Diners' Choice: Best Ambiance restaurants in Hawaii

OpenTable

Updated September 05, 2024

Looking for restaurants with the best ambiance in Hawaii? You’re in the right place. Each month, OpenTable analyzes nearly 2 million global diner reviews from the past four months. We sort the results by location and category to help you discover new favorite restaurants. It's a great partnership: you reserve, eat, and review. We listen...and deliver the results for all to benefit. Enjoy!

Chef's Table at Ka'ana Kitchen

5.0

5 (157)

$50 and over

Hawaii Regional Cuisine

Wailea

About the restaurant

Situated in the heart of Ka’ana Kitchen’s open-air styled kitchen, we invite you to immerse yourself in our exclusive dining experience. Interact with our chefs as they thoughtfully curate a customized 6-course menu of fresh, local ingredients to stimulate your sense of adventure. To enhance the experience even more, we have the option to add wine pairings to each course, hand selected by our expert sommelier.

This exclusive experience is limited to seating’s at 6:00pm, 6:15pm and 6:30pm Tuesday - Friday.
Maximum of 4 guests per party.

Chef’s Table: $195/person
Wine Pairings:
Premier Cru – a selection of our favorite wines from off the beaten path – creating a journey of discovery & delight +$125/person
Grand Cru – exclusive selection of hard to source, hard to replace but very easy to love wines +$250/person

Executive Chef: Ritchard Cariaga | Chef de Cuisine: Chance Savell

Due to limited seating, there is a 24-hour cancellation policy and $75/person cancellation fee.

Top review

OpenTable Diner

Dined on Sep 20, 2024

What an AMAZING chef’s table experience we had dining at Ka’ana. This was supposed to be our 1 year anniversary dinner back in 2023, but we had postponed our trip to Maui due to the Lahaina fire. I’m so glad we rebooked for this trip to indulge in an incredibly delicious meal with one of the most engaging and down to earth staff. What I loved about this tasting menu was the ability to share and try more dishes. They mentioned Ka’ana means “to share”. We each had a 6-course meal, but dishes 2-4 were different so we could swap and try more. Chef was even so kind to cook up a taster of their fried chicken w/ black sesame mochi waffle dish just because he heard us talking about it, and it turned out to be my husband’s fave dish of the night. I loved our experience so much, but was initially hesitant to come back because I wouldn’t want to eat the same dishes. The F&B manager mentioned they take record of our meal so we wouldn’t repeat the same dishes in a future visit, or take note of our favorites in case we’d like a repeat. Service was extremely attentive, but not overbearing. It was such a great show watching the kitchen work throughout the evening. We’ll definitely be back for another chef’s table tasting soon!

La Mer at Halekulani

4.9

4.9 (2208)

$50 and over

French

Waikiki

About the restaurant

La Mer is far more than a restaurant, it’s a degustation destination. Celebrated as Halekulani’s finest and Hawaii's longest, consecutively ranked AAA Five Diamond Restaurant, this consummate dining experience is unmatched. The internationally acclaimed menu features Neoclassic French cuisine expertly crafted and served amid majestic and romantic ocean views of Waikiki Beach and Diamond Head. An award-winning wine list is available to complement the perfect dining experience. La Mer restricts patrons to adults and children 8 years or older.

A Credit Card is required to confirm reservations. A $125.00 per guest charge is applied for No Show Guests.

Dress Attire
We require elegant evening attire for women. Dress shirts or dinner jacket, dress slacks and shoes for gentlemen.

Top review

Michaelvip

Dined 2 days ago

Perfect place for a celebration! So romantic excellent food, atmosphere and service was unparalleled! Thank you to the Chef working to keep me safe as I have many allergies. Amazing memorable evening!

i-naba Hanalei'i Honolulu Sushi and Grill

5.0

5 (10)

$50 and over

Contemporary French / American

Mccully-Moiliili

About the restaurant

Chef's Counter: Supervised by Tyler Burges.
He has formally worked as the executive sous-chef at the three-star Michelin in San Francisco.
He is currently the executive chef of "SMOKE DOOR" in Yokohama.
He will deliver the moment when ingredients bloom the most.
You can enjoy all of this in Hawaii.

Hanaleiʻi” is a coined word derived from the place name Hanalei on Kauai island. Hanalei means “crescent”. Our restaurant name “Hanaleiʻi” symbolizes “We will strive for success until becoming the full moon …”.

Top review

Mary

Dined 7 days ago

We had a great celebration dinner. Private room. Excellent service and food.

Mugen

5.0

5 (292)

$50 and over

Global, International

Waikiki

About the restaurant

Mugen is an award-winning fine dining concept that is elevating Hawaii’s status as a destination for culinary travel. Experience global contemporary artistry with a sense of place at Mugen, the Forbes Five-Star rated fine dining restaurant at ESPACIO The Jewel of Waikiki, where every dish tells a story and every sip is a celebration.
Rising star Executive Chef Colin Sato has redefined the Mugen dinner experience with his new five-course menu, designed in collaboration with Pastry Chef Jamon Harper and in consultation with renowned Chef Alan Wong. Featuring seasonal and local ingredients, diners can choose from myriad options within each course while sipping inventive cocktails or exploring wine from Mugen’s extensive collection, honored with the Wine Spectator "Best Of" Award.
Previously offered exclusively to ESPACIO guests, the reimagined Mugen breakfast experience showcases acclaimed Pastry Chef Harper’s morning indulgences in an elevated, fine dining setting.

