This review is long overdue. I thought about not posting it as cannot comment on the food but only on the poor experience that was solely based on the manager, who said his name is Brandon, for his disgusting behavior and unprofessionalism. However it needs to be shared as I was not able to get in touch with the owner to handle this matter directly. From drafts to published, even if it is 11 months later. When Leila first opened I was very excited to check it out. So for my birthday this year, had a reservation made to celebrate. Unfortunately that day there was a tragic fatality on H3 and I got stuck in it, which would have caused me to miss our initial reservation. My friend called the restaurant to update and the manager let us push it back. He had to call back again as I was still stuck and the road was closed with no where to be able to turn around. He called the restaurant again and told me the manager gave him some attitude but that they'd "keep the kitchen open for us" and seat us late. He also mentioned the manager had some attitude as if he thought we were just trying to bounce on our reservation, strange. By the time I arrived at my friend's house, I was tired from being in traffic for 3ish hours but it was my birthday after all, so we drove to town. As we are about to walk into the restaurant, the door opens and a man shoulder checks me. I thought nothing of it, assuming a customer had one too many and was on his way out. We were sat and ordered a round of cocktails. The restaurant had a few open tables and some dinners in the midst of their meals. I noticed Leila's menu is a fixed price coursed menu not à la carte and I realized that given how late it now was (around 9:30pm) that I could not eat multiple courses as I normally don't eat a large amount so late in the evening. We told our server who until this point had been very friendly. The manager came over after and I was shocked to realized it was the same person who shoulder checked me upon entry. He starts angrily speaking at us about lost profits and revenue because we won't dine and that our table could have gone to someone else. I could not believe being spoken to like this as he continued on and raised his voice so others dining took notice. I've worked at restaurants in my younger years and such unprofessionalism from a manager toward a customer is unimaginable. After I firmly told him multiple times why were were late again, he dismissed the traffic and accident as if I'm lying to which I even tried showing him my cars gps tracking from the traffic. He continued to speak of his lost profits, which as a dinning customer is not my business or concern, found that very tacky behavior. I firmly told him I do not eat large meals so late so would only want one one entree not 4 but given his rude behavior I've lost all appetite and would like to pay for the drinks and leave. He comped our drinks, mostly so he could charge the no show fee I bet, because the charge showed up a few days later on the credit card. However even the customer service agent at the credit card company was in disbelief that when we called to explain she immediately reversed it. I tried to get a business card for the owner but failed and the manager hid like a coward in the open kitchen while we finished our drinks despite me asking the server for him to please give me the managers contact info. Because of this experience, I have zero desire to go back to Leila or frankly other establishments by the same owner, which is unfortunate as Miro was one of my favorites. At least until I know this so called manager is no longer affiliated. read more

Leila continues to impress with a new menu every month, and this visit was nothing short of exceptional -- every bite was delicious, creative, and beautifully executed. We started with the endive and grapes with burrata, which was refreshing, cold, and perfectly balanced in flavor. The highlight for me was their take on Carbonara -- not a pasta dish, but just as indulgent, with slow-cooked egg, pancetta, and peas. Rich, comforting, and absolutely fabulous. The "extras" are not to be missed. The oysters were pristine, the Hokkaido uni brioche lived up to its reputation (a must-order!), and the focaccia was simply to die for -- crispy on the outside, soft and chewy inside, and perfectly timed to arrive alongside the carbonara. The beef cheek with homemade cavatelli was hearty, tender, and packed with flavor, while the meal ended on a perfect note with a classic crème brûlée. Leila's bar program deserves its own spotlight. Their cocktails are always among the best in town -- inventive, balanced, and downright fun. Even the mocktails are crafted with the same creativity; my mango lassi came topped with a thick, airy mango foam that turned a simple drink into a delightful surprise. Between the rotating menu, consistently excellent food, and inventive drinks, Leila is the kind of restaurant you want to return to again and again. Highly recommend making this a regular stop -- especially if you love being surprised by what's next. read more

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AMAZING! What a great experience. Best meal I've eaten this year. Staff were professional and knowledgeable. The menu is a prefixed ($75) a person. There were two appetizers that were off menu, which we could order (oyster, uni). We ordered the oysters. Everything we ate was out of this world. You can totally tell time and skills were put into each dish. Presentation was beautiful. There's so many parts to each dish, so it's hard for me to put everything in words. You just have to trust me and try this place. In my pictures, I included current menu. I'm not sure how often the menu changes, but you can go on their website and take a look at the current menu. There's a lot where you pay for parking right out front and there's street parking. read more

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This place is a must for special occasions or if you just want to treat yourself to an amazing meal! Be sure to check out the menu because it rotates monthly. However, I haven't been disappointed with any of the items. I also highly recommend getting the wine pairing as it makes the meal even better! Tip: Be sure to ask what their specials are and if there are any add-ons that are off the menu. These are usually something that you should order because they are a treat! Parking is easy because there is a big private lot. No validation, but the parking is very reasonable. They also have a small private room. I'd highly recommend making reservations! read more

Celebrated my belated birthday and niece's new career. Food was amazing, service was great and we enjoyed the ambience! There were only four tables and I had good quality time with my niece. We dined on a Thursday evening and had an easy time parking as well. Leila offers Prix fixe with a few maybe two item that were off menu, the uni brioche and raw Oishi oysters from Japan. We opted for the oysters which were the best we ever had, thoroughly enjoyed the Yuzu grape juice it was served in! Beautiful presentation of all the dishes as well. The $75 pre fixe menu changes on a monthly basis and we look forward to coming again! read more

