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Cafe Miro
Categories: Restaurants French Restaurants American (New) French, American (New) [Edit]
3446 Waialae AveHonolulu, HI 96816
(808) 734-2737
- Hours:
Tue-Sun 5:30 pm - 9 pm
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street, Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
75 reviews for Cafe Miro
Review Highlights
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"The Foie Gras with truffle sauce is to die for." In 16 reviews -
"Warm Seafood Salad with yuzu vinaigrette." In 3 reviews -
"Creme brulee was fantastic." In 12 reviews
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75 reviews in English
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Review from theresa s.
Honolulu, HI
5/5/2012 9 photos
This review is dedicated to Thomas O. (5 of 5- high five!):
I have passed this place numerous times, always making a mental note to check it out. Coincidentally, my friends selected this place for my birthday dinner! The restaurant offers 2 prix fixe menu options (3 or 4 courses) focusing on French cooking techniques with a Japanese fusion twist. Everything looked to tempting, it was hard for me to make a decision, even after perusing the menu on the website ahead of time. If you need some help selecting, they are very helping in providing suggestions, and are also open to substitutions (like mix/matching from either menu). Our friends say that you can't make a bad choice here, since they said they haven't tried a single thing that they have disliked.
The food was delicious, impeccably prepared and thoughtfully presented. The service was attentive and prompt throughout the night. Our dinner lasted over 2.5 hours and we did not feel like we were rushed in the slightest. Such a wonderful overall experience. We cannot wait to go back and try the other items on the menu! -
Review from Kenyan K.
5/15/2012
I ate here for dinner for my girlfriend's sister's birthday a few weeks ago. The food was pretty good and reasonably priced for fine dining. They have three or four choice set menus. I got the four choice for only $59. You can choose between various items for each course but this is what I got:
Appetizer: Beef tataki with onions and capers
Seafood: Opah with sliced almonds and a butter sauce
Entree: Prime Rib Eye Steak (7oz)
Dessert: Chef's Dessert, Creme Brulee, Sorbet and Fresh Fruits
Everything was delicious! They also have a good selection of wine to choose from. The service was excellent and the atmosphere was very comfortable and relaxing.
The restaurant was empty for a Tuesday night I thought. There were only two other groups eating while we were there. There are a good number of tables so many of them were empty. The parking lot was very small so we just parked on the street. -
Review from Addie L.
4/7/2012
This is my and wife's favorite restaurant, you can't beat the quality of food for the price. Went here for my wife's birthday and it didn't disappoint. The prix fix menu is easy to follow, the 4 course is a tad more than $50. No tricks or gottas, some items more cost a little more but is easily spelled out for you. The service is excellent!
When ordering for the starters, it's better to choose the sampler, as you have a good variety of different flavors. For entrees, our favorites include: rack of lamb, short ribs and duck confit (that is an awesome dish!) and curry scallops (to die for). Their desserts recently got better... as this used to be their weak spot. If there is anything I point out that is the tacky plastic linens.
Highly recommended... (for you guys out there) especially a place to take for your better half for a special occasion. -
Review from jennifer c.
Honolulu, HI
3/29/2012
I love the prix fixe menu they have here! Now that I'm finally eating seafood, I was able to eat everything (except for the steak which they replaced with the scallop entree) and it was all so yummy!!! The wine, B. R. Cohn, we got- though a red, went pretty well with my seafood =)
I definitely recommend this place! The price was around $48 for 3 course, $58 for 4 course. The ambiance is friendly, casual- yet you can definitely dress up, and unpretentious.
Try the fish... the one on the 4 course menu (possibly also on the 3 course side). It was sooo buttery and delicious!Listed in: Honolulu
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Review from Susan N.
Honolulu, HI
4/30/2012
Just went to dinner at Cafe Miro. The restaurant has two fixed price menus where can pick any item that meets the category. I had Salmon with caviar which was delicious. The rack of lamb was tasty. One real treat is the starter of pumpkin vichysoise. Unbelievabke taste. I highly recommend. This is a special restaurant. MOre people should know about it
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Review from Michelle T.
Honolulu, HI
3/2/2012
This is my first review on Yelp and I had to contribute since it was my fellow yelpers that helped me find this place. I wanted this to be my first review because the food and service was just that good. My boyfriend loves foie gras and I saw how many people raved about it here. Let's just say that he's tried foie gras many, MANY places on the island. He said it was hands down the best one he's tried so far and the price was very reasonable. He did only try the Foie Gras Don, but wants to go back and try the other dishes.
Between the both of us we tried a bunch of the other items recommended: Seafood Salad with Yuzu Vinaigrette, Appetizer Tasting Plate, Scallop with Safran Cream Sauce, Foie Gras Don, Short Ribs with Port Wine Reduction, Market Fish, the Dessert Trio and the Cheese Plate. Everything was cooked perfectly. It's so easy to overcook scallops and shrimp, but everything was PERFECT. The Seafood Salad, Foie Gras Don, and Short Ribs were definitely the favorites of the night. They don't have a big selection on desserts, but we still had wine left over so it went great with the cheese.
The service was outstanding! I was extremely impressed by how attentive everyone was and how all the wait staff helped one another, but worked in an organized manner at the same time.
If anyone is looking for a nice dinner without breaking the bank, Café Miro is the place to go. Did I also mention that you get a free glass of champagne if you let them know it's your anniversary....just saying. Booking a reservation online is easy too. I have been recommending this place to everyone and I'll definitely be back. -
Review from Kevin M.
Honolulu, HI
1/27/2012
Best bang for the buck for a fine dine restaurant on Oahu, PERIOD.
No need for a lengthy review, as other fellow yelpers did a fabulous job in the detail department. Therefore, to keep it short, sweet and simple.
IF YOU HAVEN'T GONE TO CAFE MIRO, GO! IF YOU THINK TWICE YOU'RE WASTING TIME.
This is an excellent restaurant and you can't beat the value. Great food, great ambiance, great service, great quality, without the fantasy world bs pricing like other places. -
Review from Kalani C.
