Absolutely excellent. The reason we decided to dine here is a short story. We wanted to see what was happening with the remodel of the hotel. We stopped by on the 6th floor where the lobby, restaurant and bar was located. We spoke to a very nice gentleman in his 20s, who was kind and polite to us. He is the absolute reason we decided to come back and have dessert. We'll, after reviewing the menu we decided to have dinner also to celebrate our 25th anniversary. Our server, Sally, was also very kind while we dined and we mentioned we were celebrating. We had the Tiger Roll sushi which was the best sushi we had ever had. We also had the Ahi Tuna over a bed of Ginger Rice, which was amazing + 2 salads. We also ordered dessert of Creme Brulee and Lillikoi Bread Pudding plus 2 Cappuccinos, which the host gentleman made. They also brought us an anniversary dessert, which was also delicious. If it had not been for the kind gentleman at the podium (I did not get his name), we might never had though of dining here. Truly a delight and we look forward to next year's visit. read more

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Had a quite early lunch and it felt like the food took a bit long for there only being one table before us. My favorite was the lavender mocktail and the grilled fish sandwich The waitress was very attentive and kind read more

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I made reservations for a large party and they promised the area I requested. Thank you! The food was AMAZING! I ordered the miso cod and it was the best i ever had. There was an amazing crust on the outside that gave it great texture. I ate everything and i usually dont have an appetite big enough. Food portions were perfect. Service was great and so was the view. Glad i came here while visiting in Hawaii. read more

Wai'olu Ocean Cuisine - Miso cod 10/10 - Sushi Bars Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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What a travesty. We made reservations for an anniversary dinner, and the receptionist totally lied, misled, and said that we would have their "best" table reserved for us. Imagine our disappointment when we arrived and the restaurant was closed due to renovation and they tried to seat us in some god-forsaken wind storm outside. Good grief. Tell the damn truth. Just like the former "namesake" on this hotel, nothing but lies! read more

Truly loved the outdoor dining experience with gorgeous view of the cityscape. Black cod with wasabi mashed potatoes was delicious. Fabulous service and solid cocktails. read more

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Overall, I had a really great experience. This restaurant is located in the Trump hotel and they do validated valet parking. The food was amazing. My favorite has to be the smoked fish dip with the taro chips. I had to stop myself because we were sharing this dish but I couldn't stop eating it. The Japanese bread was super soft. The gyoza was pretty tasty. I enjoyed the sushi that I got as well. Overall, I enjoyed everything I ordered. The service here was also amazing. Everything was quick and our server was super friendly. We all had a great time! read more

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The food, meh! Could use some serious shoyu ir salt or summmting. Lol. Fries were good. Tried the poke nachos on another say, that was good. Ramen was good but lacking flavor that umami flavor you know what I mean . Beautiful presentation. Service, phew. Kinda slow for like not being so packed. The waitress charged my credit card $20 over but corrected it. I think I was more annoyed that it was taking forever to get the bill and that food seemed long to get to us. But whatevaaaa on vacation, so I guess we shouldn't rush or something? Banana coconut pudding , no thank you: lol. She said it was good. Nah don't get it. Not my style . Restaurant located inside trump hotel. I like the view and the fact that they have a bar. read more

Wai'olu Ocean Cuisine - Coconut Bread Pudding - Sushi Bars Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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We are staying at the hotel so we wanted to try this restaurant. We ordered the mushroom gyoza with truffle ponzu sauce. The gyoza was ok , a bit bland . NY steak - steak was cooked perfectly but lacked flavor. I had the Thai boulabaise ... there was nothing Thai about it... no curry , no coconut milk... seafood was also just ok. The octopus was way too tough. The highlight was the country bread that came with the bouillabaisse. It eas delicious with a special butter. The hostess originally tried to seat us at a corner , away from the patio and view. We had to ask for a better table and we got seated at the patio. Our waiter was awesome though. So that's why the experience averages to 3 stars. read more

