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I had a good experience at Mara. We met some friends for dinner and shared everything family style. What really stood out to me was the decor that reminded me of a summer house, the amazing service and the emphasis on seafood. It is located in the Renaissance Hotel and has options for valet or self-parking and street. If felt like we pretty much ordered the whole menu so I will point out my favorites: Trio of spreads with freshly baked pita bread, And the Octopus. While it is in the pricier side, the seafood is quality and presented nicely. Overall I would say that the food was good but nothing exceptional.
If you want to dine at Mara at the Renaissance Hotel, you have only a few weeks to do so. We learned last night over dinner that the restaurant will be renamed Sera, but continue with its Mediterranean cuisine. Apparently a management company change led to the name change. We had a wonderful dining experience, which was made even better by our superstar server, Makana. Beyond her friendliness, she was totally focused on ensuring we had an amazing meal. We started with the Trio of Spreads, which was delish. The Pita was tasty, but hard to pull apart. With four of us dining, we decided to dine family style. Here's what we ordered: *Pistachio Crusted Ahi - Good *Prime NY Strip - AWESOME! *Brussels Sprouts - AWESOME! *Eggplant- Good *Caccio E Pepe - AWESOME! *Baklava - AWESOME! Mara is very proud of its craft cocktails. My wife tried the Mama Mia, which is supposedly a signature and she wasn't a fan. The huge Spanish G&T brought back memories of a restaurant I dined at in Napa last year. We had an early reservation on Friday night and the restaurant wasn't more than a quarter full. You also can't tell how many diners are simply guests at the hotel, as Mara serves as the hotel's primary restaurant. The new management company is behind the amazing CINO, where we dined at on Thursday evening. Can't wait to see the improvements they introduce at Sera!
Simple Mediterranean fare at lunch. Salads, kebabs, a sandwich. The tastes are fresh and clean. Today a group of seven gathered at 11:30am. Since the offerings were few, 4 of us opted for the fresh fish plate, 2 for the prawn kebab plate, and 1 for the chicken. Everything the same except the kebab choice which included seasoned rice, pita bread, tzaziki and chopped vegetables. The star of the show was the citrus beet salad (entree portion). Salad consisted of golden and red beets, pickled red onions, mandarin oranges, and a housemade feta, shared by the table. Seasoned with a light vinegarette, black peppercorns, and cumin, I would come back for that salad alone! Service excellent as one would expect from a place of this caliber. Self parking at lunch was validated and free of charge. Located in the Renaissance Hotel on Kapiolani Blvd, the property is convenient and right across the street from Ala Moana Shopping Center. A cute little coffee shop sharing a wall. Am looking forward to trying that place soon.
I have been hearing about Mara since it's opening about a year ago, and the family decided to go for my mother's 65th birthday! We were thrilled to be seated right next to the open kitchen, where we got to see dish after dish leave the cooktops and shuttle to their respective tables. Yelp had warned me that service here was a bit hit or miss, but we had several attentive servers for our table of 6 and enjoyed our tapas style dishes coming out quick and empty dishes leaving promptly. Our main server was helpful in choosing dishes to share and pick from their list of 20+ housemade cocktails. The food itself was fabulous. Every bite was fresh and well prepared. Our favorites include the Mediterranean trio, beet salad, and seafood platter, but all of the dishes were completely shareable. I thought the best bite was the beet spread from the trio, paired with a fresh hot pita, which were bottomless! The renaissance hotel hosts self parking and valet, which is validated by the restaurant. The space is on the ground floor of the hotel, which while upscale is not pretentious at all, and highly accessible for folks with assistive devices and wheels!
Delicious spot in Honolulu and great for groups or a nice dinner for two. The staff were friendly and attentive. Menu had something for everyone and a lot of flavorful dishes. My only complaint is I wished the server was a bit more honest about the portion sizes...they're huge and we ordered way too much Favorite dishes were Grilled Octopus (mezze), Whipped Burrata (spread), Brussels Sprouts (side), and Kabocha (side). I'm still dreaming about that Whipped Burrata dish and how it incorporated the roasted beets. So so good and the unlimited pita bread too!
A stand out in the Kapiolani Corridor jungle. The area was slated many, many years ago for renewel. Slowly but surely, the Kapiolani corridor is being developed. Over the last couple of years I didn't even notice a condominium hotel complex going up on the property just ewa of the Keeaumoku/Kapiolani corner. As others have said, you enter from either Makaloa street or Kapiolani blvd. You can valet or self park on the second floor. Pay attention to pillar signs designating the self parking stalls. They are generally the first stalls you see on the makai end of the second floor. With Mara validation you get three free hours. There is an elevator to the first floor on the makai-ewa corner of the parking area that will take you to Kapiolani Blvd. Just exit the door on the ground floor and turn to your left as you face the street. Mara will be on your left through a glass door. This first opportunity was with former colleagues from work, we met there for breakfast on the weekend. Mara is located on the first floor of the Renaissance Hotel. The restaurant is not large, but quite actually spacious. Very clean, friendly servers. My review is of course based on the dish I had, which was Shakshuka. A baked egg, chick peas and urfa greek yogurt dish with a tomato sauce type base. It is served with freshly made pita bread, straight from their oven. A most unusual breakfast, but a delicious and filling dish. This dish is definitely worth sharing. Breakfast options are more what is typical of what one would expect for breakfast. We saw many diners ordering egg/meat breakfast plates- they looked good. This first experience with Mara was a winner and will definitely be back to try their lunch and dinner offerings.
