Best Places to Eat in Waikiki - Honolulu, Hawaii
- Tricia B
- Jun 27
- 7 min read
Where to Eat in Waikiki: Our Favorite Restaurants
Looking for the best places to eat in Waikiki? Waikiki has an incredible variety of restaurants, from casual local favorites and fresh poke to beachfront breakfasts, Hawaiian specialties and fine dining.
After spending time eating our way around Waikiki, we’ve put together some of our favorite places for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks. Whether you’re looking for fresh island fish, kalua pork, garlic shrimp, shave ice or a memorable dinner, these Waikiki restaurants are worth adding to your list.
Best Breakfast
Waikiki Beachcomber Hotel
2300 Kalakaua Ave. Honolulu, HI 808 256-2602
6am —8pm
This cafe is tucked away in the Waikiki Beachcomber Hotel which is centrally located around the middle of the Kalakaua Avenue main strip. You need to take the escalator up to the hotel lobby and then you can enter the cafe from there.
The ambience of this cafe is possibly the best in Waikiki with a tropical, hip vibe and a great music playlist of poolside beats. In addition to breakfast, they also have some sandwiches and salads for lunch, and happy hour cocktails in the late afternoon.
Everything we had was amazing including the Americano coffee. The Morning Feast is a filling meal that includes 2 eggs, bacon, portuguese sausage, toast and salad. They have assorted Belgian waffles and the traditional one features strawberries, blueberries and banana - artfully plated.
Their acai bowls are among the best, especially the tropical acai bowl which has loads of fruit - kiwi, pineapple, papaya, strawberries and topped with granola, shaved coconut, bee pollen and honey.
Lastly, the eggs benedict with smoked salmon was delicious. It is served on just one half of an everything bagel, so not a huge portion but it was perfect. The lilikoi infused hollandaise was a really nice extra special touch.
You pretty much can't go wrong ordering anything on the menu, from food to beverages, everything is top notch.
Outrigger Waikiki Beach Resort
2335 Kalakaua Ave #116, Honolulu, HI 96815
Duke's is a legend in Waikiki and extremely popular, particularly for dinner, so reservations are recommended. Breakfast or lunch can be good alternatives.
They are known for their buffets, as well as their incredible beachfront location and Hawaiian ambience. Evening dinners usually feature musicians playing traditional Hawaiian tunes who stroll around adding to the incredible ambience.
The all-you-can-eat breakfast buffet is good value by Waikiki standards, and includes a fruit and salad bar, breads, pastries, scrambled eggs, made to order omelettes (order from your server), bacon, sausages, fried rice, potatoes, eggs benedict, french toast, pancakes, oatmeal, yogurt, cereal and more. It also includes coffee or tea. Surcharges apply for drinks such as mimosas.
The covered open air setting with incredible views is unbeatable. It's the perfect Hawaiian experience along with cute little birds seeking any crumbs that drop on the floor.
2310 Kuhio Avenue #1-A
7AM – 9PM
Kono's first opened in 2002 in Haleiwa on the North Shore of Oahu. It now has several locations around Oahu including one in Waikiki, located on Kuhio Avenue. It's just a take out counter and it's super popular so if you don't want to wait, you can order through a food delivery/pickup app and just pick it up when it's ready.
Their specialty is all things pork and, in particular, their delicious kalua pork.
Their burrito wraps, which are called Bombers, are huge so they're perfect for big appetites or can be shared (ask them to cut it in half). All breakfast Bomber’s come with eggs, potatoes, and a blend of shredded jack and cheddar cheese wrapped in a warm flour tortilla
The Chuns is a favourite featuring 12-hour slow roasted pulled kalua pork & bacon. The wraps can also be topped with extra toppings such as sour cream, avocado and jalapenos.
It may not be the most photogenic meal, but it's definitely one of the best breakfast burritos around. Their menu also features bowls, sandwiches and smoothies.
Best Casual Lunch / Dinner
2299 Kūhiō Ave., Honolulu, HI 96815
11am to 10pm
Best cooked fresh fish plates in a casual dining setting
Paia Fish Market originated in Paia, Maui back in 1989, and they now have several locations including one on Kuhio Avenue in Waikiki adjacent to the Laylow Hotel.
Paia Fish Market is a very popular place, as it offers generous portions of fresh caught fish and seafood cooked in various ways and served in a casual family-friendly setting. There are also some chicken and salad options, as well as a children's menu. You order at the counter and then they bring it to your table. There are usually long line-ups but it's worth the wait.
They also have a bar serving wine, beer and cocktails, and may offer happy-hour specials.. The lilikoi margarita is a must! Honestly the best margarita ever. Even for margarita purists — the lilikoi gives it a delicious tropical take that's unique to Hawaii.
Entrees are served with coleslaw and your choice of cajun rice, home potatoes or fries. The portions are plentiful so even sharing would be a good option if you aren't super hungry.
334 Seaside Ave # 108, Honolulu, HI 96815, United States
Call 📞 (808) 807-7999 to order & for curbside pickup!
