Sushi Katsu Japanese
3173 Akahi St, Lihue, HI, 96766
Sushi Katsu Japanese Menu
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Visit below restaurant in Lihue for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Lihue for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Lihue for healthy meals suggestion.
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Address :
3173 Akahi St
Lihue, HI, 96766 - Phone (808) 246-0176
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Tue
- Mon :Closed
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : No
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : No
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : No
WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES
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Jack L.
Fantastic! Some of the freshest sashimi I have had anywhere, and for very reasonable prices! No wonder this joint is a local favorite. Expecting the typical Japanese fare, we ordered a bunch of dishes, and were surprised by how large the portions were. For example, the "Big California Roll" must have been made with at least 3 bowls of rice. No ambiance at this restaurant --- definitely a local joint, the type of hidden gem foodies crave. The only reason I didn't give it the fifth star is because this restaurant may be victim to its own success. Both times I was there, the place was packed, and food came out a little slow.
(4)Annie S.
This was probably one of the best meals we had in Kauai. The sushi is all really fresh and good, as was the chicken katsu, yum! I was pretty disappointed by their sushi rice, soba, and tempura though. The rice texture was definitely off, it tasted a bit dry. The soba was overcooked and the broth was not very tasty. The tempura wasn't very crispy either. Their miso soup was delicious though. Just remember, that the ratings in Kauai are inflated, because your food options just aren't as good as they are in any large city where the competition is tougher.
(4)Justin H.
Tip of the hat to Guy and his great review that led us to this place. This place quickly became the stuff of legends during my summer vacation with my girlfriend. It's super funky, quirky as heck, and the food and vibe were amazing! They even have a port hole in the door to their kitchen. As other people have said, it's only there at night and a cafeteria during the day. It's the most unassuming sushi place I've ever been to. When you walk in, they have a big area with all these cheap kids toys before you go around the corner to the "restaurant"....so awesome! Everyone here was local (we even saw our cashier from Macy's from a few hours before) and lots of people get the chirashi bowls, which look amazing. All the sushi we tried was incredible and on par with the best I've had. Salmon roll, spicy hamachi roll, sushi tempura (w/ salad), nabeyaki udon. 1 type dry stir fry, other is tempura, other with fishcake and lots of soup. On the second night we tried the udon and where totally blown away. Never had I had udon this good... these people are outrageous. It was beginning to become that there was so much we loved to eat by this time that it was hard to eat it all! The owner/head chef loved our efforts for trying and how much we dug this place. He's a really nice guy! We ended up going here like 3 nights in a row since we were on the last days of our trip. By the third night we were cool with the people who worked there, and the chef was so enthused with us that he gave us a bunch of tuna sashimi to try that his friends had just caught that morning. It was definitely the best tuna I've had. They made us feel like locals and wished I was...this place really had that ohana vibe that makes kauai one of the best places :)
(5)Llowen L.
Sushi Katsu is my favorite sushi restaurant on Kauai. If you like nigiris this place is for you. If you like fancy rolls that get drenched in sauces then go to bushido. Their cooked food is really good too. I highly recommend the salmon belly.
(5)Hillary A.
My go to restaurant when I want to eat some Japanese food! Love their tempura udon and Teri chicken. Prices are good and they give a good amount of food!
(5)kahau m.
thought i would give this place a try. might be a little tough to find if you dont know where tip top motel is! Also, the ambiance and decor are pretty much non existent. service was efficient but minimal. whats left you ask? the food. i had the moriawase (assorted sashimi). hamachi, mirugai, salmon, ahi, scallop. all very fresh and tasty. also had the bbq ika with a salad and steamed rice. definitely no frills but sometimes the frills are hard to eat! on a side note...... i find it funny that at probably 20+ old school japanese restaurants all over hawaii that they always serve 1000 island dressing on the salads. will go again. hopefully i remember to stop at big save first for some asahi!
(4)Loves G.
Sushi Katsu is Tip Top during the evenings. They are closed on Monday evenings. Sushi is not bad. Not the best, but for Kauai, it is one of the best. I enjoy his sushi more than Kintaro's. Everyone raves about Kintaro's, but the sushi is what I call, fake or imitation sushi masked with sauce. Sushi Katsu has one great dish - ika yaki. If you like squid. This is it. It's grilled and tasty. Has a nice dipping sauce. It takes 20 minutes to cook, but it is worth the wait. The service can be good, but on occasion when they are busy, the service is terrible. Go early or late. Avoid 6:30p-8:00p, as this is when service fails big time. It is super casual, like the rest of Kauai, so a t-shirt and shorts is the common attire.
(3)B. J.
Had some sushi and the short ribs. The sushi was just ok to not great. The fish seemed fresh enough, but I don't think the sushi chef was well trained as it wasn't prepared very well. It seemed like everything was kinda thrown together. The ribs were typical overcooked and buried in very salty teri sauce. For Kauai, this place isn't terrible, but in the grand scheme of things its not so great. While our server was somewhat attentive she was certainly not friendly, but everyone else including the sushi chef was friendly. I would call this place $$$, not $$. The nigri is usually $7-8 and the maki is $9+. The short ribs (miso soup, ribs, salad, edamame, rice) was $14. The place was full of locals which probably indicates that there isn't much better in town. I won't be back though; I'd rather make my own food at my condo instead of spending $80 (for two) for this quality of fare.
(2)Jenn M.