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Aloha, Leila by Chris Kajioka is amazing. Try to come monthly to experience each months' new prefixe menu. I love the food here. It's always fresh and unique. We started with cocktails and opted for the wine pairing which compliments each dish perfectly. Add the bread, it's so good. I almost added a 2nd loaf. And the add on appetizers oysters in a cool citrus sauce and uni and waygu brioche. So Ono. Enjoy! read more

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This is a prix fixe menu restaurant. $85 per person with additional costs which came out to $180 per person when I went. I do feel like it's better to go with a larger party if you want to try more. The restaurant is very cute and the parking lot is a paid lot. Reservations require a deposit. The menu is fixed but you can choose your entree which is between lamb, branzino, and beets. There is an option for wagyu for and additional $25 per person. The first course is several dips. However, they do not offer enough bread for all the dips. But you can get more for an additional cost. The dips were tasty though. Lots of different flavors. We also got the chef's special duck confit which was good. That was an additional item from the regular menu. We got each of the meat entrees. The branzino had a very fishy taste which I know some people love. The lamb was a bit cold. The wagyu was my favorite. The drinks were very beautiful and good. We ordered two bottles of wine for the table. The end dessert was a cake which tasted good to me. I just feel as though it's quite an expensive price. However, it was good to try out for a different experience! read more

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Wonderful meal and evening! Delicious food, good portions, friendly service, cozy atmosphere, it's a great spot for gatherings with family and friends, but also for dates. Although on their website it's a prie fixe menu, they actually have some side dishes, available to order that your server will explain. Fortunately, we have four people so we could order a bunch of dishes to try. Each of us got the tasting menu, 2 of us got the wine pairing as well, and on top of that we got some side dishes. The "seven salads" was basically seven different types of dip that you could eat with the flatbread and it's shared among the table. There was a dip that tasted similar to baba ghanoush, there's a hummus, there's a tomato jam thing, marinated olives with some nuts, goat cheese, some creamy dip with salmon roe that I liked a lot. Actually that's a lot of food already and you can definitely get food from it if you don't pace yourself. Everything tasted delicious, but there is one thing that seemed a little too greasy for me and it didn't sit in my stomach well. For the entrées, we got the lamb shank served in a tagine and it's for two people, and also the branzino for two as well. The portions were pretty big! Both were delicious, but I would say I liked the branzino a little better just because it was cooked really well with all the garnishes that complimented the fish. Yum! Don't forget the side dishes too! We tried their duck confit in a filo pastry, very good! Even though it's not really Mediterranean, we got their Uni toast and it was delectable. The toast was basically deep fried butter, and the Uni itself taste like Ocean butter, so it's double butter. We also got the oysters with yuzu foam and it tasted so fresh and yummy with the hint of citrus. Finally, for the dessert we had a date cake. This wouldn't be something I normally would order if I saw it on the menu, but since it came with this tasting menu, I got to try it. And omg, I'm so glad because it's so good. It's served warm and it's a little crusty on the outside and soft inside. The burnt caramel gave it a distinct complex flavor. Parking is in the Paid parking lot, plenty of parking. It's a good idea to make reservations at least two weeks in advance. Great meal, it's a great addition to Kaimuki! read more

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Leila serves modern moroccan cuisine, never before seen in Hawaii. Every dish was mind-blowingly complex that it had me thinking at each bite. For $85/person, the three-course pre-fixe was a pretty good experience. My favorite course of the night was the Seven Salads. Every "salad" was leaps and bounds from one another, but shared a common trait of being absolutely delicious with raw vegetables and bread. The Muhammara (piquillo pepper, almond) was the crowd favorite. The Branzino was flaky tender with the crispiest skin! My criticism is that the flavors were almost too overpowering that the Branzino's natural flavors didn't quite shine through. Towards the end, our taste buds were overstimulated. The date cake hit all the right flavor notes. The burnt caramel sauce was delicious and the cake was sticky, yet soft. The creaminess of the icecream rounded out what would've been again, an overpoweringly flavorful dish. I wish there was more icecream and a tad bit less burnt caramel sauce. read more

They have a new format where they only do a fixed tasting menu (with a few add-ons). The food was excellent (albeit not what I would call plentiful). I won't focus on each dish, because I expect they will change next month. But a special shout out to the focaccia, which was amazeballs. Crusty outside, fluffy inside. The service was outstanding. It's very rare in Hawaii for them to clear and replace all the silverware for every course. Huge props for that. They also explained each course and each wine pairing well. The wine pairings worked well with the dishes. My only complaint is (if you know me, you know what's coming)... it's loud. And when I say loud, I mean LOUD! For such a small place with so few tables you would think it would be quiet and intimate. Nope. There are no soft surfaces anywhere. Don't expect to carry on any intimate conversations with the person across the table from you, because it's not happening. But the focaccia!! read more

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As others have stated but need to restate again.... Leila's is a gem! Two parking options-parking paid lot next to restaurant and a municipal lot across the street. Great ambiance, service and food. A small dining space is tasteful understated with a lively dining crowd (aka loud) but such a friendly vibe. The food was delicious and presented well. Started with their Bastio (puff pastry stuffed with duck confit and spices) add on. A flaky confection with a delicious blend of duck. Then came their seven salads with warm zatar flatbread. All uniquely flavored. We chose the branzino, wagu beef and lamb...so so good! Then finished with a date cake topped with vanilla ice cream. It was fun to enjoy the wine pairing as well. Such a special evening! read more

