We were looking for a new spot to grab dinner on Saturday night and my friend requested a steak. When I Yelp'ed the area to see what was around I was surprised to see Chuck's as one of the highest rated steakhouses. My friend was psyched about the fact that it seemed to be a little less expensive than dk's and Hy's, so we decided to give it a go.
The ambiance is actually kind of nice... live jazz music, dim lighting, big plush leather booths. I was into it. The wine list definitely left something to be desired, but I tried not to let it deter me. The menu is pretty basic.. Choose your cut of beef or fish and whether you want a baked potato or scoop of rice. We both opted for the petite sirloin since neither of us were ravenous. Our entrees came with unlimited soup, salad and bread from the salad bar.... Which would have been better if the salad bar had a few more options, but it wasn't terrible. Our steaks arrived a little over-.cooked and lacking in flavor (my friend had to order some A-1).. which is frustrating to me when you are paying $25 for it.
My take on Chuck's is that it seems to be more about the quantity than the quality. It's probably a great place for guys to go because they can eat to their hearts content at the soup and salad bar and then get a huge ribeye...... But if youre a foodie looking for something a little more worthwhile, I'd recommend going  somewhere else.
This place was an unexpectedly delicious surprise. My boyfriends parents have been raving about it and so we had no choice but to try it. We went there twice for dinner and each time was delightful. Friendly staff, unlimited salad bar (sooo good!!) and entree's that were mouth watering.
I ordered the clams on my first visit. I was quite impressed. The broth was so good that I started getting bread from the salad bar to dip! It came alongside a piece of garlic cheese toast a baked potato and with my salad that I picked up prior to receiving my entree, I was set!
On our second visit I ordered the Steak Diane which was their daily special. Â The steak was cut up and served with a mushroom wine sauce (at least I thought it was). Cooked perfectly!
Not only does Chucks have great food but they also have live music. It's definitely a little hidden gem.
On my trip to Honolulu this year, I decided to g to Chuck's Cellar. I haven't been there in years. I ordered a prime rib which was excellent, and a baked potato with the works. Â Also included with the meal was a soup and salad bar. I had a carafe of Riesling wine to go with it. Everything including the staff was excellent.They also had live music.
Review Source:Whenever I think of somewhere to go and celebrate a special occasion-- it's Chuck's Cellar. Â Generally, I have terrible luck with restaurants..... & Chucks never disappoints. Â I mean how could they? With a fresh salad bar, home made soup, reasonable cocktails & no matter what you order its always delicious. Â DON'T think twice and get the loaded baked potato..... mmmmm i'm drooling.
Review Source:My husband and I ate here twice on our recent trip to Honolulu. The restaurant is attached to the hotel where we stayed - Ohana East. First time we went in we chose it because we were too exhausted to venture further out, and my husband wanted prime rib.
I ordered the mahi mahi. The plating was terrible - on "Chopped" it would have been sent back. Fish was overcooked, drenched in butter, and the baked potato had the appearance and taste of having been cooked hours earlier and sitting in the warmer - which it no doubt had been. As for "bacon," are Bacos still considered bacon in this day and age?
The highlight for me was the salad bar. The next night we returned just for the salad bar. All you can eat, comes with soup and bread.
Friendly and attentive service both nights. Nice live piano music. Pleasant atmosphere.
Don't forget to get the 20% off coupon from your hotel. That takes some of the sticker shock off the tab.
I wouldn't recommend this to family or friends unless you're either (a) dead on your feet and staying next door or (b) in search of salad and only salad. There are dozens if not a hundred other restaurants to choose from in Waikiki.
This little jewel of a place is one of my all time favorites. It's been here for so many years and once I had dinner here for my birthday, my friends and I make it a tradition to return every year for our birthdays. The salad bar is fresh, everything on there is delicious. It's not a huge salad bar, but you get everything you need! The ranch dressing is homemade and super ono!
We always get the shrimp and steak and sauteed mushrooms with a baked potato. Brian normally serves us and sometimes we get other folks, but EVERYONE in this restaurant is SUPER friendly. If they make a mistake on your steak, they take it right back and get you a new one. Â I love the old Hawaii pictures, piano bar and live music. It's how it USED to be and I love this old place. It's like coming to an old friend's house for dinner and they know what you like. We love you Chucks!