I've been coming here for a few years now. I stop by every time I'm on vacation in Kauai. The sushi (salmon roll, seafood roll, spicy hamachi, and tempura sushi) are a great value and so fresh. I'm a personal fan of the Kitsune udon which is very traditional and made with bean curd and fish cake. The broth is SO good. I used to come here multiple times during my vacation, to the point where the sushi chef recognized my significant other and I (and proceeded to give us some free sushi). So nice :) Things have changed over the years--for the better. They seem incredibly busy now, to the point where my poor planning abilities limited how many times I was able to eat here. The wait was super long so be prepared. Lines are long on Friday and Saturday nights as the locals are definitely out and about celebrating the weekend. The economy has definitely picked up and I'm happy Sushi Katsu has so much business now. Don't expect fast service here, set aside some time (~2 hours) and enjoy the food and hopefully, the company you're with as well. Last time I went, the sushi took 50 minutes to come out. In all fairness, the waitress warned us and we were okay with it. It was worth the wait.
(5)Crisnha E.
We took our friends here for dinner the night before our wedding. We were staying in Poipu and Sushi Katsu came up on yelp as one of the best sushi in Kauai. At first glance the place does not look like a sushi place but when we ordered our food all of our guests were satisfied with their sushi's. It was fresh and the broiled squid is a must try. Their Chirashi bowl was good as well with ample size of fish. Wish we could've come back here more while we were in Kauai. The place is big enough to hold a large party. Using our GPS on our iphone's it looks like we were going to someone's house for dinner since the restaurant is in a neighborhood. Just look for Tip Top Motel and it is located at the same location.
(4)Sara R.
We flew in late to Kauai and were starving when we got off the plane. We wanted sushi and found this place on yelp. When we pulled up, it looked pretty sketchy and almost left before going inside. When you walk in, you enter a nearly-empty convenience store with all the tables to the right. The whole atmosphere is awkward and not nice to say the least, but when we say the huge line of customers (all locals) waiting to get seated, we knew we should stay. The waitress was really nice and helped us decide what to order. We went with the saimin special (a Japanese soup that we found all over HI) and the Tekka Ju (fresh tuna sashimi over rice). Both were fresh and delicious and definitely hit the spot. Another plus- this place was definitely way cheaper than all the touristy spots near the hotels.
(5)Rick S.
Ate there last night. Waitress mentioned a few local favorites so I ordered the Oriental Steak. The miso soup was good, slightly different taste than I'm used to but still really good. I had two pieces of nigiri hamachi that were good, but not great (they ran out of Saba which I love). My dinner was really good. Nice sweet teriyaki style sauce for the chopped steak and onions with rice. I can't complain as the prices were cheap for dinner. A lot of locals were eating here so we knew it was good. This place is known as "Tip Top" during the day and then converts to a japanese dining place (different owner) for dinner. This is a must try place if you like Japanese food for dinner on the cheap. Service was excellent.
(4)Jana M.
Katsu is a local favorite for sushi and Japanese food. We come here often and it is always crowded. The dining area is a smaller sectioned off part of the tip top restaurant and all tables are booths. We love the combo plates like tempura and sushi, plenty food and good too. I also love their oyako udon, it's unique that they even have eggplant strips in it and its very filling. The menu is big enough that we never get stuck in a rut. Bring your own beer too.
(4)L S.
One of the most interesting restaurants I have visited. It is a sushi bar only at lunch and evening (according to the server). It also has a small bakery as you enter. The bakery cashier told us they (Tip Top the morning version) is known for the banana, macadamia nut pancakes. Sounds good. The sushi was marginal at best and truly didn't impress. If you are hungry and can't go to Kintaro's then eat here.
(3)Regina J.
Definitely a must if you're in Kau'ai!
(4)Nali M.
the last time i went to sushi katsu, i wasn't impressed at all. i ordered the saimin and something else, but can't remember what it was. guess i ordered the wrong thing! i got the shrimp tempura this time around and it was amazingly delicious! service was great. our waitress brought out everything in a timely manner, and made sure we were good on refills for water, tea, etc. the asian steak my parents had was pretty ono, too! think i'll have to get that the next time i'm in!
(4)Nikki O.
The food is awesome. We had a four top and only half of our order came out, then 10th minutes after the other half came out. That is unacceptable in my opinion, everyone should eat at the same time.
(2)Paul P.
Don't let the initial appearance fool you, this place does it right! The sushi was fresh and the oyako donburi was excellent!
(4)achoo c.
My review is probably biased because my husband and I have eaten here so many times that we got the know the chef pretty well. We always sit at the sushi bar and order the sushi directly from the chef. The fish is always fresh and the portions are decent. The chef is super nice and hard working. Whenever my husband and I go to Kauai, we make sure to eat at Sushi Katsu at least once a day!
(5)Chris G.
This is a great place to have sushi reasonable price...my dghtr n I ate dinner n both had the tempura dinner plate. First of all the server was Asian n.new her menu important n was very friendly. First came our water n drink if u ordered, then a nice hot steam miso soup (import) ...food didn't take.long to arrive n that's a plus when your hungry lol.....she didn't rush us knowing there was a line for seating so get there at 5:30 pm lmao....now the food portions was great for both of us sushi size was very filling think it was 8 pieces n the tempurasas just a tab oily....must have to eat the green tea ice cream; good grade ( dryeres ice cream I believe)....if u want to dine where locals go this is one of the places, I do eat here when my budget says I can...lol....
(4)Nami S.
Great sushi - loved the sushi sashimi deluxe platter. Great alternative to the resort food and burgers.
(4)Tiffany B.
