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We arrived about 15 minutes early for our reservation and waited in the cramped front area for about five minutes without being greeted. There were several servers walking by and three bartenders directly in front of us, but no one acknowledged us or offered any help. After about five minutes, one person in my party started walking toward the back of the restaurant to look for someone who could assist us. I stepped a few feet toward the middle of the bar area, near a POS system/kiosk, and finally a young woman who appeared to be the host approached me. She asked how I was doing and whether we had been checked in. I explained that we hadn't and that we'd been waiting in the front for someone to greet us, while pointing toward the entrance. She then asked if the person who had walked toward the back was with me, in a tone that came across as somewhat condescending. She proceeded to tell us to go back and wait in the front, without giving us any indication of how long we'd be waiting or any information about our reservation. As we stood there, I could see her whispering to a server, who then looked directly at us. Whether or not the conversation was about us, the whole interaction felt uncomfortable and unprofessional. After another five minutes, we were frustrated enough that we decided to wait outside. About five minutes later, the host came outside and brought us to our table -- right at our exact reservation time. What made the wait even more frustrating was that there were plenty of open seats on the outside patio, where we were ultimately seated. It felt like we could have simply been acknowledged when we first arrived and given some basic information about the reservation. Our server was nice, but unfortunately the service throughout the meal wasn't particularly attentive. They checked on us maybe once during the meal and also encouraged our party of three to order more food. I also noticed the same host from the front whispering into our server's ear right in front of our table. Again, I have no idea what was being said and it may not have had anything to do with us, but after the earlier interaction, it added to an overall uncomfortable feeling. As for the food, it was just average and, in my opinion, not worth the price. The onion dip was probably the best thing we had. The dan mien was essentially a cheesy egg noodle pasta with just a hint of tomato flavor, and the gnocchi was noticeably mushy and overcooked. Given the price point, I expected much more. The restaurant was definitely busy, particularly around the bar area, so I understand that things can get hectic. But being busy isn't an excuse for not acknowledging guests, especially guests who have reservations. The combination of the initial interaction, the lack of attentiveness throughout the meal, and food that didn't live up to the price left a pretty bad impression. I'm not sure if some of the attitude had anything to do with us being a group of younger-looking women, but that's unfortunately how the experience felt. This left our birthday celebration with a sour taste in our mouths. Hopefully management can address the way guests are greeted and treated in the future. Overall, there are plenty of places where I'd happily spend this kind of money, and based on this experience, Giovedi won't be one of them. Unfortunately, we won't be back.
My friends and I came here for dinner because of the Passport collaboration with Kohana Distillery. I'm really happy for this collaboration or else I may have never eaten at this wonderful restaurant. Located in China town, you have the normal issues of finding parking. The location is not large and is split into indoor and outdoor seating areas. We got seated right away and the staff was very friendly. The food is an Italian - Asian fusion. We started with the Hokkaido milk rolls and prosciutto san daniele. The bread was good but that black garlic butter made it even better. But for me the prosciutto was the highlight and should not be skipped. Mixed with the pickles in that sesame shell, it was so delicious. For mains we got the gnocchi and capellini. The beef cheek in the gnocchi was so flavorful and soft. And we finished up with the carrot cake. Everything we ate was good. I definitely want to come back again.
Service was great and the staff extremely friendly! Note there are mosquitoes outside so just be wary if dining outside. The food was overall great, and the prosciutto donuts were an excellent start! The gnocchi wasn't too heavy and the Vietnamese dish egg noodles were slightly overcooked but still amazing flavor!
Think I may have just found a new favorite restaurant! It's hard to do fusion in my opinion, but Giovedi gets it right. - Onion dip: AMAZINGGGG NO NOTES HOLY get this!! - Capellini: 10/10 amazing. The noodles are like vermicelli-style egg noodles which surprised me at first but was very interesting and I grew to really like it. The Dungeness crab sauce was very light and delicious - Kampachi: 7/10, the fish was nice but sauce was too rich and a bit salty. Another downside is that it is the portion size is pretty small. With one shared appetizer and the main, I was still a bit hungry at the end of the night. For the price, I did expect there to be bigger portions.
