We came here to try some more traditional Hawaiian food. Particular favorites was the squid luau…read morewhich was sweet and a little salty with a unique flavor coming from the taro leaves. If you're not a fan of seafood, don't let the squid deter you as it is a minimal part of the dish and added more of a crunchy textural component rather than actual flavor. This was my wife and my favorite dish. The luau pork was also very good though I liked the version we had at Toa Luau better. We also liked the haupia which was a very refreshing coconut pudding though for some reason our boys didn't like it. We also tried pipikaula which are thinly sliced dry-aged beef short ribs marinated in soy sauce and something else that made it sweet. If you know Korean barbeque, you'll instantly get the sensation that these are close cousins to galbi, though the pipikaula are much less sweet in comparison. The dry aging process also makes them a bit more dryer than galbi. On to more difficult stuff. I was enthusiastic about the fried butterfish collar but once I got a waft of the dish, I knew I was in trouble. I'm very sensitive when it comes to fish so the smell (more than the taste) was off putting. My wife was fine with it and enjoyed the dish, but if you aren't a fan of fishy fish, then I would skip it. The lomi salmon looked very much like pico de gallo with the addition of salt-cured salmon. My boys loved this dish because they love salmon but again I would steer clear if you are a seafood weakling like me. Alas, we come to poi. Had my hopes up since I love taro but the texture and a bit of sourness from fermentation deterred me from trying too much of it. I'm glad we tried it but not sure that we would get it again.

You CANNOT skip Helena's…read more You HAVE to eat here Service was superb - friendly staff The food was memorable and the place makes you feel at home .

It was easily my favorite meal of this trip! I was on my way somewhere else after my Pilates class,…read morebut for some mysterious reason I decided to reroute my Uber to Highway Inn at the last minute. I'm so glad I did! A draft beer, butterfish, some poi, and lomi lomi hit the spot! I left whatever was in the gravy boat untouched as it had beef in it. But pretty much everything else made it down the hatch with some breaks from being so full because it was all so delish! Service was so aloha lovely! Five stars. And I just love the community that's established here with all locals. I'm thinking Highway Inn will be a must stop for all my future Oahu stays! And yes, I can confidently say it's greater than the other well known authentic Hawaiian institution on the island. By leaps and bounds.

Overall great place!!!…read more Food was amazing... as usual. I had the plate lunch: lomi lomi salmon, pork lau lau, haupia with and add on of squid luau, Everything was fresh and cooked perfectly. All the people there are super friendly and the place is very clean. BUT they only have one mens and one womens restroom... so expect a wait when they are busy. Parking is a limited... you can do street or paid (small) parking lot. We took the local bus, worked great - just figure out which stop you need because it is in between two .. not directly up front. This is my #1 and first place I go to after landing and sometimes again before I go home. Would I go back? Always!!!!!

Dessert run…read more.. There's noting like treating yourself and here at Olili you can certainly have that here as this unexpected visit worked perfectly. You can find Olili up inside Waikiki Market a grocery store in the Lilia Waikiki you just need to take the elevator up to the second floor and look for the "Restaurant" entrance and what a lovely decor as you feel like you're transported away form the city vibe. They were quite busy so we decided to take a seat at the bar and watching the bartender make drinks was quite impressive but the show was my Kilauea Chocolate Lava Cake that I ordered and they pour the rum fire on it that was a fun and cool experience and though it might have been brief it did make me smile enough to enjoy and am grateful that Nadine had brought me here as I was hesitant to do so. The service was very nice and prompt even though they were obviously busy they all kept it together and we enjoyed our night out and treats which is what is the most important of it all. Thank you!

On my first night in Honolulu, I went straight to Olili, based on other reviews. I'm glad I did!…read more Yes, it is a restaurant located inside an upscale supermarket on the second floor. However, when you're seated, you feel like you're in a nice restaurant, particularly if you have your back to the groceries. I started with the Herbs and Tonic cocktail. (I don't care for overly sweet cocktails, and this had a wonderful blend of herbaceous and tart flavors.) Basil, mint, shiso, lemon, tonic, and Tenjaku Gin. Surprising and refreshing. I chose to have a couple of starters and no main (something I often prefer when dining out). I got the Kanpachi Crudo, which was accompanied by lomi tomato relish, Thai basil, and Wai'anae citrus. So good. Light and packed with bright flavors. Contrasted with... Bone Marrow -- Honolulu beef bone, braised oxtail ragu, fermented chili crunch, Viet herbs, and grilled sourdough. A phenomenal overload of rich decadent flavors. For dessert, it was the amazing Okinawan Haupia "Mud" Bar -- layers of ube custard, macadamia nut crust, haupia sorbet, and shaved roasted sweet potato. Cold, sweet, and savory, with great textures. Excellent service from Crystal. And Jonathan at the bar became a friend of mine. A phenomenal meal and a wonderful experience. Pricy, but totally worth it.

