Here are some of the local Hawaiian dishes you have to try if you’re visiting Oahu, Hawaii – plus where you can find them on the island! I just got back from a week-long family vacation from Honolulu, and I can’t wait to share all the dishes you MUST TRY when you’re in Hawaii. Hawaii’s tropical island climate makes it a great spot to enjoy fresh seafood, juicy tropical fruits, and traditional Polynesian feasts. Here’s all the foods you cannot miss!
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- Spam Musubi
- Loco Moco
- Acai Bowls
- Hawaiian BBQ
- Hawaiian Shave Ice
- Haupia
- Traditional Luau Food
- Poke
Hawaiian Local Food Culture
Hawaii’s food culture is a mixing pot of traditional Polynesian cuisine, Asian immigrant influences, and post-war American influence. Many of their best local cuisines are made from what’s locally available, like pork, seaweed, and seafood. It’s a great spot to enjoy fresh fish – especially as poke. After World War II, the American introduced ingredients such as spam that also became a key part of Hawaii’s food culture.
Because of its climate, Hawaii also produces tons of delicious tropical fruits, like pineapple and passionfruit. These tasty fruits were made into delicious treats like shave ice, fresh ice cream, and acai bowls to battle the hot summer sun. If you’re ever in Hawaii, you can’t miss the fruit!
Spam Musubi
Arriving in Hawaii, you’ll start seeing spam musubi EVERYWHERE, even in the airport. If you have never tried musubi before, it is a rice ball with a slice of spam, wrapped with a crispy sheet of seaweed. The spam inside was seared and coated with a savory-sweet teriyaki sauce. Dom and I have never been huge fans of spam. But, after trying Spam Musubi, we’re obsessed. It’s the perfect beach snack!
Where To Find Spam Musubi
Musubi Cafe IYASUME (8/10)
This little Musubi cafe is my favorite place to get spam musubi. They sell all sorts of musubi and onigiri flavors, plus the cutest musubi merch. Theiregg, spam, and rice Musubi are super addicting and affordable!
Foodland
Foodland is always my first go-to for beach snacks, including spam musubi! Their ready-made shelves are always fully stocked with warm, freshly made spam musubi. Plus, they’ve got everything else you need as well, like fresh fruit, poke, and drinks!
Loco Moco
Loco Moco is one of Hawaii’s most iconic brunch foods. This hearty rice plate comes with a burger patty or steak, drenched in rich brown gravy. It’s topped with 1 or 2 perfectly cooked sunny-side up eggs, and served with a side of macaroni salad. It’s a hearty platter of protein and carbs that definitely gives you all the energy to get your day started.
Where To Find Loco Moco
Bogart’s Cafe
If you’re looking for a quality loco moco, Bogart’s Cafe is it. Their famousRibeye Loco Moco($20.50) is made with tender, juicy sliced ribeye instead of the classic burger patty. Cooked in a rich and savory30-hour braised gravy, this plate is absolute heaven.
Rainbow Drive-In
I didn’t get to try the Loco Moco at Rainbow Drive In, but it’s a plate here that’s just as well known as their Mixed plate.
Rainbow’s Loco Moco ($12.50) comes with 2 burger patties and 2 scoop of rice, drenched in special gravy. It’s topped with 2 eggs cooked however you like, and a scoop of macaroni salad.
Diamond Head Market and Grill
Another famous grill with a renowned Loco Moco plate is Diamond Head Market and Grill, Since we came for a quick coffee, we didn’t get to try their plates. But next time I definitely want to taste test their famous Loco Moco.
Diamond Head Market’s Loco Moco comes with the familiar patty and fried sunny side up, on top of your choice of white, brown, or fried rice, covered in gravy.
Acai Bowls
If you’re heading to Honolulu, one thing you absolutely need to try is an açaí bowl—and trust me, fruit just hits different in Hawaii. Something about the tropical climate makes everything sweeter, juicier, and just better. No matter where you go, the açaí bowls in Hawaii are fresh, refreshing, and SUPER thick – made of all fruit and not just juice. No icy watery bowls here! Every cafe also has their own variation on fun smoothie bowls, so it’s worth trying!
Where To Find Acai Bowl
Bogart’s Cafe
Bogart’s Cafe’saçaí bowl($14.50) was hands down the best one I’ve ever had on my trip. Made with super simple ingredients like acai, strawberries, blueberries, granola, and honey, it was thick and so refreshing. Every ingredient tasted so fresh and naturally sweet, but the honey on top really adds a nice touch.
Island Vintage Coffee
Island Vintage Coffee is one of the spots on North Shore where I just loved everything they made! Theiroriginal Açaí bowls($14.95) are absolutely massive. The acai is flavorful and tart, and fully dairy-free since it’s made with soy milk.
Their homemade granola inside is so crunchy it adds an amazing bite. I loved it so much, I had to bring home a bag.
Hawaiian BBQ
If you’re looking for a local Hawaiian dish that is cheap, filling, and ridiculously good, you need Hawaiian BBQ. Hawaii has barbeque right with their massive portion of smoky, char-grilled meat, a scoop of fluffy white rice, and that creamy, slightly tangy mac salad that somehow just works with everything. Whether you get Teriyaki Chicken, BBQ Short Ribs, Mahi Mahi, or garlic shrimp, there’s something for everyone. It’s the kind of meal that fills you up without breaking the bank, and honestly, after a long day of beach-hopping, nothing hits better.
Where To Find Hawaiian BBQ
Rainbow Drive-In
Rainbow Drive-in serves all the different Hawaiian BBQ plates you can think of, from Mahi Mahi to the classic Teri Beef. Served with scoops of fluffy white rice and macaroni salad, Rainbow Drive-in is the place to try the local Hawaiian favorites.
