Honolulu: Mana Bu’s Musubi is the Best on the Island

Denise de Castro

13 years ago

When you’re in Hawaii and hear musubi, you think of the popular SPAM Musubi or maybe katsu musubi. Recently, I discovered Mana Bu’s, Hawaii’s Musubi Headquarters. One of my local friends introduced us to this place when I asked for recommendations for a quick bite as we were set to explore Oahu for the day. First thing she asked, “Do you like musubi?” Enthusiastically, I said “Yes!”

Rewind…what’s musubi? Musubi is a meat, usually SPAM, and rice wrapped in seaweed. Normally you’ll find them by the cash registers at convenience stores or restaurants in Hawaii.

Mana Bu’s takes musubi to the next level. It’s not the typically brick sized portion wrapped in saran wrap. The owner, Manabu, makes all of the musubi by hand, starting around midnight 6 days a week.

The musubi prepared at Mana Bu’s is made with several kinds of rice:

White Rice: $1.40 each
Brown Rice: $1.60 each
10-Grain Rice: $1.60 each
Mochi Rice: $1.60 each

And they also have a variety of fillings, such as Ume, Baked Salmon, Teri-SPAM, Unagi, and Kombu seaweed. My favorites – hard to decide – are the baked salmon and the unagi.

Mana Bu’s opens as early as 6.30am, and their stock usually sells out by 1.30pm. So get there early, and stock up on the handmade musubi.