Tsunami

This place looks like a weird yakuza titty bar from the outside not somewhere I want to go into

I’ve been to Tsunami a handful of times in the past and always had an ok experience. However, my past two recent visits were really great!
After Unilocal’s Sparkle Soirée at the Wedding Ring Shop, my friends and I wanted to continue the fun and somehow ended up Tsunami. When we entered, we were greeted by a loud, rowdy crowd. Apparently, there was an event there for a UH club. We contemplated going somewhere else but then a friendly server came and informed us that it was happy hour ($ 1 Domestics, $ 2 Imports & 50% off appetizers) and led us to an open table. We ordered a few drinks and food items, including calamari, garlic chicken, cold ginger sesame ginger salad, pork chops and ribeye steak. Our drinks and food came out relatively fast, and our server was very attentive and helpful despite the large crowd that was there that night.
A few weeks later, we decided to go to Tsunami again for happy hour. Unbeknownst to us, the happy hour changed since summer started, and it was only 25% off appetizers now. Regardless, we proceeded to enjoy our time together. As usual, we ordered our drinks as well as a bunch of food to share. Again, our drinks and food came out quickly, and we had friendly, attentive servers. Tsunami was relatively empty that night and we all found street parking right in front. We were also able to snag the private room and (attempt to) play darts.
Overall, a good place to go for happy hour with good food, fast service, and friendly, attentive servers.
PS. On our latest visit, our server informed us that they would be closing down the King St. Location on June 9, but are hoping to open at a new location in August.

This place is a 3.5~ Not an exceptionally amazing place, but it does have a rather chill atmosphere when it’s not super crowded.
Comfy couches, artsy paintings, upbeat music, and friendly service! (Thanks, Aaron ^ ^)
The first time I came here, I had the poke ball. I heard it was great, and it definitely was.
The next time I went, it was dead empty, except for a couple of people at the bar.
Got treated to Hello Kitty on the house (one of my favourite drinks that I am embarrassed to admit), which is just like jolly ranchers! & then I tried what I think was Stolichnaya Blueberi. I don’t even know.
Only downside was that the cook didn’t come in that day. So no poke balls for us :(
Parking is a hit and miss, it’s street parking, unless you’re risky, then you can find parking at the Easy Music Centre which is just a mere minute of a walk away from Tsunami.

ATMOSPHERE: Just like any bar/​pupu restaurant, Tsunami’s is very dimly lit with high boy tables, a bar, and lounging areas for bigger parties.
SERVICE: Usually, it’s a really good thing when your server is attentive and checking on you, but I don’t know if it was a good thing or a bad thing this time around. She was very helpful and our drinks/​waters were always full. But when you’re with an old friend and you’re trying to catch up, disruptions aren’t exactly your best friend. Other than that though, service was GREAT.
FOOD: SO GOOD. We actually just got a couple of pupus, the Calamari and the smoked meat & tots. The smoked meat was very, very tender and flavorful. I’ve had a lot of smoked meat in my life, and I must say, that Tsunami’s is definitely on the top of my charts! :) My old manager suggested we get the calamari because there weren’t any «fillers» and her suggestion was SPOT ON. We got hearty pieces of calamari, and calamari only. Not like the calamari you get from Mai Tai’s that only has a few pieces of calamari and then bell peppers and other crap. So good! Just thinking about it is making my mouth water. LOL
OVERALL: I definitely recommend them for happy hour! Our entire bill, which included six beers and two pupus came out to a total of $ 23 without tip! WHATTTTT. Now-​a-​days, that’s unheard of. Plus their good food and good service, this place is a winner for me (and will most likely be a winner for you too).

The bartender at this place literally demanded tip after being incredibly rude, to the point where he yelled at me «WHERES MY TIP!!!» His names Ricky, asked around, nickname is «PRETTY ricky» so good luck with that
TO WHERE HE FELT he deserved a tip after being rude and popping me open a bud light for me.
So if your into undeserved uncalled for abuse and people thinking they deserve tip after ridiculous service GO FOR IT
Although that bartender Kenny was was ridiculously cool, kennies the man!!!#

Came back recently on a Thursday because it was 25% last time I was here (which was like only a month ago) and they told me they no longer offer that discount on Thursdays. BOOOOO.

