10 Best Restaurants in Honolulu and Pearl Harbor, Oahu

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. 

The "M" and "W" team of husband-and-wife chefs Michelle Karr-Ueko and Wade Ueko combine their collective experience (20 years alongside chef Alan Wong, a side step to the famed French Laundry, and some serious kitchen time at comfort food icon Zippy's) to create a uniquely local menu with a decidedly upscale twist. Michelle's flair for sweets has resulted in a dessert menu as long as the main one, including tropical fruit creamsicle brûlée, an MW candy bar, and the frozen lilikoi (Hawaiian passion fruit) soufflé.

Started by Helen Chock and now run by her grandson, this casual, unassuming spot is an iconic stop for classic Hawaiian food. You can skip the hotel luau and come here for authentic kalua pig, lomi lomi salmon, poi, pipikaula (salted and dried) beef short ribs, haupia (a Jell-O-like coconut pudding), and more. Order at the counter and sit down, but you won't wait long, as Helena's is known for its efficency

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.

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.

Yes, the popovers and the wee cups of bouillon are available at lunch, but in every other regard, the menu at this Neiman Marcus restaurant departs from the classic model, incorporating a clear sense of Pacific place. The breezy, open-air veranda, with a view of Ala Moana Regional Park, the twirling ceiling fans, and the life-size hula-girl murals say "Hawaii." It's still a spot for ladies who lunch, but it also welcomes a more casual crowd.

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.

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.

Longtime local favorite Waiola Shave Ice, known for its super-soft and powdery shave ice (or snow cone) and wide variety of flavors, became nationally known through regular appearances on the reboot of the Hawaii Five-0 TV show. It's a fast-moving line, so know your order when you get to the window. Customize your cone with add-ons, such as ice cream, sweetened condensed milk, mochi, and adzuki beans (sweet red beans). The original location on Waiola Street in the McCully neighborhood has even more of an old-school feel.