Fodor's Expert Review Honolulu Museum of Art Café

The Honolulu Museum of Art's cool courtyards and galleries filled with works by masters from Monet to Hokusai are well worth a visit and, afterward, so is this popular lunch restaurant. The open-air café is flanked by a burbling water feature and 8-foot-tall ceramic "dumplings" by artist Jun Kaneko—a tranquil setting in the shade of a 75-year-old monkeypod tree in which to eat your salade niçoise (featuring seared coriander-crusted ahi) or fork-tender filet mignon sandwich with dijon-caper relish. You'll rub shoulders with a who's who of the local art and business communities. Reservations are recommended (seating times are every 15 minutes 11:30–1:30, Tuesday–Saturday). There's $10 corkage if you choose to bring some wine or bubbly to accompany your lunch, or skip the corkage and order from their limited but adequate selection. There is no museum admission charge to eat at the café.