- Restaurants |
- Nightlife |
- Shopping |
- Movies |
- All
Yelp's Karate Kid Elite Event @ YuZu
Category: Local Flavour Local Flavour [Edit]
YuZu Restaurant410 Atkinson Drive
Honolulu, HI 96814
Neighbourhood: Ala Moana
(808) 943-1155
- Good for Kids:
- No
39 reviews for Yelp's Karate Kid Elite Event @ YuZu
39 reviews in English
-
Review from Courtney O.
Honolulu, HI
2/16/2012 1 Check-in Here
So much fun!!
I can't comment about the drinks but the food was awesome! I love how they made veggie dishes that looked like meat dishes. So creative!
Great job, Emi & Thomas! I loved how a lot of people dressed up. I'm bummed I didn't have a costume. My favorite part was the game at the end where you had to hold two shots and stand karate kid style while taking the shots.
Will definitely be coming back to this location again soon! -
Review from Lynvi S.
1/30/2012 1 Check-in Here
Thanks to Emi and the awesome Yelp Team for putting together such an awesome event! What a nice way to start 2012!
I feel a little guilty because I didn't have a nifty costume for the event, but I loved seeing other Yelpers bring their kick-ass Karate Kid style to the party. It was also great to meet other yelpers too. The competition at the end of the night was really fun and amusing too!
The food was cool too! I thought the veggie sushi was the most interesting dish of the night! I thought it was uni, so I was like, score! Yet to my surprise, it was a carrot mousse (?) that looked just like uni and had the same creamy texture as well. It didn't taste like uni, but I thought it was fun and fabulous. The Yuzu mojitos are a bit on the sweet side, but I thought they were quite nice! I can definitely dig it for happy hour.
I had a wonderful time at this event and now I discovered Yuzu! I'll definitely be back for happy hour; the chic and chill atmosphere would be a great alternative to other happy hour offerings nearby. Next time I'm at Ala Moana rather than going to Mai Tais or Pearl, I'm going to walk over to Ala Moana Hotel for some lovely Yuzu fixings instead.
Sankyu bery much! -
Review from Michael W.
Honolulu, HI
1/30/2012
(I know, I'm late to the party with my review, but ...)
"YOU'RE THE BEST .... AROUUUUUUND, NOTHING'S GONNA EVER KEEP YOU DOWN"
What a way to KICK off 2012! I was wondering just how many people would show up repping Daniel-san and Mr. Miyagi at a Karate Kid-themed party ... and there was Thomas-san, in the shower (costume)! Big props go out to all the dressers-up: Emi & Michael S. (*Yelp* embroidered gi!) and Les M. - give 'em a chance, and I'd bet they'd do more than just sweep the leg!
The food was good - the lotus root pizza was kinda crazy, with the crunchy texture a bit of a surprise, and the udon noodles were great along with the drinks (acai-lychee martini? That was pretty damn awesome!).
It was a bit crowded, but with awesome Yelp Elite's, it's just conducive to meeting someone new. It was great meeting you, Michael C. and Leimalani! And all the awesome people there, too many to name: the always awesome Kyle H., Justin U., Kaiulani K., Zar A., Jodi S., Nikki A., Roy Y., Les M., Susan F., JJ L., Dan, Art, ... and many, many others. If I've forgotten you, I'm sorry!
Domo arigato to Emi "Miyagi-san" H. and Thomas-san for all the great work and effort in putting it together!
Ja, mata ne! -
Review from Kyle H.
1/19/2012
Way to start off the Elite 2012 celebrations with a kick ass party, liquor flowing and all your favorite yelpers in one hot n' steamy shower (Thomas O)!
It was really awesome having all the people I stalk on yelp in such close proximity, add the bumpin beat (I found Yuzu by weaving through the hotel lobby following the ootz oootz ootz) and unique bites and we had ourselves a party even Mr. Miyagi would have been proud of.
Thanks for the great party once again Emi & lemme borrow that hella sweet gi sometime!Listed in: YELP-eriffic!
-
Review from Terry K.
