What is it about the hotel restaurants in Honolulu? It might be a Hawaii thing or even just a Waikiki thing, but I've never had such a good track record eating at hotel restaurants until my time here. Think about it as the difference between seeking them out for their menus vs reluctantly eating there because of the convenience. Located in the Surfjack Hotel, I immediately noticed how vibey and chill the decor was as soon as I walked in. It's like LA decided to escape and set up shop in Hawaii instead, bringing along some neon lighting in their carry-on luggage. Admittedly, I was a little confused by the huge pool in the middle of the restaurant (feels very LA to have a pool just for the aesthetic) but apparently Mahina & Sun's serves some poolside snacks. Allegedly. You'd have to try it and get back to me as I opted for the boring option: a dinner table. You can't go wrong with a restaurant's signature dish, so I went with their "off the hook" entree -- the fresh catch of the day with uala puree (Okinawan purple sweet potato), asparagus, and lemon butter coconut sauce. The uala puree, was in fact, not purple, and tasted more like a mashed potato puree instead of a sweet potato puree, which I preferred even though I was bamboozled. Service was kind though not the fastest, but that just gives you more time to soak in the vibes here. read more

Mahina & Sun's - Off the hook - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Stopped for a happy hour drink. Cute hidden spot with great happy hour drinks! Friendly bar tender. read more

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This was my second time in two months going to M&S for happy hour and music. I got it right this time ordering a double cocktail and a veggie pizza, it's the way to go. To do happy hour right, arrive before 5:30pm, step up to the bar and tell one of the bartenders what you want. If it's busy, be patient. The guys are all hardworking and fast. Take your drink to your seat and they'll bring your food. It's efficient. This is a good place to go, the drinks and food are good and fresh, the setting is chill, the live music is excellent. read more

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We had a large group and had the family menu, which was great. The fried whole fish was crunchy and the veg sides were fresh and interesting. I'd recomend beers and well drinks. We tried a variety of their cocktail menu drinks which were fine, but basic drinks would be a better choice imho. read more

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If you're looking for one of Waikiki's best hidden gems, Mahina & Sun's inside the Surfjack Hotel delivers a happy hour that's both stylish and approachable. The atmosphere is laid-back yet vibrant -- their breezy lanai lounge (The Cove) makes the perfect backdrop to sip and snack while soaking in Waikiki's sunshine. Service here is warm and attentive without being overbearing, and you can tell the staff really wants you to feel like a regular. What stood out most to me was the combination of quality and value during happy hour: * Fresh "2 Buck Shuck" oysters -- clean, briny, and perfect with a squeeze of lemon * House bubbles and prosecco ($8-$10) that felt like a steal in Waikiki * $5 Maui Brewing Co. cans or grab a bucket to share with friends * A flight of their signature dirty martinis ($24) -- balanced and strong, exactly what you want from a classic cocktail * And the "Royals," which they proudly call the coldest martinis in Hawai'i ($28) It's the kind of place where you can come straight from the beach, meet friends after work, or ease into a Waikiki night out. Between the retro Surfjack vibe, approachable pricing, and quality food & drinks, this is easily a go-to happy hour in Honolulu. -- Atmosphere, service, and flavors that deliver on all fronts. Bonus tip: they have free live music during most of the weekdays... Friday's musician was my favorite read more

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We stumbled upon this local hidden gem while on vacation in Waikiki recently and loved it so much, we actually went back two nights in a row ! We were staying at a hotel a block away and decided to explore . The bright pink neon sign was super inviting so we just walked right in . The sweet hostess checked us In and asked if we wanted a table to which we opted to just hang at the bar . The first night our bartender was this very tall man who was soo awesome . Im upset I didn't get his name, but he made us some bomb drinks and gave us some great recommendations to other bars around town with a similar vibe . The next night our bartender was Nini, who was equally as awesome ! We got different drinks this night along with some lumpia as a quick bite to eat . Overall, Mahina and Suns is a solid ! All the drinks we had were great, the lumpia was crispy and delicious, and the vibes were chill just how we like ! I totally would recommend this bar to people who want to just lay low in a cute environment and I would totally come back next time ! I need to try out their dinner menu ! read more

