Sunrise Restaurant

Comfort Okinawan food. I like this little hole in the wall restaurant off Kapahulu Avenue. Small and easily missed, it’s been open since 1999. Good selection of soup – including oxtail, short rib and miso, sushi and other local favorites. I like the pork tofu, ton jiru (pork miso soup) and fried rice. Okinawans like pork! Everything is priced under $ 15 at lunchtime. They’ve got a daily special written on the white board in Japanese – today it was stir fry. They are open Monday, Wednesday and Thursday’s from 11:30 AM to 2 PM. For lunch. Monday to Saturdays from 5:30 PM to 9:30 PM for dinner and closed on Sundays. The Tamayose’s, a husband-​and-​wife team run this little neighborhood place. Not fancy and with extremely limited parking (2 stalls/​street parking available) but tasty, honest, home cooked food.

I visited this restaurant with a friend based on the rave reviews. I like Okinawan food but I’m not hard core (meaning no bitter melon). We went for the oxtail soup and flounder and learned that they didn’t have the flounder and the oxtail was only on certain days. So we both got soba combos. Mine was with the shoyu pork which at Sunrise is not pork belly but ribs. I thought she brought the wrong dish but she said «soba and shoyu pork» after she put it on the table. It was tender but not what I wanted and there were only a few pieces. I was expecting pork belly. The soba was in a really small bowl. Which was fine since it was not good. Soup had no flavor, noodles tasted stale, and the slab of pork in it was too tough to bite through. The best part of it was the white and red fish cake floating on top.
My friend got the sushi for his combo. He said the rice didn’t have vinegar and the quality of the fish was poor.
Luckily, the servings were small so we were able to salvage dinner by going elsewhere to eat after! Needless to say, we will not be returning to try the oxtail or flounder.

It was an amazing experience from start to finish. Really loved the cosy small restaurant with polite staff who are very attentive. The meals were all delicious (sashimi, saba, deep fried squid, spicy ahi roll) and the hot tea was a highlight. Will be back!

Small restaurant with a very family feel to it! It’s like eating at Grandma’s house! :) The service is excellent and the food very good. The entertainment by the cook (owner?) was very fun as well. We definitely needed that relaxing/​fun time — a truck reversed into us right after we parked on Kalakaua. Thought it would be the end of a fun evening, but I was wrong. :) Definitely will be back!

ONO OXTAIL SOUP!
I’ve never had it before today’s lunch, as I’m a creature of habit and order the same thing at various ethnic restaurants. Glad I chanced experimenting with a new cuisine, which is prevalent on various local restaurants’ menus. I will definitely return for the soup and try out other items on their menu.
Try the sushi, as it is so fresh.
I noticed other patrons took advantage of the BYOB; I don’t know if they have a corkage fee or not. Parking is nonexistent but there’s a parking lot across the street and there’s parking as well.

I’ve been meaning to try this Okinawan restaurant for a couple of years now. The food was very good. Not fancy, not over-​seasoned, just good. I ordered a combination and I was still hungry, so I had a yakisoba as well. Everything was delicious. The only food negative I found was the no dessert. The only non-​food negative was the very limited parking.

Easy to miss, quaint restaurant with minimal parking. Most importantly, it’s BYOB!!! (which is the main reason why we chose to eat here lol). Whole experience would more adequately be summed up by 3.5 stars, but rounding it up to 4 because it’s local :)
Just in case, date made a reservation for 5:30pm, which was a REALLY smart move because the restaurant was almost completely packed when we got there. However, all the other customers were part of one huge party, so felt like we were kinda intruding on them. But we were in our own little corner in front of the bar, so it wasn’t too bad.
Food: Date ordered the shoyu pork with a side of soba, and I went with the oxtail soup and sushi. The sushi was first dish to arrive. Wasn’t the best sushi we’ve ever had, but we appreciated the variety. The shoyu pork was very tasty albeit rather fatty, and the soba broth was amazing (didn’t taste the noodles but date said was ok).
The oxtail soup took FOREVER. Good thing we brought some alcohol! When it finally came, the aroma was just so overwhelmingly delicious (mixing two different senses here, but aromas can be delicious!). The broth was tasty, but there weren’t too many oxtails and not too much meat on those few oxtails. The little meat that was there, however, was fall-​off-​the bone tender.
Would we return? Maybe. Service is a little slow and in terms of cleanliness, the restaurant probably gets 2 – 3 stars. BUT, the food tastes deliciously homemade, and the soups taste like they’ve been boiling the whole day (a rarity nowadays).

Tender shoyu pork. Yummy yakisoba. Generous portions of sushi! Fried ika was delicious too. Friendly service and excellent food. Simple menu because they know what they do well. What a gem tucked away in Kapahulu!
Revision: just got kicked out for talking story too long after dinner. Minus one star.
Revision again: no dessert. Minus one more star.

