Eating reasonably in Hawaii

[dtbach]

If I was on Hawaii I'd eat as much fresh local fish as I could. And at least one Luau.

Doing that Robbie. And yeah, I'm going to "blow some dough" on the trip, a Luau, Helicopter sightseeing, dolphin watch catamaran, Sunset dinner cruise, etc. Just didn't want to pay sky high prices for breakfast or lunch.

 

[dtbach]

I haven't determined whether you will have access to a car on Oahu. IF you do, you can just about pay for the nightly parking fee at your hotel by driving to some (relatively) inexpensive eateries (and especially take-outs).

I would agree that it makes no sense to spend all your time driving around looking for bargains. Having said that, IF you can make it part of the Hawaii "adventure" you CAN save a bundle and still eat reasonably well AND healthy.

Some suggestions:

Slightly "institutional" in taste, but we really like to stop at ANY Times grocery store. Go to the deli. They offer 3 or 4 plate lunches/day (take out in a styro box) for about $8 on average. The menu varies location to location and day to day, but they have items like salmon, sliced steak, sliced pork, garlic shrimp, meat loaf, hamburger steak, and others. With entree you get 3 choices of mashed potatoes, fried potato choice, mixed veggies, salad AND a large fountain drink. WE can get TWO meals out of one styro box. WE like the taste, though you'll want to trim a bit of fat and gristle, etc., occasionally. WE take our boxes home OR to a nearby park. They may have a very limited outside seating area, but I'd opt for a park.

L and L (google locations). Decent food (if you like it) and lots of it for maybe $8 - they're everywhere. Very "local" food, maybe not the healthiest, but usually offer a decent fish. Lots of starches available. You'll be full, but will not rave about the food.

Yummy's BBQ (several locations - like Ala Moana food court.) $10 or so for a meal. Very good if you like this type of food.

Heh, heh, Panda Express. Also everywhere. We won't eat at Panda on the mainland (hauole's can't cook Chinese food IMHO). BUT on Oahu, for $10 you can stuff yourself with excellent wok'd veggies and or fried rice or chow fun plus at least 2 very tasty (not all healthy) entrees (Beijing Beef, Orange chicken, beef and broccoli, etc. etc.) Add a refillable drink for $2. Split 4 entrees and one drink between two people and you'll waddle out for $7/head.

Mentioned Ala Moana food court. 20+ choices at maybe $12 average/person - bring your own canned sodas. With several people, try splitting meals at 2 or more places. Pizza ('nyeaaah!'), decent burgers, decent Thai, Japanese, Vietnamese, Panda, etc. You can share your way to less than $10/head. Oh, and 3rd or 4th floor of Ala Moana, there are several sit-down places (Mai Tai, Bubba Gump, Tanaka's of Tokyo, etc.) Not cheap, but not outrageous for lunch - plus decent atmosphere and even "water views" at some restaurants. You COULD walk to Ala Moana from the Ewa end of Waikiki.

Cinnamon's at the Ewa end of Waikiki. Sort of an upscale (no, really!) Denny's. $1/hour parking behind. Same area there is a Dead Lobster (oops! I mean Red Lobster.) Some other non-chain restaurants in the area you could browse - especially for lunch.

Speaking of Dennys - at the far Diamond Head end of Waikiki - on Kapahulu - across from the zoo - is a Dennys. Not our favorite Denny's on the Island, but with AARP discount, DW and I WADDLE out for $10 total WITH TIP (okay, maybe $12 total.) We do the $2-$4-$8 menu and drink water.

On Kalakaua ave a couple of streets Ewa of Kapahulu is Wolfgang Pucks. It ain't local. We split a nice salad and one entree for LESS than $18 or $20 TOTAL WITH a refillable drink and a chunk of banana bread or similar. We "tourist watch" from the outside tables. The beach is across the street.

Costco "window" has same fare and prices as mainland. Best pizza on the Island - sad to say. $2 for meal-sized slice. $1.50 for huge dog and refillable drink. Enjoy!

You don't have to pay a fortune to eat - even in Waikiki area. You just have to be flexible in your tastes and maybe be able to get a mile or 2 outside of Waikiki.

Awesome post! We are staying at the Hale Koa (military R&R hotel) which is right next to the Hawaiian Hilton Village and looks like only a 10 minute walk to Ala Moana food court so will have to do that.

Also, do you have a recommendation for a Chinese restaurant? I remember going to one when I was in the Navy that was like 3 stories high, big open rooms and fantastic food. But that was a long time ago (30+ years) so have no idea if it is still there.

 

[Koolau]

Awesome post! We are staying at the Hale Koa (military R&R hotel) which is right next to the Hawaiian Hilton Village and looks like only a 10 minute walk to Ala Moana food court so will have to do that.

