55 Best Restaurants in Hawaii, USA

This food truck in the Manuhealii parking lot serves delicious, made-to-order malasadas (Portuguese doughnuts) that are crispy and dark brown on the outside and soft, chewy, and sweet on the inside. They're also denser than those found at some other bakeries on the island. This means that they're probably more authentic to the original Portuguese recipe.

Follow a narrow beach pathway (between The Cheesecake Factory and Outrigger Waikiki Beach Resort) lined with surfboards to reach this takeout spot specializing in banán, a frozen, vegan-friendly dessert made with local bananas and containing no added sugar. Other snack options include smoothies, smoothie bowls, and ulu (breadfruit) waffles. Try the “Riss Moore” flavor, filled with tropical fruits and named after surfer Carissa Moore, the 2020 Olympic gold medalist and five-time world champion. There's no seating here, but Banán is steps from the beach and the main drag in Waikiki. 

From its upstairs, open-air dining room decorated with kitschy surfer chic, this restaurant invites customers to enjoy views of the pier and a bustling corner of Alii Drive. Fortunately, an excellent, extensive menu makes it well worth a stop; fresh fish plates including fish tacos are a sure bet. The clam chowder is some of Kona's best. Try the smashburger (a cooking technique that adds flavor while reducing grill time) or the marinated sirloin or New York strip. Death by Chocolate is the dessert to die for. They also serve breakfast from 7 until noon, and there's a happy hour, as well as live music nightly. Great prices keep the locals coming in. 

Unquestionably the fanciest spot in Honokaa, this cozy Italian bistro known for its pizza and other options feels like you've taken a step into Florence. Wood details, a full bar, travertine finishes, warm woods, antique furnishings, pendant lighting, and a fantastic stone pizza oven combine to create a thoroughly welcoming atmosphere. On the menu, pizzas and calzones dominate, but there is a full selection of pastas, salads, and sandwiches. Prices are surprisingly affordable. Local entertainers play on weekends.

Ocean breezes flow through this open-air restaurant on Alii Drive, known for a quality menu infused with Cajun and island influences. Almost all dishes are made to order and feature non-GMO, hormone-free, or USDA-certified organic ingredients. A must-try is the seafood pesto puff pastry on the appetizer menu, and for dinner the steak house pasta (creamy mushroom pasta topped with a New York strip steak) is a good bet. Signature cocktails blend freshly muddled fruit and fresh juices with no commercial mixes. With happy hour daily from 3 to 5 and live entertainment nightly, Foster's Kitchen is a cool spot to enjoy a sunset cocktail or late-night libation. It's a good sign that you see a lot of locals here; it's got an elevated reputation among residents. 

Overlooking Hilo Bay from its towering perch on the waterfront, this popular, upscale restaurant with great water views has a sophisticated second-floor dining room that looks like it's straight out of Manhattan. A sushi bar complements the excellent selection of fresh fish, pork, beef, and vegan options. Premium wines and sake are available.

Fourth-generation descendants of Japanese sugarcane workers own and operate this casual café, set on the edge of a 140-acre farm north of the food truck village. Menu items include panini, pizzas, wraps, salads, iced drinks, and smoothies, all filled with homegrown ingredients, from lilikoi (passion fruit) and cacao to açai and sweet papaya; enjoy your meal or snack at outdoor shaded tables near a tree-studded lawn and gardens.

For years, this legendary diner near Banyan Drive between the airport and the hotels has been a gathering place for Hilo residents and visitors. Breakfast is the main attraction: Ken's serves 11 types of pancakes, plus all kinds of fruit waffles (banana, peach) and popular omelets, like Da Bradda, teeming with meats. The menu features 180 other tasty local specialties (loco moco [meat, rice, and eggs smothered in gravy]; tripe stew; oxtail soup) and American-diner-inspired items.

Talk about "farm to table"––Kokee Lodge grows much of its own produce, and the tables are handmade from local lumber. Local beef is used for loco mocos (white rice topped with a hamburger patty, brown gravy, and fried egg) and burgers, which can be served on fresh greens with house-made dressings; a veggie strata or a kalua pork plate, with Kokee plum barbecue sauce, is a perfect hot lunch on chilly days. Hikers have every excuse to carb load with locally famous corn bread or to refuel with pie by the fire. There's a full bar, espresso counter, and live music, too. Peruse the gift shop for "Hunt Pig" T-shirts, postcards, and mountain memorabilia.  Ask about the occasional chef's dinners.

