Food at Aulani

[Agent 86]

Also, we never get a rental car but always take the free Ka Makana Ali'i shuttle to the shopping mall in Kapolei.

This is awesome information! I wish we'd known about the free shuttle bus on our recent (once in a lifetime) trip!

 

[Jason Martin]

What are your favorites? I have heard that the food is not great. Are there local spots around the resort you would recommend instead? Two adults, two kids (10 & 14)

Just got back from 4 nights at Aulani. This was our third visit to the island so we had done all of the touristy stuff previously and this time didn't leave the Ko'olina area nor did we get a car. We also were there over holidays - 12/24-28. We don't drink alcohol and weren't looking to do on a budget - just a variety

12/24 - dinner at Makahiki - it's about $105 pp including tip and was a lot of food. You can plan on leftovers

Xmas day
12/25 - Makahiki character breakfast - amazing food
Lunch at off the hook table service
Dinner at Monkeypod at village

12/26 - Ulu cafe for breakfast
Pool menu for lunch
Roy's at Koolina golf club for dinner

12/27 - eggs and things at village
Ulu cafe for lunch
Off the hook for dinner

12.28 - off the hook.

We were able to eat for 4 days without any repeats. Also. Got the refillable mugs and shares 2 for 4 people and worked really well.

 

[WinterSolider]

Just got back from 4 nights at Aulani. This was our third visit to the island so we had done all of the touristy stuff previously and this time didn't leave the Ko'olina area nor did we get a car. We also were there over holidays - 12/24-28. We don't drink alcohol and weren't looking to do on a budget - just a variety

12/24 - dinner at Makahiki - it's about $105 pp including tip and was a lot of food. You can plan on leftovers

Xmas day
12/25 - Makahiki character breakfast - amazing food
Lunch at off the hook table service
Dinner at Monkeypod at village

12/26 - Ulu cafe for breakfast
Pool menu for lunch
Roy's at Koolina golf club for dinner

12/27 - eggs and things at village
Ulu cafe for lunch
Off the hook for dinner

12.28 - off the hook.

We were able to eat for 4 days without any repeats. Also. Got the refillable mugs and shares 2 for 4 people and worked really well.

Is Makahiki still doing malasadas and parfaits with breakfast? The menu mentions "seasonal fruit" but doesn't list the parfait anymore.

 

[cedricandsophie]

We generally like the food at off the hook. We haven’t tried ama ama since they went to a prefix menu. The oleo room has great sushi. We like all the restaurants at the four seasons and go to Longhi at the Marriott on tuesdays because you can watch their luau from the Terrace while you eat dinner there.
Monkeypod is good and has live music. We have been to Roy’s twice. Not a fan. Overpriced for just ok food.

 

[Carouselofplanning]

I just wanted to say I agree the Ulu cafe food quality is high.

Ama Ama - think Aulani’s island version of California Grill. It’s a special occasion restaurant. Food quality and service next door at Mina’s also high but Ama Ama is the more “formal” experience.

Makahiki breakfast much better than Makahiki dinner but that doesn’t mean it’s bad. It’s “very good” not “great”.

Sushi at Olelo is great.

Off the Hook is solid for breakfast or lunch.

Go get coffee at the coffee shop in the four seasons lobby. It’s a notch above the baristas at Off the Hook (again not bad, it’s just better coffee next door).

 

[AstroBlasters]

We generally like the food at off the hook. We haven’t tried ama ama since they went to a prefix menu. The oleo room has great sushi. We like all the restaurants at the four seasons and go to Longhi at the Marriott on tuesdays because you can watch their luau from the Terrace while you eat dinner there.
Monkeypod is good and has live music. We have been to Roy’s twice. Not a fan. Overpriced for just ok food.

Just a note than Moneypod served my wife severely undercooked chicken when we were there last year. My fish was good.

We also had to wait quite a while for a table even though we had a reservation. While there it was VERY loud.

I’m not saying don’t go to Monkeypod… I’m just saying that it’s not in the same league as Ama Ama or Mina’s….

 

[Carouselofplanning]

Just a note than Moneypod served my wife severely undercooked chicken when we were there last year. My fish was good.

We also had to wait quite a while for a table even though we had a reservation. While there it was VERY loud.

I’m not saying don’t go to Monkeypod… I’m just saying that it’s not in the same league as Ama Ama or Mina’s….

