I had read about Mad Bene, I think in the Honolulu magazine, and wanted to give them a try. My cousin wanted to meet up for dinner and I suggested here. Didn't realize it was out in Kapolei, but why not make it an adventure. They were busy, and we had to wait 25 minutes for a table. But little did we know that was only the beginning. My only complaint is the wait time between everything. The drinks took a while, then the apps took a while, but we were glad they came, because our entree came right as we were finishing up. Again, we're lucky the pasta came out and we could work on it because the pizza took a while. Timing is really important, and I'm not sure if there's someone expediting or not. A couple next to us had one entree come out, the husband's, and the wife had to wait a while. That's not good. But what is good is the food! We loved the meatballs and the caprese salad. We also loved the truffle fries! The mushroom pasta was delicious, and it was still delicious two days later when I finished it. The NYC pizza was great! And the MAD Garlic was really good, and we added pepperoni to it since we read people did that. I also liked the innovative egg nog bread pudding. However, it took a while to come out and I expected it to be warm, and it was not. Our server, Aleia? Alisha?, was great! She was friendly and welcoming which makes a difference. We could not fault her on the timing since it was the kitchen. Also, the hosts were friendly too! I would stop by if I was in the area. 3.5, but I bumped it up! Mahalo Mad Bene! read more

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It's taken me a while to write this review as each visit asks for the opportunity to change my mind about the place. I've been here four times already and each visit just affirms my two star review. The food is consistently bad. Pasta is consistently dry and appears to have been sitting too long to be served (Al Dente vs Al DRY). The service is good, always trying to amend my order but at a certain point I gave up trying to ask for a remedy. read more

Decided to go here the other night, with the family. We ended up getting the hot honey pizza, supreme pizza, Alfredo pasta, 2 salads and the beef. Sadly, we found huge pieces of plastic in our salad and they had to take our salad back. They did correct it, and gave us some extra appetizers. They handled it really well, and we are not the type to be a Karen about it. The pizzas were pretty good. The salads were SOO good, I loved it! The mozzarella sticks were okay. The service was good and the ambiance is very casual. read more

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Would love to give 5 stars but 3-5 is happy hour and they don't serve full menu. But.... People are cool here. And we'll see how the pizza Okay... waited to post until we sat at full dinner and no disappointment. The bar was awesome. Eulan and Rachael. The old fashion was great. Served with four roses. The mad garlic pizza was awesome. For dinner I orders the baked pasta.. just a ziti. And wife got the standby Alfredo. The ambiance is chill and cool. Can be a date night spot. Pre movie. Or just go out and get drinks. They have a good happy hour. Great spot to try on west side. read more

Mad Bene - Pre movie double fisting it. - Italian Near Me - Kapolei, Hawaii

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Mad Bene Overall: *** Ok *** Food: *** (not as good as before) Value: *** Menu: ** (came smaller, poor selection) Ambiance: **** Service: **** Parking: ***** free, lots, near The first time I dined at Mad Bene, their Four Cheese Pizza and Fritto were excellent. When I went back in 2024, both items were no longer on the menu. We tried 3 other items and they were just ok. The are located in a Kapolei, where choices are limited, so you may end up there. Hopefully, you'll order the right dishes. RATINGS & RECOMMENDED ORDER: Four Cheese Pizza = A (mozzarella, Parmesan, Gorgonzola, pecorino) Frito = A Linguini Scampi = C Caesar Salad = C Hot Honey Pizza = C (daughter = B) Yelp: https://yelp.to/uFvakNUXzK Website: https://www.madbene.com/ Google: https://maps.app.goo.gl/G3zLd37vu1VWnhba9?g_st=ic YELP: Milton K Sorry! They allow only one 12 second video & the remaining to 3 seconds, with maximum of 10 pictures/videos. The full video and pictures of the entire menu can be found on other platforms/apps: MiltonIn808 RATINGS KEY: A = Really Good - one of the best B = Good - would order again C = ok - similar, nothing special D = Not very good - wouldn't order F = Terrible - avoid read more

