Decent food (love the pickles!) and cool environment. Wish the chairs and tables on lanai were a bit more comfy and that they had pulled up the blinds after dark. read more

Cute little hidden bar in Waikiki. You have to walk up the stairs to find it. We parked around the corner. The food was good and service was on point. Our waiter Chelsie was so awesome! She was super friendly & nice. read more

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This is one of our go to spots when we can't decide what to have. Always on point with the food and bartenders are great company. Pork and Cabbage, Poke, Fruikake Ahi, Pork Nachos ( wonton chips are to die for) and the Cesar salad with grilled chicken would be our top picks. read more

Amazing place, amazing food, amazing service. Perfect local restaurant for non-locals while being treated like locals!

just okay here, service was slow and food kinda expensive for what you get. they need more happy hour times or availability. also the beers came out somewhat cold only, really not enjoyable. also their menus are not up to date, they had so many things on there that are not available anymore. the server said that has been there for over a year. like omg update the menu lol read more

The location is great the old house the whole time I was thinking about how nice it would be to have bought this house 20 years ago top floor of the restaurant bar outdoor patio can roll back the awning so that you can see the stars on a nice night. Service is good food ok drinks fair price it is fine I think it's only for Japanese people though read more

Genius Lounge - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Fantastic little spot for food and drinks! I'm obsessed with the fried Mac and cheese gratin! Very friendly staff as well read more

Genius Lounge - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Only giving them a star because I HAVE TO in order to write a review otherwise i would give them a negative amount! We tried to walk in but they said they were fully booked, we actually called within 5 minutes to make a reservation & see what they would say, because the resteraunt was EMPTY when we went. They told us we could come right in! they didn't want to seat us when they saw my mixed family & I, but when my uncle "Paul" called to make a reservation they took us right away. Extremely disappointing. They sat us all sitting next to each other & facing a wall, as if we were being punished! A strong stench of sewage was clouding the entire patio, i kindly asked for us to move tables & he said all other tables were booked, so i asked could we please even move our table because it truly smelled of rotten human faces! To which he told me "If i don't like it, i can leave" keep in mind we had already ordered. I can't believe how rudely & wrongly I was treated with my family. read more

Definitely one of my favorite spots in Waikiki. The crowd is mainly young Japanese tourists. We ordered the furikake ahi tuna steak, ahi tuna poke bowel and 4 drinks and the bill came out to be a reasonable $70. We also received complimentary furikake popcorn from the pleasant bartender. Not much to complain about except it can be a difficult place to locate. Would definitely come again. read more

Looked like a cute place, however we didn't get to experience it much because of where we were placed. Even though we called ahead and made reservations unlike the group that was waiting at the entrance before us. We were sat at the end of the bar where the waitstaff squeezed by to get drinks for their tables. We basically looked at plexiglass plastered with advertisements all night. Their menu is mostly pupus and other dishes you normally share but obviously that was extremely difficult to do with no space. We came to eat and drink, not just drink. We didn't stay long. Last time I'll be going there. read more

Checked out Genius Lounge on a Wednesday. There was a decent crowd for a weeknight. The ambiance is really cute and a lot of fun. The waitress was nice and easy to chat with. We ordered edamame and poke as appetizers. For entrees, spicy ahi bowl and the beef tongue stew. Both were pretty spicy but still good. The drinks were great and reasonably priced. There's wifi at the restaurant. I thought the service was good. I'd definitely return here soon! read more

Really terrific gem. We dined here twice, the bartender and waitstaff is amazing. The chef puts a fusion spin on Japanese style dishes and also serves up Hawaiian traditions, also with a spin. read more

The garlic ahi iss amazing! Great happy hour; definitely make this a stop on your Hawaiian vacation. Happy hour lasts until 8:00 so take advantage but skip the brownie. read more

I arrived into Waikiki after a late flight and was hungry so I decided to eat at genius lounge at the recommendation of my hotels concierge. The food was amazing! The Kalua pork nachos were one of the best I have. They use wonton wrappers as chips so it is a lot more airy which creates a better texture. read more

