Izakaya Naru Honolulu — Restaurant in Honolulu

I give respect to the Owner/Manager for standing by his employee's well being, as Izakaya Naru couldn't run without them.

That being said...

As this was the first time dinning here everything was great until it was time for the check. It was a busy night so it was understandable that food & drinks wouldn't be brought out in a timely manner. The food was exciting as we had never had Okinawan cuisine before. The tap beer was Orion, which was a nice from the usual Asahi you would usually get from other Izakayas. Staff were really friendly, and did their best to accommodate all the tables despite being short staffed.

The Negative Experience:

As we were ordering our food, I asked our waiter if separate checks were possible. He said that we could separate at the end (Because most Izakayas & restaurants are able to do this function). At the time of billing I asked for separate checks, but the waiter said that he couldn't and everything had to be on one bill. One of our members decided to pay the whole $140 bill in cash, and I was gonna take care of the tip. Normally we take separate checks and pay our tips accordingly to the amount we spent.

Paraphrasing the rest of the negative experience....

Returning the check book and wanting to thank him for the great experience, the waiter asked why there was no tip in the check book. I apologized as I don't carry cash normally and offered to pay our table's tip with a credit card as that was the only form of payment I had at the time. Waiter said he could not accept that.

As this became an inconvenience, I had to relay on the same member who paid the whole $140 bill as he was the only one carrying cash at the time to pay the tip ($15). I gave the tip to the waiter. As the waiter thanked me, I did not reply back because I was dissatisfied of the inconvenience of this experience.

As I exited the Izakaya, the Owner/Manager noticed my dissatisfaction and confronted me about how the tip wasn't enough. Stated that customers should always pay 10-15%, and wanted $5 more. (Did the math, 10% of the total $140 = $14). I had to relay on the same member of our group one more time for the extra $5.

Conclusion & possible improvement:

Tipping/gratuity is an important custom in America. But by confronting your customers and forcing an obligation for them to pay a certain amount in their tips, I believe is not welcoming to new or first time customers. The confrontation with the Owner/Manager has left me with a bad experience in my personal opinion, and I cannot recommend going back to Izakaya Naru.

残念ですが、居酒屋 成ルには戻りたくない。

If you can allow customers to pay separate checks, and accommodate those who can only pay in credit card for tips, I believe this can give customers another way to better pay you, and make it convenient on their part.

Please confront customers if they are being rude or bothering employees or other customers which disrupt your business. Not because you were unsatisfied with the amount the customer tipped.

Complaint from another member of our group:

Member did not appreciate employee's actively taking shots of alcohol with the customers while working as this may have also contributed to the delayed serve times of the food and drink. If these customers were regulars that come here often I understand as you want them to come back. However, it's also a possibility you may be neglecting the other...

Izakaya Naru is the kind of place that food lovers dream of stumbling upon — unpretentious, intimate, and absolutely unforgettable. If you're looking for an authentic Japanese izakaya experience right in the heart of Honolulu, this is it. From the moment we stepped in, it felt like we had left Oʻahu and landed in a cozy backstreet tavern in Tokyo.

The ambiance is warm and relaxed — dim lighting, a simple yet elegant wooden interior, and the gentle hum of conversation and clinking glasses. The staff greeted us with sincere hospitality, making us feel more like regulars than first-timers. It’s clear this is a local favorite, and after our visit, it’s easy to see why.

Now, let’s talk food — because this is where Izakaya Naru really shines. The menu is rich with variety but not overwhelming, and everything we tried was prepared with care, precision, and soul. We started with the housemade tofu, which was silky, subtly sweet, and topped with just the right amount of soy and fresh garnish. It melted in our mouths — an instant standout.

The mentaiko pasta was next-level — creamy, briny, umami-packed perfection. We paired that with grilled hamachi kama (yellowtail collar), which was charred beautifully and came off the bone with ease. You could taste the freshness. The chicken nanban was crispy, juicy, and came with a tartar sauce that added a surprising but delightful twist.

For drinks, their sake list is top-tier. We asked for a recommendation and the server guided us to a beautifully smooth Junmai Daiginjo that paired perfectly with the lighter dishes. If you’re not into sake, they’ve also got shochu, Japanese beers, and a couple of solid cocktails that reflect the same attention to flavor.

One thing that really impressed us was how balanced everything felt — the flavors, the pacing of the meal, the portion sizes. It’s a place that respects both tradition and the modern diner. Nothing felt rushed, but we were never waiting long either. Even when it got busier, service remained attentive and gracious.

As someone who’s been to Japan multiple times, I can confidently say this is one of the most authentic Japanese dining experiences I’ve had in the U.S. It doesn’t try to be flashy or trendy — it simply excels at what it does: serving up high-quality, heartfelt food and drink in a cozy, respectful setting.

Whether you’re visiting Hawaiʻi or you live here, Izakaya Naru is the kind of place that deserves your attention. It’s perfect for date night, catching up with friends, or just treating yourself to a slow, beautiful meal. Make a reservation — trust me, it’s popular for a reason.

We left full, satisfied, and already planning our next visit. Mahalo to the incredible team at Izakaya Naru for giving us a taste of...

I ordered 4 items by myself.

When I walked there I was standing by the door, the owner looks shocked and looked at me(maybe because I wear a simple T-shirt and short, I didn’t make hair, I live in palolo, I just went to outside from my bed at 10 pm, maybe I look like a weird or poor people)I saw they have 3 seats in the bar, so I sat in the middle one between 3 seats. Later server came, asked me for drink, when I said just water, and I started ordered food, I ordered first one beef tongue, she told me their food is salty, because most of food are for drink. I want to order tofu, she told me sold out, so third I want to have noodles, I asked her how big is noodles, she said I don’t recommend it, it for a person who is really drunk(she didn’t answer my question). Okay, you are right, it’s 10 pm so I ordered a beer. And she told me can I move my seat, this is for reservation. so I sat in the corner of the wall, but until I left, no customers come for “reservation”.

Beer, Beef tongue, hamachi and fried chicken skin. I like the beer, but I need to drive so I only had one cup of beer.

Beef tongue and hamachi is okay.(I don't have too much experience in izakaya, but I think these two both are not good as uosan izakaya). I don't like the chicken skin, it's fried chicken with onions, after sauces it's soft and sour, so I ate little bit.

During I ate food the bar guy asked me “are you okay” I said can I have a cup of water, he repeated again “water or beer”? He just wants me get more beer.

Then I asked can they use Apple Pay, the server said no and left fast like escape. I told owner again, owner told me I can use Venmo, by the way thanks for helping. I spent 45$, I pay 50$.

After I went out of restroom, the owner(bar guy) blocked my way and asked me you pay 50$, only 10% tips? I said yeah. And he said but you drink, people usually pay 20%. I told him, oh I don't like the chicken skin. He seems very shocked.

I really should tell him, the server make me feel bad too. It’s not worth it. Maybe your real customer is not us, not local, Not a person, not parents with children, you only love rich Japanese or tourists.

I don’t understand you are not busy you even have time to blocked me out of restroom for $4? are you really busy? Do you really have some reservations?

I live in this island, I'm not a tourist, such a bad experience.

I have right to show my feelings by tips. Thank you for teaching me this lesson, next time when I fave bad service or situation I know how to deal with it. The...