Went here for their brunch menu! Ordered their tasting trio that comes with hummus, tzatziki, burrata with fresh made pita bread, ahi crudo, and margerita pita pizza. Everything was delish! Nice restaurant in the new Renaissance Hotel & Residences. read more

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Aloha, celebrated a GFs birthday and tried almost all of the dishes since there was 6 of us. This restaurant is ono. Great different flavors and fun sharable dishes. A little on the expensive side as in the high-rent district of the new hotel on Kapiolani Blvd. Fun cocktails and nice wine list. Enjoy! read more

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Went her for Sunday brunch, also mom's birthday. We made a reservation for 5 at 1:30 just in case and got seated early. The host was very friendly, inside was clean, looked very sophisticated. The ambience was casual but upscale. We got the option for sparkling water and it was lovely. Always made sure we had water at the table. Drinks were tasty, about $15+ a drink. It's $44 per person for brunch, you get an app, entree, and dessert or you can just get appetizers which are priced separately and honestly just as expensive. The lamb pizza was ok, I felt it was missing something and honestly lacking toppings. The Mara Mary was good and quite refreshing. The best things were the appetizers before our meals. The ahi crudo was exceptional and fresh! The avocado toast was incredible too and the flavors melted together in your mouth with the chili oil! Margherita pitza was just tomato sauce mostly, it was still good but not what we expected. Truly an experience but we certainly spent a lot. read more

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I really want to love this place but I will say there are a little hiccups. Based off the food, I would come back just to try their dinner menu. Overall food quality was great but some dishes had way too much olive oil drizzled on and service could be a little lacking at times. I made reservations for brunch and when we all entered we saw the host talking on the phone so we just patiently waited by the front. Maybe a minute or two later we saw another worker at the front but talking to the other worker. I understand if the host is busy but we weren't acknowledged at all at least for 5-10 minutes. It just felt awkward standing there. Eventually we got seated. I will say the decor and furnishing of the restaurant is really nice with a huge bar area and spacious tables. The booth seating was cushy and a little high off the ground but luckily there was a foot rest under. We all selected items from the brunch pre fixe. Majority of the menu was pre fixe so you get one app, entree, and dessert. The only ala carte items you could order were certain apps like the seafoods or tasting trio (dips and pita bread) Starting with the appetizers our party got the ahi crudo, kona kampachi, beef kibbeh nayeh, and the beets and citrus salad. My favorite was the beef kibbeh which is like minced beef lettuce wraps and the beets and citrus salad. The beets were cooked nicely and the texture difference with the cheese and crunchy toppings seemed harmonious. The tasting trio was amazing as well. The pita was warm, pillowy and soft. The stracciatella sauce was so good I would've bought a container of it. The hummus was good as well but the tzatziki sauce I felt needed to be eaten with something other than bread. The ahi crudo I felt was very overpowered by the olive oil. All the ingredients were masking the ahi flavor. I enjoyed the kona kampachi which had trout roe on top which reminded me of smoky flavored ikura. The sweetness of the mandarin orange was a nice touch. For the main courses we ordered the shakshuka, kataifi eggs, coconut french toast, and the lamb kofta pizza. The coconut french toast and the kataifi eggs came out first. As we were about to eat, they were dropping off other dishes to our table which we didn't order so we sent them back. The coconut french toast reminded me of a soft bread pudding with a crispy crust. I loved the texture but I did feel the lilikoi curd made it a little too sweet. It was a good French toast but I think it would be elevated if it had a Haupia cream in the center. The kataifi eggs had ingredients prepared well overall but felt it didn't go together as a dish. The charred mushrooms didn't really complement the crispy rice noodles and eggs. Maybe it would be enjoyed as a sandwich? After eating our 2 dishes we had to ask what happened to our other entrees. I guess it wasn't conveyed there was a mix up so the kitchen didn't make the other dishes. After waiting and receiving the other dishes, we tried the shakshuka and the lamb pizza. The shakshuka was interesting to me because it had a cinnamon sweet taste added to the tomato sauce. The egg whites were slightly undercooked and clear so we just decided to pack the rest up. The lamb pizza was really good but it did feel like the crust had too much olive oil on it as well. For desserts, we got the manoa chocolate sokolatina and rice pudding. All the desserts were great but my favorite was the sokolatina. The cake was rich and decadent which a creamy salted caramel ice cream. The rice pudding was good but you def need to mix up the olive oil before you take a bite. The sour cherry was a nice contrast. Unfortunately our friends dessert had a bug on it so we had to send it back. I'm thankful that management came by to apologize for the mishaps and comp some items. But we also had to wait awhile before anyone rang up our card. When we were leaving we decided to ask the worker at the front to take our photo. Before we were even all ready to take a photo, she started snapping pics and did not seem like she was giving much effort to take a nice photo. It was clearly not even busy at the front so we were a bit off put. Honestly the food quality was great but I do feel like they could tone it down a little on the olive oil in their dishes. Service was a bit spotty in terms of attentiveness and hope that maybe it was just an off day or that they will improve in the future. read more

