What a great experience we had tonight, celebrating our anniversary in Honolulu. We ordered the pâté, beet salad, and octopus for starters. All were outstanding. I don't like pâté (my wife) but I'm now a fan. The grilled octopus was heavenly, like a steak, but more delicate. Our final main was the seafood Paella. Amazing. Tip: scrape that disk to get the burned bits of rice on the side. It really brings out the flavor. Service-wise - our server was amazing. Always there, but never intrusive. Thank you for a great meal, and great experience! read more

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What do you get when you have a mix of Spanish, Japanese, and Italian dishes all on one menu? Mixed results, or a wonderful blend? You have all that at El Cielo! Located in Waikiki along Lewers Street near Kuhio Ave. It's on the first floor sharing the same building with Oyster Hale and Genius Lounge. They don't have any affiliation with any parking garages, you're on your own. The inside is surprisingly big and spacious with bar and outdoor seatings, and high ceilings in the main dining room. The main theme is Spanish Tapas with mostly small or bite size dishes with a few paella and main entrees. Everything sounded good! "Pinchos" dishes is really just one bite. The Smoked Salmon was nothing special. It ate like a normal salmon with cream cheese. The other flavors such as dill, pink peppercorn, and orange did not come out. The Buñuelos Butterfish Fritter were good. Light, airy, doughy! nicely fried and seasoned. Didn't really taste much butterfish. The Tapas were a generous amount! The Shrimp Ajillo was flavorful with paprika and garlic. Shrimp was cooked well. The spice didn't come out from the dried chili peppers. The best was the Housemade Baguette! Warm, soft inside, crunchy outside. Better than at Vietnamese restaurants! Unfortunately, the dish and sauce was too salty--even for a person who likes more taste. The Octopus Ala Gallega was very good. Nicely grilled octopus to tender with a nice charred taste. Just needed some salt. Potatoes were good. Chimichurri sauce was flavorful. Generous amount of olive oil. The Uni & Crab Pasta was all right. I've had better. The spaghetti was a touch too Al dente. The flavor was very one note with the rich cream sauce and uni. There wasn't the sweetness from the crab. The cherry tomato was just there to be there for a bite. Would have been nice to get some acidity and sweetness throughout the dish. The Seafood Paella was very basic. Very disappointed with zero char on the rice. What's the point of the pan? It definitely needed higher heat. Everything ate like it was covered and simmered on low heat until the seafood was cooked. Very simple. The Ube Basque Cheesecake was good. Not too sweet, not too much Ube flavor with a light custard-like interior. Overall, this was a decent meal. All the dishes were beautifully presented, but needed some seasoning adjustments. Don't think I'll order the same dishes next time. The service was excellent. Very friendly, information, and attentive server. Comfortable dining area. Unfortunate it has no parking affiliation. I'll definitely comeback for their Housemade Baguette! read more

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Wonderful experience, food, and service tonight at El Cielo. We enjoyed the restaurant week menu. We sat at the bar and had Steve serving us. He was amazing. The food was world class, they brought out a cake for our wive's birthday! Steve even showed us the seating area and took our picture. What an epic night. Thank you! Please put El Cielo on your list of must visit restaurants! The chef is amazing! Thank you for making our wive's 60th birthday so special and memorable!!!! read more

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This is 2 years overdue. Had the star rating pended and that's about as far as it went. The front entrance is beautiful and you can't miss it driving by. Inside is gorgeous and the outside courtyard is pretty nice too with the water fountain in the back. Service was good. We had the Truffle Egg Custard Pudding, Bunuelos, Chicken Liver Pate, Octopus Alla Gallega, Seafood Paella, Churro, and Frozen Turron. My favorite was the Truffle Egg Custard Pudding, Octopus Alla Gallega, and the desserts. Some dishes needed more seasoning or something to make it pop more, but that could just be personal preference. Worth giving it a try though! read more

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I was pleasantly surprised with this place. Our server was excellent and checked on us often. The tables were spaced out pretty far from each other in the back room so it felt quite private. The menu displayed a variety of Spanish tapas and we ordered 5 things to share. The croquettes came with a nice sauce. Clams were one of the specials of the night so we had to try that. I loved the octopus paired with a chimchurri sauce. I didn't want paella since we had already been eating a lot of rice on the trip so we got lamb instead. The lamb was also amazing though quite hefty pricing wise. We got 2 small skewers for $50 or $60 which should have been an entree size at that price. Everything was so delicious though. read more

