Buttons Surf School

Horrible customer service! ! ! So called manager is extremely rude! Cannot ever make an appointment, tried several times. With so many surf schools our there, I wouldn’t feel comfortable taking lessons from someone that cannot even speak on the phone with any patience.

We tried to use the Unilocal deal with the group and they really had no idea what the story was with how it was supposed to work, so we would up paying full price and then having to deal with Unilocal Customer Service to get a refund of our money. We were also supposed to be a small private group but when we got the the location, they added two other people to our group. So much for private! Lessons were stated to be 90 minutes but really wound up being about 60. Connor, who really is not a people-​person, started sending our group back in after about 30 minutes on the water, but a few of us decided to stay out and continue our lessons on our own. If we were to do lessons again, I would look at one of the other schools that are more established and offer longer lessons for the same price.

These instructors are phenomenal. They are polite and quick to help, we had a blast out there with them. They spent time helping my 7 year old, making sure he and everyone else stayed safe the entire time. They pointed out sea life, helped us to stand right on the board and seemed to genuinely enjoy how much fun everyone had. If I could give more stars I would! I highly recommend taking surf lessons through them!

Over all a great experience! I caught waves!! My 9 year old daughter and I took a 90 minute lesson. We met the nicest people in our group. The entire staff was great and made this nervous mama have a blast. Connor and Kaikai were great at getting us into the waves.

Just had a surf lesson with Connor, had a Great time! I could have done without the «sweetheart» pet name, but that’s just me. Instructor was nice and patiant, waves were gentle but fun, there were 4 of us and we all had a blast! Cheers folks, thanks for the good time!

Just had a private lesson with Jimmy this week and couldn’t have been happier with the experience and results. With no previous surfing experience (or snowboarding/​skateboarding experience either) I was still able to get up and ride multiple times — even on the first attempt.
Jimmy’s ability to provide tailored instruction to the individual’s abilities is unmatched and comes with years of experience which he has in spades. Thanks again for the great experience, seeing a live sea turtle as we came in was pretty cool too!
Maholo!!!

We had such an amazing time! We booked using a groupon and had more than a groupon price experience! We were on our honeymoon and had a private lesson. I was worried that I would not be able to actually surf but our instructor helped push us into each wave and we had soooo much fun! I highly recommend this service, they treat you like friends and we have great memories of it forever!

Buttons is awesome! Just had my first ever surf lesson with them and the instructor is so nice, helpful and personable. If you’ve never surfed before, book your lesson with them! I will definitely come back when I’m back in Hawaii.

My wife and I surfed yesterday with Jason. He did a great job helping my wife feel comfortable in the water and getting us into waves that were right for us. Awesome experience. We’ll be back!

I surprised my man with a surf lesson off groupon for Buttons Surf School. I had been a few times a couple years ago but my man was pretty freaked out about going surfing. So we drove up from Ewa and on our way we got a phome call from the woman who runs the booking. She let us know that the original. agreed upon location was not going to work because there were no waves, but she immediateky gave us the new location with address and said that if we got lost or anything to give her a call. We found our way there VERY easily and immediately found her and our instructor James! James outfitted me in a rash guard (my man had his own) and had us feeling comfortable from the start with easy conversation and laughter. He led us over to the boards went over everything surfing from A to Z without overwhelming us with a ton of information. Had us do all the basics on the shore and made us feel extremely comfortable! In total we maybe spent 20 mintues on shore from the moment we got there until he showed us how to bring the boards down to the water and put our leashes on! My man was extremely nervous paddeling out but I was thrilled to death! Iy was incredibly beautiful and the waves were just right! He had us catch waves one at a time… and my man stood up on his very first wave! We had an incredible time and instead of just surfing for an hour and 10 minutes (we had paid for an hour n half session) we ended up surfing for over 2 hours!!! It was an incredible experience and I would and will recommend this company to anyone who will listen!!! Just a personal suggestion though DO NOT FORGET TO PUT SUNSCREEN ON BACK OF LEGS/​THIGHS/​BUTT!!! lol I am definitely burnt. :-) I wish I had thought ahead of time to bring some cash for a tip though cuz James was AWESOME, and we saw so much amazing aquatic life. Dolphins and sea turtles (they were everywhere!) And everyone out on the water was so incredibly kind and courteous!!!

My wife and I decided to surf for the first time while we were in Hawaii. After looking at all the surf schools, we chose Buttons because of his mission and culture described on the website and by other reviewers.
We did a semi-​private lesson with Jason so my wife and I had him to ourselves. He was a great coach and got us up on the waves immediately. While we surfed, he shared history, stories and represented the spirit of Hawaii. We had a great time and came back a second time before we went home. Thanks Jason for a great time. Say aloha to the honu for us.