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Ambiance - it has fantastic feel and vibe to the place. Drinks We ordered lemonade and Ube lemonade. What I think - like the thought of including these in the menu. What can be done- lemonade should not be a concentrated drink. It should be made with fresh lemons and sugar. Strain it if you don't want pulp. The real fresh lemonade would take this to a whole new level. Same goes for Ube. I would prefer it to be crafted differently. You don't really taste the difference and it looks ordinary. Food- Margarita Pizza- Well, it didn't taste out of the world. The pizza though was thin and limp. I would not recommend it. It is just a margarita, it can be made to perfection. I was truly disappointed. Kids cheeseburger- this was delicious and amazing. loved it. The bun was perfect and the burger inside cooked to perfection. The melted cheese took it to a whole new level. Filet Mignon kebab - this was great . The steak pieces ( you get two) was amazing. Fresh vegetables on the fresh pita bread was great. The tzatziki was delectable. Snapper Burger- this was outstanding. . Fish fillet was great. I had asked for salad, but was served fries instead. They replaced it with salad. Again since I don't take dairy, which I mentioned, feta cheese was added. I think this would be the waiters mistake since he wasn't paying attention. Service- Even though we were seated, and all of us in the table, the waiter took a good 12-13 mins a before he came to take the order. We were almost about to leave. Actually we were very upset and disappointed. The person who was supposed to take our orders was just loitering around. Wasn't careful enough paying attention to the orders hence a lot of goof-ups. Cross contamination is something that is not taken seriously here. Places of improvement- always ask your guest for food allergies, wait tables when you have guest and take the whole level of customer experience to a new level, food can be improved and I expected a lot more when it came to Mediterranean cuisine. Overall a lot needs to be improved with the place. I was disappointed and writing this at the restaurant. Had high hopes but, .... If you need more feedback let me know. read more

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Came here for Sunday brunch and the service was good but the food was average. I probably won't be back for a while until they improve their menu. read more

Pleasantly surprised! It is a modern Mediterranean cuisine. Having recently traveled to Morocco the dishes are served in tagine pots. I am not totally sure if these are only for presentation but the tastes were very good. Creative and modern menu with fresh local ingredients make it a good blend of Pacific-Asian-Mediterranean fusion. Excellent service in a well appointed modern design. A great evening read more

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Came here with a medium sized group and sat in the back room. It is a beautiful restaurant but can get quite noisy. The staff is really nice and they have a sommelier present as well. I will say lunch may have more items like pizza and burgers. The food is quite pricy though. The trio is amazing. We got two to share for 7 people but probably could have ordered just one. The entrees aren't too large and we did shared a couple. The linguine was good but maybe a tad bit oily and the zucchini chips towards the middle and bottom were quite soggy. You're really paying for the ambiance during dinner but it was a nice experience and the flavors were decent! I would want to try again for happy hour instead though. The drinks during dinner were also very expensive but that's how things are these days! read more

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Service was great, food was great, kids meal was great, dessert was great! parking was convenient. Will come again read more