We ate at Mara with a party of four with a 6:45 reservation on 01/20/2025. This was my first time at this restaurant, located in the Renaissance Hotel. Overall, our service was great. We had a very attentive server, as well as a in training server, and there were no complaints about service The atmosphere is nice, and it is as dressy or casual as you want it to be. Our table started with the tasting trio which included Hummus, Tzatziki and Burrata. It was so yummy. For my entree, I had the scallops prepared Moroccan style, which was a generous portion for the price (particularly in Hawaii). I also had some of the sprouts, which was shared by the table. Overall, I give this experience a 5 out of 5, and I would return again.
Went to Mara for a special holiday meal with family. First off the food was delicious! There was not one thing we did not enjoy. The bad, as many other reviewers have mentioned, is the service. We had to wave down our server a few times for water, to remind him of orders, and finally to order dessert and get the bill. The scallops were surprisingly small for the price, but others were well sized. It was very odd. Great food but overall the experience was pretty meh, so likely would not be back.
1/5 service 5/5 food 2/5 price We had the pleasure of trying Mara's Mediterranean brunch menu, and it was a flavorful journey! For just $46, the prefix brunch menu offers an appetizer, main, and dessert--a fantastic deal that left us absolutely stuffed. Here's what we tried: Appetizers: Beef kibbeh nayeh (so fresh and flavorful) and abi crudo (delicate and bright). Mains: Shakshuka (perfectly spiced and hearty) and a crispy, satisfying fish sandwich. Desserts: Greek yogurt soft serve--tangy, creamy, and the perfect end to the meal. We also couldn't resist the tasting trio to sample even more! While the service was a bit slow (likely due to understaffing), the quality of the food made up for it. If you're considering a visit, the prefix menu is definitely the way to go for value. Otherwise, be prepared for higher prices with the à la carte options. Worth it for a flavorful Mediterranean experience!
Where to start because all of it was absolutely amazing from the ambiance to the food to the service. Park in the hotel parking and parking is validated. Entrance to hostess stand is near the hotel entrance. It's quite a cozy waiting area with plenty of seating. The high top booth my friend and I sat at was quite comfortable, very chic and mid century meets contemporary. Our server gave great recommendations. Between two people we had plenty of food, actually more than enough and needed many to go boxes. We came during brunch time on a weekend. The menu changes depending on the time of the day you go. I am all for a good mocktail. Hands down be returning even though this place is a bit pricey. It's perfect for a date night or lunch date with a friend.
Mara serves up one of the best Mediterranean dishes in town. The are located in the Renaissance Hotel & Spa. I love the ambiance and décor. Five star service with a smile. Our server made recommendations, frequently checked on us, and was friendly. You must order the tasting trio. It comes with hummus, tzatziki, and burrata. Both the shrimp linguine and the Mara burger were good. Parking options are valet, self garage park or street parking which is free after 5pm. Mara is a place to go to for an outstanding dining experience or to simply enjoy a cocktail.
Mara Mediterranean Restaurant opened in March 2024, with the Renaissance Honolulu Hotel & Spa opening in the Kapi'olani corridor. Within a few months, this new restaurant won the prestigious 2024 Hale 'Aina Silver Award for Best Mediterranean Cuisine by late August. We've had Mara Mediterranean Restaurant on our radar since its signage went up along the Kapi'olani corridor across from the former space of one of our favorite dim sum houses, Yung Yee Kee. Our friend and realtor, who we usually keep in touch with but haven't seen for over 6 months, invited us to meet with her. She left the meeting destination open, so I excitedly chose Mara and made a reservation through the OpenTable dining reservation app. I perused Mara's various menus on the OpenTable app as they offer breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner, and dessert. In addition, Mara posted about their bar, bar bites, and beverage menus. However, I zeroed in on the Lunch Menu since we agreed to meet after 1 PM. When the three of us met, we each selected our prix fixe ($34 pp) Mediterranean Lunch, which includes your choice of Mediterranean dip or spread with flatbread, main course (sandwich, salad w/grilled kebab, or grilled kebab w/flatbread), and Greek soft serve with your choice of topping(s). FOOD: -Flatbread with Mediterranean dip or spread: My husband chose the hummus, generously drizzled with olive oil and topped with roasted eggplant and crispy chickpeas. I chose the whipped burrata in roasted beet spread and topped with walnuts and pomegranate molasses. Each flatbread was served freshly baked and hot from the oven. The bread was airy, delicious, and enough to mop up every spot of dip without stuffing ourselves before our meals were delivered. -8 oz Mara Burger: Served on a toasted brioche bun, our friend requested her burger to be done medium-rare or about 130° F-135° F, and indeed, she received a perfectly done burger. She asked for French Fries instead of her usual lighter salad choice. She showed us her burger, and I was impressed by the slab or slice of Feta cheese. The slice of cheese was unlike the more aged, briny, and crumbly Feta we're used to seeing and tasting. Instead, the cheese was compact, smooth, and mild-tasting. Crunchy Jidori Chicken Sandwich: I ordered this fried chicken sandwich, which was also served in a toasted brioche bun and with Greek salad. The crunchy, well-breaded, boneless Jidori chicken piece was tender, moist, and tasty. A spicy-sweet drizzle of Turkish Aleppo Hot Pepper Honey enhanced the flavors without distracting from the crunchy crust surrounding the boneless chicken piece. Additional crispy crunchiness and tongue-cooling came from the Athenian slaw and the Greek salad. -Phyllo-Crusted Snapper Sandwich: Because my husband and I agreed to share sandwiches, he ordered this baked phyllo-crusted fish sandwich. Surprisingly, my husband, who I call a "fried food fiend," said he was more in the mood for eating seafood anyway. The crisp baked phyllo-crusted fish fillet was sandwiched between a toasted tender brioche bun. The buns were spread with caper aïoli to compliment the fish and the Athenian slaw dressed in citronette sauce brought additional texture and flavors to the sandwich. We ended our meals with a dish of Greek Yogurt soft serve that was smooth, creamy, and mildly sour. My husband and our friend chose the Baklava Crumble topping whereas I selected the sour cherry. This dessert made for a wonderful finish to our lunch meal. Since we ordered different sandwiches and shared among ourselves, we returned several weeks later with my eldest sister where I ordered the Mara Burger since I was impressed seeing our friend's order and my husband chose the Crunchy Jidori Chicken sandwich. Although the lunch menu seems limited to only three or four items per category, we think their prix fixe Mediterranean Lunch is generously portioned, tasty, and is the best value. Service was professional and attentive. We've returned to enjoy lunch here a couple of times since this dine and look forward to enjoying their more seafood-forward dinner menu.
