Ichiriki Aiea — Restaurant in Oʻahu

I got the bento set with pork loin katsu the food was outstanding. I feel the wait staff need more instruction on how to serve at least three different people brought my food. It felt disjointed. It was just me so what I enjoyed is I went by myself and got a table right away. I ordered the poke Appetizers set. My favorite here is the minced ahi poke. Great flavor and consistency. I feel the edamame soy beans don’t belong here. They should offer wonton chips or lettuce leaf with the nori on this appetizer plate. I ordered the pork loin katsu bento for dinner and the Katsu and sides were great. However the asparagus they served the bottoms so many of the asparagus bottoms was fibrous and hard to eat. The cooks and chefs should know better. They should try the ends before serving it then at least they know what shouldn’t go on the tray. The draft Kirib is my facoritese so refreshing. The Large is served in a tall stein which is great. As for the food servers there was a few of them and my bento comes with miso soup came before my soup which is a disappointment. When it came the soup was delicious. Since I’ve been eating out on Oahu I’ve find Japanese restaurants live been to put shredded cabbage below their katsu but barely put anything because from where I’ve been NOTHING on Oahu they put their katsu on a bed of shredded cabbage is refreshing with katsu and tempura fried, grilled, or roasted ahi. I don’t understand why this place doesn’t put more shredded cabbage? It’s the cheapest vegetable on their shopping list. They don’t serve an inexpensive bento so I don’t thinks their saving money on cabbage. My thinking on the music over head they should play culturally appropriate music or Hawaiian or slackkey guitar. Because the music they are playing on my visit is hard R&B and Rap. I know ithe staff is a younger crew but the majority of customers are like 49-70+ years old so something calming in the background is better with sunset/sundown times. The music is like L&L vibes so it feels cheap because of the rap and K Pop. In any case I’m coming back for the Shabu Shabu hot pit and hopefully my new friend the host Ms. Destiny will be here. She listened to my concerns and was very customer service oriented. I shared how the music can make or break the TIP because this is the service industry and if you can cam and make people feel like people and make them feel like they matter through their eyes, ears, nose and mouth then they will appreciate your service with a tip or becoming...

Heavily disappointed to find it has declined significantly from its former glory. Once a bustling spot with loyal customers and full reservations, it simply isn't what it used to be. Notably, all the four and five-star reviews are from at least two years ago, while recent feedback mirrors my own one-star experience.

Cleanliness is a major concern. Dust covered the fixtures and lamps above our table, and I worried it might drift into my soup. The floor wasn't well-maintained, giving the impression of neglect. The utensils were also problematic; spoons were filthy and sticky, and I found dried-up rice on the metal ladles which there was another one on the table so I tried using that one AND THAT ONE ALSO had these nasty stuck on dried up rice or goo or something similar on it. It seemed as if the dishes were washed hastily and without proper care.

Service was mediocre at best. After taking our order, the server didn't check on us again until we were done. We were told they needed the table back by 7 PM, delivered in a tone that was condescending and as if I'm doing them a favor by eating there. Almost got the feeling like "GTFO in time and do what we tell you if you want the privilege to eat here." Despite this demanding request, our food took almost 25 minutes to arrive, while other tables were served within 5-10 minutes max. I get it the server was busy with so many tables but you can tell that she was avoiding eye contact purposely not to put our order in until she had finished serving the other table their order. At least if she put the order in (or atleast even just ask if we were ready?, we even tried to raise our hand to get attention but no purposely ignored) - she could have served while the order was being made but we just sat there waiting for her for a good 3 years. We nearly considered leaving.

Although the food quality wasn't bad, everything else about the experience ensures I will never return. The staff appeared disengaged, reflecting poorly on management. For the small portions and thin slices of meat, the prices are unjustifiable. Both the chanko and shabu shabu sets are overpriced. For the same amount, you could dine at all-you-can-eat restaurant with comparable quality. Even with proper service and a clean, pleasant environment, returning as a customer is still uncertain at best...but no...

This is a beautiful and private dining experience. We had a waiter who was very aloha during our meal. Our party of 3 arrived around 5:30 for dinner, and didn't have to wait without a reservation, though folks just a few minutes later seemed like they had a wait. The seating options include floor tables more traditional to Japanese, or more western style table and benches. We said we had no preference, so we were sat at a table with bench seating which felt more personal with privacy dividers. I had the Seafood Chanko, which was a good option with no beef, though there was sausage. The Pirikara spicy base was delicious, though I found out I could have had a half and half with the Ginger and Angry Goma which is what I'll try next time. The Nabe came with Tsukune which is a pork and chicken meatball ...stick. The Tsukune was delicious, and I chose Udon noodles to come with my meal. I probably should have done vegetarian and ordered jumbo shrimp and fish cake on the side which I'll do next time to avoid the pork. The seafood came with Scallops, Calamari, Jumbo Shrimp, and smaller portions of Hakusai, Tofu, Kuzukiri, Chives, and Aburaage. We had an appetizer and shared two hot sake between three which put the price before tip over 50 with the seafood. I believe the vegetarian with two additions would be enough food, and the price would be in a $30-$50 range. This would be a great place for date night. I'd have a reservation for that though and the location being north of town which if coming from town might not be great for dinner, though coming from windward was reasonable. Overall it was around 90 minutes of dining. They have extra rice, noodles, and base if you need it, and to-go containers if you happen to have too much of something. One thing to consider is that this is a hot pot experience, so it is cooking the meal at your table by the person eating. In my case, destroying it when I happened to forget or miss some calamari at the bottom of their bowl for 20 minutes. I still ate it the food...