On my first night in Honolulu, I went straight to Olili, based on other reviews. I'm glad I did! Yes, it is a restaurant located inside an upscale supermarket on the second floor. However, when you're seated, you feel like you're in a nice restaurant, particularly if you have your back to the groceries. I started with the Herbs and Tonic cocktail. (I don't care for overly sweet cocktails, and this had a wonderful blend of herbaceous and tart flavors.) Basil, mint, shiso, lemon, tonic, and Tenjaku Gin. Surprising and refreshing. I chose to have a couple of starters and no main (something I often prefer when dining out). I got the Kanpachi Crudo, which was accompanied by lomi tomato relish, Thai basil, and Wai'anae citrus. So good. Light and packed with bright flavors. Contrasted with... Bone Marrow -- Honolulu beef bone, braised oxtail ragu, fermented chili crunch, Viet herbs, and grilled sourdough. A phenomenal overload of rich decadent flavors. For dessert, it was the amazing Okinawan Haupia "Mud" Bar -- layers of ube custard, macadamia nut crust, haupia sorbet, and shaved roasted sweet potato. Cold, sweet, and savory, with great textures. Excellent service from Crystal. And Jonathan at the bar became a friend of mine. A phenomenal meal and a wonderful experience. Pricy, but totally worth it. read more

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Dessert run... There's noting like treating yourself and here at Olili you can certainly have that here as this unexpected visit worked perfectly. You can find Olili up inside Waikiki Market a grocery store in the Lilia Waikiki you just need to take the elevator up to the second floor and look for the "Restaurant" entrance and what a lovely decor as you feel like you're transported away form the city vibe. They were quite busy so we decided to take a seat at the bar and watching the bartender make drinks was quite impressive but the show was my Kilauea Chocolate Lava Cake that I ordered and they pour the rum fire on it that was a fun and cool experience and though it might have been brief it did make me smile enough to enjoy and am grateful that Nadine had brought me here as I was hesitant to do so. The service was very nice and prompt even though they were obviously busy they all kept it together and we enjoyed our night out and treats which is what is the most important of it all. Thank you! read more

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Dessert in Waikiki, Honolulu, Hawaii... After dinner, we used our Yelp apps to find a place that was still open and discovered Olili. We parked at International Marketplace, made a purchase for over $25 and got a $10 validation. We paid $2 upon exiting (instead of paying $12). I had made a reservation online via the Open Table app. We arrived before our timeslot and were told that all tables were filled. I pointed to the bar and asked to sit there. Yes! Bryan, the hard-working bartender, was very busy. He took orders, cleared used plates & utensils, and made drinks while being polite and friendly! He really hustled! We actually wanted the Rainbow Cake that we saw, but it was probably just a special at the time since it wasn't on the Dessert Menu. We ordered the Kilauea Chocolate Lava Cake and the Pineapple Upside-down Cake. We enjoyed the pouring of the rum fire on the Lava Cake! Both desserts were delicious and had beautiful presentation! This was a fun excursion - located on the second level of the Lilia Waikiki apartment building - alongside the Waikiki Market. It's a beautiful space... check out the lights above! Note: we forgot to ask for the 10% off Kama'aina discount read more

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Olili is located inside of a grocery store, but it's very clean and inviting. I tried the bone marrow from the happy hour menu which was delicious. I also got the Pulehu Half Chicken which was so yum! An easy go-to dish if you don't know what to get. The Chili Crab Noodles were more on the wet side, and I had to request for the chili to be on the side as I'm not great with spice. The service was also great. I'd come back! read more

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The food here is high quality, with a nice range of flavors and combinations. The seafood stands out, and the style is a sort of Asian fusion. Serve was friendly and smooth. Note that the restaurant is in a supermarket which doesn't really have any impact, but some of the tables have a pretty good view of people shopping. read more

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Located at Waikiki market on the second floor. Went for happy hour but it ended at 5:30pm so got our first round of drinks and pupus and then ordered other dishes. The restaurant was pretty empty when we sat down, but started getting busier after happy hour. The smoked fish dip and kampachi crudo was a great way to start our meal. We did family style so had the chili crab noodles which was my fav, garlic shrimp forbidden rice, bone marrow which is more meaty than rich (which in my opinion made it taste so much better). Everything was super delicious and service was very friendly and attentive. read more

