Isana Restaurant
515 S Kihei Rd, Kihei, HI, 96753
Isana Restaurant Menu
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Address :
515 S Kihei Rd
Kihei, HI, 96753 - Phone (808) 874-5700
- Website https://www.isanarestaurant.com/
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
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Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Good For Dancing : No
Alcohol : Full Bar
Happy Hour : Yes
Coat Check : No
Smoking : No
Outdoor Seating : No
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : No
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Q L.
Sushi was decent. We also had 2 orders of the traditional Kalbi. This is where the service could have been better. Never have I been to a restaurant where we had to cook our own food on the tabletop grill. The meat was burning and the restaurant started to get smoky. Prices were decent, comparable to northern VA. Total bill including tip $130.
(2)Opakapaka L.
We were tired from trekking around all day and didn't feel like waiting for a table at Sansei, so we thought we'd try late night sushi at Isana's. We had driven by a couple times and it looked interesting. The miso soup was good, but I wasn't super impressed with the sushi. The spicy tuna was good, and the rest was ok, but nothing to write home about. The table next to us ordered the shrimp dynamite and it looked really good. I'll try that next time. I would like to go back during earlier hours when the full menu is available and try some different stuff.
(2)Holger N.
The sushi and the ahi poke was good. The service took forever, they did not seem to be to attentive. Price was too high (we paid 90 bucks w/o tip for two people). Three points because the sushi was good, but i would not go back there.
(3)Brenna F.
Hmmm, I'm not sure I agree with the othe reviewer's comment about the atmosphere. We sat at the sushi bar, and the view was great! Just think think the following: displays of sake, giant maneki neko, awesome display of sushi ingredients. I think the most awesome feature of the bar was that the table surface was two-tiered, so that you can easily manage all your condiments, drinks, etc. and be able to more easily share with your other tablemates. The rainbow roll was INCREDIBLE, which included 3 different types of roe - normal roe, jalapeno roe, and pepper roe (very spicy and tasty!) The roll stood about 2" tall, and had no less than 8 pieces. And the price was very reasonable ($11) The unaki here was the best I think I've ever had. Excellent quality eel, and the sauce used was homemade and fresh. The uni was also very tasty (if you're into that sort of thing) :) And, to boot, the sushi chefs are very friendly and will answer any questions you have (great if you are a newcomer to the world of sushi) and strike up awesome conversation.
(5)Allan Family A.
Food was great, prices were a little high but they were able to seat us without a wait. Sushi was fresh and the soup was fantastic.
(4)Jon T.
The sushi here is expensive ($6 for tuna roll??) and very unremarkable. The Korean food was downright mediocre. We got Korean seafood pancakes and it was the worst version of this dish I've ever had. I've heard if you go to the sushi bar and drop a lot of cash you can eat well, or if you show up after 10 I think for their half-price deal (Sun-Wed only?) you can save some money, but after my experience I couldn't recommend it.
(2)Gary O.
Good Korean food for Maui, they have half off sushi after 10 pm. The Kalbi ribs was a little on the dry side. However the spicy squid and kimchee chigee was on point! This place is frequented by many locals during the late hours and infested by tourist staying on the Kihei/wailea side. Sashimi on the fresh menu was one of the best experiences here. They give thick cuts that are moist. A lot of the fish is local as this is a local restaurant abundant with local catches daily! Real chill scene right next to the ocean. Came here at night so don't know what it looks like but must be legit as all shore line has view of ocean front!
(4)Jason Q.
A great place for a large group. We had a company dinner here and the service was great and the food satisfying. Here are a few things that we would suggest: Kalbi, Seafood pancake, baked mussels (must be able to consume a lot of mayo), and all of the sides. The sushi is good, and what you would come to expect. It's nice to be able to order Korean BBQ and good quality sushi. Portion size is very good. No reason you would ever leave this place hungry.
(3)mel r.
Food quality: 8 Portion size: 8 Ambiance: 7 Drink service: 7 Food service: 0 Be prepared to wait a Loooong time if you sit at the sushi bar. Literally 20 minutes between items.
(3)M Z.
This place is a gem! We came here when most places were closing and I'm glad we did! The service is awesome, the Korean BBQ is delicious, and the sushi is amazing! We'll be back for sushi happy hour after 10pm when it's 50% off sushi.
(5)Eyel S.
Ate here last night with boyfriend. I love the side dishes, they're outstanding! We had the Korean Calamari Pancake too and it's awesome! The only thing is, I saw a little insect at the pancake before taking another bite. We had the traditional kalbi and the ckn for the bbq but both are not well marinated.
(3)Porsha H.
Well sad to report that our dinner date night was ruined. I got my sushi and it was pretty good. But my dates sushi NEVER came. We asked and they said it's coming but we finally had to get up and pay when we got to the register the sushi chef came to ring us up and tried to charge us for his dinner. When we told him we never got it he said well I asked if you were okay and you said yes (before either of us got food) Will NOT be returning.
(1)Dan S.
Good food, but FYI, they do not do karaoke anymore.
(3)Lovelee T.
This place gets 4 stars because I love KBBQ and it's the only place on Maui that offers it yakiniku style. It's a bit pricy and the menu states that you have to order at least 2 entrees, but it's delicious nonetheless. We also ordered 2 shrimp dynamites and they were ok compared to Kobes shrimp dynamite. The spicy pork was really spicy for my taste, but still good. The beef tongue was great. The bill ended up being over $150 so prepare to splurge. The staff was very friendly.
(4)Cynthia L.
Late night happy hour review! After arriving into Kahului airport late Friday evening, my husband and I looked into restaurants that may still be open and serving food past 10PM. There weren't many choices between the airport and the hotel, but thankfully we found Isana, a Korean-Japanese restaurant in Kihei. From 10PM to closing, Isana has late night happy hour. There were drink and food specials, with most sushi rolls priced at 50% off. Eating sushi at a restaurant can often lead to an expensive bill, so at 50% off it's a great value here. Upon walking in, we noticed the restaurant was fairly empty. We were immediately seated at the sushi bar, but then sat with confused looks on our faces for awhile. We were given no menu and the waitress walked away without a word. The sushi chef (owner?) pointed to a menu board posted behind the sushi bar. There were about 15-20 different sushi rolls listed. The sushi chef mentioned everything was 50% off except for the Volcano Roll. The order: - Chamisul soju - Salmon skin roll - Volcano roll (California roll wrapped with salmon, topped with mayo and tobiko, then baked) - Baked mussels - Eel and avocado roll After the initial service mishap, we enjoyed our time at Isana, drinking soju, eating sushi, and people watching. Our favorite was the Volcano roll, which reminded me of the Lion King roll I grew up eating back in NorCal. I love mayo and whether it's added on top of sushi rolls or in a dynamite appetizer, I'm in love again and again. The sushi here was good for what it was - Americanized sushi. 3.5 stars.
(4)Vikéndios N.
We stopped in for some semi-late night sushi. ATMOSPHERE: The main floor is where all the dining happens. There's a small sushi bar that seats around 12 or so. There's a tiny bar & lounge area on the second floor. Decor is simple to none. FOOD: Shrimp tempura roll - This was my favorite of the night but not by much. Imitation crab with a crunchy shrimp tempura. The flavor wasn't as great or rich as I thought it would be. Unagi avocado roll - Not being an unagi fan, this actually ended up being the second tastiest sushi of the 4 styles we ordered. The unagi wasn't boney as I remembered and had a subtle flavor with slightly mushy texture. Salmon avocado roll - I've always loved salmon due to its slightly smoky flavor. They do a pretty good version. Hamachi roll - Our friend opted to add avocado. This is the most boring, tasteless fish to me, despite my friend raving about its butteriness. Not a fan. SERVICE: The sushi chef we had wasn't the friendliest of people. You verbally give him the order from the menu posted on the wall. The female server was cool. We walked in without reservations on a Wednesday night and got seated immediately as they weren't busy at all. OVERALL: Okay tasting sushi with mainstream service. Head over to Sansei for a more lively atmosphere and better tasting sushi.
