Bruno’s Forno

Best panini ever! And I’ve been to Italy and had plenty. Walking through Chinatown. Just wanted a quick bite. Happened across this place. It was wonderful. My friend also had a panini and said it was excellent. Lemonade was also delish :)

Deliciousness! Service is super friendly and the best part of all is that it’s dog friendly!!! It’s really difficult to find a good place to eat, let a lone a dog friendly restaurant :)
I would recommend the bolognese lasagna and also the salmon panini! Both are really delicious :)

Ok, they redeemed themselves. The male worker this time was excellent. While making a fresh salad, he gave us suggestions on their freshly made lasagnas.
The ambiance was rustic & cozy that was good for a small party, date or take out.
Unfortunately, they are closing shop & moving to Dallas. Good luck to them & wish them well on their future endeavors.

…I’m a huge fan of lasagna and decided to check this place out since it’s the closest to my location.
The restaurant is cute and small, simple but inviting. Service was good, got my order quick and it came with a fresh bag of salad. The lasagna was nice and hot but when I got back to my office it didn’t look appetizing. It was the thinnest lasagna I’ve ever seen. Just a couple layers. It was really dry with not much sauce and burnt on the top.
I definitely won’t be back for a lasagna. Maybe I’ll try something else next time and update my review. Wasn’t worth the $ 9 something I paid for it. =(

This is the strangest little place. And maybe I wouldn’t think so if it were somewhere else, but located in the heart of Chinatown, this small restaurant stands out among all the other dim sum and Chinese restaurants around it.
There is very limited seating as it’s more of a hole in the wall place but it’s very cute and Italian-​lunch-​bistro kind of decorated (if that makes sense). I had the carbonara lasagna and my boyfriend had the tuna salad — both we’re fresh and delicious. My only complaint was that my side salad was literally just lettuce and dressing — throw some cheese on that or something! Also their menu isn’t extensive, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but a few more options would be nice. I know whoever created that menu has gotta have a few more ideas up their sleeve.
But all in all, this is a great place for a quick bite. The one woman waitress/​cashier/​cook was very friendly and helpful. It was the perfect weekday lunch break.

Little hole in the wall country style atmosphere in the heart of downtown.
Not much to chose from the menu but Great value to get your Italian fix.

A minimalist lasagna that doesn’t look like much, but is very tasty and fills you up. I always have the bolognese but all the different types are good. They give a delicious side salad with your lasagna and you get both for under $ 10.00! They have complimentary water and bottled drinks for purchase with your meal. Whenever I’m in the downtown area and feel like eating Italian, I head straight here! Warning, they are a lunch spot ONLY Sun-​Wed, they are open for dinner Thurs-​Sat…

Went back for lunch after a year from my last visit.
Order the lasagna bolonegse, soretly dissapointed, no taste, the salad was very small no like used to be when they serve it in a bag. Their bread is so good but they give you a tiny slice. Possible new owner? Mrs Kim is not there anymore. I dont think I come back.

I was supposed to meet up with some college friends in the Chinatown area, but I was stood up and needed to find someplace to eat. After some perusing my trusty Unilocal app I went searching for Bruno’s Forno. The place was a little difficult to find with the sun on its way down, but with a quick phone call to ask for directions, I was able to find my way. The workers are hilarious and great to talk with:. Zoran and Scott. We chatted about our favorite beers, Zoran’s love for Novak Djokovic, and the recent World Cup games. Zoran seems to like Novak over Ana Ivanovic.
I wasn’t super hungry, so I decided on a smoked salmon panini which was served with some veggies. The sandwich could have been a little more filling for the price, but it’s a good serving for a normal person. I may have stretched out my stomach earlier in the week from overeating.
I’m not sure how often I would come here for the food because of parking and whatnot, but I will try my best to show up for the Thursday night shenanigans.

First off, I want to give Joann Y. a shoutout for introducing me to Bruno’s Forno! When it comes to hidden eateries, I can always trust her to surprise me.
Bruno’s Forno is actually right next to one of the Maunakea Marketplace gates. I used to live near Maunakea Marketplace, but they definitely didn’t have all these trendy restaurants back then. It’s a lovely little restaurant hidden amongst all those produce shops and Vietnamese phở places
The walls are decorated with vintage-​esque newspaper and prints, which I couldn’t help but gape at when I realized they were actual physical prints rolled on the walls. There are wooden benches against the walls with cushions provided for customers’ comfort. I can imagine how packed it must get during the weekdays, but it’s a lovely, cozy place to sit back and eat with friends.
Jo was craving lasagna, which made me crave some, too! They don’t have much of a selection, but what they do offer they do well. They have panini, lasagnas, salads, and some other brunch specials. Bruno prices like most Italian bistros at $ 8-​$ 10. Yes, it’s a bit pricey, but their food is made fresh in their restaurants.
I ordered the Funghi (Mushroom) Lasagna for $ 9, which is the only lasagna that doesn’t have a tomato sauce base. (Unfortunately, I was craving some of that tomato sauce.) The mushroom lasagna had a cream sauce base, I think, but it was surprisingly tasty and a lot lighter than I imagined. It was also a lot thinner than most lasagnas. Since it was cheesy and carb-​a-​licious, I was feeling full by the time I finished half the pan. There was a generous amount of mushrooms in mine.
I wasn’t a fan of the bread, so I’m not sure if I will order their panini. The panini comes with a salad. Lasagnas comes with bread and salad during the weekdays only. Otherwise, it’s bread only.
The restaurant owner was very attentive and polite. I’d love to come back to try some of their other lasagnas. There is parking nearby next to the old Bank of the Orient on Maunakea. I believe it’s another boba and food place now?

