An unforgettable Sunday brunch on Mother's Day! PAI collaborated with Blume Ruhm for a beautiful experience! Brunch reservations started at 10:30 with a fixed menu, a welcome cocktail, and explanation for options on dining and visiting Jenna at her table of gorgeous flowers. My daughter and I said hello to Justine, one of the owners, a beautiful and amazing woman in the community who partnered with another small business owner to create this one-of-a-kind memory we can cherish. I will only have so many more years before my baby leaves for college so this type of brunch really stands out for both of us!! Everyone of the PAI team members was absolutely amazing as well, from the moment we walked in to the time we left. They made sure to let us know this was at our leisure, and to take our time. Grab flowers, arrange them at our table if we would like. Although we prepaid for the brunch, and additional purchase was made and it's little things like how the check comes in a wooden sliding box that just set this place apart! Blume Ruhm fresh flowers to arrange with beautiful vases, and the help of an expert. These bouquets turned out gorgeous and as moms, daughters, aunties and grandmother's walked by, every unique design deserved an A+. Brunch was delicious. Charcuterie, freshly baked foccicia, amazing shoyu maple strawberry French toast.... I know, right! Be kind to these photos, pretty sure all of them had "bites" take first! read more

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Good service and a great menu. If you don't know what to order all you have to do it pick the set menu. It has all the best things the kitchen can make. read more

It's been a long time since last visit old friend. Forgive me for not returning sooner. You are always awesome. This recent experience was over the top memorable! Thank you to creative mastery of Chef Kevin L. and excellent service by team Tyrell and Malik, our party of three had such a wonderful evening. Each course off the tasting menu was artful, whimsical, and a treat for the senses. Chef leaning heavy on the freshest, locally sourced ingredients. While other options are available, highly recommend the complete tasting menu available! Here are a few of my favorites: Kona Kampachi (11 of 10!) - party for the tastebuds! Citrus cured kampachi, scallop,cucumber, cherry tomato seasoned in a ginger Wasabi dressing and served alongside a coconut curry puree. He'eia Samoan Crab - (11 of 10) - TBH I did NOT have high hope for this one as I don't care for siumai much but this one completely surprised me! Samoan crab meat and opakapaka balanced with fresh Ewa corn nibblits, pickled ginger and tied together with the subtlest red vinegar. Delicious! Also earning top spots on my palate: Kona lobster (10 of 10) with green lipped mussel, fennel, and ogo and in a lobster bisque. Mai Tai sherbert intermediate (10 of 10). Wow, just wow! Lamb taro puff (9 of 10) - think Chinese taro puff with exploding filling of cumin braised lamb. 90 day dry-aged beef (9 of 10) - seasoned with white and black peppercorn and served in an XO sauce. Dessert of Dark Chocolate Haupia gelee with an almond cookie Crumble and toasted coconut (9 of 10) - needless to say I didn't share this one! Escargot with ttebok (8 of 10) - I don't care much for mochi rice cakes but that's just a personal thing. I believe the later dishes were biased on my review as I was just so full I don't think I could appreciate them to the fullest. Parking partially validated in the building or on Merchant street free after downtown business hours. Will I be back? Absolutely! It's where I think of when looking for a special and intimate dining experience. read more

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Wow, wow, wow, we had a spectacular dinning experience. From the time we arrived we were greeted with prepared appetizers, cold cuts, shrimp chips and chicken. We enjoyed deliciously prepared libations by the bar staff. The place has wonderful ambience. We had a wonderful experience from the service to the food, thanks to our host D.A. for selecting such a great place for your dinner. I need to apologize for not taking more pictures as I was moved by the food being served and the wine pairings. YUM read more

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2.15.25 Valentine's Day Prix Fixe Menu Experience Kevin Lee's artistry for the eye and palate. Justine Lee, presented my date with the perfect wine pairings. I had the zero alcohol Reverie--hit the right notes, not too sweet and pretty presentation. (See the pics) Thank you Chef Kevin and Justine your attention to detail re: food, drink, service and ambiance created the perfect Valentin's celebration. Go, now and support this earnest, hard working, local business that supports local farmers. Note--park in the Harbor Court building. We took the City and County ticket and PAI defeated the cost with parking stickers. read more

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Pai Honolulu *** DEPENDS-MAYBE *** Food: *** Value: ** (small portions for price) Menu: *** Ambiance: **** Service: **** Parking: **** (validated) While screening restaurants with four stars or above, Pai Honolulu came to my attention with a 4.4 Yelp rating from 332 reviews. That's high! They have also won many local restaurant awards. This chef owned restaurant, has both an à la carte menu or you can create your own 3 Course or 4 Course menu. The chef, Kevin Lee, has an extensive background in culinary skills working at different ethnic restaurants in various continents. If you enjoy fine dining, prepared by a chef owner with culinary training & experience, I'd recommend giving Pai Honolulu a try. If you like larger portions and/or lower prices, you may want to go elsewhere. RATINGS & RECOMMENDED ORDER: Molten Dark Fudge Brownie = A Kona Kampachi = B 5-Spiced Pork Shoulder = C Braised Beef = C Baby Romaine & Kale Salad = C Strawberry Panna Cotta = C Yelp: https://yelp.to/iiI3eBzvZk Website: https://www.paihonolulu.com/ YELP: Milton K Sorry! They allow only one 12 second video & the remaining to 3 seconds. The full video and pictures of the entire menu can be found on other platforms/apps: MiltonIn808 RATINGS KEY: A = Really Good - one of the best B = Good - would order again C = ok - similar, nothing special D = Not very good - wouldn't order F = Terrible - avoid read more

