Oahu Foodie

Last Updated: August 2026 - Added a few more spots worth checking out

Aloha e komo mai! While you are out here, enjoying all the great food is a must. There's tons of blogs, IG foodie influencers, yelp, etc. that can steer you in a great direction. Here's a short list of my favorites.

Before we get to food, I really recommend earning all the eats with a hike guided by some incredible locals. Book with Imiloa Hiking Club, who are good friends.

Poke

Everyone on the island has their favorite spot and will go to war defending it. Here's some great spots to grab some:

Off the Hook: Fresh fish purchased at the auction daily. This takeout spot is tucked away in Manoa valley and gets a big line at lunch time. Ryan always gets the sushi rice, spicy ahi, and wasabi furikake. Annie varies it up, and has new favorites these days.

Tanioka's: Headed out to the west side or Koolina? Stop in here for some of the best poke on the island.

Ono Seafood: Couple locations, always fresh. I'll pick some up at the Kaka'ako Farmers market saturday morning, and they also have a location near waikiki. Great and fresh. I like the shoyu flavored.

Foodland: While maybe not the best, you can't go wrong with all the selections at the grocery store counter.

Musubi

Another Hawaiian staple and the perfect hiking snack.

7-11 and ABC store: Yes, just get them there, they are great and made fresh daily befre making it to convenience stores all over the island.

Musubi Cafe Iyasume: The fancy place to get spam and rice. They are BIG and have options like avocado, shiso, egg, etc.

Foodland: Easy to pick one up here too! Foodland shows up in many spots.

WE FANCY HUH

So you want to impress someone or celebrate something big? Here's where to go:

Maze: Tasting and cocktail menu designed to go together. Exceptional food, always delicious, and the drinks come from bar leather apron, so you know they'll be excellent. It's a real treat to get a seat at the bar and watch the pros work.

Tempura Ichika: A tempura omakase! You've probably had a sushi one before, now imagine perfect pieces of tempura individually prepared. We've taken some friends and family here, and they've always left impressed with how delicious and light it is, often commenting they've never had anything like it before.

Sushi Sho: As high end as sushi omakase gets. This is $$$$$$$ pricy, but I think worth the experience once if that's your thing. Formal quiet setting enjoying sushi perfected.

Waikiki Spots

Since most visitors stay in Waikiki, here's some nearby spots. While we don't brave the crowds there too often, we're drawn for some of the food quite a bit!

Monkeypod: Highlight on local foods and always great. Famous for their mai tai with lilikoi foam! Fresh Island Fish sandwich is Ryan's favorite. And the szechuan green beans. Oooo and mac nut crusted fresh fish! Get a strawberry creme pie for desset. It's so good.

Zigu: Japanese menu highlighting local ingredients. The owner/chef recently changed, but food has always been good.

Marugame Udon: Huge line, locations expanding, but it's good if you want some noodles and Tempura.

Tommy Bahama: Surprisingly good food. A great mac nut crusted fish. We always talk about how we should come back here more often.

Hula Grill: Toursity, but you can get a Hula pie for dessert, and that's worth it. We like to go after dinner, sit in the bar area, and just get the Hula pie.

Ramen Bario: There are a few spots along Noodle street down in the basement where Stix Asia is. Head to Ramen Bario. You'll know it's the right spot because it has multiple signs saying "NO VEGETARIAN OPTION". They specialize in a slow cooked tonkotsu broth that is super rich and delicious.

Halekulani: One of the best mai tais you'll ever find served anywhere in the hotel. Great dinner at Orchids, and the brunch there is INCREDIBLE. Also, the signature coconut cake is exceptional. I don't even really like coconut cake, but will ALWAYS devour a slice of this.

More Highlights

These are our favorites and where we go a lot!

Pioneer Saloon: There's two locations, we eat at the one in Kaka'ako. Japanese/Hawaiian plate lunch/dinners. We eat here at least once a week. The regular rotation:

• mochiko chiken (fried chicken in mochi flour)
• chicken nanban [Ryan's current favorite, cannot get enough]
• grilled mahi mahi (garlic)
• mechikatsu
• ribeye

Everything we've had is great. I don't think the other location has the mahi mahi. Bonus - take your container over to Village Beer to grab a drink to help ease the pain when you burn your mouth on the fresh and HOT fried chicken.

Pig and the Lady: Vietnamese fusion in Kaimuki, one of the most consistent and well executed restaurants around. Menu changes often and it's always so good.

Lam's Kitchen: Hole in the wall noodles and soups in Chinatown. Great for lunch!

Zippy's: Is it a Hawaii trip without Zippy's? Annie loves the spaghetti. Ryan loves breakfast with eggs, protuguese sausage and rice. What don't they have?! The saimin is great too!

