Overview
Teishoku Restaurant is a long-running Japanese restaurant in Honolulu’s Kamehameha Shopping Center area, anchored by the kind of teishoku-style meal many travelers look for when they want a straightforward, filling Japanese lunch or dinner rather than a special-occasion tasting menu. The Google Places record shows it as operational at 1620 N School St C, with a 4.6 rating from 463 reviews, a midrange price level, and daily hours from 11:00 AM to 8:45 PM. (yelp.com)
For travelers, the main appeal is consistency and range: diners repeatedly describe it as a compact, busy, efficient neighborhood spot with a broad menu that covers set meals, fish, sushi, curry, ramen, and tempura. The strongest reputation signal is for misoyaki/broiled butterfish, which comes up again and again as the signature order. (yelp.com)
Cuisine & Specialties
Teishoku’s lane is Japanese comfort food built around complete set meals, with rice, miso soup, salad, and side dishes attached to many orders. The menu and review patterns point to a practical, crowd-pleasing mix rather than a narrow specialist approach: butterfish, tempura, katsu, sashimi-don, curry udon, ramen combos, and sushi rolls are all part of the offering. (yelp.com)
- Overall menu style: Japanese teishoku, combo plates, cooked fish, sushi, donburi, tempura, curry, ramen/udon, and a few desserts. (yelp.com)
- Notable dishes / specialties supported by reviews and menu listings:
- Broiled butterfish misoyaki / miso butterfish
- Chicken katsu
- Ahi poke limu don
- Shrimp tempura and vegetable tempura
- Chicken katsu curry udon
- Agedashi tofu
- Yuzu sorbet and green tea ice cream
(yelp.com)
- Price range: Google Places marks it as price level 2, and reviewer comments consistently describe it as reasonable or good value for the portion size and quality. A butterfish set meal was cited at $15.75 in one review, which fits an accessible midrange spend. (yelp.com)
- Dietary usefulness / limitations: It appears useful for diners who want fish, seafood, rice bowls, tofu, vegetable tempura, and some lighter set meals. It is less ideal for strict diet needs that require heavy customization; the menu is broad, but the evidence does not show especially strong vegan, gluten-free, or allergen-focused specialization. (yelp.com)
Notable Features & Ambiance
Teishoku reads as a compact, neighborhood-oriented Japanese restaurant rather than a destination dining room. Reviewers consistently describe it as small, cozy, and busy, with quick service and a steady takeout/dine-in flow. The setting is tied to a shopping-center plaza near Times supermarket, so it is more practical than scenic. (yelp.com)
- Service model and seating: Sit-down restaurant with takeout and delivery; Yelp also notes reservations are taken. Reviews mention a small interior with booths and a few tables that can be combined for larger parties. (yelp.com)
- Atmosphere and decor: “Hole in the wall,” “cozy,” and “quaint little Japanese ambiance” are the recurring descriptors. It is not presented as upscale or heavily themed; the vibe is functional, clean, and local. (yelp.com)
- Amenities / practical features: Parking is in the shopping-center lot, but multiple reviewers call it busy or occasionally hard to find during peak times. One reviewer also noted free parking; the practical takeaway is that parking exists but can be crowded. (yelp.com)
- Best fit: A good choice for a casual lunch or dinner, a dependable Japanese comfort-food stop, or a meal where you want fast service and broad menu coverage. (yelp.com)
- Weaker fit: Travelers looking for a quiet, spacious, romantic, or high-design dining experience may find it too tight and too busy. (yelp.com)
History & Background
There is at least a modest origin story in the review record: Yelp’s business snippet says Teishoku was opened in July 2016 by Jason Zhang in the Kamehameha Shopping Center in Kalihi, and the restaurant frames itself around teishoku as a complete Japanese set meal. I’m treating that as a useful historical lead rather than a fully verified corporate history, because the strongest current evidence here is the active business record and reviewer descriptions rather than a detailed official about-page. (yelp.com)
Review Sentiment Snapshot
What People Love
The most consistent praise is for the butterfish/misoyaki butterfish, which many reviewers treat as the signature order and a reason to return. People also repeatedly praise the quick, friendly service, good value, generous portions, and the reliability of the food. Several reviewers specifically say the tempura, combo meals, and fish dishes are especially strong. (yelp.com)
Common Gripes
The main downside signal is crowding: reviewers often mention a small space, a line at peak times, and busy parking. A few more recent comments suggest that some items may have slipped a bit in consistency, especially tempura texture, and one reviewer noted rice that was slightly mushy; those complaints appear real but not dominant, because they are outweighed by many current positive reviews. (yelp.com)
Practical Visitor Tips
- The Google Places hours show 11:00 AM to 8:45 PM every day; this looks like a steady all-week schedule, but peak dinner and weekend hours still appear busiest. (yelp.com)
- Reservations appear to be accepted, and one reviewer said booking right at opening helped avoid the crowd. (yelp.com)
- If you want the least friction, go earlier in the day or near opening; several reviews say the line builds later, especially on busy nights. (yelp.com)
- Expect shopping-center parking that can be crowded but generally available. (yelp.com)
- The butterfish misoyaki is the most repeatedly recommended dish; tempura, katsu, and combo sets are the next safest bets. (yelp.com)
- Takeout seems to be a legitimate option, and at least one reviewer reported the food holding up well after pickup. (yelp.com)
Verification Notes
- Google Places identity anchor matches the candidate: Teishoku Restaurant, 1620 N School St C, Honolulu, HI 96817, (808) 843-8886, website listed as http://teishokuhawaii.com/wp/, and operational status is current in the Google record. (yelp.com)
- Yelp’s current listing uses the same restaurant name and street address and supports the same general identity, though it also frames the business as being in/near the Kamehameha Shopping Center next to Times supermarket. (yelp.com)
- No major verification issues found, but the official website was not successfully surfaced through search, so the Google Places record and Yelp review data carried most of the confirmation burden. (yelp.com)
Sources
- Google Places / provided place details —
https://maps.google.com/?cid=872734460851596938— retrieved 2026-04-02. Most useful for the identity anchor, address, phone, hours, rating, price level, and operational status. - Yelp listing for Teishoku —
https://www.yelp.com/biz/teishoku-honolulu— crawled 2026-02 (current snapshot opened during research on 2026-04-02). Most useful for recurring dish signals, crowding/parking patterns, service speed, reservation posture, and review sentiment. - Tripadvisor listing for Teishoku Restaurant —
https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g60982-d11800278-Reviews-Teishoku_Restaurant-Honolulu_Oahu_Hawaii.html— crawled 2026-03. Most useful as a secondary identity check that the restaurant is recognized as a Honolulu Japanese/sushi spot, though the accessible snippet was limited. - Yelp search result snippet for Teishoku —
https://www.yelp.com/biz/teishoku-honolulu— crawled 2025-08 in search index snippet. Useful for the legacy origin note that the restaurant was opened in July 2016 by Jason Zhang; treated here as background context, not fully re-verified historical fact.
