Hamura Saimin

Just arrived in town LATE. This place is a 1 minute walk away and about to close. Trotted over in the dark and found... ... a fairly rustic lunch counter set up. ALL CASH. Smells like HEAVEN. I ordered the first thing and hoped it was fast so I wouldn't be that annoying person who saunters in at closing time. You can see what I got. It looked simple, but WOWZER, the flavor is off the chain good. And the "soy sauce" is a hot mustard sauce mixed with soy (I think). Don't care it was good too. Lots of cats out front...don't just a book by the cover in the dark on a quiet street. I could eat every meal here. What a lucky first find in my first hour on this beautiful Island.

Everytime I visit Kauai, I always end my trip and head to Hamura Saimin right before heading to the airport. This historical saimin shop is true hole in the wall mom & pop. I always get the extra large special saimin with 2 bbq beef sticks. The portion is hefty and loaded with toppings. The poke belly is plump and juicy, the broth is deliciously salty, and the noodles have a good bite. I always pour in the vinegar steeped with chili's for a nice tang. The beef sticks are good, but they always come out first and are cold by the time my saimin comes out. I also bought a whole lilikoi chiffon cake to bring back to Oahu - it comes frozen, and a paper bag is $1. The staff are always working hard taking orders, serving food, and clearing tables. There's a large table to the left that can fit multiple parties around, otherwise there's a snaking U shape counter throughout the rest of the restaurant. Parking isn't bad, especially on weekends when you can park on the side streets. Note cash only.

The saimin broth is SO tasty!! I wanted more broth and fewer noodles - I should have gotten a larger bowl!! I ordered the medium special saimin. I didn't love the meat though. Nothing fancy! Old style diner ambiance! But fun and feels local!

Located off of Rice Street in downtown Lihue, about 7 minutes from the main airport. Cash only, no credit card. This is a classic Kauai favorite restaurant. Serving the same type of of Hawaiian Saimin, as opposed to Japanese Ramen. Unique ebi broth and thick curly noodles. I highly recommend their Special Saimin, which includes: two won tuns, slices of ham, pork chashu, won bak cabbage, green onions, and sliced kamaboko (fish cake). They also offer baked goods: chocolate chip cookies, almond cookies, and their Lilikoi chiffon pie.

Service was good and a few free parking spaces nearby. The noodles were not as good as I expected but decent. Maybe I had high expectations

Saimin tastes different than traditional ramen but it’s worth giving a try!! We ordered bbq chicken sticks - chicken was tender and well cooked but lacked flavor. The dish I recommend trying is Saimin special. The broth is extremely flavorful and the meat is just delicious. We ordered x-large quantity and shared it between two people. They even provided an extra bowl to help with sharing the food. This place is really busy and there was a wait time of 10 mins. The server was busy attending to all the tables and didn't check on us often, but she was friendly. The place is pretty cramped up as people are seated right next to each other. Disclaimer: This place only accepts cash.

Delicious saimin, served fast by friendly folks! The stools and counters are pretty low if you're tall, but still quite comfortable. Of note, they only take cash and parking can be a little tricky to find if they're busy.

Totally worth the experience. Cash only (probably why some of the bad star reviews). Lunch counter style service with the menu overhead. They're fast, efficient, and know their main dish. The saimin is wonderful. The broth is delicious and served piping hot. The condiments are what you want. We got the special saimin with a side of tempura shrimp. They served the super crisp, right it of the fryer shrimp to us with a chili sauce that was really good, but I think next time I'll save them for the broth, as they would have soaked it up like a champ. Or just get the shrimp tempura version of the saimin. Great flavors, all the condiments were fresh. The pork was super tender. The wontons were fat pillows of goodness. And the cabbage lent crunch. I'll admit that when the bowl landed before us we are out so far we never got a picture. So good.