12/27/2011 1 Check-in Here
3.72 stars.
Came here for a pre-Christmas celebration with a best friend and favorite cousin. For many years I've wanted to try Cafe Miro, but so many other restaurants got in the way. Finally, fate brought me here. Ambiance: 3.5 stars.
We all ordered from the 3 course menu. Appetizers were: 1) Ahi Carpaccio Wasabi Mayonaise with Fresh Mixed Salad and Crispy Garlic (4.5 stars); 2) Kona Abalone and Scallop with Mushroom Fond de Veau Sauce (3.5 stars); and 3) Seafood Salad of Sauteed Shrimp, Scallop, Squid and Fish on a Fresh Tossed Salad with Orange Yuzu Vinaigrette (5 stars!). 4.5+3.5+5= 13/3= 4.3 stars.
Entrees were: 1) Sauteed Pork Tenderloin with Tomato and Caper Sauce (4 stars); 2) Roasted Breast of Duck with Balsamic Vinegar Reduction Sauce (4 stars); 3) Mustard and Garlic Panko Crusted Chicken with Red Wine Vinegar Sauce (4 stars). Portion sizes were surprisingly decent and presented nicely. However, flavorful and delightful, the je ne sais quoi was missing for five star status.
Desserts were: 1) Two orders of the Cheese Plate (which included a Brie, Blue and I believe a hard type of cheddar) (2.5 stars); and 2) Chef's Dessert, Creme Brulee, Sorbet and Fresh Fruits (3 stars). Bottom line, desserts were fairly forgettable. 2.5+3= 5.5/2= 2.8 stars.
We brought our own bottles of wine and the corkage was $20/bottle. Our waiter was pleasant and explained the rather confusing menu as simply as possible. Service: 4 stars.
A nice find and intriguing French-styled restaurant with an Asian persuasion. Very unpretentious and casual. A perfect fit for those seeking better than average food and service without the bells and whistles available elsewhere at a higher cost.
Tally:
Ambiance: 3.5 stars
Appetizers: 4.3 stars
Entrees: 4 stars
Desserts: 2.8 stars
Service: 4 stars
3.5+4.3+4+2.8+4= 18.6/5= 3.72 stars.Listed in: Hawai'i 3-star
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Review from Johnson C.
Honolulu, HI
4/13/2012 Seated via OpenTable
Service is excellent. Servers friendly. Food is good.
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Review from Craig M.
12/16/2011 7 photos
Café Miro is a small little fine-dining restaurant in the heart of uptown Honolulu's Kaimuki area. I just discovered it a few months ago, although Chef Shigeru Kobayashi opened it in 1997.
It's an intimate place with a total of maybe 40 seats, plus a bar counter with a couple of stools, plus a party room for a dozen diners.
We went there on a Tuesday night and it ended up being packed. Which is a good sign. In fact, Town Restaurant across the street on Waialae Avenue, and Champa Thai Restaurant across the street on 9th Avenue were both pretty packed. Not bad. Hopeful signs, perhaps, that the economy is picking up?
They started us off with an amuse-bouche of Chilled Okinawa Sweet Potato Soup. The little cup of lavender soup was almost like melted ice cream on the tongue, accented on top with a gentle swirl of cream. Very tasty indeed and a wonderful little hors d'oeuvre to whet the appetite. My mouth is watering just thinking about it.
The menu is prix fixe and the wife decided on the three-course choice. Her appetizer was Beer Batter Fried Anago (sea eel), somewhat like unagi (fresh water eel), but a little milder in flavor. Much softer too.
Of course we traded tastes of each other's selections, so I was able to enjoy the anago. It was beautiful how it melted on the tongue, intermingling its subtle flavors with the familiar taste of the deep-fried tempura batter.
Her entrée selection was Roasted Rack of Lamb with Shiitake Mushrooms and Mint Sauce. Oh my, it was tender. I didn't particularly swoon over the mint sauce, and in fact, I seldom eat the ubiquitous mint jelly that restaurants usually include as a condiment when you order lamb chops.
The lamb was accompanied by potato gratin, a broccoli floret, and a sprig of mint.
I decided to choose my dishes from the Chef's Special Menu, a four-selection option (you get an additional appetizer) that is essentially the same at the three-course menu, but with additional choices. Actually, it doesn't matter if you want the three or four-choice option, you can choose from any of the appetizers or entrées.
My first course was the Appetizer Tasting Plate, consisting of a sampling of five different appetizers: Ahi (Tuna) Carpaccio with Wasabi Mayonnaise, Crab Cake, Uni (Sea Urchin) Aspect on Carrot Soufflé, Marinated Taco (Octopus), Sweet Fig and Potato Salad wrapped in Prosciutto on Wasabi Mayonnaise.
The samples were so very delicious that I lingered and savored, lingered and savored, and the next thing you know, when I opened my eyes, the plate was cleaned up.
My second appetizer was Sautéed Fresh Scallops with Honey Curry Cream Sauce. The waiter asked if we wanted an extra plate so the wife could share. I wanted the scallops all to myself, but since it was her birthday dinner, I relented. Lordie, the things I do for that woman!
The scallop (remember, I was forced to have just one instead of both) was so sweet, so tender, so delicious with the sauce. I was tempted to order another, but I kept my cool. Next time we go there, if I opt for the scallops, and if the wife is with me, I'll order her own plate for her. How nice of me, no?
My entrée was Braised Short Rib with Port Wine Reduction Sauce. I've had some pretty good short ribs in my day - the best to date probably were at Okada in the Wynn Hotel and The Ranch at Harrah's, both in Las Vegas.
Well, I'm here to tell you the short ribs at Café Miro is right up there, top shelf, with those two restaurants. The beef was so tender. To meld two trite and overused phrases, they were fall-off-the-bone fork tender.
I had the same sides as the wife, plus a little serving of tomato-stewed zucchini. And do you know, I unashamedly sopped up the wine reduction with my sweet bun? By the way, I loved the chewiness of the bun.
