This is a really cute upstairs bar. Can get kind of loud on the street facing lanai so if you want a quieter dinner/date night, try to snag a table on the back lanai.
All the pupus and drinks we tried were really great. It is a little pricey though so I would def try to make it there for the happy hour from 6pm-8pm. Otherwise, my sake based mojito would have been $15 which is kinda absurd.
We ordered the poke and the kabocha and bacon. The kabocha and bacon was AMAZING. Totally surprised more places don't do this combo. The poke was really good but it was a super small portion of ahi on a huge plate. I think I would skip that next time and spend the $$ on something else.
They have beer and wine in addition to sake, and actually had a really good beer deal while we were there. $9 or something for a large organic Rogue, basically what it costs at the grocery store.
Oooh and if you go on a Friday you can see a bit of the Hilton fireworks from the lanai!
This place changed and not for the better. I made a reservation and for a specific table. They said ok. When I got there, people were in the table I requested for. The workers reply, "sorry, I can't just move them".
Um, thanks for taking my reservation and not giving a flying €^¢".
It seems the crew had split up and the better crew went to chez kenzo.
Our waiter told us they're out of pineapple juice (in Hawaii?!!) And when my cousin asked for a pina colada, he said ok only to return to say they can't make it. (I didn't want to say that you can't make a pina colada without pineapple/pineapple juice and see if he knew his drinks that he pushed on us earlier).
I probably won't be going back for a while. If at all.
I went here for happy hour with friends. The drinks were reasonably priced, especially for happy hour. The waiters were attentive. The snacks were also tasty. The only downside is parking, but we just park in the Hale Koa overflow lot or on the street. I would definitely recommend this place!
Review Source:I really wanted to like this place as the setting was quaint and was quite different from other bars in Hawaii. Â However, if you choose to sit outside, you get a whiff of sewage or trash once in awhile, just like other reviewers have mentioned. Â On top of things, our server was nonexistent. Â He came around twice during our whole 45 minute visit, once to get our order, and another to deliver our drinks. Â We were so fed up that we just left money on the table and left.
However, Â I do have to admit that their drinks are tasty. Â They are not strong by any means, but they are balanced, delicate...and expensive.
3 stars.
I love this place... The atmosphere is beautiful with dimmed lighting, and eclectic decore. The food during happy hour is very reasonably priced, especially for waikiki, the plates are totally unique, and very delicious. The drinks are fancy and a little pricey but worth it. The music here is always the best
Review Source:BIG UPDATE: Genius Lounge has gone through new management change. And since then, this place has improved big time. You wouldn't notice initially- the music still rocks, atmosphere and setup still chill and relaxing. Big difference is their menu- a little more expensive but better quality food.
Also- my biggest compliment is that they offer good quality sake during happy hour. I asked why, and the new manager (hot btw) wants people to experience quality vs just ordering low-cost sake all the time.
Happy Hour: 4-7pm daily (never had a happy hour before). As of now, its a small happy hour menu, but includes the beat selections of sake, mixed drinks, beers and food. Most sake, mixed drinks, beers and food on happy hour are pretty much 50% off. Only catch- food portion sizes are small for those with a large appetite.
Same owner. I miss the previous Asian manager. He always pulled a table for me, even where there was none. For those who are wondering where he went- some new Asian restaurant on King street.
Great staff, amazing food, even better drinks.
The staff members were very helpful and their suggestions were on point. One (not sure if employed by GL) also recommended a great spot back in NY, to continue the aloha vibe.
Came around 5p so it was not crowded at all. Had a nice relaxing early dinner and even a complimentary dessert!
If I lived close by I would definitely be a regular, too bad I'm from NY (so you know how much we love hidden, obscure, and in-the-cut gems). This was definitely a great find!!
TLDR : hidden bar, laid back, good drinks/food, friendly staff.
Located on the third floor of the Genius Outfitters Store in Waikiki is Genius Lounge Sake Bar and Grill. I dined at this establishment over the weekend which I did not know existed until just recently. On the outside of the store to the right is the stairs which will lead you to this restaurant overlooking busy Lewers Street and the DFS Galleria.