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As always- great food, solid location next to the shopping center and theater. Staff is always kind, and assisted quickly. read more

Mad Bene - Menu - Italian Near Me - Kapolei, Hawaii

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I'm kind of surprised this restaurant got high ratings. The Good: * Service is always good here. * The ambiance is beautiful. * Pizza's here are yummy. The Bad: * It ain't bad, but the food is mediocre. Mostly the pasta dishes weren't impressive. * Prices aren't cheap. But I don't think you get what you pay for either. * The lunch menu is sparse. * Some of the furniture, chairs, benches need replacing. The seat is coming apart and chairs are wiggly. The Weird: * I'm surprised how high the ratings are on this establishment read more

This place is cute! The food came out quickly. I was a bit disappointed for the price of the food, I was expecting a bit more. $7 to add shrimp to the Alfredo, and it wasn't even equivalent to 3 full shrimps. For $27 I was expecting a bit more. The Pizza was good though. We didn't leave full. The service was a bit of a lag. The waitress kept forgetting items we asked for. read more

Mad Bene - Italian Near Me - Kapolei, Hawaii

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Just an update..... Prices went up (of course, it's what everyone is doing) but I feel like flavor went down. Bolognese was not as flavorful as all the other times we've had it in the past. Also, a PSA for everyone, we ordered the Supreme pizza which was tasty but it was SO spicy! There was no indication on the menu that the pizza is spicy. I asked the server if it was supposed to be spicy and he said normally it's a little spicy from the sausage. We like spice and this was not a little spicy. My lips were burning and the inside of my boyfriend's mouth was burning. Just think they need to add some kind of notation on the menu about the spice. Food was not as tasty as usual and with the rise in prices it won't be a place we'll be frequenting again any time soon. Not sure the money is worth the product now. read more

Mad Bene - Bolognese and Supreme pizza (very spciy). - Italian Near Me - Kapolei, Hawaii

Had to pick up some Target essentials in Kapolei and decided to dine in since our first take-out experience was great! Their Supreme pizza with pepperoni was delicious! Very impressive! It was a Monday...& I called in reservations. When we arrived, it wasn't busy. Nice, clean atmosphere. Hostess Zoe was very nice and helpful when we were seated and asked her about the menu. Definitely will be back to try the Mad Garlic Pizza!! Our server, Journey was very helpful with the menu and we ordered the Pizza of the Week : Chipotle BBQ which came with shredded pork, red onions, and corn. The Caesar Salad with anchovies was also good. Forgot to take pics. We also ordered the Pappardelle Bolognese since it was suggested by our server. It was a good amount of meat and quite filling. Excellent pasta & flavor. One of my favs. We met Manager Dylan (Dillon?) sorry forgot spelling. And he was very friendly and knowledgeable about the menu. We also had the Butrata Caprese appetizer and it was very refreshing! We had fun talking story and laughing while Reuben did Magic for the staff. It's a great place for a date night or large dinner party. Lots of tables. Indoor and outdoor seating is very appealing. Definitely will return again! Big Mahalos to Mad Bene Kapolei! read more

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First time dining in there. There is plenty of free parking close by. All the staff and manager were very friendly and accommodating. They greeted us as we walked in. The restaurant was modern and clean. There were seatings indoor and outdoors. The ceilings were high which made it feel very spacious. We started with the Caesar Salad which was very good and refreshing. The rest of our order came all together. We had the Pappardelle Bolongnese Pasta. The Pasta was thick and tasty. It had a lot of meat and was very filling. We also had the Pizza of the week Chipotle BBQ with Shredded pork, red onions and corn. That BBQ sauce was killer. Great tasting Pizza. The Butrata Caprese was also excellent tasting. For dessert, we had Tiramisu which was a good way to end the night. It was light and refreshing. I'm excited to come back and try different items on the menu. read more

