After having yummy Mai Tais in the Mai Tai Bar, we had a fantastic dinner at Azure. It has a lovely setting on Waikiki Beach. I am not a huge fish fan (although my husband is) but my fresh fish dinner was one of the best meals I've ever had. I had anticipated the cost to be much more than it was so we were very pleased with the whole experience.

We do not review a lot of lounges and restaurants because, honestly most are so ordinary. And we were in a number of those during our stay in Honolulu and the Islands. But when a business stands out, they deserve recognition. The Azure restaurant and the Mai Tai beach bar at the Royal Hawaiian became our go-to place. Neither are inexpensive, but no place on Waikiki is- but some provide far more value than others.

The Mai Tai bar has a near perfect location and is staffed with an upbeat pleasant staff. They offer an excellent selection of local drinks and a good enough wine and beer selection ( this is obviously not a priority in Hawaiian bars). They offer a good selection of food and nibbles and one can sit and enjoy the circus that is Waikiki, and get to know your server and all the pigeons on a first name basis. We checked out other beach bars but this was the best overall experience and value, especially for those of a more seasoned age.

The Azure was an unexpected treat. The hostess was able to get us a seat at the top of the seating with a lovely view of the water and the sunset on an hour's notice. Our server, Raymond and his team, were the most professional we experienced on a two week visit to the Islands. Service in the Islands tends to run from quality casual to none whatsoever- so when someone delivers top quality it shows. The menu and wine list offer a fine depth and variety of offerings. The bread was a good start, reportedly frozen dough brought in from Paris served with rich butter and red sea salt. The Ocean Salad could be a meal for one or a side salad for 2-3 people. Really fresh greens and avocado with a large quantity of excellent seafood (lobster, prawns, abalone, scallop, dungeness crab, octopus, caviar) and a wonderful dressing in just the right quantity. This would be worth returning for on its own merits. But the fresh sheet beckoned. We had fresh baked Opah and a grilled Monchung, with Magic Spice; both with with local corn and mushrooms as sides- the hands down best fresh catch we had in two weeks. Every thing was well plated and served perfectly hot, or cold- not luke-warm the way much food arrives in the Islands.

Add an almost reasonably priced bottle of Conundrum and we had a wonderful meal as the sun set and beach music started. The place is busy and reservations are almost always needed, even if you beg for one an hour before they open. The place is just too busy to be uber-romantic, but still memorable with your sweetie by your side.

The azure is a pleasure for dining. Directly on the beach of Waikii offers a romantic experience with quality foods at a reasonable price. The wait staff goes out of their way to assist without any questions.

From the moment we arrived we knew it was going to be a memorable dining experience. The location alone set the tone for the evening - at the historic Royal Hawaiian Hotel, on the beach overlooking spectacular Waikiki waterfront! Intimate, classy ambience in the elegant dining room: pillows, chandeliers, lanterns, silk curtains flowing from tall ceiling, floating orchids on table, antique silverwares, etc. We started with their signature Ocean Salad (lobster, prawns, abalone, scallop, dungeness crab, octopus, tobiko caviar, avocado, with tarragon & crème fraiche dressing) and Big Island Salad (baby lettuce, fern shoots, Hamakua mushrooms, heirloom radish, tomatoes, with honey & balsamic vinaigrette). For entrées, my partner and I both chose the special fresh catch of the day. Mine was the opakapaka (pink snapper), roasted and served in white wine, fresh herbs, caper-lemon butter sauce. My partner had the monchong, grilled with “Black Magic” spice, served with sweet corn, asparagus, in ginger & balsamic sauce. We also selected two side dishes: Molokai purple sweet potato cooked in red Thai spices and sake braised Big Island spinach with garlic chips. Every dish was exquisitely prepared and presented! The fish, especially the opakaka, was tender, juicy, incredible flavorful. For dessert, we shared the Waialua Flourless Chocolate Cake, in rich chocolate ganache sauce with fresh raspberry. Extremely professional staff – from the hostess to servers – everyone was warm, friendly and genuinely kind. Dinner for two, including wine and coffee, was about $225 + tips. Perfect restaurant for romantic dates or couples celebrating special occasions. Highly recommended.

Everything was fantastic: The menu was diverse plus daily specials. The fish was very fresh with great attention every detail. This was true with everything that was ordered. The service was excellent and just attentive enough. The setting could not have been better - right on the ocean. The restaurant is in the Royal Hawaiian Hotel and nothing could have been better!