Since its opening earlier this year, Mara has consistently been a great option for meeting up with friends or having a date night. Located in the new Renaissance hotel, Mara serves up Mediterranean island inspired food in a bright, chic, well decorated space. The cocktail menu offers a variety of signature drinks, where taste and presentation are spot on or get a wine recommendation from the in-house sommelier. Happy hour is in the bar, 4-5pm Monday - Friday with live music on Friday nights. My favorite time to visit though is for dinner. Shareable plates of fresh seafood, colorful dip trio with fresh baked bread (a must!!), and heartier entrees. I haven't had a dish here that I didn't love. Besides one poor experience at brunch, the service is typically fantastic- Friendly, attentive, and knowledgeable on the menu and with suggestions. Parking options now include valet for $10 with validation or 3 hours free for self parking.
2 years ago
Went here for their brunch menu! Ordered their tasting trio that comes with hummus, tzatziki, burrata with fresh made pita bread, ahi crudo, and margerita pita pizza. Everything was delish! Nice restaurant in the new Renaissance Hotel & Residences. read more
Aloha, celebrated a GFs birthday and tried almost all of the dishes since there was 6 of us. This restaurant is ono. Great different flavors and fun sharable dishes. A little on the expensive side as in the high-rent district of the new hotel on Kapiolani Blvd. Fun cocktails and nice wine list. Enjoy! read more
Went her for Sunday brunch, also mom's birthday. We made a reservation for 5 at 1:30 just in case and got seated early. The host was very friendly, inside was clean, looked very sophisticated. The ambience was casual but upscale. We got the option for sparkling water and it was lovely. Always made sure we had water at the table. Drinks were tasty, about $15+ a drink. It's $44 per person for brunch, you get an app, entree, and dessert or you can just get appetizers which are priced separately and honestly just as expensive. The lamb pizza was ok, I felt it was missing something and honestly lacking toppings. The Mara Mary was good and quite refreshing. The best things were the appetizers before our meals. The ahi crudo was exceptional and fresh! The avocado toast was incredible too and the flavors melted together in your mouth with the chili oil! Margherita pitza was just tomato sauce mostly, it was still good but not what we expected. Truly an experience but we certainly spent a lot. read more
Ambiance - it has fantastic feel and vibe to the place. Drinks We ordered lemonade and Ube lemonade. What I think - like the thought of including these in the menu. What can be done- lemonade should not be a concentrated drink. It should be made with fresh lemons and sugar. Strain it if you don't want pulp. The real fresh lemonade would take this to a whole new level. Same goes for Ube. I would prefer it to be crafted differently. You don't really taste the difference and it looks ordinary. Food- Margarita Pizza- Well, it didn't taste out of the world. The pizza though was thin and limp. I would not recommend it. It is just a margarita, it can be made to perfection. I was truly disappointed. Kids cheeseburger- this was delicious and amazing. loved it. The bun was perfect and the burger inside cooked to perfection. The melted cheese took it to a whole new level. Filet Mignon kebab - this was great . The steak pieces ( you get two) was amazing. Fresh vegetables on the fresh pita bread was great. The tzatziki was delectable. Snapper Burger- this was outstanding. . Fish fillet was great. I had asked for salad, but was served fries instead. They replaced it with salad. Again since I don't take dairy, which I mentioned, feta cheese was added. I think this would be the waiters mistake since he wasn't paying attention. Service- Even though we were seated, and all of us in the table, the waiter took a good 12-13 mins a before he came to take the order. We were almost about to leave. Actually we were very upset and disappointed. The person who was supposed to take our orders was just loitering around. Wasn't careful enough paying attention to the orders hence a lot of goof-ups. Cross contamination is something that is not taken seriously here. Places of improvement- always ask your guest for food allergies, wait tables when you have guest and take the whole level of customer experience to a new level, food can be improved and I expected a lot more when it came to Mediterranean cuisine. Overall a lot needs to be improved with the place. I was disappointed and writing this at the restaurant. Had high hopes but, .... If you need more feedback let me know. read more
2 years ago
I really want to love this place but I will say there are a little hiccups. Based off the food, I would come back just to try their dinner menu. Overall food quality was great but some dishes had way too much olive oil drizzled on and service could be a little lacking at times. I made reservations for brunch and when we all entered we saw the host talking on the phone so we just patiently waited by the front. Maybe a minute or two later we saw another worker at the front but talking to the other worker. I understand if the host is busy but we weren't acknowledged at all at least for 5-10 minutes. It just felt awkward standing there. Eventually we got seated. I will say the decor and furnishing of the restaurant is really nice with a huge bar area and spacious tables. The booth seating was cushy and a little high off the ground but luckily there was a foot rest under. We all selected items from the brunch pre fixe. Majority of the menu was pre fixe so you get one app, entree, and dessert. The only ala carte items you could order were certain apps like the seafoods or tasting trio (dips and pita bread) Starting with the appetizers our party got the ahi crudo, kona kampachi, beef kibbeh nayeh, and the beets and citrus salad. My favorite was the beef kibbeh which is like minced beef lettuce wraps and the beets and citrus salad. The beets were cooked nicely and the texture difference with the cheese and crunchy toppings seemed harmonious. The tasting trio was amazing as well. The pita was warm, pillowy and soft. The stracciatella sauce was so good I would've bought a container of it. The hummus was good as well but the tzatziki sauce I felt needed to be eaten with something other than bread. The ahi crudo I felt was very overpowered by the olive oil. All the ingredients were masking the ahi flavor. I enjoyed the kona kampachi which had trout roe on top which reminded me of smoky flavored ikura. The sweetness of the mandarin orange was a nice touch. For the main courses we ordered the shakshuka, kataifi eggs, coconut french toast, and the lamb kofta pizza. The coconut french toast and the kataifi eggs came out first. As we were about to eat, they were dropping off other dishes to our table which we didn't order so we sent them back. The coconut french toast reminded me of a soft bread pudding with a crispy crust. I loved the texture but I did feel the lilikoi curd made it a little too sweet. It was a good French toast but I think it would be elevated if it had a Haupia cream in the center. The kataifi eggs had ingredients prepared well overall but felt it didn't go together as a dish. The charred mushrooms didn't really complement the crispy rice noodles and eggs. Maybe it would be enjoyed as a sandwich? After eating our 2 dishes we had to ask what happened to our other entrees. I guess it wasn't conveyed there was a mix up so the kitchen didn't make the other dishes. After waiting and receiving the other dishes, we tried the shakshuka and the lamb pizza. The shakshuka was interesting to me because it had a cinnamon sweet taste added to the tomato sauce. The egg whites were slightly undercooked and clear so we just decided to pack the rest up. The lamb pizza was really good but it did feel like the crust had too much olive oil on it as well. For desserts, we got the manoa chocolate sokolatina and rice pudding. All the desserts were great but my favorite was the sokolatina. The cake was rich and decadent which a creamy salted caramel ice cream. The rice pudding was good but you def need to mix up the olive oil before you take a bite. The sour cherry was a nice contrast. Unfortunately our friends dessert had a bug on it so we had to send it back. I'm thankful that management came by to apologize for the mishaps and comp some items. But we also had to wait awhile before anyone rang up our card. When we were leaving we decided to ask the worker at the front to take our photo. Before we were even all ready to take a photo, she started snapping pics and did not seem like she was giving much effort to take a nice photo. It was clearly not even busy at the front so we were a bit off put. Honestly the food quality was great but I do feel like they could tone it down a little on the olive oil in their dishes. Service was a bit spotty in terms of attentiveness and hope that maybe it was just an off day or that they will improve in the future. read more
Pleasantly surprised! It is a modern Mediterranean cuisine. Having recently traveled to Morocco the dishes are served in tagine pots. I am not totally sure if these are only for presentation but the tastes were very good. Creative and modern menu with fresh local ingredients make it a good blend of Pacific-Asian-Mediterranean fusion. Excellent service in a well appointed modern design. A great evening read more
Came here with a medium sized group and sat in the back room. It is a beautiful restaurant but can get quite noisy. The staff is really nice and they have a sommelier present as well. I will say lunch may have more items like pizza and burgers. The food is quite pricy though. The trio is amazing. We got two to share for 7 people but probably could have ordered just one. The entrees aren't too large and we did shared a couple. The linguine was good but maybe a tad bit oily and the zucchini chips towards the middle and bottom were quite soggy. You're really paying for the ambiance during dinner but it was a nice experience and the flavors were decent! I would want to try again for happy hour instead though. The drinks during dinner were also very expensive but that's how things are these days! read more
We visited Mara for my husband's 41st birthday in April with a party of 8! Considering Mara had just opened I had a bit of anxiety about trying a new spot with a large party for such an important occasion but my intuition told me we'd have a great time. As always, my intuition is never wrong. 5-STARS FOR STYLE: Mara is brought to you by the Mina Group and it's a vibe! The decor is gorgeous and when you walk in you're instantly transported to a place where you feel like you've made all the right choices! It's so great to be able to dress up with your friends at a spot that feels so alive! DELICIOUS BITES: Our friends are our family, so we ordered a bunch of items and did shared plates. Favorite highlights: - Pita bread in the tasting trio was so hot and fluffy! - Hubby really enjoyed the beef carpaccio. - Hamachi crudo was phenomenal. - Lamb shank served in tajine is not to be missed. - Pavlova & rice pudding desserts were divine! - We also ordered the kids menu chicken nuggets and grilled cheese meals to offset the ridiculous amounts of celebratory wine. We all agreed that this is the best pre-hangover prevention medicine ever. 50-STARS FOR SERVICE: Our server Shy was amazing and killed it the entire evening! The sommelier Kalani was also outstanding and they both made my husband's birthday extra special. Would return just to see them again! THUMBS DOWN: My one big thumbs down for the evening was the music was sooooo loud. I'm not a granny buzz kill, but when you can barely hear the person sitting next to you, it's a really big problem that I hope will be addressed. LOCATION & PARKING: Mara is located in the brand spanking new Renaissance Hotel on Kapiolani Boulevard right across from Ala Moana Center. Pull up to valet and Mara will validate parking for three hours. If you don't want to valet, there's lots of metered parking on the street right behind the hotel. read more
