Makino Chaya Offers Endless Food, Fun

With a bountiful buffet buoyed by a slew of seafood selections, Makino Chaya truly offers a “tsunami of seafood.”

When restaurant president Jo Makino goes on to explain that the expansive buffet “has it all,” there is no exaggeration on his part. From ahi poke to sushi and tempura, a new ramen station and even a full dessert bar complete with crepes made to order and a chocolate fountain, diners of all ages and tastes feel at home.

Makino Chaya was recently named the “No. 1 Buffet in Hawaii” for the third consecutive year in Star-Advertiser‘s Hawaii’s Best People’s Choice Awards, making it clear that diners can’t get enough of the endless buffet situated in Aiea’s Westridge Shopping Center. The restaurant features a spacious dining room capable of hosting upwards of 300 guests, and its friendly staff makes dining amid the inviting atmosphere fun for all.

“We still offer a wide variety of seafood, and it’s all-you-can-eat,” Makino says. “I guarantee when you come and eat here, after you walk out the door you’ll be full — maybe until the next day!”

Customers also enjoy extraordinary value when experiencing Makino Chaya’s offerings, as the lunch buffet is just $10.98 Monday through Friday and $18.98 Saturday and Sunday. The dinner buffet features king crab, lobster, soft shell crab and butterfish, and is available Monday through Thursday for $26.98 and Friday through Sunday for $28.98.

Customers are treated to succulent rib eye or tri-tip steak for both lunch and dinner, as a skilled chef cooks the tender meat to order on a sizzling teppan flat-iron grill. Calamari steak may also be grilled to order at lunch, while lobster is available at dinner — making for the ultimate surf-and-turf combination.

As summer continues to heat up, Makino Chaya features fresh-shucked oysters available during dinner as a cool, refreshing treat. The local favorite complements Makino Chaya’s extensive lineup of fresh seafood that has diners clamoring for more.

“We have a lot of options for our customers,” Makino explains. “Sometimes we go through up to 400 oysters on the weekend, and it’s important to get them fresh. If you were to go out and order oysters somewhere else, you end up paying nearly $20. Here, you pay one price and you get all the oysters you can eat, in addition to king crab, snow crab and lobster. Where else can you find a deal like that?”

Makino Chaya

98-150 Kaonohi St., Aiea
486-5100
Lunch: Monday-Friday, 11:45 a.m.-1:30 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m.
Dinner: Monday-Thursday, 6:30-8:30 p.m.; Friday, 6-9 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, 5:30-9 p.m.
makinochayahawaii.com