I wholeheartedly recommend Chef Rachel Erkan for any culinary needs! If you value high-quality,…read morefarm-to-table food, she's your chef. Her expertise shines through, especially knowing many ingredients came straight from her homestead--an impressive touch. With less than a month's notice, she crafted an unforgettable dinner for my intimate wedding, blending local and Mediterranean flavors seamlessly. Communication was prompt, and she handled dietary accommodations for my group with ease. Chef Rachel was professional, leaving the kitchen spotless, and the food? Some of the best we've ever tasted. Standouts included the tender, flavorful lamb--hands down the finest my group had ever had--the unique honey-cured egg yolk, and the pickled quail egg. The lilikoi curd was a revelation, and her macadamia nut baklava outshone any I've tried. Even the kulolo, a dish I grew up with, was exceptional. Every dish and sauce left us in awe. My family still raves about the meal, and Chef Rachel's work turned my wedding into a dream, ending with us blissfully full. Next time my husband and I are on island, we will be sure to check out what cooking classes Chef Rachel has going on at her homestead. Book her--you won't regret it!

We ordered our Thanksgiving meal from Chef Rachel. Pickup went smoothly, everything packaged…read morewonderfully. Easy directions and prep. Dinner was delicious, creative (loved the purple sweet potatoes and mushroom gravy) and my wife raved about the stuffing. It was so good and yummy, I commend Chef Rachel for knocking this meal out of the park.

We could not be happier with our daughter's wedding hosted at Opaliuli Historic Estate…read more The ceremony was held on one of the lawns with the giant Banyan as the backdrop. The estate has 10 acres of beautiful and private, trees, flowers, and lawns. It is truly a tropical paradise. The reception dinner was enjoyed on the spacious lanai with distant ocean views. All 35 of our friends and family ate and visited comfortably on the teak tables and chairs provided by the estate. We rented the Lunalilo Suite and Earhart Suite for two nights. The first night for the bridal party to stay in the night before and for getting ready on the day of the wedding. We rented the second night (night of the wedding) for our newly married couple to stay in for their first night together. It worked perfectly. Lisa is event coordinator and contact at the estate. She was so wonderful to work with. I am so grateful to have worked with Lisa and her team. I also wanted to note... we found the Opaliuli affordable, elegant, and intimate. Our party was small, but the estate is well equipped to host large gatherings as well. Photo credit to mckennakleinerphotography.com

We recently had my daughter's Bridal Brunch Shower at Opaliuli Historic Estate and it was lovely…read more The historic plantation managers home is stunning. The spacious covered porch overlooks a beautiful lawn surrounded by lush trees and landscape. The space was perfect for our smaller intimate gathering. It was also very convenient being just minutes from the Hilo area. There was also a parking area for guests. The owners, Lisa & Veltry are the sweetest & were very accommodating throughout the planning. Opaliuli is a truly a timeless beauty

One year ago today, AJ and Sons catering helped make beautiful memories for our wedding overlooking…read morethe waves at Hilo Bay. Being that we live on the mainland, we coordinated everything via email and phone, and everything worked wonderfully. The food was fabulous and Audrey made everything easy for us from set up, to serving and cleanup. Having used multiple caterers for many occasions, AJ and Sons was the BEST!

I recently contacted Dean Shigeoka of AJ and Sons Catering to cater a friend's destination wedding,…read moreand we received excellent service and excellent food! With only about three weeks notice, Dean was able to put together a great menu and cater a small wedding on the Hamakua Coast. He worked with me to decide a menu based on our budget and tastes. For $30 per person we got: - Appetizers (all three as a trio): stuffed Hamakua mushroom, Porchetta on bruschetta, Hamakua tomato jam with puma goat cheese on crostini - Salad: farmers market salad with lilikoi dressing - Main: local fish (market choice), sautéed, served with porcini risotto and farmer market veg - Vegan: vegan yellow curry and jasmine rice - Dessert: Fruit tart, incorporating local coconut, lilikoi, and pineapple. All of the food was AMAZING! My favorites were the vegan yellow curry, lilikoi dressing, and Hamakua tomato jam. I would order EVERYTHING again. Dean communicated well with me via an in-person meeting, email, and phone on narrowing down a menu, making food decisions, and finalizing plans. He and Audrey (mom and co-owner) arrived early to prep and setup a buffet line, cleared plates once people were finished, and cleaned up. I could not have asked for better food or better service. I highly recommend AJ and Sons Catering. They do any size party, though there is a $100 charge for parties smaller than 25, which makes total sense to make the event cost effective for them. Most caterers won't even consider doing small parties. I might even contact AJ and Sons Catering for future parties instead of going to a restaurant!

