The island of Oahu’s food scene is unmatched. Of all the types of cuisine in the world, Hawaiian might just be my personal favorite — and that’s saying a lot because I like everything! Needless to say, taking a self-guided food tour when visiting Waikiki is an absolute must.
From local diners with island food like poke and poi to food trucks, hidden gems, and everything in between, here are the absolute best places to eat and drink in Waikiki!
Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links. When you purchase through links on my site, I may make a small commission (at no extra cost to you!).
Waikiki food tour map
How to use this map: Click “View larger map” in the top right corner. From there, you can view each location and save your favorites to your own Google Maps lists!
Guided food tours vs. self-guided walking tour
You might be wondering whether booking a food crawl with a tour guide is worth it.
Personally, I don’t think you can go wrong by taking a self-guided Hawaii food tour. It’s easy, it’s fun, and it’s awesome if you’re traveling on a budget!
A great way to experience all the incredible food Waikiki has to offer is to save all of the best spots to a Google Maps list (you can use the one above as inspiration!). You can then map out all of the excellent places you plan to visit in advance.
Get an early start and go on an empty stomach — you’ll need it to tackle all of the best authentic local food joints!
Of course, booking a guided tour can be a great way to get a taste of the local flavors if you have the budget for it. The one listed below is highly rated and lets you sample several different dishes. Plus, you get to take in all of the breathtaking scenery with a local guide!
Book an Oahu food tour
Waikiki food tour: Best restaurants in Waikiki
Marukame Udon
Marukame Udon (also spelled Marugame Udon) is a great place to come if you’re looking for fresh and authentic Japanese udon noodles, rice bowls, and tempura.
The kitchen here is an efficient, well-oiled machine. Each staff member has their own job, working in an assembly line fashion to put your bowl of noodles together. You can even watch them make and stretch the noodles in the back!
You can tell everything is made in-house because it’s absolutely delicious. This is definitely a must-visit Waikiki restaurant!
One thing to note is that Marukame Udon always has a line out the door. It looks intimidating, but because of the efficient assembly line, it actually moves pretty quickly!
Marukame Udon is open every day from 10 am to 10 pm.
Address: 2310 Kuhio Ave #124
MATCHA Cafe MAIKO
Right next door to Marukame Udon, you’ll find Matcha Cafe Maiko, an incredible spot for all things matcha. You can find matcha-flavored shave ice, parfaits, soft serve, and a variety of fun blended drinks.
The drinks and desserts they serve are a unique blend of Japanese and island culture. They’re massive, relatively inexpensive, and have a delicious flavor!
In my opinion, getting a matcha latte float after inhaling a bowl of noodles is the best way to end a wonderful day in Waikiki.
Matcha Cafe Maiko is open every day from 11:30 am to 9 pm.
Address: 2310 Kuhio Ave #143
Kona Coffee Purveyors | b.patisserie
Kona Coffee Purveyors is an amazing cafe in downtown Waikiki that serves up their own roasts of 100% Kona coffee. Their open kitchen also bakes modern Parisian & Viennese-style pastries (it’s an offshoot of San Francisco’s b.patisserie!).
We got the Kona cold brew, chocolate banana almond croissant, and lilikoi strawberry Kouign Amman — all were fantastic.
Like Marukame Udon, Kona Coffee Purveyors always has a line around the block. We showed up about 20 minutes before they opened in the morning and there was already about 30 people queued up in front of us.
The wait wasn’t too bad, though, and the coffee and pastries were 100% worth it!
Kona Coffee Purveyors is open every day from 7 am to 4 pm. Come early to make sure the pastries you want aren’t sold out, though!
Address: 2330 Kalakaua Ave #160
Duke’s Waikiki
Duke’s is a Honolulu institution. Located right on Waikiki Beach, they offer tons of different menu options, like seafood, meat, bar snacks, and desserts. They also make fruity tropical cocktails — sign me up!
The restaurant is named after native Hawaiian Duke Kahanamoku, a five-time Olympic medal winning swimmer and the father of modern surfing. He lived through the overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom and saw it become part of the United States, an important moment in the history of Hawaii.
The atmosphere at Duke’s is so much fun. With outdoor beachfront seating and live entertainment, it’s the perfect place to grab a bite to eat and soak up the natural beauty of a golden Hawaiian sunset.
Duke’s Waikiki is open every day from 7 am to 12 am for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and drinks.
Address: 2335 Kalakaua Ave #116
Hideout Bar
Located inside the Laylow Waikiki hotel, the Hideout bar and lounge is a good time. It has an airy and tropical vibe, tasty food and drinks, and plenty of seating to enjoy the rooftop view.