I’ve probably been to Tsumanis about 5 times or so and I’ve always enjoyed it.
You can park at the garage on the first left after you pass the entrance. Even on a busy night, I’ve never had a problem finding parking in there. And it’s just a short walk across the parking lot to the bar.
The first few times I went to Tsumanis we had a big crowd of 20 people after work and the open space in the center of the bar was plenty of room for everyone, especially if you don’t plan to sit and order food. The music is loud enough that you feel like it could be a dance floor, though I’ve never seen anyone dance. The side booths are comfortable and spacious, but the music is loud enough that it’s hard to talk across the tables.
The first few times I went it was always on Friday after 10 pm, so the place was packed. But, I once went on a Tuesday after work and it was almost empty. I went with a male friend and we grabs a table by the bar and there was about 3 other guys in a separate group. It was so quiet, it felt strange being there. We considered leaving, but my friend said the food was delicious and all of the pupus were ordered were great.
Eventually, they started playing all 90s Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera, which I loved (!), but thought was an interesting choice given the crowd. The bartender laughed, pointed at me and said, «You’re the only female in here, so we’re just trying to keep you happy!».
The atmosphere changes depending on the night, but the food itself is worth a visit. Decent bar, decent prices and good food.

Recently came here for a late Friday night and just loaded up on a couple rum and cokes. Usually I would say parking can be a bitch to find but I got extremely lucky and got a stall right in front. The bartenders were really nice, and the waitresses were cool too. A couple friends and I just played photo hunt (lol) and the rest played darts. It was a good (drunken) time and not super crowded so there was plenty breathing room =]

When i think of Tsunami, i think of younger peeps, upbeat music, sports on wall, art pictures on wall and hot waitress.
I have come to place few times in my life and they have really good service. for medium size bar, they have quite some bartender and waitress. they are always coming by checking if you are OK with your drinks or your food.
They have specials of the day like taco Tuesday where its a $ 1 taco. good deal and they taste great.
They are usually very busy on Friday & Saturday and you should dress to impress. most of the people that comes to this bar looks like they are going out to fancy lounge or club.
Their price of the drink’s aren’t too expensive so feel free to order some shots. don’t forget to ask if they have any special of the day. you might get even better deal on the drinks.
i love the food here and atmosphere so i would come back to this place.

Love this place! Always a good place to come whether you wanna chill or get a little rowdy!
As far as the food, you just can’t go wrong. Everything on the menu is so good, but my favorite is the Poke ball. Crispy rice on the outside cradling a generous portion of fresh poke on the inside.
They have drink specials every night, which you can usually find via social media.

While planning our 20^th High School Reunion, we had a handful of places to choose from, but we decided on Tsunami’s. They gave us a really great price on 4 appetizers and 2 drinks. We met there one night to see the layout, and to of course taste the food. We ordered half regular fried rice and half kim chee fried rice, their pork chops, and their steak… O M G!!! Mouthwatering. The pork chops were cooked perfectly… so juicy and mouth watering.
On the night of the event, we ordered soy beans, fries, fried calamari, pork chops, kim chee fried rice, and steak. We were not disappointed at all. I’d put their food up against home bar and grill and I am a huge fan of home bar and grill.
The layout of the place is great. They have black leather couches which are so comfy, you’d think you were at home or a friends house. They also have bar tables and chairs and they’re spaced out really well. They also have another room where you can have private parties. We didn’t use that room because it was too small. They have 2 dart machines, a digital jukebox which also has a photo booth picture app. My classmates were having a great time with that photo booth. We had about 50 people there and there was still a lot of room to move around. They also have a microphone if you need to use one. OH, oh oh if you have an event there you can even have a slideshow on their t. v’s. Just make sure you have it on a cd/​dvd disc. My classmates were laughing so hard at all of the pictures on the slideshow from high school.
The staff there are very friendly and accommodating!!! They helped make our event so memorable. We had cupcakes and they told us we could put it on the bar. Whatever we needed, they gave us. If you’re thinking of having an event there, another plus is that they don’t start getting busy till 9pm. So we basically had the place to ourselves from 4pm– 9pm. They actually open at 6pm. Oh… and they have valet service.

I have given this place a few tries over the years. Most of the time it’s later at night and there often are a lot of people there. The club/​lounge vibe is definitely not my thing, so take that into account when reading this review. However, I’ve been here in the early evening before & got a decent seat, with good service, and decent food for a reasonable price.
The old Tsunami’s was more of a sports bar on Keeaumoku. When they moved to its current location a few years ago, the menu was tweaked to match the new upscale lounge feel. The menu made another change at the beginning of this year. I haven’t had the food since they latest 2013 change, but prior to that any raw fish dish was a good choice.
It’s a good place to hang with friends for happy hour. That’s when you’ll get the best bang for your buck. I only stop by when other people want to go here. Not my go-​to place.

