Bernini Honolulu

Italian restaurant · Ala Moana

Bernini Honolulu

Italian restaurant · Ala Moana

1

1218 Waimanu St, Honolulu, HI 96814

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Bernini Honolulu by null
Bernini Honolulu by null
Bernini Honolulu by null
Bernini Honolulu by null
Bernini Honolulu by null
Bernini Honolulu by null
Bernini Honolulu by null
Bernini Honolulu by null
Bernini Honolulu by null
Bernini Honolulu by null
Bernini Honolulu by null
Bernini Honolulu by null
Bernini Honolulu by null
Bernini Honolulu by null
Bernini Honolulu by null
Bernini Honolulu by null
Bernini Honolulu by null
Bernini Honolulu by null
Bernini Honolulu by null
Bernini Honolulu by null
Bernini Honolulu by null
Bernini Honolulu by null
Bernini Honolulu by null
Bernini Honolulu by null
Bernini Honolulu by null
Bernini Honolulu by null
Bernini Honolulu by null
Bernini Honolulu by null
Bernini Honolulu by null
Bernini Honolulu by null
Bernini Honolulu by null
Bernini Honolulu by null
Bernini Honolulu by null
Bernini Honolulu by null
Bernini Honolulu by null
Bernini Honolulu by null
Bernini Honolulu by null
Bernini Honolulu by null
Bernini Honolulu by null
Bernini Honolulu by null
Bernini Honolulu by null
Bernini Honolulu by null

Highlights

Italian-Japanese fusion with amazing pizza, uni pasta, and wine  

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1218 Waimanu St, Honolulu, HI 96814 Get directions

berninihonolulu.com
@berninihonolulu

$100+ · Menu

Reserve

Information

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1218 Waimanu St, Honolulu, HI 96814 Get directions

+1 808 591 8400
berninihonolulu.com
@berninihonolulu

$100+ · Menu

Reserve

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Last updated

Sep 6, 2025

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An Ala Moana/Kakaʻako favorite where Italian technique meets a Japanese sensibility and Hawai‘i ingredients. Expect house‑made pastas, Roman‑style pizzas, and polished service. Covered by Hawaii News Now and praised by national outlets like Thrillist; reservations are recommended.

https://berninihonolulu.com/
Italian Restaurants in Honolulu (2025)
View Postcard for Bernini Honolulu

Kyle Wicomb

Google
The creative dishes were done in really good taste! Sometimes restaurants try unusual combinations that just taste weird, but whoever designed the menu knew what they were doing! This Japanese-Italian fusion restaurant was one of the best restaurants I've been to in a while!

Apitchaya Borvornsettanan

Google
I thought I had lost a ring after an excellent dinner and had no idea where I might have dropped it. A day later, the restaurant tracked us down using the reservation name and found Clint on social media. Thank God! This experience reminded me that there are still good and honest people in the world who go out of their way to help others. 🥰🥰😍😍 food are amazing..love every dishes we ordered !

Kobe Miyashita

Google
The food was super good! My whole family really liked the pasta and lobster salad—they were definitely our favorites. The service was great too! Cam was really friendly and even remembered my parents’ names, which we thought was really cool. I’d definitely come back here for another special occasion.

Goldy Wong

Google
One of the best restaurants in Honolulu. Very good Italian restaurant. Japanese head chef. The pizza are the best in town. Thin chrispy crust with delicious toppings. Pastas are done just right, sea urchin pasta and white truffle pasta are just so great. Rossini was one of hte best in the industry. Highly recommended

TooGood

Google
It's my favorite restaurant and I always go there when I'm in Hawaii. This time we added a truffle omelette to our course menu. A few years ago it was topped with lots of truffles, but in these times it can't be helped(/ _ ; )

Myron I

Google
Love the Italian/ Japanese fusion. Food was superb. Service is really great from the waiters. Food did take exceptionally long like at least 45 min due to only 2 cooks on father's day but I'm not knocking off any stars as they were very apologetic and compd an appetizer and desserts.

Emma Lam

Google
I’d highly recommend this Italian restaurant if you love Italian/French cuisine. They’re on the lighter side for Italian food so you will feel less guilty. I love their pizza! It’s the Roman style, very thin and crispy crusts. Also, save some rooms for desserts! Their desserts are French/ Japanese style. Super tasty and light. Most popular dish is their uni pasta. I personally think it’s the best uni pasta on island. Tasty, noodles are perfectly cooked where it’s firm but not too hard. Medium noise, nice ambiance. It’s perfect for date night or small gatherings. I’d recommend to make reservations in advance if you have a party for more than 6.

Jennifer Lin

Google
Surprisingly the food is very tasty and great 👍 The service is very Japanese style. Meaning great service. Our service person is very knowledgeable. His recommendations are all very good 👍 Too bad I am sure they are short handed. Although the restaurant looks high end. The dress code is very casual. 😘
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Jess W.

