La Mer

My husband took me here for my birthday and all I can say was we a A 1 top notch service. 5 star & 5 diamond rating can’t get any better than that! The best catering we’ve ever received dining out, so worth the money. Most definitely going back

such a go to for a date night :)
such beautiful french dining and phenomenal service

A beautiful experience. So glad the «jackets required» is gone, so we could get a reservation. An admitted foodie but I am not dragging a sports coat to Hawaii for one dinner. Long sleeve shirt and pants only required for a first class meal.
We sat at an open window looking over the entrainment from House Without A Key. Wonderful bread, hard to find in humid Hawaii.

went last night and i was very impressed. i did not expect to find such good french dining in honolulu
located at the iconic halekulani hotel, la mer is as close to dining in france as you can get
its located on the second floor and waterfront so the views are spectacular even though it was dark u can feel the ocean right there next to u, plus u get a nice breeze so even though its open air dining which im not a fan of u dont get hot. my gf even got cold and they provided a little blanket (its not a blanket but those things women use to cover up a bit, im blanking right now but its on the tip of my tongue)
anyways, service immpecable.
food was great, not the best french but still very very good. i had the steak tartare which came wrapped in a thing layer or hearts of palm and a little bit of caviar, then seared foie, then the filet de boeuf with (more) seared foie. and a penuet butter and rasperry sorbet dessert. all amazing
gf had the scallop app with sum sort of shellfish layer and then the red snapper with uni and the souflee for dessert. again all amazing.
sommelier helped choose the wine and i wish i wouldve just let him choose the bottle cause i was prob off with my choice.
5 stars for the food and service, all very good
very pricey and upscale dining

I don’t even know where to begin! The themed drinks are strong and so good. Then you have the food. One of my favorite meals! Service was outstanding with recommendations that were spot on. The service was so attentive the entire meal it felt like a brigade of servers the entire night. We had a four course meal but with all the complimentary dishes it felt much more. They sat us at a romantic table with a bench overlooking the water. The entire night was amazing and everything was perfect. We will be coming back for dinner and drinks!

I don’t even know where to begin! One of my favorite meals ever! Service was outstanding with recommendations that were spot on. We probably had at least 4 people serving us and felt pampered with each course. We had a four course meal but with all the complimentary dishes it felt much more. My purse was even given a seat. Great place to celebrate special occasions. We were surrounded by couples celebrating honeymoons and anniversaries.

We had an amazing experience here on Dec 28^th 2015. The food was phenomenal and the service was top notch. Highly recommended.
I ordered the 4 course menu and had the smoked mackerel, foie gras, lamb and soufflé for dessert. Every course was amazing, well balanced and beautifully presented.

We started our honeymoon off at La Mer and it was a wonderful way to begin! We sat at L’Apéritif while we waited for our table and the 5 Pennies cocktail was one of the best I’ve ever had. (skip the Hemingway old fashioned– it had a strange medicinal aftertaste).
They sat us at a romantic table with a bench overlooking the water and everyone was extremely kind when they found out we were celebrating. The clear winners for food were the foie gras (which others have mentioned) and the pork. The chicken was very unusual– had a fish-​like consistency that I probably wouldn’t order again). My husband said the soufflé was the best he’s ever had. The chocolate mousse was perfect and rich. They sent us home with a box of chocolate covered macadamia nuts. Oh– and Mindy Kaling was there! Overall great night, highly recommended.

All good, there are two reasons it will not get 5 stars from me, but please don’t let it detract from dining here. Let me start by saying I am not a fan of French restaurants, however traveling with a group and looking for a good dining service without leaving the hotel. Table was excellent, service impeccable and an overall great dinner service. Pre fix or pick 3 courses for dinner and they were very flexible about mixing and matching on the two menus.
my biggest issue: dress was upscale and I was advised to wear a sport jacket. No problem here. Look over at the table next to us, younger couple and the guy is wearing a tee shirt and flatbrim hat at the table. I’m not here to judge, but if you want to create rules and set a tone of fine dining, enforce them. Completely unacceptable to allow that in the dining room.
Secondly– the menu was VERY limited. I struggled to find 3 courses that would be palatable, however once served everything was excellently prepared and delicious.
Overall, very good French restaurant with excellent service and a great view from an outstanding dining room. Management has obviously set the standard, just wish the front desk would have held the standard last evening.

I am a harsh critic when it comes to French food. Where La Mer did lack in its cuisine, it was more than compensated by the unparalleled service, ambiance, and view, in Waikiki.
The menu degustacion was my selection. It was imperfect; some dishes lacked textural balance, and some lacked salt. The foie gras making a double appearance was redundant; the first torchon was not completely deveined. My seafood options were overcooked; possibly from too much time between kitchen and runner.
However, these greivances were minor. And I will absolutely go back… just not for the big menu.
Enjoy!

