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Azure Restaurant
Category: Restaurants Seafood Seafood [Edit]
Royal Hawaiian Hotel2259 Kalakaua Ave
Honolulu, HI 96815
Neighborhood: Waikiki
(808) 923-7311
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 5:30 pm - 9 pm
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Valet
- Attire:
- Dressy
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- Paid
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Romantic, Classy
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
123 reviews for Azure Restaurant
Review Highlights
-
"3rd course - Kona Lobster Tail Risotto." In 7 reviews -
"The foie gras was perfectly seared, love." In 12 reviews -
"...Smoked" Petite (2oz) Australian Wagyu Filet & Foie Gras..." In 4 reviews
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123 reviews in English
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Review from Jamie W.
5/22/2012
Every trip we go on needs one really nice dinner. You know the kind. Check out the menu a couple of times ahead of the trip, dress up in something new, have a pre- dinner cocktail at the bar... and enjoy.
Azure does a good job of their seafood tasting. I especially loved the seafood "cappuccino" (bouillabaisse) and the lobster risotto. I will admit that by the final course (butter poached filet) I was kind of over food and had to push myself a little to finish (I have a hard time wasting meat).
$95 INCLUDING wine is a bargain for this menu, which also included a sashimi starter and dessert.
The service was impeccable. We were seated directly on the beach and had quite a bit of the patio to ourselves for most of the meal. With unobstructed views of the ocean and a very full moon, the ambiance was intimate and romantic. All this dissipated of course when a group of loud drunk older women were seated behind us. Thankfully at the tail end of our meal...
Just a side note: the ladies room seemed very, very far from the actual restaurant. Maybe I got lost? I felt like I was gone for quite a while. Sorry hubby.
Would recommend Azure for great seafood and a romantic setting. Will be back! -
Review from Jason K.
Littleton, CO
5/20/2012
For our final dinner during our honeymoon my wife and I chose Azure Restaurant and we could not have been happier.
First of all the ambiance is just great. The decor is Mediterranean in feel and sits right on the beach with a decent size dining room, bar, some outside tables on a lanai, and a few private cabanas. We sat in the dining room and although the restaurant was full with reservations the sound level was relatively low.
Neither my wife or I enjoy wine and in some fine dining establishments we have been made to feel very guilty for not ordering a bottle or doing the recommended wine pairings. That was not the case at Azure. Our waiter recommended doing the pairings and when I declined he was extremely polite about it. I wish I was not surprised at something like that. I opted for the pear martini followed up by a Mai Tai and my wife had a couple of Mai Tais. Both of the drinks were great.
For our meal I had the tasting menu and my wife ordered the lightly seared sushi-grade Ahi tuna and sea scallops. The waiter did a great job of watching where I was at in my 4-course meal and timing my wife's meal to coordinate with my third course. After working in the food industry in a fine dining setting I know how difficult this can be. I enjoyed every course that I had (Ahi tuna sushimi with avocado, something like a seafood bisque, lobster risotto, and butter poached filet) and I would be hard pressed to pick a favorite between them. Out of everything we had I would probably say that the Ahi that my wife had with the port and mustard sauce was the highlight of the evening. The spice combination on the tuna plus the sauce was just a great combination. Plus you just cannot beat how sushi grade tuna just melts in your mouth. The sea scallops were great, but the proportion between tuna and scallops was a little off considering there was a considerable portion of tuna but only two small scallops.
It is a pricey place with our whole meal totaling around $200 but of course we knew that going in.
If we ever visit Honolulu again we will probably make time to return. Maybe even get into one of the beach side cabanas. -
Review from James B.
5/19/2012
The grilled Kona lobster literally melted in my mouth. The tasty Asian pear martini made me forget about dessert instantly. Her Hibachi prawns and Sake steamed Manila clams looked delicious also.
The elegant ambiance of the restaurant and the view of the darkened paradise gave me a strange mixture of both pleasure and sweet sadness. I smiled at my lovely sidekick, who was sipping French topless Mai Tai.
Unfortunately, she wasn't part of my next assignment in Vegas. And probably, we would never see each other again due to strict MI6 protocol or standard operating procedure. But that was just a small price to pay...
As a man on the mission, my mind was already in Vegas in the search of stolen prototype helicopter - that can withstand EMP - from the naval base and what the criminals were intending to do with it... -
Review from Ivy R.
4/26/2012 1 Check-in Here
The trip was winding down and of all the dinner places we went to this was by far the nicest. Nice food, nice ambiance, nicely located in our hotel and nicely kid friendly.
There was a tiny little wait. I was kicked in the back of my leg by a rude wedding party. If they'd spoke English I would have said "kick me all you want you're going to get fat anyway". Sorry, I'm mean sometimes but I use words not physical actions.
We were finally sat and brought the weirdest bread ever. It was like dry leaves. I guess it was a cracker not bread. It came with a good creamy oyster dip too. My son loved the leaf like cracker and I loved both.
I kept it simple with the King crab Chowder. It was simple and flavorful. For a light dinner I picked the perfect option.
My husband had the cold seafood stew. It came with a whole mix of seafood except clams because they were out.
This was by far the fanciest place I've taken my son for dinner, ever. There were two other toddlers there too. Well, if you're in vacation with a toddler I guess you have no choice. It's nice to have places like this for families.
I just wish we came here more nights on this trip.Listed in: Toddler Friendly Eats
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Review from Adam D.
Sacramento, CA
I have to be honest and say We'd never planned on going to Azure, in fact we ended up there by pure circumstances. It turned out to be a wonderful dinning experince.
1st, the outside view is just amazing, its set right on the beach so you'll have the crowds walking by and sometimes people may even walk through the dinig area coming or going to the beach. The manager was very nice as was the wait staff.
Now the food.
The food was equally as nice as the staff. We had the 4 course tasting menu and we ate every bit of it. Azure is a place to put on your list of things to do while in Honolulu. -
Review from Tad A.