One of their trailers happened to be parked at one of the out of the way beaches, and that was a…read morewonderful unexpected treat. Reasonable prices, lots of flavor options, and fun toppings like sour spray was a hit with my boys.

Went in, ordered a large shave ice with sweet cream. Workers are friendly and polite and a little…read morekolohe ( rascal). Store is clean and has an in and out atmosphere.

WOW & WOW! Can't say enough of amazing things about 'Ohana Party Rentals. Not only are their…read morerentals great quality, but their service is even better. They literally make you feel like you're their 'ohana. Working with Tanei and her husband was so easy & the communication was great. They really mean 24/7! Prices are also affordable and they really make sure everything is set up the way you want it. This post is long overdue. Thank you again Tanei & 'ohana!

Another year & again great service from this family owned business! I can't say enough much…read moreMahalos!! support local business!

We found Brian and his company a couple months ago for our wedding last minute and we were soooo…read morehappy we booked him! Our DJs manager sucked and couldn't find equipment on the island and didn't tell us until the week before our wedding. So I started researching and messaging companies once we found out. When I reached out to Brian he replied so fast!! Honestly a blessing in disguise because Brian offered his knowledge on what type of equipment we would need and charged us a great rate for such a last minute booking. We got speakers, lights, wireless mics, mackie prof, and breakdown. He came bright and early to set up on our wedding day. Super thankful for Brian and definitely recommend booking him!

Everything went well at our event and Brian from Professional Sound Systems Hawaii and his crew,…read moreGlen and Maika'i delivered beyond my expectations! Going in, I didn't know Brian, I had to trust these reviews. I read them through at least three times carefully and finally I said to myself, I think this is our guy. When I called Brian, he answered, and immediately, I felt his authenticity and his interest in helping us to deliver an epic Celebration for my Aunty's 95th Birthday. In our correspondence leading up to the event, Brian was very clear in his communication, responding consistently and promptly to all text messages and phone calls. We had a four man band open up the event, a three man band followed which included a 14 time Na Hoku Award winning artist accompanied by 2 Big time local musicians, and a solo artist who blew the crowd away with his performance. In addition there were hula performances tied to the bands and a slide presentation of our Aunty's colorful life! Through all of this, Brian delivered a top notch, sound, that permeated the environment of close to 200 people. His high end Bose system did not even struggle to provide a clear, dynamic stereo sound for all to enjoy. Some issues came up, which happens, however, Brian calmly and professionally dealt with everything promptly and successfully. Brian understands his equipment thoroughly, and at the end of the night, there was no doubt that I knew we had gotten a good sound man. His pricing was very reasonable and fair. His equipment matched the need for the size of our event and its sound was of the highest that makes good performers sound great! In addition, the person, Brian, and his crew were reliable, approachable, competent and just super great to work with! I would hire them again without any hesitation. If you need a good sound system for your event, Brian is able to deliver.

We cannot say enough good things about our caterer! Everything was absolutely AMAZING! The food was…read moredelicious, there was plenty to go around, and our family and guests had nothing but great things to say. From the quality of the food to everything being prepared and ready for our son's graduation party, we were beyond happy with our choice. Feeding a big crowd is no small task, and they helped take such a huge weight off our shoulders so we could actually enjoy this special day with our family. We are so grateful and would absolutely recommend them to anyone looking for delicious food and great service. Thank you so much for helping make his graduation celebration so special and memorable! 10/10 -- we would definitely order from you again!

Food and service is great. Wait till you try one plate!! We ordered 3 of their popular dishes and…read moreit was huge.

Friendly, Helpful and very knowledgeable. They have great…read morecustomer service! Wala'au ask questions about there products and prices. I'm very Satisfied with products and quality.

Hmmm, what can I say... the people that I know there are good people! If you need supplies, ask…read morethem. Live Aloha.