BEST CHEAP EATS ON OAHU
 

I know leonard malasadas, Hungry Lion (YUM), Ono's (hawaiian), Aunti Pastos (family style Italian), now who knows the best mixed plate, Khalbi bbq and so on. Come on I told you some, we are a family of six and we have to eat! We will be on the North Shore, Lanikai and Honolulu.

Well, there is ALWAYS Zippy's, and they are everywhere!! (www.zippys.com) But if you know all the places you listed, you already know Zippy's. You Also must know about L&L Drive In, which is also all over. <BR> <BR>Market City Shopping Center (on the corner of Kapiolani & Kapahulu, near UH) has a lot of good cheap places to eat: Grace's (mixed plate lunch), Gina's (Korean), Catch of the Day (sushi), and some Mexican place that is supposed to be good. <BR> <BR>Sidestreet Inn is pretty good for lunch on Thursdays & Fridays. I just bought the "Hawaiian Plate" yesterday and it was so heavy I could drop it on someone's head to knock them out! Of course, the thing lasted me for 3 meals. <BR> <BR>Ward Warehouse should be a good place for you to go. They recently developed a 16-theater complex in the area, and there are tons of plate lunch places to eat there. Also Kua Aina, which is found there and on the North Shore. <BR> <BR>Phew! I'm hungry now! Gotta go and find me something to eat.

There is a good lunch wagon at Kewalo Basin, go early because by noon they start running out of choices. Palace Saimin for good won tun min and barbecue sticks. Jimbo for fresh japanese udon noodles. Helen's in Kapahulu for very reasonable Chinese food. All very small and casual places.

Waialae Chop Suey on the corner of 8th and Waialae Avenue in Kaimuki is the place to go for massive portions, quality Chinese and cheap prices. Their chicken wor mein ($4.75) is "broke da mouth" quality! Auwe! Now you made me hungry.....

I recommend you buy 3 Entertainment Books and eat better for half price. Davey Jones Ribs, Trattoria both in Waikiki, just to name two I tried myself. (Davey Jones, Paradise Seafood, and Crouching Lion are sister properties, according to my waiter.

Histerical Melissa any L&L better than the other. I forget what those places are good for, Lemon Chicken? Thank you Blahh I remember that Chop Suey place what else id good there I am bringing some East coasters that don't know this stuff. I can remember Lemon Chicken, Teriyaki Chicken, Vat else dalinks? Thanks again. Oh and who has the best Khalbi? Does not have to be cheap just good. Becky have you been to crouching tiger is it good? What did you have that you liked? Nobody mentioned the best place for shave ice. Does it matter at all where you go. I am showing the place to people so I want to make a good impression.

I don't know if the L&Ls are all different, I usually go to either the one on Liliha Street (where you can also find Masu's Massive Plate Lunch) or on Kapahulu. Ono's Korean on the first floor of Kaimuki Shopping Center is supposed to be good for Kal bi; I like Kim Chee II. My coworker here says Hyung Jae (on Sheridan) has the best kal bi--it's about $17 but he says you GET $17 worth. <BR> <BR>Shave ice: Everyone talks about Matsumoto's in Haleiwa, but I always go to Aoki's, which is just two doors down. There's less of a line and it tastes better. <BR> <BR>OH! For healthier but tasty local plate lunch food: Try I Love Country Cafe, found in Kahala Mall or on the outer edge of Ala Moana Center. I also forgot to mention a Hawaiian plate lunch place called, appropriately, "You Hungry?" it's across the Convention Center on Atkinson Drive. Kanak Attack is also good but they're not consistently open. <BR> <BR>So you wanna make an impression? Take them to Hotel Street! I like Mini Garden for lunch.

Like Melissa, we bypass the long line at Matsumoto's and go next door to Aoki's. Just as good, but some people want to be able to say they went to famous Matsumoto's. <BR> <BR>There is another I Love Country Cafe at Mililani Town Center (they took over the old Yum-Yum Tree Restaurant). <BR> <BR>Waimalu Shopping Center near Pearl City is a good one-stop place for everything from shave ice at Baldwin's to malasadas at Leonard's Junior. It's a dinky strip mall, but has a great variety of restaurants offering just about any kind of local favorites you could possibly want to try (including American food). It's on Kam Highway, only a few minutes "ewa-side" of the Aloha Flea Market and the Arizona Memorial. You'll pass the Pearlridge Center if you're coming from "town". <BR> <BR> <BR>

Sorry, didn't eat at Crouching Lion, but I hear it is very good,and I can tell you the "sister properties" were great!

