Chinese immigrants introduced stir-fries and dim sum, while Japanese arrivals brought sushi and tempura. Koreans contributed kimchi and barbecue techniques, and Filipinos brought adobo and lumpia. European and American settlers added beef, potatoes, wheat flour, and fun new desserts. Over time, these influences merged with local ingredients and Hawaiian traditions, resulting in a vibrant, multicultural cuisine that is distinctly Hawaiian. A cuisine that continues to evolve while honoring its roots.

Are you looking for a place to stay in Oahu? I stayed at the Hilton Grand Vacation Club Hokulani Waikiki Honolulu, and I loved it.

Here are my five top picks of the best local places to eat in Oahu, Waikiki, and experience the diversity of Hawaiian cuisine.

Bogart’s Café

You might miss it because Bogart’s Café is tucked away at the end of a local strip mall. It offers a small, fenced-in patio with half a dozen tables shaded by a large tamarind tree. Sitting on the patio, you can enjoy fantastic views of the mountains. The counter-service restaurant is open for breakfast and lunch from 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

The menu’s first page features all the “Local Favorites,” including the acai bowl. Although acai is reminiscent of ice cream—they are both frozen treats—acai is nutritionally superior, with more nutrients, antioxidants, healthy fats, and dietary fiber versus the sugar and fat in ice cream.

At Bogart’s Café, the acai bowl is topped with sliced strawberries, blueberries, and bananas. It is presented in a cute bowl with the words “Bogart’s Café and More” ringing the rim.

The Kahlúa Pork tacos boast a flour tortilla crisped on the grill, topped with Kahlúa pork, a slightly sweet creamy slaw, tomatillo avocado salsa, and pickled red onions. A single ring of Fresno chili and cilantro rounds out the dish. The only downside is that the salsa makes them a bit wet so they can be messy, but the flavor is good.

They are also famous for their fried rice. They offer several versions, including Garlic Shrimp Fried Rice. It is Hawaiian-style garlic shrimp, fresh spinach, and scrambled eggs. The portions are large, and I saw several family members sharing a single bowl.

They also have a variety of breakfast plates that include everything from mango pancakes to loco moco.

Piper’s Pro Planning: Bogart’s Café serves breakfast, brunch, and lunch.

Heavenly Island Lifestyle

We visited Heavenly Island Lifestyle for breakfast. Three of us ordered the Guacamole Avocado Toast. The organic hummus was sandwiched between toasted multigrain bread. Then, it was topped with homemade guacamole, feta cheese, avocado, and pickled red onion. What made this different was the hummus spread between the toast, making it a heartier dish than typical avocado toast. They typically served it with lentil bean soup, made with homemade chicken broth. Since this was our breakfast and we didn’t feel like soup, they happily switched the soup for fresh fruit.

My husband ordered the Manoa Honey French Toast, topped with Hawaiian fruit—banana, pineapple, and papaya. The basis is locally made sweet bread soaked in egg custard and then grilled to a golden brown. Then they add organic vanilla to whipped cream for a slightly sweet and creamy contrast and top it off with a snowy sprinkle of powdered sugar. Other topping options include chocolate banana, or fresh berries and banana.

My favorite lunch is the deep-fried Garlic Shrimp Plate. It includes seven shrimp sautéed in garlic butter served with furikake, jasmine rice topped with mixed greens, and fresh papaya.

Live purple and white orchids decorate each plate for a festive Hawaiian flair.

Piper’s Pro Planning: If you try to book a breakfast reservation on Open Table before 11:30 a.m., you won’t find any availability. I was concerned that we might have to wait for over an hour, as we wanted breakfast at about 10:00, and Open Table’s first reservation was at 11:30. When we arrived, they seated us immediately. As it turns out, they don’t accept reservations for breakfast. My worries were unfounded, but they do get busy for breakfast.

Duke’s Waikiki

I frequently ask local Uber drivers, wait staff, and bellhops where they like to eat. I question them about where they eat when they go out and why that’s their favorite place. In Honolulu, the answer that kept coming up was Duke’s Waikiki. When I asked why, the answer was most often the breakfast buffet. So, we decided to give it a try. It didn’t disappoint. The next time we wanted to go out to breakfast, the family’s resounding request was Duke’s for a repeat performance.

