I give negative 5 stars,, the bartender is the worst I've ever had!!

The place was empty upon arrival. It has a high end look to it but some of the printed paintings do go quite well. Their wine selection is good though they can use some beers especially cider. The food looks delicious but lacks any real flavor. The employees are professional and courteous.

It was our first time eating here, the hostess let us know that they had a new chef and were making some changes, everything sounded good, so we stayed. It was a pretty quiet night in there, but the place is really pretty with open windows and high ceilings. Now the food... oh my god, THE FOOD!! We ordered the sea bass special and it was not only visually amazing, but perfectly cooked. It looked like a work of art! The crispy brussel sprout appetizer was really tasty too and we finished the night with a chocolate pot de creme. We will be back!

This place is the worst. 1- Service is trash. Waited 10 mins to be sat and another 10 to get drinks. There was 3 tables sat while 3 workers stood around. 2- Look up the vents and lights they are completely caked in years of dust directly over the open kitchen. If the dinning room looks like that just imagine the places you can't see. 3- my wife's drink was the worst ever and my beer was 3 months past the best buy date. 4- prices are ridiculous. They want $60 for a ribeye steak. I would not go here ever.

My husband and I went to Formaggio as a last minute date night and was a little worried from the reviews. However, the service and food was really great! I got a wine recommended and he got a beer. We ordered the brussel sprouts which were super great. Then i got the braised short ribs which literally melted in my mouth. My husband ordered the lobster pasta and that was also very flavorful. We finish with the mango creme brule and were extremely satisfied! We will definitely be back. Michael was our waiter and he was an absolute gem! Hope we come back while he's working.

It’s a nice restaurant, perfect for a date night or a nice night out. Live music was a plus, food was good but it definitely could use a little extra flavor or spices. Otherwise it’s a really nice place with great staff.

This place was a little bit of a let down. The decorations were a little confusing. The food wasn't honestly that great and didn't have much flavor. The plates looked nice but didn't taste as good. However I gave it a 3 because the staff was still great. We had great servers so that was a plus.

Update Feb 5th 2019. Made a reservation the day before. When we checked in, no reservation on file. Restaurant was not busy but service was very slow, talking about ordering drinks to having them arrive tableside at least 10 minutes, although the wait help was very friendly. Had to wait over 10 minutes when I asked for a few slices of bread to go with the beef bourgoin (curiously not provided with the entree). She brought a loaf but by the time it came to the table, my husband had finished his meal so it must have actually taken longer then the original 10 minutes I had posted. The food was fantastic. We also had the Kobe Burger ono, 2 filet mignon & lobster, excellent, garlic rib eye, excellent and the rigatoni with andoulie sausage. What a lovely, well equipped bar and grill located in downtown Kailua. Very friendly and attentive staff. Restaurant was clean, soft music in the background and low ambient lighting. Had the onion soup, house salad and two cajun ribeye steaks. Also had a glass og Chianti and pinot noir. Really good wine list. Cajun seasoning was a little bit on the light side, would have preferred more, but both steaks cooked to order. We will be going back soon.

Never do I post a review if a restaurant is bad...I just don't go back and make sure everyone I know and come into contact with know not to go. But, I gave Formaggio's half a dozen attempts to get my approval. The WORST bartender (Bushy beard Dave) in my worldwide travels!! Not just unfriendly, down right rude! In all fairness, the Sangria is pretty good...but, only because there are no other restaurants/bars serving Sangria. And, I never had an opportunity to try the food, which is unfortunate because I think the young Chef is putting out some nice plates. My final visit was actually to order a meal, but thanks to rude Dave, the bartender, I walked out. I hope some day, I find Chef elsewhere so I can enjoy his beautifully created plates. Needless to say I will not be dropping $10 per Sangria and leaving generous gratuities at this establishment ever again. And, I WILL be sure to let others know that their money will be spent better elsewhere!!

