Last spring I flew 7,200 miles between Manchester and Honolulu and feasted myself out on the island in three weeks. Not the hotel buffets. The real stuff.
What you will come across next will be the best restaurants in Honolulu and Oahu as a whole that will find their way into my notebook, listed by what you actually want at the moment, which could be budget, cuisine, occasion and neighbourhood.
What You Need to Know Before Eating in Honolulu
The majority of guides omit this part altogether, which is insane since the Honolulu culture of dining has its own rhythm and rules that surprised me as a British person. Get them wrong and you will have wasted time, money or both.
Reservation, Tipping and Timing
Popularity Two or three weeks in advance, book via OpenTable or Resy. I was taught this and found myself in trouble when I arrived at Senia one Saturday night with the idea of simply taking a seat. Nope. Waiting forty minutes, and that was a stroke of luck.
In Honolulu, tipping is between 18 and 22 per cent and it hurts when you are accustomed to the UK standards. Budget for it. Certain places to eat in Honolulu do not accept credit cards (I am staring at you, Rainbow Drive-In and Helena’s Hawaiian Food) and you should have twenties in your pocket.
The locals take dinner early. At 6 pm, the trendy places are already being crowded. When you do not want to push a table against someone and eat, 5: 30pm or after 8 pm is the time to go. Lunch is where the gold lies; a number of the restaurants that I have listed would cost 30 to 40 per cent less at lunchtime with virtually the same food.
How Hawaiian Food Actually Works
You have never ordered a plate lunch, so here is the offer. You order a protein (kalua pork, chicken katsu, loco moco), which is served with two scoops of sticky rice and a scoop of macaroni salad. Every single time. The mac salad bewildered me initially, but on the third day, I was in the mood to have it.
Poke consists of raw fish (usually ahi tuna) that is sliced into cubes and seasoned. Poke counters are available in petrol stations and supermarkets. Do not laugh, some of the best poke I ever had was at Foodland on Beretania Street. Even the shoyu poke, which costs approximately 5 pounds a generous bowl, was more satisfactory than a number of sit-down restaurants that were charging three times as much.
| Term | What It Means | Where You’ll See It |
| Plate lunch | Protein + 2 scoops rice + mac salad | Casual spots, food trucks |
| Poke | Seasoned raw fish cubes | Counters, supermarkets, restaurants |
| Loco moco | Rice, burger patty, egg, gravy | Breakfast/brunch spots |
| Musubi | Spam on rice wrapped in nori | Convenience stores, snack bars |
| Shave ice | Finely shaved ice with syrups | Dessert stands |
| Malasada | Portuguese-style fried doughnut | Bakeries |
| Lau lau | Pork/fish wrapped in taro leaves | Traditional Hawaiian restaurants |
| Haupia | Coconut milk pudding | Dessert, often on plate lunches |
Best Restaurants in Honolulu for First-Time Visitors
When you do not have much time, and you want to experience what makes the Honolulu food special, you should begin with this place. It is here that I got to know why people travel half a mile around the world to get this food.
Helena’s Hawaiian Food
Helena is as old as it looks and it is. Fluorescent lamps, Formica tables, zero pretension. I had ordered the pipikaula short ribs and the lau lau and I was actually sitting there wondering how I had been missing such food all my life.
The short ribs are smoked, salty, a bit chewy, and absolutely addictive. Cash only. No reservations. Be there before 11 am or take your chances in the line. It shuts down at the end of food, which is normally mid-afternoon. This is the best place to have classic Hawaiian food and I will attest to that.
| Cuisine | Traditional Hawaiian |
| Price | £8–15 per person |
| Address | 1240 N School St |
| Must Order | Pipikaula short ribs, lau lau |
| Reservations | No |
Senia
Senia is located in one of the Chinatown side streets and does one thing I have seldom encountered done very well: fine dining without taking oneself too seriously. The menu is divided into snacks and starters à la carte and a tasting menu. I visited it twice and had something different each time.
