If you’re looking for the best restaurants in Oahu, look no further. When it comes to food, Oahu is a true melting pot. On the island, you’ll find tons of different influences from around the world, thanks in part to a large population of expats and tourists.
Add those influences to Hawaii’s landscape and tropical climate—which yields plenty of fresh fruit, vegetables, and seafood—and you have the makings for outstanding Oahu restaurants.
I had the pleasure of spending a week on the island, getting to explore everywhere from the North Shore down to Waikiki. Along the way, I got to try some of the best restaurants on the island. As I do with all trips, I keep a running list of favorites and some that I saved for my next trip.
Here’s a list of Oahu’s best restaurants, with options scattered all over the island and ranging from a casual shrimp truck to a fine-dining omakase experience.
Planning a Trip to Oahu? Here Are My Top Picks for the Best Hotels in Oahu:
- Four Seasons Resort Oahu at Ko Olina, for the best luxury resort
- Waikiki Beach Marriott Resort & Spa, for the best Waikiki resort
- Turtle Bay Resort, for the best North Shore resort
- Moana Surfrider Resort and Spa, for the best luxury Waikiki hotel
- The Royal Hawaiian, for the best classic Waikiki hotel
For a list of restaurants specific to Waikiki, be sure to check out my Waikiki restaurant guide focused on that area. If you’re traveling as a family, my toddler-friendly travel guide to Oahu is a must-read. And if you’ll be on the North Shore, don’t miss my roundup of the best things to do on the North Shore.
Want to Explore Several Sights and Ticketed Experiences on Oahu?
Consider booking a Go City All-Inclusive Pass that includes 40+ Attractions!
The 20 Best Restaurants in Oahu
Please Note: I have been to many of these restaurants. I’m including a few extras in case you cannot get a reservation or ones that I personally couldn’t get either and had on my list.
1. Mina’s Fish House
Mina’s Fish House, located inside the Four Seasons Resort, provided the best dining experience we had on a recent trip. The fish-forward menu was created by Chef Michael Mina, a personal favorite chef of mine, and the open-air setting is incredible. Menu highlights not to miss include the tuna tartar done tableside, lomi lomi octopus, and Hawaiian butterfish puolo.
Address: 92-1001 Olani St, Kapolei, HI 96707
2. The Pig and The Lady
Open for lunch and dinner, The Pig and the Lady in Honolulu serves up Vietnamese classics, such as pho and banh mi, with a modern twist. Diners can enjoy menu standouts such as the Viet Cajun Oyster Po’Boy and Vit Kho Gung, a braised duck leg rice plate. Andrew Le, the restaurant’s chef, was a James Beard Award semifinalist in 2023. This is another of my favorite restaurants on Oahu. Don’t miss the famous soft serve for dessert.
Address: 83 N King St, Honolulu, HI 96817
3. Senia
A play on the word “xenia,” the ancient Greek ideology of hospitality, Senia wants to create an experience where diners can gather and share a meal in friendship. Its regional American a la carte menu was designed to celebrate Hawaii’s abundance of high-quality ingredients and showcase what’s possible when combining diverse cultures and culinary training.
Address: 75 N King St, Honolulu, HI 96817
4. Mud Hen Water
Open for lunch, brunch, and dinner, Mud Hen Water serves inventive Hawaiian plates and cocktails. At dinner, you may find menu items like beet poke with pickled limu and smoked macadamia nuts or mapo rice cakes with pork and tofu, while lunch may include hapa fried rice with namul and poached egg. The restaurant has plenty of vegetable dishes available for non-meat eaters.
Address: 3452 Waialae Ave, Honolulu, HI 96816
5. Helena’s Hawaiian Food
Helena’s has been a community staple for Hawaiian food since 1946, serving up specials like kalua pig and short ribs, as well as sides such as macaroni salad and lomi salmon. The setting at this family-owned restaurant is unpretentious and relaxed, making it an easy option for trying some of the dishes Hawaii is best known for.