Ordered an extremely expensive Ribeye. Way over cooked and absolutely no flavor. What a joke of a restaurant! Said something afterwards since no one ever came back to check on us and explained how I was with family from the mainland and waited well over an hour for the first steak and didn't want to make everyone wait around while they took another hour to fix their mistake. I was extremely nice and polite about it. The answer was "well that doesn't make sense" and they kept saying I should have let them remake it. Well, when you are on a tight schedule and everyone else is done eating before your server even stops back to check on you after your food comes, it becomes pointless at the time. Didn't even offer a small discount or anything. Not a single penny. Long story short, food was horrible, staff was lazy and unhelpful and the customer service was the worst. I don't think I will be going back. Ever. Do yourself a favor and go somewhere else.

DONT go here for Valentine’s Day! Prime rib from Costco. Wasn’t ever served our wine or fries. Had a reservation for 6:45 yet we weren’t sat until 7:15. Food was cold!!! I can’t believe we spent nearly $200 for the worst dinner ever.

The food is good but expensive. My meal was 27 dollars for a chicken breast and some mashed potatoes. You are paying for the experience here. There was live music. This is a good place to take your girlfriend or wife to dinner.

We went for our one year anniversary and it was amazing. The food was absolutely delicious and the server, Colin, was a delight. He was knowledgeable and kind, which I realize a lot of people don't care about but as a former server, that means everything. He made sure we were happy with everything and even wished us a happy anniversary. Definitely coming back. 😊❤

Great food and atmosphere

Absolutely delicious.. Authentic Italian food. Made fresh to order. Soothing atmosphere.. Great staff..

Very good food. Nice atmosphere.

Always good. Sangria on point..get the chopsticks with your drink, you will want them! Plan to spend some time here....its how they roll! I personally love the food although u do with the gnocchi was still available and some lunch items could be had for dinner.

Stopped in here for drinks and dinner. The drinks were cold and great mixed drinks. Our dinner was well cooked and very tasty. Our total bill came to $ 65

Short version: If you are a fan of fine dining, this is the best spot (at least the I've found) on the island. Period. If you like wine, this place is for you. Long version: One thing that this island isn't known for is fine dining. That's fine, but as someone who enjoys good wine, atmosphere, and entrees worth the $30 price tag, I've been feeling incomplete. Enter Formaggio Grill. This place is truly spectacular. I honestly got a kick out of reading all of these reviews mentioning how expensive it was. Do they also review sushi places and complain about the raw fish? Formaggio isn't expensive for no reason. My wife and I shared the calamari starter and it was some of the best calamari we've ever had. They had jalapenos, fried squash, fried mushrooms, and delicious sauce unlike I've ever seen for calamari. It was delicious, well cooked, and worth the price (which honestly is a good descriptor for my whole night at Formaggio). I've included a picture of the Garlic Ahi which was my entree (medium rare). I can't even describe how good it was. Just do yourself a favor, go there and order for yourself. You may also notice the 8 wine glasses in the shot. Formaggio Grill has wine by the bottle, 6 oz glass, or 2 oz glass. Our server chose two flights of 4 glasses (2 oz), one flight for me and one for my wife. The wines were numbered and we were given a paper to look at after with the names of the wines. I had more fun trying mine and my wife's blind wine flights than I have had at any other dining experience on the island. If you are even considering getting into wine, expanding your tastes or trying something new, this is your place. I found some new wine I didn't know I liked last night. The 2 oz glasses are fairly reasonable, just over 1/3 the price of the 6 oz glass. Let's talk about the atmosphere. I'm used to places like this being much more dressed up on the mainland. Here, patrons were in a wider variety of clothing. I saw a woman with a wrap over her bathing suit and a guy with a backwards hat. I saw women in dresses and guys in button ups. It seems more like anything goes dress wise but that probably has more to do with the island than the restaurant. Overall, this was an amazing experience. My food and wine were phenomenal and I will be coming back. Definitely for a special occasion or just when I feel like having a nice date.