Yelp
I haven't been to this restaurant in a while, but it makes one of my favorite pizzas ever! The Norcia pizza is a sausage and mushroom pizza. With truffle oil, it is so rich and yummy. It avoids being too rich, however, by being a nice thin crust. I used to also really enjoy the Burrata appetizer. But they no longer appear to offer that dish, at least not regularly. I would recommend coming here for some really good Japanese-style Italian food. Service is good and the ambience is nice.
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Isabelle K.

Yelp
Celebrated our anniversary here and everything was incredible. The truffle omelet was rich and dreamy (could have been a little softer scramble), and the carbonara was perfectly creamy with just the right bite. But the star? The prosciutto e mascarpone pizza -- next-level delicious. The salty prosciutto paired with that creamy mascarpone on a thin, crispy crust? Unreal. Had to add a soft boiled egg highly recommend to balance the salty meat. Sweet, savory, and perfectly balanced. Service was warm, the vibe was classy yet relaxed. Can't wait to come back!
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Tim G.

Yelp
Made reservations for two at Bernini on a busy graduation weekend. Fortunately they were the only few handful of restaurants with availability. I reserved the table and arrived early. Once we were seated, the place began to fill up as everybody decided to go out for dinner after commencement. The first wow factor was the espresso martini. You get an entire show out of it when the drink comes out. The neighboring table decided to order one just for the show so it comes highly recommended! For starters the foie gras was magical. Followed by a lull in the dining service we received a margherita pizza that was meant for the table adjacent to us and we were told to just enjoy it. This wasn't terrible as the quatro formagio pizza was quickly remade and we got to enjoy a different pizza in the meantime. The main course was the ricci di mare. The uni on the pasta was perfectly cooked. For dessert the affogato rounded off the night along with a classic style tiramisu that we both shared. Service: things broke down when all of the busy patrons arrived and frazzled the kitchen. Luckily our waiter caught wind of this and comped our two drinks so we got to see the magic show twice and I really do commend him for being so good about keeping us happy as we powered through the long wait. Overall great customer service on a busy night. The manager came by at the end to make sure we were fully satisfied and ensured the drinks were comped for the slow service. I would definitely come back again and give them another try. They had all the right intentions and I'm certain it was a rare exception rather than the norm for the kitchen.
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Marilyn B.

Yelp
FREE parking in the front of the resto and in the back as well. This is such a hidden gem by Ala Moana area. The food, ambiance and service was amazing! Please go see them if you want an intimate dinner . We celebrated my birthday there with some of my besties. Enjoy!!!
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Chris W.

Yelp
The waiter was very flamboyant and up selling. I was wearing Strong cologne. It ruined the experience. He is wearing earrings in both ears. The first time was amazing, but I won't be returning.
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Heather M.

Yelp
Wonderful last night dinner! A local fav! Bernini is a mix of Italian, French, and Japanese influences. The lychee pop is a fun drink with a lychee bubble on top that bursts with lychee scent. We started with the lobster salad- perfect mix of all the influences. Chunks of lobster, fresh greens, and lobster gelee. A bust of flavors. Bernini is known for their pizza. We got the white sauces Norcia with mushroom truffle and sausage. The crust was so light and crispy. The carbonara was the classic egg pancetta and cheese. The squid ink pasta tasted of the sea topped with tomatoes and onion. The uni pasta was so rich and decadent- a special treat! The bolognese was also a fav- deep rich flavors. All Pastas are made in house. We were too full for dessert but they looked incredible.
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Justin H.

Yelp
This is a must must Italian restaurant to come. Reservation is a must , very important to make reservations. Food is insanely good , love the decor inside here too. It's open kitchen, food is made fresh all the time.
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Wayne H.

Yelp
This was our third visit to Bernini and our experiences have been slightly worse with each successive visit. I must emphasize that the food, the most important factor to consider in rating a restaurant, has been consistently excellent to outstanding. This Japanese version of Italian cuisine is worthy of any "bucket list." The chilled onion soup is a "must try" and the truffle omlette, while a bit too hearty, makes an excellent appetizer to share. The pastas are consistently perfect and the pizzas are unusually flavorful and uniquely light (also great as a shared appetizer). The Moelleaux au Chocolat (lava cake) dessert is excellent but the Chocolate Flan is misnamed as it's actually a (somewhat weak and disappointing) mousse. The cappuccino should be skipped. But the food is not the reason I won't return. The greeter/maitre'd seems inclined to seat dining parties as close together as possible, probably for ease of serving with a limited staff. I always request a quiet table and reserve an early seating but in spite of the fact that I'm first to arrive and be seated, the second and subsequent parties are seated at adjacent tables rather than spread out as is standard practice at most restaurants. Furthermore, you are forced to keep your soiled dining utensils to re-use rather than being replaced with each course - more of a diner/coffee shop practice than a top level establishment. If you don't share my concerns for "value," you will certainly enjoy Bernini. The food is excellent and the staff is friendly.
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Rebecca L.

