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Food excellent Service excellent Ambiance excellent Overall amazing restaurant. Respect to the chef for the design of the restaurant, food, and wonderful team. Had a great time and there is excellent attention to detail with all the food. Everything was good. Even the drinks I highly recommend the matcha cloud. It's one of the best matcha drinks I had. Better than most cafes. Lots of parking in the lot. Definitely worth visiting and not overhyped.
My friend and I had reservations for 5:30 pm, but we arrived early and were seated around 5:10 pm. Caleb, our server, was incredibly friendly and helpful. Throughout the meal, we received constant updates on our orders. The food was delicious, with a unique twist that made everything taste perfect, especially the beef pho, which I highly recommend. The coconut matcha was very refreshing and not too sweet, which I prefer. The setting is a little loud, so it was a bit hard to hear each other. But overall, it's a great place to catch up with a friend over delicious food.
Food and service were so good here! We came on a Friday night and it was packed, with such a lively atmosphere. Side note, it could be a little hard to hear each other since tables are placed pretty close to each other. We started with the roasted eggplant and grilled sweet corn, and both were great appetizers. I feel like you can't go wrong with anything that's grilled/roasted haha. We got the soft shell crab pasta, which had lots of crab flavor and meat mixed in--perfect for seafood/crab lovers. The pasta portion is definitely generous for one person and can be quite filling. The fried whole moi was spectacular, fried perfectly and the fish itself was delicious. The house fried rice was also perfect, with lots of seafood flavor. The beef carpaccio came a little later than expected, which was a bit of a miss for me. The beef was sliced so thin that you could barely get any texture from it, and with the Thai chili/herb mix, I think the American/Italian-style preparation is more for me. The beef was also uncut, so we had to slice each piece ourselves, which was a bit unusual, but it was fine. We shared everything between the two of us and were very full and satisfied with the food and flavors! Service was friendly, attentive, and just overall very pleasant to interact with. Lastly, we'd say the price point is a good value for what you're getting in terms of taste, portions, and quality. If you're thinking of trying here, just do it! We will be back for sure!
Our favorite hole in the wall place to go for genuinely delicious dishes and a great ambiance. The servers are very friendly and knowledgeable of the menu. The restaurant is beautifully decorated and creates such a great ambiance for dining with friends and family. The go to appetizers are definitely the chicken salad and hamachi crude. For the drinks, I always get my Vietnamese coffee with sea salt foam. When it comes to the lunch menu, my go to is the soft shell crab pasta. But we did also venture out and tried the A5 Wagyu Pho which contained perfectly cooked noodles, with a savory pho. Just the right portion for yourself or to share family style. Unfortunately we always are so stuffed we never have a chance to get dessert but, we will be back and I will definitely have a dessert photo to share soon.
One of the hottest restaurants in town now. So hard to get a reservation! Came here at 4:15pm for happy hour cuz that was the only time lot available. They got many good choices on HH menu but the food was not cheap. Drinks were $10 and they were all decent. We tried many items and they were all good. My favorite was definitely beef carpaccio and Vietnamese chicken wings. We ordered 2 servings for certain dishes that's how good they were. Service was attentive. Plenty of parking outside. Will definitely come bac
Simple, just read the 5 star reviews and I agree with all of them. If in or near the Honolulu area and want good everything then go here! Chao was recommended to me by a Yelp local and it didn't disappoint. This is located outside of the hotel tourist zone. There were a lot of locals in here. They serve New Orleans Cafe Du Monde coffee what more do you need to know.
I was so excited to come back here! My buddy and his girlfriend had never been and I was more than happy to introduce them to Chao. Especially that pandan waffle. I must've ranted and raved about it for two days! Our server was very sweet and took great care of us! I also had to have an espresso martini! Sooooo good! We shared seafood cerviche which I loved! Especially with the shrimp chips! The softshell crab pasta was very good! The chicken salad was a fresh take on the Chinese chicken salad. The roasted corn went over well! And we all loved the shrimp fried rice!. And now my favorite part... She: Unfortunately, we are out of the pandan waffle... o_0* Oh man! What a let down! So we settle for the Please Come Again, but I don't know if I will if that waffle isn't there...LOL! Of course I'll be back! Maybe for dinner since you can only get the waffle at brunch. I won't be so sad and disappointed! It does get loud inside and the parking lot is shared so that might be a challenge. But it's a great way to start your day! Mahalo Chao!