Oh my Mara! Have I been the only one hiding under a rock or what?! I was today's old when I found out about the new Mara restaurant located in the "new" Renaissance Hotel! Overall, a very vibey and hot new restaurant! We had the best experience from drinks to entrees and dessert! Great place for girls night, date night, or even a solo night. A few friends and I decided to try this place to celebrate my graduation and I felt all the love! The kind sommelier got a round for us, which was super sweet. Here's what we got: (and would get again LOL) TASTING TRIO hummus, tzatziki, stracciatella $28 -we tried to rate each one but tbh they were all so tasty in their own way. I personally enjoyed the stracciatella (Tomato base with cheese) and the hummus was outstanding. -pro tip- get the trip if you can't decide on one! P.S you wanna order the extra "free" naan bread! It was perfectly made: crispy and soft/chewy ahhh AHI CRUDO* chili crisp, crush castelvetrano olives, lemon gel $21 -refreshing and good quality of fish -the perfect sized bite BEET & CITRUS whipped manouri cheese, kalamata vinaigrette $21 -very refreshing and light beet salad -I'm personally not the biggest beet girl but I really enjoyed the texture and flavor combo BEEF KIBBEH NAYEH* bulgar, pickled onions, sumac, little gems $24 -good texture and flavor -beef tartare vibes HAND-CUT LINGUINE FRUTTI DI MAR(A) prawns, uni pasta $36 -delicious and not soo rich -I'm a sucker for hand-made pasta and it was perfectly al dente and the flavors from the prawn and uni sauce was chefs kiss ROASTED LAMB LOIN* "WELLINGTON" spanakopita, feta, spinach, small kine farm mushrooms $48 -jaw dropped at the stunning lamb welling! -cooked medium rare to perfection inside with the crispy spanakopita on the exterior -tender and tasty with the demi sauce with mushrooms For dessert we got the- KÜNEFE fresh farmer's cheese, pistachio, orange blossom, honey $14 -recommended by the sommelier -fun fact that they use local and fresh cheese for this dessert -it was pretty tasty but the honey was a bit too much for me I would probably order the MANOA CHOCOLATE SOKOLATINA again LOL $16 Moist and not overly sweet chocolate cake! Cocktails were so good! They each had their own flare and the presentation was lovely! The only one we probably wouldn't order again is the Bon Voyage lol. Not our cup of cocktail lol. Very strong and Smokey flavor. I think we tried the rest of the cocktails and all were tastyyy Service was very personable and top tier! Everyone was friendly and checked in regularly on us. The humor was extra bonus too! Overall a magical and fun experience! Can't wait to try the breakfast and brunch/lunch menu! Thank you to my girls for the memorable and fun girls night out :) grateful heart and belly! read more
1 year ago
Service was great, food was great, kids meal was great, dessert was great! parking was convenient. Will come again read more
My mother, known for her discerning palate, found her favorites in the IL SILENZIO and Mamma Mia after exploring the extensive drink menu. I shared her appreciation for the IL SILENZIO and also enjoyed the robust and classic Penicillin cocktail. Our meal began with an exquisite trio of starters: ahi crudo, grilled octopus, and scallop ceviche, each a unique blend of textures and Mediterranean infused flavors. The main courses were pretty good, featuring monchong, roasted lamb Wellington, and filet mignon, each dish - tasty in their own way. To be honest the Wellington was a bit underwhelming- partially due to my high expectations due to what I saw through social media. The Manoa chocolate cake we had for dessert was decadently rich, providing a sublime conclusion to our meal. Although the restaurant was exceptionally busy and service was slightly delayed, the quality and artistry of the cuisine made it well worth the wait. We will be back for sure. read more
Im not usually a huge Mediterranean food person, but I really enjoyed everything here! My friends and I got the tasting trio, beet salad, monchong, and ahi crudo and it was all very yummy. Service was amazing, the server and wine sommelier were super knowledgeable and helped us choose 2 bottles of wine which were sooo good! For 2 bottles and a good amount of food the prices are reasonable for an upscale place. read more
1 year ago
Birthday dinner with my good friendy never disappoints! We ordered the appetizer tasting trio with tzatziki, hummus, burrata spreads and the tasty salted naan bread, fluffy & light. Next, the fire roasted roasted eggplant, monchong aqua pazza style, beet and citrus salad was soooo perfectly prepared. The hip and chic ambiance & dim lighting made this place that much better. Our waitress was amazing, she made sure to check on us and was very attentive and pleasant at every moment she came by. I haven't had such great customer service in a long time! Will be back real soon! read more
2 years ago
Great atmosphere and service. Easy parking Few issues Sat at bar which smelled bad. Like spoiled vine or something Ordered lamb wellington that came raw . Pastry also not cooked. See pics attached For $150 ( with tip) dinner one person way overpriced and not executed right. Never a fan of restaurants that create menu where you need to order a side. And when you do pay $12 for 50cents worth of potatoes read more
I wanted to like it. I tried to like it. I kept making excuses (like, "they're new") for the sub par service (we were brought someone else's dishes like 6 times), but in the end it was just not that interesting, especially for the price. Not that anything was really bad, it just wasn't really good. We ate in the cocktail area, which we thought would be less noisy, but the open door and car exhaust from Kapiolani Blvd. were less than pleasant. The cocktails were unremarkable. The pita was oily. The saganaki bites said nothing about cheese on the menu, and yet they were 80% cheese. The Lamb Wellington was strange, because the mushroom duxelles were served alongside instead of baked into the dish (although the lamb was cooked nicely). I would go again if someone invited me, but it's not like I'm dying to go back. read more
2 years ago
Went here for breakfast with my friends, and the food was sooo good! I had the yuzu pancakes, and they were such a treat! Service was friendly and attentive. Got lucky and was able to park right out front for free on Sunday. I can't wait to try out their brunch and dinner menus! read more
2 years ago
