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This place is adorable. The students at the KCC Culinary Arts program get their first taste of fine dining and you can tell, they're eager to learn. My grandma has always loved to go to this spot. It takes a little advanced notice to get a reservation, and she has a wealth of knowledge about the chefs who have managed the menu and restaurant over the years. She is Swiss, and preferred the Swiss/french chef who managed it a while back but still attends this restaurant frequently. We enjoyed the local twist on many of the dishes we had!
"People who love to eat are always the best people." - Julia Child My husband's brother-in-law invited us to celebrate Valentine's Day lunch at the Ka 'Ikena Dining Room on the campus of Kapi'olani Community College (KCC) at Diamond Head. We excitedly accepted because we've supported the culinary arts program since its "early days" on Pensacola Street near McKinley High School. The culinary arts program at KCC has been steadily ranked as either the top or one of the top culinary schools in Hawai'i. It's a great training program for students who desire to become culinary arts and management professionals. The program includes working in on-campus student-run businesses such as this Ka 'Ikena Laua'e Dining Room, cafeteria, and catering service. The course work gained through working in Ka 'Ikena Laua'e prepares students in proper and modern dining room service while students prepare the Asian-Pacific and Continental menu items within their respective culinary arts and pastry arts labs. Thanks to Yelp Hawai'i, you can make lunch and dinner dining reservations at Ka 'Ikena online without having to wait in a telephone queue like you're calling in for a tee time at one of the local municipal golf courses. Entering the 'ōhelo Building, we were greeted by a host and hostess while I glanced down to the left and right hallways where I smelled aromas of cooking foods and breads. The hostess confirmed our reservation and the host escorted us to our table. My husband's brother-in-law and guest were on their way to the lunch reservation while our server, Kamele, took our beverage requests. Kamele offered to describe the menu items but we told her to hold off until the rest of our party joined our table. Meanwhile, I selected a cooling glass of Butterfly Pea Lemonade ($5) and my husband chose the Plantation Iced Tea ($5) with free refills to sip on while we waited. Kamele mentioned their on campus garden where the students grow and gather the butterfly pea leaves and herbs. Just then, our relatives arrived and were promptly seated. Kamele returned to take their beverage orders and offered us a selection of freshly baked breads from her breadbasket. While perusing the week's menu, it's good to notice that the prices include your choice of bread service, appetizer plate, entrée and dessert ranging from low to mid $30. Kamele descriptively recited the pasta daily specials listed on the appetizer page. Each of us ordered a different appetizer which we felt would complement our entree choice. The presentation, flavors and textures of the food were comparable to fine dining restaurants. My husband's brother's-in-law guest enjoyed the table side opening of her Rex sole fillet and careful plating as the entree released its aromas. The fillet of sole was cooked perfectly, tasty, moist and tender. My husband's entree choice was the Grilled Octopus Leg & Shutome (swordfish) which was another great choice because whoever was the fish chef or poissonnier grilled the shutome with even brown grill marks and a slightly pink interior. IMHO, cooking fish or chicken isn't easy as these protein sources can easily dry and become tough with improper cooking techniques. Unfortunately, my husband's brother's-in-law Deconstructed Beef Wellington ($34) and my Pork Shank "Ossobuco" ($32) appeared to have been plated earlier than the fish entrees because our food was served at room temperature. Still, the presentation and flavors were excellent. After we completed our meal and the used dishes removed from our table, several servers brought the dessert cart to our table to make our selection. All of the desserts looked luscious and we all chose a slice of Dutch Apple Pie to take home. All in all, we enjoyed this establishment where students can apply and practice their culinary arts skills in a real-world environment and diners can take advantage of the professional service and tasty rotating weekly menus at a great value.
Please note that since Ka 'Ikena is currently closed due to the pandemic, this review relates to their new Ka 'Ikena at Home program, where they offer fixed menus for 2 for curbside pickup at KCC. I cannot say enough good things about this program. I've been spending a lot of time (and money) trying out different curbside pickup options during the pandemic. This was on par with all of the high-end restaurants in Honolulu with one notable difference, the price. For $75 an order (which feeds 2 people), we received a salad, an appetizer, 2 sides, an entree, and a dessert. My husband and I can eat A LOT, and yet our 1-year-old and 6-year-old also ate off our plate and we all ended the meal stuffed. I am still drooling over the salmon which was one of the most delicious dishes I've ever eaten. This experience has definitely made me want to be a repeat customer, assuming I can put in an order the next time they offer it (they are incredibly busy and sell out within hours).
What an incredible experience!! The students of the culinary arts school prepared everything! The service was wonderful the food was delicious and the Ka 'Ikena Laua is an excellent setting for the training as well as the meal
What a nice treat! My girlfriend took me to lunch st Ka'Ikena today for my birthday! I'm always so impressed with what the students do. The menu was quite extensive and service excellent! I need to find out when they are opening reservations for the next luncheon.
Ka 'Ikena is the upscale dining experience at Kapiolani Community College. It's challenging to get a reservation, because they are snapped up early by the "ladies who lunch." I couldn't believe my good fortune in scoring one for dinner on Valentines Day, especially since they only had one seating. The pictures are the special V-Day appetizers. The service and food are all done as classes for culinary students, so you have to be prepared to be a little bit patient, and willing to participate in their learning experience. Their enthusiasm generally makes up for their lack of experience. The view is fabulous, the prices simply cannot be beat, the presentations are usually beautiful, and I've never had a dish here that was worth fewer than 4 stars.
