Oahu has some of the best restaurant and dining selections a traveler could ever wish to find, anywhere! The unparalled magnetism of our delightful tropical island has attracted some of the very best cooks, chefs and staff anxious to share their talents with you and provide a memorable experience that will bring you back for a second or third mouth watering visit.
From the smallest informal sandwich shop to our grand restaurants of haute cuisine, we offer you a selection of some of our finest, by region:
Central
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Nico's at Pier 38 |
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 Lyon-born chef Nico Chaiz opened Nico's because he wanted to create a place where he could work the hours he likes and serve people like himself, who love good food at reasonable prices. Where better than a few steps from the city's fish auction?
http://www.nicospier38.com/ |
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Sugoi Bento & Catering |
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 Japanese word Sugoi translates to "awesome" or "wow" and is an apt description for many of the flavors you'll encounter here. Sugoi Bento & Catering was launched and established in 2000 by Honolulu native Zachary Lee, specializing in bento box lunches of all kinds.
http://www.sugoihawaii.com/ |
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East Oahu: Kailua and Kaneohe
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Cinnamon's Restaurant |
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 Known for uncommon variations on common breakfast themes (pancakes, eggs Benedict, French toast, home fries, and eggs), this neighborhood favorite is tucked into a hard-to-find Kailua office park; call for directions. Lunch and dinner feature local-style plate lunch and a diner-style menu (meat loaf, baked beans).
http://www.cinnamonsrestaurant.com/ |
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Keneke's BBQ |
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 When you're sightseeing between Hanauma Bay and Makapuu, the food pickings are slim. But every day, 365 days a year, there's Keneke's in Waimanalo town. It's the home of plate lunches, shave ice, and Scriptural graffiti on the walls. The food is diet-busting, piled high, and very good.
http://kenekes.net/index.html |
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Honolulu: Ala Moana, Downtown and Chinatown
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Elua |
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 Elegant and sophisticated, Elua (Hawaiian for "two") is a partnership of two remarkable chefs, each with his own distinct culinary style. Philippe Padovani, with his background in French cuisine (and chocolate-making), and Donato Loperfido, who prepares classic dishes of his native Italy.
http://eluarestaurant.com/ |
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John Dominis |
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 "Legendary" is the word for the Sunday brunch buffet at this long-established restaurant, named for a Hawaiian kingdom chamberlain who became the consort of the last queen, Liliuokalani. With a network of koi ponds running through the multilevel restaurant, a view of Diamond Head is right there.
http://www.johndominis.com/ |
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Little Village Noodle House |
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 Unassuming and budget-friendly, Little Village sets a standard of congenial and attentive service. We have roamed the large, pan-China menu and found a new favorite in everything we've tried: shredded beef, spinach with garlic, Shanghai noodles, honey-walnut shrimp, orange chicken, dried green beans.
http://www.littlevillagehawaii.com/ |
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Honolulu: East And Diamond Head
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12th Avenue Grill |
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 At this clean, well-lighted place on a back street, chef Kevin Hanney dishes up diner chic, including macaroni-and-cheese glazed with house-smoked Parmesan and topped with savory breadcrumbs.
http://www.12thavegrill.com/ |
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Chef Mavro |
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 George Mavrothalassitis, who took two hotel restaurants to the top of the ranks before founding this James Beard Award-winning restaurant, says he's crazy. Crazy because of the care he takes to draw out the truest and most concentrated flavors, to track down the freshest fish, and to create one-of-a-kind wine pairing.
http://www.chefmavro.com/ |
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Formaggio |
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 All but invisible on the back side of a strip mall, this wine bar seeks to communicate the feel of a catacomb in Italy and largely succeeds, with dim lighting and soft, warm tones. Choose a small sip or an entire bottle from the many wines offered, then ponder the small-dish menu of pizzas, panini, and short ribs.
http://www.formaggio808.com/ |
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Michel's at the Colony Surf |
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 With its wide-open windows so close to the water that you feel the soft mist at high tide, this is arguably the most romantic spot in Waikiki for a sunset dinner for two. Venerable Michel's is synonymous with fine dining in the minds of Oahuans who have been coming here for more than 40 years.