For dessert, we both eschewed the fruit and cheese plate, and had instead, the Chef's Dessert: Crème Brulée, Coffee Ice Cream on crisp, Coconut Soufflé, fruits and cookie stick. A perfect, sweet end to a lovely evening on a special day.
You should know that Café Miro is closed on Mondays, as well as Thanksgiving, and New Year's Day and the day after. And they're only open for dinner. Therefore, if you want to make a reservation for Tuesday dinner (and you really should because they apparently fill up fast), don't wait until Monday because they won't return to confirm your reservation message until early afternoon on Tuesday.
That's what happened to me. Not good when the wife kept asking where we were going to dinner on her birthday! -
Review from Kevin F.
11/13/2011
First, I don't know why this is called a cafe. This is not a cafe, its a fine restaurant. Then, Asian French? This totally reminded me of that starburst commercial (http://www.youtube.com...) about the Scottish Korean. Asian French, one contradiction with another contradiction? Could it work??? Well, yes, it does.
Granted, this meal was awesome. But yeah, not so awesome that you might as well shoot me after I eat it because life won't get better than this. But still I was pleasantly surprised by the concept. 3 course menu is the way to go! For me, when its French, its all about the foie gras and pate. As a starter on some bread, oh wow, pretty nuts. I'm definitely willing to pay the extra money for it. Its creamy, its thick, its delicious.
Entrees were about the Braised Short Rib with Port Wine Reduction Sauce and the Roasted Breast of Duck with Balsamic Vinegar Reduction Sauce. Actually, there really is no fusion aspect here, Chef Kobayashi pretty much just makes real good French food.
I thought the duck was ok, and normally I think anything in balsamic vinegar is great, but I didn't see it. However, the braised short rib was about as outstanding as I've had in a while. But yeah, I pretty much followed my traditional French food style, eat foie gras, eat a short rib, eat a dessert.
Dessert you're given a choice of a cheese platter or a dessert platter that has stuff you'd see at JJ Bistro, creme brulee, a tart, and a cake. Standard fare.
In general, I'm surprised by the low profile Cafe Miro has, and I don't know why. 60-ish reviews, and they not doing anything for Restaurant week, and so I wonder why they are not trying to increase their profile when they deserve to do so. Is it because they are happy with their identity? Perhaps being a fine dining place that is just more a regular spot? Anyhow, I think Miro is worth your time in exploring what they have to offer. -
Review from Kelly M.
11/12/2011
Service was very good. We had (what I believe was) a waiter-in-training and a more experienced waiter backing him up. Worked out well.
This is a prix fixe menu - 3 courses for $43 or 4 courses for $54. A few sides that can be ordered in addition. They were very accommodating, letting us know that if something was on one menu but not the other, we could still have it. This is a breath of fresh air in a world where so many prix fixe say No Substitutions in big bold letters.
The meal started with an amuse-bouche. Love that! Vichyssoise (cold potato and leek soup). Silky and perfectly executed.
For appetizers we had the seafood medley salad and the ahi carpaccio. Both were very good, perhaps a big heavy on frisee and radicchio (I'm not fond of spikes and cabbage-like chunks in my salad), but that is just my personal preference. For the seafood salad, the squid was amazingly tender and flavorful, and not a spec of grit in the mussel or scallop. The wasabi sauce of the ahi carpaccio was a perfect complement.
I had a special for my entree: Beef tongue. Love nose-to-tail dining and restaurants here in Honolulu don't serve a lot of "variety" meats. It came as an almost steak-like chunk. I think thinner medallions would have shown off the silky nature tongue can have. Our waiter recommended of a glass of cab wine with my entree. I don't drink a lot of cabs, too much tannin. The pairing was great. He had assured me there wasn't too much tannin in this one, and he was right. Their cab by the glass was silky and full-bodied, and stood up to the port reduction on my beef. Overall, quite a solid showing.
The bf had the 7 oz. ribeye. Good overall steak. Flavorful. If you are in a group of steak lovers, Ruth Chris does a better steak (not surprising, they're a steak house), but if you're in a group that wants a variety, this is a good choice.
Both entrees came with the same sides: a small square of scallop potatoes, some ratatouille, and a single naked floret of broccoli (?). The ratatouille seemed out of place with my tongue in red wine reduction. Felt like Provence next to Burgundy. Not sure what was up with the lonely naked piece of broccoli.
Desserts were very good and I loved the format of them. Choice of a dessert tasting (included crème brule, pineapple sorbet, chocolate haupia mousse pie) or cheeses. Cheese felt like an afterthought. They were bought at Costco because of the price point, but I can live with that. The things that disappointed me were:
1. They were served at refrigerator temperature (you wouldn't serve a red wine so cold, cheese shouldn't be either).
2. They got the names wrong. I asked the names before ordering, they told me, but that's not what arrived on the plate. I asked about it, and they had run out and substituted. If I bother to ask the names of the cheeses, they should bother to get the names right.
3. The brie was insipid. If you have to buy at Costco, at least choose wisely. Recommend changing the brie to Delice de Bourgogne. Also available at Costco and a much better cheese.
The meal ended with two complimentary meringue cookies. Airy and vanilla-y. Great finish.
Overall a solid meal, with good attention on the preparation, and first rate service. We will go back. Just not tomorrow. -
Review from Kengo U.
Honolulu, HI
11/29/2011
Love this place. I've been going there for at least 9 years and can't get tired of the food, ambiance and people there. I go there for most of our special occasions and cannot remember a bad experience. If you go, the 4 course set menu is the best bet. The appetizer tasting plate that is part of the 4 course set menu comes with an assortment of five appetizers which gives you good idea of the talent in this restaurant. The scallops are plump and juicy. The Foie Gras with truffle sauce is to die for. I'm salivating just thinking about it. I gotta go get my fix now because of this post. Anyway, take a chance with this little restaurant and you will enjoy the experience.
