Pau Hana Base

Reviews

• A Z Flor H.

  star star star star star 29 May 2026

  I love this little izakaya. It's a little hidden but there are signs on the sidewalk that make it easier to find.
  Also just look for a green alley and red lanterns.
  
  I love the ambiance. It's small and quaint. And intimate. And feels and looks super authentic.
  
  We ordered a little bit of everything. The croquette, the grilled Ika, pork, kukuni, miso salmon, teriyaki. Everything was super tasty ! Tender and juicy meat.
  EVERYTHING was cooked perfectly.
  
  I would order everything again. But I especially enjoyed the croquette, the teriyaki and the grilled ika.
  
  It was a lot of food for the both of us but everything was gone and finished in the end of it and a lot of bang for you buck. I liked that we were able to try a little of everything without our meal breaking the bank.
  
  This place was awesome. A perfect place to end our last night and last dinner date in paradise.

• Lisa M.

  star star star star star 24 May 2026

  This is my favorite place to go in Waikiki!!! The food is bomb, the atmosphere is fun AND you get free cotton candy at the end! One of my favorites is the pork on the sticks...once you eat that it's hard to eat similar things anywhere else
  The only downside is the parking, but we usually just park at International Market Place and walk over as that's the cheapest option around that area. Just buy something at Mitsuwa market before you leave and they validate your parking!
  The place is rather small, but I never had any issues to get seats. It can get very crowded on the weekend though, so I would try to make a reservation just in case.

• Ivana S.

  star star star star star 19 May 2026

  The only downside to this restaurant is how tucked away it is. It may be difficult to find, but trust me, it is so incredibly worth it!!!
  
  I loved this izakaya experience. Everything we ate was perfection.
  
  Gyoza was crispy on the outside, moist on the inside. Shrimp shumai was the best I've had. The braised pork belly (kakuni) was melt in your mouth goodness. And the yakitori skewers were done just right. Juicy yet grilled exterior.
  
  We also ordered the okonomiyaki which was the best I've had in Hawaii thus far. However, it isn't for the faint of heart. I'm used to lighter okonomiyakis with brushed on yakiniku sauce. This was is like smothered in a pool of Japanese bbq sauce. Which was delicious!!! But heavier than I was expecting for sure.
  
  Overall, you can tell that the staff knows what they're doing. Do your vacation a favor and check this place out. :)

• Jackson H.

  star star star star star_border 16 May 2026

  I have never been to an Izakaya in Japan so I don't know for sure but I think this place is about as real as it gets to an authentic Izakaya.
  
  This place has a very cozy and one of the kind decoration. The menu itself was very special.
  
  We went there after dinner so we didn't order anything heavy and just picked a few appetizers from the menu. The food was good but the atmosphere was better.
  
  There was also another group of Japanese guests in the restaurant at that time and they were very loud while talking among themselves. I have no problem with that and actually enjoyed though I did no understand anything they said but I heard that is what it is like in Japan. I can understand some people might not like the loud environment.
  
  There was also a Cotten candy machine outside and they are given a small amount of sugar after the check to make your own Cotten candy. Give it a try. It isn't as easy as you may think.

• Kiefer H.

  star star star star star 7 May 2026

  Hidden gem in Waikiki if you are looking for Japanese casual izakaya! All the staff and chefs are from Japan therefore the food is very Japanese in every way. Tons of today's specials items and great happy hour drinks, especially Subtory Premium Malts Draft still brewed in Japan and exported Internationally. Unfortunately Kirin is US made, Sapporo is Canada. Don't expect big American portion here. The way to enjoy is to order multiple small plates and enjoy their variants menu lineups, such as Chicken Namban, Japanese fried chicken with boiled egg tar tar sauce.