Theatery — Restaurant in Hawaii

Customer beware: Just take a look at how this place responds to any negative review — dismissive, smug, and full of excuses. That tells you everything you need to know.

Let me set the record straight: I made a confirmed 5:15 reservation. We showed up on time to an empty restaurant and still got benched for 45 minutes while other parties got seated immediately. Then you try to spin it like I was “jumping the line” or “guessing when the show ended”? What?

Newsflash: having a reservation and expecting to be seated around that time isn’t “cutting the line” — it’s how reservations work. If you’re going to overbook and seat based on theater showtimes instead of reservation times, maybe put that on your website.

Also, not everyone wants to kill time at the bar, some of us don’t drink - we made a dinner reservation, not bar plans.

In your own response to reviews you say tables are forfeited if people are 15+ minutes late — yet you expect on-time customers to wait 45 minutes? That’s a bold double standard. Either you honor reservation times, or you don’t. You can’t have it both ways.

And if theater guests were late due to the show, why were they seated before us? Sounds like you’re just making up rules as you go. Pro tip: don’t gaslight customers who call you out — fix your system.

Funny enough, I walked by again on a Saturday night at 6pm — totally empty. Guess the word’s getting out.

Highly suggest you do NOT go here after a play at Aloha Theater. We had reservations and arrived right on time. We were told we would have to wait a few minutes (even though the restaurant was empty when we arrived). We waited over a 1/2 hour while watched all these groups come in and get seated right away. We even asked the hosted why we weren't getting seated - there we plenty of 2 top tables open and we had a reservation we were on exactly on time for. We weren't really given an answer. Even some ladies sitting at the bar started talking with us because they saw what was going on and couldn't believe it either. After 45 minutes we left and went had a great dinner somewhere else. Just be warned - would not recommend going on night the theater is doing anything because they obviously can't handle the flow of people even if you have...

We were excited to try this place. An experienced NYC Chef, an interesting menu, plenty of locals -not too touristy. Our server was a bit behind the curve but the place was not full or busy. We waited a bit for a greeting and to give our drink order. I knew what I wanted when I saw Mai Tai on the menu—it was a Saturday night at sunset! They were out. I tried a vodka drink, that was spilled on me upon delivery. It would’ve been better hospitality if the server had replaced the drink and brought me soda water and a cloth napkin to rub it out of my dress (a red drink). He apologized and brought a paper napkin (disintegrates on fabric). We tried the green bean salad with “crispy rice paper” and a beet salad. The portion size is a bit small for the price. The bean salad had maybe 3 green beans fillet’s in half, red bells, soggy fried rice paper and a dressing that was unpleasantly sweet. In Hawaii I would expect more of a a bounty of their great local produce and flavors. Like a mango ginger chopped salad or more tropical vibe like kale with coconut lime macadamia. I’d like to see the chef integrate more Hawai’i flavors. The flavors felt a little too “winter on the mainland”. Next we had short ribs and yellowtail in a lemongrass taro coconut red curry. The ribs were tender and in a thick gravy, the pomme puree perfect, but the set felt heavy handed for the summer weather. The fish was ok, but the flavors were not as described on the menu. The curry needed to be more bold, with more ginger, lime leaf, more spice, more acid, more herbs. It was a boring sauce which is surprising when you’re surrounded by so much vibrancy of nature. For dessert we tried the mango soup with a lemongrass sorber(?) and fried ginger. This is a fun fine dining classic from back in the day. It was good, altho I’d have added more lime to punch up the soup and the fried ginger could have popped more with a dusting of ginger sugar and more tender young ginger —these were fibrous. Overall this place does stand out on the Big Island as a must try. The interior is very pretty. The patio could use a bit more polishing to match the decor. Service could improve, this place is pricy. And with the Chef’s resume and pedigree, flavors should be...

I have been there twice once for three course Thanksgiving and once for the five course Christmas dinner. The three course Thanksgiving Dinner was amazing! Food was spot on portions were filling service was prompt and price was fair. At $70 a person and a pairing of wine for my main everything was executed well. It was the reason I wanted to book for Christmas which was at $125 a person. The Christmas dinner fell very short as it was clearly more than the back could handle with wait times being an issue we were told we couldn't ask for more bread for our soups, the portions were incredibly small and the Beef wellington was cold for our entire party! I asked again for a wine pairing with my main and it was forgotten. I was left hungry and disappointed at best. I even had a $25 off card that was emailed to me from the business and no one has ever seen it including the manager...odd however they did honor it and took a round of drinks off for their lack luster performance of the night. We did ask for a patio seating to see sunset and did not get one. To think I got an email for another five course meal they were promoting but now at $175 a person I feel as if they are going in a direction that does not sit well to revisit. With portions being small at that price one would expect more. I'm sure they had there hands full but it should not reflect on the customers experience. The ambience is always nice, the staff as well very nice. parking as well accommodating and free. But at these increased prices for events they better consider the flaws, As I am definitely a foodie and don't mind paying for it but please deliver on it. Chicken Roulade maybe should be a couple or three pieces rather than a single scallop sized portion that is more of a tasting than a meal. Id be hard pressed to go again and probably go to Browns Beach house at those prices. I wish them all the luck as I felt like they could have something very special if they put critique into consideration and not take it as any attack..we would love for them to succeed well into the future and not simply burn out from under portioning and...