So let me just start by saying I’m not that «bar» type. I occasionally enjoy a drink or two, and while I don’t know vodka from rum, what I DO love is FOOD. And Tsunami has some gosh darn awesome food! I can’t tell you much about their drinks, but their food was much better than I expected.
Ahi, hamachi poke with avocado salsa was fresh and delicious, and the arare balls added the perfect crunch to this dish. «Beer and Nuts», which are actually pork belly with mac nut pesto in a bao bun, was melt in your mouth yummy! This dish usually comes in a set of 3, but because there were 4 people in our party, they allowed us to add on one extra for an extra charge. This dish was incredibly moist and the mac nut pesto is what pushed it over the top for me. So good. Lemongrass chicken was tasty, however it didn’t have much of a lemongrass taste IMO, however I liked it a lot and would definitely order it again. Veggie poke was a bit slimy for me and a little to tart for my taste, and is the only dish I would not order again.
But wait, that’s not all! I have saved the BEST for last. This one was so good, it has kept me up at night craving it (no, I am NOT pregnant). SHISO FURIKAKE SALMON! Whoa! Salmon is a pretty ordinary food in my book. Whenever I want to «play it safe» I usually order salmon. I always am happy with salmon, but it never really leaves me «impressed» or feeling like, «I just HAVE TO have that again!» But this shiso furikake salmon had me wanting! I swear I could have eaten that entire serving myself, but lucky for my friends, I’m good at sharing ;o) This dish is what probably will bring me back to Tsunami again, despite the fact that it is in essence, a bar (refer back to first sentence of this review).
So if you are like me and not really the bar going type, don’t rule Tsunami out, for there will be plenty for you to enjoy besides the drinks. Go early before it gets crowded. Once the place started filling up and the drinks started flowing, that was my cue to gracefully slip out. I know, I’m boring like that sometimes. Sometimes you just can’t fit a square peg into a round hole: P

closed.

Saw a review by Nadine Kam for Tsunami in the Today section of last Wednesdays news paper, so I was really excited to check out the new food items prepared by Chef Wade.
I rate this place ⁴⁄₅ strictly based on the food since we strictly went here to eat. We found parking easily. It’s $ 3 flat rate in the parking garage around the corner which I didnt think was too bad. The small bar/​lounge was packed, loud and uncomfortably crowded. My boyfriend and I went around 10PM on a Saturday night so it was something I expected. Thankfully, we sat at the last available table (*Note: There are only about 5 – 7 tables to sit and eat at. The rest of the establishment consists of a bar with barely any stools and low-​sitting lounge couches.)
Now for the food:
Besides the set menu, be sure to check out the chef’s special items menu displayed on the colorful board in the middle of the dining area.
Hamachi & Ahi Poke w/​Avocado Salsa & Bubu Arare ($ 15) — Menu Item:
Delicious! I had read the great reviews about this particular dish and I was so pleased to not be disappointed. Normally, I’m not a big Hamachi eater, the fish is too distinctive and oily for my liking. But paired with ahi poke and the avocado salsa, it proved to be a great combination. Presentation was great (see photo). The soft and creamy texture was playfully balanced with the tiny balls of arare. The dish was a little bit spicy which I loved. In it’s entirety, it was amazing.
Poke Lumpia ($ 12) — Special Item:
It was like nothing I’d ever seen before. Poke lumpia? Of course, after cooking, it’s not necessarily poke, it’s more like cooked ahi. But I thoroughly enjoyed it. Presentation of this dish was also spectacular (see photo). Lumpia sat ontop of another kind of avocado salsa/​purée, so tasty! The wrap was light, flaky and crisp. The inside was tender, maybe a little too mushy, but that was also balanced with the crunchy texture of fine diced pickled daikon that topped each dish. In all, I was very pleased.
Bruschetta ($ 7) — Special Item:
Simply put, it was bruschetta, nothing really amazing or out of this world. However, it was really good bruschetta. I liked the fact that the chef uses local food items, like the colorful Ho Farms tomatoes in this dish. The flavor was all there, it was a balanced combination of tomatoes, parmesean and great pesto.
We will probably return every now and then to try the inventive and delicious new items by Chef Wade. Unfortunately, we’re not really big on the «bar-​scene» so we won’t be going too often. Needless to say, I can’t wait until Chef Wade opens up his own place!

