Entertaining out of state guest on a Saturday night. We decided to go to the west side of the island. Moaning island Bistro is a neatly tucked place in Kamakana Alii shopping center. A really chill local venue to kick back and relax with family and friend. The food and service is tip notch. No complaints. When there, ask for "Cadence" she's awesome. Our guest were very impressed with the local "Aloha." A great place for locals visiting from the outer island and staying at the Hampton hotel next door. Great place to walk over and relax. Highly recommended. read more

Great food, fast service and live music! Had the fried rice, one of platters, a garlic chicken special and the banana split for dessert.

Moani Island Bistro & Bar was a fantastic experience from start to finish! We were seated quickly, and the customer service was outstanding throughout our visit. The live music created the perfect atmosphere; it was upbeat, relaxing, and just made you feel good while enjoying your meal. The food was delicious, and the drinks were just as impressive. If you're looking for a cocktail recommendation, definitely order the Coconut Mojito. Between the great food, amazing service, and fun island vibe, this is definitely a place I'll be coming back to. Highly recommend checking it out if you're in the area! read more

Fun place for large family gathering. Enjoyed spicy ahi as appetizer, fried rice, fresh fish, and the bread dessert. Servers were very helpful. We had 17 folks so large group and we ate family style. Ambiance was casual....music was great but just a wee bit loud but nice music. read more

Food was delicious and as advertised pupu style... Shareable sizes. Taste was excellent . Waitress and bus help very attentive, professional and friendly. Will definitely be there again read more

Food was great. Music was great. Staff was great. No complaints. Our friends moved back home and we came here for some local food and it was perfect. We got the Kalbi ribs, pork chops and a loco moco, as well as the pork belly shrimp and wings for appetizers. Everyone's favorite was the pork chops!! The gravy was so yummy and the crispiness of the pork chops so good. Well balanced and I can't wait to order it again. The pork belly here is always a favorite between my boyfriend and I, all the flavors are so cohesive. The Kalbi was a little too charred for my liking but it was still good. Always love coming to moani's can't wait to be back soon read more

Moani Island Bistro & Bar - Inside - Bars Near Me - Kapolei, Hawaii

We came here based on a suggestion from our hotel staff they said it was great "local food" we were interested and saw that they had fried rice on their menu so we were excited to try it. The vibes are good with live music but the music is LOUD so be prepared you have to talk pretty loud to hear the people at your table. The gluten free menu is available but it is limited. The server was fantastic about answering questions and honestly she was the best part of the meal. I ordered the edamame and shrimp fried rice my mom ordered the Caesar salad. The portions are LARGE plenty for 3-4 people to split let alone two. Caesar salad was standard and good from what my mom told me. Edamame- I probably would not order this again. It was fine, but I didn't love the seasoning blend on it personally there are other things I would be interested in trying. Shrimp fried rice- I was really excited to try this and I was really hoping that it would be excellent and it was OK. The shrimp was cooked well and the fried rice just felt like it needed some more butter and it was lacking some of the things that make fried rice, fried rice like a fried egg so overall not my favorite dish. The gluten-free menu was pretty limited on options for me to try so I would probably go to somewhere else to try and get fried rice in the future. read more

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Another fun night at Moani's! They had live music and karaoke tonight. The food is always great and tasty. Definitely never a let down in that department. The service can be a bit slow when the place is crowded but that's expected. If you haven't already tried this spot, it's definitely a local food fav of mines! Updated with photos of tonight's food. read more

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Mediocre all around. The Garlic Butter Shrimp was by far the best thing we had; meanwhile, the "Crispy Calamari" was in fact soggy and the Kalbi was dry and bland. There's live music, which was loud but nice; other than that it was pretty empty and felt sterile inside. Service was slow, flaky, and didn't handle the shellfish allergy in our party well. read more

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Moani Bar & Grill at Ka Makana Ali'i is one of those spots that instantly feels like West Side pau hana energy -- live music, good vibes, and plates that hit the spot after a long day. The atmosphere is open, breezy, and always buzzing, especially when the band starts up. It's the kind of place where you can roll in with family, friends, or your whole canoe crew and feel right at home. The menu leans heavy on local comfort favorites appetizers, island‑style entrées, and cocktails that go down easy. Portions are solid, flavors are consistent, and the drinks come out fast even when the place is packed. Moani's happy hour is one of the best parts -- perfect for grabbing a drink before dinner or chilling after shopping. Based on current listings and typical offerings at Moani's Kapolei location, happy hour usually includes: Discounted signature cocktails, Beer specials, Reduced‑price pupus like wings, fries and more. Moani is known for its live music, featuring local artists almost nightly. It's lively but not overwhelming -- you can still talk story at your table without yelling. The crowd is a mix of families, couples, and groups celebrating something (because someone is always celebrating something at Moani). Moani Bar & Grill is a solid Kapolei pau hana spot -- good food, strong drinks, live music, and a happy hour that makes it easy to unwind without breaking the bank. If you're already cruising Ka Makana Ali'i, it's one of the best places to stop, chill, and enjoy the West Side vibe. read more

