Ahi and Vegetable - Ewa Beach — Restaurant in Oʻahu

Title: Disappointing Experience with Unwelcoming Service

Rating: ★★☆☆☆

AUGUST 7; LATE POST My family and I visited the sushi all-you-can-eat restaurant for the first time recently, and sadly, it didn't live up to our expectations. Despite the promising reviews about the food quality, our experience was marred by unwelcoming service and an uncomfortable atmosphere.

Upon arrival, we were pleased to find the restaurant not too crowded, allowing us to get seated quickly. However, the initial excitement quickly faded when we encountered an unenthusiastic and uninviting staff. The young employees seemed more interested in their conversations than in serving customers, leaving us feeling like an interruption rather than valued guests.

Our initial interaction with the boy who greeted us set the tone for the evening. His lackluster and monotonous demeanor conveyed a sense of indifference, as if taking our order was a chore. When we sought guidance as first-timers, his curt explanation of the rules came across as dismissive. We were taken aback by his attitude, which unfortunately persisted throughout our visit.

The food itself arrived relatively promptly during our first round, satisfying our initial hunger. While most dishes were enjoyable, the spicy ahi failed to impress. We've had better elsewhere. As we began considering a second order, we were abruptly informed by the same boy that we couldn't proceed until we finished every last bite on our plates. This embarrassing encounter highlighted a lack of tact and customer-centric approach.

Our subsequent orders were met with lengthy waits, and we had to prompt staff for missing items. The delays seemed unjustified given the moderate number of patrons and staff on hand. Frustratingly, even our third order took an unacceptable amount of time to arrive, leading us to abandon any further rounds.

To add to our dissatisfaction, the quality of service extended to the cashier as well. We were billed for a diet drink we never received, and while the issue was resolved, it underscored the overall unprofessionalism and inattention to customer satisfaction.

Regrettably, we won't be returning to this establishment. The uncomfortable atmosphere and the rude and unfriendly demeanor of the staff overshadowed the food quality, which was merely passable with a few exceptions. The second round of poke was saltier and the fish appeared aged, causing us to question the freshness.

In conclusion, this was the worst all-you-can-eat experience we've encountered. While we understand the need for rules, the lack of communication along with the attitude regarding the "eat-all-your-food" before ordering rule, combined with the 90-minute time limit, left a sour taste in our mouths. It's disappointing to witness such potential overshadowed by poor service and...

Came by for dinner on a Thursday night at 6 PM. They have happy hour food specials from 12-7 for dine in only. The menu also lists drink specials but they don’t serve any alcohol at this location and it’s BYOB. To start, they give you complimentary miso soup. For food, we ordered:

-Nigiri (spicy salmon, spicy ahi, scallop - which was a special) - the spicy salmon and ahi were just okay. The scallop was really good. We ended up getting a second order of this -Hamachi ponzu jalapeno sashimi - very fresh and the ponzu wasn’t too overpowering -Maui onion salmon - this was also really good. I liked the Maui onion flavor -Shoyu ahi poke - this was kind of bland. Maybe they didn’t marinate it long enough? -Chicken karaage - I wasn’t expecting much of this but this was surprisingly good! It came out piping hot and perfectly fried. Plus, it was a generous portion

The set-up of the restaurant is a bit weird. It looks like it’s mainly set up for takeout. I mean, they’re using paper plates for everything. Once you go in, you seat yourself and there’s a bell you ring for service. You order, and they bring out the food to you. But the middle/back of the restaurant is where they have the menu screens and people lining up to order takeout. There were a few times when we rang the bell but nobody came, so we just went up to the register - no biggie. I’d still come back for some happy...

I don't think 3 stars should be considered bad, I think there is a lot of potential for Ahi and Vegetable in Ewa Beach.

My repetitive return to this place is a sign of my enjoyment, but Poke in general isn't cheap which is why I go here when I'm in the area and specifically want an Ahi/Hamachi salad bowl.

UPDATE: since coming here for the 6th time, they revised their Spicy Ahi so that there was little to no wasabi taste in their minced Spicy Ahi - it was TASTY! I have since increased the 3 star to a four star because of heir consistent service and added room for dining.

The service was kind, with the cashier tending to you if you're dining in. They use to have a call button but in my recent visit, that feature isn't available anymore. The workers are definitely easy to get a hold of and you can always walk up to the counter if you're in need.

If you're looking to beat the wait times of Genki and have a more personable service, Ahi and Vegetable is a contender! Give them a try while you're...