Best Buffet

[*pinao*]

Re: Best buffett

just to put my two cents in... or no cents.. since Im all broke..

but yeah WILLOWS gets my points! Love that place. Ive been there like maybe twice.. but definitely will go back when I get more money!

[Vanguard]

Re: Best buffett

In my opinion, the buffet at the Royal Hawaiian Hotel is the best one on Oahu.

And yes, I did live in Hawaii. I'm not speaking as a tourist who never left Waikiki :P

[damontucker]

Re: Best buffett

I forgot about the outter islands...

The Naniloa in Hilo on the Big Island....*Cough* "The Naniloa Volcanoes Resort" now *Cough*
http://www.naniloaresort.com/

Did have an excellent buffet... Has anyone been there since the new name branding?

[Hellbent]

Re: Best buffett

My sister went to one at Parc, she said it was good, but $45 a head.

[pzarquon]

Re: Best buffett

Seconding (or thirding or fourthing) The Willows. Know how I mentioned that canoe table? It's as nice as I thought it'd be out there.

My family has had several large events at Treetops in Paradise Park. Nothing spectacular, but decent and an interesting location to be sure.

The Oceanarium in the Pacific Beach Hotel is pretty good, and you get to watch all the fish swim by while you're eating their cousins...

I wonder if they still have those giant stingrays in there. I imagine the "mermaids" were a bit reluctant to come to work the day after dear Steve Irwin passed!

[achow]

Re: Best buffett

The Willows, John Dominis, Makino Chaya, Todai, The Oceanarium, Pagoda, and Turtle Bay

[Pomai]

Re: Best buffett

The best "buffett" is Jimmy Buffett. Sorry, couldn't resist that typo. lol Pass me a Margarita.

One thing frustrating about an elaborate buffet with so many choices is just that. The indecision sets in and you regret eating this.. should've tried that. Ya' know what I mean?

Whatever the case, AVOID the fillers like rice or noodles. Go for the GOLD! Sashimi, Poke, King Crab Legs and Prime Rib. Craig is in with me on this one.

[dallascat70]

Re: Best buffett

I agree with Lynn that the buffet at the Plaza is not bad, but it does lean more on the "breakfast" part of "brunch." I am not a big fan of all-you-can-eat situations, but my family goes to the Ihilani a couple of times a year, and it's wonderful. Really, really good food. Unfortunately, some of the best stuff is the starchy stuff, which they say you're supposed to stay away from at these places. My sister scorns me for loading up on the excellent potato salad, but screw her: she's not paying the bill (my dad is, and he's fine with it!). The attitude with the food at these places is often not to take any care with the food. The food at the Ihilani is always carefully prepared, and I appreciate that. It's nice if you get a view of the pool, too.

Chan's Gourmet (their word, not mine!) Buffet is only passable, but its inexpensive and very tolerant of party noise. Some of the groups in there are ridiculously loud sometimes. I don't like it much, but I go every so often when I need a LOT of time to eat and work -- I never feel rushed when I'm there, and sometimes this reading I have to do is crazy long.

I hate to do this BUT are you serious? Ive been to Chans and I was lucky that my family made it out alive, I know some people MUST like it-cause as I stood outside barfing the crap I just ate-I did notice tour buses (pcc?) unloading there. Just all around gross, lousy food (including warm foods that should be cold) and just all in all- GROSS! Yes, it is cheap, I cant believe tho anyone eats there on purpose, I cant believe you said was passable!
Each their own I say-and I say its the worst place Ive ever been too!

[CranBeree]

Re: Best buffett

Hawaii Prince

[WindwardOahuRN]

Re: Best buffett

Sunday brunch at John Dominis. It's why God made elastic waistbands.

http://www.johndominis.com/sunday_brunch.htm

[christinek]

Re: Best buffett

I want to try this one when we return to Oahu...

http://samchoy.com/restaurants_dh_menu_brunchs.html

[melemac]

Re: Best buffett

we love crab legs, and our favorite place is HoHo's in Kapolei. Mon-Thurs dinner buffet is $14! it's chinese, some good stuff but we mainly go because of the crab legs! and that's from someone who lives in honolulu and drives to kapolei just for crab legs! the crab in Hanaki in manoa is ok but we like HOHO's more.

