Located on the second floor above a high-end car dealership, MW Restaurant is a hidden gem that's both elegant and intimate. Parking is valet-only for $6, but it's worth it for the overall experience. The atmosphere is romantic and modern -- perfect for date nights or a special evening out. The staff is warm, professional, and attentive throughout the meal. We started with the Smoked Kampachi Dip, which was incredible -- rich, smoky, and beautifully paired with crispy wonton chips. The Soup and Sandwich combo (tomato soup and mini sandwich) was comforting and flavorful, and the Ho Farms Tomato Salad was fresh and bright with perfectly balanced flavors. For the main course, the Miso-Glazed Butterfish was absolutely divine -- tender, buttery, and cooked to perfection with a deliciously caramelized glaze. Dessert was equally impressive -- the Crème Brûlée and chocolate dessert were not only gorgeous but also the perfect sweet finish to an exceptional meal. Overall, MW Restaurant delivers an outstanding dining experience -- refined yet relaxed, creative yet comforting. Highly recommended for anyone looking for a memorable evening in Honolulu. read more

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First time at the unique restaurant inside of an exotic dealership. The ambiance was friendly and we had a great experience. The tomato strawberry vinaigrette salad was refreshing. The butter fish was light yet tasty. The corn is to die for. The banana desert was just ok I may have preferred a different dessert but overall great place for dinner. read more

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The restaurant is a kind of casual, fine, dining, and very relaxing and elegant. The service was exceptional. I think our server's name was Kyle. Food: it can be a hit and miss. The paella was great. I think it came with half a lobster tail, one scallop and about four clams and I don't know what else was in there. My husband ate that dish and he liked it. I had the scallops with Uni on top. The scallops were perfectly cooked moist. The Uni was creamy and went well with the scallops and the little sea asparagus was very unusual, but went well. The short rib beef with roasted vegetable dish wasn't my liking. The meat itself was dry, and the sauce was too salty for my taste. I really didn't eat much of it. But our next-door couple ordered it and he ate the whole thing so it's really a personal taste. If you like well, seasoned meat and well done, you will probably like it. Dessert: this was my favorite part. Love the candy bar, love the Lilikoi dessert and this chocolate decadence cake. All the desserts look good and I wish I could order all of them. They are known for their desserts. Also of the appetizers or starters, I think the crabcake was the best. I did see people order the kampachi dip and it did look like a good size appetizer. But nacho appetizer looked kind of small, but I don't know how it tasted. I just saw what it looked like. Overall, I would go back for a special occasion because it is a bit pricey. Or maybe just go back for appetizer and dessert read more

The food was as good as I remember before. The ingredients were fresh and the taste was really well balanced. They were able to accommodate a bit party which was great and we were able to try a lot of their signature dish. They had a kid's menu also which I have to say I would def order myself! I recently learned that they cater to airlines also which I'm so glad bc they're able to share their food with others who may not have chosen to go to their restaurant! The location of the restaurant is in a car dealership with an original F1 race car, which is definitely unique! Ambience inside the restaurant itself can be a bit loud, but we were not bothered by it. Makes it for a more fun outting. read more

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Although they provide the valet parking, you need to approach from the back of the building (Mercedes side), so be careful. We ordered seafood salad, Pork hash dumplings, ahi nachos, kona kampachi, and brûlée. The presentation is great and we enjoyed all the dishes except ahi nachos and pork hash dumplings: ahi nachos were a bit spicy (maybe good with some alcohol) and pork hash dumplings were a bit salty on that day. This restaurant is so popular that many local customers were there even on Thursday: therefore we had difficulty finding our waiter. Yet we love their seafood dishes as well as desert. We would like to come back again to try other dishes. Thank you very much for nice dinner! read more

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Excellent food, service and ambience. Outstanding dining experience. This restaurant sets the bar.