Love, love, love this place!
We had a really great night at Chuck's Cellar. The food (prime rib) was FANTASTIC. There was a jazz duo (piano and drum) playing the night we were there, AWESOME. The atmosphere was retro, I'm certain this is a hangover from the 70's.
I highly recommend this place, especially if you like prime rib. It was some of the best we've had!
The service at the door was good. The waitress was not knowledgeable of the fresh fish of the day. She could describe what the fish looked like, but not what it tasted like...so I ordered the mahi mahi. Not my favorite fish, but not my most hated either. The mahi was tasteless and dry. The baked potato was dry. Â The soup and salad bar is the only reason this place got a second star. Those too were not great, just decent. The gin and tonic went down smooth though.
Review Source:Normally we would not write about the service before the food but this deserves an exception. My partner and I found it via other reviews on yelp. The service was incredible. Never have we been in a place where everyone seemed glad to wait on wait on us. My soft drink never got below half and the checked non-stop to make sure my partner was fine with his wine. Now for the food. I had the small cut prime rib which was more than enough and he had a seafood pasta. Both of us raved about the taste and without a doubt will be back!! This place is a must!
Review Source:This was at the top of my list of all the bookmarks I had obsessed over for weeks before visiting Waikiki, but I am sad to report I was slightly disappointed.
The ambiance is fun, enjoyable, great music, low-key at the same time. Cute history printed on the back of the menu. The selection is somewhat limited, but hubby and I were excited to try the "authentic local" fare. Ordered the mushroom appetizer, grilled shrimp dinner, mahi mahi dinner, and we attacked the salad bar. My favorite thing all night was the salad bar, which is a little disturbing for the price. Â
Mushrooms were super garlicy, which after asking to make my shrimp with no garlic, figured they would get the hint about the app. No assumptions on my part anymore. The shrimp were excellent, baked potato alright, salad bar is always appreciated. The hubby's mahi mahi was way over cooked, his bloody mary was SUPER spicy, but the service was great. We told them we were celebrating that night and they comped us some vanilla macadamia nut ice cream. Yum.
Major points lost for the mediocre Mahi Mahi and the bathroom that smelled more vile than any other thing I've ever experienced in my lifetime. A woman came in and turned right back around because of the odor. I can't even begin to describe it, but if I hadn't waited in the hallway and been in there for only 30 seconds, I may have fainted. GROSS. Almost ruined my appetite.
Good wine to compliment good red meat, and solid service. Â This place is a hidden gem, it is hard to find and affords no view, which might be a problem for you considering Â
I found the service (Virgina) to be superb, and the food to also be good. Â I enjoyed a petite cut, cooked to a perfection, medium rare. Â They also had a good beer selection. Â
Just be warned that you are going to forgo any Hawaiian ambiance, but you will be rewarded with great cuts, a solid wine list, good beer selection, and live music. Â I enjoyed the piano player while I sat at the bar and had a great meal.
If TSA/INS ran a restaurant this would be it.
Was there tonight with my dad both had sirloin steak at $30 each. Steak was cooked very well with nice carmelization and rare on inside. The potato was also cooked very well. Here is where the positives ended.
Restaurant requires that customers help themselves to bread, soup and salad. Definitely a scheme more common is mess halls and other mass feeding establishments than  $30 a person fine restaurants.
Second problem was that they obviously feel that it is their place to verify immigration status among patrons. There was a couple sitting next to us and the waitress requested the males papers, since he did not speak English very well she had to repeat the request. finally he left to get his documents and returned about 20 minutes later. Then she requested the same from the female while informing them that they were not going to get lobster.
I asked the waitress under what authority she had to verify immigration status and she played dumb, so I prodded INS, FBI, HPD... Finally asked for the matre'd who came over and explained that she was interrogating them to determine if they were over 21 to buy liquor. Obviously this whole scene was not conducive to a relaxing dinner. Â As if someone under 21 would go there and pretend to be a tourist just to drink overpriced wine, I think it was more of a power trip than the actual desire to prevent underage drinking.
