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    Kani Ka Pila Grille

    3.9 (357 reviews)
    ModerateHawaiian, Bars, Seafood
    Closed 11:00 am - 9:00 pm

    Order Kani Ka Pila Grille Takeout or Delivery

    Kani Ka Pila Grille Photos

    KANI KA PILA GRILLE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Loud
    Live music
    Casual
    Touristy

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    Lauren D.

    My honest review would be 1 star for service, 4 for the taste of food. Food was delicious, but just know that it's super expensive for a pool side restaurant. For the price, I definitely expected better service. We had to wait over 30 minutes to order and 30 minutes to get our check. We were hardly checked in on the entire 3 hrs we were there, and waters were only refilled once. We wanted to order more but service was so lacking that we didn't. Food: honestly pretty tasty with unique flavors. The crispy shrimp appetizer was super yummy. The Maui onion soup was so so... not good for the price. There wasn't enough cheese. My macadamia nut crusted fish was delicious though and super filling Ambiance: its pool side, nothing fancy, but they do have nice live Hawaiian music which was enjoyable. Overall I think 3 stars is fair.

    Garlic bread
    Sam O.

    A hidden gem for great Hawaiian music 7 days a week! Make a reservation. The portion sizes are huge - one sourdough garlic cheese bread appetizer is enough for 2-3, ditto for the entrees and desserts. Music is great, and the dudes who play on most Wednesdays bring along a hula dancer or two!

    Garlic shrimp
    Jessica Y.

    One of the best meals I had while in Oahu. We walked there from our hotel so not quite sure about the parking situation. Dining is outdoors with very relaxed vibes. They had a band playing on stage during dinnertime - really nice hawaiian music. We tried the garlic shrimp, huli Huli chicken and furikake seared ahi. All the dishes were delicious. Don't regret trying this place at all. Staff was very nice.

    Cocktails: Mauka to Makai and Water's Edge
    Drew M.

    Review for drinks only, didn't order food: Our bartenders provided great friendly service. The drinks were unique and flavourful. The traditional Hawaiian live music was perfect for the resort ambiance!

    Laura C.

    We came here for drinks and app. They had live music which is why we stopped. We ordered the ahi tuna nachos, which were good but could use more of the toppings. The ratio to wonton chips was not ideal. My mule drink was good. Overall decent but nothing to rave about. Our waiter Jordan was really good tho, very attentive.

    North shore Garlic shrimp w/ mashed potato
    Tomomi S.

    Great music and very tasty food selections. It is an open, hotel restaurant so atmosphere is very casual, but could be long wait especially for the evening when there is a live music. Do make a reservation ahead of time if you want to a good seat and don't want to wait for over 1 hour which we did! Grilled shrimp was delicious! Pool of yummy garlic butter at the bottom of the plate which is peaked up with garlic mashed potatoes. But I thought the double chocolate brownie was the winner. Very chocolaty and decadent.

    Braised rib
    Kyle N.

    Food was mediocre. Service was super slow. We got seated relatively quickly with a reservation. For the price we paid for the meal. I feel like there's way better restaurants to check out in Waikiki. The only plus was the live music. It was a bit loud for dinner, it was hard to converse while the music was playing.

    Mac Nut Crusted Cauliflower
    Erin W.

    Great little spot. Casual vibe with live music and great service. I would recommend the Mac Nut Crusted Cauliflower...so good!!! Honestly one of the best things I ate all week on Oahu. We also had the Garlic Five Cheese Sourdough which was amazing! The marinara that came with it was SO good. Others in my group had the Garlic Shrimp appetizer, Hoku Bowl (poke), and the Maui Onion Burger. Everything was delicious!

    Darren Y.

    Da best place for a meal and Hawaiian music. Valet parking for 12 bucks and 4 hours which is a sweet deal for Waikiki. Come at 6 for the live music. If you're lucky you'll get an impromptu hula show

    Stephanie A.

    Sitting at the pool bar to enjoy their Mai Tai which was pretty tasty. The bartender service was friendly. Didn't get to try their food selections. But definitely be back when I'm back to the island

    Double cheese they're great!
    Greg G.

    BEST HAWAIIAN MUSIC Hawaiian OG singers every night at Cyril's place. The music and fun is like nowhere else. We went basically every night and top of the list was Ho'okena. They famous!! Really a good time. Walking by I saw the double cheeseburger, looked so good I rushed in there for lunch next day. 2 patty lettuce cheese special sauce. Pickles I think, onion. Boy was it great. Quite large but I ate the whole thing! Well worth the price which was reasonable in comparison to the restaurants around the way. Had angels envy neat and never knew how good it was. Rock candy. Excellent bourbon at a good price. See you around guys, I would eat & drink there anytime and so should you.