Mahina & Sun's - Foodie IG: @angiela.eats - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

I came here for a TimeLeft dinner and had a great time. The restaurant is inside of a hotel pool area which I was skeptical of. But the vibe inside is really cute, the host was very sweet! I was the first to get there and was quickly brought a few carafes of water. Then the next person showed up for the dinner, our waitress came by and took away the waters for some reason. Our table was arriving on Hawaiian time, so we didn't really even order drinks until 7:30. We were there for dinner and the menu looked great. I had the seared ahi which was great - big portion, had to take home half of it. The entrees in my opinion are a little overpriced, but what else do you expect in Waikiki. Truthfully wish we came for happy hour because that menu looks so good! Everything was great - the only thing I'd note (though I do understand our table was taking our sweet time)..was that our waitress just seemed very annoyed with us. People were asking her for suggestions or to help them make a decision between two things and she literally said "I'd honestly just suggest the whole menu to you because I don't know you or what you like" which yes, I mean valid - but clearly they mean what's the more popular choice, etc and you should be prepared as a server to have a few recommendations up your sleeve. A few of us tried to pay our bill with cash but apparently they are a cashless restaurant. read more

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Over pretty great! The good and service were good, live music by the pool was nice. Would recommend! read more

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Great happy hour in Waikiki! Came here on a date night-- it was far more casual than we expected. Poolside bar, not too much of a dine-in restaurant vibe. They did have a good happy hour though, we enjoyed the $8 cocktails! We tried "here comes the sun", and loved the Lilikoi/cinnamon combo. Their Paloma was also great! The happy hour veggie pizza was $15, and pretty good! We liked the arugula, but wished there were more veggies on there. The olives were a bit salty for our taste. Avocado tacos were a hit though! I've never tried fried avocados before, and it was amazing in the corn tortilla. I'd recommend for a quick bite, especially if you're already staying in the area/hotel. read more

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Easily now one of my favorite restaurants. Opened by Ed Kenney, of Mud Hen Water in Kaimuki, this new-er restaurant in the Skipjack Hotel in Waikiki, and much like his other restaurants, uses locally sourced ingredients and foods. And it's important to note, if you love Hawai'i then these are the kinds of restaurants we should be supporting because a sustainable future requires all of us to rely less on things coming in through Matson and Pasha containers. Anyway, this restaurant is romantic, especially if you get a booth, make a reservation in advance. Not a lot of seats, but there's also seating near the pool. Lunch time you order from the bar and it's mostly American like cuisine but the real reason to visit is for the creative dinner options. I highly recommend the oysters, they're huge and the sauce is perfect AND the uala and kalo, I don't know what's in the sauce but it has the right amount of olio and spice. We got the family meal with the fish of the day. Fried perfectly but we were a little confused in the end when we realized that we paid $35 per person for the preset meal AND the market value for the fish. So our amazing dinner was almost a hundred dollars more than we originally planned. Good thing we don't go out on date nights very often. We'd still return. It was really that good. We just might pass on the fish next time. read more

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My family is the biggest Obama fan so we couldn't have passed up the opportunity to dine at Mahina & Sun's during our stay at the Surfjack. Everything was delicious. We especially liked the fresh tuna and octopus dishes. My dad ordered the barrel aged Negroni drink which allegedly was what Obama had. We really enjoyed the vibe here. Not only did we get to dine at the convenience of the hotel lobby, they also had rotating artists performing music everyday. The wait staff were super friendly. Hotel guests get 15% off the total bill. In addition if you book your stay at the right time, you could also get $100 restaurant credit with 5+ nights of stay! read more

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Limited but tasty menu. Servers polite and helpful. Numerous hand crafted cocktails with very creative mixologists. Family feast for dinner is memorable experience with whole fish deep fried but still succulent when eating. read more

