Best Italian restaurant on island!!! Got the garlic olio chicken. My gosh was it so ONO!!! The chicken pieces are great sizes with the skin fried to perfection. Plus the garlic chunks mixed with linguine pasta and olio sauce is pure perfection. I'd come back over and over and over to get this dish again and again and again. Be sure to add a lot of parmesan cheese when the offer heehee. My parents and grandma got the veal linguine, veal on sauteed vegetables, and crab cakes which were crispy on the outside but soft and flavorful on the inside and the sauce paired super well with it. The veal dishes were solid too but nothing compared to my garlic olio chicken dish. It's a nice atmosphere that fits a nice dinner out vibe. Perfect for anniversaries, family dinner celebrations, or even if friends want to dress up and eat out. Service was great too. Definitely would come back and would recommend to friends. 5 stars! read more

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I've been to this restaurant a dozen times in the past and have always had a decent experience. I took my family and mother-in-law on December 30th, however, and it was pretty miserable. Among the issues we encountered: * For two of the items we ordered off the menu, the server came back to our table to explain that the kitchen was "too busy" and as a result these items were not available. Neither was a complicated dish, they were simple appetizers. I've never heard this excuse at any restaurant before. What was especially annoying was that these were the two items ordered by my kids, both of whom are picky eaters on top of dietary restrictions, and therefore had limited options to begin with. * The menu says that substitutions are possible for a $3 charge. For a restaurant this expensive that's a little obnoxious, but fine, I was happy to pay it. Here again, we were told that the kitchen was "too busy" so they couldn't do any substitutions. That included the ridiculously simple request of putting a steak's sauce on the side rather than on top of the steak. I'm paying $55 for a 12-ounce steak and wanted to pay an additional $3 so that they didn't smother it in a sauce that my kid couldn't eat, but that was too much to ask, apparently. I ordered a steak for myself and asked if I could substitute a different vegetable, but this request got the same response: "too busy". I was even willing to pay the full cost of that vegetable as a side dish, but they were unwilling to accommodate. * When our steaks did arrive, my son's was literally almost raw. (In fairness, mine was a perfect medium rare.) I like rare steaks but this was ordered medium rare and was not even warm all the way through. It probably would be considered "blue rare" by standard definitions. * My wife paid $32 for the "scallops and shrimp" entree. It came with 3 scallops and 2 shrimp. Seriously? How is that a meal, much less a $32 meal? * We ordered three drinks (two glasses of wine and one cocktail). After 20 minutes of waiting, none had arrived. We needed to go up to the bar to order them there instead. * I very politely asked to speak to a manager so that I could explain our experience. I have restaurant industry experience and figured they needed to know about all of this. I was promised that a manager would call me within 2-3 days. It has been 6 weeks and I have not received a call. Needless to say, I'm not holding my breath. I won't ever be going back to Assaggio. read more

We have been loyal patrons here for over 20 years. I have brought my family and friends to dine in, take out and even held business meals at Assagios. The food and service was always good, reliable and stable - except for today. The takeout (via door dash) was disappointing. As a manager myself, I called the Kailua store immediately to notify Jay, the manager of the missing items and wrong order that was received. I understand and can empathize with the crush of the occasion of Valentine's Day, however to be dismissive and told over the phone "its stated online we don't do special requests" without any understanding of a valued and regular customer is unacceptable, insensitive and poor business practices. For the record, no one contacted me, there was no online disclosure and our bill was over $200. In the future, may I recommend, do not offer "options for your online order" nor post a rushed, incapable manager who can't recognize the value of a loyal customer or handle the crush of an expected holiday work shift. A simple professional recognition of a missed order would have sufficed. A change of spice or sauce request is not a huge ask, and in the restaurant business not out of the ordinary scope of request. I can only hope you'll use this commentary as a learning tool to see how poor comments from your current manager can have lasting affects long term on return business and how this can reflect on future revenue outcomes . How unfortunate. read more

Loved the food and excellent service! I had Osso Bucco, and it was perfect! Everyone loved their dishes. They even toss the Caesar Salad at the table. We will be back for sure!! read more

Besides the lengthy wait since it was Father's day and i didn't make reservations, my experience was top tier... I usually go to the Mililani Assagios since i'm from North Shore but i figured let's hit kailua something different... One of the best choices i made... I had an excellent caesar salad , with roasted peppers and my entree was the steak and scampi combo.... medium rare and it was perfect , colossal sized shrimp still au dente like they could do no wrong... wait staff were perfect despite it being super busy they came through clutch ....My wife had the Chicken Anchovy olio?? Bullseye!!! I will definitely drive from Laie to here anytime to dine.... it's better than the Mililani and town location straight up .... read more

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We had a large group,10+, and the service was great. No problems there. Ordered the NY steak and it was hot but I was hungry and ate it. Sauce was very good. Roasted vegetables were oily but retained a bit of crunch. Ask for sauce on the side for the steak or plate the vegetables separately. The heavy oil and the natural juices from the veggies eventually overtook the nice steak sauce. Keep it separate. I love roasted vegetables but too much oil was used. The taste of the NY Steak with roasted veggies was delish but the oil of veggies overtook the plate. read more

Assaggio Italian Restaurant - Caprese Salad - Italian Near Me - Kailua, Hawaii

I went here for a family birthday dinner and it was such a nice experience! The interior of the restaurant feels classy but not too fancy and the workers were friendly. We had a few appetizers to share such as the fried mozzarella cheese and the fried calamari. Both were great especially with the marinara sauce it came with. For my entree, I ordered the large portion of the chicken alla saltimbocca and it was delicious and so much food! The chicken was crispy and moist and the mushrooms and white wine butter pasta was so good with it too. I gave a little bit to others for them to try and still had plenty of leftovers! Overall, a pretty solid choice if you want Italian food in the Kailua area! read more

Assaggio Italian Restaurant - Chicken alla saltimbocca romana - Italian Near Me - Kailua, Hawaii

The food was delicious. We had the chicken olio. Sad that they did have the crunchy garlic available. Service is always top notch. And the ambience was kind of loud but, enjoyable. read more

All of the above AAA+ 03/26 going back on 07/26. Delicious food. Waiter was in it and always smiled when we asked him for items.

My parent came to visit and requested to return to Assaggio's! This was their 3rd time at this location. Which is at a very convenient spot in Kailua. Food is always so scrumptious! Portions are very generous and very shareable. Staff is lovely. Our server had said she had been working at this location for 13 years and staff was like family. I will definitely be eating here again in the future read more

Assaggio Italian Restaurant - Italian Near Me - Kailua, Hawaii

We've been dining at this Kailua location since they've opened. Came here with my family on Thursday night. The Caesar salad for 2 is perfect for 3 people. The portions are always generous. This is my most favorite location out of all the other locations. The food and service is excellent!! I'm hoping that a miracle will happen and that the restaurant will remain open!! read more

This place has a rep for being high class. But it does not serve real Italian food. Carpaccio is not paper thin nor served with cheese shavings. The sauce is a vinaigrette that you'd put an oyster in. Out of clams. Really that's a staple. Pasta's are served drowned in butter and are so sweet that they are inedible. Had the carbonara dripping in butter that coated my mouth. The Marsala was super thin sauce and had no real flavor. Bottom line if you're old looking for geriatric food go there. Otherwise I would never recommend this place. I gave it two stars cause the staff are very nice and helpful if however deluded that this is good food. read more

The food and service were great! It was a very busy Friday night! Why are they closing at the end of the year? :(

All was good-- from the gracious and efficient service to the pleasant food. The restaurant has a happy family feel to it without being too noisy or crowded. Prices reasonable. read more

I've been a few times, so it was worth going back. The food tastes inconsistent to me tho. Hence the reason I went back. The ambiance is very nice, always a wait since it's a popular restaurant in Kailua. They do have a bar area with ok drinks. The service tho was spectacular. (Very good server) read more

Been hearing rumors that Assaggio wil be closing at the end of the year. Can anyone confirm please? Our ohana has been coming here for over 20 years. Honestly tho, quality hasn't been top notch for a while. Still, it will be sad to see another eatery gone! read more

My favorite Italian on the island! Food quality and service is excellent and I come twice a month!

Date night! Got the chicken Alfredo add broccoli and the chicken asaggio. The waiter messed up and got my drink wrong but I ended up liking the accidental drink better than my original drink order!we got our usual order which is the chicken Alfredo add broccoli and chicken assaggio. The waiters are my favorites. They are such young boys (all look under 20 yr old) and they really make me feel like an "aunty" lol but they are good fun. Ambience is perfect for date night or family dinner or even a celebration. Place is always clean and the customer service is always good. read more

Had a stay at home movie and dinner date night and ordered take out. Everything was delicious as usual, and service when picking up was friendly. read more

Very good, Service excellent food delicious, my favorite Italian restaurant in Hawaii

Nice Italian restaurant in Kailua, with a good Caesar salad that is made table side. Also have some good cocktails!

Despite the setting, office building, there are some notable things to like here. Free covered parking right by the front door.; most dishes are available in small or large, great for smaller appetites. Unfortunately there is little culinary artistry here. Pasta is straight out of hot water joined with a few tasty ingredients. Chicken Parmesan was carelessly drowned in tasteless red wet marinara. Complimentary bread service was heat and serve frozen wheat corpses. Service was friendly but rushed. Reservations are essential, it's small and people without were turned away. read more

Been coming here the past 15 years! Service, quality of food & beverages is Superb! My family's favorite Italian Restaurant!

A decent introduction to an iconic place in Kailua. I won't pretend to know about the finer details of Italian food but as a layman, I like this place. I will return but until then, here are some thoughts on my first visit. Right away you can tell it's an established place. The decor and layout is reminiscent to restaurants in the 80's. I love it. So expect a nothing too modern. Also, I wish they served olive oil with the bread. The food was amazing. Fresh baked bread was a treat to experience. I chose the clam sauce with angel hair with shrimp. Fantastic! A solid 4 stars with definite room to grow. I will return. If you are in Kailua and want Italian food, place this near the top of your options. read more

Assaggio Italian Restaurant - Angel hair pasta with shrimp and clam sauce. It's not on the menu and I had asked for it. - Italian Near Me - Kailua, Hawaii

We decided to come here for an important family member's birthday celebration dinner and we were very disappointed with both the food and the customer service. The calamari legs were good and some of the dishes were good. The customer service at the beginning was good. They did end up sitting us closest to the bathrooms but that didn't bother me. It started to go south when we asked for the tiramisu for the birthday cake for the candle. The waitress says that is a decision of someone else of what cake that they will provide since it is free. We argued that we will just pay for it then and get the tiramisu. All the desserts cost the same, so not sure what that was all about but I suggest not making the customer have to endure an awkward conversation and offer whatever the customer wants or just not offer a free birthday dessert. The next issue happened when we received the crab cakes, one of the two was super fishy, not at all good. The biggest problem happened when my eldest son received his large clam sauce linguini and started eating it. One of his clams disintegrated in his mouth and was obviously bad and made him almost vomit right in front of us all. He spit it quickly out in his napkin and then tried to continue eating his plate but said that whatever that clam was it was now all over the dish and he had a sour stomach for the experience. We told the waitress and she asked if we needed something else and he no longer had the stomach to eat anything. But then she just left the dish on the table in front of him. We didn't see our waitress for a bit and then I asked that she remove the dish and she finally did. We did then receive the tiramisu dessert for the birthday and candle, so that was good. And the waitress did comp the tiramisu on the bill, however she left the large clam sauce linguini dish on the bill that my son almost vomited from. I asked why it wasn't removed and her reason was that I ordered the food so I had to pay for it. I said I need to speak to the manager, and the waitress said ok. The manager arrived and I had to explain to him that my son couldn't eat the food and we aren't eating paying for something that is not edible. I shouldn't have to argue the point with both the waitress and the manager to get the dish of food that was not edible off the bill. Very upsetting experience for a birthday celebration that could have been amazing. Won't likely ever come back! read more

Assaggio Italian Restaurant - Large clam sauce linguini that was not edible - Italian Near Me - Kailua, Hawaii

I've been here a few times and the food is alright. The service is great and love all the art work they have on the walls! The drinks are strong just how I like em. read more

Service was good, our waitress was friendly. We made reservations for a large party and were seated right away. I ordered prosciutto melone which is my favorite, it was just alright here, nothing to write home about. I also had eggplant alla parmigiana, also, just alright. Some of the other dishes that my friends had they absolutely hated. The nail in the coffin for me was the spumoni, it apparently is served this way at all the assagio locations, vanilla ice cream with bits of dried fruit jellies and chocolate chips. read more

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We haven't been to Assaggio's in Kailua for years and decided that our date night restaurant will be there. They recommend to call for reservations even if it's just for two. We got close to the time we wanted to get there that night so I was happy about that. It was busy but we got there right on time and were seated in about 5-8 minutes. Hubby got the Sausage Olio and I had the carbonara. Waited for a good 10-15 minutes for our food to arrive, but at least they served bread. Not a fan of the bread, but it did keep the hunger at bay. Both were the regular plates so we could take home leftovers. It's been so long since we've had Italian food that it was so very delicious. read more

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Food... omgeee take your pick... its all delicious. Ambiance is fancy, but I've always felt comfortable in the bar area just being me. Staff is professional, food is superb 10 out of 10 recommend! read more

After reading some of the subpar reviews i was a little hesitant to come here but everything was fantastic! I've eaten at the Ala Moana location many times but this was my first time at the Kailua one. I had reservations for 7 pm on a sunday night. I parked on the street but learned that in the evenings only, you can park in the lot next to Assagios w the covered roof between 4:30-10:30 pm for free. I enjoyed all of the food that we ordered. we got calamari and their special appetizer of the day which was brussels sprouts and bacon. My friend and i both had lychee martinis that was really good! My main dish was the shrimp assagio w linguine, i really enjoyed this dish. My friend got the chicken assagio which she said was good but seemed a little salty. For desserts we ordered creme brûlée's and their special of the day which was peanut butter cheesecake. The service was top notch and the restaurant was such a nice place to gather w friends. I would recommend this place if you're in the windward side, the place is a lot smaller than Ala Moana so recommend reservations as every table was full when i arrived, i was glad i had a reservation! read more

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I have been going to Assagios for 15 years and they have never disappointed me. The salad for two made at your table is truly an experience. It is our go to spot for all family celebrations. The service has always been outstanding. read more

While running late day errands in Kailua, I stopped for an early solo dinner. Although I am a fan of Assaggio in Ala Moana, I tried this location for the first time. Took a seat at the bar and met the bartender, Merritt. Wow! What a great way to end the day. This knowledgeable, classy, experienced employee just absolutely made my day. Ordered the caprese salad, chicken anchovy olio, and he talked me into a pumpkin brulee for dessert. Everything was absolutely amazing! It all went well with a glass of Silver Palm Cabernet ...Yummers all around. Can't beat this location, especially coming from Kaneohe. Oh what have I been missing all these years!! Mahalo Nui Assagio Kailua. Job well done! read more

Assaggio Italian Restaurant - Italian Near Me - Kailua, Hawaii

Excellent service, food and atmosphere! Best Italian food we've had on the island so far! Highly recommend the table side Ceasar salad! Out of this world delicious! We'll be back! read more

Food was awesome! Nice environment! Hey they could use some help out over there bussing tables

I was so bummed to get such a bad order but I expected it; except I rlly hoped it would be good this time. I only order here bc I love pasta. The side bread was hard to eat. My pasta was plain and it was basically just a plate of soup from the steak juices. The steak wasn't cooked well. It was tough, chewy and fat. Maybe separate plates could help. Unfortunately, the pickup orders have been like this since I first tried it 4-5 yrs ago:/ and at that time I only had one good pickup that was delicious! Dry but good! Would love to come in and dine one day though ! read more

Assaggio Italian Restaurant - Italian Near Me - Kailua, Hawaii

Came here on a Monday evening and it was not too crowded. We were seated right away. The bread and water came almost immediately, which was good. However, we had to wait about 10 minutes for the waitress to show up (the bread was gone by then). Then she seemed very relaxed and asked if we wanted more time to decide, but we said we were ready to order and then ordered. The food itself only took about 5min to come out, which was super quick! They scoop on parmesan cheese which was nice. I got the chicken fettuccini alfredo with broccoli and it was good. The sauce was a little watery and loose for my taste as I am used to it a bit thicker, but the flavor overall was there, which is the important part. As soon as we finished, the busser came and took away our plates. About 5min after, the waiter came to check on us and she noticed we didn't have any food and said she would go check on our orders. We had to inform her that we were finished and ready for the check.... The busser did most of the work (bringing us bread, refilling water, and taking plates) and was awesome, but the waitress only made contact with us three times (first to take order, second to check in after we were done, and third to bring the check). Overall, a good place to have some Italian food. Food was good but I had to dock a star since the waitress took a while and wasn't super attentive. In the evenings, you can park in the big lot next to the restaurant. During the day, it is street parking. read more

Assaggio Italian Restaurant - Chicken fettuccini alfredo - Italian Near Me - Kailua, Hawaii

Back for dinner with my family. We ordered the new item "Eggplant fries" and it was so good. Served with marinara sauce. Calamari legs is one of our favorites. Must also try the Hot Antipasto & Chicken Anchovy olio. Tonight we ordered the special "Jumbo shrimp & sea scallops" served with spicy Alfredo sauce. It was so yummy!! And we ordered NY steak with roasted potatoes. Food was excellent! Service was awesome. Everyone checked on how we were doing, refilled our water & breads. Ambiance very cozy & relaxing. read more

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This is my favorite Italian restaurant on Oahu. Every year I have my birthday dinner here. The food is amazing and the portion super generous. read more

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Since they reopened after the fire, we love it! It's bright and welcoming ! It used to be dim and a little stuck up, not anymore. It's great and the food and service are great too. read more

A former kamaāina culinary arts classmate who I've known since we were in our twenties returned to O'ahu to take care of some family business in her hometown of Kailua since the pandemic forced her to put off her travels. Since it was her and her husband's travel day, we didn't want them to be driving back and forth from their Kailua home to Kaka'ako, so we chose to meet them. Their favorite Kailua Italian restaurant, Buona Sera, had closed. Since she was the one who invited us to dinner, it was a toss-up between Assaggio Ristorante and Baci Bistro. However, she looked for a specific dish (chicken alla saltimbocca) but didn't see it on Baci Bistro's menu, so she chose Assaggio Ristorante. This location of Assaggio is its original site which was opened in 1990 and since then has expanded to five or six locations on O'ahu. They have free parking in the covered lot to the right of the restaurant entrance after 5:30PM so you don't need to worry about looking for metered street parking or in the nearby municipal parking lot. Walking into the restaurant was like déjà vu for us since we've not set foot into this site since 2000! The interior and artwork has been updated but its layout was familiar and welcoming. FOOD: -Sausage Olio: sliced Italian sausage pan-fried in garlic, anchovies and olive oil. The garlic, anchovy and olive oil combination is my husband's favorite but since I raved about the Italian sausage during our recent dine at Assaggio Ala Moana, my husband decided to give this entrée a try. He enjoyed it and agreed with the switch from chicken to sausage. The small portion and generous portion was priced at $16.90. -Chicken & Shrimp Creamy Pesto: this pasta entrée was topped with sautéed julienned boneless chicken breast meat and shrimp in garlic. Sun dried tomatoes, basil and pine nuts completed the pesto cream sauce. The generous bed of linguine was perfectly cooked. Although the sauce was thickened with cream, it was still fresh tasting from the its herbaceous base. $21.90 -Chicken Assaggio: boneless julienned chicken pan fried in light olive oil, garlic, spicy pepperocini, roasted red peppers, capers, black olives, mushrooms, and white wine butter sauce over a bed of linguine. This wasn't my entrée but, I vicariously tasted the dish from its aromas and plan to order it the next time we're at an Assaggio. The large portion was enough for my friend's husband who only ate half and took the other half portion home. $21.90 -Chicken alla Saltimbocca: boneless breaded chicken breast layered with sliced breaded eggplant, melted mozzarella cheese, with a mushroom marsala wine butter sauce. The large portion was enough to provide my friend with leftovers. She enjoyed the flavors but this preparation was too oily and garlicky for her digestion as she started to get an upset stomach as we were leaving the restaurant. $22.90 Our server, Aili, was very pleasant, friendly and welcoming. She also gave us great descriptions of the Special of the Day and several of Assaggio's Signature dishes. We were glad to return to the original site of Assaggio and look forward to returning. 4.3 stars. read more

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