Waikiki Restaurant Reviews

Waikiki Restaurant Reviews

Bali by the Sea
Address: Hilton Hawaiian Village, 2005 Kalia Rd., Waikiki, HI
Phone: 808/941-2254
Price range: $$$-$$$$
Cuisine: Eclectic
Fodor's Review:
This many-windowed, multilevel room takes delightful advantage of the restaurant's perch above the beach, facing Diamond Head. Chef Roberto Los Baños creates uncomplicated contemporary cuisine—grilled fish, steaks, and chops accented with East-West fusion flavors. The experienced staff, often called on to serve the VIPs who favor this hotel, extends unruffled and gracious service.
Keep in mind: Reservations essential. Credit Cards: AE, D, DC, MC, V Closed: Closed Sun. No lunch

Banyan Veranda
Address: Sheraton Moana Surfrider, 2365 Kalakaua Ave., Waikiki, HI
Phone: 808/922-3111
Price range: $$-$$$
Cuisine: Pacific Rim
Fodor's Review:
Seated on the wide, gracious veranda of Waikiki's oldest hotel overlooking a courtyard shaded by a tree that's literally a registered historic landmark, you can relive the early days of Hawaii hotel history. Our favorite meal here is the pricey but sybaritic Sunday brunch ($42.50), which includes hot and cold buffets, champagne, and strolling musicians. In the evening, there's fine pan-Pacific cuisine, gentle music, and indoor as well as veranda dining. Breakfast is served Monday through Saturday and brunch is served Sunday.
Keep in mind: Reservations essential. Credit Cards: AE, D, DC, MC, V Closed: No lunch

Caffelatte Italian Restaurant
Address: 339 Saratoga Rd., 2nd level, Waikiki, HI
Phone: 808/924-1414
Price range: $$$$
Cuisine: Italian
Fodor's Review:
Every dish at this tiny trattoria run by a Milanese family is worth ordering, from the gnocchi in a thick, rich sauce of Gorgonzola to spinach ravioli served with butter and basil. The tiramisu is the best in town, and the sugared orange slices in Russian vodka are a perfect ending to a meal. Each person must order three courses (appetizer, soup or salad, and main course). There's no parking, so walk here if you can. There's no air-conditioning, so it can be warm and noisy due to open windows.
Credit Cards: MC, V Closed: Closed Mon. and Tues

Diamond Head Grill
Address: 2885 Kalakaua Ave., Waikiki, HI
Phone: 808/922-3734
Price range: $$$
Cuisine: Pacific Rim
Fodor's Review:
This beautifully appointed room, with its surprising view across Kapiolani Park and up the slopes of Diamond Head, has a split personality: quiet dinner house in the early evening, very happening bar in the late evening (on Friday and Saturday only). Impossible to categorize, the menu features a broad range of items from rack of lamb, fresh fish and steak, to spring rolls and escargot.
Keep in mind: Reservations essential. Credit Cards: AE, D, DC, MC, V

dk Steakhouse
Address: Waikiki Beach Marriott Resort and Spa, 2552 Kalakaua Ave., Waikiki, HI
Phone: 808/931-6280
Price range: $$$-$$$$
Cuisine: Steak
Fodor's Review:
Around the country, the steak house has returned to prominence as chefs rediscover the art of dry-aging beef and of preparing the perfect béarnaise sauce. D. K. Kodama's chic 2nd-floor restaurant characterizes this trend with such presentations as a 22-ounce Paniolo ("cowboy") rib-eye steak, dry-aged 30 days on the bone with house-made rub, grilled local onions, and creamed corn. The restaurant shares space, but not a menu, with Kodama's Sansei Seafood Restaurant & Sushi Bar; sit at the bar perched between the two and you can order from either menu.
Credit Cards: AE, D, MC, V Closed: No lunch.