Just arrived in town LATE. This place is a 1 minute walk away and about to close. Trotted over in the dark and found... ... a fairly rustic lunch counter set up. ALL CASH. Smells like HEAVEN. I ordered the first thing and hoped it was fast so I wouldn't be that annoying person who saunters in at closing time. You can see what I got. It looked simple, but WOWZER, the flavor is off the chain good. And the "soy sauce" is a hot mustard sauce mixed with soy (I think). Don't care it was good too. Lots of cats out front...don't just a book by the cover in the dark on a quiet street. I could eat every meal here. What a lucky first find in my first hour on this beautiful Island.

Everytime I visit Kauai, I always end my trip and head to Hamura Saimin right before heading to the airport. This historical saimin shop is true hole in the wall mom & pop. I always get the extra large special saimin with 2 bbq beef sticks. The portion is hefty and loaded with toppings. The poke belly is plump and juicy, the broth is deliciously salty, and the noodles have a good bite. I always pour in the vinegar steeped with chili's for a nice tang. The beef sticks are good, but they always come out first and are cold by the time my saimin comes out. I also bought a whole lilikoi chiffon cake to bring back to Oahu - it comes frozen, and a paper bag is $1. The staff are always working hard taking orders, serving food, and clearing tables. There's a large table to the left that can fit multiple parties around, otherwise there's a snaking U shape counter throughout the rest of the restaurant. Parking isn't bad, especially on weekends when you can park on the side streets. Note cash only.

The saimin broth is SO tasty!! I wanted more broth and fewer noodles - I should have gotten a larger bowl!! I ordered the medium special saimin. I didn't love the meat though. Nothing fancy! Old style diner ambiance! But fun and feels local!

Located off of Rice Street in downtown Lihue, about 7 minutes from the main airport. Cash only, no credit card. This is a classic Kauai favorite restaurant. Serving the same type of of Hawaiian Saimin, as opposed to Japanese Ramen. Unique ebi broth and thick curly noodles. I highly recommend their Special Saimin, which includes: two won tuns, slices of ham, pork chashu, won bak cabbage, green onions, and sliced kamaboko (fish cake). They also offer baked goods: chocolate chip cookies, almond cookies, and their Lilikoi chiffon pie.

Service was good and a few free parking spaces nearby. The noodles were not as good as I expected but decent. Maybe I had high expectations

Saimin tastes different than traditional ramen but it’s worth giving a try!! We ordered bbq chicken sticks - chicken was tender and well cooked but lacked flavor. The dish I recommend trying is Saimin special. The broth is extremely flavorful and the meat is just delicious. We ordered x-large quantity and shared it between two people. They even provided an extra bowl to help with sharing the food. This place is really busy and there was a wait time of 10 mins. The server was busy attending to all the tables and didn't check on us often, but she was friendly. The place is pretty cramped up as people are seated right next to each other. Disclaimer: This place only accepts cash.

Delicious saimin, served fast by friendly folks! The stools and counters are pretty low if you're tall, but still quite comfortable. Of note, they only take cash and parking can be a little tricky to find if they're busy.

Totally worth the experience. Cash only (probably why some of the bad star reviews). Lunch counter style service with the menu overhead. They're fast, efficient, and know their main dish. The saimin is wonderful. The broth is delicious and served piping hot. The condiments are what you want. We got the special saimin with a side of tempura shrimp. They served the super crisp, right it of the fryer shrimp to us with a chili sauce that was really good, but I think next time I'll save them for the broth, as they would have soaked it up like a champ. Or just get the shrimp tempura version of the saimin. Great flavors, all the condiments were fresh. The pork was super tender. The wontons were fat pillows of goodness. And the cabbage lent crunch. I'll admit that when the bowl landed before us we are out so far we never got a picture. So good.

Cute little mom and pop place. Lots of locals. We may have been the only tourists. I had a BBQ chicken skewer, chicken thighs with a light sweet sauce. Very good! We both got the ramen. The broth was amazing, the rest was just okay. Ham lunch meat slices with ramen, fish cakes and green onions. No frills but we loved it. Easily the least expensive meal we had on the island and very filling.