Also, do you have a recommendation for a Chinese restaurant? I remember going to one when I was in the Navy that was like 3 stories high, big open rooms and fantastic food. But that was a long time ago (30+ years) so have no idea if it is still there.

Wild guess is that you may have gone to Wo Fat. The building is still there IIRC, but the restaurant (2nd floor IIRC) is gone. We used to love Wo Fat.

I really don't know any Chinese places near the tourist areas - other than Panda Express. Quite frankly, most Chinese places are no better than (our local) Pandas, but that is strictly my opinion. I'm sure there are 25 Chinese restaurants in Honolulu, but I only know some more-or-less far flung ones (hey, "Far Flung Ones" - that sounds like a good name for a Chinese restaurant.) YMMV

 

[dtbach]

Koolau,
Checked Wo Fat out on google and yes that was the place. Guess I'm coming to the islands 9 years too late. And thanks for the suggestion that Chinese is not the way to go.
Been looking at a lot of YouTube videos and want to try stuff like Poke, Lau Lau, Loco Moco, garlic shrimp, Huli Huli chicken and stuff like that. So need to find where to go to sample those items.

 

[NW-Bound]

... Been looking at a lot of YouTube videos and want to try stuff like Poke, Lau Lau, Loco Moco, garlic shrimp, Huli Huli chicken and stuff like that. So need to find where to go to sample those items.

Speaking of garlic shrimp, my wife happened to see Romy's on the Web and told me about it. It's on the North Shore, and is said to be so popular that there may be a long wait sometimes.

The shrimp is farm-raised in a pond behind the shack. A portion of 2 scoops of rice and some shrimp is $12. You get perhaps only 1/5 or 1/6 lb of shrimp, but food in Hawaii is not cheap.

https://goo.gl/maps/y4fqedQjR7oVqfm88

 

[catii]

Simple answer: Get the heck out of Waikiki!!


We locals simply don't go there unless there's an event, or we want to have a splurge. Walk through Chinatown, for example, & you can eat at dozens of small restaurants for a fraction of what you'd spend a few miles away. Hundreds of fresh fruits & vegetables, too - mango, papaya, lychee, avocado all grow on our local trees.


In Kaneohe, on the opposite side of Oahu, is a Chinese restaurant called Pah Ke's with incredible food, & there are only one or two dishes that cost $10 or more. Farmers markets abound, where you can eat & drink, s well as picking up fruits & veggies.


Yes, Hawaii is more expensive than the mainland, but there's no reason to waste your retirement $.

 

[Ready]

Really don't plan on a trip to Costco. Stock owner of it for 20+ years dance and go all the time at home, but not blowing 2+ hours of vacation time on it. Both our hotels (Hale Koa and Hilton Waikoloa Village) don't have kitchenettes but do have refrigerators so I can see getting fruit and breakfast stuff at a local grocery.

What are you talking about?? Visiting a Costco is one of my favorite things to do on the islands. The Costcos there have the most amazing poke and sashimi you will find anywhere on the island, not to mention great Hawaiian shirts, swim gear, bathing suits, art books showcasing the islands, and all kinds of local food and merchandise that you will never see outside of a Hawaiian based Costco.

You can stock up on amazing organic food there at a small fraction of the price of the local markets, and the quality is much better too. And you get to meet the locals and get a taste of what it’s like to live on the islands. It’s a top tourist destination for us on any Hawaiian island vacation.

 

[NW-Bound]

Well, even when eating like the locals, be prepared to see prices 25% to 30% higher than in mainland.

Considering that Hawaii is an island, one should feel fortunate to be able to buy some of the stuff at all.

I talked about shrimp earlier. It's fresh but farm raised. Is there shrimp in the surrounding ocean to harvest? There may not be, but I don't know.

I do remember the last time we were on the big island, at a beach park in Kona, we saw a family of locals preparing a picnic party. They brought out lots of big lobsters to grill. I asked and they said they caught them. I was salivating, but did not ask if they would sell me some.

 

[Rambler]

We go to Oahu about once a year, sometimes twice. Rainbow Drive-in is reasonably priced. It is on Kapahulu ave on the east end of Waikiki. Another one we like is Ted’s Bakery in the North Shore area. They are famous for their pies, which are sold in the local grocery stores, but if you go to their shop, they have a variety of teriyaki plates for reasonable prices. Also, you can go to the deli in Foodland (supermarket) for Ahi Poke, and all the usual things like fried chicken etc, if you just need to satisfy hunger. We also like Cheeseburger Paradise on Kalakaua...higher prices than the mainland but still pretty doable, and they do make good burgers.

Hope that helps.

R

Edit to Add: our favorite place on the island is probably Seven Brothers on the North Shore in Kahuku. It used to be called Kahuku Grill. They have a variety of burgers, teriyaki, and coconut shrimp plates. This is a happy haunt for locals and tourists alike.