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Salad was fresh and tasty. Pizza was good - the crust was thin and flavorful. Server was nice. Outside patio was great. I really wanted this place to be great, but they just aren't clicking on all cylinders at this time. The menu stated $11 for a glass of wine but they charged us $12. The lunch special included soft drinks, but they charged us $4 for the Coke. We informed the server that we had a Marriott discount card, but they forgot to include discount on bill. My wife had a pizza with mushrooms that was delicious. If you like thin crust pizza, I give the pizza 5 stars, but unfortunately management and service was 3 stars. I'm sorry to say that, but this was our second try and things just aren't clicking. read more

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Mad Bene is like the west side version of Brick Fire Tavern. I like that they make mostly everything in house, including the pizza dough and pasta. If you ask for ranch (they charge you extra) it's also house made! Also, if you're lucky, you'll see the BOH team stretching out dough in the open kitchen. I've been wanting to try Mad Bene for their happy hour for a while, but came for regular dinner this past weekend. The outdoor seating was enjoyable, service was great and the restaurant had a nice ambience. I would highly recommend the mushroom pasta and off-menu truffle fries! In regards to the pizza, I thought the crust/dough could have been a little less done/burnt lol I'm not the type of pizza fan that likes super brown crust. Overall I think Mad Bene is an excellent spot in Kapolei and I would go back if in the area. read more

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Wanted to have a nice lunch with my hubby on my day off. Walked in and it was kind of empty but by the time we left, it was getting crowded. Only one server doing everything and the hostess assisting during the lunch rush. Luckily we didn't have to go anywhere so the 90 minutes lunch was okay. Tasty food! Glad they had focaccia as a side but u have to ask for it (and pay for it). I need something with my pasta. Service was slow like a slug but I don't blame the staff. read more

Mad Bene - Italian Near Me - Kapolei, Hawaii

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Came here on a whim with a party of five to celebrate a special occasion and was seated right away. The space was beautiful and classy, much more elevated than what I assumed looking from the outside. Our server was very friendly, recommending we eat family style and suggested a number of items based on our party size. Amongst the five of us, we ordered 1 app, 1 salad, 2 pizzas, and 3 pastas, and it was perfect. The star of the show HAS to be the hot honey pizza. I've honestly been dreaming about it ever since. This is a great spot for a date night, girls night out, or special occasion. read more

When you think of food in Hawaii there are far more seafood and Asian food restaurants than most anything else, but I did see some Mexican and Italian places as well. This is a less formal Italian place and the pizza is great. I'd consider it something closer to NY style versus a Chicago style of pizza, for what that's worth. The service here was friendly and the pizzas didn't take long. I've been here two times this trip and I do t think we waited more than 10 minutes either time for an individual pizza. They do have plenty of appetizers and other dishes such as pasta and lasagna, or pizza isn't at the top of your list. Seating can be the nicely appointed and air conditioned indoor seating or the outdoor seating. I've done both and the outside dining wasn't overly warm with it being totally covered and receiving a nice breeze. If you happen to be on the West side of the Island near Kapolei, this is a great stop and it's also very kid friendly. Enjoy! read more

Mad Bene - Italian Near Me - Kapolei, Hawaii

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So we just ordered the mad garlic pizza, and I'm so excited! The bartender Eulen said it was one of the house favorites. He's working on his level 2 sommelier certificate. Pizza just arrived! OMG! Come here! It was friggin' delicious! Order it with mushrooms! Wow, our other new spot. Yeah! Rachael (who wears all the hats) was kind and discussed tequila with us. Overall we had a great time and really enjoyed our drinks and pizza! We will absolutely return! read more

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Mad Bene long time anchor tenant in the Kapolei Commons Shopping Center. Known for their delicious food and hospitality. Celebrated a coworker's birthday with a great sampling of delicious entrees. Loved the New York style pizza! The pasta entrees were prepared with great attention to detail. Delicious. read more