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An elegant corner carved into the Waikiki Market, this upscale restaurant has beautiful decor and top notch service. The happy hour drew us in and I opted for their version of a Moscow mule, a bargain at $10. The local draft beers were also cheap and cheerful at $7. The duck croquettes $16 were extremely rich and filling and the presentation was very artistic, modeled after a pretty little nest. The kanpachi crudo $20 was exquisite with tasty cherry tomato chutney. The space was empty when we arrived but gradually folks started to stream in. We were satisfied with our happy hour haul but would come back to try the crab garlic noodles and other main dishes. Bonus points: took care of a little shopping at the Waikiki Market which is adjacent and easily accessible. read more

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Came here for happy hour and it was great! There is Kamaaina discount for the regular menu but not happy hour. We just came to try their condensed milk mojito and the bone marrow. That was probably the best bone marrow ever! It had garlic, onion, and lemon grass. It was a Thai take on bone marrow. Delicious. Only part was that it was too small. It was one bone marrow with one piece of sourdough cut in 3 pieces for $17. It was on the pricey end. I definitely want to come back to try the other dishes. They do have parking in the building across but only 4 stalls. They said they are working on getting international market place a parking validated place. Service was friendly and the bartender was knowledgeable. The restaurant was very nice and modern. The natural sunlight comes in throughout the restaurant. I will be back read more

Olili - Desserts Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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When in Oahu, I spend time looking for locally owned spots or ones that serve Hawaiian raised/grown food. I was excited to try Olili as it boasts serving a fresh farm-to-table menu. LOCAL ROOTS: We were just a party of two and didn't want to over order so we started with the Local Roots (although I wanted to order nearly everything on the small plates menu). I'd rate the Local Roots plate a solid 9/10. The root veggies, served with burrata atop a pesto base, were cooked to perfection. The root veggies were al dente and seasoned well. Small tweaks would have made this small plate a 5 star dish IMHO. I don't think the pesto was necessary and became slightly over powering - I think a splash of lemon or lime for some acidity would have been just enough. I also would have liked the dish to be served with bread to compliment the burrata and pesto which definitely ends up as some kind of delicious dip. GARLIC SHRIMP FORBIDDEN RICE: My first was to order the fresh catch as the way the fish was prepared sounded delectable. I was bummed to learn the fish of the day was Marlin, as I'm not a marlin fan. I ended up choosing the shrimp and rice dish. This was more like a 6/10. The flavors were good and the food was definitely fresh but there was something missing pulling it all together and justifying it being more than an overpriced ($29) rice bowl. It kept feeling like I was eating a bowl of Thai curry minus the coconut curry broth. There is sausage in the rice and it's a filling dish; I took half the rice home. NEW YORK STRIP: 6/10 - good steak, heavily seasoned with pepper and served over what tasted like a spicy bbq sauce which was a bit too sweet and spicy overpowering the steak itself. We ask for the steak sauce on the side and we're told "it is on the side" when in all actuality it is served under the steak. Since the person who ordered this doesn't easy spicy food, they had to scrape the sauce off the meat slice by slice. Again though, the root veggies were cooked to perfection and very enjoyable. If I returned, I'd probably order four or five small plates and a dessert to share and skip the entrees all together. Service was good; the server was friendly and staff checked in regularly. The location is inside a market but it's nestled away that the market is not a distraction. The lighting is well done in terms of low lamps for ambiance and decor. I would suggest moving the floor tables if possible away from being directly under any of the grocery store overhead spotlights. read more

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easy reservation online, inside Waikiki market Came for date night :) good ambiance in side at night good décor Bone marrow - yes please - rich goodness that is cut with the greens - fish sauce based with some acidic, pairs perfectly with the sourdough bread. 100% recommend half chicken with - homemade red/siracha sauce - chicken was cooked just right, still juicy, flavorful skin, red sauce tasted more tomato based, not spicy at all, adds to the chicken. Combine with salad was same dressing from the bone marrow greens. Love the sauce works. chili crab noodles - noodles cooked right quantity of crab - very little ** but what was there was fresh sauce mixture pulls everything together. drinks: matcha sour - less sour more matcha and maybe slightly bitter as the drink sits - 1/5 coconut sphere - felt more citrusy with sour, quite good, recommend this one Reamend trying this place. Would come back again. read more

