Wai’olu Ocean View Lounge

Such a chic spot for an open air cocktail or casual dinner. It’s kind of like a hotel lobby bar, but calmer and more private. Big open windows look out over Fort DeRussy Park and to the ocean… making you feel like you are outside, but still sitting above the craziness of Waikiki. The food is delicious, I love the Caesar salad. Their Mai Tai is amazing… I think it was voted the best Mai Tai in the world for 2015 (maybe?). You must try it (or 3). The margaritas are also great! I love coming back to Wai’olu, especially around sunset. No reservation required and no dress code! It’s perfect!

Love this place!
This beautiful ocean view restaurant is located in the lobby of the Trump. I really recommend coming here for dinner on Friday and the weekend around 7:30, they do fireworks at 7:45! Talk about magical :)
Food:
–Da Kine Roll, 10 Pcs, Fried King Crab, Tuna, Asparagus, Crab, Ahi ($ 24) amazeballs! I love this so much, all the flavors are magic together!
–Porcini, Melted Goat Cheese Flatbread (16.50): I’m in love with their porcini
–Grilled Boneless Kal-​Bi Beef (16): This is pretty standard, I would say skip
–Herb Crusted Chicken– Fingerling Potato, Porcini Mushroom Sauce ($ 16) it’s standard chicken, but I could just bathe in their porcini sauce, so that kicks it up a huge notch
–Shrimp Tempura Roll-​8 Pcs, Alaskan King Crab, Cucumber, Avocado, Tobiko ($ 18) pretty standard, skip
Ambiance and service: impeccable :)

The atmosphere is beautiful with an amazing view of the sunset & live music

The food is fresh Mai Tias were ok but the prices are extremely high for what you get

Open space restaurant with very friendly staff. Enjoyed the lobster tostada dish and there steak was super tender and juicy. Cooked just right. Just the right amount of portions. Enjoyed restaurant week here!

Beautiful place and outstanding views of Waikiki. This place would be perfect on Friday evenings to watch the fireworks.
Excellent staff with friendly smile and professionalism. Seafood set for 2, which comes with appetizer, main course and dessert. Main course was the seafood bouillabaisse with a load of clam, ika, red potatoes, king crab leg, shrimp, and a fat whole lobster! Soup base itself was da bomb!!! $ 100 ala carte style so not cheap but worth trying.
Our waiter was excellent and the valet staff downstairs was nice too. Nice experience.

Great drinks, food, atmosphere, and service. Allow me to attack each one individually…
Drinks: Nice signature cocktail list and fine selection of spirits. Speaking of spirits, if you’ve got higher end taste, drink here as they carry many things you won’t find too many other spots on the island.
Food: Didn’t have dinner, just happy hour, but their California roll was one of the better ones I’ve ever had. Don’t under estimate the difference that Crab makes over Krab.
Atmosphere: Fantastic lounge above the choas of Waikiki and the streets. Open air, with very comfortable couches that you just sink into.
Service: Prompt, without being overbearing or annoying.
Overall, I’d give Wai’olu Ocean View Lounge 4.75 stars as it was one of my favorite places in all of Waikiki.

Awesome food. We had a great time. Food was amazing and service was great. Of course, Jan might have pull with the staff. Thanks Jan.

While staying at the Trump we visited the Wai’olu for happy hour and were very impressed with the performance and capabilities of the staff which made our stay so great. Grab a seat at the bar and cross your fingers that you get Travis as your bartender. He is FABULOUS! I prefer not to order a drink directly off of the menu because, well, it bores me.
What I like to do is tell the bartender what I like and then allow their creativity and experience to whip me up a concoction that I’ll love. Travis did just that. He’s friendly and helpful (gave us a few recommendations on dinner spots based on what we were looking for) and he makes an excellent drink! When ordering food, he even helped to accomodate our particular requests. My husband and I truly enjoyed our visits here and while visitng our new motto became «Trust Travis».
Trump truly has succeeded in creating a five star experience.

