TUG DINING GUIDE - Oahu

TUG members share their restaurant recommendations

Plate Lunches:
TUG member Hoc submitted information on plate lunches and locations in Oahu.
See the Plate Lunch section below for details!

HONOLULU

3660 on the Rise - 3660 Waialae Avenue, 808-737-1177

7-Eleven - 39 locations in Oahu

"[Their] big bento (Japanese box lunch) ... believe it or not."

Bangkok Lanai Thai Restaurant - 407 Seaside Ave (2nd floor), (808)924-9085

Benihana of Tokyo - Rainbow Hilton Hotel, 2005 Kalia Rd, 808-955-5955

"This is a great place to go at lunch on Sunday since it's not very crowded and a lot less expensive than at dinner. We liked it much better than Kobe."

Cha-Cha-Cha Caribe-Mex Restaurant - 342 Seaside Ave, 808-923-7797

Chai's Island Bistro - Aloha Tower Marketplace, (808) 585-0011

Chief's Hut - Outrigger Reef Hotel, 2169 Kalia Road, 808-924-4992

Online discount coupon.
"Good and very reasonable. Open air. Live Hawaiian entertainment in lounge ... viewed from the restaurant. "

Sam Choy's Breakfast, Lunch, and Crab) - 580 N. Nimitz Highway, (808) 545-7979

Incorporates Big Aloha Brewery
"Very popular with locals. Portions are huge .. try the bread pudding"

Sam Choy's Diamond Head Restaurant - 449 Kapahulu Avenue, Second Floor (808) 732-8645

"No view, but outstanding food and deserts. Whenever we're in the islands we'll make it a point to layover in Honolulu just to eat at Sam Choys." "The finest I have ever been to." "You will want to buy some of his salad dressings and marinades to take home with you... You won't be disappointed."

Duke's Canoe Club - 2335 Kalakaua Ave Suite 116, 808-922-2268

"A fantastic eatery next to the Sheraton... oceanfront... lunch buffet all you can eat for $9.99 what a deal, what a view, what a way to start off our trip" "Liked it so much we returned 2 more times during our stay. The surfing memorbila is outstanding."

Davey Jones Ribs - 250 Lewers St, 808-923-7427

Food Galaxy Restaurant - Corner of Nohonani St and Kuhio Ave (around corner from Ramada Vacation Suites)

"Breakfast special for two under $10.00. Lunch and dinner prices and selections were great."

Hau Tree Lanai - New Otani Kaimana Beach Hotel, 2863 Kalakaua Ave (San Souci Beach, near Diamondhead) (808) 921-7066

"Fabulous lunch under the same spreading hau tree that [Robert Louis Stevenson] loved ... we will DEFINITELY return."

Hanohano Room - Sheraton Waikiki Resort, 2255 Kalakaua Ave, (808) 922-4422

"Our most memorable dinner to date ... 30th floor... Good food, very good service, and incredible view of the sunset.

Hawaii Regent Hotel - 808-922-6611

"Restaurant on the third floor for that Special Dinner"

Horatio's - Ward Warehouse, just past Ala Moana Shopping Center

"Mostly seafood and some prime rib. A little more expensive but a great mix of good food, upscale atmosphere and view.

International Market Place

"A good food park there... try the yakitori w/rice or the 'Dole Whip' cones"

Le Guignol - New location, King and Victoria, (808) 591-1809

"Quite a culinary find... a small place, open Tue-Sat evenings... incredible prices... no liquor license, bring your own... enjoyed everything... salad dressing was to die for... Three of the four of us had eaten in Paris a few times and all had had great French food elsewhere as well. We all agreed this was REALLY near, if not at the top of that list."

New Tokyo Hawaii Restaurant 286 Beachwalk, (808)923-8411

Lewers Street Fish Co. - 247 Lewers St, 808-971-1000

Liliha Bakery - 515 North Kuakini Street (808) 531-1651

"Thinking of the french donuts right now ... a favorite for baked goods all types ... a popular coffee shop too"

Maple Garden - 909 Isenberg Street, 941-6641

Website contains printable $4 coupon.

