10 Best Restaurants you have to visit in Honolulu

Plate of grilled meats restaurant the Baron at Gussignies .- A spare rib, a beef steak, a portion of raw vegetables, a baked potato, with salad. Photo by Pierre André Leclercq. Wikimedia Commons.

10 Best Restaurants you have to visit in Honolulu

Honolulu is where Polynesian, Japanese and American influences combine to create a delectable cuisine and offer you a unique eating and drinking experience. With plenty of fresh fruit and fish to inspire both hearty and light eaters, the food in Honolulu is delicious.

If you are looking to explore cuisines from Honolulu then here are the 10 Best Restaurants you have to visit.

1. Waiahole Poi Factory

Braised short ribs of beef tumeric mashed potatoes spiced shoestring potatoes. Photo by Jason Lam. Wikimedia Commons.

Waiahole Poi Factory restaurant is owned by native Hawaiians. Charlene and Calvin Hoe bought an actual poi factory in 1971, using it primarily as an art gallery, then began serving food in 2009.

Today, it’s also one of the few places that serves fresh pa‘i‘ai, cooked taro pounded with a lava rock pestle on a long wooden board to a mochi-like consistency. You have to book in advance for you to be served this dish. In fact you might catch the staff doing the actual pounding near the outdoor tables.

Location: 48-140 Kamehameha Hwy, Kaneohe, HI 96744

2. Palace Saimin

Saimin, an only-in-Hawai‘i mashup of Chinese-style noodles in a Japanese-style dashi broth, is at its best at Palace Saimin. Here, the menu consists only of saimin, wonton min, udon, and teri beef sticks. Palace Saimin was opened in 1946. Both locals and tourists line up here to get a taste of the amazing cuisines.

Location: 1256 N King St, Honolulu, HI 96817

3. Ethel’s Grill

Ethel’s Grill has served truck drivers, politicians, chefs, and tourists near the docks for decades. Ryoko Ishii bought the restaurant in 1978 and never bothered to change the name.

Today the restaurant serves comfort food that reflects the current owner’s mixed heritage of Japanese, Okinawan, Mexican, and local culture. The seared ahi sashimi topped with soy-marinated garlic chips is a longtime classic, while the Okinawa-inspired taco rice — composed of layers of rice, ground beef, lettuce, and shredded cheese topped with a fried taco shell — is a more recent addition to the menu.

Location: 232 Kalihi St, Honolulu, HI 96819

4. Fête Hawaii

Fried Chicken. Photo by Neil Conway. Wikimedia Commons.

Described as “equal parts Hawaiʻi and Brooklyn,” Fête can be as fancy or casual as you desire. Owned by Hawai‘i-born Robynne Maii and her husband, Chuck Bussler, who both previously worked in New York, the restaurant features a comfortable bar with great cocktails.

The easy-to-love menu works well for a weekday work lunch as it does for a decadent celebration dinner. Especially memorable items include the Chaz burger and twice-fried chicken. Definitely get house-made rocky road ice cream (with macadamia nuts) for dessert. There are a few outdoor tables, and takeout is also available.

Location: 2 N Hotel St, Honolulu, HI 96817

5. Kyung’s Seafood

Kyung’s central location and casual digs make it a favorite of chefs and in-the-know locals. It’s best in the evenings, for a night of good company coupled with seafood and spicy Korean fare that demands booze.

Order the large sashimi platter to share, add on a few hot dishes and a pitcher of strawberry soju slush. Kyung’s also makes great poke (especially the salmon-‘ahi mix).

Location: 1269 S King St, Honolulu, HI 96814

6. ‘ili‘ili Cash & Carry

Part deli and part pizza shop, ‘Ili‘ili serves stuffed hoagies on their own bread, plus Sicilian and New York-style pizzas by the slice and whole (definitely order online for the whole).

Toppings range from “choke” (local slang for “a lot”) pepperoni to the Michelle Obama, a pairing of sausage and giardiniera. ‘Ili‘ili is also a production kitchen for a few other businesses, so take advantage by picking up a pint of Double Fat Ice Cream’s Hawaiian spumoni: lilikoi, macadamia, and white chocolate.

Location: 2065 S Beretania St, Honolulu, HI 96826

7. Bozu Japanese Restaurant

Red braised pork belly. Photo by lazy fri13th. Wikimedia Commons.

Honolulu has plenty of excellent izakayas, but Bozu stands apart for its creativity within the izakaya framework of grilled, fried, and raw small plates.

You’ll find classic and new preparations side by side on the menu: impeccable sashimi and a raw surf and turf roll of uni, beef, shiso, and yam; a braised pork belly kakuni alongside an American-style beef stew made with tongue and topped with melted cheese.

Always order off the special’s menu, which might include firefly squid, barely bigger than a thumb, with mustardy miso, or fish and chips Japanese-style: fried flounder and its crispy bones.

Location: McCully Shopping Center 2nd Floor #209, 1960 Kapiolani Blvd, Honolulu, HI 96826

8. Roy’s Hawaii Kai (The Original)

There are over 20 locations of Roy’s across the U.S., but Roy Yamaguchi’s original location in the residential neighborhood of Hawai‘i Kai is still the most special. The service makes guests feel like family, and the food is always reliable and comforting.

Look out for Roy’s classic seared misoyaki butterfish and meatloaf with tempura onion rings. And for dessert? The chocolate souffle, always. The outdoor seating offers one of Honolulu’s most picturesque settings, with a sunset view of Maunalua Bay.

Location: 6600 Kalanianaole Hwy, Honolulu, HI 96825

9. Helena’s Hawaiian Food

If you’re only going to one spot for traditional Hawaiian food, make it Helena’s. Locals have been lining up since the day Helena’s opened in 1946, though a James Beard America’s Classics award in 2000 has brought in even more diners.

First-timers should order set menu D, which comes with kalua pig, lomi salmon, pipikaula (air-dried, juicy short ribs, quick-fried for crunch), and squid lū’au (a savory dish of octopus and taro leaves in coconut milk), along with poi or rice.

Location: 1240 N School St, Honolulu, HI 96817

10. Inaba Restaurant

Photo by jeffreyw. Wikimedia Commons.

Homemade soba is the draw at this Japanese gem. Come for the lunch specials, which include soba topped with Hokkaido uni and ikura, and the battera set: pressed mackerel sushi with soba on the side. Then return for a dinner of hot soba with seared duck and mushrooms.

Location: 1610 S King St # A, Honolulu, HI 96826