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The food here was nice and the ambience was great. The only thing was that the place was a bit pricey but you are paying for the view really. This is a great place on Friday nights to watch the fireworks demonstration hosted by the Hilton Grand resort. Definitely worth checking this place out but know you are going for the ambience. We wish the restaurant had a better selection for the menu items, which is what is keeping me from providing a 5 star review. read more

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Wonderful view of the sunset and Friday night fireworks. Our waiter, David, took excellent care of us, even providing a beautiful anniversary desert. Our coconut margaritas were to die for. Our entrees were delicious but could have been a little larger. We enjoyed ourselves very much and will be back the next time we visit beautiful Waikiki. read more

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This restaurant is located inside the Trump building in Waikiki. The service is impeccable and everyone made us feel welcomed and comfortable. I liked that there were shades from the afternoon sun so it wasn't so hot inside. The seating is indoor/outdoor. There is an outdoor feel without the sun beating down at you with a cool breeze. I started off with a mai tai as the menu said it was the best in the area. It was my first mai tai I had in Hawaii. I am not including my mai tai on the cruise ship since it wasn't very good. The mai tai at this restaurant isn't sweet at all and I forgot what they made in house that is in the mai tai. It was delicious and not as strong as the one at the Royal Hawaiian Hotel. We ordered the brie and honey flatbread, sea scallops and black cod. Everything was fresh and delicious. They do have certain cocktails and appetizers on the Happy Hour menu. Definitely a must try if you are in Waikiki. read more

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What Happened to This Place?! We came back to Waiolo after a fantastic experience a year ago, but this time was an utter disaster from start to finish. Whatever made this place great before is completely gone. We started with oysters as an appetizer, and they were flat-out disgusting--clearly old and borderline unsafe. The seafood overall was embarrassingly bad: the lobster was rubbery, the scallops tasted off, and everything lacked freshness. This is Hawaii--how do you mess up seafood this badly? I also ordered sashimi, expecting at least a decent presentation from a supposed sushi restaurant. What I got looked like cheap poke bar leftovers--little pieces of salmon skin and fat. Completely ridiculous and absolutely not sashimi. The rest of the food wasn't much better--just bland, poorly executed, and frankly depressing given the price. Service was passable, but it doesn't begin to make up for the total nosedive in quality. This place used to be a hidden gem. Now it's a total rip-off with food that wouldn't pass at a mediocre chain. Don't waste your money. read more

On the right is the practically glowing, glistening 10 piece sushi omakase, presented on this really nice wooden serving plate last time I was at Wai'olu. On the left is the same order recently. Twenty bucks more. Notice any difference? Does the sushi look as good? Where's my cool wooden plate? Not impressed. read more

Wai'olu Ocean Cuisine - Sushi Bars Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Wai'olu has the best happy hour in Waikiki. Very classy hotel, but casual like most of Hawaii. One of the best views of the sunset because it is across from Ft. Derussy Park and has an unobstructed view to the west. We sat at the bar for drinks and appetizers. I recommend the California roll which is made with real crab, or the Hamachi dip with house made taro chips. Kelly the bar manager will take good care of you. read more

Not sure why this place wasn't busier! My girlfriend and I are picky about fresh sushi and this place had outstanding yellowtail nigiri and the firecracker roll was also delicious. The high rise view of the Oahu skyline was amazing and the extra bonus was fireworks. Good sake options and our server was super friendly and personable. Only thing I would say to improve would be a higher caliber live musician, but I was grateful for any live music, which they had. Sure, there may be more traditional sushi options in Waikiki, but they are often really small, sterile lighting, and in mini malls, with no view or atmosphere. read more

This please is amazing with the city view, we ordered sushi which we liked a lot. We will definitely come back here read more

Food, ambiance, and service were great. It was a small hidden gem in a hotel within walking distance from where we stayed. Will definitely head back again the next time I'm in Waikiki. read more

Ocean and city views. Not a large place, but very inviting. The service was great. The chef's choice sushi was delicious but the black cod was out of this world, melt in your mouth amazing. Our dinner ended with a beautiful sunset. read more

