Bustling bistro doing internationally influenced New American fare with local ingredientsWith its countless windows, soaring exposed ceiling, brick walls, and sleek bar, the place seems like it would fit right in a more massive city. Maybe it’s because husband-and-wife team Chuck Bussler and Robynne Mai’i met while working in the New York restaurant world before moving back to Mai’i’s native Oahu in 2015 to open Fête. It’s here where executive chef Mai‘i focuses on local ingredients to give create New American dishes with a mix of Hawaiian, Southern, European, and Korean influences like gougères paired with a smoked ahi spread, Portuguese sausage Bolognese, and guava mustard-grilled lamb chops garnished with a mint pistou and local green beans.

Fete is one of the few restaurants on Oahu that’s open from lunch through dinner and is truly excellent for all meals. Given its small, Brooklyn-meets-Hawai‘i-meets-French bistro space, we prefer it for date nights and small groups, though. And it’s vital you listen carefully to the long list of specials, which usually highlight a local fish and whatever the chef’s been obsessed with recently.

Fête in Honolulu is an award-winning restaurant known for its farm-to-table cuisine blending contemporary American fare with Hawaiian essence, honored with the 2022 James Beard Award for Best Chef Northwest & Pacific. It offers a distinctive culinary experience with dishes like southern fried chicken, spaghetti carbonara, and red snapper, alongside desserts like vanilla ice cream and raspberry sorbet. Described as a Seasonal New American neighborhood restaurant, Fête merges classic cooking techniques with island flavors, providing a simple yet delicious cuisine.

Seasonal new American neighbourhood restaurantFête’s founding chef and co-owner Robynne Maii brought honour to the Aloha State in 2022 when she was named the best chef in the US Northwest and Pacific region by the highly respected James Beard Foundation. It was the first time in nearly 20 years that a James Beard award had gone to Hawaii, and the first time ever that a woman of Hawaiian ancestry had won. Open since 2016 in Honolulu’s Chinatown, Fête is beloved by locals and food-obsessed tourists.

One of downtown Honolulu’s best spots for “New American” cuisine, Fête is a farm-to-table restaurant that celebrates seasonality and culinary tradition. Based out of a historic Chinatown building, the venue draws on both Hawaiian and Brooklyn influences, with a relaxed, brasserie feel. Chef Robynne Maii was recently awarded with Hawaii’s first James Beard award for almost two decades, and she combines French, Italian, Korean and Hawaiian influences in her menu and extensive daily specials board.

Step into the warm and welcoming atmosphere of Fete Honolulu, a celebration of the finest local and international flavors curated by acclaimed chef and James Beard Award-winner Robynne Maii. Committed to sourcing ingredients from local farmers and fishermen, Fete Honolulu is a testament to Hawaii’s abundant produce and vibrant food culture. Indulge in their mouth-watering Duck Confit Risotto, or savor the freshness of their Local Catch en Papillote.

Described as “equal elements Hawaiʻi and Brooklyn,” Fête might be as fancy or informal as you want. Owned by Hawai‘i-born Robynne Maii and her husband, Chuck Bussler, each of whom labored in NYC, the restaurant includes a snug bar with nice cocktails and an easy-to-love menu that works as nicely for a weekday work lunch because it does for a decadent celebration dinner. Additional-memorable objects embody the Chaz burger and twice-fried hen.

Located in Honolulu’s Chinatown, Fête brings the most prestigious James Beard Award (best chef) to Hawaii after nearly 20 years. This restaurant incorporates local roots with a global inspiration to create seasonal new American dishes, served in a cool hangout spot that makes you feel like you’re dining in a Brooklyn eatery. Fête’s signature Korean Fried Chicken Sandwich has people queuing up all day every day!

Downtown Honolulu, $$ - $$$, American, Vegetarian Friendly, Vegan Options. When visiting Fete, make sure to ask for their list of specials that usually highlights local fish and delicious Hawaiian-inspired dishes, such as the local grilled grass fed Korean Bavette Steak . Favorites at this excellent eatery include dishes like C arbonara with Portuguese sausage and a Korean Fried Chicken Sandwich.

As soon as you set foot into this brasserie-inspired, James Beard-award-winning establishment, you’ll understand. Not just in its laid-back aesthetic, this Chinatown hotspot brings features dishes that combine unique island flavours and American cuisine. If you’re looking for the kind of spot that accommodates all kinds of palates, look no further than Fête (which means “celebration” in French).

Fête Restaurant is a seasonal New American neighborhood restaurant with local eats that will blow your mind. The classic restaurant meets island flavors in this unique fusion spot. It really is one of Honolulu’s Best Local Eats and was suggested to me by Bill Price (A Honlulu Local) who also owns Three Sticks Wines (one of my FAV Sonoma Wineries), Kistler Wines and Gary Farrell Wines.

