Hawaii Beer Fest is always a good time. I've been to almost every one of them and I am not even a…read morebeer drinker! It's just a fun time with friends, sampling unlimited beers, seltzers and hard kombuchas (yes I said unlimited). You get a small beer cup that you can refill at whichever vendor you want to try. You definitely get your moneys worth with the amount of beer selection they have. They will also usually have an exclusive beer at the beer fest. This year they had a collab with Beer Lab and created an ube beer which was awesome. Not only is there beer but there are tons of food vendors to go along with your beer. From pickled onions to Texas style bbq. I always love getting the "rim job" from Rim Lickah which is where they add chamoy around the rim of your glass for $1. Unlimited beer, good food, live music... what more could you ask for!? I highly recommend checking out their next beer fest at the Bishop Museum in June! Get VIP if you want to have early access!

Parking $20. Event very poorly executed…read more This was our first beer fest at bishop museum. It was a rainy night and while we were prepared, it was cold, drizzling, windy and poorly executed. No maps, no idea what is being served, no nothing. Lines were long, not moving at all, no guides, and just overall crowded. Most people stood around blocking lines so it wasn't clear who was in line or not. They should have separate the mingle area and not have them blocking lines to get the beer. Food choices were ok but again, poorly executed as some vendors were making it to order and wait times were just long. One vendor was more prepared than most but overall the food wait times were poor as well. Think about this, long beer lines, long food lines, and it's raining. I got 1 beer, 2 food items and just left. Tents should have been spread out more, vendors who wasn't there should have shut down the tent, and should have have a general mingle area. It was so bad that I don't know how people would do it wait in the rain 15 to 20 minutes for a shot of beer. I don't recommend this at all.

Big mahalo to Staci and her team for this fun Yelp elite event! I've been to SKY Waikiki several…read moretimes for happy hour on their balcony which I've always enjoyed but it was nice to get a different experience in a different part of their venue in the back bar/club area. The space is very spacious and gave us plenty of room to mingle and roam around. Started off the evening by getting checked in and picking out an adorable yelp tamagotchi pet - such a cute idea and kind gesture from Yelp! Through the evening we enjoyed refreshing margaritas from the bar and delicious birria tacos from La Birria. SKY partners with La Birria for late night tacos which is such a cool way to support local businesses together. The Management team also shared details about their seafood (p.s. if you haven't tried their oysters it's a must!) which is imported from Japan and their steaks that have the best value on island. Additionally, I learned they just started an omakase that also had a really great value - $120 for 15 courses - Wow! The omakase is held in their back speakeasy area which we got to view, the space is intimate and well designed. Overall had a fun night socializing, enjoying the venue, and swooning over the amazing views during sunset.

SKY Waikiki definitely lives up to its name…read more Yelp Elite were treated to tacos and drinks. Plus, we were given a cool Tamagotchi-type Yelp swag. The new late-night La Birria menu was good. The birria tacos were great and served fresh right off the grill. It's a pity there was no consommé to dip them in. The staff did a good job throughout the event. Even with a full house of Yelp Elites, everyone was friendly and welcoming, and they kept everything running smoothly. Sara spoke about the hidden bar and a good Omasake deal they got going on, which is $130 a person. We did a tour right before the announcement. The manager, Manny, spoke about the deals they have going on at SKY Waikiki Raw & Bar, which runs a daily happy hour from 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM, featuring drink deals, bite-sized raw bar selections, and small plates priced under $15. He talked about being the former manager for Wolfgang Puck, and my wife's ears perked up to hear about the good deals on steak. He managed to get a deal for the restaurant and get the customers to reap the benefits. An amazing steak at an affordable price! We walked on over after the event and enjoyed the view, the impeccable service, live music, the sunset, my wife, that steak dude; bruh, it was a night to be had. Marvin, thanks for the extra happy ending that night ;) Yessah! Whether you're looking for a sunset dinner, cocktails with an amazing view, or a late-night taco spot, live music, or a dancing scene, SKY Waikiki delivers. I'll definitely be back to enjoy the views again! It was nice to see familiar Yelp friends and make new ones. Thank you to SKY Waikiki, Sara, Manny, Yelp Honolulu, and CM StacieLi for hosting such a great event!

