We sat at the chef's counter, which made the whole experience even better. The place is super…read morepopular, and after eating here it's obvious why. Every dish had bold, balanced flavors and not a single miss. Truly on point from start to finish. Great energy, great food, and a kitchen that clearly knows what it's doing. Easy recommendation.

Thought I'd write a review before they move their restaurant to the Kaimuki area. August 30, 2025,…read morei believed is their last day serving in Chinatown. I heard they will keep this space for special events. The restaurant is quite busy and I'm glad we had reservations. Good thing I was there prior to lunch hour opening, otherwise we may lose our reservations since the person who made reservations tends to be habitual in arriving late. We dined in May, but it's been awhile since I first dined here. I preferred dining in Chinatown during lunch time than at dinner. Our waiter was really nice and helpful. I forgot his name, but I remembered that his eyeglasses that he wore was cool/funny, since the frames for each eye didn't match the other eye! lol. Funny it wasn't me who first noticed it. One was square frame and the other was a round frame! The restaurant doesn't do anything special for birthdays except may write Happy Birthday in chocolate on the dessert plate that you purchase for the birthday person. Their desserts are unique and refreshing. I think there are some rotating desserts /flavors like their seasonal menu for their main menu. I guess you can always keep coming back without being bored of the menu! I was bummed to see a previous dish posted of a pasta that I wanted to try that wasn't on the current spring seasonal menu! When we dined for brunch over the weekend, I was able to get the Hainan chicken with the crispy roast pork combo. It was very filling , tasty and satisfying. I do love ginger sauce on the cold ginger chicken but sometimes the chicken is just okay. This Hainan chicken was really good and the chicken was really moist! I thought it was the best I've tried! It was good that I wanted to takeout one last time in August before they moved! No more the 50/50 combo with the crispy roast pork on the lunch menu during the weekday. It was on the spring menu. Of course it's best to eat it in the restaurant than for take out. Bathroom is a must for me when dining out and they had only one shared bathroom for everyone! There was a guy who tried to make several attempts but wasn't successful, since there was always someone in the restroom. I'm glad the waiter told me there was a bigger separate bathroom with several stalls for men and ladies upstairs. You go straight through the kitchen to catch the elevator and to another kitchen /storage area! Thank Goodness! Best wishes at your new location. You offer yummy and tasty food!

All the dishes are amazing. Our favorites are the tea leaf salad (of course) and the beef Dagon…read morecurry. The amount of food is quite generous, we went home with leftovers for lunch the next day. Highly recommend this spot!

Coconut curry with chicken is great and not too spicy! I also loved the pineapple fried rice! This…read moreis a BYOB restaurant. Service had its ups and downs

Was my go to Viet spot for a while. The Vietnamese food scene on island was disappointing so this…read moreplace was great to have around. More spots are popping up now that are getting better, so I just come less often now. Not cheap, but not outlandishly expensive. I get the pho tai and we like the pate appetizer too. They have nice sauces and add ins available on the table. Small space, may likely have to wait for seat esp during peak. Parking available in lot and they validate. Some unique dishes that other pho restaurants don't have

This has always been my go-to pho place. Maybe it's because I live nearby, but this place has…read morealways been consistent with their food, you don't wait long for your order (it's also a small seated restaurant), their prices are inexpensive, and they have pickled garlic on their table- need I say more. Today I decided to order takeout- I don't feel like dining in alone and wanted to just chill in my apartment w/ my dinner. Pro tip- call in your order. Try not to use deliver apps, even if selecting 'pick-up' because their prices (like every other restaurant on delivery apps) tend to cost a dollar or more. Upon calling in my order, the lady said it'll be ready in 5mins. I thought that was a high expectation, but I've dined in before and we also don't wait long for our orders to arrive to our table. I arrived to their restaurant maybe about 7mins after calling and Lo and behold, my order was ready for pickup already Pro tip- ask for their pickled garlic. They'll give you a mega small container for it but I'll take what I can get lol when I dine in, and I eat each bite with their pickled garlic When I got back to my place and started taking out the items, the broth was mega hot and they even packed siracha and hoisin sauce in small containers I wanted to add that I thought they were skimpy on the amount of brisket they gave, but when I started putting them in my bowl, they do give you a decent amount. Overall I'll definitely order from Pate again! Always loved this place!

