Quick answer: Pāʻina Waikīkī is the lūʻau at the Waikīkī Beach Marriott Resort & Spa on Oahu, running five nights a week — Sunday, Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday — from 5:30pm to 8:00pm. Two tickets are sold: General Seating at $180, which includes the full Hawaiian buffet, and Show Only Seating at $135, which includes the performance and a welcome mai tai but no dinner. Every guest is met with a flower lei and a mai tai on arrival. Call (808) 207-9427 to book, or reserve online for instant confirmation. This is a dinner party rather than a lawn spectacle. The evening is built around the legendary eras of Waikīkī, told through the highest calibre of Polynesian performing arts: hula kahiko, the ancient form, alongside mele — the songs that carry the stories of the islands. The…
Quick answer: Pāʻina Waikīkī is the lūʻau at the Waikīkī Beach Marriott Resort & Spa on Oahu, running five nights a week — Sunday, Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday — from 5:30pm to 8:00pm. Two tickets are sold: General Seating at $180, which includes the full Hawaiian buffet, and Show Only Seating at $135, which includes the performance and a welcome mai tai but no dinner. Every guest is met with a flower lei and a mai tai on arrival. Call (808) 207-9427 to book, or reserve online for instant confirmation.
This is a dinner party rather than a lawn spectacle. The evening is built around the legendary eras of Waikīkī, told through the highest calibre of Polynesian performing arts: hula kahiko, the ancient form, alongside mele — the songs that carry the stories of the islands. The performances honour the homes, the shoreline and the Hawaiian royals who once lived on these grounds, and the setting is central Waikīkī rather than a resort thirty minutes out of town.
The buffet is the reason most guests choose General Seating. It runs to above-ground smoked kalua pork, huli huli chicken, seared island catch with ume and yuzu beurre blanc, and a carving station of 12-hour slow-roasted prime rib with smoked au jus and horseradish cream, alongside the traditional plates: hanalei poi, lomi lomi salmon, Molokai-style sweet potatoes, island fried rice and taro rolls. Coffee and teas are included.
Dietary requirements are handled better here than at most luaus. Dishes are individually labelled gluten-free, vegan, dairy-free and nut-free, and allergen information covering sesame oil, gluten, eggs, dairy and pork is noted item by item, so guests with restrictions can read the line rather than ask about every dish.
Choosing between the two tickets is simple. General Seating at $180 puts you in the main seating area with the full buffet and the complete show. Show Only Seating at $135 saves $45 and includes the welcome mai tai and the entire performance, but no meal, so plan to eat before or after. Show Only suits anyone who wants the cultural evening without a buffet dinner, and it is the cheaper way to see the performance.
The venue sits on the Waikīkī Beach Marriott Resort & Spa, walkable from most Waikīkī hotels, which removes the coach transfer that the west-side luaus require. Arrive on time: the lei greeting and mai tai are served at the start, and the schedule runs to 8:00pm regardless. The luau does not operate on Tuesdays or Thursdays. Cancellations must be made by phone at least 72 hours ahead for a full refund or credit; later cancellations and no-shows are charged in full.
Comparing Oahu luaus: Ka Moana starts at $129, Aloha Kai at $134.99, and Mauka Warriors sells a show-only ticket from $83.74, while Chief’s Lūʻau runs $228.96 to $280.90 with transport. Pāʻina Waikīkī sits in the middle on price and at the top on location, and its Show Only tier at $135 is one of the few ways to see a full Waikīkī performance without paying for dinner.