Kengo's rating: "Damn...broke the mouth" good -
Review from Paul I.
Kapolei, HI
3/12/2012
The food was fine, but the waiter put a damper on our evening. He was a really snobby "know it all". Apparently, he's an expert in fine food and nothing we ordered could compare to his standard of excellence. Seems that Cafe Miro serves some inferior products to his liking so he had to criticize the products as we ordered it and as he served it to us. We tried to include him in our conversation to lighten him up, but he maintained his "holier than thou", self-righteous behavior and later disappeared for the rest of our dinner. The damage was already done as we felt like we were not good enough to be customers for him. The bussers took care of us throughout and they thankfully were normal. Weird service procedure. Weirder waiter.
Dude, you're a server, you work for tips. Here are two: get a haircut and an attitude adjustment. -
Review from Caryn W.
12/24/2011
One of my close friends enjoys coming to Cafe Miro for her birthday, so HC and I made the trek out to Kaimuki to celebrate her special day.
I've always really enjoyed the food here and am always pretty happy with how everything tastes. However, for some reason, service seemed to be a little "off" tonight.
Dinner started off okay with everyone putting in their order at about 6:30. Then the individual amuse for everyone came quickly after orders were taken. Appetizers came right after that at about 6:45. I recommend the seafood salad!
After the appetizers were cleared, we waited for a while for our entrees to come. I noticed a group who had come after us had gotten their entrees before we did. Checked the time and saw it was 7:35! I thought that was a pretty long time to be waiting in between courses. Entrees finally came out shortly after I had seen the time. I got the scallops as my entree and loved every bite! HC gave me all of his vegetables and his potato, so I had a lot to eat.
The wait between the entrees and desserts wasn't as bad, but it took a long time for our checks to come. It seemed like after we had all finished dessert, the wait staff forgot about us.
I loved my food, but was really shocked with the wait time the group had to go through. For whatever reason, service wasn't like usual. In the past, service had always been awesome. I guess it was just an "off" night. -
Review from Hisashi T.
Honolulu, HI
2/26/2012
Woooooow! I really was impressed with the food and the service at this restaurant! All the employees were really polite and kept checking on all the customers. Everything we ate tasted reeeeeeally good and was not too heavy for my GF and me. You could tell the chef Kobyashi likes details and he knows how to create some really tasteful dishes. He even came out and made his rounds to say hi to all his frequent customers. It was a 5 star experience for me!!
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Review from Mark L.
Honolulu, HI
8/13/2011
When you have a good work ethic, Japanese sensibility, French exposure from living in Burgundy and learning from the chefs there, and love old world wines, do you think dining with such a restaurant owner would be good? Damn right you are!
Cafe Miro is the 'poor man's' Mavro's, and if you have eaten at our James Beard awarded chef's Mavro's Restaurant on King St. near Alan Wong's you will know this is an ultimate compliment!
You will have choices: Which Hor's d ourve, with which entree? Which two entree choices, for what cost? So don't do a bong hit right before you go in, you might indecisively have an anxiety attack. So take a Zanax and roll with it. Your choices will work out fine, because everything is good!
The only thing that might not wow you is the cheese and fruit dessert plate, so order a fricken' dessert! That will top off a perfectly great meal here! -
Review from Craig G.
San Francisco, CA
11/14/2011
I Love this Place, After getting confortable with the interior design, It was a big surprise that the food is in a legue that rivals any 5 star restaurant hands down!
Very creative and flavored perfectly. Not one negative with this restaurant. The waiter went way beyond the call of duty to provide us with superior service.
I will be back to Honolulu and plan to be treated to cafe Miro more than once during the trip.
Absoluty choose this fantastic restaurant over any other french restaurant. -
Review from Daniel C.
Walnut Creek, CA
2/23/2012
I really think that you're getting great bang for your buck here because the food is phenomenal. Ambiance is nice and everyone on their staff is friendly. The place will leave you full and satisfied. It exceeded my expectations the first time I dined there and it's a must try in the Kaimuki area!
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Review from Teri K.
Honolulu, HI
6/19/2011 1 photo
The food was all quite excellent. I would have given more stars but service was slow. We were a party of 6 w/a baby and they put us in a back room (understandable but the baby w/us was very mellow). It took at least 10 minutes before anyone even approached our table and when a waiter did appear, he told us that they didn't have their stations assigned that night. ?!?!
That being said, our waiter was a great guy and his friendliness made up for the initial delay. Even brought me an extra side of their yummy scalloped potatoes. Everyone enjoyed their meals - between us, we tried opah, steak, duck, and lamb. Dessert sampler was nice but we were surprised that there was nothing chocolate. Creme brulee was fantastic!
Would definitely go back, but maybe w/a smaller number of people and without a baby so they'll seat us in the main dining room. -
Review from Russel M.
6/12/2011
4 1/2 Stars.
Cafe Miro is like a French Bistro with Japanese fusion.
The Menu is like a maze if you don't understand all the Mix & Match available. Unlike Sasabune where the vibe is our way or no way. Cafe Miro is willing to do almost anything to make you happy when it comes to substitutions.
Kar (wife unit) started ordering for both of us and the next thing i knew loads of Appy sized plates started arriving. Most dishes were really good and we plan to return soon.
If your an indecisive person this restaurant is not for you. It's all about being able to choose from so many outstanding choices. Definitely one of the best restaurants in Honolulu.
Outstanding Service. $20- corkage
For a more traditional French experience our favorite is still Le Bistro. -
Review from Gavin T.
Honolulu, HI
10/5/2011 1 Check-in Here
First time here...it was good...definitely worth it...not big portions but enough for me.
We went on a week day and business was slow. Food and service were excellent. We didn't have to wait long between courses. They have two set menus, 3 or 4 course menus, but they are really flexible with taking an item off one menu and adding it to the other. I had the Ahi as my first course, Opah as my second course, and the Lamb as my main entree. All of which were awesome. Dessert is included and its the right size to finish off the meal. I got the dessert sampler. They also have a cheese platter as an alternate option which was good too.