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Moroccan cuisine in Honolulu? Who d'a thunk? From the chef owner of the former Aziza and then Mourad restaurants in San Francisco, Leila is a Michelin star worthy place. The service is professional, friendly and helpful in the extreme. The small dining room is simple yet elegant. Tableware is artsy and unique, visually interesting. The food is sublime. Very focused menu that is served family style. Almost all dishes are made for two persons. Portions are just the right size. As the menu is a set 3 courses with many small plates there is plenty to eat. I recommend that you elect for the wine pairings. The offerings are small batch, rather unique labels that you will not find at a liquor store / wine shop. Given this is Honolulu the prices are not a bargain. Yet the tariff for the high quality ingredients, the sumptuous flavors, the elegant presentation and the spot on service is truly a bargain. A fancy pants resort hotel restaurant can not approach the level of the Leila experience and that hotel will charge a whole lot more. Highly recommended. read more

Leila's was my first dinner back in Hawaii. My daughter told me she made a reservation for a Moroccan restaurant and I was EXCITED! I'd never had Moroccan and was ready to try. We arrived a little early and they were very accommodating. Great service from the start. The space is quaint and not overly decorated. The meal was coursed with a wine pairing option to add. We started with the Seven Salads. Seven flavorful tastings paired with lightly cooked farm veggies; multi colored carrots and endive sprinkled with sumac. It also included FRESH za'tar bread. Talk about DELICIOUS! Each salad offering had its own unique spices. None of which were overpowering. Great balance that allowed you to enjoy and savor each bite! OMG My daughter added the wine pairing. I ordered their version of a margarita. Refreshing to the palate. Next up was the main course. We selected the lamb neck. Our AMAZING server explained that it had been roasted for 14 hrs. It had a few accompaniments of carrots, crispy fried Tuscan kale, shakshuka, and sunchokes. TALK ABOUT A MEMORABLE MEAL. I'd never tasted lamb neck. The flavor was similar to a lamb shank. ANOTHER WINNER for the night. Dessert was the final course. Buffalo ice cream atop a super moist and perfectly balanced date cake. Served with a burnt caramel drizzle. What a way to end an AMAZING coursed experience. Everything from start to finish was top tier. Service, food, ambiance, and even the playlist in the background. I WHOLEHEARTEDLY recommend you try Leila. read more

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We celebrated Mother's Day at Leila. Conveniently located in Kaimuki, with paid parking right outside the restaurant. The service and Moroccan inspired food were excellent, and the space is cozy. The pre fixe menu was simple and included nairagi, endive salad, crispy skin salmon, and options to add on other shared side dishes or dessert. The flavors in each dish were delicately blended, bright, citrusy and everything was cooked perfectly, especially the crispy skin on the soft flaky fish. Unfortunately, they ran out of lamb that day, so we were served steak instead, which was still delicious. The portion sizes were just right and the price at $75/pp fair for the quality. We also ordered cocktails which complimented our meal well. It was our first time at Leila and it's a welcome addition to the neighborhood. The menu is seasonal, so we hope to return again to try their next menu. read more

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The late September opening of Leila Kaimuki by Chefs Chris Kajioka and Mourad Lahlou was truly the buzz among foodies. My instagram feed was flooded with inviting images of the Kaimuki restaurant's first course, The Seven Salads. For good reason too, as it was my favorite. Leila Kaimuki has transformed the old Angelo Pietro space into an intimate, but lively beautiful space for guests to enjoy Moroccan inspired cuisine through a three course prix fixe menu and specials. I had never had Moroccan food before so it was an exciting experience for me. I started with a cocktail named Rose Garden made with gin, elderflower, and rose honey. Shortly after, two sets of The Seven Salads were presented for our party of six. The dishes are beautifully prepared and served with za'atar flatbread (amazing!) and farm vegetables. The Seven Salads are: Olives (pickled almonds, citrus, marash pepper), Zaalouk (eggplant, black olive, pine nuts, herbs), Muhammara (piquillo pepper, almond), Lebni (trout roe, dill), Bissara (white bean hummus, sesame, olio nuovo), Tomato Jam (ginger, citrus), and Bravo Radish (smoked lebni, harissa, sesame). Much of it was new to me, but I loved all the dishes. If I had to choose, the Lebni and Tomato Jam were my favorites. For the second course, you have a choice of the following that is portioned for two: Lamb Meshoui, Mediterranean Branzino, Short Rib wagyu beef, or Roasted Cauliflower. We chose two orders of the lamb and one order of the Branzino on the recommendation from Melissa Chang (everyone's favorite Hawaii foodie!). The lamb is braised for 12 hours resulting in crisp, tender meat and it was nice to have a heavier dish paired with the light and flavorful fish. Rounding the meal is dessert. The price of the set menu is $85 per person with an optional $40 wine pairing. If you have a special occasion coming up or in need of a unique dining experience, Leila Kaimuki would be perfect. read more

We came to Leila on a Friday night for dinner. Parking is easy, there's a lot of it in the area, street parking and a lot for a fee. The food was delicious! It's a préfixe menu and the entree is set for two but one could eat it all if they were Very hungry. We enjoyed the seven salads (dips/spreads) very much. They were rich and had great variety. We split the short rib (which had an additional charge) between the two of us. We also had their kushi oysters as an appetizer which came in cute ceramic oyster shells. We were so full we could barely make it through the desert but it was also rich and delicious! We hope to be back very soon! The cocktails focus on flavor rather than presentation so don't be surprised if your vodka cocktail comes out looking like a glass of water - it's vodka! I had the gin drink and I absolutely loved it. Some things to keep in mind - the restaurant space is small so you'll be seated close to others. The acoustics in the restaurant cause for it to be quite noisy. If you don't specify where you want to be seated, there's a chance you'll be seated in the center of the restaurant with staff passing you frequently to serve other customers. Don't let this take away from the delicious food and drinks they offer at this restaurant! Wish they were open for lunch too! read more