    Pineapple crème brûlée
    D T.

    Wonderful atmosphere, amazing fish tacos and don't pass up dessert! Best to make a reservation. Staff is courteous and the live music is the Hawaiian experience.

    Drinks
    Stacy F.

    Excellent atmosphere, drinks, & service. The drinks were yummy. We had the Blue Coconut & Water's Edge. The calamari & pork belly bao were both delicious and super filling.

    Live entertainment

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    9 days ago

    Our server was incredibly rude and dismissive, made ordering very unpleasant. The mango smoothie was great.

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    Kani Ka Pila Grille Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Kani Ka Pila Grille

    Do they take reservations?

    They do, but the place is big enough that they aren't necessary

    Where do you park?

    Valet is free with validation. I just tip 5 bucks.

    View All 3 Questions

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    4.2
    (1.4k reviews)
    0.4 mi
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    Great service and yummy food... Tucked away at the Laylow…read morehotel, is a chill restaurant with fun Hawaiian vibes. We started our vacation with dinner at the Hideout, and upon entering you could immediately hear live music. We received a warm welcome, and brought over to our booth where our server Kai was quick to greet us. We ordered cocktails (I don't remember the name of mine. It's something spritz, and my husband tried the banana bread old fashioned) and we shared the appetizer platter (brussel sprouts with pork belly, kalua pork egg rolls, poke tacos, and edamame)to share. We also ordered the garlic shrimp dumplings. Everything was super tasty. Lots of other items on the menu that I want to try during another visit to the island.

    I loved finding this spot! I looked at the coffee situation at my hotel (Hilton Garden Inn) and the…read morelack of anything but powered creamer (yuck) so immediately went on the hunt for something better. I initially tried the bakery directly across the street at the International Marketplace, but they didn't open until 7am. I began to walk towards a distant Starbucks I found on Google and noticed an active escalator and signage pointing towards the open Hideout at the Laylow. Advertising local coffee, I immediately took the ride upstairs and was greeted by two young ladies full of smiles and Aloha spirit! Being summertime and hot (even at 6am) I ordered a large iced latte and decided to drink it on their large open lanai. I'm glad I did. The breezes up there were perfect and watching the daylight get brighter with local birds chirping and fluttering about made for a very nice wake-up! This became my go-to stop every morning of my visit! I only ordered breakfast once and kept it low-carb so I had cheesy eggs and Portuguese sausage. Perfect and hit the spot. If staying at the Laylow (Marriott product) or close by, I'd recommend this as your morning wake-up as well! Enjoy!

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    Bar
    Bar
    Wonton Poke Tacos are great! Especially during happy hour.
    Wonton Poke Tacos are great! Especially during happy hour.
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    The Lei Stand Waikīkī

    The Lei Stand Waikīkī

    4.4
    (46 reviews)
    0.5 mi
    Boutique
    Locally owned & operated

    Located on the bottom floor of the Romer House (on the left of the Lobby)…read more I stopped in just for a drink before dinner. Unlike the Chinatown location, this place is smaller but very intimate. Since it just opened when I got there I cant tell you what kind of people relax here. I liked it as its quiet and calm. Ill have to go back to sample there food and update my review later.

    Sadly I hoped I could give it a better review but since moving from the downtown venue to Waikiki I…read morejust couldn't. Located in a hotel called The Romer on Nāhua Street in Waikiki off of Kuhio (closer to Ala Wai Canal) it is a smallish unpretentious looking building on Diamond Head side of Nahua. They have valet stand in front and validate parking for up to 3 hours. The valet wasn't very friendly when we walked towards him and usually they hold the door open but this one did not. We realize he's probably not part of Lei Stand staff but it doesn't make a good first impression. Walk into the lobby and directly to your left is the Lei Stand. It is brightly neon but dark if that makes sense, and very small. If you're a fan of when it used to be on Bethel St downtown then you'll be disappointed with this venue. No view to be had, dark drapes cover the windows (we were there at 6:00 pm) and no cute little lanai or garden. Tiny tables either high tops or rounds - maybe 10 total and a small bar. There was one tiny corner booth. The lost star was for this set up but also another lost star for NO MUSIC. Music is such an important part of a place especially a bar so we were disappointed and appalled there was only silence. Bartender said the music was "broken" so we turned on our phones to get something on our table. Then two girls brought in something to light the place up with some tunes so that helped. The final lost star was it is called The Lei Stand yet there wasn't a lei stand inside the place. When we asked the bartender where it was he didn't even know what a lei was. Then we explained to him and he said it is in the hotel lobby but you have to go to front desk to let them know you wish to purchase one. Another disappointment. Thank goodness I bought her a lei from downtown in case they didn't have any. The good stars ... Star 1 goes to the drink menu and how delicious they tasted. "Rub up on my belly" was beautifully prepared and so delicious I had to have another one lol I mean how could I refuse a second guava jam infused Tito's vodka??? Bartender prepared with cute little garnish and an ice stick to keep it cold! He was very nice and took good care of us. My friend opted for the "Clifton's Curse" - yes there's a back story to this drink- and enjoyed the cognac, absinthe, bitters and sherry concoction! Ono! Star 2 goes to the food or "nibbles" as they call it. Taro chips and crack dip were yum and a nice handful of chips not too much and not too little. Hurricane fries - to die for! Plenty of furikake, parmigiano reggiano and spicy aioli. The girls who brought our food were very nice and made sure we had what we needed to enjoy, bringing us waters too. They also had a smash burger for $25 but we had dinner rez later so didn't want to indulge but it looked good. It might be cute if you wanted to do a private party here and I noticed a room across with a beautiful large table set up for a private dinner - not sure if part of hotel or bar.

