Cino

This was my second time dining at Cino, and it was phenomenal! First of all, the restaurant is beautiful. The decor is very upscale, and you can tell they put attention to detail into every component. Our host, Rachel, was so welcoming and friendly, and the bartender, Kipapa, took amazing care of us. He has extensive knowledge of wine and helped us find delicious pairings for our meals and made great food recommendations. The food was incredible! Everything was so fresh, and it was all just perfect. There’s nothing that could make it better! The Kumamoto oysters were so good, I could have eaten a dozen myself! The Crispy Rice was also perfection—the best I’ve ever had, beating Nobu’s by a mile! We also ordered the Charred Spanish Octopus and Salt Roasted Baby Beets. The octopus was amazingly tender, and the beet salad was the perfect palate cleanser. For mains, we had the Herb Pappardelle and the 16oz NY strip with twice-baked potatoes. The pasta was rich and flavorful, and the steak was tender with a perfect crust. But those potatoes—they were out of this world! I wish I could have buckets of them at home. They were so smooth, luxurious, and full of flavor. I’m already looking forward to the next time I can enjoy a delicious meal from Cino!

This was my second time dining at Cino, and it was phenomenal! First of all, the restaurant is beautiful. The decor is very upscale, and you can tell they put attention to detail into every component. Our host, Rachel, was so welcoming and friendly, and the bartender, Kipapa, took amazing care of us. He has extensive knowledge of wine and helped us find delicious pairings for our meals and made great food recommendations. The food was incredible! Everything was so fresh, and it was all just perfect. There’s nothing that could make it better! The Kumamoto oysters were so good, I could have eaten a dozen myself! The Crispy Rice was also perfection—the best I’ve ever had, beating Nobu’s by a mile! We also ordered the Charred Spanish Octopus and Salt Roasted Baby Beets. The octopus was amazingly tender, and the beet salad was the perfect palate cleanser. For mains, we had the Herb Pappardelle and the 16oz NY strip with twice-baked potatoes. The pasta was rich and flavorful, and the steak was tender with a perfect crust. But those potatoes—they were out of this world! I wish I could have buckets of them at home. They were so smooth, luxurious, and full of flavor. I’m already looking forward to the next time I can enjoy a delicious meal from Cino!

Very lovely experience! Service by entire staff was excellent and we couldn’t have asked for a better server! JR was awesome! Very helpful with the menu and personable - ask for him when you go! Food was also excellent. Expensive, yes but what other nice restaurant in town isn’t these days, and they were very creative with the menu. Our favorites: beet salad, hamachi crispy rice, pinwheel truffle pasta, corn agnolotti pasta, veal osso bucco with saffron rice, creamed spinach, and both desserts (tiramisu and coconut-mango panna cotta) were delicious!

Very lovely experience! Service by entire staff was excellent and we couldn’t have asked for a better server! JR was awesome! Very helpful with the menu and personable - ask for him when you go! Food was also excellent. Expensive, yes but what other nice restaurant in town isn’t these days, and they were very creative with the menu. Our favorites: beet salad, hamachi crispy rice, pinwheel truffle pasta, corn agnolotti pasta, veal osso bucco with saffron rice, creamed spinach, and both desserts (tiramisu and coconut-mango panna cotta) were delicious!

I’ve had the opportunity to dine here twice; each time Dylan was our server. Dylan is incredibly friendly, charismatic and helpful with item selection and information. I can’t remember all of the things that we’ve ordered, as we tend to order a lot, but we’ve been impressed with every item that we’ve tried. My personal favorites being steak (all of them are good) and the special pinwheel truffle pasta 😋 I highly recommend sharing dishes allowing the opportunity to enjoy a variety of flavors. * Pro tip- the pinwheel pasta is very rich in flavor and makes for a nice sharing dish as opposed to a main entrée ☺️

I’ve had the opportunity to dine here twice; each time Dylan was our server. Dylan is incredibly friendly, charismatic and helpful with item selection and information. I can’t remember all of the things that we’ve ordered, as we tend to order a lot, but we’ve been impressed with every item that we’ve tried. My personal favorites being steak (all of them are good) and the special pinwheel truffle pasta 😋 I highly recommend sharing dishes allowing the opportunity to enjoy a variety of flavors. * Pro tip- the pinwheel pasta is very rich in flavor and makes for a nice sharing dish as opposed to a main entrée ☺️

