Holokai Grill - Honolulu; new tiki restaurant

There is a new tiki restaurant opened this month in Honolulu - the Holokai Grill, owned by the same people who own Tiki's Grill and Bar.

The new restaurant has both a 20-foot outrigger canoe and a 33-foot-long waka (Maori-style) canoe, both carved from a 150-year-old tree slated for removal from Queen Emma's Summer Palace.

http://www.holokaigrill.com/

No word yet on how their drinks are.

Vern

[ Edited by: filslash 2008-09-20 15:15 ]

whew -

Ms.VanTiki, my mom, and I hit the Holokai this morning to take advantage of the free breakfast buffet (if you bring in your current issue of tiki magazine). Neat decor - but sad to say we were very disappointed in the service and food. Not one employee smiled, and the omlette chef was annoyed that we didn't yell to get his attention and told us he is busy so we gotta speak up (this was not a "ha-ha, things are busy folks so make yourself heard" with a smile, it was a gruff statement made wile tooling around the back of the kitchen). We were one of only two tables occupied at 8:30 this morning - so I'm guessing breakfast isn't their strong suit. I felt sad that all effort was placed on decoration, and food and service were ignored. When we presented the Tiki Magazine article/breakfast offer, our waiter said he'd have to clear it with his manager. He took it to a gentleman who we thought was a customer at another table working on a laptop. The gentleman looked up as us (no smile or acknowledgment of our smiles), spoke to the waiter, and returned to his work. I was hoping to meet the manager, talk tiki, etc - but I guess he was too busy. I suppose they are not too worried about repeat business as they cater to tourists - needless to say we won't be back!

I do want to say that our waiter (serge) was very nice - and that we didn't try any drinks (which filslash gave a thums up) as it was a tad too early in the day :)

Oh yes - the photos!

Storefront:

The gang:

Tiki time!

great carvings:

fab interior:

MUST have for my house - amazing carved wood wainscoting:

Great Carved tiki memorial in front of Fort DeRussy Army Museum:

That's very surprising to hear about the food and service you experienced. We didn't go to Holokai Grill (didn't know about it - or maybe it wasn't open yet), but we found Tiki's Grill and Bar (their sister joint) to be quite the opposite. At Tiki's, I was wandering around taking pictures and went into a back dining area that had been sectioned off. There I found the owner sitting at a laptop (his name escapes me at the moment, but I have his card somewhere). He was very gracious and talked tiki with me for a while. Maybe you caught him on a bad day. It was lunchtime, so I didn't try the drinks there, but a glance at the bar told me high quality tropicals probably weren't their focus anyway. But the food we had was good and the decor is done well. I wanted to take the Marquesan poles home with me! And of course the location is spectacular.

[ Edited by: GatorRob 2007-10-09 06:20 ]

On 2007-10-09 06:16, GatorRob wrote:
That's very surprising to hear about the food and service you experienced. We didn't go to Holokai Grill (didn't know about it - or maybe it wasn't open yet), but we found Tiki's Grill and Bar (their sister joint) to be quite the opposite.[ Edited by: GatorRob 2007-10-09 06:20 ]

Yep - we've been to Tiki's also and we had a great time - good food, great service, and neat decor. I was shocked to learn that the Holokai was owned by the same company when we spied the "Tiki's" logo on our drink coasters. I kept telling myself "this is probably just a bad day" at the Holokai - but bad service from the manager, hostess, busser, and both buffet chefs was a tad difficult to overlook. If anyone else heads over for dining I'd love to hear their impressions. Maybe the Holokai isn't cut out for breakfasts.

I do want to say that we had a good time - a trip to Waikiki is always an experience! So much new construction - this was my first glimpse at the completed beachwalk stores. I was excited that I finally had time to drop by the army museum - but it is closed on Mondays! Next time...

Henrik "VanTiki"

I would have to agree with you Vantiki, and even say the same thing about both places. With the dozen or so times I have been to Tiki's, and the one time I have been to Holokai, I have received fairly reliable bad service, about 90% of the time. I don't go to Tiki's anymore because of it.

As for the slowness you saw at the Holokai for breakfast, that seems to be the norm. I think being on the second floor is hurting them. They haven't seemed to be too busy when I go by at anytime of the day. If you look at the Yardhouse right below them, it is always busy and I hear they are killing it, $ wise.

Maybe there will be a Thor tiki bar in Waikiki someday...

On 2007-10-08 14:25, VanTiki wrote:
... take advantage of the free breakfast buffet ...

so you want FREE breakfast + good service ?

...try the salvation-army !

On 2007-10-09 15:04, icebaer69 wrote:

On 2007-10-08 14:25, VanTiki wrote:
... take advantage of the free breakfast buffet ...

so you want FREE breakfast + good service ?

...try the salvation-army !

Zowie! I suppose I should say we paid for 1, got 2 free and tipped as if we paid for 3. We were gonna go for 3 free but I felt too guilty! :)

Next time just go to Duke's.
Better food, better service, better aloha.
Aloha,
:tiki:

Tiki Royale is a very smart man!!!

I just came from there... Duke's has the best bartenders and staff in Waikiki.

I am looking foward to checking this place out in a few weeks!!