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3hr Validated self parking, clean lovely venue, friendly service, tasty food, beautiful presentation. However what was disappointing happened when I was told the menu on their website is 7 months old so I wasn't able to order what I had already decided from their online lunch menu. Seemed very deceptive however overall the experience was positive. Don't know if I'll be returning since their menu options are limited regarding Greek dishes. read more

Im not usually a huge Mediterranean food person, but I really enjoyed everything here! My friends and I got the tasting trio, beet salad, monchong, and ahi crudo and it was all very yummy. Service was amazing, the server and wine sommelier were super knowledgeable and helped us choose 2 bottles of wine which were sooo good! For 2 bottles and a good amount of food the prices are reasonable for an upscale place. read more

Mara - Tasting trio - Mediterranean Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Birthday dinner with my good friendy never disappoints! We ordered the appetizer tasting trio with tzatziki, hummus, burrata spreads and the tasty salted naan bread, fluffy & light. Next, the fire roasted roasted eggplant, monchong aqua pazza style, beet and citrus salad was soooo perfectly prepared. The hip and chic ambiance & dim lighting made this place that much better. Our waitress was amazing, she made sure to check on us and was very attentive and pleasant at every moment she came by. I haven't had such great customer service in a long time! Will be back real soon! read more

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Great atmosphere and service. Easy parking Few issues Sat at bar which smelled bad. Like spoiled vine or something Ordered lamb wellington that came raw . Pastry also not cooked. See pics attached For $150 ( with tip) dinner one person way overpriced and not executed right. Never a fan of restaurants that create menu where you need to order a side. And when you do pay $12 for 50cents worth of potatoes read more

Mara - Raw lamb - Mediterranean Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Went here for breakfast with my friends, and the food was sooo good! I had the yuzu pancakes, and they were such a treat! Service was friendly and attentive. Got lucky and was able to park right out front for free on Sunday. I can't wait to try out their brunch and dinner menus! read more

Mara - Yuzu pancakes - Mediterranean Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Oh my Mara! Have I been the only one hiding under a rock or what?! I was today's old when I found out about the new Mara restaurant located in the "new" Renaissance Hotel! Overall, a very vibey and hot new restaurant! We had the best experience from drinks to entrees and dessert! Great place for girls night, date night, or even a solo night. A few friends and I decided to try this place to celebrate my graduation and I felt all the love! The kind sommelier got a round for us, which was super sweet. Here's what we got: (and would get again LOL) TASTING TRIO hummus, tzatziki, stracciatella $28 -we tried to rate each one but tbh they were all so tasty in their own way. I personally enjoyed the stracciatella (Tomato base with cheese) and the hummus was outstanding. -pro tip- get the trip if you can't decide on one! P.S you wanna order the extra "free" naan bread! It was perfectly made: crispy and soft/chewy ahhh AHI CRUDO* chili crisp, crush castelvetrano olives, lemon gel $21 -refreshing and good quality of fish -the perfect sized bite BEET & CITRUS whipped manouri cheese, kalamata vinaigrette $21 -very refreshing and light beet salad -I'm personally not the biggest beet girl but I really enjoyed the texture and flavor combo BEEF KIBBEH NAYEH* bulgar, pickled onions, sumac, little gems $24 -good texture and flavor -beef tartare vibes HAND-CUT LINGUINE FRUTTI DI MAR(A) prawns, uni pasta $36 -delicious and not soo rich -I'm a sucker for hand-made pasta and it was perfectly al dente and the flavors from the prawn and uni sauce was chefs kiss ROASTED LAMB LOIN* "WELLINGTON" spanakopita, feta, spinach, small kine farm mushrooms $48 -jaw dropped at the stunning lamb welling! -cooked medium rare to perfection inside with the crispy spanakopita on the exterior -tender and tasty with the demi sauce with mushrooms For dessert we got the- KÜNEFE fresh farmer's cheese, pistachio, orange blossom, honey $14 -recommended by the sommelier -fun fact that they use local and fresh cheese for this dessert -it was pretty tasty but the honey was a bit too much for me I would probably order the MANOA CHOCOLATE SOKOLATINA again LOL $16 Moist and not overly sweet chocolate cake! Cocktails were so good! They each had their own flare and the presentation was lovely! The only one we probably wouldn't order again is the Bon Voyage lol. Not our cup of cocktail lol. Very strong and Smokey flavor. I think we tried the rest of the cocktails and all were tastyyy Service was very personable and top tier! Everyone was friendly and checked in regularly on us. The humor was extra bonus too! Overall a magical and fun experience! Can't wait to try the breakfast and brunch/lunch menu! Thank you to my girls for the memorable and fun girls night out :) grateful heart and belly! read more

