GREAT EATS HAWAII: BUHO COCINA Y CANTINA

BUHO COCINA Y CANTINA

HONOLULU, HAWAII

BUHO COCINA Y CANATINA

2250 KALAKAUA AVENUE #525

HONOLULU, HI 96815

808-922-BUHO

HOURS: Sunday thru Thursday 11:00 AM - 1:00 AM

Friday and Saturday 11:00 AM - 2:00 AM

www.buhocantina.com

Once again I was excited to learn that there was a new Mexican Restaurant and Bar in Waikiki. Word on the street was that Buho was happening and good. Seems like they have already gained a following for late night dining and drinking but I just wanted some good tacos. We arrived on a Sunday at noon. Parked in the Waikiki Shopping Plaza on Kalakaua Avenue between Royal Hawaiian and Seaside Avenue. Parking until 6:00 PM is only $5.00 which is cheap for Waikiki. After parking we went to the elevator and got off on the 5th Floor. Looked around and was kind of surprised to find this was like an office/retail building with the 5th floor being pretty dead and empty. There was a small sign next to an open door that said Buho. We entered to find a long hallway with green walls that led to the restaurant. Another sign read to turn left to hostess. There was no hostess and the place was empty except for maybe six people. Two at the bar, two way up front and two in the indoor dining room. We were greeted by a nice guy who asked us where we would like to sit. Somewhere cool we said. He took us inside near the kitchen where there some ceiling fans. This place is huge and there are a lot of choices on where to sit. Problem with this is that there was only one waiter and one bartender serving this huge area. The waiter had to run from the front to the back so it took a little while to get our food. The waiter was excellent and always checking on our table and filling our drinks. No complaints about service. The guy was friendly, courteous and very efficient. We started with Chips n' Salsa ($6.95). Good chips with fresh salsa. The salsa lacked flavor and did not have any heat. Really basic. Our waiter recommended the Pork Belly Flautas ($14.95). These little rolled tacos looked amazing on the plate but again did not deliver on flavor. The Fish Tacos ($14.95) were covered in a cabbage slaw. The fish was not seasoned and tasteless. The Slaw and sauce were also pretty bland. The Carne Asada Tacos ($12.95) were the most disappointing. Steak tasted old and had no seasoning or flavor. Next up were the Beef Brisket Tacos ($13.95). These were just ok but I liked the avocado and jalapeño. We ordered a side of Beans and Rice ($3.00) but the waiter failed to bring it to the table and we were charged for it. This was a really disappointing meal for almost $100 with tip. Yup.. $100 for tacos for three and none of us was satisfied. I think this place may make it as a bar and nightclub, but for Mexican food and tacos it is not for me.