Food was amazing as well as the service. Highly recommend!! I walk in and was immediately greeted with the upmost respect. The waiter explained every ingredient into every dish. read more

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I absolutely loved this restaurant - food and service were amazing! My friend took me here for my birthday and he prearranged with Derick, the sous chef, a vegetarian set course. When we were seated, Derrick presented a handwritten menu for me that mimicked the original menu but with creative vegetarian substitutes like the watermelon sashimi. I loved every dish - too hard to pick a favorite. The bunny mochi desert was so cute and yummy too. Every dish was beautifully plated and Derick was so friendly and took the time to describe each dish. It was such a lovely experience and I would definitely come back. Thank you XO Restaurant and Derick! read more

XO Restaurant - Vegetarian set menu - Asian Fusion Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

We did the 7 course meal for my boyfriend's birthday and it was such an awesome experience! Not only was the food delicious but the service was amazing. It's a great place for date night or just a fun dinner. Shout out to Derrick for being the most hospitable guy and making our night so special :) read more

I drive by this place nearly every day. Finally went to dinner to close out the year. One guy was doing everything in the front of the house. Think his name was Anthony? He was awesome! We tried a bunch of things off the menu and everything was tasty. Have to say my favorite were the butter mochi bunnies. Didn't get photos of everything as folks were digging in as dishes arrived, but all the plates were pretty and like I said, all tasty. Even the picky eaters left with bellies full. Will definitely be back. The food was fancy but the atmosphere was pretty casual. read more

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Hands down best restaurant I've had in Honolulu so far! The food was absolutely amazing! Honestly pushing on Michelin star status. We got a chance to try a good chunk of their menu and everything was at peak status. We tried their Braised Beer-ia tacos, pork belly, hamashi sashimi, Pad Thai, and Scallops. Everything was cooked perfectly and was so savory and full of flavor. They did their own take on a couple of the dishes and everything came out so well! The portions are decent size and perfect to share. The drinks were very tasty as well! When it came to service, they went above and beyond! Derek who is the Sous chef was also our waiter and he was amazing! He gave very detailed descriptions of all of their food and made sure to set expectations when we were ordering food. And even though he was cooking all of our food, he still made sure to come and check in on us. We never had to turn around and try to find him. The decor of the restaurant is very cozy, modern, and minimalistic. They have great music as well and everything is very clean. Highly recommend to anyone here! read more

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Dinner here was sadly so mediocre and a letdown given the positive reviews I had read prior. When we arrived at 6pm on a holiday, there was only one other table of customers which was odd given the high reviews. Like some other reviews mentioned, the restaurant put a lot of effort in renovating the restaurant but it just came off as less genuine and more pretentious. The ambiance was off. The wait staff was nice, but spoke so softly that none of us could hear what he was saying and kept having to ask him to repeat himself. It was hard to communicate with him. The food itself was really average, especially for the prices. I took my family here and we all felt something was missing. The food was really greasy and salty but did not have very unique flavors. I felt a little sad that my parents and I rarely go out to eat together and when I finally took them out it was disappointing. I feel like the restaurant is really trying, which is why I still gave 3 stars even though I felt more bummed with the experience. I just don't think I'll come back, sadly. read more

