45 Best Restaurants in Honolulu and Pearl Harbor, Oahu

Off the beaten path even for residents, this microscopic sushi bar is an adjunct of a wholesale seafood market and has a sort of cult following. The fish, air-freighted from around the world, is ultra-fresh, well-cut (into huge pieces—to the regret of those who follow the one-bite rule), and prepared for the serious sushi lover. You can spend as much or as little as you like—from $6 veggie sushi to the $135 omakase (a series of small courses) menu.  Rest assured, it's unlikely you'll run into anyone from your hotel here, and locals will be mightily impressed you ventured so far. (Barack Obama has been know to drop by when he's in town.) The final seating is at 7:45, so plan (and make reservations) accordingly.

The garlic chicken may haunt your dreams, so it's worth the trek to a downscale neighborhood to find this unprepossessing takeout 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 in your order ahead of time.

In the hip SALT complex, Moku appeals to both foodies and families with authentic farm-to-table cuisine and a laid-back, urban setting. It's one of legendary chef Peter Merriman's restaurants (he's one of the founding chefs of Hawaii regional cuisine) and focuses on upcountry farm fare cooked in the on-site rotisserie; pizzas, salads, and sandwiches; and craft cocktails. Happy hour and evening music can sometimes get really loud, so if you want to chat, ask to be seated away from the entertainment.

Excellent, oversize breakfast items and pastries, accompanied by a versatile coffee and tea list, make this mostly open-air spot a good place to stop for breakfast (though they have lunch items like sandwiches) when you've got time for a leisurely meal. Get there early before food items start to sell out, and be ready to wait in a line that's often long and slow-moving. But as a sign behind the counter reminds customers, be kind.

The name of this casual, homey restaurant is the English translation of waialae (meaning a gathering spot around a watering hole). Renowned chef Ed Kenney explores modern interpretations of the Hawaiian foods he remembers from his childhood with an ever-changing locavore menu. Besides the dining room, you can sit at the bar or on the lanai. Spread out and talk story with your neighbor. That's what inspired Kenney to open the place, after all.

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.

This hole-in-the-wall storefront was the go-to spot for pho with all the trimmings 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.

If the perfect sunset happy hour means cocktails, bite-size shareable plates, tropical breezes, ocean sounds, and flaming oversize torches, then make it a point to dine at RumFire, situated beachfront in the Sheraton Waikiki. Enjoy such dishes as lemon-herb mahimahi, island fish tacos, and "local style" sesame-ahi poke; sip signature concoctions like the RumFire Mai Tai or the Fire Runner, made with spiced rum and tropical juices. At night, RumFire is a club–lounge that promises an edgy and exciting experience amid fashionable people and exquisite views.

Try to get a coveted seat at the counter, and prepare for an unforgettable sushi experience—if you behave, as chef Seiji Kumagawa prefers that diners eat omakase-style, letting him send out his favorite courses (generally two pieces of sushi or six to eight slices of sashimi), each priced individually and each served with instructions ("please, no shoyu on this one" or "one piece, one bite"). People who've defied Kumagawa have been kicked out of the restaurant midmeal. The parade of dishes, which continues until you cry uncle, always includes the signature California baby squid stuffed with Louisiana crab. Phone calls are not allowed in the restaurant

The original Hopaka Street pub is famous as the place where celebrity chefs gather after hours; this second Kapahulu Avenue location is also popular and closer to Waikiki. Local-style bar food—salty pan-fried pork chops with a plastic tub of ketchup, lup cheong fried rice, and passion fruit–glazed ribs—is served in huge, shareable portions. This is a lively, casual place where you can dress any way you like, nosh all night, and watch loud sports on TV. Pupu (in portions so large as to be dinner) are served daily. It gets crowded quickly, so make a reservation or prepare to wait awhile.

Popular with locals, this casual counter-service spot is just minutes from Waikiki, on trendy Monsarrat Avenue near the base of Diamond Head. It has something for everyone: generous plate lunches (try the wahoo—a type of mackerel—coated with macadamia-nut pesto and served with a tangy slaw), fish tacos, burritos, burgers, ciabatta-roll sandwiches, and entrée salads. Leave room for dessert, especially the Peanut Butter Temptations, a signature treat that sells out every day.

Among the first of a new wave of plate-lunch places to take particular care with quality and nutrition, this breakfast-and-lunch spot in a strip mall offers brown rice and green salad as options instead of the usual white rice and mayo-loaded mac salad. Sweet-and-spicy garlic chicken and mochiko (rice-batter-dipped and fried) chicken, adapted from traditional Japanese dishes, are specialties that bring locals back again and again. Service is quick and cheerful. Sugoi lives up to its name, which means "awesome" or "wow" in Japanese.

Honolulu has its share of Italian restaurants, and Taormina, taking its culinary cues from Sicily, is considered one of the best by foodies, locals, and visitors alike. In a sleek, elegant room (there is outdoor seating, but this is one place it's best to dine indoors), you can dine on well-executed classics, such as porcini risotto with sautéed foie gras and a breaded veal chop "alla Taormina" (the restaurant's take on veal Parmesan). Pastas include spaghetti vongole (with clams), sarde e finochetti (sautéed sardines with fennel, anchovies, olives, and capers), and the trademark uni (sea urchin) with tagliatelle. Don't miss the artfully presented antipasti misti (mixed appetizers). For dessert, go traditional with cannoli or tiramisu. The wine list is extensive, and prix-fixe menus are offered for lunch and dinner.

The Honolulu outpost of the New York–based original serves good steaks that have been dry-aged on-site, as well as classic shrimp cocktails, slabs of Canadian bacon, crab cakes, creamed spinach, broiled jumbo lobster, and the token grilled fish selection. If it sounds like Peter Luger's on the Pacific, then it won't come as a surprise to learn that owner Wolfgang Zwiener was once head waiter at that legendary Brooklyn steak house. Stop by during happy hour for a prix fixe sampler deal, or wander in for lunch and then spend the rest of the day lounging on the beach.

Serving a complete menu until 1 am, this restaurant decorated with photos of food and people who have stopped by offers not only delicious sushi and sashimi around a small bar, but also teishoku (combination menus), tempura, stews, and cook-it-yourself shabu-shabu at tables. The fish can be depended on for freshness and variety.