(2)William F.
This is the best Korean restaurant in Hawaii (all of Hawaii). Comparable to the San Francisco Bay Area. I would like Soondae and Fishcake or Tok-boki but the Kalbi and Bibimbop and service is very good.
(5)Eric C.
Best sushi bar in South Maui, with locally caught freshness. Sashimi combo is a tremendous value. The Korean barbecue is top notch, with all the traditional sides. The bar upstairs has karaoke every night. The after 10:00 half off sushi is the best late night dinning option.
(5)Cindy K.
I had sushi dinner here before going back to LA. I really enjoyed fresh sushi and service. They use high quality fish and the price is very reasonable. I highly recommend.
(5)Charles L.
Hard to find a Korean restaurant in Maui. But through a Yelp review, found Isana. Place was roomy with parking. The staff were friendly. I had the miyuk gook (seaweed soup) and my wife had the kimchi jigae. We also ordered spicy salmon and uni. Got 7 banchan dishes. I liked my dish as well as the uni. My wife thought her dish was okay, but not spicy enough. The banchan was fine except for the kimchi; it was not spicy. Was more like mul kimchi in terms of spiciness. Likewise, the spicy salmon sushi roll was not spicy. If the spicy items had really been spicy i.e. Korean level spicy , I would have given this place 5 stars. Considering the rest of the food was fine, and the service was good, they get 4 stars from me. So fine if you want nonspicy, but not so good if you want something to stimulate your spicy taste buds. If you are Korean and from Korea, LA or NY, don't expect the same level of food, but much better than what other Maui restaurants have to offer for Korean.
(4)Belinda M.
Maybe the big clue is Korean sushi... we should have known better. The sushi was pretty careless, but that is nothing compared to the service. It is one thing to at a sushi and be scoffed by the chef if he is 1) busy 2) incredibly talented 3) famous but we were the only people at his bar and he not only "forgot" a few of our items, but then argued that we did get them although we saw the waiter take what could have been our rolls out to the tables. Anyway, maybe it was just a bad day, and I could go on and on about the place. I said it before, Korean sushi is just not the way to go. duh
(1)Melody M.
The Korean food here tastes good, however the customer service was horrible. The waitress was glaring at us the whole time. The only time we saw her smile was after the bill was paid. Pay attention that the 17% gratuity is forced on your bill even if you have small party (we had only 2 persons)!!!
(2)Mahe K.
Sashimi sampler was fresh and really good... Hot plate korean food was pretty overpriced and nothing spectacular. We also had to wait around forever to get service and were sitting around for 15 minutes with our bill/cc... Just trying to pay to get out of there. We got passed 3 times and I was trying to flag a waitress down the entire time. It was pretty dead in there, so that was annoying. Really, it was just WAY overpriced for what it was.
(3)Dylan L.
Walking in and seeing the place full of Japanese people, with the folksy old Japanese sushi chef behind the bar made me have high hopes. The sushi was sloppy and bland. Pretty small portions for the cost, although it is Kihei. Considering how many other sushi restaurants there are and how far into north Kihei you have to to, I would pass on it.
(2)John C.
I came in here in the late afternoon. It was empty. We ordered a bibhimbap and a kimchee soup. The bibhimbap was pretty good but the soup seemed like it was overcooked based how soft the kimchee was. I felt that the Korean menu items were overpriced. Service was okay but it took forever to get the check.
(3)Julien B.
A nightmare experience. Quite possibly the rudest service I've encountered in a restaurant. My wife and I here came here wanting to celebrate an occasion. We were originally placed at a table not far from an extremely loud and boisterous group. Hey, no problem, this happens. The party was loud enough that it was difficult for us to talk. We asked if we could move to a different part of the restaurant, and the staff was very kind about it and moved us near the sushi bar. So far, so good. Here's where it turned bad. We sat down at our new table, which was a very small table. The staff were eating dinner at a table nearby as well. The noise level was much more manageable here. A few minutes after we sat down, one of the restaurant staff sat in a chair by the wall right behind us, and pulls out his iphone or ipad, and starts watching a korean movie or show at MAX volume. I couldn't believe it. It was so loud that we couldn't talk! What kind of restaurant has staff watching full volume TV shows at customer's tables. It's not like we were in a "staff only" area either. There was another couple at a table right next to us. Our waitress comes by and asks us how everything is going. I ask her if the employee behind us is going to continue blasting his movie at full volume. She smiles and says yes and laughs nervously. She must have caught my expression because she then went to talk to him, and the employee got up and took his phone to watch elsewhere. We got back to our food, and five minutes later the sushi chef sits down behind us in the same place as the prior employee. He pulls out a roll-away TV set, turns it on, and starts watching a Korean TV show at high volume. It was so ludicrous that it bears repeating: The sushi chef pulls out a roll-away TV set right next to us, turns it on, and starts watching a TV show at high volume. At this point I honestly started to wonder if I was on candid camera. Let's recap. We are sat down originally near a loud party. We ask, and get moved. We get moved to a table, where an employee starts watching a show on his mobile at max volume right next to us. We ask, and he goes to watch it somewhere else. The sushi chef then comes out, sits down at the EXACT SAME spot, and pulls out a roll-away TV, turns it on, and starts watching a show at high volume next to us. What is this, some kind of passive-aggressive revenge tactic for the previous guy? I actually waited to see if the waitress would say or do anything. Nope, she studiously ignored us. Unbelievably rude staff. I can't think of a time I've ever seen restaurant staff be so fragrantly disrespectful to their customers. What's next, having the staff smoking cigarettes at our table? Pulling out their cell phones and yapping away in our ears? I would never go back, and neither should you! Horrible, horrible, horrible.
(1)Rayna B.
Great fresh sushi. Half off after 10pm on most sushi items Thursday - Saturday. Not as busy as Sansei but better sushi in my opinion, especially if you don't like to wait.
(5)Anon Y.
Wonderful local sushi. Best discovery on Maui!
(5)Jim P.
Bad attitude, sloppy rolls and the worst is, overly firm flavorless sushi rice. Isana used to be a great place. I have a feeling they've gotten lazy and could care less if anyone came in. If you want late night sushi pass this up and go straight to Sansei by Foodland in Kihei: yelp.com/biz/sansei-seaf… If you want exceptionally well crafted sushi make a reservation at Koiso in Kihei at the Dolphin Plaza: yelp.com/biz/koiso-sushi…
(1)Christine M.
Always come here for half off sushi. But since I wanted to try their dinner for the first time, I called the restaurant at around 745 to see what time they're closed for dinner & the lady told me their kitchen closes at 925. I got their about 9:00. The chef told me to have a seat & the waitress asked me if I was here for half off sushi. And I told her no, I wanted to have dinner. Then she tells me that their closed for dinner already. I told her I called in asking what time they'll be closed for dinner & have been told at 9:25 & it was only 9:04. I was sitting there, waiting for my boyfriend.. She looked at me confused like she wanted to leave for work already. I definitely rolled my eyes at her for the bad service... But luckily we got to stay and eat for dinner. Left disappointed bc spent too much money on poor service & tasteless food. Will only be back for half off sushi.
(1)Amie P.
Perfect for happy hour as all sushi is 50% off after 10pm. I can't recall if it's Thurs-Sunday so check before you go and also know they automatically add gratuity of 18% to your tab. I suppose that's because their servers will be tip on the service not the discounted food. I would recommend going for the Sashimi platter ( $35 reg price) as it comes with 4 assortment of fish to include Maguro (Tuna), Hamachi (Yellowtail), Sake (Salmon) and Octopus (Tako). Perfect qty(4pcs of each fish) for under $18. The Ahi Poke Bowl looks delicious yet lacks flavor and a bit disappointing. Miso soup was delicious especially for that late in the evening. It's less crowded than Sansei and you are NOT subjected to listen to the Karaoke. We all know the voices of America can be darn gruesome with or without alcohol.