Yelp Challenge 365 # 102/365
Drinks were flowing and sushi was rolling..... what a treat and quite an event to start the year.
Shiso Ginger martini(One of Yuzu's specials of the night), merlot, prosecco, beerand much more!!!!
Tomato (imitates tuna) and Carrot (imitates uni) nigiri were the cutest and most creative. Yes, they had the regular nigiris too! Serving of udon (made fresh at Yuzu) was served with a cold broth... little bit of bite to the sauce; good! And the most innovative was the lotus root pizza.
DJ spinning, people talking, meandering, having fun...Les M and Estaban trying the karate stance!!!! Go Mr. Miyagi!
I got to meet up with some of my Yelp pals and made some new ones! Fantastic!
Thomas O the walking shower, and Emi, dear Emi the "Karate Girl!!!" Thanks Emi for such a great event.Listed in: Yelp 365 Challenge, Sushi Anyone?
-
Review from Dean H.
1/20/2012 1 Check-in Here
As usual, the champ herself, the face that launched a 1,000,000 reviews, EMI, outdid herself with this venue.
I was a little freaked out by the strange and unusual sushi concoctions but I was pleasantly surprised after a few (ok, many) samples.
The udon teri beef was a WINNER with savory bites of beef and super good tasting udon which I can only guess what handmade.
The chicken sticks were good too! The garlic ginger one was the BEST in my eyes,well more like my stomach!!!! ha ha ha!.
The mojitos were tasty but I did wish they did a beer choice and a little stronger choice. I was kinda full by the time I had more than a few of those.
Of course, what make an ELITE party a party, you guessed it, the YELPERS....BIG shout outs to the 3 vampires Kelly, Marian, and Kim...Grant my man....Kyle my OG yelp buddy...Jayson the drink king....Les and Susan, yelp couple extrodinare....my buddy Trevor and "what the heck was that" Cely....Jodi "minus the boots"....and new yelp friend JJ that introduced himself as "marukame udon check in buds" hahaha, jus kidding...Leimalani and her beau....and Kim C. "can you take this" and her right hand man.....sorry if I failed to mention your awesomeness.....
Anyways, if you missed this first bash of the year, then you gotta come to the next one....all hail 2012 Yelp Elite events! BOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!Listed in: Yelpy GOOD Times!
-
Review from Jonathan P.
Honolulu, HI
1/25/2012 1 Check-in Here
I know I'm about a week and a day late...But DANG!!! Emi and the Yelp crew sure knew how to kickoff the first Yelp Elite Party of 2012!
Honestly, I was a bit hesitant about this party. When I first arrived around 6:15 I thought I was going to be late, but it kind of empty with just shower curtain Thomas O. outside. I thought this was going to be a dud, but who ever heard of a Yelp party being a dud?! The semi empty place was packed within minutes!
YuZu was amazing! Although YuZu was a little hidden, I was really impressed with their deceivingly tricky vegetable sushi, their regular sushi, the yakitori sticks, the sukiyaki udon, and their lotus root pizza! And nothing tops a great Yelp party like a live DJ and never-ending drinks! My favorite drink of the night was the YuZu Mojito; I think I had like 7 of those bad boys! I did try part of +1's lychee/acai drink, but it was too warm for me. Not my cup of tea if you know what I mean.
I'm so glad I got to kick off 2012 with such a great Yelp party! Nothing beats meeting new yelpers, seeing familiar faces, and catching up with friends! Plus I managed to get my hands on a deck of Yelp playing cards! SCORE!!! Props again to Emi and crew! -
Review from Kim M.
Yelp's Karate Kid Elite Event at Yuzu was the awesomest way to kickstart 2012. Even though it was a little warm at times--due to a large amount of people in such a tight space and the alcohol--fun times were had all around. It was really great seeing those dressed up in karate-themed attire. (Emi and Mike's Yelp gis were tiiiiight!)
The samplings of food were incredibly delicious and "oh so cute!" I really had a kick (pun intended) out of the imitation nigiri--the ones that were made from other ingredients aside from seafood. The maguro-poser nigiri (tomato) was my favorite out of the fakies. The udon was very flavorful with a nice hint of spice.
