Roy's Ko Olina — Restaurant in Oʻahu

Although I have had the pleasure of dining at many incredible restaurants in the past, seldom have I come across a meal as impressive as Roy’s. Even more rarely, have I had the opportunity to dine at such an establishment not once, but twice over the course of my vacation. This review may come across as a disingenuous, but I assure you my words are no exaggeration. The fullest extent of my vocabulary cannot capture even the faintest of enjoyment I felt while dining at Roy’s…but I shall try. As soon as my party was seated, I was put at ease by the elegant yet tasteful atmosphere, matched by the demeanor of the staff. Although Roy’s was confident, it was never boastful, allowing the food to speak for itself.

Firstly, my party was provided with the edamame, it’s sesame oil and chili flavors shining through, readying my tastebuds for what was soon to come. Next, came the appetizers and as soon as the server dropped the Yuzu Chicken Wings on the table, I knew I was in for a treat. Perfectly crispy, these wings were truly some of the best I’ve ever had. The delicately unique flavors of Yuzu complimented the savory wings, forming a symphony of flavors that left me grasping for more.

They say that your eyes are windows into your soul. Well, when the entrees were placed upon the table my eyes became windows into my stomach. Each meal was a stunning display of art, vibrant colors and precise plating inviting me to delight in my food before it had even been consumed. During my first visit, I ordered the Pork Belly Trio, a wonderfully savory assortment of food. This pork belly was bar none, the greatest I have ever had in my life, greeting my tongue with a symphony of flavor. It was perfectly salty, an audible crunch escaping my lips with each bite. The spicy mustard sauce complimented the pork belly perfectly, offering a refreshing slice of acidity to cut through the salt.

During my second visit to Roy’s I ordered the Misoyaki Butterfish, a decision that I made despite my typical aversion to seafood. Now, I do not say this statement lightly but this butterfish may very well be the greatest meal I have ever had the pleasure of consuming. The fish was sweet and savory in all the best ways, offering an authentic taste of Hawaii that I will yearn to taste again for the rest of my existence. The richness of this fish was harnessed by Roy’s to create a dish that rose above the typical conventions of what I expect out of a fine meal.

Lastly, came the Pineapple Upside Down Cake, a dessert that I ordered during both visits. Once again I was met by a dish that was not only delicious but superb in every definition of the word. The cake was perfectly crispy on the outside, giving way to a soft, warm interior that complimented the cold, deep richness of the ice cream. I struggle to describe how incredible this dessert was because words cannot do it justice. Although this dessert had to be ordered 25 minutes ahead, I would have gladly waited another 25 minutes, filled with anticipation during every moment. As my second meal came to a close I nearly wept, for I was aware that every future meal would now struggle to compare to what I just consumed.

If I am ever fortunate enough to meet Roy Yamaguchi I shall personally thank him for improving my life due to this experience. When I am on my death bed, I shall think back to these meals with a wistful smile. If you value food in anyway please do yourself a favor and...

