Wu Wei Chong Qing Cuisine

Wu Wei Chong Qing Cuisine is known for their Chinese spicy noodle soup but you can get it non-spicy. There is very little interaction with the staff after being seated at the table. You order by scanning a QR code. The online menu has photos of each item and you can customize it to your liking. For my spice level, I select "clear broth" which is no chili or spicy. The clear broth still has flavor and I think it's made with pork bones. My favorite is the shredded pork pickle noodles because it's savory and has a hint of sour from the pickled cabbage and the beef noodles because the strong beef flavor in the broth. The garlic cucumbers and braised duck were too spicy for me and there's no way to adjust the spice level for those so I suggested getting a drink to help manage the heat. Their prices are reasonable for the pork and beef noodles, it's about $15 - $17 and its portioned for 1 person.

The restaurant is small and the wait time for a table during dinner could be anywhere from 5 minutes to 20 minutes. This isn't a place where people would hang out, you eat and you leave so the wait time is reasonable. They don't have space to accommodate groups of 5 or more because all the tables are set for 2 or 4. For parking, it's metered street parking on S. King Street.

For more information about Wu Wei Chong Qing Cuisine and to browse their menu, visit www.fetail.com/storev2/shop?store_id=212.

1738 S King St #101
Honolulu, HI 96826
(808) 741-2297

Shredded Pork Pickle Noodles

Beef Noodles

Twice Cooked Pork Dry Noodles

Garlic Cucumbers

5 Spiced Braised Duck

 

Honolulu Seafood Restaurant

Honolulu Seafood Restaurant is Chinese restaurant in downtown Honolulu. From 9:30am - 3:00pm they serve dim sum. Their menus include pictures and you mark off what you want to eat on a sheet of paper. This makes ordering easy. The staff can understand English but they speak Cantonese and some also speak Mandarin. You can also order stir fry dishes but you have to put that in with the waiter. I went during the peak lunch hours and the food came out quick. From 5pm - 10pm, they serve dinner and there's no dim sum.

Their interior space is well lit and there is ample space between the tables so you don't hit anyone's chairs when you try to sit down or leave. The quality of the food and the taste is very good. Their prices are a bit high though. If you work in the downtown area, this is a great place to come with co-workers or friends for lunch. Like all Chinese restaurants, it's best to go with a group so you can order a bunch of items and do family style dining. If you have more than 6 people, I suggest making a reservation on the day of or calling in advanced just so you can get seated right away. If you don't have time to dine in, you can order take out. For parking, Alii Place garage is the most reasonably priced and it's right next to the restaurant.

1055 Alakea St
Honolulu, HI 96813
(808) 538-8788

Seafood Bean Curd Roll

Look Funn w/ Beef

Pork Hash w/ Seafood (Sui Mai)

Shrimp Dumplings (Har Gow)

Taro Puffs

Pan Fried Look Funn

Baked BBQ Pork Buns

House Special Chow Mein

Tanto Gyoza and Ramen Bar

Tanto Gyoza and Ramen Bar has the best gyoza. Their gyoza are small but it's crispy on the outside and filled with pork and vegetables. They also have a special dipping sauces that go with it. For their ramen, I enjoyed the Tanto shoyu ramen since the broth had bolder flavor compared to the Tanto goma ramen. Their space is small but they have seating inside and outdoors. The staff is attentive and the food comes out quick. Their ramen is priced between $13 - $18. If you're not interested in ramen, they have rice bowls and a large selection of appetizers. 

They are located at Puck Alleys on the ground level inside the parking lot. It's across from the back entrance from Nijiya Market. They get busy during the peak dinner hour; 6pm - 7pm, so I recommend making reservations at least 1 day in advanced. The parking is Pucks Alley is free for the 1st hour, no validation is needed. 

For more information about Tanto Gyoza and Ramen Bar, visit tanto-hawaii.com. 

1035 University Ave., Ste 105
Honolulu, HI 96826
(808) 942-1000

Tanto Gyoza

Salmon Yuzu Carpaccio

Tanto Goma Ramen

Tanto Shoyu Ramen

Ramen Akatsuki - CLOSED

Ramen Akatsuki makes their own noodles daily at 11AM. Their broths are clear and very rich in flavor. I recommend the shio ramen. The shio ramen is great on its own and no lime juice or any of the other condiments (garlic, ramen pepper, vinegar) are needed. The shoyu ramen is also good but I added some garlic to that one and I liked it even more. The ramen comes in 2 sizes (regular and large) and I thought the regular portion was perfect. Since they're in Waikiki, the prices are a bit high. It's a few dollars more than what you pay for ramen outside of Waikiki. The service is excellent and the food comes out in 10-15 minutes. 