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4 1/2 stars for Mad Bene! We visited on a Friday evening and it was crowded but not full. Caesar salad was good and not overly dressed, which I like. Meatballs were tasty. Spicy wings were good but nothing special and I probably wouldn't order them again (just because there are other great things to eat). Parpardelle - this is my favorite. I love the wide noodles and how they cook them al dente. Alfredo - I just tried this from another diner. Normally I don't order alfredo because it's so rich and to me, usually isn't flavorful. But this alfredo hit the spot! I also love the type of noodle (mafaldine) it was served with. Mad Garlic pizza - really tasty, a little oily from the cheese Overall everything was really good and it's a place I'd like to dine at again. Mad Bene is located in the Kapolei Commons shopping area, near the theaters. Tons of parking all around. read more

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My son loves Italian food and he wanted to watch a movie for his birthday so we decided to try Mad Bene. They are located in Kapolei right next the Regal Kapolei Commons theater. We ate family style and ordered Caesar salad, Carbonara pizza, Chicken Parm, Tagliatelle Dogana, and Lasagna Bolognese. The caesar salad was interesting. It had a bit of a tang and mixed with about 4 pieces of anchovies. The Carbonara was unique and our favorite. You basically smear the poached egg over the pizza. The Chicken Parm and Lasagna Bolognese was okay but nothing special. The Tagliatelle Dogana was okay. It's basically flavered mushrom and pasta. My suggestion would be to add some meat options. They give you the option to sit inside or outside. We decided to sit outside since it was pretty empty and quiet. The waitress was really nice and was very helpful with giving us suggestions. Overall, if I were in the area I would eat there again. read more

Mad Bene - Carbonara Pizza $20 - Italian Near Me - Kapolei, Hawaii

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My 1st experience was a positive one! The ambiance is open and inviting. Seating was comfortable. I like that they had a variety of seating options such as wooden chairs, padded benches, and even sofas! Staff were friendly and attentive. Parking was plentiful. The food was fresh and delicious. We ordered 2 lunch specials that included a choice of appetizer, entree, and a lemonadeor fountain drink. At $19 each I thing it was a great value. We chose one of each option for the appetizer. The ceasar salad was fresh and crisp. I enjoyed the fresh slivers of anchovies. The only negative was that the salad was over dressed imo. The eggplant parm sticks were delicious and I would definitely order them again. For the entrees we got the cheese pizza and alfredo pasta. I thought that the cheese pizza had the perfect amount of cheese and sauce. The crust was just the right thickness and just the right amount of crispness. The alfredo pasta was al denté and fresh. The noodles were thick and long and had a weird squiggly shape, similar to lasagna, but I liked it. The sauce was rich, creamy, and full of thin slivers of garlic, absolutely amazing! We both chose to get lemonade as our drink. I got the mango flavor and my husband got strawberry flavor. The mango tasted like mango and wasn't too sweet. The strawberry tasted good but not really much like strawberry imo. We were too full to try dessert but I plan on returning so I'll let you know how it is lol. read more

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Came here a while ago with a friend and wasn't to impressed with the food. Decided to give it a try again because my husband never tried it and was curious. This time I really enjoyed the food. We went about 3pm on a weekday and there were just a few tables. We were greeted and seated immediately and the host was very friendly. Our server was very helpful in helping us decide what to order. My husband really enjoyed their Old Fashion cocktail which came with a candied orange slice. We ordered the Hot Honey Pizza.....soooo....good! Spicy, sweet and savory all at once! My husband ordered the lunch combo which came with a Cesars Salad with real pieces of anchovies and the Chicken Parmesan Sandwich which he really enjoyed as well. Also, had the Eggplant Sticks which was deep fried Mozzarella cheese and eggplant with a Marinara dipping sauce, fried cheesy goodness! For dessert I had the Tiramisu, and that was good as well with a heavy dusting of cocoa powder. My husband is already saying we have to go back! read more