Must go back to try everything else on the menu. -
Review from Spleen T.
Honolulu, HI
7/18/2011 1 Check-in Here
Had dinner there tonight. Good, not great. Service was very good with personable waiter though it looked as though they had scrambled to get more wait staff for a busier than average Sunday night. He seemed a little discombobulated about tonight's specials and we suspected that he had been called in at the last minute. Water and bread service was plentiful and they checked in with our table regularly through the meal. Love the cork walls and the cork silverware rests!
My warm seafood salad was perfect, beautifully done, and some of most tender squid I've ever had. My wife had a plate of fresh oysters as her appetizer and there were good oysters, but not the best fresh oysters we've had (in Hawaii, that would have been at Mitch's). For the entrees, I had the duck breast and my wife had the Hokkaido scallops. Again, nicely executed but nothing all that special - I've had similar duck breast in many other restaurants but the balsalmic reduction here didn't really make much of an impact and the curry sauce for scallops was just OK. Dessert sampler also was sort of a miss for us - didn't care too much for the chocolate cake (which was dry) or the macadamia nut ice cream (which was icy). The creme brulee was not bad.
Maybe we came in with too high expectations? We'd be willing to give it a try again if the occasion came up - it's certainly one of the cheaper prix-fixe options available in Honolulu. Heck, it took us 3 times trying Alan Wong's before we finally decided we liked the place! -
Review from Locke D.
Honolulu, HI
2/15/2011
The missus and I had a nice dinner here this past Saturday to Celebrate an early Valentine's day. Surprisingly the restaurant was only about 3/4 full during dinner service on a weekend.
Parking is a little cramped lot in the back that would have been difficult to find had we not researched prior. We were fortunate enough to find a stall which saved us from a bit of walking in a neighborhood that can get a little shady after the sun goes down.
The food here is quite good, but nothing spectacular. In all honesty I had to look at their website to remember what I ate. They have the usual fare of most high end restaurants, scallops, steaks, lamb, fish etc and they do each dish very well. The servers are attentive and friendly. I had no complaints about dining here, but at the same time didn't feel the compelling urge to gush about them on yelp either.
Another somewhat random thing to add, they only have a single toilet per-gender in a restaurant that seats around fifty. This would not normally be a problem exept when I went to use the restroom it was occupied for over ten minutes. Out strolled a red-faced drunk little Asian man, who apparently was having bowel problems because the restroom stunk to high heaven. Not the restaurant's fault, but worth noting I guess.
All in all, Cafe Miro would not be on my list of top five restaurants to eat at in Hawaii, but it would probably make it to my top ten. Cafe Miro is a safe bet with good food and good service for a fairly reasonable price. For that they get five stars. -
Review from Henry L.
Los Angeles, CA
1/8/2012 Seated via OpenTable
A wonderful find, and lovely addition to the Kaimuki area. I'm a regular visitor and this was the best find of our visit this year. Tasting menu only, but they are flexible in what you can get. The only downer, if you consider this a downer, is that the food portions were way too big! Tasting menu means a little taste of each course, but this place was your usual portions had you ordered a la carte. Mind you the food is good, but on a tasting menu, you get wiped out before the entree arrives. Wine menu is good also, with some really good labels. Service was friendly and attentive, and the home made bread was really crusty and soft on the inside, could eat those all night long, but that would leave even less room for the wonderful food. Its a keeper!
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Review from Aya I.
5/10/2011 1 Check-in Here
My favorite restaurant in Hawaii!
I first ate here when I was a teenager and my family all came here for dinner. It was fabulous! After that I fell in love with French food and was even inspired to learn basic french just so I could learn to pronounce menu items correctly. Yes, I'm quite a fan of this place. Since then I have eaten here several times and each time I have not been disappointed. The food is french food with a japanese twist. Two of my favorite cuisines! They have options for either a 3-course or 4-course meal and a few appetizers or small plates you can add on (I would recommend the foie gras).
This is a restaurant I recommend to all my "mainland" friends that want to go to a nice place to eat while on their trip to Hawaii. -
Review from Donna L.
Honolulu, HI
12/23/2011
Love this place! A friend and I decided to try this place out a couple weeks ago on a whim, and it turned out to be a wonderful evening, filled with great food, good wine, and lovely company. The ambiance was nice, wait staff was attentive, and our server was very knowledgeable. And the food - delicious! I would definitely go back again to try out the other stuff on their menu. Oh and the owner/manager was super cool! He comped my coffee at the end of the night, 'cuz I decided that I wanted one after I had already paid the bill. Score! Haha.
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Review from Sky S.
Aiea, HI
7/5/2011
My former co-worker knew a chef / owner here from Japan.
I heard about this place back in 2000, but never had a chance to go visit.
Before I made a reservation, naturally, I checked yelp.
Checked their website and more of reviews.
Got a reservation. Very exciting.
Entered. Friendly greeting. Cool.
Took us to the table with a plastic table cloth. It's okay.
Chair is kinda flimsy. I'm not that over weight to break the chair so no worries...
I saw some fake plants collecting dust. That's ok.
There are real flowers on a table, that's plus.
Quality of food; Very close to excellent. I loved the raw oysters with ponzu and appetizer sampler.
Onaga was excellent as well as Kona abalone with scallop.
Taste; All the seafood was excellent! They were so delicate but right amount of seasoning to elevate the flavor.
But I thought there were bit too heavy on cream & butter for mushroom pasta. It's because they are French / Japanese, I was expecting more delicate flavor that respects flavor of the food...
It is more French than Japanese fusion of French. (Am I confusing you? hehehe...)
Salad that we ordered as side dish was too salty for me.
You can add salt later but you can't take them off.
Bread was full of flavor. I liked it without butter. May be that tasty bread don't need to be so flavorful because the butter they serve with is also pack with flavor.
Dessert was also good but I couldn't finished them...
Oh boy, we ordered too much.