Address: 1240 N School St, Honolulu, HI 96817
6. Sunrise Shack
Started by professional surfers as a fruit stand and geared toward a healthy lifestyle, Sunrise Shack is the perfect stop for fresh fruit smoothies, acai bowls, and papaya boats. There are several locations around the island, including the North Shore, Kailua, and Honolulu. We loved the food we tried from here on the North Shore!
Address: 2335 Kalākaua Ave, Honolulu, HI 96815
7. Fatboy’s
For a traditional Hawaiian-style plate lunch, head to Fatboy’s, which has several locations around the island and options for chicken, beef, and more. While it’s a great place to try the iconic Hawaiian lunch special, it also serves breakfast and dinner, making it an easy stop for any time of day.
Address: 301 Hahani St STE A, Kailua, HI 96734
8. Marugame Udon
This laid-back Japanese restaurant, located a few minutes’ drive from Ala Moana shopping center, is known for its Sanuki-style Udon noodles, which are square in shape and chewy in consistency. Marugame has nine options for trying them, including hot or cold preparations and in a range of sauces and broths. Rice bowls, salads, tempura, and more make up the rest of the menu.
Address: 2310 Kūhiō Ave., Honolulu, HI 96815
9. Giovanni’s Shrimp Truck
Giovanni’s white, graffiti-covered truck is an established choice for shrimp in Hawaii, featuring a number of different preparations. Shrimp scampi, hot and spicy shrimp, and lemon butter shrimp are all available, and if you’d like to switch it up from shrimp, there’s a jumbo garlic hot dog on the menu, too. Don’t be surprised to find a long line at this popular spot.
Address: 66-472 Kamehameha Hwy, Haleiwa, HI 96712
10. Mahina and Sun’s
It’s all about elevated home cooking at Mahina and Sun’s, which translates to Moon and Sun’s, and aims to take diners on a culinary journey inspired by Hawaii’s people and places. Dishes are approachable and meant to help visitors to Hawaii get a glimpse into the evolution of local comfort foods. The restaurant serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Address: 412 Lewers St, Honolulu, HI 96815
11. Noe
Set inside the Four Seasons Resort, Noe features a modern take on Italian classics. Though it’s an elevated, formal dining experience, while seated outside on the patio surrounded by koi ponds, we found it to be family-friendly. The food is excellent, with housemade pasta stealing the show. The truffle tagliatelle and bucatini with guanciale and egg were both favorites.
Address: 92-1001 Olani St, Kapolei, HI 96707
12. Leonard’s Bakery
Founded in 1952 by the grandson of Portuguese immigrants, Leonard’s brought the Portuguese pastry malasadas—similar to doughnuts without a hole— to Hawaii with great success. The bakery still specializes in them today and even has a fleet of Malasadamobiles, and food trucks stationed at shopping centers around the island. Leonard’s offers a range of other baked goods as well.
Address: 933 Kapahulu Avenue, Honolulu, HI 96816
13. Over Easy
Breakfast is served all day at Over Easy, which features staples with a Hawaiian twist—think Kalua pig hash, custard French toast, and Kailua eggs. A lean menu of lunch items is also on offer after 11 a.m., including a fried chicken sandwich, cheeseburger, and coconut shrimp burger. The restaurant is family-friendly, with plenty of kids’ menu options for littles.
Address: 418 Kuulei Rd #103, Kailua, HI 96734
14. Sushi Sho
Located inside the Ritz-Carlton Waikiki, Sushi Sho is an intimate, high-end omakase restaurant not to miss. The combination of modern and traditional techniques and Hawaiian ingredients make for a really special culinary experience. With just 10 seats at the main dining room’s sushi counter, reservations are difficult to grab, opening months in advance.
Address: 383 Kalaimoku St, Honolulu, HI 96815
15. Matsumoto Shave Ice
Shave ice is a must while visiting Hawaii, and my pick for this frozen treat is Matsumoto. This family-owned and operated business has been serving the North Shore from the historic town of Haleiwa since 1951 and cranks out more than 1,000 orders on a sunny day. All syrups from its extensive menu are made in-house with 100% cane sugar, and mochi and azuki beans are among the available toppings.
