4. Restaurants

Nico’s Pier 38

1131 N Nimitz Hwy, Honolulu, HI, 96817
  • (808) 540-1377
  • Store is closed

Nico’s Pier 38 Menu

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Sorry, We are updating this restaurant cholesterol menu details.

  • Moody A.

    This place is over-hyped. One word clearly describes the food here...BLAND. Please bring some hot sauce. The service is hospitable.

    (1)

  • Berns B.

    "Good food, Good mood." I ordered the seafood pasta & it could really use a thicker sauce, it was a bit too wet so all I mostly tasted was just the noodle itself. I wouldn't think back at it as "oooh" or "aaaah", not something "worth dying for!" But I give a 10 on our waitress, the service was quick! I also tried the cheeseburger & it was delish! Great job on the truffle fries also

    (3)

  • Katy T.

    5 stars for food. I absolutely love their furikake ahi and their poke salad. Last time I was there I had their daily special which was breaded swordfish with a butter sauce. SOOOO good! 5 stars for decor. They have a beautiful, bright restaurant that they keep nice and clean. There's a great harbor view and I love the open-air feeling. 5 stars for service. I've only ever been for lunch, which is only counter service, but they cashiers have always been really nice and even the people wiping tables are nice and friendly. There's also lots of parking, so 5 STARS all around!

    (5)

  • Terry K.

    And 1,259 reviews later! Do not go here at High Noon (unless you are prepared to wait for a table or you are ordering take out).Be careful where you park. Many of the parking stalls are marked reserved for the other merchants... Careful, You don't want your car to be impounded or towed The seafood which is what you would want to order is as fresh as can be. Grilled, Sautéed, Raw! However you choose to have it prepared it is definitely fresh. The sauces have improved. I tried their cream sauce with dill spread over the sautéed FRESH opah. BTW, the sautéed method was done to a great perfection. Not dry, not to underdone... perfect. And for those who are not in the mood for seafood? They do have the trusted local favorites= loco moco (excellent too) and the Hawaiian plate still rules. BTW, Guy Fieri ranks this place TOP .... this one, I have to agree with him

    (4)

  • Luis R.

    Come right at 1100 and you will find a place to sit. So I am a fan of pork, and this is one of the few places that cook a good pork chop. Grilled Pork Chops With garlic butter soy sauce $10.00 It comes with a scoop of rice, salad or mac salad and noodles which are hidden under the two pork chops that come with the meal. I love it and to be honest it's pretty much all I get here. I know, I know, it a great place for fish, but me no can do fish. Like I said above if you want a table get there by 1100 if not be ready to stand around like a vulture waiting for someone to finish their meal. Here is another tip, you can sit and order at the bar. Only thing I noticed is that sometimes the server will bring you your meal when the buzzer rings and sometimes they don't. The place can get pretty noisy at times but I think it adds to the ambiance. They lose a star due to it being somewhat impossible at times to sit down but hey, I'm a fan.

    (4)

  • Steven R.

    Lively bar with excellent selection of libations. Had dinner outside... very nice. Piped in music and literally next to the harbor. The inside noise was nice for bar action, but too noisy for a comfortable meal... dining alfresco is definitely the way to go here. Good selection of fresh seafood and the side of vegetables delicious as well. Nico's is located between Honolulu airport and Waikiki... a fairly expensive cab ride from our beachfront hotel. My recommendation (and what I'll do in future) is to dine here either on the way from airport to Waikiki, or on way back to the airport. Travel light so you won't be schlepping more than one piece of luggage in and out of the restaurant.

    (4)

  • John C.

    Great vibe! Very relaxing and pretty good food, price is right for the setting and the taste. Would definitely go again.

    (5)

  • Clarence J.

    (This may be 4.5 stars to me.) Nico's is a great place -- clean and modern, but with a warm, comfortable, established feel. One side is wide open onto a harbor of fishing boats and container ships. Several members of the excellent wait staff said most people seem to prefer the atmosphere at night when the working aspects of the harbor boats and ships is dulled by the "romantic" lighting reflecting off the water; I think it's great at any time because of the beauty of the sky and water, the character of the boats, and my fascination with watching people work around the giant container ships. (Although, fine, I can see how the warmth of the lights at night could be romantic and peaceful also...) As I mentioned, the staff -- the hostesses and wait staff are who I interacted with -- are outstanding; warm and friendly, knowledgeable about the menu, conscientious and efficient. The drinks menu is large, with a particularly wide selection of unique (at least to me) twists on numerous cocktails. The two cocktails I tried were outstanding -- the Pier 38 Punch and the Ginger Mojito. There's also a large wine selection and at least 10 beers on tap, along with numerous nonalcoholic drinks. The food is beautifully done. While the menu is smallish, there's a wide selection of turf and, especially, surf options. Even the fish and chips is stepped up, using striped marlin for the fish on the night I visited, which resulted in a flavorful, meaty fish that was complemented by a flavorful batter in perfect proportion (thin) on the meat; this reminded of why I started liking fish and chips years ago, and it is definitely something I would order again. The prices are very good also -- you're not far out of Waikiki, but I the price and quality at Nico's seemed to me to be FAR above most comparable restaurants closer to town. I look forward to returning!

    (4)

  • Nora S.

    Excellent food, great ambiance, very reasonably priced... We will be back for sure! Delicious!

    (5)

  • Lisa H.

    Came for lunch and dinner on our trip. The lunch menu had great fish options, but also plate lunch items like chicken katsu, loco moco ect. If you want a poke bowl, you need to order that in the deli. And please do. It was the freshest and cheapest poke I had during our stay. Dinner had a classier vibe with live entertainment. The menu listed higher priced plates, $15-$28. The winner was definitely the furikake crusted ahi. I ordered it rare and it was so good. The fried calamari appetizer was a favorite as well. There was a bit of a wait when we came closing, but once we were seated we weren't rushed. Great all around choice.

    (5)

  • David T.

    I love this place! Quiet and great view along with very good prices and good food. I like their lunch set up where you order and pay and then retrieve you order when ready. Delve service jeeps it casual and keeps the prices reasonable. There is also the fish market connected to the restaurant where you can get poke bowls and other prepared dishes. It is extremely clean and well run.

    (5)

  • Noelani C.

    Wow! I haven't been here for a while but I love it! I love the set up! I'm drinking a yummy patron margarita on the rocks, delicious loco moco and fried calamari to snack on! Beautiful breeze and outdoor indoor mixed setting! Service is excellent and Ranger my favorite person I ordered from is so helpful and suggested some amazing entrees and dessert! Yum! Love the light Hawaiian music in the background. I will definitely dine here again in the near future!

    (5)

  • Tommy C.

    I come for the Furikake crusted Ahi. Most the time it's done right. Tasty crust and moist meat. Decent bar with draft beers, wine, and liquor. Live music sometimes. Nice outdoor seating. Relaxed and lively vibe. Desserts are okay too. Check out the market side for poke and fish togo.

    (4)

  • Linda S.

    I'm not impressed. We arrived 10 minutes to four-end of lunch and reopens at 5 for dinner. The lady in the front greets us and gave my party menus (order at the front booth, tables are self seating). We ordered a bunch of things (some weren't pictured). There were several people/families who came after us (still before 5) and they were advised about the happy hour and were seated by the employee at the tall tables near the bar.. I ordered the fishermen stew and seafood pasta. Both were ok, just not flavorful. The lunch combo with chicken Katsu and hoisin chicken was pretty good!

    (3)

  • Rey L.

    The best by far! My first time there but definitely not my last! Everything from the fish 'n chips to the pesto shrimp and the opah with that delicious dill sauce was delicious and very on point!

    (5)

  • Kara K.

    Chicken pesto salad superrrrr good!!!! Also the ahi sandwich with fries are deliciously good everything is fresh I recommend nicos super good I will be back to try different menus items.

    (5)

  • Alexandra R.

    I think the quality and amount of food was goo, but I didn't love anything. I went traditional, and had the Hawaiian plate with pig, pork, salmon and poi. The pork was wrapped in leaves and once I dug to the middle, it was mostly fat...very disappointing. As for the salmon, there was a nice portion of chopped tomatoes...but not even .25 oz worth of fish. (Actually, I only saw/tasted 2 extremely small cubes of salmon, if that.) The swordfish meal had a great sauce, but the fish was a but dry. Luckily the flavor was good, but I wouldn't get again. The variety of sauces on each table was fun and the salad dressing was amazing. All in all, I won't go back, but it wasn't a bad experience...just not my taste.

    (3)

  • Kenny I.

    The loco moco was great, my girlfriend's pork chops were very dry. Other items on previous trips were good.

    (4)

  • Mark E.

    This place is my favorite place to eat if you like to eat fresh fish. The fish are bought from the auction nearby. Anyways, we came here to have lunch before our meeting. My friends were satisfied of what they ordered for lunch. I got myself a poke bowl. It is pricey for its portion ($9.00) but the fish/seafood are the freshest you'll ever eat and you have the option of choosing up to three kinds of poke makes up for it. There are condiments available such as furikake, sea salt, red pepper, sesame seed to top off your rice (brown rice option has no extra charge). My choices were the Ahi Shoyu, Spicy Ahi, and Ahi Deluxe. I found the spicy to be my favorite, not too or little spicy. One of the best spicy ahi I ever hard in general. This place can get very crowded and parking can fill up during peak times. Come here for happy hour specials in the afternoon! I definitely recommend trying this place out for fresh fish whether eating them poke style or cooked. They also have desserts like the red velvet cake that tasted moist and delicious.

    (5)

  • Phuong M.

    We took my future Grandmother in law out to dinner tonight just because she is a crack up! She didn't answer her phone because she was at Victoria's Secret buying naughty things! She wanted to go to Nico's for the fish and she chose the catch of the day, fresh Opah! It was quite tasty, thought she chose to have the sauce on the side to keep the calories at bay. We added lemon for her and some of my Bouillabaisse, tomato based seafood soup for her since she didn't really like her sauce. We got the crab cake spinach salad as an appetizer and the sweet citrusy dressing was absolutely just one of the best I've had! The crab cake was full of crab and tender, and moist! Add that with the citrus dressing it made it perfection! The furakake crusted ahi was seared on the raw side to perfection as well! It was tender and moist and right hint of salty with crisp crunch. I will definitely try to make this at home since I loved it so much and am excited at the great idea of using furakake as a crust! We also ordered the Bouillabaisse soup and side order of the Caesar Salad. The Bouillabaisse is a seafood tomato based soup with fish, chopped clams and mussels. It was pretty tasty but I was a bit bummed that I couldn't really find the clams, and the fish was quite tough. Overall, it wasn't bad but I was hoping it had more fresh fish, and more clams! Overall, the location was great and nice ambience. I would come back and try something else and hopefully be able to sit closer to the water and possibly come before sunset for the experience.

    (3)

  • Michelle J.

    It was pretty busy when we arrived at around 630 took us a good 30 mins to get seated. Waited another 10 for our server to come around. Placed our order with our server. It's really loud so I don't know what his name was? Our food came out pretty fast. I ordered the fishermans stew and the fish and chips. I wanted the stew before the meal and was able to have it come about 5 mins before the main food came. The stew itself was ok nothing I would rave about. I feel like all the food lacked seasoning I do like a little more salt on my food than it had. I believe the stew had more chicken in it than it had crab which was a big disappointment. The fish and chips was average as well the crust on the fish was good but once you ate just the fish the fish was plain again no seasoning. The menu is limited and I was really disappointed they didn't have fried shrimp. We did run out of water while we were eating and I literally had to ask our server for more water because I don't think we would have gotten any any other way. I'm not sure if I will come back for the dinner menu. I do see they offer lunch so before I mark this place off my list of go to's I'll give it one more try for lunch that is.

    (3)

  • Frederick W.

    Great atmosphere, awesome service, and good food makes Nico's a go to place for lunch! Food is fresh and gets to you fast! Nice portions and always tasty!

    (5)

  • Allie L.

    My boyfriend and I came here for lunch after it was recommended to us by a local tour guide. It was crazy busy at 12:30 but we were able to sit at bar and eat from the full menu. The catch of the day was swordfish. It was tender and the glaze was amazing. My boyfriend had the Ahi Tuna. Both plates came with rice and salad. The prices were reasonable and the food was great. Definitely worth the drive from Wakikki

    (5)

  • L M.

    What's not to like. Locals, tourists on the way to and from the airport, business people, casual dress any time, good food and quick service.

    (5)

  • Alden B.

    Was our first eat when we arrived to the island. The atmosphere was great and the extremely helpful and efficient staff made it that much better. The portions are generous and worth every penny. The open air settling is wonderful as well as the live music they had for the afternoon. The bar scene was superb as well. Our order included the Katsu chicken, which was cooked perfectly and served with their awesome house sauce to go with it, and the pesto shrimp were so fresh and seasoned so well. This place is amazing for all those looking for someplace casual to recharge and eat. Thank you so much to everyone there!

    (5)

  • Tad N.

    A pleasant Saturday night out with friends from the neighbor islands. Arrived just after 6pm and our party of 5 were seated by 6:30. Server was friendly, service was prompt, food & drink were good. Only negative was being seated next to the bus station where the bussers seemed to throw the dishes and silveware into the buspans. Ordered poke sampler to start and especially enjoyed the peppercorn swordfish and furikake ahi. Someone also ordered and shared the steamed clams in garlic butter - yummy! Topped off the evening with cheesecakes - creme brulee and passion mango - ono! Will definitely go back first chance we get.

    (4)

  • XConciergeLB X.

    I made plans to come here sometime during my short visit with my family and had the opportunity an hour later after my flight landed. I was hungry and craving seafood and so was my mom, so off we went. The place was not too crowded with people, so it was easy to find parking off to the side of the boats and stroll on in. The prices are soooo affordable for fish! I think the one place that reminds me of Nico's is Pier 76 in downtown Long Beach. Casual setting with good food. My mom ordered the panko crusted swordfish special with brown rice and mini salad. Everything tasted great but they were a little manini with the salad dressing. I went up to the counter to get an extra container and it was only 25 cents but I wished they put a little bit more dressing on the salad. Pics coming soon. I was craving some ahi poke, so I walked into the area adjacent to the restaurant. There was no line and there's also all kines of my favorite local treats, from Shrimp chips, taro chips, liquor, souvenirs, etc. It was such a deal to get three types of poke with rice for $10! I got the ahi shoyu, salmon and regular ahi. Service was super quick yet since I barely landed back home,I had to adjust my local ears. The gal behind the counter was friendly but spoke tooo fast for me... I thought to myself and paused, 'haaaah? What did she just say?' Auwe my damn mainland ears, lol.....no worries cause by the end of the week I was back to my usual local self. 5 Stars cause this place is kept super clean. Lots of workers cleaning and organizing and it shows. Be aware of the birds! Lil ones and pigeons! They like to eat too!