(4)Myron C.
I know this is a sushi place but it's also touted as being a Korean place. Aside from the yakiniku style cooking, I'm not impressed at all at this place being called "Korean". I understand that meat jun is a Hawaii thing BUT for a Korean restaurant in Hawaii, to NOT have meat jun is absolutely insane. Especially on an island that has only 3 Korean restaurants. The sides were nice but out of the 6 sides we got, two of them were essentially THE SAME THING as another two but with kim chee sauce on them. Outrageous. Here's what we had: kim chee, some sort of seaweed (not the dark kelp that you expect to get), sprouts, kim chee sprouts, daikon, kim chee daikon (with carrots). The "oriental" dressing tasted like it came from Costco. The seaweed soup. NO TASTE! The seaweed itself is way to thick to be used for the soup. Perfect thickness for the side seaweed though (if they made it). The dynamite shrimp had NO "dynamite" on it at all. Here's how you make their version: Place shrimp, zucchini and mushrooms in a bowl; PLOP mayonnaise on it; bake; sprinkle furikake on it. THAT'S IT. The baby seats have NO belts. We spent the entire meal making sure the baby doesn't fall out of the chair. The waitress filled our water, not the fountain drinks (unless you ask). We asked if rice bowls were small. She said that the bowls were fairly large. It wasn't large at all. Just the SMALL metal bowls that Korean restaurants serve rice in. Cost: FAR TOO EXPENSIVE for WHAT YOU GET. 2 adults and 2 kids (and a baby eating off of the rest our plates) = $80. EIGHTY DOLLARS.....FOR LUNCH. The sushi is fine. The Korean food....horrible. If you MUST eat Korean food on this island, considering choices, authenticity and price, go to Pearl's (like I said, ONLY 3 restaurants on the island).
(2)David M.
You won't get any better in Tokyo or Seoul. Andy and his staff are fabulous. This is the real deal.
(5)Stella S.
Horrible! The food is so so but the service is what put the nail in the coffin for us. We sat at the sushi bar and we felt like the sushi chefs were almost mad that we had come in. Ordered a beer and the we watched all the wait staff sit at their own table and eat a full meal while we waited, and waited , and waited..... So we decided to leave . I manage a restaurant and if this horrible lack of customer service went down I would lose my job ! Our time is valuable too. We were charged for our beers hahaha! After waiting 20 mins to order unsuccessfully. Wow What a display. The saddest part is that after we paid for our beers, the staff went right back to the table to eat like we didn't matter. :(
(1)Erica M.
Food was excellent and hit the spot.. Portions were generous. Service was great with friendly staff. Definitely will go back again. I wish we would have tried it sooner.
(5)Gary K.
Likes: I personally liked the place. Every dish we ate tasted good, the server lady was nice and the view was great! I think they were not expensive at all! I recommend them! Dislikes: I didn't like that they served tap drinking water, it smelled like chlorine and tasted nasty. I highly recommend all owners to start filtering their water that they serve.
(4)Safin D.
Bad service to everyone, salty food no good for health, not speak English so well to be a manager at the restaurant. All in all, the worst place for eating.
(1)Richard H.
Plain and simple, food is horrible, as is the service, you would have to pay me to go back to this place. No Thanks!
(1)Mitzi D.
So I came back for the sushi bar. What a difference a room makes. It was terrible and really expensive. I don't think I'll be back. I'm so sad.
(1)Kate J.
I am still a big fan of Isana and I want to encourage others to go. You will need to overlook a few things, like a very dated decor and alarming carpeting. Also the servers tend to want to steer certain customers toward the sushi bar. There is nothing wrong with the sushi bar but we are there for the Korean dishes mostly. Just tell them firmly that you want a table if that is your preference. The ojingo bokum is probably my favorite and they do a good dolsot bibimbap. Banchan are simple but delicious. Also they have Hite beer and very good kimchi!
(5)Stephen G.
I've seen this place for a few years and finally tried it for dinner. I am kicking myself for not coming sooner. Delicious kimchee-style poke, great sushi, incredible seafood pancake, and bulgogi to die for. In huge portions with the nicest people. I will be back.
(5)Ben B.
Fantastic Korean food! Didn't do sushi, but did do the standard Korean, and loved it! Best JapChae (clearish noodles with veggies) I've ever had, and awesome DolSot BiBimBop (rice in a hot earthernware bowl with delicious veggies and beef), and delightful DenJongChiGae (Soy Bean Soup). Absolutely loved the food. The ambience was only so so, as we went at 4pm and there weren't many people there yet, but the food and service were both excellent!
(5)Nathaniel A.
This was the only restaurant in walking distance from our hotel, so on our last night in Maui we decided to give it a shot. When we walked into the restaurant (which seemed mostly empty), the hostess seemed confused by our arrival and said that there were no tables available since they had "a lot of reservations." The restaurant is enormous and this seemed very strange. She wanted to seat us at the sushi bar. I wanted to try their Korean food but we decided to just sit down at the sushi bar so as not to be a hassle. As we sat down, the sushi chefs were surly, and possibly even hostile (it was hard to tell). I tried to pick up a paper menu but the chef stopped me and pointed to a board on the wall. I wasn't familiar with all the options, so I tried again to pick up the paper menu, as I do every time I've gone into any other sushi restaurant. The chef stopped me again and told me just to tell him what I wanted. Then the other chef started yelling at me to make sure I DO NOT order from him, that I only order from the other chef. Then he started barking at me to tell my husband, who wasn't paying attention to this apparently very important detail. I just said, "Got it!" and tried to ignore him. Finally I told my husband I didn't want to sit at the bar and we went back to the hostess stand to try to get a table. The hostess again seemed perplexed that we wanted a table in the mostly empty restaurant. She wandered off to look for one. While this was happening, a child (of one of the employees', I'm assuming) walked up and started hitting my husband's leg. Just stood there hitting it and laughing. The whole thing was so bizarre and unwelcoming that we turned around and walked out. I would love to have reviewed the food, but the staff seemed determined to not let us eat it. I don't know if we were underdressed or they just don't like tourists, but either way the whole situation was something I've never experienced walking into a restaurant and hope to never experience again.
(1)Mimi M.
Had the Korean BBQ! Chadol(beef brisket), Kalbi(short ribs), spicy bbq pork. We also had Denjang (soup waaaay better than miso crap) everything was delicious!!!! If you're craving Korean eats or comfort food look no further! Service was friendly, but so were we. You get what you give people. Those of you unwilling to try something new, rolls that are cooked are not sushi! Eat some fresh raw fish! A California roll, dragon roll, or volcano roll are not sushi!!! Ugh live a little! Try uni, spicy yellow tail hand roll, or ask for sushi chef choice "omakase" Get em tiger!
(5)Mitchell F.
I've known the head sushi chef here for many years and the quality has always been excellent. This place even stacks up to the best sushi bars I've been to in Japan. The sushi is fresh and made with care and skill. For those who don't like raw fish, the hamachi kama (yellowtail collar) is always delicious. There are also many other cooked foods to choose from, including a plethora of other Korean dishes. And for the sushi lovers out there, you won't be disappointed here. My personal favorites that are difficult to find at this quality elsewhere are the uni, ikura, hamachi, mirugai and ama ebi. For those reviewers here saying the sushi was mediocre, you clearly just don't know sushi. When all you order are California and Dragon rolls, you aren't allowed to have an opinion on sushi. The head sushi chef is a great guy and the wait staff are always timely and efficient. I've been here countless times and I've never come away disappointed. And as for the "little kids" running around, those are the owners' kids and they've grown up now and don't need to be babysat while the owners are at work :).
(5)Hawaii Actress A.
