Overview
Gaslamp is a reservation-oriented evening restaurant in Kailua that reads more like a small speakeasy steakhouse and cocktail bar than a casual neighborhood grill. The official site and reservation platforms frame it as an intimate, entertainment-driven room with live jazz and a strong bar program, while Google Places still classifies it broadly as a restaurant/bar/night club. (gaslamphi.com)
For a traveler, the appeal is that this is not just about dinner; it is about a specific kind of night out. The strongest fit is a special-occasion meal, date night, or cocktail-forward evening in Kailua, especially if you want a smaller, moodier venue with a theatrical streak. (honolulumagazine.com)
Cuisine & Specialties
Gaslamp’s menu is centered on high-end steakhouse cooking with seafood, wagyu, truffle, and caviar accents. The menu leans expensive and celebratory rather than everyday casual: there are shareable starters, rich seafood plates, premium beef cuts, and a few over-the-top signature items meant to be part of the show. (gaslamphi.com)
- Overall menu style: steakhouse/American/seafood with a luxe, speakeasy-style presentation; lots of wagyu, lobster, caviar, truffle, and tableside theatrics. (opentable.com)
- Notable dishes and specialties: King Arthur Beef Wellington; “French Laundry” swinging Wagyu tomahawk carved tableside; Steak Diane; Ribeye & African Lobster; Black Truffle Risotto; Wagyu Sampler; Charred Octopus; Caviar Bump. (gaslamphi.com)
- Drinks / bar focus: the official site positions the place around craft cocktails, and early coverage specifically described modernized classic cocktails as part of the concept. (honolulumagazine.com)
- Price expectations: this is a clearly premium dinner. OpenTable lists it at $50 and over, and many entrées land in the roughly $50–$100+ range before drinks, sides, and any market-priced wagyu/tomahawk items. (opentable.com)
- Dietary usefulness / limits: there are some vegetarian-leaning or adaptable items such as salads, risotto, and sides, but this is not a diet-specialist restaurant. The menu is heavily meat- and seafood-driven, so strict vegan diners will likely find limited options without adjustments. That is an inference from the menu mix and reservation-platform notes rather than a formal dietary policy. (gaslamphi.com)
Notable Features & Ambiance
The physical experience is one of Gaslamp’s main selling points. It was described from the start as a hidden speakeasy inside the Kailua Town Pub & Grill, with a compact, dimly lit room, bar seating, and a lounge-like feel; the current official reservation page still warns about limited time windows and prioritizes dining parties over casual cocktail stop-ins. (honolulumagazine.com)
- Service model and seating style: reservation-forward, intimate, limited-capacity. OpenTable describes private dining and a lounge area; the official reservation page says walk-ins are possible but dining parties are prioritized. (opentable.com)
- Atmosphere and decor: speakeasy-themed, low-lit, jazz-bar energy, with an entertainment focus rather than a quiet white-tablecloth dining room. Early coverage noted hidden-entry theatrics and a carefully designed throwback ambiance. (honolulumagazine.com)
- Amenities / practical features: live jazz is a recurring part of the concept; OpenTable also notes business-casual dress and private event capabilities for larger groups. (opentable.com)
- Best fit: date nights, celebrations, cocktail-centered dinners, and visitors who want a memorable “night out” rather than a simple meal. (opentable.com)
- Weaker fit: travelers seeking quick, inexpensive, family-oriented, or early casual dining; the room’s size, entertainment, and time limits make it a less natural choice for that. This is an inference from the reservation rules, price point, and ambiance cues. (opentable.com)
History & Background
Gaslamp appears to have opened in 2017 as Kailua’s first speakeasy, created by Josh VanEmmerik and launched inside the Kailua Town Pub & Grill. Early coverage described it as a compact, word-of-mouth concept built around hidden-entry novelty, craft cocktails, and a carefully staged atmosphere. (honolulumagazine.com)
