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Keei Cafe
Categories: Restaurants Latin American Restaurants Mediterranean Latin American, Mediterranean [Edit]
79-7511 Mamalahoa HwyKealakekua, HI 96750
(808) 322-9992
- Hours:
Tue-Fri 11 am - 2 pm
Tue-Sat 5 pm - 9 pm
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- No
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Quiet
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
37 reviews for Keei Cafe
Review Highlights
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"So was the seafood soup and the mango cobbler." In 5 reviews -
"...was one of the highlights of our trip to the Big Island." In 6 reviews -
"The Rib Eye was cooked to perfection and the herbs added a..." In 3 reviews
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37 reviews in English
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Review from Chris C.
Fresno, CA
5/12/2012
This has got to be one of the best restaurants on the Kona side of the big island. The atmosphere is perfect, and the food is top notch. This is our go-to restaurant when we are looking to treat ourselves.
Be sure to get a reservation, as it tends to fill up. -
Review from Laurence W.
Oakland, CA
4/18/2012
Keei Cafe seems like a neighborhood favorite -- it's crowded, and a lot of the guests seem to be locals though I'm sure they do a solid tourist business, too. The menu is all over the map (greek salad, eggplant rolls, pasta primavera, and fajitas?!?), but your best bet is to ignore all of that and head straight for the fish, which is prepared in one of three ways. I recommend the preparation with lemon butter sauce. It was cooked perfectly and was delicious.
Unfortunately, the quality of the food is undone by the quality of the service experience. It's bad -- really, really bad. And it's such a shame because the food was good. But the waiter sort of came and went as he pleased, without apology -- I'm not even sure there was a dedicated waiter for the table, now that I think about it. I saw various versions of the same thing play out across different tables around the room. Maybe this works for them... it certainly doesn't work for me when I'm paying white-table-cloth prices. It also doesn't help when you lose my reservation. Read the other reviews and you'll see that this isn't a unique experience...
So take care with Keei Cafe. Order the fish, bring a heaping tablespoon of patience, and pray you get good service. -
Review from Yvette K.
San Francisco, CA
4/14/2012
I had a wonderful dinner a couple of months ago at Keei Cafe and have been meaning to go back.
This place is a gem. The food is great and the decor is beautiful. They have nice live Hawaiian music and helpful service.
We had a pasta dish that was really great and lamb chops which were done to perfection over yummy mash potatoes. I am looking forward to my next visit and will update my review then. -
Review from A K.
Berkeley, CA
12/10/2011
Excellent choice for dinner. The Ahi over mashed potatoes and capers was outstanding. So was the seafood soup and the mango cobbler. Great ambiance, extremely well-cared-for interior, and very friendly service. Good view.
Cash only (which they should reconsider). -
Review from Randy K.
Spreckels, CA
2/5/2012
My wife and I ate here for a special treat one night. We were looking for something off the main drag in Kona, and the drive down was a welcome break from town. We found the food to be creative and excellent, and the service even better. We'll definitely keep this on our "must do" list for future Kona trips!
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Review from Michael S.
San Jose, CA
8/6/2011
Great meal and wonderful service.
I can't comment on others' service experience, but ours was first rate. Everyone was on top of their games the entire time we were there - friendly, fast, accurate. We really liked the shrimp cocunut rice cake to start. Both the ahi and spearfish were cooked perfectly. Two mai tais each and mango cobbler to share made for a wonderful last night on the Big Island. Keep in mind, they only take cash or personal checks. -
Review from ALEXANDRA L.
Evanston, IL
10/6/2011
Best parts: Great staff/service and amazing homemade bread.
We went for lunch (the only ones there on an overcast day at 11:30). Had a table with a view (and the highway grumble, but whatever). Ate gazpacho & caesar salad w/ fish & fish tacos. Everything was very fresh tasting and satisfying. Even took a piece of macadamia nut pie to go for later. This was a nice little escape from the Kona madness (with Iron Man approaching). Plus, can I say how nice the guy was?
My honey got a mojito that was super tasty, and I drank tasty Kona coffee (different moods post-snorkel).
