Azul
JW Marriott Ihilani Resort & Spa,92-1001 Olani St, Kapolei, HI, 96707
Azul Menu
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Visit below restaurant in Kapolei for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Kapolei for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Kapolei for healthy meals suggestion.
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Address :
JW Marriott Ihilani Resort & Spa,92-1001 Olani St
Kapolei, HI, 96707 - Phone (808) 679-0079
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Opening Hours
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Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : No
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Valet
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : No
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Dressy
Ambience : Romantic
Noise Level : Quiet
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : No
Categories
Italian Cuisine
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.
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Dave S.
My girlfriend and I spent NYE 2014 at Azul for dinner. Had made reservations on OpenTable and then Sienna called to inform me that they had two seatings for NYE and asked which I would like as the online options were slightly off. I also informed her at that time that I planned to propose later that evening and asked if there was any possibility of a special table I would be very grateful and willing to pay. She let me know that she would take care of us and even invited us to come slightly early to get seated. We arrived and the table she had just for us was incredible! Very private, quiet, and romantic. Perfect for the evening ahead. Already elated with the experience, and food hadn't even been served, we sat enjoying the table and were visited by Chad who had a great attitude and let us know our server would be out shorly. Roxy came out shortly after and immediately made a great night perfect. She had an incredible attitude. The night went great, the food was good, the drinks were great and we couldn't have asked for a better dinner to kick off the special evening ahead. Thank you Sienna for going above and beyond. Thank you to Roxy and Chad for their tremendous service and great attitudes! Dave and Lari
(5)Jurija M.
I agree with many of the people who rated this restaurant average. My boyfriend made same day reservations for us to have dinner here on a Saturday night. We were seated immediately with no wait time to sit inside or outside. We chose outside. As we walked through the restaurant to be seated outside, I was surprised at how quiet this "Four Diamond"restaurant was for a Saturday night. I only saw one indoor table occupied and the bar had just a few people mingling. We were seated with our menus at a four person table. The setting for the extra two were cleared promptly. We didn't see our waitress for about 5 minutes. It took another 5 after that to get water and 1 cocktail. We ordered the calamari to start- BLEH. What the hell is this? It was not crispy and fried. It was soggy coating. The calamari itself was very tough and chewy. PASS ON THIS. I promise you. SO not worth it. Bland and cold and boring. For our main dishes, I ordered the lobster pasta and my boyfriend ordered the night's special: pasta and meat balls. My dish was not bad but not great. For $40, I wanted to eat the whole plate but instead I got undercooked pasta with lobster. The lobster was fine...nothing extraordinary. I can't imagine the pasta without the lobster though. The light, creamy sauce worked with it. My boyfriend really enjoyed his meatballs and pasta. The meatballs had huge chunks of bread crumbs holding it together and he liked that. The best part of the meal was the bread and butter served at the beginning. The butter was smooth and guava flavored. To die for! In the end, the service was just OK- it was slow. I didn't receive a water refill until I asked and she just seemed SUPER flustered throughout the night. She dropped napkins and would try to pick up too much at once. To be fair, it looked like she had 6 tables. On the other hand, she also never looked at us when she spoke...kind of weird come to think of it. Probably won't be back.
(3)Mike H.
It's really to bad that Azul will be closing due to the buyout of Ihilani. From the romantic ambience and excellent service to the delicious menu and full selection of wine. Azul would've been our go to restaurant. Def need to follow this Chef.
(5)Michael G.
Very average. I had the gnocchi and I have had much better. The waiter did let me know that it was frozen and that he recommended another pasta. I find it strange that a JW Marriott would serve frozen gnocchi. Go figure. The place was empty, maybe 4 tables full on a Sunday night. Service was excellent though. Wife had the lobster pasta and liked it. Granted that we are in Hawaii and in particular Ko Olina where there is no competition and no incentives to be good. And no real competition to keep prices down. Forewarned is forearmed here in Hawaii. High prices and meh food.
(2)Ryan B.
Have you had one of those experiences where you don't mind spending the money but expecting the taste to be as good as the cost. Well, this isn't the place. Highly disappointed with service and food. It's not so much about the money but more about the principle. My friends and I Spent Christmas Day at this restaurant because it was in a nice location and had seats for a large group of 8. They never explained that there was a set menu! Anyway when we arrived, we were ok with it as it sounded appealing...Here's what we received: Carrot/Ginger Soup - Was luke warm when it arrived Shrimp/Papaya Salad - Was fine (probably the best thing on the menu) Strawberry Risotto (Little Weird combination but it tasted fine but it was not hot or close to being warm. I could understand the idea of keeping the strawberry cooler than the risotto but the risotto tasted like it was pre made and sitting out for awhile). Veal Sausage with Mahi Mahi over Mash Potatoes and Asparagus - The appearance looked great but again food was cold when it arrived (Same explanation to the Risotto above). I could really tell if it was hot, it would of been 100% times better. Veal was a little interesting flavor but the Mahi Mahi was fine. Dessert - Cherry Tiramisu...Do not attempt to make this yourself..I think it was a good idea but the combination just didn't work with my palate. It was a combination of runny and dry. I'm not trying to trash or hate the place as the view was great. It was a bummer that it was super windy and they sat us outside when there were ample seats inside. You know, we had a nice waiter but it shouldn't have to take 10 minutes for coffee to come after ordering it. I was unsure if they were short staff as every time they served us their were 3 guys bringing out our food. What blows my mind is the whole "You have a party of 6 so we have to automatically add 20% gratuity on top of your bill for large groups." Is their a bill in the legislature that passed that requires us to pay this automatically? Like I said, it's not so much about affording the food, but the service you're getting. It was slow and the food wasn't great (which isn't the waiters fault) but they need major improvements. Last, I heard the entire hotel was closing soon so their's the possibility of "We really don't care as this place is closing anyway" kind of attitude..I don't know?!? Anyway, if you're gonna chance it, do it but if your food does not come out right, remember that I TOLD YOU SO!
(2)Rumi G.
Worst Valentines ever. Horrible ambiance, horrible service, food was mediocre and cold. We made reservations weeks in advanced and they seated us in the overflow ballroom in spite of available tables in the restaurant. The ball room was filled with round tables much like a frugal wedding reception. We sat down and couldn't hear each other over the blaring Red Hot Chili Peppers and other similar music. Bright lights. Plain linens, nothing romantic. Ten minutes before water came. Pre fixe menu was only choice and it seemed to baffle the servers as they managed to give some people the same course twice but skip others. It wasn't that crowded because many couples were seated then bolted, wisely, when no one checked on them after waiting for service. I asked them to turn down the music and ordered a bottle of wine. The music changed to kabuki (not kidding). Three courses later the wine showed up to accompany our luke warm pasta. We noticed some people had bread so we asked for some which showed up with the main course. Would have been nice with the goat cheese appetizer... Food was mediocre, not horrible. Goat cheese appetizer, "crab" salad was mixed greens with less than a tablespoon of crab; lobster farfalle was decent; small filet mignon and two shrimp was good; dessert cakes tasted like bad cafeteria food. They automatically added 20% gratuity. We had them remove it, of course. This was such a sad, sad attempt at mass romance. Good thing I am happily married. Felt terrible for the new couples who thought this was going to be special. $75 per person - felt like we were robbed.
(2)Valerie M.
This high end restaurant within the Ihilani hotel caters to vacationing couples, families and wedding parties. Or like me, a Hawaii family enjoying a stay-cation. Our waiter Stuart gave us exemplary service. He treated us professionally and with lots of aloha. His recommendations were right on. He provided background on the new Italiancp chef and owners of the hotel which I appreciated because it felt personal. It's very apparent he likes working at Azul. In fact, I get the impression that the employees enjoy working at this hotel. It's been a pleasant experience staying here and I'll definitely return.
(4)Benjamin E.
The atmosphere is very comforting. Very low and warm lighting by candle light. Beautiful linens, and the staff are extremely professional. With that said, the food was okay, nothing that sticks out that would make you want to write home about. The cocktails are very good though, had a Mai Tai and is one of the better ones that I have ever had, which says a lot being, that live to go to Chinese/Polynesian restaurant to try their version of Mai Tai's and Scorpion Bowls. If you are in the area, and want a nice romantic evening with drinks and candle light dinner, then this is a good place to come to, but don't expect a wow factor from the food,
(3)Lon H.
Absurdly overpriced for the value. Lacking in freshness and creativity. Save your money and walk across the street.
(2)Shawn D.
Expensive and greasy, not a combination I like. I think since the resort is between ownership that may have impacted the experience. However, my wife summed up the experience best, "at least we didn't get sick." I would go here.
(1)Rich B.
Our entire family enjoyed our meal including the drinks. You must try the Lulliki Mou martini ... Unreal Meals were terrific and he best meal we had in Ko Olina the last 2 years coming to Oahu.
(5)Alex M.
Azul is a subpar place dressed in nice clothes that doesn't warrant anything near the price on the menu. It's a total joke and shouldn't have anything over three stars. I proposed to my girlfriend on the rocks of Ko Olina, and it was wonderful. I chose to dine at Azul afterwards, as it was a reasonable, cheaper alternative to Roy's with an allegedly more romantic atmosphere than Monkeypod. I booked on opentable and called ahead explaining the situation, asking if they could do anything special for me. They could have told me "no," but instead they led me on and allowed me to figure that out for myself. We walked in to no congratulations, no nothing. We were seated in a random spot literally in the middle of the outdoor seating area. Lots of noise, clearly better seats available that were given to other people. We waited a while (5-10 mins) for water and the waiter disappeared for long periods, although he was okay when he was around. The bread took about 15 minutes to make it out to our table and a refill request went unfulfilled until the meal was basically over. The food is okay. I had a spicy seafood pasta, which was not bad but didn't warrant the steep price tag. My fiancé had the mahi mahi pasta, which tasted bland and like it was made with a thick paste. It wasn't good at all. My stomach felt awufl afterwards, so im not sure what they do to the food here. We also got to witness the owner doting over a table next to us throughout the duration of the meal in his overdone Italian accent and cheap clothes that he looks like he picked up at the swap meet. The prices here are steep and in no way representative of the quality of food or service. The waiter, who was a nice guy, tried telling me my pasta dish shouldn't have cheese added to it because of "Italians and their food rules," which is 100% BS. Everyone who has any Italian roots, or has seen an episode of "The Sopranos" for that matter, knows cheese can be sprinkled on just about any pasta dish. Not his fault, but it shows the level of training these guys have. Even if this is true in some part of the culinary world, at least give the customer the option. Let me be up front here: I understand I am nobody special. But I did just experience a once in a lifetime event, and chose this place over everywhere else to celebrate immediately afterwards. At no point was this decision acknowledged or redeemed in any way, except by our waiter, who we told in passing. In closing, this place is a joke. It's Olive Garden quality food at exorbitant prices. Pay the extra 5-10 bucks per dish and try Roy's. I wish I did.
(2)Mark H.
The atmosphere is excellent. Very romantic. Outdoor dining surrounded by pools of hammerhead sharks and sting rays. We had the fresh fish of the day, Mahi Mahi grilled with an herb crust. With a very nice white cream sauce drizzle. The dessert was decadent...although I can't remember what it was...and that is due to the great cocktails! They are strong yet good. I had a mango mojito martini or two...they were awesome! I enjoyed this place. Prices are the usual resort pricing. Adults only, leave your kids at the Aulani. I'd recommend this restaurant to others.