Tonkatsu Tamafuji: get a reservation very early, this is some of the best tonkatsu you'll ever get! Usually have some walk in capacity, but may have to wait a bit.

Tontaksu Kuro: Easier to get into that Tamafuji, great soba + tonkatsu combination. delicious and kid friendly

Moku: Outside of Waikiki and next to our apartment, this is a more casual version of Monkeypod with a more limited menu, but it has our favorites.. Great great happy hour prices

Merriman's: If moku is the more casual version of Monkeypod, Merriman's is the higher end. Nicer sit down restaurant. Great food/drink. LOVE the chocolate purse for dessert.

Fete: Exceptional restaurant in Chinatown. great cocktails. great food.

Pearl's Korean BBQ: Meat Jun! SO good. Marinated Korean beef fried up in egg. YUMMMMM. A regular Uber eats order for Ryan...

Da Bald Guy's Food Truck: Up near north shore, LOVE their ribeye. Pan seared ahi also solid, but somethign about the ribeye I can never turn down.

The Kiwi Korner: Also up near north shore if you go up the east side, these are DELCIOUS hand pies. They are all great, and don't miss the lupulu (corned beef and taro leaves)

Keeamoku Seafood: Serious hole in the wall that serves incredible takeout salmon belly (cooked in oil) and poke. Another goto UberEats when we don't want to cook.

Foodland: SALT N VINEGAR WINGS. There's a lot of great stuff here in general. I can never get enough of these wings. Also love the salmon chazuke dip!

Sushi

There are a ton of places and you can likely find a great option!

Hihimanu Sushi: My favorite omakase. It's rich and a bit over the top, and has a great vibe that's relaxed, chef jokes around a bit, and doesn't feel stuffy at all. He really treats you well with truffle and other things.

Doraku: solid happy hour spot and a few locations, including in Waikiki.

Sweets

Leonard's malasadas: A staple on the island, especially hot and fresh. The main location can get crazy. If you find yourself venturing down to hike Kokohead or check out Hanauma bay, there's a food truck location in Hawaiia Kai that is never as crowded.

Liliha bakery: Another staple. Their malasadas aren't hot, but quite tasty (liliko and haupia are great!). Also...the cream puffs....drool.

Sage Creamery: If you are out that direction, their ice cream is very very very good. Highly recommend the lemon crunch, but they don't miss in general.

Farmer's Market

You'll be well fed at the wedding, but might as well get some good food earlier in the day! The Kakaako Farmer's Market (Saturday) has some incredible food.

Baker Dude's: Cinnamon Croissant is S-Tier and something we'll buy weekly without regret. Their croissants use something like 30% more butter and are SO SO good.

Youpo Noodes: Hand pulled noodles. Now with a brick and mortar spot in Chinatown! I like cumin lamb.

Mazemen: Dry Ramen!

Joja Smashburger: Huge line, fatty meaty burger. This this is rich and kinda over the top, but given that people will wait 45 min for it...it might be up your alley. It comes with a heavy squirting of truffle sauce, which may or may not be your jam.

Da Seafood Cartel: Some of the best ceviche I've had. A tostada with blue crap dip and the ceviche is divine. there's a permanent spot as well worth visiting.

Coffee + Tea

Kona Coffee Purveyors | b patisserie: In waikiki, go for the pastries and get a coffee. The kouign amann are incredible.

Arvo: The local spot for us. I LOVE the charcoal latte!

The Curb Kaimuki: PNW vibes coffee. Very good! Pastries from Hana Quon are an absolute must buy. Everything is great, but you have to time it right, or get in on her weekend popups.

Maruwu Seicha: This is one of my favorite matchas, even if its more of a chain.

Ohana Hui Cafe: A decadent matcha truck.

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History:

Lost some places over time...but forever remembered.

• TRY Coffee
  • closed when building got knocked down July 2026. VERY SAD. I really hope they find a new spot. This was one of my early and initial favorite spots.
• Blacksheep creamery
  • The spot above HMart was a favorite, and I'm pretty sure a reason Annie decided to date me. Sadly closed. There are other locations (Koolina) that are GREAT.
• Wallflour Bake Shop
  • closed until they get a new kitchen. hope to see them at the farmers market again soon. thankfully theres lots of other good options
• Sushi ii
  • This one hurt to see close. Was my favorite sushi spot for a long time.
• Yakitori Hachibei
  • another sad one to see close.
• Yung Yee Kee:
  • such good dim sum. They closed the main location, and now you can get it at the mall...but I haven't tried so can't recommend again yet.
• Tamashiro Market:
  • Seafood market...with great poke selections. Definitely a more local feel.
  • Sad to see this shut down, congrats to the family. This was a fun spot.
• Fort Ruger Market: Hole in the wall corner store with some great poke.