This has been on my bookmark list for a very long time. I suggested it to my family for a family dinner and we finally found the time to come. It was a great first dinner to meet our baby cousins girlfriend. The restaurant itself is in KCC and a little hard to find. We got lost looking for it. I think it's because none of us were familiar with the KCC campus. Don't trust Google maps because it took me to some strange part of KCC. The restaurant itself is a little dated but the view is amazing. We were surprised at how busy the restaurant was. They were full which was unexpected. A restaurant run by students really gets a lot of community support. They don't charge tax and you don't need to tip so that also helps with their popularity. You do have the option to make donations to the program when you leave. There is a box that you can leave donations. I ordered the Seafood Laksa with Coconut Milk as my entree and the Ahi Poke as my appetizer. Mink ordered the Kauai Black Pepper Shrimp as her entree and Classic Cesar Salad as her appetizer. The flavors were very good but the starch portion size of the Laksa entree was smaller than expected. My cousins wife had only 2/3 scoop of rice. Maybe they ran out of rice? Overall, it was a great meal and we all agreed that we want to come back.
Easter Sunday brunch at Ka'ikena Restaurant on the Kapiolani Community College campus was a unique and pleasant experience for me and my husband. It was our first time there, and the first thing we noticed was the relaxed, peaceful ambiance. As we were ushered in with a warm e komo mai feeling by the staff, we enjoyed a panoramic view overlooking the ocean past Hawaii Kai and Koko Head. Even on an overcast day like today, it was quite a view; we can only imagine how spectacular it must be to dine there enjoying the view on a clear, sunny afternoon. We were made immediately comfortable by the friendly, gracious wait staff. Service was attentive all throughout our meal. If the ambiance and the service set the stage for an enjoyable meal, to be honest the food was playing a little bit of catch-up. Bear in mind (as we did) that the food is produced by culinary students, not professional chefs. So, the food reflects the students' skill sets as works in progress. We want to support each and every student rising to their full potential. So, feedback that indicates room for improvement is meant to give the students information they can use to grow into their full potential. None of it is meant as criticism. Just remember, whatever you learn from today can be used to improve what you do next time. That said, the food ranged from average through pretty good, with one dish (bread pudding) being excellent. The salad bar choices reflected the kind of freshness that makes one think the vegetables had just been plucked from the farmer's market. The cheese platter was really good, with some delicious choices including a nice hard real parmesan. My husband really like the island style fried rice and the garlic brussel sprouts (a hot dish). My husband and I both liked the lobster and crab sushi rolls that were handmade to order. Neither of us had the pancakes, waffles, nor the omelettes, nor the sliced ham, so we can't report how those items. We did try the prime rib, and there are no complaints there. We'd like to see the students do a better job with the tempura. The pieces of vegetables were cut so small, that they became overcooked. As Japanese people know, the ideal way to make tempura is to cut generous sizes of vegetables to that even after being fried, the vegetables retain a crispness and freshness so they are somewhere between cooked and raw. The chef came out from the kitchen and was very receptive of my feedback on the tempura. My husband really liked the bread pudding. He said he's only had two or three bread puddings that were better than this one. Considering how much he's "into" bread pudding, and how much he has tried both in the Islands and on the mainland, that's no small recommendation.
This restaurant is run by the culinary students at Kapi'olani community college, but you would not be able to tell from the quality of the food that this is prepared by students. We came during the continental menu, in which we had our choice of four different entrées, and six or seven different main courses. I ordered a deconstructed salad Nicoise and the loin of lamb, And my friend ordered the beet ravioli. All of the dishes were presented professionally. They were also delicious! We still had room when the dessert cart rolled around. I wish they had an option to buy an extra dessert! The choices were so very tempting. The menu features a fixed price depending on your choice of entrée. The prices were all very reasonable - about what you would pay for the entrée alone, much less for an appetizer and a dessert. I will definitely be back again!
Where shall I begin? Let's start with 1) Service and attention to reservation= 5 STARS. From the moment my reservation was made (we had a party of 24) John Santamaria, the dining room instructor took control of our reservation and seamlessly delivered a wonderful dinner experience. He coached the table servers pre-dinner, during dinner and post dinner. Super instructor and Super servers 2) Food= 5 STARS. For a teaching kitchen, the menu was quite extensive providing a well rounded selection of entrees and appetizers. I can't speak for the other dinner guests although I'm sure they would agree to the quality and accuracy of preparation. I had the kampachi over soybean risotto and can only say the kampachi was prepared to perfection and the risotto was done right as well. I will say it was a bit too much soy bean for me but the texture and preparation of the risotto made me look beyond the too much soy bean. My dessert was the banana tiramisu and that was a killer dessert. 3) Our diners= Try serving 24 hungry Yelpers!!! Well, KCC Culinary students did it to perfection where the meals came out timely and in sync where we all got our appetizers at the same time, our entrees at the same time and the dessert was off a dessert cart where we all got to pick as the cart rolled past each of us. We were surrounded by great food, great company, great wine and great service! Encore!!!! ps- a great place to try new things with a great price tag too! I am looking forward to the next semester's menu pps- Our group had the grand tour of the kitchen and food preparation facilities by Chef Warren Uchida who by the way, is doing a fantastic job with the students. Thank you Chef Warren
Did you know Ka 'Ikena was open for MOTHER'S DAY BRUNCH!? I didn't either until it somehow appeared on my yelp app! LOCATION: this is KCC Culinary departments 'restaurant', so they are only open during certain times of the semester, and not every day. The restaurant is in the Olelo bldg, but for Mother's Day they took over the 220 Grille cafeteria. Parking is tough if you go during the week when classes are in session. RESERVATIONS: I booked the reservation through yelp and received a telephone confirmation call a day before and then a text confirmation that morning. You can also call 734-9499 to make resv but they don't always answer the phone. SERVICE: The students at KCC are the hostess/servers/bussers. Some of them are new to the hospitality industry and some of them aren't even in the culinary school. They are fresh and young but my water glass was ALWAYS refilled promptly, dishes were always cleared when done and they provided EXCELLENT service. FOOD: I've been here once for lunch with a set menu and today's Mother's Day brunch was buffet style. Both times the food has been excellent but the Mother's Day spread was awesome and as good as or better than other brunches which cost way more on Mother's Day. MOTHERS DAY BRUNCH: they moved the location to the 220 Grille cafeteria to accommodate the larger event. So much to choose from: custom omelette stations, raw seafood stations, prime rib and ham carving stations, fruit stations, salad bar, kids station (chicken tenders and waffles!), chocolate and strawberry fondue stations with marshmallows/fruit/wafers, hot breakfast bar, and a dessert spread with decadent cakes and mochi! The salad bar had two dressings which were unique and delicious and if they sold it I would buy bottles: Honey Orange and oriental poppy seed. There was a 90 minute time limit, but we were stuffed after about 70 minutes so it all worked out. $45/adults $30/kids 4-12. Support the KCC Culinary department and check this place out!
