One of the best restaurants in Honolulu hands down. Real chefs work here and make it a foodies…read moredream. Spread and bread: 5/5 Beet dalad: 5/5 Korean steak: 5/5 Olive oil cake: 5/5 Fig cake dessert: 10/5 Highly recommended and totally worth the visit. Bakery store also worth a visit.

Made reservations on Open Table and got seated right away. Food was amazing! I had the basil…read morecaesar with Korean fried chicken. The flavors were so good and the lettuce was perfectly crunchy, not the half wilted romaine like they have at other places. The other dishes looked good, but I enjoyed the salad so much I might just get that again! They said the owner has a bakery next door, but I didn't get a chance to check that out. Again, next time. It was so good, there will definitely be a next time soon!

I was walking around Kaka'ako "killing time" as I was waiting for Ward Theater to open so I decided…read moreto have a late breakfast at Tango. At 9:20am, the restaurant was pretty empty (5 other diners) so it was choose your own table. I ordered coffee and the Corned Beef Hash with eggs. The coffee was rich and "thick", just how I like it, served in an eclectic cup and saucer. The corned beef hash came out later ... Served in an oval cast iron skillet, it featured a bounty of fried potatoes with onion and peppers, over which the hash was layered. Two perfectly cooked eggs (easy over) topped the dish. I asked for Worcestershire sauce, a condiment that I like with corned beef hash. A small metal container was provided ... Thanks! The dish was great, but I would have been happy with less potatoes. I'm from the school of "If you order it, you finish it" but try as I might, I left a few potatoes in the skillet. I like the food at Tango ... Unfortunately, I don't get here often enough.

I love the ambiance of tango and previously I loved their food too. Only recently have I been back…read more Well the tango burger was good but i still have had better burgers around. It was definitely a medium as I had ordered. The fries were a little weird. I like fries that are thinly cut but these were sort of thick chunky spiral fries that were semi crispy and semi soft. I prefer crunchy fries over soft fries. The salmon salad was a disappointment. I think the base of the salad was a cabbage slaw, maybe won bok and red cabbage? The salmon was rather fatty and didn't have much of any taste. There were maybe two chunks of mandarin oranges and the dressing was rather disappointing. I think it was a homemade hoisin dressing although I could only taste the oil and not much of the hoisin. I wouldn't recommend the salmon salad. I think in the future I'll stick to brunch instead. I still would come here for the ambiance. I miss the old menu...I think there were more selections of salads.

Mushroom & Cheese Tart - Please order this!!! It was our first dish and it was recommended to be…read moreeaten in one bite, and yes, it should be!! It tasted like a pure cloud of heaven on the tongue. Light, creamy, fluffy, flavorful. Smoked Ahi Cigars - One of the dishes I saw online that drew me in, and it did not disappoint! I love the shape, the smokiness of it, the crunch Seared Scallops - I LOVE Sunchokes! This was a great dish, perfectly cooked and tender scallops with the fresh veggie and a nice tomato-y sauce. Roasted Bone Marrow - This was also one of the dishes that drew me in, I love a good bone barrow fun. It comes with oxtail, perfectly toasted Hawaiian bread, cut down the middle for ease, 3 salts, bone marrow with caramelized onions, and a little pickled something. Then it's DIY time! I love putting together my own little snack bite, and it was perfect. Soooo buttery and delicious. Agnolotti w/ truffle - We got the 5g of Truffles on top, it was a great addition! LOVED this dish, I've only ever had agnolotti once before, and it's becoming a new favorite. Best way to eat this is to also have it in one bite so that you can enjoy the creaminess squishing into your mouth. Potato & Apple Au Gratin - As much as I loved this dish, I wish I skipped it for something a little lighter on the menu, or just altogether, as this definitely pushed me to the edge of fullness. But still, the cheese on top was amazing, Charred Cabbage - This dish was just ok for me, my husband loved it, but he's a cabbagehead. Bread Pudding - Hands down one of the BEST bread puddings I've ever had. This isn't even my favorite type of dessert, but it easily became one after this. The presentation is gorgeous, and I love being able to control how sauced it becomes. MUST have! Eton Mess - Almond cake, ice cream, meringue. Honestly, not really a dessert I would get again. The meringue wasn't my favorite, and the overall flavor next to the incredible bread pudding was just so-so. The 007 - I for some reason forgot that it's said "double-oh-seven" and I asked for the "uhh zero-zero-seven?" like a dork and loser. Delicious and bright gin sour! I loved the creaminess and the powdered flag on top. I could have used a little bit more of a yuzu bite though. The Freddie - This is actually one of the best, if not THE best, cocktails I've ever had in my life. For me, game changing. I've never thought about making a ice so infused like this so it adds to the drink as it melts. Incredible flavoring. I wanted us to get another, but we were heading straight to a bar after dinner...Love the color, flavor, uniqueness. Overall, I had an amazing experience! We sat at the bar to watch the kitchen, and I really love that. To me, someone who knows nothing of the restaurant world, I'm so impressed with how the kitchen appears to flow without a lot of conversation. It feels like everyone is a perfect cog in a machine that pumps out amazing food and drinks all night. Sexy vibe. Great date night place. Thank you, Nick!!