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Congratulations on your opening and welcome to Kaimuki! Exquisite! Where to begin? For starters, they brought a basket of freshly baked warm za'atar Flatbread and seven tasty toppings. Challenging to pick one favorite so it was a tie between the zaalouk (eggplant with pine nuts) and lebni (trout roe with dill). The other reviews raved about the charred cabbage and I fully agree. This was so tender and delicious. Really nice touch with the date charmoula. Layers of flavor and quite filling actually. We shared the lamb meshoui which was such a generous portion that we couldn't finish it. Beautifully plated and rich in seasoning. I enjoyed the depth in flavors and texture, excellent dish :) While the music is loud, it was music that I enjoyed so I'm not complaining. Seating area is clean and attractive. Service is friendly and attentive. I will certainly return to try other dishes and save space for dessert! read more

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In a little Kaimukī neighborhood restaurant, Red Hot Chili Peppers is blaring through the speakers and servers are arranging small pots of salads around baskets of khobz--a stodgy flatbread sprinkled with zaatar. A typically Moroccan meal starts with salads of cooked, seasoned vegetables, served at room temperature. For the first course, Leila offers seven salads, think "dip", to be shared, including a sweet and smoky piquillo pepper; lightly brined olives with pickled almonds; sweet tomato jam; and thick yogurt lebni topped with trout roe and dill oil. The cocktail list is small, but offers fun twists on the classics. A preserved lemon vodka soda, an old fashion with date, a margarita with pomegranate, a French gimlet with rose, and a mint Manhattan. There is also a nonalcoholic twist on a lemonade and an ice tea. I loved the smell of the Rose Garden and the smoky, brightness of the nonalcoholic Spice Trade. For me, the second course was the best dish of the night. Charred savoy cabbage was buttery soft, served with vadouvan curry cauliflower puree and date charmoula--think herbs and garlic like chimichurri. This dish was unexpected magic with bits of sweetness from the dates, a textural crunch, and the scent of dill. Add-ons are available. On our evening there was Hokkaido uni on brioche toast, Kauai prawns, and Chef Lahlou's specialty, a basteeya of duck confit, raisins, caramelized onions, walnuts, and berbere wrapped in filo. I was expecting duck cooked in its own fat to be succulent and tender, but this pie was firm with flaky filo, the scent of warm spices, and mealy walnuts. For the last course, our choices were between cauliflower, whole branzino, lamb neck, and short ribs for an up charge. Make sure you go with someone who wants to share with you. The branzino and lamb neck are portioned for two diners so there is an up charge if you order it as an individual meal. You can also add-on couscous or green farro served risotto style. The lamb is braised for 12 hours to breakdown this tough cut resulting in meat that is crispy on the outside and pulls off the bones in long, steamy strands. The meat was mild in flavor with a sweet date glaze and a sprinkle of citrus peel and fried garlic on top. I enjoyed the accompaniments, a silky white sweet potato puree, sautéed spinach, and sun chokes. Like the other courses there was a dynamic play with sweetness, crunch, spices, citrus, and herbs. If you have room for dessert, there is a light yuzu custard served with fresh fruit and a date cake served with vanilla buffalo milk ice cream. It's early on, so they are still working on the timing of the courses and the space, but it's worth grabbing a partner to check them out. read more

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Reservation: You can make a reservation on Open Table or by calling the restaurant during their hours of operation. Important to know that they require you to enter in your credit card information because if you cancel within 24 hours of your res, you will be charged $50 for each person who does not show up. I totally get why they are doing that to avoid frivolous no shows but what happens if you get stuck in horrendous traffic cos of an accident or someone gets covid? $50 a person seems quite steep a penalty. Parking: Ample parking at the pay lot restaurant is attached to. There is also a metered parking lot across the street. Ambiance: Beautiful decor but cramped. Dim lighting. When all the tables are filled and waiters trying to pass each other in the narrow walk spaces, you do feel like a sardine in a tin. Other reviews talked about the music being too loud but I thought it was fine - noise levels never got so high I couldn't hear the person I was dining with. Service: Excellent! They really made it a nice experience to be dining at their restaurant. Appreciated that they took the time to explain all the different dishes and ingredients. haha. They even tell you very nicely that you need to vacate your table because the next seating was waiting. We were celebrating my birthday and they gave us complimentary champagne. Drinks: Tried their version of an Old Fashioned but with dates in it. It was a lovely old fashioned - didn't get a lot of date flavor. $16 Food: The Seven Salads was fun! We could not remember what everything was but had a lot of fun tasting and finding out favorites. Wonderful range of flavors to explore. The flatbread came out hot. We opted to order an extra flatbread to finish up for $5. We added on the Basteeya for $25, which I liked more than the entree. Savory and sweet and crunchy! Good sized portion as well. The only negative was that we ended up overly full with this addition. For the Second course, we had the option of ordering 1 portion of the Lamb and 1 portion of the Wagyu. I believe that normally, they will portion it for 2 so you will need to share with your dining partner. We enjoyed the wagyu but was disappointed with the lamb. Our server said "It should fall off the bone" - nope. Ours definitely did not fall off the bone, I had to wrassle it off. Flavors were nice tho. Third course, the date cake with burnt caramel was lovely! Even though I was full, I had to activate betsu bara (separate stomach for dessert) because it was so good. The only thing I didn't like was the fried shiso leaf. Beautiful presentation but wasn't fried to crispiness. If you are dining at Leila for the first time, it's a little frustrating trying to preview the menu options, which I like to do. You need to call them on the phone or wait til you are there dining to find out what the add on items are. And you need to ask what the prices are. The pre fixe meal for $85 would have been a perfect amount for us but the add on items (basteeya and extra bread) really filled us up and we ended up taking some of the entrees to go. I was intrigued by the couscous and green farro but didn't think I could eat that much. Too much food I want to eat and not enough stomach space. What a dilemma! Anyway, we enjoyed Leila. Definitely a place to go for a celebration or nice evening out! read more