Duke's Canoe Club
Address: Outrigger Waikiki on the Beach, 2335 Kalakaua Ave., Waikiki, HI
Phone: 808/922-2268
Price range: $$-$$$
Cuisine: American
Fodor's Review:
Named for the father of modern surfing, and outfitted with much Duke Kahanamoku memorabilia, Duke's is both an open-air bar and a very popular steak-and-seafood grill. It's known for its Big Island pork ribs, huli-huli (rotisserie) chicken, and grilled catch of the day, as well as for a simple and economical Sunday brunch. A drawback is that it's often loud and crowded, and the live contemporary Hawaiian music can stymie conversation.
Keep in mind: Reservations essential. Credit Cards: AE, DC, MC, V

Eggs 'n Things
Address: Hawaiian Monarch Hotel, 1911-B Kalakaua Ave., Waikiki, HI
Phone: 808/949-0820
Price range: $
Cuisine: American
Fodor's Review:
A favorite of Waikiki hotel workers for its late hours (11 PM-2 PM daily), this restaurant on the 1st floor of an obscure budget hotel has a hearty, country-style menu with a few island touches (tropical-fruit pancake syrups, fresh grilled fish), and a permanent line out front.
Credit Cards: No credit cards Closed: No dinner

Hau Tree Lanai
Reservations by
Address: New Otani Kaimana Beach Hotel, 2863 Kalakaua Ave., Waikiki, HI
Phone: 808/921-7066
Price range: $$$-$$$$
Cuisine: Eclectic
Fodor's Review:
The vinelike hau tree is ideal for sitting under, and it's said that the one that spreads itself over this beachside courtyard is the very one that shaded Robert Louis Stevenson as he mused and wrote about Hawaii. In any case, diners are still enjoying the shade, though the view has changed—the gay-friendly beach over the low wall is paved with hunky sunbathers. The food is unremarkable island casual, but we like the place for late-afternoon or early-evening drinks, pupu, and people-watching.
Keep in mind: Reservations essential. Credit Cards: AE, D, DC, MC, V

Hula Grill
Reservations by
Address: Outrigger Waikiki on the Beach, 2335 Kalakaua Ave., Waikiki, HI
Phone: 808/923-4852
Price range: $$-$$$
Cuisine: American
Fodor's Review:
The placid younger sister of boisterous Duke's, downstairs, this restaurant and bar resembles a plantation-period summer home: open to the air, outfitted with kitschy decor, stone-flagged floors, warm wood, and floral prints. The food is carefully prepared and familiar—standard breakfast items, steaks and grilled seafood at dinner—but with local and Asian touches that add interest. There's a fabulous Diamond Head view.
Credit Cards: AE, D, DC, MC, V Closed: No lunch

Hy's Steak House
Reservations by
Address: Waikiki Park Heights Hotel, 2440 Kuhio Ave., Waikiki, HI
Phone: 808/922-5555
Price range: $$$-$$$$
Cuisine: Steak
Fodor's Review:
If the Rat Pack reconvened for big steaks and a bigger red, they'd feel right at home at Hy's, which has changed little in the last 30 years. The formula: prime grade beef, old-style service, a men's-club atmosphere (but ladies very welcome), and a wine list recognized for excellence by Wine Spectator. Specialties include Beef Wellington, Caesar salad, and those tableside flambéed desserts rarely seen these days.
Keep in mind: Reservations essential. Credit Cards: AE, DC, MC, V Closed: No lunch

Keo's in Waikiki
Address: 2028 Kuhio Ave., Waikiki, HI
Phone: 808/951-9355
Price range: $-$$
Cuisine: Thai
Fodor's Review:
Many Islanders—and many Hollywood stars—got their first taste of pad thai noodles, lemongrass, and coconut-milk curry at one of Keo Sananikone's restaurants. This one, perched right at the entrance to Waikiki, characterizes his formula: a bright, clean space awash in flowers, with intriguing menu titles and reasonable prices. Evil Jungle Prince, a stir-fry redolent of Thai basil, flecked with chilies and rich with coconut milk, is a classic; also try the apple bananas (smaller, sweeter variety of banana) in coconut milk. The Eastern and Western breakfasts are popular.
Credit Cards: AE, D, DC, MC, V