PAI Honolulu - New American Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Pai Honolulu is understated and underrated! The menu is heavily Chinese-influenced. My husband and I dined here for our wedding anniversary last year. We've actually had this restaurant on our bookmarks for a couple years and waited that long to finally dine here after I saw them introduce a more affordable three-course menu in early 2024 (they've had their four-course menu much longer)! During anniversaries and birthdays, we like to splurge...on a budget lol. I made a reservation at Pai via OpenTable. Our reservation was for 5:00pm, right when Pai opened, so we were the only diners for about half an hour. The restaurant wasn't too large, but still looked and felt spacious. Since I indicated on the reservation that we were celebrating our wedding anniversary, our host provided a menu which included a "happy anniversary" greeting! What a thoughtful touch lol. Also because of our anniversary, the restaurant offered both of us complimentary glasses of champagne. Our drinks were tasty. My husband and I have a strategy every time we dine out--we split everything so we could taste a variety of dishes. We ordered a three-course menu and a four-course menu. Both include appetizers and dessert, but the four-course menu includes both pasta AND entree, whereas the three-course menu allows either or. OUR ORDERS: Three-course menu: - Kona Kampachi (my fave) - Braised beef (my fave) - Strawberry panna cotta (my fave) Four-course menu: - Chilled crab corn soup (also my fave if I didn't take a pic of it) - Lemongrass curry chow fun - 5-spice pork shoulder - Espresso martini We took photos of all our dishes except the chilled crab corn soup. We must have enjoyed it that much that we couldn't stop for a picture! I can't comment on parking since my husband's car was already parked at his workplace in Downtown, while I took the Skyline rail from the Westside + the bus from Aloha Stadium to a block away from Pai. It took me awhile to find Harbor Court and the restaurant itself. Overall, we enjoyed our anniversary dinner at Pai. Gourmet dinner at reasonable prices and friendly customer service. I'd say Pai is a restaurant for real foodies, for those who want casual fine dining even without those so-called sunset or beach views. read more

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Service was excellent, ambiance was quant and classy, cocktails with exceptional and the oyster with caviar was amazing. I want to also say the short ribs and curry pappardelle were very flavorful. With all the wonderful things I just said why not 5 stars? The papparrdelle was hand made, but it lacked consistency and it was a bit too al dente for me. The main reason for taking a star away was that our entrees were served lukewarm, which we found to be a major misstep for this price point and caliber. read more

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This was the restaurant we were most looking forward to on our brief trip to Oahu. Unfortunately, it did not meet our hopes on so many levels. A huge disappointment. First, finding parking in this area is difficult at best. Apparently they have their own parking lot which should make it easy, but their signage from the street is poor, especially in the dark. They should have made the parking situation clear to us before we arrived during the several times they contacted me, which would have saved us a lot of frustration. Walking in, first impression: The lights are too bright (like a cafeteria) and the decor so minimal. A plastic plant separates our table at the window from the other half of the dining room. We are in front of the chef's kitchen with a view of the cooking. The restaurant is half full. A portion of the space is blocked off with paper screens. It looks temporary. The party of 8 on the other side of the restaurant is so loud and the acoustics are terrible. Ambience overall is poor. We start with a cocktail, which is lovely. They have this part down, as well as the wine pairings. We are served a buttermilk corn bread with honey miso butter compliments of the chef. It is delicious and we are off to a good start. After that, the meal goes down hill. The $25 foie gras is so small and watery in texture. For some inexplainable reason, it is served with an overly thin and crisp bread cracker that falls apart when you put anything on it, and the watery foie gras drips through all of the holes. A complete mistake on all levels. The kona kampachi, although pretty in presentation is bland and the elements just don't go together well - kampachi with tomatoes and jicama? The sauce also just doesn't add anything to the dish. Fortunately, my husband will eat anything, especially meat and he devoured his pork shoulder. That being said, he didn't rave about it. He said he was just hungry. My curry pappardelle on the other hand, for me was almost inedible. I thought the concept sounded interesting and I love pappardelle pasta, but the noodles were so thick and gummy, I took a bite or two and was done. When our server came by and took my plate and noticed I had hardly touched it, he said nothing except that he would wrap it up to take home. Desserts were fine. By that point I was uninterested. The service throughout was very attentive by the chef's wife and additional staff. She was friendly and had a birthday greeting and welcome printed on our menus, which was a nice, personal feature. But the chef could have also come out to greet his few guests and inquire about our experience, which he did not. He did not seem friendly, more studious and analytical and happy to be in his kitchen, far from his guests. Not inviting. As we were leaving, I realized that the server never brought me my dish to take home. As I was thinking of asking, I realized I wasn't going to eat it anyway. Not here, not there, not anywhere. Why didn't anyone in the restaurant care about our food experience? Not sure but would not return and could not recommend. Unfortunate and odd as the reviews for this restaurant are very polarized. Not for me. read more

