101 Best Restaurants in Hawaii, USA

Delicious artisan sandwiches, classic burgers, and signature items make 808 on Main a local favorite. The pupus, cocktails, and draft beers will make you wish the place was open later (10–3 pm). Check out its counterpart, 808 Deli in Kihei, for breakfast, paninis, and gourmet hot dogs.

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.

This popular spot began as a French–Vietnamese bakery on Oahu and has branched into popular small restaurants sprinkled throughout the Islands, with some locations set up as kiosks in malls and others, like this one, as stand-alone spots with a few picnic tables out front. Vietnamese pho (soup laden with seafood or rare beef, fresh basil, bean sprouts, and lime) shares menu space with local-style saimin and plates of barbecue or spicy chicken, beef, pork, or local fish served with jasmine rice.

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. 

This tiny place is the real deal. Yes, your tab might be a bit high, but it will be worth it because authentic, always-fresh poke doesn't get better than this. Enjoy bowls that include two selections of poke, one side, and a scoop of rice. The plates offer more choices. Try the award-winning Wet Hawaiian, which incorporates roasted kukui nuts or the Spicy Garlic Sesame, made with spicy Hawaiian chili pepper, garlic, and sesame seeds. Occasionally you will see a "Closed—Gone Fishing" sign on the door but consider that a good thing. They catch much of the fish themselves, sometimes the same day they serve it.

It figures that the best laulau (pork or chicken wrapped in taro leaves and steamed) in West Hawaii can be found at a roadside hole-in-the-wall rather than at an expensive resort luau; in fact, this humble family-run eatery was featured on the Food Network's The Best Thing I Ever Ate. Plate lunches to go include tender chicken or pork laulau, steamed for up to 10 hours. The kalua (earthen oven–roasted) pig and cabbage is delicious, and the lomil omi salmon features vine-ripened tomatoes. Owners John and Janice Kaaloa grind their own poi sourced from taro in Hilo and Waipio.

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.

Stop at this James Beard–nominated Molokai institution for morning coffee, a loco moco (white rice, burger patty, fried egg, and brown sauce), and some Molokai bread—a sweet, pan-style white loaf that makes excellent cinnamon toast. Prices are nice, and portions are large—breakfast can easily carry you through lunch. By night, the famous "Hot Bread Lane" is a Molokai institution—sniff your way down the alley behind the store around 7:30 pm to find the hidden bakery window and grab a loaf of tomorrow's bread right out of the oven. This quest is a crucial Molokai experience—your reward is fresh, warm, tasty bread full of your choice of toppings like tropical jelly, cream cheese, cinnamon, and more.

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.

Slow down as you drive through the little roadside village of Olowalu so you don't miss this adorable farmhouse-chic restaurant and pie shop, where everything is prepared with care. All the breads are house-made and excellent, and most ingredients are sourced locally—you can't go wrong with a sandwich or a burger with Kula onions for lunch or comfort food like pot pies for an early dinner. Take note if you're in a rush: this is a big fan favorite, and lines are often very long.

A cozy, romantic space with a slightly sophisticated (for the North Shore) vibe, Maya’s serves up classic Spanish and Mediterranean dishes with island twists, including a variety of tapas as well as some larger plates. Here, seafood paella is made with local line-caught fish and shrimp, a burger showcases Kunoa beef, and hand-tossed flatbreads come with roasted local veggies and macadamia nut pesto. Sit indoors at a table or the bar or on the patio overlooking the scene at the North Shore Marketplace.

With vintage memorabilia and a bluesy soundtrack as a background, this cool deli in a tiny strip mall has a lot more to offer than the average sandwich shop. Yes, there are gourmet sandwiches, salads, and wraps, but Poi Dog's wide-ranging menu extends to an impressive list of wines, craft beers, ales, and pilsners from all over the world. On the lighter side, they have a great mix of hard ciders as well. But there are also kombuchas, coffees, and other nonalcoholic beverages to choose from. Hailing from New Orleans, the proprietors love to bring a touch of the Big Easy to Kona, which you'll feel throughout the place. Online ordering is encouraged, and there is even a take-and-bake option. 

With the bar in the front and the dining patio in the back, Quinn's may seem like a bit of a dive at first glance, but this venerable Kona classic serves the best darn cheeseburger and fries in town. Make your already-large burger a "monster" for an additional $4.50. The menu has many other tasty options, such as fish-and-chips and beef tenderloin tips. If time gets away from you on a drive to the north beaches, Quinn's, which stays open until 10, awaits your return with a cheap beer and a basket of fried calamari. Drinks are strong—no watered-down cocktails here. Breakfast is served from 7 to 10:45 during football season, and it's sure to be lively, especially if the Green Bay Packers are involved. Park across the street at the Courtyard King Kamehameha's Kona Beach Hotel and get free 90-minute parking with validation.