Eating here for the first time when a visiting friends who wanted to eat here. Staff was friendly. We were seated in the front so I didn't see the rest of the restaurant From what I saw, the restaurant was clean and stylish. Tapas was tasty but seemed pricy (example 1 epinada for $7) This was my first time having tapas and it's Waikiki so I'm not sure how the prices compared. I didn't drink but my friends who did said all the drinks they tried were excellent. There is no validation for parking so that's a big issue for locals. read more

El Cielo - Menu - Tapas Bars Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Boquerones & Guindillo 1 way too sour for me Bacon Wrap Dates 4 savory and crunchy on the outside, sweet and soft on the inside Croquetas de Jamon 5 crunchy on the outside, soft and creamy inside, flavorful House Salad 3 spring mix, apples, tomato, bacon, refreshing Octopus Ala Gallega 5 chewy, flavorful Seafood Paella 3 Kaual Shrimp, Clam, Squld, Green Beans, Red Bell Peppers, Saffron Aioli, medium flavorful, shrimp was mushy Washugyu Steak 2 4oz US Wagyu Coulotte, Beets, Green Beans, Onlon, Housemade Chimichum, super tough, very dry, couldn't eat SHRIMP AJILLO 4 Kauai Shrimp, Garlic, Dried Pepper, Spanish Paprika, Housemade Baguette, shrimp cooked in oil, chewy, garlicky flavor Ube Basque Cheesecake 5 super creamy, fluffy, just the right balance of cheesiness and sweetness, rich ube flavor Service 5 Ambiance 4 has patio and indoor seating read more

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Since eating at El Cielo just 2 days ago, I've already told more than a dozen people about this restaurant. It is an absolute must and may take the cake as one of the best restaurants in Honolulu! My husband and I absolutely love Spanish tapas. A restaurant with tapas is almost always our go to, but it wasn't something I was expecting to eat in Hawaii. Growing up here, I don't think I ever remember having Spanish food. El Cielo is in Waikiki. The restaurant has a great ambiance and is quiet and calm, even though it's so close to such a busy area! Although we made a reservation, there were bar seats available and we opted for that to get a look into watching them make all the food. El Cielo is special because it's Spanish but with a twist. The chef is Japanese and they infuse some local flavors into a lot of their menu items! We started by splurging on the jamón ibérico - it's double the price of the serrano but noticeably special! I appreciated they gave a nice portion and we paired it with some Manchego that came with a quince jam. In addition, we ordered the pate. It was so creamy and delicious but a standout from that was the homemade baguette! It was so good! For our main entree, we ordered the loco pollo paella. Never have I had a paella with spam! Spam was so perfect in the paella. The chicken was also cooked so well! I loved the crisp skin and was so impressed. It was incredible! We finished off with the ube basque cheesecake that was light and delicious. Every single thing we ate was so good and I was so impressed! This meal was truly standout and I loved it so much. read more

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Spanish tapas, Japanese style. How does the experience differ? First, order everything at once. The kitchen will send dishes as they are ready. This is not the typical, order one dish and a glass of wine, consume and repeat. Second, bites lack the roughness and boldness one expects from simple, everyman's Spanish food. Testing the sourcing of ingredients, the charcuterie board. A couple of different thick sliced cured sausages, jamon Serrano, and jamon Iberico de Bellota paired with a nice selection of olives, dried currants and the surprise pairing, dried mango all of great quality. Unfortunately the bought in rice crackers were stale. Opting to skip the paella (not cooked over an open fire) and the mains (this is a tapas restaurant), the standout was the octopus ala Gallega. A thick but uber tender, well seasoned, paprika dusted, grilled leg and a very acidic, zesty chimichurri a showstopper with its huge flavors. The bunuelos (butterfish and potato fritters in a saffron aioli) were just OK. Very creamy potatoes inside but lacking any butterfish flavor. Of the eight little deep fried balls, only one had a noticeable piece of butterfish in it. The "Boquerones & Guindilla" (Guindilla pepper, pickled anchovy, and olive) is a total miss. The piece of anchovy is so large, the sour, fishy taste overpowers the other two ingredients. The biggest misstep, the bacon wrapped dates. Stuffing the dates with creamy bleu cheese results in a mushy, pasty mouth feel. Brushing the bacon with maple syrup adds a bizarre flavor when paired with the bleu cheese and the sweetness is completely off balance. Nice selection of wines by the glass and bottle. Beautiful dining space and friendly service backed by a reasonably priced menu. A letdown based on its high Yelp and Google rating. read more

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The food was fantastic. If you love octopus and lamb cops as much as I do, this is the place for you. And the staff is so nice.