The only breakfast option is the buffet. They suggest their upstairs sister restaurant, Hula Grill, if you prefer à la carte options.

Their buffet included four distinct sections – tropical fruits, breads and pastries, and two long hot tables. I kept returning for more than my fair share of the Portuguese sausage, sliced into rounds and lightly browned. The mini-carrot muffins were another favorite bite.

I won’t list all the buffet items, but there were many choices, including Asian options like white rice and fried rice, and all-American favorites like pancakes and bacon.

In addition to the self-serve options, you can order a made-to-order omelet from your wait staff, and your server will bring it to your table. Servers also appear with coffee, tea, and soda options that are included in the price of your meal.

Arguably, the best part of Duke’s Waikiki is the inviting atmosphere with its view of Waikiki Beach. The dining room features an open-air side, the perfect spot to look at the ocean while drinking your morning coffee.

Piper’s Pro Planning: Consider making reservations. While they were busy, our wait for five was only a few minutes both times, but they did ask if we had reservations.

Monkeypod Kitchen, One of the Best Places to Eat in Oahu, Waikiki

Monkeypod Kitchen features live music, making it the perfect place to enjoy a night out on the town while experiencing Honolulu’s dining scene. This is a top pick with the locals.

I started my meal with the Cast Iron Shrimp, wild caught, sautéed in white wine sauce, roasted cherry tomatoes, flavored with cumin, and topped with a thin piece of cornbread. My entrée was the fish tacos, with blackened fish. The serving portion featured three tacos.

My daughter had Saimin, featuring locally made sun noodles with roasted chicken broth, all-natural pork, broccoli, bean sprouts, red onion, peanuts, cilantro, and mint. The portion size was large enough for leftovers for lunch the next day.

Monkeypod Kitchen is famous for its cream pie, and I ordered my favorite: coconut cream. My mom was well-known for her coconut cream pie, and this one was almost as good. But what can I say? Mom’s won out. The key difference was that she piled hers high with toasted coconut on meringue, while the pastry chef at Monkeypod Kitchen used thick vanilla bean whipped cream. Both are delicious.

Piper’s Pro Planning: I highly recommend reservations to avoid a wait. You can make them on Open Table’s website. We avoided a wait, as they had open seating at the bar.

Visit their website and note the address: 2169 Kalia Road, Unit #111. The restaurant is located inside a building with numerous shops, which can make it hard to find. Initially, our Uber took us to the wrong address; however, the staff could guide us directly to the restaurant once we arrived at the correct location.

Read More: Best Places to Eat in Buena Park, California

Leonard’s Bakery

Leonard DoRego’s grandparents came to Maui from San Miguel Island, Portugal, with a contract to work in the sugar cane fields. Leonard and his family moved to Honolulu in 1946, where he worked for several years at Snowflake Bakery. He opened Leonard’s Bakery in 1952, which continues to flourish today.

A malasada is a Portuguese doughnut without a hole. They fry balls of dough until golden brown on the outside and light and fluffy on the inside. They started making malasadas as part of the Portuguese tradition for Shrove Tuesday in 1953. Now, they make them all day, every day. I had one in the middle of the afternoon, and it was fresh and warm from the fryer. I ordered the cinnamon and sugar, but they have other coatings and options for several fillings.

Piper’s Pro Planning: Leonard’s Bakery is busy. I suggest ordering online or via phone at least one hour before pickup to make pickup quicker. Once you arrive to pick up your order, you don’t need to wait in line; go directly to the cashier.

Bonus – Piper’s Pro Planning: The Yard House

While I typically don’t mention national chains in my restaurant roundups, I do here because of The Yard House’s Happy Hour Specials. As a family of five on this week-long trip to Oahu, the food bills were getting a bit high—read astronomical. I was looking for something for a late lunch or early dinner that was lower priced than our other meals. My answer was Happy Hour at The Yard House. Served from 2:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., all pizzas and some appetizers are 50 percent off, which makes them better than reasonable prices. The chicken tenders and burger sliders came with fries, making for a complete meal. The pizzas were big enough for two, so we had a late lunch, early dinner for around $50 plus tax and tip.

Want to reference this on your next trip to Hawaii? Pin it for later.