Yelp
Went to Bernini for a girls night with my best friend and can't wait to go back! Food and service were both great! Parking is a little difficult, they only have a hand full of stalls in the front so if you go during peak hours you might need to find street parking or park in their 2nd lot behind their restaurant on kona st. Service 9/10: Upon sitting down our server came to check in on us and asked if we had any questions and asked what type of water we would like (sparkling, bottled, tap). When either of us went to the restroom our napkin would be folded on the table when we got back which I personally always find to be a nice touch at a nice restaurant. My only complaint would be sometimes our water glasses would get very low if not empty before getting a refill. Honestly not that big of a deal though since the servers are around a lot so asking wasn't a huge deal Food and drinks 9/10: We both started with a cocktail each. I had the lychee martini that the server blows up a bubble on the top of the drink at the table. Drink was good and had a lychee at the bottom. Bubble makes the drink fun and cool for pictures. My friend had the Bernini 11 which was fruity but not overly sweet. My friend and I split the Norcia pizza (mushroom, sausage, and truffle oil) and this was easily one of the best pizzas I've ever had. Definitely recommend if you prefer pizzas without tomato sauce. I had the carbonara which was also amazing! The egg was perfectly cooked and complimented the sauce. My friend ordered the uni pasta which she also enjoyed. The sauce wasn't super creamy but on the lighter side with uni on the top of the pasta. For dessert we split the molten lava cake. Personally I would have liked the middle to have more melted chocolate but my friend appreciated the cake being not overly sweet. Overall the experience was really good and I can't wait to visit again and try more things on the menu! Went home to tell my boyfriend we needed to go back for our own date night!
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Sam N.

Yelp
Could not have been any nicer. The service was superb. Our waiter gave us great recommendations within being pushy. The food was amazing! Pork belly and lasagna were done superbly. It's a beautiful restaurant and was perfect for our anniversary. Desserts are not to be missed - save room.

Maddy B.

Yelp
Came here last night and overall had an amazing experience. We started with the uni. It was alright, not bad, just not super memorable. I wish it had been a bit more creamy. The pizza was the highlight of the night. The crust was thin like a cracker which gave it a great crunch and the cheese was incredibly soft and creamy. It paired so well with the rest of the toppings. Honestly one of the best pizzas I have had in a while. The steak was good. Nothing too special on its own but the balsamic sauce really elevated it and added a nice depth of flavor. This place was amazing and I would definitely go again.
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Sherene H.

Yelp
Nice clean restaurant with tasty Japanese Italian fusion dishes. Ive been here before and came back for dinner for my bf's birthday. We ordered the scallops and burrata for the appetizer. The scallops in their sauce was so soft and flavorful. I also love the burrata on top of their focaccia. We did have to ask for the focaccia bread though and they didn't bring it out initially or with the appetizers. I ordered the crab pasta and he had the truffle risotto. Both were excellent. For dessert we ordered the panna cotta, cheesecake, and the peach tart. I really enjoyed the chocolate basque cheesecake the most with their vanilla ice cream. What was a nice touch is that the server brought out a cute little wind up that played happy birthday! I would definitely come back here to try the other dishes!
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Wesley T.

Yelp
I've been looking forward to eating at Bernini for a very long time, been hearing great things about them. Had to cancel last time due to scheduling problems. So, I was invited to dinner one night for my daughter in law's belated birthday. We had to circle the block to hunt for parking because the full lot in front of the restaurant was very tight and had only a few stalls. They should suggest alternative parking when you make reservations or at least warn you. The restaurant was beautiful and quaint on the inside, very impressive. The service was very attentive, professional. We ordered the Ono carpaccio and the caprese salad with a red blend bottle of wine to start. The Ono had this wonderful topping on it, hard to taste the fish but this topping just made the dish. Loved the caprese salad! the house made mozzarella was just wonderful with just enough basil to add that freshness. The focaccia bread they bring out was perfect with that olive oil balsamic dressing. The problem is that you get one small piece for each diner at a time, we had three each, and each time they bring out a new batch the bread got less toastier. I gotta mention that the olive oil was very prominent and very fresh tasting. For dinner my daughter in law had the rigatoni with red sauce with beef which my son and his wife said was very delicious. The carbonara was very enjoyable, the yolk intact so you can mix it all up. It's probably just me but I like carbonara with dried pasta so it is a little firmer, but my son loved the fresh pasta. Of course the birthday girl was presented with a birthday chocolate lava cake adorned with raspberries and gelato. This was delicious, everything on that cake belonged on it, with each ingredient adding to the wonderful experience. I would have loved to try the pizza, but we didn't come for pizza. In all a great experience, but personally I thought the portions were small. If you plan on dining on pasta, get some appetizers because if you are hungry the portion will not be enough. And, there probably won't be any thing leftover to take home.
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Ana N.

Yelp
The food was excellent and the service was great very attentive but unobtrusive. We had a half bottle of wine and a Lychee Martini with Lychee smoked bubble! The Chef Tasting menu was a perfect way to sample a lot of items and while the portions were smaller it was still a lot of food and we ended up taking home several dishes The pear and grape panna cotta dessert was light and refreshing! We will definitely be back to try the pizzas and salads!
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Kainoa B.

