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✔️Lunch ✔️Dinner ✔️Dine in ✔️Take out
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Rokaru Shabu Shabu consistently delivers mouthwatering options made from fresh ingredients. This top local Japanese restaurant serves both authentic and innovative dishes that bring their local culture with the Japanese culture. Fill up your table’s sizzling hot pot with your broth, meats, and veggies of choice. Packed with rich, savory flavor, every menu item is crafted with your taste buds in mind. They don’t just taste amazing, but healthy as well We strive to maintain a friendly, family-oriented atmosphere. Not only is the food hearty and warm–so is the service. Overall we want to make your experience most enjoyable. BYOB with no corkage fee. Kids menu, AYCE options available.
Hours
| Sunday | 11 AM–9:30 PM |
| Monday | 4–9 PM |
| Tuesday | 4–9 PM |
| Wednesday | 12–9 PM |
| Thursday | 12–9 PM |
| Friday | 12–9:30 PM |
| Saturday | 11 AM–9:30 PM |
Address and Contact Information
Address: 98-1277 Kaʻahumanu St #112, Aiea, HI 96701
Phone: (808) 455-3000
Website: https://www.rokaruhi.com/
Menu Photos
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3.8K+ followers · 1.1K+ posts · Locally sourced ⏰ M-Tu: 4P-9P; W-Th: 12P-9P; F: 12P-930P; Sa-Su: 11A-930P DineIn & TakeOut BYOB (808)455-3000 …
Reviews
Melvin Dizon
I recently dined at Rokaru Shabu Shabu, and it turned out to be one of the more satisfying hot pot experiences I’ve had on Oahu. Located in the Pearl Kai Shopping Center area of Aiea, the restaurant has a modern and comfortable dining space that feels both lively and welcoming. The layout is well suited for group dining, which makes sense given the communal nature of shabu shabu. The moment we were seated, the staff were attentive and helpful in explaining the menu and how the ordering process works for guests who may be less familiar with the style of dining.
What immediately stood out was the quality and freshness of the ingredients. Shabu shabu is a cuisine where ingredient integrity matters significantly because the cooking process is very simple. Rokaru clearly prioritizes fresh vegetables, well-prepared broths, and thinly sliced meats that cook quickly and evenly in the hot pot. The beef selections were particularly impressive, with slices that had excellent marbling and tenderness. Once briefly cooked in the broth, the meat developed a rich flavor while still maintaining a delicate texture.
The broth options were another highlight of the meal. Each broth offered its own flavor profile, allowing diners to customize their experience depending on their preferences. The broths were flavorful without becoming overly salty or heavy, which allowed the natural taste of the meats and vegetables to come through. As ingredients were added throughout the meal, the broth continued to develop deeper flavor, which is one of the pleasures of well-executed shabu shabu.
The sauce bar also added an enjoyable level of customization. Having the ability to mix dipping sauces allows each diner to tailor the flavor balance of each bite. Whether leaning toward something more savory, slightly spicy, or bright with citrus, the sauces complemented the cooked ingredients well without overwhelming them.
Service throughout the meal remained attentive and efficient. Staff checked in regularly to ensure that broths were maintained, orders were correct, and diners had everything they needed. The pacing of the meal felt comfortable, allowing our group to take time enjoying each round of ingredients without feeling rushed.
The overall atmosphere contributed positively to the experience. The dining room had an energetic but controlled environment that made it easy to enjoy conversation while cooking and sharing food together. Shabu shabu naturally encourages a social dining style, and Rokaru does a good job creating a space that supports that experience.
Overall, Rokaru Shabu Shabu delivers a well-executed hot pot experience with fresh ingredients, flavorful broths, and attentive service. The restaurant demonstrates a clear understanding of what makes shabu shabu enjoyable: quality ingredients, balanced broths, and a welcoming environment where diners can take their time and enjoy the process of cooking their meal.
… moreWhat immediately stood out was the quality and freshness of the ingredients. Shabu shabu is a cuisine where ingredient integrity matters significantly because the cooking process is very simple. Rokaru clearly prioritizes fresh vegetables, well-prepared broths, and thinly sliced meats that cook quickly and evenly in the hot pot. The beef selections were particularly impressive, with slices that had excellent marbling and tenderness. Once briefly cooked in the broth, the meat developed a rich flavor while still maintaining a delicate texture.
The broth options were another highlight of the meal. Each broth offered its own flavor profile, allowing diners to customize their experience depending on their preferences. The broths were flavorful without becoming overly salty or heavy, which allowed the natural taste of the meats and vegetables to come through. As ingredients were added throughout the meal, the broth continued to develop deeper flavor, which is one of the pleasures of well-executed shabu shabu.
The sauce bar also added an enjoyable level of customization. Having the ability to mix dipping sauces allows each diner to tailor the flavor balance of each bite. Whether leaning toward something more savory, slightly spicy, or bright with citrus, the sauces complemented the cooked ingredients well without overwhelming them.
