Asuka Nabe + Shabu Shabu

There are a lot of shabu shabu places in Honolulu, so it’s takes something special for them to stand out. Asuka is one of the standouts. The décor isn’t anything special, but you’re probably not going to go up to Waialae for fancy décor, what matters is the food.
While Asuka has a few sides and other dishes on the menu, the main focus is shabu shabu. They have all the usual meats, vegetables, and other ingredients, which you can order in sets or ala cart. Nothing too unique there, but the quality is good and the prices aren’t bad. What really sets Asuka apart though is the broths. They have an extensive selection, a number of which are very different and unique (though most are only available on the dinner menu). On my visit, we tried the Rainbow Mushroom and Herb broth (a vegan option with a bit of an Italian flavor) and the Hiroshima Lemon broth. Both were excellent, and I especially liked the Hiroshima Lemon. Personally, I never would have thought of using a lemon honey broth for shabu shabu, but it works surprisingly well. I also have to mention the dipping sauces, all of which were fantastic.
The servers were friendly at attentive as well, making for an all around enjoyable experience. I don’t know if I’d call Asuka my favorite shabu shabu restaurant, but it’s definitely high on the list and I’m already looking forward to my next visit.

Recently became addicted to this place. I love hot pot/​nabe! I haven’t tried the other broths yet but Asuka’s spicy broth is what makes me come back here. I also like how the sets come with a variety of veggies & seafood & meats. Price is reasonable and it’s BYOB! One of my fav nabe places :)

We like to eat out in the Kaimuki neighborhood so we wanted to try this place. The food and service were both good. My kids love that we can cook on the table like we did when we visited japan. I like the fact there are two hot pots on the table so we can do both Shabushabu or nabe at the same time. My family did a vegetarian Nabe and our friend enjoyed meat loaded Shabushabu.
The only thing we didn’t like about this place was that it can get loud. The booth next to us was getting really drunk. I guess Japanese people like to drink over Nabe and relax but it was too much to be seated next to. The restaurant should use sound panels so the noise should not echo so much.
But we will probably go back for the food. Next time we will probably go earlier in the evening to avoid the drunk people.

My all-​time FAVORITE shabu shabu spot! Sorry Sweet Home Café, you’ve been replaced.
The first time we came, we ordered one of the sets, thinking it would be cheaper. But with the way we eat, it was definitely not cheaper. We find it better if we just order items from the menu a la cart.
I’ve only tried one soup base — the spicy garlic paitan. And with their okinawan noodles, chinese cabbage, ribeye steak, meatballs, and onions. you’re set! We always leave here extremely full, after spending only about $ 45 for two people. They also refill your soup base if you decide to bring home your leftovers :)
Parking may be a headache but if you can’t find any street parking, park in the lots across the street by Via Gelato and Hale Vietnam area.

My husband and I ordered Kobe and kalbi. Too much food but we ate them all! Good meat! And good service! Def coming back!

Asuka is located at the corner of 12^th and Waialae in Kaimuki. There are a few stalls of street parking on the street in front of the restaurant. You can also park in the lots around 12^th Ave. or on Center St. and take a short walk over.
Asuka Nabe is one of my favorite hot pot places. Their broths are tasty and their meats don’t taste like they’ve been frozen for 10 years. Their combo meals are very reasonably priced with a good amount of food in them. I do wish they had a better selection of sauces to dip the meat in. I like to get the Kalbi Short Rib with either the House or the Spicy Garlic Paitan broth.

A great place to eat on a rainy cold night in Hawaii. My favorite is Asuka Nabe @asukanabe
The owner love his restaurant so much he actually greets you and seat you. If you have 4 or more you can make reservations.
Very busy place.
…
#asuka #nabe #asukanabe #beef #shabushabu #beef #beeftongue #byob #cheapeats #noodles #gyoza #vegetables #tofu #pumpkin #cabbage #bestofhawaii #bestofhawaiibykalani #waikiki #waialae #beautiful #island #life #hawaii #aloha

This was my first review at Asuka while waiting to be seated:
«3 stars for their great food. 2 missing stars for their lack of courtesy.
Growing up on culture and manner, we tend to make it a point to say sorry when necessary or thank you, excuse me, etc. I was charging my phone, while one of the servers walks through and disconnects my cord from the wall with her feet. She can’t even look back and say sorry. Did it again right after.
2^nd incident happens when one of the male waiters took the fan away from my mom and I at our waiting area. Cmon brah… It’s hot here and my nipples are perspiring.
Anyways, I hate complaining so I’ll stop there. If you like healthy hot pot with bottomless rice, come here.
Peace»
This is my current review:
My favorite restaurant hands down, in Honolulu.

