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)

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

Vintage Books

Vintage Books is a bookstore in Kaimuki but if you ask to see the private collection, you'll get access into their speakeasy. I highly recommend making reservations a few days in advanced because they are busy during dinner. They have a small food menu because most of the focus is on their drinks. The food tasted good but some of the portions were small so you may want to order a few more plates if you're hungry. The staff were friendly and our waitress gave us really food recommendations. My favorites were the cowboy beef salad and the crispy lamb ribs.

The interior of the restaurant has dim lighting. The chairs are worn in so you might sink into them when you sit. The dress code was business casual but some guests were dressed up. Overall, the atmosphere is nice and we hung out in there for a few hours. For parking, there is an underground garage where you enter on Wilhelmina Rise. The parking was free with validation.

For more information, visit vintagebookshawaii.com and select "Private Collection."

3660 Waialae Ave
Ste 101
Honolulu, HI 96816
(808) 739-9050

Tutu's Old Fashion

 

 

Crispy Lamb Ribs

Cowboy Beef Salad

Cochinita Pibil w/ Masa Cakes

House Karaage

Taco Flight

S'mores Surprise!

 

 

Kaimuki Cruise

White Sands Spritz

Senia

Senia is located in Honolulu Chinatown. I recommend their tasting menu which is only available on Fridays and Saturdays with one seating at 6:30pm. You sit at the counter with 7 other diners and get a front row seat of the kitchen staff and Chef Anthony preparing and plating. The food tastes amazing and the plating is beautiful. Every dish is photogenic. My favorites were the caviar, foie gas, and squab. I was impressed with the squab because it's cut up and prepared in multiple ways, then plated into one dish. This is pricey meal and worth splurging to celebrate a birthday or other big occasions. The tasting menu can be reserved online or by phone and it's $288 per person with tax and gratuity included. This cost is only for the food and drinks are separate.

If the tasting menu is out of budget, they have an ala carte menu and the entrees are priced between $20 - $40. They also have dishes you can share with a small group of people which are priced between $100 - $140. The service from the staff is excellent and they are very knowledgeable about pairing your food with beverages. The restaurant has a very nice ambiance and I would suggest business casual dress code since this is a nice place. For parking, the Marin Tower Municipal Parking is the closest and it's a few minutes walk to the restaurant.

For more information about Senia, visit restaurantsenia.com.

75 N King St
Honolulu, HI 96817
(808) 200-5412

Spicy Tuna Taco
avocado, smoked trout roe

Premier White Sturgeon Caviar
burnt bread, white chocolate

White Guy "Sushi"
kona kampachi, english pea, sherry vinegar

Foie Gras
nectarine, lychee, honey

Kabocha
hazelnut, sage, maple brown butter

Hamachi
shiso, heart of palm, prosciutto

Squab
artichoke, confit tomato

'Cream Tea'
triple cream, plum, earl grey

Coconut
lilikoi, hibiscus, ube

The Septagon
(closed)

The Septagon
(opened)

AnyPlace Cocktail Lounge

AnyPlace Cocktail Lounge is a homey bar that serves delicious food with reasonable prices. Their menu includes local favorites like lechon, fried pork chop, fried noodles and fried rice. My favorites were the lechon, obachan's fried chicken, and kalibi.

This place is perfect for large groups because they have a big space. If you plan to go with 10 or more people, I recommend calling them before you head over so they can set up the tables and chairs. The dress code here is casual, you can walk in with shorts and a t-shirt and it's fine. If you're wearing a collar shirt, you're overdressed. The staff are friendly and the atmosphere is laid back. For parking, they have a few stalls in front but it fills up fast. You can do street parking on Young Street or park in the CPB parking lot across the street after 5pm for $7 which covers you for 24 hours.

For more information about AnyPlace Cocktail Lounge, visit anyplacehawaii.com.