Service throughout the meal remained attentive and efficient. Staff checked in regularly to ensure that broths were maintained, orders were correct, and diners had everything they needed. The pacing of the meal felt comfortable, allowing our group to take time enjoying each round of ingredients without feeling rushed.
The overall atmosphere contributed positively to the experience. The dining room had an energetic but controlled environment that made it easy to enjoy conversation while cooking and sharing food together. Shabu shabu naturally encourages a social dining style, and Rokaru does a good job creating a space that supports that experience.
Overall, Rokaru Shabu Shabu delivers a well-executed hot pot experience with fresh ingredients, flavorful broths, and attentive service. The restaurant demonstrates a clear understanding of what makes shabu shabu enjoyable: quality ingredients, balanced broths, and a welcoming environment where diners can take their time and enjoy the process of cooking their meal.
Yolande Fong
Absolutely fabulous food and I just tried a few dishes from their pupu menu! Lightly fried vegetables, chicken and calamari. Fresh tasty greens and sauces paired to each dish. Definitely need to return to try more of their menu! Their takeout menu is well-varied too.
… moreDaniel Nguyen
I wanted to like it but was honestly kind of let down. I will have to say their saving grace was the amazing and hard working service. All the servers and food runners were so friendly and welcoming, hence the 3 stars. The system of ordering and food options were meh though.
There are two AYCE options to choose from, standard or premium, where premium is just a few dollars more and includes pupus and better proteins. We went with the latter. The meat quality is good, and we made sure to order all the premium beef options plus pork belly and some seafood. Kauai prawns are huge, so definitely stock up on that. Proteins could be ordered 4 at a time. For pupus, the taro arabkiki (fried sausages) and candied bacon were pretty good. There were like 3 veggies you had to order from the server, but otherwise there was a self-serve veggie bar. I will have to say that they had an extensive selection of starches, with noticeably healthier options like tofu or zucchini noodles. There is a large selection of broths, of which I chose the spicy goma. They seem to have a lot of special items for broths or menu items, so be sure to ask! The sesame sauce is pretty good, and the yuzu sauce is tangy and fresh. Green tea ice cream was delicious, strawberry not so much.
The things that were kind off include things like having to ask for sauce bottles instead of having each bottle at a table or a self serve sauce bar, 1 tong and 1 ladle for a whole table of 4, small bowls for each person rather than plates to scoop food out to, and only 1 large plate to get veggies from the bar rather than everyone being able to grab plates themselves. While we were never denied and requests from the servers, it just got annoying to have to keep asking for things.
I enjoyed their playlist, but it was pretty loud inside and hard to hear. Recommend to make a reservation on yelp as wait times can get pretty long. Parking is easy in the large parking lot. Will probably try again to see if this one time was a fluke.
… moreThere are two AYCE options to choose from, standard or premium, where premium is just a few dollars more and includes pupus and better proteins. We went with the latter. The meat quality is good, and we made sure to order all the premium beef options plus pork belly and some seafood. Kauai prawns are huge, so definitely stock up on that. Proteins could be ordered 4 at a time. For pupus, the taro arabkiki (fried sausages) and candied bacon were pretty good. There were like 3 veggies you had to order from the server, but otherwise there was a self-serve veggie bar. I will have to say that they had an extensive selection of starches, with noticeably healthier options like tofu or zucchini noodles. There is a large selection of broths, of which I chose the spicy goma. They seem to have a lot of special items for broths or menu items, so be sure to ask! The sesame sauce is pretty good, and the yuzu sauce is tangy and fresh. Green tea ice cream was delicious, strawberry not so much.
The things that were kind off include things like having to ask for sauce bottles instead of having each bottle at a table or a self serve sauce bar, 1 tong and 1 ladle for a whole table of 4, small bowls for each person rather than plates to scoop food out to, and only 1 large plate to get veggies from the bar rather than everyone being able to grab plates themselves. While we were never denied and requests from the servers, it just got annoying to have to keep asking for things.
I enjoyed their playlist, but it was pretty loud inside and hard to hear. Recommend to make a reservation on yelp as wait times can get pretty long. Parking is easy in the large parking lot. Will probably try again to see if this one time was a fluke.
Drew Nguyen
The service was outstanding. I believe our server name was Chanise. She was attentive and ensure we had a good experience. The fryer was down so we couldn’t get any fried items, but they did tell us prior. My only complaint was that the table was too small. We couldn’t fit everything on the table and felt like we HAD to put everything in the soup immediately to make space.
… moreRigel Taylan
More space, same food. Get the $5 add on for pupus! Rokaru broth, meats, garlic chicken, miso garlic claws and vegetables. Friendly service.