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So this menu has changed since this property went from a Trump to Ka La'i. And I think it's even better. The mai tai here might be the best I've had on the island, and I have had an embarrassingly high number of mai tais. Also had the lovely martini, I believe named after the restaurant itself, which was so light and fresh. We came for happy hour a few times, and mostly had the lighter bites. The poke nachos are wonderful, the tuna tataki is really delicious, the fries with tobiko I still think about. They are simply so good! Service is amazing, and they have live music at happy hour too which creates a really peaceful vibe. We stayed in the hotel, and found this to be our launching point for many evenings before we strolled around Waikiki. read more

Wai'olu Ocean Cuisine - Mai Tai - Sushi Bars Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Food was only ok, service was good. Went twice - once for lunch and once for dinner. The people are nice the food was not with the price. The view and ambiance is great over the ocean and park. Probably wouldn't go back for the food though. read more

Normally I don't eat at a Trump restaurant due to pricing. While in Hawaii I decided to try this restaurant and actually enjoyed it. The cocktails were good and seafood was fresh. I enjoyed the entreescand desserts. Our server was AMAZING. She catered to our every need and made me feel very comfortable while there. She was genuine in all she did while serving us. She deserves an award and letter from Donald Trump for her display of genuine customer service according to Standard Operating Procedures. Being a member of the National Press Club of Washington DC and certified in customer service, I take customers service very seriously. When in hawaii take time to enjoy this restaurant for its scenery, atmosphere, cocktails, food and ask for Sally K as server. ENJOY!!! read more

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beautiful rooftop spot with amazing sunset views sushi was super fresh and the cocktails were so good. great for a special night.

Must Order: Milk Bread 10/10 Brussel Sprouts 10/10 Braised Short Rib 10/10 Kampachi 10/10 Do not order: Gyoza 2/10 North Shore Roll 1/10 - I believe out sourced from another restaurant Soft Shell Crab 1/10 - I believe out sourced from another restaurant Talk about a sleeper - Wai'olu Ocean Cuisine exceeded my expectations in service and food. From the valet guys, to the hostess, to the multiple wait staff, this place was spot on for that old fashioned we are here to please you service. I know first hand how hard it is to get bodies into positions in Hawaii post-COVID. Somehow this place figured it out. Now let's talk about the food: -Braised Short Rib 10/10 - You like oxtail soup? Somehow, the chef figured out how to bring the taste of oxtail soup to a braised short rib. Talk about bringing a unique flavor to this foundational dish. -Kampachi 10/10 - You like deep fried foods? The chef made the skin side crisp like it was deep fried, while the flesh of the fish was cooked to perfection in an oven. -Milk Bread 10/10 - A delicious start to any meal! This melt in your mouth bread is served warm and has a hint of sweetness. Two types of butter-Hawaiian Salt and Truffle. Both absolutely delicious. -Brussel Sprouts 10/10 - One of my all time favorites! These roasted brussels sprouts were perfectly cooked and sprinkled with crunchy bacon bits for an extra bite of flavor. And now for what not to order: The gyoza were overcooked and soggy. Definitely skip these if you're looking for good quality dumplings. The Northshore Roll and Soft Shell Crab came out 45 minutes after the first dish was served. I believe they outsourced these two dishes based on the time and lack of flavor. Definitely, not on par with the rest of the dishes. If you are wondering why did you go to a restaurant in the Trump Hotel? Well, we had an old gift card that we needed to use up. If you're the type of person that listens to Michael Jackson and refuses to listen to R Kelly, then you'll be ok with going to Wai'olu Ocean Cuisine. read more

