Food is a love language that requires no translation. Oahu is the ultimate Hawaiian destination if you are a foodie. This island boasts a vibrant food scene with flavors from local and international cuisines. Here, you can discover signature Hawaiian dishes ranging from sweet to savory. And the best part is they are not even that expensive. You can expect to spend $10 to $30 per person in a mid-level restaurant. The price may increase for a fine dining experience or decrease for meals from affordable food trucks. So, let’s dive into this blog, discussing the best foods in Oahu and where to find them.
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Best Foods To Eat In Oahu
Oahu features a wide range of local specialties and global dishes. The best thing to try here is Hawaiian dishes. These Hawaiian regional cuisines highlight a ‘love of the land’ and are a treat to your tastebuds.
Poke
- Price Range: $13.49 – $35.99
- Where To Eat: Maguro Spot, Fresh Catch, Ono Seafood
We begin our list with the Hawaiian signature dish, Poke. It is a raw fish salad in the form of a bowl. This dish is typically served over rice with toppings like cilantro, fried shallots, shredded carrots, and cubed avocado. It is incredibly healthy, as the main ingredients, salmon and tuna, are rich in Omega-3 fatty acids suitable for your heart and brain. Many often compare Poke with sushi. Although both dishes have some similarities, their differences lie in their origins and how they are served.
Loco Moco
- Price Range: $17 onwards
- Where To Eat: Loco Moco Drive Inn, Aloha Kitchen, Liliha Bakery
Loco Moco is your go-to dish if you feel extra hungry in Oahu. This hearty meal consists of white rice topped with hamburger steak, a fried egg, and thick brown gravy. It carries over 1,000 calories and will fill you up in no time. Loco Moco’s origin comes from a restaurant in Hilo Town that created the original dish in response to a group of teenagers’ request for an inexpensive alternative to a sandwich. Those teens named the newly created dish ‘Loco Moco’ after their friend, George Okimoto. Loco means Crazy, a homage to Okimoto’s crazy antics. Moco was something that rhymed with Loco.
Kalua Pig
- Price Range: $5.75 – $17.50
- Where To Eat: Helena’s Hawaiian Food, O’ahu Grill, Young’s Fishmarket
Next, Kalua Pig is one of the Hawaiian specialties in Oahu. The word kālua translates to cook in an underground oven and symbolizes the cooking method. This dish features pork butt roast that is cooked underground (imu) and seasoned with Hawaiian sea salts. The pig is wrapped with ti or banana leaves and left to cook in its juices. The result is moist, tender pork with rich, smokey, and salty flavors.
Garlic Shrimp
- Price Range: $12.75 – $15
- Where To Eat: Giovanni’s Shrimp Truck, Romy’s Kahuku Prawns and Shrimp
Oahu is an island surrounded by water; hence, seafood is a staple food in this region. Shrimp are abundant on the island and are part of many local dishes, including garlic shrimp. It features deep-fried shrimp sauteed with garlic butter sauce. The shrimp is usually fried in olive oil and infused with garlic, smoked paprika, red pepper flakes, lemon, and butter. The result is flavorful garlic shrimp, which you can eat with pasta, rice, or salad.
Hawaiian Plate Lunch
- Price Range: $10 onwards
- Where To Eat: Rainbow Drive-In, Zippy’s
Prepare your stomach for a Hawaiian feast. The Hawaiian Plate Lunch is a hefty meal with two scoops of rice, protein, and creamy macaroni salad. Diners can choose from chicken katsu, kalua pork, or teriyaki beef. They can also substitute white rice with brown rice or tossed salad with mac salad. This plate lunch originated as a portable meat for plantation workers in the 1880s. Today, it is a lunch menu in many restaurants in Oahu.
Shaved Ice
- Price Range: $2.50 – $19
- Where To Eat: Lahaina Shave Ice, Waiola Shave Ice, Island Vintage Shave Ice
Beat Oahu’s hot weather with sweet shaved ice. This frozen treat is ideal for the island’s sunny days when temperatures rise to 80 degrees Fahrenheit. It comprises shaved ice doused with flavorful syrups. The syrup usually has fruity flavors, including pineapple, passionfruit, mango, and guava, and is added after the ice is shaved. You can also request toppings like ice cream, fresh fruit, condensed milk, and azuki beans.
Where To Eat In Oahu?
We are halfway through our blog on the best foods to eat in Oahu and where to find them. This section focuses on the latter part of the inquiry. Oahu has many restaurants, eateries, markets, and food trucks where you can experience its culinary delights. Here, we present the island’s top restaurants.