Delightful service, great view, nice menu selection.
Don’t go at sundown or you’ll be blinded by the setting sun.
Just a gorgeous, open air lounge to enjoy above the chaos below.

Oh man, where to begin? First off, I had no idea this place existed nor was it open to the public, not just hotel guests can dine here! That’s right, bring your friends and family! My fiancé and I enjoyed the appetizers with a few drinks. We had their world famous Mai Tai drinks which is an absolute must when visiting. As well as Lemonade to go with Nachos, crunchy bread with the most delicious edamame Hummus topping I’ve ever had, firecracker sushi rolls (I’m no way a regular fish eater, except Poke, but this dish did not have that distasteful fish taste like most sushi, in other words: it was amazing!), and probably the most unique dish to top it off: mini (and I mean super manini) loco mocos. Yes! mini. Loco. Mocos. If that doesn’t convince more locals to come out to this place, I don’t know what will. Our son, who’s a very picky 8 year old eater, also enjoyed EVERY dish tonight! We’ll be returning here, no question about it!

Absolutely love this place… the atmosphere… the food… and live music is amazing… especially singer named Kamuela… absolutely enjoy watching and listening to him.

Absinthe at the comfy couch at Waiolu Ocean View Lounge on Sunday night.
I was lucky to be able to get the couch table that I like. I’m picky and here I only like tables by the lobby but not inside. Service was friendly as always and they didn’t mind when I asked the detail about the difference between 2 absinthe they had.
We enjoyed 2 kinds of absinthe with pretty city view and it was a great choice to stop by after dinner! Forbidden alcohol under the moonlight!!! Lol

Just Loungin’.
The mission, since we chose to accept it, was to find a place to watch the sunset on Aloha Friday. Our first choice (which will remain nameless) was quite crowded and so we put our thinking caps on and ended up at the Trump Hotel. Third time may be the charm, but second choice is the winner for sure.
LOCATION/​SETTING: Lobby level of the Trump Hotel in Waikiki. There are lounge seating (couches surrounding a table), tables, and bar seating. We initially wanted to sit in any of the lounge areas but they were all reserved for that afternoon/​evening. And so, we accepted the kind invitation to sit at the bar.
HAPPY HOUR: After looking over their menu, my friend and I ordered each a happy hour drink, the Lanikai Shore, and shared the Nachos. I enjoyed my drink, and the nachos was definitely a healthy portion with chips, cheddar cheese, guacamole, salsa, sour cream, and jalapenos.
SERVICE: The bartenders were friendly and very social. Though we were not tourists, or even guests of the Trump Hotel for that matter, we felt very welcome and appreciated the kind hospitality from all the staff we interacted with.
THE SUN WILL SET: The view of the sunset that day was priceless. The sky was clear and full of color as the sun made its way toward the horizon of the Pacific Ocean. Simply Beautiful.
BOTTOM LINE: A scenic happy hour.

Truly a hidden gem. Went for the restaurant week menu but realized that the entire menu is not only great, but also reasonable. Now, not to be pessimistic, but Wai’olu is in the Trump Hotel. I was expecting stuffy service and high prices. What I encountered was the exact opposite. Service was extremely friendly and prices were very reasonable for Waikiki. There are set menus ranging from $ 45 – 60 and what floored me was not that the pork loin came out dry and tough (due to it being 2 inches thick and overwell done). Nor was it when our server brought back a redone pork loin that was amazingly moist and very well crusted. What really impressed me was Sous Chef Taira coming out to meet us to apologize for the first pork loin and ask if we liked the 2^nd one. We were already very satisfied by the 2^nd pork loin, but it is truly that type of personal service and care that take restaurants to the next level. Chefs that care to that level, especially for local people, are rare and I am sure that he will excel and go far.
My lamb was perfect and so was the beet goat cheese salad. Desserts were good with my upside down brulee being the stand out.