    (5)

  • Daniel M.

    Great food, great place! If you like seafood, don't like seafood, doesn't matter... This place has something for everyone! A Waikiki hot spot.

    (4)

  • Debbie R.

    Seeing all these great reviews, I was stoked to try this place out. We decided to go for lunch. We went for a late lunch at 1:30 and it was pure chaos. Let me just say, I am not a big fan of having to fight for a place to sit after I've ordered my food. This place is chaotic and there is no assistance to help you find a table. Walked around carrying my food looking for a table for a good 15 minutes with other victims. When a table opens up you have to compete with about 20 other people dashing to get that same table. EEK. No good. Finally when I sat down to eat, it was at a rather small bar top table and we had 3 people smooshed on that table balancing our boxes of food. There is a bar area, but it appears they do not come around to take orders. You have to stand at the already crowded bar and attempt to place an order. In addition, the food is not really all that great. For one thing, if you order the Poke Salad, they throw piping hot poke (its cooked, which to me is not really poke, but ok . . . .) on top of your bed of lettuce which immediately wilts it and sogs it out. it was very unappetizing. We also ordered fish & chips, which was mediocre at best, I've definitely had better elsewhere. The orange chicken was super greasy and again, they toss it into the box with your salad hella hot and it wilts your salad into an unappetizing glob. I dunno what the big deal is with place. It is just a glorified food court. I know I won't be back.

    (2)

  • Kevin C.

    Went there with my family had a lunch. My favorite is Pier 38 Fish Burger. There is nothing like this anywhere. very good

    (4)

  • Jules Y.

    Once one of my most fav places for lunch, I no longer try to go out of my way to eat here. Last couple times I was there over a year ago, I couldn't believe their salad (Nalo greens - lettuce) portions were so incredibly small for the price they charged plus the ahi poke included was incredibly thin on weight. Yes, they use fresh fish but the prices they charge are just not good especially when Costco is literally across the street. If anything, I avoid this place and go to Uncle's next door where food is more reasonably priced. I just love Nico's beautiful decor and huge bar not to mention the increased seating but I don't like feeling starved just after leaving any restaurant :( Hannah Q. reminded of my opinions of this place - thanks again for your review, Hannah! :)

    (2)

  • Hanna P.

    This was my very first stop right when I landed down onto the Honolulu airport. Maybe a good 5 minute drive into the pier from the airport. At first arrival, it was a little hard finding this place. All the buildings look the same so if you just keep into your left and drive around, Nico's will be on the right in front of Uncle's. I walked in and I love how you can either choose the fish market on the left side or the restaurant on the right. I decided to order some food first before heading over to the market. For lunch, we had the seared ahi tuna, garlic pork chops, pesto shrimp, and poke bowl. Word of advice: if you just want poke or the bowl, it's easier to just order it from the fish market. The ahi tuba was delicious! Perfectly medium rare, a good crust of furikake and pink in the middle. It tasted really well with the tartar sauce they give. I REALLY loved their dressing for their side salad! I noticed that they sold bottles of it as well! The poor chops were okay. I don't know why we would order pork chops in a fish market but what would you expect? Just stick to what they're good at...which is fish. Their poke is absolutely AMAZING!! We've tried a couple of different ones such as the shoyu, spicy and onion and I loved every one of them!!! I would recommend getting the soy sauce on the side bc when I didn't, it was a little too much soy sauce. But regardless still good!! After getting your poke, you can sprinkle on some condiments such as sesame seeds, furikake, salt etc. it really does make a difference putting them in so don't forget!! After trying Nico's for their poke, every time I order poke anywhere else, it's just not the same!! But I will continue to eat as much like as possible in Hawaii!

    (5)

  • Maile K.

    Super friendly staff, good food & drinks. Constantly adding new items to the daily specials menu. There are four registers to order from, plus the bar. Yes, you can walk up to the bar and order your lunch. No, you don't have to order a cocktail. Tons of free parking in the dirt lot across from the entrance and in the lot fronting Nimitz Hwy. The restaurant has restrooms inside, just past the soda fountains and there are public restrooms in the bldg next to the dirt lot. (No paper towels in there, so bring your own.) A new bike rack was installed last week, next to the public restrooms. I am a fan of baked goods and I must say, this place has a very good chocolate chip cookie, with dark chocolate chunks and milk chocolate chips. It's not a crispy cookie, but rather a soft, delectable disk that is a party in your mouth with every bite. It sure satisfies any craving one has for something sweet after lunch. The only thing missing is a glass of cold milk. Other sweets on the menu consist of Oatmeal Raisin Cookie, Peanut Butter Cookie, Mango Lilikoi Cheesecake, Carrot Cake, Red Velvet Cake, Summerberry Stack, and more. Enjoy!

    (5)

  • Disappointed H.

    Let's talk about Nico's....got in right away, the staff was very friendly, food was just "ok". And now we know why the food was not so spectacular. My other half has been in the restroom for the last 2 hours.

    (1)

  • PJ D.

    I don't know what happened but the food preparation and quality went down and the price went up within the last 6 months. Its a shame because my family and I really do want to love this place but they are going to have to do some recovery operations.

    (3)

  • Jake C.

    Yelp 365 Challenge 2015 #5/365 I love Nico's. Located off Nimitz Highway, it's a bit of a hidden gem, but definitely worth finding. They offer seating both inside and outside, where you can watch the sunset and gaze upon the boats in the pier. They even have live music at night! The vibe here is pretty relaxed, and it's a great place to just kick back and have a few after work. Nico's also has a nice happy hour; from 4-6pm ERRDAY. $4 beers, including Kona Longboard, Big Wave, Koko Brown, and even Guinness! Their menu may be a little small, but it is perfect. They have a nice mix of seafood, salads, and pizzas. If you aren't feeling any of those, you can order their solitary burger on the menu. My personal favorite, and their signature dish, is the Furikake Ahi. It is amazing. You can get it cooked however you like, from seared to well done. Like the other dishes, it comes with a scoop of rice and fresh veggies. Another one of my favorites is the Fried Ahi Belly. They've actually just recently made a menu change, so unfortunately the ahi belly is not available as a entree anymore, but it is instead an appetizer, and in bite sized pieces. The most interesting thing I've ordered here at Nico's has to have been the Ahi Ribs. Yes, Ahi Ribs. Who knew you could eat the meat off of a fish's ribs?! I sure didn't. It's a very cool appetizer/conversation starter. Save room for dessert because Nico's has a ton of different pies to choose from!! Even if you didn't eat dinner at Nico's, you can always stop by just to pick up a pie. I feel like the pies from Nico's are comparable to the cheesecake from the Cheesecake Factory. Rich and satisfying. Parking is free, which is always a plus, and although not always directly in front of the restaurant, there are always open stalls. Can't wait to go back!

    (5)

  • Vickie N.

    Yelp has failed again. This place is popular for fresh fresh and seafood but was lacking flavor and bang! Appetizer: Poke sampler +The spicy ahi was the clear winner of the 3 but I didn't think this poke was better than the Island Vintage Coffee's spicy ahi with brown rice. Sure the fish is fresh, tender, and soft but the flavor is meh. Main entree: Furikake Ahi +my fiancé ordered this dish. It was our favorite entree. Even though it was good I still wouldn't come back to Nico pier 38 for the seer lack of flavor in most dishes. Braised Beef +Our biggest disappointed of the night was this dish. Though it was tender and well-cooked it just tastes like a TV dinner. Heavy gravy sauce and nothing to make it stand out as a mouthwatering dish. Yelpers why you lie to us and say this is good?!?!? It was so bleh that when the server came by to check on us I couldn't lie I told him this dish is weird and he offered to change it out and so I ordered the pasta special of the night instead. Good thing about this dish is it is like 9 oz of meat so if you were hungry this would stuff you up! Pesto Shrimp Scampi pasta +I read from other yelpers who complained the seafood pasta was watery and soupy not a thick sauce-like consistency. My server recommend the pesto over the seafood pasta so I went with his recommendation. It was okay. Better then the braised beef. Would I order it again? Nope. Save your money. Dessert +Salty Caramel Toffee Vanilla cake If I were to come back to pier 38 it would be for this slice of heaven!! Fiancé doesn't have a sweet tooth like me and claimed to be full but when he had a bite of this cake all hell broke loose and he devoured MY precious cake. Precious!!! Our server was amazing for accommodating us since we didn't like the braised beef. Thank you server who looked like a male-model! Spend you money elsewhere or come and order a cake Togo only!

    (3)

  • Denise P.

    Some days the thought of even waiting 15 minutes for a table is excruciating. On Mother's Day, I was bracing myself for that type of wait. However, we were pleasantly surprised when we entered Nico's. We found a table and proceeded to look over the menu. The mister ordered the Ahi plate, our son ordered the Pork Chop plate, and I ordered the combination plate - Pork Chop and Beef Stew because I was HUNGRY!! :) Our order came out under 30 minutes and the food was ONO!! So ONO that I ordered Nico's Salted Caramel Vanilla Truffle Cake for dessert. Thankfully my family was full from eating their lunch so I didn't have to share. Hah!! Did I mention that there are televisions at Nico's? While we were eating we got to watch the Cavaliers and Bulls game! What an exciting game! We usually go to a buffet for Mother's Day, but I'm glad we chose to go to Nico's. Different change of pace, less stressful, and still very enjoyable!

    (5)

  • B. D.

    The fish and chips are excellent! It doesn't get any fresher and the prices are reasonable too!

    (5)

  • J S.

    I love Nico's! What can I say, this place is pretty darn amazing. Nico has transformed a small plate lunch business next to the pier into a well-run restaurant with amazing food and wonderful staff. His ability to create dishes that complement the fresh seafood he gathers from the nearby peer is wonderful. They have live music almost every day and the atmosphere is great. Their lunch rush can sometimes get a little busy but that is because the food is so darn good. I went an entire year just ordering what ever the catch of the day was. I was not one time disappointing. Nico's is a must stop.

    (4)

  • Carrie G.

    This place is solid, but not amazing. The service was slow and inconsistent but the food was decent. I'd probably rate it 2.5-3 stars. The food: We got the shrimp cocktail with Bloody Mary flavored dipping sauce. The portion had about 10 decent sized shrimp, but they were soggy and limp, not fat and plump and juicy with a bit of bite to the texture like perfectly cooked shrimp would be. I love Bloody Mary's but I didn't like the sauce. I would have preferred regular cocktail sauce with horseradish and lemon. This dish is served with no lemon, which is a rookie move, IMO. The fried calamari was 'ono. It was a decent portion with flavorful batter and perfectly cooked. It was served with 1 skimpy round slice of lemon (instead of wedge shaped) so I had to make the call to get it all over my hand to squeeze a few drops of life out of it. The cocktail sauce was good, but we ran out. I requested an extra sauce and lemon but our server forgot to bring it. It's served in a plastic martini cup. This was the best thing we got. The clam chowder was good but it sat out for a while before being served bc there was a skin layer that formed over the top. I would have asked for a fresh bowl but our server was conspicuously absent the whole meal. Other than that it was chunky, creamy and delicious. You can have it served with garlic bread on the side instead of inside the bread bowl. Hubby had the baby back ribs and those were good but could have been more tender and fall off the bone style. They were a bit chewy but the sauce was delish. Good sized portion for the price. Uncle got the wine sauce short rib plate. The short rib was tender but without lots of sauce the flavor fell flat. It was pretty bland. It needed salt and other flavor complexity. An odd thing happened at this meal- we got our food before our drinks. We put the order in at the same time, but for some reason, the food came out about 15-20 minutes after the food, so we had eaten most of our food by the time my wine came which was kind of a letdown. The outdoor seating is nice- there's string lights hanging in the umbrellas and tiki torches give everything a nice glow. The plates are plastic which seems kinda tacky at a place where the average meal is ~$20 a plate. We had to wait 15 minutes for a table at 7pm on a Monday night. Overall, I don't think I'd spend my hard earned dollars to eat there again unless it's a special request from a friend on their birthday... Or death bed.

    (3)

  • Jordan A.

    I was looking for traditional seafood for dinner (crab, lobster, shrimp) and although the shrimp cocktail was great, this was not the place for me. The menu was small, and the options were scarce. Crab and lobster weren't even options. I ordered the swordfish and it was pretty dry and my potatoes had little flavor. I also tried my sisters plate of mahi mahi which had the same taste as my swordfish but came with a good sauce that mine did not. Our server was great and there was always a staff member around to ask for anything you might need

    (3)

  • Greg S.

    This review is for the store portion of Nico's. I grew up hating seafood, especially anything raw. However, I was introduced to poke at Nico's and another restaurant on island and I can't get enough of it. The best is the California ahi and the spicy ahi poke bowls. Can't get enough. The fish is fresh and prepared full of flavor. I haven't been to the restaurant portion of Nico's but I definitely will when visitors come.

    (5)

  • Juliet M.

    Bloody Mary be da Bomb dizzle! Ummmm...hello, did you hear me? best Bloody ever! I was blown away...into the wind on a 70 ft sail boat blown away. This is not the first time I have been to nico's but it is the first to have a delicious bloody! ...and now that I know this best kept secret, they might have to agree to make me a godfather of nicos and reserve a table with plague in the sun for my weekly trip. Call me bloody Juliet, since 2015. ...all and all the Bloody Mary's made this place five-star dining out of styrofoam containers. The ahi is always a hit for me with all salad, and the Bloody Mary's...sigh...Sorry folks, I have been on a quest to find a delicious Bloody Mary, but was at a loss until the day I realized that Nico's makes a heavenly of the varieties! ENJOY!

    (5)

  • Katlin D.

    Love this place! We've been here several times. Lunch is more of a counter style meal, so you order your food and pay at the registers then pick up your food! Then dinner is table service. Fish and chips are good, ahi on dinner menu is good, the pesto chicken salad is good, but the mac salad... The Mac salad is Sooo good! It tastes just like my moms! Yum! This time I, also, got the passion mango cheese cake, which was super yummy as well! The restaurant has a nice location right near the water, which makes for good dining any time of the day! :)

    (4)

  • Hannah Q.