Love the Food. Â Love the Service. Â EVERY TIME I go to Honolulu, I make sure to visit this place. Â I always get the Top Sirloin and it has never let me down. Â You can actually watch the chef cook your meat as the grill is open for viewing behind the salad bar.
The price is very reasonable and staff is very friendly and knowledgeable.
Yelp failed me with Chuck's Cellar. Cheap it was, but the food was mediocre. Chuck's Cellar advertises a "melt in your mouth" kind of prime rib and that is what I expected to get. Unfortunately, my prime rib was cut too thin, dried out, and lacked flavor. My baked potato was what you expect from a typical baked potato. I did enjoy my "jumbo" shrimp side with the citrus butter sauce. Our server was very sweet and attentive the entire time. The restaurant was pretty dead - that should have been a red flag. Oh, well..
Review Source:As a foodie, the chow here is roughly a two. Â I went with the special, cajun prime rib and clams. Â The clams were spicy and delicious. Â The prime rib flavorful but overcooked and rather thin for that type of cut.
The cocktail server, Michelean [sp?], was absolutely fantastic as the other staff were all attentive but not intrusive and quite helpful.
When you go downstairs you feel like you have left Waikiki - no pastels, just the dark leatherette furniture and old-school piano bar style of the East Coast. Â This is the type of establishment that needs to stay, offering compromise pricing in a tourist-filled area, but they need to up their sweat equity across the board. Â Salad bar is lackluster.
Food: 5 stars.
The chuck's cut is 12 oz of prime rib heaven. Â Get that with the baked potato with the works and you're good to go. Â The salad bar is really fresh but if you don't have a huge appetite, save that room for the prime rib! Â I didn't care much for the vegetable soup but they did also have endless bread as well. Â $30 for the 12 oz prime rib, baked potato, endless salad/soup/bread is definitely worth checking out.
My boyfriend had the prime rib french dip sandwich, which isn't featured on the menu. Â The waiter seemed surprised when we knew about it. Â $18 for the sandwich and a baked potato, $24 for the salad/soup/bread bar. Â This was sooooooo delicious. Â If I wasn't feeling like a carnivore, I definitely would have opted for the sandwich and will probably return just so I can order that.
Parking: 3 stars.
The parking entrance is ON Kuhio. Â There isn't a huge sign that says ohana east hotel so you just gotta look for it. Â After the miramar there's a small ramp that turns into a parking lot, which is the parking for that hotel. Â If you go too far and end up having to turn right on Kaiulani, then you've gone too far...(good luck with all the one way streets after that...we learned the hard way) Â With validation parking was $1.
Ambiance/Service: 5 stars (depends what you're looking for)
It's definitely in a "cellar." Â There's live music and it's pretty loud so if you're looking for an intimate setting, this isn't the place. Â It's pretty lively and upbeat. Â The wait staff was really friendly and refilled our waters multiple times and took our salad plates away immediately after we were finished. Â Even on a Saturday night at dinner time, we were seated immediately without having to wait.
If you like prime rib, IT'S WORTH IT, I PROMISE. Â It's so easy to miss if you don't know what you're looking for. Â But gogogogogo!
In a word: mediocre. I came to see the "live entertainment" (a friend was performing that night). The restaurant was relatively busy, not packed. I was gonna sit at the bar, but another friend of my friend had room at her table. I art down with her and a server brought her appetizer she'd ordered earlier. About 10-15 minutes later, after my table-mate was done eating, a passing server cleared her plate and asked whether I wanted to get anything. (really? 10 minutes of watching someone else eat and drink AT dinnertime?) I ask for a menu. (why should I have to ask?) A few minutes more and another woman asks me if I'd like a drink menu. (of course!) After perusing the pricey fare, I decide the only item within my tight budget: yakitori sticks ($5.95), beef (which won over the chicken option), and a Mai Tai. I was asked what I'd decided on, but apparently the server and cocktail waitress cannot handle my entire two-item order. So I order my drink with one person, followed by ordering my pupu with another. After almost 30 minutes, my yaki sticks came out... one chicken and one beef. Not quite what I'd asked for... and about 7 more mins for the correct order to come out. The item was excellently cooked, and I did enjoy it!