Leila - Italian Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Location: 12th Avenue, former Pietros Restaurant across Kokohead cafe. Ambiance: upscale modern vibe. Fine dining prices. Service: Excellent. Food: seven salads-Various Morrocan dips, fresh endives, yellow/orange carrots, and zucchini, each with a unique taste, goes well with baked bread. Main dishes were extremely tasty! Zabuton-American Wagyu, Lamb Shank- falls off the bone, branzinno fish (white fish). Dessert: Date cake that had a fried shiso. Photo looks like a mini loco moco. read more

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I was home for a visit and dined here during their first week of operation. Everything went so smoothly and service was on point. Reservations easy to make on Open Table. I'll be interested to see how the menu evolves over time as it's currently a more of less set menu of seven mezze, a charred cabbage as a second course, and a protein/main. Food was tasty but sometimes aggressively salted (or maybe I'm just a bland eater lol.) The seven salads with the zaatar flatbread were quite good. There were four options for the main and it needed to be shared. We settled on the grilled branzino as it was the only item that both of us eat. Required sharing isn't a problem but there was a table of three seated near us and I was wondering how the sharing would work for an odd number. Farro or couscous (excellent!) are available for a bit extra as are a few other add-ons. The evening we were there, they had an uni toast as well as a prawn dish available. Didn't try either -- it's already a lot of food! Leila is a good addition to the neighborhood. I hope they do well! read more

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The world food tour duo stopped in at Leila, in the old Angelo Pietro location in Kaimuki. A partnership between chefs Chris Kajioka and Mourad Lahlou, it offers dishes from Morocco. At the current time, they offer a three-course price fixe dinner for $85. The optional wine pairing was $40 or $48, depending on whether you wanted three or four glasses. You start with The Seven Salads, seven small dishes filed with olives and pickled almonds, Zaalouk (eggplant, black olive, pine nuts and herbs), Muhammara (piquillo pepper and almonds), Lebni (trout roe and dill), Bissara (white bean hummus with smoked paprika), Tomato Jam (with ginger and citrus), and Bravo Radish (smoked Lebni, harissa and sesame). It's served with two pieces of Za'atar flatbread and a dish of vegetables. A glass of 2022 Mourvèdre Rosé from Bandol (FR) from Bieler Père & Fils. There were three specials ... We opted for the Basteeya, phyllo dough wrapped around confit duck. It looked like dessert and was slightly sweet. The optional wine was a Norma Etna Rosso pinot noir; a very light-bodied wine. You have your choice of main to share: Short Rib, Lamb Meshoul, Mediterranean Branzino and Roasted Cauliflower. We chose the lamb. It's a large piece on the bone with fried kale, sunchokes, and deep fried Yama potatoes. It was served with a Syrah from Morocco; very dark in color, full of dark fruit. I liked this much more than the Norma pinot noir. The lamb was tender and flavorful but the highlight for me were the deep fried pieces of Yama potato. Dessert was a date cake with vanilla ice cream. I passed on the dessert but I had the glass of New York Malmsey Madeira. Mmmm, I haven't had Madeira in ages ... It did pair well with the cake. I had a cup of coffee ... Alas, this was the sole disappointment of the evening ... it was tepid and not up to the level of the meal that came beforehand. What did we think? To us, the food is similar to the restaurant in Kaka'ako but we liked the flavors of the Seven Salads and our lamb more than food we've had at the other place. We enjoyed our time here ... the place was packed with diners, and it was pretty noisy. Rating: 4.5 stars from us ... the disappointing coffee caused me to knock off a few points. read more

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The Seven Salads consisted of 7 different classic mezze to eat with a piece of zaatar flatbread. My favorite was the muhammara (sweet piquillo pepper and almond). Each bowl was scrapped clean, yum! I was careful to ration the amount of bread to spread. Or you can just order an extra flatbread! Eat this course as fast or slow as you like, we savored it and ate it in tandem with the second course. Not on the menu, but available for add-on were the Kumamoto oysters (2 for $12). It was a refreshing oyster shot and came in a cute ceramic oyster shell. The second course starred a charred cabbage. It was filling for a veggie dish. It was laden with a creamy and slightly sweet sauce with crunchy bits on top. Opted for the lamb meshoul for the third course. The presentation was exquisite and each item was deliberately and artistically placed. The portion was appropriately sized for 2 people, we were getting full just looking at it! Many cumin/cinnamon-y spices were at the forefront of this dish. The lamb was tender -fall off the bone, meaty with just enough fat, and had a nice char on the outside. They have options to add on wine paring ($36) or just order by the glass. The Spice Trade cocktail was their take on a margarita and it was so balanced! Like many other diners we were too full for dessert. Amazing experience for a newly opened tasting menu only restaurant. Only cons were the compactly spaced tables/dining area and elevated ambient noise and chatter with a full house. read more

