We’re sharing a roundup of the best places to eat in Waikiki and why we love them so much!
Hello friends! Happy Monday! I hope you’ve had a great morning so far and enjoy your weekend! It was good here. Liv and I started working on a volunteer program together, I met a friend for brunch and did hoy yoga.
This is the first week that I feel like we’re finally getting back into the swing of things after our glorious straight-to-school trip to Hawaii. This week. the kids have had a full week of school, I’ve actually been meal prepping and grocery shopping, and my schedule is packed with podcast interviews and coaching calls.
For today’s post, I wanted to share a recap of our favorite spots in Waikiki and why we love them so much! We also visited Waikiki a few years ago, so we were prompted to return to some favorites and also explore some new spots. I’ll have a post next week with a recap of our time at Aulani, too!
The best restaurants in Waikiki
Best poke bowl: Poke Fix
We had SO much sushi and poke bowls while we were there, but our absolute favorite is the Poke Fix. The menu changes based on what is caught fresh each day and the seasoned selections are marinated to perfection. They really treat poke like a work of art. it is by far the best poke bowl of my life.
Best Acai Bowl: ALO Cafe
Everything is made fresh in house, including their peanut butter. I love these acai bowls because the base isn’t too sweet, they have gluten-free granola, and the ratio of acai to toppings is perfect. They also have great smoothies!
Best date night or most impressive place for dinner: A house without a key
This is probably in my top 10 restaurants including all the places we have traveled. Everything is fresh, vibrant and you can’t beat the scenery. You are outdoors, overlooking the ocean and an exquisite tree, which provides some shade for the live music and hula dancers.
Family dinner spots: Tommy Bahama or Duke’s
We ate at both every time we were in Waikiki. I love that Tommy Bahama offers another menu where everything is made in house, including the sauces, dressings and marinades. They also source from local farms whenever possible. Their mai tais are my favorite on the island!
Duke’s has a legit salad bar that you can add to your meal for $9 (at time of posting). They also have a lot of fresh and local options like poke tacos (the girls’ favorite), ginger and onion fish (my favorite), steak, and more casual dishes like burgers and pulled pork sandwiches.
Our favorite spot for fast food and breakfast: Duke’s Market
From what we could tell, there aren’t many *traditional* breakfast joints (with things like eggs, bacon, pancakes, etc.), but instead, we went to Duke’s Market every morning, where the girls got malasades (the better donuts!), bowl of masubi or fried rice and eggs, we shared a bowl of fruit and I drank a decaf with almond milk. This was also a great place to load up on beach snacks like fresh fruit bowls, sushi, drinks, sandwiches, smoothies, etc. They have almost everything at Duke’s Market.
For wholesome casual fare: Nalu
We had Nalu twice this past time because it was so good, and my body was grateful for a vegetable to accompany all the sushi and mai tais I had consumed. I had the rainbow chicken salad twice, and the girls also loved the sandwiches and acai bowls. They have a huge menu of salads, acai bowls, smoothies, wraps and sandwiches and I definitely want to go back and try more! (Also, all desserts are gluten-free!)
Best udon noodles: Marukame Udon
This place is always packed – lines wrap around the street from the time they open until they close!- but our best tip is to order online and then pick it up at the pickup window to the right of the entrance! Girls LOVE this udon place.
Surprise: the gluten-free mochi butter cake on the beach
A woman came up to us on the beach carrying a large tray of packaged cakes. When she told me the first option was gluten free and smelled delicious, I happily paid the $10 to eat mochi cake from a stranger lol. (He told me he makes it fresh every day and I could see families around us enjoying it too, so I went for it.)
The family and I shared it, and ended up buying it from her twice more! I can attest that this mochi butter cake is LEG. It also sells Filipino food during the day, including chicken and shredded beef with noodles.
And now after finishing this post, my stomach is officially growling 😉
Where is your favorite foodie destination?? Favorite restaurants to visit when traveling or any hidden gems to share?
As much as we love Italy, I have to say that Greece is my first place right now.
xoxo
Gina