Looks better than it tastes This is place is not bad by any means, it just isn't anything amazing. Tastes like a home cooked ramen dish. The wonton, eggs, and veggies felt overcooked. The noodles were a little too tough for me. The broth is just plain chicken broth. We also tried their skewers - the beef one was a bit tough, but the chicken one was juicy and tender. The lilikoi chiffon pie was probably my favorite - tasted like a not too sweet egg custard.

We love this saimin stand. We ate here multiple times during our week visiting Kauai and enjoyed their saimin, special saimin, fried noodles and of course their meat BBQ sticks (so meaty and delicious!). One of the days they put in some other meat besides spam (was it ham?) in the saimin but generally it was good! The only thing we didn't care for was the hard ice; it was too hard and didn't taste as expected. Everything else was great, very nice ladies and super friendly prompt service.

This little hole in the wall Samin stop is a favorite here on Kauai. It's cash only and has counter and 1 table seating that can sit about 30 people. It's usually very busy but on this visit, we came in at a good time. We got seated at the counter and was greeted by Auntie and Uncle who were working hard taking orders. There was another Auntie who was making all of the saimin orders. We ordered: 1. Small Saimin 2. Shrimp Samin 3. Beef Sticks The saimim was delicious and the broth was tasty along with the beef sticks and shrimp tempura. It hit the spot on that rainy weekend that we spent there. If you've been here you know and if you have never been here, it is worth a stop especially if you love traditional saimin, beef and chicken sticks, and shrimp tempura. The menu is not big but big enough for options and sizes. I will definitely return when I am in Kauai again.

This is a bustling small restaurant with a really unique bar that snakes across the room. Don't forget that it's CASH ONLY! There's a bank you can get cash from ~5 min walk away. Not the biggest fan of saimin, I wasn't impressed. The skewers were really tasty! I wish they included some recommended insturctions for the sauces that are left on the bar. I had no idea what the sauces were and how they suggest to use them. The star IMO is the lilikoi chiffon pie! It's like eating a fruity cloud. Super light, moist, and eggy. The lilikoi flavor is pronounced and adds a nice tart flavor.

I'm not exaggerating when I say this was the first stop for my husband and I after picking up the rental car at the airport (only a short drive away!). Food: We both ordered the Special Saimin, although I'd be tempted by the ox tail saimin (only available on certain days of the week) and other options if I was hungrier or had more time on th eisland. The medium bowl is probably a good size if you plan on getting other items too (like the BBQ chicken sticks and/or dessert), but that being said, the XL bowl didn't feel like "too much" food since the soup was tasty but light. For dessert, we shared a slice of the lilikoi chiffon pie (cake? pie?). Note that if you order food to-go after dining in, there is a slight price markup - this isn't a secret though since it's posted visibly on their menus. Service: TBH the service experience varied between visits, in terms of speed, attentiveness, friendliness, and other factors (it was never poor service though). Either way, we were always able to order and receive food quickly enough, and same with the bill. If you enter by the leftmost door and see a line, a tip that a local gave us is to just walk by and seat yourself (or use another door) - he said the line is for pickup/takeout orders, so you can save yourself some time there. I usually try not to go to food places more than once while on vacation, but my husband and I ended up going full circle by both starting and finishing our trip in Kauai with a meal at Hamura Saimin because we enjoyed it that much. One more tip before ending this review is that they're cash only, so don't forget to bring some with you!

At the time of writing, Hamura Saimin has a rating of 3.8 stars, which sets the stage for an experience that can swing from decent to memorable, depending on what you order. I went for the Special Saimin, a bowl brimming with an assortment of green onions, ham, fish cakes, vegetables, wontons, roast pork, and an egg. Individually, each ingredient held its own, but together, they seemed more like a mismatched band than a symphony. The components didn't quite harmonize, leaving the overall dish feeling a bit disjointed. Then came the BBQ chicken sticks--an undeniable highlight. Juicy, flavorful, and perfectly charred. For lack of a better word, I found myself "tricked" into buying banana bread. But it was a trick I didn't mind falling for. Moist, sweet, and comforting, this banana bread made for a perfect breakfast the next morning. The open seating at Hamura Saimin means it's first come, first serve, and I can imagine it gets crowded during peak hours. I didn't get to sample the Lilikoi Pie, but it looked like a treat worth coming back for. There's something here for everyone, and despite my lukewarm feelings about the saimin, I'd return to explore more of the menu. (Bring Cash)

