If you are a fan of this type of dining (Omakase),this was easily the best restaurant experience we have had in Hawaii... and tops of all time. Service was excellent - Justin and the entire team made every course of the 5 special. The food was paired with a different cocktail for each course and it was perfect. Each course was a culinary adventure. Even though it's an intimate environment and you are close to the kitchen, the team works quietly and so seamlessly it's like a work of art. The entire production was flawless. While expensive, it was easily one of best experiencee we have ever had which made it a great value. Completely and highly recommended.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Kimberly Vo
Had to book in advance, but we enjoyed our meal here! We came after learning about the opening when we went to Bar Leather Apron. I think all the dishes were good, and we went ahead with some addons such as the caviar (not really necessary, but why not). 4 stars overall just since I personally don’t know that a dish stood out to me in a very memorable way, but that’s just nit picking. Also glad they had a non-alcoholic version of the drink accompaniments, would recommend that for anyone who doesn’t enjoy the taste of alcohol, since that would have been too strong for me, and it was interesting all the nice pairings they put together.
Aya Takeuchi
For the most part, I loved the creativity and deliciousness of each dish. My most favorite was the appetizer “snack” - so unique and surprising texture and flavor.I was - to be honest - disappointed by the last rice dish. It uses Matsutake mushroom, which we are supposed to enjoy its fragrance and aroma. However, both were killed by the strong garlic flavor. Besides that… very attentive and friendly staff, beautifully coordinated tableware. Drinks are so unique. I had an amazing time with my friends. Perfect restaurant for special occasions.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Jay Lee
Small restaurant. Amazing food. Great service. Small portions. High price. Love everything about this restaurant and felt like it could've been so much more if the space was just bigger.Chef Ki is probably on a very short list of the best culinary talents residing in Hawaii. It's some of the best food you're gonna get in Hawaii. Period. Paired with some of the best cocktails you're gonna get in Hawaii. Period. I did the tasting menu with every possible add-on (including the caviar). I'm not that big of an eater, and still left hungry. Wasn't expecting that for a $500+ tab for two.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Derek W.
This place was great. Parking was either street or park at Restaurant Row.Drinks were good, although the highlights were the various snacks they provide which rotates based on the week/whenever the chef wants to change it so it's not tied to the seasonal pre fixe menu.Food was all good, nice portions and pacing was excellent. The food tasted as well as it looked. We got the mocktail and the cocktail pairing. Everything seemed to go well. I would recommend you to do both, if you have multiple people since certain drinks did taste /match better. Service was great and everyone was polite and attentive. Modern ambiance with a quiet, modern atmosphere. Menus seem to change with the season. Will check it out again.
Andre Luk
Been to a ton of fine dining restaurants and this one might top them all. This was an absolute treat of a meal, every single dish was unbelievable from start to finish. Cocktail pairings were great as was the service.Will definitely be back and tell all my friends about this spot!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
halli macdonald
Food was ok, but we didn’t feel like the value for your money spent was very high. We are no strangers to Omakases and have done many over the years. We have had better experiences elsewhere. The vibe was off here as well, the ambiance was ruined by old 90s tunes being played. Didn’t fit the atmosphere we were expecting. Service was good and staff was friendly
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 3
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Shaved Ice, Rock Dessert
Dibba Iran-Parasti
Hands down the best fine dining experience I have ever had! Every dish was absolutely incredible and out of this world. The cocktail pairings are meticulously aligned with each course. Do not skip out on the wagyu if you can, it was the best of them all! Special shout-out to the entire serving and cooking team for a true Michelin star dining experience. We’ll be back and recommending to all our friends as a must do in Oahu.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Cesar M
Wonderful place to experience creative, well thought dishes. I would definitely recommend it. Service is great, of the best I have experienced.
Hands down one of the best meals I've ever eaten! The staff was great and super attentive. Took the time to explain each dish and why each cocktail was paired with it. Everything was so good. Love that it is a smaller venue, makes the experience a lot more intimate. We will definitely be back!
Muskan R.
Wowow. This was hands down my favorite meal of 2023. Let's start with the ambience - intimate bar seating with a few tables. Open kitchen style so you can watch Chef Chung and his amazing crew in action. The food - not only was everything exceptionally fresh (maybe the freshest seafood I've tasted) but so creative as well. Ember smoked butter sauce, caviar on top of a banana filled donut. It's been 24 hours since I dined there and still thinking about it. The cocktails - ok I am personally so done with boring wine pairings (although they have their place in the world) so I was ready for a cocktail pairing instead. And it completely blew me away. Yuzu cucumber dill egg white cocktail with yellowtail? Yes and yes. And lastly, huge huge shoutout to the staff. Everyone is obviously so happy to work there. They care about the food, they care about your experience, they personally walk you out once the meal is over. Cannot say enough good things. If this place is not on your list in Oahu, you're doing it wrong.
Jane L.
What a wonderful place!! I was in Honolulu and wanted to go to a fine dining place for dinner 1 night. I wanted to try a restaurant a little bit outside of all the touristy area and settled on Bar Maze. It is about 5 -10 minutes away from the main Alo Moana shopping area. I know that they have an a la carte and a tasting menu. I opted for the tasting menu. I would make sure to make reservations, especially for the tasting menu. I got to the restaurant and got seated pretty quickly. The only complaint that I have is that for the tasting menu, they have a bar and a few tables right by the bar. I wanted to be seated at the bar, but got seated at the tables. I wished that they made that more clear when making reservations because had I known that I would get seated at the tables, I might have opted for a different dining experience or called ahead. Aside from that, the tasting menu was amazing!! I believe that the menu changes depending in availability, but my favorite was the hamachi (the fish was fresh and amazing). They provide 5 courses with a drink pairing. I was pretty full by the time I was done. For $175 per person, I thought it was decently priced. I also wanted to give a shout out to the wait staff, who were super nice and made sure that I had everything I needed. I also enjoyed the dinner so much that I walked over to Bar Leather Apron (the bar operated by the same people from Bar Maze) to grab a drink. When our waiter found out that we were trying to go, he actually called ahead to let us know that they could accommodate us. It's about a 10 minute walk in case you were looking to top off the night with a drink. Definitely recommend both places to anyone looking for a great dining and drink experience.
Joanne P.
I've been fortunate to eat at several Michelin star restaurants. One cost upwards of $600 per person and looked amazing but disappointed in terms of taste. So I'm a bit wary when it comes to food that requires tweezers to create. I'm happy to report that Bar Maze was excellent. We went with the cocktail pairing because that is what they intended you to have. All the cocktails were delicious but I think one of them had caffeine because I was up all night (I'm sensitive to caffeine). As for the food, the snack was one of our favorite courses. We upgraded everything possible, which was caviar and wagyu. I don't think I'd do either again. The basic meal was that good! I felt that we just didn't need to juice it up at all. Save your money and enjoy!
Bern Shen
Privileged to be one of only 3 parties for the early seating - bartender Justin, chef Ki & their gracious team served up a wonderful experience! Even without the caviar or Wagyu additions, the 5 courses & several amuse bouches provided an ample sufficiency :-)My simple pairings at home might've been an Aviation with the hamachi, an oaky Chardonnay with the scallops & a non-777 clone pinot with the duck, but the cocktails created by Justin were more complex & on point. I had a very nice meal at Senia 2 nights ago, but the crew at Bar Maze provided a special personal touch - much appreciated, & I look forward to a repeat visit!
Words can’t describe how amazing this meal
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
If you are a fan of this type of dining (Omakase),this was easily the best restaurant experience we have had in Hawaii... and tops of all time. Service was excellent - Justin and the entire team made every course of the 5 special. The food was paired with a different cocktail for each course and it was perfect. Each course was a culinary adventure. Even though it's an intimate environment and you are close to the kitchen, the team works quietly and so seamlessly it's like a work of art. The entire production was flawless. While expensive, it was easily one of best experiencee we have ever had which made it a great value. Completely and highly recommended.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Had to book in advance, but we enjoyed our meal here! We came after learning about the opening when we went to Bar Leather Apron. I think all the dishes were good, and we went ahead with some addons such as the caviar (not really necessary, but why not). 4 stars overall just since I personally don’t know that a dish stood out to me in a very memorable way, but that’s just nit picking. Also glad they had a non-alcoholic version of the drink accompaniments, would recommend that for anyone who doesn’t enjoy the taste of alcohol, since that would have been too strong for me, and it was interesting all the nice pairings they put together.
For the most part, I loved the creativity and deliciousness of each dish. My most favorite was the appetizer “snack” - so unique and surprising texture and flavor.I was - to be honest - disappointed by the last rice dish. It uses Matsutake mushroom, which we are supposed to enjoy its fragrance and aroma. However, both were killed by the strong garlic flavor. Besides that… very attentive and friendly staff, beautifully coordinated tableware. Drinks are so unique. I had an amazing time with my friends. Perfect restaurant for special occasions.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Small restaurant. Amazing food. Great service. Small portions. High price. Love everything about this restaurant and felt like it could've been so much more if the space was just bigger.Chef Ki is probably on a very short list of the best culinary talents residing in Hawaii. It's some of the best food you're gonna get in Hawaii. Period. Paired with some of the best cocktails you're gonna get in Hawaii. Period. I did the tasting menu with every possible add-on (including the caviar). I'm not that big of an eater, and still left hungry. Wasn't expecting that for a $500+ tab for two.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
This place was great. Parking was either street or park at Restaurant Row.Drinks were good, although the highlights were the various snacks they provide which rotates based on the week/whenever the chef wants to change it so it's not tied to the seasonal pre fixe menu.Food was all good, nice portions and pacing was excellent. The food tasted as well as it looked. We got the mocktail and the cocktail pairing. Everything seemed to go well. I would recommend you to do both, if you have multiple people since certain drinks did taste /match better. Service was great and everyone was polite and attentive. Modern ambiance with a quiet, modern atmosphere. Menus seem to change with the season. Will check it out again.