After I finished the drink I'd asked for a second, but it never arrived, and later the cocktail waitress asked me if I'd had one or two, she couldn't remember... I told her that I'd asked for a second earlier but never received it (as we were asking for our bill to leave)...
I had some major issues with service that night... The restaurant was busy, but not packed and the waitstaff was very disorganized and lacking communications between the bar and table service... The food was satisfactory (baked potato, mushrooms) to very good (yaki sticks), and two of the five items we ate were brought out incorrectly. The servers were okay, cordial, though not all were particularly open or friendly. Ambiance was nice (though aged) and the music was good, although sharply loud for such a small place. I think I'd like to go back to try the prime rib... but maybe at a less busy time when the waitstaff can be more attentive to detail.
Overall opinion: Meh... pricey, some good items, iffy service. Worth another try, but It won't make my must-do list... and I hear they have trivia once a week... now that might make it worthwhile! :)
3.75 stars.
In a cellar and a little hard to find, so use a map or ask directions, for Chuck's Cellar could bring out the navigator in you if you like excellent prime rib at fair prices. Â Wonderful, flavorful baked potatoes with butter, sour cream, chives and bacon, too. Â ...Brings out the "Mmm" in your in your inner Magellan.
What's more, the salad bar is quite good, and I don't like salad bars. Â It includes the daily soup. Today that was beef curry with lots of vegetables. Â Even our 10 year old liked the soup.
A disappointment was the bread. Â Kept in a warming drawer at the salad bar are cut French loaf slices and a brown bread. Â Both would be tasty except they were dried out and stale beyond goodness.
Also a disappointment were our Absolut Martinis which were absolutely not Absolut. Â We didn't have the desire to send 'em back, however.
Linguini with clams was not on the menu but was constructed on-the-fly by the kitchen. Â Very good with lots of clams! Â It was not your classic Italian dish but certainly worthy of trying if you'd like a variation of the traditional dish.
All in all the Cellar is a medium priced, nice alternative in Waikiki for good quality steaks and seafood. Â Make sure your drinks come out correctly and your bread is fresh. Â The rest is terrific.
I like to go to Waikiki twice a year. Â I like to stay at the Hyatt and I like to eat at Roy's. My gal loves the chowder at the Hula Grill. Â I have my "route"
How I missed Chuck's Cellar until this last trip-I do not know.
Nice n dark in there- booths, with the bar running the length of the place with great live music ensemble.
Prime rib and lobster, preceded by fresh salad bar and seafood chowder. Perfect. $47---un-freakin-believable.
I am an old school cat and this is an old school joint. Per-fect.
Be hungry.
No reservations, but no problem on Friday at 6:15PM (the place was jumpin' by the time we finished). Â We tried a dessert (some kinda of coffee ice cream cake) Â it was good and HUGE. Â
Oh, and GREAT friendly service. Â Other wait staff weren't afraid to refill or clear plates. Â It was an all-for-one, one-for-all kinda place.
I really like this place. You'd probably pass by this place not even knowing it existed! It's literally a hole in the wall place, with a little door that leads you downstairs to a real cellar.
The service is great and friendly. The decor reminds me of a time warp of the 70s. It looks like the same decorations and booths of that time. The place is clean though. There is live jazz on some nights and it's not too loud, just right volume wise. The lights are dim and gives you that old school feel.
Each entree comes with an all you can eat salad bar. The choices are sparse but the greens are fresh, the dressing choices are yum and it's all you can eat! Can't go wrong.
I got the prime rib and it was cooked to perfection! Always get the prime rib with a baked potato. Grab a cold Corona and you're good to go! This is one of my favorite old school Waikiki haunts.
This is one of my favorite places to eat! Every entree comes with an AYCE soup and salad bar, and a side of rice or a loaded baked potato. They never skimp on portions and the items on the salad bar are always fresh.
We usually try and go for the early bird special where they have 2 different items for $17.99 from 5:30-6:30.