Food, service, cleanliness, atmosphere, area located, everything was on point, yet the best part was our server JR did a fantastic job. Thanks to him, my friend and I had a great time and everything really was above and beyond. We followed JR’s recommendations and we all know when someone loves what he does and great at it !! JR explained the menu to us very thoroughly and we ordered the oysters from ❤️Kumamoto 🖤, crispy rice, beef tartar (I originally wanted to get tuna tartar cos it looked really pretty on other reviews, I’ll comeback to try that one next time 😋), black cod butterfish, baked cauliflower, and octopus spanish. It’s hard to pick my favorite cos everything really was great… but I’ll pick the octopus dish because of its texture. It was so tender and melted in my mouth just like a cotton candy. I did notice some dishes were garnished with sesame seeds so if you are allergic to that, it’d be helpful to let your server know in advance. The atmosphere here seemed most suitable for girls night or date night, yet they also host big parties and do takeouts as well. I’d recommend to make a reservation.

Food, service, cleanliness, atmosphere, area located, everything was on point, yet the best part was our server JR did a fantastic job. Thanks to him, my friend and I had a great time and everything really was above and beyond. We followed JR’s recommendations and we all know when someone loves what he does and great at it !! JR explained the menu to us very thoroughly and we ordered the oysters from ❤️Kumamoto 🖤, crispy rice, beef tartar (I originally wanted to get tuna tartar cos it looked really pretty on other reviews, I’ll comeback to try that one next time 😋), black cod butterfish, baked cauliflower, and octopus spanish. It’s hard to pick my favorite cos everything really was great… but I’ll pick the octopus dish because of its texture. It was so tender and melted in my mouth just like a cotton candy. I did notice some dishes were garnished with sesame seeds so if you are allergic to that, it’d be helpful to let your server know in advance. The atmosphere here seemed most suitable for girls night or date night, yet they also host big parties and do takeouts as well. I’d recommend to make a reservation.

The world food tour resumed at Cino, in the ‘A’ali’I Condominium. The address is listed as Queen Street but the restaurant is actually on Halekauwila St. As you enter, you see the bar and you turn left into the area with tables on each side of a long aisle. We were seated at a table for two adjacent to the open kitchen. The menu comes on individual sheets of paper; one for food; the others are for cocktails, wines by the glass and a wine list (by the bottle). I selected a Heitz cabernet but our server (RJ) brought a bottle of 2018 Hamel Nuns Canyon Vineyard in Sonoma ($295) offering it to us for the price of the Heitz ($215). It was an earthy, dark ruby wine with notes of black fruit, leather and chocolate. We selected Beef Tartare ($24), consisting of cubed Creekstone Farm’s filet mignon and capers topped with an egg yolk emulsion, served with tapioca puffs (visually similar to shrimp chips) and the Crispy Rice ($22): Hamachi, avocado mousse, sesame-soy, sliced Serrano chili and dollops of caviar atop rectangles of crisped rice (think a 1-inch square, rectangular French Fry). The tartare was good but I wanted a little more seasoning and we would have preferred bread instead of the tapioca puffs. The Crispy Rice was delicious. We both felt the dishes were good but subtly seasoned, similar to dishes in Japan. We shared the Cino Pinwheel ($77) and the 25oz, 60-day dry aged ribeye ($88). The pinwheel was handmade pasta rolled up with cheese and grated truffle filling and served in a yellowish sauce with 3gms of truffle shavings. The aroma of truffles was intoxicating! The ribeye was disappointing; It was cooked past medium rare (more like medium) and I failed to detect the nuttiness I find in dry aged steaks, especially one aged more than 45 days. Grilled asparagus with an olive tapenade and lemon was our vegetable ($15). Dessert was a beautifully presented piece of Tiramisu ($14). My tablemate wanted more coffee and chocolate flavoring. Like our appetizers, it was subtly flavored. I had one bite and satisfied myself with a nice cup of coffee ($6). The restaurant was busy but service was fine. We liked our dishes except for the ribeye. If we return, we will choose another entrée. I will rate this experience at 4; less than expected for $583. A guarded recommendation.