This is the last review of my «All Things Paris» tribute this week.
La Mer is the beacon of fine dining on Oahu. As a young girl, I remember hearing about this illustrious hideaway: $ 38 salads, the dress code, the impeccable service. Decades rolled by, and I couldn’t justify spending $ 200 per person «in my own backyard». It had to be for quite the special occasion. The mystere of what laid behind closed doors always tickled my cerebrum, but never enough to commit to a reservation. Finally, on my 33^rd year, I decided to take my husband here for our first wedding anniversary.
I’ve been to some exquisite restaurants in France, and I had concerns of being disappointed. The dress code was quite the allure. Jacket and tie for men, Gowns for women? Hmm. I imagined a scene from Titanic by the Victorian clock staircase where dames were sensually sipping champagne with satin gloves, the men in black tuxes staring lovingly into their lady’s eyes. I’ll be honest, my expectations may have been unrealistically high.
While La Mer has breathtaking views of Diamond Head and Waikiki, the restaurant itself is dated. An amalgamation of woods, hints of gold, Polynesian patterns, and rattan accents, the dining room is vast and eerily quiet. The main area was shockingly empty, especially at 7pm on a Sunday. I imagine that in its hey-​day, this restaurant was the talk of the town, and the privilege to even eat here must have been the brag of the century.
Today, however, it seemed like their reputation superceded the actual experience. I wore a sleeveless dress and still felt warm. No air conditioning. My husband was sweating like crazy under his jacket. And we were seated to face the grassy lawn instead of each other which didn’t do much for the ambiance. If this restaurant did not rely so heavily on its ocean views, how would the ratings fare? Food for thought, let’s continue…
Our server was extremely cordial and deserved a five-​star review for his willingness to please. However, when we asked for a picture of the both of us, we were escorted to the lanai and were told to model into different «prom poses” – you know what I’m talking about: «Hold her from behind. Tracy, come a little forward. Kiss her on the cheek. Look at each other. Okay smile!» It was cute, but a bit odd. The shift work of «sit at this angle» for the view and «pose like this» felt like we were high school students on a first date with our parents, giving me even more of an outdated feeling.
After reviewing the menu, we both decided to order the four course meal: I chose the shrimp app, foie gras, red snapper, and chocolate dessert. I gotta say that the foie gras was the BEST FOIE GRAS I HAVE EVER EATEN. Caramelized to perfection and seismic in taste, I could not comprehend how the chef packed so much flavor into each molten bite. The shrimp was refreshing with the cucumber jelly and turmeric vinaigrette, but nothing that knocked my socks off. The snapper was moist and the fennel mousseline aided to bring the flesh to life with a savory, umami texture. Dessert was a Tainori chocolate mousse that had pleasant notes of hazelnut and banana, but nothing that left a signature impression on my taste buds.
The food is exceptional in quality and kind, and the Chef demonstrates great passion in his dishes. However, one must look at the entire picture as a whole to ascertain their overall dining experience. I appreciated what La Mer had to offer– they demonstrated, without question, their willingness to serve. However, I feel that the restaurant may be stuck in an era of twenty years past. Renovate the dining area to complement the high-​society, modern foodie, and you will get my complete nod of approval.

Can’t really add more to all of the other Unilocal reviews, except that this has to be the best fine dining experience I’ve been too. I thought Fiola in DC and Daniel in NYC was so good, no other place can top that. Well this place has!
The best service I’ve had with four people attending to our needs. Good pacing was spot on, waiter very informative and sincerely so nice. Felt like royalty ($ 250 per person).
We decided to do a four course menu where you can choose appetizer (or two) choice of fish and/​or meat and dessert.
With the amuse buche, gratis dessert nibblers, and honeymoon cake, and delicious bread (and that butter!!), felt like a 6 course dinner.
Every dish we had was divine. Foie gras, duck breast, lamb, lobster bisque, Hawaiian pink snapper, red snapper, and even the desserts were spot on.
Very romantic feel with awesome table spacing overlooking the beach (there is quite humidity sitting next to open doors though).
Highly recommend this place for special occasions.

This restaurant is perfect.
I didn’t want to like it. Everything I saw before I came in screamed «pretentious» like the signs about dress code. Give me a break, we’re in Hawaii, if I want to wear a sundress, I will. They say that they require evening attire, but we saw people in jeans and flip flops so the policy is basically aspirational.
The food is outstanding. It’s beautifully prepared and served and it’s just really damned tasty.
My friend and I had the 4-​course menu. After reading the reviews, it seemed like the degustation menu would be too much food. GOOD CALL (pats myself on the back). As is, with the 4 courses, plus all of the freebies, I was stuffed.
SO GOOD. Lobster bisque, the steak, the abalone, ceviche, it was all wonderful.
Yes, go here when you want to indulge. it’s totally worth the price.

