Chef Chai

5⭐️ I’ll be back! One of the best meals I’ve had in Hawaii this trip and the service was also top notch. Food: recommend the cod (think buttery and melt in your mouth fish). Shrimp curry was also very solid (wasn’t spicy but more curry flavour). Crispy fried fish was also yummy. Every table gets complimentary chicken skewers with peanut sauce and fluffy warm naan bread. Drinks: old fashion was really good so we had a few of those. Gimlet was very strong if you enjoy some punch. Ambiance: white table cloth but relaxed. They have a piano for special events and have a private dining area for events. Service: from the host to our waiter (Brian) was excellent. Very attentive and went above and beyond even though managing several tables.

This place had awesome food and our waiter was reliable and ver7 helpful. Gave us house appetizer flat bread with some awesome sauce and chicken skewers. Then I ordered the Hawaiian sunset and yes it was amazing and that too hit the spot. For food I got the lamb which was good aswel

This was my first time here and we did the set menu. The food was decent for the most part. I liked about half of the set menu dishes. The mango sticky rice was fabulous. The soup was a bit off for me and was lacking the sour. I usually love Tom yum soup. The fishe as tasty. The curry dish I was not a fan of. It was as though the noodles did not belong in the curry. The passion drink was delicious. It felt like the focus was on the fancy and less on the food. Valet parking was $7.

If I could give this restaurant 6 stars I would! We were greeted and sat immediately when we arrived. We had two male servers who were incredible. We tried two of the newer cocktails rum infused Thai tea and guava Paloma which were delicious. The food was even better! We decided against the chefs choice and ordered a la cart so we could get exactly what we wanted. They came by with a chicken satay with peanut sauce to start on the house, which was delightful. We shared the tuna katsu - LOVED! Indulged in the lobster tortellini, and for entrees had the oxtail lemongrass soup and the black miso cod. Still dreaming about both of those entrees. They surprised us with a white truffle dessert for our honeymoon which was a treat. Highly recommend visiting Chef Chai!

Quite literally the best restaurant I have ever been to. This should be a one Michelin star restaurant at minimum! The food at Chef Chai's is absolutely amazing. In America we tend to view quantity with satisfaction, but this place will reorient you mind. The tasting menu is not a large volume, but the QUALITY of the food is so high that you are truly satiated. It is a strange feeling to be so overwhelmed by your taste buds that you feel truly content. That is how I feel every time I eat at Chef Chai's despite portions that regular Americans would scoff at. The ambiance is also fantastic. It is perfect for a special event, business, or because you want amazing food. It is modern yet cozy and somehow comfortable. The staff are above reproach and make every patron feel like a VIP. they truly epitomize the high end Chef Chai's stands for. I could go on for days about how much I appreciate this place, but then I might end up sounding like an AI chat bot. Bottom line, GO THERE and experience the amazing-ness that is Chef Chai's! While I am no longer on the islands, every time I go back, this is a place I go to...at least once

My wife and I enjoyed our anniversary at Chef Chai's with the October wine pairing. The service is always amazing. Big thanks to Richelle, Randy, Dustin and Maikai. Chef Chai, you have an amazing staff and it is the reason we come back time after time. The food as usual was amazing and the Andis wines paired perfectly, with your delicious food. We hope Andis Wines will be back soon!! Thanks to the entire team at Chef Chai's for always making our dinners and evenings the best ever. Sincerely Dan and Dar Sparks

We ordered their Thanksgiving meal for 4. This is our second year, and it gets better every time! We loved each component of the meal: Kabocha pumpkin bisque with chives, crab cakes with mango salsa and garlic aioli, green salad, turkey, gravy, stuffing, roasted vegetables, cranberry chutney and pumpkin pie! I will do the same next year, and it will probably be even better!

I’m a local girl. Been going to eat in chef Chai Restaurant from over 20 years. Food is always top notch. Very tasty and also good presentation. Always left feeling happy and satisfied.

Chef Chai has been one of Honolulu's rock star chefs. He takes Thai food to the next higher level. My favorite is the fried whole snapper. Also amazing at this restaurant is Kumu Hula Robert Cazimero. He performs at the restaurant several times a month. Mesmerizing.

Came here for date night during the prime rib special and it was definitely a good deal! Service was good and food came out in a timely manner. We even saw chef Chai himself out several time which was nice! Food wise I ordered the prime rib dinner which was super flavorful and tasty. The meat came out slightly more rare than I ordered but it was still good! Boyfriend ordered the whole fish Thai style and that was cooked to perfection. Sauce was pretty spicy but if you don't drench the fish in the sauce it was perfect. Dessert we had the tiramisu and crème brulee and both were yummy! Decent amount of parking in the garage but it is shared with other businesses so street parking might be necessary depending on the time.

This was my first time to Chef Chai's right across Kapi'olani Blvd from the Blaisdell Arena. But Chai's has been around forever! I don't post a 5 star review often at all. But the overall experience here deserved it. Our server Brian was wonderful! His service was top notch and he was polite, friendly, and personable. He also made great suggestions on the menu. I ordered the scallops and it was so yummy! They were seared, good color, but soooo tender and definitely not a one overcooked. The risotto was good too, although couldn't really taste any lobster in it. I assume they used the lobster stock from the bisque. I shared the coffee creme brulee with my mom and it was delicious. So smooth and creamy and delicate. I don't even like coffee, but the flavor was just on point. I'd love to come back another time! Also the early pre fixe dinner special at $58 for the starter, choice of entree, and dessert is a great value!

Wow what a pleasant surprise. We have lived right upstairs for 4 years and never stopped by. Maayynnn were we missing out. Service was top notch, friendly, pleasant, and attentive. The ambiance is cool/urban with a nice hint of Hawaiian music in the background. We came early so mommy couldn't try the early bird special. Appetizer sampler, Kabayaki King Salmon, and Heart Shaped White Chocolate Gelato with Fresh Raspberry Guava Puree. Mommy said it was all delicious but the cream of the crop were the mac nut crusted tiger prawn, butternut squash and lobster bisque, the salmon but more so the pineapple relish, and of course that dessert. Happy momma. My high of the night the Sautéed Escargot & Prawns with Chili Garlic Cream & Fresh Shiitake Mushroom, Served with Crostinis. OMG flavor BOMB'ski. Give me more of that over an angel hair pasta and take me to heaven :-). I also enjoyed the Hokkaido Scallops and Risotto. Scallops cooked to perfection and the first place I have eaten risotto in my life and absolutely loved it. Thought I would never order a risotto prior to giving theirs one last try. A convert I am. Thank you Chef Chai, chefs who cooked, and staff! What a wonderful dinner.

I ordered the Chef Chai's THANKSGIVING BOX! DRIVE UP ORGANIZED FRIENDLY And Most importantly Chef Chai's T-Giving Box, soo delicious'! And He INCLUDED Heating instructions! I'm soo happy!

Aloha, we enjoy MS Patrick Okubo's wine dinners at Chef Chai. Another wonderful evening. It's become our monthly go-to to meet up with friends. Delicious food by chef Chai. Generous portions and best duck I've had in a long time. And yes the lamb was fabulous as well as the refreshing melon with Prosciutto and walnuts. Enjoy!

I didn't write a review when I came here a while ago! Really wish I had, but thats a good reason to go back, right? We came during restaurant week for an early bday, and though it has been half a year I still think about it. Its pretty upscale but isn't too pretentious or overpriced, and most importantly the food was soooo good, and we were full by the end of it. The appetizers were both pretty and tasty, but the mains were the most memorable parts. I absolutely loved the lemongrass oxtail soup. The bright, fresh taste of lemongrass and cilantro paired with the rich, savory oxtail perfectly. And though the lamb didn't have any particularly unique flavorings, it was probably the best cook I've tasted on a lamb chop. Looking forward to eating here again.

Great place! We went to a catered lunch and liked it so much we went to dinner. Ordered a bunch of items. Everything was excellent in terms of taste and presentation. Great full bar with some of the best whiskys and tequilas

Heard good things about Chef Chai's for years. FINALLY had the opportunity to dine there for a prix fixe special: Starter Chicken tenderloin sate skewers with Thai peanut sauce, cucumber salad, and flat bread Soup or Salad Roasted butternut squash and lobster bisque with crab dumpling and creme fraiche and chives OR Organically grown Big Island baby greens with tangerine vinaigrette, poached pear, tear drop tomatoes, cucumber, beet and candied pecans Entree (Choice of:) Herb roasted prime rib with natural beef jus and creamy horse radish, mashed potatoes, and vegetables du jour OR Crispy whole fish with chili ginger sauce, steamed Thai jasmine rice Dessert (Choice of:) Thai coffee tiramisu OR Tahitian vanilla creme brulee I chose the prime rib, which was a generous cut and perfectly medium rare with mashed potatoes, and tender asparagus spears. The au just was so tasty, and the creamy horse radish was perfectly spicy! Woo hoo! The chicken sate was good, and the roasted butternut squash and lobster bisque with crab dumpling was deliciously hearty! The creme brulee was garnished with fresh raspberries and a rolled cookie, an amazing end to a wonderful meal! Presentation was beautiful and servers were attentive, but not cloyingly so. Will be back to enjoy more of Chef Chai's offerings! NOTE: Sorry! No photos! I get so excited as the food is served, I completely forget to take photos...

I've been to Chef Chai's a couple of times now, each time on the recommendation of friends, and it's consistently been a great experience. My most recent visit was no exception. The food was delicious, and our waitress Kristi went above and beyond, making the evening even more enjoyable. Chef Chai's remains a solid choice for a special dinner in Honolulu!

Honolulu Restaurant Week Meal #5 Glad I saved this one for last because it ended up being my favorite meal of all 5 I tried this week! Upscale modern elegance. White tablecloths, beautiful Thai decorations. Chef Chai is half Thai, half Chinese. Naturally, Asian fusion is his speciality. I genuinely enjoyed every single course Chef Chai presented us. I was impressed by his creativity, beauty in presentation, and skillset in making each dish memorable. Restaurant Week Special $69 per person, $20 wine supplement Starter: Chicken Tenderloin Sate' with Thai Peanut Sauce, Asian Flat Bread and Cucumber Salad Appetizer Sampler: -Fresh Ahi Tartar with Avocado Mousse in Mini Waffle Cones -Kataifi and Macnut Crusted Jumbo Black Tiger Prawns -Gravlax Salmon Roulade with Cream Cheese & Crab Meat -Smoked Duck Taco with Spicy Mango Salsa Entrée Mongolian Style Lamb Chops with Brandy Demi Mashed Potato & Stir-fried Sugar Snap peas Desserts: -Waialua Chocolate Lava Cake with Fresh Berries -Heart Shaped White Chocolate Amore Truffle with Fresh Raspberry Guava Puree Unlike most tasting menus, I left really full here since they were so generous with the lamb chops entree! The dessert was the perfect ending for people with sweet tooths. Service was exceptional! Tim took great care of us, providing good company and attentiveness throughout the meal. All staff were welcoming. Easy to make reservations via OpenTable. Street parking free after 6pm or Valet parking inside building for $7 flat rate. Highly recommend!

Chef Chai's is located directly in the back of the Blaisdell parking structure on Kapiolani Blvd. Parking is easy as there is a garage with valet literally next door to the restaurant. We went for a company holiday party so we had a set menu with appetizers and we could choose our entrée from several different items. let me tell you, I know I should've memorize what was what, but honestly things were coming to our table to fast and I was trying to take pictures and next thing u know it another round of appetizers would come out, LOL. I tried my best, LOL... For my main dish, I ordered the filet mignon, with some kind of stuff mushroom, mashed potatoes and some green beans and carrots. the filet mignon was cooked to perfection and I devoured it. My husband got the rack of lambs and it was cooked and flavored great. Service was on point and out standing for as much as we had in our party. Chef Chai came out to great us and that was nice. This isnt your every weekend dining, but definitely a place to go :))

I have always wanted to eat here and finally got to last night. I was not disappointed! Lovely atmosphere. Outstanding staff. Terrific food. I will definitely go back and will definitely recommend to others.

I was really hoping this was going to be an amazing dining experience but it was not. The food here was beautifully presented and genuinely delicious, each dish was thoughtfully prepared and full of flavor. That said, the portions were a little small for the price, so just be aware if you come hungry. The ambiance was nice, but the overall experience was impacted by the service. Our server wasn't super attentive. But what really stood out (in a bad way) was the hostess. She was surprisingly rude and dismissive, which set a sour tone from the start. This place has a lot of potential and clearly puts care into the food, but for the price point, I expected a higher level of hospitality and warmth from the staff. Though I'm leaving 4 stars, it was a 3 star experience for us.

The world food tour duo joined the 35th anniversary dinner at Chef Chai. The menu featured a five-course menu with four wines from the Wagner family, two from Caymus, one from Emmelo and a Caymus-Suisun, all for $135pp. The starter was a baby green salad and Chai's signature Kataifi Prawn with a tangerine vinaigrette. The better half of the food duo was served just the greens due to her shellfish allergy. The wine was a Emmelo #5 sparkling wine ($40btl), very fruity and crisp. Hmmm, I might have to purchase a few bottles. The second course was braised pork belly and Thai sticky rice with shrimp and chestnuts. It was served wrapped in a ti leaf. The pork was tender and the rice very tasty. The alternative dish were three lamb tacos ... I tried one, wow, so flavorful! The wine was a 2022 Caymus-Suisun The Walking Fool, red blend ($38btl). Course three was pistachio crusted beef tenderloin with a medley of vegetables. The wine was a 2022 Caymus California cabernet sauvignon ($55btl). The beef was tender and the roasted vegetables provided a good counterpoint. The main course was Mongolian style lamb chops with a brandy demi sauce. It was served with a 2022 Caymus 50th anniversary cab ($72btl). This was a great wine, by far the best of the three reds. I liked this wine more than the "standard" Caymus cab, at a slight price premium. Dessert was a 35-layer chocolate crepe cake with raspberry guava puree. I'm not a dessert person so I took a single spoonful ... It reminded me of tiramisu. I had a wonderful cup of coffee instead. What did we think? It was a great meal at a reasonable price. Service was fine, even with the restaurant being at capacity. We're happy to see these wine-focused dinners ... the next one is on January 8th, featuring wines from Freemark Abbey. Thanks, Chef Chai!

My wife and I enjoyed our anniversary at Chef Chai's with the October wine pairing. The service is always amazing. Big thanks to Richelle, Randy, Dustin and Maikai. Chef Chai, you have an amazing staff and it is the reason we come back time after time. The food as usual was amazing and the Andis wines paired perfectly, with your delicious food. We hope Andis Wines will be back soon!! Thanks to the entire team at Chef Chai's for always making our dinners and evenings the best ever. Sincerely Dan and Dar Sparks

Amazing food, the flavors in each dish were perfectly balanced, and the ingredients tasted incredibly fresh. The steak was cooked to perfection!" "The miso Seabass fish was melt-in-your-mouth and lamb chops with brandy Demi cooked perfectly. Mahalo Chef Chai for creating special set menu for us.

The food was amazing--everything from the samplers to the main course and dessert. They also offered a special complimentary appetizer that day, which was excellent as well. I ordered the tasting course. I was a little disappointed with the sampler portion, only because most of the items were just one bite each. However, the flavors were absolutely marvelous. I had the tenderloin (filet) and finished with the white chocolate truffle gelato for dessert. My date had the sea bass, and I can honestly say it was the best I've ever had. Ambiance was nice. Classy upscale but down to earth vibes.

The Filipino fiesta menu advertised was replaced by a cheaper alternative fish. The Filipino style wasn't as authentic as I hoped it would be. There was great service in a nice atmosphere. The fish tasted frozen and the adobo was a little too sweet. The pancit needed more authentic flavor. Also the pinakbet seemed to have too much corn starch. The dessert was good.

What an amazing restaurant! I got to try an array of appetizers: macadamia nut-crusted jumbo black tiger prawns, Fresh Ahi Tartar w/ avocado mousse in mini waffle cones. Chi I was elated to find the chef is the same one who used to own my favorite restaurant, Singha. Every dish is carefully prepared and beautifully presented... eating here is not just for eating but for the whole dining experience. Highly recommended!!

I came to Chef Chai on Valentine's day for a late dinner, not knowing they were offering a special three course menu. The food was outstanding, and I will definitely be back to try their unique dishes. We started with the peanut sauce and pita with chick satay. The pita was super fresh and warm, and I loved eating it with the peanut sauce. I ordered the beet and tomato salad with vinaigrette. It was very light and refreshing. For my main course, I ordered the grilled pork tenderloin with crispy rice. I really liked the Thai style crispy rice. The piece of pork was very generous and seasoned well. For dessert, I ordered the white chocolate amore truffle with guava puree. I loved the guava flavor! Everything that we were served was so delicious, and the service was excellent.

I really enjoyed this restaurant ! It gives an upscale,quaint and welcoming feel as soon as you enter. Service was outstanding. They kept my water full and when I asked questions about menu items they were quite insightful. I forgot to take a picture but the Chilean seabass was my absolute favorite ! It had the right balance of fish flavor and just melted in my mouth. In my opinion this place is good for nice dates or it's someone's birthday. I'll be sure to bring friends here in the future !

We celebrated our anniversary on Sat night at Chef Chai's with his special Thai Menu. Sooo tasty & innovative! Superb, unintrusive service, where all the waiters step in to make the dining experience enjoyable, & a special thanks to Tim our assigned waiter, for his impeccable attention. Thanks you, Chef Chai for your generosity in giving us the gorgeous complimentary guava centered-vanilla ice cream treat!

AhhhhhMazing!!! I don't want to say we were surprised, but that's what we were! Such an incredible selection on the menu here, great service, amazing food! We came for my birthday, and couldn't decide what to order, there were so many options and things we wanted to try, so I guess we'll have to be back soon! We were able to try the chicken satay, goat cheese won tons, and the smokes duck breast tacos for our appetizers. They were all so good, I can't decide which was my fave. So I recommend just trying it all! My husband had the Miso Chilean Sea Bass, he loved it. It came with pickled vegetables, and a ginger coconut rice, such amazing flavors. I had the Thai Style Oxtail with spicy Lemongrass Broth, and jasmine rice. I can't even find the words to describe it. The flavors were exquisite. I'm not normally an Oxtail eating person because I don't like things that could get messy, but I went out of my comfort zone since it was my birthday, and I'm so glad I did! I absolutely recommend this dish! We'll totally be back again. I haven't had such a great experience at a restaurant in a while, to be honest!

TL;DR Wonderful fine dining spot with a wide array of Asian-influenced dishes Hamakua Mushroom and Black Truffle Risotto Cakes = ONO Fresh Ahi Tartar with Avocado Mousse in Mini Waffle Cones = ONO Seafood Tortellini with Lobster Sauce, Sautéed Corn and Edamame = ONO Sun-dried Tomato and Goat Cheese Wontons = ONO Miso Chilean Sea Bass with Pickled Vegetables = ONO Grilled Filet Mignon with Mashed Potato, Mushroom Puff and Merlot Demi = ONO ----- I've dined at Chef Chai's a few times now, and I always leave impressed. The food here is very, very good. My wife, my mom, my stepdad, and I all dined here at 6pm on a Friday night before a concert at the Blaisdell. The place was absolutely packed. I'm not sure if it was because it was a Friday, or the tail end of happy hour, or the night of a concert, or the food is just that good, or all the above. But it was insanely crowded. As a result, I would say our service wasn't as attentive as I would have hoped. It was not bad at all. Just not absolutely top tier. We split a bunch of appetizers, including the risotto cakes, the ahi tartar, the wontons, and the escargot. Everything was delicious. My only complaint was the number of bread slices that accompanied the escargot. Only three... not nearly enough to sop up the delicious sauce. I also ordered the roasted butternut squad and lobster bisque, which was fantastic. Yummm, yummm, yummm. My wife enjoyed the seafood tortellini appetizer as her main course, and my mom and stepdad both raved about the sea bass. I had a few pieces of my mom's serving and can attest to its excellence. Very flavorful, buttery, and flaky. I had the filet mignon, which was cooked perfectly. The merlot demi was an excellent pairing with the meat, and I was thoroughly delighted by the mushroom puff. The overall dish felt like a deconstructed beef wellington a little bit. Super delicious and satisfying. I hope there's another concert soon so I can return for a meal with Chai!

We came for a pre-concert dinner. Service started out good, although no notification that our server was changing. I was excited to eat at Chef Chai's again, my initial experience was very good. The appetizer sampler came out and it was very tasty, except for the salmon appetizer, being visually appealing, lacked any flavor of cream and crab. This was leading to a bad experience with the entree. The grilled garlic rosemary pork tenderloin (+$5 more) was cooked well, but it was salty and peppery, overpowering the garlic or rosemary. The sauces it were on the salty side too. The tenderloin (+$10 more) was supposed to be medium rare - it was medium well. The restaurant was packed with people celebrating. Our original server was nowhere to be seen. We continued to eat, too excited about the concert. The dessert was good. I fully expected excellence with every part of the meal, not some. I am sure Chef Chai would be appalled to have a below par entree come out of his kitchen. It was a disappointment from the previous meal. That time, every part was delicious. This time not receiving the entrees anticipated left a feeling of disillusionment.

Gr8 food, service & ambiance. Thank you host Dustin & server Irone. Thank you very much.

We got the early bird menu, which I think is a pretty good deal. You get a sampler of 5 appetizers, an entree, and a dessert. The chicken satay with peanut sauce was hands down my favorite appetizer. And it came with warm bread, bonus. Dessert was gorgeous. Nice decor, and since we were there early, not very crowded. Service was good and they paced the meal well.

Celebrated my friend's surprise 60th birthday this past Saturday. With about 60 people in attendance, the restaurant was closed for this private lunch affair. Have dined here once a very long time ago, can't remember exactly what I ate, but this was a nice refresher of how good Chef Chai is and what he offers with his excellent dining experience. The staff were friendly and quick to attend to us. The dining room is large, clean, spacious and the cool room lighting provided the right amount of color and bling to set the mood. It was buffet style, but Chef Chai's signature appetizers were delivered to each table. Champagne was also served to each guest for a birthday toast. The party planner decided on a no-host bar. Chef Chai offers a variety of Thai dishes which everyone was able to try out. Desserts were also buffet style, although I did not have room for dessert this time, however everyone else did. Guests were treated to live music as a musician played piano of various genres of music. Overall, an exceptional experience. The only negative was that the table I sat at was four-legged and made it difficult to maneuver in and out of my seat. Other than that, having Chef Chai presence at my friend's private party made for a very special occasion. Because it was a surprise party, everyone had to park away from the restaurant's main parking. Allowing all the attendees to park next door complimentary.

Grilled Mongolian Style Lambchops..... The Best I've tried so far. Service, ok... Ambiance, ok... But who cares.... I come for the Lambchops, period. iconic places that are known for one thing.... Alan Wongs... Pork Chop Ruth Chris... Ribeyes Steak Ray's Cafe... Prime Rib Hanamaulu.. Chicken and Shrimp Lawai... Blackbean Manju DiamondHead Bakery... Blueberry Scone Pipeline... Malasadas La Palm Dior... Strawberry shortcake Waianae Foodland... Inamona ahi poke (request hawaii only fresh ahi)

Received a hearty portion of the miso Chilean sea bass. It had great flavor that held up to the medium firm but flaky meat. The fish was similar to black cod but not as fatty. The brown coconut rice was on the dry and crumbly side. Also enjoyed the light and fluffy coconut cake. Quite a few selections for appetizers, but the main dish and dessert were my faves. The service was attentive and the ambiance was fine dining-esque with Asian decorations. Valet parking only.

Very nice fine dining restaurant that allows casual attire and is close to Ala Moana, we arrived 10 minutes before our 5pm reservation. The restaurant wasn't busy and seated us right away (it never got that busy throughout dinner either), and the first thing we saw was a fixed menu with a 4 appetizer sampler, entree and dessert for $58/person before 5pm. Excited that we made the cut, we jumped on the deal, adding on an order of oysters. They also have a small kid's menu (served in a large portion!) which was great for my daughter. Really good service and never felt rushed even though we were there for nearly 2 hours.

I give Chef Chai 4.5 stars. We did the early bird special for $55 before 5pm. I was thrilled they had a vegetarian option. We started off with the appetizer that came with pita bread, delicious peanut sauce and cucumbers with chicken skewers. They were very accommodating and substituted the chicken skewer with tofu for me. The early bird special included the appetizer sampler. Friends said it was delicious. For the vegetarian option they gave me a full plate of the Japanese Eggplant and Zucchini Souffle. Portion was huge and this could've been my main course. This was my favorite! For the main course, my friends ordered the salmon and steak options. The salmon was the winner. My vegetarian option was the beautifully presented Vegetable Terrine with Green Curry Sauce that came with nan. I liked it but the sauce was too salty for my taste. I didn't ask but I think rice would've tasted good with the curry. The desert for everyone was the Heart shaped White chocolate gelato with fresh raspberry guava puree. It was good but very sweet. My personal preference is dark chocolate and I think a little bitterness would've paired nicely with the gelato. I don't drink coffee at night but the desert would've been good with it too. Service was excellent. We arrived early while the restaurant was empty but it quickly filled up. Everyone was nice and professional. I liked the ambience. It got louder as tables filled but still a great place to take someone for a special occasion. Most customers dressed up. Overall good experience and I appreciated the vege option for the early bird special. Next time I'll order the eggplant from the main menu and try other veggie dishes.

Supplier sponsored dinner which actually was supposed to be just pupus. Our party was seated in the private dining area with a welcome by Chef Chai himself. Miso chilean sea bass was cooked perfectly and as you can probably see from my portion pictured it was textured nicely. Dining room ambiance was great and from the outside one would never know that this was a nice place to entertain. They have a small bar area if you are dining by yourself or just there for a libation.

Chef Chai's Christmas was beautiful, joyful,delicious, impeccable in each n every way! Spending Christmas was always a rush! This past Christmas hubby n decided to do something special for us! Yes, just two of us to enjoy a special night out during the holidays! Started out with an Ad for Chef's Chai Christmas dinner and Concert with Robert Cazimero...one look n that was it...we made the reservations!!! We arrived at the restaurant....it was a beautiful sight to walk into....the decor is mesmerizing...the Christmas tree glistening with all its lights ......everyone looked festive n in great spirits...we were seated in a perfect spot....servers were immediately came n greeted us....we chose our dinner choice...I had the delicious lamb...hubby had the yummy beef tenderloin....we enjoyed our cocktails and the spectacular appetizers....they were georgeous to look at n so yum yum yummy! .....my Lamb was tender n succulent.........soon Robert Cazimero took the stage...singing a Christmas medley...followed by our favorite Hawaiian songs..E Maliumai was my favorite....a hula dancer complimented the evening..Most unforgettable Christmas dinner n Concert treat! If you are looking to celebrate " Something Special".....visit Chef Chai's ....you will be happy you did!! Exotic and beautiful decor...excellent service...most of all Chef Chai's masterful and delicious appetizers and entrees!

Robert Cazimero's Full Moon Concert conveniently coincided with my mom's birthday. Making reservations was quick, easy, accommodating, and modifications were accepted without delay. Greeted warmly by both hostess and all workers. Our server was friendly and knowledgable and ensured our comfort and saw to all our needs. The food continues to be standout as expected of Chai's abilities. All entrees from the pre-fixe menu received rave reviews from my family, though my personal favorite was the cod and I got the chance to taste the ox tail and loved those flavors as well. Uncle Robert continues with his time honored angelic voice and unmatched ability to entertain by creating personal connections with the audience and taking them through stories of his life and experiences.

All this time, I've avoided eating at his restaurant because Thai food tends to have peanut in their dishes (I have a severe peanut allergy). To my surprise, I had minimal to no encounters with said item, and the food was actually pretty good comfort foods! It was actually way better than I had expected. When we arrived there, there's valet service in the back of the restaurant (entrance is on Kapiolani Blvd). The valet guy told us that it was slow, so he may go home and if that's the case, then the parking would be free. The valet parking cost is less than $10 (not including tip) with no parking validation necessary. When we walked inside, there's a check-in counter and then a bar. You walk past the bar to get to the dining/seating area which looked like a bunch of tables placed inside of a warehouse type of vibe (concrete floors). There looked like a hidden door towards the back of the restaurant that led to a private dining area. And there's also cabana-like outdoor seating as well. The servers were attentive to our needs, had a good demeanor and didn't rush us through our decision-making or meal. If you're there before 5pm, and can't decide on what to eat, definitely try the early bird special! If that's too early, and you still don't know what to eat, then try the special tasting menu!

Visitors - family from California I have so much to do, but love will take a time for a wonderful tasty meal. What peaks my interest? A well seasoned server that knows and pays attention to what customers really likes or maintains standard above all other servers. This is rare and an asset to the restaurant. Chai's has those servers and hostesses. It's very noticeable when you step into the restaurant. I've had three dinners here within three weeks. One visit by treating a friend's relative plus their friend and celebrating a birthday. The second visit was catching a special engagement with wonderful entertainment of Robert Cazemiro, local extraordinaire entertainer, musician, and Kumu. Appetizers for two: Jumbo Black Tiger prawns, lobster pumpkin bisque, Gravlax Salmon Roulade, Smoke Duck Taco.... The appetizers are to die for! Jumbo prawn is encased in a string lobster crispy outside and sweet sauce drizzled over it. The pumpkin bisque is small but enough...very tasty! Salmon roulade sits on a cucumber, topped dill sprigs...wonderfu Tenderloin, Mushrooms, topped with Foie Gras, string beans, sun dried tomatoes, and carrot over mashed potatoes with brown Merlot au jus. OMG...delish!!! Miso Chilean Sea Bass with bowl of brown rice, another phenomenal dish. You can't go wrong with miso!!! Crispy Fried whole Fish with bowl brown rice -------------------------- Part II - Thanksgiving Dinner Appetizer: Alaskan King Crab Cakes, Star if our meal!!! Soup: pumpkin...nice, hot, comforting Turkey is cooked with herbs - flavorful Mashed potatoes with gravy - my favorite...yummy Stuffing - nice... slightly dry, but gravy took care of that! Salad Pumpkin pie - the best in the islands, perfect amount of spices, not overpowering. Two major step up is the crab cakes and pumpkin pie, 5 Star!!! Overall, the drive through greatly improved...no waiting....effortless! Ciao gang!!!

Food was delicious, great service. We ordered got cheese won tons, escargot, and crab cake appetizers. Main dishes lamb, and oxtail. Dessert coffe crème brûlée and heart shaped truffle. Can't wait to go back

Booked a table for my small wedding party dinner reception, and everything was exceeding my expectations. We had 2 professional chefs in our wedding party (wife's niece and niece's boyfriend), and they were even they were very impressed presentation, flavors, quality, and service. They were attentive to our orders and even brought up simple French fries and ketchup for my hangry 6-year-old son first while waiting to take our orders. They even gave us 2 plates of chicken satay with flat breads as complimentary appetizers The drinks were great and delicious. I had the Hokkaido scallops with truffle risotto along with toasted brioche with foie gras mousse and berry compote. Even my wife, who isn't a big foodie and quite picky with her food choices, was very impressed with the toast. My best man had the oxtail soup with brown rice, and I would definitely get that next time if I come back to Waikiki. I grew up eating awesome oxtail soup in my home country and usually make pretty delicious ones myself but this one.....this one is waaay different in a very good way. The flavor is so complex and balanced at the same time. You can taste the broth inside the oxtail meat when you bite into it. The broth tastes like pho but with different spice profiles and aroma. My scallops were perfectly cooked with a hint of smokiness, and the truffle risotto was phenomenal. The amore white chocolate cake with guava sauce was a delicious choice to end our dinner meal and they also comp'd a second one for groom and bride. The staffs were friendly and attentive to all of our dining needs. The decors and ambiance were excellent for elevated dining experience. Highly recommended this place for anyone looking for special dining experience in waikiki

Another great evening at Chef Chai's. The Mongolian Lamb Chops is ultimately the BEST in town. Not to mention the best escargot dish with Shrimps and mushrooms is Jill's favorite as we also love his chunky crab cakes with the ono Mango relish. Yum yum Yum.

I have eaten Chef Chai's food before but I haven't been to his restaurant. Was pleasantly surprised how delicious it was, from our appetizers to the desserts. The drinks were fun and tasted good too. We were set up in a back private room and it was lovely, quiet and beautifully decorated. Service was wonderful as well, we had a couple of servers that were taking care of our large party. I liked that the valet service was right outside of the restaurant as well. We met Chef Chai in the beginning of our night, he was nice enough to greet us and also take some pictures. I would post more pics but I think my limit was reached lol!

