12th Ave Grill & DeliCafe

We're still in a pandemic, but our State allows for restaurant dine-in, and if possible, we're opting for outdoor patio dining. In the case of 12th Ave Grill's outdoor dining, we were seated under a tent in the parking lot. Ok, so it wasn't as scenic as our recent dine at Hau Tree, nor were we breathing in fresh-smelling ocean breezes as every so often, we'd get a whiff of car exhaust but, it was still pleasant. We felt safe with the social distancing and the restaurant's compliance with COVID-19 health safety protocols. Speaking of parking, we lucked out with nearby metered street parking free after 6 PM, but there is a lot of parking in the Kaimukī Municipal Parking lot behind this restaurant. Before our reservation, the restaurant contacted us to confirm our reservation and contact tracing information. Upon arrival, a friendly host greeted and checked us in and escorted us to our table under the tent. Our server, Tiva, cheerfully brought us beverage and dinner menus to look over as she went back to get us glasses of iced water and eating utensils. We started our dine with their signature Old Fashioned and Manhattan and broke into our appetizers of Smoked Ahi Dip with crudités and crostini and Fried Tako (octopus) Tentacle with papas bravas and salsa verde. The smoked ahi dip was in a generously-filled bowl. Tiva recommended ordering their fresh baked bread and focaccia with Mānoa honey butter because the crostini and crudités might not be enough. The dip was tasty but not outstanding. However, the Fried Tako (octopus) Tentacle was superior to us. The tentacle was tender with a crisp fried exterior. It was flavorful and paired well with the salsa verde. FOOD: -Zozzona: House-made pappardelle, homemade sausage, cremini mushroom, porcini mushroom, tomato cream sauce. Generously portioned, perfect al dente cooked fresh pasta in this luscious and "meaty" sauce. The sauce was slightly sweet but not annoyingly. Also, the sweet creaminess allowed the tomato fruitiness to come through without an acidic bite. $24 -Seared Fresh Diver Scallops: 3-beautifully seared U-10 diver scallops were served atop a leek and celery root purée and garnished with wilted kale. The golden seared crust was impressive and cutting into the melt-in-your-mouth, naturally sweet, buttery-tasting opaque ball of shellfish was delightful. Another delightful touch was their plating of these perfectly seared scallops ATOP the purée rather than putting a sauce over the golden-brown crust and losing its crust to steaming. I could only finish one and a half scallops because they were so rich and I was enjoying the leek and celeriac purée. For me, I think they were a tad bit overly salted for my taste buds. $32 -Roasted Beets Carpaccio: This salad was composed of tender roasted slices of red and golden beets. It was topped with shaved fennel, Feta cheese, and bacon bread croutons and dressed with a light citronette. The combination of flavors and textures in this salad made for very favorable tastes and mouthfeel. We liked the roasted beets' consistency as the slices were tender-cooked and not mushy. $12 -Chocolate-Haupia Pie: We pushed our limit by ordering dessert and coffee. Although we like the flavors of chocolate and haupia (Hawaiian coconut pudding), we were a bit disappointed in 12th Ave Grill's house-made version. Whipped cream topped the soft chocolate layer, which didn't seem to match the firmer coconut pudding. But, we respect that was their version. $8 Our leisurely dine lasted about 2 hours, we appreciated the pace between the kitchen and service of course. Tiva checked with us frequently. The bussers were unobtrusive in clearing our table and refilling our water glasses and coffee mugs. When we got our bill, we were a bit surprised to find a charge for the bread but, maybe we should've expected it as an extra because looking around, there weren't many others who got bread with dinner. Still, it would've been more forthcoming to just say so when suggesting bread service. Tsk, we we're looking forward t

This is a hidden gem. Plenty of parking near by. Walked in on a Friday night with immediate service. Well spaced out tables and very clean. Staff is exceptionally attentive and present. Prices are totally reasonable. Artichoke dip was very tasty and comes in a large dish as an appetizer. Cesar Brussel spouts are amazing. Unmatched. Great preparation and flavor. Mac n cheese had strong flavor with rich creamy sauce. Large portion for a side, hot, gooey and delicious. Cheeseburger with fries was delicious. Burger was cooked to order and served hot and fresh. Fries were fresh made in house, fried crispy with light salt. Great compliment to the burger. Lemonade was strong and tasty.

