This is in the new Koolina center, across from Aulani. There is live music and two floors of seating. We were able to get a table coming to dinner around 6p. If you come after 7p, you May have to wait. The food they serve uses mostly locally grown vegetables and meats. We tried the salads and the fish tacos. They were delicious, although the fish tacos were spicy. The dessert we had was the coconut pie. That was good. Parking is free, but you must come early. read more

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Monkeypod Kitchen is a cozy place just across the street from Aulani. The outdoor seating was perfect for a warm December evening. Kicked things off with a Maui Mule cocktail -- a nice start to the evening. Although the fresh fish seemed to be the draw for entrees, I couldn't pass up locally made Hawaiian Saimin. The noodles were very good, but the broth really caught my attention. All local ingredients plus a generous pile of kalua pork -- a tad on the salty side, but delicious nonetheless. Although they have four specialty pies, we opted for the Banana Creme Pie (See photo.) Excellent! Service was very attentive, and Kylie helped with suggestions for our party. A tad spendy for the amount of food overall, but it's a good choice if you're at Ko Olina and you don't want to get into your car again. read more

Monkeypod Kitchen - Banana Creme Pie! - Hawaiian Near Me - Kapolei, Hawaii

We stopped here after the beach and the food was beyond tasteful . The service was great, we were seated right away , and then we got to listen to live music which was oh so very great. Perfect weather , and perfect food and perfect drinks. I cannot even think about one thing that could be different to make it better. read more

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Ate here twice with family as we were staying just down the street. They provide you with a buzzer so you're able to walk around and check out the shops nearby. I ordered the fish and chips on my first visit and a burger the second. The fish and chips were BOMB. I loved the tarter sauce they provided. The burger was only ok, nothing special, however I went with a side of garlic parmesan fries and I highly recommend you do the same! Someone in my party ordered the crab deviled eggs and let everyone sample. Pretty good, nothing to write home about. I also ordered a pina colada and wasn't impressed- it didn't taste frozen or blended enough. I'd only recommend if you're in the area, otherwise there's plenty of better options. read more

For the live music alone this place was worth it. The Hawaiian style covers were charming and well executed. We sat at the bar and enjoyed the music while we had a few plates. Other members of the resort claimed the fish tacos to be amazing, and they were nice - but we're so used to Coconuts Cafe in Maui that the $25 plate fell a bit shy of the mark. The ambiance and music worked out great and the food certainly wasn't bad. Pick this spot over "Just Tacos" or "Corner Pizza" for a good evening with friends or family. read more

Monkeypod is always pretty predictable. Service is good, food is good, ambiance is good... price is high. Nothing fancy, but it's a good, easy place to go without any frills and/or surprises. read more

THIS did not disappoint. I love the locally sourced angle, and fun fact - ALL their fresh is caught and served within 48 hours of being served. Hands down my new favorite for macadamia crusted mahi-mahi (it's like butter) and the jalapeño mashed potatoes were amazing. The real, real treat was the absolute best Mai-tia's on the island. Seriously. The best. No joke. The frothy mango topping is insanely delicious. read more

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Our favorite place to visit when we're on the island. Their drinks, food, and pies are to die for. Highly recommend. The service is amazing too. read more

The service was amazing! Very attentive, nice and helpful. We got our food quickly and the quality was excellent. The environment was really nice and fun to be with family and friends. And me and my friends has a wonderful time and the employees made it so much better! Highly recommend! Definitely worth it! Most likely coming back! read more

All I can say is... MaiTai! Get the MaiTai! It is 100% amazing. The food is good, but that MaiTai... WOW! read more

Monkeypod Kitchen - Hawaiian Near Me - Kapolei, Hawaii

I've been to this restaurant twice, once for brunch and once for dinner. I really liked the live music played during dinner and the atmosphere was really nice. I didn't enjoy my meal so much, unfortunately. The Caesar salad was a little too oily and fishy tasting for me. I had the mushroom pizza too. It was okay. Sunday brunch was fine. I don't remember what I had but I'm sure it was fine since I decided to go back this month. read more

