This was an exceptional experience! The food and artistry were perfect and the service was impeccable! If Michelin were in Hawaii they would definitely be in the running for a Star!

One of the best meals in my life. From start to finish the experience, food, service, presentation and pacing are curated to perfection. The two small downsides are that there is no view and the list of wines by the glass is modest. However, to make up for the view, every course is served on a different plate from a different prefecture of Japan and each one is beautiful and fascinating.

Best service I’ve ever had in a restaurant hands down. I had this planned for 3-4 months ahead of time and it was worth it. They’ve earned their five stars! The food was delicious and ambience is beautiful. We had lemon ricotta pancakes, avocado toast, and coffee. Pancakes were perfectly fluffy and the lemon ricotta was just the right amount of sweet. I didn’t try the avocado toast but my teenager inhaled it. They grown their own microgreens! It was easy to get a reservation for breakfast. They also have complementary valet parking. Must try if you are in Waikiki!

Came here for breakfast, for starters if you are eating there they have valet parking. Our valet was super friendly. And our waiter Ralph was terrific, great conversationalist, very attentive. And food was 5 star, fast, and an experience. Recommend reservations because seating is limited. Highly recommend!!!

We did the Champagne and Caviar Sunset package and it was just an amazing experience. Wonderful service, a great view, delicious caviar and amazing sides including fresh home made Blini's. We were made to feel so welcome and will definitely come back. You can also order more caviar as well and get additional sides or Blini's.

We were lucky to have Eduardo as our server for Afternoon Tea as well as for dinner! He helped us make great menu choices and EVERYTHING was spectacular!!! I love that there are many options to customize your own dinner menu. All the offerings sounded good, looked beautiful and were absolutely delicious! Douglas recommended some great wines that went very well with our meal selections. I appreciated that Chef Colin Sato came out to chat with us and shared information about upcoming events. Can't wait to revisit!

The world food tour duo ventured into Waikiki and made their first visit to Mugen, in the ESPACIO Hotel on Kalakaua Avenue. I decided against valet parking, as they use the Aston Waikiki Beach Tower parking lot, so we parked at the International Marketplace. After a leisurely stroll down Kalakaua, we found ourselves at the ESPACIO, a nine-suite hotel at 5K/night. The restaurant is inside the hotel, up a short staircase. It is a dark and intimate space ... I loved the atmosphere. I perused the extensive wine list and we started with a bottle of 2014 Le Corton (330), a red Burgundy from Bouchard Pere et Fils. The bottle had a lot of sediment, so we had it decanted. It was very dark ruby red with hints of cassis and some astringency from the residual tannins. Mugen has a six-course tasting menu (200pp) and on our visit one chose one of three options in course two, one of two in course three, and from three options in course four. The first course features three items: a glass of Taro Vichyssoise, a piece of charred octopus sitting on wasabi pesto, and a mini tart with ahi and Hamachi poke with a dollop of caviar on top. The better half of the duo opted for the Wagyu Beef Tartare, Shima Aji, and Maui Venison while I chose the Kona Kampachi, Lobster Risotto, and Marrunga Lamb. The tartare was served with two rectangles of potato pave. It was luscious and creamy though I thought it would have been better with toast points for a texture contrast. My Kona Kampachi came with a fabulous cranberry ponzu sauce ... A fabulous dish. The Shima Aji was a disappointment ... my better half usually prefers raw to cooked fish and I thought the skin of the aji was far too salty. On the other hand, my lobster risotto was spectacular. The lobster was perfectly cooked and the Shimeji mushroom risotto was perfection. I wanted more. The venison was crusted with what was described as heart of palm and shallot crust ... it was tender and so flavor rich. It came with a black garlic blueberry gastrique ... It didn’t need any of it. My lamb was served with quarters of charred Brussel Sprouts, Maui onion jam and a lavender jus. Like the venison, it was perfectly cooked and oh so tender. Two fabulous main dishes. Course five was dessert; one could choose from three offerings; we selected the Chocolate & Chestnut and the Green Apple & Ginger Sorbet. My chocolate dish was a log of chocolate and a nest with chestnut atop a small serving of apple banana “foster”. I don’t like bananas, so I didn’t eat that portion of my dessert. The sorbet was served with a container of warmed mulled hibiscus. The sorbet was decorated with slices of Asian pear and halves of grapes. The finale was a plate of several cheeses. One was served like a cookie with cream filling, and pieces of pineapple cooked in sweetened mustard wine (mostarda) atop some creamed cheese was the other item. Two hours later, we left thoroughly sated and content ... Dinner at Mugen, with one exception, was superb and comparable to other extraordinary venues in Honolulu. Service was attentive and gracious; the atmosphere was tranquil, and the food was fabulous. We hope others make their way to Mugen because it was empty for much of the time we were there. People don’t know what they’re missing. Highly recommended!

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 Kalakaua 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!