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Oahu is undergoing something of a renaissance at both ends of the dining spectrum. You can splurge on world-class contemporary cuisine at destination restaurants and explore local flavors at popular, very affordable holes in the wall. Whatever your taste and budget, you’ll find places that pique your interest and palate.
You may wish to budget for a pricey dining experience at the very top of the restaurant food chain, where chefs Alan Wong, Roy Yamaguchi, George Mavrothalassitis, Chris Kajioka, and others you've seen on the Food Network and Travel Channel put a sophisticated spin on local foods and flavors. Savor dishes that take cues from Japan, China, Korea, the Philippines, the United States, and Europe, then are filtered through an Island sensibility. Take advantage of the location and order the superb local fish—mahimahi, opakaka, ono, and opah.
Spend the rest of your food dollars where budget-conscious locals do: in plate-lunch places and small ethnic eateries, at roadside stands and lunch wagons, or at window-in-the-wall delis. Snack on a musubi (a handheld rice ball wrapped with seaweed and often topped with Spam), slurp shave ice with red-bean paste, or order Filipino pork adobo with two scoops of rice and macaroni salad.
In Waikiki, where most visitors stay, you can find choices from upscale dining rooms with a view to Japanese noodle shops. When you’re ready to explore, hop in the car, or on the trolley or bus—by going just a few miles in any direction, you can save money and eat like a local.
Kaimuki's Waialae Avenue, for example, is a critical mass of good eats and drinks. There you’ll find an espresso bar, a Chinese bakery, a patisserie, an Italian bistro, a dim-sum restaurant, Mexican food, and a Hawaiian regional-cuisine standout (3660 on the Rise)—all in three blocks, and 10 minutes from Waikiki. Chinatown, 15 minutes in the other direction and easily reached by the Waikiki Trolley, is another dining (and shopping) treasure, not only for Chinese but also Vietnamese, Filipino, Malaysian, and Indian food, and even a chic little tea shop. Kakaako, the developing urban area between Waikiki and Chinatown, also offers a mix of local eateries, upscale restaurants, and ethnic takeout.
Outside Honolulu and Waikiki there are fewer dining options, but restaurants tend to be filled with locals and are cheaper and more casual. Windward Oahu's dining scene has improved greatly in recent years due to the visitors to Kailua and Lanikai beaches, so everything from plate lunches to Latin foods to creative regional offerings can be found there. Across the rest of the island, the cuisine is mainly American—great if you're traveling with kids—but there are a handful of Italian and Asian places worth trying as well.
This hole-in-the-wall storefront was the go-to spot for pho with all the trimmings long before hipsters and foodies found Chinatown. Many Vietnamese restaurants have since opened, and some have surpassed To Chau's quality—it's all in the broth—but eating habits die hard in this city.
Roy Yamaguchi is one of the 12 founding chefs of Hawaiian regional cuisine, a culinary movement that put the state on the foodie map back in 1991. Opened in 1988, his flagship restaurant across the highway from Maunalua Bay is still packed every night—reservations are essential—with food-savvy visitors and well-heeled residents, all of whom come for classics like smoked Szechuan baby back ribs or blackened ahi with soy mustard butter sauce. Local favorites include the miso butterfish and chocolate soufflé (which should be ordered with your entrée). There are also vegetarian and vegan options, not to mention an exceptional wine list. Although the Waikiki branch is busy, it's this original Hawaii Kai location that loyalists return to again and again.
The Ko Olina outpost of Roy’s famed restaurant chain overlooks the 18th hole of the Ko Olina Golf Course and reflects a distinct local vibe, as most of the friendly staff come from this side of the island and exude an authentic aloha spirit. Dine on the Hawaii-Asia-Europe fusion signature dishes of Roy Yamaguchi and the chef’s west side–influenced creations out on the patio or in the iconic wood-beam-and-concrete interior.
Enjoy a taste of modern Hawaiian cuisine from the chef who started it all, Roy Yamaguchi. Situated in the center of Waikiki, the sprawling, stylish restaurant has been serving innovative pan-Asian dishes since 2007 and remains a fan favorite. Today, executive chef Jason Ichiki uses locally sourced ingredients to prepare such delectable signature dishes as spicy ahi hand rolls, ginger soy-glazed ora king salmon, and honey mustard–braised short ribs. Enjoy a multicourse chef’s tasting dinner in the main dining room, sit at the sushi bar, or simply snack on some happy hour pupu plates at the lively bar on the lanai. There’s something for everyone here, including an excellent children’s menu.
If the perfect sunset happy hour means cocktails, bite-size shareable plates, tropical breezes, ocean sounds, and flaming oversize torches, then make it a point to dine at RumFire, situated beachfront in the Sheraton Waikiki. Enjoy such dishes as lemon-herb mahimahi, island fish tacos, and "local style" sesame-ahi poke; sip signature concoctions like the RumFire Mai Tai or the Fire Runner, made with spiced rum and tropical juices. At night, RumFire is a club–lounge that promises an edgy and exciting experience amid fashionable people and exquisite views.
Try to get a coveted seat at the counter, and prepare for an unforgettable sushi experience—if you behave, as chef Seiji Kumagawa prefers that diners eat omakase-style, letting him send out his favorite courses (generally two pieces of sushi or six to eight slices of sashimi), each priced individually and each served with instructions ("please, no shoyu on this one" or "one piece, one bite"). People who've defied Kumagawa have been kicked out of the restaurant midmeal. The parade of dishes, which continues until you cry uncle, always includes the signature California baby squid stuffed with Louisiana crab. Phone calls are not allowed in the restaurant
The community-minded sons and the next generation of a Samoan-Californian couple run this casual eatery across from Shark’s Cove, as well as other locations such as Kahuku and Haleiwa. Surfers and sightseers flock here for burgers, salads, fries, and, in some locations, seafood dishes; this location has outdoor seating.
