The owners are super nice and hospitable. I was here for a work event and tried a bunch of appetizers but the one that stood out the most was the steak tartare. It was like crack. Nobody could stay away from it very long, even those of us that thought we didn't care for raw minced beef. It was the best I've ever had. read more

Sophisticated Cuisine! This is a family owned restaurant at the north side of China Town. The owner and his family are hospitable people who want to make sure you enjoy your evening. It is a quiet spot that you'll enjoy on a date, with family, or for business. read more

Actual Rating: 3.5 stars. Better than "A-Ok" but not a huge fan just yet. Located in Chinatown, there is a parking lot across the street of it, street parking, as well as structure parking. Amongst the other popular hot spots in Chinatown, this place does not receive much social attention as it should. Do be warned, it is on the pricey side. This isn't Ruth's/Roy's pricing, but probably looking at $50-60 per person for a full meal (appetizer, entree, dessert, and drink). It is family style dining, but the portions don't reflect the style. The owner was out and about the restaurant that night, checking up often on our dining experience and chatting here and there. Great to see an overtly hard-working owner in his own place. Staff was great. Food options were plentiful. Overall, I would say the taste was 4 of 5 stars. The steak was quite tender, the escargot wasn't rubbery, and the beef tartar was AWESOME. The ONLY thing I didn't like, and actually regret ordering, was the Pineapple Soda. I tasted the soda, but the pineapple "taste" was more like "3-week old dried pineapple that lost all of its flavor." Just stick to water. Definitely did not expect this snazzy place to be in Chinatown of all places. I'll definitely be back again, and most likely will be upgrading my rating to a solid 4 stars. read more

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I came here for the first time last week. This one's been on my bucket list since forever and it was forgotten...until now! A friend suggested we try this place out for my mom's bday. After reading several Yelp reviews, I learned that the establishment will pay for your parking fee if you park in the public parking space fronting the restaurant (note: make sure to tell the waiter your stall #). But, we opted for Lyft so we can drink without worries. The wait staff are all extremely attentive & friendly, and owner Duc (pronounced Duke, not duck) is constantly walking around making sure everything is going smoothly with all the guests. I started doing a mini photo session by the cute heart tree decor they have in the back of their restaurant...then Duc offered to take pics of me! Lol We ordered a variety of dishes...mostly the ones that the waiter recommended as it was everyone's first time. We got the pate, escargot, papaya salad to start...something about their french bread! CRISPY & SOFT on the inside = perfection with the Ponzi pinot noir we were sipping on. For our entrees, we tried the Duck with Grand Marnier sauce, Sweet chili mango crusted seabass, and lambchops. Everything was so yummy!! And might I add that food tastes extra yummy when it's free...my friend treated our party For dessert, the bday girl got a free chocolate truffle cake (reminded me of JJ's pyramid cake taste but in the form of a normal sliced cake) accompanied with a short bday song from the live musician playing that night. The rest of us shared an order of an affogato and a creme brulee. This night was extra special, as we celebrated a bday, saw Neil Abercrombie also eating in the back area, and had Chinese dragons come into the restaurant for Lunar NY...complete with fire works outside & drums and everything! Would I be back here even if it's not free? Yes. The ambiance is nice - dark, pink (the LED lights by the wall illuminate) and a little luxurious. You definitely feel like you're in a "bistro" environment. read more

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Everything the 4 of us ate was savory, delectable and did not disappoint - Vietnamese Chicken Salad, Crab Cakes, Garlic Green Beans, Steak Saigon, Braised Pork Belly and the House Special Mahi-mahi. We even had room for dessert - Tiramisu, Alfagato (ice cream w/espresso ) and Mac Nut Gelato. Not knowing what to expect in the heart of Chinatown, we were impressed with the attention we got from the beginning to end. It was better than going to a high end restaurant in Waikiki and there is free parking directly across the street. When you make the reservation, they will tell you where to park and when you get there, they will give you the code to input into the machine. We didn't realize how long we were there (5 hours) but did not get pushed out. The ambience was great and we enjoyed the stories we heard from the owner. He even shared with us his delicious Remy Martin Red - a strawberry kiwi infusion cognac. We will be back! read more

