Where to eat in Waikiki

[csgray]

I am going to Honolulu for a 3 day training in about a week and I was wondering where to eat in Waikiki. The conference is putting me up at the Ohana East and I will need a place within EASY walking distance for dinner on two different nights. I can't handle a long walk because even though I am now out of a cast for my broken ankle, I still wear a brace and the ankle is really weak and I easily tire. I eat almost any type of cuisine except super spicy and I would like to have something not easily available here.
Maholo for any suggestions.

Carol

[John S. Rabi]

You can go anywhere on The Bus without walking much. There are lots of good restaurants in Honolulu. We had dinner at a Brazilian and an Indian restaurant last time we were there, both were outstanding.

Aloha,
John S. Rabi, GM,PB,ABR,CRB,CM,FHS
808.989.1314
http://www.JohnRabi.com
Typically Tropical Properties
"The Next Level of Service!"

[missydog1]

That's true about the Bus, but in case you just want to stay close, or don't want to figure out bus routes ...

I stayed at the Ohana East once (and hated the teeny bathrooms and showers). But it is in the thick of things. They have some deal with thePink trolley, for free rides, but I'm not sure if you have to book a certain package to get that. I would call the hotel and ask if you're getting that; if not, you can still take it, just costs a little. The trolley is easier in some ways that the Bus because all it does is go around in a loop to Ala Moana, IIRC. btw, easy variety of affordable eating at Ala Moana.

If you check out this link to the Ohana East Tripadvisor review page:

http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserRevie...awaii.html
Click MAP on the left menu for a Google Maps shot with a marker for the hotel, NOT Map this Hotel link, which is Expedia and crappy.
You can zoom all the way in and put it on hybrid view to see the area up close.
The hotel is at 150 Kaiulani. It's quite close to the Moana Surfrider if you walk towards the beach. It has some restaurants, probably not cheap!

If you post a query on the TA Honolulu forum for places to eat within two blocks, there are enough regulars there who stay right in that area to where you should get names of restaurants.
http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowForum-g60...awaii.html

When it comes to dinner, DON'T do as we did, try to find something on the fly walking back from the beach. I remember walking until I was quite footsore, unable to decide, with vague ideas of some names but not knowing where they were. I would look up the restaurants in a walking radius (for your situation) and take the names, addresses, phone numbers with you.

We ended up having nothing but the Burger King across the street, after having walked for blocks and not finding something that appealed, but then it was a special occasion and I was being picky. Result, no dinner! The breakfast place next door to the lobby is nothing great. The hotel might give you a coupon for it though.

Anyhow, after that experience, I wished I had figured out a nearby restaurant before I got there.

[macuu222]

If you can hop the bus to Ala Moana mall..they have some of the best restaurants in Hawaii. Try Longhi's for dinner if you like open air places with an incredable ocean view and world class food and service. And expect to pay around $50.00 per person.

[Mitzi M]

I had a great Indian meal at a restaurant called Maharani on King St near the University. It was just a short and easy bus ride from my Waikiki hotel. They have a BYOB policy and they are fairly small so can get pretty busy after 7PM especially on weekends.

I tried a Mexican place by the beach and was not happy by the food (kinda bland) and the prices were crazy high.

I had a pretty good pizza and salad at Wolfgang Puck's fast food-esque pizza place there. It was really reasonable and good for a fast bite, although not upscale by any means.

[Carey]

The Bus is not real hard to figure out... and to make it really easy, they have a very nice color coded map (many bus drivers have it, also can get at many of the info booths, or you can get system wide map from their website - but this is not as handy unless you are toting a portable):
http://www.thebus.org/

[missydog1]

I find Waikiki overwhelming because I'm not used any more to being such throngs of people. Being there made it harder for me to think, even to figure out the Bus schedule. LOL. I did manage to figure out the Pink Trolley and go to Ala Moana, but I did have to walk to Kalakaua to catch it (by the Duke statue).
A cab is an option too if you are tired and just want to get whisked to a specific place. If it's not far away it isn't expensive. The bell captain should have one available or if you get the number of TheCAB you just call them yourself.

[julieb]

You will be fairly close the The Cheesecake Factory which is at the east end of the Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center. Although I'm not a big fan of giant operations, their menu is so extensive you can find something for everybody. My favoite Waikiki eats are Orchid's Sunday Brunch and The House Without a Key for music/hula and surprisingly reasonably priced dinner. (These two restaurants are at the Halekulani Hotel. That would be a longer walk or a short cab ride.)

[John S. Rabi]

quote:

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Originally posted by Mitzi M
I had a great Indian meal at a restaurant called Maharani on King St near the University.

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That's the place we went to too, I just didn't remember the name!

Aloha,
John S. Rabi, GM,PB,ABR,CRB,CM,FHS
808.989.1314
http://www.JohnRabi.com
Typically Tropical Properties
"The Next Level of Service!"

[csgray]

Thanks for the replies. I guess I was hoping for recommendations for exact places as opposed to general areas because I don't want to spend all day at a training and then wander the streets like Kathy did and end up at a fast food place. And I really want to avoid some global chain I could find in Orlando or Vegas too. Does anyone know if there is a Greek or Mediterranean place in Waikiki, I would love to have some avgolemno soup, Kalamari, and good spanikopita or gyros!

The best Greek food I've every had was in Seattle at a family owned place in the Fremont district. They had a never ending supply of nephews who started out as bus boys until they learned English and then became waiters or chefs. I've been going there for almost 30 years and the menu and the quality have stayed the same all that time.

Carol