Cover Photo: Camille G. on Yelp / Ankita A. on Yelp / Adel W. on Yelp / Anissa D. on Yelp
Hawai'i Kai may be one of the largest and most popular residential communities on O'ahu, but it is also filled with a variety of great restaurants and eateries. From seafood to sugary treats, sandwiches, enchiladas, and local Hawaiian classics, Hawai'i Kai restaurants are able to deliver on all fronts. Likewise, a good portion of these restaurants are located either on or near the marina that runs through the center of Hawai'i Kai, meaning diners are able to savor a beautiful view while enjoying their meals.
Whether you are a Hawai'i Kai local or just visiting the neighborhood, you will not want to miss out on these great food spots. To aid you in finding your next dining spot, we have compiled a list of some of the top restaurants in Hawai'i Kai that you should try. Likewise, these restaurants offer a variety of experiences from dine-in-only to take-out and delivery offerings, so people of all lifestyles are able to take part in the food culture of Hawai'i Kai.
Kona Brewing Co.
One of the most well-known and popular restaurants in the Hawai'i Kai area is Kona Brewing Co., a pub and brewery known for dishes like fish tacos, Pele's Throne ahi salad, crab cakes, and amazing pizzas. They often have sports games playing on the televisions by the bar, so this is a popular spot for people to watch sports with their friends and family while eating or drinking beers. This restaurant is also positioned on the marina, which allows for ample breeze all day long.
As for hours of operation, Kona Brewing Co. is open Mondays to Saturdays from 11 AM to 9 PM and Sundays from 2 PM to 8:30 PM. To view this restaurant's full menu you can visit here, and to learn more about the restaurant you can visit here.
Leonard's Malasadamobile
One of 4 Malasadamobiles on the island of O'ahu, the Hawai'i Kai branch is located within the Koko Marina Shopping Center bordering Lunalilo Home Road. This incredibly popular mobile Leonard's location almost always has a line of hungry customers, and it is open every day from 7 AM to 6 PM. If you're in the Hawai'i Kai area and have the ability to stop by and grab a box or two of these delicious fresh malasadas, you will not regret it.
To learn more about the specific location of this Malasadamobile as well as the menu, you can visit their website here.
Moena Café
Located on the other side of the Koko Marina Center is Moena Café, a Hawaiian and American breakfast-blend café led by Eric and Nicole Chang. Their goal is to help both tourists and locals alike understand and have an appreciation for Hawaiian foods, and their success can be seen in the popularity of this café. Some of the most popular dishes include the short rib loco moco, eggs benedict, banana chantilly, Kalua pig benedict, and sweet bread french toast.
Moena Café is open every day from 7 AM to 2:30 PM, and to view their full menu or to learn more about the restaurant, you can visit their website here.
HanaPa'a Market
Located just a few doors down from Moena Café is HanaPa'a Market, a seafood restaurant specializing in poke bowls and plate lunches. Popular dishes at HanPa'a Market include spicy ahi poke, the Hanapa'a salad, spicy mayo poke, and the seared ahi plate, all of which are comprised of fresh fish ingredients. To view their full menu, you can visit their website here.
For those who are unable to dine in, HanaPa'a allows customers to order ahead via Toast and pick up their food at the restaurant. This restaurant is open Tuesdays to Thursdays from 10:30 AM to 6 PM, Fridays and Saturdays from 10:30 AM to 7 PM, Sundays from 10:30 AM to 5 PM, and closed on Mondays.
Greek Marina
The final restaurant on our list that is located in the Koko Marina Center is Greek Marina, a popular Greek restaurant with partial views of the marina and outdoor seating. This food spot serves authentic Greek cuisine, including dishes like gyros, hummus, grilled souvlaki plates, baklava, and lamb shank. For those who are unable to dine in, customers can also order online for takeout here.
Greek Marina's full menu can be viewed on their takeout portal, and they are open every day from 11 AM to 7:45 PM.
Taco Del Mar
This next restaurant is located across the marina from the Koko Marina Center- Taco Del Mar is a Mexican restaurant within the Hawai'i Kai Towne Center and offers catering services, "Baja-style eats," and even take-out/pick-up, curbside, and delivery options. Customers can expect a variety of incredible menu items, such as burritos, tacos, burrito bowls, taco salads, loaded nachos, enchiladas, and more. To view their full menu, you can visit their website here.
Taco Del Mar is open weekdays from 10:30 AM to 9 PM and weekends from 10:30 AM to 8 PM.
Maile's Thai Bistro
Starting in 2008, Maile's Thai Bistro has been serving authentic Thai food to the Hawai'i Kai and Ward Village neighborhoods. With popular dishes like pad Thai, green or yellow curry, green papaya salad, tom yum soup, and Thai fried chicken, Maile's Thai Bistro is a go-to for many locals who want to support this local women-owned and operated, pet-friendly, LGBTQ+-friendly, and vegan-friendly restaurant.
You can check out this restaurant's extensive menu in a PDF version here, and you can order online for pickup here. Maile's Thai Bistro is open Tuesdays to Saturdays from 10:50 AM to 8:30 PM, Sundays from 10:50 AM to 7:30 PM, and closed on Mondays.
Ba-Le Sandwich Shop (or La Tour Bakehouse)
Ba-Le Sandwich Shop, also known as La Tour Bakehouse, is a hole-in-the-wall Vietnamese sandwich shop that began in 1984 in Honolulu's historic Chinatown. With a focus on providing sandwiches like banh mis on fresh-baked quality bread, the founder Thanh Lam perfected his recipe by baking his own bread and sharing these creations all over the island of O'ahu. The artisan techniques utilized by executive pastry chef Rodney Weddle are prevalent in all of Ba-Le Sandwich Shop's items, also selling high-quality baked goods with great ingredients to a variety of stores around the island like Foodland, Costco, Safeway, and Whole Foods.
This local favorite restaurant's products can be found at retailers, La Tour Cafés, and farmers' markets around the island, which are detailed on their website here. Ba-Le Sandwich Shop is open every day from 10 AM to 8:30 PM, giving customers plenty of time to stop by and try their famous banh mi sandwiches alongside their other flavorful dishes.
Island Brew Coffeehouse (Hawai'i Kai)
Though known more as a café, Island Brew Coffeehouse (Hawai'i Kai location) has a variety of incredible dishes that can be paired with their delicious coffee drinks. With its first location opening in Hawai'i Kai in 2012, Island Brew Coffeehouse has grown to be a local favorite for 100% locally-grown Hawaiian coffee (in partnership with Rusty's Hawai'i), and has even opened locations in Ward Village and the Ala Moana Center. Some of Island Brew Coffeehouse's most popular dishes include their breakfast sandwiches and bagels, spicy avocado toast, eggs caprese, acai bowls, and Basilito (a wrap containing eggs, cheese, tomatoes, onions, and basil aioli).
For the rest of their menus, you can visit their website here, and you can order ahead for take-out or delivery here. Island Brew Coffeehouse (Hawai'i Kai) is open every day from 6 AM to 6 PM and can be found on Keahole Street in the same plaza as Safeway and Longs Drugs.
Liko's Tap & Table
Closing our list is a popular American waterfront restaurant-bar known for great draft beers, breathtaking views of the marina and Koko Head, and televisions often playing sports games- Liko's Tap & Table. This restaurant is also known for attentive and kind service, which makes this spot a repeat dinner location for many Hawai'i Kai locals (and even people outside of Hawai'i Kai). Some favorite dishes of customers include fish tacos, crab cakes, prime rib, fish sandwiches, loco moco, shishito, and lobster benedict.
For their full menu, you can visit their website here. Liko's serves brunch on weekdays from 10 AM to 1 PM, weekends from 9 AM to 1 PM, and is open until 10 PM every day.
Interested in learning more about Hawai'i Kai? Check out our Hawai'i Kai neighborhood page here, and check out our blogpost entitled "The Top Activities in Hawai'i Kai You Need To Try" here!