Aiea, HI
5/3/2012
The food is great here! Seems like you cant go wrong with anything u order off the menu! Honestly, its really hard to believe any of these bad reviews of this place. Especially the dude complaining about Valet being full. As if thats the restaurants fault, lmao. Smh! Might wanna take that issue up with the hotel, duh!
So anyways, the food here is awesome. The price is high. But i only have a prob with it because of the lack of hearty portions. I had to finish the free lavosh in order to feel satisfied. So please increase the portions. -
Review from Tina T.
Honolulu, HI
5/13/2012
As good as it gets! Ambiance is fab, food is awesome, the waiters impeccable. This is now my favorite restaurant in Hawaii along with Alan Wong. In some ways this place even beats Alan Wongs because it offers a nicer atmosphere and views. The food courses are matched perfectly. The fish was cooked to perfection! I was very impressed! Definitely will be back again!
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Review from Lynvi S.
3/19/2012 1 photo
Azure is absolute bliss, as in PM Dawn's "Set Adrift on a Memory Bliss" blissful. Yes, Azure is as good as a PM Dawn song. This beautiful oceanside restaurant in the Royal Hawaiian Hotel has that old vintage Waikiki hotel feel but with modern touches that gives it an elegant chic vibe. Unlike other loud, fast-paced well-known fine dining restaurants in Honolulu, Azure has a very calm, mellow and relaxing atmosphere that makes it perfect for a romantic or special occasion dinner.
As for the food:
"Kiawe Smoked" Wagyu with Fois Gras - As other reviewers have mentioned, this dish comes out covered in a bowl that is removed table side for a nifty kiawe smoke entertainment show. It also tastes wonderful! The wagyu wasn't super soft and buttery, but it went oh-so-well with the fois gras. Oh, and the sauce was delicious! My boyfriend whacked everything on the plate and used bread to mop up the rest of the sauce. A bit steep at $29, but it's definitely worth trying if you're there. I mean, hey, go big or go home, right?
Herb-Roasted Opah - Oh wow, it was a big fillet and it was cooked perfectly. The herb sauce together with the soft fish was absolute heaven. The Kahuku corn and Hamakua mushrooms side was definitely a winner, but our other side of potatoes with capers was just okay.
As for the Azure tasting menu items:
Azure Sashimi - Yum! The maguro and hamachi were nice and fresh, but I thought the avocado and the ginger vinaigrette were really overpowering and made it difficult to taste the fresh loveliness of the sushi. Don't get me wrong, it was still good, but they could serve the avocado and ginger vinaigrette with crappy cuts of raw fish and it would still taste great.
"Ocean Cappuccino" - So nice and packed with all kinds of seafood goodies! My bf didn't care for it too much because it's on the fishy side, but I liked it. More for me, hehe. There was a dollop of something like mashed potatoes at the bottom, which was a nice surprise.
Kona Lobster Tail Risotto - Ooh, this was really rich and creamy, and the lobster tail was cooked perfectly! This was my bf's favorite dish from the tasting menu.
Butter Poached Fillet of Beef - The beef was so soft and velvety, and everything came together so well with the mushrooms, quail egg, and taro puree, and black truffle sauce. This was my favorite dish from the tasting menu.
Kula Strawberries & Fior di Latte - It's like really milky gelato, and the balsamic & cinnamon fadrizzle sauce is HARRY POTTER MAGIC AMAZING. Gah, just thinking about it makes me happy. Our waiter said the chef made up the term "fadrizzle," and let me tell you, it is fo'shizzle tasty.
We also ordered the Flourless Chocolate Cake (one of Azure's popular desserts), and that was really good too! It actually went really well with the tasting menu gelato dessert.
Service at Azure is simply outstanding. Our server was really knowledgeable with the menu items, gave us fantastic recommendations, and answered all of our questions about the menu items. He was really nice and checked on us with every course to see how we were doing. Not only was our server attentive, but the entire staff was really nice and helpful. We accidently knocked a butter knife off the table and another server immediately picked it up and brought us a new one. Someone's pet dog managed to get into the restaurant and ran into the kitchen (no joke), and the hostesses went in to find the dog and brought it back outside, hehe.
Yeah, so dinner for the two of us at Azure costed as much as a car loan payment, but it was definitely worth it for celebrating a special occasion. I still think Roy's is a better bang for your buck, yet for the price, and I might go to hell for saying this, but I think Azure is better than Alan Wong's. I still love Alan Wong's of course, but the stellar service and spectacular oceanside atmosphere at Azure makes it shine just a little brighter. I think this is my new #1 go-to restaurant when someone else is paying! -
Review from Brandon Y.
Honolulu, HI
I have to kick something out of my top 5 to make room for Azure! I had high expectations with the 4 and a half start average and I was not disappointed. Parking is free with validation in the Sheraton and it's not too far of a walk over, you can walk through the Sheraton. It's ground floor right on the beach. The view is beautiful, go early before the sun goes down. Service is excellent and the staff very familiar with the menu.
The Food:
The Tasting Menu is a great deal. Yes it is a bit pricey at $72 ($95) with the wine pairing, but you get to try all of the good stuff in perfect portions. It doesn't look like much but it adds up to a lot of food. My GF ordered the Tasting Menu and I ordered the Wagyu/Foie Gras and the Opah.
My Favorites:
Kiawe Smoked Wagyu and Foie Gras - Aside from the price tag ($29 for a small apetizer) this dish is awesome. If you're a true foodie you'll want to try this. The flavors are all over the place and they even bring it out to you covered take off the cover to let out all the Kiawe smoke. Chew slowly and enjoy this, make sure you get a little bit of everything in your bite.