I came in here on vacation with some friends, looking for a spot to grab drinks. We heard the…read moreatmosphere was fun, but what really made it special was our bartender Gabe. He was so good that we came back a second night for him specifically. He gave us great conversation the whole night and really went the extra mile to make sure that we enjoyed our time. I would highly recommend coming here and definitely ask for Gabe specifically!!

We had two great dinners at Duke's Waikiki this past week in May 2026!…read more For our first dinner, we want to give a huge shout-out to our server, Rio. Her energy was incredible, and she was so kind and accommodating to our family. Our second visit was with our extended family of 10. Eight of us arrived at 9:50 PM and requested the dining section because our two-month-old and three toddlers were sensitive to the live band. Initially, we encountered some seating difficulties near the dining room's 10:00 PM cutoff time. Thankfully, Kenny stepped in and was able to take care of us. We ended up having another fantastic dinner with excellent service. Thank you so much for creating a fun, enjoyable dinner for our family of 10! Huge praise to both Rio and Kenny for their outstanding hospitality! Whether you sit outside on the patio to enjoy the fun live band and hula dancing, or inside where it's a bit quieter and cozier, you are guaranteed to have a great time at Duke's!

OMG! This was a dining experience! So, the restaurant was closing so my friend said we should eat…read morethere! I didn't know that the servings were group sized!! I found so many things that looked great on the menu, to include fried gizzards, boneless Kal Bi ribs, fully loaded fried rice, Mac salad and other stuff I can't recall! So the TWO of us ordered way too much! We tried to eat as much as we could and ended up taking the rest home! Everything we ordered was delicious, so we knew we were going to eat good leftovers! The restaurant was a great place to go with a group to eat and watch sports! Our Waitress (I have to remember to get names) was a track star, she was running to and from several tables of groups to deliver food! I will go again if they reopen!

If you're visiting Hawaii with a big group, 100% recommend taking them here…read more We initially were a party of 16, and showed up without a reservation at 6pm on a Saturday. The staff was super nice about it and was able to accommodate us, with only a small request that we be out by 8pm since there was another big party with a reservation coming in. Absolutely reasonable. They sat us right away at three large tables, which gave us plenty of space for food and didn't force us to sit super close together. Menus, waters, plates, napkins, and forks were all brought out immediately, and our waiter was quick to take our order. We started with the prix fixe menu for 8-10 guests and were going to add other items à la carte, but a handful of our group accidentally went to the other Side Street location (make sure your group is all on the same page), so what we ordered ended up being more than enough. We left stuffed and with 5 boxes of food still. Edamame was nice and steamy, and large enough to easily pop the beans out with your mouth. Wish there was a bit more salt though. The farmer's salad had everything going on from citrusy to salty to crispy. Avocado had a little bit of oxidation but the capers, dressing and potato curls provided plenty of reasons to overlook it. The fried rice came in a hefty portion, with sizable pieces of bacon and sausage. The chicken I didn't realize was boneless based on the shape of the deep fry, but it was nice to freely bite into it without worrying about hitting anything with my teeth. Probably a bit too much on fried bits but still good. Pork chops had a better meat to crisp ratio in my opinion, as well as juiciness. They even came with ketchup on the side, which I love as a pairing but don't see much of at restaurants. My favorite meat item was definitely the sizzling boneless kalbi. The presentation on the sizzling plate with a side of kimchi was spectacular, and the meat was full of flavor. We also ordered yakisoba, which wasn't part of the prix fixe. Tasted good but nothing past standard expectations. We let the waiter know we had a 30th birthday at the table, and they brought a couple scoops of vanilla ice cream with a candle, and did a decent job getting the whole room to participate in the singing. It could also be the type of crowd this place attracts, since it seemed that everyone was so friendly and approachable. Thanks to the quick and consistent service, we were out in a little over an hour with no complaints.