But when we don't make it in time for happy hour, my favorite is the prime rib french dip sandwich. It's their delicious prime rib, covered in melted swiss cheese and mayo on a crispy french loaf with a side of a jus dipping sauce...so tender and juicy!
The ambiance is great, it's exactly what they name is - a cellar. Â It's intimate and dark (although not creepy) and they usually have a pianist playing familiar hits with a jazzy twist. Â
The service is always great - the entire staff is friendly, including the cooks! Â It's a great complete meal for a reasonable price. Â The only thing not awesome about it is that the beers are a little pricey - $5 for a bud light, but it's okay, I don't usually drink when I come here because I eat so much!
Really good food and service. The service was prompt and friendly. Â The salad bar was self-service style so there was no waiting to eat once seated. The style of the place is really old school - really a cellar below street level - think "Regal Beagle". Â At first, it seemed awkward to be in such a scenic area to spend time in a really dark and old place with no windows, but it was nice to break up the whole tourism thing and just have a nice meal.
The night I was there, there was a really nice jazz trio playing which added to the ambiance. Â I then felt more like I was at a Speakeasy right below the surface of the hustle and bustle of Waikiki. Â It felt more like a date than just dinner plans.
If you are in Waikiki and looking for a casual restaurant with great steak, I recommend Chuck's Cellar in the Outrigger Ohana East Hotel. Â Chuck's Cellar is located right below Round Table Pizza on Kaiulani Avenue. A rather small restaurant with decor that is kind of outdated but will draw in quite a crowd during the evening hours.
What makes dining here enjoyable is listening to the live jazz entertainment provided by some very talented people.
Ordered the top sirloin with baked potato and comes with an all-you-can-eat soup and salad bar. I was quite surprised with the portion and cut of the meat which was very lean with no fat and cooked perfectly along with the baked potato.
Since I have a sweet tooth, for dessert I ordered their mud pie which was so good.
I recommend this place as the service was very good along with their food. The atmosphere and charm setting gives you a feeling like you are in an Irish pub.
I parked in Ohana East and even with validation, I had to pay $7 for parking! Crazy!
Anyways, the place is a quaint place that makes you feel like you're in the middle of the mainland rather than in Hawaii.
I got invited to go listen to some live jazz music, and I loved it! An 83 year old grandma was totally bangin' it on the piano! It is truly a sight to see.
I didn't eat the food there so I don't know how it was, but the people at my table seemed to be enjoying their food.
Yelp 365 Challenge #211/365
Looove Chuck's!
There were a few things that made my experience here very enjoyable.
The atmosphere was. Â Awesome. Â The restaurant itself is quite small but it was bustling. Â From our table you could see the bar and the band which I liked. Â The band was also very good which made for a good time.
The food was just as awesome. Â Your meal comes with soup and salad which they have a bar for but we opted simply for the Broccoli Cheddar Soup which was pretty damn good. Â I ordered the Seafood Pasta and I tried my friend's Sirloin and Scallops. Â So nom nommy! Â The pasta came with scallops and shrimp in a super tasty alfredo sauce and the pasta was cooked perfectly. Â The Sirloin cooked medium was sooooo delectable in its buttery sauce and the Scallops had a perfect smokey taste to it. Â Also, the drinks were so dericious. Â I got the Hawaiian Punch which came with about 5 different liquors in it and although there's absolutely no Hawaiian Punch in it, it actually tasted like it! Â Prices were a bit high, but I thought it was worth the quality.
The service was excellent. Â They were incredibly helpful and attentive and were very nice. Â They made sure to have our waters refilled and checked up on us a few times.
To top it off, PARKING WAS $1, with validation. Â What a great way to get the night started with some cheap dinner parking. Â Parking is located in the Ohana East and it's a quick walk down to the restaurant.
Definitely coming back to Chuck's!
P.S. Â They don't take reservations, so I would suggest showing up a bit early before your rendezvous to snag a table.
On Saturday night I needed to find a place to eat before going to Sharkey's Comedy Club....so what does any good Yelper do?....go to Yelp and search! Â Voila! Â Chuck's Cellar....
We parked and walked over the Chuck's Cellar...they seated us right away. Â We told them we needed to be out in 1 hour and they were great. Â Quickly brought us a menu and promised we'd be out in time.
