Park Restaurant

This is one of my top three restaurants in Honolulu! My friend took me here for my birthday and I hadn’t even heard of Park. She always has exquisite taste with everything so I never question her picks. Once again, she chose a gem!
The most surprising part of this experience was how Park magically transformed a seemingly ordinary cauliflower into a delectable side dish that has been permanently burned into the «must-​have» part of my memory. It was a total fluke as I only ordered it because I felt I needed some sort of vegetable to offset the Jim Beam Truffled Mac & Cheese (excellent) and the Prosciutto & Teleggio Cheese Flatbread (excellent). Turned out that the Roasted Cauliflower was my favorite of the night.
Service is great. The ambiance is relaxed, yet has a contemporary flair to give the celebration the right amount of sophistication. I will definitely be back to try all of other things on the menu.

Please explain again to me how a restaurant with swanky décor and $ 20 plates should ever play America’s top 40 radio station in their dining room… ever? I mean, I do love Kelly Clarkson but I’d rather not hear her while I’m at a nice dinner. Sorry, Kelly.
This experience was very much a let down. The only recommendations I can come out with after sampling much of their menu was that the brussels and the roasted cauliflower were amazing sides. These are also two items that don’t need too much help in being delicious, in my opinion. My friend and I also split the salmon which could not have been fresh salmon. Something about it just didn’t seem right (never a good sign with fish) and neither of us could finish it, and it wasn’t because we were full. Ugh, I’m getting the willies just thinking about it… also, service began to suffer half way through our meal and we were checked on less and less. Not worth the price tag or the calories, go elsewhere.

Saw awesome pictures of the flatbread and thought «why not».somewhere new with wine and bread.
Saturday night and our reservations were at 6:45pm but we arrived at 6:00pm. We decided to hit the bar first. Let me say service is like night and day at the bar versus the restaurant. I will definitely go back to the bar for happy hour but never back to the restaurant to dine.
Bar — The bartenders Pam and Al are great! Attentive, knowledgable and personable. Happy Hour is from 5pm-​7pm. $ 5 drinks with a nice selection of foods to munch on. Roomy seating and nice view of Kapiolani park. Flatbread is a must try piping hot and easy compliment to your drink. Try it all! The $ 25 for a bottle of wine is a steal as well. Two pages of decent selections.
Restaurant — Where to begin? Service is bad. Our waitress was like a cocktail waitress not bothering to tell us the specials and writing our order down on a napkin. Barely made any conversation regarding our meals if it was ok… etc. odd considering this is supposed to be an upscale place. Food came out quickly. Bread was cold and tasted old. Orchiette pasta dish was over cooked. The braised lamb was nothing special. The molten lava cake tasted like old chocolate bread injected with hot Hersey choco sauce. Not memorable at all. Bill took longer than meal to receive. Couldn’t get out of there quick enough.
Yep. Definitely come for Happy Hour!
Dine in the restaurant… well…be patient. It’s ok.

One star for the food, no stars for anything else!
Apparently there’s a new chef and although the food was pretty good, I had chosen to go there based on the previous chef’s background and menu. So yeah, the menu is different from what you’ll see online or on Unilocal.
Besides the new chef, I guess the entire staff had also changed within the week and even days before my dining experience. This may very well be the reason for the most appalling, unpleasant restaurant service that I have EVER received in my ENTIRE life!
Party of 16 at 6pm…
Apparently, there was only one server on the whole night with a whole lot of good for nothing support staff (including management). I mean, shouldn’t the managers be taking orders and stepping in if they’re short on servers? These busboys didn’t fill the waters, didn’t bring out any bread, didn’t do jack! No wonder the server was sinking!
We didn’t even know that they offered bread until we were completely done with dinner and my friend asked a busboy what the butter on the table was for. Oh, then thy came put with bread but not for the entire table. I guess it was just for the side that asked about the butter.
They brought out all sorts of appetizers that no one ordered but we didn’t wanna make things harder so we kept it and paid for it.
I wanted a wine glass for my friend so I asked the server and he snapped at me saying he was getting everyone’s order first.
The birthday cake came out while I was in the bathroom so my friend told him she’s not at the table and he blew out the candles on the cake himself.
They cut the cake and served it to us but some people barely got slivers and some got larger pieces so we thought the cake ran out but they came by and gave me my leftover cake which was still a quarter of the cake!
The host was never at the front desk so all my friends had to text me and ask where we were in the restaurant.
Our bill came out to $ 800+ and although they did not add on the auto gratuity since my friends had complained about the service to the manager, we still left the server more than 18%.
If you wanna dine here, WAIT!!! I’m not sure that it can get that much better by the acts of management but I give this place no more than 6 months before closing or changing ownership/​management!

Valet– Check
Beautiful Ambiance– Check
Food– delicious especially their Happy Hour menu 5−7pm (Kauai shrimp flat bread, mahi mahi entrée)
Drinks– Check, cheap bottle of wines during happy hour of only $ 25
SERVICE-​BAD BAD BAD
Came here this past weekend for a good friend of mines birthday and with a party of 18 people and that night not being a busy night, I would’ve thought our service would’ve been a lot better than what we actually got. For example:
1.) Me and 5 other people got there 1^st (including the birthday girl) a little before our reservation time of 6pm and we were not given water nor a wine menu until moments later. When we wanted to order food and 2 bottles of wine we had to flag down the buser and other workers working to place our order. Then we were not given all 5 wine glasses for all of us, so we needed to ask for wine glasses AFTER our bottles came to our table.
2.) While placing our dinner order, my friend who was the guest of honor (birthday girl) asked our waiter for something and she was given attitude by our own waiter. He told her «I’m trying to take everyone’s order first and I’m doing the best I can» It was such a rude way to talk to someone with that sarcasm and tone of voice.
3.) While we were all eating our dinner, one of my friends asked the waiter «oh what is this butter on our table for?»…It’s because that butter is for the house bread that was supposed to have been given to us BEFORE our entrée and even BEFORE all of our appetizers came! When our bread did come to our table, they didn’t even bring enough bread to feed the whole table. In fact, they only brought half and although the bread was delicious, it was ridiculous to only bring 1 basket of cold bread.
4.) Throughout the whole dinner, our waiter was nowhere to be around and when he was around he was always ignoring us, and instead catering to his smaller tables in front of us… not cool!
5.) When we had enough, I asked a worker to call for the manager to come by and she did and several of us explained to her about our experience and all she said was of course she was sorry and how she was only under new management of several days and blah blah blah… we were all over it. The owner also came by to the birthday girl and apologized… nice gesture but still doesn’t make up for the entire night’s experience.
1 more after we spoke to the manager/​owner
6.) We brought our own cake and candles for our table and when me, the birthday girl and 2 other girls went into the ladies room to freshen up, we walked out of the bathroom (that was located by the kitchen door) and luckily, I was the first to exit and saw that our waiter coming out with our lit up cake so I told him discreetly to go back into the kitchen because the birthday girl was still in the restroom… instead of doing what I asked, he instead BLEW OUT THE CANDLES OF OUR OWN CAKE and I was shocked, my friends were shocked and the birthday girl was shocked who was walking out of the bathroom while he did that and saw the whole thing! Who the heck does that? Who blows out a birthday cake before the birthday girl, especially when we are eating that cake (whom he doesn’t know) after it’s been blown out. I’ve never seen someone do that nor even apologized and the restaurant never even comp us for new desserts because of it.
7.) Once they cut our already blown out cake out for us, they brought it in the kitchen to be cut and everyone received all thinly slices of cake except the birthday girl of course. But what made us all shake our head again was, after they brought out the cake, they brought a to-​go box of «half of the other part of the cake» for the birthday girl to take home. I mean why not just cut the cake all evenly, except the birthday girl and minus the other part for her to bring home. It was odd and something we once again haven’t experienced before.
8.) With a party of 18, we were shocked to not have seen then already included gratuity in our bill, but because we were all nice people whom some worked for the restaurant biz we decided to still pay and include the 18% tip that was not earned.
***I’ve told my friends, people on my IG, coworkers and now Unilocal of that horrible experience. I’ve also suggest people not go there unless they wanted to be treated that way*** Please get your service in check because it really is a nice restaurant with good food and location but service is something that we count and pay for.

