Nanzan GiroGiro

Excellent! Took three others for dinner and all were impressed with the service, food, aesthetics and creativity. I can’t wait to go back for a different menu. The entire staff are great and the chef is impressive.
とても素晴らしいご馳走です.

I am a little torn about what to rate this place because there were elements I really liked but ultimately, for the price, the quality of the restaurant does not meet up to expectations.
1) The food is good. There were things from the Jan 2016 menu that really stood out to me and the proteins were cooked extremely well. However, there’s a lot of cold/​hot elements in some of the dishes, which means you get tepid food. As good as it tastes, no one really enjoys half-​warm/​half-​cold food.
2) The presentation is playful. There’s a lot of personality and color from the different pottery pieces. A staff member even pointed out the head chef’s favorite one and his own. They do make eating the food a little awkward at times.
3) The main for Jan 2016 had slices of beef atop the dish. It was assembled in front of me by one staff and then, presented by another. Somehow, they both missed that my dish had ½ the amount of beef compared to my partner’s. It was glaringly obvious, at least to me, and I felt a little cheated since the meal was around $ 130 and you don’t get giant portions.
4) The staff was friendly, knowledgeable, and fast workers. They knew the menu and explained it very well. Still though, it’s a little off-​putting that we interacted with 4 – 5 different staff members and they all repeatedly asked us if we wanted dessert, which we answered affirmatively each time.
It was a fine meal but definitely overpriced for the overall quality. There are Tokyo and Paris branches that offer a more seasonal rotation of ingredients. The Hawaii is too temperate so the chef uses the same ingredients and mixes up the flavors/​methods.

If you are a big eater, double your orders. This is a place to TASTE the foods, me and my husband come once a month, because they change their menu monthly. Serves always good, foods most of the time surprised me! Parking just right outside the door. Make sure you call for a reservation!

I enjoyed all dishes of December 2015. Especially I loved SHIRAKO TEMPURA and UNAGI dishes.
–1 star, because the MATCHA was not hot enough. Other than that I was very happy.
I definitely be back soon! GOCHISO SAMADESHITA!

My delicious meal here was one of the most pleasing to all my senses that I have ever had. The flavors are so delicate and full of depth. I’m not a chef nor do I fully understand flavor concepts, but I was amazed by the multiple layers of flavors. Each component on the dish is well thought out and has its purpose. I’m a photographer so I am a visual person. Each dish was presented amazingly well. Loved it.
Kaiseki style with six prefixes courses, their menu changes monthly. Each course is presented well-​timed, one by one with a description of its ingredients. It’s not only about great tasting food here. It’s about the whole experience.

We went here last night with my wife; booked the restaurant 2 nights in advance. This is our second time here, once again with the prefix menu and the food was super super good. The price was really really reasonable, A little over $ 100 for 2 people. The fresh fish everything was good please check out the pictures — cannot describe or remember every dish description. But every dish was good. They do change up the menu from time to time, last time 1 — 2 dish was just alright. This time every dish was pretty darn good.
Love the atmosphere, they set it up in a big square layout with all the chefs in the center and you can watch them as they prepare and cook your meal.
Would definitely recommend to others and come back.

I was very excited to find this kaiseki restaurant while on vacation in Honolulu in Sept 2015 – I am always looking for new kaiseki restaurants, and this is one of my favorites. At $ 58 for a 6 course meal (starter, soup, oshinogi, main, hashiyasume, soup/​rice), it is quite a steal.
Food: Delicious and inventive. I won’t dwell on it much, considering the food selections are already chosen for you, but some of the dishes deserve some recognition, including the miso black cod in foie gras sauce (one of the best uses of foie gras ever!) and the duck in green onion sauce, which my fiancé calls the best duck he’s ever had. I also highly encourage the $ 8 optional dessert course trio, which had an apple ginger macaroon that surpasses all macaroons I’ve had except for Laduree in Paris.
Parking: We circled the area a couple of times before realizing there were a couple of spots right in front of the restaurant that could fit maybe 4 cars as long as you’re within the white line.
Service: I can’t believe how down-​to-​earth everyone was. Shout-​outs to Brandon Hu (?) and Emma (?) for being such gracious hosts and to the chef who could be seen jumping in peoples’ pictures while balancing answering the phone and plating dishes spectacularly.
We came on a Monday night, and nearly all the seats were taken, so definitely make reservations ahead of time.