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Food is yummy here! Total hidden gem for pupus and drinks in the Surfjack hotel. We ordered their veggie pizza, pork spring rolls, pork tacos, and banana bread. My faves were the pizza and banana bread. If you sit at the bar you can order off their bar menu. They also have a happy hr menu too. read more

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We really like this restaurant--it has great vibes, a cute pool, and excellent service. The food comes in large portions and is nicely cooked. The chicken, in particular, is tender and flavorful. It's also in a great location, within walking distance of the main street. They host lunch parties on Saturdays and often have live music with talented singers performing great songs. read more

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Recommend by our hotel staff, they were right. Food was very good, service was excellent. Nice place. We enjoyed it. read more

Absolutely amazing experience both food and service. Unfortunately I forgot our waitress's name but she was loosing her voice and even with that she was awesome and made the best recommendations. The place itself is nice but could use some updates. We had the A'U Crudo and the octopus carpaccio for appetizers. Both great, but the Crudo was amazing and something we never had. 2 of us had the "Off the hook" meal Which was Ono with an incredible sauce, potato purée and asparagus. My son had the seared ahi which was very good but a bit overcooked. All in all a wonderful experience from our waitress and amazing meal. read more

I recently vacationed here in Hawaii and on the second part of my trip popped in here and stayed in a nearby hotel there on Wakiki Beach. I just happened to randomly walk in here on my last night in the island after reading some nice reviews and boy am I glad that I did. The restaurant was pretty busy that evening, but it didn't affect the cool, chill and laid back vibe with a very friendly greeting and pretty island music in the background that was playing live in the back near the pool. Since they were busy the manager helped out almost the whole time and kept checking up on me to make sure that I was okay. I had the oysters with a beautiful glass of Sauvignon Blanc wine for starters and a colorful salad. The specialty fish of the day was pan-seared in a deliciously creamy sauce and seasoned perfectly. And the presentation with the flower, Hawaiian mashed sweet potatoes and grilled asparagus brought a smile to my face (which was much needed that night after a stressful day of traveling and hopping islands) Overall my experience was quite wonderful here, with detail oriented service that was Not at all experience in other places on the big island or in some other parts of Oahu where the service was seriously lacking. I had both really great service and amazing food here. Both the service and especially the food were on point that particular night and finely executed. If I am ever traveling back to Oahu and staying on or near Wakiki Beach again, I will definitely re-visit for a dining experience here just for the food alone, but the service was what made it even better. I very Highly recommend this place! read more

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Tried out this place on a Timeleft event. Had never been there before. Would not know to go there. Like the casual atmosphere. Just so happen this was one of the stops o. The Ko Hana Lost and Found. Thee special drink was very unique read more

Mahina & Sun's - Queen Ann's Revenge - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

While looking for a good place to eat in Waikiki, we came across this gem that happens to be part of a boutique hotel. The restaurant is indoor/outdoor and is adjacent to the hotel pool. We had no trouble getting reservations, but don't let that fool you. The cocktails are unique and beautiful. The food offerings are just as great. There were so many delicious sounding options to choose from, we couldn't decide, but had our eyes on the whole fried fish. The food was delicious, the service was impeccable and friendly, and they had a habanero hot sauce. That was the only spicy touch we could find on the island. We enjoyed this restaurant so much. We decided to come back the next day for dinner again. read more

Mahina & Sun's - Kale Caesar salad - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Good vegetarian options and mocktails and an interesting vibe in a hotel bar. Would go back again

I ordered the seared ahi and my husband ordered the pasta, both were fantastic! The service and atmosphere were also great! I love this place read more

Mahina & Sun's - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Lisa was amazing! We were there for a private event and the staff was on their game...from the friendly security greeting you to the wait staff..food was yummy and it was a really cool vibe inside! read more

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I was visiting with my partner and their group of friends (total of 12). I wouldn't recommend this restaurant to anyone ever. Overpriced, WORST service, and portions were extremely small. Just a typical place to eat and not accommodating at all. It was the worst meal of our entire vacation. read more