Been for brunch, happy hour and dinner. 10/10 and will recommend if someone were to ask where's a good place to eat. One of the best Vietnamese Fusion cuisine I've had. I can't even explain how good the food is. I've tried almost all of their appetizers, but my recommendations would be the spring rolls and hamachi poke. Their brisket is so tender and falls apart with just a bite and easy to cute with a spoon. I've tried their brisket moco and beef stew - generous amount of brisket for both and with a different flavor than the normal dish but super delicious. Another rec would be the crab pasta - splurge and add the blue crab because it really elevates the flavor of the noodles. Dishes are on the pricier side but portion size are good enough to share with about 3 people, 4 depending how many dishes you get. Services and restaurant itself is quick and clean.
Second time to visit Chao and still a pleasant experience for me. Reservations are highly recommended especially during weekends. My boyfriend and I tried to walk-in on a Sunday and was able to get in after 1.5 hours of waiting (6:15-7:45pm). The staff at the front was very nice and she made sure we got seated before closing. They have an all-day Brunch Menu on Sundays, so we decided to order the following: Hamachi Poke: tasted fresh and the shrimp chips were a great complement when you put the hamachi poke on top! Calamari: soft and flavorful. I can't get enough of the sauce too. Pork Ribs and Dragon Eggs: surprisingly good, and I wasn't expecting that the ribs were full of meat. I love Asian food and you can taste that they put fish sauce in there which I liked. I think I could have more than one cup of rice for this. The drinks were great too! I enjoyed my Koi's Cooler as it was refreshing and my boyfriend liked his vietnamese iced coffee for its strength and flavor. It can get pretty loud in the restaurant when it's busy, so just a heads up for those who get overstimulated by that. Free parking at the shopping complex but can get busy during peak hours as it's also shared with a few other establishments.
All the workers were nice! The restaurant was empty but the worker sat us at the bar and said it was going to be a full house which was a little odd..but we ordered the lobster spring rolls, the beef pho & soft shell crab pasta! I'd say the soft shell crab pasta was my favorite of the three - it was very tasty and flavorful! but you can't go wrong with any of the options. I'd definitely love to come again soon to try more items.
Finally made it to Chao! Parking in the area can be a challenge but I lucked out. I went there for lunch, ordered the lobster summer rolls and the duck salad. The sauce on the summer roll was really good, but couldn't really taste too much lobster. The presentation was beautiful but it was a little messy to eat since it was pre-cut making the roll fall apart when trying to eat it. I think it would be better if it were not pre-cut or if the summer roll was cut in half. Summer rolls need the ends to keep it together when you're eating it. I know this is a new item, but I hope Chao keeps a summer roll on the menu. I really enjoyed the duck salad. All the crunchy textures and the sauce on the side. I'll get this again for sure. For Vietnamese food I do prefer stronger herbal flavors, but both dishes were very enjoyable. And I'll definitely come back again. Overall I liked this place, excellent service and good food.
Sigh...It could have been, should have been better. Some things were good and tasty. Some others were under seasoned. Here's what $150 gets you for a weekday lunch: Chicken wings $16 Crispy calamari $16 Spicy beef noodle soup $28 with beef rib $10 Chicken pho $20 Roast pork rice $26 Roast pork bahn mi Liquid wellness mocktail $12 Let's start with *The Tasty*. The chicken wings are delicious! Caramelized fish sauce is unique and so good. Their chicken pho is delicious. They use a wider noodle, which I really like. Lots of flavor, lots of dark and white meat too. The wellness mocktail delivered the taste we expected. Gingery and refreshing with just enough bitterness to keep the wellness factor. *Mid-level Delights* include the calamari. It's like a beer batter and served not very crispy. But the pieces were flavorful. The bahn mi was pretty good. The bread was lovely, the sandwich was packed with pate, pork, pickled daikon & carrots. *Missed the Mark*. The roast pork used in the rice plate and bahn mi was dry and a touch salty. They both came with chicharrons that were under seasoned. The mayo and pate on the bahn mi saved the pork. On the rice plate, there was no hiding the dryness. The chicken fat rice was pretty good. The spicy beef noodle soup was not spicy. The broth also lacked depth of flavor. The $10 beef rib was cold and not seasoned. It sure had the appearance of a spicy broth though. No nuoc cham was served with anything. They did a great job remodeling the place. It's nice and clean. The bartender delivered our 1 zero mocktail. Our server was attentive and friendly. Nice, clean unisex restrooms. Maybe today the execution was just a little off. Make a reservation and try something.
