minutes to get a table. We got a shared table which was fine. We ended up with the Kamehameha course for 2 people. Definitely enough food. Starters: - Ahi poke: Just right! - Assorted kim chee: Very good - Edamame: Eh, its edamame... - Daikon salad: It was a pretty large salad, although didn't like it too much - Miso soup: We didn't get this till the end because they were out of miso soup and we were completely full at the end. - Rice MEAT!: - Gyu-tan: Tongue! It was actually the best! It cooks really quick. - Chuck Kalibi Tare: Very juicy, flavorful - Harimi Miso Skirt steak: Very good, although took a lot longer to cook - Filet Mignon: Was very good, but loses the esteem as a premium cut of beef as a BBQ item. - Asparagus Bacon: was okay, nothing too exciting - Shrimp Garlic: Was also okay - Teriyaki Chicken: I was a little hesitant since raw chicken with the beef. The chicken of course took a long time to cook and wasn't too exciting. You also get a s'more at the end to roast as a dessert. In the end, it was a pretty good success, but I wasn't satisfied because I really wanted the all-you-can-eat. We came back later in the trip for their all-you-can-eat lunch special, highly recommend! $30/person for the premium all-you-can-eat. They have two packages and each one has different selections of meat you can choose from. You have 90 minutes to eat the food. The clock starts when you place your first order and you can only order 2 orders of items per person at a time. The meat needs to be fully grilled before you can order more. We definitely got our worth. We had at least 14-16 orders at the end of the meal, way before the 90 minute time limit. Any food that is ordered that you don't finish, you are charged for by the ala carte price. Side note: Plus for playing old school Jpop (Every Little Thing, early Ayumi Hamasaki, early Chemistry, etc.) from the 90s/early 2000s during the lunch hour! Was surprised I didn't break out in the meat sweats! Staff is super friendly and attentive. HIGHLY recommend! MMMM meat!
(5)Anita L.
I couldn't help laughing when my traveling buddy kept asking me to eat at Gyu-Kaku with her. Okay, yes... I am a spoiled California kid with a Gyu-Kaku 10 minutes from my house, so seeing this Japanese BBQ don't really get me that excited. Haha. Happy Hour is daily till 630pm and 10- closing. Quality is great and I love their happy hour price! $2.95 Kobe Beef! Yum. Of course, my night at Gyu-Kaku cannot end without my favorite order of Smores. Heheh
(4)Andy N.
If you want to be ripped off, eat here. I was really looking forward to this meal. The first thing I received was a beer that was barely over half a pint - for 5.95. When I asked about that, I was told that i was wrong, and it is a 16oz glass. I know what 16oz looks like, so I ordered a large bottle of Sapporo. The bottle I received was only 2/3 full, but before I could complain, the waiter started pouring it into a glass. Oh it was not a waiter, it was the manager! Well, I was really here for the food, not for the beer. Ordered a Spicy Tuna and Avocado salad, gyoza and bibimbap. The tuna was so so, but the avocado was old and brown. The gyoza tasted as if they had been warmed up in a micro-wave. The bibimbap was good but small. All in all a high price for a mediocre meal. It all ended for me when I saw a cockroach on the wall next to our table, crawling into the kitchen. Perhaps Hawaii has bugs that look like roaches but aren't really roaches. I am done with this place and I am definitely not coming back.
(1)Aishling R.
Fellow yelpers, you've let me down. I thought that this place's 4 1/2 star rating was sure to impress my boyfriend and our friend. I should have known that when we had to wait for 15 minutes after our reservation time that no good could come of it. We were seated and had to wait a bit for our server to come up to our table. In that time of waiting, we ended up deciding what we wanted. When our server finally showed up, he offered us drinks, but didn't necessarily want to take our order right away. So our server comes back and starts going off about how 2-3 plates of meat and a couple different sides were the normal serving for a single person. Excuse the hell out of me, but nowhere on yelp did anyone tell me that. So we order 3 meat dishes, 2 veg dishes, 2 rice bowls and 2 noodle bowls. For 3 people. You would have thought we only ordered water with our server's reaction of "you can always order more when you're done." We got the food, and it was fair-good. But honestly, how much effort needs to be put into raw meat and veg that we cook ourselves on our own table's grill? I did the cooking. Portions were tiny and getting so many dishes adds up. We all ate again pretty soon after because we weren't satisfied with our meal.
(2)Tommy C.
Grill, dip, eat, and repeat. All the beef items we ordered were fresh and very tasty. Yakishabu brisket was our favorite. We made it for happy hour 6:30pm and saved a few bucks. Comfortable and clean dining room. Our waiter was friendly and offered excellent speedy service. He offered menu suggestions, routinely changed out the grilling surface, and filled our cups. Surprisingly, this grill didn't smoke up my clothes as bad as Korean BBQ.
(5)Beth T.
Went to this place for an early dinner on Sunday night. We got there around 5:30 and waited about 20 minutes for a table. We were seated and waited on by a couple of very attentive waiters. They explained the menu options clearly and suggested we try the Kamahameha Course, which is basically a big combo of appetizers, meats, and a dessert. We were there during Happy Hour, which is apparently a big deal (and why I wanted to go so early), but I was talked out of it by the people with me and the waiter's suggestion. We probably could have saved quite a bit of $$ had we gone with happy hour a la carte choices. The appetizers were all pretty good. I suggest the miso soup, it was really good. As for the meats, my favorite were the boneless kalbi ribs (amazing!) and the miso skirt steak (so good). I added an order of the pork belly, because it wasn't on the course we ordered, and it was very good. Total for 2 adults & 1 child (kamehameha course, plus beer and the extra pork belly) was about $100. I ordered an extra s'mores dessert for my daughter, so we could each have one (the dinner only came with 2), and they charged an extra $3.95 for her s'more. Which really, on a $100 ticket, can't you just throw in a freaking marshmallow for free for a kid? But overall, it was a delicious meal, and fun to cook and eat. The restaurant is nice (kind of loud), and the wait staff is super helpful and nice. I highly recommend this place.
(4)Jonathan M.
Wear casual clothes here...you might get oil on you depending on where you seat. I unfortunately had my back to an area where they stage used grills for cleaning. I felt something prick my neck and turned around and saw where the staff had set these grills...OK, some hot oil hit my neck...I'll live. Well, sure enough, notice had a good number of oil spots on the back of my shirt...awesome :/ Anyway, first Yakiniku experience and it was fun to grill our own food. Had the filet mignon, pork belly, and pesto-basil chicken along with Egg Plant and Mushrooms. The food was excellent, also not bad on the price since it was part of their lunch specials. The service was good with multiple people tending to our table making sure we had what we needed. Aside from ruined clothes, food was really good and a nice fun place to eat.
(4)May L.
I LOVE Gyukaku!!! You do have to cook the food yourself but the food is sooo GOOD!!!
(5)Leah U.
Ate here during happy hour, the food took forever to come... From appetizer to the bbq meat...very poor service
(1)Lindsay P.
Mmmm! Gyu-Kaku was so good that we went twice! The first time we went during the earlier happy hour, where a lot of the meats are up to half off, and drinks are more than half off. Make sure you try the Manager recommended Kalbi meat! It was most definitely THE BEST item on the menu. Their kimchi was also really good; I ordered it both times. We tried so many different things on the menu and nothing was bad; I am also trying to find an excuse to go to their location in Vancouver, BC because it is the next closest one to us. We would have eaten there every night had I not wanted to expand my horizons and try different places. Oooooh soooooo gooooooood. Happy hours are the best!
(5)Dameon G.
good food, exceptionally attentive waitstaff!!
(4)Christina S.
Good food, fun concept. Only drawback I would say is price and the ahi poke appetizer - if we hadn't been here for happy hour, our bill would've been about $70 for 2, and that's with a few meat dishes, one veggie combo, a pitcher of beer and an order of ahi poke as an appetizer (definitely skip this - did not taste like quality fish). All in all, a fun place but expensive. Generally speaking, Korean bbq is more satisfying (hey, you get banchan!), but the meat is better (and more varied) here.
(3)Wendy C.
One of the best restaurants I've had during my visit to Hawaii. Everything is great. I love the poki and cheese broccoli. Go there during happy hour. Alcoholic beverages are only $4 each. The only reason I took 1 star from the 5 is the smoke. The fan is really weak. In the hot Hawaiian weather, the smoky stuffy restaurant doesn't make the food too appetizing. After being there for an hour, I was eager to get out. For that reason, I really couldn't give it a 5.
(4)Skippy T.
gyu-kaku is good no matter where you go!!!! so 5 star is an obvious. i just wanted to share my experience at this one... i ate here while on vacation. i walk in, kinda smokey, but i did not walk out smelling like smoke which was great because you walk in being smokey and all means you can smell the meat!!!! sooo good. but i hear a voice and i turn around to see "John Lovitz" eating here... this place is self explanatory! its pricey but well worth it!
(5)Theresa K.
This place does Japanese BBQ very well. The 30-day aged filet mignon was by far a favorite, along with the prime beef. The prices are comparable to other Japanese BBQ's I've been to, but the portions are a bit smaller. If there was no other Japanese BBQ alternative in my area, I would come here again.
(4)Grimeater A.
The food here tastes great but I've found the service to be lacking. Not just an isolated incident, it's happened the last two times I visited. I couldn't understand how it took so long to bring out raw meat. The portions have also shrank since my first visit back in the days. With the small portions and pricing your bill can rally start to add up. When I eat, I eat...this place just can't satisfy my hunger without breaking my wallet at the same time.
(3)mm h.
never come back again. the food is good, but the service is really bad....
(1)Nan R.
This place is classic Japanese Yakiniku. Yakiniku is Japanese style barbeque on a grill at your table. The meat here is always fresh and the dipping sauces compliment the meats perfectly. You can choose to order everything ala cart or prix fixe. You start by picking out the meat that you want, your choices include Korean kalbi, filet mignon, kobe beef. They have great kimchi, Hawaiian poki and veggies, too. You grill the meat at your own table which can accommodate just two people or up to 9. Definitely try to make it during happy hour 5:00-6:30 where meat specials are ~$5 and pitchers of Kirin are $8!
(5)Retired B.
I've been to the other Gyu-Kaku on Kapiolani... this location has more happy hour restrictions than the Kapiolani one, but I still had a great time since the servers were super attentive and helpful.
(4)belinda n.
1st time havin japanese bbq for both me & the old man.. we couldnt decide where to have our last HI dinner & while i was gettin ready, he thumbed thru a brochure advertising local restaurants we picked off a street newstand ( i think the mag was simply title "dining") and he closed his eyes & his finger landed on gyu-kaku.. so we arrive sat late around 10 ish & wait 20 mins for a table so we go next door to the divey kelly pub for a pint of kona to kill the quoted time.. from the outside, gyu looks like a fast food joint.. well its not.. the tables & booths are wooden, the booths are intimate, the bbq pit in the middle of the table gets hot so watch out.. the entire staff was attentive, our waitress was cute & nice & except for her utter misunderstanding of the concept of checking w/your customers to make sure they got everything, our meal was amazing &^ romantic & we were stuffed & so content & what are the chances that my hubbys finger landed on the ad for this joint... minus tip, $82.. including the happy hr pitcher of draft.. honestly, i dont know what we ordered.. we got the #1 of the package which comes w/a shitload of meat i couldnt try to name even if my puppys life was in jeopardy.. dessert, on the other hand, was red bean ice cream & silver dollar pancakes you can grill & watching my hubby make grilled ice cream sammies will remain a cherished moment in my heart.. i do know that our dinner had egg drop soup , a salad, edamame, kimchi, & some type of sausages. & a shitload of meat. similiar to korean bbq, but its bbq rather than saute/hot pan..
(5)Amanda S.
just had thanksgiving lunch with the family while visiting the seester. it's a decent japanese bbq. i've had better but it will do in a pinch. i like that they have three sauces on the table to dip your freshly grilled meat in - a sweet plum-like sauce, plain soy and soy with sesame oil. personally, i think the portions are pretty small for what you pay but the staff is incredibly attentive. i liked the flat steak, the assorted veggies, the scallops and the udon noodles. you can choose to have your meats marinated in a variety of sauces - the fresh garlic paste was tasty! my favorite dish though was definitely the enoki mushrooms grilled in creamy butter. yum yum.
(3)Kelvin L.
What a treat and a find while on vacation! It helps when a guy in a cow suit (restaurant mascot?) hands out coupons for $1 items! Make sure you take advantage of this. Hes usually out on the corner of Kalakaua and Lewers. The coupon is helpful for your chicken, short rib order or beer for $1 each. Whatta deal! Dined during late night happy hour after 9:30pm where a lot of the items are 50% off. Quite a few selections on the menu for BBQ but ordered the filet mignon, chicken-$1, garlic shrimp, short ribs-$1, endamame, kimchee plus a few beers at the 50% off - $2.75. The BBQ was already fired up when we got to the table but its essentially built right in the table unlike the gas portable stoves that one would usually find at hot pot. You are given 3 types of sauces to accompany your BBQ. The meat was good and I guess you are to blame if you don't cook it right :) I found no issues with the serving staff as they brought out a fresh beer when i needed one, refilled the water, and brought food out in a prompt manner. All in all I'd dine here again. Cant beat the value for a dine in BBQ. So for 2 of us, the bill came to $38.
(5)Elsie F.
First of all, I love Gyukaku!...the Kapiolani one that is. The Waikiki location seems to be a little greedier with the portions. I guess considering the tourist location, it is somewhat reasonable. Came here for HH yakiniku after work with the bf and the wait was about an hour. It's usually really busy because it's Waikiki & everyone comes out at night. The bf loves it here because of the pork belly but I go for the beef tongue! Yum! Thick juicy slices of beef tongue! Anyways, the other great thing about Gyukaku is their kamaaina menu! Majority of the time they don't offer it to you, so you should definitely ask! I would recommend this place to others, but for myself I'll stick to the Kapiolani location :)
(3)Olivia C.
This place is great!! Like a number of other reviews on here, the idea of going out to cook my own food doesn't usual appeal to me. This place has changed all that. We called and booked ahead to reserve a table which I would recommend. I would also recommend going during happy hour as the prices are even better (not that they are too bad outside of happy hour anyway). We ordered a number of different meats and veges and got cooking on our barbecue. My goodness! Every bite of food was amazing. So full of flavour and deliciousness. The beef tongue and the harami miso skirt steak were my favourite. Another great thing about this place is you can order a few and if you're still not satisfied, you can get a few more. This place is highly recommended!!
(5)Vi L.
Ripoff food you cook yourself and atrocious service. Even the spicy tuna maki you have to assemble yourself. The only highlight was the drink menu - Asian pear mojito and lychee martini. Find less expensive yakiniku near ala moana.
(1)Jeff H.
First and last time. Service was unacceptable. Requested a fork never got it. Rice didn't come out till 10 min after meat. Richard was horrible server
(2)Kien M.
From open to 6:30PM, Monday through Friday happy hour is awesome. I believe there is also late happy hour as well. Under $4 cocktails, ~$3 beers or ~$8.50 pitchers, and discounted appetizers, meat, and veggies (all under $6 each). For 2 people, we went a little over board and order about 10 total dishes. Ahi poke, fried oysters, soft shell crab, filet mignon, nakaochi, kalbi, garlic shrimp, roasted corn, garlic noodles, and egg plant. All of the meat are good choices but I would past on the oysters and egg plant. For dessert, go with the macadamia ice cream. I can't wait to try this place back home at the Cupertino location.
(4)Johnny G.
I think its a bit overpriced for the food but the meats were good. The happy hour menu does save some some money but I think the best thing was the interesting cheese wontons. Also they have a coupon for 99 cent draft ichiban beer! talk about winning! The manager Kenji REALLY cares about this place. He went out of his way to ensure we had the best service. He also gave us a really generous discount since we said we live near the other branch in the bay area. He is super nice and really just a genuine great guy!
(4)Vincent Q.