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It's been on my list for a while but due to circumstances, never had the pleasure... until now. Looking for a destination place for that special someone, an experience akin to a private dining meal? Yes, this is the place. After scanning a number of posted menus, I thought there were plentiful menu options, various prix fixed meals and perhaps an ala carte menu. When we arrived for our 5 pm midweek dinner, we were seated next to the open kitchen in a four-seat table. To be honest, it was not what I expected when I read the two page menu on the table. Well, let's just say the choices are limited with options in the "snacks" section. At that point, the options were sparkling or still water, our beverages, and snacks to be shared since none of us were wine drinkers. We started with the Oishi oysters (https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=saJuyv784apZzH--psHZ3Q&select=iyYULNhauQVGVe9a-TgxLw) and the Pai aged Charcuterie (https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=saJuyv784apZzH--psHZ3Q&select=K-hdIuyMVZbzKucUI-CdrA). The descriptions are Kuushi oysters, lilikoi mignonette, Kiawe smoked chili pepper water and salted nuts, pickles respectively. The oysters were akin to the familiar Kumamoto variety and were refreshing with the applied sauce. The soppresatta slices, housed cured, played well with the garnishes in alternating bites. For the main meal, here's a summary of my favorites: A. Kona lobster (before pouring of the bisque (https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=saJuyv784apZzH--psHZ3Q&select=1WV0rhFpapcuczXpmjmWHg) and after (https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=saJuyv784apZzH--psHZ3Q&select=jl1vcmVou85CCH5eaimlKw)) - half lobster tail, green lip mussel, fennel, ogo, cherry tomato, fennel and tomato bisque. Every ingredient shined with the rich yet not heavy soup B. He'eia Samoan crab (https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=saJuyv784apZzH--psHZ3Q&select=Ft3khDSIrXJxNM_L2cv35Q) - opakaka Siu Mai, Ewa sweet corn, edamame, pickled ginger, garlic chive, red vinegar. This is a dumpling like no other with the heart fish pairing with the subtle crab meat and flavor. C. Kona Kampachi (https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=saJuyv784apZzH--psHZ3Q&select=ypCWqmafd1sHQZWL_I-cFg) - citrus cured Kampachi, bay scallop, cucumber, cherry tomato, bell pepper, ginger wasabi dressing, lemongrass, coconut curry puree, ogo, cilantro. The sweetness of the fish made the other ingredients clean tasting. Other favorites were the Chef's buttermilk cornbread (https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=saJuyv784apZzH--psHZ3Q&select=UuknbQRuI7-kAAcPrKVETQ) (honey miso butter) and the Mai Tai Sherbet (https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=saJuyv784apZzH--psHZ3Q&select=kn8ZclyGROvFwRyb5LPaBw) (pineapple juice, orange juice, coconut milk, rum). The Dark Chocolate Haupia (https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=saJuyv784apZzH--psHZ3Q&select=fIOSspaK1fBQLSBoD3jnTQ) (almond cookie crumbs, cacao nib, coconut sugar, toasted coconut) was ridiculous too. I enjoyed the other dishes too but these were particularly memorable for me. Being familiar with the chef's background, I learned from a mutual friend from the area that my family and me are familiar with many of his family. He made the time to speak with us and took photos with us. My local friend was particularly impressed by the many awards that lined the bar shelves and a cabinet. Thank you to our waiter Tyrell, enthusiastic and boisterous, and his assistant Malik, the cool and collected one. Thank you and your sous chef, Kevin, for providing a wonderful meal who my friend thought was on her 'best ever' dinners list. It was impressive that you and your sous crafted this experience for us to enjoy, like having private chefs cooking for us. ** Not so subtle pre Valentine's hint. read more

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Awesome Chef kevin!! Thank you to u & Justine! The food, ambiance..& everything was perfect!! read more

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This place is a hidden gem. I couldn't believe it was my first time in, and a friend of mine suggested we try it out! I thought I had tried every restaurant in China town. The service was excellent! It's a family run business which I love because it adds a homey touch with delicious food. We stopped by for cocktails mostly but ended up having to try the pana cotta desert. I took a look at their tasting menus because I knew I had to come back with a bigger appetite! read more

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We had an amazing dining experience and celebrated my birthday too. I am not alcohol drinker, but they have a selection of mocktails that were paired with dish. If you are looking for some extra special flavors and unique presentation, you just have to give Pai a try. You won't regret it... Thank you Chef Kevin Lee for your culinary creativity and delicious dishes with unexpected favors... read more

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Chef Kevin Lee and his wife Justine are the dynamic duo of Pai. The chef keeps things running like clockwork in the back, while Justine keeps the front of the house functioning smoothly. Pai often has tasting menus, which provide an overview of Chef Lee's talents. Tonight was a special menu prepared by Eoin Chadwick, an Irish chef who had several riffs on traditional Irish dishes, each course paired with an Irish whiskey. It was mostly delicious, although to be honest, I wasn't a huge fan of the porridge cake. Pai is pretty small and intimate. To make it even more intimate, we sat at the counter, which is practically like eating at a chef's table as the food is being prepared just a few feet from you. The only downside was the bathrooms, which require an escort to take you across the lobby and through two security doors. read more

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We had an incredible dining experience at PAI Honolulu when we celebrated our wedding anniversary there. Tyrel provided outstanding service. The food was creative, delicious and beautifully presented. We loved that they favor locally sourced products. If you want a quiet atmosphere for dinner where conversation is possible, this is the place. We liked the little touches like the personalized menu wishing us a happy anniversary and the complimentary glasses of sparkling wine to toast the event. We look forward to returning here again soon. read more

Had to try this place after seeing the reviews and it was great. The Christmas margarita was really tasty, as is the cosmo. From a food standpoint, these are original takes on the usual courses so we enjoyed them. Each course was well balanced and was quite tasty. The corn bread with the miso-honey was delicious. I would buy a pan of this if I could. It had a crispy edge and the butter complimented the warm bread s well and got us ready for what's next to come. The kampachi was delicious and had surprisingly tasting combinations such as the beets and the fish and the puree. Lamb chow fun had a nice build of spice that snuck up on you, but it's definitely tasty. Makes great leftovers. The salmon was quite good as well. The wasabi and the furikake made everything go well together. Pork shoulder was tender (although a little salty) Dessert was good - brownie was slightly two sweet for my taste, but those chocolate (and peanut) lovers will definitely appreciate it. The Japanese french toast was nice and fluffy. Had breakfast vibes, but still tasty. Service was really good since we went on a light night so definitely attentive. We ordered shrimp chips but it never came, so the server got us two half pours of wines that complement our dishes. As others notated, a little pricey but everything was good and was a great experience. read more

