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    Roy's Hawaii Kai

    4.3 (1.6k reviews)
    Closed 4:30 pm - 9:00 PM

    Roy's Hawaii Kai Photos

    Business Info

    ROY'S HAWAII KAI ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Romantic
    Classy
    Upscale
    Moderate noise

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    Reviews With Photos - Roy's Hawaii Kai

    Cindy B.

    Mahalo piha, Roy's Hawaii Kai, for the lovely thoughtfulness imbued into our anniversary dinner. We appreciate the handwritten card, every staff member who came to wish us a happy anniversary, the complimentary pannacotta, and a gift certificate to use for a return visit! I also noticed at the table next to us, a party hat was placed prior to arrival of the little birthday girl! The expansive wraparound windows afforded us sunset ocean views and a game of guess-the-cloud-shape. Food is delicious and beautifully plated. We started with house edamame and HK crab cakes. Husband's 14oz medium rare ribeye was perfectly cooked. I ordered the macadamia crusted fish, which was incredibly meaty. Parking is free. Looks like they have a great happy hour menu and live music. I'm definitely putting that gift certificate to use!

    Hot Iron Seared Misoyaki Butterfish
    Alex C.

    We had a wonderful dinner at Roy's in Hawaii Kai. It was to celebrate my birthday and retirement. The servers Cal and Tehana were so accommodating and helpful, and really made our dinner memorable. The view from Roy's in Hawaii Kai overlooks a bay and has a perfect vantage point for a beautiful sunset. There's ample dining space on two floors and a cool koi pond in the lobby. For dinner we ordered a Japan Hamachi Crudo to start and a fish trio, seared butterfish and a Keiki grilled chicken for a main courses. We completed the meal with a chocolate soufflé and they provided two different Panna cotta desserts to celebrate my birthday and retirement! If that wasn't enough, the kitchen prepared a chocolate chip ice cream sandwich for my daughter! It was an amazing meal with a spectacular view and the best service one could ask for. This was the most memorable meal for our trip to Oahu. I would certainly recommend Roy's in Hawaii Kai over the one located in Waikiki. BTW, they all have different menus because the chefs are allowed to develop different menus for the various locations. There are a few items that are standard for all locations. Kudos to the chefs, servers and the manager for an outstanding experience and providing superb service tonight!

    Complimentary bowl of spicy edamame
    EM H.

    On our last night of our August-September, 2023 Oahu vacation, DJ and I dined at the original Roy's Restaurant, Roy's Hawaii Kai, the first location of Chef Roy Yamaguchi's high-end chain serving Hawaiian fusion fare in a casually modern setting. Via OpenTable, we made reservations for Saturday evening, September 9, at 9:00 PM. Easy peasy. Booking reservations via the online restaurant reservation service was super convenient. After easily finding parking in the lot, we walked through a finely landscaped front yard and, upon entry through the front door, were welcomed by a serene koi pond at the bottom of the stairs that led us up to the main dining room. The comfortable open kitchen dining room provided panoramic views of Maunalua Bay and Diamond Head. We were seated at a white linen clothed table nearby the bar at the top of the staircase. Roy's offers a culinary journey in fine dining with a menu focused on fresh seafood and some steakhouse dishes, blending Hawaiian and Asian flavours in contemporary style of cooking. Below is what we had for dinner: In lieu of a complimentary basket of bread and butter to kick off our meal, we were served a nice bowl of spicy edamame, which I found to be a fitting prelude to the eclectic blend of Hawaiian, Japanese, and Classic French cuisine that we were about to enjoy. Tempura Shimeji Mushroom ($17) - For a starter from the Vegetarian Menu, we shared this delicious appetizer of golden crispy fried mushrooms that were drizzled with spicy aioli. YUM! Mongolian Style Vegetable Stir-Fry with Crispy Tofu ($20) - Also from the Vegetarian Menu, for his main dish, DJ had this plate of fried cubes of tofu mixed with a small medley of veggies. The mixed vegetables were mostly onion slivers, a few slices of green bell pepper and zucchini, shoestring carrots and very little bean sprouts, topped with a small handful of micro greens and a nicely uniformed mound of white rice. Misoyaki Butterfish ($56) - I ordered this signature, world renowned dish for my entrée - a tender and rich fish dish, marinated in miso and served over forbidden black rice and a sweet ginger wasabi butter sauce. The silky, buttery, melt-in-your-mouth black cod was sophisticated and oh, so ono! Roy's Signature Chocolate Soufflé ($14) - We were served this decadent dessert on the house. This chocolate SWEET TREAT was rich in flavour and airy in texture. Service was exceptional. Right from our arrival, we were greeted with warmth and friendly hospitality. As the night went on, it was becoming apparent that I was not feeling well. Our waiter was so caring that he even brought out a few different bottles of fever reducers to offer medication to me. He was very sweet. An unforgettable dining experience we enjoyed at Roy's Hawaii Kai. The restaurant was a perfect setting for an onolicious meal with stunning views and exceptional service.