No fo'get Ahi's on the windward side of the island! It's located near Punalu'u. I don't know what the kaukau is like anymore but their fried ahi plate used to be ono-licious! Their new location is also very tropical looking. Be forewarned that Waialae Chopsuey's ambience is...to say the least...very minimal. Most people do a take-out. Their cold ginger chicken is fat and juicy and full of garlic! I also like their chicken with mushrooms. As blalah said, it's cheap and plenty and good! You might also check out the whole Ka'imu'ki area. All kinds of ono places that serve Vietnamese, Chinese, Mexican, Italian, Korean and so on. Crouching Lion? Dunno...went there long ago and they served me standard haole tourist stuff...kinda bland...stuff you find in a cafeteria. Nevah wen' back!

This is so great. Thank You Thank You Thank You. Love the response I am getting. Even went online and found www.mixedplate.com with recipes for local food on Oahu anyone out there interested in reviewing and letting me know if they are good recipes? Or do you know a good local cooking website yourself.

that's www.mixed-plate.com

PERRY's All You Can Eat Buffet on Lewers in Waikiki is a good bet for your money - excellent food. Also, on the corner of Ala Moana Blvd. and Kalia St. across from the Hawaiian Hilton Village is an old time coffee shop/restaurant (can't remember the name). They have home style cooking and it is excellent. They also have one of the best banana splits on earth. Both places are inexpensive and you get your money's worth.

Rebecca, <BR>My favorite plate lunch is served at 'Rainbows Drive-In' near Waikiki Beach. My daughters also love their burgers. For Mexican food try La Bamba’s. But one of my favorite inexpensive restaurants in Waikiki is ‘Seaside Grill.’

Did anyone say Kakaako Kitchen? Ward Centre, across from the new movie theaters. Upscale plate lunches under $10.00. <BR> <BR>Considering the fact that there's always plenty left-overs, Sam Choy's eatery, Breakfast Lunch and Crab. <BR> <BR>For no-frills affordable Chinese food, there are *many* options, but we like Bo-Lai on South King street. Yum!

Thank you for keep up the posts here I am a printing and saving this page. Sam Choy's does breakfast. Does he blend local flavers in his breakfast? What do you think of Egg's n things Waikiki. Always a crowd but I think I have received soupy eggs at least twice.

Sam Choy's Breakfast Lunch & Crab is verrrry local! Make sure you make reservations. They also serve local beer. <BR> <BR>My friends say Eggs N Things is worth the wait. If you're looking for something like THAT for breakfast, I like the Original Pancake House on Kapiolani Boulevard (near McKinley High School in the Blackfield Building). In that same area is a place called Harry's Cafe, which is the "home of the 99 cent breakfast." She''s got Kim Chee Fried Rice that definitely goes straight to your thighs!!! (That's not 99 cents, though.) <BR>

funny Melissa thanks.

What is chocolate Mochi where can I get some on Oahu?

Ditto Ahi's in Laie. Wisteria in Honolulu is Japanese - inexpensive bowls of good noodle soup. For the BEST hamburgers - Kua Aina Sandwich in Haleiwa. If you're driving from Honolulu up thru the middle of the island, it'll be on the right just before you get to Matsumoto's. Look for the smoke, and you'll smell it. There's a small parking lot in the back.

Wailana Coffee House is the place at Kalia and Ala Moana that one post mentioned. I've had both good and bad experiences there. Personally, I think Korean food is the tastiest inexpensive food available in Hawaii.

You can get chocolate mochi (and haupia mochi, too!) at Fujiya--454 Waikamilo Road. Call them ahead at 808-845-2921. They close at around 3 in the afternoon, so get there early....also they are closed on some odd day, like Wednesday or Thursday. Their mochi is very soft & silky when you eat it that day. You can also buy some other local snacks there. <BR> <BR>Please be careful not to run over their big fat cat, who likes to lie around in the tiny parking lot! <BR> <BR>Chikaramochi at 1341 River Street (533-4744) also closes early and on weird days. They have tropical flavored mochi in addition to the traditional kind and it's also pillow-soft when eaten fresh.

what area is Waikamilo Road in? This mochi place sounds special would not happen to be near that famous manpua place---one with the pink boxes? Your advice is so homy thanks to everyone. Glad to get that Haleiwa burger info. Celeste I also love the Korean food.

<BR>Waikamilo Road stretches from Nimitz to Kalihi---very industrial area. I think I usually drive along Nimitz and then turn right on Waikamilo. At that point, you have to drive up the street just a little bit and turn left to Fujiya. Best if you have a navigator in the car looking to the left so you can spot it...it's ver small and set in from the street. If you overshoot it, you can always make a U-turn....Waikamilo is set up for U-turns...and drive back to it. <BR> <BR>Not sure if the famous manapua place you want is the Royal Kitchen in the Chinese Cultural Plaza? Drive on Vineyard Boulevard and turn left on Maunakea. OR drive on Beretania and turn right on Maunakea. The other famous manapua place is Char Hung Sut, right in Chinatown (about a block from the Cultural Plaza) on Pauahi Street.

