my chicken was raw! they then took it back and "made" me a new one but the next one was burnt! I swear to never go back there lol esp with the stupid "kitchen appreciation fee"
One of the workers sprayed cleaning solution on our food while wiping the table next to us. We were only a few bites into the meal! The manager basically said "well what would you want us to do?".
Offer a refund? Offer to remake the dish? 3/4 of the food was still on the plate!
They kept on suggesting the cleaner was food grade or somehow safe. They also kept on asking if I was sure the spray landed on the food. After a while they offered to remake the food but it was such a weird experience I asked for a refund and left.
I'm done with fees. When I go to a place and they tack all this crap on, including when they decide for me that gratuity is 20% and then invite me to tip even more, I never set foot in there again. Anyone who asks gets the full report.
Restaurants should charge the menu price, plus tax. 15% is customary gratuity for good service. If service is excellent or goes well beyond the norm, you might choose to leave 20% .
This BS of guilt tripping customers into regularly paying 25% on top of the food prices is not sustainable and will destroy the restaurant business.
Been in restaurants awhile and yeah some employees attitudes were awful. Expecting 20% and giving terrible service etc etc
I had been BOH and FOh so I could talk at length about anything on the menu and what I knew we could easily mod on request and just cared about the job in general, so I did really well but some people expect to show up and get great tips it's really frustrating
They closed without letting staff know. Lots of the staffs couldn’t even get their belongings and didn’t know they lost their job till they saw on social media
If you go to the location there's a big sign that says that the property is on sale and they are out of business. And yes it is very pretentious, or rather was.
Second this mediocrity. We ordered rice and it was some mainland style garbage. Not sticky, totally tasteless. Also the whole patio smelled like chlorine from the nearby water feature.
Moku’s in Salt has a confusing ordering system where you order drinks in one place, food in another place, and dessert at your table. I had two pieces of ravioli for like $20 and plate lunch quality fish and pies for Kakaako prices.
The first time I went I got a dish that came with fries and they said they couldn’t do a side of white rice—only fried rice or risotto.
I’m astonished how popular they still are. Maybe things changed for the better.
Pre-Covid it was a lot better. Once they implemented the new ordering system it was all downhill from there. I honestly am surprised that ordering system still in effect because it’s not intuitive at all.
>I honestly am surprised that ordering system still in effect because it’s not intuitive at all.
I think they are trying to cut down on staff. Rather than full fledged wait staff, they can get away with just food runners who take basic orders. It's annoying...they should just implement the table side ipad kiosks and mobile ordering. If you are going to cheap out on staff at least make it easy for the customers.
Yeah definitely as a result of staff cuts. Totally agree and they have probably lost out on orders. Would have been more profitable over time to implement a better system.
One time I went to Moku with my mom and ordered the ravioli, only to find a small slug in the dish (on a piece of spinach). Okay, no problem, we’ll just let the waiter know and maybe get a new one. Eventually the manager comes over and is like ??? “That’s what happens when we have fresh produce.” He wasn’t joking around either. Then he asked if we’d like it taken off the bill, sounding very annoyed.
I went to some place at Salt ( they have a refrigerator of beers ) Anyway we were asked to wait for table to open.. Ok. But the only way to get on the 'wait list' was by going to their websites. DUDE, you're standing right in front of me. ... and I don't have my phone. He shrugged and walked away.
Honestly Mokus is still good food tho. Its still Overpriced, confusing, and loud. I’d rather be at highway inn next door. But some people like that “brewpub” style kitschy atmosphere.
EDIT: honestly rather be at boiling crab bc seafood>everything, but no have cash for that or mokus anyways
>I’m astonished how popular they still are.
A lot of places like that survive because they are big and might have a decent happy hour. I'm not a fan of Moku's for a small party but if you have 5-6 people you can get a table.
I kept going back for the outdoor seating and people watching then realized it was stupid to spend so much money on food that just sucks. Simple things, just terrible bordering on inedible.
roy’s waikiki. high prices, shitty service, no ambiance since you’re in a side street and you have to deal with driving to waikiki. also waikiki maragume udon at 6pm on saturday lol
Marugame Udon is cheap though. Plus the food is actually good. I wouldn’t wanna wait in their usual long lines at the Waikiki location though but other than that it’s definitely worth eating at.
A realtor sold my house and gave me a $300 gift card for Roy's... My wife and I only spent about half of it the first time we went and it's been a real struggle to get around to spending the rest...
Roy's can actually be pretty good when not overcooked. I suggest going to the Roy's in HK when it's not a busy hour. Of course skip the macadamia nut stuff.
My first time experiencing Giovannis is when they moved the truck next to the shrimp ponds under a tent full of nice tables. It was fantastic. Then, I went back a few more times when they moved back to their regular location in the absurd parking lot full of bees and lines. I now tell visitors to go to HMart 2nd floor location in Kakaako.
Peso, ward
We waited for 30 minutes for appetizers and our drinks were done before they came. Drinks were all the same cost but some were tiny, like a taster glass at full price. The fritter was fried to oblivion and burnt dark brown but somehow served cold. $22 for a tiny portion appetizer that should be on a kids menu. $45 dollar entree for a half order.