 

[Sunset]

We loved this Udon restaurant when staying at Waikiki.

We were simply walking along the street near lunch time and saw the lineup on the street of about 20 people, it moved fast, and turns out it is great.

Close enough from the Beach to walk:
2310 Kuhio Ave
Honolulu, HI 96815


https://www.yelp.com/biz/marukame-udon-honolulu

 

[NW-Bound]

We loved this Udon restaurant when staying at Waikiki.

We were simply walking along the street near lunch time and saw the lineup on the street of about 20 people, it moved fast, and turns out it is great.

Close enough from the Beach to walk:
2310 Kuhio Ave
Honolulu, HI 96815

https://www.yelp.com/biz/marukame-udon-honolulu

It reminded me of our 1st visit to Waikiki, 30 years ago. We saw a noodle shop, even smaller than the above, with just a counter on a sidewalk. It was Chinese noodle, not Japanese. At 10PM, it hit the spot.

Back then, shops all had signs in Japanese as they had lots of Japanese tourists. Might have more Chinese signs now.

 

[dtbach]

Simple answer: Get the heck out of Waikiki!!


We locals simply don't go there unless there's an event, or we want to have a splurge. Walk through Chinatown, for example, & you can eat at dozens of small restaurants for a fraction of what you'd spend a few miles away. Hundreds of fresh fruits & vegetables, too - mango, papaya, lychee, avocado all grow on our local trees.


In Kaneohe, on the opposite side of Oahu, is a Chinese restaurant called Pah Ke's with incredible food, & there are only one or two dishes that cost $10 or more. Farmers markets abound, where you can eat & drink, s well as picking up fruits & veggies.


Yes, Hawaii is more expensive than the mainland, but there's no reason to waste your retirement $.

LOL! Yes we are going to get out of Waikiki! Plan to spend most of our time on North shore and Windward coast. I have been seeing some good stuff on Waihole Poi Factory for laulau and Maui Mike's for huli huli.

 

[Gulfbeach]

Since you are staying at the Hale Koa you can take advantage of the happy hour prices at the music bar on the first floor. They have good plates at reasonable prices. And if one is not enough you can just order another. And if you are spending a beach day there the snack shack has some good choices for a cheap lunch.
You may be able to see the specific items online. And on the lower level near their PX, there is a very reasonable sit down restaurant.
There will be ads for all of these in your room and in the elevators.

 

[morriss003]

Due to the new road across the Big Island, Hilo can be reached in 45 minutes, although it almost irresistible to stop and take pics. Consider having lunch in Hilo.

 

[RobbieB]

Yes, a full parking lot and a line out the door is not something I relish, but they are excellent indicators of wonderful food inside.

 

[2177V]

I am in Waikiki for 30 nights and this is my 5th trip to Waikiki. Rule #1 go Airbnb.com and find a place with a kitchen to make your own food. Rule #2. Never eat in Waikiki. The only reasonable food in Waikiki is a Udon Japanese restaurant, Subway, Macdonald, small sandwich or small salad at ABC store. Rule #3 try Costco, Hawaiian bbq, fast food outside Waikiki. Finally prepare for high food prices at Safeway, Walmart and Target compared to stateside but this is less than a typical $15 to $20 meal per person at a restaurant.

PS: surfboards are renting for $20 a day at moku at 2446 Koa ave compared to $40 to $50 a day at the beach. You just have to carry the surfboard 1 block to the beach.

 

[audreyh1]

What are you talking about?? Visiting a Costco is one of my favorite things to do on the islands. The Costcos there have the most amazing poke and sashimi you will find anywhere on the island, not to mention great Hawaiian shirts, swim gear, bathing suits, art books showcasing the islands, and all kinds of local food and merchandise that you will never see outside of a Hawaiian based Costco.

You can stock up on amazing organic food there at a small fraction of the price of the local markets, and the quality is much better too. And you get to meet the locals and get a taste of what it’s like to live on the islands. It’s a top tourist destination for us on any Hawaiian island vacation.

That's right. We found some really nice swim guards for snorkeling. Picked up some nice beach towels. Found awesome locally produced taro chips. Nice selection of Hawaiian chocolate covered macadamia nuts. Laughed at the large pallets of spam on sale. There was a bunch of stuff not seen on the mainland.

 

[RobbieB]

Costco has the best sushi in Hawaii?

Amazing.

 

[NW-Bound]

I don't recall going to Costco in Oahu 25 years ago. I will be back in a couple of months, and will definitely visit it. In fact, it will be the 1st stop after landing as it is conveniently close to the airport.

On more recent trips, we did visit Costco in Maui and the big island. Yes, they have a lot of stuff not seen on mainland.

