Are you going to Waikiki? Love food and trying local specialties? We share delicious foods to eat in Waikiki in our foodie list and the best places we ate during our recent vacation!
Our Waikiki foodie list includes the places we enjoyed and other must try, delicious local foods:
- casual meals & “cheap eats”
- “popular” casual, dine-in restaurants on Kalākaua Ave that “everyone talks about”:
- Duke’s Waikiki
- Hula Grill Waikiki
- Tiki’s Grill & Bar
- The Beach Bar at Moana Surfrider
- other local must-try foods – available throughout Waikiki and the Hawaiian islands
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Also, if you are planning a trip to Waikiki, then you know that excursions here can be pricey! Therefore, read about activities we actually enjoyed and recommend!
Check out our review and amazing night Chief’s Luau here ! And read about our Waikiki Trolley tour review here!
Check back for more of our reviews and recommendations! And explore popular Waikiki Tours with hundreds of reviews on Viator.com:
Foods to Eat in Waikiki: Casual Meals & Cheap Eats
Paia Fish Market Waikiki
If you eat fish, Paia Fish Market Waikiki is a great casual restaurant offering a freshly made, delicious plate!
Read our foodie review and article on Paia Fish Market Waikiki with pictures! Don’t miss this spot for fresh fish! We ate here twice!
Highlights & tips:
- casual
- tables:
- first come, first served
- communal tables, high tops, outdoor seating
- expect to wait in a line
- fresh, made-to-order food
- no reservations
Food Recommendation at Paia Fish Market Waikiki: order a “fresh catch plate” of blackened mahi mahi with rice + home potatoes, or “fresh catch plate” of slightly charbroiled ahi with rice + home potatoes.
Address: 2299 Kūhiō Ave., Honolulu, HI 96815, United States
Website: https://paiafishmarket.com/locations/waikiki/
Leonard’s Bakery
If you looked into what foods to eat in Waikiki, you probably came across Leonard’s Bakery in your research!
We knew we had to try Leonard’s famous malasadas while in Hawaii!
According to their website, “a malasada is a Portugese doughnut without a hole”. And Leonard’s is “Hawaii’s original malasada bakery.”
If you are not able to get to the storefront location, Leonard’s food truck is the next best thing! The food truck has limited options; there are not as many flavors as the storefront locations.
Highlights & tips:
- casual
- expect to wait in a line at all locations!
- must eat the malasadas hot and freshly baked!
- various locations
- we went to the “Malasadamobile” food truck parked at Koko Marina Shopping Center – there was a stop here on our Waikiki Trolley Blue Line tour!
Food Recommendation: at Leonard’s Bakery food truck, “malasada puffs fillings” with custard! Eat the malasada hot! We ate one the next day, and although still yummy, a freshly made hot malasada is the only way to have it in my opinion!
Website: : https://leonardshawaii.com/home/
Marugame Udon
Whenever we walked by in the evenings, there was always a very long line at Marugame Udon!
Despite the line, we had to wait and try it for ourselves! This place is always mentioned for affordable, yummy eats when in Waikiki beach!
Highlights:
- “cafeteria style” restaurant
- casual
- first come, first served seating
- expect to wait outside in a line
Food ordered:
- tonkotsu – udon with chashu pork, miso ground pork, half seasoned boiled egg
- curry nikutama – udon with beef, soft boiled egg
- shrimp tempura
My husband and I both ordered the popular tonkotsu. It was delicious and we completely finished our bowls!
My brother ordered the curry nikutama, which I had to try. This was also a popular item noted on their menu. Although delicious, I do not think I could eat a full bowl of curry…my brother did though! It was tasty!
Recommendation at Marugame Udon: tonkotsu – udon with chashu pork, miso ground pork, half seasoned boiled egg. Extremely popular, busy spot!
Marugame Udon is yummy, affordable, and freshly made comfort food! A good choice for casual eats in Waikiki!
Address: 2310 Kūhiō Ave., Honolulu, HI 96815, United States
Website: https://www.marugameudon.com/locations/waikiki/
Steak Shack
A beachfront spot for an affordable and yummy, freshly made meal!
Since we were staying in central Waikiki at The Royal Hawaiian resort on Kalakaua Ave, Steak Shack is approximately a ten-minute walk.
If you do not eat beef, there is also chicken available! We had both!
I recommend Steak Shack for lunch on a sunny afternoon so you can enjoy it outside by the beach!