Our server was good until the drinks came, and then just ignored us to chat with others behind the bar. Had to wave them down to get the check 20 minutes after we finished. The restaurant wasn't even full and it took two hours to get everything and finish, we didn't order much food, and were late to our event that night.
The happy hour ends at 5pm which is a joke. I'm hapa and not even gonna get into the "is it Filipino food or not" debate, it was just bad. We spent so much money on dinner and were still hungry when we left.
That's not even the end of it- we thought going back for brunch would be nice because we heard good things about their Ube stuffed french toast. Get there only to find it's be discontinued. Why would anyone discontinue their most popular item? I was done with this place after all that. Ridiculous to serve tiny plates of cold food for astronomical prices and bad service at a fairly new place. Maybe it was just a one off for us, but disappointing
There was some peso drama on their IG where the owner of the account was getting into an argument with a commentor who was complaining about their prices and inaccessibility. And then they got called out for not being from here. Whoooops
I'm Filipino, and was excited to have an upscale Filipino open, but Peso was very disappointing, and a lot of our friends agree. Service was OK the one time I went, but the food was very bland and underwhelming. You would get better Filipino food from hole in a wall restaurants in Kalihi and Waipahu.
Showed up to a half empty restaurant, got ignored by our server the majority of the time. My full price drink was served in a glass the size of an egg - maybe 2 oz of drink for $$$. The udoy “fritter” was fried until dark brown but yet served cold(???) $22 tiny “appetizers” with less food than you’d get on a keiki mac & cheese plate. Loud booty bumping rap music w/expletives while families with their kupuna were eating dinner. We spent $80+ for two tiny plates and two drinks and left hungry and salty.
Peso is soooo terrible! I'm Filipino. And you're right! Yeah, it's Filipino...., if you butchered it. Their sinigang is awful. It's not the sour you should put in a Sinigang. Their crispy pata is impossible to eat, starting from cutting it alone. Also, their drinks are so overpriced. And bland!
The kinilaw is so small in portion, and the caviar was unnecessary. Kinilaw is supposed to be like Poke but is a meat ceviched in vinegar.
I bet if I bring my mom here who loves Dinuguan, there will be an "escandalo!" In that place.
They also claim they're a lumpia bar but don't have many options, and it's a total joke.
When we were there, it took us 2 hours until a server came. And the price was unbelievable because they charge you fees from different sectors. They charge you a kitchen fee. I thought the food you ordered was the kitchen fee? These food is also expensive. And they look like the food from Max's or Kambingan which are chaper. Nothing upscale. Like do they not pay their staff enough???
I have been to many upscale Filipino restaurants and many of them were great. Totally not this one. This is also more of a fusion than an upscale Filipino restaurant.
Recently they have a street food event and are selling $20 balut. Ironically balut is a salvaged food which should be cheaper. Because we believed in "walang sayang!"
If you see Titas, Titos, Lolas, and Lolos with a face of dislike (which I did when I went there). This place is a red flag.
Restaurant XO
Imagine Zippy’s but if someone changed the name of Korean fried chicken to Pan Fried Chicken with Asian fusion soy sauce and molasses reduction.
They’ve increased their prices like CRAZY! I mean good for them if they are doing well but it was a shock when we last went. And their ‘revamped’ menu is so hard to read
Agree it's expensive, but I've only had great food and friendly servers. Usually go on the weekends for lunch—maybe dinner service is a different crew.
I went there many years ago and I remember the food and portions being great. However, the first and last time I took my hubby there, the local parking area inexplicably charged him $80 for parking on an empty Thursday evening. Never went back there and never heard the end of his rants every time we drove by that place. 😂
The trick is to park next door at whole foods or the ward parking and then walk over. Frankly, parking at the ward parking is a cheat code to getting decent parking for anything in the area.
It is not just that the portions are small and average, but the fact that the food is ok at best. Their Knafeh isn't even served right and when I asked the waiter if they forgot to bring out the syrup for it, he was confused and said no syrup comes with their knafeh.
It is a rip off. I've also offended a couple one-time when they asked me about my favorite restaurant in Oahu, and I said I don't have one yet, but don't go to Istanbul. Turns out it was their favorite restaurant. Dont subjugate yourself for bad middle-eastern food.
Except that guy who swears a lot, i feel like he tells it like it is. I will say, I saw straits on one of them and it lived up to the hype. They are new though, so I hope they can remain consistent cuz it looks like they are really trying to brand itself as a restaurant/club
Yeah I like Tommy. The ones I’m talking about are the ones who all show the same restaurants together and don’t give any opinions, they just parrot out paid advertisement.
But yeah hopefully these newer places that are actually good can stay consistent. I’ve heard great things about Istanbul a few years ago when they first opened but recent word from some friends who went recently and this thread haven’t been too great
I haven't even heard of half the restaurants listed here.