The original Hopaka Street pub is famous as the place where celebrity chefs gather after hours; this second Kapahulu Avenue location is also popular and closer to Waikiki. Local-style bar food—salty pan-fried pork chops with a plastic tub of ketchup, lup cheong fried rice, and passion fruit–glazed ribs—is served in huge, shareable portions. This is a lively, casual place where you can dress any way you like, nosh all night, and watch loud sports on TV. Pupu (in portions so large as to be dinner) are served daily. It gets crowded quickly, so make a reservation or prepare to wait awhile.
Popular with locals, this casual counter-service spot is just minutes from Waikiki, on trendy Monsarrat Avenue near the base of Diamond Head. It has something for everyone: generous plate lunches (try the wahoo—a type of mackerel—coated with macadamia-nut pesto and served with a tangy slaw), fish tacos, burritos, burgers, ciabatta-roll sandwiches, and entrée salads. Leave room for dessert, especially the Peanut Butter Temptations, a signature treat that sells out every day.
Among the first of a new wave of plate-lunch places to take particular care with quality and nutrition, this breakfast-and-lunch spot in a strip mall offers brown rice and green salad as options instead of the usual white rice and mayo-loaded mac salad. Sweet-and-spicy garlic chicken and mochiko (rice-batter-dipped and fried) chicken, adapted from traditional Japanese dishes, are specialties that bring locals back again and again. Service is quick and cheerful. Sugoi lives up to its name, which means "awesome" or "wow" in Japanese.
Honolulu has its share of Italian restaurants, and Taormina, taking its culinary cues from Sicily, is considered one of the best by foodies, locals, and visitors alike. In a sleek, elegant room (there is outdoor seating, but this is one place it's best to dine indoors), you can dine on well-executed classics, such as porcini risotto with sautéed foie gras and a breaded veal chop "alla Taormina" (the restaurant's take on veal Parmesan). Pastas include spaghetti vongole (with clams), sarde e finochetti (sautéed sardines with fennel, anchovies, olives, and capers), and the trademark uni (sea urchin) with tagliatelle. Don't miss the artfully presented antipasti misti (mixed appetizers). For dessert, go traditional with cannoli or tiramisu. The wine list is extensive, and prix-fixe menus are offered for lunch and dinner.
Sunburned tourists and salty surfers rub shoulders in their quest for Ted's famous chocolate haupia cream pie (layered coconut and dark chocolate puddings topped with whipped cream) and hearty plates such as garlic shrimp, gravy-drenched hamburger steak, and mahi mahi. Parking spots and the umbrella-shaded tables are at a premium, so be prepared to grab and go; if you can't get enough of that haupia goodness, Foodland and other grocery chains typically stock a selection of the famous pies.
This casual eatery with tables inside and outdoors serves authentic Thai dishes in a tiny, unassuming spot in the Sugar Mill complex, next to Seven Brothers. It also operates a food truck nearby and is a good bet when the food trucks have closed for the day.
This new prix fixe dining experience that incorporates local ingredients in a modern way is the creation of Jason Kiyota, who used to head up the fine-dining side of The Food Company in Kailua. The small restaurant, with its mid-century modern–inspired dining room, is tucked behind a discreet black door in the unassuming Kilohana Square strip mall. Inside, you choose from two options on a three-course menu, as well as a small number of add-ons. Come for an upscale date night in a less-visited spot.
The playful atmosphere at this local favorite belies the food quality, originally created by its late founding chef Hideaki "Santa" Miyoshi. Best to just say "omakase, kudasai" ("chef's choice, please"), as Tokkuri Tea delivers creative options that can intimidate at first glance. Just be aware that some of the more rare seafood dishes can cost up to $45 (each). Although other izakaya joints come and go, this one has stood the test of time—and for good reason.
One of the North Shore’s liveliest eateries is set in a casual, contemporary space. It serves Hawaiian-style fare including pupus—from poke bowls and fresh wild-caught moonfish to nachos with ham and kalua pig on wonton chips—as well as pasta dishes, pizza, soups, and salads.
Longtime local favorite Waiola Shave Ice, known for its super-soft and powdery shave ice (or snow cone) and wide variety of flavors, became nationally known through regular appearances on the reboot of the Hawaii Five-0 TV show. It's a fast-moving line, so know your order when you get to the window. Customize your cone with add-ons, such as ice cream, sweetened condensed milk, mochi, and adzuki beans (sweet red beans). The original location on Waiola Street in the McCully neighborhood has even more of an old-school feel.
The Honolulu outpost of the New York–based original serves good steaks that have been dry-aged on-site, as well as classic shrimp cocktails, slabs of Canadian bacon, crab cakes, creamed spinach, broiled jumbo lobster, and the token grilled fish selection. If it sounds like Peter Luger's on the Pacific, then it won't come as a surprise to learn that owner Wolfgang Zwiener was once head waiter at that legendary Brooklyn steak house. Stop by during happy hour for a prix fixe sampler deal, or wander in for lunch and then spend the rest of the day lounging on the beach.
Serving a complete menu until 1 am, this restaurant decorated with photos of food and people who have stopped by offers not only delicious sushi and sashimi around a small bar, but also teishoku (combination menus), tempura, stews, and cook-it-yourself shabu-shabu at tables. The fish can be depended on for freshness and variety.
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