Aku Eats Oahu : Dinner w/Drinks

Dinner w/Drinks

The large bar and lounge at Kincaid's at the Ward Warehouse, a favorite spot in the island happy hour scene for pupus like these lollipop scallops.

These spots may not have chefs with name recognition, a whole bunch of hooplah, and as much expertise and training as most of the genuine Hawaii Regional Cuisine Restaurants, but you might not be able to tell every time, considering the great dishes at some of these places and all. Formally trained, bona-fide chefs still haunt these kitchens, and are definitely many steps above restaurants in the Local Family section.

As the name says, these spots often attract diners looking not only for dinner, but pupu’s (appetizers) and drinks as well, making them perfect for casual dates, group outings, or even low-key business meetings. Though most locales are just fine for family dining, particularly during lunch and early evening hours, just remember that the later it gets, the greater the chances of finding a sometimes raucous environment that is often indistinguishable from a full-fledged bar scene, which we cover later in the Watering Holes section.

Other suitable places to accommodate drinks and a little more fun are the American Casual Family Restaurants, with entries like Chili’s, Mac 24-7, Ruby Tuesday’s, and Outback. All are American Chain restaurants that closely resemble this section except that they do not have quite the local vibe or as many local menu selections. Though there several American Chains included in this section, such as Kincaid’s, Gordon Biersch, and Brew Moon, they all have, to a degree, modified much of their atmosphere and menu to resemble the island scene.

Both the Sushi and Izakaya Restaurants sections also cover great places that are extremely drink-friendly spots, especially the latter. Though most of us are familiar with sushi bars, it is the izakaya's that have become quite the mini-phenomenon recently in Hawaii, and an experience I highly recommend.

Where the fun begins! The bar at Ryan's Grill is stocked, the pupu's are tasty, and a party-friendly-but-relaxed atmosphere is perfect for just hanging loose!

Ryan’s. A Closer Look. 1200 Ala Moana Blvd. at the Ward Center in Kakaako. 591-9132. Lunch and dinner daily, late night till 2am daily. Parking in center lot. Prices: $$. Map. Ryan’s is one of the best places to go for pupu’s and drinks, having won more than its fair share of local and national awards with its wide variety of great appetizers, large assortment of bottled or tap beers, and every kind of spirited drink under the Hawaiian sun. You can order the full menu from either the dining room or the self-seating bar area, which is even bigger and features both indoor and outdoor seating. Relaxed and casual yet usually lively and upbeat, at least in the bar area, Ryan’s is the perfect hang loose kind-of-place, drawing decent crowds from late-afternoon all the way up ‘till the wee hours. Some of the many fabulous pupu items are the famous Dungeness Crab and artichoke dip with home-made focaccia bread, calamari with black-bean aioli, and Jamaican jerk or garlic fries. Dinner menus are also very respectable, with an assortment of pizzas, pasta, sandwiches, and Pacific-Rim-influenced dishes like Hoisin-glazed pork chops and guava-tamarind BBQ ribs. Ryan's is the only one left standing out of the big four restaurant/grills at the Ward Center – E&O Trading Co., Compadres, and Brew Moon were all very popular and situated right next to eachother, but the three have since closed down. Boo-hoo!

Don't miss early evening happy hours at Kincaid's, with live entertainment and dishes like this really ono crab/artichoke dip.

Kincaid’s. A Closer Look. 1050 Ala Moana Blvd. at the Ward Warehouse in Kakaako. 591-2005. Lunch and dinner daily, Sunday-Thursday late night till 12 am, Friday and Saturday till 1am. Parking in center lot. Prices: $$$. Map. Ward Warehouse is located right across the street on one side from the Ward Centers and also across the street on another side by the biggest and best theatre house on the island, Ward Movie Theatres. The entire area can get crowded at night, especially on weekends. Kincaid’s is a really good place for drinks, pupus, and upbeat, live entertainment Thursday-Friday nights. Fish is the popular item here on the dinner menu, especially when the seasonal copper river salmon is available, but they also offer steaks and many other seafood choices. As for myself, I love the pupu items like buffalo prawns, blackened ahi, and teriyaki tenderloins, which are all 50% off during late afternoon/early-evening happy hours.