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Tucked away Downtown near the harbor is this cute restaurant PAI. ***Pre Fixe $95 per person **Corn Bread w/ Miso-Honey Butter (7/10) Corn bread was really good! Super soft and moist. Although I wasn't a fan of the miso honey butter. I thought it gave it an interesting after taste. Which I assume it's from the miso since it has an earthy taste to it. **Kampachi (supplemental $5) ~ 9/10 Highly recommend getting this! Super refreshing with bursts of flavors! The Kampachi tasted super fresh and the purée served on the side of it complimented the Kampachi very well. **Ginger Chicken Risotto ~ 7/10 I'm not a huge fan of Risotto, but this wasn't bad at all! The chicken skin on the top was crispy and gave the risotto a nice crunch texture. The risotto was really creamy and rich, but you can't really taste the pesto. **Slowed Furikake Salmon (supplemental $15) ~ 8/10 The furikake salmon was pretty decent! Super soft on the first bite and it was topped with ikura that was marinated in Yuzu sauce. It also came with a side of these vegetables that completed the salmon really well. **Molten Fudge Brownie ~ 9/10 One of my favorite dishes that was served. The Molten fudge brownie. It had the perfect gooeyness and it was warm. The sweetness from the gelato which I believe was bourbon vanilla infused complimented the flavors of the brownie so well. Overall, A little pricey for a pre-fixe, but it was really good. Service was on point and the food was delicious! I wouldn't mind coming back on a special occasion again! :) read more

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This was an enjoyable meal from start to finish. Actually before it even started, I received an email about the menu being printed with our occasion name, which is a nice touch, especially if not requested to reach out on their own. Our server was Tyrel who was so knowledgeable about the menu, we knew we were in good hands. I started with The Secret Garden cocktail, it was so good and sweet but not sickeningly. We all opted for the 3 course dinner and I ordered pate. The strawberry on top of the pate helped cut the strong meaty taste. The cornbread came next, I'm not a huge cornbread eater but this one was so good. It had a nice balance of savory and sweet. The honey miso butter went so well together. I got the kampachi, it was really fresh. There was a curry sauce that had no purpose if it was eaten with the fish. The fish cancelled out the flavor completely, it was good by itself though. I got the cioppino for my entree, this was a lot of food! The tableside bisque serving was a nice touch, because having it sitting in the soup would have ruined the seafoods freshness. The toasted sourdough bread wasn't my favorite, I would have preferred a softer bread, maybe if it wasn't toasted. To finish I got the Banana Rum Pudding. It wasn't clear that it was bread pudding from the menu. It was okay, I didn't really want bread pudding though. I would choose something different next time. Everyone at the table enjoyed their meal, one had the braised beef which was fork tender, another had the pork shoulder which was also fork tender and hard feat when it comes to pork. I really enjoyed the meal. The restaurant is small and nicely decorated. It is fancy but not stuck up and nobody was overly dressed up. The price was good Considering how much food it was, 3 full Courses for $69. Highly recommend read more

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We made a reservation here for my birthday. We arrived early and were seated promptly. After being seated, we were neglected for about 30 minutes. They were not understaffed but it seems like their staff was just slowly making their rounds to tables even though dinner hour had just started. We eventually reviewed our dinner selections and started off with their complimentary corn bread. This was delicious with a side of honey miso butter. Following that, there was once again a very long pause until they attended to us and served us our next dish. As the starter and main dishes eventually made their way to us, we were underwhelmed. Nothing special to the poached lobster. The salmon although was cooked perfectly, the seasoning was not to taste. The wasabi mayo was the only thing I could taste as it was slathered on the top. My husband's pork chop was very chewy and bland. It was overcooked. The strawberry panna cotta was quite sweet with no balance of tartness. Our many waiters kept apologizing for their slow service but we felt they could have provided better customer service if they were more attentive and weren't just working as a mob of 2-3 waiters for 1 table of 2. They could have split up the job and tried to improve throughout the night rather than let us sit through a 3 course dinner that took 2.5-3 hours to complete. Even asking for our check took a long time. They were also not attentive to the dietary restrictions which they emailed beforehand but it wasn't relayed to the staff the day of. We will not be coming back for the price point, service, and quality of food. read more

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I loved this place! Every dish was different with uniquely crafted flavors. The corn bread was the star of the show From the moment the warm, golden loaf arrives at your table, you know you're in for a treat. The exterior boasts a delicate crunch, hinting at the delights within, while the interior is a revelation of moist, tender crumb infused with the rich, sweet aroma of corn. Each bite is a symphony of flavor, balancing the subtle sweetness of the corn with a hint of savory goodness that keeps you coming back for more. While Pai Restaurant is known for its innovative fusion cuisine, the corn bread is a testament to the timeless appeal of Southern comfort food. The attentive staff at Pai Restaurant only adds to the dining experience, ensuring that every visit is nothing short of extraordinary. From their warm greetings to their genuine passion for hospitality, they elevate the enjoyment of each dish, including the legendary corn bread. Whether you're a local resident or a visitor to Honolulu, a visit to Pai is incomplete without savoring this delightful creation. Prepare to indulge in a slice of Southern heaven that will leave you craving more long after your meal has ended. read more

