There are many popular cheap eat spots in Hawaii, but trends change quickly with new shops opening and others closing down!
As a world-famous tourist city, information is easily accessible via guidebooks and online reviews. However, conversely, information is so abundant that it is difficult to distinguish what is correct or truly good value.
In reality, advertising often takes precedence in Hawaii for business reasons, so sometimes restaurants that aren’t actually very good get featured across various media.
Therefore, I would like to introduce the Top 25 truly recommended cheap eats and local comfort foods in Hawaii, carefully selected by a resident tour guide.
These are all foolproof gourmet spots, so please use this as a reference when you are wondering what to eat!
- Top 25 Popular Cheap Eats in Hawaii [Breakfast]
- Top 25 Popular Cheap Eats in Hawaii [Lunch]
- [Ahi Poke No.1] Off the Hook Poke Market
- [Mochiko Chicken No.1] Ethel’s Grill
- [Garlic Shrimp No.1] Giovanni’s
- [Barbecue No.1] Fuli Fuli Chicken Ray’s
- [Hamburger No.1] Teddy’s Bigger Burger
- [Dim Sum No.1] Legend Seafood Restaurant
- [Cold Noodle No.1] Yuchun Korean Restaurant
- [Hot Dog No.1] The Butcher & Bird
- [Pie No.1] Ted’s Bakery
- Top 25 Popular Cheap Eats in Hawaii [Dinner]
Top 25 Popular Cheap Eats in Hawaii [Breakfast]
First, let’s introduce popular B-grade gourmet spots for breakfast.
When it comes to breakfast in Hawaii, dining in for pancakes, Eggs Benedict, and acai bowls is famous, but there are also many convenient takeout options available!
[Malasada No.1] Leonard’s
Leonard’s is Hawaii’s most popular malasada shop, with a line no matter when you visit.
Malasadas are a soft sweet treat originating from Portugal, consisting of a fluffy donut coated in sugar.
Leonard’s is a long-established malasada shop founded in 1952, and the brand has become synonymous with malasadas.
The prices are reasonable and the taste is superb, so it is always bustling with many people!
The reason for its popularity is that they fry them in the kitchen after receiving your order, so they are always piping hot and fresh.
It is a soul food you absolutely must try when coming to Hawaii, so please be sure to visit.
[Acai Bowl No.1] Bogart’s Cafe
Bogart’s Cafe is a famous acai bowl shop popular with celebrities and frequently talked about.
Every item on the menu is cheap, delicious, and voluminous, making it a shop with many fans among locals!
There is a stylish interior and terrace seating, so you can enjoy your meal while feeling the Hawaiian breeze.
It is highly recommended for casual enjoyment from breakfast to lunch time.
Although there are locations internationally, the Bogart’s Cafe in Hawaii offers a completely different experience, so please be sure to visit.
[Eggs Benedict No.1] Hau Tree
Hau Tree is a long-established restaurant where you can eat Hawaii’s No.1 Eggs Benedict.
Since seating is limited and it is visited by very many people due to its popularity, reservations are essential.
The restaurant is named after the nearly 200-year-old Hau tree that sits right inside the establishment.
You can enjoy a meal in the best atmosphere under the cool shade of the tree, looking out at the beach spreading before your eyes.
Also, the Kaimana Beach right in front is a spot where endangered Hawaiian monk seals often raise their pups, so if you are lucky, you might see such a scene!
[Pancake No.1] Boots and Kimo’s
Boots and Kimo’s offers macadamia nut pancakes that you absolutely must try at least once when coming to Hawaii.
It is hugely popular with locals for its pancakes covered in original special sauce and fluffy, exquisite omelets!
While many pancake shops originating in Hawaii have expanded overseas, Boots and Kimo’s has not.
Since there is always a line, if you want to eat inside, going right when they open is the trick to eating without waiting.
Even on weekdays, wait times can be around an hour, so takeout is recommended as you can buy it in about 15 to 20 minutes no matter how crowded it is!
It is undoubtedly one of the top 3 most popular pancakes in Hawaii, so please try it at least once.
→See more about Boots and Kimo’s
[Pineapple No.1] Frankie’s Nursery
Frankie’s Nursery is a farm popular for its Honey Cream Pineapple, reputed to be the sweetest in the world.
It is quietly located at the foot of the Koolau Mountains on the outskirts of Waimanalo, where lush green and peaceful scenery continues!