Top review

OpenTable Dinervip

Dined today

The champagne caviar experience was outstanding. You can’t ask for a better view and service. We will return

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Sunset Champagne & Caviar Experience

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Experience

The Five Star New Year's Eve Experience

Mānalo Lounge

4.8

4.8 (91)

$31 to $50

Asian

Ko Olina

About the restaurant

Best view in Ko Olina, with valet service by the Four Seasons. Mānalo Lounge – meaning ‘sweet water’ in Hawaiian, celebrates Hawaii’s diverse mix of cultures, paying homage to the flavors of Asia and across the greater Pacific. The outdoor breeze in a comfortable, relaxed environment lets us take it easy while enjoying top-quality pupus. Akin to the saying, 'Ae Kai - to bring together the land and sea to serve as a gathering place, Mānalo Lounge serves as a welcoming intersection to gather with family and friends for dinner, in a contemporary, yet casual setting at the water’s edge.

Top review

OpenTable Diner

Dined on Sep 20, 2024

Server Alyssa was amazing and whole staff was so inviting. Food and wine was phenomenal

Hualani's

4.8

4.8 (2097)

$50 and over

Hawaii Regional Cuisine

Lihue

About the restaurant

Experience one of the best restaurants on Kaua'i and enjoy farm-to-table oceanfront dining from the elegant yet relaxed setting at Hualani's. Here, oceanfront dining is influenced by the seasons. What's fresh at The Farm at Hōkūala inspires the farm-to-table menu, while our bar serves up well-balanced craft cocktails that complement the seasonality of the kitchen. Our culinary experience is inspired by a sense of place and driven by local farmers, as well as fresh-picked ingredients from our on-site organic farm. From the morning harvest and the daily catch, Hualani's shines a hyper-local spotlight on the bounty of the Garden Isle.

Top review

Melanie

Dined today

We had a fabulous dinner - fresh and delicious ingredients and impeccable service. Was quite impressed on how attentive the manager was to be certain all was well at each table. View was beautiful as well!

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4.6

4.6 (3059)

$50 and over

Creative Japanese

Kamuela

About the restaurant

Long regarded as the premier dining destination among the Hawaiian islands, this beloved institution is a gathering place for generations of friends, families and neighbors. Helmed by Executive Chef Rhoda Magbitang, CanoeHouse features thoughtful, seasonal dishes that celebrate Hawaii’s landscape through Japanese-Paniolo inspired cuisine, accompanied by craft-cocktails and diverse wine selections.
Please kindly note that CanoeHouse accepts reservations 60 days in advance for outside guests of Mauna Lani.

Top review

Dana

Dined 1 day ago

We were looking forward to going to the Canoe House and it didn't disappoint. The setting is spectacular and the food, service, etc., was excellent. We had ahi poke and tempura fried string beans for appetizers, scallops and lobster for dinner and finished with chocolate mousse. A great evening!

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Ulana - Ritz Carlton Kapalua

4.6

4.6 (239)

$50 and over

Breakfast

Kapalua

About the restaurant

The newly reimagined Ulana restaurant features a renowned breakfast a la carte menu. This inspired breakfast experience truly has something for everyone including traditional and local breakfast favorites. Its fresh, new design aesthetic is inspired by the Hawaiian word, ulana meaning to weave, featuring raw, textural elements and is symbolic of interconnection and community.

Top review

Benjaminvip

Dined on Sep 19, 2024

Amazing staff and food and the scenery was amazing

Ocean Organic Farm and Distillery

4.8

4.8 (240)

$30 and under

Hawaii Regional Cuisine

Kula

About the restaurant

Enjoy the spectacular views while you relax in our casual, open-air dining environment. Along with our menu offerings inspired by local fare, we have several signature cocktails available that are made with our own, Ocean Vodka, Kula Rum, Fy Gin, and Brum spirits.

We have a 15 minute grace period. We have limited inside seating and vast options for outside seating. If you have a preference between inside or outside seating, please leave us a note in your reservation.

Parties of 8 or more are subject to a 20% auto-gratuity. Please call (808)344-7649 for parties larger than 8. We do not accept walk-ins larger than 8 people.

For event inquiries or for parties larger than 12, please contact our Food and Beverage Director at chad@oceandistillery.com.

To book a Tasting Experience or an Upcountry Sommelier and Chef Curated Pairing with us, please use the following link:
www.oceandistillery.com

To know whos playing tonight visit:
https://music2nite.manaoradio.com/

Mahalo,
Ocean Ohana

Top review

Hockeyboy

Dined 3 days ago

This was the perfect spot to bring my family for a nice way to end our vacation. The open space was perfect for my two grandkids to run and play! The view was perfect and beautiful. This is a great venue.

Veranda - Moana Surfrider

4.8

4.8 (1060)

$50 and over

Contemporary American

Waikiki

About the restaurant

Our renowned Victorian tradition of “Afternoon Tea” under the historic banyan tree invites guests to indulge in a variety of tropical tea blends accompanied by a selection of delicious finger sandwiches, scones and delicate pastries.

Please Note we are a cashless restaurant. We only accept credit cards or room charges as form of payment.
We kindly ask to refrain from balloon decorations to ensure the views for others are respected. Guests are welcome to bring their own cake/dessert for an additional fee of $7 per person.

Top review

Stacy

Dined 7 days ago

A little pricey, but absolutely worth it. You can't beat the beauty of the Moana Surfrider, and Waikiki Beach. The Tea service is great, and the food is good. Try the Duke's, the burger is top notch, and you get onion rings AND fries. There is a nice selection of loose leaf teas, along with your savory and sweet bites. If you go on a Saturday, be sure to check whether there is a parade or special event going on, so you don't get stuck in traffic.

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Experience

Butterfly Tea Time

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