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    El Chino Loco

    4.6 (14 reviews)

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    Taylor H.

    First time hearing about and trying this. The taste was amazing. Had the brisket and the ribs. The ribs was soft and fell off the bone. Both items had a tasty Asian fusion taste.

    a person holding a plate of food
    GREG S.

    Found El Chino Loco food truck at the Honolulu "Eat the Street" April 2018 and hands down was some of the best BBQ ribs and brisket I've eaten ... they handed out a small tasting sample of the brisket and I was sold. The BBQ meats had a sweet salt Asian bent on traditional southern BBQ, but was smoked so tender that I didn't need a knife. Their $14.99 Super combo included a pulled pork taco, two big ribs, big portion of brisket, rice, potato salad and their unique take on cole slaw. Ate every bit!

    a tortilla with meat and onions
    Michael W.

    The owner of this truck is super cool and friendly. Comes from SF, so it's nice to see someone from the bay. The place has some ups and downs. He just started this food truck so go give it a try. Here is my breakdown/suggestions: Pulled pork taco: My favorite thing on the menu! This was the best taco I've had since moving from California. The pork was really flavorful, the tortilla was thin and crispy, and the pickled veggies was a nice balance to the rich pork. Some salsa would definitely elevate this further. Brisket: Not sure how he prepared it, but some parts were a bit chewy (possibly the tendon/fatty areas?). The flavor from the marinade (bourbon misoyaki) didn't really get through all the way, but the idea is definitely novel. Smoking it in a smoker would be fantastic! It'll be worth the investment. Ribs: The flavor was definitely there. It was a bit too salty at times. The plum sauce or whatever was the base was overpowering. Ribs were tender though. Potato salad: It was good, especially on a hot day. However, it could use more seasoning. Coleslaw: Great flavor, but too much dressing. Literally swimming in it. Lost in the sauce. Overall, I feel like it is a promising food truck. Just hearing the names of the food sounds super appealing. It just needs to make some adjustments, execute, and it'll be great!

    Bourbon miso brisket

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    Chao - Crab Pasta

    Chao

    4.4(427 reviews)
    6.5 km
    $$

    Food and service were so good here! We came on a Friday night and it was packed, with such a lively…read moreatmosphere. Side note, it could be a little hard to hear each other since tables are placed pretty close to each other. We started with the roasted eggplant and grilled sweet corn, and both were great appetizers. I feel like you can't go wrong with anything that's grilled/roasted haha. We got the soft shell crab pasta, which had lots of crab flavor and meat mixed in--perfect for seafood/crab lovers. The pasta portion is definitely generous for one person and can be quite filling. The fried whole moi was spectacular, fried perfectly and the fish itself was delicious. The house fried rice was also perfect, with lots of seafood flavor. The beef carpaccio came a little later than expected, which was a bit of a miss for me. The beef was sliced so thin that you could barely get any texture from it, and with the Thai chili/herb mix, I think the American/Italian-style preparation is more for me. The beef was also uncut, so we had to slice each piece ourselves, which was a bit unusual, but it was fine. We shared everything between the two of us and were very full and satisfied with the food and flavors! Service was friendly, attentive, and just overall very pleasant to interact with. Lastly, we'd say the price point is a good value for what you're getting in terms of taste, portions, and quality. If you're thinking of trying here, just do it! We will be back for sure!

    So glad I finally got to eat here. The ambience was modern and cozy. The service was phenomenal…read morerecommendations by the waiter excellent. So glad that we chose to get the spicy beef. I think it was but most happy about the Moi. Wow. I could eat that every time. Both of them. But the beef is only available on Sunday so glad we went on that day. The four of us agreed that on our own, we would be coming back again real soon. There were so many other items on the menu that still needed to be tasted. I recommend reservations because they are pretty trendy.

    Photos
    Chao - Interior dining room with bamboo-like lighting

    Interior dining room with bamboo-like lighting

    Chao - Fried Spring Rolls - Ch Gi

    Fried Spring Rolls - Ch Gi

    Chao - Ube Dream

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    Ube Dream

    Little Plum - Onsen egg! On mushroom jook

    Little Plum

    4.5(289 reviews)
    4.3 kmManoa

    Food was excellent, very tasty!!! Portion sizes were small but definitely worth going back to try…read moremore dishes! Corn, rib eye sticks, Kalbi bao buns!!!!

    Little Plum is always an enjoyable experience. First of all, the restaurant is quaint and…read morecomfortable. The dining area is one open area, the table setting is cozy with its crochet coaster and wooden chopsticks rest. There's an open kitchen so you can watch the chefs put love into each dish. My server even pointed out who will be making my crispy pork belly. The wait staff is so helpful and welcoming. They made sure our vegan friend was well-taken care of. She suggested the mushroom jook where they would put the chicken on the side. They even added more mushroom to elevate his dining experience! Today we ordered family style, which they happily accommodated for us. They served the rice on the side. Our menu included short rib bao and shiitake bao (vegan), ume tomato, namul, spicy miso eggplant, crispy pork belly, menchi katsu, and mushroom jook. The standouts were the crispy pork belly with its watercress tomato onion salad, the ume tomato on whipped tofu, and spicy miso eggplant. The mushroom jook is so comforting, hearty and full of flavor served with chicken confit and a soy egg. The two desserts offered are both winners. The mochi churro with kinako and anglaise is crispy, light and creamy. The pineapple orange pudding is so cool and refreshing. And, 100% of dessert sales go to the culinary team! What?! Love this place. Plus, with you check are some fun asian candies -white rabbit and haw flakes! I haven't been there for dinner yet. That'll be next.

    Photos
    Little Plum - Inside da restaurant......

    Inside da restaurant......

    Little Plum - Catch of the day

    Catch of the day

    Little Plum - Rock Salt Plum $16 - highly recommend

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    Rock Salt Plum $16 - highly recommend

    XO Restaurant

    XO Restaurant

    4.6(2.5k reviews)
    2.3 km
    $$
    Locally owned & operated
    Fine dining

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

    Came here for my birthday, and unfortunately, the experience was pretty disappointing. The…read morerestaurant was extremely empty. We were there for about two hours and only saw around three other parties, so the whole place just felt really quiet and empty. The one bright spot was the service. There was only one server working, and he was incredibly nice, friendly and attentive throughout the meal. We got the set menu. We started with the hamachi crudo, which was good. The beet dish was really pretty, but I thought it was a little bland and didn't have much flavor. They also had their own take on a baked potato with sour cream and chives, which was actually really yummy. The shrimp/prawn dish with the butter sauce was probably my favorite dish of the night. The bao was okay, and unfortunately, the chicken adobo was extremely salty. It was also basically a huge piece of chicken with adobo sauce, so it wasn't really my favorite. We were really excited to try the rabbit butter mochi because we'd heard so much about it. It was super cute and definitely one of the most unique presentations, but unfortunately, it tasted like soap. We wondered if maybe the mold had been washed right before serving because there was a very strong dish soap-like taste to it. LOL. Obviously, things happen, but it was especially disappointing because I really wanted to enjoy the butter mochi. Also, the tap water was honestly some of the worst restaurant water I've ever had. It tasted very strongly like a pipe or metal. I even asked for lemon wedges, but it still tasted the same. I never complain about water, but this was genuinely difficult to drink.

    Photos
    XO Restaurant
    XO Restaurant
    XO Restaurant

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    Ki Club - Huacatay Spiced Ahi - Seared Ahi in Dashi

    Ki Club

    4.5(137 reviews)
    3.0 km
    $$$
    Locally owned & operated
    Women-owned & operated

    Went here for my birthday dinner. Thoroughly surprised at how good the food was and the service…read more Beautiful, modern interior and the atmosphere was chic. The menu has changed to a more tapa style. We went with our two young children & they were very accommodating. We ordered a bunch of stuff but most notable was the Ensalada Salad, Croquette Cordero, Taco Raisu, Karaage Pollo, and for dessert, the Piña Borracha. We ordered some pork and steak skewers. These were ok, I would skip these next time. A little burnt. My favorite was the Ensalada Salad. The crab was sweet and the salsa opaca was so refreshing with the apple foam. Was told to smash the crisp on top and combine it with everything and that took it to another level! So good that we ordered another one. The price of this was so affordable too! The Croquette Cordero was like a mini curry ball with chimuchirri sauce. A little heavy but if you love curry, this is for you! The Taco Raisu surprised us. The taco meat was so flavorful!! Even though we were stuffed, we kept going back for more. It's like a deconstructed taco & you use the lettuce as a wrap. The Karaage Pollo came with a Cucumber Escabeche. It was so tangy and refreshing, which perfectly cuts through the rich, savory oiliness of the fried chicken. We got the Piña Borracha for dessert and that had a coconut cake, coconut lime mousse, banana lilikoi curd, and pasted pineapple on top. Amazing!! Great way to end the night. Everything was top notch. You can tell they put a lot of effort into each dish. Can't wait to go back!

    I go here on occasions. I've made to brunch a couple times but typically I make it to the…read moreevenings. The restaurant hours are relatively calm, but switches gears when it becomes a nightclub. Restaurant-wise, I believe the menu had a recent change-up to further explore fusion possibilities. I've been going down the list and the dishes have been pretty good so far; I haven't made it to the taco raisu yet, but I do need me some desserts. The picarones is like a peruvian andagi, which was pretty cool. The miso cream brûlée was from the prior menu, but also a Yes. The bar is knowledgeable and innovative their mixology- I've had the shizuku garden and that was amazing.

    Photos
    Ki Club - Lomo Saltado with Wagyu

    Lomo Saltado with Wagyu

    Ki Club - Feature Cocktails

    Feature Cocktails

    Ki Club - Kakuni Croquettes

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    Kakuni Croquettes

    Miro Kaimuki - The Counter - WESTHOLME RIBEYE (16 oz).

    Miro Kaimuki - The Counter

    4.5(421 reviews)
    2.3 kmKaimuki
    $$$$

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

    Beautiful food, prix fixe menu that delivers texture, creativity and luscious flavor…read more Unexpected gem in a cute Honolulu neighborhood.

    Photos
    Miro Kaimuki - The Counter
    Miro Kaimuki - The Counter - MIRO Sourdough. Furikake butter.

    MIRO Sourdough. Furikake butter.

    Miro Kaimuki - The Counter - Hamachi. Sun-Dried Tomato. Cucumber.

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    Hamachi. Sun-Dried Tomato. Cucumber.

    Morimoto Asia Waikiki - grilled miso black cod

    Morimoto Asia Waikiki

    4.1(1.2k reviews)
    0.7 kmWaikiki
    $$$

    This place has amazing food, great views, excellent service, and delicious drinks but it has been…read moreCLOSED for months due to a pipe burst (?) or something.

    My bad review is entirely based on how terrible the food was. For context, we ordered Tonkatsu…read moreramen and Tsukemen dipping ramen. Ramen, according to the server, was the most popular thing on the menu, so how likely could it get messed up? Tonkatsu: Rich, but lacked any salt or had very little. We requested some salt and that instantly made the ramen better. The noodles had enough salt to carry it, but the broth was not great. It tasted like the broth was watered down or reconstituted, however no seasoning was added to re-adjust the broth. Broth: Had little salt and lacked punch, umami, and was brown instead of white. Noodles: Had enough salt to taste good, but was slightly overcooked Pork: Extremely bland. Tasted like zero salt was added during cooking. Toppings: Greatly lacking in toppings Tsukemen: The Tsukemen had a lot of the same issues. Now being a dipping ramen, the broth should be even richer and more flavorful than any normal ramen. Tsukemen -- no matter where you have it in Japan, should be richer and saltier than most broths, but the broth here was severely lacking. For $26 a bowl this was worse than your DIY frozen ramen packs. Now I'm not asking for Japan-level of ramen mastery here, this is after all, just a tourist spot -- but if your Tonkatsu is the best selling item, you have to step it up. Our server did mention that some people complained about the amount of salt in ramen, so they adjusted it. But dare I say, instead of diluting the normal salt/seasoning amount for everyone, couldn't you just add a separate, flavor-light version for people inexperienced with ramen, instead of diluting the original for everyone else? If you're reading this Mr. Morimoto, I would highly encourage you to fly here and order the ramen. I think you and I would share the same opinions. P.S. I've also been to your other Morimoto spots and it was not this bad.

    Photos
    Morimoto Asia Waikiki - Interior

    Interior

    Morimoto Asia Waikiki - Black pepper beef

    Black pepper beef

    Morimoto Asia Waikiki - Morimoto Asia Waikiki Ocean Front Lanai Dining

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    Morimoto Asia Waikiki Ocean Front Lanai Dining

    Lucky Belly - Shrimp Kim Chee Bowl

    Lucky Belly

    4.2(2.2k reviews)
    6.5 kmDowntown
    $$

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

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

    Photos
    Lucky Belly - Interior bar and dining room.

    Interior bar and dining room.

    Lucky Belly - Lobster Moco (Dec 2025 update)

    Lobster Moco (Dec 2025 update)

    Lucky Belly - Exterior front.

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    Exterior front.

    El Chino Loco - bbq - Updated September 2026

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