MW Restaurant

wonderful food prepered by amazing people!

While my family had visited MW at their previous location, this was our first time dining at their current space in the Symphony Honolulu building. The restaurant has a unique, modern layout; visible from the ground floor of the car dealership, you are greeted by the bar and a sleek reception area before entering the spacious, white-toned dining room. The seating, a mix of individual chairs and benches, was very comfortable. ​ Our server was pleasantly patient as we paced our meal, ordering drinks first, followed by appetizers, entrées, and finally dessert. The staff was friendly throughout the evening. However, there was one minor disappointment: my family had mentioned it was my birthday dinner when making the reservation. We noticed several other tables receiving birthday desserts, but ours seemed to be overlooked. It was a small detail, but it did dampen the celebratory mood slightly for my family. ​ We started with the Yuzu Paper Plane (dangerously good and sweet) and the Double Take, which had a smooth whiskey finish with a hint of orange. For appetizers, the Crab Cakes were the standout—savory and packed with a hearty amounts of crab meat. The Short Rib & Foie Gras Wontons were a close second, with a perfectly crispy exterior and a subtle, well-balanced filling. The only miss was the Kanpachi Ceviche; the lime juice was so heavy it overpowered the delicate fish, making it difficult to finish. ​ The main courses were the highlight of the night. The Hokkaido Scallops were seared to perfection—I truly wished I had ordered more. The Truffle Braised Short Ribs were incredibly tender with a rich, savory sauce, and the Mountain View Farms Pork Chop in tomato sauce tasted like a high-end, comforting stew when mixed together. Forgot to mention it came was pasta separately. Heads up the pasta is intended to be plain so you can mix with the tomato sauce. ​ The MW Candy Bar was excellent—not too sweet and a perfect match for the Guatemalan Decaf Coffee. We also tried the Strawberry Shave Ice, which was a refreshing combination of yuzu sherbet, haupia tapioca, and panna cotta. To finish, the server brought out a bunch of complimentary chocolate peanut cookies, which were crunchy and delicious. We took some home. ​ The evening we visited, we were unfortunate to be seated next to a group of loud people that it drown out our conversations at times. Regardless, MW remains a popular choice to celebrate a special occasion. The food is memorable and the atmosphere is upscale, white sleek and clean. Just keep in mind that it is a "splurge" type of restaurant, but for a celebration, the quality of the cuisine makes it well worth it.

On my birthday, I wanted to create a special memory for myself, so I spontaneously went to a restaurant in Honolulu that looked absolutely delicious. It was the perfect choice. Everything was incredibly delicious, you could really feel the care that went into it. The servers were all wonderful, the customers were lovely, and I was so happy I cried. Next time, I want to bring someone special and give them the same wonderful dinner memory I had.