The pastry case on the mushroom tart was so perfectly crisp that it irritated me to think of how badly I baked. That kind of technical accuracy wins my respect immediately as one of those who has spent years of his life in the kitchen worrying about pastry ratios. Its tasting menu costs around 120 pounds a head and it is well worth it.
| Cuisine | Modern American/Asian |
| Price | £40–130 per person |
| Address | 75 N King St |
| Must Order | Mushroom tart, duck confit |
| Reservations | Essential, book 2+ weeks ahead |
Marukame Udon
There is always a queue outside Marukame. Always. But the queue is long and in a hurry since you are watching them prepare udon noodles through the glass as you queue up. Fresh noodles, which are cut and boiled on order.
A bowl of hot udon with tempura will cost approximately 6 pounds. Six quid. At the cost of noodles, this good. The broth reeks of the sea and bonito flakes, the consistency of those noodles (thick, chewy, with a slight spring in them) is something you just can not feel in a packet. I attended it four times within three weeks. No shame.
| Cuisine | Japanese udon |
| Price | £4–8 per person |
| Address | 2310 Kūhiō Ave, Waikīkī |
| Must Order | Kake udon with shrimp tempura |
| Reservations | No (queue only) |
Best Food in Oahu on a Budget
The food in Oahu is some of the best, and it is cheaper than a flat white at home. I’m not exaggerating. The food truck and plate lunch culture on the island implies that you can dine brilliantly for less than £10 a meal.
Rainbow Drive-In
Since 1961, Rainbow Drive-In has been serving plate lunches and the formula has not changed because it does not need to. The boneless chicken, mahimahi, and rice plate is approximately £8, and will keep you full all afternoon.
Cash only. Outdoor seating. The type of neighbourhood in which you are resting your elbows on construction workers as they take a lunch break and tourists who have conducted their research. This loco moco with that dark gravy coming around the yolk of the egg is nothing but comfort food, and the dish I miss the most now that I am back in the UK.
| Cuisine | Plate lunch |
| Price | £5–10 per person |
| Address | 3308 Kanaina Ave |
| Must Order | Mixed plate, loco moco |
| Reservations | No |
Romy’s Kahuku Prawns
You will have to drive to the North Shore on this one, but that is the beauty of it. The Romy raise their prawns directly behind the shack in aquaculture ponds. You can see them.
I ordered the garlic butter prawns and they came head-on, shell-on and swimming in garlic. The smell itself would halt traffic. Sloppy to consume, completely worth it and costing approximately £10 a plate. Bring wet wipes. The picnic tables are facing the prawn ponds, which are either beautiful or a bit disturbing to look at depending on your perspective.
| Cuisine | Seafood/food truck |
| Price | £8–12 per person |
| Address | 56-781 Kamehameha Hwy, Kahuku |
| Must Order | Garlic butter prawns |
| Reservations | No |
Pioneer Saloon
The Japanese-Hawaiian comfort food at Pioneer Saloon in Kaimuki costs less than weep over in central London. The curry is fat and highly spiced and is poured over rice with a tonkatsu cutlet that is incredibly crisp. About £9.
The space is tiny. Maybe eight tables. The moment you enter, it smells of frying pork and curry powder. I visited on a Tuesday at 11:30 am and had to wait fifteen minutes to get a table; that is all you need to know about the quality. And it is good, decent food prepared by people who love.
| Cuisine | Japanese-Hawaiian |
| Price | £7–12 per person |
| Address | 3046 Monsarrat Ave |
| Must Order | Curry katsu, garlic ahi steak |
| Reservations | No |
Nice Restaurants in Oahu for Special Occasions
When you are celebrating (anniversary, birthday, or just made it through the ten-hour flight at Heathrow) then Oahu has fine dining that is worth dressing up. These are the good restaurants in Oahu worth the money.
Sushi Sho
Sushi Sho is a small omakase counter in the Ritz-Carlton Residences. Eight seats. That’s it. Chef Keiji Nakazawa offers approximately twenty sushi and sashimi dishes within around ninety minutes.