Oceanarium - Pacific Beach Hotel

"Three story aquarium, viewed from three restaurants." "Moderately priced ($15)... make a reservation to get a window seat by the tank" "fun for the kids but the service was a little slow" "divers like to entertain the kids"

Old Spaghetti Factory - Ward Warehouse, just past Ala Moana Shopping Center

"Great for families and cheap especially for HI"

Ono Hawaiian Foods - 726 Kapahulu Avenue (808) 737-2275

"Traditional foods, very popular with the locals... Low prices and lots of ONO (i.e. delicious) food!"

Orson's - Ward Warehouse, just past Ala Moana Shopping Center

"Seafood especially fried Prawns. Not fancy but great food"

Royal Hawaiian Hotel - 2259 Kalakaua Avenue, (808) 923-7311

"Their luau is highly recommended."

Roy's Restaurant - 6600 Kalanaianaole Hwy, (808) 396-7697

Hawaii Kai Corporate Plaza at the corner of Kalanianaole (Hwy. 72) & Keahole St.

Shorebird Beach Broiler - in Outrigger Reef Hotel

"You broil your own entree, and then sit out looking at the ocean. Reasonable food for such a good view. You can dine on Mahi-Mahi on special for about $6.95." "Best breakfast brunch - look for coupon in This Week or Gold tourist magazines"

Tanaka of Tokyo - King's Village

"A Benihana clone, only friendlier"

Willows - 901 Hausten St., 808/952-9200

"great buffet for lunch ... very crowded on weekends so I recommend you make reservations"

Wo Fat Seafood Restaurant - 115 N. Hotel St, 808/521-5055

"In business since 1885 .. have the dim sun lunch"

Alan Wong's Restaurant - 1857 South King Street, Third Floor, (808) 949-2526

"Very tasty food .. prices on the high side"

KAILUA

Jaron's Restaurant Kailua - 201 Hamakua Drive 808-261-4600

"We had wonderful meals... Our favorite is capellini encrusted swordfish [an occasional special not on standard menu]... Generous portions."

HALEIWA

Jameson's by the Sea - 62-540 Kamehameha Highway, 637-4336

"Across the street from the ocean... another lunch favorite... excellent sour dough bread... salads were delicious and generous"

MAKAHA / WAIANAE AREA

Makaha Golf Club - 84-626 Makaha Valley Road, Waianae (808) 695-9544

"Excellent breakfast or lunch"

Waianae Ice House - 85-371 Farrington Highway, Waianae, 808-696-6685

"$7.00 fresh fish plate lunch that is as good as it gets."

Waianae Army Recreation Center - 85-010 Army Street, Waianae

[Open to the public]
".. drinks and dinner at the beach for less than half what you would pay in an upscale Waikiki restaurant"

Most plate lunch places look like drive-in restaurants, although some are a bit more upscale looking and there are also a few good ones that are actually lunch wagons. A plate lunch is cheap, filling, tasty, and perfect for eating hot or tepid at the restaurant (or, more accurately, the restaurant patio), in your car or at the beach. You should try one at least once while you are in the islands. But don’t expect gourmet – you are getting the food eaten to satisfy cravings by all classes of locals from the CEOs of corporations to the day laborers. And don’t be surprised if you get hooked and spend most of the rest of your trip searching out and eating great, cheap plate lunches. Many of the places are open 24 hours.

If you want to be adventurous, feel free to ask any friendly local for “a good plate lunch place.” They will all know what you are talking about, and everyone has their favorites. However, you can’t go wrong on Oahu with any of the places below, which are among the most popular in the islands (in no particular order):

P.S. Most plate lunch places will gladly alter the plate slightly. E.g., french fries instead of rice, sauce or gravy on the rice or fries, macaroni salad instead of potato or vice versa, etc. Don’t be afraid to ask.

Zippy’s:

This is the McDonald’s of plate lunch places. They are everywhere, their food is decent and classic, and their plate lunches are usually anywhere from $5 to $7 each. Most children in Hawaii grew up eating at Zippy’s several times in a month. They are locally famous for their chili, but their breaded cutlet (beef, pork or chicken) plate lunches (served with brown gravy) are also quite tasty.