My work friends surprised me with a birthday dinner here, and it turned out to be such a great experience! From the moment I walked in, the staff was warm and welcoming. The rest of the group hadn't arrived yet (they were running a bit late), but the servers were super kind and checked in to see if we wanted drinks or pupus while we waited. Once everyone arrived, we started ordering, and our server--Maddox (I hope I'm spelling that right!)--was amazing. He gave us great food recommendations and really added to the overall vibe of the evening. The food? Absolutely delicious. From appetizers to entrees, every dish was packed with flavor--it was like a flavor explosion with every bite. My favorite was the seafood paella. WOWZA. I'd definitely come back, not only for the amazing food but also for the welcoming ambience and great service. read more

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The world food tour duo made its first visit to this restaurant on Lewers Street in Waikiki to experience Spanish fare from a Japanese chef born in Argentina. It's an intimate space separated into two dining rooms. We were seated in the rear room dominated by a table in the center holding a very large floral arrangement, dishes, glassware, silverware, and water pitchers. While we perused the menu, I ordered a bottle of 2017 Torres Gran Coronas Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon ($70). The wine was very dark in color with black fruit notes and an earthy undertone. We ordered Chicken Liver Paté ($15), Jidori chicken liver with truffle oil and a very nice house made baguette, and Arugula and Beets Salad ($20), cubes of red and gold beets, blue cheese, candied walnuts, and a sherry wine vinaigrette. The paté was creamy and rich in flavor and the baguette was perfect. The beets were firm, and the salad was great. We shared two entrees, Lamb Chops ($55), four ribs with roasted potatoes and a Rioja wine sauce, and Truffle & Mushroom Paella ($42), a medley of mushrooms, green beans, seasoned with truffle oil and saffron aioli. The lamb was flavorful and tender; the paella was fine but a touch dry (for me). We had Mont Blanc ($16) and Frozen Turron ($13) for dessert. The Mont Blanc was a visual treat, green tea infused sweetened chestnut puree turned into a piece of art. The Turron was a mix of almond, honey meringue and milky ice candy, a colorful mélange of flavors that reminded me of Spumoni ice cream. I finished my meal with a nice cup of coffee ($6). Service by Lawrence was fine and we enjoyed our time at El Cielo. The menu has enough for us to make a return visit. The prices are very reasonable for a restaurant in Waikiki. Recommended, with a 4.25 rating. read more

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My girls and I were in the mood for something delicious and a little fancy, so we headed to Waikiki and decided to give this gem a try--and wow, are we glad we did! We went all in and ordered a feast: the Seafood Paella (flavor bomb!), Washugyu Steak (so tender it practically melted), Chicken Pâté, Octopus Alla Gallega, and the rich, dreamy Uni & Crab Pasta. Every dish was chef's kiss--full of flavor and perfect for sharing. And just when we thought we couldn't fit in one more bite, the Ube Cheesecake arrived. It was so airy, fluffy and not top sweet. We loved it. Dessert heaven! The vibe? Super romantic and intimate--dim lighting, cozy seating, and just the right amount of buzz from fellow diners. Perfect for a girls' night, but I'd definitely come back here for a date night with my other half. Only downside: no dedicated parking, so we had to park in a nearby garage and take a little stroll. Not a dealbreaker, but something to keep in mind if you're rocking heels. Service was warm and friendly, which added to the lovely evening. All in all, a beautiful spot with amazing food--Waikiki charm at its finest! read more

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We were carving some tapas and found this place using Yelp! It's nestled in a busy street, but inside is dim and romantic. Great date night place. All of the food was fantastic, especially the paella. We mentioned it was our anniversary and received a complimentary dessert. We will be back! read more

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Wonder food and exceptional service. Grilled Octopus was excellent. Paella superb and wonderful Basque cheesecake. Coffee was served hot - very much appreciated. read more

