Incredible food with impeccable service. Loved the tasting menu and especially the Lobster Risotto and Ribeye. Highly recommend the wine pairing as it was one of the best I have ever had.  Cannot thank the chef, management, server and staff enough for their gracious hospitality!
Sushifan
Objectively speaking (I hope), one of the best meals we've had in a long time. We've dined at many Michelin-starred restaurants, both in the States and in France. The flavors presented here were top flight. The scallops were bits of heaven. Much aloha in the service. I do think Mugen would be busier at a slightly lower price point, if the quality did not slip proportionately. My ultimate comparison in judging a fine dining restaurant is how it compares to Le Bernadin (LB) in NYC, which in my opinion is the perfect three-star restaurant. LB is $210 for four courses, Mugen is $180. Both reside in expensive locales. Given a single choice of where to go, I'd still choose LB. That said, LB is not in Waikiki and we were so if you also find yourself in Waikiki I think you'll be very happy at Mugen. By suggesting that Mugen is in the same league as LB is my highest praise.
No words can describe the level of excellence that abounds herein. Food was out of this world. Five course requirement but every bite was an adventure and always worth the ticket. Speaking of the ticket...a few rounds of cocktails but no wine or pairing and we still were just over 1200 USD for the dinner for four. But ...once and a while one has to treat one's self and this was a delicious reward!
IJ
Selected as a Forbes 5-star restaurant, it is a fusion restaurant that combines fine dining with a Japanese twist. The results of the fusion were very satisfying, and it provides a much fresher and more diverse experience than going to most famous steakhouses. I was also impressed by the use of seasonal Hawaiian ingredients, such as Kauai shrimp.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
KamaAinaDiner
Spot on service and the food was immaculately prepared. Wine selection and pairings, delightful. Highly recommend if you are looking for a unique experience using locally sourced ingredients and haute cuisine.
I normally never post reviews of restaurants I visit and this is actually my first OpenTable review. I felt that this was such an amazing experience I had to write a review to commend the restaurant and staff. All the courses were very well thought out and was absolutely amazing. The wagyu tartare was one of the best things I have ever tasted. The entire staff were absolutely amazing and had such great insight on the courses and the motivation behind each course. I had booked this reservation as a post-proposal dinner and I could not have picked a better place. The manager, Wes, gave us a tour of the Espacio suites and gave us a menu signed by the staff, which was absolutely amazing. The staff went above and beyond all expectations I had. We will definitely be making Mugen a regular stop for us any time we are in Oahu!
This was our favorite dinner in Honolulu. The service was amazing from Evan, Shari, and Douglas, Chef Colin even came out to say hi! Will definitely be back and we highly recommend!
Cole Nishikawa
We just experienced Mugen's new Sunset Champagne and Caviar Experience, and it was pure perfection! Picture this: a breathtaking sunset view paired with a lavish spread featuring caviar, a bottle of champagne, and an array of delectable accompaniments. The rooftop atmosphere elevated the experience to a whole new level of bougie. The sunset was absolutely stunning, making it an unforgettable evening. If you're looking for a luxurious champagne experience with a view to match, Mugen is the place to be!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Black Leprechaun
Follow up review…Paul Badaracco’s review mentions top 3 restaurants he went to with his wife. He fails to mention Denny’s and L&L were his other favorites. This place is great if you’re into mediocre food with wannabe high end waitstaff trained by a 3-star hotel chain called Aqua Aston Hospitality.Kid-friendliness: Only bring the kids if you were raised in a barn.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
Overall great experience. Discovered my favorite caviar of all time at Mugen. Staff did a great job working around difficult allergies (dairy and chicken eggs). Chef was able to come up with an interesting and delicious dessert that was off the menu just for me which I appreciated greatly given I normally cannot have any dessert at the vast majority of restaurants.
In my opinion, this is absolutely the best restaurant in the Hawaiian Islands. Very expensive, but worth it. The wait staff is extremely well-trained and very personable, the wine (& somm) is splendid, and the food is creative. Nice dining ware in an elegantly understated room.