Kind of eclectic menu with mushroom fettuccine, pastrami sandwich, burger, soba noodle dish, etc. But, frankly, if you're going with a group with varied tastes, I doubt anyone would walk away sad. -
Review from Kathleen W.
Albany, CA
8/23/2011 1 Check-in Here
Cash only. With lunch entrees around $10-$14. The cocktails are served fast and are made with fresh ingredients. I got the caprinhihna that I'm still puckering from - I recommend something else unless you are 1) on a miracle fruit tablet or 2) enjoy sucking on limes. The pastrami sandwich is incredibly good, but the fettuccini my sister ordered was meh. Fred and I shared a pastrami sandwich just so we could each order dessert - only to find out that they didn't have the mango cobbler I was so hoping to try. So be sure to ask first next time.
Fred had the mac nut pie which was pretty good and Corey had the chocolate mousse which was not so much a mousse as a dense chocolate cake. Service was friendly and décor was some of the nicest I've seen outside of town. -
Review from Bert S.
Orinda, CA
1/20/2011
This was our 3rd trip to this restaurant. The food is consistently good. However, the service was extremely slow. We waited about an hour for our food with little attention from our server. We asked for some bread while we were waiting which arrived with our meals. We were annoyed to see a charge for the bread on our bill. It was removed when we questioned our waiter. I feel charging for bread when customers have to wait a long time for their meals is very poor customer service. If left a bad taste in our mouths.
Not sure if we'll return. -
Review from regina t.
Kailua Kona, HI
12/4/2011
Ke'ei Cafe has a great view. The food was amazing, I had the daily catch. Great wine selection too. We had a great organic wine that is was paired perfectly by our server. Sometimes it was a bit loud as a large group was in the same area as our table. But that can be expected with the all wood interior and decor. Overall it was a nice evening. The ony thing was at that elevation is got chilly after the sun had set, bring a sweater.
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Review from Kirk J.
Anaheim, CA
7/29/2010
In the midst of a difficult night due to things out of their control, the dinner we were served was incredible. The service was top notch as well.
Make reservations, have a bottle of wine, and no matter how full you are, order the mango cobbler for dessert.
From appetizer to salad to entree to dessert we were at a loss for words to describe how delicious everything was. -
Review from Veronica P.
Chino Hills, CA
7/30/2007 1 photo
Located on the second floor of a small strip mall, this quaint restaurant is geared toward the locals. Located between Kona and Captain Cook, most tourists probably wouldn't make the trek here especially at night, when a streetlight is nowhere in sight. Unless you have ESP or GPS you will most likely drive by this place and never even know it. The restaurant has a warm feeling to it, with lots of wood tones and a tropical feel to it. There is a very small patio, but it overhangs the parking lot which is not the most ideal or romantic place to be seating.
The Rib Eye was cooked to perfection and the herbs added a nice punch to the dish. The steak had the right amount of fat to help give it flavor. There wasn't a lot of fat or gristle; really an enjoyable piece of meat.
The Seafood Chowder is a nice mix of seafood including shrimp, mussels, scallops and fish in a nice, rich broth. The chowder was very flavorful and the portion was more than adequate.
I had heard that food quality had gone down and that people were usually not seated promptly, but we had no problems with either seating or food quality. We had no reservations and waited less than 10 minutes, and the food was very good. -
Review from Nancy W.
Los Angeles, CA
10/13/2011
Words can't express how much we (my BF & I) loved this place. The portions are Cheesecake Factory sized but the taste is Michelin star worthy. The chicken with Thai curry was amazing! The chicken was perfectly cooked with nice crispy skin and moist, juicy meat. The ahi seared to perfection. There's a nice ambience.
They also had a local musician serenading us all evening. I wasn't a big fan of that because given the intimate setting, it felt like he was singing at the next table. But, I am an old fart. It seems most people (including my BF) loved it.
Fair warning! This establishment only accepts cash. Your credit cards are not welcome, much like most things plastic (at least in the new green era). -
Review from Ess H.