I've heard about this place many times, but have been hesitant to eat there because of the prices. To me, it's like sushi, you can get what you want in small portions, but once you lose control, once you start to order everything, the bill gets insane. I let my friend choose from a list of the better rated restaurant in Waikiki, and I already knew--Gyukaku would win. My one saving grace was that we arrived during Happy Hour, which ends around 6 p.m. Half-priced drinks and foods. Thank goodness. Gyu tan- 4.5-stars- Large, thin sliced pieces of beef tongue. This has become a staple anywhere I cook my own food. You'd be surprised how large a cow's tongue is, let alone how tender and delicious the meat can be. The pieces are sliced thick enough to keep their shape and grill beautifully. Of the sauces, I enjoyed the plum version the most. Filet Mignon- 5-stars- At first, I was curious about these thicker wedges of meat. Yet, after cooking, they are so soft, they almost melt in your mouth. The thickness allows for a layering of flavor to build up, with a juicy center. This would be a top choice. Toro- 4-stars- Like fresh bacon, but not as greasy. Cooking it at different lengths you get a very bacon-like texture because this is so thinly sliced. There is enough fat to give it that right flavor, without going too far. Plus, it's on a grill, so much of the quickly burns away. A definite advantage when working with fattier meats. Rosu- 3.5-stars- Roast, another good slice of meat, but not something I would miss from this meat medley. It is a bit thicker than the toro, but this is considering that dish is about as thick as bacon. This one can stand a bit of longer cooking. The slice is a bit bigger, heftier, and creates a different cooking style. At times, it may end up being harder to grill when you have other meats there, too. Mushroom Medley- 4-stars- For a mushroom lover, you get shiitake and enoki mushrooms. Don't worry, these are fresh! Dried shiitake grosses me out, to be honest. The lighter flavor of these steamed pieces were tender, soft, and not too chewy. I liked the enokie, partly because of the texture, because it wasn't entirely overflowing with flavor. It's packed up in foil, so you place it on the grill and decide how long you want to cook it. Chigae- 4-stars- Obviously reminiscent of jigae, Korean kim-chi stew, with tofu, etc. It isn't entirely spicy, but it's hot enough to give you warmth, especially if you're already drinking beer. coming in a black pot, it stays warm and keeps cooking for a short while. Atmosphere- The seating is relatively private, with perhaps enough room to fit four people, with little elbow room. Behind and in front of you, the seat-backs aren't too high, so I kept viewing other people eating. But at your sides, there is a board to block heads, but not torsos. There isn't too much decor otherwise. Service- Our waiter introduced himself as one of the people who will be helping us. I counted maybe four people who helped us that night. Most of the service was quick and attentive. With the space so close, it was easy to find someone when we needed help. Conclusion- For happy hour, this is reasonable. I ended up paying $60 (which included two pitchers at happy hour prices). The beer came with a cooler in the center, I assume it takes up more space in the pitcher, but our second pitcher didn't have one. For the quality of our meats, the prices weren't insane, but still a bit high. Thankfully for my friend, this was a birthday treat. I said I usually expect a kiss after paying that much for dinner. But then I tell my mom this, too. so I guess it's okay, right?
(4)Julie N.
Since I hate cooking my own food, especially when I go to a restaurant, I ask them to cook it for me. If I wanted to cook my own food, I would stay home and cook it at home. When I go out, I really don't want to cook my own food because I have a tendency of burning it or undercooking it. And if you're going to tell me to take some culinary classes, I've taken a year of that.. thank you very much. This restaurant has happy hour all day long, except for like a few hours 6:30-9:30pm or something like that. It's happy hour all day and all night after 9:30 at this location. If you don't live in Waikiki like I do, then I suggest you go to the Kapiolani location unless you don't mind paying a lot for your parking and walking from a structure. You could park at the Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center, then try and get validation somewhere over there. My favorite drink is the Asian Pear Mojito! I mean, there's a reason why this drink is #1 over there. :) It's really good, just try it! The Li Hing Margarita isn't bad too. The Lychee Martini is my 3rd favorite. But come on, isn't beer the best with yakiniku? Well, then there's Kirin (my favorite!)
(4)Zane T.
LOVE the chain, great food and our waiter Kiet was awesome!!
(4)Chass B.
I had a craving for Gyukaku and this was the nearest one to fulfill that for me. I was just reminded why I don't care to come here very much =\ Although the hostess was gracious enough to seat me quickly as I had only one hour to eat (since I'm on break), it took what seems to be a lifetime before my server took my order. I timed it and it took nearly 10 minutes before he came around to get my order and halfway through that I did ask for my server and mention that I was ready. I saw that the other tables got more attention than I did. I know that I am just one person, but I am one person that can eat and fast. So this table is a no-brainer and will turn fast. It continued to be slow throughout my meal and by the time my food arrived and cooked, I am shoveling food in my mouth. At the end my checkout process took another 10 minutes. Food is yummy and during happy hour is golden!! My most favorite thing about this place is that they have a take-out bento for lunch up till 3pm daily. I always get the Bistro Harami bento that includes a drink for $7.50!! Don't forget to mention Kamaaina =)
(3)Tim G.
Not a match for its New York clones. but a solid choice for some moderately expensive food in japanese and korean flavors. A bit dirty!
(4)Daniel C.
They're lunch specials are a great deal. For $11.95 you can get yourself two sets of meat, salad, soup, rice, and edamame. 4 stars and not five since this place lacks adequate ventilation. Ceiling fans do not suffice. My advice to management is to invest in purchasing adequate infrastructure for grilling such as air vents over every grill. Lung cancer is not a joke. Food's great, and the service gets a 7 out of 10.
(3)Odille C.
This place can be a little pricey if you want everything, but its really fun to cook your own food. The meat choices are delicious and vary so much its a dance party of food in your mouth. Its amazing. I love it. I am definitely going again.
(5)T C.
The food and service for this place is great. We were greeted and seated very fast for 5 people. The waiter was very nice and knowledgeable of the menu. He ask us how hungry we were and suggested to us a certain set menu, he was right and we were happy about the food choice. I suggest you try this place out. I believe happy hours start at 9pm.
(5)Ali S.
Go there after 10:30 for happy hour prices! The jalapeño cheese wontons were delicious in a shitty frozen food type of way. The marinated skirt steak is AMAZING. You must get it. I thought the filet mignon, shrimp, and beef tongue were a waste of time / stomach space. The chocolate soufflé thing was nothing special.
(4)Jeff S.
We stopped by here last Friday as we were walking back to our hotel. Hadn't tried this type of bbq before, but trusted the positive reviews here on Yelp. To our surprise happy hour prices were in effect most of the day.... Had several beer at a reasonable price and an excellent meal. Highly recommend.
(5)Yuko A.
Disregard my previous review which was actually for the location in Kapiolani when I was oh such a newbie to Yelp..... I mean I still think that the value isn't great but now I know - HAPPY HOUR is the time to go.....That being said, we actually missed the Happy hour mark waiting for our table :( Oh well, still had a good time. Ate some dishes I had never had a BBQ before and definitely interested in returning. Probably to the other location though. Anyway, on to the food. We started off with cheese wontons and fries. That was a first, but surprisingly tasty. I mean you can't really go that wrong with fried food... My friend did all of the ordering so we got a ton of different meats including kalbi, tan, hormone, and some others. Gyu tan was the best for sure and the others weren't bad. Just not up to the same quality I've had at other yakiniku restaurants. But you kind of know that before coming in. Half the reason people come here is to get drunk off the cheap drinks too during happy hour too:) After our first round of drinks and food, we ordered another round of gyu tan, kalbi, and garlic noodles. I was full by this time but I had to try the garlic noodles I had heard/read so much about. They were udon noodles cooked in a hot pot (like the ones they use for bibimbap) with veggies and meat and of course lots of garlic. It was probably one of my favorite dishes of the night. Definitely ordering it earlier next time so I can eat more. Nom Nom. Had a mojito which wasn't bad. A little too sweet for multiple rounds but it was tolerable for one. It seems to really depends on who makes it, since my friend's first one was good while our second one was a little syrupy. Two of our friends tried the frozen beer. Basically frozen foam on top of the beer. You are probably better off getting a regular beer unless you want to be eating foam like ice cream.... Service was decent, nothing special. He forgot a couple things but I guess its understandable when its packed all night. YELP 365: 218/365
(4)Zayka Z.
Great experience overall, ordered skirt stake, liver, chicken, shrimp, mushrooms, asparagus in bacon, garlic noodles and more - all was tasty and cooked perfectly (by us!)- pomegranate drink I ordered was perfect - bit too sweet not too sour! ;) the s'mores were great! and 'lava' cake was ok.
(5)Jonathan Q.
The service was awful Long wait despite having reservations. It was over an hour, but it is Waikiki so it was kind of understandable. Took forever to get our orders. We first ordered a bibimbap, and did not get it until we were all done with our meat etc. Furthermore, the waitress left it on the counter and did not bother to take it for us despite passing it multiple times. Dessert also took forever too. The meat was good though, I liked the tenderness and the seasoning of it.
(2)Angie S.
I'm seriously obsessed with happy hour at Gyu-Kaku! They have so much to choose from and prices for items start as low as $1.99. Be sure to check in on four-square when you arrive, I got free Sake for doing so! ;)
(5)Mio S.
JUST WARNING! I wanted to tell everyone to take care and that they should check their bill before they sign it. I made the terrible mistake of letting them get 15% gratuity with your 5 party table. I was very disappointed when I called back to clear the mistake up an hour later. Why would I need to pay gratuity for a table with 5 people? They said they'd refund the 15% back to me, but really, nothing has happened. I'm very upset. I would never go to a gyukaku chain, in America or elsewhere. Their food is good though and cheap during happy hour if that's what you're looking for.
(1)Mike D.
This is a very fun place to eat with the group. Think of Teppan-Yaki type dining but with food that you grill yourself. As others have described, there's a barbecue in the middle of the table where you cook your own food. It's fun, it's social, and it's not something that you get to do every day. It also feels like a good locals place so if you're in Hawaii on vacation it's a great place to dine. I would definitely plan on dining early or having a reservation. We showed up at 6 PM and by the time we left the place was packed.
(5)Cheryl H.
Great food and fun place to have Korean style food although this is a Japanese restaurant. It is part of a large chain out of Tokyo. I enjoy being able to cook food at my table and they also have a pretty good wine list.
(5)Christa L.
Love this restaurant! The food is amazing and my hubby, who has lived in Japan, said it is very authentic. There is so much to choose from so everybody can find something they like. We tried the pork belly, teriyaki chicken, and strip steak...all were great! The garlic noodles are also fantastic. For those that don't eat meat, there are so many other options including tofu and multiple veggies. Like I said, something for everyone and definitely worth a try.
(5)Noeru N.
Happy Hour Heaven. For you early birds or late night crawlers. $8 Kirin Pitchers. 1/2 off meats and appetizers. Cook. Drink. Eat. Repeat. Gyu-Tan + Harami + Nakaochi Kalbi + Reba + Beer = Happy Tums. This is how we do: Order our meats Shio (salt) instead of tare (marinade) Side of Negi (chopped scallion with sesame seed oil) Bowl of Lemon Wedges (squeeze some on your tender meats) Sanchu (Green leaf lettuce leaves to wrap your meat, rice and veggies in)
(4)Sherylynn S.
I would have give a 5 if they continue to have garlic in a foil bag. They stopped providing because some customer got them burned and almost burned down the building. However, the food are awesome !!! Easy to make and I love their happy hours!!! Only from 11:30am to 6:00pm and after 9:30pm
(4)Haiyan J.
We were craving for some beefy meat, so we followed Yelp's recommendation and went to Gyu-Kaku. It was great as said by everybody else! We arrived at 6:15 and had to wait for about 20 or so minutes, so we missed the happy hour (which ends at 6:30). Our waitress was super nice and quick with getting our orders and drinks. We got skirt steak, ox tongue, liver, scallop, eggplant, mushroom medley, garlic noodles, green tea ice cream with black sugar syrup, and appetizers eg miso soup and, what turned out to be our favorite surprise: toka wasabi. All dishes were great. I loved the steak and ox tongue the best. You really have to watch your time to ensure the meat are done but still juicy. The entire place was full of fun.
(5)Joseph B.
Everything that we ordered tasted good but I wish the portion sizing was larger. Don't come here and expect to leave really full.
(3)Shanena B.
Honestly the atmosphere was nice, the table and seating. Although it wasn't that comfortable, but it was really nice looking. The food was alright considering the fact that we ordered the premium course for 2, and then the Kamaaina for 4 (we had 7 people). So the waiters were nice at first, very sociable, but when we had finished all our food and it was time to leave and check out, one of them had complained about the tip we left them. The bill came out to be $281 and we left around a $20 tip. They weren't too happy about that and expected $40. Long story short, one of the waiters argued with my fiancé and then my mother in law just decided to leave a $40 tip to get it over with. Never coming back here again for sure.
(1)Joseph V.
A great lunch or dinner spot! And it's right next to a Irish bar! I ordered about 7 items (portions are only about 3-4 oz each) and it came out to be like $35 (with tip and tax). The meats were perfectly marinated and so delicious. The sauces on the table were really good for dipping. The poke salad was small, but the tuna chunks were so flavorful, definitely one of the good pokes that I've tried! Both the chicken and skirt steak were wonderful and made me want more.
(5)Scott G.
Hi I'm a man and I like grilling stuff... this place was awesome.... scallops, bacon asparagus, pork belly, lobster nuggets , garlic noodle, garlic shrimp, chicken fondue ... great to have a lot of small plate choices
(5)Jason P.
Japanese-style Yakiniku (cook your own meat). Came here with a group of 5, we were seated within 30 minutes which is reasonable for a Saturday night. Waiter bought our drinks right away, he was very attentive to our table although it was pretty busy. We ordered from the Ala Carte menu, we didnt' want some of the items in the course meals (like the S'mores). Meats were good, came out of the kitchen at reasonable times, cant' complain about anything here. Get the Harami and the beef tongue!! This is Lewers street off of Kalakaua, so parking is obviously a concern.
(4)Kimberly S.
The servers are very nice and great with suggestions. Cassandra was our server and she was fabulous! The appetizers were delicious - we should have ordered more! Great place with reasonable prices.
(5)Holly B.
Really nice waitstaff, prompt filling of orders for take-out bentos with drinks! Accommodates my requests for extra furikake on the bento rice and sauce for the chicken karaage. Close to work and one of the more affordable places in Waikiki for us working stiffs!
(4)Joey T.
Besides the parking which is horrible in Waikiki, period, I had a stellar time at Gyu-Kaku. I highly recommend making reservations if two or more people are going as it tends to get crowded. However, since it was just my date and I we just walked right in and they sat us down. The food and the prices were fantastic! We went during happy hour and took advantage of the Kama'aina special they have here (not too sure if other locations have this special as well) and our total bill for my date and I came out to $20 and we had six dishes and beers! You can't best that kind of a deal, especially in Waikiki. The service was excellent, we just waited a little longer in the end for our bill but otherwise we were well taken care of. Food: I give it 5 stars. The food was excellent. The quality of the meat wasn't lowered due to price and I do appreciate that. We had the pork belly and the steak for our yakiniku and had all the proper condiments on our area to complement it. We also had the lobster tempura balls, those were really good especially with the sauce. We also had the calamari which was excellent as it wasn't oily like it usually is when I order from other places. Fantastic food, great quality. Service: I give it 4 stars. The service was excellent, just except for the wait we had in the end to get our bill. Our server was really attentive and made sure we were well taken care of. We didn't wait long for the food which was great because I would've died with the people around me continuing to cook and eat food while we were sitting there. Price: I give it 10 stars, especially during the happy hour with the Kama'aina special as our food and drinks were dirt cheap. Our total bill came out to $20 including drinks. The non happy hour prices were pretty standard for Yakiniku restaurants. I highly recommend going during happy hour. I would definitely recommend this to everyone and will definitely be coming again!
(5)Ren L.
Had a reservation here, but it took longer than usual since there was an earlier party that wouldn't leave for 30 minutes. A bit disappointing there. Once we were seated and ordered our food, it came out relatively quick as we ordered the Aloha course. Unfortunately as well, we came at a time when happy hour was not served. The meat that definitely stood out was the Kalbi, as that had a bunch of protein. The corn/butter combo was neat in the manner of cooking it over foil and having the corn already removed from the cob. The s'mores at the very end of the meal was a neat way to cap off the course. If I ever come back, hopefully I'll be in the realm of happy hour.
(4)Shanisse I.
i.LOVE. gyukaku. I just love coming here. the food is very yummy. Of course we come here during happy hour. I usually get the zucchini,filet, chicken, mushroom medley and whatever random stuff we feel like getting. The wait can be a little long, or maybe the fact that we go when we're starving so it feels like forever. But its understandable; the workers have other people to tend to and so on. If you go to this Waikiki location, I suggest you head towards the strip till you see the Cow Mascot that passes out the coupons where you can either get a glass of kirin, or chicken basil or kalbi for just 1 dollar. Its just for one serving but hey, if you dont eat that much then thats great!! and if you eat a lot, thats still great!! you only have to pay 1 dollar for one of your plates. For desert, I ALWAYS have to get the dorayaki ice cream. The person who thought of that is GENIUS!!! its kind of like a japanese pancake with maple syrup and what you do is grill it and eat with the ice cream they serve with it. I don't know if thats the proper way to eat it but hey, if it tastes good I'm going to keep doing it my way. If you think that you are going to be a regular there I suggest you get that gyu kaku card that they offer. Its just a dollar to sign up and once you do, for every dollar you spend you get a point and once you accumulate 250 points you get a $25 voucher. I don't think you can use it during happy hour, maybe maybe not, but still, if anything you just have to pay a few more bucks out of your pocket to cover the remainder.