They have AC! Yay! Salami panini, salmon panini, salad and more. Nice portion size and friendly staff. Parking across of the restaurant. Refreshing place to eat in the middle of China town. This is the second time my boyfriend and I ate here for lunch… Will come again.

I stand corrected, another Unilocaler mentioned that the owner is Italian and the wife Korean. I swear I heard Japanese…
Update: Another Unilocaler who attended a UYE further clarified that the owner is of Eastern European descent.
But the food was good, no matter who they came from!

Back when I live in that area, I passed by here all the time. It’s a really small restaurant with cute Italian looking interior. As soon as I stepped in it reminded me of New York’s Italian restaurant I been to.
We came here for dinner, on a Friday night. Not busy at all. Anyways, we ordered a bacon lasagna and a funghi lasagna. It took around 15 minutes or so to come out. While waiting they served us 4 piece of bread with a dipping sauce of olive oil and black vinegar. Apparently, we serve our own water, pitcher located in the cooler looking place. You can bring your own drink and keep it cold there. Interesting. I loooove the sauce for the bread, sour and sweet taste. Mmmmm… yeayea. haha The mushroom lasagna was good. It was really thin compared to the other places. I can taste enough mushrooms in it. My friend seemed to have enjoyed his bacon lasagna, said it was good. He usually is very picky about it. Price was around $ 8.50~
Will be back to try the other lasagnas.

So for my 300^th review, I’ve decided to write up Bruno’s Forno.
Went here on a Friday night. It’s a really tiny, cute restaurant and was almost packed. We did call in reservations — good thing — and got the last table.
It’s pretty casual, like a café ambiance. You look at the chalkboard menu and order up front. You can watch them make your food as you order.
There are numerous items such as fresh salads, paninis, pasta and a steamed bag of fish and veggies for dinner.
We ordered the bolognese lasagna and the funghi lasagna with a portobella salad.
The bolognese lasagna was delish! Very nice sauce, tender pasta that tastes homemade, meaty goodness and lots and lots of cheese! The funghi lasagna was great too. It had a different cream sauce and chunks of mushrooms.
The salad was great with fresh spring mix greens, tender green beans, tomatoes and big slices of fresh portobella mushrooms. All topped with a great simple balsamic/​olive oil dressing.
There are various drinks such as homemade lemonade, Perrier, and soft drinks. There is water for free, and it’s BYOW (wine) with a $ 2 corkage fee.
The bread served here is complimentary. I really liked it because it was a different wheat like bread but nice, toasty and not too hard. It also came with a balsamic/​olive oil dip.
This small cute restaurant is between Pauahi St. and Hotel St. on Maunakea. It’s a little place so you might miss it. You can find street metered parking, which will be difficult. There’s also a pre pay lot across the street from the restaurant. I opted to go down just a half a block to the Chinatown Municipal lot which is a very short walk. This only cost me $ 1.50 for 2 hours.

I’ve passed by this place so many times and have not ever tried their food. I’ve seen many post of the individual lasagnas, and have heard the raves of it. So I planned a lunch with the broski, well, it was more impromptu lunch with him. Eh, wanna come with me to Chinatown? I wanna go to this place, Bruno’s Forno. I’m 5 mins away, get ready now.
Smacked dabbed in the middle of Maunakea between Hotel and Pauahi is a little hole-​in-​the-​wall with the fragrance of deliciousness! The aroma draws you in close. Pay attention, because this place blends in so well with the other shops. Parking is all on your own. You can either find street meter stalls or paid parking lots.
It’s a cute café-​like eatery. Wall décor is mostly of magazine and newspaper for wall paper, and one wall is chalk board wall as their menu is creatively drawn on with their touch of cartoon. About four tables that seats 2 – 4 chairs.
I initially read up on my Unilocal reviews of this place before making my way down. I quickly settled for the mushroom lasagna. It was a good choice indeed. My brother got the asparagus lasagna, it was good, but I liked mine more. Both of our meals came with a side of bread.
It appeared to be a husband/​wife team running the counter. They were both friendly, and even came to chat with us at the end of our meal. The meals are made to order. The wait wasn’t long. Drinks are limited in an open fridge customer side of the counter. Not a big deal for me as I had water. I saw that there is BYOWine for $ 2/​glass.
I really enjoyed my experience here and look forward to returning to try other items on the menu.