Butter Poached Filet of Beef - This was part of the tasting menu. It's a small piece of filet with a quail egg on it. It's similar to the Wagyu and Foie Gras but not nearly as good. Don't get me wrong, it's good but the Wagyu and Foie Gras is just awesome.
Kona Lobster Risotto - Hands down my favorite part of the meal. This was part of the tasting menu. Very rich but so delicious, it's just packed with wonderful flavors. The next time I come i'll be ordering this dish by itself.
Opah - I had the Opah herb crusted and it was really good. The rub that they use has unique flavors and they blend well with the fish. I got Potatoes/Capers and Mushrooms/Corn as sides. I suggest you stay away from the Potatoes/Capers but the Mushroom/Corn was excellent.
Dessert - Flourless Chocolate Cake was good but the Gelato with the Balsamic Cinnamon just blew my mind away. It was awesome when you combined the two.
Solid 5 stars, I can't wait to come back here!Listed in: My Top 5 Dinners
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Review from Uli L.
4/30/2012 1 Check-in Here
We were looking for good local fish and we found the most amazingly prepared Opa (Moonfish) here. It was cooked perfectly and tasted amazing. The menu reads well and cocktails are nicely crafted. It ain't cheap but worthwhile going.
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Review from Brad T.
Elk Grove, CA
5/9/2012 1 Check-in Here
Excellent meal. Manager was super nice. Try and sit in john's section. He is the best waiter I have ever had. Gave great suggestions, generous pours and shared several interesting facts about the hotel and island life. Definitely a place to eat for a high priced meal
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Review from Clarissa M.
Honolulu, HI
5/15/2012 Seated via OpenTable
We had reservations for four at 8:30 on Mother's Day. The wait to get seated at 8:30 was not very prompt but the service and food made up for that wait significantly! Upon being seated in very comfy chairs/love seat we were greeted by Brent. He was very informative and professional throughout our entire evening. The restaurant was out of the Crispy Whole Fish and Rack of Lamb. Brent informed us that we can call ahead of time to reserve such items. Good to know. So our table ordered the following items: the prie fix menu for one, the USDA Prime Rib Eye Steak, the Azure Ocean Risotto, and the Mongchong fish with steamed bok choi and white rice. We started with their complimentary breads (lavosh, olive bread, and wheat bread) with butter that was so delicious and not commonly available to consumers in grocery stores. We also shared the following appetizers: one dozen Oysters on half shell, Ocean Salad, and Kiawe Smoked" Petite (2oz) Australian Wagyu Filet & Foie Gras. When Brent lifted the cover our senses were amused with wonderful smells of the Kiawe Smoke - that dish was titillating!!! Hands down - the rib eye steak was full of nice marble and tender - no tough meat here and prepared so well. Every single meal our mouths devoured was perfectly prepared and the taste truly blew our minds!!! We had to have dessert given the meal experience thus far and we shared the dessert included in the prie fix menu which was some form of ice cream (and it was so damn good), the Hawaiian Vanilla Bean Panacotta and the Azure Cheesecake with Trio of Sauces (three different cheesecakes flavored with waialua chocolate & mac nut, passion fruit & thai chili, kona coffee & baileys). Our night could not end any better for us. We sat with our stuffed and pleased bellies while looking out into the evening sky and moonlight that peered over the ocean. Such a excellent experience that we decided to see Brent again for Father's Day and he assisted us and reserved a dinner time for Father's Day. We are looking forward to seeing Brent and trying the Crispy Whole Fish and Rack of Lamb - which are now reserved given Brent's tips :) Thank you to Brent and Azure for a wonderful and delicious dinner experience at the Royal Hawaiian Hotel. The price of this experience was well worth it!!!
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Review from Jason Y.
Honolulu, HI
3/18/2012
I work at a hotel so I'm aware that hotel restaurants can be hit-or-miss in regards to food and service, especially when staffed by union employees. With that being said, when I was first invited to dine at Azure in the Royal Hawaiian Hotel (for free), I didn't have very high expectations in terms of service. I was familiar with the Surf Room which was the previous incarnation of the restaurant prior to the hotel's multimillion dollar renovation, and wasn't impressed with either the service or the food. It wasn't bad, just "meh..." I was curious about the menu though, as I had heard good things about the newly hired Chef de Cuisine Jon Matsubara, who had made waves in Honolulu's culinary scene during his time as the head chef at Stage Restaurant.
I was wowed by Azure. So much so that I actually returned to eat there on my own dime (actually around 1800 dimes). The hostesses were friendly and pretty, and our waiter was professional and knowledgeable. I enjoyed my rib eye steak. Their interpretation of the classic Caesar salad was creative and tasty. The Sake Steamed Manila Clams were noteworthy for the delicious broth that they were served with. I wish I knew the recipe so I can use it as a soup base for ramen.
This place is pricey, so while I don't plan on being a regular, I will be back someday. I would've given it five stars, but I felt that the menu was still a little sparse. More appetizers and entrees would be nice. -
Review from Claire B.
3/4/2012
Omg!!!! This place is soooo romantic, memorable, picturesque, unbelievable, and delicious!!!
Take your loved ones here for the experience of high end dining, breath taking views of Waikiki Beach, and quite the service excellence money can buy! Contemporary lush decor, very clean, beautiful fresh floral arrangements, warm welcoming, and just excellent catering to all guests! The evening ambiance is to die for. The lighting makes the mood romantic and intimate. Attire is from casual or dress to impress.
10 stars for amenities, service, food, location, and views. -
Review from Sara P.
Aiea, HI
3/30/2012
Occassion: Anniversary
PROs:
- Great service
- Nice ambiance
- Excellent food
- Generous pours for wine pairings
- Great view
CONs:
- Touristy - there's a bar right outside the restaurant
Food:
- Sampler menu w/ wine paring
- Onaga (Chef's preparation)
- Cheesecake -
Review from Tai L.
