Malama Pono Restaurant — Restaurant in Los Angeles

Ugh, I hate to do this guys but we've had this place on our list for while and finally made it. Mind you, I'm from Hawaii and lots of good local style cooking, so high bar expectations here. First the good. The ambiance and service are great, no question. My girl had the ricotta dumplings and enjoyed them but gives it only 3/5. It was interesting but not mind blowing. She enjoyed the atmosphere more than the food. I wanted a first time taste of as much as possible so ordered the Mix Plate which came with steak, fish, mochiko chicken, spam, rice and Mac salad. Tremendously disappointing. The steak and fish cubed bites was completely flavorless - like not even a hint of salt or anything. I told my girl the meat and fish were like eating water. When a piece of fried spam out does your filet mignon for flavor then oof. I used the small portion of Daikon and carrots on the plate to season each bite but couldn't overcome. For the size pieces neither the steak or fish were tender. But the lack of any flavor was a big let down. The Mochiko was probably the best meat. Nice and crispy on the outside and not greasy. One scoop rice with furikake - that's like fail proof. The Mac salad is a tough one - I have a lifetime of the best family recipes/ tastes to reference but my girl and I both agreed the flavor was "off" with something odd. I did not eat the portion. We looked but did not go for any of the desserts which on paper looked fab. Might give this place one more try for other items but we're kinda meh about the food/price...

I never write reviews, but Malama Pono was so exceptional that I felt compelled to rave. Every aspect of this restaurant was immaculate. The staff was extremely kind and welcoming right from the start, and everything only got better from there. The ambiance was dark but warm, quiet but lively; I can't think of a more comfortable atmosphere.

The service was extraordinary. Every server was kind, attentive, and professional. What really blew me away was how perfectly they timed everything. In our party of 4, two people shared the tasting menu for 2 (5 courses) while the other two people had a starter and entree each; something I have to imagine is difficult to coordinate, yet every dish came out precisely when it was meant to. No one ever felt like they were rushed or needed to slow down. The service was just paced absolutely flawlessly.

The food is what really blew me away. For my palate, this was far from my comfort zone. Almost everything I ate was for the first time, and I'm worried they set the bar impossibly high. Every dish was just divine. The plating was beautiful and inviting, the flavors were outstanding, and everything was cooked to perfection. You could taste the passion that went into every plate.

This place is an absolute 10/10. These people care deeply about their establishment, and it shows in every aspect of the dining experience. My one complaint is that I live 2686 miles from what was likely the best restaurant I have...

Really great experience and tasty arrangements of Pacific inspired plates

The standout for us was the Seared Albacore Carpaccio.....sooooo fresh! The Yuzu is uplifting and bright and the seared fish was perfect. A fantastic start

We also had the Kalua Pork Lettuce Wraps and the Seafood Ricotto Dumplings. Both really quite good. The pork was nice and savory and the fat was rendered perfectly and give so much flavor. And the serving size was awesome....I was so thoroughly satisfied. And the Maple Japanese Mustard is bangin....such a nice addition of tangy.sweet acid to cut the nice salty pork

The Dumplings were delicate and smooth and the bisque/soup they came in was rich but ran deep with flavor

We had the WFT (Warm French Toast) for dessert....also very tasty and different. Homemade Plantain Bread as the base and banana ice cream that's has a super subtle flavor that doesn't overwhelm. It's sweet but not overly

The Staff was welcoming and friendly and the Kitchen was consistent and never slow....a really nice visit

It's perfectly low lit in the restaurant but the pictures are a bit...