Well, we shared a meal...not because we're cheap, but the prime rib is a 16 oz prime rib! Â Who can possibly eat all that. Â Mushroom appetizer, 1 place of salad, prime rib, baked potato and mud pie.....that fed both of us....it was really good....
The only bad thing was the sunflower seeds from the salad bar was rancid....
I enjoyed the group that was playing....all in all a nice dinner.
This is a great place for young guys...lots of good food for a reasonable amount of money...
Is there such a thing as a "dive" restaurant? Â You know like a "dive" bar? Well I think we may have one right here in Waikiki folks. I think I mean that in a good way. I'm giving Chuck's Cellar 3.5 stars.
Wikipedia tells me a dive bar is: "A church for down-and-outers and those who romanticize them, a rare place where high and low rub elbows -- bums and poets, thieves and slumming celebrities. It's a place that wears its history proudly."
I found Chucks Cellar on Yelp and the reviews made it sound unique and interesting. Interesting enough to get me to try it out. While way too expensive for "down and outers", I think it fulfills most of the other requirements. It's downstairs in a basement. It's dark. Looks like it has been there since the '70's and it has. Old fashioned booths and tables and chairs. Old fashioned salad bar and soup set up. Old fashioned menu of mostly steaks and baked potatoes. Simple, casual and not trying to be any thing fancy. Chuck's Cellar has a formula that has worked for years and they are clearly proud of it.
Food: Our group of four had two Grilled Ono early bird specials with rice. A pepper steak special with loaded baked potato and a petit filet mignon with baked potato. The Ono specials were good at $19.95. Portions were  good. The waiter suggested rice because it was obvious we were locals. The fish was perfectly grilled and not dry or over cooked. Served with tartar sauce. There was no choice in the preparation of the Ono as you can get in many other restaurants. We by-passed the vegetable soup because sort of looked like campbells vegetable soup. The included salad bar was simple but adequate and really completed the meal as fish and rice was very basic. Ranch , Blue Cheese, Italian and Thousand Island Salad dressings. Pretty basic but good enough quality. The Ono dinner was a solid 3.5 stars.
The pepper steak at $19.95 was sort of cut up beef slices with green peppers in a nice sauce/gravy. The loaded baked potato was very basic but got the job done. A solid 3 star dish.
The Petit filet mignon, at $25 was correctly cooked medium with nice pink in the middle. It was mostly tender and juicy. Over all a solid 3.5 Star steak.
Service: Friendly and efficient. You have to ask what the specials are as they don't volunteer this. Early bird dinner deals are 5pm to 6:30 pm. Water glasses filled regularly. Dirty dishes removed promptly.
Ambiance: In addition, to being dark and in a basement, Chuck's Cellar features live music every night. There was a trio with piano, bass and drums. They did some Christmas songs and other standards like Beatles songs. Very nice for me as I love good live music. Casual to the max, waiters and staff are casual and most customers dressed resort casual or rubber slipper casual.
Bar: Very nice bar that is ideal for ordering a Blue Hawaii or Mai Tai and listening to the music. If I had to wait for a table, they don't take reservations, I would sit at the bar and listen to music while I waited. Perfect for me.
Parking: Chuck's Cellar's sort of speakeasy entrance is on the side street behind the Outrigger Ohana East Hotel. Parking entrance is on Kuhio. For dinner they validate and it is $2 for 3 hrs parking. There is also a $7 flat rate parking deal at the hotel with a designated flat rate lot where you drive through a hole in the parking structure that looks like it is about 5 feet wide. We parked in the regular stalls which were small but better than many Waikiki garages. Unless you drive a Mini or a complete beater I don't suggest trying this flat rate section.
Chuck's Cellar is certainly worth a try if the reviews appeal to you. I liked it and I can recommend it. Â But, I like offbeat , interesting and odd places. I could see where some might opt to spend their bucks on Japanese or other Asian cuisine that is readily available in Waikiki. Personally, I know a few people who are more interested in a classic steak house than a sushi bar. I'm going to recommend it to them for sure. I might just go along with them and have the fish.
