Tenkaippin Hawaii

Kotteri Ramen is THE DIE FOR!
I literary went to this place EVERY SINGLE LUNCH during my stay in Oafu.
Yes, this is a very… unique ramen soup, but I happen to like rich flavor so this is really a heaven for me.
And dear owner. Please do not slap me in the face. but your TV program with you in it… it was a bit embarrassing thing to watch it while eating especially you are like literary sitting in front of me O_​O
BEST ramen noodle shop in honolulu!

On Monday night, a lady friend and I decided to get some dinner. We were feeling cheap, so the choices were between a $ 10 Costco pizza or this ramen place my brother is insane for. We arrived at around 7 pm, and were pleased to see a crowded restaurant with a line of about 4 people, with rumblings of how much they’ve been craving this ramen. It’s always a good sign if people have a crack-​comparable craving for an eatery, unless said eatery actually serves crack.
A few parties started leaving, so we were hastily seated at the bar after a five minute wait. The atmosphere was casual, while maintaining the ambiance that this is a place that one should come to with friends. The only strange thing was the Ultimate Japan show that kept airing a segment where they dismember a live softshell turtle. Not the most appetizing entertainment. From online reviews, and from the semi-​stoned and hungry patrons outside, we already knew what we were going to order.
We started off with spicy memma. I’ve never had this before, but my date loves this stuff. It was basically bamboo shoots (probably from a can) with spicy seasonings. Canned or not, I loved it. My date said that it’s usually not this spicy.
I love gyoza. Actually, I’ll eat almost anything fried to a golden crisp. This gyoza was pretty run of the mill, however I noticed a little more ginger than I’m used to, which was a good thing.
My date had the Assari Ramen. Good stuff. The Assari Ramen had a chicken and shoyu broth, which worked, but it was the noodles that really stood out.
I had the super famous Kotteri Ramen. The Kotteri Ramen is what Tenkaippin is famous for, as it is a little unusual. It’s almost more gravy than broth, made from the boiling down of chicken bones and feet. The chicken flavor from this collagen-​laced concoction is intense! You can really taste the chicken, and not in the way you kind taste chicken from a ramen packet. This tastes like actual chicken.
Both of our dishes were accented with green onions and a slice of char siu, but the main event in both ramens were the noodles. I always feel that the essence of good food comes down to the basics. The best pizza is defined by the dough, the best sandwiches by the bread, and the best ramen by the noodles. The noodles from Tenkaippin are all made locally from a secret recipe, and I can see why. They are tender, without being too soft, while maintaing a flavor on their own.
As intense as the chicken flavoring was in the gravy, it still felt a little mellow for my American-​tinged palate, so we decided to add the raw garlic and chili flavoring that is provided at the counter.
This stuff was like a ramen power up. It basically turns up your ramen to 11, maintaining the flavor of the broth, while adding a new dimension in flavor.
I’d recommend any of the dishes we sampled, but you probably can’t go wrong with anything that uses their noodles. My reccomendation is to try the broths on their own, and then adding a little of the chili garlic flavoring to the dish for a little zing.

Came here on our summer tour of ramen joints. My wife ordered the kotteri and I ordered the paitan. Although the menu says the kotteri is «habit-​forming,» neither of us were impressed much: the kotteri broth is thick and eggy; if you feel your arteries clogging, don’t say we didn’t warn you! The paitan broth, by contrast, makes our short list of favorite, must-​drink-​to-​the-​bottom broths! (Other broths on that list are an exquisite duck bone broth found at a mom ‘n’ pop Kyoto shop and Goma-ichi’s tantan broth). The fresh ginger sits really well.
We didn’t get to try the gyoza or fried chicken because they ran out but will return for more paitan and will try it then!

The only thing I really remember about this restaurant is that the entire menu they gave us was written in Japanese. Maybe I look Japanese? Or maybe they just didnt care. But my friend had a Japanese menu too and he’s white so… so I think they just didnt care. When we asked them questions it didnt seem like they knew English well. So instead of making a big deal out of things, I just randomly picked something off the menu and hoped for the best. The ramen was ok. My experience here kept me from ever setting foot in this place again though.

It’s not fat, it’s collagen… and it’s good for my skin. Luminosity. Yup, that’s what I tell myself.
For my Yotteko-​Ya vs. Tenkaippin throwdown, click here:

