Places to eat in Hawaii

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malexthekid

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My wife and I are going to Hawaii for 2 weeks at the end of November. We are spending 5 nights on Hawaii Island and the rest of the time in Honolulu. Would love some recommendations on places to eat.

Thanks.
 
The girlfriend and I spent a week in Honolulu last month. The poke from the Aji Limo truck (close to Sharks Cove) was the best I had during my short stay. Other places we enjoyed include Tonkatsu Ginza Bairin, Marukame Udon, and Duke's Waikiki (this was in our hotel, but the fish and chips were top notch).
 
On the Big Island, go to Hawaiian Style Cafe for great "local food" (Hawaiian-Asian fusion). Original location is in Waimea. Very casual. Very busy. There is a second location in Hilo.

In Honolulu, Leonards for the malasadas. Another fusion food, this time Hawaiian-Portuguese doughnuts.
 
If you're going to cook for yourselves or want some fresh poke try Hale I’a Da Fish House 613659 Kawaihae-Mahukona Rd. Also Luna restaurant in Waimea is really good.
 
malexthekid said:
My wife and I are going to Hawaii for 2 weeks at the end of November. We are spending 5 nights on Hawaii Island and the rest of the time in Honolulu. Would love some recommendations on places to eat.

Thanks.
Click to expand...

Where will you be staying on the Big Island(Hawaii) and what kind of food are you interested in.
 
Alan Wong's Restaurant (main restaurant, not The Pineapple Room by Alan Wong in Macy's at Ala Moana Shopping Center)

Kona Kai Sushi

Rainbow Drive-In - Plate lunch. 2 scoops rice, mac salad, and some protein. Go for a run to burn off some calories after. Maybe a marathon.

St. Louis Drive-In - Bento, burger, plate lunch. Did you eat at Rainbow's too? Yeah, you definitely need to sign up for the Honolulu Marathon, then.

Fukuya Okazuya - Order anything and everything. Sit at beach, park, or beach park and eat.

Ono Hawaiian Food - If you eat rice here instead of poi you are weird. Or a tourist. Probably both, you weird tourist.

Wailana Coffee House - Are you wandering around Waikiki drunk and need food and coffee to keep the booze company? Of course you do. Go here. All you can eat pancakes with eggs and bacon for like $7. Open 24/7, so they will be there for you when the bars kick you out at closing.

Cafe Kaila - Super popular with Japanese tourists. IMO nothing special. Go back to Wailana and eat more all you can eat pancakes instead.

Boots And Kimo's - Famous for macadamia nut pancakes. Long wait, and far from Waikiki if you're staying there. You know what to do instead? Go to a supermarket and get vanilla macadamia nut ice cream and go back to Wailana - take your time though, and let the ice cream melt. When you get to Wailana, order the all you can eat pancakes (again). Dump some of the melted vanilla mac nut ice cream on the pancakes instead of syrup. Congratulations, you just made a reasonable approximation of Boots And Kimo's signature dish and you didn't have to wait in line outside in the sun for an hour first.
 
Zippys :) or the manupau man that roams around waianae
 
I just got back from the Big Island so I can name a few:

The Kona Inn - this is right on Alii and has great pina coladas and the best fish I've ever had, the monchong with pesto on top. Highly Recommended
Sushi By Jiro - This is a small building in the parking lot of the sack n save supermarket on Palani. He makes great sushi bowls, get there early. Lunch only I think
Splashers - Great breakfast place on Palani at Alii with a nice view of the pier and water.
Kona Brewing - Great food and beer. Good happy hour prices and a good brewery tour that should be booked ahead of time. Buy a growler to enjoy all week.
 
:plus1:especially for Alan Wongs and Rainbow Drive In.
TurboScooter said:
Alan Wong's Restaurant (main restaurant, not The Pineapple Room by Alan Wong in Macy's at Ala Moana Shopping Center)

Kona Kai Sushi

Rainbow Drive-In - Plate lunch. 2 scoops rice, mac salad, and some protein. Go for a run to burn off some calories after. Maybe a marathon.

St. Louis Drive-In - Bento, burger, plate lunch. Did you eat at Rainbow's too? Yeah, you definitely need to sign up for the Honolulu Marathon, then.

Fukuya Okazuya - Order anything and everything. Sit at beach, park, or beach park and eat.

Ono Hawaiian Food - If you eat rice here instead of poi you are weird. Or a tourist. Probably both, you weird tourist.

Wailana Coffee House - Are you wandering around Waikiki drunk and need food and coffee to keep the booze company? Of course you do. Go here. All you can eat pancakes with eggs and bacon for like $7. Open 24/7, so they will be there for you when the bars kick you out at closing.

Cafe Kaila - Super popular with Japanese tourists. IMO nothing special. Go back to Wailana and eat more all you can eat pancakes instead.

Boots And Kimo's - Famous for macadamia nut pancakes. Long wait, and far from Waikiki if you're staying there. You know what to do instead? Go to a supermarket and get vanilla macadamia nut ice cream and go back to Wailana - take your time though, and let the ice cream melt. When you get to Wailana, order the all you can eat pancakes (again). Dump some of the melted vanilla mac nut ice cream on the pancakes instead of syrup. Congratulations, you just made a reasonable approximation of Boots And Kimo's signature dish and you didn't have to wait in line outside in the sun for an hour first.
Click to expand...

For good Chinese, I always liked Little Village Noodle House in Honolulu and there are several great dim sum places for Sunday morning in Chinatown like Legend Seafood Restaurant.

Yanagi Sushi is a very Japanese style sushi spot downtown.
 
Thanks for all the recommendations guys...

Any advice on good burger places?
 
I also have to recommend Killer Tacos in Kailua, down the way from Kona Brewing.
 
Teddy's Bigger Burgers. Hawaii Kai location at Koko Marina is consistently better than the one in Waikiki. Kona Brewing Company has a restaurant in the same place (Koko Marina shopping center). Food there is whatever, but I enjoy the beer.

St. Louis Drive-In used to have a student special with burgers. 2 burgers, fries, and a drink, I think for cheap. Nothing super fancy, same as the rest of the menu. Kua 'Aina has really sad fries, IMO.
 
Side Street Inn, Eggs & Things and definitely Leonard's.
 
Some good recommendations. Two more: Definitely get a car for a few days and drive around on Oahu - unless you are in Waikiki to be seen ;) For restaurants, I like The Willows, a bit off the beaten path, nice setting, buffet-style local food.

Stefan
 
Ruger Market for Hawaiian food, where the truck drivers & workers get their lunch.

Pioneer Inn on Diamondhead road. Japanese national owner & cook, good menu at reasonable prices.
 
Diamond Head Market and Grill is another good lunch spot close to Waikiki (without being in Waikiki). It has been a few years since I was there, but staying around for 10+ years means they are doing something right.
 
Was a great trip. Can't say I made it to many of the places recommended guys, lack of transport made it a bit hard.

I can say our favourite place was buho (Mexican place). Don't know what you guys think of it. But compared to what we get in Aus, it was amazing.

Apart from that lots of burgers too. Anywhere that sells them 😀. Love the burgers in the US. So simple but always decent. People tend to overdo them here and add to much to the pattie and on thw burger.

As for sight seeing. Was amazing checking out the volcano by night and also doing a helicopter ride and seeing it bubble into the ocean.
 
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