Moani Island Bistro & Bar - Bars Near Me - Kapolei, Hawaii

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I recently had dinner at Moani Bistro & Bar, and my experience was a mix of positives and negatives. The food was what I'd describe as typical local bar-and-grill fare. It was decent, but nothing particularly memorable. Unfortunately, the steak was a disappointment of the meal. It was quite tough and lacked the rich flavor I was hoping for. The restaurant itself has a lively atmosphere, though it can get very loud, making conversation at the table a bit challenging. The highlight of the evening was definitely the live music. Randy performed during dinner, and he was fantastic. His music was the perfect fit for a dinner setting, great song selection, enjoyable vocals, and just the right vibe to enhance the overall experience without overpowering it. read more

Moani Island Bistro & Bar - Spicy ahi poke nachos - Bars Near Me - Kapolei, Hawaii

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I wanted to try a new place and it's my birthday weekend so thought oh let's do it. Walked in without a reservation and was pleasantly surprised with immediate seating and live music! It was pretty busy and vibrant. Again, live music!! So exciting and my understanding is they do this every day. Can't wait to come back The food: family style and plentiful. We ordered two mains, a pupu, and a side. The chicken dish, kalbi, and Mac n cheese and calamari. All delicious and I don't have any notes to provide. Maybe if I had to say something negative would be the kalbi was a tab bit salty but delicious. I had a mango margarita which was also yummy. Service: I never had to worry about getting drunk refills. Prompt service and was checked on frequently with a smile. I totally recommend this spot and can't wait to return. read more

Moani Island Bistro & Bar - Bars Near Me - Kapolei, Hawaii

Celebrated my mom's birthday here and had the best time! Good food and vibes. Love the live music. Service was great everyone was so nice and helpful! Can't wait to come back again! read more

So my wife's cousin and his wife came to visit from the mainland so we decided to take them out to Moani's for dinner cause they get live entertainment and food is good and you know that if you like drinking the is the place cause the alcohol comes faster than the food read more

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I love this place for the cocktails, their entertainment and their breakfast menu. Local grinds, local music, and ran by locals. They have two locations. This one is located in Kapolei. They have indoor and outdoor seating. They have live entertainment in the evening. They have a full bar. Full menu, breakfast and dinner. read more

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Rolled in and it was happy hour- got three apps and Alison's and, even with a group of three, we had left overs! The shrimp was amazing! That was the winner The yakisoba is awesome The chicken wings we excellent ! The bao burgers were ok. Not sure I'd get them again. I bet the calimari would be awesome based on what we saw Inside it's dark and the seats are just slabs of steel which sort of makes dawdling around discouraged. Jawaiian plays over the sound system , which is pretty cool We left before the bands since typically bands live volume. Go during happy hour, you won't be disappointed read more

I just want to thank the staff for being so honest. I left my bag here a month ago opened and everything with my whole life in it. I got a call from a friend that my bag was found. I sincerely appreciate you guys. read more

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Great food and employees, we had catering and it was awesome, all is good at Ka Makana Moani

This place was surprisingly good! We arrived a bit late, so missed the live entertainment, but the food seemed to be authentically Hawaiian and was super delicious. Absolutely try the fried rice, as we found it to be fantastic! We also had a few cocktails which were reasonably priced and very well made. Kudos! read more

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It was my first time to this particular location as I've been to the Moani location at the International Marketplace, Waikiki a few times. Anywho, my nephew and his family were in town from Florida and staying at the Aulani, A Disney Resort & Spa and I wanted to treat them to local food but with a flair! Moani totally answered that call, splendidly! The food was phenomenal and the service was fantastic! Unfortunately, the only thing that kinda turned us off a bit was the level of noise in the restaurant; albeit, there was live entertainment and at the time that I booked our reservation it was during "Pau Hana" time! Totally bad timing on my part but a wonderful experience! I give Moani Island Bistro & Bar my personal 5-Shaka rating! read more

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First of all I overlooked sending my review for Moani Island Bistro back in Sept 2025 when my hubby, son and his girlfriend ate there for dinner. We just wanted to head out to the west side with no particular place in mind. We pulled in to Ka Makana Ali'i and decided to eat here. The place was pretty busy but the gentleman up front said a family of four is leaving soon so he'll let us have their table. We waited for a bit then got seated. It's a good thing our server Curtis M. shared that the plates are family-sized or else we would've each ordered a plate for ourselves. I believe we ordered the crispy calamari, smoked meat, garden salad, pulehu chicken, kalbi, and the Moani special fried rice. Yup, we had a spread and ended up taking home whatever we didn't eat. I didn't take pictures of everything but I did of only a few dishes. The room is one big open room so it is kind of loud but you can still have a conversation. There was a happy Hawaiian guy playing exceptional awesome music. Hubby had a bourbon that Curtis suggested and was happy with it. Lots of parking right out front too. We'll be back. Mahalo for a great evening. read more

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Girl brunch! (borderline just an early dessert w/ coffee) Ube french toast was soft, decadent, ube-ciously sweet - in a good way, and the star of brunch I was hoping the pancakes were made with mac nuts inside but it was only a topping. Sauce flavor on point *chefs kiss nonetheless! I always leave Moanis satisfied, full, & happy with leftovers. lol cheers (: read more

Moani Island Bistro & Bar - Fried Whole Fish - (sorry, had to sample before the pic) - Bars Near Me - Kapolei, Hawaii

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We've been to Moani several times, as we find it's a nice place to take out-of-town guests while still having options to enjoy local foods. There's always something for everyone, and nice for small groups/special occasions. So far we've been there for a birthday dinner, birthday brunch and an engagement celebration--it's versatile! The food is very good. I've liked everything we've ordered, and it's usually family style, so everyone gets to try new things. The service is what really makes Moani great. We have always have really personable servers. It's also nice that there has been live music every time we've been there. Thanks for being a versatile, group-friendly gathering place with good food! read more

Wow! It's been a long minute since I've been back here. Not sure if it's the same establishment that used to be a breakfast place at the exact, same location (Moani / Moena cafe?). Too similar in name if not the same. Nonetheless, I'm happy there is yet another dining option here on the west side of Oahu. MOANI Island Bistro & Bar is at Ka Makana Mall closest to the parking lot that Petco/24 hour Fitness share. Happy Hour specials and a LIVE band plays here (island music). Order short rib luau (drop FORK...uh mic). You're welcome. read more

Ghetto. We had a company Xmas party here and whoever made The reservations did not make a good Choice. Food delivery was slow, portions were small for large parties Drinks were pretty expensive, overall just not the place for large gatherings maybe if you and a friend Wanna have a few yes.. just wanted to warn everyone this holiday this is not a lace to throw a party but it's great for smaller gatherings. read more

Moani Island Bistro & Bar - Sizzling Kalbi, super good Pupu - Bars Near Me - Kapolei, Hawaii

I heard nothing but good things about this place so we decided to have dinner here before we head back home to vegas. We literally ordered the entire menu. The entrees are family style so it was good for a family of 20 to share the food. I tasted everything and it was delicious. Every platter has its own flavor. Nothing tasted bland in my opinion. The service is phenomenal. Our server was kehau k and she was the best always checking up on us. We ordered the calamari, kalbi, chicken wings, spicy ahi nachos, spicy butter garlic shrimp, Parmesan fries, fried fish, dads boneless pork chops, fried chicken"kawali", garlic shrimp fried rice, Moani special fried rice, hamburger steak, seffers sliders, smoke meat mac and cheese, spicy ahi nachos, baos burgers, uncle Tom's smoke meat, grilled rib eye. My kids got the keiki cheeseburger with fries. My favorite dish was the Kalbi, moani special fried rice, dad's boneless pork chops, and the crispy calamari. Honestly all the food was my fav. Clean restrooms no baby changing diaper, kid friendly. However after 10 pm no kids allowed because it turns into a "club bar style". I'm definitely coming back when I come to visit. read more

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The ambiance is definitely more of the 19th hole vibe - a place to have pupus and drinks after a round of golf. The food was okay. The ribeye was burnt and didn't have flavor and for the price that was disappointing. The service was really good and the waitress was friendly and attentive. I just don't think the price was worth the quality. read more

Moani Island Bistro & Bar - Salmon - Bars Near Me - Kapolei, Hawaii

Came here with family because it looked like they could take big groups and they were open late. The food was just OK. The ambiance was nice. There was a local playing a guitar and signing. He was awesome. He even sang little mermaid for my niece. Other locals were buying him shots and singing a long. He made the night super fun. Service was great. Everyone was nice. The menu says the food is shareable but I didn't think it was. I think it was supposed to feed 2-3 people. I say 1-2 at the most. Salmon- we liked that the best but it wasn't enough to share Kalbi- it was good, but again too small to share Pork chop. We weren't a fan. I didn't know it came with sauce and it was smothered in it. Wings- they were just ok My daughters got a shot, it was red and it tasted like cough syrup and believe me my girls don't waste alcohol but they didn't finish it. read more

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Live band, clean atmosphere, food is great and service was slow. It may have been due to insufficient staff- We definitely would have enjoyed a lot more cocktails if the person was more attentive but we understood -short-staff issue. Would still come here read more

Moani's is a great place to hang out with friends and family! We went there to celebrate my daughter's (17th) birthday and the local musician there even sang Happy Birthday to her (along with 2 other patrons celebrating their birthdays as well)! Mahalo for your special song that night! Moani's has amazing local dishes from poke nachos to fried rice, and a great variety of drinks too! The staff is amazing and are very friendly! Service is just as amazing and food and drinks come fairly quick! It's become one of my favorite local restaurants with live local music too! Mahalo Moani's for being such a great restaurant and a great place to hang out with friends! Cheehu!!!! read more

Hellooo, if your kitchen vents are not working, its time for an upgrade!!! Yesterday afternoon side doors wide open. As soon as our food came we had to deal with these big fat fly's. I normally stay home and cook, I didn't come to a restaurant and spend $150 to swat fly's..sooooo irritating!!! read more

Stopped by Moani Island Bistro in Kapolei for brunch and got to try some of their island-inspired dishes! Here's what we ordered: Corned Beef Hash Katsu Loco Moco - Served over fried rice, this loco moco had a crispy katsu-style corned beef hash, a rich gravy with big mushrooms (loved that touch!), and a perfectly cooked egg. The gravy was a little salty for my taste, but overall, a solid dish! Ube Pancakes - Fluffy, vibrant, and topped with a creamy ube drizzle. A must-try for ube lovers! Kalua Pork Eggs Benedict - A local twist on a classic! Smoky, tender kalua pork with silky hollandaise over a perfectly poached egg--so good. Service was quick, friendly, and attentive, and the food came out in a reasonable time. Overall, a great brunch spot if you're in the area! read more

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Moani's in Kapolei is definitely the better location compared to the one in Waikiki, definitely more chill vibes, better service, and the food just tastes fresher. The live music adds a fun touch without being too loud, and the portions are generous. It feels more like a local hangout spot than a touristy one, which I really liked. If you're choosing between the two, Kapolei's the way to go for sure. The read more

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This one evening we weren't very hungry, and my daughter suggested Moani Island Bistro. She previously had their special fried rice with pork belly, and we decided to share it. So good! She insisted we have the Lilicoi dessert. Lilicoi is one of the flavors of Hawaii that I've come to love. It was a delight. A busy spot, but service was on point. 9 read more

Moani Island Bistro & Bar - Fried. Rice - Bars Near Me - Kapolei, Hawaii

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For what I expected being a strictly live band bar I was surprised in ways and disappointed in others. I didn't try food this time and need to eventually It's super nice and definitely has an upscale feel compared to say og pipeline cafe and mai tais which I did appreciate given the fact that my friend and I missed them having malino and nuff said. As for drinks value... This is where I remain conflicted. While the prices are nice enough being lower in places like beer than most mainstream bars it doesn't have the variety (drafts especially) and kinda relies on the light and lighter options like Michelob Ultra to carry the prices as they're super close to each other. I didn't like how while local beers are available they are near double the price of the regular priced bottled beer. I wish specials at other places I went to were available to support local craft beer. Because of this and a long ride home we didn't get into cocktails but they did look nice at moments despite being again small on the menu. The pints/pitcher on draft though to me is the biggest detractor as the scaling of price to us wasn't there and there's only modelo and something else we forgot. On the bright side our servers were super on it with drinks and let us cruise also which I liked as well. Aunties definitely took care of us despite the noise so props to them. Overall it could go either ways. Nice food place with good service and small kine low booze appeal or perfect combo for a good pau Hana we will have to see. read more

The food here is 11/10. The apps, mains, sides, desserts are all delicious. It has good ambience and live Hawaiian music. Friendly staff, great service. read more

Service is not good. Two of the employed were impatient and unprofessional. I simply asked less than 3 questions, and they frowned and were not patient in answering me. I asked their restaurant hours and what specials they had. I spent my money elsewhere. There are many restaurants to choose from in the shopping center they are located in including a delicious Foodland Farms deli. read more

Daym, no need concert, just come here. The people on the west side can sing. Definitely a fun spot to grab drinks and just see free entertainment. read more

I like coming here early because it's a bit quieter. The food is delicious and i never disagree when Moani is the place to eat. The staff is very friendly and helpful. I do ask the staff allot for their recommendations and usually go with what they like. It's on my list of places to go often. read more

Pretty good food here! Conveniently located next to the hotel that we stayed at. We went during happy hour, which was pretty decent. I really like the Hawaiian poke. This was the best calamari I've had; I usually don't like calamari cuz other places don't make it well, have tiny pieces or just mostly fried batter. But here, it's meaty and worth the price. The bao burger was just OK so I'd skip that. Beware the gnats flying around, but other than that, come here for happy hour. read more

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