Tsukuneya Robata Grill

We hadn't been there in years, but went back for dinner date last night. This place has been in business for a while and survived through COVID. I don't remember anything spectacular from the first time, but this time, I was very impressed. The service, at first, was slow and no one came. But after the initial hiccup, the wait service was excellent and I could tell they're trained. Every time the wait person came by they would politely say, "Excuse me."All the food we ordered came very quickly and they were all very tasty. I loved the potato salad, chicken wings, black pepper Tsukune, and the Happy Hour ramen! Watch out because the cash pay total and credit card pay total are different. Pay close attention to the bill when you pay, and calculate your own tip amount. Thank you, Taukuneya! We will be back for sure.

Food & service were OK, some dishes quite good. The low rating is due to their misleading check - I was in the restaurant business and this is the first time I've experienced... Surprise #1 - Check presented with TWO Totals, one for Cash, the other for Non-Cash, which is 4% more! Surprise #2 - suggested tip amounts are based on the higher Non-Cash total Plus Tax, an approx. 4.3% higher total! Surprise #3 - the server made No mention of their (deceptive) ways. So I paid approx. 8.3% more in tips than I would've had I known...! I visit Tsukuneya 2-3 times a year, usually prior to UH athletic events, but will not do so again, not until they change how they calculate their checks, suggested tip amounts, etc.

I can't tell you how many times I've driven by this restaurant and never eaten here until now. Located on university right across from UH campus, this Japanese restaurant has a small parking lot but there is a lot of street parking around. We were seated pretty promptly at a table but it does look like the have a bar and floor/tatami style seating as well. The menu is pretty extensive so there are a lot of choices from robata style food to sushi to kamameshi. Just be sure to order your kamameshi at the beginning of your meal as it does take some time to cook. We started with the potato salad, which turned out to have quite bit of lettuce under it so it was almost a legit salad. Arabiki sausage which is always a good choice to me. Fries which I felt could have used more salt but came out piping hot. The fired cheese was an interesting item, I'm glad we tried it but don't think I'd order it again. Of course we got tsukune (I mean it's literally in the name). You have to get at least 2 of each flavor so we only tried the goma and yuzu daikon. We got the tenmusu which unexpectedly came with 4 large onigiri. And we finished up with the scallop and mushroom kamameshi.Service was pretty slow but they did seem understaffed. So just be patient. All the food was flavorful and filling. Overall a pleasant meal.

The restaurant needs a bit of updating but the food was great! The server was very nice and professional. We ordered a variety of menu items and they were all good. We tried to order the japanese style crispy burger plate but it was not available. They have their own parking lot with plenty of space. Need more light in the bathroom , it's very dark!

I love hole in the wall restaurantsA comfortable place where you can eat and relaxI was pleasanrly surprised when we found TsukenyaEven though the exterior is a little worn and unassuming, the inside of the restaurant is nice.We were very pleased with our waiter, Isaiah. He was friendly, professional, and had expert knowledge about the food and menu. Because it was our first time, his recommendations were key in helping us navigate our order.Heres what we had...Potato salad (small)The potato salad was good. It was about 2 parts potato salad and one part green salad underneath. The salad dressing was very good and we got it on the side.TsukuneThe famous tsukune was very delicious. I am used to the yakitori style, where you are served various cuts of chicken. The skewers here are made of ground chicken, which actually isn't a bad thing.Forgive the analogy, but I will use whiskey because it's the closest and example I can think of....A glass of single barrel whiskey or a single malt scotch can be very delicious, but a blend, while a mix of different whiskies, can also be magical.Tsukune could be viewed as a lesser product next to select cuts of chicken, but in fact, it was quite fluffy and juicy. Very addictive. There were a few different flavors available, and we tried the teriyaki and stuffed shitake.The teriyaki was our favorite. The sauce made it rich and delicious...I can eat a lot of these...and we did.The stuffed shitake was ok. We added a red miso paste sauce, and it definitely made it taste betterWe also had a grilled onigiri rice ball. This was done right....with crispiness on both sides. It could have been a little crispier, but most people dont like the black char on their rice ball..lolWe also tried the grilled crispy burger.This came out on a sizzling platter with a fried egg, onions, and green peppers.I liked this dish. The patty wasn't as crispy as I wanted, but the flavor was rich and deep. I resisited the urge to dump rice on the sizzling platter and chop everything up to make fried rice!Overall, we had a nice dining experience. We will be back to try additional menu items.

