Really horrible experience...it was actually quite comical because the whole situation was soooo ridiculous. The reason why we went to Spada's was because of the "early bird menu" 5:30-7pm, with 5 dishes for $9.95 each (penne bolognase, pomodoro, pepperoni pizza, chicken caesar salad and something else I don't remember). So we ordered our food: pepperoni pizza, calamari and roasted vegetable salad to share as appetizers. We also ordered 4 pastas and 1 chicken caesar for our dinners. The the man who took our order came back after 2 minutes and said they were out of calamari. So we tried to order bruschetta...they were out of that too...so we didn't order anything to replace it. Then they brought the focaccia bread which was pretty decent with the olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Okay, everything was going fine so far. Every once and a while the cooks in the kitchen yelled really loud at each other and it really disrupted the ambiance. There were about 7 people servicing the tables, although it seemed as though only 1 person was really doing the work. So we sat. And sat. They brought more bread because our food did not come out yet. After about 30-40 minutes the pizza and pastas came out and the man who took our order apologized for the kitchen being slow, and did we want anything to drink on the house - wine, soda, etc. I guess that makes up for the ridiculously long wait...not really. So we dug in. Pizza was quite good, thin crust, cheesy goodness. My pomodoro was below average - I would not order it again. After 10-15 minutes we still didn't receive the roasted veggie salad OR the chicken caesar that was supposed to be someones dinner entree. We reminded our waiter about the salads, and even cancelled the roasted veggie salad b/c we were halfway through our entrees. He apologized and brought out the ceaser salad and said it will be comped...that's pretty good...not...b/c the salad does not have the CHICKEN on it...SERIOUSLY?! We asked for the chicken and it finally comes...overall, the salad was way below average - lettuce thrown on a plate with unripe tomatoes and capers...no love! We finally neared the end of this atrocious meal and received 2 free ice creams and a tiramisu...and to quote my grandpa..."the tiramisu is not good, it's quite bad". Haha. So. I guess my review would be: Don't come here...unless you want to get some free stuff for having to wait so long for your below average meal!
(1)
John N.
Small tables are obscured by the relaxing ambiance of the clean, tight interior. I was busy watching the various tourists and locals cross kuhio back and forth on royal hawaiian, so I forgot that they had neglected to serve the bread and water they had promised. After about 15 to 20 minutes we pointed out this deficiency and it was corrected immediately. The wines are all $8 per glass and $32 per bottle, and the chianti that I had was spectacular. The fried calamari appetizer was quality enough for me but I'd never get it again. The fish special that was suggested did surpass my expectation, and the succulent firm yet still flaky fillet was excellent. The pasta was plentiful but had too much garlic. The caesar salad had crisp greens and a few diced tomatos and about a dozen capers, with homemade croutons and house dressing, which was very good as well. The only thing that I would have liked was for them to explain that the special would be $ 34, which is about twice the price of everything else on the menu. I would go here again just to try the pizza, which is around $12 each.
(4)
Ken B.
A previous reviewer said "Horrible service, mediocre food, and prices just as bad as the rest of Waikiki.", and that pretty much sums it up. My experience was: 1. Friendly hostess seated us immediately. No big surprise as the place was empty when we got there 2. Ordered cheese plate appetizer. It came reasonably fast and was OK. Like most cheese plates; not enough crackers. No nuts, no dates. 3. Cheapest glass of wine is house cab at $7 - from a bottle that costs maybe $10 at the ABC store across the street. 4. Requested bread, waited 5 minutes. Requested again, waited 5 minutes. Requested 3rd time and they brought: 2 pieces of bread. Two. Bread was good, there just wasn't hardly any of it. And no butter. 5. GF and I decided to share an entree. She and I were still actively working on our appetizer when the waitress brought the entree, set it down at the table and instructed us to "enjoy". No cheese. No pepper. No offer of extra plates. 6. Have to admit, entree was pretty good, but then we got baked ziti, which is really hard to screw up BOTTOM LINE: OK-to-goodish food. Crap service. Prices the same as all Waikiki. Honestly: there's lots of good restaurants in Waiks and Honolulu that have good service and decent prices. Search Yelp: you'll find them. Spada is not one of them.
(2)
Richard M.
Disclosure: I came here for breakfast IHOP and McDonald's were both crazy crowded so we stopped in here. The food is standard fare breakfast, be prepared to spend $30 or so for two breakfast what would cost you around $18 at IHOP. Service was quick and excellent. And their coffee was really good, nothing like the coffee-flavored hot water that IHOP serves. If you don't want to wait and are willing to shell out a few more bucks, this isn't a bad place for breakfast. 4-stars for service and 3-stars for the food.
(4)
Myrlie D.
I was astounded by the lack of service and poor management at this place! While the manager was sitting at a table drinking coffee and reading the newspaper, I was waiting waiting waiting. Nothing. Then a long time later, and I mean a long time, this little man (the manager) comes over with no enthusiasm or expression asks what I want and brings a menu as if he is doing me a favor! Hello have you ever heard of customer service dude! The menu was bland and boring, overpriced as well. After choosing an omelet from the awesome 5 choices of breakfast options there was, I was disgusted to see the fruit they served sitting out in the open uncovered, barely submerged in ice with bugs flying around it. I opted out of the fruit portion of my breakfast. Then after a long time of waiting, my meal was cold, like he had forgotten to bring it out. The hash browns looked like something out of a freezer. I was very dissatisfied with my meal, the service, everything and to top it of it was way overpriced! Oh and I was also disturbed by nasty pigeons inside the restaurant! I must emphasize how rude the waiter was and how I am amazed at how someone with no customer service skills, social skills, and such a cold, sour personality could be the MANAGER of a restaurant. It is an embarrassment to the Marriott Hotels which is usually my favorite place to stay while on vacation to have such a poor, low quality restaurant located within it. If you consider this place, I recommend going to MCDONALD'S, its right across the street and its BETTER service!!!
(1)
Helpin B.
Wife and I went later about 830 on a Wednesday....which seems like the best thing to do on Waikiki to beat the crowds. No wait, Service was excellent, food was fresh and dinner cost us around $60 (including the tip). Portions were good...we actually took almost half of both entrees home. Wife had spaghetti and I had the chicken asparagus with cream sauce. Will def go back!
(4)
Rowell A.
I f you want snooty service and microwave Italian food, come on into Spada! Oh yeah the prices are ridiculously high for dry chicken and off the shelf pasta. Better off going to cheesecake factory.
(2)
Shirley T.
Maybe they've improved their food because we, too, had a wonderful meal. Pasta was well prepared (my daughter said it was the best lasagna she's ever eaten), bread was delicious and ambiance very nice. Also, as it's off the main street, we were able to get a table without waiting (albeit the last one!) on a Saturday night. Service was a bit slow (don't think they had enough waitstaff for the number of customers), however, our waitress did a great job trying to keep us happy. We'll definitely return on our next trip to Waikiki!
(4)
Sam F.
Can't beat the sunset dinner menu.$9.95 for either pizza, spaghetti, pasta, or a giant chicken caesar salad between 5-730. You can't beat this deal!
(4)
Anonymous A.
The food isn't too bad but the service is. Not enough staff and not very caring. I ordered the catch of the day, mahi-mahi and it was $29! Ridiculous price for a local fish. Don't waste your time and money here, there are much better restaurants in Waikiki.
(1)
Sheldon J.
For those people that left five stars I must ask if you think Olive Garden is good. This is one if not the worst Italian restaurant I have ever been at. Not only is the food so bland its like eating baby food but the Head waiter is so arrogant you just wanted to slap him upside his head. I ordered four different items. The antipasto which was bad cheese and the worse cold cuts every presented. The second dish was there Pizza. If you like little Cesar's you ill love there's. Cheapest toppings I have ever eaten on a pizza and soggy beyond believe. There special was Fettuccini Alfredo. I will say that of all the things I have complained about this was the worst. It tasted like you where eating past on an overdone noodle. I asked them if this was al dente and there answer was I have no idea what I am talking about. The blond haired head waiter asked if I have ever eaten Italian food. My answer was yes and this is not Italian food. I agree with one of the critics that the tiramisu was just about as bad as everything else. The only thing I can say is if you like to spend money on awful food then this is your spot
(1)
Rick M.
Patio for supper is quiet and delightful. Rigatoni and meatballs big enough for two. Our group had four pasta enters and loved all of them. Calamari ok. Ice cram chic pie and Spinoni were excellent. Great service and nice atmosphere. Make a reservation.
(4)
Chad J.
Disclaimer: I've owned restaurants so I will NEVER write a negative review since I know how hard it is to try and please everyone. While this was not the cheapest nor the best breakfast I've ever had, it was exactly what I was looking for. We are staying at the Courtyard Marriott next door, and wanted to find a quick, no wait restaurant before heading out for the day. Even though IHOP is across the street, we chose Spada for the available seating options (inside and out). They have a morning special which is reasonably priced and comes with coffee (today was a ham, egg and cheese croissant). I had the pancakes and thoroughly enjoyed them (the bacon and hash browns were not the greatest, but I survived). The waitress was kind and attentive, and we will probably be back tomorrow morning for the special.
(3)
Danny M.
I just ordered and my first Question is where is the bread? No really salad options? Did not have any clams ? WTF? It took longer to get my desert than my main course? I have already took Away a star down to two
(2)
Everett H.
At first the food was delicious and the portion were good size as all 3 of us took home leftovers. The waiter was friendly and accommodating. The only down side was that it was inside seating but open to the outside with no AC on as it was very humid that day so we asked the waiter and he opened the sliding door to get some air flow. I would recommend this place and would go back.
(4)
Beth C.
This place was amazing! It's a good thing I didn't read the yelp reviews or I wouldn't have come here. Our waitress was very on the ball - we had water as soon as we sat down and she was quick to point out good additions to the menu and explain the specials to us. She even advised us on which dessert to get. She was also the definition of friendly and incredibly attentive. The food was incredible. We had the Christmas set menu - ceasar salad (with a parmesan bowl :-o), scallops, Hawaiian snapper and tiramisu, as well as a lasagna. Oh my, everything was prompt and exceptional. Would not hesitate to come back.
(5)
Christina K.
[Take-Out] I loved the take-out service here but the flavor of both pizzas were overpriced and missed the mark. It ultimately lacked flavor and made me feel like I could have been better off with Round Table Pizza. Of course since the vacation girl in me said to try other places, this one is probably not one that I would go. Unfortunately, I was more bothered by the price and lack of flavor, I feel bad for giving this place a 2 star. Every bite I took, I was really concerned about how salty they were...it wasn't what I would really imagine from a place like this. The truffle oil was overwhelming as well and overpowered the prosciutto. When I took a bite of the salsicci, the sausage lacked flavor and the cheese was too salty. Service was great! The staff was extremely friendly and the food came out right on time and I practically walked in with my PJs! Perhaps I would try other things on their menu other than pizzas. From walking to our hotel every morning, their breakfast looked not too shabby. Dishes ordered: Salsicci pizza, Arugula Prosciutto pizza
(2)
Tracey F.
4 stars only because in my personal review world, 5 has not been birthed. Here I am in Hawaii and this Italian food was amazing. I love a traditional spaghetti (seriously my favorite food since I can remember) and the Spaghetti Pomodoro was close to perfection. The service? I would hire her since my J O B is looking and finding talent . Go here, order the Pomodoro and hopefully win the waitress roulette. One thing, ask for the complimentary house made bread since it is only brought to the table upon request. Ciao, I mean Aloha!
(4)
R J.
Not bad for a quick bite. Had a half ham & cheese grilled sandwich with salad. The sandwich bread and meat were good. The cheese was horrible. It tasted like American cheese. Try Gruyere next time, or even cheddar.
(3)
Kristine C.
Went here for a quick breakfast on a Saturday morning. They have both outdoor and indoor seating (outdoor seating with large umbrellas). We didn't wait as long to get an outdoor seating; however, they didn't have a specific server manning the area. After a 5 minute wait of waiting for someone to approach the front of the restaurant we had finally seated ourselves. The lady that stated we can seat ourselves was kind to get us our waters right away. It took a while to order though, which was disappointing. The food came out after 10 minutes and I had the Eggs Benedict with side of potatoes. It was.. okay. I've had tastier Eggs Benedict on the island. We didn't have a specific server designated to us. I would have to rate the service as a 2/5 and the food 1/5. I would like to try their dinner. Stay tuned for an updated review.