Out of the specialty event drinks, the Yuzu Mojito was my fave. I've had this before, and I'd order it again on my next visit.
The bartenders Alex and Justin were both super quick with pumping out those drinks. Awesome drink line assessment; the "line" moved pretty quickly. Props.
Shout out to my Yelp dates: kelly k., Marian K., and Dean H.
And other Yelpy friends: Michael "MAC" C., Kyle H., Les M., Roy Y., Jesse "Jae" C., Chris M., Kevin F., etc. *Sorry I missed a lot of names here..
Special thanks to Emi H., Thomas O., Yuzu team, and all you fab Yelpers for making this event such a raving success. 2012 is going to be a great year ;)
Yelp 365 - #173/365Listed in: Yelp 365 Challenge, Yelp-tastic Events
-
Review from Michael C.
Honolulu, HI
1/21/2012 1 Check-in Here
I'd like to thank Emi H. and Thomas O. for their hard work, dedication, effort, and planning to make this event such a success. As I glance through all of the reviews, it seems all had a fun and enjoyable time. For me personally, I had so much FUN I secretly wished the night wouldn't end.
Before I continue with my review, I would like to "thank" JJ L. for taking the time to introduce me to other Yelp Elites/friends that were in attendance.....and to also "thank" him for repeatedly pointing out that although I've been an Elite since 2010, that this was ONLY my 2nd Yelp event ever! Yes, I know it seems like such a shame, but yet it is very much the truth. I do resolve to attend more Yelp events in 2012.
Yuzu is tucked away, it seems, in the deepest reaches of the Ala Moana Hotel ground floor. However, once you reached your destination, a refreshing shower awaited you, in the form of one Thomas O. who was greeting all the guests. After exchanging only compliments with Thomas O. via online, it was so great to FINALLY meet him in person!
I was also thankful to reconnect with other Elites OR to finally meet others in person: Terry K (it was so great to meet you!)., JJ L., Michael W., Kim M., Grant S. (I promise to make it to more events!), Dave F., HIdeyo K., Kyle H., and of course, our energetic and always smiling hostess, Emi H.=)
My favorite drink of the evening was the Yuzu Mojito. It was an absolute refreshing antidote to the slightly warm temperatures at the event. I'd also like to thank the bartenders for keeping the line moving at a decent pace, and for being friendly and outgoing.
Lastly, I also scored some swag: I finally received my Elite watch and picked up some lip balm on the way out.
Bottom Line: An exceptional and fun event!! Mr. Miyagi would be very proud indeed! =) -
Review from Nat N.
What an awesome way to kick off 2012! Lots of Yelp swag, lip gloss, free specialty drinks, and plenty of samples from the restaurant - vegetarian sushi, regular sushi, yakitori sticks, lotus pizza, and spicy teriyaki udon! Loved the photo booth! I'd say the winner for best Karate Kid costume would have to go to Thom O.!
We did it Mr. Miyagi!! -
Review from Jonas M.
Pearl City, HI
1/20/2012
I thought I misheard the waiter as he pointed out what was what on his tray.
"Carrot? Did you say carrot?" I asked, right eyebrow lifted.
"Yes," he replied, "that one is made from carrots."
He handed out a napkin and I snagged the uni-imposter and stuffed it in my mouth.
Ohhhh, so good! Carrot-masquerading-as-uni you are welcome in my mouth anytime.
After a sip (okay, a gulp) from my mojito, I was off again, looking for the next thing to photo.
And I found lots.
If there's one thing I learned from shooting Yelp Elite events last year, it was this: you Elites are full of fun and energy, and as such, make it quite easy for me to find things to shoot. Whether you pause and pose, are haphazardly digging into the venue's delectable fare, or are sloshing back on drinks - these events are full of photo-able frames from start to end.
With Emi and Thomas at the helm, it's easy to see why Elite events are so awesome. And this was no exception.
Thank you all for a great night-- to Emi for extending the invitation for me to attend, and to the great crowd of Yelpers who I am getting to know, if not by name, then by alcohol-induced grin.
