36 Best Restaurants in Oahu, Hawaii

This food truck in the Manuhealii parking lot serves delicious, made-to-order malasadas (Portuguese donuts) that are crispy and dark brown on the outside and soft, chewy, and sweet on the inside. They're also denser than those found at some other bakeries on the island. This means that they're probably more authentic to the original Portuguese recipe.

Follow a narrow beach pathway (between The Cheesecake Factory and Outrigger Waikiki Beach Resort) lined with surfboards to reach this takeout spot specializing in banán, a frozen, vegan-friendly dessert made with local bananas and containing no added sugar. Other snack options include smoothies, smoothie bowls, and ulu (breadfruit) waffles. Try the “Riss Moore” flavor, filled with tropical fruits and named after surfer Carissa Moore, the 2020 Olympic gold medalist and five-time world champion. There's no seating here, but Banán is steps from the beach and the main drag in Waikiki. 

When Lee Anne Wong, best known as a competitor on the first season of Bravo's Top Chef, moved to the Islands, foodies waited with bated breath for this, her first restaurant. It's a lively yet laid-back café, where she took the concept of breakfast and flipped it, creating innovative dishes like Elvis's Revenge, a peanut butter and banana tempura sandwich with candied bacon, and her signature dumplings, which change daily.

At this bright, lively, upscale food court on the third floor of the Royal Hawaiian Center, you can feast on local and Japanese options ranging from massive, juicy burgers to spicy shrimp tacos to exquisite smoothies topped with colorful, edible designs—all emphasizing the use of fresh, local ingredients. Vendors here include Five Star Shrimp, Milk, JTRRD, Meatally Boys, POTAMA (Pork Tamago Onigiri), Honolulu Burger Co., Surfer’s Cafe, and Tap Bar. Best of all, you don’t need to try just one vendor—you can mix and match and enjoy tasty selections from several. There’s plenty of seating, and you can also shop for local art and cool island souvenirs.

Dating from 1922, this historic café surrounded by the verdant Manoa Valley landscape is part of the Hawaii Salvation Army headquarters and has been independently operated by Ross and Stefanie Anderson since late 2018. A short menu of simple, delicious breakfast and lunch items are ordered at the counter and delivered to your chosen table, either inside the cozy, multiroom bungalow or on the covered lanai. The Waioli staff is largely made up of people in recovery from substance abuse who are learning the restaurant and kitchen trade, and a 3% vocational training fee is added to all checks, bringing the former tearoom back to its roots as a kitchen skills program for orphaned girls. There's a cute gift shop and plenty of space to linger in the lushness.

Tam and Kimmy Huynh's menu ranges far beyond the usual pho and bun (cold noodle dishes) found at many Vietnamese restaurants. This welcoming, no-frills, hole-in-the-wall spot, which locals swear by, features lamb curry, tapioca dumplings, head-on tamarind shrimp, and other dishes that hail from both North and South Vietnam. People who work in the neighborhood pack in for lunch, so you might want to avoid a midday visit. Reservations are not accepted for groups of fewer than six.

This outlet of the popular retro diner chain—with four locations, including one at Windward Mall in neighboring Kaneohe—is across the street from a small bird sanctuary and has outdoor lanai seating and a bar. It's a hot spot for breakfast and Sunday football; popular dinner items include grilled steak with onions and mushrooms, baby back ribs, meatloaf, and salads. Kids and families love this spot.

Known for uncommon variations on common breakfast themes, this neighborhood favorite is tucked into a hard-to-find Kailua office park (call for directions). Local-style lunch plates are good, but the main attraction is breakfast, when you don't want to miss the guava chiffon and red velvet pancakes or the signature cinnamon macadamia-nut rolls. (The Waikiki location in the Ilikai Hotel serves dinner, too.) Be prepared to wait. The place is always packed for breakfast, particularly on weekends.

Escape the tourist traps and rub elbows with locals at this small, busy breakfast–brunch café, with outdoor porch seating and ocean views (come early or order takeout, as it closes early afternoon). Island favorites dominate the menu, including corned beef hash loco moco and lilikoi (passionfruit) pancakes for breakfast and garlic shrimp with mushrooms, fish tacos, and kalbi ribs for lunch.

