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.

I've been here 3 times in the past year, so I feel like it deserves the 5 stars! It's got a nice…read morevibe...fancy but not too fancy. A great place to celebrate a birthday or have a date night. The Vietnamese fusion food here is very flavorful! On my most recent visit, I tried: 1. Chicken Wings: These reminded me a little of The Pig and the Lady's (PATL) Laotian fried chicken, but not entirely. PATL's version has more crunch and nuttiness to it. These were still really good, but I think I might like PATL's a little more. It's a close call though! 2. Eggplant: I think I was more excited for this dish than I ended up being after trying it. It was just okay for me, and I don't think I'd order it again. 3. Soft Shell Crab Pasta: This one was yummy! I liked the flavor of the pasta, and eating it with the soft shell crab was really good. 4. Brisket Beef Stew: The pieces of meat here are pretty large! I wasn't a big fan of this dish though. It was okay, but I don't think I'd order it again. 5. A5 Wagyu Beef Pho: The meat was nice and tender, and they give you a lot of it! I will say the broth was a little too salty for my liking. From my previous visits: 1. Charred Bok Choy: Good greens to add to the meal! 2. Bone Marrow: I always love bone marrow, but I will say I think I'm more of a fan of Italian-style bone marrow than this Asian fusion version. It was still good though, so it might just be a personal preference. 3. Spare Rib: I don't think they have this on the menu anymore. 4. Salt and Pepper Calamari: This was really crispy, and the sauce that came with it was good too! 5. Chicken Pho: The broth was nice and smooth, and the noodles were good. I think I still prefer the regular beef pho though! Overall, even though not every dish has been a favorite, I've enjoyed coming back here. The food is flavorful, the atmosphere is nice, and it's a great spot for a special occasion without feeling overly fancy. Definitely a place I'd return to!

Chao- a Vietnamese fusion restaurant. Sounded interesting so we went for a date night…read more RESERVATIONS-They were easy to make on open table but you should make them way ahead of time if you're looking for a particular time slot. PARKING- the lot was absolute madness. I guess between Chao and Shinso tei(the bar next door), it gets busy. But I'm sure residents in the stress must use the lot too because I can't imagine that huge lot being full from 2 establishments. The lot was still full when we left at 9, after Starbucks was closed and I doubt oreillys has that big of a customer base that late at night. RESTAURANT-the interior has beautiful lamps and wallpaper. SERVICE-we arrived about half an hour early and the host tried his best to try to seat us right away but after we saw the panic in his face, we assured him that we know we are early and can wait outside. He was very apologetic and grateful. Our waitress was great and our water was always getting filled (a sign of great service) DRINKS- husband got a Pinot Noir and I got the coconut matcha cloud. Both yummy! MENU- the menu isn't huge but it was still difficult to choose. But, we ordered the seafood ceviche and Spanish octopus for pupus. The ceviche was great, it had coconut milk in it which was different and lovely. The Spanish octopus was a whole tako leg. They gave us a knife to cut it, but no fork. I think it looks nice plated whole but also think the restaurant should consider slicing it instead because the tako was harder than I expected. For entrees- we wanted the pork belly but they were out so we ordered the crab pasta and brisket beef stew with noodles added. The pasta came with 2 fried soft shell crab and the pasta itself was cooked perfectly al dente and the sauce was creamy. My husband enjoyed his stew which also came with a crispy baguette. For dessert, we ordered the butter mochi with nice to net you corn ice cream. The mochi was grilled and had a firmer texture than most butter mochi but you could taste the char which I really enjoyed. It was just a little hard to cut while trying to keep the ice cream balanced on top. The next time we go, we'll try the pork belly and lobster dinner roll, which our friend says is the best.

The food was very flavorful and enjoyed every bite. Our drink selections were amazing also. To top…read moreit off Riley our server who was very personable, knew the menu and answered all our questions with ease was a plus. She mentioned it was her first server job but she took care of us like she's been doing it for years. great service with amazing food and drinks made me and my families experien unforgettable and will be returning!