Had lunch with my wife and brother-in-law. I had to minus a star from my previous review. Soon after being seated a child started crying loudly. I think it was one of the staff or owner's child. Very annoying. This went on for about 10 minutes. The couple seated near the child got up and left. A couple of minutes later The child was wheel out on a stroller. As for the food I noticed the many Yelpers gave high reviews for the soft shell crab with pasta. My take is that the crab was crispy and had a strong garlic flavor. I really didn't care for the sauce used in the noodles. The calimari was crisp and tender. The dipping sauce I didn't care for. This is a Vietnamese after all so Enjoy.
10 days ago
Caleb our server was kind and exceptional. His recommendation for the Ginger Chicken Rice was spot on. The food and service improves with every dining experience. Be sure to arrive with enough time to find parking. Vehicles come in and out pretty quickly, but you may have to wait a bit to find a stall if your timing is off. read more
14 days ago
Came to Chao for my friends birthday celebration. I was trying to find someplace she hasn't been to, but unfortunately I failed. Lol Luckily, she loves this place so that fail ended being a win! We got there a little before they opened, so we waited outside and as soon as they opened they were able to seat us. It wasn't that crowded when we first got there, but when we left all the tables were full. We got the lobster nem nuong summer roll, softshell crab pasta, and the duck rice. The lobster summer roll was soooo good! My fav thing. It had lobster, Vietnamese sausage, and veggies. On top of a thick peanut sauce that was so tasty. I also added some chili sauce to it. The summer roll itself was tasty that it really didn't need much sauce. The softshell crab was a must since I've been eyeing that out on Yelp. The softshell crab had a little too much batter for my liking, but it went well with the creamy pasta. The pasta was the best part. And the duck rice was also so good. The duck literally fell off the bone. And the rice had just the right amount of flavor. With a side of pickled veggies, tomatoes and cucumbers. I recommend that if you plan to come here, make reservations because it's not a huge place. They have a good amount of seating but it did get pretty full. They have a parking so you don't have to pay for parking. They are located in the same shopping center as the old Hungry Lion. read more
Food excellent Service excellent Ambiance excellent Overall amazing restaurant. Respect to the chef for the design of the restaurant, food, and wonderful team. Had a great time and there is excellent attention to detail with all the food. Everything was good. Even the drinks I highly recommend the matcha cloud. It's one of the best matcha drinks I had. Better than most cafes. Lots of parking in the lot. Definitely worth visiting and not overhyped. read more
My friend and I had reservations for 5:30 pm, but we arrived early and were seated around 5:10 pm. Caleb, our server, was incredibly friendly and helpful. Throughout the meal, we received constant updates on our orders. The food was delicious, with a unique twist that made everything taste perfect, especially the beef pho, which I highly recommend. The coconut matcha was very refreshing and not too sweet, which I prefer. The setting is a little loud, so it was a bit hard to hear each other. But overall, it's a great place to catch up with a friend over delicious food. read more
Food and service were so good here! We came on a Friday night and it was packed, with such a lively atmosphere. Side note, it could be a little hard to hear each other since tables are placed pretty close to each other. We started with the roasted eggplant and grilled sweet corn, and both were great appetizers. I feel like you can't go wrong with anything that's grilled/roasted haha. We got the soft shell crab pasta, which had lots of crab flavor and meat mixed in--perfect for seafood/crab lovers. The pasta portion is definitely generous for one person and can be quite filling. The fried whole moi was spectacular, fried perfectly and the fish itself was delicious. The house fried rice was also perfect, with lots of seafood flavor. The beef carpaccio came a little later than expected, which was a bit of a miss for me. The beef was sliced so thin that you could barely get any texture from it, and with the Thai chili/herb mix, I think the American/Italian-style preparation is more for me. The beef was also uncut, so we had to slice each piece ourselves, which was a bit unusual, but it was fine. We shared everything between the two of us and were very full and satisfied with the food and flavors! Service was friendly, attentive, and just overall very pleasant to interact with. Lastly, we'd say the price point is a good value for what you're getting in terms of taste, portions, and quality. If you're thinking of trying here, just do it! We will be back for sure! read more
11 days ago
