Oahu food and fun recommendations summer 2024

[CoachTex 2623]

Heading with the family to Oahu in July. Staying 4 nights in Waikiki and 4 nights on the North Shore. Already have big items planned, Looking for good food recs that won't break the bank as I am not a nurse. (Teacher) also a few cheap side trips to do with family.  I appreciate the info.

[DalTxHornFan 3097]

6 minutes ago, CoachTex said:

Heading with the family to Oahu in July. Staying 4 nights in Waikiki and 4 nights on the North Shore. Already have big items planned, Looking for good food recs that won't break the bank as I am not a nurse. (Teacher) also a few cheap side trips to do with family.  I appreciate the info.

Happy hours at Dukes in Waikiki are a must.  Live music, great drinks, and the very best calamari that you will ever eat.

[Limp Brisket 546]

I lived there for 5 years but it was too long ago to rec any restaurants now but I will say you need to hit roadside Huli chicken stands and any stand selling loco moco (hamburger patty over rice with a fried egg on top).  Mac salad and rice are acceptable as side dishes together while there.  

[DalTxHornFan 3097]

Just now, Limp Brisket said:

I lived there for 5 years but it was too long ago to rec any restaurants now but I will say you need to hit roadside Huli chicken stands and any stand selling loco moco (hamburger patty over rice with a fried egg on top).  Mac salad and rice are acceptable as side dishes together while there.  

Loco Moco is the nuts.  Spam Musubi from the convenience stores is a great thing to bring along on a road excursion.

[CoachTex 2623]

Hanauma bay?  Worth the headache? 

[Limp Brisket 546]

1 minute ago, CoachTex said:

Hanauma bay?  Worth the headache? 

Yeah, it’s cool, esp if bringing kids.

[DalTxHornFan 3097]

One of the neatest things we did the last time in Oahu was to take a ride to their Chinatown mid-day.  All of the fruit, veggie, and meat markets were very interesting. (I had my portrait taken with a whole pig!)  Lots of fun restaurants where all that we could do was to point at the pictures on the menus.  That would be a fun time for your kids. 

[DalTxHornFan 3097]

Pearl Harbor and Diamond Head, obviously.  Both are pretty cool.  The remaining artillery batteries on Diamond Head give some perspective on what serving in WWII must have been like.

[Kennythetiger 9375]

12 minutes ago, Limp Brisket said:

I lived there for 5 years but it was too long ago to rec any restaurants now but I will say you need to hit roadside Huli chicken stands and any stand selling loco moco (hamburger patty over rice with a fried egg on top).  Mac salad and rice are acceptable as side dishes together while there.  

My hometown friends were stationed there when I was in college. My graduation present to myself was a trip to see them. We did the tourist stuff, which was fun, but my favorite day was when we simply cruised all the way around the island. We stopped at some shitty food truck for lunch and the shrimp was delicious. 

[Baboontyme 2809]

Lanikai Beach and pillbox hike

I was not a big fan of Waikiki. It was a zoo. Staying at the HHV didn't help I'm sure. 

Edited March 15 by Baboontyme

[Baboontyme 2809]

We ate at this place twice. Nothing earth shattering but decent sushi at normal-ish prices. Because kids some of the other places we dined were unique spots called the Cheesecake Factory and California Pizza Kitchen. I do not recommend those.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/UGstWyPeaFhSpFsE7

[DalTxHornFan 3097]

10 minutes ago, Baboontyme said:

Lanikai Beach and pillbox hike

I was not a big fan of Waikiki. It was a zoo. Staying at the HHV didn't help I'm sure. 

Waikiki is basically Las Vegas with beachfront.  There really needs to be some sort of licensing authority to permit whether the large European men and women are allowed to wear Speedos or bikinis there!

[CoachTex 2623]

Yeah trying to eat local.  Kids are teenagers who like to try new foods.  Definitely hitting up pearl harbor, p.c.c, helicopter tour, kauloa ranch, and most likely Hanauma bay.  We are good with food trucks not so much white table cloth, maybe 1 white table cloth. Went to Mama's Fish house on Maui 23 years ago and loved it (honeymoon).