I actually really liked Lady Elaine and wanted to give this place a shot after the waitress who…read morehelped me there was raving about it. And honestly, I can see why! The food here is actually really good, dude. it's an Asian fusion kind of joint, and everyone was so welcoming. My favorite dish of the night was definitely the Menchi Katsu. The onsen egg on top of the katsu was chef's kiss! I feel like it was kind of a remake of loco moco but better meat. I loved the flavor, and the portion size for the entree was perfect. Also, shoutout to the waitress who helped us! She was super sweet, welcoming, and very informative about the menu, which I really appreciated. I'd definitely come back again to try some of the other menu items!

Service was amazing. We brought our 8 year son to celebrate mom's birthday. Although he would have…read moreeaten his on entree, they offered to cook him a plain buttermilk chicken and rice which he loved! We enjoyed ourselves and savored every dish. We had the prie fixed menu. The scallop dish was my favorite, and the "baked potato" was my wife's. The dessert brought a smile to all of us and they were nice enough to include a serving for our son. Definitely would recommend eating here!

The 7 course meal was disappointing. How does bacon baked potatoes and sour cream belong on a…read morecourse meal dinner?! The entire menu was so basic, pork buns? Fried chicken? The meal was heavy salty and greasy. We gave it a chance but soon realize we should've just done ala carte. Maybe ala carte would have been less disappointing. The yellowtail crudo was very good, other than that, I do not recommend. We even added a foie gras to elevate but it was just not it. Service and ambiance was great. This was suppose to be our anniversary dinner! We should've known when it was so empty!

Wow!! I really loved this restaurant. We had a big group in our reservation. My boyfriend and I…read morehave many dietary restrictions and the chef accommodated even though we told the chef about our dietary restrictions only when we got to the restaurant. Service is amazing and everyone was very nice. The restaurant is so cute and I really liked the decor. The food was INCREDIBLE! I would come back to Hawaii just to eat here again. Thank you so much!

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!

So glad we ate here! Looks like there are lots of hip options in Chinatown, and we would have…read morewalked around and tried even more if we had had more time. We had a 4 hour layover in Honolulu and it was a quick 15 minute Lyft ride here to Lucky Belly. We were the only party here right at 5:30 pm. Loved the art and clean simple elegance of the exposed brick wall and wood tables. We were greeted and served by a very friendly host. We had the duck tacos, plus the special dim sum appetizer combo of pork belly bao, lobster dumplings and oxtail dumplings. We could not pick a favorite. The variety of textures was fantastic and each of the meat fillings were perfectly seasoned and tender, delicious! Each had a different sauce- just enough, not too much. Nothing was spicy but there was chili oil on the table if you wanted to add more heat. We got 2 nonalcoholic spritzers, one lilikoi and one hibiscus, which were each refreshing and complimented the meal. Since the service was so efficient, after eating, we still had time to zip over to Magic Island to stroll around, take in the scene and enjoy the sunset before heading back to the airport. Our last evening in Hawaii was really special thanks to this delightful restaurant!

Horrifying experience. We arrived to a nearly empty restaurant. The hostess asked if we had a…read morereservation. We arrived an hour or so before they were about to close. All of the window seats were empty. In fact the restaurant was nearly empty. We were told the only option for us was the inconspicuous booth at the back of the restaurant. Not a good start. The food was okay. There was more than we were expecting, however the short ribs were a little tough. The ambiance, it was nice and empty by the time we left. Overall, what had been something we'd been looking forward to for years turned out to be a dismal disappointment. The experience left us feeling unwelcome, particularly because it seemed the staff were uncomfortable with two men simply going out for lunch. Being a Black and Asian couple shouldn't have any bearing on how paying customers are treated, but unfortunately, that's how the experience felt to us. We can overlook mediocre food or service, but feeling judged or unwelcome is something we won't overlook. We were there as paying customers and deserved to be treated with the same courtesy and respect as anyone else. Unfortunately, this is a place we won't be returning to, and based on our experience, we would not recommend it to others.

Giovedi delivered an exceptional dinner for our group, seamlessly blending interesting flavours…read morewith flawless execution. We started with pillowy soft HOKKAIDO MILK ROLLS alongside the refreshing SCALLOP CARPACCIO. The pasta courses each stood out on its own right. DAN MIEN VIETNAM-ATRICIANA, deep and rich savoury sauce on egg noodles was so comforting and delicious we ordered a second one. CAPELLINI GRANCHIO was another crowd favourite. The thin capellini were perfect strands for this dish. It could use more crabmeat though. GNOCCHI MABOLOGNESE, this was a clever fusion of mapo tofu with gnocchi mimicking tofu in a hot sauce. I'm not a fan of gnocchi much more tender gnocchi in this dish. Two Donburi dishes - Veal and Mushroom - stood out with the addition of pop rice. Grated truffle was very generous. We ended with both desserts on the menu. Every single dish hit the mark, and sharing everything family-style across six people was the perfect way to experience the menu. Fantastic cooking, great atmosphere, and an absolute must-visit.

Three Visits and Still Impressed…read more I've been to Giovedi three times now and have been impressed every time. The small plates are meant to be shared, which is perfect because it means you get to try more bites. Their cuisine is creative, with interesting flavors and combinations that make the meal fun to explore. I loved their Crystal Tiger cocktail. Lychee goodness. The foie gras spread with toasted bread was divine, but my favorite bite was the scallop carpaccio. Fresh, delicate, and delicious. And all their pastas are fire. Seriously. Service has always been great. The tables are close together and it can get a little noisy, but honestly, that is part of the ambiance and vibe. Three visits in, and Giovedi continues to impress.

Became a fan of Chef Kajioka after dining at Cafe Miro in January. As we were planning a trip back…read morein August for the wifey's bday, I definitely wanted to head back and made reservations for The Counter as I saw pics on IG of their meal here. We lucked out and found street parking nearby. As we walked into the restaurant, we were quickly greeted by the host/server who showed us to our seats along the U shaped counter. Loved the clean and modern decor inside the restaurant. As we sat down, our water cups were quickly filled and the only few questions they had for us was whether we wanted the wine pairing and we wanted to add the caviar toast and shaved truffles. We opted for the wine pairing, caviar toast and truffles. The meal was fantastic from start to finish. The most notable dishes for me were the ahi and caviar toast, cold corn soup, the lobster and the dessert. Sadly the portion of the toast here was about 1/2 the size of what we had at the cafe and unfortunately they didn't have uni for the night (maybe don't go on a Tuesday). Service was fantastic but they did have a few hiccups which were tolerable as the food was amazing. The wine pairing was also good and paired well with the dishes. As we are currently planning our trip back later this year, we will definitely head back to either the cafe (if the remodel is completed) or back to the counter for another meal. This is likely the best meal we've had in HNL in quite some time and highly recommend it.

Miro Kaimuki - The Counter: An elegant, intimate experience that, sadly, left a lot to be desired…read more The service was great but I had a few qualms which influenced my decision of probably not returning. A couple things about Miro: - You have to pre-pay via OpenTable (unsure how it works if you call ahead), but just be aware you will be fronting the cost. Also, there are two seatings, one at 5pm, and one at 7:30pm. The 5pm seating is $165 per person and the 7:30pm seating is $195. I'm not sure if there is a menu difference but just know there is a difference in price depending on the time you choose. - Upon arrival you have to wait outside before being let inside. The restaurant locks the doors while they are in service, so if you are the 2nd seating (which is what we were) at 7:30pm, you will have to wait outside. Honestly my girlfriend and I were pretty confused as we've never had this experience before. We even tried to message/call the restaurant but didn't hear from them so we were close to leaving, but luckily some people were leaving from the earlier seating and let us know to wait outside and that the servers would let us in when the time comes. Now onto the most important part- the food. The menu was 6 courses (not including the bread). We got all of the add-ons and I also did the wine pairing. There wasn't any menu available but here's what I got based on photos: - First Course: 4 starters which reminded me of Bar Maze. This was probably the best course for me. I really wish I knew the names of each dish but it was an oyster, salmon tart, another tart (I think this was tomato or something), and ikura toast. All of it was super tasty. - Second Course: Ahi, Caviar, and Uni all on top of their special toasted bread. Now I am a big proponent of all three toppings, but the bread was so rich and dense, it overpowered all of the toppings. I felt the uni went best with the toast, but definitely not my favorite to start a meal so heavy. - Third Course: Almost like a bacon carbonara but without any pasta? It was kind of like a custard texture. It was good but felt a little out of place in the whole grand scheme of the tasting menu. - Bread: I don't count this as a course but we were served this beautiful baked bread with honey butter. Super yummy. - Fourth Course: Lobster - which, of course was tasty but not memorable for me. - Fifth Course: I can't remember if this was wagyu but this was also pretty good. Pretty small for an entree but the meat was cooked well and the presentation was very nice. - 6th Course: There were two desserts and one complimentary dessert for my birthday. The orange creamsicle dessert was the best one. My girlfriend and I didn't like the gummies as they were a bit too sour/savory for our taste (it was li hing flavored which isn't my favorite so I could be biased). The birthday dessert which was a dark chocolate cake thing- it was OK. The cocoa was a bit bitter and was a little too unsweet for our taste. Overall, I think Miro was just okay. For the cost of $195 per person + the wine pairing (which I believe was another $95), and the add-on's for both of us (~$60-70?) plus my girlfriends mocktail, this came out to a very steep $550+ dinner. I feel for 6 courses this is pretty overpriced, especially because the portions are super small and I don't feel the tasting menu was very cohesive. I would definitely rather go to NatuRe, Mugen, or Senia as they are relatively close (or at times cheaper) in price to Miro. Don't get me wrong, the ambiance was beautiful and intimate, and I think it's worth trying at least once if you want to splurge, but sadly this won't be a restaurant I return to regularly, if at all in the future.

DELICIOUS!!!! Soooooo yummy! We met the nicest group when we entered the restaurant . . They told…read moreus what to order and recommended their favorites. . Then later they sent 2 sets of stew to our table!!!! Such nice people!!! We were shocked!!! Hard to find such generous people like that nowadays! I ordered the dolseot bi bim bap. . It was just like Korea!!!! So much meat and SOOOOO flavorful!!! I was in heaven!!!! My friend ordered the salmon and it was so well presented! My friend said it was sooooo good! We will definitely be back!!! The area around the restaurant is a little sketch so go in a group! Don't let that hold you back from going there . . The food is. THAT good!!!! The ladies in the back are the SWEETEST!!!!

This is my go to Korean food place! They almost disappointed me last week, the food was for some…read morereason extra salty. I came back for redemption and they didn't disappoint. Thankfully it was just an off day. They always use fresh ingredients! Definitely a plus! If you're the owner of O-Kims, please please please, up the amount of bulgogi you put in your Bibimbap, we were disappointed that there was only 4 small pieces of meat inside compared to the Spicy Chicken Bibimbap. Everything else was delicious! You gotta get their Yuzu Lemonade also. Parking is at the municipal parking across the street. You can eat at this place, walk around and it's not going to cost you an arm and a leg to park.

This is one of our new family favorites. The value is among the best on island imo…read more Go during happy hour. The variety, quality, and portion size makes this a recommend. The parking is a little confusing. It's free parking with a QR code scan that can be applied before or after you started your parking time on the app. Bathroom also a little weird. After going through the door, there is another pair of saloon doors before the sink and toilet and urinal. Am I supposed to stand there if someone doing their business? Why not just put a lock on the outer door?

Had a great time with friends and the food was amazing!…read more We had the garlic bread with the mushroom dip that was so good. Had some beers and Jameson was a great time