Oakland, CA
1/14/2007
This place epitomizes the kind of bad cooking that I abhor: Take an average cut of fish or meat (or tofu, if you swing that way), cook it in an unseasoned pan, and top it with some sauce. In other words, use absolutely no art in your cooking. The fish we had at this supposedly above-average cafe was sorely disappointing. The sauce wasn't even good; it was bland. The service was terrible, not only because the waiter had no facial expression, but also because we did not put a morsel of food into our hungry mouths until well over an hour after our reservation. The wine was overly sweet (there wasn't a good selection, even). Don't go.
Oh! And! And, we were seated out on the "balcony," i.e. the overflow seating directly above a busy parking lot and feet away from a well-used street. The inside of the cafe was nice, though: warm and cozy.Listed in: South Kona, Big Island
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Review from Eric W.
Santa Cruz, CA
9/27/2011
This place was nice, nothing overly fantastic. The food was good and we didn't have a problem with service, as other reviewers mentioned. They moved us to a balcony seat when we requested, that was nice. THe cash only thing is a little annoying, but I get it. Overall, not a bad spot and would go back next time on the Big Island.
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Review from Chuck D.
3/12/2011 1 Check-in Here
If I would have written this review the first time I went it would have been four stars. I hate to drop two stars on my second experience and thought about splitting the difference with three stars, but there are just some unforgivable things that happened and from other reviews it does not seem to be a one time thing - I think my first experience was more of a one time thing.
Briefly, my first experience was a couple of years ago. My parents LOVE this place and wanted it to be the site of my brother's reception after their wedding on the beach. We rented the whole place out. The only thing I found odd is that when we first got there there were still people there for nearly an hour into our "renting the place out" I thought that wasn't super professional. I do have to say that this first time though we had a fish choice or a beef choice to keep thing simple. The steak was definitely delicious and the Mai Thais were phenomenal. Service was attentive but not annoying. I felt they had a decent wine selection for being on an island as well. We ordered a few bottles and I enjoyed every one I tasted.
Second time we went was our last night on the island this time. While my parents were staying on for another week, we wanted to celebrate my mom's birthday before my sister, boyfriend, and I shipped back to the mainland. I thought this would be a great place because it is her favorite (my dad and her have been six times or so I think?).
I made a reservation for 7 pm which already made me angry. On the phone they asked for my name and I said "Charlotte. C - H - A - R - L - O - T - T - E" and they were like " what?" I was like "Charlotte... C - H - A ... " they cut me off "Sheryl .. ok. we have you. 7:30." ... I corrected the time and he just replied with an ok and hung up the phone.
When I arrived at honestly 6:59pm, I was actively ignored (no they were not busy, the guy simply felt like perhaps I deserved to watch him flit around and stare at a chart and do nothing for the first 10 minutes that I was there...when I was clearly trying to speak to him). We watched a 6 top get seated at the table I had assumed was waiting for our 5 top because WE HAD MADE A SEVEN PM RESERVATION and it was the last table open! Finally I got a curt "yeah. reservation for 5? Chandler?" I was like "uhm, we had a seven pm reservation under Charlotte for -- " cutoff. "Yes. sit down... it'll be ready in a bit." ... 25 minutes later...
Ok. So they are busy. Lets just forget about it. The owner (my parents know him to be the owner since he helped them set up the reception before) came to wait on the table so it should be a great experience? nope. I'll briefly highlight: app we wanted unavailable, app we ordered with cheese on the side (mom and sister are vegan) came with cheese on it...they picked around it because there was no one coming by our table to check on us, empty drinks for 10 minutes before our food arrived with no offer to bring us more, sneer on the waiters face when I ordered the cheapest thing on the menu (failed to notice my boyfriend ordered one of the most expensive), and attitude when we didn't order dessert (yes I thought the person who wrote about this before had it all in their head, but they literally threw the menu down and walked away).