PRO TIPS: before we get to the meal, service, & parking, ROYs has an amazing history. Roy's restaurant is still open in the islands and this is as close as you will get to the original Authentic Roy's Hawaiian experience. This location is on the Ko Olina Golf Course - home of GORGEOUS black swans (kids will enjoy) & the former home of the LPGA Lotte Tournament (incredible views) until 2022. -- HIGHLY RECOMMEND: there are steps next to the club house which give you an aerial view of the course - great for family photos. -- OVERALL: Roy's used to be such a huge brand - over 20 locations at its peak. It was created by founder Roy Yamaguchi who was born in Tokyo, Japan, and spent his childhood visiting his grandparents who owned a tavern in Wailuku, Maui. Eventually Roy sold off to Bloomin' Brands & it all collapsed. Fast. Don't let this scare you from visiting. The locations in Hawai'i & Pebble Beach, CA remain under original Roy ownership so this is about as close to the original Roys authentic experience as you will get. Over the last several years, multiple Roy's locations on the mainland have closed. Of the original 20 locations, only 4 locations remain open: the Hawai'i locations are owned by the Roy family while most of the locations on the mainland are not: one in Arizona, two in California, & one in Florida. -- REVIEW: free parking -- rare in hawaii. Plenty of parking available even with golfers on site. There is a retail gift shop on premises with hours during the day. Ko Olina Roys is located in a resort area with surprisingly very few classy dining locations when compared with the volume of tourists here. SO GET RESERVATIONS. your alternatives if Roy is slammed is monkeypod, Longhi's and Aulani. IDEALLY BOOK YOUR RESERVATION AT LEAST 1-2 WEEKS OUT MINIMUM. -- They do offer a wait list. Even if you are told reservations are full for the evening or lunch, ask to be placed on the wait-list in case of cancellations. ARRIVAL-- We felt so welcomed from our arrival, to being seated to the meal. Wait staff was impressive on their speed of drink refills & overall attentiveness to details. We were celebrating a birthday and they remembered. The Aloha spirit is alive and well at this location. Authentic Roy's is what you are after and it arrives in Ko Olina. Our service is FAST but NOT too fast that you feel rushed. Enough time between courses to relax, but not too much so that we were waiting. -- FOOD REVIEW: Check out the pic of my Hawaiian brisket, corn & cornbread muffin - it's like marinating in a cocoon of glaze ready to give birth to a rainbow of flavors in your mouth. Hawaiian fusion food is out of this world when its done right and Roy's captured this perfect. From locally sourced ingredients to a perfect combination of unique Hawaiian flavors Roy's delivers. Try the sweet edamame. Lots of vegan and vegetarian as well as GLUTEN FREE OPTIONS!!! kids options are well designed so they don't complain. IF YOU DONT KNOW what to order: order the souffle or anything with macadamia nut encrusted. Depending on your tastes, the mixed drinks can be too "syrupy". We were impressed with the beer selection. It was mostly local and not Kona Brewery. Overall the prices are reasonable for a fine dining, authentic Hawaiian experience and this location should be on your dining experience bucket list. Thank you Roy's for making our birthday celebration...

2nd time coming for Aloha hour. Last year's experience was way better. We enjoyed the food options and the best offering here is the Keiki menu for our 11 yr old. This year, things have changed. Seating is outside only. Servers didn't have much sense of urgency. Everything took long, server would walk by and say "I'll be right back with your _" but then they walk off and tend to something else. My wife's Mai Tai took about 10 minutes, my bottled beer on the other hand took 20 minutes. Server mentioned that they would have to grab the beer from inside since their refrigerator outside was broken, but then they went on and did other things before going to grab it. Menu hasn't changed since last year so we were looking forward to enjoying the same dishes. This time, the server pushed the canoe sampler "since we were getting different dishes to share and it would have everything we were wanting to eat".....bad call. Canoe came but with not enough portions compared to the individual dishes. It was a clear upsell for the server since it cost more than the individual dishes combined. We inquired about the Keiki menu for our son and they said "yes, we automatically punch it in for the kids so the quesadilla appetizer is on the way". Our food came but no quesadilla. As we ate, another server politely checked in and said that they were still making the quesadilla but then brought the Keiki menu and asked which entree our son wanted. He chose the short rib. Short ribs arrive 5 minutes later, no quesadilla. Quesadilla arrives halfway through my son's entree. Menu stated that an ice cream sandwich was included as dessert but it was never brought or offered. We appreciate the Aloha hour because of the time difference from the mainland. It allows us to curb our early dinner cravings so we can enjoy a meal later in the night. I don't mind paying for quality and experience, especially at a restaurant with as good a reputation as Roy's. This unfortunately is not on par with the ambience and price point. My beer was comped due to the wait but that's not enough to warrant a return. I'll gladly pay twice the amount at Monkeypod down the street for more attentive service and a...