I agree with Jena and Steven's reviews below -- AVOID this place. RUDE - RUDE - RUDE - RUDE First I walked in - Korean women at register didn't bother to look up at me..I had to say hello and that I had a part of 2. Told her my mom was with her service dog - then in front of me, she speaks Korean to this other man who then spoke English to me and asked me for documentation proof, even though she was wearing her service vest! THEN he asks me to put dog in a bag!! I could totally report this place -- they are breaking federal law. Owners, you need to read: ada.gov/qasrvc.htm We drove all the way from town to try this place, despite their bad reviews. What a waste of gas. There was only one table of customers and it was right at lunch time. That alone (on top of what we experienced) speaks for itself.
(1)Qui T.
We came here exactly 30 mins before closing and felt like we were disturbing the 6 employees who were doing absolutely nothing; ie: watching replays of the basketball playoffs, and sitting around. My wife and I were celebrating our honeymoon, staying at the Maui beach resort which is where this place resides. Since it was so close, we were planning on supporting this business but after our experience today, we'd rather take our business elsewhere. I'm in the same industry and can't believe how we were treated. With so much competition around in this area, I'd make sure my service is on point. I guess they really don't care about their patrons.
(1)Yumiko K.
The sushi is made quickly. However, Service is non-existent. Unprofessional. Very rude to customers. Dismissive. Will never return here. A true sushi chef would not only not behave in that manner, but bc it is inevitable that their "Ki" goes into their creations, so no compliments can be made on their food/service & business. F rating.
(1)K F.
The hamachi kama is the best! A very large portion and just a few offered every night. Served with a delicious sauce, it's a huge serving. All the sushi was fresh and my favorite is the uni! So fresh and is better than any I've tasted from sushi bars on the west coast and Japan!
(5)Jon E.
This is the best Korean restaurant in Kihei. Ok this is the ONLY Korean restaurant in Kihei. It is overpriced, no lunch specials - same menu as dinner. You could get the same quality for half the price in Honolulu. But as I mentioned, this is the only korean restaurant in Kihei. So, the Korean food is decent. Avoid the sushi, even the 50% off happy hour deal. Sushi shouldn't be cheap as it is cheap for a reason. Just like the Sansei half off deal, you pay for it in other ways, for me those are gastrointestinal ways. If you want sushi, pay for real sushi at Koiso, where it isn't half off, but it is good. For meh Korean food, Isana will live up to your expectations, so long as they are low.
(3)Taralyn R.
We went to Isana's on a Wednesday night. We knew that if we got there after 10pm that it would be happy hour. Everything i believe is half off. The atmosphere was very quite. Actually no one was really there. I think we were the second couple in the restaurant, which made it cool cause it felt like it we rent out the place for us. We ordered the Shrimp Dynamite, some sushi, and also miso soup. Shrimp Dynamite was really good. I love the dynamite sauce, it makes all the difference! The sushi was really good too! For me you cant really go wrong with sushi, though I have tasted really bad sushi. But their sushi was really good! The service was exceptionally well. They were checking on us and when they brought out the food, they would let us know if something was on its way. Great service for us!
(5)MyKey D.
Friday night, my first time to do 50% off sushi here. It was kind of disappointing. They only serve sushi. Wish they served some Kalbi and chicken. Dynamite was good. But I don't understand why they couldn't make just shrimp, as it came with mussels. My girlfriend liked the Baked California Roll, but it had a little too much mayo on it. I also had the Salmon Skin Roll, it was the least favorite. It was topped with a lot of Furikake, super dry, tough and cold. 50% off quality rather than price.
(3)Michael P.
Gosh there is a lot of dramatic reviewing going on about Isana - it is absolutely FINE. The food is good actually - and yea it is a Korean Restaurant with "sushi" so what lol... It must be okay = I have been twice and the place was full and um 50 percent Asian customers... yea I said it - Not a cute guy in sight though : ( gay/straight nothing - one old Asian guy was rocking his fitness but - just saying.... This place should get a full bar and then I could rock here every night! Ha Ha and yea I thought the food was Awesome - if the night in my to go box they put all the Korean "sides/small-plates" Thought that was BONUS! If you want a table at dinner time DEF call ahead this place books UP! And the service was friendly and cool! And the place is clean LOL oh oh yes it is pricey - welcome to HAWAII
(3)Sky O.
Went there for 50% off wed. Sushi was meager at best the head chef allowed us only to eat the premade rolls for 50 % off and was rude about it, I asked for a few different kinds of rolls only to be told that those were not 50 % off, when I read the sign it said 50% off sushi not select sushi. When we were finished and got our bill I noticed that there was gratuity included. I did the math and they added 20% to the original bill prior to removing the 50%. I dont mind tipping well when its deserved but this was definitely not one of those occasions. After posting this experience to another site I got a bunch of responses telling me this practice is illegal.
(1)Joseph L.
I had dinner at Isana on 11/8/2014 and the Korean BBQ was excellent. There were 4 of us and we ordered 2 orders of the traditional Kalbi, 2 orders of the Bul Go Ki, and some rolls to start things off. The food was excellent. The portions are big. We could probably have just ordered 1 of each. The service was really good with the staff refilling water/drinks pretty quickly. For the cost, this place should be packed with people.
(4)Bruce C.
Thank goodness (or whoever you worship) for this place. The sushi is of highest quality, and I know, because I've had authentic Japanese sushi where it counts. This place is like a dream on Maui. Sit at the bar, order hot sake and beer, then start grinding that delicious piece of art (sushi). It do not get any more better than this.
(5)Chris R.
This place is actually really good. The soups are very flavorful and delicious. The ladies taking care of us were very nice. I would go back to try other food whenever we are back in Kehei.
(4)Laurel C.
We live in Kihei and had not come to Isana's in years. Don't know why, just hadn't gotten up there! I actually used to go to Isana's as a tourist and visit the upstairs Karaoke bar with all our local friends! It is GREAT fun! I saw the Govity deal a few weeks ago and jumped on it! We went last night. We sat at the Sushi bar and had a vast array of Sushi and 2 Sakes! Everything was delicious. The service was awesome. It was prompt and everyone was just as friendly as I remembered. We will definitely be back and very soon! Mahalo you guys! Lolly
(5)Stephanie N.
As far as service goes, this place was not outstanding. We arrived and waited at least 5 minutes before anyone came to seat us. And keep in mind that there were only 2 other people in the restaurant at this time. Then, once we were seated, our waitress did seem to have some attitude with us. It was our first time and we weren't sure what to get and she seemed very impatient with us. We had a 6 year old with us, and once the adults were finished ordering their alcoholic beverages, she shot away. We didn't even have a chance to order for the little guy. Then, when it came to food, if we asked any questions on specifics of the dishes, she seemed put out. It was a very unfotunate serving situation. However, I do have to say the food was great! There were 8 of us and we got such a variety of food to all share and we all loved everything. The shrimp and vegetable pancakes were amazing! A little greasy, but great flavor! The ahi poke was also delicious! We also ordered some sushi. It was our first time trying octopus and salmon eggs, but were pleasantly surprised by both! We got the eel and avacodo, salmon and avacodo, and shrimp tempura rolls for sushi. All tasted great! For a Korean restaurant, the sushi was just as good as any Japanese restaurant. Although, we didn't get any wasabi with our sushi, and trying to track down our waitress to get any was a chore. My dad doesn't do raw, so he got a Korean BBQ pork dish and it was great! The only thing we didn't like was the edmame. We weren't used to cold edamame, and it took us back. Wasn't horrible, but not my favorite. All in all, GREAT food! Highly recommend in that aspect. But as far as service or atmosphere, don't go in expecting too much.
(3)Miguel S.
Fantastic gyoza, sushi and rolls. We ate here a couple times and enjoyed quiet/laid back meals, excellent service + food. No complaints here at all.
(4)J K.