Grace’s:

Grace’s became famous when it started putting Korean Kim Chee on its plate lunches, and it remains famous for that and the fact that it gives massive quantities of food on a plate. Grace’s serves all of its entrees on a bed of Chow Fun, a Chinese dish much like Chow Mein, except that it uses flat noodles. Their teriyaki beef plate – one of the true classic plate lunches – is very good. Many swear by this place and for some, nobody else makes a plate lunch that even comes close. When they crave plate lunches, they crave Grace’s. In Aiea and Manoa.

Shiro’s:

Shiro’s is probably most famous for its “Saimin,” a Hawaiian/Japanese/Chinese-style noodle soup that also includes (to order) things like green onions or chives, shredded radish, Chinese Barbecue Pork, teriyaki beef or chicken, fish, carrots, scrambled egg, cabbage, kamaboko and, yes, the ubiquitous spam. There are 61 different kinds of Saimin at Shiro’s. Also particularly good is the “Big Shiro,” a triple-decker sandwich on a hamburger bun consisting of teriyaki beef, Chinese Barbecue Pork, tomatoes, onions and lettuce, all moistened with teriyaki sauce. Shiro’s also has good standard plate lunches of all kinds. In Waimalu Shopping Center on Kamehameha Highway.

Masu’s Massive Plate Lunch:

They claim to have the largest plate lunches on the island. In fact, many of their plates contain more than three pounds of food. Their plate lunches change from day to day and can include specials such as prime rib, lobster tail, oxtails, and other unusual entrees. Often the more expensive entrees are priced accordingly. Masu’s posts its daily menu, including its specials, at http://www.hawaiibid.com/masusmassiveplatelunch/

Byron’s Drive-In:

For many returning Hawaiian locals, this is their first stop after they get back to the islands. That is because it is right near the Honolulu International Airport , has more than 50 different kinds of plates, all good, and makes great “slush floats.” (Imagine an Icee with a scoop of vanilla ice cream in it, and you have a slush float).

Rainbow Drive-In:

For many, the mecca of plate lunch places, Rainbow is renowned for its “Mix Plate” (entree is a combination of teriyaki beef, chicken and mahi mahi). Also its pork cutlet plate is a favorite. The food here is quite good, and as a bonus, it is close to Waikiki, just behind Kapiolani Park on Kapahulu Avenue.

Heights Drive In:

If you’re shopping in Pearlridge and decide not to have a quick Chinese Food Lunch at Patti’s Chinese Kitchen (there’s one in Ala Moana Shopping Center, anyway), then take about 3 minutes and swing by the Heights Drive In, on the ground floor of the medical building at Aiea Heights Drive and Moanalua Road. The Chicken Katsu Plate and Breaded Chicken Cutlet Plate is very good, as are their other classic plates. They also sometimes have a nice variety of dim sum or other local snacks, like Spam Musubi (rice and teriyaki spam wrapped in seaweed). Of course, at Pearlridge you’re equidistant from Shiro’s, so this is a tough call. In Aiea.

Bob’s Barbecue:

This place made its mark by serving chocolate malts so thick that you will turn your lungs inside out if you try to drink them through a straw when you first get them, and serving fresh potato chips on the side to counteract the sweetness of the malt. But their teriyaki beef and chicken, which is flame grilled at the original location on Waiakamilo Road at Dillingham Blvd., is sublime . The one on Salt Lake Boulevard, by the Stadium, is not as good, but it is still tasty and makes great malts.

L&L Barbecue:

Less venerable than Zippy’s, but you can also find L&L everywhere. Like Zippy’s, they also do a passable plate lunch. However, they also have some entrees that you don’t usually find elsewhere, like garlic shrimp or steak. Many feel that they have the best macaroni salad of all the plate lunch places

Kakaako Kitchen:

This place caters a bit more to the tourist crowd, with slightly elevated prices (around $7-$10 or so for a plate) to match. However, the Ward Center location is convenient for anyone staying in Waikiki or shopping at Ala Moana Shopping Center or in the Ward Center area. Also, the entrees can be creative, including such entrees as Five-Spice Shoyu Chicken or Ahi with a Soy-Wasabi butter. Ward Center.

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