Our favorite hole in the wall place to go for genuinely delicious dishes and a great ambiance. The servers are very friendly and knowledgeable of the menu. The restaurant is beautifully decorated and creates such a great ambiance for dining with friends and family. The go to appetizers are definitely the chicken salad and hamachi crude. For the drinks, I always get my Vietnamese coffee with sea salt foam. When it comes to the lunch menu, my go to is the soft shell crab pasta. But we did also venture out and tried the A5 Wagyu Pho which contained perfectly cooked noodles, with a savory pho. Just the right portion for yourself or to share family style. Unfortunately we always are so stuffed we never have a chance to get dessert but, we will be back and I will definitely have a dessert photo to share soon. read more
18 days ago
One of the hottest restaurants in town now. So hard to get a reservation! Came here at 4:15pm for happy hour cuz that was the only time lot available. They got many good choices on HH menu but the food was not cheap. Drinks were $10 and they were all decent. We tried many items and they were all good. My favorite was definitely beef carpaccio and Vietnamese chicken wings. We ordered 2 servings for certain dishes that's how good they were. Service was attentive. Plenty of parking outside. Will definitely come bac read more
2 months ago
Simple, just read the 5 star reviews and I agree with all of them. If in or near the Honolulu area and want good everything then go here! Chao was recommended to me by a Yelp local and it didn't disappoint. This is located outside of the hotel tourist zone. There were a lot of locals in here. They serve New Orleans Cafe Du Monde coffee what more do you need to know. read more
I was so excited to come back here! My buddy and his girlfriend had never been and I was more than happy to introduce them to Chao. Especially that pandan waffle. I must've ranted and raved about it for two days! Our server was very sweet and took great care of us! I also had to have an espresso martini! Sooooo good! We shared seafood cerviche which I loved! Especially with the shrimp chips! The softshell crab pasta was very good! The chicken salad was a fresh take on the Chinese chicken salad. The roasted corn went over well! And we all loved the shrimp fried rice!. And now my favorite part... She: Unfortunately, we are out of the pandan waffle... o_0* Oh man! What a let down! So we settle for the Please Come Again, but I don't know if I will if that waffle isn't there...LOL! Of course I'll be back! Maybe for dinner since you can only get the waffle at brunch. I won't be so sad and disappointed! It does get loud inside and the parking lot is shared so that might be a challenge. But it's a great way to start your day! Mahalo Chao! read more
Been for brunch, happy hour and dinner. 10/10 and will recommend if someone were to ask where's a good place to eat. One of the best Vietnamese Fusion cuisine I've had. I can't even explain how good the food is. I've tried almost all of their appetizers, but my recommendations would be the spring rolls and hamachi poke. Their brisket is so tender and falls apart with just a bite and easy to cute with a spoon. I've tried their brisket moco and beef stew - generous amount of brisket for both and with a different flavor than the normal dish but super delicious. Another rec would be the crab pasta - splurge and add the blue crab because it really elevates the flavor of the noodles. Dishes are on the pricier side but portion size are good enough to share with about 3 people, 4 depending how many dishes you get. Services and restaurant itself is quick and clean. read more
Second time to visit Chao and still a pleasant experience for me. Reservations are highly recommended especially during weekends. My boyfriend and I tried to walk-in on a Sunday and was able to get in after 1.5 hours of waiting (6:15-7:45pm). The staff at the front was very nice and she made sure we got seated before closing. They have an all-day Brunch Menu on Sundays, so we decided to order the following: Hamachi Poke: tasted fresh and the shrimp chips were a great complement when you put the hamachi poke on top! Calamari: soft and flavorful. I can't get enough of the sauce too. Pork Ribs and Dragon Eggs: surprisingly good, and I wasn't expecting that the ribs were full of meat. I love Asian food and you can taste that they put fish sauce in there which I liked. I think I could have more than one cup of rice for this. The drinks were great too! I enjoyed my Koi's Cooler as it was refreshing and my boyfriend liked his vietnamese iced coffee for its strength and flavor. It can get pretty loud in the restaurant when it's busy, so just a heads up for those who get overstimulated by that. Free parking at the shopping complex but can get busy during peak hours as it's also shared with a few other establishments. read more
24 days ago
All the workers were nice! The restaurant was empty but the worker sat us at the bar and said it was going to be a full house which was a little odd..but we ordered the lobster spring rolls, the beef pho & soft shell crab pasta! I'd say the soft shell crab pasta was my favorite of the three - it was very tasty and flavorful! but you can't go wrong with any of the options. I'd definitely love to come again soon to try more items. read more
Finally made it to Chao! Parking in the area can be a challenge but I lucked out. I went there for lunch, ordered the lobster summer rolls and the duck salad. The sauce on the summer roll was really good, but couldn't really taste too much lobster. The presentation was beautiful but it was a little messy to eat since it was pre-cut making the roll fall apart when trying to eat it. I think it would be better if it were not pre-cut or if the summer roll was cut in half. Summer rolls need the ends to keep it together when you're eating it. I know this is a new item, but I hope Chao keeps a summer roll on the menu. I really enjoyed the duck salad. All the crunchy textures and the sauce on the side. I'll get this again for sure. For Vietnamese food I do prefer stronger herbal flavors, but both dishes were very enjoyable. And I'll definitely come back again. Overall I liked this place, excellent service and good food. read more
21 days ago
Sigh...It could have been, should have been better. Some things were good and tasty. Some others were under seasoned. Here's what $150 gets you for a weekday lunch: Chicken wings $16 Crispy calamari $16 Spicy beef noodle soup $28 with beef rib $10 Chicken pho $20 Roast pork rice $26 Roast pork bahn mi Liquid wellness mocktail $12 Let's start with *The Tasty*. The chicken wings are delicious! Caramelized fish sauce is unique and so good. Their chicken pho is delicious. They use a wider noodle, which I really like. Lots of flavor, lots of dark and white meat too. The wellness mocktail delivered the taste we expected. Gingery and refreshing with just enough bitterness to keep the wellness factor. *Mid-level Delights* include the calamari. It's like a beer batter and served not very crispy. But the pieces were flavorful. The bahn mi was pretty good. The bread was lovely, the sandwich was packed with pate, pork, pickled daikon & carrots. *Missed the Mark*. The roast pork used in the rice plate and bahn mi was dry and a touch salty. They both came with chicharrons that were under seasoned. The mayo and pate on the bahn mi saved the pork. On the rice plate, there was no hiding the dryness. The chicken fat rice was pretty good. The spicy beef noodle soup was not spicy. The broth also lacked depth of flavor. The $10 beef rib was cold and not seasoned. It sure had the appearance of a spicy broth though. No nuoc cham was served with anything. They did a great job remodeling the place. It's nice and clean. The bartender delivered our 1 zero mocktail. Our server was attentive and friendly. Nice, clean unisex restrooms. Maybe today the execution was just a little off. Make a reservation and try something. read more
4 months ago
Had lunch with my wife and brother-in-law. I had to minus a star from my previous review. Soon after being seated a child started crying loudly. I think it was one of the staff or owner's child. Very annoying. This went on for about 10 minutes. The couple seated near the child got up and left. A couple of minutes later The child was wheel out on a stroller. As for the food I noticed the many Yelpers gave high reviews for the soft shell crab with pasta. My take is that the crab was crispy and had a strong garlic flavor. I really didn't care for the sauce used in the noodles. The calimari was crisp and tender. The dipping sauce I didn't care for. This is a Vietnamese after all so Enjoy. read more
First time here seen all the reviews from other Yelpers and it's all pretty good . Had to try it for myself so had lunch with sister and brother in law. Parking lot is very crowded because they share with other businesses like Starbucks and Orielly Auto parts . I was disappointed in the soft shell crab Pasta the pasta was very sweet the soft shell grab was ok. Their appetizers have lots of garlic . I love garlic but not so much on top of fried foods . The fried chicken , calamari all had lots of garlic . Ambiance is very noisy although the highlight was our server he was fast and efficient. He took away our rubbish from our table right away . Hope the best for Chao but to be honest I won't be going back just not my cup a tea . Support Local whenever possible read more
3 months ago
Chao is a great little gem in nu'uanu with a cozy but slightly elevated ambiance. My entire family went for Mother's Day and shared a variety of delicious Thai fusion dishes that were presented beautifully and tasted amazing. The service was great and with our reservation, we were seated in a timely manner despite it being a busy evening. Highlights for us included the duck fat fried rice and whole steamed moi. The entire restaurant is pretty accessible and the shopping plaza in which it's located has plenty of parking especially in the evening hours. Great spot to take friends to share a bite, have a cocktail or celebrate a date night!! read more