We loved the beautiful open air dining . The wait staff was very attentive (and fun!). The food was great, enjoyed the pork tacos, but dessert was our favorite. Their chocolate cream pie was the most delicious I've ever had. They also serve a pot of French press coffee which is enough for 2-3 people to share. They don't take reservations but we were able to easily get a table. read more

This is a good option if you don't want to eat at one of the nearby hotels. It's a little overpriced for the volume of food. 3 small corn tortilla tacos for $16 and $19 for 3 deviled eggs will leave you hungry. Great ambience and the live music on the patio is a plus. read more

I went to Monkeypod Kitchen for the first time with my love for her Birthday dinner. I made reservations bc this place is very crowded bc it is right across from Aulani and The Four Seasons Resorts in Koolina. We was seated on the 2nd floor and was serviced by our waiter Julius. He was very good and explained the menu well and explained all of the menu specials and recommendations. We ended up ordering the Pumpkin patch ravioli, garlic truffle oil fries, and Hamakua Wild mushroom and garlic oil wood fire pizza. The ravioli was the best and very onolicious! Nice pumpkin filling and good texture. I loved the truffle fries as it was well topped with a generous portions of garlic and oil. Yum yum. The pizza was good too as it was very light and had a nice white garlic sauce. I was surprised that our server offered us a complimentary birthday pie for her birthday. Monkeypod Kitchen is known for their cream pies and my love choose a coffee cream pie. Our server brought out a pie with a candle on it and wished her a happy birthday. The pie was very good too. It has a nice mild coffee flavor and a good layer or rich foamy cream. We as so full from dinner so we could not finish the whole pie. Overall we had excellent service at Monkeypod. Our server was excellent and treated us very well. The menu is simple but their popular dishes are onolicious. Will go back to Monkeypod if we are in the area. read more

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We found this place after visiting the Ko Olina lagoons. Happy hour before 5, half price appetizers and $12 pizzas. We got the pork and pineapple pizza, wings and truffle fries, corn chowder, and a couple more cheese pizzas for the kids. Everything was great! It's an open two flow restaurant, really pretty. Right at 5 a man started playing slow tempo hits with a ukelele and we really enjoyed the vibe! Would definitely recommend this place, especially if you can get there before 5. read more

Good time with good food and music. Don't go as often as I use to, menu has changed. I wish they would return the Proletariat pizza. Mai Tia's are the best on the island. read more

I have no clue why this place has a good review at all. The food was absolutely disgusting, kids burger was burnt beyond belief, one gnocchi dish was under cooked and the other over cooked. The service was okay at best, the only thing that was good were the drinks. The restaurant is loud and hard to hold a conversation over all the noise. I would definitely say skip this place and find something better. Not family friendly at all, no kids menu either besides one item. read more

This location has a nice outdoor seating area, close to the resorts so you dont have to Uber. But, as with other Monkeypod locations, is pricy for what it is with a short variety. However, you can always say "well its Hawaii". The pizzas are a little sparse in toppings, and the soda is quite flat. Stars for ambience and people who like live music (although loud and obnoxious at times). Service was above average, but may struggle if busy (and staffed the same). read more

Delicious & innovative menu & delicious drinks. The handmade pasta was perfectly prepared. They offer several pies for dessert & they were all amazing. read more

Good was good. I asked for a burger to be medium and it was more in the rare side. I ate around the edges. Fries weren't as crispy as I'd like them. But the drinks were yummy. The ambiance was great so was the service. I was really there for the company more than for the food. Either way I had a great experience. read more

5 star for awesome service!!! My friend and I dined in for lunch on 4/19 at 11am. Our food (truffle fries and poke tacos) was fine but we received a burnt truffle cheese pizza. As the food runner walked away, he overheard my friend pointing this out to me. When he offered to return it, we politely declined because we didn't want to create a hassle. Our server immediately approached us to offer a replacement but we declined again. A short time later, the manager gave us another truffle pizza that was cooked perfectly. Shout out to the: *Food Runner for being observant and reacting quickly to remedy the situation **Server for being kind and also trying to resolve the matter ***Manager for making a swift decision and backing up her staff's attempts ****Pizza station staff for redoing the order in a timely manner I was unable to get names but I hope by providing the date of our visit, praise and recognition will be given accordingly. #share-positivity read more

