Japengo

I love sashimi and Strawberry short
‘s amazing
Udong like not a Japanese style.

Great outdoor atmosphere and good food/​drinks!
Jeff (chef) is the best! Can’t wait to visit again.

Japengo blows it again. We decided to try Japengo after two previous poor experiences. Our table wasn’t ready so we went to the bar to order drinks while we waited, no worries, was looking forward to a drink while we wait. Stood at the bar for 10 minutes and was totally ignored. Bar tender knew we were there but made no attempt to acknowledge our presence so we left. Bummer, we are 23 year locals and advise you to go elsewhere for sushi!!!

Starting by saying this place is jaw dropping. The Hyatt has done an outstanding job with the resort, spa & restaurant. Got there about 5:30pm on a Friday night and was seated right away. The view is AMAZING, prices are a little steep… you’re not only paying for super fresh food but also the best view you could probably have at a restaurant on Maui. There was live music as well. We got sushi rolls (California and Spicy Tuna) and cashew crusted chicken breast all of who were delicious, fresh, and melted in your mouth. So why 4 stars and not 5? If our server had a little better attitude it would have made our experience over the top… it’s unfortunate that lack of personality in our service wasn’t as a suburb as everything else. I would definitely go here again though!

I’ve heard many good reviews about Japengo, seen the commercial, and drooled over the many pictures I’ve seen of their food. So naturally, I HAD to try it. It just so happens that I needed to do a West Side run to restock my make up bag so I figured, Why not?
The restaurant is beautiful. Indoor and outdoor seating is available as well as booths. However, if you decide to go at night and you are seated outside, you will NOT be able to appreciate the beauty of your food because the only light you will have will be by torch. I had to take pictures of my food (using the flash) to really see what it looked like. It’s really a shame. I also saw other patrons using their cell phone flashlight to read menus. I think this is something that should be addressed by management.
2 out of the 4 dishes hit the mark. We started off with the Steamed Manila Clams w/​Flatbread ($ 19). WOW! The kaffir lime truly makes this dish great. It almost made the broth seem «Thai-​ish». Clams were big, clean and not overcooked. The broth was so good, I could’ve drank it! A very slight heat was noticed on the back end, but not enough to make a difference. The one thing that could’ve made this dish better… better choice of bread to sop up the delicious broth. Flatbread isn’t my first choice when I need to soak up all that goodness.
Next we share the Tengu duck sliders, Cali Roll and the Soy Lacquered Pork Belly & Kauai Shrimp.
Duck Sliders ($ 16)…hmmmm. Not what I was expecting. First problem, too much hoisin. All I could taste was hoisin! After that initial disappointment, I couldn’t help but notice how soft the meat was (looks like it was ground duck). I was expecting a poultry-​like texture to the meat. There was no contrast to the texture of the food. Soft bao, soft meat like substance, and barely any crunch from the pickled cucumber/​onion. Not very pleasing to the mouth.
Next up, the Pork belly and Kauai Shrimp ($ 43). Holy moly, was this good! Pork was still juicy and tender. Not too salty or drowned in the soy glaze. We actually ended up using this as a replacement for the duck. Pork Belly Bao! The shrimp was perfectly grilled. This was all sitting on a healthy serving of edamame laced tomato risotto.
Lastly, the Cali Roll topped w/​Hamachi and wasabi tobiko ($ 24). This came last, although we ordered it first. Apparently, it had been sitting on the counter for a while because there wasn’t a check assigned to it (per our very honest waitress). Alrighty then… good to know. Anyways… I can’t say it was bad. Fish tasted fresh and roll was a generous size (8 pieces).
Considering that we just dropped a Ben Franklin and some change for this dinner, we expected a lot more.

SUSHI AT EXORBITANT PRICES IS JUST OKAY.
Just had a dinner there tonight. I ordered a sushi omakase and a half serving of mahi mahi. The sushi omakase was $ 31 for only five pieces, but I thought it might be worth it for the chef’s finest offerings. What came was a very pedestrian plate of big eye tuna, salmon, yellowtail, halibut and kanpachi. Seriously? For $ 6.20 PER PIECE? Those sushi sell in the regular menu for mostly $ 4 – 5 per piece ($ 8 – 10 for two).
II mentioned my disappointment to the waiter and I then overheard the sushi chef arrogantly complaining that he makes the choice and «you get what you get.» To top it off, the sushi fish was just okay, and the rice had very little favor. I understand it is the chef’s choice, but I never had sushi where the omakase turns out to be the TUNA AND SALMON AT UNI PRICES.
Also, the cooked mahi mahi was about the same quality as you’d get in a much less expensive Lahaina tourist joint. Didn’t come close to the fish we had at Mama’s the night before.
Very sad.

Vegetarians, you can come here and get something good. I got the chow fun made vegetarian and it was really good though I thought it was a little low on flavor. Some soy sauce fixed that problem pretty quick. The appetizers and sides were quite good and the finger towels were a nice touch though I’m not sure what all they come with. The desserts were exciting and unique (though a bit expensive) and the flaming pineapple one is actually flaming so that was pretty cool though the surfing goat cheesecake was my favorite.