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Because of a newspaper add for a prefix special for Valentine's weekend, we decided to try this place for an early celebration to avoid the rush. We have know about it for sometime, but just never got around to checking them out. I was very happy with our choice. It was an amazing dinning experience. Don't let the name of the building the restaurant discourage you. It isn't actually owned by him and is just licensed to use it. Once you get past that fact, you are now in the restaurant which is located on the lobby level or second floor. Wai'olu Ocean Cuisine has a open deck that has partially inside/outside floor plan with comfortable casual seating. It is really mean for you to chill and enjoy the sunset. The design is great and does allow you escape that city feeling that Waikiki can have as a concreate jungle sometimes. Our choices for the prefix were the ahi tartar, scallop, black cod and chocolate caramel tart. All were just amazing with flavor and presentation, however the portions were conservative and we did end up getting a couple items from their sushi selection before our dessert. The Rise of the Phenix Roll was amazing and I highly recommend it. Also, their Nigiri was just as great. For the evening, our server was Aki. She was great. Really thought she was pleasant and attentive, but everyone there was supper friendly and welcoming. Our early Valentine's dinner was top notch and hopefully we will return again to try more of their offerings along with their comfortable and relaxed yet well serviced atmosphere. read more

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Really nice place for Pupus and cocktails. Located at pool level at Trump Waikiki. Great staying with a nice city view. The Pupus tasted great!! read more

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Best place in Waikiki to enjoy the sun setting over Hilton Hawaiian Village while enjoying dinner and drinks. Best Mai Tai too!

We ordered family style to taste everything- and it was all pretty good - the steak was just ok though- kind of dry and overcooked- loved the salad - surf n turf was ok - i thiught was overpriced- fish was tasty and tender- scallops were seared to perfection- service was just ok - read more

Wai'olu Ocean Cuisine - I dont go there enough for Happy Hour! Love this tasty salad - every bite is amazing and the red wine is yum yum! - Sushi Bars Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

I used go lunch and dinner before pandemic. I was looking forward to go back there! I had my friend birthday lunch. We enjoyed very relaxing atmosphere but service was not good. It was only one server in whole restaurant. We told her we will share food but she didn't give us share plate. It took so long to get her attention and we must let her know what we need. Never come and ask everything ok. The pasta($45!) was over cook and small, salad dressing is almost no dressing. We wanted order dessert and also requested birthday dessert but she doesn't come long time. So we were ready to leave. Then she came and said you have birthday dessert which we wanted surprise my friend. But I appreciate the birthday dessert. Anyway this restaurant used be really good food and very polite service, I disappointed this time. read more

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Delicious drinks, pupus, and sushi. Modern open-air bar on the upper floors of the Trump Hotel . Exceptional customer service by most of the staff with the exception of 'Uncle' working at the bar. My husband and I walked in and sat at the bar during the end of happy hour and beginning of dinner service for drinks and a quick bite to eat on Friday. It was around 430pm and not busy. We love fresh oysters and often ask what type of oysters are in before we place an order. We asked Uncle and he said in a condescending tone "I don't know! It is going to take me a minute to walk to the back and ask, then come back here to take your order." He made it sound like it would be an inconvenience to him to do that, so we were shocked by his response, no one has ever responded to us in this way, in all the nice places we eaten and have inquired about the fresh oysters. We went ahead and ordered the oysters anyways and when he brought them out, he mockingly said, "I still didn't ask what kind of oysters these are". Only then, I realized this guy is treating us like we don't belong here because we didn't fit the typical clientele at the Waikiki Trump Hotel. We look young, local and hip and I am assuming he does not talk to Japanese or Caucasian customers he believes are wealthier, in the way he talked to us. It's a pity they have someone on their staff like this. I'm hesitant to return. Other than that, we were well taken care of by the rest of the wait staff and had pleasant interaction with the Michelin star sushi chef who let us know that this spot has an amazing view of the 8pm Friday night fireworks. I recommend stopping by this hidden gem for yummy craft cocktails and tasty apps but, beware, if you look local or do not look like the typical clientele you may want to avoid service from Uncle at the bar. We loved all the cocktails we ordered, the french fry app, uni and sake nigiri with a side of ginger (of course) and freshly ground wasabi. I really enjoyed watching a sushi master at work!! read more

I really appreciated the fast and efficient service from our server! She even called to have my car ready downstairs at the valet! Although I wasn't quite impressed with some of the food, I did like the presentations. The pistachio dessert was simply fantastic! read more

