13 editor picks in Honolulu.
13 brunch places in Honolulu we have eaten in, sorted by editor score. All cuisines in Honolulu | Brunch across every city.
Brunch in Honolulu runs from neighborhood diners to chef-driven mornings, and the strongest cooking has migrated east toward Kaimuki and across the Pali to Kailua. Koko Head Cafe on 12th Avenue in Kaimuki leads the inventive end, while Boots and Kimo's Homestyle Kitchen and Cinnamon's Restaurant anchor the Kailua side. Cafe Kaila on Kapiolani Boulevard and Sweet E's Cafe on Kapahulu Avenue keep the all-day breakfast tradition busy.
Koko Head Cafe in Kaimuki Honolulu is chef Lee Anne Wong's Top-Chef-alum brunch room where the cornflake French toast and breakfast bibimbap have anchored.
OrderCornflake-crusted French toast and the breakfast bibimbap with kimchee bacon.
TipDaily brunch, dinner Friday to Monday from 17:00. Walk-in queue is steady at 09:00 weekends.
Boots and Kimo's Homestyle Kitchen in Kailua across the Pali from Honolulu is the original home of the banana macadamia nut pancake stack drowned.
OrderFull stack banana mac nut pancakes with the signature macadamia nut sauce.
TipEnchanted Lake shopping center, on Keolu Drive. Closed Tuesday and Wednesday; weekend queue starts by 08:00.
Cinnamon's Restaurant in Kailua is the 1985 breakfast spot across the Pali from Honolulu, where red velvet pancakes and guava chiffon pancakes anchor.
OrderRed velvet pancakes with cream cheese frosting; guava chiffon if the menu has it.
TipWalk-in only; queue from 07:30 weekends. Cash and card accepted.
Koko Head Cafe in Kaimuki Honolulu is chef Lee Anne Wong's brunch room where the cornflake French toast and breakfast bibimbap have anchored 12th Avenue.
OrderCornflake French toast and the breakfast bibimbap with kimchee bacon.
TipDaily brunch; dinner Friday to Monday from 17:00. Walk-in queue steady at 09:00 weekends.
Musubi Cafe Iyasume on Kuhio in Waikiki Honolulu sells handmade Koshihikari rice spam musubi for $3 to $5 a piece, the most efficient breakfast under five.
OrderSpam musubi
TipDaily 06:30-21:00. Pair a teriyaki spam musubi with a bottled matcha for a $7 breakfast.
Sweet E's Cafe in Kapahulu Honolulu is the casual breakfast room named for Ethel Mathews, serving stuffed French toast, crab cake Benedict and an all-day.
OrderStuffed blueberry cream cheese French toast.
TipDaily 07:00-14:00. The stuffed blueberry cream cheese French toast is the canonical order.
Cinnamon's Restaurant in Kailua across the Pali from Honolulu is the 1985 breakfast spot where red velvet pancakes and guava chiffon pancakes anchor.
OrderRed velvet pancakes with cream cheese frosting.
TipWalk-in only; queue from 07:30 weekends. Guava chiffon if the menu has it.
Boots and Kimo's Homestyle Kitchen in Kailua across the Pali from Honolulu is the original home of the banana macadamia nut pancake stack drowned.
OrderBanana macadamia nut pancakes with macadamia nut sauce.
TipFull stack with macadamia nut sauce is the move. Enchanted Lake shopping center; closed Tuesday and Wednesday.
Koko Head Cafe in Kaimuki Honolulu is chef Lee Anne Wong's brunch room where the cornflake French toast and breakfast bibimbap have anchored 12th Avenue.
OrderCornflake-crusted French toast.
TipDinner Friday to Monday from 17:00. Walk-in queue steady at 09:00 weekends; some reservations open on Resy.
Cafe Kaila in the Market City Shopping Center in Honolulu's Kapahulu has won Hale Aina best breakfast four consecutive years with cornbread waffles.
OrderCornbread waffle with strawberry butter and honey.
TipWalk-in queue from 08:30 weekends. Cornbread waffle with strawberry butter is the signature.
Mud Hen Water in Kaimuki Honolulu serves a Sunday brunch built around Ed Kenney's aina-based cooking, with shakshuka, kalua pork hash and rotating.
OrderThe shakshuka and the chef's selection of small plates.
TipSunday only. Book a week ahead on OpenTable; the brunch list changes weekly with farms.
Podmore in Downtown Honolulu pours brunch and cocktails inside the 1902 lava-rock Podmore Building, with Anthony Rush's kitchen serving the city's most.
OrderThe brunch board with house-cured salmon and biscuit.
TipSaturday 10:00-15:00 (full menu), Sunday 09:00-14:00 (brunch only). The library room books out first.
Arvo in SALT Kakaako Honolulu is the Australian cafe brunch spot the Rose family opened, with loaded avocado toast, Nutella toast and smoked salmon toast.
OrderLoaded avocado toast.
TipOrder at the counter, take a number and sit; first hour parking free with validation.
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Enjoy a 5-course dinner with Maine lobster and prime tenderloin of beef on a sunset dinner cruise. Sway to the tunes of live jazz music and dance the night away on the cruise.
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Enjoy a 5-course dinner with Maine lobster and tenderloin steak on a sunset cruise. Watch a live Hawaiian show, listen to music, and enjoy views of Waikiki and Diamond Head.
