12 cheap eats rooms in Honolulu, editor-picked. the best low-budget rooms in Honolulu — the places editors actually return to. All Honolulu food.
Maguro Brothers Hawaii Chinatown ★ 4.6
chinatown · 1120 Maunakea Street, Honolulu, HI 96817
Maguro Brothers Hawaii in Chinatown Honolulu is the Kekaulike Market poke counter that brothers Junichiro and Ryojiro Tsuchiya stock from the Honolulu Fish Auction at dawn.
Tip: Monday to Saturday, 09:00 to 14:00 only; sells out by 13:00 most days. Closed Sunday.
Rainbow Drive-In ★ 4.5
kapahulu · 3308 Kanaina Avenue, Honolulu, HI 96815
Rainbow Drive-In on Kanaina Avenue in Kapahulu Honolulu has slung plate lunches since 1961, founded by Seiju and Ayako Ifuku and now voted top loco moco by Hawaii Magazine readers.
Tip: Open 07:00 to 21:00 daily. Cash-friendly window; no inside seating, eat at the parking-lot picnic tables.
Ono Seafood ★ 4.5
kapahulu · 747 Kapahulu Avenue, Honolulu, HI 96816
Ono Seafood in Kapahulu Honolulu is the family-run poke counter that fishes shoyu ahi, spicy ahi and tako preparations from the refrigerated case for grab-and-go bowls.
Tip: Closed Sundays and Mondays, 09:00 to 18:00 otherwise. No inside seating; eat at the picnic table or take it to Ala Wai Park.
Off the Hook Poke Market ★ 4.5
manoa · 2908 East Manoa Road, Honolulu, HI 96822
Off the Hook Poke Market in Manoa Honolulu is the takeout-only poke counter at the foot of Manoa Valley that draws University of Hawaii students for two-scoop shoyu bowls.
Tip: Lunchtime queue can run 30 minutes. Closed Sunday; order pickup via the website to skip the line.
Rainbow Drive-In ★ 4.5
kapahulu · 3308 Kanaina Avenue, Honolulu, HI 96815
Rainbow Drive-In on Kanaina Avenue in Kapahulu Honolulu has slung plate lunches since 1961, founded by Seiju and Ayako Ifuku and voted top loco moco by Hawaii Magazine readers.
Tip: Open 07:00 to 21:00 daily. No inside seating; eat at the parking lot picnic tables.
Ono Seafood ★ 4.5
kapahulu · 747 Kapahulu Avenue, Honolulu, HI 96816
Ono Seafood in Kapahulu Honolulu is the family-run poke counter that pulls shoyu ahi, spicy ahi and tako preparations from the refrigerated case for grab-and-go two-scoop bowls.
Tip: Closed Sundays and Mondays, 09:00 to 18:00 otherwise. Take it to Ala Wai Park.
Off the Hook Poke Market ★ 4.5
manoa · 2908 East Manoa Road, Honolulu, HI 96822
Off the Hook Poke Market in Manoa Honolulu is the takeout-only poke counter at the foot of Manoa Valley that draws University of Hawaii students for two-scoop shoyu bowls.
Tip: Closed Sunday. Order pickup via the website to skip the lunch queue.
Palace Saimin ★ 4.4
kalihi · 1256 North King Street, Honolulu, HI 96817
Palace Saimin in Kalihi Honolulu is one of the state's oldest saimin shops, opened by Kame Ige in 1946 and still serving the shrimp-and-pork-dashi broth that defined the local noodle bowl.
Tip: Tuesday to Friday 10:00 to 20:00, Saturday to 15:00. Closed Sunday and Monday. Six-spot parking.
Marukame Udon Waikiki ★ 4.2
waikiki · 2310 Kuhio Avenue, Honolulu, HI 96815
Marukame Udon Waikiki in Honolulu is the theatre-kitchen Sanuki udon counter on Kuhio Avenue where you watch handcut noodles boiled to order and finished with tempura sides.
Tip: Queue snakes down Kuhio but moves fast. Average bowl is around $6 to $8; cash and card both work.
Marukame Udon Waikiki ★ 4.2
waikiki · 2310 Kuhio Avenue, Honolulu, HI 96815
Marukame Udon Waikiki in Honolulu is the theatre-kitchen Sanuki udon counter on Kuhio Avenue where you watch handcut noodles boiled to order and finished with tempura sides.
Tip: Queue on Kuhio moves fast; daily 10:00 to 22:00. Average bowl is around $6.
Marukame Udon Fort Street ★ 4.0
downtown · 1104 Fort Street Mall, Honolulu, HI 96813
Marukame Udon on Fort Street Mall is the Downtown Honolulu cousin of the Waikiki cafeteria-line udon shop, slinging Sanuki-style noodles to office workers on lunch break.
Tip: Lunch line peaks 11:30 to 13:00; before 11:30 the kitchen is calm.
Zippy's Kapahulu ★ 3.8
kapahulu · 601 Kapahulu Avenue, Honolulu, HI 96815
Zippy's Kapahulu in Honolulu is the 24-hour diner of the local Higa-family chain that sells over 110 tons of chili per month, founded by Francis and Charles Higa in 1966.
Tip: Open 24 hours, dine-in and drive-through. Napoleon's Bakery counter at front holds apple napples.