You can always count on great food and vibes here. Last night I had a watermelon Rita. It was a daily special and it was delicious with both a salt and sugar rim. So, I had another. We always start with the ahi spread and the burrata. Last night we also got the tentacles, which I wouldn’t get again. And, we had some daily special oysters. The burger and fries were amazing. The fries are skinny and a little crispy, exactly the wAy I like them. My husband and I split the meal which was perfect. We finished with the lilikoi creme brûlée with lime short bread crumbles. For sure the best dessert I’ve had in awhile.

I was invited to have dinner with some friends at the 12th Ave Grill. I have to say first that the atmosphere was so inviting. When we walked in, we were very warmly greeted by the hostess. Our party hadn't arrived yet, so they seated my husband and I at the bar. They immediately gave us some house made bread and water. Several people behind the bar greeted us. When we arrived at our table we were send an appetizer that was new and no one had ever tried before. It was a crab cake with pickled vegetables. Let me tell you... it was amazing! So fresh! Long story short, we ordered drinks that were very yummy. Fried calamari with a tomato chutney, ahi bruschetta, pork chop with a potato pancake, framers market salad, the brownie ala mode and affagato. It was all amazing! We will be back. And I highly recommend this place for good food and a fun atmosphere.

Dinner was great! The hostess was able to seat us right away even though we came 20 minutes early, and also accommodated us by seating us inside (we were originally supposed to sit outside). The inside of the restaurant was comfortable and modern looking. Table seating was also well-spaced apart. I really enjoyed our food! The standout for me was the oysters on a half shell and the citrus sauce. That sauce will make your face pucker, but it's soo good! I finished off my oysters, then we continued to drink just the sauce off a spoon lol. My husband really enjoyed his duck on a bed of spinach, with tomatoes, potatoes, Fuji apple compote, and pancetta. I ended up getting the pork chop with apple compote, and potato pancake with horseradish creme fraiche. The key lime cheesecake bread pudding was also delicious. I would definitely come here again to try other items on their menu. My only reason for 4 stars and not 5 is because they ran out of shrimp (2 dishes that I initially wanted to order had shrimp), but we were not informed right away when given the menu.

LOVE the deli, very smart pivot idea. The Hubs and I went to grab lunch. Ate there. You can choose indoor or outdoor dining. Very clean. The sandwiches...wow...so delish and totally fills you up. The BLT was a little pricey but we wanted to "sample" it and decided to splurged. All in all a lot of good choices on the menu, well be back to sample some more😊

# g r a t e f u l I’ve been here at least 10 times and the food has been delicious every time. Living within walking distance is a gift and a curse :) Tad (sommelier), Brandon, Aaron, Keli’i, Luke, Steve, Denise, Ange.. everyone is great. I always order the lamb burger! Pairs nicely with the Syrah. the gnocchi is a close second! **if you can, try their mango cheesecake bread pudding before it’s done**

I hadn't dined at 12th Ave Grill in quite a while so I was looking forward to great comfort food. We started with a couple of cocktails and their Aina Charcuterie board... mmm, good except the rillette was very stiff. We shared a divine Pappardelle "Zozzona"; I wanted the dish to myself. Entrees were the fried lamb chops (think lightly breaded tonkatsu) and their famous pork chop. The lamb was delicious but the pork chop was a little firm for me, I would have liked it taken off the grill sooner. We had a bottle of 2018 Broadside cab, a nice wine after letting open up. It turned out to be a dining adventure because the power went out prior to receiving our entrees. Perhaps that was the reason my pork chop was firm; I'd like to think so because the food here has always been "perfect".