It's been a few years since I lasted visited but the food is always good. I haven't dined inside in so long (I've always ordered take-out) that I forgot how nostalgic it felt. I usually get my usual which is bbq chicken sticks and the special saimin, and get the large size portion but I wasn't feeling all that well so I chose the medium. I didn't order it this time, but the lilikoi pie is always a great way to finish the meal. Everything about Hamura saimin feels like home, the ambiance just feels cozy. P.S. this is a cash only establishment so remember to withdraw money before arriving.

Everytime I visit Kauai, I always end my trip and head to Hamura Saimin right before heading to the airport. This historical saimin shop is true hole in the wall mom & pop. I always get the extra large special saimin with 2 bbq beef sticks. The portion is hefty and loaded with toppings. The poke belly is plump and juicy, the broth is deliciously salty, and the noodles have a good bite. I always pour in the vinegar steeped with chili's for a nice tang. The beef sticks are good, but they always come out first and are cold by the time my saimin comes out. I also bought a whole lilikoi chiffon cake to bring back to Oahu - it comes frozen, and a paper bag is $1. The staff are always working hard taking orders, serving food, and clearing tables. There's a large table to the left that can fit multiple parties around, otherwise there's a snaking U shape counter throughout the rest of the restaurant. Parking isn't bad, especially on weekends when you can park on the side streets. Note cash only.

Located off of Rice Street in downtown Lihue, about 7 minutes from the main airport. Cash only, no credit card. This is a classic Kauai favorite restaurant. Serving the same type of of Hawaiian Saimin, as opposed to Japanese Ramen. Unique ebi broth and thick curly noodles. I highly recommend their Special Saimin, which includes: two won tuns, slices of ham, pork chashu, won bak cabbage, green onions, and sliced kamaboko (fish cake). They also offer baked goods: chocolate chip cookies, almond cookies, and their Lilikoi chiffon pie.

This hole in the wall has been in Lihue forever and I loved it 30 years ago. And back again for Saimin! Got the regular medium Saimin and it was plenty for me. Side of beef and chicken skewers -- a smidgen dry for me but hit the spot after arriving from a flight. The lilikoi chiffon pie was a nice ending to the meal. Cash only!

I'm a fan of simple, no-frills saimin. I believe that's the only way to eat it. This is exactly that. And a bonus is that they have lilikoi chiffon cake! Food (5/5): Cheap and simple options that hit! You know exactly what you're getting when you order. This is a cash only establishment and it feels like you've been transported to a few decades ago with the diner style foods. We ate the saimin and lilikoi cake, I thoroughly enjoyed both for the price we paid! Service (4/5): There's only 2 people working this whole place, one in the front and one in the kitchen. They are there to get you your food and that's it. I don't mind it, I'm there for the food anyways! Ambiance (4/5): All the tables are a part of a continuous counter that snakes throughout the restaurant. Everyone sits on a stool and there's a possibility you sit next to others.

This is definitely a place that has a lot of rich history. The locals come here as if it were home and you can't help but feel cozy walking into Hamura Saimin. I've never had Saimin before and ordered the wonton mein. The broth was good. The dumplings were not in my taste palette preference and the meat was under seasoned. I added hot sauce and the assortment of things that were on the table but overall I probably would not order this again. I also got a beef skewer which was very good! Would definitely come back for the skewer. It's clear that it's fresh and tastes very homey. Another highlight is the lilokai chiffon pie, it is excellent! Very light and airy with just a slight tartness from the passion fruit. It was very enjoyable to eat. The service can be worked on but also the people that work here are so sweet and treat you like a guest in their home. I think they could benefit from a slight revamp to speed up their processes. TLDR: Overall would visit for skewers and pie again. Not the place if you are looking for a proper sit down restaurant. This is a casual eatery that is great to visit if you just want a laid back homey atmosphere.