Keep your expectations in check.
Think casual dining in Lisbon, Provence or Campania. Their comfort food, not always perfect but driven by seasonal and regional availability enjoyed in a comfortable setting with great company. Hold that thought and you will enjoy Park Restaurant.
The flavors have been tamed to create a cohesive menu while still paying homage to their origin. Sometimes «creativity» kick in and… let’s just say soggy popcorn croutons on a watermelon salad.
For starters, do not pass the grilled octopus with potatoes. Smoked paprika adds an earthiness to the tender octopus. A bright, parsley verde adds a clean garlic, vegetal finish. The almost fluffy texture of the potato contrast nicely with the texture of the octopus. The pea soup is excellent with good depth of pea flavor well complemented by the gently cooked bacon. Flatbreads are OK. Hand formed, gently seasoned, thin crust with various combinations of often ill prepared toppings (over cooked, undercooked, wilted etc…). No complaints during happy hour but otherwise, expensive for the quality.
For mains, one dish stands above the rest; Portuguese pork and beans. Beautifully braised and rendered then seared pork belly with perfectly cooked clams and tender white beans is excellent.
Unfortunately «creativity»; as the gnocchi lamb ragu misses the mark. The gnocchi alone is excellent. Pillows enveloped in an excellent pea pure with the hint of mint for vibrancy. The lamb does not belong. It muddies the flavor of the gnocchi which in turn brings out the gamey flavor in the lamb.
Warm and comfortable dining room with an inviting lounge. Resort friendly service.
Great concept for wines; 25 bottles for $ 25. Simple wines that match the simple food.
A welcome addition to the Waikiki food scene.

Sigh… this place really brings back great memories.
Oops, I don’t mean the restaurant itself, but where the restaurant is located. All those great memories of coming here when it was Bobby McGees. The good happy hours, funny costumes by the staff, and the best part, after hours dancing and checking out the «patrons». :) Anyway, Park Restaurant doesn’t tarnish the happy memories at all; this place was really good. In fact, it greatly adds to the already happy thoughts of this location.
I’m always game for trying out new places and after seeing all the rave reviews of this place, we had to try it out. I’d say the entire experience was exceptional.
We started out with the Pea soup, and the Mac and cheese. Both were good, really hearty and rich. After reading Amara’s review, we knew to have both the pea/​bacon ragu and the creamy soup together. The pea/​bacon ragu on it’s own is too salty so breaking that saltiness with the creaminess of the soup works out perfectly.
For dinner we had the Ribeye and the Osso Bucco. Both were done perfectly and had really good flavor. The only thing my friend didn’t like about the ribeye was the sea asparagus but I thought it was OK. My osso bucco was delish, I would definitely get that again.
For dessert we had a deconstructed Pina Colada. That was good. A small pastry with a small scoop of coconut ice cream and a pineapple compote with a thin dried pineapple garnish.
Everything was exceptional, the chic ambiance, the service, and the nicely thought out, rich, and bold flavored food.
I really need to come here to try their happy hour drinks and menu, that looks like it would be really good.