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Located on the second floor, near the market. Reminds me of the Asian version of Eatly restaurant in LA/ Las Vegas you can practically see the grocery market right across. I would recommend grabbing a table sitting at the far right end of the restaurant cause it tends to gets noisy towards the host stand. Garlic Shrimp Forbidden Rice: Get this dish if you love juicy shrimp and fried rice. Dish is made with black grain so it's tougher to chew compared to white rice. I loved how the fried rice had sliced Chinese sausage and sliced beef bits. Kinda worked because there's a playful texture difference between the shrimp and rice. Fresh Catch (D): Made with fresh fish of the day. This time chef cooked up swordfish paired with many sliced bits of macadamia nuts and sliced of Chinese broccoli and fresh roe. Swordfish was soft, but didn't have much flavor as I would hoped. I'm not a big fan of 45% of the dish being really nutty, kinda overpowered the flavor of the dish. Liquid Haupia: Great coconut fruity and sweet drink. Rimmed with some flamed Li Hing Mui powder (sweet and sour plum). Black Sesame, Old Fashioned: Paired with a slice of lemon for scent. Heavy whisky flavor and bit more smokey side. Didn't notice much of the black sesame flavor. read more

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We walked in on a Monday night at 6 and were surprised to see no other customers. The place is really cute and the food is good so I dunno why there aren't more people. We got: Crispy kanpachi with bean soup - 5/5. So good! How do they get the skin so crispy? Like the soup, bean, fish combo. Root vegetables with burrata - my friend enjoyed it Crab noodles - my friend said it was good and the few noodles I tried was tasty, but I didn't see much crab in it. More people came later, but I think this is a hidden jewel. read more

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A friend and I were going for happy hour and for a new place to try, I chose Olili. We love trying new places in Waikiki within walking distance and Olili was pretty perfect because it's just a couple blocks from our condos and that night we were venturing out during a storm. We arrived dripping wet and our waitress let us sit in a nice booth by the window where we could watch the storm go by and roomy enough so we could hang our wet stuff without bothering anyone. The table was big and the bench seats were quite comfy. We lingered for a couple hours, had a couple drinks, and enjoyed a couple dishes each. During that time, we received tons of service and in addition to our main server and runner, 2 additional staff came by to greet us and offer to help. Afterwards, outside the shop, we ran into one server and he said hi to us. My friend had the liliko martini, duck croquette, and bone marrow. She loved the drink, thought the croquette had too much potato and not enough duck, and she loved the bone marrow dish. I had a draft beer, kanpachi crudo, and bowl of mushroom soup. The beer was nice and cold and served in an interestingly shaped glass, the crudo was beautiful and delicious, but there was not very much actual food. The soup with baguette was a good serving size, tasty and well prepared. The chunks of breadfruit and mushrooms added extra texture. I would've liked at least a few slices of a higher-end mushroom like shitake or oyster to make the dish feel more luxurious, rather than just the standard grocery store variety white and cremini. We'll be back. Tip. It's easy to make reservations online and it seems like they don't block-out preferred time slots. read more

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The yelp page caught my eye with "creative dishes" and really great reviews, had to give it a try after a long day of my conference. It did not disappoint! Interestingly placed right next to, connected to the market, the restaurant has a sleek, modern, well lit interior with beautiful hanging lamps, lights and subtle island decor. The service was impeccable! Our hostess who seated us was so charming. Our amazing waitress Bethany, I felt like more than just a patron, but more like I embarked on a culinary journey and she was our tour guide- not only was she knowledgable about every dish, but she knew how to sell it and was one of the sweetest servers I've had in a while - we really felt appreciated. I shared the smoked fish dip, and then I ordered the crab noodles. Everything was savory, well seasoned and very delicious. I also ordered the Hawaiian cup which is possibly one of the best cocktails I've ever had. You can tell the staff had passion for food and was so happy to serve their customers! read more