A really great spot to chiil out on the balcony with a couple of friends. We were fortunate enough where the place wasn't packed at all and we sat outside on the patio enjoying a couple cocktails. it started raining and it was just hella chill at that point in time. Their moscow mule were well made and their old fashioned was pretty decent. They also serve food here and for a bar like this their poke is pretty good. The staff are very attentive walking from the bar to the patio to check up on us frequently and refilling our drinks when we ran empty they were extrememly nice as well. If you want to come and wind down this is definitely the spot to go and just chill out oh, did i mention they have free popcorn? they have free popcorn. read more

Genius Lounge - Poke at the bar - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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This is a hidden gem in Waikiki. Despite it having so many reviews I feel not too many people know about it. I almost don't want to add a review because I found such a cool spot to hang out away from all the other places that get way too crowded in Wakiki. But I can't be greedy right? This place is worthy of attention. They have all the cocktails you can imagine or would want to order. The bartenders all know what they're doing and don't just sloppily put your drink together. They have a good selection of beer but to be specific a good selection of Japanese brews. There's also lots of sake to choose from. I don't have the slightest clue about the different sakes but I'd like to learn. I'd feel comfortable asking for a lesson on sake here since the bartenders I've met are all really chill and knowledgeable. The first thing that comes to my mind when I think about Genius is Kalua Pork Nachos! When my friend and I first visited we didn't know what to expect but figured it'd be good. It was beyond good and surprised us because we were expecting tortilla chips instead of fried wonton chips. Those wonton chips make every bit of difference as they're piled with kalua pork, pico de gallo, and nacho cheese. The first time we shared but now every time we visit now we order our own plates haha. Kalua Pork Nachos with a glass of Asahi is the perfect pairing. Oh I mentioned in another review about the importance of Moscow Mules being done right. Genius is in my Top 3 for Moscow Mules! I love this place. It's a very chill vibe away from all the ratchetry on Lewers Street. You can sit at the bar or sit on the balcony overlooking the above mentioned ratchetry on Lewers Street. A great mix of a crowd that includes locals as well as tourists. I don't go to Waikiki often for drinks but when I do its mostly for Genius. read more

When I sat down, I finished ordering immediately, but I waited 30 minutes, so I urged the waiter and passed another 10 minutes. A young boy attendant told me that he forgot to place the order. It's ridiculous. I wasted 40 minutes. I even didn't get a cup of water. read more

Ate here last night for a friends birthday, the ambiance and service was good, i ordered a maitai that was very well put together 10/10, i ordered the deep fried avocado sushi roll and the shrimp and mushrooms, both were extremely mediocre, the shrimp was so over cooked that the skin stuck to the shrimp itself, the avocado roll was very bland and just tasted like gas station sushi, while the tuna that it was topped with looked grey and discolored, i took one bite and immediately told my server that it wasn't to my liking and i asked to have it refunded, i never make yelp reviews or like to complain but i got so sick when i got home from the food i was over the toilet for a while until i no longer had anything in my stomach, this place had very good drinks but **DONT ORDER THE FOOD** 110% sure that i got food poisoning from one of those two dishes!!!!!!! read more

meh, nothing too special about this place. consider it's a Japanese lounge, i was extremely surprised they didn't carry more Japanese whiskey. this place is located on the third floor, and i think the other first two floors are also owned by genius. i guess the coolest thing about this place is the patio. you can request to sit outside, and people watch. read more

Horrible. We were not seated for about 30 minutes, despite there being multiple tables open with no explanation. The service was absolutely terrible. We waited 20 minutes for a drink. After being seated, we were told to wait for out server. After waiting 10-15 min, a server never came and the same person came back to take our order. We placed an order at 10:45, they never put the order in, then told us at 11:15 that we couldn't order because the kitchen closed at 11. The drinks were absolutely horrific. ($21 for the most disgusting piña colada I've ever tasted). Nobody mentioned last call, and then a bus boy came around announcing that we had "three minutes" to finish all of our drinks. (?) Don't bother with this place. It's incredibly disorganized and horribly run. Not even worth it for a last resort. This was nothing but a disappointing experience. read more

