- Restaurants |
- Nightlife |
- Shopping |
- Movies |
- All
Vit's Hawaiian Steak House
Category: Restaurants Steakhouses Steakhouses [Edit]
2058 Kuhio AveHonolulu, HI 96815
(808) 983-7275
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 6:30 am - 2 am
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner, Breakfast
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
39 reviews for Vit's Hawaiian Steak House
Review Highlights
"Banana and Macadamia Nut pancakes with coconut syrup."
(in 2 reviews)
"...my first experience here (2008) I loved the baby-back ribs."
(in 3 reviews)
"My lady had a grilled mahi mahi fillet, which was tender..."
(in 5 reviews)
Loading...
39 reviews in English
-
Review from Tessa t.
9/19/2011
yelp 365 challenge #31/365
i came here a few years ago...
and was not impressed at all...
neither was my friend...
however, i decided to try it again...
and now i wuv it :)
my friend ordered the steak...
it was supposed to be med/rare, but it came out med/well...
our nice server had it fixed right away...
i ordered the ribs...
soooo meaty!!
so tender!!! i didn't even need my knife!
mashed potatoes were perfect with it!!
anywhere with awesome ribs wins my heart... -
Review from Paul M.
Honolulu, HI
1/17/2012
Vit's was probably the worst restaurant experience I've had in quite awhile. They don't punch me in the face or drop hot food on my wife's lap, so I'm not going to give them 1 star. However, I won't consider coming back, nor would I suggest anyone else eat here.
- The Bad -
Like some other reviewers, my wife and I did not receive the proper temperature steaks. I got a prime rib, which I asked for "a little under medium rare". It was well done. Well done prime rib. No pink at all, no juice, and almost like a brisket on the outside. Dried, despite all the fat and jus on it.
Now I'm certain they just left it in the oven too long, and being an expensive cut of meat, they didn't want to redo it. They refused to cook me another, or refund me for it either.
Luckily for us, my wife ordered the Hawaiian Ono steak at medium. It came rare. So we were able to just switch our steaks. Neither of us were happy, but we did have something to eat for dinner. The server did offer replace the under cooked Hawaiian Ono steak, but I didn't want to send anything back to the kitchen. Not sure what will come back.
Just a small nit-pick, but we both ordered the side of garlic mashed potatoes. They were creamy are garlic-y, but had no gravy or spices on it. Without my Prime Rib jus, I would have only had a couple bites. Had the steak been good, I could care less about what came with it.
The waitress was in a rush all night and didn't check on us. She didn't bring us water until we were done with our meal and had to ask for it. The only time she checked on us was literally 20 seconds after she gave us the food. We didn't have time to cut into them and see the problem. Of course I noticed right away mine was over cooked, but I haven't tasted it yet to see if I was okay with that. I was not okay with it.
We really wanted to get out of the place, since we were upset with our meal. But she took a really long time letting us go. First she asked if we wanted dessert, and we said no. 10 minutes later she returns with a dessert menu, and rushed off before I could stop her and ask for the check. When she returns another 10 minutes later, she is surprised we don't want a dessert... and brings us our check right away. My biggest pet peeve at a restaurant is when I have to wait after my table is cleared of all food and drink. 20 minutes with nothing in front of us but the late water, just to pay full price for food that was not cooked right.
I only tipped 8%. I feel bad, but I'm sure a lot of people wouldn't tip at all.
- The Good -
On a plus side, my wife ordered a cocktail and it was nice and strong. I ordered the Surfer on Acid, which is a cocktail with pineapple juice and jagermiester (!!), and it was tasty.
The marinade was okay on the Hawaiian Ono steak. I wouldn't order it again, but it was kind of nice I suppose. Not overpowering.
We were seated right away, and had our choice of an indoor or outdoor table.
The decor could be considered quaint, I suppose, but I didn't like it. Reminded me of a cross between Ruby Tuesday and Denny's. Not an upscale steak place.