Talk about Costco, we always stopped by the local stores in our RV treks. I see all kinds of local products there. In Alaska, I got some reindeer sausage. In Montreal, I got Brome Lake duck.

We always enjoy going through local grocery stores when we travel overseas. Even in the US, we see all sorts of local food stuff, due to the regional heritage. That's part of culture, and we love seeing it.

 

[imnontrad]

Stay away from the tourist restaurants for the most part. Maybe go to one luau and I thought the show at the Polynesian Cultural Center was great (but a lousy buffet). Also experience going by a McDs with rice and spam on the menu just for fun.
We took our kids there when they were 7 & 9. We stayed at the Hilton Hawaiian. But many of our meals consisted of walking to the Ala Moana shopping center and eating at the food court. There are also discount coupon books available along the street in Waikiki (stay away from Hilo Hatties). At one time, there was a discount coupon for an all you can eat breakfast right along the beach in Waikiki. I used to go for a late breakfast (easy to do with teens) and my meal there covered both breakfast and lunch.
Also, look at renting an AirBnB or hotel with a kitchen.
Many activities in HI are free or low costs. The college kids will be on the beach looking at all of the (almost) bikinis. I highly suggest the Iolani Palace (feather capes!) and the Bishop museum is great for bad weather days or if you're sunburned.
Don't bring beach towels. When you arrive, go to the nearest convenience store and pick up grass mats for the beach. then just leave them when you fly home.

 

[meridiver]

We just got back from a 2 week trip to the Big Island, staying at an Airbnb with a kitchen in Kawaihae, about 20 minutes north of Waikoloa. The grocery store at the Queens/Kings shops in Waikoloa is okay for salads and sandwiches, but the Foodland in the Mauna Lani shops (the next resort area up from Waikoloa - about a 5-10 minute drive) is better. It has a smaller selection but big, high quality sandwiches at $5.99 - 7.99, fresh cooked rotisserie chickens, and most importantly, fresh, high-quality poke at a very affordable price (roughly $5.99 per half pint container).

Also, it's a closer, easier drive up to Waimea then it is to Kona and there's quite the bustling food scene up there including some decent, relatively bargain options. Big Island Brewing has great beer and good, moderately priced food, better IMHO than Kona Brewing and there's a really good barbecue place up there called The Fish and the Hog.

Anyway, have a great trip! The Big Island is one of our favorite places in this world, so much so that we are looking to temporarily relocate there.

 

[dtbach]

Stay away from the tourist restaurants for the most part. Maybe go to one luau and I thought the show at the Polynesian Cultural Center was great (but a lousy buffet). Also experience going by a McDs with rice and spam on the menu just for fun.
We took our kids there when they were 7 & 9. We stayed at the Hilton Hawaiian. But many of our meals consisted of walking to the Ala Moana shopping center and eating at the food court. There are also discount coupon books available along the street in Waikiki (stay away from Hilo Hatties). At one time, there was a discount coupon for an all you can eat breakfast right along the beach in Waikiki. I used to go for a late breakfast (easy to do with teens) and my meal there covered both breakfast and lunch.
Also, look at renting an AirBnB or hotel with a kitchen.
Many activities in HI are free or low costs. The college kids will be on the beach looking at all of the (almost) bikinis. I highly suggest the Iolani Palace (feather capes!) and the Bishop museum is great for bad weather days or if you're sunburned.
Don't bring beach towels. When you arrive, go to the nearest convenience store and pick up grass mats for the beach. then just leave them when you fly home.

Wow! Great suggestions. Will definitely put those on the ideas list. On one day we were going to see the Summer Palace then head to PCC for the day (with luau). Definitely hitting McD's once for the spam (just to gross out my wife and DD's) Not doing AirBnB this time but will when we go back in a few years.

 

[Winemaker]

Costco has the best sushi in Hawaii?

Amazing.

I don't know if the best but it is pretty good. The poke and the shrimp poke are excellent, not to mention pretty cheap booze prices.

 

[LOL!]

I imagine that there are few members of this forum that really enjoy an expensive restaurant meal every now and then ... especially on vacation ... especially in Hawaii.

Why go to Hawaii if you aren't going to eat in at least one or two expensive well-known well-ranked restaurants that require reservations weeks in advance that you can take food porn photos and show to all your friends?

 

[dtbach]

I imagine that there are few members of this forum that really enjoy an expensive restaurant meal every now and then ... especially on vacation ... especially in Hawaii.

Why go to Hawaii if you aren't going to eat in at least one or two expensive well-known well-ranked restaurants that require reservations weeks in advance that you can take food porn photos and show to all your friends?

You're right. I'm not going "budget" on every meal. Just didn't want to break the bank on every meal. Good info here.