[Erika Engle]

Re: Best Buffet

My two favorite buffet experiences:

Sunday champagne brunch at Orchids, at Halekulani ... of course, I was with my forever love, looking at one of the most famous stretches of beach and expanse of azure waters in the world. I'm sure the food was fabulous -- but it's the memory I really treasure.

Prince Court at the Hawaii Prince Hotel in Waikiki. Did someone say crab legs? Everything you could possibly want (as far as I can imagine) is there. The de rigueur omelet station, sushi station, hot dishes, cold dishes, salads, oxtail soup, even. Also kind of heavy on the Japanese stuff, considering the hotel's ownership and its predominant census (not that I'm complaining, I love that). The desserts are also wonderful, so save room! The service has been excellent each time I've gone.

I know I've been to others, but the euphoric sensory overload of writing about these two has blocked them out.

[Pomai]

Re: Best Buffet

JP originally said not to mention this place, but I must proclaim, the new Makino Chaya at Aloha Tower is the bomb, baby! Our office gang went there for lunch yesterday and we were just amazed. Everyone in the restaurant was. You could hear folks "oohing and ahhhing" just looking at all the food.

This place gives Willows some serious hard rubs, especially considering it's half the price at only $12.95/person for lunch. They definately blew Todai out of the park. I can't even fathom how they make money charging that little for sooooooo much all-you-can eat FOOD! We're not talking "just food". We're talking everything from Alaskan King Crab legs to Ahi Nigiri Sushi to cooked-to-order Teppanyaki steaks! Wow!

Here's my first round...



Make that my only round. After all that I was stuffed.

You know, it's kinda' frustrating with buffet restaurants that have so many great choices, because you only have so much stomach space. As you can see, I refrain from the starches, going strictly for the gold. As in seafood gold!

The soup (technically stew) on the top in the second photo is Oden. It tasted like they used the same oden nomoto I used making my version. I love that had Konnyaku in it (that purplish, black-dotted thing), and lots of various Kamaboko (fish cake) in the steamer to choose from. I wish it had Kombu Maki, but that's OK, it was still oishii. Below the Oden is Miso soup. Pretty basic, but it worked.


The selections on my main plate (top photo) includes (clockwise from top): Roast Beef (great flavor, but tough), shrimp and vegetable tempura (just as great as Hanaki!), "Rainbow" Sushi, (not bad, but not great) Baked Oyster with Bak Choi cream sauce (ono), steamed chili Basa (fish, but not Saba!, mild, moist flavor), Shrimp Tempura Maki, Gyoza (fantastic), Glazed Button Mushrooms (great), seafood shumai and pork shumai (ono).

The crab legs (third photo) were a standout winner. Tasted like they deep-fried them, with a heavy pepper and butter flavor. Yum. That alone over-justified the price of admission.

I can't remember the Japanese name of dish on top in the 4th photo, but it was basically a slice of tako, shrimp and fresh ahi on a dollop of rice, topped with a chiffonade Shiso leaf. The other dish is stewed clams. Both were sugoi oishii desu!

And that was just nipping the bud. There is just WAYYYY TOO MUCH TO CHOOSE. I don't know if I was in buffet bliss or simply mad that I didn't have space to try everything! lol What I showed you is probably less than 1/4th of the total item selections available for lunch at MC AT.

You just have to go for yourself and try the new Makino Chaya location at Aloha Tower. It's much better than the King St. location, IMO (I've never been to their other locations). And at $12.95/person (Kama'aina rate), it's just an amazing bargain for all the seafood and just.. just everything. Wow is all I can say.


Makino Chaya at Aloha Tower is located on the second floor, on the Mauka-Ewa end (no view of Honolulu harbor).

[titilejomi]

Re: Best Buffet

I heard Makinos is now closed on both King St. and Aiea. Is the one in Aloha Tower still open?

Otherwise, does anyone have a specific place they would recommend for a LUNCH Buffet that would have seating available for 20 - 30 people?

Preferably under $20.00 per person.