The world food tour resumed at Cino, in the ‘A’ali’I Condominium. The address is listed as Queen Street but the restaurant is actually on Halekauwila St. As you enter, you see the bar and you turn left into the area with tables on each side of a long aisle. We were seated at a table for two adjacent to the open kitchen. The menu comes on individual sheets of paper; one for food; the others are for cocktails, wines by the glass and a wine list (by the bottle). I selected a Heitz cabernet but our server (RJ) brought a bottle of 2018 Hamel Nuns Canyon Vineyard in Sonoma ($295) offering it to us for the price of the Heitz ($215). It was an earthy, dark ruby wine with notes of black fruit, leather and chocolate. We selected Beef Tartare ($24), consisting of cubed Creekstone Farm’s filet mignon and capers topped with an egg yolk emulsion, served with tapioca puffs (visually similar to shrimp chips) and the Crispy Rice ($22): Hamachi, avocado mousse, sesame-soy, sliced Serrano chili and dollops of caviar atop rectangles of crisped rice (think a 1-inch square, rectangular French Fry). The tartare was good but I wanted a little more seasoning and we would have preferred bread instead of the tapioca puffs. The Crispy Rice was delicious. We both felt the dishes were good but subtly seasoned, similar to dishes in Japan. We shared the Cino Pinwheel ($77) and the 25oz, 60-day dry aged ribeye ($88). The pinwheel was handmade pasta rolled up with cheese and grated truffle filling and served in a yellowish sauce with 3gms of truffle shavings. The aroma of truffles was intoxicating! The ribeye was disappointing; It was cooked past medium rare (more like medium) and I failed to detect the nuttiness I find in dry aged steaks, especially one aged more than 45 days. Grilled asparagus with an olive tapenade and lemon was our vegetable ($15). Dessert was a beautifully presented piece of Tiramisu ($14). My tablemate wanted more coffee and chocolate flavoring. Like our appetizers, it was subtly flavored. I had one bite and satisfied myself with a nice cup of coffee ($6). The restaurant was busy but service was fine. We liked our dishes except for the ribeye. If we return, we will choose another entrée. I will rate this experience at 4; less than expected for $583. A guarded recommendation.

Very dissapointing experience. This is a pricey, newer restaurant in the Ward area. The atmosphere is very loud and crowded. Two top tables are very close together. Do not plan on being able to have a relaxed conversation. On arrival, the hostess was very nice and acknowledged that we were there for my wife's birthday. Our server (Dylan) was charming, but failed to give us any guidance on the menu. In particular, he should have mentioned that the small pinwheel, truffle pasta was $77, since there is no price on the menu. This dish was appetizer sized, but was delicious. At half the price, it would have been reasonable and satisfying. I understand that truffles are pricy, but Taormina has an excellent truffle dish for under $40. Beet salad was very good. The real disappointment was the $88 veal chop. It had no flavor and was cut too thin. The veal probably came from Whole Foods next door and cost under $15. Also disappointing was that our waiter did nothing for my wife's birthday. Some sort of dessert or drink for a special occasion is always offered. For over $125 per person, we expect much more. There are much better trendy Italian restaurants in town.

Very dissapointing experience. This is a pricey, newer restaurant in the Ward area. The atmosphere is very loud and crowded. Two top tables are very close together. Do not plan on being able to have a relaxed conversation. On arrival, the hostess was very nice and acknowledged that we were there for my wife's birthday. Our server (Dylan) was charming, but failed to give us any guidance on the menu. In particular, he should have mentioned that the small pinwheel, truffle pasta was $77, since there is no price on the menu. This dish was appetizer sized, but was delicious. At half the price, it would have been reasonable and satisfying. I understand that truffles are pricy, but Taormina has an excellent truffle dish for under $40. Beet salad was very good. The real disappointment was the $88 veal chop. It had no flavor and was cut too thin. The veal probably came from Whole Foods next door and cost under $15. Also disappointing was that our waiter did nothing for my wife's birthday. Some sort of dessert or drink for a special occasion is always offered. For over $125 per person, we expect much more. There are much better trendy Italian restaurants in town.