    Tried Nico's a second time to see if I had a bad first time experience. This time I ordered the poke salad. It was pretty good but again, not to the expectations the current yelp rating gives it. I kept trying to figure out how they were doing so well. Maybe the view? It does open up towards the harbor which is different I suppose. Service is excellent, seating is plentiful, variety of different choices. I did have a baked chocolate chip cookie and that was delicious. But again, just okay.

    (3)

  • Jessica V.

    Came here last Friday night because my mom saw this restaurant featured on Food Network and wanted to try it. The location is pretty nice and the open windows let the breeze come in . Mom had the Ahi special and loved it. I don't eat seafood so I just ordered a Cheese Pizza, not many options if you don't like seafood. The pizza was ok, but they are a seafood restaurant so I'm sure the rest of their food is pretty good. We did really enjoy the drinks! Moms first Mai Tai in Hawaii didn't disappoint!

    (4)

  • Cliff P.

    The good: -Food was ok, above average -Parking was easy; location is good -Prices were ok The bad: -Lots of plastic (plastic silverware, plastic chairs, plastic/Styrofoam dishes -Order by yourself at the counter -Seat yourself -Pick up your food yourself -Order and pick up drinks yourself -Constant cleaning (sweeping) of the concrete floor was distracting -Drink (mojito) was just average Kind of like going to a fast food place or food court but with alcoholic beverages available. If you just want to go to a restaurant to eat then this is ok; but if you would like a little atmosphere then I'd look elsewhere.

    (2)

  • Ryan M.

    Came here for dinner, it's quite a different experience than lunch. Dinner has "wait to be seated" seating rather than walk up to the line, order, and seat yourself during lunch hours. The biggest difference is the deep fried ahi belly, it used to be an entree with rice or salad, now its become an appetizer on the pupu menu, so now they are bites. Somehow its not the same, i remember the lomi tomato relish as more of a shoyu based sauce, this had some sort of sriracha mayo on top and the sauce underneath was a watery soupy mess. I think some of it was because the hot bites wilted the cabbage underneath and diluted the sauce. Part of what made it so good was having the flavorful sauce over the rice, but now that its not an entree there's no rice to soak up all the sauce, its just not the same. I also think now that they are bites instead of a large piece of tuna belly, the ratio of fried surface area has increased which changes the whole dish. What used to be my favorite is now not. =( The poke sampler was okay, nothing special there were 3 different kinds, but they all pressed into molds so they looked like they were all pre plated and just brought out upon ordering. It was fresh but i had to put shoyu over one of them. I just wish it looked like they just mixed it or put it on your plate rather than all the fish being mashed down to fit a mold. The fish and chips i though was kind of pricey ($17) for one piece of deep fried fish and french fries. But i guess you have to look at it as its fresh marlin not frozen cod, still the piece of fish wasn't as big as i hoped for the price. The ginger cilantro sauce was delicious though. I even used it on the fries, be sure to ask for more sauce, thats what makes the whole dish, I'd order anything with that sauce. I still recommend Nico's as a destination for fresh fish at reasonable prices, somehow i prefer lunch to dinner.

    (3)

  • Ben M.

    Love the poke from the fish market but to be fair, I have only eaten via the restaurant portion once. I ordered a poke salad and ended up getting a seared ahi salad instead. Normally I would have returned the dish but the wait was REALLY long to get the food in the first place, so I ate what I got. I enjoyed the flavors but was a bit let down as I wanted that 5* poke! I have tried a few of their dessert options as well which have been very good, it's hard for me to get dessert here though as I usually come just for poke or a poke bowl and don't want to mix something so healthy with something so naughty. Also, knowing Liliha Bakery is right down the way, makes it even more tough From what I have seen coming out on plates, I haven't been super excited to try something. I support and follow Nico's on FB and they will post pictures of some of their daily specials, sometimes they have disheartening there that look and sound amazing, definitely worth a consideration. The atmosphere is wide open, pretty basic and noisy, and the outdoor seating is great! Bathrooms are basic and usually clean. I wouldn't necessarily consider Nico's outside of their poke, but I should be fair and try them out again.....nahhhh, I'll just stick with the poke!

    (3)

  • Dave J.

    I have drove past Pier 38 many times on the way to Waikiki and I did not know this place was over there. You'll drive right by it if you don't know it's there! went to dinner with some guys from work. We started out at the bar for some pre-dinner beer and cocktails. I had the Ballast Point Big Eye IPA. The two bartenders took care of us well and were eager to refill our drinks. I plan on going back for Happy hour tomorrow after work, haha!! Started with the Fisherman's Stew, white seafood chowder of fish and chopped clams served in a sourdough bread bowl which was an excellent choice! I had the catch of the day. Pan seared Ahi (Medium Rare) topped with a watercress cream sauce over a bed of pasta and veggies. Very tender and delicious. There were no complaints from the 8 person party I was in. I will definitely come back for lunch as I hear it's a different experience.

    (5)

  • Nicole V.

    Nico's NEVER disappoints. Although the lunch crowds can be cumbersome-- the wait is worth it. The fish is amazing! Poke is so fresh. I always get the fish and chips-- minus the chips and add rice! Soooo Ono. At night the crab legs are reasonably priced and cooked to perfection. Love this place.

    (5)

  • Trung L.

    Came here for Lunch, the place is very nice on a waterfront. It had a nice trendy restaurant vibe, but also a Lunch Cafeteria feel to it also. I'm not sure what Dinner time is like here, so my review is for the Lunch. I had the Fried Ahi Belly & my GF had the Fish Burger. The Fried Ahi I felt could have use more seasoning, or maybe a different sauce. To me it was kinda bland. Maybe I'll come back and try their Dinner menu. Place is really nice though.

    (3)

  • Helen M.

    This is a locals place to eat. We ate lunch here on a wet and soggy day. The fish and chips were soggy, the ahi sandwiches overcooked, onion rings greasy. I'm going to say that the experience would have been better on a sunny day with the windows open. Sorry Honolulu. I've eaten much better fast food.

    (2)

  • Ming C.

    Nico's continues to impress my friends and I with their fresh seafood options and overall casual yet sophisticated ambiance. Personally I enjoyed the furikake ahi seared (pretty much raw in the center) with all greens. One of the few places where I will eat healthy. On the flip side, I do enjoy the Pier 38 Cheeseburger once in a while and the desserts just wreck my diet. At night Nico's transforms into a elegant yet relaxed restaurant with some really high quality dishes. The braised short ribs are wonderfully filling. I also enjoy that time to time, local musicians would come and perform music (e.g. Cory Oliveros). Good parking, and since they have expanded there are plenty of seats, many of which are "water view". For dinner arrive early or expect a decent wait. 5 Stars for a $$ restaurant. You get good service, good food, all with great atmosphere.

    (5)

  • Tristen M.

    I usually come here for lunch and service and food quality is a five star for me. I decided to eat here for dinner since they turn into a restaurant. I was really disappointed. The menu is much smaller compared to lunch but bigger portions which is a plus. Service was good. Our waiter was kind of awkward but checked on us regularly and refilled our waters. I heard raves about the ahi ribs... nothing too special. The ahi was kind of bland but the sauce kind of made up for it. Truffle fries are really good! I ordered the ahi niscose? Seared ahi salad basically. I usually order it for lunch thinking it would be deliciously the same but sadly its not. Five small slabs of lightly seared ahi with NO taste at all. I had to dip it into my bfs tartar sauce to give it some taste. I should've ordered the furikake ahi instead. Overall, I'm gonna stick to coming here for lunch. Food quality is way better. If I ever do come for dinner, I'll make sure to order the furikake ahi to be safe. 5 stars for the lunch quality, -2 for the dinner.

    (3)

  • Volley R.

    Food is good. Service is bad. Half of the female servers here have bad attitude. I will dine somewhere else.

    (1)

  • Pete S.

    So when you get off the plane at HNL and you want to try something with the island flair without having to worry about parking where would you go? Nico's Pier 38 of course! You have to order the furikake ahi here with the greens, it's that good! However, I have to say it's very inconsistent. Sometimes you get it medium, sometimes you get it medium rare. As you walk in, there's 4 cashiers, so you can go to anyone them to take your order. They will hand you an electronic buzzer when the food is ready. Kind of like Cheesecake factory in the waiting area. If you go to the first cashier, there is some Poke to be sampled. Speaking of which, there is a seafood shop adjacent to the restaurant. Yes there is Poke there and prices are reasonable. I got to try a few and I would recommend it. As for the other food in the restaurant, we actually came here a few more times. Skip on the pizza ($15), it's on the soggy side. Skip on the clam chowder, it's a bit too salty for me. Fish and chips -Fish is quite good. It's 2 big pieces of firm white fish. Garlic pesto shrimp-flavorful, but portion is quite small Still, even with some of these misses, I love the al fresco dining here. The birds are not too aggressive about eating my fries, so I'm game on having a beer here at the bar and enjoying the laid back atmosphere here. Parking is abundant, you just might have to park across from the restaurant in the unpaved lot.

    (5)

  • Ray L.

    Good for luch as the menu selection seems bigger and the prices more reasonable. Dinner is little fancier with table service.

    (4)

  • Julie E.

    Stopped at Nico's for some dinner on a Sunday night. We got there around 4:30PM and were able to order some pupus and happy hours drinks. Dinner starts at 5PM and the place was quickly filling up so try and get there a little early to avoid any wait. Sitting out on the lanai added to the ambience, overlooking the harbor. My two kiddos split a pizza, glad there was an easy option for them considering their developing tastebuds! Around the table we got the seafood pasta, swordfish, and Opa. Consensus was that everything was tasty! Service was spot on, our server was very sweet and attentive. Price wasn't too bad considering the quality and service.

    (5)

  • Stacey H.

    We were treated very poorly here. We used to be regulars at their previous lunch location. Their dinner service is terrible. The manager at the host stand was horribly rude and inconsiderate. We went in with 4 adults and a child (1st ones there before dinner service started) and were given a 4 top and told to put the high chair in the corner of the table. They refused to give us a bigger table so our child could have her own seat and be able to reach the table. I have never been to a restaurant that does not count my daughter as a person. We have had poor service at dinner there before but keep giving it more chances. We are done!

    (1)

  • Sean C.

    Parking: large parking lot in and around the pier The cost: $20 per person The food: Poke sampler Furikake ahi Fishermans stew Restrooms: yes in the back Reservations: not needed on a weekday evening This place feels like a Gordon and Biersch with large open air seating serving up some familiar flavors. The indoor seating is open air and expansive. With great and peaceful views of the pier. The food was just ok. The furikake ahi was overcooked and underwhelming. The fisherman stew wasn't too bad it is similar to a clam chowder bowl you can find in SF with fish. Overall, this is alright. Your mainland friends may like the generic food and the beer but ultimately it feels like any chain restaurant with mediocre food

    (3)

  • Nim N.

    Excellent seafood. My party's entire meal was so fresh and delicious. The place is large but it was still packed at 11:30 for lunch. There's plenty of easy off street parking. The service is very quick.

    (5)

  • Don G.

    Best local fresh fish at a reasonable price. Great ambience located next to the boat dock and the outdoor seating is fantastic in the cool evening. The bar serves up great drinks and pupa's! Love the live music on weekends! Also Nico's is open for breakfast! Worth getting up early to start the day!

    (4)

  • Tina L.

    I'm always looking for places where my boyfriend and I can enjoy a nice dinner with our pup alongside us. This place was recommended to me by a coworker not only for their dog-friendly patio, but for their amazing fish entrees. The hostesses usually seem a little wary about me when I come, because I have my dog with me, but once I get past them, the servers are very friendly, and they make my dining experience very enjoyable. My absolute favorite thing to get is the Poisson Cru (raw fish). Basically, it is Tahitian poke. Raw fish cooked in lemon and covered in coconut milk with other veggies. Oh my goodness, it's absolutely delicious. I know how to make it at home, but it's so much better when you get to enjoy it while you're out and enjoying the atmosphere of the pier. My boyfriend usually gets whatever is the daily special, and I usually stick to the seafood pasta, because it's pretty good there. I highly recommend this place to anyone who is looking for an outing with good seafood, and friendly service. My dog loves this place too! Definitely recommended for friendly dog owners. Woof!

    (4)

  • J K.

    They have the freshest fish in town, and Instead of getting a hot plate, I love eating from the seafood Dept. It's been my 3rd time at this establishment, and I love their fish & Chips and the Seared Ahi? The only -1 Star was because it was so packed, even with their Air conditioner running, it was a little hot.

    (4)

  • Kasey T.

    Shelly makes the best Bloody Mary! People flock here on Sundays just for it. Made with Guiness and Siracha. She also makes great recommendations for food orders. Love it!

    (5)

  • Teri Y.

    Nico's is my go-to spot to take visitors from off-island in addition to being one of my favorite places to eat. Located off Nimitz in the Kalihi area, it's off the beaten path for visitors, but very convenient & easy to reach for locals. There's plenty of parking, too. The casual, relaxed atmosphere, great fresh seafood, and prices that don't break the bank make it tops on my list. They don't take reservations, so I try to get there early if I'm going for dinner since the place can fill up. They also have live music some nights, so that's another plus, if you're into that. It does get a little loud due to the music, so if you're interested in quiet conversation, check to see when the music starts. There is some outdoor seating, so that's another option if the music it too loud for your taste. While Nico's serves lunch and dinner, this review is based on my dinner experiences. I've only been there once for lunch, which was still good, but it's more cafeteria-style (counter service) during the day. If you haven't been to Nico's in a few years, it's no longer the tiny little takeout place with a few tables tucked behing Pacific Ocean Producers on the pier. It's now got it's own large dining room across from POP, and there's even nice banquet facilities upstairs called Harbor View Center. Nico's provides catering for the banquest facilities, and that's pretty good, too! The dining room is very airy & open and has a view into the harbor, which is kind of pretty at sunset and after dark. In the event that you do have to wait for a table, there's a bar and those vibrating notifiers to let you know when your table is ready, so feel free to take a stroll into Nico's Market right next door and pick up some smoked ahi dip to take home for later. It's ono! Service has always been friendly at Nico's. The servers are all knowledgeable, and there are managers roaming the to dining area who just check in on how your meal is going. Nice touch. As for the food, I haven't had a dish there that I haven't liked. Here are some favorites: Orange Fried Chicken, Poke Sampler, Truffle Fries: Pupus that can never go wrong. But be careful, if you eat too many pupus, there won't be any room for dessert!! Salad Nicoise: this is a French classic salad and so far the best I've had here. Green beans, potatoes, and hard boiled egg plus a nice rare ahi steak make it my #1 choice at Nico's. When I'm craving it, I'll even order it to go and pick it up on my way home from work. Nico's Steamed Clams: I always have a tough time deciding between this & the salad whenever I'm at Nico's. The beer taste in the clams is mild (I'm not a big beer fan), but the garlicky yumminess in the clam "broth" is perfect when sopped up with garlic bread or sipped with a spoon. Fish & Chips: The fish auction is next door. Even if fish & chips may not showcase the fresh fish as well as sashimi might, it's good stuff! Furikake Pan Seared Ahi and Pesto Chicken Caesar Salad are dishes that my dining companions have ordered repeatedly and raved about, too. Be sure to walk by the dessert case before your meal. I'm told their desserts are amazing, but I never have room for them after I've feasted on my meal. Nico's does a great job with social media--they're on facebook & instagram (and I think twitter). The photos & descriptions of their daily specials should tempt you if nothing I wrote about does first!

