Recommendations within alking distance of King and Fort?

[bleen68]

What can you recommend within walking distance of King and Fort Streets in Honolulu? That is where we will be staying and it is a couple of blocks northeast of the Palace. Any cuisine including the best in Chinatown is welcome. We will have three meals on a Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Any price range but, of course, everyone loves a bargain if the food is good.

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Fort Street Cafe
1152 Fort Street Mall, Honolulu, HI 96813

[bleen68]

Thanks for all the suggestions. To close the loop, let me fill you all in on what we chose. The first aftern0on (a Thursday), while exploring Chinatown, we had lunch from one of the booths in the food court of the Maunekea Market. For the evening meal we managed to have all three within three blocks (maybe four) of the apartment. We were going to Alan Wongs the first night but discovered that really isn't walking distance so instead headed to Du Vin. There was an open table in the patio but it had a reserved sign on it and the inside dining room was too cold so we opted to go across the street to Indigo. This was not listed in this string but after passing during the day, I checked the board out and it had good ratings. We had a nice meal outside and will provide a seperate review. The next day we headed around Oahu with the first stops in the Wheeler Field-Schofield area. We continued north and had lunch at the Fumis Kahuku Shrimp truck right next to the shrimp farms. My son was unhappy about the cost - $12 a plate but we have no idea if that is standard. There appeared to be more people a couple of trucks down (I think it was called Roy's). Anyway the food was good and we had three different styles- garlic, mild garlic and limon. Some photos are included. After completing our loop with a stop at Bellows beach the evening's meal was at Chai's Island Bistro at the foot of the Aloha Tower. This was a memorable meal for which I will also include a separate review. The next day started at Waikiki and lunch was at Duke's Canoe Club in the Outrigger. Lunch was good and everyone had something different including Kalua Pork, Mahi Sandwhich and a spinich and fruit salad. The setting was classic with the outriggers coming to the beach to pickup passengers. The afternon was at Pearl Harbor. That evening we walked into Chinatown and had a very nice mela at the Little Village Noodle House. The flavors were wonderful and the cost of the meal was a third of the two previous nights. Unfortunately we didn't know what the locals know, there is no alcohol on the menu so you need to bring your own wine which they will allow for a corkage fee of $1.50 a glass. All in all the food on this short visit was memorable. (I will also post a separate review of this meal.

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Little Village Noodle House
1113 Smith St, Honolulu, HI 96817

Chai's Island Bistro
1 Aloha Tower Dr, Honolulu, HI

Alan Wong's Restaurant
1857 S King St Fl 3, Honolulu, HI 96826

[KaimukiMan]

thanks for the report(s)! sounds like a good time overall.

[Jazzaloha]

Some comments:

I've been to Duc's twice, and my feeling is that it is sort of overpriced. The food is good, but the portions are pretty small. I did like the bread, foie gras, and curried lamb. I like the interior, too.

I have mixed feelings about LIttle Village Noodle House. The first time I went (several years ago), I really enjoyed the shanghai noodles (no meat) and honey-walnut shrimp (although after awhile the mayo was a bit much). Several times I've went after that have been a bit disappointing. Still, I like their noodles.

My family and I go to Mei Sum quite a bit. They might not have the best dim sum, but it's good. What I also like is the fact that you can order it almost any time during the day AND that you can order off the menu pretty easily rather than ordering from the cart.

I've been to Legend's for dim sum once, and I liked it, although it was packed, and I think you had to order from whatever was on the cart. The look fun was awesome there, too (and I'm not a fan of look fun).

I've never been to Mini-Garden, but the comment about good cake noodle has me intrigued. I'm always looking for a place with good cake noodle.

I've been to Murphy's once for dinner, and I liked it. We got steaks at a good price, and they were solid. Nice building, too.

I'm not a big fan of Chai's. I like the Pacific Rim fusion concept, but I've been disappointed by the dishes, although they weren't terrible. (I've been there only twice, though.)

Some other places not mentioned:

Du Vin

This is a brasserie that feels like a little bit of Europe in Honolulu. They have good happy hour deals, there, too.

JJ Dolan

People rave about their pizza, but I just thought they were OK.

