Honolulu Restaurant Tips by Hopkid Top 5 Page for this destination

The Pineapple Room: Gourmet in a Department Store?

Chef Alan Wong's Pineapple Room is located in an unlikely place...on the second floor of Macy's at Ala Moana Shopping Center. The food, though, is anything but pedestrian exhibiting the creative talents of this Island chef. Food is fresh and thoughtfully prepared. Local ingredients are featured including tropical fruits, native fish, and meat are grilled not with mesquite but with kiawe (kee-AH-vay), a native hardwood.

Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are on offer and all provide a number of choices that will make all members of your dining party happy. Breakfast and lunch prices are accordingly more affordable than dinner, not that dinner prices are exhorbitant for foodies like us. The menu has regular selections plus daily specials featuring items that were obtained fresh that morning. Dinner also offers a fixed-price menu with five courses for $60, quite a deal for a restaurant of this quality.

The Pineapple Room, while at the major tourist mall in Honolulu, is more frequented by the locals who know a good thing when the taste it!

Favorite Dish: Garlic crusted inago, kiawe grilled tenderloin, chocolate crunch dessert, lilikoi cheesecake. Everything I've ever had for breakfast, lunch, and dinner has been great. I seriously don't think you can go wrong here.

Address: Macy's Third Floor, Ala Moana Shipping Center

Comparison: more expensive than average

Directions: Park on the top level mauka near Macy's on the east end of the shopping center.

Phone: 808.945.6573

Price: US$31-40

Rating: 5

Theme: Pan-Asian and Pacific Rim

Ramen Nakamura: Noodles - Cheap Eats in Waikiki

Fresh Japanese noodle soups are on offer here. Big bowls of steaming broth with fresh made chewy soup noodles and your choice of ingredients including fish cakes, veggies, meats, and seafood. I had the oxtail which was very tasty. My only complaint was that hte oxtail could have been cooked longer as it was a bit of a chore to get the meat off the bone. But it was very tasty nonetheless. Other dishes are also on the menu such as potstickers, fried rice, and fried noodles (kind of like a stir-fry).

Ramen Nakamura is brightly lit and small with a U-shaped counter that seats about 15 people. But be patient as it doesn't take one very long to slurp down a bowl of noodles!

Favorite Dish: Noodle soups

Address: 2141 Kalakaua Avenue Suite 1

Comparison: less expensive than average

Directions: Corner of Beachwalk and Kalakaua (makai) in the Polynesian Plaza Shops in Waikiki

Phone: 808.922.7960

Price: less than US$10

Rating: 4

Theme: Japanese/Sushi

Ono Hawaiian Food: Get Authentic Hawaiian Here!

This is the best place near Waikiki to get authentic Hawaiian food. We're talking kalua pig, lau lau, poke, huli huli chicken, and, of course, poi. The food is plentiful and made to order. Wash it all down with a POG! Oh, and come hungry if you order the lau lau, kalua pig, or combo plates (see photo). Otherwise, order from the ala carte menu to get single portions which will also fill you up! And save room for haupia...best described as a coconut gelatin cube. It's much better than I've just made it sound...I promise!

Officially they're only open until 7:45pm but if there is a line outside they will seat everyone before closing up. I once got in the line at 8:00 and they still served me!

Favorite Dish: Ev'ryteen is broke da mout' ono!

Address: 726 Kapahulu Avenue

Comparison: less expensive than average

Directions: Take a left on Kapahulu from Kalakaua on the east end of Waikiki. Ono Hawaiian will be on your left not too far after the street bends to the right. If you get to the H-1, you've gone too far.

Phone: 808-737-2275

Price: US$11-20

Rating: 5

Theme: Local

Banyan Veranda, Moana Surfrider: Brunch in a Hawaiian Setting

Sunday brunch at the Moana Surfrider Hotel, the oldest hotel in Waikiki, is an elegant affair. Dining is on the large veranda overlooking the courtyard with a huge, ancient banyan tree with the Pacific Ocean just a few feet beyond. The offerings cover the gamut from fresh baked pastries (the butter/sugar rolls were the best!), fruit, seafood, carving station (prime rib, pork loin, lamb roast), typical breakfast items (honey cured bacon was tasty), and even Japanese items such as sushi, sashimi, and soba noodles. Service is top notch...if you're lucky you'll have Paul, an affable Chinese-American and 16-yr veteran at the hotel, wait on you. It's pricey and reservations are a good idea but if you're on vacation and looking for a special experience, I'd say it's definitely worth it.