(4)Keith D.
Had an excellent waiter-Stuart I believe was his name. Knew the menu like you wouldn't believe and had a some great recommendations for appetizers, entrees and dessert. We went with everything he recommended and were not disappointed. Had a bit of a time finding the place since we were staying at another resort but we were very well pleased with our decision to eat here. They even took care of our dessert b/c we were celebrating our anniversary. Would definitely come back.
(5)Don E.
Made reservations for Valentine's dinner on 02-14-15 @ 6:00 PM. We arrived on time and were immediately told that we could not dine in the normal dining area, due to the shear number of reservations. We were taken outside in a windstorm and seated in a large dining hall, normally used for conventions. There were no windows and the atmosphere was very uncomfortable. We were among 50 other couples who were obviously not pleased with their dining experience. We watched several couples walk out as soon as they were seated. The service was extremely poor and the food was served by an incompetent staff that could not remember who they had served salads to, or for that matter the main bill of fare. Not only did we pay $75 per person for this most terrible dining experience, but the management slapped a mandatory 20% tip onto the bill. We can understand the bad weather conditions, but the people who dined in the actual dining room probably bribed the manager, to avoid being confined to the claustrophobic banquet hall. The lack of organization was almost laughable. This restaurant was recommended by Marriott Vacation Club as a top drawer eating establishment. We filled out a survey form for the Marriott Vacation Club, which mirrors this review!
(2)Bob P.
The food was completely unremarkable. Vey blah Italian food. Fancy table cloths and warm wine do not make a great dinner. I would NOT eat here again.
(2)Graeme J.
Don't do it!! Just don't!! To start off, Azul is located in the Marriott hotel which will closedown shortly to be remodelled which is why this might be as bad as it is now... There are a bunch of AAA 4 diamonds on the wall, if they are for blandest of bland food then it's legit... There were 5 of us so we had a variety of dishes as follows :- Caprese Salad - was ok but 3 slices of tomato and mozzarella for $17 is a little steep :) Tuna Salad - over cooked tuna, generic salad. Surf & Turf - this was my dish at $80 and literally was totally bland and tasteless, not my expectation. Risotto - literally no taste, not sure how you remove any taste of anything but they managed it here.. Potentially they have a "remove the taste'o'matic" machine which all the dishes are run through. Service was fine though, Chris our server was cool just the food is overpriced and tasteless, go somewhere else instead.. Anywhere...
(1)Mark Y.
Very average food for the high price tag. The moon fish was too fishy and the steak had no flavor.
(1)Kimberly F.
This place was AWESOME! We were seated right next to the water and had a great, attentive waiter. The drinks were fabulous, and I ordered a caprese salad which was good as well. I also got the gnocchi with alfredo sauce. Simple, but delicious! They had a special dessert - panna cotta...I've never had it before and am not usually a fan of such desserts, but it was great! A little pricey, but you get what you pay for! We will definitely be back.
(5)kristi s.
Did a take-out with the lobster pasta...that was absolutely delish, light on the cream sauce.....bolognese was also very good not too tomatoee, the pasta was cooked perfect. Calamari was little spicy but i love spice so i really enjoyed that with the mojito...the drinks were also yummy. The service from the hostess, to the server (dani), to the bartender (chris?) was really great in recommending what yo order...oh can't forget that lilikoi butter, husband loved that too...enjoy your next visit here!
(5)Ginna S.
Beautiful scenery, awesome & very friendly waitress, but.... the food just did not meet our expectations. I could honestly say, Olive Garden and CPK makes better pasta dishes and they are cheaper! The only thing that was enjoyable was their Calamari and desserts. The staff were just amazingly friendly and accomadating, so it made up for it.
(3)Diana W.
Staying at Marriott hotel. Celebrating our 22 wedding anniv. Conceirge recommended Azul. Said no reservations needed that nite. When we entered place was empty. One table outside occupied. The front recetionist, Kiera asked us if we had reservations. My husband said no but it was our anniversery and as we looked at the empty rm..he asked if we needed one. She didnt like the joke, said follow me and tried to sit us in a far inside deserted area. We were not pleased & asked to be seated outside. She said sorry they were reserved. We asked to speak to a mgr. She left. Spoke to a mgr then sitted us outside. She threw menus on tables & left. This girl was extremely rude. I even wrote the hotel's mgr a letter re: her being rude. The only reason this review received 2 stars was the food was good..very expensive though. Try the lobster pasta w extra sauce..excellent!!
(2)Ken P.
T E R R I B L E Two Caesars sent back but still charged. Staying at Aulani and wanted something different. Trust me and go to MonkeyPod across the street - or Roy's. Service was impatient and no aloha spirit. Sorry JW, but it sucked.
(1)Elizabeth U.
It's funny that an Italian restaurant has a Spanish name, but the food was good! I often have a hard time paying large amounts for food that I can easily make at home (chicken fettucine alfredo for my fiancé and the special of bowtie pasta, asparagus, and mascarpone and parmesan cheese for me), but the ambiance, wine, service, and the free tiramisu they gave us to honor our special occasion that we noted in our reservation makes me want to give Azul 4 stars. Their passion fruit butter that comes with the bread is SO good. If you are in need of a nice restaurant with a beautiful setting while in West Oahu, please give Azul a try.
(4)Ellen L.
We dined at Azul last night. The service was awful. It took forever for our dinner to arrive. One of us had the rib eye steak and said that it was tasteless. My husband had the bolognese and said it was good. I split the fettuccine lobster and mahi mahi special. The lobster tasted strange and was flavorless. When the mahi mahi arrived it was actually a shrimp and mahi mahi dish. Our waiter blamed his error in describing the special on the chef. He assured us that we had four ounces of mahi mahi. There were two tiny little pieces of mahi mahi that were tasteless. The shrimp was much better but only three on the plate. Needless to say, we will not be dining at Azul on our next trip to Ko'Olina.
(1)Michael C.
Over-priced, merely average food in a good location. Not worth the price. Tried it twice with my wife and we weren't impressed. The sauce tasted like it was from Campbell's Tomato Soup, only watered down so much that it only kept the color of it and not the flavor. Roy's or Monkey Pod are nearby, and better.
(2)Alysha K.
My girl friend and I decided to have a 1-night staycation out in Ko'olina, and for dinner wanted to eat somewhere not easily accessible to town (like Roy's). While doing my Yelp research, it seemed as if a lot of the restaurants out in the area did not have too good of reviews, besides for Azul which had 'okay' reviews. So we decided to try. And I would have to agree that Azul was just okay for me, too. First off, the whole Ihilani hotel is under construction so to get to the restaurant from the Shuttle drop-off was kind of a maze. Hopping over holes, ducking under poles, and trying not to breathe in cement. Once we got there, the place was pretty empty, but we were seated in a cozy area with other parties so felt comfortable. We ordered: lobster bisque, lobster feticcini, eggplant parmesan, and beef carpaccio. Sadly to say that the lobster bisque was the best thing we ate. Everything else was not bad, but really nothing special. Service was slow at first, but the food came out quick (which I expected since there weren't too many parties since the hotel was closed). I'd say good to try once.
(3)Janice N.
Oh, my. The restaurant had a ROUGH Mother's Day. The "surf" was lacking meat and my lobster shell was an odd brown color. Wouldn't eat it. They must have run out of "turf" because the slices of meat oddly looked like they were borrowed from a Philly cheesesteak sandwich. Have to give a thumbs up to the lobster bisque and lobster salad. Well prepared. Apparently the crowd didn't devour the supply of those items. The poor waitstaff looked extremely frazzled and our server continued to apologize for everything. We complained (along with other diners) to hotel management but received only a blank stare and meek apology. Cannot imagine a special Mother's Day meal would have been so poorly managed and executed at a Four Seasons. Should have walked across the street to Monkeypod.
(1)Sarah M.
Food and drinks were great!!! The atmosphere is beautiful!!! We will definitely be back!
(5)Max B.
This was one of the worst dining experiences I have ever had. After we were seated at a round table, against a stained wall, three different waiters stopped by for our drink order, each one rushed, unprofessional and unaware of each other. Then the owner stopped by, and did the same thing. So, our dining experience started uncomfortable, rushed and extremely chaotic. The exact same thing repeated when it was time for us to order our food. There seems to be NO service training or implementation, nor any sort of sequence of service, The comments, conversations and responses from the 'service staff' made us feel as if we had fallen down the rabbit hole. They were nonsensical, insulting, and frankly plain bizarre. The food was mediocre at best, and that is being very kind. That this restaurant ever received a 4 diamond award, seems highly suspect.
(1)Tomos B.
We decided to come here for dinner for my 21st and I'm so glad we did. Liz was our server and she was an absolute pleasure. The food was beautiful, however it's rare that you get to enjoy the service as much as the fine food. If you decide to eat here, ring ahead and make sure Liz is working.
(4)Ms M.
The staff was very attentive, and did their best to ensure we were comfortable, and enjoying the dining experience. We ate their salad with vinegarette dressing, and it was delicious. The goat cheese with tomato and basil was great. The vegetables were fresh. I had their catch of the day special, and it was moist and tasty. The potato was light and had a good taste to it. We had lilikoi and mango gelato (one scope each), and it was the best way to end dinner.
(5)Audney D.
Marco is a native italian who operates his own kitchen separate from the hotel. Do yourself a favor and branch out from most of the bland options to eat at Aulani. Great hospitality and fantastic, well prepared italian sea food.
(5)Ryan O.
Stuart was our guy again and I really can't say enough about him. He really takes the dining experience to another level! He even remembered some of our conversation from the last time we came! How awesome is that? I had to come check out the new Italian style menu because 1. I love Italian 2. I love the service at Azul, nuff said! I had the Bruschetta for starters which was perfectly made and for entree I had the special which was veal and truffle ravioli. *This being the second time having a special dish I am now convinced that any time there is a special of the day here it is more than worth trying. The Ravioli were aldente style (sp?) and the insides were soft moist melt in your mouth veal which was drizzled with truffle oil. I am also now convinced that truffle oil goes good on everything. It was nicely paired with a bottle of Stag's Leap "Artemis" which was a bold and very beautiful Cab. The "Artemis" was soooo good I damn near drank the whole bottle myself! (Sorry hunny...) I finished the meal off with a special desert which was a cream brulee with berries du jour. *Please see my note about chef specials at Azul. I went home full, happy and a little tipsy. Honestly what more could you possibly want!
(5)John J.
Excellent food, service and decor We sat inside and missed a 10 minute rain but I will sit outside next time Follow the coaching of your waiter and you cannot go wrong The ravioli dishes are stunning especially the lobster ravioli.
(4)Diner S.
Good food but not great. Liked the convenience of the restaurant as it was in my hotel.
(3)Rachel P.
Woohoo! As good as it gets! However, one side-note: Catch of the Day was Salmon. How not-so-Hawai'ian.. It was still very, very delicious. Boyfriend and I went there for our last dinner before returning to the mainland (yikes!), and we both started off with a cocktail (HELL to the YEAH!). For our entrees, he had the $42 Filet Mignon, while I had the $36 Catch of the Day Salmon, both of which came with Potatoes and Spinach. They were beautifully prepared and nothing short of "to die for". Also, make sure to chow down on the bread, as it will happily be refilled upon request. Pricey, but worth every penny. Mahalo!