This was my first time dining here for lunch. Reservations are required. I would recommend to those that are not familiar with KCC campus to look at the pictures provided on Yelp of outside the restaurant....this helped me to find this place and the 11 parking stalls that are just for the restaurant. We all really enjoyed the experience and would definitely recommend to others. FYI. Ka ikena does not serve liquor so you may BYOB!
Back in Summer 2016 I use to be a part of the Ka Ikena Laua'e Restaurant's Dining Services class, now I'm finally back here Fall 2025 as a customer! Seeing all the students on standby feeling nervous but eager to serve was very nostalgic because that was once me. I booked the reservation online for my bf's belated birthday dinner, the site will send you a courtesy email of your booking. I think if you need to change your reservation, you may have to call them. *Location* We went on September 18, 2025 at 6pm for our dinner reservation. Parking is located in Parking lot C, you can also see the location on google maps, but just letting you know there's some stairs to walk up to the building. The dining location temporarily moved to the dining room that's in the cafeteria location, I'm going to assume once renovations are done, its back where it's pinned on google maps. If you're not familiar with KCC please plan ahead so you won't be late. So the ambience is a lot more brighter compared to the original location. The student host greeted us and asked us for our name and we checked in, then the student server assigned to our table escorted us and gave our menus. We had the Mediterranean dinner menu for September 2025 and here's what we ordered: Includes complimentary bread and butter *unlimited refills* Drinks *unlimited refills* -Passion berry iced tea (comes unsweetened) $3 -Butterfly pea iced tea (comes sweetened) $5 Ask for 'simple syrup' to sweeten your teas Appetizer -2x Brie Stuffed Arancini Entree -Beef Wellington $48 -Duck Confit $42 Dessert -Hojicha chocolate miso caramel black sesame bar -Pistachio white chocolate custard Bill total= $98 (no tipping allowed since it's a school) The entree price covers all of the appetizer and dessert prices, the drinks are a separate charge. The passion berry iced tea was refreshing, it's unsweetened so I added some simple syrup to have some sweetness. The Butterfly pea iced tea comes in the color blue but it will turn purple when you squeeze the lemon. The drink tastes good but it was way too sweet like i was drinking a whole glass of simple syrup. I had to add water and squeeze a lot of lemons to dilute the sweetness so I feel like they should've left the Butterfly pea iced tea unsweetened so we can control the sweetness. We both got the Brie Stuffed Arancini for our appetizer. When you bite into the Brie Stuffed Arancini it was crunchy on the outside and super cheesy in the inside. As for our entree, my boyfriend didn't really like the Duck Confict, he said it was very oily and buttery but I enjoyed my Beef Wellington though! Loved the crisp breading around the beef and had delicious onion filled stuffing inside the Beef Wellington. I forgot to take a picture of the dessert menu but the Hojicha chocolate miso caramel black sesame bar was super delicious, all the flavors really complimented with each other well. The Pistachio white chocolate custard was okay, the white chocolate wasn't too sweet but it didn't really standout to me but it's great for those who want a dessert that's not too sweet. FYI, just be aware that reservations might be booked out since food influencers are starting to advertise this place so try your best to get your reservation in. But I do recommend this place if you're looking to experience fine dining but on a budget. read more
It was so nice to secure a reservation at Ka Ikena. Haven't been here since Covid. The students so an excellent job from front of the house to back. Our future looks good with these up and coming Chef's. The room is smaller than I remembered, but still spacious enough between tables. The food was exquisite, beautifully placed and ver delicious!!! Parking is much further away than before, which isn't bad, except, it was raining the day we went. High recommended, it's a must try. read more
Temporarily located in Ohia building, where 220 Grille is supposed to be. This was my first time (finally) visiting Ka Ikena Lauaʻe at KCC. You will need a reservation, I don't think they take walk-ins here. All entrees come with a choice of appetizer and dessert. The starter was so good - lots of flavors, textures, freshness, and a decent portion. I was satisfied while eating that. The short ribs were also a great portion and really tender and tasty. Not my favorite pairings that came with it, but it all tasted good. Service was great, given by the KCC students. And the food was really nice. Can't wait to go back! read more
This place is adorable. The students at the KCC Culinary Arts program get their first taste of fine dining and you can tell, they're eager to learn. My grandma has always loved to go to this spot. It takes a little advanced notice to get a reservation, and she has a wealth of knowledge about the chefs who have managed the menu and restaurant over the years. She is Swiss, and preferred the Swiss/french chef who managed it a while back but still attends this restaurant frequently. We enjoyed the local twist on many of the dishes we had! read more
"People who love to eat are always the best people." - Julia Child My husband's brother-in-law invited us to celebrate Valentine's Day lunch at the Ka 'Ikena Dining Room on the campus of Kapi'olani Community College (KCC) at Diamond Head. We excitedly accepted because we've supported the culinary arts program since its "early days" on Pensacola Street near McKinley High School. The culinary arts program at KCC has been steadily ranked as either the top or one of the top culinary schools in Hawai'i. It's a great training program for students who desire to become culinary arts and management professionals. The program includes working in on-campus student-run businesses such as this Ka 'Ikena Laua'e Dining Room, cafeteria, and catering service. The course work gained through working in Ka 'Ikena Laua'e prepares students in proper and modern dining room service while students prepare the Asian-Pacific and Continental menu items within their respective culinary arts and pastry arts labs. Thanks to Yelp Hawai'i, you can make lunch and dinner dining reservations at Ka 'Ikena online without having to wait in a telephone queue like you're calling in for a tee time at one of the local municipal golf courses. Entering the 'ōhelo Building, we were greeted by a host and hostess while I glanced down to the left and right hallways where I smelled aromas of cooking foods and breads. The hostess confirmed our reservation and the host escorted us to our table. My husband's brother-in-law