Top notch Asian fusion restaurant. We had sashimi appetizer that was extremely fresh. Also had their seared ahi which was perfectly cooked. The ahi roll was also nicely prepared. We definitely will be returning to try more of their dishes.

Restaurant is located near the penguin tank. Their version of our lobster tank. We had live music the night we dined outside. Good idea to make reservation. The ribeye was juicy and tender.
Desert was awesome — just can’t remember the name of what I ordered (it was served on fire).
We could see whales of the beach breaching as we enjoyed our dinner.

We stayed at the Hyatt and absolutely loved sitting at the bar watching the sun set while sipping a glass of red. The good seats at the bar get taken quickly so best to go a little before sunset. We liked the food we ordered the two times we went here, we got the hamachi kama and a few rolls the first time and japengo rice and a wok fired dish the second time we were here. The sushi fare is hands down better than the wok fired dishes.

Who knew duck meatballs would be so darn tasty? The sashimi was buttery; the blackened ahi atop the California roll with REAL crab put me over the edge. Then the bartender created the dessert cocktail just for my group. He hopes the restaurant will add to the drink menu served in a Tim Collins glass. The salty caramel dip with the malasadas was divine.

Staying at the Hyatt for a week and this was our 2^nd night. Six of us were commemorating a special event and were really looking forward to what we’d heard was great sushi and atmosphere. Got there for our 8:30 pm reservation and saw a lot of outdoor tables unattended – but were ushered indoors to a huge table that was for 8 – 10 people. Sort of a bummer given that we’re in Hawaii and there was plenty of table space outside. The first person in our party ordered a frozen drink. The server said the blender wasn’t working, so they couldn’t make any frozen drinks. At a Hyatt resort. On the beach. In Hawaii. At least 4 bars on property with blenders… but because the one particular blender in this restaurant wasn’t working, no frozen drinks for you. And not even a «sorry.»
We ordered a bunch of different things to enjoy «family style» and overall, the food was decent. Not worth the prices, but not horrible. Probably about what you should expect from this type of resort in Hawaii.
But the service… wow. Really disappointing. We got the «last call for sushi» at 9:30 pm. We asked when they closed and they told us 10 pm. Contrast that to the previous night at Son’z (the Hyatt property steak house) where the answer to the same question was «whenever you’re done enjoying yourselves.» Night and day difference between two restaurants 100 yards apart in the same hotel.
We’re here for another 6 nights and would have likely eaten at Japengo at least 2 – 3 more times – we love sushi. Not now. If I’m going to pay inflated resort prices for fairly average sushi – I at least want to feel like our business was appreciated. The whole time we felt like we were just 6 people preventing the staff from clocking out sooner.

The view and the ambiance here are really nice. We were able to watch the sunset while we ate. That was probably the only redeeming quality.
We both started with an $ 8 bowl of miso soup. Crazy. We also shared some edamame and two rolls. The sushi was okay, but I expected to be blown away given the price. I guess I’m spoiled at home with amazing and cheap sushi.
The service was lackluster. Our server was borderline condescending when I asked a question about something. The pace of our meal felt rushed, at one point our table was awkwardly full of food. Basically I will never come back.

2 stars because it is in Hawaii. Service was the WORST. We sat at 820 and our food took over an hour. Then when we asked for our food and they said sushi Takes a while (even with 4 chefs)
The server continued to argue with us and missed 5 items we ordered causing it to be more delayed
Then the manager came over and continued to argue with us about the time we sat to when we ordered, to our original reservation and our group size and told the head of our table to sit down when he went and asked for a GM.
Food was great service was HORRIBLE. Will never be back and it is a shame. I would blame it solely on the service from the servers and the manager.

My personal favorite sushi restaurant on Maui. Soy sauce is in-​house made and the crab is real, but there’s more to it than the fresh fish and amazing setting.
Japengo is located at the Hyatt Regency at the lobby level. Seatings can vary from the sushi bar, alcohol bar, ocean view or inside seating. I’ve had the chance to experience all seatings. The different seatings really do impact the service. You would most likely receive better service when you are dining with a party of two or maybe it’s just the servers. 3x that I’ve experienced a group dinner of 6+, I struggled with getting the attention of our servers. Maybe because we were stuck in a enclosed corner and forgotten often? Which sucks because the servers can be great. But when I’ve had dinner for three or less, the experience is flawless!
Food is consistently amazing. The steamed Manila clams is cooked perfectly with a mild seafood base soup. I would always order and recommend the (korean) seafood pancake, cut into 4 pieces It consists of shrimp, octopus, squid and scallions. Paired with a light sauce on the side! The Chinatown fried rice is seafood with char siu. I also tried the chow fun, flavorful and lots of additions in the noodles.
Japengo discontinued two of my favorite rolls– big roll and tengu roll. (Most of the Unilocal sushi pictures) sometimes they are willing to make exceptions, but the last two times they couldn’t accommodate my request, which is perfectly fine. That lead me to try the other sushi rolls, which were all delicious! The special, big ahi and rainbow rolls are delicious. The salmon and hamachi sashimi are fresh and promising. Never a disappoint.
For dessert, I enjoyed the tengu kaanapali pie and flaming piña colada! I’ve tried the malasadas, but not a fan. I’ve also had the strawberry shortcake, but it was too sweet for my liking.
The food is always great. Consistent and delicious. But, the service can vary. Definitely a must try when on Maui. Voted best sushi restaurant on Maui for a reason!

