Restaurants at Outrigger Waikiki
2335 Kalakaua Ave.
Duke's
On the lower lobby level beach-side, you will find the World Famous Duke's. Duke's is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. It is really popular, so will get very long waits during regular dining times. If you are staying at the hotel, you can ring down to book. They offer buffet meals and a la carte options. Their menu is found here.
Dining at Duke's can be outside or inside. On the weekends during the afternoon and evening, they have entertainment either stationary on the beach side area near the spa or within the restaurant. You can get poolside meals if you are a guest of the hotel.
The Travel Concierge Fact: "Duke" was a great Hawaiian Ambassador. Duke Kahanamoku. A Hawaiian native, he won his first Olym. pic gold in 1912. He was 21 years old. He went on to win many more medals, which is enough to make him famous. But he also introduced surfing to the US Atlantic coast and Australia and New Zealand, Being a movie star and a sheriff in Honolulu were two of many great achievements he achieved throughout his life. There are a number of photographs and memorabilia items within Duke's that you can roam and look at while waiting for your table.
*The Hula Grill
Hula Grill is on the Lobby level (above Lower lobby) beach-side. It is open for breakfast and dinner. Although the food is not the most amazing food you will ever have, the kids meals are good, and the thing you are here for is the view! We always go here on our first morning in Waikiki. Again, hotel guests can book from their rooms. We always book a Lanai table (verandah beach-view) When we have gone with another family we always book the large table that is on the right side closest to the wall where there is a large cabinet. The menu is here. You can reserve a table online. The link is here.
The Travel Concierge Tip:
-Look around at the Hula Grill doll collection that is spread throughout cabinets in the restaurant.
-Look on your receipt at the bottom. They frequently offer a free pineapple boat on your next visit.
Dining on and near Kalakaua Ave
**Cheesecake Factory2301 Kalakaua Ave
The Cheesecake Factory is located to the right of our hotel if you are looking towards the beach. It is within the Royal Hawaiian shopping complex street side of Kalakalaua Ave. Their menu is found here. We try to avoid the 1hr+ wait by dining early. You will see people sitting on the volcanic rock wall with buzzers in hand waiting for their turn to dine here.
The process for getting a table- Line up in the long line at the door (coming out the door) and when you eventually get to the hostess desk, put your name down for the number in your group and whether you want to wait extra time to dine outside (ask how much extra time it is at that moment) They then give you a buzzer and you sit outside willing it to go off. During this time, you will take selfie's, laugh at some sunburnt tourists walking past, and tell your children not to climb all over the people waiting with you. Saying all this, it is worth it!
The Travel Concierge tip: When your buzzer goes off, don't re-line up. Push through the line and go around to the right side of the hostess desk to show them that your buzzer is going off. They will then get you to wait near the dessert section until they can get a wait staff member to seat you.
We love the atmosphere of the Cheesecake Factory. The meals are definitely able to be shared between two people. I have the Cobb salad and I am full by the end and that is with my family all taking some for them. The bread that comes out initially is comp. (complimentary) You can ask for more to be brought out.
The Travel Concierge tip:
-We go early to avoid the crowds or if we go later, we get one person through the shower first (usually Dad) and then while the rest of us are getting ready, he goes down and gets the buzzer going and texts us how long we have. We usually get there about 10 mins before the time. If the buzzer goes earlier he texts again. Obviously, this works for us because we are literally 2 mins from hotel room to the Cheesecake Factory.
- When you put your name down, if you haven't dined here before, ask for a menu. The menu is HUGE and you will need the time to look through it and decide what you want to order. This means as soon as you are seated you can place your order. They will let you take it outside to look at. Its easier than looking at the menu on the wall.
- If they don't already bring it out, ask for the Keiki plate. This is a complimentary plate for younger children- Keiki and has bread and bananas in the shape of a butterfly to keep them busy while waiting for the food.
-We can never eat a meal and a cheesecake but they are so worth trying. We now have one night where we order say two pieces of cake (and cuppas) to go and then sit out on the beach. This allows the children to run around and you can sit and enjoy the cake while sharing the pieces with your family...or not. We have started to work our way through the dessert menu.