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It definitely comes as a surprise that El Cielo was our most memorable and favorite meal while we were in Honolulu for the week. Not only did we discover this restaurant by chance, but it made it even more special that it was right around the corner from our hotel, as it felt like our own little neighborhood bistro for the week. Except that it was pretty spacious inside, but still had the allure and ambiance of a bistro. The chef put a modern twist on classic Spanish dishes, and dare we say that it tasted better than what we had while we were in Spain? We loved that many of the dishes were vegan-friendly or could be modified for my husband. The mushroom paella was the breakout star for us, but truly, everything was delicious. I could dip everything in the garlic, chili oil the shrimp was swimming in! read more

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One of my favorite restaurants now! Beautiful and quaint atmosphere. Outstanding service and the most delicious octopus dish I've ever had. read more

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We came in around 9 and there was no wait, which was a pleasant surprise. It was pleasantly lit, clean, and well decorated. We were seated immediately and the waiter was kind enough to make a few recommendations on the menu, catering towards our taste. The table next to us also chimed in, lauding his selections (they went with everything he chose from them) The highlight for me was the shrimp--far and away the best shrimp I've had in my life, and the provided bread was freshly baked and delightful to tear apart (I demonstrated the ripping noise for the waiter, I think he agreed). This was a recommendation to me (and I'm not particularly a fan of tapas) and I've already recommended it to others. Would come again! read more

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We went here for our anniversary and it was a great spot. The ambience was warm, clean, and well lit. Our server was very friendly and introduce the menu to us as it was our first time and gave us some great suggestions. All the food was delicious but a couple of dishes stood out as our favorite which were the calamari and shrimp ajillo. We would definitely go back. read more

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This is a cute restaurant on the ground floor of Genius Lounge on Lewers Street. Honestly, parking is the trickest part so I would recommend Uber so you can enjoy some delicious wine. If getting there is the hardest part, the rest is easy. Spanish tapas with wine pairing, why not? I started my meal with a sangria. It is refreshing for a hot summer day. I highly recommend the Spanish octopus. For those that has been to Vino's Spanish octopus dish, this is a close second. Service was very friendly and professional. Wine selection pair very well with all the food. I would come back just to enjoy a glass of wine, grilled octopus and a charcuterie board. read more

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I celebrated my friend's birthday at El Cielo and the service was excellent. We asked if we could slice the cake that we brought from Paris Baguette and they were cool about it. They even gave us plates for the cake and helped us light the candles. We ordered the special Squid Ink Escargot, Empanada, and Bunŭelos to share. I grew up eating snails, so I liked the special. The escargot was nicely seasoned and had a good chew. If you dont mind chewy foods, I think you wouldn't mind eating escargot. The empanada was crispy and had that slight kick of spice from the paprika. It was good. The bunŭelos which are butterfish fritters was a nice light appretizer. My friends and I ate the bunŭelos and escargot quick. I ordered the Uni & Crab and it was good. The Creamy sauce and cherry tomatoes were a nice combo. We were all full at the end and thank you El Cielo staff for letting us celebrate our friends birthday by slicing the strawberry cream cake that we got from a different place. Paris Baguette, it was good Cake. Anyways, good food, lovely service, I would recommend and come back again to El Cielo. read more

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Here for the first day of restaurant week. Excited to be "in Spain" again! Returned for dinner of the regular menu. Now one of, if not "the" favorite restaurant in Honolulu. First impressions mean a lot. El Cielo feels welcoming from the first moment entering. Servers are welcoming. Space is inviting. The dining room has strong air conditioning and is cool and comfortable. Want something more intimate request to sit outside in the courtyard. And the food... so very delicious. Chef Masa brings his knowledge of Spain and Japan and melds it perfectly with the strong influence of his Argentinian background. The dishes definitely Spanish and yet elevated. Favorites so far include the seafood paellas and the pulpo ala gallega. Can't wait to return, again and again, to find other favorites! No parking for this restaurant. There IS a municipal parking lot just behind the restaurant and multiple paid lots close by... many with minimal purchase providing 2 or 3 hours of free parking. When all else fails, thankfully there is Uber! read more

