Oceanarium Restaurant

See all 110 Reviews ›

Address:
2490 Kalakaua Ave.
Honolulu, HI 96815

Neighborhood:
Honolulu

Getting there ›
Cuisine:
Seafood

Price: $31 to $50

More Details ›

Oceanarium Restaurant Details

Dining Style: Casual Dining
Website: http://www.pacificbeachhotel.com
Phone: (808) 921-6111
Hours of Operation: Breakfast: Daily: 6:00am - 10:00am; Weekend Brunch: 11:00am - 3:00pm; Dinner: Nightly: 4:30pm - 10:00pm
Payment Options: AMEX, Diners Club, Discover, JCB, MasterCard, Visa
Cuisine: Seafood, Pan-Asian
Executive Chef: Mariano Lalica
Dress Code: Casual Dress
Accepts Walk-Ins: Yes
Additional Details: Bar Dining, Beer, Farm to Table, Full Bar, Non-Smoking Restaurant, View, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine
Entertainment: Entertainment:Dive Times
Saturday & Sunday:
Regular Dive -11:45am, 1:30pm,
5:00pm, 7:00pm & 9:00 pm
Mermaid dive - 5:00pm & 9:00pm
Monday - Friday:
Regular Dive - 5:00pm, 7:00pm & 9:00 pm
Mermaid dive - 5:00 pm & 9:00pm

Getting there

Cross Street: Liliuokalani Avenue
Parking: Hotel Parking
Parking Details: Self Parking and Valet Service Available

A word from Oceanarium Restaurant

Where dining is an adventure.
At Pacific Beach Hotel's Ilima award-winning Oceanarium Restaurant, the flavors are as amazing as the views. Indulge in mouth-watering crab legs, tender prime rib of beef, fresh Island sashimi and sushi. Plus a nightly pasta and dessert station complemented with… nightly specials – all alongside incredible views of nearly 400 fish from more than 70 different species of marine life. Nowhere else on the island will you find a dining experience quite like this.Continued