(5)Sandy I.
We went for lunch. Food, value, service (Brittney) was great! Definitely will be back. We ordered one of the BBQ lunch combos-tons of food 10.95 (two meats/fish, edamame, salad, soup, rice, coconut dessert). Kimchee ramen-spicey, hot and comforting (7.95) and sake (6.95). We arrived around 11ish and were leisurely, done by 12:05. No waiting, but busy and service on top of it. Just one thing, this is a BBQ (your own) so if that is not your thing, this may not be your place. I'm usually not a big fan myself, but this place you didn't walk out and smell like the grill.
(5)Ryan O.
Had an enjoyable meal here on a Wednesday evening. Our server was a big dude, forget his name but I like that he had a real opinion on the drinks and dishes and didn't mind sharing it as we had never done a Japanese BBQ before. It's a fun concept where you cook your own meats. Kind of expensive at roughly $60 per person but I would do it again because the quality of the food was good and so was the service--not to mention there just aren't too many dining experiences like this. We ordered many items from shishito peppers to ribeye steak to shrimp, to mushrooms and everything was tasty, tender, and just plain good. Only reason why I don't give 5 stars is because it's too expensive considering the patron does the cooking himself/herself!
(4)Darren N.
Getting there: Parking entrance right off Kapiolani Blvd and it's free validated. Ambiance: Japanese decor and wooden accents give this place a great atmosphere. Spacious seating makes it a great place for groups of friends to eat and talk story. Service: They were very busy but eager to accommodate us as best as they could. Servers were quick and responsive. They even swap out the burners for us midway so our later orders were made over a fresh grill. Food: Everything I tried I would recommend. For appetizers, the cheese fried wontons were filled with warm and fresh mozzarella. The Harami beef, pork belly, bacon-wrapped asparagus, butterfish, and garlic shrimp were all covered with great tasting sauces. The garlic fried noodle was not bad but if you are like me, I prefer my noodles on the thinner side. Rice bowls, fluffy and fresh, are a separate cost. Who to bring: Any size party works. Probably good to call ahead to make reservations. How much to bring: Every dish seems to be above 6 so if you order a drink and a few dishes you can easily surpass a typical steak dinner. Verdict: Three stars for great food but fairly expensive experience. If you like cooking your own food and have a big budget, add a star. ***Final notes: One of our party got their credit card info swiped and used not even a day after. Have no direct proof if it was done here but I wouldn't use my cc here in the near future.***
(3)Deb S.
A great big thank-you to our waitress at Lulu's for breakfast who mentioned this little spot to us. We couldn't have been happier to try it out. We wandered past early in the day and made reservations for a 7pm dinner. Thank goodness, because it got very crowded. We were surrounded by other families and parties of 6 or 7 or 8 people enjoying themselves. This is one of those little places where you cook your food yourself on the little grill in the center of the table. Kalbi - delicious, chicken teriyaki - super yummy, veggies - very good, but the butterfish.... oh my it was out-of-this-world delicious! The service was very good, and the sake was terrific as well. This place is just off the beach walk in Waikiki and my guess is that the locals love it as much as the tourists. So yummy, and remember - use your tongs to cook your food, not your chopsticks!!!
(5)Andrey Y.
I do not give very many 5s but a huge fan of this place. Like the vibe of this location better (maybe because I could walk to it). Always go for the happy hour (4:30-6:30) which is like a 40% off original price. Most all of the meat is delicious, along with the cheese wontons and fried oysters. Try the filet minon, bone-in kalbi, any of the thin meats, and cook the cheese wontons 30s on each side for the perfect amount of melty ooie gooie-ness. :) 365 Challenge: # 2A/365
(5)Gary N.
The food here is so fresh and awesome! It's a little pricey, but if you go during the lunch or happy hour you save a bunch. Our waitress today was Mai Hoang and she had a really good attitude. She actually looked like she wanted to be there. All of the workers there were friendly and nice. Our party of three ordered 5 lunch sets, which consisted of garlic beef, garlic shrimp, spicy beef, shabu style beef, garlic spinach, enoki mushrooms, edamame, endless rice (awesome for you local people!), 5 bowls of salad, 5 bowls of soup, pickles, dessert, and more! Everything was so delicious. Today damage: $57 after a generous tip.
(4)Hideyo K.
I came here with a group of Japanese people, and I could swear I was in Japan all over again. The atmosphere is very izakaya-like, with a rustic interior design and welcoming staff to match. The sound of sizzling meat and the occasional Japanese pop music playing from above really contribute to the illusion, and that alone is something worth coming for. But we're here for the food and drinks. Since there were eight of us, we decided to get a combination of the Kamehameha Course (for 2 people) and the Aloha Course (for 5 to 6 people). Each course comes with a wide variety of meat, shrimp, vegetables, and s'mores for dessert (see PDF of menu on gyu-kaku.com ). The amount of food was pretty reasonable for our group, and everything tasted great. Without even ordering drinks though, I have to say that this place fringes on the pricey side ($33 a head with just the two courses). By the end of the night, I think the bill was around $400 (thank goodness we had modest drinkers!). Still, if you come with the right group, it's a really great place to just socialize and enjoy a good range of drinks. It's yakiniku. What else are you gonna do while you wait for the food to cook? Also, the service was impeccable the night that I went. They have a large waiting staff so I didn't have to wait much for refills. It was also pretty helpful for our particular group that all of them were bilingual. Gyu-Kaku is a well established chain in Japan, so I don't think you can really go wrong. If anything, my advice would be to go there during happy hour, and familiarize yourself with their menu online if you're planning on going with a big group. Also, check out the special offers on their website. Right now for instance, I see a 50% off all meat special for both Hawaii locations. I'm definitely down to come back again especially for that kind of deal.
(4)Andrew A.
The food was amazing (loved the poke), the drinks were great (pear mojitos were tasty), and the manager even went above and beyond for a special request we had. Great place. Check it out!
(5)Jonathan R.
Great locals menu. Just order everything.
(5)Mali T.
Giving it a 4.8 - Great place to dine with friends and family. There Ahi Poke was delicious. Love the varieties of BBQ dishes. Great for family gathering and if you like to grill your own food! Great experience =) Every time I'm visiting Hawaii we always have a gathering here and never fails. Customer service was awesome =) Cons: Pricing can be expensive, overall Great food! Totally recommend
(4)HiLife B.
So we have a party of 22. Ok first of all party of 22 should be treated right. I can tell y'all this that we are from here, we are not tourist or anything like that so word does go around. If y'all wanna make money then get ur customer service right. You don't know if we're filthy rich and give y'all hella tip. Oh wait yes we are, we work for our money and most of us are business owners and doctors and nurses and even managers for a big company. Does that tell you we have money? If we told y'all were those kinda people would u treat us different? Anyways slow ass service, complaints from different people who asked us if we got our food yet. One more thing, wrong orders over and over again. We do base our lunches and dinners through customer service. We we're once like these people but we always work hard for our money and that's how we have careers now. Btw our age ranges are from 24 to 37. Does that tell y'all something?
(1)Ilene B.
Nice place with great food just be careful because the bill adds up quickly. They have a great happy hour from lunch until 6:30.
(4)May T.
Ate here for the first time last night with my family and I have to say, we really enjoyed ourselves. My kids got a kick out of watching us grill their food. The atmosphere is great, kid friendly, not to mention they have Happy Hour ( everything is half off, House sake is $3.50... I'm sold!). They have a good selection of meat. I recommend the Harami Miso Skirt Steak and Bara kalbi short ribs. Overall, a great place for hands on do it yourself grilling experience.
(5)Todd C.
Made a reservation for about 10pm and loved every minute of this place. From feeling like I was back in Japan and enjoying all the amazingly cute girls coming in and out to the excellent food and drinks, I'd say to anyone that they must visit Gyu-Kaku during a stay in Honolulu - well, I'm a lover of anything Japan related so possibly a bit biased.... Each table has it's own gas grill where you cook your meats and veggies. In similar fashion to such a place as a fondue restaurant, this means that if you're by yourself you'll probably not have nearly as much fun as if you're with a group of friends - we never felt rushed and was nice to chat, people-watch and in general have a great time. I found it very easy to figure out the cooking times for everything, really if you have cooked anything at all in your life you should be able to handle this little grill. Not sure why some people have a problem with this aspect. The dipping sauces were delicious. The meats and veggies were well proportioned and savory after their grilling. A bit about the service: my young man that I had as a waiter was extremely knowledgeable and helpful, unobtrusive and quick with our orders. A definite thumbs up from me for this guy. See you there!
(5)Josh M.
Got the happy hour deal, ordered the best seller beef entries, everything was so good. Try the pork belly, won't disappoint you.
(5)Ikaika O.
If you haven't heard, Gyu-Kaku is awesome. The Waikiki location holds true to that statement. The only downsides are the parking and the prices. Parking can be found across the street ($10 after 5pm), in the galleria ($10, Gyu-Kaku does not validate!) or you can try to find street parking in Waikiki. AND since you crossed over the alawai, you are paying Waikiki prices. Now the positive: the food, the people. The workers here are held to a high standard of service, so when they are explaining everything to you, it's not because they think you're ignorant, it's part of the mandatory explanation they give to everyone, just smile and take it. The staff are knowledgable so ask them what they like, it's usually a winner. The food is awesome, every time. The level quality is superior so the food always tastes good, choose one of the marinades like Shio, Tare, or Miso and get ready to be addicted. Some items I recommend: the fried cheese wontons, ahi poke to start, nakaochi with Shio, harami with miso and the king kalbi with Tare. Add some rice and you'll be set. Happy hour is from 11:30 am until 6:30 pm and starts up again at 9:30 until last call at 11:30. Apps, meats, veggies and drinks all at a discounted price. But don't get tunnel vision! There are a lot of great things in the regular menu that are just as cheap, especially the veggies, so take a look. All in all, you won't be disappointed. Ever
(5)CherMatt K.
Excellent service! Great value- best to go during happy hour for both food and drink. You get to grill your own food... Would definitely go back!
(5)Keahi R.
Very good! A must visit in Waikiki.. Everything is good here.. Beef tongue, all steaks, poke, fried cheese, and it's a great time with friends to cook it all up..green tea ice cream, mojitos looked really good, i'll have get one next time..
(5)Wendi W.
Absolutely love this chain!! I used to goto the original one in beverely hills back in the day, so I was very happy when I found this one while on vacation. Came here twice during my 6day stay in Waikiki for happy hour, and boy did they make me happy:) First off, you can't go wrong with $.99 beers and $5 sake, add that with their delicious food items all for about $4-$8 each. We ordered two plates of filet, garlic shrimp, eggplants, beef tongue, and a few more which I can't remember due to my impaired sake vision. I do remember the super yummy macadamia nut ice cream with coffee sauce(I think) we ordered as dessert. The ice cream was very light with chunks of macadamia nuts in it. Soooo good I felt like I died and went to macadamia heaven, lol. The wait staff were very cute and attentive, made great suggestions and joked around with us. Must say they made the experience even better. When I was here last month for business I had the fish with a long name that I can never remember in a miso sauce, definitely a must try dish! I cannot wait for the one in Cupertino to open so I can go there everyday!!
(5)Logan N.
This is a great place for dinner. Happier hour is cheaper, but I feel like the food portions are also smaller. The staff is friendly and the there's a lot energy at this place. I recommend the asian pear mojoto and beef tongue!
(5)Katy N.
NOTHING special about this place and the only star was the $10 or 20 discount I had received using yelp :) Whatever you do, do NOT provide your server your email account because they will SPAM you!!!!!!
(1)Willy W.
Solid... that's how I'd describe this place in one word. They took our reservation for a large group (14ish i'd say) and accommodated us nicely. The waiter and host staff were great. We ended up ordering meals for each half of our party and shared. I think that they even threw in some extra cuz some of us newbies. The cow tongue was interesting... kinda like chewy brisket. Everyone got ice cream at the end and had a grand ol' time. Thanks~
(5)Belicious C.
Probably one of my favorite Japanese Bbq places. It's a little different then my home-restaurant. But still very very good!!!
(5)Jackie D.
So I frequent this joint in Huntington Beach and Tustin and honestly this location needs to work on their Garlic Noodles. Everything else is amazing. Their Poke is better at this location, I prefer my Poke spicy. Service is awesome, like every Gyu-Kaku I have ever been to. Place is nice inside like the other locations. Would I recommend this place, of course, but I would send people to the mainland for the noodles. The garlic noodles at this location reminds me of Bibimbap in a way. A raw egg is added at the table, which adds to the show but I prefer it without it. In the mainland locations, they don't add they egg and are much more garlicky. Over all, the flavors are so different. All this talk about Garlic noodles makes me want to head over to Huntington Beach for my Garlic Noodle fix.
(4)Jason R.
Service was bad and very impatient when explaining the menu items. Portions were small and the food just wasn't that tasty. Tip for the waiters... Don't look like your time is being wasted when asked for recommendations.
(1)Danielle L.
While on our Honeymoon in May, my husband and I met a couple that had just gone here for dinner, they recommended it so we decided...why not! We ended up going TWICE in the course of a few days because it was so good. I think we tried one of everything and the Happy Hour deals are too good to be true. They have filet, chicken and shrimp for $2.95-3.95. My husband also tried fish in a foil packet and he was amazed. The garlic noodles were to die for. The second night we went, we also had the make your own s'mores and the red bean ice cream, both delicious. It was the coolest eating experience we have had, and we are sad that the closest one to us is about 2 hours away. We will be back as soon as we can!
(5)Grace C.
Don't really get the hype. Super pricey, small portions. Honestly, it's all the rage to go but the food isn't even good....
(2)Nikko B.
Went here twice on our trip because of the great food, service, and staff. Servers were above and beyond expectation and pretty funny too. Thanks a lot, will definitely come in next time I'm on the island!
(5)Brandon H.
Wow! Hands down best Korean BBQ I have had. I am vacationing from San Diego and love to check out small Asian spots and compare them to San Diego's. I suggest you sign up for there email list so you qualify for their secret menu (which has a variety of proteins such as pork belly, beef toro, succulent marinated chicken, pork gyoza and a pitcher of beer for $7.50!) Also, our server " Ikaika" was very professional and was great at up selling the items on the menu and also who was the one who informed us about the secret menu that they had. I'm in the industry as well and I was impressed. The ambience is very up to date, always playing popular music and flat out gave my brother and I a great dining experience. Tourists, I suggest you come here as a dining destination if you are in the mood for great Korean BBQ! P.s: Their customers' favorite dessert "dorayaki ice cream" is to die for!
(5)Martin P.
Went here with friends and family. Really enjoyed it. The garlic noodles were excellent. The scallops were incredible as was the selections or meat cuts. Even tried the beef tongue.....delicate and delicious . The food just kept on coming...and we kept on eating. Prices are on the high end of things but the quality of the food and staff sure makes up for it. Love this place.
(5)Rowell D.
I highly recommend calling in for reservations or else you'll be waiting in line for dinner. My #1 tip is to go during happy hour, every day, between 3pm-630pm and 9pm - close. You'll save a lot of money that way. I ended up paying $40 total for 5 bbq items, 1 appetizer, 1 fried rice & 2 hot sakes. The staff is very friendly. We were greeted by everyone. They seated us promptly, as we had reservations, and it wasn't crowded yet. They are very fast with service. The quality of the food is amazing. I've had similar dishes in San Diego but this restaurant is so nommerz.
(5)Amy G.
Yum! i was brought here by my sister in law for lunch one day and fell in love. I've been to the one in japan and that one is awesome, but lets talk about the one here. hah I just recently came back cuz my friend told me about the 50% off they have this month. OMG!!! i love it. dinner came out too 100 for 5 of us. now thats cheap considering the amount we bought. if you walk in front of DFS, they have the guy who passes out the coupons. pick it up. its $1 for a plate of nakauchi(idk how its spelt) but if theya re out of that, they will replace it with another meat. for every 15 you spend, you can get one plate of that. another great thing is that, even tho its priced a little higher then the one in kapiolani, they give you kamaaina discount. lunch is 20% and dinner is 10%. it comes out to the same price! you dont' get the discount for teh 50% off tho. the service is really good too. very friendly and nice. the food is exceptional. the bi bim bap is the best i've tried (now $4 instead of 8) yay!. haha so excited. planning on coming back sometime this month! try it. its really good.
(5)Maika Y.
I don't even know how many times I've been here! haha Pretty good yakiniku :] Happy hour prices are unbelievable. SO CHEAP!
(4)Joyce S.
So good. My chopstick skills were adequate and the selection for 2 people was the best. Got to try many things all tastier than expected. Service was spot on
(5)Robert B.
