Aulani Dining / Things to be aware of…..

[WeLoveAriel0505]

Planning a trip for November 2015.

Looking for tips on what people do for dining (where to go……what should I reserve ahead of time etc.)

Also any tips my DisBoards friends can share on tips to do……things to be aware of……..excrusions to consider.

Thanks everyone!

 

[Girimama33]

The only thing you would want to pre-book for dining is Ama Ama at Sunset and the Makahiki Character Breakfast.
Here is a good thread about other places to eat around Aulani and Oah'u: http://www.disboards.com/threads/going-to-aulani-lets-list-places-to-eat.2858912/page-22

Here is another good thread with tips and places to see: http://www.disboards.com/threads/aulani-whats-the-one-thing-you-wish-you-knew.3180904/

 

[Camshell]

The Ulu Café (quick service café) gets very busy in the morning. It was the second week of March. We always went between 7-7:30 and it wasn't too bad. When we went by later like 8, 9, etc. it was a gong show with a line up into the resort pathway. Get their early, or be prepared to get into a very long line. Not sure how quick it moved as we never got into it.

Another option to the Ulu Cafe if you don't mind a short walk, is to go to the small grocery store across the street in the strip mall. It has lunch style items like Ulu with more selection, without the line ups, and at a cheaper price.

We got a sunset reservation for Ama Ama with our table right at the front. It seems these tables are meant for only 2 people. If you are a larger group you won't get the front row.

Have fun. We have had two great trips to Aulani.

 

[PlutoFan10]

Not sure how busy it is in November, but be aware that your choices to grab something to eat change as the dinner hour approaches. For example, Wailana Pool Bar closes at 5pm as does Little Opihi's on the beach. Mama's Snack Shop and Papalua Shave Ice close at 6. Lava Shack (Dole Whip and snacks) closes at 5. Ulu Cafe was open until 9pm, which was helpful. Some food items are available at the lounges later -- Olelo until 11 and Off the Hook until 10.

 

[cedricandsophie]

Across the street is Monkeypod, good restaurant with live music. There is also a sushi restaurant which is excellent, a taco place and pizza. Down the street is Roy's, excellent food. In Kapolei there is Assagios, an Italian restaurant which is good.

 

[tedhowe]

We very much enjoyed Monkeypox. It was the only restaurant we went to twice in 11 days in Hawaii... we ate dinner there on our last day after we checked out of Aulani and before we headed to the airport. I had one of the best hamburgers I've ever eaten there.

 

[Moniqu17]

following since we want to go next year

 

[jpeka65844]

We very much enjoyed Monkeypox.

Bwahahahaha! I think you mean Monkeypod. I can't even imagine enjoying Monkeypox.

 

[adykate]

We are currently at Aulani and walked over to get dinner in the shopping area across from the resort around 6:15pm on a Sunday night. The lines/wait times for the food places in there were ridiculous. I don't know if they are always like that, or just on weekends, or just from a busy "graduation" weekend. But you might want to plan a little ahead so you don't have a crazy wait if you plan to eat over there.

 

[DbleTheFun]

Roys is great. (Its located in the clubhouse at the golf course across road... about a 10 minute leisurely walk. Prix fix meals are great value and atmosphere is family friendly. Pizza place in the plaza across the road is excellent for take out... Monkeypod is good but a little over priced... check menus to make sure it is of interest (They are on opentable and I do reccomend reservations). There is a great sushi place frequented by locals that is cheap and amazing quality in the strip mall by Costco. (5 minute drive).. its is FAR better than the one in the plaza mall across the street from resort. I found this place was very limited in their offerings.

 

[shelly3girls]

We really liked Monkeypod. It is very easy to get reservations online. One night we went and the wait was long. I went online and made a reservation for less time than if we waited. The second time we decided to go we made a reservation that afternoon.

We did not really enjoy the Aulani restaurants and felt they were over priced. The pizza place and taco place across the street felt appropriately priced. Roy's was hands down our favorite meal.

Do some research if you will have a car. We had a lot of fun eating at the food trucks around the island. Who knew you could get brick oven pizza from a truck?!?

 

[herc1997]

We went last August and had a car. Definitely hit the food trucks at the North Shore. I missed doing that and everyone I've talked to said they are soooo worth it.

Monkeypod was my kids' favorite. Easygoing, nice views of golf course, very relaxed. The NY style pizza place was good at I think $19 for a large cheese. Ulu Cafe sold theirs for $20 so we did that too. Didn't have to get in the car.

Ulu was ok. We ate there the first night and really didn't have a great meal. But we were also tired. Mahahiki is way overpriced. The breakfast was too expensive. We did it once to get character photos. But you have to buy them. They are not part of the Photopass package, which added more to the cost of the meal. Great views but not worth it. AMA AMA for breakfast is a gem. Not badly priced and the view is to die for. We did dinner once and I thought it was great, but expensive.

We didn't try Roy's but when we go back, we will. I hear only good things about them.

My complaint (and I will answer both sides since I think I know the answers) is that

Wailana Pool Bar closes at 5pm as does Little Opihi's on the beach. Mama's Snack Shop and Papalua Shave Ice close at 6. Lava Shack (Dole Whip and snacks) closes at 5. Ulu Cafe was open until 9pm, which was helpful. Some food items are available at the lounges later -- Olelo until 11 and Off the Hook until 10

these places close way too early. Come on, do they really think that every guest has to eat at Mahahiki or AMA AMA for dinner. They could not hold all these reservations. Ulu Cafe doesn't have a good amount of options.

We are talking a large amount of guests don't rent cars. They are stuck at Aulani (not a bad place to be stuck, but you know what I mean). We stayed in our bathing suits until sunset. Kids played on the beach. All of our photopass sunset shots are us in wet bathing suits with wet t shirts. If Little Opihi's, Mama's, and Papalua Shave Ice stayed opened until 7, Disney would make a mint. Would they really lose that much business from Mahahiki and AMA AMA?

My other concern is that Off the Hook and Olelo close too early. People are on vacation and what a better place to be than having a drink at a pool bar or lounge. The Wailana Pool Bar should stay opened as Ulu Cafe is right there. Olelo closing at 11, then what? It would also be great if something was opened 24hours like at Grand Floridian.

Sorry if this got off topic, but some good points I think to bring up. These places closing early is not going to stop us from going again really soon.

 

[cindyzig]

We were there in late January/early February for 10 nights. I thought we were very laid back about food and would be fine on the resort and/or across the street at some of the restaurants there, so we didn't rent a car and planned to relax. I read the many reviews stating that the food was not that good, but I thought I would save use some rental car money since we are not that picky. I was wrong. We loved the ambiance at Ama Ama, but the food was just okay (tried a dinner, lunch and breakfast). We enjoyed the character breakfast and the fun of Makahiki, but the buffet was not anything special. The dinner buffet was again not that exciting. I could go on, but we realized we should have rented a car to do some exploring and to experience restaurants outside of the immediate area. I actually really liked Monkeypods, but my husband didn't like it as well. Other restaurants across the street were average. The exciting news is that the coconut shrimp at Mama's Snack Shop was outstanding!!! We went there many, many times. We keep trying it different places at home, and it never measures up.

Everyone has there own taste but I know that when we return, we will rent a car and check out all of the great options outside of the resort too for dining. Other than that, we loved the resort!

 

[Mommy2Corinne]

A few nights ago we had dinner at AMA AMA at sunset. Gorgeous views. Excellent service. The meal was good/better than average (with beautiful presentation), but not anything to write home about. The desserts, on the other hand, were out of this world. Seriously the best desserts I have had in my life. I am drooling just thinking about them.