Park Restaurant may very well be my new favorite hangout. We were immediately whisked away to a table upon walking in (we didn’t have reservations). I instantly fell in love with its cozy and relaxing ambience. From the dim lighting to the fancy, yet unpretentious atmosphere, everything was perfect.
In addition to the main dining area, there’s also a bar area and lounge tables set off to the side of the restaurant. Great for date nights or pau hana with a group of friends.
Although «upscale casual» was mentioned over the phone, I noticed people in shorts and t-​shirts. Our server told us that some people would even walk in to have dinner right after a beach session, sandy feet and all. I like that they’re not snooty and strict about the dress code.
Happy hour is DAILY from 5pm-​7pm.
— $ 5 on most appetizers
— $ 5 beers, wines and selected cocktails
— After happy hour, their house red & white wines are $ 7. Belvedere vodka was $ 9. Still pretty reasonable.
We didn’t make it in time for happy hour, but we both left very happy and satisfied with everything that we had ordered.
GRILLED OCTOPUS (appetizer, $ 10):
— Super tender and flavorful morsels of octopus. The best grilled tako I’ve had yet, I shit you not.
— The smoked paprika helped in bringing out the natural sweetness of the delicate tako. And as if it wasn’t delectable enough, they had to throw in perfectly-​fried fingerling potatoes and that oh-​so-​addicting parsley verde.
— The vinegary-​garlicky crack sauce was so versatile that it went well with everything. I sopped up every last drop of it with the flatbread we ordered, it’s that good!
**This was definitely my favorite dish of the night. We loved it so much that we ordered a second one.
«PORK & BEANS» ($ 24):
— Two large pieces of pork belly (the small clams seemed unnecessary though) sits on top a bed of savory white beans stew. The pork belly was tender and soft enough to cut with just a fork.
— Don’t let the portion size fool you. It was filling and more than enough for my friend and I to share.
PARK OYSTERS ($ 3 each):
Happiness is a plate of neatly shucked oysters, and Park Restaurant definitely did not disappoint. By far, the freshest oysters I’ve had in a long time in Honolulu.
— Chopped cucumbers topped off with a dollop of seaweed butter foam.
— I couldn’t taste the seaweed essence too much, but each bite was pure bliss nonetheless.
PROSCIUTTO & TALEGGIO CHEESE FLATBREAD ($ 12):
— I’m in love w/​its crunchy cracker-​like texture, couldn’t stop eating it!
— Taleggio cheese tends to be a bit intense in aroma, but has a nice tangy fruit finish that lingers on your tongue. Paring it with their sweet-​but-​tart homemade «tomato jam» was brilliant and very successful.
***There was very little prosciutto. The pieces that were present were unfortunately beyond crisp, so its saltiness got lost in the cheese and tomato jam. Thicker slices would’ve worked better.
KAMPACHI CRUDITES ($ 11):
Thinly-​sliced radish and Hawaiian Yellowtail are seasoned with a harissa-​citrus vinaigrette (the picture just doesn’t do it any justice).
— The kampachi was clean-​tasting and literally melted in my mouth.
— I’ve never been a fan of yellowtail, but wanted to give it a try since there’s harissa chili sauce listed in the dish (spicy sauce comprised of roasted red peppers, chilies, serano peppers, garlic and other spices).
**Unfortunately there was no spicy kick (nor tickle for that matter) at all, all I tasted was the very tart citrus vinaigrette.
Overall, I had a great experience at Park Restaurant and can’t wait to come back for more grilled octopus (please make it into an entrée!)!

I wanted to take my mom to a nice place for her birthday dinner and landed upon this place. They have happy hour from 5pm to 7pm where their flatbreads are $ 5 and they have $ 5 house wine. We ended up having that as our appetizer before our actual dinner. The mushroom and corn flatbread was ok, but the Kauai shrimp flatbread was good! We even got the ahi tartare but my parents both wanted to put on shoyu since it lacked some sort of flavor.
For dinner, we got the mushroom soup which was too rich and salty I couldn’t finish it. My mom got the mahi mahi which came with asparagus, but the asparagus weren’t de-​stringed at the bottom that it was not possible to eat it. I got the gnocchi, which I thought was one of the softest smoothest gnocchi I’ve ever had, but the flavor was way too strong. I could only eat a few bites and I took the rest home.
For dessert, they gave my mom a goat cheese raspberry cake, which I thought was horrible since I don’t like goat cheese. I think my parents were just forcing to eat it since it was complimentary since it was her birthday.
My dad said he felt like he was eating lunch instead of dinner since the tables didn’t have a table cloth on it. For the price you pay, you figure they’d at least have a table cloth.
I don’t think this restaurant will last because on a Saturday night, the place was pretty empty.