and guest were on their way to the lunch reservation while our server, Kamele, took our beverage requests. Kamele offered to describe the menu items but we told her to hold off until the rest of our party joined our table. Meanwhile, I selected a cooling glass of Butterfly Pea Lemonade ($5) and my husband chose the Plantation Iced Tea ($5) with free refills to sip on while we waited. Kamele mentioned their on campus garden where the students grow and gather the butterfly pea leaves and herbs. Just then, our relatives arrived and were promptly seated. Kamele returned to take their beverage orders and offered us a selection of freshly baked breads from her breadbasket. While perusing the week's menu, it's good to notice that the prices include your choice of bread service, appetizer plate, entrée and dessert ranging from low to mid $30. Kamele descriptively recited the pasta daily specials listed on the appetizer page. Each of us ordered a different appetizer which we felt would complement our entree choice. The presentation, flavors and textures of the food were comparable to fine dining restaurants. My husband's brother's-in-law guest enjoyed the table side opening of her Rex sole fillet and careful plating as the entree released its aromas. The fillet of sole was cooked perfectly, tasty, moist and tender. My husband's entree choice was the Grilled Octopus Leg & Shutome (swordfish) which was another great choice because whoever was the fish chef or poissonnier grilled the shutome with even brown grill marks and a slightly pink interior. IMHO, cooking fish or chicken isn't easy as these protein sources can easily dry and become tough with improper cooking techniques. Unfortunately, my husband's brother's-in-law Deconstructed Beef Wellington ($34) and my Pork Shank "Ossobuco" ($32) appeared to have been plated earlier than the fish entrees because our food was served at room temperature. Still, the presentation and flavors were excellent. After we completed our meal and the used dishes removed from our table, several servers brought the dessert cart to our table to make our selection. All of the desserts looked luscious and we all chose a slice of Dutch Apple Pie to take home. All in all, we enjoyed this establishment where students can apply and practice their culinary arts skills in a real-world environment and diners can take advantage of the professional service and tasty rotating weekly menus at a great value. read more
1 year ago
Please note that since Ka 'Ikena is currently closed due to the pandemic, this review relates to their new Ka 'Ikena at Home program, where they offer fixed menus for 2 for curbside pickup at KCC. I cannot say enough good things about this program. I've been spending a lot of time (and money) trying out different curbside pickup options during the pandemic. This was on par with all of the high-end restaurants in Honolulu with one notable difference, the price. For $75 an order (which feeds 2 people), we received a salad, an appetizer, 2 sides, an entree, and a dessert. My husband and I can eat A LOT, and yet our 1-year-old and 6-year-old also ate off our plate and we all ended the meal stuffed. I am still drooling over the salmon which was one of the most delicious dishes I've ever eaten. This experience has definitely made me want to be a repeat customer, assuming I can put in an order the next time they offer it (they are incredibly busy and sell out within hours). read more
3 years ago
What an incredible experience!! The students of the culinary arts school prepared everything! The service was wonderful the food was delicious and the Ka 'Ikena Laua is an excellent setting for the training as well as the meal read more
2 years ago
What a nice treat! My girlfriend took me to lunch st Ka'Ikena today for my birthday! I'm always so impressed with what the students do. The menu was quite extensive and service excellent! I need to find out when they are opening reservations for the next luncheon. read more
Ka 'Ikena is the upscale dining experience at Kapiolani Community College. It's challenging to get a reservation, because they are snapped up early by the "ladies who lunch." I couldn't believe my good fortune in scoring one for dinner on Valentines Day, especially since they only had one seating. The pictures are the special V-Day appetizers. The service and food are all done as classes for culinary students, so you have to be prepared to be a little bit patient, and willing to participate in their learning experience. Their enthusiasm generally makes up for their lack of experience. The view is fabulous, the prices simply cannot be beat, the presentations are usually beautiful, and I've never had a dish here that was worth fewer than 4 stars. read more
2 years ago
This has been on my bookmark list for a very long time. I suggested it to my family for a family dinner and we finally found the time to come. It was a great first dinner to meet our baby cousins girlfriend. The restaurant itself is in KCC and a little hard to find. We got lost looking for it. I think it's because none of us were familiar with the KCC campus. Don't trust Google maps because it took me to some strange part of KCC. The restaurant itself is a little dated but the view is amazing. We were surprised at how busy the restaurant was. They were full which was unexpected. A restaurant run by students really gets a lot of community support. They don't charge tax and you don't need to tip so that also helps with their popularity. You do have the option to make donations to the program when you leave. There is a box that you can leave donations. I ordered the Seafood Laksa with Coconut Milk as my entree and the Ahi Poke as my appetizer. Mink ordered the Kauai Black Pepper Shrimp as her entree and Classic Cesar Salad as her appetizer. The flavors were very good but the starch portion size of the Laksa entree was smaller than expected. My cousins wife had only 2/3 scoop of rice. Maybe they ran out of rice? Overall, it was a great meal and we all agreed that we want to come back. read more