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We went in with no expectations since it was right next to a food market but glad we made the decision to try this place. Been here few times now and every item we order hits . Our favorites are bone marrow, chili crab noodles and the desserts. Their cocktails are also creative . We will be back read more

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We're scouting spots to bring friends visiting and this is a nice spot for happy hour. We were provided great service and kama'aina on items outside the happy hour menu. Trendy ambiance and they provide validated parking for their garage with entrance on Walina St. It's a small park area so may things be in your favor. Park discount was 50% off. read more

Olili - Desserts Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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We're looking for a great place for dinner to celebrate my birthday. Read the reviews and decided to check it out. Restaurant is inside a grocery store but don't let that stop you. The food is great! We tried lots of things in the menu. Prices were reasonable for the area. Kaffir butter broiled shrimp was my favorite. I should have ordered two of those! The duck was as okay, just a little dry for my liking. My husband had the half chicken and it was tasty. It was a good portion size. Service was great. He came around to check in but not too much to interrupt our dinner. The view is great, able to see the street below and all those passing by. Will go back the next time we are in town. read more

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'Olili is the restaurant located in the back of the Waikīkī market. It's pretty small, and the menu is small as well. The dishes are Hawaiian inspired, but the portions were kinda small. We ordered several dishes to share family style. + garlic shrimp forbidden rice - this was one of our favorite dishes of the night. The shrimps were seasoned well but slightly overcooked. The rice was kinda crunchy and mixed with Chinese sausage. + chili crab noodles - the noodles were like ramen noodle. It was not too spicy. Good flavor but noodles were a bit clumpy. + stuffed won bok - this was rice and veggies stuffed in cabbage leaves. + fresh catch - fresh white fish served with gai lan, and macadamia nut tabbouleh. This was another favorite. Overall, there's nothing really special about this place, like no great view nor music, and I'm not really sure how Hawaiian the food was. But the staff was accommodating, and I enjoyed the dishes. read more

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OMG this was one of my favorite places to eat during our trip! Appetizers: Bone Marrow - I finally got to try it! Flavorful with the fresh herbs to match the meat - so good!! Kanpachi Crudo - I love my fresh fish and Kanpachi is soooooo good Mains: Chili Crab Noodles - The crab wasn't too much and I was expecting more of the Singaporean style so it wasn't that but still yummy!! Garlic Shrimp Forbidden Rice - this was our fav main dish!! The shrimp was so plump and the forbidden rice a bit crispy and delish!! Desserts: Kilauea Chocolate Lava Cake - they make it burn for a show but it's so rich and delish! Okinawan Haupia "Mud" Bar - I was not expecting to love it this much but it is so frickin good!! I liked it even more than the lava cake believe it or not! If you love purple sweet potato you will absolutely love this and the coconut gelato was lighter than I expected and highly recommend even if you're doubtful! Drinks:  Hawaiian Cup - this was my favorite refreshing EVER!! 10000% recommend! Matcha Sour - it was dang strong so it wasn't my fav but it was really pretty and unique! Super friendly staff and BEAUTIFUL eating space overlooking the streets of Waikiki. Right next to the Waikiki market which has tons of goodies to take home. This is part of my must try places to eat in Waikiki Youtube video! read more

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We had high expectations, given that Olili bills itself as "contemporary cuisine rooted in the traditions of Hawaii." Unfortunately, it does not deliver. It oddly shares a space with a supermarket. We had the smoked fish dip, Kanpachi crudo, local roots, and fresh catch. Nothing really stood out or was memorable. They have decent cocktails, but the wine list is weak. read more