This is a hidden gem in Chinatown. We LOVED absolutely everything we ordered. They fill up early so definitely make a reservation. We had the fois gras as an appetizer. Melts in your mouth. And the specialty martinis are absolutely on point. We had the Basa as a main dish. Omg. It was incredible. I truly think no matter what you order you will be satisfied! read more

Duc's Bistro - Oyster special - French Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Came here for our "pre-Valentine" dinner on the 13th. Smack in the middle of Chinatown so parking can be tough, but the Chinese Municipal building was only $3! The service was outstanding and the ambiance, including live music, was very nice. My gripe was with the food, which was subpar to me. I went adventurous and tried the beef tartar (just ok) and tried my first go at Foie Gras...not a fan! The lobster bisque was nothing spectacular, and my husbands steak was again, just ok. read more

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I wish this wasn't my last night in Honolulu because I'd come back to Duc's every night!! Duc made me the most AMAZING martinis EVER! He's an absolute gem! The food, ambiance, staff & Duc were all top notch! read more

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Absolutely incredible lunch. Nice menu, excellent food, and food was beautifully presented. Top notch wine list, ambience, and service. We will be back. read more

You can always count on Duc for his amazing meals and friendly intimate service. Duc wIll make you laugh, eat and drink. It's such a joy dining here! read more

A touch of French Vietnamese class in Chinatown. Duc's Bistro is a fabulous stop for lunch or supper. I'm usually a lunch visitor, with many a piece of business discussed in the quiet, somewhat darkened interior. Drinks are poured from the well-stocked bar. Fish, prawns and meat are available with one of my favorites being the beef tartare, in this case ground beef with toast points and all of the usual accoutrements. Duc, the owner, is super personable - always a smile and a friendly word. Duc's is a simple yet elegant stop and in my mind a gem of the area.With so many trendy spots around Chinatown I love Duc's for getting and keeping it right. Long live Duc's! read more

Just an amazing family owned restaurant. In fact, I would really questions one's sanity if they ate here and didn't thoroughly enjoy everything they received. read more

I used yelp to decide where to go to dinner tonight. I've been to Duc's in the past but not since the updated menu that includes a more Vietnamese influence. Let me just say that I don't like to give things a perfect score but tonight Duc's did it. We started with the beef tar tar which if you haven't tried is a must especially if you haven't heard of toast points. The meal was then followed by frois gras and roasted eggplant. We asked for a recommendation on the main course and I'm glad we did. The lamb tenderloin was a first with a definite Vietnamese overtone these delicate bite sized morsels of lamb were delicious to say the least. And then it happened, out walks Duc himself holding the most amazing looking lobster tail, and since it wasn't on the menu I had to ask. Best decision I've ever made and best lobster tail I've ever had, it'll cost you, but so worth it. read more

Took a long time friend/old client out for his birthday and he chose this location because he's a regular. The owners son is back home to help with the business. I hear they've changed up the menu a bit, so I had him order our food I ordered the wine. I picked a bottle of Pinot Noir from France, which I knew would go well with what he chose, Banana Flower salad with shrimp (have the hot sauce on the side, VERY hot - I'm warning you lol), Beef Tartar and Foie Gras. First time eating foie gras, fricken ONO and very rich but melts in your mouth. And I always make room for desserts! We shared the fresh Tapioca and chocolate cake. Yummy:-) Very nice and cute interior. Make sure to view the various portraits in the restaurant. Some were very heart warming, specially the candid pix. read more

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If I could give this place 50 stars I would. The foie gras and pate were our amazing appetizers. We followed that up with the lobster bisque and papaya salad. Our main course of lamb was the best. The quaint, family run atmosphere was the icing on the cake. The service is outstanding and this will become one of regular eateries. Parking was conveniently right accross the street from the restaurant run by diamond head. Park, don't pay, then let the reataurant know your stall number and they will take care of it. Our party of four imbibed on several (!) bottles of champagne and wine so ended up having to uber it home. The owner of the restaurant let us leave our car there overnight and we picked it up the next morning. This place is a real class act! Thank you for serving us so well!!! read more

Words don't do justice to an around the world tour over lunch. Take friends or family & JUST SAVOR read more

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An amazing find in Honolulu! Tucked away in an inconspicuous corner of Chinatown, Duc's bistro has been one of my favorite places to eat in Hawaii. The food is unique and delicious--a wonderful fusion of French and Vietnamese cuisines. The duck pate and the fish were just incredible. And they come with nice presentation and friendly service by the owner. If I didn't live on the East Coast I would go again. 100%. read more