Easter Sunday brunch at Ka'ikena Restaurant on the Kapiolani Community College campus was a unique and pleasant experience for me and my husband. It was our first time there, and the first thing we noticed was the relaxed, peaceful ambiance. As we were ushered in with a warm e komo mai feeling by the staff, we enjoyed a panoramic view overlooking the ocean past Hawaii Kai and Koko Head. Even on an overcast day like today, it was quite a view; we can only imagine how spectacular it must be to dine there enjoying the view on a clear, sunny afternoon. We were made immediately comfortable by the friendly, gracious wait staff. Service was attentive all throughout our meal. If the ambiance and the service set the stage for an enjoyable meal, to be honest the food was playing a little bit of catch-up. Bear in mind (as we did) that the food is produced by culinary students, not professional chefs. So, the food reflects the students' skill sets as works in progress. We want to support each and every student rising to their full potential. So, feedback that indicates room for improvement is meant to give the students information they can use to grow into their full potential. None of it is meant as criticism. Just remember, whatever you learn from today can be used to improve what you do next time. That said, the food ranged from average through pretty good, with one dish (bread pudding) being excellent. The salad bar choices reflected the kind of freshness that makes one think the vegetables had just been plucked from the farmer's market. The cheese platter was really good, with some delicious choices including a nice hard real parmesan. My husband really like the island style fried rice and the garlic brussel sprouts (a hot dish). My husband and I both liked the lobster and crab sushi rolls that were handmade to order. Neither of us had the pancakes, waffles, nor the omelettes, nor the sliced ham, so we can't report how those items. We did try the prime rib, and there are no complaints there. We'd like to see the students do a better job with the tempura. The pieces of vegetables were cut so small, that they became overcooked. As Japanese people know, the ideal way to make tempura is to cut generous sizes of vegetables to that even after being fried, the vegetables retain a crispness and freshness so they are somewhere between cooked and raw. The chef came out from the kitchen and was very receptive of my feedback on the tempura. My husband really liked the bread pudding. He said he's only had two or three bread puddings that were better than this one. Considering how much he's "into" bread pudding, and how much he has tried both in the Islands and on the mainland, that's no small recommendation. read more
2 years ago
7 years ago
This restaurant is run by the culinary students at Kapi'olani community college, but you would not be able to tell from the quality of the food that this is prepared by students. We came during the continental menu, in which we had our choice of four different entrées, and six or seven different main courses. I ordered a deconstructed salad Nicoise and the loin of lamb, And my friend ordered the beet ravioli. All of the dishes were presented professionally. They were also delicious! We still had room when the dessert cart rolled around. I wish they had an option to buy an extra dessert! The choices were so very tempting. The menu features a fixed price depending on your choice of entrée. The prices were all very reasonable - about what you would pay for the entrée alone, much less for an appetizer and a dessert. I will definitely be back again! read more
Where shall I begin? Let's start with 1) Service and attention to reservation= 5 STARS. From the moment my reservation was made (we had a party of 24) John Santamaria, the dining room instructor took control of our reservation and seamlessly delivered a wonderful dinner experience. He coached the table servers pre-dinner, during dinner and post dinner. Super instructor and Super servers 2) Food= 5 STARS. For a teaching kitchen, the menu was quite extensive providing a well rounded selection of entrees and appetizers. I can't speak for the other dinner guests although I'm sure they would agree to the quality and accuracy of preparation. I had the kampachi over soybean risotto and can only say the kampachi was prepared to perfection and the risotto was done right as well. I will say it was a bit too much soy bean for me but the texture and preparation of the risotto made me look beyond the too much soy bean. My dessert was the banana tiramisu and that was a killer dessert. 3) Our diners= Try serving 24 hungry Yelpers!!! Well, KCC Culinary students did it to perfection where the meals came out timely and in sync where we all got our appetizers at the same time, our entrees at the same time and the dessert was off a dessert cart where we all got to pick as the cart rolled past each of us. We were surrounded by great food, great company, great wine and great service! Encore!!!! ps- a great place to try new things with a great price tag too! I am looking forward to the next semester's menu pps- Our group had the grand tour of the kitchen and food preparation facilities by Chef Warren Uchida who by the way, is doing a fantastic job with the students. Thank you Chef Warren read more
Did you know Ka 'Ikena was open for MOTHER'S DAY BRUNCH!? I didn't either until it somehow appeared on my yelp app! LOCATION: this is KCC Culinary departments 'restaurant', so they are only open during certain times of the semester, and not every day. The restaurant is in the Olelo bldg, but for Mother's Day they took over the 220 Grille cafeteria. Parking is tough if you go during the week when classes are in session. RESERVATIONS: I booked the reservation through yelp and received a telephone confirmation call a day before and then a text confirmation that morning. You can also call 734-9499 to make resv but they don't always answer the phone. SERVICE: The students at KCC are the hostess/servers/bussers. Some of them are new to the hospitality industry and some of them aren't even in the culinary school. They are fresh and young but my water glass was ALWAYS refilled promptly, dishes were always cleared when done and they provided EXCELLENT service. FOOD: I've been here once for lunch with a set menu and today's Mother's Day brunch was buffet style. Both times the food has been excellent but the Mother's Day spread was awesome and as good as or better than other brunches which cost way more on Mother's Day. MOTHERS DAY BRUNCH: they moved the location to the 220 Grille cafeteria to accommodate the larger event. So much to choose from: custom omelette stations, raw seafood stations, prime rib and ham carving stations, fruit stations, salad bar, kids station (chicken tenders and waffles!), chocolate and strawberry fondue stations with marshmallows/fruit/wafers, hot breakfast bar, and a dessert spread with decadent cakes and mochi! The salad bar had two dressings which were unique and delicious and if they sold it I would buy bottles: Honey Orange and oriental poppy seed. There was a 90 minute time limit, but we were stuffed after about 70 minutes so it all worked out. $45/adults $30/kids 4-12. Support the KCC Culinary department and check this place out! read more
4 years ago
So yummy! I came here with my class and the staff were so welcoming and kind. The courses are so delicious and well presented/prepared. Would definitely recommend a family dinner here. read more
This was my first time dining here for lunch. Reservations are required. I would recommend to those that are not familiar with KCC campus to look at the pictures provided on Yelp of outside the restaurant....this helped me to find this place and the 11 parking stalls that are just for the restaurant. We all really enjoyed the experience and would definitely recommend to others. FYI. Ka ikena does not serve liquor so you may BYOB! read more