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Olili is a little tumor restaurant attached to a grocery store. It's upstairs overlooking the relatively rough Kuhio Avenue. We were seated quickly in a mostly empty restaurant (glad I had a reservation). The table was devoid of anything resembling plates, napkins, utensils or glasses. Clearly they weren't expecting us in spite of the OpenTable reservation. Anyway, our server (Angelina) was friendly enough when she was around but was basically MIA until 20 minutes after the food showed up. The guy (I assume the boss) was rude and condescending especially when problems arose. I'll talk about the good. The bone marrow was amazing though it was served with sliced sourdough that was tough as a quilt. The rice and salad mix that came with the chicken was actually good. Everything else was downhill. The rest of the food took a while. The half chicken was dry and pretty tasteless without the gobs of bright red pseudo-siracha sauce. I'm glad they gave us sharp steak knives for the chicken; nothing else would cut through that jerky. The crab noodle dish was nasty. Noodles were globbed together with this weird soupy sauce that had tasted like a toxic blend of fishy lighter fluid. The 1/2 oz of crab (literally one bite) was chewy and fishy. We looked at this plate for 20 minutes until Angelina came by and we sent it back. She had to ask if we knew about the garlic. We live 20 miles from Gilroy, the garlic capital or the world. We know what garlic is supposed to taste like. Do they know in Oahu? Nobody came by to refill water. For 20 minutes nobody asked about the food. We had to flag the boss down to get extra plates. Anyway, boss man had to give us grief for gnawing on the 1 square inch of crab before sending the food back. They took it off the bill, but really service here is trash. They get 2 stars for the bone marrow. Never going back. I'd recommend the same for my readers. read more

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There aren't enough great things to say about this location. This was an amazing find, and it was near a hotel and it was the first night of our vacation. The bartender was perfect. He was insightful. He was helpful when we entered the restaurant. There was no one there so we sat at the bar with the bartender. He said we could order and eat there as well. We didn't have to eat in the dining room so we said of course we'll do that. There were menus to choose from with so many great options we started with appetizers we had the Bone Marrow which is the Honolulu meat Company bone and it had oxtail Ragu in it and some chili it was full of flavor. The presentation was beautiful. I had to drink the Hibachi Rita it was refreshing and spicy with the sea salt rim For dinner, I had the fresh catch with Ikura and Gai lan which is the Chinese, broccoli, delicious, and full of nutrients. Everything was flavorful and just delicious. The Ikura on top of the fish was great every bite into the fish with the Ikura was like pops of savory with touches of salt. We we dined our first night and went back our last night for drinks read more

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3.5 stars.. This place was on second story and shares space in a market. A nice market, like a Whole Foods type but still a marketplace? So you can see ppl shopping while you eat. They try to make it really fancy. It fell flat for me a bit. We decided to get the 3 set course meal and split and then order the haupia dessert they have in addition. The food was beautiful but it was small.. and the pulled pork came out as a soup. The drinks were good except for the haupia drink? That neither of us cared for. It tasted nothing like it says it does... so you can skip that one. Your welcome. The most dissatisfying thing was the dessert! The haupia one to be exact! It's the most beautiful dessert! It even photographs well! I was so excited! It was frozen solid to begin with.. so that wasn't great.. and to make matters worse. I love haupia! This tasted like soap! Very floral? After a bite or two to confirm neither of us wanted it:( Also our service was painfully slow? We did both like the pineapple upside down desert:) read more

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'Olili in Hawaiian means sparkling and shining . It is located on the second floor of Wakiki market overlooking the busy streets of Wakiki . Happy hour is the best time to go as both food and drinks are shaved a couple dollars . Menu items includes the bone marrow , kenpachi crudo , duck confit. I mostly got the appetizer and could have added the entree and fill myself up . Instead I chugged down bone marrow luge with whisky and added the Okinawa Hau pi's mud bar to add in some calories after the drinks . Food was good but not filling . If you are at hh , order one entree if you are hungry . HH Portion sizes are small . Dishes : Bone Marrow Honolulu Meat Co. beef bone, braised oxtail ragu, fermented chili crunch, Viet herbs, grilled sourdough Diamond Bakery soda crackers Kanpachi Crudo (GF) 23 lightly cured, lomi cherry tomato relish, crispy Thai basil, Wai'anae citrus Okinawan Haupia "Mud" Bar (V) ube custard, macadamia nut crust, haupia sorbet, shaved Okinawan potato Dessert was the best imo. Perfectly balanced flavor . Ube not overpowering .Not much other meat that goes with the bike marrow . read more

