Ro's Recz

Address: 1218 Waimanu St, Honolulu, HI 96814

Bernini Honolulu is an Italian-Japanese restaurant located in Hawaii. There is also a location in Tokyo, but the one in Hawaii is better in my opinion.

It has more of an Italian influence than a Japanese one, as most of the dishes are either pasta or pizza. However, many of the pastas have a Japanese twist, such as their uni pasta or their arrabbiata with shrimp. It is not only Japanese tasting in the ingredients they use, but also in the flavor of the dishes. Most of the pastas and pizzas are lighter and less oily than they would be at a traditional Italian restaurant.

Recently, Bernini has also been having takeout specials due to COVID-19. A couple of the dishes that I tried recently, the American Wagyu Cut Steak and the Wagyu Beef Stroganoff, were really good. The steak was super tender and flavorful, and it also came with soup and dessert for $17. Also, the Stroganoff sauce was really good, and both dishes were worth ordering in my opinion.

Normally, Bernini is a more upscale restaurant, but the takeout menu is pretty affordable and really high quality. Pasta and most Italian foods always taste better when served fresh in a restaurant; however, Bernini actually holds pretty well and tastes pretty similar to eating at the restaurant. I still would like to go back to the restaurant once it opens back up again though!

Bernini Recommendation Rating: 4

1: Something worth checking out if you have time

2: Something that is a hit for some people, but not a must for everyone

3: Something worth prioritizing if interested

4: Something worth making time to check out

5: An absolute home run, worth going out of your way for