The moment I stepped in, Kirin Chinese Restaurant felt like a celebration of Chinese cuisine in Hawaii. It's easily the best Chinese food I've had on the islands, and the experience left me impressed from start to finish. The dishes were consistently delicious, with vibrant flavors, quality ingredients, and thoughtful preparation. Each bite showcased balance and artistry typical of standout Chinese dining. Star dishes stood out for their aromatic profiles and generous portions. A few favorites offered comfort with a refined touch, elevating familiar favorites to something memorable. The menu seems well-curated to deliver both classic staples and chef-driven specials. Attentive, friendly, and efficient without hovering. The staff anticipated needs, explained menu options with enthusiasm. The timing between courses was spot-on, keeping the meal flowing smoothly. The staff's knowledge about each dish enhanced the overall dining experience. The dining room was inviting, comfortable, and suitable for both casual dinners and special occasions. Given the quality and portion sizes, the value felt very fair for Hawaii's dining scene. Kirin stands out as a top-tier Chinese restaurant in Hawaii, delivering extraordinary food and warm, professional service. If you're craving authentic flavors executed with care and flair, this is a must-visit. read more

My husband and I came to Waikīkī and made the cardinal mistake of not making dinner reservations anywhere. We went out to have dinner and realized everywhere had an incredibly long wait time. We remembered passing Kirin and the menu looked good so I called to ask if they had a long wait. I was happy to hear there was no wait so we walked over and were immediately sat at a table. We eat Chinese food a lot and was happy to be back in a familiar environment. Our waitress was very kind and funny and the food was very tasty! The only issue we had is we felt there could have been a bit more chicken in the sweet and sour chicken. We ordered the 6-piece dim sum plate, hot tea, BBQ fried rice, and the sweet and sour chicken. Had we had known about the chicken we would have ordered a bit more food because we left a tad hungry still. We would still recommend this place! read more

The plus is the staff is friendly and very attentive.food comes out fast.portions are a bit on the small side for Chinese,it's almost like a Thai restaurant in portions if your from California.i didn't take any food pics because they didn't really stand out on the table. We order the Mongolian beef which was tasty but salty to our standards as we don't eat much salt. Next dish was the chicken and seasonal greens which was ok and the last was beef chowfun with gravy or "wet chowfun" I'm not mentioning the dmsum due to the fact that I didn't taste any of it To be fair,we're from the Bay Area ca and we are around alit of Asian restaurants so our standards are kinda high.in a pinch and your craving Asian food they'll do.. So we ordered two of the d sum combo Mongolian beef Chicken with seasonal vegetables Beef chowfun Came to $147 and some change before tax and tip read more

Family friendly Chinese restaurant in the Hyatt. Staff was very friendly and service was fast! The food was super good. There have dim sum and lots of variety. Good dinner spot if you're craving Chinese when staying in Waikiki! Parties of 6 or more will include gratuity fyi. read more

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Who flies all the way to Hawai'i and their first meal is Chinese? Me. I've been dying for a great hot and sour soup and this place certainly delivered. We were eating quickly and the service was fast. Place gets busy fast so you know their food is good. I ordered the cup knowing that I'd probably be the only one eating it and it was devoured. I really like the hot tea and their peaking duck. But what got me was that soup! Fully thick, flavorful, and never dull. Everything was delicious. read more

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Great service-Authentic Food! My mom said the Beef Chow Fun was the best she had. Noodles were bouncy and beef was tender. We order 2 other dishes - salt and pepper pork chops and the Peking duck- crispy skin and the pancakes were freshly made . Great meal all around read more

We've been to this place several times before and it never disappoints. The place is always busy and there is plenty of seating. We didn't make reservations this time and was lucky that it wasn't busy yet so we were able to sit down right away. We ordered the chicken and shrimp fried rice, the Mongolian beef, and the Spicy dumplings. The beef was tender and tasty, not too spicy, the fried rice was cooked perfect with plenty of shrimp and chicken, and the dumplings were not too spicy, cooked perfect, and very tasty. The service is always great there and If you like Chinese food, then you will have to try this place out. read more