Address: 66-111 Kamehameha Hwy #605, Haleiwa, HI 96712
16. Maui Mike’s Fire-Roasted Chicken
With two locations on Oahu, Maui Mike’s delivers fresh, natural, and premium chicken—without any steroids, hormones, or additives—that some call the best in Hawaii. Made to order in a casual atmosphere, the chicken is hand-massaged with special seasoning and then fire-roasted for hours until it’s just right.
Address: Enchanted Lake Center, 1020 Keolu Dr, Kailua, HI 96734
17. Maguro Brothers
Since it opened in Chinatown back in 2014, counter-service spot Maguro Brothers has been a go-to for fresh poke, sushi, and sashimi. Grab a bowl or a platter at either the China location or the new-and-improved Waikiki location, which is more spacious than its previous outpost in the area.
Address: 2250 Kalakaua Avenue by, Royal Hawaiian Ave, Honolulu, HI 96815
18. Henry’s Place
Located on Honolulu’s Beach Walk, Henry’s Place is a hole-in-the-wall selling incredible ice creams and sorbets. Flavors include local specialties like pineapple, passionfruit orange, mango, Kona coffee, and papaya. It’s the perfect stop on a beachside stroll, especially on a hot day.
Address: 234 Beach Walk, Honolulu, HI 96815
19. Musubi Cafe Iyasume
This Japanese rice ball specialist has seven outposts on Oahu, clustered in and around Waikiki. The staff at Musubi Cafe Iyasume makes everything by hand with premium rice, and you can order the locally famous dish Spam musubi with a range of toppings, including plum-cucumber and avocado-bacon-egg.
Address: 227 Lewers St. Honolulu, HI 96815
20. Ted’s Bakery
Ted’s Bakery, a Hawaiian staple for almost four decades, may be known for its pies, which come in flavors including chocolate haupia, macadamia nut, and strawberry guava cream. But it also features an extensive menu of breakfast sandwiches, omelets, burgers, and plate lunches—meaning you don’t have to wait until dessert to check it out.
Address: 59-024 Kamehameha Hwy, Haleiwa, HI 96712
Save This Post for Later on Pinterest
PS — Are You Booking a Trip Soon? Use My Booking Checklist!
These are the sites I use most to book my own trips. Using the links below is a great way to support Bon Traveler’s travel journalism at no extra cost to you. If you need help organizing your itinerary, get my free travel itinerary template here.
1. Book Your Flights
Use Skyscanner to find the best flights. It searches 100s of airlines and websites across the globe to ensure you’re not missing out on any route options or deals.
2. Book Your Accommodations
Use Booking.com for hotels and guest houses. They have the biggest inventory and consistently offer the best rates.
3. Book Your Tours & Experiences
Use Viator or Get Your Guide to find the best tours and experiences. They are my favorite tour search engines. I always check both as their inventory varies depending on the destination.
4. Book Your Car
Use Discover Cars or Rentalcars.com to find the best car rental deals. I recommend comparing rental agency reviews on Google to ensure you are booking with the best company in that destination, as the reviews are often more accurate than the car rental search engines.
5. Don’t Forget Airport Lounge Access
Get a Priority Pass membership to gain access to 1,400+ VIP lounges and airport experiences worldwide. The Priority Pass app is the first thing I check when I have a layover. I’ve been a member for over a decade, and having a comfortable place to relax before and between flights makes air travel so much more enjoyable.
6. Don’t Forget Travel Insurance
I never leave the country without travel insurance. It provides comprehensive protection in case anything goes wrong (ie. illness, injury, theft, and cancelations, etc.). I use it frequently for my travels to stay protected.
My favorite companies that offer the best coverage and rates are:
- World Nomads (best for all-around)
- Safety Wing (best for frequent travelers)
Xx,
Jessica
