Where to Eat in Honolulu: Lunch Spots, Local Food and Neighborhood Picks

Where to find a great lunch in Honolulu — plate lunch, manapua, poke, ramen and buffets — organized by neighborhood.

By the Travel Oahu Local Style Editorial Team Published November 10, 20263 min read

Customers lining up outside Leonard’s Bakery on Kapahulu Avenue in Honolulu — Photo: Jairo Gonzalez on Unsplash

In this guide9 sections

Lunch in Honolulu: plate lunch and local favorites
Manapua and bakeries
Closed: old favorites you may be searching for
Poke
Where to eat by neighborhood
Buffets and family-style dining
Eating well on a budget
Frequently asked questions
While you’re nearby

Honolulu’s food scene is less about fancy dining rooms and more about where locals actually eat lunch: plate lunch counters, manapua bakeries, poke shops, ramen bars and family restaurants that have been around for decades. This guide is organized by the kind of meal you’re after, so you can find something good wherever you’re staying.

Lunch in Honolulu: plate lunch and local favorites

For a quick, filling, affordable lunch, look for a plate lunch counter: two scoops of rice, macaroni salad and a main such as chicken katsu, kalua pig or loco moco. Kapahulu Avenue, near the Diamond Head end of Waikīkī, has several long-running local spots within walking distance of the hotels — including Rainbow Drive-In, a plate-lunch institution at the corner of Kapahulu and Kanaina avenues.

What to order: our plate lunch guide

Manapua and bakeries

Manapua — Hawaiʻi’s take on Chinese char siu bao — is a classic local snack. Old-school shops in neighborhoods like Kalihi and Chinatown sell them alongside other dim sum-style bites, often early in the day until they sell out. Don’t miss malasadas, the Portuguese-style doughnuts that are another Honolulu institution — Leonard’s Bakery on Kapahulu Avenue is the best-known place to try them.

Closed: old favorites you may be searching for

Honolulu restaurants come and go, and a few names still turn up in searches after they’ve closed:

Libby Manapua Shop in Kalihi closed in April 2019 after nearly 57 years.
Cafe Sistina on South King Street closed at the end of 2018.
Buca di Beppo — Hawaiʻi’s only location, at Ward Village in Kakaʻako (not Waikīkī) — closed in May 2024.

For manapua today, look to bakeries and dim sum shops in Chinatown and Kalihi.

Poke

Some of the best poke on Oʻahu comes from grocery and fish-market counters rather than restaurants. Order by the pound or as a bowl over rice, and ask what’s freshest that day.

Where to eat by neighborhood

Area	Good for	Notes
Waikīkī	Convenience, sunset dinners	Pricier on the beachfront; walk a few blocks inland for better value
Kapahulu	Plate lunch, malasadas, casual local spots	Easy walk or short bus ride from Waikīkī
Chinatown & Downtown	Dim sum, manapua, noodles, bars	Best by day or early evening
Kakaʻako & Ala Moana	Food halls, food trucks, newer restaurants	Good for groups with different tastes
Moʻiliʻili & McCully	Ramen, Korean, Japanese, buffets	Near the University of Hawaiʻi; local and affordable

Buffets and family-style dining

Korean barbecue buffets and family-style restaurants are popular with local families, especially in the McCully and Moʻiliʻili area. They’re a good value if you’re hungry after a beach day.

Eating well on a budget

Have your big meal at lunch, when plate lunches and specials are cheapest.
Pick up poke and musubi from a grocery store for a beach picnic.
Use food halls and food trucks for variety without sit-down prices.

Frequently asked questions

Where do locals eat lunch in Honolulu?

Plate lunch counters, poke shops, bakeries and noodle shops — often a few blocks away from the tourist strips. Kapahulu, Kalihi, Moʻiliʻili and Chinatown are good places to look.

Is food expensive in Honolulu?

Restaurant meals in Waikīkī can be expensive, but plate lunches, poke and food trucks are good value.