I don't like to have a budget but in planning I usually think about 10-12 for breakfast if it is not a light breakfast (I can't eat omlettes every morning), 10-15 for lunch and 25 for dinner. I never spend all off that. I find in warmer climates I don't eat a lot. That would be my figure if I were on Oahu. If I were on a condo a lot less, cooking tuna, chicken laulau ($3 a pop), huli huli chicken from roadside bbq pit (windward Oahu near bellows beachpark). I might have one or two nights in highend restaurants but I never run up bar tabs and rarely get app. and dessert unless I am sharing. I just can't eat and drink all that. I usually plan on a few nights out (those nights $50 for myself) but when the time comes to go out I usually am just not motivated. Usually caught up in outdoor activities from the day, too tired at the end of the day to get dressed and primp for dinner. Also one rich meal after the next just does not work for me.

Don't know where you are coming from but I don't see a jump in grocery prices from the mainland and the islands. I travel with people people from rural Southern NJ and they don't see the jump either. So I pay what I would pay had I stayed home that week. With restaurants there is a slight jump but so slight I hesitate to even mention. Just don't know where in NYC you can get a meal similar to Roy's for the price.

I find meals that are of a lesser quality for higher costs in Manhattan. I think an entree at Roy's for $25 and 18 even is a steal. I have paid $40 for bland and pretty on a plate in Manhattan. Want a better idea? Go online and look at menus. I find menus for the smallest places on Kauai, on line.

Also great deals in China town and around the island. Get a zagats Hawaii, I think they updated it this year.

To be @realpeople.com:

If you were literate enough to understand keeping it real's last post, you would have noticed the word "certain" prior to Caymus and Turley. And yes, there are "certain" Turley productions that are provided to restaurants only through the distributor. And many consumers live in states where Turley and every other California vinter cannot legally ship wines into (including your "friend", Mr. Fahey) (It also confirms the fact that your husband really doesn't know squat about wines.)

BTW, you really should spend more time off of the computer and taking care of your husband. Makes you wonder what he does with all his free time while you sit here on the web arguing with fifteen-year olds who are home for the summer and posing as wealthy world travelers.

No, you lose, loser. You can still call a wine retailer and have him ship your precious cases of Caymus anywhere. It's not hard to figure out. How do you make it through the day?

Oh, and how do you suggest I "take care" of my husband while he is at work? He has a job you know. Not very professional to have one's wife lurking about the office in a trench coat and saran wrap. What a twit!

Can we get back to the original question please?????????

Okay what. I was just having so much fun argueing with 15 year old schoolboys. Sure beats doing laundry.

Hi Laura, it is expensive to eat your big meal at night...so plan your travels to end at a really good restaurant at lunchtime, ie Mama's Fish House, where you save $$ & get a smaller portion.
When we lived in Hawaii, we found lunches were much the way to go, or we had a deal with coupons, such as Ent card. If I were on vacation, I'd go for the lunches & try to limit my dinners to 1 or 2 as celebrations. Hawaii isn't necessarily about eating as much as the aloha of being there...the beauty of the place, as well as the wonderful breezes that caress you constantly...so eat outside & drink in the view & don't worry so much about having the most expensive meal you can find. After all Hawaii is the US & while there are lots of great places to eat there, you can find most of it back home.
I do stress having some Pacific Rim food. Roy's or Sam Choy's (I know Sam serves lunch)...even a mixed plate, some dim sum at a Chinese place. If you are planning a luau, then you will have a lot of Hawaiian delicacies there.
Most of all, enjoy your vacation.
Aloha, Linda

Linda, your post was lovely. After all this Arguing among people I found your post to be light and airy. Thank you

Umm, am I blind, or is there no post above from anyone named Linda?
Laura, have you been dipping into the expensive wine a little too liberally????

I guess you're blind, jbj.

jbj
Now don't you feel silly? The post I was replying to was signed by Linda. Put your glasses on and take another peek. How much do you spend on meals while on vacation jbj? They do have menu's in brail just for people like you.

