10 upscale rooms in Honolulu, editor-picked. occasion rooms in Honolulu — destination kitchens for celebrations and visits. All Honolulu food.
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 in 2022.
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 in late 2025.
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 pork belly.
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, opened after years at Alan Wong's.
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.
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 butterfish in Honolulu.
Tip: Sunset tables open early; the back room has the marina view. Off the Menu Tuesdays run a 4-course tasting at lower prices.
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 Beard semifinalist.
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 translation of Waialae.
Tip: Sunday brunch is the locals' move. Menu changes weekly with farm deliveries.
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 on family Christmas trips.
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 sirloin and salad bar.
Tip: Lanikai Beach is a five-minute walk. Lunch is the move; dinner books two days out.