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The selections at Olili was interesting and wonderful. I chose the popular bone marrow and shrimp with forbidden rice. Ended with the flaming chocolate dessert. The ambiance was pleasant and open with the many glass windows. The restaurant is in the market. Service was prompt and courteous. I enjoyed all aspects of the experience read more

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Amazing! We are so glad we decided to go here for our last meal in Oahu. The food was fantastic! We wished we were more hungry because there were so many other dishes I wanted to try. After looking at the menu, we ordered the hand-cut beef tartare, crispy kona kanpachi and the burger. Everything was flavorful and tasty but my favorite was the burger. The patty was perfectly charred and juicy paired with the best pickled onions and cucumbers. The Kona kanpachi was very crispy and I enjoyed the beans in the dish. The beef tartare was served with deep fried tendons and that was also very tasty. The only thing that didn't wow me was the sesame old fashion. I had a few sesame old fashions before and this was just too subtle for my liking. The ambience was very chill yet modern. The decor makes this restaurant look very upscale so you forget it's located in a market. Service was personable and attentive. We would totally recommend this spots to friends who visit the island. read more

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Very delicious food here! Easy to make a reservation online through OpenTable. The restaurant is located next and technically inside the Waikiki market upstairs. The space is still very cute, fitting for both date night and family dinner. Our server was very sweet and patient with our table but the overall service was a tad slow. Had the parents with us and they're a bit picky so she kindly put in the first order for us and came back around to get the rest of the order. I did have to ask about a cocktail that took way longer than normal to come out. The butternut squash bisque and the shoyu short rib are on their seasonal fall menu. The short rib was a bit too salty for me but I loved the entire texture of the dish. The tteokbokki had the perfect amount of chew and was mixed in with a floral rosemary. I tried a bit of the forbidden rice and shrimp and it was so good too! The rice was cooked perfectly and has a different aroma than regular jasmine rice. The molten mango pie was the perfect recommendation as well! It's just slightly tart and was so gooey and warm inside. Not an artificial flavor. I'd definitely come back here for another dinner when they have a new seasonal menu! read more

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Olili is located on 2nd floor of Waikiki market. The restaurant is small but cute and fits the aesthetics of the market. All the food we ate so spot on. Our server recommended the Shoyu Braised Short Rib dish and we're so happy we ordered it. It had tteokoboki and enoki mushrooms, a perfect balance of flavors with the short ribs read more

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Was craving a fresh Caesar salad so found this place! It's in the shopping center on the 2nd floor. We got the French fries, baby Gem lettuce & the chili crab noodles. The chili crab noodles had the flavors of a paella with lots of spice. There was an okay of amount of crab in it. It was bursting with flavors! I really enjoyed this. It is very spicy though. We also got the baby gem lettuce which was crunchy & refreshing. The Caesar dressing was just right and it tasted great with some lemon on it. I love the sprinkled bread crumbs and the amount of cheese. The fries were pretty standard but good overall! Definitely ask for the miso aioli with it. It's divine. read more

Olili - Baby Gem Lettuce - Desserts Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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This place is exactly like et al at the fancy Kahala Foodland and in fact I'm sure it's the grocery store had same owners. Not sure why it's not part of the Foodland chain but the branding is the same but reads Waikiki Market. Anyhow the market is a good place for tourists to shop and get omiyage to bring back. And this restaurant has a nice oasis like ambience above all the hustle and bustle of Kuhio avenue. You can watch it all go by from the big windows. Easy to make reservations online. I've been twice now once later in the evening after cirque and another at happy hour and both times it was a bit empty which is worrisome. I hope they can stay open. The food is fine - memorable items were the rainbow cake which was light and beautiful to look at and the bone marrow appetizer. I think I enjoyed the roots also. Overall a place I've recommended to people staying in Waikiki that they enjoyed. read more