It is a wonderful farm where you can enjoy both a Hawaiian atmosphere and exquisite fresh fruit.
There are many fruits you may have never seen before, and while not all of them may be delicious to everyone’s taste, it will certainly be a good life experience!
Please enjoy a variety of fruits while feeling the nature of Hawaii.
→See more about Frankie’s Nursery
[Waffle No.1] Waioli Kitchen & Bake Shop
Waioli Kitchen & Bake Shop is a stylish hidden gem cafe restaurant located in Manoa.
It was originally the Waioli Tea Room, a shop loved by locals from 1922 to 2014.
The building is designated as a historic structure by the State of Hawaii as a rare building over 100 years old.
Located quietly within a lush green forest, the air feels incredibly pleasant, making it very popular.
Especially for weekend brunch, it is always bustling with locals!
Please visit when you want to spend a relaxing time like a lazy holiday.
→See more about Waioli Kitchen & Bake Shop
[Smoothie No.1] Lanikai Juice
Lanikai Juice is a specialty shop for exquisite organic smoothies born in Hawaii.
Since its birth in Kailua Town in 1997, it has now opened stores in various areas of Hawaii!
Their authentic smoothies are truly delicious, using only non-fat yogurt focused on health, organic soy milk, local honey, and fresh fruits and vegetables grown in Hawaii, with a strict commitment to never using frozen ingredients.
While the tropical Hawaiian vibe is great, the healthy diet-friendly menu is a grateful presence in Hawaii where heavy meals are the norm.
It is the fresh smoothie spot I want to recommend most in Hawaii, so please stop by while sightseeing.
Top 25 Popular Cheap Eats in Hawaii [Lunch]
Next, we introduce shops recommended for lunch, which is a staple of cheap eats.
Since plate lunches are synonymous with cheap and delicious menus in Hawaii, this category offers the most choices!
[Ahi Poke No.1] Off the Hook Poke Market
Off the Hook Poke Market is the No.1 popular ahi poke specialty shop among locals in Hawaii.
It is popular for its fresh fish procured every morning and particular seasoning, attracting a constant stream of visitors!
Since one of the co-owners is Japanese, the seasoning suits Japanese tastes, creating a match between flavors that feel familiar and Hawaiian ingredients.
It is so popular that lines form even before opening, so it might be good to visit while sightseeing in Manoa.
By the way, it is located next to the green Starbucks which is famous as a tourist spot, so please try visiting them together.
→See more about Off the Hook Poke Market
[Mochiko Chicken No.1] Ethel’s Grill
Ethel’s Grill is a famous Mochiko Chicken shop that is also hugely popular with Hawaii locals.
This is a fried chicken dish using rice flour (mochiko) instead of wheat flour that you must eat at least once when you come to Hawaii!
Although not often listed in guidebooks, Mochiko Chicken came from Japan and underwent a unique evolution in Hawaii, becoming a standard local comfort food.
The shop is tucked away on a street in Kalihi with little foot traffic, but you can easily discover it because there is always a line of customers in front of this shop alone!
It is a popular shop, but you can often enter relatively without waiting if you aim for times like 10:00 AM or 1:00 PM.
[Garlic Shrimp No.1] Giovanni’s
Giovanni’s serves the most popular Garlic Shrimp among Hawaii’s cheap eats.
There is no other plate lunch that surpasses this exquisitely seasoned garlic shrimp.
Among the many shops, Giovanni’s seasoning is exceptional and you are sure to get addicted once you try it!
I am hooked on it enough to eat it about once a week.
Please strictly stop by at least once during your stay in Hawaii.
[Barbecue No.1] Fuli Fuli Chicken Ray’s
Ray’s Fuli Fuli Chicken is a hugely popular cheap eat in Haleiwa.
“Fuli Fuli” means “turn turn” in Hawaiian, and chicken that is grilled while rotating round and round is literally called “Fuli Fuli Chicken.”
Among the shops that handle Fuli Fuli Chicken, Ray’s (Formal name: Ray’s Kiawe Broiled Chicken) is the most popular.
It operates only on weekends and is only found in Haleiwa Town on the North Shore, giving it a rare feel that suits the local gourmet vibe!
It is such a popular shop that some people visit the North Shore just to eat Ray’s Fuli Fuli Chicken, so please try it when you visit Haleiwa Town on the weekend.