Mara - Mediterranean Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

We visited Mara for my husband's 41st birthday in April with a party of 8! Considering Mara had just opened I had a bit of anxiety about trying a new spot with a large party for such an important occasion but my intuition told me we'd have a great time. As always, my intuition is never wrong. 5-STARS FOR STYLE: Mara is brought to you by the Mina Group and it's a vibe! The decor is gorgeous and when you walk in you're instantly transported to a place where you feel like you've made all the right choices! It's so great to be able to dress up with your friends at a spot that feels so alive! DELICIOUS BITES: Our friends are our family, so we ordered a bunch of items and did shared plates. Favorite highlights: - Pita bread in the tasting trio was so hot and fluffy! - Hubby really enjoyed the beef carpaccio. - Hamachi crudo was phenomenal. - Lamb shank served in tajine is not to be missed. - Pavlova & rice pudding desserts were divine! - We also ordered the kids menu chicken nuggets and grilled cheese meals to offset the ridiculous amounts of celebratory wine. We all agreed that this is the best pre-hangover prevention medicine ever. 50-STARS FOR SERVICE: Our server Shy was amazing and killed it the entire evening! The sommelier Kalani was also outstanding and they both made my husband's birthday extra special. Would return just to see them again! THUMBS DOWN: My one big thumbs down for the evening was the music was sooooo loud. I'm not a granny buzz kill, but when you can barely hear the person sitting next to you, it's a really big problem that I hope will be addressed. LOCATION & PARKING: Mara is located in the brand spanking new Renaissance Hotel on Kapiolani Boulevard right across from Ala Moana Center. Pull up to valet and Mara will validate parking for three hours. If you don't want to valet, there's lots of metered parking on the street right behind the hotel. read more

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My mother, known for her discerning palate, found her favorites in the IL SILENZIO and Mamma Mia after exploring the extensive drink menu. I shared her appreciation for the IL SILENZIO and also enjoyed the robust and classic Penicillin cocktail. Our meal began with an exquisite trio of starters: ahi crudo, grilled octopus, and scallop ceviche, each a unique blend of textures and Mediterranean infused flavors. The main courses were pretty good, featuring monchong, roasted lamb Wellington, and filet mignon, each dish - tasty in their own way. To be honest the Wellington was a bit underwhelming- partially due to my high expectations due to what I saw through social media. The Manoa chocolate cake we had for dessert was decadently rich, providing a sublime conclusion to our meal. Although the restaurant was exceptionally busy and service was slightly delayed, the quality and artistry of the cuisine made it well worth the wait. We will be back for sure. read more

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Mara in Honolulu is one of our favorite new dining spots. The extensive wine menu, curated by Sommelier Furya, perfectly complements the exceptional food. We tried the hummus, wood-fired bread, steak, and a pasta dish--each cooked to perfection. The staff were exceptional in every way. The Mediterranean-seasoned steak stood out as our favorite. Located on Kapiolani, Mara is a must-visit. read more

Mara - Mediterranean Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Had a reservation here on a Sunday afternoon. I arrived before my party and was pleasantly surprised that there was a nice waiting area while I wait to be seated. We ordered the tasting trio to share and I ordered the jidori chicken sandwich, which were all so good! I would definitely go back. read more