    (5)

  • K K.

    Went there with my family for lunch. The opah fish was delicious. The line can get long but worth it! This was recommended by a friend who looked on yelp previously I saw a lot of good reviews! The only bad thing is they serve their food not on plates but styrofoam containers.

    (4)

  • Jasmine L.

    PROS: 1) The food: So far I haven't had anything from here that I didn't enjoy. The hoisin BBQ chicken and the pan seared ahi are my favorites. It's just regular grilled chicken but that sauce makes it amazing! 2) Portion sizes: You know a place has good portion sizes when your party of 7 (who normally vaccuums up all their food) starts to get quiet towards the end of lunch because we're all struggling to finish our food. 3) Efficiency: During my first time here, it looked so crowded. I was worried that it was going to be a long wait, but honestly, for the amount of people that were there it moved really fast. Placed my order, picked up my food and suddenly a table appeared. CONS: 1) None TIPS: 1) If you just want a poke bowl, just go to the fish market. You'll get it quicker there because the line is usually shorter.

    (5)

  • Rhiannon S.

    In the past year we have given nicos five chances to impress us. Every time nicos has failed to do so. Tonight We had the calamari, fisherman a stew, Cajun chicken, and seafood pasta. The calamari had no flavor. It was like eating a rubberband only the rubberband has more flavor. My daughter had the fisherman a stew and she loved it, but she loves anything in a bread bowl. My husband hand the Cajun chicken over fettuccine, he didn't finish his meal as his noodles were undercooked and the chicken was dry. I had the seafood pasta. The pasta was swimming in broth as it hadn't been given the time to reduce down into a cream sauce, the noodles and asparagus were undercooked, the shrimp was over cooked. The fish was lovely and light. No amount of salt was able to give the dish any flavor. As always we ordered dessert because if there is one thing nicos can do it is dessert. We were all very happy with our choice in dessert, I especially love the carrot cake. Tonight we took our dessert to go as the music was so loud our seven year old was in tears. From now on we will get only dessert and get it to go.

    (1)

  • Rob B.

    It does fill up early, but as happy hour is 4-6, there is a mass exodus from 5:45 to 6:15. If your coming for dinner arrive by 6:30. The Beef Short Rib, not what we expected, AKA, pot roast was really nice. Heard the Pizza was not a good choice and thankfully our server confirmed this. The Tahitian Poke was flavorless, I would opt for the Poke sampler next time. Great service and great setting!

    (4)

  • Matthew H.

    What I loved about Nico's was the fact that the environment was clean. I was often eating at local places that were kind of filthy, but I really respected this place's appearance. The food was awesome and that made it so much better.

    (4)

  • Lai T.

    The first time I visited Nico's was before they had moved into the new space. If memory serves me correctly, the Furikake Ahi was pretty good. When Father's Day rolled around, we opted to go to Nico's for some fresh fish. We got there and had the Monchong, Smoked salmon, fish & chips, and a pier 38 pizza. My clear favorite was the the pizza. I've also had the blackened fish 'which during a lunch meeting. All in all, Nico's was a decent place. The view is what I really dig. The menu options are typical seafood fare. It is a solid place to grab a quick bite. Personally, I feel that the beer is a bit overpriced. But at least the tap selection is decent. Probably worth it during happy hour (4-6 PM at the bar with live music on Wednesdays, Fridays-Sundays). My impression of Nico's changed for the worse during today's visit because I had ordered the fisherman's stew (a chowder served in a bread bowl). Apparently they had run out of bread bowls and yet the cashier didn't bother to tell my bf that when he put in our order. It wasn't until we picked up our food that they told us there were no bread bowls. I was told that if I wanted bread-I could pay extra for it. Had we been notified when we put in our order, I would've changed my selection. But it wasn't worth it for me to cancel and wait yet another 10-15 minutes. Thanks for wasting my time and leaving me completely dissatisfied, Nico's. Your fisherman's stew had clams but I failed to find fish...I won't be running back anytime soon.

    (2)

  • Roy C.

    Really nice casual open air restaurant with a view of the working harbor. The prices are very reasonable. Had Monchong on a salad a couple of days in a row for $12.95. The flavor of the Monchong was really good. The seafood market next door also sells it for $9.95 to $12.95 per pound. The price and quality were great and we also grilled the Monchong for dinner. The Fish and Chips and the fries were so so. We tried the calamari appetizer. Frankly it tasted like frozen rings that you can get anywhere. The Bartender was really nice. She let me sample a couple of draft beers in order to help me make a selection. Overall though, this is a nice place for a meal with the view of the water. We'll go back as often as we can.

    (4)

  • Melanie L.

    Came to dinner at Nico's with my husband, who had previously gotten takeout with his family. My husband wanted to come back because he thought I might like the view of the harbor (unfortunately, we got there when it was dark and I really couldn't see anything in the distance). I suppose for lunch there would be a nice view. The hostess was really friendly. Great service from the start is always appreciated. The wait for two people for dinner at 7 pm on a Saturday night was 15 minutes but we got our table sooner than that. We sat on the patio outside but could still hear the live band inside. The patio tables were decorated with lights on the umbrellas, which I thought was a good idea for lighting. I ordered the short ribs and my husband ordered the ahi belly and calamari for his meal. I love short ribs (especially Korean short ribs) but sadly, these ribs totally missed the mark for me. As soon as I saw the plate drenched in sauce, I knew I wasn't going to like it. I ate probably half of the two or three large short ribs on the plate but enjoyed the garlic mashed potatoes (even though the garlic flavor was only a faint hint of it due to so much sauce). On the other hand, my husband pretty much devoured his fried ahi belly, which had lots of large bones in them. And we both finished up the calamari, which I should have gotten as my meal alone. Lastly, we ordered the tiramisu on the menu (there's also a special tiramisu that was described as something like a torte). The tiramisu is enough to get me to come back to order just that. My husband and I order tiramisu whenever it's on the menu (and if we have enough belly space) and the tiramisu here was surely one of the most delicious desserts we have ever ordered. The ladyfingers were not soaked and the cream was just perfect. If you don't know what to get for dessert, tiramisu will not let you down.

    (4)

  • Roxanne Lynn T.

    I love Nicos and more so I love seafood so this place hasn't disappointed me yet. The last time I went here, we ordered the poke sampler, chicken pesto salad and the steak. Everything tasted fresh and was pretty much on point. We went on a Sunday night and it didn't seem busy so we were seated quickly. Servers were really friendly and attentive. There's lots of parking in the area.

    (5)

  • Carl B.

    Been here twice and based on the yelpers reviews it is best to come for lunch. Here's the latest....they are also open for breakfast. But back to lunch. Get here by 11am no line order comes out quick and the fish is usually from the mornings catch. You can order your food and turn around and see the boat the catch came in on that morning. Just keep in mind for lunch this is a place for foodies. They have ahi belly on the menu, fresh catch of the day and a deli that has fresh seafood salads, poke salads and lots of other awesome stuff. Haven't been here late in day or for dinner so this review is only for lunch. Noticed there are some not so good reviews for dinner so maybe it's a better experience early in the day.

    (5)

  • Diana N.

    There are few inexpensive restaurants to choose from who actually have it all. Live music, fresh auction fish, and friendly wait staff???? Unheard of!!! At less than 20$ for most dishes, you don't feel like you're breaking the bank. Onto the food....definitely start with ridiculously fresh ahi sashimi. There are 12-13 good size pieces...whatta deal! Poke sampler is another good choice. It's a small portion but it's enough to get a few bites of three different types of poke. Skip the seafood chowder though..it's just ok..lacks a bit of flavor. However the kids loved eating the bread that housed the chowder. I must admit there was a good amount of fish in the chowder. Most well known dishes here are the furikake ahi which best eaten rare with just a very slight tap on the grill. My friend ordered it that way and it was SOOOO good. Hubs got it the medium rare which is what the chefs recommend and it good too but not nearly as yummy as the rare version. I ordered the fried ahi belly.....LOVED it! It's flash fried so there isn't a huge crunchy bite to it . Their short rib dish is their other most popular dish. This entree is more "stewy". The flavors are en pointe but I'm definitely ordering fish if I'm eating at Nico's simply because I know their fish is purchased daily at the auction that's just the next building over. It's also the only public fish auction in the US. If you can actually have room for dessert, then get the salted caramel cake. Rocky road is another good choice. Oh and for heaven's sake...eat outside! It's Hawaii! There aren't annoying flies outside either strange enough. Unless there are black clouds above u...eat al fresco and enjoy the view of boats on the dock.

    (5)

  • Karen T.

    We came here for lunch and most people got the catch special ($12.95), which was swordfish, with brown rice and green salad. We also tried the loco moco ($9.95) and combo plate ($10.25) with bbq chicken and beef stew. The combo comes with chow mein, brown rice, and green salad. We're not crazy about swordfish itself because it is a tough and dry fish but most people generally enjoyed the dish. The loco moco was pretty good. The bbq chicken was also pretty good. The beef stew was very heavy and on the salty side. The combo plate is a nice because of the variety but it is a fairly heavy meal so it is better shared. Nico's is an interesting place. You order at the counter and they bring the food to your table. The seating area, however, is actually pretty nice and open with a nice view of the harbor. There is also a large bar with televisions in the middle. It is a nice place for brunch/lunch in terms of setting. I wasn't crazy about the food but then again, I didn't go for the more popular items (i.e. seared ahi). The restaurant is more formal for dinner with live music on select evenings of the week but also with higher menu prices.

    (3)

  • Butterfly P.

    OMG! I was just here a couple days ago for HH. Had the crab legs, calamari and poke with coconut milk (forgot the name). Delicious! I'm back for another HH. Atmosphere is very comfortable and nice. May be a little noisier to nite because there's supposed to be entertainment. I'm looking forward to trying other pupu dishes with my chardonnay. Cheers!

    (4)

  • Bob K.

    Excellent Opah with fresh greens special Had a nice glass of Sauvignon Blanc Food well priced. Wine was a little pricey

    (4)

  • Rachael O.

    I've found that having the right expectations leads to the best experience, most of the time. This is not Legal Seafood or McCormick & Schmick's. It's not like that one time when you and your cousins caught some fish or shrimp and grilled it up and sat around the bonfire and had the most epic seafood feast. Those epic experiences are, almost by definition, impossible to repeat. This is a place for a reliably good waterfront dining experience, with great service and tasty, reasonably priced seafood. We were dining with two out of town guests and apparently the airline must hand out recommendations to try Nico's along with the Department of Agriculture forms, because they were stoked to eat here. We scored a patio table with soft, warm string lights and a gentle breeze from the harbor. For those of you sensitive to such things, their outdoor seating does not have the low tide smell you sometimes get when dining waterfront. Everyone from the hostess to our server to the bussers was kind, helpful, and professional. We were one of "those" tables with a ton of questions and our server answered them all. Between the four of us, we got the Tahiti style poke with coconut milk and lime ($10) which was very refreshing, a huge bowl of bouillabaisse ($10) chock full of swordfish, mussels, and clams and accompanied by garlic bread, two plates of swordfish with veggies and garlic potatoes, braised pork cheeks with red potatoes, three glasses of white wine, a mountain Apple martini ($9), and a couple of diet cokes for $115. We all cleaned our plates. There were no raves, so I'd say the food was good, just not spectacular. It is a good price for dinner for four in Honolulu and the overall experience was very nice. I'd definitely recommend it for date night, dinner with family, or catching up with old friends.

    (4)

  • Allyson H.

    Came here for lunch. The fish and chips tasted as though the fish wasn't seasoned and they used too much batter that didn't get cooked all the way through. The furikake ahi was just that, over cooked ahi with furikake on it, definitely not a winner. On the plus side, service at the bar was great and so was the Bloody Mary and Maitai.

    (3)

  • Victoria A.

    I remember when Nico's was a young, thriving place with the walk-up-to-the-window-and-place-your-order kind of place. Back then the diners were usually local fishermen and people who knew of this diamond in the rough. Today the concept of placing your order at the counter still remains but Nicos has grown up to be a full scale operation that includes a bar, in house entertainment with indoor and outdoor seating as well as a "fish market." Word of mouth has polished this young restaurant into what it is today. Today Nico's boasts a more expanded menu that still features it's famed furikake paned seared ahi with a garlic, cilantro and ginger dip as well as their fried ahi belly with homemade salsa. I was told that the fish here is purchased at a nearby fish auction and cooked to your order the same day. It really doesn't get any better than that. If you're a seafood lover as I am, you'd understand the concept of "fresh fish." It's the tender, flaky, light and buttery taste of "fresh" that can only be experienced and not written about. It's the kind of "fresh" that leaves you coming back for more every single time you get a yearning for seafood. Nico's is my go-to place to take friends and family that are new to the island. Don't be fooled though, fish is their forte but they serve foods other than seafood (shocking right?!). Their Loco Moco is darn good as well as their Pork Chops. The prices have drastically changed since the humble beginnings. Their fish dishes (Fried Ahi Belly, Furikake Ahi and Garlic Pesto Shrimp) are in the $12.00 range whereas their Loco Moco (also a very good choice), Fried Chicken and Pork Chop dishes are in the $10.00 range. The portions are huge (in my opinion) and could be shared. I don't mind paying a higher price for food that is tasty and plentiful (as in this case). The dinner menu is slightly higher than the lunch menu prices. If you have a dessert stomach (an extra organ that's reserved just for decadent sweets) you'll love the Lilikoi Mango Cheesecake as well as the Apple Pie. Actually, I have not had a bad dessert experience here - ever. If you have to have your sweets and you do not have an acquired dessert stomach (it takes training to acquire this extra organ) you can have your desserts to go. They have a counter of already sliced and packaged desserts, literally to go. I love everything about Nico's....except the birds. The restaurant itself is very clean and appealing, however the birds are a nuisance. There aren't too many of them but the few that come in are frightfully scary. The staff does an awesome job cleaning up the tables, chairs and floors to deter the birds from gathering to pick on the crumbs and leftovers. If you come at peak lunch hours be prepared to wait for a table. Service was quick and food readily hot and fresh. This is definitely one of my favorite places to go for lunch and happy hour.