A Kauai staple. Great spot to go to if you're in the mood for something warm. This simple bowl of Saimin will do the trick. Only downsides are the parking and the seating inside the restaurant is very tight so you'll be either elbow to elbow and/or back to back with a stranger depending on how busy it gets.

We were lucky enough to visit on a day when they were offering ox tail, and it was a solid choice! The broth was simple and flavorful, and I appreciated the no-frills, straightforward vibe of the place. While the dish was satisfying, it didn't quite blow us away. Things to note: we did feel that the ox tail was a bit overpriced for what you get, and it's a bit inconvenient that they only accept cash. Still, if you're in the area and craving a soup, it's worth a stop!

Another local favorite for flavorful Saimin. The ambiance is of an old diner and ample amount of seating. You may need to make friends when the seating is crowded. The service is quick.

The best! Complete dive - with surly service and little to no AC, but they've been serving up the yummiest saimin for years, decades, If you want a truly local and authentic experience, this is it!

Hamura saimin has been around forever. It's a nostalgic meal on so many levels! It's a cute little house with 1970's diner seating. Get the deluxe saimin and teriyaki beef sticks! Be sure to save room for the lilikoi (passion fruit) pie. Delicious. I love that you can get some saimin (uncooked) to go! You can enjoy it at a later date as it freezes well!

Everything went well! Save room for the somewhat hidde gem of the lilikoi chiffon cake. It's air fluffy amazing. Ordered almost everything because im a pig Nothing was a let down. Bring cash..

Cash only. It's a straight to the point place to eat where you find yourself an area that's open and sit down on the bar stools. The way it's set up is counter style so it will be tough if you're a big party. It's all fans and windows here and can be tough when the heat is beating down trying to eat your bowl of saimin. However their bowls of saimin are worth the try, and it's not too far from the airport. Mondays and Fridays only they offer oxtail saimin. We also ordered the beef and chicken bbq sticks. Essentially it feels like Filipino aunties that you see serving the food and cooking behind the counter.

We enjoyed our saimin bowls. I got the wonton one, and G got the special one (which has veggies- recommend!) The chicken BBQ stick was pretty good. The Lilikoi chiffon pie was alright but would be a bit better if it was more flavorful (more tart and more sweet).

Saimin place with locals and tourists. Simple menu, Saimin, wonton noodles, some skewered meat choices and Lilikoi chiffon pie. Casual atmosphere where you sit at this counter seating. Food feels salty so great if you need to replenish on your sodium loss from sweating all day.

In search of a Lilikoi chiffon pie, wasn't sure which was the best place to go. Just when I had finished purchasing pie at another place, we got the phone call to say that mom had purchased a whole pie from here. She bought it frozen and tried to eat it right away despite the rubbery texture. Much better to have patience and wait for it to thaw. The texture will be light and airy. Quite good but a bit too light in texture and flavor for two of us. I wanted to taste more lilikoi which I realize is pricey these days. The other 2 thought it was fine. $6.50 a slice. Average rating from our group 4.5 stars Who knew you could get this at a famous Saimin place?! IYKYK

Throw back to the time when it is just about the food. It is worth the wait at this hole in the wall. Ambiance is totally retro. Great food. Lilikoi pie is a must. Cash only.

While I wanted to have the full dine-in experience, it didn't work out (my family wasn't interested in the foodie-adventure). My consolation prize: I was able to grab a slice of the famous lilikoi chiffon pie to go. I went directly to the register and waited and waited to place my order. I felt ignored but eventually someone came by. Don't forget this place is cash only! My slice was $6.50 and it had been previously cut and packaged. Sadly some of the whipped topping was smashed into the lid. Not the prettiest Yelp photo... I ate the slice right away, while my kids enjoyed the Friday night market in Lihue (once every other week). The dessert was underwhelming, to put it politely. It's mildy flavored and has the consistency of a jello pie. The lilikoi flavor is mild, at best. If you didn't tell me, I'd probably never guess the flavor. The whip topping is thin and tastes like Reddiwhip. In short, if you're coming just for the pie, temper your expectations.