Been to a ton of fine dining restaurants and this one might top them all. This was an absolute treat of a meal, every single dish was unbelievable from start to finish. Cocktail pairings were great as was the service.Will definitely be back and tell all my friends about this spot!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Food was ok, but we didn’t feel like the value for your money spent was very high. We are no strangers to Omakases and have done many over the years. We have had better experiences elsewhere. The vibe was off here as well, the ambiance was ruined by old 90s tunes being played. Didn’t fit the atmosphere we were expecting. Service was good and staff was friendly
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 3
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Shaved Ice, Rock Dessert
Hands down the best fine dining experience I have ever had! Every dish was absolutely incredible and out of this world. The cocktail pairings are meticulously aligned with each course. Do not skip out on the wagyu if you can, it was the best of them all! Special shout-out to the entire serving and cooking team for a true Michelin star dining experience. We’ll be back and recommending to all our friends as a must do in Oahu.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Wonderful place to experience creative, well thought dishes. I would definitely recommend it. Service is great, of the best I have experienced.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Beef Tartar, Scallops
Restaurantji Recommends
Hands down one of the best meals I've ever eaten! The staff was great and super attentive. Took the time to explain each dish and why each cocktail was paired with it. Everything was so good. Love that it is a smaller venue, makes the experience a lot more intimate. We will definitely be back!
Wowow. This was hands down my favorite meal of 2023. Let's start with the ambience - intimate bar seating with a few tables. Open kitchen style so you can watch Chef Chung and his amazing crew in action. The food - not only was everything exceptionally fresh (maybe the freshest seafood I've tasted) but so creative as well. Ember smoked butter sauce, caviar on top of a banana filled donut. It's been 24 hours since I dined there and still thinking about it. The cocktails - ok I am personally so done with boring wine pairings (although they have their place in the world) so I was ready for a cocktail pairing instead. And it completely blew me away. Yuzu cucumber dill egg white cocktail with yellowtail? Yes and yes. And lastly, huge huge shoutout to the staff. Everyone is obviously so happy to work there. They care about the food, they care about your experience, they personally walk you out once the meal is over. Cannot say enough good things. If this place is not on your list in Oahu, you're doing it wrong.
What a wonderful place!! I was in Honolulu and wanted to go to a fine dining place for dinner 1 night. I wanted to try a restaurant a little bit outside of all the touristy area and settled on Bar Maze. It is about 5 -10 minutes away from the main Alo Moana shopping area. I know that they have an a la carte and a tasting menu. I opted for the tasting menu. I would make sure to make reservations, especially for the tasting menu. I got to the restaurant and got seated pretty quickly. The only complaint that I have is that for the tasting menu, they have a bar and a few tables right by the bar. I wanted to be seated at the bar, but got seated at the tables. I wished that they made that more clear when making reservations because had I known that I would get seated at the tables, I might have opted for a different dining experience or called ahead. Aside from that, the tasting menu was amazing!! I believe that the menu changes depending in availability, but my favorite was the hamachi (the fish was fresh and amazing). They provide 5 courses with a drink pairing. I was pretty full by the time I was done. For $175 per person, I thought it was decently priced. I also wanted to give a shout out to the wait staff, who were super nice and made sure that I had everything I needed. I also enjoyed the dinner so much that I walked over to Bar Leather Apron (the bar operated by the same people from Bar Maze) to grab a drink. When our waiter found out that we were trying to go, he actually called ahead to let us know that they could accommodate us. It's about a 10 minute walk in case you were looking to top off the night with a drink. Definitely recommend both places to anyone looking for a great dining and drink experience.
I've been fortunate to eat at several Michelin star restaurants. One cost upwards of $600 per person and looked amazing but disappointed in terms of taste. So I'm a bit wary when it comes to food that requires tweezers to create. I'm happy to report that Bar Maze was excellent. We went with the cocktail pairing because that is what they intended you to have. All the cocktails were delicious but I think one of them had caffeine because I was up all night (I'm sensitive to caffeine). As for the food, the snack was one of our favorite courses. We upgraded everything possible, which was caviar and wagyu. I don't think I'd do either again. The basic meal was that good! I felt that we just didn't need to juice it up at all. Save your money and enjoy!
Privileged to be one of only 3 parties for the early seating - bartender Justin, chef Ki & their gracious team served up a wonderful experience! Even without the caviar or Wagyu additions, the 5 courses & several amuse bouches provided an ample sufficiency :-)My simple pairings at home might've been an Aviation with the hamachi, an oaky Chardonnay with the scallops & a non-777 clone pinot with the duck, but the cocktails created by Justin were more complex & on point. I had a very nice meal at Senia 2 nights ago, but the crew at Bar Maze provided a special personal touch - much appreciated, & I look forward to a repeat visit!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5