Royal Hawaiian Food Court
2301 Kalakaua Ave
Level 2 in the middle building of the Royal Hawaiian Centre (B)
The listing of dining options is found here. Options include Panda Express, Subway, The Grand Carving station, Maui Tacos, and Mahaloha Burgers. A great place to come so that every member of your family can eat what they want in one place.
*Californian Pizza Kitchen (CPK)
2284 Kalakaua Ave
This CPK is located across the road from the Royal Hawaiian Centre. It is upstairs (go up the escalators and it is to the right) Foot Locker is downstairs. (to help you find where it is)
CPK has a great selection of Pizzas and pasta as well as healthier options. Their Keiki- children's menu is really good value. We often grab CPK to have to sit on the beach if we have been up the North Shore in the water all day. We are too sandblasted to actually be 'presentable' enough to sit in, so we just get take out and sit on one of the Lilo's that a leaving tourist has left on the beach. The CPK menu is found here.
Eggs N Things- We saw how many people lined up at all the outlets and so bowed to peer pressure and tried it. The line was long, the food was less than average and the place was not overly clean. Give it a go if you want, but there are a lot better options around. I honestly can't explain why it seems so popular other than people being like sheep and seeing the crowds and not knowing any better.
Located at:
2464 Kalakaua Ave and 343 Saratoga.
*Hard Rock Cafe
280 Beach Walk
This well known American Music themed Cafe has an impressive collection of Surfboards on their roof to look at from famous surfers from around the world. Their menu is found here. It is located off Kalakaua heading the opposite direction of Diamond Head.
The Travel Concierge tip:
-You can show your AAA card to get discount on food, nonalcoholic drinks and merchandise
-Buy merchandise directly from the shop. If you buy from the waitress, you will have to tip on that amount.
Tony Romas
1972 Kalakaua Ave (this is quite a long walk if you have young children) It is almost opposite Ala Moana Blvd.
This family-friendly rib restaurant is located on Kalakaua up the end away from Diamond Head. They are open for lunch and dinner. Their menu is found here.
LuLu's
2586 Kalakaua Ave.
Lulu's is located second-storey up the Diamond Head end of Kalakaua. It is pretty much opposite the pier that goes out near the beach pool. It is across the road from the beach. I love the quirky lights that hang by the balcony windows. YES...they are real Pufferfish with lights inside! They are open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The food is just an average diner style, but the view is great and prices are good. We always swap our hash browns to a fruit platter for breakfast and they are totally fine to do that. The menu is here.
Cheeseburgers in Paradise (Part of the Cheeseburgers chain)
2500 Kalakaua Ave.
Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, This laid-back burger joint is a great family friendly restaurant. The menu is found here. The breakfast menu is here.
The Travel Concierge tip: The other locations offer Happy Hour 3pm-6pm on selected food and alcohol. I cannot get clarification that this one does. I would think they do but cannot guarantee.When I do I will update.
Dining at the Moana Surfrider
2365 Kalakaua Ave.
This beautiful lady of Waikiki was the first hotel in this area. It is plantation style and I love the history it holds. They hold historical tours of the hotel. You don't have to be a hotel guest to go on the tours. Facing the Outrigger Waikiki, the Moana is the first hotel on its left.
*Honolulu Coffee Co.
The coffee shop is as you walk in the driveway on the right side. You walk up a few steps to get in there. We have been going to this coffee shop since our first trip. It is worth lifting the stroller up the stairs OR grab the cuppas take away and let the kids have fun rocking on the rocking chairs at the front of the Moana. As long as you are not too crazy, they will let non-hotel guests sit on these chairs. If these are all full, go up in the lift to the level above and you will find another quaint verandah that has a few rocking chairs. I am all for hotel hopping on trips. I have been into these rooms and find them a lot smaller than the Outrigger rooms or we wold possibly have been staying here.
The Travel Concierge tip:
-Grab a frequent sippers card and get it stamped each time you grab cuppas. We usually fill a number of cards per trip, but even if it is not full at the end, keep it in your travel wallet so you have the incentive to come back! They haven't changed the cards in years.