    (4)

  • Jenyce J.

    This is my very first time at nicos. I had order a fish omelette! It's was so good... it was cooked just right the fish omelette was juicy an ono!! Very well done I would recommend coming here lot more.. it's the best combo, fresh fish, cheap price compare to others!!

    (5)

  • Susanne M.

    This place is filled with locals and has a line. The line is a very good sign but it means you have to wait for it. While waiting find a seat at the bar unless you have kids then it is too bad for you! The signature drinks are clever and delicious. The are not afraid of pouring a goooood drink. One had a 151 proof rum floater. The pier is a working pier so it is not a tourist drop off. The only negative is that it closes at 9 pm because the pier closes at 11 pm. With those hard hitting drinks I am sure it takes 2 hours to get everyone out! You want to stay there and not leave. The menu is all about fresh! My seafood pasta was in a light lemon sauce filled with asparagus, tear drop tomatoes, onions, shrimp, fresh fish and calamari. I think adding some clams would give it a more savory fish flavor but it was amazing. The veggies were so fresh they still had a light crunch. My server recommended Parmesan cheese which really enhanced the flavor. I kept stealing my daughters short ribs in a red wine reduction because they melted in my mouth like butter. They came with mashed potatoes and carrot/green beans. I will order that next time. My husband ordered the fresh fish. Instead of the pasta I think the truffled French frys would have killed it. He loved his meal too. The chocolate cake must of been off the charts since I was offer none. The salty Carmel crunch vanilla cake took you to a place you want to stay. Food bliss! Kana'i was our waiter and has been there since it opened. We know why he has stayed! We will be back again and this time those short ribs are mine!!

    (5)

  • Kirk S.

    This place rocks for breakfast! We weren't able to make it here for lunch or dinner and instead opted to go for breakfast. Needless to say, we were super pleased. Nicos is a surprisingly nice seafood place on the pier, meaning it is a bit hidden, but it is nonetheless quite nicely set up. Breakfast food is ordered at a separate counter and eaten in the restaurant, so service is a lot more informal. Prices are super cheap for the area. We got the seafood breakfast, the French toast, and two poke bowls. All were excellent. The poke bowls were the clear winner, being absolutely filled to the brim with amazingly fresh and delicious fish and veggies. In contrast, the French toast was good, but not amazing or particularly novel. The seafood here was unquestionably the thing to go for. Highly highly recommended!!!

    (5)

  • Coreen L.

    What an awesome spot, tucked alongside the pier in Honolulu. Plenty of seating, a huge variety of seafood options and a hefty bar all while watching the boats along the harbor is so-o cool! On this visit, we were in-between late afternoon and when they were just about to start dinner service. No worries! We ordered some drinks from the bar, grabbed a few yummy options from their store front and caught up with visiting family and friends. Our bunch was getting bigger by the hour and luckily we were able to reconfigure some tables without any hassle. What was awesome, is that the staff (busy with setting up for dinner) kept checking in on us and once dinner service was available - BOOM, we were putting in our orders. I noticed with dinner the game changed a little - instead of plastic cups, glasses; and dishes instead of takeout containers; those kinds of touches. Plus again, got to say the crew was on it!! Biggest hint: Do yourself a favor and check out the marvelous spread of desserts before you order your meal. OH. MY. GOODNESS! My friend was so happy, we ended up choosing 6 different slices of cake and shared....every single one was delicious. Yippee!!

    (4)

  • Stephanie B.

    Thank you Triple D for leading us to this place!! Prior to seeing the restaurant on the show sadly we never knew about it. We tried it out and it was AMAZING!! The place is clean, modern, friendly staff and has a beautiful view. I had the Pier 38 fish burger and it was seriously to die for! I personally thought the fries were a bit too greasy for me but it didn't matter because I was so in love with my burger. The prices are great and the fish is beyond fresh! You have to try this place at least once. It will not disappoint. Enjoy!

    (5)

  • Kelly W.

    Do you love seafood? No? Me neither, but I love Nico's! If you answered yes to loving seafood, then you're going to love Nico's even more than me! I love the atmosphere here, everyone is nice and the food is ono! Dinner is a little more pricey and I don't like being waited on as much, so I'd recommend lunch. Lunch has more options at cheaper prices.

    (5)

  • Marisha A.

    Nico's fell short for me I have never dined here before so when my brother suggested Nico's on the pier for lunch I jumped at the opportunity. I checked yelp, read some reviews and looked at pics. I got excited when I saw they had soup with bread bowls. I'm a big fan of soup & bread bowls, every where I travel I always order them. My fav is bread bowls on the pier in San Francisco. We got to the ordering counter and wow was their menu huge. I stood there reading their menu and daily specials scoping to see what else I wanted to try besides the soup & bread bowl. The girl at the register asked order when ready as I kept reading the menu. There were 2 people behind me. She started barking out loud ORDER WHEN READY. ORDER WHEN READY. After the two behind me finalized their order she started barking out loud again. I looked down from the menu and politely smiled & apologized "I'm so sorry this is my first time here, what a great menu you have." She just stood there staring at me. My first instinct would have been to leave and take my business elsewhere but my brother had already ordered and was sitting at a table waiting for his food. So I ordered the fishermans stew in a bread bowl and the cheeseburger with side tossed salad. Let me just tell you, in all my travels and all the soup & bread bowls I've ever eaten, this is by far the Saddest bread bowl I have yet to come by. It was small. There were only a few pieces of fish. The taste was bland. Bland. Bland. The cheeseburger was yummy. An expensive $8 yummy cheeseburger with an ok side salad. Poor customer service. Sad fishermans stew bread bowl. Meh. Don't know if I'd come back. 2 stars for the yummy $8 cheeseburger.

    (2)

  • Aaron D.

    Last night I had the peppercorn swordfish. It was so fresh it could have jumped from the harbor into the kitchen. Yes, it was that fresh and very well prepared. Freshness. That is what you get when you eat at Nico's. After all, you can sit outside and watch the fishing boats while you eat. The daily fish auction is only a block away. Here is the place for the freshest seafood. But Nico's offers more. Excellent dishes and excellent service make Nico's an island favorite. A note of explanation regarding some other reviews. Nico's at lunch is not full service. The food is good, but you will order at the counter, pick up at the counter, and find your own seat. However, at dinner, it is full service.

    (5)

  • Mailin C.

    My favorite seafood place on the island! Nicks always great for furikake ahi or some poke! Great views of the harbor too!

    (5)

  • Pam H.

    WARNING - if you want to have lunch here then plan on arriving early (11am). This place is so popular that it gets PACKED! My first experience here is with the Spinach crab cake salad. Spinach is spinach so I won't tell you that the texture is great (not gritty or crunchy) but it's all about the crab cake. They use the real deal "crabs" and sometimes you may even find a small piece of crab shell in your crab cake. Don't you just hate it when that happens? It's a single patty deep friend to perfection, not greasy at all and has an abundance of simple crab flavors. The only negative to this salad is that they don't give enough salad dressing so I always order an extra (and they do charge for the extra dressing). On a scale of 1 to 10, 10 being the best I'd have to give them a 4 1/2. The next adventure here is with the poke bowls that you can order inside their store. I discovered these poke bowls by accident one day when I could not find a table because I got there around 12:30pm and it was already crazy there..... My first try was the spicy tuna. Nom nom nom I enjoyed it especially since I didn't get any of that stringy ones.... You avid fishers know what I'm talking about. When you bite into a fish and there's that white stringy thingy that goes on forever and you have to decide do I spit it out or just eat the whole darn thing.... Second poke bowl try was 1/2 spicy tuna and 1/2 kalua pig. OMG. What a hit. Each time the kalua pig was flavored well. It had just the right amount of salt. mmm- imagine it over warm/hot rice. :-) Next poke bowl try was 1/2 kalua pig & 1/2 kim chee tako...... I think this one is my favorite. This kim chee tako is flavored and cooked to perfection. I'm a fan of this baby. Tako isn't overly covered with too much kim chee sauce, love the onions that's added and with that warm/hot "white" rice. Heaven..... Scale of 1 to 10, 10 being the best I'd give it a solid 9. Okay so I'm a fan of the poke bowls. It's fast and I can eat it outside or in the store with the two high tops they have. Go check them out but REMEMBER if you go in the heart of lunch time you'll be hunting for a table.... You've been warned. Other than that it's a great lunch stop.

    (4)

  • Alison T.

    This was our first stop after picking up the rental car. We were HUNGRY for plate lunch. Couldn't go wrong with their catch of the day (seared tuna filet) and nalo greens on the side as recommended by fellow Yelpers. We were there far enough after lunch to avoid the rush, but that also meant they were out of a couple of their freshly-caught items. Seating on a wonderful covered patio to enjoy those tropical breezes. A great start to the vacation!

    (4)

  • Robin D.

    I came here recently with my family and realized all this time we've been eating here I've never written a review. I think I pretty much tried everything on their dinner menu and so far have not been disappointed; been there only once for lunch and was impressed with the lunch menu also. When going for dinner I always order the fried calamari and ahi belly bites for appetizers; so good! Whatever I have for my entree is always eaten in it's entirety. haha The dessert I look most forward to is their Lilikoi Meringue Tart; definitely a must try.

    (4)

  • Lyla D.

    Ok, ok...I admit that I am often a creature of habit. Does that mean boring, unadventurous or dull? Not if you're talking about having a meal at Nico's Pier 38. Nico's serves fresh caught seafood and prepares its local-style dishes with a bit of French flair. You can taste the freshness of the seafood and the subtleness of the seasonings. Whenever I come here, I think I should be ordering something different, like the daily special(s) or another regular menu item. Then, when my turn in line comes up, I blurt out "Seared Furikake Ahi, please!" I prefer having lunch over dinner here. It's pretty much self-serve...you stand in line to order and get a pager, seat yourself, wait for your pager to sound and then you just pick up your Styrofoam container that is full of your selection and dig in. It's great for workers in the area because you get a high quality prepared tasty meal quickly then you eat and go! Or, if you're not in a rush, you can linger and enjoy the weather and sights and sounds of Honolulu Harbor. Dinner time is still a casual affair but involves waiter service, stainless steel flatware, stoneware plates, water glasses, cloth napkins and your mealtime is more slowly paced. It's a nice atmosphere for a spontaneous week date night out and trying Nico's other specials.

    (4)

  • April A.

    I had the best after work happy hour with waiter Colin (5stars). He hooked us up with pupus & drinks and the best customer service along with the best seats to unwind after a long and tiresome work day. I will definitely return for dinner next time around.

    (5)

  • Jennifer N.

    My first trip to Hawaii and we wanted to eat at a place from Triple D. We found it on Yelp and decided to check it out. If you come at lunch it is open seating and give your order to the bar. We did and she was amazing, never wrote anything down but everything was right. I had the blackened fish sandwich and it was excellent! My husband and his mom had the fish burger which was featured on the show. My son had fish and chips and father in law had BBQ chicken. They all loved the food and I would highly recommend this place to anyone coming to Hawaii.

    (5)

  • Natalie F.

    So delicious, reasonable prices, and quick great service!! The food was so fresh- totally recommend the Fish 'Wich!!

    (5)

  • Alan A.

    Excellent Food, portions are a good size and seafood is fresh. Great atmosphere. ...Ambience at night is great for date night.

    (5)

  • Kelly L.

    * Price: good for lunch. Everything is about or less than $10. Dinner $15-25 per dish. 3+ star. * Ambiance: casual. Live band playing... very festive. For lunch, self seating, order at counter. When the pager buzzing, your food is ready to be picked up. 3+ star. * Location: pier 38, next to the fish market. Outdoor seating looking out to boats and the marina. 3+ star. * Meals: fresh poke, good local food choices, big portion. 4 star. * Service: friendly. Self served for lunch. 3 star. Overall, it is closed to 4 star. Came here with my family for lunch. It is one of my cousin's favorite restaurant in Honolulu. It is busy but as long as you can find a table, things are moving fast. Orders are placed at counter. Food came in a good pace. We had seared ahi tuna salad, tuna poke from the fish matket, soup and salad combo, and Friday Aloha plate. Every thing is fresh. Nothing is innovative but tasty and fresh. We also had salted caramel vanilla crunch cake and mango passion cheesecake. Both are tasty and traditional. Overall, we enjoyed our dining experience here. It is reasonable price and tasty local food. Most dishes are traditional, safe (no surprise here)... and don't expect to be on diet to dine here!

    (4)

  • Amy Y.

    It was a crazy Valentine's Day. It was rainy and windy. We set a plan to eat at Nico's Pier on V-day, so we did. Shoes were soaking wet and umbrella broken. Was it worth it? Yes! Lunch time - order, pick up, and seat yourself. I love this type of restaurant. Fast service! Anyways, I ordered the Fishermen's stew (clam chowder in sourdough bread) and my bf ordered the furikake ahi ($13~) with brown rice and salad. It was a small size chowder in sourdough bread for $8, not bad. It's something I haven't tried for years since my first in San Francisco. I really LOOOOOVE the furikake ahi. It was cooked to my perfection. It was fully coated with furikake. The taste isn't too salty. I didn't really like the salad dressing. Overall, I liked my experience. Too bad I couldn't sit outside; the view would be beautiful if it wasn't raining.

    (4)

  • Carol C.

    This place is a food court/cafeteria kind of place where you order up front, find seating, and pick up your food when it's ready.... except, they serve "higher quality" food, so they say. We got ahi tuna and shrimp scampi. Altogether came out to around $30 for 2 lunches. A little overpriced for cafeteria style food, don't you think? Especially when it's coming in styrofoam togo containers and plastic containers. If the food was good, I wouldn't mind as much, but... it wasn't. First off, our sides came out wrong. Shrimp was superrrr bland. And, medium rare ahi tuna came out super fatty medium well. All in all, an extremely overpriced place with no ambiance, speciality, or flavor.

    (2)

  • Rena H.

