Iwayama Sushi and Da Big Kahuna Bistro

Excellent Hawaiian and Japanese food

We got sushi, spring roll app, and the Hawaiian pork plate entrée. We also had the coconut cake for dessert. Everything was good but I guess I was expecting more with such great Unilocal ratings. I think the cake was the best part.

This is a pretty small restaurant very cozy. I was expecting more of an upscale but when we got here it was nice and quiet! Quick service and attentive servers! We got their baked mussels and simple rolls. Also tried their Ahi Tuna I thought it was okay I tried one in LA and they had more flavor and also rice. Overall not a bad experience and good food.

We live in Miami. A giant melting pot of cultures and cuisines. Yet, you will not find true Hawaiian food. And this makes me very sad. So whenever we visit the West Coast or Utah/​Colorado, we make it a point to find good Hawaiian food. I
Upon arrival in Denver, we were hungry. A Unilocal search for Hawaiian food led me to this place, so we detoured slightly to get there. We arrived just before the lunch rush and the place was empty. I mean, dead empty. I was questioning my decision to come here, but Kalua pork was calling my name.
Our server was friendly and helpful. He set us up for sushi, but I was there for Ono grindz! We ordered a plate of Kalua pork and a plate of Kalbi. Because we’re fatties, we inhaled every last morsel. Everything was delish! With the Kalbi being the overall favorite. For dessert we had a banana egg roll thingy that was fantastic!
We continued on our planned route to Moab with a full belly and a happy heart!
Until next time!

I love sushi and so when I sopped by Iwayama Sushi last night — it was such a treat. They are more Hawaiian than Japenese. The Sushi bombs and the Juicy Lucy are too die for!!! And you’ll thank me for the garlic chicken. I had too take some of it home along with the dessert. I was stuffed!!! 5 Stats definitely!

I’ve had sushi all over the globe and this is as good as it gets right here. The creativity of dishes and the freshness of fish is outstanding for the mile high city (thank you Fed Ex!!!). Absolutely love the cultural Hawaiian feel. We drive past at least a dozen decent sushi joints to come here. Would love to see ownership add tables and even better, put a location down here in the HR «bubble».

Unique! Not your average sushi place. They are hawaiian! So you can get delicious pork dishes and tacos and then your sushi choices with some twists. Highly recommend the pulled pork!

I’m sorry this place was disappointing, after all the high Unilocal reviews, I thought how can you go wrong? I ordered the garlic chicken which everyone on Unilocal raved about but what I received was a raw mess of what I guess could be garlic chicken. The chicken was very under cooked, I felt like I would get sick, which I didn’t by some miracle. But undercooked chicken, wow, sorry but that where I draw the line.

This was our first time here and it was great. My husband had some sushi and I had the fish tacos. The tacos had a nice white fish and a flavorful home made salsa with a good amount of spice. The sushi was really good too. The pieces of fish were bigger than we’ve had at other places. Service was friendly and attentive. We will definitely be back.
** Edit: just got back from our second dinner her. Still awesome. My husband had more sushi because he loved it so much the first time. I had the burrito which was delicious. Everything was fresh and wonderful. We’ll definitely be back for a third time! :)

The food here is amazing and it never disappoints. The staff is always friendly and on point, no matter how busy they are. Their Garlic Chicken and Coconut Cake is a MUST every time we visit! Try it! Your tummy will thank you!

Sushi is probably my favorite food. When we moved here, I quickly did a Unilocal search. A sushi restaurant nearby with 4.5 stars? Count me in!
It took us a while, but we finally made it. It was a Saturday around 6 so they were busy. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but the tiny interior of Iwyama wasn’t what I had been anticipating. There are probably 12 tables and some bar seats — that’s about it. We’re lucky we got a seat.
We ordered three rolls (Philadelphia, spicy tuna, and California with mango) and the chicken teriyaki, because we had read that it was so good.
The teriyaki came out first. It was good. Not mind blowing, out of this world good, just good. It was on par with other teriyaki I’ve had. The texture was really soft, which was surprising.
The sushi was fresh, that I could tell. I think the Philadelphia was my favorite, followed by the spicy tuna. I didn’t love the California with mango — it was a little spicy, which isn’t really a flavor profile I expected from what I ordered. But whatever, I just wouldn’t get that one again.
Service was great. Our waiter was really nice and gregarious. No complaints there.
So why 3 stars? The sushi took a REALLY long time to come out. I know it’s Saturday and they were busy and the chef was behind. That’s fair enough. But going somewhere and getting half of my food and then having to wait a long time for the rest of it never sounds all that appealing to me personally.
Also, the coconut cake everyone raves about? The table next to us got the last slice.
I know people rave about this place, and I’ve read plenty of reviews saying that the wait here is worth it for them. I can appreciate that! But based on my first experience, it isn’t for me. My quest for amazing sushi in the area continues!

I came here the other night with my boyfriend after seeing the great reviews online. The inside was cozy and the servers were very polite and prompt.
We ordered some sushi (spider roll and po boy roll) and they were quite good, fell apart a little bit delicious none the less. Then we received our entrees and we were both quite disappointed. I order the pork tonkatsu, the sides that came with the dish were ok but the quality of the meat was awful. It was chewy and had tons of tendon, in hindsight I should’ve said something to the wait staff. My boyfriend ordered the chicken teriyaki, again the sides were ok but his chicken as slippery and chewy tasting.
Overall, the service and sushi was great. The quality of the meat for the price you pay for entrees is not worth it. We won’t be back.