La Mer
- Address: 2199 Kālia Rd, Honolulu, HI 96815, United States; Google Map
- Opening Hours: 5:30 PM – 8:30 PM
- Social Media: Official Facebook
We begin our list with AAA Five Diamond and Forbes 5-Star Restaurant La Mer. It is conveniently located in Halekulani Hotel, one of Oahu’s luxe properties. This French restaurant offers a fine dining experience with exquisite cuisine. Its internationally acclaimed menu features local dishes and French classics. Visitors must wear elegant evening attire, including dress slacks, long-sleeved collared shirts, and dresses. They will dine in an elegant open-air dining room facing the beautiful Waikiki Beach.
Duke’s Waikiki
- Address: 2335 Kalākaua Ave #116, Honolulu, HI 96815, United States; Google Map
- Opening Hours: 7 AM – 12 AM
- Social Media: Official Website, Official Facebook, Official Instagram
Oahu’s renowned Waikiki neighborhood has many fine dining establishments, including Duke’s Waikiki. It is dedicated to Duke Paoa Kahanamoku, a Waikiki-born surfer known as the father of surfing. Kahanamoku was an Olympic medalist who rode a monster wave for 1 1/8 miles at Waikiki in 1929. This makes the Duke’s Waikiki a place with a story. This restaurant is also renowned for its mouthwatering seafood and tropical cocktails. This place is always packed, and you might have to wait 45-60 minutes if you don’t have a reservation.
Helena’s Hawaiian Food
- Address: 1240 N School St, Honolulu, HI 96817, United States; Google Map
- Opening Hours: 10 AM – 7:30 PM
- Social Media: Official Website, Official Instagram
If you want to try Hawaiian signature dishes like Kalua Pig, Lomi Salmon, and Hawaiian Plate Lunch, Helena’s Hawaiian Food is your destination. Helen Chock launched this family-run business in 1946 on North King Street in Honolulu. It has since served thousands of local and international diners. The restaurant received the James Beard Foundation’s Regional Classic Award in 2000. It serves authentic Hawaiian specialties in a simple and laid-back ambiance.
ONO Seafood
- Address: 747 Kapahulu Ave, Honolulu, HI 96816, United States; Google Map
- Opening Hours: 9 AM – 4 PM
- Social Media: Official Website, Official Facebook, Official Instagram
There is hardly any other restaurant in Oahu that could compare to the legendary Ono Seafood. This local gem serves the freshest and most flavorful poke bowls. It’s buttery texture, and fish quality are its highlighting points. The restaurant offers personalized and curated poke bowl options, including miso ahi, shoyu tako, shoyu ahi, Hawaiian-style ahi, spicy ahi, and wasabi ahi. You must try the miso tako and Hawaiian-style ahi poke bowls.
The Pig and the Lady
(Source: The Pig and the Lady Facebook)
- Address: 83 N King St, Honolulu, HI 96817, United States; Google Map
- Opening Hours: 11:30 AM – 2:30 PM, 5:30 PM – 9 PM
- Social Media: Official Website, Official Facebook, Official Instagram
Are you ready to change your palate? The Pig and the Lady are among the fewest Vietnamese restaurants in Downtown Honolulu that you must visit at least once. Executive Chef/Owner Andrew Le launched this establishment in 2011. His mother, Loan Le, is considered “the Lady,” while Andrew and his brother Alex Le are “pigs” in the Pig and the Lady moniker. In addition to its location in Chinatown, the restaurant attends various farmers market locations, including KCC Farmers’ Market.
Monkeypod Kitchen by Merriman
- Address: 2169 Kālia Rd unit 111, Honolulu, HI 96815, United States; Google Map
- Opening Hours: 7 AM – 11 PM
- Social Media: Official Website, Official Facebook, Official Instagram
Finally, Monkeypod Kitchen by Merriman is among the best restaurants in Oahu. It is named after the monkeypod tree, which has a single stalk and branches spread into a large canopy that keeps the ground below shaded and cool. Like the tree, Monkeypod Kitchen thrives on the Hawaiian Islands. Chef Peter Merriman is the man behind this establishment. You can expect good food, ice-cold beer, and a family-friendly ambiance here. This restaurant has several locations, including Maui‘s Wailea, Ka’anapali, Oahu’s Ko Olina, and Waikiki.
Our blog on the best foods to eat in Oahu and where to find them ends. We hope this helped you learn about Oahu’s signature dishes, their costs, and places to eat them. These are only a few of the must-try dishes on the island. Other notable foods include poi, saimin, Huli Huli chicken, acai bowl, Lomi salmon, and Spam Musubi. Furthermore, don’t limit your food expedition to restaurants. Sample dishes from food trucks, stalls, and vendors. They are more affordable than dining in a restaurant.