Foodspotting photos

See all photos >

Awards voted by OpenTable diners

Diners' Choice WinnerKid Friendly

Oceanarium Restaurant - Best Restaurants in Honolulu

Diner Reviews

"We first visited the Oceanarium four years ago with our teenaged daughter. Even she was impressed-not easy to do with a 16 year-old! This time we took my sister and a friend and it was the first time for both. We all enjoyed our dinner immensely and will certainly continue to dine there with visitors and our friends. Also a lovely place for just the two of us! There are so many choices that even my vegetarian husband is satisfied."
Dined on 7/23/2014
"I was super excited to dine in our in-hotel restaurant that contained an Aquarium on All-you-can-eat king crab Monday. However, that quickly changed with my first bite of the crab. It was super salty and had a bad taste to it, I tried multiple crab legs with the same results. All the other food was not great either. I have to say the best food in the restaurant was the clam chowder & dessert which is sad for a buffett. Not worth the price and will not be coming back even if our server Micah was fantastic. Definitely overpriced."
Dined on 7/21/2014
"Given all the hype, as well as the expense, I was expecting a great experience. What I got was a very crowded, noisy dining room and a mediocre buffet. The prime rib was subpar, the fish was dry, the chicken gristly, the sushi inconsistent, and the dessert selection limited. The crab legs were good but for the price I would expect everything to be good. This was in contrast to a dinner I had the previous evening at another buffet just down the street, which as cheaper and much better."
Dined on 7/21/2014
"We, my Family and I have always dined at the Oceanarium for special occasions. Birthdays, anniversary's, ect. Our favorites has always been the crab legs. Unfortunately they had changed the service of the crab. Snow crab is now served cold! We had always preferred the crab, including the king crab to be freshly steamed and hot. I don't now if its a mainland thing but I feel the majority of us local people, Kamaaina, prefer it to be hot. The service was Ok, and the rest of the food was pretty good. One of the workers, I will not say who, had told me the change of crab was done by a new manager."
Dined on 7/20/2014
"This was far the most exciting and well worth the money. I just wish we had known you could get the plates made to put in the aquarium that said Happy Birthday."
Dined on 7/18/2014
"Overall the location, the environment and setting is lovely. A large variety of food not he buffet to cater for most people. It's not 5 star, and some of the food like crab claws was exceptional, but he prawns were not so good. Overall ok."
Dined on 7/16/2014
"The food was B grade. The king crab legs were bordering on gross looking. They were small and not visually appealing. The prime rib was probably the toughest I have ever had. It was more like chuck roast. The rest of the food was just mediocre. The service was slow. And the highlight, the aquarium, was filthy, tired and not very many interesting fish. Plus, you had to pay for parking at their hotel even when you ate there. There are a lot of good Resturants in Waikiki. This isn't one of them."
Dined on 7/14/2014
"Came here with a group of 20 for a anniversary dinner. Very memorable time. Loved the seafood and prime ribs."
Dined on 7/11/2014
"We live here and came back again, however, it wasn't as good as before. Food was about the same, nothing special; prime rib, pasta station, crab legs, would of like the crab legs to be HOT. In Vegas, their hot station allows the customer to ask for their crab legs to get it HOT. A lot of the platters were empty, or very few items on it. This was for the main course as well as the dessert area. Dinning area felt tight, too close to next table, and hard to move between tables. Also, very very very noisy! Needs renovation in this dinning area. The only good thing was our server, as he always made sure we had what we needed and our dishes were cleared away. Also, for the kamaaina rate we were told we had to wait till after 8:30pm."
Dined on 7/5/2014
"The food was moderate in taste. I had expected a greater selection than what was offered. It would have been a nice courtesy for the greeter to ask if we had dined there previously. That would have given an opportunity to explain the dining process and make us feel more comfortable with the experience. Although it was busy, our table attendant took some time before greeting us and providing us with water and utensils."
Dined on 7/3/2014
"This was out first time at this restaurant and we were very amazed on the food selection on this scrumptious buffet. We loved it! Na-gi-ma-sen!"
Dined on 6/29/2014
"Was really hoping to love this restaurant, but... it's noisy, the service was spotty, & the food was uneven. The seafood items were tasty, but the other items were unappetizing. Overall, the buffet saws much smaller than I expected given the prices. I was especially disappointed by the dessert buffet - the desserts looked good, but were blah."
Dined on 6/28/2014
"This restaurant used to be top of the line buffet, then new ownership came in and now it is not worth going back. They use to give customers a "birthday" celebration coupon to come back. We went to Friday night buffet and definitely disappointed with the cold crab legs, use to serve shrimp tempura and the selections was far and few between. We have decided that it is not worth coming to the Oceanarium. It is sad for we use to love eating there."