My new favorite kind of spot: A joint that is mellow, has a classy crowd, serves up good eats, and offers a decent happy hour. Genius Lounge is all of the above, and more. Hidden above the madness of Waikiki, nestled amongst a few rowdier bars, you would never guess that above the oh-so-cute clothing store is a fabulous little sake bar and grill. I always go to Genius thinking that I'm going to grab a small bite to eat, have ONE drink, and leave at a decent hour (us old folk like to be in bed early!) That is never the case. The ambiance is low key and relaxed, facilitating easy conversation. I enjoy the fact that there is indoor and outdoor seating. Somehow, I always end up sitting outside. Must be the people watcher in me who likes to spy on the Waikiki crazies that walk by on Lewers. The food menu is relatively extensive, offering appetizers, soups and salads, noodles, donburi and grilled dishes. So far, I've liked everything I tried. My favorites are the citrus pepper chicken and sauteed pumpkin with bacon. Then again, bacon makes everything delicious... The staff is friendly and routinely checked up on us to make sure our plates were cleared and our glasses were full. And yes, our glasses were always full, as Genius is such a great place to kick back, relax, and have a few drinks with good company. Hours will pass, trust me. Just be sure, as you finally peel yourself out of your comfortable seat and drain the last contents of your delicious beverage, that you remember that you are in ticket-happy-cop-ville Waikiki and to drive home carefully. read more

This place use to be the spot to go for so many of us living here who spend money and tip well. I think it changed Management as well as ownership. There is NO VIBE. It is now a standard bar that feels like it has NO ALOHA. Such a disappointment. It use to have great bartenders who knew everyone's name, or wanted to know people. The cooks and Chef loved knowing people. The waitstaff was full of Aloha. It's a totally different place now. Won't go back. And see now why people I know say the same thing. This is Hospitality people!! Get with it Genius!!! It's Sad!! read more

The first thing that struck me about Genius Lounge was the feeling that you are being hosted at an old friend's place. The ambiance here is very swanky, warm, relaxed, and the guys who work here really treat you like old friends. I've never felt so "at home" while dining out before. Genuinely nice and easy going people. This is the perfect place for a girls' night out or a romantic date, where you can actually hear each other in conversation. My girlfriends and I are not big drinkers, but we did partake in the homemade sangria which was served on ice and with a straw. Totally refreshing and *sweet*, just the way I like it. We tried a bunch of different items including the popular citrus pepper chicken, kabocha with bacon, fried octopus, fries, and some kind of pasta with tiny fish eggs (forgot the name). My absolute favorite dish was the kabocha with bacon and garlic...I am LITERALLY salivating as I write this review now. Even when it came to the table it smelled positively wonderful, and it tasted even better than it smelled! I definitely recommend this dish. The dish that surprised me most was the pasta dish. It was the perfect texture and subtly flavored but when it was gone I was wanting more, which is always a good sign. There are so many other items on the menu that I want to try so another visit to Genius Lounge is a must. The only reason this place doesn't get five stars is because for me, it was a little pricey for the small portions. Quality however is not lacking, and it is very evident that they prepare their food with thought, care and pride. OH! And how could I forget the Genius parfait! That was the best part! This dessert is totally unique and delicious, and our server handmade it, meticulously. He even told us (jokingly) not to yelp about it cause it takes so much work, but this dessert is too good not to share about! (sorry server guy, but you did too good of a job on our dessert!) After hearing such wonderful things from Sonia S. and Cin T. about Genius Lounge, and when LesliAnn K. said that she ate here twice in one week, I knew I had to FINALLY try Genius Lounge, and I'm really glad I did! Thanks again to my yelpy friends for steering me the right direction, once again! read more