They are location inside STIX ASIA, formerly Waikiki Yokocho. You take the escalators down from Kalakaua Ave and walk to the back corner of Noodle Street. The shop is small but they have a nice seating area. I just do a walk in, no reservation, and so does everyone else who eats here. They are open for lunch and dinner. If you have more than 4 people in your group, you might need to wait for a table during peak lunch and dinner times. They accept cash and credit card. If you're a kama'aina, show the staff your ID for a discount.

STIX ASIA
2250 Kalākaua Ave., Lower Level 100-1
Honolulu, HI 96815
(808) 888-0011

Shio Ramen

Shoyu Ramen

Gyoza

Onoya Ramen

Onoya Ramen is located in Kapahulu. They are known for their tonkotsu ramen but they have other items on the menu like chicken karaage, katsu, takoyaki, and curry rice. My favorites are the shio ramen and the tonkotsu ramen. The shio is a light chicken broth and it's great for those rainy days. The tonkotsu is good if you like flavorful broths. It's rich but it goes well with the noodles and the charsiu. The ramen is priced between $15 to $18 which is reasonable. If you're just ordering ramen, your food will come out fast. This is one place where you can be in and out in 1 hour or less.

They accept reservations but I always just walk in because the wait is short. I recommend using Yelp to join the wait list before you start heading to the restaurant. Their parking lot is small and shared with Papa John's and the laundromat. Once the parking lot fills up, you have to look for street parking in the residential areas or park in the paid lot on Kapahulu Ave. next to Side Street Inn On Da Strip.

For more information about Onoya Ramen, visit onoyaramen.com. 

611 Kapahulu Ave
Honolulu, HI 96815
(808) 425-4415

Assari Ramen

Shio Ramen

Shoyu Ramen

Tonkotsu Classic Ramen

Papa Kurt's - CLOSED

Papa Kurts has delicious local favorites like saimin and burgers. These foods bring back the memories of growing up on the islands. They are open for lunch and it is takeout only. I suggest ordering online 1-2 days in advance because some items will sell out. It is easier to customize your order online instead of over the phone; just check off the boxes for your add-ons. My favorites were the burger and fries and I would go back again to try different add-ons to both. 

They were located in the former space of Agu Ramen across from Old Stadium Park. There are a few parking spaces in the front and more parking spaces in the back of building. As of 2022, they relocated to 808 Center near Ala Moana.

For more information about Papa Kurt's, visit https://www.papakurts.com.

808 Sheridan St., Suite #110B,
Honolulu, HI 96814
(808) 348-4613

Saimin w/ wontons

Cheese Burger, Fries

King of Thai Boat Noodles

King of Thai Boat Noodles reminded me of the Thai food I ate when I live in San Francisco. My favorites were the roasted duck noodle soup, pad Thai and sticky rice with mango. They put a generous amount of sauce over the sticky rice so there was flavor till the very last bite. Their prices were reasonable and the portion size are good.

They are located at Samsung Plaza and are open for lunch and dinner. They reopened for dine in but you can still order takeout by phone or in person. Parking is available inside the Samsung Plaza, just check in with the attendant when you enter.

For more information about King of Thai Boat Noodles, visit kingofthaiboatnoodles.com.

661 Keeaumoku St., Ste 103
Honolulu, HI 96814
(808) 949-3800

Roasted Duck Noodle Soup

Seafood Noodle Soup

Pad Thai

Sticky Rice w/ Mango

Broken Rice

Broken Rice is open for takeout! All the items on their regular menu are available for takeout. I recommend the shaking beef rice plate. The pho is also very good. I was surprised the spring rolls were still crispy when I arrived home since all the takeout fried food I've ordered in the last few months ended up soggy.

They are located in Kaimuki between The Surfing Pig and Noods Ramen Bar. You can do a phone order and pull your car up on Waialae Ave. in front of the restaurant for payment and pickup. I've paid with cash and let them keep my change to keep contact to a minimum. 

For more information about Broken Rice, visit brokenricehi.com.

3607 Waialae Ave

Honolulu, HI 96816

(808) 739-0230

Shaking Beef Rice Plate

Spring Rolls

Combination Beef Pho

TsuruTonTan Udon Noodle Brasserie

TsuruTonTan serves their homemade udon in giant bowl. Along with the giant bowl, you get a giant metal spoon. They are open for lunch, dinner and they also have a good selection of items during their happy hour. The prices are expensive if you compare it to Marukame Udon but you get more food and the service is great. Some items I recommend are the spicy tuna tartare cones, seared salmon sashimi, beef udon and sizzling sukiyaki udon. Their broths are lighter in flavor and you have the option to do a noodle upgrade for free. They offer a kamaaina discount so show your state ID to the server before you order.