Really good ramen here! :)
Before you get to the food though, you think to yourself — «this place is crowded.» Then you notice the loud TV on the wall that loops episodes of the owners TV show which shows interesting place to visit in Japan. On occasion, you’ll get to see the «TV star» owners right there in the restaurant… anyway…
I’ve had the Paitan, Kotteri, Assari Ramens, and the fried chicken.
All were very good. The kotteri ramen is a thick chicken based soup. It’s very rich and yet surprisingly subtly flavored. I thought it was ok until I spooned in some chili and garlic bits from the condiments that the waitress recommended. After spicing it up a bit it started to go down better — and pretty soon I liked it a lot.
The assari ramen is a chicken-​shoyu based broth and it’s very good also. Great balance! The paitan ramen is a chicken/​pork based broth and it is also well balanced and flavorful. The Charsiu is nice and tender and not too fatty.
The noodles, although possibly a hair thicker than other places are also good, but I like mine a bit more chewy, but these were still good — just different, and not a bad kind of different.
The fried chicken was served with some cabbage and although nicely fried and boneless, were pretty fatty and didn’t have a lot of flavor. I was debating about if I should put them inside the ramen to add some zing to the nice crunchy fatty pieces of chicken.
It’s very crowded in there, and the counter will seat more than 30 people. There are a few tables where 4 people could sit. The place wasn’t dirty, but it wasn’t spotless. However, I kind of expect this kind of thing for ramen shops like this now.
Service was pretty standard — not overly friendly, but you get your water and food pretty quickly.
Parking was tight, but available. Depending on the time you eat there could be no parking, and a long wait in line.
The ramen is worth the wait if you go during rush hour — however, if you can go during some off hours save yourself some time.

The food here was ok, though nothing special. The only real complaint that I have is that they added tip to my check… after seeing my local ID for my Kamaaina discount! The waitress knew I lived here… and I ordered in English… yet she added a tip without saying anything. NOT COOL. I haven’t been back here since.
If you look/​speak Japanese check your tab to make sure tip’s not included before you leave tip on the table. (To be fair, this holds true for many restaurants in Waikiki.)

This place killed me, it was so good. Best ramen I’ve ever head. The broth is so flavorful and rich, I can close my eyes now and still taste it. The noodles are also delicious. Go for the #1 or #2 on the menu. You’re gonna love it.
There can be a long wait sometimes but it’s worth it. So come with good company and get ready to be blown away. I was just here last night and already want to go back today.

I come here like at least 2 times a month.
Get the PAITAN Ramen!!. The BEST!

I like noodles… and so I love ramen. This one here is very heavy (kotteri). The flavor is good… and they’ll give you just the noodles if you want more noodles with your left over broth. =o)

I never met a bowl of ramen i didn’t like… including this one.
Although it was the first time I had the Kotteri style ramen (I don’t think they have da kine in San Fran…), and the consistency of the broth was a bit too thick for my taste, but overall it was still a good bowl of ramen.
It’s easy, fast, tasty and affordable…
Just make sure don’t eat it too often… I know it’s supposed to be good for you, but I’m sure there’s some sort of fattiness (chicken fat anyone?) in the broth… anyway, just wanna make sure your hips don’t grow as thick as the broth!

Since I love Kyushu ramen, I ordered the Paiten tonkatsu style.
They charge an extra $ 1 for garlic chips in your bowl.
Place smells funny. Friendly staff. Serves Yebisu if that’s your thing.

Note this Review is for a different location — 617 Kapahulu Ave
I picked Tenka-​ippin for my next stop on the Honolulu Ramen tour because it is colocated with a Kozo sushi, so my non-​ramen-​eating wife could eat too. Apparently the Kapahulu corridor is a hotbed of ramen activity so there are other choices a short walk away, but the alluring poster-​size shot of their signature Kotteri ramen facing the street and the inviting yellow walls would probably have drawn me in regardless. At any rate I’m very glad I tried it!
The place is small, clean and dominated by the counter down the middle of the restaurant. There are three 4-​person tables on the left side but (like most ramen shops) this would not be a good place for a large party. The company-​issue posters are all in Japanese but on one wall there are pictures of the owner with various Sumotori and celebrities.
I started to order my usual Miso ramen but the waitress convinced me that the Kotteri was what I really wanted, so I acquiesced. There was almost nobody else in the shop so the bowl came out quickly and from the first slurp of the broth I knew I was in for a treat. As others have noted the Kotteri soup is thick and creamy. Perhaps the Unilocaler who noted an unpleasant powdery taste got a freak bowl– all I know is that mine had a deep, delicious flavor to it that I couldn’t stop slurping.
Once I got into the bowl, I found the noodles were perfectly done, the chashu slices large and tender, the bamboo shoots were crisp and there was a giant pile of fresh green onions on top. The waitress also supplied a soy sauce bottle labelled ‘kotteri’ on top, which she said was a Japanese mixture of shoyu and pork flavor. What more could a noodle hound ask for?
(Maybe a little larger bowl, and maybe some spinach or tamago, but griping about it would be manini grumbles…)

I had heard about this place from friends as well as seen their commercial on TV. This being a Hawaii satellite to the Japanese store I was quite excited. I have had Kotteri style ramen at other places in Japan and Los Angeles so I thought I knew what I was in for. I ordered their ramen and out came a bowl of noodles drowning in what appeared to be a gravy.
I ate some noodles and a spoonful of the broth and something just didn’t click for me. I know that this is supposed to be a collagen rich broth cooked down for hours but I couldn’t get past the consistency. For all of its gelatinous goodness there was a very distinct powder/​granular texture on the tongue. Its almost tasted as if they added copious amounts of poorly dissolved corn starch or other thickening agent into the broth and did served it unsifted. The actual taste of this super broth was also a disappointment as it was dreadfully bland.
In anycase I struggled to finish the bowl as I could feel the broth turning into a anchor in my stomach. Their interpretation of kotteri style is just too extreme for my tastes.

I walked past this place a couple times before it really piqued my curiosity and I liked that it was small. Almost everything here is written in Japanese so I figured that was a good sign. I ended up wanting cold noodles so I got #4 and it was delicious. It was totally not what I had expected but was nonetheless amazing.
There was a rim of mayo on the plate which reminded me of that Kewpie Doll (sp?!) mayonaise I used to have in Japan when I visited as a kid.
Anyhow, totally tasty — reasonably priced, and nice and cozy. My favorite noodle place that I hit on that main drag…

I found out about this place while flipping through my tv channels one night and stopping on OC16’s Tiny TV. I live in Waikiki, so I thought– hell, why not check it out? I wanted to try something different, so I had the Kotteri Ramen, and I was HOOKED! I know the gyoza is homemade, but I thought it was so-​so (I like Tan-​Tan Ramen’s gyoza better). If anything, you have to try the Kotteri. The soup has a chicken base, I believe, and its very thick. Its definitley different than you may be used to, but I like it.
Plus– they give a kama’aina discount, 15%. I go there quite often and they usually recognize me, so they give the discount without me even asking. Only downside is that its pretty small, can be hot sometimes– I don’t know what is up with their a/​c– and parking is difficult. If I don’t feel like walking there, I’ll park at the Niketown parking lot and go into either Banana Republic or Niketown for validation. I think its like $ 3.00 or something with validation– check before you go in.

I have mixed feelings about this place. The gyoza is really good here. I think their ramen is good, especially with that yummy chili and minced garlic topping, but it can be a shock to those who are used to local-​syle ramen. The other reviewers did not mention that this type of collagen-​rich broth is a bit frothy and the texture can seem rather slimy to the non-​initiated.
Also not mentioned is that they offer a kamaaina discount (I forget the percentage), so bring your ID. However, they will sometimes try their darndest not to give you that discount. They gave my mother such a hard time about it and then padded her bill and gave her the wrong change. She was furious and swore she wouldn’t set foot in there again.

Like I said before, some places you find from just dumb luck. Well in this case I used Unilocal.My dad asked me where I heard of this place… I can’t say I heard it from some faceless internet weirdos writing restaurant reviews! So I told him that I’m just really smart and all.
This place is known for their kotteri ramen. The broth ain’t your mama’s ramen broth, its more like gravy. There’s a poster on the wall with a ladle pouring this stuff so it must be their pride and joy. It was thick but good. Weird, sure, but good. My dad, he couldn’t get over it being so thick… you know, old dog new tricks.
My sis-​in-​law, she couldn’t finish her bowl of miso ramen. Bless her heart, pass down the bowl please. The miso was flavorful without being overpowering. This was more my dad’s speed. I shared some of my windfall with him, but deep inside I was thinking, «Aren’t you full yet?»
My mom, she didn’t drink all her kotteri soup (aka gravy). Bless her heart, pass down the bowl please. And all for me, dad doesn’t like this glue.
I kinda felt like the human garbage disposal, but I didn’t care. I have no shame when it comes to good ramen. The gyoza was homemade. And the chicken karaage was good too.
Oh and its kinda expensive and cash only. My dad told mom, don’t worry let one of our «rich» sons pay for it. Unfortunately he was looking at me.

Do not eat here then eat ramen back in the SF Bay Area… you will be severely disappointed.
More stars if I could give it for the kotteri ramen, thick chicken bone/​bone marrow based broth with everything else done as decadently as possible. Extra points for literally making your own gyoza dipping sauce, I went crazy with the minced garlic in both the gyoza and the ramen.
What a shame, this chain couldn’t expand onto the mainland!

… Ahhh, Waikiki. If you concentrate really really hard, you can almost trick yourself into thinking it’s a vacation in and of itself. The white sandy beaches, the melting pot of cultures and languages, and the multitude of shopping options and eating establishments. Taking a stroll down Kalakaua Avenue will give you a first person’s view of living the life as your typical tourist.
(! — If you’re from these parts pard’ner, I suggest you park your horse ride at one end and walk through Waikiki, rather than drive it. It gives you more of a touristy feel, helps you get circulation through your otherwise dormant legs, and allows you to notice a lot more than you probably would if driving.)
Among the myriad of eateries is an authentic, Japanese noodle-​shop style restaurant called Tenkaippin (pronounced as two words, Tenka Ippin) on the more western end of Kalakaua. As part of a chain of restaurants in Japan carrying the same name (
), this little, unassuming shop carries a big chopstick when it comes to taste and popularity, and has been doing so for the last six years.
Read my complete column (with photos) here: