Pammy F.

The experience at Mugen was magical ambience! From the valet person out front, to the lovely hostess, wine sommelier Douglas, our server Shari, the other great people, Eduardo & unique name, Jahdi, made it memorable. I also thank hotel manger Vernon & manger Debbie!! THANK YOU!! Each utensil, 1 of a kind cocktails, bread & puzzle made spreads, gorgeous plating, chef well put together dishes, waygu beef tartare, Regiis Ova Ossetra Caviar, maine lobster, molokai venison, kona kampachi, scallops, maui beets, marrunga lamb, shima aji, toriyama a5 waygu, to 3 secret desserts and a surprise!! The sapphire tasting set is the way to go I say!! Comes with Chef's Seasonal Nigiri!! OMGOSH!!

Jillian T.

Mugen, located inside of the Espacio hotel, with valet attendants available right up front on Kalakaua Avenue. It looks like they share a parking garage with their neighbors in the back, to which it may take some time to get your car. When you first enter the hotel, go straight in and up the stairs to Mugen's bar/host area. Restrooms are downstairs, with a key access. There are elevators nearby for those needing ADA access. The dining room is quaint to which it can accommodate 8-10pax or smaller intimate 2-4 top tables. We had an amazing experience, partaking in their Special 7-Course Menu collaboration with cocktails and caviar. We had synchronized service this evening to which all servers would place the plates on the tables at the same time, for however many diners were at that table. Really a great sight to see, as not many restaurants partake in this. Overall, the food was great, the service was great, as was the ambiance. We will definitely be back for their afternoon tea service!

Ash N.

I've been to Mugen countless of times, dare I say, I'm a regular here?! It's one of my top favorite restaurants on the island. A romantic date night, special occassion, or if you're just in the mood for delicious food- this is the spot you want to be at. From the moment you step into Mugen, you quite literally feel like you are stepping into royalty. When they say this is "Five Star Dining", you can expect literally no less. Both their afternoon tea and dinner menu is absolutely delightful. However, this review will be for their dinner, which I just attended last night. Mugen offers both ala carte and set menus, but what I really like about their set menu is that you can pick and choose what you want to eat, as well as do add ons. They have three different set menus: a 4 course (Jade), 5 course (emerald), and a 6 course (sapphire). All of the set menus come with an amuse bouche and dessert. Also, they also don't require the entire table to have the same set menu which allows for much more flexibility. My friend and I had the sapphire set menu and our choices were: 2 Starters: oysters & scallops Chef's seasonal nigiri (not our choices but AMAZING) 1 Kai: lobster risotto 1 Aina: toriyama A5 wagyu 1 Dessert: I can't remember the name but I think it was the sakura breeze? Everything was SOOOO good. Like literally everything makes you go "MMMM"! The amuse bouche was delicious- their take on a "poke bowl" and was almost like ahi crispy rice, oysters were super fresh, scallops were cooked perfectly, the lobster risotto was so savory and the risotto it came with was so tasty, and the toriyama A5 wagyu was chefs kiss. The wagyu also comes with a shortrib mandoo- SO delicious! And we actually got three desserts (I can't remember the names), but all of them were great. I also want to mention that sometimes set menu's can take forever (I've been to fine dining restaurants where you are waiting almost 20-30 minutes between each course), but Mugen courses everything perfectly so you're not waiting too long between each meal, but also have enough time to savor your wine pairing. Overall dinner was a 10/10. Their regular menu is amazing, but from time to time they also have collaborations with other chef's and have special menus too! I mean what can't they do? I literally love this restaurant. The staff is so kind and friendly, and the chef's clearly know what they are doing. I 100% recommend Mugen to anyone who is in the mood for a 5 star experience. I can't wait to be back again soon!

Eric L.

I wanted to love Mugen (and at the cost, I really should have). But while impressive, I was left feeling a bit underwhelmed. Perhaps it was that the best dish was an add-on (a Wagyu musubi). I ended up doing the mid-range tasting menu and I'm glad I tried a bit of everything, so I'll just evaluate what I had. The amuse bouche was nice, but a bit heavy on the parmesan flavor. The tartare was overwhelmed by the egg; it needed more meat. Oysters were wonderful (they always are). Scallops were a standout, and the spicy Thai sauce really worked - a new and unexpected combination for me. The shima aji was a fun experience; I associate that mostly with sushi, so a cooked version (tasted a bit like sea bass) was a cool experience. I do wish I'd have tried the lobster, though. The main dish was a well-cooked Molokai beef. Dessert was quite fresh; I loved the combination of flavors. Service: incredibly attentive, but not good with dietary accommodations. I was surprised by how rigid the menu is. The kitchen is trying something impressive, combining Hawaiian flavors with European techniques and Asian influences. It's likely among the best fine dining spots on Oahu, but it was just a "good" for me.

Li Y.

In awe of the utter perfection in service, overload to the visual sense AND deliciously memorable experience to the palate at Mugen. Thank you Yelper Kathy A. for introducing me to this wonderful experience paired with even better company. I have been to many afternoon teas. This was by far, the most memorable. Top notch service began with Valet parking curbside on Kalakaua where our car was received and we were then escorted into the boutique hotel Espacio where Mugen is located. Taken to our dining table where a whimsical tree filled with sweet treats was waiting for us. Each ornament filled with a tasty treat. The set menu started off with a glass of Louis Roederer Rosé kicking off the afternoon tea (for those non-alcohol drinkers may be substituted with a refreshing hibiscus tea). Continuing on with five of the most delectable and palate pleasing savory treats: 1) Ossetra caviar 2) Hokkaido uni chawanmushi 3) Mugen lobster roll 4) seafood cake (my favorite) filled with scallops, shrimp, and lobster, and 5) Wagyu short ribs arancini. Just when you thought your tummie was satisfied, a plateful of sweet treats arrived. Yes, some of it got taken away. Undoubtedly the most memorable afternoon tea in Honolulu!

Sandy D.

After my first experience at afternoon tea in January I immediately booked one for May 30 to celebrate my daughter's birthday. I had raved to her about the experience. She was so excited. She was flying in from Wisconsin and brought her boyfriend with her. We were seated and greeted warmly. I had indicated we were celebrating a birthday and that I was gluten free. They received the gluten free message, but there was no mention of her birthday although we saw other tables being recognized for their birthdays. Good thing my daughter knew I had good intentions. The thing is, the service was not outstanding. The food took a long time to come out. I noticed they added two more tables in the area to accommodate more people. It took a while for servers to notice the water was low. Our tea had gotten cold before anyone checked to warm it up. Food was brought without any explanation or description as to what we were having. My gluten free options were brought without any explanation. Just said this is your gluten free dish. I didn't know what I was eating. The second course came and it came with two gluten free options. I asked why? He said he didn't know. He also said someone mentioned avoiding seafood. I said that's not accurate. We had caviar in the beginning, is that not considered some kind of seafood? I was disappointed that for my gluten free option I didn't receive caviar. I did the previous time. He said it was because it had a soy sauce. Anyway, the second course- my daughter's boyfriend receive cucumber so I said he's not averse to seafood. They made him another one but it took another 15 minutes. It's was 1.5 hours to get through the savory parts of the menu. He was so hungry. It was disappointing. My daughter asked if this was the kind of service I was raving about. I said absolutely not. This was night and day. The personal attention just wasn't there and for $165 of small little bites, the experience needs to be worth my two hours of time and still go to McDonald's after to get a snack.

Pam M.

My friend heard about this restaurant & made reservations which are strongly recommended. It's located in a boutique luxury hotel named Espacio. There's an elevator that opens to the restaurant. It's a modern, dark & sleek interior design. It's not a big restaurant which is nice for a quiet dinner. Our server John, strongly resembled Stanley Tucci & he was fabulous, helpful, entertaining & warm. We ordered the Jade level tasting menu & we each ordered different things so we could have more variety. Everything was delicious & beautifully prepared & presented. I would say that I personally enjoyed the seafood dishes over the meat dishes though. We were super full & the lighter dessert (Tropical Fall Fusion) was the perfect ending to our meal. They present their guests with a box of sweets at the conclusion of your meal service.

Bruce H.

This small place is a true gem. True fine dining, service staff in suits, a real sommelier, and fantastic world class food. They use a unique approach to their tasting menus, allowing you to select specific options from different categories on the menu. We did the "emerald" version which included an amuse, bread course, two starters, a seafood dish, a meat dish, and dessert. You can add supplements if you want. They then pair wine with each dish. Eduardo (our primary server) was fantastic. As was the Somm. The meal progression was flawless and we enjoyed every single dish. My wife and I chose a few different options along the way and it was fun to get a taste of the things she selected. We have had Michelin Star meals on three continents, and this was as good a meal as many of them. This is now one of my top 3 fine dining restaurants in the state (along with Nylos in Maui and Maze also in Honolulu).

Kathy A.

Spent a couple of hours this Saturday catching up with friend Li Y sharing her recent trip to Japan and Korea while having another fabulous Tea at Mugens. One of those "a picture is worth a thousand words" places. You can easily spend a couple of hours being treated to an exquisite banquet that is an amazing experience for both your taste buds and your eyes. I've always believed you embrace your good visually, than by fragrance and lastly palatableness.....this is the place.

Asaiahsen A.

Visited one of my top favorite restaurants in Waikiki, Mugen. We were celebrating an anniversary with a reservation for two at 6:15pm on Saturday. This seemed like the perfect time to be there with a moderate crowd. Our first time here we had a reservation at 5 and it was a little too early because we had the restaurant to ourselves for a little (unless you like that). The entrance is a hidden little hole in the wall in Waikiki jammed between an ABC store with only a valet desk marking its presence. They only offer valet but it's free for Mugen guests. You enter through a grand secluded lobby, leading to the beautiful Mugen. A small but thoughtful space with an open kitchen layout and subtle decor. For ordering, there are three tiers to the pre-fix menu with the option for 5 courses ($150) or 6 courses ($180) or 7 courses ($200). They also offer supplements and enhancements like a Wagyu musubi or a the caviar course. We had the 7 courses and the caviar course and this was a lot of food! I barely made it to the 6th course! Drinks, we started off with the vaccine, a mezcal with lemon ginger and honey and this was refreshing and not too sweet! We also go the matcha Saturn which was our favorite drink of the night! It was a refreshing blend of floral matcha with hints of lilikoi and citrus! Very refreshing. We also tried nebula's kiss and the bartender's drink of the night a strawberry mule and that was great too! Our favorite courses of the night were the seared scallops! This was a last minute change in preparation but was a pleasant surprise with the refreshing but flavorful Thai sauce with mushrooms and yuzu jam lined dish. The presentation on this dish was exceptional and captivating. Another favorite was the Maine lobster course which we've had before and made sure to get our own this time around! Trying the venison with sunchoke and foie gras was good but I wish I got the lamb too!!! We also loved the amuse and the bluefin Otorro! Caviar service was also great with so many options provided! Basically everything we had was good! Only things I want to point out was the tartare course where it came with the layered potato sides, I do wish my potato was a little crispier as it was on the soft side. And I do wish there's was another flavor like capers in the tartare adding that pickled component you usually have to a tartare. It is just a preference and the texture of the tartare was perfect! For our anniversary they provided a complimentary scoop of ice cream. At first we thought it was vanilla, but after taking the first bite we could tell it was some kind of frozen yogurt type ice cream and it was really good. Service here is always spectacular! The whole front of house works as a team to care for all the tables making sure water stay full, dishes are cleaned in a timely manner and food comes out on time. Do be prepared to be here for a while, our dinner took three hours but it went by so quickly! They also sent us home with a box of housemade chocolate macadamias which were soo delicious! Definitely one of our top favorite restraunts that we will be back to!!

Shari T.

This is a review for Mugen's Afternoon Tea only. Made a reservation via Open Table. Only Saturdays, with a 1 pm seating. They fill up fast. I believe there are only 10 seats. Make your reservation early. Valet parking when you pull up in front of Espacio ON Kalakaua Avenue. There's no driveway, so the valet will come help passengers get out. Take the elevator to Lobby, which is transformed for Afternoon Tea. No charge for parking with validation, just give tip. TLDR; Pricey but comes with excellent Service, a really elevated kind of tea service with really delicious teas and food offerings. Highly recommend AND I would go again. Got a complimentary glass of champagne. Picked our teas and tea pots. The savory food offerings were decadent (caviar, lobster, foie gras, etc.) and generous in their servings. Some of the bites made me swoon, they were so good. The amuse bouche was a three biter for me, which I appreciated over the typical one bite. ;) but you can really see the attention to detail and that things are prepared to order. I went to try their Andagi. EXCELLENT. Crispy exterior and fluffy interior. And it comes out HOT! Hard to get fresh fried andagi. Dusted with cinnamon and sugar with option to dip in Ka'u Coffee Semifreddo. The scones were hot and flaky. I was not as wowed with the yogurt gelato, tapioca, and panna cotta. They were enjoyable but didn't pack the same punch as the rest of the food items. I was told a pastry chef from Germany was starting soon, so looking forward to their creations. I am serious when I say I enjoyed this Afternoon Tea so much that I would go again. Cos I am going again with friends next month! Oh! They gave us a tube of strawberry chocolate covered nuts to take home.

Rod U.

Note: Afternoon tea review. The best and most exclusive afternoon tea in Hawaii. The experience begins when uniformed valets escort you into the Espacio Waikiki where you're handed off to one of the servers who takes you through to a sitting room right off the lobby. Guests are guided through a 25 selection tea menu, being offered the chance to look and more importantly smell the tea before finalizing the individual selection. Next, guests are taken to a display case to make their tea pot selection. A glass of Laurent Perrier Cuvee Rose and we're off. Unlike the classic tea service, savory items are coursed keeping everything vibrant and at proper temp. Plating ranges from elegant to whimsical. Flavors are bold and pay homage to the chef's native Barbados. For example "De Pattie", essentially an empanada that is filled with an outstanding oxtail and curried channa. A flavor explosion. Adding the accompanying tamarind sauce made it even better. I have a new favorite lobster roll. Lilikoi and parsley aioli paired with cucumber all accompanies chunks of sweet Caribbean lobster. Brilliant way to add fruity, floral elements while providing the requisite acidity. Sadly, after the vibrant yuzu, olive oil sorbet intermezzo, the dessert box was a challenge. Servers were quick to acknowledge it and had take out boxes and bags ready. Though, the cranberry strawberry scone with clotted cream and pineapple marmalade made for a great ending. Service is extremely friendly and omni present. At the end of the experience, servers take you back to the valet where cars have already been brought out curbside. This is a very exclusive event. Only 12 reservations available per week. Saturday, 13:00. The Spring 2025 experience is $120/pp. Reservations should be made three months in advance. Parking is valet only. Pull into the 3 minute loading zone directly in front of the hotel on Kalakaua Ave. As with all multi course meals, not everything will be to everyone's liking but the huge positives outweigh minor negatives (I did wish there was an option to have caviar spread across the entire creme fraiche cheesecake). So yes, without a doubt the best afternoon tea in Hawaii.

Carmen N.

An unexpected little gem in the hustle and bustle of Waikiki. You walk through a small door and narrow corridor, up a flight of stairs and enters a quaint little restaurant. Our party of 4 were seated in a semi private room, which added a nice touch. Our server was extremely friendly, welcoming and professional. He took the time to explain the menu to us (how the tasting menu worked) and also went above and beyond to make sure our picky-eater kids were able to order from off the menu with the chef's permission. Our courses came out at a good pace, unlike many other fine dining which can be tiresome with long waits between courses. Each dish was super flavorful and perfectly seasoned. We loved that the chef created items that were both themed seasonally and best for the season. Dishes that stood out for us were the scallops and lobster. The dessert presentation was exceptional too. We left with a very relaxed and satisfied experience (and a couple of sweet treats that the restaurant gave us too!). Highly recommend Mugen if you're looking for fine dining in the area.