I have a sweet tooth, so I have always loved the M-side of MW. Artizen cookie bar? Already added to the calendar. All you can eat MW candy bars at Food & Wine? How many times is too many times to get in line? Asking for a friend. I don't always think of the W-side of MW, but I should. We recently went back for dinner with friends and here are the notes. Do try the arancini. Light, crispy, with the scent of truffles. This is a nice appetizer. The corn chowder was less exciting and served just barely warm. The entrees are classic bistro favorites, the King Salmon had a soft, melt in your mouth texture and was served with a generous amount of beurre blanc. The braised short ribs are fork tender with a rich truffle sauce and foie gras. And the Steak Au Poivre was better than some steakhouses. The steak had a deep beef flavor, had a nice sear, and the sauce was heavily seasoned--I would suggest getting the sauce on the side. We finally made it to dessert and coffee--French press of course--and why stop at just one? Michelle's signature dessert, the brûlée is a fun mix of textures, the crispy burnt sugar balancing out the tangy lilikoi. The tiramisu is the coffee version of the brûlée with the same brûléed top and the same textures of pearls, cream, and jellies. The MW candy bar is perfect if you like chocolate and peanut butter. Lightly crisp and so indulgent. Strawberry Napoleon is puff pastry, strawberries, ume and shiso sorbet, it's crunchy and refreshing. We enjoyed ourselves and it reminded me MW is still a lovely way to wile away an evening. read more

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I can't say enough about MW! My third time here this year. it's hands down my favorite spot on Oahu, and the perfect place to celebrate my anniversary! From start to finish, the experience was incredible. We kicked things off with the Wagyu beef sliders they were juicy, tender, and bursting with flavor. A must-have if you're coming here. For my entrée, I went with the Mochi-Crusted Kampachi, my second favorite after the scallops. The crust was crispy and golden, while the fish inside was perfectly tender. My boyfriend opted for the Seafood Paella, which he couldn't stop raving about. But the real showstopper is always dessert: the MW Candy Bar. The best dessert I've ever had. Must order As if that wasn't enough, the staff was so sweet and surprised us with a complimentary chocolate cake to celebrate our anniversary. It was the perfect end to an amazing meal! Service was top-notch, the ambiance is always on point. Highly recommend MW to anyone looking for a special dining experience on the island. Can't wait to go back! read more

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Hidden gem. This unique spot is actually inside of a car dealership. The food was SO good and the service was great. We tried the scallops, seafood fried rice, lobster bouillabaisse, lion's mane mushroom stew, miso butterfish, crab cakes, ceviche, and seafood chowder. Everything was amazing! read more

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This review is for the CARROT CAKE take out. It was not part of their dessert menu whenever we've dined in. I also did not see it served per slice at Artizen downstairs. Seems like it's only available via pre-order. Premium cake 6" for $85. To those of who you are carrot cake connoisseurs or you just love Carrot cake, this is THE.BEST.CARROT.CAKE.IN.HAWAII.PERIOD. 5 layers, delicious cream cheese frosting - very good balance between cheese and sweet, topped off with a crispy wafer base. Reminds me of the Carrot Cake at our fav Steakhouse in San Diego - Born and Raised. Yea I'll be ordering it again! read more

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Dined at the MW during the holidays and had a very pleasant experience. The interior dining area had a well framed view of the Blaisdell Center across the street. To start off our dinner, we ordered some drinks and I got the Yuzu Paper Plane. It was very smooth with a sweeter profile, would definitely recommend. For appetizers we got the Mountain View Farms Pork Hash Dumplings, Crab Cakes, and Poké Nachos. The dumplings and crab cakes had a lovely presentation and were very flavorful, but the poké nachos were a bit lacking in flavor and creativity, especially for the price... For my entree I had the Brandt Brand Ribeye Steak. The steak was great, but the side of mushroom medley stew didn't stand out in flavor or appearance...and I thought it was a bit odd that they served their ribeye with a side bowl of rice(it kind of cheapened the experience for me a bit), you would expect something a little more of quality like a baked potato or some kind of greens. For dessert we ordered the MW Candy Bar and Not Your Normal Brownie..., both were great but our favorite of the two was the brownie. Overall the dinner was great and we had a fun time. Service was prompt and efficient as well. read more

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we got dinner at mw for our last night in oahu and the food did not disappoint! we ordered the hokkaido scallops which was accompanied with a seafood fried rice and a creamy gravy. the fried rice was crispy and included small bits of crab, scallops, veggies, and the actual scallops were cooked perfectly and had a nice chew to it. we also got the miso butterfish which was amazingg and melted in the mouth (this was our favorite). the seasoning was sweet and salty and paired perfectly with fluffy white rice and banchan. for dessert, we ordered a cherry jubilee which came with a cherry sauce, light sweet pastry, and vanilla ice cream. the pastry was a bit sweet for us but was nicely balanced by the ice cream and cherries which had some tang to it. the only con we had was navigating to the restaurant and parking, which was really weird and a bit confusing (it was valet parking and basically all located in a dealership). that aside, we had a great dining experience and would recommend trying it out -- dessert is a must! read more

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Check in- excellent food and service as always! Ho Farms Tomato Salad was great! Mochi crusted Kanpachi with somen and Big Glory Bay salmon with bulgur/quinoa salad (infused with ginger/scallion sauce) were wonderful. Lilikoi brûlée and mango shave ice were incredible desserts. The mango shave ice included sorbet, mango shavings, panna cotta and tapioca. It was outrageously good. read more

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MW was awesome! Great service, fun and knowledgeable! Definitely got to try this gem out. read more

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A lot of this rating comes from our experience with server Tyler. He deserves all the accolades in that even if we were to have a terrible meal (which we didn't) he would still be able to turn this around. He shows empathy and care for his customers. Knows when to lean in and lean out of conversations and is not awkward about it. Commands the floor and should be a manager if he's not by now. But nevertheless MW, has been at this location for about 3 years now. Drive your car up to the valet located on the 2nd floor, but come with a smaller car because there are tight turns in the parking lot, the way the cars are tandem parked on a busy night. Valet parking is $6 (not including tip and no validation is necessary). The restaurant is located on the same floor, less than a minute away from valet. Bar is to the right, check-in counter to the left, and more dining tables around the check-in corner on the left. Restrooms are located in the hallway of velocity, by the elevators. Came here for the restaurant week menu which was good! Was torn between the chowder and arancini as the starting course. Noticed that the chowder was on their ala carte menu, so opted for the restaurant week menu arancini and got an order of the chowder as well. Didn't think the arancini was going to come with 7 pieces! Already full by the time both items were consumed, but kept pushing through. The chicken cordon bleu came with a duck pastrami which wasn't too gamey, which I liked. Though the sauce was a little too salty for my liking. The corn was sweet and veggies were crunchy. Huge portion, so took half of that home, to save room for dessert. My dining partner opted for the salmon which had a nice Beurre blanc sauce, also a huge portion. As for the desserts, I liked the strawberry napoleon far more than the tiramisu. The tiramisu wasn't bad. It had a creme brulee type of crust on it, and under that had a chocolate mousse with a coconut espresso tapioca, that part I liked the most. That strawberry napoleon though, needs to be on your menu permanently! Just the right amount of crisp/crunch for the puff pastry, and just the right amount of creme to strawberry and when you mix it together with that ume, strawberry, shiso sorbet, perfection. Thank you for the lovely restaurant week menu, well done! read more

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Wow is this place a hidden gem! We loved Alan Wong's and were heartbroken when it closed. MW has the same creativity and approach to food. The menu has so many flavorful dishes it's hard to choose the best one. The service was friendly and attentive. This place has a cool vibe as it's above a luxury car dealership. It's small and intimate but packs a big punch. Definitely save room for dessert as you won't want to miss out! read more

The parking is tricky, but once you get there you'll love the service and food! Our table had a wonderful view. The food was excellent. We'll go back when we vacation there again, it was that good. read more

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MW stands for Mouth Watering food! I've been a fan of MW Restaurant since dining at their previous Kapiolani Boulevard locale and at Artizen, its sister restaurant. MW stands for the wife and husband team of pastry chef Michelle Karr-Ueoka and chef Wade Ueoka, who was gracious enough giving us a tour of the dining room on a previous visit. They are both disciples of Alan Wong, having worked for him at his restaurant. For start, I ordered the Farmer's salad, a beauty to behold. For entree, I considered the King salmon, but could not resist the mochi-crusted Hawaiian kanpachi, which is MW's most popular entree. It was perfectly cooked, served atop two round mounds of somen noodle, and accompanied with delicately chopped kim chee and bok choy. Since MW is also known for its desserts, we ordered the banana cream with ulu crust topped with Kohana rum ice cream and creme brulee. Just soooo good! My dinner mates were quite content with the food and the excellent service from our server Giorgio. Loved the ambiance of their dining room! Valet parking ($6) entrance is on Kapiolani Boulevard; take the second right to the ramp, where you arrive at restaurant's entrance. read more

MW Restaurant - Banana cream pie - excellent! - New American Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