… moreBrandon Oshiro
I’ve been to the old location when it was next to Foodland Pearl City, and I enjoyed the food. Unfortunately I haven’t been back since. Today, I took my wife and my 14mo old son to the new location, near City Mill in Pearl City. There was a graduation party that took up almost the entire restaurant, with only a few tables open for the public. I initially was going to walk away because my thoughts were that the service might be lacking due to the huge party. However, a hostess came up and asked us how many. I told her three, with one being a baby and I needed a high chair. After she sat us down, Shanice(been with company for about 9 years) approached us and made us feel like family. She took our order, recommended things on the menu, even preordered some things for us to try so that we didn’t have to wait for food. Her service and attitude made this visit amazing for my family. The food was tasty, including the salad bar, and some things were menu items only. Even if they had a huge party in the restaurant, she was able to give us five star service. Another employee saw we had a baby and the party was about to play loud games. She walked over and warned us, to prepare my baby, in case it got loud, which it didn’t…but the thought is what counts. I’m apologizing to Shanice for taking this picture of her serving another table, but before we left, I wanted to show the world a picture of Shanice that made a huge difference in our family experience at Rokaru’s new location. Mahalo to Shanice and the staff and congrats to the owners Reid and Mark for their upgrade from the small space in the former location. We will be back!
… moreSY Lee
Our First but Last Visit
We rarely leave reviews, but our experience was so unpleasant that we feel we must.
The restaurant showed zero flexibility. We paid before finishing our meal, and the server warned of a $5–$10 charge for leftovers. We assured them we’d finish everything, and we did—except for a small portion of salad.
The server then offered a to-go box without mentioning it would cost $7 until after we agreed. If there’s a fee, it should be stated upfront. This policy made the rest of our meal uncomfortable and frustrating.
The server even said, “It’s only $7.” For that price, we could buy a fresher salad elsewhere. Whether it’s leftover fees or to-go charges, it felt like the restaurant just wanted to squeeze more money from customers.
On top of that, the ingredients weren’t fresh, and the food was nothing like Japanese style either.
The food quality and taste were far from worth the price, and in all our years of living in Hawaii and the mainland U.S., we have never had such a disappointing dining experience.
You just lost customers. This was our first visit, and we could have become regulars—but your policies and quality made sure we’ll never return.
… moreWe rarely leave reviews, but our experience was so unpleasant that we feel we must.
The restaurant showed zero flexibility. We paid before finishing our meal, and the server warned of a $5–$10 charge for leftovers. We assured them we’d finish everything, and we did—except for a small portion of salad.
The server then offered a to-go box without mentioning it would cost $7 until after we agreed. If there’s a fee, it should be stated upfront. This policy made the rest of our meal uncomfortable and frustrating.
The server even said, “It’s only $7.” For that price, we could buy a fresher salad elsewhere. Whether it’s leftover fees or to-go charges, it felt like the restaurant just wanted to squeeze more money from customers.
On top of that, the ingredients weren’t fresh, and the food was nothing like Japanese style either.
The food quality and taste were far from worth the price, and in all our years of living in Hawaii and the mainland U.S., we have never had such a disappointing dining experience.
You just lost customers. This was our first visit, and we could have become regulars—but your policies and quality made sure we’ll never return.
Allo Cagps
It’s ok for shabu shabu however the service could be better. Not only they keep reminding us we only have 1.30 min even before we seat they also forget to bring our protein. They have 2 choice standard all you can eat or for extra $5 premium. I guess it’s ok. Also the stove is way too high so it’s become Inconvenience.
… moreWinifred Ha
Food is fresh and staff are very friendly. A bit under staff for dinner time – 4 5 tables were available but we had to wait more than 10min to be seated. only one girl there to clean table while manage reservations and walk-in wait list. We didnt rush her tho… she really had her hands full
We were there at 6:40pm and waited for around 30-40min to be seated. MAKE RESERVATION if you didnt want to wait
We didnt get ayce as i dont usually eat much. One standard shabu shabu set is enough for a party of 2, plus some gyoza and crab cake.
The dressings are amazing! Dont be afraid to try them all. Sesame dressing is perfect with noodle, make sure to use yuzu dip for your meat, and soy sauce goes well with anything
Highly recommend this place for cold days and when you want some ramen/udon with lots of veggy
… moreWe were there at 6:40pm and waited for around 30-40min to be seated. MAKE RESERVATION if you didnt want to wait
We didnt get ayce as i dont usually eat much. One standard shabu shabu set is enough for a party of 2, plus some gyoza and crab cake.
The dressings are amazing! Dont be afraid to try them all. Sesame dressing is perfect with noodle, make sure to use yuzu dip for your meat, and soy sauce goes well with anything
Highly recommend this place for cold days and when you want some ramen/udon with lots of veggy
Ed Taguba
I recently dined at this fantastic restaurant where the food consistently wows my taste buds. The flavors are exquisite, and the service is impeccable. A truly delightful dining experience!
… more