7pm and the place was empty except for the chefs and staff sitting around GLARING at us. It was really uncomfortable and the old woman in charge was plain rude. The sushi was nothing special, I'd equate it to the quality of a mall's food court. I'd rather spend my money elsewhere.
(1)Gopher I.
I've been to Isana many times before - but usually on the restaurant side, which is usually pretty good in food and service. So, I cannot understand why there is such a big difference on the sushi bar side. On this night, we decided to go to the sushi bar. But, I don't understand...it's like they don't want to serve people at the sushi bar unless there's more than one party there. It seemed like the staff was on their dinner break I guess, but do they all have to go at one time? We got tea and water when we first sat down, but no checks if we were okay, need more, or need anything for that matter. They get one star for the restaurant side being consistently good; another star for the size of the hamachi kama; another for being fast with the food at the sushi bar (although we were the only ones at the bar); and another for the sushi that we had that was pretty good. However, the serious lack of customer service and outright ignorance takes two of those stars away. I hope they got better with their service, but needless to say, unless we're craving some huge hamachi kama, I don't expect to go back anytime soon. My korean food cravings can be easily tamed by JB's, Watercress, Tiffany's, or Asian Cuisine.
(2)Steven K.
Korean food and sashimi salad is good, but sushi is not that great compare to the price. One of the lady has attitude problem when the owner is not around.
(2)Elesha N.
Most legit korean place on the island. I dont take into account price too much b/c this is an island. Your gunna pay 12$ for Soju (not cali which is 8$) Pros * half off sushi after 10pm on fri & sat * Very kind korean service * Alcohol: diff types of Soju, sparkling sake, cold/hot sake, korean beer ( hite ) * Bul go ki & kalbi meat, kim chee soup, Large house salad! Yummy unlimited sides (seaweed salads, kim chi, fish cake, ect!) *didnt try sushi *open till 1 Cons *You have to order 2 types of korean bbq dishes in order to cook it in front of you. otherwise, the kitchen cooks it and brings it out. Each meat dish Bul Go ki and Kalbi was 22$ (large serving tho!) *Being really picky- its not a VERY traditional korean bbq marinade- but still tasted good.Ive had better, I used to live in Souther California (korea CENTRAL). However, for the island- this is still Great overall. I will return- I recommend this place for an authentic korean experience on the island.
(3)Gene K.
I'm a fan, but the prices are why I didn't give it 5 stars...I'm from the bay area, so I have access to alot of Korean restaurants...Isana is really up there price wise, no lunch menu...no specials, $20 - $25 per entree. Only a few side dishes, which included potato salad... say what?..We ordered the short ribs which were great, only 2 bones and alot of great tasting meat, on a sizzling platter...also got the marinated beef, on a sizzling platter..good taste..be aware, a few items on the menu are not marinated..you can also cook at your table...too hot for that...Service was outstanding, fast and friendly..besides fast food, this appears to be the only sit down Korean restaurant on Maui. They do have sushi, but way up there on the price...
(4)James K.
If you love sushi do not like crowds this is the place. the chefs are awesome the quatity and quality of fish are awesome. You will love whatever you order, and the fun of using the grill helps make it more fun when you are with friends. the only down side to this place is thier lust for the change, if your bill is $41.00 and you give 3 $20.00 they say do you need change?
(5)David Y.
Celebrated a birthday there tonight. Enjoyed the Bulgogi and the seafood/sashimi salad. Service was pleasant. Did not realize it was a Korean restaurant. Will definitely return.
(4)Ana L.
Just to be clear, this review is just for the sushi. The Korean food might be lovely but we did not get to try it. We went here once since it was an advertised sushi place located close to where we were staying and we were in the mood for sushi, to be honest it wasn't great for the price. We order two different rolls and even if they looked great the taste was very lame in both. It might have been a bad day, I don't know, but I would say if it is sushi what you want this might not be the place. If you want a bit of everything, might be worth to try, the service was very nice and the location also.
(2)Jenny H.
My friends and I were visiting from Oahu and came across this place. We were here for the yakiniku, not the sushi. Pros: - we each had a little bowl of rice (other restaurants make you pay) - they gave us little korean side dishes of pickled stuff (I think) and kimchee - the staff was very, very friendly - they accommodate large groups really well - the waitress offered to cook everything table side for our group; we told her it wasn't necessary Cons: - the marinade for the raw meat was mediocre - there was only one waitress running around the entire time - it was a bit pricy compared to what I'm used to on Oahu Ordered: - Traditional Kalbi (good flavor) - Beef Tongue (thinly sliced and was pretty good! Definitely try this!) - Marinated Chicken If I'm ever in Kihei again and don't know what to eat, I would go to Isana.
(3)Michelle W.
We got 2 soups .. Spicy Beef Noodles and Spicy Fish Soup. Both were delicious, service was great and decor is nice. I'm just spoiled from the bay area and it isn't 5 star quality.. but great for being one of the only Korean restaurants on the island!
(4)Anna H.
Horrible!!!! We are from NY on our honeymoon in good ol' Maui. Isana place looked good from the outside & terrible inside!! Dirty & old, yuck. We thought how could there be bad sushi in Maui?! Ha! It could be!!! Rolls were loose, sushi looked old. Not a good place!!! We went to Kai sushi in wailea- that place was Yummy!!
(1)Rob S.
We eat at Isana often and are always happy with the service there. Granted, a few of the reviewers were unhappy with the sushi bar side of the restaurant, but I've never been to that section before. My review will strictly cover the restaurant side. Food: I recommend trying the Yakiniku style (cook yourself) of eating. You'll need to get at least 2 orders of meat in order to do this, but if you're in a part of 2 or more, you'll be okay. They have marinated chicken, shrimp & vegetables, spicy pork loin, and more. Try the cooked food in lettuce and their miso paste. Mmm...delicious! Their free side dishes help compliment your meal as well. If you're not in the mood for cooking your own food, they have a sit down menu as well. They have most of the popular Korean dishes on hand. When I'm really hungry, I make sure I get an order of the Bi Bim Bap (a bowl of warm white rice topped with namul (sautéed and seasoned vegetables) and gochujang (chili pepper paste). A raw or fried egg and sliced meat (usually beef) are common additions. The ingredients are stirred together thoroughly just before eating. It can be served either cold or hot) *definition from Wikipedia. You can order from the sushi bar as well. Service: We always get top notched service there, especially be Joenard who is the most excellent waiter/server around. Our drinks are always topped off, the side dishes are always refilled, and they continuously check to see if our needs are being met. Atmosphere: It's very laid back with an Asian feeling. You can come as you're dressed but need a shirt and footwear (as do most restaurants). Ask for a seat fronting the beach as the sunset in Kihei is spectacular. Prices: The restaurant is a bit pricey but we're willing to pay the price (every now and then) for a good meal with excellent service. My wife orders the sushi combo platter which runs about $30. All in all, we pay about $75-$85 for the entire meal per visit (not including tip). As I mentioned, the food is good, but it's not a place the average person can afford on a weekly basis. Bottom line: Good Korean food along with outstanding service is hard to find; especially on Maui. In fact there are only a handful of places where you can get Korean food in a restaurant atmosphere. The prices are a bit steep, but if you're in the mood for a nice dinner in a clean comfortable atmosphere, then give Isana a try.
(5)Abe L.
Hit the spot! Good food, good service, price was what's expected in Maui. We ordered a few dishes of Korean BBQ beef (beef brisket, marinated short ribs) and the quality of the beef was good. You grill it on your own at your table which I strangely prefer over having the beef cooked in the back and brought out. The waitress kept the side dishes and our water glasses full without having to ask. I came in hoping for at least something mediocre but nicely surprised to find great Korean food on the island.
(5)Rio R.