I had purchased a groupon for a 4 person surf lesson while on vacation with Buttons surf school as a surprise for my boyfriend. This was definitely the highlight of our trip! Jason & Pete (Peter?) were excellent instructors & awesome people to get to know. Their relaxed teaching style paired with great personalities made the experience absolutely fantastic. As 4 people (myself, boyfriend, and two friends who live on Oahu) who had never surfed before, we all had a blast. I cannot speak highly enough of Buttons surf school & these two instructors. I will be booking another lesson with Buttons for my next visit!

My wife and I had a fantastic time learning to surf. Lots of personal attention at a reasonable price. Highly recommended.
They provided us a rash guard. That was good.

My kids had a great time surfing with Raymond at Chun’s Reef. They both caught lots of waves.
I took off one star because of the office’s lack of communication. They were supposed to text me right after I made my appt and the day before the lesson. Neither occurred until I called the office. They were very friendly.

I wasn’t very impressed. I got a text message at 9:30pm the night before specifying where to go for the 8am group class, I thought that was a pretty late text for an 8am class. I got there early and the instructor arrived just at 8am and then had to carry 4 boards down to the beach. When I made the reservation, they asked for our shirt size for rash guard but when we arrived the instructor gave my husband a shirt that was MASSIVE and the sleeves hung down to his knees… he wears a large shirt. Company doesn’t seem very organized. Once we got into the water I had a good time

Buttons Surf School was totally awesome! Super chill, but still professional. Husband and I purchased a Groupon — 90 minute basic surf lesson for two on Friday morning. I called BSS Friday afternoon to see if they had any openings for the following day. The sweet girl who answered the phone said she didn’t have anything, but would try calling one of their instructors to see if he could squeeze us in. She called back 5 minutes later and said we were good to go. Later that evening we received a text message confirmation with link to GPS directions and our instructor’s cell phone.
The actual lesson and surfing was so rad! Sean, our instructor, called us while we were on our way to make sure we knew where to go. He was great the whole time — patient, funny, and super encouraging — everything a teacher should be! We had a quick, yet thorough, instruction on land and then headed out into the water. Husband has surfed a couple times before, but this was my first time. We were both up and cruising in no time. Thanks, Sean! :)

Buttons and Henry were great, along with rest of his crew it was a pleasure getting to surf with a North Shore legend like Buttons

Buttons is one of the most AMAZING people I have ever encountered.
If you’re looking for the best value for your time and money, you can’t beat learning from someone who’s spent his entire life on the water. After 40 years, surfing is as natural to him as breathing and oh what you can benefit from that level of mastery!
Here’s a list of things that set Buttons’ lesson apart from the others I had and saw:
1. He treats every individual with such care and respect you feel like a glowing Christmas tree. He’s goofy and fun and you can’t help but feel good around him.
2. He meets you at your level and helps you develop at the appropriate pace for your individuality. He keeps it simple but extremely effective.
3. He is always encouraging and dispelling of the frustration of the learning process.
4. He is aware of everything around him and makes a point to help anyone he can. He raises the level of humanity to something I’ve never encountered before and only hope I can become.
5. He can read the ocean so well that all of your time is spent in productivity. I got up on 90% of the waves, starting with the first, as did my co-​student. I cannot say the same for my lesson with a different company or for the students of the instructors around me.
6. He does a lot of the hard work in getting you back out to the waves. I stayed out until I couldn’t paddle anymore and it would’ve been much shorter if he hadn’t done so much of the work for me.
7. You will feel like a surfer after just one lesson.
Peter, his assistant, is a good soul. He is happy and helpful and just wants to see you enjoy the surfing experience.
Buttons is an experience to behold — one that I will never forget for the rest of my life!!! That’s what a Hawaiian vacation is all about!

I wish I could give Buttons 10 stars.
My girlfriend and I went went for a lesson. He took great care of us. Really picked up quickly on our strengths and weakness and guided us each depending on what we needed. I was a slightly stronger paddler so he helped my girl zip around. He’s got this great little trick that Peter (his assistant) referred to as the «Aloha Tow». This guy can get around like he has a motor under his board.
He told us «my job is to get you waves. you’ll be the boss of the board and I’ll be with you to get you right where you need to be» He was instantly comforting. I knew he’d keep us out of trouble.
What was said in the other reviews of Buttons’ legendary status is completely accurate. Everyone on the beach was excited to see him and it really felt like we got wave priority because we were with him. Other pro surfers (Andy Lyons and friends) were running up to meet and take pictures with him when we got out of the water. It was like surfing with Elvis.
Most importantly, he loves to teach and share his love of surfing. That’s rare for someone with his status and experience.
We wish you the best Buttons and will always remember surfing the North Shore with you.
Mahalo from Jason and Jen.

Buttons & Steve are great!
Both are amazing teachers. Friendly, Patient, extremely knowledgeable! I learned to surf after 1 lesson! They make you feel at ease and safe in the water. If you are a beginner i 100% recommend Buttons Surf School.