Bar Maze

Wowwwwww!!! Best meal in Oahu, get the bar Māze experience with the cocktail pairing, it is quite the experience for the eyes and mouth. I’ve heard great things about Bar Leather Apron for their cocktails and since it’s almost impossible to get reservations there, I was told to go to their sister restaurant because the cocktails are made with the same recipe from the same bartender (so unique and delicious!) and are made to pair with their food. With the bar Māze experience, they begin with amuse bouche, and work their way through main courses and then dessert. For additional charge, get their “masubi”, you won’t regret it. Amazing dining experience and can be compared to being a 2-star Michelin dining, loved all the flavors and intricate details that went into each course. Get reservations early, restaurant seating is limited and intimate.

Our best meal in Oahu. We did the tasting experience. It is a cut above the rest. It is inventive, highly chef-driven concepts, integrated beverage pairings, and a more intimate, progressive dining style. Amazing from start to finish. Thank you for the dining experience.

Such a wonderful restaurant! The people were so kind and accommodating for a good allergy even with their limited menu. The food was SO GOOD! The omakase experience with cocktail pairing was seriously an incredible experience. All the bites were to die for and the drinks were great, but paired with the food, they were off the charts. Highly recommend!

Excellent omakase dining experience! Intimate and clean atmosphere. Cocktail pairing was extremely complimentary of the dishes. Overall experience was 10/10 for us. We’ll be back next time we visit!

Birthday dinner omakase! Book early on Resy for prime weekend times (Friday/Sat). Seems like a rather casual dresscode but we did go fancy! Bar counter seating recommended to watch the team prep, cook, plate (can add this request on the Resy page). Kitchen is very small but staff are extremely quiet and efficient, motions in practiced synchronicity. Personally do not care for paired drinks with my meal (alcoholic or otherwise) so there is an option to opt out of the full tasting experience ($200). We just added both desserts as ala carte items to our meal, as well as the special supplemental menu item (wagyu musubi). For the food scene in Hawaii, even the fanciest places have fairly predictable food - it tastes like how it looks or reads on paper and quality is on par with the reputation of the restaurant and prices. I was pleasantly surprised by the food here. Creativity similar to a restaurant vying for a Michelin nod. My favorite dishes were tied between the Scallops (Chef Chong's take on SF clam chowder) and one of the desserts - the Cherry Shaved Ice. The scallops and butter sauce can be a bit too rich towards the end, but it was such a playful and delicious dish!! Would have loved a bit more limu for texture but the crispy chicken skin and finely sliced, almost hair thin celery sticks were a nice addition. Scallops were done marvelously! Briny but also so sweet, cooked perfectly! I am not keen on shaved ice but this Cherry Shaved Ice was so marvelous, my taste buds lit up like a Christmas tree because it agreed that YES the flavors were hitting and that YES this was what good food tasted like. Homemade syrup was a nice blend of cherry, orange blossom and rose water. The lavender cream dollop was a rich note that came out strong - so lovely. The fresh cherries were a nice added texture and natural juice, less sweet than the syrup, contrasting nicely. Pistachio, amaranth, honey toppers tied it all together. Beautiful dish. Other highlights, the bourbon barrel smoked salmon toast (1 of 3 snack set) - how did they get that texture on the salmon??! It melted in my mouth practically! Toasted bread was crunchy and fresh. The other 2 small bites in the snack trio set were also very well done. The banchan that accompanied the American Wagyu galbi was fire! Loved the watercress *with green tofu sauce and the king oyster mushroom bite. Wagyu musubi was nice as well (much lighter than I imagined in my head). Beautiful interpretation of a 김말이 (a Korean street food item of glass noodles wrapped in seaweed, battered and deep fried. BM swapped the noodles for sushi rice lightly seasoned with truffle (couldn't decide if the truffle flavor was too light or was a perfect complement that didn't overpower the rice vinegar). Wagyu definitely melted in my mouth. Least favorite was the tayaki dessert with a banana pudding creme brulee. Not a fan of bananas and it didn't really give anything. Tayaki was just...present. This was a throwaway dish. I also didn't really like the American wagyu kalbi shortrib. Banchan was great! Minus the black garlic sauce. Meat wasn't very flavorfully braised in my opinion. It wasn't special, just a well executed piece of meat cooked medium rare (or slightly over). 2 week dry aged kamapachi was fine. Would have liked thicker slices of jokbal (pig feet) because mine were barely existing. The accompanying salad was phenomenal. Could eat a bucket of that. They ended with a complimentary pair of chocolate truffles resembling pebbles. I did like the truffle itself with a hint of mint, very nice texture, BUT we both hated the charcoal powder the truffles were dusted in. Powder was very irritating in our throats and we couldn't clear it out with drinks. A bit unpleasant. Overall, solid solid fine dining experience! Vibes, professionalism, phenomenal creativity for the foodie palate. Plating was also beautiful, understated. I would come back again for a new seasonal menu. Sidenote: manager comped 2 dishes as a gift for my birthday. Very thoughtful!

Absolutely amazing experience here with the tasting menu. Being so up close and personal was really cool for me and I loved being able to see them out the dishes together. Everything here is truly a work do visionary and culinary art. Prepare to be impressed!!!!!

My family dined at Bar Maze last night. Their tasting menu was one of the best we had recently. Every bite was delicious. Their cocktails were also interesting and complex full of seasonal and local ingredients. Every little dish of the snack course was tasty. My favorite was the oyster. Sweet, juicy and the cucumber added crunchiness. My son’s favorite was the potato pancake with foie gras and salmon roe. The Dungeness Crab Jook hands down the best of the tasting menu. The sweet and fresh crab meat complimented with the flavorful broth with the crunchy rice. It made me happy to watch my family having such a happy experience eating and drinking at Bar Maze. Service was warm and full of youthful happiness! Look forward to dining at Bar Maze again!