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What a gorgeous transformation of the old Angelo Pietro! I didn't even know that the space had a window! That being said the space is limited in size and number of bathrooms (one). So it's a tight fit with servers having to gingerly squeeze between tables and turn very carefully. The servers are excellent, attentive, solicitous and explain menu items carefully and in detail. We thoroughly enjoyed the starting course. My faves were the pepper one (muhammara) bc subtly sweet flavor very balanced and the labneh that had a lovely green oil (was it chive oil?) and trout roe(?). The zatar flat bread was good but messy - I'm sure that there was dust all over my face and clothes. Using the veggies as a vehicle especially the endive is the way to go. Some of the dishes were a bit too seasoned for my taste - still good but definitely on the saltier side. Cocktails were a miss. Others had the lemon one (friend mentioned tastes exactly like a Japanese sports drink called OS-1), the martini one (think they use zatar), and the old fashioned one. All are not spirit forward. Since there's no bar these are likely premixed. No full wine list but you can order any of the wines on the pairing by the glass. The Syrah was just ok. We got 2 add ons - the uni with egg yolk jam with brioche and the duck in filo. Skip the first and definitely get the second. Again I found the egg yolk jam to be too seasoned - salty for my taste. The duck filo pie dish was lovely - lightly sweet and spice and salty with lots of duck and crunchy light pastry. They're both around $30. For the mains - very large portions even considering that it's for 2. You can also get halves (so a single portion) if you ask. Lamb delish - we used the tomato jam from the seven salads to balance flavors and it was perfect especially with the pickled onions. The tomato jam is sweet. We got a whole bronzino - it was nicely cooked. Supposed to be deboned but still with some bones. We had leftovers of both that the server boxes up for us. Dessert was very nice. The salted caramel is very salt forward but really well balanced by the sweetness of the date cake and the creaminess of the gelato. Could've used a bit more gelato or maybe a smaller cake. I was stuffed by the end of this meal. Overall it's a nice addition to the Mediterranean renaissance we're having in Honolulu. It's a splurge though - not sure that I'll be a regular. And prolly would prefer to go to Miro for a special occasion if I had to choose only bc the space is bigger, the seasoning is less salty and the bar is more extensive. I think when you have a fancy menu having a full bar is important. read more

I dined at Leila 4 times before when it served Moroccan food. Last night was my first time dining there with their new Italian menu. I really enjoyed Leila as a Moroccan restaurant, as they had some amazing dishes like their basteeya and lamb tagine. They also served a za'atar infused dirty martini, one of the best drinks I've ever had. In their original iteration, when they served their "Seven Salads" followed by a choice of a main dish, I wasn't crazy about the "Seven Salads". It wasn't bad, but it was a big and time-consuming appetizer. So I thought they were on the right track in their second iteration when they had a rotating Moroccan-inspired menu while still having the basteeya as an optional add-on. I'm disappointed in their third iteration as an Italian restaurant. The food was OK, but there were no standout dishes like they had before. I think there are much better options for Italian food in Honolulu, such as Arancino. Unfortunately, I don't think I'll be dining at Leila again. It's too bad they couldn't make it work as a Moroccan restaurant. read more

This used to be an Italian spot, renovated now, new spot fell short. location may be tricky to find on maps for some. For reference: it's in the same plaza as Yoga Room and next to Top Nails, with paid parking available on either side of the street. The blue entry door is inviting , and the ambiance inside is modern minimalist-though quite chilly. The manager was a highlight: inviting, very knowledgeable about sourcing, ingredients, and food pronunciation, 10/10. That said, the actual experience didn't live up to the presentation. Tables and some glassware had a rancid, egg-like smell (zakhna, in Arabic), which immediately threw us off. The salads were beautifully plated but didn't deliver on flavor-over salted and unbalanced. The lamb meshoui was the biggest letdown: it arrived cold, and everything in the tagine-from the lamb to the vegetables was also cold. combination of flavors was good, and the lamb was fairly tender but the temperature ruined the entire experience. The tagine itself was beautiful but a decorative piece not a functional cooking vessel. meshoui means roasted or grilled while lamb tagine would be a completely different preparation... fusion or confusion. Unsure why it would be cold only 5 other patrons dining. Most likely cooked far ahead of dinner service and kitchen was afraid of drying out when serving. No offer to remake when we expressed the temperature concern. The bread had a zatar coating and was the only thing that was hot while the uni was the only thing that was nice on the menu , honestly delicious - however, we were surprised to see the brioche it came with served on top of a cut-up piece of the old printed menu, which felt unsanitary--no matter how intentional the aesthetic was. There was a bastilla that we were told was Chef Mourad's most popular dish but the duck if not cleaned and prepared well can carry a very bad odor + off taste and it did. Would be beautiful if he made a seafood bastilla. Right idea wrong execution. Duck having higher fat content oxidizes fast - not good for reheating. Dessert didn't redeem the night. The fondant or ganache whatever was on top of the flourless cake was too heavy-handed with sugar and overpowered the dish. Would I return? No. Miro, their sister restaurant, has been pleasing. This one missed the mark in every way that counts. Disappointing blah , waste of time. They did not even have Moroccan tea ¿ Hmm . Tons of room for improvement here. One dessert option, no saffron , nothing truly felt Moroccan. Try Istanbul if you want something Mediterranean or olive tree both have heavy traffic always fresh and efficient. read more

