Top Asian Restaurants in Honolulu

The Pig and The Lady

A Hawaiian twist on Vietnamese food by James Beard nominee Andrew LeChef Andrew Le’s first restaurant — an offshoot of his family’s popular farmers’ market stand — helped garner national attention for Chinatown’s burgeoning culinary renaissance when he was nominated for a James Beard Award in 2014. The CIA-trained chef did a six-month stint at San Francisco’s Rich Table to learn the ropes and says he simply wanted to serve the kind of food he grew up eating as an Oahu-born kid with Vietnamese parents. The result is a menu of innovative dishes like the signature ahi tataki and avocado on fried banh mi bread, fermented rice-cured whole local fish, and multiple pho options laced with ingredients like banana blossoms and lemongrass chili pork.

Koko Head Cafe

Koko Head Cafe is an “island style brunch house” that’s popular among locals for their cornflake-crusted french toast (with french toast ice cream and billionaire bacon– what?!?), as well as their savory scones and skillets. It is easily one of the best places to get breakfast or brunch in Honolulu, but it’s open until 2:30 PM so it’s a great option for lunch, as well. Run by celebrity chef Lee Anne Wong, Koko Head Cafe is an ideal place to get brunch in Kaimuki, which has a few cool local, “hipster”-leaning shops that are worth exploring.

Lucky Belly

Ramen restaurant

Asian fusion restaurant

Reclaimed wood & brick walls adorn this hip Asian eatery featuring a window for takeaway.

Little Village Noodle House

Big BYO Chinese restaurant with an even bigger menuYes, it’s becoming increasingly famous for other fare, but there is still worthy traditional Chinese food to be had in Chinatown and the always-busy Little Village — decked out inside with carved wood signs and a faux village-esque roofline — is at the top of the list. The massive menu toggles from Chinese takeout stalwarts like crispy spring rolls, kung pao chicken, and beef and broccoli to signature dishes like a shrimp-and-roast duck fried rice, lamb stew hot pot, and pan-fried egg noodles topped with a variety of protein options (the minute chicken is a good go-to). There’s also a decent variety of vegetarian options including the hearty tofu stir fried with bamboo fungus and snap peas.

Roy’s Waikiki

Maguro Brothers Hawaii Chinatown

Ultra-fresh poke and sashimi lunch stall inside a market It’s not the easiest place to find, but make your way to the back of the colorful Kekaulike Market and you’ll see the line, especially at around high noon when local office jockeys descend upon the small stall for the poke dreams are made of. Here you’ll find brothers Junichiro and Ryojiro Tsuchiya dividing and conquering with one taking orders and the other swiftly slicing crazy-fresh locally line-caught ahi brought in from the morning’s fish auction. The result is stellar sashimi and poke bowls (starting at just $6.50 for a small) ranging from basic shoyu to ume plum-and-shiso versions.

Alan Wong’s Honolulu

Pacific Rim restaurant

Fine dining restaurant

Famed chef Alan Wong presents his innovative, colorful Hawaiian fare in an upscale, 3rd-floor space.

Sing Cheong Yuan Bakery

Chinese bakery

Longstanding Chinese bakery selling sweet and savory bitesThis packed Cantonese-style bakery is a solid locals’ spot to stock up on snacks. Snag bags of their fabled homemade sesame-peanut candy (the macadamia nut version is good, too), along with a case full of baked goods including outrageous almond cookies and intricate moon cakes. But there’s also enough savory stuff to turn a stop-in into a solid lunch on the cheap.

Marugame Udon

Udon noodle restaurant

The Tchin Tchin! Bar

Ethel’s Grill

Hoku’s Kahala

Tucked away in an exclusive residential neighborhood just minutes from Waikiki,. , the signature restaurant at The Kahala Hotel & Resort, perches on the second floor with panoramic, palm-framed views of the Pacific Ocean. Its menu features Asian and Mediterrean influences using locally sourced ingredients, like the sauteed French foie gras paired with an Okinawan sweet potato puree and macadamia nuts, or the fisherman’s soup filled with scallops, mussels, shrimp, locally caught fish and ogo (Hawaiian edible seaweed).