The world food tour duo visited Bar Maze on Auahi Street, close to SALT. Everything about Bar Maze is subtle and understated, from the signage on the wall adjacent to the door, to the pale wood paneling and simple light wood tables. The space is dominated by a counter (facing Auahi Street) for those that want to view the actions in the open kitchen. Across from the counter there are two small high tables for two and there are three tables for two to four diners to the left of the entrance. There are two menus to choose from, the Bar Maze Tasting menu ($125pp) consisting of four courses, and the Bar Maze Experience which builds upon the Tasting Menu with the addition of two desserts. There was one optional item, a Wagyu “musubi” for $32. There is a cocktail pairing available for $60. There is a cocktail menu and a limited selection of wines by the glass. Full bottles of wine are not available. We opted for the Tasting Menu as the better half of the duo knew that the Experience would be too much food for both of us. We each added the Wagyu “musubi”. I ordered the cocktail pairing, and my better half ordered a non-alcoholic cocktail based upon tea ($20). The amuse bouche (Snack) consisted of three bites: a raw oyster with white kimchi, a potato croquette with piped egg over beef tartare, topped with ikura, and a piece of toast or crispy rice topped by a smoked piece of salmon. I loved the oyster and the salmon, the one with piped egg was okay. The cocktail was a mix of stonefruit, pomegranate, rose, sake and Champagne … think of a fruity sparkling wine. The first course was three pieces of dry-aged Kampachi and a herb salad atop a hot mustard vinaigrette. The cocktail was a mixture of strawberry, elderflower, tomato water, shochu, and reposado tequila, topped with citrus bubbles. This cocktail complemented the pieces of fish. The optional Wagyu “musubi” was next. It was more a Wagyu nigiri than musubi. A large, thin slice of Wagyu over preserved black truffle rice, topped with tare (sweetened, thickened soy sauce). This was the highlight of the evening for me. I wanted two or three more. The second course was modified for each of us. Mine had two pieces of grilled scallops amongst julienned spring onion(?) sitting on sauce without butter. My tablemate was given one with a grilled piece of peacock razorfish in a butter sauce because she can’t eat shellfish of any kind. Her dish was wonderful; mine was overseasoned and I didn’t like it. The cocktail was a combination of mandarin, yuzu, lilikoi, aloe, shishito pepper, and gin, topped by whipped egg white. I didn’t care for this cocktail as it looked too similar to the previous one and I’m not a fan of egg white on cocktails. The third course was two slices of grilled duck breast, served with a plate containing five kinds of banchan (cucumber kimchi, maitake mushroom, julienned beets, julienned onion on mayonnaise, daikon kimchi and a dollop of mustard for the duck. I opted for a glass of 2022 The Prisoner red blend wine as my cocktail. The duck was flavorful and tender. Some of the banchan was nice; others just so-so. A dish of rocks was presented to us ... there were two "rocks" that were chocolate truffles. Dessert for the Tasting Menu was optional, and we demurred because we were full. I asked for a cup of coffee or tea. They didn’t have coffee so I got the tea. Alas, it was a glass of hot water and a tea bag. Uh, that’s just not acceptable (to me). While we enjoyed our meal and service from Jordan and others was fine, I can’t help thinking that our meal at P**** H***** nearby was better, and less expensive too. For me: a 4.25 rating.

My parents once invited me to tag-along with them as they considered moving to a new, "upgraded" home in Tucson. I was in college at the time. and was not that interested, but my parents said that they were going to see a, "Jossler" home and that I would really be impressed. Begrudgingly, I obliged, and in doing so, the experience kinda changed my view of the world. Long story short: Josias Jossler was a home designer/ architect of unique talents who settled in Tucson during the middle of the last century. I'm not really into architecture, but his homes and buildings are, in a word: amazing. They are still cherished, inspiring, and very much desired... (*and super expensive). As soon as you step into a "Jossler", you know something special and unique is at play...and that the hand and mind and spirit of someone special was involved in its creation. Ergonomics (before it was a thing), and deep thought has been engineered into every inch of the spaces he created. Such homes have comfortable breezeways and gently winding stairways that help to create a sense of place and welcoming-elegance and coziness. Windows are set to capture the beauty of the Sonoran dessert landscapes at their best, and their placement sets tone and feeling, allowing shadow and luminescence to interplay and dance with each other. HIs houses are set into the landscapes so that they shade themselves in summer, and yet somehow, allow the sun to warm the homes naturally when, in winter, rays move to more-southern latitudes. Jossler's have interesting and functional nooks and crannies, as well as areas that open up to allow sound to travel in some parts, and also the design allows noise to be silenced in areas where where the occupants would want it quieted. I've only "touched the tip of the ice-burg" in regards to how amazing his homes are, but I found myself repeatedly thinking, "OMG! How is it possible for someone to be able to come up with so many wondrous things in regards to what should go into a house?" and, "How is it even possible to incorporate and weave all these ideas together so seamlessly?" In sharing about my experience of visiting a Jossler home, (where one can immediately see that actual genius is a play), I was hoping to show a correlation to my experience of dining at BAR MAZE. I'm not going to go into specific details of the evening, as a single bite from a single course of the 4 that were enjoyed could take up to a full page to describe. Instead, I'll just share that I consider myself lucky and privileged to have the BAR MAZE experience locked into a category of my brain called: "Favorite gastronomic memories and experiences." Let me close by sharing that smarter people than I have subjectively-estimated that in all professions, approximately two percent of those who work in a chosen field can be considered, "genius". As each mouthful of flavor and texture was experienced, I felt brilliance, playfulness, skillful artistry, and a thoughtful wisdom beyond the reach of normal mortals was at play, and will conclude by sharing that I am of the opinion that "Two-percent club" stuff is a play here.

Courses were delicious and drink pairings were fun and interesting. The steak was my favorite. The crust was well developed and had a sweet smokey flavor. I loved the chocolate mints at the end. Service was friendly. I like the open kitchen, light wood paneling and high ceilings of the restaurant. I normally like oysters but the ones they served were a little fishy. I think the Wagyu on the musubi could be thicker and seared. I like the salty diced onion in the creamy sauce that came with the scallops. The bread was so soft and cute. We also like the smoked salmon toast. It went well with the cream cheese and it was perfectly cooked. The little cheese soup cube was tasty too. I think the portion sizes were perfect. We left full but not too full. I look forward to coming back when they change the menu!

We did the Bar Maze Experience($200/PP) which includes snacks, 4 courses, and drink pairing. It was honestly incredible from start to finish! The snacks were all great, but the corn cromesquis totally surprised me! It bursts with warm soup inside, super unique and delicious. The kanpachi was perfectly seared and so flavorful with the tomato vinaigrette. We split one of the Wagyu musubi (made with award-winning Miyazaki beef) add-ons which is 100% worth it for beef lovers! The Hokkaido scallops were buttery and the flaky bread was perfect for soaking up the sauce. My favorite dish was the Washugyu steak! Unbelievably tender and packed with flavor. We tried both drinks (wine or cocktail) pairings for this course and loved them with a small preference to the old fashion cocktail due to the uniqueness of the added Japanese flavors. Dessert was such a fun finish! The seasonal shave ice was light, refreshing, and had such unique flavors that you wouldn't think would work well for a dessert (blue cheese) but it all came together deliciously. The Japanese cheesecake was nice and fluffy, though I wasn't crazy about the orange blossom sauce. It kind of tastes like perfume to me. The vibe inside feels very Japan. Sleek, modern, and intimate. Service was friendly, attentive, and made the whole night feel special. Cocktail pairing was unsurprisingly expertly balanced (same team behind award winning Bar Leather Apron). Definitely recommend Bar Maze for a splurge dinner! The food is creative, delicious, and truly memorable. I also left feeling pleasantly full and satisfied with both the drinks and courses, which is especially important to me when it comes to tasting menus and pairings. Pro tip: arrive a little early to get a counter seat near the chefs and watch their artistry in action.

Maze Mondays - Such a great concept to always keep the menu fresh and the creative dishes flowing! When speaking with Chef Ki, he mentioned that this was their fun side project, to raise enough money to travel to Japan. I hope their dreams come true! Each chef within the establishment has their own dish that they came up with. Some familiar items like agedashi tofu with a spin. And some out of this world items like the chutoro on langos, my favorite for this July's menu. The servers were all very attentive and accommodating. The chefs also looked like they were having a lot of fun. The ambiance is very laidback, but also upscale at the same time. It looked like for this particular night (Mondays), they're running 2 main seating/dining times. Check online for reservations and availability so that you can guarantee a spot, because you don't want to miss this!

I'd been searching for the perfect spot to celebrate my best friend's birthday. After all, we've been besties for nearly a decade--she deserves nothing short of the universe. She's a serious foodie who's been to all the hot spots, so finding something new and exciting wasn't easy. That's when I stumbled across Bar Maze. I checked out the photos--yes, the portions looked tiny--but I noticed some beautifully presented seafood dishes that I knew she'd love. I booked it right away. Heads-up: finding this place is literally a maze. GPS took us to the front of 1938 Indochine, but thankfully someone posted a Yelp photo of the Dry Bar parking lot, and that saved us. Shoutout to that Yelper--you're the real MVP. One thing I don't love: there's no phone number. I get the private, exclusive vibe they're going for, but sometimes you just want to talk to a human. That said, we arrived a bit early and the staff was kind enough to seat us and let us browse the menu. We chose the tasting menu with the alcohol pairing and--wow--what an incredible experience. Highlights: The scallop with chimichurri and crispy seaweed was a one-biter wonder. Balanced, bright, and just delicious. The crab jook was light and airy, served in the cutest dinosaur bowl--presentation on point! We did the add-ons too because hey, it's her birthday and I'm not cheaping out. The caviar with soft, warm bread and butter? Melt-in-your-mouth perfection. The wagyu? Seasoned perfectly. I'm a duck girl through and through--that was my favorite. I love that there were other garnish that you can customize with the meat or use as a palette cleanser. Dessert was playful and clever. The dessert that stood out to me was the last one at the end, forgot what it's called but it's the rock dish. The "rocks" dish had me side-eyeing the name like, "You kicking us out with this?" But nope--it was a sweet, rich chocolate treat hidden among stones. Loved it. In the end, the best part? My best friend smiled the whole way through. That alone made it all worth it here at bar maze!

Bar Maze has now taken the top spot for my dinner recommendation in Honolulu. Located downtown, the very small but mighty restaurant offers one of the best dining experiences. Chef Ki is very talented and brings a Korean fusion to his tasting menu. It changes up regularly so anything that I would recommend would probably already have moved on. Some of my favorites was a baked potato with caviar, the caviar donut, and Ki's version of kimbap with tuna. Oh and the smoked salmon toast is so craveable and I believe is still on the current menu. The tasting menu price does include cocktail a pairing as well and is created by the famous Bar Leather Apron. You can request non-alcoholic version if you are on the wagon like me.

Everything at Bar Maze was amazing! I finally got to try their drinks, which are batched to handle the limited space and high demand. While the cocktails were nice, I think they would have been even better if they were made to order. The menu also features other a la carte cocktails, wine, and spirits. The food menu changes frequently, but every dish I had was beautifully presented and incredibly delicious. The service was stellar, and I honestly can't pick a favorite--everything was just that good, from the buttery brioche to the wagyu. The dessert was a nice way to end the meal, though it was the one part I could have skipped.

Very cool spot everyone is very friendly. They change the menu every month and clearly care about every detail. The chef came over and spoke to me after the meal.

The world food tour duo visited Bar Maze on Auahi Street, close to SALT. Everything about Bar Maze is subtle and understated, from the signage on the wall adjacent to the door, to the pale wood paneling and simple light wood tables. The space is dominated by a counter (facing Auahi Street) for those that want to view the actions in the open kitchen. Across from the counter there are two small high tables for two and there are three tables for two to four diners to the left of the entrance. There are two menus to choose from, the Bar Maze Tasting menu ($125pp) consisting of four courses, and the Bar Maze Experience which builds upon the Tasting Menu with the addition of two desserts. There was one optional item, a Wagyu "musubi" for $32. There is a cocktail pairing available for $60, a cocktail menu, and a limited selection of wines by the glass. Full bottles of wine are not available. We opted for the Tasting Menu as the better half of the duo knew that the Experience would be too much food for both of us. We each added the Wagyu "musubi". I ordered the cocktail pairing, and my better half ordered a non-alcoholic cocktail based upon tea ($20). The amuse bouche (Snack) consisted of three bites: a raw oyster with white kimchi, a potato croquette with piped egg over beef tartare, topped with ikura, and a piece of toast or crispy rice topped by a smoked piece of salmon. I loved the oyster and the salmon, the one with piped egg was okay. The cocktail was a mix of stonefruit, pomegranate, rose, sake and Champagne ... think of a fruity sparkling wine. The first course was three pieces of dry-aged Kampachi and a herb salad atop a hot mustard vinaigrette. The cocktail was a mixture of strawberry, elderflower, tomato water, shochu, and reposado tequila, topped with citrus bubbles. This cocktail complemented the pieces of fish. The optional Wagyu "musubi" was next. It was more a Wagyu nigiri than musubi. A large, thin slice of Wagyu over preserved black truffle rice, topped with tare (sweetened, thickened soy sauce). This was the highlight of the evening for me. I wanted two or three more. The second course was modified for each of us. Mine had two pieces of grilled scallops amongst julienned spring onion(?) sitting on sauce without butter. My tablemate was given one with a grilled piece of peacock razorfish in a butter sauce because she can't eat shellfish of any kind. Her dish was wonderful; mine was overseasoned and I didn't like it. The cocktail was a combination of mandarin, yuzu, lilikoi, aloe, shishito pepper, and gin, topped by whipped egg white. I didn't care for this cocktail as it looked too similar to the previous one and I'm not a fan of egg white on cocktails. The third course was two slices of grilled duck breast, served with a plate containing five kinds of banchan (cucumber kimchi, maitake mushroom, julienned beets, julienned onion on mayonnaise, daikon kimchi and a dollop of mustard for the duck). I opted for a glass of 2022 The Prisoner red blend wine as my cocktail. The duck was flavorful and tender. Some of the banchan was nice; others just so-so. A dish of rocks was presented to us ... there were two "rocks" that were chocolate truffles. Dessert for the Tasting Menu was optional, and we demurred because we were full. I asked for a cup of coffee or tea. They didn't have coffee so I got the tea. Alas, it was a glass of hot water and a tea bag. Uh, that's just not acceptable (to me). While we enjoyed our meal and service from Jordan and others was fine, I can't help thinking that our meal at P**** H***** nearby was better, and less expensive too. For me: a 4.25 rating, mainly due to my dissatisfaction with the second course.