Their Mai Tais are absolutely delicious. To me this place is very overpriced but food and drinks are excellent. I understand, they are across the street from Disney so it makes sense but for people who live in Hawaii a little crazy on pricing. $15 for one drink! They do Happy Hour every day twice daily which is nice. Will be back! read more

Monkeypod Kitchen - Mai Tai, so delicious!!!! - Hawaiian Near Me - Kapolei, Hawaii

Our server was Jennifer, and she was amazing! She possessed a thorough knowledge of the menu, what to recommend and substitute for the celiac members of our dining party. The food was excellent! Special requests were handled without incident. The drinks were delicious, and honestly, it was such an enjoyable dining experience. We will definitely be back. Highly recommend. read more

Monkeypod Kitchen - No Ka Oi - Hawaiian Near Me - Kapolei, Hawaii

Very disappointed. The place seemed not too busy. A little on the loud side. We opted for take out and the broccoli salad wasn't much of a salad. Literally 3 small pieces of broccoli and it was more chili than anything. Couldn't believe I paid $16 plus tip on that and still was hungry. Definitely a tourist catering location as there's not many places off hotel property around to eat. read more

I've been to monkeypod several times. The ambiance, food quality and servers have never disappointed. I love that they use locally sourced ingredients , always super fresh! read more

Great spot. Took the ladies in there for dinner. Place was packed. I liked the setting for the most part. Def a hopping place. Little pricey, but good food, drinks and service. When in Hawaii read more

Second time dining here with my boyfriend & we loved it. I really love the downstairs area near the stage, such a great ambiance especially with the performers singing their remake version of some great songs such as John legend "All of me." They also have this one great singer Big John, not sure what nights he performs there but his performances is always good! As far as the food, our favorite appetizers would be their pumpkin patch ravioli, garlic truffle fries & poke tacos! Kinda small in portion size & pricey but I think it's worth it. We also tried their fish and chips and their big island cheeseburger, both were good too. Service received were good as well. Both times we've been there waitresses were very attentive, and explained to us what their specials was, what's popular and what they recommend, which I thought was excellent! Definitely would return again and I do recommend people to try here at least once. Good place to have a nice dinner for sure. read more

