This was my very first trip to Hawaii, 5 nights, 6 days with my husband, our 4 years old son, and…read moremy parents. We had an amazing time overall, but honestly, the highlight of the whole trip was the Aloha Kai Lūʻau dinner on our fourth night. It was magical. We arrived just before sunset, and the park was stunning. The view, the breeze, the vibe. Everything felt so special. Then came the food, the music, and the incredible performances. It was such a fun and unique way to experience Polynesian culture. The dancers were full of energy and so sweet, beautiful inside and out. My son still keeps asking about the "pretty dancing aunty" he saw on stage! And I'll never forget dancing with my husband under the sunset, with live music in the background. Truly a moment to remember. Thank you for giving our family (especially my parents) a night we'll never forget. We laughed, danced, and felt so welcomed. Hope to come back again someday.

Went to the luau at sea life park called aloha kai luau. Food is always great and all you can eat…read more All dancers and musicians were nice and always smiling. Love seeing all the dances the Polynesian triangle islands. Wonderful to be outside by the ocean and enjoying the sunset and had some surprise hang gliders above us during the show. #alohakailuau #maluproductions.

I've been to about half a dozen luaus on Oahu over the past few years, and Rock-A-Hula is now my…read morefavorite by far! Unlike the others, this is one I'll remember for a long time. The buffet was surprisingly delicious. My favorites were the tofu salad, mac salad, stir-fried noodles, fish, and the pork. Everything was packed with flavor. I'm usually not a dessert person, but the coconut jelly was absolutely amazing. As for the drinks, one Mai Tai had me feeling relaxed, and two had me feeling really good! The highlight of the night was definitely the theater show. It was 90 minutes of nonstop entertainment with incredible live singing, Hawaiian dancing, and amazing performances. It's basically a Las Vegas show! Elvis absolutely stole the show. I was ready to jump out of my seat and start dancing in my slippers! Michael Jackson's Thriller and Billie Jean performances were also incredible. From the outstanding performers to the friendly staff and how well everything was organized, Rock-A-Hula delivered an unforgettable experience. If you're trying to decide which luau to see in Waikiki, this would be my top recommendation!

If you're looking for something different from a traditional Hawaiian luau, Rock-A-Hula Waikiki is…read morea fantastic option. Located in the Royal Hawaiian. Rather than focusing only on a traditional luau, the show takes you on a journey through the history of Hawaiian music and entertainment. It begins with beautiful hula, Hawaiian chants, and Polynesian performances, then transitions through the evolution of music in Hawaii as different cultures influenced the islands over the decades. The centerpiece of the performance is Elvis Presley, celebrating his special connection to Hawaii through his concerts and movies filmed on the islands. Guests have the opportunity to meet the performers and take photos with the singers, dancers at the end of the show. I loves every minute!

I'm a bit torn on the star rating because there were definitely some highlights. The performers…read morewere truly wonderful--you can tell the musicians and hula dancers genuinely love what they do. One of my favorite parts was seeing the younger performers just starting out, confidently taking the stage and sharing what they've learned. It was incredibly heartwarming and added a special charm to the show. The reason I'm not rating it higher has more to do with the surrounding environment than the performance itself. Unfortunately, there was a disruptive presence in the spectator area that made it uncomfortable for our family, both in terms of the experience and the atmosphere. It might help to have staff or security do a quick sweep of the area before the show begins to ensure a more welcoming space for everyone attending. Overall, we really did enjoy the show and appreciate the effort that goes into organizing it. Thank you to everyone involved for putting together such a meaningful and entertaining experience.

Traditional showmanship from locals. Talented hula schools…read moreperforming for tourist crowds at an arms length. Spreading Aloha by story in music and movement