(3)
Amber G.
The chicken pasta is amazing. We also had a meat pasta dish with marinara that was amazing. The bacon wrapped pork chop is hit and miss. For breakfast the grab and go is by far the best. It is a crossaint with ham steak and eggs and coffee for $8!!
(5)
Steve V.
This restaurant is part of the Courtyard Marriott as we got vouchers for breakfast here as an elite member. This review is only for breakfast. It is a nice place and throughout the week, the staff got to know us. They offer simple American breakfast items that are quality, but come out quickly. The toast is nice and thick and toasted the right amount. The bacon is thin and also not over cooked, crispy, not black. The sausage is standard, but that is the only average thing about this place. We would always sit by the front and birds would come wandering in looking for scraps and the staff (and my daughter) would always chase them off.
(4)
Brandon B.
[Breakfast] Very disappointed with the eggs benedict. Eggs were over cooked, yokes solid, and the Hollandaise sauce was broken upon being delivered. Service was slow, and out waitress could not have been more apathetic - clearly she was on permanent Aloha time. She had to he asked multiple times for the same thing. Breakfast BLT was ok and the coconut syrup with pancakes for the kids was pretty good. Honestly, IHOP across the street had better service and food.
(1)
Yannis A.
Terrible service. Barely getting a smile, they seem like they do not care. I have eaten there 4 times and all have been similar experiences. The worst was yesterday; I went at 7:45am and asked to be seated outside (6-7 tables and all empty). The server (forget her name but she had blonde hair and was the only blonde girl working there) told me (!) to sit inside. I asked, again, to sit outside. She replied "they were reserved". I asked "by who"? (there were no "reserved" signs anywhere). She replied "there is a team that is staying at the hotel and they booked all outside seats". Terrible service. Reluctantly, I sat inside. While I was eating, another couple came in and sat outside...they were elderly and definitely no part of any team... In conclusion, I left at 8:35am and no team showed up. The rest of tables, outside, were empty. Not going back there, ever, again.
(1)
Renata M.
The food is really good but the staff isn't that much good. My soda was done and nobody refilled it. The server took longer to go to my table to take the order and everything else...
(4)
Cynthia Q.
This place is decent in food, service, and price for Waikiki. Too bad those who rated it low had a bad experience or obviously had way too high expectations. Remember you were fortunate enough to be on vacay in Hawaii.
(4)
Karon S.
Excellent Italian food for the price range. Definitely eat outdoors. We had a group of 8 and each of us loved what we ordered. Far less expensive and less crowded than the restaurants one street over where the crowds are.
(5)
Judy C.
When we have Waikiki nights with the family, I always pass by this place on my way to Marukame Udon. On our nexts Waikiki outing, I decided to check out this place. Just me and the hubby! :0) our date night! No reservations, just walk in- we sat outside, restaurant wasn't busy on a Friday night. Our waiter I think was a bartender, at the bar who took our order. seems like it- but I may be wrong I think this is a bit strange... We didn't get great service! & on to the food, we got the calamari fritter, chicken parm, & chicken marsala. Calamari was nothing to write about, calamari was hard, could tell it was frozen, the batter was soggy and the marinara sauce was not the best. Our food, wasn't even mediocre. Food did not taste like authentic Italian The free bread taste old! I love Italian food & I would always tell my hubby - this is authentic ! but I can't say it after eating this food as it wasn't even close to authentic. & microwave Lean Cuisine frozen meal taste so much better than this. I am so sorry Spada!! I didn't see a manager on duty at all, I really wanted to share my thoughts with him. So we do have leftovers and we took it with us, as we walked in to Waikiki to stop at Cheesecake factory to get us cheesecake, my hubby left the leftovers for the homeless on Kalakaua. What a waste of $$ ! but me & hubby had a nice time together.
(1)
Mohamed I.
The restaurant was located right next to my hotel so I decided to try their breakfast. We were greeted with hi welcome and seated in a table for 2. Only thing that I didn't like bout the place was that the tables around us were dirty when we were seated. Other than that breakfast was good and service was good. It was a good breakfast experience overall.
(4)
Alexander A.
Nice atmosphere, good service, but very mediocre food. I had the seafood medley and it was all flavorless and tough. Friend had the chicken masala and it was way too salty. Add to that no view and you get two stars.
(2)
James M.
Tiaramisu was too shelf. Friendly staff, only came for coffee and desert very pleased. Seen meals coming out they looked on point as well
(4)
Eric V.
Great service and slightly above average Italian food -- in Honolulu of all places. I didn't think I'd be eating Italian food during my stay in Hawaii but I've been here for two months so, yeah, time to mix it up. Passed this place several times and thought I'd finally check it out. Went with the chicken parm. Safe bet. I didn't care for the poppy bread that came out before the meal though. Bread at an Italian restaurant should be quite simple. No need to get creative. The olive oil and balsamic can dress it up just fine. The chicken parm was surprisingly good. Not bad at all. There's really not much more to add here. Good, not great, Italian dining.
(3)
Cruz K.
This review is just for the bar..Nice small bar located in the lobby,Salvator the bartender and owner is very nice and can make just about any drink. Its over priced like everything else in waikiki but its fast and friendly.I would come here again.
(4)
Benay K.
Extremely friendly service, very prompt and courteous. We came in starving a few minutes before closing time, expecting to be turned away last night. The waitress welcomed us, and would not allow us to feel bad for ordering food so late. She even had the kitchen make us fresh bread. I ordered the chicken piccata for $18.95 served with angle hair pasta and steam broccoli althought the meal was appreciated, the chicken was not great. Pasta and broccoli was very good. Chicken need more pounding before cooking, I think. Half bottle of champagne $20 needed and good My friend ordered the pasta Bolognese $18.95 plentiful and she loved it Long board draft ($?). All in al our server Alexandria was great, and made our experience excellent.
(4)
J G.
[Breakfast] Had the croissant sandwich, and the french toast. They were both good. Service was friendly and attentive. Food came out very quickly.
(3)
Kristina D.
This place is right near the Courtyard Marriott where my boyfriend and I were staying. We tried this place once on the last day of our trip since we got free breakfast vouchers as part of our vacation package. It is a small place and it was not crowded during breakfast service. We ordered fruit yogurt and hot oatmeal and somehow it took the heavenly lords of the great kitchen service only a merely 40 minutes to bring us our food. My fruit yogurt ended up being a packaged Yoplait yogurt you get from the grocery store and a piece of toast for only a mere $7. LOL WHAT IS THIS? How did this take 40 minutes?! Thank god I didn't have to pay with my own money. Oh, how my last few precious moments in Hawaii were wasted here.
(2)
Jay C.
I have walk by Spada a lot and it looks okay from the outside. My friend and I decided to give a try because we are craving Italian food. The waitstaff took our order and it took a very long time for the food to come out, I love my eggplant parmesan and it is the just right size portion. It is on the pricy side otherwise I won't mind to order appetizer and wait for entries since they took a while to cook.
(3)
Arrow H.
Ate here multiple times for breakfast and dinner and was not disappointed. The only complaint that I have is consistency is breakfast portion and customer service.
(4)
Cassis M.
The wine selection is really well thought out, ask the chef what he suggests that goes best with your meal. The appetizers are terrific, save room for the main course, fresh pasta and home cooked bread!
(5)
Mark M.
Breakfast.... Ordered French toast w/fruit & bacon, It was good but was served at room temperature. Requested extra butter, that never came. NOTE: Most customers had a coupon (I did not), you might check with the Courtyard maybe the give these upon request to their guest....
(3)
Greg S.
Way over priced for most items. I'm staying in the Courtyard Hotel which is attached. The lobby bar is also run by the Spada restaurant. After a long day at work I felt like a drink and a little meal. Sitting in the hotel lobby bar, ordered the dinner salad as my main meal. I mean it says "Dinner Salad" and for $12 it should be worth it, right? NO WAY JOSÉ... It was a little pile of (wilted) lettuce three thin slices of tomato AND THAT WAS IT! The second time I ordered food, knowing not to order the salad again, I ordered something a little more substantial, the Sausage and Peppers with Angel Hair pasta. Yum! Right? NOPE. The peppers mixture was so over cooked it was mush. The pasta was recently run under hot water and plated. It was water logged and not even with any sauce! A clean pile of wet pasta and a mush pile of over cooked peppers etc. the sausage was flavorful though, but you can't muck up prepackaged meat like that. Just heat it up and your good to go. I've learned my lesson Spada!
(2)
Daniel W.
I had a insalata caprese (tomato and mozarella sald) which was really delicious, but 10$ for 3 slices of tomato, mozarella and basil is at least 2$ to much. Anyway the lasagne was great...
(4)
Sherry B.
I've been living in Honolulu for a couple of years and finally got a chance to try this restaurant. I already know that it's nearly impossible to find authentic Italian food on this island, but I keep trying! Spada was my latest attempt. The hostess and waiter were efficient and pleasant. The waiter allowed me to sample each of the two chiantis before choosing. The caesar salad was wonderful! The garlic bread was fairly good. The fettuccine alfredo - one of the easiest of sauces to make - was bland and did not taste like a fresh sauce at all. I asked and learned they don't even use butter in the sauce, so I assume it's jarred or canned. The fettuccine was under-cooked and unevenly cooked. And please, any decent cook knows not to leave large pieces of barely cooked garlic in their dish. That's a terrible attempt to add flavor. Try using real, fresh ingredients instead. I'm sure I'll try them again and maybe a different meal will improve the impression and the rating.
(2)
Natalia L.
My dinner was just what i expected..delicious. Over all bad service ... Too bad the two ladies at front BS me with the 15 mins wait ...when i see 6 tables available. Thankfully someone came to clean my table 15 mins later... I got my food real quick ...but service did upset me My waiter was kind ...but bad hostesse. Good luck!
(2)
Nate W.
Slow service (arrived at 8pm on a Saturday), slow and unprofessional wait staff, 5 of them were standing around complaining oh now slow it was. I ordered a chicken Caesar salad which was nothing special after waiting for it for 15 minutes. Boiled then pan seared chicken with no flavor whatsoever on a bed of wet lettuce that diluted what little dressing there was. The most redeeming quality was the fresh pepper the waiter put onto it. Usually Marriott property restaurants are at least acceptable, but after looking at the quality of my room at the courtyard it is no surprise that this place is poor
(2)
Victoria L.
This place was bad on service and food! They are lucky to get even one star! Noodles were still hard and unevenly cooked! . Never again!
(1)
Keith C.
Sorry it's just not good. From one Italian to another ..sorry skip it. They must've refilled my salt shaker because there was no taste, not great service and they didn't bother to ask to refill my wine which is worse. It's passable, but I'd go somewhere else.
(2)
Marcus K.
Allie is a great bartender! You definitely want her Rum Runner and Mai Tai! Her bar games are mind boggling. A good time where you can hang with friends and make new ones. This would be a five star joint if I didn't have to remember the pass code to use the restroom. BTW, lock the door after you get into the restroom!
(4)
Thomas C.
I was staying at the Courtyard Waikiki and needed a quick breakfast one morning. I was prepared for overpriced, mediocre hotel food and was disappointed even at that. I ordered the Eggs Benedict. You know the cheater Hollandaise sauce you make at home when you don't want it to break or know it is going to have to sit around for a while and you don't want to have to recombine it to serve it later? I am pretty sure that is what they used here. The ham was paper thin, perfect circles, too salty and bland... basically they tasted like they came out of one of those prepackaged lunch meat things and the English muffins were not even properly toasted. The best part was the egg, which was well poached; I can give them that much. On an island that is drowning in excellent Kona coffee Spada chooses to use Lavazza coffee. I get that they are trying to be an Italian restaurant but I think this is a serious oversight if not morally reprehensible. I did not have lunch or dinner here but it is hard to imagine that the quality improves.
(2)
Jasmine K.