More recent materials show the concept has matured into a premium steakhouse-and-jazz format with an executive chef listed on OpenTable and a stronger food identity than the original “cocktail hideaway” framing alone suggested. The continuity seems to be the intimate speakeasy setting; the menu and service model have evolved into a more substantial dinner destination. That last point is an inference based on comparing the 2017 coverage with the current menu and reservation information. (honolulumagazine.com)
Review Sentiment Snapshot
What People Love
Recurring praise centers on the experience as much as the food: diners repeatedly highlight the live jazz, intimate setting, craft cocktails, and special-occasion feel. Signature dishes that draw the most enthusiasm are the tableside Wagyu tomahawk, Beef Wellington, truffle risotto, and seafood-heavy plates like lobster and crab. OpenTable’s review summary shows especially strong scores for food and ambience. (opentable.com)
Common Gripes
The main downside is price. Even favorable reviews and platform summaries frame Gaslamp as expensive, with value scoring lower than food, service, and ambience on OpenTable. A second recurring issue is the logistics of getting in: the restaurant is small, reservations matter, walk-in space is limited, and the official site warns about time limits and limited accommodation for larger groups. (opentable.com)
There are also occasional service complaints in diner reviews, but those appear more mixed than dominant. In other words, service is generally well regarded, yet not immune to occasional off nights. (opentable.com)
Practical Visitor Tips
- Hours posture: the official contact page lists Mon–Thu 5:00–10:00 PM and Fri–Sun 4:00–10:30 PM, while Google Places shows slightly earlier closing times on some nights. Treat this as a small drift signal and verify the exact night you want to go. (gaslamphi.com)
- Reservations: strongly recommended. The official reservation page says walk-ins are possible, but dining parties get priority; the room is small and time windows are enforced. (gaslamphi.com)
- Arrival timing: arrive on time; the reservation page gives only a 10-minute grace period and warns about extra charges if parties overstay their allotted table time. (gaslamphi.com)
- Best experience: early weekday evenings for a quieter dinner; weekends if you want the fullest jazz/entertainment vibe. That weekend-vs-weekday split is an inference from the restaurant’s described ambiance and operating pattern. (opentable.com)
- Location note: the restaurant sits at 26 Hoʻolai Street in Kailua and was historically described as being tucked inside the Kailua Town Pub & Grill. Because the concept is deliberately hidden, first-time visitors should not expect obvious street-level visibility. (gaslamphi.com)
- Group planning: larger parties may need advance coordination, and the site says parties larger than six may not be accommodated without reservation arrangements. (gaslamphi.com)
Verification Notes
- Official name and location align across Google Places, the official site, and OpenTable: Gaslamp, 26 Ho'olai Street / 26 Hoolai St, Kailua, HI 96734. (gaslamphi.com)
- Phone and website match the candidate facts: (808) 829-0867 and gaslamphi.com. (gaslamphi.com)
- Business status appears operational across current sources; no closure signal found. (opentable.com)
- Minor drift exists in posted hours and some contact details across sources, so exact same-day hours should be confirmed before visiting. (gaslamphi.com)
Sources
- Gaslamp official website home page —
https://www.gaslamphi.com/— Retrieved 2026-04-02. Best for identity, concept framing, and reservation/walk-in language. - Gaslamp official contact page —
https://www.gaslamphi.com/contact— Retrieved 2026-04-02. Best for current posted hours, address, and phone. - Gaslamp official menu page —
https://www.gaslamphi.com/menu— Retrieved 2026-04-02. Best for menu specifics, signature dishes, and price signals. - Gaslamp official reservations page —
https://www.gaslamphi.com/reservation— Retrieved 2026-04-02. Best for reservation policy, walk-in expectations, and time-limit details. - OpenTable listing for Gaslamp —
https://www.opentable.com/r/gaslamp-kailua— Retrieved 2026-04-02. Best for cuisine classification, price tier, hours, dress code, executive chef, and verified diner sentiment. - Honolulu Magazine, “First Look: Gaslamp Hawai‘i” —
https://www.honolulumagazine.com/first-look-gaslamp-hawaii/— Retrieved 2026-04-02. Best for backstory, original speakeasy concept, opening history, and early ambiance details.