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My oldest kiddo was back visiting, and we felt like eating pizza! She remembered her favorite pizza, the carbonara pizza, was at Mad Bene. So off we went to make sure she got her craving satisfied before she left. Ambiance: dim lights, high ceilings with a bar. It's classy, intimate and comfy. The have indoor and outdoor seating. It's definitely great for groups! Service: I made a reservation and we were seated right away. Our server told us the specials and we DEFINITELY tried the recommendations. The server checked on us and was spot on with the recommendations on food. Food: they have Italian food that is shareable. We usually get pasta, but on this visit it was all about pizza. We love the carbonara, but the shrimp scampi and hot honey pizza brought on some competition! My favorite was the shrimp scampi pizza. It was the special, and was recommended by our awesome server. This was so full of garlic and butter flavor. The crust was crispy and oh, it was just really well made! Everyone loved it. Next recommended item, the hot honey pizza. I LOVED the mix of sweet and spicy flavors! It was a unique blend that just made it taste so good together! 1 kiddo did not care for it, but the rest of the family loved it! The carbonara pizza is ALWAYS a favorite!! It is why we came! The cheese pizza was ordered for the toddler. Everyone ended up loving this one. My toddler had 3 pieces!! Her siblings were surprised how delicious a plain cheese pizza tasted lol. We ended up having nothing left! Overall, everything we got tasted great! Service was great and the ambience was great! This place was the perfect place for our family dinner. It's close to home and everything can be shared. If you are ever are in Kapolei, this would be a great lunch or dinner spot for family, friends or even date night. read more

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I'm so glad I got to come here! All the food was delicious and I can't wait to come again. There is tons of parking because it's at Kapolei Commons so that wasn't a problem. I went early, before 5pm, and they don't start serving dinner until 5. But that was ok because they did happy hour before then and they still seated me which was nice. The interior is so cute too. We ordered a carafe of the lychee spritz which was very good. It was light and tasted like juice so we liked it. We also ordered the mozzarella sticks which were so crispy and yummy. For entree, I got the pappardelle bolognese and my friend got the garlic pizza. Oh my gosh, the bolognese was so delicious!! I'm so happy, I can't wait to go back and order it again. The pizza was also so delicious! All the food was amazing and we had a great time. The service was good too. Everyone was nice. So we just had an all around great experience. Highly recommend. read more

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Really good option for Italian on the west side. Can't go wrong with mozzarella sticks. The mushroom pasta was very greasy, I think they overdid it with the butter. The pizza was delicious, and the shrimp pasta was aces. read more

Dropped by for an early dinner with friends, made it in time for happy hour :) 3 pizzas, 2 pastas and a couple sides goes a long way for 4 people - we had lots of leftovers. Pizza crust is thin and light but full of flavor - definitely recommend trying a few pizzas if it's your first time dining here. Great place for groups - lots of parking at Kapolei Commons and everything can be shared family style. read more

If you are ever in Kapolei and craving some pizza and Italian food, Mad Bene is a great place to go. Our family has been going here since it opened and is one of our go-to places to eat. Some of our favs: carbonara pizza, nyc pizza, gnocchi with truffle, shrimp scampi, kampachi, tomahawk steak. The service is great - always making sure our water is filled and checking if we need anything. Mad Bene is a great place to bring the family or even to go to a romantic date. read more

Finally got to check out Mad Bene located in Kapolei right next door to the Kapolei Commons theater . My sister had their food before and she said it was good so I decided to meet her there and have lunch w/her and my B-I-L. I ordered their lunch special for $19 you get a Caesar salad and a choice of pasta and a soft drink . Can't go wrong with that deal. My sister had their pepperoni pizza which was loaded with lots of pepperoni but it was a little spicy. My brother-in-law had one of their sandwiches called the Bodega basically it was a breakfast sandwich. It was loaded with a thick smoked bacon and a egg with some fresh potatoes for fries. The service was friendly and efficient and they also have outside dinning as well . Support local and be safe read more

