Sydni K.

I had a work happy hour here on a Friday night, and I was surprised at how empty it was. We ordered a bunch of dishes to share. I got the Jillian, which was a lychee cocktail. This was really good and didn't taste like alcohol. The eggplant was super spicy and killed me. I must've ate a pepper or something, but it kinda ruined the next half hour of my night. The chicken skewers were seasoned well and helped get rid of the spicy taste in my mouth. My favorite dish was definitely the roti. The bread had the perfect amount of butter and flakiness. The waitresses were really good and attentive with our group, even though we were constantly ordering food and drinks.

Gerry L.

This is a new review, an update of my latest experience at what used to be one of the places I always wanted to frequent ... I went to Kaka'ako after work to see IU's The Winning Concert at Ward Theater and made a reservation at Strait so I could have dinner before the 7pm showing. I ordered a Hendricks gin & tonic ($16) and perused the two-page menu. I don't think there have been any changes since I was last here (June 2024). I ordered my favorite Crispy Chicken Lollipops ($21) and something I hadn't tried before, Kaya Toast ($14). While waiting for my food, I sensed something off with my drink, so I asked my server if it was really Hendricks gin. This is one of my favorite gins and I know its flavor intimately. He said that's what he ordered from the bar but would check. I asked for a second ... Alas, it was no better. I suspect it was the tonic water. Some bars use tonic water from a soda gun ... I don't know if Straits did or not, but this was not the Hendricks gin and tonic that I'm accustomed to. The chicken lollipops came, and I was surprised at the change in presentation. There were now just three lollipops (versus four) and they were laid flat on a round plate atop micro greens. They no longer looked like lollipops; to me, the Frenching of the drumettes was poorly done. At least they tasted like the lollipops of old. The Kaya Toast arrived much later ... This was an interesting dish. There were three slender finger sandwiches made with toasted bread, kaya and butter and a dish containing what was supposed to be a mixture of Pandan Coconut Jam, Sous Vide Egg, Dark Soya, and White Pepper; essentially a coconut cream custard. Perhaps the butter was too soft or unsalted because I got the sweet but not the savory. I think the dish sat too long before it got to me ... I asked my server for coffee but never got it (but was not charged for it) ... I eventually got the check and paid online after reading the QR code. All in all, a very disappointing visit to what used to be one of my favorite places in Kaka'ako. I don't know what happened ... the restaurant wasn't busy, service was leisurely ... I walked out feeling unsatisfied. I'm sorry to say, I can't recommend Straits based upon this visit and I canceled a reservation I had for the 26th. There are better places to spend $83.55 for two drinks and two appetizers.

My My N.

Came here for dinner to celebrate the holidays with my girlfriends. Didn't have any expectations. It was half empty when we came around 530pm. Though the place was slowly getting filled with people. We all ordered our drinks first but my beer, it took quite a long time and the last to come. The server was very friendly and gave me periodic status of my beer. But by then our food had came. We had to ask for utensils several times since there were none set at the table. It's a nice place to hang out with friends.

Drizza N.

First time here... located at the bottom floor of the Ward Theaters. You can make reservations on Yelp. We walked in. Food took awhile - tasty. Been open for a year Nov 2023 was their opening. Wok Fried rice noodles "chow kway teow" prawns, lup cheong , sambal.... Soooo good Banana bread pancakes Haupia Sauce, cured egg yolks... hubby liked it. He likes coconut flavor nasi lemak Anchovies, Kim chee, peanuts, wok fried egg with Kalbi... sooo good- the rice has a hint of coconut flavor in The jasmine rice Caramel French toast. Cornflakes. The ratio compound butter. Fresh fruit - it's a whole different twist on French toast Restaurant is Casual, quiet, lights dim... one server for the entire restaurant- Mike deserves a raise - service with a smile. Not rushed

Brittney M.

Food quality: 5/5 Service: 5/5 Cleanliness: 5/5 Value: 5/5 Don't skip on: The Beef Rendang Straits was a surprisingly delicious meal and such a fun and trendy restaurant! In the heart of the Waikiki shopping center, this restaurant offers pan Asian cuisine with great flavors! The staff was very nice and welcoming and the restaurant was clean from what saw. We ordered the Beef Rendang, garlic noodles, dry fried eggplant, Hainanese chicken, coconut pandan soda, and the milk and honey cocktail. Everything was delicious! Can't wait to go back!

Lyla D.

Review continuation. ...another containing a spicy and tangy Hainan ginger-garlic chili and tart sauce. $26 We'd happily return but will consider making a reservation for an earlier dinner and request to be seated furthest from the bar lounge. Sorry, but we prefer eating in a restaurant and not a nightclub.

Katie Y.

I visited the restaurant on a Sunday, having made a reservation for brunch at 10:30 am. Multiple friends had recommended their Kaya toast, and I was excited to try it. Upon arrival, we found the restaurant empty except for a few staff members preparing near the bar and kitchen. This was odd, as Google Maps had indicated they opened at 9 am. As we entered, a man from the bar area yelled across the restaurant to inform us that they couldn't serve us food since they technically didn't open until 11 am -- but if we wanted to order drinks or just wait in general, he could still seat us early. Confused, I explained that I had a reservation for 10:30 am, and he suggested it must have been a "glitch" and that they weren't open. We decided to walk around and return later. While waiting outside, we thought we might as well figure out what we wanted to order, since we were starving. However, upon browsing their website, we noticed that the brunch menu was nowhere to be found. Around 10:50 am, we returned to the restaurant, and the same man greeted us. He reiterated that they weren't open until 11 am. I politely reminded him that we had been there just 20 minutes earlier and that he had offered to seat us early. He suddenly remembered and reluctantly seated us. He handed us the menu, which looked completely different from what I had seen online in other reviews. There were no brunch items listed. It appeared as if someone had hastily typed up a menu using Microsoft Word in Times New Roman font. I asked if they were serving brunch, and said no -- he explained that they only had items on the current menu and that they were in a transition period, revamping the entire menu and the bar program. This information would have been great to know before deciding to come specifically for brunch. I asked if there was any chance they could still make the Kaya toast, and he promptly said no. A party member attempted to order calamari (on the menu) but the server informed us that the kitchen hadn't prepared it. Instead of the expected brunch food, we were now ordering an extremely heavy breakfast, including short ribs, curry, and some extremely salty garlic noodles. When the check arrived, I mistakenly tapped my credit card on the bottom of the reader instead of the top. The server rudely corrected me, saying, "Um, it's because you tapped it on the bottom. You have to tap it on the top." The tip page was preselected at 20%, the server kept holding the payment system for me and said "just sign at the bottom" - instead of allowing me a moment or some privacy to choose my own tip. Only a few automatic tip percentages were available: 22%, 20%, and 18%. I didn't want to cause a scene, so I reluctantly chose 18% and signed. This entire experience was a complete fiasco. Brunch wasn't even being served even though the website indicated it was, Yelp allowed me to make a reservation when they weren't even open and the hours were not updated on both the website and Google Maps. The server's attitude was exceptionally rude, and needless to say I won't be returning. I've shared my experience with my local friends as well who will no longer be dining here. To make matters worse, there's no way to contact this restaurant via email. The website lacks an email address or contact form, which clearly indicates that they disregard feedback and customer experience. So alas, a Yelp review it is.

Leander M.

We like going to Straits before the cinema. Great tasting food, good atmosphere and interior and always kind attentive service. Cocktails are STRONG. Love the roti and chicken lollipops. Deducting a star as it's quite pricey for small plates.

Shawlien K.

This was recommended to me by my friend who lives on the island. I was excited to try because of the Malay and Indonesian influences. We went on a Saturday night at 8pm, and this place was poppin. Didn't expect it to be loungey and loud, Kind of like a club. Definitely a vibe if that's what you are going for. We had a reservation at 8pm, and unfortunately the hostess came back to us and told us they overbooked for the night. How do you overbook when there's an online reservation system? We hung out at the bar until about 8:25, and finally got seated. We had sat down, and it took 10 minutes until our waiter acknowledged us and then another 5 minutes until we even got waters. We ordered - chicken lollipops: crispy, loved the glaze on it - Kaya toast: strong pandan flavor (which I love) and more of a sweet bite to me - beef Rendang: the star dish in my opinion, the meat reminds me of authentic Rendang and loved the added pandan polenta twist - - -spicy street noodles: pretty spicy! The mee goreng I'm used to is a little drier, this was more saucy - hainan chicken: pretty good, I liked how there was no bone, and the ginger garlic sauce was great. Just note this isn't a hot dish, it's served room temp. Overall, food was decent, but subtracted a star due to service. If you go on a Saturday night, expect it to be packed!

Daphne S.