So I guess I ordered all the wrong things the first time I tried their new menu.
This time, after reading reviews and getting input from others who have tried the new menu, we ordered:
«Hamachi & ahi poke» avocado salsa, bubu arare — $ 15 —
Super fresh tasting with quality chunks of fish and avo. It was an excellent complementary dish to the the other two richer dishes we ordered.
«Tonkatsu» Twice cooked pork, shredded cabbage, mustard katsu sauce — $ 16 —
Super crispy on the outside and the pork inside was so tender and flaky that it almost fell apart. The cabbage might have been a little overcooked since it was a tad mushy for my liking, but the mustard katsu sauce was unique and delicious!
Grilled ribeye stea served plain or marinated in a chili sauce, mushrooms, onions — $ 20 —
We ordered it plain and medium-​rare. This was by far my favorite dish! The steak was perfectly cooked and seasoned to add flavor but not overwhelm the taste of the meat (which I find marinating to do sometimes). The outside was crisp, and the inside was so JUICY, which I hear is very hard to both accomplish. The sauteed mushrooms and onions were the PERFECT addition to the already delicious steak!
Rice isn’t included in the entrée dishes (I don’t know why not since it’s obviously needed), and they charged us $ 3 per bowl :(. Annoyingly, we ordered it the same time as the rest of the dishes, and somehow it ended up coming out last. It was an agonizing wait while our delicious dishes just stared at us, waiting to be eaten (I cannot eat any kind of meat without carbs).
My same gripe about the portion sizes still run true here; However, with these ‘fancier’, less-​bar-​food-​like dishes, I would say the taste and quality match their prices more than some of their other menu items. And for an item like the steak, which I was completely in love with, the price was actually not bad.
I think for me, after my mediocre first experience with the new menu, this second visit was more about managing my expectations. I mean, Tsunami’s is a classy-​looking place, but they still have dart boards and a ton of TVs broadcasting sports games. I come in classifying it as a sports bar. Of course I would get all crazy with food items well over $ 10! Now coming in seeing it less of a sports bar, and more of a restaurant (that just so happens to serve alcohol), this place can be viewed much better in my eyes.

I don’t mean to be a downer but I don’t get what the big deal about this place is? I barely go to Tsunamis but went recently cause my bf had a gift card. Came around 930ish on a Friday night so it was crowded as expected. But we were able to get a table. Thank goodness cause we had a party of 6. Our service started out slow… menus took forever! Heard there was a new menu so I was excited to try some of the new items. We ordered the french fries with kalbi sauce, kim chee fried rice and the garlic jalapeño shrimp, fried tortilla & mushroom appetizer. Now they all sounded good… but unfortunately, they were all a disappointment!
I realized french fries with kalbi sauce is probably the worst idea ever cause you just end up with soggy french fries :/​Epic fail and bad decision on my part for ordering it.
The kim chee fried rice was okay but nothing special about it. I also thought the portion size was a bit small.
The garlic jalapeño shrimp w/​fried tortilla & mushrooms had a weird presentation. I know they were trying to make it look all fancy schmancy but all I could think of was how do you eat this dish? It was weird and hard to eat. I also wasn’t impressed with the taste. it was just meh.
Okay it doesn’t end there. Not only was food a disappointment but the drinks were pretty weak sauce! Our cran vodkas barely tasted like it had any alcohol. I felt like we were getting jipped!
I understand Tsunami’s is like a hangout spot but like I felt like I could barely have a conversation cause not only are the speakers on blast (felt like I was at a club) but the couches/​seats are like so far apart, you literally have to yell across the table to talk. Not a place to bring someone you’re trying to get to know lol.
I’m sorry for the b*tch and rant, but I’d rather go to Home Bar or Dash. way better service, food & drinks and bigger portions for around same price. Plus you can actually hear each other when talking in there!!!
End rant.