→See more about Fuli Fuli Chicken Ray’s
[Hamburger No.1] Teddy’s Bigger Burger
Teddy’s Bigger Burger is the most popular hamburger shop in Hawaii.
Originating in Hawaii, it is an overwhelmingly strong shop that has continued to win 1st place in local popularity polls for over 20 years!
It doesn’t feel like fast food like McDonald’s; instead, they make each burger one by one after receiving the order, similar to a fast-casual style.
No matter which menu item you order, the taste is guaranteed, and the volume has outstanding presence just like the shop’s name.
One of the features is that the range of customization is wide, so you can eat your own original hamburger!
There are shops in various places on Oahu, so please drop by freely.
→See more about Teddy’s Bigger Burger
[Dim Sum No.1] Legend Seafood Restaurant
Legend Seafood Restaurant is the most popular Dim Sum shop in Hawaii.
Dim Sum refers to eating snacks like dumplings and spring rolls while drinking Chinese tea.
Within Chinatown, the home of Dim Sum, the most recommended spot is Legend Seafood Restaurant.
It is a restaurant where you can eat your fill deliciously, cheaply, and by choosing only what you like freely.
Besides Chinese cuisine, there are many unique shops such as Southeast Asian cuisine, herbal medicine shops, and lei shops, so strolling around aimlessly is also recommended.
→See more about Legend Seafood Restaurant
[Cold Noodle No.1] Yuchun Korean Restaurant
Yuchun Korean Restaurant is a shop where you can enjoy Hawaii’s No.1 cold noodles and delicious Korean cuisine.
Their arrowroot cold noodles, famous for the ice-cold slushy soup, are the perfect menu item for Hawaii’s hot summers!
It is also introduced frequently in international media, so partly due to that influence, the shop is always popular with tourists.
Since it is a few minutes’ walk from Ala Moana Shopping Center, the ease of dropping by while shopping might also be a reason for its popularity!
There are many other delicious menu items such as seafood pancakes, exquisite galbi, and voluminous bulgogi, so please go with a large group and share while eating.
→See more about Yuchun Korean Restaurant
[Hot Dog No.1] The Butcher & Bird
The Butcher & Bird is a butcher shop where you can eat cheap gourmet food known to those in the know.
The exquisite hamburgers & hot dogs made by a chef-owner with experience working in famous restaurants, using fresh meat procured from Hawaiian ranches, are sure to be addictive!
It feels like getting fresh hot food directly from a high-quality meat shop.
A hot dog introduced on a popular TV show became a signature menu item of Butcher & Bird and gained popularity.
It is located inside a commercial facility called SALT in Kakaako where stylish shops gather, so it is easy to access and recommended!
→See more about The Butcher & Bird
[Pie No.1] Ted’s Bakery
Ted’s Bakery is a bakery famous for its Chocolate Haupia Pie.
Since it is located right near the famous Sunset Beach, it also has the alias Sunset Beach Store!
It is truly a taste of Hawaii built up on Oahu over three generations by Japanese-American owners.
It is served as dessert at festivals and used for decorations on wedding cakes.
Contrary to its appearance, the pie has a moderate sweetness and is popular as a standard sweet for Hawaii locals.
Top 25 Popular Cheap Eats in Hawaii [Dinner]
Finally, we introduce dinner spots with good cost performance that are close to B-grade gourmet prices.
We have carefully selected shops that are cheap, delicious, and voluminous, so they are full of value!
[Pizza No.1] California Pizza Kitchen
California Pizza Kitchen is a pizza chain loved not only in Hawaii but across the US.
It started in Beverly Hills, California in 1985 and is a super popular pizza place called CPK in America.
The biggest feature of California Pizza Kitchen is the handmade style where pizzas are baked to order in a pizza oven located in the open kitchen.
Even in Hawaii where prices are high, since it is a chain store with standardized pricing, you can enjoy freshly baked pizza reasonably even in the center of Waikiki!
They also develop original menus for each region, so the Hawaii-exclusive “Hawaiian” pizza is a must-check.
→See more about California Pizza Kitchen
[Baked Manju No.1] Dew Drop Inn
Dew Drop Inn is a hidden gem Chinese & Hong Kong cuisine restaurant in Hawaii that is cheap and delicious.
It used to be a hideaway spot, but its reputation spread through word of mouth, and now it is a popular shop where you often cannot enter without a reservation!
Since the menu includes photos, you won’t end up ordering unexpected dishes, but since there are over 100 types of items on the menu, I worry quite a bit about what to order every time.
The chef is from Taiwan and is a famous cook who has even served food to the President of Taiwan, so the taste of everything is outstanding!
Every item on the menu is a winner, so it is highly recommended for dinner in Hawaii.
[Curry No.1] Cafe Maharani
Cafe Maharani is an Indian restaurant where you can eat the most delicious curry in Hawaii.
It is a restaurant hugely popular with locals, with lines forming even before opening!
Since business hours are short starting from the evening and it fills up quickly, we recommend going early.
As an Indian restaurant, the menu other than curry is also extensive, and each has a unique seasoning not found in other shops.
Since every menu item you order is very delicious, ordering based on your preference is OK!
[Loco Moco No.1] Rainbow Drive Inn
Rainbow Drive Inn is a plate lunch shop hugely popular with Hawaii locals.
It is a long-established shop in business for over 50 years, featuring many standard menus typical of Hawaiian meals such as Loco Moco and BBQ chicken!
It is also famous as a favorite shop that former President Obama frequented during his time at Punahou School.
It is close to Waikiki and easy to access, and the business hours are very long, so you can visit freely.
Since every plate is cheap & voluminous, it is a recommended spot that is kind to your wallet!
→See more about Rainbow Drive Inn
[Steak No.1] Black Angus Steakhouse
Black Angus Steakhouse is a restaurant where you can eat authentic steak reasonably in Hawaii.
It is a famous steak chain from the US mainland, but in Hawaii, there is only one store in Pearl City.
The biggest feature is the good cost performance, where you can eat for about one-third the price compared to steak shops in Waikiki!
Therefore, it is hugely popular especially with locals, and if you go without a reservation, you are often made to wait more than an hour.
Although it is a bit far from Waikiki, it has the atmosphere of an American steakhouse that looks like it came out of a Western movie, so it is recommended to visit for sightseeing.
→See more about Black Angus Steakhouse
[Oxtail Soup No.1] Asahi Grill
Asahi Grill is a famous Oxtail Soup shop loved by Hawaii locals.
Originally founded as a cafe, the Oxtail Soup became a hot topic and they opened a restaurant.
With a folksy atmosphere and cheap, voluminous food, it is a hidden gem spot that feels more like a casual diner than a restaurant!
The famous Oxtail Soup served from such a somewhat nostalgic shop receives endless praise as being No.1 in Hawaii.
It is also a recommended shop for those whose stomachs are tired from sweet things or heavy meals!
[Soondubu No.1] So Gong Dong
So Gong Dong is a Korean restaurant reputed for serving the most delicious Soondubu in Hawaii.
They specialize in Soondubu, a spicy soft tofu stew.
It is a slightly spicy tofu soup simmered in an iron pot, which becomes strangely missed during the slightly cooler winter season!
There are plenty of other delicious menu items such as voluminous pancakes, bulgogi, and very popular iron plate galbi.
It is a casual shop with good cost performance, so please visit if you want to eat something warm.
[Pork Chop No.1] Side Street Inn
Side Street Inn is a restaurant hugely popular for its Hawaii-style volume and reasonable prices.
It is a shop that prides itself on the fact that all menu items are family size (super large).
It is famous among locals but is a hidden restaurant not well known to tourists.
Actually, it is so popular that it is constantly fully booked if you don’t make a reservation!
The taste is also outstandingly delicious, so it is very recommended for use by large groups or families.
→See more about Side Street Inn
[Lobster No.1] Fook Yuen
Fook Yuen is a popular Chinese restaurant where you can eat cheap and delicious lobster and carefully selected seafood.
Although it is not a seafood restaurant, they use seafood as a selling point within their Chinese cuisine!
It is located in a place called McCully Shopping Center, which is accessible on foot from Waikiki, and the business hours are long, so it is a useful restaurant for various situations.
Since you can enjoy authentic Chinese cuisine at bargain prices, it is popular with both locals and tourists, and the shop is bustling whenever you go!
You might think “Chinese food in Hawaii??”, but since Hawaii’s gourmet scene is centered on popular restaurants gathered from all over the world rather than just local specialties, you will enjoy a taste that convinces you once you go.