We try to dine at MW every time we go to a blaisedell show, but caution to everyone that you should try to book your reservations early because they are very popular! It's a little strange coming here because it is in the car showroom but they do valet which makes it less stressful. But once you're inside, it is clean, very modern and chic and feels like a high end restaurant. The menu is always changing so we eat something new everytime. The appetizers are always delicious. We have sat down at the tables and the bar, both were good experiences. I gotta say my favorite part of the meal is always dessert. Their sweets are just so balanced and yummy I always look forward to it read more

MW Restaurant - Banana pie - New American Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Darren was an awesome server. Took the time to explain the menu to us. Very personable and super helpful and efficient. Loved the food and starters. Very different but delicious. They gave us a super fancy chocolate cake with gold shavings on it, for our birthdays. Beautiful ambiance and very relaxing.great service and easy parking read more

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Food was bussin! I'd bring my fam here next time. My girl loved the salmon and they even threw in a nice cake cuz we celebrated another year of me not cheatin. read more

MW Restaurant - New American Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Everything is good! A challenge to get to the parking valet spot, got to go through an auto dealership. All good, live and learn.

I had the opportunity to dine in at MW restaurant for a work function when we hosted a VIP visiting from Okinawa. We knew the food and service was excellent when we catered lunch bentos for another set of visitors a couple of months ago. Our group at the time had a variety of dietary restrictions, which Executive Manager Kathy accommodated with so much grace and patience. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed their lunch bentos, and MW was the natural choice this time! Our reservation was for a Tuesday and it was a relatively big group. I noticed there was a lot of space between each group of diners, which is not common in my experience (don't restaurants usually fill their floor with as many tables as possible for higher yields?) so there was adequate privacy. The dining room had big windows along one wall which looked out at the Blaisdell (I think) but I admit I barely looked out! The interior was brightly lit and classy and modern and simple at the same time. The food was SO GOOD. For appetizers we had the ahi poke nachos (so fresh and delicious), unagi arancini (delicious, esp with the seaweed sauce thing at the bottom - omg), pork hash dumplings (super super good, so dense and juicy and perfectly seasoned), and seasonal persimmon salad (I didn't sample). I had the duck confit while everyone else had the signature kanpachi and butterfish. I had had the kanpachi bento before and knew it was good, but seeing it served hot and fresh and hearing the crunch of the crispy mochi is another matter! (I took a bite from my colleague's fish hehe.) My duck was super crispy outside and super tender inside and so so delicious. It was a mini Thanksgiving meal with the arabiki stuffing and cranberry sauce and truffle mashed potatoes. SO SO GOOD. I thought I wouldn't be able to fit anything else but the folks at MW timed it so well; between clearing our plates and whipping out the dessert menu and letting us peruse it, somehow my stomach made room for a banana cream pie, which was just the right amount of sweetness and richness. I swear I gained 5 lbs from that meal. Service was stellar, from the cheerful hostess who doubled as server/busser, to our main guy Kyle who was prompt, courteous, and appeared like magic when we needed him, and to exec manager Kathy who once again accommodated us! The price points may seem high at first glance but for the overall quality (taste, portion size, execution) they are quite reasonable, in my humble opinion. Definitely worth the treat for special occasions. It is valet parking only, $6 for 3 hours. Getting to the restaurant is straightforward but also tricky for first-timers. Directions are clearly written on their website. read more

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I haven't been back to this restaurant in five plus years and didn't realize it had moved. The directions were so confusing, had to pull up Yelp reviews to find the actual parking lot. This is located inside of a dealership on the 2nd floor. Only valet is available. Upon arriving we were stuck in a line of cars that had no one actually in them. Since we were almost late for our reservation, I stepped out to talked to the valet. I was informed that the cars in front of me were getting dropped off of service? Nevertheless, he took our keys which help us skip the wait time. The new location is a lot fancier than its previous. We got sat right away but service was very slow. Didn't have a server come by til almost 20 minutes. FOOD **I was a bit disappointed because I had checked the website for the menu prior but it looks like a few of the items were changed. - Oysters 5/5: Very fresh and decently sized. - Beets Salad 2/3: Underwhelming and lacked flavor. - Foie Gras Wonton 2/5: A bit too sweet and salty for my liking. The wonton itself was also a little stale. - Garlic Parmesan Potato Gnocchi 5/5: Please order this as a side! It was the best gnocchi I have ever had. Just the right amount of chewiness with immense flavor. The stars of the show were the entrees: - Truffle Braised Shortrib 3/5: So juicy and tender. The scalloped potatoes complimented the dish so well. However, the dish was very rich and a bit too sweet. - 16oz Brandt Brand Beef Prime Grade Ribeye 3/5: Very flavorful but it was overall a bit chewy. - Mochi Crusted Kona Kamapchi 5/5: This dish was chef's kiss! The fish had the perfect amount of crunch but was still so moist and chewy. The somen noodles were so refreshing and complimented the fish very well. I would come back just for this dish alone! Sad that we had decided to share dishes. The tab was overall pretty high for a mid-level restaurant. I had remembered enjoying the old location more over the new. I'd probably only come back for the mochi crusted fish. read more

