Maruki Tei

It was Monday morning, the 27th of January. In an area I'm somewhat familiar with. While living on O'ahu in the past, I was known as a "townee". Only familiar with what's in town (Honolulu) and hardly venturing further unless needed. So here I was, in a stripmall parking lot, looking to buy some time. And hungry too. In Kāne'ohe, Island of O'ahu. I signed-up to attend a Yelp experience, my first as an Elite. Being on-island timed perfectly with this event, along with free time available on my busy 5-day schedule. The hosting business in Kāne'ohe would not open for 1.5 more hours. So, I called my Yelp friend Nadine, speaking to her on the phone for the very first time. Lol, we've only texted each other until now. She recommended a couple of eateries in Kāne'ohe. All but one resonated with me. It was located across the street at Windward Mall, giving me a chance to walk-thru this complex I haven't been in for years. And, Nadine mentioned okazuya. Before I knew it, I found myself in a luminescent lighted food court, in Windward Mall. At Maruki-Tei. With so many items to choose from, I was overwhelmed. Everything looked delicious. Especially when you're hungry, right? And this place brought me in, like it took hold of my arm and led me there. With their displays of grab 'n go items, the colors, the set-up, the food in-general. How could I resist! Musubi? Cone sushi or maki sushi? A bento? Which bento? Ohhh, the steam table items. Maybe a plate? Look at that Shrimp Tempura...Seriously, that was me for well over three minutes. Bentos, tantalizing because they were packed and presented well. I had to. And I took the largest one just so that the picture for Yelp would come out nice. Lol. Let me introduce you to the Maruki-Tei Deluxe Bento. Generous portions indeed. Spam musubi + cone sushi accompanied with a teri hamburger party, teriyaki beef slices and a piece of red hot dog. Add mochiko chicken, a vegetable tempura and chow fun. Yowzaa, like my friend Jennifer would say! Maruki-Tei dates back to its original restaurant in Kāne'ohe. Serving diners from 1958 for 22 years, Edith's daughter Eloise now runs this namesake family business at Windward Mall since 1982. A charming story with a charming history. Thank you Nadine for the delicious recommendation. And to cashier Janet for your kind assistance and smiles. What a great way to start my morning on the windward side. Great recommendation. Great food. Great start to my day. Maruki-Tei, if I'm in Kāneohe again, a visit to your cute and tasty establishment has already been noted. For a return visit.

I was bit disappointed with the quality of my catered order this year. I order a total of 3 trays for my party, the Nishime did not have many of the traditional ingredients and did not look like what is served on the line. The teri-hamberger was moist but the sauce was the biggest disappointment, lumpy like gelatin, it did not disolve when heated. I've order this dish at least the past years. I don't think I'll go back here for awhile.

Food here is always good! Makes coming through the mountain so very worth the drive to the Windward side. So many okazuya options to choose from. I especially like the sesame chicken, mac salad and the shrimp tempura. That could possibly be my choice for last meal on earth, where my mom doesn't have to cook.Located in the food court at Windward Mall, there is ALWAYS a line at Maruki-Tei. Lines tell you the food is good. The mini bento was a great choice for me & my sis to share. She's not a big eater, but we needed a snack. Rice, chowfun, sesame chicken and hamburger patty. It was a perfect powerup.If anyone on the Windward side is heading into town, you know what I like!!

The Food: Two choice - teri beef and sesame chicken with chow fun. The good: Teri Beef was awesome, it's always my go to and there's didn't disappoint. I like mine soft, sweet and salty, lots of sauce, and with some fat. It had all of that and made for a happy tummy. Now if you like the BbQ grill style teri beef, this isn't the one....this one is cooked and swimming in a load of teriyaki sauce. Also the sesame chicken was another winner.......sorta like a big thigh of mochiko chicken. The so-so: The chow function wasn't anything special. Not rally much flavor and a good thing I asked them to pour some teri sauce alllll over haha. So that made it better. The sorta surprise: be cautious of the (P) next to the entrees on the menu, as it's a premium and adds $1.50 to each premium choice. My fave teriyaki beef is a premium so was like whaaaa haha. Missed it when looking the first time. Lastly, I decided to try them out as for an okazuya "everything ready place" they had a consistent line.....so just mean it's good right. I was pleasantly surprised and will definitely stop here again when I am on this side.