I was in Hawaii last week and had a fantastic dinner at Bar Maze. I went with a Honolulu-based colleague and his wife, who treated a group of us to this lavish meal while we were in town. He said it was one of the best restaurants on the island, and I believe him. We had an 8:00 reservation on a Thursday night and the place was quietly abuzz, with an elegant, upscale atmosphere. The dining room was beautiful in the sleek way of high-end sushi bars, with lots of blonde wood and tastefully deployed textiles. Service was excellent, and I'm sure it didn't hurt that we were with Maze regulars. We even got to meet Chef Ki, who was the kind of well-mannered young Korean man beloved by ajummas everywhere. The restaurant offers an a la carte lounge menu, but the main dining area is omakase only. There's a nightly tasting menu with a few supplements, as well as an optional drink pairing, built around light cocktails instead of wine. You can also order your beverages a la carte. I was all in on the Bar Maze Experience, and loved the cocktails, which were creative and not too boozy. They reminded me of the seasonal, produce-forward cocktails I've had in Japan. I found the pairings interesting and thoughtful. Something different, in a good way. Dinner started with a trio of snacks, every one of them superb. A plump Ichiban oyster came with calamansi ponzu and thin slices of cucumber. The potato croquette was crispy and golden, topped with egg yolk emulsion and smoked trout roe. The bourbon barrel smoked salmon toast was outstanding, an apparent house specialty, the salmon lightly seared and melt-in-your-mouth unctuous. The paired cocktail was easy and refreshing, made with stonefruit, pomegranate, rose, sake, and champagne. For our first course, we had Jeju hirame with fresh summer turnip kimchi and somen, a fancy play on Korean hwe naengyun, a cold noodle dish with sashimi I always enjoy. I liked the hirame and the crisp, mild kimchi. The cocktail pairing was smart and complex, with strawberry, elderflower, tomato water, shochu, reposado tequila, and citrus. I don't know how this worked, but it totally did. The chef sent out the supplemental wagyu "musubi" on the house, and I'm glad he did because this was probably my favorite course of the night. The "musubi" was a translucent blanket of richly marbled raw wagyu draped over rice and nori, then brushed with egg yolk and a sweet house tare sauce. A reputation maker of a dish, absolutely unreal. The second course brought succulent Kona lobster with a sweet corn butter sauce, served with a side of fluffy brioche. A frothy gin cocktail went well with all that sweetness and butter. It was made with mandarin, yuzu, lilikoi, aloe, shishito, gin, and egg white. The third and most substantial course was the Washugyu flat iron with local banchan. This was the Maze take on Korean barbecue, the tender, flavorful steak served with a lovely platter of banchan-like bites and condiments, all of them delicious. There was a fresh lettuce wrap touched with soy sauce, a garlic scape jeon with parmesan, pickled beet a la Thai papaya salad, purple Okinawan sweet potato purée, and a dollop of house ssamjang. There was a choice of red wine or cocktail for this course, and I went with the cocktail, an Old Fashioned variation with bourbon, koji-demerara, and cacao bitters. For dessert, there was "peach melba" shave ice with peach cheong and embered cream, sweet and refreshing. Then, as a final send-off, a bowl of stones and chocolate bon bons that looked dangerously similar to the stones. The bon bons were made with chocolate, bourbon, and activated charcoal, and helpfully garnished with mint leaves. Very cool and very tasty. This was a wonderful dinner, and Bar Maze is a special place. I plan to come back with my husband next time we visit Oahu.

Last dinner on the islands before heading home. What caught my eye here is that they offer alcoholic or non alcoholic pairing in the price of the meal. The place ia modern and clean with an upscale casual vibe. We sat down and there are 2 menus.. One is the tasting menu and the other experience tasting menu. Only difference is that experience tasting menu includes the pairing and dessert. There was a $75 difference in price. We decided to just go with the $125 tasting menu. We would have gone for the non alcoholic pairing option, but we had so much sugar on this trip already that we decided not to add more sugar to our system. The dishes came out and all were presented well and tasted great. The service was great as well I would come back and do their experience tasting menu next time for $200.00.

Birthday dinner omakase! Book early on Resy for prime weekend times (Friday/Sat). Seems like a rather casual dresscode but we did go fancy! Bar counter seating recommended to watch the team prep, cook, plate (can add this request on the Resy page). Kitchen is very small but staff are extremely quiet and efficient, motions in practiced synchronicity. Personally do not care for paired drinks with my meal (alcoholic or otherwise) so there is an option to opt out of the full tasting experience ($200). We just added both desserts as ala carte items to our meal, as well as the special supplemental menu item (wagyu musubi). For the food scene in Hawaii, even the fanciest places have fairly predictable food - it tastes like how it looks or reads on paper and quality is on par with the reputation of the restaurant and prices. I was pleasantly surprised by the food here. Creativity similar to a restaurant vying for a Michelin nod. My favorite dishes were tied between the Scallops (Chef Chong's take on SF clam chowder) and one of the desserts - the Cherry Shaved Ice. The scallops and butter sauce can be a bit too rich towards the end, but it was such a playful and delicious dish!! Would have loved a bit more limu for texture but the crispy chicken skin and finely sliced, almost hair thin celery sticks were a nice addition. Scallops were done marvelously! Briny but also so sweet, cooked perfectly! I am not keen on shaved ice but this Cherry Shaved Ice was so marvelous, my taste buds lit up like a Christmas tree because it agreed that YES the flavors were hitting and that YES this was what good food tasted like. Homemade syrup was a nice blend of cherry, orange blossom and rose water. The lavender cream dollop was a rich note that came out strong - so lovely. The fresh cherries were a nice added texture and natural juice, less sweet than the syrup, contrasting nicely. Pistachio, amaranth, honey toppers tied it all together. Beautiful dish. Other highlights, the bourbon barrel smoked salmon toast (1 of 3 snack set) - how did they get that texture on the salmon??! It melted in my mouth practically! Toasted bread was crunchy and fresh. The other 2 small bites in the snack trio set were also very well done. The banchan that accompanied the American Wagyu galbi was fire! Loved the watercress *with green tofu sauce and the king oyster mushroom bite. Wagyu musubi was nice as well (much lighter than I imagined in my head). Beautiful interpretation of a 김말이 (a Korean street food item of glass noodles wrapped in seaweed, battered and deep fried. BM swapped the noodles for sushi rice lightly seasoned with truffle (couldn't decide if the truffle flavor was too light or was a perfect complement that didn't overpower the rice vinegar). Wagyu definitely melted in my mouth. Least favorite was the tayaki dessert with a banana pudding creme brulee. Not a fan of bananas and it didn't really give anything. Tayaki was just...present. This was a throwaway dish. I also didn't really like the American wagyu kalbi shortrib. Banchan was great! Minus the black garlic sauce. Meat wasn't very flavorfully braised in my opinion. It wasn't special, just a well executed piece of meat cooked medium rare (or slightly over). 2 week dry aged kamapachi was fine. Would have liked thicker slices of jokbal (pig feet) because mine were barely existing. The accompanying salad was phenomenal. Could eat a bucket of that. They ended with a complimentary pair of chocolate truffles resembling pebbles. I did like the truffle itself with a hint of mint, very nice texture, BUT we both hated the charcoal powder the truffles were dusted in. Powder was very irritating in our throats and we couldn't clear it out with drinks. A bit unpleasant. Overall, solid solid fine dining experience! Vibes, professionalism, phenomenal creativity for the foodie palate. Plating was also beautiful, understated. I would come back again for a new seasonal menu. Sidenote: manager comped 2 dishes as a gift for my birthday. Very thoughtful!

food - we got the bar maze experience with cocktail pairing. i really enjoyed the unique and flavorful dishes, but could have personally gone without the drinks as i'm not a huge drinker (i was very buzzed at the end hahaha). this is definitely somewhere to go for a special occasion service - very attentive and all the dishes/drinks were paced out well! ambiance - a smaller intimate setting that's perfect for a date night. i like that you can clearly see the kitchen to watch what the chefs are doing

We ate here over the Thanksgiving weekend in 2024 based on the recommendation of a friend. We highly recommend, and suggest the drink pairing if you can swing it (photos of our menu and some courses attached). Each dish and drink association was thoughtfully composed and delicious. I believe the baked potato was a supplement. We got just one, and honestly it was a bit of a detour in terms of taste and value but we have no regrets as my wife is a potato fiend. The ambiance and service were also crisp. We would happily return.

What an amazing experience with phenomenal service. So glad we were able to squeeze in a dinner before we left back to the mainland. We did the prefix menu with drink pairings. The cocktails were perfectly complimented the individual courses. Loved the Omakase style small dishes. Each course was very unique, hard to remember it all, but my absolute favorite was the lobster sujebe, roasted chicken dashi, egg yolk jam with crispy chicken skin paired amazingly with the black garlic brioche Definitely looking forward to my visit back excited to see what new create dishes they've come up with then.

Came here for my last meal in Hawaii! Everything was delicious especially the wagyu kimbap. We finished the meal off with a sesame flavored Hawaiian style shaved ice. Would come again!

Had a really good experience at this unique restaurant. It's a fairly small affair with an open kitchen and lots of really good spirits. The food was quite amazing as it is freshly prepared for you, theater style. The service was very attentive yet not over bearing. The food was very delectable. Staring out with bite sized morsels with incredible tastes. The only piece that caught me off was the very sour in some spots sauce with the hamachi fish. However, the rest was well paired in both texture and taste. I'd certainly visit again once they start to introduce even more interesting items in this omakase style. Would definitely recommend a visit.

Ok, it's expensive and it's not a HUGE amount of food, so let me get that out of the way. But I totally believe the experience is wonderful and the food and drink well worth it. It was probably one of the best meals I've had in Hawaii. I've tried all the various set menú restaurants and it's a hit or miss. There are some that are completely worth the high price tag and some that I don't see what the big deal is about. This place is certainly worth it. The food, every bite, was interesting and decadent but it shines even further when paired with drinks. We did the drink pairing and I was happy to see it wasn't just wine but actual cocktails also. The drinks were very very good on their own but paired with the food both the food and the drinks seem to improve even further! The staff was friendly and attentive. The bartender was especially endearing and spent a nice amount of time chatting with us. The decor isn't anything to write home about. It's typical Asian minimalist with an open kitchen. Sit at the counter if you can so you can watch them making the dishes. Overall a very pricey dinner for two that was well worth it.

Excellent, great food and drink pairing experience. My favorite was the lobster and bread, we moped that up real quick. Will definitely go again!

Definitely an experience for sure and I'm glad to have tried it with Bar Māze. Friendly staff and chefs that care about their craft as each piece was built was thought from each course being matched with a cocktail. This type of setting is dedicated for special occasions or a splurge on a date night as the menu is price fixed accordingly. They offer non-alcoholic cocktail pairings but definitely would recommend the alcoholic option. Very great tasting menu to experience but will probably be my last as I cannot personally justify spending $500+. Overall really appreciate the hospitality and care the staff and chefs have shown.

Love the quiet environment with a more intimate setting. The staff is very prompt & professional. The perfect amount of food & it's hard to even pick a favorite dish! The A5 Wagyu add on is an ABSOLUTE MUST - this thing melts in your mouth. Menu changing every month keeps us excited to come back every month! The portions were perfect and left us satisfied but not over full! Only recommendation would be to keep a more consistent alcohol profile for the pairings. The set pairings were all lovely but the combination over the evening of gin, tequila, whisky, sake, shochu, & bubbles left our tummy's churning later in the evening & next morning.

Where do I even start? I've been to so many restaurants over the years, and this was easily in my top five dining experiences of all time. Everything about Bar Maze was exceptional the food, the drinks, the service, and the overall vibe. It's a smaller, intimate space, so I definitely recommend making a reservation. From the moment we walked in, everything felt intentional and thoughtful. The staff was friendly and knowledgeable, the ambiance was elevated without being stuffy, and the food... absolutely incredible. Everyone in my party couldn't stop talking about our dinner and we're still talking about it days later. I'm not a super adventurous eater, so I was a little nervous that they don't post a menu in advance. But WOW everything I tried was delicious and it actually inspired me to be more open to new foods. The drinks were a major highlight for me. Each one was perfectly paired with the course it accompanied, and it really elevated the whole experience. You could tell the kitchen team puts so much care and attention into every detail, down to the placement of each ingredient on the plate. Dress code-wise, think "Hawaii nice" not overly fancy, but definitely nicer than casual wear. If you're looking for an unforgettable dining experience with amazing food, creative drinks, and a full belly by the end, Bar Māze is the place. The other rave reviews say it all, but I'd give it 6/5 stars if I could.