I really enjoyed thus "fine" restaurant! The food was exquisite and the staff was pleasant. I highly recommend this restaurant and can't wait to come back with my friends. read more

Amazing! Great service along with amazing dishes! Really can't go wrong with anything on the menu besides what you prefer. Presentation of each dishes matches its quality of taste. It was awesome meeting the youngest son of the owner who served us as is a true gentleman. If I'm ever back in Honolulu which I hope to be I will definitely be back. read more

Always a great time when we go to Duc's. Quiet, Friendly / Attentive Service, and the owner is fun to talk story with. We've been waiting for them to re-open; they're only doing reservations at the moment for dine-in, but very accommodating with times. read more

Duc's Bistro - New Zealand Lamb Chops, Rau Mung Toi Xao Toi, Breast of Duck Saigon, Saffron Rice - French Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Amazing combinations cooked to absolute perfection amazing service and Duc (the owner) is like a walking fortune cookie-- super sweet and full of wisdom. Can't wait to go back and try everything else. read more

Very nice interior easy parking food was for the most part excellent there were a few items that weren't as good as the rest and the prices have gone up quite a bit read more

The service is definitely friendly here at Duc's Bistro. I came here about a month ago for my birthday with a bunch of friends. The food was good but honestly the appetizers was better than the entree that we shared, which was a little disappointing. For example, the curry was plain, the steaks were a bit dry (they were cut up though). The lamb was flavorful though, the banana blossom salad was underwhelming, the food was a 6/10 to me. What made this review a 4 is the service and appetizers such as the oyster and escargots. read more

Have you ever climbed the highest mountain just to high-five God? No, you haven't, because you can't. But your tongue can. If you want a ridiculous experience, well worth the price, where the meat melts in your mouth and the vegetables... do whatever delicious, well-cooked vegetables do, come here, for fuck's sake. You can have a Laphroaig in one hand, while you scarf down an AMAZIMG beef tartar with the other, all while having the most pleasant conversation with the owner and his wife themselves. Best part about this? They don't give a shit how disgusting you look, talking with a mouthful of scotch and raw beef. Best customer service, bar-none. Honestly, overheard the owner (Duc, for you dullards) talking to some potential customers outside, who asked him what his best dish was. Without hesitating, he replied "Customer service." Fo sho. oh, and George Clooney apparently loves this place. But you didn't hear that from me. read more

