Local cuisine (loco moco, chicken katsu, and saimin) and real Hawaiian cuisine differ. Stop at these reader-endorsed eateries to get your poi, laulau, kalua pig, poke, squid luau, pipi kaula, and haupia fix if you’re yearning for the more traditional fare at some of the Best Traditional Hawaiian Restaurants.
1. Helena’s Hawaiian Food
Our readers from all around the world who enjoy Hawaiian cuisine agree that the James Beard Award-winning Helena’s is among those mainstays you simply must miss. Stars such as Bill Murray also frequent Helena’s, with a special reserved table at the back. The modest 73-year-old Kalihi restaurant is renowned for its short-rib variation of the salt-rubbed dried beef specialty pipi kaula, as well as savory beef stew, squid luau, chicken long rice, and more. It is on the radar of every Hawaiian culinary enthusiast and a legend in its own right. Helenashawaiianfood.com, 1240 N. School St., Kalihi, (808) 845-8044. Helena’s Hawaiian Food truly stands out as one of the best traditional Hawaiian restaurants.
2. Highway Inn
Originally opened in 1947, Highway Inn’s first Waipahu site has been receiving accolades for some time. Highway Inn is now a champion for the classics, including its hand-wrapped laulau and twists on traditional favorites like the smoked meat loco moco at two Oahu sites (three if you count the café in Bishop Museum run by the restaurant). You can find their tried-and-true Hawaiian food favorites here, making it a top contender among the Best Traditional Hawaiian Restaurants.
3. Waiahole Poi Factory
This Windward favorite’s freshly ground poi is hard to beat. And this is one of the ideal spots for an introduction if you have never tasted the purple Hawaiian starch produced from kalo (taro), a staple item in Hawaii’s native diet. The menu also features a variety of combination dishes, including beef laulau, kalua pig, and squid luau. 48-140 Kamehameha Highway, Waiahole, (808) 239-2222, waiaholepoifactory.com. Waiahole Poi Factory is certainly among the best traditional Hawaiian restaurants for authentic poi.
4. Haili’s Hawaiian Food
Da Big Kahuna Plate, which includes a little bit of everything—kalua pig, laulau, chicken long rice, lomi fish, poke, haupia (coconut pudding), poi, purple sweet potato, and pineapple—is a must-try for those new to Hawaiian cuisine. Recipes handed down from generation to generation since the opening of the famous restaurant in 1958 guide everything. Finish your dinner with some of Haili’s well-known kulolo, a steamed or baked taro made with coconut milk and sugar mashed into a consistency akin to tapioca. 760 Palani Ave., Kapahulu, (808) 735-8019, hailishawaiianfood.com. Haili’s Hawaiian Food ranks highly among the Best Traditional Hawaiian Restaurants.
By visiting these best traditional Hawaiian restaurants, you are sure to experience the authentic taste of Hawaii. Each restaurant on this list offers something unique and truly embodies the spirit of Hawaiian cuisine.