(5)Michael U.
We chose to eat here on our last night in Hawaii. It didn't start out perfect since the waiter took like 10 minutes when we arrived. The owner was around and stopped at our table to welcome us. He noticed we hadn't received bread or drinks yet and quickly remedied the situation. Service was top notch the rest of the night. We had calamari as an appetizer. It was a lot lighter breading than any other calamari that I've eaten. According to the owner, it how Calamari is done in Italy as opposed to the US. For the main course, my wife had the black truffle and veil ravioli (a special that night). The ravioli is made fresh, which you can definitely taste. For myself, I had the 'catch of the day' - which was Ono. It was cooked perfectly and seasoned well. We were both rather impressed with the portion sizes. Usually, these places leave me hungry. Not the case here! There were like 8 good sized Raviolis in my wife's dish and a great sized fillet of the Ono. We were both very impressed and would definitely like to come back to this place. It was way better than AMA AMA (at the Disney resort) where we ate a few night prior. It is very reasonably priced for such a nice place. Go here, you won't be disappointed.
(5)J K.
Excellent food! Excellent service! Visit this gem before the hotel closure in January! The lobster bisque is delicious. Very smooth and melts in your mouth. Fettuccine Alla Aragosta or lobster fettuccine has come to be my favorite dish here. It is very smooth and the lobster is fresh. Beautiful intimate set up. Come here for the sunset at about 630 pm but dress cool because it is very hot in here. Wine selection is excellent my favorite is Jermann Chardonnay from Italy.
(5)Matthew J.
There are few times in life when something can be such crap. If you want to live this moment. Visit this restaurant and you'll get your full $140 worth of shit. We came for New Years dinner, which was a preset meal. Before I go into each dish, I want to add that I was with a party of 5 and everyone else thought the food was worse than what I thought. People sitting around us reacted even worse to the food. At one point food was delivered and taken from tables seconds later because no one was eating the food. Prepare to wait 20 min between each dish even though it's a preset menu. Tuna and beef tartare was only edible because of the crackers provided (they had 0 flavor). Zuppa di farro e porcini tasted liked canned red beans. Veal lasagna was too flavorful and mushy. It was like eating pasta sauce instead of lasagna. Risotto lobster. Where the fuck was the lobster. It's like playing where's Waldo with the lobsters. Risotto was if course bland as humanly possible. Pan seared catch of the day was mushier than the mashed potatoes that came with it. Lamb chops had no flavor and were overcooked. Dessert was basically 1 strawberry since the rest of the dessert was way too sweet. TL;DR: Never set foot into this establishment. Most disappointing dinner of the trip. Basically ruined every customers New Years.
(1)Davit S.
So I've decided to come to this restaurant as I have for the past 5 times, and I took my dad here for some father son time. Then all of a sudden, new owner, new menu, new style, but same name and same rewards as the previous azul? So new menu and style of cuisine was Italian. Not very good italian cuisine may I add. 1st course: I had the lobster bisque, which tasted like salty tomato bisque and my dad had the bean soup, which didn't meet up to par especially for the price! 2nd course: dad ordered the salmon and I had the lamb loin, though every dish comes with spinach and roasted potatoes, which was over cooked unseasoned spinach and potato hash like the kind you would get for breakfast. I ordered my lamb medium rare and it comes out well-done. So naturally I sent my dish back, which the waiter told me would be 20 minutes. 20 minutes later, it comes back, but this the time the lamb was drenched in sauce on top. So I wipe off the sauce, a piece of the lamb loin, and what do I see, well done lamb!!! I wasn't going to wait another 20 minutes for a third try. I was furious, so the manager came by to tell us sorry, and offered to take shots with us. All i know is that restaurant needs help and fast! I miss the old restaurant but I don't think I'll ever come back here due to lack of service and lack of quality control coming out of that kitchen. Dessert: let me tell you that they ran out of all their desserts that day, so they made a paper menu of various slices of cake.. a slice of cake for $10? I don't think $10 for chocolate dobash cake is worth $10 it's not even italian! Overpriced and Overcooked Food!
(1)Jennifer H.
The staff was awesome --- particularly Stuart. If he suggests something--- go with it!!! He chose the wine and it was superb!!! The food was wonderful!! We had a lovely creme brûlée and a pane cotta .... Heavenly!!! Thank you Stuart for being wonderful at your job--being so attentive and making our night so wonderful!!!
(5)Bernard F.
Our second trip out here. Skipped this place the first time. We are big fans of Monkeypod but we were looking for something different. The resort itself is a little dated. This was first rate Italian food. Don't go here if you like Olive Garden or Macaroni Grill. Best pomodoro sauce I have had. I would travel to this restaurant at home. The desserts were sublime. The mousse was dark chocolate without sugar to hide the flaws. Portions are too much for me. I would recommend ordering family style and sharing. Fettuccine is fresh and house made. We will be back.
(5)A R.
We are staying at JW Marriot and expected high quality cuisine at their restaurants considering this is a luxury resort. AZUL was the last of the 3 restaurants we've tried here at JW and the food was just as bad as the other two restaurants. No hostess to greet you and the owner ignored us too! After 10 minutes a hostess finally appeared. We ordered the catch of the day and the bolognese, no drinks - total over $80! The portions were small, bland, and the pasta was not home made. Sadly there aren't much choices here in Ko Olina, Disney resort next door also has crappy food choices.
(2)Ava C.
I've been putting this review off because I didn't want people to start crowding my favorite dinner-date place west of 'Aiea. Azul is one of the central/west side's best kept secrets, but I guess that's just selfish of me. And on those nights when you just don't want to make the trek into Waikiki, this place is an utter God-send. The restaurant is tucked away on the mauka (mountain-side) of the Ihilani Marriot, to the left of the entrance of Naupaka Terrace. The inside is nice and quaint with dark wood furnishings....but I've never sat inside. In my opinion, (ambience tip!), if the weather is nice and clear (which is almost always at Ko'olina), request to sit on the terrace. How many times in one lifetime does one get to say they had dinner next to a stingray and shark pond complete with lit tiki torches?! I personally like to make my reservation for 6pm, while the sun is still up; there is no sunset view, but I like to be able to see my date and my food, instead of peering through torch-lit darkness. But some romantics might like it. Also, another thing that is nice about sitting on the terrace is that the tables are spaced out enough to give each party enough privacy, even if you're party laughs a lot. Their 3-course prix fixe menu with wine pairing is hands down the best deal ever. I have had every possible combination of their prix fixe menu, and have not been disappointed once; and I leave excrutiatingly, roll-me-out-of-here full, every time. In between the appetizer and entree courses, they serve a sorbet to cleanse the palate, a nice touch to the prix fixe experience that I rarely see anymore. Azul also turned me into a renewed lobster fan. Their lobster bisque is a must-order. This is not the ordinary, i-think-there's-a-lil-essence-of-lobster-in-my-Âsoup bisque. There are CHUNKS of lobster in your bisque, yes please! This is also one of the last places I know of on this island that still serves butter-poached lobster! It's not on the prix fixe menu, but it's a dying art that a dedicated foodie should sample at least once in their lifetime.
(5)Shannon S.
Simply horrible service. My husband's dinner was excellent, the best he's had on our 8 nights here in Ko Olina so far, but the service was so, so disappointing, Waited too long after being seated to be greeted by our waiter, and then when he did come, he went off to get our tap water without taking our order despite us saying we were ready to order. Once our food was brought (I had the spinach ravioli. My husband had the mahi pasta), we didn't see our waiter again until our meals were done. No refills on water, no offer of more bread, no offer of cheese for my ravioli, which the next table over was offered. I ordered coffee, excited by the pictures I've seen of their expansive coffee condiments, but it only came with a bowl of sugar packets and cream, so I guess they've stopped doing that? Then came the biggest service disappointment of the evening...I asked for the dessert menu. He said they had creme brûlée (regular or strawberry), tiramisu, and sorbet. That was it. I specifically asked, "Nothing chocolately?" because a) I had heard that their chocolate dessert was great and b) what kind of restaurant has NO chocolate dessert...cake, brownie, something? I was told no, so I settled for just coffee. However, after getting to my room and looking here on Yelp at other people's dessert comments, I called Azul and asked what desserts they have available tonight, and the girl on the phone listed SEVERAL more desserts, including a chocolate dome, guava cheesecake, etc. So, my waiter flat out lied to us. Anxious to get us out the door? I really got the feeling he was rushing us the whole time. Finally, when my coffee was served, as I was taking my first sip, a 3 inch long Palmetto bug flew right into my ear, causing me to jump and spill hot coffee all over (including on myself). Several minutes later when the waiter came by, I asked for water (since none had been refilled yet) to clean myself up. He asked if the coffee was okay and I said what was left in my cup after spilling it was fine and explained about how I spilled, including pointing out the roach now sitting on the next table. Rather than offer me a napkin, or ask if I was ok after spilling hot coffee down myself, he said, "This is Hawaii, there are bugs." Yeah, I get that. I've had rats hanging off palm trees at dinners in St. Thomas and mongoose at my breakfast tables, and I lived in Florida for 11 years, so I am not squeamish about an occasional bug. However, when I spill scalding coffee because one FLIES RIGHT INTO MY EAR AT FULL SPEED while I've got a full cup of coffee in my hand, I'd appreciate some show of concern. My husband said if that thing had flown into his face, the coffee cup would have been flung across the room. Anyway, it was a major disappointment, in terms of service, I'm a Marriott Gold, about to roll to Platinum, member, and I've always been impressed with Marriott's service but this restaurant absolutely missed the mark by miles. Italian food is hard to justify pricing 2-3 times what you'd pay elsewhere because ravioli is ravioli. So you're really paying for the ambience and service here, and I will never come back here because of it, nor ever recommend it to anyone,
(1)Brian A.
I've visited Azul twice now and the two things that are completely memorable for me are two of the smaller things that make a dinner. Yes, the food was good. You're spending quite a bit to dine here and I had lamb and steak. The salads are devine, drinks mixed with gusto, ambiance is outstanding (especially towards sundown), and the service is attentive. So, my two memorable moments of dinner? There is a lychee sorbet with a small blueberry that is served between courses to clean your palate. You'll probably get this no matter what. It's divine and does very well what it is constructed to do. Additionally, at the end of the meal, make sure to order a coffee. Their Kona coffee is usually served as part of dessert and is extremely rich with a creamy "muddy" texture. In addition to your coffee, you will be presented with a silver platter of all sorts of additional additives you can add to your coffee. These include chocolate buttons (dark and mile), coconut shavings, old school rock candy, cane sugar, cinnamon sticks, chocolate spoons, and a couple other condiments. It makes drinking coffee a brand new and fun experience. Parking is validated.
(4)Tamra P.
DISCLAIMER: this review is not for a regular meal at Azul but for a special event. After Roy's had a fire they courteously accommodated our Rotary Club of Kapolei Sunset Christmas party - at the last minute. The space was perfect for a cocktail party of about 40 - 50 people. Service was very friendly, and you could tell the owner, bartender, and chef took a lot of pride in what they do. Wine list was pricey but quality. We enjoyed a mix of bruscetta pupu with various toppings, caesar and caprese salads, as well as a mixed greens salad with shrimp, cheeses, meats, fruit, and especially delicious that night was the proscuitto and melon. I have some very memorable wedding photos in front of the restaurant....it's a great location for photo shoots. OK maybe not reflective of their food, but totally yelpable if you are getting married at the Ihilani. I look forward to returning for dinner and updating my review.
