28 upscale places in Honolulu, editor-picked. occasion restaurants in Honolulu: destination kitchens for celebrations and visits. All Honolulu food.
Bar Leather Apron ★ 4.9
745 Fort Street, Honolulu, HI 96813
Bar Leather Apron in Downtown Honolulu is Justin and Tom Park's intimate cocktail bar on the TOPA Financial Center mezzanine, the 2023 James Beard winner.
Tip: Reservations highly recommended; walk-ins welcomed by availability. Open Wednesday to Saturday 17:00 to midnight.
Fete Hawaii ★ 4.7
chinatown · 2 North Hotel Street, Honolulu, HI 96817
Fete Hawaii in Chinatown Honolulu is chef Robynne Maii's James Beard winning room of seasonal new American plates, awarded Best Chef Northwest and Pacific.
Tip: Reservations open four weeks out. Bar seats walk-in only and turn over fast at 17:30.
The Pig and The Lady ★ 4.6
kaimuki · 3650 Waialae Avenue, Honolulu, HI 96816
The Pig and The Lady is chef Andrew Le's modern Vietnamese room, which moved from Chinatown to a Civil Beat Plaza space on Waialae in Kaimuki Honolulu.
Tip: Lunch and dinner separated menus; lunch leans pho and banh mi, dinner runs a tasting-style chef's choice. Reservations are tough on weekends.
Sushi Izakaya Gaku ★ 4.6
ala-moana · 1329 South King Street, Honolulu, HI 96814
Sushi Izakaya Gaku on South King is the long-running Japanese izakaya in Honolulu with sashimi, robata grill plates and the cult-favourite buta no kakuni.
Tip: Reservations open one month ahead. Order the day's specials board first; chef cuts the best fish for early diners.
MW Restaurant ★ 4.6
ala-moana · 888 Kapiolani Boulevard, Honolulu, HI 96813
MW Restaurant in Ala Moana Honolulu is chefs Wade and Michelle Karr-Ueoka's modern Hawaiian room of mochi-crusted fish and oxtail soup dumplings.
Tip: Open Tuesday to Sunday, dinner only. Pastry chef Michelle's desserts merit a separate course; book the dessert tasting.
The Pig and The Lady ★ 4.6
kaimuki · 3650 Waialae Avenue, Honolulu, HI 96816
The Pig and The Lady in Kaimuki Honolulu is chef Andrew Le's modern Vietnamese room, relocated from Chinatown to the Civil Beat Plaza on Waialae in late 2025.
Tip: Lunch is pho and banh mi, dinner a chef's-choice tasting. Weekends book two weeks out.
Lewers Lounge ★ 4.6
2199 Kalia Road, Honolulu, HI 96815
Lewers Lounge at the Halekulani in Waikiki Honolulu is the seven-nights-a-week jazz cocktail bar where Hawaiian-grown ingredients meet Chet Baker and Ella.
Tip: Live light jazz Tuesday to Saturday 20:30 to midnight; Sunday and Monday 20:00-22:30. Smart casual.
The Tchin Tchin Bar ★ 4.6
39 North Hotel Street, Honolulu, HI 96817
The Tchin Tchin Bar in Chinatown Honolulu is the rooftop wine bar Dusty Grable and Jesse Cruz opened above Lucky Belly, with a plant-walled outdoor terrace.
Tip: Closed Sunday and Monday. Terrace tables turn at 19:00; come early for one.
Silver Lining ★ 4.6
999 Waimanu Street, Honolulu, HI 96814
Silver Lining in Kakaako Honolulu is the natural wine bar Rick Lilley opened on Waimanu Street, with hundreds of bottles to taste and a focus.
Tip: Bottle shop runs alongside the bar with reduced corkage. Closed Sunday and Monday.
Roy's Hawaii Kai ★ 4.5
hawaii-kai · 6600 Kalanianaole Highway, Honolulu, HI 96825
Roy's Hawaii Kai is where Roy Yamaguchi launched Hawaiian Regional Cuisine in 1988, still the flagship of the chain and the canonical room for misoyaki.
Tip: Sunset tables open early; the back room has the marina view. Off the Menu Tuesdays run a 4-course tasting at lower prices.
House Without a Key ★ 4.5
2199 Kalia Road, Honolulu, HI 96815
House Without a Key at the Halekulani in Waikiki Honolulu pours sunset cocktails under a 130-year-old kiawe tree with Hawaiian entertainment.
Tip: Sunset hula starts 17:30. Bar tables walk-in only; the Kawehewehe blue curacao cocktail is the new house move.
La Mariana Sailing Club ★ 4.5
50 Sand Island Access Road, Honolulu, HI 96819
La Mariana Sailing Club on Sand Island in Honolulu is the city's last original tiki bar, opened in 1957 with carved tikis from the Sheraton Kon Tiki Room.
Tip: Tuesday to Saturday 11:00-20:00. Tucked behind warehouses on Sand Island; bring a sweater for the lagoon breeze.
Skull and Crown Trading Co. ★ 4.5
62 North Hotel Street, Honolulu, HI 96817
Skull and Crown Trading Co. in Chinatown Honolulu is the modern tiki bar on Hotel Street, with fresh-juice cocktails and a deeper-than-typical rum list.
Tip: Tuesday to Saturday 17:00-23:00. Closed Sunday and Monday; book ahead on Resy for weekends.
Podmore ★ 4.5
202 Merchant Street, Honolulu, HI 96813
Podmore in Downtown Honolulu is the cocktail bar Anthony Rush and Katherine Nomura opened in the 1902 Joseph W. Podmore Building, with bartender Alex Law.
Tip: Closed Monday. Brunch Saturday and Sunday from 09:00-14:00; the library room books out first.
The Tchin Tchin Bar ★ 4.5
39 North Hotel Street, Honolulu, HI 96817
The Tchin Tchin Bar in Chinatown Honolulu is the rooftop wine and cocktail bar above Lucky Belly, with Japanese whiskeys, gins and Mediterranean small plates.
Tip: Closed Sunday and Monday. The rooftop terrace is open by 17:00; cocktails run alongside the by-the-glass list.
Podmore ★ 4.5
202 Merchant Street, Honolulu, HI 96813
Podmore on Merchant Street in Downtown Honolulu is Anthony Rush and Katherine Nomura's brunch-and-cocktail bar inside the lava-rock 1902 Joseph W. Podmore.
Tip: Closed Monday. Brunch only on Sundays from 09:00-14:00; the library room books out first.
The Curb Wine Bar ★ 4.5
3408 Waialae Avenue, Honolulu, HI 96816
The Curb in Kaimuki Honolulu added an evening wine-bar service to its multi-roaster cafe, pouring natural and biodynamic bottles alongside oat-milk-ricotta.
Tip: Closed Monday and Tuesday for wine service; come for a pet-nat after a Kaimuki dinner.
Mud Hen Water ★ 4.4
kaimuki · 3452 Waialae Avenue, Honolulu, HI 96816
Mud Hen Water is Ed Kenney's Kaimuki Honolulu room of contemporary Hawaiian aina-based plates, named for the English translation of Waialae and a 2025 James.
Tip: Sunday brunch is the locals' move. The menu changes weekly with farm deliveries.
Mud Hen Water ★ 4.4
kaimuki · 3452 Waialae Avenue, Honolulu, HI 96816
Mud Hen Water is Ed Kenney's Kaimuki Honolulu room of contemporary Hawaiian aina-based plates, a 2025 James Beard semifinalist named for the English.
Tip: Sunday brunch is the locals' move. Menu changes weekly with farm deliveries.
The Manifest ★ 4.4
32 North Hotel Street, Honolulu, HI 96817
The Manifest in Chinatown Honolulu is the dual cafe-and-cocktail bar with the state's largest whiskey selection, serving Waialua-grown coffee by day and live.
Tip: Tuesday 10:00-22:00, Wednesday and Thursday to midnight, Friday and Saturday to 02:00. Closed Sunday and Monday.
Mai Tai Bar at the Royal Hawaiian ★ 4.4
2259 Kalakaua Avenue, Honolulu, HI 96815
The Mai Tai Bar at the Royal Hawaiian in Waikiki Honolulu pours the canonical Royal Hawaiian Mai Tai daily, the drink first served on hotel grounds in 1953.
Tip: Daily 11:00-23:00, live music 18:00-22:00. The Ali'i Mai Tai is the upgrade; oceanfront tables turn at 19:00.
Bevy ★ 4.4
675 Auahi Street, Honolulu, HI 96813
Bevy in Kakaako Honolulu is the SALT block cocktail bar with industrial decor, repurposed wine-box tables and a Mai Thai built on Bacardi 7.
Tip: Tuesday and Wednesday 17:00-22:00, Friday and Saturday to 02:00. Closed Sunday and Monday.
Bevy ★ 4.4
675 Auahi Street, Honolulu, HI 96813
Bevy in Kakaako Honolulu opened as the SALT block's first cocktail and wine bar, with industrial decor, repurposed wine-box tables and a European-style.
Tip: DJ sets Friday and Saturday 21:00-02:00. Closed Sunday and Monday.
Amuse Wine Bar ★ 4.4
1250 Kapiolani Boulevard, Honolulu, HI 96814
Amuse Wine Bar on Kapiolani in Honolulu is the second-floor Honolulu Design Center wine bar with 60 Enomatic-pour bottles you sample yourself.
Tip: Buy the refillable card at the door, pour your own; sommelier-led flights run Saturday at 18:00.
Buzz's Original Steak House ★ 4.2
kailua · 413 Kawailoa Road, Kailua, HI 96734
Buzz's Original Steak House in Kailua across the Pali from Honolulu is the surf-shack steakhouse where Barack Obama used to eat the teriyaki sirloin.
Tip: Lanikai Beach is a five-minute walk. Lunch is the move; dinner books up two days out.
Buzz's Original Steak House ★ 4.2
kailua · 413 Kawailoa Road, Kailua, HI 96734
Buzz's Original Steak House in Kailua across the Pali from Honolulu is the surf-shack steakhouse where Obama family Christmases parked at the teriyaki.
Tip: Lanikai Beach is a five-minute walk. Lunch is the move; dinner books two days out.
Off The Wall Craft Beer and Wine ★ 4.2
1170 Auahi Street, Honolulu, HI 96814
Off The Wall Craft Beer and Wine in Ward Village Honolulu is the self-pour taproom at South Shore Market, with 40 taps of local craft beer, kombucha.
Tip: Wristband-activated taps; pay by the ounce. South American food window stays open through close.
Duke's Waikiki ★ 4.0
2335 Kalakaua Avenue, Honolulu, HI 96815
Duke's Waikiki on Kalakaua in Honolulu has been the Outrigger Waikiki beach bar since 1994, named for Duke Kahanamoku with the Hula Pie ice cream finish.
Tip: Daily 07:00-24:00. Live music 16:00-18:00 and 21:30 to midnight; Barefoot Bar walk-in only.