Hoku

The food is great!!! The staff is really friendly. But it’s a little expensive, about 22−25e for a main dish. You should reserve a table beforehand.

Flavor of food was great. I tried three dishes and all felt light and healthy. My friend said Pork with shrimp and rice dish was one of the best he has ever tried.
It’s very small so you might have to sit with others at the same table. Lunch is around € 11 – 14. Not cheap considering the fact that you can find plenty of buffet for € 10 in the city.
Try it if you want something healthy flavorful.

Very good Asian inspired food from fresh local ingredients. Super tasty and beautifully presented. Works both for lunch and dinner, bookings advised for evenings.

I was on the hunt for some good asian food while visiting Helsinki recently and came across this gem of a spot. What I liked was the Asian fusion mix of food — there were some Hawaiian influences and also some great Japanese ones. I had a plate of teriyaki salmon that was cooked about as perfectly as one could get; light, flaky and moist and totally flavorful. The teriyaki was not overpowering– it was perfectly balanced with the rest of the dish and was a great partner. The slaw and salad that went along with it were perfect — the crispy veggie slaw added a whole level of «umami» to the whole thing. The waitstaff were extremely attentive and friendly too, and overall this made the whole experience great. I must also add that it was not terribly expensive, and the portions and the quality were perfect. I will go back there.

The food is so good here. Salmon teriyaki and bi bim bap are my favorites. And salmon tataki has tasty dressing.
People working here are friendly and they know what they are selling.
Would recommend to reserve a table for a bigger group. Time to time 2 can fit in to the window seats even fully booked restaurant.

Went here for my birthday dinner and I have to say the whole experience was great. The portion sizes are generous, the food is packed with flavor, the service was super friendly and the place has a nice, cozy atmosphere. Some places can seem a little intimidating but Hoku is super chill.
Remember to make a reservation! Enjoy!

Ok, it is not Hawaiian or traditional Asian food, buy it is very tasty all around. Not incredibly expensive either. The Bibimbap that I had was great, but no one in Europe is doing the proper classic stone bowl that sits in the oven until it’s almost red with heat. This means the essence of caramelized rice and everything mixed up with that is lost. Sad, but oh well.
Do get the Kahlua ice cream dessert!

The salmon teriyaki was delicious!

HOKU is a little gem in Punavuori. The food is A-​MAZING and the prices very reasonable. The food is excellent every single time.
Remember to book a table if you want to have dinner!

Best restaurant! mWe had the spicy edamame, salmon something and bi bim bap! Wish we were here longer so we could go back.
Only draw back– when we walked in they wanted to make sure we were only going to be there for one hour because they were closing. Yet they were not in a hurry to give us our bill– which is common in Europe.
We had a similar experience the next night with going in and being told at 7:15 that the kitchen was closing at 8.

Hoku is really small place, but their portion are really H-​u-​g-​e and lunch-​time the place is always full. Salmon Teriyaki with potato-​salad as japanese-​style. yes please!
On dinner-​time you have to make a reservation if you are coming with big groupie or 2 people. For 1 person… Sometimes there is window-​place for walk-​in people, so just try your luck if there is the place for you. Their Dinner-​menu is sort and not so long. The price are ok. Must try Hoku’s Chicken Katsu!

I came for lunch during the rush, my bad. I think there was seating for around 18 + 3 at a counter. The wait for an empty table was not that long. It depended upon the level of compassion of diners who were finished eating and if they would leave or linger. Luckily, a table vacated for us. We had already put our order in and got a number. So, as soon as we sat it was prepared. I orderd the pork and shrimps and my friend got chicken. Both meals looked gorgeous. My dish was very delicious. The serving was an adequate size. However, it only came with a small amount of rice, abt 2dl. I had to ask for another bowl and a half. It was in a savoury subtly sour sauce, or broth. The pork was not as tender as it could have been but was very tasty. The shrimps were large and lovely. The shitake mushrooms and other vegatables were fresh and fabulous. I was very pleased with my order and delighted that they gave me more rice without extra fee. I can’t wait to go back and try something else. P. S. The womens wc was large and clean. At lunchtime: Place your order at the counter, pay, get a number and sit down.