Food-- 5/5 The food is delicious! Our favorite of all time is the dip trio. Everything else is really fresh & curated to their cuisine. We've been several times for dinner, but we also went to their Thanksgiving service...it's always super yummy. Service-- 5/5 Have never encountered any negative staff members. Kale, the sommelier, always has great recommendations and is super delightful to talk to. Price-- 2.5/5 The food is expensive! Expensive even for downtown Honolulu standards, especially considering the menu is mostly tapas or tapas portion sizes. read more

As of May 2024, Mara is one of the hot, new, and hyped restaurants. Fortunately it delivers. There's nothing else like it in Honolulu. Some might say Istanbul but I beg to differ. Istanbul is very very ordinary food in a bougie setting. I had breakfast there once and I felt like I got pickpocketed while dining at Denny's. Mara is infinitely more special than Istanbul due to its highly innovative fare, exquisite presentation, and incredible service - and as a result is one of the best restaurants on Oahu. One thing that is very cool here is the unlimited hearth-baked pita bread that is served straight from the oven. I know I've been ripping on Istanbul but do they even make their own pita? If so, it's not good because I don't remember it. This pita is AMAZING. Its served so hot, you can't even touch it for a couple minutes after its been delivered. We got: Bocconcino Whipped Burrata ($21) - An interesting dish I have never seen before. Whipped Burrata surrounded by a roasted beet Purée. Great with the complimentary homemade pita. Saganaki ($26) - A **MUST TRY** on the menu. Cheese served sizzling hot by a member of the kitchen staff who does final prep table side. Took us by surprise since the menu didn't mention this. Absolutely delicious, unique in Hawaii, and a generous portion perfect for sharing and eating with the homemade pita. Hilopites & Cheese ($10) - A side item that is delicious. The side items are a terrific value at only $10. This is basically a greek version of Mac & Cheese. Very tasty and highly recommended. Fire-Roasted Eggplant ($10) - A **HUGE** side dish. I can't believe how big this was. Great value and perfectly roasted. Hand-Cut Linguine Frutti Di Mara ($36) - Excellent dish. On the smaller side. With our party of 4, it was two bites per person. If you get this dish, get a side item. I probably would not order this again based on the small size. Mongchong - Pomfret Prepared Acqua Pazza Style ($38) - Fish was perfectly cooked. My mom wanted the sauce. There are other sauce options I'd rather have tried. Still, it was very good. [DESSERT] Fresh Farmers Cheese Kunefe ($15) - A sweet cheese crepe that had a nice balance of sweetness to complement the cheese. [Dessert] Manoa Chocolate Sokolatina ($14) - Basically a chocolate cake. It was ok. Nothing too special. Was pretty small also. Not really worth the money. Probably the least compelling item on the menu that we tried. It was the birthday of one person in our party. Nothing complementary was offered. This dish is about the same size and quality and you would expect as a complimentary birthday item. FINAL THOUGHTS - This place does deliver and is worth the cost. If we go back, we will likely mostly get sharable items and sides. These seem to be the best value. Valet parking is free read more

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Loved this spot! Great drinks and food. Bartenders could have been a little friendlier and more welcoming. Other than that I highly recommend and will be back again. read more

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Uh...what should I say. It was prettiest food that tasted exactly the same. Everything tasted strangely the same...salad, entrees, sauces, sandwiches. The taste was somewhat mediocre Mediterranean and the chicken was so overcooked I could not cut it with a knife...nor could the manager. The tartar was just going bad. The service was comparable to the flavoring of the food -- leaving you wondering. The decor was the only redeeming quality. And...we got to sit for a long time and experience it. We just go our bill. $233 for three people. Wtf. read more

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Service was phenomenal, everyone very helpful and helped recommend their popular dishes. Portion sizes are good for sharing, everything is light and didnt make me feel bloated after eating. Overall everyone was satisfied with their meal. Would come back again! read more