Since we were staying at the hotel, we came to the Hideout for both breakfast and after-dinner drinks and were pleasantly surprised both times. Our breakfast choices, the eggs Benedict and the braised short rib skillet, were delicious and very filling.
In the evening, I loooved seeing their relatively extensive list of gins! We enjoyed our gin & tonics at the bar and listened to some awesome live music.
The Hideout is open every day for coffee and breakfast from 6 am to 11 am. At dinner, they’re open from 5 pm to 9:30 pm (11:30 pm on Fridays and Saturdays).
Address: Inside the Laylow Waikiki, 2299 Kuhio Ave
Banan Waikiki Beach Shack
Banan is an adorable hole-in-the-wall shop near Waikiki Beach that serves banana soft serve, smoothies, and blended drinks. Everything on the menu is fully vegan except for their locally-sourced honey!
They use local fruits like papaya, pineapple, and passionfruit as toppings for their delicious bowls. You’ll also find other authentically tropical flavors, like shaved coconut, puffed quinoa, and mac nut honey butter.
Grab yourself a frozen treat and head down Waikiki Surf Alley to enjoy it on the beach!
Banan Waikiki Beach Shack is open every day from 8:30 am to 8 pm.
Address: 2301 Kalakaua Ave
Doraku Sushi
Doraku is my go-to spot for sushi, sashimi, and lychee martinis. Their Waikiki location also has a nice patio that overlooks the garden of the Royal Hawaiian Center.
Every time we come here, we end up ordering about half the menu. And honestly, you can’t go wrong! All of the sushi rolls, appetizers, and hot dishes that we’ve gotten have been incredible.
Best of all, they have a really fantastic and inexpensive happy hour menu (hot dishes are $5-7, rolls from $8-11, and cocktails for $11). You really can’t beat those prices, especially in Oahu’s most popular tourist destination!
Doraku Sushi is open every day from 11:30 am to 10 pm (11 pm on Fridays and Saturdays). Happy hour runs from Monday through Friday, 4 to 5 pm.
Address: 2233 Kalakaua Ave Suite 304
Sato Seafood
Although it’s a tough decision to make, Sato Seafood might have taken the top spot as my favorite place to get poke in Waikiki.
Located in the same plaza as Marukame Udon and Matcha Cafe Maiko, Sato Seafood is often overlooked by those that come to wait in line for noodles. In my opinion, this place is criminally underrated — the poke bowls are out of this world good!
They have tons of flavor options to choose from, and you can customize your bowl’s base and type of fish. The shoyu ginger poke with ahi tuna was my personal favorite.
Sato Seafood is open every day from 10:30 am to 8:30 pm.
Address: 2310 Kuhio Ave #215
Poke Fix
A very close runner-up, Poke Fix makes super flavorful poke bowls and burritos with very generous portion sizes.
If you choose to build your own bowl, everything is fully customizable, including the base, protein, toppings, and sauces. Besides the standard tuna and salmon, they also offer more unique options like Japanese scallop, octopus, and tofu.
I got my bowl with spicy salmon, Hawaiian-style ahi tuna, avocado, seaweed salad, and kimchi. All of the ingredients tasted fresh and were absolutely divine.
Poke Fix is open Thursday through Tuesday, 11 am to 7 pm. They are closed on Wednesdays.
Address: 334 Seaside Ave #108
Waikiki food tour: Traditional Hawaiian food to try
Kalua pork
In traditional Hawaiian cuisine, people make Kalua pork by slow-roasting a whole pig in an imu, an underground oven. They season the pig and cook it until the meat becomes tender, smoky, and savory enough to fall off the bone.
Native Hawaiians served Kalua pork at special occasions such as weddings, birthdays, and religious ceremonies. Today, it’s also a staple at Hawaiian luaus!
You can try Kalua pork at Kono’s Northshore and Hula Grill.
Poke
Poke is my all-time favorite traditional Hawaiian food. It’s made with cubed raw fish and seasoned with a variety of different oils and sauces, and is often served over rice or as a salad.
Poke bowls are fresh, healthy, and absolutely delicious. They usually feature ahi tuna, but you can also opt for other types of fish, such as salmon, octopus, or shrimp.
There are tons of places in Hawaii to try poke. The restaurants I’ve listed above are incredible, but you can also get really good poke from any local supermarket.
Exotic fruits
Honolulu is home to a variety of exotic fruits that you can’t find in other parts of the world, like rambutan, pitaya (dragonfruit), carambola (starfruit), and lychee. These fruits are known for their unique flavors, textures, and vibrant colors.
