Chao

The pork belly banh mi was excellent. It was juicy, crispy, and a had little kick from the jalapeño. Plus the coffee was strong but smooth.

Amazing beef Pho on the island! I ate the whole bowl! Perfect!!

I came here for happy hour and ordered two appetizers and the soft shell crab pasta. The staff were friendly and food came promptly.

Food and service was amazing. Food came out so fast i was impressed will go back.

My family and I really enjoyed our lunch at Chao. We had three appetizers: calamari, roasted eggplant and poke. The calamari came w a sauce that was so delish. Hub used it on several dishes. We ordered lemongrass chicken bahn mi, soft shell crab pasta and lemongrass & rice with onsen egg for lunch. Everything was so good. I loved my onsen egg on top of my rice. Hub put a bunch of Sriracha on his pasta and loved it. Then we had coconut flan for dessert and it came w these cute dessert spoons! We made a reservation thru Open Table. Highly recommend reservations because the place was packed! Great service, good parking, awesome food!

Chao Hawaii was such a great dining experience from start to finish. We ordered the soft shell crab pasta, charred bok choy, Vietnamese chicken wings, and beef carpaccio, and honestly everything hit. The beef carpaccio was packed with flavor. It was a little tough to cut, but the combination of shallots and fish sauce made up for it and gave it so much depth. The Vietnamese chicken wings were incredibly juicy, though definitely messy in the best way. The charred bok choy was simple but amazing and cooked perfectly. The highlight of the night was easily the soft shell crab pasta. Sooooo good. The crab was already delicious without upgrading to blue crab, and the noodles were beautifully coated in this rich crab sauce. It was slightly oily, but still absolutely worth it. The ambiance was cute and inviting, and the service was excellent. Overall, a really enjoyable meal and a place I’d happily come back to.

Excellent food! Soft shell crab pasta was delicious. Nice aldante pasta. Creamy yet not too heavy. Refreshing in some sense because of lemon grass. Bok choy was delicious. Cooked just right, not too mushy, not too undercooked. Topped with crispy garlic was nice. A little too salty to eat by itself as an appetizer. Calamansi cooler was very refreshing and good. Sound echoes, so it is quite noisy. My ears were ringing.

Came here for lunch on a Saturday at about 1pm, no reservations and there were a couple tables open at the time. Cozy restaurant with a bar and a TV behind it playing scenery of Vietnam! We ordered the lemongrass chicken with rice and a lemongrass chicken banh mi! Delicious! Every restaurant on this island makes their lemongrass chicken different. Chao’s lemongrass chicken is tasty with little spice. I love the crispy onion topping! For dessert, I got the coconut flan - super smooth and sweet and $9 for a tiny slice and some cubed pitaya. Next time I’ll try their pumpkin flan, for the seasonal flavor! We’ll be back to try other dishes!

I highly recommend making a reservation if you want a table. We had a reservation on Wednesday at 5:30 and I had made it just in case, but apparently most of the tables were already reserved so people walking in had the only option of sitting at the bar. The service was great and our waters were constantly refilled! I had a taste of my friend’s crab pasta and to be honest I wished I had ordered that haha, the beef pho was a classic but nothing unique. It also got quite loud, so we were having to raise our voices just to hear and talk.

Okay, so I just now heard of this new spot!!! And checked it out yesterday for a late Sunday brunch ☺️ LOVED IT!! Conveniently located on Nu'uanu with lots of parking. We sat at the bar, as we prefer to order and converse directly with the bartender aka craft cocktail mixologist. Everything was outstanding, from service, ambiance and cuisine. We ordered the blue crab pasta... Mind blowing with the tempurafied blue crab! Also loved the hamachi and bone marrow. Lots of fun interesting cocktails and mocktails, I ordered and truly enjoyed the white cloud matcha drink, so pretty and delicious!!! Thank you Tommy for such an awesome dining experience, we will be back!

Very tasty and fresh take on Vietnamese food. Very attentive staff and service. Small space that can loud but very comfortable for casual dining. Prices may seem little on the higher side but we'll worth it. We ordered chicken salad, chicken wings, calamari and chicken pho. You cant go wrong with any of these choices. I especially liked the raw crushed garlic in some dishes. It added a much nice needed touch to the dish and freshness that kept you wanting more. Can't wait to go back and try cocktails and desserts.