I ordered theMixed Plate with Gravy($14.95), which came with large slices ofBBQ beef, boneless chicken covered in homemade gravy, and fried Mahi Mahi. The portions are so generous, and so affordable!
Ted’s Bakery
Whether it’s teri beef or garlic shrimp, Ted’s Bakery has the classic Hawaiian BBQ flavor you’re looking for. Theribeye steak and teri beef combo plate lunch($16.62) were grilled to perfection and tasted so so fresh. The food here has so much flavor, I was so tempted to buy another bowl of rice just for the leftover sauce!
Hawaiian Shave Ice
Hawaii’s favorite way to cool down in the sun is with a fruity Hawaiian shave ice. Unlike the chunky snow cones you might be used to, Hawaiian shave ice is so fine and fluffy, like fresh powder snow. Brought over by Japanese immigrants, it has evolved into an island staple, with classic flavors like lilikoi, guava, and li hing mui alongside creamy add-ons like condensed milk or fresh mochi. It’s the ultimate way to cool down after a long beach day—just don’t call it a snow cone, or locals might give you a look. I’m not a huge shave ice person, but in Hawaii, I almost had to have one a day.
Where To Find Hawaiian Shave Ice
Ululani’s Gourmet Hawaiian Shave Ice
Ululani’sis, in my opinion, the best Hawaiian shave ice. Their shave ice is made with the fluffiest, snow-like ice. Their syrups are all made in-house with fresh fruits and pure cane sugar. It’s so pure, you can really taste that fruit flavor.
They also have tons of creatively Hawaiian toppings like fresh mochi, li hing mui syrup, haupia cream, and more
Matsumoto Shave Ice
This family-owned little shop is also known asObama’s favorite shave ice, serving homemade shave ice since 1951. Located in Haleiwa, it’s been serving up shave ice for decades, with classic flavors like lilikoi, mango, and coconut. They’ve also expanded into more fun Japanese flavors like White Cake Yuzu and Ramune. Their snow texture is a little more like your typical snow cone – a little crunchier, a littler icier, but just as refreshing.
Haupia
If you’re into coconut, haupia is about to be your new local Hawaiian dish obsession. This traditional Hawaiian dessert is a smooth, creamy coconut pudding with a light, jelly-like texture. Traditionally made with just coconut milk and arrowroot by Native Hawaiians, it is now served in a variety of ways—cut up in squares or layered in pies. You can find haupia everywhere as a ice cream or cake flavor all over Hawaii as well.
Where To Find Haupia
Ted’s Bakery
If you are looking for the best place to tryHaupia Cream Pie,you NEED to try Ted’s Bakery. It’s the perfect mix ofrich chocolate pudding and creamy coconut haupiapulled together by the flaky crust into a match made in heaven.
We finished our slices within seconds. It really is that good! Every plate comes with a free slice of pie, so don’t miss out!
Helena’s Hawaiian Food (10/10)
If you’re looking for the traditional way of enjoying Haupia, Helena’s is it. Their bouncy, creamy Hawaiian coconut pudding is served sliced with a dish of red salt. Dipping your pudding in red salt opens up a new world – you’ll thank me later.
Helena’s serve their Haupia with every set, but if you’re looking to grab some extra, they’re $5.75 for 1/2 lb!
Traditional Luau Food
Hawaiian luau food isn’t just about the dishes—it’s about a celebration of traditional Hawaiian community and culture. Traditionally, luaus were massive feasts meant to honor important occasions, with the food prepared using labor-of-love techniques like the underground oven for cooking kālua pig, laulau, and more. Today, you can experience these dishes in a more everyday setting, where traditional cooking methods are celebrated and served in a humble kitchen.
Where To Find Traditional Luau Food
Helena’s Hawaiian Food (10/10)
This family-run gem has been serving generations of old Hawaiian luau feast recipes made with love since 1946. They offer sets that comes with all sorts of small plates, so you can try a bit of everything. Some of my personal favorites:
- MUST TRYPipikaula Short Ribs ($17)
- Kalua Pig
- Luau Squid
- Long Rice Chicken
- Fried butterfish collar
Poke
Hawaii is the home of poke, one of the best ways to enjoy raw seafood. Poke is seasoned chopped raw fish like tuna and salmon, enjoyed on it’s own or with rice. Hawaii has several iconic varieties that you can find at every poke spot, like the soy sauce-based Shoyu Ahi Tuna Poke and Hawaiian-style Ahi Tuna Poke, made with sea salt instead. But, there’s also a ton of other unique and creative varieties at each spot. In fact, many places let you build your own poke bowls, with your choice of sauce, toppings, and rice!
Where To Find Poke
Maguro Spot
Make your own poke bowl at Maguro Spot! If you love customizing your own food, you’ll love it here. You canbuild your own poke bowl with 4 different sizes starting at $7 a bowl, with protein options like tuna, salmon, marlin, and shrimp. They give you a ton of sauce and topping options. You can even mix them all together!
Ono Seafood(8/10)
If you prefer the more traditional poke of simply seasoned fish and rice, Ono Seafood is where to go. Ono specialized in Ahi and Octopus poke, made in a bunch of traditional Hawaiian flavors. Their poke recipes include ingredients likegreen onion, chili pepper, a type of Hawaiian seaweed called limu, sesame oil, and kukui, or candlenut.The tuna is so fresh, it absolutely melts in your mouth!
Foodland
Foodland’s poke counterhas been some of the best pokes I’ve tried in Honolulu.They have so many varieties I sometimes have a hard time picking, but their Ahi Limu Poke and Spicy Hawaiian Style Poke are always great!
We love enjoying the poke with our favoriteMaui Onion Potato Chips ($4.99). The crispy, slightly sweet chips are perfect for scooping up the super fresh fish.