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Dining at Mahina and Sons on a Friday night is a great way to end your work week. Reservations were easy and directions to parking was clear. We were greeted both by the hotel front desk as well as the restaurant host. Seating was comfortable and there was a very relaxing, cool vibe. we sat poolside with live music. We ordered the seared ahi and the "off the hook." They seem to use sashimi grade or something close to it for their seared ahi. It was raw in the middle, but not grainy. Definitely seemed fresh. The chili pepper aïoli was on point and all the veggies, including limu , were fresh and very flavorful. The dish titled "off the hook" is made with Ono. It was cooked perfectly. The sauce was rich, but not overpowering. Loved it. On to dessert! We had the banana pudding and the mango sorbet. I don't know if they make the sorbet in house, but it tasted like a frozen mango - - very good! The banana pudding was inhaled because it was light, but not airy. Fresh bananas and a not super sweet banana pudding/whip cream on top. Two fresh fish dinners, two desserts, and a glass of wine came out to $100 total. Again, it's a great place when you wanna relax but not fall asleep. read more

Mahina & Sun's - "Off the Hook"--fish: Ono - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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I ate here on a Tuesday night with a group of 8. We were seated quickly even though our whole group hadn't arrived yet. I had the Martini* which was fantastic! I'm a bit of a Martini aficionado and this was one of the best I've had and met some critical criteria: "large and very strong and very cold, and very well made (bonus if you know the author)." On to food, which was very good. The smoked marlin appetizer was well done and a great accompaniment for a martini. A bunch of us shared the family feast which was indeed a feast (3 people minimum)! Two notes: first be prepared to carve the whole fish - I would expect the staff to help if you're not comfortable doing it yourself but we didn't test that. Second, the price is $37 per person PLUS the market price of the fish. It's still worth it but sits better when you know what you're paying. I thought that the menu made that clear but could see how you'd miss it if you're engaged with your group. Again I highly recommend the feast! Overall a great place for a group meal. *Gin of course, without Gin and vermouth it's simply a cocktail...getting off my soapbox now read more

Wow. I was so excited to try this place for my birthday. I made reservations, I had guests visiting from out of state. I chose my perfect outfit, I ordered my special cake, I called the restaurant ahead of time to ask them about bringing a cake, which they allowed, and did mention it was my birthday. When we arrived, we were a party of 4 and they seated us inside, in a dark corner in the back. There was a much larger party taking up all the attention in the middle of the dining room, and our service was terrible. It was actually embarrassing. The cocktails were shockingly mid, and sounded far more interesting on paper but actually we could barely drink ours. Every single thing we needed a server for took forever because apparently our party was forgettable. Our food was okay, nothing memorable. When it came time to find someone to ask them to bring out the cake, that took forever, and then they took I'm not kidding another 20 mintues to bring it out to us. Our servers weren't UNKIND, they were just treating our table as an afterthought. I was very disappointed because I really wanted to like this place. I am unlikely to return because I feel their whole schtick is to just look good for social media, not actually serve customers in a manner that will keep them returning. Or maybe next time I should bring 10 more people so we're more worthy of your attention. read more

Cool vibe, good drinks, good food, and great service. Has all of the markings of a place I'd wanna return to. The live music was good, too. We did the chef's tasting menu "the feast" and the food was great. Fish was delicious and the side dishes were good, too, especially the root vegetables. The $37pp is for the appetizer, side dishes and dessert and you pay another $63 for the whole fish which was the main tonight. With a group of 3, we ended up paying $93pp which included a drink each. Not bad for a tasting menu! read more