Yelp
Bernini is definitely one of our favorite restaurants for Italian. Perfect for a date night or celebration. The food is always top notch and service is right up there as well. I love the pizzas and pasta here. Seems a bit hidden but right near ala moana with lot parking as well as street parking. A must try
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Chris T.

Yelp
We did a last minute anniversary dinner reservation here this past Saturday night. We know that this place has been here for awhile, but this was our first time trying this place. Since our reservation was on the early side (5:15pm) we were able to park right in front. We were greeted at the front door by the hostess and were seated promptly. The restaurant is nice, and there are quite a lot of tables. Our waitress came over with menus and water. Since it was our first time here, we had some questions about the choices on the menu, which our waitress was very informative and made some great suggestions. We started with a small appetizer of a kampachi carpaccio, which was a perfect blend of flavors to go with the fresh fish. For our entrees, we decided on a Granchio (king crab) spaghetti which was perfect, with little pieces of crab. Also, the noodles were cooked just right (my girlfriend likes them slightly more than al dente). We also ordered a pizza, yes, PIZZA. For what most consider this place as more "upscale" dining, you wouldn't expect to have a pizza. BUT it was delicious. We had the Norcia (mushrooms, sausage, mozzarella, and ruffle oil). We also added arugula. The flavors were good, and made on a super thin crust. For dessert, we shared a tiramisu which was the perfect end to our meal. Not too sweet, with the ladyfingers soaked with coffee. Overall, our experience here was nice. There are other things on the menu which we would like to try, so I'm sure we will come back and dine here again.
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Lois M.

Yelp
Always enjoy the food, ambiance & service at Bernini. Last night was no exception. Shared the lobster salad, carpaccio & seafood pizza. All were terrific, especially the taste/preparation/presentation of the carpaccio. Corey provided excellent service.
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Scott M.

Yelp
I've traveled the world and not found better, authentic Italian food. The service was superb and the food, to die for. You can't miss this restaurant when in Honolulu.
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Mi Ae K.

Yelp
We went especially for their pizza which we were craving for awhile. Ordered the Margarita and Norcia Mushroom pizzas. They were delicious! Next we had the Cappuccino Style Sweet onion soup, served cold. It was so refreshing and tasty! We shared a house salad. Mixed greens were tender and the dressing subtle. For our entrees, we ordered the Granchio (King Crab Tomato Cream Sauce), Carbonara Pasta and Bolognese Rigatoni. Three unique flavors. Pasta was perfect, cooked Al Dente. Service was excellent. Atmosphere quiet and romantic. The owner offered us complimentary desserts at the end of dinner, but we were too stuffed to accept. Maybe next time! I highly recommend this long time Kaka'ako restaurant for anyone looking for a classy, yet not stuffy place to have dinner.
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Ava N.

Yelp
The service is so good, they're so friendly. The food was even better, might be one of the best Italian restaurant I ever been to. The food was vey nicely flavored, and tasted very fresh.
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Lori W.

Yelp
This night we tried the tasting menu. All dishes were excellent! Service: Attentive Ambiance: trendy-classy
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Gerry L.

Yelp
The world food tour duo returned to Bernini; it had been almost a year since our last visit and we wanted to celebrate after seeing Cats at the Blaisdell. We had a 5pm reservation and were seated in the middle of the room; not our favorite location. Later, we were able to move to our preferred table next to the inside divider. I ordered a 2017 Tenuta CastelGiocondo Brunello di Montalcino (Sangiovese grape). It was full of fruit with a hint of spice; it paired well with the food we ordered. We were served squares of bread with olive oil and balsamic; perfect to whet our appetite. Our appetizers were the Keiki Portabello and Escargot and a dish that wasn't listed on the online menu, a foie gras and sweet corn tart, The escargot was fine but I couldn't tell if it contained pieces of portobello or another type of mushroom. It was served with thin slices of toast. My tablemate used the bread to sop up the garlic butter sauce. The foie gras tart was a visual and taste treat; a quenelle of foie gras mousse atop a petite tart containing sweet corn and some kind of soft cheese (I think), topped with edible flowers. Simply sublime! I wanted another order, or two! We ordered the Risotto Al Tartufo to share with the Rossini for my tablemate and the Roast Maple Leaf Duck Breast with Orange Sauce for me. The scent of the truffles emanating from the risotto was intoxicating! The Rossini, "Washugyu" filet mignon atop potato puree, topped with a piece of foie gras, Perigueux sauce and slices of truffle, remains one of our favorite dishes at Bernini. Do not ever take this off the menu, please! The duck breast was cut into three pieces and served with pieces of mushrooms It was scrumptious; perfectly prepared, tender and juicy; the best duck we've tasted in 2023. We ordered Tiramisu and the Affogato for dessert; wonderful finishes to a superb meal. I added an Italian coffee because I can never get enough good coffee. It was a leisurely meal; we really appreciate that they don't try to rush you and serve courses at an pace appropriate for fine dining. Too many places now try to speed you through dinner, wanting to turn the table over. We understand but it dampens the experience. No such problems at Bernini; a wonderful meal in a relaxed setting. Highly recommended!
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Jaymi U.