The best thing about Restaurant Week? Why it’s having an excuse to get dolled up and go to fancy restaurants, of course! After comparing menus, my boyfriend Jake and I picked Wai’olu at the Trump as our date night destination one Friday evening.
From the moment we pulled up to the Trump Hotel, I was thoroughly impressed with the professionalism and atmosphere. The restaurant sits on a beautiful lanai overlooking Honolulu’s cityscape, so you have a spectacular view as you eat and enjoy the live music.
Wai’olu offered a three-​course meal at $ 48 per person, plus $ 20 a head for the wine pairing option. What ended up selling me on the wine pairing was the fact that one of the wines that came with our meal was $ 17 a glass — and we got three 6 oz. pours for $ 20! A true steal. But I love wine, so really it didn’t take that much convincing.
Each course had two options, so Jake and I ordered one of each so we could get a bite of everything on the menu.
FIRST COURSE: Beets & Berries Salad and the Eggplant Miso Dengaku. I ordered the salad for one reason: GOAT CHEESE. Can’t get enough of it. The small balls of goat cheese brought a welcome tartness to the overall sweetness the berries and strawberry vinaigrette brought to the dish. I also took a scoop of Jake’s eggplant and found it creamy and savory — really good.
MAIN COURSE: New York Steak & Rack of Lamb Combo and the Seared Pistachio Crusted Ahi with Thai red curry sauce. Jake really enjoyed the buttermilk pancake he found underneath the ahi. He said the two went really well together. As for me, I was in carnivore heaven. Give me some steak and smoky red wine, and I’ll always be happy. However the true star of the dish was the pair of lamb chops. So juicy, so tender… I just missed the classic mashed potato side, as it came with seasonal vegetables and a deep fried sushi sandwich instead.
DESSERT: Vanilla Bean Crème Brulee with Macaron and the Lilikoi Cheesecake. I still can’t get this crème brûlée out of my mind. Why was it so spectacular? Because it was basically a crème brûlée macaron sandwich and was paired with an amazing white dessert wine! The macarons are house made, and it was just the icing on the cake for our delicious meal. I also really enjoyed Jake’s lilikoi cheesecake, and recommend it to citrusy dessert lovers. It had a really nice tang from the fresh Big Island lilikoi sauce.
I could definitely see ourselves coming back if we ever felt like splurging on another date night dinner! A great pick for Restaurant Week with spectacular value.
PARKING: Complimentary valet parking with validation! All you need is some cash on you for tip.

RESTAURANT WEEK 2014 & FIRST TIME HERE!
We chose Waiolu for restaurant week because neither of us have been for dinner and they gave options for each course. So of course my bf and I decided to get one of each. More variety the better!
1^st: Broiled eggplant with miso glaze || Beet and fruit salad with goat cheese.
2^nd: Lamb & NY steak with veggies || Crusted ahi with buttermilk pancake.
3^rd: Lilikoi cheesecake || Vanilla crème brûlée macroon.
We also ordered their fire cracker sushi roll. And to be honest, the sushi roll stood out the most out of all. It was really good! Also, I did enjoy the buttermilk pancake that was served with the crusted ahi and Thai curry sauce. At first I thought, «pancake and fish?!» But it was actually good together.
We would come back to Waiolu, maybe for a wind down sushi dinner and a nice view. But the price for their sushi roll was a bit much, but I guess it’s expected for the trump.
(They do validate valet parking for up to 4 hours & it’s just gratuity.)