NOTE: The hotel is undergoing a change from a Sheraton to a Westin property as of April 2007. Check the Westin website for updates on the brunch schedule and price.

Favorite Dish: Butter/sugar rolls, honey bacon, eggs benedict

Address: 2365 Kalakaua Avenue

Comparison: most expensive

Directions: On the makai side of Kalakaua at Kaiulani Avenue

Phone: 808.922.3111

Price: US$41 and up

Rating: 5

Theme: Local

Website: http://www.moana-surfrider.com/?PS=PS_aa_Google_moana_surfrider_hotel_3107_NAD_FM

Yakiniku Seoul: Good Korean

Yakiniku Seoul has a huge menu full of Korean specialties such a grilled ribs (kalbi), marinated sliced meats (bulgolgi), fried meats and fish (jun), and dumpling soup (mandoo). Meats are grilled at the table on burners in the center of the table top. I was surprised at how well the built-in exhaust fan worked as there was no trace of smoke scent throughout the evening despite a number of tables utilizing the burners. I had the grilled corvina (two whole fish) which was excellent. Other dishes tried included the grilled meat platter, and the meat and fish jun. I've been to quite a few Korean restaurants in my time and I'd have to say that this was the best Korean meal I've ever had in a restaurant. Service is good and the waitresses are happy to explain each dish as Korean cuisine is still a bit of a mystery to most haoles and even other Asians. All full bar and beer selection is also available.

Favorite Dish: Grilled corvina, great, fresh pan chan (free appetizer items)

Address: 1521 S. King Street

Comparison: about average

Directions: At the corner of S. King and Kalakaua. Parking is in the back accessible from Kaheka, one block west of Kalakaua.

Phone: 808.944.0110

Price: US$11-20

Rating: 5

Theme: Other

Sushikoh: Authentic Japanese in Waikiki

Sushikoh recently moved its operations across the street within the confines of the Breakers Hotel. I had never been to the independent location but always noticed the line of Japanese tourists waiting outside in the evenings. "Must be pretty authentic" I would think to myself. The reincarnated Sushikoh had been open less than a month during our visit to Honolulu in April 2006 and we managed to eat breakfast there on our last day in Hawaii. I chose the authentic Japanese breakfast consisting of things that most non-Japanese would not recognize. Natto, a bit of grilled fish, seaweed salad, and some things that I didn't even know what it was. But it was all very tasty and a fun, adverturous dining experience. They also had typical American breakfast items on their menu which were also well done (pancakes, very homemade and big!). [NOTE: ON OUR RETURN IN APRIL 2007, SUSHIKOH WAS NO LONGER SERVING BREAKFAST BUT IS SERVING A VERY AFFORDABLE LUNCH AND DINNER.]

The dining area is open to the outdoor courtyard and swimming pool which lends an informal but very appropriate atmosphere considering the location. Next time we will definitely have dinner there!

Favorite Dish: Authenic Japanese breakfast

Address: 250 Beachwalk

Comparison: about average

Directions: In the Breakers Hotel

Phone: 808.923.5526

Price: US$11-20

Rating: 4

Theme: Japanese/Sushi

Libby Manapua: Another local favorite

Manapua is the local term for a variety of dim sum. Although similar it isn't exactly like what you'd expect to find at a normal Chinese dim sum restaurant. Manapua mainly consists of bao, white doughy buns filled with either char siu pork or a sweet black bean (mmmmm!), pork hash (similar to shiumai), half moons, sweet rice cake, and specialties depending on the shop. Libby Manapua has been in a staple of the Kalihi business district since 1962 and along with Char Hung Sut in Chinatown is a local favorite. You won't be disappointed if you order two of everything and take it to the beach for lunch or a snack later. Heck, it would be a great meal on the airline trip back home! And it's conveniently right on the way to the airport from Honolulu!