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I ams such a fan of KIRIN! I booked this restaurant to host a dinner for some friends - and this restaurant delivered everything perfectly. Located on the busy Kalakaua Ave in Waikiki, Kirin has easy access and totally walkable when you're visiting Waikiki. We made a reservation at 6pm and were seated promptly in the banquet room (with three other tables). As we had a large party, we ordered a variety of dishes, including their famous Taisan Crab... and Let me tell you - it is SOOO GOOD!! and is a must order!! Other dishes were also delish and on point. The service is fast and efficient here, and super friendly. They did not miss a beat in refilling our tea or changing our plates. So happy to have found Kirin!! Highly recommended!! read more

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I have walked passed this place sooooo many times. Never going inside because my son has special needs and can't walk down those stairs...Finally saw that they have a stair lift for any wheelchair people. FINALLY!!!! We took that stair lift down and we finally made it here for dinner. Salt and pepper pork chop was sooo delicious Honey walnut shrimp creamy sweet and crunchy Dim sum with a little shoyu hit the damn spot And the duck. Mannn was that some juicy flavorful Duck. We absolutely enjoyed our meal here and left content. Service was spot on! They check on you many times, your water is always full. It's a louder environment perfect for big groups and families. If you're in Waikiki wanting some Chinese definitely make your way down those stairs. Worth it. read more

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Amazing Ambiance, The food was so delicious, we made a reservation and was seated as soon as we arrived! The service was great too, they checked up on us alot. read more

Kirin Restaurant - Seafood Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

I think no star is most appropriate. Not only quality is bad but portion is like for 1 person sized? Panda Express hands down better quality 10 times over. Bad rep for the real "Kirin Seafood" - premier cuisine in BC Canada. Definitely very disappointed. read more

Bbq pork bun - old school style - sooooooooooo good - made from scratch not box bun - like difference between aunt jemima and scratch pancakes ! Dim Sum is solid- restrooms clean! minus one star for the non Malaysian steamed cake certainly NOT Malaysian ! read more

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It's a beautiful Tuesday. 7/29/25 My coworkers and bosses had a meeting to attend to, and we had eaten at a Kirin in Restaurant . I would say about five of us in that group had not ever been to Karen, but this would be my first time coming to the restaurant and especially with a seating that was reserved for our group. There was about 11 of us.... If you would read the review prior to this one off of me having a vegetable soup there and they were groups this is the appropriate time for people like my group that I work with to have a meeting at a place like this it was a great settings.... The option to have our group in this particular space was very fortunate our table had the circular movable table.. so that if people wanted to pour their own Tea they could do that. I quickly really want to mention that the tea is exceptional. If you come to this restaurant, please remember to order tea or at least as the waitress or waiter to give you a tea because the TV is very delicious. It is a jasmine tea, very fragrant, and very delicious.... But it's OK. If you don't drink tea you don't have to order it. Also, the mustards in the condiments were in the middle so we could just move that little table in the circular table in order for everyone to have the reach of the continents... This particular menu was very easy because our company works within a Waikiki so we were able to take it vantage of what's called their discount menu it is not offer to anybody it is offered to anybody working in and around in Waikiki that radius deals with any hotel that's inside of Waikiki. They will honor a person who's coming in for lunch and give you the special price. I'm not gonna tell that special price because it would be killing it for everyone Who goes there and he's not working in Waikiki so if you are working in Waikiki, you can get the special discount I'm just gonna say it is literally under 20 bucks... One of the options that I could've gone with was the tofu / mopo.. but I stuck with the Kung pao beef... it does come with a dessert and it does come with a small bowl of egg drop soup and it also comes with pork shumai-- yes, all of this is offered inside of that menu for that price of under 20 bucks when you are an agent that works inside of Waikiki at a hotel... Let me mention again you must be working within a Waikiki in order to get this discount and it is exceptionally awesome if you can see the picture that I just posted for July 29. You'll see a picture of my. Kung Pao beef with rice... Thank you Kirin Restaurant-- four yet again, an exceptionally awesome lunch, and I would have to say that nearly half of everyone at this meeting for the company I work with took home there, pork shumai on the other hand. I ate my neighbors shumai and I ate my own I was really hungry that day, so I am very pleased and I'm very happy with the service and with the service of the waitress that helped us.... Thank you... And if you work in Waikiki and you're reading this review, please remember to eat there. That discount is exceptionally awesome to take advantage of you won't be dissatisfied. pin it and go as often as you can the options are really good! read more

