Dash of Sazon — Restaurant in Oʻahu

Disclaimer: We were here on a special occasion: Mother's Day, and they had a different setup than any normal day, so this is a review for that.

My family and I recently visited Dash of Sazon for a special Mother's Day brunch, filled with excitement and anticipation. However, our experience at this restaurant turned out to be quite disappointing. While we appreciated the single-stem rose that was given to us upon arrival, it sadly became the sole highlight of our entire brunch experience. The food, unfortunately, did not live up to our expectations. The empanada we ordered arrived at our table overcooked and burnt, leaving us with a rather unpleasant taste in our mouths.

What was even more disheartening was the incredibly slow service we encountered. Despite being the first customers of the day, it took the restaurant more than an hour after the appetizer course to serve us our waffles for the next course. We couldn't help but wonder how it could possibly take so long to prepare waffles, especially when we were there early because we had another event to attend 2 hours after. It was so bad, the staff were telling people that they'd opened up a space next door for kids to charge their iPads - I mean, is that supposed to make us feel better?

To make matters worse, my son was crying of hunger already and we had to take our waffles to go since we were running out of time (I allocated 1.5hrs for brunch, but apparently that wasn't enough). The disappointing experience was further compounded by the fact that Dash of Sazon charged us a staggering upwards of $150 for burnt empanadas and a delayed brunch that we didn't even get to enjoy properly.

In the end, our Mother's Day brunch at Dash of Sazon fell far short of our expectations. The burnt food, excessively slow service, and exorbitant bill left us feeling unsatisfied and regretful. It's truly unfortunate when a special occasion turns into a disappointment, and we won't be returning to Dash of Sazon...

Alright, so there's this new spot that just popped up in Chinatown Honolulu that y'all gotta check out – it's called Dash of Sazon. I swung by last week, curious and hungry, and boy, did it deliver! First off, the place has this cool, eclectic vibe, blending Chinatown's history with a fresh twist.

Now, onto the good stuff: the food. My taste buds did a full-on happy dance with those Chicken Empanadas. Crispy on the outside, and bursting with flavor on the inside. And if you're in the mood for something a bit richer, you can't skip the Curry Chicken Plate. It's the right mix of spicy and savory, and had me scraping up every last bit.

Oh, and shoutout to the Jamaican Rum Cake. It's got this rich flavor, perfectly moist, and I swear you can taste the love they pour into baking it. Speaking of Jamaican delights, the Jamaican Oxtail and Jerk Chicken were legit. The oxtail was tender and fell off the bone, and that jerk chicken? Spicy, smoky goodness!

They also had this Guava & Cheese Empanada which, if I'm being real, I could probably eat a dozen of. Sweet, tangy guava paired with creamy cheese wrapped in a crispy shell? Yes, please. For those leaning towards a lighter fare, the Jerk Chicken with Kale Salad is a must-try. A perfect blend of spicy chicken with the fresh crunch of kale.

And before I forget, the Puerto Rican Fried Chicken Plate. Man, it was like a trip to San Juan with every bite. Crispy, seasoned to perfection, and had me daydreaming of beach days and salsa music.

In a nutshell, if you're roaming around Chinatown and your stomach's giving you the signal, dash into Dash of Sazon. Trust me, your taste buds...

Overall a 10/10, cannot wait to go back! Customer service was excellent and efficient. The Chicha Morada was a 10/10 and the Parcha Lilikoi Spritzer was a 7.4/10. My oxtail plate was absolutely delicious and fell off the bone, 9.7/10. The Curry Chicken had the perfect kick to it and the chicken was juicy and seasoned to perfection, 9.5/10. The beef and chicken empanadas are the definition of handcrafted perfection 9.8/10. For the desserts, the Tres Leches was hands down a 10/10, Jamaican Rum Cake 8.7/10, and the Guava and Cheese Empanadas 200/10 that flavor combination is unmatched. Parking is available about a block away at a lot, or you can park at the bigger parking garage a block and a half up the street near J Dolans. If your reading this, stop what your doing and get here, i promise you will...