You’ll find places to try exotic fruit all over the island of Oahu. Try a lychee martini or an açaí bowl with pitaya.
Spam musubi
Another popular Hawaiian snack is spam musubi, which consists of grilled Spam, a slice of fried egg, and a block of rice wrapped in dried seaweed. It’s a simple yet delicious treat that people often enjoy on-the-go or as a midday snack.
This unique snack is actually an important part of Hawaiian culture and cuisine. Spam was introduced to Hawaii during World War II and quickly became a staple food for soldiers and locals alike.
Today, you can find spam musubi in convenience stores, local markets, and food trucks.
Macadamia nuts
Although originally from Australia, macadamia nuts are now a common feature in Hawaiian cuisine, with farms all around Oahu. These nuts are a key ingredient in various traditional Hawaiian dishes, including macadamia nut-crusted fish and haupia (coconut pudding).
You can buy packets of macadamia nuts from any supermarket or ABC store. Or try macadamia nut milk in your latte!
Shave ice
Shave ice is a popular Hawaiian dessert similar to a snow cone. It’s made by (surprise surprise) shaving a block of ice and adding flavored syrups and other toppings like condensed milk, mochi balls, fresh fruit, or azuki beans.
In Waikiki, you can try shave ice from Lahaina Shave Ice, Ice Monster Hawaii, or Aloha Icelabs.
Other things to do in Waikiki (and beyond)
Kualoa Ranch
Kualoa Ranch is a 4,000-acre nature reserve and working cattle ranch on Oahu’s east coast. In the past, the ranch was used as a filming location for many popular movies and TV shows, including Hawaii Five-O, Jurassic Park, and Jumanji.
With jagged mountains and valleys overlooking the Pacific Ocean, Kualoa Ranch is unbelievably beautiful. It offers a variety of outdoor activities and tours, like horseback riding, ziplining, and movie site tours.
These private tours through GetYourGuide are fully customizable and have over 30 locations to choose from!
USS Arizona Memorial
The USS Arizona Memorial is a national monument located in Honolulu’s Pearl Harbor. It’s dedicated to the memory of the 1,177 sailors and Marines who lost their lives on the USS Arizona during the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941.
Visitors can take a boat tour to the memorial, which sits over the sunken remains of the ship. On nearby Ford Island, you can also visit the Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum, which is dedicated to preserving WWII-era aircraft.
Diamond Head
Situated on Oahu’s southern coast, Diamond Head State Monument is a volcanic cone and popular hiking destination with stunning views of Honolulu and the Pacific Ocean.
The hike to the summit is relatively easy, with some uneven terrain and staircases. Unfortunately, the hike is also super crowded, and you’ll need to reserve a time slot to hike it in advance.
How to get to Waikiki
To get to Waikiki, you’ll need to fly into Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL) in Honolulu. You can find nonstop flights to other islands in Hawaii (like Big Island and Maui), other US cities (like San Francisco), and international destinations (like Auckland and Tokyo).
To get to Waikiki from Honolulu Airport, you can either take the bus, catch an airport shuttle, or use a rideshare app like Uber or Lyft.
Book a flight to Honolulu
Where to stay in Waikiki
If you’re planning to stay in the Waikiki area during your trip to Oahu, you can expect to pay a lot for accommodation. Unfortunately, the demand is wayyy higher than the supply, leading to a lot of dumpy, overpriced hotels.
Here are a few of the best Waikiki hotels I could find that don’t cost an arm and a leg:
Budget | The Beach Waikiki by ALOH — With an average rating of 9.4 on Hostelworld, this is one of the best-rated hostels in Waikiki! They offer both mixed and female-only dorm rooms, as well as private rooms for a little bit more.
Mid-range | Waikiki Central Hotel — What this hotel lacks in style and charm, it makes up for in value for money. It’s basic, but it’s also clean, quiet, and has an average rating of 8.6 on Booking.com.
Bougie | The Laylow, Autograph Collection — This is where we stayed during our time in Waikiki and we loved it. It’s located only a few minutes away from the beach and from a bunch of different restaurants. The open-air hotel bar also has live music every single night!
Book a hotel in Waikiki
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Thanks for reading guide to taking a foodie tour of Waikiki! Hopefully, it’s given you a quick taste of the flavors of Hawaii. If you’ve been, let me know what your favorite local restaurants are in the comments below!
xoxo Niki
https://nikiinnewzealand.com/waikiki-food-tour/