I have never had an expensive meal like this one. Approximately 250 sterling pounds without drinks. And I would repeat it tomorrow. The nigiri on the otoro melted on my tongue in a manner which I actually did not know fish could. Everything comes one dish at a time, hot rice, fresh fish, consumed right away. No photos. No menu. Just trust.
| Cuisine | Omakase sushi |
| Price | £200–300 per person |
| Address | 383 Kalaimoku St (Ritz-Carlton) |
| Must Order | Chef’s choice (omakase only) |
| Reservations | Essential, book 1 month ahead |
Fête
Fete in Chinatown has a Hawaii Regional Cuisine tasting menu that is literally one of the best dishes I have ever had. Chef Robynne Mai’i won a James Beard Award and you can taste why. Local products with serious technique yet lack of stuffiness.
A single bread dish (warm, a bit sweet, with local butter and honey), was enough to make me relocate to Honolulu forever. Approximately £80 on the tasting menu. The wine matches are considerate and service is friendly and not obtrusive. One of the top restaurants in Oahu easily.
| Cuisine | Hawaii Regional |
| Price | £60–100 per person |
| Address | 2 N Hotel St |
| Must Order | Tasting menu |
| Reservations | Essential |
53 By The Sea
The location of 53 By The Sea is on the beachfront and the sunset scenes are ludicrous. Partially, it is location that you are paying. But the food fortifies.
I attended a birthday dinner and ordered the wagyu steak with a miso butterscotch sauce which never should have worked yet it did. The dining room is entirely floor to ceiling glass, thus each table has the view. Anticipate to incur between £90 and 120 per person. Worth it out of the occasion, not a casual Tuesday.
| Cuisine | Contemporary American |
| Price | £80–130 per person |
| Address | 53 Ahui St |
| Must Order | Wagyu steak, lobster bisque |
| Reservations | Essential |
Where Locals Actually Eat in Honolulu (Skip the Tourist Traps)
All competitor guides that I have read do not answer this question or provide vague answers. Therefore, I interviewed everybody: my Airbnb host, taxi drivers, the woman in the farmers market, and a bartender in Kaimukī. The responses were very similar.
Nico’s Pier 38
Nico is located at the fish auction harbour. Literally. The fish leaves the boats, gets auctioned and ends up on your plate. I was there when it happened. The ahi steak plate lunch of approximately 12 pounds was so fresh that the fish still smelled like the clean ocean and not of fish in any way.
This is filled with locals during lunchtime. The patio is located outdoors and faces the harbour and people eat as the fishing boats pass. There when I was a zero tourist. It is here that the Honolulu food scene really resides, off Waikiki.
| Cuisine | Seafood |
| Price | £10–18 per person |
| Address | 1129 N Nimitz Hwy (Pier 38) |
| Must Order | Ahi steak plate lunch, furikake pan-seared fish |
| Reservations | No |
Ethel’s Grill
Ethel is in Kalihi, nowhere a tourist can chance to go. It is basically a Japanese-Hawaiian diner that has an approximate of 10 tables and a line that begins prior to the opening of the place at 6 am. Yes. 6 am.
I had the fried noodles and the garlic ahi belly and both were extraordinary. The belly of the ahi was burnt, fatty, rich, and it cost approximately £9. The whole restaurant is filled with the fragrance of garlic and sesame oil. Those who reside in Honolulu frequent this place once a week, that is the best recommendation I can give.
| Cuisine | Japanese-Hawaiian |
| Price | £7–13 per person |
| Address | 232 Kalihi St |
| Must Order | Garlic ahi belly, fried noodles |
| Reservations | No (first-come, first-served) |
Waiahole Poi Factory
This one involves a drive towards the Windward side. It is in a little wooden structure with taro fields all round. They prepare their own poi (pounded taro root) there. The fresh poi does not have any taste of the grey paste I had been used to seeing in the tourist photographs; it is slightly sweet, earthy, and its purple colour is lovely.
Here the laulau is made with actual taro leaves, and it is steamed until the pork disintegrates. Approximately 10 pounds a plate. It took me 45 minutes to come here and would gladly repeat the experience. In case you want to know more about Hawaiian food than what you get at the resorts, this is where you will get it.
| Cuisine | Traditional Hawaiian |
| Price | £8–14 per person |
| Address | 48-140 Kamehameha Hwy, Kaneohe |
| Must Order | Fresh poi, laulau, kulolo |
| Reservations | No |
Best Restaurants Oahu Beyond Honolulu
The majority of guides claim that Oahu ends at Waikiki. It doesn’t. My favorite meals occurred not in Honolulu at all, and had I rented a car (which I highly recommend), these are restaurants worth the trip in Oahu Hawaii.
