Honolulu especially Waikiki is home to some of the best restaurants in Hawaii, from local hole-in-the-wall gems to high-end dining experiences. Craving fresh seafood? Authentic Japanese cuisine? A late-night feast? I got you guys...
Enjoy my personal reviews, I hope this leads you in the right direction.
Oceanfront & Scenic Dining
Duke’s Waikiki – A must-visit beachfront restaurant famous for its Hula Pie, fresh seafood, and live music. It’s the perfect spot for sunset dining with ocean views. Duke's is special not only for having a few amazing waterfront properties but because the restaurant is dedicated to the memory of Duke Kahanamoku, a legendary Hawaiian swimmer, surfer, and ambassador of Aloha. There are 5 total restaurants in Hawaii. Maui, Oahu, Kauai are the home of these locations with the original location being in Honolulu. There is a new location coming soon to the Big Island.
The Deck – Located at the Queen Kapiʻolani Hotel, this open-air restaurant offers stunning views of Diamond Head with locally inspired dishes and craft cocktails. I highly suggest going at sunset, it will not be as hot and the views of Diamond Head will be unreal.
Sky Waikiki – A rooftop bar and lounge offering panoramic views of Waikīkī, perfect for sunset drinks and small bites. Great for a more upscale, nightlife vibe. Sky bar is more on the expensive side. However the views of the city at sunset and at night do not get much better than this.
Hideout at The Laylow – A trendy rooftop lounge with a laid-back island vibe, serving creative cocktails and delicious small plates. This is not as high in the air as Sky Bar but it still is an outdoor rooftop bar. There is a bar, fire pits, and comfortable seating. Some seating is even on man-made sand.
Local & Late-Night Eats
Da Spot – A hidden gem serving affordable Hawaiian & Mediterranean fusion food, with large portions of curries, poke, and smoothies. A favorite among locals! (Chicken Plate and a 32 Oz smoothie... unbeatable) I kid you not when I lived near the heart of Honolulu... I ate here everyday lol. All the employees new my name and what I wanted mostly. I do not eat here really any more because I went overkill but this is the ultimate high-quality grab and go foodspot.
Mac 24/7 – This 24-hour diner is famous for its massive pancakes and comfort food, making it the best spot for late-night cravings after a long day of adventuring. (Known for their massive pancake challenge early in the morning.) This dinner caught me off guard because it was actually pricey. However, the food here was excellent and way more high quality than a traditional diner like Denny's. Robots are also servers here which was cool to see but also shocking that a robot was delivering us our food in real life. An experience you need to have if you haven't seen one of these around the world.
Kan Sushi – A lesser-known sushi spot serving high-quality, fresh sushi at great prices, perfect for those looking to avoid the touristy spots. (ALL YOU CAN EAT) I went here for my birthday with a group of friends, I am a huge Sushi fan so I am super critical. There are better spots. For it being an all you can eat for around $36 dollars it was a great experience and they did have a lot of good options (not all sushi, some beef appetizers, miso soup, ramen, etc.) However, I noticed that some types of Sushi have a cream cheese filling replacement... we got carried away after ordering pretty much everything and to this day I don't think I was ever this full in my life. There is a cool ranch and a cheeto sushi roll here that I have never seen anywhere in my life. I actually did think it was good... for a few pieces lol... these were the only ones I can remember that were stuffed with cream cheese.
Kelly’s – A local favorite for Hawaiian comfort food, offering plate lunches, loco moco, and fresh seafood in a casual setting. (One of the only places open till 4 A.M... draws more of an older crowd and military.) I have only been here for the late night bar setting and I have never had a bad time. Meeting people in Hawaii is easy because most people are nice and have a story on how they ended up on island... and I actually think Kelly's is one of the best places to meet people at night.
Sikdorak – One of the best Korean BBQ spots in Honolulu, offering all-you-can-eat options at a great price. Open late-night, making it perfect after a long beach day. (ALL YOU CAN EAT). This hidden gem in a strip mall was truly an experience. This was the first all you can eat I ate at and I left maximum full as always. It is a little more expensive than the other options on this list... but you pay for what you get. The service was literally light speed... like actually laughable how good it was. Parking is limited here so make sure you plan accordingly. You will not have to pay for parking because they have designated parking for guests in this small area. I would rate this over GEN
GEN Korean BBQ – Another AYCE Korean BBQ with a sleek, modern vibe and a wide variety of high-quality meats and banchan (side dishes). (ALL YOU CAN EAT) This is very similar to Sikdorak but it just did not seem as high of quality. I did some research and it says online that GEN gets top tier meats... I might have just got the wrong thing. It was still excellent, I went here for my birthday... food wise I would choose Sikdorak. After the all you can eat dinner plan and a draft beer my total was less than $40. For convenience and more of a modern vibe that feels cleaner, more fluent english, GEN is the spot.
Sura Hawaii – A well-known Korean BBQ spot with prime cuts of meat and an extensive selection of traditional Korean dishes. (ALL YOU CAN EAT)
Shabushabu Shaboya – A hidden gem for Japanese hot pot, offering fresh ingredients and flavorful broths for a cozy dining experience. (ALL YOU CAN EAT)
Local Markets & Bakeries
Liliha Bakery – Famous for its coco puffs, a Hawaiian pastry filled with creamy chocolate pudding and topped with chantilly frosting. A must-try local treat! This bakery is a cheat code for living in Hawaii. To start, there are many convenient locations ( I go to the one off Nimitz because it is easiest to park). The choices in this bakery never bore me and it is literally the cheapest grab and go. I usually get the homemade mini pizzas and a poi donut.
Foodland Farms – More than just a grocery store, Foodland offers some of the best poke bowls on the island, using fresh local fish and customizable toppings. Foodland is so under rated and some people know I stand by that by seeing me here often lol. I have had a lot of poke places around the island and Foodland is still my favorite. For anyone that thinks raw fish is nasty... I thought the same thing until I had Foodland poke. They have some options that are cheaper because the fish was usually frozen however, the fresh fish options are FRESH. I usually the get the fresh spicy ahi or the maui onion. They have a fresh salmon option that is really good as well but I am turned off by all salmon now that I find out is farmed not wild.
Hidden Gems & Unique Experiences
Maguro Brothers – A small hole-in-the-wall sushi spot known for its ultra-fresh sashimi and poke bowls, a true local gem in the heart of Waikīkī.
Zigu – A farm-to-table Japanese restaurant using fresh Hawaiian ingredients, offering a unique fusion of Japanese flavors with a local twist.
Betty’s Burgers – A hidden Waikīkī burger joint known for its juicy burgers, shakes, and fresh-cut fries, perfect for a casual meal. (THE BEST BURGER SPOT IN HAWAII)