Engawa by Islander Sake Brewery

4.9

200 Reviews

$50 and over

Japanese

Make a reservation

2 people

Nov 23, 2024

7:00 PM

Booked 8 times today

Experiences are available.

Good for special occasions
Innovative
Charming

Welcome to Engawa, a small restaurant limited to 20 guests per night, where we offer an exquisite experience of Japanese cuisine. We invite you to indulge in a memorable dinner experience. Our menu is a celebration of traditional Japanese cuisine, featuring an array of exquisite dishes prepared with the finest local ingredients. From fresh sushi and sashimi to hearty tempura and other savory dishes are crafted to bring out the authentic flavors of Japan. Enjoy a unique culinary journey with chef & brew master Chiaki Takahashi, where each dish complemented by our award-winning hand-crafted sake, designed to enhance your dining experience.
At Engawa, we pride ourselves on providing not only exceptional foods but also an inviting atmosphere and impeccable service. To ensure you have a wonderful evening with us, we recommend making a reservation. Our attentive team is here to accommodate your needs and preferences, making your visit truly special.

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Elegant
Price
$50 and over
Cuisines
Japanese, Brewery, Creative Japanese
Hours of operation
Daily 5:30 pm–7:15 pm Daily 7:30 pm–9:15 pm
Phone number
(808) 517-8188
Website
http://www.islandersake.com/
Payment options
AMEX, Diners Club, Discover, JCB, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Casual Dress
Executive chef
Dr. Chiaki Takahashi

Location
62-100 Kaunaʻoa Dr, Waimea, HI 96743
Neighborhood
Kohala Coast
Cross street
Hapuna Golf Course
Parking details
Private Lot
Public transit
Hotel shuttle van, Walk from Hotel
Additional
Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Dog Friendly, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Vegan, View, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Experiences

Moon Night Soiree Sushi Kaiseki Dinner
$250.00 per person
Prepaid
Multiple dates available
Celebrate the season with a special sushi experience at Hapuna Beach! Acclaimed sushi chef Akito Yoshioka from Matsuri, Oahu’s beloved izakaya, will showcase his artistry with hand-crafted nigiri sushi. Enjoy a delightful sushi kaiseki that features an array of dishes, including grilled fish and vinegared delicacies, perfectly paired with Islander sake. Join us for an unforgettable evening of culinary indulgence and festive cheer as we welcome the Holiday season in style. Plates Omakase-style Sushi Kaiseki Price $250 (Sake pairing, Tax, Gratuities are included.) *Price is composed of Omakase-style, chef’s choice of assorted plates & pairing Fresh Sake brewed in Hapuna. *Guests must inform event hosts of any allergies before service.
A Japanese-Style Christmas on the Big Island
$170.00 per person
Prepaid
Dec 24, 2024 - Dec 25, 2024
This year, why not celebrate Christmas with a touch of Japanese elegance? At Hawaii’s only sake brewery-owned restaurant, our small yet dedicated team is ready to welcome you with warm hospitality, exquisite Japanese cuisine, and the finest sake that will make you feel as if you’re in Japan. Enjoy the healthy and flavorful delights of fermented foods made with sake and koji—perfect for those who appreciate nutritious and delicious dining. Celebrate the season with us in a truly special way! Price $170 (A glass of sake, Tax, Gratuities are included.) *Price is composed of Omakase-style, chef’s choice of assorted plates and a Fresh Sake brewed in Hapuna. *Guests must inform event hosts of any allergies before service.

Omakase Dinner$95.00
August Dinner menu: White tiny fish and Cucumber. Fried Eggplant topped with Chicken sauce, a Tofu salad with soy sauce, Koji, and truffle oil. Carpaccio of Kona Kanpachi with Hawaiian lime sauce and island fruits. Savory Steamed Egg Custard, Chawanmushi, Sushi, Sake Kasu Ice Cream. Contents may change depending on availability of ingredients. One glass of Islander Sake Junmai Daiginjo, the highest grade of sake Included.

What 200 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.9

4.9 based on recent ratings

4.9Food
4.9Service
4.7Ambience
4.8Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

Hawaii
Best Value
Hawaii
Innovative
Hawaii
Good for special occasions
Hawaii
Japanese
Hawaii / Big Island
Best Overall
Hawaii / Big Island
Best Food
Hawaii / Big Island
Best Service
Hawaii / Big Island
Best Value
Hawaii / Big Island
Innovative
Hawaii / Big Island
Healthy
Hawaii / Big Island
Neighborhood gem
Hawaii / Big Island
Good for special occasions

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews

Engawa by Islander Sake Brewery offers an "amazing Michelin-like experience" with a focus on locally crafted sake and beautifully presented Japanese dishes. Guests rave about the "wonderful" and "intimate" atmosphere, "friendly" service, and educational sake experience. A true "gem" on Hawaii Island, perfect for a memorable dining adventure.

