Pipry

Hello,
We are leaving for Hawaii in a week (yay!) and would love some suggestions for restuarants where we can taste local food, reasonably priced and family friendly.

Thanks!

MerryTravel

My suggetion would be Diamond Head Market & Grill on Monsarrat Avenue between Kapiolani Park and the entrance to Diamond Head. If you plan to hike Diamond Head it would be a good place to grab some food on the way back. The food is very good, and it's takeout with some picnic tables out front, so it fits your criteria of being reasonably priced and family friendly. Be sure to get some plantation iced tea--they have the best!

suze

Probably not exactly the atmosphere you're looking for (!) but if you happen to be at Ala Moana mall, the food court downstairs is excellent.

Pipry

Thanks for the suggestions. The Diamond Head Grill was not on my list and I googled it and it sounds really good. We will definitely visit the food court as well. Any more suggestions?

auntiemaria

If you're not carb-phobic or vegetarain, and you want to "taste local food", it's gotta be plate lunch -- mixed plate, or whatevah.

If you're staying in Waikiki, I'd recommend Rainbow Drive-Inn on Kapahulu Avenue (inland from the beach, take the road which goes by the zoo, watch for Rainbow on the right -- and try to find a parking space!).

Hang back...watch to see what others are ordering (it's all yummy), then step up to the counter and wait for them to give you your order. Rainbow gets a special nod from me because their service is soooooooo fast. Then you can sit at a table and eat, or sit in your car, or take it to the park or beach for dining.

suze

There's a plate lunch joint in the 200 block of Lewers Street. I'm not sure what happened with the recent construction going on in this area though. Hopefully it survived the neighborhood remodel! Called Lewers St. Loft & Lanai.

MerryTravel

Just to be really, really clear, I suggested Diamond Head MARKET & Grill, which is a little takeout place. The Diamond Head Grill is a *cough*overpriced*cough* restaurant at the W hotel. As if the names aren't confusing enough they're about 3/4 of a mile from each other!

OldSouthernBelle

FYI: There's a place called Ono's Hawaiian Foods on Kapahulu Ave. that was highly recommended to me by the young Hawaiian concierge at HHV. I never actually tried it...was getting directions to Leonard's Bakery for the Malasada's at the time!

The custard one was out of this world!

Belle.

OldSouthernBelle

If you're wanting to try alot of varied things, you may want to go to Chinatown and try the Dim Sum lunch or other foods they have!

Highly recommend the tour with PakePorkChop! Belle.

BigJim

Suze and AuntieMaria has some good suggestions! I was going to suggest the Ala Moana Mall too! The food court at the Pearlridge Shopping Center is good too. Ono Hawaiian Food is good too! Very popular among the locals! KC Drive-in in Honolulu is good too! Don't forget Zippy's and Grace's and of course, any of the L & L's!

Pipry

Thanks again for all the good suggestions - I am noting them down. Any suggestions for a nice relaxed dinner on the beach?

MerryTravel

I have two suggestions for low key beach-side dining. I know Duke's is an institution, but I personally think the food in the sitdown restaurant isn't really worth the wait or the price. If you're patient you can hover around the bar and wait for a table to open up. The bar menu is a little simpler--burgers, pizza--and cheaper.

My other favorite low-key ocean side restaurant is House Without a Key at the Halekulani. The food has always been good, the view is nice, and they usually have Hawaiian music and a hula dancer. It's about $20 per entree for dinner, which isn't a bad price for something overlooking the water. However, lunch at House Without a Key is also good and a real bargain.

dusty56438

Duke's in Outrigger Waikiki
Tiki's Grill & Bar in Aston Waikiki Beach

One stroll down Kalakaua and on Kuhio will give you plenty of suggestions. Many have early bird specials.

Lots of coupons in brochures for restaurants. This Week Oahu, Oahu Gold, 101 Things Oahu, Best
These are other good sites to find restaurants. Most are in Waikiki

http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/section/dining

http://honolulustar.p2ionline.com/sp...dgroupid=37525

www.ahohatower.com - These are not in Waikiki, but several nice restaurants

Restaurant Row just past Ala Moana Center from Waikiki has many restaurants to choose from.

BigJim

Forgot to mention....but another favorite local dish is ramen noodles. Take a stroll around Waikiki and you'll find tons of Japanese ramen places. For just a few bucks, you can get a big bowl of these popular noodle soups. Quite a variety too. Some of these places are open until the wee hours of the night! Even McDonalds has ramen noodles! Or another thing we used to like doing was going to McDonalds to eat another favorite local dish, spam and rice, or Portugese sausage and rice.

OldSouthernBelle

BigJim: So that's where the portugese sausage was!!! I never found it. Only tasted alittle in DH's omelette one AM.

Another mistery to me is everyone talke about Roy's...several locations...I thought they'd stand out...never saw one!

Belle.

BigJim

Yeah, that's one of the few places to find it! It wasn't the best, but for the price it couldn't be beat!
Roy's on Oahu is not in a very "good" location. It's pretty much hidden away on the drive to Hanauma Bay. There's actually quite a few locations in the states now.

waikikigirl

Ever noticed how none of the waitstaff at Duke's are over the age of 27? That's because they discriminate. Please don't eat there.

A wonderful place to eat right on the water is at the Ocean House at the Outrigger Reef Hotel. The food is fantastic, but it's a little pricey.

If you're looking for something still right ont he water but a little less expensive, try the Shore Bird Restaurant and open air Beach Bar right next door to the Ocean House. They have a killer buffet and grill-your-own-dish options. It's a fun place.

The best burger in town can be found at Teddy's on Kapahulu and Kalakaua. They are *heavenly.*

And you cannot leave town without have a malasada at Leonard's.

MelissaHI

Yes! Don't limit yourself to Waikiki for local flavors. You need to wander a little bit outside. As dusty says, Aloha Tower Marketplace offers some good food options, such as Chai's, Don Ho's, and even Gordon Biersch.

Plate lunches are the most "local" you can get, though. Here's a guide:
http://www.dakine.net/hawaii/guide/o...atelunch.shtml

So many places, so little time!

suze

I had a lovely sunset meal at Ocean House, mentioned above. Fantastic view. I wouldn't call it local or family friendly for our Original Poster though. It was upscale in price and attitude.

No water view and about a block away, I actually preferred my meal at Buzz's steak & lobster restaurant & lounge at 225 Saratoga. It's a low-key stuck in the 70's kind of steak house (I mean that in the kindest way). Great prices, good non snooty service, nice salad bar. Some porch seating overlooking the street.

Pipry

Thanks for the ton of suggestions. I think we are going to be spoilt for choices!