The best restaurants Oʻahu

The izakaya is a kind of aperitif with tapas, Japanese version. It is the Japanese equivalent of Hawaiian puppets accompanied by cocktails. The large Hawaiian community of Japanese origin loves it and so do the many Japanese tourists! It may well be that you will find yourself surrounded by Japanese people. The Gaku has become the reference in izakaya in Oahu. The chef prepares all the dishes in front of the customers and it's excellent. Try the "oyster shot", from oysters to iced sake: a pure pleasure.

Alexandre Trancher, a French chef and former chef of the Tour d'Argent, is in charge. The creativity of the dishes is exceptional and the products 100% made in France. So, yes, it's a bit expensive but frankly, in France, it would easily be equivalent to a 2 Michelin star, so it's really worth the price. On the tasting menu, you can taste a duck foie gras, lacquered with red beet juice flavored with raspberries; roasted scallops, cuttlefish leaves, orange beurre blanc and caviar grains and lobster, basil gnocchi.

One of the most popular restaurants in Waikiki. A magical setting with a terrace overlooking the Outrigger beach where the tikis (Hawaiian torches) are lit at night. Tropical decoration and Hawaiian music. The walls are covered with photos of the famous surfing champion, Duke Kahanamoku (1890-1968). Hawaiian and American specialties on the menu. The best plan for small budgets is the "Barefoot Bar", upstairs, where you can sip cocktails and eat large plates of pupus (salty snacks), salads, sandwiches. A sure value!

New Hawaiian cuisine by celebrity chef Roy Yamaguchi, who has some 30 locations around the world! The one in Waikiki is his very first, and it's worth a visit for that reason alone. Roy's secret is the successful fusion of all the culinary influences of Hawaii's mixed population, from Asia to Polynesia. It's expensive, but it's top-notch Hawaiian cuisine. We recommend the Al fresco menu with starter, main course and dessert, even if it means adding a few side dishes to taste everything.

This address established in Honolulu since 1974 is one of the best restaurants in town to have a real complete breakfast, based on local specialties, or pancakes, omelets, pancakes or waffles. To eat on the spot, a waiter installs you in a large room with a retro Hawaiian look, partly open on the outside. We loved the loco moco, the eggs Benedict and the waffles for dessert. Believe us, you won't be hungry when you leave, it's even the ideal meal after an all-nighter in Waikiki.

Created by three friends just out of college who were looking for a place to hang out. In an exotic and idyllic setting, illuminated by tikis (Hawaiian torches) at nightfall (hence the name of the establishment), you can enjoy Hawaiian and American specialties: coconut chicken, pork chops with guava sauce, Thai-style shrimp, fish with macadamia nut crust. Beautiful terrace with a view of the sea. Live music every night, two to three bands take turns throughout the evening.

Established in 1952, Leonard's Bakery has been making the famous "malasadas" for decades. These are doughnuts that Portuguese immigrants, who came to work on the sugar plantations in the 19th century, imported to Hawaii. "Malasadas" means "badly made" because the recipe for their dough was flawed and they were covered with sugar to create the illusion. This is the story of the success of a failure, undisputed today! The proof: tourists and locals are constantly lining up at Leonard's... Coconut, chocolate or plain, everything is possible!

Chinatown: Post OfficeChinatown Cultural Plaza 100 N. Beretania Street - Suite 160 Tel (808) 832 0068

Restaurant of the American chain Gyu-Kaku, specialized in Japanese barbecue, to share with two. The grill is integrated directly into the table and allows you to choose the cooking, the order and the quantity of meat to brown. The good deal is their daily happy hour, from 11:30 am to 6:30 pm and from 9:30 pm to closing from Tuesday to Sunday and all day Monday: a selection of barbecues and beers at half price! Big eaters can choose the "all you can eat" menus with 37, 60 or 74 dishes to be enjoyed at will for 90 minutes!

Feel like eating sushi? This is the perfect address. This chain of rotating sushi bars is very popular in Hawaii (only 8 addresses on Oahu, 2 on Big Island, 1 on Kauai and Maui!) As in Japan, the concept is simple: the price of the sushi that goes by depends on the color of the plates. From the covid, the menu is entirely available to take away or to deliver: bento box with spicy tuna, poke Ahi, Teriyaki chicken, Sukiyaki udon noodles, spicy edamame or gyoza, a treat! The most daring will be able to try the 50 pieces trays!