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Walked in at lunch and was seated immediately. I ordered and received food very quickly. I ordered Crispy Calamari and Shrimp Fritto Misto. Although it was delicious, there was no shrimp on the plate! It was all Calamari which was quite disappointing. I ordered the Mediterranean Lunch and that was mostly enjoyable. Hummus and Naan Bread were excellent. Both were filling. Grilled kebab flatbread Platter was underwhelming. Kebabs were too charred for my liking and I had to use the sauces from the Calamari for it to taste better. The flatbread was mostly a rock and I couldn't finish it. The dessert was amazing! Greek yogurt soft serve with baklava crumble tasted so delicious that I couldn't get enough of it. The honey in there made the whole soft serve. I dined in because I was staying at Renaissance Honolulu and the destination fee is a $48 fee that includes an F&B credit for the dining options and the hotel so I used it here. Server was mostly attentive and very friendly. Hosts and food runner were friendly. Ambience was very clean, bright and welcoming. I'll come here again to use my F&B credit the next time I stay at the Renaissance Honolulu. read more

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The service was wonderful! Our server was very patient and friendly with our indecisive party. The appetizers and desserts were delicious! We especially loved the spread trio, beef kibbeh, fried calamari, and pavlova. The pavlova was suuuuuuuuper yummy! The brussels sprout and potato sides were also tasty. The one star down is because we didn't enjoy the main dishes as much. They were prepared well, but the flavors didn't seem special. read more

I wanted to like it. I tried to like it. I kept making excuses (like, "they're new") for the sub par service (we were brought someone else's dishes like 6 times), but in the end it was just not that interesting, especially for the price. Not that anything was really bad, it just wasn't really good. We ate in the cocktail area, which we thought would be less noisy, but the open door and car exhaust from Kapiolani Blvd. were less than pleasant. The cocktails were unremarkable. The pita was oily. The saganaki bites said nothing about cheese on the menu, and yet they were 80% cheese. The Lamb Wellington was strange, because the mushroom duxelles were served alongside instead of baked into the dish (although the lamb was cooked nicely). I would go again if someone invited me, but it's not like I'm dying to go back. read more

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Loved it! We were excited to try this new restaurant and we were not disappointed. Every dish was so tasty and the presentation was beautiful. The restaurant itself is very nice and the lighting, furniture, and open kitchen layout really elevates the experience. Making a reservation was easy and we were able to call in that day to book. Admittedly, the service in the beginning was a bit slow but, a manager came by and noticed we were sitting for a while with no drinks and she assisted us. After that, no issues. They even have an in-house sommelier! Would definitely go back. Even to just sit at the bar for cocktails. read more

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Food A- ( Appetizers are amazing but entrees were lacking.) Service A (with one exception but I'm leaving it out of the overall rating because it's not fair to dock this establishment on one person's actions and attitude). Ambiance A+ Finally got to try Mara after months of eyeing their menu. I went during brunch/lunch hours on a Sunday hoping for a more relaxed setting- the perfect time to come with a stroller. It's a quiet lull post brunch rush. The wait staff was ultra accommodating and friendly. This is a gorgeous restaurant. They went above and beyond with the decor. We ordered the trio of spreads - hummus, tzatziki and a mouth watering burrata beet spread. The hummus and tzatziki were tasty but the burrata beet spread is the star. You must try it. The pita was fresh, hot and fluffy. Their shellfish tasting of kampachi, ahi and oysters was also delicious. I think the tasting is supposed to come with Uni but we got an ahi substitution- disappointing but the ahi WAS DELICIOUS. The seafood is fresh and the crudos were dressed with uniquely Mediterranean flavors, a nice departure from the norm here in Hawaii. The beef Kibbeh was what drew me in to Mara in the first place, and boy was it outstanding. This version of a beef tartare was fresh and the flavors were just so delicious. I would order a few of these next time because our table couldn't get enough of it. The burger was a standard burger with a generous slab of feta on it. Not bad but not noteworthy. The fries were delicious and the servers were awesome and brought out ranch and ketchup for the kid in our party. The Snapper burger was so crisp and delicious. The fish was perfectly fried and moist inside. The Shakshuka was very ordinary. It came with one egg which was surprising since the dish was a pretty large portion of sauce and chickpeas. The yuzu pancakes were thick and dense but very satisfying. They almost tasted like cornbread pancakes. I'd love to come back to try their dinner menu at some point. The parking situation is strange. While you get free validation the parking lot's elevator leads to the street where you need to reenter the adjacent building (hotel entrance) to reach the restaurant. The bad- The hostess was one of the rudest most unwelcoming people I've encountered. Scowled at me when I approached the podium to check into my reservation ( I smiled and she literally looked down at her phone and rolled her eyes before looking back up.) she insisted we didn't have a reservation even after I showed her the confirmation email. When I entered the bathroom to wash my hands, she happened to be in there on her phone at the sink, and again a SCOWL like I scorned her in a past life or something. She made the checking in process so uncomfortable our party almost left. I had to ask the other members of my party if I was imagining things but they all saw how terrible the hostess was acting. I'm leaving the experience with the hostess out of my overall experience of Mara but I felt people should know this happened. read more

