My Favorite Places to Eat at in Oahu (as a tourist)
Besides the fresh seafood and fruit…what else is there to eat while traveling to Oahu? The answer is – lots! To be honest, I didn’t have enough time while visiting to eat at all the places I had written down, and most of the places I got to dine at weren’t local, hidden-gem places, but that’s okay! I still ate at some highly-rated places that I thoroughly enjoyed. Just because I didn’t get everywhere I wanted means I’ll have to return. That being said, here are my food recommendations if you are traveling as a tourist to the amazing island of Oahu. I also rated these establishments’ parking because if you’re renting a car and get anxiety over where to park, I feel you.
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Hau Tree
📍 Honolulu
Located inside the Kaimana Beach Hotel is Hau Tree. Their open-air outdoor dining room features Hau Trees, of course. They serve casual, beachy food paired with unmatched views of Kaimana Beach. Their menus change based on the time of day:
Brunch – 8 am to 1:30 pm
Bar – 1:30 pm to 3:30 pm
Bar Bites – 3:30 pm to 5 pm
Dinner – 5 pm to 9 pm
Late Night Bar – 9 pm to 10 pm
We ate here for dinner and sunset. I highly recommend the appetizer burrata toast – the truffle honey made all the difference, and the crab tagliatelle was light and lemony. Make sure to make a reservation on Open Table to ensure your spot is guaranteed!
Parking
Easy, Medium, Hard | There was plenty of street parking – both paid and unpaid – on Kalakaua Avenue.
Waffle and Berry
📍 Honolulu
Dessert for breakfast? Sign me up! Waffle and Berry is located on the second floor inside Ohana Hale. They serve made-to-order waffles at a walk up counter, as well as açai bowls, coffee, and specialty lemonades.
We ate here for breakfast but it would also make a great mid-day snack. I ordered the Peanut Butter Banana Waffle and it was truly to die for. I also ordered a regular coffee, which was good, too! Honestly just trust me and make a trip here because it is iconic for good reason.
Parking
Easy, Medium, Hard | While there was street parking around, availability was scarce. We had to do a few laps before finding an open spot. There are some parking garages a few blocks down. Also, lots of one-way streets around this area so drive safe if you are renting a car!
The Signature Prime Steak & Seafood
📍 Honolulu
If you happen to be craving a nice steakhouse dinner while in Oahu, The Signature Prime Steak & Seafood is a great way to go. I celebrated my birthday dinner here and had a great experience. On top of it being a 4.5-star establishment, the top-floor location allows for a panoramic view of the city, overlooking the Ala Moana Canal area. I got the delicious goat cheese tartine, prime filét mignon, truffle potato gratin, the mushroom risotto, creamed corn, and mashed potatoes – I recommend all of these items, as everything I ate was delectable. Make sure to make a reservation on Open Table to ensure your spot is guaranteed!
Parking
Easy, Medium, Hard | There is a parking garage attached to the Ala Moana Hotel. Additionally, there is valet service at the front entrance of the hotel.
Banzai Bowls
📍 Haleiwa, HI, North Shore area
Fresh, whole, natural açaí bowls, juices, smoothies, and casual beach food on the North Shore is always the vibe. You will definitely feel refreshed and energized after ordering anything off their menu. There are lots of additives for your smoothie or bowl and plenty of fruit filled combinations to choose from. It’s a quick stop off the road and you’re guaranteed to feel like you’re living the island life while being here!
Parking
Easy, Medium, Hard | There is a small parking lot and street parking available.
Leonard’s Bakery
📍 Honolulu, HI
This iconic malasadas bakery shop has been around since 1952. Malasadas are Portuguese donuts and their menu is full of different flavors, and I don’t think you can go wrong when choosing. They also have baked goods and pastries, as well as merch! (Yes, I had to get some). I ordered guava and coconut malasadas. My biggest regret was not ordering the macadamia nut flavor because I heard it’s amazing. This place is an unmissable stop.