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Had a great experience tonight with a large group! I am vegan and although I did not confirm with the server that the dishes I ordered were fully 100% plant based, I really enjoyed. I got a mango colada, veggie spring rolls, and the braided tofu with mushrooms. The drink was refreshing and the veggie spring rolls were really crunchy. The sauce on the braided tofu was phenomenal and it was perfectly cooked, soft in the middle with a nice bite on the outside, and the mushrooms were great. I didn't try anything else at our table (they have lazy Susans at some of them for larger groups!), but the consensus seemed to be that the food qas phenomenal. Server was very prompt and attentive. Interior is nothing special, but the location is awesome and right in the heart of Waikiki! Recommend. read more

They advertise crab as their specialty and when we arrived they had zero crabs. It's more of an annoyance than anything, especially they had table signage of their crabs everywhere. The place was dead and looked so run down. Definitely, has gone down over the years. I would avoid this place. There are better options. read more

Kirin's Seafood - 3 Stars Let's start with the obvious: it's pricey. My solo lunch ended up totaling around $180 with gratuity, which felt steep--especially for a midday bite. That said, if you're coming here, the Dungeness crab is a must. They only had larger sizes available when I visited (about 3 lbs), which ran me $107, but the crab was fresh, flavorful, and definitely a highlight. I also tried the spring rolls--crispy, hot, and well-fried, but not exactly unforgettable. The seafood fried rice was solid, but I really wish they offered half portions. As a solo diner, it felt wasteful to leave so much behind when the dish only came in one large size. The atmosphere is old-school and authentic. You can tell it's a local staple from the steady flow of guests. However, the vibe didn't quite match the price point. Service was polite but impersonal, with a shared approach among staff that kept things moving, though it lacked a personal touch. All in all, I'm glad I tried it. The crab was worth the splurge, but I wouldn't rank this among my top 10 spots. I could see it being a fun spot to visit with friends when you're craving crab--but for me, it's a been-there-done-that type of stop. read more

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We went here for lunch. Everything tastes great. The abalone should have been tenderized more but the taste was pretty good, especially the sauce. I guess they stewed it. Service was good too. Their manager was very thankful and sweet . The manager even gave me her business card. Ambiance, not too crowded at all. It was situated inside a mall, you have to use stairs (guess, they were in the basement). Comfortable though and not too crazy noisy. We had the mushroom and egg drop soup, Shumai, dumpling mixed vegetables fried rice and honey sesame chicken. Everything tasted so great. The food was not oily at all. read more

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Didn't know this place was well known in Honolulu. Lots of famous people dined here in the past. Everything we ordered was fantastic, we ordered several dishes to share with family. I didn't capture all the picture because food kept me off from the phone. They have great courteous service. I think it is one of the best places on the island to have authentic Chinese food. You will not be disappointed by their quantity and quality of food. read more

I've been to many Chinese restaurants in different places, but this place was amazing! The food was phenomenal and most authentic to Chinese cuisine. Most importantly Amy's service was impeccable and kind. I highly recommend this place if you're ever in the area. read more

Plenty of seating, was seated right away! Excellent and attentive service! Had the dim sum sampler and that hit the spot! I will probably just stick with the shrimp and seafood dim sum next time tho, they were my favorites! Also had the honey glazed walnut shrimp, so delectable! It is a rich dish tho, so had to get in a little exercise at the beach to work it off :)! The pepper wagyu steak was very tender, but I would have liked a little more to flavor, still great tho! Definitely coming back again! read more

Kirin Restaurant - Seafood Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Nothing like dining in Honolulu. Especially when toy are craving fresh seafood. I saw online that Kirin had this whole lobster dish on the dinner menu. I had to try it. They showed me the lobster before serving it. It is lively and kicking. The dish came out 20 or so minutes later. The sauce was delicious. You could those awesome Chinese spices and the lobster was so fresh. My only two comments is that rice should have been included with dish especially when the dish is over $20 and this dish was $140. Servers could have been a little friendlier. They seemed a little cold especially if you asked one of them to bring something as simple as a little bowl of rice. Overall, I like the restaurant. Quality of food was great. The decor was Chinese-Asian influenced. I will definitely dine here again. read more

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This is by far the best Chinese restaurant in Waikiki. Outstanding ambiance with wonderful service and great food. Made us feel like we were on a completely different vacation. Thank you. read more

The place is aged, needs remodeling. The staff were very polite and helpful. The prices were reasonable for the location. As for the food and menu...a LOT of GREAT choices!!! I had the Crispy Duck...OMGOODNESS perfectly prepared! Will be back!!! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED for any visitor wanting AMERICAN STYLE Chinese food.. read more