Guess what Keei Cafe, we WANTED TO ORDER DESSERT. Know why we didn't ???? You're ATM was NOT WORKING and you only take cash!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Overall, NOT GREAT. Mom's birthday dinner was pretty much ruined. We wanted more drinks and a dessert but the insane no credit card policy with an ATM machine that was not working ruined our plans for that... also, here is what I find unforgivable, if you OWN A RESTAURANT you should know how to wait on the tables and create a fantastic experience for your guests. My parents go to the island once a year for about 3 weeks and always worked to bring people visiting (and a huge reception to your restaurant) I recommended this restaurant several times and would have frequented whenever back... but when the OWNER gives you attitude and doesn't want to even OFFER TO GET YOU MORE DRINKS (uhm, how much income does drinks add to a ticket??? come on!) and acts like it is an inconvenience to wait on you - I am not supporting Keei Cafe and I hope no one else does either. I don't know what happened Keei, but you lost lots of great customers. I hope that this serves as a warning that even if you might go when they are having a good night, they don't care about their customers and so why should we support them?? Why should I pay some of the highest prices on the island for a horrible experience? Never again Keei Cafe. You blew it!
(sorry for the rant everyone... it had to happen...) -
Review from Michelle C.
Los Angeles, CA
10/25/2008
Keei is a great treat! After being on the Island for 8 days I was really in the mood for a good meal (hard to find on this island). I was thoroughly impressed, the food is spectacular. The ambiance is relaxing as it is located on the second floor and has a beautiful view of trees and the ocean. The staff was lovely and accommodating. I recommend the Baked Brie in Filo Dough... YUM. The lilikoi cheesecake was also delicious. I give this a 5 star rating my man says a he gives it a solid 4.
Go here, it's good! -
Review from monica w.
Burlingame, CA
12/22/2011
Amazing meals and ambiance. If you had choose one place to have dinner on the island, choose keei cafe.
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Review from Andree H.
Port Townsend, WA
2/24/2010 1 photo
We came to the big island without many plans and so relied on word of mouth for much of our experience. I also downloaded Yelp to my iPhone and had fun looking up various things, finding it handy.
When Cafe Keei was recommended by the owner of the guitar shop (wonderful locally-made guitars mixed in with amazing vintage). I looked it up on Yelp and found totally mixed reviews.
We stopped in and found a lovely place with beautiful art and furniture. The staff was very civilized and we sat on the small patio for a view of the water (granted it is across the highway).
We ordered a mai tai, blue margarita, seafood bisque and cakes, scallops and prawn salad - delicious! -
Review from s v.
San Jose, CA
12/8/2011
We happened to find this place when driving south from Kailua toward the volcano park. It's a very tastefully decorated restaurant with an amazing view. We ordered the eggplant and hummus sandwich, and pasta for the kids. We LOVED the food. The service was extremely good. This was one of the highlights of our trip to the Big Island. Highly recommended.
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Review from Ian M.
Somerville, MA
5/4/2010
My wife and I enjoyed our meals and found the service to be friendly and prompt.
I believe that two factors helped to make the experience a positive one. First, we made reservations. Second, we made EARLY reservations. It probably helped that we were still (sorta) running on EST zone, but getting there right at 6pm for dinner helped us avoid the rush and get our food quickly, but not at an overwhelming pace.
Remember - this isn't a "Duke's" or some other chain. It's a locally owned and run establishment. Sit down, relax, and enjoy their take on a meal. If that's not your style then this isn't the place (or island for that matter !) for you. Head to Maui for your slice of LA. -
Review from Paul W.
Chicago, IL
Liked the casual atmosphere and brief menu. Food was good, not at all adventurous though.
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Review from Jay D.
San Bernardino, CA
8/19/2011
Aside from the cash only thing, this place is a 'must' to visit while on the big island. The service is friendly, decor is upper class and the food is wonderful. Parking is in the rear and you'll have to be careful of some narrow entrance and exits.... But it's nothing treacherous. Great place to go to with your significant other. A+
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Review from Matt H.
Milpitas, CA
8/14/2011
The review posted below is from my wife. We have been eating all over from Captain Cook to Kona for the past several days, from run-down BBQ shacks to expensive fancy meals... and the Keei Cafe went down as both of our favorites. For a great view, sit on the balcony to watch the sunset. Even with the road noise right below, which usually bothers me, I was able to ignore it. Excellent food, from appetizer (brie cheese) to main course (fajitas) to dessert (bread pudding). The Sunset Breeze drink is excellent too, but it is better if Greg makes it. The service can be slow at times, but probably because the small crew makes it a point to talk with every customer they have, and they can't be everywhere at once. Sit back and enjoy the amazing artwork on the walls while you wait.