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At Pai it's only a set course menu that you could choose from. There was not like an à la cart menu that you can pick and choose from. The dishes were very flavorful. The oyster had just the right amount of flavor. The smoky old-fashioned was strong and smooth, and the effect of the smoky cylinder presentation was on point. The furikake salmon was amazing, I would order that again and again. The portions were reasonably size and I actually had to take home leftovers because I was full. The brownie was basic but hits that sweet needed. Overall, I feel like it's a little overpriced, but the dishes were delicious. read more

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This was one of our last stops for our mini-honeymoon trip. This place was a friend's recommendation and we're so glad we tried it. We opted for the prix fixe course meal and it included a salad, a pasta dish, a main entree, and dessert! We pretty much tried each dish between the 2 of us and was able to enjoy every part of the meal that was offered. Most notably, the seafood was prepared exceptionally well in each dish that offered it. I've never had such soft and flavorful seafood cooked like that before. I didn't think much of the chicken risotto when we ordered it, but there was so much flavor packed into that small and simple dish. The fried chicken skin was a 10/10, loved it! My favorite dish of the night had to be between the octopus and watermelon main dish we had and the dessert. The warm and sweet watermelon went so well with the octopus that we couldn't help but each everything on the plate, down to the last sip of the broth/sauce. Ok but the dessert though, it was insane. Who would've thought to shave frozen foie gras over a warm piece of French toast? You're a genius. No words, just find memories to be honest. Experience was a 10/10, not to mention the wonderful service; the food was amazing, and we'd love to come back to celebrate another occasion when we can. read more

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We were invited to a chefs private tasting as part of a tour offered at the property we stayed at. It was a very intimate experience and we were seated family style with other people from our tour, so we made some new friends! read more

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Whirlwind of flavors, beautiful presentation, and unique creativity. It was an entertaining evening and the fact that lots of the vegetables come from the Chef's garden makes it micro local. read more

As my first fine dining experience, this was off the charts! Both the presentation and taste were amazing! Very unique concepts but also very approachable! Everything was super flavorful and we left absolutely stuffed! I hope I can come again soon to try the rest of the menu! Thank you Chef Kevin! read more

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Had a wonderful experience at PAI, everything from booking our reservation for our anniversary, to the staff, the food, and the whole experience! I communicated with Justine via email to book our reservation and they printed specialty menus for us to celebrate the occasion! It's a small restaurant with an even smaller staff so it seemed like everyone did everything. However, I would say that our main server was Khristian who is the restaurant's bar manager and mixologist. He was amazing, and his cocktails were fantastic. You can tell he puts a lot of love into his cocktails. We got their standard prix fixe menu and an 8-course chef's tasting menu. It's truly a fine dining experience here and it was a lot of fun. Some of our favorite dishes from both of these menus: - buttermilk cornbread - samoan crab - lamb - NY striploin - Japanese sweet bread french toast Biggest and main downside is that the restrooms are not located in the restaurant and you have to literally be escorted by a staff member to unlock the restroom. Overall great experience and would definitely recommend! read more

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Delicious. Creative. Great service. Highly recommend. The bartender prepared some beautiful and delicious cocktails. We really appreciated that they offered a good selection of creative cocktails. We had the 3-course tasting menu. The cornbread with miso butter was so unique and tasty. I've never had shrimp chips but they were great, especially with the horseradish crème. The pork shoulder was the best I've had. So tender with a nice crunchy crust. The chicken mushroom and cauliflower was fantastic. Not something I wouldn't ordered normally but so glad I did. I would order it again. And dessert was a great way to end the meal... we enjoyed the panna cotta, the brownie and the cookies. All delicious. Our servers were friendly and professional. Chef Kevin came by to say hi. The restaurant was clean and nicely decorated. Overall, a wonderful dining experience. We'll be back. read more

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I was looking forward to the chefs tasting experience after seeing that it was a top rated experience on OpenTable, and that this restaurant has fantastic reviews on multiple different food review platforms. The ambiance was nice and the service was attentive. While the food tasted alright and was plated quite nicely, it does not come close to what I would expect from a price tag of $210 per person. None of the dishes were particularly mind-blowing other than the glazed octopus and the squid agnolotti. Some dishes were even unenjoyable because some of the ingredients were either stale, raw, or too tough. I would not recommend coming to this restaurant for their chef's tasting menu, it is simply not worth the money and was overall a disappointing experience for us. Chef's Buttermilk Cornbread honey-miso batter 6/10, Cornbread was crumbly and tasted good with the miso butter. Bay Scallop white grape & clam gazpacho, jicama, marcona almond, pickled grapes, celery heart 5/10, The scallops lacked flavor, and the almonds tasted a bit stale, but the pickled grapes and celery hearts worked well together Samoan Crab & Opakapaka Siu Mai opakapaka, sweet corn, lemon zest, garlic chive 4/10, Could not taste the crab in the filling, texture and taste resembled bland generic Siu Mai Tamarind Glazed Baby Octopus truffle corn pudding, jicama, potato, cucumber, apple, mint, ginger wasabi dressing, chaat masala, cilantro, chickpea 6.5/10, tamarind glazed octopus itself was the best thing we tasted up until this point, but the cucumber's rawness dominated the other ingredients of the dish, which contributed very little flavor Squid Luau Agnolotti lomi tomato, limu, inamona (kukui nut & sea salt), green onion 8/10, our favorite portion of the tasting menu, seasoned well, every ingredient had a role on the dish, and had a good kick to it Duck Confit Katsu Bao five spiced duck confit, foie gras, sesame hoisin, green onion, cilantro 5/10, could not really taste the duck, there was too much bao bun compared to the filling, there was not enough of the sesame hoisin sauce, so it tasted dry 90 Day Dry-Aged Beef kona coffee & juniper, taro & potato gratin, shiitake mushroom & truffle purée 4/10, the beef was very tough and difficult to eat, the taro and potato gratin was a unique way of presenting starch in this dish, but it was pretty flavorless. Mai Tai Sherbet pineapple juice, orange juice, coconut milk, rum 7/10, refreshing, and the rum was not overpowering Strawberries & Créme Panna Cotta ume gelee, almond cookie crumble, matcha 6/10, The crumble was nice and crunchy, and was a good textual contrast to the panna Cotta read more