    Signature cocktails June 2026
    Rani R.

    We went for Father's Day's/Birthday and the service was really good. They are very attentive. My brother and I had the lamb /lobster combo. The lobster was a little salty and I couldn't cut the lamb with the knife. Neither could my brother. His lamb was undercooked cooked and mine was good. The taste was good I just couldn't get over neither being able to cut with the knife. It's a great environment for parties or a romantic dinner. The place can get loud if it's busy but you can manage. I've eaten here before but never had the lamb. Not sure if I would try the lamb again.

    Infamous Melting Dark Chocolate Souffle
    Jillian T.

    Always enjoyed coming to this location over the years. Though this particular time had 2 misses that would've made this a 5-star experience. It was mom's birthday, and they had a little birthday hat in the middle of the table to signify this occasion. The server and food runner/busser attending our table were both very polite and efficient. The first mishap was with the tasting menu. The great part is that, not everyone on the table needs to partake in this menu, though 2 out of the 6 people in our party wanted to try it. About 5 minutes after taking our table's order, the server comes back to mention that the chef is not making that tonight, so that they would need to try something else. Perhaps flipping over that menu in the book, or mention of it not being available in pre-shift to communicate down to the rest of the staff, to then advise the customer before ordering would prevent a little bit of disappointment. Nevertheless, the food for the table came out in a timely manner. As the years have gone by, I've noticed that the dishes are all very brown in color. Brown protein, brown rice, brown sauce. There's a pop of color here and there but I personally would like my food to be a little more colorful in presentation. Dessert course came around and our table ordered pretty much 1 of each on the menu. Know that the hot items on the dessert menu take about 30 minutes, so you may want to order that when your dinner entree course is dropped on the table. The same 2 people who had ordered the tasting menu in the beginning, then decided to order the Halo-Halo because they wanted something cold and refreshing. To their disappointment, the server brought the items, mentioned that they ran out of ube ice cream and proceeded to drop the check at the same time so its like there was no opportunity to rebuttal or complain. Again, a little bit of communication beforehand would've set the expectations up a little better. All in all, a great location, with great views of the sunset. This experience just needed a little bit of fine-tuning to be a 5-star.

    Menu
    Mike Y.

    Last night celebrating our daughter's birthday we haven't been here in a while but place was Busy as usual and had early Set menu dinner was very delicious and rewarding Everyone of the staff was very cordial and friendly atmosphere was lovely as always thank you so much we'll be back again soon

    Appetizer sampler
    Maile K.

    So late w the review, so sorry! I haven't been here in many years as I only come here for special occasions. This time, I came for my cousin's wedding reception. Very small, intimate gathering of family & close friends. Everything tasted so good. My favorite has to be the crabcake in the appetizer sampler. So flavorful inside and crispy outside. Not fishy at all. Sister had the lamb chops while nephew had the surf & turf. Mom & I had the tiger shrimp w grits. Fabulous. The waitstaff were very attentive and quite funny at times. It made for a very enjoyable evening. Congrats to David & Sayaka! Lots of parking in private lot. Same lot as Hawaii Kai Satellite City Hall. Private room upstairs. Restrooms located upstairs and down. Elevator and stairs.

