Yama’s Fish Market has been serving local Hawaiian style cuisine since 1980 from it’s long standing Moilili location. One of my favorite places to go for good takeout food, Yama’s offers a variety of local foods from kalua pork to haupia.
Parking is probably the one drawback to making a stop at Yama’s. The small lot out front can accommodate perhaps six cars. During peak lunch and dinner hours there is often a few cars who try to get away with parking along the wall (which ultimately blocks some folks in). When I arrive at Yama’s during the busy hours I often find myself waiting for a chance to snag a parking stall.
As a take out and catering business, Yama’s does not offer any seating to enjoy their food. When you step inside the building you are greeted by a large display case filled with various poke selections. Yama’s prepares their poke fresh throughout the day, and it isn’t unusual to see employees scurrying back and forth between taking orders and making a new batch of poke.
Yama’s offers a wide variety of local Hawaiian foods including kalua pork, lau lau, poke, haupia, lomi salmon, mochiko chicken, and more! I typically stick with the kalua pork or lau lau (and of course the poke!).
For tonight’s take out dinner the first plate we ordered was a classic kalua pork and cabbage. Yama’s plates typically come with either macaroni salad or lomi lomi salmon and a generous helping of rice. The kalua pork is quite good, having that great salty and smoky flavor we’ve come to love locally. I’ve seen people add shoyu (soy sauce) to kalua dishes, but Yama’s take on this island favorite packs more than enough seasoning and flavor to make any additions unnecessary.
Our second plate was yet another classic local fish, lau lau. Yama’s standard lau lau offering is a combination of chicken and pork. Wrapped inside the traditional leaf packaging and steamed to perfection, Yama’s lau lau is packed with flavor. The simple yet delicious seasoning and natural flavors of the ingredients come together perfectly.
No visit to Yama’s would be complete for me without sampling some of their poke, and tonight I decided to go with the spicy ahi poke. Yama’s generally offers a variety of ahi and tako (squid) poke mixtures everyday.
This spicy ahi poke did not pack nearly as much of that spicy kick as I’d like (but my tolerance to hot foods is very high), but overall the poke tasted good. The ahi was not fishy at all, and each piece was a quality bite, lacking in the excessive “chewiness” you sometimes get with low grade poke.
Final thoughts: Yama’s Fish Market offers its customers an inexpensive venue for enjoying well prepared island classics. The staff is very friendly, fast, and efficient. In additoin to take out Yama’s does offer a catering option for larger parties, and is often a favorite spot for large orders of some of its more popular dishes. If you’ve got a craving for some good Hawaiian food, I would highly recommend checking out Yama’s Fish Market!
| Service: |    |
Average + |
| Food: | |
Average + |
| Overall Value: | |
Average + |
| Price: | 
| Under $10 per person |
Yama’s Fish Market
2332 Young Street·Honolulu, HI 96826
Phone: 808.941.9994
Tags: Ahi Poke, Hawaii Food, Hawaii Food review, Lau Lau, Yama's Fish Market, Yama's Fish Market review
Other Popular Reviews:
Even during peak hours, service is quick and friendly, a real bonus when you have a limited amount of time for lunch.
Yama’s now has two tables and a few chairs right outside the doors - they are usually occupied when I go there. Lucky for me, I work nearby and I can just walk there and then take my food back to work with me. Old Stadium Park is a short walk away (go a block down to South King Street and cross the street), so it’s possible to get a pleasant seat outdoors, depending on the weather and how busy the park is.
If you like sweets, check out the cold case! The Okinawan sweet potato haupia dessert with a shortbread crust is delicious, with a shortbread crust that adds a nice crunch.