Gyotaku Japanese Restaurant – King Street

Love Tuesdays because of their «kids eat free» special. Wait is a little bit even if we come early because lots of other families think kids eating free is also a good idea. And, it’ll not be a quiet night with kid sounds but, I also don’t feel so bad when my daughter spills her water or I hear parents coaxing their children to finish their food. Haha!
The staff are exceptional on busy nights like this and keep us coming back.

Its cool place to have a certain food the way you want it cooked because you get to cook your own food. But then avoid buying too much meat unless you wanna drink alcohol with It. Good place for happy hour.

Went last night for dinner and they are adding 4% to your total for kitchen service charge. I won’t be going back again for sure.

CHECK YOUR BILL!
An automatic 4% fee is added on AND you are taxed on the 4%!! This 4% is supposedly a tip for the Back of the House (kitchen staff). The owners should Not be using customers to provide monetary increases for them.
Pay your staff well.

We’ve been coming here for awhile because they had quality, authentic Japanese food. We haven’t been disappointed with their variety of sushi rolls we’ve ordered and my husband loves their shrimp tempura. We like the miso soup and crab salad they serve beforehand.
We’ll continue to keep coming here and don’t mind the wait, which hasn’t been too bad.

Came on a weekend, soon after noon, and were able to be seated quickly, and in a favored booth. Food was also quickly served. (Tangent: our order of pokechos took a long time as we were done with our main entrees and still no appetizer. Ended up canceling it which was not a problem)
Service is always great. Today, our waitress looked like she was having a rough day. She has a flat affect, smiled maybe once. Wasn’t personal though, and looked like she was dealing with a backed up kitchen. It wouldn’t hinder me from coming back.
All in all, and consistently tasty Japanese restaurant, one of my favorites on the island!

Wow, this place used to be my occasional family spot, but DAMN this place has suffered EXTREMELY.
Seated downstairs and got our order taken fairly quickly, however…
We waited well over FORTY minutes for our food.
— Poke don teishoku that was too salty, not enough seafood, and had some bad tako, and overpriced
— Miso butterfish teishoku that is the only reason this review shouldn’t be written with hopes of ZERO stars, but still… Overpriced
— Soba & california roll, and surprisesurprise… Overpriced for small portions
The restaurant wasn’t even busy in the least! We went around 3:30pm and there were hardly any customers around.
Our waiter was also incredibly slow in grabbing our check by the end of the meal… Granted our table was irritable by then, but we had to ask the hostess to get it for us in the end.
Not going back.

My foodie life pretty much revolves around JAPANESE CUISINE, if it does its job well, I will return! And let’s just say, this place is an old faithful.
FOOD: I usually get the combination bentos because I like variety. My faves are the tenpura, sashimi, Teri chicken, Teri beef, tonkatsu, chicken Katsu and MISOYAKI BUTTERFISH!!! You get miso, salad and choice of rice. I also LOVE the Zaru Soba (side order 11.95)! The bf absolutely loves the FURI MI WINGS. He says he will return for that alone.
SERVICE: Fantastic. Will always check up on you! Waiting time for lunch or early dinner is not usually long either. Call ahead to reserve or check out current wait times.
PARKING: Pretty decent. Garage beneath restaurant.

I received a $ 2. off coupon for a Takeout Bento from Gyotaku in the mail. In the past, I’ve ordered a combination Miso Butterfish and Shrimp Tempura Bento that came with a Green Salad. I called today to order that combo Bento and was told they only have a Miso Butterfish Bento now. I love Miso Butterfish and I know Gyotaku has a good one, I’ve also had takeout Miso Butterfish at other Restaurants. Well, I was totally surprised at what I got for $ 21.95 less $ 2. plus tax of 94 cents — $ 20.89. A serving of Rice, piece of Miso Butterfish & a slice of Lemon. They could have thrown in a small salad or even Pickled Vegetables at that price. I’ve paid less than $ 15. at other places for just as good Miso Butterfish with added sides. Gyotaku keeps raising their prices and giving less value.

I don’t really get they hype. Gyotaku had been around for years and his location is so large and busy. I find the food as service to be just ok. They do have really good senior specials, but seeing as I’m not a senior and don’t know very many, it doesn’t really make me want to come back.
We ordered the salmon skin salad, agedashi tofu, side of udon and butterfish. The butterfish was great and the udon was good, but I didn’t care for the salmon skin salad because it was so salty. For the price, I would definitely not be back. I can get similar udon at marukame for ¹⁄₃ of the price and it wasn’t like the service made up for the price difference.
Perhaps if return for the early bird special or if I found myself in the company of a group of seniors, but I don’t think I’ll be back in the foreseeable future.

The food was of good quality and ambience was very nice. The staff was friendly and courteous.

