Ya-ya's Chophouse & Seafood

I’m going to start this review off with… its never a bad idea to give a restaurant a second chance, even if the first experience was horrible.. We visited YA-YA’s in December 2023 and had one of our worst dining experiences (And we dine out a lot).. you can read that review on Everyday Eats.. After reading our review the management team at YA-YA’s reached out and insisted that next time we were on island that we must come back and give them another shot.. well here we are 3months later and we decided to stop in for dinner.. We were met at the door and sat right away, we were given food meus, the cocktail and wine list which was pleasant after our last experience.. Our Front and back servers both introduced themselves and were all over the table, again a complete 180 from the last time we were here! We ordered a few cocktails and a bottle of wine. My wife ordered the Pink Cadillac ($14) and our son ordered the “One for the road” ($16). I ordered a bottle of Robert Hall Cabernet ($50). We started with the Crab Cakes ($28), the Shrimp Cocktail ($25), and the Fat Fried Rice ($17).. The Crab Cakes were served two to the plate and were not very large in size but what they were was all Crab Meat.. No Fillers, No Binders, no Bread Crumbs… Just perfectly seasoned crab meat! The Shrimp Cocktail being a mainstream app was also surprising, the dish boasted 5pc U10 Jumbo Prawns.. again.. served with simple accoutrement just well done… Now if you have visited any island you’ll find 1000 different takes on Fried Rice.. but the Chef here cooks his with rendered Wagyu Tallow which sets the bar for fried rice in my opinion. Moving onto to entrees… My Wife ordered the Fillet topped with Foie Gras ($119), our son ordered the Lobster Pan Roast ($85), and I….Well I ordered the Prime Rib because the last time we were here I really feel that I was not able to get the true experience on the plate since they forgot to ring it in and I sat plateless across my wife as she ate her meal… But we wont dwell on that! The Filet was huge.. easily sharable between two people and the Foie was cooked perfectly! The Lobster Pan Roast was essentially a whole lobster poached in a creamy tomato sauce.. Definitely on the heavier side, and can be shared… ahh and the Prime Rib.. 12oz of perfectly cooked well seasoned beef goodness… Not one thing bad about it.. We ordered the Truffle Mac N Cheese and the Creamed Spinach as shared sides… the MNC was very good and that’s a bold statement since you can now get gourmet Mac N Cheese just about anywhere. The Creamed Spinach was on the bland side, this is one of those sides that you need to put more effort into it to make it stand out these days. The biggest take away here is that the portions are well sized.. a couple could easily order an app, a salad, one entrée and a dessert to share and have a great dinner and still not break the bank here… we are a family of Foodies and we enjoy trying what looks interesting or trying what might be just another “Shrimp Cocktail” only to be blown away… Lastly.. the Sweet Finale.. We ordered the Taro Bread Pudding with vanilla ice Cream ($12), this was a perfect end… Not too sweet and a great portion to share. The Real takeaway here is that the Food and Beverage team here cares…they read my first review and immediately reached out and wanted us to give them another shot.. We did and we were blown away.. this time around it was like a completely different restaurant… a full 180deg turn around which goes to show that they are doing it right and they were worth the second shot! We’ll be back in the future.. until then…

They always rock it! Service is personable, and the menu is reasonable, creative, and pretty splendid. Give it a try if you've never been. The atmosphere is cosmopolitan and food ono! Really only one of a handful of places in town that have a really classy setting and menu, while having a very reasonable and tasty bar menu, in a casual, easy going, feel good atmosphere. If you wanna do it up, the dinner menu is hearty and unique. They also have a semi private room for intimate parties. Outdoor sidewalk or under cover seating is also nice on a cool evening. It's definitely a favorite! 8/09/21 They rocked it again. Stephanie, one of our servers, and her teammates, on it and quite entertaining. Thank you for the usual great service and pretty dang good grubs, too. 😉🤙✌ 9/2022 I've been back many more times before this, but I wanted to give another shout-out! They're still rocking it! The place was crowded, and still a beautiful ambiance and staff is fantabulous!! We were graced with Bo serving us at the bar as he continues to navigate these challenging times post Covid. I give him all the credit in the world. Also posted a pic of the newest item on the bar menu, a beef skewer. It was right up that onolicious alley! Rock on!! 😉🤙✌️ 5/2023 It's still awesome and rocking it! I'm just sorry I'm not able to come as often. Keep up the good work! 😉🤙✌️ 3/2024 All that jazz.....

Superb food and atmosphere. Celebrated my birthday and had a fantastic time. Live music. Octopus, tomahawk steak, oysters, and beignets were all exceptional. Staff is so welcoming and knowledgeable! Parking garage is right next door and they validate.

For the price, not worth it. Food was good, but not memorable. Everything is just over priced for what it's like. Went here with a group of people (7) and had drinks. Total was almost $1,000. You get free table side taro bread and butter, and you choose a knife for the entrée. I got the filet mignon, it's was medium rare and seasoned well. Small portion of it had some fat that wasn't rendered down enough. Everyone's food was cooked to their request. Although the service was good, they forgot our cocktails and whiskey several times throughout service. Atmosphere was good too, the lights were dimmed, and they had live music playing. However, when looking around, not many people were in the restaurant. Most of the photos I took were just of the appetizers.

This was my second time here. Overall a good dining experience. The staff were friendly and attentive. The wedge salad was amazing and the best part of my meal. My steak/potato were slightly overcooked/dry and the jalapeno tater tots were a waste of money altogether. Not spicy at all and the sweet sauce it did not match the restaurant quality. The desserts were tasty. Parking in available on the street on in the structure that can be validated.

Service was awesome! Best dry aged steak I've had in hawaii. Just can't put my finger on it something was off as far as the atmosphere. Bar looked great maybe it was the more modern feeling, from the high ceilings, cement floors not at all a bad thing just different. We will definitely be back.

Our first time at this predominantly steak house. The cocktail menu was diverse and tasty. Our food was served family style. We had the bacon appetizer and two different salads. Our mains were lamb chops, pork chop, and New York steak with sides of mushrooms, mashed potatoes, and broccolini. All were great but the lamb chops were especially good. Beignets finished the meal and were good. Service was excellent. Prices were spendy, but I would say this would be a good place for a special occasion.

Awesome menu, and the starter of claim chowder was off the charts. Fresh ingredients along with superb culinary skills makes this place a rewarding dinning experience. I'm definitely a returning customer, and I had one of the best porterhouse steak. The creme Brule was a coffee base favor with custard.

Amazing atmosphere, beyond phenomenal drinks and food... cozy place that's spaced out well. Perfect lighting... great choice for romantic private dates or hanging with friends and sharing incredible apps. The wine list is extensive. I love the way everyone pitches in and makes sure to stop by your table and ask a little about you, including management. Had a blast and definitely highly recommended!