Highlights:
- take-out only of beef or chicken plate
- made-to-order fresh meals
- limited outdoor seating, first come, first-served
Food ordered:
- steak plate
- chicken plate
Address: 2161 Kālia Rd, Honolulu, HI 96815, United States
Website: https://www.steakshackhawaii.com/
Recommendation at Steak Shack – both the steak and chicken plate! Economical and delicious! The four of us ate outside on the stools and small tables by the shack! Perfect for lunch!
The Royal Hawaiian
We loved our stay at the Royal Hawaiian resort! However, you do not have to be a guest to try the delicious food there – be sure to check out:
- The Royal Hawaiian Bakery
- Surf Lanai Restaurant (breakfast)
Address: The Royal Hawaiian, a Luxury Collection Resort, Waikiki – 2259 Kalakaua Avenue, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA, 96815
Website: https://www.royal-hawaiian.com/
Royal Hawaiian Resort – Royal Hawaiian Bakery
We tried a few items from the bakery during our stay. Although all of the baked goods were delicious, one pastry stands out in my mind…
My mouth is watering just thinking about the Royal Hawaiian Bakery pink cronut!
Highlights:
- take-out
- a few tables are first come, first served
- open daily 6 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Food ordered:
- banana bread muffins
- croissants
- pink cronut
- coffee
Food recommendation at The Royal Hawaiian Bakery: pink cronut – essentially a mix of a croissant and donut!
If I return to Waikiki and stayed elsewhere, I will surely visit the bakery and see if their pink cronut is available!
Royal Hawaiian Resort – Surf Lanai Restaurant
Book a reservation for breakfast at Surf Lani Restaurant! The restaurant offers indoor dining as well as outdoor dining by the beach!
Highlights:
- beachfront dining for breakfast
- indoor and outdoor seating
- resort attire
Food ordered:
- Signature Royal Hawaiian Pink Palace Pancakes
- served with berries, haupia sauce, toasted coconut, and choice of bacon, ham, or with sausage
- deliciousssss!
- The Royal Acai Bowl
- acai sorbet served with bananas, mixed berries, granola, honey
- healthy and delicious
- coffee
Recommendation at Surf Lanai: Treat yourself to their famous “Pink Palace Pancakes“! Eat outside by the beach and indulge in the fluffy delights!
Izakaya Pau Hana Base
Love Japanese food and izakayas? My family and I really enjoyed our dinner at Izakaya Pau Hana Base!
The four of us shared several small plates and loved the cozy vibe of the restaurant!
What a delicious surprise we stumbled upon looking for a casual Japanese restaurant for dinner! I highly recommend Izakaya Pau Hana Base for dinner and great value, especially in Waikiki!
Be sure to book a reservation as the restaurant was full by the time we left.
Highlights:
- cozy, casual restaurant
- small plates, tapas style
- seating includes tables, booths, a few seats at the counter
Food ordered:
- bottle of Suigei sake
- yakitori – grilled chicken skewers
- ikayaki – grilled squid
- teriyaki salmon
- eel over rice
- shrimp fried rice
- tacoyaki – takoyaki octopus balls (6 pieces)
- ribeye steak
Recommendation at Izakaya Pau Hana Base: Everything we ordered was delicious! In particular, eel over rice and shrimp fried rice! Great casual spot and food for adults!
Address: 407 Seaside Ave, Honolulu, HI 96815, United States
TIP: if you like cotton candy, there is a machine at the entrance, free for restaurants guests when they leave! The restaurant invited us to help ourselves and gave us a rolled paper to gather the treat on!
Foods to Eat in Waikiki: “Popular” Casual Restaurants on Kalākaua Ave
If you look up popular Waikiki restaurants, there are several places that are consistently mentioned. So, of course, we had to check them out too:
- Duke’s Waikiki
- Hula Grill Waikiki
- Tiki’s Grill & Bar
- The Beach Bar at Moana Surfrider
Make a reservation or expect to wait at these popular tourists spots!
Duke’s Waikiki
One of the most popular restaurants in Waikiki for tourists due to its beachfront location,
Located in Outrigger Waikiki Beach Resort. For dinner, definitely book a reservation at this popular restaurant or be prepared to wait.
Duke’s Waikiki kept appearing in my research of where and what foods to eat in Waikiki:
Highlights:
- beachfront, casual dining
- indoor and outdoor seating
- Barefoot Bar: walk-in only. Outdoor seating at night was lovely with live music, Hawaiian dancer, and tiki torches lit during our dinner. Since no reservations here, we were put on a waiting list and waited about an hour for dinner on a Saturday night.
- live entertainment – check availability and calendar
- weekly specials – confirm availability
- taco Tuesday, prime rib buffet, and more!
