Best Restaurants, Must Try Places in Oahu

"Waikiki Beach’s legendary gathering place honoring Hawaii’s great ocean sportsman, Duke Kahanamoku. You'll find beach boys and guests alike with local-style comfort food, Hula Pie, and spectacular sunsets with Diamond Head in view."

"Coco Puffs, a Hawaiʻi classic, only come from Liliha Bakery. Each one is made of three parts: choux pastry, chocolate pudding, and chantilly (which in Hawaiʻi often refers to a frosting made from whipped butter, egg yolks, and sugar, as opposed to whipped cream). Liliha Bakery also happens to double as a legendary diner, serving excellent crisp waffles and butter rolls (ask for yours split and grilled)."

"Address: (3 locations) 580 N Nimitz Hwy, HonoluluHours: 6:30AM-10PM, DailyPrice Range: $$MenuRecommendations: The Waffard, Loco Moco with Fried Rice, Oxtail Soup, Coco Puffs, Poi Mochi Donuts, or Malasadas."

"For a truly outstanding dining experience, from the food and wine to the service and intimate setting, Chef Mavro in Honolulu is the restaurant you and your significant other won't soon forget. The Hawaiian-French fusion restaurant is helmed by owner and chef George Mavrothalassitis who masterfully combines fresh, local ingredients into inventive dishes. Favorites include onaga, a long tail snapper baked in a salt crust with a tomato-ogo-fines herbes sauce, and the house-made lilikoi malasadas with guava coulis for dessert."

"The most honored restaurant in Hawaii, holder of the coveted AAA Five Star and Gayot Three Toques 18/20 rating, Chef Mavro is located at 1969 S. King Street, just a short drive from most Waikiki hotels. Chef George Mavrothalassitis, the holder of the prestigious James Beard award and a founding member of Hawaii Regional Cuisine, specializes in the unique flavors of Hawaii influenced by Chef’s native Provence in France."

"Top rated Chef Mavro is a small, intimate restaurant in Honolulu that features creative and innovative regional cuisine. A popular restaurant for couples, they offer food & wine pairings, as well as prix fixe menus with three, four, and six courses. The chef is known to come out and visit tables on special occasions and they definitely care about service and presentation at Chef Mavro!"

"This hole in the wall place is known for freshly roasted rotisserie chicken. We tried two sandwiches- number 4 and number 5 and enjoyed both!"

"Maybe it's because I'm not a huge fan of rotisserie chickens, or because people hyped this place up for me a lot, but I wasn't blown away ..."

"Cumin lamb, dan dan noodles, mapo tofu: With a chef from Sichuan Province, Legend Seafood Restaurant’s new sister eatery at Chinese Cultural Plaza is getting good buzz among Chinese food aficionados."

"You’d be hard pressed to find food made with such impeccable technique, at any price point on Oahu, as at Senia. It’s extremely accessible when you dine in the main dining room, offering a moderately-priced a la carte menu, where humble ingredients like cabbage are elevated to luxury status and bone marrow is served with beef cheek marmalade and tiny house-made Hawaiian rolls. But if you want to see the craftsmanship chefs Chris Kajioka and Anthony Rush are truly capable of, make a reservation for the chefs’ counter, facing the immaculate open kitchen, at $185 per person."

"The beautiful food presentation on your plate at Senia reflects the intricate tastes you’ll experience on your palate. You’ll want to go all out here, meaning don’t come here with a budget in mind. Instead, order the chef’s tasting menu with no regrets, so you can truly get an idea of what a well-crafted meal means here."

"Robyn Buntin of Honolulu Gallery is proud to be one of Hawaii’s premier art galleries and dealers. They specialize in Pacific and Asian antiques and artwork. Founders Robyn and Judy Buntin opened their gallery 35 years ago following a four-year stay in Japan, where Robyn acquired a number of J..."

"Perfect for art connoisseurs or just fans of pretty things, the Haleiwa Art Gallery has been serving Oahu for years, offering beautiful and unique works of art to view or to purchase. Featuring everything from glass sculptures to painting to photographs and even textiles, this gallery displays practically any media you can think of!"

"Over in Waikiki, check out Burger & Sushi, which has earned 4.5 stars out of 273 reviews on Yelp. Dig in at the sushi bar, Japanese and traditional American spot by heading over to 444 Niu St. On this unique menu, expect to find calamari and chips, as well as bacon cheeseburgers, breaded shrimp and fries."

"HonoluluA hidden gem located in the Ohana Hale Marketplace, @Sushi has excellent Chirashi, or pieces of sashimi over a bed of vinegar rice. Impeccably presented with a collection of fresh sliced sashimi set atop a bowl of carefully prepared sushi rice, the beauty of this bowl is that it feels fancy without the gourmet price tag.Cost: $15.00; available for takeout only"

"A short walk downhill from the UH Campus Center, the John Young Museum of Art features 20th-century Hawaii painter John Young’s collection of artifacts from the Pacific islands, Africa, Asia and Mesoamerica, mostly ceramics, pottery and sculpture. The museum has a lovely outdoor courtyard and hosts excellent special exhibitions – often with Hawaii themes."

"4 km from city center 51 out of 58 places to visit in Honolulu. John Young Museum of Art is an exemplary museum for exploring Asian, African, and Mesoamerican artworks. It is located in Krauss Hall of the University of Hawaii and features the art work of John Chin Young who was a famous Chinese sculpture."

"Located at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, this museum features an outstanding collection that includes ceramic sculptures, wood carvings and bronze pieces dating back to ancient times."

"The Doris Duke Theatre exposes a mind-bending array of art – house films, retro classics, and groundbreaking documentaries inside the Honolulu Museum of Art. The Doris Duke Theatre is located at the rear end of the museum documentary, independent and international films are screened. It also hosts lectures, concerts, performances by visiting and local performers."