North Shore: The Elephant Truck
Disregard the expensive Giovanni shrimp trucks that all blogs advise. The Elephant Truck located just outside Haleiwa serves Thai-inspired dishes out of a modified lorry and it is spectacular. The noodles were well spiced with chilli and were drunken and cost me a bit less than £9.
This happened to me as I sought a place to have a meal after surfing in the Sunset Beach (poorly). The truck is situated in a small parking place, few picnic benches, and the food is prepared by order. Good wok-fired taste, not cool buffet food. One of the most best food in Oahu experiences of the trip.
| Cuisine | Thai-inspired |
| Price | £7–11 per person |
| Address | Haleiwa, North Shore |
| Must Order | Drunken noodles, Thai iced tea |
| Reservations | No |
Kailua: Moke’s Bread and Breakfast
The does a lilikoi pancake (passionfruit) that Moke makes I am still considering months after. The batter is light and fluffy, lilikoi sauce is both tart and sweet at the same time, and the amount is massive. Approximately 10 pounds stack price.
Kailua is on the Windward side and is in every way the opposite of Waikiki; more peaceful, more domestic, actually beautiful. The fills Moke on weekends quickly so arrive at the establishment before 9am. The banana bread French toast is fine, however, it is the lilikoi pancakes that will justify the drive.
| Cuisine | Breakfast/brunch |
| Price | £8–14 per person |
| Address | 27 Hoolai St, Kailua |
| Must Order | Lilikoi pancakes |
| Reservations | No |
West Side: Monkeypod Kitchen by Merriman
The majority of visitors do not ever get to Ko Olina at the west of Oahu and that is why Monkeypod Kitchen is a heavenly place to be without any crowds as compared to anything at Waikiki. Peter Merriman is the hero of Hawaiian Regional Cuisine and this restaurant embodies his farm-to-table culture.
The pizza is wood-fired and the list of craft beer is outstanding. I ordered the fish tacos and local IPA and paid approximately £20. Even the 40-minute drive to Waikiki was worth it because of the sunset view through the outdoor Lanai. An authentic casual meal with no tourist charge.
Right, I’m a baker. You were aware that I would form some views regarding pastry and dessert scene. And I do. Strong ones.
| Cuisine | Hawaii Regional/American |
| Price | £15–30 per person |
| Address | 92-1048 Olani St, Ko Olina |
| Must Order | Wood-fired pizza, fish tacos |
| Reservations | Recommended for dinner |
Quick-Reference: All 27 Best Restaurants in Honolulu and Oahu
| Restaurant | Cuisine | Price | Area | Best For |
| Helena’s Hawaiian Food | Traditional Hawaiian | £8–15 | Kalihi | First-time Hawaiian food |
| Senia | Modern American/Asian | £40–130 | Chinatown | Special occasion |
| Marukame Udon | Japanese udon | £4–8 | Waikīkī | Quick, cheap, brilliant |
| Rainbow Drive-In | Plate lunch | £5–10 | Kapahulu | Budget eating |
| Romy’s Kahuku Prawns | Seafood | £8–12 | North Shore | Food truck experience |
| Pioneer Saloon | Japanese-Hawaiian | £7–12 | Kaimukī | Curry katsu |
| Sushi Sho | Omakase sushi | £200–300 | Waikīkī | Splurge |
| Fête | Hawaii Regional | £60–100 | Chinatown | Tasting menu |
| 53 By The Sea | Contemporary | £80–130 | Waterfront | Anniversary dinner |
| Nico’s Pier 38 | Seafood | £10–18 | Pier 38 | Fresh fish |
| Ethel’s Grill | Japanese-Hawaiian | £7–13 | Kalihi | Local experience |
| Waiahole Poi Factory | Traditional Hawaiian | £8–14 | Windward | Fresh poi |
| The Elephant Truck | Thai-inspired | £7–11 | North Shore | Best food truck |
| Moke’s Bread & Breakfast | Breakfast | £8–14 | Kailua | Lilikoi pancakes |
| Monkeypod Kitchen | Hawaii Regional | £15–30 | Ko Olina | Sunset dinner |
| Sidestreet Inn | Local favourites | £10–18 | Kapahulu | Late-night, groups |
| Leonard’s Bakery | Bakery | £3–6 | Kapahulu | Malasadas |