-'Our table' is at the front overlooking Kalakaua. We will seriously eyeball people if they are in our spot. LOL. We sit and people watch. Take a book with stickers your children can put in the book that you only hand out at times like this when you need some quiet time mentally picking on the clothes choices of other tourists.
- On select nights, there is entertainment at the piano in the foyer. You can hear it from the rocking chairs or you can sit on lounges inside the foyer. We have heard some great music over the years. By tipping a dollar or two you can request a song.
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| Tea Selection at the Banyan Verandah Afternoon Tea |
*Banyan Verandah
2365 Kalakaua Ave.
Again, in the white pillared Moana, you walk through the lobby and go out to the open area. The Banyan Verandah is to your left. Here you can have breakfast and lunch, but why we come here is for the Banyan Afternoon Tea. With the beautiful food on offer as well as the view, we rate this afternoon tea in the top 5 that we have ever been to.
The afternoon tea menu is found here. The Keiki (children) menu is found here. I love the selection of tea here and the way they take the time to explain each tea and pass it around to each person in your group to smell- even the children.
The Travel Concierge tip: If you know that your children won't like the afternoon tea, they will let you order a bowl of chips. This will allow you to have your afternoon tea without having to pay for an afternoon tea that won't be eaten.
Dining down Lewers St. (Beach Walk)
**PF Chang's
2201 Kalakaua Ave. (this is the address for the Royal Hawaiian. The entrance is midway down the street on the left (if you are headed towards the beach)
PF Chang's is Californian Chinese. So would it be weird to say one of my favourite things to have here is their "Great Wall of Chocolate" cake? Their menu is here. We usually order a selection of appetisers and all share. As with a number of restaurants in this area, we try to go when we can get a seat upstairs overlooking Lewers St.
The Travel Concierge tip:
-Happy Hour runs from 4pm-6pm daily. It is a great time to go when you have children, There are great happy hour specials. We still go during Happy Hour now as it is such great value. We just get there at about 5:30. They will do a last walk by at about 5 to 6 and ask if you want any more happy hour priced items.We have dinner early and then go for a walk along Kalakaua Ave then get a cuppa at our coffee shop. We like the dumplings, egg rolls, Salt and pepper Calamari (can ask for no pepper) and crab wontons.
- Keep your receipt and take it to the Customer service centre at Royal Hawaiian to get tokens for the Pink Line Trolley. This will take you to Ala Moana)
*Giovanni Pastrami New York Deli
227 Lewers St. (left side if walking to beach)
This is a great place to kick back and enjoy the yummy New York Italian food while watching one of the many TV's to see sports around the World. Their menu is found here. They are open breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
The Travel Concierge tip: Happy Hour here is Mon-Thurs 3-6. They have a great selection of food and drinks at reduced Happy Hour prices. Here is their Happy Hour menu.
Subway
226 Lewers St. (On ground floor right side heading to the beach)
Ok so sometimes you need a quick bite to eat and most kids will eat a kids subway meal.
Cheeseburger Beachwalk. (Part of The Cheeseburger Chain)
226 Lewers St. (Upstairs on right heading to the beach)
There is a lift further past the escalators, or you can head up the escalators. Their menu is here. They are open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The breakfast menu is found here.
The Travel Concierge tip: Happy Hour is from 3pm-6pm. Food and alcohol menu available upon request. There is no specific menu online.
Ruth's Chris Steak House
226 Lewers St.
Ruth's Chris is renowned for their steaks and plates that are heated to 500 degrees F
We have taken our children here, but only when they were old enough to understand not to touch their plates (youngest was 10) You can ask for the children plates not to be heated. If you are able to get younger children minded or are without children, this is a great non-touristy restaurant. Dress codes apply here. The menu is found here. This location is only open for dinner.
Roy's Hawaii
226 Lewers St. (All the way down the beach end on the right)
As per Ruth's Chris, this restaurant is less touristy and more adult focussed. Lovely food and atmosphere. The menu is found here. Roy's is open for lunch and dinner.
