My husband and I couldn't agree on this review at all. It was kinda funny. We had the fried spring rolls minus fish sauce. I really liked them he did not. He had the surf and turf which had different size cuts of beef and all cooked to different temps on a skewer stick. He didn't like the meat in the BBQ sauce and didn't think the meat had flavor but I liked thr BBQ. I had the loco moco which had good flavor but the rice was way mushy. The house Caesar salad was so good I will definitely come by for the great drinks and salads in the future. The drinks were really good and the apps seem to have a lot of selections. read more

Just don't do it. Bar quality food at best. Sat at 7pm, drinks arrived at arrived at 8, apps at 9, entree at 9:30....still waiting for the bill. It's 10pm. So again, just don't - unless there's no other option. Waitress was a very nice, but she needs to study the cocktail menu when she has a chance - mojitos don't have tequila in them. I would not return or recommend. read more

If I could rate this establishment based solely on our waiter then this would be a five star rating. Unfortunately other factors play in so I have to give it a three. We started with the tortilla pizza with Kalua pork and Bbq sauce. It was more saucy then pork covered and we had to eat it pretty quickly so it didn't get too soggy. We didn't really notice the pork at all to be honest, just the super thin crust and over abundance of sauce. We got the roasted pumpkin and bacon appetizer, which was probably the best thing we ordered. It was different enough to keep us interested and we finished it fast. The pumpkin wasn't too mushy as often it can be when not prepared correctly. Bacon was crispy and tasty. The next and final item we ordered was the kalua pork nachos, on the waiters recommendation. He suggested these over the quesadilla and pasta due to the amount of pork involved, and he was on point with that. The dish was heaping with tasty and soft pork. On fried wontons with nacho cheese. Not really how I would make nachos but they weren't bad. It was enough food to close us out for the night and we didn't order the shrimp dish we had planned on finishing with. The heaps of pork was the highlight here, as it should have been. The food: just alright. Not totally amazing, and I'm a foodie so maybe I'm being a bit critical. But it's my honest opinion. It also wasn't bad. Just fine I guess. The great: our waiter. He was so attentive and at the same time not pushy. He came to our table at the right time and never rushed us. He gave honest and really helpful advice on our food option questions. And gave a ton of great advice about hikes to do the next day. He was great! The annoying: they charged us $8 for my boyfriends soda. I know it sounds ridiculous to be upset about this but it was a watered down fountain soda in a 12 ounce cup that he got one refill of. When we asked who seemed to be a manager of sorts that was coming over and checking on tables about this she pretty much dismissed us and walked away. I was annoyed. I still tipped our waiter generously, obviously, because it was no fault of his, but I would have expected something more out of this women who was coming around to make sure the costumers were happy. Anyway, would I return here next time I'm in Waikiki? Probably not. There are so many places to choose from and nothing really stuck out to me--other than the poor coco cola experience. read more

Genius Lounge - Pumpkin and bacon appetizer - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Amazing staff, delicious food, great service! Must try is the red Mochiko chicken and the shrimp avocado roll. Stephen and Noemi are absolute gems!! read more

Had the calamari and garlic tuna and it was amazing! Server was friendly and great with suggestions. If you like red wine try the "Kitty" it was very refreshing. read more

Solid food and drink. The vibe is more of a restaurant that you'd order drinks at. It feels more of a happy hour spot than anything, where you would kick back and have a couple of drinks over food. It was not really what I expected since normally when I think lounge I think a little more classy; this place is super casual and more like a restaurant with a bar. It doesn't really feel like the place where you'd come just to have drinks with some friends. As for the food and drink... The garlic curly fries and calamari were good. The Kahlua pork nachos were pretty interesting, the "chips" are made from fried wonton wrappers. The drinks were pretty good. They were made well but nothing amazing, just some basic cocktails, beers, or sake. I think I'd come for happy hour but probably not as a spot in a bar crawl. read more

This is our 20th visit to Waikiki. We have walked by this place, always wanted to stop. We finally did, and we're we glad. This place is a hidden gem. We can't wait to go back. Food to die for. Service great. Ambiance...so cool!!! Don't miss it! read more