(4)Zel M.
We had a destination wedding on Lanikuhonua beach last month and decided to have our reception dinner here since it was so conveniently close. Roberto was so helpful and very prompt to answer my repeated questions. The reservation process was easy and Roberto responded to my emails with all the detailed information I requested. I was concerned because I was planning from San Diego and none of my family on Oahu had dined there before. The food was amazing and the service was great. We had the pre-set menu with mahi mah, filet mignon, pasta, asparagus, and creme brulee for dessert. I was impressed with the portion size and everything tasted amazing. I was very pleasantly surprised that it all went so well, especially since our ceremony was a little stressful since it was raining and we didn't have a plan B. Roberto's partner (forgot his name) was so attentive to us and gave us a semi-private section of the restaurant to make up for not being on the patio. The only concern my husband had was he would have liked our main entree to be more hot (temperature) when we were served, but I was more understanding since we had a party of 30. Thank you Roberto and staff!
(5)Traci H.
If you want a reasonable priced "fancy" dinner, it's hard to go wrong with $49 for a 3 course meal. Except that my food wasn't all that good. I guess I should have said I wanted a reasonably priced fancy delicious dinner... I had the three course meal (which you can add on wine pairings--3 glasses for only $20). For starters, their bread and olive oil were really good--probably the highlight of the night. That or the virgin lava flow I had. Meal started with the "caprese" salad--which was really fresh hamakua tomatoes/onions and some blue cheese. No mozarella, like you'd expect when they call it that. But still it was good, and fresh. I did taste the lobster bisque and it was rich and creamy. Kind of nice. Then I had the paella for my main course. Yes, I took the seafood out of it, but still it was awful. First it was like a chicken exploded in my bowl with some chewy chorizo, lima beans, and some other stuff, with some saffron rice sprinkled on top. That's not paella in my mine--it should have been sticky and crunchy with lots of the saffron rice full of flavor. Instead it was like they sprinkled Uncle Ben's hard rice on top. And on top of it, it was super oily. Ok, the plus of that dish is if you love chicken, then well, it was loaded with chicken with little flavor. The pork chop was full of flavor and the gravy was good. Only thing is that it felt like Paula Dean's fridge full of cream landed on your plate and it was super heavy. You actually needed the palate cleanser (lychee/basil sorbet) after the pork chop! And for dessert our server mentioned a chocolate cake at the beginning. Ok that sounds fine...come the end of the night she says, are you ready for the raspberry chocolate cake? WHAT, YOU LEFT THE RASPBERRY PART OUT and they are strawberry impostors (yes I don't like raspberries). Ok so she says well it's really good. Um, no. Anyway she was able to substitute 2 scoops of gelato. The vanilla tasted like chemicals and the strawberry was ok. Overall it was a nice restaurant that has no ocean view. So if you're looking for waterfront view, you're out of luck, Ihilani doesn't have one of those. But there are some outdoor tables and indoor tables. If you don't like bugs, sit indoors, we had a huge grasshopper thing nearly join us on our table. They may be closed on Sundays some time of the year so just call ahead. Parking is fully validated if you get a stamp from the restaurant and then also see the front desk on your way out. If you're vacationing at Ihilani, it's the only real "fancy" option at the hotel. But I think I'd recommend you venture out to Roy's instead...but if not it's not bad and it's reasonably priced for a fancy resort dinner. Service is friendly and nice. Little slow at times. Yelp 365 Challenge #02/365 August 2, 2011
(2)Terry F.
Terrible. Food over priced. This is our 3rd time and t gets worse each time. The took off the best thing they had on menu. If you don't like something waiter is rude. Won't be back. Too bad because we love the Marriott Ilhilani
(1)Rob H.
If you're staying out in the Ko'Olina resort area this is a great place to stop by for dinner. The choices are limited at present but growing in this neighborhood. You won't be disappointed in the service here and the food was pleasant. The service is superb and the environment/ambiance is too. It's not "amazing" but it is very good.
(4)Shannon C.
Expectations were not met. Food was alright, but nothing to brag about. For the money, food was not up to par unfortunately. However, ambiance is nice and romantic and service was good.
(3)Kevin S.
I enjoy coming here, especially during sunset. Sunset is my favorite time of day - different shades of red in the sky, street lights are on, and it's nice and cool. I come here a lot with my wife since we live in Kapolei, and noticed the fanciness is slowly declining while the prices are slowing rising. The first time I ate here was Dec 2007, and boy it was fancy. I remembered eating a real fine rack of lamb and the bread with all the different types of oils were so good and addicting. The lobster bisque back in the days was so tasty. Now Azul only serves Italian food. The food is still good, but I really miss the Mediterranean food they use to serve (management must've changed). MOSQUITOES - I thought it would be nice and romantic to sit next to the pond and enjoy the landscape, but we will never ever again sit outside. We were being eaten alive by mosquitoes! When you're done eating dinner, stand next to the bridge and enjoy the sharks constantly moving around. I could just stay there the entire night and stare at the sharks move around. I still consider this place to be a great place for a romantic date, and I recommend rsvp'ing to avoid any wait time.
(4)Dru L.
We went here to celebrate our last evening in Hawaii, and I couldn't have asked for a better experience. By far the most romantic restaurant in Ko Olina, with gorgeous views of the sunset, palm trees, and tiki torches. We were lucky enough to have Stuart as our waiter; our service was extraordinary. Fantastic old world Italian (try the gnocci!). Excellent food and wine list. Highly recommend.
(5)Duel M.
Way over priced for bad food. Had a lobster fetuucini with 1/2 of an over cooked and unwashed lobster hacked in half and thrown on top. The spinach ravioli would have had more taste if it came out of a Chef Boyardee can. We felt ripped off with the outrageous prices.
(1)Denise L.
Low stars b/c the food is not all that for the price so be warned. The place is nice if you want the atmosphere however its not a Hawaii atmosphere to me. Its just one of those nice adult out to dinner places, but you can do this anyplace close to your home esp at those prices. Food was not all that and not much to choose for kids. Lobster bisque was good; Caesar was like any other; spaghetti bolognese was spaghetti bolognese; salmon was a very small portion (Ko Olina BBQ across the st gave a bigger portion-less price); I wouldn't go back and wouldn't have done this place had I have known better. Monkeypod was better too. I just thought since we were staying at JW it would have been a nice treat - not. Oh yeah and they don't like you to wear flip flops
(2)M T.
Great food, indoor and outdoor seating with great views. Little on the expensive side and service seems a little confusing and forgetful. Overall, I would still say must try!
(4)Michael L.
Ate here the summer of 2008. Love the service I constantly got here. I got the same waitress as Samantha Brown, when she did a show here. I have to say that she ranks up there in my top three best waitresses I've ever had. The ceviche is made of fresh seafood, and citrus flavors. The Mango Martini is the best I ever had. The food really speaks of the contemporary culture of the main island rather than the traditional roots, by adding Mediterranean flare. I did not give this establishment 5 stars since the open air dining actually was swarming with mosquitoes at every visit. The hotel it is located in, the Ihilani, may look nice but after a long horror story of a stay there, it put a dampener on my dining experiences. I love the restaurant as a stand alone establishment, but not it's location.
(4)Jerico P.
Why did I go here... or did I even go here? Whatever it may be, this place is A-Ok. Azul.
(3)Genie M.
We are residents of the windward side of Oahu, and over the past 30 years, have visited the Ihilani hotel for special occasions. Azul's is still a lovely restaurant, comfortably appointed, with a helpful and very pleasant staff. That said, the food is very over-priced for what you get, especially the entrees. The roasted carrot soup, lobster bisque, and caesar salad were quite tasty. The calamari was over battered and the pieces of calamari were teeny. I de-crustified the calamari to find the morsels. Then the scoglio and aragosta entrees arrived, and I gotta say, for the money, we should have gone to Roy's across the street. I couldn't finish the scoglio - pasta way past al dente and nearly room temp, mussels a bit sour, clams chewy, shrimp were okay, overall the dish had little taste, and it was supposed to be a classic garlic, olive oil, white wine preparation. The aragosta - homemade fettucine with half lobster - was better, had more taste, but nothing to write home about. We have experienced better here and were disappointed this time.
(2)Norberto D.
If you're looking for a high quality dinner experience that's worth dropping a lot of money on, Azul is NOT your place. Azul reopened within the last year under the same name it had before, but now serves so called "Italian" cuisine instead of American Noveau Cuisine. Having spent considerable time both in Rome and Florence, and being from Argentina, i can promise you, this is not Italian cuisine, in any sense. If it is, it's the most overpriced Italian meal you will ever have. If the food and service were exceptional, i could see spending $30.00 for some gnocchi. Or $20 on a glass of wine. But it's not. If Azul wants to respond to this review i would gladly discuss it with them in detail in their office. Our experience at Azul began at 8:45 on Christmas Eve. All they were offering was a 6 course prix fix dinner. Total price $90.00/person gratuity included. This is an industry standard on Holidays. Th 6 course prix fix had absolutely no rhyme or reason to it. The first course was a duo of radicchio Cesar salad and lobster bisque. The endive Caesar was a salad made from bitter red lettuce with a dash of Caesar dressing. Complete failure. The flavor of the endive overpowered the dressing which made it appear as if the salad had no flavor. The lobster bisque, made from a recipe they used under the old menu, was very flavorful, but didn't have a scintilla of lobster meat, none. The irony of this will become evident in a few seconds. The pear risotto seemed like a unique twist on old favorite but fell flat. And, why you might ask? Because it was undercooked. Risotto is always served "al dente" (literally means "to the tooth") which is pasta that is cooked firm but certainly not crunchy. The risotto was so bad that i informed our server that the chef needed to try his risotto before serving anymore because it was undercooked. I've cooked risotto over 3 dozen times so i can assure you i know how it's supposed to be served. The next course was also a duo, this time of gnocchi and lobster sauce (sound familiar) with a spinach and cheese ravioli. The gnocchi was perfectly perfectly prepared. However, the gnocchi was lost in the lobster sauce which was nothing more than the lobster bisque with some cumin and yes, some bits of lobster meat. The next course was a grilled pork chop with what appeared to be an apple compote. Unfortunately, the pork chop was both overcooked and cold. The salmon which was also overcooked was breaded in what looked like cornmeal served beside some Swiss chard; a disaster of a combo. Think about it, pork, salmon and Swiss chard. And to top it all off, the bread was stale. By the time dessert arrived we had been at Azul for almost two hours. It was 10:35 and my fiancee and i had to leave for midnight mass. We never enjoyed our dessert and asked the server to box it for us. Before leaving the establishment, i informed the floor manager that we had quite possibly one of the worst dinning experiences ever. She was adamant about telling the general manager so we waited for 5 more minutes. Finally, when it was apparent neither she nor the general manager were coming out to ask about our experience we left.
(1)Crissie M.
Love love this restaurant!! Amazing food and will recommend it to anyone!! Very kid friendly and the staff is fabulous!! Everything on the menu ROCKS!! And just so you all know Iam very picky when it comes to food because I can cook real good also!! 5 stars
(5)Kyle H.