Overall, everything was good. (^_^) Especially the price when you think about quality, amount of food and friendly service. -
Review from Ramfis B.
Cafe Miro is one of many great restaurants on Waialae Avenue which i have always seem to have neglected because i could never find the place. Well one day i happened to go down Waialae Avenue and Lo and Behold on the corner of my eye i got a glimpse of the restaurant that always eluded me and i thought i would give this place a shot. Cafe Miro is French inspired cuisine under the tuttiledge of a Japanese Chef. I can't believe they have been open for almost 14 years now and have since expanded to accomodate more customers than they did before.
Cafe Miro offers only 2 Prix Fixe Menus every evening with a few other items than can be had Ala Carte. There is a 3 course menu for $38 dollars which gives you a choice of Appetizer, Entree, and choice of a Cheese Plate or a Dessert Sampler. And on the right side of the menu they have a 4 course Chef's tasting menu for $49 dollars which gives you a choice of an Appetizer Tasting Plate which is an assortment of 5 different tastings of the evening or any appetizer off the Prix Fixe Menu, a Seafood Selection, an Entree Selection, and then choice of Cheese or Dessert as well.
PARKING: The parking is very minimal here. You can park in the back of the building which has only 3 or 4 stalls or you can find parking on the side of the street for free after six o clock
SERVICE: The service here at Cafe Miro on this particular evening was stellar. Trent was very professional and knew the menu inside and out. He had a great personality as well and wasn't overbearing or obtrusive at all. There was another waiter as well and a manager who came around as well and asked us how dinner was throughout the evening. I have to admit though, it wasn't a very busy Friday evening but im not about to complain.
FOOD; Being that this place is a French Restaurant, i thought i would hit the nearest McDonald's after eating here just to satisfy my appetite but that wasn't the case here. The portions here are pretty substantial and the flavors here are what to expect from a Japanese Chef. Everything was so easy on the palate and everything from the sauces to the meat and seafood were just out of this world. I did upgrade a few items on my menu such as the Abalone and Scallops for $10 more and also made my Ribeye Steak a 10 ounce cut for $12 more. But it was worth every penny. This type of menu would easily cost you over a hundred bucks in any fine dining establishment and let me tell you, i was very satisfied. so here is a recap of what me and my Mi-chan had for the evening..
AMUSEBOUCHE: Cold Okinawan Sweet Potato Vichyssoise: Cool, tasty, and nice way to start the dinner off..
Honey's First Course: Warm Seafood Medley Salad with a Orange Yuzu Vinaigrette: An unbelievably wonderful salad which dd not disappoint at all.
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My First Course: An Appetizer Tasting Plate which had 5 tasty morsels on the plate: 1) Ahi Carpaccio 2) Oysters prepared Escargot style 3) Uni or Sea Urchin Aspic with a Carrot Puree (YUM) 4) Prosciutto Ham with Carmelized Walnuts 5) Crab Croquette with a Pomodoro Sauce
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Honey's Second Course: Foie Gras Donburi $14 ala carte: The Foie Gras had the cruchy texture on the outside and that warm creamy filling on the inside on a bed of white rice was just....ooh la la. The only disappointing part of this dish is that there just wasn't enough...
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
My Second Course: Sauteed Kona Abalone & Scallop with a Mushroom Fond de Veau Sauce ( add $10 ): Whenever i see Abalone on the menu i had to give it a try and boy oh boy the Abalone sure hit the spot for me. The Mushroom Sauce along with the Scallops packed a flavorful punch and just knocked me out...Fabulous dish!!
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Honey's Entree Selection: Roasted Duck Breast with a Balsamic Reduction Sauce: The Duck was cooked a perfect Medium Rare and the Balsamic Reducton wasn't overpowering on the Duck. Nicely prepared..
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My Entree Selection: 10 Ounce Ribeye Steak ( add $12 ) with a Daikon Fusion Sauce and a Garlic Teriyaki Sauce on the side: Man oh Man, the Ribeye Steak here was so Tender and cooked just the way i like it, Meduim Rare and Juicy!!! I really don't like sauces splashed all over my Steak. I really want to taste the true flavor of the Steak and both sauces were perfect for ths cut of meat.
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Review from Liz T.
8/14/2008 3 photos
2.5 stars. My boyfriend's sister held her engagement party here last week and by party I mean four-course dinner. The cafe was nicely sectioned off for us. The service was more than attentive. But the meal confirmed that I'm a total purist when it comes to food--i.e. I don't like fusion cuisine, specifically French-Japanese.
We began with the vichyssoise (cold potato leek soup). Um, it was cold and meatless. Moving on.
The appetizer sampler was much better. It consisted of potato salad with prosciutto, marinated octopus, crab croquette, ahi tartar, and a five-layer vegetable quiche. All were enjoyable for the most part except the octopus (too lemony and chewy) and the quiche (lacked the taste of vegetables).
As an entree I had a sirloin steak served with potato gratin, ratatouille, and root puree. The steak was nicely cooked but didn't blow my mind--I could've done similar work at home. The potato gratin was delicious but damn, the root puree tasted terrible! For the first time in my life, I couldn't believe a chef had actually sent this out. *shudders*
The dessert sampler was another miss though it looked like a hit. There was mango cake, chocolate mousse, creme brulee, lilikoi sorbet, and fresh fruits. I liked the fresh fruits best, but I don't have much of a sweet tooth--or cavities for that matter. =P
I'm glad I had a chance to try Cafe Miro if only because now I know it's overrated for sure. The engagement party went well despite the food. Anyway, this is my last review for Hawaii, at least until December. I've now resettled in San Francisco--see you there! -
Review from Jason F.
Honolulu, HI
10/22/2011
Had a wonderful dining experience here. Me and my girlfriend came here on a Friday night after several friends of mine recommended the restaurant. The service was attentive - water was consistently filled, empty plates removed, bread plate was refilled.