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Took my mom here for mother's day. Upon on arrival, it took a second for someone to help us as there were no hostess. Once we notified them of our reservation we were seated and shown the QR code to view the menu. My mother and I decided to go with the prefix menu, which is $65 per person. We also added the optional +10 for the lamb dish. Which ended up being $75 per person (+ tax, kitchen fee, etc). From what I can tell, they have a very limited wait staff (1-2) but they also do have a medium to small sized restaurant. My thoughts on the food: - Yellowtail Sashimi, Miso Tahini, Aioli, Orange, Green Peppers: 10/10 great first dish to start with. - Beetroot Lotus, Shiso Gel, Emulsified Argentinian Spicy Sauce, Crispy Quinoa: 9/10 Also a good dish to start with, more experimental flavors for sure (not bad though) - Roasted Pork Belly, Korean Spicy Sauce, Pickles: 8.5/10, pretty good but some parts tasted slightly burnt and some pieces were also tough/chewy. - Grated Potatoes, Cheese Crown: 10/10, very good, i enjoyed this. - Buttermilk Fried Chicken with Adobo Butter Sauce: 7.5/10, really expected to like this, but i didn't care for it. The adobo flavor was either off or was just not coming through. - [Optional] Herb-Crusted Lamb Rack, Wellington, Red Wine Gastric Sauce +10: 7/10, in my opinion not worth the addition. 10 each for me to split a mini wellington? Also the wellington was like shredded lamb NOT like a lamb steak? The lamb rack was also not very flavorful. - Seared Scallops, Crispy Shrimp, Shellfish Butter Monte: 7.8/10: this was ok, the flavor was a bit lackluster. - Brown Butter Brown Butter Rabbit Butter Mochi Butter Mochi: 7.8/10 slightly disappointing. The mochi was good, like the classic butter mochi. The waiter said we could eat the crumbs? The crumbs were DISGUSTING tasted like stale old oily sweet bread crumbs? -A-5 Wagyu Fat Caramel: 8/10 was okay. Most of the dishes were just okay. I disliked the lack of proper pacing of the dishes. After the first 2 dishes (sashimi and beetroot) there was a 10 minute wait for the next dish (potato) and then 20 minutes for the next dishes (which arrival at the same time) and then minimal wait again and then 30 minutes for the dessert (mochi). I also just didn't like the fact that the wellington was not a piece of lamb but instead shredded lamb meat and I had to split the tiny piece with my mom instead of us getting a piece each. Overall our experience was quite conflicting. read more

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XO Restaurant **** RECOMMENDED **** Food: **** Value: **** Menu: *** Ambiance: **** Service: ***** Parking: ***** in front, free While looking for restaurants to dine at during restaurant week, XO caught my attention because they had a 7-course prefix menu of their most popular dishes for $60. They offer Izakaya (small plates), with a menu that changes weekly. On their website, they say that they are a Modern Local Cuisine. If I were to classify them, I would classify them as fusion. The Chef is very creative and he combines of variety of ingredients, ethnic flavors, and styles into each dish. I really enjoyed their Kalbi Pork Belly and their Seared Scallops with Dumplings. If you're tired of the same old thing and would like to try something different, XO Restaurant maybe just what you're looking for. RATINGS & RECOMMENDED ORDER: Grilled Kalbi Pork Belly = A delicious Pan Seared Scallops = A very good Buttermilk Fried Chicken = B Hamachi Sashimi Cudo = C Beet Lotus, Shiso Gel = C Loaded Potato Au Gratin = C Brown butter bunny mochi = B (dessert) Yelp: https://yelp.to/mOHNve39Se Website: https://www.xorghawaii.com/xo-restaurant/ 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

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Anthony took great care of us tonight.the food was amazing and the service just as good.If you're visiting I highly recommend taking a chance on this place! You will be happy you did read more

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Amazing service, amazing food, hard working staff, clean, all around amazing. 8 course tasting menu for $75 per person. Crazy value. Portions per person left us feeling stuffed. And I can slam an entire large dominoes pizza in like 20 minutes. You seriously need to go here. The staff is so knowledgeable and professional. You can really tell they take pride in everything they do. This is an absolute 100% must try on Oahu. read more

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Food was great! Service was even better! You have to try this place!!!! Be sure to follow server's recommendations too. Recommendations were on point. Restaurant is also allergy sensitive! Let them know what you're allergic to and they'll accommodate! Enjoyed food without any worry! read more

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I came here for my birthday for the first time and it was a great experience. The Food was so delicious, the service was superb, the ambiance is nice and quiet and has a nice vibe. The price is worth it in my humble opinion, I got the 7 course set menu and loved it all. But my favorites were the Hamachi Sashimi crudo, Beet lotus was beautiful and delicious, pan seared scallops and of course the cute brown butter bunny butter mochi. I highly recommend XO restaurant in Kaimuki. read more