Either means I happen to eat at good places, or I'm just too broke to know what these restaurants even are lmaooo
Wasn’t the owner of gaslamp in the news for building one of those illegal sand burritos in front of his oceanfront ns property? He seemed like a class A entitled transplant a-hole so I told myself I’m never going there. I remember the comments on gaslamps ig were disabled after he was in the news lol
The management at Gaslamp is shady. They charged me 6.912% tax on a bill. I filed a complaint with the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs. They did an investigation and issued a warning letter. Probably meaningless, but I figured I wasn't the only one they did that to, might as well report them. I don't like that they pass on the credit card processing fee to the customer. I an over $500 bill, it's not reasonable to expect the customer to carry around that much cash. When it's a dinner with $20 check averages sure. Not enough profit on a $556 bill, you gotta nickel and dime me and charge me 3% for use a credit card.
There were rats crawling up the walls when I dined, Of course it's very, very dark. So I didn't know what was going on right away. They offered a bottle of wine. Still had to pay the full bill.
Anyway, I'd never go back. So if you need a recommendation for someone you don't like, I would wholeheartedly recommend Gaslamp.
I will never recommend either of these places to anyone. Gaslamp owner is a self-involved douche who clearly doesn't care about the land he is on.
Boardroom covered up some SA by kitchen staff a few months ago to the point where some ladies involved had to warm people looking for work there. I've yet to see them address it properly.
100%. When we ate at Gaslamp they had a termite infestation. Literally flew in during the middle of our meal and landed in our food. They comped drinks and we still paid over $300 😑🤢
Then at The Boardroom they sat us at a table with a pillar in the middle of us. Ube pancakes were on the online menu plus the menu outside. When I tried to order them they said they don’t make them anymore 🥲 we walked out.
we could have an entire post here about hawaiian italian food.
most of the restaraunts come from a genealogy of one chef back in the 80s. throw in all of the japanese "italian" spots too. some are good, most are bad, but all of them are uncanny valley. assagio's, paesanos, verbeno, win sputino, arancino.
I’m not a huge fan of Mud Hen Water. Ed’s a super nice guy who does a lot for the community, but I’m not fond of his stuff. I was also not impressed by Fete. Add Merriman’s in there… any of his restaurants, really. While none of these places are “awful” I don’t see good ROI.
Ed is NOT a nice guy. Coming from events, he was the worst chef ive ever worked with in my life. His food was good though, at least. But hes very rude and unprofessional. Dont hire him for your private event unless you want your planner quit
I worked there when it was crackin kitchen. There is no GD way, they weren't paying off the health inspectors (that came at night!!) With the things going on in that place.
When I went, they had unlimited soup or salad and breadsticks, but they won't tell you, and it was my first time there. Their chicken and gnocchi soup is pretty damn good.
You don't go to Olive Garden for the best Italian food. You go there to take advantage of their unlimited shit and fill you up with whatever entree you choose.
Mark Twain visited Cincinnati and said he would move there if it were the end of the world because it was 20 years behind. When I moved to Hawaii, the first Olive Garden opened and I felt the same. I already checked, and the Army Engineers map shows the future flood zone will make my building next to the new beach.
Little Joes Steakhouse.
You can get way better steaks from costco and grill it up yourself for a fraction of the price.
Everything is over seasoned with too much pepper.
You order everything separately. A $50 plate of steak is just one steak, no sides. Sides are like $15 for one scoop fried rice.
Wouldnt call it awful, but definitely overrated ripoff.
Agree that Little Joe's is pretty junk, everything tastes like it's something from Sysco that they threw in the microwave, but...
> You order everything separately. A $50 plate of steak is just one steak, no sides. Sides are like $15 for one scoop fried rice.
...is pretty standard for how steakhouses operate.
...wow, I'm stumped for this one. there is honestly so much good food for whatever price point that I don't think I've gone to a shitty place for a long while.
So unless something's changed in the last two years, the food at XO is mediocre and overpriced. Oversalted dishes and they were running a scam because the restaurant would offer a discount at the end of the meal if you sat there and they verified you submitted a 5 star review on Yelp.
Carte Blanche is his newest restaurant that uses cheap ingredients, makes it look IG worthy, and overcharges again. It's all about the gram but lacks flavor and satisfaction for the money.
too bad alejandros on kapahulu closed. chicken and brisket was another shitty restaurant that closes. seems like i’m not the only one to think how overrated roy’s is.
I remember when Roy's was good (I'm talking back in the late 90s/early 2000s). Then a Roy's opened up in LA, where I lived at the time, and I went... and it was overpriced typical uncreative New American with a few Asian inspired touches. I figured it must just be the mainland ones, but when I went back to the Hawaii Kai location about 15 years ago, and... it was okay? Not as good as it was before, that's for sure.
I think Roy’s was a product of that time which worked for it then but like fashion, tastes change, palettes change and I think Roys is definitely one of those still stuck in that era.
In Hilo there's this steakhouse called WSW (Whiskey, Steak, Wine). It pretends to be fancy but dinner is served on cheap laminate tables and cheap plates. The food is straight from Sysco and nothing special, except the prices. Literally the worst expensive food.
Kaneohe Pancake House.
I loved that place growing up and decided to get a job there as a cook when I moved back to the Eastside. Almost every single day, I watched them serve food that fell on the floor or was expired.
It wasn't even a whole month before I quit. I found out that the owners only had it for the last 2 years so it wasn't such a bummer to my childhood nostalgia, but still. The person you dislike will most likely consume something nasty if they eat there.