| Mud Hen Water | Modern Hawaiian | £20–35 | Kaimukī | Creative local cooking |
| The Pig and The Lady | Vietnamese-fusion | £15–25 | Chinatown | Pho, creative Vietnamese |
| Ono Seafood | Poke | £8–12 | Kapahulu | Best poke counter |
| Highway Inn | Hawaiian | £10–16 | Kaka’ako | Poi, laulau |
| Tonkatsu Tamafuji | Japanese | £8–14 | Kapahulu | Tonkatsu |
| Livestock Tavern | American | £25–45 | Chinatown | Cocktails, brunch |
| MW Restaurant | Hawaii Regional | £30–50 | Kaka’ako | Upscale approachable |
| Uncle Bo’s | Pupu/sharing | £12–20 | McCully | Late-night groups |
| Kono’s | BBQ | £6–10 | North Shore | Pulled pork |
| Waiola Shave Ice | Dessert | £3–5 | McCully | Shave ice done right |
How Much Should You Budget for Food in Honolulu?
This is the question nobody answers honestly. So I tracked every meal I ate for three weeks, and here’s what I spent.
| Budget Level | Daily Spend | What That Gets You |
| Backpacker | £20–30 | Plate lunches, poke from supermarkets, food trucks, musubi from 7-Eleven |
| Comfortable | £50–75 | Mix of casual restaurants and one nicer dinner, plus a shave ice |
| Splurge | £100–150+ | Fine dining dinner, nice lunch, cocktails |
Fine dining dinner, nice lunch, cocktails
My honest recommendation: budget about £50 per person per day and mix your meals between cheap and splurge. That’s the sweet spot.
Best Bakeries and Sweet Spots in Honolulu
Right, I’m a baker. You knew I was going to have opinions about the pastry and dessert scene. And I do. Strong ones.
Leonard’s Bakery
Since 1952 Leonards has been making malasadas and they are the best fried dough I have ever tried outside of Portugal. The simple sugar malasada is served hot, and covered with a light film of sugar, which adheres to the fingers. The dough is inside, squashy and a little bit yeasty and empty inside (which is the point).
I also sampled the haupia (coconut) filled and custard filled. Both good, the plain is king. No need to bother with the flavoured sugars, these make the dough so heavy. About £1.50 each. I bought a dozen.
Liliha Bakery
Liliha is known to their coco puffs (choux pastry with chocolate pudding and topped with Chantilly cream) and they are as delicious as people claim. The pastry itself is airy and light, the filler is good chocolate not that fake stuff.
Their remainder bakery case is also sound. I tried the butter rolls and the guava chiffon cake slice. That was the bounce of the chiffon cake; it was of such a lightness and yet it was moist. Being an expert tropical baker, having made baked more banana coconut cakes to count on my fingers, Liliha does not disappoint.
Waiola Shave Ice
Shave ice is not a snow cone. I must tell you to know this. Snow cones consist of large chunks of ice with syrup on top of them. Shave ice is light, near-powdery ice shaved very fine to have the consistency of fresh snow, then soaked in syrup with optional ice cream and azuki beans beneath.
Waiola does the best on the island. I visited Matsumoto in the North Shore (the most popular one that all the guides suggest) and Waiola was superior. Cleverer ice, superior syrup flavours, less line. Li hing mui flavour is the type of thing that I never tried in the UK (salty, sweeter, slightly sour plum) and it has become an obsession. Approx. 4 Pounds on a large.
Frequently Asked Questions About Eating in Honolulu
Do I need reservations at Honolulu restaurants?
It will be determined by your destination. Even casual restaurants such as Rainbow Drive-In, Marukame Udon and plate lunch counters do not require reservations. In the case of mid-range restaurants, walk-ins tend to work during the weekdays. Booking two to four weeks in advance is an absolute must in fine dining (Senia, Sushi Sho, Fete, 53 By The Sea), particularly during the evenings of the weekend.