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My first time at XO restaurant was amazing. The service, the food, and how accommodating they were - top notch! Derrick made a vegan five course meal so I could enjoy my friends birthday dinner while they ate the seven set menu. We were so full but didn't want to stop eating all the food! I will definitely be coming back! read more

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Fried Chicken was absolutely amazing!! The service was also great! He gave awesome recommendations. read more

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Wonderful dining experience. My wife treated me out on my birthday and i had a blast trying all the different dishes. Some were more familiar and others unique but quality was superb for everything. The butter mochi bunnies were the hilight. Super tasty, i wish i had more of that poop sauce that was the only downside. The larb salad, korean fried chicken, porkbelly gochujang wrap were all well made renditions of familiar dishes. Hope to come here again in the future! read more

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This restaurant has been on my list for a long time because of its fantastic reviews and its signature bunny dessert. We finally visited this place after making a reservation and got their set 9-course menu. Everything was okay, to be honest, I was very underwhelmed. I personally thought everything was too saucy and it killed the natural flavor of the ingredients. I usually love saucy foods but the food here was overwhelmingly sauced out for me :( I'm giving a high review though, because we LOVED the service we received. Our server was so sweet and kind. We're open to trying this place out again. read more

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While in Hawaii, I had to check out XO Restaurant after hearing so many good things, and let me tell you. It did not disappoint! I went for the tasting menu, and every dish had a fun, creative spin that kept things exciting. If you go, you have to try the lychee gimlet. It was perfectly balanced, refreshing, and just the right amount of sweet. Honestly, one of the best cocktails I've had in a while. The service was also top-notch. Friendly, attentive, and made the experience even better. If you're looking for a spot that delivers on both food and vibes, XO is a must-visit. read more

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Parking - either street parking or the lot they have. The lot is small and tight. Service - Efficient, checked in our group. Food: Went with the 9 course meal Hamachi Sashimi Crudo: 10/10 this was delicious. King Salmon Canolli: 5/10 Presentation was nice but taste salty AF. Thai Beef Larb Salad: 5/10. Just a salad. Shrimp Calimari Pancake: 7/10. Average. Korean Nashville Fried Chicken: 10/10 These were tender, juicy and flavor every bite. Hot rice shooters: 8/10 they have 3 different kinds. All of them were good. Kalbi Pork Belly: 7/10 these were alright. Gyoza: 8/10. Presentation was nice and crispy A-5 Wagyu Fat Caramel: 6/10 taste like regular Caramel candy. My taste buds probably not refined to understand this. Brown Butter Mochi: 10/10. The presentation and the taste of these were soft and flavorful every bite. Overall: Probably gonna be a try it once kind of restaurant, nothing very special about it. read more

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DEREK HEAD CHEF IS THE BEST!!! Went to xo for our anniversary and he made the experience so incredible. you can tell he puts so much care into what he does and it shows!! the food was incredible and we will definitely be back! read more