Until the next time,
Jonas, photo guy -
Review from Jenn T.
1/19/2012 1 Check-in Here
FIRST ELITE EVENT OF THE YEAR! GO yelp! GO yelp!
It was a fabulous event, packed full of cool yuzu drinks, spiffy sushi and food and cool elites both old and new! The venue was awesome! And I finally got my watch!
Much much thanks to Emi and Thomas and everyone else involved for putting on another successfully awesome event! You guys rock my karate socks! -
Review from Kelly M.
1/19/2012
Thank you Emi!!! We had a wonderful time as always.
Drinks were fab. The Tokyo Sling was perfect, cucumber-y, fresh and sweet, but not cloying.
The inventiveness of the sushi was amazing, the tomato sushi that looked like ahi was a perfect and playful bite.
And most importantly, Yelpers, everywhere Elite Yelpers. Talkative and fun. I love a group of people who don't take themselves too seriously. After all, no one can say they are too serious if they dress as a shower. Yea Thomas! -
Review from Jason D.
1/19/2012 1 Check-in Here
So it's Wednesday and it's the second day back to work following a three-day weekend. The demand at work pretty unreal and I left work feeling really stressed out. I needed to "judo chop" the stress away and "kick" back and relax. Enter into the dojo the Yelp's Karate Kid Elite Event @ YuZu! I think people really needed to relax - the line for drinks was long the entire time!
Awesome event planned by Emi H. Fellow Yelp Eliters and their invited guests caught up with each other and mingled with new friends at this cozy new Japanese restaurant at the Ala Moana Hotel. This hotel is in the lobby, to your left in the back near the business center. It's not that hard to find, once you know where it is.
Attendees were treated to various cocktails (the YuZu mojito was my favorite) and a whole bunch of pupus, including vegetarian sushi and lotus root pizza. This place has happy hour, so check them out for yummy $5 specialty drinks.
Great seeing fellow Yelpers and meeting new ones! See you at the next Yelp event!Listed in: Totally Awesome Yelp Events!
-
Review from Tina H.
1/19/2012
As Nerd Lord of the universe, I'm still trying to figure out how human gatherings called "parties" are conducted and enjoyed on a leisurely level. Thanks to the help of Yelp last night, I was able to attain more information on that as well as the social act of "gettin' crunk".
This event was held at YuZu in the Ala Moana Hotel. Great swanky decor, but the food was even better. My favorites of the night was the bursting-flavored sushi and the lotus pizza that had a crispy, gooey crunch with each bite. The acai lychee-tine was pretty good, but the mojito was so much more refreshing in my opinion.
This was a Karate Kid theme event so my companion and I decided to show up as the Cobra Kai team because we're jerks in real life. Later in the evening, we even held up a sign that said, "NO PAT MORITA" while taking our Yelp pictures because that's what bad people say.
But we weren't entirely evil throughout the night. After getting called out by Emi H. for playing cards in our anti-social corner, we decided to walk around in the small crowd and try our hand at mingling. Met some very friendly new people and saw some familiar faces. I also tried to seduce the elites with my interpretive Beyonce dance moves and I'm pretty sure I displayed an impressionable amount of "mad skills".
In all, it was a successful event, although as an honorary member of Cobra Kai, the night would've been even better if I was provided the opportunity to sweep the leg.Listed in: Yelp Events!
-
Review from Bonnie O.
1/19/2012 1 Check-in Here
Thank you Emi and Thomas! Last night's Karate Kid event was my first Yelp Elite event and it was abso-kickin-lutely fun! You didn't miss a beat with the fun YSWAG, great deejay, photo booth and crane competition. You and Thomas are the perfect hosts and made every guest feel welcomed.
Yuzu is an ideal venue for a modern day Karate Kid soirée with its bamboo trim and rustic tree stump tables. Drinks and food were yum (!!!) The vegetarian sushi was scrumptious - who would think lotus root as a sushi topper would have that meat-like texture and beefy savory flavor? That's some serious chef-ing going on...