Food ordered:
- cajun fish tacos with guacamole
- poke tacos – made with fresh raw ahi. Taco shells are fried.
- cocktails
- dessert:
- we ordered pono pie
- Kimo’s Original Hula pie is their most famous dessert but we knew we could have it when we dined at the related restaurant upstairs, Hula Grill (we had reservations for to eat there later in the week).
- coffee
Recommendation for Duke’s Waikiki: Dine at Duke’s Barefoot Bar for poke tacos, a mai tai, and enjoy some live music outside! Duke’s Waikiki is good for families.
Address: 2335 Kalākaua Ave #116, Honolulu, HI 96815, United States
Website: https://www.dukeswaikiki.com/
Hula Grill Waikiki
Hula Grill offers casual dining with amazing elevated views of Waikiki beach!
Located in Outrigger Waikiki Beach Resort, this restaurant is located above Duke’s Waikiki restaurant. The related restaurants serve many of the same dishes, such as their popular Kimo’s Original Hula pie and poke tacos!
Highlights:
- casual dining
- indoor and outdoor seating
- outdoor seating has elevated beautiful view of Waikiki beach
- live entertainment – check availability and calendar
We love the fact that the food at the restaurant is sourced “from local fisherman and farmers every day”, according to their website!
We ate here for lunch to celebrate my husband’s birthday! Sit outside for a fantastic view of Waikiki beach!
Also, there was a musician playing a guitar which added to the lovely atmosphere.
Overall, service was friendly and our waitress even brought out dessert with a birthday candle!
Food ordered:
- appetizer: smoked ahi dip served with taro chips
- beer battered fish & chips
- loco moco
- “traditional” Hawaiian breakfast
- two eggs, pork fried rice, short rib, kalua pork, sausage, mushroom gravy
- poke tacos
- made with fresh raw ahi. Taco shells are fried.
- lobster seafood roll
- cocktails
- dessert: Kimo’s Original Hula pie
- coffee
Recommendation at Hula Grill: sit outside, order delicious poke tacos and hula pie! Good for families.
Everyone enjoyed everything ordered! We shared the appetizer and happily cleared our plates. Service was great, especially since we were celebrating a birthday too!
TIP: We had to try the famous “Hula Pie”, which is also available downstairs at Duke’s Waikiki (related restaurants). Once slice of pie was enough for the four of us to share!
Address: 2335 Kalākaua Ave, Honolulu, HI 96815, United States
Website: https://www.hulagrillwaikiki.com/
Tiki’s Grill & Bar
This tiki-themed restaurant is located in the Twin Fin Hotel with elevated views of Waikiki beach.
Highlights:
- casual dining
- located across the street from Waikiki beach
- indoor and outdoor seating
- elevated outdoor seating with views of Waikiki beach
- live entertainment and music – confirm availability & schedule
- fun, tiki decor and atmosphere
- happy hour: 3-5 pm daily (confirm with restaurant for availability)
- friendly service
My family and I ate here for dinner and initially sat outside, lanai seating, for an elevated view of the beach. Unfortunately, it was too windy that evening in January and we moved indoors.
Nonetheless, the restaurant inside had festive tiki-themed decor and most importantly all four of us enjoyed our meal!
Food ordered:
- appetizer: calamari katsu
- macadamia nut crusted fish
- teppanyaki pacific pink snapper
- wine and cocktails
- desserts:
- twenty layer haupia crepe cake
- chocolate fudge cake a la mode
- coffee
Food Recommendation at Tiki’s Grill & Bar: macadamia nut crusted fish. Family friendly atmosphere.
Address: 2570 Kalākaua Ave, Honolulu, HI 96815, United States
Website: https://www.tikis.com/
The Beach Bar at Moana Surfrider
Located in the historic Moana Surfrider resort, the oceanfront beach bar and restaurant
Unfortunately, it rained during our dinner. However, we made the best of our evening with the live music and enjoyable meal.
A nice spot to unwind with a drink and small plates by a stunning banyan tree.
Highlights:
- casual, outdoor dining by the beach
- focal point of The Beach Bar is an extraordinary “iconic 100+ year old banyan tree”
- live entertainment and music – confirm availability
Recommendation for The Beach Bar at Moana Surfrider resort: drinks and small plates like poke bowl or poke nachos. Visit when there is live music too and unwind at this beachfront spot!