Celebrating a special occasion? This was truly a remarkable dining experience!! We were lucky to find parking in their small lot and arrived a little early for our reservation. Luck continued because there were open seats in the center of the bar, offering us front row to watching them prepare our lovely meal. For my viewing pleasure, I watched this craftsman carefully carve an ice cube to be placed in my Stonefruit Highball. Such precision! The refreshing flavors and artful presentation, wow! It's more than a shaken cocktail. As if I wasn't already WOWed, the Omakase snack set was presented with the paired beverage. Petite morsels that were so tasty, you just knew the rest of the courses would be equally delicious. Of the three snacks, my favorite was the crisped nori wrapped around a flavorful treasure :) For the 1st course, the slices of yellowtail were delightfully served over shredded fennel and dressed with a local tomato vinaigrette. This paired well with their cinnamon and pomegranate vodka, spritzed with bergamot. For the 2nd course, don't you dare call it jook LOL this tsuyahime rice soup, topped with Dungeness crab, was delicately seasoned with ramps, a flowering perennial with hints of onion and garlic. The paired beverage had yuzu, aloe, gin, and absinthe. Before bringing the 3rd course, we were presented with Hokkaido milk bread and a yummy butter sauce that had nice sized lump crab meat. What's not to like about that winning combination? While others opted for wagyu, we picked the rack of lamb for Course 3. Cooked perfectly, it was so tender and served up with a variety of local Banchan. The Japanese whiskey paired well with this! In closing, the strawberry shaved ice with pistachio and rhubarb, was a refreshing treat. They gifted us with a few other desserts that were not mentioned on the Omakase menu. Thank you to everyone at Bar Maze. I appreciated the level of detail in your craftsmanship. I also appreciated the pleasant flow of information before each course. I learned a lot about the ingredients used and Chef's culinary style. Thank you also to Yelp Elite Randy S. for this recommendation. I really enjoyed this special occasion :)

amazing date night spot, pricey but well worth it and it is fine dining omakase, you get what you pay for and more. the ambiance is beautiful, the cocktails were imaginative and complimented the food perfectly. This was easily one of the best meals/dining experiences we have ever had. thank you bar māze. truly special

Bar Maze is a mix of food cuisines, a mix of food and cocktails paired together in the hands of two high performers, Ki Chung and Justin Park. It is a tight vertical space - not currently fully utilized - where the focus should be on sitting at the counter to appreciate the open bar and kitchen. The coziness of the seating makes the food and drink laid in front of you appear bigger than it is. It is a mix of open empty space and a tightly focused serving area. The menu is prix fixe, called an omakase, with a choice of alcoholic or non-alcoholic beverage pairings with the food courses. The food courses are not laid out as quantity heavy platings. The cocktails are not high proof. The idea is that both are built to work together to create ranges of flavor. There is mouth watering richness and bright flavors and colors. Some flavors may be drawn across courses and drinks but each course and beverage pairing can stand alone. As much as the menu may look static through a month, there is the ability to tweak flavors in the food or drink to the point where it looks the same each night, but everyday something gets a little better. The snacks served as starters almost feel like a course in itself. The way they are presented - the shapes, the colors, the flavors - is almost like a deconstructed kaiseki hassun. An interlude between courses of Hokkaido milk bread with a rich and deep sweet corn butter elevated even more by dungeness crab is more of a transitional taste than a palate refreshment. And though a shave ice is listed as the final course, in a very typical kaiseki meal close there is following series of dessert bites - each one another thank you note from the kitchen. You will have a server who presents your food and cocktail pairings who is able to give you details on the ingredients and expected flavors. It feels very personalized. As you watch the kitchen meticulously plate you can tell all the heavy prep has been done hours ahead. Servers and kitchen staff work quietly and efficiently. When you see no extra steps, nothing extra lying around in sight, you realize this is a high preforming staff. Very welcoming. Worth returning again and again.

Hands down THE BEST! 100 out of 10 From the moment we walked in, everything was perfect in the most comforting way. To be able to experience this level of service while feeling comfortable in your own skin here in Hawaii is an absolute One in a Million. The attire was semi formal while the service felt top tier. Every person was greeted as VIP without any of that annoying brown nosing they do in some "high class" places which I instantly respected. This place felt genuine to its core. Now the food... words can't do it justice. The courses are set with a couple variations to choose from. Every portion was sized perfectly to allow us to truly enjoy the flavors and pairings. My date and I both come from restaurant backgrounds and we could not stop talking about how fluent the staff was. Almost as if they all knew what the other was thinking or seeing. They moved about the courses effortlessly and everyone was so warm and pleasantly happy when presenting our food/drinks or checking on us. As this was for my birthday, it was more than I could have expected. A huge thank you to the staff there and I can't wait to go back again.

This is literally my favorite restaurant by far in the world and I'll tell you why. Every time I make it out to Oahu no matter if I'm there a week or two or even just on a short layover I make it a point to make a reservation to this place to share in, not only what is consistently some of the most innovative and inventive foods and cocktails you'll ever have but also the wonderful level of Aloha, Ohana, and just pure love and joy for serving their customers. Each time I go you can really feel the warmth of this place when you enter into such a beautifully bright and wonderfully modern looking space with high ceilings. I love the throwback 90s hip-hop and pop music that they play along with dinner and each time I go even though they recognize me now...they spend the time to explain each course which is so delicately and beautifully put together. It is an absolute symphony of wonderfully unique flavors and fresh ingredients from the island as well as a nod to the best of Asia. One of my favorite things about coming here is the seasonal shaved ice at dessert and each time I come it is such an interesting array of flavors that you would never expect from black sesame to rose to banana -you can expect some of the best shave ice that you'll have topping off a meal that you'll never forget. I'm also not ashamed to say that there are times when they serve the scallop course with bread that I will generously sop up the rest of the sauce into my bread to delightfully. Enjoy every single drop of that sauce. Also, don't put it past me to lick the bowl if needed. The protein course a can vary depending upon the season from pork to duck to an upgrade to their A5 Wagyu all of which with the banchan is just so well prepared, meticulously plated, and every bite is intentional...and that's what I love about each moment of this meal... it feels like a multi act symphony with such a complex orchestra of ingredients that dance in your mouth with so much joy. You will never forget your time at Bar Māze!

One of the best meals I've had in Oahu, hands down. If Hawaii had Michelin star restaurants, this place would for sure have one or more. The place is small and reminds us of a an exclusive Japanese sushi spot. We've done Omakase experiences before so we were worried at first that the larger experience would be too much food, but it was definitely manageable. They do not overload with you endless courses. Each portion was the perfect size, and by the end you don't feel overly full. Not only was each course extremely unique, but the alcohol pairing with each course was fantastic as well, with each special drink complementing the course. We added the black truffle to our Citrus and Herb course and we haven't been able to stop thinking about it. Our server did a great job describing all the courses. We had a lot of questions and she made sure we were very informed with every dish coming out, and the best 'order' to eat the food in. Each drink came out with a great description as well.

An incredible experience!! An unforgettable dining experience with very approachable flavors. The cocktail pairing was the highlight of the dinner and very worth it. The staff use creative flavors and techniques (ex clarification, citrus foam) for their cocktails. Stand outs were the wagyu with banchan and the snacks course with the oyster, lobster roll and salmon "toast".

