Need to know
Area
Kailua
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Description
The pour-over coffee is good and the boutique is cute, but the real draw here is the secret sushi bar hiding behind the curtains in the back. This has to be one of the most unique omakase experiences you’ll find, and the food lives up to the hype.
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It started off as a sushi speakeasy, where you had to know someone who’d gotten to know the chef, or stop in at the coffee shop, order a coffee and ask about the sushi dinners and hope for an invite.
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Nowadays it’s a tad less secret. You can DM them on Facebook or Instagram to get their phone number. Then keep an eye on their social posts to find out when they’re opening reservations for the following month. Text them immediately and you just might get a spot.
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Expect around 14+ courses with the option to add on more. The ingredients are incredibly fresh and the chef makes each dish right in front of you and tells you all about it. Dustin and Malia are so friendly and laid back. It feels like you're having dinner at their home. It's so cool to watch them build each course with such ease, like it's so simple, but then you taste it and OH MY GOD.
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During the day, they serve coffee (pour-over only, but it’s top notch), breakfast and lunch. There’s also a boutique where you’ll find some handcrafted gifts and clothes. And let’s not forget Pualani, Chef Taka’s very friendly golden retriever who’s a regular here.
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Website
Their Facebook and Instagram pages.
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Reservations
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Follow them on FB or IG to get alerted when they start taking reservations for the following month.
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When they post about reservations, text them immediately.
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Contact Info
DM on Facebook or Instagram.
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Hours
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Day - day pm to pm after 10 spaces
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Location
22 Oneawa Street
Kailua, Hawaii
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(Heads up, they're moving to a new location October 2022.)
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Hours
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1st seating: 5pm
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2nd seating: 8:30pm
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Price
$$$$
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Omakase: $100 - $250 / person (You can add extra sashimi for $20 / plate)
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Time Estimate
About 2 hours
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Nearby
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Whole Foods Kailua — 2 min walk
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The Beet Box Cafe — 3 min walk
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Moke’s Bread & Breakfast — 4 min walk
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Maui Brewing Co. Kailua — 4 min walk
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Assaggio Kailua — 4 min walk
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Lanikai Juice Company — 4 min walk
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Cinnamon’s Restaurant — 5 min walk
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Manoa Chocolate Hawaii — 5 min walk
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Fatboy’s Kailua Town — 6 min walk
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Kono’s Northshore - Kailua — 6 min walk
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Kailua Beach — 5 min drive
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Lanikai Pillbox Hike — 8 min drive
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Lanikai Beach — 9 min drive
Cafe and boutique by day, secret omakase spot at night. Intimate 6-seat sushi bar is hidden in the back. Reservations are hard to get and fill up a month in advance.
22Kailua
OMAKASE SUSHI
Good to know
PHOTOS
PACKING LIST
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BYOB: Grab some sake or drinks to go with your meal.
AMENITIES + PERKS
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There’s usually lots of free street parking. ​
TIPS + TRICKS
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Plan about 2 hours for your omakase meal.
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How to get a reservation for their omakase? 1) DM them on Facebook or Instagram to get their phone number. 2) Follow them on FB or IG and set up notifications. That’s where they’ll post when they open up reservations for the following month. They usually post mid month. 3) When reservations open up, text them immediately! They respond in the order they receive texts.
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What to text them when you’re trying to get a reservation (but definitely check their IG or FB posts to confirm because it changes from time to time): ​​
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A few dates that work for you.
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Preferred seating time.
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Number of people in your party (min 2 people for 22 Kailua, min 4 people for 514 Piikoi).
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Which tier of dinner. $100, $150, or $200. The $200 meal requires at least a week's notice. There's also the Shaka Shaka from Osaka Special Menu for $250. Everyone in your party should have the same tier.
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Be sure to text them ALL the info. They’ll continue to book spots as they go back and forth with you to fill in the gaps.
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It’s BYOB and no corkage fee so bring along some sake, Sapporo, or whatever you like to drink. They provide glasses and water.
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Text them when you arrive so they can let you in.
FYI
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Omakase is reservation only.
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Expect small portions, but lots of courses.
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Omakase is chef’s choice, meaning there’s no menu for you to order from. They’re very flexible if you let them know about allergies or food preferences ahead of time.
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Omakases come at a couple different price points (ranging from $100 - $200 / person) and you can add on sashimi (for around $20 per piece. The higher the price, the higher the grade of fish and special ingredients, but regardless of price point, you’re getting incredibly fresh and high quality ingredients.
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You need to choose your preferred price point ahead of time so they can get all the right ingredients.
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DID YOU KNOW?
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Owner Kijima used to own Kohnotori, on of the best yakitori restaurants in Honolulu.
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One of the reasons this spot is so under the radar is because Kijima purposely doesn’t draw attention to it. There’s no website, just Facebook and Instagram profiles. And even those are only there because his employees set them up.
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They opened in 2019, first as a coffee shop and then they quietly started serving sushi in the back.
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They’re going through some big changes in 2022. First Dustin and Malia have stepped away from the sushi counter, but remain involved with the restaurant. (Malia, one of the sushi chefs is inching her way towards competing in the Olympics, one judo competition after another.) In September 2022, they’ll be moving to a new location (still in Kailua). We’re waiting patiently to see what that experience will be like.
Last Updated 8 / 23 / 22​
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