Pretty cool how this place transform from tip top motel breakfast diner in the morning to a sushi place at night. Do not get discouraged with the atmosphere (so what I'm saying is this is not a Place to go when you want to dress up, be cute, and go somewhere hip and social) STRICTlY Japanese food! Sushi nigiri combos are always fresh and consistent, uni is splendid only when they have it in, and the dombori bowls are always killer! Ugh makes me hungry just thinking about it.
(4)Baby C.
Great sushi. So fresh. I really loved it. Service was the best I've had in a long time
(5)Airika P.
Although the ambiance leaves a bit to be desired, the staff at Sushi Katsu were all very friendly, and the fish was fresh, fresh, fresh. My favorites were the yellowtail prepared with green onions & cucumber and the soft-shell crab. The California rolls were good too. Spicy tuna is usually our favorite roll, but the red spice they used in the spicy ahi roll was not quite like any spicy tuna we've ever had, and it wasn't our favorite. That said, all the rolls had generous portions of fish and I loved that the chef didn't overpower the fish with fillers. Being from Seattle, I can't say that it was the best sushi we've ever had, but it's one of the best options on the island.
(4)Nick S.
This place is pretty bad if your looking for fresh food. I brought my family here twice and both experiences left us disappointed. Don't count on the freshest fish, and there sauces are terrible. I would give them 1 star, but my son had some tasty French fries.
(2)Kai T.
I had the chicken katsu sushi combo. It came with a sushi roll. I got mine in a Unagi Roll. Also had Uni. I liked all of it, it was really good. Will go there again.
(5)Mary K.
Sushi is hand rolled by the owner, who is originally from Japan. The fish is so fresh. Love the sushi! Chirashi is the best!
(5)Kalena Y.
just read through the first page of reviews - they're all over the map! We went at 6pm and were seated immediately. When we left at 7pm there was quite a line of folks waiting to be seated - all locals. If you want an "experience" go to Kintaro's (you'll have to wait there also), if you want value go to Sushi Katsu. BYO saki and saki cups ( I recommend Momokawa - it's unfiltered and the smoothest saki I've ever had. Got it from Longs.)
(5)Kristen K.
So when Tip Top Cafe closes for the day, Sushi Katsu comes in to take over the same venue. Please refer to my other review to see how much my husband and I adored Tip Top. We walked in and were pleasantly surprised. Yes, so they stuck a cute bamboo plant on the counter and now there's a sushi chef front and center. But it works. Service was very friendly and efficient. They use those carts to service, just like Tip Top does. No alcohol, but I believe you can BYOB or sake. I got.....a saimin. Yes I did not get sushi or katsu at a place NAMED after the two. But you know what? The saimin was great! The broth was so tasty. It comes with a piece of shrimp tempura. I ripped pieces of the batter off and threw it into my broth. Yummmm. It really hit the spot. My husband got the sushi/sashimi combo and for $30--what a deal (see photo). And we shared a salmon roll. The fish was fresh and we really enjoyed our meal. Our meal came out to just $50, which is by far the best deal I've come across in a while at an above-average sushi joint. I would definitely recommend giving this place a try!
(4)Paul B.
Sushi Katsu was good sushi, but I had a couple setbacks. First, it took a really long time. I think I waited 40 minutes for my sushi. That's too long; especially for someone who came solo. Second, the 5 piece nigiri came with 4 pieces of fish nigiri (shrimp, yellowtail, salmon, ahi), but the 5th piece was an egg omelette looking thing. Maybe it's a Hawaiian tradition or something, but I thought that was kind of lame as a piece of nigiri. Oh well. The fish nigiri was real good.
(3)Sarah D.
Poor service. The new waitress walked passed us numerous times without filling our water. After we finally got her attention and asked us for water, she didn't get it until she attended 3 more groups! Need more staff. Don't be so forgetful.
(1)Kristen O.
I love eating their sushi. I like going here during lunch time because you can also get food from tip top cafe. There's something about the sushi that the one and only chef does. It tastes so clean and fresh. Dinner is not really the best time to go there and eat. The staff is not too friendly and the wait for your food is long. It's nothing fancy, more casual atmosphere. Overall the food is great!
(3)Saki N.
A really awesome family owned business. The father, who was the only sushi chef when my boyfriend and I came in to eat, works very hard to keep his customers happy. the entire place was packed and there were customers waiting but the service was friendly and attentive. you may have to wait but supporting family business is worth it. also, be sure to check out TipTop during the day!
(5)Joey L.
A little bit of a strange location (inside the Tip Top hotel) but great, simple Japanese food. Easy to find, nearby the Walmart and the airport. Had the tempura udon, salmon roll, seafood roll, and miso soup. All tasted great with good sized portions. Considering the amount of food and quality of cooking, it's actually pretty cheap by HI standards. Nothing extravagant and not HI style or inspired - you'll find sushi, udon and nigiri here not lamb curry loco moco. Ambience is family friendly but bare bones. Not for dates, you'll feel like you're in a convention center hall.
(4)Marti L.
Our first dinner of the trip. Sushi Katsu is located in a tiny plaza. We almost missed it since the street didn't have much lighting. To get inside, you enter through the store. Food was good. Mom and pop style. Homey and casual. 1) Spicy hamachi roll ( yelp.com/biz_photos/sush… ): Large maki roll with generous pieces of fresh delicious hamachi. The quality of the fish came through because they don't use the typical spicy mayo stuff. 2) Chicken katsu and sushi dinner ( yelp.com/biz_photos/sush… ): Pretty much a bento box without the bento box. Salad, edamame, spicy tuna roll, and chicken katsu. The katsu was a bit dry. But the spicy tuna roll was delicious. 3) Grilled squid ( yelp.com/biz_photos/sush… ): Thought this was an appetizer, but it was served as a dinner entree. Generous amount of squid and salad. The squid was nicely grilled. Fresh, soft, with just the right amount of chewiness. Seems like a popular spot for locals and visitors. The restaurant was almost full when we got there, but we were told it's slower than usual since the parade is going on couple blocks down. Sure enough, more people came in during our meal. Super nice and friendly service! Generous portions! Good prices!