Dined on 6/27/2014
"If you are on Waikiki, Oceanarium is a must visit!!!!!! The staff was awesome and the food is off the charts. I plan on making this an every year vacation so I will eat here at least twice a year."
Dined on 6/26/2014
"Was recommended by a friend in Australia and everything was booked via open table website for a family group of 18. I was nervous that all our re quests would be met but was over the moon with how our night turned out. It was my daughter's 6th birthday and she and the other 7 kids that were in our group had the most magical time - thank you so much!!"
Dined on 6/25/2014
"Was very over priced and the food was not good. I was very excited about this place and booked it for the most expensive night, the king crab leg dinner. The crab was tough stringy and tasted like i had just swallowed salt water. It is by far the worst crab i have ever tasted. About for of the legs i picked up didn't even have any meat in them, they were hallow. The rest of the food on the buffet was not worth the $55 dollars a person I paid. The one thing on the buffet I thought was edible was the snow crab, but it was on ice and I prefer my crab cooked. The waiter barely came around and we had to ask the guy who cleaned our plates to refill our drinks. The fish tank was neat but not enough to save this experience."
Dined on 6/23/2014
"Over all it was good. I like the Sunday lunch. We ordered two martinis along with other drinks. The first one was good and the second Martini that was brought to us was in a much smaller glass but we were charged the same price. Next time we wont let that slide!"
Dined on 6/22/2014
"This seafood buffet is second to none. Ourstanding value for money. Don't miss this . Make it a must on your visit to Honolulu."
Dined on 6/15/2014
"As a first time visitor to this restaurant, I wasn't at all impressed with the service when we got there. When the host took us to our table she said nothing at all. So we were all sitting there like umm OK are we supposed to just get up and go get our food? Or wait for someone to come and tell us or what? We went really impressed with the food to. It was over cooked and dry. The only thing that was good was the deserts. Couldn't even get a refill on our water till we were almost pau eating. Not likely to come back."
Dined on 6/15/2014
"Food was awesome, however, I was a bit disappointed because I didn't know that the prices for the brunch was as much as dinner. I wasn't informed that there was going to be a price change because it was Father's Day until I saw our bill. If I would recall, when I called to check on the prices prior to making reservations, they said it was $34.95 for brunch and knew it was on Father's Day. Because I wasn't informed, I could have just made reservations for dinner. I also was hoping to see the mermaid show because my 8 year old daughter was looking forward to it, but they said that they only showed it during dinner time. Bummer:-("
Dined on 6/15/2014
"I was a little reserved going after reading several bad reviews but we went anyway.the aquarium. Was nice and I was expecting awful food but it was actually pretty good. Nice and hot. Chicken and spare ribs were good. I skipped the prime rib because prime rib is usually bad no matter where you go. It was king crab night and it was good as well. My only complaint is almost no side dishes. It really needs some vegetables but then veggies are hard to find anywhere in Hawaii. At least need to throw some Mac and cheese or some potatoes in there. The price was expensive at about 50 bucks a pop but it did include free refills on the sodas."
Dined on 6/12/2014
"We were seated right away in a great spot, right next to the aquarium. The server was excellent; his name started with a J. He was so attentive and pleasant, as were all the other servers, it seems. They were all busy making sure the diners had what they needed. They took our used plates quickly and solicitously asked if everything is fine. The food was good, but I was hoping for oysters and fresh poki, which they did not have. They did have fresh looking and excellent tasting sashimi, though. My family did justice to the crab legs, and we left full and happy. I say it was worth the money."
Dined on 6/11/2014
"WE visited for our 31st Wedding anniversary because it was reccomended by my assistant. It was a good experience but I was not impressed by the food."
Dined on 6/10/2014
"First time diner here - presentation of buffet was really good but the food was unremarkable. Aquarium view was really nice although we were seated far away. We went there to celebrate our 41st anniversary and noted this on our on-line reservation - it even printed out on the ticket given to the server. No one acknowledged it or even mentioned it much less treated it as a special occasion - perhaps by placing us at an aquarium-side table rather that against the wall by the waiter station. Not inclined to go back."
Dined on 6/9/2014
"Our second time at this restraunt was equally as great. Expensive but well worth it. King crab legs Monday and Thursday special...fabulous."
Dined on 6/9/2014
"The change in menu did not work for me. Not planning a return visit any time in the near future. "
Dined on 5/31/2014
"We loved our experience from making the reservation to reminder emails to arrival, seating, eating, and ending. The Aquarium give this place a unique ambiance making it worth selecting out of all the other options. The food was excellent with great variety, presentation, flavors and quality. The service was personal and timely. The diver and mermaid added to the wonderful variety of eye-candy. The skilled fish-feeding was most enjoyable. Thank you for a wonderful experience."