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I've heard great things about El Cielo and was really excited to finally get the chance to try their food. We ordered a variety of dishes but the only thing we really loved was the pate and fresh bread. The pate was creamy and easy to spread with the truffle oil addition. The fresh bread had the perfect crunch with a pillowy soft center. I would come back just for that! The bunuelos were the size of a cheese ball. It was creamy but didn't really taste the fish. The paella was also unique with spam and ham, but we didn't especially enjoy the aioli. We also got the octopus and pork shoulder that were recommended but the octopus was chewy and the pork shoulder was also a bit on the tougher side. I've had friends come before and rave about the octopus and paella so perhaps we came on an off day. Definitely glad we tried this spot though! read more

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Special shout out to fellow Yelp Elite Lori L. for a delicious experience at El Cielo for Restaurant Week. Our group gathered for early dinner and part of the lovely atmosphere, is walking by the open kitchen and seeing Chef Masa Gushiken, busy preparing our delightful dishes! The Restaurant Week Prix Fixe started with Molokai shrimp tartare topped with edible flowers and a delicate gazpacho sheet. We all enjoyed the fried shrimp cracker base. Together, the layers were sweet and buttery with crisp onion and cucumber cubes. I enjoyed this pincho. Next, they brought us tapas which was fork tender and delicious. This was served with mashed potatoes and a slice of steamed gobo, to look like the cork from red wine. The Negra paella was served piping hot in individual paella pans. Very generous with the sliced octopus, crab, and tasty chorizo. This was nicely balanced because the squid ink was not over powering. I really enjoyed the chocolate mousse for dessert. So smooth and not too heavy, there was just the right amount of lilikoi sauce and mango puree. I really enjoyed the atmosphere, the delicious food, and our servers were very attentive. Don't forget to try Chef's special sangria! read more

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El Cielo is a little oasis waiting for you in Waikiki. The slower pace and interior design of the restaurant gives you a place to relax and enjoy. Start your meal sipping on wine, the sangria and Malbec were very agreeable, while you nibble on some pinchos and tapas. Pinchos are snacks, think something that can be eaten in 1-2 bites either by hand or with a cocktail stick. The bunuelos fritters are soft like a fresh donut, have a mild fish flavor, and are served with a creamy saffron aioli. The chicken liver mousse surprised me with its whipped, airy texture. It's served with a housemade baguette that is also soft and airy, making what could have been a heavy dish, feel light and leaving you ready for more. Croquetas de jamon are classy tater tots with both smooth and chunks of potatoes and a satisfying crunchy exterior. And romesco is the new ketchup, you heard it here first. Pan con tomate is bruschetta with garlic and fresh tomato that you can add jamon to. The octopus Ala gallega could be a main dish. It's beautifully cooked octopus served with a flavor punch of chimichurri and grilled potatoes. Out of the larger dishes, the negro paella with truffle and mushroom is meant to be shared. When it was placed on the table it had the scent of smoke and truffle oil. The standout main is the Iberico pork shoulder cooked to your desired doneness. The Iberico pork is tender and has a unique, sweet acorn flavor, it can rival any braised short rib you've ever had. For dessert, the crema catalana's thick custard is barely sweet, letting the brûléed sugar shine. But my heart belongs to the frozen turron. Roasted almonds cut the sweetness and add crunch. Pineapple and bits of dried fruit add more texture and flavor, and the light milky sweetness and meringue puts it over the top. My only regret is agreeing to share. El Ciello doesn't have parking, but it's well worth the trip to Waikiki to sip and snack away an evening. ---------- On another occasion, we tried their Restaurant Week 2024 pre fixe starting with a shrimp tartare served on a crispy shrimp cracker, topped with a gazpacho sheet. The soft texture and fishiness of the shrimp was well balanced by the crunch of the cracker and freshness of the vegetables and herbs. The next RW course was Iberico pork. Meat from the neck was braised in wine until fork tender and tasted of autumn acorns and sweet warming spices. The accompanying paprika sauce and blue cheese crumbles played off the fatty richness of meat, added acidity and pungency. The third RW course was a negro paella that sadly was missing its socarrat, but still was a nice baked rice dish. Crab, octopus, sausage, and a creamy, lemony aioli were placed on top of the rice and our server gave us directions to stir everything together. RW dessert was a sphere of chocolate mousse encased in a coconut milk gelatin, served with lilikoi and mango. This was a fun, sweet ending to a thoughtful pre fixe. And you can eat the cork...iykyk read more