Best Okinawan restaurant on the island! I’ve been a regular here for almost 15 years. They have a very limited menu, and it almost never changes. With that said, everything on their menu is excellent. Our favorite items include their oxtail soup, pig’s feet soup, nakami champuru (aka stir-​fried pig’s stomach), goya champuru (aka stir-​fried bittermelon), and butterfish. Prices are very reasonable — we usually spend about $ 60-​$ 70 for our family of four. The restaurant is family owned, and they are very nice and welcoming. Oh, and here’s a plus for most people… they’re BYOB!

I like how you can BYOB. Is Oxtail soup from Okinawa? Either way, thank you for this delicious dish.
Okinawan Food is healthy. Makes your skin all nice and beautiful. Keeps you young and fertile. Go Okinawa!!!

It was my first time trying Okinawan food and I have to say Sunrise is a great place to try it. My family friends are regulars at Sunrise so they ordered a variety of delicious dishes. My favorites were the oxtail soup, yakisoba, and grilled mackrel!
It’s a great place to hang out and have a drink + a bite to eat! Sunrise is also BYOB so bring some alcohol for you and your friends!

I had the udon and sushi combo because noodles and raw fish over sushi rice are part of my staple diet. Really simple yet flavorful udon bowl. The noodles were hearty and substantial. The pork was tender and the soup base had just the right amount of salt and flavor. Price was fair for all the food you get. The wasabi tasted like the real thing and didn’t have a strong horseradish taste.
Note that the parking is nearly nonexistent but if you ask you can double park if you can’t find valid street parking.

Sunrise Restaurant is a small, family-​owned restaurant specializing on Okinawan cuisine. They also serve sushi and cooked seafood dishes, but I came here to try the Okinawan food since I have not had it before.
Their «Okinawan food» menu features a variety of soups and sauteed dishes, and it appears to be more like traditional home cooking rather than restaurant food. I ordered the «Bitter Melon Pork» dish ($ 8.50), which was a generous portion of sauteed bitter melon, scrambled eggs, tofu, and pork strips. The dish was healthy-​tasting and light on oil, seasoning, and sauce. If you are prefer the oily, heavily seasoned Chinese style stir-​fried dishes, you will probably not enjoy this type of cuisine very much. I thought it was nice, simple, and comforting, if a bit underwhelming. If you are not normally a fan of bitter melon, this dish will probably not change your mind, although I doubt anyone would find it offensive. The dish came with rice, miso soup, and a small plate of pickles.
I think the best thing about Sunrise Restaurant is the atmosphere. It’s a simple space with pretty homey-​looking décor, but the restaurant was still mostly full just minutes before closing. Many of the tables had long since finished their meals, but everyone was just hanging around and enjoying the conversation around their tables. There were a few other solo diners sitting at the sushi bar and chatting in Japanese (I think) with the sushi chef. Most of the patrons seemed like regulars and friends with the employees. Honestly, it felt more like a casual gathering in someone’s house rather than a restaurant.
Bottom line: Sunrise restaurant seems like a great place for locals to enjoy a simple, affordable meal in a comfortable environment. Don’t come expecting to be blown away by the food. If I lived in Honolulu I could easily see this being a go-​to meeting place with friends and family. But as a visitor, if I ever came back it would be mainly for people-​watching and soaking in the atmosphere, rather than for the food itself.

This is a little hidden gem. it’s super small the hole in the wall style with strange open hours. I came for lunch with a group not knowing what to expect and was delightfully surprised that the waitress/​host happily explained what each dish was. Between the group we got the miso special soup, the pork and the oxtail soups. Each soup dish is a meal on its own but comes with a sushi/​nigiri combo place as well. The fish is as fresh as can be. Each meal was about $ 15, hearty and satisfying. You can tell their soups are made with special care to be seasoned well. I never knew Okinawan food existed but I’m so happy I tried it.

Lunch on Thursday, 4÷2÷15 (first time visiting)
We found it! Sunrise is hidden around the corner from the main street (Kapahulu). It’s a small family owned restaurant that lets you bring your own beer. The ambiance is very casual. The menu consists of family style soups, noodles, bento boxes, and sushi. They have a karaōke in the corner of the room but it wasn’t turned on during the lunch hour.
Luckily I walked in on a Thursday to try their bone marrow soup because they only serve it on Mondays and Thursdays. I didn’t get to try the sushi but it looked fresh and delicious. The husband and wife were very friendly and attentive to your needs.
If you forget to bring your own beer, there’s a mart nearby where you make a quick purchase and come back. Before you head out, ask the owner if they have any in the back.
I highly recommend this place for homemade food and friendly service.

The best okinawan food on Oahu!
Try their steamed fish (but you have to call on advance for them to prepare), it’s fresh, moist, and oishii.
Byob.

Sunrise restaurant was a very home like restaurant. It’s a very small restaurant and it has 3 parking stalls. This is a okinawan food restaurant.
I had the okinawan soba. It was alright. It wasn’t a «omg this is sooooo good» but it wasn’t bad. Great texture of noodles. It didn’t really fill me up. Im guessing it wouldn’t fill up a guy’s appetite so order more food!

I love all things Okinawan, so obviously I love Sunrise, which is an Okinawan restaurant in Kapahulu. Passed by a million times before finally trying it last year. If you have been to Utage in Kalihi (the only other Okinawan restaurant I know of on Oahu), Sunrise is much smaller and has a more mom ‘n pop feeling. The menu selection is also smaller, but I think it’s because Utage also serves a lot of regular Japanese food.
If you’ve never tried Okinawan food, here are some things to order at Sunrise:
— Pigs feet soup
— Oxtail soup
— Okinawa soba: noodles in a pork broth
— Nakami-​jiru: soup will various pig parts in it
— Shoyu pork («rafute»): pork stewed in shoyu (as you can see Okinawans LOVE pig and thus cook it in every possible way!)
— Goya champuru: bitter melon stir-​fried with tofu, egg, and spam
— Whatever other champuru (stir-​fry) that’s on special
Their sushi is also pretty good!
Tips:
* Parking in the area sucks, but there are a few spaces in the driveway right in front of the restaurant. Come early enough to snag one!
* BYOB! Grab a couple of Orion bottles from the Aloha Gas station on Herbert and Campbell, one block away, to optimize your Okinawan dining experience
* If you are super hungry, order several dishes and eat family style. Portions are not very big here.

«Welcome to Grandma’s house!!!» Oddly enough, this was the thought that kept rolling through my head as we walked into Sunrise Restaurant. It’s a tiny little spot located right off of Kapahulu Avenue, and if you’re looking for something fancy, turn around because this is not it. It small, it’s a bit run down, the outside looks like it might be closed, and there’s weird ethnic music playing in the background. This is where you go for comfort food just like your Okinawan grandma would make!
What did you say? You’re NOT Okinawan? Well that’s okay because here’s your chance to rectify that unfortunate situation. Now you can mire in walls full of art that looks out of place, knick knacks that have been forgotten and a gigantic TV which is at least a decade old. See, just like Grandma’s house!
I have been wanting to visit this tiny Okinawan eatery for years and somehow the stars finally aligned. When you walk in it’s really weird because no one tells you to sit down and we stood there waiting for someone to say «Hey, sit down here.» It took awhile but a woman finally came out of the kitchen to seat us and clean off a table. My friend Olena (who was my partner in a trip to Grandma’s house) and I decided to share an Okinawan soba + sushi combo and the pork tofu.
The word at Grandma’s house is VALUE! For $ 14 I was surprised at what I got. A nice sized bowl of hot Okinawan soba (think ramen + udon having a baby together) and a big plate of sushi. The pork tofu was $ 9 and it came with rice and miso soup. Everything was pretty good and we left very full. This probably isn’t a meal I’d take an out of town guest to, but it definitely will be added to my rotation of options for my little family.
My Grandma Aiko has gone to heaven and it’s nice to know that on those days when I miss her great home cooking, which was not fancy but very satisfying, I can always come here to Sunrise Restaurant. Maybe they can play Japanese soap operas? Just like at Grandma’s House!!!

A tiny, hole-​in-​the-​wall restaurant off Kapahulu Ave. specializing in Okinawan cuisine.
AMBIANCE
Unpretentious, casual, and very chill.
PARKING
Parking is probably one of the biggest issues here on Oahu. 1.) Oahu = an island, so it’s expected. And then. 2.) Location: Kapahulu. Oh, boy…
Needless to say, parking is limited.
There are about 3 stalls in front of the restaurant.
Street parking is pretty much what’s left, and Kapahulu is crap when it comes to street parking.
Just cross your fingers! Hopefully you’ll get lucky!
OXTAIL SOUP
The broth was mild yet flavorful and not overly salty. (Yay.) And, the oxtail pieces were fall-​off-​the-​bone tender!
Compared to Hide-​Chan, this broth is a little more oily. Fat globules are definitely present in Sunrise’s soup. But whatevs. Both Hide-​Chan and Sunrise make some mean Oxtail. Much better than I, anyway.
SPECIAL MISO SOUP
This is a deluxe miso soup with spam, egg, and everything! It was extremely flavorful. Much more hearty than regular miso soup.
SUSHI COMBO
My SS and I opted for the sushi combos for both of our soups. Mediocre sushi, but it definitely did the job. I was full after devouring the combination of nigiri and sushi.
DEEP FRIED SQUID
Be careful bc it’s temperature HOT when it arrives at yo’ table. (My poor tastebuds! Yes, I’m inpatient.) Anyway, these pieces of deep fried squid were delish! Chewy — but not the gross kind — and tasty! Loved that sauce doe.
BATHROOM
There’s a bathroom inside the restaurant, and my SS and I noticed that about 80% of the people who tried to use it had problems opening the door. LOL. We didn’t try, so I can’t really say either way — if it’s actually a problematic /​tricky door or not.
VERDICT
Straight-​up good, Japanese /​Okinawan comfort food. I could definitely see myself wanting to dine here when I’m feeling a bit under the weather. The menu is straight forward, which makes ordering pretty easy… But um, yeah. I’d probably just order the oxtail soup or the special miso soup. Hah.