This year people could pay with cash or credit card. It's a good thing they didn't have the tickets…read morelike they did last year. Last year it was hard to figure out how many tickets to buy. The gyros was tasty and the line moves quickly. They still ran out of baked goods. The vegetarian baklava is tasty even though they don't use butter. They didn't even have the regular baklava to purchase when I went to the baked goods section. The lemon sorbet was a bit disappointing since they told me it comes with two scoops and when I got it it only had a tiny scoop. They said oh, only comes with one scoop. The scoop didn't even fill half of the plastic container. I liked the fact one could purchase portions of the entrees in the cafeteria area. The moussaka by itself was just what I wanted for $5.00. It didn't seem as crowded a previous years. I think there was a UH football game that night. I'm glad it didn't rain too much while I was there. Nice time listening to music and going Greek.

The Greek fest was full of music, food and culture. Several areas to get home made Greek food…read more They selection of Greek beverages oz, beer and wines. Greek desserts and some merchandise. There was a live band on the main stage and performances in the small theater. There was a eclectic variety of people, children and a few pets. There was a happy and friendly atmosphere. Everyone sat at the table is enjoying their meals and listening to the beautiful music. There was some line dancing and I am problems and problems stational dancing to the beautiful music. Military, With military ID it's free admission The food plates and dessert range from $3 to $14.

I always try to go every year with my dad as a tradition to watch the spotlight on Asia movies at…read moreHIFF. Really love how it is at Kahala Theater now because Dole is kind of sketchy not gonna lie.... With the newly renovated theater I'm glad that they choose to hold HIFF here. My only issue is that if you are not quick to get your tickets everything is literally sold out... Make sure to make your decision on what movies to watch because those seats get sold fast.

HIFF hosts so many amazing films each year and I've been very lucky to see several films the last…read morefew years at theaters. Each year, HIFF also hosts a special summer film series at Prince Waikiki. I went last year and there were a couple Hawaiian based films that were interesting. Yesterday, I was able to experience the official showing of Songs of Love from Hawai'i by Jinyoung Lee Won at Prince Waikiki. It was an incredible moving documentary about the history of Korean American immigrants in Hawaii. Beautiful music. It's a must see. 53 minutes long. There was a Q&A at the end which was interesting to learn how she came up with idea of the film. There will be a few showings of the film upcoming fall if you are interested in September & October. Can't wait to see what other amazing films come to fruition next year!

Mango jam was fun on a hot summer day! It was the official first day of summer and boy was it hot!…read moreActually, I don't like mango and I'm semi allergic to it but I went for fun and to socialize cause I'm a little anti! There's lots of free parking sorta- just drive around and something will pop up lol! Just remember if you went up or down the stairs when you exit the structure. I sometimes tend to forget where I parked. They didn't have a lot of vendors there but it was a good amount. A lot of the food places were small businesses that probably has a food truck or small store front. A lot of the places I didn't recognize but some of them had looonnnggg lines which made me a little hungry. They had really good entertainment and had pure heart play one song (without jake) but wow such nostalgia! I was like wow that's my jam .. in high school -_-;; Anyway if you go keep hydrated cause it's hot and you can easily overheat. They do have some water dispensers and some fancy porta potty. I even came here and stumbled across the dachshund group meet up. My baby boy met some of his own people sorta. Well he wasn't very interested to be honest. He was probably like this place is too hot. I didn't get to look at everything cause like I said the line was too long for food so it took up some time. It also closed at 9p so most stuff shut down. We just hung around and let everyone leave first so we don't get stuck in the parking lot getting out.