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A friend of mine came here with me for their restaurant week menu. We're glad to just order one set and did a la carte for the rest of the order so we could try a lot of things! Overall the food was pretty good, a mixture of Spanish or just general European / contemporary American fare. The service was friendly and the outdoor patio seating was pretty nice. We had a lovely evening there. For the restaurant week menu, the appetizer was Molokai shrimp tartare, iberico rioja wine stew with blue cheese, squid ink seafood and chorizo paella, chocolate mousse with lilikoi and mango. I liked all the items. The flavors were good, nothing surprising or wowed me though. The pork was tender and juicy. The chocolate mousse was definitely a safe bet. The paella taste was solid but I think it could do without the sausage because the fennel seeds were overpowering of the seafood flavor in the dish. We also tried their croquetas de jamon, buñuelos, truffle egg custard pudding, octopus Ala Gallega, and Ube basque cheesecake. (I know we ordered a lot hahaha). I felt like the croquetas and the buñuelos had too much potato and just a bit of ham flavor and butterfish flavor respectively. Nonetheless they were deep fried well and tasty. The truffle egg custard pudding was smooth, delicate and delicious. It's small though - size of an egg for one order so each person should get one. The octopus was decent but I've had better. I like the Ube cheesecake a lot. It's had a good balance of flavor and texture - not too sweet, not too hard or soft, strong Ube flavor. Also the cream was delicious. With all the food, and some drinks, I thought the price was pretty reasonable for the ambiance and the type of food. It could be a good spot for a date or hanging out with friends. read more

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I tried this place out for Honolulu Restaurant Week 2024. They had a short and reasonably priced prix fixe - it looked good enough that I wasn't interested in any add-ons to my meal. Spanish-influenced food in Honolulu is not common. Even more so when the Chef is an Argentinian-born Nikkei whose primary language is Spanish. The restaurant has an inviting walkway in, with counter seats on the right, in front of a small bar and tight open kitchen. As you walk in you will pass a staircase that would lead to another establishment - if the door were open. The interior room has tables on two sides , with 20 ft ceilings and a circular service table in the middle. This room leads to a small courtyard with a water feature if you might want al fresco dining. The Restaurant Week prix fixe started with an interesting Molokai shrimp tartare pincho. By itself, the raw shrimp was bland and without much texture, but together with diced cucumber and onion, a sheet of gazpacho, and a fried shrimp cracker, the dish was very lively and satisfying. The tapas that followed was an Iberico pork collar. This fork tender coppa cut was braised in Rioja wine that served as the dish base. On the wine reduction was some mashed potato, with the Iberico on top, and a crown of black pepper foam. On the side was a smear of bright red house-made paprika sauce, a piece of blue cheese, and gobo presented as a wine cork. To my disappointment, our server did not know the "wine cork" was not real and I missed trying a very creative item. The paella was the weakest dish in the prix fixe. Paella is about controlling the fire. They were using squid ink, which would mute the influence of saffron, along with some crab, octopus, and chorizo. A lemon was provided along with a dollop of saffron aioli. The dish was also served in a small individual pan that had almost no layer of crisp caramelization. With the lemon and aioli the dish was overtaken by the tartness of citrus and saltiness of the aioli. No perfume of saffron or smoke, and no soccarat crispiness. Instead of paella, I got "arroz negra con cosas", rice in squid ink with some things. Dessert redeemed the what was supposed to pass as paella. A ball of chocolate mousse was covered with a thin crust of coconut milk, and accompanied by a lilikoi sauce and some diced and pureed mango. It was a nice light finish. In general, the meal was very good. I appreciated the dishes, which are not part of the regular menu. I would return to try the regular menu. read more

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We love this place! We can't stop coming back. But truly what keeps us coming back is Steve and his amazing craftsmanship behind the bar. He is an artist, and he makes the most amazing cocktails. You can't go wrong if you leave it up to him. read more

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I've been here twice, and service has been good, and the food is impressive. The atmosphere is classy, but not pretentious. It's one of my favorites. read more

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My favorite mixologist Steve is a must stop by to have a drink created by and enjoy the experience! read more