1018 McCully St
Honolulu, HI 96826
(808) 947-8977

Lechon

Traditional Combo
(Hamburger and Spam & Egg Sandwich)

Obachan's Fried Chicken

French Fries

Salt & Pepper Chicken Wings

Fried Pork Chops

Fried Noodles

Fried Rice

Smashed Hawaii - CLOSED

Smashed Hawaii is a food truck/trailer known for their smash burger. Their burger consists of a 100% beef patty, American cheese, grilled onions, pickles, and smash sauce served between a potato bun. You can add on items like lettuce, tomatoes, or jalapeno but it will cost an extra $0.25 or $0.50. The classic smash burger is priced at $9. I loved the crispy edges on the beef patty and the potato bun holds it's burger shape so you get a very nice photo. Their classic fries were golden brown, perfectly salted, and crispy. It was priced at $4.50 and the portion was enough to share for 2 people. For the classic burger, I wish there was more smash sauce because it was dry for me.

They are located on Sheridan and Elm Street in the parking lot where Meadow Gold used to park to their delivery trucks. The entrance is on Elm Street and you'll see the pink trailer in the corner. This place is takeout only and there is no seating available. You could eat in your car but there's no shade around so it gets very hot. I went on the weekend for lunch and the wait time for food was 30 minutes. Prior to ordering, the staff will let you know how long the estimated wait time is and I appreciate that. They give you a buzzer and you can wait in your car.

For more information about Smashed Hawaii, visit or follow @smashedhawaii on Instagram. 

824 Sheridan St
Honolulu, HI 96814

Classic Smash

Classic Smash w/ Lettuce

Heavenly Island Lifestyle Waikiki

Heavenly Island Lifestyle Waikiki is a breakfast, lunch, and dinner restaurant located in the Shoreline Hotel. Their menu is American Asian fusion and they have local favorites like poke, garlic shrimp, and loco moco. I enjoyed the Hainanese chicken rice and the rack of lamb. Their food is not heavy or greasy and they include a side of vegetables in most of their dishes. Since they are in Waikiki, the prices are high. For dinner, their entrees are priced between $20 - $30. The entrees can be shared with 2 people but I would recommend getting some appetizers too. If you are on a budget, check out their happy hour from 4pm - 6pm. There is a good selection of drinks and appetizers. The happy hour appetizers are priced between $6 - $20. 

The interior space is tight and the tables are close to each other. They have outdoor seating but the restaurant gets loud with the music in the background and customers talking. The staff are friendly but the wait time for food does take a while especially if you go during happy hour. For parking, there's metered street parking or park at the Royal Hawaiian Center or International Marketplace to shop and get your validation and then walk over to the restaurant. 

For more information about Heavenly Island Lifestyle, visit heavenly-waikiki.com. 

Shoreline Hotel Waikiki
342 Seaside Ave
Honolulu, HI 96815
(808) 923-1100

Hainanese Organic Chicken Rice

Rack of Lamb Grill w/ Roasted Nuts &
Lilikoi Balsamic Sauce

Fried Chicken Wings

French Fries

Ribeye Steak w/ Grilled Vegetables & Truffle Sauce

Arden Waikiki

Arden Waikiki offers contemporary Hawaii cuisine. The flavors and ingredients in their dishes are American and Asian. The staff were friendly and since the restaurant is still new, we asked our waiter for food recommendations. My favorites were the mentaiko dip, Kauai prawns, and roasted cabbage. The steak fries are good for picking up the mentaiko dip but I wanted thinner cut fries. The prawns were grilled so it had the smokey flavor and since they were cut in half, it was easy to remove the meat from the shell. The roasted cabbage reminded me of a dish at Senia but this had an Asian flavor to it and I loved the slight crunch to the cabbage. The prices are high with dished ranging from $10 - $40 and a few items at market price.

The interior of the restaurant is spacious and well lit. If you get a table by the window, you'll enjoy a nice view of Kapiolani Park. I recommend making a reservation a few days in advance. You can also do walk in and get seated at the bar. For parking, Lotus Honolulu Hotel offers valet parking for $7. You could also do self-parking in the metered spaces along Kapiolani Park near the tennis courts. The metered parking is free after 6 pm.

For more information about Arden Waikiki, visit ardenwaikiki.com.

Lotus Honolulu Hotel
2885 Kalakaua Ave, 2nd Floor
Honolulu, HI 96815
(808) 922-1700

French Fries w/ Smoked Mentaiko Dip

Kauai Prawns

Roasted Cabbage

Roasted Hirabara Farms Carrots

Mushroom Rice

Chocolatana Cake