10 restaurants vital to Honolulu

by Noelle Chun

Updated 30 March 2023

Honolulu is a city of contrasts. Of sand and sea, yes. But the palm-fringed Hawaiian capital is also known for a rich and complex food scene, swirled with Hawaiian, Japanese, Chinese, Portuguese, and Filipino flavors, among others. Even when the names of the dishes they serve are recognizable, the city’s best restaurants shine by creating one-of-a-kind renditions.

A James Beard Award-winning chef in downtown Honolulu—the first Native Hawaiian woman to receive that honor—dishes up pristine fish plates and bavettes. Cantonese fare gets the island treatment at a longstanding King Street cafe. Crowds flock to a chic Italian restaurant in Kahala for its signature uni pasta.

New hits and old faithfuls define Honolulu’s eclectic dining scene. Read on for a guide to the 10 restaurants essential to Hawaiʻi’s largest city.

House Without a Key

4.6

4.6 (3610)

$31 to $50

Contemporary American

Waikiki

About the restaurant

It’s hard to imagine a more quintessentially Waikīkī setting than House without a Key. Located in the historic Halekulani hotel in Waikīkī, the restaurant’s patio is set against a dramatic swoop of sand and sea leading up to majestic Diamond Head. The New American menu is equally iconic with the signature mai tai and cloud-like coconut cake and dishes such as char siu coconut baby back ribs and herb-crusted skirt steak, not to mention. Open-air dining is at the heart of the House Without a Key experience so diners can appreciate the cool Hawaiian tradewinds. Choose between the fully covered main dining room, newly opened Earl’s for a seat in front of the bartender, or the lānai (patio), which brings people closest to the main stage for nightly Hawaiian music and hula dancing. The scenic spot is popular for sunset drinks and pūpūs (small plates), though it’s also open for full-fledged lunch and dinner.

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TerryVIP

Dined on 1 Jan 2025

Went on New Year’s Day for lunch. They were behind on setting the tables. After waiting a little while - once we were seated, the service and food were very good.

Fête

4.8

4.8 (3834)

$31 to $50

Contemporary American

Honolulu

About the restaurant

In 2022, Hawaiʻi received its first James Beard award in 19 years with Robynne Maii’s Fête. Set in Honolulu’s trendy Chinatown district, Fête combines a Brooklyn-inspired approach (New American techniques, farm-to-table fare) to food with local flavors. The acclaimed menu is focused on sustainable, locally sourced ingredients from community partners. Chef Maii’s signatures include pristine housemade pastas, fish plates, and beautiful bavettes.

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Ethan

Dined 2 days ago

Definitely worth the visit. Great food, service, and a wonderfully carefully crafted menu.

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4.7

4.7 (4188)

$31 to $50

Hawaii Regional Cuisine

Honolulu

About the restaurant

Peter Merriman (one of the original pioneers of the Hawaii Regional Cuisine movement) has an impressive restaurant empire that stretches across Oʻahu, the Big Island, Kauaʻi, and Maui, all with a focus on locally sourced ingredients. His Honolulu outpost is located in Oʻahu’s trendy Kakaʻako neighborhood, a sunny spot for the dining room’s floor-to-ceiling windows. Find local classics on the menu, such as macadamia nut-crusted fish, and house specialities including tako (octopus) served escargot-style with toasted slices of baguette and cognac-parsley-garlic butter. To all that, add an acclaimed wine list—Merriman’s was singled out as one of Wine Enthusiast’s best restaurants in 2019—and you’ve got the formula for an evergreen hit.

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TimVIP

Dined 5 days ago

I love Merriman’s. If I had a last meal on Earth, it would the chicken from Merriman’s. Their service is always on point, great drinks, and everything they cook tastes like it was made just for you. I take everyone to Merriman’s when they visit from Hawaii or the Mainland.

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4.8

4.8 (3244)

$50 and over

Seafood

Honolulu

About the restaurant

Husband-and-wife duo Michelle Karr-Ueoka and Wade Ueoka are the forces behind this Honolulu mainstay. The elegant Ala Moana dining room entices diners with its sophisticated local dishes. Go for the five-course tasting menu or the a la carte option that features the MW’s signature mochi-crusted Kona kampachi. Don’t miss pastry chef Karr-Ueoka’s impeccable desserts, including feathery mango shaved ice and decadent chocolate cake.

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MikeVIP

Dined 5 days ago

It’s always an excellent dining experience, a favorite when I’m in Oahu !

Original Roy's, Hawaii Kai

4.7

4.7 (3276)

$50 and over

Hawaii Regional Cuisine

Honolulu

About the restaurant

Today, you’ll find Roy’s Hawaiian fusion restaurants sprawled across the mainland in California, Arizona, and Florida. But it all began in this original breezy dining room in Hawaiʻi Kai. As one of the founding members of the Hawaiʻi Regional Cuisine movement in the early 1990s, chef Roy Yamaguchi celebrates the melting pot of cultures in Hawaiʻi, mixing Hawaiian, Japanese, Chinese, Portuguese, and Filipino flavors, among others. The results include blackened ahi and crispy whole tai snapper, which you can still order today.

