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

SingSing Thai Street Food

SingSing Thai Street Food is in Honolulu Chinatown in the former space of Opal Thai. Their dishes are spicy but you can ask for mild on some. Like their name, "street food," the cooking style is mostly grilled. They have a few curries and some fried rices but no noodle dishes. My favorites were chicken cilantro salad because it was refreshing and perfect to eat on a warm evening and the pork neck which had a lot of flavor and the dipping sauce was on the sweet side so it was good balance. For dessert, the black sticky rice pudding was good and the portion was enough to share with 3 people. The dessert reminded me of the Chinese read bean soup with purple rice. Their appetizers and entrees are priced between $14 - $25 and it can be a bit pricey for some but if you compare it the other restaurants nearby, these prices are reasonable.

Their interior space has the same set up as the restaurant before but they painted the walls and added decor to make it feel more casual. The staff were friendly and they gave us great suggestions on what to order since it was our first time. We did an early dinner so we didn't make a reservation and got seated right away. If you're going with more than 4 people, I recommend making a reservation since it got busy from 6:30 pm on. For parking, there is metered street parking in front of the restaurant along Smith Street or the Marin Tower Municipal Parking.

1030 Smith St
Honolulu, HI 96817
(808) 785-6463

Isaan Beef Tongue

Chicken Cilantro Salad

Pork Neck

Beef Short Rib Fried Rice

Black Sticky Rice Pudding

Young Coconut Jelly

 

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)

Ocean Side Bakery

Ocean Side Bakery is a French bakery located in Chinatown Honolulu on Smith Street and N. Beretania Street. They make cookies, pastries, sandwiches, and serve coffee. Their shop is tiny and you order at the door. The wait is long since they only have 2 workers and the person in the kitchen is baking pastries as it's selling out in the front. The best time to go is early in the morning when they open because everything is available. My favorites were the croissant cube because they're butter and flaky and the guava bar. If you bite into the croissant cube while it's still warm, you can hear the crunch. If you're a fan of canelé, I suggest trying theirs. The canelé's outer is caramelized and crispy; not burnt, and the center is soft but not too custardy. The prices of their pastries range from $3.50 - $5. The pastry sizes are smaller compared to other bakeries. I do like the smaller size because it gives me a chance to eat 2 or 3 different things.

They are open Tuesday - Thursday from 7am-2 pm. They accept card and have contactless payment. There are a couple of tables outside if you want to sit there and eat your pastries right away. For parking, there is metered street parking on Smith Street or the Municipal parking lot across from Honolulu Park Place, you enter on N. Beretania Street. It's an underground parking lot that's 1 level. The lot is well lit and the stalls are spacious. 

For more information about Ocean Side Bakery, check out their Instagram @oceansidebakery808.

1176 Smith St.
Honolulu, HI 96817
(808) 931-9680

Raspberry Croissant Cube

Croissant Cube

Guava Bar

Eclair

Canelé (Chocolate, Original)

HK Cafe

HK Cafe (茶記) is a "cha chaan teng" located in Honolulu Chinatown. They serve Cantonese comfort food that you get at cafes in Hong Kong. For breakfast, they offer the cheung funn (steamed rice noodle roll) and yau tiew (Chinese doughnut) which pairs well with jook (congee). For lunch, I enjoyed their beef dry chow funn because it had a lot of wok hei. The chow funn was still firm and the flavor was good; not overly salty. The lunch menu has noodles in soup, rice plates, and thick toast. They also have the typical drinks you'd find in the Hong Kong style cafes like milk tea, yuen yeung (coffee & milk tea), lemon tea, lemon coke, ovaltine, and horlick.

The interior decor of the cafe is retro with their tiled wallpaper and it feels like I am in Hong Kong. The staff are friendly, they speak English, Cantonese, and Mandarin. Their prices are reasonable and the portions for most of the food can be shared between 2 people. The food comes to your table hot so you may want to let it cool down a bit before you start eating. I recommend going for breakfast when they open because it's not crowded. The wait time to get a table at lunch can be 20 - 40 minutes because their space is small. 

1113 Maunakea St.
Honolulu, HI 96817
(808) 200-5757

Shrimp Cheung Funn

Yau Tiew (Chinese Donut)

Congee w/ Sliced Pork & Shrimp

Ovaltine French Toast

Beef Dry Chow Funn

Iced Yuen Yeung (Coffee & Milk Tea)

Duc's Bistro

Duc's Bistro is a Vietnamese French restaurant located in Chinatown. Their prices are reasonable and they give a good-sized portion. My favorites were the lamb chops and the duck breast. You get a rack of lamb when you order the lamb chops so it is perfect for sharing. It was priced at $44 and each piece had a lot of meat. The duck breast was thinly sliced, topped with fresh herbs and paired with fish sauce. 