How can a restaurant operated by college culinary students impress me more than most restaurants in town? Ka 'Ikena exceeded my expectations beyond imagination. I was so impressed with the quality of the food, presentation of the food, and professionalism of the staff. There is no use in going into detail what we ate, because the menu changes every semester, so you won't get to sample what we had. But I will say that the experience was 5 star, from start to finish. We were promptly escorted to our table, the food arrived hot and in a timely manner. Our waiter did everything by the book, including knowing who ordered what (it's so irritating when waiters bring the food to the table and they don't know which plate goes to who). My request for dressing on the side was honored. The food was hot, moist, and seasoned to perfection - I didn't need to add salt, pepper, or shoyu! The portions were generous as well. Tax is not assessed, and the pricing is straightforward. Tipping is not allowed but donations are accepted at the door. And, you can make reservations on OpenTable.com. This operation is seriously run better than many fine dining establishments in town. BYOB read more
First of all, you hear student teaching, don't you immediately think of student driving?! Do you know how scary that is to be near one and they are learning??! Scary!!! Well that's how I felt about this place. My very good friend aka adopted brother is a student here. He made reservations for us. I honestly was scared of finding eggshells in my dish. I was so surprised by the fabulous service and the quality of food we had. The waitstaff and hosts were students, the chefs were students. I can't wait to see where they all end up in a couple of years. Anyhow, the price was pretty reasonable. For a 3 course meal and complimentary bread, it's around $30. Menus change every month! The customer service was really good. I also learned that the wait staff would presenting the food on your right. I am left handed. So I lean to the right. My bad, if I made anyone get in trouble for serving my food on my dominant side. :) The food was 5 star restaurant worthy. The ingredients are from KCC'S garden and made fresh. The presentation was really impressive for just learning. My salad frisse with quail eggs was not drowned in dressing, but tasted fantastic with the quail agg and goat cheese. My sister and risotto dish was ridiculously out-of this world. It was topped with crispy chip like kale and bacon. Just when I thought it couldn't get any better, we were given our choice of desserts. The dessert was a platter of 4 different things to try. The one that stood out the most was the hazelnut ice cream. Overall, I'm pretty impressed with the talented teachers and students making this place awesome. I can't wait to come back and try next month's menu. read more
Update: we were able to go for Valentine's day dinner. We have been there many times over the years and the dinner tonight was superb! Best dining experience we have ever had there. The ribeye was cooked just above med. rare as requested and it came out great. The tastes for the dishes were more subdued than we have experienced in the past and matched perfectly the subtle flavors they were trying to convey. The kampachi fish fillet with skin was crisped just enough to keep the fillet from being overcooked. Mmmm.. They offered an assortment of desserts which were offered buffet style, a sugar overload in the making. All the ones we tried (no room for all of them) pleasing to the eye with a great taste. A very enjoyable evening. From these hardworking culinary students at KCC. The bar has been set high for future classes . A solid 5. read more
This place is such a nice treat. The students are all so nice and helpful and happy to do their jobs while learning at the same time. It's fine dining without the polished pretension of 5-star restaurants. It's amazing how great the quality and presentation of their food is, esp. For the price. You choose 1 starter, an entree and then pick a dessert off the cart. Everything offered at lunch was less than $20. The menu changes with each session, so its worth checking back every few months. Check out the pics- the salad had lots of unique flavors, including fern and tempura sea asparagus. My salmon had miso sauce and was cooked to perfection. A slight crisp on the edges and moist and juicy inside. Instead of tips to the servers, you leave cash in a black box at the hostess stand. 100% goes towards the culinary program. These are your future Yelp-tastic chefs!! read more
Good price, good food, good service, nice view! Worth the visit! It's a culinary school where all the top Hawaii chefs graduated from. Food was good but temperature could have been hotter. Complete meals with full desert tray to choose from! Worth the price and experience! Make reservations early because it usually fills up fast! read more
Ka Ikena is a great place to take family and friends for lunch or dinner. Great view of the Kahala area and the ocean and twinkling lights and moonlight once the sun sets! The food is always a good value for the price. Since this is training for the chefs and the waitstaff, they do their best to practice extraordinary customer service. They are shy and nervous, but snap out if it as the night progresses. Can't wait for the addition of the culinary school on the slopes of Diamond Head to see what offeings they will have. Woo hoo! read more
8 years ago
Ever since moving here, Ka 'Ikena has come highly recommended by friends. For those unaware, the restaurant is at Kapiolani Community College near Diamond Head and is managed and staffed by the Culinary program. As most of the staff here are students and working for college credit, tipping is forbidden (donations are accepted to the school). The menu is prix fixe and rotates, so it's best to inquire about what will be available when you're ready to go. To get here, drive through the campus and follow the convenient signs. They have dedicated parking for the restaurant, as well as overflow as the restaurant is mostly open during off hours of the school. I was surprised by how beautiful the view is here: it overlooks Kahala and is just as gorgeous after sunset with all the twinkling lights. The restaurant is in the culinary building and has dedicated restrooms just for guest. The dining room has a traditional pastel island vibe with soft lighting. Reservations are highly encouraged and easy to make through Yelp, OpenTable or by phone. The tables are comfortable for any size group: singles/couples up to large parties. The prix fixe menu includes everything; the price of the entree includes an appetizer/salad, dessert, and drinks. For those requiring something harder, feel free to bring