For the price to quality ratio– this is my FAVORITE place in Helsinki.
I can’t believe that I lived here for nearly 5 yrs without knowing it existed. Now that I know I come here at least once a week for lunch. Which leads me to my next point– THE LUNCHES ARE AMAZING. In a country where you so often find really standardized lunches with little flavor, Hoku is a taste Oasis.
My personal favorite is the Salmon Teriyaki, which I get nearly every time I go there (they will also give you extra kimchi for free if you ask). It doesn’t matter how often I get it, it never gets old. Another great dish is the crusted sika & udon noodle salad.
I’ve only been once for dinner, but when I went it was, as expected — excellent.
If I could give this place more stars I would.

This small place in Punavuori has a Japanese-​Hawaiian fusion kitchen and that is something you shouldn’t miss out on. The simple interior is dominated by bamboo and wood and together with some small pictures from Haiwaii makes you feel a bit like being on a vacation.
But the best thing at Hoku is of course the food. Go e.g. for a typical Japanese starter like Edamame (soy beans) or some Gyoza (filled dumplings).
For the main course you can choose from a selection of wonderful meat and fish dishes like Braised Crispy Pork Belly, Bi Bim Bap (Teriyaki Beef) or Salmon Teriyaki. And why not have a Hawaiian Longboard beer with your dinner to make the experience complete.
Portions at Hoku are big and filling. But if you still can after the main course you should also go for one of their delicious deserts like the Guava Cheesecake or the Fudge Brownie with Kahlua Ice Cream.

After reading all the reviews we ventured here to try for ourselves & glad I did. As just visiting Helsinki for the first time did have a little trouble finding it but residents who we met along the way were very helpful pointing us in the right direction.
The restaurant is small with not many tables but we were warmly greeted & felt right at home. We split the Goysa, a potsticker appetizer, & it was very good, if you like these would recommend it. For the main course I ordered the Salmon Teriyaki & it was delicious while my wife ordered the Crispy Pork Belly that she enjoyed.
It was a wonderful dinner & would recommend you try. As the restaurant is small call ahead for reservations otherwise likely you won’t get in.

Hoku is easily one of my favorite restaurants in Helsinki. It’s located away from the center in Punavuori and you kind of need to know where it is to find it, but it’s still always full of customers. It’s a small and intimate place serving the most amazing and delicious Hawaiian food. You have to try their signature dish, Salmon Teriyaki (try with the potato salad), it’s absolutely divine.

Amazing. Have had both lunch at dinner at this restaurant and loved every morsel. Celebrated four years with my beau and it was a night to remember. The food is amazing, quite an intimate environment. The flavors blow your mind.
I liked the way to order and pay at the same time for lunch so it saves any hassle at the end of your meal. It is quite a small place and so you are quite close to other tables but that is common in Helsinki.
Price was mid range and the food was high class.

Perhaps the best food I have tasted in Finland to date. Hoku is a tiny place, sparsely furnished, but with a menu packed with flavor and variety. I can highly recommend this place for both lunch and dinner.
There is some cross-​over between the lunch and dinner menus, although the lunch I had there was delicious, the dinner exceeded all expectations. First we had starters of the calamari and crab cakes; both of which were prepared to perfection and presented beautifully with flavors well beyond what one might get at a dedicated sea-​food restaurant. Now, I have eaten a lot of salmon in my time, but the main course of salmon teriyaki was incredible, delectable, sublime and all the other adjectives which describe great food. The succulent fresh fish was coated with a glaze of sorts, it needs to be tried. This paragon of cuisine was followed closely by the braised pork belly, of which I was lucky to have a taste. Although in the mid-​upper price range (circa 20 € mains), I have no qualms paying good money for great food.

Excelente food and quality/​price