Leila - Uni - Italian Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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The food was yummy. Lots of different flavors. The service was wonderful... the waitress was knowledgeable and knew the food well and able to describe everything. They would come back and ask if we needed more bread, more vegetables which we did but they failed to mention that there was cost for the extra. $8 for the 1 piece of bread and $8 for the vegetables. The seven salad dips were fun. The main dish (lamb) was moist and fun to eat. The dessert!!!! Amazing, date cake with Buffalo ice cream ... rich but light. The decor was beautiful and the seats were comfortable. The only part was it was expensive. Nice to go once but wouldn't go again. read more

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Cyndy's Bottom Line: Amazing food, service and cozy ambiance. *Kaimuki Municipal Parking lot available or street parking *Reservations on OpenTable *Hours: Tues-Sat, 5pm -- 9pm *Credit cards accepted *Pre fixe menu offered. Individual portions available on select entrees. Entrees are portion for two. $85 per person $40 wine pairing *Corkage fee $35.00 This is what we ate/drank: *Champagne, De Reyve, Brut Premier Cru, Cote Des Blancs, Franc +Lively, light and elegant *Ichiban Oysters from Washington State +Bright, cucumber brine. *The Seven Salads -served with za'atar flatbread and farm vegetables 1. Olives . pickled almonds . citrus . marash pepper +Tasty olives. The slivers of lemon is phenomenal 2. Zaalouk . eggplant . black olive . pine nuts . herbs +Great texture and flavor profiles 3. Muhammara . piquillo pepper . almond +So many flavors nutty, zingy, spicy, and sweet. 4. Lebni . trout roe . dill +A rich, creaminess, with a slight tang and saltiness of the trout roe and bright freshness of the dill. Very yummy! 5. Bissara . white bean hummus . sesame . olio nuovo +Smooth and creamy texture. A tasty dip. 6. Tomato Jam . ginger . citrus +So many delicious flavors sweet yet savory, bordering on sour, and a hint of spicy = yum 7. Hearts of Palm . smoked lebni . harissa . sesame . mint +Excellent combination of flavors. Entree of Hawaiian Onaga . red & green charmoula . cippolini onion . lettuce . Garnished with local sea asparagus, radish and olives. +Visually beautiful and colorful plating of a perfectly cooked onaga with good texture to envelop the flavorful herbaceous charmoula. The garnishes infuse delicious combination of flavors to the dish. Very yummy. *Couscous +DIVINE! Hand made in house a labor of love. You can taste the goodness! A must order. Dessert *Date . burnt caramel . fior de latte +The cake is so soft, moist with a nice sweetness of the dates. The burnt caramel adds bittersweet and smoky richness. While the fior de latte is so delicate, and creamy with a milky taste. Topped off with the fried shiso leaf makes for a scrumptious combination of bites. Yummy! The fior de latte is a delightful surprise to this dessert. *Excellent service - Especially on the description of the food and wine pairings. *Highly recommend. A great addition to Hawaii's restaurant scene. read more

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LEILA IS SUCH A GEM! stumbled upon a reservation and made our first dinner in Honolulu unforgettable! The restaurant is small but mighty - I love how quaint it was and how everyone seemed to know each other - it was like a big dinner party! The star of the show were the 7 salads, wow I loved every single unique salad/dip/spread. The savory flavors and even the sweetness from the tomato jam - glorious! I would buy each of those and have them in my refrigerator on deck if I could. Also the fresh baked bread *chefs kiss* For the main entree we were able to get a meet and veggie - we chose the lamb and cauliflower. The presentation of the lamb was incredible and flavors were irresistible. The cauliflower was a great compliment and loved the pairing. We also had tea and the caramelized date cake with their house gelato. There was a party of flavors in mouth and wow were they having a blast! One of the best meals I've had on 3 of the islands I've visited I highly recommend this restaurant and tasting experience! Wonderful service from our waitress, host! Cannot wait to go back! read more

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Food: unique, artistically plated, a touch of Moroccan flavour Service: pleasant, friendly Ambiance: beautiful decor, good date night ambiance read more

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Excellent service - very attentive, personable and knowledgeable staff. Simple but great ambience. Loved some of the smaller touches like the different coasters, and moroccan glasses. First Course: Nairagi . harissa crunch . preserved lemon Second Course: Endive . oregano vinaigrette . goat cheese mousse . dukkah Third Course: Crispy Skin King Salmon . pea & asparagus ragout . vadouvan Fourth Course: Washu Gyu Flank . raisin . charmoula . hand-rolled couscous We also had the off menu PNW oysters, famous Basteeya duck confit, uni brioche - one of our favorite dishes from Miro, and the Strauss soft serve ice cream for dessert. We tried a few cocktails: country lemon, can't remember the name - but their take on an old fashioned, smoke and coffee, campari. Everything tasted incredible, and we couldn't stop talking about it on the way home. The oysters, endive, and basteeya were the standouts and we already loved the brioche from Miro. At $75 pp pre addons - it's really hard to go wrong. Will definitely be coming back. read more

Absolutely amazing experience. After reading the menu for the November offering i went back and forth as nothing sounded super enticing from the description. Every course was spectacular, the wine pairing was on point. Our server was extremely knowledgeable and attentive, it was a perfect dining experience and i coukd not ask for anything more. I will definitely return. read more