There was a sense of nostalgia sitting in Park Restaurant… although the restaurant itself is new, it’s just a feeling you get from being here — at the now Lotus hotel — reminiscing to the good old days of when this place was Bobby McGree’s, and then the Diamond Head Grill…
So my girlfriends and I came to give Park Restaurant a try. The owners, servers, and everyone there was so nice! The menu was also pretty interesting. But in all honesty, the dishes were hit and miss. Some were good, some were eh. And I know this is going to sound weird but my favorite dish here was the cauliflower. I know I know, cauliflower. That’s like saying brussel sprouts (which I happen to love too). But it was so good!!!
There was also live music that night. It was a nice atmosphere. Not crowded, not loud. Just right.

«14 countries. One address. A deliciousness that can’t be described in any language.» What a clever tagline! Everything from the restaurant’s impressive website to the wonderful experience I had there conveys to me the Park team’s incredible sense of pride and genuine passion in bringing a different flavor to Oahu’s fine dining scene. We have a great number of fancy European, Asian, and Asian fusion restaurants but as far as I know, Park is the first Mediterranean fine dining restaurant to grace the shores of Waikiki.
The restaurant is chic and romantic – definitely the kind of place for celebrating an anniversary or a birthday. The bar and lounge area are inviting and elegant – perfect for a date or a group of friends to catch up. The service is impeccable – my waitress knew all the nuances of the menu and made excellent recommendations. Water was refilled often and we were attentively but unobtrusively serviced throughout the night.
Park shines in both the food and drink department. The bar offers a great selection of unique (and strong!) cocktails and beers. There is happy hour every day from 5 to 7 PM, where they offer $ 5 beer, wine, and cocktails. There is also a $ 5 food menu that includes flatbreads and other food items. And in case you haven’t heard already, they have 25 wines that go for just $ 25 each. A bottle of high quality wine for just $ 25…if you know of a better deal than that, please let me know!
The lamb spare ribs appetizer were delicious… juicy with a nice crisp on the outside and great flavor. I had their housemade potato gnocchi & lamb ragu. Their potato gnocchi were pillows of potato goodness on a bed of creamy pea purée… sooo good!!! The lamb ragu was pretty good – I just wish it had a bit more sauce. I got to try a few bites of the pork & beans, the actual dish of which is much fancier than what the name belies. The pork is actually pork belly that is seared to perfection and plated beautifully.
In short, I would love to go back to Park sometime and try more of their drinks and dishes. If you are looking for a place with fantastic food, drinks, service, and ambiance, make Park your destination – you won’t be disappointed!

Wow… wow…wow…I did not expect the food to be so flavorful. When we ordered the flatbread tako with ragu the flavors bursted in my mouth. The Wine selection is amazing. They have 25 bottles of great wines for $ 25.00 finally a hidden jewel in Waikiki where the price fits your wallet.
The service was spot on. Ui is awesome. If you come by to Park and ask for Ui, the local girl knows her stuff

