Honolulu, Hawaii has a vibrant dining scene featuring creative and delicious food representing diverse cultures. Here is our list of Best of Honolulu Restaurants 2021.
Splurge on dinner at one of the buzzworthy high-end spots, or save your travel funds by finding amazing, affordable fare at casual spots, cafes and food trucks. There are lots of fantastic options for everyone.
Hau Tree Lanai (Best of Honolulu Restaurants with a View)
One of the best restaurants with a view on Oahu is Hau Tree Lanai. It’s an acclaimed seaside eatery doling out creative Pacific Rim fare and brunch at the New Otani Kaimana Beach Hotel.
Set on the quiet side of Waikiki beach, it offers stunning unobstructed ocean views and breathtaking romantic sunsets.
Diners are impressed with their casual, elegant dining in a purely peaceful and idyllic setting.
Hau Tree Lanai offers the best ocean front view of the beach and sunset in an open-air outdoor “terrace” style seating under Hau Trees.
The restaurant is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner and you can also go in for bar bites, coffee, cocktails and desserts.
2863 Kalakaua Ave. Honolulu, HI 96815
Roy’s Waikiki (Best of Honolulu Restaurants for Seafood)
As one of the top restaurants in Honolulu, Roy’s Waikiki is where you will find seafood-food focused fusion cuisine that blends fresh local ingredients with European sauces and bold Asian spices.
They have some unique seafood dishes including Macadamia Nut Crusted Hawaiian Fish; Misoyaki Butterfish; Hibachi Grilled Atlantic Salmon and more.
Their Hawaii Kai Crab Cakes with spicy sesame butter is a highly recommended dish.
Wash it down with some of their signature cocktails including Roy’s Signature Hawaiian Martini or Roy’s Waikiki Mai Tai.
226 Lewers Street, Honolulu, HI 96815
Helena’s Hawaiian Food (Best of Honolulu Restaurants for Hawaiian Food)
Helena’s Hawaiian Food is the one of the best restaurants for cheap eats in Honolulu.
Over the past 64 years, Helena’s Hawaiian Food has been serving the local community quality Hawaiian cuisine.
In 2000, the James Beard Foundation awarded Helena’s Hawaiian Food the Regional Classic Award.
Helena’s is one of a handful of restaurants in Hawaii to receive this distinctive award.
Enjoy local Hawaiian dishes such as Lau Lau, Pipikaula, Tripe Stew, Chicken Long Rice, Kaula Port, and many more.
1240 N School Street, Honolulu, HI 96817
Merrimans Honolulu (Best Honolulu Farm-To-Table Restaurant)
Merrimans Honolulu is a lively, spacious and stylish eatery in Honolulu offering local seafood alongside wine, cocktails and live music.
Aside from being recognized as one of the top overall restaurants in Honolulu, they are known for their farm-to-table cuisine and wine program.
Check out their appetizers like Maui Onion Soup; Kulua Pig Quesedilla; and Steam Clams & Ciabatta.
They have “Dirt Grown Salads” including a Caesar Salad featuring Hirabara farms organic baby romaine and fried green tomato “croutons.”
Merrimans has day boat fresh catch, local farm inspired fish entrees as well as chef’s daily meat selection.
1108 Auahi St #170, Honolulu, HI 96814
MW Restaurant & Artizen (Family-Friendly Honolulu Restaurant)
If you’re looking for a family-friendly restaurant in Honolulu, check out MW Restaurant.
Located on the Second Floor of Velocity Honolulu, the restaurant just moved into this new spot and has continued to ensure that visitors and locals on the island get one of the best tastes of Hawaii.
MW Restaurant is owned by a husband and wife, and this is probably the reason for the special emphasis on family dinners.
The eatery serves inventive dishes such as Mochi-crusted Kampahi, oxtail stew risotto, ahi poke chirashi, and more.
Michelle, one of the owners of the restaurant, is a master at dessert.
One of the signature desserts is the Brûlée with Lilikoi Sorbet, Custard, “Gummies,” Tropical Fruit, and Haupia Tapioca.