Honolulu YE are very fortunate to have you as our dynamic Mr. Miyage and Daniel-San duo! Domo arigato!
PS I LOVE my Yelp watch! -
Review from Grant S.
1/22/2012 1 Check-in Here
Call me Usher- OH MAH GAWD this event was awesome. Never been to Yuzu prior to this event and I had no idea what to expect. Located in the Ala Moana Hotel, ground level tucked away past the elevators.
This small restaurant has eclectic decor with a modern twist AND A DJ BOOTH? The bartenders were pouring tasty drinks all night long and the line for the bar was outrageous.
The food was fantastic, they kept the sushi, lotus root pizza, chicken skewers, and freshly made noodles flowing all night! Props to the servers and bartenders that kept us yelpers satiated!
Wowowowowow if this is what 2012 brings, bring it on! -
Review from LesliAnn K.
Honolulu, HI
1/20/2012
What a great start to a great year 2012. No better way to spend it with Yelpers old and new. Gosh golly darn there are a lot of Yelpers nowadays! I'm always so tickled to meet the actual faces behind the names. It makes it all the more real to me. Its like meeting small kine celebrities! I think Yelp could possibly take over the world one day soon. I've been to Yuzu during the day and i can't believe how many people we fit in there! The atmosphere was bumping and there was an abundance of food. The sushi was a perfect size to just pop in your mouth. Talk eat drink fist pump, repeat! As for the drinks, my saketini was 5 stars. The vibe was infectious, it was quite impossible to not catch the fun bug. Quintessential evening. I'm excited to see what this year brings. YEAH!
Thank you again to Emi and Thomas for kicking off this year in style! -
Review from Jodi S.
1/24/2012 1 Check-in Here
Hiiiiyyyyaaahh!
That is my verbal translation of how kick-ass the Karate Kid Event was at YuZu.
Emi and team did a fabulous job (as usual) and YuZu was a fun new place to gather such a fun group of yelptastic elites.
The restaurant was quaint and I'd definitely like to check out their happy hour sometime. The menu was interesting to say the least. Vegetarian sushi...they must've known I would be attending. Me no likey seafood, but me definitely likey their creative little concoctions that looked like sushi. The spicy beef udon was tasty and packed a punch. Many thanks for the deeelicious drinks. Holy yummy mojito!
It was really cool to see so many familiar and new faces alike crowding the place.
What a great way to start the 2012 yelpy year off.
Mr. Miyagi would be proud. -
Review from Joe W.
1/19/2012 1 Check-in Here
My real-life karate buddy Adam and I were debating whether or not to go in full karate gi or not, and decided not to. But then we saw Emi H sporting the Yelp gi and totally regretted not coming "full Miyagi!!"
I saw many Daniel-sans and many evil Cobra Kai! There was an unspoken rivalry between the two sides, which definitely could be seen in the pictures!
Those sushi balls were amazing, my favorite being the maguro and the salmon. Yuzu announced their $5 drink specials and $2 beers. Sounds like I'll be back!
I wish more people dressed up. I mean, HOW OFTEN do you get a KARATE KID themed party?? Sushi balls to the walls, guys!
As always, an amazing and fun event! In the words of Miyagi sensei, "Yelp here (stomach) and here (stomach again)." -
Review from Cely H.
1/19/2012 1 Check-in Here
So, I felt kinda guilty going last night because I'm supposed to be on a no carb diet. I was just going to say "hi" to some of my fave Yelpies, have some water, and be on my way. But whoa, this place was all about the fake outs. Lotus root pizza. OMG. I haven't had pizza in FOREVER! Love you love you love you YUZU! Most def be returning cause you're totally diet friendly.
Emi threw an awesome party, as usual, and she was in a cute outfit to boot! Bonus points to Thomas O.'s bestest shower costume ever! He even remembered (Yelpy) polka dots!
And whooooooa to the impromptu mini high school reunion we had last night that Emi started! -
Review from Kim C.