La Mer
Address: Halekulani, 2199 Kalia Rd., Waikiki, HI
Phone: 808/923-2311
Price range: $$$$
Cuisine: French
Fodor's Review:
Like the hotel in which it's housed (Halekulani, or "House Befitting Heaven"), La Mer is pretty much heavenly: a softly lighted, low-ceiling room with windows open to the breeze, a perfectly framed vista of Diamond Head, and the faint sound of music wafting up from a courtyard below. The food captures the rich and sunny flavors of the south of France in one tiny, exquisite course after another. We recommend the degustation menu. Place yourself in the sommelier's hands for wine choices from the hotel's exceptional cellar.
Keep in mind: Jacket required. Reservations essential. Credit Cards: AE, DC, MC, V Closed: No lunch

Mondo Gelato
Address: Waikiki Beach Walk, 226 Lewers St., Suite 130, Waikiki, HI
Phone: 808/926-6961
Price range: $
Cuisine: Italian
Fodor's Review:
The only gelateria on Oahu, Mondo Gelato uses the freshest ingredients, in keeping with the Italian tradition, and has an ever-changing variety of flavors of gelato and sorbetto. We like the cocco (coconut), in particular. If you have an appetite, there are a few panini as well.
Keep in mind: Reservations not accepted. Credit Cards: AE, MC, V

Nick's Fishmarket
Address: Waikiki Gateway Hotel, 2070 Kalakaua Ave., Waikiki, HI
Phone: 808/955-6333
Price range: $$$-$$$$
Cuisine: Seafood
Fodor's Review:
Nick's is like a favorite soap opera—go away for a while, come back and very little has changed. And that's why we like it: the dim lighting, the expansive banquettes, the retro-ish Continental menu, tableside service for Caesar salad or flambéed desserts; it's like a window back to just the good part of the good old days. After the lobster bisque or sautéed abalone, leave room for signature Vanbana Pie, a decadent combination of bananas, vanilla-Swiss-almond ice cream, and hot caramel sauce.
Credit Cards: AE, D, DC, MC, V

Nobu
Address: Hawaii Parc Hotel, 2233 Helumoa Rd., Waikiki, HI
Phone: 808/237-6999
Price range: $$$-$$$$
Cuisine: Japanese
Fodor's Review:
Famed chef Nobu Matsushida's is the master of innovative Japanese cuisine, and his Hawaiian outpost is definitely a Waikiki hotspot. Fish is the obvious centerpiece, with entrées such as Tasmanian ocean trout with crispy spinach and yuzu soy, seafood harumaki with caviar and Maui onion salsa, and even Nobu's version of fish-and-chips. Cold dishes include tuna tataki with ponzu, yellowtail sashimi with jalapeno, and whitefish sashimi with dried miso. The warm decor and sexy lighting means there isn't a bad seat in the house.
Credit Cards: AE, MC, V

Ocean House Restaurant
Address: Outrigger Reef on the Beach, 2169 Kalia Rd., Waikiki, HI
Phone: 808/923-2277
Price range: $$-$$$
Cuisine: Seafood
Fodor's Review:
Guests are greeted on the front porch at this re-creation of a 1900s plantation home. Tables and booths are spaced for views. The menu puts forth the bounty of the Pacific with such dishes as crusted opah, coconut lobster skewers, and seared peppered scallops. For beef lovers, there's the slow-roasted prime rib.
Credit Cards: AE, D, DC, MC, V Closed: No lunch

Orchids
Address: Halekulani, 2199 Kalia Rd., Waikiki, HI
Phone: 808/923-2311
Price range: $$$-$$$$
Cuisine: Seafood
Fodor's Review:
Perched along the seawall at historic Gray's Beach, Orchids is beloved by power-breakfasters, ladies who lunch, and family groups celebrating at the elaborate Sunday brunch. La Mer, upstairs, is better known for the evening, but we have found dinner at Orchids equally enjoyable. The louvered walls are open to the breezes, the orchids add splashes of color, the seafood is perfectly prepared, and the wine list is intriguing. Plus, it is more casual and a bit less expensive than La Mer. Whatever your meal, finish with the hotel's signature coconut layer cake.
Keep in mind: Reservations essential. Credit Cards: AE, D, MC, V