Backstory: I'm on a girl's birthday trip. This is my second trip to Hawaii. For two sisters, it's…read moretheir first and they wanted a luau experience. We were original Mauka on a Friday, but that was cancelled due to weather. When trying to reschedule, we debated our options and ended up at Germaine's. It was not our preferred choice due to some reviews, but the beach location swayed us. It's a good distance from Waikiki, and we thought at some point we'd gotten lost in an industrial district, but after a few turns we found ourselves in paradise. We paid for parking and everything was uphill from here. We started with check in and photos. Then onto flower making for our hair, a quick sunset selfie and a return for a temporary tattoo. Then the evening's big highlights began. We gathered for the unearthing and presentation of the pig, then returned to our tables for dinner service. The Mistress of Ceremony, Serena, has such a warm demeanor. She referred to us all as cousins and family, and honored special celebrations of those in attendance (anniversaries, birthdays, etc). I realized this was all routine, but Serena had a way of making us each feel special. Food was buffet style unless you paid for VIP. VIP had their food brought to them. The menu was fine. I got a little of everything, but was most satisfied with the teriyaki chicken and rice. I added some vegetables from my friend's vegan option. While we dined, we were educated and entertained by Polynesian history and dance. Everything was beautiful. I'm happy we had a chance to witness this little piece of Hawaiin culture, beauty and sweetness. A-lo-ha!

This was a wonderful luau experience with pretty beach on the background. This event was packed…read morewith all the seats taken. We chose the Central Area Seating (Original Luau) ticket for us. This place was easy to find because all the cars were lining up for the event and they opened the gate around 5:30pm or so. They charged few dollars for the parking fee. Checking in was easy a they gave us colored bands. After we checked in, they let us choose our seats within yellow tables that they already set up. There was a drink fountain that people can get soft drinks in the back. Half way through the performances, we were able to get foods from the buffet. They were calling people from table to table to go to the buffet. All the foods were good and everything is as expected. Alcoholic drinks should be stronger though. Too much water and not enough alcohol. I loved all the performances because they were interesting and interactive. All the costumes and designs matched their characters that they were performing. 5 out of 5 on performances. They truly represented their culture and their way of their lifestyle during their performances. The lady announcer was funny and very interactive with people. They also had pre-show cultural activities such as flower headbands making and tattooing art as you please. They were fun activities. We had fun and we immersed ourselves in Polynesian cultural show at the beachfront under the stars. Highly recommend this luau! You won't regret it!

Make a plan for Spam Jam. That's my advice to get the most out of this event. It's always fun, but…read moreit gets crowded quickly, so what I do is look at the list of vendors and check out what they'll be offering ahead of time. I even go to their Instagram because a lot of times they will show pictures and describe the items in more detail. So then I have a plan going into Spam Jam of the things that are must-eat and then the "maybe I'll get this if I have room" stuff. This year, I really wanted funnel cakes, which had been listed online as part of the menu, but when I got to that vendor's tent, there were no funnel cakes, just spiral potatoes, gandules, and some other things. So no funnel cake for me. I kind of hate when the listing online shows things that will be there that are not even offered when you get there. I did get delicious hula pie topped with candied Spam from Duke's along with a teriyaki katsu sandwich from Duke's, which was interesting because it had both pineapple tidbits as well as raisins (?!) but the raisins kind of oddly worked. My favorite was Il Gelato's caramel Spam gelato topped with Spam toffee, which was delicious! There are several Il Gelato locations near my place so I will be checking them out later on for sure. I also enjoyed birria tacos from Skybox Taphouse. I got the queso birria tacos for $9 for 2 tacos, which I thought was reasonable. My husband got the two "hellfire" tacos for $14 which were (1) too hot for me and (2) I couldn't tell why they were $5 more than my tacos. Other than the heat and including two large jalapenos, I couldn't tell what inside them merited a $5 increase. A fun time hopefully had by all. We enjoyed our celebratory day of Spam!

A great event, with lots of retail and food booths, supported by specialty Spam dishes at various…read morerestaurants, roaming photo ops, entertainment, and happy people. Hawai'i Foodbank also thanks everyone for their support! We arrived a tad late, it was a busy day - so we just missed the drone show, and most spam specialties were sold out. Those that weren't still had long lines, so YAY it was a success! This was our first time at the Waikiki Spam Jam, and we were happy to miss the super big crowd. We just wanted to check this out, and we're very glad we did! Mahalo to all the volunteers, vendors, security, and HPD for helping create and make this a wonderful and safe event for everyone to enjoy!!!