Went the other night with my boyfriend and was surprised that this place is better than it looks. We sat outside and received quick service and the waitress informed us of the specials and recommended a few things. We ended up going for the bruschetta as an app and I had the fish of the day, and my boyfriend the sausage pizza. The bruschetta was toasted with a tasty tomato mix on top. Pretty presentation, but it took a while to come out. Waitress was really nice and attentive even when it started getting busy. When the entrees came out I was really impressed with the fish, so yummy! The filet was cooked perfectly and the flavors were spot on. Tried some of the pizza and enjoyed the crispy crust and fresh flavor. We asked our waitress to give our complements to the chef and she told us that the pizza dough and all the sauces were made fresh in house! Nothing frozen here. Didn't try any dessert, but maybe next time. Great service and food. The only thing was that it was a little expensive, would come often if the prices were more reasonable.
(4)
Stacy M.
I haven't been in the restaurant, but the bar inside the Courtyard is awesome. The bartenders are all awesome. The happy hour specials are great drinks for a great price. Locals and tourists alike drink here.
(5)
Kelly M.
I have done both breakfast and dinner at this place. Breakfast is pretty standard, nothing special with decent service. Dinner is not even recognizable as Italian food. I have tried 3 different dishes (I was staying at the hotel for business and didn't feel like venturing out) and they all lacked flavor. This isn't even American - Italian food, it is just bad.
(2)
Rick W.
Careful. We dropped into Spada for an expresso with another couple. My friend is Italian and is always looking for good Italian restaurants. This isn't one of them. He ordered some meatballs to taste and to decide if we would come back for dinner. One of them was raw inside. When the waitress was asked she told him it was the red wine in the meatballs. Someone will get sick so be careful. If you are looking for good Italian then I would suggest you keep looking.
(1)
Richard E.
Eggs Benedict looked good but was horrible. The english muffin wasn't even toasted and it was all pretty tasteless. Potatoes were frozen from a bag type.
(2)
Shauna M.
Very overpriced for what you get. $15 plain spaghetti, no meat, no bread, no salad. Slow service.The pasta was flavorful, but not worth the $ in my opinion. If the accompanments were included, then I might return. But the dead cockroaches behind the posters were enough to keep me away. I am glad I saw them after I ate. These bugs are everywhere in Hawaii. After a week and a half on the island it became apparent that the people consider them normal and have learned to live with them. Yeah, that was a tough one for me.....
(2)
Kathleen A.
For food, this deserves no stars. Service was really good and the outdoor seating in breezy air makes up for some of what it lacks. We had complimentary breakfast vouchers from our stay at the Marriott. It was the same kind of food you normally get at a Courtyard Marriott free breakfast buffet, but served in a restaurant. Cheapest, thinnest microwave bacon, overcooked eggs, etc. Perhaps their Italian dinner service is better!
(2)
Linda W.
I ate breakfast at Spada and I thought the food was very good and reasonably priced. They have a nice patio if you like to sit outside and they had toast that tasted like it was made with homemade bread - delicious! It was cheaper than the gross meal I got across the street at IHOP.
(4)
Jenny t.
The Seared scallop in Marsala sauce was very good. The scallop was cooked perfectly in the sweet white wine sauce absorbed in the porcini mushroom. For the linguine pescatore , the truffle oil benefited in the lobster broth where the aroma of the truffle is at its peak. I'm giving a 3 stars because the seafood other than the scallops were a bit overcooked
(3)
Rob W.
We decided to try this onsite restaurant for breakfast. The previous reviews did not look too favorable, but we thought we would give it a shot and try it. I ordered the egg white omelet with cheese. The omelet came with a side of overly greasy bacon and previously frozen tater tots. The omelet was on the small side and was very simple and basic. The staff was very nice. The McDonalds was right across the street and if I had to do it all over again, that is where I would be eating breakfast. I can't say much for their lunch and dinner, but based on the breakfast, I would opt to go elsewhere. I would give this place 1.5 stars for breakfast, as the staff was very accommodating.
(1)
Kelli G.
I hope yelp reviews aren't the death of this restaurant. Not sure what's up w/ 2.5 stars, but that's not accurate. Yes. It's pricey, like $13-$20 a plate. But.. it's Waikiki and most places are. The restaurant is beautiful. It's open air, which is great. The service was friendly and quick. The food was good. We enjoyed bolognese, eggplant parmesan, and shrimp pasta.
(4)
Incognito B.
...
(1)
Bill D.
Normally, I bust the chops of all hotel restaurants. Technically, this is attached to the hotel but there's no door to the hotel. So, they're somewhat spared. I ate breakfast here everyday, and wound up very content. I swapped out the fried potatoes for fresh fruit. I really liked the servers who could have been the typical "here's the menu, order your food and get out" style. But they're not. They have personalities, not out of line or over the top. I ate dinner here one night and wound up talking with several of the women servers who turned out to be very interesting people. Even though the evening menu is italian fare, the server knew exactly what I could risk with celiac: her mother has it as well. You can't knock the convenience and the prices are right in line with the rest of Waikiki.
(4)
Ryan F.
We had breakfast here at our hotel most days. The food was consistently good and the staff remembered us each day.
(4)
Ron D.
Nice tiny restaurant in front of Marriott Courtyard. Chicken fettuccine tasted good although was a tad bit greasy. They need to include a food menu in the Courtyard rooms since they're listed as one of the eating establishments in the hotel's welcome kit.
(4)
Brandon S.
As always I was skeptical of a restaurant in a hotel. Thankfully my fears were unfounded. For breakfast I ordered the ham & cheese omlette with wheat toast. The food tasted good. The omlette had good flavor and a decent amount of ham and cheese. The toast pieces are huge. The food comes in moderate portions closer to what we should eat. That is actually ok if it is priced for smaller portions. It is not. It is priced similar to what I would expect for more food. Overall it is still a decent value with good food.
(3)
Val P.
We took a stroll into Waikiki last night and decided to try an Italian restaurant new to us, (Spada). This review will be short and to the point. The wait staff were extremely friendly, cheerful, and courteous, as we were promptly seated. The Fettuccine Alfredo we shared, was barely acceptable due presumably to skimping on the Parmesan cheese, (tasted more like a heavy cream sauce with very little cheese). The saving grace: -- The fettuccine pasta was aldente and cooked acceptably. The vegetarian pizza we ordered, w/ eggplant, mushrooms, and tomato sauce, looked acceptable at first, but then we noticed that the bell peppers were present, (which we asked them to hold). After performing a bell pepper-ectomy, we tasted the thin- crusted pizza only to be disappointed. There was hardly any tomato sauce on the dough, which gave it a very bland taste. The crust was very floury, tasting as if it was made with Bisquick. I must say that I've tasted better Digiorno Pizzas than this one. And by the way, if you want an excellent thin-crusted pizza baked in a genuine pizza oven, go to Whole Foods in Kahala or Kailua, or Bernini on Waimanu St.. --You won't be disappointed. Sorry, Spada, -- I'm afraid we won't be returning. Good luck.
(2)
Stephanie S.
I used to work here. I remember enjoying the food I got to eat, but after noticing several disgusting things in the kitchen, I stuck with the yogurt cups. I have seen cockroaches crawling in the ingredients. I have seen a chef prepare food with a bandaid on his finger that was not covered by a finger rubber. AND when you eat here you support a company that exploits its workers. BTW the head chef ALFREDO is not Italian, he is Mexican. Poser.
(1)
Justin S.
Here's the deal. Normally if I don't have anything nice to say, I keep my mouth shut. However, I have been dealt a tragic blow from the substance this fine establishment calls a Shrimp Caesar Salad. I was staying at the Courtyard by Marriott and was generally being lazy and didn't feel like walking for blocks for food. I pulled out my trusty tablet and looked on Yelp. I read many of my fellow reviewer's comments about this place..... .....Okay......Are you ready for this?.... The epic fail I made was in thinking nobody can botch a Shrimp Caesar Salad. Its fool-proof.....or so I thought. Heck, I've been to many places that people said were bad but this place was terrible. The Parm was worse than a package of Parm from a pizza delivery spot, the shrimp was dried of all fluid and partially mummified and the dressing was a small container of stomach flu. I would rather slap box with Pacquiao than set foot in this place again. The waitress told me she isn't a fan of shrimp....after eating here I feel the same way. I used to love shrimp...... Here is the lesson learned: When you see a place on Yelp and it has a ton of bad reviews, remember that many people probably hate the place but don't bother to write a bad review after leaving. Therefore, take the bad reviews you see and multiply them x 4 for all the lazy folks that don't care about your culinary satisfaction. Death
(1)
Jeff P.
Went to Spada for dinner this past week and everything was great. We had Eggplant Parmesan and Sausage and Peppers for entrees. Wonderful eggplant parmesan -- crispy sliced eggplant in delicious marinara topped with plenty of mozzarella. It wasn't the usual soggy mass you get. The Sausage and Peppers was also delicious, cooked just right. The angel hair that comes with it is also delicious -- very thin strands of pasta with a nice light garlic touch. The Tiramisu for dessert was perfect. They were completely full, but the service was very good and friendly. The serving of house wine was generous. It's definitely on our list to return soon.
(5)
Wiliam B.
I went there last night wanting great Italian food and I am happy to say it was excellent. Exceeded my expectations. The food was fresh and light, more northern Tuscany style. I had the scallops in a lemon caper sauce for starters. Scallops were prepared perfectly. For dinner I had fish over risotto. The Fish was light and tender with a nice marinara sauce with a saffron risotto. perfect blend of flavors. The atmosphere is modern and open with a great outdoor patio. Staff was very friendly and attentive. I will be back. Thank you Spada for a great italian dining experience.
(5)
Mike O.
I rarely write reviews...glad I didn't read them before I came here as the place was great...service and food!
(5)
Demur E.
Three-and-a-half stars. I rounded down because parking is an expensive pain there. Food: Good. The food came out at a good temperature and overall was quite tasty. We tried the appetizer platter (see pic) which included a caprese salad (could have used a little more salt), fried calamari (crisp and tasty with fried sage leaves), proscuitto wrapped cantelope (kinda big and awkward to eat) and bacon-wrapped shrimp in this citrus butter sauce that was terrific (although shrimp a little overcooked). Chicken piccata was juicy and had a good balance of sour lemon, salty capers and creamy butter. Served on roasted potatoes. Also had a side dish of risotto, which was definitely a side dish and not just a small plate of a main dish. Almost too creamy (if there is such a thing) and rich, you really needed to eat it with some protein. Service: Our servers were really nice and attentive without stalker tendencies. They happily explained the different dishes and this older Japanese tourist was hitting on one of the waitresses and she handled the situation well (I would have been gagging and/or giving him stink eye, but I guess that's why I am not a waitress). Ambiance: Comfortable and relaxing atmosphere. Rich, dark furnishings and good vibe (opens into the street, but no loud traffic noises). I wish we could have hung out and tried dessert, but we had symphony tix. Overall: I had a good experience here. I may not necessarily make a special effort to go there, but if I'm in the neighborhood, it's definitely worth going. Parking: Even with validation, it is something like $8 not including tip. Tip: If you're just going to pick up your meal, you can park for free.
(3)
Ayako M.
In order to avoid bloodshed between me and my partner (we had wandered the streets of Waikiki for over an hour on Christmas night, trying to find someplace that would seat us within two hours) we settled on Spada. Why? Because they had open tables and we were ravenous. I won't mention the surly little man who seated us, or the waiter who took about a forever to get us two beers and then even longer to get our entrees...I won't complain that people seated after us were served there food before us. Hell, I won't even mention the absolutely tasteless pesto that had almost no basil, or the broiled salmon that was obviously fried in about a cup of oil, or the burger that I was told tasted like it was packed with black pepper. What I will elaborate on is the completely wasted surfer dude that staggered in, sweaty, long hair in his face, mumbling to our server that he wanted to get something to take to his room. Instead of refusing service to the man who looked like he was about to vomit on himself, employee-of-the-month seats him next to us and then ignores him! Leaving the drunk man to mumble to himself in addition to trying to talk to other patrons. If the whole experience hadn't cost me $60 it would have been funny...oh well, it still is kinda funny
(1)
Keeptalkin T.
OK, I'm glad we did not yelp this place ahead of time. Based on the reviews we would have continued on our way. We are glad we did not. We ate here two nights ago and the food was excellent. Being in Hawaii I figured I needed to find some good fish. My girlfriend was in the mood for Italian, so we ended up at Spada. We are from Boston and did not think the prices were that bad. My fish, Ono, was so tasty that once I was done I wanted to lick the plate. My girlfriend had eggplant Parm and to my surprise finished her entire meal. My only knock on the place was that we were seated next to the hostess station and we felt like she ease dropped on our entire meal...a couple of times I caught her laughing at my jokes.
(4)
Al S.
The service was horrible, the calamari was burned and rubbery, and we didn't get any farther than that. Some folks seem to have better luck, so I guess you gotta just take your chances... On a positive note, the ambiance was very nice, and the drinks were well priced.
(2)
Savannah G.
I really don't understand why this place had such bad reviews!! I have to admit, it made me a little skeptical when a friend recommended we eat there for dinner one night but I'm happy to report that the food was not as bad as the reviews would lead you to believe. We ordered the bruschetta for an appetizer and it was very fresh and crispy, nothing to complain about there. For dinner, I got the rigatoni bolognese and my husband got the chef's special pizza. Of course, I got to taste the pizza and I was impressed! It had a thin crust and the ingredients were perfectly cooked. My bolognese was very tasty and I polished off the entire plate (trust me, it was more than enough!). My friends got the lasagna (which they raved about) and the pasta with chicken, asparagus and sundried tomatoes. That looked really good and I'll have to try it next time. I have to say, compared to some of the Itialian food I've had on the island (il lupino) this place is good! I went home full and my Italian food craving was satisfied. Give it a shot! Its worth trying. PS. If you have room for dessert, try the gelato--the flavor of the day was chocolate with almonds and it was yummy. Gelato is another hard thing to find on island...
(4)
Justin O.
At first I was pretty skeptical on this restaurant, but as my food came it changed my view. Although the prices are fairly expensive, my food was very good. The mussels were delicious, but best of all the arugula and prosciutto with truffle oil pizza was one of the best pizzas I have ever eaten in my life. I don't think I will go there again, unless of course I want to get some good pizza.
(3)
Nam K.
Great service! Great food! Friendly staff! I have no idea why this place has only 2.5 out of 5 stars. Fried calamari was perfectly fried with a tasty marinara sauce. Salmon was perfectly cooked as well as the Monchong fish. Awesome flavors. Everything was perfect! I would definitely go back. Mahalo!
(5)
Tessa t.
yelp 365 challenge #55/365 went here on monday... HORRIBLE... yes, i read the reviews...but i thought to give it a try... i should've listened!!! i ordered chicken parmigiana... it was RAW... not just slightly raw...but RAW RAW!!! as if they got a raw chicken, put some breading, slathered on some marinara sauce and hoped that it would cook the chicken... i took a bite...and swallowed... i thought, hmmm? this chicken isn't even warm... cut another piece, looked at it, and saw RAWness!!! called someone over and told him that it was raw... he said, "oh, surprising." oh, surprising??? oh, SURPRISING??? that really made me flip... i said, "i don't want it, i don't want a new one, i don't want anything else, i just want it off my check." then our server came and asked what happened...i let her know... she says, "oh." WTF?! i wouldn't have been so mad if they apologized... even a half-assed sorry would have sufficed... but NOTHING! i work in the industry... i would have took that off the check and sent out a dessert or if they didn't want a dessert i would have given a discount... i was appalled and will NEVER eat there again... don't know if it was all in my head or if i was really sick... but i threw up for the next three days!! NOT HAPPY! LISTEN to your fellow yelpers! :)
(1)
David D.
I have eaten here on several occasions and each time I have found the food to be very good. The staff is a little inexperienced but the atmosphere and food are some of the best I have eaten in the area. Typical tourist prices.
(4)
Brian G.
This restaurant compares favourably with other fine Italian restaurants in Waikiki like Alanchino and Belinini. The menu is limited but the food is good and the wait staff is above average. The eggplant parmesan was excellent and the restaurants decor is casual and inviting. Usually restaurants on oahu have 3rd world cleanliness standards but I felt this restaurant was cleaner then most. A good dining experience at a reasonable price.
(4)
Thomas S.
Had dinner recently with partner... Service was slow due to a number of large tables but the wonderful waitress comped us some wine and continually updated us...I've been here for 3 weeks eaten out every nite and this was arguably my best meal and we have eaten at most of the best places in Waikiki,, I had the special a pork chop wrapped in prosciutto and it was terrific...bread was great too warm and fresh...
(5)
Erica R.
Wow, another tough lesson of "you shoulda Yelped it first". While strolling though shops in Waikiki, we stopped into Planet Hollywood to watch the Laker game and grab a cocktail (more like my hardcore Laker fan friends watched and I had a cocktail). While there, we chatted with the bartender and told him our plans to have dinner at a nearby Italian restaurant. He knocked that place down and recommended we go to Spada instead because it was better and less expensive. Well, we're not ones to shoot down suggestions from locals, so we changed our plans. When we arrived at the dark little spot in the corner, it was pretty dead. We sat on the patio and could hardly see anything because they turned off the patio lights. It was kinda strange. The low-light of the evening had to be the bruschetta starter we shared. We turned into garlic breathing dragons after that. I don't think they sauteed or cooked the garlic at all, which would've eased the strong taste. Our server ended up being just as slow as the restaurant. Except when we were leaving and he asked us, "where's the party?!" Uhhh, no thanks slow waiter dude. As for the bartender who recommended the place...turns out he also bar tends here...go figure.
(2)
Ross A.
Horrible service, mediocre food, and prices just as bad as the rest of Waikiki. My husband and I stopped in a here for dinner after a long day, and ordered the mussel appetizer and two pasta entrees. Our waitress brought out the mussels, never came back to ask how it was (actually quite good) or if we needed anything (desperately yes! more bread for the broth). Instead, about five minutes later when we had eaten only a third of the appetizer she shows up with the entrees! I tell her we're not ready for the pastas, and she looks confused or offended or something, doesn't say a thing, *still* doesn't ask us if we need anything (bread, still) and just walks off. She spent the rest of the meal avoiding our table and made one of the other servers take over for most of it. We couldn't even get our water glasses filled. It doesn't get any better with the entrees...which I'm sure spent 20 minutes under the heat lamp until we were ready for them. Overcooked pasta and burnt-black mozzarella on the lasagna. Save your money for something better.
(1)
Andrea E.
Hubby and I moved here 6 weeks ago and are staying in temporary quarters in Waikiki. Every week I walk to the PO to pick up our mail so I've walked by Spada 6 times. It looked nice, I had a craving for Italian, so we walked down a few nights ago for dinner. Since I never Yelped before, and I don't know anyone here to ask, I didn't have a predisposition to hate the place like others seem to have. We got there soon after they opened for dinner and there were maybe 2 other tables taken at the time. We ordered beverages and then waited. When we finally got our drinks we were told the bar was "slammed" and that's why it took so long. My mai tai was fine (I guess I'm not a fan of them since this was the 3rd one I've had since being on the island and I haven't really liked any of them, although this was the best one yet) and hubby enjoyed his margarita. About 1/2 way through our meal he ordered a second margarita and it arrived just as he was finishing his dinner. Again, really slow beverage service. Seems that when there are 3 tables taken the kitchen is also "slammed." At least we were seated near the door so we could listen to the hostess speaking very loudly to the man seated across the way (heavy sarcasm). It was too distracting to have our own conversation. I would certainly ask to be seated away from the door next time. Back to the food. Hubby ordered sausage and peppers. When it finally came he ate every bite, which really isn't unusual. He likes to eat. I had the chicken parmigiana and I also ate every bite, which IS unusual. I'm a very picky eater with a small appetite. This is the best meal I've had in the past 6 weeks. I really enjoyed it and would love to go back again before we move out of Waikiki. We shared the cheesecake for dessert and enjoyed it, too. To sum up: slow beverage and food service, friendly wait staff, delicious food, a bit pricey (but what isn't in Waikiki).
(4)
Travis M.
Convenient and delicious with very reasonable prices. Food and service were both very good.
(4)
Amanda S.
3 1/2 stars but a good 3 1/2 stars :) I never came here to eat, just drink ;) I met some sweet marines the week I came and so it was our little meet up spot. I forget the bartenders name, but he has long blonde hair- makes a great AMF. The prices are pretty decent and the drinks were hard the way i like it. Some nights they have entertainment, there was this hottie playing one night. Great eye candy. I can't speak for the food itself, but if you're walking in the waikiki area and want a fun environment that isn't too touristy with nice friendly people I recommend Spada
(3)
Zane D.
BEST SERVICE EVER! Great food had the bruschetta especial it was delicious. I also tried the penne con pollo amazing! I will definitely comeback on my next business trip through Waikiki.
(5)
Melody H.
My bf and I are stayed at the Wyland on our vacation so we decided to check out Spada since it was right downstairs. We were kind of sketchy at first since the restaurant was never that busy, but we thought we'd give it a shot anyways. Wrong choice. First of all, service was bad. Our waiter (let's just call him C) didn't smile at us once and seemed 'whatever' the entire time. My bf ordered pasta that gave an option of 2 different kinds of sauces, but C didn't even ask which one he preferred. He didn't even bother telling us about the specials of the evening...we heard it from another waiter at a different table. By then it was too late cause we already placed our orders. Also, he wasn't very knowledgeable about the wine list and was just suggesting random ones to order. Food was not that good. Free Bread - I think it had been sitting outside for days cause it was so stale...it was like eating cardboard. Fried Calamari - The waiter said it was his favorite so we decided to give it a try. Bad idea. Instead of a nice crispy texture, it was soggy to the point where the batter fell off the calamari. The marinara sauce was even tastier. Oh, and I found a long strand of hair in one of the pieces. I didn't notice it until I put it in my mouth. Gross! We had that taken off the bill. Spinach Salad - Consisted of spinach, onions, glazed walnuts, and 4 shrimps with basic balsamic vinaigrette. Although it was decent, it was not worth $17. Chicken Marsala - Didn't tasted like any chicken marsala I've ever eaten before. The chicken was cooked well (i.e., not dry), but the sauce was really sweet. It was just okay. Seafood Linguini - Came with a decent amount of mussels and clams, but lacked in scallops and shrimp. There was also some of that crappy fried calamari thrown on top. Why wasn't there fresh squid?? Like I mentioned above, we were supposed to have 2 sauce choices - a lobster tarragon broth or a zesty tomato sauce. Since C forgot to ask which sauce we wanted, we were stuck with the tomato sauce. The sauce was more like tomato water. It was not zesty and was almost tasteless. We had to use salt and pepper as well as the marinara sauce from the fried calamari to make it taste better. Coffee - Weak. If you're ever in Honolulu and are craving Italian food, do NOT go to Spada. For the amount of money we ended up spending there, we could've spent it on a much nicer meal.
(1)
Angela L.
Well we were staying at the Courtyard Marriott for my last weekend in Hawaii and I decided, "Hey? If I'm going to review this place we might as well should check out the connecting restaurant to get the full experience." I guess it was my bad that I chose to test out the place for breakfast because it was horrid! I'm not a breakfast fan to begin with, and this place just made it worse. Service was slow, my coffee wasn't hot, and the food was tasteless/boring and overpriced for what we got. The only good thing about it was that depending on where you sat in the restaurant you got a good view of Kuhio Street which was great for people watching. Other than that, if you dare brave to check this place out... DON'T GO FOR BREAKFAST! There are plenty of better places nearby. You've been warned.
(1)
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Address :400 Royal Hawaiian Ave
Honolulu, HI, 96815
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Valet Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : No Has TV : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
The immense popularity of Italian cuisine globally isn't unknown. You can find an Italian Pizzeria around every corner of almost every city in the United States. Not to forget that in every house, people enjoy mac and cheese as comfort food. But it would be wrong to believe that Italian food starts with pizza and ends with good pasta as this Mediterranean country has much more to offer other than these two dishes. In Italian Cuisine, there is a high use of fresh tomatoes, all kinds of herbs, great quality of cheese, all types of meat, seafood and fresh handmade pasta. Many find it hard to believe that Italians have been making noodles long back.