Notwithstanding CHAO has only been 3 months old, not only the service was super friendly and attentive, the tastes were consistently delicious throughout all dishes. Thanks to our server Caleb’s recommendation: the Salt n’ Pepper Calamari, Gai-Lan leafy greens, Softshell crabs over noodles (def. add Blue Crab meat too) all very tasty but not over powering nor too salty as often Vietnamese dishes could be. The Wagyu beef was also to die for. Highly recommend! And yes, the Chao Old Fashioned was also superb 🌟

Update: Great service as usual. Second time around, coz I got to try other dishes, and it just gotten better! Still love their beef carpaccio with the tender slice of beef, thinly sliced onions, crispy pieces of fried garlic, and an unforgiving and unforgettable dressing/sauce to bring everything together to make an enjoyable dish. This time I got to try the salt and pepper calamari, the beef pho and their duck salad. The calamari was one of the best I’ve had. The calamari was crispy on the outside and soft inside. The sauce was sweet and lemongrassy. Yum! The duck salad was yummy too. The duck was seared perfectly, and with the crispy noodles, delicious dressing and fresh greens, it made a yummy salad. The beef pho was decent but I’ve had better in other pho places. However I did enjoy the big pieces of tender meat inside. We were seated at a 2-person table right outside of the kitchen. It wasn’t very comfortable sitting right outside a doorway, and the tables were placed quite closely to each other. They didn’t open up the back area so they’re just cramming everyone in the front area. I hope next time we won’t be seated at that table. Can’t wait to try other foods they offer! First review: Great experience with attentive service and delicious food! Modern decor and clean environment with a bar by the door too. 2 notable items - beef carpaccio and soft shell crab noodles. The beef carpaccio might be one of the best that I’ve had - the crispy fried garlic? Onion? Went really well with the soft sliced beef. The sauce and the condiments just made the whole dish explode. Must try. Then we got the soft shell crab pasta. They used basically ramen as pasta so think of it like ramen with a creamy gravy. The sauce was very savory and thick, coating each strand of noodle to go with the perfectly fried crispy soft shell crab. The other 2 items we ordered were something we couldn’t care less. The banh mi was okay, their chicken pho had a dark broth that didn’t taste that good. It didn’t have the chicken aroma that I was hoping for. Will definitely go back for the other 2 dishes. Service was amazing too. Our server was very friendly and our glasses were always full.

Exquisite Vietnamese food. We were a group of 7 with 4 kids. Everyone found something they liked on the menu. Hamachi salad, Vietnamese chicken wings, charred bokchoy, beef pho, lemongrass and ginger chicken rice and Beef banh mi (custom order). There were no leftovers. Nom nom!

Pleasantly surprised! It’s a newer restaurant so my expectations were low but man was the food cooked perfect. The taco and the calamari was super soft, tender, a seasoned just right. The duck salad was great, my 2yr old daughter even ate a bunch of it. They didn’t have an expansive menu but they do each dish amazingly!! Excited to return as new dishes are added or even enjoy the same ones I had.

The food is so so good everytime. Their soft shell crab pasta is probably my favorite pasta of all time. My only complaint is that it’s so cold, but I’ll just have to remember a jacket.

We had such a great time ! The location is perfect so happy because it’s so close to home. The service was wonderful and the food as well. We had the pho which had so much depth and flavor. I really enjoyed the fried calamari, you know it’s good when the batter isn’t as thick. The roast pork banh mi which was super delicious. Just wished the pork was cut in smaller chunks as it was a little difficult to bite into. Other than that , everything was excellent. I’m impressed with the service as nowadays, it’s the balance of both the food and service that makes a great establishment and make you want to go back! Can’t wait to try their dinner service! Check out this new spot :)

Ordered online for pick up. Staff was very friendly and food was ready by the scheduled pick up time. Got the soft shell crab pasta, chicken salad, and beef pho. All were amazing and I’ll definitely be back

Great interesting and different menu. Food was delicious. My mom has been talking about soft shell crab since our trip back from Canada. She was VERY Pleased with the soft shell noodle dish. You made her day. :)

Every bite was incredible! Fresh, flavorful, thoughtful food and attentive service. Chao never disappoints!

