Top Rated Restaurants & Cafes in Honolulu

Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, this place offers good food in a casual, relaxed atmosphere. The restaurant takes its name from a huge Hau tree that grows out of Waikiki Beach and shades the beachfront terrace. This is a great place to take in the sunset while enjoying a wide variety of seafood and other well-prepared offerings at moderate prices. Mai Tais here are large and make a great view even better. The Hau Tree has live slack-key guitar music on weekend nights.

This bakery is a local secret that islanders have kept close to their hearts for years. The small diner counter almost always has a line and the food is simple and inexpensive. But ask anyone about the bakery and they will drool at the thought of the cocoa puffs. They are small cream puffs filled with a cocoa pudding and topped with a secret Chantilly frosting that is simply legendary. For under a buck a piece, this is one of the best things about Hawaii, ever. It is open from 6 a.m on Tuesday to 8 p.m on Sunday. Mondays remain closed - Lottie Tagupa

Picture yourself by a pristine beach—away from your busy schedule, enjoying an exotic meal and tropical drinks. That is Plumeria Beach House. The Kahala Hotel & Resort, is a popular tourist resort and the Plumeria Beach House well deservedly shares in that popularity. Start your day with a breakfast of fresh fruits and pancakes, while your meals would consist of salads, sandwiches and pupus. End this perfect meal with a desert cocktail. Come down on a weekend and enjoy a buffet fit for a king. Divided into indoor and outdoor dining area, this place is apt for intimate meetings, laid-back luncheon or a romantic dinner.

If you like superb Teppan-style Japanese food prepared with verve and dramatic flair, then you'll be right at home here. This place won Honolulu Magazine's Hale 'Aina award for "Best Japanese Restaurant in Hawai'i" three years in a row, and it's no wonder. The knife-wielding chefs are masters of the Teppan-yaki art and terrific entertainers to boot. The cuisine is prepared with only the finest and freshest ingredients. There are two other Tanaka of Tokyo locations in Waikiki.

"Gyu-Kaku", i.e."Horn of the bull", brings Japan's favourite yakiniku restaurant to Hawaii. The main fare is charcoal Japanese BBQ. This place has taken yakiniku to a new level by combining state-of-the-art charcoal roaster systems with a bountiful menu. The menu is made up of meats, seafood, poultry and vegetables as well as delicious Japanese drinks and desserts. Check out the Black Pepper Shrimp and Black Pepper Calamari. Don't miss the happy hour where Kirin beer is sold for 99 cents.

Most people know this bar for its friendly music and killer sunsets. Sure, it is typically filled with tourists who are staying at the Outrigger Hotel where it is located, but don't let that deter you, you're probably a tourist yourself. This is also the eponymous restaurant of the famed 'surf hero' and prodigal son, Duke Kahanamoku. The music is contemporary Hawaiian and you will always find the ukulele. The food includes fresh fish, burgers, salads, sandwiches and the breakfast buffet has some of the best made-to-order omelets in Waikiki. The atmosphere offers a great beach setting where guests will always find that ubiquitous Hawaiian friendliness, or "Pono" throughout the restaurant. Also, the adjoining bar is a fantastic place to have a drink before heading back to the beach or up to your hotel room if you're staying at the Outrigger Waikiki on the Beach.