Italian and Greek cuisines are always mistaken to be same, but they are poles apart. The primary difference between the two cuisines is the use of cheese in most of the Italian dishes. Italians love to cultivate their own cheese and process them as per their food requirement. It is believed that some cheese is so expensive that cheese producers secure them in lockers.
If you are bored eating the same old pasta or pizza, you can try some of the authentic Italian dishes like Risotto, Polenta, Ribollita, Lasagna, Fiorentina Steak, Bottarga, Ossobuco, Carbonara, Focaccia, Arancini and Supplì. Another item which Italians love to relish every morning is a good cup of Italian Coffee. Once you taste a freshly brewed cup of Italian Coffee, you might not visit Starbucks ever again. Authentic Italian food is made with heart and soul, so go find a restaurant where you can relish Italian cuisine in your city.
Amanda Z.
Really horrible experience...it was actually quite comical because the whole situation was soooo ridiculous. The reason why we went to Spada's was because of the "early bird menu" 5:30-7pm, with 5 dishes for $9.95 each (penne bolognase, pomodoro, pepperoni pizza, chicken caesar salad and something else I don't remember). So we ordered our food: pepperoni pizza, calamari and roasted vegetable salad to share as appetizers. We also ordered 4 pastas and 1 chicken caesar for our dinners. The the man who took our order came back after 2 minutes and said they were out of calamari. So we tried to order bruschetta...they were out of that too...so we didn't order anything to replace it. Then they brought the focaccia bread which was pretty decent with the olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Okay, everything was going fine so far. Every once and a while the cooks in the kitchen yelled really loud at each other and it really disrupted the ambiance. There were about 7 people servicing the tables, although it seemed as though only 1 person was really doing the work. So we sat. And sat. They brought more bread because our food did not come out yet. After about 30-40 minutes the pizza and pastas came out and the man who took our order apologized for the kitchen being slow, and did we want anything to drink on the house - wine, soda, etc. I guess that makes up for the ridiculously long wait...not really. So we dug in. Pizza was quite good, thin crust, cheesy goodness. My pomodoro was below average - I would not order it again. After 10-15 minutes we still didn't receive the roasted veggie salad OR the chicken caesar that was supposed to be someones dinner entree. We reminded our waiter about the salads, and even cancelled the roasted veggie salad b/c we were halfway through our entrees. He apologized and brought out the ceaser salad and said it will be comped...that's pretty good...not...b/c the salad does not have the CHICKEN on it...SERIOUSLY?! We asked for the chicken and it finally comes...overall, the salad was way below average - lettuce thrown on a plate with unripe tomatoes and capers...no love! We finally neared the end of this atrocious meal and received 2 free ice creams and a tiramisu...and to quote my grandpa..."the tiramisu is not good, it's quite bad". Haha. So. I guess my review would be: Don't come here...unless you want to get some free stuff for having to wait so long for your below average meal!
(1)John N.
Small tables are obscured by the relaxing ambiance of the clean, tight interior. I was busy watching the various tourists and locals cross kuhio back and forth on royal hawaiian, so I forgot that they had neglected to serve the bread and water they had promised. After about 15 to 20 minutes we pointed out this deficiency and it was corrected immediately. The wines are all $8 per glass and $32 per bottle, and the chianti that I had was spectacular. The fried calamari appetizer was quality enough for me but I'd never get it again. The fish special that was suggested did surpass my expectation, and the succulent firm yet still flaky fillet was excellent. The pasta was plentiful but had too much garlic. The caesar salad had crisp greens and a few diced tomatos and about a dozen capers, with homemade croutons and house dressing, which was very good as well. The only thing that I would have liked was for them to explain that the special would be $ 34, which is about twice the price of everything else on the menu. I would go here again just to try the pizza, which is around $12 each.
(4)Ken B.
A previous reviewer said "Horrible service, mediocre food, and prices just as bad as the rest of Waikiki.", and that pretty much sums it up. My experience was: 1. Friendly hostess seated us immediately. No big surprise as the place was empty when we got there 2. Ordered cheese plate appetizer. It came reasonably fast and was OK. Like most cheese plates; not enough crackers. No nuts, no dates. 3. Cheapest glass of wine is house cab at $7 - from a bottle that costs maybe $10 at the ABC store across the street. 4. Requested bread, waited 5 minutes. Requested again, waited 5 minutes. Requested 3rd time and they brought: 2 pieces of bread. Two. Bread was good, there just wasn't hardly any of it. And no butter. 5. GF and I decided to share an entree. She and I were still actively working on our appetizer when the waitress brought the entree, set it down at the table and instructed us to "enjoy". No cheese. No pepper. No offer of extra plates. 6. Have to admit, entree was pretty good, but then we got baked ziti, which is really hard to screw up BOTTOM LINE: OK-to-goodish food. Crap service. Prices the same as all Waikiki. Honestly: there's lots of good restaurants in Waiks and Honolulu that have good service and decent prices. Search Yelp: you'll find them. Spada is not one of them.
(2)Richard M.
Disclosure: I came here for breakfast IHOP and McDonald's were both crazy crowded so we stopped in here. The food is standard fare breakfast, be prepared to spend $30 or so for two breakfast what would cost you around $18 at IHOP. Service was quick and excellent. And their coffee was really good, nothing like the coffee-flavored hot water that IHOP serves. If you don't want to wait and are willing to shell out a few more bucks, this isn't a bad place for breakfast. 4-stars for service and 3-stars for the food.
(4)Myrlie D.
I was astounded by the lack of service and poor management at this place! While the manager was sitting at a table drinking coffee and reading the newspaper, I was waiting waiting waiting. Nothing. Then a long time later, and I mean a long time, this little man (the manager) comes over with no enthusiasm or expression asks what I want and brings a menu as if he is doing me a favor! Hello have you ever heard of customer service dude! The menu was bland and boring, overpriced as well. After choosing an omelet from the awesome 5 choices of breakfast options there was, I was disgusted to see the fruit they served sitting out in the open uncovered, barely submerged in ice with bugs flying around it. I opted out of the fruit portion of my breakfast. Then after a long time of waiting, my meal was cold, like he had forgotten to bring it out. The hash browns looked like something out of a freezer. I was very dissatisfied with my meal, the service, everything and to top it of it was way overpriced! Oh and I was also disturbed by nasty pigeons inside the restaurant! I must emphasize how rude the waiter was and how I am amazed at how someone with no customer service skills, social skills, and such a cold, sour personality could be the MANAGER of a restaurant. It is an embarrassment to the Marriott Hotels which is usually my favorite place to stay while on vacation to have such a poor, low quality restaurant located within it. If you consider this place, I recommend going to MCDONALD'S, its right across the street and its BETTER service!!!
(1)Helpin B.
Wife and I went later about 830 on a Wednesday....which seems like the best thing to do on Waikiki to beat the crowds. No wait, Service was excellent, food was fresh and dinner cost us around $60 (including the tip). Portions were good...we actually took almost half of both entrees home. Wife had spaghetti and I had the chicken asparagus with cream sauce. Will def go back!
(4)Rowell A.
I f you want snooty service and microwave Italian food, come on into Spada! Oh yeah the prices are ridiculously high for dry chicken and off the shelf pasta. Better off going to cheesecake factory.
(2)Shirley T.
Maybe they've improved their food because we, too, had a wonderful meal. Pasta was well prepared (my daughter said it was the best lasagna she's ever eaten), bread was delicious and ambiance very nice. Also, as it's off the main street, we were able to get a table without waiting (albeit the last one!) on a Saturday night. Service was a bit slow (don't think they had enough waitstaff for the number of customers), however, our waitress did a great job trying to keep us happy. We'll definitely return on our next trip to Waikiki!
(4)Sam F.
Can't beat the sunset dinner menu.$9.95 for either pizza, spaghetti, pasta, or a giant chicken caesar salad between 5-730. You can't beat this deal!
(4)Anonymous A.
The food isn't too bad but the service is. Not enough staff and not very caring. I ordered the catch of the day, mahi-mahi and it was $29! Ridiculous price for a local fish. Don't waste your time and money here, there are much better restaurants in Waikiki.
(1)Sheldon J.
For those people that left five stars I must ask if you think Olive Garden is good. This is one if not the worst Italian restaurant I have ever been at. Not only is the food so bland its like eating baby food but the Head waiter is so arrogant you just wanted to slap him upside his head. I ordered four different items. The antipasto which was bad cheese and the worse cold cuts every presented. The second dish was there Pizza. If you like little Cesar's you ill love there's. Cheapest toppings I have ever eaten on a pizza and soggy beyond believe. There special was Fettuccini Alfredo. I will say that of all the things I have complained about this was the worst. It tasted like you where eating past on an overdone noodle. I asked them if this was al dente and there answer was I have no idea what I am talking about. The blond haired head waiter asked if I have ever eaten Italian food. My answer was yes and this is not Italian food. I agree with one of the critics that the tiramisu was just about as bad as everything else. The only thing I can say is if you like to spend money on awful food then this is your spot
(1)Rick M.
Patio for supper is quiet and delightful. Rigatoni and meatballs big enough for two. Our group had four pasta enters and loved all of them. Calamari ok. Ice cram chic pie and Spinoni were excellent. Great service and nice atmosphere. Make a reservation.
(4)Chad J.
Disclaimer: I've owned restaurants so I will NEVER write a negative review since I know how hard it is to try and please everyone. While this was not the cheapest nor the best breakfast I've ever had, it was exactly what I was looking for. We are staying at the Courtyard Marriott next door, and wanted to find a quick, no wait restaurant before heading out for the day. Even though IHOP is across the street, we chose Spada for the available seating options (inside and out). They have a morning special which is reasonably priced and comes with coffee (today was a ham, egg and cheese croissant). I had the pancakes and thoroughly enjoyed them (the bacon and hash browns were not the greatest, but I survived). The waitress was kind and attentive, and we will probably be back tomorrow morning for the special.
(3)Danny M.
I just ordered and my first Question is where is the bread? No really salad options? Did not have any clams ? WTF? It took longer to get my desert than my main course? I have already took Away a star down to two
(2)Everett H.
At first the food was delicious and the portion were good size as all 3 of us took home leftovers. The waiter was friendly and accommodating. The only down side was that it was inside seating but open to the outside with no AC on as it was very humid that day so we asked the waiter and he opened the sliding door to get some air flow. I would recommend this place and would go back.
(4)Beth C.
This place was amazing! It's a good thing I didn't read the yelp reviews or I wouldn't have come here. Our waitress was very on the ball - we had water as soon as we sat down and she was quick to point out good additions to the menu and explain the specials to us. She even advised us on which dessert to get. She was also the definition of friendly and incredibly attentive. The food was incredible. We had the Christmas set menu - ceasar salad (with a parmesan bowl :-o), scallops, Hawaiian snapper and tiramisu, as well as a lasagna. Oh my, everything was prompt and exceptional. Would not hesitate to come back.
(5)Christina K.
[Take-Out] I loved the take-out service here but the flavor of both pizzas were overpriced and missed the mark. It ultimately lacked flavor and made me feel like I could have been better off with Round Table Pizza. Of course since the vacation girl in me said to try other places, this one is probably not one that I would go. Unfortunately, I was more bothered by the price and lack of flavor, I feel bad for giving this place a 2 star. Every bite I took, I was really concerned about how salty they were...it wasn't what I would really imagine from a place like this. The truffle oil was overwhelming as well and overpowered the prosciutto. When I took a bite of the salsicci, the sausage lacked flavor and the cheese was too salty. Service was great! The staff was extremely friendly and the food came out right on time and I practically walked in with my PJs! Perhaps I would try other things on their menu other than pizzas. From walking to our hotel every morning, their breakfast looked not too shabby. Dishes ordered: Salsicci pizza, Arugula Prosciutto pizza
(2)Tracey F.
4 stars only because in my personal review world, 5 has not been birthed. Here I am in Hawaii and this Italian food was amazing. I love a traditional spaghetti (seriously my favorite food since I can remember) and the Spaghetti Pomodoro was close to perfection. The service? I would hire her since my J O B is looking and finding talent . Go here, order the Pomodoro and hopefully win the waitress roulette. One thing, ask for the complimentary house made bread since it is only brought to the table upon request. Ciao, I mean Aloha!