alcohol; however, they do charge a steep corkage fee. The staff here is mostly students in hospitality and culinary programs, so a degree of patience is required. This also affects the months the restaurant is open: closed during the summer hiatus. We ate here for Mother's Day weekend on a Friday night. When we arrived, it wasn't busy, but was filled quickly. Unfortunately, they did not have enough staff and those that were working were slow or absent for long periods. At least we were in no rush. This visit, the food centered on Guam cuisine. The ladies had the lobster stew and I had the shrimp skewers and rice. Everything was tasty and unique, which I appreciated. The negative was the presentation was sloppy and nothing was very filling. I loved the cold Caesar salad with anchovy oil, but would've preferred to have had actual fish. The sweet potato bread was delicious, but the pieces were impossibly small. We all enjoyed hot coffee or tea during the meal, which was nice. Dessert was my least favorite: they keep it all out on a cart so by the end of the evening all the items were warm and should have been served ice cold. I also didn't like the selections; lots of pudding/cream. Despite built-in tax and no tipping, this is a pricey meal worthy of a special occasion over just dropping in. I was happy to have a special memory here, but I can't say it's a place I'd clamber back to. The best thing was the genuinely enthusiastic and professional servers and happy manager. read more
We loved our dinner here. We came on Valentine's Day so all tables had guests. Our food and service were 5 stars, however my husband and I felt the restaurant itself lacked decor and ambiance. The decor seemed outdated, (80's style), no music, bright lighting.. but that said, this is a college. I would not say this is a place to go for a nice romantic dinner. Also no alcohol, so you have to bring your own bottle and there is a 10 corking charge to receive your bottle served. We did not know this ahead of time. Parking can also be difficult. It was raining so we had to walk and find the restaurant...(near Ohelo bldg). I was in heels and luckily had an umbrella. Food is average portioned, but made with good ingredients. For example my food did not taste too salty or buttery . We had seafood chowder, salad, poke, Mahi (OMG!), and seafood Laska. Servers are on top of you making sure you have bread, water, silverware, asking if your meal is OK. We had Jaycob, and he was perfect! Best service we've had in a long time Desserts were out of this world! I had the Matcha plate with Matcha cheesecake, macaroons, and matcha ice cream. Wow! Husband had apple pie a la mode w caramel drizzle. Overall, We loved the food! We spent $96 (without alcohol or tip) . You do not tip the servers but can donate money to the culinary program if you wish. We will definitely be back! read more
4 years ago
I always like to patronage schools that teach students their "craft", whether it be massage therapy or manicure & pedicure services. How else are they going to learn & practice? So when i saw in the Sunday's newspaper that KCC culinary school was having dinner & lunch again, i was excited! Thought it would be a perfect place for a "girlfriends day out"! I liked that you can make a reservation on-line and they open even when the semester is finished. I used to come a few years ago and it was tough to get a reservation especially that they were only operating a limited time when school is in session. Now it is so easy! Bravo! Since i haven't been in awhile & KCC is so large, i wish they had better sinage. That should be basic & an easy fix. We went for the Sunday brunch & since it wasn't crowded (surprisingly) we could enjoy the beautiful oceanview and a very leisurely brunch. I had read the reviews on yelp so tried to have my expectations in "check". There was a salad bar that included sashimi & tako poki. Yum! Also, i had the french toast which was ok. The tempura had a nice variety with shrimp, green beans, mushrooms. I had an omelette with mushrooms, spinach & cheese. That took awhile cause i think the teacher mentioned that the skillet needed to be hotter. I also had the Prime Rib which was pretty good. I skipped alot of the hot entrees but had the tasty brussel sprouts. I am a dessert person so much that when i go to a buffet, that is the first table i check out! I even take a plate if desserts first in case they run out! But i was sadly disappointed especially cause i read on yelp that the desserts were a nice variety. It was just ok :( The food was decent but they could do so much more in the little things that are "quick fixes" 1. Better signage to restaurant, dont want to get lost & frustrated before i get there. 2. Labels on all food plates so we do not have to guess cause there is no one around to ask 3. With so much flowers and ferns on campus should have no problem to "dress up" salad bar, entree & desserr stations, etc. 4. Appearance is just as important as Taste If table is not 'appealing or inviting" how will you get me to try your food? 5. Wish teachers were more visible to help students to be more engaging. 6. Maybe Hostess could be responsible for decorating tables since it is the "front of the house"? Make it more welcoming! These suggestions should be "doable?" And i bet it will help make the "dining experience" better for all! Good luck! read more
4 years ago
4 years ago
Wonderful lunch choices. Excellent service, nice quiet peaceful dining room. Highly recommend and supporting the Cullinary Arts program. Students learn in the classroom and use their knowledge learned in the restaurant read more
We came for the new Sunday Evening Prime Rib Buffet. They just started offering this. It's $40. We thought it was well worth the price. The highlight is the prime rib served with horseradish, au jus and finadene sauce (salty. spicy, sour sauce - a must try). Next, shrimp and vegetable tempura made in small batches, so it's hot and crispy. Then, handroll sushi is made at a station with choice of crab or spicy ahi. There is a mac and cheese station, which was new to me! It's like an omelet station. You choose add-ins like mushrooms, sausage, red peppers and the chef puts together a creamy, cheesy dish. There are other hot dishes like ham, chamorro chicken, red rice (lots of Guam influences). There's a killer brussel sprouts dish with bacon. Don't ignore the salad bar because there's gravlax, cream cheese, capers, and bagels! Check the dessert table for espresso panna cotta and pineapple upside down cake! Yum! I hope they continue this buffet! read more
4 years ago
I always enjoy dining here. I have been coming to this restaurant for over 10 years. Great view and service. Food is awesome too. We love getting fresh bread. I think I enjoyed the most when this place had dessert station. It was one time I went before COVID. I hope they can bring back again. read more
18 years ago