3/4/2012
Happy birthday to me! I would have been totally content having pizza at home for my birthday dinner, but this was an unexpected and delightful treat.
Had the tasting menu:
Hamachi and ahi sashimi with avocado and ginger sauce
Salad (this usually is the crab dish, but I'm allergic to crab, so they let me have a salad)
Lobster tail and risotto
Butter poached fillet of beef
Latte gelato
With wine pairings - a rose, riesling and a red wine that I don't recall (they were out of merlot)
The hamachi and ahi were the best I've ever had. So tender and delicious! The salad was a salad - nothing amazing but not bad. Lobster tail and risotto were delicious. Wish the tail had been bigger! Beef tasted great - small portion, only a few bites. Came with a small quail egg on top.
My boyfriend had the raw bar dish and wagyu beef with fois gras. He enjoyed both but the 2 oz. of beef was too small. We'd probably order the larger beef plate if we went back again. For dessert, he had the cheesecake trio - chocolate, coffee, and lemon with thai chili sauce. The lemon was the best! Delicious.
Overall, a great experience. The service was good, but not stellar like you would get at Le Bistro. Service is just a notch below. -
Review from Uh N.
Los Angeles, CA
4/24/2012 Seated via OpenTable
Had their tasting menu paired with wine. Food, service, wine, everything was really good. Only criticism I have is, the food was salty but I think that goes for all Hawaiian food.
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Review from Erika W.
2/27/2012
I was a little worried about this place at first due to the $$$$ Yelp price range, but a friend highly recommended Azure so we thought we'd give it a go. I am SO glad that we did!
First off, I don't know about that four dollar price rating...I might give it three instead. My boyfriend and I each ordered the five course tasting menu with five wine pairings. Our total bill was just under $200, which I thought was a pretty great deal considering that our meals included lobster, fresh ahi, filet and about three full glasses of (exceptional) wine each, not to mention the fact that I could barely waddle home afterward!
Each course was beautifully presented and truly delightful. Service was impeccable (shout out to our server, Keiko!). And, let's not forget that ocean view. Azure was truly a special experience that I will remember for years to come! -
Review from Chris Y.
3/11/2012 1 Check-in Here
I came here for dinner tonight and was extremely disappointing. Everything from the moment we arrived was off to a bad start.
First the valet parking was full. This is ridiculous because they had lots of spaces reserved when I drove up to the Sheraton parking structure. It's quite a walk from the Sheraton parking garage, not to mention all the crazy drivers and buses in that area. For a hotel to claim that they are one of the World's Best (Travel & Leisure Magazine) and not have valet parking is just crazy. Never have I experienced this at a hotel of this caliber. When I spoke to the manager about this, he had a pretty arrogant attitude about the whole thing. He said he would look into it but never came back to tell me why the parking was an issue this evening. Inexcusable.
I put the parking issue aside and told myself I will not let the parking incident cloud my review of the food.
Unfortunately, it was continued disappointment. I order the Ocean Salad. The greens were very wet and in turn the dressing didn't adhere well to the greens. The scallops in the salad were overcooked and chewy. The lobster and shrimp were cooked well. I also order the hibachi shrimp. The darn shrimp were cooked to the point where there was a lot of burnt black stuff. Surprisingly, it was not overcooked, but it was not visually appetizing to say the least.
The disappointment continues with the main courses. My sister order the risotto and it was sour! It tasted like the white wine that was used in the risotto wasn't cooked down. We order two of these for the table and interestingly, the other wasn't as sour. Still sour, but not as bad. It tasted like bad baby food...
I came to this place based on the glowing recommendations I read here...I just can't recommend anyone spending their hard earned money coming to a place inadequately prepared (the valet) and sub-par food. -
Review from Dave F.
3/10/2012 1 Check-in Here
Incredible fresh seafood and excellent service! We spent over $100 per person for what was a fine culinary experience. The wine list is awesome and the recently added Bergstrom Pinot Noir from Oregon went very well with excellent seafood.
We had 2 of the raw seafood samplers, salads and the Pier 38 fresh fish with the high heat preparation. Note, the Prixe Fixe option @ $85/pp may be less expensive, but it was the "HMO plan" of this dining experience. (eg skip it!)
Ambiance: Quiet and elegant
Service: Impeccable
Food: Top notch, would compete with NY/LA's finest -
Review from Tamra P.
4/2/2012 1 Check-in Here
After 3 long weeks of being apart, my husband and I decided to celebrate our reunion with a fabulous date night. We have been wanting to try Azure for some time now after hearing about it from Russ M and other friends and called (at the last minute, of course) Saturday night for reservations. This is not one of those places you want to do that, unless you are OK with eating late. Earliest available was 8:30p.
My husband, never one to take no for an answer, decided we should walk in and try our luck. We scored seats at the bar which made for a fun, interactive experience with the bartender, Heidi. Although the price of the tasting menu has increased ($72/person, $92 including a wine pairing), I totally recommend it! There are 4 courses plus a dessert, paired with 3 wines. The first sashimi course was delightful. The second course of bouillabaisse was full of thick, meaty chunks of crab and shrimp. Lobster tail risotto was the amazing third course, followed by a butter poached beef fillet. All these were deliciously indulgent, savory bits of heaven. But nothing topped the decadent Kula Strawberries & Fior Di Latte dessert. Creme fraiche ice cream.....absolutely amazeballs. I still dream of that to this day. Seriously, there is no ice cream that comes close to this velvety party in your mouth. We nearly licked every plate clean.
I would never normally order a rose or a riesling however the parings along with the Vita Nova Merlot perfectly complemented the dishes. Service was wonderfully attentive and we enjoyed sitting at the bar.
We can't wait till our next experience here! If you have a special occasion, you might want to look into the oceanside cabanas - I heard they are $150 per person and must be reserved. They have little curtains where you can close off your table and have it semi private - great if you are proposing, or have a special, intimate affair. I'm sure the sunset view is fabulous. -
Review from Toni M.