Musubi Cafe was the perfect first stop when we arrived in Hawaii. Everything is made fresh to…read moreorder, so there is a bit of a wait we waited about 15-20 minutes but it was absolutely worth it. The musubi was delicious, and knowing it was made fresh made the experience even better. The quality and flavor stood out, and it was a great introduction to our trip. If you're looking for fresh, tasty musubi, I highly recommend stopping by. We'll definitely be back on our next visit!

Right in the heart of Waikiki and a great find, especially if you have little ones! You walk in and…read moreare immediately greeted with a counter full of so many options -- the musubis, roes, and rolls were all great choices. We tried the spicy tempura rolls which were actually very mild. These were perfect for our toddlers who love finger foods and absolutely refuse to sit down at a restaurant. This place was so convenient for us as a family because it's quick, easy, and the kids could just grab and go. They also have bentos and bowls which gives you even more variety beyond just the musubis. Just a heads up for fellow travelers -- everything is premade so when you get it, it will be room temperature, which is something to keep in mind. They do take cards which is convenient, just note they close early so plan accordingly. Overall a solid spot for families and tourists looking for a quick and tasty bite while exploring Waikiki. Would recommend!

Tried Kehau's Kitchen and really liked it. The place has a chill local feel and everyone there was…read moresuper friendly. It felt more like a neighborhood spot than a touristy restaurant, which I appreciated. We had the poke nachos, ribs, and laulau. The poke nachos were really good and probably my favorite thing we ordered. Fresh poke with crispy chips and a good mix of flavors. The ribs were tender and flavorful, and the laulau tasted homemade and comforting. Portions were solid too. Service was great the whole time. Staff was welcoming, food came out fast, and overall it was just a good experience. Would definitely come back next time I'm in Honolulu.

First time eating here. I've been interested in it just never had the chance until now. I ordered…read morethe pulehu chicken. It was a lot more than I thought it would be for the price. I enjoyed the chicken way more than I thought I would and it kept us fed. I love the bbq flavor and taste of it. Service was a bit on the slower end. We finished eating and waited for someone to give us our bill. I waited long enough that I decided to just pay at the register myself. It wasn't a bad move as we were seated close to the register already. I'd come back to try the mexican side of the menu.

I like supporting local and visiting Oahu Grill when I get a chance, been here many times for take…read moreout, with family, a friend visiting from Cali who misses local food and after vacation when I am missing the local foods too! During a visit here with my friends who was visiting from out of town, they both enjoyed their entree with a beer, love the atmosphere- we got to chat and ended up staying until restaurant's closing time. The waitress that day was super friendly, full of Aloha! I love the local foods, everything I tried was very tasty, When dining in I usually go with the 2 item plates, picking all different items ( Lau, Kalua Pork, pork belly, chicekn long rice and sharing family style with extra rice. The food was broke da mouth! During one of my dining visits, I was on my no carb lifesytle and got the Island cobb salad with Kalua Pork ( available in 2 sizes $9./$17.) Lettuce, cucumber, corn, tomato, avocado with Kalua Pig, and sweet onion dressing. Wow, I am glad they have this option for salads. I hope they don't discontinue the Cobb salad as it was so good! During this recent stop I picked up the Pork Belly and Pipikaula plate in short ribs style. This was such a great choice as my family enoyed it . Beer and Pork Belly for pupus and pipikaua ribs for dinner. They have daily specials (beef stew, beef tomato, chicken hekka, sweet sour spare ribs, beef stew, grilled fish, shoyu chicken, garlic shrimp) which sounds good too. You can pick plates in mini or regular, two or three item combo, but few dollars more for crispy pork, smoked meat Pipikaula. Please check out Oahu Grill in the Kaimuki area, opens daily from 11-9 pm.

This place use to be unreal 5 stars in my books they fell off my radar from 5 stars to 2 stars. The…read moreother day I had lunch there and i ordered their Lau Lau and squid luau combo. It was very tasty and the squid luau had a mouth full of squid. The downside is look at the rice . The rice was very hard I guaranteed it was left overs sitting in the rice warmer and they served us the hard rice . Also the service was very slow only 1 worker but we were the only customer in there . I recommend this Hawaiian food place over others but maybe ill stop from know on . It. could be new owners I'm not sure .