It was my third time going to Oahu, and this time was for my bff’s wedding. I got extremely sick two days before the trip, and it didn’t get any better. I was looking forward to at least end the trip on a good note. We went to Azure last year and it was AMAZING (not so sure about the restaurant anymore– see my bff Karen’s experience). I knew La Mer, as a even higher-​end restaurant, would definitely top it off.
«Babe, I’m getting a bit nervous. What if I couldn’t stop coughing again? Will they kick me out?»
«Baby, I’m not surprised if they do. They are doing you a favor by giving you a table.»
Maybe it was the sincere and professional service right from the start. Maybe it was the pressure to stay composed and not cough throughout the entire meal. Maybe it was the view of the Waikiki beach and ocean wave sound. Maybe it was the server who did not once rush us to decide on our meal selections (He even took pictures for us, directed our poses, and made my bf to sit closer to me and hold hands while waiting for desserts). I only coughed twice.
I think when it comes to fine dining, you have to just experience it yourself. So stop reading all the Unilocal reviews, book it, and trust La Mer with a true

La Mer at the Halekulani is Hawaii’s only restaurant to be awarded a five-​star designation by Forbes Travel Guide. It is fine dining at its fanciest with a dress code and age restriction to boot. Guests must be at least 8 years old and that’s fine by me. My wonderful friends took me there for an unforgettable birthday celebration.
As soon as we arrived and were greeted by the hostess, we were treated with the utmost level of service. We were there to celebrate so we started off with a bottle of champagne. Cheers!
La Mer offers three menus: a tasting menu for the entire table or separate 3 course ($ 110) and 4 course ($ 145) menus, customizable to your preference. They are so accommodating that you can freely switch any of the menu items.
I went with a 3 course meal and started off with a delicious and filling lobster bisque. For my entrée I selected the opakapaka with squid ink ravioli. Amazing! For dessert, there was no question I was going to have the soufflé that came with Makaya dark chocolate chips and a trio of sauces at my disposal: coconut, mango, and spiced rum. It was seriously the best soufflé I have ever had.

After a second bottle of champagne, we continued our girl talk into the night. The wonderful thing about La Mer is the ambience. Although it is a fancy restaurant, it’s not stuffy and you are surrounded by guests having a good time. La Mer is the perfect place to celebrate a special occasion with good friends and family. It made for a very memorable birthday celebration and I would definitely recommend adding it to your must go list of restaurants. By far, La Mer is my favorite among other great restaurants like Le Bistro and Michel’s.
La Mer is located above the Orchids restaurant and serves dinner daily from 5:30pm to 9:30pm. They are available for private luncheon receptions and have 2 private dining options: a private dining room facing the ocean offers elegant dining for up to 16 guests and the Salon du Vin which can accommodate up to 22 guests.

Gary Danko (SFO,) meets Guy Savoy (LAS.). This place is the Bomb! Shouting out Herman at the bar who has «only» been working there about 20 years (many others for thirty!). All of the detail oriented finer points you could hope for. The new menu (#3,) is about to go public, and the best seat in the house is based more on time and less on location. Go around Sunset and try everything. Special occasion destination — for sure!

The restaurant is gorgeous, I’ll give it that, but our tasting menu was somewhat boring and the wine pairing was not good. I’m not complaining at all because my boyfriend and I had such a beautiful table right on the water enjoying our meal. It was so hot at night that we were sweating to death but still, beautiful night anyways.

Thank you for delivering an astonishing experience. La Mer was where my husband and I had our first dinner as husband and wife together, and it was absolutely exquisite. Our server was a gentleman and connected with us on a personal level, not just delivering our meal but serving it with grace and warm conversation– like old friends.
We were seated by an open window looking out at the ocean. As we dined we watched the sun slowly sink into the horizon and the sky melting into a palette of colours. It was so romantic and moving, and we hadn’t even gotten to the food yet.
The cuisine was complex and exquisite, with an array of flavours all fresh and exciting. Everything had a pleasant surprise, from my first cocktail, which was served with a fresh long-​stem rose, to the extra little dessert cake they surprised us with to commemorate our wedding.
La Mer is the best dining experience I’ve ever had, worth every penny. If we could return here to La Mer and Halekulani every anniversary, I would be perfectly happy. Thank you.

GREAT service! Unfortunately the food is not a big deal! Even the complete menu (not degustacion) the portions are too small and the taste is «ok» compared to the price is unfair.
Not a place to go if you are hungry!

This place is BEAUTIFUL! Perfect spot for a special occasion. Serene ambiance, dimly lit, perfect view of the ocean and a luau next door. Something straight out of a movie.
We requested a seat with a view upon reservation and they did not have a table immediately ready when we arrived, so they sat us elsewhere until one opened up. This was a bit of a hassle but no big deal.
We each opted for the 3 course menu, which cost about $ 110 a person. Entrees run pretty steep here as you can see but its the price you pay for an experience like this. Below are the 3 things I chose (in English):
Warm Appetizer:
— Sauterne Poached Foie Gras, Beef Consommé, Balsamique Reduction
Main Course:
— Filet of Beef, Foie Gras, Truffle Mousseline, Pommes Soufflés and Sauce Périgueux
Dessert:
— Chocolate Mousse
Everything was delectable and aesthetically pleasing. The foie gras was melt in your mouth good (yes, I ordered foie gras twice!). The steak was amazing and I really enjoyed the truffle mashed potatoes that came along with it. Although the plates appeared small, I was quite stuffed by the end of it all.
As for the waiters, they were wonderful! Overwhelmingly sweet and adorable. Props to them for showering us with complimentary goodies as well!