The food was delicious. We both ordered the three course prix-fixe menu. The meal started with cold, asparagus soup, which was complimentary. Our appetizers were the oysters escargot-style and the seafood salad. Main courses were the fish of the day (grilled opah with daikon) and scallops with safran cream sauce. For our last course, we had the dessert sampler and the cheese plate. We enjoyed all our food. The oysters and seafood in the salad were fresh. I really liked the orange yuzu vinaigrette with the salad. The fish and scallops were cooked perfectly; and the accompanying sauces worked well with the proteins. At the end of the meal, we also were given complimentary cookies - I forgot what kind of cookies they were, but they were airy, light and almond flavored. The waiter saw that we liked them so much that they gave us a few more to go home with.
This is a place I'll be visiting more in the future. -
Review from Jen G.
Honolulu, HI
3/17/2008
Cafe Miro is more like a 3.25 in my book. Older refined flair, good for privacy or a quiet dinner, and staff is friendly.
I ate here on a Friday evening, very eager. My $10 glass of pinot noir was okay. I don't like long finishes and it wasn't bold enough for my taste. (You can get a glass 10 times better at the Halekulani for $10)
First thing I noticed was their decor. A little uncohesive and not too appealing, if you ask me. It felt like it was decorated by boring people who had nothing to really do in 1985; the wood beams don't really work with the rest of the place, and neither does their colorful selection of art. The tablecovers were plastic, just a tinge bit tacky. I guess it's easier to clean than cloth. *shrug*
However, one of the things that impressed me was the adequately arranged and spaced tables and seating. They were separated by these wall dividers made of CORK. Yeah, like the kind from wine bottles. I thought this was a great way to not just decorate the place, but to also reuse.
One thing I immediately loved when I saw the menu was the choice of two prix fixe menus. 3-course (choice of appetizer, main entree, and dessert/cheese), or Chef's Special 4-course, which includes a small side dish.
3-choice will run you $35. 4-choice is $45. I thought the 3-course was worth it. The 4-course, well, I guess if you're that hungry you can go for it.
We ordered a side of fois gras with liver pate for $6. This is totally misleading, it should be called liver pate WITH fois gras instead. It seemed like 95% pate, with little speckles of fois in it. No joke. Even saying 5% fois is too generous here. I love pate though, so it was a delicious spread that I smeared all over the delicious fresh rolls. I had 3 of these starch lovelies. Ohh so delish!
We were first served this delicate light white shot (can't remember the name of this), to cleanse our paletes. It was perfectly smooth going in, and going down. Not too salty, not to sweet, but JUST RIGHT. Absolutely no after taste (which I marvel, as the one served at Chef Mavro has this nasty grassy-ish taste the whole way through!)
On the appetizer list, I tried some of the oyster, which was served in its shell, esgargo style, however how wrong can you go with butter, olive oil, and herbs? Really. I had also a bite of layered ..umm.. carrot, something, something, something again, and carrot again. So it looked like a pretty layered jello slice or something along those lines.
I was lucky that they had available this amazing salmon appetizer, a house special, served carpacio style. It wasn't fishy by any means, and the huge layer of extremely thin julienned onions and capers were perfect. This dish was executed beautifully.
Unfortunatey, the opakapaka was slightly overcooked. (It's a delicate fish -- get it off the heat before it gets fully cooked!)
Now, getting to the next point of our meal did take quite a while. It took them over 5 minutes just to get a dirty empty plate off our table, and I felt like our food was cold when it finally came to us. I don't know what I hate more than cold food that's just been sitting out.
My entree was sliced pork tenderloin in an onion mustard sauce. I have to admit I was getting pretty full at this point, but was disappointed at my slightly overcooked pork. (Okay, I hate overcooked fish over overcooked pork, but having experienced both disappointments in one evening was a little sad for me.) I can't say the sauce was exciting, in fact it was so unmemorable that I don't even remember it.
I did have a bite of the rack of lamb, which was perfectly cooked, so at least they got some of the heat on the meats right!
I loved that they give you a choice of assorted desserts, or assorted cheeses. WOW, right! I was originally aiming for the cheeses, because I absolutely love pretty much all kinds of cheese, but I was so full at this point that I went for dessert instead.
I tried the cheese and wasn't that impressed. The brie was okay.. not sure what the other 2 were. (I felt that this should have been an appetizer or a side dish option, however the fact that they have a salty food option for "dessert" is awesome, perfect for those who don't have a sweet tooth). My desserts were a creme brulee (pretty good.. I like them a little more creamier in texture though), raspberry sorbet (WAY too strong and sweet), and some fresh fruit.
Overall, I'm glad I finally got to try this little spot. Sure I didn't like every single thing, but I did enjoy at least a few things on the menu. It wouldn't be my first choice for dinner, but I think I would come here again to try out some of the other dishes, and get the rack of lamb for myself the next time!
Must try: salmon carpacio, rack of lamb, fois gras with pate spread (or should I say, pate with fois gras speckles!) -
Review from Demonica M.
Seattle, WA
1/5/2010
This place gets 5 stars because for $35 and $45 prix fixe you get excellent 3 and 4 course french dinners, respectively. The vichyssoise is delicious - not sure what Liz T is complaining about since vichyssoise is supposed to be a cold soup (cold, potato leek soup to be exact).
I usually don't like paté but I do like the one they serve here. I've dined here several times and have always received excellent service and great meals.
Although they have a bar, it's nice to have BYOB as an option.
Good coffee and the option for cheese plate instead of a sweet dessert is also a big bonus for me. -
Review from Maria G.
9/3/2011
Wow! What a surprise. If you weren't looking for this place, you'd almost just miss it driving by, but what a gem! It's French food with a Japanese twist (what doesn't have a Japanese/Asian twist in Hawaii?). You have 2 options, a 3 course menu and a 5 course menu. Both a great deal at $39 and $49 respectively. The oysters escargot style was creamy and garlicky. The appetizer sample was beautiful--but the definite standout from that plate was that uni! The warm seafood salad is chock full of yumminess and finally the steak was super tender. We even had a side of foie gras and pate (which was a steal at $6!). For dessert, you get either a cheese plate or sorbet. Definitely a deal for such a memorable meal.