Paul Badaracco
Of all the fine dining experiences we had in Oahu, my wife and I put Mugen in our top three, hands down! What a wonderful experience we had: from the service, the food, the atmosphere, everything was exceptional.First of all, the entrance of the restaurant is on Kalākaua Avenue (it is basically the entrance to the hotel Espacio), and if you are driving in, there is a "bay" for you to leave the car there. In my case, the valet was not out, so I walked in, and after being promptly greeted, the valet came out and parked my car.Once inside, we were warmly greeted by the host and seated to our table. The atmosphere inside the dining room is very cozy, only 12 tables, but not noisy at all: it was nice to being able to have a conversation with my wife without having to yell or lean over to hear what she was saying.Our waiter was Ricardo, and together with the sommelier Douglas, they were both fantastic: very professional but yet personable to the point they put my wife and I at ease, which to me it always seem to be an issue with some of those "stiff" waiters at fine dining restaurants. Ricardo gave us great recommendations when pondering our choices on the menu, and after doing so, Douglas had the perfect wine pairing to complement each plate we ordered (I highly, highly recommend the wine pairing). With both Ricardo and Douglas, we had fun conversations, whether it was discussing our cultural background or love and interest for food or whether it was a interesting anecdote sparked by one of the wines presented us by Douglas.And then the food, wow! Chef Colin did an unbelievable job creating a menu with dishes that celebrate both tradition and innovation. From the delicate appetizers to the vibrant starters and the exquisite entrees, each dish was meticulously plated to please the eye as much as the palate, with every bite being a unique sensory feast on multiple levels.And to top it all off the wonderful desserts from pastry Chef Chiara (was so nice to find out she's from Italy like myself!): fine creations where the presentation is as exquisite as the taste, and a refined sweet sensation that linger long after the last spoonful is savored.We have nothing but praises for our overall experience at Mugen: from the impeccable service to the extraordinary cuisine, every aspect of the evening was orchestrated to perfection. If you're looking for an unforgettable evening, I highly recommend you give Mugen a try. You won't regret it!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Dave Penhall
This was a fabulous fine dining experience. My wife and I agreed that this has been one of our favorites, even among some of the 3-star Michelin restaurants we've visited. The dinner is a tasting menu with choices for several of the dishes. Some are more experimental than others, so you have the freedom to choose something that will push your boundaries or just choose something more familiar. The cocktails are fantastic, each carefully prepared and very well balanced. We tried several and they were all exceptionally good. The mixologist even made a custom highball for me that worked beautifully. The staff is very professional, but also very friendly, which is just the way I like it.For a swanky date night, this is a great choice and an experience that you'll want to repeat. Hearty recommendation.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Rob B.
Aloha, finally made it to Mugen. OMG so amazingly ono! If you're a foodie make your way here each dish was beautifully presented and better yet, delicious! From the Ute bread dish to the venison I was impressed. Celebrated GNO for 2 birthdays. So happy M picked Mugen. I really enjoyed my meal. The service is impeccable with Wes and Shari, so happy to see familiar faces. And a great wine list too. Will definitely bring hubby back to experience a fine meal here too. Enjoy!
Ayako Murakami
Restaurant inside the Espacio Waikiki Hotel.Every time a colorful dish is brought to the table one by one,It was a thrilling experience filled with excitement and surprise, like the moment you open a jewelry box. I went to the restaurant with two women, and we were able to spend a relaxing and comfortable time forgetting about the fatigue and stress after work. I was soothed by the warm hospitality and conversation from the server and wine sommelier. A restaurant you'll want to invite your friends to visit again.
Incredible food with impeccable service. Loved the tasting menu and especially the Lobster Risotto and Ribeye. Highly recommend the wine pairing as it was one of the best I have ever had.  Cannot thank the chef, management, server and staff enough for their gracious hospitality!
Objectively speaking (I hope), one of the best meals we've had in a long time. We've dined at many Michelin-starred restaurants, both in the States and in France. The flavors presented here were top flight. The scallops were bits of heaven. Much aloha in the service. I do think Mugen would be busier at a slightly lower price point, if the quality did not slip proportionately. My ultimate comparison in judging a fine dining restaurant is how it compares to Le Bernadin (LB) in NYC, which in my opinion is the perfect three-star restaurant. LB is $210 for four courses, Mugen is $180. Both reside in expensive locales. Given a single choice of where to go, I'd still choose LB. That said, LB is not in Waikiki and we were so if you also find yourself in Waikiki I think you'll be very happy at Mugen. By suggesting that Mugen is in the same league as LB is my highest praise.
No words can describe the level of excellence that abounds herein. Food was out of this world. Five course requirement but every bite was an adventure and always worth the ticket. Speaking of the ticket...a few rounds of cocktails but no wine or pairing and we still were just over 1200 USD for the dinner for four. But ...once and a while one has to treat one's self and this was a delicious reward!
Selected as a Forbes 5-star restaurant, it is a fusion restaurant that combines fine dining with a Japanese twist. The results of the fusion were very satisfying, and it provides a much fresher and more diverse experience than going to most famous steakhouses. I was also impressed by the use of seasonal Hawaiian ingredients, such as Kauai shrimp.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Spot on service and the food was immaculately prepared. Wine selection and pairings, delightful. Highly recommend if you are looking for a unique experience using locally sourced ingredients and haute cuisine.
I normally never post reviews of restaurants I visit and this is actually my first OpenTable review. I felt that this was such an amazing experience I had to write a review to commend the restaurant and staff. All the courses were very well thought out and was absolutely amazing. The wagyu tartare was one of the best things I have ever tasted. The entire staff were absolutely amazing and had such great insight on the courses and the motivation behind each course. I had booked this reservation as a post-proposal dinner and I could not have picked a better place. The manager, Wes, gave us a tour of the Espacio suites and gave us a menu signed by the staff, which was absolutely amazing. The staff went above and beyond all expectations I had. We will definitely be making Mugen a regular stop for us any time we are in Oahu!