1/11/2012
Azure has been on my list for awhile. I was excited. It's always highly rated. Great location inside the Royal Hawaiian. Well trained chef. Quality, fresh ingredients. And...it was really nothing special.
I could go through the events of the night but it would be lengthy...there were some definite miscues that I wouldn't expect in a high caliber restaurant. I will focus, instead, on the food. We had the foie gras appetizer, fresh opakapaka and lamb chops. The appetizer was a work of art, served in a smoke filled container. It was good, nice flavors and high quality. The opakapaka was meh. It was disappointing in a restaurant known for it's seafood/preparations. The lamb was the high point of the evening. Large portion, well seasoned, succulent. Not often found in that combination on the island.
IMHO, Azure didn't live up to the hype. And, it was very pricey (both food and beverage) Unfortunately, I won't be going back. There are so many choices for fine dining in Honolulu that there's no reason to go back to mediocrity. -
Review from Lai T.
1/20/2012
Do Yelp reviews ever expire? The reason I ask is because we dined here about two years ago to celebrate my bf's birthday and I never got a chance to finish my review...but it was such a delightful restaurant that I felt inclined to finish what I had started.
Azure was the first real fine dining experience that I had and it set the bar pretty high for all other venues. We opted to have the tasting menu and while I cannot remember each individual dish (I believe it was the same one that Emi H. reviewed)-I do remember thinking, this guy has lasting potential...he has good taste in food! Yes, the food was THAT good. So even though I picked up the tab for the meal, the bf earned some extra brownie points for suggesting a credible restaurant.
The ambiance in the restaurant has the potential to be romantic, depending on where you are sat. We were seated in the middle of the dining room floor so there weren't too many sweet nothings murmured across the table :p Our server knew the menu well as was very accommodating. He graciously packed up two of the courses for us so that we could get to our dessert because we were already getting full. When we dug into our left overs the next day, it was a sweet reminder if the beautiful meal we had shared the night before :)
All in all, a perfect place to share a good meal with a special person ;) The only downside for me was where we sat, so I'd suggest asking them for a table off to the side if you're making reservations and wanting some privacy. -
Review from Anja j.
San Diego, CA
1/15/2012
Azure in the 'Pink Hotel' (the Royal Hawaiian) on Oahu - this was the best dinner of my life!
A night before we had drinks outside, at the bar of the 'Pink Hotel' and saw this beautiful restaurant. The design inside is really amazing. The next night we went to have dinner there. We were seated right next to the big windows - probably the best spot in the place because you get all the views of the ocean but you still sit inside so you can take in the beautiful ambiance, the decorations, light, and music.
We had their tasting menu with wine pairing. It was awesome. It started out with the best soup I ever had, the "Ocean Cappuccino" - a seafood and lobster bisque with some coconut milk. (The next day I went back and asked the chef for the recipe ...). Followed by a salad and and amazing filet mignon. The wine pairings were a lot of fun for me since I love to try new wines with food.
Our waiter was great - he answered all kinds of questions about the food and the wine pairings. I'm not sure how many other tables he had, but it felt like he was only there for us.
This was the best night of my Hawaii vacation - I can't wait to go back to the Royal Hawaiian and the Azure Restaurant. -
Review from Jon A.
Honolulu, HI
2/15/2012
For special occasions, take your love ones to Azure! It sits on Waikiki Beach overlooking Diamond Head. Perfect for watching the sunset and sipping on fine wine. The service is flawless and the food is amazing. just fabulous is what describes it!
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Review from Amanda B.
10/8/2011 4 photos
*********************** 697 **************************
Azure located inside the PINK hotel - Royal Hawaiian Hotel, prime location of Waikiki Beach. Azure offers a beach front view, romantic, beautiful, and always good service.
Azure chef hand picked his seafood, fresh catch daily, all local ingredients, and more. Menu changes daily and seasonal. So each time I come back, always some new dishes.
- Ocean Salad - kona lobster, prawns, big island abalone, scallop, dungeness crab, octopus, tobiko caviar, avocado, tarragon & buttermilk dressing - this was refreshing, light, and perfect for a beautiful night. You can't get any better seafood salad than this!
- Alaskan King Crab Chowder - kahuku corn, bacon, baby leeks - creamy, big chunk of crab meats, delish for even bread dipping.
- "Kiawe Smoked" Petite (2oz) Australian Wagyu Filet & Foie Gras - sauce supreme, black truffle & maderia - decadent dish, so reasonable in price. The foie gras was perfectly seared, love.
- USDA Prime Rib eye Steak - creamed kahuku sweet corn & hamakua mushrooms, crispy shallots, sauce bordelaise - this is a large plate, meant to share, feed enough for two people with this cut.
- Grilled Kona Lobster with Chermoula Butter and Lemon - sweet kahuku corn & hamakua mushrooms, crushed yukon potato - just simply perfect.
Now that Oahu is our second home. I feel as I'm a local here and most of the restos in Waikiki Beach! Love this place, reasonable price compare to a few other higher end restos around here. Good wine list as well!Listed in: Hawaii Love
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Review from Eric T.
12/13/2011
Holy Smokes! Yes thats what i exclaimed when i seen the foie gras and filet under a smoke filled glass. It was completely awesome appetizer. It is definitely worth the expense.