Senia is the definition of an elegant and upscale dining experience. Every dish is thoughtfully…read morecrafted with elevated flavors that keep you intrigued from start to finish. You can truly tell the chefs take their time perfecting each plate and creating something special for their guests. Everything we tried was absolutely delicious, but the standout dish for me was definitely the ahi cigars. Don't get me wrong, every dish was impressive, but there was something about those ahi cigars that had me wanting more. Overall, if you're looking for an upscale restaurant for a date night, celebration, or special occasion, Senia is definitely worth checking out. It's an experience that will have your taste buds working and leave you appreciating the creativity behind every dish.

Had a great experience at Arancino at The Kahala! Our reservation ended up running about 20 minutes…read morelate, which honestly wasn't a big deal to us, but Michelle, the manager, still comped our drinks--a really thoughtful gesture. Michelle is exactly what every fine dining restaurant should strive for in a manager. She reads the room, makes guests feel genuinely welcome, and sets the tone for the whole team. Our server, Diego, was also fantastic--super friendly, especially with our kids, which can be rare at more upscale restaurants. He made them feel just as welcome as the adults. Great food is expected, but this level of hospitality is what makes you want to come back. Mahalo to Michelle, Diego, and the entire Arancino team!

Visited Arancino at The Kahala for a birthday dinner. We sat outside and the ambiance was lovely -…read moreit feels like you are dining in Europe. The food is delish. Pricey, but delish. Next time I could skip the carpaccio's but I would definitely get the lobster bisque and the carbonara again. It might've been the best restaurant carbonara I've ever had. Service was slow for us this night, not sure if that's how it always is.

Always with great fresh fish. Half a dozen specials for the…read moreday. The Mochiko fish tacos were huge. I had to get help eating it. The akule fried fish looked great but I guess a little trickier to eat with the bones. Fisherman's stew was cute with the sourdough bread bowl. It can get a bit noisy of atmosphere with the outdoor environment and also have lunchtime live music.

10 stars for the location! Go there around sunset and enjoy the views with drinks and seafood…read more I had really really wanted the food to be great but it was ok. We got two seafood pastas that were the specials with great seafood quality but the dishes were under seasoned. The garlic chicken was chewy. Again the seafood quality itself was top notch. Such a missed opportunity I think that with a little attention to detail they can really be excellent. I hope they can tune it and make it excellent!

So glad we finally got to check out Botanico!…read more Parking is validated at Waikiki Shopping Plaza and the restaurant is on street level. There's limited outdoor seating, an amazing bar and the dining room. Loved the ambiance here! It was still casual but elevated. Service was spot on and we never felt like we were waiting too long for anything. For the food, I'd recommend the Caesar salad, clam spaghetti and pizza! Everything was good but probably could've done without the scallop appetizer and octopus escargot. Also, just ask them for kid options as there's no menu but they have a few items do select from. My daughter for the butter pasta and loved it! Overall, we were very satisfied with our visit and would definitely come back!

The world food tour duo resumed their search for exceptional cuisine ... This time at Botanico…read moreWaikiki, in the Waikiki Shopping Plaza. The restaurant is located on Seaside Avenue, just past the stairway to the food court one floor below. It's an intimate space on two levels, the main level is dominated by the bar, where one can dine. There are some tables to the left of the bar, but the main dining space is a few steps down to the right of the entrance. There are tables for two on the left, tables for three in the middle, and tables for four on the right. I ordered a Pio Cesare Barolo but they didn't have it so I agreed to a 2022 Oddero Barolo as a substitute for the same price ($180). Unfortunately, the substitute wasn't as good as the Pio Cesare that I'm familiar with ... It was light, and a bit too acidic. However, it paired well with our food. We started with the Radicchio Citrus Salad ($19). It featured feta cheese, beet and cranberry puree, caramelized nuts, slices of apple, and orange zest / brown dressing. I would have been happy with this dish with a grilled breast of chicken. Our next appetizer was interesting to say the least. Lava Funghi & Salsiccia ($17) ... I thought we ordered a piece of lava. It was the cap of a portobello, stuffed with Italian sausage in what was supposed to be arrabbiata sauce. The latter is one of my favorite sauces over pasta ... This one was a poor second cousin. This dish reminded me of the black pancakes at Basalt ... Not my cup of tea. Our entrees were the Braised Beef Cheek ($48) and the Red Snapper Acqua Pazza ($55). The beef cheeks dish came with halves of brussels sprouts, but the dish was very dark in coloration. It tasted fine. My "fish stew" featured clams, mussels, shrimp, and a nice piece of snapper. It was flavorful and I wished I had saved my bread for this dish. We ended our meal with Tiramisu ($11) for the better half and an Americano (5.50) for me. The Tiramisu lacked the lady fingers needed to give the dessert body. Service from Reina was fine ... the atmosphere was fine ... the food, with one exception, was fine. We gave it a rating of 3.75 because there are better places for Italian food at this price point.