(4)Kevin L.
Have you ever had dinner in a motel lobby in some residential area? You will after visiting Sushi Katsu (we ended up coming twice!). By day, it's just Tip Top Motel's Cafe serving typical Hawaiian and American defaults, but by night, it's a legit Japanese restaurant that's the real deal. Our favorite appetizers were the akule (fried fish, highly recommended!) and the grilled squid. The first time, we tried different rolls of sushi and the chirashi, but the combination with their sushi rice made it not so great and pretty boring. Skip them both. The reason Sushi Katsu gets 5 stars is for the sashimi alone - freshness, preparation, and presentation. We know because we ended getting sashimi both times and the second time, we basically ordered $100 worth of sashimi to the point where the waiter commented that our table looked like a buffet. At a typical Japanese restaurant in California with high quality sashimi, not some cheap Asian buffet, the amount of sashimi we ordered would be at least $150-$200. The sashimi is fresh and well-prepared by an itamae from Japan. The Maguro (tuna) is from Hawaii and is definitely one of the best tuna we've ever had. A MUST HAVE. We also had the Sake (salmon) and Hamachi (yellow tail). Most of the other types of fish are flown in from Japan. Don't order the sashimi combo - just pick the types of fish you enjoy and add extra bowls of rice if needed. More bang for your buck! (Don't even get the extra soup... not worth it). If you know what to get, Sushi Katsu is relatively cheap and worth trying. During the holiday season, the line for dinner was an hour long, so call ahead of time. The location and atmosphere is pretty depressing but hey, my stomach, tongue, and wallet are all happy! -- PHOTOS: yelp.com/biz_photos/sush… yelp.com/biz_photos/sush…
(5)Matt L.
You stifle a giggle. You were just here for breakfast, and now that the moon has come up and the Tip Top has been replaced by Sushi Katsu, you're more than a little amused at how easily the breakfast diner converts to a sushi join: drape some cloth over some seats, throw up some japanese-styled dividers, populate the kitchen with some sushi chefs and bam, rolls on rolls on rolls. "Mm. Well - I've had better," one of your dinnermates comments, stuffing another crab roll into their mouth, "but this is pretty good." It *is* pretty good. Everyone leafs through the pair of variety platters you've ordered, sampling this and that, claiming their favorites, pressing others into trying something new. The fish is fresh, the rice is sticky, and the wasabi is clearing the fuck out of your sinuses. Fish eggs pop in your mouth, unsettling and salty. Squid that is surprisingly less than chewy melts against your tongue. Tea is doled out and refilled. You have this nagging suspicion that overall, the oxtail you had earlier here for breakfast still wins out over the fine selections of rolls and sashimis (and the Katsu's namesake) arrayed in front of you... but this is no longer brunch, it is now sushi night, and with that in mind you snatch another segment of unagi roll with your chopsticks.
(3)Emily D.
I'm a little torn on this review. If I had stumbled across this place without any preconceptions about it, I would have been pleasantly surprised to find decent sushi. However, based on the other reviews, we were pretty excited about this place and found it underwhelming, Miso soup was great, and we also got the salmon roll, unagi roll and sushi combo B. As far as the fish goes, the salmon and ahi was good, hamachi and unagi seemed subpar to me, and didn't taste very fresh. There was also very little detail in the menu, so I wasn't exactly sure what I was getting. For example. I was disappointed there was imitation crab meat in the unagi roll. I like my rolls either very simple with just the fish inside, or exciting and fanciful. The ambiance is not at all what you'd expect from a sushi restaurant- it literally is a diner half the day, and looks like it, and it's pretty noisy since a lot of families go there. I'm not basing my rating on the atmosphere at all, but it is very different. Overall, I wouldn't really say is come back here unless all the other sushi restaurant on the island happen to be worse.
(3)Austin W.
Honestly the food wasn't that great, we both got the Chicken Katsu with different rolls and it was a tad salty and the sushi was sub par. Service was at average. Not a great establishment but by far not the worst place.
(2)Tim R.
Typical Japanese / Sushi spot. Had an assortment of nigiri and sushi rolls. Did not write down the names of the dishes/rolls. Fresh fish but nothing past 3 stars. Great customers service and you can BYOB since they don't serve liquor. Note that they share an entrance with a market next door.
(3)phoenix t.
One of the only places open on Sundays. Served soft, mushy mixed tempura, with average udon. The soft shell crab roll was stuffed with a puck of deep fried cardboard. The teriyaki salmon was well-cooked, but the Teri sauce (served on the side) was watery and vinegary. Service was minimal. Goes to show what can survive given a lack of options.
(2)Annie L.
I should've known what caliber of restaurant this was when I walked in. It's a warehouse looking floor with an eating area partitioned off with cheap looking booths and linoleum floors. But I thought, maybe it's a great hole in the wall place and it has 4 stars. For prices that are as much as, if not more than little Tokyo in LA, I expected higher quality food. My tempura was mostly soggy, cold battered carrots, broccoli. Maki was poorly shaped and unevenly cut.edamame was rubbery. I felt cheated out of $20. By far the worst food I've had during my vacation in kauai.
