HOKU'S (reservations from 5:30pm - 10:00pm for dinner Wednesday through Sunday and closed on Monday and Tuesday nights) is heralded for its innovative fusion fare which melds Hawaiian, Asian and European flavors. Hoku's is consistently ranked as one of Hawaii's best restaurants.
With a twist on contemporary Island cuisine, Hoku's returns to the basics and revamps the classics. The cuisine is fresh, light, and innovative. The ever-popular Hoku's Ahi Musubi and the crisped whole Island Fish (for two) remain on the menu as local favorites. Ingredients are a mix of fresh locally grown produce and imports from abroad.
Hoku's has a breathtaking beachside setting with panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean from every table in the multi-level dining room.
"We were very excited to eat at The Kalaha resort for Mother's Day but the experience turned out to be a dissapointment. Great view, good food, nice waitress staff on deck but the policies and communications were awful. After numerous calls to the hotel (only 1 returned) we showed up for dinner and I wa sthen told I could not dine in Hoku without "pants" on. They did offer pants but it was very poorly done. I did see people eating in there with jeans which was surprising if they are trying for it to be an elegant dining experience. I was in the BVLGARI London last year and ate in their restaurant with shorts on with no problem and this was a 6 star city center hotel! Very poorly done."
Dined on 5/12/2013
Special Features: scenic view
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"I just want to let everyone know that Hoku's has the best service I have ever had! our waiters were Taryn and Art and they were very attentive without being intrusive. the restaurant had quite a few specials that night and Taryn described them all perfectly! our appetizers were excellent (Ahi Musubi and Tempura Kal-bi), for our main course my wife and I had the Roasted Chicken for two which was presented to us before being cut and plated in the kitchen. for dessert I had the Haupia Katsu (excellent) and my wife had the Sorbet sampler (excellent as well). my only complaint would be that the chicken was juicy, although a little bland (thus the 4 stars on food). but the sauce they served along side was great! over all a great experience!"
Dined on 5/04/2013
Special Features: fit for foodies, romantic, scenic view, special occasion
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"Hoku's is always a great place to take guests from out of town. The pleasant ambiance combined with the bustling atmosphere made dinner enjoyable, but not stuffy. The food wasn't as on point as usual, but service was efficient and friendly."
Dined on 5/02/2013
Special Features: neighborhood gem, special occasion
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"Food was top quality, although was drawn into the menu by the advertisement of dim sum, but never found the dim sum. Excellent sushi, prime rib, quartered lobsters, sashimi, terrific chocolate praline dessert. No outdoor seating except for the lobby tables made the dining room somewhat warm."
Dined on 04/14/2013
2010
Special Features: fit for foodies, special occasion
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"HOku's brunch experience is recommended - excellent food, excellent service, great view, worth the price.
We enjoyed the place so much that we decided to stay longer, even after almost all the guests had left. Our servers kept assuring us that we did not have to rush and we could stay as long as we wanted. Service oriented staff, a winner!"
Dined on 04/07/2013
2013
Special Features: fit for foodies, great for brunch, kid-friendly, special occasion, scenic view
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"Great food and service. Ambiance could be better if they turned the lights down, and if there was less noise (add a few throw rugs down, more decorative plants, etc.)."
Dined on 04/05/2013
2013
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"A step above the other Sunday Brunch buffets. Great to have them make your omelet to order and bring it to you. The king crab legs and prime roast were great but the food area was a bit cramped."
Dined on 03/31/2013
2012
Special Features: fit for foodies, great for brunch, special occasion
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"Hoku's is definitly the place to go to celebrate a special occasions or a romantic evening with that special person. The food and service is outstanding."
Dined on 03/30/2013
2011
Special Features: notable wine list, romantic, scenic view
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"My husband and I went here to celebrate his birthday, and it was a great choice. The wait staff were knowledgable and polite, and we never wanted for anything. Our wine and water glasses were always filled, and the food arrived at a perfect pace. My husband is a tough critic when it comes to food, with most dishes being merely "okay" when we go out to eat. But he genuinely enjoyed all of our courses, and was especially impressed by his entree, a beef tenderloin which was "perfect.""
Dined on 03/22/2013
2013
Special Features: notable wine list, romantic, special occasion, scenic view
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"Went to Hoku's for my birthday...I had the rack of lamb (uniquely prepared) which melted in my mouth. My husband had the Prime rib...also a winner...we had the braised short rib with avocado tempura...delicious. Along with a tropical itch and a couple of lava flows, the evening was awesome...they also brought me a dessert with "Happy Birthday" written in chocolate...heaven...=)"
Dined on 03/20/2013
2012
Special Features: notable wine list, romantic, special occasion, scenic view
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"Excellent food for their Valentines Prix Fixe. Though size wasn't huge, the amount of food collectively was very fullfilling. Was comped a Macallan 18 after 2 attempts at listed drams were not available. Wine pairings were ok, but pairing the champagne early instead of after the aperitif would probably have made the difference.
Waiter was engaging and forthcoming -- led to a very pleasant atmosphere and an almost insiders' view of the restaurants offerings.
View was stunning as always and atmosphere was restrained and very pleasant. Evening gets better as the sun goes down."