Off the topic but....can any of you locals tell me if Buzz's Steakhouse right near there on Saratoga is still there?? I thought I heard it was gone? On our last visit 2 years ago we stayed at the Breakers and enjoyed quite a few meals at Buzz's, both breakfasts and dinners.

I am torn between staying at the Breakers again, or trying the Hawaiiana next door, OR staying somewhere cheaper. The Breakers and The Hawaiiana is an easy walk to everywhere I want to go, well except La Mariana of course...but I WOULD walk there if I had to. :)

[ Edited by: filslash 2008-09-20 20:08 ]

Thanks for the report, Vantiki

That place looks nice, but from your experience I doubt I'll be rushing to check it out. I love good decor (who here doesn't?!!), but the most important factor to getting my business is A Good Time. From what you've said, it doesn't sound like a good time at all. As a frequent traveler to that area, I'll keep my ear to the ground and if it seems the attitude is changing for the better, I'll give it a whirl. Thanks for the update

-Weird Unc

Coupon clippers... where you wearing brown socks with your sandals?

Maybe there will be a Thor tiki bar in Waikiki someday...

HELL YA!!!!!!

I've only been to Tiki's Grill twice, but I had superb service once and ok service the other.
I, too, have to say, if it is a breakfast buffet & free, I wouldn't worry about service.

However, I'm glad Tiki's Grill is still around and so profitable that it can expand.

Remember, the Aloha spirit and leave such mainland perspectives on the mainland.

Whether the meal is free or not, the service should reflect the intent of the restaurant. The restuarant CHOSE to do a promotion and this is done usually to ENCOURAGE repeat business. If--as in this case--the staff was rude during the free meal, that same less-than-the-best atitude will be present in some form for paying customers at other times. Lack of respect and cordiality to customers is an unpardonable sin in the restaurant world. I guess I am unsure which I find more stunningly wrong the attitude of the restuarant or the attitude of some here who are of the mind that the customer was at fault for expecting to be treated properly.

Just put a call to my friend Chef Rammsey ...he'll take care of the f*cking problem!!!!

Mahalo.
We want all Hawaiian tiki establishments to do well.

Maybe reverse the trend of detikifying Hawaii.

I found the Tikis at Holokai amazing and the service very satisfactory on one occasion and overly solicitous on another. Whatever problems existed before have now been fixed.

Even if you don't dine or drink, it is worth stopping by.

[ Edited by: christiki295 2007-11-22 16:28 ]

We were there for a late dinner earlier this month on a Saturday night. The food, the service, and the decor was great! We walked over to the Holokai Grill after a few hours of cocktails and music at the House Without a Key where we had our greatest Hawaiian experience ever, and that was a hard act to follow, but the Holokai was excellent!

On 2007-11-23 09:23, Aloha John wrote:
We were there for a late dinner earlier this month on a Saturday night. The food, the service, and the decor was great! We walked over to the Holokai Grill after a few hours of cocktails and music at the House Without a Key where we had our greatest Hawaiian experience ever, and that was a hard act to follow, but the Holokai was excellent!

Is there a bar scene on a Saturday night?
The Lewers Street development is Waikiki's largest development in 30 years, I was told.

.can any of you locals tell me if Buzz's Steakhouse right near there on Saratoga is still there?? I thought I heard it was gone? On our last visit 2 years ago we enjoyed quite a few meals at Buzz's, both breakfasts and dinners.

You had a treat. and hope you also had a camera. If not, so sad, too bad. It had great decor. thankfully I took vids of it before it met with Donald Trumps iron fist. I mean wrecking balls. Uh, ball.
There still remains Buzz's in Kailua, if ya want the vibe and similar menu. They are/were unrelated.

Christiki- I am not too sure what you mean by "a bar scene"...the place was crowded but we got right in (4 of us). I didn't pay attention to the type of people there, typical Waikiki Beachwalk crowd, I suppose. Probably lots of tourists who said - Well the Yardhouse is good, but I can go there back home, lets try out the place with the tikis... I soaked in the decor, sucked down a cocktail and savored my food. : P And like I said we had just walked over from the House Without A Key where we had 2 rounds of mai tais while enjoying the Jeff Au Hoy Trio and the dancer, so we were coming from "paradise" so the bar was set pretty high. The Holokai definitely doesn't compare to the House Without a Key, but also didn't disappoint.

PrimoDakine- yeah that was confirmed earlier in the post, and we saw it with our own eyes last month. That was a real bummer to lose Buzz's. I DID take many pics inside and out when we were there 2 years ago. I have a Buzz's t-shirt too, that now it's not replaceable I'd better be careful to not wear it out!! We didn't make it over to the other Buzz's. I didn't realize they were unrelated.

I have a Buzz's t-shirt too, that now it's not replaceable I'd better be careful to not wear it out!!

I know the owner. may be able to get a few for myself and maybe ebay too.

[i]On 2007-12-05 13:42, Aloha John wrote:
lets try out the place with the tikis... I soaked in the decor, sucked down a cocktail and savored my food. : P And like I said we had just walked over from the House Without A Key where we had 2 rounds of mai tais while enjoying the Jeff Au Hoy Trio and the dancer, so we were coming from "paradise" so the bar was set pretty high. The Holokai definitely doesn't compare to the House Without a Key, but also didn't disappoint.

Good Review.