Good! I had doubts after reading reviews and seeing that they were renovating the menu but the experience was great. The server was nice and very friendly. At my time of visit, they had a limited menu due to renovating which will be complete next week. The menu looked great. I got to try the calamari, appetizer wings, and the wok fried noodles. The calamari was what you'd expect it to be. The wings were okay. The glaze was good but the flavor didn't penetrate. I wish they were marinated. The wok fried noodles were great. Nothing I'd pay $24 for, but they were objectively delicious. I asked for no peppers and though the server doubted the kitchen staff would understand, my request was granted. We sat outside and the seating was very comfortable. It was very quiet on a Sunday afternoon.

Janey T.

I came here for a birthday dinner on a Friday at 6:45. We made reservations which was perfect since the restaurant started to fill up. We were quickly seated and given our waters and menus. I appreciated how attentive the staff was throughout the night. They were frequently checking in with us to fill our water and ask how we were doing. We got a variety of different dishes and shared it family style. Every dish impressed me as the spices stood out. My favorite dishes were the wok fried rice noodles and butter chicken katsu. If you don't like spicy foods, I wouldn't recommend this place. The staff had to keep refilling our cups because we were drinking so much water. The restaurant has a chill ambiance with beautiful decor and furniture. This is a great spot to grab drinks with your friends or take your family for a nice dinner. I'm excited to try their other dishes!

Jaymi U.

Food here is amazing! Everything was cooked well and had so much flavor. We ordered family style so we got to try several dishes. My absolute favorite was the butter chicken katsu - I would come back just for this. But everything we ordered was amazing. The noodles are so great and the hainan chicken was so good. Also loved the dessert. At first I laughed that there was milk and cookies because it sounds so simple for this place, but it's anything but. It was amazing and I would also come back just for that. Service was a little slow at times but overall friendly and helpful. We went early on a weekday so we were able to walk in. And there's a lot of parking nearby since it's in the Ward complex.

Jackie K.

3.5 star overall review. Celebrating Father's Day here. I read the enthusiastic Yelp reviews on the Hainan Chicken dish and the menu appeared tasty and savory. According to its website, Straits Restaurant, is a Singaporean dining experience since 1987. The restaurant brings the flavors of Southeast Asia to Hawaii. This is a large restaurant that took over the Big City Diner Ward location. Well decorated interior. However, the tables are a bit too close to each other. It can be quite noisy with the amount of people in your immediate vicinity. The acoustics in this restaurant echos people's voices. A dropped dish resonated loudly in the entire restaurant. Ambiance: 3/5 stars Our server was also the bartender? So we had to get his attention several times. He was busy tending to multiple tables and the bar. We ordered the Hainan chicken ( STRAITS SIGNATURE DISH, Poached Chicken, Aromatic Chicken Rice & Broth with Sweet Soy Sauce, Ginger Garlic Sauce Tangy Hainan Chili sauce, served at room temperature) and Nasi Lemak (Includes, Pandan Coconut Rice, Wok Fried Egg, Spicy Pickled Vegetables, Fried Anchovies and Peanuts, served with Aromatic Chicken Broth and my choice of Miso Glazed Salmon) for our brunch. The Hainan Chicken dish was delicious and savory. The broth was light and complimented the spicy and savory sauces. This dish rates 5/5 stars. I will order this again. The Nasi Lemak was an unfortunate choice. The spicy pickled vegetables were killer spicy : 0. The broth and rice did not quench the heat and your taste buds are muted by the heat factor. If you enjoy spicy, you may enjoy this part of the dish. I ate a large bite of rice after my first taste and stopped eating it lol. Now, onto the miso salmon. Well, you can't taste the miso. It was extremely salty ( think burnt teriyaki sauce) and raw. My first cut and bite of the salmon revealed a gelatinous raw interior of the salmon. I looked closely and confirmed the salmon was not cooked sufficiently. I was able to get the attention of our server and showed him the raw salmon. He immediately took the plate and said he would have the chef make another plate for me. In the meantime, I snuck a few bites of the Hainan chicken plate lol. The second attempt at the Nasi Lemak proved to be just as unfortunate. This time the salmon was overcooked and dry, with the same salty sauce as the first one. I couldn't eat it. My sweet husband tried to eat some of it. He enjoyed the spicy vegetables. I cannot recommend ordering the miso salmon as your entree choice for the Nasi Lemak. This dish rates 2/5 stars. After note: Our server must have informed the manager of the situation, because when i received the bill, I was only charged for the Hainan chicken dish. That was an unexpected surprise. Bathrooms are available inside the restaurant.