Hidden Food Gems in Honolulu

Palace Saimin

• ★ 4.2
• Hawaiian
• $$

Palace Saimin is tourists rarely make it past chinatown to kalihi for this 1946 saimin counter, but locals have eaten here for three generations.

Off the Hook Poke Market

• ★ 4.5
• Poke
• $$

Off the Hook Poke Market is manoa valley is twenty minutes off the tourist track but uh manoa students fill the counter for the city's best two-scoop bowls.

Maguro Brothers Hawaii Chinatown

• ★ 4.7
• Poke
• $$

Maguro Brothers Hawaii Chinatown is a two-brother poke counter inside Kekaulike Market; the Tsuchiya brothers source from the Honolulu Fish Auction at dawn.

Ono Seafood

• ★ 4.3
• Seafood
• $$

Ono Seafood in Honolulu: Tourists go to Foodland for poke; locals come to this Kapahulu storefront for the sashimi-grade shoyu ahi at half the price.

Andy's Sandwiches and Smoothies

• ★ 4.0
• Cafe
• $$

Andys Sandwiches and Smoothies has fed UH students and Manoa Valley families from Manoa Marketplace since 1977; the papaya smoothie is the standard order.

Helena's Hawaiian Food

• ★ 4.8
• Hawaiian
• $$

Helena's Hawaiian Food is locals queue for this 1946 kalihi institution but most visitors never venture past chinatown to north school street.

Lonohana Estate Chocolate

• ★ 4.6
• Bakery
• $$

Mud Hen Water

• ★ 4.1
• Hawaiian
• $$

Mud Hen Water in Honolulu: Hidden up Waialae in Kaimuki, Ed Kenney's aina-based room cooks with farms tourists never see and rotates the menu weekly.