Described as “equal parts Hawaiʻi and Brooklyn,” Fête can be as fancy or casual as you desire. Owned by Hawai‘i-born Robynne Maii and her husband, Chuck Bussler, who both previously worked in New York, the restaurant features a comfortable bar with great cocktails. The easy-to-love menu works well for a weekday work lunch as it does for a decadent celebration dinner.

For a touch of French-inspired romance in the heart of Honolulu, Fête is the place to be. This charming restaurant, located in Chinatown, captures the essence of a Parisian bistro while incorporating local flavors into its culinary creations. Fête's cozy and intimate setting, adorned with soft lighting and rustic decor, sets the stage for a perfect romantic evening.

Honolulu-born chef Robynne Maii opened her first restaurant Fête, along with her husband Chuck Bussler, in 2015. Over the past five years, Fête’s approach to seasonal New American cuisine (think: meyer lemon gnocchi and grilled local lamb chops with mint pistou) has made Maii a star on and beyond the island.

At Fete, you can dine at the bar or grab a table for drinks and a meal to remember. The menu features dishes like Sweetland farm Waialua gouda or chicken liver mousse for starters. Then the Chaz burger with caramelized onions, cheddar cheese, vine-ripened tomatoes, and roasted garlic aioli will fill you up.

And for those looking to dine while they imbibe, Bar Maze (from the Bar Leather Apron team) serves a multi-course tasting menu alongside meticulously paired cocktails, while critically acclaimed restaurants Miro Kaimuki and Fete treat their beverage programs as thoughtfully as they do their dinner menus.

Fete is an award winning modern American, farm to table restaurant located on Hotel Street. They feature ingredients from local farms to create dishes such as house-made gnocchi and foie gras gyoza. Fete is one of the busiest restaurants in Chinatown so reservations are recommended.

In a space that’s come to define the new modern Chinatown aesthetic—lofty ceilings and redbrick walls—chef Robynne Maii serves the food she craves. What that means: polished comfort food with no boundaries. You’ll find a carbonara with Portuguese sausage, a textbook-perfect burger,…

Fete: Extensive menu of appetizers, sandwiches, salads and entrees such as pork schitzel and rigatoni with beef cheek ragu; plus “provisions” such as take-and-bake lasagna and Portuguese bean soup by the quart, cocktails and wines by the bottle. Order online: fetehawaii.com.

Fête’s Korean fried chicken sandwich always satisfies with a thick slab of tender, moist meat, crunchy Asian pear slaw and spicy gochujang sure to drip down your wrists out of the super soft brioche bun. A side of field greens ($4) adds a nice peppery kick.

Don’t get me wrong, I ate some other fantastic dishes in Honolulu: okra topped ulu at Fête, the legendary feathery light coconut cake at Halekulani Hotel, a classic malasada from Leonard’s Bakery — and yet these chicken wings were my best bite on Oahu.

Outstanding Pastry Chef: Michelle Karr-Ueoka, MW Restaurant, Honolulu; Robynne Maii, Fête, Honolulu; Mark Pomaski, Moon & Turtle, Hilo; Sheldon Simeon, Tin Roof, Kahului; Robert Urquidi, Ethel’s Grill, Honolulu; Jojo Vasquez, Fond, Lahaina.

It's a seasonal new American neighbourhood restaurant that celebrates the incredible flavours of the island. The menu has a varied selection, from local seafood to soups, salads and steaks. I went for the pork ragu.

We’ve never heard of this place until looking at highly rated places to eat on Yelp. This gem has been hiding in Chinatown and we must try it out very soon. From seafood, meat, and pasta, they’ve got it all!

Fête (Chinatown): We only had a drink here but the sophisticated cocktails made a nice change from the sugary cocktails found in Waikiki. Proof (Chinatown): Fun dive bar in the heart of Chinatown.

If I manage to get a night off, I head to Sushi ii; the omakase tasting menu will make your head spin. And Fête, because chef Robynne Maii makes delicious, soul-warming food.

In nearby Chinatown, Fete restaurant bills itself as having “local roots and a global outlook.” The outlook for a tasty mai tai ($14) at the bar was nothing short of sunny.

2 N Hotel StHonolulu, HI 96817(808) 369-1390 Visit Website Open in Google Maps. Fête is a neighborhood dining establishment specializing in New American-style cuisine.

2 N Hotel St, Honolulu, HI 96817Phone: 808-369-1390 Visit Website. A post shared by Fête (@fetehawaii). You’ll find Fête in downtown Honolulu on North Hotel Street.

- Rating: 4.4/5 (1239 reviews)- Price level: $$- Address: 2 North Hotel St. Honolulu, Hawaii - Categories: New American, Cocktail Bars, Sandwiches- Read more on Yelp