I'm not sure how this place got their high rating. Maybe from an old chef in the past? Most of the food were incredibly greasy and salty. I couldn't even eat a bite of the soup dumpling and taco. We should have known when we walked in, and the restaurant was empty. Our server was amazing, though. They also charged a 3.25% fee for credit cards. * Char Siu Saimin Xiao Long Bao Soup Dumpling (3 pc) 0/5 - This was so bad I bit into it and had to spit it out. It was a salty mess and tasted horrible. * 8 Hour Braised "Beer"-ia Tacos, Consommé 0/5 - Tasted like greasy and salty taco from a random food truck. The birria was tender but it was inedible. * Korean x Nashville Style Buttermilk Fried Chicken, Chili Oil Ranch 3/5 - The flavor was good. The batter was too thick for me, like KFC breading, and so hard that it scraped the inside of my mouth. The chicken was also very greasy. * Hot Rice Shooters, Sesame, Scallion - Tare A-5 Wagyu 3/5 - This was a tiny piece of wagyu on top of plain rice and sesame oil. The wagyu was tender and good, but there was no point to the "shot" since it had no flavor. * Housemade Ginger Scallion Gyoza Banh Xeo, Nuoc Mam 4/5 - This was a bit better - banh xeo-style (Vietnamese crepe) gyoza. I like the interesting fusion of this dish. The banh xeo was flavorful, crispy outside, a bit soggy inside. The gyoza was okay. The dish did have an overwhelming lemony flavor. Toning the sourness down or letting each person decide for themselves would be better. * Hamachi Sashimi Crudo, Miso Sesame Vin, Aioli, Orange, Shishito 3.5/5 - This was a yellowtail sashimi dish on top of a sweet and sour miso sesame sauce. The yellowtail and the sauce were good. However, they overly salted the sashimi, making it really salty. The sashimi really didn't need any salt and can stand on its own with the sauce to enhance it. Also, the sashimi cut was way too thick, like a small fish steak. They should cut it thinner and present the slices like a circle around the plate. * Ube Lemonade 2/5 - Just a small cup of lemonade with no ube taste. read more

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Nice place and we were able to find parking on the street. My family did the 7-course set dinner. For the price, it was a decent value and they were able to make substitutions for my pescatarian daughter. After the first 3 courses, we added an extra course of beef Wellington and lamb chops for an extra $10 over the base $65 price since the portions up to that point were a bit small. We enjoyed the yellowtail and beet courses then the chicken course came out and it was huge! We were positively stuffed by the end and needed to take some food home. We had a lovely dinner but, when looking at the number of stars, we all agreed that the food was just not that great. Nothing was noteworthy or overly delicious. read more

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I'm new to the whole fine dining experience, so I have literally 0 expectations. So maybe take that in consideration when I say this was the best meal I had in my life. I've only ever had a course set meal maybe 3 times in my life, but every time I have, there was always at least 1 dish that I didn't care for. For this one, however, I loved every single dish. We arrived right at opening time and were the only ones dining aside from one other party, so it was nice and quiet. One server was working and he was very attentive and informative, I believe his name was Andrew. He was also the host and bartender too! We ordered the 7 course meal with the lamb and Wellington, which was 65 (+ 10 for the lamb and Wellington addition, actually not bad and totally worth it). We also ordered drinks- I got the lilikoi margarita and my fiance got the Pink Cactus (which was more purple than pink but he said he really liked it). My margarita came in a tall glass and tasted like fresh lilikoi juice, but I'm not sure if it was. The dishes were brought out at a pretty swift pace, there was overlap but I kind of preferred if that way since the main courses were just meat, all the dishes complimented each other really well and I actually got really full about halfway through and had to pace myself lol. Notably my favorite dishes were the beet salad with radish, and the scallops woth chili dumpling and bacon jam vinaigrette. There were honey walnuts on the scallop it tasted like honey walnut shrimp- SO GOOD. The beets were soft and sweet and radish added a nice fresh lightness l. A lot of the meat based dishes were kind of heavy so it was a nice break from them. Not to say the meat dishes weren't good, they were AMAZING. The lamb was so soft and the pork belly ssam was amazing- their pickled daikon was uniquely delicious. Also, I'd they sold the wagyu fat caramels by the bag I'd happily buy them. I never thought a piece of candy could be that good. Their menus change weekly so keep an eye out on their instagram. read more

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We've passed this restaurant often and my boyfriend mentioned wanting to try it, without once seeing the menu or reviews. Coming in with no expectations, we were left absolutely speechless in the best way possible. Our waiter Derek is also the sous chef & he described each dish of our 7 course meal so meticulously, you can truly tell his passion for food through his hospitality. Every single dish's textures and flavors were thoughtfully crafted. They even surprised us with a celebratory dessert, on top of our set menu dessert -- delicious is an understatement! Mahalo for the sweetest, most attentive service + a beautifully memorable evening. We can't wait to be back to try new dishes! read more

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The food was delicious and well presented. We tried the beets, chicken, braised pork and another dish with shrimp and scallops. There were 4 of us, and we shared the four dishes. It was very filling. Also, my wife and I shared a dessert that was equally tasty. read more

Great service. The set menu is excellent -- the cheesy potatoes and the poke were both highlights. Love the venue as well.