Parking
Easy, Medium, Hard | There is a small parking lot available, but I guess I went during a busy time because it was absolutely chaotic! I guess that’s the price you have to pay for yummy malasadas, one I was happy to pay. We drove around and found some street parking (which was also far and few), and walked a few blocks. Worth it.
Veranda at the Beachhouse
📍 Honolulu, HI
Inside the Moana Surfrider Hotel, afternoon tea is served on Saturdays and Sunday’s. More information in this post. While the main focus of this event was, of course, the tea, with the Moana Classic Tea package came with plenty of finger food – which is my favorite kind of food! Our trays were filled with so many little treats including different types of finger sandwiches paired with sweet offerings like scones and mousses.
Parking
Easy, Medium, Hard | As a Veranda customer, you get validated valet! Located at the front entrance of the hotel. So easy, breezy.
Monkeypod Kitchen by Merriman
📍 Kapolei, HI, Ko Olina area
Monkeypod Kitchen is a casual farm-to-table family restaurant located in the Ko Olina area. The atmosphere is inviting and colorful, and the second floor is semi-open allowing for a nice breeze to flow in. We stopped in here after a beach day which which was perfect. I ordered fresh pineapple juice (and wow was it fresh!), poké tacos, and a hand-tossed Proletariat pizza. It was all YUM! Make sure to make a reservation on Open Table to ensure your spot is guaranteed!
Parking
Easy, Medium, Hard | There is a paid parking lot outside of the restaurant.
Duke’s Waikiki
📍 Honolulu, HI
Duke’s is a popular touristy, beachfront restaurant with tiki-island vibes to the max. Located in the Outrigger Waikiki Beach Resort, I kept seeing this place as I was searching through TikTok for recommendations. I ordered the coconut shrimp and had some of the pulled pork sandwich paired with a piña colada. The views, service, and food did not disappoint! Make sure to make a reservation on Open Table to ensure your spot is guaranteed!
Parking
Easy, Medium, Hard | There are multiple paid parking garages on Kalākaua Ave – the main street of Honolulu. Additionally, you can do self-validated parking or valet.
Other Recommendations
As mentioned, I had so many places I wanted to go but didn’t get the chance to. Below is a list of eateries I didn’t get the chance to go to, but hope you can:
- Kona Coffee Purveyors – long line, but good pastries
- Musubi Cafe – coffee shop
- Sweet E’s – good for breakfast
- Liliha Bakery – must get: poi donuts
- Kono’s – burritos, plates, and milkshakes
- Easy ‘Que – good lunch spot, chickens running around, good bbq
- Marugame Udon – busy, usually a line, good ramen
- Ramen Nakamura
- Helena’s Hawaiian Food – traditional Hawaiian food, busy/usually a line, must get: short rib and pork
- Jenny’s Shrimp Truck
- Big Wave Shrimp Truck
- HONOS Shrimp Truck
- Giovanni’s Shrimp Truck
- Fumi’s Kahuku Shrimp
- Ono Seafood – must get: poké bowls
- Maguro Brothers Waikiki – must get: poké bowls
- The Pig and The Lady
- Foodland Farms Ala Moana – must get: poké or fresh catch
- Senia
- Jolene’s Market Chinatown – must get: birria grilled cheese
- Ono Steaks and Shrimp Shack- must get: garlic shrimp and steak
- Adela’s Country Eatery – must get: garlic ulu pasta, taro pasta, and malunggay pasta
- Rokkaku Hamakatsu
- Aloha Fresh Juice – fruit juice bar
- Island Vintage Shave Ice
- Matsumoto Shave Ice – busy and usually a line
- Waiola Shave Ice
- Milky Cereal Bar
- Holey Grail Donuts
- Pipeline Bakeshop & Creamery
- Honolulu Cookie Company
- Slice by HB Baking – must get: ice cream pie
ENJOY
I HOPE YOU ENJOY EATING IN OAHU!
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Interactive Google Map
Use this Google map to locate and navigate the places I mentioned. Happy traveling & eating!