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I've had Chef Peter Merriman's Monkeypod Kitchen at Ko'Olina on my bookmark list after reading reviews and seeing photos from fellow Yelp friends although, I had heard about its opening in December 2012. I was excited to see Chef Merriman's expansion to Oahu as my husband and I have been loyal diners at his original restaurant, Merriman's at Waimea on the Big Island of Hawaii. We have often dined at his namesake restaurant in Kapalua, Maui in past years post-golf club play. For those who aren't familiar with Chef Merriman, he is one of the Founding Chefs of Hawaii Regional Cuisine and is a "lightning rod" for the local farm-to-table movement. We met with my sister and brother-in-law on Saturday and took an excursion out to the Ko'Olina Resort. It was a breeze driving out West from Honolulu to the resort and we had no problem finding a parking space in the little shopping area located across from the Aulani Disney resort. It was around noon when we arrived and the place wasn't as busy as I thought that it would have been. We were greeted immediately by the hostess who told us that there would be a 15-20 minute wait for a table but we could either wait or eat at the bar. We decided on ordering some cold brews to cool us on this sunny hot day. The bar countertop is made from organically shaped monkeypod wood and surrounded by flat screen televisions for viewing sports events. The kitchen was behind a glass wall which made it fun to watch the cooking action. There were lots of seating areas on the ground floor with additional seating above. The bartender was friendly, funny and witty. I would have liked to have stayed seated at the bar to dine but my sister and brother-in-law wanted to be seated at a table which came open after a few minutes after ordering our brews. Our friendly and attentive server was Josephine (Jo, for short). She seamlessly and unobtrusively kept our water glasses refilled, provided great descriptions of the food preparations, brought out our food at optimum service temperatures and presented our bill on time. Jo was patient as my brother-in-law is sort of a finicky eater and orders his food with detail. THE FOOD: - Pumpkin Patch Ravioli (appetizer portion): Kiawe (Mesquite) roasted squash, chevre, organic spinach and toasted walnut sage pesto. We received 5- 3" pillows of pumpkin-ey goodness. The chevre brought a bit of twang to the subtle smoky sweetness of the squash. But, I was a bit dismayed with the pasta as it seemed a bit thick and heavy. It held the filling well. It was tasty but I doubt if I'd order a full order as an entrée. $13.95 - Wood Roasted Free Range Chicken Wings: Kiawe (Mesquite) roasted free range chicken wings, garlic, Kula Farm rosemary and tzatziki sauce. The flavor was good and had a good spicy kick. When this dish arrived, I felt the drummettes were so tiny and looked like they came from Cornish game hens. I shouldn't complain as these wings were tasty and filling. If you're wondering... I DID share this dish! $16.95 - Pete's Fresh Fish & Chips: Day boat, troll-line caught mahimahi tempura-style served with malt vinegar aioli. We upgraded our fries to garlic fries which turned out to be a great move because of the nice punch of garlic and Parmesan cheese. There were 3 good-sized pieces of tempura-style mahimahi served atop the garlic fries. I'm not really a fan of mahimahi because it's usually dry and firm-fleshed but, this fish wasn't dry nor was it moist like cod. The tempura batter was light and not greasy. It was good, tasty, and served fresh out of the fryer hot...it really didn't need that malt vinegar aioli. There was an additional accompaniment of house made Kimchi that cut any hint of oiliness. Both my sister and brother-in-law ordered this dish. $23.95 - Big Island Cheese Burger: Big Island beef, Dijon aioli, sautéed onions, Fontina, vine-ripened tomatoes, Kunia Country Farm butter lettuce and house-made quick pickle. My husband ordered this thick or Big Mouth burger. I don't remember if he was asked for his preference of doneness but, the burger arrived medium-well. He said it was flavorful but just a touch overdone. Still, he felt that it wasn't that bad to complain. The vegetable condiments to this burger were fresh and crisp. There was a side dish of the house made Kimchi but, he still dug into my sister's garlic fries and some of my chicken wings. The portion was satisfying but I know that he was very hungry. $13.95 We happily drank our Mirror Pond ales, Ace pineapple cider and Kona Lager while dining. Our table was within the restaurant but near the Ewa Train Railway and in between Ko'Olina's Golf Course's 10th and 11th holes. It was a beautiful sunny day with cool breezes to enjoy the company of my sister and brother-in-law over these yummy bites. We're already looking forward to stopping by again for more... #411 read more

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Solid four rating! The vibe was great (live music on a Saturday afternoon). The wait staff was awesome. The food came out very quick, and the presentation was also great. We ordered poke tacos, prime rib, and pizza. However, the food was just ok. I can see parking being an issue during a busier time period. read more

Monkeypod trees are messy. After they cover themselves in poofy pink, pompom flowers, each flower develops into a long brown pod filled with little brown beans that eventually tumble on the ground to make baby monkeypods. The trees are also most beautiful and sheltering and richly nourish the ground under their great canopies. And they are prolific all over the island. So why did I incorporate this info into this review? I dunno, but because the restaurant bore its name, I had to Google it. And that is how I realized, while sitting on the covered patio, we were virtually sitting under the branches of a lovely, mature Monkeypod tree, enjoying the tropical flora and birds that thrived beneath its canopy as we ate a most delicious lunchtime meal. The month of May was already performing in typical Hawaiian fashion, a warm, humid afternoon with an occasional cloud burst. Smart little birds eyed us at our table, boldly getting as close as they dared, hoping we would leave crumbs for them. Patio dining was delightful and calming and not ostentatious. So, we returned that evening and ironically were seated at the exact same table. But this time, after a rosy Hawaiian sunset, we were treated to live entertainment, a guitarist/singer who sat on the small wooden stage practically in front of us, tiki torches blazing as we indulged in our last meal in Ko'Olina. I guess, what I am trying to say is, it was just as laid back and as memorable experience as the first time, sheltered but caressed by the especially beautiful music and the soft breezes. This is a very pleasant place to dine. Loved the attentive service. Both times our food choices were decidedly good. Twice we had the Mahi mahi (tempura style) with house made fries sprinkled with coarse sea salt, as well as a completely vegetarian corn chowder (a medley of vegetables, kale, cilantro, corn, potato, tomato, and celery in a coconut broth), and a plump grass fed beef rib eye steak done to the perfect medium rare. And you can't leave Hawaii without having at least one Mai Tai. They make a good one here. And for a non-alcoholic drinker, I can recommend my green drink, called The Righteous Path, made with pineapple, kale, parsley, spinach, ginger, lime juice, and lemon grass. It was clean tasting and quite refreshing. Granted, the prices are higher than some, but pretty commensurate with what you can expect in a vacation paradise like this. But here is a tip: If you stay at the Marriott resort at Ko'Olina, and are willing to sit through one of those 1-1.5 hour presentations, and simply to say "no" like we did (they already got our money another time), you can still get rewarded by choosing the funny money that you can spend at select places like this. For us, we designated it as "Monkeypod money". It was well worth it and sure fun spending it. read more