Kona Brewing Co. 7192 Kalanianaole Hwy. at the Koko Marina S.C. in Hawaii Kai. 394-5662. Lunch and dinner daily. Parking in center lot. Prices: $$. Map. This microbrewery restaurant is the result of a father and son team opening a microbrewery (not a restaurant) back in 1994 on the Big Island of Hawaii. As their popularity grew, they opened a pub in Kona, and then a second at this Koko Marina location. They are the most familiar name in locally-made beer in the islands, and have now partnered with Anheiser-Busch for national and international distribution. Their Kona Longboard Lager is a smooth “beer-for-all-tastes” kind of drink, while my personal favorite, the Kona Fire-Rock Pale Ale, is a stronger, hoppier-tasting beer, as a good Pale Ale should be. The food is also quite good, with hand-tossed pizzas leading the way, but burgers and other island favorites like steamed clams, Kalua pig quesadillas, and seared ahi not far behind.

In a festive mood? A colorful clam dish from Tiki's includes red and green bell peppers, chili's, onions, cilantro, and even bits of Portuguese sausage for a distinctly local twist.

Tiki’s. 2570 Kalakaua Ave. at the ResortQuest Beach Hotel in Waikiki. 923-8454. Lunch and dinner daily, late night in bar area till 12am nightly. Parking at hotel or on street. Prices: $$$. Map.
This Polynesian-themed night spot has an indoor restaurant and an open air bar area that hosts nightly live entertainment. Popular with locals and visitors alike for its up-tempo, casual atmosphere, the menu is surprisingly good and could just as easily have been listed under the Pacific Rim section, with a large variety of contemporary items like coconut shrimp, fish tacos, a poke sampler, grilled opah with seafood salsa, and horseradish-crusted prime rib.

Duke’s. 2335 Kalakaua Ave. at the Outrigger Waikiki Hotel. 922-2268. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner daily, late night till 12 am nightly. Parking at hotel. Prices: $$$. Map. Located right on beautiful Waikiki beach, Duke’s is a restaurant/museum of sorts, honoring our much-beloved native Hawaiian son, Duke Kahanamoku. With surfboards, grass shack decorations, rattan furniture, and visitors with sunburned skins almost as bright as their Hilo Hattie Aloha shirts, this place is as island-style touristy as you can get! The food is mostly a surf and turf menu with some decent steaks, but I must recommend any of the island fish selections, such as opah, au, ono, and mahimahi. There is also a pretty good breakfast buffet that is very reasonably priced. It does get a bit crowded and the live music, a bit loud, but go ahead and make some friends, because in the heart of Waikiki anything goes!

Gordon Biersch. 1 Aloha Tower Drive at the Aloha Tower Marketplace ocean side of Downtown Honolulu. 599-4877. Lunch and dinner daily, Sunday-Thursday late night till 12am, Friday and Saturday till 1am. Parking in center lot. Prices: $$$. Map. Gordon Biersch is the happening place to be if you are at The Tower. The open air restaurant always has a decent crowd of party-goers looking for good food and ice-cold frosty mugs. The menu is large and the food great, with starters like crispy artichoke hearts with parmesan and lemon aioli, glazed sweet chili/ginger chicken wings, southwest egg rolls, garlic edamame (soybeans), and garlic fries. You can also find create-your-own pizzas, pasta, sandwiches, fish, and steaks. It’s namesake micro-brewed beer varieties are also very good, with seasonal selections usually available.