The desserts on display will surely make you drool at one of Maui's best bakeries, where every day is cake day, the strawberry Florentines are outrageously good, and the cream horns are renowned. Other more-substantial and equally exceptional breakfast and lunch offerings include everything from mouthwatering pancakes to gourmet sandwiches on house-made bread.

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.

A local institution and icon, this casual place is famous for its malasadas, the puffy, doughy, deep-fried Portuguese doughnuts without a hole, best eaten hot; there are also vanilla, chocolate, and coconut cream-filled versions. For more than a snack, go for the Hawaiian burger, with a fat, juicy slice of sweet pineapple on top; the overstuffed burrito; or some decent house-made pizza. If you visit Honokaa without stopping by, you may regret it.  

Top Chef celebrity Sheldon Simeon opened this trendy lunch counter in a small Kahului warehouse, and it's easy to spot—just look for the line of people waiting in the parking lot. Locals and visitors swarm here for the affordable and ono (delicious) plates of mochiko chicken, pork belly, ulu mac salad, beet box, and garlic shrimp, and although there are only a couple of stools in the restaurant, many people dine on the curb or take their food to-go. Don't forget to ask for some chili pepper water!

Dating from 1922, this historic café surrounded by the verdant Manoa Valley landscape is part of the Hawaii Salvation Army headquarters and has been independently operated by Ross and Stefanie Anderson since late 2018. A short menu of simple, delicious breakfast and lunch items are ordered at the counter and delivered to your chosen table, either inside the cozy, multiroom bungalow or on the covered lanai. The Waioli staff is largely made up of people in recovery from substance abuse who are learning the restaurant and kitchen trade, and a 3% vocational training fee is added to all checks, bringing the former tearoom back to its roots as a kitchen skills program for orphaned girls. There's a cute gift shop and plenty of space to linger in the lushness.

The specialties at this coffee spot are cold brew drinks and "Coff-tails," cold brew shaken with a mixture of milks, creams, and flavors. It's not just the drinks made with coffee roasted in-house that are yummy here: the café serves pastries and cold breakfast items like the Lomi Salmon Bagel, and toasted sandwiches, flatbreads, and salads. The sit-down space is limited at this location, so you might grab and go while exploring the downtown and Chinatown areas. Alii Coffee has two other locations, one in Waikiki and one in Kakaako.

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.

Housed in a former officer’s dining hall right on the west-facing beach at Pokai Bay, the hip, casual, younger sibling of Pearl Harbor’s Restaurant 604 is a great place to stop for a bite before or after a surf session at Makaha or a day trip up the west side to Yokohama Bay. The island-inspired menu focuses on comfort foods and includes everything from poke, burgers, fries, and pizza to traditional island plates with fish and rice. During happy hour and sunset time, locals congregate to watch sports on large-screen TVs and see the golden orb dip into the clear seas.

Established in 1948, this casual spot is famous for its tasty loco moco, prepared in more than three dozen ways (with different meats, chicken, vegetables, and fish), and its low-priced breakfast and lunch specials. The word "restaurant," or even "café," is used loosely—you order at a window and eat on one of the outdoor benches provided—but you come here for the food, prices, and authentic, old-Hilo experience. You can stuff yourself for $5 if you order right.

Smack-dab in the middle of town, this restaurant has a brick, wood-burning oven, which was imported from Italy and which has turned out perfect pies and steaming-hot focaccia for more than 20 years. Ingredients are local and fresh, and portions are generous.

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.

A block from Dole Park, this Northern California–style café offers an umbrella-covered deck where you can sip cappuccinos and get in tune with the slow pace of life. Bagels with lox, deli sandwiches, and pastries are served, while blended espresso shakes and gourmet ice cream complete the coffeehouse vibe.

Fresh, fast, and affordable, Da Crack is everything you could ask for when refueling between outdoor activities. Fill your burrito, bowl, or taco with locally caught fish, traditional beans, house-made salsa, and local avocado guacamole—or many other choices made from scratch—then head back out to eat and explore more of the island.

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.

Get a taste of local Japanese culture at this family operation on the main thoroughfare in Moiliili, a mile or so mauka (toward the mountains) out of Waikiki. Open since 1939, the delicatessen offers take-out breakfasts and lunches, Japanese snacks, noodle dishes, and confections—and it's a local favorite for catering, from parties to funeral gatherings. If you're going on a round-the-island drive, this is a good option to pick up a picnic lunch. Try mochi (sweet rice-flour cakes), shoyu chicken, hash patties, garlic chicken, and Asian-style salads. The folks here are particularly patient and helpful to visitors, but it's only open from 6 to 2.

The Franco family has been perfecting its organic coffee since 1918, growing and handpicking the beans, drying them under the Maui sun, and then roasting them at the coffeehouse. Pop in or order takeout online—the food here truly reflects local culture, with dishes that tutu (grandma) would make for the ohana (family) and baked goods, bagels, and burgers that all hit the spot.