Restaurants
Roy's Hawaii Kai Restaurant, serves award-winning Hawaiian Fusion cuisine
Besides great weather, beautiful beaches, swaying palms trees and crystal clear waters, Oahu has something else that is very special and that is the cuisine of the islands. With a population of people from almost all over the world, the cuisine has evolved into a mix of flavors that is seldom found anywhere else.
On Oahu, there are thousands of restaurants of every description. Because of our diverse population and the fact that about 80% of the state's population lives on Oahu, the island offers more choices than any other. You can try out Thai Chicken Satay, Indian Curry, Brazilian Churrascaria, classic French cuisine, Hawaiian Kalua Pig, Japanese tavern food or a myriad of other cuisines that are available on this one island.
Waikiki is filled with restaurants, with quite a number of excellent restaurants of all price ranges that have been there for years and many new restaurants that have opened during the past couple of years. Many of the good dining spots are in hotels and surprisingly reasonable. There are also high-end restaurants in hotels and stand alone. But the best changes in Waikiki have been the addition of such successful restaurant chains as California Pizza Kitchen, The Cheesecake Factory, P.F. Chang's, The Yard House and many more. Your choices are basically unlimited.
But if you really want to know Oahu, get out and enjoy some of the neighborhood restaurants, which generally are less expensive than restaurants in Waikiki, with some exceptions. Many are in the surrounding neighborhoods of Waikiki, including Kapahula and Monsarrat Avenues and the Kaimuki area, easily reached by bus.
Waialae Avenue, the main street in Kaimuki, is often referred to as "restaurant row" for its varied and reasonably priced restaurants, many of which are multi-award winners featuring cuisines from American Bistro and Vietnamese to Italian and Mexican and most everything in between, including a classic diner with great food and atmosphere.. Off the beaten track are the restaurants in the University/Manoa area with small Thai restaurants, one of the best Italian restaurants on the island and many more to choose from. Ala Moana Center and Victoria Ward Center have excellent restaurants, many of which are filled with residents because of their good food and reasonable prices.
The recent revitalization of Downtown Honolulu/Chinatown has brought an energy to the area, with great art galleries, inexpensive restaurants that serve terrific food and popular nightclubs for the young and the young at heart. All over the island we'll be bringing you recommended neighborhood restaurants, where you can have an opportunity to try out different cuisines, see different neighborhoods and even meet some local residents.
Restaurants Pricing Guide
- $$$$ - Inexpensive (less than $10)
- $$$$ - Moderate ($10 to $17)
- $$$$ - Expensive ($18 to $35)
- $$$$ - Very Expensive ($40 and up)
Price for entrees per person, not including drinks, taxes or gratuities. Unless otherwise noted, all major credit cards are accepted.
Most of the restaurants recommended are neighborhood spots where the prices are lower and the food is good. Written by the Senior Website Editor, a former magazine restaurant reviewer for 25 years in Hawaii, the recommended only restaurants represent value for your money regardless of whether you are budgeting or splurging.
Oahu has thousands of restaurants, followed by Maui, the Big Island and Kauai with Lanai and Molokai having the smallest amount. Restaurants will continually be added for all the islands. Bon Appetit!