It was ok. The food was not bad and the service was excellent. I just feel it wasn’t a match for me and my group. If you’re really into the gastronomical experience of watching your meal being prepped, fancy bowls and dishes, exotic ingredients prepared in eccentric ways and plated beautifully in front of you then you will love this place.
If you’re looking to eat delicious food in larger portions than your fist then I would not recommend this place. It was defiantly a great one-​time experience.

This is now one of my husbands favorite places. For a guy who normally won’t eat anything that he doesn’t recognize, he eats everything here, sometimes even some of mine.
We’ve gone so often that now Danni and Ku know us by name. They both provide excellent service and are great at reciting the dish that they are serving.
They were kind enough to let us know that they will be closing for three weeks next month. So if you’re planning to taste their November menu you need to go before the ninth.

Love everything about Nanzan Giro Giro. If you want to really impress friends, family, or a date, this is the place.
The atmosphere is like an art gallery, the walls are all bare but the different tea cups and bowls are in displays. You are seated with others at a long bar, which is my only complaint but it’s still comfortable enough. You can watch all the chefs and servers do their thing and everyone is extremely cheerful and accommodating. Service really can’t get any better.
This was my second time, all the courses were delicious and flavors worked well together without over powering each other. Everything was fresh and prepared perfectly. If you come this month, October, be prepared to taste yummy foie gras, butter fish, and duck… Amazing.
The prefix menu changes every month and they use in season ingredients. You can tell the chef really cares what he prepares for his customers. You won’t walk away super stuffed but definitely will have a conversation about how much you enjoyed the different dishes on your drive home.
It’s defiantly a must.

The Good:
+ Where in the HELL else can you get a MODERN KAISEKI for SIXTY bucks? In San Francisco it costs more money to use a public restroom.
+ Mad respect for focusing on AVAILABLE SEASONAL ingredients. Sure you can bitch about not having caviar with your amuse bouche but keep in mind the value proposition here.
+ Mad respect for having a monthly rotating menu.
+ Immaculately run kitchen translates to immaculately prepared dishes translates to consistent delivery translates to perfect execution and timing. I’d eat off the floors.
+ There is a freaking art gallery in the back of the restaurant if you are feeling posh.
+ Probably the highlight of my trip! GiroGiro is a beast of its own. It has a very unique and distinct identity which fits a very niche market. I was very satisfied.
The Not So Good:
— Wine pairing quality was mediocre, but could be considered a good value. It is a supplemental $ 25 to have a pairing.
— You may leave a little bit hungry if you have a large appetite like me. But just ask Ku for suggestions!
Bottom Line:
Great value for a fixed menu dinner. Definitely excited that they change their menu monthly. Your mileage may vary, but our set was definitely delicious. Chef Ku was incredibly friendly, personable, and knowledgeable on local gems. Impressed by his ability to keep up with our foodie /​wine banter and provide recommendations all while juggling a full dinner service.

A very different experience, for sure.
I went at around 7:30, and I didn’t have any problems with parking. Very large glass windows around the restaurant gave it the modern feel, along with its exposed kitchen to complete the look. The staff had a very organized way of working, where one would switch from serving dishes to washing dishes, and so on. They were very attentive and detail-​oriented. Our server explained the dishes in both English and Japanese. Great customer service.
The food was very good. Their monthly changing menus is a unique touch. Well rounded dishes that compliment each other. Very fun place to try if you’re looking for a little twist from your typical dinner. However, I was a little disappointed with the taste. The dashi they used was good. But, some were a little too sweet or a little too salty. The somen was overcooked. The combination of toppings and the main was too salty. Small things here and there were a bit too flavorful, losing the overall delicate taste you would find in exquisite kaiseki.
Tl;dr: fun place to try. Modern kaiseki is interesting.