Restaurants in Halekulani
Halekulani
2199 Kalia Rd
This beautiful hotel is located directly at the end of Lewers St. (beach end)
*House Without a Key
Located beachside, this open spaced bar and restaurant is a favourite of our family. We go multiple times near sunset to sit and listen to the band and watch a former Miss Hawaii or the reigning Miss Hawaii hula to the music.They are famous for their Mai tai. We don't drink, so I cannot vouch for them. Our favourite drink is the Frozen lemonade. The views of the sunset are amazing from this vantage point of the beach and the 'green flash' at sunset can be seen from this vantage point.
Entertainment begins at 5:30pm daily. Complimentary crisp chips are brought to eat with your drinks.
The restaurant section is behind the seating only area. It has become our tradition that on our last night of every trip we have our last meal here. There are two menus. Every Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursday it is the Sunset Kiawe Grill menu, found here. On all other nights, the menu is found here. The lunch menu is found here.
The Travel Concierge tip: If you are planning on listening to the music and then dining afterwards, ask to be seated at the table at the front so you can enjoy the best of both worlds.
The Travel Concierge Opinion: Ok so more like a demand...you HAVE to try the Halekulani signature dessert- Coconut Cake. You can download the recipe from their website. I have made it before, but it is never the same as what it tastes like here. Halekulani Coconut cake recipe
Orchids
*Sunday BrunchThis is another one of our Hawaii traditions. We always plan our trip to include at least one Sunday so that we can go here. They have a number of 'sittings'. I would strongly suggest you book this well ahead of time as they do book out. A strict dress code applies here. No 'flip flops' and men and boys must wear collared tops, not t-shirts. This will be enforced and they will make you wear a borrowed dress shirt.
The Travel Concierge tip:
- Request a table beach side on the verandah for amazing views.
- We always take family portraits here each year. Line your family up against the trees on the right (facing the beach) and angle the camera to include Diamond Head in the background. You just need to wait until there are no people behind on the pathway.
Afternoon Tea
We alternate each trip between having afternoon tea here and at the Moana. They are both equally as nice as each other. The menu is found here.
The Travel Concierge tip: To reserve a table, e-mail via this e-mail address.
Fast food in Waikiki
McDonalds is found at 2476 Kalakaua Ave. It is just past the Duke Statue on the corner of Kalakaua Ave and Liliuokalani Ave.
Hungry Jack's is found at 131 Kaiulani Ave at the King's Village.Kaiulani Ave. is at the lights just past the Moana heading in the Diamond Head direction. Go down the street and King's Village is on the right side. Also here is KFC and Subway.
The ABC store also has pre-made meals. It would take me too long to write all the locations because they are on virtually every corner.
Dining at Ala Moana (Shopping Mall)
Ala Moana is located on Ala Moana Blvd. The address is 1450 Ala Moana Blvd.
There are two main areas for dining. The food hall which is located on the street level on the beach side of Ala Moana. If you arrive by bus or Pink Trolley, you will enter the Mall from this side. The other dining hub is on the rooftop level (4) Here you will find Bubba Gump, Island Fine Burgers, and CPK.
The Travel Concierge Opinion: Need some sugar to get you through shopping? try Magnolia Bakery. This cafe and kiosk are new at Ala Moana. their cupcakes are divine and they were made famous through the TV series and movies "Sex and the City" where they were eaten in NYC
Jet-lagged and hungry at 2am?
Try Mac24/7 opened as the name says Always.
2500 Kuhio Ave in the Hilton Waikiki Beach. Their menu is found here. Also on that same page are details about the 'Mancake' Challenge that was featured on the TV show Man Vs Food. We ordered the pancakes as a family (not eligible for the challenge just to try them) 5 of us (3 adults and 2 children) couldn't even get through half the pancakes. They had to be wheeled out on a trolley they were too heavy.
Dining at the Ward Centre
The Ward Centre is further up Ala Moana Blvd. than Ala Moana Mall. You are headed further away from Waikiki, towards the Aloha Tower. You can walk but it is a better option to jump on the bus.
For a full list of dining options look here.
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