Park restaurant is located in Waikiki, but not in the busy area. If you head over in the evening, there’s plenty of street parking available. Very inconspicuous location and not an area you’d expect for high quality food.
From the get-​go the waitress kind of blew my mind with how much she could remember about the wine list and daily specials. She must have spoken to us for about five minutes just describing what was in the specials. Very impressive!
APPETIZERS:
Pistachio Pesto and Housemade sausage flatbread
Crispy flatbread served with ricotta, olive oil, fennel, sausage and pesto. The ricotta and sausage are made in-​house! Lots of flavor and not overpowering.
Pea soup
Their famous pea soup! Fancy presentation and bold flavors. Pea soup was smooth and creamy. The bacon, shallot and pea ragu was very salty, but a nice contrast to the pea soup surrounding it. (Be sure to take small bites and eat them together. I made the mistake of grabbing a spoonful of the ragu; it was like shoving pure salt in my mouth.)
Park Oyster
Oyster seasoned with seaweed butter, chives and lemon over a bed of salt. Edible sand and seaweed on the side. Absolutely gorgeous presentation!
ENTREES:
Chicken and Farro
Fabulous presentation! The chicken was so tender and juicy… I never knew chicken could taste that way. Meant to be eaten with farro risotto.
«Just Caught» Salmon
Salmon was served with curried lentils, olive oil, pineapple, pickled cauliflower, yogurt and rosemary. The salmon was moist and tender. Very fresh and well-​cooked. What was fun about this dish was that the pineapple and pickled cauliflower were arranged just so that each bite would have a slightly different flavor, one slightly sweet and one slightly vinegary. This may have been the most deliciously prepared salmon I’ve ever had.
DESSERTS:
Goat cheese tarte
Spongy cake with goat cheese center surrounded in a hibiscus and raspberry sauce. Smelled scrumptious, looked amazing, and probably would taste reallllly good — if you like goat cheese. Unfortunately, I no can handle…
Chocolate mouse with ganache, pistachio, and brittle
I loved the design of this dish! My photo doesn’t do it justice, but it was so creative and modern. The chocolate mouse had a truffle-​like center with a mousse/​ganache coating. Meant to be eaten with the bits of pistachio, brittle, and orange zest. Not my favorite dessert, but certainly my favorite design.
PRESENTATION:
I’ve never had food that was presented so beautifully and creatively. You could tell that the chef put a lot of thought into each design and I’d like to think he imagined how people would eat their dishes and designed it accordingly. His presentation was very modern, daring and just gorgeous to look at. I couldn’t rave about it enough!
OVERALL:
Excellent service! Everyone was very friendly, knew the menu well and was very attentive about taking away empty plates and replenishing water & bread.
Delicious food! Fusion can be tricky and sometimes downright awkward, but the chef knows how to blend flavors spectacularly.
I most certainly will be back for more… perhaps when they come out with their foie gras shaved ice. You heard me right!
SIDE NOTE:
The waitress said the chef will likely take off the most popular items from the menu soon. Bye, bye pea soup. It’s refreshing to find a chef who is confident enough in his abilities to remove the most popular items off the menu and who is passionate enough to refine his craft.

We were looking for an alternative to Alan Wong’s since we’ve tried it before. We also wanted a place that would not break the bank. The Park fit the bill perfectly. Opened only a month ago, I only found out about it thanks to a tip from local Elite Unilocaler, Lori I. She also recommended Le Bistro.
We started on the right foot with the wine list, 25 decent wines for only $ 25. We decided on the Catena Malbec, which is $ 20 retail. Pretty aggressive pricing for a nice restaurant. We also fell in love with our waitress, Hayley, who was a Megan Fox and Angelina Jolie lookalike with Cameron Diaz’ personality!
We tried the famous Pea Soup, not something I would normally order. It was smooth and not too rich, just the right texture. For the kids, we ordered the Lamb Ribs and Sausage Flatbread from the Happy Hour Menu. Both were outstanding, and the lamb was finger licking good. Our favorite dish was the Roasted Octopus with fingerling potatoes. The Octopus was flavorful, while the potatoes were crisp to perfection.
After a string of winners, our main entrée, the Osso Bucco was a bit of an anti-​climax. Though the meat was so tender it practically fell off the bone, I would have preferred a different, less creamy sauce. Hubby enjoyed it more than me.
In lieu of dessert, we went with the Charcuterie platter. There were hits and misses on the plate, but overall complemented our wine nicely.
We were impressed with this newcomer and welcomed their pricing structure. We will definitely be back to try different items on the menu!

