Hawaii restaurants, island by island
Eating like a local: the short version
Hawaii's food is a mix of Native Hawaiian, Japanese, Chinese, Filipino, Korean, Portuguese and American cooking, shaped by more than a century of plantation life. The best-loved meals are often the least formal: a plate lunch from a drive-in, poke by the pound from a market counter, a malasada still warm from the fryer, shave ice on the way back from the beach.
- Plate lunch: two scoops of rice, a scoop of macaroni salad and a main such as teriyaki beef, chicken katsu or kalua pork.
- Poke: cubed raw fish, usually ahi, seasoned with shoyu, sesame, limu seaweed or spicy mayo. Grocery and fish-market counters are often the best.
- Loco moco: rice, a hamburger patty, a fried egg and brown gravy. The Big Island's Hilo claims it.
- Shave ice: finely shaved ice with syrups, often with ice cream or sweet azuki beans underneath.
- Malasadas: Portuguese sugar-coated doughnuts without a hole.
Local favorites worth planning around
Helena's Hawaiian Food
Family-run since 1946 and a James Beard America's Classics honoree. Order the pipikaula short ribs and the laulau.
Rainbow Drive-In
A drive-in near Waikiki serving plate lunches and loco moco since 1961.
Leonard's Bakery
The malasada stop since 1952. Expect a line and order a few extra.
Mama's Fish House
A Maui landmark on the north shore since 1973. The menu names the fisherman who caught your fish. Book well ahead.
Cafe 100
A Hilo institution with a long list of loco moco variations.
Hamura Saimin
Counter seats, saimin noodle soup and lilikoi chiffon pie. A James Beard America's Classics honoree.
Restaurants open, close, move and change hours often. Check the restaurant's own website or call before you go. No restaurant paid to be listed.
Familiar names, too
Traveling with picky eaters or just want something you know? Waikiki and the big resort areas have plenty of national chains, and Hawaii has its own homegrown chains that are worth trying at least once: Zippy's, L&L Hawaiian Barbecue and Teddy's Bigger Burgers among them. Even McDonald's in Hawaii has local touches like Spam, eggs and rice on the breakfast menu.
Luaus, food tours and farm visits
A luau is dinner and a show in one, and on most islands it is the most popular evening out for visitors. Food tours, coffee farms and chocolate tastings are good daytime options.
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Planning the rest of the trip?
Island-by-island trip planning at My Hawaii Planner, things to do at 101 Things to Do in Hawaii, the Best in Hawaii visitor guide, hotel deals in Honolulu, Maui, Kauai and on the Big Island at Rooms Cheap, and rental cars at USA Auto Rental.
Frequently asked questions
What food is Hawaii known for?
Poke, plate lunch, kalua pork, laulau, lomi salmon, poi, loco moco, saimin, Spam musubi, shave ice and malasadas. Many dishes blend Hawaiian, Asian, Portuguese and American cooking.
Do I need restaurant reservations in Hawaii?
For popular dinner spots, yes, especially on Maui and in Waikiki. Places like Mama's Fish House book up weeks ahead. Plate-lunch spots, poke counters and food trucks do not take reservations.
Is eating out in Hawaii expensive?
Resort restaurants are expensive, since most food is shipped in. Plate lunches, poke counters, food trucks and local diners are the best value, and a poke bowl from a grocery store makes an easy beach lunch.