El Cielo - Tapas Bars Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

El Cielo is a beautiful restaurant with immaculate service and classy but unfussy ambiance. The food was pretty good overall, although the paella and the ube basque cheesecake weren't my favorites. We went for Restaurant Week in November 2024 and we tried their 4 course menu for just $48 per person. We thought it was a great deal and the dishes were really interesting and executed beautifully. The Molokai shrimp tartare was a unique bite and presentation. Raw shrimp with a jello like covering on a cracker. Yummy! The iberico Rioja stew was my favorite thing I ate. The meat just melted in my mouth and the potatoes were so creamy and dreamy. The paella was yummy, with good ingredients like fresh real crab legs, sausage and octopus with squid ink in the rice. Paella is not one of my favorite dishes (it's like a Spanish version of biryani and biryani takes the medal for my taste buds). Their rice wasn't fully cooked so it still had some crunch to it and their was no crunchy crust on the bottom from being cooked properly. If not for the rice being too undercooked it would have been a winner. Their desserts were good but I wasn't a fan of the ube basque cheesecake. Not sweet enough (and I don't have a sweet tooth) and I couldn't really taste ube. It was also a bit dry for a cheesecake. Their chocolate mousse was wonderful and I don't even really care for chocolate desserts in general. Our main server David was great and we enjoyed our interactions with the other staff. It was a very warm and welcoming atmosphere. I will go back in the future and I have additional dishes on my list to try! read more

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Found this restaurant on Yelp and our ts is located on Lewers and Kalākaua so we strolled here. Warm greeting from hostess who brought us to a table in the garden, nice. I already perused the menu earlier so we knew what tapas we like to try. The tapas came out one by one, nicely spaced. All dishes were made with care+love also quite tasty.You know it's not mass produced stuff. Wait staff checks up on us after we finished every dish, water glasses refilled constantly. Would have been nice to have some wine or cava but no more alcohol for my hubby since his operation. Brought us back to Spain many many moons ago........ read more

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Dinner with flair... El Cielo has come across my wish list a few times and when Nadine had suggested i join her and a friend you know i was excited! El Cielo is located in busy Waikiki on Lewers Street to be exact below Oyster Hale just a few steps from Kuhio Ave and the storefront is just a welcoming greet with the stone walkway and iron door the decor brings takes you to the Spanish vibe instantly. The restaurant is cozy so reservations is recommended along with the search for parking as it's street if you're lucky or the pay parking lots. Once seated our server Maddox was a delight very warm and patient as we asked various questions. We did start with a couple of tapas the Octopus Alla Gallega and a single Empanada. The Octopus is one of their top seller so they gave it a try as i stayed away from it but the empanada was yUUUmmy it is meant for one...maybe two but that single bite had me in heaven as the flavor explosion was a delight. My entree had to be a Paella...yup and is so recommended but since i have a shellfish allergy i was so happy to see that they had a Truffle & Mushroom Paella and is exactly that along with green beans gave it a nice crunch with a dollop of saffron aioli that Maddox recommend that i mix it all up which i did and what flavor depth it was, love that I'm able to order my own so that anyone that wants seafood is able to enjoy their dish without concern. I did order a Mocktail which was meh...no refills at $10 wasn't worth it but what an evening exploring the Spanish region with great food and service with friends made it a wonderful night. Thank you! read more

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Dinner in Waikiki, Honolulu, Hawaii... When my non-Yelp friend showed me an article about El Cielo being one of the best new restaurants, I paid attention and dragged Irene along so I could have another opinion... LOL! I made a reservation online and was able to change it online, too. That was very convenient! Thank you! Maddux was our friendly, professional, efficient waiter. He was helpful and described various menu items patiently and thoroughly! He remembered that we were celebrating my non-Yelp friend's birthday and brought her a delicious complimentary dessert! Thank you! I ordered their famous octopus appetizer to share. It was very tasty and tender! The bed of sliced potatoes was a bit surprising. We liked that the octopus was sliced thinly for us! We also shared an empanada appetizer. The crust was nice and flakey! The filling was savory and delicious! My entrée was the Uni and Crab Pasta. It was creamy, rich and smooth! I could tell that the Crab was real because there were tiny bits of shell! There were chunks of uni ... yum! I'd go back for more menu items! Note: the restroom was very clean, bright, and modern! The restaurant had beautiful decor! The dining room could be cooler if the door was closed, but I guess it was left open for the outdoor dining? Easier access? read more

