Editor’s choice: 12 favorite restaurants in Honolulu

Chef Ed Kenney has been an influential powerhouse in Hawai’i’s restaurant scene over the past few decades, and Mud Hen Water is one of Honolulu’s most creative and contemporary takes on traditional Hawaiian food—where else can you find chicken long rice croquettes or lu’au stuffed porchetta? But what lives rent free in my head is the restaurant’s sunny patio, cool breeze, and heaping plates of sourdough banana pancakes that bring me back for Sunday brunch whenever I can steal away.

After writing about cocktails in many major cities for more than a decade, I can confirm that House Without A Key’s pitch-perfect mai tai is still one of the best in the world—and a Pacific Ocean view doesn’t hurt either, making it ideal for a birthday celebration or an extra-fun Saturday night. Add nightly live music, hula performances, and cloud-like coconut cake, and it’s a wonder I don’t go there every day.

Merriman’s has locations across four islands and is known—and loved—for island-inspired dishes, good vibes, and beautiful dining rooms. Its Honolulu edition is a sun-washed treasure, well-suited for girl’s brunch, birthday dinner, and pau hana (happy hour drinks) with live music. My move? Splurging on a glass of nice Champagne and ordering a fresh salad and tako (octopus) escargot with hot bread.

It’s hard not to adore chef Robynne Maii’s acclaimed farm-to-table American restaurant, which earned a coveted James Beard Award in 2022. Tables for the cozy Brooklyn-inspired spot book out quickly, but you can always snag a bar seat between services, get the pasta and salads of the day, and cruise through the natural-leaning wine list—one of the best on the island.

La Vie at the Ritz-Carlton Waikiki is synonymous with ocean views and elaborate caviar and lobster dinners. But in the mornings, the same breezy patio opens up for a more relaxed breakfast and brunch with hits like lemon buttermilk pancakes with guava coulis, loco moco, and omelets. Hit up the bar on a Wednesday evening for one of the best specials in town: Local fried chicken and a glass of Champagne.

Turkish food is rare in Honolulu, but mother and daughter duo Nili Yildirim and Ahu Hettema serve it with passion and attention to detail. Istanbul is where you go for resplendent mezze plates, cuts of dry-aged steaks, and steaming vats of lamb steak tagine on a well-lit lanai perfect for celebrations and date nights. Weekend patio brunch is all about shakshuka and Ottoman-style steak and eggs.

What can I say, I’m a sucker for onion volcanoes. Because how can one not love the winning combo of made-to-order food and a tableside spectacle? That’s what you’ll get at Tanaka of Tokyo, a locally owned teppanyaki chain where I grew up celebrating birthdays. The spot hits all the right notes with clanging knife shows, shrimp acrobatics, columns of fire, and, of course, juicy morsels of grilled meat and steaming fried rice, served straight off the grill.

The easy-breezy ’60s vibes at this pool bar are reason enough to visit Heyday. Swings double as bar seats, tables sit next to a waterfall grotto, and frilly umbrellas border the pool. But Heyday doesn’t play around when it comes to food. The menu was designed by James Beard Award winner Robynne Maii and includes top-notch teri burgers, pan-fried dumplings, and sandos—easy to wash down with a tiki cocktail menu that includes a build-your-own daiquiri section.

This Ala Moana Shopping Center star specializes in cafe favorites with island flair—think composed poke plates, Niçoise-style salad with local ahi, and fish burgers. The stars of the show, though, are the flourishes that come with every meal. They might include complimentary consommé or a seemingly unlimited supply of hot popovers slathered with housemade strawberry butter—a favorite of my grandmother’s, who the attentive and warm staff treat with so much kindness every time we visit.

Asahi Grill is a pro at local comfort food, a swirl of Hawaiian, Okinawan, and Chinese influences. The claim-to-fame dish is the beloved oxtail soup—a clear, gingery broth of long-cooked beef oxtails, doused with green onions and parsley and served with hot rice. The faithful diner also serves other popular classics like fried saimin and teri beef burgers, making it a consistently great place to grab a casual lunch with friends.

Cino is one of Honolulu’s hottest newcomers, and weekend nights seem to draw the trendiest crowds. They pack the gold-and-velvet dining room to tear into Italian crudo and other steakhouse classics. You’ll find me devouring a heaping plate of herb pappardelle with wild boar ragu and sipping on one of local bar star Jen Len’s expertly crafted cocktails.

MW Restaurant has held household name-status since wife-and-husband duo Michelle Karr-Ueoka and Wade Ueoka opened it in 2013, and now, dishes like mochi-crusted kampachi are practically island icons. But it’s Karr-Ueoka’s desserts—a master class in textures and flavors—that leave me smitten. Get the feathery Makaha mango shaved ice and fluffy brulée with passion fruit sorbet and tapioca pudding, and you’ll fall head-over-heels in love, too.