Helena's Hawaiian Food is a hawaiian restaurant in Kalihi, Honolulu.
Editorially verified May 21, 2026 by Lewis Vaughan, TableJourney editor. Source.
Why locals love it: Locals queue for this 1946 Kalihi institution but most visitors never venture past Chinatown to North School Street.
Tip: Tuesday to Friday 10:00-19:30. Pipikaula short ribs are the must-order; the kalua pig is also canonical.
Address: 1240 North School Street, Honolulu, HI 96817
Why locals love it: Most Honolulu visitors buy Mauna Loa macadamia chocolates at the airport, missing this tree-to-bar chocolate maker in SALT Kakaako.
Tip: Daily 10:00-18:00. The 90-minute factory tour runs at 10:00 most mornings; book ahead.
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.
Why locals love it: Hidden up Waialae in Kaimuki, Ed Kenney's aina-based room cooks with farms tourists never see and rotates the menu weekly.
Tip: Sunday brunch is the locals' move. The shishito pepper romesco runs as a small plate most weeks.
Palace Saimin is tourists rarely make it past chinatown to kalihi for this 1946 saimin counter, but locals have eaten here for three generations.
Why locals love it: Tourists rarely make it past Chinatown to Kalihi for this 1946 saimin counter, but locals have eaten here for three generations.
Tip: Tuesday to Friday only. The custom-order Sun Noodles thicker than the city standard; broth is the secret shrimp-pork dashi.
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.
Why locals love it: Manoa Valley is twenty minutes off the tourist track but UH Manoa students fill the counter for the city's best two-scoop bowls.
Tip: Closed Sunday. Order via the website for pickup to skip the lunch queue.
Maguro Brothers Hawaii Chinatown is a two-brother poke counter inside Kekaulike Market; the Tsuchiya brothers source from the Honolulu Fish Auction at dawn.
Why locals love it: The two-brother poke counter inside Kekaulike Market sells out by 13:00 and never opens past lunch, so Waikiki visitors miss it.
Tip: Monday to Saturday 09:00-14:00. The Tsuchiya brothers source from the Honolulu Fish Auction at dawn.
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.
Why locals love it: Tourists go to Foodland for poke; locals come to this Kapahulu storefront for the sashimi-grade shoyu ahi at half the price.
Tip: Closed Sunday and Monday. No inside seating; sells out by 16:00 weekends.