I love this place whenever I'm in the valley isle. I totally miss this place as I'm not the biggest fan of sushi, or even fish in general. Back in the days my ex used to drag me here. I was hooked ever since. I love their dynamite, hamachi kama, and soft shell crab roll with a large bottle of Hite Korean beer. Andy the owner is a hard worker, and appreciates his customers. Totally can't wait to go back to so that I could consume my favorite Maui trifecta. Oh, maybe even sing a song or two upstairs after a few drinks.
(5)tina t.
I live in kihei and came here for lunch because after googling they were the only place that serves sushi at 2pm in kihei. I entered and was the only person in the entire restaurant minus the owner and sushi man who stood right beside me and spoke in korean the whole time. Long story short... I ordered the rainbow roll which was 16.50$.. I could smell the roll when he put it down in front of me.. the salmon was slimy and I pulled it off as to not accidently eat it! I ate what I could pretty fast because of the bickering/gossip/conversation that was going on right beside me.. I paid at the front and the gal asked me how everything was, I said "not great and I think the salmon on the role was bad- it was slimy" she said "oh sorry" and took my card and charged me full price. I wasn't looking for anything free but acknowledge how crappy and not fresh your food is atleast. I don't blog about food.. but I feel that a place like this is solely there to take advantage of tourist and unsuspecting people looking for sushi at random hours. If you have another option.. take it.. if not, wait until you do! It is not worth the money and the fear of food poisoning!
(1)Sharissa C.
This place is by far the best value I've found....$35 sashimi platter = maguro (ahi/tuna), hamachi (fatty tuna), mirugai (clam), tako (octopus) and sake (salmon)...30 well cut pieces, fresh! The UNI (2 pieces rolled) was Amazing as well, also a good portion... Excellent service by Francis C. Will DEFINITELY be back and is on my list of FAVORITES!
(5)Annie P.
I generally don't like to review Korean restaurants because i feel like i am maybe just being more difficult because I am a Korean. I have not had very good Korean outside of Korea which is puzzling to me because many other regional cuisines are very successfully executed in North America. I assume that this is because they are run more like just a business not so much for the love of cooking or service, at least here and in my hometown of Vancouver. We were running out of ideas here in kihei with all the failed attempts at quality dinner options and ended up in Isana a few blocks from where we are staying. It is a large typical tourist trap Korean joint. No atmosphere, but clean. Our server was very pleasant and quick, filled our water and sides frequently. We did not have any sushi because you don't have sushi at a Korean restaurant, you just don't, it's there as a catch all for broader audience. It's like those Chinese restaurants that serve burgers and fries, seriously, don't do it! I did not eat the meat but my family said it was rather tough. The seafood pancake was limp and pale, we did not finish it. My bean paste soup was watery yet super salty, mostly onion and tofu. Some of the sides were really dry and none of them memorable. Needless to say we have had better of everything elsewhere. I am sure they probably don't serve most of their customers more than once and don't really care about repeat business, but like my husband said when we were leaving, it would be really said if Isana was someone's first experience of Korean food because they won't want to have it again. (29 of 30)
(2)alexis h.
Sushi is good (but Sansei is a better deal at discount times and Sushi Paradise is waaay better quality if you want to spend the money). Korean BBQ is overpriced and poor quality! I'd rather buy a steak and a bag of charcol and go grill at the beach. The veggies had massive amounts of salt on them and the beef and shrimp had no seasoning. The "special dipping sauce" was nothing more than sesame oil and shoyu. The decor is dark, dirty and the whole place is really outdated. Dissapointing overall.
(2)Jason V.
Place was great. Staff even went out of their way to feed us after walking in after closing. Prices were a little high but this is Maui and that is expected. Portions were huge and they did not just throw extra rice in it to make them bigger. They sometimes are out of certain things but that is because the owner hand picks his fish and he just won't buy something that he does not think is AAA fish. This shows the pride he takes at having the freshest fish.
(5)Alisa S.
This is a favorite among our family. It can get pretty pricey, but we still love it. The baked mirugai (giant clam) is my FAVORITE! I've been in Maui for less than a week already and we've eaten here twice. We cooked our own food at the table the first time we there and we ordered the brisket, beef tongue, and bulgogi meat. I liked how thinly sliced all the meats were, but my favorite meat was the bulgogi meat since it was marinated and very tender. I'm not usually a sashimi person, but I like trying it here and those were good, too. My brother ordered all kinds of fish so I can't remember all the names.
(5)Angie B.
Order the Dynamite and the Bi Bim Bop. Both are under $!2 if you are on a budget. Probably one of the only late nighters in North Kihei.
(4)Grace K.
Having just arrived into Maui - - I spent the remainer of the afternoon basking in the warm sun by the hotel's pool, overlooking the beautiful ocean through by their infinity pool. Then in one moment, I was STARVING. Strangely enough - the hotel concierge had "gone home for the evening" at 7 pm - - and while we got into the car, we asked the valet guy if there was any well-known Japanese restaurant in the area of Wailea. He highly recommended Isana, which was only a 10 minute drive from the hotel - claiming it was a great sushi and yakiniku place. Getting there was fine. But upon arrival, I started getting a weird feeling when I saw the name "Isana" written in English and Korean. What the.... Korean? Once we entered and we were greeted by friendly people - - I was quite certain we were in a Korean place. Upon opening the menu, I was positive we were in a Korean place. I wanted Japanese food, not Korean food, especially not on my first night in Maui!!! But alright, we're here.... let's go to town on the sushi. Service was really friendly. The servers were mostly Korean, but they were all just so wonderful, including our busser who was as pleasant as could be. The ban-chan was pretty good, and plentiful. As soon as one plate would disappear, they would bring out more, and more. The view, I suspect, was amazing outside, except it was close to 9 pm and I could only hear the ocean, not really see it though it was literally right in front. (Keep in mind that I am basically blind as a bat w/o my glasses on, and I generally refuse to wear my glasses, so...) From the small but expensive amount of sushi I ordered - only the hamachi was stellar, though I took the recommendation of the waitress on what was freshest that evening. There was entirely too much rice to begin with but even the fish was just not up to par. What was impressive was the "an-shim" (beef tenderloin) meats that we ordered to grill. Delicious, lean cuts of thick meat - - cook slightly, dip into the sesame sauce and chow down. We ended up eating 2 orders and ordering 1 more. (The single order at the end was as big as the first order for two - our waitress had asked the kitchen to give us a hefty portion.) I had one glass of Chateau St. Michelle Riesling ($9, pretty standard pricing) and Rob had the Sapporo Beer ($10 for a bit bottle, standard pricing). The meats were also priced reasonably, no more expensive than the contintental US. The sushi was outrageously expensive, and really not worth the cost, except that Hamachi which was fabulous. The total came to $134, not including tip. I had a really good meal and a wonderful time so all in all, $134 doesn't seem like a lot. But being on an island. I'd have hoped for more from the fish. That said, we tried the miso soup, and it was really mediocre. We saw the Korean dishes being served up to other tables and they all looked mediocre. The atmosphere is just OK. That said, while standing outside, it was like jumping into National Geographic for a second. Preying Mantis, geckos, and other wild creatures were all over that building..... ewww. I did look hard, and noted that they were all outside, none inside..... but it did do a number on my appetite afterwards. I can't really recommend this place as more than a Korean BBQ place on Maui. It's not a sushi joint of my choice, and I don't think it'd fit the bill as a Korean restaurant (prepared dishes) on my radar. That said - - if all Koreans were this friendly - - wouldn't that be wonderful??? Truly Yours - Relaxed in Hawaii.
(3)Arn A.
Overpriced sushi, overpriced korean BBQ, dirty flooring. They must not care about their reputation to tourists. I've had much better sushi in CA for much cheaper. Save your money by eating elsewhere.
(2)D K.
