Orchids

If you're tired of the same old same old...

http://www.streetgrindz.com/

JeremyS1973

How can anyone recommend mediocre corporate food like The Cheesecake Factory and Sr. Frogs?

Why not just send them to McDonalds, Denny's, IHOP and be done with it?

There is so much good food to be had in Waikiki and Honolulu, why would any go to those places?

In the Royal Hawaiian Center you have unique places like Okonomiyaki Chibo, Beijing Chinese Seafood Restaurant, Restaurant Suntory, Wolfgang's Steakhouse and good fast food like Yummy Korean, Kenny’s Hawaiian BBQ and others.

The McCully Shopping Center has just about any Asian food you can name, Hot Pot Heaven, a hot pot restaurant, Fook Yuen Chinese Seafood Restaurant, So Gong Dong Restaurant for good, inexpensive Korean food, Pho777 Vietnamese Restaurant, Phuket Thai, Regal Diner for Hawaiian plate lunch, Yotteko-ya Kyoto Ramen and Curry House Coco Ichibanya, a Japanese curry house.

Ichiriki and Jinroku are great Japanese spots. Goma Ichi Ramen, Goma Tei Ramen, Ezogiku and Ramen Nakamura are great, real Japanese ramen houses, not the pale imitation you get at the grocery store. There is also Tonkatsu Ginza Bairin that has great tonkatsu and is also very reasonable.

Me BBQ (Korean BBQ) is another great and cheap place and so is Fatty’s Chinese Kitchen and Wailana Coffeee House and Eggs 'n Things. Other places not in Waikiki that are good and more reasonable cost wise are Nico’s Pier 38, Rainbow Drive-in, Mei Sum Dim Sum in Chinatown, the Side Street Inn, especially their plate lunch to go

Why, with all this diversity, and this is just scratching the surface, why send people to such average, common places?

KenfromDE

Mea culpa, I thought we were talking about Waikiki for less than $30. Should have started with Hy's. Thanks for the plate lunch suggestions, they are mostly good ones. Aloha!

Orchids

People like these places or the suits wouldn't put them in Waikiki. Fusion gets old after a while, local people often enjoy things from the mainland, even wealthy Japanese tourists dig the iconic American breakfast joints. Some people may not get back to Hawaii again, but they can eat at The Cheesecake Factory and enjoy the memories. And then there's the picky eater who won't go to an unfamiliar place with mysterious food--they want what they know. Not to mention eating off a truck. Depends on one's point of view. I've been surprised at choices people make, but just go with the flow--it's just one meal after all, and it's important to *somebody* in the group.

KenfromDE

Thank you!

JeremyS1973

People like McDonalds, IHOP, Olive Garden and Denny's too, that isn't an excuse for recommending them to people.

I get why locals like Cheesecake Factory, Outback, etc, but I wouldn't send tourists there.

There is nothing mysterious about the beef, chicken, pork and noodles which you will find as the main dishes in many of the places I mentioned. It is through sending people to spots like Hard Rock et al that they never get to experience a Me's BBQ or Helena's Hawaiian and discover that kalbi or pipikaula is just short ribs and Kalua pig is just pulled pork and so on.

Orchids

Did you miss my link to street food above?

Orchids

The Best of Honolulu. The desserts *are* good at Nobu, especially if affogato is on the menu.

http://www.honolulumagazine.com/Hono...ulu-2012-Food/

lsquare

Hi guys, I'm going to be touring around Oahu for about two weeks. It's my first time to Hawaii. I would appreciate if you guys can give me some tips into cheap eats or good value restaurants. I'll be spending most of my time in or near Honolulu due to the fact that my friend is getting married.

Thx!

ontheway

Does anyone know if Matteo's ever reopened? We were there many years ago on various different trips. Going back to Waikiki and cannot find any info on whether they are open or not. And just want to add I will seriously miss Nick's Fishmarket.

KenfromDE

Unfortunately gone for good! May it RIP!

lsquare

This is my first time to Hawaii. Can I get around with using my credit card or I need to have cash on hand for most food purchases?

davesam12

As mentioned often on this thread. . . for "cheap" eats one can find many of the mainland franchise food choices on Oahu, especially in Honolulu/Waikiki, that range from fast food to sit down. As far as something of good value and more interesting and of local flavor -- am sure some other FTers here can recommend what you're looking for in a more moderate price range. There's lots of good food on Oahu/Honolulu but many of the exceptional restaurants can be expensive.

Credit card should cover for you most places, but have some cash in case a smaller, local place is cash only. Have fun.

frankhi

[QUOTE=JeremyS1973;18661085]

In the Royal Hawaiian Center you have unique places like Okonomiyaki Chibo, Beijing Chinese Seafood Restaurant, Restaurant Suntory, Wolfgang's Steakhouse and good fast food like Yummy Korean, Kenny’s Hawaiian BBQ and others.

The McCully Shopping Center has just about any Asian food you can name, Hot Pot Heaven, a hot pot restaurant, Fook Yuen Chinese Seafood Restaurant, So Gong Dong Restaurant for good, inexpensive Korean food, Pho777 Vietnamese Restaurant, Phuket Thai, Regal Diner for Hawaiian plate lunch, Yotteko-ya Kyoto Ramen and Curry House Coco Ichibanya, a Japanese curry house.


So you are recommending skipping places like Duke's in favor of the restaurants in the shopping malls?

ttervooren

We are staying at the Moana Surfrider in Waikiki for 2 days and want to walk somewhere for a good seafood meal. A friend recommended either Azure or Orchids. Can you recommend either of those or somewhere else that you think the food is good?
I've looked at a few menus online and see the prices are high in Waikiki...gasp. But we are hoping to spend around $30 per entree. Is this reasonable or do I need to prepare myself for more.