Casual spot for quick lunch. The menu is limited, but the food is hearty and comes in decent portions. Note that this place is cash-only.

Good ol' local grinds! Cannot beat the taste! Very flavorful broth and the noodles are so tender. We can hardly ever find food the kids will eat and they ate their entire bowls! We like the diner ambiance as well. It brings it all together.

It's a local business run by Asian women. There was one older Asian lady with a younger lady primarily serving. The older lady really reminds me of a typical Asian grandmother with a stoic face showing only an occasional smile. She was quick to take orders, bring out orders and clear dishes as if she has been doing this for many years. It is a cash only establishment. Plenty of parking by the lots nearby. Seating is in columns so you are seated side by side with someone else. It's more like a quick dine-in and leave kind of ambience - not a place you want to bring a group to linger around. Prices and portions are very good for this economy, so take advantage. This noodle shop is mainly known for their Saimin noodles. However, they do have some other various options available. I personally got to try the medium sized Special Saimin - which included the extra wontons, roast pork and egg. The bowl was decently sized (so I felt the medium was enough for me). There was so many stuff inside, so you don't leave hungry. The soup is great for a rainy/chilly day. I also got to try the Lilikoi Chiffon Pie slice. It had the texture of a mousse. Super soft, airy and fluffy. Nothing too filling, but a nice end to a great solid dinner.

Think of this as a diner-style restaurant but you're going to your non-emotional aunty's house for a bowl of delicious saimin...the service not there but the bowl makes you feel "homey". Even with that all said, I gave this a 3 because it definitely didn't wow my taste buds but it did taste familiar. My husband ordered the special saimin that came with egg, char Siu and won tons in additional to what you'd get with the regular saimin. If I had just stuck with my medium regular saimin ($9), maybe I'd give it a 4. But omg, when my husband gave me a wonton, I thought I was tasting chalk. It's pretty bad when you can taste the texture and taste itself is OLD. That made it like what the heck in terms of quality. Like I said, if it was purely ONLY the regular saimin, I'd say go for it, it's pretty great. Don't order any thing else on it because you might be highly disappointed in the quality of the meat. Other things to be aware of: CASH ONLY! And limited parking out front but there are other parking spots and street parking around the area.

No customer service! We called in an order for 4 med saimin. Person taking order was super rude. When we arrived 20 minutes later our order wasn't ready. No apologies cashier was super rude!!! She looked so angry at the world! On top of that we were charged a $6 takeout fee and when we asked for the noodles to be in separate bowls she wanted to charge another $6 !!! Needless to say we won't be going back

Loved the old diner feel and the unique counter/table layout. Husband and I ordered the special saimin and shrimp saimin. We felt the saimins were very basic, but had a homey taste. The special saimin had wontons, but they weren't very good. Looked like they just put some ground pork in there, but disintegrated when you bit into it. Something in the veg was very bitter. Shrimp saimin was simple, no complaints. We went quite early for dinner so the restaurant wasn't very busy. I watched the lady in the kitchen boil/cook things in advance instead of to order. That's probably why the wontons broke easily and the noodles were bit overcooked. Overall, I probably wouldn't come back. It might be worth the try if you're looking for a bowl of warm noodles. I would skip the boiled wontons.

Local noodle shop with tasty saimin! It's hard to come by a spot that does mainly saimin nowadays, so I was really happy to find this spot on yelp! Parking - street parking & this spot is cash only! Food: + I got the special saimini because that's what we were recommended to try. Tasty toppings and picture worthy! The noodles in my opinion were on the soft side, I would have preferred my noodles more firm. Soup base was flavorful and I enjoyed adding vinegar into my noodles. + lilikoi chiffon pie was super fluffy and airy! Tasty! Overall, I'm glad I had a chance to try this spot out!