Better than expected!…read more This is the 4th Mango Jam in Honolulu. It has been held annually on the grounds between City Hall (aka Honolulu Hale) and the Frank Fasi Municipal Building where City Offices are located. This festival can be compared to the 626 Night Market in Los Angeles, but better! Why? 1. Because there's FREE parking - enter from Beretania Street and follow the signs. 2. Because there's FREE admission - just pay the vendors for food, clothing, jewelry, tote bags, etc. that you may see/like/want/buy... 3. Because there's LIVE entertainment by local groups such as Kapena and Kalapana! (Free concert!) 4. Because there are interesting food options - some are inspired by mangoes! This year, we sat under the Ohana Tent which had many folding chairs and a clear view of the stage. (Other attendees sat on blankets in front of the stage.) On my way to the Ohana Tent, I passed by some of the vendors and won a water bottle from the Spectrum booth! Also, I got a fan with the program printed on it from the Information Booth; and a tote bag with a mango print that was distributed during Mayor Kirk Caldwell's appearance! Fresh mango fruit was also being offered to the crowd! Score! This was a fun event, sponsored by the Mayor's Office of Culture and Arts! It's awesome! Thank you Mr. Mayor and our City and County of Honolulu! See you again next year!

If you love Mangoes, this event is for you! I attended the evening event titled Mangolicious Sunset…read moreReception which featured 10 chefs & 3 mixologists. All of the dishes were very tasty but my favorite was the mango fried chicken from chef Leanne Wong. For me, it had the perfect balance of texture (crispy fried chicken vs. mango bits) and flavor (savory & sweet). My bf voted for the pipikaula from chef Jason Schoonover of 12th Ave. Grill. He said that the mango chili pepper water won him over. We tried all of the mango cocktails & my favorite was the sassy lassi (Kula Dark Rum, mango puree, honey, coconut water, lime, spices) from mixologist Jesse Suderman. My bf's favorite was the mango-cillin (whiskey, scotch, mango purée, lemon juice, ginger syrup) from mixologist Micah Suderman. There were silent auction items for bid where proceeds benefitted the KCC culinary program. Free parking with validation at Princess Kaiulani hotel across the street.

Eh? You like mango? Go buy den! Buwahahahaha! Nah, I just kidding…read more....... Well, I really do like mango.........and yes, I bought mango today! Well sorta........more like bought food that incorporated mango in the various dishes. This wonderful fruit (mango) was utilized in desserts, drinks, & of course the main entree! Various well know island chef demonstrated their culinary skills on using the mango to make their wonderful dishes! A few of the well known celebrity chefs that were here today were - 1. Lee Anne Wong - Koko Head Cafe 2. Ronnie Nasuti - Tiki's Bar & Grill 3. Carolyn Portuondo - Royal Hawaiian Hotel 4. Michelle Karr-Ueoka - MW Restaurant 5. Hiroyuki Mimura - Taormina 6. Ed Kenney/Maggie King - Town 7. Andy Reagan - Morimoto Waikiki 8. Mark Noguchi - Pili Group/Mission House If I'm correct, this was the 8th annual mango festival at the Moana Hotel in Waikiki. I read my Yelp buddy - Lyla D's review last year, as she went here back in 2015, and when I saw this event again........I knew it was my time to check this festival out! The event was held at the beautiful Moana Surfrider Hotel, and as you go there you will see three large banners featuring this Mango Festival Event. At the event, they had vendors who sold various types of mangoes at the Mango Farmer's Market, as well as other vendors who sold items related to this event. At the event, there was also a silent auction where you can bid for various items, like dining at a fine dining restaurant, or a hotel stay at a luxury hotel, and also bidding on some expensive booze. I believe the Mango Festival event is free to look at, but if you wanna sample da grindz...........you gotta pay by buying some food tickets. There were two ways that you can buy the food tickets............you can buy your food tickets at the door for $6.00 smackaz a piece, or you can be akamai (smart) like me, where I purchased the tickets on-line (go to - HonoluluBoxOffice.com to buy the tickets)..........If you buy on-line, you get 10 tickets for $48.00 smackaz (which comes out to $4.80 per ticket), but you gotta buy 10 tickets in increment. All proceeds will benefit the Culinary Institute of the Pacific at Kapiolani Community College, so it's for a good cause. Parking - Free Parking if you park at the Sheraton Princess Kaiulani Hotel. All you have to do is take your parking ticket with you, and as you get to the Mango Festival event, just get a validation at the registration table when you pick up your food tickets. The event ran from 8:00 AM to 2:00 PM on Saturday July 15, 2016, and I must say.............. it was the perfect day to have this event, as we were blessed with wonderful weather today! Nothing like a beautiful day in Hawaii nei............and to top it off, you get to pig out on mango!!!! Oink, oink, oink!!! Lol!