Kirin Restaurant - Me VERY happy - Seafood Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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We were looking forward to some great Chinese food while we were in Honolulu, and were told Kirin is the place. Easily got in without a reservation. Service was A+. The ambiance is a nice Asian vibe. The food came out qquickly and was very good. The menu has a lot of offer and the portions are plentiful. Worth a stop in. read more

Kirin Restaurant - Seafood Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

+Went here because my friend invited me for dinner. +Way overpriced food. +When I saw that the soup was $8.95, I thought not bad. I was thinking a bowl that'll serve like four people. Didn't know it's a single serve bowl. +Food was okay. Portions weren't very big. +Going here confirms why you should go to the many Mom and Pop local restaurants. So much better food and at a better price. +Glad my friend paid for everything. read more

Staff was friendly, location was very central and convenient, and it was extremely easy to get a table, but the food was very average. If you're dying for standard Chinese food that's a bit pricey for Chinese food in the middle of Waikiki, then go for it. Otherwise, there are better options around the area. read more

Family style food. Portion sizes were good for the four of us. Service was on point! They refilled my water at least 5 times. They offered us new plates half way through the service. Top notch. Food tasted good, I love the thin crispy noodles and the duck. Yumm read more

Kirin Restaurant - Menu located outside restaurant - Seafood Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Getting seated has always been fast and easy. We've been here twice. Once with a reservation and once as a walk in. Both times with a party of 6 or more. The food came out quickly and it was all delicious. Definitely recommend the salt and pepper fish! read more

Our experience at Kirin Restaurant was incredibly disappointing, and unfortunately, it had far more to do with service and atmosphere than the food itself. We were seated in the lower level, and the first thing we noticed was the carpeting--it was absolutely filthy. Stained, worn, and visibly dirty to the point of being distracting. It immediately set a poor tone and made the entire space feel neglected and uncomfortable. The service only went downhill from there. Our server was rude, abrupt, and visibly irritated from the start. There was no warmth, no patience, and no basic courtesy--every interaction felt rushed and annoyed, as if our presence was an inconvenience. Portions were small and overpriced, which might have been tolerable if the service had been even remotely pleasant. Instead, the situation escalated when the server began clearing dishes while we were literally still eating. Plates were being grabbed mid-meal, without asking, creating an awkward and rushed atmosphere that made it clear she wanted us gone. Then came the most uncomfortable moment of the night. She dropped the check on the table without a word, immediately turned to another table to take their order, then turned back and picked the check up again. We told her--politely--that we hadn't even had a chance to look at it yet. Her response? She huffed audibly, stormed off, and was clearly angry, making no attempt to hide her frustration. It was unprofessional, hostile, and completely inappropriate--especially in a restaurant charging premium prices. No guest should feel rushed, dismissed, or treated with open irritation. Between the filthy environment, the tiny overpriced portions, and the outright rude service, this is not a place we would recommend or return to. Dining out should feel welcoming--this experience felt the exact opposite. read more

The service was fantastic! We had a very large group and the staff were efficient, friendly, and professional. The dim sum and tea- fantastic! Peking duck- wonderful! The rest of our food amazing! 100% recommend. read more

Came to visit Honolulu for the holidays and Kirin was the first restaurant we went to. We ended up going here mainly because we didn't have any reservations, they were close to the hotel, and had a good rating on Yelp. When walking in, it has a typical Chinese restaurant ambiance. It's a bit difficult to fine because it actually underground but if you look around enough, you'll see signs. The staff were decent as well, nothing amazing but nothing bad either. When it came to the food, I was disappointed mainly because I was expecting more considering it was rated so high. We ordered their dim sum, A5 Wagyu pepper beef, egg drop soup, and their chicken and broccoli noodles. All of the food was okay but there wasn't a whole lot of flavor to it. Just felt very oily and were eating oily fried meat. There were a couple of pieces of the beef that also didn't taste the best. And the egg drop soup was very average. The only good thing was the dim sum where we got to try a variety of their dim sum. And all of them were packed with meat and flavor. Otherwise everything else was pretty average and the price didn't really reflect the averageness which wasn't great. So as much as I would have like to have given this place a higher rating, they unfortunately topped out at 3 stars for me. read more

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The best Chinese food in Waikiki Everything on the menu is delicious Definitely worth going to if you like Chinese food read more