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The food here is amazing! The food and experience is definitely worth it. We came here for a friend's birthday and they even had personalized menus for the event. I ordered from the pre fixe menu, which comes with the cornbread and you can choose from sets of appetizers, pasta, entree, and dessert. Each of the dishes were portioned out perfectly. I left full but didn't feel disgustingly full either. The crab and avo salad and cornbread came out first. Both were really good. The pasta dish might have been my favorite though. I ordered the lamb agnolotti (kind of like a ravioli-type dish). It was super flavorful and cooked well. It was a bit rich though, so I'm glad the dish wasn't bigger than it was. The mushroom entree was also excellent. It was kind of weird just eating mushrooms and cauliflower for a main dish, but I loved it! The flavors from the sauce and the vinegar really blended well with the mushrooms. The apple pai was superb and I would recommend it if you like apple desserts. The service here was also excellent. They also have their own parking lot for the building (they do validation). The parking structure is a bit low though, so I wouldn't recommend going in with large trucks or SUVs. read more

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Celebrated a friend's birthday here last night at we had a wonderful experience. We were unusually early for our resy as we came in from the west side on a flash flood kind of day and luckily they were able to accomodate us. The ambiance was nice but not stuffy. Open kitchen. The printed menu wishing my friend a happy birthday was a nice touch. We opted for the 3 course tasting menu and she got the wine pairings as well. At first we thought we might leave still hungry because the portions looked a little small but we left pretty stuffed. She selected the chilled crab corn chowder, braised beef w/ XO long beans, and the strawberry panna cotta. I chose the kona campachi w/ lemongrass coconut curry, ciopinno, and molten dark fudge brownie with peanut butter bourbon gelato. We shared tastes of everything. Flavors were familiar yet kept interesting with some of the ingredients. The wine pairings were lovely as well. Service was friendly, and the owner made us feel like we were somehow regulars pretty quickly. We did not expect to shut the place down but before we knew it we were the only ones left, and nobody rushed us out. Great experience and we will definitely be back! read more

All I can say is WOW!! The food was to die for! My husband and I had the five course meal. Everything was phenomenal. The service was excellent! We loved the location and the appearance of the restaurant. We even got to meet Chef Kevin. I'd highly recommend this restaurant!! read more

I've been wanting to check out PAI Honolulu for some time now. Last Thursday, I was lucky to celebrate my belated birthday dinner here with my girlfriends. Truly dining in style. Reservations made easily on the Open Table app. The entrance to the parking structure is on Bethel Street. Don't forget to get your ticket validated. With validation, we paid $2 for 3 hours. PAI Honolulu is located on the ground floor of Harbor Court. As soon as you approach the restaurant, not only are you in awe by the simple elegant ambiance, you are also welcomed with smiles and warm greetings from the restaurant workers. We arrived at the table, and our menus were printed with a birthday greeting at the top. Sweet touch. We decided to order cocktails, rather than doing the wine pairing. *Lilikoi Agua Fresca (lilikoi, pineapple, mint, and soda) - I ordered it with vodka. It was refreshing and delicious. It tasted like a lilikoi mojito - my fave. (5/5) We went with the 4-course prix fixe menu for $95 per person, along with the extra snacks to start. *Oscietra Caviar & Oyster ($25 for 2-pcs): dressed with lilikoi mignonette and Pai fire water. Oyster sat on a pile of salt and a bed of ogo. The most expensive oyster, but also the best I've ever had. The oyster was fresh, clean, and flavor was on point. (6/5) *Shrimp Chips ($8): accompanied with horseradish crème fraìche and charred Maui onions. We were a little hesitant at first and then couldn't think of eating shrimp chips any other way. Wow. Paired so well together. (6/5) *Chef's Buttermilk Cornbread: served with miso-butter honey. Dense cornbread paired well with the creamy butter. (4/5) *Citrus Cured Kona Kampachi ($5 extra): with baby carrots, spiced carrot puree, pepitas, and ginger wasabi dressing. This was a pleasant way to start the 4-course meal. (5/5) *Ginger Chicken Risotto: prepared with ginger-scallion pesto, chicken confit, pecorino, mustard crème fraìche, cashew nut, and Korean chili thread. I love risotto. This was a nice change to the usual. The chicken skin pieces were a wonderful addition to this dish. (5/5) *Slow Roasted Pork Shoulder: over creamy polenta, succotash of black bean, parsnip, butternut squash, kobacha, and corn. I liked it. A bit rustic for my liking. My friend enjoyed it though. Compared to the other dishes, for me, this could have used something extra. Could have used some sweetness or heat. (4/5) *Dark Chocolate Molten Brownie: topped with salted caramel, cacao nibs, toasted peanuts, and peanut butter cookie crumble. Accompanied with peanut bourbon gelato. If you love chocolate, you'll love this. So rich. So good. (5/5) For my birthday, I was presented with a complimentary dessert, a red velvet cookie with Kona coffee gelato. A nice treat. I was so full from our amazing 4-course meal, I shared the birthday dessert with my friends, and we still couldn't finish it. Overall, PAI Honolulu is top notch. Ambiance, service and food/drinks were all impeccable. The chef is innovative with his menu. He truly thinks outside the box, and it pays off. Some dishes may sound odd, but somehow, everything works. Thanks PAI Honolulu for a beautiful and filling birthday dinner. read more