Delicious food with perfect cocktail pairings. Service was incredible. The restaurant is small, kitchen visible from all angles, the perfect intimate dining experience. They were able to accommodate a pescatarian diet, and asked about other allergies too. A meal like this anywhere in Las Vegas would've run you double the price. Would recommend this again and again!

Came here to celebrate after a beautiful hawaiian wedding. Had a reservation at 5pm and were seated right away. Immediately they gave us a warm hand towel to clean our hands. Every course came with a cocktail pairing and I'm not exaggerating when I say that they were the best cocktails I've ever had. They were the were delicately flavored and equally as strong (but didn't taste so). Each cocktail complimented each course perfectly. Kudos to the bartender. Now for the food. I've never been more impressed with the thoughtfulness and flavors of each dish. The menu supposedly changes every so often and which is part of the bar maze experience and I respect it. We ended up upgrading to the wagyu and will say I'm not entirely sure it was worth it. Although delicious, I think I would have preferred the rack of lamb. The desserts were awesome and I definitely left full (and drunk). So much so that I slept in the Uber back to the hotel. Service was really great and sweet. They gave us a complimentary dessert to celebrate our wedding. We had the best time and happily paid the hefty bill. We will return if given the opportunity again!

Still Amazing as always. Been here a couple times for friends birthdays and they never disappoint as the food is paired with drinks (Bar Leather Apron). I have been lucky to also always get the counter top, which I like since you can see as they prepare the food and also you can chit chat with the crew as they are making your dishes and drinks. I do like to see these things happen as you can also see how the attention to detail on where the tiny flower should be placed to how the plate should be presented. Its a pre-set menu, but you a can do add on's. The Caviar is always a great choice and the price for the upgrade isn't that bad. Couple things.... if you dont know where it is, you should probably ask for directions. Did run into a couple that were lost and didnt know where the place was down the street. Oh the bathroom, at first I thought it was a sensor then realized there is actually a handle to turn the water on. Dont drink too much or you might not find it =P

This was our date night and our one splurge meal that we like to do when we travel. Food was amazing for us, we loved that each course combined a variety of textures but the flavors complimented each other and were balanced. Our favorites 1. Snack opener - potato croquette w/ egg yolk + beef tartare and smoked salmon on milk toast. The potato croquette and toast were perfectly crunchy but still soft on the inside. The salmon was lightly torched and egg yolk/tartare not too heavy or salty. 2. Wagyu "Musubi" - not always a fan of wagyu because it can be super fatty but the slices were nicely cut and torched. Nori was crunchy and the truffle was mild and not over powering 3. Grilled Duck and Banchan - loved the creative spin on a papaya salad and the black garlic mustard sauce complimented the duck so well. We duck hunt and are picky on how it's prepared and this was amazing! 4. Cocktails: balanced and not overly sweet 5. "Rock" dessert + Taiyaki: again not too sweet and the perfect dinner cap. The mascarpone paired with the Taiyaki was super light and not heavy and loved that they didn't over sweeten the Okinawan sweet potato filling and had it's true flavor stand out. Service/Atmosphere I actually thoroughly enjoyed our service and everyone answered all my silly kitchen gadget questions as we love cooking at home and try to optimize how we prep and cook. The team was super nice and seemed to thoroughly enjoy working there together as well as serving everyone. I also had a huge appreciation for the ceramics they used as some were both aesthetically pleasing and functional and others were just works of art. We were 1 of 3 or 4 small groups so it was fairly quiet for dinner and didn't want to disturb others around us or else we may have been a bit louder because we were having such a great time. Hoping to come back soon!

This might be one the top meals I've ever had. Every component feels so well thought out. Despite the portions being on the smaller side, I definitely left there satisfied as every dish has big flavors.The cocktails really felt like it added another element to the dish rather than just going well together. The service was top notch and really took care of us all night. I think talking about the food really wouldn't do it justice. You'll have to experience this yourself. I will dream about this bourbon smoked salmon on milk bread.

Everything was on point! We came for the omakase dinner. Although pricey, dish after dish was a surprise and it never failed to amaze my palate. Loved the cocktails and drinks paired with the food. Dishes are beyond my description. You have to try it yourself. Service was just as top notch. Servers were very knowledgeable about food and drinks. Place is considerably small and cozy and typical of omakase bars so they can give full attention and detail to every patron.

The food was delicious and the cocktail pairing was refreshing and inventive. Lots of good flavors were part of this meal. We enjoyed being satisfied without being stuffed. The team members were all familiar with the menu. This is a fine meal, worthy of celebrating a special occasion. Not a walk-in place.

Unbelievably tasty! We will come again. Every dish is unique and has a great texture and flavor.

The BEST meal I had in Honolulu, and I'm still thinking about it... Bar Maze offers an integrated culinary & cocktail experience by a talented team behind Bar Leather Apron. I'm so glad I booked this experience. Normally you don't know the menu beforehand, so you just purely trust and rely on the chef & team. I was amazed by these courses and pairing drinks~ Everything was truly incredible, both taste and presentation! The service was also excellent and detail-oriented! I like sitting at the chef's counter and enjoy watching the team work on their art. They only offer the omakase menu and it came with the drink pairing. I also appreciate the fact that they do non-alcoholic pairing too, and I honestly think the NA drinks were even more tasty. They paired with each course very well! We also added caviar for the lobster course, and upgraded the meat course to A5 wagyu. So worth it! Layers of different textures and well-balanced flavors make it a very well-thought-out and creative course meal! Thanks to the entire team for this fantastic experience!

Ki is the man. Great experience, good portion and excellent pairing with the food. Service is awesome. Friendly!

One of my favorites! Menu is omakase/pri-fix style, with a creative cocktail pairing for each course. They offer a non-alcoholic pairing as well if you don't drink. The interior is cozy and well designed, and overall the service was phenomenal from the moment we stepped inside through to the end of the meal. We were greeted immediately and shown to our table. Throughout the service the staff would regularly check in, and would provide helpful descriptions for each course. Each course was brought out in a timely manner. We did not feel rushed and nor was there a long wait between courses. Each course and cocktail was artfully plated, and flavors were perfectly balanced. We opted for the caviar upgrade for course 2. While it was a perfect excuse to add an extra bit of lavishness to the meal, we didn't feel like it added anything taste-wise to the meal and even overpowered some of the more delicate flavors. For course 3, we had the option of dry aged duck (which sounded delicious!) or A5 wagyu. We opted for the wagyu upgrade. Note that if you have a similar menu, the upgrade applies to everyone in your party (I.e one person cannot opt for the upgrade while the other doesn't). Overall we were very happy with our experience at Bar Maze!