    I think we ordered the wrong items. We started off with a Mojito and that was OK. Then we got the three poke appetizer and that was pretty good, I don't know which one was my favorite so you should just order the three different ones because they all taste uniquely different. We also ordered the cocktail shrimp, the shrimp was small to what I'm used to when I get cocktail shrimp. My son got the pepperoni pizza and that was the WORST pizza that he has ever eaten. The crust was premade (dense and hard) so there is no way of getting a thin crust pizza. Somehow there is a shortage on pepperoni in HI because the pizza hardly have any pepperoni (see picture). Then we got the garlic butter steak with fries and that was the only delicious thing in our whole dinner. The steak was tender and juicy but you can also get a tender and juicy steak anywhere. Nico's Pier 38 is off my list.

    (3)

  • Mark W.

    The seafood is fresh, but the preparation is two steps below Red Lobster. It wasn't offensive and the servers did a great job. I just wouldn't go out of my way to eat here. Big meh. My swordfish was prepared to the correct temperature. It arrived under seasoned and the caper and chopped tomato sauce was bland. The veggie side of carrots and green beans wasn't seasoned at all -- no salt, pepper, olive oil, herbs --- nada. The crispy ahi bites weren't crisp and arrived drowned in spicy mayo and an eerily similar bland tomato chop. The best thing about my partner's steamed clams was the garlic bread. Solid prep but no zip. Big thumbs up for the ginger mojito.

    (3)

  • Robert R.

    Been here three times now and each time has been a solid visit. The space is large and not particularly interesting. It does have some outside space if its nice outside, but each time it has been windy and we chose to have stay inside. Food has been excellent and the service has been pretty good as well. Prices seem pretty reasonable given that the other touristy places are spendy.

    (4)

  • Christina Y.

    I LOVE taking people to eat here. For dinner, I love chowing down on their appetizers, specifically the ahi belly, poke sampler and fried calamari. This is a great place to take seafood lovers. You can't go wrong!

    (5)

  • Tammy R.

    AMAZING FOOD!! I had the ahi sandwich and it was sooo fresh and tasty. This is right by where they catch the fish. Love the outside seating & view. Can't wait to go back!

    (5)

  • Harmony J.

    I tried the chefs special, which was the opah in a light curry sauce. And it was beyond delicious, at a super fair price. It was a beautiful half pound slab of fish. Definitely recommend it. We had seen the restaurant on DDD and it definitely didn't disappoint

    (5)

  • Jackie O.

    I came here with my friend who was here from Hilo at happy hour hour of 4pm. It was kind of strange as we learned that they have a certain seating arrangement for happy hour and for dinner which starts at 5pm. It was a bit confusing as the host was explaining it to us. We ended up sitting outside which was okay, but almost feels like there should be some nice live music. There was none. We ordered the calamari which is good! My friend ordered the Thai Tea, which looked kind of gross because the coconut milk that they serve on the side for you to stir into the drink was thick and curdled. She said it was just okay. I ordered the crab cake salad for dinner which was disappointing as I've had other really awesome crab cakes. The salad was so drenched in the dressing and the crab cake filling was weird-tasting. I can't put my finger on it with regards to what the flavoring in the crab cake mixture is but it doesn't taste good and left a funny after-taste/burp. There was also something small and hard that I crunched on which I learned were two small pieces of crab shell. Overall, I won't order that salad again. I should've stuck to my other friend's recommendation of the furikake ahi. I will get that next time if and when I make it back to this eatery.

    (3)

  • Debi V.

    I had lunch at Nico's and I really liked what I ordered. It was one of the daily kunch specials. I had the seared ahi salad with a vingarette dressing. I loved the salad, a Spinach mixed green salad. The Ahi was seared just right. It has the right ambiance being right next to the ocean on the pier. It's open air and lots of seating. We were early, lunch at 11 and we beat the lunch crowd. Eventually, the place was packed. The atmosphere is casual and we came in shorts. The wait staff is friendly and the place is clean. The lunches are reasonably price in my eyes. Most of the kunch specials are under 10 dollars. A great place to get together with friends and have lunch!

    (5)

  • Phuong T.

    Ordered the Furikake Ahi, it was decent, my mind was not blown. Did I get the wrong thing here? The garden salad was good, they gave tons of salad which was a nice touch. There was live music (which seems to be the commonality in Hawaii), ambiance was very nice, and servers were great. The fish does taste fresh so 3stars.

    (3)

  • Claire F.

    Formerly my favorite furikake crusted ahi, I am now afraid to go back. I always look forward to coming to Nico's for their famous furikake crusted ahi. Loaded with a flavorful furikake/sesame seed mix and seared to perfection (raw on the inside, just the way I like it), the flesh is tender and delicious, especially dipped in their yummy ginger garlic aioli dip. But not this time. This time, I was served another seemingly perfect cut of ahi, and quickly dove into the dish. As I was cutting slices from the filet, I noticed my knife wouldn't cut all the way through. And that's when I found it; a huge piece of ultra-tough sinew running down the whole filet. Resistant to a knife's cut, resistant to my teeth's bite, the sinew wouldn't yield. Half of my filet ruined, I was forced to eat around it, or my stubbornness getting the better of me, swallow these pieces whole since chewing was not an option. I'm sure this was just a bad cut and I'm sure that had I received a better cut, I would have loved the dish as usual. But I can't imagine how such a blatantly inedible cut was served, especially seeing as the chef probably would have had similar issues when slicing the meat as I did! Unacceptable, and I probably won't be dining here again anytime soon.

    (2)

  • Jenny S.

    Let me start off by saying I'm so disappointed! After reading the reviews I was really looking forward to eating at this place and especially trying the furikaki ahi. Needless to say, I did order the ahi and boy.... Really really underwhelmed. The dish comes with carrots, some greens, and rice. The carrots were salty, greens were drenched in oil, and I opted out of rice. The ahi itself was dry even though I asked for medium. Medium should be where my fish is still pink inside and shouldn't be so dry. I did hear that the poke here are good and against my better judgement I did not order the poke. I'm not sure if I want to be coming back for the ahi... Maybe for the poke just to see if it taste any better...(hopefully). Instead of the one star, I gave this place one more star because the service was on point. Our server was very attentive and my water was always refilled as soon as I drank half the cup. Also my party was quite big and despite that all our food came out at the same time so we could all enjoy our meals together! Also the truffle fries were really delicious so hence the total of 2 stars!

    (2)

  • Jessica M.

    It's been a few years since my last visit. I rarely am out that side of town. But if you're in the area, it's worth a try. My boyfriend got the loco moco which was good....came with a side of chow mein which was odd. I got the fish chowder in the bread bowl which was pretty tasty but rather expensive for soup and bread ($8). Also had the fish and chips which was good, but nothing to rave about. Nicos is nice with the open patio and views of the harbor. Service is pretty much non existent. And they charge for refills.

    (3)

  • Keri S.

    If you haven't been here, it's a must while on the island of Oahu. It's got a great ambience, views and service. If you go for lunch it is an order at the counter, get your number and grab your food when your number is called type of place. Seating gets filled quick some come early. Dinner has an actual host and seating with a waiter / waitress. The pupu (appetizers) menu has a lot of goodies. They have a great selection of fresh Hawaiian food and fish amongst many other things. Haven't had anything here that wasn't enjoyable yet. It's a great open view of the harbor, indoor and outdoor seating. Service has also been five star every time we have come here.

    (5)

  • Kevin T.

    Come here for Happy Hour 4pm- 6pm $4 draft beers and well drinks... order pupus...then eat dinner here...come early because it you might have to wait awhile for a table if you come after 5pm. Edamane...sashimi...truffle fries... calamri...ahi belly...nvm... all the pupus are a must...The COOLEST resterant on the pier!!!

    (5)

  • Ninarae N.

    Major GRIPE: My boss ordered us food for lunch today & two of our Katsu plates didn't come with any sauce! In addition, my boss ordered salad & got mac. On top of that, I've been craving the furikake seared ahi for theeee longest & was stoked to be able to have it today. It was def a little over cooked. I wouldn't exactly say it was "seared." A huge bummer cuz my coworkers & boss complained that most of the time they order to go, their sauce isn't there and/or something's not quite right. This is my first "mehh" experience with Nico's, so I'm only knocking off 1 star. Hopefully, the probs don't persist in the future. I love Nicos! :(

    (4)

  • Travelmeister T.

    Nice location on Honolulu's harbor (if you like boats/ships). The food was okay but not great. Sadly they were out of mahi mahi my staple seafood. I think had swordfish. It was good but not great. The triple poke app was not good although I confess I'm not a poke expert so maybe it was just me.

    (3)

  • Aileen K.

    The poke is so fresh and so good. We stop here as much as we can whenever we are in Oahu. I would say their Poke is the best I've ever had. Their fish plates and beef stew are yummy too. We love the food here.

    (5)

  • Travis W.

    Great location Great atmosphere Great food Great happy hour Fast service Awesome prices

    (4)

  • Jonathan C.

    So I went to Nico's with some family members because a couple friends recommended that I try it out. The place was a little busy as it was lunch time on a Sunday. The atmosphere was ok, but the food wasnt that great. I ordered the garlic pesto shrimp and it was very underwhelming. My grandpa ordered some fish dish and I tried it. It was a little too fishy for my taste. I might go back if people want to hang and grab drinks as they have an outdoor area, but not for the food. Nobody I was with was satisfied with the food so we ended up driving all the way to Giovanni's to get shrimp scampi. Note that this was after we were done eating.

    (3)

  • Sunny L.

    This was a last minute change to a family brunch meet up. And it was a success. Even with 2 year old twins!!! First of all the price is very reasonable for a seafood restaurant, service was great even though it's and Order and Pick Up at the counter type of restaurant for Lunch. I tried tried the Furikake Pan Seared Ahi and Garlic Pesto Shrimp. Both were phenomenal! And to end the brunch was a Big Apple Pie and Mango Cheesecake. I recommend this to ALL people whether you like Seafood or not because this place will leave wanting more...

    (5)

  • Diana T.

    Guys, I can't even. First of all, as usual, I am really late to the party. Last night was my first time ever eating at Nico's. I was meeting a friend for dessert and talk story. Got there early, and sat at the bar. Pier 38 Punch was good - not too sweet, and that one drink lasted me the entire night. When my friend arrived, we went from the bar to a table outside. The views are gorgeous, and the ambiance is so nice. I'd love to come here for date night. My friend and I ended up splitting a Salad Niçoise (which was awesome and made me feel way less guilty), and then we each ordered a dessert. I originally wanted the summerberry stack, but no more from lunch time :( so I went with the vanilla crunch cake instead. I really enjoyed it! My friend ordered the mango cheesecake which was also divine. This place really knows their desserts!! Also can I say 5 stars for customer service? The bartenders were super sweet to me, even though I took a million years to pick my drink. The waitress was helpful (I didn't get her name, though!). And we were literally there talking story until after closing and they NEVER rushed us. Sweetest, most chill restaurant workers ever. I love them. I really want to come back at lunch time one day to get the furikake ahi, and that summerberry stack that has been on my mind.

    (5)

  • Angelo A.

    This was my first visit to Nico's and I'm very happy with most everything they had to offer. My real estate agent from South Carolina was visiting Honolulu with his wife and we wanted to take them to dinner to say thanks for the great job he's doing for us. Since they wanted seafood, we figured we'd give Nico's a shot. My wife and I had also been wanting to give it a try for quite some time. Since his wife was a raw fish rookie, we decided to start off with the poke platter. It was good, with a nice variety of fish preparations. Sadly, this was the worst part of our meal (and the main reason I only rated them a 4 star). The ahi didn't seem as fresh as I've experienced elsewhere in town, and the clam and oysters were a bit dry. On a positive note, I had the grilled swordfish, and I absolutely LOVED it. The fish was tender and perfectly flavored. The side veggies were fantastic. Our friend shared the seared ahi with his wife and they both wished they had ordered one each so they didn't have to share. Tender and seared skillfully. My wife ordered the seafood pasta, and she said is was "ok". Basically, it was fettuccine with shrimp, pieces of fish and a cream sauce. She said the best part of the dish were the cherry tomatoes on top. My 17 year old Utah boy picked the safe dish ...... baby back ribs. I know right? Ribs, at a seafood restaurant? Having said that, he devoured every last bite (including the veggies). The service was excellent. Our server was attentive, patient and super helpful. Super clean. The casual atmosphere was very inviting. Live music was great, although a bit loud (which made the table conversation a bit difficult to hear). We WILL be back!!!

    (4)

  • Shana Q.

    Never knew this place existed until I came here for a birthday gathering. I was very impressed. Inviting and pretty chill. Loved the appetizers hands down best calimari I've ever had. Plus they had live music awesome!! I gave it a 4 star only because the main entrées was not as outstanding as the appetizers. No main dish stood out to us. We had the furikake ahi, pork ribs, hamburger, and pasta. Not so great. I would definitely recommend coming back here but only for drinks and appetizers.

    (4)

  • Keisha B.

    Came here on a Friday night around 7:30PM - I know, what were we thinking?! We had no reservation and were very ambitious. We waited 45mins - 1 hour for our table and were sat at the least attractive table in the entire restaurant (behind the hostess stand). Regardless, we were determined to have a great night. I was very surprised by the lack of vegetarian options on the menu. The only choice was the Watercress Salad with nalo greens and tofu, which deserved 2/5 rating. The tofu was very slimy and the salad lacked an overall consistent flavor. I also ordered the truffle oil fries. I love truffle anything - so naturally I was stoked to order this! The fries also lack the truffle taste. Overall I was over ambitious and under satisfied. I did order the Lava Flow which was amazing. So if a delicious lava flow was a meal, I would be totally satisfied.

    (3)

  • Cindy S.

    excellent selection of fish - service was superb by Nathaniel!! poke sampler was fresh and with generous portions.

    (5)

  • K Y.

    Came here for the first time on Sunday for an early evening dinner and overall had a great experience. The poke was amazing, I've never had fish this fresh!! The service was great,this includes not only the waiter, his helper, but ALSO the bus boy who so kindly cleaned up the water that my daughter spilled on the floor. Our food came out very quick and it was delicious! The only thing is I probably wouldn't come here all the time as the bill does add up but I will definitely be back! Pro's: Service, (Waiter, Bus Boy were all excellent) Parking Location (Right on the water! Beautiful view) Con's: A tad bit pricey Get here early because it get's very busy

    (4)

  • Arnel D.

