Yakitori Ando

Verdict: A serious yakitori counter that earns its OAD ranking — book it before Honolulu catches on

Yakitori Ando is one of the few places in Hawaii where the format itself is the point. Chef Takashi Ando runs a dinner-only operation at 1215 Center St — Tuesday through Sunday, 6–10 pm, closed Wednesdays, the Opinionated About Dining recognition (ranked among the leading restaurants in North America in both 2024 and 2025) tells you this is not a casual grill. Price range is not published, but yakitori at this level of recognition typically runs $80–$150 per person depending on how far you push through the menu. Come with that expectation and you will not feel blindsided.

The room at Yakitori Ando runs with the focused, low-key energy that defines good yakitori in Japan. This is not the kind of place where the noise competes with the food. Expect a composed atmosphere, counter seating that keeps you close to the action, minimal distraction, a pace set by the kitchen rather than by you. If you are coming from a louder, more theatrical dining experience, the restraint here might take a moment to settle into, but it is the right call for a format where the quality of individual skewers is the conversation.

The tasting experience at Yakitori Ando is structured around progression. Yakitori done at this level is not a plate of chicken, it is a sequence: different cuts, different preparations, different textures moving from lighter to richer. Expect the menu to move through breast, thigh, skin, offal cuts in a considered order, with salt and tare versions pointing you toward what each piece does leading. This arc is what separates a counter like Ando from a neighborhood grill. The OAD ranking confirms that the kitchen is executing this progression at a level that holds up against mainland competition, a meaningful credential when you consider venues like Torisaki in Kyoto or Torisho Ishii in Osaka that define the genre's benchmark.

For context on where Yakitori Ando sits in the wider tasting-counter category: this is the kind of format that shares DNA with counter-driven progression dining at places like Lazy Bear in San Francisco or Smyth in Chicago, restaurants where the sequence is deliberate and the guest surrenders to the kitchen's pacing. It is a more focused, less expensive version of that contract, it works precisely because the format is tight. You are not choosing from a broad menu; you are trusting the progression.

Booking is currently easy, this is the window to go. It will not stay easy to book if the 2025 OAD ranking generates the attention it deserves. Book directly and book now.

Yakitori Ando is open Tuesday and Thursday through Sunday, 6–10 pm. Wednesday is the weekly close. No website or phone number is currently listed publicly, check reservation platforms directly. If you are building a Honolulu itinerary around serious eating, this should anchor your dinner calendar. Browse our full Honolulu restaurants guide, our full Honolulu bars guide, and our full Honolulu hotels guide to build around it. For other strong Honolulu options, consider Fête for New American, Bar Maze for cocktail-omakase, or Fujiyama Texas for a looser Japanese format. For something outside the city, Fumi's Kahuku Shrimp is worth the drive if you want a complete contrast. Zigu covers Japanese cuisine in a slightly more casual register. If you want a French-Japanese hybrid with a similarly progressive approach, Miro Kaimuki is the strongest comparison. For a full departure into New American, Fête is the city's standout in that category. None of them replicate the yakitori format specifically, Yakitori Ando is the only OAD-ranked yakitori counter in Honolulu.