A diamond in the rough of Waikiki. Kritty and the staff were seriously awesome. Definitely highly recommend and will be back to support them in these rough times. read more

Phenomenal people and food. This was the highlight of my time in Oahu. All the food items we ordered were great. Thank you read more

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Attention all Yelpers: Genius Lounge's happy hour has changed ever since Chef Kenzo left. Happy hour now consists of 20% off all food items and 30% off all drinks. There is a lot to choose from for both food and drinks so that's a plus. Since one person in our group was sick and the other two didn't have lunch, we decided that we would just try a few pupus at Genius and then hit up another place for pho afterwards. Kabocha and Bacon ($9)--This is the one dish that everyone seems to rave about so of course we had to get it. Our overall consensus was that the bacon's way too salty when you take a bite of just bacon but when paired with the pumpkin, it's very delicious. Citrus Pepper Chicken ($9)--The chicken's super juicy and boy, was that yuzu pepper sauce potent. I got a little too excited (I heart yuzu!!!) and put just a little too much of the sauce on my portion haha. My mouth was not happy with me for a good five minutes but it was totally worth it xD. Only thing that would have made this even better was if the chicken skin had more of a crisp, which it seemed to have had based on the pictures of past patrons. Ume Shiso Salad ($4)--Cucumber sticks dressed with a strong ume shiso sauce and topped with lots of bonito flakes...so good! Prices here are on the pricier side considering the portion size but service was friendly and flavors were on point! read more

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Best happy hour! Reasonable prices and delicious food. Loved the garlic shrimp, garlic fries, nachos, poke! Lots of choices. Wine was $5 but there's also beer and sake. Great service too. I parked in the Waikiki business plaza for $7 flat rate. If I am going to spend a day in Waikiki I would consider coming here for happy hour. read more

My Japanese friend showed me this bar a few months back. It's right up a flight of stairs, be careful my fellow drunkies (haha). I thought it was a adorable little place. Very inviting with a cozy atmosphere. They do have a happy hour. Prices are about average for Waikiki. I've forgotten our bartender's name but he was very friendly and funny! Very attentive and had some good recommendations on drinks. Our drinks never went empty for long ;) Didn't get the chance to sample the food because we had just ate dinner. This bar seems like a nice place to chill with friends and talk story, away from all the loud music at the club scene. read more

Genius Lounge - Our bartender. Forgotten the drink names though. Center one was like a moscow mule? - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Another great night at Genius Lounge. I just can't get enough of this place =) Ordered my usual CITRUS PEPPER CHICKEN. Always moist, always delicious with the Yuzu Kosho relish. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/PH12Pe7AdDvl03tZ83EW5g?select=JLWV-22CvVy12oaEVMsuOg Wanted to write an update because we tried something new this time around and enjoyed each and every one of them. BEEF KAKUNI ($12): Usually pork belly is used, the combination of meat and fat gives this slow-cooked dish its wonderful flavors and textures. Genius makes theirs with boneless short ribs, even better since I don't care for the fatty parts. The two good sized pieces of fork-tender short ribs were braised in shoyu, sugar and ginger. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/PH12Pe7AdDvl03tZ83EW5g?select=-2JsK1zO252gA1gwjy7TxQ KUROBUTA SAUSAGES ($10 for 5 pieces): In Japan, they call their Berkshire black hogs "Kurobuta." For a while it was prized just as much as Kobe beef. These sausages remind me of mini ballpark franks but much tastier of course. It has a nice snap when you bite into it (think Arabiki sausages). It has a nice sweetness to it, went really well with the spicy mustard. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/PH12Pe7AdDvl03tZ83EW5g?select=lQSs_AUXNGOYjDsWiiW-6w GRILLED COD ROE/TARAKO ($9): This was one interesting dish! It was salty bc salted cod roe was used. I jokingly told owner Hiroshi that rice or toast would've helped in cutting down the salt. But he explained that in Japan, it's eaten as a pupu with sake (one bite of roe, one sip of sake). http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/PH12Pe7AdDvl03tZ83EW5g?select=piqDP898dcyUkFjVzgPaKg Think of it as salty, salty caviar. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/PH12Pe7AdDvl03tZ83EW5g?select=6pb5l-z8aAqS_sUk2bMvUA read more

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This place was a random choice for my boyfriend and I but we are absolutely so glad that we decided to stop by! The food here is so delicious and the drinks are strong. The place is located on the second floor of a building but you can easily find it with the big sign out front. We started off with two Mai Tais. The drinks were good but also strong. We felt the effects of the drink just after one order! We also ordered the Kalua Pork Nachos and the Dry-Aged Short Ribs. I absolutely love the pork nachos! I am usually not a big fan of nachos since a lot of places that I have been to serve stale and flat tortilla chips for their nachos. However, the chips for this appetizer was super crispy and had more shape to it compared to other chips, which allows you to scoop up the meat and cheese. This is definitely one of the best nachos I have ever had. The Dry-Aged Short Ribs were on the special menu, so I'm not sure if it is a year-round option. I was slightly hesitant to ordered this entree since I was afraid it might be too tough and the dry-aged taste might be too overwhelming. Fortunately, it was completely the opposite of what I imagined! The meat was tender and the dry-aged aspect of the meat added a unique flavor to it. The place is a must-go especially if you're looking for a place to go late at night with good food and good drinks! read more

Genius Lounge - Top - Kalua Pork Nachos Bottom - Dry Aged Short Ribs - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Yummy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Hiroshi and Chris and so much fun, and a hoot! I was with Cin T as mentioned below because we had originally planned on going to Top of Waikiki for Happy Hour. As she mentioned, what crappy service we received there! As soon as you walk up those god forsaken stairs, it's a very urban, modern, and chic feel for a lounge. I love it! So we sit at the bar and Cin T, being the socialite she is, introduced me to the bartenders and servers. Now for the food and drinks. Primarily, I've learned they are a Sake Bar. But for me, alcohol took a back door to the food. Here's what we had. We had the Citrus Pepper chicken, Chicken Karaage, Loco Moco, and the fish katsu. The yuzu kosho relish was delicious, and to quote Cin T, "she'd eat it off a tire". The two chicken dishes, though, were dry and the batter was too crispy for my taste. The Loco Moco was good, but living in Hawaii, I was too used to the Hawaii "style" Loco Moco. I'm assuming the reason I'm giving that a neutral rating would be the demi glace. The hamburger patty on the other hand, deep fried and so flavorful! It was delicious! The Fish Katsu was our least favorite; it was dry, overcooked, and lacked flavor. Now to my hit, the dessert. God, my god, the dessert. I'm speechless! The parfait is so good! It's served with a corn flake bottom, layered with french vanilla ice cream, then layered with fruit cocktail, green tea gelato, and topped off with azuki beans, water chestnut, mochi balls, and whipped topping. Jesus that thing showed me light at the end of the tunnel and back! After I paid my bill, Cin and I saw Hiroshi making a sherbet dessert that just was so good! The flavors were either gelatos, french vanilla or green tea, or sherbert, which is lilikoi or dragonfruit. Somehow while he's making this dish, I get a taste of both sherbet, and couldn't take my behind off the seat! Stroke of luck, Hiroshi must've taken pity on me drooling all over his bar, I got it complimentary! It was so delicious I know I'm going back for dessert and Sweet Tea Vodka! Thanks Cin, Hiroshi, and Chris for making my night fabulous! read more

Genius Lounge - Gelato! - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Fellow Yelper kelly k and I drove around aimlessly this 4th of July in search of the perfect spot to celebrate the adoption of the Declaration of Independence and our departure from Great Britain. Not knowing where to go, we drove through Waikiki and ended up at Genius Lounge. Their sake selection was almost impressive. And everything we ate was tasty: -Ja-Ja Nasu - Eggplant with meat sauce. All I can say is.. meat sauce, yum. -Ripe Tomato & Mozzarella Millefeuille - similar to caprese salad http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/PH12Pe7AdDvl03tZ83EW5g?userid=U-7EVbeRf1wlSZfHW_gujQ#Y_uLsrUmhLXF-oXDBGij1g -Deep Fried Garlic - very difficult to eat b/c you have to peel the garlic yourself... but the hard work is totally worth it if you love garlic like we do. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/PH12Pe7AdDvl03tZ83EW5g?userid=U-7EVbeRf1wlSZfHW_gujQ#LBQqPyymQEmNG8rVWpC1zQ This place is a cute place for a date, like the one kelly and I went on. But, they also can accommodate groups. (It's not a HUGE place, but it's big enough.) Service is friendly and attentive, especially if you're seated at the bar. It gets hot sometimes when it's really crowded, but I don't mind too much. Drinks are relatively cheap for Waikiki. None of that $12-ish that a lot of other place have going on. ;) read more

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So much more than a sake bar, Genius Lounge has a lot to offer. The place has a trendy, urban vibe that I can't get enough of. AMAZEBALLS: -Pumpkin with bacon: OMG, I die. I'm not the biggest fan of kabocha (I'll eat it because I feel like I have to because I'm Japanese) but the way they prepare it...It's like in that movie She's All That where they makeover that dorkball girl & she becomes the coolest thing since sliced bread. The bacon & garlicky seasoning remake kabocha into this dish that's simply amazing & totally worthy of bringing to prom. Oh, my bad, getting confused with the movie. Deep fried garlic: They deep fry whole heads of garlic & serve it with a little side of salt. Probably not the best idea to order this on a first date if you're planning on trying to get a good night kiss in but if you're with people who already love you & are accepting of garlic breath, I recommend it. -Citrus pepper chicken: Love this dish. The chicken is moist & juicy, with crispy skin & just the right amount of spicy kick. It's poultry perfection. -Happy hour drink list: From 6:00pm-8:00pm you can get Kirin drafts for $2.00, house-made sangria for $2.50, & an assortment of sake mixed drinks for $4.00. You can totally get your drink on without making your wallet cry. -Music choice: This place was doing a good job with their music choice (Musiq Soulchild, Alicia Keys) but then they blew me out of the water when I heard Feather by Nujabes. Major brownie points in my book. Even if the food had been bad here (which is totally not the case), I'd probably still come here to hang out at the bar & sip sake while chilling to the grooves coming out of the speakers. JUST SO YOU KNOW: -No free parking: But then again, free parking is so hard to come by in Waiks. There is a coin parking lot in the back of the restaurant but come prepared. At 15 minutes per $0.25 you're going to need a lot of quarters. -Hard to find: Well, for some. I was prepared after reading fellow yelpers' reviews so I was on the lookout for the stairs with a string of lights & a store-front downstairs. But for those who are non-Yelp savvy, you could easily miss it. -There's only one freaking bathroom stall. I swear, I have a bladder the size of a pea so I have to use the restroom with the frequency of a small child. Having to wait for homegirl take her sweet ass time reapplying her lip gloss & powdering her face is not so fun when you've been taking major advantage of cheap happy hour drinks. In conclusion, Genius Lounge, my first time visiting definitely wasn't my last. I'll be back. & this time I'll be coming back to try the ripe tomato & mozzarella millefeulle, genius fries, pasta tarako...& to get 3 orders of pumpkin with bacon! read more

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Came here for Saturday night food and drinks after happy hour. They are located above their clothing store Genius Outfitters. It was pretty busy as we needed to wait for a table. Btw, there is no set waiting time since people just "lounge" here at night. With our big crowd, we finally had a table after an hour and a half. Parking: No real restaurant parking available, so find a lot around the area. We parked at Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center and got validation at a coffee shop while we waited. Food: We ordered the Citrus Pepper Chicken for $9. Nothing special tasting about this with a very small portion. Great for rabbit food (quite pathetic). We also had the clams for $15. Mediocre tasting and came with a big piece of bread to make the dish look fuller. Don't be expecting to fill your stomachs. Drinks: We ordered a bottle of Rose Chandon to share for $46. Pricy but that's the brand. It came with an ice bucket to keep it classy. We also ordered the Tokyo Tea for $8 which was a good bang for your buck if you want to get drunk. Service: The first server was friendly especially when the place was busy. Our bill came out with a few errors, and the new server wasn't very helpful. Remember there is a 18% gratuity charge for large groups and no split checks. Ambience: The crowd was a mix of tourists and a 30+ crowd. I thought the decor was pretty especially for pictures. Btw if you end up sitting outdoors by the entrance, there was some sewage smell (ask to sit inside). There were a lot of people standing by the bar, a few large tables, and tables for four outside. First time here and don't think I'll be coming back any time soon. read more

Genius Lounge - Citrus Pepper Chicken, Ahi Poke, and Chandon Champagne - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Came here late night with friends who i haven't seen in a long time. Genius lounge is tucked away upstairs in a corner, how anyone finds it is a mystery to me. Guess good sake and food and word of mouth (and yelp) is all you need. The clientele is mostly Japanese nationals, which is a good sign in my book when you are in a place known for sake and Japanese food. The atmosphere is relaxed, and chill, just my style. I don't like to be in those places that are crowded, rowdy, gotta pay cover and dress up. They have a wide variety of Sake to choose from, and Kirin beer on tap. I got the Genius sake sampler, a taste of 3 different sakes, they were all good but in a different way. I liked that the sake menu had a description of the different types of sake and the milling process. French Fries (thick cut) came with a little cheese on top they were okay, could have been crispier. Pretty standard and nothing special. Poke was good but maybe a tad too much onion. Karaage was Great, flavorful, soft and moist inside and crispy outside. I really enjoyed the different types of sake, the Karaage and the chill atmosphere. next time i want to try the other food items that i see in other peoples photos. Note: to make fries super crispy, you gotta fry them 2 times, the first time to cook it 80%, take it out and let it sit to let steam escape, then fry it again. As you know oil and water (steam from cooking) don't mix. So if you only fry it one time steam gets trapped inside and makes (especially thick cut) fries soggy. read more

Great hole-in-the-wall place to have small gatherings or meet out-of-town guests who are staying in Waikiki. It's not what you think....they aren't strictly Japanese food. They have a diverse menu, everything from Pesto pasta to Chicken Kaarage. The food is good, I would recommend the ramen, it's quite tasty. If you come between 6-8pm they also have happy hour specials on food and drinks. The drinks are what they're known for. They have a wide variety of sakes, mixed drinks, wine and beer. But be careful what you order since some of the drinks could be angry and slap you in the face. If you get seated outside the ambiance is quiet magical as you feel like you're in someone's private balcony but in the middle of an sub city-like environment. The servers here are also pretty friendly and open to giving you their opinion on what they'd recommend. One of the knocks of course is the parking. But there is a public paid lot in the back of the building...or do what i do, park at the Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center and get validated somewhere like ABC store or Starbucks. Then parking is free for the first hour and $1.00 for ever hour after that for the next 2 hours. I've also heard that the menu is a bit too different for some people. If they feel like eating one type of food, they'll only find a little of it. IE. If you feel like eating only Japanese food, then the other menu items won't appeal to you. But that's what makes this place different from others. Check this chill posh place out if you can and try to get a seat in the lounge area outside. read more

Genius Lounge - The Ramen here is surprisingly good for a non-traditional Ramen eatery. Tastes even better after you put down a few beers. - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

I LOVE WAIKIKI. There is so much life and personality here, it's exciting. To have a lounge on the third floor of a boutique shop, Genius. Genius Lounge is on top of Genius Outfitter's boutique shop. I am always making a pit stop before I head up for some midori and fried cheese. Genius Lounge has a very modern look. It blends right into Waikiki. My favorite drink is the midori, as you might have noticed. On food, I've tried the fried cheese, fried scallop, genius loco moco, rock shrimp, fried octopus, and cheese pizza. All of the items were very very good. The only complain is the portions are small so it's great as a drinking complement but not for dinner. It's becoming one of my favorite lounge. Come down and check out Genius Lounge. read more

OUR YELP WORD FOR THE DAY IS: --QUAINT CAN YOU USE IT IN A SENTENCE PLEASE? --Genius Lounge, was a very "quaint" bar. DEFINITION PLEASE? quaint [kweynt] Show IPA -adjective, -er, -est. 1. having an old-fashioned attractiveness or charm; oddly picturesque: a quaint old house. 2. strange, peculiar, or unusual in an interesting, pleasing, or amusing way: a quaint sense of humor. 3. skillfully or cleverly made. It's "oddly picturesque"- walking up those stairs and entering this place. I never expected what through those doors! It's so cute, romantic. I would go here on a cute date, with my cute boyfriend, and eat cute little things and drink out of my cute little sake glass under the moonlight on my cute candle lit table. Haha. *Sake Sampler- yummmmm. They also have a FULL bar, so if you're into the hard liquor- cocktails, shots, mixed drinks etc. don't worry you will be taken care of. The bartenders sure know how to POUUUUUUR. *gulp! Didn't really eat because we had come from dinner, but had the deep fried garlic- Who doesn't LOVE garlic, DEEP FRIED (:!? & the french fries, which were like little mini hash brown sizes, and oh so fun to eat haha. Gotta come here again. Ohhh, P.S. VERY CLEAN BATHROOMS! (: yayy! read more

Genius Lounge - Sake Samplers - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

New Discoveries at Genius Lounge.... *Mild* Sake Sampler $10 ~ 1. Miyasaka Yawaraka Junmai ~ flavors of wild plum...yum~e! I'll take 2 of these bottles and be smiling from ear to ear! This one's dangerous! This has stepped up to my new favorite sake! Yessah! 2. Seitoku Junmai Ginjo ~ this one is nice, not as smooth as Miyasaka or Hoyo Kura No Hana 3. Hoyo "Kura No Hana" ~ one of my favs. So smooth and clean. Cream cheese is very versatile. I paired my cream cheese poke with the chicken karaage and jaja men, separately....OH MY CREAM CHEESE GOD! Cream Cheese Poke + Jaja Men = HOLY TOLEDOs! Cream Cheese Poke + Chicken Karaage = HOLY TOLEDOs times 2! 7th HEAVEN! The creaminess of the cream cheese with the crispy skin and tastiness of the chicken is the perfect combination! Sounds weird, but...you just gotta trust :) read more

Genius Lounge - ...Deep Fried Tako... - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

If you are a sake lover you will really enjoy this place!! It's a really nice place located above their Genius Boutique. There's places to sit outside on the 2 lanai's or inside bar area. The decor was super cute and the chairs are very comfy. They also have really nice clean bathrooms which is very important. But the best part about this place is their happy hour everyday from 6-8 pm!! $5 sake!!!! $3.50 Wine!! $2.50 Kirin Beer!! $2.50 sangria!! So awesome! I ordered the $5 house sake. I don't remember what the name was but it was very nice and smooth. They are very generous with their pours. I think it's about a 6oz glass and they fill it all the way to the top like they're trying to get you super drunk!! And yes after drinking 2 glasses of their house sake and a shot of patron (thanks to Tricia M. !! =D ) I was feeling very very happy!! I didn't try much food but I did order the $4.50 French Fries. The serving was small but it was still good. They put some cheese on top of it. Wish that it was bigger though. I will definitely be going back soon for more sake!! and also to try the sangria! read more

Genius Lounge - French fries - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Asian tapas + random outliers. Nonetheless, everything on the menu sounded good and everything we ordered was pretty tasty. Service was friendly and I especially liked how we could sit outside on the lanai to enjoy our cocktails and small plates. Pumpkin and bacon. My favorite dish of the night. Maui onion salad. Sweet and savory. Awesome. Ja-Ja mien. Tasty. Hearty portion compared to everything else. Steak fries. A little bit better than average. Comes seasoned with sea salt and parmesan. I liked the crispiness of the fries. Deep fried octopus. Average. Scotch egg. Different. Interesting. It was average but I probably wouldn't order this again. I'm looking forward to the next time we go back here. read more

Genius lounge... what happened?? So based on previous reviews, it appears that there has been a change in management. That could explain a lot of things. For one, the happy hour (6-8PM) is now 20% off all food and 30% off all drinks. Sounds amazeballs right? Well it basically just makes the food/drink prices SLIGHTLY reasonable for what you get instead of it being extremely overpriced. We went today and partook in some cocktails- the Honey, Please (jack daniels honey), Ginger-jito (take on mojito) and the Acai drink (pretty sweet but actually really good, I enjoyed it and it comes with ice cubes that have berries and mint leaves frozen in them). All were quite girly and complete with pretty presentation. Not sure if they're worth the $15 price-tag though. With the happy hour, it comes out to around $10.50 which is not THAT bad but it's also NOT good for a "happy hour" price. The menu still appears to be the same, but this time around the kabocha + bacon tasted a little saltier than last time. We also had the genius fries but they were whatevers. The worst part is that they don't have sangria anymore!!!! Our waiter told us it was because of some law (recently enforced) in Hawaii where you're not allowed to prepare drinks more than 24 hours in advance... aka you can't let the fruit sit in the sangria overnight to let the flavors sink in...???? But then why not just make it the morning of? Then it won't be 24 hours! I call BS on that, sorry. Until I get a better explanation for the new changes, I probably won't be coming back here too often. read more

Genius Lounge - Honey please, gingerjito and the Acai drink lol - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

I was kinda let down by this place. The portion sizes were lacking imo (the fries barely had any fries in the basket?) and the poke bowl can barley be called a bowl (would have costed extra if I had wanted rice). Everything tasted decent, but my main problem is with the price transparency. The menu did not specify that rice with the poke would cost extra. Also later on, I ordered edamame and the waitress told me I could choose between plain or garlic, so I said garlic. Turns out it was a whopping $3 extra for the garlic, which was ridiculous for such a small portion of edamame. And regardless, I would've wanted to know these price differences up front, and would've appreciated the menu having transparent prices. Additionally, there were several mistakes on our tab where they charged us full price for drinks we ordered during happy hour. I also waited way too long for my edamame, it took nearly 20mins to arrive, and everyone in party ended up having to wait for me to finish at the end. (Which again, just seems ridiculous for edamame). read more

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Seriously, if you ever have been to a bar/lounge in Tokyo, this place will bring you back! From the hospitality/awesome service, the small venue, to the location right in the heart of the city, all the way to the tediously planned decor... It's all so genuine! Have a few glasses of beer, a couple shots of sake, and partake in their unique food items for a great time. Banzai ;) Hints: -If you cannot find parking anywhere else, there is a meter lot located just a hop, skip and jump through a walkway, behind the building. -Fashionistas, there are cute boutiques all around from right downstairs to next door (Pineapple County). Try to do your clothes shopping before you drink. -Go back often to try all of the food! -HAPPY HOUR EVERYDAY 6-8pm = LOVE -If you eavesdrop, you might be able to learn some Japanese. If you already know Japanese, you might be able to make some new foreign friends. Love you Genius! read more

Does have a sewage smell out and about. Most of the food was pretty good except for the avocado ahi roll with macadamia nut sauce. Can't recommend that. Small piece of avocado surrounded by a ton of rice. Not sure if I'll be back. read more

Some of the best food ever. And the MOJITOS!!! I just want to accomplish trying everything on their menu! And the service is fantastic and such friendly staff! Shannon is fantastic and has a super sparkly demeanor! You'll definitely want to go back!! Highly recommend!! read more

Huge fan of this place! Chill environment to just drink, hang out and actually have a conversation with friends. Genius Lounge is a new favorite hang out. I know it took me so long to finally try this place out, but I'm glad I finally did. The host, Jon (sp?), is super cool. The drinks are reasonably priced and they have a drink for everyone (sake, beer, wine, shochu). The decor is simple and they have multiple different seating setups for different size groups. The music, although on a short playlist, is cool and it's not too loud, so you can actually hear your friends talk. Genius Lounge is where I discovered Ichiko and green tea...AMAZING! New favorite drink maybe. Anyway, I will definitely be back. The only problem with this place is the parking sucks, but I'll still give it 5 stars because I love it. Granted it's Waikiki and most parking sucks, the best place I've found best is Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center. I would recommend this place for others if you haven't been here...just don't overcrowd the place, please...thanks! Oh, did I mention there are usually good looking nihonjin and local ladies here? Yet, another plus! read more

Genius Lounge - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Genius lounge is one of my go to places in Waikiki cuz it's a bit of a hidden gem. Its on the 3rd floor and unless you have an idea where it is, you will probably miss it. Its right on lewers street I have been here on a bunch of occasions sober and drunk (lol) its a cute, little lounge with either outside or inside seating. You can sit on different Lanai's on opposite sides of the lounge. I suggest going during happy hour! I think its 6-8pm. The beers and food are decently cheap and the atmosphere is nice. The servers and bartenders are super nice and helpful. Its definitely a good place to hang out in Waikiki and not have to deal with some of the crazies in Waikiki. Great place to chill and actually hang out with people. Check it out! :) read more

My friend and I loved this place. Considering most places in the city were difficult to find reservations for and wait times were insane, I consider this place a gem! The food was flavorful, the drinks strong and tasty and the service was great. read more

We got invited to meet up with some friends... May be hard to find if it's ur first time there. Genius lounge is located above Genius outfitters on Lewers street in Waikiki. A really cool place is my first impression. From the street looking up I saw a black iron bar balcony decorated with a string of lights. We took the stairs on the side of the building to enter thru another balcony at the other end. The decor and ambience was classy/chic. Kind of romantic /sexy feel (lol.. girls point of view) with the dim lighting, candles on the tables and decor! I really liked it!! ;) Their happy hour drinks won me over... $2.50 for sangria and it was pretty strong and oh so good!! Not to mention a Sake sampler...I love sake! The food was also very good! They have an interesting selection of Japanese flare. I would recommend this place if you were looking for a night of drinks and hanging out with friends! I would also recommend going during happy hour! read more

We went around 730 PM on a Saturday and it was pretty empty but filled up right after. I did notice sewer smell like other yelpers mentioned. The food was ok kinda pricey. My friends said the mac cheese was not good. It was overcooked mush with separated oils. Only good thing is the place could fit my large group and we were hitting up several places in Waikiki on a pub crawl read more

Genius Lounge - Poke bowl - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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The food was delicious and our server, Angelica, was awesome and friendly. So far, this was also the best Mai Tai we have had in Honolulu!

This place is like a trendy Japanese/Hawaiian American Izakaya with awesome tapas like karaage and poke. Loved the atmosphere and the price and our bartender was very sweet. We sat at the counter and watched the Olympics while we had our drinks and appetizers. Good times! read more

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I came here last year (2013) and thought this was a pretty cool spot. Had a lot of good sake and appetizers and left completely satisfied. Things must've changed because I went there last night and was extremely disappointed. The wide variety of drinks was gone and they had literally no food. From their menu they only had two or three dishes left and they didn't think it would be a good idea to tell us this before we sat there for 15 minutes picking drinks and food. The staff is full of attitude and has no intention of serving. Extremely disappointed and won't be coming back. read more

The sushi avocado roll that was fried was excellent. I will say everything else (shrimp pasta and Kahlua pork nachos) were mediocre at best. The menu looks vast, but very dairy filled and not really that great in the end. We'd only come back for that fried avocado poke roll. read more

Happy hour is wonderful! EVERYDAY 6-8pm, half off on my favorite Kirin :) Its a great go-to place after work, I work right around the corner so its very convenient for me. I've been here several times with friends/coworkers and always have a great time! It gets busier later in the night and hard to find seats, but when we go early is the best. We like to sit outdoor on the lanai overlooking Lewers St, its a nice and cozy atmosphere. The first time I went here me and my friend sat on the other outdoor section overlooking parking lots, and I have to admit it kinda smelled like sewege... I'm not sure if it still does but we never sit there anymore. The workers here are super friendly too: Matt! Chris and Richy always are attentive and good peoples! The owner is always there, I've never met him personally but he's always checking on us too so I really appreciate that. Food is pretty good, I like the cheese poke, waimanalo omelette, the pastas, and genius parfait! Added with alcohol makes it a wonderful time! read more

Genius Lounge - the genius parfait - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii