A friend of mine came here with me for their restaurant week menu. We're glad to just order one set and did a la carte for the rest of the order so we could try a lot of things!
Overall the food was pretty good, a mixture of Spanish or just general European / contemporary American fare. The service was friendly and the outdoor patio seating was pretty nice. We had a lovely evening there.
For the restaurant week menu, the appetizer was Molokai shrimp tartare, iberico rioja wine stew with blue cheese, squid ink seafood and chorizo paella, chocolate mousse with lilikoi and mango. I liked all the items. The flavors were good, nothing surprising or wowed me though. The pork was tender and juicy. The chocolate mousse was definitely a safe bet. The paella taste was solid but I think it could do without the sausage because the fennel seeds were overpowering of the seafood flavor in the dish.
We also tried their croquetas de jamon, buñuelos, truffle egg custard pudding, octopus Ala Gallega, and Ube basque cheesecake. (I know we ordered a lot hahaha). I felt like the croquetas and the buñuelos had too much potato and just a bit of ham flavor and butterfish flavor respectively. Nonetheless they were deep fried well and tasty. The truffle egg custard pudding was smooth, delicate and delicious. It's small though - size of an egg for one order so each person should get one. The octopus was decent but I've had better. I like the Ube cheesecake a lot. It's had a good balance of flavor and texture - not too sweet, not too hard or soft, strong Ube flavor. Also the cream was delicious.
With all the food, and some drinks, I thought the price was pretty reasonable for the ambiance and the type of food. It could be a good spot for a date or hanging out with friends.
First visit. Although the price is high, everything I ate was delicious! I was so impressed that I could eat pan con tomate in Hawaii.
The sea urchin and crab pasta and smoked salmon were delicious, and the meat pie was also excellent!
I will definitely visit again next time I visit Nice Timing Hawaii.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: salmon ブリスケッタ
Jaime Johnson
Service was great! As well as the food. Best octopus I’ve ever had. Wish the paella had more of a crispy bottom but overall great experience
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Empanada, Octopus Ala Gallega
Trase Wagner
I took some friends out for dinner here last week since we had all been eager to try this restaurant for a while. The atmosphere was lovely and made us feel like we were stepping out of Waikiki once inside. However, the food and drinks fell short of expectations. The cocktails were unbalanced and disappointing—there are better options elsewhere in Waikiki with similar ambiance and pricing. The food was also underwhelming; most dishes lacked depth and flavor, and many needed more salt. The expensive seafood paella, in particular, had overcooked seafood. The highlight of the meal was the ube cheesecake, which was the best dish of the night. Our server, who was from South America, was attentive, pleasant, and excellent at his job. We really wanted to enjoy this place, but unfortunately, we left feeling dissatisfied.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 2
Service: 4
Mark Waldman
Terrific taste of Spain in the middle of Waikiki. We loved everything we ordered. Chef Masa’s menu is varied and delicious. From empanadas to cheese platters, salads and mushroom dishes. We are happy we discovered the restaurant and recommend it wholeheartedly. Our server Maddox was kind and helpful. Thanks for a wonderful evening.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Empanada, Smoked Salmon
Vladimir Goutsaliouk
My wife and I made reservations for a different place which we decided to skip. We found El Cielo by chance. We absolutely liked the food and service. When we are in Honolulu next time we will make sure to visit El Cielo again.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
IC Deadtacos
I’ll admit that a i am a little bit picky with Spanish food, so please understand this when reading my review. The TLDR version is that the place is nice, the food was good, and plates are small. See pictures attached.
The good: Their version of Camarones al ajillo were amazing and by far my favorite in the menu. The Pulpo gallego and the empanadas are also very good and well seasoned. I would be happy to come back for these and some sangrias.
The not as good: Paella is sadly a controversial topic and its easy to find random folks arguing about the “right” way to make it so i wont bother touching on that. But there is one thing that i think should be universal and its the Socarrat. Its created when some of the rice and seasoning gets caramelized to be bottom of the pan creating a very particular and distinct flavor profile as well as an interesting texture. Mine did not have any and it felt more like rice with stuff inside of it. Croquetas de jamón were ok. Great texture, color and presentation; but it was missing some of the flavors. It tasted more like potatoes than jamón. The Uni and crab pasta was not for me. Don’t know if it was good or bad, never had it before so i cant compare it. I guess it depends on if you like uni or not and it seems like my palate does not like uni.
Everything else was fine. Service was very helpful and ready to assist with anything we needed.
Beware that plates are generally small so if you are a person with a big appetite consider ordering several things.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 3
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Shrimp Ajillo, Empanada
joe c
Good service. Good food. Nice atmosphere Drinks were really good ?
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Shrimp Ajillo, Empanada
Renato Martinez
The truffle mushroom paella is a must try, both creamy and crusty (mixed with the crusty rice). The atmosphere is warm and friendly, with very attentive servers. Highly recommended if you're looking for authentic tapas and Spanish cuisine!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Seafood Paella, Shrimp Ajillo, Octopus Ala Gallega
Nefi Rodriguez
From the bacon wrapped dates to the meticulously crafted cocktails this place is a hidden gem. Deserves to get much more recognition. I would 100% come again
It was one of our highlights on our Hawaii trip and an absolute hidden gem when it comes to fine dining both in quality of food and service.
Service: We were greeted by David and his attention to detail and knowledge on the menu really got us excited with our food, though it was quite busy, he didn't fail to check in on us with our course and as well as recommend the best on the menu, small but i thought was very crucial was his attention to the quality of the items he brings to the table, down to the wine glass making sure there wasn't a speck on it before handing them out so he is definitely an asset to the restaurant.
Food: The food was excellent in terms of depth and flavor, the servings are very intimate and would say enough for its quality and would definitely get one leaving satisfied by the end of the night. We got:
Truffle Egg Custard Pudding: Was a unique flavor to start with, a bit salty (in a good way) from the yolk and bacon partnered by a white delicate foam that gave the dish a unique experience in both taste and texture. I was glad for this experience but more so impressed by the execution of the dish
Bacon Wrapped Dates: This is a perfect bite of sweet/savory combo and a great starter to whet your appetite, the savory-ness of the bacon followed by a robust flavor of the sweet dates and then a hit of that blue cheese to bring your palate back to savoryland was a rollercoaster of flavor!
Chicken Liver Pâté: As someone that uses liver spread in my cuisine on a daily basis, this dish was smartly done, not sure how they made the pâté as good as this was, it was smooth and very delicate, I usually hate the aftertaste of liver but this special dish made the aftertaste mild that I did not mind it at all!
Negra Paella: This dish was excellent but be prepared to get your hands on those langoustines. The squid ink was pronounced in flavor that it was the perfect base for the dish, langoustines that was a bit messy was sweet in flavor I was almost disappointed that they didnt have enough, the calamari to tie the seafood concept and make up for missing that langoustines. Cherry tomatoes adds a nice freshness and cut to the dish and the saffron aioli that was strong but adds a whole ddifferent flavor profile when mixed in to the dish so I recommend tasting it as is and then mixing all the components together towards the end.
Ibérico Pork Shoulder: Gosh, this dish made me regret getting the Paella as much as how amazing the Paella tasted. The pork was cooked to perfection with components that definitely elevated the star of the dish, I want to highlight the Maui Onion Sauce that gave the pork the perfect sweet pairing for its fatty flavor and the Paprika Puree for an extra heat on the dish. It was a fun experience just alternating both flavors mixed with the mushroom and green beans. Definitely a must have if you're going here!
Mont Blanc: Its a somewhat of a dense dish for someone who hasn't tried a Mont Blanc before so I was taken a back by it in a good way, presentation was immaculate, loved the butterfly art, taste have very pronounced hojicha flavor but not too strong which I thought was a very hard thing to pull off. Pairing it with a Tawny was a good decision.
Crema Catlana: very solid with the lemon saffron flavor! If you want something familiar and homey with a solid twist, totally recommend this dessert.
La Natsu: This cocktail was a small hump down on the evening, we thought it was a little weak on the double aged rum and very generous on the apple juice, which when mixed in with a drink that has a good bit of ice in it really kills the flavor of the booze, but it was a good try.
We had one of their August Wine specialties and had better experience with it than the cocktail, it had a hint of acidity that paired really well with the iberico, very unfortunate I didnt note the name, but
Food and service were both incredible. David was very friendly, attentive, and knowledgeable. Great attention to detail; we even saw him visually inspecting wine glasses before they were sent out. We tried 7 food items and every one was great, but standouts were the Iberico pork and chicken liver pâté. Only minor knock is it seemed hotter inside than outside, but not a huge deal. Easily a 5/5 experience. I’ll be back any time I’m in town.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Ysk Htnk
Everything is delicious
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: salmon ブリスケッタ, デザートのモンブランケーキ
Mia Millsap
We came here solely for the Ube Cheescake. WORTH IT!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Don Patterson
Insanely delicious and I highly recommend for a date night or anniversary. The service was great which and the restaurant is beautifully inside and out.