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Mad Bene is okay but I wouldn't return. The food came out very fast, but the pasta portions were small for the price point. The service was slow and we didn't get water or our drinks until the food came out. The Alfredo was our favorite dish, it was flavorful and the pasta was cooked perfect. The shrimp scampi was lacking in flavor and the pasta was a bit hard. The supreme pizza was just okay, we were not a fan of the type of mushrooms they used. Overall the aesthetic is nice but the vibe was dead. The workers were friendly. read more

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Food: 5 stars. Waitstaff: 5 stars. Kitchen speed: negative 10 stars. We've eaten here several times - no matter how busy or how empty this place is, it takes their kitchen FOREVER to get food out. Most recently my husband and I ordered one pasta dish, one pizza, and one salad. That's it. Took them over an hour to get the pizza out (salad came out immediately, pasta took 45 mins). What gives? Shouldn't the food at least be grouped a little closer together timing wise? read more

Let me start off by complimenting our server, Gabriel. He was knowledgeable about the menu and was very friendly. His only fault was giving me the wrong lunch check. $86.00 vs. my check for $46.00. I had the lunch special, which Included a Caesars salad, Alfredo pasta with shrimp. You can have it with chicken. And a cool, fresh squeezed lemonade. The noodles are freshly made, according to Gabriel. The shape of my pasta was unique. It was a flat noodle with a twist. This was good because it held a lot of the sauce as for taste it was good, but had a slight herby taste. Four stars for that dish. The Caesar salad was a large potion, not what I had expected for a combination lunch. Five stars for that, and you can get it with anchovies. The lemonade was cool and refreshing. I like to thank fellow Yelpers. Nadine C. and Kyra K For pointing this place out. read more

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It was not too bad of a first timer here. I do have to admit that I was very surprised regarding the chicken parmigiana. It was very filling and pretty tasty with the Spaghetti noodles. As a first timer, I was hoping that the the Chicken Parmigiana would be included in the happy hour special, but it wasn't. Hopefully it will be included in the future so that it'll be at least half of the price. As for the Iced Tea/lemonade, it could have been a little bit sweeter because I couldn't tell if I was actually drinking it. Hopefully it'll be good the next time I do visit. Other than that as a first timer it was pretty good but maybe let guests know when the lunch special is completed for the day or extend it until 3pm. read more

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This was definitely an excellent spot to take our friend revisiting the island after moving away. We got two pasta dishes and one pizza. It was towards the end of the evening and they were out of the pizza my friend wanted, so they offered her a similar pizza with an additional ingredient which was on the specialty pizza. Happy medium! Our friend was impressed with their ability to offer up a different option rather than just letting her know it wasn't available. My pasta was excellent and I would definitely recommend it, the mushrooms were tender and the pasta was perfectly cooked. Great spot to take the family, just be sure to make a reservation even if it says tables are available, you never know when they'll get a rush in with their convenient location. read more

We walked in on a Friday night & seated right away for a party of 6. Our waiter was very attentive despite the amount of people there and the atmosphere is pleasant. I could smell the garlic pizza before I saw it. If you love garlic, that particular pizza is loaded. The pizzas are very thin however. I personally ordered the Fusili Primavera, which was absolutely amazing. Out of the six people there including my two brothers and father, I was the first to finish my plate because it was so good. The toasted pistachios on the pesto pasta added to the flavors and texture. The variety of vegetables went well together. I'd absolutely order it again. read more

Mad Bene - Fusili Primavera pasta with Moscato - Italian Near Me - Kapolei, Hawaii