Giovedi was pretty underwhelming and left us disappointed. The dining room was loud from the start, with a couple of guests being excessively noisy and music turned up so high it was hard to have a conversation. Is there no policy of cutting off guests? Does it have to take them to fall on the ground hitting the wall? Tables on both sides next to us all complained. Apps: The scallop crudo was excellent and the highlight of the meal. The foie gras toast was greasy, and the foie gras was served as a firm block rather than the smooth, spreadable texture I expected. Main: Our pastas arrived about 45 minutes after being seated. The spaghetti had good flavor but was inconsistently cooked, while the Capellini Granchio was buttery, smooth, and full of crab flavor. Bill: $170 with 3 cocktails minus tip. A few good dishes, but definitely doesn't qualify as a location for date night. I'll be trying the restaurant next door instead.
I absolutely loved every dish we tried. Everything was delicious and beautifully plated. The restaurant itself is on the small side. Not a lot of tables inside but they do appear to have an outdoor seating area in the back. I opted to sit at the bar. My Crystal Tiger cocktail was perfect. The bartender was super knowledgeable and friendly. It was fun watching his bartender tricks while he made drinks. We had the Hokkaido Milk Bread and Onion dip for appetizers. The Grilled Kampachi was so good. Cooked to perfection with amazing seasoning and flavors. The accompanying sauce had hint of curry with lovely freh herbs. Loved it! My fave dish of all the ones we tried. We also had the Capellini Granchio. This was also delish. Pasta was perfect. A good amount of crab to flavorful noodles. I will definitely return in the future to try more things and have the Kampachi again. This would make a nice date spot. Dishes are impressive.
Great fusion dishes and pasta! The environment was lively and service was friendly. Really liked the pastas in particular but everything was good.
Up and coming restaurant in Honolulu so was eager to give it a try. Small cozy place with a long bar with inside seating and in the patio. Guest had a mocktail and I settle for a bottle of sparkling water. Ask server for her recommendations and started with the onion dip. Shrimp cracker were crunchy and the dip was tasty. Prosciutto ham served with a sasamo donut topped with giardiniera pickles was amazing. Entree was Kampatchi which was cooked perfectly on a burre blanc sauce and dill. Char sui pork was tender with a red wine plum taste. Ended with a five spice carrot cake which was scrumptious. Overall a very enjoyable evening.
I've been a big fan of Giovedi ever since their pop up in Restaurant Row. I've been to their Chinatown location a few times, but it has been awhile and I have returned this past weekend since a friend has been wanting to try. She heard that their espresso martini is one of the best on the island and she was dying to order it. We had a small girl dinner with some cocktails. We ordered the carpaccio, onion dip, and tiramisu. We tried to order the hokkaido milk rolls, but they were unfortunately out of that, so be sure to come in earlier if that is something you want to try. Cocktail wise, I had the peacock tail, which was a tequila sour and it was so yummy i drank it so fast. My friend ordered the mint chocolate cocktail and it was everything she was craving. All appetizers were small, but shareable, and definitely great! To finish, I order the espresso martini, which I have unofficially renamed it to turbo mode and it paired very well with our tiramisu. Service was excellent and our bartender was very attentive. Will definitely be returning for that tequila sour and the milk rolls! follow my foodie adventures on ig: smolgirlfatass
Loved the outdoor seating and spectacular inventive Italian cuisine! We had 4 adults and shared all small plates and entrees. The marlin crudo with chili crunch as a starter balanced spice with eggplant base sauce perfectly. We loved the moringa pesto pasta- light and fresh- as well as the mushroom "risotto" with crispy black rice. One of my new favorite restaurants in Honolulu!!
It took me way too long but my wife and I finally made it to Giovedi at the strong recommendation of many friends. It was awesome. The moment you step in to the restaurant you feel warmly welcomed. The feel of the place is casual and inviting. We sat at the bar which we always enjoy doing. The bartender Michael took great care of us and we even had a chance to talk with the owner Jen while we enjoyed the onion dip, green salad, and three pastas - the Capellini Granchio, Spaghetti AOP, and Gnocchi Mapolonese. Soooo delicious. Michael paired up some great wines and needless to say we left very happy. Can't wait to return to try more of the menu.