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HIGHLY RECOMMEND COMING HERE!!!! This dinner was one of the best! It was a party of twelve people and the service, and food were great! I ordered the ribeye it was covered in a sauce that brought great flavor to it. My girlfriend ordered the seafood paella, let me say the shrimp with scallop was nice combination. We ordered almost all the appetizers on the menu! I recommend ordering wagyu beef sliders and pork hash dumplings. I would definitely come just for the appetizers alone! Coming here for family meal to share or just a great dinner date is good choice. read more

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The last time I ate at MW Restaurant prior to this visit was when they were located in the same complex as Pho Saigon and HawaiiUSA Federal Credit Union. Of course, HawaiiUSA Federal Credit Union is no longer there but that was how long ago it has been. So you can say it's been a minute. They are now located on the second floor of Velocity. For those of you who don't know where that is, they are on the corner of Ward and Kapiolani with all the exotic cars. You drive up the ramp to the second floor for valet parking which is $6. Your car is relatively safe since it's probably one of the least valuable vehicles on property so you can dine in peace. With tip you're looking at paying about $11. You walk through the glass doors and MW Restaurant is in front of you. Immediately to your right is the bar and to the left is the dining room. There is a view of NBC through their windows and of the kitchen along the far wall. We came this most recent visit as a surprise birthday party for Mink. After a month of planning, it definitely failed but she gave me points for effort. One couple flew in that morning and couldn't make it as jet lag hit them hard. Another couple whom I asked to pick up the balloons I ordered got stuck in crazy traffic so they didn't arrive till after we arrived. The last couple came separately due to work so only one person was there on time lol. I really appreciated they came because they were flying out the next morning and they didn't book their hotel nor packed yet. Since no one was there nor the Happy Birthday balloons, Mink didn't even know it was a surprise birthday party for her lol. She thought she was there to have dinner with my clients and was like "what are you doing here?" to her one friend that was there on time. I even tried to drive around the block to pretend I'm lost to give the second couple more time but yeah, I failed. If you want to have a birthday cake, you need to order from the restaurant ahead of time. They do not allow you to bring cake from outside. That's fine because they have some good options and everyone really enjoyed the chocolate cake. I came 2 weeks before the party to order and pay for the cake. After our meal, it did take a while before they brought the cake out so I had to tell Mink I ordered one which ruined the final surprise of the evening. Moral of the story, don't let me plan any surprise parties lol. The men all ordered their own meals while the girls ordered several dishes to share. We got a few appetizers to share that along with lots of wine for everyone. Overall, the food was good and we even tried items off their Mexican and Latin American menu. It was their first day offering it and it's being offered till September 25th (except Sundays). Fun night with friends and a very Happy Forever 21st Birthday to Mink! read more

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This restaurant might actually be worth it! I came after seeing this on the Buzzfeed video on the Worth It series and knew I had to come on my first trip to Hawaii. The location from the video was different and the inside was a lot smaller than I thought it'd be. It was also a little confusing getting there, too. Prepare for a lot of stairs. But once we found it, we were promptly seated and greeted by really friendly staff. Crab Cakes - 4.5/5 these were pretty good! I think this was my favorite appetizer of the night. They were small, but they were equally crisp and soft. I really enjoyed them. Short rib & Foie Gras Won Tons - 4.5/5 these were flavorful as well, but honestly, if you're never had foie gras, you wouldn't be able to tell. I wasn't super blown away by it, but my boyfriend really enjoyed these. Wagyu Beef Sliders - 4/5 my boyfriend really enjoyed these ones as he's big on burgers. I do think these were really juicy and the sauce paired with it was quite delicious as well. Mochi Crusted Fish - 4/5 while I was really excited to try this, I found that I honestly preferred some of the appetizers more than I preferred this one. While the crust on the fish was really nicely crisp and the fish itself was really light, I found that I just wasn't totally blown away. The accompanying veggies were really good and eating them with the fish did help, but I honestly was a little confused. It unfortunately, didn't pop for me. Overall, this was a great experience overall. It was a nice middle ground restaurant in terms of price but also experience. Not quite luxury and not quite casual dining. I definitely suggest ordering tons of appetizers and sharing as these were definitely more fulfilling. read more