Restaurant Week was an excellent time to try some new places especially because it helps out KCC culinary program. Good Stuff and good on Azure. They did a great dinner course with a good wine pairings. The special Prix Fixe Menu:
Ocean Cappuccino:
Dungeness Crab & Shrimp, Dashi Crema
Choice of one Appetizer
Smoked Peterson Farms Egg
Grilled Smoked Bacon, Maui Fern Shoots, Frisee, Pipikaula Garlic Crumbs, Soy Sherry Vinaigrette
Or
Grilled Octopus with Garlic Pistou
Bulgar Wheat, Ho Farms Tomato, Nalo Baby Rocket, Marcona Almonds
Choice of one entrée
"Black Magic" Spiced Hawaiian Ahi
Sake Braised Spinach, English Mustard & Port Wine Beurre Rouge
Or
Kuahiwi Ranch Braised Short Ribs
Kahuku Corn Polenta, Alii King Mushrooms, Sauce Bordelaise
Dessert
El Diablo Choco-Late Cake & Passion Sorbetto
Cabernet Wine Reduction
Ocean Cappuccino: At first i thought that this hit me pretty terribly. It started of very fishy. But after a few spoons this was just insanely tasty with no fishyness. This really set a very high expectation and grand entrance we should say ;D
The app: Hands down the Smoked bacon salad was just awesome! Loved every yolky moment of it! My friend had the grilled Octopus salad and i was unimpressed though the preparation was definitely down well.
entree': at first i felt like i wanted to try everything on the menu so when my friend wanted the Braised Short Ribs i opted for the Spiced Ahi. Wow I made the right choice... It wasnt even close, with the wine pairing the difference was just night and day. The rest of the party who did order the Short Ribs were definitely disappointed. And frankly after tasting it, it was just bland. Sad since i really love beef. The excellent was that this ahi was masterfully done. +++excellent!
Dessert: spicy but not hot (cayenne heat lingering slow burn)... Okay but not something i was gonna rave about.
Restaurant Week Prix Fixe: Good Job 4 - 4.7 stars depending on what you got.
Service: 5stars+++ Top Notch! Our server went the extra mile to get us a complete list of vodka's available from the available stock at several of the adjacent bars next to the restaurant.
Taste: 4stars for the Restaurant Week Menu
5stars for the Foie Gras n filet app
Ambiance: 4-5stars. The decor and vibe was very posh... nicely done!
I wanna come here again for there regular menu. Just fantastico! -
Review from John J.
Santa Ana, CA
Updated - 2/26/2012 1 Check-in Here
This is a beautifiulll restaurant in a Waikiki landmark the Royal Hawaiaan. I visit restaurants seversl times a week. Some better than others. Azure has a fantastic location right on the beach. The fact of the location makes it all the more rated. I read the reviews and agree it is good but there many other choices much better than here. It is expensive but you are not paying for the view not the food. Service is good but you know they are all business here. For view 4 star for food 2 star so overall 3 star is appropriate in my opinion
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Review from Brett G.
San Francisco, CA
3/12/2012 1 Check-in Here
Should be a minus one star...horrendous! Food is disgusting and the Samoan waiter on the porch is an idiot. Serving crappy food at high.prices just cuz you can is bad business Starwood..shame on you.
Gordon Ramsey...they need you!!!!!!! -
Review from Anita S.
Berkeley, CA
10/24/2011
This place is really good. And I think I know, because when I came here, I ate A LOT of food.
Not only did I eat everything I ordered, but I mooched off my mother as well.
I absolutely recommend their tasting menu. For such an upscale place, they were surprisingly and pleasantly accommodating when my father said he would like the tasting menu, but couldn't have one course because he doesn't eat beef. Our waiter not only offered to switch this course for the Mahi Mahi, but even proactively offered to switch the dessert (ice cream) if my father didn't eat cow's milk.
Even apart from the amazing service, my seafood was delicious. The sides (asparagus and mashed potatoes) were only average, which is what is holding this review back a star, but EVERYTHING on the tasting menu was incredible. Especially the beef. Oh so tender and perfectly cooked, it was so smooth I couldn't tell the texture of the beef from the texture of the uncooked egg yolk it was topped with. (don't judge, it was a delicious combination).
I would definitely come back here, and instead of trying to make my own choices again, surrender to the tasting menu (with wine pairings!) for 90$ it's actually an amazing deal. A dinner like this would cost much more in San Francisco. -
Review from Ren M.
Mililani, HI
3/7/2012
Dined at Azure last night and ordered the five-course prixe fixe. Overall it was okay but not sure if it was worth the price.
-Pros: First and second courses were definitely the highlights of the meal. The first course was a avocado wrapped in sashimi which was absolutely delicious. The second course was this lobster/shrimp cappuccino which was full of flavor and light.
-Cons: The third and fourth courses could definitely use improvement. The third course was a lobster with risotto. The risotto was extremely cheesy to the point where I couldn't eat it alone. The fourth course was a filet mignon. The sauce was tasty and flavorful but the filet was very tough and ended up chewing for a while to get it down. -
Review from Kalani C.
Came here for dinner with no special occasion in mind other than we just wanted great food with a spectacular view.
Hostess Kelly arranged a table in the patio area. Always personable and full of aloha. Mahalo Kelly, you're the best!
We were immediately greeted by name by our very competent and efficient waiter (sorry, I forgot YOUR name!) He made reference to the prix fixe menu, entitled "Summer Seafood Celebration". The four course menu with dessert looked amazing and chock full of fish, perfect!
The first course was: Sashimi of Nairagi; Avocado Salad, Heirloom Radish in a Kaffir Lime Soy Vinaigrette. I could have easily thrown in the towel and lingered here all night. The fish was beautifully cut and super fresh. The vinaigrette was light and complimentary with nice Kaffir zing. Simply mind blowing!: 5 stars! This was paired perfectly with the delicious Crios Rose of Malbec.
Second course: "Black Magic" Monchong & Grilled Garlic Prawn with Hamakua Springs tabbouleh, tomato, cucumber in a Pickled Ginger Sesame Sauce. A nice balanced heat. The Monchong was lightly charred, allowing a light crustiness to contrast with the delicate texture: 5 stars! This was served with the Luli Chardonnay from Santa Lucia.