We only came here cause we had a $50 gift card. So we really only spent $17 for our meal. It was not even worth that though. Murakame Udon down the street would have been better, for cheaper.
12 oz Prime Rib, 10ish oz Top Sirloin, 2 cocktails for $59 + tip. I suppose that would be a good deal, if the meat quality was high and everything was cooked properly.
- Conclusion -
I think this place is stuck in the downward spiral of a failing restaurant. They're not satisfying customers, so they're losing money. Since they don't have money, they're cutting corners, not keeping things fresh, and letting their food quality suffer. The waitresses are probably pulling in less tips, and are getting grouchy. They need to spend money to earn money, but they're not willing to.
This restaurant could turn things around with a new attitude, and a little infusion of TLC. -
Review from Yellow J.
Honolulu, HI
1/2/2012
Expensive deep fried bad food.
I ordered seafood combination which was $24 .. it came with very deeply fried scallops(seriously they fried scallops ugh), 2 shrimps, oysters, mahi mahi and your choice of french fries/mashed potatoes/baked potatoes.
Overall, my first time ever not to finish a seafood plate. -
Review from David O.
Edmonds, WA
1/23/2012
This is a really simple review.
Canned pineapple.
Inexcusable.
Unacceptable.
Unbelievable.
I'm in Hawaii. I'm on Oahu.
I'm served canned pineapple in what was billed as a "fresh" tropical fruit salad. Since when are apples tropical? Canned pineapple. Probably from the Philippines. $8.
Any other questions? -
Review from Christine J.
San Diego, CA
1/27/2012
Ugh...where to start. We ordered take out and it took way to long. The moco loco I ordered was repulsive and had me running to the bathroom. My husband's sandwich was just ok. They place is just lucky they are next to a hotel and have a somewhat guaranteed clientele. I don't recommend them...gross.
-
Review from Dennis M.
Honolulu, HI
Updated - 12/22/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Went for lunch. A slight delay in no greeting at entrance. Order and recommendations were professionally done but did not agree after taste. Took 20 minutes for Order to come. Guess kitchen staff is slow. Food was hot however. Fish and chips had no taste both fish and sauce. Fries was equal to fast food style thin. Service was attentive after meal arrived but no apology for the long wait. Maybe it is ye norm here since they did not apologize for the length of time waiting. Will come again and try something else.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
7/17/2011
First time to Vit''s Hawaiian steak and I was warmly greeted by the host w a choice of place to sit.… Read more »
-
-
Review from Derek I.
9/2/2011 1 photo
Decent place for breakfast, though my favorite place in Honolulu is still Seaside.
The scrambled eggs were nice and fluffy, and the potatoes were satayed with onions and seasoned just right. The waitress suggested that I get the corned bread grilled which was a great choice---moist and flavorful. Though corned beef hash was from the can (I asked). -
Review from Allan g.
9/3/2011 2 Check-ins Here
I came here on two separate occasions, one time to order some breakfast to go and another time to eat a late night dinner with my gf.
The breakfast ordering didn't seem that great, I ordered the pancake breakfast with sausage and egg, and it felt a little less than what I paid for.
For dinner, the house Cabernet isn't too bad with the steak, and I preferred the ribeye more than the vit's hawaiian style steak. The hawaiian style steak had a bit of flavoring that made it distinct and kind of sweet, but it wasn't that great. My girlfriend's ribeye was good for what it was worth but seemed fairly standard for a steak.
Whenever I order a steak, I'll usually try to eat it with just its own seasoning and juices, because that's what makes the steak distinct from other ones at other restaurants. If else, I'll use A1, and for this place, sadly I used A1.
Don't expect too much, but if you want steak, they have it here. -
Review from Dave T.
San Jose, CA
8/25/2011
Went here in early August with a buddy, mostly because we were jonesing for some steak. We both ended up ordering the Hawaiian Ono Steak. And man was it tasty. Cooked the way we each ordered it, and just a great tasting steak. The garlic mashed potatoes were also pretty good.