My lunch visit to Chao was a mixed bag of delight and mild disappointment, but overall a memorable experience I’m eager to repeat. I was initially let down to find out they were out of the Hamachi Crudo and Hamachi Poke, which I’d been excited to try based on the menu’s tempting descriptions, but though the staff handled it with warmth and professionalism, they could have quickly suggested alternatives that would have turned my mood around. That said, we ended up ordering the Lemongrass Chicken Rice ($17) and Ginger Chicken Rice ($19), and both were outstanding—the lemongrass-infused chicken with nuoc cham and house pickles was a perfect harmony of savory and tangy, while the chicken fat rice added a rich depth, and the Ginger Chicken Rice with its poached chicken, ginger scallion, and savory sipping broth was a comforting, flavorful delight that warmed me up. As I sat there enjoying my meal, I couldn’t help but notice others around me savoring dishes I’m determined to try next time, like the Vietnamese Chicken Salad with its fresh lotus stems and lime vinaigrette, and the Crispy Spring Rolls that looked irresistibly crunchy with their pork and veggie filling. The Oxtail Pho caught my eye too, with its aromatic 24-hour beef bone broth and slow-cooked oxtail, and I overheard someone raving about the Soft Shell Crab Pasta, which I’ve already added to my future order list with its lemongrass and garlic beurre monte sauce. The ambiance was cozy and modern, with warm lighting that made the space feel inviting, and my Vietnamese Iced Coffee with Sea Salt Foam was a refreshing pairing, its depth and subtle sweetness enhancing the flavors, while I’m curious to sample the Ube Dream others were enjoying with its tropical vibe. The service was great—my server was attentive, and water was refilled appropriately. We opted to skip dessert, but next time we might try the Coconut Flan, which I imagine to be a creamy, caramel-kissed treat with seasonal fruit. There is an option to pair your food with a glass of Chardonnay from their wine list, adding a touch of elegance. Located in a convenient spot, Chao was easy to get to, but the parking can get busy as the restaurant shares Nu'uanu Shopping Center with Starbucks, Paradise Poke, and O'Reilly Auto Parts. If you're walking in for lunch like we did, I recommend arriving close to 11 AM when they first open to avoid a wait. Otherwise, Open Table accepts reservations for Chao. Despite the initial hiccup, the quality of the Lemongrass and Ginger Chicken Rice, the staff’s care, and the promise of future dishes like the Oxtail Pho or Soft Shell Crab Pasta make Chao a place I’ll definitely return to—I’d just suggest calling ahead to check on popular items! They also have a robust take-out business with a couple of 15-minute parking stalls right in front of the restaurant. They also have a clean and convenient restroom inside the space.

Cool new vietnamese spot. Tried several dishes, all great, would recommend the soft shell crab noodles, noodles soaked up so much flavor you could actually just do those and be happy and then you get the crab bonus. Worth a try in your in the area. Super friendly and efficient service.

This new restaurant serves updated Vietnamese dishes and some fusion dishes. The popular soft shell crabs were fried to perfection, but the pasta sauce was too sweet and the texture of the pasta was bit on the mushy side. It may have been cooked 2 or 3 minutes too long. The other dish was the roasted pork with chicken fat infused rice. Both the pork and the rice were very well prepared. The pork was just the Cantonese roasted pork belly, not a Vietnamese creation. It’s funny how we won't eat unhealthy food at home, but once at a restaurant, we dove right into a pile of rice full of chicken fat and then raved about it on Google Maps. The service was friendly and efficient. The dinning area was well done and quite relaxing. Currently this place serves only lunch, but it will start dinner service on 8/8/25. I would be interested in seeing its dinner menu.