Olay's Thai Lao Cuisine is a little oasis tucked away in downtown Honolulu. The beautiful outdoor…read moreseating with koi ponds, umbrellas, and string lights creates a peaceful atmosphere that makes you want to slow down and enjoy the meal. If you're looking for authentic Lao food, this place definitely delivers. We ordered the Soop Noor Mai (bamboo shoot salad), Lao-style Som Tum, Beef Red Curry with jasmine rice, and Seen Haeng (beef jerky). The standout dish for me was the Soop Noor Mai. It was unlike anything I've had before, with an earthy, herbaceous flavor and plenty of texture from the shredded bamboo shoots, toasted rice powder, fresh herbs, and greens. Every bite had something different going on, making it both interesting and deeply satisfying. The Lao-style papaya salad was fresh, vibrant, and packed with bold flavors. The beef red curry was rich, creamy, and fragrant with tender beef that paired perfectly with the jasmine rice. The only dish that missed the mark for me was the Seen Haeng. While the flavor was good, the beef was cooked a little too long and ended up drier than I prefer. I personally like Lao beef jerky with a bit more tenderness and chew. Everything else was excellent, and the relaxing garden setting made the experience even better. If you're craving authentic Lao cuisine in Honolulu, Olay's is well worth a visit. I'll definitely be back to explore more of their menu.

I come here frequently to order take out. This time I came with a friend and dined in. We ordered…read morethe Laotian stew, mixed vegetables and drunken noodles. All were flavorful but the mixed vege dish was quite salty. The drunken noodles were also saltier than the previous times I ordered. Service was friendly. They do add a 4% charge for using a credit card. The tip options shown on the receipt is based on total cost including tax and the credit card service charge.

- opens late, which is rare for Honolulu - good authentic…read moreThai food, great flavor - service excellent. Super nice people and hospitable - good location, in the mix of all Waikiki things - nice interior with good a/c and spacious tables. Good ambiance

Despite how busy it looked, we were seated almost immediately. The restaurant has a warm, inviting…read moreatmosphere where you can tell people come to enjoy family style meals together. It's on the smaller side, but the tables are spaced comfortably enough that you don't feel cramped. The menu is also extensive, with just about every popular Thai dish you could think of. Service was one of the highlights. The staff was attentive, friendly, and quick throughout the meal. Our Thai tea arrived almost immediately. I'm talking within a minute of ordering. It's definitely on the stronger side with less milk than most Thai teas, allowing the tea flavor to really shine through. It leans a bit sweeter than average, but the sweetness was balanced, and you could genuinely taste the freshly steeped tea leaves. The Thai boat noodles are what this restaurant is known for, so they were a must-order. Since it was my first time trying boat noodles, I figured this was the best place to experience them. I can definitely see why they're a customer favorite and would recommend ordering them if it's your first visit. The beef pad see ew surprised me. It was sweeter than most versions I've had, but it really worked. The noodles were cooked perfectly with great texture. My only complaint was the beef. It was a bit chewy and didn't match the quality of the noodles. The seafood tom yum was the biggest letdown. The broth itself was flavorful, but the seafood selection felt like a frozen mix rather than fresh ingredients. The mussels were already removed from their shells, the squid was chewy, and the soup included canned mushrooms instead of fresh ones, along with fish cakes and fish balls. It lacked the freshness I was hoping for. Overall, I left feeling that the proteins were the weakest part of the meal. The flavors, service, and atmosphere were all enjoyable, but the quality of the meat and seafood didn't quite stand out. That said, it's still a solid Thai restaurant, especially considering the options in Hawaii. Would I come back? I'm on the fence, but probably not

I was craving some Lao sausage after having it from a different place. But since that place was a…read morefood truck, I used yelp to see where I could get Lao sausage regularly and this place popped up. Cheun Wea was great reviews and they have a great authentic looking selection. They're located in the Maunakea Market food court and they might be the only Thai/Lao place there. When I go to this food court, I usually am there for Maguro Bros, but I was on the hunt for Lao sausage and Maguro Bros was closed anyway. The shared space is honestly a little claustrophobic for me. And there are some interesting smells. I prefer to eat outside or take my food to go, which isn't a problem. I stood at the counter for a bit before the nice lady worker acknowledged me. She called me sister lol. I asked for a sausage and a side of sticky rice. It was $7 and came in a ziploc bag. It was the perfect light lunch. The sausage was a bit spicy, but it was really good. I also got a mango sticky rice, which was affordable and delicious. It didn't have any sauce, but that would have made it too messy. It was basically a mango sticky rice musubi. At least that's how I ate it lol. I'll definitely be back for the sausage. Maybe next time I'll try some of the other entree dishes.

If you know me, you know I love me some good ol' Lao food- the stinkier, more fermented, the…read moreBETTER. With any good Lao/Thai/Cambodian food I look for certain criteria to be met- food should have a good balance of salty, sweet, & spicy. Wherever I travel I always make it a habit to Yelp some good Laotian eats if possible. You can imagine how excited I was to stumble across Cheun Wea Lao Thai Fast Food. I immediately bookmarked and hoped in the car to make my way to Chinatown. As a forewarning this business is located in the food court @ stall #117. Avoid walking around like a crazy person the way I did- this stall can easily get overlooked if you aren't careful. Do not expect to find the "Cheun Wea Lao Thai" signage, all we saw during our visit was "Thai Food". Food for the visit consisted of: Amok- steamed fish curry Lao Style Papaya Salad [extra spicy] Seafood Pad Thai Overall I would rate this visit 3 stars. I get that this is a fast food joint but all the promises of "authentic" Lao food really had me anticipating MORE. Dishes were held back on the spice level and the fermented fishiness that Lao food is known for so it simply didn't hit the spot for me. Maybe the traffic coming through is more Americanized and the business caters to their palate?? Either way, customer service is amazing from the owner & employees. Items are made fresh and are able to be customized to your liking. Definitely worth a try...

A fun that spot with optimal indoor and outdoor seating for large parties! Right away we were…read moregreeted by the owner and she was so friendly. She helped us choose some dishes and was great to talk to. We ordered the yellow curry, rice, beef pad see ew and chicken pad Thai. All were yummy. The prices were very high and it was a little unfortunate the rice came extra but overall it was great! We also tried the curry chicken appetizer which was delicious. The peanut sauce was so great.

The service was next level, very personable, and kind. She really took the time to show us the…read morepopular food dishes and check in with us. The food was great! The pad see ew was my favorite, so flavorful. The beef spring rolls would be my next favorite. Overall it was all yummy. The ambiance was nice, it's always beautiful in Kāne'ohe so we chose to sit outside. Next time would just prefer inside because the nats/mosquitoes.

Our bookclub met @ 1938 Indochine tonight. I want to say how accommodating they were to us. We did…read morenot have a reservation, but they were great and so nice to our group of 8. The Wait staff and bartender were attentive and checked on us often. We had delicious appetizers. Ambience of this restaurant was quite lovely ,and parking so convenient. Thank you Indochine for a great evening!! PS They had Veuve Cliquot by the glass....so impressed Happy Hour menu excellent

Mix up on our reservations when we got there, they said they had already seated our party, even…read morethough obviously they hadnt since we were standing right there. Luckily they were pretty empty so there were a lot of open tables. Waiter was prompt initially. Even suggested getting some orders in before HH was done in 5 min. But then after that he never checked back up. We kept having to flag him down to order drinks and then our food food after the HH food came out. Food menu is pretty small. But what they do have is tasty Drink menu is a lot larger. Though a bunch of liquors are heavily over priced. Fun to see they have a cigar menu. Tables and chairs were pretty comfy. All in all a nice atmosphere unless someone orders the sizzling tataki platter. Then it gets smokey