What a wonderful place!! I was in Honolulu and wanted to go to a fine dining place for dinner 1 night. I wanted to try a restaurant a little bit outside of all the touristy area and settled on Bar Maze. It is about 5 -10 minutes away from the main Alo Moana shopping area. I know that they have an a la carte and a tasting menu. I opted for the tasting menu. I would make sure to make reservations, especially for the tasting menu. I got to the restaurant and got seated pretty quickly. The only complaint that I have is that for the tasting menu, they have a bar and a few tables right by the bar. I wanted to be seated at the bar, but got seated at the tables. I wished that they made that more clear when making reservations because had I known that I would get seated at the tables, I might have opted for a different dining experience or called ahead. Aside from that, the tasting menu was amazing!! I believe that the menu changes depending in availability, but my favorite was the hamachi (the fish was fresh and amazing). They provide 5 courses with a drink pairing. I was pretty full by the time I was done. For $175 per person, I thought it was decently priced. I also wanted to give a shout out to the wait staff, who were super nice and made sure that I had everything I needed. I also enjoyed the dinner so much that I walked over to Bar Leather Apron (the bar operated by the same people from Bar Maze) to grab a drink. When our waiter found out that we were trying to go, he actually called ahead to let us know that they could accommodate us. It's about a 10 minute walk in case you were looking to top off the night with a drink. Definitely recommend both places to anyone looking for a great dining and drink experience.

Fantastic dining experience at Bar Maze -- favorites included wagyu ribeye giant musubi, golden osetra caviar loaded baked potato, washugyu flatiron, shave ice with caramelized apple, cinnamon toast milk. This was one of the best and most creative fine dining options on Honolulu. Highly recommended.

We came by this eccentric fine dining establishment during our first vacay trip to Oahu just recently to celebrate our birthdays. The simplicity of the Japanese decor and its small space with the dim lights made the vibe feel intimate and homey. Everyone just seemed to be in good spirit. The kitchen was right in front too, so we were able to witness Head Chef Ki Chung working his magic. Service was excellent, indeed. They went beyond for us to make our first time experience memorable. It was my gf and I birthdays, so it was extra special for sure. The chef gave us a complimentary dessert which was nice and generous of him. The omakase was delicious. Every dish was presented like a piece of art. With every dish also came with special cocktails that went well together. The food and drinks pretty much go hand in hand. Take a bite before taking a sip. You can tell the quality is all there. Every ingredient was put together perfectly, which made the flavors unique and innovative. The waygu had great marbling and the different sauces provided gave you many variety of flavors to complement the meat. It can be salty, sweet, then savory. It's complex. The lobster was juicy and tender. The buttery sauce on the bottom was finger licking good. We also had chocolate that looks exactly like rocks; it was crazy. The food here is a 5/5. For a party of 2, the bill came down to be around $450 and it was totally worth it. I want to thank the staff, chef, and bartenders there for the lovely experience. The food, vibes, and environment was just grand and marvelous. People come thru!

Bar maze was incredible! All the food was presented in a really nice way. The bites were small, so being able to test most of the menu was easy. They also offer a cocktail pairing, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic. It's a great place if you want to come with someone who doesn't drink. The place is nice and cozy, service is great. It's easy to get ahold of the staff since it's so small, and you can peep into the kitchen. Absolutely loved it!

We've eaten all over the world - Michelin you name it. This is tied for #1. Food, service, cocktail pairing were all amazing and priced so reasonably. Highly highly recommend. There is so much creativity and uniqueness infused in the flavors and presentation. Can't wait to come back!

When you make a reservation, you can finally see the menu prices. Also, how much will it cost if you pair drinks? You can only find out when you look at the menu at the restaurant. It's a good idea to estimate around $300 for one person, including tax and tips. It seems that customers come here from the mainland. The service, food, and atmosphere were all excellent. I'm looking forward to the seasonal menu. You can enjoy the drink pairings even with non-alcoholic drinks. Someone's review said that non-alcoholic pairings may be better than alcoholic ones, and that was true. The food was worth the price in terms of ingredients, ideas, and cooking methods. I would recommend this restaurant to anyone who is tired of the same old delicious dinners, or to anyone looking for a special dinner restaurant with a loved one.

Bar Maze is brought to you by Justin and Tom Park, who's behind Bar Leather Apron. This place is described as an 'innovative, integrated culinary and cocktail experience', and they offer a 5-course tasting menu with a cocktail or wine pairing, in addition to an a la carte lounge menu. Our 'omakase' included 5 'sections' - +the Light & Bright - which included snacks (peach, pear, kiwi, sake, and champagne) +Fruity & Floral - chu-toro with melon, smoked trout roe, dressed in a watermelon & chojang vinaigrette; this was paired with a cocktail prepared with pomegranate, bergamot, elderflower, shochu, vodka, and citrus bubbles +Herbaceous - a Korean pepper-glazed scallop with sweet corn and saffron butter sauce, and a Hokkaido milk bread; you can opt to add an oz of Kaluga hybrid caviar; this was paired with a cocktail prepared with mandarin, lemon, yuzu, aloe, shishito, gin, absinthe, and egg white; I did request for there to be no aloe +Smoke - a choice between the kurobuta pork and local banchan or the A5 Kyoto hannari wagyu, local banchan, and maze seasonal rice; we opted for the latter; this was paired with a choice of a cocktail prepared with maple, vanilla, hojicha, chocolate bitters, and blended Japanese whiskey or the prisoner pinot noir - Sonoma coast 2021 +Ice - this was a seasonal shave ice with mango, vanilla, shortbread, soursop cheong, and mint Service was friendly, albeit a bit slowly paced compared to other tastings. Definitely recommend in going for the upgrades with the supplemental charge, as it does enhance your meal. Making reservations was breeze, which is also recommended to secure a seating. +cocktail pairings +reservations highly recommended

4-stars+ from start to finish. Oustanding service from everyone. Very impressed with their attention to detail for every prepared dish. Food & cocktail pairing was spot on. High quality ingredients & creative presentation. Definitely recommend this place to anyone who appreciates breathtaking culinary skills and is looking for a memorable dining experience.

Always such a good time at Bar Maze! We stopped in recently & once again was so impressed by their omakase menu. It was a weeknight so I knew I would regret if I had the alcoholic pairing - luckily they had a non-alcoholic option for pairing which turned out to be super fun since my bf got the alcoholic pairing & we were able to taste each others same same but different drinks! We all know the food is amazing - and we were yet again blown away by the meal. Some things that REALLY stood out were.. - Salmon toast: so, SO buttery. How is this even possible? - Yellowtail carpaccio: I loved the bright flavors here. Worked really well with the drink pairing. - Scallop w/ dashi butter sauce: thank goodness they give you bread to soak in allllll the goodness! It doesn't seem like a lot of food when you look at the menu, but we were definitely full by the time dessert rolled around. The staff are never intrusive, always there to bring your drinks, clear your plates & describe in detail what you're about to consume. Plus they're so friendly! Thank you Bar Maze for yet another amazing experience, can't wait to come back again!