We absolutely do NOT recommend Isana. After being seated, our order was taken, and in a span of less than two minutes, everything that we ordered arrived. I like quick service, but it gave us the sense that everything on this LIMITED menu was somewhat pre-prepared. The waiter came by ONCE during our meal and only after having to FLAG him down. The food was mediocre at best - for TRUE Korean food lovers, this place is an INSULT. The kalbi tang was not hearty enough. Our kalbi was DISAPPOINTING, i.e., the marinade was not traditional and simply not good. Who charges $3 for lettuce leaves and sam jang for the kalbi? I know this is Maui, but in the words of the ESPN NFL Live crew, "Come on man!" Try some place else to get your Korean fix - there are plenty of places around the Island. It was a mistake for us to dine here, so we would NEVER RECOMMEND this place to locals or out-of-towners looking for a good meal, good value, and good service. Only scoundrels run out on bills and scum bags fail to tip; that being said, go right ahead with this place. What's the opposite of Ono? = Isana. Two thumbs down.
(1)Jonathan T.
Went here the day before and it was packed! Mostly because there was one of those tour buses outside that had a boat load of tourists. We were trying to do the Korean BBQ, but the tour group was doing that so we either had to wait for almost an hour or go elsewhere. We went elsewhere for that night. So the next night we went and it was moderately packed. My friend and I asked for a table for two, but they were a little hesitant I guess because they only had tables for 4+. Got seated and looked over the menu. Told them we were doing the Korean BBQ and they set it all up. Ordered the beef tongue and the brisket. Before the meat came, they gave side dishes and a small bowl of rice. It was interesting that they actually gave a small bowl of rice with no charge because a lot of places you have to buy rice, so that was really nice. Meat came and for two people I would have to say that it was pretty good portions. The amount of rice and sauce they provided wasn't enough for the amount of meat there was. Overall the beef tongue was the best. It had an interesting texture to it, but was flavorful and buttery. Kinda almost melt in your mouth. The only thing that wasn't as appeasing was the price. You have to pick at least two meats and ours ranged from $20-$30 per meat selection. It's not the place I would go every week because of the prices, but definitely a place I would go once in a while. 4 stars for service, food, atmosphere, but minus a star due to high prices.
(4)Erik A.
Got sushi to go here, let the sushi chef go wild. Ordered it to go, though the place looked pretty interesting considering it's location (it was kinda latched on to a resort??) Good place, tasty sushi, though i am not from Cupertino, so i am not sure what GOOD sushi should taste like. Ended up feeding two faces full of tasty sushi for under 50 bucks, i can't complain. it did not change me, nor did it want me to be a better man, or stand outside in the rain with a boom box over my head. But it was a solid place, with some solid sushi for my mouth parts.
(4)Jesseca T.
And the verdict is....not the best sushi I've ever had, but certainly not the worst. Total lunch sushi bill:$110- steep, but not surprising for Maui. This is a Korean sushi place, for all of you Korean-owned-sushi restuarant- haters out there (I had no idea it mattered until I moved to San Jose and heard from every other person how horrible they were- it's not been my experience yet...obviously, since we went to one today)- Big bonus: they were nearby, and open for lunch, and offered sushi- this is no small feat in Wailea!!!!!!!!!!! Otokoyama is the cold sake option, no complaints-this is my standard anytime I can get it- consistent and good quality 69 roll- unagi over cali roll- ok, not worth $14 rainbow roll- very good, three kinds of roe which made for a wonderful presentation- flavor was good, avocado not quite ripe Hamachi- above average in amount they give you as well as flavor and freshness- highly recommended salmon- not so much- one piece chewy, the rest were ok rice was good, not too much vinegar, or too sweet, individual rice pieces held their form... They use the good ginger, not the dyed pink stuff- Service was good- a little hard to find but beautiful view as they are right across the st from the ocean= trip, and you're wet- Would we go back? no, we can do better for $110
(3)Sam K.
We arrived around 11:00 pm and waited for the sushi bar to open up ... that's when the fail began. The waitress sucked donkey balls! We asked her for water and some beers while we wait, ~30 min. we get her attention and asked where the water and drinks and she just looked at us w/ a blank stare, wtf! The AC was Cranking and we were freezing so I asked for some hot tea and the waitress said, sorry, no hot tea. AGAIN WTF! how can this place not have hot tea? We finally sit down and it was 11:45pm and started ordering. Sushi was not so fresh and a lot of things they were suppose to make in front of you were premade/cooked/etc. (3) sushi chefs took forever to make sushi ... meaning they aren't that good if they take that long. Service sucked ass but most of the commonly ordered items were 50% off but now I know why people do not come here! Stick to Sansei or any other sushi dig, you won't regret it.
(1)J P.
Every time I think about this place, I can't help but to feel cranky! I won't even waste my time explaining why. It's that bad! 'nuff said.
(1)Sam R.
Ugh! Avoid it at all costs. The place smells awful, the carpets felt damp, the service was really bad, and the food - we were scared for our stomachs when we left.... Good luck!
(1)Joseph G.
First time and we plan to return--excellent food and service. We had tabletop traditional kalbi, and the shrimp and vegi dishes. The beef was well marinated, and was of high quality, and so tender. Shrimp was very good too, with the different veggies. The small appetizer dishes was very good tasting and generous. All was very generous good size portions. We also had one rainbow roll--wow! Very generous amount of variety of fish. PRICES--slightly higher than Portland, OR. Korean restaurants that we go too, but seems very fair for being on a island, versus mainland--understandable. Again they give generous portions, so well worth it. SERVICE--excellent service, waitress even cooked our meal in front of us for most of it. When we first walked in, even sat us at a table to take advantage of views. very clean and even all condiments were not sticky when Grasped to use. Thank you! And will be back.
(5)To Tell The T.
Only place open for lunch! Quiet, only a few other people. Great view! The service was very good. I'm not sure what all these people are complaining about! The sushi was pretty good. Not great, but we were happy with it. The price was a little high, but so is everything in Maui! Overall we were very happy.
(5)Soon-Ja S.
I'm Korean and live in Seattle with lots of good Korean restaurants and I must say that Isana isn't the bomb... it's HIROSHIMA!!! The service was great and food was even better!!! Price was pretty decent too. My husband and I went there to eat in Oct. of '08 and returned this Oct. ('11)to the same great service and meal. Every time we go to Maui, we'll be sure to hit up Isana.
(5)Alexis D.
First off - I second the the reviewer who says don't judge a book by it's cover - yes it's korean and yes there's neon lights - but you know what - the quality of the fish in that sushi is first rate. The salmon, tuna, and poke rolls were all so fresh, the flavors so clean - u could taste the brine of the ocean in the flesh of the fish.... Really top rate. Sat at the sushi bar - after 2nd or 3rd visit (when we like something, we stick to it) became quite friendly with sushi chef/owner - Did he wish fertility and babies on us without solicitation - sure... Did the amazing sushi overcome that personal intrusion - you betcha ... All good natured fun....... Anyway... do yourself a favor and eat here.
(5)Susan F.
I just arrived and it's open, that's the best thing about it. No japanese beer except in large bottles, most of the food is korean, and the sushi is mediocre. Keep looking.
(2)Devon S.
Excellent sushi...just excellent. Wednesday - Saturday, they have 50% all sushi from 10pm - close. Best believe I was taking full advantage of these saving frequently. I knew all of the chefs and serves on a first name basis (big shout out to Ti'casey and Mercy). Whenever I go to a sushi place for the 1st time, i start with a few basics, like the rainbow roll, tamago nigiri and a hand roll of some sort, just to test the chefs expertise. Well, the chefs totally knocked them out of the park. Two of my favorite dishes, i discovered here...scallop dynamite and dynamite mussels. Each respective shellfish is covered with a mixture of Japanese mayonnaise, mirin, shoyu and some other stuff they chefs would not tell me. Then, its baked to a nice golden brown with mushrooms and zucchini. Omg, i used to skip lunch just so i could eat more of this later that night. And with 50% off pricing, i would eat like a king for $30 or so. The service was stellar as well. Very personable people that remembered your drink preferences from the last time you were there...or maybe i just ate there too often :-) The ambiance? Great. Nice 2 story building with ocean views, in fact, it was right next to the beach. Particularly pleasant on a full moon night. "So, Steel, if this place is so great, why did you give it 4 stars instead of 5?", you may be asking yourself. Well, after 10pm, the upstairs becomes a karaoke bar, which in and of itself is not a bad thing, but the music and singing is loud enough to be heard clearly downstairs. This may not bother some people, but it gets to me. Id give the place 4.5 stars if i could. So, if you find yourself in Maui, be sure to check out this gem in Kihei. Go Wed - Sat, go after 10pm, go hungry, and in case the music may bother you, go with ear plugs :-)
(4)Winslow Y.