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The restaurant is very cozy and upstairs in the velocity building. The food was excellent and the service top notch. My wife and son who are notoriously picky eaters loved their fish and my paella was delicious! I highly recommend this restaurant. read more

Went here for a belated Mothers Day dinner and it was delicious! We used to go back in high school when they had their happy hour and it was just as good as I remembered. I had the mochi crusted kanpachi over a bed of somen and we shared a couple of appetizers for the table. The portions are on the smaller so it's a perfect place to share a few appetizers before the main. Everything was very good and the service was great. Loved all of the natural lighting that came in from the windows - 10/10. read more

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Location of this restaurant is a little strange. It's on the second floor of a car dealership. So driving there and parking might seem a little confusing. The don't have a dedicated parking lot. It's valet parking only ($6). Getting to the restaurant might be a little tricky but it's totally worth it! The servers were really helpful and very attentive. Helped make some great ordering suggestions. I started with the white sangria (a sweet and refreshing chardonnay with lychee, fuji apples, and elderberry). I had the truffle braised short rib, which was delicious. The meat was really tender and the truffle sauce was fantastic. The dish had a good assortment of veggies and potatoes to balance out the taste. Finished my meal with the beautiful strawberry shortcake pavlova that had a really nice meringue. What really made the dessert top-notch, IMO, was the strawberry yuzu sorbet. A really nice touch at the end was the packaged chocolate chip cookie gift, a special recipe from the chef's grandmother. So sweet! read more

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Finally got to try MW's new location in the Symphony building right across of the Blaisdell. The parking structure is a little hard to find if you haven't been there before. It's in the back of the building & it's the driveway before the resident driveway. I believe it's valet only which is currently $6. You'll know you're in the right place when you see Ferrari's, Lambo's and all the niceee cars! The entrance is right next to the valet desk. The restaurant itself seems fancier but a bit smaller then their last location. We started off with appetizers - unagi butterfish arancini, steamed Manila clams, pork & foie gras wontons, wagyu beef sliders, & Caesar salad. All of it was so so tasty! Then we ordered our main dish - I got their famous mochi crusted kanpachi. That came with a bed of somen noodles, pickled veggies, kimchee & a house made soy yuzu kosho dressing. And we got a bunch of desserts that I didn't get to try because I was so full from the apps & main dish. Our server was really nice and recommended some dishes to us. Go check them out at their new location if you haven't already! And if you have well then you know it's just that good. read more

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Although simple, the Seafood Chowder was one of the best I've ever had! The Seafood Paella was to die for! Full of different seafood and the rice was extremely flavorful! My only wish was that I had some bread to go with it to wipe the plate clean! My new favorite restaurant on Oahu! read more

A meal at MW is a must when visiting Honolulu. This is probably the best meal I have ever had on Oahu. MW is located in the Velocity Honolulu Building. See their website for details on location and valet parking. Every single bite of our meal made me sigh. For two people we probably ordered too much but we had a hard time deciding. Furikake scallop dynamite was a fun starter with homemade shrimp chips to eat with the edamame avocado scallop dip. The Manila clams were in an amazing broth with mushrooms and spinach and with a side of toasted sourdough bread to sop up the broth. Omg. Sooooo good. The Mochi crusted Hawaiian kanpachi is one of their signature dishes and was another wow. The crisp kanpachi on top of the somen noodles with the yuzu sauce. And the banchan were a beautiful touch. Truffle short ribs -- tender and so flavorful. Ahhhhh. Even though we couldn't finish the dishes, we ordered the Lilikoi brulee for dessert and it was wonderful finish to our meal. The light lilikoi flavor on top of tapioca. The flavors just danced in my mouth. Loved our server, Alyssa, who was so personable (and uses cute pens to sign for your check!). The ambiance is modern and open. A meal at MW is a must! Make a reservation via Open Table. read more

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MW Restaurant can be a pricey place to eat, BUT you will be getting your money's worth. The dishes are made with good quality ingredients, prepared in a unique way, and cooked to perfection. Everything on their menu is GREAT! Tender braised shortrib, moist fish, flavorful salads, and delicious desserts. Reservation is a must. They can be booked up for a month. Parking: -valet or street parking. Valet parking is on the second floor. Street parking along Kapiolani Blvd is free at 5 pm. Payment: Cash or credit card Indoor seating with a city view. Interior design has a nice clean feel, well organized, and everything is well kept. Restrooms are located near the front door to your right when you are coming out of the restaurant. read more

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This is one of our friend's favorite restaurants to take people and I had a very pleasant experience. First off, if you have never been here before, the parking (valet only) and restaurant itself is a little tricky to find. However, the website does a good job of explaining and it is basically inside an upscale car dealership. The restaurant space is trendy and open with windows lining the wall and an open kitchen. On to the menu - great mix of Asian fusion and local dishes and love that they have daily specials. We ordered quite a lot so I will attempt to list everything below: Lychee-hoo cocktail Steamed Manila clams Mochi crusted Kona kanpachi Seafood paella Truffle braised short ribs Steamed opakapaka Chinese style (daily special) MW candy bar dessert Banana crème pie Hibiki whiskey ice cream Everything was flavorful and delicious and my favorite dish would have to be the mochi crusted Kona kanpachi. My friends also mentioned that they are known for their desserts and I can see why, highly recommend getting at least one to try. Lastly, service was great, friendly and quick and we even had the honor of meeting the owners/chefs! I would definitely recommend MW to anyone visiting Honolulu and hope to make it back again soon. read more

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Brought the family here based on a recommendation from a friend. The restaurant is situated in a building with high end car dealerships. Cool location in my opinion. Restaurant had a nice, clean trendy vibe. Service was excellent. Food was also excellent. Starters: Foie Gras Short Rib Won Tons - this had the savory flavors of short rib with the creaminess from the foie gras. 5/5 Wagyu Beef Sliders - very tender, buns were toasted perfectly. 5/5 Ahi Nachos - fresh Ahi over won ton chips. Very good. 5/5 Kusshi Oysters - nice and fresh served with mignonette preset on each oyster. 5/5 Mains: Bristol Bay Scallops - these were cooked perfectly with a cauliflower puree which was seasoned nicely. All bits of lobster was included. 5/5 Miso Honey Glazed Butterfish - cooked to perfection. Fish flaked as it should with moist yet sweet bits of char. 5/5 Truffle Braised Shortrib - again cooked to perfection. Moist and seasoned well. Came with foie gras seared on top. Was excellent. 5/5 Sides: Truffle smashed potato's - very good with the right amount of truffle. 5/5 Garlic Parmesan potato gnocchi - these were equally scrumptious and well seasoned. 5/5 Dessert: MW Candy Bar - excellent presentation and flavor. 5/5 Brownie Sundae - this is an elevated brownie sundae with truffle caramel sauce and caramelized bananas 5/5 Banana cream pie - an elevated version with Hibiki Japanese whisky ice cream. Very good. 5/5 Strawberry Shave Ice - another elevated version of shaved ice with Panna cotta at the bottom. While I love Waiola's, this was a nice twist. 5/5 Overall, this was the best elevated Hawaiian dinner I've had on Oahu, Maui and Kauai. Highly recommend this restaurant to anyone looking for a nicer dinner in Hawaii. read more

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Last week I visited MW and left my sunglasses in my car, very well hidden. Despite this, they were stolen while using the valet service. When I spoke to MW about what happened, they showed no concern and were not apologetic at all. I was told that MW's valet service is outsourced to elite parking. Regardless, this still reflects on MW and how they choose to operate. If the valet cannot be trusted, there should be a clear sign warning guests not to leave valuables in their vehicles. This company clearly has serious issues with accountability. The lack of professionalism and responsibility is unacceptable. Management should be ashamed of how this situation was handled and how the business is being run. read more

Went last year when we visited Hawaii and MW was "knock my socks off" amazing. This year - I'm not sure what is going on but our food was either OVER cooked or UNDER cooked. We did let the manager know. She offered to replace one dish that was meant to be cooked fish but was raw fish in the middle (a big section). We let her know about other issues but she did not seem to take as much notice. I feel bad writing this review but it's just not the same as a year ago :( Hope they can get their act together as business is getting tough and this was not a cheap dinner. read more

This is one of the older bookmarks that I'd long to try for many years, back since they were at another location. The pedigree of the chef owners are undeniable and their awards are some of the fruits of their work and effort. I had an opportunity to try M's menu choices in dining at her now closed Trailblazer Tavern in my home city. My friend suggested this restaurant for the final dinner of our vacation on an early Tuesday evening in February. It was unusual in getting here as my friend drove out car up a ramp inside an auto dealership. He handed the key to the valet before we walked through the electric sliding glass doors. After checking in, we were led to a window side table and I faced the window. We were given menus, drink and food ones. I started with the mango peach iced tea (https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=meB_jiFD5c8E0dcxIzH2cA&userid=saJuyv784apZzH--psHZ3Q) which is likely housemade. I liked that it was not overly sweet with just a touch of mango flavor. After discussing what my friend tried when he dined here with his wife, here's what we ate with all dishes and the dessert shared: Appetizer: 1. Ahi nachos (https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=P6WFNOufCaZGMia-gaZbnA&userid=saJuyv784apZzH--psHZ3Q) - If you like poke, you'll enjoy this starter. Raw fish is almost an automatic must order on the island. Garnished with avocado salsa, won ton chips were the vessel. Mains: 2. Miso honey glazed butterfish (https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=-ixAAh63JZUXxM2Cn1BL9Q&userid=saJuyv784apZzH--psHZ3Q) - The fish was nicely cooked with a nice sear on top (skin) while the meat was still moist and soft. This came with a kimchee, potato salad, and Taegu (pickled white daikon). The flavors played off each other well, from the sweetness of the fish glaze, the tart and spicy kimchee, the richness from the potato salad, and the refreshing pickled flavors from the daikon. 3. Seafood paella (https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=ge-THZXtvwMbFIsIdNyXFA&userid=saJuyv784apZzH--psHZ3Q) - In asking about this, our waiter told me that it was a staple at their former location and pre 2020, returning to the menu only recently. This locally sourced dish comprised of Kona lobster, Kauai shrimp, and Bristol Bay scallop (not local) on a bed of chorizo saffron rice. Served in an iron skillet, the presentation, especially after deconstructing it (https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=6aob9gimPBWWuiY_k7cpDA&userid=saJuyv784apZzH--psHZ3Q), was as impressive as the tastes from this dish. In addition, there were two large clams included, not mentioned on the menu. ** Makeup Amuse bouche: 4. Kabocha soup (https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=pApnvEWH6oeKUdlHYW0sgA&userid=saJuyv784apZzH--psHZ3Q) - My friend was observant in seeing later seated guests getting a small flask or shot glass before their meals so I asked our waiter about it. He apologized for forgetting to give this to us and brought this between the main meal and dessert. Guess you can call this a palate cleanser instead. Dessert: 5. Strawberry hibiscus shortcake shave ice (https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=1jzMjQBPTLpmv3dpuVF_3w&userid=saJuyv784apZzH--psHZ3Q) - The description reads Laie vanilla bean Panna Cotta, tapioca chiffon cake, "shaved" strawberries, and aerated strawberry. It is an interesting mix of textures and flavors The dining room was moderately full when we arrived and stayed this way throughout our meal with several neighboring tables turning over. It was a midweek meal so I'm guessing that it gets busier weekends. Our waiter Tyler was informative and efficient in crafting our meal. When I was here, I did not know her background in a now closed fine dining restaurant as a Bay Area friend mentioned her as a mentor to him. Thank you, MW, for our final dinner on the island on this trip and looking forward to share this experience with other local or visiting friends on future visits. read more

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I haven't been to MW since they moved to 888 Kapiolani. I used to go for their afternoon tea at their old location. I was lucky enough that someone bought me one of their bentos. I didn't even know that they made bentos. I'm not sure if they sell it or it was a special order. The bento was made up of Kalua Pig & Cabbage, Smoked Brisket, Mixed Vegetables and rice. The Kalua Pig & Cabbage was good, but the Smoked Brisket was the winner. It was soooooo good. It had a nice smoky flavor, a little fat to it and tender. It just melted in my mouth. I was like only two pieces, c'mon give more lol. If this is on their regular menu get the Smoked Brisket. read more

MW Restaurant - Kalua Pig & Cabbage and Smoked Brisket bento - New American Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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