Atsushi 333 Ward Ave Ste. 3-51 Honolulu 96813
The one thing I miss most from my former life since becoming a mom, is GOOD sushi. Date night doesn’t happen often and all the best sushi restaurants are only open for dinner…until now.
Atsushi is located in the back of Ohana Hale Marketplace. The shop has five counter seats and a couple small tables. They’ve been open for just a couple weeks and are already booking up. Reservations are highly recommended.
It was all very serendipitous the way it happened. The sushi gods heard my prayers. One of my meetings cancelled so for once I had an actual lunch break on the schedule. A couple texts and two of my besties happened to be free too. Then a phone number for reservations popped up on my FB feed (Thanks Toby!) and next thing you know we’re eating knock your socks off sushi in the most unassuming place.
Atsushi’s stall stands out from everything else in the marketplace. Chef Atsushi Kumagai formerly worked at Maru Sushi, a high-end sushi bar with Michelin Star ties, and he brought the same vibe to his new operation.
We start with two choice pieces of maguro sashimi served with a drizzle of shoyu and shiso on a nest of paper thin daikon. Followed by firm and crunchy Kona abalone.
Our first piece of nigiri was Tai Kobujime (above). Tai snapper marinated with konbu, served plain, no shoyu, with pink salt and a squeeze of lemon. Tai is always delicious as-is but the konbu definitely adds something and changes the texture as well.
Chef says he knows it’s done marinating by looking at the color of the fish. This was one of my favorites. Clean, bright, firm creamy texture with subtle umami from the konbu.
Next local ahi straight from Pier 38, simple with a brush of shoyu and kampachi with yuzu kosho made in house—yuzu zest, salt, and chili. So good, we ordered seconds.
Then Scottish salmon, ebi and this uni cup. Santa Barbara uni, glistening beads of ikura with masago hidden underneath for another layer of flavor and texture.
Manila clams nitsuke style with mushrooms and mentaiko karashi, another favorite. Well seasoned and spicy with a slight bitterness at the end.
The perfect bite of uni, hotate (not pictured), unagi avo roll, balanced and not heavy with sauce, and seared maguro with jalapeno. The last piece was of course tamago, warm a jiggly. We were stuffed by then but we ordered a last last piece of kanpachi just to be sure.
Total bill including tax $181.68 for three people. The quality is so amazing. It’s an absolute steal and if that wasn’t enough, you can also BYOB.
As of now, Atsushi is open Mon-Sat 10a-3p & 5-8pm and Sundays open till 5pm. You can find more info on Instagram. It’s the real deal. Go now.