Just five minutes from Waikiki's hotels is chef Kelvin Ro's one-stop food shop—indispensable if you have accommodations with a kitchen or want a quick grab-and-go meal. Join surfers, beachgoers, and Diamond Head hikers at the takeout window to order gourmet sandwiches and plates, such as hand-shaped burgers, portobello mushroom sandwiches, Korean kalbi ribs, and grilled ahi with wasabi-ginger sauce, rice, and salad. Selections include sandwiches, bento boxes, and salads. Don't miss the bakery: locals love this place for the giant scones and desserts like lemon crunch cake. You can also pick up wine, beer, and soft drinks.

Get a taste of local Japanese culture at this family operation on the main thoroughfare in Moiliili, a mile or so mauka (toward the mountains) out of Waikiki. Open since 1939, the delicatessen offers take-out breakfasts and lunches, Japanese snacks, noodle dishes, and confections—and it's a local favorite for catering, from parties to funeral gatherings. Try mochi (sweet rice-flour cakes), shoyu chicken, hash patties, garlic chicken, and Asian-style salads. The folks here are particularly patient and helpful to visitors, but it's only open from 6 to 2. Going on a round-the-island drive? This is a good option to pick up a picnic lunch.

Owner Hank Adaniya's idea of a hot dog involves things like a duck and foie gras sausage with truffle mustard and stone fruit compote. Originally a true hole-in-the-wall, the gentrified Hank's is still a tiny spot where you can go classic with the Chicago Dog, made with the traditional fixings (including neon-green relish), or gourmet with the butter-seared lobster sausage topped with garlic-relish aioli. And always get the beef-fat fries with a house-made dipping sauce (spicy curry ketchup is a winner). Or get a burger—they're equally good. Forget cola; here you can have island-fresh drinks like hibiscus lemonade and lilikoi-lime soda. Order at the counter, stake out a bar stool inside, or wander outside to the bar-style seating.

Highway Inn serves what it does best: local favorites like Kalbi ribs, kalua (roasted in an underground oven) pork sliders, beef stew, and old-fashioned hamburger steaks. This is also a great spot to try poi (the pudding-like dish made of pounded taro). It gets crowded, so expect to wait for a table.

Locals love the scrumptious taro-based confections and delightful coffee beverages created by this family-run outfit. Fried in coconut oil, the doughnuts are known for their light texture, splashy colors and designs, and sophisticated flavors with fun names like Island Chocolate, Pineapple Express, Miso Honey, Kale’n It, and Prosperity (with kumquat and poppy seeds). Inquire about the weekly tasting boxes (of four) and seasonal specialties. There’s no seating, but it’s an easy walk to the beach. Other locations are in nearby Ward Village and on the island of Kauai; plans are in the works for new Mainland locations.

Owner Ken Takahashi retired as a nightclub impresario on the Big Island to become a real-life burger king. This modest spot is the home of the locavore burger, made with range-fed beef, Manoa lettuce, tomatoes, and a wide range of toppings, all island-grown—and you can taste the difference. Go classic with a single, hand-shape patty, the meat loosely packed to let the juices run free, or try one of Takahashi's creations. Don't forget the truffle fries.

A massive, antique roaster is the centerpiece of this beautifully appointed, spacious, and airy coffeehouse, the largest and most unique branch of the Waikiki chain, situated near the convention center. There are plenty of options for tea drinkers, too, in addition to pastries, breakfast sandwiches, and açai bowls. There’s a big parking lot and shaded outdoor seating as well.

This hole-in-the-wall has been creating shave ice perfection in its tiny original spot since 1979, but when two young girls named Obama discovered the luscious flavors in 2008, it was really put on the map. A favorite spot for both locals and storied visitors (and these days lots of regular tourists), it makes a mean shave ice, whether you stick with standard flavors like cherry or go for lilikoi (passion fruit) guava with a snowcap on top. The original is right by the beach; there's a second location in the Kailua Shopping Center. Buy one of the popular shirts and hats while you're there.

Recharge for more adventure with coffee, chocolate, shave ice, and boba drinks at family-owned and operated Island X Hawaii, in an old sugar mill garage. Chocolate and coffee come from the neighboring fields, and the owner crafts the all-natural syrups with organically grown mango, papaya, pineapple, and passionfruit.

Generations of children have purchased their beach snacks and sodas at Kalapawai Market near Kailua Beach. A Windward Oahu landmark since 1932, the green-and-white market has distinctive charm. You'll see slipper-clad locals sitting in front sharing a cup of coffee and talking story at picnic tables or in front of the market. It's a good source for your carryout lunch, since there's no concession stand at the beach. It also has one of the better selections of wine on the island. There's a sister Kalapawai Cafe with a sit-down menu in the center of Kailua.