    Julie C.

    We had an excellent anniversary dinner at the original Roy's in Hawaii Kai! It's been a little while since we came out to this Roys, the location in Waikiki is actually closer to us, but I just hate dealing with a parking situation in Waikiki. Dinner reservations were made for four (the kids tagged along). We had to wait a few minutes after we checked in, but we enjoyed looking at the Koi at the bottom of the stairs. The host then took us upstairs to our table. Our server was Brandon who was excellent and very knowledgeable. We ordered the crabcake appetizer to start out, tasty but slightly under seasoned. Both my husband and I ordered the butterfish with the forbidden black rice, my daughter ordered the blackened Ahi and my son ordered from the kids menu the teriyaki chicken. The food was well prepared, the butterfish was excellent, moist and very tasty. I always enjoy the black forbidden rice, which you actually cannot get at the Waikiki location. The blackened ahi is also an excellent choice as well. Lightly seared, sashimi style inside with a butter sauce. The kids entrée was teriyaki chicken with rice, celery, stick, and carrot stick with a square cheese quesadilla to start. For dessert, we ordered the chocolate lava cake x2 which does take 30 minutes to prepare so it needs to be ordered in advance. We got a Matcha Panna cotta complementary for our anniversary. My son had a vanilla ice cream sandwich. Exquisite dinner with the family with amazing food and service!

    Day 2 on the menu!!! Lobster  scallop noche.
    Tammy R.

    Exceptional experience start to finish! My husband and I went to celebrate our 10th anniversary while visiting the island Roy's made it very memorable. From the hostess to the water server, server, and GM....everyone recognized our special day. The food was spectacular as usual. And we received a complimentary dessert. Highly recommended!

    dim sum style canoe for two
    Angel H.

    My hubby made reservations for our anniversary dinner here on 7/7. We arrived promptly at 6:30 and were seated right away on the second floor. The view was spectacular, especially at sunset. On one side of the room is the open kitchen. On the other side are views of the ocean. Things didn't start out smoothly. He ordered a Local Kine Mule $17 (vodka, mango syrup, ginger beer, lime juice, mint), but they brought him a Lychee Sake-Tini instead. We notified our waiter and he brought us the correct drink. They started us off with complimentary seasoned soy beans. We ordered the Dim Sum Style Canoe for Two $42 (Szechuan pork ribs, chicken spring rolls, seared shrimp sticks, tempura spicy ahi maki). For our entrees we got the Crispy New Zealand Tai Snapper $55 (crown noodle yakisoba, tomato sambal) and Yama's Mama's Beef Meatloaf $37 (tempura onion rings, dashi mushroom gravy). For dessert we got the Banana Sweet Bread Pudding "Panipopo" $15 (haupia sauce, caramel). It takes half an hour to make the Panipopo, so put in the order ahead of time. They also gave us a free anniversary dessert, strawberry flan. Dessert was the best part of dinner. Both desserts were exceptional. The meatloaf was good and the tai snapper was ok. The fish was firm and flaky, a little dry. The sauce was a little vinegary for my liking. Service was on par for fine dining. They kept the water glasses full and the floor manager stopped by a few times to see how everything was going. They gave us an anniversary card and a $25 gift card to use the next time we're there. A very nice touch.

    Rebecca T.

    Came to this OG Roy's for my birthday celebration. What a nice treat! Food was amazing, service was attentive, and the ambiance was nice and relaxing. Although it's not right by the ocean, you can still see the water on the other side of the road. Miso butterfish can't be beat. It's their signature dish of the restaurant. It's cooked to perfection. Definitely worth it to get the larger portion because you'll be wanting more if you get the smaller size. The Mac nut crusted fish was equally delectable! The portion size was pretty good considering the price and the quality of the food as well. Try their rolls too. Fresh fish with yummy fixings. And don't forget to get their chocolate lava cake! Wonderful dinner and evening at Hawaii Kai. It's a great spot to celebrate a special occasion. They always have a happy hour menu that I'm very curious about!