Tsunami is back with a «NEW EXCITING MENU’
What do you get when you combine experience and backing from Hawaiian Islands Brewing, Ginza, Vice, Raging Crag and add Former Long Time Executive Chef Wade from Award Winning Alan Wongs and Chef Jared also formerly from Alan Wongs and Stage Restaurant .
Well let me tell you! You Get A «New Amaze Ballz Menu» with a nice flare.
We came at opening time 6pm and were surprised to see some people waiting to get into Tsunami’s. The word is spreading quickly around town about what is happening here and rightfully so.
Being a «Night Club’ after hours and still serving their new menu food items into the night the seating is not your typical restaurant tables and chairs, just be warned.
Saying that on to the Food we Devoured:
Adobo Pork Chops With A Mung Bean Mash
Perfectly cooked pork chop, flavor was very good. Vinegar seasoning not overpowering, Bean Mash was so good! Wish I had more of it.
«Beer and Nut» Hi-​Beer Braised Pork Belly Bao Buns
This dish had a lot of things going on. The tender pork with ginger, pesto and little heat from the pepper. Three pieces served in a steam basket, well I ate two of them. nuff said…(We Had Two Baskets. I’m not Oinking)
Hamachi Kama
For those of you who don’t eat Hamachi Kama… Don’t start now! More for me…
Ok Ok, lets just say it melts in your mouth and gives you a fish foodgasm! Very moist and skin cooked with a slight crispness.
Grilled Ribeye Steak with Mushrooms, onions and Chili Sauce on the side
Another tender perfectly cooked dish. Loved the sweet onions and the chili dipping sauce on the side.
Kimchee Fried Rice
I was not blown away by this dish, but did enjoy it.
French Fries With Kalbi Sauce
Great picking food. A little sweet but yummy.
Spam Musubi’s Topped With Quail Egg
I know what your thinking…$ 9 For spam musubi’s??? That’s what I thought when I saw the waitress write it on the menu board. Surprise! It’s has to be to me. Hands Down! One of the BEST F*Ckin spam musubi’s I ever ever ate! Just say I could eat this every morning for the rest of my life and die «Happy»!
One more note is that I really enjoyed the local draft HI-​Beer. It was very smooth and a beer that I would order over and over.
*All the servers were «Very Pretty», friendly and attentive.
Parking in rear if you come early enough before opening. Otherwise Street or Valet
Parking.

I’ve drove by this place tons of times but never wanted to go in. Groupon had a deal and I said what the heck and there I was finding myself walking in for my first and wont be my last time as I intend to go back (there is a reason why which I will uncover later).
First impression… very nice atmosphere, people were chillaxing in a lounge type setting. Hip music playing and of course they had their share of nice looking wait-​help. ;) If you’re a guy that is trying to put the moves like Jaggar on with the ladies you better go some where else as there is waaaaaay too many guys than gals up in this place. But that wasn’t the reason why I was here… I was there to try their famous pokeball! Now here is the reason why I have to come back… They were all sold out. Yes I was sick but then again what we did order was pretty good. Typical bar food but it was delicious and the price wasn’t too bad either with the exception that we had to wait a little while to get it. But they do say good things come to those who wait and it was good so I guess I had to wait.
If you want to hang out and play darts they have a side room just for that which is pretty cool.
Parking, you have a choice of trying to find one on the street, if not they have valet service.
Friday and Saturdays is their most crowded I heard but as Aimee N stated in her review they have ways to drag one in during the week. $ 1 shots on Mondays, $ 1 tacos on Tuesdays, $ 1 sushi rolls on Wednesdays, and happy hour all night on Thursdays!
I would of rated them higher but all the street parking was taken and call me cheap, but we had to pay the valet to go in. How can you be out of your number one item on your menu???

I’ve been here before, but not really to eat. So last night i came with a few friends (after a few others had canceled) to celebrate their graduation. I had a Hot Deal $ 25 for $ 50 worth and figured what better time to use this? We came a little before 8, and they were empty. 2 other tables. But most of the tables were reserved. Understandable since everyone is out celebrating elsewhere, but I do know this place gets crowded late at night.
We ordered the poke ball, kalua quesadilla, furukake garlic chicken, and the ahi nachos. I was very surprised to find out the food tasted pretty good. The poke ball was very delicious and i’ve always wanted to try it ever since i’ve seen it on the menu at Hoku’s, but at $ 16 for one ball, i couldn’t afford it, so when it was $ 10 here, it was a must order. The ahi nacho’s were delicious. $ 10. Came with a good amount on top. Next was the garlic chicken. This was a little disappointing. It came out very hot, BUT not crispy at all. That can only mean that it was probably microwaved or something. IDK. And if it was really fried fresh to order, its very disappointing that it didn’t seem that way. The quesadilla’s were pretty good. came with a good amount for the price.
Overall, it was definitely worth it with the coupon we had. I’ll probably buy another one if i ever saw it again.
Since there wasn’t anyone there besides a couple other tables, the service was great. They kept checking up on us, and were very nice.