Maile's Thai Bistro — Restaurant in Honolulu

Not really sure why this place is so popular. They have 3 teenage boys running the service for the whole restaurant on a Friday night, but only one of them is a server. We waited a good 20 minutes for a server to even acknowledge us while the other two boys looked bored. There were empty tables so it wasn't exactly super busy.

When the server finally came, he seemed rushed. We order drinks, an appetizer, and dinner. At no time did the server ask us about spice levels or anything, which has been pretty common at EVERY other Thai restaurant I have ever been to. Well, 30 minutes late, our DRINKS, appetizer, AND dinner all came out at once. Again, it wasn't exactly busy and the three boys were seen standing around and talking.

The food tasted okay, but it was SUPER mild and bland for Thai food. Panda Express is spicier than their curry and Pad Thai. This tastes like old haole lady Thai food.

Well the check comes and this place uses every chance they can to add surcharges to everything. They add 3% kitchen surcharge which they call a "tax" on the bill... Which I don't believe is legal. They then add 3% if you pay with a credit card. They say you can avoid 3% if you pay with your "debit", but I don't know who is stupid enough to trust teenage boys with their pin number. It's not like they have a portable POS system to pay.

The bar seemed full and the server seemed to spend extra time with the boomer regulars. Like every other place is Hawaii Kai, the food is a let down, the service is inexperienced, and the place seems to cater to the boomer regulars rather than attracting new customers.

Avoid unless you like non-spicy retirement...

Best Thai restaurant in Honolulu? Let's check the facts as I have experienced them: Amazing food? Yes! Great selection on the menu? Yes! Terrific service? Yes! Amazingly clean and safe environment dining in? Yes! Option for pick up and take out? Yes! Easy parking? Yes! Full bar with hospitable and entertaining bartender? Yes!

Maile's Thai Bistro hits all these points, it really is that good. I'm running out of adjectives to express just how good it is.

After a year of not going into restaurants, my wife and I had an anniversary so we decided we would go to Maile's which we knew was practicing safe covid requirements and then some. While other restaurants were operating at 50% occupancy, they were operating at 30% occupancy for safety. Everything was spotless. The safety measures in place made us feel very safe to eat and be without masks at the table, and it was just awesome to see a few other people in the restaurant also eating and enjoying a great meal together. The service was impeccable, and the food was incredibly flavorful and delicious, not to mention how great the plates looked in their design and presentation. This is a real testament to smaller restaurants with owners who actively are interacting with their customers and have the skill and ability to go above and beyond what we would normally look at as a "great meal".

TLDR; the best Thai Fusion restaurant on Oahu. Super clean, Super safe, exactly what you want for an...

If I could give Maile’s zero stars, I would. I ordered takeout and specifically requested beef loco moco because I do not eat pork. What did I get? Clearly ground pork and chunks of spam. When I called to sort it out, the woman on the phone was not only rude but argued with me, insisting it was beef—even though the meat was white. Last I checked, beef isn’t white. She then told me I’d have to drive back to prove it to her because the kitchen staff claimed it was beef. Are you kidding me? I told her I had kids to put to bed and couldn’t make the trip, but she didn’t care at all.

The worst part? She had zero interest in offering a solution—no refund, no replacement unless I drove all the way back, nothing. The customer service here is an absolute joke. And as for the rest of the food? Disgusting. The curry was a congealed, separated mess that looked like it had been reheated one too many times.

I spent $50 on this garbage, only to be treated like I was the problem for daring to complain. Don’t waste your money here unless you like bad food and even worse service. This place is a shadow of what it used to be, and I will...