Overall I think this place is worth it. The price is really affordable for a bowl of saimin, and its a nice change from the regular food available for tourists here, like poke and hawaiian plates. The food quality was just okay. The egg on top was too boiled and dried, the pork didnt have much flavor and was tough. The dumplings contained just a bit of ground boiled meat that didnt have any flavor and the dumpling itself was tough to eat. The veggies and broth were good and noodles were standard ramen type noodles.

We landed and we're ono for some local eats. Found Hamura's saimin in Lihue and decided to try it. The parking was a bit difficult because there are a few stalls out front and down the street, but a lot of reserved parking on the other side. We had our luggage and didn't want it out of view. Luckily we waited and were able to snatch a stall right out front. In the shop it was crowded with everyone sitting in stools. We found a corner and we're able to sit with 7 in our party. The menu was pretty simple but the fried saimin wasn't available. We ordered saimin and my sister got the meat skewers. My one daughter really liked them. My other daughter really liked her saimin. I found the saimin lacking in flavor other than a pack of S&B and a lot of fish flakes. The only downside is that it's cash only. There are banks in the area you can get to an atm to pull out cash. Service was good! They were able to make room between other tables but we fit in nicely. Very mom and pop hole in the wall kind of place. Chili pepper water and hot mustard was also a nice touch!

This is definitely an older local spot. Food comes out relatively quick. Their saimin is great, honestly the medium bowl got me full, and I recommend trying one of their skewers. They are cash only, so be prepared.

Classic old school cash only - locals usually - noodle place. Good noodles. And the pie is also great.

Hamura Saimen never disappoints! Don't let the long line deter you, the noodles are worth it. They are perfectly chewy with a delicious broth. We ate here 3 times in the week that we visited. While you wait for your food, you can watch the women that work there float around as they serve steaming bowls to other customers or cook furiously in the back as they prepare upcoming orders. The decor is minimal, but the experience is authentic!

Hamura Saimin serves comfort food of Hawaii. Don't get me wrong, they don't serve Hawaiian food. They mainly serve Saimin or Japanese Ramen you can only find in Hawaii. Service is awesome here. We were sat right away. This is a small, old place with counter sitting only. Be prepare to sit in a low, wooden stool. I ordered a small Saimin, $8.95. But really, it was more like a regular size Ramen. This Saimin brought old memories. I used to eat them a lot during my younger days when they were lots of coffee shops in Hawaii. Zippy's serves Saimin still but there's something about eating at a run down place where the noodles are made fresh in a nice broth. Their pink fish cake or Kamaboko tasted so good for some reason. Something so simple but brings you comfort in your mouth. If you're visiting, it's worth a try.

Located in downtown Lihue off artsy Kress St. Saimin recipe made by the same family for over 50 years. Try any saimin or their lilikoi chiffon pie. Simple seating, pull up a wooden stool to any open table. Staff are efficient.

This was such a cool concept! The place is cash only, there are a bunch of U shaped tables, and people are served one dish pretty much - the saimin. Good: - I got the special saimin medium and it was super good - loved how it included fish tofu, some ham, some wontons, and the noodle portions were super generous. I loved the soup as well - You can't beat the prices! Super reasonable - Super fast service - it all comes to you super quickly! Bad: - It's a bit chaotic once you go in, so know your order before you go! Overall loved this place and the way the experience was so different from anything else on the island! Feels authentic and it was packed.

great hole in the spot place! my friends and i were a bit tired of eating typical hawaiian food so we opted for another highly rated food place and this place was a good choice. the food is good but tbh, it's nothing special. if you are looking for a good noodle soup place then check out this place but other than that, i wouldn't go back the service was quick when you walk in and they seat you very fast. it is a smaller place and its almost like a community seating area. but once you finish eating, we waited a good 10 min for them to even give us our check but only bc my friend had to get their attention

Hawaiians version of ramen (saimin) was light, generous with a toppings, and in a really accessible location in Kauai. Really friendly servers who care about the food and are willing to chat up about the area.

