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    Ka Ikena Laua'e Restaurant

    4.5 (130 reviews)
    ModerateAmerican

    Ka Ikena Laua'e Restaurant Photos

    KA IKENA LAUA'E RESTAURANT ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Classy
    Quiet
    Good for groups

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    Recommended Reviews - Ka Ikena Laua'e Restaurant

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    Reviews With Photos

    starter - crab, ahi, kampachi, ikura - 4/22/2025
    Shay Y.

    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!

    Steak Korean Style with Kim Chee, tempura Zucchini and wild rice.
    Sophie F.

    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!

    a sticker on a wall
    Lyla D.

    "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.

    Salad Lyonnaise from the En Voyage to France Menu
    Sonja H.

    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).

    Delicious dish
    David B R.

    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

    Rafune udon
    Lyn L.

    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.

    Paul L.

    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.

    Ahi Poke
    Daniel C.

    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.

    Miho W.

    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.

    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.

    Salad Niçoise.
    Susan J.

    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!

    Hot tea. Variety pack are organic now
    Sophia M.

    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!

    Staff and students
    Terry K.

    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

    Prime rib and ham carving station for Mother's Day brunch 2016

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    The atmosphere is breathtaking; the students made great dishes; the faculty and students were very welcoming. The parking is perfects!

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    Ka Ikena Laua'e Restaurant Reviews in Other Languages

    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.… Read more

    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… Read more

    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… Read more

    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… Read more

    View All 13 Questions

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    Fried ulu, chicken long rice croquette, roasted carrots, he'e luau, hand cut ragu pasta, lemongrass…read moreclams & sausage, meatballs, sourdough cornbread. Everything was delectable. Standouts were the clam & sausage, he'e luau and hand cut ragu pasta. Service was friendly without being intrusive. Only wish the lighting was a little brighter as my old eyes struggled a bit. There is a back area with brighter lighting, next time we may request that. Wished we had bigger stomachs or more people so we could have ordered more bc so many dishes on the menu looked tasty! I really enjoyed seeing the John Young artwork on the walls - a mix of his well known horse and children works and some abstract pieces too - such a fantastic local artist. Highly recommend! Parking can be tough but is possible, just may have to walk a little. The parking lot in back is small with only a handful of spaces.

    Favorite place visited this trip! Interesting food, well balanced drinks, and plenty of gluten free…read moreoptions. Service was great. Cozy neighborhood feel. 5/5 fried ulu (fan favorite for a reason) 5/5 okra dish (fresh veggies) 5/5 fried chicken (reminded me of peking duck) 5/5 octopus (coconut greens were a nice touch) 5/5 brownie with sesame ice cream (gluten free yum, warm and cold) Drinks - 5/5 shrub a dub dub (refreshing) 5/5 tumeric drink (interesting)

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    Mud Hen Water - Nice ambiance

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    et al. - Crispy Soft-Shell Crab Benedict, avocado, Kamuela tomato, arugula, béarnaise, taro muffin, 'ulu rosti | 22

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    $$

    I came here after graduation with some friends, we walked in with no reservation and were able to…read moreget seated fairly quickly. However, I would say if you wanted "good" seating, I would recommend reserving a spot as we had to settle for the large shared table in the middle of the establishment, sitting between two different parties. The service was okay, nothing exceptional. We ordered: * Et Al Burger: 10/10, my friend ordered this and he said it was very good. The meat was done perfectly (medium rare) and the fries were a good pairing. * Chicken & Waffles: 10/10, my other friend ordered this and we all got to try a bite. The black sesame butter was perfection and amazing addition to the waffles and syrup. The chicken also came with like a Korean fried chicken syrup (kind of reminds me of zippys iykyk). * Short Rib Loco Moco: 8/10. I got this, it was okay, it was flavorful but the short rib / gravy flavor wasn't really appealing to me in that moment. I liked the fried onions which helped to break up the textures. * Soft-Shell Crab Benedict: 9/10. Another of my friends got this and I got to have a bite. I think this was pretty good and I liked all aspects of it (especially the side of hashbrowns hah). Our main critique was the small portion, as most people I've been that served benedict dishes would have two benedicts not just one. Overall, I would recommend this spot to others. I don't think I would personally come back though, as there weren't many items that sparked my interest (maybe besides the chicken & waffles, which I got to try already this time) and the price point/ portion don't particular draw me in.

    3rd time here for lunch. Solid burger and risotto!…read more The cheeseburger & fries are truly delicious. The quality of the patty, the toppings are all working together and the housemade bun stood up. The fries are crispy and well seasoned. The mushroom risotto is usually terrific (today it was a touch gummy and over seasoned). The mushroom flavor is soooooo good! Had the short rib loco moco. It was pretty tasty. The menu said garlic rice but I couldn't taste any garlic flavor. We tried the bulgogi pizza and WoW it was yummy! The kim chi and sauce and cheese were such a good flavor combination. Usually the service is very attentive. Today was crazy busy with large parties. The big, bright dining area is very pleasant. We joined the waiting list and were 45 minutes to an quoted an hour & 1/2. Though I never got a text, we returned at the hour & 1/2 mark and there were lots of tables available. After such a massive lunch rush, I think the staff had a lot of catching up to do. After being sat, we waited a while for a server to take our order. Thankfully, the food came out in a reasonable fashion. Even with the service not being quite as good as usual, we still enjoy this restaurant.

    Photos
    et al. - Bar scene is bright. Recommend high table seating next time.

    Bar scene is bright. Recommend high table seating next time.

    et al. - Summer Berry Mascarpone Bar

    Summer Berry Mascarpone Bar

    et al. - Grilled Kona Kampachi

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    Grilled Kona Kampachi

    Ka Ikena Laua'e Restaurant - tradamerican - Updated May 2026

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