Okay here's the thing Bryce S. your review has almost been 2 years ago, so we'll just say, you're outdated and nobody should listen to you. Okay, now for Love S. who really matters. Ka 'ikena at Kapiolani Community College is truly a breath of fresh air. The kids are studying hotel management, food and beverage, travel, tourism and culinary arts. They don't accept tips but they do accept donations in an anonymous box upon exiting. Hence, the fresh air part, it's nice to receive great service from a waiter, just because and not because they're receiving gratuity. We decided to check out the Ka 'ikena restaurant week menu. The special was $15 for a chicken Indian curry dish, my daughter played hooky from school and ordered this. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/dV2he-_KSi7WnsB-UrjPtQ?select=9risacIJIxn0ElLRyVX2Bg My friend Ashlee had the Beef Wellington $18.95, it was cooked perfectly, we devoured it, sorry no pics. I ordered the fishermans stew $17.95, this was delicious, 2 large shrimp, lobster, 2 scallops, and a fillet of white fish (not sure what it was but it was good, a lil over cooked but good) Lunch is pre fixed, a goat cheese salad to start (delicious) and your choice of desert. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/dV2he-_KSi7WnsB-UrjPtQ?select=xZgbvWE-fF0QEv3k8FwRuw Included are coffee and plantation or regular ice tea. $53 bucks 3 course menu's for a party of 3 including drinks. The students gave great service, http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/dV2he-_KSi7WnsB-UrjPtQ?select=Oi84ecd-TcvbL61ZsCrE8A The student chefs cooked delicious meals, the view is incredible. What more can you ask for? Yes, do support our local culinary programs. Did I mention the free pog floats, vanilla ice cream with pog juice, oh my. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/dV2he-_KSi7WnsB-UrjPtQ?select=7O65Td09VYKLmgf76I00NA ****4 well earned stars byow read more
This is the perfect place to take your foodie friends for an adventure. In my case, I brought my parents and my other half here to enjoy some of the foods that the KCC culinary school students have been working on. There are a few things to keep in mind when you are thinking about coming here to eat. -It will be a few hours. There is no quick dinner here. Just bring some friends on a relaxed evening and enjoy the company and the great food. -Reserve early and come early in the evening. You'd want to get your orders in so you can minimize any extra delays. -Look at their online menu and think what you want ahead of time so you can BYOB your wine pairings. -If you love their bread, consider getting another loaf. I believe it is $4 for the bread and it was great! Service is top notch, which is expected as they are taught the proper way. Menu changes each semester I believe but the following was what I tried: Starters Soft shell crab - Their absolute best dish. The soft shell crab was delicious! Ahi starter - It was okay. I prefer the soft shell crab over the ahi. Nicely presented but lacking flavor. Salads/Soups Corn and leek soup - Not my cup of tea, but you can definitely taste the flavors of fresh corn and leek. This is one of those soups where you can taste every ingredient. Chicken salad - I didn't like it at all and I hardly had more than one or two pieces of chicken. Steak and tempura - Smaller steak but it was done perfectly as I wanted. The tempura was one of the best I've tried in a while. Mahi mahi - Hard to find a place that serves it anymore besides expensive spots. Tastes exactly as I expected. Sauce was ono! Seafood Medley - Lots of different types of seafood here. This is really good for seafood lovers. And then of course, there is dessert. Unfortunately, we weren't given a choice of what desserts to have and everyone was given the same dessert which was the chocolate marquee. For people who love chocolate, this is heaven for them, but because my parents didn't like chocolate, they didn't really enjoy it. For me and my significant other, we like chocolate but it was way too much chocolate than we can handle. There are a few shortcomings here with the food, but I expected that from students which is why they still deserve 5 stars as a restaurant. They don't claim to be professionals yet and it is not a real full fledged restaurant, but they are already much better than some restaurants out there that charge the same price range. read more
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More info about Ka Ikena Laua'e Restaurant
4303 Diamond Head Rd
Honolulu, HI 96816
Kaimuki
Directions
(808) 734-9499
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https://www.kapiolani.hawaii.edu
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Ask the Community - Ka Ikena Laua'e Restaurant
What is the link to make an online reservation?
https://sites.google.com/hawaii.edu/culinaryartsprogram-kapcc/home
We are looking for somewhere to have a large gathering - 100 or so guests. If you are unable to accommodate an event like this, would you be able to offer catering?
Do you accept bigger reservations for a wedding?
We no longer offerBanquet and Catering as that department has permanently closed..
Do they offer gift cards?
No sorry, we don't. We are a State-run entity and cannot offer Gift Certificates. Mahalo!
Are you guys doing a Mother's Day brunch?
Yes we are. You can find the menu here: http://culinary.kapiolani.hawaii.edu/kaikena-lauae/
I understand that you don't serve liquor, however, are we allowed to BYOB and what is the charge?
Yes we do allow you to bring in beer or wine. There is no corkage fee while dining in our restaurant.…
We have reservations for dinner Friday night 3/23.18. I only see the high priced GUAM? menu listed? Is this what we will have to choose from?
Probably so. You can contact Kristy Keisel, web and dining room manager: kieselk@hawaii.edu to confirm
Is there a private room or area that a group of 14-15 can have a dinner meeting?
We do have a private room but the minimum number of people for that room is 35.
What is the menu for February 2018's dinner? Also will there be the dessert buffet offered? Mahalo
Menus are being finalized and should be on our website shortly. Sorry no dessert buffets. Visit…
Do they have reservations available on Saturday/ Sunday now? Also, the time I reserved it for is different in the banner notifications vs the rez details. It's off by 15 minutes. Is there a glitch in the system?
Thank you for your questions. As we didn't have enough students to fill our evening Asian Pacific classes we are having our paid staff from Leahi Concept Kitchen return to campus and run the dinners here at Ka `Ikena. As these are paid alumni and…
How can I ensure to pick a day that they have the dessert buffet?
The dessert buffet depends on which class is doing the baking at that time. This coming module 11/8-11/29 should have the dessert buffet every evening depending on the size…
