Honolulu | Honest Japanese Food Review (Budget-Friendly Edition!) 🍜

As a Seattle-based Asian food lover, I spent 5 days trying popular Oahu Japanese spots — all under $20–$40 per person. Here’s the real tea ☕️: 1️⃣ Marugame Udon | ~$20 ✅ Pros: Light broth, big portions, great for students ❌ Cons: Tempura is soggy 😓 (like reheated fried dough) — except zucchini 💬 Verdict: Only go if there’s no line. Run if wait >10 mins! 🏃♀️ 2️⃣ Totoya | ~$35 👑 HOLY GRAIL: Best neighborhood chirashi bowl! Uni & salmon are super fresh 🐟💎 🍚 Must-order: Sashimi Don (sushi rice is perfectly seasoned) 💣 Skip: Crab miso soup (+$8 for basically flavored water 💦) ⏰ Tip: Go at 5 PM sharp! This place will raise your standards 📈 3️⃣ Mitsuwa Market | Uni Bowl $45 🚨 SCAM ALERT: Tiny portion (half the size of Totoya’s!) 🍚 Lacks flavor — basic rice + average uni 💡 Advice: If you’re from the West Coast, skip — Foodland poke is better value! 4️⃣ Izakaya Harumi | ~$40 🍢 Okay: Yakitori is a bit dry but decent 👌, good late-night vibe 🐟 Fail: Ikura don (salmon roe not fresh enough) 5️⃣ BONUS: Ramen Bario | ~$18 🍜 Rich broth, super tasty! 🌶️ Spicy Warning: “Kilauea” level = China’s insane spicy wings 🔥 (confirmed by a Chongqing friend) 🥵 ID & waiver required! 💡 Tastes like a mild version of Chinese zhajiangmian — weird but good? #HonoluluEats #HawaiianFood #OahuFood #JapaneseFood #BudgetEats #FoodReview #NoFilter