RESTAURANT WEEK HAWAII ~~!
One of my favorite weeks in Hawaii, Restaurant week! This is the perfect week to get together with friends or go on a hot date!
Wai’olu is located in the Trump Waikiki. Its the same area where they hold clubs and the LUX events. They also provide complimentary valet parking (with validation of course!).
Our server for the evening was Traci. She was very nice and gave great recommendations. I definitely have to agree with her that the Justin Cabernet Sauvignon was delish!
The Grub. ($ 48 — 3 course menu + $ 20 wine pairing)
APPETIZERS:
[[ Beets & Berries Salad ]]
The salad was okay. The beets were covered in strawberry vinaigrette, goat cheese and some greens. I’m not a huge fan of beets, but I still thought this was a good appetizer.
[[ Eggplant ]]
The eggplant was good. They marinated it in Miso Dengaku.
ENTREES:
[[ New York Steak & Lamb Combo ]]
The steak was delicious! Cooked to perfection! The lamb however wasn’t that great to me. I personally felt the lamb was too raw and really chewy.
[[ Seared Pistachio Crusted Ahi ]]
Served with a Thai Red Curry Sauce, Buttermilk Pancake, and Microgreens. I personally thought the curry was a little too spicy for my liking (but I no can handle any spice!).
DESSERT:
[[ Lilikoi Cheese Cake ]]
Basically a classic New York style cheesecake topped with lilikoi seeds/​sauce. Nothing too special in my opinion.
[[ Vanilla Beans Crème Brule with Macaroon ]]
I thought the crème brule was soooo much better then the cheesecake. However I felt the macaroon was a bit hard to cut through.
Overall I had a great experience here for Restaurant Week Hawaii.

Came here for tapas and drinks. Beautiful city and ocean view opposite Diamond Head. Modern décor, and they have live music which wasn’t too loud.
Love the option of ordering small plates, they also have a full dining menu.
Here’s what we ordered:
Seafood duet: jumbo shrimp and ahi tuna (served separately). Fresh and delicious.
Shumei: steamed pork dumplings, plump and satisfying.
Crab won tons: Wow! I loved this, so tasty especially with the mango chutney.
Herb crusted chicken with fingerling potatoes: just okay, chicken a little dry and lacking seasoning. Potatoes were tender and cooked perfectly. The mushroom sauce was more like canned mushroom soup.
Chocolate crunch bar: chocolate mousse on a hazelnut crust and berries, really good!
Our server, Traci was such a sweetheart! She was so friendly and gave us great service. We’re so glad we found this place on Unilocal.Definitely will return.

Had the opportunity to check out Waiolu for Restaurant Week and came away impressed after not expecting too much.
Unfortunately there is only valet parking but if you dine at the restaurant then at least the parking is taken care of for you.
One of the great things about this location is the open views you have of the Friday Night Fireworks. It’s also an open air location with beautiful views of either the mountains or overlooking the Fort DeRussy area. So as far as ambiance is concerned this place is solid. We even went during the bad weather last week and none of the rain came in so it was nice to see the rain, hear it, but not be affected by it.
The RW menu of course is a preset meal but looking over some of the other menu items I can see myself coming back. The service was great, we never had to once ask the waitress for anything. It’s as if she read our mind. It might have been b/​c at the time we were only 1 of 3 parties at the place but still, as the night progressed and they got busier we didn’t have to fret over service. My buddy told me to try the Mai Tai which is supposedly the best on the island but I passed for a Plantation Ice Tea. I’m such a party pooper.
The RW menu came with an appetizer, main course and dessert.
For the appetizer we had a Japanese Eggplant and Pacific Tiger Prawn Mousse with Lobster Cream Sauce. It was pretty tasty. Not for those who don’t enjoy seafood, the sauce is rich and the flavors are a little heavier which matched well w/​the light texture of the mousse.
We had a choice for entrée between the New York Steak Butteryaki with seasonal vegetables and a side of sesame seed sauce and spicy ponzu or the Pan fried catch of the day Opa marinated with Mexican Adobo and chipotle coleslaw with micro greens. Of course I went for the steak and I’m happy I did. It was delicious. I’d go back and see if I could get them to make it again since it’s not on the regular menu.
The dessert was a chocolate fondue with vanilla ice cream but i asked them for some fresh fruit and a sherbet… what…I’m trying to eat healthy and lose fat!
Overall, a nice place to take a special one or for a special occasion. They also had a live entertainer so maybe you could get a song request in and woo the loved one. Just sayin’