Your Favorite Eating Place in Hawaii (Honolulu, Kailua: hotels, marketplace, beach)

[hawaiianfoodlover]

Everything sounds Ono, keep the post coming

[franklin42]

Name of Restaurant:Helena's OR ONO(both really good, more people I know seem to like ONO better)
Name of Food: Hawaiian
Description: Real killer Hawaiian food(Squid/chicken luau, Lau lau, Pipikaula, Chicken long rice, poi, beef stew, kalua pig...)
Price: most items under $10


Name of Restaurant: Kua Aina Burger
Name of Food: burgers, fries, rings...
Description: small locally owned burger chain. Some pretty good choices(size of burger, toppings, buns...)I love it. Also Teddy's and The Counter but they are national chains I think? Still get rave reviews
Price: $10 and under for a burger, fries and a drink.


Name of Restaurant:Roy's
Name of Food: Asian/island/fusion
Description: Hawaii institution. AMAZING seafood, great setting...
Price: $35-80. Pricey but well worth it if coming on a vacation.


Name of Restaurant: Side Street Inn
Name of Food: local style/american(not totally sure, haven't been there yet! people RAVE about the place. I guess it's located in a "seedy" area but is a great place)
Description:
Price: reasonable


Alan Wong's is awesome, Arancino Di Mare has really good italian food. Eggs and things or Liliha bakery(at the counter) for breakfast, I think Leonard's malasadas are overrated but everyone else seems to disagree!

Beware of Daniel Thibault's on the Big Island! WAY overrated in my opinion. I've had 3 horrible experiences there with service and food, never going back. Merriman's is hit or miss too. Overrated. The Ranch house is gone the only decent sit down restaurant in Waimea. DM me if you are coming to The Big Island and I'll give a few places that rock.

Hope this helps a little

[Balad1]

I almost forgot, Hilo Bay Cafe in Hilo. Everytime I go to Hilo I stop there for lunch or dinner. It's a small cozy place that is reasonable prices and has most excellent food.

Hilo Bay Cafe is located in the Hilo Shopping Center where Wal Marts is located.

PS: Cafe Pesto in Hilo Town is also another favorite.

[hawaiianfoodlover]

Great Post Franklin. I heard good reviews about Helena's. Is it true that celebrities eat at Helena's?

[mogon]

Originally Posted by franklin42

Beware of Daniel Thibault's on the Big Island! WAY overrated in my opinion. I've had 3 horrible experiences there with service and food, never going back.

And we've never had a bad experience there. Servers have always been wonderful. We've always gotten some treat on the house when we've been on a birthday or anniversary. And excellent food.

[mogon]

Originally Posted by Balad1

I almost forgot, Hilo Bay Cafe in Hilo. Everytime I go to Hilo I stop there for lunch or dinner. It's a small cozy place that is reasonable prices and has most excellent food.

Hilo Bay Cafe is located in the Hilo Shopping Center where Wal Marts is located.

PS: Cafe Pesto in Hilo Town is also another favorite.

Cafe Pesto is very decent, although it has too many tourists at times. I've never had a meal at Hilo Bay Cafe that I thought worth the money. Small portions and uninspired and even not-very-good food.

If you're in that strip mall, go to the food court instead to the Ychiba Noodle House. EXCELLENT and fresh food.

The Coconut Grill is a relatively new restaurant that is fairly upscale (for Hilo, anyway ) , despite it's being in the Seaside Motel.

[franklin42]

Originally Posted by mogon

And we've never had a bad experience there. Servers have always been wonderful. We've always gotten some treat on the house when we've been on a birthday or anniversary. And excellent food.

Last time my girlfriend and I went in for dinner we could smell the alcohol on the waitresses breath and she wouldn't stop moving her jaw... She couldn't remember anything. We were shocked. We expected the so so "whatever" service, but that was the kicker. We've only experienced ok food once and terrible food the other times. Just warning, although I think the OP is visiting Oahu.

[franklin42]

Originally Posted by Balad1

I almost forgot, Hilo Bay Cafe in Hilo. Everytime I go to Hilo I stop there for lunch or dinner. It's a small cozy place that is reasonable prices and has most excellent food.

Hilo Bay Cafe is located in the Hilo Shopping Center where Wal Marts is located.

PS: Cafe Pesto in Hilo Town is also another favorite.

Spot on! Hilo Bay Cafe is awesome, although the prices are a little high in my opinion. You do get a great setting(in the walmart strip mall none the less sandwiched between 2 cell phone stores!), and super tasty fresh organic food.
Great, friendly service.

Cafe Pesto has great food in an awesome old Bay Front building. Never had a bad meal there. A little "haole" as some locals like to say, but great service and quality pizza and seafood.

Osaka in Hilo serves awesome fresh Japanese/korean/local style grinds. Hole in the wall but really good food and friendly service.

Oh sorry, this post isn't about Big Island restaurants!

[brkbowma]

Keneke's in Waimanalo. Is ono!!!!!!!!!Plate lunch, shave ice.....mmmmmmmm

[kmcd23]

My favorite place on Oahu is Hale Macrobiotic.

It's a completely macrobiotic restaurant, and the food is amazing. I love the Kuramafu 'burger'. Delish! Even my husband, who is more a meat and mashed potatoes kind of guy, was very impressed.

It's a little pricey at dinner, but lunch is more reasonable.

I also like Ryan's in Ward Center a lot, especially if you want a lively atmosphere for drinks and pupus.