MW Restaurant also has a lunch and dinner takeout spot known as Artizen located on the first floor of the same Velocity Honolulu building.
888 Kapiolani Blvd, Commercial Unit, Suite 201, Honolulu, HI 96813
Marukame Udon (Best Noodle Restaurant in Honolulu)
The ultra-popular Marukame Udon is where you will find people lining up for made to order Sanuki style Udon noodles.
Some of the udon options include Curry (with savoury beef curry broth); Beef (sweet and savoury beef in signature Kake soup); Nikutama (sweet and savory beef, hot spring egg, and BK sauce) and more.
They also serve savoury bowls (like Beef Teriyaki and Chicken Teriyaki) as well as Tempura.
The lineup can be long so it is recommended to go between meals.
2310 Kūhiō Ave. #124, Honolulu, HI 96815
Banzai Sushi Bar (Best of Honolulu Restaurants for Sushi)
Banzai Sushi Bar is one of the best Japanese restaurants in Honolulu featuring fresh and locally sourced fish is coupled with raw locally grown organic produce to create delicious, incredibly healthy sushi.
The restaurant can also transform from a mellow and quiet bar scene to a lively hotspot featuring live music, dances, unique themes, and all fun lifestyles.
Their full bar includes imported Japanese whiskeys as well as premium sakes and spirits.
With a combination of delicious Japanese food, a range of cocktails and spirits, and live music, Banzai is an ideal spot for Hawaiian nightlife.
They have a happy hour from 4 pm to 5 pm Monday – Thursday with $5 drink and $5 handroll deals. Reservations are not accepted on Fridays and Saturdays.
66 – 234 Kamehameha Highway, Haleiwa, HI 96712
Moon Garden Restaurant (Best of Honolulu Restaurants for Chinese Food)
Moon Garden is a long-standing restaurant in Honolulu serving Cantonese-style dishes and is one of the best Chinese restaurants on Oahu.
The flavors are spot on for Cantonese cuisine while the potions are generous and prices are reasonable.
The most popular dish served at the restaurant is the BBQ Chi Sui Ribs. However, as a way of ensuring that the food is perfectly done, you may need to order a day before.
578 N Vineyard Boulevard Honolulu, HI 96817
Umaizushi (Best of Honolulu Restaurants in the Airport)
If you are catching a flight out of Daniel Inouye International Airport, one of the most popular restaurants at the airport is Umaizushi where you will find Hawaiian dishes like Luau and sushi.
The Spanish Dynamite Rolls with Jalapenos toppings are one of the best most popular items to order.
Umaizushi also has a vegan sushi roll which is vegan lovers approve.
This spot can be a bit crowded after 6 pm, so be sure to get there earlier or order takeout ahead.
300 Rodgers Boulevard Post Sec, Honolulu, HI 96819
Assaggio (Best of Honolulu Restaurants for Italian Food)
Assaggio is one of the best Italian restaurants in Honolulu and is known for their Italian-American cuisine in romantic setting.
Opened by Thomas Ky, who immigrated to the United States from Vietnam at the age of 13, Assagio was opened in 1989 and has five award-winning locations throughout Oahu.
Serving both lunch and dinner, Assaggio offers appetizers and starter courses such as homemade cold antipasto, garlic bread pesto, calamari in carrozza, grilled portobello mushroom with eggplant, fresh clam casino, minestrone soup, pickled mixed vegetables and crispy golden fish salad.
Fresh Italian entrées include dishes like pasta with sausage olio, pasta with pomodori sauce, linguine mushroom, pasta with pesto, chicken putanesca, boneless chicken julienne vegetable, calamari alla parmigiana, shrimp alla francese and veal alla marsala.
One of the popular menu items that Assaggio is known for is the Sicilian Roasted Chicken where the chefs take their time to roast the chicken to perfection.
Reservations are recommend as the restaurant is very popular.
7192 Kalanianaʻole Hwy, Honolulu, HI 96825, USA.