So far, the best food experience during our short stay in Waikiki. Our waiter Pui was strong, and we always rate our restaurants based on food, service and ambiance. $100 for 3 persons, taking advantage of the happy hour specials (1$ off most plates, and adding 2 drinks). Now we have to try an LA location, as we were more than satisfied with our experience. And again, it goes with the exceptional service on top of the excellent food. Kudos to you all. It was our second time, and going early had its benefits.
(5)Kelcie M.
I usually only go during happy hours, like for lunch or anytime after 9 pm! Its too pricey if its not happy hour. You will have an easier time getting a table during lunch time compared to after 9pm. I live in waikiki so im able to walk here, but i think parking would suck if i didnt live nearby and i would probably just go to the one on kapiolani. 2 definite must haves are the 1) sukiyaki bibimbap (stone pot bibimbap with sukiyaki beef and the rice gets crispy) and their 2) dessert, i dont know whats its called but its mochi that you grill and it puffs up, gets crispy/warm, and you eat it with ice cream (i personally like it with green tea ice cream). I also like their asian pear mojito! Its not too sweet like a fufu drink nor is it too stiff. I dont like cheap tasting drinks but i was amazed at the $4 mojito. You cant go wrong here either with their meats. However, the portions are not that big, thats why go during happy hour and you can order up without hurting the wallet as much. Side order some veggies and make sure to ask the server to add garlic, mmmmhmmm!
(4)Kathy B.
Went here with a bunch of friends as my going away party. It was a good solid place to go to for Korean BBQ and liked the three different sauces that they had. It's a great atmosphere for groups, but I've definitely had better Korean BBQ. However, you really can't beat the prices they have during happy hour. So if anything...go to preserve your wallet and get your belly full of good solid food.
(3)Janelle O.
Thank goodness for Yelp! Great restaurant. Had the garlic noodles, special ramen, filet 'mignon, asparagus & eggplant from their happy hour selection. All good dishes. Had to cook all except the garlic noodles, but the rest were marinated very well. Thanks to Ryan who was our server and to the rest of their team - Jess & Chris who made us visit with our 9 month old very tolerable.
(5)J B.
Parking may be an issue since this restaurant is in Waikiki but it is DEFINITELY worth the trouble. The service is absolutely great, the food portions are perfect, the food is so delicious and the ambiance is great. This location is so much better than the Kapiolani restaurant. Must have sides: cheese wontons, mushroom medley, broccoli and cheese, namuru, GyuKaku salad, cold tofu. I'm so appreciative of the service and food here! Always a pleasure coming in.
(5)Sparkles H.
Pretty good! I hear there is one in Vancouver too but I haven't been. We were a group of 5 ppl. They suggested the group menu for 5-6 ppl but instead we got 2 sets for 2 ppl and it was SOOOOOOO much food already. Everything was good, though I thought their deserts were a bit lacking and boring (i.e. smores, a so-so chocolate lava cake). Anyways, we all left stuffed and happy.
(4)Martin C.
Very filling meal, with lots of selection on what kind of meat you can get. I had the chuck kalbi and the rosu, both of which were delicious. Service was lackluster, however; I had to wait ten minutes before I could flag down a waiter each time (though this may just be them being understaffed) All in all, come for the food, not for the service.
(4)Wendy Z.
I have always been a fans of Gyu-Kaku, but this Gyu-Kaku really disappoint me. I tooled my parents to there, and I ordered the two people meal just because they want to try first, but then the waiter showed his bad attitude to us. He didn't introduce how to cook, and he doesn't even bother to stop and ask us how's everything going or add some tea. Instead, he shows his great welcome to the table next to us. He keeps Sebring them beer and ask to refill all the time. I felt so bad to take my parents there and receive that kind of respect. We didn't enjoy the food either since his service is so bad. I would not go to there again, and I will recommend my friends to not to go the Gyu-Kaku in Hawaii.
(1)Tyra K.
Yum, yum, yum... Great place for happy hour when chillin with friends or family.. Food is great, staff is amaizing very friendly... Its a bit unorganized with reservations and waiting lists... But that about the only bad thing I observed and I've been going here for a while.. No matter what will be coming back here very soon...
(5)Ramon L.
I'm in love with this place! Crazy ass selection of meats to grill, great appies & some good cocktails. Their grills work great...everything we cooked came out perfect. two kinds of rib eye, kalbi, all kinds of other beef dishes I can't remember. It was a meat tornado! Oh shit it was good...I could never be a vegetarian. Priced good too considering we're in Waikiki. I'll be back before this trip is over...believe that!
(5)Gene J.
I came here by accident on the first day of my honeymoon, and it was the best food I've eaten in Honolulu! The best time to go is probably during the happy hours, which is quite long for restaurants. The Yakiniku set combination we ordered were very delicious and the portion are large enough to feed the two hungry adult with plenty of leftover to take home. Together, our bill was less than $30 for 2 combo, 1 appetizer, and 1 drink. Make sure you try their Gyu-kaku Nacho...it is probably the best food i've ever eaten. I'll definitely check out this restaurant chain in California. Happy Hour: 11:30pm-6:30pm 10pm-Closing
(4)Christopher L.
This restaurant is located across the street from Alo Moana Mall. It was my first time trying Japanese hotpot/bbq. It was pretty good. Will definitely do it again..
(4)George R.
We decided to try Gyu-Kaku because we had read good reviews and I had an Entertainment Book coupon.Our party consisted of my Wife and I, transplanted mid-westerner, steak and potato people now living on Oahu, our adult daughter who doesn't like anything spicy but has an incredible palate, and our 15 year old neice who has been raised on anglo-peruvian food. While we expected good food and a good time from reading other reviews, we were all blown away about how good the food, the service and atmosphere were. Even with our differing food preferences and ages, we all loved it. .This is really a must try when visiting Waikiki. I cannot say enough good about it. Ryan and the rest of the staff took great care of us.
(5)Taylor W.
Food was good as usual but for the first time ever a gratuity was already included.i don't know how much of a tourist my boyfriend and I looked like but considering we just got off work around the area and we speak perfectly good English. I asked the hostess a short Asian girl for our check "in English " and she hands me a check and sees me staring at something. she then asks if it's okay if the gratuity is included I replied no. first off since when did you guys start adding gratuity to a party of two, second shouldn't you ask before hand if it's okay to add the gratuity not after you see your customer annoyed and not happy.i found this quite disturbing and ruined my mood. i always enjoyed your guys' food but for this reason I will honestly not be going back to this location or your restaurant at all. seriously if you need the money that bad provide good service and you'll be surprised how much you get not this adding tip to local party of two bullcrap, the nerve!!!!
(1)Sunny L.
OM..Goodness... this place is soooOOooo worth the price. While visiting Hawaii, we found this place. Everything was GOOD. Especially at happy hour, its gets better. I would love to come here like every day. the food was fresh and clean. You dont have to order everything at one and the food comes fast. The staff replaces the grill as often as they can. For 4 people, the total came out to 150. But that's because we wanted to eat EAT. We ordered a pitcher of draft for 8 and happy hour prices are half off. Not bad. Fun place, GREAT ambiance. Loved it. Too bad its left a scar in my wallet... hahaha Recommended for everyone. Pros: Food, Ambiance, Staff, fresh Cons: Price Notes: Garlic Noodles!!!
(4)Chris C.
Came here for dinner/happy hour with a large party. We Ordered: Bistro Harami: good flavor, meat wasn't too stringy, plenty moist if you don't overcook it Chicken Teriyaki: wasn't a fan, a little bland Garlic Shrimp: nice and moist! Zucchini: tasty, just keep an eye on them because they're easy to burn S'mores for dessert: SO Good! Service was kind and attentive, I'll definitely go to the one back home now that I've tried it here.
(4)Gordon S.
Amazing meal. Definitely come during happy hour to enjoy a range of options at great prices. Great service all around. Kiet was fantastic. Worth listening to his suggestions!
(5)Sarah B.
This is one fabulous night-out on Waikiki! In a setting kind of similar to a fondue restaurant- Gyu Kaku allows you to cook your own choice of meats and veggies over a built-in grill in the table. I however, went with my family of five, in which it was a hassle for my mom to make sure my little brother (who was starving) was getting enough food in a timely manner, which frazzled her. I would, however, recommend this restaurant for their Happy Hour, and their specialty- frozen beer! The food was delicious, all marinated and seasoned well, and I really enjoyed the variety of sauces sitting on the table- especially their Sweet & Spicy sauce! It's a little wait to get inside for dinner, but I'd say it's worth it. Go for a night out with friends, or a birthday party, but not for families with younger kids.
(4)Kalani E.
love this location perfect for after work and cute place for dinner! staff here are so welcoming and great service! Chris(the manager) is bomb and all the servers that work under him! Amazing atmosphere! food is always on point!!! good alcohol selection! ps: the staff is bad@$$?!?!?
(5)Mio S.
First of all, I went there a while ago so my memory is spotty. They gratuity charged me with a party of 6 (5 adults and 1 child) even though they said they charge only for 7 and above? I didn't notice until I signed, my bad. Then I tried calling the manager to refund me (I tipped as well), apparently they couldn't. After that one call, I was unable to reach the manager ever again. Abysmal service. Will never be going to that location again. As much as I hate to admit, the meat was acceptable. However I frequent the one at Kapiolani branch, less tourists and better service.
(1)Anthony G.
What a wonderful suprise, food was excellent . Very good for its value. The waiter was very informative for it being our first time there. We ordered the special with all the different meats which was discounted. Very neat concept that you cook your own meat on the grill in front of you. It was so easy my 10 year old son had a blast cooking his own food. Highly recommend .
(4)C.k. W.
Our dinner experience at Gyu-Kaku was excellent. And we will be back. The staff and manager were very nice and friendly.
(5)Elina A.
You can never go wrong with Gyu-Kaku. I had visited the location in LA a few times and then here on the island. Everything was delicious. Meats were super tasty. I suggest coming during happy hour (I think before 6?) because lots of things are discounted!
(5)Mariko M.
Could it be possible that we've found a new favorite spot?? We came here TWICE in our past visit, and it was worth it so much that we wondered if we should come back a third time. Come here hungry and ready to eat all kinds of delicious meat! And the best part is you can cook it yourself to your liking! Nestled along the bustling bar area in a smaller street, this place usually has a few people waiting outside. The interiors are dimly lit and remind me very much of the yakitori spots in Japan. There are larger tables enough to sit 6, and smaller intimate tables just enough for 2, and all tables have the small grill in the center. The service here is excellent, with the servers never letting a dirty plate crowd your table for too long and they are always ready to make recommendations on cooking times, what sauce to try what meat with, etc. My favorites were the garlic shrimp, the toro beef, beef tongue, and the pork belly. The ahi poke salad here is also very tasty and fresh. They have great drunk food items such as the cheese corn. The meats are cooked on your own and there are three sauce choices on the table; sweet soy sauce, a zesty ponzu, and a sweet spicy chilli. It's helpful that the menu lists which meat to try with which sauce and I would certainly continue to use this as a guide because it gives the best outcome to newcomers. I highly recommend taking advantage of the Happy Hour prices here which I think begins after 9:30 pm. Its totally worth it since our first time eating here our bill was about $90, and the second time during HH it was $50 and we definitely ordered way more the second time around. We'll see you the next time we're in town, and I can hardly wait!
(5)Helen N.
We were already in Waikiki so we decided to go to this location instead. Only problem is downtown parking is always inconvenient. But food and service was great, as usual. We came for lunch around 1:30 on a Sunday and they had both the lunch menu specials and happy hour specials. I ordered a 3-meat lunch meal for $14! Pretty good deal I think, perfect amount of food for 1 person.
(4)Gabrielle C.
Haven't been to this location before. Service was perfect. Our server was very nice and everytime we had a question to ask him he answered then we'll along with some recommendations. LOVE the food and atmosphere. It was pretty slow and there was also no wait time. We did make online reservations but was 30 minutes late due to traffic. We went the same night waikiki had that night life event with all the food trucks which was probably why it was a bit slow but it was great for us!
(5)Erica L.
Om nom nom nom nom. Happy hour is the time to come here!! Eat something small before hand if you come here late at night to help tide yourself over. The last thing you want to be to others is hangry haha. Don't laugh.... hangry and HANGER is real ! The basil chicken is yummy! The melted cheese option doesn't add much flavor, so I pass on the cheese. I always get a spicy pork; the pork belly with cajun (I think that's it) is great! Get lots of meats and don't forget the mushrooms! I like the mushrooms with butter better than the mushroom medley. I think it has more flavor. Don't forget to get a bowl of rice. 1 bowl is $2.95. Split a bowl between two people... it's a generous sized bowl, especially if you're going to be loading yourselves with tasty meat. If it's not enough rice, you can always order more right? :P Over ordering on rice is a shame. Pass on the fried gyozas, they're frozen... blah. Don't forget about the Kamaaina happy hour menu (you will need to show Hawaii ID). It's slightly more reduced than the regular one, but be aware-- if you're using a groupon/living social, be sure to ask the server if it can stack. We were told the Kamaaina happy hour couldn't be combined with our groupon; however, the regular happy hour menu could.
(5)Paola A.
Really enjoyed our food and our time here! A nice escape from the sea of super commercialized/chain restaurants in the Waikiki area. The meats are delicious and you can cook them to the temp you want! The skirt steak and the duck were our favorites- the duck fat gets a nice char on it over the grill! The garlic noodles were a solid side dish- asked for no peppers and were really happy with the decision. They're starchy and buttery- awesome. And s'mores for dessert! Food was delicious, service was nice and fast, and free edamame with check in ...recipe for a great night :)
(4)Ian M.
Another great experience and dinner. Our server Ian was attentive and took very good care of us. The meat was good quality and the portion size per plate appropriate for the price. The kids had a great time and really enjoyed the ribeye and premium sirloin. Ending with s'mores was a perfect ending in their eyes.
(5)Krysten I.
I like this gyukaku location because it is convenient for me and offers great lunch specials!! Gyukaku is a restaurant chain specializing in japanese yakiniku. Be prepared to cook your own food on the table top grill. Normally, their prices are a little on the higher side, but recently they've offered various happy hour specials thought the day and late night specials after 9 or 9:30. It gets a little confusing.... But if you come for lunch, just get a lunch set! It's so affordable! Lunch sets start at about $11. On top of that, there is a 20% kamaaina discount! Whoooo! I like the kalbi set and the beef tongue set, but I've tried the combo sets too, and everything is always super delicious. The sets come with salad, seaweed soup and unlimited rice. Their salad has to be one of my favorites and this might sound strange, but their rice is always top notch! If you have room for dessert, they have near bbq items like s'mores or grilled mochi. They also offer a range of cocktails, some of which are on the happy hour menu. The service is usually wonderful. On various occasions, the waitstaff was exceptional at small talking and trying to get to know their customers. The wait can get a little long, especially at night. This location is tiny compared to the Kapiolani and kaneohe locations too, so that doesn't help. During lunch, it's more empty. They also offer a rewards system which requires downloading their smartphone app. It's not the best application and I don't like that you can't view your purchase history.... But if you accumulate enough points, you can get $25 off your next meal. I recommend coming to this gyukaku for lunch, but it's gonna be great even if you come for dinner. :)
(4)Jason P.
This place is amazing. My wife and I walked by and saw the menu outside. They show all the meat as raw and we were concerned that this was some new unhealthy trend. We immediately felt stupid after we realized that every table has a grill built into it and you grill your own meat. Our waiter Bill explained everything to us and provided his recommendations on his favorite cuts of meet. Everything we tried was delicious. A new definite must go when visiting Hawaii, also happy to find out they have several in the mainland as well!
(5)Guy B.
This was dinner last night. We were 2 and being past happy hour, we chose the set meat that had the upper end meat... We arrived without reservations and waited only about 15 minutes to be seated. The entire staff seemed focused on customer satisfaction and assisted where they could (for us haoles that had never been) Our waiter was awesome. He explained the process and the menu options, asked questions regarding our pallet and made suggestions. Thru the grilling process as he brought more and more food out, he would give us guidance on level of heat and time to cook as well as sauce suggestions (3 are standard at the table) we also chose the beef tongue and he brought a special dipping sauce for that. All on all top notch service, top notch food. Can't wait to hit a place like this in the future.
(5)Ryan M.
This was a wonderful dining experience. We've never been to a place like this before. It was like a more casual version of The Melting Pot. We ordered a dining package that included many menu items. Everything was delicious. I wanted to take home a bottle of their salad dressing. Their wait staff was very friendly and attendant. I wish we had a closer location to us in Florida because we would definitely go back.
(5)Liam C.
This rating is for their regular priced menu. I've been here for their happy hour many times and those prices are awesome but their regular menu is not cheap. The quality of meat is nice and as a self proclaimed yakiniku connoisseur, they have a nice variety of meats and excellent sauces. My favorite is their toro beef with cajun sauce of their chicken with either basil pesto or spicy mayo. I recommend coming during happy hour because it makes a huge difference when it all adds up!
(4)Steph J.
In order to live a healthier life, the experts say that you should minimize your meat intake and instead eat more fruits, salads, grains and nuts. Okay, I can do that for a little while. But then I turn into a wild, CRAZY rabbit and then just looking at something green makes me turn my head the other way. Let's face it, I'm a carnivore. Props to all you vegans, vegetarians, pescatarians and the most recent term I heard about, which ironically, I think I actually am, a reducetarian - one who still eats meat but tries to reduce their intake - but, sometimes, I just need some meat. Gyu-Kaku's happy hour is awesome. They have these pre-set meals for two which comes with appetizers, a salad, edamame, a whole slew of meats and smores for dessert. No thinking needed and won't break the bank. Order up an ice cold glad of beer or tap and whatever label you choose to use, you can't go wrong.
(4)Nicedude N.
What a fun restaurant. We went on Tuesday night in Waikiki. It was close to our hotel and the main strip area where all the shopping and beaches are. It's a small hole in the wall with music blasting in the background and you order and cook your own meat over a circular bbq grill. The concept is you order the meat already spiced and seasoned they deliver it to your table and wallah.... You cook it. That's it! Simple tasty and fun. A combo spread for two is 90 bucks, a little steep but your in a tourist area.
(4)Alice C.
Went to waikiki's location for my boyfriends birthday.... Called them in advance to let them know we were running late. Our table was ready for us so there was no waiting. We got the takumi set during yakiniku fest so it was good. We also ordered garlic noodles and guy kaku Kalbi which was good! Our all the dinner was great, service was good! The only issue was that it was soooo hot. It was kinda of uncomfortable to enjoy the food because of the heat... But overall we enjoyed out dinner!
(5)Katha N.
Amazing food, great prices on Happy Hour (9:30pm-12am) and a lot of fun to cook your own food. Cant wait to go back
(5)Dee D.
Best location ever!! Tons of vegan options. I always get the variety of pickled sides. The original bibimbap with no egg!! And spicy! This is my jam! So good! I always love getting the mixed mushrooms with NO butter, easily vegan. And lots of fun cocktails. Came here twice on my vacation. That speaks volumes imo.
(5)Celia Z.
I learned a lesson this time - avoid mainland chain restaurants. I brought my parents here in a hope to show them a restaurant that my friends and I all loved in New York. This was a complete disaster. Nothing is as good as it is on the mainland. The meat was not fresh, the flavors were distorted, and some of my favorite dishes weren't even on the menu. And the happy hour prices are more expensive. Also, DO NOT serve me frozen cake. Yes, I get it, Gyu Kaku has to ship the Lady M Cake all the way from New York, but try not to let me know that it's frozen, okay? I'd prefer not to get brain freeze from eating days old cake that you charge me $10 for, happy hour or not. FIrst Let's stick to REAL, local Japanese food in Hawaii. For cheaper and for the better.
(2)Jus M.
First time at this location as I use to frequent the Kapiolani location a lot before I moved away. It is conveniently located for a happy hour getaway with friends from work. It was in the middle of the week so we didn't have to wait to get seated. Service was great and our server was great...although he did almost forget about our order of rice. Here are my recommendations as They've daily become my regular order-- * Harami miso * Kalbi * kurubota * garlic shrimp * garlic potatoes As for dessert, yes, definitely make room for dessert..the boyfriend and I would get doroyaki ice cream but I didn't see it on the menu this time. I think it got replaced with a fish shaped doroyaki filled with red bean. Gyu-kaku ice cream (macadamia nut ice cream) was oiishi desu!!
(4)Tom M.
Let's say you want...no, NEED some Korean BBQ. And let's say you don't live very close to Koreantown, or don't even have a Koreatown-like area in your neighborhood. In that case, Gyu-Kaku is always a good fallback for to get your Korean grinds on. Seriously authentic? Not especially. But satisfies your kalbi cravings, and your control freak need to monitor your own meal. Considering we could get the same back home (we've been to several Gyu-Kaku's, we weren't sure we wanted to go. But it was just down the street from our hotel, we couldn't resist the smell from the fragrant table fires as it drifted out the sidewalk. Glad we did, because I like this one better than some others I've been to on the mainland. Yep, it was a bit of a dive (they all are, really). But it also was packed, because deals aren't always easy to find around here. We had good service, some decent cuts of beef, a plate or two of garlic noodles, at a price that that helped us cover the cost of our SUP rentals the next day.
(4)Maile N.
We stopped by for the happy hour on our last night in Waikiki. They have quite a good spread of appetizers (we had tofu, fried chicken, gyoza, edamame, fried shrimp) and meats to cook (we didn't get any but the table next to us enjoyed meats and shrimp - looked good!) on the HH menu, plus cocktails and beer. Service was solid, and we were happy with our meal.
(4)Larry H.
I thought this place would be more pricey for Waikiki, but it was reasonable. Happy hour has a lot to offer, especially if you have a family. Beef and chicken were great. The spicy beef has a kick. Gyoza was good.
(5)Tasha H.
Best KBBQ I've had! Tasty soups, fresh ahi and beef and great happy hour ;) Friendly servicr and good music!
(5)Emily D.
Ate here the other day (my first time at this location). Let's just say their menu is quite different than the Kaneohe location. They didn't have half of the menu items that my husband and I would regularly order. Service here was good, very friendly. I hate writing bad reviews but for the full/great gyu-kaku experience, I recommend the Kaneohe location.
(3)Don P.
yummy!! and a GREAT deal for lunch!! Domo arigato Gyu-Kaku!!
(4)Amber C.
Came here for the first time with a LivingSocial deal during happy hour and was not disappointed. Made reservations and was seated right away. The fire gets super hot at times but good thing I brought the bf to do the grilling! Surprisingly my favorite meat dish was the chicken, so juicy! Pork belly was my 2nd fav but everything we ordered was good. We'll be back soon for another happy hour visit :)
(5)Maxwell B.
Gyu-Kaku is a great place to eat BUT during slower times service lacks. I usually eat at the Kapiolani location and always had a great experience. This was my first time at the Waikiki location and I was disappointed in today's service. My friends and I dined in today around 3 and were instantly greeted and seated. We were able order quickly and everything came out on time. Our servers were very attentive during our meal, they made sure everything was okay and checked up on us frequently. The food was great as always (my personal favorite was the cheese wontons). Towards the ending of our meal I decided to get dessert. We asked our server if we could see the dessert menu. He brought out it and was never to be found afterwards. We waited for ANY server to stop by to check up on us but no one came by. 20 minutes went by and no one still bothered to check up on us. My friend even went out to smoke and came back to find out that no one still checked up on us. We eventually flagged a server passing by to get us our check cause we just wanted to leave already. We even saw our server out of uniform. Guess the shift was over. The service at the end was disappointing.
(2)Clint B.
A fun, lively atmosphere, a kid-friendly environment, food choices for every type of eater, and an interactive dining experience make Gyu-Kaku the perfect spot for friends and family to dine.Expect long wait times (30 minutes or more) during peak hours so make reservations or call ahead. An order of edamame is free with a Facebook or Yelp checkin. Garlic noodles full of bold and savory flavors is a must and plenty to share. An order of assorted veggies will include eggplant, onions and mushrooms. They'll fire up the grill at your table so you can cook everything yourself. The kalbi steak was well marbled, providing plenty of umami flavor. The shrimp was decent sized and the chicken, mostly thigh meat, was perfect. Dip everything in one of their four sauces to find your favorite flavor profile. If you don't like the way the food is cooked, there's no one to blame but you or your party. We ended our meal with a chocolate lava cake lacking the "lava". Despite it being cooked through, it was still moist and delicious. As with all lava cakes, the contrast of the warm cake and cold ice cream is always a hit. Service may have been spotty, but the food, environment, and company more than made up for it. The reasonable prices (our group of five ate for about $110) make this spot one of the best deals in the area.
(4)Dianne H.
I've been coming to Gyu-Kaku for a while, this is my 5th or 6th time here. They have a lot more specials than I remember, so great! I highly recommend coming for lunch from 11:30am - 3:30pm and getting the lunch special "Meat Lovers" which is about $12. You choose 2 kinds of meat which come with edamame, salad, soup, and rice. It's quite a bit for 1 person, sooo worth it. They also have happy hour at the same time for drink and plate specials. I love everything here. If it's your first time I recommend the Yaki Shabu, Toro or Rosu. If you're still hungry then I highly recommend the Beef Tongue. They have 3 locations in Hawaii, I have never been to the Winward Mall location. This Waikiki one doesn't seem to get that crowded around lunch on the weekdays, but the Kapiolani one always seems crowded. It's best to come with 2 or more people so you can rotate who is cooking and who is eating. Tips: (If you don't know already, you cook everything yourself) - Use the dipping sauces - Try something new - Go during happy hour
(5)Nick B.
I've been to this place 3 times and have had a great experience every time. Food was delicious (I especially like their "while supplies last" specials), service was great, and the atmosphere was fun. It's quickly becoming one of my favorite places to take visitors from the mainland on their 1st night here. Highly recommend the jalapeno cheese wontons!
(4)Farhana S.
Been to Gyu-Kaku several times in Cali and this was my first experience in Hawaii. My friend and I actually thought it was one of the Best Gyu-Kaku's we've been to. Their bibimbap and udon noodles were divine! Definitely worth checking this place out!
(4)Arthur S.
This is based off of the Waikiki location. There are lunch specials served everyday from 11:30am to 3:30pm. The lunch special is the way to go! For $11.95 you get the big portion meat lovers special. The special is that you chose from 2 meats served with sausage, rice, edamame, soup and salad. For my special i chose the kalbi chuck and rosu. At first i didnt know what rosu was, and neither did my Japanese girlfriend although our waiter kindly explained what type of meat it was and that it was a bit tougher out of the selection. It was great idea to dine here as a going away lunch for my sister. Grilling up the meats gave us a lot of time to have nice conversation and to catch up on things. Our server was really helpful and because they were a bit busy during the lunch hour and service was a bit slow he gave us many refills on the edemame. One of the greatest things Gyukaku offers is their rewards card. You get one point for each dollar spent on food, and upon reaching 250 points you get an automatic $25 discount off of your next meal! Super excited to come back for their lunch specials. They also had a gyutan lunch special. Im a big fan of gyutan, so i will most likely try this out next time.
(5)Toni P.
We've been wanting to eat at one of those places where you cook at the table, but every time we've tried to go to one, there was always a long wait or no tables at all. Finally, we got a table at Gyu-Kaku in Waikiki. It was a big success! Fun and delicious, too! The prices were more reasonable than we expected. We were there in time for happy hour, so the drinks were reasonable as well. We got the Takumi Course for 2 for the four of us (two adults, two kids), and added on scallops and some extra beef cuts, and that turned out to be plenty for all of us. The salad and gyoza were really good, as was the seaweed soup. I was surprised because usually in places where they have combo menus like this the appetizers are pretty lame, but these were quite tasty. And all the meat cuts were tasty as well - good marinades on some of them, others just plain. The only complaint I have is about their dipping sauces - I only cared for one of them, and barely at that. But otherwise, everything was great. The service was good, but I think our waitress got a little tired of us after a while; we sensed she wanted us to leave before we were even done with our main dishes, and we were still ordering more add-ons - you'd think she'd be grateful for that. All in all, a good experience - I would definitely go back there. Not sure what the one on Kapiolani is like, but we've never had any luck getting a table there, so probably will stick to the Waikiki location.
(4)Carly C.
A lil bit pricey but its good Go for macadamia nut ice cream for dessert is a 5stars
(4)Seattle F.
Food = 6 out of 10 Service = 6 out of 10 Cleanliness = 6 out of 10 Went for dinner. It was pretty okay. Had a few bbq items and 3 beers. Total came to $80+ for two. We weren't full full. Just "full." I won't be going back. I'll be going to a Korean bbq joint that's $20 per person for all you can eat next time. Essentially that's what it is. Korean bbq, except smaller portions that cost more. Go for the original, not to more expensive imitation.
(3)Steve L.
Really enjoyed this place. Forgot exactly what we ordered but it was all good! Happy to recommend.
(5)Desiree S.
Seeing all the great reviews about this place really bums me out about the service I received. I went to this place not too long ago. I figured I'd make a reservation because my friends told me sometimes it could get busy so that's what I did. My boyfriend and I were on a date. When we got there the hostess made us wait a couple minutes and we noticed she sat these people before us which we knew didn't make a reservation because we saw them just arrive there. Then when we finally got seated we thought we'd get seated at a table where we can sit across from each other and when we asked if we could move she said we'd probably have to wait a little more but honestly I couldn't do that. Our waiter was nice however he didn't pay much attention to my boyfriend and I but more on the girls who just arrived. That was very upsetting to me. This was just a bad service experience for my boyfriend especially because he was told such good things about service with this place despite it being busy and what not. Food wise, this place has very amazing yakiniku style food. The cheese wontons were super good! And the meats were very flavorful. The fun part was being able to cook it yourself.
(2)Mo H.
I had the 21 day aged skirt steak, mushroom medley, ahi tuna, and shrimp bibambap. Everything was spot on! The server was super nice and gave me recommendations from the menu and grilling tips for each dish. Great experience overall! I didn't make it to happy hour, but those deals looks awesome.
(5)Stephiee L.
Seriously I am such a fan! There will be a wait for this place so call ahead. The food is really fresh and all of the servers were really knowledgeable about their menu. They were really nice to explain how to cook each type of item and also gave us They were not pushy but merely gave suggestions. We love the idea of cooking our own food, It makes for a great date night and great conversation at the dinner table.
(4)Amy F.
So yummy. The meat was fresh and the veggies amazing. Our waiter was funny and informative. We had the middle grade couples meal and it was a TON of food. If we were staying longer here we would be coming back. The reason for 4 stars is your bathroom was very dirty with a clogged sink and water and towels all over the floor. Other than that...thanks for making our experience so yummy and fun!
(4)Kristine R.
I came here for the first time on a Sunday night for dinner and I was extremely surprised that we were able to get a table right away. The dining area is pretty tight and there doesn't seem to be a/c in here so it gets really hot.. but I could deal with it. I was here with 6 other people and got a corner table next to the window so it was nice. We weren't really sure what to order so we pretty much got almost EVERYTHING from the meats and vegetables on the menu x5. Everything was so delicious and flavorful!! The service was great. The waiter actually suggested that if we all checked in at that restaurant on Facebook, we could each get a free order of edamame, so we went ahead and all checked in. Like I said, we pretty much ordered everything on the menu but my favorite meat by far was probably the spicy red pork (sorry, I don't remember what it was called!) but I don't think I've ever tasted any pork that good before. All of the vegetables were perfect and our friend and my husband perfectly cooked everything. The meat portions were average and OK for the price. Of course we ordered smores for the kids and they loved roasting the marshmallows at the table. We had a few drinks (some sake) which was expensive but my husband wanted to try it for the first time. (We are not really drinkers) The vibe in this restaurant is super chill. It's kind of loud, which I like! I really loved this place though and I'd definitely go back! This place would be a great restaurant to take my family to if they came and visited me in Hawaii!!
(5)Rel M.
Cant go wrong with practically all day Happy Hour! Located on Lewers St, the parking may be kind of tough. I luckily nabbed a stall in the metered lot across the street next to Mooses. Walked in on a Friday night about 45 min to closing and our seating took about 5 min. What I like about this location compared to Kapiolani is there reward card. Generally the more you spend, the more points you receive towards future discounts. They should offer that Kapiolani too! Ordered: Harami, Bi-bim-bap, House Salad, FREE edamami if you check-in via Yelp or FB. Gizzards just to name a few. Prob best HH places to come to. Hey that rhymed :P
(5)Ninarae N.
Night in town with my family from Cali and chose to try this restaurant which I've tried back in SoCal before. Glad to report, same great flavors between the two locations. My mom and I ordered the gyu kaku kalbi, kimchee, bacon wrapped asparagus and rice while my bro and sis in law ordered the ramen, pork belly, cheese wontons and garlic spinach. My mom and I enjoyed everything we ordered. The marinade was great on the kalbi and everything flowed together seamlessly. My siblings on the other hand didn't enjoy their side dishes, sadly I agree. The cheese wontons that ppl rave about on yelp taste more like nacho cheese wontons with a jalapeño inside. Maybe our expectations ruined the experience, as we were expected some type of cream cheese like most other places serve. The nacho cheese taste just didn't seem to go well in a fries wonton. The garlic spinach was also overly garlicky. It wasn't our cup-o-tea, but it's cool...still enjoyed everything else! Especially the pork belly, kalbi and the bacon wrapped asparagus. Service was very pleasant. Our server was kind and answered all of our questions well and with enthusiasm. Took a while to get our bill and payment back to us and we ended up pulling our phones out just to help pass the time, but I would definitely go back.
