5 Best Restaurants in Chinatown, Honolulu and Pearl Harbor

Every item on the modern American menu at this small, sophisticated, James Beard Award–nominated restaurant is carefully concocted and artfully plated. You can order à la carte or indulge in the pricey tasting menu at the Chef's Counter. The same owners also operate the swanky bar Podmore, nearby.

At lunch, regulars pack into this tiny, brick-walled space for the burgers and specials; at dinner, they come for the pasta and locally sourced seafood dishes or the to-die-for twice-fried Kauai chicken with grits and collard greens. Here, you'll probably get cozy with the table next to you as waitstaffers glide between tables with full trays and great attitudes. There's also seating in a smaller, quieter, upstairs library. The specials are fabulous, as are the craft cocktails and the beer list.

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.

Livestock Tavern scores big with its seasonal offerings of updated comfort foods and craft cocktails and its cowboy-minimalist decor. Although meat, including some of the best burgers in town, commands the menu, offerings like burrata, creative salads, sandwiches, and fish round out the possibilities. Note the seasonal drink specials with creative names. Weekend brunch is also served.

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 one of the few places that serve dim sum from 9 am all the way to 8 pm.