[Billy Pilgrim 1960]

On 3/15/2024 at 6:22 PM, CoachTex said:

Hanauma bay?  Worth the headache? 

Hanauma Bay has become really expensive recently. You’re better off snorkeling at Shark’s Cove when you’re at the north shore. I want to say it’s like $24 per person plus you have to pay for parking.
 

Get hot and sweaty doing the pill box hike then hit Lanikai beach afterwards. Stop at Bob’s pizzeria just before you get to Kailua Beach park on the way to Lanikai to get a reasonably cheap huge slice of pizza. Island snow is next door so you can get a shaved ice after lunch.

Waikiki good for people watching and restaurants. It’s really crowded but I’d rather stay there than the Ko Olina area where all the expensive hotels are located.

Get the “Oahu Revealed” guide book and pick out a waterfall hike or two. There’s some great ones.

[Billy Pilgrim 1960]

On 3/15/2024 at 6:34 PM, Kennythetiger said:

My hometown friends were stationed there when I was in college. My graduation present to myself was a trip to see them. We did the tourist stuff, which was fun, but my favorite day was when we simply cruised all the way around the island. We stopped at some shitty food truck for lunch and the shrimp was delicious. 

Driving the H3 through the mountains has to be one of the most beautiful and scenic drives in the world.

[Chopper 17230]

@CoachTex I'm cutting and pasting some advice about Honolulu I graciously received from a native Hawaiian friend who visits family at least annually. She was last there in mid-January. Spoilered due to length. I'm supposed to go to HNL and Lanai next month but unfortunately I think a complication has probably changed things.

 

Spoiler

Hawaii is a great place for seafood and Asian cuisine (Chinese, Japanese, Korean are
particularly strong). Also outstanding is Pacific Rim cuisine (local ingredients cooked using
European techniques). It’s not the best place for Italian, Indian, or Mexican. I should warn
you that the best food is NOT located in Waikiki. Waikiki is
the tourist district and although restaurants are everywhere, the food ranges from mediocre
to truly awful and the prices are high because it’s to rip off the clueless tourists, unless you
are going to the very high end restaurants like La Mer in the expensive hotels. I cannot
emphasize enough what a bad idea it is to eat in Waikiki. If you want really good food, you’ll
have to leave Waikiki. Lyft/Uber is more plentiful now. Consider a rental car for at least a
day or two. Consider yourself warned. Locals do not set foot in Waikiki except to go to the
first run movie theater there or to gawk at the tourists. It’s considered a huge tourist trap. If
after flying thousands of miles from the mainland to go to Hawaii you eat at the Cheesecake
Factory, Red Lobster, Hard Rock Café, Olive Garden or any of these stupid national chains,
I can’t even...

Hawaii is known for its melting pot of Asian and Pacific Island cultures that have of course
influenced its cuisine. There is a plethora of ethnic foods that locals eat, but may be
unfamiliar to the tourist. Not to worry, there is a Hawaii food tour. A guide ferries you
around town in a nice Mercedes van to every local spot that foodies go to, many of which
are off the beaten path. http://www.hawaiifoodtours.com/

Side Street Inn
Cuisine: LOCAL
Mon-Fri 10:30am-1:30pm; daily 4pm-1am
1225 Hopaka St
(Ala Moana & Kakaako)
Reservations recommended
808/591-0253
At the original location, Hoopaka, there is no atmosphere to speak of, it’s a sports bar, but the food is really
good. The top chefs in town end up here after their shifts. (See
http://starbulletin.com/1999/08/25/features/story1.html for the story on the chefs and
Side St. Inn, the article also contains the who’s who of the Hawaiian restaurant scene,
including some of the restaurants I’ve recommended on this list.) Their fried rice and pork
chops are not to be missed.