What is a must eat in Hawaii?
Poke, plate lunch, and malasadas. The three of them provide you with the Honolulu food experience. Should I choose one dish only, it would be the pipikaula short ribs at the Hawaiian Food at Helena. Nothing there on the island tasted like it and I sampled a lot.
Where did Anthony Bourdain eat in Honolulu?
During his visits, Bourdain visited Helena, Hawaiian Food, Rainbow Drive-In, and Side Street Inn where he ate his fill. I dined of all three and can attest that he was correct in his taste. The one of Helena, in particular, has not transformed since his visit, which is the whole point.
Where do celebrities eat in Oahu?
The common high-end locations are Sushi Sho, Fete and 53 By The Sea. However, locals have informed me that Rainbow Drive-In is the regular order of Barack Obama, which is something brilliant about the quality of the cheap food in Honolulu. Fancy is not necessarily top in this case.
What was Obama’s favourite restaurant on Oahu?
The most mentioned is Rainbow Drive-In, as well as Alan Wong (since closed) and Sushi Sho. His family presumably dined at Mid-Pacific Country Club as well, but that is members only. Rainbow Drive-In has a real plate lunch that is good irrespective of who has already eaten it.
How much should I budget for food per day in Honolulu?
In terms of money, we can say that around £50 per person per day will provide you with a moderately priced combination of casual meals and one more refined dinner. It is possible to eat well under 20-30 pounds provided you are able to stick to the plate lunches, poke counters, and food trucks. Fine dining takes it easily to £100-150 particularly with drinks.
Are there good vegetarian restaurants in Honolulu?
Mud Hen Water has great vegetable-based dishes and Peace Café in Kaimukii is entirely plant-based. The food scene of Honolulu is very meat and seafood-oriented, I will not deny that, but still, vegetarians will not starve. Taro, poi, and rice are naturally vegetarian and seem to be all around.
What’s the difference between shave ice and a snow cone?
Massive difference. Shave ice involves slicing ice with a blade to a feathery and nearly cotton-like texture that absorbs syrup through. Snow cones are cubed ice with syrup laid on the top. Waiola shave ice drips on your tongue, snow cones snap. There’s no comparison.
Is it worth eating at the Waikiki hotel restaurants?
Some of them, yes. Sushi Sho is technically a part of Ritz-Carlton, and it is world-class. However, the buffet of most hotels and generic resort restaurants is expensive and of average quality. I attended one breakfast buffet in a hotel, which cost me 30 pounds, and I could have received a much better meal in Liliha Bakery at a third of the cost.
Where is the best poke in Honolulu?
Ono Seafood on Kapahulu Avenue is always good. However, my controversial opinion is that I find the poke counter of the Foodland supermarket almost as good, and half the price. I made a side-by-side comparison (alas, I know) and the difference was slight. The shoyu ahi of Ono is the common denominator that everyone compares with and rightly so.
What should I order at a Hawaiian restaurant if I’ve never had Hawaiian food?
Begin with a lunch at Helena or Highway Inn. Order the laulau (wrapped pork in taro leaves), kalua pork and a side of poi. It will not taste like anything you have had previously; Hawaiian cuisine represents a whole new world. The tastes are delicate, smoky, earthy and very gratifying.
Are there late-night food options in Honolulu?
Uncle Bo and Sidestreet Inn are both late-night bars and places where locals go after work or after a night out. There is something legendary about the fried rice and the pork chops at Sidestreet. The majority of the restaurants in Honolulu shut down by 9 pm or 10 pm, so make arrangements.
In case the bakery here has made you wonder about baking tropical at home, I have already discussed Peruvian desserts and food traditions that in some unexpected overlap with Hawaiian tastes (coconut, tropical fruit, Japanese influence). And, in case you want to explore more of the food in the US, my Orange Beach restaurant guide talks about another little-known American food coast.
I revise this guide on a regular basis when I receive new reports by friends on the ground. The restaurant industry in Honolulu is a quick-paced one. When your favourite place is gone, or one of mine has been put out of business, send me a message and I will see it next time.
