Only a low wall separates it from the sand, and diners can gaze out at catamarans, wave-riding surfers and bathing-suit-clad bodies relaxing on chaise longues under pink-and-white umbrellas.

Opened in 1927 and featuring Spanish-Moorish architecture, the Royal Hawaiian marks the elegant era of ocean liner voyages and Hollywood's golden age in a Hearst Castle kind of way. But my recent visits to the Surf Room left me wistful, as if the restaurant had seen better days.

Breakfast offers options of a buffet ($28) or a la carte menu service, with large portions that will probably leave many full until dinner. Although seats are available inside, where the atmosphere feels slightly cooler and more conservative, outdoor tables shaded by a pink-and-white awning are far more popular.

Most diners go the buffet route, which includes three kinds of gravlax; omelettes; mini pancakes and waffles; such hot foods as eggs, bacon and sausages; smoothies; pastries; and a salad bar. I decided on a Hawaiiana omelette ($19) while my companion made a beeline for the buffet. In the time it took me to pour a cup of coffee from the carafe on our table, he had returned with a plate of food.

My omelette arrived sometime during his second plate.

With Portuguese sausage, grilled pineapple, Maui onion and mixed mushrooms all inside, and topped with gingered lomi tomatoes, poi ketchup and macadamia nuts, it was a dish that attempted to deliver too much, like a lu'au meal all bundled into a single laulau. That resulted in a baffling blend of flavors and textures.

Dinner also was eclectic. The menu featured traditional elements such as a New England chowder ($6.50), but then jetted into Hawai'i Regional Cuisine territory with Japanese and Southeast Asian influences such as a roasted Chilean sea bass with wasabi mashed potatoes, coconut-ginger cream, kaffir lime leaf oil and baby bok choi with Thai curry sauce ($27.50).

We started our meal with the Royal Seafood Sampler ($18). The variety — of tempura soft-shell crab, 'ahi sashimi, a pepper-spiced gravlax summer roll, and a roasted garlic prawn — was a good match for drinks, but steep even with resort costs factored in.

My companion's entrée of broiled beef tenderloin and half of a Maine lobster ($44) not only looked better but also tasted better than my sautéed togarashi-spiced mahi-mahi with Kona crab stuffing ($27). The caramelized pineapple-asparagus risotto with his dish didn't have any pineapple flavor (probably a good thing).

It became apparent that traditional dishes outshone fancy Island-style offerings when I received overdone mahi topped with a pineapple-mango relish flecked with raisins. The fish sat on a stack of baby bok choi and a pipikaula hash cake served with a soy-ginger vinaigrette. The sauce, more soy than ginger, with the already salty pipikaula, overwhelmed both the mahi and crab.

Our dessert of a Hawaiian vintage chocolate sampler ($8.50) ended the meal at sunset. The luxuriously smooth chocolate mousse triangle alone would make me want dessert here. With a flourless chocolate raspberry cake, a handmade chocolate truffle and a scoop of chocolate gelato, this combination makes a compelling reason to watch the sun go down from the Surf Room.

At lunch, I found a menu that offered mostly salads and sandwiches — the light fare that many crave when eating outdoors at the beach.

Chilled gazpacho with crab ($7.50) seemed like a cool starter, but I was disappointed with its ketchupy flavor and heavy consistency.

As a waiter delivered our next order, someone at a neighboring table said, "Look at that salad!" Served with warm grilled pear and heaping Island greens tossed in a simple balsamic vinaigrette, a pink cold-water shrimp salad with Danish blue cheese ($14.50) big enough for two proved to be refreshingly flavorful, without any competing elements.

Service was always accommodating, but not what I expected for such a setting and such prices. We had our water glasses filled more times than I care to remember, even after taking just a sip. Although the other sides of our table were empty, waiters interrupted conversation by squeezing between me and my guest to put plates down or refill glasses. At lunch, entrees weren't timed properly, so they arrived while we were still eating our appetizers.

However, the Surf Room is part of the Royal Hawaiian, a grand dame of Waikiki. That glamorous quality of what once was will ensure a line of patrons.