We stayed in Waikīkī for a week before going to our ts at KoOlina. Kirin is located in the basement of Hyatt so fairly easy to get to. We've been here for dim sum lunch before but not dinner. Got here around 6ish, got a table without reservation and quite a relaxing ambiance. We ordered: Thinly sliced boiled pork belly in a garlicky/ vinegary sauce, refreshing and tasty. Tea smoked duck okay, a lil on the dry side, duck meat not fatty enough Balsamic marinated pork ribs, sweet/sour balanced well, too much cornstarch slurry yuck! We were asked as we sat down if we wanted tea, the hostess recommended chrysanthemum tea; it turned out it costs $8+ for the pot...oh well...H2O next time. read more

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Everything tasted great! This is such an underrated place for dim sum. Everything tasted so good and it's not crowded and without a wait. They also do parking validation in the hyatt resort which is very nice. The service was great too! They helped us down with the lift for a stroller with a sleeping toddler inside. Highly recommend their fried bean curd dim sum and the fried shrimp ball. Crispy and hot! read more

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The service was great!! I got the steak in chili oil, it wasn't what I expected and personally I can't stand cloves and there were tons of it in there which sucked but it was still good once you got the meat separated from it. I went with 5 others and I tried some of everyone's food and it was amazing! read more

Kirin Restaurant - Seafood Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Food was absolutely fabulous! Honey walnut shrimp was cooked to perfected! Honey sesame was SO fresh! The servers were all so kind and sweet! Real traditional Cantonese food at a very reasonable price! read more

Kirin Restaurant - Honey walnut shrimp and honey sesame chicken - Seafood Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

The food here made my husband very happy! The selections were extensive and more like what most Americans expect from chinese food. Everything was very tasty. The beef fried rice had quite a bit of beef and egg which i very much enjoyed. The Cantonese beef had a nice but not overwhelming sweetness. The Kung pao pork had a bit of spice but real hot at all. The moo shu pork came pre rolled in the pancakes. My husband was very pleased. This place is down some stairs. The decor is a bit tired and the carpet could use a good shampoo. But the staff is very friendly and helpful. read more

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I thought the food here was very good. The seasoning was spot on. we had the Scallops and Snow peas and a Lobster. What I didn't like was the service at the beginning of the meal. When I ordered, the waitress asked me three times if I was sure I wanted the lobster because it was $55lb. and the smallest one was 2 1/2lbs. Each time I told her yes, I knew what I ordering. I felt like she thought I wasn't going to be able to afford my meal. Towards the end of service, she did get more friendly, but was that because it was tip time? I am unsure. Would I go again? Yes, like I said the food and the flavors were very good. The ambiance I am sure used to be considered nice, but I found it a little outdated. read more

We saw this restaurant while walking through the Hyatt mall area and their menu was outside so we took a look. The food looked great so we decided to go for dinner on a Saturday and there was no wait time! The staff could speak Mandarin Chinese so my family had an extremely smooth experience ordering and it felt very authentic. I like that these dishes are traditional Chinese but have a Hawaiian twist in it, like including the flower and pineapple in the fried rice. It was the perfect amount of same but with slight variation. The Wagyu dish came while flaming which caught everyone's attention and looked so cool. The fried chicken was sooooo crispy and the jellyfish was unique. They also had a lobster and crab tank inside the restaurant proving they provide fresh catches and a lot of kids were looking at it which was very cute. The ambience was sophisticated and the Buddha statue was stunning. Would definitely recommend! read more

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This was absolutely amazing. I wasn't sure what to expect given I was in Waikiki but I was lured in by the promise of things that included red bean paste. So glad I went in. We went in for dim sum and our server was very friendly and attentive. The owner also chatted with us about our experience and was also quite friendly and wanted to make sure everything was going well. It's decorated like a fairly classic Chinese restaurant and really quite a large space given it's much smaller looking entrance on the street. But now on to the food part. We got the red bean buns and they were absolutely huge and it wasn't all dough with a tiny bit of red bean either. Lots of red bean paste in there that made it delicious - the same was true of the red bean sesame balls. We also got the spinach dumpling and the crispy shrimp bean curd roll. The spinach was perfectly done and the dough was very thin and really just right. The shrimp bean curd was also done just right. I was really impressed with this place and will absolutely be back for dim sum! Don't let the negative reviews deter you, give this place a try! read more