Pane & Vino

Awesome Italiano wine bar in Waikiki!!! First time there and I LOVED IT! Great music, food, drinks, and the atmosphere! Can’t wait to go back…

I’m really sad… Pane & Vino has shut it’s doors for good, another bar will be opening there in a few weeks. Whatever people thought, it was definitely one of the more unique secret spot wine bars in Waikiki. Another one bites the dust.

Came here for dinner with my roomie because we heard good reviews about the place, we were craving Italian, and wanted to try somewhere new.
Walking up the stairs to the place, we’re like, «ooo this seems interesting.» and when we finally get inside it’s empty. This place is dark, not dim, but DARK. The atmosphere is kind of homey and run down beach house-​ish, but it’s just so damn dark in there you can hardly see anything.
Anyways, back to eating dinner, we get our menus to only find out that the wine list is not at all extensive, and that the «selection» of things to choose from to eat is not very «selectable» or big. As a matter of fact, I believe it’s like 4 appetizers and like 4 or 5 different pasta dishes which are all varieties of different sauces on penne, and ONLY penne, besides ONE ravioli. So we decide on the eggplant parmesan crostini thing for an appetizer, I have the penne arribbiata and my gf orders the lobster raviolli. We take waters, because I’m not a eat and drink alcohol type of gal, I figure I’d order some wine later on after eating my meal.
And then, it gets bad.
So looking around waiting for our food, I turn and ask my roomie, «dudeee, so where’s the kitchen?»
And then I hear it.
BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
WTH a microwave!!!
and it’s not even like their trying to HIDE it at all. like c’mon! turn up the music, pump up the volume and at least TRY TO mask the very embarrassing fact that you’re using a microwave to cook, or actually REHEAT everything I just ordered…
:(SADFACE*
Trying to get the best of the experience, we get our eggplant parm crostinis. The topping (lukewarm of course) was actually okay, but being on crostini? Shouldn’t you have at least toasted the bread instead of just plain cold slices of basically french bread? Hmm. OH YA! Just a microwave, righttttttt? I guess the chef couldn’t fit toaster oven in the budget…
Sadly moving on to the entrées my gf said she liked the lobster ravioli, I didn’t try it because I’m not a fan of the dish, but the portion size seemed small– only maybe 4 small pieces? Then comes the arribbiata penne. which the server said had bacon, caramelized onions, garlic, and peppers. NONE OF WHICH WAS TO BE SEEN. No bacon, no onions, no garlic, no peppers… I was actually kind of glad no bacon was in there, because I mean I bet meat spoils a lot more easier than anything in sauces, and if they’re just reheating who knows how long ago they were made. Pasta again was cold/​lukewarm I took maybe 2 – 3 bites and I could not go on.
So moving on, in need of a take-​out box, water’s empty and no waiter, no bartender in sight I’m seriously thinking about walking out. Then, all of a sudden we hear laughing and so on outside so I look out the window to see the bartender and waiter out on the lanai smoking up and making out with some girl. I kindly go outside and ask for the check, and they jump up like, «OH YAAA!» Like they remembered, that there were actual people in the bar. that they were at «work»
Paying for the bill, the waiter brings his daughter to the table to say HI to us.
I leave, leaving a 20% tip– I work in the industry, tip karma peeps. altogether maybe $ 50~
I never plan on returning.

I haven’t been here since 2008 so this review reflects a pretty dated incident. To be fair though, I will start off by saying that I absolutely love the ambience with its rustic tavern-​look worthy of the label «wine bar». I’m no connoisseur, but I do recall enjoying the wine as well. As a local resident, I can also appreciate the location, which doesn’t get loud with tourists like anywhere else in Waikiki. It’s a relaxing joint and a perfect getaway from the people who are here to get away.
Now, if you’re able to leave here without incident, you’re fortunate and you will absolutely continue to love this place, but the following took place during my first visit, so I haven’t been back.
That night, I came here with a group of about six people, all of us Japanese. We were seated at a table and served by the infamous Masa, who, upon our arrival, showed us a newspaper clipping indicating that Pane & Vino was one of the best places to get into a fight. I looked around the dimly-​lit but otherwise respectable venue and thought that odd, so I didn’t think much of it. The night went on pretty normally with some laughs amongst friends, and it was an otherwise pleasant evening.
But somehow, Masa entered the conversation and successfully soured the experience.
One by one, he gave his unsolicited opinion about some of the members in our group, including myself. Masa started off by blasting my friend and also roommate at the time for declining his attempt to pour more wine in his glass earlier that evening. He then went on to describing what he deemed were character flaws in each of us, telling me that I was somehow «uncaring.» I never even met the guy before, so I was like «Wow. Did he just say that to me?»
Now, I heard somewhere that Masa’s not working there anymore, but I’m not gonna bother going back there to check. The interior is a pleasant surprise considering it looks like any other two-​story apartment from the outside. You kinda forget that you’re even in Waikiki, so I think It’s worth checking out if you’ve never been. But let’s just hope that Masa’s not there when you are, because if he is, I’d turn around and not take a chance.

Not really a wine bar so oenophiles don’t get your hopes up too high when coming here. Like others have mentioned, the highlight of the show is the server/​barman, Masa. I usually take a glimpse into the dark room and if he’s not working, I will go elsewhere.
The food items are simple Italian fare based on recipes from at the parent location, Mediterraneo on S. King. What makes the bruschetta and tomato salad so good is the marinated tomatos that is used in those dishes. But alas, depending who is manning the stove at P & V’s on any given night, the execution of the dishes will vary substantially.
The short list of wines by the glass are mediocre at best and if you are looking for something special to impress your friends, then there are several bottles behind the bartender that Masa can recommend for you.
The place is deserted in the early evening but picks up quickly as the night goes on.

This place is horrific. First off the menu only lists wine types «Chardonnay» «pinot grigio» and so on — no winery name, year, etc. That is a bad sign.
The place itself is very cute and the prices are good ($ 7-​$ 9) but I had the worst glass of wine I have ever ordered without it being spoiled and vinegar– just bad CHEAP tasting crap wine.
Also, what WINE bar doesn’t offer different cheese plates?!
I CAN“T BELIEVE THIS WAS MY 400^th REVIEW

This place definitely looks like it’s a «hit or miss» kind of place. Luckily the night I went it was a hit. I’m not a snobby wine connoisseur, but I do prefer my wine to not suck. I ordered my old standby pinot noir, and after I finished that glass the bartender suggested a couple of Italian wines that were similar in body to the pinot. Ordered a cheese plate that contained not one, but two cured meats (the more, the better!) and a random assortment of cheeses which hit the spot. For a weekend night, it was pretty quiet and empty, but that was fine with me. The wine/​food menu wasn’t particularly extensive, but was sufficient enough for a place to grab a drink before or after dinner.