Spend a sweet afternoon learning about the chocolate-making process during the Kuia Chocolate Factory Experience, a 90-minute tour of this confectioner's operations for guests ages 10 and up, followed by the chance to taste some of Maui’s best chocolate. If you have smaller children in tow and/or are short on time, you can head straight for the café for a hand-mixed chocolate shake, a hot chocolate or a coffee, and a treat from the bakery case. You can also embark on a chocolate-tasting flight, and then customize a box of chocolates to take home. Profits from sales and the tour benefit local charities, including major contributions to fire-relief efforts.

This open-air restaurant at the Westin Hapuna Beach Resort has high ceilings and a lanai that overlooks the pool and the sandy-white shores of gorgeous Hapuna Beach. The focus is on the freshest seafood, and the small-plate appetizers and main course options also showcase a bounty of Big Island ingredients infused with Mediterranean influences. Try the seared scallops with garden ulu gnocchi. Other highlights are a charcuterie and crudo bar and an artisan bread nook. Arrive early for the best table—lines begin forming before the 5:30 pm seating time.

The "M" and "W" team of husband-and-wife chefs Michelle Karr-Ueko and Wade Ueko combine their collective experience (20 years alongside chef Alan Wong, a side step to the famed French Laundry, and some serious kitchen time at comfort food icon Zippy's) to create a uniquely local menu with a decidedly upscale twist. Michelle's flair for sweets has resulted in a dessert menu as long as the main one, including tropical fruit creamsicle brûlée, an MW candy bar, and the frozen lilikoi (Hawaiian passion fruit) soufflé.

Every item on the modern American menu at this small, sophisticated, James Beard Award–nominated restaurant is carefully concocted and artfully plated. You can order à la carte or indulge in the pricey tasting menu at the Chef's Counter. The same owners also operate the swanky bar Podmore, nearby.

One of Makawao's landmarks is this mom-and-pop shop, which has changed very little over the last century. If you arrive early enough, you can get an incredible "stick" doughnut, cream-filled malasadas, or delicious cream puffs. The store makes hundreds daily but sells out.

Popular for a predinner gathering or a full evening out, this trendy wine bar on Koloa's main street has great flights and small bites, and has added a few larger entrées that change seasonally. A venture run by the daughters of the owner of the wineshop next door, it offers knowledgeable non-snooty service and an extensive list of wines, beers, and spirits. Nibble and sip in the cozy farmhouse-style bistro or out on the sheltered veranda. This is a good spot for a small private event, too.

Shave ice and ice cream in every imaginable flavor can be found at the ideal spot, close to the resort coast beaches. Prepare to wait in line for 15–20 minutes as you ponder your options, but don't fret: it's worth it.

A long-time local favorite, the elegant, inviting bistro is a classic Italian restaurant offering an extensive range of pastas, antipasti, mains, and really excellent desserts. Consider the ravioli del giorno followed by vitello (veal) cooked with a variety of sauces. Top off your meal with a dessert specialty: crème brûlée.

Beautifully designed, this venue provides a relaxed and elegant setting for alfresco dining near the sand, with its boardwalk-style deck and enormous vaulted ceiling. The menu features brick-oven pizzas, gnocchi with Keahole lobster, seafood entrées, steak, and farm-fresh salads. The tropical Peletini martini is a favorite, and at dinner, the premium wine list includes the Beach Tree's own signature reds and whites. Live Hawaiian music is featured nightly. Reservations are highly recommended. 

Townspeople parade by outdoor tables, and local paintings and photos line interior walls at this cheery restaurant, a Lanai City institution that offers simply prepared, consistently tasty food. Breakfast options include the Lanai omelet with Portuguese sausage, lunch selections range from burgers—with house-made patties and buns—to saimin noodles, and, for dinner, you can sample generous portions of shrimp tempura or roasted pork. Phone ahead for takeout.

Visitors enjoy stopping here before or after a morning of snorkeling at Kealakekua Bay, and for good reason: the views of the Honaunau Coast from this roadside restaurant are nothing short of drop-dead stunning. This place is best for breakfast or a quick bite, as overpriced mains can miss; but if you're in the mood for a Hawaiian smoothie, iced honey-mocha latte, or scone, it's worth the stop. It can get crowded, and parking is tricky and limited, so you may need to plan carefully or get there early.