***4.5 STARS*** Fact: I've never been much of a fan of Italian food. At home we barely ate it, so my knowledge isn't that extensive. Just the other month, Nadine C. (aka Auntie) Peter Y. and I ventured to the West Oahu for an early dinner. Auntie extended me an invite as she won a gift card to Mad Bene (MB). MB opened in November 2019 in Kapolei Commons, and they offer Italian American cuisine. They are known for their house-made pasta and New York style pizza. The are located on the same side at La Tour Café and Regal Theaters. Upon arrival, I was impressed with their trendy ambiance and how you can view their kitchen through large glass windows. I saw the pizza oven and saw one of the staff preparing the pizza crust. We were immediately escorted to a table and delivered menus and water. We decided to dine family style and ended up getting an appetizer, salad, pizza, and pasta. It was still before 530pm so the wait for our food was minimal. It was time nicely where the dishes were brought over one-by-one. Here is a summary of what we sampled: Eggplant Parm Sticks (4.5/5) This starter came with four breaded mozzarella sticks deep fried until golden brown and topped with grated parmesan cheese. It accompanied with a ramekin of marinara sauce that paired nicely. This dish was executed well and worthy of ordering again. Caesar Salad (4.5/5) To me, this was your standard Caesar salad, but I was so delighted with the boquerones on the plate. So, what are boquerones do you ask? They are like anchovies, but the difference is that boquerones are not heavily salted. Salad was refreshing, satisfying and tasty where I could finish the whole plate to myself. NYC (4.5/5) Because we saw the staff prep the pizza dough as we entered the restaurant, I wanted pizza, so I heavily suggested we get the NYC as I just LOVE pepperoni. As a personal preference, I lean towards thin crust over pan crust and this NYC sure didn't disappoint. We appreciated the slight char here and there, but it was just missing some heat. Would have loved to have some chili flakes or banana pepper slices on the side to bring this pizza to another level. Fettuccine Scampi (3/5) Visually this dish was stunning with a whole Kauai shrimp grilled and placed on the top. I'm not a pasta connoisseur but the noodles were overcooked and served to us lukewarm. The shrimp inside lacked the bounciness nor crunch that I prefer. This dish was served last, and we ended up with leftovers. Service was above average. Our server checked in with us multiple times to see how we were doing and even brought me a glass of ice as the restaurant was semi-warm and our water glasses lacked ice and with a lemon slice. Overall, an above average experience at MB where I wouldn't hesitate to come back again. Although we fought traffic to come here and travelled over 20 miles just to dine here, I give MB two thumbs up for tasty food, nice ambiance, and great service. read more

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Dinner in Kapolei, Oahu, Hawaii... Somehow, I won a gift card for Mad Bene on Instagram. Just lucky, I guess? I read reviews about this place - even though it's "far", it's worth it to go for the pizza which is baked in a special oven. The crust comes out crisp on the edges... Mmm!!! Another "must get" is the Eggplant Parm Sticks. Crunchy on the outside and tasty-soft-moist on the inside! Dip them into the tomato-based sauce for bonus flavor! We tried the Linguine Scampi, but I didn't care for the taste and texture. The noodles were a tad bit overcooked and I couldn't get over the citrus flavor. Paired with the garlic chips, the lemon juice just didn't agree with me. However, I really liked the sweet, firm Kauai shrimps! The Caesar Salad was fresh and interesting. The croutons were garlicy-buttery. There were big anchovies - bouquerones - which were a fun surprise! The N.Y.C. Pizza was topped with Ezzo Pepperoni (from Ohio). It was on the spicy side for me, but the crust balanced it out. That crust! Service was outstanding! Our server was patient and efficient! She saw me making scooping motions as I thought that we needed serving utensils for the pasta. She promptly brought over two serving spoons! The environment seems spacious because of the high ceiling. The chandeliers looked like champagne grape bunches. The decor was simple, but elegant. I could feel a cool cross breeze through an open door. I'm looking forward to returning! Pizza and Eggplant Parm Sticks for sure! Note: Mad Bene is right next to the Regal Theater at Kapolei Commons! read more