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It's getting hot in here so take of all your clothes. Take this tip seriously. This restaurant is near the beach so wear your beach clothes and prepare to sweat your booty off. I came with family from Vegas to enjoy the happy hour. I came with a large group of about 20. People were coming and going. We were seated next to the wall located in the bar area. The happy hour is included in the patio area and it has live music so I would suggest sitting outside for better ventilation. There is no air condition in the restaurant. We were fanning our selves the whole time and trying our best not to faint. **Happy Hour Specials** One of my favorite happy hours 3:00-5:30 pm Drink Specials: Draft Beers: $4.75 for beers originally $9 and under, $7 for over $9 (Chimay and St. Bernardus go to $10) $6 Ocean Vodka cocktails $6 white and red wines by the glass $8 culinary cocktails -Food Specials- 50% off all appetizers (with the exception of the raw bar mixed plate and poke tacos) $9 pizzas (excluding Bourgeois Since I came with a big group I was able to try a variety of different appetizers and pizzas. Here are my top favorites. Pumpkin Patch Ravioli- Kiawe-Roasted Squash, Chevre, Spinach, and Toasted Walnut Sage Pesto. The pumpkin flavor was not to prominent in the dish. There were about 4 big ravioli's decent for the happy hour special. Garlic Truffle Oil Fries- Parmesan Cheese, Whole Grain Mustard Aioli, House-Made Ketchup. The fries went well with everything. It come out pipping hot and crispy. Hamakua Wild Mushroom- White Sauce, Truffle Oil, Parmesan, and Theme. If you love mushrooms definitely order this. The pizzas come out thin crust a bit bigger than the personal pan size from Pizza Hut. Proletariat- Pepperoni, Sausage, Onion, Green Peppers, Olives, Mozzarella, and Tomato Sauce. -Culinary Cocktails- Our server told us that the cocktails were created by the workers. Our servers name that day is Oi. I loved every drink that I sipped on and tried from my cousins. But the ones that I loved the most were. Our server helped create one of the drinks that I enjoyed: No Ka Oi - It has ocean vodka, thai basil, lime, simple syrup, and honey-lilikoi puree. Keahi's Blueberry Mojito - This drink has blueberry infused old lahaina rum, creme of coconut, coconut water, lime, mint, rum soaked blueberries. Monkeypod Mai Tai - This great mail tai has old lahaina light rum, maui dark rum, lime, orgeat, orange curacao, honey-lilikoi foam. As you can see from the list I like fruity drinks. Dessert: I tried the strawberry cream pie. It was alright. The strawberries were thinly sliced. Maybe if it came with half cut strawberries, less cream, drizzle some hard chocolate, top it off with some whip cream and a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream. Then it would be fabulous. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/monkeypod-kitchen-kapolei?select=BvQEtv_0nh_48d8Lxirb4A#4QlxF7HL8fqwMk9ZkfSFKw Service: Fantastic. Oi was very apologetic about the sauna experience. I know he doesn't have control over this. He tended to our large group very well. He answered our questions and gave wonderful suggestions. He helped open up the restaurant. He tried his best to give everyone attention. Checked on us periodically and made small talk. It seemed like the other servers worked great as a team. He even came out to thank us at the end while were taking pictures. Shook our hands and posed along with us for our group pictures. Overall: The food was great. Every drink that I tasted was good. Several drinks I just loved. Service was outstanding. 5 stars for the happy hour specials. Try to sit outside or closer to the doors. You can also reserve this restaurant through Open Table and score some points. I admit if you don't make it for happy hour the prices are a bit steep. But remember this place is located near the different Ko'olina resorts. read more