Food ordered:
- poke nachos
- poke bowl
- catch of the day
- wine and cocktails
- banana bread pudding
- coffee
Address: 2365 Kalākaua Ave, Honolulu, HI 96815, United States
Website: https://www.beachbarwaikiki.com/
Foods to Eat in Waikiki: Local Must-Try Foods
We list several other foods to eat in Waikiki, listed below, that are available throughout the city and the Hawaiian islands.
Make sure to try these local foods and specialties for a taste of what is popular in the area and/or culture!
- kalua pork
- typically served at traditional luau.
- I tried this at Chief’s Luau (read our article here)!
- acai bowls
- made from acai berries, this cold treat is like a frozen smoothie served in a bowl or cup with toppings such as fresh fruit, granola, peanut butter, and more!
- we had acai bowls at several places throughout our vacation!
- loco moco
- typically a breakfast dish which usually includes steamed white rice, beef or hamburger patty, a fried egg, and gravy!
- fresh seafood
- fish tacos, sushi, poke bowls, garlic shrimp, etc.
- we ate seafood at least once a day! So fresh! Enjoy!
FOODIE TIP: Did you know that acai berries are considered a superfood! Research show that acai berries are rich in antioxidants and have many health benefits! Just another reason to try the delicious and very popular Hawaiian acai bowls! A must-try in our list of foods to eat in Waikiki that should be easy to find!
Foods to Eat in Waikiki: Other local foods
Also, these are snack foods to eat in Waikiki that unfortunately we did not try, but are typically included in Hawaiian foodie lists:
- saimin
- noodle soup which includes wheat egg noodles served with dashi, green onions, and a slice of “kamaboko” (i.e. slice of processed seafood/fish cake) or other toppings.
- spam musubi
- In Hawaii, the snack is typically made with a piece of cooked Spam, rice, and wrapped with nori seaweed.
- Traditional Japanese onigiri or rice balls, is typically made of rice and other fillings (e.g. fish, meat) wrapped in nori (i.e. seaweed).
- shave ice
- toppings include syrup, ice cream, beans, and other options.
Foods to Eat in Waikiki – Conclusion
Hopefully our foodie list brings you enjoyment with your loved ones too in Waikiki! I know how important it is to enjoy great food and local delicacies, especially when you travel!
There are so many foods to eat in Waikiki and places to choose from…although downtown Waikiki beach, where we stayed, is mainly restaurants filled with tourists, we did enjoy some great meals!
Wishing you happy travels and delicious food adventures! Enjoy Hawaii!
Check out our related Waikiki articles you may also find interesting:
- Chief’s Luau for an amazing evening, dinner, and show, including a spectacular fire performance!
- Waikiki Trolley for a hop-on, hop-off trolley tour! Check out the city, coastline, and more!
Waikiki – Accommodations – Where to Stay
We stayed at two places on our Waikiki vacation – check our website soon for our detailed reviews and pictures from our stay:
- The Royal Hawaiian, a Luxury Collection Resort, Waikiki
- 5-star hotel: luxury iconic hotel in the center of Waikiki
- A fabulous stay! We would love to stay here again if we return to Waikiki!
- OUTRIGGER Waikiki Beachcomber Hotel
- The home of Cirque du Soleil’s newest show – ‘Auana
- A great stay in a newer, modern hotel, located in the center of Waikiki, steps from Waikiki beach (across the street).
Explore other Honolulu hotels and resorts on Booking.com here or in the link below:
Waikiki – Popular Tours
Explore popular tours in Waikiki with reviews:
Hawaii Resources
Other websites you may find useful in researching your trip:
Oʻahu Visitors Bureau
- contracted by the Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority (HTA) for leisure destination marketing in the United States.
- website: https://www.hvcb.org/about-hvcb/island-chapters/oahu-visitors-bureau/
Hawaii Tourism Authority
- “…the state’s official source for information on tourism market research, partnership opportunities, industry news and timely updates during emergency situations.”
- website: https://www.hawaiitourismauthority.org/
The meals eaten and described in this article were self-funded, not sponsored. The views and opinions expressed through this website are our own from personal experience(s). Our content and this article is informational only, not facts, and cannot be construed as professional advice. We always give our honest opinions on topics, experiences or products, made in good faith. Any product or service claims, made by the product or service, should be verified with the manufacturer or provider in question. There may be potential errors on our website, for example due to changes and unintentional mistakes. Thank you.
For more articles, be sure to take a look at Nurture Happiness Today‘s features on travel, food, and inspiration for happiness:
- Nurture Happiness Today TRAVEL and RESORTS & HOTELS
- Nurture Happiness Today FOODIE
- Nurture Happiness Today – inspiration for happiness such as quotes, speeches and lifestyle posts.