Wai'olu Ocean Cuisine - Yellowtail (Hamachi) with salsa and sour cream - Sushi Bars Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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High quality food and service! Deserve for a visit for Hawaiian cuisine! All of the seafood we ordered are tasty! I would say this could be rated the same quality as Roy's in Waikiki! read more

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Another great experience here. The service was excellent, the host even called the hotel of the Friday Fireworks show to see if it was still going to happen as it was running late. Daniel did a great job, he was very kind, knowledgeable, and informative. Sushi was fresh and perfectly presented. Steak was cooked to perfection. Can't beat the view of Waikiki city lights plus the perfect view of the Fireworks show. read more

Great dinner spot! The ambiance is incredible and the service makes the night unforgettable. We were celebrating an engagement and our server, Daniel, did an amazing job of making our night so special. The food was delicious! We had ono crudo and ahi tuna which were made to perfection. Highly recommend this spot for a great date night! read more

Very good price considering the quality of the food! Awesome love music. Very fresh food. The Omakasae is super yummy and filling as well. Service was excellent and fast as well. Staff was very attentive. The Mai Tai was one of the best ones I've ever tasted and pretty strong too! Can't wait to come back. They have lots of variety of different options here. read more

Delicious food, great service and beautiful views. Perfect place for our client business meeting.

We came here for an early Mother's Day dinner. The service is what stood out. The waitress was very friendly, made recommendations and was very attentive. The food, on the other hand, took awhile to come; but it was okay since we weren't in a rush. Everything else was okay [food, ambiance, portion size,taste] considering the price. read more

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The best! Friendly service, amazing food, the best view! Our favorite in Waikiki! read more

Wai'olu Ocean Cuisine - Sushi Bars Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

The setting, service and quality of food was over the top. The staff were extremely friendly and customer focused. The food was amazing and the sunset topped it all. Would recommend it for a nice sunset dinner. read more

For my birthday, a good friend of mines treated me to dinner at Wai'olu Ocean Cuisine. Even though this was not my first choice, I have to say I was very impressed by the food. They are located at the Trump Hotel in Waikiki and they offer complimentary valet service. Upon our arrival, we were greeted promptly. The restaurant is like a hybrid of an open air concept with a nice view. For an appetizer, we ordered the chip & dip (smoked kampachi dip with house made taro chips topped with some ikura). I have to say, this dip was very flavorful and paired well with the chips. You probably could use this dip for a sandwich. For main course, we decided on the honey umeboshi duck breast, rise of the Phoenix sushi roll, 8 piece sushi omakase, and 2 piece ikura nigiri. Presentation of the food was on point. The duck was soft and the sauce was good. The fish for the roll and sushi omakase was fresh and melted in your mouth. I got the Eiko Fuji Ban Ryu (Honjozo) sake to drink with the sushi. Very smooth. For dessert, got the macadamia cake. Instead of the coconut gelato, substituted it for vanilla ice cream. Everything was excellent. The food, the atmosphere, and the service. Our server was awesome and she provided great service and got the answers to some our questions we had about one of the dishes. She also gave me some chocolates for my birthday. This is a definite must try. read more

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This review is a little late, since I had gone for a Christmas dinner, but I thought I needed to share. I have been here twice, once for restaurant week and oncee for a dinner after they had changed their menu. I only came back a second time because my first experience during restaurant week was AMAZING. I decided to plan a Christmas dinner with my friends here and was hoping to get that same experience but it was way different during the second visit. I made a reservation for a party of 10 on a week night. The server had mentioned that their menu had changed recently (which I was told over the phone when I had made the reservation). My boyfriend and I decided to share and got an appetizer, a 3 course pre-fix menu and 2 fish dishes. The food came out really slow which was a little disappointing and the portions were a lot smaller than I had thought they would be. There is a nice view though at night so be sure to take some pictures. I'd come back for restaurant week but never again with a large party and their regular menu. read more

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