    Photos
    The Lei Stand Waikīkī
    The Lei Stand Waikīkī
    The Lei Stand Waikīkī

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    Mai Tai Bar

    Mai Tai Bar

    3.9
    (1.1k reviews)
    0.3 mi
    $$$

    4.5 stars, but since we can't give half star ratings, I'm boosting to 5…read more During our August/September, 2023 trip to Oahu, DJ and I stayed at The Royal Hawaiian Hotel in Waikiki and were given a "Celebrate" card to enjoy a free toast of champagne, wine, beer, or soft drink at either the Mai Tai Bar or Malulani Pool. We decided to go to the bar for some bites and sips on the afternoon of September 9. The legendary Mai Tai Bar in the iconic "Pink Palace," as The Royal Hawaiian is also known, is where "Trader Vic" Bergeron first introduced to the islands Hawaii's signature drink in 1953. Located just steps away from Waikiki Beach, the oceanfront bar is a festive, postcard-perfect setting for enjoying the beach scene while sipping on delicious umbrella drinks and snacking on yummy appetizers with music playing. We arrived at the beachfront bar shortly after 3:30 PM and found no issue with immediately finding a table where we could enjoy the view. Although their mai tais are consistently voted the best in Hawaii by the readers of Hawaii Magazine, we didn't order the iconic cocktail. Below are what we had instead: HONOLULU BEERWORKS ROYAL SUNSET ($11) - As mentioned earlier, I was given a "Celebrate" card for me "and a guest [who were] cordially invited for a toast to celebrate at the Mai Tai Bar or Malulani Pool...[with] champagne, house wine by the glass, beer by the pint, or a soft drink." Since I couldn't redeem the card for my PINK PALACE, the waiter traded the card for this pink hued beer for DJ. I can't remember if he was given two glasses or just one for the card. Hopefully, he was given a couple on the house since you can't toast with just one...and the invitation was for two. PINK PALACE ($18) - When at the Pink Palace, you must order this famous, creamy, and vibrant tropical namesake HAND CRAFTED COCKTAIL. I enjoyed this fruity twist on the classic Piña Colada, featuring a splash of grenadine to give it the signature bright pink hue that matches the iconic Pink Palace resort. TZATZIKI BEET HUMMUS ($16) - Following the colour theme, this beet hummus was vibrantly pink. The roasted beet purée with the dollop of cucumber, dill yogurt was a refreshing dip accompanied with pita bread. BLT SALAD ($25) - This bowl of greens appeared to be small in portion size, but I was pleasantly surprised to be filled up by it. I also appreciated that the honey bacon steak was lean. Very ono. Service was friendly and informative. Prices were a bit steep, but worth it since you also pay for the scenery and ambiance. This is the Royal Hawaiian Hotel afterall. A very convenient and obvious choice when you are staying at the Pink Palace like we were.

    During a kayak from Ala Moana to Kaimana stopped here for lunch and what a treat. Great food, nice…read moreportions, great outdoor area and supa friendly service. Couldn't finish all my ahi katsu sando so took it for dinner. Didn't hurt we had kama'aina hookup:

    Photos
    Bar Seating
    Bar Seating
    Beef short rib ragu pasta
    Beef short rib ragu pasta
    White Wash Mai Tai.

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    White Wash Mai Tai.

    Kani Ka Pila Grille - hawaiian - Updated June 2026

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