Nobu Honolulu

The Nobu mystique is alive and well at this Honolulu outpost, which counts Robert De Niro among its owners. Even without a celebrity connection, the restaurant would be a culinary destination, courtesy of chef Nobu Matsuhisa’s spectacular food and the place’s careful service. Sushi and sak� get lots of attention, but so, too, do tobanyaki and tempura selections.

Royal Kitchen

Royal Kitchen opened in 1974 and specializes in baked buns filled with deliciousness: called manapua in Hawaiian and bao in Chinese. The filling options are tasty as can be and range from chicken curry to Portuguese sausage to sweet potato. While the buns are baked instead of steamed (it’s more common to find them prepared that way), the dough is super soft and cooked to perfection.

Morimoto Asia

The flagship of Iron Chef Morimoto’s Hawaii arm is Morimoto Asia Waikiki, a pan-Asian dim sum, sushi, and large plates restaurant known for its exceptionally good take on a Bronzino (they butterfly the fish like it’s a piece of origami paper). Come for sunset around 5:30 PM and be sure to order the signature sticky ribs as an appetizer; the duck caesar salad is also great. Downstairs, Morimoto’s ramen and sake bar, Momosan, is a lesser-known, cheaper option for a fairly-priced, casual dinner.

Chengdu Taste

We enjoyed everything we ordered. The food is ready very fast so some dish didn’t taste freshly prepared. Maybe it may not be true for every dish but fried rice was ready immediately after we ordered and it was not hot as it came out from wok so we wondered if it was made in advance. Other items were delicious!

Lam’s Kitchen

Joy Cup Noodles Mean

The gist: Great little gem for homemade Szechuan noodles and authentic Chongqing dishes debuts in Mō’ili’ili.The food: The tender beef noodle broth has rich flavors and reveals its slow-cooked belly-warming spices. Start with the daily homemade jiazu potstickers, steamed or pan-fried to perfection. Okinawan taco rice made from scratch uses jalapeño peppers, chipotle spices, and local Angus ground beef served over a bed of mixed sweet and white rice, topped with fresh lettuce, tomatoes, and shredded cheddar cheese.

Legend Seafood Restaurant

Dim sum & other Cantonese-style dishes are supplied at this casual, long-standing Chinese mainstay.

TANE VEGAN IZAKAYA

Modern izakaya restaurant

Laid-back restaurant with a Japanese menu featuring plant-based sushi, ramen & sharing plates.

This creative Izakaya serves up 100% plant-based and vegan sushi.The food: Start with the yuba salad with spicy miso dressing and tempura-battered shiitake mushrooms with faux-crab. Then continue with spicy tofuna rolls, with minced tofu and cucumber topped with creamy avocado and chili “tobiko.” Shizen shiitake Hearty dish: tofu stuffed shiitake dipped in batter and fried. Topped with a sweet (maybe yakitori) sauce drizzled over and matcha salt.

Lee Ho Fook Restaurant

This tiny hole-in-the-wall is packed during the lunch hour, so you know that it’s legit!. The restaurant is known for a few things, among which is the house speciality: the fish ball rice noodle soup. Other popular items include the minute chicken cake noodles and won tons.

Chef Chai

Asian fusion restaurant

Asian restaurant

Bar & grill

Sleek contemporary venue with a long bar serving Hawaiian regional fare from a celebrated chef.

1009 Kapiolani Blvd, Honolulu, Oahu, HI 96814-2112AsianDinner, Late NightReservations, Outdoor Seating, Seating, Parking Available, Valet Parking, Wheelchair Accessible, Serves Alcohol, Full Bar

Great food and cocktails. The bonus $6 valet parking was amazing. So reasonable and convenient. The waiter was knowledgeable of the menu and able to speak on all items ingredient and flavors. Crab cakes and smoked duck taco appetizer were great. The filet was melt in your mouth. Definitely recommend you check this place out.

Sushi Sho

Sushi restaurant

Refined destination for upscale, chef-driven Japanese fare in a stylish setting with only 10 seats.