Very charming and cozy restaurant that's great for both small gatherings and larger parties. Best to call ahead and make a reservation. The menu is simple yet elegant, with plenty of tempting options. Started off with the hamachi crudo. My friend doesn't really eat fish but she said it was worth the try. She took off the skin from the hamachi. She pointed out that it was the first she had hamachi with skin on it! Tried the soft-shell crab pasta, and it did not disappoint--it was absolutely delicious! We also shared the duck salad, which was fresh and flavorful. My friends both ordered the chicken pho, with one adding an egg. They agreed the soup was really good. The portions are generous, and the prices are very reasonable for the quality of the food. Our server was outstanding--attentive, friendly, and happy to explain the menu and answer our questions. We all ordered the Vietnamese iced coffee, and it was a favorite at the table. It was perfectly blended and the perfect way to finish the meal. The only downsides are that parking can be a bit difficult, and the restaurant gets quite loud when it's full. Overall, it's a wonderful spot with delicious food, excellent service, and a warm, inviting atmosphere. I'd definitely come back! read more
Some things are ok and others are LIFE CHANGING!!! The flavor and dip of the calamari blew my socks off. Salt, fat, acid, heat, sugar- it had everything perfectly balanced. The punch of lemongrass in the sauce really adds that extra oomf. You must also get the soft shelled crab pasta- it's a favorite for a reason!! It's thick, creamy, delicious and has all the right herbs and seasonings. Beef carpaccio, Spanish octopus, and hamachi crudo are also good but even better when you eat them together. Fried rice and pork ribs I would personally pass on next time. Drinks are just ok. Strong! Get your moneys worth lol. Need to come back and try more things on the menu and the non-alcoholic drinks! Service is good and lots of parking in the lot out front. Gets busy sometimes but there's also street parking. Restaurant interior is cute and feels like an elevated casual spot. read more
"Good food is very often, even most often, simple food." ― Anthony Bourdain I have been seeing so many photos and reviews for this amazing place before arriving on vacation that I knew I would be stopping by for a bite. I already knew what I want, I just needed to get myself here and wow. What a great meal! Beef Carpaccio: Paper-thinly sliced raw beef tenderloin with an herb mix, onions, crispy shallots, lime vinaigrette, and Thai chili. Such a flavor bomb compared the usual Italian classic with lemon, olive oil, and capers. Crispy Calamari: Garlic, jalapeño, and a chili lime sauce. I don't even remember eating this as there were so many plates on the table. I only realized this was ordered after uploading my photos on here. I'm sure they were great though. Grilled Sweet Corn: Curry butter, pork floss, and chives. I avoided this not because it didn't look or smell good because it did. I just generally avoid eating corn-on-the-cob in public. I'll end up looking like a child with corn on my face if I attempted to eat corn-on-the-cob in public! Hamachi Poke: Spicy tobiko roe mayo, salted calamansi, and served with shrimp chips. Good flavor balance and fun texture. I can absolutely inhale this all by myself. Spanish Octopus: Mixed herbs, roasted peanuts, and roasted fish sauce. Perfectly tender with a great flavor profile. Duck Salad: Seared duck breast, lettuce, crispy fried noodles, and fresno chiles with a creamy house dressing. Get this. The fresh crisp bite of salad helps cut the flavors of everything else you are eating. Brisket Beef Stew: My twinsie actually had this and it smelled great. Taste wise, I'm sure it was good. It's beef, potatoes, and onions in bo kho. It can only be good. Soft Shell Crab Pasta: Fried soft shell crab, fresh noodles, and lemongrass tossed in beurre monté ("mounted butter"). This was the single dish that made me want to pop in. I have been haunted on Yelp by this soft shell crab that's standing up, needing me to have five it with my chopsticks. It was good. It was tasty. I ate a lot of the noodles even. Chao Penicilin: Chivas, ginger, and honey. This was Randy S.'s drink but I fell in love with it quickly. It tasted like a fresh ginger root was strangled and poured into a glass. This is 100% my kind of drink. I love it when ginger bites back. Vietnamese Espresso Martini: Vietnamese coffee, Mr. Brown, and Absolut vodka. You can't go wrong with Vietnamese coffee and you definitely can't go wrong with an espresso martini. Up until the point when I tried the Chao Penicillin, I was elated with my martini, haha! What a great place. I'll be day dreaming of that Soft Shell Crab Pasta and Chao Penicilin now that I've finished this review. read more
Food was EXCELLENT. That calamari was one of the best I have ever had. It was crisp but not to the point where it hurt the inner of my mouth - super soft and tender. The cucumber was also perfect and it's amazing how everything was so crisp on the outside yet soft on the inside! The crab pasta was a standout. The flavors just melded together perfectly with the soft shell crab being an amazing garnish to the dish. It was tender and crisp. You can just eat it as is with the pasta and it just was absolutely delicious. They give you an option if you want some blue crab garnish on the pasta - make sure to say yes. The crab adds such a nice kick to the creaminess of the pasta. Did I also mention how big the portion was!? You could probably order the crab pasta and another entree to share with friends. Dessert was unique. The flan was rich and the lychee was a delicious side. The popcorn ice cream was very different than what I'm used to. The ice cream has a very grainy texture with the accents of popcorn. The butter mochi was standard but a good additional texture for the popcorn ice cream. Not too sure if I would order that again, but the flan was definitely my favorite dessert of the meal. Ambiance is a darker mood with dim lighting. It adds to the luxurious vibe of the restaurant itself. I noticed people came dressed up for their reservations as they walked in. Definitely a great spot to go with friends/family. Service was quick and helpful - very attentive with filling up our waters and making sure we were ok. Definitely a standout restaurant. I'm a fan! read more
