Side Street Inn Ala Moana is a local hawaiian restaurant in Ala Moana, Honolulu.
Side Street Inn Ala Moana is the 1992 Hopaka Street original in Honolulu from the late Colin Nishida, the off-duty chef pupu room behind Ala Moana Center where pan-fried pork chops and kim chee fried rice built the cult following.
Signature dishes: Pan-fried pork chops, Kim chee fried rice, Pupu plates
Must order: The pan-fried pork chops and the kim chee fried rice.
Tip: Group-friendly portions; come with at least four. Mon to Fri from 16:00, weekends from 12:00, until 20:30.
Address: 1225 Hopaka Street, Honolulu, HI 96814
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.
Signature: Kake udon, Niku udon, Tempura sides
Order: Niku udon with a sweet beef topping and a kakiage tempura on the side.
Tip: Queue snakes down Kuhio but moves fast. Average bowl is around $6 to $8; cash and card both work.
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.
Signature: Loco moco, Mix plate, Boneless chicken plate
Order: The loco moco mix plate with chili and the boneless chicken on the side.
Tip: Open 07:00 to 21:00 daily. Cash-friendly window; no inside seating, eat at the parking-lot picnic tables.
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.
Signature: Kake udon, Curry udon, Tempura
Order: Curry udon and a shrimp tempura, plus a musubi if you skipped breakfast.
Tip: Lunch line peaks 11:30 to 13:00; before 11:30 the kitchen is calm.
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.
Signature: Shoyu ahi poke, Spicy ahi poke, Tako poke
Order: A two-scoop shoyu ahi and spicy ahi bowl with rice.
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.
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.
Signature: Shoyu onion ahi poke, Garlic marlin, Ahi belly
Order: Shoyu onion ahi over rice, plus the grilled garlic marlin if the case has it.
Tip: Monday to Saturday, 09:00 to 14:00 only; sells out by 13:00 most days. Closed Sunday.
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.
Signature: Spicy ahi poke, Salmon poke, Limu ahi
Order: Spicy ahi and limu ahi over rice, plus a side of furikake.
Tip: Lunchtime queue can run 30 minutes. Closed Sunday; order pickup via the website to skip the line.