I’ve been in this location quite a few times and we always have good dining experience. Here’s my review:
Food (4 out of 5): Food is consistent and my faves are the Flaming Ahi Roll, California Delight Combo, Ninja Don and Chicken Katsu plate. This time, I ordered the Misoyaki Salmon and Chicken Katsu Combo with brown rice. It also came with cup of salad with house dressing and a cup of Miso soup ($ 17). The Misoyaki Salmon was overcook which made the fish dry. On the other hand, the Chicken Katsu was awesome! The panko breading is soft and crisp that melts in your mouth; chicken was tender; and the dipping sauce — Katsu sauce with hot mustard was perfect! I think this is best Chicken Katsu I ever tasted!
We also ordered Kinako Azuki Blondie dessert. It came with 1 scoop vanilla ice cream and it was delicious! :)
Service (5 out of 5): Our waitress was really friendly. Our drinks was always filled and she checked on us quite a few times.
Ambience (4 out of 5): I like the modern, clean lines design of this restaurant. It’s simple yet it’s looks clean and not cluttered.
Overall, this is a good place to bring your family and friends for lunch and dinner.

I hadn’t been to Gyotaku for probably over 3 years, but came tonight with my family for dinner. The food to me is good, not exceptional. However, the crowd and atmosphere make it a good place for families. We didn’t make reservations (Sunday today) and went in around 5:30 and were seated immediately. When we were leaving an hour or so later, though, there were a few parties waiting outside. It’s probably better to make reservations if your party is going a little later in the night.
When we were seated, we were given water immediately along with our menus. A few minutes later, our server came to take our drink orders and then our food orders a few minutes after that. Service here was great– our server checked up on us frequently to make sure everything was tasting good and our waters were never empty.
I wasn’t my usual down-​to-​eat-​everything hungry tonight, so I went with the misoyaki butterfish. My entrée was $ 24.95 and included rice, a small side salad, and miso soup. The piece of fish was quite large, a satisfying portion for sure. The sauce on the fish was pretty light. I wouldn’t have minded a saltier and more flavorful sauce. It was good, though.
Overall, I think Gyotaku is a great restaurant for something like a casual family dinner. However, the prices are somewhat high for the taste of the food.

Gyotaku is a casual and nice place to have a dinner with family or friends. It’s a convenient location on South King, but a not so convenient/​put together parking lot but at least there’s a lot!
Definitely make reservations if you would like to eat dinner there because there’s a lot of families and big parties that take up a lot of tables inside! It was easy to call and make reservations and I really liked that they asked if I needed to have a table downstairs due to anyone being handicapped in my party.
I ordered the udon + California roll and it was the perfect amount of food for me. The service was quick and thorough and I had a good time! Gyotaku is a good option for a casual Japanese lunch or dinner!

Went here for lunch after not coming here in a long while, I ordered the 2 choice Combo with Chicken Katsu and Sashimi which come with a salad and Miso soup. I was quite happy as my Chicken Katsu was crispy outside and very moist inside I’d have to say one of the better Chicken Katsu’s around. My Sashimi came out very fresh and good quality fish and good pieces of Tako too.
Prices were about average and the service quite quick even our tea and water glasses were filled quite often.
Parking is ample as they have their own lot and a couple of smaller ones too.
The décor is very nice since the last time I was here was before they did the renovations.
I’m looking forward to coming here again.

Gotta come here hungry for sure. The bigger the party the more food you get to try, if anyone shares it. Theirs a Keiki menu with plenty of choices. The menu is expansive for reals. We came with the family of 9. Everything from Misoyaki butterfish, sashimi, sushi rolls, tonkatsu, udon… The list goes on. The service staff is awesome and super friendly. Opens early. Good for kids that are running around…

Looking at my photos from one year ago today, my niece is celebrating another birthday here! When I asked her why she picked this restaurant again, she said it’s because likes the food (even though children get a free toy with their meal)…
Besides having a keiki menu, there is a Senior menu for my mom and other customers over the age of 60. It’s $ 10.95 «all day every day»! Good deal! We were too late for the Early Bird specials. Shucks! Our reservations were for 6pm.
Last year, I had one of the Noodle Combinations: Udon, California roll, and Tenpura for $ 19.95. This year, I had the Combination Bento. For 3 choices, it’s $ 22.95. I got Tenpura (assorted), Misoyaki Salmon, and Teriyaki Beef. .yummy! It comes with rice, miso soup and tossed salad.
My sister brought cupcakes instead of a birthday cake. When you bring your own utensils and plates, there’s no extra «cake fee».
Our server’s name was Von. He was so organized and efficient with our party of 10 adults and 3 children. He had everything written down and could distribute the correct meal to each person. Our tea cups and water glasses were always filled. One of the managers stopped by to check on us… wow! It’s no wonder that they have stayed in business this long and even added an upstairs dining area to accommodate larger parties!
There’s free parking on their lot, all around the building and even metered parking on the street. The interior is clean, air conditioned, and bright with «Fish Prints» decorating the walls. The only thing that could improve would be the timing of the food. It seemed like a long wait. I only noticed because my sister mentioned it and she’s not a «complainer». I realize that we had a large group and I appreciate them for not adding on a gratuity to the bill as other places do.
I have a feeling that we’ll be back. Even though she’s only 7 years old, my niece is quite the leader and will probably tell us to have her birthday dinner here again next year. As we were leaving, I was kinda sad that she didn’t ask for her free toy. I guess she’s growing up…

The Japanese restaurant/​teishoku dinner market here in town offers a plethora options. Our family may not be a regular at all of them, but we are super regular at trying to decide which one to patronize for dinner. When we came to Gyotaku years ago we didn’t return because we thought the food and overall experience were subpar. This year we came back with friends and found that the menu, food quality and service have all changed, entirely for the better. I’m not sure what happened due to the years that had passed since we had last came here but improvement would be an understatement. We have since made repeat return visits.
Gyotaku has an extensive menu with a huge variety of items ranging from sushi to french fries. The tonkatsu and chicken katsu are really excellent.
Check out the specials:
**Monday — Tuesday Evenings: Kids Eat Free
**Wednesday — Friday Evenings: Early Bird Special from 4:00pm — 6:00pm, $ 15.95
The Early Bird Special is a great value: choice of 1 entrée item from 7 options, miso soup, 3 shrimp tempura + vegetable tempura and a California roll. The portions are very substantial and this is far from a light meal.
Other high points at Gyotaku:
**the Kids menu which has a good amount of options (5)
**Kid friendly restaurant
**It is also good for groups
**Very clean
Since repatronizing (is that a word?) Gyotaku, we have always found the staff friendly, competent and clearly well trained. It is refreshing to see a business with great management. The bottom line is that Gyotaku provides a very enjoyable dining experience. 5 stars would be in order but for the price point which gets higher beyond the Early Bird Special — a meal here can get pricey.
Finally, please note: Gyotaku has the fish prints while Gyu-​kaku has the Japanese BBQ. I always hear people mixing the two up and getting it wrong. While I like both establishments, Gyotaku has certainly earned the respect.

I haven’t eaten at this gyotaku for several years because although renovated, it doesn’t have the same quality food or service as the pearl city one:
Tempura don — 3 stars — after eating the tempura don at pearl city gyotaku, it was so good that I ordered it again at the town restaurant. To my disappointment, the shrimp tempura was soggy and the sauce had no flavor. Athough it filled me completely, I wasn’t satisfied with my meal. They also drowned the salad with dressing which made the salad hard to eat with the strong vinegar taste.
oyakudon don –3 stars — the serving was less and the sauce was really salty.
Service — 2 stars — was a bit slow, and worse, only 1 waitress was serving the upstairs, who disappeared time to time. She forgot my son’s drink and my tea, and because we had to leave after waiting a while for her to return, we asked another employee for the check and had to pack his drink and dessert and I wasn’t able to have any tea after my meal.

I used to not like Gyotaku because I thought other Japanese restaurants were much better but a recent experience changed my mind. I came here for a late lunch last Friday and after perusing their extensive menu with pictures, decided on one of their lunch specials – California Delight.
For $ 11.95, you get miso soup, salad, karaage chicken, 8 pc California roll, 1 pc shrimp tempura, and 2 pc vegetable tempura. I thought it was a pretty good deal given the price of items that were not a lunch special and the tastiness of everything. The karaage chicken and shrimp tempura were especially memorable because they were fried to perfection – light and crispy without a drip of oil. I dare say it’s the best shrimp tempura I have had in a long time.
Service was good. Our group of five was able to get seated within five minutes without a reservation. Our waitress checked on us several times and our waters were constantly refilled, even after we had paid and were just talking story.

My mother-​in law loves this place and if wasn’t for this, we wouldn’t really be going. Looks like their portions are back to where it was before and they did a great job in the re-​model.
The service is back to being good and prompt, your hot tea is constantly filled. The food is ok and competently done.
Note that they have pretty good early bird and senior specials.

Had the pleasure of dining here with a group of 6 lovely friends on 3÷23÷2015.
The restaurant was very easy to find, just look for the large fish print sign on your left while driving down King Street.
Parking is in a lot, with plenty spaces to go around.
Upon entering, the hosts were very welcoming and greeted us with smiles.
We were hosted in one of the private rooms upstairs, with an interesting city view. The stairs that go up are a little steep, so watch out!
Service was average, with not too overbearing presence of the servers, but also enough to keep our waters filled and plates cleared as they became empty.
On this visit, I ordered the Katsu Don, without the Katsu. I felt good about my order because the waitress didnt even bat an eye at my strange vegetarian request. The sauce was the traditional sweet and salty with egg and onion toppings over a bed of rice. Nori shavings were also generous and reminded me of eating «don» bowls in Japan.
Others on my table ordered the Gyotaku lunch box combo, Combination bento and tofu salad. My friends said great things about the lunch box combo, that featured assorted sushi, tempura, teriyaki chicken, miso soup and salad.
Clean restrooms with a touch of Japanese arts.
Overall, a great time at Gyotaku on King Street.