(4)Emmanuel S.
walked in for lunch, very pleased with the food and service. Had the spicy kalbi noodles the meat lovers bbq and fried chicken karagee as an appetizer. Seemed very authentic and priced right.
(5)Eric R.
The food was awesome and the service was great! This was one of the biggest highlights on our trip to the Hawaiian islands!!! If you are in the area it is a must do!!!!
(5)Mike L.
It was a fantastic experience. The food was very yummy and the service was good. it is a good place to take kids and the deserts were great too.
(5)Connie T.
Omg we loved the food! The meat was so fresh and tasty! The service was good as well. I would recommend if going for dinner to make a reservation. We will be back the next time we are on the Island.
(5)Sally C.
Lively atmosphere, excellent service and delicious food. We were fortunate enough to arrive during their last happy hour and totally took advantage of the great prices. We'll definitely return when we visit the island again.
(5)Xingxing C.
Nice place with some solid food. They have sesame oil sauce, which you can't find in the ones in California. We came at 2pm happy hour. They were very busy at first that we waited about 25 mins for the first plate. But all other plates came almost at once. They apologized for the long waiting time so I feel better. I liked the pork belly here. We will come again.
(4)Amanda C.
I came here for lunch with my friends for a birthday before we headed to the spa. Service was great, but a bit slow, and you definitely need a reservation if you don't want to wait. They have happy hour specials when you come in the noon. I really liked their rice dish, which I forgot the name, but we ordered 2 of those because it was so good. We had a bunch of meats ordered, which I loved all of them. For the price it was pricey for a lunchtime deal - we each spent 40+ per person. The lychee ice team was yummy too. Definitely want to come back again to bring the boyfriend and family :) Oh! And they provide smores in the end and sing for your friend if it's their birthday. They also came with a small dessert for them :)
(3)Jasmine A.
This was the most awesome restaurant ever!!! We only ordered the things you were supposed to grill, and I tasted soo delicious! You must try the Beef Hangar Steak (I think that was the name) and make sure you're there at the happy hour since most of the dishes are half price :) overall the staff was really nice explaining everything and making sure everything was alright. Totally a five-star experience!!!!!!
(5)Jane S.
I've heard amazing things about this place so I was excited to go. We had a very short wait, got a table by the window and server was so sweet. The food was amazing! I love that you grill it yourself so you can chose how rare or well done you want the meat cooked. I will be back next time I am in town!!
(5)Jenny W.
So happy with my meal here after so many disappointing meals in Hawaii. PROS: The lunch special is a really good deal, even if you decide to get the more premium cuts of meat (which require an additional $3). We got the premium sirloin, king Kalbi and angus beef ribs tare. The King Kalbi was by far our favorite (it had just enough fat to make the meat juicy), and I wish we had just gone for the $10 bigger portion (another lunch special deal). Also, GET THE SPINACH GARLIC! We got eggplant and the spinach as side dishes, and while the eggplant was mehhh the spinach garlic was amazing! It comes in a tin foil and then you cook it on both sides for ~3 minutes each (6 min total), and at the end, you get this delicious cooked mass of spinach that has soaked in all the garlic juices. I don't know what their secret is inside that foil pouch, but the resulting spinach was amazing. CONS The items that came with the lunch special weren't amazing, and the edamame tasted undercooked. The Lihing was way too sweet (plus barely any alcohol) and just altogether weird tasting (I think Lihing is an acquired taste).
(4)Richard M B.
Top Notch place to eat! Friendly staff, great selections, and you cook your own food to perfection! What else is there to ask for? The menu is not only meat selections as it may seem. There are so many choices of vegetables too. Also, a great selection of Sake. Tip, don't burn your food.... I would highly recommend this place for anybody who has the pleasure to stay in Wakiki Beach.
(5)Cerena G.
My sister and I have yelped to find amazing places that aren't on the strip - we actually never saw this come up on our searches (surprisingly!) and stumbled upon while walking. It was busy at 830pm and decided to wait till their late night happy hour started.. Made resies (maybe advised!) and slipped off to pub across the street. The service by Eric was amazing! He was attentive and all smiles! Food was AMAZING! We did the deal for 2 where u get apps, meats, and dessert for $60 and yum!!! It was so good! So much food too! We loved cooking our own food and kept ranting about how awesome this place was. Decided this was our favorite eating place so far (dined at blue marlin, heavenly, that maruake (?) udon place, etc..) SO GOOD. Must try!!!
(5)Austin B.
I love Gyukaku! It's expensive if you go when it's not happy hour. If you're a fan of yakiniku, sign up for their emails (they some great deals from time to time) or go during happy hour. Likes: I've been to this one and Kapiolani a few times each, and I'd say that this location has better service and the servers are way friendlier (maybe it's the time of day I go). Decent prices for happy hours, and excellent deals through emails or their website. Dislikes: Parking. There is none for this restaurant so find a paid lot, street parking, or shop at Royal Hawaiian and get validation there. Kind of small so it can get crowded. A side of rice here is $3! Favorites: Pork belly! A good place if you like to cook your own meats and if you like happy hour. I'd go here more than the Kapiolani one if parking weren't an issue.
(4)Mieko H.
I happen to come across this restaurant when I was out wanting to have a healthy lunch. For $8.95, it is a great value. I had a Yokiniku donburi set. My complain is the rice was mushy and beef was a little chewy. Maybe I am being too harsh but rice is very important to me.
(3)Sergio H.
This was killer, the server Chelsea was very nice and really made great suggestions. The Anchan Harami was just sooo good and per her suggestion super tender. The Pork Belly crisped up was just amazing. The Scallops needed a little sauce but with the Sweet Soy it was heavenly. The extra treat she also suggested was the rice with shrimp in a hot clay pot, it was stirred and patted down to absorb heat from the clay and crisped up the outer edges of rice !!!WOW! Fantastic meal off the main Waikiki strip.
(4)Lien V.
As always, service is friendly, happy and courteous. This is a place I consider not only a source for fun food and good food. The meats are always nicely presented and good. Enjoyed having healthy green tea with all my meals here. I love how they're even nice to locals and this will always be a place I feel good going.
(4)Jessica C.
Sooooooooo Goood! and a great deal for what you get. It was so yummy, we came back two nights in a row. I highly recommend! All the cuts of meat were delicious and the kimchee was also well prepared and a nice addition. We could not get enough of the hangar steak....if I had to guess, I would say 10-15 orders between the two of us during both visits....yup, it is THAT good! Service is fantastic, the only drawback is the wait time, fortunately there are couple of places to choose from to have a drink while you wait! :)
(5)Jordan C.
This place has been a favorite restaurant of mine for a while and while I desperately miss their butter fish I still have a whole list of other favorites from their menu. First and foremost their desserts are amazing. The green tea crepe haunts my dreams and I would eat it everyday if I could. Super thin layers of pastry layered with a green tea creme of some sort make for a desert so unique and amazing it pains me to know I may never find something like that again when I move back to the mainland. Melts in your mouth so amazing. The lava cake... That thing has an amazing texture and richness that is almost too fine for this planet let alone a less than 5 star restaurant. Now that I'm done with those... A lot of dishes can be tricky, in that since you are doing the cooking, how well you manage your grilling or how hot your grill is can make or break each dish. My girlfriends and I will go and have the best times, while for some reason with my husband we have had a couple nights where we could just not get things right (burnt meat, broccoli with cheese that we just couldn't get to melt). But, all in all I still love this place. Cheese wontons are my usual must for an appetizer, and I usually get those with the awesome poke nachos (great for us raw fish fans. The garlic shrimp bibimbap is the bomb when it has enough shrimp and I have yet to be disappointed with any soups I've tried. I love the cheesy broccoli, mushroom medley, asparagus. Wash all of that down with one of their exotic cocktails like, my favorite, the li hing mui margarita.
(5)Ken U.
Went here last week with family and boy did we have fun. We were all muttering "why didn't we find this place earlier, when we walked past the place a 1000 times". We got in an hour just before happy hour but being tourists and extremely hungry we opted to order the set menu for 2 (party of 4) to start us off and then capitalise on the discounted options later. Boy was that a good move, we got to sample most, what our waiter would call "premium meats" and started to log in our heads our favourite cuts. When the time ticked over into happy hour, that's when I could hear orders being called out thick and fast. We must have ordered just over 10 more dishes, I had a look of fear wondering whether we could finish the additional orders we just made. When the Toro beef, Cajun pork belly (this was ordered so many times), bacon asparagus, king kalbi, and sirloin cooked to my liking and dipped in the awesome spicy sauce we devoured each plate as it hit our table. The atmosphere, food, and awesome service by Kiet made this one of our fave places in Honolulu.
(5)Samantha L.
My friend in particular is in love with this place so he comes regularly. I on the other hand have only been here three times and the food is delicious. I love trying new things and being able to cook the meat just the way i like it. The only thing i noticed is the customer service is not consistent. But none the less i always have a great time when out with friends. Its a great place for a group of 4 or even just a date night. !! Look into their happy hour times!!
(4)Matthew W.
I have been here a few times. Sometimes with family, and others with friends. I love this yakiniku. The prices are what you would expect for a Japanese bbq, which is typically expensive. The last time I came here with 3 friends and covered the bill, it ended up at $184. Worth. Every. Penny! The servers swap around a lot, but it works out in the fact that you always have a drink, but at the same time, they aren't bothering you too much. The servers also like to joke around with the customers and have a way of making you feel super comfortable here. The meat is great, the sides are delicious, and the side dishes are excellent. Also, set meals come with s'mores. I'm not a fan, but my friends and family sure are. Also, this is one of the very few places that serves Chu-hi. If you eat here on the weekend for dinner, and you want a nice quiet dinner, this place isn't for you. It's quite noisy in here. Plus, if you get one of the two tables next to the front window, you will get a nice show of all the super drunk people falling all over the streets (which is like a show with my dinner, personally). There are bars all over Lewers St, so it can't be helped. Definitely a great place to eat for a family night out or EVEN a night out with friends. Enjoy!
(5)Tony L.
This has got to be one of the best places to eat on Oahu! Great food! Always! I've been here on several occasions, I now find myself returning one a week to once every other week. The prices are very decent. The service is always exceptional! I always try to ask for Ian Kablay to serve us, but we've had others and they are great as well. Make sure to try the Harami, and if your lucky, you'll probably get to go home with the cook:)
(5)Sofia M.
My boyfriend and I went here for our anniversary. We ordered the $60 course meal which included a. Variety of meat, appetizer, and s'mores. You cannot change anything from the fixed menu. My favorite meat that was included was the beef tongue and kalbi. The kimchi was incredibly fresh. I'll be back afain
(4)Sean C.
reservations: recommended, or go at an off time cost: $25 per person the food: - harami miso skirt steak - beef tongue - s'mores There's quite a bit of seating on the inside. You can either sit in a booth or at the bar area. The star of this place is definitely the Japanese BBQ. Get the harami, excellently seasoned and so tender. The beef tongue is also always a winner. The service is excellent and the waiters give great suggestions. To finish off, it almost seems necessary to get the s'mores. There's really nothing special about their s'mores (chocolate, marshmallows, and graham crackers), but maybe it's their simplicity that makes it such a great ending to your meal. Also, I would say that the price is very reasonable for the quality of food that you get. Overall, a nice place to come with friends to socialize and eat. Great for dinner or late-night. Get the harami skirt steak and beef tongue!
(4)Jody T.
Enjoyed our first visit there. Did the lunch combo special and it was a lot of food for the price! A great value. We both had the Angus beef and pork belly, with buttered corn and cheesy broccoli as sides. Will return.
(4)Rose G.
Love, this place. Excellent tasty food & friendly service. New fav. Place in Oahu. Love grilling our food too.
(5)Jia Tong L.
Very nice Japanese BBQ. We went in last night for family dinner because our friends has suggested it to us, and truly the food is pretty good. Our table has four people and we ordered two set meals and it is just the right amount for every one. The waiter is pretty helpful in terms of food recommendation, but not when we need our drinks and I have to get up to get my drinks myself every single time. Quite nice in general.
(4)Lisa W.
What a great location, next to a Kelly's! Definitely DRUNK munchies here! And it's cool too because they have late night happy hour! We ordered a lot of things and it came out to be like $14 (with tip and tax) for 5 people. The meats were so delicious and tender, the sauces on the table were a really good dipping sauce as well. The poke salad was small, but the tuna chunks were so flavorful, definitely one of the good pokes that I've tried! And it's a good place to sober up... and have good food. They have this in Cali, but hey, it was next door to our drinking place and late night happy hour! Couldn't ask for more.
(4)Ululani C.
Came across this place accidently while walking from our hotel to the beach. What caught me and the bf attention was the lunch special advertisement on the window. This place is yakiniku style! We ordered the lunch combo, which was a good price and portion for both of us. 3 choices of meat and it comes with unlimited rice, seaweed soup, & edamane.
(4)Young L.
Took my girl friend`s family here. We are 4 people and enjoy everything right there. Only thing maybe need to let people know its their music really loud. I think it was fine but my girl friend`s parents were feel a lil uncomfortable. Will come back one more time when I been to Honolulu.
(4)Brandon J.
First time we ever received bad service here 10 minutes after being seated no water no nothing... People seated after us got their alcohol water and some appetizers.
(1)Pakela D.
We waited for over 20 minutes, while we watched everyone around us order and got their foods. Note, we were seated before some of those who came in 10 minutes after us. I will never come back to this location ever again, compared to all the other locations I've been at.
(1)Sophia B.
Everything was so delicious and the service was great! Great happy hour specials too!
(5)Joe E.
What a great, authentic, fun place for lunch, right off the strip -- but miles from the glitz (and cost). You are greeted warmly and seated with a big grill in the middle of your table. The waiter patiently described what would happen next as we placed our orders. Out came our rice and a WHOLE lot of meat. we got to cook the meat ourselves on the grill, test all the dipping sauces and just have a great time. Definitely worth a visit
(4)Sabrina P.
Came here during lunch and also dinner while I was on vacation. The happy hour specials are awesome, especially for lunch - can't beat $11.95 per person and the choice of 3 meats, edamame, miso soup and salad. They also offer $5 hot sake during HH. For dinner, they offer different options for a party of 2. We chose the 2 for $70-something dinner - comes with more meat, cheese wontons, two veggie dishes, miso, salad, and s'mores for dessert. Their miso soup was so yummy and all the meat options hit the spot... except for the beef tongue (not a fan of tongue, sorry). My boyfriend and I love going to restaurants where you can grill your own food. They also give you 3 different sauces to dip your meat in, nice touch and adds more flavor to your meal. Our waiter during lunch, Eric, was super cool. I suggest going here for lunch since there's no wait and the prices are a lot better than during dinner. I wish we found this gem earlier during our vacation, we probably would have ate here more often if we did!
(5)Ralph K.
I don't want to give a great review because there is always a wait as it is. Great place to go... don't be afraid. .... get the skirt steak, garlic noodles and some veggies. .. you won't be disappointed. ..
(4)Kurt N.
Date of Visit: been here multiple times but first time was sometime in May 2013 for my mom's birthday *Note: been procrastinating on my reviews since I moved from the Bay Area back home to Hawaii because I don't have enough time on my hands, but took notes on my phone to help me write my reviews today =) What did we order? First time we were here, I came with my family and we ordered the dinner for 5 times two! Appetizers & side dishes Edamame Assorted Kim Chee x2 Crispy Seaweed x2 Daikon Salad x2 Miso Soup x6 Rice x6 BBQ dishes Gyu-tan x3 Harami Miso Skirt Steak x3 Filet Mignon Ponzu x3 King Kalbi Short rib tare x3 P-toro Shio x2 Corn butter x2 San Chu Lettuce Wrap Dessert S'moreS x3 Overall all the dishes was good and the meat for the BBQ dishes are of great quality. If I were to choose my favorite meat, it would have to be the King Kalbi Short Rib and/or the Harami Miso Skirt Steak. How was the service? Service has never failed me here. Will I be back? Well I kinda have to because my wife loves it here!
(5)Jennifer D.
I love coming here it's super nice , service is awesome and happy hour is amazing , it quite and great to come with friends it's busy most of the time but the food is delicious
(5)Len C.
Be aware that the prices at the Lewers St location are higher than the Kapiolani location. Not sure why I didn't know that. Limited parking of course, it's Waikiki. There is a small lot across the street. Food is good but I swear they have smaller servings. Unless you are on a staycation in Waikiki don't bother.
(2)Ellen L.
Japanese style eatery with American fusion to their food. If you don't mind smelling like bbq afterwards then this is the place for you. Cook your food at you own pace as you're spending time with family and friends.
(5)Tracy K.
GYUKAKU IS DELICIOUS. Plain and simple. I've eaten at all three restaurant locations on Oahu (Waikiki, Kapiolani, Kaneohe), as well as Japan at the Kameido and Roppongi restaurants. I eat at Gyu about twice a month and it NEVER GETS OLD. The marinades are top notch, the prices can be dirt cheap if you know what and when to order, and the memories can be the best you'll have with the right people. First of all, Gyukaku is a social dining experience. The people you are surrounded by will make a huge impact on your take home notes. Japan is known for their teppanyaki, yakiniku, shabu shabu, and izakaya style restaurants that center around the "good food, good folks" style atmosphere. That's not to say that you can't have a great time with one person, but the goal is to spark conversation, laugh heartily, and cook for one another. Gyukaku meat is premarinated in a je ne sais quoi blend of five different recipes. I prefer shio (a salt marinated rice malt) for all my meats, but you can choose tare, miso, spicy cajun, or garlic. In addition, you have three dipping sauces to hone in on your palate's delight. My favorites include the bistro harami skirt steak, tofu salad, nakaochi kalbi, seaweed soup, cheese fondue, and enoki mushroom. My fave dessert is the chocolate lava cake with vanilla ice cream that seriously rivals other five star restaurant ooze cakes. And if you wanna share something fun and sweet with friends and family, try the s'mores or dorayaki pancakes. Love potion shots are sweet yummies and if you want a cool, refreshing sip drink, try the Asian Pear Mojito. Some non-alcoholic favorites are the melon float, calpico, and ramune. Happy hour specials hack off about 50% of the price between 11:30-6:30pm and 9:30-11:30pm, so GO GET YOURS! This extensive menu includes most of the items previously mentioned as well as sooo many others. Cooking your own food is easy with two simple rules: Only flip the meat ONCE (this keeps the meat most tender and juicy) and flip it when it sweats. Meat cook time depends on thickness and type so my rule of thumb is when you see the meat perspire, it's ready to turn. Gyukaku is also good on seasonal specials. En Kai Party Festival just ended but you receive game cards for free food and discounts in the meantime. Every card is a winner. And it can be anything from $50 off your bill to free kalbi to winning $1000! They also have an email list that notifies you of super deals, contests, prize giveaways, and a rewards loyalty program called the Yaki card. After purchasig $250 in food and drink, you receive $25! Sounds like a far fetch but if you go with a party of six friends, you can put that bill under your name and in no time, you'll be eating a free meal for yourself! Parking is available across the street and in the adjacent parking lot. Reservations are recommended during peak hours but walk-ins are also welcome. Take out is available (meat is cooked for you), and all major credit cards are accepted. Five stars all the way for my favorite yakiniku restaurant!!!
(5)Maggi L.
I came here for lunch and ordered the karaage donburi set. The chicken was so wonderful. I'm not sure how they cook it but it is fried with a thin breading or no breading, not sure. It is sweet and juicy. It came with some cold tofu with a sweet and spicy sauce on the side. I thought it was pretty refreshing. It also comes with a salad and seaweed soup which were normal enough. My fiancée had two cheese puffs so I tried a bite of his and I almost spit it out. I don't like fried cheese, I thought it was going to be a cream cheese filled puff but it was just lily eating a fried mozzarella stick. Gross.
(5)Aaron W.
I love this place. I mean, I feel true love for it. Not just, "Hey, this is a great restaurant." No, no, no. I love you, Gyu Kaku. I love the fact that your "happy hour" is like all day except for like two hours. I love your cheap pitchers of Kirin with an ice cold glass. The prime lube for the meat onslaught to come. The smell of smoke, the enchanting sizzle of the meat as the juices hit the charcoal. The eclectic and fun menu, full of variety even beyond the glorious meat. No irony here. This is true love.
(5)Will L.
We had a really great meal last night and the pitchers of beer were on happy hour all day! I enjoyed the hanger steak the most !
(5)Mary D.
We were looking for a late night happy hour a bit after 11am and came across this place. The specials were great-- pitcher of Kirin for less than $10, the kim chee ramen was tasty, and the meats were perfectly cut, marinated, and priced. We got the kalbi, ribeye, and spicy pork. They gave cooking instructions for each on the wire grill that I've seen used for yakitori, then we dipped them in three sweet and salty sauces. The Asian Pear Mojito was delicious... but could definitely use more liquor! Service was fast and friendly. My husband's been begging to go back!
(5)Kristi S.
My boyfriend and I love the Kapiolani location, but we spent the day in Waikiki and just decided to try this Waikiki location. What a huge mistake. We wanted to come here just for a nice dinner but the experience was awful. It didn't seem crowded, there were only 3 - 4 tables taken, but still the service was awful. I don't know if it was a busy day or what was going on, but the waiter hardly took care of us. He never refilled our waters and consistently forgot our orders. We had to remind him about 2 times regarding our food. For example, we ordered an ice cream scoop for dessert and 15 minutes later, he came around asking if we wanted anything for dessert! He forgot our previous order! He also did this with our other entres. By the time we ate, we just wanted to get out of there. But it took about another half an hour for him to ring up our check. He didn't even come anywhere near us so that we could get his attention. It took about 20 minutes for him to take the bill, and another 15 to give it back. Because the service was terrible, we most likely will never be coming back (to this location). We'll take the extra drive to the Kapiolani location for our yakiniku needs (:
(1)Channing L.
One word...delightful...I came here with a party of six, an infant and a 5 year old. We ordered a plethora of drinks, all strong and tasty, even felt satisfied with a $7 bottle of sake...now all buzzed and a sleepy infant, it was time for some yummy food choices. I would suggest to go bold and try some beef tongue, so full of flavor and quick to cook. The spicy pork belly is great, but I don't suggest the chicken unless you want to stay there for all eternity waiting for it to cook. Life was delicious for the time being, even with the angus beef...I salud to it all. The downfall, the ice cream was water based, don't get it. If you want a cheaper place, eat at the one on kapiolani, Waikiki is a bit more expensive. Finish up your night with some s'mores, just don't fly it towards the wall when the marshmallow catches on fire....it's a sticky hot mess, kids, gotta love em!
(5)Letie W.
I made for the lunch special...Karage chicken over rice. So yummy!!!! I had intentions of grilling my own, but was starving and figured I just wanted a quick eat. I think that will be another trip. On a side note, garlic noodles. I read previous reviews about how yummy they are. I just didn't find them to be that great. For me, they were just super salty and not really garlicky. Not sure if it was just that day, but I honestly was not impressed and have had better in Maui (Star Noodle...AMAZING!!). Ok, I just had to plug that in there. I'm not sure about the other foods, but can't wait to try them out next time.
(4)Sarah L.
We've been craving teppanyaki and this was the first place that somewhat resembled a japanese grill. It turned out to be something completely different, yet we had a really good time! Since we went there around 2p.m. (I think) we got happy hour prices and could order a ton of food for very little money. I am only giving them 4 out of 5 stars because the waiters took forever, even though the place was practically empty and there were at least 4 waiters on duty. As for the quality of the food - it's really nice. We ordered some of the more expensive meats which were really tasty. The portions aren't super generous, so make sure that you order enough if you're really hungry. As I said, they take forever to bring it to you :) In conclusion, teppanyaki it is not. However, it is a nice casual place to go with a date or a small group of friends if you're craving grilled meat.
(4)Jennie S.
Hands down one off favorite restaurants! I live back on the mainland again but we used to come here often. I recommend calling to make a reservation as it does get busy. And if you go during happy hr almost everything is 50% off. The food is incredible. I love the cheese yako, cheese wontons, and you have to try the miso harami skirt stake. It's incredible.
(5)Duong U.
No matter it's japanese style yakiniku or korean style, it's two different style! I love it, broke my mouth! The char coal style is different in terms to heated metal plate. Service is great and very casual. Makes it very comfortable. The happy hour deals are great for everyone. You all should stop by and try it out. Stop pickering about food, this time you are the cook. You will cook your way :P
(5)Charles H.
My wife and I went to this one on Oahu...it was similar to the one in Houston but Houston has the beat on atomophere
(4)Kalae M.
What a great place for happy hour. It's fun to cook your own food. Nice atmosphere as well. The food and drinks came out lighting fast. Great service!
(5)Andrew W.
The manager Chris is cool. He was very courteous and helpful ensuring I felt being welcome there. The food was delicious.
(4)Denise L.
Okay, I guess I would like to start off by saying that I am no longer the person I was 2 years ago when I first made a mini blurb on how much I loved Gyu-Kaku on Yelp-- that, and I am also no longer the same girl who first ate Gyu-Kaku for the first time 4 years ago after moving to Hawaii and suffered miserably through horrible cafeteria dinners on most nights. That being said, Gyu-Kaku is still good but it's actually quite pricey. Now don't get me wrong, the food tastes great and comes in pretty good quality. BUT get this: my friend had a gift card worth $250 and so she treated us, and we had to come during Happy Hour in order to be full. Otherwise-- when we (the same group of 4) came and spent ~$80 total without tax (again, during Happy Hour), we were pretty hungry. However, if you order an udon or some other dish in addition to the yakiniku, you will be more well fed. The mojitos had no alcohol in it as well. which was really weird. They've also raised the prices for the pitcher of beer (from 5 to around 7.50) for Happy Hour. Like Mike L. said in his review, I've seen Gyu-Kaku in other places, specifically in Hong Kong this past summer when I visited which is pretty cool.
(4)Joyce C.
Having gone to the Gyu-Kaku in Pasadena, I was very impressed and excited to visit the location in Waikiki. I currently live in Las Vegas and am a big fan of Korean BBQ and did not have a Gyu-Kaku location near by. When we arrived, we were told there would be a 10-15 min wait which turned into almost 30 mins. And you could see empty tables thru the window yet we got sat at the counter. Although the server that we had was very nice, he was not very attentive. You could see him walking around the dining room talking to other customers who were at tables and his coworkers but it seemed like he would just walk right past us as sitting at the counter also meant our back were to him. It took a while to get his attention when we needed additional assistance. Food wise, we ordered a Happy Hour special for 2 people. Compared to the quality of the cuts I had gotten in Pasadena for Happy Hour as well, I felt what we had in Waikiki just wasn't as good. The beef tongue, which was supposed to be the premium beef tongue didn't taste that way. Typically the beef tongue I've had at Korean BBQ locations, you can just do a quick sear on each side and the beef tongue will stay fairly tender. When I cooked it the same way I always had, it was very tough. The Spicy Tuna Maki was very good. But the Cheese Wontons were lacking. It was a fried dish yet there was no color on the wontons. It could have used a bit more time in the fryer until it was a golden brown and had a crunchy exterior. Our originally server's shift ended while we were dining and we were assigned a new server. The only time we saw that server was when they both came over to let us know of the shift change. My bf's water glass went thru all of dinner never even being refilled. Having high hopes and being extremely excited to dine at the Waikiki location, I was truly disappointed in the service and the experience. They are in developments for a Las Vegas location and I hope my experience there will be much better.
(2)Thomas F.
We sought this place out because of its Yelp reviews. We were not disappointed. The food is good as is the service and cooking it ourselves at our table was just plain fun. If you come here, just think of it as tapas and your expectations will be managed.
(4)sandy l.
While in Waikiki, we tend to avoid the downtown touristy restaurants. they tend to be overpriced and not very good. But we thought we'd try Gyukaku and we were pleasantly surprised. The food is fresh and can be quite healthy. we had the special for two and it included edamame and potsticker appetitizers. The salad greens were very fresh and tasted locally grown. Loved the light dressing. Then came the parade of food for grilling. My husband isn't big on working for his food but he does like to barbecue. Loved the variety of meat including filet mignon. I loved the dipping sauces especially the ponzu. We had s'mores to top the meal since we had a hot grill. A fun evening to end our last night in Hawaii. Our server Bill was fantastic. He was helpful and friendly and even told us that there were Gyukakus near our home in San Francisco.
(4)Kimo K.
Best everything. Eaten there since they opened. Feel like you are in Japan. Bilingual great looking staff.. fun, attentive, smiling.. never make a mistake.. Japanese quality service.. not western where they look like they cant wait to get off and only smile to get a tip. Great Late Night Happy hour.. food, music and service is always great and consistent. People like to cook own food, beef, chicken, shrimp all creates action and interactivity with your food. Open air front windows view of famous Lewers. BEST on line marketing campaign of any restaurant in Hawaii that treat you not like a customer but a Fan.. and I am. Great place to get gift cards for presents as Food is best gift to give people. Always something on special. Other Japanese operated sushi, yakiniku, yakitori, Izakaya franchise restaurants from Japan are usually pricey, boring, ok food.. but this is my favorite neighborhood bar restaurant. $30 per head for drinks and BBQ. I think they have an all you can eat option. Japan tourists can not believe how cheap the prices compared to beef in Japan so full of tourists.. you too will be taking pictures of the food on Instagram. They also welcome local professionals with post work marketing strategy. Romantic, Fun, alive atmosphere. Would encourage hands free toilets.. no need touch anything. Great people make great food.. you can taste and feel the Aloha in the food itself Almost do not want to give recommendation because it is already popular and the last time I had to wait, so dont go.. it is terrible, go to the Ala Moana Mall, yeah.. the Mall instead. There is a Gyu-kaku over there as well. I would love to own one of these franchises. I wish the owner would take over some beachfront Waikiki location, Hawaii can do with one less ABC store on Kalakaua.
(5)Maria H.
Great food, great drinks.... What's not to like? The only thing that I would consider a minor issue was the fact that no one was at the hostess stand, and we waited for awhile before we were acknowledged, but we chalked it up to it being busy (happy hour/lunch). Other than that the service was great, and the food was even better. Out of all the places we dined at, this was definitely one of the few I would go back to and recommend! Enjoy!
(5)Jlyn T.
I loved this place. Such a unique dining experience for me and my bf when we were wandering around starving downtown. The options of meet are portioned perfect where you can get a variety of meats to share with somebody. Definitely will come back when im in town!
(4)Lily B.
First off, I must say that I'm not usually a fan of 'cook your own food/yakiniku', but Gyu-Kaku, you've stolen my heart! The BF and I were tired of eating the same o same o, so I went to Yelp to find a new place to try. We went to the Kapiolani Blvd location but it was an hour wait, so I called Waikiki and they said they could seat us right away! The ONLY downside to Waikiki is the parking. We couldn't find any parking so we parked in the garage and ended up paying $12 or $14. A bit steep but next time we'll be able to drive around a bit more or find parking along the Ala Wai. The restaurant is much smaller than the Kapiolani location and not as fancy in my opinion but I liked the chill vibe this place has! We were greeted and seated right away. I swear we had 3 servers assisting us! ALL of them were fabulous and so friendly and patient as it was our first time. Kenji, a manager, took a great deal of time explaining the menu and each cut of beef etc etc. The other servers did as well. The BF and I were a bit overwhelmed with the amazing service! What a great way to start off dinner! We were in time for happy hour. I was feeling adventurous, so I started off with sake. Unfortunately, it's just not for me. I'm not fond of beer and this reminded me of beer. Kenji was SOOOO sweet! I said I'd keep it on the bill and it was no biggy but he insisted on taking it off and getting me something else. yelp.com/user_local_phot… Which leads me to the li hing margarita. Now I'm NOT a fan of tequila. BUT, this margarita is OFF THE HOOK!!! A perfect balance of tequila, triple sec, and li hing powder or whatever it is. I think I had 3?? THAT GOOD!!! Drooling just thinkin' about it. Kenji even offered to give me the recipe because he saw how much I enjoyed them (lol) but I respectfully declined and said it would keep me returning if I DIDN'T know the recipe! :) yelp.com/user_local_phot… We ordered gyoza to start which were melt in your mouth delicious! yelp.com/user_local_phot… The fried gyoza were okay. We preferred the steamed ones. yelp.com/user_local_phot… My BF enjoyed the poke. yelp.com/user_local_phot… The garlic noodles are sooooo good (we ordered 2 of em!) and the shrimp bibimbap was yummy as well! yelp.com/user_local_phot… We're ready to grill! The garlic shrimp is delicious!!! The scallops were okay. The ribeye was okay. The king kalbi short ribs were very good. BUT the WINNAH of the meat is the harami miso skirt steak. JUICY, TENDER, and WORTH EVERY PENNY!!! GET IT!!! yelp.com/user_local_phot… yelp.com/user_local_phot… yelp.com/user_local_phot… I probably should've taken a picture of all the food cooked... but it didn't stand a chance because we were so hungy and it was so yummy... lol! I think we spent about $100 give or take but we ate a LOT of food, and we even had lots leftover. Kenji and the staff made this experience incredible! EXCEPTIONAL service (and I'm sorry to the other 2 servers I forgot your names but you were great!!). Quality food, friendly and efficient service, fun laid back atmosphere, and yummy alcoholic drinks... what more can you ask for? Thanks Gyu-Kaku! We'll definitely be back and you truly deserve a "Woohoo! As good as it gets"! We'll be back!... have those margaritas waiting for me! ;)
(5)Diane L.