We booked Mahina & Sun's because we wanted fresh local ingredients with a contemporary twist and they delivered on all levels, quality of food, excellent preparation, attentive service and classy retro Waikiki ambiance. Wow. Located a few blocks from Waikiki beach, Mahina & Sun's was nestled into the retro Surfjack hotel and presented cozy tables indoors as well as around the dreamy illuminated blue water pool. Lovely atmosphere with soothing contemporary Hawaiian music throughout the evening on Saturday night. Everything we ordered was fresh, well presented and perfectly en pointe: Oysters on the half shell Avocado Tacos Naked Pig (bacon) Pizza Smoked Ahi Spread 1/2 Roasted Chicken Pork Shoulder Luau Seared Ahi Beef Burger The Queen's Gambit Martini was an absolute stunner, partially encased in a mountain of ice and generous enough for 2 servings! Bonus: This restaurant, newly opened at the time, was chosen by Barack Obama to host the Zuckerbergs during a visit during his last term as Potus. This was the perfect experience for one of our last meals in Waikiki. Memorable! read more

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Had the smoked ahi dip. Nothing particularly amazing in my opinion. Tasted like smoked whitefish dip we get in Michigan. 3/5 Had the chicken wings as well. More like fried chicken w some spice. 3/5 Had the pork chop and I would say this was my favorite by far. 5/5. Well seasoned and the sauce was delicious. A perfect plate. MY son had the fish and chips and it was pretty basic. 3/5. Tiny fish portion for the price. My daughter had the pizza and she ate it all. Said it was really good. 5/5 My wife had the risotto. She said it was a 4. Said the shrimp was over seasoned and the risotto was under seasoned. Neat place w ambiance and glad we tried. Was good for my wife who has celiac. I'd say a 3.5/5 especially w the cost. read more

Came for the happy hour. We come here for the nightly music and just never ate here. The happy hour was pleasantly good. We got the pepperoni pizza it like a flat bread pizza. The fish and chips was food, the fries was perfectly fried. Crispy and soft in the middle. I thought I wouldn't like it as I usually don't like crinkled fries but in this case they were satisfying. We also got the lumpia it comes with 4 and they are larger in size compared the last place we ordered them. They were meaty. The sauce is good but I like the Thai sweet chili sauce with my lumpia. Happy hour is seating at the bar only. Time is 11:30 -5:30. We don't drink but everyone around us seems to enjoy their drinks. It is dog friendly here too. read more

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If it's good enough for former President Obama it's got to be GOOD Located in the lobby area of the Surfjack Hotel, You'll find Mahina & Sun's with bar and table seating. They have an area on the east side of the restaurant cornered off. I suppose that's designed for larger groups. or, even the President of the United States. Despite being in Waikiki (dead center of Waikiki I'd say) their menu items are priced right. I'd suggest the family feast $37 per person giving you a chance to try their signature dishes. This visit caused my dining partners to order starters and their main entree claiming the Family Feast was too much for their tummies. Whatever you do BE SURE TO GET THEIR BANANA PUDDING DESSERT. Parking? Slim to none. They validate parking over at the Hyatt Centric on Kuhio and Seaside. DRIVERS! know this or you will be one sad puppy driving around on the hunt for a parking stall. Your other alternative (smarter alternative I think) is to Uber/Lyft to Mahina & Sun's. Service EXCELLENT Entertainment regular here! so check the schedule before you go, just in case you have a favorite entertainer.... Hana Hou! read more

I came here because of the ad on television stating that they were celebrating Bastille day ! What better combination to be in Hawaii and celebrating Bastille day! Since having lived in France I have of course celebrated this very special holiday first every year. First time to celebrate this French holiday in Hawaii. However, lol Lisa the mgr had to do most of the service as my server was an attentive and was not pleased with me not excepting Burnt Rye bread toast with my escargot order! I had to of course explained that Ryebread is never served as a substitute, for baguette! Especially burnt! She then tried to explain to me that the menu, even though it said, baguette was not updated yet because they did not have any baguette?? Lisa promptly went in, obtain the correct accompaniment to my Escargot, which was as described on the menu as baguette! For the main dish, I ordered bouillabaisse, which was fantastic! The route was perfect and the octopus was it added treat! I haven't decided if I will return here again, but it was a nice way to celebrate, Quatorze Juliet in Hawaii! read more

