Thank you to our sponsors for the complimentary meal and merchandise.
The last time I dined at the Hard Rock Cafe in Waikiki was right before the first COVID-19 shut down in March 2020 (click here to see my review). Much has changed in a year, thanks to the pandemic, but one thing that has not changed is the Hard Rock Cafe's commitment to serving as a family-friendly, safe destination for drinks, food, and live entertainment.
The generous folks at the Hard Rock Cafe invited us (Hawaii Mom Blog) back for another sponsored dining experience. Since we love the food and atmosphere at the Hard Rock, we could not resist returning! This time around, Nadia and I met up at the Waikiki establishment one Sunday evening for an early dinner.
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| Live Entertainment by Johnny Valentine and son! |
The Hard Rock has indoor and outdoor seating. The indoor dining area is open-air, which is great for those who are still hesitant to eat indoors.
No visit to the Hard Rock Cafe is complete without one of their signature cocktails. I tried the Hurricane, which is made with Bacardi Superior Rum, a blend of orange, mango, pineapple juice and grenadine, finished with a float of Bacardi Black Rum and Amaretto. I was feeling that Asian glow coming on after just a few sips! Nadia opted for the Classic Caribbean Mojito - Bacardi Superior Rum, fresh mint, lime juice and sparkling soda, with a premium Bacardi Añejo Cuatro floater and a powdered sugar sprinkle. Both drinks were very refreshing and a great way to start our meal.
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| The Hurricane and the Classic Caribbean Mojito |
For our appetizer, we ordered the Onion Ring Tower. According to General Manager Mark Poplawski, due to the pandemic, they haven't been able to get their normal breaded onion rings from their supplier, so they are currently serving battered onion rings, which to me were just as crunchy and delicious. The rings came with two types of dipping sauces - ranch and BBQ sauce. I tried the rings with both dipping sauces, but honestly, I enjoyed them most with good old plain ketchup!
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| Onion Ring Tower with Ranch and BBQ Sauce |
The restaurant also took the liberty of ordering for us the One Night in Bangkok Spicy Shrimp. These pieces of shrimp sure lived up to their name - they were spicy! If you like a lot of spice in your life, you need to try these.
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| One Night in Bangkok Spicy Shrimp |
For our main meal, we decided to share two dishes since we had our eyes on several items. Since the Hard Rock Cafe is known for their steak burgers, we followed the recommendation from our server Jack and ordered the BBQ Bacon Cheeseburger, which consisted of Hard Rock's proprietary steak burger, seasoned and seared with a signature spice blend, topped with house-made barbecue sauce, crispy shoestring onions, cheddar cheese, applewood bacon, leaf lettuce and vine-ripened tomato. How can you go wrong with that combination?!
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| BBQ Bacon Cheeseburger |
Both Nadia and I confessed that we regretted having to share this burger with one another. It was simply delicious! The patty was juicy and nicely seasoned. I just loved everything about this burger.
We also tried the BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwich. The pulled pork was very tender and soft, and had a nice sweetness to it due to the honey BBQ sauce. The coleslaw (which is commonly served with BBQ pulled pork) gives the sandwich a nice crunch!
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| BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwich |
Believe it or not, but we had room for dessert (we ALWAYS save room for dessert!), and the hot fudge sundae was a no-brainer. Now this one we did not mind sharing, because it was HUGE! Three people could have easily shared it, and perhaps if Nadia and I had just indulged on a steak burger and fries, we would have been able to finish this sundae in its entirety between the two of us.
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| Hot Fudge Brownie |
After our delicious, relaxing meal, Mark gave us a mini-tour of the restaurant floor and talked about some of the music memorabilia that lines the walls of the premises.
The Hard Rock Cafe Honolulu is home to one of John Lennon's guitars - a 1966 Guild Starfire XII 12-string guitar.
Thank you Mark, Sara (Sales and Marketing Manager), our server Jack, and the rest of the Hard Rock Cafe Honolulu team for another amazing dining experience!
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Hard Rock Cafe Honolulu
280 Beach Walk
(808) 955-7383
Reservations are accepted and encouraged
Validated parking ($7 flat rate for 4 hours) is available across the street from the cafe in the Bank of Hawaii garage.
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