There are now so many poke places in Waikiki and all are highly rated, so you can't really go wrong. While poke has become popular all throughout North America, it originated in Hawaii and the poke there showcases the freshest fish.
Poke Fix is a bit hard to find tucked away off Seaside Avenue, but just a short walk about a block away from the main Kalakaua strip. It has great reviews and reasonable prices. It's a small place with only a takeout counter. There was a small lineup but nothing compared to some other places like the famous Maguro Brothers.
While in general, Hawaii is known to have some of the friendliest people, the young lady who worked at the counter still stood out with her people skills. She would make recommendations on combinations and enjoyed conversing with all customers.
The poke selections include different types of tuna, salmon and shrimp. Bowls are served on rice or salad and you can choose from one choice or two. The fresh caught tuna has a surcharge, and you can choose up to three sides, including cucumber, kimchi, crab, wakame seaweed, and ginger.
As you can see, the glossiness of the fresh ahi tuna is stunning. This is authentic poke without going overboard with too many toppings.
Royal Hawaiian Center
A coffee shop for lunch and dinner? Yes - that's right. Island Vintage isn't your typical coffee shop. The menu offers a huge assortment of sandwiches, salads, poke bowls, burgers, bibimbap, seafood dishes and much more. They also have all kinds of acai bowls and of course a broad selection of coffee drinks. They have also opened up a wine bar restaurant as well.
The kale caesar salad with island fish salad is one of the best meals hands down - both healthy and tasty. The salad has a large portion of garlic sauteed fish, served with kale salad, papaya and garlic bread.
353 Royal Hawaiian Avenue,
Honolulu, Hawaii
Sam's Kitchen is a small take out place located on Royal Hawaiian Avenue. They have picnic tables there, or you can just take it back to your place or eat at the beach.
Garlic shrimp is another dish that Hawaii is renown for. Their local fresh shrimp are large, sweet and juicy. Sauteed in lots of garlic butter and served with rice, potato/macaroni salad and green salad, this makes a great affordable lunch or dinner.
There is also a second location with Sam's Kitchen Express at Waikiki Shopping Plaza, located at 2250 Kalakaua Ave.
Sam's also serves fish, steak, chicken and tofu. You can choose from a selection of sauces:
Original Garlic Sauce
Spicy Garlic
Matsuri
Pineapple Teriyaki
Teri-Garlic
Summer Pesto
Fiji Curry
Snacks
Royal Hawaiian Waikiki Food Hall
The Royal Hawaiian Center features the Waikiki Food Hall, not to be confused with their long-standing food court. It's tucked away and a bit hard to find so best to look it up on one of the directory maps.
It was very quiet there which is unfortunate, likely due to the location. One place worth checking out is Pork Tamago Onigiri for a tasty snack! It's spam and egg served with warm rice wrapped in seaweed like a handheld sandwich. Cooked fresh and so delicious — it's the best value quick bite on Waikiki. The one that came with spicy tuna was so good, and I highly recommend.
Island Vintage Shave Ice
Shave Ice is one of the unique foods to Hawaii that is a must-eat! The soft fluffy shave ice is not your typical snow cone. The Island Vintage Shave Ice sidewalk stand outside the Royal Hawaiian Center offers the most amazing shave ice with ice cream or frozen yogurt, fresh fruit syrups, mochi bits and boba.
The line-ups are long but it's worth the wait. The lilikoi and pineapple shave ice with ice cream is a favorite and possibly one of the best desserts anywhere!
Best Dinner - Fine Dining
Roy's Waikiki
226 Lewers St, Honolulu, HI 96815
Roy Yamaguchi is a celebrity chef and the Roy's restaurant is iconic in Hawaii with several locations. Roy's is an upscale restaurant that specializes in Hawaiian and Japanese fusion cuisine.
Roy’s Waikiki is a good choice for a more upscale dinner, known for Roy Yamaguchi’s Hawaiian-inspired cuisine, fresh fish, misoyaki butterfish and signature chocolate soufflé.
While the menu changes frequently, some of their signature dishes from past meals include Szechuan Pork Ribs, Tender Braised Beef Shortribs, Macadamia Nut Crusted Fresh Island Catch, and Yuzu Lime Cheese Cake.
Even their salad is delicious with the freshest lettuce that seemed picked straight from the garden.
Roy's is known for their Misoyaki Butterfish. This is available in a small portion, which is shown here, or a large full size portion. It is served on black rice with a few vegetable garnishes. It's a buttery delicate fish that's packed with complex umami flavours and a hint of wasabi.
Waikiki has no shortage of great places to eat, whether you’re looking for a casual breakfast, fresh poke, local Hawaiian flavors or a special dinner out.
These are some of our favorite Waikiki restaurants and food stops, but part of the fun is discovering your own favorites along the way. If you’re planning a trip to Honolulu, be sure to leave plenty of room in your itinerary, and your appetite, to enjoy some of the best food Waikiki has to offer.