Duc's Bistro is one amazing culinary hidden gem befitting any neighborhoods in Hawaii. Having dine there on various occassions through the years, it's incredible to see and feel the commitment owner/Chef Duc has for his regular and new patrons. This is rare quality nowadays because many restaurants do come and go. Duc's Bistro is clearly a classy, fresh flower, white-linen table French 'boutique-ish" restaurant. Dining here has been a pleasurable experience every single time I had the opportunity to enjoy their culinary delights. It's so nice to have such an upscale and approachable French-Vietnamese restaurant specializing in Vietnamese/French cuisine. The food, the flavors and the staff all work beautifully together in harmony to make dining here special. As with any restaurants, your dining experience boils down to the menu items you ordered. Sometimes if you don't know what to order, you just have to feel adventurous. But when you have the "know what to order' by finding the restaurant's strengths or what they're known for, the chances of "less than stellar" dining experiences are greatly reduced. On my recent dinner excursions, I was sad to take note of their entertainment centerpiece being gone. The piano is no longer part of the restaurant's decor and music was not going to accompany our meal that night. What a bummer... I understand it's hard to maintain this luxury now that the piano player has since relocated to the US mainland. Through the years, I've been a patron of Duc's Bistro and always look forward to dining here knowing I'll thoroughly take delight in tasting/eating their lovingly prepared food. I've also been here for a couple of private parties and on these occassions, the entire restaurant is closed for the private function. Nice, super private. These can be some of the best times as it's all you can eat catering style. Another relief is the parking situation. Parking is not a major concern since Duc's Bistro parking arrangement includes a pre-paid lot directly facing the restaurant. Give them your stall number and the restaurant will take care of parking validation for you. Ambiance/Decor/Service: it is understated, simple elegance in a fine dining surrounding. I do like the atmosphere and especially at the bar; kinda cool to see and hear regulars enjoying themselves. Bartender is friendly, helpful and so down-to-earth. The French chef/owner Duc is very customer service oriented, easy to talk to and he makes you feel very welcomed. Entire place feels quaint, comfy and a little romantic. For some reasons or other, I have not made it to their lunch service but this oversight will be remedied at the next opportunity avail. Food: Fabulous and wonderful. This family run restaurant knows what they are doing. With the classical French training and the amazing Vietnamese cuisine background, the result is a fabulous combo. Two appetizer dishes are big standouts for me here: Bò Lá Lot and Green Papaya Salad. Bò Lá Lot is made with wild betal leaf-herb piper. For those of you who may not be familiar with this culinary delight, this dish is not easy to make but rather a labor intensive undertaking.The herbaceous leaves are wrapped around small, slender ground beef that has been repeatly pounded, seasoned, marinated; then boiled and tediously wrapped in the lot leaf. Then it is grilled to perfection - the aromatic flavors from the leaf is incredible and unparalleled. This is an awesome Vietnamese treat. Thank you Duc's Bistro for putting this dish on the menu. I mean that's a lot of work and time involved. You've to know what you're doing to even attempt to tackle. The ubiquitious Vietnamese nuoc mam sauce is served alongside to compliment the grilled Bò (means beef) Lá Lot. Oh yeah, Cloud 9 here I come the moment I take my first bite of this morsel of flavorful goodness. My other favorite is DB's green papaya salad: it is just right on and I say it is right on. I've had a fair share of papaya salads on Oahu. The crucial element in making green papaya salad is the nuoc mam sauce. If you make Vietnamese food and you can't make decent nuoc mam sauce, then it is not truly, "per se", authentic Vietnamese food. DB does this dish right by striking the right balance of sour and sweet in the overall sauce. Nuoc man here is milder and a little more refined than the sugar-laden nuoc mam served in many local Thai restaurants. The papaya itself has a perfect crispiness, working beautifully with the fried pearl onion chips and topping it off with a handful of chopped peanuts. Oh yum...IMHO, I feel DB's menu offers a more refined approach to food and drinks due to the French influence. It is a well-known fact Vietnamese cuisine is heavily developed from French cuisines during colonial times. Vietnamese/French cuisine is definitely a marriage made in heaven showcasing their harmony and refinement that has beautifully prepared and executed. read more

Stars aligned as my friends and I stumbled upon this place. I had absolutely no idea this place even existed! Duc's Bistro is a refrshingly nice step up from the slightly more sketch and grungy eateries/bars in the area. The cuisine is supposedly French-Vietnamese... Sounds weird and unappealing, but it kinda works. I liked the dishes we had and I will most likely be back. What we had: Green Papaya Salad ($16) Shredded green papaya tossed with cooked prawns, fresh herbs and a mild piquant dressing. I've always been a fan of papaya salad, so I liked this dish. "Cha Gio" Crispy Vietnamese Spring Rolls ($12) Hydrated rice paper filled with ground veal, shiitake mushrooms and white jicama and lightly fried in olive oil. Served with hydroponically grown baby romaine lettuce, fresh herbs and a sweet, lightly salted and tangy "nuoc mam." Yum. I would order this again. I loved the crispy rice paper. This was different from other spring rolls I've had at other restaurants, but maybe that's why I liked it so much. Breast of Duck Saigon ($17) Roasted duck breast, sliced and served with mildly spiced crushed ginger "nuoc mam." The duck was flavorful and juicy! And the sauce was delish. I would order this again. "Cari Tom" Shrimp Curry ($18) Wild-caught rock shrimp simmered in a mildly spiced curry cream sauce. Good, but not super significant. I just remember the shrimps were nicely cooked. Saffron Rice ($3) Went well with the dishes we ordered. It was a nice pop of flavor. I recommend this over regular jasmine rice. Ong Choy with Garlic ($10) Sauteed with garlic and olive oil. I enjoy veggies and/or greens during my meal, so I'm glad we ordered this. It was pretty basic, but good. VERDICT Cute, romantic, and schmall-kine upscale (especially for the area). It's not exactly the finest of fine, but it's almost there...for Chinatown. :P I liked what we ordered and will be back. read more