Came here for a quick lunch.Located in the foodcourt of Windward Mall, this food stall is supposed to be serving Japanese food but if you look on to their menu they're mostly Hawaiian. Anyhow...Service is not good, the woman is grumpy and giving me attitude (coz I couldn't make up my mind on what food I wanna order on the spot), so partly my fault. She kept waving her head and make me feel uncomfortable even more. Anyhow...I got rice & chicken long rice - was good. Tasty and delicious. Rice is mushy and being an Asian it makes me sad. Lol. The chicken long rice on the other hand was good and it was seasoned well.This place is pretty popular as I've noticed long queues. Make sure you know your order so that they won't give you an attitude. Tsssk... should I come back? Of course! But will make sure that I know what I'm going to order next time.Mahalo for reading & happy juandering fellow yeeps!

Can expensive okazuya food be worth a 35 mile round trip drive?If you want maki sushi and other plantation foods (boiled shoyu chicken and teriyaki hamburger, miso marinated fried sesame chicken, sweet soy pork tofu etc) from a bygone era, heck yeah!Don't take my word for it, 30+ people in a line that stretches to the entrance of the mall food court during lunch speaks for itself.Straight to it, the reason in itself to go, the maki sushi. The su, sweeter than most using mild rice vinegar perfectly seasons the not to sticky rice. The filling, canned tuna cooked with more rice vinegar, sugar and seasoned with colorful dried shrimp, and crisp takuan. Together, a maki that I haven't tasted in 30 years that recalls bon dance food stalls.Yes, the sesame chicken is greasy, as is the tempura but that's flavor right?Yes, they use a lot of sugar. There's nothing wrong with protein candy.Yes, the inari (cone sushi) is unexpectedly not that good, bordering on salty.Yes, the prices are high. $8.50/roll of maki sushi.Regardless, one of the few places remaining where the people cooking the food (grandmas) actually grew up with the flavors and are not simply following a recipe handed down through the generations.Good eats.

Wow ! I don't know what I was expecting but their food exceeded my expectations ! I ordered the lau lau & poi & single piece of teri chicken (bone-in) & one order of shrimp tempura (2 pieces) and my son ordered the teri hamburger & boneless teri chicken plate with chow funn. Wow ! Everything really tasted homemade & cooked with so much aloha. The grandma that was helping us was very patient too because we had no idea that you have to specify boneless teri chicken if you want the boneless entree (which my son wanted). She picked out a very superb thigh (bone-in) for my entree order. Very pleased with the food here. The lau lau was hot, moist and had great portions of pork, butterfish & fat. The poi was a great choice to have available too ! The hamburger was moist & juicy and And to top it off, their prices are unbeatable for okazuya food imho. Will definitely be back for more !

Maruki Tei has been one of my favorites since forever. My go to is usually the sesame chicken with a side of Mac salad. Recently came home in October and it was one of our first places we went to. I was so bummed, because man the prices went up!! I get it, inflation. This time around I ordered my same plate, but chose a mini. Also didn't get a Mac salad, because I knew it would've been more expensive. There was one person in front of me waiting to check out. An older woman came in front of her to order and the young girl at the register raised her voice and said you need to stand in line. The woman said nevermind and walked away. Although the woman shouldn't have cut, there are other ways to handle this. Maybe a softer and kinder voice? While waiting for the woman (who was helping me) to ring me up, that same young girl came and started using the register to help the guy after me, even though I was standing there waiting. Not sure if she wanted to help him because she was checking him out or because she wanted to move the line. Either way, it was rude. Back to the food. This was my mini I bought. It cost almost $9.50 and the worse part was that I had to warm it up in the microwave at work. I work 10min away which means it probably wasn't even warm :(

I was ordering three plates. The lady went back to cut the first sesame chicken. Meanwhile they serviced the person in the back of me who ordered the rest of the sesame chicken so i didn't have for the other two plates. They should have serviced me with the other plates before the other people or wait until the whole order is taken. You need better customer service. That's ridiculous! Finish one customer at a time!!!

Tasty comfort food that continues the old style. Service is fast given how busy they are.