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Hawaiian Food Restaurants
Da Big Boy’z: A tough one to call. Ono’s is the perennial favorite, but Helena's, Highway Inn, and People's Cafe are also very good for sit-down restaurants. Young’s, Yama’s, and Kapahulu Poi Shop are my favorites for take-out Hawaiian plates.
Ono Hawaiian Food. 726 Kapahulu Ave. in Kapahulu. 737-2275. Lunch and early dinner daily, except closed on Sunday. Parking on street. Prices: $$. Map. This little hole-in-the-wall has become the best-known Hawaiian food restaurant on the island and is popular with both tourists and locals alike. The line that forms on most late-mornings is reflective of the ono grinds served here, like a really plump, meaty lau-lau and a fabulous salt meat w/watercress dish that oozes old-school charm. After over 35 years of business, it still maintains a traditional taste and down-home atmosphere, which has made it a consistent winner of many local food awards. A good bet if you can deal with the crowds, a slightly cramped dining room, and a difficult parking situation. If you don’t find a metered parking spot somewhere near the store, you’ll have to cruise and circle the area a few times, perhaps even settling into a side street.
Helena’s. 1240 N. School St. in Kalihi. 845-8044. Tuesday-Friday lunch and early dinner (closed by 7:30pm). Parking outside store. Prices: $$, cash only. Map. As visitors grew bolder in their search for good Hawaiian food, they began venturing deeper into local territory, and what they found next was Helena’s. Situated deep in the heart of Kalihi, this restaurant has been open for almost twice as long as Ono’s and is the only Hawaiian restaurant to receive a James Beard award of excellence, an award it shares with the likes of Roy Yamaguchi and Alan Wong’s. Had this restaurant been located closer to Waikiki, Ono’s would be facing some stiff competition! They are quite famous for both Hawaiian food and for their kal-bi ribs, which are full of flavorful fat and drenched in a sweet teriyaki sauce.
| Ono kine grindz at Young's Fishmarket! |  |
Young’s Fish Market. A Closer Look. 1286 Kalani st. at the City Square S.C. in Kalihi. 841-4885. Monday-Friday 8am-5:30pm, Saturday 8am-4pm, Sunday closed. Parking in center lot. Prices: $. Map. Another Hawaiian food eatery that doubles as a fish market and offers a wide variety of local specialties. There are chow mein noodles, smoked meats, giant-sized ribs, turkey tails, char siu, and much more. They do some serious volume here, which make it perfect for supplying parties large or small, with many items sold in bulk by the pound. They also do shipping overseas, packing its food frozen. Rows of booth-style seatings are usually available despite the crowds, as many order take-out.
Haili’s. 1020 Auahi st. at the Ward Farmers Market in Kakaako. 593-8019. Monday-Saturday 7am-4:30pm, Sunday 7am-1pm. Parking in center lot. Prices: $. Map. For over 50 years Haili’s has been serving traditional Hawaiian dishes and other local-style foods. The Farmers Market that houses this long-time establishment is a collection of ethnic eateries and snack shops that are a bit smellier than your average supermarket fish counter but not as bad as Chinatown. The Haili’s counter proudly displays a few possibly-intimidating items like raw opihi and raw squid with seaweed, along with all the classic Hawaiian staples and a large variety of poke and seafood, similar in vein to Yama’s and Young’s fishmarkets. Unfortunately, the owners of the Farmers Market will be replacing the complex with a more upscale venue in the near future, and it is not known if Haili’s will re-locate or simply shut down.
People’s Café. 1300 Pali Hwy in Kalihi. 536-5789. Lunch and dinner daily except closed on Sunday. Parking in lot behind building. Prices: $, cash only. Map. This very casual restaurant in the building just makai of the Long’s/Safeway parking lot on the Pali highway has flown under the radar for quite some time. For about 30 years, at different locations and under different ownership, People’s Café has continued to attract a steady clientele with its staple of Hawaiian food and simple soup/stews of watercress with salted meats and fish. The atmosphere is right out of the 70’s, with red vinyl-backed booths that have cracked but been repaired (with duct tape!), vinyl floor tiles, and a cash-only policy that was no problem back then but can be a slight irritant these days.
Clock-wise, from 12 o'clock - poi, lau lau, lomi salmon, pipi-kaula, and haupia from Highway Inn in Waipahu.
Highway Inn. A Closer Look. 94-226 Leoku st. in Waipahu. 677-4345. Monday-Saturday 9am-8pm, Sunday 11am-2pm. Parking outside store. Prices: $. Map. Highway Inn is probably the most popular Hawaiian food restaurant on the West side. They have all the good Hawaiian food items, along with many other local entrees like tripe stew, pork cutlets, burgers, and breakfast fare. Lunchtime and dinner crowds can fill this casual diner up real fast. They are quite famous for pipi kaula, which is first smoked and then pan fried, making it oilier and more flavorful than regular pipi kaula. They also have a fish market/poke stop right next door where you can get some good, fresh poke at decent prices.
Laverne’s. 94-866 Moloalo St. at the Tropicana Square in Waipahu. 678-1678. Monday-Friday 10;30am-7pm, Saturday 10am-6pm, closed on Sunday. Parking in center lot. Prices: $. Map. The biggest advantage Laverne’s has over nearby Highway Inn is that there are more combination plates, which allow you to get up to 3 different main dishes and also side dishes of lomi salmon, haupia, and rice, for the price of one plate. Laverne’s is also an order-at-the-counter and pick up/seat yourself kind-of-place, as opposed to the wait-service at Highway Inn. Both have extensive menus that are not limited to Hawaiian food.
Ala Moana Poi Bowl. The Food Court at the Ala Moana S.C. 949-8444. Lunch and dinner daily, except closed for dinner Sunday. Parking in center lot. Prices: $. Map. If you want to get your feet wet with Hawaiian food, the Poi Bowl is a convenient stop, located in the human tidal wave of people at the Ala Moana Center. If there is a line, it goes pretty fast. They could use a few more tables in the food court, though – the place is large and cavernous, indeed, but no match for rush hour at one of the premier shopping malls in the country. There are also other local choices to choose from behind the glass showcases, including beef stew, shoyu chicken, and beef curry, all at very attractive prices.
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Clock-wise, from sweet potato slices on top - still-wrapped lau lau, lomi salmon, chicken long rice, haupia, and pipikaula on a take-out plate from Kapahulu Poi Shop. |
Ono Loa at the Waiahole Poi Factory. 48-140 Kamehameha Hwy in Kahaluu. 239-2863. Lunch – sometimes! Parking outside store. Prices: $. Map. This very casual shack out in the country has gained the peculiar distinction of making no commitments. Basically, they sell plates when they want, and close up shop when they want! There’s only one main road through the Windward coast, so if you happen to be passing through, you’ll see it mountainside of the road – just don’t make it a special trip out there because you’ll never know when they’ll decide to fire up them burners!