Third course: Roasted Opah & Kona Lobster Tail with Anchovy butter; and a salad of Heirloom Tomato, Fresh Mozzarella and Nalo Farms' Baby Rocket in a Jerez Sherry vinaigrette: 5 stars! The Opah was a nice substantiation from the lighter Monchong. The Kona lobster was brilliantly based in the savory anchovy butter that prevailed more like a pesto.
Intermezzo: This is Azure's signature sorbet (or similar?) with Pop Rocks to cleanse the palate. I liked how the server described it, as a "flashback". Always fanciful and a nice touch.
Fourth course: Hawaiian Swordfish "Sous Vide" in Duck Fat in a Port Wine & Kalamata Olive Sauce; with Hamakua Tomato Tartare. Fish in duck fat? That's gotta be our first. Again, another stellar dish that excited all senses: 5 stars! The small dots of "green" reduction were a bit peculiar and somewhat overwhelming and bitter, but in an intriguing way. This was paired with the Belle Glos Meiomi Pinot Noir from California. A woman we once met during our travels in Chile said, "When I want to have fish and I don't want to have white, I chose a Pinot and you can't go wrong." She was so fantastically right!
The next course is what I would call, course 4.5: Compliments of the Chef. We were brought a beautifully prepared dish of Seared Ahi and mushrooms encased in a cured meat, all surrounded by two reduction sauces: 5 stars! A priceless piece of food art that I momentarily hesitated to disturb. The fish tasted more substantial, almost like a steak with the sauce contributing to the dishes depth & complexity. Mahalo to manager Mike for prompting this divine dish! Thank you for your graciousness!
Dessert course: Mango Sorbet & Pineapple Creme Fraiche Gelato. Brilliant and a refreshing combination to end our outrageous Summer Seafood Celebration. The mango was bright and authentic, while the creme fraiche gelato's creaminess paired excellently with the sugar of the pineapple, how ingenious!: 5 stars!
Dessert, part deux: Again, a complimentary dish. This time a carmelized banna split with toasted coconut drenched in a dreamy caramel sauce! Azure was working me hard and I had to check myself for any signs of yelp on my forehead or maybe some sticker plastered on my chest. This final gesture (Mike, you outdid yourself! You are too kind!) is were I triumphantly stood up and flashed my 5 star paddle! Whoo hooo!! All aboard the Hot Tamale Express!!
Yes! Totally amazing and deserving! Bar far, among the top five restaurants, not just on O'ahu, we have ever had the pleasure of dinning. Magical experiences where everything, all senses, come together and align in some cosmic balance. A sign that you are exactly where you should be. Mahalo Azure, you rein supreme!
#Yelp365: 001/365Listed in: Yelp 365, Hawai'i 5-Star…, ROTD Winners
3 Previous Reviews: Show all »
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4/5/2011
Again, another stellar dinner had at Azure! The food is top notch and I must emphasize that their… Read more »
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Review from Ha N.
10/3/2011
True conversation:
ME: (ordering) .... wagyu beef with foie gras
SERVER: excellent choice.
BF: swordfish cooked in duck fat (something or other)
SERVER: ...
That was a foreshadowing that I chose to ignore because we were at a fancy restaurant for our two-yr anni.
I had the 5 course tasting menu and I failed to like anything.
Except the wagyu beef. That was the bomb dot com. Very worth the $20 something bucks. I'd go there and order 5 of those and force it all down (oh, I am definitely taking the saturated fats into consideration, please believe) than eat what I ate.
My BF's swordfish dish was reminiscent of the after taste of just having puked after a long crazy night out.
C'mon, I would NOT mistake this; I KNOW what a hangover tastes like and my BF had to consume it. I found that extremely hilarious in that someone could recreate what I consider one of the worst tastes in the world that anyone could ever experience. I would've helped him, but hey we've been together for two years now and I don't gots to prove NOTHING!
Please, try this place. The meat is good; I don't think one could make that reminiscent of puke. Oh, I ran home to my cousin (who loves this place), mentioning that I ordered the swordfish. Before I could even comment about how it tasted, she beat me to it ---- "WHY WOULD YOU ORDER THE SWORDFISH?!" she basically shrieked.
Why they made it ORDERABLE (I know it's not a real word) is my question.. and dare spruce up the description with something as misleading as duck fat!
Funny experience, I must say. An expensive mistake, too. Did I mention their women's restroom is as far as walking from one end of the restaurant to the other about 3 times? Ridiculous.
The only good thing about this place is the validation they stamped on our valet ticket. No validation means $30 something valet parking fee! Thanks guys!
P.S. I find the checking ID part very tacky. VERY. Who would want to embarrass themselves? It's like me using a White man's credit card for a $5 purchase -- it's totally not worth the blow. -
Review from Chris B.
Newport Beach, CA
1/23/2012 1 Check-in Here
Royal Hawaiian Hotel.. right on the beach, great romantic ambiance and exceptional service. Lots of menu variety... second time here and I'd return!
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Review from T C.
San Francisco, CA
9/26/2011
This place got everything right! We were here for a wedding rehearsal dinner, so the menu was all pre-planned out. However, my friends had forgotten to notify the restaurant that I am a vegetarian. Even though I told Richard, our waiter, at the last minute, he did not hesitate and said that it would be no problem.
The prearranged meal was a five course menu with wine pairings. The chef went out of his way to make items that would still go with the wines that were paired with the other non-vegetarian dishes; and the dishes were GREAT! Very creative and unique, great presentation, and super friendly service.
I would recommend this place when looking for a nice dinner right on the waterfront. -
Review from Clifford L.
San Francisco, CA
Updated - 4/23/2011
Resplendently recommended just now to the L sisters!
[and if you're nice, the lady dancing hula at the Mai Tai Bar will ask you to join her in a number with her Hawine band! She is much Ms. Aloha]Listed in: The Places I Go Out
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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6/14/2010
Aloha
This place is an 10-star in my book! -TOTAL no-braner excellence, categorically: Inna… Read more »
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Review from Doug W.