Very close to perfect 5 star rating. Got the pork bahn mi, soft shell crab pasta, lemon grass chicken rice, and Vietnamese iced coffee. The pasta on the soft shell crab pasta is a mochi rice pasta, its unique, chewy, crabby, with a nice touch of sweetness, and creamy, really good! The lemongrass chicken and rice was very flavorful without being too salty. The Pork bahn mi was good except the pickled veggies need to be pickled longer, needs sourness to cut the fat and balance the flavor of the roasted pork, and the pork needed a touch more salt. Other than that, the pate and mayo made it taste like a traditional bahn mi. The iced coffee was strong, could use a touch more sweetness but I liked the strong flavor. The service was impeccable, waiters are well dressed, checked on us multiple times, filled water promptly, and removed used napkins and plates quickly. The atmosphere is trendy, clean, and new. Great new resturaunt to try out. Will come back to try their pho.

Our lunch was at 1pm. Parking was very difficult to find. I would suggest off hours and make reservations. Staff was very friendly and provided suggestions of popular dishes and his favorites. A good restaurant to service nuuanu. My wife liked her soft shell crab and pasta. However, my chicken was way too salty. Not impressed by this dish. Come back? Maybe or not.

Overal great experience. Service was friendly and food arrived in timely manner. The dishes were well done and folks in our party loved their dishes (soft shell crab, lemon grass chicken, beef pho). As the restaurant filled up, the noise level got a bit loud where it was increasingly difficult to have a conversation. Good experience and I would go again.

Food excellent, service excellent, atmosphere!!! Pretty darn LOUD which I think can be cured with a bit of ceiling insulation (not a big job and may be well worth the effort). Here is my story: Been here a couple times and each time, the food and the quality thereof did not disappoint. My one observation is each time I've been there, something is always unavailable from the menu and it's usually their signature dishes.... Not sure why this is but like I said, it has happened not once, but EACH time I've dined at Chao Calamari is my all time favorite. It's not those frozen things most places serve, its the real thing I need to get my pictures posted soon While they were closed a couple hours each day between the lunch and dinner service- this has been changed for the better. They are open from 11 am all the way to closing which is 9 pm Go! Enjoy the food!

Open for six weeks so cutting them a break. it is a soft opening so I am hopeful things evolve and improve. The Good: Nicely designed, lively and loud, great bar seating area, very friendly service (big hats off to Caleb the bartender). The menu felt like it was all over the place. Almost like it was created by group consensus. Needs a bit more refinement and focus. Highlight dish was the Cerviche. Disappointed dish was the salt & pepper calamari and the beef carpaccio (beef slices far too big to eat in one bite.. we had to ask for a knife). Honorable mention the soft shell crab pasta (needs some work as it is a bit flat maybe add some acid) and the dessert. The cocktails were totally on point and really saved the evening. The location is fantastic and easy to get to with plenty of parking in the lot. I really think Chao has potential and if the kitchen can step it up this might be a regular go to for us. Oh the prices were reasonable. Two people, three cocktails, five dishes, and tip $150. We ordered more than we needed, but it is a new restaurant and we are both chefs so had to check things out. Will be back in six months to try again.

I recently tried Cho, and overall the food was very good, though there were some mixed experiences. Pho: The classic pho was enjoyable, especially with the thick noodles which had a nice texture. The brisket was tender and flavorful, but the oxtail was on the tough side and lacked the richness and fattiness you usually expect. The chicken pho was disappointing, as the chicken itself had very little flavor. Appetizers & Seafood: The spring rolls were overcooked, which made them less enjoyable, but the seafood ceviche was a standout—fresh, bright, and well-prepared. Service & Atmosphere: Service was attentive and always present. The space, however, is tightly packed, making it quite loud and giving the feeling that neighboring tables can overhear your conversation. Value & Practicalities: Pricing leans toward the higher end for this part of town, and parking during lunch is difficult, which may be a drawback for some. Bottom Line: Despite a few misses, the majority of the food was very good, with highlights like the brisket pho and seafood ceviche. If you don’t mind the noise and tricky parking, Cho is worth a visit for quality Vietnamese flavors at a more upscale level.