Olili is located on the second floor of the Waikiki market. It is a modern Hawaiian restaurant with heavy Asian cultural influences throughout the menu in particular Vietnamese flavours. Some comments have mentioned small portions but I have found the portions to be appropriately sized. We had the bone marrow, baby gem salad, kanpachi, crab noodles, and the shrimp fried black rice. I enjoyed everything here and even the kids menu items were also quite good. I found myself sneaking a bites of my kids tater tots. The bone marrow is topped with crispy oxtail bits and served with bread. This was really delicious. I also particularly enjoyed the fish. The skin was crispy and the fish was moist. Paired well with the beans and sausage it was served over. read more

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Located in the Waikiki Market on the 2nd floor, this is centrally located right in the heart of Waikiki right on Kuhio. If you're in this part of town and want a slightly fancier spot that still feels relaxed, this is the perfect option. From the cocktails to the apps and entrees, Olili does not disappoint. Coupled with really friendly waitstaff, it's just a really nice place to have a meal when you're in Waikiki. We love it and will definitely be back! read more

Olili - Crispy Crispy Kona Kanpachi - Desserts Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Such a wonderful restaurant in such a surprising place! We came here on our last night in Oahu and got seated quickly with no reservation- we even got to move tables when a window-view table opened up! We ordered the duck croquette, garlic shrimp forbidden rice, and chili crab noodles. Everything was SO yummy, especially the forbidden rice, which uses purple rice (fun texture!). We were also celebrating a birthday and the staff were kind enough to give us a cinnamon gelato scoop- super creamy and not too sweet!! This restaurant is located on the second floor of the Waikiki market, tucked away on the side. It's intimate and classy and, best of all, not incredibly crowded. We walked there but I would caution parking as it's basically on the Waikiki strip. Would definitely come back for another meal! read more

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I've been wanting to try this place for a loooonnnggg time, maybe 6 months now? So finally, I've tried the dish that I came here for - chili crab noodles, plus some pupus they had since we're here at 4:30pm for their happy hour! Selected pupus from their regular menu were also on the happy hour menu but for a few bucks less. Came here with a friend, and we started the meal with the bone marrow and the kanpachi crudo. Both yummy! They topped the bone marrow with chunks of meat too, which is a little different from how regular restaurants serve bone marrow which I like! The toasted sourdough that came with it was delicious as well! As for the kanpachi, it was so delicious that we ordered two haha. The sauce was amazing, and the fish was so fresh. And of course the chili crab noodles. Loved how we could see 2 pieces of crab meat in there, but yes, only 2 pieces... wish there's more. The noodles had a good texture and was very flavorful. There might be some crab inside the noodles because the noodles got crab flavored but I couldn't really tell. But at least that was delicious too. To wrap it up, we got the Okinawan Ube haupia bar. Great flavors but a bit too sweet. We didn't get any of the syrup because the crust and the purple part was already too sweet. The haupia part was not as sweet which was more of our preference. Kamaaina show your id to get 10% off dinner menu items. Also parking is $2 per hour for the first 3 hours, then it becomes $8 per hour, in the Lilia condo garage, which can fill up pretty quickly so good luck. Our server was very friendly and helpful. Not very attentive, but the guy after her was a bit more attentive and filled up our water. We both loved the ambiance. Floor to ceiling large windows at a corner spot so you could see a lot of action! Very well lit. Modern light fixtures and furniture. Great for small gatherings and date nights too. Everything was great, but the reason why I didn't rate it a 5 because other items on the menu weren't very exciting. if I were to come back, I'd likely order the same things. Maybe I can try the crispy kanpachi? But the price seems a bit high for what it is too, and for other dishes as well. I don't know. Maybe I'll return, maybe not. read more

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This was a hidden gem in the Waikiki market. The food was amazing. Our server was friendly just not as attentive. The cocktails were good. The highlight of the meal was when the chef brought out the entrees and went over the ingredients with us. I feel like I was at a 5-star restaurant. See that he is passionate abt each dish. I had the garlic shrimp forbidden rice. One of the best dishes I've tasted recently. The flavors were on point. I love the rice so much-very aromatic and had a nice crisp to it. It was a comforting and savory dish. Overall the food here is creative and all the different flavor profiles just complement each other so well. read more