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Totes a hidden gem in the middle of busy ole Waikiki! This place is super chill and the ambience is great! The lights are dimmed perfectly and there's both indoor and outdoor seating. It's a great place to come and chill with a couple of friends with a few drinks. When I came, I got the Mild sake sampler! Three small glasses of different types of sake for $11! The sampler had Miyasaka Yawaraka Junmai, Seitoku Junmai Ginjo, Hoyo Kura no Hana. Now, I'm no sake connoisseur, but I enjoyed the Hoyo the most. The Miyasaka had a plum flavor hint, but I enjoyed the Hoyo because I think it had the most flavor and kick to it. Now, we really came here for the fooood! The bacon kabocha and yuzu chicken! Both were phe-NOM-enal. NOM NOM NOM. I especially enjoyed the kabocha. I would definitely recommend both items! And we got free bar nuts! The service was very good and sociable. Our server was funny and made good conversation with us a couple of times. Parking is always a *bleeeeeeep* in Waikiki. There are flat rate parking structures on Seaside Ave for about $5-8. We parked in the metered parking lot across from the ABC store that you enter on Kuhio Ave. Sorry, that might be a little vague, but merrrrrrr parking sucks regardless in Waikiki! Final verdict? Genius Lounge... obviously pure genius. read more

Unfortunately, I haven't had a great experience here. I want to though. And luckily, I am willing to wait for it. In the time being though, I can't say this place is anything impressive. I know TONS of people that like/love this place... but the handful of times I have been have been simply disappointments. In my most recent visit, a group of us decided to check in, grab a drink and just hang out. Granted a group, it was later in the night; I understand busy nights can be a pain. On the other hand, treating people that walk in your front door like dip-shit tourists without any manners is appalling. We walk in and stand around for someone to help, or at least acknowledge our existence, but we got nothing, when we asked (albeit very busy) bartender if we can sit down anywhere, we were ignored. We found a few empty chairs at the bar, but were quickly yelled at, "THOSE SEATS ARE RESERVED!" as they slammed down a small black placard declaring: "RESERVED" We waited a few more minutes and no one bothered trying to help us, so as soon as we saw a table opening up, we decided to go for it. As we walked towards the table, from about 15 feet behind us a server literally screams out: "THAT TABLE IS NOT FOR YOU!" ... awwwwkwwaaarrd .. And slams down another "RESERVED" placard. Okay... how many of those damn placards you got? It's not like the lounge is that big, so you can imagine everyone decided to simultaneous stop and glare over at the newly announced dipshits declared by the unhelpful server. Yelling out what wasn't for us didn't help in wanting us to stay around, so that was my cue to leave. I rarely give places several chances to let me like them. Genius Lounge is just one of them that I WANT to like... just haven't gotten a chance to yet. I do promise however to change my experience and rating, as soon as I actually get a good experience. till then, "FIVE STARS IS NOT FOR YOU!" What I would have wanted to see was someone come up and explain the situation. Like how restaurants have hosts it would have been better to have someone to say, we're sorry, but there is a 14-hour wait, we are booked with "RESERVATIONS", we don't like you because it's our time of the month - don't take it personal, etc... Even if a server, who had the energy to scream out at us, "THAT TABLE IS NOT FOR YOU", was instead able to stop over and tell us, "give me a few minutes to help you", "Here is a sign-in sheet", "Please stand across the street so you don't bother our guests" - ANYTHING, would have been better than making potential customer feel like 'tards. read more

