Always a great experience. Jagged Little Pill was so amazing. Great music, story and dance. The…read moretheater setup even has a small bar area. Very fun. Park at the shopping center. Short walk.

What a performance…read more.. Thank you to Terry K for taking me on this journey to something that I've never tried personally is to see a play and Manoa Valley Theatre offers us some amazing performances that I've been lucky to see a play though it's never been at Manoa Valley venue itself and what a difference it is. The vibe here is full of energy as many start arriving and you need to check in and verify your seating which the staff does and also informed us that the air conditioning wasn't fully operational and provided us with a bottle water is a nice gesture though was slightly warm the cool Manoa air kept us decently cool. As we get to chill prior by getting a drink and/or snack is nice and there are great options available including some alcohol. Kim's Convenience is the play and from what we were told is once a series on Netflix which I don't have but I like that I have no idea as I can enjoy the play just as they visualize which was great and fun since it was a comedy, if anything the seating leaves no room for anyone to pass in front of you so I had leave the row and wait in the aisle for others to take their seat but in all comfortable and easy to view the play without being blocked from the previous row. Bravo to this creative and wonderful evening with a great friend as doing something unique like this was so much fun and a memorable experience. Thank you!

Out of the whole experience, one of the best parts was our shuttle driver, RJ--or AJ, I apologize…read morebecause I can't remember exactly which one it was. From the minute we got on the shuttle, he started breaking down some of the history of the island and really set the tone for the night. He had everyone introduce themselves and share a little bit about who they were and where they were from. He was extremely friendly and funny, but what I really appreciated was that he didn't try to dictate the conversation. He let it happen naturally. Before long, everybody on the shuttle was talking with each other and sharing personal experiences--what brought them to the island, why they chose this luau instead of some of the others, and just life in general. It honestly felt less like a shuttle full of strangers and more like a group of people getting to know each other. He also recommended a drink to me. I cannot remember what the hell it was called--I just remember something like "AVI"--but it was GOOD. I had six of them, so apparently the recommendation worked. The cousin who helped host our event that night--I unfortunately forgot her name too--was also great. She was very interactive with everybody and made sure everyone felt included and participated instead of just sitting there watching a show. Overall, I definitely recommend the experience. One piece of advice: BRING A FREAKING HAT. It gets hot up there while the sun is setting, and depending on where you're seated, you may have that Hawaiian sun hitting you directly for a couple of hours. Bring a good pair of sunglasses, a hat, and some sunscreen. Great people, great atmosphere, and a really memorable experience. Sorry for the pictures I didn't take many I mostly took videos

Thursdays Luau was the best ending to my first trip to Hawaii I could of ever asked for. Everybody…read moreneeds a raise! Whole team is A+ thank you for making us apart of the Ohana and teaching/sharing your culture with us

'Auana by Cirque du Soleil was such an amazing experience!…read more As a mom, a lot of my planning revolves around finding experiences my seven-year-old daughter will enjoy, and this one was definitely worth it! The acrobatics, music, stunning costumes, humor, and Hawaiian storytelling all came together so beautifully. She was completely entertained from beginning to end! Seeing my daughter experience Cirque du Soleil for the first time made the evening even more special. She loved it, I loved it, and it's definitely one of my favorite memories from this summer.

Such a fun and entertaining show! I loved the combination of circus skills, music, dancing, and…read moreHawaiian influences. There was a really good variety throughout the performance, so it kept things interesting from start to finish. The aerial elements were definitely a highlight for me, and I loved seeing the different performers bring their own skills and personalities to the show. It felt like a fun mix of traditional Hawaiian inspiration and modern circus performance. We chose seats near the back corner and actually loved the view. You could see the entire stage really well from there, and I think being a little farther back gave us a great perspective on the larger group numbers and aerial performances. I don't think you necessarily need the most expensive seats to have a good experience here.

I enjoyed my one time I went there to see Johnny Valentine and am sad to hear they closed the venue…read morepart. I loved arriving at this shopping center and going through the music classrooms, almost like a speakeasy. Cute older couple that runs the place. Very...Italian decor? Moody, night club vibe on the upper level, older crowd mainly. The food and drink were not too bad. Would I go just for the food? No. But the ambiance was really cool to experience, I'll miss it!