(4)R J.
Not bad for a quick bite. Had a half ham & cheese grilled sandwich with salad. The sandwich bread and meat were good. The cheese was horrible. It tasted like American cheese. Try Gruyere next time, or even cheddar.
(3)Kristine C.
Went here for a quick breakfast on a Saturday morning. They have both outdoor and indoor seating (outdoor seating with large umbrellas). We didn't wait as long to get an outdoor seating; however, they didn't have a specific server manning the area. After a 5 minute wait of waiting for someone to approach the front of the restaurant we had finally seated ourselves. The lady that stated we can seat ourselves was kind to get us our waters right away. It took a while to order though, which was disappointing. The food came out after 10 minutes and I had the Eggs Benedict with side of potatoes. It was.. okay. I've had tastier Eggs Benedict on the island. We didn't have a specific server designated to us. I would have to rate the service as a 2/5 and the food 1/5. I would like to try their dinner. Stay tuned for an updated review.
(3)Amber G.
The chicken pasta is amazing. We also had a meat pasta dish with marinara that was amazing. The bacon wrapped pork chop is hit and miss. For breakfast the grab and go is by far the best. It is a crossaint with ham steak and eggs and coffee for $8!!
(5)Steve V.
This restaurant is part of the Courtyard Marriott as we got vouchers for breakfast here as an elite member. This review is only for breakfast. It is a nice place and throughout the week, the staff got to know us. They offer simple American breakfast items that are quality, but come out quickly. The toast is nice and thick and toasted the right amount. The bacon is thin and also not over cooked, crispy, not black. The sausage is standard, but that is the only average thing about this place. We would always sit by the front and birds would come wandering in looking for scraps and the staff (and my daughter) would always chase them off.
(4)Brandon B.
[Breakfast] Very disappointed with the eggs benedict. Eggs were over cooked, yokes solid, and the Hollandaise sauce was broken upon being delivered. Service was slow, and out waitress could not have been more apathetic - clearly she was on permanent Aloha time. She had to he asked multiple times for the same thing. Breakfast BLT was ok and the coconut syrup with pancakes for the kids was pretty good. Honestly, IHOP across the street had better service and food.
(1)Yannis A.
Terrible service. Barely getting a smile, they seem like they do not care. I have eaten there 4 times and all have been similar experiences. The worst was yesterday; I went at 7:45am and asked to be seated outside (6-7 tables and all empty). The server (forget her name but she had blonde hair and was the only blonde girl working there) told me (!) to sit inside. I asked, again, to sit outside. She replied "they were reserved". I asked "by who"? (there were no "reserved" signs anywhere). She replied "there is a team that is staying at the hotel and they booked all outside seats". Terrible service. Reluctantly, I sat inside. While I was eating, another couple came in and sat outside...they were elderly and definitely no part of any team... In conclusion, I left at 8:35am and no team showed up. The rest of tables, outside, were empty. Not going back there, ever, again.
(1)Renata M.
The food is really good but the staff isn't that much good. My soda was done and nobody refilled it. The server took longer to go to my table to take the order and everything else...
(4)Cynthia Q.
This place is decent in food, service, and price for Waikiki. Too bad those who rated it low had a bad experience or obviously had way too high expectations. Remember you were fortunate enough to be on vacay in Hawaii.
(4)Karon S.
Excellent Italian food for the price range. Definitely eat outdoors. We had a group of 8 and each of us loved what we ordered. Far less expensive and less crowded than the restaurants one street over where the crowds are.
(5)Judy C.
When we have Waikiki nights with the family, I always pass by this place on my way to Marukame Udon. On our nexts Waikiki outing, I decided to check out this place. Just me and the hubby! :0) our date night! No reservations, just walk in- we sat outside, restaurant wasn't busy on a Friday night. Our waiter I think was a bartender, at the bar who took our order. seems like it- but I may be wrong I think this is a bit strange... We didn't get great service! & on to the food, we got the calamari fritter, chicken parm, & chicken marsala. Calamari was nothing to write about, calamari was hard, could tell it was frozen, the batter was soggy and the marinara sauce was not the best. Our food, wasn't even mediocre. Food did not taste like authentic Italian The free bread taste old! I love Italian food & I would always tell my hubby - this is authentic ! but I can't say it after eating this food as it wasn't even close to authentic. & microwave Lean Cuisine frozen meal taste so much better than this. I am so sorry Spada!! I didn't see a manager on duty at all, I really wanted to share my thoughts with him. So we do have leftovers and we took it with us, as we walked in to Waikiki to stop at Cheesecake factory to get us cheesecake, my hubby left the leftovers for the homeless on Kalakaua. What a waste of $$ ! but me & hubby had a nice time together.
(1)Mohamed I.
The restaurant was located right next to my hotel so I decided to try their breakfast. We were greeted with hi welcome and seated in a table for 2. Only thing that I didn't like bout the place was that the tables around us were dirty when we were seated. Other than that breakfast was good and service was good. It was a good breakfast experience overall.
(4)Alexander A.
Nice atmosphere, good service, but very mediocre food. I had the seafood medley and it was all flavorless and tough. Friend had the chicken masala and it was way too salty. Add to that no view and you get two stars.
(2)James M.
Tiaramisu was too shelf. Friendly staff, only came for coffee and desert very pleased. Seen meals coming out they looked on point as well
(4)Eric V.
Great service and slightly above average Italian food -- in Honolulu of all places. I didn't think I'd be eating Italian food during my stay in Hawaii but I've been here for two months so, yeah, time to mix it up. Passed this place several times and thought I'd finally check it out. Went with the chicken parm. Safe bet. I didn't care for the poppy bread that came out before the meal though. Bread at an Italian restaurant should be quite simple. No need to get creative. The olive oil and balsamic can dress it up just fine. The chicken parm was surprisingly good. Not bad at all. There's really not much more to add here. Good, not great, Italian dining.
(3)Cruz K.
This review is just for the bar..Nice small bar located in the lobby,Salvator the bartender and owner is very nice and can make just about any drink. Its over priced like everything else in waikiki but its fast and friendly.I would come here again.
(4)Benay K.
Extremely friendly service, very prompt and courteous. We came in starving a few minutes before closing time, expecting to be turned away last night. The waitress welcomed us, and would not allow us to feel bad for ordering food so late. She even had the kitchen make us fresh bread. I ordered the chicken piccata for $18.95 served with angle hair pasta and steam broccoli althought the meal was appreciated, the chicken was not great. Pasta and broccoli was very good. Chicken need more pounding before cooking, I think. Half bottle of champagne $20 needed and good My friend ordered the pasta Bolognese $18.95 plentiful and she loved it Long board draft ($?). All in al our server Alexandria was great, and made our experience excellent.
(4)J G.
[Breakfast] Had the croissant sandwich, and the french toast. They were both good. Service was friendly and attentive. Food came out very quickly.
(3)Kristina D.
This place is right near the Courtyard Marriott where my boyfriend and I were staying. We tried this place once on the last day of our trip since we got free breakfast vouchers as part of our vacation package. It is a small place and it was not crowded during breakfast service. We ordered fruit yogurt and hot oatmeal and somehow it took the heavenly lords of the great kitchen service only a merely 40 minutes to bring us our food. My fruit yogurt ended up being a packaged Yoplait yogurt you get from the grocery store and a piece of toast for only a mere $7. LOL WHAT IS THIS? How did this take 40 minutes?! Thank god I didn't have to pay with my own money. Oh, how my last few precious moments in Hawaii were wasted here.
(2)Jay C.
I have walk by Spada a lot and it looks okay from the outside. My friend and I decided to give a try because we are craving Italian food. The waitstaff took our order and it took a very long time for the food to come out, I love my eggplant parmesan and it is the just right size portion. It is on the pricy side otherwise I won't mind to order appetizer and wait for entries since they took a while to cook.
(3)Arrow H.
Ate here multiple times for breakfast and dinner and was not disappointed. The only complaint that I have is consistency is breakfast portion and customer service.
(4)Cassis M.
The wine selection is really well thought out, ask the chef what he suggests that goes best with your meal. The appetizers are terrific, save room for the main course, fresh pasta and home cooked bread!
(5)Mark M.
Breakfast.... Ordered French toast w/fruit & bacon, It was good but was served at room temperature. Requested extra butter, that never came. NOTE: Most customers had a coupon (I did not), you might check with the Courtyard maybe the give these upon request to their guest....
(3)Greg S.
Way over priced for most items. I'm staying in the Courtyard Hotel which is attached. The lobby bar is also run by the Spada restaurant. After a long day at work I felt like a drink and a little meal. Sitting in the hotel lobby bar, ordered the dinner salad as my main meal. I mean it says "Dinner Salad" and for $12 it should be worth it, right? NO WAY JOSÉ... It was a little pile of (wilted) lettuce three thin slices of tomato AND THAT WAS IT! The second time I ordered food, knowing not to order the salad again, I ordered something a little more substantial, the Sausage and Peppers with Angel Hair pasta. Yum! Right? NOPE. The peppers mixture was so over cooked it was mush. The pasta was recently run under hot water and plated. It was water logged and not even with any sauce! A clean pile of wet pasta and a mush pile of over cooked peppers etc. the sausage was flavorful though, but you can't muck up prepackaged meat like that. Just heat it up and your good to go. I've learned my lesson Spada!
(2)Daniel W.
I had a insalata caprese (tomato and mozarella sald) which was really delicious, but 10$ for 3 slices of tomato, mozarella and basil is at least 2$ to much. Anyway the lasagne was great...
(4)Sherry B.
I've been living in Honolulu for a couple of years and finally got a chance to try this restaurant. I already know that it's nearly impossible to find authentic Italian food on this island, but I keep trying! Spada was my latest attempt. The hostess and waiter were efficient and pleasant. The waiter allowed me to sample each of the two chiantis before choosing. The caesar salad was wonderful! The garlic bread was fairly good. The fettuccine alfredo - one of the easiest of sauces to make - was bland and did not taste like a fresh sauce at all. I asked and learned they don't even use butter in the sauce, so I assume it's jarred or canned. The fettuccine was under-cooked and unevenly cooked. And please, any decent cook knows not to leave large pieces of barely cooked garlic in their dish. That's a terrible attempt to add flavor. Try using real, fresh ingredients instead. I'm sure I'll try them again and maybe a different meal will improve the impression and the rating.
(2)Natalia L.
My dinner was just what i expected..delicious. Over all bad service ... Too bad the two ladies at front BS me with the 15 mins wait ...when i see 6 tables available. Thankfully someone came to clean my table 15 mins later... I got my food real quick ...but service did upset me My waiter was kind ...but bad hostesse. Good luck!
(2)Nate W.
Slow service (arrived at 8pm on a Saturday), slow and unprofessional wait staff, 5 of them were standing around complaining oh now slow it was. I ordered a chicken Caesar salad which was nothing special after waiting for it for 15 minutes. Boiled then pan seared chicken with no flavor whatsoever on a bed of wet lettuce that diluted what little dressing there was. The most redeeming quality was the fresh pepper the waiter put onto it. Usually Marriott property restaurants are at least acceptable, but after looking at the quality of my room at the courtyard it is no surprise that this place is poor
(2)Victoria L.
This place was bad on service and food! They are lucky to get even one star! Noodles were still hard and unevenly cooked! . Never again!
(1)Keith C.
Sorry it's just not good. From one Italian to another ..sorry skip it. They must've refilled my salt shaker because there was no taste, not great service and they didn't bother to ask to refill my wine which is worse. It's passable, but I'd go somewhere else.
(2)Marcus K.
Allie is a great bartender! You definitely want her Rum Runner and Mai Tai! Her bar games are mind boggling. A good time where you can hang with friends and make new ones. This would be a five star joint if I didn't have to remember the pass code to use the restroom. BTW, lock the door after you get into the restroom!
(4)Thomas C.
I was staying at the Courtyard Waikiki and needed a quick breakfast one morning. I was prepared for overpriced, mediocre hotel food and was disappointed even at that. I ordered the Eggs Benedict. You know the cheater Hollandaise sauce you make at home when you don't want it to break or know it is going to have to sit around for a while and you don't want to have to recombine it to serve it later? I am pretty sure that is what they used here. The ham was paper thin, perfect circles, too salty and bland... basically they tasted like they came out of one of those prepackaged lunch meat things and the English muffins were not even properly toasted. The best part was the egg, which was well poached; I can give them that much. On an island that is drowning in excellent Kona coffee Spada chooses to use Lavazza coffee. I get that they are trying to be an Italian restaurant but I think this is a serious oversight if not morally reprehensible. I did not have lunch or dinner here but it is hard to imagine that the quality improves.
(2)Jasmine K.
Went the other night with my boyfriend and was surprised that this place is better than it looks. We sat outside and received quick service and the waitress informed us of the specials and recommended a few things. We ended up going for the bruschetta as an app and I had the fish of the day, and my boyfriend the sausage pizza. The bruschetta was toasted with a tasty tomato mix on top. Pretty presentation, but it took a while to come out. Waitress was really nice and attentive even when it started getting busy. When the entrees came out I was really impressed with the fish, so yummy! The filet was cooked perfectly and the flavors were spot on. Tried some of the pizza and enjoyed the crispy crust and fresh flavor. We asked our waitress to give our complements to the chef and she told us that the pizza dough and all the sauces were made fresh in house! Nothing frozen here. Didn't try any dessert, but maybe next time. Great service and food. The only thing was that it was a little expensive, would come often if the prices were more reasonable.
(4)Stacy M.
I haven't been in the restaurant, but the bar inside the Courtyard is awesome. The bartenders are all awesome. The happy hour specials are great drinks for a great price. Locals and tourists alike drink here.
(5)Kelly M.
I have done both breakfast and dinner at this place. Breakfast is pretty standard, nothing special with decent service. Dinner is not even recognizable as Italian food. I have tried 3 different dishes (I was staying at the hotel for business and didn't feel like venturing out) and they all lacked flavor. This isn't even American - Italian food, it is just bad.
(2)Rick W.
Careful. We dropped into Spada for an expresso with another couple. My friend is Italian and is always looking for good Italian restaurants. This isn't one of them. He ordered some meatballs to taste and to decide if we would come back for dinner. One of them was raw inside. When the waitress was asked she told him it was the red wine in the meatballs. Someone will get sick so be careful. If you are looking for good Italian then I would suggest you keep looking.
(1)Richard E.
Eggs Benedict looked good but was horrible. The english muffin wasn't even toasted and it was all pretty tasteless. Potatoes were frozen from a bag type.
(2)Shauna M.
Very overpriced for what you get. $15 plain spaghetti, no meat, no bread, no salad. Slow service.The pasta was flavorful, but not worth the $ in my opinion. If the accompanments were included, then I might return. But the dead cockroaches behind the posters were enough to keep me away. I am glad I saw them after I ate. These bugs are everywhere in Hawaii. After a week and a half on the island it became apparent that the people consider them normal and have learned to live with them. Yeah, that was a tough one for me.....
(2)Kathleen A.
For food, this deserves no stars. Service was really good and the outdoor seating in breezy air makes up for some of what it lacks. We had complimentary breakfast vouchers from our stay at the Marriott. It was the same kind of food you normally get at a Courtyard Marriott free breakfast buffet, but served in a restaurant. Cheapest, thinnest microwave bacon, overcooked eggs, etc. Perhaps their Italian dinner service is better!
(2)Linda W.
I ate breakfast at Spada and I thought the food was very good and reasonably priced. They have a nice patio if you like to sit outside and they had toast that tasted like it was made with homemade bread - delicious! It was cheaper than the gross meal I got across the street at IHOP.
(4)Jenny t.
The Seared scallop in Marsala sauce was very good. The scallop was cooked perfectly in the sweet white wine sauce absorbed in the porcini mushroom. For the linguine pescatore , the truffle oil benefited in the lobster broth where the aroma of the truffle is at its peak. I'm giving a 3 stars because the seafood other than the scallops were a bit overcooked
(3)Rob W.
We decided to try this onsite restaurant for breakfast. The previous reviews did not look too favorable, but we thought we would give it a shot and try it. I ordered the egg white omelet with cheese. The omelet came with a side of overly greasy bacon and previously frozen tater tots. The omelet was on the small side and was very simple and basic. The staff was very nice. The McDonalds was right across the street and if I had to do it all over again, that is where I would be eating breakfast. I can't say much for their lunch and dinner, but based on the breakfast, I would opt to go elsewhere. I would give this place 1.5 stars for breakfast, as the staff was very accommodating.
(1)Kelli G.
I hope yelp reviews aren't the death of this restaurant. Not sure what's up w/ 2.5 stars, but that's not accurate. Yes. It's pricey, like $13-$20 a plate. But.. it's Waikiki and most places are. The restaurant is beautiful. It's open air, which is great. The service was friendly and quick. The food was good. We enjoyed bolognese, eggplant parmesan, and shrimp pasta.
(4)Incognito B.
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(1)Bill D.
Normally, I bust the chops of all hotel restaurants. Technically, this is attached to the hotel but there's no door to the hotel. So, they're somewhat spared. I ate breakfast here everyday, and wound up very content. I swapped out the fried potatoes for fresh fruit. I really liked the servers who could have been the typical "here's the menu, order your food and get out" style. But they're not. They have personalities, not out of line or over the top. I ate dinner here one night and wound up talking with several of the women servers who turned out to be very interesting people. Even though the evening menu is italian fare, the server knew exactly what I could risk with celiac: her mother has it as well. You can't knock the convenience and the prices are right in line with the rest of Waikiki.
(4)Ryan F.
We had breakfast here at our hotel most days. The food was consistently good and the staff remembered us each day.
(4)Ron D.
Nice tiny restaurant in front of Marriott Courtyard. Chicken fettuccine tasted good although was a tad bit greasy. They need to include a food menu in the Courtyard rooms since they're listed as one of the eating establishments in the hotel's welcome kit.
(4)Brandon S.
As always I was skeptical of a restaurant in a hotel. Thankfully my fears were unfounded. For breakfast I ordered the ham & cheese omlette with wheat toast. The food tasted good. The omlette had good flavor and a decent amount of ham and cheese. The toast pieces are huge. The food comes in moderate portions closer to what we should eat. That is actually ok if it is priced for smaller portions. It is not. It is priced similar to what I would expect for more food. Overall it is still a decent value with good food.
(3)Val P.
We took a stroll into Waikiki last night and decided to try an Italian restaurant new to us, (Spada). This review will be short and to the point. The wait staff were extremely friendly, cheerful, and courteous, as we were promptly seated. The Fettuccine Alfredo we shared, was barely acceptable due presumably to skimping on the Parmesan cheese, (tasted more like a heavy cream sauce with very little cheese). The saving grace: -- The fettuccine pasta was aldente and cooked acceptably. The vegetarian pizza we ordered, w/ eggplant, mushrooms, and tomato sauce, looked acceptable at first, but then we noticed that the bell peppers were present, (which we asked them to hold). After performing a bell pepper-ectomy, we tasted the thin- crusted pizza only to be disappointed. There was hardly any tomato sauce on the dough, which gave it a very bland taste. The crust was very floury, tasting as if it was made with Bisquick. I must say that I've tasted better Digiorno Pizzas than this one. And by the way, if you want an excellent thin-crusted pizza baked in a genuine pizza oven, go to Whole Foods in Kahala or Kailua, or Bernini on Waimanu St.. --You won't be disappointed. Sorry, Spada, -- I'm afraid we won't be returning. Good luck.
(2)Stephanie S.
I used to work here. I remember enjoying the food I got to eat, but after noticing several disgusting things in the kitchen, I stuck with the yogurt cups. I have seen cockroaches crawling in the ingredients. I have seen a chef prepare food with a bandaid on his finger that was not covered by a finger rubber. AND when you eat here you support a company that exploits its workers. BTW the head chef ALFREDO is not Italian, he is Mexican. Poser.
(1)Justin S.
Here's the deal. Normally if I don't have anything nice to say, I keep my mouth shut. However, I have been dealt a tragic blow from the substance this fine establishment calls a Shrimp Caesar Salad. I was staying at the Courtyard by Marriott and was generally being lazy and didn't feel like walking for blocks for food. I pulled out my trusty tablet and looked on Yelp. I read many of my fellow reviewer's comments about this place..... .....Okay......Are you ready for this?.... The epic fail I made was in thinking nobody can botch a Shrimp Caesar Salad. Its fool-proof.....or so I thought. Heck, I've been to many places that people said were bad but this place was terrible. The Parm was worse than a package of Parm from a pizza delivery spot, the shrimp was dried of all fluid and partially mummified and the dressing was a small container of stomach flu. I would rather slap box with Pacquiao than set foot in this place again. The waitress told me she isn't a fan of shrimp....after eating here I feel the same way. I used to love shrimp...... Here is the lesson learned: When you see a place on Yelp and it has a ton of bad reviews, remember that many people probably hate the place but don't bother to write a bad review after leaving. Therefore, take the bad reviews you see and multiply them x 4 for all the lazy folks that don't care about your culinary satisfaction. Death
(1)Jeff P.
Went to Spada for dinner this past week and everything was great. We had Eggplant Parmesan and Sausage and Peppers for entrees. Wonderful eggplant parmesan -- crispy sliced eggplant in delicious marinara topped with plenty of mozzarella. It wasn't the usual soggy mass you get. The Sausage and Peppers was also delicious, cooked just right. The angel hair that comes with it is also delicious -- very thin strands of pasta with a nice light garlic touch. The Tiramisu for dessert was perfect. They were completely full, but the service was very good and friendly. The serving of house wine was generous. It's definitely on our list to return soon.
(5)Wiliam B.
I went there last night wanting great Italian food and I am happy to say it was excellent. Exceeded my expectations. The food was fresh and light, more northern Tuscany style. I had the scallops in a lemon caper sauce for starters. Scallops were prepared perfectly. For dinner I had fish over risotto. The Fish was light and tender with a nice marinara sauce with a saffron risotto. perfect blend of flavors. The atmosphere is modern and open with a great outdoor patio. Staff was very friendly and attentive. I will be back. Thank you Spada for a great italian dining experience.
(5)Mike O.
I rarely write reviews...glad I didn't read them before I came here as the place was great...service and food!
(5)Demur E.
Three-and-a-half stars. I rounded down because parking is an expensive pain there. Food: Good. The food came out at a good temperature and overall was quite tasty. We tried the appetizer platter (see pic) which included a caprese salad (could have used a little more salt), fried calamari (crisp and tasty with fried sage leaves), proscuitto wrapped cantelope (kinda big and awkward to eat) and bacon-wrapped shrimp in this citrus butter sauce that was terrific (although shrimp a little overcooked). Chicken piccata was juicy and had a good balance of sour lemon, salty capers and creamy butter. Served on roasted potatoes. Also had a side dish of risotto, which was definitely a side dish and not just a small plate of a main dish. Almost too creamy (if there is such a thing) and rich, you really needed to eat it with some protein. Service: Our servers were really nice and attentive without stalker tendencies. They happily explained the different dishes and this older Japanese tourist was hitting on one of the waitresses and she handled the situation well (I would have been gagging and/or giving him stink eye, but I guess that's why I am not a waitress). Ambiance: Comfortable and relaxing atmosphere. Rich, dark furnishings and good vibe (opens into the street, but no loud traffic noises). I wish we could have hung out and tried dessert, but we had symphony tix. Overall: I had a good experience here. I may not necessarily make a special effort to go there, but if I'm in the neighborhood, it's definitely worth going. Parking: Even with validation, it is something like $8 not including tip. Tip: If you're just going to pick up your meal, you can park for free.
(3)Ayako M.
In order to avoid bloodshed between me and my partner (we had wandered the streets of Waikiki for over an hour on Christmas night, trying to find someplace that would seat us within two hours) we settled on Spada. Why? Because they had open tables and we were ravenous. I won't mention the surly little man who seated us, or the waiter who took about a forever to get us two beers and then even longer to get our entrees...I won't complain that people seated after us were served there food before us. Hell, I won't even mention the absolutely tasteless pesto that had almost no basil, or the broiled salmon that was obviously fried in about a cup of oil, or the burger that I was told tasted like it was packed with black pepper. What I will elaborate on is the completely wasted surfer dude that staggered in, sweaty, long hair in his face, mumbling to our server that he wanted to get something to take to his room. Instead of refusing service to the man who looked like he was about to vomit on himself, employee-of-the-month seats him next to us and then ignores him! Leaving the drunk man to mumble to himself in addition to trying to talk to other patrons. If the whole experience hadn't cost me $60 it would have been funny...oh well, it still is kinda funny
(1)Keeptalkin T.
OK, I'm glad we did not yelp this place ahead of time. Based on the reviews we would have continued on our way. We are glad we did not. We ate here two nights ago and the food was excellent. Being in Hawaii I figured I needed to find some good fish. My girlfriend was in the mood for Italian, so we ended up at Spada. We are from Boston and did not think the prices were that bad. My fish, Ono, was so tasty that once I was done I wanted to lick the plate. My girlfriend had eggplant Parm and to my surprise finished her entire meal. My only knock on the place was that we were seated next to the hostess station and we felt like she ease dropped on our entire meal...a couple of times I caught her laughing at my jokes.
(4)Al S.
The service was horrible, the calamari was burned and rubbery, and we didn't get any farther than that. Some folks seem to have better luck, so I guess you gotta just take your chances... On a positive note, the ambiance was very nice, and the drinks were well priced.
(2)Savannah G.
I really don't understand why this place had such bad reviews!! I have to admit, it made me a little skeptical when a friend recommended we eat there for dinner one night but I'm happy to report that the food was not as bad as the reviews would lead you to believe. We ordered the bruschetta for an appetizer and it was very fresh and crispy, nothing to complain about there. For dinner, I got the rigatoni bolognese and my husband got the chef's special pizza. Of course, I got to taste the pizza and I was impressed! It had a thin crust and the ingredients were perfectly cooked. My bolognese was very tasty and I polished off the entire plate (trust me, it was more than enough!). My friends got the lasagna (which they raved about) and the pasta with chicken, asparagus and sundried tomatoes. That looked really good and I'll have to try it next time. I have to say, compared to some of the Itialian food I've had on the island (il lupino) this place is good! I went home full and my Italian food craving was satisfied. Give it a shot! Its worth trying. PS. If you have room for dessert, try the gelato--the flavor of the day was chocolate with almonds and it was yummy. Gelato is another hard thing to find on island...
(4)Justin O.
At first I was pretty skeptical on this restaurant, but as my food came it changed my view. Although the prices are fairly expensive, my food was very good. The mussels were delicious, but best of all the arugula and prosciutto with truffle oil pizza was one of the best pizzas I have ever eaten in my life. I don't think I will go there again, unless of course I want to get some good pizza.
(3)Nam K.
Great service! Great food! Friendly staff! I have no idea why this place has only 2.5 out of 5 stars. Fried calamari was perfectly fried with a tasty marinara sauce. Salmon was perfectly cooked as well as the Monchong fish. Awesome flavors. Everything was perfect! I would definitely go back. Mahalo!
(5)Tessa t.
yelp 365 challenge #55/365 went here on monday... HORRIBLE... yes, i read the reviews...but i thought to give it a try... i should've listened!!! i ordered chicken parmigiana... it was RAW... not just slightly raw...but RAW RAW!!! as if they got a raw chicken, put some breading, slathered on some marinara sauce and hoped that it would cook the chicken... i took a bite...and swallowed... i thought, hmmm? this chicken isn't even warm... cut another piece, looked at it, and saw RAWness!!! called someone over and told him that it was raw... he said, "oh, surprising." oh, surprising??? oh, SURPRISING??? that really made me flip... i said, "i don't want it, i don't want a new one, i don't want anything else, i just want it off my check." then our server came and asked what happened...i let her know... she says, "oh." WTF?! i wouldn't have been so mad if they apologized... even a half-assed sorry would have sufficed... but NOTHING! i work in the industry... i would have took that off the check and sent out a dessert or if they didn't want a dessert i would have given a discount... i was appalled and will NEVER eat there again... don't know if it was all in my head or if i was really sick... but i threw up for the next three days!! NOT HAPPY! LISTEN to your fellow yelpers! :)
(1)David D.
I have eaten here on several occasions and each time I have found the food to be very good. The staff is a little inexperienced but the atmosphere and food are some of the best I have eaten in the area. Typical tourist prices.
(4)Brian G.
This restaurant compares favourably with other fine Italian restaurants in Waikiki like Alanchino and Belinini. The menu is limited but the food is good and the wait staff is above average. The eggplant parmesan was excellent and the restaurants decor is casual and inviting. Usually restaurants on oahu have 3rd world cleanliness standards but I felt this restaurant was cleaner then most. A good dining experience at a reasonable price.
(4)Thomas S.
Had dinner recently with partner... Service was slow due to a number of large tables but the wonderful waitress comped us some wine and continually updated us...I've been here for 3 weeks eaten out every nite and this was arguably my best meal and we have eaten at most of the best places in Waikiki,, I had the special a pork chop wrapped in prosciutto and it was terrific...bread was great too warm and fresh...
(5)Erica R.
Wow, another tough lesson of "you shoulda Yelped it first". While strolling though shops in Waikiki, we stopped into Planet Hollywood to watch the Laker game and grab a cocktail (more like my hardcore Laker fan friends watched and I had a cocktail). While there, we chatted with the bartender and told him our plans to have dinner at a nearby Italian restaurant. He knocked that place down and recommended we go to Spada instead because it was better and less expensive. Well, we're not ones to shoot down suggestions from locals, so we changed our plans. When we arrived at the dark little spot in the corner, it was pretty dead. We sat on the patio and could hardly see anything because they turned off the patio lights. It was kinda strange. The low-light of the evening had to be the bruschetta starter we shared. We turned into garlic breathing dragons after that. I don't think they sauteed or cooked the garlic at all, which would've eased the strong taste. Our server ended up being just as slow as the restaurant. Except when we were leaving and he asked us, "where's the party?!" Uhhh, no thanks slow waiter dude. As for the bartender who recommended the place...turns out he also bar tends here...go figure.
(2)Ross A.
Horrible service, mediocre food, and prices just as bad as the rest of Waikiki. My husband and I stopped in a here for dinner after a long day, and ordered the mussel appetizer and two pasta entrees. Our waitress brought out the mussels, never came back to ask how it was (actually quite good) or if we needed anything (desperately yes! more bread for the broth). Instead, about five minutes later when we had eaten only a third of the appetizer she shows up with the entrees! I tell her we're not ready for the pastas, and she looks confused or offended or something, doesn't say a thing, *still* doesn't ask us if we need anything (bread, still) and just walks off. She spent the rest of the meal avoiding our table and made one of the other servers take over for most of it. We couldn't even get our water glasses filled. It doesn't get any better with the entrees...which I'm sure spent 20 minutes under the heat lamp until we were ready for them. Overcooked pasta and burnt-black mozzarella on the lasagna. Save your money for something better.
(1)Andrea E.
Hubby and I moved here 6 weeks ago and are staying in temporary quarters in Waikiki. Every week I walk to the PO to pick up our mail so I've walked by Spada 6 times. It looked nice, I had a craving for Italian, so we walked down a few nights ago for dinner. Since I never Yelped before, and I don't know anyone here to ask, I didn't have a predisposition to hate the place like others seem to have. We got there soon after they opened for dinner and there were maybe 2 other tables taken at the time. We ordered beverages and then waited. When we finally got our drinks we were told the bar was "slammed" and that's why it took so long. My mai tai was fine (I guess I'm not a fan of them since this was the 3rd one I've had since being on the island and I haven't really liked any of them, although this was the best one yet) and hubby enjoyed his margarita. About 1/2 way through our meal he ordered a second margarita and it arrived just as he was finishing his dinner. Again, really slow beverage service. Seems that when there are 3 tables taken the kitchen is also "slammed." At least we were seated near the door so we could listen to the hostess speaking very loudly to the man seated across the way (heavy sarcasm). It was too distracting to have our own conversation. I would certainly ask to be seated away from the door next time. Back to the food. Hubby ordered sausage and peppers. When it finally came he ate every bite, which really isn't unusual. He likes to eat. I had the chicken parmigiana and I also ate every bite, which IS unusual. I'm a very picky eater with a small appetite. This is the best meal I've had in the past 6 weeks. I really enjoyed it and would love to go back again before we move out of Waikiki. We shared the cheesecake for dessert and enjoyed it, too. To sum up: slow beverage and food service, friendly wait staff, delicious food, a bit pricey (but what isn't in Waikiki).
(4)Travis M.
Convenient and delicious with very reasonable prices. Food and service were both very good.
(4)Amanda S.
3 1/2 stars but a good 3 1/2 stars :) I never came here to eat, just drink ;) I met some sweet marines the week I came and so it was our little meet up spot. I forget the bartenders name, but he has long blonde hair- makes a great AMF. The prices are pretty decent and the drinks were hard the way i like it. Some nights they have entertainment, there was this hottie playing one night. Great eye candy. I can't speak for the food itself, but if you're walking in the waikiki area and want a fun environment that isn't too touristy with nice friendly people I recommend Spada
(3)Zane D.
BEST SERVICE EVER! Great food had the bruschetta especial it was delicious. I also tried the penne con pollo amazing! I will definitely comeback on my next business trip through Waikiki.
(5)Melody H.
My bf and I are stayed at the Wyland on our vacation so we decided to check out Spada since it was right downstairs. We were kind of sketchy at first since the restaurant was never that busy, but we thought we'd give it a shot anyways. Wrong choice. First of all, service was bad. Our waiter (let's just call him C) didn't smile at us once and seemed 'whatever' the entire time. My bf ordered pasta that gave an option of 2 different kinds of sauces, but C didn't even ask which one he preferred. He didn't even bother telling us about the specials of the evening...we heard it from another waiter at a different table. By then it was too late cause we already placed our orders. Also, he wasn't very knowledgeable about the wine list and was just suggesting random ones to order. Food was not that good. Free Bread - I think it had been sitting outside for days cause it was so stale...it was like eating cardboard. Fried Calamari - The waiter said it was his favorite so we decided to give it a try. Bad idea. Instead of a nice crispy texture, it was soggy to the point where the batter fell off the calamari. The marinara sauce was even tastier. Oh, and I found a long strand of hair in one of the pieces. I didn't notice it until I put it in my mouth. Gross! We had that taken off the bill. Spinach Salad - Consisted of spinach, onions, glazed walnuts, and 4 shrimps with basic balsamic vinaigrette. Although it was decent, it was not worth $17. Chicken Marsala - Didn't tasted like any chicken marsala I've ever eaten before. The chicken was cooked well (i.e., not dry), but the sauce was really sweet. It was just okay. Seafood Linguini - Came with a decent amount of mussels and clams, but lacked in scallops and shrimp. There was also some of that crappy fried calamari thrown on top. Why wasn't there fresh squid?? Like I mentioned above, we were supposed to have 2 sauce choices - a lobster tarragon broth or a zesty tomato sauce. Since C forgot to ask which sauce we wanted, we were stuck with the tomato sauce. The sauce was more like tomato water. It was not zesty and was almost tasteless. We had to use salt and pepper as well as the marinara sauce from the fried calamari to make it taste better. Coffee - Weak. If you're ever in Honolulu and are craving Italian food, do NOT go to Spada. For the amount of money we ended up spending there, we could've spent it on a much nicer meal.
(1)Angela L.
Well we were staying at the Courtyard Marriott for my last weekend in Hawaii and I decided, "Hey? If I'm going to review this place we might as well should check out the connecting restaurant to get the full experience." I guess it was my bad that I chose to test out the place for breakfast because it was horrid! I'm not a breakfast fan to begin with, and this place just made it worse. Service was slow, my coffee wasn't hot, and the food was tasteless/boring and overpriced for what we got. The only good thing about it was that depending on where you sat in the restaurant you got a good view of Kuhio Street which was great for people watching. Other than that, if you dare brave to check this place out... DON'T GO FOR BREAKFAST! There are plenty of better places nearby. You've been warned.
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