Wow, this place blew my mind. I was taking a friend, who is a vegetarian, out for her birthday. Nothing is worse then me eating a full entree while she's has a side salad. I called to see about their vegateran options. Talking to their Sous Chef Derek, he said they could modify the 7-course meal to be vegetarian and gave me a call back a few days to review the menu. XO hit a home run. They did an outstanding job with the vegetarian menu which my friend was raving about. My "regular" 7-course meal was also fantastic. It was one of the few meals I've eaten where it set a new bar for me. It was the best of pan-pacific cooking. I was also pleased that the meal was very filling. I 've had multiple-course tasting menus that left me headed to get something else to eat afterwards. With XO, I was quite full after the dessert course. I am definitely coming back here to try the other dishes that was not on the 7-course menu. read more

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Have you ever dined at a restaurant where you're the only people dining? Neither have I! Until I dined at XO. Yelp BFF and I had visitors in town, so we took them to XO. The concept is family style tapas (small shared plates). We ordered hamachi crudo, kalbi pork belly wraps X2, corn egg tart, XLB X2, seafood pancake (hold the shrimp), 3 wagyu shooters and an ikura shooter, and hamachi fritters. My favorites were the kalbi pork belly wraps and the butter mochi (and I think this was the consensus among the table). The bunny butter mochi was literally too cute to eat! The corn egg tart, seafood pancake and hamachi fritters were slightly too dense for my taste. Everything was presented beautifully and drinks were wonderful. I think if you go in with no expectations and an open mind, you will have fun! Thanks for reading my reviews! Let me know what I should try next! read more

Amazing service and food. We had a large party and the staff was accommodating. Every plate was delicious, all were my favorites. Highly recommend. read more

Darcie and I went here for Honolulu Restaurant Week 2024 with high hopes. This restaurant seemed to be elevated by its review, so we were excited to give it a try. Located on Waialae between 8th and 9th Avenue, Mauka, it is pretty easy to find. Parking spaces are small and limited. Once inside, it was pretty spacious and the waiter was courteous. From there it all went downhill. When I rate something two stars, all it means is I had a bad experience and won't go back there again EVER, but not so bad that the establishment pissed me off. Granted, other may have great times here, but it wasn't for me (us). 1. The beer was warm and this was the final straw for Darcie. Although they comped the beer, the mood was already set. 2. My water glass was continuously empty. I drink a lot of water, so take a clue when I need it constantly refilled. 3. Hamachi Crudo was tasty, but a little too salty for my taste. 4. All the other dishes were ok. Didn't stay for the dessert. Had to get out. read more

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Super nice staff ! Ordered the 7 course with my lady - solid set up for date night. Restaurant was calm and inviting read more

XO Restaurant - Nice grinds - Asian Fusion Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

The set menu is a terrific value; a wonderful, innovative culinary experience. Don't miss it!

We had been hoping to try XO for a while and made a reservation to do so! Making a reservation might be a good idea since it was crowded when we went and everyone had one. There is a small parking lot in the front and the restaurant itself is clean, dark, and a bit intimate. The service is quick and our waiter seemed knowledgeable about the items on the menu. We ordered the buttermilk fried chicken, seafood pancake, ginger scallion gyoza, yakisoba, grilled kalbi pork belly ssam, and brown butter mochi bunnies. We liked the yakisoba best, which was super flavorful. The gyoza came shaped like a pancake, which was a neat way to do it. Everything was very tasty and we enjoyed having everything in small plates so we could try it all. The bunnies were cute and yummy, a great way to end the meal! read more