Dined on 5/27/2014
"The aquarium was great! The food.... not so much.. the selection was minimal,and most of the food was overcooked. The primerib was tough and cold. I haf 2hours to dine and most of the time i got up to get food, sometging was missing. Fruits were warm when they shood be chilled. Sushi was turning brown theyve been sitting for so long. The oysters....i love oysters but this one was ewww. Our server kept up with changing our plates but kept our water glasses empty. In fairness, the desserts were good. Overall a tolerable experience but never again would i return. We sat at a table where the two hostess stood there and chatted most of the evening and kept looking at us eat. Id rather go to todais or kai market."
Dined on 5/26/2014
"With very reasonable kid's prices, this is a great choice for bringing the Ohana out for lunch. My daughter easily ate enough crab to justify the cost and the younger boys loved the waffle station. The aquarium provides a great backdrop and the valet service was impeccable."
Dined on 5/25/2014
"We found the Oceanarium on the web and booked it based on the aquarium. I thought it might be a little pricey, but when you factor in the food, service and environment, it is well worth it. Make sure you visit during one of the feeding times. My kids, ages 9 & 7, had a ball. There was lots of different options for food. My wife is a picky eater and was well satisfied. The wait staff was outstanding and made us feel right at home. We all had a blast. "
Dined on 5/24/2014
"Booked reservation here for one reason, the placement of a Birthday Card for my Fiancee inside the aquarium as we ate dinner. The quality of the food in the buffet has lessened since my last visit. As always the restaurant was very busy and this results in a high noise level. This is countered by the calming effect of the fish movement as they move around the aquarium. "
Dined on 5/22/2014
"The food was excellent and there was a good variety. I especially like the king crab and prime rib. The huge fish tank was a plus. My kids where memorized at the whole time we were eating. It was nice having them to enjoy dinner without staring at their electronic devices. And our server Chan was excellent. Plates were cleared water was constantly filled and utensils were switched out everytime he would clear the used dishes. He is truly a service oriented employee who made celebrating my anniversary a enjoyable one. I will be going back there again. And I will be requesting the same server when we return. I recommend this restaurant to everyone especially if you have a family with children."
Dined on 5/19/2014
"Went to brunch on Sunday, was surprised by the change to the food. The snow crab is now served cold & a lot smaller than usual. The shrimp tempura is now made with a batter rather than the panko & oily. The serving line has changed. You now have to go around the walls to get to the main dishes. The salad bar is in the middle of the room. It took a long time to get to all the dishes as you had to wait until patrons ordered their omelets/pasta at the beginning of the line. Mainly the crab. Used to be hot & in two serving tins. Who wants to eat cold crab with butter? We were disappointed with it. Most of the rest was the same. "
Dined on 5/18/2014
"We made reservations specifically asking for a view close to the water as we were entertaining our 2 year old granddaughter - the note was on our reservations placed on the table however we were given a seat next to the restrooms and the door that goes into the kitchen. When I asked the hostess if we could have a closer view as we checked in about 10 minutes early she was not helpful and said we could not have a better view. There were open tables in other parts of the restaurant - we were very disappointed. The food quality was not up to the cost of the brunch. I will not recommend this to anyone. "
Dined on 5/18/2014
"to loud and to many people Jammed close together. couldn't have conversation with my wife. was over priced. "
Dined on 5/16/2014
"The food was very good. The Crab legs were excellent!! The dessert could have been better. The waiter thought of things we needed before we knew we needed them."
Dined on 5/15/2014
"I was very excited to book this restaurant for my 30th wedding anniversary, but it was not a very special time. There was a mermaid that appeared in the aquarium when our dinner was almost completed. I thought that she was going to hold up a "happy anniversary" sign for us since I had told the restaurant that it was our anniversary when I made reservations, but it was not a sign for us. It was a happy birthday sign for someone. I do not know what it takes to get your sign but when you take your family of 6 out to dinner and pay close to $300 you would think that a sign would appear!"
Dined on 5/15/2014
"Did not expect to have the bill cone out as it did that was too expensive...."
Dined on 5/13/2014
"Food was very good with a wide variety to choose from.Service was excellent."
Dined on 5/12/2014
"The dive was awesome and getting the saw was cool. I would have to say if they came to take a picture of the guests with the sign it would be better but other than that it was good. Food was alright, but for a buffet it was worth it."
Dined on 5/9/2014

More reviews ›

1,000-Point Tables at Oceanarium Restaurant

Oceanarium Restaurant Details

Getting there

Related Links

Featured Cities

Popular

OpenTable