St Paul, MN
3/9/2012
Fantastic!!!! Can't say enough good things about this place. The food is always fantastic - even the simple things like spaghetti and meatballs (which I don't think I've had their equal, by the way). The service has always been good every time we've been there. Call ahead for a reservation or just call before walking over there to get on the wait list - either way seems to work very well. The pizza is fantastic! The pasta has always been done perfectly - just a bit firm. It is a small place and you are a bit elbow to elbow, but it is also part of the fun to strike up a conversation with our neighbors while waiting or eating.
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Review from Lisa L.
Honolulu, HI
6/17/2011
I came here for dinner with some friends, and I have to say, the service is pretty excellent. Very attentive, polite, and gave some pretty good recommendations.
I had the rib eye steak with fois gras, and it was mouthwatering. Our table was outside, so we had a great view of the ocean, and i think that there were fans or something because it was not too hot.
for the most part I am not a huge fan of the fine dining restaurants in Hawaii, because they are usually disappointing, but Azure was Yumm-o -
Review from Thuy M.
Burlingame, CA
Azure encompasses fine dining, exquisitely charming fresh dishes, exceptional service with a fantastic view of the Pacific. The restaurant is attached to the Royal Hawaiian Resort and is utterly spacious with seating available inside and outside, it's airy, wildly spread out and has extreme class-- a very different atmosphere than your laid back chattery tables-too-close Dukes.
LIke its hotel, Azure is feminine and is decoratively breathtaking. There was a wedding party outside under the cabana close to us and though it were a large group, it didn't' bother us any because the tables are so far away from each other, it was fun watching the wedding party take pictures in their dresses, the bride looked really happy, ah, love. This restaurant has a carefree but mind-your-manners sort of feel. The servers are so on point, ALL the time, they'll place the clothe on your lap may you procrastinate, keep your glasses filled, ask if you'd like this and that without being overly interruptive.
Our group had reservations outside, to the very right, closest to the beach, any table outside is a sure bet to have a great view of the ocean. All of us but one selected the Summer Prix Fix menu. See the snapshot of the menu in my photos- I don't want to bore you to death describing every dish I ate. Each dish was colorfully flawless and each tasted amaaaaaazing. The sashimi and lobster were my two standouts. The odd man out who went against the grain really loved his lobster entree and sashimi. Can the food get any better? Probably not. This is world class, you've become one of my favorite restaurants on the island.Listed in: Best Eats / Nightclubs /…
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Review from Janet I.
Honolulu, HI
First off, let me just say that the food is definitely 5 stars. I really didn't want to dock a star, but the service was that bad.
When I say that bad, I mean the server didn't refill our water until after my BF's glass was empty for so long that he couldn't take it any longer and had to drink out of mine. I'd say it was completely empty (not even ice) for at least 30 minutes (not exaggerating). What else? We reserved the cabana area and you have to get a prix fixe menu when doing so which I didn't mind. I get to try a lil bit of everything... Why not? Price is $120 per person, $150 with wine pairings. I went with the wine pairings of course. Well, our server didn't pour my wine for the fifth course. It just so happened to be the cheese course. You want some cheese with that wine? NO, but I want some wine with my cheese... ESPECIALLY SINCE I PAID FOR IT! Naturally, I kindly asked for my wine that I didn't receive. Strike 2 buddy!
Let's talk about the food. Chef Jon Matsubara really showcases his talents here. His food was pretty good at Stage, but he definitely takes it to another level at Azure. His food is delicate and creative, and down right delicious.
Our tasting menu -
Amuse Bouche - Smoked Tako on Avocado Salad
1st - Torched Australian Wagyu Beef
2nd - Roasted Kona Lobster
3rd - Potato Scaled Hawaiian Moi & Kona Abalone
"Intergalactic" - Hibiscus & Tahitian Lime Sorbet
4th - Butter Poached Tenderloin of Beef and Fois Gras
5th - Cheese Platter with the daily selection of hard, medium and soft cheese. It was Gouda, Blue Cheese, and Brie. Sounds too simple? That's how the waiter explained it. It was still delicious though. Too bad my BF ate most of it. I refused to eat any until I got my wine pairing for it and by that time, it was more than half gone.
6th - Dessert was Maracaibo "Grand Cru" chocolate served with dolce de leche gelato.
As I said earlier, the food was absolutely divine. My favorite was the butter poached beef tenderloin with fois gras. That was pure heaven. My least favorite was the dessert.
The server didn't speak clearly so it was difficult to understand him and I began to wonder if he wasn't speaking clearly because he didn't know the names and ingredients of the courses. I guess he wasn't listening in their pre-shift meeting. What was that? Did you say that was saffron in the sauce or did you say tarragon? Why did you say mahi when it says moi? Am I being jipped here? Sturrrrike 3!
Here's a tip - I reserved the cabana because I wanted privacy. Thought it'd be more romantic you know because it was our anniversary and all. Totally not worth it. It's closer to the beach than the indoor seating, but you may as well just request to sit outdoors without having to order the prix fixe menu. I had to ask the server to put the curtains down, and when he did, he only put the rear curtain down. What about the sides? If the curtains (which act like the walls of your "private cabana") are not down, you're just sitting outdoors under a glorious tent with curtains tied up...Basically an outdoor table with a tent. It's wide open and people could and did walk right in front of our table to pass by. No privacy here.
Anyway, I'll definitely be back for the food. Hopefully I'll have a different server. It's just not acceptable to have that kind of service when you're paying top dollar for the experience. He's just lucky I can't leave a crappy tip!
Thank you Chef Jon Matsubara!
No thank you to the server who I shall keep nameless (but I wrote your name on the credit card slip) just to let you know that I DO know your name and to leave you wondering why I did so. Now you know!