I ordered takeout from here, and their parking stall out front is convenient since the area can get busy. The fried rice is flavorful, but the portions are smaller compared to other Vietnamese or Chinese restaurants. They do clean the shrimp shells, which I appreciated. However, the prices are higher, as they seem to be aiming for a fine dining experience. Their dishes also have a unique twist to set them apart from the competition.

My partner and I reserved valentines dinner here and it wasn’t a good experience especially for Valentine’s Day. We had to wait 45 minutes for our table. It was a huge line waiting for getting seats even with reservations. After 45 minutes waiting, we got seated and we had to wait at least 25 minutes for our server to come to our table. It was horrible. The food was alright. It wasn’t worth of all those waiting and we were super duper hungry after all the waits. At the end I actually complained about it because we were frustrated and our server all said yeah sorry for waiting. That’s not a good service

Our server was excellent! The atmosphere wasn't so good. I haven't seen my friend for ages and I couldn't hear her. The other patrons were extremely loud and rude. I actually had to push my chair back and they heard that and looked at me like I made too much noise. Sorry for having to post this!

Good Vietnamese food doesn't have to be reinvented - just improved. If you grew up with any sort of good Vietnamese food, whether from Vietnam, Texas, or California, you might enjoy the taste of this place without being satisfied. Definitely not the place to bring family from Vietnam to if you don't want an evening of criticism. The food here is only slightly reinvented. Unlike some other places on island, where it's a total reinvention. The pho brisket was flavorful, soft, and just borderline satiating. Worth trying once, and then maybe not again. Side vegetables were a significantly smaller portion from traditional style, but that wasn't surprising. The happy hour spring rolls game in a group of three rolls. If you order the rolls after happy our, you get four rolls, for a few extra dollars. So happy hour basically means sampling some of the food for a lower portion and a couple dollars off. I would rather just get the full menu order then. Eggrolls were standard for how they should taste, but definitely not worth it. Came with lettuce and Đồ Chua. For the special occasion, we also tried the brisket banh mi. It was very unique - could definitely do without the (soy sauce?) flavored bean sprouts. Barely tasted Vietnamese at all, and the flavors did not complement one another. Sadly, beyond unique, it just wasn't good. Overall, the prices were extremely high for what you are getting, and not proportion to the value. I understand menu and price setting configurations can be hard in Hawaii. This one just wasn't worth the value for the price. It might fare well with young modern professionals, and I'm sure the restaurant is catered toward that clientele, especially given the bar. Note: If you order the food by their Vietnamese terms, most, I reckon most, if not all wait staff will not understand despite it being written on the menu.

The food was delicious and looked professionally plated! Loved the lumpia and drinks, everything came out fast. Kaleb was super friendly, and the place had such a cozy, cute vibe. The only downside was finding a hair in my chicken pho when I transferred it to my to-go container. Kaleb apologized but didn’t ask much about it. Other than that, everything else was great!

Kinda disappointed at this place, my Vietnamese wife, daughter and me went in looking to eat and the first thing they ask you is to give them your phone # , I asked for a reason and the host said it was for when I call in, well he ain't got to worry about that because the food wasn't anything to write home about. We had the Beef salad which had no flavor, it was supposed to be cooked in lime but there was no lime flavor and it was sweet salty as if they just drizzled sweet Thai chili sauce and fish sauce on it and called it day. Spring rolls were oily and had no flavor. My wife ordered the duck salad which she thought would be the same as any other Vietnamese restaurant but it wasn't, it was just some mixed greens with some out of the bag dry duck breast and some 1000 island dressing. Daughter had lemongrass ban mi and was also bland, as a matter of fact it tasted more like curry than lemongrass. I had the Softshell Crab noodles everyone raves about. the initial bite was extremely disappointing, all I tasted was kaffir lime and grease, there was no balance, maybe they need to incorporate the crabs into the pasta instead of just placing them on top. Service was OK, a little shy and maybe undertrained and inexperienced not only on service but also food and drink; there were no suggestions or questions about us wanting drinks, we had to ask for a cocktail menu, they have about 5 cocktails on the menu but a lot of bottles on the shelf. I noticed the "bar keeper" looking at the recipes in a binder and that alone made me feel like I wouldn't trust her with a margarita. prices were decent but not good enough to make me want to come back.

