Nori Bar Hawaii — Restaurant in Honolulu

I made a reservation at this intriguing place after walking past it several times. I was on my way to see Becoming Led Zeppelin at Ward Theater. Nori Bar opens at 11am and I was seated at Table 7 (the 7th seat at the bar). There is a board with a QR code, and you order food using the app … It knows you’re at Table 7.

Being my first time, I ordered a Sapporo Reserve beer ($6) from the “chef”. A plate of gari and edamame was placed in front of me. I figured out the app and started ordering food. I ordered the Special Nigiri Flight ($38), but the chef presented me with the “regular” Nigiri Flight ($26). Five pieces of sushi were seared with a blowtorch, a sauce was brushed on, then presented on a stone platter with the chef explaining what each piece was (salmon, Hamachi, and three types of ahi). Each piece was delicious, though I wish they weren’t seared (I should have read the description more closely … It did state aburi.)

I ordered three rolls: Blue Crab – Truffle Kanimiso ($9), Hamachi with shiso leaf (7.25), and A5 Miyazaki Wagyu ($15). The Blue crab came unrolled in a wooden tray. It was seared and the texture was creamy, very homogeneous in composition. It tasted fine but wasn’t what I expected. The Hamachi was rolled, and it was fine. The A5 Wagyu also came unrolled, I suppose to allow you to view the meat. This one was terrific.

I wanted more food, so I placed an order for the 5-piece sashimi set and I selected Hamachi ($16). I waited and waited and waited. I finally asked the chef, and he said sashimi comes from the kitchen, he just does the sushi. After an interminable wait, I got my dish and powered through it quickly. The slices were generous but too cold. At that point, I decided to not order any more food even though I was still hungry.

While I was waiting for my sashimi, I checked my bill on the app and found I was charged for both the special sushi flight and the regular sushi flight. I asked a server, who told me she fixed it in the back, but the app never reflected the correction. Had I not been paying attention and just paid via the app, I would have been overcharged $38 (the price of the special sushi). I got the bill on paper and paid via a credit card. $82.98, plus at $17 tip resulted in a $100 lunch.

Is it worth the cost? I’m not sure. I haven’t been to a sushi bar in ages, so I don’t know what the going rate for sushi and sashimi is any more. What I was served looked and tasted fine. I think my issues with the delivery of food and problems with my check colored my experience. I’ll give Nori Bar a conditional recommendation,...

Cost ~$45 for lunch. This was my second visit here. The establishment, which is modern with its QR ordering and payment system, has employee quality control issues. Last visit, the employees were not using gloves and not washing their hands (this was also mentioned in past reviews). Today its employees were playing loud, obnoxious European EDM. I am trying to enjoy a lunch at an upscale handroll bar. Not to be at a rave in Berlin. The music was just not appropriate for this establishment. I was the only customer at the time so there was no need to play music at this insane volume.

The BPM of the music was set at a pace that was far too fast for anyone looking to enjoy a leisurely lunch at a handroll bar. The incessant beats and aggressive electronic sounds clashed with the serene ambiance one would expect in such a refined setting. It was disheartening to find that the music choice did not align with the overall upscale experience the restaurant aimed to provide.

I requested the blonde employee to turn down the music and consider changing the genre to something more fitting for a dining environment. To my disappointment, even after she complied with lowering the volume, the genre remained unchanged, and the chaotic nature of the music persisted.

When the blonde girl asked for feedback after making the adjustment, I let her know that the genre was unfitting for a Japanese handroll restaurant. Unfortunately, my words seemed to fall on deaf ears, as she did not respond or take any further action. It left me wondering whether she had actually heard my feedback or if the music was still too loud for communication.

To add to the disappointment, the handrolls themselves were nothing to write home about. The offerings were rather ordinary and failed to stand out. The rolls are good itself but the the restaurant has not done anything to make these rolls unique.

In conclusion, while Nori had the potential to offer a sophisticated and enjoyable dining experience, the choice of music, lack of responsiveness to feedback, and underwhelming handrolls left much to be desired. It's unfortunate when such key elements overshadow the positive aspects a restaurant may have to offer. I would not dare compare this place...

Vibes were way off. The rollmakase likely is incredibly easy and attractive to order for customers, but the staff seem like they are at the mercy of the chefs cooperation techniques if the bar is at capacity, which, was irritatingly hard to watch when they seem handicapped by a single screen that captures the orders. I highly recommend the restaurant ownership invest in their employees needs to do their job without stepping over each other. The sympathy I hold for the staff tonight is astronomical. They seem to have a raw deal. Pun intended. The floor staff were very kind and never let my water get below half. Give that woman a raise.

Separately, I bumped elbows with one lady (we’ll call her Karen for no particular reason) couldn’t figure out her online menu so she decided to toss her order of (a blue crab roll(amazing, please get it, but don’t order it like Karen; Karen was wrong) with “not too much rice”. However valid Karens feelings are I still find them silly. Not the restaurant’s fault but it does contribute to my “vibes are off” rating. I digress.

All this directly contest with what should be a trendy quick and modern highlight of the tradition of the sushi bar. I assume this is what they’re offering. Is there a meta-thematic affectation I want to call “Kitschy in Kakaako” that is really working on drawing the crowds? I don’t think so; I also don’t think that’s fair. Rinka and Onkee are titans of class and with more and better service and atmosphere for a comparable price point and within walking distance. I’m glad we had the sushi. For 200 dollars for two people though? I’m not sure I got my moneys worth, friend. I might need some time before we see each...