Had a great experience...a little leery after some of the mixed reviews but went with an open palette. The place got packed so do recommend getting there early. We got a lovely table outside where it was less noisy than inside. We ordered: Hokkiado Milk Rolls Onion Dip Prosciutto San Daniele Gnocchi Mabolinaise Grilled Kampachi Tiramisu 5 spice carrot cake The highlights for me were the prosciutto, gnocchi and grilled kampachi. The prosciutto was served with a fluffy Vietnamese puffy bread, small side of pickled veggies and delicious prosciutto and sliced cheese. Prepared like a sandwich, it provided a great texture, crunch and taste. The gnocchi was lovely and rich with a savory braised beef cheek sauce. The grilled kampachi was my favorite as the portion size was good and cooked perfectly, crispy outside and soft inside with a wonderful vegetable curry sauce. All the other dishes were good but not outstanding or that unique.
Maybe I ordered the wrong things. Maybe I was too excited to try this place. But wow. Nothing was good. Started off the meal with $11 Hokkaido Milk Rolls. Sure, they were warm and fluffy, but nothing to write home about and about the same or worse than the table bread that most restaurants at this price point would provide for free. The black garlic butter was a disappointing cacophony of sweet and savory that seemed unable to make up its mind on whether it wanted to taste good or not. Pass. The Mafaldine Malunggay was absolutely tasteless. No hint of flavor whatsoever. Plain green pasta and tomatoes. Like something you might feed a dog who's having some tummy issues. Hard pass. The Mushroom Donburi at least had SOME flavor. The whole thing was overpowered by the taste of the popped venere black rice. Like spoonful after spoonful of slightly burnt microwave popcorn. I feel like this dish *would* have been absolutely delicious as a risotto with a creamy white sauce that balanced the crunchy nuttiness of the venere. But it wasn't. Just a dry bowl of mushrooms sitting on tragically overcooked high-quality Japanese rice that tasted like a home kitchen accident. Harder pass. The Gnocchi Mabolognese was the best thing we ate here, but that's not saying much. A failed attempt fusion between gnocchi in beef ragu and mabo tofu. Lacking both the comforting, heartwarming taste of nonna's secret sauce while also lacking the sharp punch of umami deliciousness that is a proper mabo. The gnocchi also lacked the tender chewiness that makes gnocchi enjoyable to eat--it just melted into nothingness upon first bite. Guess I'm glad I tried it, but never again. The vibes are immaculate, and the waitstaff is friendly, quick, and knowledgeable. But the menu is overpriced for really, really bad food. Hard, hard pass.
2 years ago
Located at the old Encore spot on hotel street in Chinatown . Tons of parking around Chinatown. Don't drive onto hotel street , it's illegal . lol ATM , probably don't have to make reservations. Good service ! Good food ! Slightly over priced ...but what isn't these days ? read more
1 year ago
The food is amazing! Everything we tried was so tasty and delicious. The service is great. The staff is friendly and helpful with their opinions on the menu. The restaurant ambiance is a great place for a date or group dining read more
7 months ago
2 years ago
I came to this restaurant due to the buzz from the community. Coming into the restaurant I was not aware that this is not an authentic Italian restaurant so I was a but surprised when I saw the menu. I proceeded to order 1 appetizer and 2 Entree for a party of 2. The prosciutto was really good and I enjoyed it however I did not enjoy any of the entree at all. It also seems that they are understaffed so service was a bit long. Price wise it was on the pricey side, you're looking at $28-40 per plate for food. read more
2 years ago
The food was great. It satisfies my taste buds. We go on Valentines day and they have a fixed menu! The pasta is a bit too al dente for me. Plus the steak and rice does not go well for me but it all boils down to personal preference. Definitely, a must try! read more
2 years ago
Nestled in downtown Honolulu, Fusion Elegance seamlessly marries the vibrant flavors of Italian and Asian cuisine, creating an unforgettable dining experience. From the moment you step inside, the ambiance is a perfect blend of modern chic and traditional warmth, setting the stage for an extraordinary meal. The menu is a testament to culinary creativity of chef bao, offering dishes that highlight the best of both worlds. The cocktails were amazing and a cool twist on traditional cocktails. The mushroom donburi was a surprise favorite dish of mine! A must get to share with the table when you come! The service at Fusion Elegance was impeccable, with attentive and knowledgeable staff who are passionate about the food they serve. They are more than happy to guide you through the menu and offer excellent cocktail pairings that enhance the overall dining experience. Overall, highly recommend and is a must go to! read more
