A solo-diner katsu counter on Sheridan built the way they do it in Japan — you sit, you order a set, it comes out fried to order and impossibly light. Pork loin set is the one to judge it by. Small room, quick turnover, and easy to eat alone without feeling weird about it. Get the Pork Loin Tonkatsu Set.
Northeast Chinese skewers on Kapahulu, open until midnight and built for ordering in rounds. Get a spread of the beef and pork belly skewers and the grilled cold noodles, which is the dish you will not find anywhere else in town. Brand new, so the menu is still moving — closed Wednesdays. Get the Spicy Beef Skewer.
Marujuu is now a Japanese hamburg-and-steak specialist, hand-kneading each patty and serving it sizzling with house-made sauces rather than running a broad izakaya menu. Try the Ponzu Daikon Hamburg Steak.
The full ranking, the map, and the check-in that puts each one on your passport. Reading the list is free — earning it isn’t.