Enjoyed the ambiance of this beautiful little restaurant hidden away in the Waikiki Market. Interior is beautiful, menu is creative, food presentation is aesthetically appealing, and service is excellent- but the food itself (and the prices) fell a bit flat in comparison to all of the other things 'Olili has going for it. I was really excited to try their Garlic Shrimp Forbidden Rice, but found the flavors to be muted despite the delicious ingredients listed on the menu. Otherwise, the cocktail menu is where they shine: my bf really enjoyed what I think was their Black Sesame Old Fashioned and I went for their Herbs & Tonic since I didn't want anything too high in alcohol at the time. 'Olili is definitely worth a try, but I would personally come again just for the drinks and general atmosphere and find food elsewhere. - Ambiance: 5/5 - Food: 3/5 - Service: 5/5 read more

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Their parking entrance is on Walina Street, with about 3 levels of parking stalls, may the parking gods be in your favor. Located inside of Waikiki Market, the restaurant is a total vibe! I was pleasantly surprised by this place! Going in, didn't have very high expectations as I had assumed it would've been like a restaurant at a Foodland Farms type of deal, but the ambiance was real cute and clean when you got in there. The only thing I noticed is that the hanging rattan light fixtures above the 4-top tables were on the lower side. Servers and patrons kept bumping their heads on it, so just be mindful of that when moving around. The service from Angelina was on point. There were 3 other tables while we dined there, so her supervisor Kalen ran food out to us, while she took care of the other tables, also very pleasant service from him. Food was on point. Everything that we ate was a winner. Though their menu may seem short and sweet, I believe it's to keep costs down by pulling from products in their storefront and stick to a well-executed menu to keep on brand, without getting lost with too many choices. My only comment is that I noticed that they have a $75 3-course pre-fixe menu containing Hawaiian food (Kalua pig, chicken long rice, etc), which that seemed a little on the high side to me. Marketing towards tourists? I personally didn't go for it, but all of the ala carte menu items did not disappoint! Definitely a great space for any occasion! read more

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The food at Olili's is top of the line. I have visited this location three times in the last three days. This is the best food I have tasted in Hawaii hands-down the ambience is outdoor. The service is great but the chef and the cooks they make the best food in Hawaii hands-down these guys know their stuff !!! I recommend this location and I will be returning to this location. read more

Olili - Kim Chi hamburger Volcano fried rice - Desserts Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

How AMAZING was this little gem! We were able to score a last-minute reservation for a party at six. We were seated in the corner overlooking the street. The bartender walked over and asked what we wanted to drink. One of the margaritas sounded delicious. But it Sounded like it would be too sweet for my liking. I explained that to him that I don't like sweet drinks and he made me a specialty cocktail...That was DABOMB!!! Now to the food. EVERYTHING was soooooo delicious. Every dish was unique and savory. The smoked fish was delectable. The salad was cool, crisp and yummy. The kanaapachi was succulent. I am so happy! You need to RUN yourself to this hidden gem! Don't be Leary when you walk through the market to get here either! Highlights: Wait staff = AWESOME Bartender = knowledgeable and kind and fast read more

Olili - Kaanapachi - Desserts Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

We came in with a group of ten. We made two reservations for groups of five since that was the limit. Luckily they were very accommodating so we got a long table that seated us all. Our server was Bryan. He was great! He had many suggestions of which foods to order such as the salad or how to layer certain dishes. We came at the tail end of happy hour. The drinks were good! I had the lilikoi mule. A couple of my friends had the mojito and the liquid huapia (which was delicious but strong.) Happy hour cocktails are $10 each but the selection is not the full menu. We ordered multiples of several of the dishes to share family style. That included the bone marrow, meatballs, salad, some sort of crudo, and the chili crab noodles. My personal favorites were the crab noodles and the bone marrow. The bone marrow tasted like pho! After we finished the bone marrow one of the bartenders asked if we wanted to do a shot of whiskey using the bone marrow as the shooter! You pour the shot in and let it soak in the flavor a bit for a minute or so. It can be a bit messy but my friend that did the shot said it was tasty. Great experience here and I'd love to come back! Service was stellar. For a group of ten people (averaging 2 drinks each) it came out to about $60 per person ($600ish total after tax/tip etc). read more

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