Went here a about week ago- Highly disappointed, I don't do many reviews but I have to do this... I read and seen the hype about this newer restaurant for a few months now (according to the foodie influencers this place is fantastic ) Nope, and I can say it really didn't impress me. Upon entering we seem to have caught the "host" of guard, the atmosphere seem flashy, a wannabe high end, but it in a neighborhood, we waited to be seated (apparently reservations are a thing) the person managing the front disappeared for a bit, he was in the back of the other side of one of dining rooms (the place is in awkward backwards L shape with a large bar right at the door) talking to I guess the manager, returning with iPad of the map of the tables so we can be seated. Front is tight dinning room, kitchen is right there and seems bigger than the dinning area. We were a party of five on a table for four. Sunday Menu, with all day breakfast; we browsed the menu, I ordered the Beef pho( $23), (they use a hand held device for orders), came with beef brisket, meatballs, noodles in a large V shaped bowl, I had to ask for a spoon, took a quite moment to get even cause the server was stuck in a idle conversation with the woman manger I guess, in the kitchen (no door wide open) he bought the condiments with the spoon. Sadly condiments that go with pho was lacking, there was a small plate of cilantro, culantro and sliver of lime. Soup was also lukewarm, not the hot broth, you couldn't even wilt the cilantro in it. Broth was very light for it be simmer for 24hrs, tasted watered down...no flavor; added hosin and chili sauce. Brisket wasn't tender, sliver of an onion, the meatballs were probably the only thing good, noodles okay. When I asked about the missing Thai basil I was told they ran out; never have I heard a place that serves pho to run out of basil, let alone not have bean spouts and jalapeños it basically part of pho! Even my friend who ordered the same thing felt the soup was lukewarm and missing. My other friends had the soft crab pasta, and a duck and waffle, (my friend said it had lot of garlic & too much five spice for her taste) potions are also on the smaller size. Service was meh, there seem to be more servers looking over one head until you had wave one down. As I said I was highly disappointed, for $23 beef pho it was lacking, even for a Vietnamese fusion. Won't be back. Still doesn’t deserve any stars…

My mother and I were excited to try the pho at Chao. Sadly, we felt unwelcome the moment we let them know we did not have a reservation. Got a weird vibe - when reception asked if the number I gave her was an 808 number - like she couldn't tell we were locals born and raised in the islands (Hawaiian-Okinawan). We were willing to sit at the bar to avoid a wait. Got up and left when we realized we'd been ignored for the first 10 minutes. Poor customer service and kind of conceited/uppity. Better to get your pho elsewhere.

I visited this restaurant with a reservation for 5 people and was extremely disappointed by the manager’s attitude. When I arrived as the fifth person at the table, he announced he was unhappy that there were “five on a table for four” and told me to squeeze in between two friends instead of trying to find a reasonable solution. There was no space to sit comfortably, and his tone was rude enough that our group decided to leave. The next day, I returned for lunch to give the place a fair chance before writing a review. I believe the foot was 3 out of 5. The same manager(short men with a grey hair) saw us leaving afterward and made no effort to greet us or even appreciate our business.

2 lame experiences that gave off a pretentious vibe. -Came in for a quick appetizer & a drink to kill some time & the waiter seemed annoyed that my order was small----no friendly service at all. -Called to place a takeout order & they use an AI chatbot to answer their phone & it INSISTED I order online. I had to tell the chatbot to let me order by phone anyways as I was on the road driving & it finally did, but the waitress sounded like she had never taken a take-order before. We even got disconnected halfway thru & I was unable to complete my order. I called back about 5-6 times & had to convince the AI chatbot EVERY TIME to let me speak to a waiter, but each time the phone only rang ONCE before the AI chatbot came back on to tell me "No one is available to take your call". FYI, not all of us want to or even CAN order online...is it really that hard to answer your phone & take a phone order?!? With so many other Vietnamese restaurants in the area, Iʻm not sure Iʻd give this place another chance.

Food poisoning after take out food tonight, both me and friend had pretty bad symptoms and felt really sick. Taste ok but not worth it. Pricy for its portion. We both had take out beef pho.