places to eat lunch

[forevergrowing]

Hi,

I will be in Oahu on October 3rd for a 3 day land vacation before we begin our cruise on the Radiance on the 6th. We will be staying at Hilton Hawaiian Village while we are there. We have heard recommendations of places for dinner, in fact there are a couple of nice places right in our hotel. What we would like is some recommendations for places to go for lunch. We have plans for eating at some expensive places for dinner but would like to save some money on lunch. Does anyone have any suggestions on some places that have good food but not that expensive?

Thanks for the help

Ann

[Suebee]

Well, can you tell us if you will be near the hotel or out and about?

 

The best, cheapest, localest kind of places are the plate lunch restaurants. They really are everywhere....Zippy's, L&L Drive In, etc.....

They can fill you up for 5-6 dollars.

 

A plate lunch is a meat of some kind (teriyaki, fried chicken, etc), 2 scoops of rice and a scoop of mac or potato salad over sometimes a small bed of cabbage. They do have a mini-plate which is half the food and still more than plenty for lunch....unless you are sharing or have a big appetite.

 

I have grown to love loco moco. It is a plate lunch of rice, salad, a hamburger patty and fried eggs with brown gravy. Very delicious.

 

I am sure more have other recommendations, but if you want cheap, fast and delicious, the local plate lunch restaurants will do you fine. And there is enough selection for everyone.

[coiran]

You might want to buy an entertainment book for 2004 if they have any left - $10 and there are several 2 for 1 coupons for some of the better restaurants in and around Honolulu/Waikiki.

[forevergrowing]

Thanks for the suggestions on plate lunches. Loco moco sounds very interesting I might have to try this. We do have the entertainment book already and plan on using it while we are there. We will be staying at Hilton Hawaiian Village and they have a coupon in there for buy one get one free at the Golden Dragon and also 25% off at the Rainbow Lanai, which we are planning on using while we are there.

Ann

[Suebee]

I hope Emi Chimes in...she has the 411 on those HHV restaurants...some are to stay away from I hear!

I understand the coffee house across from the HHV is quite good for breakfast.

 

If youre on the north shore, you must stop at the shrimp trucks for lunch. You will see the lines going on forever....and that says a lot!!! Giovannis is the noted champ, but I hear others are equal as well.

[ahibunny]

Plate lunches are a great way to go. Rainbow Drive Inn is a great place in Kapahulu. Their BBQ steak which is like teriyaki beef is really good as is there boneless chicken which is a breaded chicken breast. Never let it be said that local food is healthy. If you'd like to try Hawaiian food without going to a luau, Ono's, also on Kapahulu, is good. If you're in the mood for burgers or a mahi sandwich, you could go to Kua Aina. The original is in Haleiwa but there's another location across from Ward Center.

[forevergrowing]

AhiBunny,

Thanks for the suggestions I am sure they will be a big help. I am really looking forward to my trip. It will be my first time in Hawaii.

Ann

[royaloakie]

Hi, we stayed at the HHV before and after our cruise in July. It is a beautiful property. But a very busy and expensive place. We found a deli and a pizza restaurant in with all of shops on property to be two of the most reasonable places to eat. There is also an ABC store on property that sold all kinds of drinks, sweet rolls, sandwiches, fruits and even sushi. It was always very crowded. We ate several lunches at the beach restaurant. It was convenient and not terribly expensive. We had great meals at reasonable prices when we drove up to the North Shore. Hope this helps.

[forevergrowing]

Royaloakie,

Thanks that was a big help. We had talked about getting something to keep in our room for a quick breakfast. Knowing that there is an ABC store on property is a big help, we can pick up some fruit, breakfast rolls etc. to have on hand in the morning. Even Sushi, that is great.

I noticed that a lot of the places in the Hotel were really expensive, we are planning on using the Entertainment Book to help keep some of the cost down. After all who wants to spend all their money on food when there are so many other things that we can spend our money on. LOL

Ann

[CaribbeanBound]

The Outback (near the Ilikai which is next door to the Hilton) is the best I've ever been to. Dinners only. On top of their excellent turf, they offer a couple of local fish entres with a nice presentation.