Monkeypod Kitchen - Strawberry Pie - Hawaiian Near Me - Kapolei, Hawaii

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Only giving three stars due to the awesome staff, the ambiance and the live music. Otherwise, we paid over $200 for very sub par food (for three people). Don't believe the hype. read more

I love love love MONKEYPOD!! I've been here 3 times & it is always for Happy Hour! Its a def. must to come here when we are staying @ Marriott Ocean Club. We are so close by, ( would have been a 15 mins walk) but we still take the car. ( we are so lazy!!) I've never had a problem with parking here. =0) Its so great to have Happy Hour from 3-5:30 then again after 9. so if you miss the first half there is always the 2nd half. This happened to us, so we stayed in the pool longer, got ready, then head for the later happy hour. Just perfect!! My favs here- besides the ALCOHOL. the pumpkin ravioli, ( 5 ravioli with spinach) truffle fries, & truffle mushroom pizza. Lease fav. the chicken wings. It was ok. nothing fancy.!! We are always stuffed here, portions size are huge & for half price, can't beat this!! Note: It can get loud here!! ( we don't mind @ all) as long as there is food & alcohol... =0) When I get my Marriott Ocean Club confirmation, I then have Monkeypod on my mind already.. its automatic on the list, must go!! If Monkeypod wasn't so far away, I'd go more often. but for now, I'd have to wait til my nexts Marriott stay. Counting down............................ few more months, Can't wait!! Besides my love for Monkeypod, my family love it here too!! Nexts time, I will try them for lunch/dinner. They are farm to table which is so great! Support Local!! read more

Monkeypod Kitchen - Love love love Happy Hour @ Monkeypod!! - Hawaiian Near Me - Kapolei, Hawaii

Monkey Business. 2 peas in a pod: I met former Honolulu Yelp intern (now living in the City of Angels) Thomas "Hawaii 5" O for Happy Hour during his recent weekend getaway to the Aloha State. HAPPY HOUR: Everyday 300-530pm and 930-1100pm. Please visit www.monkeypodkitchen.com for complete details regarding happy hour food and drink menus. LOCATION / PARKING: Monkeypod Kitchen is located within a small shopping area on the Ko Olina resort property. The parking lot is not large and is a mix of 30 minute and 2 hour stalls. Be aware and mindful of the signage where you park. SETTING: Indoor or on the patio area. We met on Superbowl Sunday (the cheers for the winning team were certainly deafening) and sat on the patio since there was quite a crowd gathered inside the restaurant. The covered patio has a large number of tables available and looks out towards the railroad tracks and resort hotels. FOOD / DRINK: As Thomas had been to MPK before, I relied on his expertise in choosing the food. Garlic Truffle Fries: Simply delicious! Good portion size. The hints of garlic with the fries are not over-powering. Wood-Roasted free range chicken wings: Generous portion. Prepared well. Appreciated that the chicken wings weren't too oily. Sadly, I didn't care much for the tzatziki sauce that's served with this dish. Chocolate cream pie: A wonderful end to our meal. The delightful slice of pie was easily shared between the two of us. Blueberry Mojito: Very refreshing! SERVICE: Extremely friendly and attentive. The servers did a terrific job of answering our questions about happy hour, checking on us throughout our meal, and made sure our water glasses never emptied. happy hour NOTE: 50% off all appetizers (with the exception of the raw bar mixed plate and poke tacos) and $9 pizzas (excluding Bourgeois). Drink specials also vary on cocktails, beer, and wine. side NOTE: The live music on the patio was definitely a bonus as the male-female duo performed hits from the likes of John Mayer, Gwen Stefani, and Norah Jones. BOTTOM LINE: A decent happy hour well-spent with good company and good food. read more