This little restaurant is one of my favorites! I chose to go here this past Valentine's Day. The food is excellent. Superb quality, and delicious. It is true however, that the portions are very small. I guess that would be the "French" part playing a role. I always order the Duck Saigon, Choy Sum, and Saffron Rice. They also make the most divine homemade Ginger Ale. Keep in mind that everything is Ala Carte so all of your teeny dishes will add up. If you eat here you will see the owner, no doubt. This makes for outstanding service and good quality. Parking is directly across the street, just remember your stall number and let the hostess know when you check in. read more

I have written this review before...I've gone on about the personal service and five star dining at 3 star prices. I guess I could do the same thing that I always do...talk about how the beef tartar ranks among the best I've ever tasted. The fact that they bring you a specific glass for the type of wine you are drinking or describe the subtle beauty of the lamb curry, and how even on their best day most restaurants that specialize in curry couldn't hold a candle to the one served here. I might talk about the oysters that were no bigger than my wrist watch still having their liquor, and the joy I experienced by washing them down with a perfectly shaken Gray Goose martini. Even the pure simplicity of a warm dinner roll, a Caesar salad, and perfectly steamed saffron rice doesn't go unmissed when I think of my meal here. I could talk about all of these things and more. But last night what moved me was finding out the Bar Tender had basically grown up in the restaurant as a friend of the family. How as we sat at the bar, Duc came to personally greet us to say our table in the back was ready while asking how my father and mother were (another pair of long time patrons). I recall the look of satisfaction on my wife's face while tasting the crème brulee and my comments about the caramelized sugar reminding me of ice-skating on a lake when I was a boy, evoking memories of forgotten times as we washed them down with a small glass of beautiful espresso vodka. Finally, as we were getting up to leave, I spoke with Duc's wife, and she told me that aside from doing all the food shopping, glad handing guests, and being an all around great host, he makes all of the sauces, and gets behind the stove during service as well. At Duc's Bistro you aren't getting the newest trends. Don't expect to see filo wrapped anything or molecular gastronomy. Here, all you get is the real deal...fine dining, great hosts, a menu that meanders within the realm of classic French and Vietnamese haute cuisine all served to you in a way that makes you want to come back soon and fall in love all over again. Amore. read more

This place is definitely a gem in the dingy district of Chinatown. Vietnamese cuisine + French cuisine makes this place an upscale, hands down, the best Vietnamese/French restaurant I've ever been to in Hawaii. The ambiance in here is really nice. It's definitely comparable to any of the fine dining restaurants in Waikiki. The food here is just amazing. Granted, it's not truly Vietnamese cuisine as its got a French infusion. But if you appreciate French food and Vietnamese food, you will love this place. They truly are not like any other Vietnamese restaurant in Hawaii. I was truly impressed with their presentation of the food bought out, cleanliness of the restaurant, level of service and the most important feature of a restaurant, the food. Truly a great fusion of French and Vietnamese cuisines combined. read more

OMG this place was amazing. It definitely deceived me when I just looked at the outside of the entrance, but the service, food and drinks were great! If you want to step into the romance of Vietnam and French cooking, this is your place. read more

Duc's is an absolutely lovely restaurant. The owner is a fabulous host-- warm and welcoming who actually thanked us for choosing his restaurant because he knows there are many other restaurants that we could have gone to. The atmosphere is warm and the lighting is perfect--slightly dimmed but not annoyingly so. Food was absolutely delicious. I loved the use of chiso leaves in the dishes because the flavor truly accented the dish perfectly. My boyfriend ordered rice pudding--perhaps one of my least favorite desserts, something I would never order-- but this rice pudding was UNBELIEVABLE and I found myself in an eating paradox-- trying to savor the dish because it was that delicious, while also rushing to eat as quickly as possible so as to get every single bite before someone else finished it. I am usually that person who leaves one last spoonful of ice cream in the container-- but when it comes to the rice pudding, I am more than happy to eat it all. The fire roasted eggplant was spectacular. Soft, but not mushy. Flavorful and smoky. We also ordered a fish dish, choi sum, and a vegetable curry. I was very impressed that our meal came with saffron rice largely because saffron is the most expensive spice in the world. Fabulous. A must-try. restaurant. read more