With a full service bar and serving Japanese style tapas, this is a great place to hang out with friends or enjoy a quiet dinner for two.
Our preference to sit outside on the lanai to accommodate the eight of us ended up being a short wait. Once we were seated to our tables, we immediately ordered several dishes from the menu including their yaki edamame ($4.50), pumpkin with bacon ($10), karaage chicken ($7), steamed garlic clams ($15), Genius fries ($4.50) and sirloin steak served with a spicy chimichurri sauce.
I was quite surprised the sweet kabocha pumpkin paired well with taste of the crispy bacon which was not oily or salty at all. This is one of their most requested dishes and it is absolutely wonderful. It was enjoyed by everyone along with the perfectly cooked karaage chicken. The chicken was lightly battered and fried until cooked but not overdone where it was chewy. Â
Another dish prepared well was the steamed garlic clams. Juicy and tender soft pieces of large clam meat that had the right amount of seasoning were amazing.
Although the portions are on the smaller side, the service we received was great.
For Waikiki this place has a nice and clean restroom which is decorated with more of a feminine touch.
I thoroughly enjoyed my experience at this lil joint. Went just to check it out, not knowing it was happy hour. Hurrah! The drinks and small eats were tasty and affordable. The environment is hella chill with the laid back underground hip hop beats to match. Why only four stars? I don't know if my drink had any alcohol in it, it might have been just juice. It was still yummy though.
Review Source:This place rocks! Why?.. because I never knew how delicious sake cocktails could taste until I came here. I love the momo cocktail! I have only been here during happy hr and their menu is great. They have tasty healthy choices for happy hr and not to mention the hrs are nice because it starts at 6pm. I also like the music they play here old school hip hop takes you back to the days when u were growing up while sipping on some drinks and chowing down...sounds great to me :)
Review Source:This hidden gem is great for a quiet night out, or the beginning of a crazy one. Â Genius Lounge is on Lewers, but enough steps away from the noisier bars to set itself apart. The side stars seemed to be the only way to this upstairs lounge...I found myself wondering if it was handicap accessible for some reason....
Plenty of candles and dimmer lights make for great mood lighting and the hard furniture and nice decor make it easy to relax. Â The waiter tended to hover a bit, but was very polite and service was speedy. Â
I tried a tasty mixed drink first, but really wish that I'd started with the sake samplers I drank for the rest of the night. Â $11 for pre-chosen samplers of 3 different sakes meant that I refined my pallet and got a good buzz going at the same time. Â Love this place! Â Will definitely be back soon.
Came here for Saturday night food and drinks after happy hour. They are located above their clothing store Genius Outfitters. Â It was pretty busy as we needed to wait for a table. Btw, there is no set waiting time since people just "lounge" here at night. Â With our big crowd, we finally had a table after an hour and a half. Â
Parking: No real restaurant parking available, so find a lot around the area. Â We parked at Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center and got validation at a coffee shop while we waited.
Food: Â We ordered the Citrus Pepper Chicken for $9. Â Nothing special tasting about this with a very small portion. Â Great for rabbit food (quite pathetic). Â We also had the clams for $15. Â Mediocre tasting and came with a big piece of bread to make the dish look fuller. Â Don't be expecting to fill your stomachs.
Drinks: We ordered a bottle of Rose Chandon to share for $46. Pricy but that's the brand. It came with an ice bucket to keep it classy. We also ordered the Tokyo Tea for $8 which was a good bang for your buck if you want to get drunk.
Service: The first server was friendly especially when the place was busy. Our bill came out with a few errors, and the new server wasn't very helpful. Remember there is a 18% gratuity charge for large groups and no split checks.
Ambience: The crowd was a mix of tourists and a 30+ crowd. I thought the decor was pretty especially for pictures. Btw if you end up sitting outdoors by the entrance, there was some sewage smell (ask to sit inside). There were a lot of people standing by the bar, a few large tables, and tables for four outside.
First time here and don't think I'll be coming back any time soon.
So let me start with the cons: I would recommend to come here during happy hour if you want to grab food. We made the mistake of coming here past happy hour. Portions are pretty tiny for what you pay. The poke was delicious but there was a lot more onions than ahi on the dish. I also ordered the salmon miso gratin, very cheesy and delicious, but overpriced at $15. It's also a bit inconvenient that they split 2 checks maximum for big parties.