Medici's is a special little gem in Mānoa transporting you to a magical space filled with music,…read morefood, and happiness. The club opened in April of 2014 and features jazz, blues, classical musicians in Hawaii. This was our second time here and loved it. Tim and Carolyn (owners) are very welcoming couple who work in tandem to operate this place. Tim is the chef, artist, and manages the music events upstairs. Carolyn is the musical director for the school downstairs. All proceeds from dinner/shows help support the Manoa School of Music and the Arts downstairs. The ambiance is beautiful and well-decorated with plants, art, paintings. Tim is an artist, so you will find his paintings for sale too. We took one home during the NYE event and admire it everyday. Your ticket includes live music and a tasty 4 course gourmet meal who is cooked by Chef Tim. Just a word of warning is that the meal is on the smaller side. The dishes are served on mostly paper plates but I assume that's how they also keep the costs lower. Most of the attendees seem to be 50+ so the food might be catering to those who are older and don't eat as much. Although we ended up being content by the end with drinks. You will likely end up sitting with strangers since the tables are large, circular, and can seat up to 6-8 people. This can be a good way to socialize and make some new friends. They also have a bar that has very reasonable prices. $25 wine bottles and only $7.50 for beer/wine glasses. Cocktails available too. Highly recommend this place if you're looking for a special place to enjoy the beautiful tunes of jazz. Hard to find places like this anymore!

2026 Hawaii Rainbow Film Festival. Located in the heart of Honolulu, surrounded by the urban…read morerevival of Chinatown. 2nd floor bar and lounge area allows for drinks and food. Tons of parking in the surrounding public garages.

I was blessed enough to experience various shows at the Hawaii Theatre Center, the most recent…read morebeing a showing of Nosferatu (2024) for Halloween, which was a special experience with some friends who are also into horror flicks. The theater supports both movies as well as live shows, which makes it a unique cultural space. You're not supposed to eat in the theater itself, and if you want to drink you would need to buy a sippy cup-like container from the bar. I suppose it is meant to protect the theater from decay, all these protective measures. The bartender who served us wine was friendly enough. I loved seeing the art around the theater.

There were only about 4-5 food trucks when I visited, and it felt small. Around 6 PM, the area had…read morevery few people. There was some live music, but it seemed more like a quick stop for tourists rather than a real night market. I didn't try any food because the atmosphere wasn't appealing, so I left quickly.

Came here when it was less crowded the seating area is big wide open with chairs, tables, and a…read moregreen luscious outdoor view. There were only a few vendors like maybe 4 trucks at the time we got a plate from a vendor called "Wasabi Express by Tiger" the white woman who most likely also works with the main chef randomly approached us recommends it for my partner and I says it's going to taste great it's made fresh daily,, said why not we came for a trip but honestly it was mid and this is why I don't listen to people but realistically I should've just dogged it in my opinion; understand it's Hawaii we are in a touristy spot, but too overpriced for something that tastes like yoshinoya meat and rice that tastes just like fried rice from a regular Chinese takeout

Very cool, they are great to watch, the food is great they treat you very well, it is a fun place…read moreto go in Honolulu. The service is great every one is nice and they make you feel happy seeing them perform.

Disclaimer; we only saw the show, we didn't participate in the pre-show activities or the Lu'au…read moredinner. The dancers, musicians host and fire dancers were so awesome. These folks are so great at what they do. I'll be honest I was really just waiting for the fire dancers...for me that was the highlight, but all the performers are great and did a great job of keeping the crowd engaged by participating. Only complaint is that a lady guest was standing up and taking videos and blocking everyone else's view behind her. Other than the inconsiderate guest, the show, venue and performers were fantastic. Also, couldn't have asked for more perfect weather!

What a beautiful local theater! We were in Oahu for Spring Break and traveling with our theater…read moreteen so thought to check the listing and luckily there was a show: West Side Story and it fit into our schedule. Easy parking, clean rest rooms, no frills concession, and cute merch. I got the reusable cup too. People were so nice and friendly. We sat at the very back of the theater and enjoyed it. The actors were so talented and so glad we were able to see it. My teen also got autographs and the actors were so happy and willing to sign her playbill. A couple were surprised that they were being asked for an autograph. When in Hawaii, after enjoying the beach and watching the sunset, why not catch a musical produced well run by the local community and supported and loved by the community.