Yelp
I kept driving past this place on my way to Ala Moana and finally got to try it! We celebrated my graduation there with a party of 10. We were a little worried about the party size but they were able to accommodate us with a reservation and the service was friendly! They have a small parking lot out front, but it is a bit tight. If you don't like parking in cramped areas, there's also street parking available in the area. The food was delicious - I especially liked my carbonara. It was super flavorful, had the right amount of creaminess to it, and the portion was just right. I also liked the truffle omelet there. The truffle wasn't overpowering and the egg texture was great (on the softer side). I got the tiramisu for dessert, which was also good. We had a special occasion one so they wrote a message on the plate in chocolate and the size was perfect for me (I don't know if the size is different if you order regularly). Overall, it was a great experience!
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David O.

Yelp
Food was great and service as well. Seafood pizza is my favorite thing on the menu along with the filet with foie gras everything was amazing ambience service and food 10/10
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Mark K.

Yelp
Celebrating Valentine's Day a day early with my Valentine because our friends are getting married tomorrow. Dinner at Bernini Honolulu. Love trying different pizza so ordered those to go...Why Not. The service, food, and decor were excellent and definitely recommend.
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Jaemin L.

Yelp
One of my favorites, Always love the thin crust pizzas and the many different pastas here. Personally I skip the meat dishes and focus on the two. Over the years we've tried all of them and I love the mushroom, three cheese pizzas as well as all the others. The granchio, ricci Di mare are always so good too. It's always a toss up between here and arancino but I love this place lots Attached some pics from a more recent visit but this is one of my go to spots!
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Simone M.

Yelp
We came here for lunch on a weekend. Easy to make a last minute reservation and it wasn't too crowded. The atmosphere is cozy and intimate. For lunch you get to choose from a set 3 ($30) or 5 ($58) course menu. We got the three course which started with a creamy onion soup, that was also surprisingly light. It was accompanied by two little foccacia pieces and oil and vinegar. Then came our pastas, I got the special mushroom and chicken in rich tomato sauce and the hubs had the shrimp and anchovy pasta. The noodles were al dente and both sauces were very flavorful. We finished with two desserts each: tiramisu and guava sorbet. Classic tiramisu in a small square dish, which seemed like the perfect amount and a large scoop of the guava sorbet which was so refreshing, they could have let it melt and served it as a slushy. While we didn't imbibe , they have a nice wine selection. We'll definitely be back for dinner so we can try a pizza or one of their other signature dishes.

Food K.

Yelp
What happen to the crispy thin crust pizza?!?! Now it's soggy floppy thin crust pizza. I always loved the unique thin CRISPY!!! pizza . Now I don't feel like going .. even their chicken dish changed. Boo hoo...
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Katherine L.

Yelp
Did you know that they has a 3-course lunch menu for $30, which includes soup (or misto for additional $10), choice from select entrees, and 2 desserts? The price is reasonable for what you get. The onion soup was yummy. Both of our pastas (house made sausage & parmigiana cheese rosemary flavor spaghetti + chicken and mushroom rigatoni) were OK, I love how al dente the noodles were. The dessert of cheesecake and guava sorbet were delish and a great way to end the meal. The cocktails were standard and not worth the $14 each, though the sangria was too sweet (we should've upgraded our app to the misto instead.) Service was friendly but not as attentive as we'd expect (there being only 3 tables total the whole time we were there.) Our waitress did not ask if we needed anything after the food was dropped off to our table (like cheese or crushed red pepper, etc.), nor did she later follow up with a "how is your meal". Those little touches make a difference to the dining experience. Overall, more of a 3.5 star experience.

Mark G.

Yelp
Tasty thin crust pizza, delicious duck and pasta dishes. Tapas style makes taste-sharing easy. Nicely unobtrusive wait staff.
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Sum H.

Yelp
Such a nice Italian restaurant close to Ala Moana Shopping center. 5 star service and food! This Italian restaurant reminds me of some restaurants in Japan. They offer 2 course menus priced at 30 and 58 dollars starting. You choose anything optional on the menu it will be more. I feel the course is reasonably priced compared to other places as a pasta dish would cost 20+. You get a beautifully presented antipasto dish and dessert. We ordered one of each course and shared. All the dishes were mild flavor but really good taste overall. I didn't have problem finishing. I usually leave some pasta wherever I go, just too much portion or too much flavor. Lots of Shirasu on my pasta, lots of crab on my daughters. The potage soup was so good, too. Even side foccacia bread was really soft. I'd say come and try the course, you will experience the very best of Italian food you've ever had.
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Jeanette E.

Yelp
Another 5 star review! The set lunch was amazing! I had the appetizer Misto for additional $6 or $8. The main course was the bolognese and the dessert was was a tart with side of ice cream. Tried Peroni beer for the first time and it was really refreshing! The servers are so sweet and efficient. We got lucky and found parking in front. There's also street parking.
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Dikshika S.

Yelp
had heard so much about this place and considering how booked they were all the time, I had very high expectations going in. Bernini is worth all the hype and $$$. Food was well presented and flavor packed + Great service. Went there with my friends and all of us loved the food. The parking is kinda tight and can be a struggle though But overall, this is definitely a safe choice for a quality dinner with friends/family/date.
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Milton D.