I love small unpretentious shops with history churning out no BS traditional foods. I was ready to love it. But I'm very sorry to report here.. the special was the worst worst bowl of ramen I've ever had. The wontons skins were thick, broke apart, some tiny amount of crumbled flavorless meat inside. Soup was flavorless soy base watery. A couple standard slices of commercial grade fish cake (the one with pink swirls) and some fine chopped Asian cabbage. That's it. Ramen noodles was just fine. Did love the atmosphere tho. Bowl of Noodles on a stool with strangers sitting next to you. I want this restaurant to do well. I really wished I could love it - but I also need to be honest here. You should go anyways to support the business but these 5 star rave reviews ... we must be eating totally different things.

I've been coming here for years!.It was the spot on your late night hunger cravings.Since then they don't open as late as they use to..Since the new owners took over.The broth to Me is very salty.Also the customer service is a gamble.If you're lucky you'll have a good server then on bad night's you'll have a shitty one.It how it go's.Im not sure when I'll be going back?.

I came here for all the five-star reviews that I saw, but unfortunately, I didn't have that five-star experience. My husband and I ordered the sumo bowl, which is the largest bowl you can get here. The saimin noodle bowl tasted like it was a day old. The meat wasn't fresh (the pork was a bit hard), and the egg was really overcooked. Maybe that's the style of the noodles here, but it definitely wasn't the noodle for me. In addition, the service was so off, it just made my experience as a whole just not the best. I hope I really came on an off night as the reviews did not match my experience.

We were so sad that we couldn't try the oxtail saimin! They only have those on Mondays and Fridays. Don't forget, they only accept cash! The food was delicious and the seating arrangements were very unique. It was a whole table, put in a maze(?) pattern. It was very family-like restaurant.

We had a great lunch here. Out party was sort of big of about six people, but we were all seated right away and service was super quick. I loved the horseshoe counter style and their seemingly unchanged menu. Very small town comfy diner feeling. I got the regular sized special saimin and we didn't have to wait too long for our food. The broth was light and the noodles were cooked perfectly. They were slightly thick, with a good bite. My favorite parts of the soup were them melt in your mouth fatty pork and hard boiled egg. The egg yolk was fluffy and light, and I'm usually not a big fan of egg in ramen, but this one was delicious. The fish cake was sweet and not too fishy, it bring some color to the dish with it's bright pink swirl. My wonton was kind of dry on the inside unfortunately. The greens were slightly bitter, but added a good contrast of taste. We had to have the lilikoi pie for dessert. It reminded me of a lemon meringue pie. It was super light, slightly sour and sweet with a crispy crust. We all had a really great and filling lunch here. I'd totally stop by here again on my next visit to Kauai.

We stopped here for lunch on a whim. It was a recommendation on the GuideAlong app, and we were in the area and hungry and decided to give it a try. We're so glad we did! First of all, this is a local favorite. Don't expect anything fancy. There was no line or anything like that when we arrived shortly after noon on a Wednesday. We also had no problem finding street parking in the area. Service is extremely basic but very quick. Our entire visit lasted about 30 minutes from arrival to departure. The food is really affordable and it's cash only so bring cash. You'll be sitting at a counter elbow-to-elbow with others (mostly locals) dining on the most delicious and comforting saimin. They have other items on the menu but we were excited to try the saimin, and even on a sweltering day it was absolutely worth it. We wished we had ordered the large size, it was so good, but medium was still a nice-sized portion. In the days that followed, we kept saying we wanted to go back and get more but it just didn't work out with our schedule. Next time for sure!

Hamura Saimin is a nostalgic and charming hole in the wall serving up flavorful Hawaii and Japanese comfort food. They are most well known for their delicious saimin and soothing broth that are truly heaven in a bowl. This cozy noodle shop has such a laid back ambiance with fast service. Don't forget to try their crispy fried won tons and a piece of their famous lilikoi chiffon pie!