Just five minutes from Waikiki's hotels is chef Kelvin Ro's one-stop food shop—indispensable if you have accommodations with a kitchen or want a quick grab-and-go meal. Join surfers, beachgoers, and Diamond Head hikers at the takeout window to order gourmet sandwiches and plates, such as hand-shaped burgers, portobello mushroom sandwiches, Korean kalbi ribs, and grilled ahi with wasabi-ginger sauce, rice, and salad. Selections include sandwiches, bento boxes, and salads. Don't miss the bakery: locals love this place for the giant scones and desserts like lemon crunch cake. You can also pick up wine, beer, and soft drinks.

The largest open-air tiki bar in Kona has the absolute best view of Kailua Bay in town. This is the perfect spot to relax with a pupu (appetizer) such as the coconut-crusted shrimp or "Hapa" poke bowl, or to dig into something more substantial like the kiawe wood–smoked prime rib. The Breezeway Lounge is excellent for watching giant surf or breaching whales, and Don's hosts first-rate Hawaiian performers on Thursdays. During happy hour from 4 to 6, the famous mai tais are only $8; the pina coladas are $9. Save room for dessert; the mud pie is deliciously sinful, or order one of the luscious dessert coffees.

Though it may seem like a tourist trap, this ocean-side restaurant does not disappoint, thanks to the quality of its food and an ambience steeped in Hawaiian history, with memorabilia that nods to famed surfer Duke Kahanamoku throughout. The seafood menu is downright astounding, and the famous Hula Pie—macadamia nut ice cream on a cookie crust served with hot fudge—might have you rushing to get to dessert. Resist the temptation to eat and run, though, so that you can linger over dinner and drinks while enjoying nightly live music.

In the heart of Historic Kailua Village, the open-air Hawaii location of the popular Monterey, California restaurant offers an expansive menu for breakfast, lunch, and dinner in a vintage building with a bayfront view. Inventive fresh-fish specials as well as simple fish-and-chips are among the local favorites. The lunch menu is tantalizing, especially the seafood entrées. There's also a comprehensive wine list, plus a happy hour menu chock full of great choices and prices.

An open-air lanai offers a breathtaking view of the golf course and the majestic backdrop of Iao Valley and the West Maui mountains at this fantastic addition to Maui's culinary scene. The menu takes you on a trip to Buenos Aires, with an assortment of emparedados (sandwiches); house-made chimichurri; and tomahawk, ribeye, sirloin, and skirt steaks, as well as lamb and chicken.

A Kona icon since 1969, family-owned Huggo's is one of the few restaurants in town with prices and atmosphere comparable to the splurge restaurants at the Kohala Coast resorts. Dinner offerings sometimes fall short, considering the prices, but the pupus (appetizers) and small plates are usually a good bet. If you're on a budget or just want lunch, Huggo's on the Rocks, next door, is a popular outdoor bar in the sand, and the burgers are pretty darn good, too. It's also Kailua-Kona's hot spot for cocktails and live music nightly.

Hidden lakeside at the Kings' Shops, this little takeout place is a best-kept secret in the Waikoloa Beach Resort. The combo baskets brim with tempura fresh-catch fish, chicken, shrimp, and more. Grab a table beneath the gazebo and enjoy assorted appetizers, salads, soups, sandwiches, and desserts while taking in the view.

Serving up delicious coffee made with Hawaii-grown and -roasted beans, Kai Coffee Hawaii is an island favorite and has several locations. Featuring various coffee styles (including pour over and French press), this is a trusted spot for a fresh cup of gourmet brew or other beverages, such as hibiscus iced tea. It's known for açai bowls and crepes as well. This location in the Alohilani Resort faces Waikiki Beach.

With its oceanfront location close enough for diners to feel the salt spray, Kai's is a fun, casual dining experience. Just pick a table, then order and pay online; they bring your meal to your table. In the morning, you can fill your paper coffee cup with limitless amounts of coffee at the self-serve station. For lunch and dinner, choose from the "plancha" burgers such as the smashburger or one of the gourmet pizzas with goofy names like Mango Tango or Funkai Funghi. Owned by the same company as Huggo's and Lava Lava Beach Club, Kai's prices are pretty good considering its spot right on the water. 

Folks love this roadside café—especially at breakfast and lunch, though it's good for dinner, too—for its casual neighborhood feel and lengthy menu with omelets, sandwiches, burgers, and plenty more. Lots of Kauai products are used here, including Anahola Granola, fruit for smoothies, fresh-caught fish, and coffee, which you can also buy by the pound. Takeout is an option. This is a solid choice, with vegetarian and gluten-free options, in an area with limited restaurants.