Was not crowded at all on a Friday night, but that could be since it's not along the main drag of Waikiki. -
Review from Tereshia B.
West Covina, CA
7/9/2011
Located right outside of Maile Sky. Not very much business, so there was no wait. No lengthy wait for the food to come in. Advantage is, they open at 6:30a. So that gives a person time to eat before going on an all day tour. Disadvantage- ordered the grilled pork chops and it was not cooked all the way through.
If you're pressed for time and in the area, check it out. -
Review from James W.
Dallas, TX
1/7/2011 2 Check-ins Here
My initial review was not going to be great. The service was slower than I would expect given that it was not crowded. They also were out of baked potatoes at 8PM.
However, I ordered the Hawaiian Ono Steak and it was Devine. The sirloin was so tender I did not need a knife. I sampled other dishes from the party I was with and all were superb.
The breakfast menu was also great. We ate here several times for breakfast. -
Review from John O.
11/28/2010 1 Check-in Here
This review is primarily based on my experience at the bar. I will update when I decide to eat here.
I visited the bar for a couple of drinks. It is a cozy little bar that was not very busy when I visited.
They have a couple of large TVs for your viewing pleasure. They were tuned to sports.
The only thing I really wanted from the bar was beer. I was very thirsty so I order a Longboard Lager. The bartender offered two sizes, of which their larger size was a 32 ounce mug. That sounded really nice but I don't think the price was too nice. $12.50 for the mug! Sure it was neat to have a nice big cold mug in my hand but for a restaurant bar in a hotel that is less than average, I don't think so.
The bartender and other staff were very friendly so I think I will try the bar out again. Next tine I will order a bottle beer or regular sized draft beer. -
Review from Adam H.
Louisville, KY
11/2/2010
Dinner review:
After a good internet search for Waikiki Steak & Lobster restaurant, for price .vs. rating score, we were led to Vit's. With a party of six we thought it might be wise to make reservations, totally unnecessary... we probably should have made a run for it when we were the only table in the place, aside from a few belligerent bar flies.
The "Special" that night was a Steak & Prawns dinner for nearly $30. I believe four out of six of us went with that while my wife and I decided to be risque and opt for pasta dishes. Long story short, our friends were terribly disappointed having spent $30 bones on buffet quality steak, 3 frozen shrimp, and an ice cream scoop of instant potatoes. While my wife, being the sport she is, had to custom create her dish given her vegetarianism. Simply requesting the alfredo pasta with vegetables one would think that would be pretty easy. However it seemed whoever prepared her meal simply made a salad on the salad bar and tossed it with some noodles and sauce. Who puts celery in an alfredo pasta dish??
Anyway, being a firm believer in if you have nothing positive to say don't say anything at all, I usually refrain from leaving less than 3 star reviews. However, considering this place attracts primarily people visiting, I know how much is riding on each meal while on vacation! There are plenty of better food choices in this area, and if I'm lucky enough to visit here again, this definitely won't be one of them.
2 stars... only because our waiter was friendly and helpful, as much as he could be anyway. -
Review from Jen S.
Rosemead, CA
7/29/2011 1 Check-in Here
Nothing special. Had the Hawaiian chicken and it was pretty bland for my taste. Terriyaki steak was satisfactory in flavor. The ambience is also casual--reminds me of Shakeys. I would have given only 2 stars if not for super friendly and efficient service and the Macadamia Cream Pie.
-
Review from Marcy L.
9/2/2010 1 photo
FANTASTIC!
While visiting my friend who lives on the island, I requested that we have a phenomenal pancake breakfast at least ONCE during my visit. When she made the suggestion of a "steakhouse" to achieve this goal, I was hesitant.... But after some fantastic service (so kind, all smiles, knowledgeable about the menu, and fast!) and the most delicious plate of pancakes I've ever tasted....I'm surely glad that Vit's was recommended! The restaurant is clean and well-maintained; mostly table-seating, however, there is also a bar which features flatscreen TVs (in case you're looking for a place to watch the game).