Pleasant and nice staff, excellent service, and the braised short ribs are to die for!! Our very picky family enjoyed every bite - braised short ribs, chicken parm, steak Neptune, and spaghetti with marinara. The gelato for dessert was yummy and just the right amount to finish our meals. Definitely worth the drive!

Very enjoyable dining experience. The short ribs and grilled Brussels Sprouts are awesome dishes, seriously some of the best food I’ve had on Oahu. Service was fine. The wine, Ventoux, also great. Order wine and avoid the cocktails.

The food was cooked well The waiter was helpful The menu was thoughtful I didn’t like the fact that the bathroom was dark. I will for sure visit the place again

My family has been celebrating a family member’s birthday in June for many years now at Formaggio Grill, and tonight’s celebration featured the best food ever. The birthday boy always orders the Garlic Ribeye Steak, and the presentation this year was grander than ever and featured a generous serving of vegetable garnishes. Our family of 6 thoroughly enjoyed the Formaggio House Salad, the Zesty Kale Salad and the incredibly savory Charred Brussel Sprouts, which stole the appetizer show. All of these vegetable dishes were generously portioned and easily shared. Our main dishes featured the Braised Short Ribs ala Bourguignon (the meat easily fell away), the Chicken Marsala (the local oyster mushrooms from Captain Farms in Waianae gave the dish a unique flavor), and the Impossible Bolognese (I was a bit skeptical initially, but the first savory bite of the homemade pomodoro sauce convinced me I had made a wise choice). A keiki in our party made a special request for sauteed shrimp, and she was rewarded with 8 or so JUMBO shrimp in a yummy butter and herb sauce. I highly recommend Formaggio Grill – it has been transformed by chefs who know what they’re doing.

After going to Haleiwa Joe's in Kaneohe and then Goen in Kailua and being told the wait would be up to 2 hours on a Sunday night, we were thrilled to walk right in to Formaggio. The service was fabulous, food was AMAZING, and they had live music. We have been there a few times now and love to share the Bistecca Grigilia, Caprese Bruschetta, and Kobe burger. They have different specials every night and it is right in the heart of Kailua.

We walked in and were welcomed in. We did not have a reservation but they had more empty tables than full. We sat among active ordering tables, however after the waiter passed our table and touched the surrounding tables twice without acknowledging us We decided they really did not need the business we were going to give them. We can drop the kind of money they charge in many many more inviting restaurants. Will not be returning!

Pros: staff friendly, courteous, and knowledgeable. Cons: unseasoned food. Didn't want to believe the negative reviews but, sadly, the food was extremely underwhelming. It's clear the cooks do not taste the food as it lacks any seasoning. Italian food is so simple yet it appears the kitchen staff have no experience with Italian cuisine. The 'veg medley' accompanying my dish was extremely sad and consisted of an assortment of decorative pieces (huge red flag). All style, no substance.

It was so nice to be out and be served by enthusiastic staff sharing space with others. It feels like it has been forever since we have done so. We have been to Formaggios several times and always enjoyed our experience,thus decided to return. Menu and wine list are severely curtailed but the remaining selections are interesting and well prepared. The Caesar was really yummy and ahi extremely well prepared. In light of great unknowns (how many diners, rules of the day, available supplies, how to staff, etc) we greatly appreciate their efforts to provide a good dining experience. You go out for noise, fellowship, excitement and good food. These days it's about good food and interacting with someone other than your spouse. Mission accomplished! We gave them a 4 star because I am a gluten-free eater and there were few options. I should have called the day before, know they would have been able to modify several items. Will be sure to do so when we return.

We dined on Christmas Eve and the place was busy. The hostess was friendly. Great selection of wines, the bartender was knowledgeable and recommended a great cab for our meal. Service was excellent and the food was great. We ordered the Stuffed Mushrooms, NY Steak, Ribeye and a kids pasta dish! Everything came out timely and cooked to order. We will definitely dine here again. Kudos to the Chefs and Staff for working on a holiday!