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Review from william p.
Sacramento, CA
5/24/2010
Let me be the first to admit that the Island of Hawaii is, generally, a black hole for fine dining. Just accept it and then find the best that the island can offer. I think Kee'i Cafe is a very good restaurant. I have eaten there about about 10 time in nine years. The wine list is good compared to other BIg Island establishment. Nonetheless, it does not compare with SF, LA, or napa for selection. It's not gonna happen. The service in the past has been spotty, but this May it was very attentive. The food is mixture of hawaiian and brazilian. It's not Gary Danko, but it is fresh, tasty and not overly expensive for the Islands.
I can appreciate some of the older criticism but I think those events have passed and those problems have been resolved. Still if you are looking a food and wine orgasism go to Oahu, you will not find it on the Big Island. -
Review from Roberto P.
Long Beach, CA
8/26/2010
I had noticed this restaurant many times on our travels to and from the Bed and Breakfast in Captain Cook (Aloha Guest House) Bed and Breakfast). On our fourth night on the Island we decided to give Cafe Keei a try. Wow! It was the best meal we've had yet on the trip. The Roasted Half Chicken with curry was phenomenal. The Brazilian Seafood Chowder had a broth that was so tasty I wanted more! My partner had spearfish with lemon caper and it was cooked to perfection...oh and not to forget, the Rice And Seafood cake was so unique and delicious. If you a chance to try Cafe Keei, Do It!!
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Review from Mae S.
Ann Arbor, MI
Updated - 8/18/2008
Return visit for lunch again, highly satisfactory.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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8/19/2007
This seems to be a love-it-or-hate-it kind of place. I come down closer to the love-it side. Three… Read more »
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Review from Gina T.
Union City, CA
8/12/2010
We were here before and thought the food was good. Came back this year for the crispy skin chicken.
--We've ordered brazilian chowder which was very soupy, few sprinkle of fish, 1 clam, 2 shrimps (these were tasty).
--Fried Brie for appetizer: pretty good that's why the 3 stars
--Rolled eggplant stuff with a whole bunch of garlic: ok for appetizer
--Crispy skin chicken w/rice and curry sauce: chicken was moist skin was crunchy, but everything was tasteless, think they forgot to seasoned the chicken. Not enough curry sauce on the rice....common' why so skimpy on the sauce?
--House special which cost about close to $29, so we thought the fish must be tasty so went ahead and ordered that. It came out with the "special" sweet and sour sauce. They forgot to tell us that the sauce was extremely sweet which killed all the taste on the fish. Fish was also not seasoned at all......not even salt & pepper. The fish was served w/mash potato an gravy. The mash potato seems like it came out from a box and undercooked, my daughter can make instant mash potato better than that. But common' for $29 a plate and we get instant mash potato? Must be kidding me!
Needless to say we're not coming back here again. -
Review from Kione E.
8/28/2007
Decent parking.
Nice place in a fake Hawai'ian decor. Pretentious.
The host / manager ( who was about 45 ) wore tacky ass bling. Straight from Compton. Seriously.
The cocktails were at best amateur. My next drink was a scotch over rocks.
The sashimi appetizer was pretty good, but minuscule in portion. What? The night before if purchased about 10oz. of Sushi grade, fresh Ahi Poke for about 10$. And now I had about 1oz of Ahi for the about the same amount. Ridiculous!
I vaguely remember my salad. It was fresh, local grown spring mix, but the dressing barely existed.
My pan seared rib-eye tasted as if the oil was old or burnt before the steak hit the pan. Ruined, but I was too damned hungry. Oh well.
Service lacked. We were being served by the pimp. And some idiot, who might have been his son. We refused desert and the ass made a remark, as if we were missing out on something special.
If desert is anything like dinner, then..NO THANKS!
The cost of dinner was way too high for what it was really worth.
From now on, I was sticking to local people food. -
Review from Mike G.