    Lava cake
    Emile T.

    Food was absolutely delicious. The lamb roast was cooked perfectly and the seafood trio tasted fresh and vibrant. The famous lava cake was very tasty. Service was excellent. We were checked on regularly and always had whatever we needed. We had reservations and were seated immediately with the ocean view. Having dinner by the beach with the sun setting was maybe one of the happiest delights of our entire stay in Oahu. Along with great food, drinks and a view, this experience was incredible. Thanks!

    The view from the restaurant is incredible!
    Garret O.

    My wife and I enjoyed our experience at Roy's to celebrate our wedding anniversary. Everything went well, from our waiter, who provided great tips on the menu and was very polite and patient, to the young ladies who refilled our water and took our plates, to the fellow who brought the food to the table, the fantastic ocean view and, of course, the food...five stars all the way. You can tell this is a place where people take pride in their work because everything runs like a well oiled machine and everyone has a smile on their face and is so accommodating. If you want a fine dining experience where all your expectations are met, look no further. We will definitely be back again!

    Butterfish dish.

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    OMG - just amazing! Excellent food, great atmosphere, outstanding service. This is more than fine dining...it's an experience!

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    Page 1 of 40

    Roy's Hawaii Kai Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Roy's Hawaii Kai

    Is the bar a walk in or do I need reservations?

    Walk in. It's downstairs and about half of it is outside

    Does Roy's have live music?

    Yes

    Is the restaurant accessible for wheelchairs?

    Yes! They have an elevator

    Senior menu Available for older patrons with small appetites?

    No they don't have a special menu for seniors or those with a smaller appetite! BUT- they have a great a expanded appetizer menu and they are great at special request. My suggestion is to call the restaurant to see what they might be able to… 

    Is there a kids' menu?

    Yes! It's great! I went in May 2022 and it was about $16ish dollars. Comes with an appetizer, entree and dessert. I can't remember all the details, but I believe it's something like the following:… 

    Is there a corkage fee? If so, how much?

    It is not BYOB! Are You asking for dinner or an event?

    Do you take reservations?

    Yes. Call the restaurant to make a reservation.

    Does anybody know when ROY's Hawaii Kai will re-open for business?

    Open

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    4.5
    (136 reviews)
    7.9 mi
    $$$
    Locally owned & operated
    Women-owned & operated

    Went here for my birthday dinner. Thoroughly surprised at how good the food was and the service…read more Beautiful, modern interior and the atmosphere was chic. The menu has changed to a more tapa style. We went with our two young children & they were very accommodating. We ordered a bunch of stuff but most notable was the Ensalada Salad, Croquette Cordero, Taco Raisu, Karaage Pollo, and for dessert, the Piña Borracha. We ordered some pork and steak skewers. These were ok, I would skip these next time. A little burnt. My favorite was the Ensalada Salad. The crab was sweet and the salsa opaca was so refreshing with the apple foam. Was told to smash the crisp on top and combine it with everything and that took it to another level! So good that we ordered another one. The price of this was so affordable too! The Croquette Cordero was like a mini curry ball with chimuchirri sauce. A little heavy but if you love curry, this is for you! The Taco Raisu surprised us. The taco meat was so flavorful!! Even though we were stuffed, we kept going back for more. It's like a deconstructed taco & you use the lettuce as a wrap. The Karaage Pollo came with a Cucumber Escabeche. It was so tangy and refreshing, which perfectly cuts through the rich, savory oiliness of the fried chicken. We got the Piña Borracha for dessert and that had a coconut cake, coconut lime mousse, banana lilikoi curd, and pasted pineapple on top. Amazing!! Great way to end the night. Everything was top notch. You can tell they put a lot of effort into each dish. Can't wait to go back!