Laura, now don't YOU feel silly????

Shouldn't someone who "loves to fine dine" and spends $500 a day on meals in Hawaii at least be able to spell? Or are you too busy spending all your money on food to have ever been able to attend school or pick up a book or even CARE about anything having to do with a blind person or a less-fortunate person. Just keep on fine-dining and throwing your money away, honey. Hope you read lots of good "menu's" and that none of them are in "brail".

jbj-What is up your butt? You are the one who accused Laura of too much wine and Linda was the poster she so kindly responded too. Are you a troll jbj? Laura only agreed with $500.00 per day. She did not say that is what she spent. What did she mis-spell jbj? Do you have an IQ of over 25? Are you perhaps a little green with envy?

We just go with what we feel like eating that day. If we feel like eating gourmet then we will spend what it takes. If we feel like a burger, then we eat a burger. Some days we feel like breakfast and some days we don't. I guess if I had to put a figure on it I would say about $200.00 per day or mayby a bit more.

Can't imagine keeping track of these details while on vacation. We eat and drink what we want, when we want and the price is not the driving force. Don't have a clue. We put it on the credit card and write a check to the credit card company when we get back. Balance back to zero. What kind of cash flow do you all have that you have to worry about how much to spend while on vacation?

Maybe we're different, but we do not do any shopping or other purchases while vacationing so our spending money is on food and drink. Figure with the internet making the world so small now, we can buy anything we want at any time without spending our vacation money.

Breakfast:
eggs-and-things: pancakes, eggs and coffee for $4. Best pancakes in town. Very crowded, so go early.
Zippy in Hawaii Kai (you will find it in many places, but Hawaii Kai has one by the water). Cost about $8 - eg. omelete and coffee. Good view, good service, good food. There is one close to the Zoo near Diamond head. Like the location too. Good Atmosphere.
Fort Street Cafe: Cost under $5. Vietnamese Style. Yummy...
Hungry Lion: Good Yummy local style breakfast. $6-$7

Lunch/Dinner:
Legend Seafood for Dim Sum. $10-15. Delicious, famous location, very very crowded. Go around 11:30am. Close at 2:30pm
Chai's at Aloha Tower. $20-25. Try the fish there - like opakapaka, ono, mui
ono (hawaiian food). $8
Downtown Area (fort street, bishop street) - plenty of choices that costs from $3 to $6. Good food everywhere.
Dynasty on Ala Moana Blvd. $10-15. Try the Peking duck.
Fook Yuen Seafood on Kapiolani. Very close to waikiki. $10-15.
Old Spaghetti Factory $10.
Vietnamese Restaurant near China Town. $5 - $7 food only.
China town - plenty more cheap good food. If you like roast ducks, try Nam Fong Restaurant on Maunakea Street. Long wait, but worth it. Go before 12 noon. I usually go around 9:30am for my lunch. the last time I paid $11.95 for the whole duck.
Ruth Chris Steak House. $30-50
Roy's $20-30. This is a must.
Alan Wong's Restaurant. This is also a must. $20-30
Halekulani Hotel - good, romantic restaurants here. $40-50


Most of these places are away from Tourist area. If you wonder around downtown or China Town, you will find plenty (I mean plenty) of cheap, good food.

My husband and I love Maui and we love to eat good food. But, we can't eat too much at one time, so we've found the best solution for us is to share an entree and share a dessert at lunch and dinner. Portions are usually quite large and we have plenty of food. We have eaten at Hula Grill and Lelani's at Whaler's Village, Ruth's Chris Steakhouse in Lahaina, Roy's at Kapalua and in Kihei, just to name a few really great restaurants. For breakfast, we usually have the buffet breakfast at our hotel. The only time we didn't share an entree was at Mama's Fish House. The food was just too darn good to share!

I was absolutely shocked and horrified when I got my hotel bill. For my husband and I, we averaged about $120 a day and we ate dinner out every night. Very, very pricey!!!