Duc's was primarliy a French restaurant before the owner decided to tweak their menu by adding Vietnamese dishes. This East meets West theme is reflected not only in the menu, but also in the decor. Lovely Chinese lanterns and a giant dragon head hang from the ceiling while an automated baby grand piano softly plays pop and jazz standards. The low lights and the light piano music lent a nice, relaxed atmostphere. Tonight I played it safe and opted for the classic Escargot ($13.00) with button mushrooms and Caesar salad ($8.00) as starters while dessert was a simple creme brulee ($5.00), all of which were executed competently. Where the dinner veered off the beaten path was the Duck Breast with Grand Marnier ($16.00). Slices of succulent duck breast were bathed in an all too subtle Grand Marnier sauce and topped off with orange wedges. Neither did much to add any counterpoint to the flavor of the duck meat and my Korean palate begged for bolder flavors from this dish, but it was still tasty. The other entree we tried was the Olympic Chicken ($16.00) which was aptly named because this one deserved a gold medal. Tender chicken breasts lay submerged beneath a savory layer of sauce made of Chesapeake Bay Crab meat and mushrooms. Our entire meal, which consisted of 2 starters, 2 entrees and a dessert totaled $81 and change. Hardly wallet busters for a borderline fine dining experience in my opinion. I plan to return and try some of the Vietnamese inspired dishes such as the Pan Fried Fish with Green Mango ($12.00) or Lamb Tenderloin with La Lot ($17.00) for a complete review. In the meantime, the Gallic portion of the menu is tiding me over just fine. read more

I really wanted to love this place. I live in the neighborhood and wanted a great, fancy restaurant located across the street. I had been here once before with a colleague for pau hana, so I was excited when my friend said she would hold her birthday party here. We were a party of six with a reservation for 7 on a Saturday night. We arrived a little late but our table was not ready yet. After waiting while the staff hurriedly finished setting our table, we were seated. The front room had two other, larger parties going. Both of those parties seemed to know the owner, who would stop by their tables and chat. The food was delicious, when we eventually got it. Unfortunately, we waited about 15 minutes for them to take our order and 20 more minutes after that just to receive our drinks. The only prompt service was the bread. When the appetizer arrived, I had to remind the server that we still had not received our drinks. Shortly afterward, the owner brought our drinks and cracked some pretty good jokes. The owner, Duc, is a study in contrast with his staff. Where he is warm, engaging, funny, respectful, prompt, and efficient, everyone else who came to our table was the opposite. We had surly young guys glaring at everyone, a rude older woman (his wife?) who couldn't take orders or figure out the check or even apologize for making mistakes like forgetting our drinks for 20 minutes, and staff helping other tables who clearly did not like being approached by us after we got tired of waiting so long for whomever was supposed to be our server. In short, everyone, besides the owner, was incompetent. Duc's charges a gratuity for parties of 5 or more. We were of a mind to instead leave a maybe generous 5% tip, but didn't contest it because 1) it would have taken another hour and 2) they probably wouldn't understand why. For me, adding the gratuity was the last straw. At the end, I wanted to pull Duc aside and explain to him how much we loved the food, the atmosphere, and his personal service, but because of his staff we were not likely to come back again. Unfortunately, I couldn't say anything to him, because he was sitting(!) at a customer's table chatting with them. So we just left. I will not recommend this place to anyone. read more

I didn't even know this place existed until this past Saturday when my friend took me here for dinner... and omg it was so good! It was such a cute bistro with great soft pink lighting, live music & very tasteful decor. The owner greeted us and was very sweet, took our order himself. All the food was amazing. I don't quite remember everything we had but it was somewhere along the lines of spring rolls, crab cakes, fish, curry, & a couple other things. I've never had saffron rice before, but it was on point! We also had the espresso ice cream & some pineapple martinis. I wouldn't suggest the pineapple martini unless you like super sweet drinks, though. Everything was great, none the less. Unfortunately I was pressed for time because I was just trying to get a bite in between jobs, but the server was prompt and made sure we were in & out quickly. Great place! read more

This is absolutely a lovely restaurant! We've been here many of times and the owner is so nice and welcoming. Love that he believes in working and socializing with his customers. His grace and gratitude is what makes his customers keep coming back for more! The entertainment good if you between the hours of 530-730 pm; there is always a a new entertainer performing; from musicians, to classical musicians romancing the heck out of you to local artists singing hawaiian music with a ukulele and someone dancing hula...how beautiful! Not only is this restaurant amazing, but if Duke really likes you...he encourages you to come in more often and he creates his special dishes for you...i've heard his pho is amazing from the workers that work their (whom tried it). Good place to go too. Nice ambiance. Good food. It can be pricy, but enjoyable. read more