As of May 2024, Mara is one of the hot, new, and hyped restaurants. Fortunately it delivers. There's nothing else like it in Honolulu. Some might say Istanbul but I beg to differ. Istanbul is very very ordinary food in a bougie setting. I had breakfast there once and I felt like I got pickpocketed while dining at Denny's. Mara is infinitely more special than Istanbul due to its highly innovative fare, exquisite presentation, and incredible service - and as a result is one of the best restaurants on Oahu. One thing that is very cool here is the unlimited hearth-baked pita bread that is served straight from the oven. I know I've been ripping on Istanbul but do they even make their own pita? If so, it's not good because I don't remember it. This pita is AMAZING. Its served so hot, you can't even touch it for a couple minutes after its been delivered. We got: Bocconcino Whipped Burrata ($21) - An interesting dish I have never seen before. Whipped Burrata surrounded by a roasted beet Purée. Great with the complimentary homemade pita. Saganaki ($26) - A **MUST TRY** on the menu. Cheese served sizzling hot by a member of the kitchen staff who does final prep table side. Took us by surprise since the menu didn't mention this. Absolutely delicious, unique in Hawaii, and a generous portion perfect for sharing and eating with the homemade pita. Hilopites & Cheese ($10) - A side item that is delicious. The side items are a terrific value at only $10. This is basically a greek version of Mac & Cheese. Very tasty and highly recommended. Fire-Roasted Eggplant ($10) - A **HUGE** side dish. I can't believe how big this was. Great value and perfectly roasted. Hand-Cut Linguine Frutti Di Mara ($36) - Excellent dish. On the smaller side. With our party of 4, it was two bites per person. If you get this dish, get a side item. I probably would not order this again based on the small size. Mongchong - Pomfret Prepared Acqua Pazza Style ($38) - Fish was perfectly cooked. My mom wanted the sauce. There are other sauce options I'd rather have tried. Still, it was very good. [DESSERT] Fresh Farmers Cheese Kunefe ($15) - A sweet cheese crepe that had a nice balance of sweetness to complement the cheese. [Dessert] Manoa Chocolate Sokolatina ($14) - Basically a chocolate cake. It was ok. Nothing too special. Was pretty small also. Not really worth the money. Probably the least compelling item on the menu that we tried. It was the birthday of one person in our party. Nothing complementary was offered. This dish is about the same size and quality and you would expect as a complimentary birthday item. FINAL THOUGHTS - This place does deliver and is worth the cost. If we go back, we will likely mostly get sharable items and sides. These seem to be the best value. Valet parking is free read more
![Mara - [Dessert] Manoa Chocolate Sokolatina ($14) - Mediterranean Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii](https://s3-media0.fl.yelpcdn.com/bphoto/nWAveSB78yh8Z09LreShZg/348s.jpg "Mara - [Dessert] Manoa Chocolate Sokolatina ($14) - Mediterranean Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii")
![Mara - [Dessert] Manoa Chocolate Sokolatina ($14) - Mediterranean Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii](https://s3-media0.fl.yelpcdn.com/bphoto/FEd8jJ6Km5rXRQOjFX1PKw/348s.jpg "Mara - [Dessert] Manoa Chocolate Sokolatina ($14) - Mediterranean Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii")
Mara in Honolulu is one of our favorite new dining spots. The extensive wine menu, curated by Sommelier Furya, perfectly complements the exceptional food. We tried the hummus, wood-fired bread, steak, and a pasta dish--each cooked to perfection. The staff were exceptional in every way. The Mediterranean-seasoned steak stood out as our favorite. Located on Kapiolani, Mara is a must-visit. read more
The food was so flavorful and cooked really well I ordered the Lamb Kofta and Fire-Roasted Eggplant Pitza. It was different, light, and surprisingly tasty. the Fried Calamari was so crispy and cooked very well. The crunch was and fry was perfect. I just wish they gave a bit more sauce. The Ube Lemonade was very subtle with the Ube flavor. It had a sweet and reminiscent after taste, but definitely overpowered by the sour flavor of the lemonade. The Prawns were marinated and cooked so well that I wanted to trade plates with my friend. The Prawns were also a great size as every bite was filled with flavor. The service could have been a bit better as it was difficult to get our server's attention after she did the routine check in to see if the food tasted well. It was really wonderful to find there and the entirety of the space is beautifully designed. read more
2 years ago
Mara is such a pretty, vibey restaurant with great food. I dined with a group of 5 people on a Friday night and the restaurant was very busy. The bar area was full! Our cocktails were delicious and interesting. The highlights of the meal for me were two appetizers - the naan and the Saganaki. Highly recommend. I can't personally comment on the seafood dishes as I don't eat seafood. However everyone else seems to really enjoy every bite. I think that I would not be overstepping by saying the seafood dishes were highly recommended. I ended up getting the Jidori chicken and it was good. It was chicken breast which I didn't realize and actually dread. Much to my surprise, it was juicy. However, there is only one place where I still think of their Jidori chicken. They're very hard to beat. FYI - Parking is valet only. Reservations are made via Sevenrooms. Their only misstep that I will mention is that the service was not perfect. We had to do air a lot. I flagged down our server to take our drink order 20 min after arrival. The drinks were served another 20 min later. We actually got the appetizers before the drinks. I had to flag them down multiple times to get what we needed. Meanwhile the bus boys kept trying to take our dishes when there was still some bites left. (We ate everything family style.) The one star deduction was due to service. I would definitely return as there were some other dishes that I wanted try. Overall, it was a great dinner and our out of town guests were very happy with my restaurant choice. Thanks for making me look good, Mara! read more
1 year ago
2 years ago