Kochi. 1936 S. King St. in McCully/Moiliili. 941-2835. Dinner nightly, lounge area till 2am nightly. Parking fronting store. Prices: $$. Map. The old King’s Bakery was replaced by mega-buffet Makino Chaya, which, itself, then shut down to make way for a bar/grill with a very local atmosphere, Kochi. This fusion of local and Japanese flavors has some of the more creative and bolder menus around, with items like a partially-raw beef tataki, hijiki soba salad, and seared ahi plates with fancy drizzlings and presentations that you might expect from a Hawaii Regional Cuisine restaurant. Quite popular with the local crowds, other dishes include fancy salads, some great baby-back bbq ribs, sashimi, a hearty locomoco, and lots of fresh fish of all kinds, whether raw, semi-raw, or fully-cooked.

Jimmy Buffet’s. 2300 Kalakaua Ave. at the Beachcomber Hotel in Waikiki. 791-1200. 7am-1:30am daily. Parking at Hotel. Prices: $$$. Map. Jimmy Buffet’s love for Hawaii has long been established, and the amount of care and money put in his restaurant is both apparent and amazing. With an over-the-top transformation complete with hanging humpback whales, a full-scale surf museum, undulating lava rock walls, rolling waves on the floor and ceilings, and even a cool lava flow right under your feet – you gotta see it to believe it! The menu is a mix of local, Mex-American, and Caribbean, with ahi poke satay, bayou shrimp pasta, quesadillas, jerk salmon, coconut shrimp, and more. A very Waikiki-touristy atmosphere, but without a doubt, a fun place for everyone!

Don Ho's. 1 Aloha Tower Drive at the Aloha Tower Marketplace ocean side of Downtown Honolulu. 528-0807. Lunch and dinner daily, Sunday brunch buffet from 10am-2pm. Parking in center lot. Prices: $$. Map. The local icon and international superstar has a restaurant home in which to commemorate his life and vast accomplishments. Understandably, memorabilia items are everywhere, including for-sale gifts like shirts, hats, and mugs. On the menu, they are perhaps most famous for their pizza, which arrives on a large surfboard-shaped plank and comes in names like Sunset on the Beach (cheese, tomato, and basil) and Waikiki Beach Boy (kalua pork, pineapple, and scallions). There are also pasta choices and a host of different entrees like seafood curry over Asian risotto, lobster fried rice, teriyaki rib-eye, and a fresh catch of the day. Sunday brunch buffets are very economical at about $18, and come with separate stations for prime rib, waffles, omelets, and desserts, as well as hot entrees like kalua pork, chicken, fish, and breakfast meats. Al Waterson hosts karaoke contests on Sunday evenings and local entertainment on weekends, as well as special concerts throughout the year.

Uncle's sports a great atmosphere as well as lots of fresh fish and seafoods galore!

Uncle's Fish Market & Grill. A Closer Look. 1138 N. Nimitz Hwy. 275-0063. Lunch and dinner daily, except closed by 5pm Sunday and Monday. Parking outside store. Prices: $. Map. Down at the pier, life is born anew from the opening of Nico's and now Uncle's, a large, casual eatery with a fishing theme that is attractive and inviting. The original order-at-the-counter arrangement and open displays of fresh fish are now gone, making way for a more conventional restaurant style, which is much classier, and much better as a whole. With the Honolulu Fish Auction just a short walk away, fresh fish is what it's all about! Get yours prepared any way you want - in Uncle's special sauce, teriyaki, miso butter, garlic caper, or perhaps the best way of all - Raw! The poke stack is a popular item, as is sashimi, and you can even order large, take-out platters for your next party or get-together. Besides that, there are hibachi-style chicken plates, salmon, burgers, salads, a few pastas, sandwiches, and more.

Shorebird Beach Broiler. 2169 Kalia Rd. at the Outrigger Reef Hotel in Waikiki. 922-2887. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner daily. Parking at hotel. Prices: $$$. Map. The Shorebird has been around for a long time and is famous for their large open grill where you can cook your own steaks and other items. Sometimes yes, and sometimes no. I don't always feel like standing in front of a hot fire and cooking - in which case you can always order from the menu. Every entree comes with an all-you-can-eat salad bar with a large assortment of items, while breakfast and lunch buffets are relatively economical. The Oceanside location is busy and makes for some great views and lively conversation. Another fun, touristy place to be!