They are open for lunch and dinner on weekdays. On the weekends, they only open for dinner. This place is great for groups because they have a large space in the back by the bar area. The tables in the front are set up for 4 people. I recommend making a reservation a few days in advanced if you plan to eat here. For parking, metered street parking is available in front of the restaurant and along Maunakea Street. If you are coming here after sunset, park across the street in the paid parking lot instead of in Chinatown at the municipal parking lots because it's a shorter walk back to your car.

For more information about Duc's Bistro, visit ducsbistro.com. 

1188 Maunakea St
Honolulu, HI 96817
(808) 531-6325

Escargots à la Chablisienne

Lamb Chops w/ Red Wine Demi-Glace

Breast of Duck Saigon w/ Nuoc Mam

Sautéed Long Beans

Coconut Tapioca

 

The Daley

The Daley is known for their smash burgers. They have a very simple menu, its burger, fries, soda, and beer. They offer the beyond meat option for those who have dietary restrictions. I recommend the "Daley Burger." It has a single patty but if you want a 2nd patty, you can "double down." I also recommend getting their crinkle-cut fries; they're golden brown and crispy. It tasted like they were twice fried which is the best.

They are located in Chinatown next to Fete at the corner of Hotel Street and Nuuanu Ave. They are open daily from 11am-8pm. I suggest going for an early lunch or eating in the afternoon to avoid the downtown lunch rush. The burgers normally take about 20 minutes so plan ahead and use online ordering. If you go on a Sunday, you'll be able to take advantage of the free street parking on Nuuanu Ave. If you go on a weekday or Saturday, it is best to park in one of the municipal parking lots and walk over. They have a few tables for dine in and you can also sit at the counter.

For more information about The Daley or to order online, visit thedaleyburger.com. 

1110 Nuuanu Ave
Honolulu, HI 96817 

Daley Burger

Fries

 

Domo Cafe

Domo Cafe offers sushi rolls, bentos, and poke bowls at a reasonable price. My favorites are the California roll and the garlic sushi set which comes with 4 types of protein: ebi, hamachi, ahi, and salmon. Their items are made after you order so it does not sit in a fridge and the rice does not get hard. I enjoy ordering take out from here because they're quick. I usually do a phone order 30 minutes in advance so my food will be ready when I arrive. I avoid ordering during the peak hours for lunch and dinner because the wait can be much longer.

They have 1 location in Kahala and another location in Chinatown. The Kahala location is near the UPS store under the freeway and they have parking. The Chinatown location doesn't have free parking but it's great if you work in the downtown area, it's a short walk.

For more information about Domo Cafe, visit domocafehawaii.com.  

4346 Waialae Ave
Honolulu, HI 96816
(808) 888-8860

1016 Maunakea St
Honolulu, HI 96817
(808) 587-8338

Fresh Salmon Roll

Dragon Roll

California Roll

Garlic Sushi Set

 

Brick Fire Tavern

Brick Fire Tavern is known for their Neapolitan style pizza and brick oven. The pizza crust is thin and the edges blister giving it a nice crunch. For lunch you can get a mini pizza and side salad for under $15. During happy hour, the mini pizzas are about $8. My favorites are the funghi pizza and Sal's carbonara. The pizzas are really good but the service is slow. Sometimes they get really busy and they tend to forget you but just be patient and wave them over when you need something. I recommend coming for the lunch special or happy hour because the pizzas are pricey.

It is best to walk here or get dropped off since there aren't too many parking options. Nuuanu Ave or Bethel Street are the closest for street parking but getting a space is tough. The nearest parking lot is inside the Chinatown Gateway Plaza on Bethel Street.

For more information about Brick Fire Tavern, visit brickfiretavern.com.

Relocated to:
3447 Waialae Ave
Honolulu, HI 96816
(808) 379-2430

Prosciutto e Pineapple

The Pig & The Fig

Sal's Carbonara

Prosciutto e Rucola

Pistachio Cheesecake

Rangoon Burmese Kitchen

Rangoon Burmese Kitchen is located in downtown Honolulu in the former space of Restaurant Epic. The food here is a mix of Thai and Indian so you get a lot of nice smells from the spices used in each dish. The taste of the food was good and it reminded me more of Thai food because I ordered items that were stir fried. The prices are reasonable and they give a decent portion. The service was a bit slow; they only had 2 waiters and it was tough trying to get their attention. It's best to avoid the peak lunch and dinner hours because it gets busy and the kitchen gets backed up.

I recommend coming with a group of 4-6 people so you can order a bunch of dishes to share and making reservations in advance. The restaurant interior is open and spacious but the noise can get loud if it's crowded. For parking, there is metered street parking on Nuuane Ave. The closet parking lots would be Mark's Garage or one of the Chinatown Municipal Parking Lots.

For more information about Rangoon Burmese Kitchen, visit rangoon-burmese-kitchen.business.site.

1131 Nuuanu Ave
Honolulu, HI 96817
(808) 367-0645

Mashed Potato Salad

Basil Lamb

Garlic Noodles w/ Tofu