Honestly, not surprised. After reading a lot of other reviews, I was dying to try this place. So desperately that i drove around for 30 mins, skipped the over crowded coin stalls that were in the over crowded lot next door, and end up paying 12 bucks for a 24hr parking stall. So i start walking up the stairs and already think that its going to be packed in the place, and it was! I was lucky enough to find a seat at the corner of the bar. Right after i sit down the owner, supervisor, or man who was standing around overlooking the customers with his poker face, at the bar asked me to scoot over a seat to make room for two business women that i hadn't noticed walked through the door and i gladly oblige. I thought to myself well i paid 12 bucks for parking, might as well make the most of my time here. I immediately order the citrus pepper chicken, and the first sake sampler on the list. As I'm waiting for my food the same, owner, supervisor poker face man, is standing behind the bar munching on a pear. He offers some to the female customers who sat down beside me, right in front of me without offering any of it. So Im thinking, to myself ok they must be acquaintances of some sort. Or maybe its just because I'm not in a business suit with long hair and boobs...Note taken. The tako served there was obviously caught BEFORE the chicken because a few minutes later the same two business women are served fried tako appetizer. Ive been to bars in japan before, even the more private types that are in smaller towns. The server will always prepare a large serving of appetizer which is served to each customer one right after the other, And the server, supervisor is NOT standing behind the bar eating in front of the customers with a stern poker face on. How about talking to some customers, asking about the experience? I wasn't expecting him to try and butter me up to a date, but at least make me feel like im welcome. the FOOD: Citrus Pepper Chicken- My order comes out, and I'm quite surprised at the size of the portion. Be advised this isn't a place to gorge, for the portions are quite small. BUT i have to admit that the salt and pepper on the side did give it a an extra perfect bite. Over all best dish of the night. Kikusui Sake: Love this type of sake. Really smooth and complimented my meal well. Unagi Chazuke: I've had ochazuke several times as part of a course meal.Although i wasn't so surprised with this dish, aside from the chazuke sauce, the unagi was bite sized and similar to other unagi donburis Ive tried. SERVICE: Gotta give stars to the bartender that was serving me, he did try and help me with my order as much as possible even though it was busy, and checked on me once or twice to make sure i was doing ok. ATMOSPHERE: it was Saturday, there was a large party of people there and it was quite busy. I guess that's what your expectations should be like going there Saturday. I just imagined it to be a bit more mellow and more influences of Japanese themes. Aside from the soft lighting and distant sound of relaxing music it was overwhelmed by all the conversation taking place. Aside from the large sake selection, and citrus chicken, not really my type of place to relax and have drinks. After a mini unagi chazuke, a small portion of chicken, 3 shots of sake, a glass of Kikusui i left buzzed, still hungry, and 60 bucks out of pocket. Could probably pull a similar experience elsewhere in Waikiki but leave fuller and equally buzzed. read more

Worst service experience I've had in all of Waikiki. In early December, I walked into Genius Lounge with a friend, looking for good Japanese food, and the Yelp reviews looked really promising. We walked in and circled around trying to figure out what to do. There was no "Please wait to be seated" or "Seat yourself" sign, and none of the employees looked up to acknowledge us, so we weren't sure what to do. My friend politely asked a server who walked by if they were open for dining. The employee, who had food in his mouth, looked at my friend, looked around the room, waved his hand around, grunted making sort of a "DUH" noise, and walked away. If the food is great, it's a shame, because the people who work at this place don't know how to deal with new customers. A simple "Please seat yourself" sign printed on computer paper would have saved us the trouble of walking around confused, and would have also spared us the encounter with the rude employee. read more

This is my spot! I've been coming here almost every week (or more) for the past 2 years now and I don't think I'll ever stop :) Finding a good place to get a drink in Waikiki after work can be pretty hard, but only if you haven't been here. This is my crown jewel and here's why... Service: 5/5 Can I go higher? Yes the management has changed over the years but what place hasn't! Dave, Jasmine, Chelsea, Sam, Kimber, James, James (yes there are two!), and Marcus are super chill, funny, and always take care of my friends and I. Super generous with the drinks, I think Dave just wants to get me as drunk as possible every time I go there haha. Definitely not complaining! Atmosphere: There are two lanais with outside seating, I usually like the one right by the entrance since the seats are bigger and comfier. The bar itself is pretty small but there are 3 more tables inside as well (one large table and 2 half booths). Best part about everything? It is so clean! Not about that dive bar life, unless I'm already wasted lol. Decor matches with that of the cute boutique its connected to. You won't find a better laid back spot in Waikiki, I promise you. Drinks/Food: Cheap! My go to drink is a jameo/ginger, or a Jameson mule - both only $7! They have great wine too, according to my friends and Dave :) Happy hour here is amazing: $3 beers, $5 mixed drinks, $5 champagne?! Food is great for such a busy bar/lounge. Trust me I've tried almost everything on the menu, including the dessert platter which no one ever orders LOL. It's truly amazing. Definitely the mentaiko pasta, garlic mac and cheese pizza, chicken karage, chicken wings, prosciutto cheese bread, nachos, house popcorn (season with furikake... PRO TIP: Order some potato salad and eat it with the popcorn, you'll thank me later), and sautéed pumpkin and bacon are a must to try!!! Come here to chill or try one of their special shots (PSH, try it just do it). They close at 2AM so you have plenty of time to start your night of debauchery :) read more