Mmmm.
Medium is how I like my meat prepared and exactly how I anticipated my last meal in Aloha city was exactly what I received.
I was in a very carniverous mood and my prime rib was DEE.LEKT.TI.BULL. Roar. I feel like a lion just thinking about it.
My baked potato was delicous as well and I had all the fixins on it. Butter, sour cream, pile it on, I don't have to wear a bikini for a while. I got time.
No dessert, my husband almost fell asleep at the table because he was so full.
Atmosphere is loud with a local band playing and the feeling is old school Brady Bunch steakhouse. Love it.
Chuck's Cellar is a world apart from its surrounding Waikiki neighborhood. It's a real "meat and potatoes" kind of place with a 60's flair (original, not retro!). Once you descend the stairs to this place, you really do feel that you're in an old cellar.
Chuck's is totally unpretentious, offering decent food and service at affordable prices in a casual atmosphere. If you can get there before 6:30, by all means take advantage of the early bird menu.
Like his mentor, Buzz, Chuck's place offers both steak and seafood but the real star is red meat. My shrimp entree was overpowered by too much garlic and the fish was not fresh, but my husband's steak was perfect.
Chuck's has live music. While the musicians were good, it was far too loud in such a small space, making conversation difficult. If you go early, you will miss the band and have a chance to converse with your dining companion(s) instead. They do not take reservations.
Chuck's is located in the Ohana East Hotel. The entrance is just to the left of the main hotel entrance on Ka'iulani Ave. There is no elevator to reach the basement level, so handicapped diners must ring a doorbell and get assistance to be helped down the stairs.
The parking garage entrance is around the corner on Kuhio. (Note: to reach the guest parking in this garage, you must pass through a ridiculously small hole in the wall. We had to fold in the mirrors on our medium-sized car to avoid scraping the sides...a large vehicle simply would not fit. Plan accordingly.) The restaurant validates, and we ended up paying $3.00. Dinner served 5:30-10:00pm daily.
Yelp 365 Challenge #088/365
My favorite dinner place in Waikiki, hands down. It feels like home as soon as you walk down the steps. Super-friendly staff all the way around. You can tell this has been LOTS of peoples' go-to spot for a long time - many of the customers seem to know each other - which says a lot.
Come hungry! As tempting as it may be, don't fill up on the soup and salad bar. I've sampled the menu quite a bit by now. There's a reason so many Yelpers rave about their prime rib. Definitely a specialty! I've also had the pleasure of enjoying steak and scallops, lobster, clams, and fish specials. A great treat if you're at the bar and not SUPER-hungry is the prime dip from the pupus menu. It quite literally melts in your mouth.
Only thing I haven't had a chance to indulge in is dessert, since I'm always filled up from the main course! I've seen mud pies and souffles come out, which look entirely delicious. They have live music every night, which as a music lover, I totally appreciate. No TV's at the bar (a welcome escape from the norm), just a fish tank, which in itself provides quality entertainment. Especially after a few Long Boards.
In the words of Yelp, Chuck's truly is "Woohoo! As good as it gets!"
This place was certainly a disappointment for me. Â This is literally an underground restaurant, minutes away from Waikiki beach. Â While this place has a really cool old school vibe, the food was mediocre. Â I ordered the sirloin, which was very bland. Â The salad bar?! Wilted lettuce and a shady selection of soups. Â
I did enjoy the live jazz band, but the food here is over-priced and under-seasoned.
I CANNOT STRESS HOW GREAT THIS PLACE IS!!!!!!!! Â It rivals Keens New York. Â It makes Shula's or the Palm look like an Arbys. Â This place is one of the best in the country, far from the mainland, and if you're in Hawaii, you'd be foolish to no eat at least one meal here.
If you're not looking, you could miss it... a small entrance brings you to a starcase, down into a dark lounge straight out of Brooklyn circa 1930. Â Immediately you're greeted by an amazing staff, and served a drink.
You won't find this place full of Waikiki tourists... they stick to Chuck's Steakhouse at the Outrigger Hotel. Â Chuck's Cellar, however, is the ORIGINAL, and the best. Â Full of local flavor and regulars, not full of Hawaiian shirts on vacation.