Mexican food in Hawaii? It's not typical, but the products are local and the food is quality. This restaurant has set itself the challenge of changing the reputation of Mexican food and proving that it can be refined and sought after. Located outside on the roof of a building, the view on the city is grandiose. Rich program: every Monday it's Margarita night from 5 pm (5 US$ the glass), Tuesday tacos (2 US$ the tacos) and the 5th of the month the restaurant makes the fiesta from 6 pm with music, tapas and cocktails at reduced prices.

The most authentic Italian restaurant in Waikiki. Delicious dishes, prepared just like the "mama"! Pasta fans love the "spaghetti alla pescatora" (with seafood and garlic) and pizza fans can't get enough of the "owner's favorite" (with shrimp and onions, with parmesan cheese). For dessert, there is the inevitable tiramisu, the Catalan cream and a choice of ice creams. The menu is also available to take away since 2021. A second location has opened in the Kahala Resort Hotel.

Haleiwa's most upscale restaurant, in a casual, exotic setting. A menu of Hawaiian fish and seafood specialties: shrimp in coconut milk, fish chip with wasabi sauce, grilled catch of the day with macadamia nut pesto, pork with pineapple. Very good cocktail menu around 10 US$. At aperitif time, the "happy-hour" will please small budgets: various pupus (salty snacks) and drinks at half price. Very good value for money and nice terrace with sea view. The establishment has opened a second address in Kaneohe.

Between two sunbathing sessions, run to Lanikai Juice to refresh yourself with a delicious fresh fruit juice. Papaya, banana, mango, passion fruit, enough to make your mouth water. Try their fruit smoothies and yogurts. Of course Lanikai Juice has also started to make bowls with acai, pitaya or banana and spirulina. The products are local and fresh. New blends are introduced every week at a reduced price. Six addresses are now open, including one in Waikiki at 388 Kamake Street, proof of success!

If we were to introduce you to Nico's Pier, we would have to talk about Nicolas, a Frenchman who arrived in Hawaii a few years ago. His success story began with a small shop where he simply sold fish dishes. With this success, he opened a restaurant on the fish market. The promise remains the same: the best fish on the island at the best price. His secret: he buys directly from the fishermen. Self-service at lunchtime; in the evening, the cuisine is more elaborate, with a menu where fish remains king!

A good truck address! There is a quiet snack on the terrace. A pure moment of happiness.

Historically, this is the first type of van in Kahuku. And the establishment claims it high and strong on the panels! Above all, since other vans have moved around and competition has become fierce, we cannot miss Giovanni's van at any rate; This is the first one to see and its white body is literally covered with graffiti.

But shrimp have lost in quality over time, and their seasoning also. As for cleanliness, it is average. Instead, go to the nearby pickup truck.

A bakery famous for its unctuous Portuguese doughnuts, the famous malasadas, and its "chocolate haupia" (chocolate and coconut) pie. Created by a young Japanese man, Ted Nakamura, on the land bought by his father, who emigrated to work in the sugar cane industry, the bakery serves hot dishes and salads. The meals are a bit expensive, prefer the copious breakfasts served until 10:30 am, to be tasted on the spot or on the beach. Very famous, the address has received many awards, hence the queue that quickly forms in the late morning.

The Sunrise Shack is the trendy address on Oahu, with three outlets on the island: Kailua (east), Shark Cove (north) and Ala Moana Shopping Center in Honolulu. On the menu: a vast choice of "bowls", these fruit mixes that have become an art in Hawaii with toasted coconut, muesli or date and spirulina, the choice is vast and all options are good. The other flagship product of Sunrise is the "bullet coffee" a cold coffee mixed with several vegetable oils, a new fashion in the United States. A must try!

Competition is tough in the shrimp business in Kahuku, but Fumi has earned the loyalty of the locals. Set up on the side of the road, Fumi's van is surrounded by a dozen picnic tables and tarps providing welcome shade in the area. The shrimp are fresh and the proportions consistent. There are several options: garlic, lemon, spicy or plain. They are served with rice, fries or vegetables. It is better to come early or to reserve in advance because the address is popular with visitors who are touring the island.