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Review from Neil R.
Honolulu, HI
9/10/2011 1 Check-in Here
A nice combo of French style Japanese food. A 3 course set menu makes choosing easy. I have eaten their several times and every time it was excellent. Free parking in rear.
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Review from Porky Penguin S.
Honolulu, HI
9/23/2009
The food is good, not outstanding. Their 3 course dinner for $38 is reasonable. Their seafood salad is great!
I've been there twice this month, and I did not think the waiter was good. Two of our party was late because of an accident on King St. So, we just sat around for 30 minutes. Finally, I asked the waiter if we could have some bread.
I ordered the Roast Chicken Breast with Morel Cream Sauce. When I got it, it was not Chicken Breast! It was a thigh. As a replacement, I ordered the steak, as I figured it would be faster. I asked for it to be cooked medium. It came to me, and when I cut it, it was very rare...oh well...I wasn't going to ask for another or wait any longer.
I think the food at Cafe Miro is good, but they need another waiter. He's been around for years, but he's gotten complacent, indifferent, careless, whatever!! -
Review from Dave H.
8/14/2008
I feel as though I should come back and give it another chance because of all these great reviews, but as of right now, I'm giving it a 2 because of my experience with the place.
service - it was good for the most part, pretty organized and there was good timing between the 3 different dishes we had. One minor thing though, a candle went out on one of the tables and it stayed that way the whole evening, i wish they wouldve re-lit it because it was dark in my corner of the room, but that's forgivable. And just because I didnt drink wine they assumed I didnt want sake and didnt offer.
food - the soup they give you to start with sucks. the appetizer sampler was good but not outstanding. The entrees was inconsistent! Yes, we were in a group of 20 or so people, so I can understand it would probably be hard to bring out all that food at the same time, but wow, me and my gf both had the steak and mine was semi-normal and her's tasted of way too much smoke (perhaps liquid smoke was added excessively?). Pork looked like a big chicken nugget and from what I heard, no complaints about the duck. My mom had the fish and immediately became ill the next day and is still sick today even though it's been about a week since we had dinner at this place. The desert was sweet (the way i like it) but I know others on my table felt differently and ended up not finishing their deserts.
Ambiance - nice decor and setting. No complaints here.
Overall - just okay, not great. Parking is tight and food was just decent. -
Review from Mark Y.
2/8/2009
3 1/2 stars
I haven't eaten here since the late '90's and from what I remembered, i did like it back then.
A friend and I were taking another friend out for a birthday dinner and wanted to take him to somewhere that he'd never been. Somewhere other than a chain-type restaurant, something more cozy. This seemed like a good option.
We all decided on the 3 item prix fixe menu, the birthday boy had the salmon appetizer and the ribeye steak with a red wine reduction, my friend had the beef tataki appetizer and the ribeye with a daikon sauce, and I had the beef tataki appetizer with the duck as my entree.
All dishes were prepared nicely. The beef tataki appetizer had a nice flavor. It came with a big pile of thinly shaved onions in the center. The salmon appetizer also had this. The onions were sliced thin enough so it wouldnt overpower the meat, I actually thought it would but was pleasantly surpised.
Both ribeye dishes looked good, prepared med-rare as ordered, but both my friends said the cuts were a bit too fatty. I later wished I had ordred the ribeye since to me, fatty is good.
My duck dish was good as well. A nice texture and flavor with a nice thin ring of fat to keep the meat juicy.
All entrees came with a small side of au-gratin potatoes and some braised veggies.
For dessert, we all opted for the sweet sampler instead of the cheese plate. There was a raspberry sorbet in a cookie bowl, creme brulee, cheesecake, and some fruits. My favorite was the sorbet, the cookie bowl that it sat in had a nice crisp crunch. The worst thing on the plate was the cheesecake, it was overdone and dry.
I can agree with another yelper who said while food is good, it seems like it doesnt go that extra step to carry it to the level of great. The entire meal seemed on an even keel if that makes any sense....good but nothing that stood out.
It is a good value though, the 3 item menu was $38 and the 4 choice menu was $49.
I'd probably go back, but not for a while.
Another thing that I noticed that has absolutely no bearing on the food is just how many japanese nationals were there. The place was near capacity and 80% of the patrons were japanese nationals. I was surprised how they all came to find out about this small cozy place in the middle of kaimuki. -
Review from Louise L.
Honolulu, HI
10/11/2010
I love this place! Never let's me down.
Great when you have out-of -town guests. -
Review from Stefanie M.
Kaneohe, HI
10/30/2010 1 Check-in Here
This place is somewhere between a 3.5 and four but since they have great service I'll give them a four. If you're looking for a nice place to relax and enjoy your time eating dinner this place definitely fits the bill. But if you're into the one-dish and done, I'd recommend going somewhere else as this place offers only a three or four course selection.
We decided to settle on the three course meal which came with an appetizer, entree and cheese or dessert platter. As for my particular meal I chose the salmon appetizer, roasted duck with balsamic vinegar reduction sauce and the dessert platter. The appetizer was good and finely prepared. Although the salmon was covered in onions, it was prepared in a way so that the onion flavor did not overpower the flavor of the salmon which I liked. The duck entree was perfectly cooked--moist and flavorful. And lastly, the dessert platter came with a small portion of cheesecake, sorbet, and creme brulee (yum! my fave). You could tell that each dish was prepared with finesse and simplicity.
Service was great, everything came out in perfect timing. All the way from the pre-appetizer to the dessert, there was never a moment where I wondered where my food was. The waiter also recommended a good bottle of wine, so kudos for that too!
We did order a small order of pate which didnt quite make it to our table, but its okay because the course meal left me perfectly content. I definitely would recommend people check this place out. Although I cant say i'd become a regular there as it can get pricey for one meal, but a great place to take someone you're trying to impress!Listed in: Just you+Me