Prince Court
Address: Hawaii Prince Hotel, 100 Holomoana St., Waikiki, HI
Phone: 808/944-4494
Price range: $$$$
Cuisine: Eclectic
Fodor's Review:
This restaurant overlooking Ala Wai Yacht Harbor is a multifaceted success, with exceptional high-end lunches and dinners, daily breakfast buffets, weekly dinner seafood buffets, and sold-out weekend brunches. With a truly global mix of offerings, the overall style is Eurasian. Their ever-changing prix-fixe menu includes offerings such as Australian rack of lamb, Kahuku prawns, and medallions of New York Angus.
Keep in mind: Reservations essential. Credit Cards: AE, D, DC, MC, V

Sansei Seafood Restaurant & Sushi Bar
Address: Waikiki Beach Marriott Resort and Spa, 2552 Kalakaua Ave., Waikiki, HI
Phone: 808/931-6286
Price range: $$$
Cuisine: Japanese
Fodor's Review:
D. K. Kodama's Japanese-based Pacific Rim cuisine is an experience not to be missed, from early-bird dinners (from 5:30 PM) to late-night appetizers and sushi (until 1 AM Friday and Saturday, with karaoke). The specialty sushi here—mango-crab roll, foie gras nigiri with eel sauce, and more—leaves California rolls far behind. We fantasize about the signature calamari salad with spicy Korean sauce and crisp-tender squid. Cleverly named and beautifully prepared dishes come in big and small plates or in a multicourse tasting menu. Finish with tempura-fried ice cream or Mama Kodama's brownies.
Credit Cards: AE, DC, MC, V

Sarento's Top of the "I"
Address: Renaissance Ilikai Waikiki Hotel, 1777 Ala Moana, top fl., Waikiki, HI
Phone: 808/955-5559
Price range: $$-$$$
Cuisine: Italian
Fodor's Review:
Among restaurants with the best views in Honolulu, 30th-floor Sarento's, looking toward both the Koolau Mountains and the South Shore, is an especially favored date-night venue. Regional Italian cuisine is the specialty, and the wild tiger shrimp-stuffed potato ravioli and osso buco are local favorites. The wine cellar contains some gems, and there may not be more attentive service staff in the city.
Keep in mind: Reservations essential. Credit Cards: AE, D, DC, MC, V Closed: No lunch

Singha Thai Cuisine
Address: 1910 Ala Moana Blvd., Waikiki, HI
Phone: 808/941-2898
Price range: $$
Cuisine: Thai
Fodor's Review:
Chai and Joy Chaowasaree's devotion to their native Thailand is evident in the gilt model of the Thai royal palace that graces the entryway of this restaurant just below street level on a busy Waikiki corner. This is also the only Thai restaurant in the city to showcase Thai dance each evening. We especially like Singha Thai's way with seafood—Siamese Fighting Fish, a whole fish sizzling in garlic-chili oil, or fish in Thai chili, ginger, and black-bean sauce—and the contemporary additions to the menu, such as blackened ahi summer rolls.
Credit Cards: AE, D, DC, MC, V Closed: No lunch

South Shore Grill
Address: 3114 Monsarrat Ave., Waikiki, HI
Phone: 808/734-0229
Price range: $
Cuisine: American
Fodor's Review:
Just a couple of minutes out of Waikiki proper on trendy Monsarrat, South Shore Grill is a great place to stoke up before or after sightseeing or beach time. It's inexpensive and portions are ample. The food, a cut above the usual plate lunch or burgers, includes ciabatta-bread sandwiches, entrée salads, and stuffed burritos.
Keep in mind: Reservations not accepted. Credit Cards: No credit cards