Yelp
Such a delicious dinner for our Christmas outing. Really lovely service and excellent food. The pizza is really special with super crispy crust
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Julie C.

Yelp
It's been awhile since I've been to Bernini's. Over two years at least. It was time to come back! We had a special dinner scheduled with two of my good friends. We typically have dinner together every three months throughout the year, but have not gotten together in almost 2 years due to Covid. Now that things are opening up, all of us are fully vaccinated it was time to venture out to the restaurants again. The restaurant was very clean, and Covid vaccine cards along with IDs were checked upon entering. We started off with the appetizer catch of the day carpaccio, followed by the sweet onion soup, Margherita pizza (mozzarella and basil), Catch of the day (Chilean Seabass with roasted vegetables) and the pasta granchio (Snow crab in a tomato cream sauce). Dinner was followed by the gelato of the day for dessert. Everything was delicious, perfectly cooked, and elegantly presented. Service was exceptional, they checked on us multiple times and made sure that we had everything that we needed. It was a very enjoyable evening.

Ryan H.

Yelp
Was excited to try this place out. But was rather disappointed. We did the tasting menu, but we should have ordered off of the regular menu, and I think we should have had a better experience. The food was variable. The bluefin tuna was devoid of salt. The abalone soup was good. The uni pasta - their version of al dente was a little too firm for me, but the taste was good and the uni quality was good. The fish was a little under salted. The duck was quite under salted. I didn't like that they used a very hot serving plate to try to heat up the room temp duck and the room temp Brussels sprouts, which it did not actually heat it up. Our server was helpful, but the people who served each dish, terrible. No description of the dish and its ingredients and sauces. Just "this is the fish" "this is the duck." Hard to believe for a restaurant of this quality. Might come back, but going to order off the regular menu.
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Andy F.

Yelp
Bernini used to be a Tuxedo store. It's where I got my tuxedo for my high school orchestra (I was the bass man). For a while, I always thought it was still a Tux store even when I noticed the Bernini sign. I couldn't even tell it was a restaurant driving by it. I guess after friends and acquaintances mention this place, it's not! You'll find delectable, well executed Japanese inspired Italian cuisine! I came here to celebrate my Wedding Anniversary. Bernini is located along Waimanu St, near Chun Wah Kam, across the nice condos, and just a few steps away from Ala Moana Shopping Center along Piikoi St. There's a small parking lot in front with only one way, angled parking. You'll probably need to reverse out onto the sidewalk and street, unless there's space to turn around. Vaccination or Negative Test confirmation and temperature check before you enter, and contact tracing info must be written down before you go to your table. Inside is clean and organized. The tables are set up very well with plenty of space for social distancing. The kitchen is open in the corner, so you can peek over. The menu isn't too extensive, and offers very dedicated and straightforward selections. It does seem it changes occasionally. The prices are definitely reasonable for this type of dining experience. For a restaurant having been here many years, the photos are almost always different (at least for the dishes I was looking at). Honestly, some of them didn't even look appetizing, but it's what I decided, so I just hoped for the best, and it was the best. We started with the Hudson Valley Duck Breast with Endive Salad (no previous photos). I had this at another Japanese influenced Italian restaurant, and this one was ten times better. The Duck was prepared well and presented beautifully. It was cooked just right. Not too done and not too raw. The accompanying mango and pesto sauces went very well with the duck. The pink peppercorns on top really added a nice touch with a hint of sweet and spice. The endive salad with micro greens, radish, and handmade ultra thin potato crisps was light and refreshing, and complemented the duck nicely. Next was the Pappardelle Bolognese with Washugyu in a Red Wine Tomato Sauce (again, no similar photos!). This was excellent and well prepared. The pasta was cooked to a nice firmness with the perfect amount of tasty and flavorful sauce and cheese. The beef was good. Not too tough and mealy like regular beef or too fatty and soft if it was really wagyu. My initial choice was to get a pizza (which I probably should have since several people mentioned it afterwards), but I was sold on having some Chilean Sea Bass (catch of the day). This was grilled with a tomato sauce underneath and olive tapenade on top along with grilled squash, bell peppers, micro greens, radish slices, and fresh dill. This was another well prepared dish. The sea bass was beautifully cooked. Moist and tender with the right amount of seasoning. Everything went well together. The sweetness from the sauce and sourness from the olive complemented the richness of the fish while adding the fresh and herbaceous, and slightly bitterness of the dill with a crunchy radish summed up to a delectable bite. We ended the meal with dessert, Soufflé Cheesecake (No photos of this too??). This was a Soufflé cheesecake done right. This was light, fluffy, moist, and tasty. Spot on! Fresh fruits and mint accompanied this dessert to add a nice sweet, tart, and minty taste. I don't normally order dessert. Probably never since I'm already super full from the main course, but I'd order this again! The wine list isn't extensive either, but very selective. Bernini offers Kenzo Estate Wines from Napa Valley by the half or full bottle with only two by the glass, Yui (Rose) and Asuka (Cabernet Franc). We ordered both of them, and they were very good. Asuka anything is always good! :) I loved how the wine slowly got more and more aromatic and flavorful as it breathed. Overall, we had an excellent experience with amazing food and awesome service. The food was prepared so well. The servers were very attentive, friendly, professional, and did an awesome job explaining each dish and all its ingredients. The atmosphere was relaxed, comfortable, yet with a slight romantic feel. Definitely an excellent place to celebrate a special occasion or for a nice meal. I need to try the pizza next time! Perhaps I'll wear my orchestra tuxedo to Bernini's next time too!
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Kyllie N.

