Oli's Kitchen

Oli's Kitchen offers local style comfort food for breakfast and lunch daily. They have a loco moco and kalbi plate but their best items are the garlic chicken, salt & pepper chicken and breakfast. They give large portions and the prices are cheap. For breakfast, the bacon waffle with peanut butter maple glaze and the stuffed french toast with peanut butter and banana are a "must try!" My favorite is the garlic chicken because it's sweet and savory with a hint of garlic flavor that's not overpowering. 

They are located at Puck's Alley next to Nijiya Market on University Ave by the bus stop. The staff are friendly they check to make sure you're all good even after you get your food. If the restaurant is half full, the kitchen does take a little longer but because the atmosphere is so chill, just talk story with your friends and enjoy the Hawaiian music over the speakers. I usually come for breakfast around 9am on weekends and do a walk in. If you are coming with 6 or more people, I recommend calling them first to see if they can arrange the tables and chairs to accommodate you. The parking in Puck's Alley is pricey if you go past 1 hour. It will cost you $3.99, pay in the Metropolis app on your phone. If you can leave in under 1 hour, the parking is free. 

For more information about Oli's Kitchen visit oliskitchenhawaii.com.

Puck's Alley
1009 University Ave
Honolulu, HI 96826
(808) 387-0457

 

Half n Half Chicken Plate
(Salt n Pepper, Garlic)

2 Egg Breakfast w/ 
Portuguese Sausage & Hash

Pancakes (3pc)

Stuffed French Toast w/ 
Peanut Butter Banana (3pc)

Black Shamrock Tavern

Black Shamrock Tavern is an Irish pub that serves Jersey style pizza. They have the standard pizzas like cheese, pepperoni, o'Maggie (margherita), and a white pie but what I recommend are their specials. The pizza specials are a fusion of Hawaii ingredients and it changes often. I love their pepperoni because it's only $18 but I've also enjoyed any of the specials that have burrata in it. The pizzas come to the table hot and fresh and you get that really nice cheese pull from that first slice. They have a full bar of beverages but also soda for those who don't drink.

They are in Honolulu Chinatown at the corner of Marin Street and Nuuanu Ave. Their exterior is a red brick building and you'll see a sign hanging out in front. The staff and owner are friendly. Even when it's busy, the owner stops by the table to check and make sure everyone is doing okay. That's not something I get at other locally owned food establishments on Oahu so this is excellent service. Their prices are reasonable and it keeps me coming back for both lunch and pau hana/dinner. For parking, there is metered street parking on Nuuanu Ave or the Marin Tower Municipal Parking since they are 1 block away and they rates are cheap. 

For more information about Black Shamrock Tavern, visit blackshamrocktavern.com. 

902 Nuuanu Ave
Honolulu, HI 96817
(808) 777-3000

Pizza Special

Pepperoni Pizza

Basket o' Fries

Jalapeno Poppers

Baton a Manger

Baton a Manger is a pop up sandwich shop in Honolulu. Their sandwiches are long and narrow and made with a flaky puff pastry. I was lucky enough to have a friend buy a few for me to try and I was very impressed. Each sandwich comes wrapped inside it's own box with a napkin inside. The packaging was definitely fancy! 

I highly recommend the Jambon Beurre which is filled with ham and cheese. The flaky puff pastry makes the sandwich lighter so you might find yourself wanting a 2nd one. The Yuzu Kosho Egg Sando was good but I'm not a fan of spicy food or egg salad. 

To find out where they will appear next, visit @batonamanger on Instagram. 

Yuzu Kosho Egg Sando

Jambon Beurre

Baton Packaging

Izakaya Tenkichi

Izakaya Tenkichi is a Japanese restaurant that offers a variety of appetizers, tempura, and sushi. The kitchen is in the middle of the restaurant so you can watch the chefs prepare and cook your food. The food portions are small and meant for 1 person. Some of my favorites were pumpkin tempura, sweet potato tempura, and maitake mushroom tempura. I enjoyed the hand rolls more than the rolled sushi because it had more protein in them. The prices ranged from $5 - $12 for the individual portions. They have some larger shareable items like an ikura bowl or uni bowl and those are between $25 - $60.  

The restaurant is located on the 2nd floor, you enter from a door on the side of Tori Ton on S. King Street and walk up the stairs. If you sit near a window, you get a view of Old Stadium Park. They have counter seats that surround the kitchen in the middle and booths against the wall which are great for groups. The vibe here is fun with the friendly staff and the dress code is casual; slippers are okay. The noise level gets louder as the night progresses. I recommend making a reservation a few days in advanced because they get busy from 6:30pm onward. For parking, you can park in the lot and pay with the app or do meter street parking on S. King Street or Isenberg Street. The metered parking is free after 6pm.

For more information about Izakaya Tenkichi, visit tenkichihawaii.com.

2334 S King St., 2nd floor
Honolulu, HI 96826
(808) 367-0012

American Wagyu Beef Nori Rolled Tempura,
Dashi Marinated Avocado Tempura,
Brie Cheese Tempura

Pumpkin Tempura, Sweet Potato Tempura

Maitake Mushroom Tempura,
Brie Cheese Tempura

Eel Avocado Maki, Salmon Avocado Maki

Negitoro Avocado Hand Roll

 

Threadfin Bistro

Threadfin Bistro is located in the Kapahulu area inside Kilohana Square. They offer a 3-course set menu priced at $74 per person. For the entrees you can choose from scallops, short ribs, or filet mignon. Their food taste good and the portions are reasonable. My favorites were the amuse bouche, and the corn & wild mushroom risotto that came with the diver scallops. The filet mignon was tender but I wasn't a fan of the sauce. The $74 price point is good and I highly recommend it. The service was excellent and our waiter did a great job timing each course. If you're looking for appetizers or shared plates, they have an ala carte menu with different items. Those prices were also reasonable. 

Their dining room is well lit and spacious but it gets loud as more people come in. They are open for dinner from Wednesday to Sunday, 5:30pm – 8:30pm. It would be good to make a reservation at least 1 week in advance. Their tables are set up for 2 - 4 diners but if you reserve ahead, I'm sure they can accommodate 5 or more. The dress code I recommend is business casual. For parking, they have a private lot in the back of the building. The spaces in the lot are tight. They have a back entrance from the parking lot but the front entrance on Kapahulu Ave looks better and has their signage. 

Kilohana Square
1014 Kapahulu Ave
Honolulu, HI 96816
(808) 692-2562

For more information about Threadfin Bistro, visit threadfinbistro.com. 

Chef's Special Amuse Bouche

Raw Beet, Fuji Apple,
Herb Chevre, Lemon Truffle Vinaigrette

Diver Scallops
corn & wild mushroom risotto, tomato relish

Washugyu Filet Mignon
mushroom onion ragout, peppercorn diane sauce
($15 supplemental)

Chef's Choice Dessert