House Without A Key

We’ve been here many times and I have been remiss to leave a review. We always come back because there’s just something about this spot. It will capture your heart from the minute you enter. Especially sunset! Make sure you book in advance! We’ve had many many dishes here, we always love the Margherita pizza. The VERY best thing on the menu is the ICONIC Coconut Cake. 🍰 🤤🤌🏻 Tonight we decided to try the coconut ribs. I was a little surprised that they weren’t fall off the bone, but the flavor is outstanding. If you’ve never been here when you’re in Waikiki, you absolutely must give it a try! Book the lawn at sunset for the Hawaiian music. There is nothing like it. Enjoy! -John 3:17

Amazing experience at House Without A Key! We began the evening on the oceanfront lawn with cocktails, including their house specialties -- Mai Tai and Coconut Cake Martini -- followed by entertainment with a band playing relaxing Hawaiian music and performances by hula dancers, while marveling at the sunset over the Pacific horizon. During the performance we enjoyed an appetizer of three types of sashimi and poke, all presented in different preparations. After cocktails, we were seated in the open air dining area -- still close enough to the show to be able to enjoy the outdoor performance. Dinner was excellent as well. For our appetizer, we enjoyed a crab cake that was filled with real crab, not breading. Our main course consisted of the house catch of the day, a Hawaiian swordfish that was cooked to perfection. Service at House Without A Key was impeccable, both in the cocktail area and in the restaurant. Highly recommended!

Gorgeous restaurant with the most amazing sunset and diamond head views. The food was delicious, and it seemed the pizza was very popular We were celebrating our 1 year wedding anniversary and did not received any sort of celebratory experience. Unusual for a nicer establishment, but I’m sure they get celebrations all too often

House Without a Key is a great date night location with beautiful ocean views and live music that creates a relaxed and romantic atmosphere. It is an ideal spot for an evening out. The food was good overall, though it was a little overpriced for what you receive. The ribeye steak was very good and well prepared. I was not a fan of the poi mashed potatoes, as they were not to my taste, but the soup of the day was excellent. The prosciutto Pizza was also very good and well executed. One thing that detracted from the experience was the drink service. I understand that refills are charged, but it would be much better if staff clearly communicated this and asked if I wanted a drink when it gets low rather than avoiding refills altogether. Overall, House Without a Key offers a great atmosphere, good food, and live music, making it a solid choice for a date night despite the higher prices. The ocean views are truly one of a kind and make the entire experience unforgettable.

Unfortunately, the place is not great given all the reviews. The coconut cake is delicious because it's not saturated on essence of coconut and takes like an actual non-sugar packed coconut cake. The views around the restaurant are great but not unique to the line of restaurants here in Waikiki. Between the stage, the hedge, and the crowd you can't really see anything once seated either. The worst part is the inside bar, it is packed with people that just seem like they're trying to drink and not dine. Which is fine for them, it's the restaurants fault, not theirs. However, they're incredibly loud drowning out the table conversation and the performance on stage. The food and drinks were fine, but not great. Service was really good, and Jan was a delight to be around and offer great suggestions. It's more the atmosphere mixed with the okay food than anything else.

House Without a Key was outstanding! From the moment we arrived until we left, the service was top-notch. They offer valet parking, and you can get your parking validated for 4 hours by the restaurant. Melissa greeted us and showed us to the restaurant. There was a short wait, but with the gorgeous view, perfect weather, and live music, it wasn't a problem while we waited for our table. Once seated, Trey was our server, and he was fantastic. He went over the menu with us and recommended some of his personal favorites. We started with cocktails and an appetizer. We had the Lawai'a roll, Pulehu Pineapple, and Coconut Old Fashioned. They also brought out complimentary Taro Rolls accompanied by a tropical butter, which was a nice touch. I'm still thinking about that Lawai'a roll while writing this review! For our main dish, we split the Tutū Mā Asian Braised Short Ribs with roasted red potatoes and home fries--it was just the right amount and very tasty. While we ate, the Hawaiian music continued, and a hula dancer appeared around 6pm, adding to the vibe. To wrap up, Kevin helped us with our car and even handed us two waters. Honestly, we had an amazing time all around--definitely check this place out!

Let’s be very clear: these are the best cocktails in Waikīkī. Period. I stand firmly on that. House Without a Key sits under the Halekulani umbrella (locals still lovingly call it Earl’s), and while I can’t tag it separately, it deserves every bit of recognition. This is cocktail craftsmanship at its highest level. The Coconut Old Fashioned? Absolutely stellar. Balanced, smooth, and elevated without trying too hard. And the Mai Tai… listen. I’ve been coming to this property since I was a kid, and I’ve been drinking Mai Tais for 10+ years. I don’t know how I missed this one before, but this is hands-down the best Mai Tai I’ve ever had. Perfectly layered, not overly sweet, and respectful of tradition while still feeling luxurious. Yes — they’re pricey. But this is one of those rare places where the quality, technique, setting, and experience fully justify it. You’re paying for excellence, and you get it. Add the oceanfront setting, live Hawaiian music, and that classic Halekulani elegance, and this becomes a non-negotiable stop in Waikīkī. 100% recommend. Worth every sip (and dollar!)

Has been a bit since we have been here but we wish we were back. Hands down the best dinner we had in all our 9 days on 2 beautiful islands of Hawaii. A place so big and to have everything go so smoothly is just amazing. The music was so beautiful, server was busy but still we did not wait to long but once. Free dessert once again! Our food was phenomenal, everything was perfect.

The best food we ate on Waikiki the whole trip! Thry are location inside a hotel with valet parking They have covered seating, bar seating which is first come first serve, and outdoor seating with umbrellas that cover it. The sunset experience is for the outdoor tables and they do not take reservations. We did sit at a table in the bar area and had excellent service! We ordered the sea bass & mahi, both were exceptional. We also ordered the ahi tataki as an app and the dessert where delicious-coconut cake, chocolate cake & vanilla bean sorbet. Don't come to Waikiki without a visit to House Without a Key!

Overall take, nice vibes and atmosphere, especially with the ocean view, hula dance, and hawaiian music. Friendly service. Entrees are unfortunately underwhelming, but everything else does make up for it. It started off with these taro rolls that were really good! Really soft and a subtle flavor of taro that was really nice. We ordered the Hoisin Coconut Ribs, Pizza Arugla & Prosciutto, Signature Local Fresh Catch (which was a Chilean Sea Bass), Asian Braised Short Rib, and the Coconut Curry Chicken Breast. So it did take awhile for the entrees to arrives, but at least the drinks were quicker to be made. The drinks are pretty here and quite strong! I enjoyed the fruity cocktail but one was enough for me for the night haha. First came the Hoisin Coconut Ribs, which we all shared. This was pretty good since the rib fell apart quite nicely. The flavor wasn't that strong, but it was pretty good. The pizza came next and this was pretty standard. I wouldn't say it's anything too special, but it was pizza. Then the other short rib, which was pretty soft as well. Next was the Local Fresh Catch. Honestly this one was very underwhelming because this one basically just tasted like the steamed fish you can get at a Chinese Seafood Restaurant for a larger portion and more worth the price. Especially the ingredients that used to prepare this, it tasted very very similar. The Coconut Curry Chicken Breast was the most unique one of the entrees we ordered. It had a smoky aroma and I enjoyed it with the little garnishes that offered on the side for it! Overall, it does seem like the entree dishes revolve around Asian cuisine, except Americanized. Some are tasty, some don't taste worth it, but the presentation and the vibes of the restaurant are quite nice. Our waiter was also extremely kind and kept updating us when the food would come out. He did make a mistake on our coconut curry and ordered it as tofu curry, so they mistakenly made our dish twice with different things, and ended up getting the coconut curry right. He also covered it for us! Also the desserts, the coconut cake and the chocolate cake were both very nice! The coconut cake was oddly very light and fluffy, so this was pretty good! The chocolate cake was extremely rich as well. We were already so full by the end of the meal.

We struck gold and got a last minute reservation here for our anniversary; prime time on a Saturday. It was the perfect ambiance for an anniversary in Hawaii. The area was perfectly Hawaiian, beautiful views, beautifully set up restaurant. There was a guitar player and singer and a hula dancer all night. The stage area was very scenic. The service was great! We had a leisurely dinner and drinks and dessert. We weren't hurried and were there about two hours. We had the poke trio appetizer, I am glad we got that one because there were items i liked, but i didn't are for the marlin. The regular poke, you had to pick one and i might have chosen wrong. The rolls that they served were really good, sweet and had ube in them so they were purple. They were served with a fruity butter. This was probably my single favorite think I ate there. I had the catch of the day and my husband had the mahi mahi. Unfortunately, they ran out of the sea bass and mine ended up being mahi mahi too. The fish was good, not great. The dessert we chose was a fruit tart which we really enjoyed. My drink was a gin drink and it was really tasty. My husband tried a couple of different drinks which were also good. Overall, food=good; ambiance and location=amazing We would certainly go back for a special occasion again.

We came here to celebrate our wedding anniversary with a nice dinner. Our reservation was at 7:15pm so we just missed sunset. However they did have nice music playing but it only lasted until about 8pm. We ordered two drinks, ribeye and a pizza and the bill was about $200 including tip. While the ribeye was tasty, I feel that the experience fell short. For $200, not even an acknowledgment for our celebration just seemed very odd for such a high end place. Cocktails at $24 each just didn't seem worth it. Our waiter was kind but overall there wasn't much that was special about our experience there and I wouldn't be inclined to recommend or go back.

Making reservations (several weeks out) was a breeze. We arrived early and wandered the stunning property of the Halekulani. We were asked for seating preferences (sun vs shade) but asked for the perfect view of sunset, which staff delivered! Music and Hawaiian dancing under the tree was magical. Our server Thomas was phenomenal! He made great recommendations and took very good care of us. Cocktails & mocktails were delicious to start our evening. Taro Hawaiian rolls with a tropical butter started our meal before the hoisin coconut ribs which was our appetizer. Entrees were a mahi-mahi (catch of the day) and the coconut chicken with tropical chutneys. I chose a sweet potatoes coconut mash as my side-divine! We shared a slice of the famous coconut cake for dessert. From start to finish, we had the best experience.

This place was on my list for quite some time, and recently had a chance to experience it. Parking is FREE for 4hours with validation located across the street in a parking structure. The ambiance is outdoors and beautiful! Our server was so friendly and overall - wonderful. However - the food is where this all fell short. Honestly, the food seems like *overpriced* tourist hotel food. It was just OK. I ordered the short rib, and while it was tenderly cooked, the sauce was incredibly salty. My partner ordered the steak and it was just OK as well. Keiki ordered the Menehune. It was a good amount and great variety which they enjoyed, but also very expensive for what it was. Also - they were out of Govinda's juices. We were celebrating my out-of-town in-laws' wedding anniversary and there was no attempt at making the dinner special which seemed odd for such a "high end" establishment. The table next to us had their server greeting their patrons who were two very cute old ladies celebrating friendship. I'm glad I had the opportunity to try it myself, but TL;DR - it's all hype and there is better food on island for a reasonable price. Yelp 2026 Challenge: 08/30

Second time here, first time was during my first visit to Honolulu and went for dinner. Second time was during my second visit, had lunch. Unfortunately can't really reminder what I had first time except from pictures. Second time I had the ahi sashimi (delicious$ with pina colada (one of the best pina coladas I've ever had). Loved the view from this restaurant and the vibes of the hotel is what I wish I could afford

Never look a gift horse in the mouth Don't slap the hand that feeds you Wassa madda you??? Here is my story: Preface saying I've been here a number of occasions and ok, nothing to write home about but this visit deserves a talking to: Went for the breakfast buffet and I preface this by saying it was my first breakfast visit. They do not take reservations. I was a guest for this visit and my hostess was so kind to show me the process as she's been there for breakfast many times before. The food was okay. It was your regular western faire like scrambled eggs, sausage, bacon, etc. They do have a hot omelette bar. My issue is we had the worst attitude Shift Manager you could shake a stick at. I will not forget the embarrassment he caused to my host who was kind enough, wanting for me to have a nice breakfast there. Won't get into details but will say I was upset such that I called the hotel and spoke to the Assistant Director of Food and Beverage who PROMISED ME SHE WILL LOOK INTO IT AND GET BACK TO ME! Of course, she didn't Nuff said. 3rd star for the property at large. 2nd star for the other workers, table bussers etc. 1st star for my host's tenacity in wanting to dine there... To House Without A Key! Shame on you for not following up on the matter as you said you would. As I said! Don't slap the hand that feeds you My final advice to anyone who reads this! Go to Orchids. Don't waste your time here at House Without A Key OR; Go here for your afternoon cocktail to watch the sunset. NOTHING MORE

It's been a while since the last time that we came here. We went this past Saturday for their breakfast buffet. We thought the food was good, and the omelette station had no wait. They have a decent selection of food including some Japanese breakfast food. They do offer kamaaina discount. The only disappointment was our drinks never got refill or asked us if we wanted more coffee and juice. You can valet or self park.

The coconut cake and the service save this from being a three star review.... I was stationed here from 1981 to 1984, so I remember the transformation from the original property, to what it is now. It is an absolutely beautiful property. I came in to have a drink, and my sister told me that I *HAD* to try a slice of the coconut cake. I sat in the outside seating area next to the pool, and the view just OK. I could see diamond head off to the side, but because of a fence and bushes, I couldn't really see the beach or the ocean. That was kind of a letdown. They had a decent sized menu, the prices are definitely on the higher end, but I get it. This is a premium property. My waiter came, and he was very nice I ordered a virgin mai tai, and a slice of the legendary coconut cake. The cake was amazing! I had heard stories, but this blew everything out of the water. Moist, tender, a wonderful coconut flavor. One of the best slices of cake I have had in an extremely long time..... Now, let's get to the drinks... the virgin Mai Tai was good, but the problem was, the glass was filled, almost totally with crushed ice. It was mostly crushed ice, and not that much drink. Plus, the ice started to water the drink down almost immediately. I looked at the menu, and I saw that they also have a mocktail called a creamsicle. I decided to give it another shot, no pun intended... He brings that, and again, the drink was very good, but there was once again the problem of the crushed ice. It definitely took away from the drink.... Two drinks, a slice of the coconut cake, and a tip, and I'm out the door $55 poorer. Again, I get it, it is a premium property but come on guys, at these prices, you can afford to use ice cubes, instead of crushed ice. At least they did validate my parking... I would definitely come back for a slice of the coconut cake and a soda, but from here on out, I'm staying away from the bar drinks... Thanks anyway.

Oops got so busy with the holidays I didn't post till now! Had the privilege of dining here the day after Thanksgiving with the cousins and their twin babies. They chose this place for the spacious floor which made it comfortable for their double stroller. Relaxed, casual, atmosphere with 5 star service. The local staff throughout the hotel from the time you step out of your car offer polite and friendly service that seems genuinely full of aloha. At this semi covered outdoor restaurant you can feel relaxed in your t-shirt and slippers while dining on a lobster. 3 of us got the lobster salad which was both filling and light. Mom got the Captain's catch , and cousins got the "All occasions" arugula prosciutto pizza that looked fresh with an attractive presentation. Desserts were also beautifully presented and elegant.I shared the signature coconut cake served with crème anglaise and raspberry coulis. It was smooth and creamy and delish! Can't beat the Halekulani!

Food amazing as always! That hasn't changed! Fresh poke! Fries are delish. Service was disgustingly bad. Honestly I hate when the ultra wealthy gets fineeeeeee service and then the rest of the peasants gets piss poor service. Okay we aren't wealthy and been coming here for years but people need to get attended to. I guess if the wealthy tips you more; it's okay to give piss poor service to everyone else, right? It was so obvious how the staff behaved. Customers notice this. We know who you giving 1:1 extra time to vs people that come and go. I go with the motto- treat everyone like you want to be treated. Not be a brown-noser and give everyone else crappy service. We honestly only like coming to this place for the vibes, food, and sunset views. After this, I have to rethink this because I don't want to wait around and look for my waiter all evening. Ya'll need to invest in iPads and take orders that go straight to kitchen instead of paper order where my waiter is still taking a million years. It took forever to first get the waiter's attention because again..wealthy and loyal customers get extra TLC. We kept trying to figure out who our waiter was because he never did come introduce himself to us. Once we finally figured it out and got his attention, we placed all our orders. The food didn't take that long. He did come back to check on us after we got the food. But then at the end, he like disappeared to the abyss! My husband was so annoyed that he got up to the register and ask for the check; however, instead of that guy helping us..we had to wait again for our own waiter! There were like 2-3 of them by the register and not one could give us a bill!!! Switch to iPad and computer ordering at this point! Your service will be saved! Yah never again. This needs so much improvement. Service by the pool was better. The sunset was beautiful. Get there on the dot to get better pics without getting photobombed.

Incredibly friendly staff, great view just a few yards from the water. Was just here for a quick layover, but would've stayed longer if time allowed The purple bread was nice and soft, the Mai Tai was just great, one of the best I've had. Decent amount of alcohol. First time having Ahi Tataki, it did not disappoint. Will now order it more often, but nothing will beat this place!

Good, not great especially for the price. Got two apps (pictured, which were the best of the meal) and two entrees. Tell me how it was over 200$? Don't get me wrong, it was a good meal, even if the rib eye entree had more fat and no crust that once thought possible, lol. End of the day the waitress and service was great, with an awesome band performing on the sands of the beach with the sun dipping below the horizon. Its good, just not great, and as I mentioned, especially not for that price point.

We came for the drinks at sunset. Got there around 545 and were told 45-1 hour wait. Unfortunately we did not get seated in time to have our cocktails with the sunset which was a bummer. We got seated at 7, with just enough time to finish up our drinks and listen to the last set of the live band & hula dancer. The staff should be more up front and just say if you aren't seated by 5pm, no one is going to leave before sunset so no shot to get a table. The view was beautiful though, and cocktails were tasty. I liked my coconut old fashioned a lot but my husbands was a bit too sweet. Lesson learned: come here early for those sunset pics!

This beautiful outdoor space located in the Halekulani Hotel is the perfect way to spend an evening in Waikiki. Enjoy oceanfront views with a cocktail, pupus, the ocean breeze, and Hawaiian entertainment. Take a picture with Diamond Head in the background. We weren't able to stay for the sunset and fireworks. Next time we are in Oahu that will be on my list to do.

I had been wanting to come here for the longest time and finally made it for the Saturday lunch, and it was beyond my expectations. First of all, the scenery was amazing although it was a bit hot as this was an open air restaurant. And the service was great as expected, because you know, located at Halekulani Hotel ;) We had the famous Mai Tai - I actually came here for this, because I heard this was the original Mai Tai and I drink Mai Tai pretty much everywhere I go for a fun comparison. It was not overly sweet and refreshing. The complimentary taro rolls with mango butter were so good. It must be from the Halekulani Bakery? Then we had Fish Tacos for an appetizer and that was a perfect start. A big piece of broiled fish was inside of soft taco and that was delicious. After the appetizer, we had an Arugula & Prosciutto Pizza and immediately noticed how serious they were about pizzas! I also liked that there was not too much cheese on it. We also had Loco Moco, which had both a beef patty and Portuguese sausage layered over rice. The gravy was not too heavy and rice was cooked surprisingly well (I'm originally from Japan, so very picky about rice). Of course, I had to give five shiny stars for this place. I know I'm not easy to please, yet I was quite content :)

This was one of our favorite meals during our visit. While pricey it was so worth it & the ambiance and service were excellent as well. There was live music & a hula performance as well. We each had a different fresh catch of the day. One was mahi mahi prepared with a Parmesan cream sauce and the other was a seabass prepared in an Asian style. Every main dish came served with a side of rice or purple sweet potato. Our cocktails were strong & delicious as well. It's also worth noting everything we saw come out of the kitchen looked excellent as well.

Frunch... When friends gather for brunch it's definitely makes it a beautiful day and what a lovely place to enjoy it all at the House Without a Key a spot in the Halekulani where they only distraction from the views is the stunning tree decked out with lanterns itself as I understand that they also have some night time event as well and can just imagine as the sun goes down what a lovely sight it truly is. What better way to take in all this wonderful vibe then a table right at the end of the covered area that all I can see is the breathtaking unobstructed beach scenery something that I do take for granted but am so happy to enjoy on this beautiful Sunday morning along with an amazing brunch and can see why many recommend this location as I've never felt so taken care of and what a luxurious feeling. Each item offered is displayed perfectly as the hot is kept hot and covered while the salad items are chilled along with fun options like chia pudding and ramen there's nothing more I can ask for as I felt so relaxed and really enjoyed it all, thank you Nadine C for taking me on this adventure. Thank you!

Although the view is nice, food is subpar. Expected crab cake to be breaded and fried which would have been better. It was a bit boring without the sauce. Roasted potatoes were under seasoned and kind of plain. Taro bread rolls were good but nothing crazy. Drinks were good. I made a reservation for my anniversary to come here and requested in the notes to be sat closer to the view but was seated at a table a bit in the middle back. Not sure how they arrange seating since there were some available closer to the edge but it wasn't a big deal. Besides my thoughts on food and seating, I love the live music and view. It was really nice during sunset and calming. Servers were nice and attentive. Overall, come here for some drinks and to enjoy the ambience, not recommended for the food.

Went here for a 40th birthday. Jan took care of us and had wonderful recommendations. I got a maitai. It was strong and tasty. The view of the ocean is hard to beat. It was amazing view and backdrop. I got the braised shortrib. It was soft and tender. Super flavorful and I enjoyed every bite. We shared the mushroom truffle pizza and every bite was truffle. Subtle and not strong but super addicting! My wife got the catch of the day and she devoured it. We don't remember if it was mahi mahi or sea bass? But it was soft and flavorful. Thank you Jan and House without a key.

We came here over the holidays and we ate dinner around 5 PM which was perfect for the sunset and listening to the live music Overall, the food was four out of five stars and the service was 4.5 stars. One of the benefits you have of this place is seeing the sunset and listening to the live music which was great.

The venue is gorgeous, we loved the live band, the hula dancer, the drinks, food and service! We made reservations and originally we were seated in a not fun location, but they moved us to the best spot in the restaurant.

Everything is wonderful about this place! Been coming here for decades. When I was younger we'd see older people who made themselves at home with their friends at the House without a Key. Now we are them, and I've reached my life goals.

Got a wonderful mocktail here, and my dad got a margarita. The live music and views is wonderful and I would go back. We also enjoyed the hummus plate, which was really good and I would order again, Service is great and very friendly and helpful. It is though I will admit honesty, overpriced. But everything in this area is. It was worth it for the vibes, the view, and the music. But i would stick to one drink and an app probably. Go early to get a good spot in the music bar area.

My wife and I went on Easter Day for a late lunch. We got caught between shift change and maybe got misplaced for a few minites, but once the service got going, it was excellent!! We order cocktails before along with the edamame hummus and it was excellent. We both had the crab sandwich for our main. Then we HAD to try the coconut cake. Good golly, it was the best I've ever had. The waiter said it was made by the chef. We would certainly cone here again. Alec, the F&B Director even stopped by and said hi.

This restaurant is a hidden gem in a quieter area of Waikiki. The atmosphere is lovely with live music in the evenings, a glimpse of the sunset, and beach front minus all the sand. Food was amazing, we enjoyed the hamachi collar, beet salad, catch of the day, and the ribs. The drinks were lovely as well. Waitress was very accommodating. Dinner is 5-9 PM. Recommend making a reservation but they do take walk-ins! Bar seating and open seating in front of the live musician. Parking is validated in the garage of the hotel for 4 hours.

Long overdue for a review. I used to work in Waikiki and I remembered dining for lunch at The House without a Key, before the renovation of the kitchen windows and area. This was in the early 1990s. I've been to Orchids for Saturday's breakfast and Sunday's brunch buffet many times. Little did I know there was a really nice daily breakfast buffet at the House without a Key. The buffet was half the price of Orchids' Sunday brunch buffet. The buffet offerings were extensive and of good quality: salads, pastries, breakfast meats, eggs, omelet station, Japanese sides, and breakfast items. It was nice to see miso soup, okayu, nishime, and salmon , saba, or one time had chicken! My favorite was the Saturday's salmon skin fried rice, fish, and the truffle mushroom salad! The restaurant does offer plastic plate covers if needed to protect your food from the birds. I've been here six times within the last seven months. I enjoyed the buffet but can't eat as much as the first time, but it's so nice to treat a friend on their special day. There are a variety of choices. When I came for the first time with a group of 8 Yelper friends for a birthday and then later for my friends' birthdays, including mine. It was a great choice, Nadine C! Everyone I brought here enjoyed the excellent service from our first waitress, Kelly, and the other waiters we had, such as Jack, Darren, Guy, and John! Some waiters recognized me since I've been coming a lot and welcomed me back. LOL! It's not too often they get too many local diners than the visitors from their hotel rooms. There are no reservations taken, so it's best to come early for breakfast since it ends at 10:30 a.m. Many come and go since they have their day all planned out, but for us, we are celebrating something special since we are making a trip to Waikiki for a nice buffet. I was impressed with the service received from Jason in May 2025 (the bussed help). He was so attentive to my mom to find a seat for me while I checked in since we came from the back pool area since she was using a walker at age 90 and can't go through the regular entrance with the little stairs to go down or even the long way over for the handicap. She was blessed as Jason helped her with her food. She hardly gets to dine out often, so she enjoyed her food, ambiance, and experience! The kindness shown made it a lasting one. Even the nice valet person (I think his name was Ross?) assisted my mom down the stairs to the valet area as we were leaving. I was even impressed when I forgot my phone in my car after the valet person just parked my car , so the valet person ran and got it for me. I was so grateful and tipped him, of course! On Sunday, 8/17/25, we were celebrating my friend Terry's birthday and asked the Relief Manager on duty, Sean McCloskey, first if they can give her a birthday cake slice for my friend's birthday, but he said it's a breakfast buffet and gave some reasoning even if I mentioned it was given before. I asked the waiter and later came back with a sorry. Basically, it's decided by the manager or relief manager on duty. We had no issues before getting a birthday coconut cake for the other 5 visits when we brought our friends here for their birthdays. When my friend Jo Y treated me here for my birthday and most recently like a couple of weeks prior to 08/17/25, she always contacted the manager Chris Wong about getting a birthday slice prior to her planned visit when she was celebrating her husband and another family member and had no problem getting the 2 slices of coconut cake for the two birthday people. She did mentioned when she first called when Chris wasn't working, the relief manager didn't returned her call. It's okay not getting a cake and we were enjoying our time together since Terri's hasn't been here in ages! We were celebrating her birthday until Sean, the relief manager, came by to tell us that other people are waiting for tables. I was shocked and disappointed to tell us at 10:08 a.m. when the buffet was ending in 20 minutes. There were several opened tables of 4 inside and many outside tables available, I was hoping he had a change of heart and he was going to tell us he would do something for her birthday after all. Despite our last visit, it's a really nice buffet with an awesome view of Waikiki Beach with great service from everyone else. Cake is just something extra, but it would have been a nice gesture for a wonderful birthday experience for the birthday person, since we made an extra effort to come into Waikiki to celebrate my friend's special day! I enjoyed it here so much and wanted my other friends who wouldn't normally come here to be treated here and experience the wonderful buffet on their special day!

House Without A Key was a beautiful celebratory conclusion to our special O'ahu vacation. Got there in time to catch a picturesque Pacific Ocean sunset near the lovely ancient Kiawe tree. Enjoyed beautiful live Hawaiian music and hula in the background while sipping their famous Mai Tai's. For dinner we enjoyed the unique scrumptious hoisin ribs covered with coconut and macadamia. Although positioned as an appetizer it is a generous portion and enough for an entree. Also loved the lawai' a roll which featured red king crab, salmon, tempura shrimp and roe. For dinner, we shared a brick oven margarita pizza which was quite good. Finally, for dessert we loved the coconut cake which is a long standing favorite on the menu. Overall an outstanding experience made even more special by the helpful and attentive service.

When I worked for a major Japanese tour agency during my breaks returning home from college back in the days, I had many inquiries of guests wanting to dine at Halekulani Hotel. Most of them wanted either dinner at La Mer or Orchids Sunday brunch but would also get requests for House Without a Key (HWK). Located on the 1F of Halekulai adjacent to the beachfront pool, HWK offers breakfast, lunch and dinner with indoors and outdoors dining options. One of our foodie friends specifically requested to dine at HWK for their breakfast buffet. To mirror my memory from my part time job, HWK does not accept reservations and are seated first come first serve. Was a little concerned for our party of eight but we had no issues when our group arrived at the agreed time of 8am on a Sunday morning. HWK has an amazing ambiance and scenery as you overlook the stunning view of Waikiki Beach and Diamond Head. Shortly after we sat down, staff came to take our drink orders. Our main server was Kelly and were informed we could start our buffet with the multiple stations. The food was outstanding. For a buffet the quality exceeded my expectations, especially the Japanese station (grilled saba, nishime, kobachi) and egg/omelet station. We really enjoyed the variety and the local flair offerings, such as lup cheong fried rice, kalua pork and cabbage. When we were asked what the occasion was for dining here, Kelly brought a slice of their famous coconut cake for our friend. Such a nice gesture. My experience was so great that I was determined to drag my family here. It's hard to coordinate our busy schedules so I ended up taking off on a weekday to dine with the family. We arrived at 830am to somewhat avoid the morning rush hour traffic. There were a handful of people already dining and we were immediately seated for our party of 6. I informed my family of my previous experience and we all surveyed the buffet line prior to getting our food. I immediately noticed the offerings were different. From my previous experience I had to get the popovers again and in this go around I found out that the strawberry preserves are not commercially made. Had nice pieces of strawberries that were non-mushy. I got another customized omelet again but switched protein from smoked salmon to Portuguese sausage this time. For the Japanese station I was deeply saddened not to see the grilled saba but this time they had karaage, which was replenished regularly so it was piping hot when I had some. I also had more baked goods of a croissant and pain au chocolat. Delicious. Service was good but there was a slight delay in getting drinks refills as orders were submitted but it took some time to get them. Overall, great breakfast experiences where I'm game to return. It may seem a bit pricey at $52 per person but definitely worthy for special occasions. 2025 #10

The service was amazing. Food for the price wasn't worth it . The view and live music and the back drop was spectacular.

A great spot in Waikiki inside of the Halekulani Hotel that features open-air indoor and outdoor seating with lovely views. While I wanted to go for sunset cocktails and hula show, I got there after sundown but was still able to enjoy the live music. I sat at in the bar area which was more towards the back of the restaurant and while they have a very good selection of cocktails, they are pricey at about $24. But then again this is pretty standard for a nice Waikiki hotel bar. The service at the bar was excellent, very friendly and personal bartenders and quick service. If you are looking for a picturesque bar with good cocktails and entertainment, this is the spot to check out!