    Probably one of the best kept secrets in Waikiki. They have a huge parking lot which makes it much easier to get in and out of. They have a great bar with a long selection of beers and liquor to choose from. The view of the harbor is amazing during day or night. Their food is damn good as mentioned and recommended by Guy Fieri. I didn't know it was mentioned before coming here it saw it when I went to the restroom. I enjoyed the poke sampler, filet entree which came with fresh vegetables and rice! My wife and cousin had the pork roast which was also delicious! The service was excellent, we were visited every ten minutes and our drinks were topped off without asking and plates were picked up as well as soon as they were empty! I can't say enough about this place. Give them a try when in the area, you can thank me later! Enjoy the view, drink, food and fun atmosphere.

    (5)

  • Angel H.

    I met up with a few Yeeps for lunch today at Nico's. The ambiance here is always nice. We got there around 11am and the place was half full. By the time we left at 1pm, the place was packed. The view from the restaurant is so nice. It's an open air restaurant, so it can be a little hot at times, even with the AC on. Nadine and Daniel both got fish entrees, which they both liked. Both entrees looked to be some kind of furikaki breaded fish. I like to get the poke bowl from here. You get 3 choices for $10 and the fish is fresh. That's a good deal to me. I was still full from dinner last night so I opted for soup, calamari rings, and a piece of carrot cake. Let me start off with the soup. Tomato bisque was the soup special of the day. I ordered the small bowl. It was on the tart side for me. If they had put a little more sugar or cream in it, it would have been perfect. I tasted the minced tomatoes and onions. It actually filled me up. The calamari rings were decent. They were on the skinny side and came with cocktail sauce for dipping. The winner of the day was the carrot cake. The cake was soft and moist with four layers. The cream cheese frosting was spot on. It was creamy, not hard with the right amount of sweetness to it.

    (4)

  • Matt B.

    If you're looking for a nice place to take a date Nico's is a restaurant worth considering. They offer fresh fish of the day, live music, and their bartenders know a wide variety of drinks. The drink menu is a little pricey, but the Happy Hour prices are solid. They are located on a pier, but it's not one of the prettier sites on the island. For their location they are a little pricier than they should be. It's a busy place and they have Happy Hour from 4-6. My wife ordered one of their signature margarita's for $9 and the cage free chicken dish and I ordered their fish and chips. The portion sizes were adequate and they delivered the food to us in a timely manner. Although this place was on Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives I'm a little perplexed as to why Guy Fieri or the writers of the show chose here. The menu needs to be a little bigger with more choices and dishes on it. Even though there are non-fish items on the menu, I think they should broaden it a little more to appease a wider audience.

    (3)

  • Kimberly K.

    After our plane landed, this was our first meal in Hawaii. You know everything is super fresh when their Fish Market is right next door. Place your order with the cashier. Our cashier was friendly and very helpful. You are given a buzzer. Once your food is ready, go to the pic up area. There is no server here, just find a seat and get your own drinks, silverware, napkins, etc. Restrooms are in the corner of the restaurant and clean. Plenty of seating is available, but it can get crowded. Their Ahi was super fresh and so flavorful. The seafood in the Seafood Pasta was also fresh and well prepared. The Fishermans Stew was OK. The sourdough bread bowl could have been bit more fresh. It was also slightly cold. The clam chowder/fish soup had a nice flavor. Guy Fieri was here. Sweet!

    (4)

  • Jay T.

    Nico's is located near the Pier and is popular for their seafood and "catch of the day". This restaurant is always busy but because they have fast service, their wait time is not very long. There are also a lot of parking for customers. Food are pricey and good portion for one person. They have a selection of mixed drinks (which I think are overpriced), beer (5-7 bucks but almost half off during happy hour) and wine. I am a fan of their lunch menu but came here for dinner and they had one front and back laminated menu which had very few options. Although I did like the ambiance and live music, I wish they had more food selection like they do during lunch. Customer service is okay, I didn't appreciate how she handed me our bill while on the middle of dinner as if we're getting kicked out or had to leave, we stayed around anyway. Food is okay, but evening ambiance is FTW!

    (3)

  • Vikéndios N.

    We decided on aloha o'e drinks to end our mini vacay. I was stoked to try this place as I've never been here before and have heard good things. ATMOSPHERE: They're located harbor front, so there is a gorgeous view of the water and boats. No seagulls, no smell of wood & oil, no chill in the air, no boat horns like San Francisco, but still very charming. I was surprised at how new and clean the building looked. I was expecting a worn out weathered shack, but they're far from it! The inside is very industrial and looks like an upscale Bubba Gump's. There's a big central bar, high tops, tables, and umbrella-covered outdoor seating with killer views. The It's climate controlled but the big windows are open, making for a more relaxed ambiance with the outside air mixing in. There is a small fish market next to the restaurant that sells pok'e, fresh fish, snacks, and drinks. MENU: Apps, salads, soups, meats, poultry, burgers, seafood, pizza. FOOD: Fried Ahi Belly Bites - Damn this is good! The fish is breaded and fried, topped with diced tomatoes and drizzled with a medium spicy sriracha sauce, possibly sesame oil, sesame seeds, and green onion. Highly recommended. Fried Calamari - Very good version with a smooth batter and a mix of tentacles and rings with a cocktail sauce for dipping. RESERVATIONS: They don't make any. We walked in and oddly waited about 5 minutes to be seated even though the front half of the restaurant was wide open. They seem to have a lot of house rules posted on their website, so I'm sure we were in violation of something lol. Whatever. SERVICE: The hosts were welcoming and friendly. Our male server was very attentive and professional. TIP: Happy hour is 4-6pm, but the kitchen is closed from 4-5pm so only the pupu menu is available for that one hour. OVERALL: Delish apps, nice ambiance, plenty of parking, and away from the maddening crowds of the malls.

    (4)

  • Leslie A.

    [Location and Parking] This place is definitely a hidden gem. I had no idea I passed by it often on Nimtiz. But it's located right across Nimitz Center. To get there, you have drive onto the road (Alakawa street) that'll lead you to the back of the warehouses and to Nico's Pier. There is ample free parking. If you want close parking, you'll have drive around the restaurant and parallel park. Because I suck at parallel parking, I usually park in the parking lot that's located right when you drive into the harbor area and I walk to Nico. [Interior and Ambience] There are ample seats located inside and outside the restaurant. Once you enter, there's a little fish shop you can shop at to get some poke. If not, walk right up to the cashier where they'll take your order. Once you order, you'll receive a blue sensor thing that'll let you know when your order is ready for pickup. There's also a bar in the middle of the restaurant to satisfy your drinking needs :p I really liked how every single table was well stocked with condiments. You don't need to go up to the counter to get anything or share with the neighboring tables. [Service] Really fast. The whole process from ordering to receiving my order took approximately 5 mins. It could be because I came within 1 hour of opening but as I was leaving the restaurant I noticed that it got a lot more busier. [Food] Furikake Ahi - I ordered it medium rare so it was cooked on the outside but slightly raw in the inside. I got it with white rice and mac salad. To me, the mac salad tasted better than other establishments. The macaroni they used wasn't soggy but firm and it had the right touch of mayo. But the ahi was so delicious! I loved dipping it in their ginger flavored sauce! After eating this, make sure you get your teeth checked cuz guarantee you'll have some nori stuck somewhere :p [Overall] I will definitely come back again. Because they're located right near the fish auction, they have a lot of fresh and great tasting seafood!

    (5)

  • Paul C.

    Somehow in all my reviews of restaurants and businesses I frequented on my trip to Honolulu last September, I forgot to write about this awesome place. My stay on Oahu was amazing! In 6 fun-filled days, I was able to try $ hole-in-the-wall lunch plate joints to $$$$ you better get dressed up formal dining restaurants. Nico's didn't break the bank but with the amazing quality food you get, you'd think otherwise. The hawaiian lunch plate with kalua pork, mac salad, and rice is my favorite. The pork is cooked perfectly and not dry at all. I also really like the pesto shrimp lunch plate as the shrimp was cooked just right and not overly sauced. I was able to also try the seared tuna and it too was delicious. My brother ordered the ahi bowl and the seafood was definitely fresh! I must note that some of the dishes are only available on certain days. Found that out the hard way when I returned the day of my flight back to the mainland and found that the kalua pork I had been craving all day was only available on certain days. The restaurant is easily accessible from the Nimitz Highway which seems to be a major thoroughfare. Restaurant has a fast casual format as you order at the counter and pick up at another counter. Seating is plentiful both inside and outside on their patio. Prices are quite cheap for the delicious food they churn out. Additionally, the employees were very friendly on both visits and great with providing menu suggestions! This is definitely a Yelp bookmark you have to check out before you leave Oahu!

    (5)

  • Kent B.

    Came here for my 21st birthday with my wife after a long day of the beach and shopping. We ordered the swordfish and seafood pasta, along with a beer and coffee. (Didn't get ID'D, what a let down!) The restaurant looks fantastic and we sat directly next to the torches and harbor. Live music was of course nice and we were close to that too. Thankfully it was not overpowering. We told our waitress no singing and clapping and she instead brought me a free scoop of gelato of my choice with a nice candle on top. We started with the calamari as an appetizer, which was excellent. The swordfish tasted far too fishy and bland. The rice underneath was okay and the mashed potatoes were good, but not worthy of a $70 bill after tip, which we have no problem spending if the food delivers. Always leave a good tip! The seafood pasta was unedible. The squid was overpowering and overcooked. It looked and tasted more like a soup. Would we come back? Probably not, but it was worth a shot! 3 stars for the good service and good atmosphere of the restaurant. Maybe we came on a bad day..

    (3)

  • Alexander G.

    Located on the cleanest harbor in the world, this restaurant not only offers a pretty view of the commercial part of Honolulu, but also has a typical Hawaiian charm. Pier 38 is home to many fishing boats and fresh fish processing areas. Nico's has a seafood market, but the mainstay is the restaurant. At the end of a warehouse, the interior is clean and modern. Like many restaurants in the area, the entire seating area has the feeling of being outside; the best tables are the ones with umbrellas on the lanai. This area of the restaurant has views of the harbor and container ships constantly coming in and out. Happy Hour here is great- cheap beers, and a number of local pupus. We tried the poke sampler plate; it was some of the freshest, simplest, and most delicious I've ever had (three types were included: spicy ahi, shoyu ahi, and ahi with seaweed and sesame seeds; also with a few pieces of smoked ahi). Once dinner began, we had the Fish & Chips and a bread bowl of chowder. The former was a nice sized piece of fresh fresh, deep fried in a light bread skin. My only complaint is that it was on the moist/mushy side as opposed to crispy. The fries were good, especially with malt vinegar. The chowder was okay. Service was very good- friendly and attentive the entire time. My glass was never empty. By the time we left, the restaurant was packed, so come early or prepare to wait. Definitely a place to enjoy the sunset over a beer.

    (4)

  • Kelli S.

    I recently met the BF and his parents at Nico's for lunch. We went on a Friday and I was surprised that we were actually able to get a table. It was peak lunch hour and the restaurant was busy, but we managed to get a table for four near the entrance. I had an idea of what I wanted before I even went, just because I had been to Nico's a few times already. However, I wanted to try something different than what I had ordered before. We spent a few minutes looking at the menu. I was able to recommend some things, based on what my mom and I had tried before. It turned out that all four of us ordered different things. It didn't take too long for our food to be ready. I always enjoy a trip to Nico's because the food is consistently good, no matter what I order. Here's what we got on this particular trip: "Furikake Pan Seared Ahi": I never had this entrée before but I always wanted to try it. It features fresh tuna ahi steak coated with Japanese dried seaweed and sesame seeds then cooked to order, from rare to well done. I got mine as medium. It came with Nico's ginger garlic cilantro dipping sauce on the side, white rice and a side salad. I didn't eat all of my salad, just because it featured mixed greens (I don't like the bitter taste of mixed greens). But I really liked the taste of the furikake ahi. The flavor and seasoning were both on point; the Japanese dried seaweed and sesame seeds provided the perfect salty flavor but also a great, grainy texture. I also really liked the ginger garlic cilantro dipping sauce; the flavor was amazing and there was an ample amount to spread all over the ahi. I would order this entrée again in a heartbeat. "Fried Ahi Belly": The BF ordered this entrée but he said he actually liked mine a bit better. He jokingly told me that I would probably like his because it featured a lot of fried stuff. His meal comprised the tuna's fatty belly steaks that were deep fried and topped with a spicy tomato salsa. I wasn't a huge fan of the salsa just because I don't like tomatoes, but the fried ahi belly itself was tasty. It was a bit too chewy for my liking, but it was flavorful and I'm glad I got to try a bit of the BF's meal. He was right, though - I liked my furikake pan seared ahi a lot more. "Fish and Chips": The BF's mom ordered this classic dish and she really enjoyed it. Nico's fish 'n chips are supposed to be one of the better ones on the island. This entrée features fresh fish that's beer battered and served with fries, malt vinegar and Nico's ginger garlic cilantro dip on the side. The fish itself was tender and flavorful, yet the exterior was perfectly crispy and golden (not overly crunchy). I think my BF's mom used more ketchup than the ginger garlic cilantro dip, but she said the meal as a whole was tasty. I don't think I've ever ordered this entrée for myself yet, but everyone else who I know that has tried this entrée seems pleased with it so far. "Pier 38 Fish Burger": On my first trip to Nico's, I ordered this burger because it was featured on "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives." It was phenomenal, so when the BF's dad asked me to recommend something, I definitely vouched for his burger. He went with my advice and really ended up liking it. This burger is different because it includes fresh ground fish and the patty is made with citrus, dill and it's topped with basil aioli. It also comes with fries. The BF's dad didn't say too much about the burger itself, but I'm guessing he enjoyed it because he finished the entire thing! "Chocolate Chunk Cookie": This cookie attracted my attention not only because of its size, but also because it contained a generous amount of chocolate chips. My mom and I were eyeing the fresh cookies on the cookie sheet that seemed like they had recently come out of the oven. The cookie itself--as I learned later--is five inches in size and is made with three kinds of chocolates (Hershey Kisses, bittersweet and semi-sweet chocolate chips). I love chocolate, and this had to be one of the best chocolate chunk cookies I've ever had. I'm not a fan of cookies that are sparse on the chocolate factor, but this delectable dessert was just the opposite. The warm, melted chocolate chips were simply oozing out with every bite, and the cookie was moist, soft and chewy, sporting the perfect texture. These cookies are best enjoyed fresh ... so much for intending to take the cookie home, as my mom had a small piece and I enjoyed the rest right there in the restaurant. If you're a chocolate fan and a sucker for chocolate chip cookies, I would highly recommend checking this version out.

    (4)

  • Grace L.