I came here for the first time with a group of friends. I set up a reservation a week prior to coming and they were courteous enough to call me the day of to make sure that we still had the reservation intact. What's pretty cool is that they take care of your parking at the structure and stalls right across the street from the restaurant. We kinda got to small kine talk story to who we think is the owner or manager of the place. I was pretty surprised by the interior and how it is like inside of the restaurant. It has a very intimate type of setting with pictures of various Vietnamese themed photography surrounding the walls. They actually don't have that much tables and chairs in the front but it was still spacious enough to fit the 10 of us that came. The food portions are super small and can be a bit pricey for family style fine dining. The food nonetheless tasted and is legitly good. We ate inside and pretty much spend more than 3 hours eating the food conservatively. Nonetheless, we all had out fill from the egglant, crab cakes, and banana blossom salad appetizer. As for the main course, we had saffron rice, asparagus, chicken curry, and many more. They also have a pretty nice line up of desserts from chocolate cake to ice cream. It was pretty cool to see a full bar there. Although it's a small little restaurant, it does pack a punch from the price to the food. One of my favorite things is the little utensil hostel. My friend and I were playing with it and ti does make a cool little skateboard. The staff and customer service is great. I would come again once a while. For me, everything is good except for the portions and quantity of food. By the end of the dinner, I was not full at all and we ordered like 8 entrees with 3 appetizers. It didn't even tickle my stomach. It's definitely one of the established restaurants in Chinatown. It's located right next to the parking structure to on Maunakea. Yelp 365 Challenge #328/365 read more

Duc's Bistro - Mini version of the big plate aka utensil/chop stick holder - French Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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The greatest gem in all of Chinatown. Mr. & Mrs. Nguyen are the consummate hosts and are the "atmosphere" of this establishment. We come often to eat our favorites and venture off at times. But why mess with success, right?! Funny thing is that everything tastes great. Don't be fooled by the serving size at first. It may look small, but it isn't by any margin. Try this place and you won't be disappointed. Favorites are: Foie Gras Escargots in "butter, garlic, herbs" Grand Marnier Duck Saffron Rice Lemongrass Lamb Just remember, whatever you order will be fantastic. Wine and cocktail selections are good as well. Enjoy! read more

The food was really good. Would come again. Highly recommend the crème brûlée for dessert.

We struggled with this one. First, let me tell you the owner is awesome and works hard. He met us at the door twice and enticed us to try it out. We felt very welcome and were excited for the experience. Starting with cocktails, which were excellent, with handcraft ingredients throughout- In-House Candied Ginger & Pineapple. Plus they were not something we've ever found anywhere else. Food started out great- Banana Blossom Salad with Shrimp, Mint and sweet sour dressing. Unfortunately, our excitement dwindled after that. The server was either un-attentive or simply extremely slow. I had to get up and find the waiter for our cocktail order, and then again for our food order. SEASONING- The Foie Gras course was small, expensive and bland- no salt or pepper and fruit compote that was something similar to Smuckers. I've eaten and ordered Foie many times. This was the most boring I've had, and it's difficult for me to be bored with Foie Gras. . Entrees were extremely small portions, disappointing and greatly over-priced. We've enjoyed much better tasting Chicken Curry, with lots more chicken, spice and flavor for half the price elsewhere. Our Duck Saigon was presented with Raw Onions, some leaf that I couldn't eat and Vinegar sauce- small a la carte portion and WAY overpriced. Skin wasn't rendered at all, VERY BLAND AND NO SEASONING. Unfortunately, the Saffron Rice, (The house specialty rice,) had no flavor at all either- no salt, pepper or saffron flavor, and the portion was maybe 4oz of cooked rice, for an additional $3. After becoming more and more disappointed with the food, we decided to skip dessert. Ordered 2 glasses of wine that were actually very good and fresh tasting. Overall, we were saddened by most of the food and prices, and were told it was over-priced- $140 for lunch. Especially since the owner seemed to really care and value us as customers. Probably wouldn't go back- if I want to spend $140 on lunch for two, this would NOT be my next choice. read more

The owners always there, greeting , serving, and guaranteeing a great experience. Food is excellent with both French and Vietnamese classics. read more