*Banana and Macadamia Nut pancakes with coconut syrup.....to DIE for! Amazing bacon and homefries, too. Price for special: 8$
*...you can order 21+ bevies starting around 7am - I had a Mimosa in a coconut cup (which I got to keep!) - and all for only 7$
*AMAZING service all around: hostess, kitchen, server - - - you're all so friendly and attentive!
(we had such a great time that we returned for dinner on another occasion!):::
*green tea mojito = INCREDIBLE! Great price considering potency and size of beverage.
*Macadamia Nut Chicken with potato side was moist and flavorful.
*Macadamia Cream Pie dessert......nothing touches this splendid, thick, creamy delight.
*still amazing service (and will take special requests on seating arrangements)
On Waikiki, you really cannot beat this place (for ANY meal or even just cocktails at the bar). The staff is incredible, the menu has a variety of selections for your individual palate, the prices cannot be beat for this quality of experience! When visiting Honolulu - make definite dinner/breakfast plans at Vit's!!! -
Review from Jens J.
4/16/2009
Vit's is a Steakhouse, but yes they do some mighty fine seafood here too.
Thanks to a recommendation from Nader A. from PDX, we had a great dinner tonight. It wasn't crowded tonight so we were seated promptly outside by a sweet waitress who gave flawless service from start to finish.
We ordered the reasonably priced seafood combination and sirloin steak and mahi-mahi combination. What really stood out for me was the breaded scallops - I have never had scallops prepared like this before and they were divine. The scrumptious tarter sauce deserves a more-than-honorable mention too!
I wanted to have a side salad, and was directed for that to the nominally priced all-you-can-eat salad bar. Especially liked the kimchee, artichoke hearts and soup that were there.
Oh , the steak that I asked for as medium-rare came to the table as medium-rare. Seasoned nicely too! I confess that I did sneak a little A-1 steak sauce onto my meat.
Like Nader pointed out, there's a nice green space between the traffic on Kuhio and the outdoor seating. However, on this particular night the green space did not quite keep out the sound of a parade of high school bands marching down Ala Moana Blvd. I guess that might be either good or bad, depending on your perspective. ;-)
For parking, I recommend the hotel parking garage next door to the restaurant. The restaurant will validate your parking.
Another recommendation - dress warmly after the sun sets in Hawaii, the temperature drops quickly. So much for tropical paradises! -
Review from Sharon N.
Corpus Christi, TX
3/15/2010 3 Check-ins Here
Review for breakfast, lunch, and happy hour.
I was surprised that Vit's was rated pretty high. I came here for breakfast with my boyfriend while we were staying here. The breakfast food was crap and expensive for what you got. Almost ten bucks for everything listed on the menu and you didn't get much food at all! I did, however, enjoy the sweetbread french toast, but the bread wasn't heated all the way through by the time I got it! If the hotel room had at least a microwave I would've just bought eggs, cereal, milk, and bread and kept it in the mini fridge to eat instead of coming down for the crap they served.
For lunch, not that much better. I had the chicken satay with sweet sticky rice. The chicken was kind've curry-like and it was tasty, but, again, it wasn't wonderful. It was served on top of shredded cabbage that didn't look fresh at all. Next to the chicken was the sweet sticky rice. I think it was made with coconut milk and it was indeed sweet and sticky, but I didn't care for it too much. It was kind've like a big blob of mochi next to your chicken and that was a bit too strange for me. I am a purist when it comes to rice, however, and that may have skewed the rating for this dish.
Happy Hour was alright. You get free appetizers when you come in. We had chicken wings with ranch/bleu cheese dressing on the side. The chicken was cooked well and it was nice and crispy, but there was no sauce on it so there wasn't too much flavor... We also got free popcorn which was salty, but I'm assuming you do that so you keep ordering drinks. The happy hour prices weren't cheap though, only fifty cents to a dollar cheaper than regular price.