Favorite Dish: Blacksugar manapua, pork hash, rice cake

Address: 410 Kalihi Street

Comparison: least expensive

Directions: SW corner of Kalihi and Kalani Streets, two blocks north of Nimitz Highway

Phone: 808.841.2253

Price: less than US$10

Rating: 4

Theme: Local

Beard Papa's: Cream Puff's to Die For!

This Japanese chain has started making its mark in the U.S. with stores in Hawaii, California, and Manhattan. Each day they make the traditional vanilla cream variety as well as offer a special of the day. One day the special was chocolate. Another day it was green tea. All cream puffs are filled upon ordering and cost $1.50 each. The pastry portion is also cooked on a regular basis in order to ensure freshness.

I have to say that these little beauties are a rival to filled malasadas from Leonard's! Still, best to sample both while you're in Honolulu! Good for dessert, breakfast, or an anytime snack!

Favorite Dish: Cream puffs!

Address: 227 Lewers Street, Waikiki Beach Walk

Comparison: least expensive

Directions: 7192 Kalanianaole Highway in the Foodland In the Koko Marina Shopping Center on the road to Hanauma Bay. Also available at the Food Pantry, 2370 Kuhio Avenue in Waikiki.

Phone: 808.926.8247

Price: less than US$10

Rating: 5

Theme: Dessert

Website: http://www.beardpapahawaii.com

Side Street Inn: Incredible Bar Food!

Side Streeet Inn is located on, well a side street which reminds one of a back alley. It's a good thing the popularity of the place has resulted in valet parking for the restaurant. When you walk in you might think you're in the wrong place as Side Street resembles a sports bar more than a restaurant that serves some great gourmet local food that is a favorite hang out of many of Hawaii's reknowned gourmet chefs including Roy Yamaguchi, Alan Wong, and Russell Siu.

The food is definitely local with some excellent tweaks by owner and chef Colin Nishida (no relation). Thankfully there were 9 in our party so we could order lots of dishes and share. The Pocho Clams are served with a devine broth along with onions, cilantro, and Portuguese sausage (linguica). They provide crusty bread with which you can soak up the wonderful broth. Nishida's signature dish is the Pan Fried Island Pork Chops. Marinated, dipped in a corn starch mixture, and pan fried, the meat is removed from the bone and sliced. The bone and the remaining meat is also included on the platter for yummy munching and gnawing. Another favorite is the fried chicken gizzards. Perhaps not for everyone but they were very tasty indeed. Other dishes ordered and happily eaten included fried tofu poke, steamed mahi mahi, ahi poke, crispy spicy chicken, chicken katsu, fried rice, and namasu. Unfortunately we had no room for dessert. Next time for sure!

If you read reviews online they may mention a smoky bar atmosphere. Fear not as that has all changed with a no smoking ordnance that went into affect in January 2007.

Favorite Dish: Crispy spicy chicken, Pocho clams, pan fried island pork chops

Address: 1225 Hopaka Street

Comparison: more expensive than average

Directions: West of Ala Moana Shopping Center between Pensacola and Piikoi south of Kapiolani

Phone: 808.591.0253

Price: US$11-20

Rating: 5

Theme: Local

Pah Ke's: Great Chinese in Kaneohe

Located in a very non-descript strip mall with limited parking spaces, Pah Ke's serves up some tasty Hong Kong style Chinese food, many with an innovative contemporary twist. We were a group of nine which allowed us to sample several dishes from the extensive menu. We ordered 9 or 10 dishes and ate family style which is the best way as you get the sample a bit of each dish ordered. The food came freshly cooked to order and each was tasty in a most satisfying way!

The dining room is spacious and airy and takes on a festive atmosphere the more diners there happen to be. Service was good and came with a smile and sense of humor which is usually lacking in Chinese restaurants. Must be the Island influence.

Favorite Dish: Glazed roast pork with buns, duck wrapped in taro, honey glazed shrimp.

Address: 46-018 Kamehameha Highway, Kaneohe

Comparison: about average

Directions: From Waikiki, take the H-1 west to the Pali Highway north towards Kaneohe/Kailua. Turn left on the Kam Highway after descending on the Windward side of the Pali Highway. Pah Ke's will be on the left.

Phone: 808.235.4505

Price: US$11-20

Rating: 4

Theme: Chinese/Dim Sum