Sorry to hear about the undercooked chicken. That happened to me back home once. Ended up on antibiotics as a result. Not pretty.

For me Monkeypod felt like a Hawaiian version of Houston’s. We liked it.

 

[808blessing]

I liked the sushi at Olelo a long time ago but I found a tiny worm in my vegetarian tacos recently, and for that reason, I am pretty much over it. Also on a special occasion, I found the service was not that friendly. I really want to like it...but not for me, apparently.

 

[LKing]

Just a note than Moneypod served my wife severely undercooked chicken when we were there last year. My fish was good.

We also had to wait quite a while for a table even though we had a reservation. While there it was VERY loud.

I’m not saying don’t go to Monkeypod… I’m just saying that it’s not in the same league as Ama Ama or Mina’s….

We had a similar experience at Monkeypod. My spouse's fish was good but my chicken was extremely salty. So salty that it was not edible.

It is very loud. Our server was disappointed that we didn't order a mai tai. After that, she was all business (get the meal out, don't refill drinks, don't offer dessert, etc) as if she wanted to turn the table over quickly.

 

[WinterSolider]

I’m not saying don’t go to Monkeypod… I’m just saying that it’s not in the same league as Ama Ama or Mina’s….

I mean Ama Ama and Mina's are like double the price.

 

[AstroBlasters]

I mean Ama Ama and Mina's are like double the price.

Absolutely true. However, I’ve seen someone people speak about them like they are similar experiences and Moneypod is just more affordable priced. It’s not even close, IMO.

But…. obviously it’s very popular.

 

[Chupaca bruh]

We loved the grilled linguica at Ulu Cafe.

 

[gsdweller]

Absolutely true. However, I’ve seen someone people speak about them like they are similar experiences and Moneypod is just more affordable priced. It’s not even close, IMO.

But…. obviously it’s very popular.

Yeah, in my experience, the only people that think the food at Monkeypod is anything more than average are the people that drank too much and can't remember that the food kinda stinks.

 

[Robber Baron]

We loved Happy Hour at the 808 Craft House.

$15 Burger & Fries with $9 delicious Mai Tai’s and Pina Colada’s

 

[J-Dog]

I mean Ama Ama and Mina's are like double the price.

I consider myself a borderline/wannabee foodie, and maybe I'm in the minority here, but I have not been impressed with Mina's on 2 separate occasions. Service was not bad either time, but not great (mostly the waiters seemed to not care very much), and the food isn't good enough to be worth the price. This last time we hit Ulu on the way back to our room because we weren't satisfied with the experience.

OTOH, Monkeypod is great every time. It's loud (but that's part of atmosphere), and the food is nowhere near Mina's (or what Mina's supposedly is) but I would pick Monkeypod over Mina's every time.

 

[J-Dog]

Yeah, in my experience, the only people that think the food at Monkeypod is anything more than average are the people that drank too much and can't remember that the food kinda stinks.

I think that food is way too subjective to make this statement about other people's opinions

 

[DrMont]

I consider myself a borderline/wannabee foodie, and maybe I'm in the minority here, but I have not been impressed with Mina's on 2 separate occasions. Service was not bad either time, but not great (mostly the waiters seemed to not care very much), and the food isn't good enough to be worth the price. This last time we hit Ulu on the way back to our room because we weren't satisfied with the experience.

OTOH, Monkeypod is great every time. It's loud (but that's part of atmosphere), and the food is nowhere near Mina's (or what Mina's supposedly is) but I would pick Monkeypod over Mina's every time.

We have had bad luck at Monkeypod as well, the food just isn't that great.
The food at Mina's has been good, but is usually never worth the price.

 

[gsdweller]

I think that food is way too subjective to make this statement about other people's opinions

That is why I mentioned that it was just my experience.

 

[AstroBlasters]

We have had bad luck at Monkeypod as well, the food just isn't that great.
The food at Mina's has been good, but is usually never worth the price.

I mean…. if you get the right reservation time then you are getting ocean views and that legendary Hawaiian sky during sunset…. along with live music… and an easy walk back to Aulani….

 

[J-Dog]

We have had bad luck at Monkeypod as well, the food just isn't that great.
The food at Mina's has been good, but is usually never worth the price.

Monkeypod's food definitely isn't great. But it's decent for a decent price, and the lively atmosphere and service make up for it.

Mina's has good (also not great) food for a high price, a decent atmosphere, and poor service, in my experience.