2019-2020 ‘Ilima Awards Hawai`i’s Best Restaurant: Pai Honolulu reflects Kevin Lee’s devotion to his craft

On rare occasion, there’s a harmonic merger of creative and analytical thought, and the result is a restaurant like Pai Honolulu, which delivers all the conviviality, hospitality and satisfaction diners expect, while also serving as something of a laboratory for chef/owner Kevin Lee and his crew as they strive to expand their culinary skills, knowledge and repertoire.

From the restaurant’s design to the work in the kitchen, no shortcuts are taken at Pai. The word “easy” is not in Lee’s vocabulary. From happy hour pupu to the seasonal chef’s tasting menu, every plate delivers something special, due to his meticulous nature.

Honolulu Star-Advertiser

35th Annual Hale ‘Aina Award Winners: The Best Restaurants in Hawai‘i

“PAI HONOLULU IMPRESSES WITH CAREFULLY CONSTRUCTED PLATES, ADDICTIVE SMALL BITES, KILLER COCKTAILS AND NOW HOUSE-MADE BREADS.”

HONOLULU MAGAZINE

Influences Across the Globe

"Dinner at PAI is equally imaginative, with influences from across the globe like in New Zealand king salmon covered in chermoula to a Singapore chili crab risotto."

FORBES

Best Fine Dining For Foodies

“You will not find a place more dedicated to food taste, quality and ingenuity more than PAI. Chef Kevin Lee’s resume is on par with anyone in the country and PAI has an endless list of awards.”

INSPIRE•TRAVEL•EAT

Technique. Flavor. Local Ingredients

“One of the menu’s standout dishes was the agedashi XO turnip cake with flaky smoked akule and bits of papaya in an interesting ti leaf broth. The cake had the consistency of tofu, with a spicy XO kick. My husband said he could eat this all day, every day."

Honolulu magazine

Humbled Chef. Humbled To Live & Work Here

“More successful is a pipipi (sea snail) ragout—a rich, resonant dish that has the snails’ briny chewiness mixing with similarly shaped housemade cavatelli. And what made it even more delicious was finding out that Lee and Kadokawa had plucked the pipipi off rocks on the North Shore themselves that morning. It is the earthiest seafood dish ever.”

Modern Luxury

Minimalist Art

"Chef Kevin Lee is a cerebral chef. You could imagine him as a professor—instead he puts his brain power into his food. On his plates is a restrained drama. An alumnus of such lauded New York restaurants as Dovetail and the late, great Tabla, he can pull flavor out of shiitake mushrooms like nobody’s business."

Honolulu Museum of Art

Pai Honolulu Ups the Lunch Game in Downtown

“All of the bread, served at both lunch and dinner, are now made in-house. For the past eight months, Lee has been perfecting bread-making, learning methods from books and videos. Now, everything from the toasted baguette topped with beef tartare on the dinner menu to the sourdough bread bowls at lunch is made fresh in the kitchen here.”

honolulu magazine

One of My Favorites In The World

"Perhaps more importantly, however, dining out, especially at this level, should be a surprising experience. And that surprise is one of my primary drivers for dining out. It is, after all, what makes an excellent meal a truly memorable one. And I’m happy to say that PAI Honolulu excelled here as well."

boarding area

Holistic Oahu - Dine and Drink

“Chef Kevin Lee’s global travels and diverse fine dining pedigree are apparent in the creative fusion of flavors here…”

INDUSTRY MAGAZINE

Brought Me Back To My Childhood

“The infusion of the Chinese flavors brought back memories from my childhood. It was easily most enjoyable meals I've had the pleasure of experiencing”

modern luxury

Breads part of artisan lunch menu at Pai

“At Pai Honolulu, adding lunch service required waiting for chef Kevin Lee to perfect the art of bread-making.”

Star advertiser

A Wine Guide to Hawaii, Island by Island

Hawaii may be secluded, but its deep sommelier culture is fully represented on Oahu. Tucked away in downtown’s Harbor Court building, locals flock to Pai Honolulu for chef Kevin Lee’s famous happy hour, served Tuesday to Saturday from 5–6 pm.

Expect dishes like brisket bao buns, buttermilk fried oyster mushrooms and customizable charcuterie boards. Sommelier Matt Nelson will help you find the perfect pairing.

Wine Enthusiast

Best New Restaurant 2017

PAI “opened this June in Harbor Court tower and has blossomed into Honolulu's new best culinary hotspot by fusing several international cuisines and showing its guests a good time in its wood-paneled space. Flavors from around the world dominate the tightly edited tasting menus at PAI -- think truffles from Australia on a Japanese egg custard, washed down with perfectly paired French Champagne."

Thrillist

Pai Honolulu in Downtown Serves Familiar Dishes with Unexpected Flavors

“'I wanted to create something that’s comforting and homey, not stuffy,' Lee says. 'I want people to be themselves and just have a good time.'”

Honolulu Magazine

The 12 Hottest New Restaurants in Honolulu

Dining experiences at the upscale PAI Honolulu take three forms: Small plates at the bar/lounge, a prix fixe menu in the dining room, and a chef’s tasting at the counter. Locals are rooting for chef Kevin Lee

eater

Great Deal of Experience

“I’m glad to see another strong fine dining option in Honolulu and already have a tasting menu reservation booked for July!”

dale yasunaga

18 Great Places for Business Lunches and Pau Hana

“Your lunch partner will want to Instagram: Pai Honolulu

Tucked away in the lobby of Harbor Court, Pai Honolulu offers a quiet respite from the crowded lunch spots of Chinatown.”

Hawaii Business

Top 5 Most Exciting Openings

“Given Kevin Lee’s background at Manhattan’s Michelin-starred Dovetail, it’s no wonder his upcoming resto is one of Honolulu’s most anticipated openings of the year.”