The customer service leaves you to hope for more. Unreliable place, it has been numerous times when we would plan to use them for dinner and then be told that no take outs that night. Today I called in to confirm that they are open tonight and the food can be ordered to go, then I called back 4 hrs later to place my order and was informed that there will be no take outs. We had people coming over for dinner… Good food, but service simply SUCKS!!! and they cannot be trusted for any occasion.

When we first saw this place from the outside, I have to admit, we did not expect much. In fact, at first, I thought that we may have come to the wrong place, since nothing indicates the Hawaiian delicacies that can be found inside. However, they can most definitely be found here! This place can satisfy most of your cravings from the Big Island. The Kalua pork is simply amazing! Garlic Chicken looks so good that it should be on a magazine cover. Take a peak at the menu or the pictures for some of the other treats they offer, just try not to drool too much: D With some plate entrées, you may request two half portions of protein instead of one, if can’t make up your mind ;) The staff is extremely helpful and friendly. I would highly recommend!

Had dinner here last Wednesday on a recommendation from a business friend while on a trip to Denver.
I had a California roll and something awesome called the Paradise Roll which was unreal and delicious.
However, for my entrée I had the Teriyaki Chicken and by the far the best Teriyaki Chicken I’ve ever had in my life. Not that I order it that often but it was pure taste. However, the also give you a side of Macaroni Salad which is also out of this world good, I wish I had the recipe it!
Anyways, this place is not huge so get there early but I’ll be back on my next trip to the area.

Wow! Lee and team do it BEST. A+ quality fish, specialty sauces, art, creativity and Lee’s culinary expertise will inspire even the most discriminating sushi connoisseur. Wish we didn’t live so far away from this Littleton gem (Larkspur for us) or we would be weekend regulars! Aloha and Mahalo to Lee and the Iwayama Sushi Bistro Team! Unilocalers will love this place!
Dan & Roberta

This place is legit! The owner is from Hawaii and he has some Hawaii dishes on the menu. You will have to order the fish tacos. It is out of this world !
We also ordered the nigiri kaki katsu (fried oyster) it’s yummy ! I am so glad we found this little corner restaurant that has fresh authentic sushi. love it ! We will come back again for sure.

No one greeted us when we walked in. A couple waitresses motioned us to walk their way in order to be seated. Food is excellent without a doubt. Our service was really good. Our waitress checked on us at the right time each time. The sushi chefs must’ve been having a bad day. Everyone behind the sushi counter had a stoic and almost unwelcoming look. Not sure if they were concentrating too hard or whatever. Everything we ordered was excellent. Everything from sushi to salad and everything else was good. This place is definitely good but a further drive for most people. As many people said prices are definitely on the higher end. I’m stuck in the middle cause the beginning and end of meal wasn’t memorable but we might make another go around in the distant future.

One step into Iwayama and you’ll feel like you walked into an episode of Cheers. The first hello and smile you’ll get is from owner and chef Lee-​San. Lee pretty much knows every one of his customers by name.
Lee’s not your typical sushi chef — He is decked out with heavy duty protective eyewear (why wouldn’t he be??), a smile plastered to his face, constantly multi-​tasking, and engaging in conversation with someone at the sushi bar the whole time.
Ask for a recommendation and he might tell you to try the Juicy Lucy — a half pound burger filled with american cheese, grilled onions, tomatoes, and lettuce. Wait, where am I again? That’s right, about every 15 minutes in between making rolls you’ll hear Lee call up for a Juicy Lucy. He says you should see the young baseball players come in after a game for a burger and to see their face light up when they see the burger is bigger then their face.
One thing Lee brings to the table is his heritage from Hawaii and their fresh Wahoo. In fact, he drizzles a pesto over the top and serves it sashimi style. No wasabi needed my friends. Just sit back and let the flavor explosion start as you realize this is not your average sushi joint. In fact, Lee has his fish flown in fresh from Hawaii — one thing you’ll immediately notice as you go from fish to fish, and fish to fish — oh the fish!
The specialty rolls will blow your mind. At about $ 15 a roll you’ll be happy you tried them. I can’t even tell you what the secret sauce was on some but it made me speechless.
Back to the burger — they do an ⁸⁰⁄₂₀ combo and mix the meat themselves — nothing frozen here friends. After making a ¼ patty they add 2 slices of american cheese, then add another ¼ patty on top and mold that baby together. I wish I could keep this a secret but it legitimately made my list of top 10 burgers I’ve ever had. The bun — good. The beef — good. The grilled onions — good. The cheese rolling down your face — gooooooood.
Concluding thoughts — save a few bucks every week and take your wife here for a date night every week. A happy mouth + a happy wife makes a great life.

I don’t want to add my glowing review for Iwayama, because then it’ll be busier every time I go there.
But… Sigh… I have to.
It’s a gem of a find in an unassuming strip mall in suburban Littleton.
I love the Chirashi (see photos) … Lunch is around $ 14 and Dinner is $ 21.50. Right in line with where it should be.
Hubby liked his Salmon Teriyaki too, and since he isn’t a huge Mac Salad guy… BOOM! I get the Mac Salad! Can’t beat it.
This past time, we tried the Banana Egg Rolls for dessert. YUM! Bananas and White Chocolate fried in egg roll skins (they weren’t wonton wrappers, more like spring rolls) and served over Vanilla Ice Cream with Chocolate Syrup.
Yes, Please!
Try Iwayama for Lunch or Dinner… You won’t be disappointed… But promise me you won’t tell anyone else how great it is!