The tsukune were so damn small for the price. Out of all the things I tried, the tsukune were the worst. The service was good, and the ambience was better than I expected. BUT they did not offer water after I finished my alcoholic drink. I had to ask for it.This place is more of a 3.5, but I rounded up.

Surprisingly spacious when you walk in. Politely welcomed by the staff in traditional Japanese fashion. They have the area where you can sit on the floor like in Japan which is a nice touch, but I took my kids so we sat in a regular table. Food came out quick and kids approved. I had the fried chicken set and it was tasty but not complete filling even with the rice and miso soup. I also sampled my kids sushi and ramen and it was legit. Will return with the rest of my family since it's located right by the UH stadium and convenient parking.

Our group decided to go to the place on the corner from UH that we always pass but never tried. We made a reservation 2 days in advance via phone - easy to do and go our time slot as desired. We arrived at 5:30 and there were a few open tables on the left side where we were seated. The whole right side was empty. They have a very extensive menu and drinks menu - after much pondering, we decided on the following:Yakisoba - 9/10. We were pleasantly surprised by the Yakisoba. It was served on a hot plate with egg and ginger. It had a nice flavor and was a fun dish to watch the Bonito sway in the heat.Ray Fin- 7/10. It's not too often that restaurants have Ray Fin. The flavor was light, and it wasn't too chewy. The downsides were that the portion size was small, and the flavored mayo didn't complement it too well.Shiitake Tsukune - 7/10. They were pretty good - very juicy and more than a large mouthful. The shiitake had the chinese- restaurant style aftertaste that one of my guests did not enjoy instead of the fresh light flavor. Goma Tsukune - 4/10. Sadly, this dish did not resonate with me and was my least favorite dish of the night. It was their Tsukune with a layer of goma (sesame seeds) on top. Personally, I would have preferred a goma paste or sauce instead.Teriyaki Tsukune - 9/10. Their teriyaki sauce was quite good. I was surprised that this was as good as it was. Highly recommend.Yuzu Daikon Tsukune - 7/10. This had a surprising little spicy kick to it. The yuzu flavor is very light to the point that you may not actually taste it with the daikon and nori toppings. Interesting mix of flavors that could resonate with some, but it wasn't my favorite.Eel Kamameshi- 10/10. This dish was very good. They serve it as a standard kamameeshi but also have a stock, ume, Wasabi, negi, and shoyu to add for a makeshift ochazuke to completely change the flavor profile. Very pleasant and worth the wait. Also, the serving size was pretty good.Yuzu Sake- 8/10. Light, refreshing, and pleasant to sip. Normally, I perfer Chu Hai, but this was a nice change of pace.Azuki Parfait - 9/10. A great finisher to the night. There was a scoop of vanilla and green tea ice cream, two dollops of whipped cream, sliced apples, and a scoop of Azuki. The Azuki was pretty smooth and not too oppressive. It also was not too sweet or pasty. Non-azuki eaters would enjoy this dish.Overall, it was a nice experience. I still remember the days this location was a pizza hut, and the parking lot actually looks like it hasn't been fixed since those days, sadly. But, the servers were quite attentive and gave us good service. We plan to ask for the small rooms next time we come and try their sushi, sashimi, hot plate, or hot pot options. Till next time!

A friend introduced me to Tsukuneya when I first moved to Oahu two years ago. After that, it has become our go-to spot when we face the most difficult problem in humen life..."where are we going to eat?"...I could only count a "finger full" of time that it fell through, and it was time when it had A/C failure. Skewers are always tasty and not over seasoned, or too salty by their sauce. Paitan Bijin-ni Nabe is already our favorite and must order. Staffs are always attentive. Curbe appeal might look old, but inside is clean and cozy. HOWEVER, I do wish it could upgrade its A/C system soon. Ice beer helps, but it could only cool down that much.

Food was delicious, especially the rice balls with Korean seaweed and the seared ahi. The portions are small but that's what you'd expect at a restaurant that's not American. Service was very polite and quick. Ambience is 10/10. They have semi private areas where you can sit on the ground and regular tables and bar seating. Looked very authentic, was yummy, and a nice place to eat.