I visited Azul for the very first time a couple weeks ago with the fiancee while staying at the JW Marriott Ihilani for the very first time. As it turns out, Azul had just changed its menu about a week before we came to visit with my fiancee. The new menu was now Italian cuisine rather than Hawaii Regional type cuisine. What didn't change, though, was the ambiance. All I can say is the main dining room is very upscale and old school like (in a good way!). The best seats in the house, though, our outside overlooking the on-property pond and wedding gazebo. But enough about the ambiance, and on to the food! To start, the fiancee and I ordered one appetizer each. For myself, I opted for a carpaccio of fresh island ahi with Waialua asparagus, shaved parmesan, hawaiian salt, and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. The fiancee ordered what was described as an Italian crepe filled with (if I remember correctly) sour cream and gravlax. Both were excellent, fresh, and full of flavor. For our entrees the fiancee and I both opted for ravioli dishes, though I chose one filled with veal & black truffle in a sauce of butter, parmesan, and more truffle. The fiancee, on the other hand, stuck with seafood and ordered the king crab ravioli in a rich cream sauce. Both were excellent and full of flavor! You could tell the pasta was fresh and homemade as well, and was cooked to its optimal level of doneness. Properly cooked pasta, of course, is a major pet peeve of mine. For our final course, the fiancee ordered a cake with raspberry and mascarpone cheese. I opted for the specialty molten chocolate souffle cake (15 minutes cook time). Both desserts were excellent. The souffle cake was, of course, my favorite. Crispy (but not burnt) on the outside and ooey-gooey on the inside. Okay, so the food was great. So how was the service? EXCELLENT! Our server (Stuart) was truly wonderful. Very friendly, courteous, and just an all around great guy. We absolutely loved our experience at Azul and will definitely be back in the future. So why only four rather than five? As hotel restaurant, Azul is awesome. It does, however, have potential to grow. I would love to see a little bit more selection and would love even more to see tasting menus.
(4)First Name L.
Food - 4 Price - about right Service - 4 Cleanliness - 3 Ambience - 3 This was very close to an excellent dining experience but there were a couple snags. THE GOOD - Food - I just realize we ordered a lot of lobster! Linguine with lobster - fresh pasta, perfect sauce, a little light on the lobster Lobster Ravioli - fresh pasta and overall was very good Lobster Bisque - the may have perfected this Crab Cakes - it was good but I'm spoiled by really good crabcakes from Costco (sad, I know). The Costco cakes are a tiny bit better (sorry). Salad - I don't remember what kind but it was good Cake - Some mixture of chocolate, fudge, creme and brulee. Super thick and rich. Service - Michael was great. He knows his craft and gave the right amount of service and made solid suggestions. Ambience - Sitting outside with the tiki lights lit at sunset and in front of their tropical pool, hard to beat. More about this in "The Bad". THE NOT SO GOOD - Dirty wine glasses - Unacceptable at this level of dining. The busboy even saw me scraping up some dried veggies from my glass and did nothing about it, that's even worse. Drinks - Their mixed drinks are pretty bad. Tastes like nothing, more ice than alcohol and devoid of much flavor. THE BAD - The resort needs a power washing at the least, new paint, and some way to keep the birds from perching on the building a taking a shit for all of us to see. The gardening is average, so many areas that need to be done better. For example walkways under trees... nice but there are birds playing target practice. The restrooms at Azul.... this is nit-picky but, I was at the urinal, and us guys have to look at something. I was looking at the wall. There were about 6 big ass boogers on the wall, one with hair on it. Come one now!!! Wipe your flippin' walls. Then I quietly walked back to my table to enjoy my crab cakes :) MOSQUITOS - Little, tiny, invisible mosquitos. Maybe they were bugs, I'm not sure. We were in the outdoor seating but my wife was eaten alive, she had bites everywhere, the only places it didn't get was in her underwear... thank you bugs, at least they left something for me. In skimming reviews, it seems other have experienced this to some extent as well. Fortunately, she was able to enjoy most of dinner before she realized that half her body was a buffet. Would we eat here again... scary but YES! Hence the four star review. We'll get some bug spray on, dark shades so I don't see the dirty bathroom walls, and enjoy great food.
(4)M B.
My wife and I had dinner at Azul while we were guests at the Ihilani. We knew this was the "premier" restaurant at the hotel. Overall it was a decent dining experience. We waited approximately 10 minutes for our table even though the restaurant was largely empty and we had a reservation. Our appetizer was good, not great (caprese) and the main course was tasty but not spectacular. The wine list was very limited as well. Azul is a decent choice if you are staying at the Ihilani and don't want to leave the premises to eat. If you are willing to leave the hotel you'll find much better steak and seafood options in Honolulu or down the street at Roy's. The food and service are just too average for the premium price at Azul.
(3)Bob B.
Two years ago Azul was OUTSTANDING and the same last year. Unfortunately it is now Very Good going on just Good. Not the right direction at their price level. I understand there is another Chef and the empty tables are not encouraging. Too bad really. A fine Italian dining spot in Hawaii was a real find but for now it's off my list.b
(3)Kimberly S.
We are staying at the Disney Aulani during Christmas and New Year's Eve 2012 into 2013. We are trying all the restaurants at Ko'olina. When we entered Azul, our daughters noticed a large number of awards on the wall. However, our oldest commented on the fact that after years of high ratings, the awards stopped in 2009. Turns out, there is a good reason for that. The food is overpriced and unimpressive. Among many other items, we ordered three Fettuccine Bolognese (@ $26 a plate for a total of $78). It came in a small bowl with an even smaller portion. I asked the hostess (walking by) to take it back to the kitchen for a proper sized portion. She said she would get the manager. After a very long time, the manager came out, saying the dish had been remade. I think the portion was even smaller this time. I told him that the reason I had sent the dish back was because it was so small, and now it was even smaller. He was adamant that "this is the portion size." Seriously, we are talking about 50 cents worth of pasta here folks. So I took the bowl and asked him to leave. He continued arguing with me. I did not want to argue with him. Finally he left. A few minutes later, after finishing the six bites of pasta (six for me and six for my husband, as we split the dish as well as a Veal Piccata type dish which we had already finished by the time the pasta remake arrived), out comes the owner to argue with me. Same story, except this time the argument is that the portions are huge and people say all the time how huge they are. I ask him to leave because I just want the check so we can leave. He wants to argue. Then he wants to pout about his hurt feelings. By the way, I worked in restaurants for seven years during college and grad school, including an authentic Italian deli with bubbling meat sauce cooking every week on a floor burner. So I can say with certainty that pissing customers off over 50 cents worth of pasta (the meal for two adults, a 12 year old girl and a 10 year old girl was over $200, without tax or tip, and only my husband had one alcoholic drink), is just plain stupid business tactics. And the Bolognese sauce was flavorless, unless you count salt as a flavor. How about some parsley, oregano, basil, onion, garlic, etc.? And fettuccine pasta should always be cooked al dente, same as risotto (see previous reviewer). Ours was mush ... totally overcooked. In California Bay Area, we get better service and better food for less than half the price.
(2)Krystal C.
On our last night in Oahu we were too lazy to leave the resort, so we decided to dine here. Ambiance was great! Our server was super personable and had a great personality. Sadly the food wasn't impressive at all. I started with the Grilled Romaine Salad which consisted of a large piece of romaine lettuce drenched in Caesar dressing...very basic. For my entree I got the Rib-Eye steak - which was mediocre. I requested it be made medium and it came out medium - well, making it even tougher to chew. Hubby had the lamb rack, which was much better than my steak. On a higher note, the bar makes a pretty good vodka martini:) Although our food wasn't memorable (AT ALL) the wait staff and servers went above and beyond.
(3)Kalani C.
Had dinner here this past weekend with friends. We were all excited and were seated outside in what we all thought was their best table. A brilliant setting among the waterfalls, fish ponds and landscape. The service was nice, however a bit absent towards the end of the night. As a party of four, we ordered the Wagyu Beef from New Zealand, the Wagyu Braised Beef and the remaining party had the prix fixe dinner with wine pairings. The complimentary bread was a nice selection of focaccia and one with a salted crust. The whipped butter was extremely spreadable and the olive oil was top quality with rich flavor and a tint of green, not yellow. Prix fixe standouts: The beet salad slices with goat cheese dish and the seared ahi dish didn't go over well and my friends needed to add salt to both and balsamic to the beets for flavor. The lobster bisque was nice and only required some pepper to bring things together. Their seafood paella was one of the better dishes of their selections. Ala carte standouts: Were the Hamakua Heirloom Salad dish and the Foie Gras with Carmalized Pineapple and briosche dish: Wonderful flavor on both and the carmalized pineapple was a very nice surprise, pairing extremely well with the buttery liver. My Wagyu Braised Short Ribs were nice, but not like 12th Avenue Grill, not like Epic and certainly not even close to Grand Cafe and Bakery. It wasn't as tender and required a knife and was too liberally adorned with truffle oil, disguising its natural flavor. The 8 oz Wagyu Beef was the most disappointing dish of the night. Its gristle was so amazingly dense that it made the dish unedible. It was returned and the staff made no fuss, deducting from the menu. Dessert of a chocolate raspberry cake was comped as an appology for the under par Wagyu beef. It was delicious and one of the better dishes of the night. A rollercoaster experience of highs and lows. Unfortunately the lows overwhelmed the few thrilling highs.
(3)T F.
What a disappointment! We went to supper there because a friend of mine was having a stay-cation at the hotel for her birthday and figured it was be easy and with all the AAA 4-diamond ratings, how could we go wrong? We should have checked Yelp instead. The service was mediocre because there were other bigger (and apparently more important) parties last night. The bread and its accompanying condiments were very tasty. The appetizers we shared were the Lobster Bisque and the Crab Cake. Both were very good. I thought this meant the rest of the meal would be of the same caliber; boy was I wrong! I had the braised short ribs with creamy polenta. It took so long to get to us that the polenta was no longer creamy but was solid and not even warm. The braised short ribs were tasty but for the price, The Alley at Aiea Bowl is a THOUSAND times better! The deserts were also very good and SUPER sweet. Overall, the food was ok but nothing spectacular. There are more better places on this island at better prices. But if you want to stay in the Ko'olina area to eat, I would recommend Roys' over this place. Roy's has better food at the same prices.
(2)Vanessa H.
Wonderful dinner and excellent service! Matteo, our server, was helpful with suggestions and showed up at the perfect times to pour our bottle of wine. We had a table by the lagoon -where else can you have a nice romantic dinner and watch stingrays and hammerhead sharks swim next to you? Food was delicious!!
(5)Olivia D.
