4 Best Restaurants in Leeward and Central Oahu, Oahu

Airy and modern, this hip, lively bar and restaurant overlooks the Wai Kai wave pool for fantastic views of Oahu’s south shore, including Diamond Head, Honolulu, and Waikiki. The Hawaii-centric menu includes pizzas, salads, sandwiches, and a range of entrées, from a roasted veggie bowl and fish tacos to braised short rib loco moco (a comfort classic with white rice, meat such as a hamburger patty, fried eggs, and gravy); a dessert favorite is the strawberry guava parfait.

Housed in a former officer’s dining hall right on the west-facing beach at Pokai Bay, the hip, casual, younger sibling of Pearl Harbor’s Restaurant 604 is a great place to stop for a bite before or after a surf session at Makaha or a day trip up the west side to Yokohama Bay. The island-inspired menu focuses on comfort foods and includes everything from poke, burgers, fries, and pizza to traditional island plates with fish and rice. During happy hour and sunset time, locals congregate to watch sports on large-screen TVs and see the golden orb dip into the clear seas.

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

The main restaurant at Disney's Aulani resort offers three-course breakfast and dinner menus with a wide variety of locally produced items, as well as familiar dishes from stateside and the rest of the world. You'll find sustainable Hawaiian seafood, Asian selections, familiar grilled meats and vegetables. Arrive early for dinner and have a drink at the adjacent Olelo Room, where the staff are fluent in Hawaiian; you can get a language lesson along with your libation.