Million (Korean bbq)
Not fancy, but the food is so good. Do not wear nice clothes. You will come out of there
smelling like bbq meat.
https://www.yelp.com/biz/million-restaurant-honolulu

Ala Moana Shopping Center: The Lanai food court (more chill than the bigger Makai
market food court)
Cheap eats, but not Sbarros or Cinnabon. It’s Asian influenced stuff including ramen,
Korean, sushi, teppanyaki, musubis, and a Japanese bakery. Pro tip: There’s a Liliha Baker
inside the Macys has excellent diner food (loco moco is a speciality as is their hot cakes and
coco puffs)!! Best shopping in Ala Moana Center: Big Island Candies, Swatch (they have a
Hawaii edition watch), Lupicia tea (all three are near center stage street level), and Foodland
Farms (near Bloomingdales).
Also other good restaurants in the Ala Moana Center: poke bar at Foodland Farms (street
level), Assagios (street level), Rokkaku (Japanese, mall level), and Tanaka Ramen and Izakaya
(mall level).
Best Happy Hour for Food and Scenery: The Signature Steakhouse, Ala Moana
Center/ Expensive steakhouse with a gorgeous view. Buut, if you go stand in line at 4pm for 30
minutes, all appetizers are half priced and they offer one steak 50% off. Go at 4pm b/c they
won’t take reservations for happy hour. You line up in the lobby of the Ala Moana Hotel
(which is also the hotel I stay at because I can walk to Foodland Farms poke
in the complex.) https://www.signatureprimesteak.com/happy-hour

 

Assagios-Hawaiian style Italian food (multiple locations) Owned by a Vietnamese refugee. Food is legit good and is a Hawaiian spin on Italian
American dishes. Hugely popular locally.

 

Zippys—(multiple locations) local diner restaurants (they have table service) ubiquitous
around the island. Where else are you going to be able to order beloved local favorite chili
spaghetti and Zip min? They are well known for their chili and it is usually served in Hawaii
over rice. Zip min is a huge bowl of Asian soup, wontons, and noodles. The chain is a huge
local favorite and I eat there at least once when I’m home. It’s Hawaiian local food, fast
food mixed with Asian influences.

Liliha Bakery and Diner
Multiple locations
Story of the puffs: http://archives.starbulletin.com/2000/08/02/features/index.html
This is the only food item that I crave and can’t be mailed to me. I have literally had dreams
about this puff.  But really, people go there either for the original cocopuffs (not the green tea) OR the
Chantilly cake. Also a good bet is the French doughnut, the rest of the stuff is just ok. Their
diner food is cheap and legit good, best known for their loco moco, chicken dishes,
hotcakes, oxtail soup.

Food related souvenirs to bring home from Hawaii: Yes, yes Kona coffee can be purchased
at any convenience store or super market but I’d go to Longs/CVS. But there are half
dozen brands and not all of them are good. I always buy the Royal Kona brand in the
brown/gold bags. (Either the Sam Choy or 3660 Kona blends are great.) The newest thing
among coffee geeks is Ka’u coffee (also from Kona), which is even more expensive than
Kona, but I prefer it to Kona. You will find that at Foodland Farms supermarkets.
Other popular gifts from the islands: Macadamia nuts in a variety of flavors unavailable on
the mainland (Maui onion, kiawe bbq etc) and Macadamia nut chocolates, Hurricane
popcorn (not the pre-popped one). Hawaiian honey, Hawaiian chocolate. You can buy all
these things at the ubiquitous ABC convenience stores, but if you have any time, drive to a

Longs Drugs/Walgreens (they are all over town) and buy all this stuff there. For your foodie
friends: Alaea Hawaiian salt (orange colored from the clay in the pools of water) and
Hawaiian honey are good and portable and available at Foodland Farms or and any grocery
store You can’t fit all the stuff you bought? Put it in a priority mail USPS box. If it fits, it
ships, regardless of weight. I have become an expert in mailing these boxes to myself of stuff
I can’t fit in the suitcase. There is a USPS office on the street level in Ala Moana center.
If you have a Costco membership, Coscto Hawaii worth a visit. They carry Aloha shirts a
muumuus, Hawaiian food items including Hurricane popcorn, Hawaiian cookbooks, and
surf boards.