Possibly the best meal I've had all year! The $95 set menu is constantly changing, which I love. You can expect a mix of seafood and meats for the different dishes. It was so hard to choose a fave. The service was also spectacular! 9/10/23 Menu: Hokkaido Milk Rolls - bonito & bone marrow butter Crudi - cured kampachi, seared ono, scallop carpaccio Dan Mien Bolognese - Hawaii pasture-raised veal, doubanjiang, whipped tofu Pork Alla Sweet & Sour - Kurobuta rib chop, Colatura agrodolce, asian herb Sundae in Saigon - black sesame & condensed milk gelato, banana caramel, assorted toppings BYOB! Parking: Waterfront Plaza (Restaurant Row). Park on the second floor. The entrance to the restaurant is quite hidden. DO NOT EXIT THE PARKING GARAGE. The entrance is located in the parking garage near column 2h. Please visit their website for very thorough instructions with pictures to help you out! read more
7 months ago
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2 years ago
My go to spot in Chinatown. The ambiance has a warm feel with perfect lighting in my opinion, but still has a lively mood to it. I usually sit at the bar (cuz I'm one side sitter) and share multiple dishes. This time around we got the Prosciutto San Daniele (must have if you hammah), the Green Salad (the crouton dust thing that they put is shmean), Scallop Carpaccio and ended with the mf GNOCCHI my G . Wine selections are always on point and the Braddah that help us was spot on that evening. Looking forward to my next visit. read more
2 years ago
I am so glad they found a permanent location. The food was just as wonderful as before. My congratulations to Chef Tran. My favorite dish was the Hokkaido Scallop Crudo with the brown butter, pistachios and orange. I'm going back in July and looking forward to another fabulous dinner. Thank you to Tony and Jeremy for the amazing service. You are great.y read more
10 months ago
8 months ago
I came to check on my review and turns out I never wrote one??? Blasphemy. I absolutely love this spot. I can say with extreme confidence that it's one of my favorite restaurants on the island. The food, the people, the vibe, the drinks, the aesthetics--all of it. I loved this restaurant when it was in pop-up form, and I love it more now in full fledged restaurant form. I just went alone the other day because I had free time and wanted to try one of their cocktails. They continue to impress every time, and I have no doubt I'll be back again. This is the type of Asian Italian fusion I've been waiting for. I can't wait to see what kinds of flavors and dishes they combine next. It's such a unique experience I can't even put my thoughts into words properly. That's how excited I am by Giovedi! My favorite dishes include: Hokkaido milk rolls, tuna carpaccio, Dan mien Vietnam-atriciana, washugyu flat iron steak, Mrs. Tran's tiramisu. Drink faves are: Peacock Tail, Sport+ Mode, Chromakey Dreamcoat. Tbh if you don't like Giovedi, it's on you. Try it again. read more
Amazing dinner at Giovedi. All of the food was great! Hokkaido Milk Rolls - perfect balance of buttery, saltiness and sweet. Crudi - the striped marlin was so fresh paired with delicious chili oil & mussels were refreshing with shrimp chips. Foie Gras Torchon WOW, I never had anything better when I was in Paris. Then, Vietnam-atriciana, the guanciale was replaced with Lup Chong sausage, but preserved the essential taste of amatriciana, with Pecorino of course! Washugyu was cooked so tender but perfect temperature, plus crispy rice - reminded me of Chinese crispy rice from childhood. Ended the meal with tiramisu - also so delicious! Beautifully curated menu. Portion was great. Service was super attentive and Jen took the time to connect with us, remembered our names and sent a follow-up email. I wish I had stopped by sooner - they're closing 12/17 to work on their permanent space. EVERYONE NEEDS TO GO HERE!!! read more