Taormina
Address: Waikiki Beach Walk, 227 Lewers St., Waikiki, HI
Phone: 808/926-5050
Price range: $-$$$$
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Fodor's Review:
Dishes inspired by the romantic Mediterranean resort town of Taormina are served at this elegant restaurant on the Waikiki Beach Walk. In addition to Sicilian-inspired primi piatti (first-course dishes, usually pasta) such as uni (sea urchin) pasta and a light cream risotto with grilled scallops and prawns, the menu features a variety of local fish done with Italian flair. The artfully presented antipasti misti (mixed appetizers) should not be missed. The wine list is extensive.
Keep in mind: Reservations essential. Credit Cards: AE, MC, V

Teddy's Bigger Burgers
Address: 134 Kapahulu Ave., Waikiki, HI
Phone: 808/926-3444
Price range: $
Cuisine: American
Fodor's Review:
Though the focus at Teddy's is on the burgers, fries, and shakes, their success has inspired them to add a chicken, veggie, and fish sandwich to their menu. But, for those who like a classic, the burgers are beefy, the fries crisply perfect, the shakes rich and sweet. The original location in Waikiki combines burger shack simplicity with surf-boy cool—there's even a place to store your surfboard while you have your burger. This popular location has given birth to two others in Kailua and Hawaii Kai.
Credit Cards: MC, V

Tiki's Grill and Bar
Reservations by
Address: ResortQuest Waikiki Beach Hotel, 2570 Kalakaua Ave., Waikiki, HI
Phone: 808/923-8454 | Reserve Online
Price range: $-$$
Cuisine: American
Fodor's Review:
On the 2nd floor of a busy hotel, Tiki's is the kind of place people come to Waikiki for: a retro-South Pacific spot designed for fun. It has a back-of-the-bar faux volcano, an open-air lounge with live local-style music, indoor-outdoor dining, and a view of the beach across the street. The menu of contemporary island cuisine includes Asian-influenced seven-spice salmon, sophisticated interpretations of plate-lunch standards, and exceptional desserts. There's a late-night bar menu.
Credit Cards: AE, D, DC, MC, V

Todai Restaurant Waikiki
Address: 1910 Ala Moana Blvd., Waikiki, HI
Phone: 808/947-1000
Price range: $$-$$$
Cuisine: Seafood
Fodor's Review:
Bountiful buffets and menus that feature seafood are popular with Islanders, so this Japan-based restaurant is a local favorite. It's popular with budget-conscious travelers as well, for the wide range of hot dishes, sushi, and the 160-foot seafood spread. The emphasis here is more on quantity than quality.
Keep in mind: Reservations essential. Credit Cards: AE, D, DC, MC, V

Wailana Coffee House
Address: Wailana Condominium, ground floor, 1860 Ala Moana Blvd., corner of Ena Rd. and Ala Moana, Waikiki, HI
Phone: 808/955-1674
Price range: $
Cuisine: American
Fodor's Review:
Despite the notoriously inattentive waitstaff, budget-conscious snowbirds, night owls with a yen for karaoke, all-day drinkers of both coffee and the stronger stuff, hearty eaters, and lovers of local-style plate lunches contentedly rub shoulders at this venerable diner and cocktail lounge at the edge of Waikiki. Most checks are under $9; there's a $1.95 children's menu. It's open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year but the place fills up and a line forms around the corner at breakfast time, so arrive early or late.
Keep in mind: Reservations not accepted. Credit Cards: AE, MC, V

Yabusoba
Address: 255 Beachwalk Ave., Unit No. 2, Waikiki, HI
Phone: 808/926-5303
Price range: $-$$
Cuisine: Japanese
Fodor's Review:
In Japan, noodles are considered an art form, with connoisseurs going to great lengths to find the best soba noodles and the richest broth. In Honolulu, many visiting and resident Japanese nationals consider this noodle shop the place for handmade buckwheat noodles and well-made tempura. This is the place for Japanese celebrity-sighting—you may not recognize Nippon's stars, but watch the reactions of the folks around you.
Keep in mind: Reservations essential. Credit Cards: No credit cards