I had such a wonderful time at Maze. Made reservations a few weeks ahead. There seems to be…read moreconflicting reports about parking, but there is a limited designated parking spots on the side of the building that is shared with dry bar. The interior feels very nature inspired and felt like the menu followed the theme with Korean cuisine influences. The pairing menu was so good and highlighted each dish. Each dish was so impressive and well thought out. My favorite was the beef with banchan, low key felt like eating Korean bbq but in the most elevated way. It's been a few weeks since my visit but I'm still dreaming of the corn and black sesame shaved ice dish! Thanks for such an incredible time team members at Maze!

Have had Māze on the to try list for quite some time as a few people I follow on IG post pics when…read morethey head to HNL. An old friend knew we were heading back and sent me an IG post where Māze x Bar Leather Apron were doing a collab on Mon and Tues. Sjnce we didn't have dinner plans, we showed up at around 4:40 only to see 1 other person waiting in line as we were searching for parking. To our surprise, there were 7 people in front of us by the time we lined up! Sadly we were seated at a high top table off in the corner as a lady took the last open seat. For this collab, they didn't have a ton of food items so ordering was fairly straight forward, ordered 1 of everything. First cocktail I had was the pepper-tonic which was quite tasty! Otsumami - consisted of 3 snacks (seasoned cashews, pickled cabbage and warm olives). Thought the pickled cabbage was quite tasty and the cashews were just so so. Skipped the olives since I'm not a fan but the wifey enjoyed them. Salmon - it was mentioned that this was the chef's signature dish but sadly was mediocre for me. The salmon had a very distinct flavor which I wasn't a fan of. Wagyu - tartare on potato paves which was sadly just ordinary for me. thought the tartare lacked flavor. Cheese - unique twist of what i was expecting. the flavor of the dish was good but wished there was more of a crunch to it. this wasn't hot when it was brought out so perhaps it was sitting a bit before it was served to us. Fries - likely my favorite dish for the night but sadly our order seemed like 1/2 everyone else's portion as our bowl was half filled while other customers were filled to the top. ended up ordering another order just to snack on while I enjoyed the imperial cocktail. Enjoyed the casual ambience of this collab but sadly not sure we'd come back for a regular set meal in the future. This week's menu seems to be more thought out and wished they had their "baked potato" last week. Will definitely head back to Bar Leather Apron as their drinks were fantastic!

Came for pre dinner drink and snack…read more Got the litchitini - very yum, recommend. We also got the escargot. I loved it. One of the best escargots I've had. We sat at the bar. And came in right when they opened. Had to wait a little while they set up but they quickly took our drink order and started making them. Our bartender was super friendly and kind. I recommend. Would come again if in the area and looking for drinks and some food. If the rest of their menu is as wonderful as the escargot, this place is a gem.

Grazie... There's…read morenothing more I enjoy than to hangout with my besties and as I secretly had my eye on Mezzo and Italian Restaurant and bar which is located on the lower level of Market City Shopping Center can be almost missed as the entrance is quite simple with a neon sign and not much more though the simplicity does end there. Walking in I do love the slight dimly lit vibe as it gives me the feeling of relaxation and escape though it's not dark but just a calmness as we were taken to our table the staff is very nice and welcoming. Their menu offerings as I enjoyed a unique twist like Crostini Al Porcini which is a crostini topped with mozzarella and mushrooms was a fresh bite as some of the arugula that is topped off gave it a nice bite. The Rib Eye steak which I still dream about which we asked to be sliced for us was done perfectly and the Demi sauce was very delicate yet so flavorful and what a hearty bite along with our Caesar salad a classic that you just can't go wrong. I've also had the Puttanesca which was delicious as the linguine cooked just right scooped up all the sauce and yes this was two different nights but enjoyed just a wonderfully as I'm so grateful to have thoughtful friends I'm so thankful for, thank you Terry K and Nadine C as Mezzo was a wonderful place to escape. Cheers my friends as I'm beyond happy for these moments as hearty and amazing as the food is here so are the memories. Thank you!