(1)Bill Y.
My Japanese ex recommended this place as the best sushi value for the money on Kauai. It's sort of a counter located inside Tip Top Restaurant in downtown Lihue, not far from WalMart. I wasn't disappointed. I bought the $15.95 lunch sushi plate. Normally I don't spend that much for lunch, but here, the quantity was enough for me to take almost 1/2 of it home for dinner that night. My plate was heaped with 3 nigiri a couple of sushi rolls and a large egg sushi. So, if I consider that the $16 was for 2 meals.... it was a great value. It was all delicious and it was all fresh and owner Katsu from Hiroshima takes his sushi seriously.... so I can't imagine there ever being a quality issue here. Very nice. So.... if you're in need of a really nice plate of sushi.... especially comparing it to what you find in the deli cases at the supermarkets.... Sushi Katsu is a better choice. I'm pretty sure they have take out, so, enjoy. I'd give 5 stars, but the ambience inside the Tip Top location just isn't very quaint or romantic. I'm personally hoping Katsu finds some way to open up inside the old Japanese Hanamaulu Cafe. Prices might have to go up, but if Kauai could have Katsu serving his great sushi in that location with the little tatami mat rooms and Japanese garden... it would certainly be worth all 5 stars. Yummy. Worth the trip!
(4)Anna Y.
The food is always steady, and a good value for your money especially if you order the combo plates. Always plenty to take home for lunch the next day! I love ordering their agedashi tofu - 3 giant slices in a delicious broth-sauce, with a side of rice. Dinner under $10! Their sushi can be expensive, especially when ordering a la carte. Order a sushi/sashimi dinner and it'll be a better bang for your buck. Make sure you ask for prices if you're at all concerned. I've been cheated out of $18 once for 6 measly pieces. If you love tamago, get it here! Most places it's rice with egg. Not here, it's egg with some rice! Giant 5" long pieces stuffed with a tiny bite of rice. Just remember that the rolling carts and patchy service is all normal on this island. Go with the flow and have a great meal!
(4)Meredith K.
Not a fave of ours but probably a good option for the evening you may not want to cook at home or you want something quick. I ordered the chirashi w/ sushi rice - except the rice was dry and a little on the hard side (aka a day old). It wasn't even seasoned sushi rice, so a little disappointing. He ordered the katsu w/ sushi (CA roll) - katsu was standard. Same rice issue w/ the roll - thumbs down. Overall they have good service, you definitely aren't coming for the ambiance. Next time I would've tried the saimin - supposedly good!
(2)Len S.
We arrived on a Thursday just after the 5:30 opening and were the first to be seated, but there was a steady stream of locals that began filling the restaurant. My wife ordered the Shrimp Tempura which included 5 large shrimp and three vegetables. The tempura was preceded by Miso soup and accompanied by a small bowl of rice. My wife thought the tempura was cooked perfectly and enjoyed her meal. My story is a little different. I am a noodle nut and Udon is my favorite noodle. There were three udon noodle choices listed under noodles: Tempura udon, Kitsune udon, and Oyako udon. I asked the waitress to explain the latter two as I was not familiar with the Japanese names. She said Kitsune was made with bean curd and fish cake and the Oyako was made with chicken - when served it also include strips of eggplant and onions. I thought I had made the right choice when the two young women seated behind me both order the Oyako udon. However, when the bowl arrived I noted there was no broth visible until I tilted the bowl and saw some broth. Rather than soup - broth with noodles, this was noodles with broth. The Udon was plentiful and cooked to perfection, and there was a lot of chicken. The fact that locals are the main clientele and they keep this place going is reason enough to visit. I will return and explore other menu items.
(4)Alex R.
Yes it is under the tip top, yes it looks like a diner, and yes it is incredibly relaxed. Welcome to Kauai! Intensely large portions, bordering on wasteful! Intense value, and a veggie tempura to make a non veggie fan ooooh and ahhh. Had fabulous meals while visiting, and I will say the large is grande!
(4)Beebee M.
This restaurant was rather confusing for a first timer. Here I'm looking for Tip Top Cafe, no such sign. Walked in thru the front glass doors and to the right is the old fashioned weight scale, a rack with full of Polo Shirts and t-shirts for sale, two commercial refrig with sodas, and two trays of pastries, and one tray of jelly for sale. Who is the world would purchase a small container of jelly (1 tablespoon) at 97 cents. That was ridiculous! And at the counter were huge muffins $6.25 each that were from another establishment. Then you'll see the assorted Tip Top cookies, in clear nice packaging. Then odd and ends toys for the kids. Looks like a swap meet. You need to revamp that area. Now, I was pleasantly surprised to see the seating area. It was full customers. Waitress was smiling and friendly, so far were are on to a good start. Diner A & B ordered the Teriyaki Short Ribs and Diner C ordered Fish tempura with sushi. Price was about $15.95 per plate. Reasonable. Now, Diner A & B meat was chewy and was not marinated but maybe the chef just opened a bottle of teriyaki sauce and pour right on the meat. TERRIBLE! Diner C - somewhat enjoyed her meal. FYI , even thou it say Fish Tempura, You are also getting vegetable tempura. It's not just Fish only. They should state that on the menu. She said her dipping sauce was not tasty. Wait time for food : LONG. Did she forget our order? The other table got their food first , but we were seated before them. NOT GOOD I asked waitress, it this Tip Top Cafe. She was yes during the day and evening it's Sushi Katsu. I will be back to eat at Tip Top Cafe (during the day). Sushi Katsu, well I'll think about it!
(3)Mattie C.
The site of my birthday dinner. It was a tough choice between here and Kintaro because Kintaro was right next to the hotel, but according to yelp app this seemed more authentic, and is also BYOB (read: cheaper place to celebrate) so we chose this. FANTASTIC choice. First tip-off that this is a great sushi restaurant: the fact that almost every patron there was Japanese. Boyfriend and I both got my favorite: sashimi platters. His was ALL hamachi while mine was a mix. His parents split a sashimi platter and got some roll things and soup. THE SASHIMI WAS FRESH AND AMAZING! Some of the freshest, most delicious sashimi I have ever had. The portion size was generous and each slice was melt-in-your-mouth amazing. I devoured my platter and also had some of boyfriend's hamachi. That hamachi was so good, it might have been my favorite of the fish that night. We brought our own beers and the waitress brought us glasses and a bottle opener. That was really nice because it saved us a lot of money. The location of the restaurant is a little strange - it is in a giant room which serves as both the lobby of a motel and a restaurant. I have never seen that before. I highly recommend this place as it was probably the best sashimi platter I have ever had in my life. Big portions, reasonably priced, BYOB. We were all very pleased and satisfied. YUMMMM!
(5)Wayne K.
We were slightly disappointed. I ordered the Chirashi Sushi and my wife ordered the grilled ika. My Chirashi was ok but not as good as previously. The grilled ika was a bit rubbery which is not that unusual but coulda shoulda been avoided. Service was ok, but not great.
(3)Grace L.
Came here a second time on our way out if kauai and maybe it's because I'm a little less sleepy but the food was even better. Love restaurants that serve big portions of amazing food. This time we ordered salmon sashimi, teriyaki beef platter, saiman noodles, and spicy ahi roll. Fish was super fresh like last time and dinner platter was huge and all delicious. By the time we finished there was a line going out the door. Will definitely be back next time around.
(5)Kiki A.
Best value in Kauai! Fresh and big servings, delicious! We had the saimin and the katsu and udon bowls- all were very filling and around $10-$12. Great stop on the way to/from the airport. If I had known about this earlier, I maybe would have come from overpriced Poipu for a meal as well!
(4)Randall M.
This place is great! I usually order takeout about twice a month. Their sushi is fresh and delicious...and the prices are cheap compared to other sushi places on Kauai. The staff are friendly and polite. Depending on what you order, it may take a little while to get because they are always soooo busy. That says a lot for a restaurant especially if it's always filled with local people. I'm skeptical when I see restaurants that are empty at peak hours. One of my favorites is the Chirashi. It's loaded with fresh fish over a bed of sushi rice. But of course, I always get a nigiri uni also. Yum!
(5)Grace D.
My family and I discovered this place on our last day in Kauai. Too bad we didn't hear about it earlier, we would have eaten here every night! It's a definite local place, which is FANTASTIC. So tired of all the loud, obnoxious tourist dives with equally bad food. Check it out, you can't go wrong with whatever you order.
(5)Nathan A.
Jiro did NOT dream of this sushi. This is a strange place. Clearly a favorite with the locals, we were not impressed. If you're used high-end sushi places in LA, NY, Tokyo, Miami, Vegas, etc. this is not the place for you. If you're comfortable trying raw fish from a disgustingly dirty kitchen, and a sushi chef that was actually 45 minutes behind on orders (their words, not mine), go right ahead. We stuck to udon (which she actually liked) and tempura (ok, but some items were undercooked) and their Chicken Katsu (flavorless and over cooked). The atmosphere was basically like a boxing gym with flickering, fluorescent lights, cheap tables, 20 year old, chipped plastic cafeteria cups, linoleum tile floors, and a toy aisle where you wait (not kidding). It was just weird. The service was equally odd. We found ourselves dropped into a local hierarchy wherein we, as mainlanders, were repeatedly skipped as we waited for our table. One local showed up with his family and was immediately greeted by the staff and led to a table where the nearby patrons waived and nodded. Others in line grumbled at the idea that they did not have this kind of pull. Maybe he was the mayor of Lihue or something, which I doubt based on his inability to handle the attention gracefully. All in all, we didn't get food poisoning, but the food was mediocre at best. We never got to try much sushi due to the 45 minute back order. The atmosphere was depressing, and the service was mediocre and weirdly callous. We did get a good laugh out of it all, but we won't be back.
(2)Jeff A.
To start we showed up to this place thinking it was a sushi bar... That was our mistake. When we walked inside there was no one there. I asked if we could sit at the sushi bar and the lady told me it is reserved... as I looked around I was a little taken back. Why is it reserved when we are the only patrons? Second mistake we made... they don't serve beer, wine or sake. Again my fault for not looking it up. We decided to sit down and order something... I was hesitant because this reminded me of a drive by dinner attached to a gas station off the 5 fwy. We ordered some hamachi sushi... I assumed they would clean the fat off the fish but I was wrong. I am not a huge fan of the dark red portion of hamachi and most sushi restaurants I have been to clean their fish. I guess this again is my fault. Regardless... I have become more prepared to have bad sushi in a place I thought would have the best. For that I give them a single star.
(1)Sum Dum Gai S.
Solid good Japanese food! We appears to the the only non-locals here. It's a big space with plenty of seating but odd retail area (toys, handbags, clothing) in the front. We had upon, saimin, burri, veggie tempura, and chicken teriyaki and one roll. It was all good and the portions were good sized. The service was fair. The shortcoming was that everyones' meals arrived at different time.
(4)Travis H.