I used to come here when the original owner was there...when it used to be good. So after a year, decided to try it out since found out there was a new menu and specials. But unfortunately that was a bad decision. First, was still waiting for them to open at 6:10pm. They're suppose top open from 6pm. When the staff finally came down to open up, didn't say a word, no greeting what so ever and had an attitude like he didn't want to be there. Second, the food was way off par, not like it used to be. Not surprising since most of the staff left with the original owner to work at his new place. The poke was a joke. Four pieces on a couple of tortilla chips. Cost was $3.99. But if that's the excuse, make it $7 then and make it worthwhile. Rest of the items were hit or miss, but more miss. I can understand if the food might be off, but the staff's crappy attitude already ruined it for me before I even tasted anything. read more

Let me get my thoughts in order. Parking, sake, food, staff, atmosphere. Parking: It always seems like a pain in the ass to find parking here, but a friend of mine made me privy to a simple solution: go up the parking ramp for Ohana Waikiki Malia (across the street from Genius, just before you hit Kuhio Avenue, aka IHOP parking), go to sports bar Rivals, grab a $3 beer and validation, pay just $1 for each subsequent hour of parking. Ta da! Sake: The sake menu is pretty amazing, and there are always new options to try out. Order an entire bottle and they'll bring it out a la VIP, in a fancy ice bucket with glasses. If you're "one of those," there are bottles in the $100-$200 range (Kubota Manju, omfg), but for someone like me (read: cheap), there are some great options for around $40 and $50. My go to selections are any of the Dewazakura, Otokoyama, or Hakkaisan. I need to add a note here, and it's a note from atop a soapbox. A large number of people seem to hate the idea of sake, and I understand why. If you've had hot sake before, your impression is that it tastes like turpentine-laced piss. I get it. Now drop that first impression, never order hot sake again, and get yourself a chilled glass recommended by one of the servers here. I guarantee that you'll see things are not as you previously believed. Even AVERAGE or DECENT sake is slightly fruity, uplifting, and smoother than anything. End soapbox rant. Food: The food isn't the strongest point with Genius Lounge, I'll admit. The price range is a bit high for the portions, but somehow very fitting to the type of business this is. There is a considerable imbalance in the food pricing, and you'll see some average foods costing a bit too much, while the best dishes appear to have rock-bottom prices affixed. For example, a simple katsu curry will run you $12, but by contrast, other dishes like the amazing "Ham and Cheese Platter" (it's a salumi/prosciutto, cheese, melon, dried fruit, and nuts platter) come in at a cheaper-than-fair $13. Some things I wholeheartedly recommend: the aforementioned Ham and Cheese Platter, Pasta Natto, and Yaki Edamame. Atmosphere: A place like this seems like it'd be chock full of first-generation Japanese staff, right? It's not. Instead, it's manned by a small group of laid-back, friendly local guys that know their products very well, and know how to treat their customers with the perfect balance of space and attention. The clientele is extremely varied, and it speaks to how appealing and welcoming Genius Lounge is to all of its customers. While bustling and generally pretty packed, we've always been fortunate enough to get a table, but I'd recommend calling ahead for a reservation if you can. It's a great place to relax on a third story veranda, and it's easy to chat with friends. I particularly appreciate this because I freaking hate yelling over music and other people in any environment. Overall, this is one of my recent favorite spots, and I hope everyone gets to try it out -- yes, it's worth the perilous trek into the heart of Waikiki. read more

Really disappointed with this place. Came in with a party of 5, wanting to get a drink or two to relax after a long tiring day, but after sitting down and getting carded, she asked my friends if they had any other form of identity to prove our age. Even when he presented his credit card for proof, she just proceeded to ask the rest of us for our credit cards as well. We did not know the reason why as well, but she just said she couldn't honor us if we didn't have any form of credit card with our ID even though it is a valid ID.. Rude and hope everyone will never come to place this experiencing what we did with that female server. Totally ruined our whole night! read more