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LisaVIP

Dined 4 days ago

We’ve had the pleasure of dining at a number of Roy’s locations over the years (including on the Big Island just a few weeks ago.) All have been good, but our experience at the original Roy’s on Oahu was exceptional. The service was friendly and professional, our sunset view table was appreciated and our meal was perfectly prepared and delicious. Happy to highly recommend.

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4.7

4.7 (1375)

$30 and under

Contemporary American

Honolulu

About the restaurant

Mud Hen Water is lauded chef Ed Kenny’s love song to Hawaiian food. The decades-long restaurateur (who earned local cred via Honolulu magazine’s Haleʻaina awards) remains steadfast in his commitment to a farm-to-table philosophy and adds modern twists to traditional dishes. Kenny’s riffs on familiar Island favorites include Molokaʻi venison lau lau and preserved akule (a local shallow-water ocean fish). During the day, the sun-drenched dining room and breezy outdoor lānai—ideal for a leisurely pancake brunch—make for one of the prettiest perches in town.

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Brenna

Dined 7 days ago

Wow! My new favorite place on the island! Incredible brunch, I can’t wait to come back for dinner.

La Mer at Halekulani

4.8

4.8 (2238)

$50 and over

French

Waikiki

About the restaurant

La Mer belongs to a vanguard of high-end places that define fine dining in the Islands. Today, it is Hawaiʻi’s only AAA Five Diamond and Forbes 5 Star restaurant. Classic French food graces tables with shimmering seaside views at sunset. Expect an elaborate symphony of kampachi tartare, filet de canard roti, souffles, and a cavalcade of cheeses as you listen to the gentle roar of the ocean. Opt for the full tasting menu experience—complete with caviar supplements and wine pairings—or choose your own way on the equally celebrated a la carte menu.

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Kathy

Dined on 26 Dec 2024

We had an amazing experience at La Mer! We did the 7 course menu and was so good! Staff was so nice and the move us to a table close to the ocean as soon as it was available, 10/10

Sushi Sasabune Hawaii

5.0

5 (998)

$50 and over

Sushi

Honolulu

About the restaurant

“Trust us!” claims a sign at Sushi Sasabune. With no menus, no set prices, and no soy sauce on the tables, the restaurant’s sign foreshadows what’s to come. Diners are encouraged to sit back and enjoy the ride with chef Seiji Kumagawa as their unflinching guide. Kumagawa creates a customized omakase course for each guest, typically spanning 13 to 15 courses, with a focus on nigiri using local fish. Though it’s set against bustling King Street, Sushi Sasabune is a cozy retreat in Honolulu. Seats are limited, so be sure to reserve well in advance.

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Lani

Dined 4 days ago

I’ve been eating nigiri all my life. Tonight I tasted excellence.

Arancino at The Kahala

4.7

4.7 (1332)

$50 and over

Italian

Honolulu

About the restaurant

Since owner Ichiro Inamura opened its original Waikīkī location in 1998, Arancino has won hearts as a crowd favorite, most recently earning OpenTable’s Dinerʻs Choice Award (in addition to other distinctions including Honolulu magazine’s Hale’aina Award for best Italian food). Japanese-owned Italian restaurants are part of a well-loved dining genre in Hawaiʻi, and Arancinoʻs Kahala location is one of the Island’s most elegant examples of it. The menu is equal parts comforting and playful with dishes such as a signature uni pasta with white wine and tomato cream sauce and cacio e pepe presented tableside in a flaming pecorino wheel. Though Arancino’s Honolulu location came first, the restaurant has since expanded to Osaka and Kyoto in Japan—a testament to its popularity.

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Kevin

Dined 3 days ago

Wonderful meal, wonderful service, highly recommend! If staying at the Kahala resort - so convenient but worth it to visit this restaurant if not staying at Kahala resort. Variety of options and different price points for anyone who visits.

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Tagliatelle ai Frutti di Mare

Yakitori Hachibei - Chinatown Hawaii

4.6

4.6 (740)

$31 to $50

Japanese

Honolulu

About the restaurant

An open-fire charcoal grill provides the dramatic centerpiece for Yakitori Hachibei. The restaurant’s hearth uses traditional Japanese techniques to dole out yakitori—succulent morsels of chicken, pork, beef, and vegetables grilled on wooden sticks. Find typical skewers such as chicken breast, quail eggs, and tsukune (minced chicken with chives and onions), alongside Hachibei specialties including foie gras and beef sukiyaki. Ending a meal with a bowl of paitan ramen is practically mandatory. In addition to the spectacular Japanese fare, Hachibei’s softly lit interiors and exposed brick walls make it one of most sought-after dinner spots in town.

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Laura

Dined 2 days ago

This is my favorite restaurant of all time. They recently got new management but thank goodness the menu is mostly unchanged. I love staples like the watercress salad and the miso eggplant. Please stock umeshu wine again! But really a great restaurant!