Azul is my new favorite restaurant. I was so impressed by the quality of their food and service this past weekend. Please note that Azul is no longer a Mediterranean restaurant. Now they serve organic meats and poultry and fresh-caught local fish. They use local farmers for their produce. The best part is that it's not all trendy green hype; their food is high quality, tastes good, and is not too expensive. Good thing we were guests of the hotel, because after dinner, I was so stuffed, I could barely waddle upstairs. We were able to get the best table on the patio outside, right by the stairs leading to the waterfall, so that we had the best view of the fishpond and gazebo. Our server, Stuart, was very professional. Both of us had the tasting menu: $45 for 3 courses. He started with the lobster bisque and I with the heirloom tomato salad. His bisque was so delicious, filled with bits of sweet lobster and drizzled with chive oil. I almost ordered another one for me. My heirloom tomato salad was perfect: slices of yellow, red, and purple heirloom tomatoes stacked with Molokai basil, sprinkled with gorgonzola cheese, and drizzled with aged balsamic vinegar. These were the best tomatoes I'd ever eaten in Hawaii. Even when I buy heirlooms at the Farmer's market, they are still mushy and tasteless. These tomatoes were perfect. The best part was the crunchy bits of alae salt sprinkled over the tomatoes--a nice textural contrast. Intermezzo was a lychee and I think basil sorbet. It tasted like lychee. For dinner, we both had surf and turf combos with filet mignon. His came with King crab legs with drawn butter and mine with jumbo prawns in a sort of ratatouille with white truffle oil. Those prawns were indeed jumbo--they were 8-10 sized--and so sweet and delicious, they tasted like lobster. Even though there were only two on the plate, it was a good portion. His crab legs were the merus of the red Alaskan King crab and were also excellent. My petit filet was perfectly medium rare, properly aged, and delicious. Their beef is from California and is organic and hormone free. Dessert with the set menu was cheesecake topped with strawberry coulis, fresh sliced strawberries, and whipped cream. Our server noticed that I only ate the strawberries and asked if it was okay. I told him I didn't care for cheesecake and he very nicely offered me sorbet instead, which I took him up on. When we were presented with the bill, it also came with two miniature pineapple scones tied in a bag with ribbon. It was perfect for the next morning because I like to start eating as soon as I roll out of bed! Overall, I had a wonderful, memorable experience. The setting was lovely and secluded, everything I ate was fresh and delicious, the set menus were affordable, and Stuart was an attentive but not intrusive server. The rest of the menu looked so appetizing, too. I am really looking forward to my next visit.
(5)Travis L.
Atmosphere was very nice and suited the relaxing feel that fills the lagoon area. The server we had was amazing. Cheerful and easy to talk to and attended to all of our needs. The bread was great and the calamari was very delicious. However, the main courses weren't as good as expected and were a little on the bland side. It was a good experience server-wise but the food could use a little improvement.
(3)Mailani M.
We went to Azul last night as a family of 19 celebrating our parents' 34th anniversary. It was one of the most shockingly horrible experience at a high class hotel restaurant ever in our lives. The place was beautiful but the service & the wait for food was way below sub par. Our waters came and we ordered some appetizers. Apps did not get to our table til an hour and a half later and they came out a bit at a time. One of the last apps didn't come til 20 mins after they initial orders. Our salads didn't come til an hour and 40 mins. And we didn't get out main entrees til a little over 2 hours. Refills on water & Ice teas were nil. The food was alright. Nothing to write home about. Caesar salad was aaaah. In the end we would have had better service and good at an outback. Never going there again. I can't believe how much we spent on a poor experience when the event was supposed to be celebratory and special.
(1)Lauren W.
My husband and I had an amazing dining experience here for our wedding anniversary. We live here on the Leeward side of the island and it is SO nice to have a wonderful restaurant so close to home! We were seated on the lanai with a lovely view of the water falls and Koi pond. We started the evening with the Calamari - which was kind of average - until our delightful server, Roxy, delivered our glasses of Willamette Valley Pinot Noir (courtesy of the manager). The flavors were just perfect together. We followed with a Caprese Salad for me and Lobster Bisque for my husband. We both LOVED our choices. The heirloom tomatoes were delicious and my husband RAVED about the bisque. Our entrees were the crab ravioli and the linguine alogasta. My husband loved them BOTH. I wasn't as crazy about the linguine as he was, but it was a lovely presentation and the pink sauce had good flavor. The meal was leisurely and relaxed and was capped off with the surprise delivery of a delicious pineapple dessert, courtesy of the restaurant. The highlight of the entire experience was the amazing service we received from Roxy and her back waiter. We never felt rushed and she even took some wonderful snapshots of us to remember the evening by. I would highly recommend this restaurant for a romantic dinner. The setting is lovely and the food and service were wonderful!
(5)Brandon M.
Admittedly this is my first yelp review-I sit here in my hotel room feeling compelled to tell you the reasons why you should avoid this place. 1. We showed up to Azul, checked in, the waitress told us we could wait 5 min to sit outside or sit immediately indoors-we said indoors-she says okay then awkwardly looks at papers-tapes something to herself-about 45 seconds goes by-then she leads us to our table 2. the tables are awkwardly long for 2 people (and I'm 6'3'') 3.The menu you will find online is different in both content and price-My girlfriend and I both picked out the entree that we wanted from the online menu beforehand and both items were not listed on the paper menu-She did find the lobster bisque for about $5 more than the online menu advertised. 4. The first iced tea refill I received was with our check (1 hour from the time we sat) The servers all seemed nice, awkward, but nice. They also seemed to have been serving for no longer than a week. 5. You will spend $50/person minimum - and you will not receive the quality food or service you would expect for a $20/person restaurant 6. In the middle of this experience-this just seemed funny-there was a cockroach that appeared on our table 7. My girlfriend got a pasta with shrimp and clams -(both of which looked terrible) She proceeded to vomit on the grass on our walk back to the hotel. That's all
(1)Jessie M.
We took my mother and father-in-law to Azul for their 34th anniversary dinner last night. The service was awful and the food was probably the worst I've ever had in my life. Firstly, our reservation was for 6pm and the restaurant did not open its doors till 6:05pm. That should have been our first warning of the shoddy event that was about to take place. Our waitress neglected to fill waters and iced teas for the majority of the 3 and a half hour long meal. It took an hour and a half for salads to come to the table. Salads, not edible ones at that. Our children's meals came about 30 minutes before ours. So, they were rambunctious and ready to leave by the time our meals arrived. After waiting for way too long by any service standard, our meals arrived. We were served luke warm steaks with a bechamel sauce that my 4 year old niece could have prepared better. Then we waited even longer to get steak knives to eat the horrendous steaks. As if 2 hours wasn't sufficient enough time to drop them off. We made the mistake of ordering a chocolate mousse for dessert, which needed to be packed to go because my father-in-law started falling asleep at the table. When we spoke to the manager, Sarina, she was confused and unapologetic. Sometimes things happen and service doesn't go as planned. However, that's no excuse for avoidance and just plain stupidity at the outrageous prices this step below Ihop charges. It's no wonder their black diamond awards stopped after 2009. Looks like Aulani took all the talent. I wouldn't even give Azul 1 star, but I guess you have to in order to post the review...
(1)JK K.
We decided to have our wedding reception at Azul on 11/1/2013, and it was the best decision we ever made. We have never been to Oahu, but decided to have our wedding at Ko Olina. We had a beautiful wedding at the Aquavail Chapel and then completed our amazing night at Azul. Roberto was accommodating to our every request. We had a party of 22, and they gave us a private section of the patio, also laying out the tables how we wanted it. The food was incredible and the service fantastic. But most of all, it is the atmosphere and surrounding scenery that really made the night special. Most of the restaurant seating is on a open balcony in the middle of the amazing JW Marriott gardens and water pond. It had to be the most romantic restaurant we have ever been to. The experience of sitting with candle light while the tiki torches lit around us, listening to soft music, while eating the most amazing meal was an experience of a life time. What was even better was that we saved so much more money by having our reception at Azul than if we would have done it at any of the hotels in Ko Olina. We checked out Roy's and other restaurants, and nothing compared to the elegant, scenic, and romantic atmosphere that Azul provided. I would suggest to anyone getting married in Ko Olina, to have the reception at Azul or if you just want to have the most romantic night of your life for any occasion, I suggest having dinner there. Thank you Roberto, for the the most amazing night, that we will never forget! Joseph and Katie
(5)Tracie F.
I am rewriting this review because my second experience dining here was completely different. It was great! The food was delicious! We started with the grilled Cesar salad. The presentation was simply beautiful. I am a huge fan of grilled romaine so it was a treat to see it on the menu. It was a bit bitter for my +1's liking but that was because they really used the innards of the greens. Overall, I liked it. The lychee basil sorbet was such a treat! I hate lychee but decided to give it a go and was glad that I did. It truly cleansed the palate and although the lychee flavor was definitely present it was somehow delicious! I ordered the waygu beef for dinner. This was really the only part of the experience that I was not thrilled with. I would not order it again. The meat was extremely tender! I guess I am not one for meat drenched in sauce and that is what it was. A cut of meat this fabulous does not need that much sauce to make it wonderful I think it would have been far better drizzled on the plate. Nonetheless it was not bad. I had previously had the steak Diane and was sorely disappointed. Not tonight. It was delicious!!! The meat was extremely tender and that sauce really complemented the meat well. I would most definitely order that again! The grilled vegetables were good and I actually thought the price of the sides were quite reasonable. We also had the Tuscan potatoes which I would skip. They were lukewarm and just not flavorful. The mashed potatoes are the way to go!! Ont o dessert...WOW! Fabulous!! The raspberry marscapone cake was incredible. It was light and flavorful yet those flavors were not overpowering. The berries that garnished the plate were awesome. I truly wish I knew who their berry supplier is! The chocolate bomb was great! It was a ball of rich chocolaty goodness! Even "the cookie monster" was impressed with their desserts. The atmosphere was perfect! We had a table outside this time and it was gorgeous! Sitting on the lanai seriously changes the whole feel of the restaurant. I felt like I was in my own private garden. You did not hear your neighbors conversations and the trickle of the waterfall was not intrusive. Gorgeous atmosphere! All of the wait staff were friendly and attentive. The manager did visit our table and was present throughout the evening. He was friendly and seemed genuinely concerned about the experience of each guest. Dinner was served at a leisurely pace. We definitely did not feel rushed. If you are someone who does not like to make an evening out of dinner this is not the place for you however if you like to take your time and enjoy some wine and the gorgeous setting you will not be disappointed. We were there about two and a half hours and loved every minute of it. Overall I recommend Azul not only to guests of the hotel but to locals who want a little "staycation" even if it is only for dinner.
(4)Lyn S.
We've been there twice in the last year -- same table (outside and lovely), same waiter (friendly, but slow). The food is pretty good, but you expect better for the price. The wine list is limited and very over-priced (even for Hawaii). The 3-course tasting menu with wine for $70 may be the way to go, but be sure you want the chef's selected dessert. It was a bit annoying that the wine served with the tasting menu was not available by the bottle. The night we were there last month, our waiter was pre-occupied with a large party nearby, so service was poor -- better a year ago.
(2)Gwen F.
Horrible is the only word that I can use to describe this restaurant. I have dined at many fine establishments and this is not one of them. The food is a joke especially for the prices. I am not afraid to spend money on good food but 40$ for seafood risotto with one shrimp, one clam and a tiny piece of lobster is a joke especially when the risotto itself is crunchy. My husband had a filet which was cold and undercooked with wedge potatoes that could have broken a tooth. As we were leaving we got harassed for trying to take our glass of wine out and treated poorly by the "manager"? We were guests at the property we were not trying to steal the glass. This is my first time reviewing a restaurant because I feel so strongly about it. I hope this helps to save someone else from being subjected to this place. Ps I would give zero stars if that was an option.
(1)Darci N.