I love eating here and grill my own food! The sauces the beef are marinated in are really good! Takes some time to get a table and parking isn't that easy.
(5)Krys Y.
I like Gyu-Kaku but always try to go for the happy hour specials. The prices are a little lower at this time which makes the tab a little easier to swallow. The meat and foods from here are good but the portions are on the smaller side for the prices. A small plate of french fries are like $3.xx and a small bowl of soybeans are like $2.xx. Meat is like $8.xx a plate, which has about 8 pieces on it... That's practically a dollar for one sliver of meat. So even during happy hour, a party of three can easily rack up $100 dollar tab. The atmosphere here is nice, and everyone is squeezed in really tight, but it doesn't feel that tight. The service is relatively quick if you consider how many people are actually in the establishment. There's a small parking lot nearby that has metered parking so at least you have somewhere to park. Otherwise, you have to street park. I'd come here again, but it'd probably only be once in a while.
(3)Michael R.
I think this was the best meal I've had in Honolulu. But first, the wait can be long, so call ahead and make a reservation. They don't have the pager system, so you can go into any of the nearby bars and get hammered. Furthermore, remember your conversions! One minute in island time is approximately 1.65 minutes in rest-of-the-world time, so the 30 minute wait will actually be 50. But the wait was worth it! We got the big platter thing with the Kobe beef, shrimp, skirt steak, etc. and a few pitchers of Kirin. The Kobe with a pinch of salt was pretty amazing. And since you cook it yourself at the table, you can get it cooked just right. If it tastes like crap, that's on you. Also, plan for 2 hours. Maybe I'm just slow on the grill, but the beer in me was saying otherwise.
(5)Doug T.
A yakiniku restaurant with quality offerings and a happy hour not miss. Gyu-kaku is a fun dining experience (you grill at your own table). A fun date night, great prices a la carte dining during happy hour (minimum order is $15 a person). Two people will leave very full and very happy on a $30 tab if they pick the right items. I recommend the garlic noodles, chili dumplings, pork belly, toro beef, yaki shabu, rosu chuck flap, zucchini, or smores if you are on a budget (they are all cheap and tasty).
(4)Rissa K.
I prefer the Kapiolani Gyu-Kaku because it's bigger and better ambiance. Went here and the grill wasn't working....we had to change tables with a different grill. I love the Happy Hour prices. Steak, Bibimbap in hot clay pot, Pork Belly, and Asparagus all so yummy!
(4)Seth B.
Loved this place in Chicago, love it more in Waikiki!
(5)Vivian D.
I was here mid-March on vacation. This place was fun but DO NOT ORDER THE COLD (KOREAN) NOODLES. It's been months and I still remember them being absolutely horrid! The kimchi & pork on the hot plate was delicious, and the BBQ was okay but I think I prefer Korean BBQ hand over fist. It was also a bit expensive.
(3)Christine N.
My server Cassandra was so awesome! She took great care of us! I feel like I would only come here during happy hr just bc the portions aren't worth the regular price. The drinks were ok as well. Not a bad place but didn't blow my skirt up
(3)Kym P.
Yum food! I mean, we cooked it ourselves so we have to say that right? Haha. Ok; we got the wasabi crunchy shrimp to start, it was ok, I think the shrimp could have been less coated and a little bigger. Then we just got going with our meats, we got the harami skirt steak, Kobe toro beef, butter fish, spinach garlic, mushroom medley, pork belly, shrimp, rosu beef. All of it was delicious. The standouts for me, in order, we're rosu beef, pork belly and Kobe toro beef. They were spectacular. To wash everything down we had draft Kirin, I want to show them how to pull a proper draft and give it a real head, however, I'm not sure if it's tap or draft. I would definitely recommend going here as an alternative to the strip. We love Asian foods, and we could not have had nearly as much food and alcohol if we had gone on the strip. It's only a half block away. We've found the best food this time just by wandering around more than usual.
(4)Jon H.
Loved it. Little different than a Korean BBQ but equal in taste. If you've been to a Korean BBQ, you'll like a Japanese one.
(4)David K.
We were made to wait for a table outside the empty restaurant for 20 minutes, and then had our dinner interrupted and cut off as they wanted to close. Very unpleasant experience with the staff overall and will never come back.
(1)Taryn K.
This was the first time I've been here for happy hour. I'd definitely suggest you go for happy hour if you can eat because the dishes definitely add up. Each dish does not come with a lot of food but you can keep ordering as the night goes along. To be honest most of the time I didn't know what I was eating but the food was good. Our service was awesome and he made really good recommendations and told us when happy hour would be done. If you come I would definitely try the poke nachos, which if I remember correctly is on the happy hour menu.
(4)Kay N.
We were walking around Hawaii on our first day and stumbled on this restaurant, because we saw the yelp sticker outside the restaurant. It was happy hour time which was a plus! We loved all the meat that we tried. We didn't know where to start, but our friendly server helped us by showing us the top meat dishes he liked. Our favorite was the Rosu meat dish. I also ordered Gyu-kaku Nachos, it was definitely different but good nonetheless. It is raw, so beware if you dislike raw food. I ordered the Asian pear mojito drink which I liked. It didn't have a lot of alcohol in it, but hey not bad for 5 bucks on Happy hour. It is supposedly their most popular cocktail.
(5)Yoon K.
Overall experience was good as far as food and service. One of the chicken wing plates I found reallly salty to the point I had to say something, but the server was happy to exchange for a different chicken wing plate.
(4)Pamela F.
What a fantastic evening! Hubby decided on this one because he likes trying new things and we both LOVE Japanese food. First, the service is superior! Kiet, our server, was the BEST!! He was friendly, personable and very kind! Then the food starts coming out....holy cow, chicken and shrimp. We got the middle set. Was a lot of food but everything was amazing! Try it! I bet you will have a great meal and a wonderful experience!
(5)Steven B.
This place is definitely still at the top of my list of best places on the island. Can become a little high priced. But overall a great place and good drinks.
(4)Bryan G.
Their reception James gave us false wait time. Walked in @ 8:10pm, told us to come back @ 8:45pm. We came back @ 845 pm told us 10 mins more. Went to follow up,then told us 20 mins more. Spoke to the manager,he said he will cover our drinks, and I was like "What?"
(1)Lovey Y.
Great yakiniku place especially during happy hour! Had a 20-30 min wait. They have no seats for customers waiting to be seated so we stood outside until we were seated. Place was a bit smaller than the kapiolani location. Despite the wait, the food was amazing and so was the customer service! I would've gave then 5 stars if it wasn't for the wait.
(4)Jonathan V.
Environment: 5/5 Employees: 5/5 Food: 5/5 Drinks: 5/5 Cost: 5/5 Parking: 1/5 Total: 26/30 BEST DEALS DURING HAPPY HOUR! Synopsis: I will reiterate this, only come during HAPPY HOUR! The reason being the food is half-off and the pitcher of beer is $8.50 FOR KIRIN, DRAFT! The employees were nice from start to finish, from warm smile and greeting, to sitting, and followed by "Come Again." Location is prime Real Estate, as it is by two other pubs, where you can finish off your drinking, or after being drunk, be brave enough to venture to GS Studios and sing in Japanese! In the end, for four, we had spent $50! HOLLAHH for that DOLLAH! Environment: From the outside, you see the sign in nice lettering, with happy hour signs in both, English and Japanese. When it is a nice day, and the sun is out, the doors are open to see within. It is quite bustling in there, as time seems to move faster from the outside. The interior is a nice complimentary soft wood that is damp to the touch. Mold? Irregardless, it has a nice smell to it. Depending where you sit, you can be crammed in a two sitter, or be at a big table as we were. Although, it allowed us to sit across these nice Japanese ladies, which I asked where they are from, what they do, and talking about the food all in Japanese...yes, Japanese! Employees: Upon entering the restaurant, the lady greeted me with a genuine smile. I requested a reservation and it was perfect because we wanted it 30 minutes later than when we entered. Things were going perfect. Even though our entire party was not present, we were sat. Urara was our waitress, and also part of UH's symphony, as the Elite Ka'imi, recognized. She took REALLY good care of us. First round of beers, here we come! She also had a genuine smile at all times and checked on us, regularly, to make sure everything was perfect. I greatly appreciated her services. Food: Bomb-digady! Fried Cheese Won-tons w/ JAPANESE mayonnaise: omg, fat with more fat. Who would have thought dipping these things in Japanese mayonnaise would make your eyes roll back? Just be certain to eat it quick, before it cools down. The taste goes from a 5/5 to a 2/5! If you do not know already, I HATE AMERICAN mayonnaise. And if you hate American Mayonnaise, you may think about tasting Japanese mayonnaise. Such a huge difference in quality and taste! Cheese w/ shoyu: I had never though to put these two together, but the creaminess followed by a burst of cheese flavor, flowing liquid, and salty finish with a melting feeling in your mouth. Complete that with a smooth transition from your larynx, down your esophagus into your stomach is heaven! 5/5 Mixed Kim chee: I can do without this. Definitely was not my favorite...in fact we had left overs. If you do not know me already, I lick my plate clean! I would not do this ever again. 1/5 Kalbi: Yes! Add the hot sauce, and you're good. I love the fact you can cook this and decide how well done you want it, so the kitchen does not f it up! Ka'imi is like mama-san! 5/5 Shrooms w/garlic: Again, cook it yourself. The flavors were great with the sauces. Yum. 5/5 Gyu Tan - Also known as beef tongue. When I eat this, I expect it to be rubbery, much thicker. For some reason the flavoring from the sauce did not complete the whole taste of this. All I could think of was, "I want Choco House style please." 3/5 Drinks: Draft Kirin Pitcher for $8.50 is not too shabby at all! In fact, it's one of the better choices since typical American beer doesn't taste as good. Although that remains my opinion. I do say, however, that Choco House on a Tuesday evening, the price for Draft Kirin Pitcher is $6. But because Gyukaku food is also 50%, this place may be a better choice, because there are two sets of happy hour every day...yes EVERYDAY! Cost: For four people, being stuffed beyond belief and drunk. About $50! Isn't that absurd? I think it is! Sounds like our future visits here may be more frequent than I thought! YES! Parking: The only down-fall here is the parking. Wah! So, if you live in Waikiki this place is such an awesome choice. I am thinking that I want a yelp event here in the near, near future!
(4)D L.
The atmosphere is fun. The food is decent. The waiter is very friendly and explains everything well. Can't wait to have one in San Diego. :)
(5)Ying W.
We went during the happy hour and orders 4 different meats and garlic spinach. Everything is great except the soups came with the meals are very very oily.Service is great as well,.....
(5)Tony B.
I had some time alone and i was hungry. most of my band were out either eating something out of my price range, sleeping, or at a club. so i walked around killing time and trying to find something that would work. i wound up here. my experiences at gyu-kaku at home had always been good. this was just ok. granted, it was a friday night, and i was the only loser with nothing to do, but the staff seemed pretty determined to get me the hell out of there so that they could leave. so, i burned my food, inhaled it, and bailed. not the greatest night of my life, but they can't all be.
(3)Arlo G.
Great service, very clean. Food was ok.... price wasn't too bad, but ultimately a nice place for tourists.
(4)Gary M.
Time to get get happy with meat and beer snacks. Slow cooked meats on a bbq allow for relaxing times with friends. Friday nights start right at happy hour Gyu Kaku. g
(4)token t.
Went for happy hour hoping for a deal but everything adds up and isn't that filling. When it comes down to it, a big chunk of their open hours is a happy hour, so don't expect crazy deals. The marinated beef and karage tasted decent. Cold noodle bland. Garlic noodle tasted strange with bell peppers (doesn't fit any style of cuisine). Pork belly, beef slices were plain and pricey. AC broken while grilling. Plenty of better places in Cali for a better deal.
(2)Jesse K.
Location: The location is pretty easy to find. If you can't see the Gyu-Kaku sign, then the red neon "Indoor BBQ" sign in the window will light the way. The restaurant itself is small and pretty compact, but not so much that it was uncomfortable to sit down in. Pricing: The pricing is pretty decent, especially during "happy hour", where several food items are discounted. You really have to watch yourself, though, when ordering a la carte. If you go overboard, you'll definitely be paying for it when the check arrives. Food: The food was excellent. The duck breast was superb, but the beef tongue was paper thin. I wonder now if the premium beef tongue is thicker cut. Definitely try the sauces that they offer you at the table. Oddly, you don't get rice included with anything; you pay for a small bowl of it separately. You get generous helpings when you order the vegetables. At the end of the meal, they offer several different deserts, of which we ordered s'mores, because why not? You're literally playing with fire! Unfortunately, the s'mores were tiny. Drinks: They have several options for drinks. However, for cocktails, you're pretty much limited to what they offer specifically on the menu. I tried to order a Long Island Iced Tea and was told that they don't make them. Service: Service was prompt, but we got all of our stuff at random intervals instead of all at once. The waitress didn't know we wanted separate checks (she never asked ahead of time and we never let her know until the end, though) and when she separated them, she got a few items mixed up. However, she was able to quickly correct the problem and we were on our way.
(4)Jason W.
We went to this place after all the positive reviews. It seemed like something fun to do during the evening. Sadly it was not to be. We went close to 9pm and there was still a 20 minute wait. Expecting great things we waited. We hit up some shops around the block and returned. Our group of 6 was seated in a booth near the back. Note that this place was very hot and muggy inside. The trade winds weren't blowing that night and when you add in all the working grills, the place feels like an oven. I say 'working' grills because after we ordered drinks and meat, our waiter lighted our semi warm grill. We did our best to cook some meat on it, but after complaining and the waiter fiddling with the grill a couple times, we just had to give up. We couldn't cook our meal, the place was uncomfortably hot, and there was no other solution than to simply eat somewhere else.
(1)Federico G.
Amazing place. First time on a Japanese BBQ, and as we are from Argentina we were a little curious of how will this work. WOW what a surprise!!!!!! Such incredible flavor on the meat, and as you cook your own meat you pick it out of the grill on the point you like it the most. The bad part was we ordered 2 beers and they were $7 each!!!! Really expensive drinks, the rest OK. Portions are small but with 2/3 meats and 1 veggie + 1 rice youre good to go. I recomend this place.
(5)Risa G.
Food was awesome. Wait staff was attentive. Fun food environment. $50 for two people with alcoholic cocktails. Would highly recommend.
(5)Noelani C.
Service is excellent! Kiet is our amazing waiter! He knows his menu and introduced us to many dishes! Very good atmosphere and I love the food.
(5)Thomas C.
Loved this place! The food her was good and cooking over an open fire at your table was Korean BBQ-esque. The large open windows and semi-private seating areas make for a soothing and pleasant place to spend time with friends. The real star here is the staff. Nothing takes a 3 star meal to 4 stars as quickly as a friendly and knowledgeable staff that is there when you need them and invisible when you don't. This perfectly describes our two waiters at Gyu-Kaku. The size of our group did not put them out any. Instead, they happily gave us two extremely friendly staff members. Both of them were able to quickly and thoroughly explain both the process and the items on the menu. They both identified ways in which we were wasting money without actually getting more to eat and help us to rectify it. It was a fun evening with good food that was compliments by the restaurant's staff! Keep up the great work!
(4)Victor K.
Amazing restaurant!! Our favorite spot in Hawaii, we have dinner here probably close to 50 times. Awesome happy hour specials for food and drink! We will be missing this place as we are moving but amazing staff, Managment and food. Thanks so much, will miss you guys!!
(5)Tommie S.
I found this spot thanks to my food tour guide. It's a great idea, but I would have enjoyed it more if it were a true Japanese Bar B Q where one removes their shoes and sits in a sunken location. Prices are much cheaper during happy hour, which is most of their hours.
(3)Ramon B.
As always my visits here are always pleasant! Recently I discovered the Lunch Special! Get there at opening and you will never have to worry about seating. Awesome food awesome choice of Protein if you love good eats this is the place to be
(5)Miyeko T.
Delicious! Variety and flavors are great. Came with a group of three during dinner rush - our server was Ian, he was super fast and very friendly and helpful. Great happy hour. For American yakiniku, this experience was worth a 5. However, if you are used to Japan's higher quality meat and thinner slices, this experience is more of a 4.
(5)Art H.
I can here two days ago. I have wanted to try this place for two years back home just never got arround to it. Well the food was good but the service was terrible the whole order was brought backwards. Miso soup served last with the rice showing up right before that. The waiter was more concerned about chatting,with a large group having a party. The exhaust system was lousy and once the,plce got crowded it got real hot. I will not be going back but ill try the one back home. Since the food was so good.
(3)