Cafe Maharani — Restaurant in Honolulu

Best Indian food in Oahu (possibly all of Hawaii, but I haven't been to all of Hawaii yet). I have been here many times--I try to go at least once every time I come to Oahu. Highlights from this most recent visit:

Food: I had lamb vindaloo -medium spicy. I could have used a touch more spice but I didn't want to overdo it, and I haven't had their vindaloo before. The flavors were divine, and the lamb melted in my mouth, tender and wonderful. Saffron rice: not soggy, not dry, very tasty. Everything I want rice to be. Garlic cheese naan: 15 inches of garlic, cheesy goodness. Perfect for dipping in the curry, picking up moist tender pieces of lamb, or just eating by itself. Family size, I got it for me. It's about the size of a small pizza. (I do have leftovers of everything, I could make 3 meals out of this, maybe four!) Chai: I love their chai. I had multiple cups. I got some to go. Best chai I have had in years. Serving sizes: Good for sharing or leftovers.

Service: Fantastic. Seated quickly (given my choice of open tables), ordered quickly, food came out quick and hot. My water never emptied, I was checked on regularly without being bothered. Everything I needed, I had.

Atmosphere and etcetera: I was alone, and brought a book to read. At first it was quiet, but the noise level did pick up some by the time I left (normal restaurant level, nothing absurd.). They open at 5, don't take reservations, and close at 9. When I left at 6, there was one open table that had just vacated a little before me so it does fill up. Dim lighting--but not too dim. I could still read, but it wasn't super bright. It was a rainy day, so it would likely be brighter if the sun was out. The smell of the food and tandoori oven wafts out over the restaurant in a very enticing manner.

Tips: It's BYOB. So grab a bottle of your favorite wine, or a few of your favorite beers, and bring them with you. They do have wine glasses for you.

Parking: not a lot right there, but there are some lots and garages in the nearby area. This is a mile walk from some of the major hotels (Hilton Hawaiian village / Hale Koa area), so walkable assuming no differently abled situations.

Tables of 5 or more have gratuity added. 15% I think-maybe 18% (I overheard this while I was there).

If they are too busy, or you don't have time to wait, you can order to go, and can order ahead online.

Picture: the garlic cheese naan, and the lamb vindaloo. I forgot to take one of the entire table. Oops.

Verdict: Don't...

I can definitely tell there's a difference... in owners, management, or direction in the kitchen. I started coming to Maharani back in the early 2000's. My order was always the same. Lamb vindaloo medium spicy, saffron rice, and garlic naan. We drove in from the Waianae on a weeknight as we were craving this for a while and hadn't gotten our fix for a while since we moved from town and this was the ONLY place we'd go because we knew it was going to be amazing. We ended up eating across the street in the Long's parking lot on the tailgate of my truck. I ordered DOUBLE of what we usually order for the next day. That's how much we loved this place.

Now that im writing this, I kind of knew something would be different as the doors were open and there were so many open seats when the line is usually out the door at both entrances on any given night and when you walk in the spices used in the kitchen permeate the dining room and check-out area and but immediately punch you in the face when you walk in. When I noticed this wasn't the case, I chucked it up to it being a Thursday night. As I was waiting for my food to be bagged and my check to pay, I peered into the kitchen, hoping to get a whiff of what's going on in the kitchen... maybe they've gotten a better something that'll keep the kitchen smells and spices in the kitchen...? Nope. It smelled of food but not Maharani.

We found the flavor of the vindaloo less bold, watered down and a bit sweet, which I found really odd. The lamb was quite tough when it's usually tender, and there were shards of bone in nearly all pieces eaten, which is never the experience. Overall, it was good but not the level of good we're used to and a completely different rendition of this dish. The portion of rice was a lot smaller and oily. The garlic naan was very dry.

I'm sad to say that now I have to explore elsewhere to get our fix.

Staff was friendly. Unfortunately, their food isn't their normal standard.

I distinctly remember that the leftovers we've eaten the next day would be even better than the day before. This time, it was the complete opposite. I could tell the sauce was sweet with no heat, and the meat was inconsistently seasoned. Some were bland like a par boiled piece of meat with no seasoning at all. It's like the flavors that usually meld together overnight decided they didn't want to be friends...at all.

Thank you, Maharani, for the memories. Unfortunately we won't be back. I wish you a lot of success...

One star added for great friendly service and ambiance. Our server was really friendly and helpful. The naans are huge but thin, and usually naan is thick and fluffy, and there was barely any garlic. We ordered one garlic and one plain naan and I could hardly tell the difference. Portions are really generous so one curry item was more than enough for the two of us. We ordered onion pakora, which I’d been craving all day, papri chaat, and chicken tikka masala along with naan. The papri chaat was good, just a touch too hot (and I’m someone who eats a lot of hot food, so if it was too hot for me I can only imagine how it’s be for someone else with a lower tolerance). Onion pakora smelled and looked great but from the first bite tasted wrong, kinda bready actually, as if instead of using besan they’d used regular flour. I couldn’t even finish one piece even though I’d been craving it all day. The chicken tikka masala was kinda bland, not spicy or sweet, just creamy, and we didn’t enjoy it unfortunately. The chai was good, though they only had enough ingredients to make one. The presentation was also good; it’s a disappointment that the food wasn’t as good as the presentation and portion size. For context, my husband is Pakistani and I’m of Pakistani descent; we make and eat this kind of food regularly, and we currently live in Houston, which is a hub for Indian and Pakistani food. After a few days of craving our native flavors while being in Waikiki, we decided to try Cafe Maharani and were unfortunately disappointed. Between Cafe Maharani and Bombay Palace, unfortunately it appears that guests visiting Waikiki and Honolulu who long for authentic Desi food are at a loss. Additionally, Muslim diners should know that none of the meat is halal, though it is kosher. That was acceptable for us as I cannot currently eat seafood while my husband cannot eat lamb for medical reasons; it may not...