Other Stuff to do:
If you ask locals for directions, geographical directions in Honolulu are as follows: Mauka--
toward the mountains or inland), Makai--toward the ocean; Ewa--a town on the westside of
the island, Diamond Head--the famous landmark on the east side of the island. Also,
leeward--western side of the island, and windward--the eastern side of the island.
-Hanauma bay on the Eastern side of the island is a sea life preserve. You can rent
snorkeling gear to snorkel with huge colorful tropical fish bigger than the size of your head.
They are closed one day a week but I can’t remember which day so check beforehand. I
think you need reservations now to go.

The drive to Hanauma Bay along Kalanianaole Hwy is very beautiful when you get past
Hawaii Kai, you are a guard rail away from the ocean and there are scenic points where you
can stop.

-Historic sites: Pearl Harbor is worth seeing. They built the memorial on top of the sunken
SS Arizona. Bishop Museum is really educational. Don’t miss the Hawaiian food at the
concession near the entry/exit for authentic Hawaiian kalu pork, lomilomi salmon etc.

-Iolani palace near downtown has tours. It’s the only palace on U.S. soil. The U.S.
imprisoned the Hawaiian Queen Liliuokalani there for months while they plotted to steal
their land. You get a real sense of the US as an imperialist shit.

-If you’re driving on the North shore, hunt down Matsumoto’s shaved ice. This is not those
crappy snow cones you have on the mainland, totally different thing. Snow cones are
crunchy, shaved ice is not ground, it's shaved creating a much lighter ice that melts in your
mouth and doesn't crunch. Another shaved ice option closer to Waikiki is Waiola Shave
Ice w/ 2 locations 2135 Waiola Street Honolulu, HI 96826 (808) 949-2269 &

Waiola Bakery & Shave Ice
525 Kapahulu Avenue
Honolulu, HI 96815
(808) 735-8886

 

Edited March 20 by Chopper

[Ghost of LL 15531]

On 3/15/2024 at 6:16 PM, DalTxHornFan said:

Happy hours at Dukes in Waikiki are a must.  Live music, great drinks, and the very best calamari that you will ever eat.

I agree with HH at Duke's.  The location with the view straight down Waikiki Beach with Diamond Head in the background is pretty iconic irrespective of anything else.  But yeah--the drinks and calamari are both good.

Elsewhere on Waikiki Beach, I'd recommend Furusato Sushi.  It's a pretty nondescript location with just a handful of tables and like six seats at the sushi bar.  But the sushi is fantastic.  And the price is shockingly reasonable given the location.

[Hermanator 7032]

It all just depends what your objectives and situation are. Have kids with you and want more city life? Stay around Waikiki or Ko Olina resorts and rent a car for a day or two to go on an excursion. 

The wife and I are heading down in a couple of months but no kids and we're more for the adventure and hiking. We'll be renting a camper and roughing it a bit all over the island getting some Giovanni's shrimp and some other great places. 

12 hours ago, Chopper said:

@CoachTex 

 

  Hide contents

 

-If you’re driving on the North shore, hunt down Matsumoto’s shaved ice. 

 

No way anyone from Hawaii would call it shaved ice. 

[Chopper 17230]

8 hours ago, Hermanator said:

No way anyone from Hawaii would call it shaved ice. 

Sheesh. I get the blame as I had to reformat it from an email attachment, and spell check fooled me. I guess there's a superfluous D or 2 and I can send them your way.  Much credit to you for listing "other great places" and naming what's probably the most famous food truck in the world.

[Hermanator 7032]

Edited March 21 by Hermanator

[Chopper 17230]

5 minutes ago, Hermanator said:

"Eat the fried calamari!"

[Borachio 416]

We usually eat multiple times at Marugame Udon in Waikiki when visiting Oahu. 

[Orale 1087]

If you enjoy military history, I'm a big fan of the military history museum at Fort DeRussy Military Reservation on the edge of Waikiki. Another often-overlooked site is the Hawaiian Plantation Village which has restored and replica plantation buildings and housing from the sugar era that I found interesting. There's a small but well-done museum inside that tells the history of the sugar industry and the larger story of Hawaii and the many cultures that immigrated here in the 19th century. A great stop for history buffs. 