The waitress/bartender we had was very nice, but not that knowlegeable when it came to drink recommendations. The drinks weren't too strong either. They did have a 30oz giant mug of beer which my boyfriend enjoyed. I had a few coctailsand drink specials. From what I can remember I had:
Zen: green tea liquer with lemon juice and other things; alright, but a sour drink so I didn't enjoy it too much
Sex on the Beach: can't really screw this one up, and it had a very nice presentation
Mai Tai: pretty awesome but not as strong as the ones they serve on the 5th floor of the hotel at the Deep End (another location on Yelp)
I also had a chocolate-cherry-kahlua blended drink that had ice cream and strawberry syrup topped with whipped cream and cherries. Not bad, but a really heavy drink if you're watching calories and fat.
I wouldn't eat here again unless I had to. There are way better places within walking distance of this place that won't overcharge you for what you're getting. -
Review from Victor Z.
Alhambra, CA
5/9/2010
I heard it was famous from Hawaii 5 "O" .....
Not with me....I was sooooo disappointed with their drinks----Ordered a Mai Tai and it was soooooo weak in rum----The fruit was plentiful without the rum. I had them make it twice before it was how I liked it....bracing strong.
My friend and me ordered the Mahi Mahi sandwhich(grilled)----How can you go wrong there!? They did---we had the runs all night----*EWE* so true, and that will be my last time there....So it is famous for the lack of my presence!
Even the service was fair.....Slow and shallow when you did get someone...
My recommendation is, if you go here, take a good shot of Pepto afterwords! Just a warning. -
Review from Nader A.
Portland, OR
2/27/2008
No Disclaimers here; I'm not related to the owner and have no biases, but I fully recommend Vit's.
We recently vacationed in Hawai'i, spending just a few nights in Waikiki. On our last night before catching a red-eye flight home we stumbled across Vit's Hawaiian Steak House and decided to have a nice dinner to cap off our trip.
What a fantastic dinner it was! Entrees come with both soup and salad from the fresh and varied salad bar. For dinner I went with the Ono Steak and Prawns. The steak was truly one of the most tender and delicious cuts of meat I've had in years! It's marinated overnight in a blend of spices including shoyu, garlic, red wine vinegar, etc. Very flavorful, as tender as a fillet mignon, and a generous cut. They offered A-1 steak sauce, but it would really have been a crime to put it on this delicious steak. The prawns were big and delicious. Our waiter told me the chef butterflies and hand breads them himself, and it certainly tasted fresh and properly cooked.
My lady had a grilled mahi mahi fillet, which was tender but not too flaky, and had a very nice semi-sweet flavor. Our waiter was very friendly, but not intrusive. The patio/lanai seating was wonderful; open to the street so you could people watch, but separated by plants and bushes so you still had your privacy.
Finally the prices were very reasonable given the high quality and good service; especially in comparison to other restaurants in the Waikiki/Honolulu area. I will absolutely return to Vit's the next time I find myself in Honolulu!Listed in: More than a stone's throw away
-
Review from Roshan V.
San Francisco, CA
5/12/2009
(Reviewing breakfast only)
There really is no other reason to come here unless you are staying in the hotel it's attached to. We were, so we ate here every day of our trip. I debated between 2 and 3 stars, so I'll just put a 3 and say it's a 2.5.
Their pancakes with coconut syrup are delicious - worthy of 4 or 5 stars. If you're coming here just for the pancakes, you'll be fine. But the big stack of 4 pancakes is kind of pricey at $6+
They have a special breakfast for $3 or $4 that comes with pancakes, eggs, and bacon, but it's not advertised in the menu. We only knew about it because we say a poster for it in our hotel. It kind of sucks that it's hidden away, but after tasting their eggs and bacon, I knew I didn't want to order this for myself. The bacon is very limp and greasy.
The service was overall pretty good, but on my last day here I tried flagging down a waiter so he could get our waiter, and he kind of rolled his eyes and walked away. I don't think that's reflective of the rest of the staff, but it was a crappy last experience for my last breakfast here. Also, on the first day, the water we got had black specks in it. I think they need to clean out one of their ice machines.
I would come again for pancakes and coffee only if I were staying near the restaurant, but I wouldn't recommend much else here or recommend going out of your way to visit.Listed in: Oahu, Hawaii
-
Review from Judith L.
Phoenix, AZ
10/24/2011
The ribs were delicious but coconut shrimp only mediocre. Tip chart with the check is tacky. Ambience is lacking.
-
Review from Corey C.
San Francisco, CA
7/20/2009
It being a Steakhouse and all, I went for their signature steak, and wasn't totally impressed. The mashed potatoes and gravy was nice though.
My girlfriend had the Loco Moco for dinner, which is available even though not on the menu, and it was pretty good.
The place was fairly empty on a Sunday night, which foreshadowed the so-so experience we had. Also, the environment was pretty heavy on the sports-bar side, giving a vibe like being in Chili's. -
Review from Jenny W.
1/16/2010 4 photos
What haven't I had at Vit's?
I've had the Hawaiian Ono steak with coconut shrimp, the Thai chicken curry, the baby back ribs, the mahi-mahi, the BLT and the chicken avocado sandwich. Everything was great!
On our trip to Hawaii, my BF and I were stuck at the airport for over 12 hours because of some airport issues and on the way home, our flight was completely canceled so we could not get a flight home for another 3 days. The airport comped us at a very cheap hotel, which is what Vit's was connected to, and we're lucky that they did. I've meet business men here that eat here everyday they can and locals that come for the great food. I was so surprised because the hotel wasn't as great as our other one and I wasn't expecting much from the restaurant.
Through the three days, we really got to know one of the bartenders and when we mentioned a Thai dessert of mangoes and sticky rice, he came out with a plate of sticky rice and vanilla ice cream and told us it was his favorite and not on the menu. Service is excellent and everyone is so attentive and friendly.
If I could, I would be a regular here. -
Review from Mario P.
Honolulu, HI
1/19/2011
Great little place. I got the sunrise special. 2 pancakes some eggs 4 bacon strips for only 6 bucks! Great deal. Food was good and service was fast.
-
Review from Matt C.
Tucson, AZ
1/20/2011
Good breakfast but a little on the pricey side. I got the macadamia nut waffles which were excellent but $8.50 just for one little waffle? My wife got a breakfast croissant with fruit which was good too but I think our bill was almost $30 and I was hungry an hour later.
-
Review from Devon S.
Honolulu, HI
12/2/2009
Having just picked up my Aussie peeps from the airport (Miss you, Bec), after the mandatory first stop to Wal-Mart of course, I drove them straight to their hotel in Waikiki. It's funny what you notice about your surroundings when you are paying extra attention. I had come down Kuhio road many times and never noticed Vit's sitting there until then. The next night, we all decided to have dinner there. I didn't see this place coming at all. I was very impressed.
Food - VERY tasty. They offer a pretty good selection of contemporary American, Asian, and local foods. For apps, we had the loaded potato skins and crab wontons. Great start indeed. The wontons in particular were very good. Good balance of creamy cheese and crab, served with sweet Thai chili sauce. For entrees, my friends had the Hawaiian Ono steak and i had the baby back ribs. The steak was perfectly cooked to temp and seasoned just right, with a hint of sweetness i had never experienced in a steak before. Would love to get my hands on that marinade. The ribs were amazing! Being from the southern US (though i claim MN as home, go Vikings), i know good BBQ when i taste it and these ribs were just that. Meat falls right off the bone, nice smoky flavor, with a sweet, spicy BBQ sauce. Throw in the loaded baked potato, and steamed veg and you can call it a night. Portion sizes were filling too, which is why you wont read anything about dessert in this review. Best of all, though, everything is reasonably priced, esp for Waikiki. You wont break the bank eating here at all...unless you have that giant lobster tail the people next to us had but tbh, I'm not sure what the market price was.
Service - Impressive. Not too over the top, but not neglectful either. Just right. They even have a tip guide in the check holder, which came in very handy for my Australian dining partners. In Australia (in Japan too, maybe in most countries even), tipping is not common practice, if practiced at all. They actually PAY their servers properly, which is a great idea imo. Well, good and bad, but that's a topic for another post.
Ambiance - Very nice layout, plenty of space between seating, nice clean restrooms, with well-lighted areas as well as low-lighted for those who want a more intimate setting. Even have outdoor seating as well with candles if you prefer.
As with any place in Waikiki, parking is an issue, so i recommend you do an hourly valet with the Royal Garden down Olohana street for keep from having to deal with street parking. 4.5 stars for Vit's. Highly recommend you give it a try
"S" -
Review from Cheryl L.
7/7/2008
I was kinda sad TGI Fridays was gone when I came back to the Maile Sky Court. Haha. That's pretty sad because, TGI Friday's isn't even all that, but for some reason the food was pretty good whenever we went there! Anyway, I had breakfast at Vit's. It was decent. The servers were all really nice, although a bit slow. Food was better than what I had at McDonald's, but nothing show stopping. More like a last resort place to get a standard, big breakfast! I don't know about dinner, since there were so many other places on our list to try!
-
Review from Emmy D.
Honolulu, HI
5/20/2010
I've eaten here four times (because my friend likes to eat there) and because it's only a 10 second walk from where I live. Service sucked every time. All four times it was empty-house, and they would seat us on the worst table with horrible glare from the sun, and all four times I had to ask to be seated somewhere else (because of the glare) and only once after I complained about the painful glare did they tell me I could choose where to sit. I just find it weird how the waiters seem to try to pick the worst seats possible especially on an empty house - away from the TV, on the hard wooden chairs away from the cushioned seats and the one with the worst sun glares lol. And they didn't seem too happy of our choice to sit in front of the TV.
On my first experience here (2008) I loved the baby-back ribs. Super soft and falls off the bone not to mention very flavorful. Nowadays I feel like I'm about to break the steak knife because the meat is so tough and difficult to chew, and then one end of the slab would have meat that's ALMOST soft enough to fall off the bone.. Also, the food has never arrived hot. Never. It's always warm enough to eat and also enough to think "So my plate's been sitting out for how long before you brought it to me?"
Although this place is pretty expensive, if you want the most "bang for your buck-but not really" it's better to get the specials by the door which include a soup and salad bar. Unfortunately it's just one type of soup and one type of lettuce for the salad. There aren't many toppings either but it was still delicious. Because I wouldn't choose to eat here on my own, and their prices are steep I'm more satisfied pigging out on the salad bar just because I can and then packing up my meal for later :) -
Review from Susan C.
West Palm Beach, FL
4/1/2010
The Hawaiian Ono Steak was good, marinated well, and the garlic mashed potaotes were ok. It was an ok meal. Service was good too, this place isn't all that special.
-
Review from John E.
San Diego, CA
6/12/2011
Not so good. I had the Ono steak and shrimp and I've had better steaks at Ruby Tuesdays. My wife got chicken and sent it back because it was too dry. She then got the Ahi Tuna and it was not fresh and extremely salty. Outback Steak House has better food at a better price. The waitress and staff were very nice and did not charge my wife for her two dishes (she didn't eat them anyway cause they were so bad).
-
Review from Eric C.
Sacramento, CA
3/7/2010
Great tasting food. Ordered special steak with shrimp, for $21.95. Service was good. Wasn't too crowded, which is a good thing. Nice balance between casual and formal dining. Would definitely go back again!
-
Review from Dolores H.
Boston, MA
7/16/2009
Breakfast was decent. Then again, it's difficult to screw up breakfast.
Lunch was a disaster. The sauerkraut on the reuben was like shredded paper. The burger was bland and had obviously been frozen. The worst was the hot and sour shrimp soup. It used a miso base which was way too salty. Besides the salt, there were chunks of ginger the size of the tip of your thumb. I like ginger, but it needs to be minced or grated. The whole experience was strange and displeasing. Based on our lunch experience, we didn't return for dinner. -
Review from Kim H.
Fremont, CA
3/7/2009
The food wasn't bad at all although the portion was a little meager on the veggies. I ordered the Hawaiian steak since I figured the first item should be good. It was cooked pretty well and the food was tasty. Since I started at 5:30, the place was empty and I got a little more personal attention. Overall pretty good place to eat. I got a $4 entree coupon as part of staying with Pleasant Holidays.
-
Review from Laurie G.
Bremerton, WA
7/4/2010
My husband and I came into Vit's for an afternoon lunch and were so dissatisfied. The host was talking on the phone and wouldn't even acknowledge us. Then, after 5 minutes of standing in the doorway and being ignored he finally hung up the phone and seated us. Turns out he was our server too. He was so snippy and rude I almost reported him to management. Everytime I tried to look at him and talk to him he would roll his eyes to the ceiling and refused to even acknowledge me. The food was "acceptable" but the horrid service will ensure I will NEVER return to this restaraunt. The menu seriously lacked variety, and the prices were a bit stiff for the casual restaraunt scene.
-
Review from Tev A.
Arlington, VA
1/11/2009
Unlike the other reviewers I had dinner at Vit's. Not bad foodwise (I got a mahi mahi sandwich which was perfectly done, with crisp hot fries), but I was a bit surprised when the bill came and the 30-oz beer was $11.95! Maybe it was because the beer was the "Hawaiian lager", Longboard I think, instead of Bud, but still knocks a few stars off the review for me.
-
Review from Kakea W.
Honolulu, HI
2/21/2010
We dine here regularly for the breakfast service and Hawaiian atmosphere, and the food is "Broke da mout'" = "delicious". Service can be hit and miss so to guarantee great service request Lisa or Jason if available. The paradise pancake special is indeed special when available at $8.99 for 2 guava pancakes, 1 egg and 2 strips of bacon. Other breakfast favorites are also appropriately named, the food is very high quality so that explains the higher cost here that's worth it.
An uncomfortable situation we have experienced while dining has been to witness someone in charge belittling a hard working waiter, while allowing poor behavior of who we learned was a manager and probably the one who "rolled his eyes and walked away" in a previous review. Go for the atmosphere, great food and service from Lisa or Jason. -
Review from Darren T.
Honolulu, HI
4/22/2010
My wife and I decided to try this place as we live near by. I had the Mahi which was .. Meh, and she had the Ono Steak which was probably the fattiest piece of meat i've ever seen. Salad on the salad bar had some pretty brown pieces. ... guess it's a sign when you are the only people there eating at 7pm in busy Waikiki. We will not be returning. Perhaps they do better for breakfast as they open at 6am?! ... guess we'll never know.
-
Review from Molly C.
Honolulu, HI
5/5/2008
This place was pretty good for breakfast. I had their special, the confusingly named "quesadilla omelette." It was actually a lightly grilled flour tortilla wrapped burrito style around some creamy scrambled eggs and bacon and topped with some salsa, sour cream, bit of cheese, and a sprinkling of sliced olives. It was served with some breakfast potatoes. The whole thing was really, really good. It thought it would be just average, but I was pleasantly surprised. It cost $9.25, a bit steep in my opinion, but tasty nonetheless. Based on my breakfast experience, I am looking forward to trying lunch or dinner here.
-
Review from Gonen W.
Moraga, CA
6/28/2009
Great place for families. We went for a dinner and were almost completely alone. The waitress was not too professional and didn't really know how to pour the wine (dripping on the table...) and we did find traces of plastic wrap in our kids spaghetti, but overall we had great and tasty experience. They have drawings and crayons for the kids which was appreciated.