Celebrated a birthday at CINO’s on Saturday, 12/7. Conveniently parked at Ward Theatre. Restaurant was filled to capacity so reservations are a must. Décor is LA chic, modern, and comfortable. Noise level is moderate. List of house cocktails has something for everyone. I favor the smoke infused, Cino Old Fashioned w/ Angel’s Envy Rye. For starters, we loved the Charred Spanish Octopus with Catalonian Romesco (roasted tomatoes, garlic, nuts and olive oil) and Pepperonata (stewed red bell peppers, onions, tomatoes, garlic), Crab Cakes (prepared in basil aioli, flavorful), and fresh Kumies (smallish oysters, savory and sweet, with light brininess). All were exceptional! For mains, we savored the Rigatoni Bolognese (tasty combo of veal, beef, and pork), Linguine Alle Vongole (fresh, savory Littleneck Clams sets this dish shoulders above others the rest), A5 Wagyu with guava demi-glace (zenith of beef, not much more to say), and Veal Parmesan (prepared differently with less marinara and Romano/mozzarella than I’m accustomed to, but the breaded veal was oh-so tender and flavorful). For dessert, I’m not usually a fan of Panna Cotta but this is the best anywhere hands down. Custard is half coconut, half mango, and loaded with sweet, seasonal mixed berries. Our server, Dylan, was extraordinary. Cheerful, gregarious, and supremely knowledgeable. Moreover, he was supported by a fabulous group of servers, working seamlessly together. Chef Arnold Corpuz (an Aiea boy) also came by our table. Dedicated, experienced (Yoshi’s, Spago, Carnevino over 20 years) and gracious. Outstanding ingredients, harmony of flavors, and excellent cooking – CINO’s has it all!

Celebrated a birthday at CINO’s on Saturday, 12/7. Conveniently parked at Ward Theatre. Restaurant was filled to capacity so reservations are a must. Décor is LA chic, modern, and comfortable. Noise level is moderate. List of house cocktails has something for everyone. I favor the smoke infused, Cino Old Fashioned w/ Angel’s Envy Rye. For starters, we loved the Charred Spanish Octopus with Catalonian Romesco (roasted tomatoes, garlic, nuts and olive oil) and Pepperonata (stewed red bell peppers, onions, tomatoes, garlic), Crab Cakes (prepared in basil aioli, flavorful), and fresh Kumies (smallish oysters, savory and sweet, with light brininess). All were exceptional! For mains, we savored the Rigatoni Bolognese (tasty combo of veal, beef, and pork), Linguine Alle Vongole (fresh, savory Littleneck Clams sets this dish shoulders above others the rest), A5 Wagyu with guava demi-glace (zenith of beef, not much more to say), and Veal Parmesan (prepared differently with less marinara and Romano/mozzarella than I’m accustomed to, but the breaded veal was oh-so tender and flavorful). For dessert, I’m not usually a fan of Panna Cotta but this is the best anywhere hands down. Custard is half coconut, half mango, and loaded with sweet, seasonal mixed berries. Our server, Dylan, was extraordinary. Cheerful, gregarious, and supremely knowledgeable. Moreover, he was supported by a fabulous group of servers, working seamlessly together. Chef Arnold Corpuz (an Aiea boy) also came by our table. Dedicated, experienced (Yoshi’s, Spago, Carnevino over 20 years) and gracious. Outstanding ingredients, harmony of flavors, and excellent cooking – CINO’s has it all!

Came here for dinner. Little trouble finding the place, as it's tucked way in the back where it looks like a hotel entrance with shops. Just pass the yoga place, you'll end up here. Literally tucked in the back. Beautiful interior with a bar. Dinner for everyone was good, interesting flavor profiles. Ibdo recommended, when asked, "flat or sparkling water" . Opt out and ask for tap water as we did incur an additional $40 for flat water. Shocker!

Came here for dinner. Little trouble finding the place, as it's tucked way in the back where it looks like a hotel entrance with shops. Just pass the yoga place, you'll end up here. Literally tucked in the back. Beautiful interior with a bar. Dinner for everyone was good, interesting flavor profiles. Ibdo recommended, when asked, "flat or sparkling water" . Opt out and ask for tap water as we did incur an additional $40 for flat water. Shocker!