Chef Chai

Chef Chai's is located directly in the back of the Blaisdell parking structure on Kapiolani Blvd. Parking is easy as there is a garage with valet literally next door to the restaurant.We went for a company holiday party so we had a set menu with appetizers and we could choose our entrée from several different items. let me tell you, I know I should've memorize what was what, but honestly things were coming to our table to fast and I was trying to take pictures and next thing u know it another round of appetizers would come out, LOL. I tried my best, LOL...For my main dish, I ordered the filet mignon, with some kind of stuff mushroom, mashed potatoes and some green beans and carrots. the filet mignon was cooked to perfection and I devoured it. My husband got the rack of lambs and it was cooked and flavored great. Service was on point and out standing for as much as we had in our party. Chef Chai came out to great us and that was nice. This isnt your every weekend dining, but definitely a place to go :))

I've been to Chef Chai's a couple of times now, each time on the recommendation of friends, and it's consistently been a great experience. My most recent visit was no exception. The food was delicious, and our waitress Kristi went above and beyond, making the evening even more enjoyable. Chef Chai's remains a solid choice for a special dinner in Honolulu!

The world food tour duo joined the 35th anniversary dinner at Chef Chai. The menu featured a five-course menu with four wines from the Wagner family, two from Caymus, one from Emmelo and a Caymus-Suisun, all for $135pp.The starter was a baby green salad and Chai's signature Kataifi Prawn with a tangerine vinaigrette. The better half of the food duo was served just the greens due to her shellfish allergy. The wine was a Emmelo #5 sparkling wine ($40btl), very fruity and crisp. Hmmm, I might have to purchase a few bottles.The second course was braised pork belly and Thai sticky rice with shrimp and chestnuts. It was served wrapped in a ti leaf. The pork was tender and the rice very tasty. The alternative dish were three lamb tacos ... I tried one, wow, so flavorful! The wine was a 2022 Caymus-Suisun The Walking Fool, red blend ($38btl).Course three was pistachio crusted beef tenderloin with a medley of vegetables. The wine was a 2022 Caymus California cabernet sauvignon ($55btl). The beef was tender and the roasted vegetables provided a good counterpoint.The main course was Mongolian style lamb chops with a brandy demi sauce. It was served with a 2022 Caymus 50th anniversary cab ($72btl). This was a great wine, by far the best of the three reds. I liked this wine more than the "standard" Caymus cab, at a slight price premium.Dessert was a 35-layer chocolate crepe cake with raspberry guava puree. I'm not a dessert person so I took a single spoonful ... It reminded me of tiramisu. I had a wonderful cup of coffee instead.What did we think? It was a great meal at a reasonable price. Service was fine, even with the restaurant being at capacity. We're happy to see these wine-focused dinners ... the next one is on January 8th, featuring wines from Freemark Abbey. Thanks, Chef Chai!

Honolulu Restaurant Week Meal #5 Glad I saved this one for last because it ended up being my favorite meal of all 5 I tried this week! Upscale modern elegance. White tablecloths, beautiful Thai decorations. Chef Chai is half Thai, half Chinese. Naturally, Asian fusion is his speciality. I genuinely enjoyed every single course Chef Chai presented us. I was impressed by his creativity, beauty in presentation, and skillset in making each dish memorable.Restaurant Week Special $69 per person, $20 wine supplement Starter:Chicken Tenderloin Sate' with Thai Peanut Sauce, Asian Flat Bread and Cucumber SaladAppetizer Sampler:-Fresh Ahi Tartar with Avocado Mousse in Mini Waffle Cones-Kataifi and Macnut Crusted Jumbo Black Tiger Prawns-Gravlax Salmon Roulade with Cream Cheese & Crab Meat-Smoked Duck Taco with Spicy Mango SalsaEntréeMongolian Style Lamb Chops with Brandy Demi Mashed Potato & Stir-fried Sugar Snap peasDesserts: -Waialua Chocolate Lava Cake with Fresh Berries-Heart Shaped White Chocolate Amore Truffle with Fresh Raspberry Guava PureeUnlike most tasting menus, I left really full here since they were so generous with the lamb chops entree! The dessert was the perfect ending for people with sweet tooths. Service was exceptional! Tim took great care of us, providing good company and attentiveness throughout the meal. All staff were welcoming. Easy to make reservations via OpenTable. Street parking free after 6pm or Valet parking inside building for $7 flat rate. Highly recommend!

Gr8 food, service & ambiance. Thank you host Dustin & server Irone. Thank you very much.

What an amazing restaurant! I got to try an array of appetizers: macadamia nut-crusted jumbo black tiger prawns, Fresh Ahi Tartar w/ avocado mousse in mini waffle cones. ChiI was elated to find the chef is the same one who used to own my favorite restaurant, Singha. Every dish is carefully prepared and beautifully presented... eating here is not just for eating but for the whole dining experience. Highly recommended!!

I came to Chef Chai on Valentine's day for a late dinner, not knowing they were offering a special three course menu. The food was outstanding, and I will definitely be back to try their unique dishes. We started with the peanut sauce and pita with chick satay. The pita was super fresh and warm, and I loved eating it with the peanut sauce. I ordered the beet and tomato salad with vinaigrette. It was very light and refreshing. For my main course, I ordered the grilled pork tenderloin with crispy rice. I really liked the Thai style crispy rice. The piece of pork was very generous and seasoned well. For dessert, I ordered the white chocolate amore truffle with guava puree. I loved the guava flavor! Everything that we were served was so delicious, and the service was excellent.

Food was good. Service felt rushed. Other than that it was pretty ok. Set menu for the evening.

I really enjoyed this restaurant ! It gives an upscale,quaint and welcoming feel as soon as you enter. Service was outstanding. They kept my water full and when I asked questions about menu items they were quite insightful. I forgot to take a picture but the Chilean seabass was my absolute favorite ! It had the right balance of fish flavor and just melted in my mouth. In my opinion this place is good for nice dates or it's someone's birthday. I'll be sure to bring friends here in the future !

AhhhhhMazing!!!I don't want to say we were surprised, but that's what we were! Such an incredible selection on the menu here, great service, amazing food!We came for my birthday, and couldn't decide what to order, there were so many options and things we wanted to try, so I guess we'll have to be back soon! We were able to try the chicken satay, goat cheese won tons, and the smokes duck breast tacos for our appetizers. They were all so good, I can't decide which was my fave. So I recommend just trying it all!My husband had the Miso Chilean Sea Bass, he loved it. It came with pickled vegetables, and a ginger coconut rice, such amazing flavors.I had the Thai Style Oxtail with spicy Lemongrass Broth, and jasmine rice. I can't even find the words to describe it. The flavors were exquisite. I'm not normally an Oxtail eating person because I don't like things that could get messy, but I went out of my comfort zone since it was my birthday, and I'm so glad I did! I absolutely recommend this dish!We'll totally be back again. I haven't had such a great experience at a restaurant in a while, to be honest!