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Tonight's forecast: 99% chance of wine! Thank you Patrick Okubo and Chef Ken Lee for hosting a fabulous wine dinner at Pai Honolulu. While speaking with the servers, some of the menu items served on this night are regular items on their menu, but others were created special for this wine pairing event. Nonetheless, everything was fantastic! I really enjoyed the BBQ Brisket with Buttered Corn Risotto. I'm not a fan of beef, but this brisket was so tender and the fatty piece on it made it even that more delectable. And the buttered corn risotto complimented the meatiness of the dish, ever so nicely. The Kai Coffee Crusted Venison with Truffle Broccoli Jus was also very well prepared. The broccoli created a nice rich flavor to balance out the saltiness of the jus, and the venison was also very tender. As for the Fresh Fruit Tart with Dark Chocolate Pudding and a Graham Cracker Crust, it was good, but while cutting through the crust, I was afraid the tart was going to fly off my plate. The crust was hard to cut through and the insides were soft (pudding and fruit), so I opted to eat everything inside and then work on the outside. But the flavors came together, both sweet and tart. Don't even ask me about what wines were paired with the courses, because really, I was just here for the food #losemoney All in all, the servers were very attentive to our needs, and special shout out to Khristian who really went above and beyond to make this meal enjoyable for us! We'll definitely be back to try more items on your regular menu! read more

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This was the first restaurant I visited back in May after quarantining for over a year during COVID. We opted for outdoor seating, which is in a covered courtyard. Because I was in the early stages of pregnancy, my appetite was nowhere near what it used to be so guess what... The husband got to eat his meal and part of mine as well. Unfortunately I don't remember many details about the experience, but the service was excellent, and the dishes were creative and fresh. Can definitely recommend for a fancy date or occasion. read more

PAI Honolulu - Some items from the prix fixe menu - New American Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Second time here just as great as the first time! The Chef excels on creativity and definitely executes to perfection. The Somoan Crab and Chilled lobster were great starters that kept me wanting more! His signature Agedashi XO Turnip Cake was superb and you can definitely understand why it is one of the Chef's signature dishes. The NY Striploin was super yummy and had a Kai Coffee and Juniper crust. I love this restaurant and look forward to coming back in the near future to try his other inventive and delicious dishes! read more

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Service is amazing. Made reservations online and emailed about dietary restrictions. I got the 4 course meal and my husband got the tasting menu. My kampachi was good but I would have loved a bit more kick in flavor. The risotto was amazing but the egg poha was ok. The French toast was very good though. My husbands tasting menu was way better. The agnolotti pasta, soy mai and bao were top notch. Drinks a bit bouzy but good! Overall great food. Only draw back was the temp. Felt very humid in room which made eating a long course a bit uncomfortable. FYI parking at Harbour court was a fixed at 2 dollars during our dinner time period. read more

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I'm so glad I decided to choose PAI as my last meal in Honolulu. I came across PAI because of the chef, who I've followed for a bit at his restaurants in New York. I opted for the 4 course pre-fixe menu that was $85 which is a complete steal. When I arrived, the hostess was super friendly and laughed at my stupid jokes!!! I was seated at the bar/counter right in front of the open kitchen. I LOVE open kitchens and was so delighted that PAI had one. Anyways, I got the courses shown below and was blown away by the food. I'm surprised that this place doesn't have a michelin star because it's sooooo much better than some of the other michelin places I've been. @Michelin please give this man the credit he deserves!!! Highly recommend coming here for any special occassion. read more