Melissa: You ARE the O`ahu food diva! (and all this knowledge from someone who stays so slim..!) I have been looking for a good mochi source since Hawaii's Best Desserts closed down at Ala Moana. They used to bring in fresh strawberry mochi from Hilo. So I'm off to Fujiya's asap. Thanks! :) <BR>k

SLIM? After I did the last post, I sat back with regret and thought, "All the people reading my posts can just imagine my cottage cheese butt! ~sigh~" So I went and ran up Tantalus this morning to make up for it! Tell me how you like the Fujiya's mochi! The lady there is really nice. <BR> <BR>When did they close Hawaii's Best Desserts? Yikes! I haven't been downstairs at Ala Moana for a while, so I guess I missed the closing.....

really Melissa this could be a quick little book you could make some money on. I never new about the mochi except for mochi coated ice cream at Hungry Lion.

For great Italian food, try Aracino's on Beachwalk. <BR>Food is just great and the prices are reasonable. <BR>Have eaten at Perry's, but last year found the food not that great. I have been to Oahu three times, but was disappointed this time with their food. <BR>

Eve your problem might be that you are looking for European food that is an east coast mainland thing. If you want great food on Oahu you need to think Polynesian or even more so Asian.

Love this post! Making first trip to Hawaii (North Shore Oahu) next month; spending one day seeing Chinatown. What recommendations for best, casual, and inexpensive dining in Chinatown?

up up up

Lots of good places to eat in the Chinese Cultural Plaza at 100 N. Beretania (where the Royal Kitchen is, previously mentioned). All casual, all inexpensive. <BR>* Forum Cafe has become a college hangout. Love their chicken salad! <BR>*Legends is great for dim sum. If you're a vegetarian, they own the Buddhist vegetarian restaurant across the hallway. <BR>*China House on the second floor has a LOT of dim sum, but they are so busy that service can be a problem. <BR>*Doong Kong Lau--I haven't eaten there in a while, but I used to like their lemon chicken. <BR>*Other Chinese restaurants in the plaza are all really good, but it's hard to describe here in detail. If you're totally into Chinese food in Honolulu, you can email this guy at [email protected] --he does extensive research on that stuff and gave me the scoops on when certain restaurants were closing. <BR> <BR>I also like Mei Sum on Pauahi Street, but it's really crowded at noon -- especially on Sundays, after church. A new restaurant across the street from them is (I believe) Little Village, which serves a lot of old-fashioned Chinese fare mixed in with contemporary. Not sure how much English they speak as I didn't really interact with the staff much except to ask for condiments (no free-flowing hot mustard or chili oil here, people).

I love this post! Keep up the good work!

Go here: <BR>http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/sp...1/anytime.html

for another thread....

topping for ScotC

the manapua place with the pink boxes...maybe libby's in kalihi? can't remember exactly where, but nearer the nimitz side. there's also island manapua (mmm, i can almost taste dim sum). this page has made me very hungry for 'local' food ... i now live in england, and am getting tired of having to make my own plate lunches. try sizzler's pearlridge for 'regular' food on the salad bar, or you can always head to makai market food court at ala moana shopping center to please all tastes. especially good after a jog/swim at magic island.

Lani, Zippy's has a website now. You can order manapua online although it is probably not as good as Libby's. I think you are right on that name. <BR> <BR>Oh, by the by I tried the black bean dungess crab at Won Kee and yes it was a great dish. Hungry Lion had great Saimin also but our hula bowls were over cooked this time. I have to say I have never really liked Zippy's but so many people go I am tempted to order online. How is the Saimin at Zippy's I try to avoid the over salted kinds.

hi rebecca, <BR> <BR>thx for the info re: zippy's online. had a look, they only ship to the US. sigh. their saimin tastes like S&S to me, only slightly salty. for ramen my brother takes me to this place near tower record's that has tan tan ramen. yum! <BR> <BR>someone posted mini garden in chinatown. my sister says it looks different now, and not as good as before. anyone else with that experience? it was my favorite place for noodles.

How is Saimin different that ramen, I always wanted to know this. One thing I have been able to find in LA but have had difficulty finding in NY are fish broth broths with soba. This is Japanese and availble in fast food Japanese joints in Hawaii and LA but I can't find here. It has been so long since I had that I can not locate. I went to the food court in alamoana mall but was very put off by the way they have extended the seating there, far too crowded. <BR> <BR>Anyway more suggestions would be helpful. Hard to find quality chinese food in England, yes? I have seen a few restaurants in Zagat's mentioning Pacific Rim cuisine in London. I lived there for a year and have made trips back.