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Honestly this place was amazing. My partner and I wanted a nice but not too fancy dinner for our last night in Hawaii and this place was exactly that. We went on a Monday night with no reservations and were seated promptly. We got the Green Goddess and some fries to start, and I had the Off the Hook (swordfish) and my partner had the hand made cavatelli. All were great, but particularly recommend the Green Goddess and Off the Hook combo -- I'm not usually a big fish entree person, but I really enjoyed it. read more

Mahina & Sun's - Off the hook (swordfish) - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

This place is a hidden gem. The food is amazing with some unique preparations. The cocktail menu has some twists to familiar recipes. The lemon cello is a family recipe and is a fantastic after dinner aperitif. The service was excellent and they went at our pace. We did not feel rushed although it was busy night. It's located in an historic hotel which gives it a unique feel. read more

Cocktails amazing! Food -average at best. Pizza -cold cheese on top not melted(undercooked). I was a guest at hotel and they did not give guest discount on bill after writing room number on check, informing wait staff and many attempts to get credit. Frustrating! Love the hotel vibe, front desk, location is great! read more

Great food! Friendly service. Nice atmosphere. We always make a stop here when in Oahu! Definitely give them a visit! They don't disappoint!

Mahina in Hawaiian means moon. We came here for dinner. It is located at The Surfjack Hotel & Swim Club. The ambiance is casual with nightly entertainment 6:30PM - 9PM. We started with cocktails. I had the Escape, which is their twist on a pina colada and painkiller. It was great. One of us had the Trinidad Sour, which we all thought was unique. As an entree I had the seared ahi. It came with kalo (taro) that was fried. We all enjoyed our food and had a great time. It exceeded my expectations. read more

Mahina & Sun's - Cocktails - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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We couldn't have asked for a more delightful experience! Four of us enjoyed the Family Style Dinner -- the fish for the night was red snapper, deliciously fried and accompanied by three house-made sauces, pesco crudo (melt-in-your-mouth blue marlin), pickled vegetables, cucumber salad, rice, bok choy, taro with an amazing garlic aioli, and refreshing and light banana pudding. The live music was beautiful, the service friendly, and the atmosphere so comfortable and tropical! Highly, highly recommend!! read more

Mahina & Sun's - The four of us shared two fish! The waitress did a great job recommending the size of fish to order! - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

I was invited for a happy hour excursion on a Friday afternoon and we chose Mahina & Sun's. Essentially a restaurant, bar, and pool bar, it's easily located just off Lewers in the Surfjack Hotel. They have all kinds of seats: comfortable cushy wood chairs, picnic tables, bar stools, sofas, and indoor tables and seats. In the afternoon it's warm with the sun hitting the chairs closer to the pool. One main reason we went here was it's dog friendly, there were a few about and ours was happy to be along. You order at the bar, food is brought to the table, drinks to you while you wait. The menu is available online; be sure to look at the happy hour menu separately as the prices and selection are different. We ordered a few beers (served in cans or on draft, glasses available), and each ordered a taro burger, which is their own veggie burger. I loved the flavors and consistency of the "meat", it was a really delicious take on it and the happy hour price was even better. The only real negative was the service wasn't great; it seemed no one that was working that day was happy to be there, which really felt like a drag on our fun Aloha Friday. Maybe that was just day; we do look forward in going again soon. They take reservations, which seem like a good idea as the night progresses. This is definitely a hidden gem of a spot in Waikiki. read more

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Peaceful evening celebrating Valentines Day at Mahina & Sun's restaurant in the Surfjack Hotel. They had many options for dinner ranging from dinner sets, Valentines specials and Mardi Gras selections. The decor is tropical and there are options to sit indoors, close to the pool or on the patio. The food was well cooked and I ate everything quickly. Ordered the shrimp cocktail, the pork dinner entre, and the chocolate tart. I took a pic of some of my food selections. Service was perfect in my opinion. The waitress was great - she did everything perfectly and had a great smile. I found parking at the Centric hotel on Seaside Avenue. Pull a ticket, park and get ticket validated by the Mahina staff. $8 for 4 hours. read more