Ghetto! Huge wait, no booze, and its not even a real restaurant since they have a bakery and a hotel operating out of the main dining area. Then they said it would take 30 min to prepare our food. We walked out
(1)Rich B.
Sushi restaurant in the lobby of a motel. Quirky and adorable. Oh, and pretty decent sushi - it totally fit the bill for our post-flight and jet-lagged need for sushi nourishment. D'oh! They are BYOB, which we didn't know about until we sat down (booze-less).
(4)Kristin W.
The freshest fish used in his sushi. Sushi rolls are huge and worth every penny! I also love their tempura udon. Noodle fan. Quick service. Friendly staff. My dad actually used to work there, I've tried a lot of their dishes. All really good. When I go though, I always eat the sushi cause they are of the highest quality. I was just reading some of the bad reviews for this place. HILLLLARIOUS! They obviously have no idea what good, fresh sushi is. LOL. Hello. Katsu is an amazing sushi chef. Super friendly and loves what he does. He's been doing this forevs. Again, people have no idea what good sushi is. And it is a little expensive - nothing new - good quality - hello. Yeeahhh.... you folks are fun-ny. I guess you can't really blame them. They're probably from the mainland and used to americanized sushi. Forgiven. If you love sushi and want good sushi, definitely come here! I think best on the island. Yes, I said it, best. Better than Kintaro's, which is highly overrated. Heh.
(5)Sean L.
I cannot understand how this place has 4 stars. when compared to food on Oahu, I would rather eat leftovers from japanese restaurants near Waikiki then eat here. while people can disagree on the quality of food for $40 (2 people), you can not disagree on the decor and presentation. plastic cups and plates, no decorations, the restaurant looks worse than a school cafeteria. the food looks like it was piled on.
(1)Madison F.
This was hands-down the best meal I had when I was at Kauai-oh my god. My family was totally blown away by this place, especially because it has a relatively unassuming interior. But the food is incredible-highly recommend the chicken katsu (duh, of course). The portions are also huuge! I couldn't rate this place any higher-stop by if you're ever in the area!
(5)Chris M.
Was surprised with this place. Reviews were good, but I wasn't impressed. I'd definitely expect better sushi given the location.
(2)Pat R.
For the price, good Japanese food and sushi. The service is very friendly, but it does get very busy there so it can be slow.
(4)Justin E.
The sushi, is good sushi, not the best I've ever had, and not like eating at Tsukiji fish market like others claim (I've done both and I'd choose Tsukiji every time, but here you don't have to get up at 5am). If you are in any kind of hurry, or you are hungry, don't go here! This place has one dude making sushi, and it will take you a long time to sit down, and a long time to get your food. The service is nice enough, efficient-ish. The prices are reasonable for sushi. The ambiance is, well that of a gas station diner.
(4)Matt K.
If you're in Kauai - this is a must-do! Incredible sushi, incredible prices!!! Call ahead for reservation on the weekend - we made the mistake of walking in on Sunday night, but we got on the list, headed over to Hilo Hattie's and came back 30 mins later. The sushi was really great, I've been to Japan about 6 times and this rivaled my best experiences there. To top it off, the prices were so low! BYOB so bring some Japanese beer, wine or sake to suit your tastes. Definitely recommended! Note that this is ONLY a dinner option, since breakfast and lunch is by the also great Tip Top...
(5)Saumya C.
We went to this place based on yelp reviews and would not recommend this place. The ambience is very basic and we were prepared for that. We ordered for sushi despite the 30-45 minute wait that the server told us about. When our ahi sashimi came, it was stale and we had to send it back. Instead of apologizing, the server argued that the fish had come in fresh the same day. Anyhow she eventually took it back. The other rolls were not stale but there was too much rice and were not enjoyable. If you are fond of good sushi then save yourself and do not eat here.
(1)Mel A.
If you're looking for traditional sushi, Sushi Katsu is one of the best on the island. The fish is absolutely fresh, the rice is perfect, and the proportions are just right and so is the price. I recommend Sushi Combination A. Service is good too.
(4)Matthew T.
Awesome place. Very friendly service. My wife and I went once, and then decided to come back the next day, it was so good. No waiting. We were a little suspicious because of the location, the layout and the decor, but all the food was delicious and fresh. You get a lot of your money, which is saying a lot for Kauai, since everything is so expensive. We'll definitive go back when we return to Kauai.
(4)greg n.
Maybe we were there on an off night. But after reading the reviews, it was a let down. The sashimi was all right (ahi, salmon), but the pieces were pretty small. We didn't find it to be that much of a value compared to other places on the island. Spicy tuna roll was mediocre. Wanted hamachi sashimi as well but they told us they only had a few pieces (we arrived shortly after they opened), so they brought us two orders of nigiri which was a mistake, as it was not fresh. Would have been better if they just said they didn't have any at all. As others have said, the decor is part grade school cafeteria / part church hall. It's not bad, but it wasn't too memorable.
(3)Kay K.
It's not on the main roads but worth the effort to find it. Their fish was fresh.. as in no fishy smell. We had spicy hamachi and tekka Ju. Wasabi is creamy with that good kick as it should have. No sake serves here. Definitely better than those more popular and expensive mediocre sushi joints in Poipu.
(4)Micah F.
This is my favorite sushi place on kauai. The fish is always fresh and the sushi chef Katsu really loves what he does and it shows in his sushi. The prices here are extremely reasonable for the quality of the food they offer. Do yourself a favor and bring your own Japanese beer and order the sushi and sashimi deluxe combo
(5)Gordon Y.
