Seiji's Sushi — Restaurant in Hawaii

Disappointed. We order dinner course for all four of us. It is $75 pp. The dishes are far less refined than we expected. Being a fan of chef’s no menu course dinner, this is the worst we ever have. Regular miso soup, tiny fruit platter just 4 strawberries and slices pineapple as dessert. In terms of fish, they are fresh but not premium level at all, tuna, yellow tail, etc. and the sashimi pieces are not even fully cut with pieces connected. The biggest disappointment is sushi. They are just acceptable quality and the funny thing is that the good ones such as urchin and scallop only 2 pieces total for 4 peoples. The chef explained that this is sushi platter so not giving everyone a piece since someone may like or dislike. Well, the cheap sushi is one per person though. Not recommend it. Maybe you can try different menu items. To response owner’s comments about “omakase”, here is what from wiki “The Michelin Guide said "few formal dining experiences are as revered or as intimidating" as omakase. Customers ordering omakase style expect the chef to be innovative and surprising in selecting dishes, and the meal can be likened to an artistic performance. You expect to be brought the most perfect seafood available at that time of year, fish that will be handled as carefully as a kidney awaiting transplantation and as respectfully as a still-living thing.” Well, that has been what we have experienced elsewhere in us, Japan, Taiwan. Our bar is not high, but a few pieces of tuna and yellowtail combined with miso soup shouldn’t be named and priced as “omakase”. It is a dinner combo indeed. Omakase is a trust between us and chef. Honestly we feel betrayed of that trust. Actually chef’s wife did ask him to check whether he is able to do it or not after our order. We would be perfectly fine if telling us this is not available and try...

I went to dinner here with my partner and the food was amazing, unique, and it was authentic Japanese food. The couple who owns the restaurant are from Japan and incorporate food and drinks from their hometown there. We got the sushi platter prix fixe menu and also had the sake pairing. The meals in the sushi platter were more than delicious and was unlike any sushi I’ve ever had before. They were also super helpful and accommodating as they were able to make their food gluten free and it was safe for someone like me with Celiac Disease to eat! In the photo of the sushi and special roll, the very bright orange sushi next to the pickled ginger was sea urchin and tasted amazing! I was looking for a place that would potentially have that unique of a dish in Hawaii and there it was! I usually am a little picky with the fish I like to have for sushi meals, but I loved all of them. I feel like at other sushi places, one may get chewy fish for sushi, but the freshness, texture, and how smooth each fish was to munch on made this place stand out above all sushi I’ve ever had. The sake also paired well with each course they accompanied. You are also able to try different types of sake, such as filtered (clear) and unfiltered (cloudy/milky white) sake.

To go here, you need to make a reservation ahead of time since they only have about three tables to eat at. I highly recommend this place and be sure to look on their website about the owners’ story - very wholesome! You should definitely make it a stop on your Big Island itinerary. I feel that it is best enjoyed by doing one of their prix fixe menus for your first time there. Also, I would only go as a party of 2 people or a very small group - this experience is more intimate, wholesome vibes, and has limited seating at this location, but I feel like that’s what makes it...

HIGHLY RECOMMEND!! Dinner at Seiji Sushi is an intimate dining experience where you get to talk to and get served from the Chef himself (chef and owner) and his lovely wife. It was so nice to have the flexibility of ordering a bit at a time, not being rushed, and baking able to relax and enjoy our dinner. We started with 3 kinds of sashimi (six pieces of each) … tuna (mix of regular and Toro), hamachi, ono (mix of and seared). Then we moved on to the Tempura appetizer which was a combination of shrimp and vegetables. The Edamame was the best we ever had with the special spices! Moving on to the rolls … YUM! Seiji Special Roll: this changes on a daily basis and today it was a spicy tuna on the inside with cucumber and on top layered with fresh tuna, avocado and roe. Spider roll, which is a soft crab roll: When you have this the flavors, just keep going and going and going and going and going… Stop saver and enjoy! We opted for one more roll, which was the Salmon Skin Roll and it was absolutely to die for. Chef’s Recommendation. We dug into it too quickly to take a picture, but snapped one a little bit later and it’s the last photo. Oh my God so happy we got this. In all of the rolls, the sushi rice is done to perfection! Usually we go broke on a sushi night but not here! The least expensive yet the best quality sushi we’ve ever had!! Ultimate Kudos to these owners and...