What I did love about this place is that the server was friendly and helpful. Not to mention, it was quite crowded that day and it seemed like he was the only one on the floor that night. Can handle. I would come back here for the mixed drinks, which were pretty strong. My friend had tokyo tea and got pretty red quickly hahah.
I've been on a 2-star tear recently, so I thought I should be more positive about my reviews. Fortunately, I found somewhere that was better than expected and more than glad to give some positive feedback. Â Any happy hour that starts at 6 pm (6-8 pm), is an automatic 3-stars! No need to rush after work for just one happy hour drink. Â
Variety of drinks on the happy hour list for $5 - had a generous pour of cold sake. Food selection leans on the Japanese/fusion side.  Deep fried pasta with garlic salt, cucumber with ume sauce and  deep fried cheese and grilled salmon roe are just some of the less than common items on offer.  Temper expectations on the food, but prices are reasonable.
Comfortable indoor and outdoor seating in a chill atmosphere. Definitely worth a visit if you happen to be in the area (debatable if it's worth driving in only for this place). Recommend dropping by the Sheraton (happy hour@Rum Fire) or Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center (Doraku) for a drink and receive 4 hours free parking. Then wander over to Lewers Street and upstairs to Genius Lounge for a few more.
Yes! I finally came here. I kept seeing my friend checking in and posting instagram pictures of them coming here and I have been wanting to stop by for so long. Finally got the chance to come and perfectly right at happy hour! Loved it! Can get a Sangria or Kirin for $2.50 and then other mixed drinks for $4. Most, if not all of them, have Sake in the mixture. NICE! Most of the happy hour food and appetizers are about $6 too. So if you just come to chill for a snack and a few drinks your bill could easily be around only $10. Not bad at all! Really cute seating on a balcony with lights or in the back for couches to chill or get intimate. If you like a bit more rowdiness then just chill inside in the bar area and mingle. I really enjoyed my little happy hour here and will definitely be coming again soon! Would have given it a 5 stars, but the pizza was so tiny. Still tasted good though!
Review Source:"The difference between stupidity and genius is that genius has its limits." - Albert Einstein
This lounge definitely has some limits. First off, this establishment felt more like a place for tourists as there were definitely more tourists here than locals (I guess I should have expected that for being in Waikiki). Second, the happy hour was ok as the prices were good. The sake cocktail was tasty. The food is another matter as it was just meh. I'm not sure if there was a happy hour food menu because I saw people eating shrimp cocktails and pizzas but neither was on our menu. I wonder if there is a secret menu.
Yelp Challenge: 47/365
The ambiance is nice, I really like the small tables and couches outside on the patio. It's great for having drinks with friends. But this is the only reason I give it 3 stars. Otherwise it is a mediocre 2. I tried the Loco Moco and it was dull and tasteless. Definitely try something else from the menu. The waiter was impatient and once he took my order, I didn't see him for at least half an hour. I had to call one of the other servers for an additional drink and he was not impatient, but rather rude and ignorant.
Bottom line - go there if you just want to have drinks before a club or another bar. Maybe the rest of the food is not so bad, but as wait staff - i guess i might have been just unlucky with the current shift.
Before heading here, someone was telling me about how they had drinks at the "Genius Bar" in Waikiki.
"When did they start serving drinks at the Apple Store?!" I thought.
Finally, a group of friends took me here and I looked up at the sign.
"Ahh...Genius LOUNGE. Totally different."
But like Apple's target market, this place caters to people in their 20's and 30's, as it creates a cool and hip atmosphere. They don't blast the music here neither, allowing everyone to have good conversation without yelling over the sound.
Genius Ba...excuse me, Lounge, is much like a modern-day izakaya. Tons of Japanese appetizers that's easy to share. We tried the garlic bread, ebi-mayo, ahi poke, 4-cheese pizza, and tomato/mozzarella plate. All of it was pretty good, but don't expect to be stuffed as they were all Japanese-sized as well.
