It's a great spot to get ramen and sushi or local Japanese rice curry dishes. The black garlic broth is hearty but not heavy or greasy and it's full of fried garlic slices and green onion. The toro, or fatty tuna nigiri, are expertly put together. It was difficult to refrain and not order two meal's worth of food. I regret forgetting to take pictures of their food to share. The parking lot and street space seem to fill fast even before peak hours and they may not be able to do takeout at that time so be prepared for a wait or get to seating at the bar. Their front service is especially courteous and accommodating. Their wait staff are fast and efficient.

When my husband and I went to Big Island, one of our goals was to find some delicious and authentic Japanese food. Izakaya Shiono Kona did NOT disappoint. It was like walking into a piece of Japan in which the owners, employees and many customers were Japanese as well! We ate there twice during our trip (including the last meal we had in Hawaii before heading to the airport). The food was phenomenal. Their menu has izakaya food ranging from sushi and sashimi to ramen to tempuras. Let me emphasize that the ramen noodles are HOUSE MADE. The texture and taste of the noodles were perfect and the broths - wow. Beautiful mix of fat in the broth with deep, rich, and umami flavors. The fish and seafood in the sushi and sashimi we had were so fresh and basically melted. The tempura was light and crunchy. Fried perfection! There are various seating areas in the restaurant - booths, tables, a sushi counter, and outdoor seating. One thing is for sure - make sure to get a reservation if you're coming during peak meal times or otherwise take advantage of coming in right when they open. We got there right when they opened and it filled up very quickly. Super reasonable prices. Service is efficient, but friendly. I'm saddened that it will likely be a long time until I can experience this wonderful restaurant again, but the memory of the delicious food will remain. Highly recommend!

Went for dinner and they were pretty busy but not too long of a wait for a table. Ordered the shiono tonkontsu ramen and it was perfect for not eating since early in the morning.

Day 3 of Vacation - Came here for dinner after a fulfilled day of kayaking. This spot is located near Umekes, so that's how we discovered this spot. Parking: There is no parking lot, but there is free street parking. We visited on a Saturday night and finding a spot was a difficult. Ambiance/Environment: They have a medium size space with a good amount of indoor and outdoor seating. Definitely has an izakaya vibe. Tables are close together, and the sushi chefs cook in front of you. We dined outside since it was a bit crowded inside. Service: Our server was quick and efficient. She checked on us a couple times; once to refill our waters and another to ensure if we enjoyed our dishes. Throughput took approximately 15 min after ordering. What I ordered: We all ordered different things, but I got the Tonkotsu Shoyu. This ramen bowl contains pork bone broth with sliced char siu, green scallions, and kikurage. The broth was flavorful. There was a good amount of ramen noodles, but I wish there was more protein rather than a couple slices.

Shiono is another one of our go-to spots in Kona. Kona's been a really popular place recently, and it's been hard to get parking around the area for dinner. I had to circle around the lot a few times, and there was no street parking. Even the Kona Brewing lot was filled on a Friday evening. Shiono was pretty booked, but they were able to squeeze us in before a reservation. We ordered edamame, tofu, and the jalapeño hamachi for appetizers. I got the black garlic ramen. It is very garlicky, so if you love garlic this is the dish for you! The broth was super flavorful and noodles were a good texture. I also got the kinako ice cream for dessert, which hit the spot! I love that there's both indoor and outdoor seating here. Service was friendly, and I will definitely be back!

Izakaya Shiono's menu has expanded and the flavors and quality have definitely elevated over the last few years. It became more apparent when I took my sister there for her birthday dinner. Everything we ordered was so satisfying, up to and including the zenzai. I typically start with a light appetizer like the taberu rayu tofu or the maguro natto salad. This time, I got the former, and followed it with a spicy ahi temaki. I also ordered some nigiri (kampachi, sake, and hamachi) to pair with my grilled saba. Everything was delicious, and to top it all off...the zenzai! Theirs came with matcha ice cream and red bean w/mochi balls (which were so soft btw), topped with whipped cream, a chocolate drizzle, and kinako powder. I couldn't think of a better way to end a nearly perfect meal. Last but not least, the service is always excellent. The staff are friendly and patient, and it seems like the sushi chefs really enjoy what they do.

Amazing, authentic Japanese food with the sweetest waitresses. I came here with my sister and ordered the tonkotsu shoyu mini ramen, the gyoza, furikake chicken, chicken katsu, and a roll. Out of all of that, the only thing that was a little disappointing was the roll because the shrimp tempura inside of it was soggy by the time it reached our table, probably because they were so busy. Otherwise this was one of the best food experiences we had on the big island, and would definitely recommend. The parking is spacious, the staff there are authentically Japanese, and the food is mostly amazing.

A pleasant sushi / ramen restaurant with indoor and outdoor seating. I got miso-ramen -- the pork was good, the broth was flavorful - the noodles were ok, but nothing special. The sushi was flavorful though the nigiri pieces were relatively small. I got maguro (good) and unagi (flavorful). The restaurant is down a dead end in a light-industrial area with restaurants - nothing you'd run into if you didn't know to look for it. The service was prompt and friendly. I'll go back ... the prices were reasonable, and it's a place frequented by locals rather than tourists (at least relatively more so than most), which I like.

What an awesome find in Kona! We haven't been to Kona in almost 10 years so this was new for us! We were glad to have called for reservations since we had 6 of us! The kids LOVE ramen so it was a no-brainer to get a few bowls. Back home we love tonkotsu black garlic ramen and we decided to try it here and it definitely didn't disappoint! The broth was tasty with lots of garlic flavour. The noodles were perfectly cooked as well. I added an egg marinated to perfection. Mmmmm! Other members of the party ordered some rolls and such (see photos) and they were equally impressed. Normally we wouldn't order dessert but we did and glad we did so! The matcha ice cream actually had tea flavour and the mochis (house made) were perfectly soft and chewy! We would definitely come back!

It's always a good experience when I visit Izakaya Shiono. The staff is friendly and effectient. The food is good, consistent, and comes out quickly. The menu offers a good selection of appetizers, sushi, and Japanese dishes. We mostly come here for the Ramen. This is the only place in the area I know of that serves Ramen. They have several types of ramen. All of them are really good, and well balanced in flavor and ingredients. You can also order a mini/half portion if you aren't too hungry. If you like it spicy, make sure you ask for their homemade chili sauce. It's more of a paste, and adds a great kick to the food. The dressing on their house salad is addictive. I always order a salad with my meal just for this dressing. Their sushi is also good. they have a nice choice of specialty rolls and we like the volcano roll and the tiger roll.