AMAZING FOOD AND MUSIC! We came here a few times to celebrate special occasions and the food never disappoints. The fish is always fresh the tiramisu is the best we’ve had on the island and the service is great. Even our 4 year old son loves coming here, and the chef always prepares a tasty grilled chicken breast that he loves. Elijah Sky has played here the few times we had dined in, the music had us dancing in the corner. We love this place and hope more people come here to enjoy. Thanks Formaggio!

Really nice casual dining with great wine selection and French influences In presentation. Great service. Very attentive and great experience. One of the only elegant dining places in Kailua. Highly Recommend

The salad, bulsketta and meat dishes were really delicious!The sauce matches and it's the best!I had a comfortable and enjoyable dinner time!

It’s an expensive restaurant, and the food is not good. I paid $60 for lamb chops. It was overcooked. Burn. They use too much butter on plates of pasta.

This was a great experience, and I wouldn't have changed anything. You have to try it for yourself. We arrived without a reservation ( I didn't know). They still seated us with no wait, hostess discussed menu and drinks after seating us. The server arrived with water and suggestions on wine, food, and appetizers. Food was fabulous and timed perfect. Great dining experience for a date night to remember.

I only give this place a three star because the waitress was very sweet. For the price point play should have a little bit more pizzazz. The waitress was sweet but she messed up my order and gave me the wrong salad And charged me an extra 28 for a side of tuna w my salad. The place could really be a gem if they would lowere some of their prices it seems like it’s missing something as well. Overall the food was tasted good. the hamburger was the best. For the price of everything I’ll probably go somewhere else though in the future.

A Kailua legend. Great food, drinks, and atmosphere! Love it so much that it's our go-to date night place.

The service was great. Very covid savvy and great tasting food... try the roasted carrot and kale salad.

The garlic shrimp and hummus appetizer tasted really good, but not like traditional hummus. The ceasar salad was small and didnt have much flavor.

Great food and music

Went there twice. Special and fish tacos were very good. Keith was exceptionally attentive. Great service!

Services were great and food!

Wonderful food and staff.

Wonderfully spectacular food, the gelato was divine 10/10 would eat here again

Came here only for drinks tonight, great variety of wine but no draft beer, but a good variety of bottle beer. Food looks good but I think I missed out by not having dinner here. Next time.

Fantastic food

By and far the best place for good food !! The service and the staff were extremely friendly. The server we had was great at describing the special s which is the choice we made for our dinner selection, it was perfect . Absolutely recommend this restaurant

Very high prices for the amount of food you get place was very dirty manager very rude. Very slow service

We had great food and good service tonight. Fresh mushroom pizza, kale & beet salad with perfectly cooked salmon, Ceasar salad with shrimp, and calamari appetizer. Everything was delicious. Great cocktail choices too! Had fun and we're glad we chose Formagio for dinner!

Excellent menu and great food.

I love eating here! Great Food, Great Lighting and Delicious Deserts.

Great wine list, good food. Nice atmosphere for a date night. I've gone several times and noticed that the service is sometimes a little slow and impersonal.

Not sure what to make of this place kinda rustic, food was medi oker waitress was awesome very attentive the Kona burger will bring me back maybe?

Need more food options. "Kids menu" expensive. But the garlic shrimp fresca was yummy!

Friday night music ! Great Fun with Happy people !

Overpriced for what you get. The filet is barely 3 or 4 ounces The French onion soup was bland almost like it was out of a can. The beef dish I got was good, but the vegetables were still hard and the meat was good, but it was not better then a pot roast you can make at home. Perhaps I came on an off day, but for over 100 bucks on dinner for 2, go somewhere else.

Good

Good food, great service and decent prices!

Great food and wine selection. A little pricey but what isn't on this island. Get the burger

Awesome as always...shrimp fresca...molto bene!

Great place to meet friends

The service was actually great really liked our waiter. Unfortunately the food was sub par and not authentic. I was eating my calamari with chopsticks.... for a place called formaggio there was no cheese. It just wasnt Italian at all. I wouldnt go back.