A friend of mine came here with me for their restaurant week menu. We're glad to just order one set and did a la carte for the rest of the order so we could try a lot of things!
Overall the food was pretty good, a mixture of Spanish or just general European / contemporary American fare. The service was friendly and the outdoor patio seating was pretty nice. We had a lovely evening there.
For the restaurant week menu, the appetizer was Molokai shrimp tartare, iberico rioja wine stew with blue cheese, squid ink seafood and chorizo paella, chocolate mousse with lilikoi and mango. I liked all the items. The flavors were good, nothing surprising or wowed me though. The pork was tender and juicy. The chocolate mousse was definitely a safe bet. The paella taste was solid but I think it could do without the sausage because the fennel seeds were overpowering of the seafood flavor in the dish.
We also tried their croquetas de jamon, buñuelos, truffle egg custard pudding, octopus Ala Gallega, and Ube basque cheesecake. (I know we ordered a lot hahaha). I felt like the croquetas and the buñuelos had too much potato and just a bit of ham flavor and butterfish flavor respectively. Nonetheless they were deep fried well and tasty. The truffle egg custard pudding was smooth, delicate and delicious. It's small though - size of an egg for one order so each person should get one. The octopus was decent but I've had better. I like the Ube cheesecake a lot. It's had a good balance of flavor and texture - not too sweet, not too hard or soft, strong Ube flavor. Also the cream was delicious.
With all the food, and some drinks, I thought the price was pretty reasonable for the ambiance and the type of food. It could be a good spot for a date or hanging out with friends.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Seafood Paella, Ube Basque Cheesecake, Truffle Egg Custard Pudding
First visit.
Although the price is high, everything I ate was delicious!
I was so impressed that I could eat pan con tomate in Hawaii.
The sea urchin and crab pasta and smoked salmon were delicious, and the meat pie was also excellent!
I will definitely visit again next time I visit Nice Timing Hawaii.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: salmon ブリスケッタ
Service was great! As well as the food. Best octopus I’ve ever had. Wish the paella had more of a crispy bottom but overall great experience
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Empanada, Octopus Ala Gallega
I took some friends out for dinner here last week since we had all been eager to try this restaurant for a while. The atmosphere was lovely and made us feel like we were stepping out of Waikiki once inside. However, the food and drinks fell short of expectations. The cocktails were unbalanced and disappointing—there are better options elsewhere in Waikiki with similar ambiance and pricing. The food was also underwhelming; most dishes lacked depth and flavor, and many needed more salt. The expensive seafood paella, in particular, had overcooked seafood. The highlight of the meal was the ube cheesecake, which was the best dish of the night. Our server, who was from South America, was attentive, pleasant, and excellent at his job. We really wanted to enjoy this place, but unfortunately, we left feeling dissatisfied.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 2
Service: 4
Terrific taste of Spain in the middle of Waikiki. We loved everything we ordered. Chef Masa’s menu is varied and delicious. From empanadas to cheese platters, salads and mushroom dishes. We are happy we discovered the restaurant and recommend it wholeheartedly. Our server Maddox was kind and helpful. Thanks for a wonderful evening.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Empanada, Smoked Salmon
My wife and I made reservations for a different place which we decided to skip. We found El Cielo by chance. We absolutely liked the food and service. When we are in Honolulu next time we will make sure to visit El Cielo again.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I’ll admit that a i am a little bit picky with Spanish food, so please understand this when reading my review. The TLDR version is that the place is nice, the food was good, and plates are small. See pictures attached.
The good:
Their version of Camarones al ajillo were amazing and by far my favorite in the menu. The Pulpo gallego and the empanadas are also very good and well seasoned. I would be happy to come back for these and some sangrias.
The not as good:
Paella is sadly a controversial topic and its easy to find random folks arguing about the “right” way to make it so i wont bother touching on that. But there is one thing that i think should be universal and its the Socarrat. Its created when some of the rice and seasoning gets caramelized to be bottom of the pan creating a very particular and distinct flavor profile as well as an interesting texture. Mine did not have any and it felt more like rice with stuff inside of it.
Croquetas de jamón were ok. Great texture, color and presentation; but it was missing some of the flavors. It tasted more like potatoes than jamón.
The Uni and crab pasta was not for me. Don’t know if it was good or bad, never had it before so i cant compare it. I guess it depends on if you like uni or not and it seems like my palate does not like uni.
Everything else was fine. Service was very helpful and ready to assist with anything we needed.
Beware that plates are generally small so if you are a person with a big appetite consider ordering several things.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 3
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Shrimp Ajillo, Empanada
Good service. Good food. Nice atmosphere
Drinks were really good ?