Their happy hour from 6-8pm is one of the best values around town. Kirin for $2.50, and appetizers in the $3-6 range. If you're looking for sake, no need to look any further as their list is exxxxtensive!! Where's the beer?!, I thought after flipping through page after page of sake.
Outside of happy hour, their menu expands, but the prices start to run too rich for my blood. Still, a good place to chill with friends, especially at the couches near the back of the lounge.
Actually, I'm glad they didn't name this place Genius Bar, because this place is the definition of how a lounge should be. How smart of them!
31 Yelps Review Challenge - October 2012 #22/31
I LOVE WAIKIKI. There is so much life and personality here, it's exciting. To have a lounge on the third floor of a boutique shop, Genius.
Genius Lounge is on top of Genius Outfitter's boutique shop. I am always making a pit stop before I head up for some midori and fried cheese. Â Genius Lounge has a very modern look. Â It blends right into Waikiki.
My favorite drink is the midori, as you might have noticed. On food, I've tried the fried cheese, fried scallop, genius loco moco, rock shrimp, fried octopus, and cheese pizza. Â All of the items were very very good. The only complain is the portions are small so it's great as a drinking complement but not for dinner. Â It's becoming one of my favorite lounge. Come down and check out Genius Lounge.
I've heard of this place and I'm thinking I'll have to return to make up for my first impression of this lounge. Â It was less crowded than I expected for a Friday night at 9:30pm, it probably helped that First Friday was also going on in downtown. Â We put our names in and stood around in awkward spots for about 20 minutes. Â Wish they could arrange some benches or something on the sides to optimize the space better, I dunno. Â
When a table did open up out on one of the two patios, we finally felt like we were part of it all. Â The tables are spaced well away from one another and the ample white lights strung up like the hoildays can be mesmerizing...cute spot. Â Just wish the service was a lot better.
I'm not a sake connoisseur but I enjoyed what we had, it was either junmai or daiginjo. We were in a sea of Japanese nationals, along with other tourists, it was pleasant, but quite warm from the humidity. Â We had just eaten dinner at Arancino's so we were just looking for some good sake and didn't order anything to eat. The dishes served at the other tables looked good, the menu showed some interesting little Japanese style tapas or dishes so will try some of the food if I do get the chance to come back. Â The sakes we ordered were pricey, honestly I can't see myself just drinking a ton of sake, I can only do it once in a while, luckily our friend took care of most of the bill since we got his dinner. Â :-) Â
Although the service wasn't great, it wasn't so horrible that I wouldn't come back, because I do plan to return some time so I can try the food.. and add to this review!
Tips: Â Make sure to put your name in for a table immediately if you can't find an open table. Â Prepare for warm weather if you're out on the patio.
Asian tapas + random outliers. Nonetheless, everything on the menu sounded good and everything we ordered was pretty tasty. Service was friendly and I especially liked how we could sit outside on the lanai to enjoy our cocktails and small plates.
Pumpkin and bacon. My favorite dish of the night.
Maui onion salad. Sweet and savory. Awesome.
Ja-Ja mien. Tasty. Â Hearty portion compared to everything else.
Steak fries. A little bit better than average. Comes seasoned with sea salt and parmesan. I liked the crispiness of the fries.
Deep fried octopus. Average.
Scotch egg. Different. Interesting. It was average but I probably wouldn't order this again.
I'm looking forward to the next time we go back here.
Service was great! My boyfriend and I were given a bigger table on the outside patio - one of the workers made sure of it (we were initially seated at a cramped table right in back of the bar).
The lounge/restaurant sits right around the corner of the famed Waikiki strip. Parking's dicey as there's metered parking in the back.
We were looking for somewhere that had tapas/appetizers and drinks - basically somewhere that was much more laidback.
Genius reminds me of the Japanese-ish bars/izakayas in Little Tokyo, Los Angeles where I lived for around 4 years. They're not really Japanese and nor are they American. They fall into some other dimensional category where east/west converges with locals, and "outsiders" don't always quite fit in.
This is the sort of place where I would expect to see Golgo 13, sitting alone at the bar, waiting for...something or someone. And that's also what I liked about it here. This is a good "lone wolf" establishment for those travelling, or coming back or on their way to something else.