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4 1/2 stars. Came in on our last night of vacation and it was around 9:00 pm. Parking can be a pain to find since the lot is on the small side. From what I was told Monkeypod began in Hawaii. The music was solid and décor was catchy. I started off with the The Monkeypod mai tai which was strong but yummy. We weren't overly hungry so we started off with chicken wings - wood roasted, rosemary, garlic, chili seasoned served with tzatziki sauce - delightfully tasting and followed with the Hamakua wild mushroom pizza - white Sauce, truffle oil, parmesan and thyme - Generous sized and great taste. Lastly, we finished up with the banana cream pie which was to die for. I recommend this since it was one of the best I've ever enjoyed. We savored the pie to the last bite and was happy we didn't eat the entire pizza. Service was solid and even the manager came over and made sure we were satisfied. read more

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Yelp 365 Challenge x 2 #227/365 (Farm-to-Table Island Style) *Sings off-key* At hoooome in the islands! At hoooommme in the islands! (pause) is it "To the rhythm of the sea"; "From the river to the sea"; "Far as the river I can see"??? I'm so happy to be back home! Now, I would burst out and sing C&K's song, "Home" but that's okay-I'll spare everyone! Going to Monkeypod Kitchen was the best welcome home experience since I returned from Baltimore. If you read my review of Woodberry Kitchen in Baltimore, then you'll understand why one of my first restaurants back home was to try a farm to table restaurant. One of the best things is that Monkeypod is close to where I live! *SCORE* While Woodberry Kitchen in Baltimore brings out the Old America experience with colonial/old America ambiance, Monkeypod Kitchen brings out the islands with a modern tropical trend that displays all the flavors our islands has to offer to the locals and tourists through their menu items. While it may be located in the Ko Olina Resort community, it beckons everyone to try out the dishes that are from locally grown. I LOVE IT. After reading the reviews, I was already drooling from Thomas O, Michelle M. and Julia O's along with the others that I already knew which appetizers I wanted to experience. I made reservations through open table and secured a reservation for 6:15pm. There was a special request portion, which I inquired "Ocean view?" (because I didn't know if they were located overlooking the ocean!) We arrived there about 15 minutes early since it was a Friday night and I figured it may be a little crowded. It wasn't a little crowded. It was CROWDED. However, the hostess greeted us warmly and shared with me, "I noticed your special request, is it all right if we provide you with outdoor seating since we don't have an oceanview?" I knew then that we would be having a nice experience. She gave us our little pager but we were seated within 15 minutes. *WIN* The weather was great despite the forecast that there was a chance of a thunderstorm. Our waiter, "Oi" was ever so helpful and friendly while sharing with us the Chef's specials after taking our order for appetizers. Our Experience: Pumpkin Patch Ravioli, which is kiawe-roasted squash, chevre, spinach, and sage brown butter (NOTE: If you've never been to Monkeypod...you MUST..I INSIST...ORDER PUMPKIN PATCH RAVIOLI) Garlic Truffle Oil Fries with parmesan cheese, whole grain mustard aioli and house-made ketchup (NOT HEINTZ)! Chef's Special Fish of the Day, which was Opakapaka served with panko and macadamia nut crusted along with a Maui pineapple relish over jasmine rice and surrounded with lemon beurre blanc. Chef's nightly upcountry beef special which was a NY steak cut from the big island grilled with kona coffee honey butter topped with spicy paniolo onions, jalapeno mash potatoes and local vegetable of the day (zucchini). Dessert: Homemade Chocolate Cream Pie with French Press Oahu Coffee D-E-L-I-C-I-O-U-S I don't know what it is about farm to table restaurants or probably it is the chef's that makes sure the flavors compliments one another because I'll admit that when I first read the reviews I thought "pumpkin patch ravioli??? huh?" turned into a "ohhhmahhhgeeerrd... would it be ghetto to lick the plate clean or should I just order two more plates?" My steak was cooked perfectly medium and the spicy paniolo onions complimented it so well along with the delicious jalapeno mash potatoes! All I can say is that our plates were full of fabulous flavors, flavors, flavors that has me ready for another food experience with Monkeypod Kitchen. The reviews you will read is fairly correct with that the prices are on a tourist level (from Russel M) and that the menu is diverse (from Thomas O) but you will enjoy your experience and know that it money well spent at a restaurant serving local and organic foods. Seriously, you'll be so proud that you live in Hawaii or that you wish you did live in Hawaii if you are visiting the islands to frequent Monkeypod Kitchen. Remember...Pumpkin Patch Ravioli (you'll regret it if you don't order it). read more