I have passed by this restaurant quite often and had always wondered what that had to offer, then I checked on Unilocal.Let me tell you, this small restaurant will not let you down. When we stopped by today, it was empty (around 2:00 PM) and were greeted by the co-​owner who was just the sweetest. Many of the reviews lead my boyfriend and I to choose the salmon panini and vegi lasagna. It was served with bread and a small salad of Nalo greens! The bread is freshly made in the morning and they use natural ingredients! And the results of our lunch –drum roll– amaaaaazing! I loved the lasagna, the blend of cheese, pasta, and vegetables was simply superb. The salmon panini was as amazing as well, but my boyfriend said the bread was quite chewy (he just doesn’t have the jaw strength, haha). Overall, great experience and can’t wait to stop by to try the other things!

Impromptu lunch with the little sister.
Interior has the feel of rustic, natural café. Not too shabby.
Bag salad — whatevs.
Lasagna? BOMB! What caught my attention the most was the texture of the lasagna noodles. We ate in-​house and the lasagna was baked by someone who knows what they’re doing. If I took this home, I would ruin it. Just being honest. Don’t blame the noodles, blame the cook!
Can this fill eaters up? Probably not. I had Goma Tei before coming here and I ate the whole container, no sweat. It was that good or that unfilling. The noodles aren’t heavy like typical pasta, too.
My sister liked the funghi (fun-gee…not fun-guy…I asked.) over the Bolognese and I was the opposite.
…meat.
Thumbs up! Winnahz!

SALMON PANINI!
Nothing more needs to be said. :)
It’s all I order. Although I want to try other things when I go, I can’t. The salmon panini is just too yummy! Moist, flavorful, and a little messy, but hey, can’t win em all.
There’s a side refrigerator where you grab your micro greens after you order. I usually shake up the balsamic in the bag with the greens then dump it into the basket with the panini.
The place is quaint and charming with the menu chalked onto the wall. And the lady who runs it is very gracious. Definitely worth checking out!

Another rave review for Bruno’s Forno!
To celebrate my fiancé’s mother’s birthday, oh, and my birthday, too, we decided to invite the families to Bruno’s Forno, as I had such a great experience the first time I came with mom.
The restaurant is smaller and seats about 20, and since we had 15 in our party I asked if I could just reserve the whole restaurant. Induck, the Owner, is a one-​woman show! She kindly offered us the restaurant at 7:30pm and invited us to bring our own wine and cupcakes. Having been here once before and loving the simple, yet delicious, menu, I knew it would be a hit with the family.
We arrived and she greeted us with the biggest smile. Waiting for the entire party to show, we ordered 2 loaves of the house bread, and a couple caprese and salami salads. These were already a hit! The house bread is delish, especially when dipped in olive oil and vinegar… very simple but satisfying. The caprese came with thick slices of mozzarella cheese and nice ripe tomatoes and was gone before I got the chance to sample it! I would have ordered another, but I fell in love with the salami salad, which was served with salami, prosciutto, and Swiss cheese.
Next up, lasagna! We all ordered our own little pasta creations; I (again) opted for the cabonara, which did not disappoint! Others chose the veggie, mushroom, and bolognese… and there were no leftovers to take home! Even my fiancé, who isn’t always a fan of Italian food (I sometimes don’t know how we’ve lasted this long) said he would definitely come back! This. Was. Big. Even my papa, who was a bit hesitant to be optimistic because of the smaller menu size, really enjoyed his choice and had nothing but good things to say about his experience.
Being the one-​woman wonder she is, Induck was super attentive to our needs and we are so grateful she let us have our special celebration at her restaurant. We will most definitely be back for more!

Really nice light lunch at a reasonable price. We really enjoyed eating here and I would come back without hesitation.
We almost never go downtown/​Chinatown unless we are looking for dim sum. But this is the second time this month for us. Trying to expand my horizons to downtown HNL! So I made a list of Unilocal rated restaurants.
First, we find Lucky Belly. Opened the door and it was packed! Moving right along. Next door was DownBeat Diner and Lounge. I’ve always wanted to go there. Door was open but not one single customer in there. Hmmm? So we walked on to Bruno’s Forno.
Ambience: Hole in the wall. Simple menu on a chalk board. Wooden tables and chairs and benches. Small cabinet with drinks and some un-​cooked Lasagna portions for sale.
Service: Staffed by one smiling lady who was really happy that each customer came in. Get your own paper plates, drinks, water etc. Find your own seat. She will come to you and get your order or you can go up to her and tell her. She notices if you got a can of soda and will add it to your bill. Very casual and laid back. No rush and no drama. But designed to get you in and out for lunch patrons. I loved it! They serve dinner too.
Kitchen: All the Panini’s and Lasagna Dishes are pre-​made, refrigerated and placed in the oven (forno=baked in an oven) when you order it. Pre-​made but still freshly made. So food comes out pretty quickly because you are just waiting for heating. Lasagna and panini’s.
Lasagna: I had the Funghi Lasagna which is meatless with a mushroom sauce and not a tomato sauce. I liked it and thought it was good for a meatless dish. 3.5 stars for me. My wife enjoyed her Carbonara Lasagna because it had a tomato sauce and bacon. Four stars from her. Comes with bread and a very small salad In a bag. Perfect for lunch but no left overs.
Parking: Street vs. the Municipal garages. Good Luck. But, since we were parked we went into Maunakea Market Place and bought some produce and fish.