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Food tours in Honolulu: what to eat and which tour to book
Honolulu's everyday food is local food: a mix of Native Hawaiian dishes and what plantation workers from Japan, China, Korea, the Philippines and Portugal brought in the late 1800s. That is why the standard lunch is a plate lunch of two scoops of rice, macaroni salad and teriyaki beef or kalua pork, why Spam musubi is sold at every convenience store, and why poke (cubed raw fish with shoyu and seaweed) is something people buy by the pound at the supermarket. Hawaiian food proper — laulau, kalua pig, poi, lomi salmon — is eaten at family-run places in Kalihi and Kaimuki and at parties, not just at luaus.
Use this page to know what to order and where to find it outside the Waikiki hotel strip, with rough 2026 prices in US dollars. The tours shown are real GetYourGuide listings, with prices as seen when we checked; confirm the price and meeting point on the booking page before you pay.
What to eat in Honolulu
| Dish | What it is | Where to eat it | Typical price* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poke | Cubed raw fish (usually ahi tuna, also octopus or salmon) dressed with shoyu, sesame oil, onion, seaweed (limu) and inamona (roasted candlenut), or spicy mayo. Sold by the pound or as a bowl over rice. | Poke counters at supermarkets and fish markets across Oahu, and dedicated poke shops; locals rate supermarket and fish-market poke above trendy bowl chains. | roughly $18–30 per pound (about €15–26); a poke bowl about $15–22 |
| Plate lunch plate lunch / mixed plate | Two scoops of white rice, one scoop of macaroni salad and a main — teriyaki beef, chicken katsu, kalbi short ribs, kalua pork or garlic shrimp. A mixed plate has two or three mains. | Drive-ins and lunch counters all over the island; the classic local lunch. | roughly $14–22 (about €12–19) |
| Spam musubi | A slice of grilled Spam glazed with a sweet soy sauce on a block of rice, wrapped in nori. Hawaii eats more Spam per person than anywhere in the US, a legacy of the Second World War. | Convenience stores (ABC Stores, 7-Eleven), musubi shops and lunch counters. | about $2.50–5 (€2–4.50) each |
| Hawaiian plate laulau, kalua pig, poi, lomi salmon, haupia | Laulau is pork and butterfish wrapped in taro leaves and steamed; kalua pig is smoky shredded pork from an underground oven (imu); poi is pounded taro, slightly sour; lomi salmon is salted salmon with tomato and onion; haupia is coconut pudding. | Family-run Hawaiian food restaurants in Kalihi, Kaimuki and Kapahulu, and at luaus (where quality varies a lot). | roughly $20–30 (about €17–26) for a combination plate |
| Loco moco | Rice topped with a hamburger patty, a fried egg and brown gravy. Invented in Hilo in the 1940s and now a breakfast and late-night staple. | Diners, drive-ins and local breakfast places. | roughly $14–20 (about €12–17) |
| Shave ice | Ice shaved fine as snow and soaked in flavoured syrups, often with ice cream or sweet azuki beans underneath and condensed milk ('snow cap') on top. Not the same as a crunchy snow cone. | Shave-ice shops in Honolulu and on the North Shore (Haleiwa). | about $6–10 (€5–8.50) |
| Malasadas | Portuguese-style fried doughnuts without a hole, rolled in sugar and sometimes filled with custard or haupia. Brought by Madeiran and Azorean plantation workers. | Portuguese bakeries, especially in Kapahulu; best eaten hot. | about $1.50–3 (€1.30–2.60) each |
| Saimin | Hawaii's own noodle soup: wheat-and-egg noodles in a light dashi-style broth with green onion, fish cake (kamaboko), char siu and sometimes Spam. | Saimin counters, drive-ins and some local diners; also on McDonald's menus in Hawaii. | roughly $10–16 (about €8.50–14) |
Where to eat: markets and neighbourhoods
Chinatown
Historic district next to downtown with Oahu Market (open-air fish and produce stalls since 1904), the Maunakea Marketplace food court, dim sum restaurants, bakeries, lei sellers and a growing number of restaurants and bars.
KCC Farmers' Market, Kapiolani Community College
The best-known farmers' market on Oahu, on the slopes of Diamond Head, with island produce, coffee and many cooked-food stalls (abalone, tomatoes from local farms, lilikoi drinks). Very popular with visitors.
Kaimuki and Kapahulu
Residential neighbourhoods a short drive from Waikiki: Waialae Avenue in Kaimuki has bakeries, restaurants and cafés; Kapahulu Avenue has Hawaiian food, malasadas, shave ice and plate-lunch spots.
Kakaako
Redeveloped warehouse district between downtown and Ala Moana with murals, breweries, food halls and newer restaurants, plus a weekend farmers' market. Ala Moana Center's food hall is nearby.