    My motto is, if it ain't broke don't fix it. Which is why I always order furikake ahi or chicken caesar salad. If I'm feeling daring, I'll get fish and chips. But i ALWAYS stay somewhere between those three dishes here. For the first time, I decided to try the cheese burger. Mostly because I wanted some fries but I didn't want to get a full order of fries. You can imagine my surprise when I took my first bite and immediately decided this was my new favorite cheeseburger! Most burgers come with your standard hamburger patty but the consistency of this one is a little different. It reminds me more of the Japanese style loco moco meat? The hamburger was softer in comparison to a typical hamburger. It was so soft that it melted in my mouth! You'd think it would be boring since it's standard fare- hamburger, cheese, tomato, lettuce. BUT NO. It was so good! Better than any other cheeseburger I've ever had. I got a side of the dip/sauce for my fries and it was the perfect meal. I would highly recommend!

    (5)

  • Olivia K.

    Oh, Nico's, I wanted so badly to love you. Everyone loves you. You came so highly recommended - but when it came down to it, I walked away feeling like I was on an internet dating site and saw a profile with a hot guy only to discover in person that the photo was taken 10 years ago. My husband and I tried nico's for lunch (takeout). The yelp reviews and personal reviews from friends sounded really promising. I had the ground ahi burger, and my husband had the fish and chips. The ground ahi burger was very juicy, and very lightly seasoned - the only thing I tasted was a heavy amount of dill, which was visible in the burger itself. There was a sauce on the burger, but it needed more tang and zing! I ended up making a homemade tartar sauce that really helped bring it along. The buyer came with a mixed greens salad with homemade dressing. The dressing was delicious - not sure what was in it, but it was sweet with a little kick at the end. My husband's fish and chips was OK. The fish was very tender, and fresh, but the breading wasn't very crispy, which was disappointing for him. There was such potential with such beautiful seafood! We were wondering if the takeout container + condensation from the hot food mayve contributed to the sogginess. Regardless, if you are thinking about takeout, keep this in mind. Saving grace for NICO's - their poke was very delicious. Fresh, clean fish. I had the shoyu limu poke, and the limu was satisfyingly crunchy while the fish was cool and delicious. Their dessert was also yummy. I had mango cheesecake and it was creamy and tart and overall amazing! Maybe I needed to try something else. Maybe it was an off day. Regardless, not sure if I'll be going on a repeat date.

    (3)

  • Noelani C.

    Wow! I haven't been here for a while but I love it! I love the set up! I'm drinking a yummy patron margarita on the rocks, delicious loco moco and fried calamari to snack on! Beautiful breeze and outdoor indoor mixed setting! Service is excellent and Ranger my favorite person I ordered from is so helpful and suggested some amazing entrees and dessert! Yum! Love the light Hawaiian music in the background. I will definitely dine here again in the near future!

    (5)

  • Ben F.

    This might be my new favorite place in Honolulu. Again, off the beaten path down in pier 38, but worth the work getting there. Had their specially Ahi steaks (get the deep fried with bones if in the menu that day). I will be back next time I am town for sure!

    (5)

  • Craig P.

    Been here several times. First time I am rather disappointed. Ah sandwich had no flavor, warm, and on rock hard bread. The fries a disappointment equally. Only gave them 3 stars bc companies seafood pasta was average. Otherwise, my meal was a merger 2 stars.

    (3)

  • Elizabeth C.

    Loved the calamari salad! The outside seating was the best, especially because it's dog friendly! It was so laid back and the food was delicious and the place was great! Can't wait to go again for dinner.

    (5)

  • Kelli I.

    Definitely a great place to eat. Second time eating here and it was just as great as the first. Different style of dining - you order and look at menus right near the door where you'd think a hostess would be. I feel this was a little unorganized, because there are no menus on the wall with the exception of a board with daily specials (catch of the day, etc.) written on it. So basically, you stand in line and look at menus and then order...but if there's a long line, it can definitely be time consuming. You then are given a buzzer and sit down at a table. When the buzzer vibrates, you go to the pick-up section and pick up your meal. There is a bar in the middle. The place is very spacious and air-conditioned, even though the restaurant is somewhat "open". The view is of the boat harbor, and is very relaxing. They pull the shades down over the giant window areas when it is too hot. Food was ready pretty quick - in about 10-15 minutes. Got the Pesto Chicken Caesar Salad and a side of Fried Calamari. Pesto Chicken was very fresh and flavorful, over a bed of lettuce, parmesan cheese, and croutons. Croutons were very crunchy and fresh! Kind of tasted like they are made here also. Dressing tasted homemade. Fried Calamari was good. It is served with cocktail sauce and a slice of lemon on the side. Really tasteful, however I do recall it being a bit on the saltier side (didn't stop me from finishing all of it!). My fiance had the beef stew and chicken katsu mixed plate. Overall, the beef stew was served hot with large-cut vegetables and a good amount of meat for the portion size. The chicken katsu reminded me of my mom's homemade katsu, which was really crispy and tasteful. Mixed plate served with a choice of mac or tossed salad, and some rice. I feel like they need to include more rice, especially with the mixed plates. Really a quick in and out place.

    (4)

  • Jimmy C.

    Summary: Disappointed! It's probably best to stick with their furikake ahi. I first enjoyed this place a few years ago while on vacation, and made a point to come back. This time we had: Crab cake salad - well dressed spinach, but the raw red onions are overpowering; Also had a piece of shell in my crab cake. Steamed Manila clams - inedible for us. The broth tasted like hot salty wine. We could barely taste the clams, onions, tomatoes, and garlic in it. I appreciated our server's attempt to "make it right." Unfortunately, Nico's is coming off my bookmarks list while on O'ahu.

    (2)

  • Christine T.

    After we landed and got our rental, we drove straight to Nico's for lunch. The two of us shared 1/2 pound of spicy tuna poke and ordered the furikake tuna with mac salad and rice. The tuna poke was good and fresh, also well marinated. The furikake was bland and overcooked. We specify for it to be medium rare but didn't get that. It ended up being dry and difficult to finish. It's nice that they have a bar area with some tvs. I suggest grabbing a beer and get poke! Skip on the furikake.

    (3)

  • Lianna N.

    Furikake Ahi, rare. It's all I have tried here and all I will likely ever try! And the food is so so fast. Easy parking, seating, and nice and cool. You can also get a Poke bowl next door!

    (4)

  • Leah E.

    We came in on a Monday night and the place was PACKED! Luckily there's tons of free parking here, so that's not an issue. We sat at the high tables in the bar area because it is seat yourself. I'm always a little bit wary of doing this because usually they put the new or junk waiters in that section. But this was definitely not the case for us! Our service was spot on! Can I keep it real and say that I'm not a huge seafood fan? Sorry! But my mom and Aunty requested fish for dinner and it doesn't get any fresher than Nicos! We shared the poke trio, and my mom and Aunty said it was better than Merrimans. My mom had the ahi furikake, which she loved. And Aunty had the seafood pasta which she said absolutely hit the spot! Since I'm not a huge seafood fan there are limited options for me here. I've had the pizza before which is really heavy. The pizza special tonight was cheeseburger (barf)! I've also had the chicken pesto Caesar salad here which is also really heavy. So I had a side salad and truffle fries. Yum! I would really like Nico's to work on providing some fresher lighter options for those of us that don't love seafood, but I understand this is a FISH MARKET. But I'd like to enjoy a meal alongside my fishy friends!

    (4)

  • Amy M.

    This restaurant is located on the pier, hence nico's pier 38 lol. I had bookmarked this eatery for quite sometime. So when I mentioned it to my sweetie I was craving seafood he said, "let's go!". We drove in and parked and walked over to the eatery. It was packed. You know that is a good sign when your looking for tables and there's one or two empty seats. It means the food is good! We walked up to the register browsed the menu quickly, and I chose the seafood chowder in a sourdough bread bowl. Hubby chose fish and chips. We paid and were given a ticket. I looked for outdoor seating and low and behold, there was one available with a great view of the water with the boats docked. As I waited patiently for my chowder, I took in the beautiful scenery. I was grateful that the fish that we were about to consume was probably caught right out of that water! Hubby brought the food to the table. I took it in and then grabbed my spoon and dug in. The fish was tender, and the chowder was oh soo creamy. The sourdough bread bowl was ingenious as it complimented well with all the flavors of the chowder. I also had a bite of my honeys fish and chips. It was really delectable. Almost up there as the best with the halibut I had in Alaska. It was fresh and glistening with the right amount of batter. I wish I had more now that I'm writing about it. I will be back for it!!!

    (5)

  • Sungjin S.

    Furukake pan seared Ahi. I can't count how many times I've been here but it was my very first restaurant I went to when I came to Hawaii. I will finally take the time to write a review. Atmosphere: a beautiful location right on pier 38. The restaurant is wide open with plenty of bar seating and indoor and outdoor seating available. Typical weekend nights are fairly busy but this is past Fourth of July there was no one there. (must've been the firework show down in Waikiki.) Service: the service here is consistent very good and attentive waiters and waitresses. They're always too many hosts/hostesses but they always get the job done. Food: I've tried many of their different appetizers salads and main dishes but consistently I found that the go to and only real good item is their furukake panseared Ahi. The sauce that it comes with is amazing. Bottom line: come here for the Furukake pan seared ahi and nothing else!

    (4)

  • Kara P.

    Alright here's the thing... The truffle fries gave me the worst case of bubble guts. I don't know what happened or what went wrong...I do love the restraunt though...usually get the pizza with no cheese but decided to get fries as an appetizer because I was starving...big mistake on the fries but as usual my pizza was on point and I had a great server but I didn't catch his name unfortunately. Also snapped a stellar photo while I waited for a place to sit.. All in all...Nico's, I forgive you for making faulty fries...I believe this to be an isolated incident and it won't affect my return probabilities :) see you soon!!

    (4)

  • Daniel C.

    Beat the lunch or dinner rush! Yes people, they are that good and that popular! All the times that I've been here (old and new location), it's always been packed with people. It's great that they are busy, it means that they are consistent in preparing great, fresh and delicious food. They are located at Pier 38 off of Ala Moana Blvd closer to the ocean. There is ample parking in the lot, on the side of the restaurant or on the gravel lot near by. When you walk in, you'll notice several registers that you can order your food from. You will also notice the bar section right in the middle of the dining area. You can dine inside, outside or on the bar. Most of the seats you can see the boats on the water and the clear beautiful Hawaii skies. Oh, they have take out too! There are many great choices but I always seem to get the Furikake Ahi here with brown rice and Nalo greens. After you order, they give you a buzzer. You can get your beverage while you wait and find an empty table till your food is ready. There is free water and cups next to the soda machines. Lots of condiments are also around that area. Tables also have condiments just in case you're lazy like me. Once the buzzer goes off, you can go to the pick up counter and get your food. If you are dining here at night, they deliver the food to your table. As a heads up, the dinner and lunch menu have different prices (dinner is slightly more).

    (4)

  • Royce A.

    So I just stopped in to Nicos for a quick "beer lunch". Thats right, I said it. BEER LUNCH. No but seriously I went to sit down at the bar because they have two flat screen tv's. The bar was pretty packed but Shelley came to greet me within minutes. After taking my beer order she suggested the furikake ahi. After that I ordered their signature deep fried ahi belly. Overall a very busy fast paced place! Would definitely come back Pros: Nicos has lots of parking and is open for dinner too. They are located next to the fish auction so there is lots of fresh fish to go around. The furikake ahi and ahi belly were both fresh and tasty. Both items were delivered in about 5 minutes. At lunch they serve them in styrofoam but at dinner you get it on nice fancy plates. Works in progress: I ordered my furikake ahi medium rare but got it medium well. Was still pretty good because it was fresh. If you don't mind the temperature, Nicos is an outdoor restaurant so it can get a little hotter during the day. It would've been nice to have been offered a water. Everyone else around me got one. Next time I'll ask.

    (4)

  • Rachel W.

    Nico's is always a good choice for happy hour, but lately it's also been proving itself in the lunch department. There's nothing better than taking a long lunch break and heading over to Nico's on a sunny day! If you've never been for lunch, you'll be surprised to see how different it is from dinner service. The lunch counter is open from 10a - 4p, and there's no table service -- you seat yourself! All you do is order at the counter, get your buzzer, and take a seat at a table until your food is ready. There are also soda fountains and complimentary water cups you can help yourself to while you wait. It's a really casual experience with the added bonus of the breezy ambiance Nico's has to offer. Like dinner service, there's seating both inside and outside. I personally love sitting outside under the umbrellas. Being out in the sun and having a view of the water after being stuck in an office all day is the perfect remedy for those Monday blues. Whether you want a poke bowl, a plate lunch, or even a pizza or burger, this place has something for everyone. I ordered the Pier 38 Double Cheeseburger and it came with fries (or a salad) for under $10! Talk about deals. This isn't some little McDonald's burger either... this is a monster. It's got two JUICY homemade patties, along with all the classic burger fixings. It's definitely worth trying. Jake ordered the Grilled Ahi Sandwich ($12.95), which is a slab of fresh Ahi steak served on a baguette (plus a side). He said it was good, but a little hard to eat. Nico's serves all their lunch meals in take out boxes, so transporting your food is easy whether your dining in or taking out. GOOD NEWS: The dessert counter is also open during lunch, so you can pig out on a slice of pie after your meal. If you weren't already going to suffer through a food coma at work, you definitely will after one of these bad boys. This time I tried the Marble Chocolate Chip Cheese Brulee ($4.50), and let me tell you... it is the best thing ever. Don't even get me started.

    (5)

  • Sandra D.

    This place was good. I give 5 stars for my husbands food and 3 for mine. I got the loco moco and I wasn't impressed. The gravy was a little bland. But my husband got the fish sandwich and it was very good. I was bummer not to get another shot at it so I could try something else. It was a nice location being away from waikiki for a bit.other people had food that looked awesome as well. I would definitely go back and try something else.

    (4)

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Map

Opening Hours

  • Mon :6:30 am - 9:00pm

Specialities

  • Takes Reservations : No
    Delivery : No
    Take-out : Yes
    Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
    Good For : Lunch
    Parking : Private Lot
    Bike Parking : Yes
    Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
    Good for Kids : Yes
    Good for Groups : Yes
    Attire : Casual
    Ambience : Casual
    Noise Level : Average
    Alcohol : Full Bar
    Outdoor Seating : Yes
    Wi-Fi : No
    Has TV : Yes
    Waiter Service : No
    Caters : Yes

Nico’s Pier 38

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