I also think that Genius is really one of those places that you need to invest in, and they in you. Unfortunately, I only had 2 hours here while waiting for a date. I'm not saying not the come here if you're just passing through, but I can see tourists getting annoyed with a more legit, local spot as opposed to the hotel bars down the street.
There were some very interesting and polite Japanese managers or manager sort of moving around behind me, checking things and people out and I got the sense that they are after a certain type of clientele here, that they have some customers who value their privacy, and some knowledge of Japanese etiquette is important.
Their Sake selection was good and alcohol prices were ok - considering the area that they're in, very reasonable actually. Food was excellent. I had a couple little dishes but you could see that someone in the kitchen was putting in care and attention. That signature breaded chicken dish with lemon was outstanding as were the fries which were seasoned perfectly.
This place has got a great, odd energy and mix of people. Japanese. Japanese Americans. Asians. Hawaiians and just a few strange looking tourists.
If I lived in Hawaii, this would definitely be a hang out spot for me. It's open late. Staff were friendly (but not overbearing) so you can chat, or maitain your space.
Only complaint were the large screens showing some sporting event that hurts the incredible loungey vibe in here. I would definitely lose those, or turn the brightness down.
Visited the Genius Lounge Friday night late between 12:00-closing. Â We sat at the bar but the lounge area looked comfy too. Â It was a bit crazy before we even sat down with a severely intoxicated man who couldn't even put words together trying to exit via the bathroom before one of the bartenders showed him the door. Â Soon after a drink girl was running through the bar being chased by what looked to be her father or "older male friend". Â A worker jokingly mentioned see what sake does.. LOL!
I don't drink much but was with my boyfriend and another male friend who thought this place is TOP NOTCH! Â Granted they both had been drinking for the last 5 hours...
The bartender Chris was knowledgeable and made suggestions when my BF asked about the whiskey's. Â Another worker let us sample several different sakes free of charge which was very unexpected. Â I did enjoy the Japanese Vodka and tea cocktail ... very light and simple. Â I ordered the steak fries which were delicious!
All in all I can bet the Men will be back and I will be the DD! Â ;-)
Last night, while waiting for friends, I introduced myself to couple of Japanese ladies sitting at the bar. We chatted and they liked it but when the MANAGER or the OWNER comes in to the picture and offers me a table. I told him, I do not need it but he insists on moving to a table or to leave the bar. That I thought is absolutely RIDICULOUS! It's not even that I liked those girls. I just talked to someone right next to me and engaged in conversation because I was bored! Why else would people go to a bar?
It's not that this is the worst place to hang out but I felt there is no freedom of speech and the OWNER was rude. I still don't get it but hey, that's the reason we have Yelp right? - To voice our opinions/experiences to make it easy for other people.
Let me get my thoughts in order. Â Parking, sake, food, staff, atmosphere.
Parking: Â It always seems like a pain in the ass to find parking here, but a friend of mine made me privy to a simple solution: Â go up the parking ramp for Ohana Waikiki Malia (across the street from Genius, just before you hit Kuhio Avenue, aka IHOP parking), go to sports bar Rivals, grab a $3 beer and validation, pay just $1 for each subsequent hour of parking. Â Ta da!
Sake: Â The sake menu is pretty amazing, and there are always new options to try out. Â Order an entire bottle and they'll bring it out a la VIP, in a fancy ice bucket with glasses. Â If you're "one of those," there are bottles in the $100-$200 range (Kubota Manju, omfg), but for someone like me (read: cheap), there are some great options for around $40 and $50. Â Â My go to selections are any of the Dewazakura, Otokoyama, or Hakkaisan.
I need to add a note here, and it's a note from atop a soapbox. Â A large number of people seem to hate the idea of sake, and I understand why. Â If you've had hot sake before, your impression is that it tastes like turpentine-laced piss. Â I get it. Â Now drop that first impression, never order hot sake again, and get yourself a chilled glass recommended by one of the servers here. Â I guarantee that you'll see things are not as you previously believed. Â Even AVERAGE or DECENT sake is slightly fruity, uplifting, and smoother than anything. Â End soapbox rant.