Radja's Piroski

I don't know if it's called Radja's(sp?) anymore, but it's part of a Filipino restaurant. They have two kinds of piroski (chicken with mushroom and cheese and beef with cheese and mushroom, I think). They also sell a bag of fried calamari. It's cheap, but a bit on the oily side.

Epic
I'm not a huge fan of the food, but you can get some good happy hour deals.

Govindaji
This is an all vegetarian Indian plate lunch place on Fort Street.

Most of these places aren't *must trys*, but if you're looking for some good places to check out, these are some good places.

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Fort Street Cafe
1152 Fort Street Mall, Honolulu, HI 96813

Noodle House
69-201 Waikoloa Beach Dr Ste F5, Waikoloa, HI 96738

[KaimukiMan]

Interesting comments about Rada's. I didn't know the new place still sold Piroski. Once upon a time, it was really pretty decent, but by the mid late 90's it was pretty awful. The calamari smelled off, the piroshki reeked of burnt oil, and everything was greasy. I haven't been there in years and years.

[Jazzaloha]

I think the piroski and squid are still like that. They're definitely greasy, so you have to like and be in the mood for that sort of thing.

[garrett]

I can't help too much since I'm really not a frequent diner in the area, but one place I haven't seen mentioned here on chowhound but can recommend is Otto Cake. Delicious cheesecakes.
http://www.yelp.com/biz/otto-cake-hon...

[KaimukiMan]

I don't know downtown as well as I did when I worked there.... but here are some consideratons

Duc's Bistro: about 4 blocks down hotel street on Maunakea. Vietnamese infused fusion. Excellent, probably one of Honolulu's most under appreciated restaurants.
http://www.ducsbistro.com/ducbistro/MENU.html

Little Village Noodle House: Some of the best Chinese in Honolulu. On Smith, between Hotel and Pauahi.
http://www.littlevillagehawaii.com/

Mini Garden: On the corner of Hotel St. and Smith. This place has been around a long time. Really good cake noodle (a Honolulu specialty, noodles pressed into a pan and fried into a "brick". really good texture). This place is open till the wee hours of the morning.
(no website) check the reviews on yelp etc.

Murphy's Bar and Grill: At Merchant and Nuuanu, a great place for a 'nice' lunch, this is ground zero for St. Patricks Day in Honolulu.
http://murphyshawaii.com/

Legends: Some of the best Dim Sum in Hawaii. A little bit pricy, and there can be a line. On the mauka side of Beretania in the Chinese Cultural plaza.
(no website) plenty of reviews on yelp

Mei Sum: They recently moved to nuuanu, just below beretania, I haven't been since they moved. Very good dim sum, less pricey than legends.

Tai Pan: Also in the Chinese Cultural Plaza. this place has some very devoted fans. i thought it was good, but not as outstanding as other people feel.

Art's Hideaway: This might not be the only basement restaurant in Honolulu, but it is one of the few. Really good local style lunches. On Bishop a few doors mauka of hotel street.

Chai's Island Bistro: Thai inspired fusion food. Very good, frequent entertainment in the evening. One of the few remaining original tenants of the Aloha Tower Marketplace.
http://www.chaisislandbistro.com/

There is also a restaurant in the lower floor of your hotel. I can't remember the name, it gets favorable to mixed reviews.

There are a few places for very good Pho in chinatown. The most popular two are along river street, and I can't remember their names. A vietnamese friend of mine really likes Pho 97 on Maunakea Street. The fruit and vegetable markets along King and Hotel Streets in Chinatown are great places to browse and shop. Keep some fresh fruit in your hotel room.

Downtown Honolulu can be a little bit spooky at night, like most city center's most people leave at the end of the work day. Hotel street has a long history of being the center of vice and sin in Honolulu, but because it is the major bus route through town, it is actually pretty safe. I've never had any problems any place downtown, but do be aware of your surroundings.

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Little Village Noodle House
1113 Smith St, Honolulu, HI 96817

Duc's Bistro
1188 Maunakea St, Honolulu, HI 96817

Chinese Cultural Plaza
Honolulu, HI, USA, Honolulu, HI

Chai's Island Bistro
1 Aloha Tower Dr, Honolulu, HI

Pho 97
1120 Maunakea St Ste 176, Honolulu, HI 96817

Art's Hideaway
1110 Bishop St, Honolulu, HI 96813

Aloha Tower Marketplace
, Honolulu, HI 96813