The Pot Roast MELTS in your mouth. Â Order it with the lobster if you want to have a big meal, or split one between two. Â ALL entrees come with all you can eat salad bar, soup, and bread, which is kept in a warmer! Â To boot, the chocolate souffle and macadamia vanilla ice cream makes for a perfect ending.
The decor, music, and leather booths make you feel gangster! Â When we went, the live entertainment was an amazing piano player... not only that, he was blind, and took requests! Â How bad ass is that?!?!
I'm sad to say that I have lived in Hawaii my entire life and have not even heard of Chuck's Celler until my friends and I went there for our annual holiday dinner. Â If you go there order the Chuck's Prime Rib. Â I mean if they name something after the owner its what they are known for and you shouldn't be ordering anything else. Â Everyone ordered Chuck's special except for one and she I think deeply regretted ordering the shrimp scampi thing. Â It cost almost the same as the prime rib, but there were only 6 measly shrimp. Â
For $28.95 you get a huge slab of perfectly cooked prime rib (and I'm not even a huge meat eater) with a choice of rice or baked potato. Â Since I was already eating all the meat I went with the baked potato with the butter, sour cream, and bacon (no chives for me), hey if its the holidays it doesn't really count right?
The dinner also comes with an all you can eat soup and salad bar. Â The soup of the day when we went was vegetable soup which was pretty good, but I was a little underwhelmed by the salad bar. Â Perhaps my expectations were too high from reading everyone else's reviews on here.
I have to say that the dessert was pretty good and the mud pie is wayyy better then the chocolate souffle (it cannot compete with Roy's). Â The mud pie was interesting in that they used macademia nut ice cream so there were little crunchy nuts in every bite.
I would say that I would like to go back again, maybe in a few months so I can give my heart and waistline a little break!
Chuck's Cellar is like a breath of fresh air in Waikiki Beach. You descend down a flight of stairs into a darkened dining room full of old school charm, pleasant servers, and an atmosphere befitting an old steak house complete with leather seats and a live band.
I have to be honest here though - I found Chuck's because I was looking for a salad bar for dinner. Maybe I just really enjoy creating. I'm not sure what it is, but I'm a sucker for these things. And when I typed "salad bar" into my Yelp app Chuck's popped up.
Besides my aforementioned salad bar (which by the way was small, but plenty satisfying and also offered up warm bread and soup) I tried the Cajun mahi. It was not spicy at all, but it was still all right. The prices are a little spendy, but not more than you'll pay at most other places in the area. And the atmosphere will probably be much better.
We decided to come here for dinner based on previous Yelp reviews. There were several dishes on the menu, but based on several positive reviews, I chose the prime rib. I asked for a smaller cut than their big cut, which they helpfully provided (I think it was either 7 or 8 oz.). The salad bar, while small, was perfectly fine, and a huge hit with my son, who must have gone back 3-4 times. The bread is in a warm drawer below where the salad plates and soup are kept. A vegetable soup, which was available at the salad bar, was also good.
I ordered a baked potato with sour cream and chives, and thoroughly enjoyed it, despite my sensitivity to dairy products! The prime rib was every bit as good as all my other Yelp comrades had mentioned, and by the end of dinner I was so full, dessert was completely out of the question. My wife ordered a seafood pasta dish, which I sampled, and would probably order myself in the future, provided I'm in a less carnivorous mood.
There was a jazz combo performing, which I was very pleased to hear. There was a pianist, bassist, saxophonist (who also played flute), and drummer. Playing good jazz requires some effort and intellectual prowess, and we were quite pleased We were all surprised and delighted to see the bassist, since he is also a teacher in the school my kids go to.
I for one really enjoy these old-fashioned, casual, dark restaurants. I prefer these types of places to the more brightly lit, chic, "dig me!" places that seem so prevalent now. Yes, I'm old fashioned in this regard, but, gosh darn it, I like that about myself! The servers were friendly, helpful, and efficient. About a third of the patrons were Japanese tourists, and they appeared to be enjoying the food, ambiance and music, too.
We will definitely be coming back!
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