THE HAWAIIAN TABLE

By AHL Editorial Team on 08.20.26

The best meal of a Hawaiʻi trip can often be the one closest to home — a lūʻau built on North Shore ranching heritage, a chef’s table stocked with whatever came off the boat that morning, a poolside lounge where local musicians play straight through happy hour. All, of course, with dreamy views out of any island fantasy.

From a Big Island fire pit to a chef-driven table in Waikīkī, here are four Hawaiian dining destinations we’d book in a heartbeat.

THE KAHALA HOTEL & RESORT
Kahala, O’ahu
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Where’s the standout for Oahu hotel fine dining?
Alan Wong’s is the one to book. It opened in March 2026 with Hawaiʻi Regional Cuisine — the style its James Beard Award-winning namesake helped define, drawn from local farms and the waters off Oʻahu — served Tuesday through Saturday, 5 to 10, and it landed on OpenTable’s 2026 Top 100 Hotel Restaurants list in its first year. Arancino covers the other end of the menu with classic and innovative Italian plates nightly.

Which restaurant leans hardest into ocean cuisine?
Plumeria Beach House keeps casual, open-air tables looking straight out at the Kahala shoreline for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, while Seaside Grill handles poolside lunch and cocktails a few steps closer to the water.

Where does the resort capture Honolulu’s lively island dining scene?
The Veranda runs as the resort’s living room — afternoon tea under the chandelier, then live entertainment as the room shifts into evening.

THE KAHALA HOTEL & RESORT
5000 Kahala Avenue, Honolulu, Hawaiʻi 96816
KahalaResort.com

OUTRIGGER KONA RESORT & SPA
Keauhou Bay, Hawaiʻi Island
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What’s the best restaurant at Outrigger Kona Resort & Spa?
PIKO anchors the resort — Kona coffee and a locally sourced breakfast to start, grab-and-go through the day, and island-inspired dinner plates alongside wines from California, France, Italy, and New Zealand, with live music running every night from 6 to 9.

Is there a traditional Hawaiian lūʻau at the resort?
Feast & Fire runs Mondays and Thursdays on 22 oceanfront acres at Keauhou Bay, pairing the show with slow-cooked Kalua pork, taro rolls in lilikoi butter, and haupia for dessert. An Artisan Village runs alongside it, with poi pounding, bamboo stamping, and lei-making.

Where can guests grab a quick bite without leaving the resort?
Holoholo Café & Market stays open until 10 PM for wraps, salads, and snacks, and Holua Poolside Bar & Lounge serves catch-of-the-day sandwiches and tropical cocktails right at the lagoon-style pool, walk-in only.

THE RITZ-CARLTON O’AHU, TURTLE BAY
North Shore, O’ahu
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Read the review here.

Where can guests find chef-driven North Shore dining?
Beach House by Roy Yamaguchi serves Asian-fusion family favorites at Kuilima Cove, and Alaia runs locally inspired plates for breakfast and dinner, both built around what’s caught and grown on the North Shore.

What are the best oceanfront spots for a casual drink?
Off The Lip pours cocktails from the oceanfront lobby until 10:30, and Sunset takes over the Main Resort Pool deck with live music where, true to the name, the sun meets the surf.

Is there a Hawaiian cultural dinner experience on-site?
Paniolo, A Hawaiian Cowboy Lūʻau runs Wednesdays only from 5:30 to 8, built around the North Shore’s ranching heritage rather than the beach-luau format most resorts default to.

THE RITZ-CARLTON O’AHU, TURTLE BAY
57-091 Kamehameha Highway, Kahuku, HI 96731
ritzcarlton.com/en/hotels/hnlkz-the-ritz-carlton-oahu-turtle-bay 

SURFJACK HOTEL & SWIM CLUB
Waikīkī, O’ahu
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Read our review here. 

Where does Waikīkī’s boutique dining scene shine brightest?
Mahina & Sun’s runs seafood-forward Hawaiian cuisine under Chef Ed Kenney, open for lunch and happy hour from noon to 5:30 and dinner from 5:30 to 10, drawing hotel guests and local regulars to the same tables.

Is there live music to go with dinner?
Mahina Lounge Live runs Tuesday through Friday from 5 to 7:30, with local Hawaiian musicians like John Akapo and Kelly Boy DeLima playing everything from acoustic sets to island rhythms right through happy hour.

Where can guests grab coffee or a quick stop near the pool?
Olive & Oliver handles coffee, retail, and Hawaiian-inspired décor just off the lobby, and poolside bar service covers the rest at the Surfjack’s iconic pool, two blocks from the beach.

SURFJACK HOTEL & SWIM CLUB
412 Lewers Street, Honolulu, HI 96815
surfjack.com

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