Special rates require proof of eligibility at check-in
You're one step closer to paradise...
Destination: Oahu/Waikiki Article Source: Copyright © 2012 by Fodor’s Travel, a division of Random House Inc. All rights reserved.
This not-to-be-missed restaurant is like that very rare shell you stumble upon on a perfect day at the beach—well polished and without a flaw. We've never had a bad experience here, and we've never heard of anyone else having one either. The "Wong Way," as it's not-so-jokingly called by his staff, includes an ingrained understanding of the aloha spirit, evident in the skilled but unstarched service, and creative and playful interpretations of Island cuisine. Try Da Bag (seafood steamed in an aluminum pouch), Chinatown Roast Duck Nachos, and ginger crusted onaga (snapper). With warm tones of koa wood, and lauhala grass weaving, you forget you're on the third floor of an office building. www.alanwongs.com. Reservations essential. Credit cards accepted. No lunch.
At this clean, well-lighted place on a back street, chef Jason Schoonover dishes up diner chic, including macaroni-and-cheese glazed with house-smoked Parmesan and topped with savory breadcrumbs. The kimchi steak, a sort of teriyaki with kick, is a winner. Go early (5 pm) or late (8:30 pm). Enjoy wonderful, homey desserts. There's a small, exquisitely selected wine list. 12thavegrill.com. Credit cards accepted. Closed Sun. No lunch.
This casually stylish eatery is a 10-minute drive from Waikiki in the culinary mecca of Kaimuki. Sample Chef Russell Siu's New York Steak Alae (steak grilled with Hawaiian clay salt), the crab cakes, or the signature ahi katsu wrapped in nori and deep-fried with a wasabi-ginger butter sauce. Siu combines a deep understanding of local flavors with a sophisticated palate, making this place especially popular with homegrown gourmands. The dining room can feel a bit snug when it's full (as it usually is); go early or later. www.3660.com. Credit cards accepted. No lunch. Closed Mon.
Part of a chain of unfussy retro diners, Big City offers a short course in local-style breakfasts—rice instead of potatoes, option of fish or Portuguese sausage instead of bacon, roasted macadamia nut pancakes smothered in haupia (coconut) sauce—with generous portions, low prices, and pronounced flavors. Lunch and dinner focus on local-style comfort food—baby back ribs, kimchi fried rice—and burgers. bigcitydinerhawaii.com. Credit cards accepted.
This outlet of the popular retro diner chain has outdoor lanai seating, a bar, and is across the street from a small bird sanctuary. It's a hot spot for breakfast; popular dinner items include grilled steak with onions and mushrooms, baby back ribs, meat loaf, and salads. bigcitydinerhawaii.com. Credit cards accepted.
Destination: Maui Article Source: Copyright © 2012 by Fodor’s Travel, a division of Random House Inc. All rights reserved.
Golf is golf, and Hawaii is part of the United States, but Island golf nevertheless has its own quirks. Here are a few tips to make your golf experience in the Islands more pleasant.
If you are a fish or shellfish lover then this is the place for you. One of the most wildly popular restaurants in Hawaii with locations on three islands, Sansei takes sushi, sashimi, and contemporary Japanese food to a new level. Favorite dishes include the mango-and-crab-salad handroll, panko-crusted-ahi sashimi roll, Asian shrimp cake, Japanese calamari salad, and Dungeness crab ramen with Asian-truffle broth. There are great deals on sushi and small plates for early birds and night owls. This busy restaurant has several separate dining areas, a sushi bar, and a bar area, but the focus is squarely on excellent food and not the ambience. www.sanseihawaii.com. Credit cards accepted. No lunch.
The flavors of Old Mexico are given new life here, where no fewer than nine chilies are used to create the salsas. The owner, a former high-end food and beverage pro, spent three years visiting authentic eateries in 40 Mexican cities before opening this place. Tucked into an older and unfancy mall, the restaurant requires you to order at the counter and fill your own disposable beverage cup at the soda fountain. But as soon as you bite into a chipotle-citrus rotisserie chicken plate or, really, anything on the menu, you'll forget all about the plastic cutlery—and the fact that the only view is of a parking lot. The brilliantly colored, clever decor—a collection of worn-from-duty tortilla presses, now hand-painted—coupled with consistently excellent food makes up any deficiencies. www.cilantrogrill.com. Credit cards accepted.
You can tour Maui's only winery and its historic grounds, the former Rose Ranch, and sample such wines as Ulupalakua Red and Upcountry Gold. The top seller, naturally, is the pineapple wine, Maui Blanc. The tasting room is a cottage built in the late 1800s for the frequent visits of King Kalakaua. The cottage also contains the Ulupalakua Ranch History Room, which tells colorful stories of the ranch's owners, the paniolo (Hawaiian cowboy) tradition that developed here, and Maui's polo teams. The old Ranch Store across the road may look like a museum, but in fact it's an excellent pit stop. The elk burgers are fantastic. www.mauiwine.com. COST: Free. OPEN: Daily 10--5; tours at 10:30 and 1:30.
Hawaii's favorite casual, eat-in, or takeout restaurant, Zippy's was founded more than 40 years ago. Today Oahu has more than two dozen locations from which to choose, but Maui waited a long time to get one. It's a 24-hour-a-day, diner-type place with a big menu. Spaghetti with chili, oxtail soup, Korean chicken, chicken katsu, noodles, burgers, and burritos are just a few of the tasty menu options. Napoleon's Bakery counter up front serves its only-in-Hawaii-style turnovers, pies, cakes, and pastries. www.zippys.com. Credit cards accepted.
As suggested by our Facebook fans:
Oahu: Hau Tree Lanai Maui: Mama's Fish House Kauai: The Beach House Hawaii: Huggo's