Second time coming here. Not as good as the last time I came (January 2025) for a few reasons. First off, for the off menu items our waitress said there is a Bellini with 7 OUNCES of caviar for $30. We were shocked that 7 ounces of caviar would be that cheap. She said 7 ounces multiple times so it wasn't a slip of the tongue. The dish then comes out with a tiny dollop of caviar. After pondering after the meal we realized she must've meant to say 7 GRAMS not 7 ounces. We felt bamboozled. During the dinner, they were aggressively clearing our appetizers before we were done and wiping down the table. They literally took some of the seven salads away from my boyfriend while he had his bread in hand ready to take the next dip. The seven salads were very tasty as usual. The lamb was not hot and was room temperature, but otherwise was good. The dessert was changed to the chocolate cake. Now my boyfriend loved this, but he has never been to Leila before, to know what he was missing with their prior caramel date cake. Now this date cake was the reason I came back and is hands down the best dessert I've ever had. I was so sad to see they took it off the menu! :( read more

Amazing food and service! The lamb was so soft and delicious. Branzino amazing crispy skin and wagu beef very tasty. The only complaint I have is that we where not informed that each entree is for 2 people so if you have an odd number of people in your party, they will charge you an extra $25 to make it for one person which is ridiculous given the amount is portioned for one. read more

It's always exciting to see new restaurants with refreshing concepts opening in Hawaii. While some reviews mention that Leila is expensive, let's be realistic: everything in Hawaii comes at a cost. Considering what $85 can get you elsewhere on the island, the prix fixe menu at Leila offers expansive and generous offerings. I even wish they could make each dish smaller so we can try everything else on the menu. We left feeling very full and happy. read more

Leila - Italian Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

The place is clean and staff is friendly. It's a prefix menu that is meant to be shared. I'm not sure I'll be back. Not because of the employees and environment. It's just the menu is not for me. Which is fine. I do wish this restaurant success. read more

Spectacular. Wonderful. Out of this world. Marvelous. Left so full and happy. Please visit and eat at this place! The first dish was a group of dips that were so tasty, fresh, flavorful, and delicious. We asked for more bread because there is a lot of dip to go around for a second serving. The charred cabbage was honestly amazing. SO SO SO GOOD. We ordered the special duck pie which was amazing. Ended with the short ribs and cauliflower which paired well. The green side (I forget what it's called) was also so tasty lol. I would go ahead. Highly recommend. Delicious. Wonderful. I cannot express how much my partner and I loved it. Also, the tequila cocktail was FIRE read more

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Overpriced for what it is. At $85 per person, you get bread (1 bread per person and $5 for any additional bread), a bunch of dips/spreads to enjoy with the bread (hummus, red pepper, goat cheese, etc.), your choice of entree and dessert. Felt like a lot of upselling as well: - When we first walked in, they first offered sparkling water without offering regular water as the free alternative. You have to ask for it. - As mentioned above, any additional bread is $5 per person. They give one bread per person. You will likely be left with so much dip and spread if you have a small party, leaving you with the decision to buy either more bread or eat the rest like baby food. - After our entrees were cleaned up, our server told us that dessert would take a little time to prepare and asked if we wanted any coffee or tea while we waited. We said no and the dessert came out within a few minutes. Not quite sure if they made it sound like it would take long so we would be enticed to buy something while we wait, but that's what it felt like. As for the food itself, my partner and I had mixed feelings about it. The dips and spreads tasted great as well as the bread. Our favorite was the baba ghanoush and red pepper. However, the experience of eating the bread and dips could be improved. For example, they're served in individual tiny dishes with no weight and move around really easily when trying to dip the bread or use the spoon to scoop. Makes it a little difficult to enjoy. They can try using a large platter to put the individual dips in that doesn't move so easily when trying to eat. The lamb didn't 'wow' us as it relied heavily on the sauce for flavor. The brussels sprouts that came with the lamb tasted amazing. The broccolini was pretty salty and fried, we were hoping for a more fresh and light preparation of the broccolini to cut the richness of the rest of the food. The chocolate ganache cake we got was a nice touch for valentines day! The coriander cream on top of the cake added the perfect balance to the cake to help cut the sweetness and richness of it. The service was great though and the servers took their time to explain the menu, the dishes, and were attentive throughout our dinner. TLDR: Overpriced for okay food but good service. Glad we tried it, but wouldn't pay $250 again for the meal (that's without the $40 wine pairing or any drinks). I really wish Hawaii had more casual and affordable options for this kind of cuisine. read more

My husband, daughter and I ate here last night. The restaurant has only been open about a month. On the plus side, the restaurant is clean, the wait staff very nice. Quite a change from the last restaurant in the space. The menu is a limited price fix and very expensive for the options listed, at almost $90 per person. They offer a wine pairing at $40 per person and the wines are at the waiter's discretion. Our waitress was very patient while explaining how the menu works. As for the food, it was interesting. We ordered the salad, cauliflower dish and the fish with 2 different kinds of sauces. Nothing over the top. We're glad we tried it though and wish them much success. However, we will not be returning to this place. read more

Located in Kaimuki. Street parking and a big parking lot (you have to pay), so parking is not an issue. This cute little blue building housed this moroccan food restaurant. Inside, the tables are close together. At time, I can be pretty loud. I must say the service is really really good. The people works there are polite and friendly. Besides the set 3 courses menu, they do have many side order choices. The flatbread with the difference dips are one of our favorite, we love it so much that we have to order one extra bread. The second dish "Cabbage" was surprisingly good and tasty, the textures surprise me and we both like it, we feel the lamb is a bit small, all the sides next to the lamb taste great and complimented to Lamb pretty well, however, I can eat the whole piece of lamb by myself . After dinner, we don't have room for dessert. It is not a cheap dinner for sure. Two people, with two set menus with no drinks came out to about $185 including tips. We will go back to try other dishes. If you are looking for a unique dining experience, give it a try. read more

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