The Park is a new cozy little restaurant that has great food and drinks. It’s located in the Aqua Lotus hotel which is near the Aquarium in Waikiki. There is valet parking down in front of the hotel and there is also metered parking across the street next to Kapiolani Park. The restaurant is located on the second floor and it has a spacious layout. Bar on the left, tables set comfortably in the middle, and a special glass room that houses a long dinner table that I Must eat in one day haha.
After asking out waitress for recommendations we finally got down to some eating. I first got the lamb sparerib as an appetizer. Was very juicy and had a great sauce on it, looking back I wish I had got another order of this. For my main dish, I had the Pork and Beans. Of course this was no pork and beans from a can, the pork was quite tender and very savory and the beans were a good compliment to the pork. I also got to try the housemade Gnocchi which was really good. The potatoes were so addicting and just melted in your mouth. For dessert I had the goat cheese tart which was «okay». It was more of a cake than a tart in my opinion, but was still quite tasty and had nice flavors.
Even though the food was great, I thought the drinks here were fantastic. They have a vast array of cocktails and a good selection of beer. They also had Chimay which is always a plus in my book haha. They also offer 25 different bottles of wine for $ 25 which was a really nice deal and the red I had went great with my Pork and Beans.
I really liked the Park Restaurant as it’s a very nice place to dine and relax. They also have a few couches and seats at the bar and I can easily see myself coming here for pau hana, grabbing some appetizers and a few drinks while overlooking Kapiolani Park and just relaxing the stress away!

Reasonable pricing for the ambiance provided. Our server Lisa provided exceptional service along with superb recommendation.
Things to note, there are two separate menus, one for the bar which are pupus and one for the dinning table which includes the entrée and excludes some of the cheaper pupus on th bar menu.
I recommend getting one of the $ 25 bottle of wines and the fresh catch of the day –New Zealand Salmon, which melted in my mouth to the last bite.
Dont get the oyster… I am a die hard oyster fan and the photo of the Park Oyster is absolutely jaw dropping and beautiful. but it came out not cold not hot but room temperature… My eyes visualization is telling my brain EAT IT EAT IT!!! However, my conscious self is telling me NOOOOOO!!!

It seemed like just another day of being a corporate robot stuck in the cubicle farm waiting to be plucked free. It all changed with a simple phone call and I was soon on my way to the opening night and a tasting menu with a fun group of fellow foodies.
Park showcases a very interesting array of food that is well thought out and sure to please. While I get the «Mediterranean» influences for its menu, I feel that you will end up saying this is not my (insert Mediterranean country here) grandmother’s food. It was still very damn good.
Our group started with the charcuterie and a duo of flatbreads with the kale potato and pistachio sausage. The cured meats were simple, well done, and beautifully presented with pickled seasonal vegetables that were a perfect complement. The flatbreads were flavorful and created a rustic euphoric experience in my mouth that said simple, but offered a much more depth of flavor.
The grilled watermelon salad was the perfect balance of sweet and salty with the right hint of smoke to the watermelon that was topped with a beautifully salty flavor of the stilton and pepper from the arugula. The smoky aroma was accentuated by the paprika popcorn that would put any theater to shame (I apologize but I had no good popcorn comparison). The oysters were boldly fresh and allowed to shine on their own.
The pea soup, while sounding simple, was the triumphant highlight of the evening and was the perfect harmony of sweet and savory. Served beautifully table side, the fresh peas and bacon were accompanied by a sweet pea broth that was a beautiful density and hinted with the perfect pinch of mint. If you had to have one thing on its menu, this would be what I’d have. It was just done right… It is one of those dishes you will be hard pressed to be disappointed and find fault in.
The seared ahi with potatoes and lemon aioli was a tribute to the freshness of the fish and to call the ribeye the low point of the evening is truly a blessing to say. While I say it was the low-​point, it was beautifully cooked and the sea asparagus chimichurri showcased the briny flavors of the sea making it almost come across as a surf and turf. For the meat lovers, certainly try this dish.
Savory desserts are hard to find, but I have to say Chef Collantes does an amazing job. I don’t like coconut and I rarely like tapioca, but the chai tea coconut tapioca shooter was really damn good and offered a great mix with the sweetness of coconut blending with the earthy flavors of the chai and the mix of textures. The goat cheese tart was definitely my favorite (although goat cheese isn’t for everyone) and the pistachio sponge cake with mango certainly for those with a bit of a sweet tooth.
The ambiance is lively with a good feeling for groups or that romantic evening. While its location is off the beaten path and let’s be honest, far from everything else in its own little cocoon, make the trek: it is worth it. They offer complimentary valet parking with validation, so don’t waste your time driving around Kapiolani park over and over again.
Service is still working its kinks out but that is to be expected for the opening month. Still very good and their service experience exuding the classic serving from the left and collecting from the right. These small details added up and for its price point, a rare find.
Chef Collantes and Park join a rising group that are helping to not just redefine our culinary landscape but also help define the rising generation of chefs. If it fails, it will not be due to its food or service, but the fact all of us were too lazy to make an extra four minute drive to tip of Diamond Head. So make the drive, valet your car, and experience one of those meals that make you feel like Oliver Twist when he says «Please sir, I would like some more.»
You can bet I’ll be there over and over again… not to take the dukedom away from Chuggy Bear, but because I want my taste buds to experience those flavors every day.