Loved it! We were excited to try this new restaurant and we were not disappointed. Every dish was so tasty and the presentation was beautiful. The restaurant itself is very nice and the lighting, furniture, and open kitchen layout really elevates the experience. Making a reservation was easy and we were able to call in that day to book. Admittedly, the service in the beginning was a bit slow but, a manager came by and noticed we were sitting for a while with no drinks and she assisted us. After that, no issues. They even have an in-house sommelier! Would definitely go back. Even to just sit at the bar for cocktails. read more
1 year ago
Loved this spot! Great drinks and food. Bartenders could have been a little friendlier and more welcoming. Other than that I highly recommend and will be back again. read more
First time trying this restaurant out, located in the Renaissance Hotel. Valet parking is free up to to 3 hrs. I made a reservation and were seated right away. It was pretty busy around 6pm. Service was good, the waiter was very friendly and gave good suggestions. Overall, food was ok. We came in at 6pm and left at 8pm. We waited a while for our entrees to came out. To start, we got the tasting trio which was pretty good, the pita bread was hot and fresh, and i really enjoyed the tzatziki and hummus spread. The calamari was also delicious, nice and crispy with a rich delicious sauce. We also got the Ahi Crudo which was probably my favorite part of dinner, it paired perfectly with the chili crunch and the lemon gel was good with it as well. For our main entrees we got the Lamb shank, Lamb Wellington, and the Handcut Linguine Frutti Di Mar(a.) The Lamb wellington was ok, I think the best was the Lamb Shank. The Handcut Linguine was good but very buttery and a bit too sour for my liking. read more
New and trendy, This place is just what we needed as I feel like we really do not have a ton of Mediterranean food joints on the islands. I would highly recommend their tasting trio! It's a great place to start and then your excellent servers are happy to make suggestions on larger plates. They do have free public parking on their hotel parking garage but I do have a strong feeling that will change soon so if you wanted to try this place out, sooner is better than later! read more
1 year ago
Service was phenomenal, everyone very helpful and helped recommend their popular dishes. Portion sizes are good for sharing, everything is light and didnt make me feel bloated after eating. Overall everyone was satisfied with their meal. Would come back again! read more
1 year ago
Walked in at lunch and was seated immediately. I ordered and received food very quickly. I ordered Crispy Calamari and Shrimp Fritto Misto. Although it was delicious, there was no shrimp on the plate! It was all Calamari which was quite disappointing. I ordered the Mediterranean Lunch and that was mostly enjoyable. Hummus and Naan Bread were excellent. Both were filling. Grilled kebab flatbread Platter was underwhelming. Kebabs were too charred for my liking and I had to use the sauces from the Calamari for it to taste better. The flatbread was mostly a rock and I couldn't finish it. The dessert was amazing! Greek yogurt soft serve with baklava crumble tasted so delicious that I couldn't get enough of it. The honey in there made the whole soft serve. I dined in because I was staying at Renaissance Honolulu and the destination fee is a $48 fee that includes an F&B credit for the dining options and the hotel so I used it here. Server was mostly attentive and very friendly. Hosts and food runner were friendly. Ambience was very clean, bright and welcoming. I'll come here again to use my F&B credit the next time I stay at the Renaissance Honolulu. read more
We love Mediterranean food, so when we were last in the Ala Moana area, decided to give the newish restaurant, Mara, a try! Nice modern look. Really loud atmosphere. All hard reflective surfaces (floors, ceilings, windows, tables, etc.), and hard to hear your table-mate talk. The food was good, but most of it was over-salted. Not sure we'd return, or at least not for a few weeks until they can work the kinks out. read more
1 year ago
Food A- ( Appetizers are amazing but entrees were lacking.) Service A (with one exception but I'm leaving it out of the overall rating because it's not fair to dock this establishment on one person's actions and attitude). Ambiance A+ Finally got to try Mara after months of eyeing their menu. I went during brunch/lunch hours on a Sunday hoping for a more relaxed setting- the perfect time to come with a stroller. It's a quiet lull post brunch rush. The wait staff was ultra accommodating and friendly. This is a gorgeous restaurant. They went above and beyond with the decor. We ordered the trio of spreads - hummus, tzatziki and a mouth watering burrata beet spread. The hummus and tzatziki were tasty but the burrata beet spread is the star. You must try it. The pita was fresh, hot and fluffy. Their shellfish tasting of kampachi, ahi and oysters was also delicious. I think the tasting is supposed to come with Uni but we got an ahi substitution- disappointing but the ahi WAS DELICIOUS. The seafood is fresh and the crudos were dressed with uniquely Mediterranean flavors, a nice departure from the norm here in Hawaii. The beef Kibbeh was what drew me in to Mara in the first place, and boy was it outstanding. This version of a beef tartare was fresh and the flavors were just so delicious. I would order a few of these next time because our table couldn't get enough of it. The burger was a standard burger with a generous slab of feta on it. Not bad but not noteworthy. The fries were delicious and the servers were awesome and brought out ranch and ketchup for the kid in our party. The Snapper burger was so crisp and delicious. The fish was perfectly fried and moist inside. The Shakshuka was very ordinary. It came with one egg which was surprising since the dish was a pretty large portion of sauce and chickpeas. The yuzu pancakes were thick and dense but very satisfying. They almost tasted like cornbread pancakes. I'd love to come back to try their dinner menu at some point. The parking situation is strange. While you get free validation the parking lot's elevator leads to the street where you need to reenter the adjacent building (hotel entrance) to reach the restaurant. The bad- The hostess was one of the rudest most unwelcoming people I've encountered. Scowled at me when I approached the podium to check into my reservation ( I smiled and she literally looked down at her phone and rolled her eyes before looking back up.) she insisted we didn't have a reservation even after I showed her the confirmation email. When I entered the bathroom to wash my hands, she happened to be in there on her phone at the sink, and again a SCOWL like I scorned her in a past life or something. She made the checking in process so uncomfortable our party almost left. I had to ask the other members of my party if I was imagining things but they all saw how terrible the hostess was acting. I'm leaving the experience with the hostess out of my overall experience of Mara but I felt people should know this happened. read more