A dear friend always stays at the hotel and loves the House without a key. We were at the Royal Hawaiian so we walked over for a drink and dinner. They have entertainment and we were seated outside. When we saw the menu we noticed not many vegetarian or vegan options. We ordered good drinks and talked to our waiter who kindly made several suggestions to make the entrees vegan. We ended up with a tofu in sauce that was a substitute for one of the menu items. It was delicious! We savored every bite. Our non vegan companion enjoyed his fish entre also. We will go back and tell our friends how much we appreciated the service, the food and the entertainment.

Came here for Earl's for the "Sunset Cocktails in the lawn area at House Without A Key." I wanted to hear live Hawaiian music, and knowing that the backdrop was of the water and sunset, I had to come and just be surrounded by all things Hawaiian. I came a little before 5pm and was seated close to the front. I ordered two non-alcoholic drinks: The Tide Pool and Halekulani Creamsicle. Both were so yummy and refreshing! I loved that the Tide Pool had two Swedish fish gummies in it, and a sour strip on top. So creative. I also ordered the Hoisin Coconut BBQ Ribs. I enjoyed the macadamia nuts and scallions on top. The meat was so tender that it fell off the bone. The live Hawaiian music was good! Great voices and harmony. The hula dance was beautiful and so beautiful to watch. Overall, it was such an awesome experience. It was the perfect setting: live Hawaiian music, hula dancing, sunset in the background, being near the ocean, sitting outside, eating yummy food, and enjoying some tropical drinks. I couldn't ask for anything more. I loved being there absorbing everything in.

Breakfast buffet in Waikiki, Honolulu, Hawaii... I heard about this All You Can Eat special ($52) at Halekulani Hotel from my former co-worker and her husband. They said that their family likes this buffet so much that they drive all the way over the Pali from Kaneohe! For locals, that's a commitment! The good news is that parking is free! We parked across the street at Halepua and got validation at the cashier at House Without A Key. Kelly was our patient, efficient server. She brought us coffee, tea, and juice, and cleared our used plates! She's very professional and ninja... i didn't even know when she refilled my glass! Because they don't take reservations, we agreed to meet at 8am (opening time) on a Sunday. We beat the crowd and got a large table so that the eight of us could sit together. Even though it's outdoor seating, it wasn't hot. There was a slight breeze, but it didn't stop the pesky birds. Uhg! The food was fantastic! The presentation was so beautiful - it's what you get at a fancy hotel! I especially liked the omelet station, the salad bar, fresh fruits, the variety of excellent pastries, and the Japanese station that had items such as miso soup, making sushi, saba, and nishime. The regular breakfast items like scrambled eggs, lup cheong fried rice, bacon, cereal & milk, sausage, etc. were present and good! Thank you for the complimentary birthday dessert of a generous slice of the signature coconut cake! It was scrumptious and decadent. We were reminded that a whole cake costs $100. This is a great place to celebrate a special occasion! Thanks to my friends for waking up early on your day off to spend it with me! You made my dream a reality!

This morning few of us decided to celebrate a birthday breakfast buffet at House without a Key located in the Halekulani Hotel . The food was amazing most people would say it's only breakfast items . I can say the Lup Cheong fried was my favorite . They had a section with Japanese breakfast, along with all your pastries, cheese platter, meats, yogurt, cereals, fruits . Everyone on our table really liked the Saba. They also had a small dish with Japanese sweet egg along w/Ikura . The service was on point with Kelly our server she worked there over 27 years . The view is also stunning with an open air lanai with also outside seating the view of the ocean and Diamond Head . I would definitely return for breakfast Buffett in the future I really enjoyed the food along with good company. They also provide validation up to 4 hours so you can valet your car for convenience. Support local

Our reservation was for 6:15 pm tonight. We arrived early, that's on us. We were seated later than our reservation time, and that was a portent of things to come. It took a long time before someone came to take drink orders -- we almost left. We got a strawberry daiquiri (mediocre, do not recommend) and a mai tai. The mai tai was served without the rum floater (how does that even happen? Does nobody look at the drink after it's made? Even when garnishing?) -- we had to take it up to the bar to get that corrected. After that, it took a long time again before someone took our food order. All said and done, it was 7:06 pm by the time any food was served. No rolls, no appetizer, no salad, nada. Dinner rolls did not come until we asked for it. All food (a sushi roll appetizer, dinner rolls, sea bass, ribeye, and beet salad) arrived all at the same time. It then took 2 requests to get steak knives, while the steak got cold. They did very thoughtfully divide the ribeye into 2 plates for sharing, we appreciated that. The food was pretty decent, but the overall experience was terrible. They did comp a coconut cake slice, but for the price...would not recommend and would not return. No matter how pleasant the live music or how good the coconut cake.

Great ambiance and views but service was not up to par. Server was slow and I booked with a birthday celebration note that was ignored. Why bother asking on the reservation if it doesn't mean anything to the restaurant. I even confirmed with the hostess at check in if they can put happy birthday on the cake we'll order and she said yes. I even confirmed that I would not need to remind the server separately bc I wanted it to be a small surprise for my husband. At the end of dinner time, our cake came plainly without anything which ruined the night. Ordered seafood roll & mai thai which was great. The truffle mushroom pizza & signature coconut cake was just ok.

This place was one of the amazing place that we found!! Everyone recommended watching the sunset at this outdoor venue which is located inside the beautiful hotel. Lovely music from Hawaiian trio, as well as a beautiful Hawaiian interpretive dancer. Interesting drinks, delicious appetizers and catering staff were plus to this experience. The sunset was breathtaking and perfect for any couple who love a romantic evening. This was definitely highlights of our Hawaii trip.

Great food and ambiance highly recommended It was my wife's birthday and they made their best to provide great service.

Review is solely for the bar / drinks: Really enjoyed the vibe and love how quiet it was during the afternoon. Set inside as the sun was hot but still provided really good ocean view. Service was very good. Drinks were fair but don't expect the best quality if you are a cocktail connoisseur. Would come back for the view and chill/quiet ambiance.

Beautiful atmosphere, wonderful food and professional service. Kapena's Kelly boy singing and Miss Hawaii dancing Hula. I showed up on the perfect day.. The famous coconut cake at the end. What a blessed day.. God is great..

Always amazing here! It's so peaceful and the service is impeccable. They have THE BEST mai tai (and have won awards)! They are have some great mocktails- the tidepools had glitter and gummi fish and rainbows! Made with spirulina blueberry and lemon lime soda. The complimentary bread is delish - so good the birds try to eat it! Served with guava butter. The poke bowl was filling and fresh. The açaí bowl was gorgeous and full of goodness. The crab sandwich was light and served with homemade taro chips. A fav place!

Located at the beautiful Halekulani, House Without a Key is a great spot to go to to grab some bite to eat, enjoy the views, as well as watch a very classy, wonderful Hawaiian dance (by a previous Miss Hawaii!). Make sure you have reservations, and the staff are pretty open to letting you request a specific table; try to sit towards the front in the center, so you don't have any obstructions. We ordered: +a Mai Tai - one of the hotel's signature cocktails; prepared with Bacardi Gold Rum, Bacardi Select, orange curacao, orgeat syrup, fresh lime juice, and a lemon hart 151 float; this was strong and aesthetically pleasing +The Gable - prepared with fresh cucumber juice, pineapple cordial, fresh lemon, aloe juices, and mango ice; refreshing and healthy-tasting +and a slice of the Halekulani Coconut Cake - with anglaise and raspberry coulis The breeze felt amazing, and service was top notch; we were checked in often throughout the evening. You'll be guaranteed to have a lovely time! +Hawaiian dancing and music +friendly service +reservations recommended +located at the Halekulani

House Without a Key is a timeless classic in Honolulu and is a favorite of my family's. They recently underwent some remodeling and the new open kitchen and remodeled bar add a cool new element to the dining experience. As always, the live entertainment and hula dancing with a background of the sunset is an incredible and unique experience. We've eaten here many times and this was the first time that I felt the food was good, but not great. The cocktails and dessert were delicious but I miss some of the old classics like the coconut shrimp appetizer. For anyone looking for an upscale, tasty dinner in Waikiki, this is a very solid option and I'd recommend it!

A PLUS SERVICE. The Halekulani is the nicest hotel around! House without a key has the best nightly entertainment out in front of the keawe tree. Wonderful trio they've played here for years. Brooke Lee on the hula, just a beautiful night all around. Had a few bourbons and a few other drinks, followed by wonderful coffee. Salad bundles wrapped by marinated flank steak, just perfectly tender and great teri flavor, smoke. Our waiter did a great job and working in a tight room to boot. The best night out around here absolutely. first class place. 5 stars. BEAUTIFUL hotel.

We've been to this restaurant numerous time, before and after the remodel. Great place for the ambience, entertainment and food. Dessert especially, their coconut cake! But most of all, the views of Waikiki, Diamond Head! Halekulani is very classy and beautiful.

Drinks were great , we just sat at the entrance and listened to the band playing music and singing and a hula dancer too The hotel is absolutely beautiful too so make sure you walk around

Located in the Halekulani hotel in Waikiki. Beautiful outside views of Diamond Head, the Pacific and their old Kiawe tree (Hawaiian mesquite). Came here for the breakfast buffet. The buffet had both American and Japanese entrées. I had most of the Japanese entrées which consisted of miso soup, tofu dishes, sweet egg omelette, smoked salmon, and all the trimmings, Nishime, numerous Japanese pickles and condiments, fresh fish. All dishes were delicious and in small sizes so you can sample many things. On the American buffet breakfast there were mochi waffle with coconut and various Hawaiian syrups, and typical American meats from sausage bacon sometimes they have Portuguese sausage, but the waiter said that they didn't have any, but brought us some out from the kitchen that they made fresh. Also had an omelette station, fresh eggs, fresh fruit from pineapple, strawberries, blueberries, and numerous side dishes from breakfast, potatoes, cream spinach, which was yummy and fresh bread and rolls. Service was outstanding. Our server was attentive and friendly. He knew my auntie and uncle because they come here often. they have a lovely view of the outside which has views of diamond head and outside tables to enjoy the Hawaiian weather.