27 Best Restaurants in Honolulu and Pearl Harbor, Oahu

Well established as a local favorite, this unassuming café is situated in a strip mall near Diamond Head and away from the bustle of Waikiki. It's a great spot to grab a quick, delicious breakfast or brunch, including best-sellers such as the loco moco, açai bowl, bagel sandwiches, French toast, omelets, and other morning staples. Locals love their Mama's fried rice dish, with plenty of sautéed vegetables. Many lunch options are available as well, such as chicken salad and lobster rolls. The interior is basic, but there's also ample seating on the patio out front.

Tucked away on the second floor of the Royal Hawaiian Center, this stylish, sleek, and cozy spot has a selection of more than 40 international wines by the glass—all served via a high-tech vending machine that uses prepaid cards. The food menu is limited, but a few favorites are braised beef sandwiches, poke bites with nori chips, and charcuterie plates. The restaurant also offers breakfast, lunch (featuring small plates), and a happy hour (3–6 pm) with discount wines and light bites at the bar.

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 Breakfast Bruschetta with vanilla cake rusks, local honey, and yogurt; also on offer are her signature dumplings, which change daily, and many other specials.

Chef Jason Peel's critically acclaimed Japanese fusion restaurant has an eclectic, creative, and often surprising mix of dishes from brunch through dinner, served in a bright, modern, high-ceilinged dining room or a smaller side dining space. Lots of local seafood, vegetables, and other island ingredients infuse the menu. Japanese breakfasts and omelets, plus twists on American brunch favorites, are served from morning to early afternoon. Nostalgic and playful izakaya-style shared plates dominate the large dinner menu.

Lyonnais chef Nico Chaiz's harborside restaurant is steps from the Honolulu Fish Auction, which explains his "line-to-plate" concept—super-fresh fish dishes at a reasonable price. But he lets his French flag fly in dishes like steak frites and bouillabaisse, too. Lunch focuses on local-style plate lunches and serves more of a local workers crowd. Come dinnertime, you'll see a mix of tourists and kamaaina here for beers on tap, cocktails, almost nightly music, and an excellent menu across the board. Although most indoor tables have harbor views, try to get a table on the lanai. If you're staying in a place with a kitchen and need to stock up, the fish market also sells prepared foods like poke, soups, and stews. In Kailua, there's a Nico's serving almost the same menu as the original at Pier 38.

Perched along the seawall at historic Gray's Beach, in the luxe Halekulani resort, Orchids is a locus of power breakfasters, ladies who lunch, and those celebrating special occasions at Sunday brunch or dinner. The louvered walls are open to the breezes, sprays of orchids add color, the contemporary international dishes are perfectly prepared, and the wine list is intriguing. Highlights of acclaimed chef Christian Testa's menu include a prime beef filet appetizer, a special lasagnette dish, several creative house-made pastas, and an abundance of seafood options. Enjoy sunset cocktails at the adjacent open-air bar, House Without A Key.

Stylish, spacious, and accented with subtle modern art, this seafood-focused restaurant—umi means "sea"—by acclaimed chef Vikram Garg offers a feast for the senses in the stunning Halepuna Waikiki, the boutique sister property of the Halekulani Hotel. Garg works culinary magic in the kitchen with dinner specialties such as popcorn soup (with lotus leaves) and steamed branzino with takana rice (fried rice with pickled mustard greens), and food lovers can also discover unique breakfast choices such as the mai tai pancake and masala omelet.

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.

The specialties at this coffee spot are cold brew drinks and "Coff-tails," cold brew shaken with a mixture of milks, creams, and flavors. It's not just the drinks made with coffee roasted in-house that are yummy here: the café serves pastries and cold breakfast items like the Lomi Salmon Bagel, and toasted sandwiches, flatbreads, and salads. The sit-down space is limited at this location, so you might grab and go while exploring the downtown and Chinatown areas. Alii Coffee has two other locations, one in Waikiki and one in Kakaako.

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.

Locals often bring Mainland visitors to this open-air restaurant, which has a lively bar and a beachfront setting facing Waikiki's famed Canoes surf break. Named for the father of modern surfing and filled with Duke Kahanamoku memorabilia, this casual spot offers lots of pupu (appetizers), a large salad bar, and crowd-pleasing entrées that include fish, prime rib, and huli huli (rotisserie). Be sure to try the famous Hula Pie, made with macadamia-nut ice cream piled high on a cookie crust and topped with fudge and whipped cream. The atmosphere can be raucous when A-list Hawaiian musicians perform. Sunday afternoon, when Grammy-nominated Henry Kapono revs up the crowd, is a great time to come for a mai tai.

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. If you're going on a round-the-island drive, this is a good option to pick up a picnic lunch. 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.

Countless anniversaries, birthdays, and other milestones have been celebrated under this lanai restaurant's spectacular hau tree, where it's said that even Robert Louis Stevenson found shade as he mused and wrote about Hawaii. Diners are captivated by beach views and spectacular sunsets, and fan-favorites dishes at this lovely,  restaurant inside the Kaimana Beach Hotel include several versions of eggs Benedict in the morning and Kauai shrimp or grilled lamb chops later in the day.

This place focuses on what it does best: local favorites like kalbi ribs (Korean barbecue beef short ribs), kalua (roasted in an underground oven) pork sliders, beef stew, and old-fashioned hamburger steaks. It's also a great spot to try poi (the pudding-like dish made of pounded taro). The restaurant can 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, as well as 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; on the island of Kauai; and in Los Angeles.

The placid younger sibling of boisterous Duke's, downstairs, resembles an open-air, plantation-period summer home with kitschy decor, stone-flagged floors, warm wood, and floral prints. The food is carefully prepared and familiar—with the occasional intriguing Asian touch—and dishes include steaks, locally caught grilled fish, and a few island-inspired options, such as loco moco and tropical pancakes. Request a lanai or window table to enjoy the fabulous views of Diamond Head and the beach. Sometimes the music from Duke's resonates from below, allowing diners to enjoy it without the chaos of the bar.

Serving up delicious coffee made with Hawaii-grown and -roasted beans, Kai Coffee Hawaii is an island favorite and has several locations. Featuring various coffee styles (including pour over and French press), this is a trusted spot for a fresh cup of gourmet brew or other beverages, such as hibiscus iced tea. It's known for açai bowls and crepes as well. This location in the Alohilani Resort faces Waikiki Beach.

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.

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.

This is a great spot to stop for coffee and a light bite, including some breakfast items, salads, and sandwiches, before or after your explorations in 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. A Local Joe West has also opened in Ewa Beach.

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.

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.

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.

Food lovers in the know—including the Obamas, who have eaten here—recognize that this exclusive French-Japanese restaurant offers a truly memorable Waikiki dining experience in the luxurious Espacio hotel. The perfectly plated dishes on the multicourse tasting menu change seasonally, and guests here experience sublime service as well. Cocktails and desserts are incredibly delectable, and the world-class wine list will impress any aficionado. Mugen has introduced an upscale breakfast experience with options such as lobster eggs Benedict and ricotta lemon pancakes. This tiny establishment requires advance bookings for dinner (note any dietary restrictions when reserving).

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.

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.