http://michelshawaii.com/default.asp |
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Sam Choy's Diamond Head |
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 Sam Choy has been called the Paul Prudhomme of Hawaii and aptly so: both are big, welcoming men with magic in their hands and a folksy background in small, rural towns. Choy grew up cooking for his parents' luau business and now has an empire—restaurants, TV, cookbooks, and commercial products.
http://www.samchoy.com/ |
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The North Shore: Haleiwa, Sunset Beach, Kahuku
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Haleiwa Joe's Seafood Grill |
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 After the long drive to the North Shore, it's a treat to while away the afternoon on the covered open-air lanai at Haleiwa Joe's, scoring a couple of cute souvenir glasses, watching the boats and surfers in the harbor, and munching crunchy coconut shrimp, a mahi burger, or whatever's the freshest fish special.
http://www.haleiwajoes.com/ |
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Kua Aina Sandwich |
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 A must-stop spot during a drive around the island, this North Shore eatery specializes in large, hand-formed burgers heaped with bacon, cheese, avocado, and pineapple; or try the grilled mahimahi sandwich. The crispy shoestring fries alone are worth the trip. |
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Ola at Turtle Bay Resort |
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 Since opening in December of 2005, the vision that Owners Chef Fred DeAngelo and his wife, Cheryl, have for Ola at Turtle Bay Resort continues to catch the attention of Hawai’i residents and visitors to the beautiful North Shore of O’ahu.
http://www.olaislife.com/ |
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Waikiki
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Duke's Canoe Club |
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 Named for the father of modern surfing and outfitted with much Duke Kahanamoku memorabilia, Duke's is both an open-air bar and a very popular steak-and-seafood grill. It's known for its Big Island pork ribs, huli-huli (rotisserie) chicken, and grilled catch of the day, as well as for a simple Sunday brunch.
http://www.dukeswaikiki.com/ |
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Nobu |
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 Famed chef Nobu Matsushida's is the master of innovative Japanese cuisine, and his Hawaiian outpost is definitely a Waikiki hotspot. Fish is the obvious centerpiece, with entrées such as Tasmanian ocean trout with crispy spinach and yuzu soy, seafood harumaki with caviar and Maui onion salsa.
http://www.noburestaurants.com/waikiki/index.html |
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Ocean House Restaurant |
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 Guests are greeted on the front porch at this re-creation of a 1900s plantation home. Tables and booths are spaced for views. The menu puts forth the bounty of the Pacific with such dishes as crusted opah, coconut lobster skewers, and seared peppered scallops. For beef lovers, there's the slow-roasted prime rib.
http://oceanhousewaikiki.com/ |
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Sansei Seafood Restaurant & Sushi Bar |
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 D. K. Kodama's Japanese-based Pacific Rim cuisine is an experience not to be missed, from early-bird dinners (from 5:30 PM) to late-night appetizers and sushi (until 1 AM Friday and Saturday, with karaoke). The specialty sushi here—mango-crab roll, foie gras nigiri with eel sauce, and more!
http://www.sanseihawaii.com/ |
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Tiki's Grill and Bar |
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 On the 2nd floor of a busy hotel, Tiki's is the kind of place people come to Waikiki for: a retro-South Pacific spot designed for fun. It has a back-of-the-bar faux volcano, an open-air lounge with live local-style music, indoor-outdoor dining, and a view of the beach across the street.
http://www.tikisgrill.com/ |
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West Oahu
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Cholo's Homestyle Mexican |
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 Do you have a craving for fresh Mexican food? Don't worry, you'll find consistently tasty meals at Cholos Homestyle Mexican Restaurant. We offer authentic Mexican dishes, made fresh daily, in a very attractive dining atmosphere. Our restaurant has been providing full service at a very reasonable price since 1995.
http://www.choloshomestyle.qpg.com/ |
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Hapa Grill |
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 Hapa Grill opened in July 2005 in the Marketplace at Kapolei. The restaurant's menu features popular items from owner Shannon Tangonan Putnam's parents' Sassy Kassy lunchwagon, a mainstay in Campbell Industrial Park for nearly three decades.
http://www.hapagrill.net/ |
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