Entering Sushi Sho, inside the Ritz Carlton, is like entering a stage set for an audience of 10. Seats flank the dramatic sushi bar, where Keiji Nakazawa and two assistant chefs hold court. A few years ago, Nakazawa, one of Japan’s great sushi masters, left his restaurant in Tokyo for the challenge of Hawaii.

Ginza Bairin Tonkatsu & Yoshoku Bistro

Japanese restaurant

Cozy restaurant specializing in Japanese breaded pork cutlets, plus seafood & poultry options.

Yanagi Sushi

Sushi restaurant

Japanese restaurant

Japanese specialties include inventive sushi rolls & tempura in a festive space with late hours.

Yanagi’s been around for decades and is a favorite destination of celebs, so it’s frequently crowded, especially at dinner. That’s hardly a surprise when you consider its impeccable food and convivial atmosphere. Sushi is outstanding, and the chefs take great pride in their skills.

Opal Thai

Thai restaurant

Restaurant

Family-owned Thai kitchen with an upbeat, convivial atmosphere & customizable fare.

After spending years serving up great Thai food out of a lunch wagon in Haleiwa, Opal Thai moved into a restaurant just down the street and has now opened its doors, much to local’s excitement. This family run eatery has stuck around thanks to the fresh ingredients used for the amazing dishes on the menu. The venue is small, and it’s not uncommon to find a line out the door, especially on weekends, so calling ahead of time for a dinner reservation is a good idea.

Shirokiya Japan Village Walk

Sprawling food court with an array of Japanese dishes, a French restaurant & an indoor beer garden.

Reminiscent of a Tokyo marketplace, Shirokiya is the place to grab a quick Japanese meal. From bento to takoyaki to ramen, Shirokiya consists of many different vendors that come together to create the Japanese marketplace of your dreams.

Piggy Smalls

Vietnamese restaurant

Restaurant

Hip, relaxed restaurant offering creative Vietnamese sandwiches, noodle dishes, pho & other eats.

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Piggy Smalls, as the excellent pun entails, is all about good pork. Portions are huge and the flavors are generous and bountiful, reflective of the island’s fusion-immigrant culture. Here, you’ll enjoy Hawaiian takes on Pan-Asian classics like Mochiko Chicken and the table-mixed Burmese Salad, which is excellent.

Side Street Inn

Though it’s located on a small, cluttered lane near Ala Moana Center, the popular late-night sports bar serves a menu that lures even James Beard Award-winning chefs like Alan Wong. (Side Street Inn has a second location on Kapahulu Avenue that’s a bit more spacious and modern.) This unpretentious restaurant, run by Chef Colin Nishida, specializes in large, shareable plates of island comfort-food favorites, such as Hawaiian-style pulehu short ribs, Chinese-style crispy skin roast pork, steamed Manila clams with Portuguese sausage and bell peppers, and kimchi fried rice. The most-popular dish, though, is the pan-fried pork chops, which are crisped on the outside, juicy on the inside.

Sushi Izakaya Gaku

Japanese restaurant

Izakaya restaurant

Sushi restaurant

Izakaya-style eatery serving über-traditional Japanese eats including raw fish & omakase.

Chun Wah Kam Noodle Factory

Family-owned local chain offering quick-serve plate lunches, manapua & noodles in no-frills digs.

Outstanding service and food!! The staff is knowledgeable and helped assist us novices. The food was delightful, the Manapua is unforgettable, and the Almond cookies are delectable! Thank you for a fantastic experience!

Palace Saimin

Ramen restaurant

Saimin, a Hawaiian-style Japanese noodle dish, is the specialty of this basic eat-in/take-out joint.

Doraku Sushi Kaka’ako

Sansei Seafood Restaurant & Sushi Bar

Traditional Japanese entrees and some of the freshest sushi around are on offer at this resort mainstay. Let superb ocean views soothe you as you indulge in dishes like Asian shrimp cakes and Japanese calamari salad. Inventive sushi rolls include the Sansei Special, a combination of spicy crab, cilantro, fresh cucumber, avocado, and sweet Thai chili sauce.