This well-established bakery offers both old-school classics and newer treats, some of which have become cult favorites. You'll salivate as you stare at the cases filled with inexpensive pastries, doughnuts, cookies, and breads. Items are often unlabeled, so point and ask if you want to know what is what, and the counter attendants will cheerfully explain. The poi-glazed doughnuts/malasadas are a phenomenon, but the Chantilly Roll (poi roll filled with black sugar and topped with Chantilly frosting and walnuts) is to die for.

Why not stop for shave ice like President Barack Obama did while visiting the island after the 2008 election? This spot in Koko Marina Center serves fluffy shave ice, açai bowls, bubble drinks, ice cream, and more.

This North Shore spot has gone from funky burger shack (it first opened in 1975) to institution, with crowds of tourists and locals standing in line to order the large, hand-formed burgers heaped with bacon, cheese, and pineapple. Frankly, there are better burgers to be had around the island, but this place commands a truly loyal following.

At this large Chinatown institution, the dim sum cart ladies stop at your table and show you their Hong Kong–style fare. If you come for breakfast dim sum, arrive before 9 am, especially on weekends, if you want to hear yourself think. There are also à la carte lunch and dinner menus.

Whether you spell it malasada or malassada, when you're in Hawaii, you must try these deep-fried, holeless Portuguese doughnuts. Leonard's Bakery is the most famous of all the island establishments making them and was the first island bakery to commercialize their production. Expect to stand in a long line outside the original Kapahulu location to get a signature pink box or bag filled with the piping hot treats. You can also order from one of the red-and-white-stripe Malasadamobiles parked at several shopping centers on Oahu. Leonard's makes breads, cookies, muffins, and other sweets, too, but let's be honest, you're coming here for the malasadas.

Local Joe is a great spot to stop for coffee and a light bite before or after your explorations in the Aloha Tower, Chinatown, downtown, and historic Honolulu. The coffee shop roasts its own beans and has a latte art "printer" that leaves detailed designs on your drink.

For a real slice of Haleiwa life, stop at family-run Matsumoto's Shave Ice for cool treats that are available in every flavor imaginable. For something different, order a shave ice with adzuki beans—the red beans are boiled until soft, mixed with sugar, and then placed in the cone with the ice on top.

In contrast to the sprawling, noisy halls where dim sum is generally served, Mei Sum is compact, shiny, and bright—it's also favored by locals who work in the area. Be ready to guess and point at the color photos of dim sum favorites or the items on the carts as they come by, or ask fellow diners for suggestions. It's open daily and is one of the few places that serves dim sum from 8 am all the way to 9 pm.

The garlic chicken may haunt your dreams, so it's worth the trek to a downscale neighborhood to find this unprepossessing joint. Line up, order the plate lunch with rice and salad, and sink your teeth into the profoundly garlicky masterpiece drizzled with a sweet glaze. Obsessed locals line up at dawn to get takeout for lunch.  To avoid the wait, call the day before to place your order, then head to the cashier at the "phone order pick-up line."

Located on the edge between the financial district and Chinatown, Honolulu's go-to Irish bar serves Guinness on tap and an Irish-American menu of pubby favorites such as spicy chicken wings, jalapeño poppers, fish 'n' chips, corned beef and cabbage, and grilled New York steak—without that Waikiki price tag. But probably the most popular menu item is the Blarney Burger, gooey with Guinness-infused cheddar cheese. The list of daily specials is worth hearing, and while the comfort food is its trademark, the specialty salads are noteworthy and inventive. And pie day, every Friday, brings in rabid fans looking for their favorite slice. The restaurant has been featured on Guy Fieri's Diners, Drive-ins and Dives on the Food Network. The dining room's booths attract business big wigs, journalists, and staff from the nearby Kumu Kahua Theatre. Meanwhile, the young and restless play darts and shuffleboard in the bar. It takes over the block for Saint Patrick's Day, and it's the go-to spot for after work pau hana (after work) gatherings and a quick bite before a show at the Kumu Kahua Theatre.

Those people lined up on River Street know where to go for bowls of steaming pho (Vietnamese beef noodle soup) with all the best trimmings. This hole-in-the-wall storefront was the go-to pho spot long before hipsters and foodies found Chinatown. Many Vietnamese restaurants have since opened, and some have surpassed To Chau's quality—it's all in the broth—but eating habits die hard in this city.