Strategically located in the beautiful Marriott Ihilani Hotel this was our first visit. We arrived on a Saturday night, a very slow Saturday night. The decor is intimate, romantic and serene. We were kindly greeted in the front and quickly escorted to our booth. We were immediately served our drinks (glass of White Zin $8; Heineken $7), water and complimentary bread with olive spread. Our first course was the lobster bisque ($14) and calamari fritti ($17). The soup was good, we liked the flavors. The calamari was also good, cooked perfectly. We were not too fond of the complimenting sauces though. I had the surf and turf (market price of $75) and my spouse had like the spaghetti allo Scoglio($30). We liked the 8oz filet mignon cooked medium rare, it was plainly delicious. The grilled lobster tail didn't really bite my tongue. The mr.'s pasta wasn't as good as we thought it would be, we still like Bravo's seafood pasta better. The staff was great. The price was unexpected but oh well. For 2 people, our meal came out to $275, tip included. I liked the ambiance though!
(4)Sogol G.
Food was great but was extremly pricy. One glass of regular 2007 white wine was priced $25. That should say it all. The service was great and I liked the food but won't go back again just for the price. For two main entree and couple of beers we paid almost $100.
(3)Kevin D.
never again. After a bad experience at Alan Wong we tried this restaurant. The food dint taste fresh...
(1)Michelle W.
The best lobster bisque, hands down! Like the other review said, you don't need to go searching in the bowl of soup for the lobster pieces, they're everywhere... big chunks of delicious lobster, swimming around in a delicious soup... take me to heaven now.
(5)BJ S.
Restaraunt recommended by a friend. Staff is very nice, everyone greeted us. Asked for a romantic table, they sat us on a private table right by the saltwater pond. We felt so pampered! Stuart was an excellent server! Very knowledgeable on wines, food preparation and seasoning. I was impressed. I love the lobster bisque. The short ribs were outstanding. I ordered the special 3 course menu - only $45!!! Anyway, great dinner, I'm going back. My date loved it! Have to thank my friend for the recommendation.
(5)Justin T.
They dont respond to comments or complaints. It's no longer a good restaurant. They changed their name. Azul WAS a very good restaurant. The last 5 years, they have gone down hill and have now sunk down to "over-rated" & poor quality (F&B hotel catering food level). I blame management; because ALL THE BAD EXPERIENCES we endured at Azul are considered CONTROLLABLE/ PREVENTABLE problems. We have dined here 6 times in the past 5 years. Our 2012 reservations were made 2 months in advance for 6:30 pm on Valentines Day. However, Azul called later in February to inform us that we must change our reservation to either 5pm or 8pm seating. We could never make it on time at 5pm (from work) so we were very disappointed to be moved to 8pm. We could NOT find any other restaurant at this late date for Valentine's Day. Arriving early at 7:50pm, we were told that seating won't start till 8pm. However, the huge crowd scheduled for the 8pm seating packed Azul's little bar room and over flowed outside till 9pm. We finally were seated after 9 pm. The food was cold: the ravioli appetizer was rubbery, the set menu never mentioned options for my non-meat eater husband, and there were no bread plates for our bread. Azul mistakenly, added a $100 bottle of wine on our dinner bill, when we only ordered 2 glasses. We spent over $350 for 2 dinners that night. (This is not including our 2 wines at the bar @ $25 per glass.) The restroom was atrocious. Literally, there was crap all over the toilet and walls in one of two toilet stalls. As dinner finally completed.... at 11:15pm we walked out of Azul. I spotted the manager (Roberto) sitting at the bar tables with a co-worker leaning against the wall... Roberto yelled out to us, "okay, thanks!!...... oh whatever". Serious? Is that the attitude Azul has? GREED has clouded good managerial skills. The restaurant can not handle a capacity crowd: the food, service, and facilities were so POORLY displayed. Shame on you AZULs. At least, the restaurant still offers a romantic scenery situated near the beautiful Ko Olina fish ponds.
(1)Margaret W.
My dinner at Azul was amazing from beginning to end. The staff was incredible and helpful throughout. While dining I sampled the lobster ravioli, the veal ravioli, the Thai lemon drop martini, the rack of lamb, tiramisu and the pineapple tart. The raviolis were amazing, though the lobster was my favorite by far. It had a delicious creamy sauce while the veal ravioli had a butter sauce.Both were great, but i vote lobster all the way. The rack of lamb was small but wonderfully flavored and had a side of spinach and potatoes that was tasty as well. The pineapple dessert was incredibly flavorful and was topped with macadamia nut ice cream that I will certainly dream about! We sat outside and it was beautiful, even without the ocean view. Great choice if in the area.
(5)Summer L.
We went here last year, it was excellent. The chef and manager made sure that the gluten free meal was carefully prepared and beautifully done. My husband and I dined here on our vacation and would definitely go back next time we are on the island. -excellent service -beautiful atmosphere -food was healthy and tasty
(4)debbie s.
Nothing special--that's the best we could say. After reading the hype (just awarded 4 stars from AAA) and having eaten there several years ago which we remembered quite fondly, we were eager to return last week. FIrst off, couldn't get reservations until 8:15 on a Wednesday night though when we arrived, 1/3 of the tables were empty. Service was fine-not super attentive but not bad. Prices are steep but not as outrageous as could be for Hawaii in a high-end resort hotel. The best part of the meal was the pineapple and prosciutto appetizer. The Ceaser salad was ok and the caprese salad was ok. The entrees were good--but nothing special or memorable. Wine prices were very high and the selection not extensive (which surprised me a lot). Crème brulee finished the meal-a tad sweet but nice consistency. The location and atmosphere were lovely, even though we ate inside. It will be some time before we return-would rather have dropped our $$ at Roy's.
(3)Brian B.
Way overpriced for what you get. For example they show rock shrimp salad on the menu but serve bay shrimp. The rest of our meals were very average.
(1)R N.
Very disappointed with the quality of food here. I know that the waitstaff is trying to do a good job, but it seems that they are held back by powers that they have no control over. We had dinner there just after they changed to an Italian restaurant. We did not like the food at all. And the prices they charged made it even more disappointing! We want the old Azul dining experience or we will never be back to "give" you our money!
(1)Nancy T.
It was the last night of our honeymoon and my husband wanted to go someplace special for dinner. The representative at our timeshare recommended Azul, saying it would be a spectacular experience and we would be treated like royalty, so we decided to give them a try. My hubby told me later that when he made the reservation, he told them we were on the last night of our honeymoon and he wanted a nice table and dinner to be special. When we got there, they offered us an indoor table against the wall. Seeing the opened patio doors, I asked for a table outside on the patio. The hostess said they would prepare a table for us. Hubby had asked for a nice table and they gave us a wall table? How is a wall table considered to be nice given the pretty patio with a pool and tropical foliage? We sat down when our patio table was ready. It was a nice night. Our waiter was Michael. We both decided to go with the special 3-course menu for $45. Michael brought out the foccacia bread. It was good, but nothing spectacular. It came with four different kinds of condiments, two of which were whipped butter and olive oil...umm, I have those in my kitchen at home. The hummus and bruschetta salsa were good though. Next came our lobster bisques. Very smooth with small chunks of lobster, but also a tad too salty. Then Michael brought each of us a small scoop of intermezzo sorbet. I forget the flavor, but it was good and cleansing. My hubby had the macademia encrusted fish (forget what kind) for dinner. I had a few bites and thought it lacked flavor...and salt. It was very bland tasting. The fish was presented on a bed of herbs, but it still needed salt. Hubby had a cold and couldn't taste anything, so he thought it was him, but it wasn't just him. The fish was also a bit overcooked to me. I had the surf and turf. Both the filet and shrimp were good, but not the best I've had. The presentation was nice though. The shrimps were a good size. The sides were very tasty...mashed potatoes and water spinach with various mushrooms. The spinach and mushrooms were cooked just right with both being crispy tender. Both sides were seasoned perfectly. Next came the chef's choice dessert. They brought out....(ready for this?) bread pudding with ice cream. Bread budding??!! Seriously guys! Big disappointment here. My hubby was like WTH?? His mom made bread pudding at home when he was growing up when they had leftover bread. Bread pudding is so common, how could they even think about serving it at a fine dining restaurant?? The ice cream tasted like vanilla ice cream. I don't care how they described it (golden cows milked by virgin island maidens...just kidding), it was still vanilla ice cream. Bread pudding??!!! We just couldn't get over it.... As for the ambiance, there was dance music streaming in from somewhere. A nearby dance club? I don't know. We overheard a waiter playing dumb, blaming it on the Paradise Cove lu'au. Not sure if that is true, but hearing the Electric Slide next door was not our idea of a romantic dinner. Oh, and they sent us home with a piece of tiramisu. It was nice, but when were we suppose to eat this? They should have just serve it to us after our meal. That would have made much more sense. By the time we got back to the hotel, it was 10pm and we were both too tired and full to eat anything. We had to catch a flight the next day. We ended up eating half of it on the way to the airport (after a huge breakfast) and throwing the rest out. Hello! We are people on vacation. You don't know our schedules. We may not want any leftovers or take-home gifts....!! I guess overall, they didn't compare to other 5-star fine dining restaurants we've been to. They were off on flavors and selection (bread pudding?). The service was good (table service was done in a timely manner), but that extra something wasn't there. We had dinner....we didn't have an EXPERIENCE, something I associate with 5-star fine dining.
(2)Martine S.
Beautiful, great atmosphere, excellent service and the food was fit for a foodie :-)
(4)Larry B.
Decided on the Ihilani for a birthday get away. Made reservations here on a Friday night at 6:15. Walking in, there were about 5 couples in the restaurant at the time. The room is nicely decorated with floor to ceiling oil paintings of landscapes on the far end of the restaurant. Our table was against one of these walls. Our waiter Stuart started us out with freshly baked flat bread and three dipping sauces (hummus, infused olive oil, & a bruchetta salsa) I began with a light beer while my girl indulged in a $13 raspberry mohito martini. For appetizers we shared the steak tartar, ahi tartar tar, and the foie gras. The steak tartar was perfectly seasoned, ruby red and paper thin, topped with ultra fresh micro greens. The ahi tartar dish consisted of dime sized pieces of fish placed on top of a freshly fried taro chip, and the foie gras was served with a piece of toast with truffle oil, balsamic reduction, and grilled pineapple. All were really good. The foie gras was my favorite because its something that I would only eat at a restaurant like this. The same goes for the steak tartar as well. The ahi left something to be desired. Although the fish was really fresh, putting poke on chips and layering it into a tower shape is something only tourists would find exciting. On the other hand, I may serve it next super bowl, so perhaps something good did come from the dish. Before dinner Stuart brought us a palate cleansing ginger and herb sorbet, and we ordered a bottle of Rock Block Syrah, a deep chocolate and spiced cherry red. For our entrees, the fiancé' had the surf and turf which consisted of a 3 oz filet medallion topped with 2 jumbo shrimp and I had the New York strip medium rare. Her shrimp were cooked perfectly, and on both of our plates there was a nice red wine demi glaze that paired nicely with the steak and wine combination. I tried the filet, and it was beyond soft and juicy. The New York also juicy and had a grain like flavor to it, probably reminiscent of the diet the cow had eaten. We also had a side of mashed potatoes, sautéed spinach, and perfectly prepared morel and chanterelle mushrooms. Since it was my birthday, Stuart decided to buy us our deserts, I had the chocolate molten lava cake, while she ordered the tiramisu. Both were really rich, and being such a nice guy, he also brought us a complimentary shot of limoncello and a glass of tawny port. By the time we had finished everything, suffice to say I felt like a stuffed bag busting at the brim. Everything is good here. We certainly paid for it with a $265 bill tip included, but the level of service, and the quality of the food is as good here as any quality high end restaurant. I put this place as a must dine if you happen to be staying on the property. Luxury at its finest...ask for Stuart.
