Roy's Hawaii Kai

I’ve been to Roy’s many times over the years, but this was my first visit to the Hawaii Kai location — and now I understand why so many people consider this the original and iconic Roy’s experience. I opted for the prix fixe menu and every course was exceptional. The salmon carpaccio was beautifully presented and incredibly fresh, with bright flavors that set the tone for the entire meal. My entrée was the filet, cooked perfectly to temperature, tender, flavorful and exactly what you’d hope for from a restaurant with Roy’s reputation. Dessert was tiramisu, which struck that perfect balance of rich and light, making it an ideal finish to the evening. The wine pairings were equally impressive. The crisp white served with the seafood course highlighted the freshness of the salmon without overpowering it, while the red paired with the filet brought out the richness of the beef beautifully. Thoughtful pairings can elevate a meal and these absolutely did. Beyond the food, the service was outstanding. Friendly, attentive and professional without ever feeling intrusive. The staff made us feel genuinely welcome from start to finish. And of course, the Hawaii Kai setting doesn’t hurt. The marina views, especially as the sun begins to set, create a relaxed island atmosphere that feels quintessentially Hawaiʻi. Excellent food, excellent wine, excellent service and a beautiful view. This certainly won’t be my last visit to Roy’s Hawaii Kai. 10/10

This Roy’s location has nice sunset views. The Kauai shrimps were very fresh and tasty, but the duck spring rolls weren’t that good. The short ribs were not as good as before (by a large margin). The desserts were good, in particular, the bread pudding was the top choice. The service was efficient.

Roy's Hawaii Kai is always solid! Whether we're celebrating a special event, getting together with visiting family and friends, or just enjoying Happy Hour and a sunset, Roy's never disappoints! The good is always great and the hospitality is always wonderful 💚

My partner and I came to Oahu to celebrate our delayed 7th anniversary. While we are regulars at Roy’s on the Big Island, we decided to switch it up with a trip to Honolulu this time. Let me just say: the staff and especially our server, Matthew absolutely rock! I’ve dined everywhere from hole-in-the-wall gems to Michelin-starred establishments, and while the food is important, the experience often matters even more. This team did not disappoint. The service was exceptional our drinks and water never even hit the halfway mark before being refreshed. To top it off, Matthew even gave us great local recommendations for bars to grab a late-night drink afterward. Thank you for going above and beyond to make our 7-year celebration so special. You made it a night to remember! (I don’t remember the desserts name with the “Happy Anniversary” but that was one of the best desserts I’ve had!)

My bf brought me here for Valentines Day. They had a 4 course dinner menu that night. Food was great, but the service was even better. The manager came up to us to check on things and the timing of everything being brought out was spot on. Was told they also have live music a couple days out of the week. Will definitely be going back.

Made a reservation on Open Table and got there for happy hour 4:30pm to 6pm. Please note, happy hour is only available on the 1st floor but don't let that stop you from ordering down stairs and bringing your drink upstairs. Hana Koa Pale Ale and Roy's Martini did the job. Add the edamame dipped in sesame oil and you got a great start. We did an appetizer for two and just kept the evening moving along. The fish trio is worth trying just to get a taste of everything. It's fine dining so don't be afraid to look nice, everyone else is.

Summary: Food was generally good but there were some misses. Service was poor. Restaurant is extremely loud. Food: Fish was cooked to perfection and is consistently cooked well during all our visits. Lamb chops were also cooked well. Short ribs were over salted. Vegetables were undercooked. Green beans are crisp-tender but parsnips were raw. It spurred a discussion of which is worse, undercooked or overcooked parsnips, and we agreed that overcooked should have been better. (We get boiled parsnips every year with corned beef and cabbage at St. Patty's Day.) We requested bread, which I know is not the restaurant's forte but I didn't expect brown and serve rolls of varying doneness. Service: Service started good but there were some key points that would have improved our experience and it got progressively worse as the dinner continued. My dad's glass of wine was accidentally knocked over and no acknowledgement was made. Other high end restaurants would have quickly covered the stain with a napkin or table cloth. I ordered the pre fixe dinner and my entree was served about 5 minutes after all the other entrees. My dessert was never served. I requested it to go after everyone else had finished their desserts and we were on our second cups of coffee. Our server asked if I wanted the ice cream served, which I agreed to. He proceeded to serve it to my uncle who was sitting to my left. My husband paid the bill before I received my to-go dessert. I requested it again. The waiter brought it in a bag and placed it between my uncle and my brother, two seats down from me. The restaurant is extremely loud. One of our dinner guests was sent into a panic attack from being over-stimulated. This is not the restaurant's fault, but just a note if you have sensitive guests.

Wow! We loved it. The food was just outstanding. I loved the scallops and the fish trio. Absolutely delicious. The staff was extremely nice. This restaurant deserves the nice Paul Bocuse comments that we can read at the entrance. I will come again for sure!

Our anniversary dinner at the original Roy's in Hawai'i was really special. The vibe was moody, and I especially loved the koi pond when you entered the restaurant. When we arrived at our table, we were greeted with a nice anniversary note. Our server, Luke, was awesome--he knew the menu inside out and shared some of his favorites, which was really helpful. The server brought out complimentary edamame; they tasted good but were a bit cold. We began with ordering cocktails. My husband went with the Roy's Old Fashioned, and I had a Lychee Sake-tini. Both drinks were really tasty. For dinner, we shared the Hawaii Kai's Prix Fixe and added the spicy golden wave roll and Chinatown Chicken Spring Rolls as first bites. Honestly, the food was just okay except for the Ube cream brûlée and the Pumpkin spice cake which were really good. At the end of the night, the restaurant gifted us a $20 gift certificate, which was a nice touch! Even though the food was not as good as we would have liked, the service was top-notch!

We came to celebrate an anniversary and had a wonderful experience. The food was good but expensive—quality and price were commensurate—but the service exceeded all expectations. Our server, Keola, was incredibly knowledgeable and attentive. It was evident that this team cares about its patrons, and we will definitely be returning.