200 Reviews

W
Wayne
San Francisco
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined on November 15, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Best Japanese food since we were in Kyoto. Well worth a visit to taste fine sake and lovely tasty courses of food. Much cheaper than flying to Japan😉 The menu changes monthly to target the freshest food. Highly recommend. We’ve gone at least 3 times. If given warning, they can accommodate food allergies. My celiac family member was over the moon. Unlike many GF accommodations which remove ingredients with subsequent less tasty food, her GF dishes were delicious! Go for a special experience.
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C
Carol
Chicago
8 reviews
vip
5.0
8 reviews
Dined on November 13, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Everything was outstanding. We dined at several restaurants while on our vacation to the Big Island of HI. Engawa was by far was the best for those who like this type of food. It's like a bucket list dining experience. We will be back hopefully someday soon. :)
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M
Maria
San Diego
7 reviews
vip
5.0
7 reviews
Dined on November 2, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
OMG We found a gem. We are visiting from California and were looking to try a local Japanese restaurant. We didn’t realize it was a 6 course prix fix dinner that included a sake tasting. We were seated outside by the golf course and there were only 4 tables at our seating so we felt very exclusive and attended to. The sake brewery owner greeted and served us the drinks and sake. The chef brought out and described every dish and its ingredients to us. Every dish was Simply delicious with very unique and fresh flavors. We were very impressed by the quality of the whole dinner for the reasonable price. Absolutely highly recommended!
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M
MARK
Los Angeles
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on October 26, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Unique eating experience. We were educated in the art of brewing sake as well as given some of the best food we have had on the Big Island. The service was outstanding…… very warm and caring. You could tell that he loves what he is doing and sharing with those lucky enough to have found this wonderful restaurant.
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W
Wendy
Greater Boston
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on October 12, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
We very much enjoyed the sake, food and interesting stories. The format is perfect and we hope to come back.
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R
Ryan
San Francisco
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on October 12, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Great intimate dining experience, highly recommend!
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j
jennifer
Hawaii
5 reviews
5.0
5 reviews
Dined on October 12, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Spectacular in every way. We dined at an outdoor table and it was peaceful and quiet and lent itself to slowly savor the dishes and the house-brewed Sakes. The terrific use of Japanese ingredients in the otherwise familiar dishes, eg Caprese, is genius. We were served by the President / Head Brewer, herself. The entire experience was exquisite.
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K
Kathy
Portland
7 reviews
vip
5.0
7 reviews
Dined on October 5, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Wonderful small Japanese Restaurant! Prefix 7 course dinner Everything was beautifully presented and tasted great! The service was very attentive, relaxed evening with 1 gentlemen waiter and chef came out after dinner and checked in with us We were a party of 3 and two of chose to do local sake pairing with 5 other sakes with the courses 1 glass of sake was served with dinner There are 2 seatings at 5:30 and 7:30 outdoor and indoor tables with the tall doors wide open with a lovely breeze We were celebrating my husbands birthday and an after dinner cotton candy cocktail was brought to him to celebrate his birthday which also was a nice touch
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OT
OpenTable Diner
New York City
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on October 2, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Terrific experience to try something different. Be patient and you will enjoy!!!
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SB
SusanB
Orange County
12 reviews
vip
5.0
12 reviews
Dined on September 13, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
Most delightful event! Delicate and delicious food! Definitely some authentic Japanese food that was absolutely amazing! The host explained all the nuisance of the food and sake we were tasting! He was very knowledgeable about both! I would recommend this event to anyone interested in some sushi sake experience!
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FAQs

Engawa by Islander Sake Brewery is rated 4.9 stars by 200 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

2 people

Nov 23, 2024

7:00 PM

Booked 8 times today

Experiences are available.

Google Map for Engawa by Islander Sake Brewery

62-100 Kaunaʻoa Dr, Waimea, HI 96743

Additional information

Cross street
Hapuna Golf Course
Neighborhood
Kohala Coast
Hours of operation
Daily 5:30 pm–7:15 pm Daily 7:30 pm–9:15 pm
Price
$50 and over
Cuisines
Japanese, Brewery, Creative Japanese
Dining style
Casual Elegant
Dress code
Casual Dress
Parking details
Private Lot
Public transit
Hotel shuttle van, Walk from Hotel
Payment options
AMEX, Diners Club, Discover, JCB, Mastercard, Visa
Executive chef
Dr. Chiaki Takahashi
Additional
Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Dog Friendly, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Vegan, View, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Website
http://www.islandersake.com/
Phone number
(808) 517-8188

Engawa by Islander Sake Brewery

Make a reservation

Additional information

Experiences

Moon Night Soiree Sushi Kaiseki Dinner

A Japanese-Style Christmas on the Big Island

Menu

Omakase Dinner

Omakase Dinner$95.00

What 200 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Loved For

Review summary

FAQs

How is Engawa by Islander Sake Brewery restaurant rated?

Is Engawa by Islander Sake Brewery currently accepting reservations?

Make a reservation

Additional information