Oahu | Is Wagaya🍜 Worth Visiting?

If there's one ramen place that's super popular on Oahu Island in Hawaii, it's Wagaya Japanese Tonkotsu Ramen. The downside? It's a排队王queue king, but the good news is that you can join the waitlist online. Today, I'm taking you through whether it's really worth the visit—no ads, just the real deal! 🍜 First off, the shop is super tiny. There's a parking lot right in front, but it's always packed. If you're coming during meal times, expect a bit of a wait. So, make sure to join the waitlist as early as possible, especially close to meal times. Now, let's talk about what we ordered—pretty much their recommendations/signature dishes: === Appetizers === Potato Mochi: Crunchy outside, chewy inside with a soy sauce flavor and wrapped in nori. It's a Christmas special, but it's nothing special. $6.95 for something that's just okay. Skip it. 🥮 Tori Nankotsu: Fried chicken cartilage. The frying is decent, but for $9.50, you get such a tiny portion (like just a few small pieces). It's not worth the price. Skip it. 🍗 Agedashi Tofu: Fried tofu that's crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. The broth is a simple soy-based one. $7.50 for four pieces. It's just okay. 🍤 === Ramen === (We ordered three different ones) Garlic Wagaya Ramen (Kuro): $16.25. This is their signature black garlic bone broth ramen with black bamboo shoots and greens, plus a soft-boiled egg. The broth is really good—very traditional and rich with a strong but well-balanced black garlic flavor. It's salty and hearty but not spicy. I went with the regular noodles, which were quite firm. They were chewy but a bit too hard for my taste. Overall, the signature dish is pretty solid. 🌟 Sparerib Tan Tan Men: $20.95. This is the priciest one because it comes with a whole piece of tender, flavorful pork rib. The broth has a Japanese Tan Tan Men spicy base. It's not as rich as the pork bone broth, but the spiciness is noticeable. We added extra spice, and it definitely had some heat. It's a satisfying bowl! 🍖 Tan Tan Men: $17.25. This is the regular Tan Tan Men with ground pork instead of the rib. It's the same as the one above but without the rib. We tried it plain, and it's just okay. If you can handle spice, I'd recommend the spicier version (level 3+). 🌶️ Finally, for drinks, they have Orion Beer, which is a Okinawan beer. It's pretty good, and I haven't had it anywhere else. Give it a try if you visit! 🍻 Overall, the ramen is pretty good, but the noodles in all three bowls were on the "firm" side. I'd suggest opting for the soft noodles instead. Also, if you like spice, go for the spicier options. Skip the appetizers—they're not worth the price. Stick to the ramen! #Hawaii #Oahu #OahuFood #JapaneseRamen