Where to eat in Oahu – My top 3 restaurants

On my last trip to Hawaii I made a priority to try new restaurants and have nice dining experiences, which is another thing Oahu is really famous for. There are countless options but if you don’t plan ahead of time, you might end up always wondering which one to go to, eating at a food truck or at their endless japanese restaurants (which are great, but you don’t want to limit yourself to only one type of culinary, right?!). So here are some of my favorite ones:

EATING HOUSE 1849 BY Roy Yamaguchi

One of the best spots for shopping and dining in Oahu is the International Market Place! So for this post you will find two restaurants I had the pleasure to experience.  One of them was the Eating House 1849, by award-winning famous chef Roy Yamaguchi.

Eating House 1849  is where the vibrant culinary of Hawaii and the dynamic modernity of haute cuisine are mixed beautifully by chef Roy Yamaguchi, bringing an explosion of unexpected flavors in one of the best locations of the island. Simply take a look at some of the names of the following items from their menu (you can’t get more Hawaiian than this, can you?): Hawaii Ranchers Beef Loco Moco (Fried Rice, Kalei Egg, Hawaiian Mushroom Pan Gravy), Big Island Beef Burger (“Small Kine” Farm Cremini, Maui Onion, Gouda), Kauai Prawn Roll (Palm Hearts, Anuenue Greens, Papaya Seed Dressing), Kahuku Style Garlic Kauai Prawns (Pine Nut Pilaf, Kamuela Tomato Piri Piri) and much more.

The restaurant:

I looove restaurants with outdoor seating and restaurants that I can see what’s going on in the kitchen. I don’t know, I just love looking at how the chef prepares a famous dish, the details that go into it or how the servers interact “behind the scenes”. So this was a plus at the Eating House. Our table was inside, right by the kitchen and really lose to other tables but if you want a more relaxing and private “vibe”, make sure to request a table outdoors. The decoration is clean, modern but also has ths cozy and simple touch that makes you feel at home.

The Eating House is located at the International Market Place, 2330 Kalakaua Ave #322, Honolulu, HI 96815 and for menu, other locations and more information check their official website HERE!  Read the full post on Eating House HERE!

Duke’s Waikiki

Duke’s is for sure one of my favorite restaurants on the Hawaiian islands and if you stop by this one in Oahu, you will understand why. Located within steps from the iconic Waikiki beach, it’s the perfect place to have a nice meal with a great view in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere. Offering breakfast, lunch, dinner and a nice bar serving amazing cocktails and others drinks, this is my favorite spot to be in Honolulu at any time of the day.

They also offer a full buffet, which means all you-can-eat without breaking the bank while enjoying an (again) amazing view! Plus, as you know, alcohol is not allowed on the beaches and streets of Oahu, so whenever you are at Duke’s you can still enjoy your drinks on the patio, which is right by the beach and gives you the feeling of “almost actually being on the sand”. Another thing I highly recommend doing is stopping by on Sunday afternoons, when they have live music and the patio turns into a great party where everybody feels free to dance, sing, drink and watch the gorgeous sunset.

Whenever in Hawaii make sure to stop by Duke’s which is located at: Outrigger Waikiki Beach Resort, 2335 Kalakaua Ave #116, Honolulu, HI 96815. Click HERE to check their official website!

Read the full post on Duke’s Waikiki HERE!

Stripsteak by chef Michael Mina

What a great dinner experience we had at Strip Steak by chef Michael Mina (who has opened more than 20 destination restaurants and  hired top executive chefs and teams to keep up with the group’s high standards). After my visit I understand what all the buzz is about,  the service and the food were outstanding and I had to share with you on the blog as well.

One of the things I love the most is when I go to a restaurant and I don’t need to explain what a vegan dish is. And need I say that I love it even more when the server says “not to worry because the chef will make sure to prepare something vegan you will truly enjoy”, even if it’s not on the menu? And of course, this was the case at Strip Steak. Our server was extremely attentive and sweet and she was right, everything we had was delicious and the whole experience was pleasant. My mom came with me and as you know, she is not vegan, so the “meaty” part of this post is all on her! Ah! I can’t forget to mention their amazing bar, one of the most beautiful and complete bars I’ve seen on the island! I had a virgin lilikoi cocktail that I still dream about!

What we ordered:

I know we are two small ladies but we tried a little bit of everything and our server was kind enough to write everything down so I wouldn’t forget when writing this post later for you guys!

So whenever you’re there, I’m sure anything you order won’t  disappoint and your server will guide you but just in case I have everything written and photographed here and will also mark the vegan dishes just in case you’re with part of the green team like me!

Our dinner:

8 oz filet mignon, diver scallops, shiitake chimichurri*, black truffle butter, brussels sprouts*, bok choy, mushrooms*, citrus-steamed local fish, soba noodle (with vegetable meddley)*, ahi crudo, rainbow roll (vegan)*, blistered shishito peppers*, instant bacon, rosted beets salad *, Guava Shave Ice, Devil’s food cake, Fruit platter with strawberry guava sorbet and lilikoi banana apple sorbet*, french fries*.

The ambiance:

The restaurant’s decor invites you in, it doesn’t matter if you’re sitting outdoors or by the bar, the place has this cozy, chic and yet modern atmosphere that will impress you, but the service is at the same time so friendly and spot on that will make you feel like a regular customer. Also, they don’t rush you to finish and get the check (don’t you hate when they do that?!) even though I was one of the last customers to leave that night. The whole experience was so nice that made me want to stay there longer, even after our meal was long gone. And I recommend you do that too, the bar at Strip Steak is so impressive that it’s not hard to just hang out a little longer and enjoy the great cocktails and atmosphere of the place.

Our table was reserved outside, close enough to the fire which reminded me that it can get chilly in Oahu during the winter! But still, it remains as my favorite vacation spot in the US, especially when I want to escape the terrible New York winter! I’ve been to several fine dining restaurants where something wouldn’t click with me and would make me feel uncomfortable in some aspect, but at Strip Steak, I was extremely satisfied with everything.

Make sure to stop by Strip Steak at the International Market Place in Oahu located at the address: 2330 Kalakaua Avenue, Suite 330, Honolulu, HI. Tel: 808-800-3094. To make a reservation and more info check their official website HERE! 

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