Tip Top Cafe is transformed to a japanese sushi/ ramen shop at night. Excellent dinner so good and reasonable. This is a good place to eat if you are hungry and heading out to the airport or just coming in off the plane to eat saimin. Always good.
(5)Mylene L.
Great food & a nice place for locals to eat! If you are down to earth person, this is the place for you. If you are a high class type, this is not a place for you. Waiting to be seated about 5 or so. I love the food! The owners very nice, too!
(5)Alexia D.
Found this place on yelp randomly looking for some good sushi, we decided to try it out as many locals recommend it. The ambiance is kind of wierd, the front is a store and the back is a sushi restaraunt. The food was really really good, would definitely recommend it. The service was subpar.. Every time we asked for something the waitress looked annoyed and they didn't talk much. +++ for good food + for the service.
(4)Tiffani M.
This was a great find. It is in a neighborhood, so we initially thought that we were in the wrong place. But, this place was a gem of a find. When you walk in, you actually walk through a store to get to the restaurant. There restaurant has lots of seating and there were lots of people here at 7:00 at night. We were seated and served fast. This restaurant does not serve alcohol but you can bring your own beer. We ordered the spicy hamachi, spicy ahi and soft shell crab rolls. All were delicious and fresh.
(4)Guy C.
For five years, my girl has told me about this place. She used to live on the island, so I've heard more than my fair share of "Katsu" stories in my day. So it wasn't a surprise that she implored me to try this out on my visit to Kauai. The setting is not what I expected. It's in the Tip Top Motel, which I've eaten in restaurants housed in unusual places. When you walk in, the first impression that you get is is that you somehow you stumbled upon the final days of a "Everything Must Go" sale at a closing convenience store. I thought my girlfriend pulled some sort of weird joke on me, so I went outside and looked at the sign. Yup. It was the right place. Trying again, I went in the store farther, and was promptly seated by a hostess. The little gentleman behind the bar knows his sushi, and I tried a few different varieties. The guy hit his mark each and every time, and the prices were reasonable. I've gotten wimpy rolls from other lower-price sushi places, but this guy fills them with fish, and each selection was delicious. I ended up going three times during my stay in Kauai. Each time, the staff recognized me, fed me great sushi, and thanked me sincerely for my continued patronage. The entire staff was very warm and friendly. Don't let the first impression of their... lobby(?) turn you away. This is a great place, with a nice atmosphere and dependable, quality food. A hidden gem.
(5)David F.
I've been going to this place for as long as I can remember. "Katsu" as I know him, does an awesome job of preparing sushi from the heart. The food is all that's important to me. My favorite is the Age Dashi Tofu, Combo B and Sushi Sashimi Deluxe! I pig out everytime I go there! Go early though, it does get crowded on some nights. Except monday. They're closed.
(5)Clare M.
We were the only people in here who were not locals. I was craving ramen and the first place we tried to go was closed...we'd got a recommendation on this place and decided to try it out. The saimin was good...lots of it! I however was pretty unenthused with the sushi. There was some unidentifiable paste in my roll that wasn't listed that I really did not like the taste or consistency of. My husband had some veggie rolls that he did enjoy, but it wasn't' anything special. The atmosphere is very odd and is seemingly placed in the back of an abandoned dollar store, but it seems to be a huge hit with the locals and they don't seem to mind. Unfortunately, this didn't meet our expectations. It had received a lot of hype prior to our arrival and perhaps that accounted for our disappointment.
(2)Franco R.
Great service, very local. Awesome veg tempura. Good sushi.
(3)S L.
Don't know why the hours on yelp shows this place only serves dinner and some reviewers also say its only open for dinner. The entrance is certainly confusing. its actually combined with a cafe in a motel. The cafe name is plastered everywhere including the entrance with no signs for a japanese restaurant. we just wandered in for lunch on a Thu afternoon and asked if they had Japanese. The server came back with the Japanese menu. i would not recommend any of the special rolls. For the price, its not up to the quality of what we get in California. Too much rice goes into the rolls here with very scant ingredients. Too bad we ordered 3 rolls. wished it was just 1 or none. i didn't like any of them and the worst was the unagi roll (eel). Hardly any eel!! and they added some other ingredient which was like mushed up crab meat. there was more mushy stuff than unagi in the UNAGI roll. Go figure why i didn't like it. Chirashi bowl was superb though. Lots of fresh sashimi seafood in it. Little bit of everything: tuna, salmon, octopus, scallop, etc.
(2)Jeanne C.
BYOB! We felt really shady bringing in beer, but we saw a reviewer mention it so we brought some beers. Don't feel scared, it's okay to do it! We had a bunch of salmon sashimi and it was delish. Just what I needed for my sushi fix.
(4)Janna B.
Delicious food! I had tonkatsu for dinner, crisp and tender, not too oily. Sauce was good. My gf had shrimp tempura plate, which had 5 BIG shrimps and quite a few veggies too. Both meals came with miso soup and koko. Staff was friendly, and susi chef at counter waves and greets you when you come in! Glad we found this local place for dinner. Sushi was very good, fresh and tasty. Will definitely go there again.
(4)Karen C.
Service was surly and slow. We came in to order take-out and a sour-faced waitress ignored us several times before finally helping us. She obviously did not want to take our order. She said it would take 30-45 minutes for the order to be ready, which is really long for any take out order. At first I thought she was saying that so we would leave, but it turns out the order did take a full 45 minutes. Apparently the sushi chef moves at a turtles' pace. And we didn't even get an rolls! All we got was an order of uni and some sashimi! When we got home, we discovered they left out the katsu sauce for the pork katsu. Probably won't be coming back.
(2)