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Shrimp Ajillo, Empanada
The truffle mushroom paella is a must try, both creamy and crusty (mixed with the crusty rice). The atmosphere is warm and friendly, with very attentive servers. Highly recommended if you're looking for authentic tapas and Spanish cuisine!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Seafood Paella, Shrimp Ajillo, Octopus Ala Gallega
From the bacon wrapped dates to the meticulously crafted cocktails this place is a hidden gem. Deserves to get much more recognition. I would 100% come again
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Restaurantji Recommends
It was one of our highlights on our Hawaii trip and an absolute hidden gem when it comes to fine dining both in quality of food and service.
Service: We were greeted by David and his attention to detail and knowledge on the menu really got us excited with our food, though it was quite busy, he didn't fail to check in on us with our course and as well as recommend the best on the menu, small but i thought was very crucial was his attention to the quality of the items he brings to the table, down to the wine glass making sure there wasn't a speck on it before handing them out so he is definitely an asset to the restaurant.
Food: The food was excellent in terms of depth and flavor, the servings are very intimate and would say enough for its quality and would definitely get one leaving satisfied by the end of the night. We got:
Truffle Egg Custard Pudding: Was a unique flavor to start with, a bit salty (in a good way) from the yolk and bacon partnered by a white delicate foam that gave the dish a unique experience in both taste and texture. I was glad for this experience but more so impressed by the execution of the dish
Bacon Wrapped Dates: This is a perfect bite of sweet/savory combo and a great starter to whet your appetite, the savory-ness of the bacon followed by a robust flavor of the sweet dates and then a hit of that blue cheese to bring your palate back to savoryland was a rollercoaster of flavor!
Chicken Liver Pâté: As someone that uses liver spread in my cuisine on a daily basis, this dish was smartly done, not sure how they made the pâté as good as this was, it was smooth and very delicate, I usually hate the aftertaste of liver but this special dish made the aftertaste mild that I did not mind it at all!
Negra Paella: This dish was excellent but be prepared to get your hands on those langoustines. The squid ink was pronounced in flavor that it was the perfect base for the dish, langoustines that was a bit messy was sweet in flavor I was almost disappointed that they didnt have enough, the calamari to tie the seafood concept and make up for missing that langoustines. Cherry tomatoes adds a nice freshness and cut to the dish and the saffron aioli that was strong but adds a whole ddifferent flavor profile when mixed in to the dish so I recommend tasting it as is and then mixing all the components together towards the end.
Ibérico Pork Shoulder: Gosh, this dish made me regret getting the Paella as much as how amazing the Paella tasted. The pork was cooked to perfection with components that definitely elevated the star of the dish, I want to highlight the Maui Onion Sauce that gave the pork the perfect sweet pairing for its fatty flavor and the Paprika Puree for an extra heat on the dish. It was a fun experience just alternating both flavors mixed with the mushroom and green beans. Definitely a must have if you're going here!
Mont Blanc: Its a somewhat of a dense dish for someone who hasn't tried a Mont Blanc before so I was taken a back by it in a good way, presentation was immaculate, loved the butterfly art, taste have very pronounced hojicha flavor but not too strong which I thought was a very hard thing to pull off. Pairing it with a Tawny was a good decision.
Crema Catlana: very solid with the lemon saffron flavor! If you want something familiar and homey with a solid twist, totally recommend this dessert.
La Natsu: This cocktail was a small hump down on the evening, we thought it was a little weak on the double aged rum and very generous on the apple juice, which when mixed in with a drink that has a good bit of ice in it really kills the flavor of the booze, but it was a good try.
We had one of their August Wine specialties and had better experience with it than the cocktail, it had a hint of acidity that paired really well with the iberico, very unfortunate I didnt note the name, but
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Mont Blanc, Crema Catalana, Wagyu Steak, Bacon Wrapped Dates
Food and service were both incredible. David was very friendly, attentive, and knowledgeable. Great attention to detail; we even saw him visually inspecting wine glasses before they were sent out. We tried 7 food items and every one was great, but standouts were the Iberico pork and chicken liver pâté. Only minor knock is it seemed hotter inside than outside, but not a huge deal. Easily a 5/5 experience. I’ll be back any time I’m in town.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Everything is delicious
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: salmon ブリスケッタ, デザートのモンブランケーキ
We came here solely for the Ube Cheescake. WORTH IT!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Insanely delicious and I highly recommend for a date night or anniversary. The service was great which and the restaurant is beautifully inside and out.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Seafood Paella, Ube Basque Cheesecake, Bacon Wrapped Dates, Empanada, Rack of Lamb
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