This was our favorite dinner in Honolulu. The service was amazing from Evan, Shari, and Douglas, Chef Colin even came out to say hi! Will definitely be back and we highly recommend!
We just experienced Mugen's new Sunset Champagne and Caviar Experience, and it was pure perfection! Picture this: a breathtaking sunset view paired with a lavish spread featuring caviar, a bottle of champagne, and an array of delectable accompaniments. The rooftop atmosphere elevated the experience to a whole new level of bougie. The sunset was absolutely stunning, making it an unforgettable evening. If you're looking for a luxurious champagne experience with a view to match, Mugen is the place to be!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Follow up review…Paul Badaracco’s review mentions top 3 restaurants he went to with his wife. He fails to mention Denny’s and L&L were his other favorites. This place is great if you’re into mediocre food with wannabe high end waitstaff trained by a 3-star hotel chain called Aqua Aston Hospitality.Kid-friendliness: Only bring the kids if you were raised in a barn.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
Overall great experience. Discovered my favorite caviar of all time at Mugen. Staff did a great job working around difficult allergies (dairy and chicken eggs). Chef was able to come up with an interesting and delicious dessert that was off the menu just for me which I appreciated greatly given I normally cannot have any dessert at the vast majority of restaurants.
Restaurantji Recommends
In my opinion, this is absolutely the best restaurant in the Hawaiian Islands. Very expensive, but worth it. The wait staff is extremely well-trained and very personable, the wine (& somm) is splendid, and the food is creative. Nice dining ware in an elegantly understated room.
Of all the fine dining experiences we had in Oahu, my wife and I put Mugen in our top three, hands down! What a wonderful experience we had: from the service, the food, the atmosphere, everything was exceptional.First of all, the entrance of the restaurant is on Kalākaua Avenue (it is basically the entrance to the hotel Espacio), and if you are driving in, there is a "bay" for you to leave the car there. In my case, the valet was not out, so I walked in, and after being promptly greeted, the valet came out and parked my car.Once inside, we were warmly greeted by the host and seated to our table. The atmosphere inside the dining room is very cozy, only 12 tables, but not noisy at all: it was nice to being able to have a conversation with my wife without having to yell or lean over to hear what she was saying.Our waiter was Ricardo, and together with the sommelier Douglas, they were both fantastic: very professional but yet personable to the point they put my wife and I at ease, which to me it always seem to be an issue with some of those "stiff" waiters at fine dining restaurants. Ricardo gave us great recommendations when pondering our choices on the menu, and after doing so, Douglas had the perfect wine pairing to complement each plate we ordered (I highly, highly recommend the wine pairing). With both Ricardo and Douglas, we had fun conversations, whether it was discussing our cultural background or love and interest for food or whether it was a interesting anecdote sparked by one of the wines presented us by Douglas.And then the food, wow! Chef Colin did an unbelievable job creating a menu with dishes that celebrate both tradition and innovation. From the delicate appetizers to the vibrant starters and the exquisite entrees, each dish was meticulously plated to please the eye as much as the palate, with every bite being a unique sensory feast on multiple levels.And to top it all off the wonderful desserts from pastry Chef Chiara (was so nice to find out she's from Italy like myself!): fine creations where the presentation is as exquisite as the taste, and a refined sweet sensation that linger long after the last spoonful is savored.We have nothing but praises for our overall experience at Mugen: from the impeccable service to the extraordinary cuisine, every aspect of the evening was orchestrated to perfection. If you're looking for an unforgettable evening, I highly recommend you give Mugen a try. You won't regret it!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
This was a fabulous fine dining experience. My wife and I agreed that this has been one of our favorites, even among some of the 3-star Michelin restaurants we've visited. The dinner is a tasting menu with choices for several of the dishes. Some are more experimental than others, so you have the freedom to choose something that will push your boundaries or just choose something more familiar. The cocktails are fantastic, each carefully prepared and very well balanced. We tried several and they were all exceptionally good. The mixologist even made a custom highball for me that worked beautifully. The staff is very professional, but also very friendly, which is just the way I like it.For a swanky date night, this is a great choice and an experience that you'll want to repeat. Hearty recommendation.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Aloha, finally made it to Mugen. OMG so amazingly ono! If you're a foodie make your way here each dish was beautifully presented and better yet, delicious! From the Ute bread dish to the venison I was impressed. Celebrated GNO for 2 birthdays. So happy M picked Mugen. I really enjoyed my meal. The service is impeccable with Wes and Shari, so happy to see familiar faces. And a great wine list too. Will definitely bring hubby back to experience a fine meal here too. Enjoy!
Restaurant inside the Espacio Waikiki Hotel.Every time a colorful dish is brought to the table one by one,It was a thrilling experience filled with excitement and surprise, like the moment you open a jewelry box. I went to the restaurant with two women, and we were able to spend a relaxing and comfortable time forgetting about the fatigue and stress after work. I was soothed by the warm hospitality and conversation from the server and wine sommelier. A restaurant you'll want to invite your friends to visit again.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5