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Excellent shrimp ajillo with their house made bread. So good that we ordered it twice in one meal! The pan con tomate with iberico ham was also great as well but a bit too muc of the raw garlic bitter taste. Good service and ambiance sitting indoor. We would come back here again! read more

El Cielo - Amazing garlic shrimp!!! - Tapas Bars Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

My boyfriend and I had a wonderful time celebrating our anniversary here! Our waitress was very attentive and helpful by explaining menu items to us and constantly keeping our waters refilled. The ambiance of the place was nice and not too crowded, we also felt like we were able to take our time without being rushed. We started with the chicken liver pate and the shrimp ajillo and both were so delicious, the bread was especially tasty, super warm and fluffy! We ended up ordering another side of bread to finish off our pate. for our entrees we ordered the seafood paella and the uni & crab pasta, the paella was packed with flavor and the pasta was super rich and creamy. Lastly for dessert we ordered the ube basque cheesecake it was delicious and not too sweet! They also brought out a beautiful complimentary panna cotta dessert for our anniversary. We had an amazing night here at El Cielo and will definitely be back soon! read more

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This was one of our first meals on our vacation to Waikiki, and it has been one of our favorites! I did not have great Spanish food on my Hawaii bingo card, but I'll take it! We decided to do a tour of the appetizers menu along with one of the tapas (Spanish-style French fries). This was a great way to explore the menu and get a taste of a lot of different things. And for the tourist-heavy area, prices weren't terrible. Quiet ambiance and attentive service were the icing on the cake! Definitely recommend! read more

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We got here on a Monday at 630p, with no reservations and were quickly seated at the bar countertop. We personally enjoyed sitting here, with front row seats to the chefs doing their thing, the bartender knew exactly when to chime in and when to lean out. The bar chairs were comfortable, and being a short person, the height was perfect and I didn't feel like my legs were dangling/dying the entire night. The ambiance was nice and romantic. There are 2 gender neutral restrooms located directly across from the bar. Keep walking in and you'll hit the "main dining hall." The bartender also told us there's an outside patio area as well. Everything is located on the first floor as there are other patrons above that are not affiliated with this particular restaurant. As for parking, good luck. We work in Waikiki so it's not a problem for us, but I wish the parking gods are in your favor. We took part in the restaurant week menu which gave us a little bit of everything that they normally don't serve on their menu, which I appreciated. The shrimp tartare had this nice crisplike chip on the bottom that reminded me of senbei (rice cracker). I was attempting to eat this dish all in one bite but decided to hack away at it in pieces. Personally for me, the shrimp or gelee on top was a little salty for my palate, but it was beautifully executed and the flavors meshed well together. That Iberico Rioja Wine Stew is a winner! Needs to go on your menu permanently. I personally love blue cheese and didn't feel like it was overpowering in/near the mash potato. The sauce is a winner and even the side spicy gochujang is what I assumed it to be wasn't overpowering or too spicy for me either (and I'm the type that can't handle Tabasco). Well done on the creativity of the gobo (burdock root) turned into a cork. I also enjoyed the squid ink pasta. I personally mixed the mayo all into the rice components, let it sit for a little bit on the hot skillet, so that it would crisp up a little bit. Mixed it around a little more, until I got the consistency that I wanted before consuming. The chocolate mousse to end the night was nice. Reminded me of a chocolate haupia (coconut) pie. I didn't think that it would go well with mango or lilikoi, but it did. And because of the size of this particular item, we also ordered an ube basque cheesecake to share. The portion of this is perfect for one or sharing for 2. Though the ube is not prominent by itself, when you put that whipped cream on each serving, the ube flavor comes out. I like that this dessert overall is not too sweet nor too heavy. Overall, we had a fantastic time and we'll definitely be back to try the other dishes on your menu! read more

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Best tapas I have had outside Spain. No reservations but seated immediately on a Sunday evening. Host and waiter service was top notch. Every pinchos and tapas dish we ordered were perfect. Drinks were spot on and the extra touches on the food made it very enjoyable. Music in background is very Spanish. Definitely a must return to place. Where else can you re-experience Spain In Waikiki? read more

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El Cielo, you make the best empanadas I've ever had, and I cherish every morsel. In addition to excellent food and wine, the service is impeccable and I love seeing a well oiled machine (open kitchen) execute such good eats. read more

El Cielo - Tapas Bars Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii