Sorry to say, this was a huge disappointment.....there were only 2 Filipino food booths...as a…read moreresult, the lines were loooooooong!...too long for me. I went to the fiesta primarily for the Filipino foods. I was hoping is event would be a forum to showcase the culture, contribution and achievements that the Filipino people have brought to Hawaii. The program was entertaining...hopefully next year will be better

I am really surprised there hasn't been a review regarding Filipino Fiesta on Yelp until writing it…read morenow currently at this moment (05/06/2012). The annual Filipino Fiesta is held every year for the past 20 years at Kapiolani Park. Each year they have a parade on Kalakaua Ave. from 9AM to 10AM. Then a big festival event occurs at Kapiolani Park till about 5PM. {Parking is crazy and it is usually packed so be sure to get there mad early or else you will end up driving an hour looking for parking especially if there are other events going on around the area. Unlike the other cultural festivals that occur at this venue, the Fiesta is only one day. This is pretty much the largest annual Filipino event on the island and it is important especially because Filipinos are the 2nd largest ethnic group in the state. There are food booths and the food is always damn good. The prices are decent. There are non-profit, business, community, and cultural booths represented by different organizations. They also have a community health fair tent represented by different groups as well. The whole event is mainly run by The Filipino Community Center and the Filipino Junior Chamber. They have a day long program with non-stop entertainment on the bandstand stage by local Filipino American performers. Every year they bring in celebrities and stars from the Philippines which is pretty cool. They are usually the last performers on the entertainment line-up and they do a meet and greet session afterwards. Too bad the event is only one day. I'd like to see it a two day kind of thing for people that have to work or have other obligations during the weekend. Proud to be Pinoy all day everyday. Yelp 365 Challenge #281/365

As a longtime Kamaaina in Hawaii I was pleasantly pleased and impressed with the entire venue and…read moreprogram of Germaine's Luau. This is the real deal of the Hawaiian Luau done very well. Choreographed and executed to give locals and visitors a true and authentic luau experience, I highly recommend Germaine's Luau for you and your guests. Da food is ono and all you can eat, cuz us locals no eat til we full, we eat till we are tired! Help celebrate too 50 years of Germaine's in Hawaii!

Such a fun experience! Germaine's Luau was a great way to enjoy delicious food while getting to…read moreexperience some of the culture and traditions of Hawaii. The food was all you can eat and everything we had was so delicious! They also had traditional Hawaiian dancing and entertainment throughout the evening, which was really fun to watch. They take a professional photo that you can purchase as a souvenir as well. Parking does cost extra, but overall I thought it was a really nice experience and would definitely recommend it if you're looking for a fun way to experience Hawaiian culture!

Food 4/5 from Hyatt regency buffet Service for our drinks…read more5/5, she was great and kept making sure we were good. Ambiance 5/5! Oh my gosh the luau and the performers, the overall show, the ambiance, the feels. 5/5 Even though this isn't at the beach front, it's up on the third floor of a hotel. The staff and dancers, the band, the singers were just amazing, just top tier amazing. We got the VIP package, front table front seats, fresh flowers, small gift bag of treats. From beginning to the end, it was just 5/5 the show is very interactive and story telling, you really get to learn about the culture and the show is just beautiful, the host is funny, roams around the stage area as you learn and just great times! Now the food, it's very decent, snow crab legs, whole fish, the seafood chowder is 1000/10, sushi is average, there's lau lau pork, lechon, Korean bbq, Kim chee, prime rib, and many sides like beef fried rice, pasta, clams n shrimp, vegetables, yams, and a whole lot more I didn't even get to try. Then the entire dessert side with a chocolate fountain and ice cream machine. I have a big appetite but I didn't get to taste like half the stuff! I gave it 4/5. But maybe it's a tough rating lol. This is a must do if you come to Waikiki! If you get the VIP experience it is just a little more special and intimate!

I wanted to go to a luau with friends that we could walk to in Waikiki from our hotel. When you do…read morea search on the internet, the larger luaus show up, so I was very pleased when Na Lei Aloha popped up and was a few minutes walk from our place. The biggest selling point, however, was the quality of the food! You get to eat at the same buffet as the Hyatt Regency hotel guests, so you get sushi, crab legs, and the classic luau food of kalua pig and poi. The big seller for me was the Korean fried chicken. Deelish! The luau is intimate and is solely Hawaiian hula, without the Samoan slap dance or Tahitian-style dance. I like this as I had recently gone to the Bishop Museum and was trying to soak in as much Hawaiian history and culture as I could get. Some of the dances had the fun themes from the '50's, with a faster, party feel. Other dances were tributes to the alii of the past, so there was a royal procession, with the king and queen. When I travel to Honolulu in the future, I will definitely bring friends and family to Na Lei Aloha for an entertaining evening with delicious food!

The memory of being parked at Magic Island, the perfect spot at 7:20pm with unobstructed views from…read morea distance. At times, I rode the city bus into Waikīkī to be on the beach or better yet, on resort property to watch the pre-show at the Hilton Super Pool. That was me, years ago when I used to live on O'ahu. To watch fireworks at the Hilton Hawaiian Village, on a Friday night at 7:45pm. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ It's 2026, many years later and now residing on the Big Island of Hawai'i where I was born and raised. Traveling to O'ahu recently, I decided to select overnight accommodations specifically on a Friday night at the Hilton Hawaiian Village. To enjoy the fireworks show. Staying on-site gave me zero logistical hassles, walking right from my hotel room avoiding pre 'n post show traffic on the roads and sidewalks. By watching the fireworks from the comfort of a private balcony/lanai, it allowed me to avoid crowds and skip the time of securing a spot on the beach or within the resort property. Dining reservations were made months in advance. It's 7:24pm and there's a massive crowd already on the beach fronting the Hilton Hawaiian Village for the 7:45pm fireworks show. If you're not a registered resort guest, take the time to secure a spot here. Then, venture on-property to enjoy the resort offerings for a cocktail or snack, enjoy live entertainment or shop at one of the many boutiques. The open shoreline in-front of the resort provides perfect, unobstructed views. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ It's 7:45pm. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ As the controlled explosions, those brilliant colors fill the sky above the Hilton Hawaiian Village, a sense of emotion comes over me. Filled with nostalgia, I began to remember watching fireworks while growing up in my hometown with my family. Along with those special summer trips to Disneyland. A tear began to roll down my cheek as the visual spectacle continued. Once I passed the emotional stage, my adrenaline started to kick-in with the booming sounds. As I began to anticipate what colors, what flashes of light and shapes will appear before me. A thrilling high, a deep euphoria from fireworks in the Waikīkī sky. My eyes, frozen in-position as the sensation of wonder begins to pull me out of my worries. Brilliant chrysanthemums, electric blues and pinks, ruby reds and golden yellows bursts in the horizon, as flares rain down sparks and create a dazzling light show. The deep, echoing booms resonate across the sand and water, followed by a "crackle" and "hiss". Amplifying this visual, multi sensory experience. It captures my attention, sparks wonder and amazement. A smile appears, I can't believe I'm actually here. Watching it live with such an amazing viewpoint, I've waited years for this. As each firework shell is mounted on the white sand beach in-front of the balcony I'm perched on, a feeling of gratitude comes over me as the dazzling display comes to an end. What a spectacular finale. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Watch the show from a distance, time your arrival accordingly to obtain that perfect viewing spot. Or venture into Waikīkī and join the crowd on the beach hours before as you take a dip in the ocean, then venture on resort property to explore. Become a registered guest at the Hilton Hawaiian Village and enjoy the fireworks show from your balcony, from exclusive viewing areas for resort/dining guests. The sensory combination of light and sound, allow it to capture your emotions and trigger childhood memories. Like it did for me. As the sky transitions from darkness to brilliant bursts of color, let it symbolize a new chapter of hope, unity and fresh beginnings. Right here at the Hilton Hawaiian Village, every Friday night at 7:45pm. (photos and videos of the fireworks were taken from my iPhone)

Watching the weekly Friday fireworks show from Magic Island is totally worth it and gives you a…read morefantastic panoramic view. We sat on the rocks by the water facing the Hilton hotel, and while the show only lasted 5 minutes, someone right next to us played Katy Perry's "Firework" to set the mood. I can easily see why locals prefer heading to the island instead of the crowded Waikiki beaches, especially since the crowds here were minimal. If you decide to go, keep in mind that parking can be tough with people constantly circling the lot, so it is definitely best to take an Uber or just walk over.

2023 Hawaii Wiener Derby Champion KOKOLO…read more Soooooo FUN Thank you so much for all hard work from Dachshund Rescue and Support of Hawai'i and volunteers

This is the first year I decided to enroll my little boys in the races. From what I understand,…read more2012 was the biggest year for The Hawaii Wiener Derby (over 150 dachshunds entered). It's a lot of fun! They do this event in conjunction with the Hawaiian Humane Society's Canine Game Day. It's really something to see so many dachshunds in all different sizes and colors. If you're there to compete seriously, you're probably going to be the only one. Everyone (staff and attendees alike) are very pleasant! There was a bit of confusion during the registration (we couldn't see the sign that had letters indicating where you should check-in and they couldn't figure out where to send me to pay). It wasn't a big deal though. Overall, I recommend everyone attend/participate. Even if you don't own a dachshund, it's an enjoyable experience watching these little guys hoofing it down the race track.

Yelp just deleted my draft of this review right before I finished....argh....*annoyed and angry…read moreface* We missed the last day that they sold food at the Pearl City temple because our schedules didn't allow for it. Mink was a little sad because she loves the Thai dessert they sell there. After a friend told us about this festival, she made sure I put it in my planner to pick up dessert for her since it's hosted by the same people doing the food tents at the Pearl City temple. With the event being held at Kapiolani Park, it was a lot closer commute for me so I was able to go between client meetings. Unfortunately parking was crazy (circled 3 times) and I had a long walk to where they held the festival in business casual attire. Hot AF but all good because I'm doing it for Mink. I better get a "get out of jail" free card for my efforts lol. The event wasn't advertised so finding info about it was difficult. Luckily a friend was able to find more info about it and we ended up going together to check it out. The event is from 9am - 6pm at the beginning of Kapiolani Park (closer to Waikiki side). I was surprised how busy the event was with it not being advertised at all. There was entertainment, food, drinks and a ton of people. We walked around to check things out and picked up some food to snack on. It was the same as the food sold at the temple so we knew what we wanted. Cash only as a heads up if you plan to go before they close. Overall, it seemed like a successful event and we're glad we were able to check it out. Hopefully Mink will enjoy all the goodies from the event. Until next year...

Really good food and a wonderful show. We had great customer service from the bartender to the…read moreserving staff. The pork was amazing

Backstory: I'm on a girl's birthday trip. This is my second trip to Hawaii. For two sisters, it's…read moretheir first and they wanted a luau experience. We were original Mauka on a Friday, but that was cancelled due to weather. When trying to reschedule, we debated our options and ended up at Germaine's. It was not our preferred choice due to some reviews, but the beach location swayed us. It's a good distance from Waikiki, and we thought at some point we'd gotten lost in an industrial district, but after a few turns we found ourselves in paradise. We paid for parking and everything was uphill from here. We started with check in and photos. Then onto flower making for our hair, a quick sunset selfie and a return for a temporary tattoo. Then the evening's big highlights began. We gathered for the unearthing and presentation of the pig, then returned to our tables for dinner service. The Mistress of Ceremony, Serena, has such a warm demeanor. She referred to us all as cousins and family, and honored special celebrations of those in attendance (anniversaries, birthdays, etc). I realized this was all routine, but Serena had a way of making us each feel special. Food was buffet style unless you paid for VIP. VIP had their food brought to them. The menu was fine. I got a little of everything, but was most satisfied with the teriyaki chicken and rice. I added some vegetables from my friend's vegan option. While we dined, we were educated and entertained by Polynesian history and dance. Everything was beautiful. I'm happy we had a chance to witness this little piece of Hawaiin culture, beauty and sweetness. A-lo-ha!

We have been here a few times but everytime when we bring someone who hasn't we try to get here…read more I've heard from some people that it's the second best on the island ( considering how many there are) isn't bad. The luau is actually pretty good, the first time was great but after so many times it's a little bit of an anti climax now. In fact I'm almost over Hawaii. I'm saying almost, not definitely.

We have attended the Hale Koa Luau in 2024 and again this year in 2026. 2024 was better because…read morethere was a female host named Lyric who reminded me of a Disney princess. I later learned that she was a contestant on The Voice. In addition, my 2024 luau was my first visit to Hawaii ever and I was pumped to attend a luau and learn the traditions. Our 2026 host was a gentleman who had more of a flat stage presence. Flash forward to 2026, many components of the luau remained the same. The luau starts at 5 pm and there are various activities on the lawn such as lei bracelet making, some music, a man who climbs up a coconut tree, and a complimentary drink either rum punch or guava juice. There is the typical push for professional photos when your party enters the space with an opportunity to purchase closer to dinner time at $25 each. The show takes a touch to get going and has a strong focus on getting the crowd engaged. There are many songs dedicated towards anniversaries and celebrations which is nice. In addition, there is a big focus on military and those who have served this country being at a military hotel. The event is clean, staff is friendly, yet I do wish there was more performing as opposed to crowd shout outs. The show takes you through Polynesian history, New Zealand and more demonstrated via dancing, fire throwing and hula. There is an MC who hosts, live musicians and interactive crowd sessions. I've never been a big fan of the food but appreciate it all because it's a learning lesson about traditional food. The appetizers are pineapple, pickled onions, poi and salsa with fish that will get split at your table with pre-set plates. Servers will come around to serve the main dish. The main plate contains chicken, pulled pork, steak, fish, sweet potatoes and zucchini. Dessert has always been guava cake which pairs nicely with coffee. My favorite take-a-way from the show is learning how the men have always done the hunting, cooking and cleaning as the women are considered sacred since women can give the gift of life. This is such an honorable lesson that makes me smile. Thank you to the staff as I know it takes a village to put on a show like this especially 3 x's a week. Mahalo!!