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Truly wanted to love Mara, but it's a pass and disappointing. The decor is beautiful and the vibe is fine, however the food was just okay. Service lacking. This was during lunch. Hopefully dinner is better. The Food: Zucchini Chips - presentation flat, soggy. Hummus- not seasoned well. And I don't like salty but it was bland. The Greek Pitza was good, not great. Il Gelato Sorbetto- can never go wrong. The Service: ordered green tea iced tea. Got regular iced tea. Server never said we don't have it when I ordered it. He actually wrote it down. Then he served me the reg tea and I said- I ordered green? He said - oh, we have one kind of tea. Well it would have been nice to know that because I would have ordered another beverage. Server never came back to take our lunch order- we waited over 20 minutes to place our order while he waited on a larger party. We had to call him over to order. He got my clients order wrong- embarrassing to say the least. She waited another 20 minutes from the time my Greek Pitza arrived to when her entree arrived. No refills on iced tea until we were done and the restaurant slowed. Overall- service was poor. What looked like the restaurant manager stood behind of the dining area. Never seen checking on customers meals. No table touches. Unfortunately the Team is untrained and lacks basic service skills. For Hawaii - it's just okay Mediterranean food. Definitely can't touch Estatorio Milos by a long shot. A lot of fluff chic. Almost trying too hard. No substance and the basics. If you know good Mediterranean cuisine - save your $. You will be disappointed. I stopped taking photos after the apps. Done read more

Mara - Zucchini Chips- Meh - Mediterranean Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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What could improve? Food and service! Poor representation of Mediterranean food - gummy sauces, lacks salt, flavor, acid (hello, lemons ?), balance. Poor management, no line-ups apparently - staff confused at service, food runner told is wrong fish (we had to tell him), "still working on that?"!, no manager table checks...etc. Guests at next table disappointed as well. Save your money and time, go elsewhere. read more

The food was so flavorful and cooked really well I ordered the Lamb Kofta and Fire-Roasted Eggplant Pitza. It was different, light, and surprisingly tasty. the Fried Calamari was so crispy and cooked very well. The crunch was and fry was perfect. I just wish they gave a bit more sauce. The Ube Lemonade was very subtle with the Ube flavor. It had a sweet and reminiscent after taste, but definitely overpowered by the sour flavor of the lemonade. The Prawns were marinated and cooked so well that I wanted to trade plates with my friend. The Prawns were also a great size as every bite was filled with flavor. The service could have been a bit better as it was difficult to get our server's attention after she did the routine check in to see if the food tasted well. It was really wonderful to find there and the entirety of the space is beautifully designed. read more

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New and trendy, This place is just what we needed as I feel like we really do not have a ton of Mediterranean food joints on the islands. I would highly recommend their tasting trio! It's a great place to start and then your excellent servers are happy to make suggestions on larger plates. They do have free public parking on their hotel parking garage but I do have a strong feeling that will change soon so if you wanted to try this place out, sooner is better than later! read more