Rating: 9.5/10 First of all, this was one of the BEST meals I've had so far this year PERIOD! The whole course was surprisingly delicious and well presented. Plus, we left very full. Giovedi was created by three friends, chefs Bao Tran and Jake Saito, and Jennifer Akiyoshi. It is Italian based cooking with Asian flavors incorporated into the meal. Pros: *Amazing food. Our course was 1. hokkaido milk rolls 2. Trio of Crudi 3. gnocchi pomodoro 4. steak alla beef broccoli 5. banh flan. (The ono crudo with Calabrian chili crisp was my favorite bite. The gnocchi was also cooked to perfection, with a crunchy outside and soft inside.) *Service was 10/10. One of the owners, Jen, personally served us with one of her staff. She was very friendly and attentive all night plus she washed the wine glasses we brought from home. *Simple Homey decor. Small spot that can hold about 25 people max. *BYOB *Price was reasonable for a splurge. $95 per person Cons (just nitpicking at this point): *The bread was served as a part of the course meal. I personally dont like when bread is served alone as one of the courses, especially in the beginning. Also the Black Garlic Butter was a bit strong versus the flavor of the Milk Bread. *The location is a bit hard to find. It is on the 2nd floor of the parking lot near Ruths Chris. The door is left of some reserved stall parking, next to some piping and electrical boxes. There was a small sign but was hard to find. Check their website for pictures of the directions. I will be coming back here! read more
1 year ago
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4.49 stars would be my overall ranking here as there is always room for improvement. The team at Giovedi cares about food, the guests and providing a great experience. The pre fixe menu flows very well from dish to dish and I thoroughly enjoyed the progression of courses as well as the timing. You're not rushed here so you can enjoy your meal at your leisure or eat quickly if that's your thing. One of my few dings would be the space we dined in, once the room filled up it became quite loud and hard to have a conversation with my fiancé sitting across from me. I understand it's a pop-up and not what their final setting would/could be designed but it definitely made it less intimate and special once the room was fully packed and conversations around us were drowning out our own. The linguine vongole really surprised me, probably my favorite dish of the evening. Usually the briny notes of the clams overpower this dish, with a heaping of garlic to balance/hide it. Here, the clams were super clean and the herbaceous flavors the chef created made this dish feel light and had such a crisp flavor it's something I would order again and again. Just a very unique and inspired fusion dish that I haven't experienced elsewhere. Each dish has quite a few layers of flavors going on, a few I wouldn't have minded to be scaled back on. For example, the nanatsuboshi rice probably didn't need the shaved cheese on top since it already had so much going on with it. As a side dish, it could have been a little simpler to not overpower the star of the dish (the pork). Small issues overall and I would highly recommend supporting the team at Giovedi for some great dishes you won't find elsewhere! read more
2 years ago
If you want to taste what love and passion tastes like, then look no further than Giovedi. It was the perfect marriage of Italian, Vietnamese, and Chinese cuisine with a nod to local flavors. Hands down our server Tony was the greatest. He was like the best hype man - made awesome suggestions, steered us into the directions of our palates, and paced our food when we needed more time for our stomachs to expand. Drinks were on par of a speak easy. We started with drinks on the drink menu, but also ventured off menu and the bartender nailed our flavor profiles every time. Food was so damn delicious; my husband said that the foie gras was "transcendent." The onion dip with shrimp chips were lick the dish clean and the milk rolls with black garlic butter were also scrape every last bit worthy. I got the pasta with crab and kani miso crumbs - so buttery but not heavy on the stomach. Husband got the steak - he said that it was good and the plate once again wiped clean. We ended the night with some homemade Limoncello and tiramisu. Parking in the Chinatown Plaza garage was very affordable and plentiful on a Tuesday night. Ambiance is trendy but welcoming. Indoor and outdoor seating options makes the space feel very spacious. Bao and Jenn are the most genuine, hard working people ever. You will not be disappointed. Will be back again!! read more
2 years ago
My girlfriend and I went to Giovedi for our anniversary and it was a fantastic experience. Tony, our server was very knowledgeable and energetic. The scallop crudo was the best I've ever had. The prosciutto donut, foie gras, and washugyu were all excellent. We also had the mushroom donburi and the gnocchi. Gioverdi provided one of my favorite dining experiences ever. Will be going back soon, 100% recommend! read more
11 months ago
1 year ago
2 years ago