Starting of another year as an Elite Yelper, would start anybody's New Year off right. The theme for this Yelp event was the old school Karate Kid. C'mon now free food, drinks, bumpin music, Yelp swag and great people to mingle with. Being in a room who take their food seriously is a great thing to experience : D
Despite rushing from work and being 1 hour late to the 1st Elite event of the year, I made sure I would make that 1 hour count. I decided to play catch up with drinks, which I plan to never do again. I think what got me over the edge was that Tokyo Fling drink (sake + vodka) cucumber+ lychee+acai. A drink disguised as a great tasting fofee drink with a whole lotta punch at the end. Sake + Kim C= back hurting.
The drink line was a bit long but it kept moving due to the fantastic bartenders who were having as much fun as we were. Dancing and pouring to the beat of the great beats. The sampling of edibles was mighty good as well.
Temari Sushi-tuna, salmon, snapper
Veggie Sushi- Carrot, tomato, lotus root (surprisingly, my favorite grub of the night)
Lotus Root Pizza-"Sigh" I didn't have the honor of trying this morsel
Yakitori-Teriyaki, yuzu pepper
Spicy Sukiyaki Beef Udon
Thanks Yozu, for hosting a grand Yelpin Elite Party for 2012. I can't wait to try that Lotus Root Pizza the next time I'm in the neighborhood. Double high fives for our amazing Yelp Leader Emi H. for putting this yelp party together. That embroidered Yelp on your karate uniform was a nice touch. Thomas O. , your costume rocked! How long did it take for you to make that? You do such a fantastic job helping Emi with these events. Ending my review with a few good clips from the move the Karate Kid to view:
http://www.youtube.com...
Hopefully, this will inspire my oldest to do his chores with pride.Listed in: Yelp Events
-
Review from Kevin F.
1/19/2012
With the hachimaki around my head and a great girl by my side, with the pumping music and great eats, with a fun and friendly crowd, ah, it felt like I had just won the All Valley Championships.
Thanks again to Emi and Thomas for being such awesome hosts! -
Review from Toni M.
1/21/2012
Membership has it's privileges. Thanks for a great gig, Emi and Thomas!
This was my second visit to YuZu. I love the food and the concept, although there were a couple of items that seemed rushed. The drinks were tasty and the staff was welcoming. We swamped them early but they didn't bat an eye.
Great turnout and rockin' start to 2012. -
Review from Leimalani F.
Honolulu, HI
1/20/2012
SWEEP DA LEG JOHNNY!!!!
And nab his Yelp sunglasses while he's down! Jussss kidding!!!
But a serious sweep of a good time it was at YuZu! This place was PACKED with Yelpers! But with the bartenders breaking a sweat behind the bar, the friendly servers bringing around delicious vittles, and Thomas in a shower curtain... what better way to spend a Wednesday?
First YuZu beat up my taste buds with the following grinds: Little round balls of pressed vinegared rice topped with salmon & tobikko, ahi & mayo, or snapper and chili (my fav!)
Then came the onslaught of veggie sushi: Fried lotus in unagi disguise, sliced tomato dressed as maguro, and the ultimate Clark Kent uni that turned into pureed carrot in your mouth. That was fun!
And my luck didn't end when I was stabbed with a divine chicken skewer covered in citrus and pepper (best bite) and served with a cheesy lotus root pizza.
Top all that goodness with an arm bar of Sake and cucumber (the Tokyo sling) and some really good laughs with new (and old) Yelp friends! Just plain awesomest.
All in all, I think Yuzu introduced a room full of foodies to some innovative takes on sushi and Japanese fusion. Thank you YuZu for the hospitality and friendly service! Emi, Thomas, and awesome volunteers, thanks for planning and manning another Yelp success story! -
Review from Jon M.
1/19/2012 1 Check-in Here
What an awesome event to kick off 2012! Emi and Thomas, you did a great job putting this on! And everyone at YuZu were great hosts!
The drinks were delicious. I particularly liked the cucumber one although they were all great. And the sushi was great as well. Even the veggie options were fantastic. That lotus root one was surprisingly my favorite. I don't know how they did it, but it had some killer texture and flavor!
Can't wait for the next event now! Thanks again everyone for a great time. -
Review from Min K.
1/19/2012 1 Check-in Here
As usual Emi throws the most fabulous parties! So much fun to reconnect with old friends and to try new food! That carrot uni sushi and the tomato tuna sushi is so good!
Looking forward to the next one Emi! -
Review from Alysha M.
1/23/2012 1 photo
I just moved back home and this was my first Yelp party I've been to in Hawaii. I was impressed!
Great pick of location, Yuzu provided very good quality fish sushi as well as vegetarian sushi that looked like fish.
The cocktails were sweet yet tasty too! My fav was the mojito. Great job to the bartenders who kept the line going.
Compared to SF Yelp events, I really liked the party favors Hawaii provides. We got cute red watches and white stunner shades. Also, shot glasses!
The photography booth and DJ was a plus plus!
Very, very impressed and satisfied. Good job, Emi!!! -
Review from Kim S.
1/19/2012
Another awesome event a la Emi!!! You have the moves like Miyagi - step aside Jagger! Had a super fun time! Thanks Thomas O for showering us with your help - lol!
The veggie sushi was neat-o! Wow, the tomato nigiri could be an undercover agent with the maguro squad. Can't believe how much the tomato looked like maguro - it also tasted divine. The burdock root camouflaged as unagi was also tasty.
The fish sushi was adorable - cute little balls. The salmon was my fav.
Sipped the tini & mojito - yum, yum -
Review from Christy K.
Honolulu, HI
1/24/2012
WHOA. Did I really just eat puréed carrot that tasted like uni?! EH?! Better yet, did I really just ENJOY it? Yes, I did!!! I was amazed. It was delicious. That is all.
The event was super fun, I met a few yeeps: Jonas M. & JJ L. :) Reconnected with a few others: Nikki A, Jayson N, and Grant S :) Can't wait to meet more yelpers at the next event, perhaps: [insert your first name and last initial here]!
The cocktails were all super delish... I especially liked the açai-lychee-tini!!! There's also something to be said for that beef udon!! MMMYUMM. I'm glad the event was held there because I'd never heard of the place before, and now I want to go check it out forreallies!
Thanks, Emi, for throwing another bad ass yelp party! Thank goodness I got yelp Elite this year! hehe :) -
Review from Chantel C.
Honolulu, HI
1/23/2012
Fantastic event with a fun group of Yelpers!
I found the place alright wandering around the ground floor of Ala Moana hotel, but it took a while for my +1 to find Yuzu since it's hidden in the back area. My horrible direction-giving of, "Just keep walking around past Rumours," didn't seem to help much... but alas he made it!
Service: Great service - the bartenders were quick and cool under pressure. They trimmed the long line of thirsty Yelpers down efficiently. Hosts were all welcoming and very friendly.
Drinks: Tokyo Fling all the way! Refreshing and not too sweet. Awesome drink!
Food: I LOVED the spicy beef udon. I can handle a moderate amount of spiciness... and it was just the right amount for me. This is what I'd come back for. The lotus pizza, yakitori sitcks, and sushi were all pretty good as well.
Ambience: Nice decor, but a little dark and closed in for my taste. Enjoyed the DJ- fun music.
Mahalo Emi! :) -
Review from Jayson N.
1/19/2012 1 Check-in Here
so, YU was a ZU last night..
good times! fun filled with new and old elites. Alcohol was free flowing and the food kept coming out but didn't get far from us trolls at the door! :) Chicken skewers were my highlight, especially with the hot sauce.. BOMB-diggs.
The DJ was spinnin' sick house and Thomas and Emi were awesomely dressed. I'm pretty sure a yelp curtain shower is the sickest costume ever and the photo shots were amaze-balls.
Okay so I was blown away at how YuZu made stuff look like sushi but it was carrot or lotus root. And it tasted amazing, I think i was just shocked at the wasabi bomb one of them had underneath.
Overall, Thank you Emi, Thomas O. for another great night. Special shout outs to the homies, Dean H., Grant S., Christy K., Kyle H., Seleena H., Esteban , Roy Y. and forgive me if i forgot you..
Until next adventure. SYOY!
PS. LORI I., Cin T. and SANTI T. I am very upset that you three didn't show up last night. That is all ! :)Listed in: YELP!!! I need somebody.. :)
-
Review from Dave F.
Always wanted to try Yuzu, so when the invitation arrived to attend the Yelp Karate Kid Elite Event, it was a no brainer to accept! I really enjoyed all the food, open bar and even if I had to pay for my Heineken's, it was worth it!!! I know Emi and Thomas must have worked very hard putting this event together and it showed, judging from how much fun everyone was having!!! It was also nice to meet fellow Yelpers, I enjoyed every single minute of it! Oh, thank you Emi for the awesome watch and other stuff, I really appreciate it!!!
Listed in: Fun & Recreation
-
Review from michael s.
Honolulu, HI
2/24/2012 1 Check-in Here
Thanks Yelp for giving me another chance to try a restaurant I've never been to before. The food at Yuzu was great and I like the variety of things they let us sample. I was stoked to see so many cool Karate Kid costumes but I assume there would be a lot more straight up Cobra Kai costumes. Having tried some of the cocktails I want to come back to Yuzu and hit up the happy hour.
-
Review from Justin C.
Honolulu, HI
1/19/2012 1 Check-in Here
Great yelp karate theme. We got to chop wood blocks, cement bricks. No im just kiddding, the event was great! Emi and thomas did a great job with everything. This was just the thing to end hump day with!
-
Review from Mindy D.
1/19/2012 1 Check-in Here
HIYAAAAA! What a great event to kick off 2012! I thought the theme was random but when I arrived at YuZu, it was quite fitting. For those who dressed up (me excluded), awesome costumes. I saw lots of karate chops and kicks last night; luckily no one got hurt :) It got real crowded real fast and it only follows that the drink line got longer! The yummy veggie and regular sushi, udon, chicken yakitori, and lotus pizza appetizers made their way around the room, although I don't know how the servers navigated through the crazy crowd of Yelpers. The cocktails were a bit sweet but delicious nonetheless. My favorite was the acai lychee-tini, yum! Made some new friends and the night was a success. Until the next event...!
-
Review from Kelly J.
1/19/2012 1 Check-in Here
Thanks for an amazing time! Good drinks, good food, great company :) Even got my +1 to get into the Yelp spirit! Hopefully she'll be an Elite herself in no time!
Listed in: I Heart Yelp Events
-
Review from Angela A.
Great party! A really fun atmosphere at Yuzu. I was hesitant to come without any Karate Kid gear, but was surprised to see not too many people in costume. The Yuzu mojitos were fantastically delicious and refreshing, aka dangerous! Every little bite of food was better than the next. Those veggie sushis were shockingly great, especially the carrot one! The contest was highly entertaining and I can't wait to see the official photos :)
-
Review from Cristyn T.
Kaneohe, HI
1/19/2012 1 Check-in Here
Last night in my drunken state, I had a moment of pondering. "What makes yelpers so special that a restaurant would want to promote to them by hosting a rowdy crowd and serving unlimited food and drinks for 2 hours?!?" This elite event definitely made me feel special! Although YuZu is a little hidden and my friend wanted to give them a tip or two on interior design, I was impressed with the yummy sushi and food that came out in abundance, and the poor bartenders slaving away at the bar serving a selection of their drinks! Once I tried the Tokyo Fling I was hooked! It was light and refreshing with the vodka, sake, cucumber, lychee, citrus flavor, and I didn't realize I was drinking something that might actually get me intoxicated! The bartender worked hard to move the long line fast, and he wasn't even grumpy about having to serve repeat customers every 5 minutes. I tried the lotus pizza, yakitori stick, salmon and snapper nigiri balls, and the spicy beef udon. There was more than enough food to go around and it was all delicious! Thank you Emi for another awesome Elite event. It never gets old! I'm excited to spend another year as a Yelp Elite!
Listed in: Yelp Elite Events