Dined on 02/15/2013
2008
Special Features: fit for foodies, great for brunch, special occasion, scenic view
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"Hoku's continues to disappoint. The sashimi was very good. Thye vegetarian platter was disappointing, if prepared by someone who does not like vegetables. The seafood chowder tasted mostly of corn, but otherwise was favorless. The roast duck was pretty good, almost equal to what I good get at a good chinese restaurant at two-thirds the price. Overall, adequte foods at inflated prices. As one writer phrased it, :"big deal and not worth it.""
Dined on 03/09/2013
2004
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"Surprisingly not impressive. Selection of brunch heavy on raw fish options (i.e., nigiri sushi, poke); lobster tails were not from Maine--little midgets; king crab legs were not the hefty ones with lots of meat but were the skinny swimmer legs.... additional star for having been halved lengthwise but still very little crab meat in those legs. Beef was dry and room temperature minus one star. Hubby thought the cheddar biscuit under the eggs benedict option was a nice touch as english muffins can be a little hard to cut and eat nicely. Tempura (shrimp, kabocha and vegetable) was actually room temperature also. Enjoyed the toasted almond croissant and hubby liked the poke inside the fried rice ball. I liked the fried rice portion."
Dined on 03/03/2013
2009
Special Features: scenic view
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"Highly rated, so had high hopes for this restaurant. Service started out very attentive. Ordered the lobster thermidor, which had high ratings. I specified i needed it HOT! Came to me lukewarm, and the lobster was pasty. Is it too much to ask that if I order a $60 entree, and I ask for it HOT, that it come out HOT???? Sent it back, came out hot, but now overcooked. I mean, seriously. Then as it got busy, the service was hard to find, had to keep requesting water glasses filled. Overall, disappointed."
Dined on 03/06/2013
2010
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"My wife and I went to celebrate our anniversary. She loved it! She enjoyed it even more than our old favorites, AW and CM, which surprised me. I think the food is better at the other two places. Some of the sauces overpowered the main ingredient. The main reason I gave it five stars however is because of how much enjoyment I saw in my wife. Regarding noise, the acoustics, or lack thereof, is uncanny. Voices don't carry. I know there was talking and what not around us, but I don't remember hearing it."
Dined on 03/02/2013
2008
Special Features: romantic, special occasion
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"Lovely view from our table. The noise levels were tolerable but did distract from the romantic aspect of the peaceful view of the beach and sand. Food was well presented especially the Tower of Seafood. Service was attentive and the waiter's suggestions were excellent. A bit pricey but for a hotel dining it was expected."
Dined on 03/02/2013
2013
Special Features: romantic, special occasion, scenic view
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"Food was very good and consistently good. We were given a nice window table with a wonderful view. Service was very attentive. Great place to celebrate."
Dined on 02/21/2013
2011
Special Features: special occasion, scenic view
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"We have made Hoku's Sunday brunch our family tradition for birthday celebrations and mainland visitors. The restaurant has a beautiful ocean view from every table. The quality of the food is always superb. It is a seafood lovers dream! This last visit, we also had THE BEST lamb chops... If you are an egg lover, you can order a custom omelet from your table. No waiting in line like most other brunches. If you have not given it a try yet,"
Dined on 02/24/2013
2012
Special Features: fit for foodies, great for brunch, neighborhood gem, scenic view, great for lunch
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"I have been going to the Kahala for decades and ironically, when they opened up Hoku's some time ago, I never went in the restaurant because they required long pants and I was not up to it. This time, I bit the bullet and make reservations to dine in the restaurant. Would I go back again? Probably not. The rack of lamb was presented elegantly and was delicious but, quite frankly, I have had better."
Dined on 02/24/2013
2011
Special Features: romantic, scenic view
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"This is, arguably, the best brunch on Oahu. Kahala Resort, the property where Hoku's is located, is a little out of the way, but it is worth the drive. Everything was spot on, from the furikake crusted ahi tuna onigiri to the sushi/sashimi, lobster tails and crab legs, fresh shellfish, hot table items and prime rib. Fresh juice combinations are also excellent. If you can get a table by the window you can enjoy some great brunch food AND a million dollar view. Great way to spend a Sunday morning with the family."
Dined on 02/17/2013
2012
Special Features: fit for foodies, great for brunch, kid-friendly, romantic, special occasion, scenic view
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"we enjoyed a vey delicious dinner at HOKU'S. The service was good and waiters were all very friendly. we are looking forward for our next time to have dinner at HOKU'S"
Dined on 02/14/2013
2013
Special Features: fit for foodies, great for outdoor dining, kid-friendly, scenic view
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"Hoku's is a wonderful place to celebrate a special evening or occasion. Excellent food and drinks are presented by an attentive and gracious staff in an elegant atmosphere. Reserve a table along side the windows to enjoy an awesome sunset and incredible ocean view. One of my favorite places to dine."
Dined on 02/14/2013
2011
Special Features: great for brunch, neighborhood gem, notable wine list, romantic, special occasion, scenic view
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"Had a special guest and asked for a quiet window table since my guests were hard of hearing and the staff accommodated us wonderfully. Great experience. We chose Hoku's because we wanted a more quiet atmosphere for pleasant conversation and great food."
Dined on 01/17/2013
2010
Special Features: notable wine list, romantic, special occasion, scenic view
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