Went there for dinner with my family while on vacation. We hail from the Bay Area and I grew up in L.A. so I've been to many a fine Korean restaurant. While this place is not on par with the places I eat at in California, it did satisfy our Korean food craving. Except for the Hamachi Kama (fresh, clean taste with a nice assertive ponzu dipping sauce) we ordered Korean dishes - Chap Jae (glass noodles, very nice with very fresh tasting beef, not "old" tasting like other places), mondu dak guk (sliced rice cake with potsticker style (homemade) dumplings in soup (nice and fresh tasting), bbq beef and bbq chicken. Both of the bbq meat dishes were nice sized portions and fresh tasting. Overall, very pleased - I would return in the future.
(4)Fred K.
This a Korean bbq place that also serves sushi. It is another one of our regular go to places for dinner. The sushi is fresh and quite reasonable. This time we started with rainbow roll along with the traditional philadelphia roll, and spciy tuna roll. The rainbow was one the most attractive ones I've seen. The entree's were excellent. We'll be back there on our next trip.
(4)Keoni K.
If your looking for a good time. casual area, friendly staff.. its awesome. sushi bar is great and the bar is excellent. parking is no problem and i always have a great time there.
(5)Sarah F.
This is my favorite sushi everywhere anywhere amazing awesome yes yes yes yes! Don't judge the book by its cover ! Don't judge the sushi by the decor! After 10pm on Wed - Sat is half off sushi. Shrimp dynamite is so good and shrimp tempura is heavenly amazing wonderful and I want it every day!
(5)Jamie W.
Wonderful tasting sushi, but the atmosphere needs a lot of work. The rainbow roll was heavenly - along with the shrimp tempura and soft crab rolls. When we visited (after 10PM on a Saturday), the sushi was half off - awesome deal. Diet coke was $2 per glass. No refills were offered (though that may have just reflected a slim staff serving many patrons coming in for the half off great tasting sushi). The gratuity was included in the bill - and based on the sushi prices before 50% was taken off the bill. If you just want great sushi and could care less if you're sitting in the midst of a moose lodge banquet hall feeling place, then this fits the bill. They also have Korean dishes, including barbecue at the table.
(3)Binh N.
Went in looking for sushi not knowing that it was more of a Korean BBQ joint. Sushi was pretty standard with reasonable prices for Maui.
(3)Helen R.
Wanted to walk somewhere for dinner and was staying nearby so... Went for Korean over the sushi due to poor reviews on the sushi. Jhun was undercooked and bland. Kim chee was decent but $3.50 for a side of kim chee just seemed silly. I will drive somewhere next time.
(2)R W.
We were given 3 places to try Sushi - Sushi Paradise, Sansei and this one. Not sure why it was a recommended place for Sushi but it definitely was more a Korean food joint with Sushi than the other way around. We ordered: Kalbi, Dolsot Bibimbap, Grilled fish, the Korean seafood pancakes, and a light kalbi soup. The Korean food was passable but good for Maui. (reference point: LA and NoVa have some of the best Korean in the states) Then came the sushi. The Tamago was store bought, the Unagi was actually the only good piece, the Hamachi was not the right cut, and the Tobiko tasted stale. anyways, okay place. Total bill about $140 with tip for 8 people. Service: Awful. Had to get up and ask for everything from the pan Chan (side dishes) to the water (5x to ask), to even the check. They were too busy chatting with each other to help out.
(2)Terri E.
I love this place! yummy! I rec the scallop or lobster dynamite and def their Hamachi Kama! So delicious! I always order the shrimp tempura roll, hamachi sashimi, and the spider roll. So delicious here! I called this will be my last meal on earth! hehehe
(5)Stephanie B.
We were tired, hungry, and saw this place on the way to our hotel. It was already about 10 pm so we decided to eat here and not try to venture out to unfamiliar territory. As we walked in we saw a big sign for 50% off sushi between 10 pm and midnight, Wednesday through Saturday. We were stoked at first but then let down because there wasn't a huge selection of specialty rolls but we already sat down and didn't want to look for another place. We ended up ordering a shrimp dynamite, spicy salmon roll, spicy tuna roll, some sashimi, eel and avocado roll, ahi poki, and a few other things i just can't remember. The shrimp dynamite was really good. It wasn't too mayo-ish and had a bed of zucchini to even out the taste. The ahi poki was different. It had a pretty strong taste of a sesame seed so if you're not a big fan of sesame seed don't try it. All the sashimi was fresh and yummy. The service was a little slow but it was because there was only one server for the whole place. But she was nice and polite. There is also karaoke upstairs with all the locals. We didn't try to go upstairs so I'm not sure what it looks like upstairs. I'm sure there are better sushi options in Maui. Hopefully I'll get to go to another sushi place before the week is up.
(3)Scott K.
Best sushi place on Maui! A must try if your ever visiting the south side of Maui.
(4)Alana T.
This is, I think, a Korean restaurant that makes sushi. We were apprehensive but we REALLY wanted sushi and the other restaurants in Kihei weren't open for lunch. We were pleasantly surprised! Everything was delicious and fresh. We ordered the combination which gave us a California roll and an assortment of sashimi, chef's choice. All the fish was fantastic. Calamari was good but weird (but that's the calamari's fault, not the restaurant). There is a big picture window that looks out on the ocean. We were there early but I suspect that it would be a fabulous place for a sunset dinner. Highly recommend.
(4)May B.
I have only been to the after 10:00 pm, 1/2 off sushi menu. Awesome sushi! Went here a couple weeks ago & service was better than how it was in the past. If you're craving sushi late at night, this is the spot. Only available for 1/2 off sushi menu from Wednesdays through Sundays after 10:00pm though.
(4)Eugene H.
About average for korean food and sushi. I ate at Sansei sushi before I came here, so that raised the bar for sushi quality.
(3)Katie O.
We visited Isana many times while in Maui. The rolls, makizushi, are not the best I've ever had, a little boring. But the nigirizushi, the hand rolled sushi, is awesome. It literally tastes like someone just caught this fish ten minutes before you walk in the door. Which actually sounds weird, but tastes great. Point is, I've never had such fresh fish. Tuesday through Saturday is half-price sushi after 10pm. Gratuity is added to your bill during half-price sushi hours (Not during regular hours), so watch out for that. We'd been tipping our waitress about 40% without realizing it until about two months after our first visit. They also have a bar upstairs with karaoke. We never partook, so I can't say how that is. The best part, it's location. Couldn't be any closer to the beach unless it was on it. Beautiful view. Good stuff.
(4)Majid S.
Ok, this is one of the "Best" Japanese restaurants I have eaten and I've even eaten in Japan. Sushi is 1/2 off after 10pm. I had the Chef, which may have been the owner, keep the sushi coming. I told him I was from the Bay Area and he recommended fish that was not as readily available in my home town. I ate like a pig, it was that good. I walked out paying a pretty penny, but I blame that on the Sake, so drink beer. It was really affordable. But it was worth every penny!! I am definitely stopping by on my return to Maui. Oh btw, it's a local hang out with many regulars that he knew the names of.
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