    I go here on occasions. I've made to brunch a couple times but typically I make it to the…read moreevenings. The restaurant hours are relatively calm, but switches gears when it becomes a nightclub. Restaurant-wise, I believe the menu had a recent change-up to further explore fusion possibilities. I've been going down the list and the dishes have been pretty good so far; I haven't made it to the taco raisu yet, but I do need me some desserts. The picarones is like a peruvian andagi, which was pretty cool. The miso cream brûlée was from the prior menu, but also a Yes. The bar is knowledgeable and innovative their mixology- I've had the shizuku garden and that was amazing.

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    Lomo Saltado with Wagyu
    Lomo Saltado with Wagyu
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    Feature Cocktails
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    Kapa Hale

    Kapa Hale

    4.3
    (658 reviews)
    4.6 mi
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    Happy hour specials
    Locally sourced ingredients

    Kapa Hale is a local gem, offering creative dishes in the HRC (Hawaiian Regional Cuisine)…read moretradition. Every single dish we recently sampled turned out to be exceptional. We ordered: Appetizers: Naan Ya Business (A) - very soft and pillowy, accompanied by a superb tikka masala curry Vegetables: Eggplant (A) - very creative eggplant tempura Happy Hour Specials: Garlic Noodle (A) - great flavor Dumplings (A+) - incredibly flavorful and creative Soy Short Rib (A+) - exquisitely tender and juicy. Our favorite dish! Mains: Pork Chop (A) - loved these tamarind pork chops served on a bed of orzo Our server, Ethan, provided us with top-notch service. Before tipping, we paid $130 for a two-person meal (no alcohol, no dessert, only water, 6 dishes). Kapa Hale dazzled us with their culinary inventiveness and bold flavors. We can't wait to try some of their other delicacies!

    We were really excited to try this given the really great reviews but I'm starting to lose some…read moreconfidence on yelp Naan was too salty Chips were too oily Grass fed beef is good. Nice and tender But overall burger was nothing great. Lacked some sauce Kfc chicken and waffles were okay Chicken wasn't crispy fried. Soggy. Service is good tho

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    You Make My Heart Beet
    You Make My Heart Beet
    This exquisite dish is titled Let's Tako 'Bout It. It's grilled Spanish octopus, black garlic Char Siu, Lomilomi, and pickled turnip
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    Carte Blanche

    Carte Blanche

    4.5
    (80 reviews)
    5.5 mi
    $$
    Locally owned & operated
    Luxury

    Took our friend here for her birthday and what a hidden gem this place was. Tucked away in the…read moreheart of Kaimuki, Carte Blanche was definitely a delightful surprise! When our party first walked in, we were a tiny bit skeptical because of the empty room (which was beautifully decorated). However as each course came out, we were blown away and didn't know how the restaurant was not way busier for a Saturday night! Each dish/course was well thought out and prepared to perfection. We were all taken by surprise in a great way. The head chef Anthony was very passionate and excited about his work and that was very refreshing! Overall a wonderful experience and we will be back!

    An evening to remember. Tonight's Prix Fixe Menu at Carte Blanche was nothing short of excellence…read more Each course was crafted with such creativity and balance: * Crispy Salt & Vinegar Chicken Skin with Smoked Trout Roe & Herbs: Each little section had its own unique flavors. * Soupe de Poisson with grilled City Bread from The Breadshop & Rouille: Sean said this was his favorite. He literally was wiping up the soup with his fingers. Haha! * Pina Colada Granita - the perfect palate cleanser! * Pan-Seared Scallops with Corn Béchamel, Polenta & Fresh Relish: Amazing texture and flavors. Scallops were super fresh and cooked to perfection. * Double Cut Rack of Lamb with Charred Savoy Cabbage & Miso Red Wine Sauce: I was thiiiis close to licking my plate. Super YUM! * Lemon Crème Brûlée Tart with Summer Berry Jam: There's nothing like pairing lemon and berries... but to brûlée the top, oh man!! And as a special treat, we even got to pre-sample the dessert for the upcoming November menu - such a sweet sneak peek of what's to come! + Hint: Favorite Local Snack. Grateful for this beautiful dining experience where every bite told a story in this beautiful atmosphere. 10/10 Highly recommended. 5 Stars!