We went to the Diamond Head Theatre for the first time to see the Les Mis Production. Although…read moresmall, the venue has a good view from every seat and the angle of the chairs, the spacing between the chairs and rows is adequate. In addition for our production, the acoustics were fine, no problems. Although not on the level as the best Broadway productions, the local community cast delivered on all levels. In addition, due to the small venue, the show really draws you into the production . All in all a great experience.

Ohana Arts offers a really great performing arts (acting/singing/dancing/music) program, from what…read moreI know - during the summers, as my daughter attended a couple of years ago. We have attended three performances so far, Honk Jr, Peace on Your Wings, and most recently, Mean Girls. I continue to be amazed at the talent. These performances have been held at the Hawaii Convention Center, the Hawaii Theatre, and Kennedy Theatre. Check out their website for enrollment information, credentials, and donate or support. I added a couple of photos from the most recent play, Mean Girls, which was hilarious and adapted well for the musical stage.

From the owner: Ohana Arts is a 501(c)(3) non-profit performing arts organization (Tax ID #27-2669775) which aims…read moreto inspire and engage people through high caliber educational and professional arts programs, and to cultivate an international family (Ohana) in the Pacific by promoting world friendship and peace through the universal language of the arts. Ohana Arts teaches students to be responsible, compassionate, and patient leaders, as well as creative, independent thinkers in our changing global society. Ohana Arts offers musical theatre programs for youth ages 6-18 from over 40 schools island-wide and the US mainland.  Programs include after-school workshops, classes, camps, an international summer program and a touring youth theatre company. Ohana Arts offers high quality arts education experience as a means of building self-confidence, self-expression, creativity, the ability to work with others, and make lasting friendships in a diverse environment.

This was a reasonably fun experience at the Hilton Hawaiian village. We knew it would probably be a…read morebit of a tourist trap, but we figured that we had to try a luau in Hawaii. Book your tickets ahead of time particularly if you want the diamond premiere seating option which guarantees you a table in the first two rows for better entertainment viewing as well as express entry into the venue, first access to the buffet, and a welcome drink plus three cocktails per person. When you enter you are given a welcome Mai Tai and then have to take the obligatory souvenir photo which they will try to sell you later - I think it was $60. We were then shown to a table in the second row which had a great view of the entertainment. These are shared tables where you will likely sit with other families. There was a group "hula lesson" which was silly but sort of fun. They will then release each table to visit the buffet with the first two rows going first. They had a nice variety of hot and cold dishes of varying quality. The pulled pork was probably the best. The beef short ribs were the worst with some portions being almost entirely fat. A gross aspect - there were flies and bugs buzzing around the buffet with no covers on any of the food. Also, keep an eye on the buffet if you want to go back for seconds. At some point they just closed it down with no announcement before they admitted guests who had booked the entertainment only option which did not include the food. There are some restrooms a short walk away just outside the luau area. The bar seemed massively overwhelmed with a huge line the entire night except right after we hit the buffet the first time. I spent part of the night in the long line instead of having a closeup view of the entertainment. Maybe offer the first two diamond premiere rows table service so we wouldn't have to wait in the enormous line. The entertainment was the best part of the experience with some amazing performers including fire dancers. They charge more for the luau on nights when there are fireworks, but they did not seem to make any effort to help you view the fireworks and instead started clearing away all the tables which made us feel like they wanted us to leave before the fireworks even started. Overall, this was a fairly fun experience but I doubt we would visit again on future trips.

I don't recommend buying show only tickets, you won't be able to see much of anything. The show…read morewhile nice, is on the floor so you can't see much of it. The distance and stage height make it a challenge. I would recommend moving seats closer on sides. Making the dancers go to all areas not just food guests, have some entertainment, hula hoops, games, things for kids. Give more than a single .25 cent soda. They tried. The people putting on show did their best. But you can see the show for free if you walk by the lagoon 15-20 minutes after the show starts. Save your money.