I went here for a friend's bday party. There were about 10-11 people in the party. This review isn't so much for the food, because I only ordered one thing - kimchee fried rice. That was pretty good - more kimchee than rice and the kimchee was nice and spicy but not too spicy. However, my biggest complaint is the service. Perhaps it's because we were in a big party, but this was seriously the worst I've ever seen. I was there for 15 minutes when I first arrived and no server ever came to check on us. 3 of us went to the bar to order drinks because we were thirsty and did not see a server anywhere. At the bar, we waited 10 more minutes and then finally, my friend went to the end of the bar and ordered me a drink then went to the bathroom. So, that left my other friend and I at the bar waiting to make more drink orders... Why?? because no server ever came to our table... So finally someone walked by and I asked if we could order sake samplers. He kindly took our order but not until he told us 3 times that we need to just go back and sit at our table. So thankfully our drinks arrived and we were asked to place an order. After our food arrived, actually fairly quickly, we didn't see another server for the rest of the night. One guest was told that there is NO cash and carry when you're a part of the party and you cannot order drinks from the bar - you have to order it at the table.... And that is what my problem is all about,.. how do you tell someone that you cannot order a drink from the bar, only from the server, when there are no servers serving us?? And how do you force someone to be a part of a tab when they want to order a drink from the bar??? read more

I loved Genius when I first discovered it a few years back. Actually stayed at a hotel nearby so I could have easy access to this and a few other great spots. Unfortunately gone is the Japanese vibe, clientele, sake/shochu selection and their previous chefs. Instead, you're greeted by an extremely rude young lady who has no issue letting you know that things have changed for the worse, and then goes into a nice little tirade about her boss. She should have been fired on the spot. It was like I walked into my house to see other people living in it. We walked out. Very sad and a huge disappointment. read more

Nice spot on the mauka end of Lewers St. Try to get a table out on the balcony so you can people watch from the third floor. Happy Hour 6pm to 8pm and get the house sake and some appetizers. This is the perfect jump-off point for your evening! I ordered the tsukemono which is a plate of various Japanese pickled vegetables - perfect, salty and crunchy accompaniment to your smooth sake glasses. One night I splurged as I had a friend along and got a bottle of unfiltered sake, my favorite type, and it was well worth it for the atmosphere, beautiful sunset weather and gorgeous Japanese girls sitting at tables all around us...wow I miss this place already! The owners are pleasant and accommodating and patient with Japanese cuisine newbies. One of them read my tattoo, which reads "Tomorrow is tomorrow, Today is today" (an old Buddhist quote) and seemed to approve of it, ha ha. If you're anywhere in the neighborhood and have a love or an interest in Japanese food and cuisine, this is the place to go. Gyu-kaku is right up the road on the next block as well, so this would be a nice spot to sit and wait for your table over there. Go go go! Genius Lounge was chill and sophisticated. I went three times in just a little over a week! read more

Came here totally from the recommendations on yelp. Mahalo guys! Perfect spot away from the chaos. Close to the Marriott Courtyard. Decided to end the night here as happy hour is conveniently from 6-8pm. The menu is varied with Japanese favorites as well as some Italian and pasta dishes thrown in for good measure. I particularly loved the braised beef, yumsters! House sake is a winner and that is where I dwelled for most of the night. A delicious place to be. Enjoyed all this outside on the patio with views of street drama and passing critters. Place had a steady stream of patrons able to have conversations unlike many other shady bars in the area. A beautiful and clean (nice bathrooms!) jewel in an otherwise underwhelming area. Go ahead, go check 'um, now check 'um, now go.... read more

Genius lounge is awesome. This place never seems to fail me and is my go to spot for late nights. The food is really good. The cheese platter and the citrus chicken is always good. The pasta are good too. Actually most of the foods were good, never really had one that I didn't like. Most of the food are japanese style or they have a little asian twist to it. They have a good selection of drinks there too. They have serveral draft beers and the usual bottled ones, with your selection of a few Japanese imports. The sake selection is pretty large and if you like sake you will definately enjoy here. They have a sampler if you can't decided on one. They actaully have a pretty decent selection of vodka too! The staff is awesome and welcoming. They are quick and make sure your drinks are always filled. Its waikiki so parking is always the issue, but not here. They are located right next to the metered parking. So its 2 hours at a time and you can always just run down and add more quarters. On the weekends it gets really busy so get there early or you may have to stand or sit at the counter. read more

The food was great, drinks reasonable, and the staff excellent. Had the Hawaiian Ribeye and it was excellent.