Kalihi
Working-class neighbourhood west of downtown with long-running Hawaiian, Filipino and Korean family restaurants, where many locals go for laulau and kalua pig.
Haleiwa and the North Shore
About an hour's drive north, the surf town of Haleiwa has shave ice, and the coast road between Haleiwa and Kahuku is known for garlic-shrimp trucks using local farmed shrimp.
Food tours in Honolulu compared
Every tour below is a real listing on GetYourGuide or Viator, checked on 2 Oct 2026. Prices move with season and group size, so treat them as a guide and confirm on the booking page.
| Tour | Length | Price* | Group | Best for | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Honolulu: Waikiki Food Tour with Local Guide | 3 hours | from €87 per person | — | First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide. | Check dates |
| Hawaii: Off The Beaten Path Food Tour | 3 hours | from €133 per person | — | First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide. | Check dates |
| Hawaii : Oahu Island Sightseeing and Food Combo Tour | 9 hours | from €168 per person | — | First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide. | Check dates |
| Mauka Warriors Luau Experience with Dole & Rum Tasting Tour | 7 hours | from €284 per person | max 13 | First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide. | Check dates |
| Honolulu: Guided Historical Bike Tour with Fruit Tasting | 3.5 hours | from €147 per person | max 8 | First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide. | Check dates |
| Honolulu: Guided Bike Tour with Local Food Tastings | 4.5 hours | from €186 per person | max 10 | First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide. | Check dates |
Honolulu: Waikiki Food Tour with Local Guide
On GetYourGuide · run by Secret Food Tours
- Length
- 3 hours
- Price
- from €87 per person
- Rating
- 4.9 ★ from 18 reviews (on 3 Oct 2026)
- Included
- Local pastry tasting Poke bowl tasting Hawaiian BBQ tasting Artisanal shave ice Japanese treat with a Hawaiian twist Guide gratuities
- Suits
- First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide.
- Starts
- King David Kalākaua Statue
Hawaii: Off The Beaten Path Food Tour
On GetYourGuide · run by Hawaii Free Tours
- Length
- 3 hours
- Price
- from €133 per person
- Rating
- 5.0 ★ from 16 reviews (on 3 Oct 2026)
- Included
- Drinks (Local Juice (Lilikoi / Lychee / Guava / Pineapple) or Bottled Water) Manapua (Local baked sweet buns with savory & smokey pork inside) Chicken Adobo (Filipino braised chicken) Banana Lumpia (Filipino fried ban…
- Suits
- First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide.
Hawaii : Oahu Island Sightseeing and Food Combo Tour
On GetYourGuide · run by Tournet Hawaii, Inc.
- Length
- 9 hours
- Price
- from €168 per person
- Rating
- 4.8 ★ from 3 reviews (on 3 Oct 2026)
- Suits
- First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide.
Mauka Warriors Luau Experience with Dole & Rum Tasting Tour
On GetYourGuide · run by Malama Tours
- Length
- 7 hours
- Price
- from €284 per person
- Group size
- max 13
- Suits
- First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide.
Honolulu: Guided Historical Bike Tour with Fruit Tasting
On GetYourGuide · run by Bike Tour Hawaii
- Length
- 3.5 hours
- Price
- from €147 per person
- Group size
- max 8
- Included
- Guided 3.5–4 hour bike tour (approx. 12 miles) Bike fitting and safety instructions before departure Exotic Hawaiian fruit tasting Aloha Tower elevator access (viewpoint stop) Frequent photo opportunities and local re…
- Suits
- First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide.
- Starts
- 2451 Kalākaua Ave, Honolulu, HI 96815, USA
Honolulu: Guided Bike Tour with Local Food Tastings
On GetYourGuide · run by Bike Tour Hawaii
- Length
- 4.5 hours
- Price
- from €186 per person
- Group size
- max 10
- Included
- Bike rental Equipment Food Drinks Snacks Hotel pickup/drop-off Gratuities Additional food/drinks
- Suits
- First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide.
- Starts
- *
Some links on this page are partner links. If you book through them TonyPlan earns a small commission — the price you pay is exactly the same.
Street food, sit-down or a cooking class?
Street food
Honolulu's street food is food trucks, drive-ins and convenience-store snacks rather than street stalls: plate lunches, Spam musubi, poke from the supermarket, garlic shrimp from North Shore trucks, and shave ice. Prices are mainland-city level or higher.
Sit-down meals
Sit-down options range from family Hawaiian restaurants and Japanese izakaya to Pacific Rim fine dining using local fish, beef and produce. Waikiki has the most choice but the highest prices; Kaimuki, Kakaako, Chinatown and Moiliili are where locals eat out. Dinner starts early, from about 17:30.
Cooking classes
Cooking classes are less common than in Asian or European cities. Options include poke-making and Hawaiian food workshops, farm visits with lunch, and cultural experiences where you see an imu (earth oven) being opened at a luau. Ask how hands-on the class is.
How much to budget for food
| Style | Per person, per day* |
|---|---|
| Budget (street food, markets) | $45–65, about €38–55 (musubi or bakery breakfast, plate lunch, poke or food-truck dinner) |
| Mid-range (one sit-down meal a day) | $100–150, about €85–130 (café breakfast, casual lunch, sit-down dinner with a drink and tip) |
| Splurge (tasting menus, wine) | $250+, about €215+ (fine dining or a premium luau, with drinks) |
Vegetarian, halal and gluten-free
Vegetarian & vegan: Fine in Honolulu itself: many cafés and restaurants offer vegetarian and vegan dishes, and tofu poke is common. Local plate lunches and Hawaiian food are meat-heavy, and macaroni salad usually contains mayonnaise and sometimes tuna.
Halal: Limited. A few halal restaurants (Middle Eastern, South Asian) exist around Honolulu, and the island has a mosque in Manoa, but halal certification is rare. Pork (kalua pig, laulau, char siu, Spam) is central to local food; fish poke and seafood are the easiest choices.
Gluten-free: Many restaurants in Honolulu mark gluten-free dishes. Shoyu (soy sauce) contains wheat and is in poke, teriyaki and musubi, and katsu is breaded; ask for tamari or for shoyu-free poke. Poi, rice and kalua pig without sauce are naturally gluten-free.
Food scams and tourist traps to avoid
- Timeshare presentations disguised as cheap or free luau, snorkelling or dinner offers from desks in Waikiki. If an offer requires attending a 'short presentation', it is a timeshare sales pitch. Book luaus and activities directly or through a reputable agency.
- Coffee labelled 'Kona blend' that legally needs to contain only 10% Kona coffee. For real Kona coffee, look for '100% Kona' on the label; expect a much higher price.
- Luau packages where the cheapest tier means the back rows, a buffet queue and a long bus ride, while the advertised price excludes taxes and drinks. Compare what each tier includes, check whether transport and drinks are included, and read recent reviews of the food, not just the show.
- Service charges, 'kitchen appreciation' fees or automatic gratuities added to the bill, with a tip line left open as well. Read the bill; if a service charge is already included, you don't need to tip again.
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Staying near the markets saves time and taxi money — most food tours start in the old centre.
Common questions
How much should I tip in Honolulu?
US tipping rules apply: about 18–22% at sit-down restaurants, $1–2 per drink at bars, and optional tips at counters and food trucks. Check the bill for service charges or automatic gratuity, especially for groups and in Waikiki hotels. On food tours, a tip of roughly 15–20% of the price is common for a good guide.
Where is the best poke?
Locals usually buy poke at supermarket and fish-market counters rather than at trendy poke-bowl chains, because turnover is high and the fish is fresh. Look for shoyu ahi, limu (seaweed) poke, spicy ahi and tako (octopus). Buy it by the pound with a container of rice and eat it at the beach. Ask if it's fresh or previously frozen; both are common.
Is a luau worth it for the food?
Luaus are mostly about the show. The buffet usually includes kalua pig, poi, lomi salmon, haupia and teriyaki chicken, but the quality varies and portions are cooked in bulk. For better Hawaiian food, eat at a family-run Hawaiian restaurant in Kalihi, Kapahulu or Kaimuki. If you do book a luau, choose one known for its food and compare tiers.
When is the KCC Farmers' Market?
The farmers' market at Kapiolani Community College, near Diamond Head, is held on Saturday mornings, roughly 7:30 to 11:00. It gets crowded with tour groups, so arriving around opening time is best. Bring cash and a bag; some stalls take cards. Check the organiser's website for current hours and any other market days.
Why is food so expensive in Honolulu?
Most food is shipped in from the mainland, and rent and wages are high, so even simple meals cost more than on the mainland. Save money by eating plate lunches, buying poke and musubi at supermarkets, shopping at farmers' markets, and eating outside Waikiki. A plate lunch at a drive-in is one of the cheapest filling meals on the island.
What is 'local food' in Hawaii?
Local food means the mixed cooking of Hawaii's residents: plate lunches, Spam musubi, saimin, loco moco, poke, malasadas, manapua (char siu buns) and shave ice. It grew from plantation-era lunches shared between Hawaiian, Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Filipino and Portuguese workers. Hawaiian food refers specifically to Native Hawaiian dishes such as poi, laulau and kalua pig.
* Prices are approximate, gathered on 2 Oct 2026 from menus, markets and the booking pages linked above. They change with season and exchange rates.