20 days ago
Awesome lunch! The food was excellent! Server Jeremy was extremely knowledgeable about the food and surprisingly, wine. He worked in fine dining establishments previously. His service was excellent. Modern decor, pays homage to be Cafe Du Monde. Cannot recommend highly enough. read more
Lunchtime led us to a lovely meal, Chao. A place that was highly raved about by friends, and my Dad and I were anxious to try. Our experience was great, and I'm still thinking of what I ate. My unnie, Li Y., made reservations for us. We were sitting inside, farther back. The restaurant is stylish yet more casual. A nice watering hole for locals and visitors to enjoy meals, drinks, or happy hour. We came for lunch and were treated like family by all staff. It was great to talk story, have our questions answered, and enjoy our meal at our own leisure. We chose to order family style and shared the Crispy Calamari, Roasted Eggplant, Duck Rice, and Soft Shell Crab Pasta. Everything was superb. The flavors, seasonings, spices, all of it was on point. Loved the roast on the eggplant, the calamari was crispy and great with the sauce, and the crab pasta was so creamy and nicely balanced. My favorite was the duck rice. The duck was so tender, and the rice had so much flavor. I could eat so much of it and hope to try their other rice dishes in the future. Their Ube Dream drink was also a nice surprise--creamy ube with a refreshingly tart lime taste. Chao took my taste buds on a trip, and I recommend everyone try this spot if you're into Vietnamese or fusion cuisine. Find them in the Nuʻuanu Shopping Plaza. Parking is hit-or-miss in the plaza, depending on the time of day you go. read more
Ever since this place opened, my wife and I have been back numerous times! Very lovely set up inside, full bar, and an ambience that's great for any meal or date night. Our go to's are the chicken pho, and soft shell crab pasta. The pasta is so rich with a little spice and soft shell crab is crispy and light. Centered in town, it is easy to get too. Swing by now! read more
22 days ago
Decided to give this place a try after so many friends had recommended it! Chao specializes in Vietnamese fusion. We enjoyed the appetizers, particularly the fried maitake mushrooms that came with aioli. The calamari was crispy on the outside, not too rubbery on the inside, and it came with a delightful lemongrass sauce. All of us enjoyed our entrees: the pork belly, beef stew, beef pho, and soft shell crab pasta. The soft shell crab pasta was super rich and creamy, and apparently I was lucky enough to be able to try it (they only had two more orders available for the night)! Portions were extremely generous. The desserts really stood out to me. We had a coconut flan, which was super refreshing. Their butter mochi was topped with chopped nuts and an ube ice cream, and was overall a very light, refreshing, and delicious choice as well. The staff were very friendly and service was great. Presentation of all the food and interior of the restaurant were also a 10/10. We had a great time. read more
My friend and I went here on a Wednesday at 5Pm. I decided to make a reservation just in case because the parking lot looked small. However, there was no one there then it started filling up around 6PM. Once we sat down they gave us waters and checked on us immediately after. We took a long time deciding but they kept checking on us. We sat near the fire exit and we were close to two other tables but it wasn't too bad. My friend shared a Hamachi Poke appetizer, beef carpaccio, & soft shelled crab pasta. The Hamachi poke was decently sized. I thought the hamachi portion was small until we saved it for last. Trust me, there is enough poke for the chips they give you. We underestimated and we didn't want to hog the poke so we ran out of chips before the poke. The beef carpaccio had a very Thai taste to it (hence the Thai chili) but the vinaigrette was very tasty and very strong. I really enjoyed it and I haven't had carpaccio before. It was a big plate too. The soft shelled crab pasta: TAKES IT HOME! It was very buttery but it didn't feel as heavy like some other pasta dishes. It came with two soft shelled crabs and I thought it was so cool it's like the WHOLE CRAB! read more
1 day ago
Awesome food, casual ambiance, good service, but I was freezing my butt off. This place has a different take on Vietnamese food but I love how modern and true to the culture it is. Don't come here for the pho though, try everything else! read more