 

 

Lunch: Behind Outback, near the marina, is a place called Harbor Pub. (It's located below street level). They have an awesome vegetarian sandwich. We usually order 3 to share between the two of us (1.5 each).

[forevergrowing]

Thanks Caribbean bound,

All these suggestions will be a big help.

ann

[ahibunny]

Another thought is Kakaako Kitchen at Ward Center. It's owned by the same chef from 3660 On The Rise, another Hawaiian Regional Cuisine chef. Fancy plate lunches, salads, few sandwiches. Not cheap, plates run $7-9, but it may be another option.

[MandyMPwife]

There is a good Korean place in the Waikele shopping center. I cant remember the name of it...and I worked almost right next to it. Anybody know...its by Party City and Paul Brown Salon......across the parking lot from Old Navy. GRR, I cant remember, but their fried mandoo is goood!

 

 

Mandy

[spleen93]

That would be Y-kele BBQ. :)

 

Spleen

[MandyMPwife]

Thats right! I actually like the food there. All the local girls I worked with always made me try the food they got!

 

Mandy

[spleen93]

I'm rather fond of the food there too. :) Although I did like the food at Jurison's Inn (right next door) a little bit more. And 1 more door down and on a slightly more upscale note, Kunio is a pretty decent Japanese restaurant with good combination plates.

 

Spleen

[jjssitters]

hi we stayed at the hhv and we did eat at the rainbow for the breakfast buffet using our entertainment book coupon very good.the golden dragon is expensive but very good it an award winning resturant.the deli that a previous poster talked about was very nice a new york deli style sports bar.if you walk toward the illikai (sp) hotel five minutes away there is a red lobster and a few other places.we didnt find it hard to find a place to eat just decideing which one.the shopping mall had a huge food court if you want to combine it with shopping.

[spleen93]

I'd have to agree that the Golden Dragon (Chinese restaurant in the HHV) is easily the most expensive Chinese food I've ever eaten. Good food ... just REALLY expensive for what you get.

 

Spleen

[SweetEmi]

My 2 cents - at HHV - stay away from the Royal Steak and Seafood...(I think that was what Suebee was referring to since I've mentioned it a few times)....*smile* It's in your ET book - you can't even take out the coupon and throw it way before you get there because I think it is on the card...but I'd definately ignore it...

 

Other than that - have a wonderful time! Oh...in your book is a coupon for CinniYums at the International Market Place - they were yummmmmmmmmmmy!!

 

Emi

[forevergrowing]

Spleen and Sweet Emi,

Thanks for all the info. I kind of thought that the Golden Dragon and the Royal Steak and Seafood were kind of pricey myself. I had heard that there is a pizza place and deli in the HHV is that correct. I got that info from someone who hasn't been there in a long time. On our second night there we will be doing the Luau at the Polynesian Cultural Center so that night dinner is already taken care of. What do you think of the Polynesian Cultural Center?

Ann

[partisan]

PaPa johns...

[spleen93]

I know about the deli, not sure about the pizza. Is it really Papa John's? :)

 

I really think that PCC is worthwhile, especially if alcohol doesn't play a major factor in your luau decisions ...

 

Spleen

[forevergrowing]

Partisan,

Thanks for the info on the pizza place in HHV. Can't go wrong with Papa John's!!

Spleen,

Alcohol does not affect my enjoyment of PCC. We plan on leaving early in the morning, going to the North Shore first and then go to PCC for the day. All of us in our group have our flight info now and we are getting really excited. Hawaii here we come!!!!!

Ann

[SweetEmi]

Wish we had a Papa John's here in Kona...but it isn't on my diet...(ok world I fell off the diet wagon - I admit it!)

 

Emi

[jjssitters]

spleen what was the resturant everyone was raving over on the old boards,I think it was in macys? and wasnt there another one that was highly recommended roys