2 years ago
Uh...what should I say. It was prettiest food that tasted exactly the same. Everything tasted strangely the same...salad, entrees, sauces, sandwiches. The taste was somewhat mediocre Mediterranean and the chicken was so overcooked I could not cut it with a knife...nor could the manager. The tartar was just going bad. The service was comparable to the flavoring of the food -- leaving you wondering. The decor was the only redeeming quality. And...we got to sit for a long time and experience it. We just go our bill. $233 for three people. Wtf. read more
Tried out the HH from 4-6pm. It's first come first serve at the bar and lounge seats only. Complimentary valet parking for 3 hrs w/ validation. The bar was nearly full by 4:15. We tried the Black Manhattan and French Martini cocktail. Both drinks were pretty balanced. They had the same drinks on the regular menu, but with higher quality alcohol. We also ordered the Mara burger and Greek salad to share. The salad consisted mainly of tomatoes and a sedate Greek dressing. The burger was a bit dry (cooked medium) and had no distinguishing flavors. They advertised live music every Friday from 4-10pm. We missed out as they were still setting up by the time we left at 5:45. We enjoyed the lively, warm, luxe atmosphere. The bartenders and servers were friendly and helpful despite the rush. Side note: we ordered the HH Kumamoto 1/2 dozen oysters and Goosepoint oysters were served. We chose to decline the order as we didn't want to waste something we didn't want and was later told the menu wasn't updated to reflect the change. read more
2 years ago
Truly wanted to love Mara, but it's a pass and disappointing. The decor is beautiful and the vibe is fine, however the food was just okay. Service lacking. This was during lunch. Hopefully dinner is better. The Food: Zucchini Chips - presentation flat, soggy. Hummus- not seasoned well. And I don't like salty but it was bland. The Greek Pitza was good, not great. Il Gelato Sorbetto- can never go wrong. The Service: ordered green tea iced tea. Got regular iced tea. Server never said we don't have it when I ordered it. He actually wrote it down. Then he served me the reg tea and I said- I ordered green? He said - oh, we have one kind of tea. Well it would have been nice to know that because I would have ordered another beverage. Server never came back to take our lunch order- we waited over 20 minutes to place our order while he waited on a larger party. We had to call him over to order. He got my clients order wrong- embarrassing to say the least. She waited another 20 minutes from the time my Greek Pitza arrived to when her entree arrived. No refills on iced tea until we were done and the restaurant slowed. Overall- service was poor. What looked like the restaurant manager stood behind of the dining area. Never seen checking on customers meals. No table touches. Unfortunately the Team is untrained and lacks basic service skills. For Hawaii - it's just okay Mediterranean food. Definitely can't touch Estatorio Milos by a long shot. A lot of fluff chic. Almost trying too hard. No substance and the basics. If you know good Mediterranean cuisine - save your $. You will be disappointed. I stopped taking photos after the apps. Done read more
2 years ago
Very nice Mediterranean restaurant on Kapiolani Blvd. service was excellent thank you Debbie. Bar libations were perfectly executed. They have a nice selection of house cocktails on their menu. Parking is free for 2 or 3 hours they have a valet service. We started with the Tasting Trio it comes with the Bocconcino roasted beets , walnuts pomegranate molasses which was my "favorite",, Greek tzatziki, & Hummus. Then we ordered the Kumamoto oysters what stood out was they had a "ouzo" granita and mignonette the granita was a really nice touch, then we tried the Beef Kibbeh Nayeh very similar to ( Beef tar tar) it was delightful it was served with fried bulgar, pickled onions and little lettuce wraps We moved on to our 2 mains for me it was the Grilled Octopus with gigande beans , fried capers. It was was nice presentation but a bit tough and 2 small pieces.. but is is a tapas style plate. Last we experienced the Glazed Lamb shank served in a tegene with dried apricots, carrots grilled, Harris's and almonds served with a couscous that was Excellent highly recommended. Will definitely return nice date location. And FYI they are opening for breakfast and lunch. read more
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Ask the Community - Mara
What is the dress code vibe?
I would say it's upscale yet relaxed. Lots of well dressed people out for a nice meal or girl's night, but also saw seated families in more relaxed attire.
Is the music during dinner loud where it is hard to talk to dining guest across the table?
I didn't think it was loud. If anything, everyone talking around you and conversing is the majority of the sound.
Where is parking entrance and is it self parking and valet?
Off of Kapiolani and I believe it is valet only
What is outdoor dining like?
Aloha.... This area is right outside next to the main Kapiolani Blvd. and all the cars and buses going pass your table. You will also have all the pedestrians walking pass you…
Are they open for lunch?
Yes but the lunch menu is terrible and it's overpriced as well
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10 reviews that are not currently recommended
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Mara - mediterranean - Updated July 2026
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