Food: Â The food isn't the strongest point with Genius Lounge, I'll admit. Â The price range is a bit high for the portions, but somehow very fitting to the type of business this is. Â There is a considerable imbalance in the food pricing, and you'll see some average foods costing a bit too much, while the best dishes appear to have rock-bottom prices affixed. Â For example, a simple katsu curry will run you $12, but by contrast, other dishes like the amazing "Ham and Cheese Platter" (it's a salumi/prosciutto, cheese, melon, dried fruit, and nuts platter) come in at a cheaper-than-fair $13. Â Some things I wholeheartedly recommend: Â the aforementioned Ham and Cheese Platter, Pasta Natto, and Yaki Edamame.
Atmosphere: Â A place like this seems like it'd be chock full of first-generation Japanese staff, right? Â It's not. Â Instead, it's manned by a small group of laid-back, friendly local guys that know their products very well, and know how to treat their customers with the perfect balance of space and attention. Â The clientele is extremely varied, and it speaks to how appealing and welcoming Genius Lounge is to all of its customers. Â While bustling and generally pretty packed, we've always been fortunate enough to get a table, but I'd recommend calling ahead for a reservation if you can.
It's a great place to relax on a third story veranda, and it's easy to chat with friends. Â I particularly appreciate this because I freaking hate yelling over music and other people in any environment. Â Overall, this is one of my recent favorite spots, and I hope everyone gets to try it out -- yes, it's worth the perilous trek into the heart of Waikiki.
Unfortunately, I haven't had a great experience here. I want to though. And luckily, I am willing to wait for it. In the time being though, I can't say this place is anything impressive.
I know TONS of people that like/love this place... but the handful of times I have been have been simply disappointments.
In my most recent visit, a group of us decided to check in, grab a drink and just hang out. Granted a group, it was later in the night; I understand busy nights can be a pain. On the other hand, treating people that walk in your front door like dip-shit tourists without any manners is appalling.
We walk in and stand around for someone to help, or at least acknowledge our existence, but we got nothing, when we asked (albeit very busy) bartender if we can sit down anywhere, we were ignored. We found a few empty chairs at the bar, but were quickly yelled at, "THOSE SEATS ARE RESERVED!" as they slammed down a small black placard declaring: "RESERVED"
We waited a few more minutes and no one bothered trying to help us, so as soon as we saw a table opening up, we decided to go for it. As we walked towards the table, from about 15 feet behind us a server literally screams out: "THAT TABLE IS NOT FOR YOU!" ... awwwwkwwaaarrd .. And slams down another "RESERVED" placard.
Okay... how many of those damn placards you got?
It's not like the lounge is that big, so you can imagine everyone decided to simultaneous stop and glare over at the newly announced dipshits declared by the unhelpful server. Yelling out what wasn't for us didn't help in wanting us to stay around, so that was my cue to leave. Â
I rarely give places several chances to let me like them. Genius Lounge is just one of them that I WANT to like... just haven't gotten a chance to yet.
I do promise however to change my experience and rating, as soon as I actually get a good experience. till then, "FIVE STARS IS NOT FOR YOU!"
What I would have wanted to see was someone come up and explain the situation. Like how restaurants have hosts it would have been better to have someone to say, we're sorry, but there is a 14-hour wait, we are booked with "RESERVATIONS", we don't like you because it's our time of the month - don't take it personal, etc... Even if a server, who had the energy to scream out at us, "THAT TABLE IS NOT FOR YOU", was instead able to stop over and tell us, "give me a few minutes to help you", "Here is a sign-in sheet", "Please stand across the street so you don't bother our guests" - ANYTHING, would have been better than making potential customer feel like 'tards.
It's truly Genius to have a place like this on Lewers, especially since I personally is not a fan of the two overly crowded places down the street.
I have actually only been here for sake, and they have a great selection. We normally always order a bottle that we split between us , we're somehow never more than 4 people that go.
I've sat inside, outside on the back, and outside on the front and I like the front the best. The back is .. chill, but there was some "odor" coming from somewhere. So I assume that the trash is back there, but it's still cool.
The people I go with know the bartender so we always gets a seat, even if it would happen to say reserved ;) I love the ambiance of the place, and the people working there. Always smiling and very helpful.