(4)Takako F.
I love their Lobster Bisque $9 Love it 10 out of 10 Lobster Avocado $14 Love it 7 out of 10 Pacific Lobster Tail $68 Love it 6 out of 10 (I did not like the sour caper, although it was soooo big) I love their server Charley who has a beautiful voice and made a tea arrangement (Cinnamon, rock sugar candy, Italian sugar, milk, etc) for me. I only been there for twice, but I will go back again. Ta
(5)Chris D.
The food here was very uninspired, and rather unexceptional for the cost. I went there yesterday, and can't even recall what I had. Not worth the cost. The servce was also fairly poor, but that might have simply been our particular server.
(2)Mike D.
I would not go back or recommend to anyone. At half the price, I would have been perfectly happy with it. But when dinner costs $150 for two (without booze), I expect an outstanding meal and service, and Azul did not deliver. The lobster bisque was pretty good, but I've had better. The salad was very expensive for what we got. The entrees were actually pretty good, though nothing extraordinary. Then came dessert, which was a disaster and kind of ruined the whole experience. It took 20+ minutes for our order to arrive, and it was pre-made, obviously right out of the refrigerator. And our waitress acted as if there was nothing wrong with this situation. It then took at least another 20 minutes after our plates were cleared to get our check. This may have been due to our waitress being slow, because I saw other tables being seated after us and leaving before us. In any event, it was overall very disappointing.
(2)Brad Y.
Took my girlfriend here for a combined birthday/anniversary dinner. The ambiance is definitely fine-dining. Quiet, clean, and friendly service. We came a while ago so I don't recall exactly what we had, but it was good. Very good. The coffee was AWESOME too! Make sure you have that with your dessert. I've had other friends go here and nothing has been ill-discussed.
(5)Julie R.
I just had dinner at Azul tonight! The experience was AWFUL!!!!!!!!!! I had the seared Ahi which was WAY over cooked. My husband had a pork chop plate that was also WAY over cooked. DO NOT order the seared Ahi appetizer as there were only two tiny pieces involved. The kids pizza was unercooked and doughy . I do not not have a picky eater. The service was good and that is why I am giving at least one star. Also, I did have the lobster bisque which was great. All in all such a BAD ending to a great stay in beautiful Oahu.
(1)CHRISTY M.
On our last night on Oahu we decided to (begrudgingly) go to one of the hotel restaurants. Azul was the winner. This is definitely not the run of the mill hotel food. All four of us ordered the price fix menu that was $45 or for an additional $20 you could have the wine pairing, We opted not to do the wine pairing. I had the heirloom tomato and Maui onion salad, had the carpacio and our friend had the lobster bisque. ALL of them were off the HOOK! in between the main course they served a lychee sorbet to cleanse the palate. For the main course we all ordered the surf and turf which was a fillet and 2 massive shrimp. They were cooked to perfection and the 2 sauces they were served with were awesome. the dessert that came with the price fix was the pineapple upside down cake but we asked if we could sub out for the dome cake. OMG! awesome. We ordered coffee with the dessert. That was the most awesome surprise. The coffee came with whipped cream, dark chocolate shavings, crystallized sugar, white chocolate chunks and cinnamon sticks. Talk about off the hook. I failed to mention that my water glass was NEVER empty and that they were out of the silver oak cab and upgraded us to the Caymus for the same price. The service here it on the TOP of any I have ever experienced. Our server was Chary. She rocked. I would recommend this place to anyone staying on Oahu.
(5)Mark W.
We were looking for food and all of the other places we tried were closed, didn't have satisfactory vegetarian food, only served appetizers, or were booked up and had an hour wait. So we wound up at Azul at the Marriott where it took fifteen minutes to get our table ready. Waiter number one took our drink order and then abandoned us to the menus. About fifteen minutes later, waiter number two arrived, noticed the menus, asked where we were in the ordering process, and took our order. He was Italian and liked to speak Italian. The drinks, soup, and kid's meal came not too long after. There was a light shower of rain, and then the main courses made an appearance. This is one of those expensive restaurants where you get three medallions of meat or lots of raviolis per plate. I ordered the medallions, but maybe the raviolis were the way to go. It was all good. I ordered the three medallions of cheesy veal, which came with some potato and spinach. My wife had the twenty vegetarian ravioli plate. The raviolis were better than the medallions and the olive tapenade that came with the bread was really good. The Risotto was pretty good. If getting medallions of meat, the bread with olive tapenade and mooching off of others is key to getting a full meal. Waiter number three handled the bill.
(3)Terri M.
Excellent Italian in the JW Marriott. Worth a try if you are in the area!
(4)Chris S.
My husband and I chose Azul as a date night without the kids as a last dinner of our vacation. Thinking the same as many of the other poor reviews (note to self: check yelp prior to heading out) that the way this restaurant was 'sold' by our hotel concierge (Marriott Vacation Villas), it should've been way better than it was. We were asked upon arrival if we had reservations and almost scoffed upon when we said no, even though they were not busy and had many open tables (yes, plenty of servers for open tables). We were greeted and given water after ten minutes of looking at the menu/wine menu, took another ten minutes for our actual server to arrive for our drink order. Drinks were good but overpriced. We were served our bread/olive tamponade before our drinks arrived and the small portion left us wanting more-- took another fifteen minutes to get server's attention for more. (All the while the table next to us sat down ten minutes after us, got bread, drinks, dinner prior to us even getting to our ordered appetizer). Our appetizer was good even though it was missing the balsamic vinegar described on the menu-- didn't see the server to ask her about this. Dinner came (after our neighbors finished and had ordered dessert), my veal was surprisingly good, my husband's ahi pasta was not so good-- very bland, not worth the price. Our bill came quickly after dinner (before my second drink came) but wasn't processed nearly as fast. Server was much more attentive to her other tables. $129 for appetizer, two entrees, and three drinks, the price we expected for a much better dinner than we experienced at Azul.
(2)John E.
Azul is our favorite restaurant on the Island. Nothing comes close in quality and service. Every dish prepared is of the utmost quality and presentation. The chef always creates a surprise taste that makes one cry out for more. Beautiful setting and equal atmosphere.
(5)Marisa O.
Azul is a great restaurant. It's got a beautiful dining room with just as beautiful a menu. It was nicely dim and quiet, with a reasonably priced set menu (I think it consists of three courses for something like $55 pp). The food is perfectly seasoned. I had the Monchong with scallops which was perfectly cooked and served with a wonderful sauce. It reminds me a bit of a fancier Longhi's for dinner. It's located at the Ihilani, which is a little far for me. And the service was good, but not great. Longhi's service is better. But keep in mind that this in no way means poor service. It was standard good. Great for me means above and beyond the standard service. Extra helpful, extra friendly, you get the point. Good is good. Only thing is, there doesn't seem to be a dress code. The last time I was there, there was a woman wearing a bikini with no coverup sitting at the next table. It was a little odd.
(4)David C.
A friend and I had the chance to dine at Azul for the first time yesterday. We were interested in their use of local ingredients as seen on different advertisements. I had their take on a Caesar salad which was a stalk of romaine lettuce, fire grilled to give it a Smokey flavor, and then dressed with their version of Caesar dressing. Now I'm not too big on eating a warm salad but this chef pulled it off. It was really good! As commented by other reviewers the lychee basil sorbet palette cleanser was a nice touch. In fact other tables ordered that for their dessert. My entrée was the tenderloin and I thought it was cooked perfectly. Well seasoned beef and easy to carve up. That's my style. Our sides included the sautéed mushrooms and the grilled asparagus. Both were nicely prepared and there's no doubt about the freshness. Everyone must finish the meal with coffee. Try the French press Kona. Coffee comes with an assortment of condiments that will top any Starbucks. What really made the experience special was our waiter Stuart. If you enjoy attentive service with a personal recommendation on the preparation of your food, then you must ask for this waiter by name. He brought innovation and inspiration to the menu and made it a unique experience for us. Can't wait to go back!
(4)Amy l.
A great dinner with a fantastic atmosphere. We frequent the JW Marriott and have never eaten at Azul....what a shame. We will be visiting this spot again and again. The salad(caprese) was terrific. The fish special was a delight. I am looking forward to my next experience at Azul!
(4)Elliot I.
Opakapaka was excellent! Food prep & presentation was very nice! Atmosphere/ambience was excellent. Server was not the most impressive (trained) for an upscale restaurant of this caliber.
(4)Dee S.
We were able to sit out on the glorious patio while the sun was setting & the groundstaff lit torches around the Marriott. Our table had an oil wick lamp that added to the ambiance. We enjoyed the $45 prix fixe 3 course meal which is a good value since many of the entrees are between $36-45. My heirloom tomato salad, filet & tiger shrimp were delicious while my husband's escargot in a puff pastry, surf & turf he said were incredible. The 3rd course for both was a strawberry parfait which was the perfect ending to a delectable meal. Our son had the 3 way ahi which he said was wondrous & also partook in our prix fixe so there was plenty of food for all.
(4)Jesse W.
9/22/07: Located within the Ihilani Resort (JW Marriott), this restaurant is the nicest place to eat in the resort. We spent the weekend at the hotel and decided to treat ourselves to a nice dinner. We arrived on Saturday night at 8:30pm and secured a table outside on the patio fronting their salt water fish ponds. This place prides itself on fresh, local, organic foods including local fish and vegetables and organic meats. It was surprisingly quiet, not too many others eating there. They served a garlic, rosemary focaccia bread (with various pate spreads), along with a sorbet between the salad and main course. I ordered the mahi mahi main dinner, my wife had their pork special. Both were excellent and well presented. We skipped dessert and any alcoholic drinks and finished the meal with a coffee. I ordered an americano (illy beans) while she ordered a Ka'u grown coffee. The coffee drinks was accompanied by a large platter of condiments (various types of sugar and chocolates to blend with the coffee), I went for the simple brown sugar. The chet sent a complementary dessert (chocolate dipped strawberry and dried fruits), again nicely presented. We enjoyed the restaurant, the food and the service. Exccellent place for that special occasion, including those times when you want a break from the local foods! Wine Bar 6:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m. Daily Dinner 6:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m. Daily Sunday Champagne Brunch 9:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. Reservations Recommended - Resort Evening Attire (No tank tops, bathing suits or flip flops). Restaurant Hours are Seasonal; please call for availability.
(4)Megan M.
Went there last week for dinner with a group of 12. Very impressed by the service, which was excellent. I had the seared ahi - but I wouldn't have it there again. I've had better preparations before. The green salad wasn't anything special. But I did try the lobster bisque which was delicious and the steak looked fabulous as well. The desserts were great but if you're thinking about ordering coffee, you probably don't need a dessert because the coffee comes with a bunch of chocolate and stuff. This would also be a great place for a date. I'd like to go back again sometime.
(4)