Bluewater Grill. 377 Keahole st. at the Hawaii Kai S.C. in Hawaii Kai. 395-6224. Lunch and dinner daily. Parking in center lot. Prices: $$. Map. Bluewater Grill was begun by longtime employees of the popular Ryan's Grill at Ward, and its dishes are quite similar, with the crab and artichoke dip as popular as ever, along with macadamia nut-crusted prawns and guava-glazed ribs. The atmosphere and quiet location in the upper middle-class suburb of Hawaii Kai is decidedly more family-oriented, however, being without the late-night drink and pupu hours. It sits on the beautiful Kuapa Pond, which is a man-made marina built by the wealthy magnate Henry J. Kaiser.

Breakers. 66250 Kamehameha Hwy. at the North Shore Marketplace in Haleiwa. 637-9898. Lunch and dinner daily, late night till 12am or later depending on the crowd. Parking in center lot. Prices: $$. Map. Here in the little eclectic town of Haleiwa, the surf theme is prevalent everywhere, and this restaurant is no exception, with Kelly Slater, Andy Irons, and Sunny Garcia shredding their way through monster sets and hollow barrels - by way of video screens, of course, which play continually. You would think that after surfing all day they could get away from the subject at night, but nooo・Fish is the thing to get here, along with cocktails, as they are brought in directly from nearby Haleiwa harbor. There is also an assortment of sushi, Thai curries, burgers, sandwiches, and salads.

Lei-lei's Bar & Grill. 57049 Kuilima Dr. at the Turtle Bay Resort Golf Club on the North Shore. 293-2662. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner daily. Parking at clubhouse. Prices: $$$. Map. If you want something a little more casual and local-style than the other choices at the Turtle Bay Resort on the North Shore, yet still want quality food in a clean, comfortable environment, Lei-lei's is a great choice. A perfect spot for dinner w/drinks, you'll find poke, shooters, coconut shrimp, baby-back ribs, fresh island fish, and many other favorites, but so far, the slow-cooked prime rib continues to garner the most attention. Lunch menus are much simpler and limited to soups, salads, appetizers, sandwiches, and only a few entree dishes.

Henry Loui's is a very local, very drink-friendly spot just outside the town area, and open till 2am every night!

Henry Loui's Ribs. A Closer Look. 2850 Paa st. in Mapunapuna. 833-3728. Lunch and dinner daily, late night till 2am daily. Parking outside store. Prices: $$. Map. Henry Loui's ribs are a mixture of American and Asian bbq, and are the main attraction here, but don't forget the sandwiches, Hawaiian plates, teriyaki chicken, prime rib, and a host of other items. This bar/grill has a dinstinctly local flavor to it, from the pidgin English and casual style of the hostesses and waitstaff to the pupu-friendly menu. There is also a bar area and is one of the few places open till 2am outside of the Waikiki/town area. Besides hostess bars, that is.

Jameson's by the Sea. 62-540 Kamehameha Hwy. in Haleiwa. 637-4336. Lunch and dinner daily, brunch on Saturday and Sunday from 9am. Parking outside store. Prices: $$$. Map. Jameson's is your typical tourist trap restaurant ・that's not a negative term, is it? Just a description, is all! Fresh fish dishes and seafood are the order of the day, such as seafood Diablo or scampi, Australian lobster tails, Cajun ahi, grilled mahi-mahi, and even ulua (giant trevally). Outside seats are ocean-view and gorgeous, but the road sits before it and can sometimes damper an otherwise perfect scene. There are also a good selection of sandwiches, appetizers, and great desserts from nearby Ted's bakery. Their home-made fudge comes in giant blocks of decadence and has been a popular treat for a long time.

Back to Hawaii Regional Cuisine

Back to Aku Eats Home