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I really like this restaurant. The food is good. The drinks are good. The Happy Hour is great. Happy Hour is from 3-5:30 & 9:30-11:00 every day. The appetizers are 50% off and you just can't go wrong with that. Parking is difficult here. That's a good reason to come during happy hour when the crowd is not in yet. Most of the time, I park across the street where it's free after 5pm. Upon entering the Matre 'd says we are cleared to go upstairs where they are all ready to expect us. I do like sitting upstairs close to the front where the breeze is strong. Our wait staff introduces herself and escorts us to our table. She tells us of the specials but my mind is made up. I tell Mog P. to go ahead and order anything she likes. Money is no issue tonight. (Gulp, this place is pricey). I give our order to our server, Michael, sweating not from the heat. He confirms our order and checks on us often for water, more drinks and that everything is okay. First up is the Pumpkin Patch Ravioli - $13.95 - is kiawe-roasted squash, chevre, organic spinach, toasted walnut sage pesto. Can it get any healthier? Super delicious just like everyone says in their reviews. This alone is worth coming for Happy Hour. I would order a few of them for sure. My order, the Organic Macadamia Nut Crusted Mahi Mahi - $36.95 is big island macadamia nut and panko crusted, maui pineapple relish, organic brown rice, lemon beurre blanc. I was looking for something different and this definitely hit the spot. Fish was perfection. Hard crusted outside, tender moist inside with good taste and flavor. I was interested in the pineapple relish. It was okay. Light to not over power the fish made me wanting stronger flavor impact but that was done correctly. Mog P. orders the Margherita, a handcrafted wood fire pizza - $16.95 using hau'ula farm heirloom tomatoes, house pulled mozzarella and organic local basil. I'm not really into this but it is good enough I eat half delightfully and wouldn't mind if I had another slice. Watching the setting sun coming down on Ko Olina makes our date night perfect. As long as there's a Happy Hour, we'll be here as often as we can. And you should to. We've got a seat for you since you got this round. LoL read more

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3-5:30pm Happy Hour.... super crowded!! Half price drinks and less than $10 pizza. Reservations highly recommended. The Service: The service can be slow because of the crowd. Take a while to get our drinks. About 15 mins wait to get our first appetizer. The Food: Food quality is okay but they are pricey. Maybe because it is near Aulani Resort. Lots tourists here. Butternut squash pizza tastes ok. With happy hour price... it is more reasonable. Regular fries for $8? Super salty and overly fried. Lobster devil egg is alright. Corn chowder soup, love it! Creamy and a little bit spicy. Flavorful! Fish dish is good, fresh ingredient. Strawberry cheesecake is my favorite. Creamy but light. Still taste cream cheese but not so dense. Freah strawberries on top. Great dessert to end the meal. read more

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Spot on appetizers, entrees and desserts. Their squash ravioli was special to try and order up. Truffle fries were yummy. Chicken wings and pizza was of the norm. Piña colada for the drink for the win! Service was great and they gave the banana cream pie for dessert as a complimentary birthday treat! read more

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Fist time here. Nice open air restaurant, all the tables are far apart. I liked that!. I ordered the steak special, romaine salad, truffle garlic fry's, And my friend had the chowder. Everything was good . I think the fry's where to soggy. Very busy restaurant mostly catering to the two hotels across the street. Not enough parking. At dinner time. read more