Parking still bad, even worse than two years ago since there are new stores. Circled around once and was able to get a spot in front. Don’t let the bad parking stop you from eating here. This is a farm to table japanese prefix restaurant with an open kitchen concept. They prepare just the right amount of ingredients for the number of reservations. It’s amazing to watch the staff work in unison, cleaning the bowls and utensils after each course.
The chef here is amazingly creative with the use of ingredients. We’re not a big fan of wasabi as it’s overused and ends up overpowering flavors. The chef here subtly uses ingredients for flavoring but nothing overpowers, just enhances the main ingredients. We couldn’t taste any wasabi in any of the dishes that contained them. Also who’d ever think to use lime zest on butterfish to enhance the flavor of the fish? The highlight of the meal was the chef’s creative use of foie gras with walnuts and edamame.
The food here is great. Two years ago, we sat down and we were served. Now there is a menu showing what will be served but the only thing to order from the menu is their drink selection. Any allergy requests are asked during the time of the reservation.
Enough about the food, let’s talk about the open kitchen concept and the staff. Each staff takes turns describing each dish served. Some are more communicative on a personal level than others. We got talking to one of the staff members named Ku Seitz and he wrote down a bunch of restaurants to try out that were his favorites as well as staff favorites. He talked about his recent trip to CA and the places he visited as well as some amazing restaurants he went to. He recommended several places that were not on our list but have all been good thus far. We remember him from two years ago and again he was training a newbie, everything from how to hold and pour a bottle of sake to how to hold, present, and serve each entrée. We could tell he’s really passionate about the food there and have picked up tricks he was sharing with us since his time from working there.

Quite an experience for an omakase!
Great use of local ingredients and infusing a lot of unique takes on common flavors. Everything was delicious. Expect to be constantly pleasantly surprised throughout your meal.
The staff were very knowledgeable of the menu, and was able to answer all the questions that we had. They were also good with recommending drinks to go with our omakase.
It’s $ 58 for a five-​course omakase. You also have an option for adding dessert for $ 8 — a nice touch since not everyone likes dessert after an omakase! This is an amazing deal considering how beautiful and delicious the experience was.
The cute china/​pottery that they used are amazing.

Very interesting n delicious omakase tasting. They change the menu every month. Decent amount food for the price compare to other omakases in NYC area. Would highly recommend. Price is $ 58 for 6 courses plus $ 8 for dessert.

Very good food. Complimentary flavors and textures. Modern Kaiseki style and the menu changes monthly, $ 58 pp. Dessert is $ 8 extra. Service is excellent. The service staff explains every course thoroughly. There is however, an «assembly line» feel to the service maybe due to the fact that the tables around me were all being served at the same time. Also, there was a feeling of being rushed. We were sat at 6:00 and the checked was dropped at 7:20.
The portions are artfully prepared but they may be considered small if you are an above average eater. Good thing there is a Ramen shop next door because you may need it.

I love kaiseki, so my boyfriend took me here for the first time for my birthday as a surprise. I was very pleased with his choice! The meal was absolutely delicious and the service was great. Seating is at a bar that surrounds the cooking area, so you get to watch the meal be prepared, which is entertaining. Oddly, they offer a wine pairing, but not a sake pairing with the meal; however, they obliged my request for sake pairings. The first sake they suggested was delicious and I wish I had written down the name of it! The complaints I have are quite minor: the sound system was bad (I think it was an iPod dock) and the bathroom was kind of shabby (but clean).