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Very weird restaurant location inside a residential building (our Lyft driver was very confused) across the street from the theater, but the food and service was great. Our server was actually a legit wine sommelier which was pretty cool. Told us water sommeliers were a thing too lol. We ordered the 8 course that took about 2 hours so here we go: 1. Buttermilk Cornbread: pretty funny to have on the menu but it's definitely good stuff. Moist, fluffy, buttery, rich and corny. Good size too and lots of butter on the side. 2. Inaniwa udon: more like fresh-made ramen noodles than udon but the chilled noodles were a good al dente. The trout roe was pretty strong but also a good salty flavor. I didn't really notice the cucumber but my friend swore she tasted a bit of wasabi. If you're not a fan of roe though, I would suggest bringing a friend cuz I ate my friend's portion. Definitely a very noodle "salad"-esque appetizer. 3. Chilled lobster: good big pieces of lobster that was cooked perfectly and wasn't chewy at all. More crispy like a chilled shrimp salad. The truffle corn pudding tasted like pureéd corn. Also a very refreshing dish. 4. Agedashi XO Turnip Cake: didn't really notice the turnip but definitely tasted like a crispy tofu that was hot and fluffy on the inside. The broth was a good contrast from the chilled dishes earlier. Strong daikon flavor that wasn't sweet but wasn't too savory. 5. Grilled tako: a crispy and got a good char octopus leg with a mildly spicy curry that had a rich flavor. Slightly sweet that went really well with the octopus and crispy noodles on top as a fancy crouton texture. Would've been great with a scoop of rice or bread too. 6. BBQ Brisket Gnocchi: can't say I was a fan of the gnocchi as it was more like mash potato texture and flavor and not the chewy mochi texture I was used to. Great for potato lovers though. The BBQ brisket was great though. Smoky and had a great seasoned crust. Not chewy at all and went well with the crispy chips. I opted out of the blue cheese but they sprinkled a generous serving for my friend. 7. Moloka'i Venison: honestly the broccoli was the best part. Slightly grilled, crunchy and big. We joked that the venison was the garnish and the broccoli was the real star of the dish. Saw a couple who didn't finish their broccoli and we were appalled. Venison was cooked closer to rare than medium rare but it was tender with that coffee crust. A slightly gamier steak cut with a good slight bitterness to it. The sauce had rum I believe. 8. Watermelon dragonfruit soju sorbet: I didn't notice the soju but my friend did, so your mileage may vary. I thought it tasted like a sweeter watermelon sorbet, hard to notice the dragonfruit. Pretty refreshing palette cleanser. 9. Mango Panna Cotta: one of the best desserts I've had. A sweet pickled mango gelato with the red li hing powder that gave it a slight sour punch. A mango panna cotta that was like a slightly sweet delicate jello with that strong black sesame brittle contrast. Perfect balance of sweet, salty, savory and sour. I could've eaten a Costco size of it and not get bored. For drinks, I got the blueberry mocktail which was okay but the green tea was bad. I swear they got some generic basic paper tea bag brand like Lipton or Bigalow. It wasn't even a silk tea bag or tea leaves. Would not recommend for tea drinkers. Overall, best place we ate in Honolulu out of the 3 prefixed menu restaurants we went to. Definitely recommend for anyone in the area. Just don't order the hot tea. read more

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I came here in late May to celebrate a friend's birthday. We did the 4 course prix fixe with wine pairings and had the chef's table. First of all, JUSTINE IS AWESOME! She is who you will be emailing with to make reservations and handles the special occasions. I LOVE how this restaurant custom prints menus with your occasion at the top, and knowing my friend was pescatarian, their menu had the dishes altered so there was no meat dishes (or a veggie option listed). Justine came over and said hi and even poured one of our wine courses! She is awesome and the wife of the head chef! We started with the shrimp chips, for only $8 a great add on. and then the courses began! The pacing of the meal was perfect, the wine pairings perfect, and each dish was better than the last. I can't choose a favorite! Across the two of us we tried almost everything. Highlights were the salmon main, and the peanut butter chocolate dessert, and the squid agnolotti. Also the kampachi.....everything! Presentation, taste, service- everything as top notch. We even got to meet the owner and chef. Everyone knew who we were and what our occasion was....we felt so special! This is an amazing way to celebrate any occasion and I highly recommend! read more

My fellow world food adventurer and I started with glasses of Piper Heidsieck Champagne to celebrate a long delayed visit to Pai Honolulu. We were supposed to come here a year ago but pneumonia on my part and the advent of the pandemic quashed that visit. The eight course tasting menu was too much for us and the presence of shellfish on that menu precluded us from attempting it. Instead, we made up our own four course prix fixe menu; she had the Candy Cane Beets, 120 day Dry-Aged Beef Truffle Dan Dan Noodles, Pan Roasted Hamachi and the Dark Chocolate Molten Brownie. I opted for the Crab & Avocado appetizer, Shiitake & Cremini Lasagna, 5 Spice Pork Belly and the Vanilla Custard French Toast. I opted for the wine pairings while my tablemate chose to have a couple of glasses of Pulenta Estate Malbec from Argentina. First off, we were served a square of cornbread; this was the best cornbread I've had. It had something in the cake that I could not place; it added a depth of flavor that I had not experienced in such a simple item. The Candy Cane Beets was artwork, little pieces of red beet crouton over cubes of yellow beets with a light ginger wasabi dressing. There was a scoop of crabmeat in the center of a wedge of avocado, with sprigs of watercress and slices of pickled red onion. This dish was very subtly flavored; it let the creaminess of the avocado come through which I enjoyed. With this dish I was served a glass of L'Etre Magique, a sparking wine from Burgundy (delightful). Next up were our pasta dishes ... the beef / truffle Dan Dan noodles was sublime; I would return just for this dish (but I'd want two servings!) The mushroom lasagna was fine; for me, the cheeses overpowered the delicate mushrooms and it was my least favorite dish of the evening. (I am lactose intolerant but I love cheese so perhaps my sensitivity contributed to my evaluation.) I can't remember what wine I had with the pasta; the dishes were so good that I lost track of the wines. The roasted Hamachi was perhaps a touch overcooked but the flavor was very good; my fellow foodie loves black vinegar and cilantro so this dish called out to her. My 5-spice pork belly was tender and moist and not overly scented by the star anise. With the pork I was served a 2016 Les Cadrans de Lassegue from St. Emilion, a dark, silky wine with toned down oak and tannins, it was a pretty intense wine from St. Emilion. Ah, dessert ... the dark chocolate molten brownie came with a scoop of peanut butter ice cream. WOW! The ice cream made the dish! My vanilla custard French Toast was so good, made out of this world with foie gras snow. This add-on made it a pretty expensive dessert but oh so worth it. My dessert was paired with a 10yr old Madeira; a wonderful combination of flavors. I ordered coffee to top off the meal and it came in a small French Press. I believe it was Kona, but brewed too light for my palate. All in all, this was a fabulous meal ... edible art on beautiful plates. I'm sorry it took so long for us to get to Pai, we missed out on great food. Highly recommended! read more

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