Mara - Trio!!!! Try the beets! - Mediterranean Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Mara is such a pretty, vibey restaurant with great food. I dined with a group of 5 people on a Friday night and the restaurant was very busy. The bar area was full! Our cocktails were delicious and interesting. The highlights of the meal for me were two appetizers - the naan and the Saganaki. Highly recommend. I can't personally comment on the seafood dishes as I don't eat seafood. However everyone else seems to really enjoy every bite. I think that I would not be overstepping by saying the seafood dishes were highly recommended. I ended up getting the Jidori chicken and it was good. It was chicken breast which I didn't realize and actually dread. Much to my surprise, it was juicy. However, there is only one place where I still think of their Jidori chicken. They're very hard to beat. FYI - Parking is valet only. Reservations are made via Sevenrooms. Their only misstep that I will mention is that the service was not perfect. We had to do air a lot. I flagged down our server to take our drink order 20 min after arrival. The drinks were served another 20 min later. We actually got the appetizers before the drinks. I had to flag them down multiple times to get what we needed. Meanwhile the bus boys kept trying to take our dishes when there was still some bites left. (We ate everything family style.) The one star deduction was due to service. I would definitely return as there were some other dishes that I wanted try. Overall, it was a great dinner and our out of town guests were very happy with my restaurant choice. Thanks for making me look good, Mara! read more

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First time trying this restaurant out, located in the Renaissance Hotel. Valet parking is free up to to 3 hrs. I made a reservation and were seated right away. It was pretty busy around 6pm. Service was good, the waiter was very friendly and gave good suggestions. Overall, food was ok. We came in at 6pm and left at 8pm. We waited a while for our entrees to came out. To start, we got the tasting trio which was pretty good, the pita bread was hot and fresh, and i really enjoyed the tzatziki and hummus spread. The calamari was also delicious, nice and crispy with a rich delicious sauce. We also got the Ahi Crudo which was probably my favorite part of dinner, it paired perfectly with the chili crunch and the lemon gel was good with it as well. For our main entrees we got the Lamb shank, Lamb Wellington, and the Handcut Linguine Frutti Di Mar(a.) The Lamb wellington was ok, I think the best was the Lamb Shank. The Handcut Linguine was good but very buttery and a bit too sour for my liking. read more

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We celebrated a friend's bday with the pre fixe brunch at Mara. The service was great & the ambiance was appropriate (like all open-kitchen restaurants, it was a bit loud.) While I enjoyed the food, I look forward to returning when we can choose from the full menu. I highly recommend the smashed avocado toast with feta, aleppo pepper add wailua egg, & the Manoa chocolate sokolitina with chocolate cream, cocoa nibs, salted caramel ice cream. read more

Mara - Smashed avocado appetizer - Mediterranean Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

We love Mediterranean food, so when we were last in the Ala Moana area, decided to give the newish restaurant, Mara, a try! Nice modern look. Really loud atmosphere. All hard reflective surfaces (floors, ceilings, windows, tables, etc.), and hard to hear your table-mate talk. The food was good, but most of it was over-salted. Not sure we'd return, or at least not for a few weeks until they can work the kinks out. read more

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Just drove by- I think it closed down and is now replaced my restaurant called Sera. ChatGPT verified this (hopefully AI correct)

Visited Mara, a new restaurant in Ala Moana, for dinner with a party of six. Overall, we had a pleasant experience: Customer Service: Excellent. There was a bartender outside offering sample drinks; the Mama Mia was particularly impressive, and I ended up getting one. The staff was very professional. Food: 3 stars. Trio Platter: Pretty good. The bocconcino stracciatella stood out but was a bit too sweet. The hummus and other items were average. Monchong Fish: Overcooked and disappointing. Linguine: Good. Papaya Fattoush: Disappointing; it was just lettuce with pieces of papaya on top. Roast Lamb Shank: The best dish we tried. Overall: Good atmosphere, but pricey for the quality. My boyfriend and I both rated it 3.5 stars. read more

Adorable little place inside the new hotel (Renaissance Hotel). The service was friendly and delightful. The food was good but on the pricy side. I got the dessert as an appetizer and then the Linguine read more

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