Yelp
Went to Bernini for Valentine's Dinner with my boyfriend. Food wise, I would say everything that we had was just okay. I had the carbonara, which lacked flavor. My boyfried had the filet mignon, which he also said was ok. The best thing we had was the Rossa Pizza, which consisted of prosciutto, mozzarella, & marscapone cheese. Service wise, I would say it was fine. The server checked up on us on the beginning, but towards the middle/end didn't really come back around. Lastly, ambiance wise, the restaurant itself was nice. It looked like a typical italian restaurant. All in all, I'm glad I got to try Bernini. I would definitely come back for the pizza, but will probably try elsewhere if I'm in the mood for some "fancy" italian food.
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Roger P.

Yelp
Been to Bernini 3+ times and it is absolutely a dream every time I come to Hawaii. The best filet mignon I ever had in my life!!!!! Truffle , foie gras, and the most perfect reduction. Insanely good Servers are super polite and great service. Truly a great fine dining restaurant with luxury pairings.
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Landon K.

Yelp
Decided swing by Bernini but this time we went for their pre-fix lunch menu. Been a fan of their dinner menu and to be honest wasn't too sure how the lunch set was going to compare. I was impressed. Started with the Misto app (+8), then moved on to the uni pasta (+23), and last but not least dessert. Also added a la carte open face lobster sandwich - which was delish! Will be back again for lunch!
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Yuen L.

Yelp
Bernini never disappoints! I love the ambiance and the wonderful food they serve complete with delightful presentation and knowledgable staff. Their pizzas are TDF as they're thin crust and packed full of flavor. Love Bernini!
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Ash N.

Yelp
Bernini, although a beautiful restaurant, was pretty disappointing in terms of their food. This restaurant is right on Waimanu street before Ala Moana shopping center. As I mentioned, it is quite beautiful with a very classy feel. The hostesses and servers are very nice, but let me get into their food. My friend and I ordered the truffle omelette, scallop carpaccio with caviar, uni pasta, granchio pasta, matcha tiramisu, and the smoked cheese appetizer plate. The truffle omelette was good, but for $65? I think not. The scallop carpaccio didn't taste like much as it was quite bland. This was a running issue with both the uni and granchio pasta -- didn't have much taste. I also felt that there was very little crab in the granchio pasta. The matcha tiramisu was also very bitter. I do want to say that the smoke cheese appetizer plate was the highlight of the night. I would come back just to eat the cheese! Sadly, overall, I was just not impressed. There are many other Italian restaurants that are much more affordable and taste better. I am not opposed to coming back, but I would probably just order the cheese platter and some drinks.
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Gayle C.

Yelp
I looked back and I had done a review 8 years ago! We came back gor their Christmas eve dinner. Set menu. Everything was fabulous. Portions were perfectly sized. Flavors were well blended. Loved all of it. Service was great. We did not wait too long between courses. Restaurant had a 5 pm and 7:30 pm seating only.
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Kira K.

Yelp
My family loves Italian food and we love to try new places, so we decided to try out this place. We decided to share some entrees as an appetizer and then enjoy our individual entrees. We shared the prosciutto and mascarpone pizza (delicious, and on an extremely thin crust - nice and light), and the frutti di mare in a saffron butter (good, the house made pasta was nicely al dente and it was served with clams, shrimp, and scallop - could have had more flavor, it was a nice light dish) For an appetizer, I got the cappuccino style onion soup which was delicious (my 1 year old daughter loved this too!) They give complimentary focaccia bread with olive oil and balsamic vinegar, but we all agreed it tasted and felt stale :( For my entree, I got the ricci di mare (uni pasta). The uni pasta at arancino di mare is my favorite, so I knew I had to try Bernini's. Unfortunately, it was disappointing. The portion was very small and there was barely any uni (and this dish is almost $40!). Also, it was slightly spicy yet bland and just wasn't having that "wow" factor in taste.. oh, and this dish gave me FOOD POISONING :( (I was the only one in my family who ate this dish, but a few hours after dinner, I spent the night vomiting.. not fun) Anyways, I did also have a bite of my dad's T-bone steak which I admit was very good Service - very slow.. in between our appetizers and entree, there was a huge gap in time. After the appetizers, one of the workers asked us if we wanted dessert (which left us confused because we didn't even get our entrees yet lol) Also, my husband got his entree while the rest of us waited for like 5-7 minutes for our entrees lol. For dessert, I got a tiramisu (which was very strong), and my sister got vanilla gelato to share with her son. It's a good thing she didn't take a bite because right under the 2 scoops of gelato were sliced almonds (and she's very allergic to it) - no where on the menu did it say the ice cream was served with nuts. However, the waiter was nice and replaced her dessert with another plate of ice cream without the nuts. Parking - Bernini only has approximately 8 stalls in front in a really tiny parking lot that is not only hard to enter, but hard to exit. Overall, for the price, the food and service was mediocre... and the fact that I got food poisoning lowered my review by another star. My family will be sticking to arancino di mare.. and I recommend you do the same if you don't want to be disappointed
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Sheyna Lei B.

