Chef Ravi Kapur’s Liholiho Yacht Club is a hard restaurant to categorize. It’s often described as a Hawaiian restaurant, but it goes much deeper than that, mixing influences from Kapur’s childhood in Hawaii, and his heritage — his Native Hawaiian and Chinese mother, and his father is from India. And it’s all augmented by his time cooking in San Francisco restaurants. It makes for a distinctly rich and original restaurant.
The restaurant feels casual in nature, with its dynamic colors and patterns — which include the gorgeous, vintage black-and-white photo of Kapur’s mother and that bright yellow-tiled kitchen — but it is a place that, for some, may inspire a bit more dressing up than the typical San Francisco uniform. I say this because it seemed to read as a celebratory restaurant for many; during my visit, I witnessed at least two sparkler-loaded desserts walked to tables, as well as twosomes that looked very swoony and date-coded. That being said, the staff is welcoming enough not to turn their noses up at what anyone’s wearing, so go with your gut on what feels comfortable for your specific dining occasion here.
The drinks menu is well-considered, with cocktails made with palm and pineapple gin, agricole rum from Hawaii-based brand Kō Hana Rum, and hojicha-infused Suntori toki whisky. I went for the High Tide, made with that aforementioned palm and pineapple gin from Bayab, mixed with Cocchi Americano and tonic, although for my next round (in a world where I’m not driving), I have my eye on the hojicha highball. There is a selection of beers and seltzers that continue the flavor themes of the food menu, currently sporting a POG sour and pineapple hard seltzer; nonalcoholic options also get some consideration, such as a lemongrass soda with ginger and lime. The wine list is decently stacked — especially judging from the bottles on display across from the restrooms — spanning both domestic and global wine brands.
It’s not listed on the printed menu, but a server let us know that the kitchen does a set menu for about $80 per person (with full table participation). If you’re intent on eating across the entire menu, like I was, this is the way to go. My table received much more food than anticipated — although I did push us to the limit with two extra dish orders to bring more to the Dining Report table — so it’s a worthy splurge.
If you pressed me to say whether there’s a comparable restaurant to Liholiho Yacht Club, I’d be at a loss. It’s a singular point of view and style of cooking unique to Kapur, that he continues to hone at Good Good Culture Club. The food, drink, and vibe intersect in a pleasant way that makes for an enjoyable night out, all buoyed by a helpful and kind team.