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    Carte Blanche
    Carte Blanche
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    Morimoto Asia Waikiki

    Morimoto Asia Waikiki

    4.1
    (1.1k reviews)
    7.0 mi
    $$$

    This ramen place was delicious! My boyfriend and I are visiting from the mainland and this was the…read morefirst dinner spot. We got the vegan ramen and the tonkatsu. Both were delicious. The service was great. The environment was calm since we went during happy hour (3pm). There are birds flying around so I would be aware of that, but other than that, awesome place. I will say the menu is a little expensive ($24 per ramen), but they are delicious

    My bad review is entirely based on how terrible the food was. For context, we ordered Tonkatsu…read moreramen and Tsukemen dipping ramen. Ramen, according to the server, was the most popular thing on the menu, so how likely could it get messed up? Tonkatsu: Rich, but lacked any salt or had very little. We requested some salt and that instantly made the ramen better. The noodles had enough salt to carry it, but the broth was not great. It tasted like the broth was watered down or reconstituted, however no seasoning was added to re-adjust the broth. Broth: Had little salt and lacked punch, umami, and was brown instead of white. Noodles: Had enough salt to taste good, but was slightly overcooked Pork: Extremely bland. Tasted like zero salt was added during cooking. Toppings: Greatly lacking in toppings Tsukemen: The Tsukemen had a lot of the same issues. Now being a dipping ramen, the broth should be even richer and more flavorful than any normal ramen. Tsukemen -- no matter where you have it in Japan, should be richer and saltier than most broths, but the broth here was severely lacking. For $26 a bowl this was worse than your DIY frozen ramen packs. Now I'm not asking for Japan-level of ramen mastery here, this is after all, just a tourist spot -- but if your Tonkatsu is the best selling item, you have to step it up. Our server did mention that some people complained about the amount of salt in ramen, so they adjusted it. But dare I say, instead of diluting the normal salt/seasoning amount for everyone, couldn't you just add a separate, flavor-light version for people inexperienced with ramen, instead of diluting the original for everyone else? If you're reading this Mr. Morimoto, I would highly encourage you to fly here and order the ramen. I think you and I would share the same opinions. P.S. I've also been to your other Morimoto spots and it was not this bad.

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    Interior
    Black pepper beef
    Black pepper beef
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    Koko i-naba Hawaii Kai

    Koko i-naba Hawaii Kai

    4.6
    (105 reviews)
    0.7 mi
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    Such a lovely experience!…read more My friend and I arrived at 6 pm on Saturday, with no reservation, but there were no other customers at the moment so it was all good. However, I noticed everyone else that arrived after us - 3 different groups, all had reservations, because it is in fact a very a small establishment, so I think in the future we would get a reservation! The servers/owners(?) were so nice, food came out relatively quickly, and it was so fresh and delicious, everything cooked to perfection! I ordered the cold soba (though this was kind of silly of me because I was already cold) and tempura plus salmon nigiri. Quite pricey (about $50 after tip) for a meal for one but I'm glad I tried it. My friend ordered the seared mackerel and honestly I was so shocked how delicious it was, just melts in your mouth! I would definitely go back :)

    I've come here regularly for lunch and dinner over the past couple of years and it NEVER misses!…read moreMost recently I came for dinner on a weekend with a friend. It's a small space and was busy - we got a reservation and were glad we did. It's fun to see the chef prepare your food in front of you, and the service is super friendly and quick. I got the salmon ikura snow crab bowl, and my friend got the chirashi bowl. They were soooooo good! The fish was super fresh and flavorful. They come with hot or cold soba, which is some of the best I've ever had. Prices are not super cheap, but you get a lot of food for it and it's amazing quality. Definitely a hidden gem!!

    Photos
    Interior
    Interior
    Kani, salmon and ikura bowl comes with choice of soba or udon
    Kani, salmon and ikura bowl comes with choice of soba or udon
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    Entrance

    Roy's Hawaii Kai - hawaiian - Updated August 2026

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