Mountain View, CA
7/24/2011
Best mai tai we had in the Hawaiian islands. Food is very good -- stick with the catch of the day. Get french-press coffee with dessert -- you won't regret it. Service is a little slow -- but what's your hurry? Soak in the gorgeous atmosphere and savor your cocktail (did I mention the mai tais are crazy good?)
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Review from Becky w.
Castro Valley, CA
8/22/2009
The service was horrible!! My husband and I both look very young and I feel this may have had an impact on the service. The guy that was serving us didn't tell us all the specials and was a bit rude. It took us almost twice as long to get served as the other guests and we had to get his attention for everything. Just to give you an idea of how slow our service was a couple that walked in twenty minuets after us was served their food and dessert before he even picked up our dinner plates which had been sitting in front of us for a very long time.
The food was ok but the service was so bad I would never go back. -
Review from Leslie T.
Truckee, CA
5/2/2011
I had stopped in at this place twice during my visit to Hawaii, and it was closed both times. Undaunted, I made dinner reservations (recommended to us and I'm recommending it right on forward, folks! We were told on the phone at the time I made the reservation that they only took cash for payment) for our last night on the island and had a truly beautiful experience. To begin with, the place on the inside looks nothing like you expect it to look like when you see it from the outside. Once I stepped through the door, I felt like I might be in someone's home, surrounded by beautiful art and sculpture,w/live quiet local musician, interesting "tropical" furniture, nice lighting, airy....sweet! We started with a nice Granacha from Spain for only $24, and since we had been eating fresh fish or Kalua pig for most of our stay, I had the rack of lamb and my husband had one of the night's specials and I believe that was a killer rib-eye steak. We shared bites and they were both perfectly done and very tasty, as were the vegetables served with the meat. I got "all veggies and no starch" with my lamb and the locally grown seasonal veggies were to die for! (when we first walked into the Keei Cafe, a waiter passed us with two large plates of food and displayed them to us - proud of what he was taking out and it was he who pointed out to me that I could get all veggies and no potatoes as I commented on how incredible the veggies looked) All in all, we had wonderful service (the Asian owner waited on us and was very sweet and relaxed) and excellent food in a lovely setting. I would go back in a heartbeat! It is also a very romantic place.....
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Review from Marty C.
Holualoa, HI
7/4/2011
One of the best restaurants in Kona. A must visit. Just bring cash! No credit cards accepted. There is a cash machine inside.
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Review from Nichole F.
Playa Del Rey, CA
12/15/2009
We've been coming here for years. My folks fav spot on the island. Yes, service can be in the slow side...but just relax and enjoy the Aloha. Great Curry house special - try with brown rice and fish. Their salads are always local and fresh. Mango bread pudding is a must; lava cake can be skipped.
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Review from Adore P.
San Francisco, CA
8/20/2010
We arrived pretty late - after 8 - and were promptly seated. Scallops & shrimp salad, the special of the day with butter fish and the coconut flan were all really tasty. We did not have any issues with the service, quite the opposite. Plan on going there again before this vacation is over.
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Review from ash h.
Milpitas, CA
8/11/2011
We got a gift card from the person who runs the bed and breakfast we stayed at while in the area, and honestly this place was originally just on our list of things to do because of that gift card we were given. We're REALLY glad we came in here. Ambience-- amazing! Food-- amazing! Drinks-- amazing! My husband had the fajitas and I had the catch of the day. The dishes are diverse and each just as yummy (if no more) than if you had gotten them in a restaurant dedicated to that cuisine (my dish was Thai origin, and fajitas obviously spanish). They had live music that just fit the feel of the place-- a soft vocal on guitar. We had a table out on the deck with a perfect view of the sunset and feel of the cool breeze coming by. Our server was super nice and informative about the dishes..... not the fastest service I've ever had, but I get the feeling after eating at a few places on the island the past few days that it's kind of easy going and slower than what people are used to in back on the mainland states--- so stop complaining and enjoy the yummy food, good drinks, and awesome ambiance!
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Review from Zachary K.
San Diego, CA
3/26/2009
Food was excellent in taste, serving size and presentation. The bread pudding dessert was also fantastic. Service started out OK, but our waiters got switched mid-meal somehow and it took forever to get out of there. A bit pricey, pretty much worth it.
