Best Restaurants for Afternoon Tea in Kaka'ako

First, thank you to restaurant manager Kala and server Daniel at the Moana Surfrider Hotel Veranda Restaurant. My requests were acknowledged and did their best to accommodated to the best of their ability. The cuisine were prepared, presented and executed professionally.

The atmosphere was great. The service was impeccable. Since the pandemic, I'd morn the lack of restaurants with this kind of services. The food was great. All the courses were tasty. Every bite is a combination of different complementing and contrasting textures and taste. The only thing I can pick on were the meat courses. We ordered the A5 wagyu and the lamb. While the wagyu has the right mouth feel to me, the pieces we got had several connective tissues and it was a little to rare for me (it was rare). The lamb was a little tough. I was expecting a medallion from the rack of lamb, but it didn't seem the case. The fishes were outstanding, however. The aji was incredible. It was flaky and cooked to perfection, with a char on the skin. When the cheese course came, the waiter said in France, they normally serve cheese before the desserts. It's true, but they usually have a cheese cart and serve cheese with cracker or bread. But it was a tasty course nonetheless. The was a surprise panna cotta palette cleanser / pre-dessert. It was light and perfect before the dessert. The staff did not ask or offer coffee or tea, and I didn't think of ordering one then, but it would have perfectly complement the chocolate and end a perfect night.

Cons: First staff member (male) to approach our table silently filled our water; no greeting, no invitation to make our way to the buffet. Buffet didn’t have eggs and bacon very undercooked. Coffee was self serve and ran out, making us wait for more to brew. Crab would run out and we’d have to keep checking the line for refill. Saw a guest cutting the prime rib for himself because no one there to serve. Pros: The rest of the staff were very friendly and helpful. Obviously understaffed and they were doing their best. Fun to speak with the pastry chef, who was encouraging guests to try the stolli, which was delicious. All the desserts and crab was very good. In spite of the shortcomings, we enjoyed our time there.

Awesome brunch! Food was beautifully presented and delicious. Service was excellent. Great value for the money. There's a kamaaina discount. Valet parking at the Ritz Carlton is convenient and validated for three hours. There's a time limit of your meal posted on the website but we were fortunate that it wasn't crowded that day so we never felt rushed and far exceeded the time limit without ever feeling rushed. Exceptional choices of teas - hot and cold and champagne available if you wish. We were very fortunate to get the corner table so it was very spacious and comfortable. Some of the tables for two may feel a little close to each other but it's a very small space. server was veery helpful in giving us information on the various teas as well as the order in which to experience the various items so that we could maximize our experience. May not be the best for children but a great treat for girls of all ages.

Lovely setting and generous tea service. I have been enjoying tea here for over 30 years. There are 3-4 doors along the mauka side of the room that open to the hotel’s interior green space, which brings in a breeze and heightens the feel of luxury dining.