They are located inside the Royal Hawaiian Center on the 3rd level across from Tim Ho Wan. If you're coming with more than 2 people, you should make a reservation. They do get busy during the peak lunch and dinner hours. You can get a 1-hour parking validation if you park inside the Royal Hawaiian Center garage. After your first hour, I believe parking is $2 per hour.

For more information about TsuruTonTan, visit www.tsurutontan.com.

Royal Hawaiian Center
2233 Kalakaua Ave, Level 3
Honolulu, HI 96815
(808) 888-8559

Spicy Tuna Tartare Cone

Seared Salmon Sashimi

Seared US Wagyu Sushi

Shrimp Dumplings

Beef Udon

Duck Udon

Sukiyaki Udon

Sizzling Sukiyaki Udon

Junpuu

Junpuu is known for their ramen. They open daily for lunch and dinner. The inside of the restaurant is small but their service the excellent. The staff come by frequently to make sure your water cups are filled and you're happy with your food. I enjoyed the garlic Tokyo tonkotsu ramen and the fresh potato chips with Himalayan sea salt. The ramen ranges from $10 to $12 a bowl and you also have the option of adding on extras like an ajitama egg.

They are located at the corner of S. King and Victoria Street on the ground floor of the Medical Arts Building. They don't accept reservations and the wait time is around 30 minutes if you come at the usually lunch or dinner times. I don't recommend coming with more than 4 people because of how the tables are set up. There is parking in the building and they will validate. The building parking is free after 5pm. An alternate parking option is street parking on Victoria or Young Street.


1010 S King St.
Ste 108
Honolulu, HI 96814
(808) 260-1901

Homemade Potato Chips

Gyoza

Miso Ramen w/ Ajitama Egg

Garlic Tokyo Tonkotsu Ramen w/ Ajitama Egg

Spicy Pavilion - CLOSED

If you like Chinese food and you can handle heat, this place is for you. More than half of their menu consisted of dishes that were spicy. If you can't eat spicy, there are still items you can try. I enjoyed the Guilin rice noodle and pan fried Jiangxi noodle. The beef broth for the Guilin rice noodle had good flavor and per the waitress, there is no msg in it. The waitress for my table spoke mandarin and some English but the cashier spoke fluent English so don't be afraid to come in here if you don't speak their language. The menu also has a lot of photos and each dish has a short description below it.

I came on a weekend around 12:30pm for lunch and it was quiet. No reservations are needed unless you have a group of 8 of more. The tables are set up to seat 4 people. They are open for lunch and dinner. The restaurant is inside Cultural Plaza and it's by the river where the bridge is. They will validate if park in either of the parking lots (N. Kukui Street entrance or Maunakea Street entrance). I think the Maunakea Street parking lot is cheaper if you plan to be in the area for more than 1 hour.

Chinatown Cultural Plaza
100 N Beretania St, Ste 113
Honolulu, HI 96817
(808) 888-8306

Beef Rolled in Chinese Pancake

Pan Fried Jiangxi Noodle

Guilin Rice Noodle

Sichuan Spicy Ground Pork Noodle

Cafe Lani Hawaii - CLOSED

If you enjoy freshly baked bread, Cafe Lani is for you. They offer all you can eat bread with their salads, pasta, rice dishes, and special sets. The restaurant is in Ala Moana Center next to Longs Drugs. They don't take reservation and the wait time can be anywhere from 15 minutes - 45 minutes depending on the time you go. If you don't want to wait for a table, the best time to go is between 2pm-3pm because the lunch crowd is done and it's too early for dinner.

The inside the of the restaurant is well designed and brightly light. If you're dining with 2 the table is a bit small. They have 4 tables in the front that can accommodate large groups. The staff are knowledgeable and they recommended some good items to order. When the restaurant gets busy, the staff forgets to come around to refill water and give more bread. If you are in the mall, I recommend trying this place. If the wait is long, just put your name in first and go window shopping in the Ewa wing.

For more information about Cafe Lani Hawaii, visit cafelanihawaii.com.

Ala Moana Center, Mall Level 2
1450 Ala Moana Blvd
Honolulu, HI 96814
(808) 955-5599

Assorted Breads

Assorted Breads

 French Fries w/ Sweet Chili Sour Cream

Vongole Bianco Soup Style

Shrimp Doria w/ Clams and Edamame

Fedelini Amatriciana

 Fedelini w/ Porcini Cream Sauce