$ 25 BOTTLES OF WINE!!!
Park offers 25 different bottles of wine for only $ 25, and they’re not shabby picks in any way. Swig back a couple of those, play some house music in your head, and it’s just like the good old times of clubbing at the W.
I love the crispy and delicate texture of the flatbreads, and they taste wonderful. Then again, I will be the first to admit that I think everything tastes pretty damn good after a few glasses of wine. My friend and I shared the Pistachio Pesto and Sausage flatbread and the Prosciutto and Taleggio flatbread, and both were great, but we agreed that the Pistachio Pesto shined a little brighter. I’m definitely going back to try the other flatbreads.
The Lamb Spareribs are nice — a little gamey, but extremely tender, flavorful, and goes well with the pickled vegetables. The other bar menu items seem enticing and delicious, and you can also order from the regular dinner menu as well.
Service at the bar was just plain awesome. The bartender, Keani, was extremely friendly, quick and efficient, and gave us great food and drink recommendations. The Park seems like a nice place for a date or romantic dinner, but I had a great time getting a little sloppy and chilling at the bar.

We went opening night with a fantastic group of foodies.
Being in a private Wine Room isn’t all bad. The privacy is nice when the Chef comes out to announce the different courses. Most importantly the group could talk among itself without interruption.
We really enjoyed the evening and company and food.
The deets are discussed in the other reviews and we are in total agreement.

Great service, spectacular food, and warm ambiance. First rate dining experience here at Park Restaurant.
We were blessed with a wonderful experience here at Park. We started with the oyster appetizer and a flatbread from the bar menu. The oysters were small, but packed full of flavor. They laid in a bed of sea salt and topped with special sauce. Delicious! The flatbread we ordered was an interesting combination of sausage and pistachio pesto, and was delightful and light as a starter.
Our main course consisted of the ribeye, which was cooked to tender perfection, and topped with sea asparagus. What a wonderful garnish! I had the catch of the day which was the Ahi. One piece was a little on the rare side from what I ordered, but since I like sashimi, I didn’t mind too much.
Our dessert was the goat cheese tart, which was dressed with raspberries and a hibiscus reduction sauce. It was a very nice way to end our dinner. I would recommend it with a coffee to end the evening.
Our server was very attentive all night, and the busboy was constantly filling our waters.
Overall our experience was great, and we would go there again!