The place was filled with locals. Saimin was great. Flavorful broth, large portions. Friendly service. Note: Don't blink. You'll miss it. Well worth going around the block twice.
The special saimin had a variety of toppings. Staff was helpful explaining the difference between the basic and special versions, as well as showing me the difference in sizes. Wasn't too busy at 5PM on a Thursday. There were many locals, only a few tourists (like me). It's a very simple meal counter with stools. Cash only. Decent food, though I more enjoyed the atmosphere of a locals' hole-in-the-wall
Excellent food but service was lackluster. Was excited to try out the James Beard Award winning Saimin and waited for approximately 30 minutes to get seated. Seating in communal on relatively short counters with stools - not too uncommon in Japan but rarely seen in the US. We waited for 5 minutes before server showed up to take our order. But then no food was delivered for more than 30 minutes. Three groups that were seated after us got their Saimin before us. While this is a family run place, disappointment with the service quality. The Saimin was very flavourful and shrimp tempura crisp.
Soy based stock with a combination of tasty bits of pork meat, fish cake and dumpling with egg noodles. Reminds of the wonton noodle dishes you would see in Hong Kong. Wholesome homey meal… it’s nothing fancy. Skewers were tasty w/ a sweet marinade.
I don't know why people like saimin so much, it just tastes like wonton soup with stuff in it. It's not bad, but it's just not my thing. The pie was really good though, so was the chicken, and it was pretty cheap.
Having read about Hamura’s as a Kauai establishment, I was excited to experience this place with my family and friends. We had regular saimin and chiffon pie based on what we read from others. Based on my extensive overseas living and traveling experience in Asia, I was somewhat disappointed with what I tasted here. Salmon broth was tasty but the noodle was average. Chiffon pie was good but it wasn’t something I would recommend to others as “must try” item. I would prefer traditional Japanese ramen or Chinese wonton soup over a bowl of saimin noodle. Saimin being a hybrid of sort, I don’t think this is a must visit location in Kauai.
Hamura Saimin is a must stop in Lihue. This is the THE spot on Kauai for the local specialty of Saimin. The small space makes getting a stool at the bar tricky for bigger groups, but it can be done. I recommend the Special Saimin, over the regular. This is a great stop for lunch.
First- you're coming to a spot that has been in Kauai for YEARS. You need to expect a family-run noodle house with history. This is not fine dining, it's the local spot. Sometimes the most worn buildings tell you where the best food is. Second- bring cash Third- this food is delicious, well priced- especially for hand pulled noodles. We went here after our Kalalau trail hike and it was a perfect way to top off the day.
My first bowl of saiman! The place reminds me of no-frills late-night “fast food” joints I’ve been to in Japan, and also has that certain old school vibe that’s perfectly captured by the menu on the old coca cola sign. I imagine some might be upset that this isn’t quite ramen or any other noodle soup—that’s because it isn’t. It’s uniquely Hawaiian! And that’s a beautiful thing. There’s also a variety of add-ins to customize the soup to your taste. (E.g. Chinese hot mustard in soup? ? ?) The lillikoi chiffon cake was also unique and delightful.
We were excited due to the hype but found the food to be OK except for the chiffon pie, prices are not cheap and the restaurant building is in poor condition. Most importantly, be careful: To exit, you have to walk down 3 steps and there was no warning that you could trip and fall all the way down 3 steps due to an elevated door ledge. This can be very dangerous for the older patrons. There is only limited street parking and the wait line is chaotic for first-time customers or tourists because they have no sign to say that you have to tell them you are waiting so that they can seat the correct number of people in a group. We ordered the wonton and Sumo ramen noodles that are comfort food for the locals. The manaupua was good but the fired wontons were tiny and over-priced, and the BBQ beef sticks were very tough. For a CASH ONLY place, the prices were not cheap - $3.00 for a side of onions or an egg or 2 wontons.