The memory of being parked at Magic Island, the perfect spot at 7:20pm with unobstructed views from…read morea distance. At times, I rode the city bus into Waikīkī to be on the beach or better yet, on resort property to watch the pre-show at the Hilton Super Pool. That was me, years ago when I used to live on O'ahu. To watch fireworks at the Hilton Hawaiian Village, on a Friday night at 7:45pm. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ It's 2026, many years later and now residing on the Big Island of Hawai'i where I was born and raised. Traveling to O'ahu recently, I decided to select overnight accommodations specifically on a Friday night at the Hilton Hawaiian Village. To enjoy the fireworks show. Staying on-site gave me zero logistical hassles, walking right from my hotel room avoiding pre 'n post show traffic on the roads and sidewalks. By watching the fireworks from the comfort of a private balcony/lanai, it allowed me to avoid crowds and skip the time of securing a spot on the beach or within the resort property. Dining reservations were made months in advance. It's 7:24pm and there's a massive crowd already on the beach fronting the Hilton Hawaiian Village for the 7:45pm fireworks show. If you're not a registered resort guest, take the time to secure a spot here. Then, venture on-property to enjoy the resort offerings for a cocktail or snack, enjoy live entertainment or shop at one of the many boutiques. The open shoreline in-front of the resort provides perfect, unobstructed views. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ It's 7:45pm. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ As the controlled explosions, those brilliant colors fill the sky above the Hilton Hawaiian Village, a sense of emotion comes over me. Filled with nostalgia, I began to remember watching fireworks while growing up in my hometown with my family. Along with those special summer trips to Disneyland. A tear began to roll down my cheek as the visual spectacle continued. Once I passed the emotional stage, my adrenaline started to kick-in with the booming sounds. As I began to anticipate what colors, what flashes of light and shapes will appear before me. A thrilling high, a deep euphoria from fireworks in the Waikīkī sky. My eyes, frozen in-position as the sensation of wonder begins to pull me out of my worries. Brilliant chrysanthemums, electric blues and pinks, ruby reds and golden yellows bursts in the horizon, as flares rain down sparks and create a dazzling light show. The deep, echoing booms resonate across the sand and water, followed by a "crackle" and "hiss". Amplifying this visual, multi sensory experience. It captures my attention, sparks wonder and amazement. A smile appears, I can't believe I'm actually here. Watching it live with such an amazing viewpoint, I've waited years for this. As each firework shell is mounted on the white sand beach in-front of the balcony I'm perched on, a feeling of gratitude comes over me as the dazzling display comes to an end. What a spectacular finale. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Watch the show from a distance, time your arrival accordingly to obtain that perfect viewing spot. Or venture into Waikīkī and join the crowd on the beach hours before as you take a dip in the ocean, then venture on resort property to explore. Become a registered guest at the Hilton Hawaiian Village and enjoy the fireworks show from your balcony, from exclusive viewing areas for resort/dining guests. The sensory combination of light and sound, allow it to capture your emotions and trigger childhood memories. Like it did for me. As the sky transitions from darkness to brilliant bursts of color, let it symbolize a new chapter of hope, unity and fresh beginnings. Right here at the Hilton Hawaiian Village, every Friday night at 7:45pm. (photos and videos of the fireworks were taken from my iPhone)

Second time visiting here. We like this hotel. Has live entertainment/music outside barread more

This luau is by far the best in performance and location!…read moreIt's a little far but it's worth it ! The food can be better but they still brand new and I'm sure they'll work on that. The team all work hard to put it all together for our best entertainment! I could tell that they all come together with many duties to get the show very successful!

I would have given 5 stars but, the food quality should be raised to the level of the show quality…read more Additionally the line that we waited in should be covered in consideration to your customers. It rained as we were being ushered in, people behind us were drenched. Shelter from inclement weather would be a generous incentive to keep us content. The customer service was excellent The show was top notch A few tweaks and this luau will become a top tier luau. They are well on the way to being the most entertaining show.

Aloha, friends!…read more Looking for a great spot to dance salsa? Check out Sabor at Dave & Buster's rooftop every Sunday from 6 PM to 10 PM! The atmosphere is super friendly and welcoming, with lots of positive energy to dance and hang out. The DJ will keep things exciting, spinning a variety of Latin tunes, including salsa, bachata, merengue, and kizomba. No pressure to dance if you're just looking to relax! Enjoy delicious food, drinks, and the beautiful view. Plus, a mini dance class is offered from 6:30 PM to 7:00 PM. The dance style changes each week, so there's always something new to try! Other perks: Plenty of comfy seating and sofas Free parking Children are welcome

This is my favorite spot for dancing, and it's really cool to be able to bring the whole family…read moresince they have food, music, and games. The best DJs play here, and there are always good dance partners there, so it's a guaranteed good time!