[CoachTex 2623]

Anyone got any Northshore dinner spots. We leave in a couple of weeks and have the waikiki spots figured out. Need a few for the Northshore. 

[Orale 1087]

Haleiwa Joe's and Maya's Tapas & Wine in Haleiwa are both really good. Haleiwa Joe's has a really nice view of the water and mountains. There are a ton of food trucks in Haleiwa and close to Turtle Bay in Kahuku if you want something more casual. Seven Brother's at the Kahuku food truck park (it's more of a sit down place with outdoor seating) has great burgers. The poolside bar at the Turtle Bay hotel (it's open to the public) has an amazing view of the water and solid food. 

Edited June 26 by Orale

[Chopper 17230]

16 hours ago, CoachTex said:

Anyone got any Northshore dinner spots. We leave in a couple of weeks and have the waikiki spots figured out. Need a few for the Northshore. 

fwiw, not a personal rec but from a friend who used to live on the North Shore:

7 Brothers Sugar Mill--Get the Seared Ahi
Bonzai Bowls--Located within walking distance of Sunset Beach
Food Land Poke Bowls--Yes its located in the grocery store but don't knock it till you try it

Shave Ice
Waiola--The softest
Matsumotos--Very Touristy but they are the only place that have the flavor white cake and the little town it is in is fun to walk around

[po elvis 2070]

Just spent 6 months on the windward side (east)  of Oahu, but did spend 2 months on the North Shore a couple years ago.

Paalaa Kai Mini-Mart - They have some quick food ready to go. Love their Spicy Shrimp Rolls. Plenty of shrimp inside and plenty of sauce where they are not dry. Also tried their fried oysters that had this great mustard sauce that went with it.

Waialua General Store - Good poke and once a week they cook a steak plate in their parking lot that is very good.

Foodland - If you just want some reasonable poke its very good. Typically I would get the Maui Onion.

Ted's Bakery - I thought they had the best Garlic Shrimp. Big plump shrimp. Their Chicken Katsu is also good.

Haleiwa Joes' - Have only been to their Kaneohe location. Their prime rib is good. It is big enough for two. Their other stuff is meh. Their other steaks are horrible if you are there too late for the prime rib.

Duke's - A must go. We went the last week we were there. Prime Rib was great. Pasta special was great. Everything was great. Great atmosphere.

Hula Grill - Same owner as Duke's I believe, it is right above it.

Leonard's - Malasadas (Portuguese donuts) Their main location usually has a long line. We go to one of their truck's around. I like their cinnamon sugar ones with no filling.

Ulalani's Shave Ice - I am not a snow cone guy but this is really good. There is one with long lines on North Shore called Matsumoto, but I found it wasn't worth going to.

Mountain Magic Shave Ice - probably as good as Ulalani's

I love Loco Mocos, probably had them at 7 or 8 different places. None of them really stood out as on another level. You can't really go wrong ordering on a menu.

Beaches are cool on North Shore to sit and watch surfers and a sunset. Sunset Beach, Ehukai (Pipeline). But we used to go to Aweoweo Beach Park every afternoon just to relax and get in the water. It doesn't have the big waves coming in and you can do a little snorkeling if you want. Not a whole lot of people. Kailua Beach on the windward side is probably my favorite beach to just enjoy the beauty and relax, get in the water, other scenery.

[gernblansten 3196]

North Shore recs from Persia l experience would include Ted’s Bakery, Jorge’s, Lei Lei’s, Poke for the People, Surf and Salsa. Foodland poke is quick and easy. Huli chicken from about anywhere that you walk up and think “damn, that chicken looks and smells tasty.” Didn’t get the hoopla around Giovanni’s or Romy’s. Yeah, it’s shrimp in butter and garlic. Tasty, but I can do it at home. The rice with the garlic and butter was more impressive than the shrimp. 

Private charter with North Shore Sailing Adventures is a good day.