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The food presentation was nice however, I felt like a lot of the dishes had too much going on. So the flavors became very muddled and in some cases had overpowering flavors. I read quite a few good reviews so I had high hopes. The four stars is because the service was outstanding. I felt it was a bit dark almost gloomy in the restaurant. read more

This restaurant has been on my list for SO long, I am so glad I finally got a chance to try it. I had a girls dinner here for my birthday, which also happened to be during restaurant week. I wish I could remember the name of our server, because he was delightful! We got the 7 course meal and splurged on the extra $10 for the lamb course. It did not disappoint! All the food came out with amazing presentation and all so so delicious. The chef clearly cares about the menu and I get the sense that the employees are treated well, they all seem to enjoy working there. At the end, he made a point to ask us each what our favorite and least favorite was--I am confident this feedback is taken seriously. I'm glad I picked this place for a more sophisticated adult gathering. It was on my list and I wasn't sure how kid friendly it was. I wouldn't bring my toddlers, but would definitely come back for a date night. They might have a kids menu, but it was definitely more of a mature vibe. read more

Everything tasted great. You know it's good when you eat every bite of every plate. Highly recommend the Portuguese egg tart as well. We were too excited to eat it and didn't take a picture. We also liked their Lilikoi margarita. Food came out fast. We ordered 8 dishes for 3 people and we were stuffed. Would recommend 2 dishes per person to share. Atmosphere reminded me of a speakeasy. Loved the dark moody interior. My son and husband's favorite was the Nashville chicken. Their house made chili oil is really tasty and the dipping sauce is so flavorful. My favorite has to be the butter mochi. I loved the crispy charred ears. Our server was so nice and sharp. He was able to remember everything we ordered without needing to write it down. read more

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Wow. This place checks off every box. Service was amazing. Andrew took great care of us. Hamachi was top notch as was the fried chicken. Ambiance was elegant, and the wine list complemented the food really well. Super delicious, classy food and great vibes without any pretension. That's really hard to do. Highly recommend. read more

What a delicious pre fixe menu - the hamachi crudo, the beet salad, fried chicken and the scallops were my favorite! Service was incredible, thank you Derek for the great descriptions and insight into the meal! XO has a great vibe, perfect for a dinner date read more

All small plates for small eaters or people willing to spend big bucks on many plates. Pad thai was very tasty, but didn't really taste like pad thai...more like Asian fusion noodles of some sort. Salmon shooter was something you could make at home with your leftover rice and salmon--put it in a shot glass. Tasted fine, but nothing special. Soup dumplings were ok. Honestly, it tastes like it was made earlier, froze, defrosted, then steamed. There was also a spice in it, almost like nutmeg. The gyoza was good and the pancake was my favorite. It was crispy, chewy, with lots of flavor. The service was very good. The waiter/host was very attentive and knowledgeable. read more

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Came here for our anniversary dinner on a Thursday night and the place was completely empty except for one party. They have a course set menu or you can order a la carte (we opted for this option). To start off, we ordered the hamachi crudo which was the best item we ordered. For entree, we decided on the seared scallop and crispy shrimp dish which included this creamy butter sauce that tasted like cheese. The sauce really didn't sit well with the both of us; it would've been so much better without the sauce. Somehow the best part of this dish was the cauliflower. We were going to order another entree but this dish spoiled our appetite. For dessert, we got the brown butter bunny mochi which was okay but nothing to take home about; presentation was cute though. They do have a lot of Asian-inspired cocktails that sounded really good so we tried the lychee gimlet and ube lemonade, both were just okay. The ube lemonade was more tarte than sweet and you can't taste the alcohol at all. Service was good but the dishes were really not impressive. Apparently they change their dishes weekly. Honestly, it would probably be better if they just focused on making sure the items on their menu are good instead of trying to come up with new dishes every week. We had high expectations for this place but were sadly very disappointed. read more

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This was one of the best dinner experiences that I have had. We visited some friends and they recommended this restaurant. It was such a thrilling culinary experience! We did the 7 course meal and the flavors were AMAZING! The service was excellent and we felt like we were so special! Great experience!! read more

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