6 Places You Need to Eat and Drink in Oahu!
My main food goal in Hawaii was to eat all the fresh fish I could, and boy, did I accomplish that—and then some. Below are my six favorite places to eat, drink, and have amazing experiences. I picked these places based on their vibes, food, drinks and the overall memories I took from them. As you will see, I returned to some of these a few times!
Hawaiian Royal (MAI TAI Bar)
Located in the Hawaiian Royal Hotel, a stunning pink hotel on famous Waikiki Beach. I found another place where I couldn't order their signature drink unless I wanted to fly (thanks, Telluride). If you haven’t had or read about the Telluride Flatliner, you are missing out! Check out that blog post here.
Hands down, it had the BEST Mai Tai on Earth. And this is coming from a girl who doesn't like Mai Tais!
Honestly, I returned here three times while I was visiting. I highly recommend getting their Royal Hawaiian Mai Tai, which consists of fresh pineapple and orange juice, orange curacao, orgeat, and local rums from Old Lahaina Distillery on Maui. Chef’s kiss! If that doesn't bring you back, then their live music right on the beach with stunning views of Diamond Head will!
I ate their food as well—just saying! I had the Mahi Burger and pan-seared Mahi Mahi, which were both expensive but worth the price. Hawaiian Royal is a place where you want to come at least once to experience its Hawaiian vibes!
Island Vintage Wine Bar
This one was a repeater as well! Located in the Royal Hawaiian Center, it’s just a short walk from the Hawaiian Royal. This place had such a charming vibe, from a wine wall to greenery to its people. The food is made fresh on the spot, and holy moly, their food was to die for.
I met an old coworker there for dinner. We had the prosciutto with papaya, cheese, and charcuterie—with the best raw honey I have ever tasted. And that was only the app; my main dish was their garlic Ahi tuna with wild rice. It was so good that I returned after my surf lesson on my last night to have this meal again. Just typing about it makes my mouth water!
I even had their signature lilikoi mimosa made with yellow passionfruit, which has a sweet/tart flavor. It was the perfect drink to have with this meal.
If you don't have time for a full meal, they have two sister businesses to check out: Island Vintage Coffee and Island Vintage Shave Ice. The coffee place serves the famous Kona coffee, and the shaved ice was superb; even though I was stuffed, it was worth the trip. I had their Pink Island, which includes strawberry, lychee mint, organic soft ice cream, fresh strawberry lychee, mochi, and lychee popping boba!
Duke's Waikiki
This place is named after Duke Kahanamoku, a famous swimmer and an ambassador of surfing to the world. I went here for a quick beer, where I met that guy who told me about cage-free swimming with sharks.
This place is busy every day, and I can see why. It has a lot of energy, with live music daily and people dancing on the beach. This is your spot if you want a good time to kick back, dance to live music, and drink! While I didn’t eat here, they also serve food, so this might be a good option for dinner, too. I highly recommend making reservations unless you are solo; getting a seat at the bar isn't too tricky. Also, this is a 5-minute walk from Hawaiian Royal and an 8-minute walk from Island Vintage Wine Bar.
Dole Plantation
What was once a fruit stand in 1950 became a big tourist attraction in 1989. Dole Plantation is a 40-minute drive from Waikiki, with epic views of lush green mountains. You are greeted with grilled corn and fresh coconut water in coconut shells when you arrive. Once you step inside, you are in their massive gift shop, where you can buy pineapples, dried pineapples, candy, shirts, and many other things.
If you are lucky, you might be able to catch a presentation on how to cut pineapples and learn more about this famous spot. Not only are they renowned for their pineapples, but they are also well-known for their world-famous Dole Soft Serve, which you can get in their restaurant.
I didn't see its maze or the train when I was there, but I did enjoy my soft serve while sitting outside with pineapples and a cat!
Kalapawai Market
I came here twice because of my coworker on our first night in town after hiking the Lanikai Pillbox Trail. This is a 30-minute drive from Waikiki and a 3-minute drive from Kailua Beach (a must-see place to hang out after the Pillbox hike!) I love their cozy restaurant.
Local, home-cooked meals were the inspiration for their recipes, and everything was freshly made, especially their cookies and brownies—which were amazing! Their food was excellent each time I went, but the last time was heaven.
I had their fresh fish with lemongrass risotto, bok choi, micro cilantro, and red curry aïoli. That risotto melted in my mouth; the only bad thing was there wasn't enough. So good! I also had their daily fruit crisp. I thought it would be a fruit dish, but it wasn't. It was served in a small crockpot with a lot of ice cream!
I highly recommend driving here to have lunch or dinner. Your drive to and from will be filled with the lush green mountains of Oahu!
I encountered this coffee/bar shop while walking. This location is super cool because the whole place is covered in the local art they sell. You can support a local artist while grabbing coffee or a pint!
Such a relaxed vibe. I only planned to stay an hour to work on Wandering Bel, but I was convinced to stay longer since they had live music. The band was terrific! This is your place if you want a chilled vibe filled with art, music, and a drink!
Let me know your thoughts about these recommendations, and tell me if you have any additional places you think people should visit!