There are only a few places that I make it a point to go to regularly, and even fewer where I make my next reservation before leaving for the night. Nanzan GiroGiro is one of them. This is why I’ve chosen to write about Nanzan GiroGiro for my milestone 300^th Unilocal review.
OH YEAH!
+ Amazingly delicious food
+ Skillfully crafted dishes
+ Fresh high quality ingredients
+ Excellent service
+ A new menu every month
+ Unique dishware
+ Free parking
+ Well-​rounded sake selection
OH NO!
— Closed every Tuesday and Wednesday :(
— A new menu every month
OH MY?!
~ Whenever I drink my sake, there is a little man staring at my face…
Kaiseki: A traditional multi-​course Japanese set menu dinner of select food served to each member of a gathering.
Tucked away in the mini warehouse district between Ala Moana, and Kaka’ako on the corner of Pensacola and Kona st. is a modern looking restaurant with large, nearly floor to ceiling glass windows facing the streets. At night, when all the other surrounding businesses are closed for the day, the lights shining out of these large glass panes serve as a beacon for diners. This shining beacon amidst the darkened neighborhood is Nanzan GiroGiro.
As diners enter the well lit restaurant from the dark street outside, they are greeted with a robust chorus of «Irrashaimase!» as is the custom at Japanese restaurants. Most of the seats in the restaurant are at their large counter surrounding the open kitchen at the heart of the restaurant. There is also a small dining room towards the back, ideal for larger parties, or for those who want a bit more privacy as they dine. I’ve never actually eaten back there before, but I’m not sure that I would want to. You just can’t beat the experience of watching the chef and staff doing their thing.
Chef Yoshihiro Matsumoto was born, raised and trained in Japan, but came to Hawaii to create these freshly delectable pieces of art as the head Chef of Nanzan GiroGiro. Chef Matsumoto likes to make use of locally sourced ingredients other more exotic ingredients to create flavorful dishes unique to Hawaii. The dishware that are used to serve this unique food are also something to take note of. They are hand crafted by Nanzan, then namesake of the restaurant. In the waiting area by the Kona Street entrance to the restaurant is also a mini gallery of some of Nanzan’s work.
The service here is outstanding. The servers are friendly and knowledgeable. These skilled servers not only server your dishes to you, but inform you of what each dish is comprised of, and they can also be seen helping with some of the dish preparations, and even washing dishes in the open kitchen.
The menu changes on the last Thursday of every month, so I won’t go into any specifics as to the kinds of dishes there are, but there is always a wonderful variety of ingredients, flavors and textures with each changing menu. You will definitely notice the seasonal differences if you eat there enough. I also mentioned that this ever-​changing menu is both a blessing and a curse because while the menus are always fresh and unique, once the month is over, it’s gone forever. This is a curse when you eat something so wonderful and you know that you probably won’t get to have it again. But I guess it’s this impermanence is part of the Japanese aesthetic which makes these dishes, like the sakura in Japan, so precious.

Kaiseki in an assembly line? Really, that’s how I felt. The restaurant is in a semi-​industrial area. The seating were set for 30 minute reservation slots. And the chef and crew move in the assembly line fashion. They got the operation down to the tee and perfection. My husband and I came here for our anniversary dinner and it was definitely the perfect choice. The atmosphere was nice, we got to enjoy and watch as our meal was prepared. $ 58 for a 7-​course kaiseki and $ 8 additional for dessert. Here was the line up for the December menu:
1) Uni and ahi over egg tofu
2) Snapper and monkfish liver soup
3) Saba with spinach
4) Foie gras and water chesenut tempura
5) Short rib with egg plant
6) Black code miso soup
7) Cabbage tsukemono
8) Dessert — cinnamon macaroon, strawberry ice and sweet potato cake
The only complaint that I got was that our seventh course was just a pinch of cabbage tsukemono, which I totally missed and didn’t know it was our last course. However, I enjoyed every single dish as to its taste and presentation. The staffs were also well mannered and knowledgeable.
My husband said that since they change their menu every month, we are limited to just coming here 12X a year, but I told him that according to Unilocal check-​ins, some people dine here over 40x already. So his math is off. Hahahahahaa… Definitely would want to come back and try another month’s menu.

Very intimate interaction with supreme authentic Japanese food!
As they change their menu every month, you will probably encounter completely different menu, however I am quite positive that your experience will be more than language can describe! Thus I won’t put too much details for each course, you can simply look at the pictures to get a general idea.
Another highlight for the night was the utensils they use for food presenting and plating! According to the chef, some of the ceramics are designed and made in Kyoto specifically for this restaurant! Very unique! The little guy Ikanji San will always accompany you through the dinner!
Another thing I indeed appreciate is that they follow a very traditional way to serve Macha, known as 茶道, exactly what I have learned in Kyoto!
I would love to come back every month!