Liholiho Yacht Club
A lively Nob Hill spot serving Hawaiian-rooted, globally inflected plates in a warm, party-ready room.
The call
Worth it if you're traveling as a couple and you're traveling solo.
Short answer
Is Liholiho Yacht Club worth it?
Liholiho Yacht Club deserves a place on most first itineraries.
The answer depends on your budget, time and travel style; the breakdown below shows who gets the most value.
Why
- 01
Bright, loud, and genuinely fun, with food that's both inventive and comforting.
- 02
It feels like a great dinner party you got invited to.
Is it a fit?
Go if
You're traveling as a couple
As a couple, Liholiho Yacht Club is an easy yes.
You're traveling solo
Solo, Liholiho Yacht Club is an easy yes.
Food is a reason to travel
Liholiho Yacht Club rewards a trip built around food & drink.
Think twice if
You're watching the budget
Liholiho Yacht Club can strain a tight budget. Go only when it is a priority.
You only have one day
Keep Liholiho Yacht Club only when it outranks a half-day elsewhere.
You're traveling with kids
With kids, Liholiho Yacht Club needs the right timing and tolerance.
You prefer local life to spectacle
Liholiho Yacht Club offers some local authenticity, but not enough to make it the reason to go.
The plates that decide it
- The Baked Hawaii — the famous finale — a torched-meringue baked-Alaska riff over orange chiffon cake and caramelized pineapple; save room
- The beef-tongue steamed buns and the rendang curry with turmeric-butter naan — the savory plates regulars come back for
- Ordering too conservatively — the menu rewards going wide and sharing
Plan it well
- Cost
- $$$
- Timing
- Early dinner if you want it quieter
- Booking
- Reservations recommended
- Allow
- 1.5–2 hours
- Accessibility
- Bar and table seating
Sources and method (3)
- Opened 2015 by Hawaii-raised chef-owner Ravi Kapur; featured in the 2025 MICHELIN Guide USA. guide.michelin.com ↗
- The signature Baked Hawaii is a torched-meringue riff on Baked Alaska with caramelized-pineapple ice cream. lycsf.com ↗
- jamesbeard.org ↗