OK so I told myself I probably wouldn't go back to Genius after the first less than favorable visit a few weeks ago, but a fellow yelper (Sonia S) insisted I try it again. The first visit was for a friend's birthday where we had about 15 people. When first arriving, the staff were very polite and accommodating and had an area reserved for us. The server was prompt in bringing our first round of drinks and taking an initial food order or pupu's. Once more people arrived and the place started to fill up, service was pretty awful. Our server disappeared several times and we were waiting 15-20 minutes to order drinks and food. Once we gave the server our order, the food take a long time to come out and was almost cold when it reached our table. A few of us were ready to leave before the rest of the party and asked for our checks. The server had put everything on one check and looked as if we had just killed one of his family members when he had to separate our check out from the rest of the party. Right after we paid, another person asked for their check. The man behind the register looked as if he was just junk punched and almost refused to separate their check. It was such a burden for them to cross a few drinks and food off a piece of paper as they were paid for. After this visit I said I wouldn't be back ... but I had to give it another try. Went to Genius last night with my brother and fellow Orlando yelper Mike C. It definitely wasn't busy this night since it was a Monday, but none the less I could still compare it to my first visit. We sat at the Sushi/Sake bar and was immediately greeted. Happy hour was just ending so when we said we were here to drink some Sake, a glass of Sake appeared before our eyes like friggin' magic! Let me say that I love Sake, but even more so when it is a Happy Hour special! Yummy in my tummy. We then ordered the Genius Sake Sampler consisting of Junmai "Koshiki Junzukuri", Ginjo "Dewasnsan", and Daiginjo "Yamahai". All were filled to the brim of the glass and went down just as smooth as we were told. We then went for the Connoisseur Sake Sampler consisting of Masumi "Okuden Kantsukuri", Kamoizumi "Junmai Daiginjo" and Dewazakura "Izumi Judan". All as awesome and smooth as the first tasting and again filled to the brim. This place definitely does not mess around when it comes to Sake. They have an entire refrigerator dedicated to Sake ... from the amateur to the aficionado, there is a Sake for everyone's liking. This place is guaranteed to bring out the Sake lover in just about anyone. I really want to love this place, so I'll go back, and next time bring my drinking hat and try my hand at pupu's and other delights. read more

Genius Lounge - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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My wife and I read an article in the newspaper about the up and coming cocktail scene in Honolulu and decided to check out the genius lounge. They are only open in the evenings and so we made a dinner date out of it. The lounge itself is an odd shape because the space is a converted house above a retail store. There is seating where you enter, a bar area in the middle, and then an eating area overlooking the street. We sat in the bar area and we were helped by the bartender. I had a whiskey honey drink that was very good and he made my wife a nice mocktail...best part of the whole evening..... We tried about five plates of food and everything was just ok...nothing stood out as good or fantastic. We tried the yuzu kosho chicken, kikuni pork, garlic shrimp, pumpkin bacon and the house salad. The part that ruined the evening was the staff. They badmouthed each other and the customers the whole time we were there....all in front of us and the other customers. It made for a really bad experience because we felt emabrassed for the customers and for the staff. There were no clear, defined jobs for the staff, and no apparent manager on duty. The employees just ran back and forth randomly rotating between the pass, the tables, and the bar area.....very strange. We wont be back 2 stars read more

Would I have found this place without the help of fellow yelpers? Probably not! Talk about a hidden gem in the non-resident oasis of Waikiki! I was brought to the lounge with the help of Russ and one of his great UYE's here and they have one fantastic happy hour. The prices are good and their sake selection is very impressive. Their drinks are well poured and at the prices, you really can't go wrong. The ambiance is very cute and casual. The outdoor terrace is a great casual place for a group to grab a drink and the indoor, romantically lit ambiance is great for a date or a quick drink with a friend. The staff were fantastic and very attentive. They certainly know their menu well and offered some great suggestions. I will be sure to come check this place out again! and again! and maybe again! :-) read more