Went for happy hour, which goes until 5 PM. Lots of things to choose from on the menu and yummy drinks too. Took a while for anybody to acknowledge us standing at the door, waiting to be seated because no one's actually standing there waiting to seat you even though you are supposed to wait to be seated. However, everyone who works there can help you once you're seated you don't need to wait for one specific server to order, which was nice. The place is clean and tables are nicely spaced apart making it possible to have a private conversation even if every table is occupied. Crowd dropped off pretty quickly once happy hour was over so it doesn't look like you need to have a reservation. We were there on a Friday evening. The toughest part about going there on a Friday night was parking because of the other businesses that also share the same lot. read more
2 months ago
Really nice resturant, came here on a Sunday around 7 pm. Word of advice make sure to get a reservation, it is pretty popular and if you try to walk in on average you'll wait an hour. Despite the wait they're services is nice quick and attentive. Food was also top notch. For appetizer we got the hamchi poke and the calamari. For our entrée we ordered pork ribs and the garlic noodles with soft shell crab. Each dish was flavorful and well made. They were definitely generous with the soft shell crab as well. Definitely will come again but be sure to reserve! read more
3 days ago
6 months ago
I wish I would've eaten here sooner on our vacation so I would've been able to eat there a second time. It was so good. We need a reservation through OpenTable so we are seated right away, although there were several available tables during lunchtime. Caleb was our waiter and he was so friendly and helpful. We ordered the duck rice, crab pasta, chicken wings and gai lan stir fry. Wow was everything so good. I couldn't stop commenting during the meal on how great the food was. Definitely putting it on a rotation for the next time. I'm in Oahu. If you have a kid with you, ask for the treasure chest read more
The food was just amazing. I especially loved how the Hamachi Crudo was prepared because the meat was individually fried and placed back into the fish which made it easier to enjoy bite size pieces. Perfectly fried! The Soft Shell Crab Pasta was by far, delicious. Everything we tried were hands down fantastic! Good lighting, clean restaurant and restroom...efficient and friendly service. Located in a little strip mall, so parking can take a bit to find. Highly recommend this read more
Finally got to try CHAO! This area isn't one I'm very familiar with, but it was pretty straightforward to get to. Parking can be a bit challenging, though we got to find a spot. They have happy hour until 5PM. We tried Chicken Wings Beef carpaccio Spanish octopus Soft shell crab pasta Everything was delicious with spicy kick! Definitely coming back to try more their menu, read more
Food was great and the servers were knowledgeable of the menu. The decor is really nice and eclectic with a modern feel. Food is served family style, so you will need to order a few small plates to saturate a group. We had a group of 7 and so we started with a couple chicken salads which were fresh and spicy. Two orders of the chicken wings which were butting with umami, an order of fried mushrooms which were delicious and really meaty, and order of charred bok choy which was really Smokey and a great compliment to the mushrooms and chicken pho that I got. The drinks were good as was the rest of the food. Their dinner menu looks really good so we will definitely be back to try that. read more
2 months ago
Nuce looking dinning area. We were greeted by the hostess and I could tell she was trying to formulate a question. She asked if the dog with me was a service dog. I thanked her for asking and replied that he was. They sat us right next to the front door. I've noticed that restaurants place me and my service d9g either all the way in the back corner or the worst table they have. I got the Spict Beef Soup. Noodles were over cooked and mushy. Beef rib had little flavor. I don't understand how they claimed it is spicy. It was accompanied with fresh veggies. Two small sprigs of cilantro, one basil sprigs, a couple of flat leaf parsley and a petite pile if cabbage. My wife got rhe braised beef moco. Looked great but again lacked seasoning on the brisket and little sauce. At entrees pushing $30 each one would except the food would be flavorful but we found the opposite. read more
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More info about Chao
1613 Nuuanu Ave
Ste A12
Honolulu, HI 96817
Punchbowl
Directions
(808) 888-0166
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http://chaohawaii.com
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Ask the Community - Chao
What time does the menu change from lunch to dinner?
Will it be open for Christmas day lunch?
You can give them a call to find out their a Christmas schedule.
Just comparing the photos I see on Yelp, it looks like the food at Happy Hour are the same prices as at Dinner??? No discount? Only the drinks are slightly discounted at Happy…
Yes, you are correct!
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