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We were in the Kapolei area and decided to try-out this place, based on the Yelp review rating. We made reservations on Open Table and arrived about 5 minutes early. We were greeted by the hostess(?) at the register when we entered. We had a choice of either inside or outside seating and were escorted to our table. It didn't appear to be busy as there were a good amount of open tables. We had to wait for a bit for our waiter to come to us. He was pleasant. We ordered the duck fat fries, mushroom bruschetta, mafaldine alfredo, and fusili primavera. Just a heads-up, if you have dietary restrictions, you may want to inquire if the dish has anything you're not able to eat. Unfortunately, we had to return the the bruschetta because it had a good amount of mozzarella cheese on it, which was not listed in the menu as an ingredient. . It looked good, though. They didn't hold back on the (mushroom) topping. The duck fat fries were slightly crispy - just the way we like it. You could tell the flavor was different from ordinary fries. It was a bit on the salty side, but definitely delicious. My son ordered the Alfredo.bir I didn't get to try it. As for my Fusili primavera, it was delicious. Although the menu indicates that there was pesto, it wasn't the normal pesto flavor but rather, a buttery garlic flavor with a hint of pesto. The flavor was bold and went well with the Fusili pasta. I would definitely eat this again. For the amount of pasta we had for each dish, I think it was on the high side. Perhaps this may be attributed to the fact that they make their pasta in house. Additionally, $12 for fries is a bit too much. Overall, the taste of the food (that I was able to taste) was a winner, the service was good, and it was a nice relaxing ambiance in the restaurant. On the other hand, the price you pay for the amount of food you get may disappoint some. My son said that he needed to get more food elsewhere as he didn't have enough to eat. read more

Mad Bene - Duck Fat Fries (Special, off the menu) - Italian Near Me - Kapolei, Hawaii

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Food was amazing...one of the best Caesar salads that I have had in a long time. My husband thought the meatballs were delicious and the pepperoni pizza was perfect...I love the little pepperonis and light sauce, it had the perfect crisps! Service was exceptional...Kiana took great care of us, super friendly and attentive. Ambiance was mellow, very comfortable and casual. We will definitely be returning plus telling our family and friends...hopefully they will get Kiana and have fantastic service as we did. read more

Mad Bene - Aperol spritz and Bella Italia. - Italian Near Me - Kapolei, Hawaii

Drove from town to Kapolei to try this place out. We read mixed reviews online but wanted to try it as our anniversary dinner. Walked in at opening, and the female host in slippers didn't even acknowledge us. We had to say hello before she acknowledged our presence. Strike 1. The ambience was...meh...the booth seating looked cheap and the worn almost all the way through. First thing...no bread? Strike 2. First Italian restaurant that I've been to that didn't serve bread with the meal. The saving grace was our server. She was phenomenal. Super friendly and patient. We opted for the family combo, since it included the Cesar salad and I wanted to try their steak. Cesar salad...what's the hype guys. It's mediocre. Ribeye steak - asked for medium and they did a nice cook on it. Except that the first taste you get is the sugar from the sauce. Yuck. I was not expecting an overly sweetened steak. Speaking of the steak, it was a ribeye, but the quality of the meat itself tasted more like a strip. Chewy as hell. Not good. I'd rate the steak a 2/10. The papparadelle was cooked al dente. Maybe could have cooked it a touch longer, but both my wife and I were pleased with the plate. I'd rate it a 6/10. The Carbonnara pizza was my fave. Everyone was writing on Yelp that the pizza was small and thin. I didn't find that to be true. And if you ever go to Italy, you're not going to find Pizza Hut/Costco type pizzas. Flavor was decadent, not too salty, and the crust was great. Rate it a 9/10. The strike 3 though was after boxing up our meal and leaving, the same host just let us walk by without saying thank you or good night. It goes a long way being friendly. We won't be coming back because the value isn't really there, and the ambience is meh. Work on the look of the restaurant and get friendlier workers and you might have something there. read more

I'm so disappointed..... this was my second time here and the food/menu was nothing like the first time I came. I didn't care for the Cesar salad, it had full pieces of anchovies which I'm sure for most people is good, but it left an awful taste in my mouth. It was part of the lunch special..... the chicken sandwich wasn't that great. I was disappointed to learn that they didn't make Mac n cheese anymore! It was sooooo good, lucky thing my grand daughter didn't have a conniption! She elected to get the cheese pizza which was just sub par. Our server was the only great thing of the whole experience. read more