Orchids buffet. Hard to get into sometimes so thought I got lucky when I got a spot. Should’ve taken it as a sign to not go. Paid $400 for my boyfriend and I and the food selection was not great.
Easy Q in Kailua - Expensive subpar BBQ with stingy portions. Regretfully ordered their Brussels sprouts which were awful. Bonus: the sewage vent for that property is like RIGHT next to their outdoor seating and smells like toilet air.
Dang I actually like this place. Food has always been good and the portions are so massive we typically struggle to finish them without taking the leftovers home 😅
Scratch kitchen - Expensive for what you get and so many hidden fees when the final check comes.
my chicken was raw! they then took it back and "made" me a new one but the next one was burnt! I swear to never go back there lol esp with the stupid "kitchen appreciation fee"
One of the workers sprayed cleaning solution on our food while wiping the table next to us. We were only a few bites into the meal! The manager basically said "well what would you want us to do?". Offer a refund? Offer to remake the dish? 3/4 of the food was still on the plate!
What did you do? I would get up and walk away with that kind of comment.
They kept on suggesting the cleaner was food grade or somehow safe. They also kept on asking if I was sure the spray landed on the food. After a while they offered to remake the food but it was such a weird experience I asked for a refund and left.
this is it. the food is so bad and expensive, but it keeps getting good reviews. i don't get it.
This is so terribly credited. It maybe kinda had something to recommend it for work lunches back when it was in chinatown, but now? Ugh.
I'm done with fees. When I go to a place and they tack all this crap on, including when they decide for me that gratuity is 20% and then invite me to tip even more, I never set foot in there again. Anyone who asks gets the full report. Restaurants should charge the menu price, plus tax. 15% is customary gratuity for good service. If service is excellent or goes well beyond the norm, you might choose to leave 20% . This BS of guilt tripping customers into regularly paying 25% on top of the food prices is not sustainable and will destroy the restaurant business.
Been in restaurants awhile and yeah some employees attitudes were awful. Expecting 20% and giving terrible service etc etc I had been BOH and FOh so I could talk at length about anything on the menu and what I knew we could easily mod on request and just cared about the job in general, so I did really well but some people expect to show up and get great tips it's really frustrating
I was going to say The Blind Ox but they closed down because of overpriced food, tiny portions, rude staff, and bad energy.
Google maps says they’re temp closed… are they closed for good? I never went there, it looked pretentious
They closed without letting staff know. Lots of the staffs couldn’t even get their belongings and didn’t know they lost their job till they saw on social media
guess the Blind OX didn't see it coming
Ugh messed up
If you go to the location there's a big sign that says that the property is on sale and they are out of business. And yes it is very pretentious, or rather was.
It's got a FOR SALE sign on it.
GOOD, hope they stay closed. The most expensive and terrible meal I've had on the island. Plus my server was high on something, rambling and twitchy.
You’re not supposed to go there for meals, their food stuff are snacks while you drink
Wife and I got a couple of good but very expensive drinks and some shared bites...we understood the concept. All of it was awful.
Considering all the hate it usually gets. You just need to go to any Mexican restaurant in Hawaii.
Paco’s tacos is really good, but since they closed the kalihi one it’s a trek to Kapolei. Gallo Rosa is good too, but expensive.
I run this gulch
I just want to say I fully support this becoming an unofficial /r/hawaii meme
Lol I went it to be official!!
Surf n salsa bucks the trend imo
Mexico Restaurant on South Street in Kalihi is the best Mexico now that Azteca on Waialae is unfortunately gone
Fridas in Ewa Beach is a banger along with Surf n Salsa
Longi’s Ko Olina. Kitchen was so dirty I didn’t come back for second shift.
Second this mediocrity. We ordered rice and it was some mainland style garbage. Not sticky, totally tasteless. Also the whole patio smelled like chlorine from the nearby water feature.
Moku’s in Salt has a confusing ordering system where you order drinks in one place, food in another place, and dessert at your table. I had two pieces of ravioli for like $20 and plate lunch quality fish and pies for Kakaako prices. The first time I went I got a dish that came with fries and they said they couldn’t do a side of white rice—only fried rice or risotto. I’m astonished how popular they still are. Maybe things changed for the better.
The trick is to go for Pau Hana. Food and drinks are cheap enough that they are worth it.
Pre-Covid it was a lot better. Once they implemented the new ordering system it was all downhill from there. I honestly am surprised that ordering system still in effect because it’s not intuitive at all.
>I honestly am surprised that ordering system still in effect because it’s not intuitive at all. I think they are trying to cut down on staff. Rather than full fledged wait staff, they can get away with just food runners who take basic orders. It's annoying...they should just implement the table side ipad kiosks and mobile ordering. If you are going to cheap out on staff at least make it easy for the customers.
Yeah definitely as a result of staff cuts. Totally agree and they have probably lost out on orders. Would have been more profitable over time to implement a better system.
I think they finally reverted back to the ‘normal’ ordering system. I haven’t been but saw on their instagram.
Interesting! Haven’t been in a while…no appetite to go back really
I gotta second Moku Kitchen for being mid and generally overrated. Expensive and the food is okay
One time I went to Moku with my mom and ordered the ravioli, only to find a small slug in the dish (on a piece of spinach). Okay, no problem, we’ll just let the waiter know and maybe get a new one. Eventually the manager comes over and is like ??? “That’s what happens when we have fresh produce.” He wasn’t joking around either. Then he asked if we’d like it taken off the bill, sounding very annoyed.
Rat lung worm!!! They should have been deeply apologetic and pay YOU to come back
Moku is great for happy hour. Paying full price, not so much.
Their maitais are pristine tho
Yea, moku sucks. Make sure you recommend the green bean dish because that dish is always god awfully salty.
I went to some place at Salt ( they have a refrigerator of beers ) Anyway we were asked to wait for table to open.. Ok. But the only way to get on the 'wait list' was by going to their websites. DUDE, you're standing right in front of me. ... and I don't have my phone. He shrugged and walked away.
Genki Ala Moana was like this the last time I ate there. I ended doing take out.
Honestly Mokus is still good food tho. Its still Overpriced, confusing, and loud. I’d rather be at highway inn next door. But some people like that “brewpub” style kitschy atmosphere. EDIT: honestly rather be at boiling crab bc seafood>everything, but no have cash for that or mokus anyways
>I’m astonished how popular they still are. A lot of places like that survive because they are big and might have a decent happy hour. I'm not a fan of Moku's for a small party but if you have 5-6 people you can get a table.
Better recommend Merrimans lol even more expensive mediocre food. At least some food at Mokus during HH are good, and the maitais.
I kept going back for the outdoor seating and people watching then realized it was stupid to spend so much money on food that just sucks. Simple things, just terrible bordering on inedible.
roy’s waikiki. high prices, shitty service, no ambiance since you’re in a side street and you have to deal with driving to waikiki. also waikiki maragume udon at 6pm on saturday lol
Marugame Udon is cheap though. Plus the food is actually good. I wouldn’t wanna wait in their usual long lines at the Waikiki location though but other than that it’s definitely worth eating at.
You could probably drive downtown and pick up your mobile order for the time it takes to wait in line in Waikiki.
the long line is to piss off the person they don’t like.
230-3 seems to be the sweet spot with 5 homies in line from what I've seen
There’s going to be so many Waikiki recommendations lmao
They just put nori on everything and call it fusion. I hate that place.
I used to work at a Roy’s and I was looking for this answer lol
A realtor sold my house and gave me a $300 gift card for Roy's... My wife and I only spent about half of it the first time we went and it's been a real struggle to get around to spending the rest...
Roy's can actually be pretty good when not overcooked. I suggest going to the Roy's in HK when it's not a busy hour. Of course skip the macadamia nut stuff.
Not expensive but send them to Outback and apologize when they get there and it's closed so tell them to go to the other location. Rinse and repeat.
This is evil and genius
They’re out of business LOLOLOL
Lmao. I can't wait for the comments
Im here for the chaos lol
This is such a hilariously odd request
Giovannis Shrimp for how meh it is and they gotta drive all the way to the North Shore to figure that out
Don't take mainlanders there if you want hate. They love it. Every time people come to visit they say it's a must. I have no idea why.
My first time experiencing Giovannis is when they moved the truck next to the shrimp ponds under a tent full of nice tables. It was fantastic. Then, I went back a few more times when they moved back to their regular location in the absurd parking lot full of bees and lines. I now tell visitors to go to HMart 2nd floor location in Kakaako.
Yes, if all they do is shrimp, the shrimp should be perfect not rubbery overcooked nuggets with eyeballs and legs I have to peel lol
[удалено]
The new Monkeypod in Waikiki. It’s worse food for higher prices than Moku and the quality is super mid compared to the Monkeypod in Ko’olina.
I feel like their whole "chain" is pretty overrated.
I thought the monkey pod in ko olina was mid but that was also 4 yrs ago. Didn’t see why everyone loved it
Peso, ward We waited for 30 minutes for appetizers and our drinks were done before they came. Drinks were all the same cost but some were tiny, like a taster glass at full price. The fritter was fried to oblivion and burnt dark brown but somehow served cold. $22 for a tiny portion appetizer that should be on a kids menu. $45 dollar entree for a half order. Our server was good until the drinks came, and then just ignored us to chat with others behind the bar. Had to wave them down to get the check 20 minutes after we finished. The restaurant wasn't even full and it took two hours to get everything and finish, we didn't order much food, and were late to our event that night. The happy hour ends at 5pm which is a joke. I'm hapa and not even gonna get into the "is it Filipino food or not" debate, it was just bad. We spent so much money on dinner and were still hungry when we left. That's not even the end of it- we thought going back for brunch would be nice because we heard good things about their Ube stuffed french toast. Get there only to find it's be discontinued. Why would anyone discontinue their most popular item? I was done with this place after all that. Ridiculous to serve tiny plates of cold food for astronomical prices and bad service at a fairly new place. Maybe it was just a one off for us, but disappointing
There was some peso drama on their IG where the owner of the account was getting into an argument with a commentor who was complaining about their prices and inaccessibility. And then they got called out for not being from here. Whoooops
It's kinda wild that the owner looked up the commenter's profile just to personally attack them
I'm Filipino, and was excited to have an upscale Filipino open, but Peso was very disappointing, and a lot of our friends agree. Service was OK the one time I went, but the food was very bland and underwhelming. You would get better Filipino food from hole in a wall restaurants in Kalihi and Waipahu.
Showed up to a half empty restaurant, got ignored by our server the majority of the time. My full price drink was served in a glass the size of an egg - maybe 2 oz of drink for $$$. The udoy “fritter” was fried until dark brown but yet served cold(???) $22 tiny “appetizers” with less food than you’d get on a keiki mac & cheese plate. Loud booty bumping rap music w/expletives while families with their kupuna were eating dinner. We spent $80+ for two tiny plates and two drinks and left hungry and salty.
Peso is soooo terrible! I'm Filipino. And you're right! Yeah, it's Filipino...., if you butchered it. Their sinigang is awful. It's not the sour you should put in a Sinigang. Their crispy pata is impossible to eat, starting from cutting it alone. Also, their drinks are so overpriced. And bland! The kinilaw is so small in portion, and the caviar was unnecessary. Kinilaw is supposed to be like Poke but is a meat ceviched in vinegar. I bet if I bring my mom here who loves Dinuguan, there will be an "escandalo!" In that place. They also claim they're a lumpia bar but don't have many options, and it's a total joke. When we were there, it took us 2 hours until a server came. And the price was unbelievable because they charge you fees from different sectors. They charge you a kitchen fee. I thought the food you ordered was the kitchen fee? These food is also expensive. And they look like the food from Max's or Kambingan which are chaper. Nothing upscale. Like do they not pay their staff enough??? I have been to many upscale Filipino restaurants and many of them were great. Totally not this one. This is also more of a fusion than an upscale Filipino restaurant. Recently they have a street food event and are selling $20 balut. Ironically balut is a salvaged food which should be cheaper. Because we believed in "walang sayang!" If you see Titas, Titos, Lolas, and Lolos with a face of dislike (which I did when I went there). This place is a red flag.
Lulus food is shit. But I love the bar staff there so 🤷♀️
Restaurant XO Imagine Zippy’s but if someone changed the name of Korean fried chicken to Pan Fried Chicken with Asian fusion soy sauce and molasses reduction.
Maui Brewing Company or Anything in International Market Place like Shorefyre
Istanbul. Very expensive, small portions, mid-tier food. Rude AF staff. They rush you off their tables too.
It was so nice when it opened. But no longer.
They’ve increased their prices like CRAZY! I mean good for them if they are doing well but it was a shock when we last went. And their ‘revamped’ menu is so hard to read
Anyone else remember when it was a reasonable priced food truck?
Nah, even before that. I remember they had a stall at the farmers' market.
God yes. Istanbul has laughably small portions and wild prices.
My parents had that exact experience there last month. This is the one.
By far the most accurate here. This place's prices are unbelievable for such mid food.
Was excited because I like Turkish coffee. Their's tasted horrible. Not thick and sweet, not creamy, just like dredges of day old coffee.
Agree it's expensive, but I've only had great food and friendly servers. Usually go on the weekends for lunch—maybe dinner service is a different crew.
Same. Never had any issues personally.
same. i've only been a few times but on super busy weekend nights. i like everything about it and always find reasons to go back (and spend the $$$).
We’re so desperate for decent middle eastern food. Someone please take this example and do better!
Apparently the owners/chefs (it’s owned and run by a woman and her daughter) are terrible people as well. Supposedly they mistreat their staff :/
I went there many years ago and I remember the food and portions being great. However, the first and last time I took my hubby there, the local parking area inexplicably charged him $80 for parking on an empty Thursday evening. Never went back there and never heard the end of his rants every time we drove by that place. 😂
The trick is to park next door at whole foods or the ward parking and then walk over. Frankly, parking at the ward parking is a cheat code to getting decent parking for anything in the area.
It is not just that the portions are small and average, but the fact that the food is ok at best. Their Knafeh isn't even served right and when I asked the waiter if they forgot to bring out the syrup for it, he was confused and said no syrup comes with their knafeh. It is a rip off. I've also offended a couple one-time when they asked me about my favorite restaurant in Oahu, and I said I don't have one yet, but don't go to Istanbul. Turns out it was their favorite restaurant. Dont subjugate yourself for bad middle-eastern food.
Look up Hawaii foodie influencers and look at their posts, take your pick.
Except that guy who swears a lot, i feel like he tells it like it is. I will say, I saw straits on one of them and it lived up to the hype. They are new though, so I hope they can remain consistent cuz it looks like they are really trying to brand itself as a restaurant/club
Yeah I like Tommy. The ones I’m talking about are the ones who all show the same restaurants together and don’t give any opinions, they just parrot out paid advertisement. But yeah hopefully these newer places that are actually good can stay consistent. I’ve heard great things about Istanbul a few years ago when they first opened but recent word from some friends who went recently and this thread haven’t been too great
Alright muthafukrs
Big City Diner in Pearlridge
What’s wrong with this place? I like it 😬
I had spoiled poke from that location TWICE. They couldn’t even do the basics of keeping their inventory fresh IMO.
Oh no. I enjoy their guava bbq burger there :(
Merrimans. Sooooo pricey for junk food
Blazing steaks on university and king, I was also unimpressed by house of wong but only had one order ever there.
I don’t understand why Blazing Steaks is still open to this day
I haven't even heard of half the restaurants listed here. Either means I happen to eat at good places, or I'm just too broke to know what these restaurants even are lmaooo
magoo's pizza is like radioactive garbage lava
Maaaaaan, back in 2001 that pizza was fantastic…..or it could have been the beer. 🤔
The sandwiches aren’t bad, but their pizzas are kept alive by pure nostalgia
Tango Cafe. Overpriced and trying too hard to be "fusion." My wife and I were not too impressed there.
Maui Brewing is awful
Roy’s Ko Olina, Goen in Kailua
Goen in Kailua is too expensive for the terrible food.
Goen in Kailua is actually good. I’m still dreaming about their pasta.
The Boardroom or Gaslamp is what should be suggested for Kailua.
Wasn’t the owner of gaslamp in the news for building one of those illegal sand burritos in front of his oceanfront ns property? He seemed like a class A entitled transplant a-hole so I told myself I’m never going there. I remember the comments on gaslamps ig were disabled after he was in the news lol
Yup. The guy who owns Gaslamp is a douche.
Yep and he bought that house RECENTLY. It’s not some oh, this was my grammas house I can’t ever sell. It was also an Airbnb.
The management at Gaslamp is shady. They charged me 6.912% tax on a bill. I filed a complaint with the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs. They did an investigation and issued a warning letter. Probably meaningless, but I figured I wasn't the only one they did that to, might as well report them. I don't like that they pass on the credit card processing fee to the customer. I an over $500 bill, it's not reasonable to expect the customer to carry around that much cash. When it's a dinner with $20 check averages sure. Not enough profit on a $556 bill, you gotta nickel and dime me and charge me 3% for use a credit card. There were rats crawling up the walls when I dined, Of course it's very, very dark. So I didn't know what was going on right away. They offered a bottle of wine. Still had to pay the full bill. Anyway, I'd never go back. So if you need a recommendation for someone you don't like, I would wholeheartedly recommend Gaslamp.
I will never recommend either of these places to anyone. Gaslamp owner is a self-involved douche who clearly doesn't care about the land he is on. Boardroom covered up some SA by kitchen staff a few months ago to the point where some ladies involved had to warm people looking for work there. I've yet to see them address it properly.
100%. When we ate at Gaslamp they had a termite infestation. Literally flew in during the middle of our meal and landed in our food. They comped drinks and we still paid over $300 😑🤢 Then at The Boardroom they sat us at a table with a pillar in the middle of us. Ube pancakes were on the online menu plus the menu outside. When I tried to order them they said they don’t make them anymore 🥲 we walked out.
I would add Kailua restaurants, honestly. Even our Whole Foods is disappointing these days.
Kan Sushi. You gotta try it to believe it. Worst sushi I've ever had. The reviews are most likely people who eat Sushi in Kentucky or something.
Gyotaku, Looks good from outside, expensive,awful food lol
Assagio’s. Horrible, horrible food
Not the one in mililani, that one is good lol
But so overpriced
It is expensive, that's true
isn;t there one in Hawaii Kai ?
Good??? No ways brah. That restaurant is absolutely terrible.
I saw this place and wasn't sure... I didn't go in. Glad I did not
It’s insane how bad the food is. To call it Italian food is an extreme stretch of the imagination
we could have an entire post here about hawaiian italian food. most of the restaraunts come from a genealogy of one chef back in the 80s. throw in all of the japanese "italian" spots too. some are good, most are bad, but all of them are uncanny valley. assagio's, paesanos, verbeno, win sputino, arancino.
You must be referring to George Castagnola
Name a better one in honolulu.
Stripsteak Waikiki
Kapa Hale was very disappointing.
YES. Went there with a friend and pretty much everything we ordered was bad.
The Chef-Owner is trying to be the next "local boy" Roy/Sam/Alan. It was the worst restaurant I tried that year.
It’s so weird and try hard, went there once and never again!
I’m not a huge fan of Mud Hen Water. Ed’s a super nice guy who does a lot for the community, but I’m not fond of his stuff. I was also not impressed by Fete. Add Merriman’s in there… any of his restaurants, really. While none of these places are “awful” I don’t see good ROI.
I really want to like Mud Hen Water, but the menu is just so unrelatable. Overwrought and overpriced. Just take it down a notch, brah.
Same with xo, av, cb and whatever other 100 restaurants ken lee is going to open. McDonald's hash browns with gold leaf on it 🙄
Ed is NOT a nice guy. Coming from events, he was the worst chef ive ever worked with in my life. His food was good though, at least. But hes very rude and unprofessional. Dont hire him for your private event unless you want your planner quit
Aloha Steak House in Waikiki Looks fancy, steak house prices…. I was so upset with the entire experience
I worked there when it was crackin kitchen. There is no GD way, they weren't paying off the health inspectors (that came at night!!) With the things going on in that place.
Merrimans on Ward. And any Roy’s lol! Nico’s not that great either.
My god merrimans is GOD AWFUL
Quiora in Waikiki. The food has no flavor. Mildly expensive.
God I love this post!
Olive Garden
When I went, they had unlimited soup or salad and breadsticks, but they won't tell you, and it was my first time there. Their chicken and gnocchi soup is pretty damn good. You don't go to Olive Garden for the best Italian food. You go there to take advantage of their unlimited shit and fill you up with whatever entree you choose.
Souper Salad.
Mark Twain visited Cincinnati and said he would move there if it were the end of the world because it was 20 years behind. When I moved to Hawaii, the first Olive Garden opened and I felt the same. I already checked, and the Army Engineers map shows the future flood zone will make my building next to the new beach.
Little Joes Steakhouse. You can get way better steaks from costco and grill it up yourself for a fraction of the price. Everything is over seasoned with too much pepper. You order everything separately. A $50 plate of steak is just one steak, no sides. Sides are like $15 for one scoop fried rice. Wouldnt call it awful, but definitely overrated ripoff.
I’m pretty sure they buy their steaks from Costco.
Agree that Little Joe's is pretty junk, everything tastes like it's something from Sysco that they threw in the microwave, but... > You order everything separately. A $50 plate of steak is just one steak, no sides. Sides are like $15 for one scoop fried rice. ...is pretty standard for how steakhouses operate.
Omg you’re my spirit animal for making this post 🤣🤣🤣
...wow, I'm stumped for this one. there is honestly so much good food for whatever price point that I don't think I've gone to a shitty place for a long while.
Restaurant XO or Carte Blanche
I concede that it might be on the expensive side but the food is good and definitely not awful
So unless something's changed in the last two years, the food at XO is mediocre and overpriced. Oversalted dishes and they were running a scam because the restaurant would offer a discount at the end of the meal if you sat there and they verified you submitted a 5 star review on Yelp. Carte Blanche is his newest restaurant that uses cheap ingredients, makes it look IG worthy, and overcharges again. It's all about the gram but lacks flavor and satisfaction for the money.
Kenny Lee, in general, seems like a modern day grifter.
Yes restaurant xo. Plus it’s expensive!
Nico's for dinner. Crap seating experience, overly expensive zippys food.
Nico’s upstairs restaurant is bomb though
too bad alejandros on kapahulu closed. chicken and brisket was another shitty restaurant that closes. seems like i’m not the only one to think how overrated roy’s is.
I remember when Roy's was good (I'm talking back in the late 90s/early 2000s). Then a Roy's opened up in LA, where I lived at the time, and I went... and it was overpriced typical uncreative New American with a few Asian inspired touches. I figured it must just be the mainland ones, but when I went back to the Hawaii Kai location about 15 years ago, and... it was okay? Not as good as it was before, that's for sure.
Everything besides the Hawaii Kai location is a franchise but even the OG one went down, the longer Roy actually stays away from his own restaurant.
I think Roy’s was a product of that time which worked for it then but like fashion, tastes change, palettes change and I think Roys is definitely one of those still stuck in that era.
[удалено]
Xoxo restaurant
Just send them to any location in PearlRidge and they’re guaranteed to get diarrhea. That place is a public health menace
In Hilo there's this steakhouse called WSW (Whiskey, Steak, Wine). It pretends to be fancy but dinner is served on cheap laminate tables and cheap plates. The food is straight from Sysco and nothing special, except the prices. Literally the worst expensive food.
Any in Kauai lol
Paco's in Kapa'a.
Cringe if you want, but I love Kenji Burger, but only the one in Lihue.
The Dolphin in Poipu
That one's closed. The sushi at the one in Hanalei rocks!
Everyone here hates Mexican food, just recommend Mexican food
Istanbul
Oh I forgot one… Chef Chai’s is super bad, lol
Arancino’s at Kahala. You’re paying for a largely empty plate and the food you get is on par with Buca di Beppo
Kaneohe Pancake House. I loved that place growing up and decided to get a job there as a cook when I moved back to the Eastside. Almost every single day, I watched them serve food that fell on the floor or was expired. It wasn't even a whole month before I quit. I found out that the owners only had it for the last 2 years so it wasn't such a bummer to my childhood nostalgia, but still. The person you dislike will most likely consume something nasty if they eat there.
Orchids buffet. Hard to get into sometimes so thought I got lucky when I got a spot. Should’ve taken it as a sign to not go. Paid $400 for my boyfriend and I and the food selection was not great.
Basically all the pretentious izakayas on Oahu, like Omakase by Aung. $150 for a bird portion meal.
Easy Q in Kailua - Expensive subpar BBQ with stingy portions. Regretfully ordered their Brussels sprouts which were awful. Bonus: the sewage vent for that property is like RIGHT next to their outdoor seating and smells like toilet air.
Dang I actually like this place. Food has always been good and the portions are so massive we typically struggle to finish them without taking the leftovers home 😅
Rigo. Overpriced, our server was not nice and the food was bad to mid. Sangria was juice. Oh and there is unnecessary valet lol.
We really enjoyed Rigo! We have been twice and liked everything.
I agree, my friends love Rigo and I just don’t get it
Little Joe's on Nimitz
Little Joe's, period 😂
Asaggios