Diners' Choice: Best Ambience restaurants in Hawaii

OpenTable

Updated 05 November 2024

Looking for restaurants with the best ambience in Hawaii? You’re in the right place. Each month, OpenTable analyses nearly 2 million global diner reviews from the past four months. We sort the results by location and category to help you discover new favourite restaurants. It's a great partnership: you book, eat, and review. We listen...and deliver the results for all to benefit. Enjoy!

La Mer at Halekulani

4.8

4.8 (2228)

$50 and over

French

Waikiki

About the restaurant

Please go to the call Halekulani Restaurant Reservations 808.931.5301 effective October 20, 2024, to make future reservations. La Mer is far more than a restaurant, it’s a degustation destination. Celebrated as Halekulani’s finest and Hawaii's longest, consecutively ranked AAA Five Diamond Restaurant, this consummate dining experience is unmatched. The internationally acclaimed menu features Neoclassic French cuisine expertly crafted and served amid majestic and romantic ocean views of Waikiki Beach and Diamond Head. An award-winning wine list is available to complement the perfect dining experience. La Mer restricts patrons to adults and children 8 years or older.
A Credit Card is required to confirm reservations. A $125.00 per guest charge is applied for No Show Guests.
Dress Attire
We require elegant evening attire for women. Dress shirts or dinner jacket, dress slacks and shoes for gentlemen.

Top review

AshnaB

Dined on 22 Nov 2024

My husband and I had a special dinner here during our honeymoon! From the moment we walked in, the service was exceptional! Clearly professional as expected from such an esteemed restaurant, but still warm and welcoming. We felt very well looked after. We got the most beautiful table, which elevated the experience further. We ordered the degustation and added on the vanilla soufflé and every dish was delicious and different - it felt familiar yet innovative. We were so so full when we left! Highly recommend!

Ulana - Ritz Carlton Kapalua

4.5

4.5 (242)

$50 and over

Breakfast

Kapalua

About the restaurant

The newly reimagined Ulana restaurant features a renowned breakfast a la carte menu. This inspired breakfast experience truly has something for everyone including traditional and local breakfast favorites. Its fresh, new design aesthetic is inspired by the Hawaiian word, ulana meaning to weave, featuring raw, textural elements and is symbolic of interconnection and community.

Top review

SandyHvip

Dined on 20 Oct 2024

Amy is a wonderful server! The food was great also.

Chef's Table at Ka'ana Kitchen

4.9

4.9 (168)

$50 and over

Hawaii Regional Cuisine

Wailea

About the restaurant

Situated in the heart of Ka’ana Kitchen’s open-air styled kitchen, we invite you to immerse yourself in our exclusive dining experience. Interact with our chefs as they thoughtfully curate a customized 6-course menu of fresh, local ingredients to stimulate your sense of adventure. To enhance the experience even more, we have the option to add wine pairings to each course, hand selected by our expert sommelier.

This exclusive experience is limited to seating’s at 6:00pm, 6:15pm and 6:30pm Tuesday - Friday.
Maximum of 4 guests per party.

Chef’s Table: $195/person
Wine Pairings:
Premier Cru – a selection of our favorite wines from off the beaten path – creating a journey of discovery & delight +$125/person
Grand Cru – exclusive selection of hard to source, hard to replace but very easy to love wines +$250/person

Executive Chef: Ritchard Cariaga | Chef de Cuisine: Chance Savell

Due to limited seating, there is a 24-hour cancellation policy and $75/person cancellation fee.

Top review

Mersades

Dined 3 days ago

The Chef’s Table was easily me and my husband’s favorite experience on the island. The food was fantastic and the entire service was excellent, and the staff welcoming and informative. It was my birthday and the front of house manager Mike made us feel like the only ones in the restaurant and gave us great tips for things to check out on the island. Easily the highlight of our trip.

Honu Oceanside

4.9

4.9 (5549)

$50 and over

Seafood

Lahaina

About the restaurant

Located steps from the ocean in Lahaina, Maui, Honu Oceanside invites guests to enjoy world-
class ocean views, accompanied by a menu selection featuring fresh fish, incredible seafood,
locally-sourced produce, inventive craft cocktails, and more! Enjoy a beautiful sunset accompanied by a worldly bottle of wine for a luxurious dinner or date night on the water. We can’t wait to wow you with our tide-
to-table menu, complemented by globally sourced wines, stunning scenery, impeccable service,
and Aloha!

Top review

Harryvip

Dined today

Hitting on all cylinders. Absolutely amazing experience. We have been dining here for 10 plus years and this was one of the best meals ever….monchong special was exceptional. Attentive service and great new ambiance. Welcome back!!!

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Veranda - Moana Surfrider

4.8

4.8 (1082)

$50 and over

Contemporary American

Waikiki

About the restaurant

Our renowned Victorian tradition of “Afternoon Tea” under the historic banyan tree invites guests to indulge in a variety of tropical tea blends accompanied by a selection of delicious finger sandwiches, scones and delicate pastries.

Please Note we are a cashless restaurant. We only accept credit cards or room charges as form of payment.
We kindly ask to refrain from balloon decorations to ensure the views for others are respected. Guests are welcome to bring their own cake/dessert for an additional fee of $7 per person.

Top review

Tod

Dined 1 day ago

Superlative!! Simply one of the best on the Islands. While prices are high, the experience and the quality is apparent!

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Experience

Butterfly Tea Time

Merriman's - Maui

4.8

4.8 (4393)

$50 and over

Farm-to-table

Kapalua

About the restaurant

Dine at the most breathtaking oceanfront setting in Kapalua Resort. Peter Merriman Chef/Restauranteur has brought his unique style of Hawaii Regional Cuisine to Maui. A pioneer in the “Farm to Table” concept, Peter serves only the freshest products, at least 90% of which are locally grown or caught, using only sustainable methods.

Reservations are released 60 days prior at 6am HST. This includes all holidays. Although we cannot accommodate parties larger than 8 people or split reservations in our main dining room, we do have other options available. Please email eventsmaui@merrimanshawaii.com for groups larger than 8 people.

For a more casual dining experience, join us at The Point, our oceanside dining location offering a casual menu. The Point opens daily at 4pm, weather depending. Reservations are not needed or accepted for The Point. Happy Hour is from 4pm to 530pm at the Point and Bar.

Top review

Patriciavip

Dined 4 days ago

This was our first Thanksgiving in Hawaii and our honeymoon. Having a real thanksgiving meal while away from our families in a piece of paradise was just magical.

i-naba Hanalei'i Honolulu Sushi and Grill

4.8

4.8 (20)

$50 and over

Japanese

Mccully-Moiliili

About the restaurant

Chef's Counter: Supervised by Tyler Burges.
He has formally worked as the executive sous-chef at the three-star Michelin in San Francisco.
He is currently the executive chef of "SMOKE DOOR" in Yokohama.
He will deliver the moment when ingredients bloom the most.
You can enjoy all of this in Hawaii.

Hanaleiʻi” is a coined word derived from the place name Hanalei on Kauai island. Hanalei means “crescent”. Our restaurant name “Hanaleiʻi” symbolizes “We will strive for success until becoming the full moon …”.

Top review

Jeffvip

Dined on 15 Nov 2024

I went here thinking I was going for a sushi bar, but I ended up with an Omakase experience. The fish was extremely fresh, I found out Thursday as “fresh fish Thursday“ when they get all of their shipments in, but when I came into this place I thought it was going to be busy because of the reviews, but I was the third person there. The sushi chef was one year in the US coming from Japan, so knew very little English, but I just rolled with it. Turned out. I had a wonderful experience with some delicious sushi. I’ve had Uni in the past and I thought it tasted like the bottom of the ocean, but the Uni they had here was straight from Japan and it was very sweet … and I can now understand why they consider it a delicacy. Had a couple glasses of sake, along with the Omakase experience. All in it was about $160 … but it was unbelievably delicious. I would highly recommend this place.

Mugen

5.0

5 (306)

$50 and over

Contemporary French

Waikiki

About the restaurant

Mugen is an award-winning fine dining concept that is elevating Hawaii’s status as a destination for culinary travel. Experience global contemporary artistry with a sense of place at Mugen, the Forbes Five-Star rated fine dining restaurant at ESPACIO The Jewel of Waikiki, where every dish tells a story and every sip is a celebration.
Rising star Executive Chef Colin Sato has redefined the Mugen dinner experience with his new five-course menu, designed in collaboration with Pastry Chef Jamon Harper and in consultation with renowned Chef Alan Wong. Featuring seasonal and local ingredients, diners can choose from myriad options within each course while sipping inventive cocktails or exploring wine from Mugen’s extensive collection, honored with the Wine Spectator "Best Of" Award.

Top review

Alexandervip

Dined 6 days ago

Dining at Mugen was an outstanding experience both in terms of food and service. The echelon of excellence at this Oahu restaurant is on par with a San Francisco fine dining establishment.

Discover more

Experience

MUGEN & IWA Sake Dinner with Richard Geoffroy

Experience

Sunset Champagne & Caviar Experience

Experience

Afternoon Tea at Espacio

Hualani's

4.8

4.8 (2186)

$50 and over

Hawaii Regional Cuisine

Lihue

About the restaurant

Experience one of the best restaurants on Kaua'i and enjoy farm-to-table oceanfront dining from the elegant yet relaxed setting at Hualani's. Here, oceanfront dining is influenced by the seasons. What's fresh at The Farm at Hōkūala inspires the farm-to-table menu, while our bar serves up well-balanced craft cocktails that complement the seasonality of the kitchen. Our culinary experience is inspired by a sense of place and driven by local farmers, as well as fresh-picked ingredients from our on-site organic farm. From the morning harvest and the daily catch, Hualani's shines a hyper-local spotlight on the bounty of the Garden Isle.

Top review

Benvip

Dined 3 days ago

Great food and great view! Only downside is the valet bugs you to valet.

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Ocean Organic Farm and Distillery

4.9

4.9 (284)

$30 and under

Hawaii Regional Cuisine

Kula

About the restaurant

Enjoy the spectacular views while you relax in our casual, open-air dining environment. Along with our menu offerings inspired by local fare, we have several signature cocktails available that are made with our own, Ocean Vodka, Kula Rum, Fy Gin, and Brum spirits.

We have a 15 minute grace period. We have limited inside seating and vast options for outside seating. If you have a preference between inside or outside seating, please leave us a note in your reservation.

Parties of 8 or more are subject to a 20% auto-gratuity. Please call (808)344-7649 for parties larger than 8. We do not accept walk-ins larger than 8 people.

For event inquiries or for parties larger than 12, please contact our Food and Beverage Director at chad@oceandistillery.com.

To book a Tasting Experience or an Upcountry Sommelier and Chef Curated Pairing with us, please use the following link:
www.oceandistillery.com

To know whos playing tonight visit:
https://music2nite.manaoradio.com/

Mahalo,
Ocean Ohana

Top review

Shannan

Dined 3 days ago

Elijah was the best. So helpful and patient with us.

Discover more

Experience

Sunset Sunday: Mana'o Radio

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