Downtown Restaurants

As you eat a meal at Merriman's, you can tell that each ingredient is selected with care. Sure enough, when I asked I found out the food is locally sourced from farms that the owners and Chef know and trust. Many items are hand selected by the box, not the truck load. Since the Chef from Maui transferred over to Merriman's Oʻahu, our entrees have been especially ono. At lunch today I planned to take home one of my two fish (ahi) tacos. No way! I couldn't stop finishing both. Last night my husband and I walked into Merriman's without reservations and sat at the bar. Who cares if we didn't get a table? The gregarious host, Cody Merriman, stopped by to share a laugh or two and answer our questions about the menu. My husband ordered their chicken entree for dinner and said it was the best chicken he'd ever had. And my taro falafel was also delicious. We can't resist their Waialua Chocolate Purse for dessert. I felt a little decadent afterward, but what the heck? There are lots of restaurants in our neighborhood, but for five years now we keep coming back to Merriman's which seems to be even better the last six months. Could it be the addition of the Maui Chef? We like the vibe. Energetic without being so loud you cannot carry on a conversation. We both think their Hawaiian music playlist is the best in the City. Wish I could think of something negative to say to make this review real. But having just come back from a great lunch with memories of a wonderful dinner there last night, I am only happy and satisfied.

Service was excellent and very attentive! We ordered, 1) Octopus w/greens which was ok as I’ve tried others with more flavor, 2) Lobster Pan Roast was good with a good variety of seafood but gravy was a little too rich, 3) ribeye steak with bone-in was excellent with good marbling n seasoning, 4) smashed potatoes was ok but I probably would just order a regular baked potato next time, 5) corn brûlée was the least favorite as it was too sweet with the cream like sauce that you couldn’t taste the corn so we hardly touched it and last but not least 6) dessert was beignets with vanilla macadamia nut ice cream n chocolate sauce …. excellent!!! They also had a live saxophone player that was very good. He did go around the restaurant playing at tables but didn’t make it to ours but that’s ok as we didn’t want to be disturbed but did enjoy his music from a distance. I would come back and try other side dishes with my steak again.

Gotta love Moju Kitchen! The food is fresh and the cocktails are potent. We’ve never had a bad experience at this restaurant. Their happy hour is good and you should take advantage of it before the big rushes. The food tag is a little higher than average but it’s worth knowing it always come out perfect. And besides, if you live in Honolulu and you want perfect food, great cocktails, and live music, you’re gonna pay a little extra knowing it will be worth it. Staff has always been friendly and we like the options of both indoor and outdoor seating. We will be back!

We had a marvelous dining experience - the food was excellent, only surpassed by the service. Our server, Tyson, explained everything, was patient, indulgent, funny, personable and professional. We happened to be there before 6 pm, so Tyson let us know that the Ruth's Classics were still available, which we were unaware of, so 2 of our party took advantage of this; basically, a prix fixe menu, with starter, entree with sides and dessert - a great deal, being able to sub where you want to add something. Steaks were cooked to perfection, the creamed spinach is to die for; quality!! Would highly recommend!!

Really love the vibe of this place, as well as the beer! Food, so far on several visits, has been consistently good! Staff are friendly, but they are not great at checking on you when you need it - like just after your food comes to see if you need anything else. But that is a minor issue and won't stop us from returning to this fun, laid-back brewery restaurant.