Yelp
Always wanted to try this place out. Heard a lot of great things about it. It's a little hidden, so don't drive to quick when you're looking for it. Parking lot is small, so we parked on the street. Called a couple days a head for a surprise dinner. Because we are a party of 8, we did need to order our entrees a head of time. Which made sense so it doesn't take long. We did get seated in the back room, which was nice because it was just us and another party of 4 in the room. We ordered: Appetizer - Shrimp and basil pate de brick - Italian buffalo mozzarella caprese - Grilled Scallop with fresh tomato and basil sauce Entree - Ricci Di Mare - Granchio - Amatriciana - Bolonese - Pescatore pizza - Noricia pizza - Rossini - Catch of the day Dessert - Strawberry soup - Chocolate brownie crepe wrap with vanilla gelato - Classic style tiramisu - Pear and japanese chestnut terrine with yuzu sorbet After hearing so many great things about this place, I had very high expectations. Expectations that with every bite I take, I'm shook that its so delicious. But unfortunately that wasn't the case. I got the Granchio pasta and I couldn't get the flavor of the crab, it was over powered by the creamy tomato sauce, the pizza...the crust was just to thin, like paper thin. When we took a slice it was so thin that the toppings would fall off because it was to heavy. Thinking that the crust is thin, it would be easy to bite. There was a little bit of a struggle. We would fold it in half and take a bite, and pull it away from our mouth at the same time. The Rossini was tasty, and very tender. Bolonese didn't have much flavor to it. The free bread that came out was made to perfection, warm, soft with a little bit of a crisp. The desserts was disappointing. Excluding the tiramisu - that was good. The strawberry soup, literally soup! It was like a strawberry pure in a bowl. the chocolate brownie in the crepe was hard. Bummer that our first experience ended up this way - due to high expectations of others saying that they "love Bernini". Service was great A+ on that. But the food, was alright.
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Jillian T.

Yelp
I'm on a low carb diet. Whenever I feel low, I eat carbs! When Japanese meets French and Italian cuisines, you know you're about to have a good time! With a seasonal menu change-up, you can always go back to try new things here at Bernini Honolulu. We tried the Carbonara, Granchio, Prosciutto e Mascarpone, Scallops, Cappuccino Style Sweet Onion Soup, Panna Cotta with White Wine Gelee & Fruits, Earl Grey Creme Brûlée and Chef's Gelato of the Day. And everything was absolutely delicious! Big shout out to Nathan for providing us with exceptional service! Overall, your parking skills for the lot right in front will be put to the test, and I highly recommend you backing into your stall to begin with and stay within your lines.
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Grace L.

Yelp
Came here for lunch when my husband picked me up from the airport. You pick from the different experiences. 3 or4 courses. They don't offer any entrees or pizzas or anything a la cart. I gave e 4 status bc I don't like being stuck with pre fixed menu. I thought we could order pizza or other items. Only during dinner. I chose the crab pasta and it was really good. The service was excellent.
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Val K.

Yelp
First time back since the big C came to town in 2020. I was happy to hear they were open and taking guests. We easily made reservations on line for a Saturday. Parking has always been hard so we had scouted street parking before arriving to see the lot full. I actually prefer a short walk rather than the inconvenience of a small lot. Since they were offering take out dining, the lot is also used for food pick up. We were quickly greeted at the door and after sanitizing our hands and filling out the paperwork for contact tracing we were immediately seated in the back room. It was great because we had the room to ourselves for the first hour before a second couple arrived. The wait staff was friendly, helpful and quick throughout. Food was perfect. We enjoyed the light and refreshing octopus appetizer. We followed it with the Tomato Anchovy salad on greens. My husband did not care for the salad but it was okay for me. Don't expect a lot of tomatoes, there were a few baby tomato halves on a nice bed of greens and more generous pieces of fresh anchovy. I had my mind already set on the Rico de Mare (Uni Pasta) and I was not disappointed. Hubby had the Vongole Bianca and that was also delicious. Their el dente fresh pasta is absolutely amazing We ended with the seasonal chestnut desert and the strawberry tart. Both were excellent.
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Aisha J.

Yelp
I came here in particular for the uni pasta. I heard it was one of the best on the island however I was not impressed at all by the flavor. It was very bland. I will try other dishes like the bolognese pasta and risotto next time and hope the flavor will be a memorable one. The ambiance it's nice, it's sort of like a hole in the wall. Many Japanese staff.