I don't know what else to add, beside it's great.
I definitely have to try their food next time I go.
While on Oahu for a few days last month I wanted to check out a bar that was not to busy. I looked up recent Yelp reviews, and found the Genius Lounge having good ratings. So we decided to check it out.
I have to admit it took us a little while to find the place. But we were able to get a good parking space in a private lot on Lewers St, and the guy who ran the lot showed us where the Genius Lounge was at.
We went there on a Wednesday night after eating dinner at another location, so it wasn't busy at all. There were several seats open at the bar so we sat there. I liked the fact that there are two open balconies with tables to sit at. The music playing was at a good level, because we could carry on a conversation without having to shout like at some other night spots. They also had a couple of tv's with sports on, which is perfect for those who can't miss the big games.
I decided to try a couple of the mixed sake drinks, which tasted really good! The bartenders are very friendly and helped me decide on what to have. My only regret was having dinner before going there, as I was told by other patrons that the food is excellent. Next trip there I'm going on an empty stomach so I can try some of the food. None the less I liked the laid back atmosphere, and the personalized service.
Great hole-in-the-wall place to have small gatherings or meet out-of-town guests who are staying in Waikiki. Â It's not what you think....they aren't strictly Japanese food. Â They have a diverse menu, everything from Pesto pasta to Chicken Kaarage. Â The food is good, I would recommend the ramen, it's quite tasty. Â If you come between 6-8pm they also have happy hour specials on food and drinks. Â
The drinks are what they're known for. Â They have a wide variety of sakes, mixed drinks, wine and beer. Â But be careful what you order since some of the drinks could be angry and slap you in the face. Â
If you get seated outside the ambiance is quiet magical as you feel like you're in someone's private balcony but in the middle of an sub city-like environment. Â The servers here are also pretty friendly and open to giving you their opinion on what they'd recommend.
One of the knocks of course is the parking. Â But there is a public paid lot in the back of the building...or do what i do, park at the Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center and get validated somewhere like ABC store or Starbucks. Â Then parking is free for the first hour and $1.00 for ever hour after that for the next 2 hours. Â I've also heard that the menu is a bit too different for some people. Â If they feel like eating one type of food, they'll only find a little of it. Â IE. If you feel like eating only Japanese food, then the other menu items won't appeal to you. Â But that's what makes this place different from others. Â Check this chill posh place out if you can and try to get a seat in the lounge area outside.
This is a very laid back place to take friends to. They have a large selection of Sake, good cocktails, and Japanese beer on tap. Food is good and served in moderation.
Their Pandora playlist is bangin. I was hearing all the tracks I haven't thought of in awhile the one time I had dinner here. It has a laidback, cool ambiance on either patios. Be warned though the later you come here the common sighting is the Japanese tourist who had a few too many prior to coming here.
Great stopover place to grab some drinks if you are on Lewers before you head deeper in the Waikiki. Especially if you are like me and like to park on the Ala Wai. I got legs, I like to walk.
Not long after writing my original review, I received this classy compliment from a "Chris T.", who oddly had 0 reviews and 1 friend:
Shut up u monkey!
Don't ever come back to genius lounge!
Especially happy hour! No need come back to Hawaii too! Stay in the mainland!
Now that's one way to take feedback. The other would be to stop attacking your customers when confronted about your horrible service, and to realize what isn't working about your business and try to improve it.
Unbelievable.
Worst service experience I've had in all of Waikiki.
In early December, I walked into Genius Lounge with a friend, looking for good Japanese food, and the Yelp reviews looked really promising.
We walked in and circled around trying to figure out what to do. There was no "Please wait to be seated" or "Seat yourself" sign, and none of the employees looked up to acknowledge us, so we weren't sure what to do.
My friend politely asked a server who walked by if they were open for dining. The employee, who had food in his mouth, looked at my friend, looked around the room, waved his hand around, grunted making sort of a "DUH" noise, and walked away.
If the food is great, it's a shame, because the people who work at this place don't know how to deal with new customers. A simple "Please seat yourself" sign printed on computer paper would have saved us the trouble of walking around confused, and would have also spared us the encounter with the rude employee.
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