Dinner before a concert in Honolulu, Hawaii... When I asked my friend where we should eat before we go to the Neal Blaisdell Arena for the New Kids on The Block concert, she quickly replied, "Chef Chai's". I agreed right away because I've always wanted to dine there! RESERVATIONS: my friend made a reservation online. We were aiming for 6pm, but the only opening on such short notice was for 5pm. It worked out well because we were early for better parking and the Tasting Menu which ends at 5pm. PARKING: because it was a Sunday, metered street parking was free! ENVIRONMENT: we had outdoor seating because it happened to be the special once a month Full Moon event when there's live entertainment indoors. Every table was reserved except for the covered sidewalk tables. We got used to the noise of the cars passing by. The light breeze was pleasant. I appreciated the white table cloth and small vase of yellow and red roses on each table. SERVICE: excellent! My friend had been there a few times before and she called the server by his name! She even waved down Chef Chai for a selfie! The waiter that my friend knew gave her a complimentary drink! FOOD: we arrived before 5pm, so, we were able to order the Early Bird Special. It's such a great deal for $50 and included 1. five appetizers: *chicken tenderloin sate' with Thai peanut sauce, *kataifi and Mac nut crusted jumbo black tiger prawn, *Gravlox salmon roulade with cream cheese and crab meat, *smoked duck Taco with fresh mango salsa, and *roasted butternut squash and lobster bisque shooter, 2. an entree with naan bread (I chose the grilled kabayaki salmon with sauteed vegetables and pineapple relish) (my friend got the Vegetarian Terrine with Thai Green Curry Sauce), and 3. dessert (heart shaped white chocolate gelato with fresh raspberry guava puree)! I sure would be interested in returning for the special Full Moon event! Perhaps next month?

After years of hearing my father in law rave about Chef Chai, we finally decided to go in celebration of my husband's birthday! Oh my gosh. Now I know why they have been talking about it for so long! And that is quite the compliment, my father in law is a serious foodie; so much so that he typically doesn't eat out much because he prefers to cook his favorites (and he's a fantastic chef). On top of all that, venturing from the Windward side to town for dinner is only done when the food is truly worthy. After reading the reviews, I decided to get the oxtail soup and it was incredible. The broth really was unlike any I've had and the Thai twist on an oxtail soup was amazing. I will definitely be craving it and I think it would make a fantastic takeout dish, as well. My husband ordered the whole fried fish with the chili sauce and it was also amazing. It was cooked perfectly (my husband was marveling at how perfectly the fish fell off the bones and how crispy the skin was). The appetizers were delicious, the dessert was delicious and the drinks were great. We will definitely be back.

Chef Chai's has always been one of my favorite restaurants. Since it's conveniently located close to Neal Blaisedell arena, my sister and I decided to have dinner here before the NKOTB concert. Their menu has so many delicious items to choose from, however to get the best of everything we ordered the early bird special (50.00 per person) that consisted of: Starters Chicken Sate' with Thai Peanut Sauce and Cucumber Salad Asian Flat Bread Family Style Appetizer Sampler Smoked Duck Taco with Fresh Tomato Mango Salsa Salmon Gravlax Roulade with Cream Cheese & Crab Meat on Cucumber Chips Kataifi and Macnut Crusted Jumbo Black Tiger Prawns with Pineapple Vinaigrette Roasted Butternut Squash and Lobster Bisque Shooters For our entree choice we chose: The Grilled Deconstructed Beef Tenderloin Wellington with Mushroom Foie Gras Puff Mashed Potato and Merlot demi And for dessert Heart Shaped White Chocolate Amore Truffle with Raspberry Guava Puree Everything was absolutely delicious! I appreciate that despite not dining here for a while, the food remains consistent. We had an amazing dinner and I look forward to dining here again soon!

We had reservations for 7 people on a Saturday night around 730pm and the place was packed. The hostess was extremely kind and the service was impeccable. When we sat down at our table, our server immediately had water waiting for us. We were then greeted with a complimentary chicken satay dish. Umm I mean, how cool is that. We ordered quite a few dishes and they were all so delicious. I highly recommend getting the filet mignon or the lamb because they was really good. Super tender. Other dishes to consider is the app platter. While this place is quite expensive, I thought my dining experience was superb! I would recommend this place to anyone who wants to experience fine dining, amazing service and great food. You should definitely check this out!!!

Nice place, good service, but it seems Asian fusion and gluten free+dairy free are not a perfect match. Food/drinks: Lobster bisque was delicious as a starter (though no dumpling is included in the GF version). When I asked about entrees that met my dietary restrictions, they initially told me I'd have to order off menu and could have simple scallops or steak with salt and pepper. I was pretty disappointed, but we later found out the vegetable terrine could work (sans pita for GF option). It was beautiful, very good, and surprisingly flavorful. Brown coconut rice has chicken broth, so I couldn't have it; beware if you're veg! The lilikoi cocktail I had was okay; a little too sweet but very drinkable. We ordered my favorite champagne but they were sadly out. The highlight was the Halo Halo dessert; it was GF, DF, and a complex mix of delicious flavors. Service: Pretty good. Our server Dustin was friendly, tried to be helpful, and balanced several tables without seeming at all flustered. The free dessert for our anniversary with a little chocolate sign was a nice touch! Ambiance: Nice. Fancy-ish. Funky lighting. My partner would give this a 4.5; the food restrictions and comparison to a few other dinners made this lower for me. Not sure I'd return but it was a well-executed meal with a sweet ending!

Food was good. Service felt rushed. Other than that it was pretty ok. Set menu for the evening.

Great food and excellent service. We were treated to the Full Moon concert with Robert Cazimero and his hula dancers. It was a super evening.