Overall it was ok. Very small portions, priced high. Seating outside was hot because of the shade cover they put up, very little air circulation. I personally don't know if I would come back just because the food portion is just too small for the price $$$. Three people was $300 and we left hungry. read more
2 years ago
As some other reviewers mentioned, the portion size is averaged and the food prices are extremely high for the average food. I couldn't see what was really fusion about this restaurant because it was primarily an Italian restaurant. The reason for the low rating is because of the cleanliness. We found hair in the food and had to wait for a long time for the chef to remake the food. My wife ate half ate my food while we waited for them to remake. I added a star because of the great service or else I would have rated this place a 1-star. This restaurant isn't one that I would put on my list to return. There are some restaurants where you just crave and want to come back for.... But this is definitely not! read more
.....located in the old Encore saloon...Giovedi renovated the interior and gave it a sophisticated and cleaner appearance. There is an outdoor patio seating area as well as a modern dining area. We were seated exactly at 5:00 pm on Saturday night. Cocktails and the scrumptious Hokkaido milk rolls is how we started. The rolls are served piping hot and is accompanied by the black butter. Applying the butter to the hot rolls creates a moist and delectable piece. That first bite will give you a fluffy, buttery, and salty (sprinkles of NaCl on the crust) that compliments every bite. Spaghetti Vongole is a great combination of tiny clams, XO sauce (made in house) and Onda fresh pasta. The flavors are layered into a perfect medley. The 4 out of 5 stars was for the lack of attention to detail. Empty wine and water glasses caused the "minus one star " for service. The one page food menu makes for a very simple dining experience. read more
2 years ago
2 years ago
The foie gras appetizer was a bland pate served with bread that was totally burnt, so we returned it. The rest of our dishes were mediocre and not really worth the prices. The service was what made our experience bad. Our waitress was inattentive after we returned our appetizer, and the rest of the staff were mostly pretentious and unfriendly. We would have had more grace regarding the mediocre food if the service matched the pompous atmosphere this place seems to be going for. Don't recommend this establishment. read more
1 year ago
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So so so happy that this former pop up restaurant has now found it's forever home in downtown/chinatown. Chef Bao Tran and his wife Jen (front of the house Directress) present Italian/Asian fusion cuisine that is approachable and craveable(oh so craveable, still thinking about my superb meal). Every dish we ordered (we tried 80% of the menu between 4 people) was so artfully and thoughtfully prepared to entertain your tastebuds in every way from complex sauces to unique textures using the freshest ingredients. Don't be put off by the label fusion, Chef Tran makes it work seamlessly together like a duet flavors do not fight each other. I recommend sharing everything family style except the Tiramisu( I want my very own dessert) Our faves, I am keeping the descriptions short because they may vary the preparations and each dish has so many ingredients: scallop crudo ahi carpaccio with their house made chili crisp oil gnocchi with oxtail ragu washugyu steak that has a light smoky flavor pasta a limone with crab green salad(full of umami bread crumbs), Prosciutto with sesame donuts and jardiniere Foie gras torchon with caramelized onion jm and Breadshop sourdough crusty bread signtureTiramisu ( best I have ever eaten). We did not have a single dish we wouldn't reorder again. I can't wait to go back, I'm having cravings just writing this review They were solely prix fixe at the pop up, but now it's all ala carte in their permanent home. Full bar available with craft cocktails. Al fresco dining and bar seat dining available. I sound like I'm a paid reviewer but I'm not. I am very selective about the reviews I write. I am prompted to write reviews for deserving establishments who are passionate about what they do and we as patrons are thrilled to enjoy the fruits of their labor. And, I want them to be successful so that I can continue to enjoy their luscious cuisine over and over again. PS, Service is attentive, friendly, knowledgeable but not intrusive I love this place, please try Giovedi's for yourself, you'll be happy that you did. read more
2 years ago
More info about Giovedi
10 N Hotel St
Honolulu, HI 96817
Downtown
Directions
(808) 723-9049
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https://www.giovedihawaii.com
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