This summer was SO hot. The Bon Dances, even at night were also pretty hot. The Nichiren Mission…read moreBon Dance was tolerable in the summer heat because Nuuanu is cooler than other parts of the island. The lush green mountains that surround Nichiren make it very picturesque, too. This year was the first time I've been to this particular Bon Dance. It's the same turn as Oahu Country Club. Parking was pretty difficult, but they offered a shuttle to and from a parking lot somewhere else. We got there right as the dancing started, but we were hungry, so we decided to get food first. The food was pretty good. They had curry, edamame rice, shoyu pork, fried noodles and chili rice. They also had baked goods that sold out an hour and a half after the event started. The dancing was fun. They played mostly recordings and there were a lot of dances I've never done before. I'd come back to this bon dance in the future. It's smallish and the grounds are really pretty. There's a lotus pond in the back.

Who doesn't love Bon Dance Season? The food, games, dancing, culture, and near complete lack of…read moreneed to plan anything for a night out makes for an excellent time. The Nichiren Mission partakes in the July to September long series of bon dances statewide. The 2017 bon dance here are similar to the other dances with food, children's games (and prizes), dances, etc, but this location is much prettier, with more options than most bon dances. I say more options as they included lantern lighting in the koi pond, a large rummage sale, and extensive food and drink options. Most bon dances don't have a crepe station, or an entire tent dedicated to made to order fruity cold drinks. The Mission itself at the time is decorated with lights and hanging lanterns creating an enjoyable atmosphere with lots of options for photography. Parking is particularly bad on site as the lot is small and it's in residential area without much legal street parking. The Mission does host parking elsewhere in the valley and shuttle people to the site, but there is street parking in the residential areas across the Pali highway. Also, because it's in upper Nuuanu, the temperature is much cooler and enjoyable than the more urban bon dances. There are clean bathrooms on site. No idea if they're gender neutral, so call if that's important to you. The dance itself is standard with the regular same songs (I don't understand Japanese, but starting to memorize the beat and rhythms, I'm so going to get haunted by my Chinese grandmother for that I just know it) and mix of expert dances with novices. The food options for 2017 included braised Asian style pork, chicken curry, chicken yakiutori, the ubiquitous chili and rice, a sweet crepe, baked goods including cookies, fresh mochi, etc. Food options are script paid, where rummage sale accepts cash. I initially thought this was going to be one of the smaller ones with not much to do besides eat and dance, but I think it's been the most enjoyable bon dance out of the five I've been to this year as the location is temperate and beautiful, food is good and affordable, and decent parking is available in the area or via the shuttle service.

Products made by moms, but if you aren't a mom, don't worry, there are plenty of products for you…read moretoo! Tshirts, jewelry, purses, artwork, candles, granola, etc. There is a lot of space for strollers and wild childs like my twin sons to run around. The Yelp booth has crayons and paper placemats for kids to color to their heart's content. Tomorrow (Sunday) is the last day, so If you haven't gotten your tickets yet, head on down and buy them at the door and support your local mommy vendors! Much mahalos to Yelp for the free tickets!

I was so excited to receive free Yelp admission for my daughter and I to attend the Mom Made Market…read more... Mahalo Yelp :) I hadn't been to the Convention Center before so I wasn't sure what to expect ... it was big, clean, and easy enough to navigate. Glad the tickets were free because parking is a $10 flat rate. The room was huge and the market took up half the space .... lots of room for many more vendors next year :) I specifically went to visit the Milolii Love, Storybook Entertainment & Shaklee booths ... www.MiloliiLove.com www.healthyliving808.com www.storybookhawaii.com ( see pics.) Was impressed and inspired by all these talented Mom's ... very nice and beautifully presented products ! My daughter enjoyed pics with the Princesses, crafting at the Yelp booth and eating some delicious Macaroons :) We spent about a hour browsing around and look forward to next year :)