This is probably one of the best restaurants on the Islands. Incredible location, pristine service by Joey, knowledgable, friendly and incredible waiter who made our evening more magical with his professionalism and charisma to serve and present Japengo’s menu in best ways possible. Recipes are incredible, duck meatballs, Lahaina Roll, glazed Pork Ribs, yummiest piece of Black Cod, just pure vacation for your palate.
I am highly recommending this spot for romantic, friendly or even business dinner, and can’t wait to make my reservation again this week and before my return to LA experience Japengo once again. Five star service by Joey. Amazing!

High prices but delicious food and beautiful ocean views, plus they treat the keiki really well. We walked in on a Sunday night just before 5:30 and got seated right away. Husband and I ordered the ahi poke, the Honolulu roll, and the amberjack sushi — all were excellent. Child chose the chicken nuggets, which were actually really tasty — tender with a perfectly crispy breading and served with a delicious dipping sauce that tasted of honey and lemon. She got a complimentary box of Horizon milk (choice of regular or chocolate) and for dessert she also got a complimentary scoop of gelato (choice of vanilla or chocolate).
We ordered the flaming piña colada crème for dessert. It was a fun presentation as they light it at your table, but I thought the cake was a little on the dry side. The coconut crème, however, was excellent.
Would definitely be willing to come back.

We called in yesterday at 5pm and were able to get an ocean side table for 715. Upon arrival we were greeted politely and immediately seated at our table. Our waitress was very polite and helped us out with all my dietary needs (gluten intolerance). They even have a separate gluten free menu for those that have the same issue.
We ordered sushi and rolls for dinner. They were some of the freshest and tastiest we have ever had. Very clean and professional restaurant who did a great job overall. The price was more expensive then when at home but based on the portion sizes and location it is reasonable. We would definitely come back.

I use to think all restaurants in hotels are over priced and not that great. Japengo is a great exception to that rule. We definitely over ordered because even the half potions were huge! If I had known how good this restaurant was I would’ve came here every night.
We ordered
— ½ order of the fried rice
— ½ order of the mahi mahi with forbidden rice
— ½ order of the ahi tuna on white jasmine rice
— hamachi kama (this appetizer is really big!)
— purple sweet potato tempura (this is their special side) it’s called the japengo
everything was delicious and reasonably priced for how much they give you! The fishes all came with rice, so we probably could have skipped on ordering the fried rice.
If you’re a platinum member, they also give you a free ice cream cake :)
A+! mahalo hyatt!

Japengo ist eines der besten japanisches Restaurants in Maui und zu unserem Glück war es auch genau in unserem Hotel! Sehr viel darüber auf Unilocal und in lokalen Magazinen gelesen, also mussten wir uns auch selbst überzeugen. Die Lage vom Restaurant ist wirklich perfekt; es schaut direkt aufs Wasser aber auch gleichzeitig teilweise auf das Grundstück vom Hotel, was sowieso traumhaft ist. Es wird draußen nur mit Feuer beleuchtet, dass dem Restaurant auch ein sehr Hawaiianisches Gefühl verleiht. Als ich auf die Karte schaute hatte ich wirklich Schwierigkeiten mich zu entscheiden. So viele tolle Vorspeisen, warme Speisen aber auch Sushi zur Auswahl: da ist man etwas verwirrt. Lange Rede, kurzer Sinn: unbedingt ein Cocktail probieren (wahnsinnig lecker!), Ahi Poke ist ein MUSS (ist eine Spezialität auf Hawaii aber hier schmeckt es wirklich gut) und am besten ein bißchen von allem probieren. Die Sushi waren sehr frisch und lecker. Wir fanden es hier sooooo lecker, dass wir in einer Woche zwei Mal hingegangen sind.

I give the view and ambiance 3 stars.
I started with young coconut water. Don’t do it. It’s out of a can.
I ordered the veggie roll, asked for no daikon radish. My roll had radish in it. Meh flavor, minus one star for the radish. 1 star sushi.
The corn with sea salt and lavender butter was good, not epic, good. 2 stars. You want 5 star corn? No prob, head over to Shark Pitt Maui, and Kavi will hook you up with epic corn dressed in wasabi aioli, seaweed, and other secret ingredients. They do the corn justice.
For dessert I had the molten lava cake with passion, orange, guava gelato. The cake, 4 stars. The gelato doesn’t really vibe with the flavors of the chocolate cake tho. It just kinda hangs out there, on the side, kinda stalkerish.
Would I go back? Nah, I’d hit up the Fish Market or Lahainaluna Café for din instead. That’s what’s up.