My friends and I showed up at Asuka at 5:45pm on a Saturday night to a full restaurant and an hour wait. We were so bummed because we really wanted to eat some hot pot, but then we were told that if we would be done by 7, we could eat now because someone had a reservation at 7! I was very pleased with this service of trying to accommodate us for dinner because you can’t make reservations for parties under 4 people.
We ordered quickly and our food came out in great time. We ordered the Asuka spicy soup with bok choy, tofu, udon, Kal bi, and enoki mushrooms. It’s a given that anything you order that’s going into the pot will taste great.
Asuka never disappoints and if you want to be seated in good time on the weekend, I recommend rounding up four of your friends and making reservations early!

Came here for dinner our last night in Oahu, around 8 on a Saturday night. I expected there to be a wait so when they quoted us a 10 – 15 min wait time I wasn’t surprised nor did I mind.
Shabu Shabu is one of my favorite foods and I usually prefer having it at home. That was before Asuka. Let me say this is the best Shabu Shabu I’ve ever had!!! And the game-​changer was the broth. They have many options, but we went with their namesake the Asuka Classic which was a chicken broth with milk, honey, and miso. After ordering the initial plate of meat & vegetables, we got 2 additional orders of meat (for three people) and some more greens and vegetables of our choosing. Three adults ate to our hearts content for under $ 100 total! Doesn’t get better than this. I just wish I didn’t have to travel all the way to Hawaii to have this again…
Just talking about it is making me crave it. Well done, Asuka.

So my mission and goal for Asuka is to try every single broth. Yes, let me repeat myself, every single broth. So far, I’ve tried the Asuka Classic, sukiyaki, paitan, wafu, and tonight the asuka spicy broth. It gets me so excited to try and knock down all the different broths here!
By far, Asuka is my favorite restaurant for shabu shabu. The service is always great, I’m in love with their multigrain rice, and I’ve repeatedly gotten good and fresh portions of their kalbi short rib, pork, and gyu tan! They also have a great assortment of sauces and garnishes which is a major plus! Another thing that I love, BYOB! I’m not an alcoholic by any means, but I do enjoy the option of bringing in my own beer or wine to enjoy with the meal.
Rainy days seem to always give me the itching for Asuka and so far, I’m scratching! I love this place and their delicious, rich, deep broths, along with their quality meat and veggies. I can, and will always go out of my neighborhood to venture out here when I’m craving some shabu shabu. And every friend I’ve brought so far, they’ve enjoyed it as well! So please give this place a try!

You can’t go wrong with the Asuka Classic Soup base — it’s their namesake and has a history spanning 1,300 years. It contains honey, miso, milk, and chicken broth and it tastes phenomenal!
The menu may be overwhelming if it’s your first visit, so just keep it simple and order by the steps:
1) Choose your set (meat, seafood, or vegetable platters). We selected the USDA Choice Ribeye Select beef for $ 24.95. It also includes a small platter of assorted vegetables, udon noodles, soft tofu, and homemade gyoza.
2) Rice? Choose from white or multi-​grain.
3) Choose your base. Like I said in the beginning, you can’t go wrong with selecting Asuka Classic for an extra 2.95. It is so flavorful and I highly recommend it!
4) Order additional servings of meats, vegetables, bases, or flavors. We ordered sides of Baby Bok Choy and Shitake Mushroom.
Our server remembered me from my last visit (first time customer) with friends last week. She’s really nice! She even remembered the base I liked last time and had pointed it out on the menu today. She also advised that what we ordered this time would be perfect for the two of us in our party (we over ordered last time).
Excellent choice vegetables and meats. I’m really particular about meat, and the display of the beef we ordered looked fresh. Overall our shabu shabu meal was fantastic! We will be coming back for more!
There’s a public parking lot behind Hawaiian First Bank. The fee was only $ 1.50 (cash only).

Cool spot and really fun experience! I wouldn’t buy the premium priced meats because you’re basically boiling them and slathering delicious sauces all over them. Udon was off the chain
Great waitstaff and BYOB!

After a long day of posing as… THE Serena Van der Woodsen for pictures on the beach, I decided to try out this shabu shabu place, with Blair, Chuck, Nate and Dan! Their service was super polite and super friendly. The best thing about this was the variety! We got to customize everything, from the many different types of meat, to the many tasty and unique types of soup bases! I really recommend anything spicy for the soup base because it makes the meat taste just taste heavenly! I can’t wait to come back with Lily and Eric next time!
–xoxo the real gossip girl

Came back again with great friends, and had an even better experience!
We ordered the same broths as before, Classic Asuka and Spicy Umakara, and both had the same great taste and quality. The meats we ordered (Kalbi, Gyutan, Rib Eye, Pork, Chicken, Lamb, Tsukene Chicken, Shrimp) were all super fresh, well-​prepared, and very well-​portioned. Yes, we ate a LOT. :) Everything was just so delicious that it’s tough to not order everything on the menu!
The service for this instance was excellent from when we first entered the restaurant till we left. Every single person was friendly and the servers were very, very attentive. They always glanced at our table each time they walked by. Our broths were refilled and our waters were frequently refilled even before half empty. We even received chilled wet towelettes during our meal to cool off because it was hot. Our server explained to us that the building’s electrical system is too old and isn’t able to handle high power outputs, so the ACs aren’t able to efficiently maintain the place at a cool temperature. Apparently, this place and all the other tenants in that building have been waiting almost a year for approval from Hawaiian Electric to upgrade the system. Yup, that sounds about right. I thought the temperature was fine, and you are sitting extremely close to two pots of broth that is boiling like crazy.
We brought some beers this time, and they give you a standalone ice bucket! BYOB FTW!
Anyway, absolutely love this place, and already thinking about the next visit!

Seriously the best of both hot pot worlds — combine nabe broth with shabu shabu sauces and you’ve created what I would consider foodie heaven.
Food wise, here’s what went down:
— Asuka Nabe: It was a touch on the sweet side.
— Spicy Umakara Nab: LOVE. Couldn’t have enough of it.
— Gyoza: Must must must order. Get two orders. Find the room in your stomach!
— Beef was excellent
— Sausage was excellent too.
— Meatballs were fan-​freaking-​tastic. Get extras.
— BYOB: Brought my leftover sake from a previous dinner and some beer.
— Mixed grain rice is also not to be missed. I am frankly glad I had to share it with our table, otherwise I would have filled up on rice alone.
— Udon = spectacular.
Ambiance-​wise, be prepared to get hot after awhile, especially sitting on the inside (not facing the walk way), you tend to get a steamy face bath if the fire gets too hot.
Service was just alright. They forgot our extra order of sausage and we had to yell (it gets noisy in there) to get someone’s attention.
There was also a pretty long line growing out the door as it got closer to 7pm. Glad we managed to get a reservation.
I miss this place already.

I am addicted to hot pot/​shabu shabu/​whatever you call it. Typically I will have hot pot at least once every two weeks. In the «colder» months I’ve been known to have it as much as 4 times a week!
Asuka is definitely one of my favorite places to have hot pot. All the broths are delicious (I especially like the spicy garlic paitan –additional $ 4 charge) and the service is always top-​notch! Their lunch special is one of the best deals around and it’s really really filling!
For dinner I tend to order the Kabi & Pork or just Kalbi short rib combo. I get the Gokoku-​mai (mixed grain rice) but only eat a few bites because I get too full from all the veggies and meat and soup! If I’m starving I’ll add a side order of tofu and enoki mushrooms. And maybe napa cabbage. And then usually I have to much food and will have left overs.
Hot pot is the only thing I eat where I will have left over meat because I’m so busy eating all my veggies first. Because I like to cook my meat one slice at a time (instead of dumping it all in at once) when dining with a group it’s possible you will run out of table space to put all the dishes. Especially if you order extra side dishes.
Oh and another reason I love Asuka is that they are BYOB! Woohoo! Here’s a tip that fellow Elite Jacob N taught me: if you have an extra beer or some sake you can pour it right into your broth! It’s yummy!

Lunch set was cheap but the broth and the sauce were just mediocre. Nothing to write home about
The portion was generous but the quality of the meat was not as good as the ones we have in California
I was surprised the place actually got 4 + stars

My bf and I absolutely love Asuka. It’s one of our favorite places to eat hot pot. What makes this place one of our favorites is their asuka broth. It’s so damn good my belly is weeping right now because I’m not at Asuka at this very minute. My bf and I usually get the asuka set, which we split and order extra items, such as meat, mushrooms, gyoza, and veggies. This allows us to get a variety of items while getting extra of what we personally like. At Asuka, they offer regular rice and multigrain rice. Never… and I say never order regular rice. Stick to the multigrain rice. Trust!
Asuka is byob and doesn’t offer desserts like other hot pot places but thats really no big deal. Bring you own liquor or hit up a bar such as Brewd before or after your meal. If you’re dying for dessert, head over to Via Gelato or Aloha Crepes which is next door. Parking can be difficult since Kaimuki has tons of eateries crammed into a few blocks so cross your fingers if you’re heading there during peak times. My bf and I go around 8 so parking and seating is a breeze.

This was my first time here at this place. We met up with sistah Jennifer S. and her friend Randi and sat down to some grinds after a exciting UH volleyball game.
We had the Kalbi and chicken set that came with some veggies, tofu, udone, and pork dumpling and chose the sukiyaki broth.
I dont know what dipping sauce I had but it was the one in the middle: D with green onions and that other stuff. It turned out to damned too! When that sukiyaki sauce reduced a little it started to carmelize and it was killer over the rice.
We didn’t wait long to be seated and soon after we were ordering our food.
Customer service was friendly and our water was always topped off when it went low.
The place looked small from where we were seated but the seating goes pretty far back. The only thing is the tables are small to accommodate the burners and your meats and stuff even with a little fold up table on the side.
You can park at the Bank of Hawaii parking lot for $ 2.00. Take the left before the bank going Diamond Head. If you take the left after, you’ll be on a one way trip up the hill and have to come back down on Sierra Drive. Mahalo sistah Jennifer for turning us on to this place!